Harry nods rapidly.

Jojo turns back to Nova and forces a smile. "Let's... talk about this later. On campus."

"Within reach of a fire extinguisher."

"Shh!"

Nova's eyes dart rapidly between them, trying to figure out what's happening, but not able to. He flinches at the mention of the fire extinguisher, and then freezes. "I- it's- I can- I won't-"

Suddenly he's calmer.

It doesn't feel good. It doesn't feel bad, either, but it's less like he calmed down, more like someone threw a blanket over his panic. It's still there, it's just... distant, fuzzy, like it takes a second for the impulses to reach his brain.

"I'm sorry about that," Jojo says. "We're not going to turn a fire extinguisher on you, that was a very ill-timed joke on Anya's part. We just don't want you to panic and catch fire until we're on campus, where damage can be repaired easily and we don't have to worry about bystanders. Okay?"

-Oh, that's- Weird. But- at least he doesn't feel like he is going to catch fire right now? That's something at least?

"I- yessir, I- I'm sorry- yes, okay."

Jojo lets up on the blanket of calm slowly, giving the panic time to recede on its own. The bus (more of a van, really) arrives soon after, and they pile in.

Nova breathes, slow and careful, and very controlled, and doesn't let the panic take hold again, and keeps the fire forced down, even though it still feels kind of angry. (He can be good!)

He piles into the van-bus-thing after them.

Jojo and Gareth sit to either side of Nova, with Harry and Anya opposite. Gareth looks like someone who is very perturbed by something, and is trying not to let it show on his face.

Nova continues to keep himself (even) small(er), but shoots the occasional concerned look to Gareth, not sure what to make of his current reaction.

Gareth notices this the first time he glances over, and smooths his expression over further. "I- sorry, I'm just thinking. No need to worry about it."

Nova nods hurriedly, and looks back to his hands. "-Oh. Ah- sorry. Yes."

Gareth's face very carefully doesn't twitch. He takes out a screen-reader and reads something for the rest of the trip back to Whateley.

Nova keeps himself small, sneaking looks out of the window when he can, but mostly keeping his eyes on his lap.

He may notice a very faint feeling of warmth-and-comfort emanating from the mouse-boy to the left of him, who appears to be taking a nap.

...He's a little unsettled by that, but mostly...it's nice? And he lets it wash over him and kind of basks in it.

They reach their destination eventually. Anya shakes Jojo awake. "I don't know why or how you took a nap on a fifteen-minute shuttlebus trip."

"Large family with a propensity for long car trips," Jojo yawns. "I get in a motor vehicle and my brain thinks it's naptime."

That's...actually kind of adorable? Not that Nova is going to say that, but he's definitely thinking it. (Also a little...he's not sure what, envy? Maybe? He's not sure at what. The implied warmth of that memory from Jojo?)

Jojo smiles sleepily at Nova as they all exit the bus.

There's a tall woman in a well-tailored suit, who looks about thirty, waiting for them with her hand on the pommel(?) of an engraved platinum scepter.

"Ms. Carson!" Harry says. "Um. Hello."

     "Hello, mister Dresden," Ms. Carson says grimly. "Would you care to explain why you chose to undertake a hostage rescue mission without informing me or anyone in my administration?"

"Well-" Harry begins.

     "I recommend you think about your answer for a significantly longer time," the woman snaps. She turns to Nova and her expression undergoes a curious alchemy, changing from the flinty glare she had turned on Harry to a sort of comforting-an-injured-animal neutral stare. She takes her hand off the scepter and blinks slowly. "Hello, Nova. We have a lot to discuss, but I want to establish first that I'm not going to hurt you, even if you do something that I don't like or that causes me trouble. I don't expect you to believe me yet, but I'm telling you now so that I have something to refer back to. Alright?"

Nova shrinks in on himself at Ms Carson's manner towards Harry, and shrinks even more when her attention turns to him. He nods rapidly at her words. "I- Ah- yes, ma'am?" (It's said far too quickly to really be true, even if it isn't a lie.)

Jojo steps forward. "I think it might be a good idea for Nova to get some rest before anyone does more stressful things around him," he says quietly but firmly.

     Ms. Carson nods, after a moment's scrutiny. "That does sound like a good idea, if Nova agrees. Nova, would you prefer to rest before we talk about your enrolment, or would you prefer to get the talking out of the way and then rest?"

Nova's eyes go wide, and he twists his fingers together. "I- I don't-" Starts shaking a little bit. "Whatever- whatever you think...best? Ma'am?"