[IC] ʜᴀᴡᴛʜᴏʀɴᴇ ᴀᴄᴀᴅᴇᴍʏ

[SunsetWanderer]

HAWTHORNE ACADEMY
 HAWTHORNE ACADEMY

The Assembly Hall, September 2024
Start of Term



♫
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There was a dark tempest raging in the skies above Hawthorne Academy. The skies, always kept clouded from sunlight to accommodate their vampiric students, were darker than usual - and only the soft glow of orange and yellow from the windows of Hawthorne provided light. Even the stars above had gone quiet. The downpour of rain flogged against the walls and lashed the windows, even the ancient magic woven into the mortar and tempered into the glass unable to drown the noise entirely. Thunder rumbled menacingly in the clouds above, occasionally striking the highest towers of the Academy with tempestuous wrath. It made for a heavy backdrop for the arrival of students in what was already a year more anticipated than most. The increasing disappearances and thefts of ancient artifacts had become widely discussed news, making the front page for every issue of the ‘Daily Oracle’ (the major source of supernatural news) for a month at least. There has been a new theory every day, but so far, no answers.

Noon was fast approaching as the students gathered within the assembly hall for their annual induction. The morning had been left free for the students to gradually arrive and deposit their things with the arrivals office, as well as to find their friends for their long-awaited reunions. The hall itself was dramatically large, with lit fireplaces lining the walls on either side, and floating candelabras above, providing light and some much needed warmth to many of the drenched students. The pleasant hum of orchestral music subtly filled the air, made from magic no-doubt. At the front of the hall sat the professors, all behind one large table of dark oak, with a podium for the Headmaster before it. There was the newest arrival, potions professor Ophelia Evergreen, who had managed already to attract rumors that she and professor Eller were together. The closeness with which they were sat did little to alleviate this. Gideon, the artefacts professor, and his colleague the professor of history, Viktor, were engaged in lively discussion - while Silas de Lavigne, an ancient vampire of tremendous reputation, sat silently at the end of the table. Unusually, a few Seekers could even be spotted about the hall in various spots, distinguishable by their large leather overcoats with the collars always worn up. Seekers were the enforcement arm of the Academies, responsible for tracking rogue supernaturals - but they were rarely seen by the students. Their appearance was a mark that something was amiss, even if none knew truly what.

Students continued to file into the hall. Friends spotted one another, and groups formed as they always did. Excitable chatter filled the hall. For many, the disagreeable weather and tense circumstances had already been forgotten - they were home, and with the friends they had made over their years at Hawthorne. Among the crowds, the more uncertain first years always stood out.

Suddenly, the music was silenced and the mumble of chatter began to fade expectantly as the Headmaster, Lucius Lightwood, stepped to his podium. Lightwood had been Headmaster for no less than a decade, with his tenure marked by many steps to modernise the Academy. The controversial introduction of wifi nine years ago, for example, has made him particularly popular with the students. He was a man who wore an easy smile and relaxed demeanor, always seen wearing well-tailored checkered suits. He set his hands on either side of the podium, his voice naturally amplified by the hall.

“Welcome, welcome. It is so good to see you all here, undertaking another year of your studies or - for some - beginning what I hope will be the most memorable six years of your lives. At Hawthorne, we are not solely here to learn the academics. We are here also, and perhaps most importantly, to learn who we are. To live and collaborate with one another, to make bonds of unbreakable friendship. Remember this, and your time here will be of great value no matter your exam results.

Now, I have a few start of year notices before I let you all find your dormitories for this year.

First, to all of our first years, know that the Wyrmwood Forest is strictly forbidden to all students. I have also been asked by your Deputy Headmistress, Ms. Gray, to remind you all that the third to ninth sections on the fourth floor of our library, remain restricted to all without oversight of a professor.

I would also like you to know that Professor Bloom has decided to retire, to spend more time with her family. I am very glad though, to introduce your new potions professor. Please join me in welcoming like your newest Professor of Potions, Ms. Ophelia Evergreen.”

He paused to allow for applause then as Ophelia rose temporarily from her seat. Pressing round spectacles up his nose, he continued.

“And as a final note, I wish to assure all of you of the safety you have here at Hawthorne Academy. There is perhaps no safer place in the world.”

He let that linger, though evidently avoided delving too far into the specifics that everybody already knew about. The Daily Oracle had been reporting the disappearances for the entirety of Summer, and speculating wild theories - a cult seeking to destroy supernaturals? A new type of supernatural beast?

“Now, you will find your dormitories listed outside this hall. Your things have already been moved for you. Go, settle in, meet your friends and make new ones. I wish you all the very best of luck for this year.”

With that the doors of the assembly hall flung open, allowing students to file out and find their new dormitories. They would have to settle in quickly, with classes beginning only the very next day. The school year had begun.

[Olive Fontaine]

Hannah Endo
 Hannah Endo

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Today had been something of a whirlwind for Hannah. She had spent the last few days in London with an assistant, relaxing, acclimating, and buying supplies. But they'd set out late last night for Scotland in a car, carrying several bags and boxes of the young witch's belongings. She slept somewhat badly through the drive. It was uncomfortable, and the sounds of the rain and the road disturbed her. But when they arrived in the morning, she was quite lucid. Probably the excitement was keeping her focused.

She had come very far from home - halfway across the world in fact - in pursuit of a mystery. The spirit that haunted her, the one she called 'the prince', had appeared to her many times in London, urging her onwards. He was the one who had pointed her to Hawthorne. Ever since she arrived, however, he was nowhere to be seen. It was curious, but without his distractions, Hannah was able to keep her head during the induction ceremony. After seeing her luggage shepherded away by the school's faculty, she made her way to the assembly hall. It was raining like the dickens outside, but she managed to avoid the worst of it with her umbrella. She shook it out near the entryway and deposited it there, before finding a place among the other students.

She didn't know a soul here. There were many eccentric looking characters around - not least of which were the teachers. It was a bit overwhelming. But Hannah's practiced composure did not falter. She remained calm and offered a slight smile to those who met her gaze. She was wearing a fairly practical outfit today - a grey sweater and dark, form-fitting pants. She had styled her long black hair simply, keeping it behind her with a matching ribbon. Her natural beauty was still apparent though, and the gleaming silver of her earrings was a small indication of prestige.

Hannah listened politely to the commencement speech, but she gradually began to pick up on the strange atmosphere in the air. There were serious-looking people scattered about the hall in leather uniforms. She knew them to be seekers; their appearance usually signaled trouble. Furthermore, the headmaster even felt the need to address the rumored incidents she had been reading about in the papers. She hadn't been worried much about it before, but admittedly the man's assurance that she'd be safe made her feel anything but.

The assembly ended without incident, and the students made their way outside to check the dorm listings. Hannah followed along, but slowly, taking the time to observe her new classmates, and seeing if any of them looked approachable. 'It might be helpful to make some connections early on,' she thought.

[smarty0114]

_{Location: Hemlock Hall}

---

---

After his first few hours at Hawthorne, August could best be described as starstruck. The castle was far more impressive than anything he’d seen back home. He was used to tents and shacks and the great outdoors, not spires and gargoyles and stone. Everywhere he looked was a face more beautiful and intimidating than the last, somehow. He hadn’t even been there a day, and someone had already hissed at him. He wasn’t quite sure what to make of that.

Falling in line behind a group of fellow first years, August went to find his dorm, locating his name just below his sister’s, on the list for Hemlock Hall. He couldn’t help the sigh that pushed its way out from between his lips. He had spent most of his life in Callen’s shadow, and he didn’t want that to continue here. Still, perhaps this was for the best. He supposed that living down the hall from Callen was better than waking up with puncture wounds in his neck.

Hemlock Hall was surprisingly welcoming. He’d expected the austere architecture of the rest of the castle to follow him here, but the dormitory was much warmer. The walls were lined with various decorations, remnants of students who’d long since graduated. The common area was already populated with older students, those who didn’t need a piece of paper to tell them where they’d be rooming, but they paid the first years very little mind. He slipped into his room without any hassle.

August appreciated the solitude. The unfamiliarity of this place was beginning to get to him. The plethora of foreign smells were assaulting his senses, and while he knew that one day they’d be as familiar as his pack, today they were overwhelming. He did not want his sister to sense his anxiety, or any of the other students for that matter. He wanted very much to be strong right now, to face this day of mingling with an about face, but the knot in his stomach would not undo itself. Fucking fuck. Fuckfuckfuckfuck! August picked an empty bed and threw himself onto it, groaning as his body sunk into the cushioning of the mattress.

