The dining hall buzzed with life as Cleo lingered behind, her steps slow and deliberate. 

Her eyes roamed over the towering walls adorned with ornate banners: a silver wolf, a black crown, a cracked green heart, and a staff wreathed in golden light. 

The imagery stirred something in her, reminding her of a scene she had once seen in a movie, though she couldn’t quite place it. 

Students filled the four long wooden tables, chatting animatedly as plates of steaming food materialized before them. At the far end of the room, the teachers' table loomed, its occupants a mix of familiar and unfamiliar faces.

Cleo’s gaze landed on Headmaster Helion, his piercing eyes sweeping over the hall like a hawk surveying its domain. 

Next to him were Professors Decato and Vanhowe, seated on opposite sides, their contrasting presences commanding attention even from a distance.

“Cleo, hurry up!” Celeste’s voice jolted her from her thoughts. 

She turned to see Celeste waved her over to the far-left table. Shaking off her stupor, Cleo quickened her pace, climbing up into the empty spot beside Celeste.

“So,” Ophelia began, her tone lively as a plate of roasted chicken and salad appeared in front of her, “are you two excited for our next class with Professor Thorne?”

Lily let out a laugh, lighthearted yet laced with disbelief. 

“Excited? Professor Thorne’s probably more excited than any of us. Sure, history can be fascinating, but he takes it to another level. It’s like his personality does a complete 180 when he’s talking about stuff like ancient treaties or mage wars.”

Celeste chuckled, but her laughter faltered as her eyes flicked behind Lily. “Um…Lil—”

The sound of someone clearing their throat cut through the air. The girls froze, and Lily slowly turned to face the source of the interruption. 

Standing there, his sharp gaze fixed on her, was none other than Professor Quentin Thorne.

“If you truly feel that strongly about my personality, Miss Norwood,” he said, his voice calm yet dripping with authority, “perhaps you’d find it enlightening to write a ten-page essay on the founding of the Four Mage Towers.”

Lily’s face drained of color, then rapidly flushed as she stammered, “Oh, uh, Professor Thorne! I didn’t mean it—I was just joking! I think you have a fantastic personality when it comes to historical topics!” She managed to give him a shaky thumbs-up, a cold sweat trickling down her back.

Professor Thorne’s gaze flicked lazily to her raised thumb, his expression one of pure boredom. Without another word, he turned and strode toward the teachers’ table, his robes billowing slightly behind him.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Lily pushed her food away and slumped forward, her head hitting the table with a groan. 

“Of course he just HAD to walk by while I was badmouthing him. Just my luck.”

Ophelia’s lips twitched into a smile, and Celeste, who caught sight of it, couldn’t hold back a burst of laughter. Even Ophelia, usually the most composed of the group, chuckled softly with her.

Lily lifted her head to glare at them. “You’re supposed to make me feel better, not laugh at my misery! I already have homework before classes even started! Who does that?!”

Ophelia patted Lily’s back, her soft smile lingering. “Come on, it’s not the end of the world. Besides, you might find the topic interesting once you start.”

Lily groaned, muttering something about “traitorous friends,” but she eventually joined in the laughter as they finished their meals. The group then stood and made their way toward their next class.

As they walked, Cleo’s thoughts turned inward. ‘I didn’t even realize it earlier, but I wasn’t hungry, even with all that food around. Why is that?’ She thought, her tail twitching slightly.

Kiki jumped out of Lily's arms and padded up beside Cleo, her feline form as elegant as ever. ‘Familiars don’t need to eat, you know. That’s why.’

Cleo glanced down at Kiki, her head tilting in confusion. ‘What do you mean?’

Kiki exhaled, her tail flicking with mild irritation. ‘Our stomachs are like black holes. We store important items for our masters—brooms, heirlooms, gifts, and so on.’

Cleo’s brow furrowed further. ‘How does that work? Do we, like, unhinge our jaws or something? Or…does it come out the other end?’

Kiki froze mid-step, her claws extending slightly as her ears flattened. ‘NO! We can shrink and enlarge the items, thus allowing us to store them magically. Stop imagining weird things—it’s giving me a headache.’

The others glanced back as Kiki leapt into Lily’s arms with a meow. “Hi, Kiki,” Lily said, stroking her sleek black fur. “Did you have a nice talk with Cleo?”

Kiki simply shut her eyes and let out a long-suffering sigh.

“I guess not,” Lily murmured, glancing back at Cleo, who trudged along with her ears drooping and her tail tucked low.

When they finally reached the classroom, Ophelia turned to Lily, a soft, teasing smile on her lips. “Ready to face Professor Thorne again?”

Lily squared her shoulders, puffing out her chest. “Nope. But I can’t avoid him either.” She took a deep breath. “Let’s do this.”

With that, the girls stepped into the classroom, bracing themselves for whatever awaited them. 

To be continued…