Robert looked positively heartbroken.
“B-B-B-B-But… but—but… But, I thought… I thought you… they… you seemed so…” He’d been so certain she needed help. So certain this was the perfect time to step in! How could… how could she turn him away like this?! It wasn’t like his beloved Airi to dismiss him so carelessly, with such little consideration for his feelings and all the effort he’d gone through to get in costume and appear at just the right time.

“I thought… I thought there was s-s-something between u-us,” the boy continued, his nasally voice growing even more so as his dark eyes began to water.

Meanwhile, Cavendish watched the whole scene unfolding before him with wide eyes, unseen under his banana costume. What. The. Crap were his students taking? No, this was definitely the result of more than just champagne and firewhiskey. These kids all had some serious mental issues they needed to deal with. If only Professor Drake was here to give one of his inspirational speeches…

“Oh! Yes, yes, of course!” Only after Airlia’s plea did Cavendish remember he was dealing not only with a demented boy and a psychotic killer, but a seriously injured young man as well. He conjured a patronus to call for the nurse as discreetly as possible, then dropped the boom box on the snow covered ground before rushing over to Ignatius, his pace slowed slightly by the large and heavy costume. “Mr. Wilder, I’m going to need you to please stay with me a moment.” With a wave of his wand, the man conjured up a stretcher. “Mr. Vincenzi, Mr. MacGhilleseatheanaich, I need you to help me carry him onto the stretcher, please.”

…
Silence.

“Mr. Vincenzi?” Kneeling beside Ignatius, Cavendish turned his head only to find that Victor had completely vanished, as if the earth had swallowed him up. But he wasn’t the only one missing. Robert MacGhilleseatheanaich III was gone as well, and the only hint that remained of the two boys was the latter’s mask, laying face-up on the snow-covered ground.