The cheering in the great hall was deafening and I joined them, clapping and whooping as loudly as I could, a stupidly large smile plastered to my face. Headmaster Banecliff brought a slender finger to his lips and immediately the students fell silent.

“I’m happy to have you all back. Now, before we begin I would just like to touch on a great tragedy that recently befell both Hemlock academy and the wizarding world itself. As I’m sure you all know at the end of last year a large charity banquet was held here in an attempt to improve human and elvish relations. People came from all over Mageteria to attend including our very own student body and many of their families. Despite Hemlock’s iron clad security measures somehow at the end of this event there was a dragon attack which killed some of our very own. I think I speak for the entire school and faculty when I say we are completely devastated by this tragic event. We are still looking to find out how the dragon was able to enter-”

“It was the bloody elves!” A student called. “They’re all dirty Dark One sympathisers.” This wrought a chorus of voices all beginning to talk at the same time.

“SILENCE!” Banecliff yelled, his gaze dark. The students grew immediately still, most never having heard Banecliff raise his voice in their lives. Banecliff took a deep breath, his voice returning to its usual calm tone. “Hemlock is the most powerful school in the wizarding world, and do you know why? Because we all work together. Here elves and humans can study and learn together in peace and we are all stronger because of it. We held that charity event to make a point which was supported by both the Elvish League and the Human Resistance.”

The Elvish League and the Human Resistance were the two most influential groups in Mageteria. The Elvish League was made up of the four most powerful elvish wizards and the Human Resistance by extension was made up of the four most powerful humans. Both groups were appointed to be the guardians and protectors of their respected race. The Human Resistance’s number one goal was to wipe out the Dark One and they were the ones who took in and raised Owen Thorn after his parents were killed.

Banecliff continued his speech now, a look of hope coming over his features. “Hemlock is a shining example that humans and elves can live in peace. I expect each and every one of you to uphold that legacy.” Banecliff smiled. “Now is a time to put this horrible tragedy behind us and I can’t think of any better way to do that then by dividing our new incoming class of first years into their magic classes.” The staff slowly stepped down from the crystal platform and as they did the crystal turned into a small pool of water. “Will the first years please form a line leading to the pool.” There was a shifting of chairs being pushed back as the mass of eleven year old students did as he asked. I couldn’t believe I was about to watch the magic class sorting ceremony take place.

The first 11 year old stepped up. She was a small girl wearing a pink dress with blond hair pulled into two little pig tails with matching bows.

Banecliff smiled kindly at her. “And what’s your name little miss?” He said.

The girl’s ears flushed pink. “Mabel Daring sir.”

“A lovely name.” Banecliff gestured to the pool. “If you could please just submerge yourself fully in the pool.” He chuckled. “I know, it sounds like an odd request but I promise you won’t get wet.” Mabel gave a little nod and Banecliff helped her up into the floating pool. The girl ducked her head under water and after a beat the water slowly turned a shade of royal blue.

The coloration of the water is an indicator of how naturally powerful the wizard is in their magical art. Of course, natural talent means nothing if they don’t study. On top of this having too much power in one magical art usually means they’re significantly weaker in the other two. Hence no one usually pays the darkness of the water too much mind.

“Miss Mabel Daring appears to be highly gifted in offensive magic!” Banecliff announced. There were cheers from the other blue clad students as her head popped back up.

Mabel was helped from the pool. Once she was out she was handed a bundle containing her blue school uniform. Banecliff scooped a handful of the blue water into his hands which began to seemingly crystallize as soon as he touched it. He began to mold it in his slender hands into a wand and finally, when it was finished he turned and handed it to Mabel. “Take care of this,” he said softly. “Remember to use it to channel your power. Nothing is worse than being stuck in a situation when you can’t use your wand.”

The ceremony continued on, students being sorted one by one into each magic class. I was so distracted and captivated watching that as Banecliff sorted the final student I completely forgot that I was currently the only person in this entire room who hadn’t been sorted. All of a sudden however Banecliff’s ice blue eyes fell to me.

“You,” he said suddenly. I flinched as every head in the great hall turned to me. “I’ve never seen you before.” Shit, this wasn’t good. I had been able to bullshit my way through Silvian but how the hell was I supposed to BS my way past Banecliff one of the most powerful sorcerers of all time.

“Uh...that’s cause I’m new here. I’m a transfer from Oakwell,” I stammered. I braced myself for whatever was to come next. Would Banecliff point out that no paperwork had ever gone through him about a transfer or could he sense that I had absolutely no magic in me?

All of a sudden Banecliff clapped his hands together. “Ah I see! An American transfer! How exciting! What’s your name?”

I blinked. Was that it? He wasn’t going to question anything? How the hell was this possible?

I swallowed hard. “My name is Chester Price sir.”

