Beatrice looked over, her eyes wide. "Are these the same people that were on the bus? The bus was so silent on the way here!"

The upperclassman smiled. "That's why we let them have a moment. We had the same excitement and buzz when we got our wands and familiars; it's their turn for it."

Arnold scoffed. The other three first-years at Leo's table turned to look at him. "I, for one, don't understand what all the fuss is about. We're first years in Ravensburl same as they are. Why don't we get the fanfare?"

Beatrice stared back at him. "They didn't get the same privilege we did. If it wasn't for Ravensburl they might never have had this chance."

Leo nodded quietly.

Sascha picked a pixie out of their hair. "Well if you're getting so bored of other people having a good time," they pointed back to the front of the hall where Headmistress Cassandra was having the mirror and basin removed. "Looks like everyone's gotten through the ceremony."

The Headmistress clapped several times, and the sound was sharp enough to cut through the din. The students settled into silence, with everyone looking to the dais at the front. Smiling back at the excited, expectant faces before her, the Headmistress spoke. "On behalf of the professors here at Ravensburl, I would like to extend my congratulations to all of you. To those who received the knowledge of their wand and a familiar, congratulations. You are all now fully equipped to start your journey into the magical world, and Ravensburl is honored to teach and guide your growth. Tomorrow, you will start your first classes, but first..." She clapped again and gestured to the tables. The bowls and dishes of food that were already on the table were refreshed, appearing filled and hot as if they were just served. "Eat, eat! You've all had a long journey and an exciting noon. Your upperclassmen will give you a tour of our wonderful classrooms, and after that you may all retire to your rooms to settle in and meet your roommates. Leave the work for tomorrow. For now, eat!"

Sascha chuckled and spooned another helping of mushroom soup into a bowl. They set aside a saucer with a tablespoon of it for a pixie. "Don't mind if I do, Headmistress."

Beatrice helped herself to another serving of scalloped potatoes and a bowl of ground beef stew in a tomato sauce with chopped vegetables, and paired that with white rice. "I've never seen some of these dishes before! What are they? They're delicious!"

Leo smiled and picked through his own refilled plate. "Ravensburl invites and accepts students from all over the world, regardless of if they have a magical lineage or not. Because the students are so diverse, so are the foods that they're used to. Headmistress decided to expand the kitchen's repertoire of dishes to make sure everyone finds something with familiar flavors that reminds them of home. And that led everyone to find new dishes they never would have found, let alone like. Like this Thai curry, I'll admit this is my favorite." he chuckled.

"And I'm loving this stew! It's so warm and hearty. Do you know what it's called?" Beatrice said, mixing spoonfuls of the beef stew with rice, making sure to include many chunks of carrot and potato.

"I believe that one is picadillo. Another very good one, I've been meaning to get the recipe from the lunch lady."

"Oh enough of that!" Arnold piped up again, dropping his spoon onto his plate with a loud clunk. "When do we get to our rooms? When do we start classes?"

"You will get to your rooms, Mister Arnold Hunter, after a tour of the castle." A cool and monotonous voice said from behind Arnold. Startled, he turned and came face to face with a dour looking professor.

She was tall, with dark hair tied back in a ponytail so tight it stretched the skin of her face. There were dark circles under her eyes as she looked down at the new student.

"Professor Hope!" Leo said, breaking the uncomfortable silence that fell on them. "So nice to see you. Everyone, this is Professor Hope, the Abjuration professor."

"Hello." Hope muttered back. "It would be wise if you would exercise a modicum of patience, Mister Hunter." Her pupils were a startling shade of white, Beatrice noticed, as the professor stared down at Arnold. "Patience, and basic listening ability. Are you perhaps hard of hearing, Mister Hunter? If so, let us or Leo know so that we may adjust accommodations for you."

"I'm not hard of hearing, Professor." Arnold's voice was quiet. He couldn't pull his gaze away from Hope's bright eyes.

The professor blinked and looked to Leo instead. "Good to hear. Leo, you may start at the first floor classrooms for the tour. I will be in the Abjuration classroom."

