“Alright everyone!" Captain Mason called out from the helm. "Make way for the first years!"
The ship descended towards the ground, skimming the waters until it sliced into the surface and teetered through the lake and upriver. Various rainbow, winged fish guided them towards the school. Enjoying the sight, the kids watched the creatures split off as the ship neared the mouth of the river. They traversed the narrow path, gradually pulling into the front of the school from the south. A grand staircase awaited beyond the sandstone docks as they came to a stop and the anchor dropped.
Captain Mason conjured a light green ramp onto the dock with a wave of her hand. She made it look as easy as a random brush of paint. Seemingly made of light, she jumped onto the bridge, soaking in the baffled expressions of the first years.
"Come on, everyone!" She hollered. "Don't make Mr. Potts wait on you. He's liable to think you're a bad seed. And for all you second years, don't think he doesn't remember the bad apples."
The first years crowded around the edge of the bridge. Still hesitant, none dared be the first one off the ship. Now made to wait, a fraction of the other students decided to tease and mock the first years.
It was a girl with headphones stuffed over her ears that managed to ignore the rabble long enough to cross while looking down at her device. As she walked, the teasing died down to no effect. Satisfied, the first years followed the girl with slightly darkened skin and thick hair done up in a ponytail. The second-year students proceeded after.
The bridge seemed to hum along with their footsteps as they walked off the Albatross. Hauling their bags, the first years began their ascent up the stone stairs. A few of the students soon ran out of breath. Emery herself started to feel a slight ache in her feet near the top. She thought she heard the dark-skinned girl to her right begin to groan only to notice she was still wearing headphones and simply mimicking the beats of some song.
The students reached the top of the stairs, entering from the south side, opposite huge double doors. The courtyard also diverged into two more paths, one west and up, another east and back down towards the bank. A magnificent fountain stood at the center of the yard with the students taking shade under the tree just beside the south entrance.
"Welcome students!" Announced a tall, wiry figure standing boldly in the courtyard. His hair was a curious shade of green and cut short like a freshly mowed lawn. "I am Mr. Potts. I will be teaching your Cultivation class while also acting as adviser for first years. If you'll follow me, I'll show you to your dorms where you can unload your things." He waved them over to the massive double doors as they began gradually opening.
Emery swore she spotted a sparkle in Mr. Potts' smile as he flashed his prize-winning teeth at them. Perhaps it had been the light bouncing off the tasteful piercing on his left ear.
Before they could move, another faculty member passed through the courtyard from the docks leading another group of students. The teacher stopped his group short of the east bound walkway leading back down toward the banks.
"Third years," The male teacher called out. "You all remember Mr. Potts."
"Welcome back students." Mr. Potts waved as he turned to address his first years. "This is Dr. Isen, everyone, the school's leading physician and counselor. Hopefully, you won't be seeing too much of him."
Dr. Isen, with his dark hair tied back into a bun, parked a sharp hand on his hip alongside a smirk. "Don't worry, they'll see enough of me after I beat you again at this year's faculty Harnette game."
Mr. Potts grumbled to himself. With a quick brush of his hair using his gloved hand, he composed himself. "Right, well..." Mr. Potts started. "Step lively, students. We don't want to get rooted before they've even seen your colors."
With perfect timing, Mr. Potts finished his turn of phrase as he led the students under the school banisters hanging off the massive double doors. The light from the azure-colored candles smelled of a sweet aroma. It lured them into school as they wafted under an array of school colors of yellow and black.
The first years made a series of sounds marking their stupor and amazement upon entering the lobby via the ground floor. Marble floors reflected their naïve expression as the ceiling above displayed a shifting array of constellations. Several adults kept a firm pace around the lobby, in and out of various doors and magical lifts. Emery assumed they must've worked there as well. Out of the corner of her sight, she swore she had even seen a statue lift its head at her before snapping quickly back into place.
"Up ahead is the grand hall where we'll have general announcements and serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner." Mr. Potts told them as they ascended a flight of stairs to the next floor. "Not counting the ground floor, Radiance has five floors with a courtyard on the roof. Don't worry though, you'll get a full tour soon enough."
As they reached the first floor, Emery glanced into the grand hall. The room was even busier than the lobby, if it was believable, with a multitude of staff and other creatures preparing for new arrivals. Hurrying along as to not be left behind, Emery caught up to the group. From the over the railing, the first years could see the other students entering and being led to their appropriate dorms.
Before the first years could truly take in their colorful and wondrous surroundings, they turned a corner and were already nearing their dorm at the southeast corner of the school.
Mr. Potts turned on his heels outside a somewhat normal wooden door. "You'll be sharing a common room with the second years but beyond that, the bedrooms are divided by gender. Of course, if you have any concerns, the school is happy to accommodate." The green haired professor swung open the door with a light touch of magic, the sudden gust of wind shoving them all through. "Make yourselves at home!"
Comments (0)
See all