There's a total lunar eclipse two weeks later, the first one since January 2001. That semiquarter and most of the next pass without much more noise. Jackson is occasionally sad because of his dom's electric toy, and he's occasionally more stripey than he wishes to be, but there's not a whole lot Sadde can do about that. Against his hopes, Mason doesn't dump Jackson, and nothing gives.
Sadde continues socializing with people, but no one new. And as the semiquarter approaches its end and summer break gets closer, Sadde receives an email from Tobias, saying that he fully expects his daughter to come home and tell everyone all about her first half year at magic school.
The email tells Sadde to behave.
Sadde is not in a good place.
"I would, but I'm not sure they'd react appropriately to the information without some prodding. ...Man, time travel would make it awkward with Alex. Especially me being older."
"Oh. I think my father wouldn't've believed me but mom would've and would've reacted accordingly but been a bit sad that she'd've missed my childhood."
"I'd still do it, mind, but I can see the point in that. Even if my childhood wasn't pleasant enough that I'd want to repeat it for itself, it's still... I dunno, nice in its way?"
"Oh, my mom always took me seriously. That thing other people complain about, where adults treat children like nonpersons, it wasn't really a thing with her."
"I was a smartbutt who occasionally pranked other kids and couldn't sit still. Picture the human version of a ferret."