No sooner had the Headmaster left Eloise at her room than a traffic light redhead came bounding down the hall. His feet were bare, but he may as well have been a racehorse galloping toward the finish line. “Headmaster, is it true?!” the teenager burst. “Is it true, we have a newbie?!”

The Headmaster dodged the young man as he ran past before coming to a screeching halt, no doubt burning his soles on the carpet. Rufus teetered on one foot before trotting back to the Headmaster at a more relaxed pace. The Headmaster answered, “It’s true.” He shouldn’t really be surprised that word had traveled so quickly, but he was still amazed at Rufus’s enthusiasm. Rufus was the only resident who hadn’t gone through the necessary ritual to become a permanent fixture within the Sturmundrang, the foreboding name of the manor they lived in. His residency was bought and paid for by his reclusive guardian, who incidentally the Headmaster required at the moment. “Perhaps you can help me welcome her.”

Rufus’s brown eyes widened, freckled and scratched up cheeks squished from his toothy grin. “Really?” Rufus was fifteen, but he still had the excitement of the ten-year-old he’d arrived as. The boy with cardinal red and black hair had been a pleasant albeit clumsy distraction in the manor ever since. Rufus was covered in bandaids from the time he arrived here to that very moment, but good cheer seemed to be the teen’s middle name even as puberty continued to try and evade his still cracking voice. “How?” Rufus asked eagerly, his expression magically growing brighter the more he thought of it, “A tour? Some food? I can cook!”

“No no.” The Headmaster held up his hand to stop him, his green eyes planted very obviously on the bandage strapped across Rufus’s nose. “I need something casual for her to wear until Renan needs to provide a more fitting wardrobe.”

The boy beamed. “So a quick gown, then a tour?”

“I’ve given her a tour,” the Headmaster assured.

“But the residents, has she met them?”

“She met Harper and Angharad,” who were still awaiting his presence. The Headmaster closed his eyes and sighed, then relented, “Tell Renan she needs clothing. Alice and Fran will deliver it to her room as the pieces are readied, but in the meantime she needs rest.” He recalled Eloise’s expression as she’d turned toward the door and fumbled with the key, the way her features just sagged like an invisible weight was pulling her down until she couldn’t keep her head up anymore. “She’s exhausted from the arrival, but I’m sure she’ll enjoy meeting more of the residents once she’s a little less overwhelmed.”

This information sank in quickly, Rufus’s smile faltering as he asked, “Is she okay? Does she need a doctor? I can get-”

“Most of her pains are superficial,” the Headmaster assured. Both he and Macavity had assessed Eloise well before bringing her to Sturmundrang. “Get her a new set of clothes. The twins will deliver that to her room, then she’ll decide whether she wants to meet anyone.”

“Okay, but,” Rufus’s thick eyebrows furrowed as he held his hands up in confusion, “how will I know if she’s ready to meet someone? Should I just wait outside for her?”

The Headmaster understood Rufus’ desire to greet Eloise. After all, it had been a long time since they’d had someone new in the manor. Having grown up with no one else even close to his age, Rufus had matured in ways that seemed ill-fitting of such a joyful spirit. The prospect of meeting someone new and closer to his perspective had to be electrifying, but Rufus was also considerate. Far more considerate than some of the other residents. Though he was bound to trip more than once whilst introducing Eloise around, the Headmaster knew there was only one other person in the manor with the same light and enthusiasm as Rufus. However, that person was a vampire, and the Headmaster didn’t think throwing Eloise into that introduction so soon would be wise.

So the Headmaster conceded, “I’ll have the twins alert you. I know Fran wouldn’t mind popping by to give you a heads-up.”

“YES!” Rufus shouted as he turned on his heel and sped towards his and Renan’s rooms. The Headmaster inhaled and exhaled the remnants of Rufus’s joy, then continued his path back towards Harper and Angharad. He would oversee their haul, then take his leave to his office and room. He had some notes to take and some potions to prepare in the event things went in the direction he suspected they would.