"Yes professor. We'll be seeing you later." Leo smiled, but once Hope had turned her back and left, he shuddered slightly. "Be careful around Professor Hope. Her forte is Abjuration magic, but she can see through lies and illusions. She can heal like no one else in Ravensburl, so she has her hands full at the infirmary."

"Abjuration magic..." Beatrice mused, watching Professor Hope move between the tables. "That is healing spells cast with a wand and ritual, right?"

Leo nodded. "It's one of the principal forms of magic; spells used to heal, protect, and preserve. A very useful kind of magic, and the Headmistress believes everyone needs to learn at least the very basics. It's like learning non-magical first aid; in case of emergencies, any of the students can respond to help."

"Oh that's wonderful! I'd like to try my hand at that." Adeline said.

Beatrice hesitated a moment. "I do want to help and heal people, but is there a way I can do that through plants? I'm a lot more confident with plants, and poultices and balms... Things like that."

"Not to worry then! Ravensburl has quite the Botany class as well. We'll be seeing the classroom and greenhouses within the campus later. Let's just wait for everyone to finish eating, then we'll go on the tour." Leo smiled and returned to his food, gesturing for the others to continue eating as well.

After a while, the main hall of Ravensburl was filled with the sound of laughter and chatter as the students talked among themselves. Most had finished eating dinner, and had only the remains of dessert at their tables. Once each table was done, the food and dirty dishes disappeared, with the table being wiped clean as if by an invisible hand. All of the students that received their wand and familiar were shocked by the magical clean up, and that sent another wave of excited chatter through the hall.

Leo stood up and brushed down the front of his waistcoat. "Alright! If you're all done, shall we start the tour?"

Beatrice nodded and pushed her plate a bit away from her. It disappeared, along with her used cutlery and glass. "I'm ready. Will we be joining the other first-years?"

"No, they'll stay with Ashford for the rest of the orientation." Leo beckoned the rest of them to fall in line while he took a piece of paper from his pocket. "He's more familiar with general magic history, and that group will be starting from scratch. We on the other hand can jump straight to where everything is, then your rooms."

"Lovely! Professor Hope said she'll be at the Abjuration classroom, I'm looking forward to seeing it." Adeline likewise put away her plate and fell in line behind Beatrice. Sascha followed, with Arnold taking up the rear.

"If we're ready, let's go! Leo turned and led his small group back out of the main doors of the hall. He waved to Ashford who meekly waved back and let them go ahead. Ashford started the long process of getting all the other first-year's attention when Beatrice turned down the hallway.

The halls of Ravensburl were made of larger, pale stones than the rose-colored bricks that were used for the facade. It seemed to catch the light of the lanterns that were set into the stone much easier. Leo led them down another hallway that looked out onto the castle grounds through high windows.

"This is the west hall, first floor classrooms." The upperclassman explained as they walked. "For you first-years, all your classes will be held on the first floor. Then second-years have the second floor, and so on."

Beatrice looked up at a statue of a raven that was stationed at one end of the west hall. This raven was standing still with its wings folded at its sides, but as Beatrice walked she could have sworn she saw the bird's stone eyes watching her.

"Oh! Professor Hope!" Leo called out.

The dour professor was crouched by a glass cabinet just in front of a door. Beside the door was a bronze plaque with the word "Abjuration" engraved on it. Professor Hope stood and brushed off her hands. "Hello Leo, everyone. Welcome to the Abjuration classroom."

Beatrice raised a hand, and Hope called her. "Yes, Ms. Gaia?"

"Are those artifacts, the ones in the cabinet?" Beatrice asked.

"Oh, these?" Hope glanced at the cabinet, then back to Beatrice. "No, they are not."

"Huh?"

"They may look like artifacts at first glance, but all the ones you will be studying are being kept within the classrooms themselves. These—" Professor Hope gestured to the glass cabinet where things like an ink-stained tome, a shattered sword, and a wax hand were displayed. "These are merely replicas. For safety."

"Yeah, you'll be surprised how many times this glass cabinet gets broken during the year." Leo said with a laugh, to which Hope didn't crack a smile.

"Unfortunately my display is situated in a high traffic area, but I still wish for students' curiosity to pique when they walk by. Come, have a look inside one of your classrooms."