At home, when his thoughts wouldn’t cease, he would’ve shed his skin and taken to the woods. He knew that that wasn’t an option right now though. He could hear Romulus now, telling him to stop running, to take this opportunity by the reins. He needed to make friends. He couldn’t prove himself to anyone if he didn’t get past the introductions first. Outside the dorm, the din of conversation grew louder as more of his fellow Hemlock Hall residents arrived.

The young werewolf took a deep breath, sitting himself up before getting to his feet. Whether he liked it or not, he was not likely to make many friends if he just hid inside his room. He practiced a smile in the mirror, played with his hair until his reflection satisfied him, before rejoining the Hemlock Hall fray, armored with a grin and as open arms as he could muster. This year was going to be great. Probably.

[udonoodles]

---

Interlude: The Non-Comformist Oath

_{”I promise not to repeat things other people say!”}

---

Eli negotiated the end of his pencil between his two molars. His brow furrowed, he reread over his notes, again and again. Atop the page was the header, ”The Most Memorable Six Years of My Life”.
Underneath, his notes.

Wyrmwood Forest was his immediate focus. It was foolishness from the staff, really. Hey, I’m here to remind you that this forest with the really cool name is off-limits. I'm not going to tell you why it's off limits, though. I'm just reminding you of its existence and strongly advising against going there. Don't go there, by the way, wink wink. He figured there was a grey area between “honest mistake” and “deliberate trespass”, and that's where Eli was keen to operate.

The third and ninth sections of the library, too, seemed a pressing matter. He figured he’d spend quite a lot of his time there, after all, so uncovering the secret of why those sections were so closely guarded was certainly a pressing matter. God, listen to him. Uncovering the secret. Certainly a pressing matter. What was it about unfamiliar situations that turned him into Ms. Marple?

His last major point of contention was the headmaster’s final warning of safety. Warning of safety, he repeated inside his head. A Freudian slip to the self, revealing how he truly felt about that message. It was certainly odd for the headmaster to emphasise that. Like assuring your dinner party guests the food was perfectly unposioned. All he could think was, which poison?

“Nightshade,” he mumbled beneath his breath, running his finger along the dorm list to find his name. Did they seriously name their dorm rooms after deadly poisons? Nightshade and Hemlock? Looked like he was going to be bunking with the Trueloves and the Valentines in Nightshade Commons. Eli cast a glance to his side, smirking at the irony of such romantic names, before he remembered he was alone.

Yeah. He should probably fix that.

So, while everyone filtered into one dorm or the other, Eli turned the charm up. He clasped his hands behind his back, teetering up and down on his heels as he idly strolled along the hall, humming Ella Fitzgerald’s Blue Moon to himself. He looked lost, he hoped. Approachable, but in a condescending, supervisory capacity, like a lone child in a supermarket.

[KZOMBI3]

---

𝖗 𝖊 𝖙 𝖚 𝖗 𝖓 𝖊 𝖉
𝖗 𝖊 𝖙 𝖚 𝖗 𝖓 𝖊 𝖉

_{𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. Hawthorne
𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.
𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.}

---

It wasn't as bright and cheery a day as Callen would have liked, but what was to be expected when the grounds around the academy are meant to be inclusive to even the vampires attending? With a heavy sigh she had marched in through the doors, waving erratically to all the familiar returning faces and even offering a solid pat to the arm or back to the newbies shuffling along. It wasn't going to be terrible, she reminded herself. It was a new year. Another start. Everything from before would just... wash away. Like it never happened. Yeah. That's right.

Everything would fall into place.

"If I don't wanna see 'em, then I won't. Manifest that shit, Cal. Manifest it!" Her pep-talk could only go so far when she turned to look back up before her and spotted the backs of two very familiar heads. With an indignant squeak she dipped and dodged into the nearest row of seats to avoid getting too close. So much for it never happened.

✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶

With the headmaster's speech out of the way Callen found herself bolting up and outta her seat as quick as she could. Not necessarily to avoid the twins - though that was entirely what it was about - but because Ezekiel Wolf had volunteered her for showing the young cubs around the grounds and offering to help them with whatever they needed. "Yeah, yeah just great. No, don't mind me," the redhead snorted to herself as she made her way through the throng of students milling about, "No, no. No reason to ask me if I wanted to help. Lemme just do it all for ya, oh fearless leader of ours. Ughhh so much for self proclaimed leader..." she grumbled to herself taking a seat behind the set up placed in the foyer next to the dormitory listings.

_{'Gets me outta havin' to see them for a bit at least.'}

[Olive Fontaine]

Hannah Endo
 Hannah Endo

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Hannah had been watching the other students mostly, feeling like something of a fly on the wall. She only briefly looked over the dorm list, and with a dull expression. She was used to long hours of privacy and her own quarters; it was hard not to feel dread over the impending communal lifestyle she would have to endure. A sigh. She ran a hand over her head and started strolling in another direction. Suddenly a girl brushed past her at speed, and a moment later another chased after her. They were laughing and teasing each other - they looked like friends reunited. That put a bit of happiness back in her expression. She was about to take another step, but when she looked forward again she found that she had approached very near to a young man, about her own age. Rather than bumping into him, she came to a very sudden stop. "Eh?!" she said, her eyes still sparkling with surprise. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention." Her voice was clear, and her accent was faint - it almost sounded American, but that wasn't quite right either.

She briefly looked down, feeling a bit of embarrassment burning on her cheeks. But then she offered the stranger a smile. He had a smooth complexion, fairly soft features, and dark curly hair. He seemed well put-together. Hannah, on the other hand, was feeling suddenly conscious of her own casual attire. But she put that thought away, and collected herself for a introduction. "My name is Hannah Endo," she began. "I'm a witch. First year. I'd heard the rumors, but it does seem lively here already."

After giving him some time to respond, Hannah would venture something further. "Hey, do you want to look around the place a bit more? I've got to find my way towards Hemlock hall."

"Hemlock... I know it's poison. The very same that killed Socrates. But you know, we have something called 'hemlock' in Japan, too." She paused, with a touch of bemusement on her face over what she was about to say.

"...it's a giant tree. Twenty-five meters tall sometimes. And it's harmless. That is going to get confusing, no doubt."

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Hider

@udonnoodles

[Danvers]

---

_{𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. nightsbane dormitory room
𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.
𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. a certain someone}

---

The two dormitories were far enough apart for the powers that be to feel comfortable in their belief that vampires and werewolves would not mix. Or at the very least be discouraged from doing so. When it had come to the twins, they had not known where to put them. Whatever they did, they would be in the wrong place. But eventually it was decided that they felt and looked like vampires, and seemed to have little in common with the wolves, so Nightshade would have to do. The dormitory reserved for bloodsuckers and anyone unfortunate enough to have to cohabit with them was atop a tall winding tower, dotted with large gothic style windows, framed by curtains of deep purple and black draping lazily to the floor. Everything was gilded with intricate but subtly carved designs and although every year several students attempted to carve their names alongside these, they were promptly magic'ed away at the end of each term. It was home. Or at least a sort of home.

Caleb stood against one of the grand windows. It had been slung wide open and he paid little heed to the wind and rain that lashed against him, dampening his soft curls and wetting his cheeks. Taking a slow drag from his cigarette, he leaned over the sill to breathe out a leisurely stream of smoke, his eyes flitting to the familiar gargoyle that sat in pride of place below. Ugly thing. The fingers of his free hand reached up to subconsciously brush over the new, but already fully healed scar that marked a vertical line over his right eye. It had not hurt for long but he still imagined he could feel the wound as if fresh. He could barely remember what had happened. It was always difficult to recall those times but that night...

A jean clad pair of legs suddenly appeared from above, dragging him back to the present. The figure deftly swung itself through the window to land inside the dorm room, shaking its sodden head to send water droplets cascading onto the polished, and in all likelihood recently cleaned, ebony floor. Casting a final glance outside, Caleb slammed the window shut, causing a couple of first years to jump in surprise. He turned to raise a questioning eyebrow at his twin, who responded by swiping his palms across one another, a self-satisfied grin stretching across his face. "Done and done." Charlie chimed happily, moving to sling an arm around his brothers shoulders only to be promptly shrugged off. He frowned for a moment but such expressions never settled. Caleb was always moody, even if things had been a little more tense between them recently. It would be okay, it always was.

