With his heart speeding like a race car, Trevor found himself in the main hall of the school, right where the entrance was. Some teachers in colorful robes directed the teenagers to stand in proper spots, among themselves.
The chatter between students was neverending, and only occasional louder voices were able to pierce through it. Mostly the upperclassmen were talking, but a few in Trevor's group seemed to know each other as well, and were not shy to talk, despite most of the freshmen being silent.
The space was really big, with a dull red carpet going throughout the middle of it until it reached a swirling blue sphere placed on a single, spike-like leg, surrounded by a levitating piece of bent metal. It had a few crystals drifting in the air above, and visible patterns carved on the surface. Then the carpet continued past the strange object until it reached a slight elevation, where on chairs most of the teachers were already sitting. In the middle was a bigger chair, that one could easily call a throne of some kind. Sculpted and cushioned.
Above, on the ceiling, golden chandeliers provided enough light that the whole space was as bright as day, despite the lack of windows.
The boy also noticed, mostly through all the students blocking the view, how many doors there were in that weird place. At least a few dozen, and every single one looked the same.
The throne was currently occupied by an old man rocking a white puffy beard, mostly on the sides of his face. He had round glasses on the tip of his nose, and a flat hat, that kinda looked like a box. It was of a pale red color, with a golden stripe going around it. It matched his robes, with a long shawl of a slightly more reddish color, mixed with a few golden patterns embroidered in it, as a finishing touch.
Trevor also spotted Professor Martin Winchester, who was sitting slightly on the side with his black robe with some mint-green touches. This time though, he also had a shawl on. A dark green one.
At the front of that secluded space was a rostrum without a microphone placed at the front of it, currently empty.
After a moment, when the teachers present among the students gave one another silent signs that everything was in order, and made their way to the elevated space, the old man finally stood up, and slowly walked to the rostrum.
- Students! - his voice rocked the hall, echoing around the walls.
It was so powerful, that it silenced the teenagers, and made Trevor's ears hurt.
- For those who don't know, I'm Haruq Girmjaw, the headmaster of Velrosh's Highschool of Arcane Arts. Your school!
This caused a few laughs around, among the students.
- It's my pleasure to welcome some of you back, and also to see the new faces - he paused for a moment to look around at the teenagers and smiled at them. - Today we will be turning a page in your lives and begin writing a new chapter of your history. This amazing chapter, as this school can brag about being the best in the whole district. You can be proud of learning in this sacred place from the best teachers around.
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Trevor noticed as a few of the mentioned teachers in the background smiled proudly. Professor Winchester remained unmoved. He looked kinda like he was somewhere else, inside his mind.
- Without further ado - added the headmaster. - I want to formally announce the start of a new semester in our school. Good luck students.
Applause erupted everywhere around, and the old man just simply walked off the elevation, straight to the closest door. Then he vanished beyond it, and many teachers followed. Students started to disperse like they all knew exactly where to go. Only the dumbfounded freshmen were standing and looking around with no idea what to do. They all started asking questions among themselves, and a hushed chatter began. Trevor was just as confused, at least until he spotted Professor Martin Winchester coming straight to the group.
- Good day students - said the teacher loudly, making everybody quit talking. - I'm Professor Martin Winchester, as some of you already probably know, and I will be your homeroom teacher. Please follow me.
Without waiting, he turned to his right and headed straight toward one of those strange doors. The teenagers followed him and entered the long corridor. There were more doors there but with quite big gaps between them. They walked for a few minutes, before Martin finally opened one of them, and went in.
The students, one by one, flooded a big lecture hall with a small elevation at the front with a rostrum, and two massive blackboards on the wall. The other side was filled with just chairs, gradually elevated higher and higher, with stairs in the middle providing an easy access path.
- Please sit down - said the professor.
The teenagers followed the instruction spreading throughout the whole space. Trevor picked a spot for himself at the very front.
- This is our lecture room, and here we will be talking once a week about the matters involving you, the freshmen. As the first years, you can not choose any additional courses, so you will just be attending the basic ones. Your plan will be provided to you through your dormitory administration today. You will be split into four groups of smaller sizes, and attending the lessons in those groups. You will find what group you are in on the provided schedules.
- And if we wish to change our group? - asked somebody, but Trevor couldn't see who.
It was a girl judging by the voice, and there was something maybe in the way she spoke, or maybe in the voice itself, but it was strangely mesmerizing. One couldn't help but had to listen.
- If you wish to change your group, miss Karcrow, then speak with me. But! - he rose his index finger in the air. - At least give your assigned group a try.
After the teacher spoke her name, everybody turned to try and look at the girl, even Trevor, but he again was unsuccessful. It was because of her last name. The last name that he already heard before, but couldn't find in his memories exactly where and when.
- I will, professor, I will - she responded.
- Good. I'm not gonna keep you here any longer. Since all the first years are living in the first four dormitories, I recommend you go out today to your inner park and get to know each other. Find people from your group, and talk with them. That's a recipe for good school life. That would be all from me. Dismissed.
As he finished speaking, he left, as he had somewhere else to urgently be.
Suddenly everybody started talking with each other, and some people already rushed to follow the teacher out of the lecture hall. Among them was a thin girl with very pale skin and red piercing eyes. Long raven black hair reaching beyond her hips. She walked out like she was owning the place, and everybody else either got out of her way or watched her every move, being at enough of a distance to not interfere with her leaving the classroom.
"It's better to stay away from her", Trevor thought to himself, and also quickly got out, heading straight to his dormitory to change clothes, so he would be able to look for some new friends from his group.