The Grimbriar Gazette | Issue No. XIV
Weather
The weatherstone is cold and wet, therefore it is raining. The local crows have been leaving offerings of pine needles on the stone, so snow may be likely in the coming days. The snails have officially retreated into their shells for the season.
Lost & Found
Found: Two cockroaches tangled in a loving embrace. They protest when pulled apart. Left on the front hearth.
Found: A silver handkerchief that burns like ice. Fills my mind with images of frost and craggy mountains. Retrieve from Mildred in the kitchens.
Lost: A jar of whiskers from my cat Monty. I need them for my potions final, please return to Andy W. in the North Dorms!
Gossip
Floorboard Fiascos and Fictional Felines
Students running to and from the kitchens recently may have noticed there's been a bit of renovation beneath their feet. This past week, not one, but ten floorboards have been replaced in the lower hall. According to kitchen staff upon arriving for their early shifts, certain floorboards were curling up from the floor as if yanked back by a giant. The nails holding the boards had been bent, and some even snapped in half. Contractors hired by Grimbriar were left scratching their heads, wondering how the solid oak planks could even be bent in the first place. The only clue left behind was in the form of one very large, wet pawprint.
"A single print!" cried dishwasher Clarence. "The size of my bed! Looked like a cat's print. I wouldn't be shocked if some giant cat was prowling this school right now."
Staff have long speculated about the presence of giant rats drawn to the Academy's food stores, and that leaves everyone wondering: has a giant feline friend come to Grimbriar? And what really lies beneath the floors of this school?
Rumors
Golden Gates in the Gardens
Should you take a stroll through the autumnal gardens of Grimbriar this season, be on the lookout for the newest curiosity spotted by students. Nestled between the rose garden and the bass pond, a series of tiny golden gates have been discovered. Each ankle-high gate is made of gleaming, golden metal curled into delicate spirals and shapes and bears a tiny, iron lock on the front. While no one has been brave enough to spell the locks open, students who approached claimed the gates have an otherworldly quality about them. Several have mentioned the presence of distant voices, as if trapped behind the gates. Professors urge students to avoid the gates until further notice.
Familiar Faces
Meet Cheesewheel, the Wraith of Grimbriar
Cheesewheel spends her days looming over the kitchen pantry, hoping for the opportunity to sneak inside and wreak havoc. While most wraiths prefer more devious tasks, Cheesewheel has concerned herself with one thing this past century at Grimbriar: cheese.
"She'll go haywire over a wheel of parmesan in a half second, if you let her. Half the budget for cheese in this cursed school is spent on a wraith's cravings!" complains one of the head cooks at Grimbriar, who prefers to go unnamed.
It's rumored that Cheesewheel wandered into the Academy one day and simply decided to stay, earning herself a memorable name within days. The shadowy fiend, looking much like a decrepit, black tablecloth, first took to haunting the dining hall before settling into the kitchens below the school.
"My grandmama remembers Cheesewheel stealing cheese cubes off her plate as a girl at Grimbriar," says Mannie Mayvie. "This spindly, shadowy thing would just pop down from the ceiling, cram the cheese into its mouth, and whisk away."
No one is sure where Cheesewheel's fascination for cheeses began, but she has since become a staple of the kitchen culture. Much like one would prevent the cat from dashing out the front door, staff have taken to guarding the pantry door like sentinels, squeezing through the gap as quickly and tightly as possible. Now and then, out of pity or simple courtesy, they will toss a bit of cheese towards the wraith in the corner.
Word Search
This Week’s Menu at Grimbriar Hall
As always, every meal can be altered to meet the dietary needs of any student upon request.
Monday
Breakfast: Crispy cheese and quinoa cakes, poached eggs, strawberry tea.
Lunch: Broccoli cheese soup, toasted sourdough sticks, apple floats.
Dinner: Maple braised pork loin, stewed cayenne apples and pears, juniper fizz.
Tuesday
Breakfast: Goat cheese and apple toasties, blackberry oatmeal, cinnamon milk.
Lunch: Sage and sausage turnovers, cheesy mashed parsnips, creamy blackberry tea.
Dinner: Miso butter baked onions and chicken, purple rice and green beans, sweet violet milk.
Wednesday
Breakfast: Maple and butter porridge, stewed apples, warm chai.
Lunch: Creamy chicken noodle soup, fresh baked bread, chilled lemon fizz.
Dinner: Chimichurri steak bites, grilled asparagus and mashed garlic potatoes, spicy limeade.
Thursday
Breakfast: Banana pancakes, hot strawberry syrup, blonde cocoa.
Lunch: Lasagna soup, pear and pine nut dressed greens, stone fruit cider.
Dinner: Curry pumpkin tortellini, roasted red pepper soup, fermented ginger spritz.
Friday
Breakfast: Four-cheese souffle, maple glazed bacon, hot caramel latte.
Lunch: Toasted red onion and chicken sandwiches, tomato bisque, iced tea.
Dinner: Creamy kale and potato soup, sausage buns, raspberry tonic.
Saturday
Breakfast: Garlic cream cheese buns, chicken sausage, cranberry tea.
Lunch: Spicy cashew and cream chicken, basmati rice and pickled greens, spiced almond milk.
Dinner: Crispy fried chicken, chili crisp cucumber salad, lemon fizz.
Sunday
Breakfast: Butterscotch banana bread, bacon and artichoke buns, hot cocoa.
Lunch: Toasted tomato sandwiches, goat cheese and arugula salad, sweet green tea.
Dinner: Lamb and onion skewers, turmeric toasted rice, tomato and pepper salad, mint fizz.
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