Ignoring the sullen air radiating off his brother, he moved closer to a fire that was already crackling contentedly in its black hearth, pulling off his sodden tshirt. The shock of the cold against his bare skin caused him to shiver involuntary and he quickly grabbed his hoody. It was from some museum Jupiter had dragged them to and insisted that they wear matching hoodies for - Caleb had quickly lost his after the first exhibit. But even despite the cold, he knew it would totally be worth it. Plus, he'd missed climbing on the rooftops here; he hadn't found anywhere better yet. Relishing the much needed warmth of his hoody, Charlie draped himself across one of the couches, letting out a small sigh of pleasure as he sank back into the aged leather. "It's grand to be back. Don't you think so Cal?"

Caleb took another drag from his cigarette, taking a seat in one of the plush vintage armchairs, far away enough from Charlie that he wouldn't get soaking wet. "I think you grabbed too many suitcases." Caleb noted pointedly. He closed his eyes, trying not to let the smile pull at the edges of his lips. It wouldn't do to let him know he thought his idea was mildly amusing, if not completely idiotic. Jupiter had thankfully overheard and veto'd at least half of Charlies schemes.

"Ha! I knew you thought it'd be funny!" Charlie responded excitedly, an air of smugness taking over him. The clothing from the suitcases had been tossed across the rooftops, where they were undoubtedly now getting thoroughly soaked. After a few moments he tilted his head back to look at where the luggage had been gathered, pondering on what Caleb had said. "Did I? My bad..." He shrugged nonchalantly. "I kind of assumed the git just had that many clothes. Have you seen how he dresses?" Despite his posturing, the hybrid did a quick scan to make sure the object of their discussion was not in the room. Thankfully, he was not. Maybe he'd realised what a tosspot he was and scarified himself to the wolves.

"No, I can't say I have." Caleb muttered, throwing the remnants of his cigarette into the fire. "Though I think we both know which of us has thought about taking said clothes off."

Charlies face flushed red at his twins taunt, though whether from embarassment or irritation it wasnt clear. "I don't want to--" He snapped back, sliding further down the couch, his face half buried in his hoody. "That's the last thing I want to do! I-I'd rather have to sit through a full day of ol' Volkovs torture sessions. Or have to eat garlic everyday!" Charlie picked up his wet t-shirt, throwing it at Caleb. "Anyway, at least I know how to have fun." He muttered, frowning when the t-shirt was deftly caught and tossed back.

"You smell like wet dog you know. Maybe you should transfer to Wolfsbane." Caleb smiled wryly. "Apparently they sleep in one giant pile, bet you'd love that. Imagine if..."

Caleb didn't have time to finish his sentence before his brother leapt from the couch and began to charge towards him, a mischievous grin darting across his face. "Die Valentine! Dieeeeeee!" Charlie yelled out his war cry as he landed on the armchair and began to pummel his brother with a cushion, ignoring any and all protests. "I'll never stop! Not until you admit that I am the strongest, smartest and coolest hybrid in this room. Do it! Do it now!" He laughed, too caught up in his delight to notice as the cushion split open nor the foot that came slamming into his leg, tripping him up and causing him to fall back onto the hardwood floor. He groaned as he landed hard on the wooden surface, for a moment too winded to do anything but lay there. After a a minute he was able to catch his breath and he sat up, brushing away some of the duck feathers that had floated down to land atop his body. "Dude, not fair." He pouted, rubbing his back where he had landed.

Caleb stood up, a smirk playing at the edges of his lips before he reached a hand down to help him up. "Nothing's fair for us Charlie."

[udonoodles]

---

Welcome to Japan

_{”If we don't watch the sun, it will rise.”}

---

Vincent teetered on the edge of the footpath with trepidation. He stared into the bottomless abyss of the chauffeur’s backseat, white-knuckled grip tightening into a stranglehold on the handle of his suitcase. The crisp, frosty air of the early September morning chilled him to the bone, nipped at his nose. He could feel the driver staring through the windows at him, searing a hole through what remained of his soul.
He was beginning to get the distinct feeling he’d forgotten to pack his charger.

A sudden hand pressing against his lower back jolted him out of his spiral, and nearly out of his skin.
“Jesus Christ,” he hissed, stumbling on his feet as he turned to see the source. “Stevie, we talked about this.”

“Vincent,” his sister addressed him with all the warmth of the exsanguinated which she resembled. Her skin was deathly pale, even by vampiric standards—anaemic, in a cruel twist of fate. “You’re doing the thing.”

“What thing?”

“The thing.” That didn’t clarify anything.

“What thing?”

”The thing.”

“Where do you get off?”

“You do it all the time,” Stevie mused, ignoring her brother’s protests. As usual. She had her lines, and she’d stick to them. “And every time, I’ve pointed it out. And I call it the thing. And I make sure you hear me calling it the thing.”

“Okay, then, repeat it.”

“You’re trying to make yourself sick. Or cry. You’re thinking about the worst things you can so you can make yourself do something worth going home over.”
Vincent paused. She was exactly right—it had been a strategy practised and perfected over the years, finely honed. He had weaponised his anxious thinking, his tendency to overload. It was one more tool in his arsenal to avoid responsibility.

“You’re a freak.”

Steive cocked her head. “I’m right, though. You did it on your very first day, when you were a first year. You threw up, and I had to drag you back inside out of the rain like a little drowned ferret.”
Vincent pursed his lips, chewing his words into something less spiky. Yeah, he supposed she was right.

“Okay. So?”

“So shit or get off the pot. I wanna see waterworks, or I want you to get your skinny butt in that car. Or I’m going to be late.”
Shit or get off the pot. They really were related.

Vincent sighed in defeat, casting a glance over his shoulder and into the backseat. He saw it stretch endlessly away from him, the gap between the curb and the car widening into a ravenous gulf that threatened to swallow him whole should he miss the mark.

“Alright, fine.”

He tossed his suitcase halfheartedly, and it slid along the seats to his side of the car.
“You could have put that in the boot,” Stevie chimed in, watching her brother clamber in out of the cold morning.
“If you don’t stop talking, I’m jumping in front of your stupid little train the moment we get to the station. And I’ll make sure I get splattered on your dress.”
“Fair deuce.”
Stepping over the sidewalk, she pulled her headphones up from her neck and around her ears. She ducked into the car and slammed the door behind her, casting one glance back at the family manor. The engine spluttered to life, wheels cracking the ice beneath them as they turned, and moved out.

---

Orientation proved more difficult to slip out of than Vincent had anticipated. He kept waiting for the perfect moment, but it never arose—a second didn’t pass where at least one teacher wasn’t eyeing him like a hawk. So he sat there, as his stomach did somersaults and he jittered his legs frenetically beneath the table.
At least he could empathise with the weather, he thought as a roll of thunder boomed outside.
No, that was pathetic. Empathising with the weather? What was he, a sickly young Victorian woman with a penchant for pretty boys and poetry? Christ, he needed a smoke.

Fortunately, he didn’t have to wait long. Just when orientation was threatening to become an inescapable quagmire of self-congratulatory, played-out platitudes, they were cut loose. Vincent bounded up for his chair and made for the halls immediately, slender frame sliding through the dregs of a crowd that was beginning to form. Hands in the pockets of his slacks, he pushed forward, speed-walking past the dorm list. Nightshade Commons this time? Really shaking things up. He hadn’t been assigned to the Commons since last year.

Vincent knew where he was going by instinct. He could close his eyes and still find his way there—but that would either look completely ridiculous or a little creepy, so he wasn’t eager to try either way. Instead, he turned on his heel and skipped towards the stairs, stepping up swiftly. He was eager to get where he was going. Very eager. Like, “oh my god, I can’t believe I roll my own cigarettes just because I think it looks cool, now I’m going to have to wait even longer before I can smoke one and I’ll be tantalised the whole time” eager.
Finally, after what felt like five seconds—because for all his faults, he had a surprisingly unflappable internal clock—he reached the crest of the stairs, hopping on his heel out onto the balcony.

Vincent slowed to a saunter, swaggering up to the edge of the balcony and casting a glance out across the academy grounds. Covered, mercifully, so he could stay up here and mope without getting wet. What had Stevie said? Drowned ferret?
Yeah. He wouldn’t end up like a drowned ferret.