“Well, Chester Price, why don’t you come up here and get sorted.”

Shaking slightly I stood up slowly, making my way towards the pool. My mind was racing. What the hell was I doing? I didn’t have any powers. When I went to the pool nothing was going to happen. I would be exposed for having no magic in front of the entire school. Silvian would realize I’m not actually powerful in the mental arts and that would create a whole new string of problems regarding how I knew so much about him. What would they do then? Kick me out? Erase my memory? Maybe I should just make a run for it.

My entire body was shaking as I approached the pool. I tried to slow my breathing in an attempt to make it a little less obvious how close I was to going into a straight up panic.

I was helped into the pool by Banecliff and slowly lowered into it. The water felt just like I was drifting through air, the same as the lake earlier.

I sat there and the water remained clear.

I felt ready to faint. Shit, I knew it, I knew this was going to happen.

I heard Banecliff clear his throat next to me. “Excuse me,” he said softly. “Mister Price you need to dip your head in for it to work.” Shit, I had been so nervous that I had completely forgotten. I stiffly nodded before dipping my head under. My heart was pounding. Please, I prayed, please by some miracle may it at least just sorta look in this lighting like the water changed color.

And then suddenly the water began to turn black, a pitch black so dark it looked like the pool itself had turned into a bottomless black hole. I stuck my head up and the great hall was filled with low gasps. Even Banecliff looked a little surprised.

“My,” he said slowly as I was helped from the pool. “I can’t remember the last time I saw the pool react so strongly to someone’s mental magic.” My legs felt like they were about to give way as I was handed my robes while Banecliff began sculpting my wand out of the pitch black pool’s waters. The thing was beautiful once he was done with it, all I would have dreamed about as a kid. Still, the only thing running through my mind was, how was this possible? Everything I had said to Silvian had all been bullshit I had learned from the books so why the hell was the pool reacting to me as if I actually had any mental magic whatsoever.

Banecliff had finished the wand now and as he handed it to me he said softly, “I think you’re a lot more powerful than you think mister Price.” Banecliff’s gaze was suddenly drawn to Silvian now, whose hand had suddenly stuck straight into the air. I wanted to facepalm, just what the hell was that asshat doing?

Banecliff looked equally confused. “Yes mister Greygate?”

Silvian cleared his throat. “Excuse me sir but I would like to offer my room to the new transfer. As you know I have the space available due to the fact that my once roomate and good friend Trip is no longer with us.” There were murmures all across the great hall now.

“Silvian Greygate wants to room with a human?”

“Silvian never associates with humans?”

“Has he changed or is there just something really special about that kid?”

My cheeks grew warm. Why the hell was he bringing so much attention to us? On top of that there was absolutely nothing worse I could imagine then having to room with that asshole. He probably was doing this so it would be easier to drag me into whatever he was planning. Then, on another hand, if we really were to room together it would make it way easier to keep an eye on him so he wouldn’t murge with the Dark One and kill Owen.

Banecliff looked to me now. “And, you’re alright with this arrangement mister Price?”

I guess I would just have to suck it up and suffer in order to save the life of the man of my dreams.

“I guess.”

Banecliff smiled. “Brilliant. You may return to your seat. I’m so happy to see a member of the Greygate family reaching out to befriend a human, it’s truly inspiring.”

Now Silvian was the one who looked like he wanted to die. I made my way back to where he was sitting, now fully aware of the countless eyes seering into my back.

“Now that the sorting ceremony is over,” Banecliff said, “we can finally enjoy the feast. I’ll send for it to be brought out-”

that’s when the great doors suddenly blew open. I didn’t have to worry about people paying attention to me after that because all eyes were on what was coming through the door. There was a giant flying serpent and on it’s back was no other than Owen Thorn. The serpent flew into the room causing a few shrill shrieks from the students. It landed beside one of the tables in the great hall. She bowed her head as Owen stepped up onto the table, walking across it while every student watched, completely awestruck.

He was beautiful, so much more so than I could have ever dreamed. His ruffled white hair fell against a perfect face dusted with freckles and red eyes that shone like rubies.

Silvian let out a little huff. “God he’s such a drama queen.”

Owen continued to make his way down the table finally stopping at the end and giving the faculty a little bow.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” he said in a voice that sounded like it oozed honey. “I got a little held up on the way here. Luckily I was able to catch a ride.” He gestured to the serpent who the students were still casting uneasy glances to. Owen gave a smile that radiated like the sun. “Don’t worry. She’s friendly. I promise. Again, I’m extremely sorry for arriving late.”

I felt dizzy. I couldn’t believe I was actually seeing him. There he was, in real life, the boy I had spent almost my entire life fantasizing about.

Unfortunately I have no memory of what happened next because I got so overwhelmed by what I was seeing that my eyes rolled up into the back of my head and I fainted.