[1856 words] 

 

Looking outside the window in the distance, at the peak of a snowy mountain, sat a large, ancient Victorian castle. Surrounding the giant castle were four spires in a rectangular perimeter, each having different colored tiles.   

  

"What are those four spires surrounding the mansion?"   

  

"Those are the four houses of the Winterville Boarding School of Wizardry and Witchery. The yellow spire is the House of Bravery, the red spire is the House of Loyalty, the blue spire is the House of Wisdom, and the green spire is the House of Cunningness," answered Valde.  

  

"Which house do you belong to?"  

  

"I don't know yet. Though, by the time we finish the welcoming ceremony, we'll know."  

  

After saying so, Valde started nudging Ronald to wake up. I looked out the window again, observing the castle. It was otherworldly. That was the only word I could think of to describe the castle.   

  

Choo! Choo! Choo! I could feel the train deaccelerating. Looking ahead, I saw that we were gradually approaching a train station.   

  

Redirecting my attention inside the cabin, I saw that Valde was still performing the futile job of waking Ronald up. After acknowledging his incompetency in this task, from his sleeve, he retrieved a wand. Valde's wand was pale white and had mysterious symbols etched all over it. At a glance, I could tell that his wand's quality was vastly superior to mine.   

  

Grasping his wand, Valde murmured something quietly before a blob of water started forming at the tip of his wand. Valde didn't stop murmuring until the blob of water had grown to the size of a bowling ball.   

  

Positioning the ball of water above Ronald's head, Valde pulled back his wand, causing the water to drop on Ronald's head.   

  

"Oi! Where'd this water came from... Valde!!!"   

  

"Shut up Ronald. We're about to arrive."  

  

"F--"   

  

All students, please leave the train. First years, please go and wait in the station for the school faculty to retrieve you. I repeat, all students, please leave the train. First years, please go and wait in the station for the school faculty to retrieve you.   

  

"Alright, let's go Azrail."  

  

"Yeah, let's go."  

  

"Don't you think this is over Valde!"  

  

But sadly, Valde and Azrail co had already left the cabin before Ronald could finish his statement.   

  

----  

  

"FIRST YEARS OVER HERE!" an amplified voice echoed in the station.  

  

The voice originated from a short and chubby middle-aged man whose hair had a few gray strands. There was a floating pentagram floating in front of his mouth, probably the reason his voice was unnaturally loud.   

  

After confirming where the man was, Valde and I swiftly made our way to him, standing near the far end of the station. Following behind us was Ronald, who was still drenched and very much pissed off.   

  

"ALRIGHT, I WILL PROCEED TO DO A ROLL CALL. WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, REPLY LOUDLY WITH A HERE. UNDERSTAND? GREAT. CYNWRIG RUVIMU?"  

  

"Here!"  

  

"MARY ANNE FADDEY?"  

  

"H-here!"  

  

"BINH VERONICA?"  

  

"Here!"  

  

----  

  

"ALRIGHT, IT LOOKS LIKE EVERYONE IS HERE. LET ME STOP THIS VOICE AMPLIFICATION PENTAGRAM. Hello children, I am Kalidas Hannes, counselor for first-year students. I wish you all to the academy. Now, follow me. The welcoming ceremony awaits."  

  

Mr. Hannes brought us toward the mansion. As I got closer to the mansion, my awe for it only grew. You couldn't view the many intricate details of the mansion from afar. Now that I was closer, the mansion looked even grander and imposing.   

  

 Mr. Hannes brought us into the mansion, through a long and wide corridor, and finally entered a large room packed with tables covered to the brim with delicious-looking food. Looking towards the ceiling, countless balls of different colored light floated around, illuminating the space.  

  

"Those are will-o'-wisps. Harmless creatures and make for great house pets," said Valde behind me.  

  

"You mean the will-o'-wisps that trick travelers into getting lost, leaving them to die?"  

  

"Those were in the older days, where thin-bloods would chase after will-o'-wisps in pursuit of greed deep into forests or marshes. Then, they would die from getting mauled by a bear or attacked by a pack of wolves."   

  

"Oh."  

  

"Well, will-o'-wisps are relatively extinct in the common world now and can only be found in the wizarding world."  

  

"Why is that? When the wizarding committee separated from the common world, they either moved anything related to magic into the wizarding world or killed it. Almost all the will-o'-wisps were moved out of the common world because of this."   

  

"Why did the wizarding world decide to separate itself from the common world anyway?"  

  

"Probably isolationism due to a combination of a superiority complex and a god complex."   

  

"Well, that's one way to put it."  

  

Standing behind a podium, a very old man suddenly coughed a couple of times. The once boisterous room became quiet immediately. Everyone was looking at the old man with reverence and respect. His identity couldn't be simple. I whispered to Valde.  

  

"Who is that person."  

  

"You don't know who that is?"  

  

"No."  

  

"That person is a living legend, the war hero and principal of our school, Darko Bonner."  

  

"What'd he do?"  

  

"I'll tell you later."  

