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Manfred. "The twins are related to Zelda Dobinski, who has left us. Apparently she is a mathematical genius, so she's off to a university at a very early age. Unfortunately Asa here is the opposite of a genius. He's still with us because he failed all his exams."
    Frowning with embarrassment, Asa hunched even farther down in his seat, and Charlie felt a rare twinge of sympathy for him. To be ridiculed by someone he admired must have been very painful.
    "Last, but not least, we have Joshua Tilpin," Manfred announced.
    On hearing his name, Joshua leaped up and bowed. Anyone would have thought he was a prince. And yet he looked a mess. His green cape was covered in dust, there were leaves and grass in his hair, and a cobweb hung from one of his ears.
    "Sit down, Joshua," said Manfred. "You're not a pop star."
    Joshua beamed at him, and to everyone's amazement, Manfred smiled back. Getting a smile out of Manfred was like getting water out of a stone.
    What next? thought Charlie. He was just about to start his homework when Manfred said, "Charlie Bone, you didn't bring me your lines."
    "Oh, sorry Manfred. I've got them here." Charlie fumbled in his bag.
    "I asked you to bring them to my office."
    "But . . . I don't know where it is," Charlie confessed.
    Manfred sighed. He looked at the ceiling and declared, "I am behind words . . . on the way to music . . . beneath a wing . . . and before trumpets, masks, and brushes." He paused for effect and brought his gaze back to Charlie. "Do I make myself clear?"
    In any other circumstance, Charlie would have said, "Clear as mud," but as the situation was already pretty grim, he decided to say "Yes, Manfred."
    "Good. Then bring your lines to my office before bedtime, or it's detention for you."

DETENTION FOR CHARLIE
    Charlie was lucky to have a friend like Lysander Sage. Lysander always finished his homework early and today as soon as his work was done, he applied himself to Manfred's riddle.
    As Charlie was leaving the King's room, Lysander grabbed his arm. "I think I know where Manfred's office is," he whispered. "Let's go and find our dorms and I'll explain."
    Billy Raven had crept up on them. "Can I come with you?" he asked Charlie.
    "Billy Raven, I want a word with you." Manfred stood outside the King's room, looking at the three boys.
    Billy gave a resigned shrug and walked back to Manfred.
    "Poor kid," Lysander said under his breath. He began to explain how he had interpreted Manfred's riddle.
    "I started at the end," he said, "Trumpets, masks, and brushes' must refer to the signs above our coat-rooms. So Manfred's office is ‘before' you get to them. If it's ‘on the way to music,’ then it must be somewhere down that long passageway to the Music Tower, and that's ‘beneath’ the west ‘wing' — get it?"
    "Mm," said Charlie. "But what about the words, ‘behind words'?" he said.
    "Words are in books," said Lysander. "I figure if you can find a bookcase in that passageway Manfred's office will be behind it. Bookcases are often used as doors to secret rooms."
    "Wow! You've got it, Sander. I did see a bookcase down there. Brilliant! Thanks!"
    "You're welcome. Hope it works."
    They had reached the first dormitories and began to scan the lists of names tacked to each door. Lysander found that he was still sharing with Tancred, and to Charlie's relief he saw his own name on a list with Fidelio's. Billy's name was at the bottom.
    Fidelio was already unpacking his bag. He'd saved a bed beside his for Charlie. The dormitory was almost exactly the same as last year's. Six narrow beds arranged on either side of a long bleak room, with a single dim lightbulb hanging in the center.
    Charlie quickly shoved all his possessions in a bedside dresser and hung his cape on a hook. "I'm going to try and find Manfred's office," he told Fidelio. "Can you cover for me if the matron comes in?"
    "I'll say you're in the bathroom," said Fidelio. "Good luck."
    Charlie was halfway down the hallway when he