Everyone's Goals for the Semester

As the bell rang for the new semester at Midtown High School, the lingering afterglow of their summer adventures was gradually replaced by orderly campus life.

After Lin Hai, Gwen, Peter, and Harry had tentatively agreed on California Institute of Technology as their shared goal, a new and more deeply rooted motivation began driving them forward.

A full and busy high school life once again became the main theme, but this time, everyone had clearer plans and greater expectations for the future as they worked hard along their respective paths.

"So, our goals for this semester are..." Peter said at lunch, biting into a sandwich while counting on his fingers. "I'm going to do more research projects to build up my application résumé. Harry's going to learn corporate management from his father. Gwen's going to start learning magic. And Lin Hai—" He looked across the table at Lin Hai with a grin. "—is going to learn that cool Portal Magic before winter break!"

Harry cut up the food on his plate and added, "More precisely, I'm going to learn how to deal with the company's difficult shareholders without falling behind in school. My father said that if I keep straight A's this semester, he'll let me attend the Osborn Group's shareholder meeting next quarter."

"And I'll be satisfied as long as I can make my first magical spark before Christmas," Gwen said with a smile, turning to look at Lin Hai. "But someone made a bold promise that he'd learn Portal Magic."

Gwen's goal was practical and clear. She hoped that, within this semester, she could truly cross the threshold from theory and successfully cast her first spell.

Although the vast knowledge in the Kamar-Taj Library enthralled her, she also longed to turn the runes and incantations in those books