  

*Cough* * Cough * *Cough* "I welcome students and faculty to the Winterville Boarding School of Wizardry and Witchery. I am happy to see many old faces as well as some new faces. I am proud to announce the start of the new school year!" *Cough* *Cough* *Cough*  

  

All the students started cheering, and the teachers began clapping. What followed afterward was a feast like no other.   

  

----  

  

'We will now start the house sorting ceremony. *Cough* Attention, please, everyone. If I call your name, please come and sit in this chair beside me."   

  

"Sequoyah Mari!"   

  

A girl walked up timidly and sat down next to Principal Bonner.   

  

"No need to fret young lady. Stay calm and enjoy the moment."   

  

After saying so, the principal placed an old and weird-looking hat onto the girl's head. After being placed onto the girl's head, the hat started squirming as if it were alive. The crevices of the hat formed what looked like two eyes and a mouth. The "face" had a grouchy look. The hat looked down at the girl and suddenly spoke.  

  

"Sequoyah Mari. Hmmmmm, living a simple life in a simple family. Has never experienced suffering. Secretly spies on a boy but is too timid to approach him. I do say young lady. If you don't hook him in now, some other girl will bewitch him." The girl's face turned as red as a tomato after hearing the hat's comment. "Though very timid on the outside, you possess a courageous heart that is willing to sacrifice your wellbeing for your friends. I declare you as Unicorn! House of the Loyal!" Following this, the students sitting on the row of tables decorated with red started cheering loudly.  

  

"What is that hat?"  

  

"It's a brain parasite."  

  

"?!"  

  

"Don't tell anyone else this, but my family was around when the school created that hat. Inside that hat lives a brain parasite. Completely harmless, but it can read your thoughts. Additionally, the brain parasite's food is thoughts. So, the school struck a deal with the brain parasite that the school would provide it with new students' thoughts to consume, and in turn, the parasite would read their thoughts and place them in the house they are most suited for. A win-win situation for both parties."   

  

"Wow."   

  

While Valde and I were discussing, more and more students were being called up following each other to determine which house they belong to. After a while and Ronald was called up.  

  

"Ronald Moonchaser!"  

  

"Yes! That's me! That's me!"  

  

Ronald ran up excitingly, sat down on the chair, and placed the magical hat onto his head before the principal could say anything. Looking at the principal's reactions, he was not offended by Ronald's actions; instead, he found Ronald's overzealous behavior entertaining.   

  

The hat began its reading.  

  

"Ronald Moonchaser. Descendant of the ancient moon wolves." Gasps of shock and awe suddenly spread across the students.   

  

"What are they surprised about?"  

  

"They're surprised that Ronald possesses the blood of the ancient moon wolves."  

  

"What's that?"  

  

"The ancient moon wolves were a feared tribe of beat people during their time. Their bloodline enabled them to be excellent fighters, and they completed many feats that were thought to be impossible. In their prime, they were thought to be the third strongest beast tribe in the world."  

  

"Where are they now?"  

  

"Gone. The passing of time was not kind to the moon wolf tribe. All that is left of them are people like Ronald who possess a little bit of their blood."   

  

The hat continued, "Unafraid to speak what is on your mind. Courageous and short-sighted. I declare you as Chimaera! House of the Brave!"  

  

The students belonging to the house of the brave all started cheering.  

  

"I'm not surprised that the hat put Ronald in the House of the Brave."  

  

"Same here."   

  

"Valde Zinyra!"  

  

"Looks like that's me."  

  

"Good luck."  

  

Unlike Ronald, Valde walked up to the seat in a much more calm, elegant fashion. He also let the principal put the hat onto his head instead of snatching it as Ronald had done before him.  

  

"Valde Zinyra. Firstborn of the Zinyra family." I could hear a few gasps of awe, but not nearly as much as Ronald had received. "Though living in a young body, your mind has long since matured. Quick-minded and possessing foresight unfound at such a young age, I declare you, Raven! House of the Wise!  

  

The students of the House of the Wise cheered, welcoming Valde into their ranks.   

  

The welcoming ceremony continued, and everyone was singing and having a merry time.    

  

----  

  

"Azrail World!"   

  

Finally! It was my turn. I very much anticipated what the hat, or actually, the brain parasite, had to say about me. I walked towards the podium and sat down on the seat, awaiting the principal to put the hat onto my head. All the while, I couldn't help but jitter due to the excitement I was feeling.  

  

"Azrail World...... what a sad young man. Child, this message is for you and you alone. What I am about to say will only be heard by you. I know the world has treated you poorly, but there exists good out there. Do not give up on the world just yet. The path you are embarking on is filled only with blood and grief. You are still young and malleable. Take your time here and find the correct path." The students and teachers currently observing Azrail were confused. The hat seldom stays quiet for this long. Little did they know that the hat was currently having a private conversation with Azrail. Finally, the hat speaks aloud, "Meticulous and iron-willed, I declare you, Basilisk! House of the Cunning!"  

  

The students from the House of the Cunning started cheering and beckoned towards me with open arms. After sitting down with the rest of the house, the ceremony continued into the deep night.   

  

|End of Arc 1: The Wizarding World|