With one arm, Vince leaned his elbow against the balcony rail, and with the other, he pulled his suit jacket away from his side. He dove a hand into his inner pocket, fishing around for his things. Papers, filters, tobacco—and his lighter. Gang’s all here.
He retrieved them one by one, setting them on the edge of the balcony. Putting it all together was muscle memory by now, so he could afford to look out further across the academy. Here, his stomach was settled, and he could finally ground himself. The soft noise of the rain coming down was some comfort, a pleasant white noise drowning out the distant din of student chatter. He spread the paper out, taking a pinch of tobacco and sprinkling it out. He dropped a filter in at the end, rolling it up tightly. With a lick across the paper, he folded it shut and scrunched up what remained of the skin, and it was done. His cigarette. The good stuff.

The shadows danced across his face as he struck a flame up from his lighter. He popped the end of the rollie into his mouth, bringing the fire up to ignite the business end. Deeply, Vincent inhaled, taking his first smoke-filled breath of the day. He exhaled coolly, sighing with pent-up relief.
He was here now. No getting around it. Might as well start acclimating.

[smarty0114]

_{Location: Nightshade Commons
Mentions: Vincent Truelove
Interactions: Caleb & Charlie Valentine @Danvers}

---

---

Theodore Douglas had realized when he was young, that the look of a vampire was one of poised disinterest. A gentle pout, and an air of nonchalance that could only be achieved by caring far too much about what everyone else thought. He had perfected this performance over the years, a lack of care so casual, it was anything but. He watched Headmaster Lightwood with cold eyes and wondered what secrets he hid. Not the ominous, magical type, but the illicit, scandalous type. He’d always suspected the wizard to have been the kind of man who woke up in a variety of beds when he was younger.

When they were finally released, Teddy headed straight for the exit, moving through the crowd with a touch of vampiric speed. He’d been at Hawthorne long enough to know that he’d been placed in Nightshade, and the overwhelming scent of witch blood was beginning to give him a headache.

He breathed a sigh of relief as he freed himself from the crowd, and began making his way towards his dorm. He would never say it out loud, but he had missed the solemn, stone walls of Hawthorne. He’d missed the coppery, electric smell of magic, and the sense that adventures were around any corner. Douglas Keep was old and tired, and filled with ancient vampires who’d grown so very boring in their old age.

If he was being honest with himself, he’d missed Charlie too. Perhaps the most. That troubled him.

He’d heard of the disappearances over the summer, and his grandmother had warned him to keep an eye out at school. She felt something on the horizon, and she was expecting more reports than usual. The whispers seemed to have invoked a special kind of paranoia, and she expected him to help assuage it. Needless to say, this was not a year where he could afford distractions.

And yet, he found himself distracted.

His mind conjured the memory of his fingers running through dark hair, of lips pressed together in the quiet darkness of an empty classroom. All summer, that moment had lingered on the edges of his mind, never too far from the forefront. He knew why he couldn’t shake it, he was no fool. He couldn’t pursue that fantasy though. His family would never approve, and the school would gossip, and surely, Charlie would grow bored of him quickly. He was certain that anyone who got too close to him would see through the facade, and be disgusted by what they found.

Teddy wrinkled his nose as he walked by Truelove and the acrid smoke he blew out, but he did no more than scowl. He’d learned years ago that the smell of cigarettes was just a fact of life at Hawthorne. The smell had made it into the Commons as well, which meant only one thing: the Valentines had beat him to their room.

He entered the fifth year dorm to see Caleb helping his brother off the ground. He noticed the open window, and the cold breeze, and his suitcases, open and empty on the ground. His eyes darted to Charlie, the usual suspect, and suddenly, he wasn’t sure he’d missed the fucker all that much in the first place. “You can’t be serious,” Teddy muttered, beelining for the window and leaning out into the rain. Strewn across the rooftops, like very expensive trash, were his clothes, perhaps the only things he valued more than his fangs. Without a second thought, he clambered out onto the roof, moving with supernatural speed to scoop up the now soaking wet pieces of his wardrobe. When he came back through the window, he was dripping water onto the floor, eyes narrowed as he tossed a pile of waterlogged fabric onto the floor.

“Some of those were irreplaceable, you know. Do you think I built that wardrobe overnight? That was a decade of carefully curated fashion choices that you just drowned, mercilessly, might I add,” The vampire glared at Charlie, though his anger was somewhat undercut by the fact that he looked like a hitchhiker who’d gotten lost in the rain. He began sifting through the pile, in hopes that there was anything that had managed to stay dry. There was not. “Some of these aren’t even mine, Valentine!” Teddy spun around, holding a pair of boxers up, as if either one of the twins had seen beneath his perfectly pleated pants.

His eyes darted between the twins, finally landing on Charlie. He knew what this was about, it was obvious. It seemed that that moment in the empty classroom had been on Charlie’s mind as well. Teddy struggled for a moment, unsure of what to say. He finally settled on an insult. “You’re a real git, you know that Charlie?”

This was certainly shaping up to be a year without distractions. Clearly.

[KZOMBI3]

---

𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊 𝖜𝖊 𝖌𝖔 𝖆𝖌𝖆𝖎𝖓
𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊 𝖜𝖊 𝖌𝖔 𝖆𝖌𝖆𝖎𝖓

_{𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. Nightshade Dorms
𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.
𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. Phoibe Graves | Caleb Valentine | Charlie Valentine @Danvers}

---

"Excellent. Just what we needed. Seekers," It was bad enough that the new school year brought with it a sense of lackluster that could only be found when throwing a hodgepodge of races together like Hawthorne did, but now there was the added benefit of being under a careful eye. More than what was already in place. Ophelia wasn't one to sneer in the faces of top notch security, but this was different. Something in the air screamed of lies piled high atop one another. It was only a matter of time before someone heard them.

Her dark eyes flickered off in the direction of a one Ms. Graves, _{'If someone where to dig up anything it would be that one...} Of all the students attending, Phi knew right away that the middle Graves child was one to be weary of. A false sense of security does not bode well when dealing with her. Though, she didn't pose the vampire any true harm, it wouldn't do her any favors to tread lightly with that one.

✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶

In what felt like an instant she found herself once more wandering the Nightshade halls. A blessing to be given their own area than having to slum it with the others. Pity to the ones who have to share Hemlock with the were-beasts. But, it is the natural order of things. Some just aren't worthy. Would have been insulting to think that just anyone could attend and be on the same leveling field as those that rule the night sky. A ruckus from one of the windows pulled her attention back to the present and she had to keep herself from rolling her eyes in disdain.

The Valentine twins. Ah, yes. A prime example of those who aren't worthy yet try to fit the mold. _{'Ugh. They're just as bad,'} she remembers thinking to herself, catching the tail end of their prank. They had some sort of falling out with one of the wolf girls; a pretty nasty one too if remembered correctly. A blessing in disguise really. They would have just brought the Valentine name into the ground should that friendship have kept up. What is it that others see in them? Their friendly nature? Pfft. If she thought more on it an answer might have presented itself, but that would require her to give too much of her already long life to something she didn't particularly care for. No. Instead Ophelia waltzed through the commons towards one of the many balconies, her vintage cigarette tin already in hand. Now she just needed a light.

[KZOMBI3]

---

𝖏𝖚𝖘𝖙 𝖐𝖊𝖊𝖕 𝖘𝖜𝖎𝖒𝖒𝖎𝖓𝖌
𝖏𝖚𝖘𝖙 𝖐𝖊𝖊𝖕 𝖘𝖜𝖎𝖒𝖒𝖎𝖓𝖌

_{𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. Hemlock Dorms
𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.
𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. Callen Warren}

---

Lorelei knew as soon as she woke up that morning that she was going to be late. Did that stop her from taking a refreshing morning swim around the cove of Rothwick? Absolutely not. The Galanis girl woke with the sun and hopped straight into the frigid waters, scales appearing along her skin, tail forming where there had been two legs not but moments ago. It was bliss. Her true nature calling to her in a way that only water could. It was cruel to expect her to be on land for so long. "It scares the mortals" or some such bullshit.

They seemed to be just fine last she checked. Well, not actually checking on them. But they remained in the town willingly. Knowing that there is an academy for creatures like herself. So, they must be fine with it. Right?

As the morning dragged on she was reminded of what the day was to bring and rushed to grab her things before heading up to the school. The weather turned dour the closer she got to the gates of the academy, large drops of rain soaking her clothes making her scales crop up along the exposed skin of her arms. The sightings of Seekers strategically pacing the grounds only seemed to make the hairs on back of her neck stand on end. _{'Wonder if it has anything to do with disappearance Mrs. McKay were talkin' about...'}. She would have asked more questions of the baker had she had the time, but she was late already and didn't stay long enough to chat with the elderly woman in town.

