"Bates, you say might be involved?" asked the dean, "Most unlikely, he's a model student, but if something is
going on in his dorm. Bates is more likely to be the victim than the villain. I'll take you to meet his
Resident Advisor."
The dean's robes billowed as he opened the door and wind gusted in.
"A storm in the hall?" asked Mr. Diamond.
Mrs. Higginbottom grabbed his arm and whispered, "You didn't go to Stonewood. Otherwise you'd know that the
dean's office is next to the Weather Magic laboratory."
"Sorry, Diamond, hold on to your bowler. It's finals week, and everyone seems to be trying to conjure a bigger
hurricane. Do you suppose that's your anomaly?"
"Finals magic? Could be? But I doubt it's the wind. Mrs. Higginbottom has a good nose for skullduggery, and
if skull duggery is afoot, then Bates is somehow involved. Lead the way to the RA."
"This is all strangely familiar, and strangely wrong," Mrs. Emma Higginbottom said as she caught the dean's
hand by the wrist as he was about to knock on a dorm room door. "Before we knock tell me about this RA.
What's his name? What are his affiliations? I don't know why but seeing the name "M. WANKER" on the placard
just seems fundamentally wrong."
"M. Wanker," chuckled Diamond, "I'm surprised it doesn't say I. M. Wankin. Obviously a prank at the RA's
expense. I remember my school days."
"No, Mr. Diamond, Wanker is in fact the RA's last name."
"Most unfortunate," Diamond said.
"Yes, most. now tell us more," Emma demanded, "And please keep it down, no need to alert our pigeon while it's
in its roost."
"Ah, of course," said the dean. He took a breath and entered into a brief narrative about the RA, the family
and background, grades and extra curriculars.