Clad in his tatty trousers and shirt, Clue sat cross-legged on the dormitory floor with an open Potions textbook in his lap. He placed it aside with a curious blink as Narcissus Laurent opened the wardrobe to discover Sable the Spider had become a mother.

Clue hadn’t said a word to Narcissus since their return to school, because he could not help but notice that Narcissus had done what some boys did over the summer — he’d grown taller, deeper voiced, and kind of rockier. Clue — who was very small and fey and always would be — was not jealous, but it did make him feel quieter. He was not sure why.

He padded over to the wardrobe and held up a piece of parchment next to Sable and her brood, encouraging them to scuttle forth.