Lightwood's commencement speech had long been completed by the time she stumbled through the open doors. Students milled about, the new and the old. The siren spotted Callen with her legs kicked up in front of the dorm listings, papers strewn about the table as she helped the newbies find their bearings. Zeke must've put her in charge of things again. There was something going on between those two, though she figured the she-wolf wouldn't be too pleased to hear that theory anytime soon. She couldn't resist a wild grin as she waved her down before taking her drenched self up to Hemlock to drop her bags off. And possibly sit in front of one of the fires for a bit to toss the chill off of her.

✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶

[udonoodles]

Elio and Hannah

_{feat. Teddy Douglas and Callen Warren}

---

Eli had the distinct feeling the big, lost look in his eyes was finally paying dividends when his personal space was suddenly intruded upon. Almost violently so.

Even as Hannah came within inches of a collision, Eli didn’t flinch. He’d seen her coming: Generally, crashing into someone wasn’t a split-second thing. In the moment, it was—but that neglected the usual buildup of missteps and poor path plotting that put one or both of the crashees on their collision course.
Which was a smart-sounding way of saying she very obviously, visually clearly, wasn’t looking where she was going.

“I noticed,” Eli replied softly, bluntly, not looking away from the dorm listings. From the mouth of someone else, it might have sounded like a snarky stab—But there wasn’t a hint of malice in his tone. It was the simple, honest truth, as he was compelled to tell it: He indeed had noticed she wasn’t paying attention. He would have moved, but he wasn’t finished reading the list until…Just about now, actually.

His introduction was far curter. He turned from the list, facing Hannah with a personable, but restrained smile. “Elio. Or Eli. Whichever you prefer.” Previously sounding English, the undertones of his accent now finally broke through: The “r”s in “whichever” and “prefer” rolled off the tongue in a distinctly Spanish sense, revealing a pleasant Anglo-Spanish linguistic fusion. He pointed to his name on the list, his nails painted a deep black.

“Hemlock?” He remarked, finally a note of intrigue creeping into his tone. “Mm. Werewolves.”
A man of few words, it seemed—but not for long.
“You’re lucky. I got the vampires. Apparently they’re supposed to be…” He narrowed his eyes. Eli chewed his words, tossing each possible descriptor around on his tongue to feel it out.
“...Assholes,” he finally landed on, succinctly. “...Allegedly.”
Allegedly was the operative word. His sources, in their hirsuteness, weren’t exactly unbiased spectators.

“Harmless? It’s twenty-five metres tall,” he furrowed his brow, seeming confused. “You could easily crush someone with that. It'd be a lot harder to treat than poisoning, too.”
Once again, it was clear he wasn’t trying to be snarky. He seemed to be genuinely convinced Hannah had failed to consider gravity in her judgement of deadliness.

Hadn’t she asked him something, actually?
“I guess we could take a look around. I dunno, I thought there would be a…tour, or something. For us,” Eli gestured between them, neophytes united. “But no,” he sighed, forlornly. “We have to figure it out ourselves. Which is a good way to excuse trespassing.”
Beckoning Hannah to follow, Eli strode off into the crowd, unflappable.

“I don’t get this whole supernatural thing just yet,” he mused idly as they went, heading in the opposite direction of anyone seeming in dire need of a suntan. “Why do they hate each other, again?” He cast a glance between a pale-looking young man, scowling up a flight of stairs, and a copper-haired woman, sat by the dormitory listings.
Oh. That was the tour-guide, wasn’t it?
That was intimidating. They had to go up and ask for help themselves? No thank you. At least if she’d went rounding them all up beforehand, he’d have nowhere to run. Besides, she was all the way over there, and they were all the way over here, and there were so many bodies between them.
That was a lot of effort for something that would expedite the process of discovery whilst simultaneously bureaucratising it.

“You’re not as clueless as me about all this, are you? The supernatural, I mean. I was trying to look lost in the hallway, back there, so someone who wasn’t would swoop in and let me interrogate them.”
He was awfully forthcoming about all of this.
“I’m not sure if it worked.”

---

@Olive Fontaine

[smarty0114]

_{A @smarty0114 & @Hey Im Jordan collab
Location: Nightshade Commons}

---

---

Celeste did not care for the first years. They were darling, scurrying around campus with their eyes wide and their hearts full of ambition or whimsy or whatever it was they ran on, but they were also insufferable. They all had questions, and many of them were a bit stupid, so their questions were stupid, and Celeste just wished they would all leave her alone. Unlike some of the têtes de nœuds she went to school with, Celeste de Fontaine had been busy this summer. She was knee deep in a book of legal dueling curses, and the welcome ceremony felt very much like a waste of her time.

She’d heard this presentation six times now. Unlike some of her fellow sixth years, the fact that she would not hear it again did not fill her with some soft nostalgia. Celeste de Fontaine was destined for something amazing, she knew that deep, deep within her soul.

After the welcome ceremony, she found herself up in her room, enjoying the peace the other Hemlock girls had elected to give to her. Her clothes were folding neatly of their own accord, and levitating into their proper places, as if by a spectral hand. She was lying on her bed, still studying the same book, working toward that amazing something.

Today, however, it was not meant to be.

It may not have been a day to work toward Celeste de Fontaine’s pre-ordained greatness, but it was unfortunately yet another day for her to be annoyed by her older (by like twenty four minutes) brother. Nathaniel de Fontaine had been at the Academy for less than six hours, and he’d already kissed on not one, but two different girls. It was the start of a good year.

By the time he made it to his dorm, he was in a good mood with a bit of a pep in his step as he bounded up the stairs toward his target: the girl dormitories. There were no ill intentions! First time for everything. As he burst through the door, he was in his own little world. With earbuds blasting music in his ear, Nathaniel was playing an air guitar and singing along with his music.

“I’m dancing with myself,
When there's nothing to lose and there's nothing to prove,
Well, I'm dancing with myself, ah, oh, oh-oh”

Maybe it was the Siren blood running through his veins, but most people would call Nathaniel a half decent vocalist and (in his opinion) an even better dancer. Even so, he knew his sister wasn’t going to stand having any fun so near her. After the chorus came to a close, he pulled his earbuds out and dropped them in his pocket - not their carrying case, he was too lazy for that - and grinned at Celeste. “Yo! How come you ducked me at the introductory speech? Professor Bellerose cornered me and was breathing down my neck - and not in the way I like her to - because she thinks I didn’t write my final last year about Magic Theory.” Which was true, because Celeste wrote it. But usually, the teachers didn’t catch on, so something somewhere down the line went wrong. “If she thinks I’m a cheater she might not let me…” He trailed off. Celeste didn’t like hearing about his adventures.

“Do you ever tire of being a walking stereotype?” Celeste scoffed, but kept her eyes trained on her book. “I promised to write your paper. I did not promise that you wouldn’t get caught.” The young witch had grown accustomed to these interruptions. Her brother had never been big on respecting space or privacy, and she did not expect him to start now. Celeste finished off the page and dogeared the spellbook, closing it and sitting up to face Nathaniel. “Besides, I think Bellerose has a bit too much self-respect anyways. You were never checking her off your list.”

“Wait, what? No one has too much self-respect for me.” Nathaniel said the self-report so matter-of-factly it was clear he didn’t even think twice about what he’d said. “Hey, don’t bend the book like that, Celeste. I hate when people bend the pages. It’s ugly.” In his defense, it was ugly. “Look, I’m really not asking for much, just… use smaller words when you write my papers. Is it that hard to pretend to not be a genius for like five minutes? Maybe I should just write it myself and have you edit it…” He paused to think to himself for a moment, before he started shaking his head.

“Nah, that’s stupid. I’d probably fail and then we’d both hear it from mom and dad. Or at least mom.” Nate wasn’t sure that his dad cared whether or not he graduated from the Academy. Nathaniel could get away with being a trust fund baby for the rest of his life. “Hey, do you think it’s out of line for me to hit on first years? I can’t decide.” Back to the important stuff.

“Morganna’s tits, yes, it is absolutely out of line. They’re practically infants!” Celeste shook her head, suddenly feeling very bad for the same first years she’d found so annoying earlier. Certainly they did not deserve to be added to the list of her brother’s conquests. “Also, asking me to use smaller words is like asking a bird not to fly. You fuck things, and I’m a genius, this isn’t news.”

