Showing Off

Throughout the world, there are private academies for student magicians, bastions of privilege and power where each child is groomed for greatness. These magicians, though young, possess talents so marvellous that even their instructors occasionally faint from awe. They will grow up to rule the world-and more important, to bring honour and esteem to their alma maters. Everyone else goes to state school. There, magic is only an extra, like gym or art. You begin in fourth grade. You hope you have a decent teacher-and that budget cuts don't eliminate the program before you master the most important skills. There are five categories of magic, and therefore five strands of magical education. Except, not everyone's magic fits these categories. The misfits, the oddballs, the different: kids whose magic doesn't fit the mould have to go to special ed-otherwise known as Upside-Down Magic Class.