He shouldn't, he should pick the bandage one it's more practical, he doesn't have anxiety, but his affinity is pulling at him. He hasn't felt it register an opinion this strong since he tried cheating with malia that one time. "...anything else you'd like for that one, if we swap healing for speed?" 

"I'd take the ice spike."

It's not a great deal and he doesn't care. "Deal." He starts writing out both. 

She writes hers, complete with the advice about starting with the Simple Gifts song as an anchor till you have the hang of the spell and the part about the bandage one being best done in a Welsh accent.

He hands his over. The ice spike has minimal notes other than "needs a water source" but it seems like the kind that could scale up with enough water and mana input. The speed one has some details about estimated effect size and pronunciation tips that let you speak it faster without tripping over the words. 

He glances at the set-right-spell and - 

- he hasn't even finished consciously reading it and it clicks.

Nothing has ever gone this fast for him before, not even the two-word Latin buff. WHAT IS THIS SPELL. 

He pockets the bandage-spell without looking at it. "Wow." 

"Wow?" she asks, looking up from the speed one.

"This - I don't - " he is great at word today, yes he is. "This is a heck of a spell. At least my affinity thinks so. I've never gotten one instantly before." 

"...congratulations. If you turn into a superhero I'll send my mum a letter about it."

The Snark is strong with this one. On the other hand, with how much his affinity loved this spell, it's not out of the question. "If I turn into a superhero, I'll send an autograph to go along with it. 'Alexius the Great.'" 

Now how does a maybe-maleficer end up with a spell like that? Have a spiritual healer for a mom, he supposes. Does that have something to do with the aura? If so, is it less than it would be otherwise, or more? 

"Got your name all picked out already, you're well on your way to rescuing kittens from trees if you can find any of either."

"All I need's a costume. I could go digging through my heritage, whip up some gold and shiny armor like Doctor Fate or Hercules. Pity I suck at artificing." 

"Save time by wearing your pants on the outside and your blanket as a cape."

He snerkers at this. "The Shining Scrounger, that's me." 

He pockets the set-right-spell - not that he's ever liable to forget it, now - and checks to make sure no mals have snuck into his backpack during the conversation. "I should head out and -" test The Spell "- get to work on this Hindi. Good meeting you, El." 

"Good luck establishing boundaries on what kinda Hindi."

"Thanks!" Alexius waves goodbye and beelines for his room. To the extent one can beeline in the Scholomance. He plops onto his bed, bouncing a little, and starts with the Simple Gifts song, just to be sure he's doing it right. 

The Spell...works exactly as described. 

He hadn't known, not really, how much the stress of the Scholomance was already affecting him, weighing on him, bending his thoughts with growing misery, burden piled upon burden and fear upon fear, until it suddenly wasn't. 

It is almost worth it to have come here, just to have learned this spell. 

Caught between tears and laughter, Alexius eventually succumbs to both.