Professor Hope unlocked the heavy wooden door with an equally heavy key and pushed it open with a creak. She stepped aside to let the students through.

Beatrice gasped as she entered the Abjuration classroom. The room was impossibly large inside, compared to the hallway and the door they had just come through. The ceiling was high, at least as tall as the great oak that stood watch over her family's cottage for generations, Beatrice thought. The center of the room was set in the middle of the room, at the bottom of a series of stairs in descending levels. Every level bore a series of benches.

"It's a massive amphitheater..." Arnold said, wide eyes scanning the room.

"Quite astute of you, Mister Hunter." Hope said, starting down the stairs. She beckoned to the students who followed her. "Welcome to the first-year Abjuration classroom. You will be spending three hours here with me every Monday."

Beatrice got to the middle of the room, where a large wooden table was set into the stone itself. There was another glass cabinet by the walls with, what she assumed, were the real artifacts. And all along the rounded walls were books, stocks of parchment, and inkwells.

She raised her hand.

"Yes, Miss Gaia?" Hope said, suppressing a yawn.

"Will we need our own parchment paper?" Beatrice asked as a wide-eyed panic started to set in. "I knew Hawkswood required their students to bring a certain number of rolls of parchment and several quills and inkwells when they enroll, but I didn't receive any sort of list!"

Hope didn't blink. "You received no sort of list, Miss Gaia, simply because you do not need any such materials. Headmistress Cassandra was adamant that Ravensburl would have no such requirements."

The professor led the way back up the stairs. Leo herded the younger students after her with a sour look on his face. "Professor Hope, may I explain more about the Abjuration classroom?"

"No need, Leo. I will answer all their questions and explain more myself, once they start their classes." Hope ushered them all out of the room then closed the door, locking it behind her.

"So all we get is a quick peek?" Arnold had his hands on his hips.

"Yes, Mister Hunter." Hope stood in front of the door. "This tour is merely so that none of you will get lost on the first day. Yes....What am I to call you? Mister or Miss?"

"Just Sascha please, professor." Sascha put their hand down, and turned the motion into a jaunty point at the door directly opposite the Abjuration classroom. It had the same kind of wooden door, but was crisscrossed with thick, heavy iron chains that were set into the stone wall. "What's that?"

A dark shadow passed over Professor Hope's face. "That is the Necromancy classroom."

Beatrice gasped. "Necromancy? Necromancy is being taught at Ravensburl?" She couldn't believe it. "Isn't that a forbidden magic? Why—"

Hope raised a hand and Beatrice fell silent, fearful eyes still glancing at the heavily locked door. "Was, Miss Gaia. Was taught."

Adeline opened her mouth to comment as well, but a stern look from Hope made it clear that everyone was to be silent.

"Necromancy was taught at Ravensburl, yes. It was only for a year, the very first year this Academy was opened, in fact." Hope started walking down the hall as she talked, making the students have to follow her to hear. "It is forbidden magic in most schools and communities, yes, but Headmistress Cassandra believes in allowing students to have access to any school of magic they wish." Hope scoffed quietly. "Ambitious goals, but it is what she wanted."

"So what happened to it? The class got discontinued after the first year?" Sascha asked.

"Clearly."

"What caused it to be discontinued?"

Professor Hope stopped at another wooden door with a bronze plaque on the wall. "This is the Illusion classroom. Your professor is Mistress Fukuhara, a master of illusory magic, misdirection, and bubbles."

Adeline blinked. "I'm sorry, did you say bubbles?"

"Did I stutter?"

"Ah, no, professor, I'm—"

Hope waved Leo over to the front of the little crowd. "This is where I will leave you and Leo will continue your tour. I have to get back to preparing the classroom for your first class. Don't be late."

"Yes professor! I hope to see you in class soon!" Beatrice said with as much optimism as she could, to which Hope walked off with barely a wave.

An awkward silence descended on the little group, till Leo cleared his throat. "Yes, well, that was Professor Hope. Don't take anything she says personally, she's really the sweetheart once you get to know her." The upperclassman said, unconvincingly.