Plenty of siblings wished that they could be more like their genetic counterpart, but not Celeste. She greatly preferred their own dynamic. She had little interest in the hedonism in which Nate indulged. “Has the upperclassmen pool really gotten so dry that you’re robbing cradles? It sounds like you’re getting rusty,” Celeste teased.

“Right, but I can clip a bird’s wings, right? Same idea, we’ll just get you high first.” Nathaniel was partially musing to himself and partially kicking around an actual idea, half judging the reaction to it. It was a decent idea, at least he thought so, but he knew Celeste would probably have seven problems with it, minimum. “I just think the freshies are easier, y’know? They’ll do more stuff with less effort. Plus, certain people our age are starting to think I’m a fuckboy, did you know that? This is my last year, my last chance to solve the race war.” Somewhere along the line, Nate the Great had truly convinced himself that if he could have the forbidden threesome, it was sure to ease relations between fang and… claw, or whatever.

“I’m just saying, it’s a lot harder to hook up with someone who’s immune to all my tricks. I have to get new tricks! But I can’t do that because I have to convince the professors I haven’t been cheating on all my term papers for the last six years.” He had. “I can only be so smooth, y’know?”

Celeste let out a rare laugh. “I hate to break this to you, but I don’t think your prick is going to bring about supernatural world peace.” She stood and busied herself with her bookshelf. That was an area that she wouldn’t even let magic organize. “Why don’t you look at this as a challenge? You just have to get smoother than ever before. Maybe try out a little romance. They say that a good date is the best aphrodisiac.” Celeste was not quite sure who “they” were, and she couldn’t say that she truly agreed, but she was an outlier. Her aphrodisiac involved pop quizzes and academic pretentiousness.

“I AM ROMANTIC. I take girls on dates! Going down to the lake to make out and skinny dip counts as fucking date, Celeste. Just because your dates involve you using Orion’s face as a study seat doesn’t make mine any less valid. Which, by the way, is fuckin’ weird.” He rolled his eyes and watched as she started to mess around with the books. Loathe as he was to admit it, she did have something of a point. Maybe spending the year convincing people he wasn’t a fuckboy was a good idea… He could always pick one girl and woo her then just… sleep with the one girl. Now that was just crazy talk. He made a face between a scowl and someone who just whiffed a durian. “Wait, can I date multiple girls at the same time? I mean, there’s no rule that I can’t, right? I just shouldn’t let them find out.”

“Hold on, this is a good idea Celeste. This is a big moment for you.”

“Is that really what you took away from that?” Celeste chose to move past the comment about Orion. Her sex life was not the one under the microscope right now. “Actually, you know what,” Celeste considered what she might be unleashing unto the world, and decided that the world would survive. “You’re right. That’s a stellar idea.”

“Just call me the two time.” Nathaniel grinned and snapped his fingers, shooting finger guns at his sister as he backed out of the dormitory and put his earbuds back in, with the next song in his playlist already playing. He had planning to do.

[Hey Im Jordan]

<sub>Location: The Hall → The Dorms

Mentions: The Valentines Bros @Danvers, Teddy @smarty0114, Himani Chakrabarti @Fabricant451</sub>

Hyoon wasn’t sure why Lightwood insisted she show up for the welcome back speeches. She’d been listening to them since before he was born, and as much of a smooth talker as he was, he still blended together with the past headmasters. She had to wonder if there was a script she didn’t know about that they all followed or what, but they all hit the same buzzwords. Something something, safest place on the planet, something something, don’t go into the forest. Hyoon had been in the forest plenty of times, and nothing had happened to her. She’d practically begged him to just let her ghost off into the hallways of the Academy so she didn’t have to bother with listening to his rousing speech, but her requests had been denied. Something about ‘a legacy student provides comfort to the first years.’

Did Lightwood forget she was a ‘dirty bloodsucker?’ She wasn’t going to be comforting anyone, let alone a fucking first year. She was, however, still a student and behest to the requests of the headmaster. As much as she wanted to be in the rain listening to whatever mix of mood music Spotify gave her, she found herself sitting among the students and bouncing her head side to side to music playing in her head. It wasn’t like she was going to pay attention to the speech Lightwood was giving. Same shit, different day.

If she were a lesser person, she might have thrown mocking quips under her breath for nearby students to hear, but Lucius Lightwood had long since earned Hyoon’s respect. Ever since the wi-fi installation, Hyoon had been Lightwood’s man for life as it were. The ability to watch and re-watch Adventure Time whenever she wanted? It was a practically godsent gift. It helped break up the monotony of day-to-day life at the Academy.

That thought made her blow air out of her nose. Monotony? She lived in one of the most interesting places on the planet and she still found herself so damned bored that only shitty cartoons could bring her joy. Immortality, despite what some foolish types might say, was a curse. Doing the same thing day in and day out for a seemingly endless amount of time was enough to drive anyone nuts.

When it was finally, mercifully over, and they were dismissed, Hyoon made a point of being the last to leave. She made the briefest eye contact with the glorious leader to express her disappointment, then stood up and finally headed to the dormitory. At least there she’d be able to see what friends she had around here, at least until they inevitably left and were replaced by the new batch. There weren’t even any new vampire students this year that she knew of, so what was she to do? Befriend wizards?

Almost as soon as she arrived at the Nightshade Commons, her sensitive ears twitched. It would have been a boldfaced lie to say that hearing the sounds of Teddy Douglas and the Valentine twins didn’t bring a smile to her face. What was important was that neither of the twins ever realized that. By the time she arrived in the fifth year common room, she’d managed to get herself under control.

That semblance of control was almost immediately lost as she realized what happened. “Teddy, what are you doing? You’re going to track mud on my carpet.” She tutted, leaving the equally wet and equally likely to track mud on her carpet Valentine brother completely unharassed. Teddy should have known better, Hyoon had learned to expect this kind of behavior from the brats.

Then, it fully dawned on her what he was holding. “Do you have no shame?! Put your underwear away, there are first years running about.” A fact she hated.

“And Charlie only does this because he likes you, honey. I wouldn’t take it too personally.” She added, shooting the troublemaking Valentine brother a look. Hyoon wished the two of them would get over it and kiss already, but she knew better than to say that in front of everyone. Being a thousand years old had taught her that sometimes, to get your way, you simply have to exercise endless patience. “In the future, have enough sense to at least wait until it’s bloody dry outside. Do you realize how annoying it is to get the attention of the help around here? I’ve offered to hire my own, but Lightwood always rambles about not needing charity.” She made a face.

With a roll of her eyes, she decided to drop the complaining about the mud and the rainwater. She knew all too well that everything she said was falling on deaf ears — in fact, she was likely encouraging Charlie to act out more for attention. “To think I was happy to hear your voices too. You never fail to immediately disappoint.” One last jab about it, now she was done.

“Is Himani here yet? She’s meant to be bringing me a coffee.” Hyoon could have gotten the coffee herself, but… ugh, effort.

“Wait, are we down a Valentine brother? I only count two stooges, there should be three."

[Fabricant451]

_{Bitch I'm Nice}

---

The first time I felt blood between my nails was better than the first time I had an orgasm.

In the assembly hall as Headmaster Lightwood was giving the same caliber of speech he had been giving every year, the students were seated and most were half listening and half sharing stories of sordid summer sorties and soirees, some being about swapping spit as they always were. But near the back of the hall, not sitting and certainly not listening, was the woman whose name meant queen, Ochanya, arms crossed so tight that the impressive bulge of her biceps seemed to make the short sleeve of her shirt look dangerously close to ripping off from her muscles climbing over each other to remove the binding restraint of clothing. Some first years kept looking back towards her and Ochanya's ears twitched every time she heard them suggest she was a 'gym teacher' or a 'bodyguard' though she wasn't sure which one was more offensive. A bodyguard was probably closer. If she were a gym teacher, especially at this place, she might have wished for a silver bullet.

Ochanya didn't even want to be here, listening to the world's most boring hype man try to fill the first years with some sense of awe and wonder as if they weren't young enough to be too old to be swayed by adults promising magic and mystique. But the current alpha had told her she had to make an appearance as much as the idea made her roll her eyes and want to wring his scrawny neck. He was the alpha. He gave an order and she followed it. For now. The headmaster of Hawthorne had made strides of modernization and that was a massive change. Change was good. Change was coming. Ochanya was sure of it. The only first years she cared about were the ones who would be joining the pack but she couldn't say that out loud. She had to play the long game. If she could she would just challenge the alpha to a fight, but that wasn't how things were done. Sure, she was confident she would win that fight - she was confident she would win any fight - but she needed influence. She needed followers. She needed to play the game. For now.

