THE MOMENT
“He won’t suggest three…,” Paulius fidgeted with anxious energy and talked to himself as he watched the robed man approach. “... But three's my limit. I can't do four even if he offers. Can I?” Paulius, the other students, and the distinguished instructor were all outdoors on a vast plain. The students were lined up at lengthy intervals with enormous black cages alongside each student. Several of the cages were covered with draping fabric, some of the creatures were light sensitive. But those that were uncovered showed imprisoned dragons in various colors and sizes.
Apprentice mages needed to tame a dragon to reach the next level, and it was effectively exam day. Paulius, and the others, had the first semester to prepare, and this result would determine whether they could advance on to the second semester.
“...but, he's definitely going to ask me to skip at least one year. He has to.” Paulius was confident as the instructor arrived. He had chosen to keep his tamed beast covered; it wasn't a dragon sensitive to light. He'd gone above and beyond.
“Good day, young Paulius,” the magical teacher smiled down at him with wrinkles gathered around his eyes. “What fearsome dragon have you managed to wrangle to assist your studies?” he asked as his eyes looked up. Paulius pulled on the rope to draw the front open and his chest swelled with pride. The instructor blinked while assessing the big-headed reptile with short arms.
“I traveled back in time and tamed a T-Rex!” The instructor nodded.
“I see that. However, the assignment was to tame a dragon. From our contemporary world,” he added. “If you don’t have a dragon, I’m afraid you won’t be able to move on,” he said with a solemn tone. “I’m sorry.” He turned to walk on to the next student, but Paulius spoke up.
“Wait! But.. I did BETTER!” he said.”Way better than what you asked for!”
“Better?” The instructor shrugged. “This is a school. You were given clear instructions and chose not to follow them; I don’t understand how that is ‘Better’.You can’t submit an essay for a math exam and expect a passing grade, what were you thinking?”
“I traveled through time to find this thing!” Why couldn’t the instructor see the amazing thing he’d accomplished? The instructor shook his head and sighed.
“I was hoping to gloss over that. Failing you was already unexpected, and I wanted to avoid making you feel worse. But, since you’ve drawn my attention to the fact, I am forced to ask - did you have the proper temporal permissions?” The answer was obviously, ‘no’. Time travel magic was prohibited without reason and guidance, and any Staff he went to seeking that guidance would have pointed out the flaws in his plan.
“No…,” Paulius sighed.
“I’m sorry, Paulius” the instructor shook his head and turned to walk away. “You’re expelled for practicing temporal magic without proper permissions. Please leave your T-rex there; he will be confiscated and returned to his own time period.”