Leo continued the tour from there, leading Beatrice and her new friends through the rest of the west wing corridor. Aside from the Abjuration and Illusion classrooms, they passed the locked door to the Conjuration classroom, and an open arch that led to the west courtyard.

"Who said they were interested in Botany?" Leo asked.

Beatrice's hand shot up into the air. "Oh me! That was me, is the Botany classroom here?"

"So enthusiastic!" Leo chuckled. "And yes, the Botany classroom and greenhouses are here on the west courtyard. Please be patient with the professor, okay?"

"We will but...why?" Sascha yawned. The pixie in their hair looked mischievously at the Ravensburl banners as they passed through the arch and out onto the courtyard.

The west courtyard had another fountain with a large raven statue, and had benches arranged around it in a circular layout. It was quite large, with open, grassy spaces and a large rowan tree. The Botany greenhouse was just off the main walkway with the classroom adjacent to the main castle wall. As they approached the Botany classroom, Beatrice squealed in excitement. A large plant pot beside the classroom had a cat peacefully sleeping within, curled around the trunk of a small fruit tree.

As the excited young witch approached, the cat woke up with a soft meow and blearily looked up at the group.

"Oh! I'm so sorry to wake you." Beatrice said in a soothing voice as she crouched in front of the plant pot. "May I pet you?"

The cat stood and arched its back before hopping off the pot and stretching, yawning as it did. It then sat, looking expectantly at Beatrice who was more than happy to give its long brown and white fur a stroke.

Leo's eyebrows went up in surprise. "Do you always talk to cats like that?"

"Hmm?" Beatrice glanced back at him and her classmates, but went right back to giving the cat a good scratch under the chin. The cat purred loudly, happy with the attention. "Yes, sort of! I talk to all animals that way. I ask them for permission before I touch them, or ask them if they can tell me what they need."

"I see. Do you understand them? Do they speak back in words?"

Beatrice chuckled. "Nothing like that, actually. I just try to listen and be receptive to what they might need. I came from a druid family, you see."

"Oh!" Leo laughed. As he did, the cat looked in his direction and slowly closed one eye. "That's great all the same! I should ask you for some help with understanding animals next time then. But anyway, this is the Botany classroom. Classes for all years are held here due to its proximity to the greenhouse. You'll meet your Botany professor and his assistant when you have your first class."

"Assistant?" Arnold raised a brow.

"Yes. Some of the plants you will be learning about here can be dangerous or difficult to work with. Come on, I'll show you the east wing."

Beatrice bid farewell to the cat, and even asked Leo if she could pick it up and take it with them when the cat brushed up against her leg. The upperclassman said no, and Beatrice reluctantly walked away to follow the group.

A mischievous, knowing glint was in the cat's eye when it yawned and returned to the cool earth inside the plant pot.

The rest of the tour of Ravensburl castle went by quickly. The east wing corridor was much the same as with the west wing, and held the Evocation, Enchantment, and Transmutation classrooms, all of them still locked. They were to be opened by their professors once the year officially started, Leo explained. But for now, they were locked for security reasons.

"Why?" Arnold scoffed. "What's in the classrooms that they'd need to be under lock and key."

"Well there have been a few incidents in the past years." Their upperclassman replied nonchalantly.

"What? Don't leave us hanging like that! What kind of incidents?"

"Hmm..." Leo trailed off, giving himself a few seconds to think. "Accidents involving overzealous students is one. The classrooms are open for anyone who wants to get a few more hours of studying in, but Headmistress Cassandra ordered them closed and locked during holiday breaks and the like because students kept practicing spells for hours and hours."

"But isn't that just studying?"

"It is, if it wasn't till the point of fatigue and loss of focus. Spells go awry, and not to mention some using the class artifacts unsupervised and not as they were intended." Leo shrugged. "That and the thefts."

"Thefts?" Arnold took a few more steps to get closer to Leo. "Thefts of what?"

The upperclassman raised a brow. "Class supplies, parchment and inkwells mostly," he said carefully. "Anyway, those were all the classrooms you need to know. The Divination classroom is... well it moves depending on where the professor feels like having class. It's either in the south tower or on the grounds, you'll receive a message where it will be held. Now, to the dormitories."