Both times had me come to the realization that the things I could do with my own hands were better than things people could do for me. Or to me.

Earlier, before the assembly, Ochanya ran a five mile after dropping her bags off in the same space she lived in the past years she had been here and after christening the room with sweat in the form of pushups. She had to stay active. If she didn't, she would be no better than the lazy blood suckers who took life at a snail's pace because they could afford to. My therapist, mandatory for anger management, told me to 'avoid triggers'. Ochanya wrote in her diary after her pushups, before doing her run, sweat already dripping onto the parchment margins. That's why I'm going for a run. The blood suckers mostly scoff at anything that might cause them to exert effort, but it's not them that causes me the most stress. Causes me to be mad. To want to feel the blood under my nails.

Before the speech had finished, Ochanya was outside, having left in the middle of it. She made an appearance. She fulfilled her obligation. The air was breezy but not cold, an autumnal brisk that matched the almost constant dreary, overcast campus. Ochanya hated that cloudy haze that made Hawthorne feel like its own separate world. Her first year she tried to convince the staff to do away with the overcast sky but she was denied. The students preferred it like that. Not all of them, Ochanya said under her breath and she swore she heard someone say the ones that matter did. Her second year she tried again. She wouldn't try this year. The requests of students like her didn't matter. But that's why change was so necessary.

Being back here. At Hawthorne. While the assembly was still going on, Ochanya was sitting beneath a tree, scribbling her chicken scratch in her diary as an insect landed on her knuckle. The same knuckle that was reddened from when she punched a wall after the alpha told her she couldn't ditch the assembly. She held back. It didn't serve anyone to cause property damage before the term officially started. The insect fluttered its wings and as quickly as it landed it was gone and all Ochanya could see was the markings of her temper. Being back here is a constant trigger.

On the opposite page of her written words, Ochanya tried her hand at expressing her artistic ability. A puffy cloud with raindrops dripping onto a not so amazing drawing of what was likely a wolf under which she wrote a simple FEELIN UNDER THE WEATHER. Art was not her strong suit but the pages and margins were filled with various attempts at drawing her feelings rather than writing about them. On a separate page was a masculine figure standing on the first place pedestal with sounds of cheering and hearts around him while off to the side was a figure with her hair kicking a rock while looking back at the pedestal.

I have an idea. I haven't run it by anyone and it might not even work. But if I'm supposed to work on my anger then I can't just dwell on how badly I want to be the alpha. On how I should be. On how I would be a better one. This place...if I'm stuck here then I need to do what every politician does come campaign season. Make friends. Make promises. But if my plan doesn't work...

Ochanya looked up as she heard the doors open and with it the chaos of people swarming out of the assembly hall and promptly closed her diary, depositing it into her pocket as she stood up. Callen was given the task of showing the new cubs around, a task that Ochanya would have preferred but she was suspecting that the alpha, knowing Ochanya's motives, purposely didn't give her that task. But maybe if he had, she wouldn't have been able to come up with her plan.

While people were heading to the dorms or off doing whatever it is they did, Ochanya also made her way towards Hemlock Hall, sprinting there so as to be one of the first to arrive post-assembly. In her room she grabbed a large backpack and returned to the common room before the first years and the returning dorm citizens made their way back in droves. From the backpack she pulled out a tablecloth which she draped over a large table in the back and on top of the cloth she began placing snacks. Chips. Pretzels. Candy. Soda. Water. Popcorn. And above that, with help of standing on a different table, Ochanya hung up a sign with a simple phrase.

WELCOME HEMLOCK HALLERS!

Ochanya stood in the common room as people began arriving. Politicking started early and what better way to endear herself to the people than by giving them a warm welcome, snacks, and ice breakers.

"I thought I should be the first to welcome people to Hawthorne, or welcome them back if they're returning." Ochanya explained to people who arrived in the common room. "Plenty of snacks to go around. Feel free to mingle. Residents of Hemlock are family now, so let's get along and get to know each other. For you first years, I'm Ochanya Tijani and I'm something of a den mother, so don't be afraid to come to me for anything, okay? Door's always open." Ochanya hoped the alpha was listening. It was for his benefit as much as it was hers.

"Welcome, everyone, welcome." Ochanya repeated the message as people kept coming to the dorm. Whether or not they would appreciate the gesture was anyone's guess, but it didn't matter. She had gone above the heads of everyone for what she hoped was beneficial gains.

It was likely not to be the last time. Change was coming. She could feel it.

[Grimoire Gaming]

---

---

^{Location: The Hall → Nightshade Commons
Mentions: Charlie @Danvers & Teddy @smarty0114}
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Niklaus listened to the headmaster drone on through his welcome speech with more than mild disinterest. There was a far more intimidating and infuriating presence in the assembly hall that was capturing his attention — the Seekers. Any would-be reassuring messages of safety were promptly quashed by their attendance. They were the Academies enforcers, those that would hunt down any supernaturals who dared to think differently from what the mystical tyrants lording over the Academies declared as moral. Niklaus was far from safe in their presence — were his diet choices and ambitions to be found out, he’d be on their hit list rather than under their protection.

Before the headmaster could finish well wishes of luck for the year, Niko was out of his seat and making his way to the exit. Since his luggage had been valeted away by the academy staff upon arrival, he was just as eager to check out the quality of his new lodgings as he was to be away from the Seekers. He quickly found his name on the dormitory list and was briefly caught off guard by the hall he wasn’t listed under — Hemlock Hall — it’s name a painful reminder of the Academy he should be attending for his third year, and he was grateful to not have been assigned to that dorm.

Niko followed the temporary signage likely posted for the first years and rare transfer students such as himself towards Nightshade Commons. As if the cliche name wasn’t cringey enough, the overtly gothic style of the winding tower was enough to set Niko’s eyes rolling. He hoped that European architecture was more to blame than the stereotypical thinking that all vampires lived in dark, foreboding castles filled with black candles and pipe organs.

The youngest Tepes was a new-age vampire accustomed to city living, modern estates, penthouses, and state of the art technology. So far Hawthorne felt like time traveling back to the dark ages, especially upon arriving within the dorm itself. “Oh, you’ve got to be fucking kidding me…” Niklaus remaked in shock as he took in the sight of the shared sleeping quarters, separated only by school year and gender. Bunk beds — as if they were students at some tax-funded public university rather than a prestigious magical academy. Eager to share in the disgust and outrage of his situation, Niko pulled out his cellphone to snap a photo of it.

To: Nia
can you believe this shit? fucking bunk beds

Niko was about to send a follow up text joking about it being akin to a poor orphanage when he realized that the previous message hadn’t sent. The wheel spun before returning a ’failed to send’ notice. Niko clicked his tongue and huffed before trying to resend it, this time holding the phone up high above his head. Gods help them if this archaic prison didn’t have cell service and wifi… After a few failed attempts, Niko grumbled curses and scrolled up in the chat history with his sister. He saw a message that he’d missed earlier — her reply to his announcement that he’d arrived safely at the Academy.

From: Nia
Be bold, Niko.

Kasania always used full punctuation in texts because, as young as she might look and act, she had lived over a century before Niko was even born. The formality wasn’t what shook him, it was her words, which she often repeated to him in times of distress — the very same she had spoken the day that their father announced his plans to temporarily disown his children so that they might learn from failure and achieve their own successes. All for the greater good of his legacy, but that much went unspoken. The announcement had come without any warning, and in a meeting room full of their peers — fellow esteemed, pureblood families that ruled over New York City, both friend and foe alike, as it was oftentimes difficult to tell the difference among their kind. Never had the rug been so violently pulled from beneath Niko’s feet, and Kasania had sensed his spiraling downfall in that moment.

“Niklaus, look at me.” she had said, holding his face in her hands, ever the master of gentle commands.
“You remember the words I always said to you as a boy, yes? Live boldly, Niko.
You are the son of a king and a keeper of loyal friends.
Luck has it you were blessed with an amazing sister too.
We will be just fine.
Now, stand tall, they are all watching how the children of their King react to the news.
Dogs smell fear, and the Tepes fear no one.”

