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Chapter 1
Chapter 1: The Unusual Substitute
Hugo Martinez was having a perfectly ordinary Monday morning until smoke came out of his teacher's nose.
It happened during attendance. Mrs. Patterson had been out sick all week, and Principal Holloway had introduced their substitute teacher, a tall woman with copper-red hair piled high on her head and eyes that seemed to flicker between green and gold.
"Class, this is Ms. Flamel," Principal Holloway announced. "She'll be with you until Mrs. Patterson returns."
Ms. Flamel smiled, and Hugo could have sworn he saw her teeth glint sharply in the fluorescent light. "I'm so delighted to be here," she said, her voice smooth and warm like honey heated over a fire. "I have a feeling this week will be absolutely... scorching."
That's when Hugo saw it. Two thin wisps of gray smoke curled up from Ms. Flamel's nostrils and disappeared into the air.
Hugo blinked hard. He looked around at his classmates. Mia Chen was doodling in her notebook. Tommy Russo was picking at his eraser. Nobody seemed to have noticed anything strange at all.
"Now then," Ms. Flamel continued, settling behind Mrs. Patterson's desk. Her long fingernails clicked against the wood, and Hugo noticed they were curved and slightly pointed, like claws. "I understand your school talent show is this Thursday. How exciting! I've volunteered to help organize the grand finale."
Hugo raised his hand slowly.
"Yes, young man?" Ms. Flamel's golden-green eyes locked onto him.
"Um, what kind of grand finale?"
Ms. Flamel's smile widened. "Oh, you'll see. Something the students of Riverside Elementary will never forget."
Hugo felt a chill run down his spine, which was strange because the classroom suddenly felt very, very warm.
