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quietly. She gazed at Paris. “Sorry I don’t remember you from history. With a name like Paris and blue hair, you don’t exactly blend into the background!”
    Brodie looked around the dining room. “Five nose rings, two shaved heads, and three kids with multiple piercings. Seems like a normal enough high school group to me. I think he blends in pretty well.”
    Paris grinned. “My hair’s only been blue since yesterday,” he explained. “Until then it was blonde. Myfamily hates alternative anything, so I sprang the latest Kool-Aid job last night, just to freak ’em out.”
    Darrell finished the last of her lasagne and dropped her fork with a clatter. “Anyway, your name is stranger than your hair,” she said, her voice muffled as she wiped tomato sauce from her mouth. “Who ever heard of a guy called Paris?”
    Paris’s grin widened. “Who ever heard of a girl called Darrell?” he shot back good-naturedly. “You need to bone up on your ancient Greek history,” he added. “Paris was a famous hero who fought a war for his girlfriend, Helen of Troy.”
    â€œDarrell! I can’t believe you didn’t know that!” cried Kate, and looked at Paris with mock consternation. “She may look like an artist, but she has a secret interest in history, particularly late fourteenth-century Scotland, right Darrell?”
    Darrell frowned. “Shut up, Kate. Leave my historical interests out of —”
    â€œShhh!” Brodie interrupted the argument. “It looks like the principal has something to say.”
    Professor Myrtle Tooth stood at the teachers’ table, cleared her throat, and waited for silence. As soon as the voices filling the room died away, she began to speak in quiet, measured tones.
    â€œNow that classes are underway, I would like to introduce a significant undertaking for the students of Eagle Glen School this term. We will celebrate the completion of exams by staging a Renaissance fair, to be held in the final days before winter break. All students will be expected to participate in some element of thefair, each to his own strength. Teachers will have comprehensive sign-up lists for each form. Fourth form will be responsible for the actual design and planning of the fair, accurate to historical detail whenever possible. Third form will be responsible for the construction required for the various events. Second form will help to organize scheduling, and first form will staff assigned stations as needed.”
    Professor Tooth swept the silent room with a glance. “The primary objective of this fair is to put into practical use the lessons presented about the Renaissance era during this term. Your form teachers will be available to further enlighten you on the details of this most important and entertaining event over the course of the next few weeks.” She glanced at her watch. “And now, I do believe the first session of study hall has begun. You may proceed to your study rooms or feel free to continue your work here, as you see fit.”
    The scraping of chairs and a low murmur of conversation rose as students settled in with their first day’s homework or left the dining hall for the smaller and more comfortable study rooms designated one to each school class.
    â€œD’you want to stay here to work or move upstairs?” asked Kate.
    Paris got to his feet. “Well, I’m going to the music room to practise,” he said, as he shouldered a bulky instrument bag, “so I’ll see you later, okay?”
    Darrell nodded and smiled her goodbye. When Paris had strolled out of the room she glanced at Brodie. “Might be easier to talk here,” he said in a low voice.“The first- and second-form study rooms have an adjoining door, but I think less people can hear us here.”
    The tables around theirs had emptied and voices dropped to a muted murmur as the remaining