Welcome back, lost lamb

Bryseis bade her friends goodbye and returned to Blackstaff Tower. She greeted the guards at the door and they let her inside.
"A young tiefling lady has been asking around for you," one of the guards told her.
"Oh? A potential student?" Bryseis replied.
"No Researcher Bryseis, she's..."
"Well if she wants to apply to the academy, she'll have to write a request of attendance like everyone else," and with that, Bryseis headed up the stairs to her office. The guards just looked at each other and shrugged. Tieflings made them uneasy, and it seemed like there were more of them in Waterdeep these days than ever. Bryseis reached her office door and was about to open it when she looked down the hall and saw that the door to the office two doors down was open. She smiled and walked over.
Researcher Gryngarrion, herbalist and alchemist, was just about to titrate one distillate into another.
"Okak'll Gaj Dar Okak...um...do that," she called in from the door. Gryngarrion bellowed with laughter.
"Bryseis!" he exclaimed. "Glad to see you made it back in one piece! Though where did you learn your Orc from?! You speak like a child!" Zora, Astrophel, and Mnemosyne ran over to Gryngarrion and deftly climbed up to his shoulders. He laughed and stroked each of the little mice behind the ears with large fingers.
"One of my adventuring party was a half-orc like you," she replied. "Sir Skorg of...oh I can't remember. He spent all of 5 minutes trying to teach me that one phrase. What are you working on?"
"Something new. I'm combining a few rare extracts with some ingredients that have been gifted from Calimshan. Should turn out interesting. How was your adventure?"
"Exhilarating, if harrowing. But we discovered an artifact so I have to meet with Professor Wenbald in the morning and start writing a paper. I hope you have a good night. Come, my tinies!" Her mice ran back to her."
"Good night, and good luck. Oh! Party tomorrow night. Are you in?" Bryseis laughed.
"We'll see."
"I'll never forget the wreck you made of the dorm commons."
"Ugh, don't remind me. And keep your Orc Stink Drink away from me!" Gryngarrion laughed uproariously. Bryseis unlocked the door to her office, walked in, and almost jumped out of her skin when she saw Professor Wenbald sitting in her chair at her desk.
"Researcher Bryseis," he began. "Glad to see you're finally back."
"Professor...sir," she gulped. "You're here. In my office. The door was locked. How did you get in here?"
"Do I really have to explain that one to you again? Now, tell me about your adventure." Bryseis told him all about the tomb and the dwarven mine, about the battles they fought and the things that they found, showing him her journal.
"A hellgate you say?!" he pondered.
"Just the outer ring," she replied.
"And where is it now?"
"It's being warded over by druids. They're part of some order. I forget what it's called."
"Good." Professor Wenbald paused heavily. "So, how did you like your first real taste of adventuring on your own?" Bryseis thought for a bit.
"I quite enjoyed it, and I'd like to go back there again. We didn't finish exploring, and there was something about a dwarven statue, and an owl...something magic."
"Good, I'm glad. Because from now on I expect you to go out adventuring in the world and get out of this stuffy office more often."
"But Professor! I have a paper to write!"
"Leave the paper-writing to me. Don't worry, you'll still get full co-authorship like always. There's a world of wonders out there, and I want you to discover them."
"Well, when you put it that way...yes sir!" Professor Wenbald smiled, and stood up and walked around the desk up to Bryseis.
"Well, since you will be out in perilous conditions more often now, I suppose you will need one of these." He produced a large spellbook and held it out to Bryseis. It was beautifully bound in rich cured leather and had gilt edges. Its cover had the seal of Blackstaff Academy embroidered on it. Bryseis recognized it immediately as an enduring spellbook, made specially by the academy's master binders.
"It's beautiful, sir, but my good old spellbook's still got plenty of use left."
"I heard you fell into a river."
"Who told you that?! Wait," she paused, then looked around. "Where's Astrophel?" The black mouse peeked out from under Professor Wenbald's collar. Bryseis sighed with embarrassment.
"Take the spellbook. It's a gift. You're a worthy researcher, and your spells will need protection."
"I don't know what to say. Thank you sir. Thank you!" She took the spellbook in her hands. Professor Wenbald smiled, clasped his hands behind him, and walked out of the office.
That night, as Researcher Bryseis fell asleep in her chair copying spells into the new spellbook, she began to dream. She dreamed of a great library. She walked among rows of books looking for something, yet nothing she picked up was what she was looking for. Just as she was about to pull what she thought might be a Tome of Clear Thought off the shelf. A hand came to rest on her shoulder.
"I have what you are looking for, my child," oozed a voice from behind her. She dared not look behind her; she knew whose voice it was immediately. She looked down at her hands and flames sprang forth from them. Suddenly, flames rose up from the ground and wreathed around her like ribbons floating in the air. The voice chuckled menacingly, yet proudly.
Bryseis woke with a start. She looked around the room. Same old office, same old desk, same old chair. She shuddered in disgust at the thought of her dream. There was a spot of drool on her new spellbook. She wiped it away. "Hm, no mark. I could get used to a droolproof book," she said to herself. She looked at her hands. Everything was the same, and yet, she did feel a bit...different.