Niko closed his eyes with a sigh, attempting to push the memory away. Momentarily free from the past, he opened his eyes once more and checked to see if he’d missed any other notifications. As though merely thinking of the devil could summon him, there were three unread messages from his father. Reluctantly, Niko opened them.

From: Dmitri
No more distractions.
Study hard, Niklaus.
Do not disappoint me.

His breath caught in his throat, reading the words thrice over. The finality. The expectation. The threat. The Tepes fear no one… except for themselves, of course. Niko closed the texts and realized for the first time that it wasn’t that there were no bars of service on his phone, they were crossed out entirely. No more distractions. He’d been cut off not just financially, but socially. From every bit of support he’d ever known. From Kasania.

Niklaus’ rage was sudden and all-consuming, his grip tightening around the device that had triggered it. Once the blood red filter over his vision subsided, Niko looked down to find the useless phone was nothing more than a chunk of crumpled metal and shattered glass in his palm. He aggressively chucked the remains of it into the trash bin and paced the room, attempting to calm his emotions as other students began filtering into the dorm.

He needed further distraction than the din of excited strangers catching up with each other provided. He needed to do something with his hands. Thinking that folding and putting his clothes away might prove somewhat therapeutic, Niko sought out his luggage. He found his carry-on bag near the foot of a bed, but his larger suitcase was missing. After thoroughly checking the third year room, Niko ventured out into the shared lounge and other sleeping areas to investigate.

Niko’s search ended promptly in the fifth year room. Two brown-haired boys seemed to be bickering, one holding a pair of black and gold Versace boxer briefs that looked just like his between pinched fingers. There was a pile of sopping wet clothing near an open window along with a couple of soggy suitcases, including his own that was distinctly marked with a luggage tag. Stepping forward, Niklaus once again saw red as he snatched his underwear away from one of the offending parties.

“Which one of you did this?” he growled, his eyes bouncing between them. “Is this some form of newbie hazing? Because I assure you that I am not some meak first year nor will I be an easy target for your pranks. Explain yourself, immediately.” Behind the obvious anger there was an unmistakable air of superiority. The youngest Tepes prince was not used to being disrespected and he’d far surpassed his threshold of frustrations for the day.

[smarty0114]

_{an @smarty0114 & @Danvers collab
Location: Nightshade Commons
Interactions: Hyoon@Hey Im Jordan & Niko@Grimoire Gaming}

---

---

Charlie's gaze snapped over to Teddy, oblivious to the scowl that appeared on his brother's face or his mutterings about going out to smoke another cigarette. It was always like that. When Teddy was around he found it hard to concentrate on anything else. And at this very moment he had more than one reason to want to look at him. He was still pissed off at the twat but the way his soaking wet shirt stuck to his chest was admittedly distracting.

"Oh why don't you go cry to daddy." He shot back, ignoring his rebelliously stray thoughts. Charlie wanted to revel in his success and it was difficult to control his amusement. He stuck his tongue into the side of his mouth to stop himself from smiling but when his eyes roamed up to the vampire's disheveled hair, a small laugh finally escaped his lips. "I think the drowned cat look kind of suits you." He added, ignoring the way his own hair was sending droplets of water down his back. "And apologies for not knowing you wear tighty whities. Next time I'll make sure to ask."

“Oh, fuck off,” Teddy watched Caleb leave before redirecting his gaze towards Charlie, teeth grinding together. The door shut behind the moodier, broodier twin and Teddy stepped forward, shortening the distance between him and Charlie. Caleb’s exit seemed to have turned the tension between them up a few notches, far past what felt decent. “I know you are capable of finding other ways to get my attention,” Teddy said, stopping himself before he got too close. He did not trust himself, or his hormone-addled brain.

When Charlie noticed that Teddy had stopped shy of him, he purposefully took a step closer. Enough that he could easily pick out the details of the subtle cologne he wore. Challenging him with the precarious lack of space between them. "Maybe I don't want to find other ways anymore." He muttered, practically pouting as he spoke. "Maybe--" The hybrid placed a hand on Teddys chest before pushing him with more force than intended, uncertainty flashing across his eyes in a brief moment of panic. "Maybe…maybe I've realized what an utter tosspot you are!" Charlie frowned, a small huff escaping his lips. The insult had no real weight to it and his eyes darted to the floor. He'd never been good at the being mad thing.

Unfortunately, Teddy was amazing at it. Charlie’s hand against his chest threatened to break his resolve, but then he was being shoved backwards, stumbling and steadying himself in a motion he liked to think was graceful. There was a part of him that wanted to reach out and close the space between them, though he wasn’t sure which part would win out when he finally did. “Look, if I’d known…I wouldn’t have…” Teddy was practically choking on the vulnerability he tried to espouse. He was charming, he was smooth, but he was not kind, or good at pretending to be. For some reason though, right now at least, he wished he was.

“What I’m trying to say is that, we can at least keep things civil. Right?”

Hurt flashed across Charlie's face. The words confirmed what he had known all along; that Teddy did regret what had happened between them. It hit him harder than he thought it would. But being civil? Well, he couldn't let him get away with it that easily. "Worried about getting pranked again Douglas?" He forced out a smile, though all he really felt was an aching pit deep in his stomach. "Sorry but no can do. I enjoy annoying you far too much." He looked up, forcing himself to meet Teddys gaze. Part of him hoped to find some answers there but of course he could not. "Guess you're just going to have to get used to it."

Teddy scowled, and crossed his arms with a humph. “Very cute, Valentine.” Teddy shook his head, simultaneously disappointed and flustered. Charlie inspired a whirlwind of emotions in him, a storm that he could not quell. Bickering only seemed to spur it on even more, but giving into it… well he’d spent the summer being reminded about what happened when he fell. The simple truth was that one of them would be hurt by this. If he didn’t want it to be himself, then it would have to be Charlie, and despite his constant threats, he did not want to hurt Charlie. Not anymore than he had to at least.

“If you want to act like a child, be my guest. It won’t change things.” That was only partially true. Teddy had already changed things, when he’d pulled Charlie into the empty potions class room just before they left for the summer. It was true that Charlie’s tantrum would not change the past, but the implication that it would push Teddy away… well that was a lie the vampire told himself to feel control.

Hot tears pricked at the corners of Charlie's eyes. Tears of frustration that he brushed away with the back of his hand. " Oh don't worry, I know I'll never be good enough for the great and mighty Theodore." Charlie snapped back, "Wouldn't want to ruin that perfect reputation of yours." He knew he was saying things that he didn't mean or even believe, but he couldn't help it. He should've known better than to expect Teddy to act any differently and he was an idiot for even letting himself think so. Caleb had said that much over the summer. The fact that he wanted to seek out his twin at this moment felt dumb, but he couldn't deal with this alone. He didn't know what to do with himself in moments like this.

He looked back at Teddy, bitterness waning to be replaced by something more numb. Something colder. "Guess that's that then." Charlie shrugged, knocking shoulders with the vampire as he pushed past him.

“Charlie,” Teddy said softly as their shoulders brushed, a hand instinctively reaching out, only to retreat at the sound of footsteps and the creak of their door. Hyoon greeted them with her usual snark, and Teddy winced at her remark on Charlie’s feelings. Before he could say anything, a blonde stranger was shoving his way into the room, and snatching the pair of soggy boxers from his hand. Awkward, to say the least.

“Oh, so this is really a public forum now. Excellent,” Teddy scoffed and rolled his eyes. This conversation had hardly gone his way, the least the universe could’ve done for him was not expose it to the entire school. “You seem to have gotten caught up in the crossfire of Charlie’s joke. Apologies.” Teddy took a step, and gestured towards the pile of sopping wet clothes. “Feel free to sort look through that for your things. Mine are the nicer ones.” The vampire hazarded a glance at Charlie, but he didn’t dare try and pick their conversation back up.

The look wasn't reciprocated, Charlie instead put on his best 'my bad, please forgive me' face for the newcomer. "Sorry man. I didn't realize it was your stuff…nice boxers though." He teased, a small smile darting across his face. It definitely wasn't the time to start flirting but part of him wanted to try to make Teddy feel as bad as he did. Not that the git was likely to care. "Look, let me help you get them cleaned or whatever. I can totally convince one of the wood wielders to do one of their magic tricks." Before he could reply, Charlie had grabbed the guy's arm, yanking on it gently as he made to usher them both out the room. "Come on." He really really did not want to be here anymore.

[Olive Fontaine]

Hannah Endo
 Hannah Endo

▬▬ι══════════════ι▬▬

Elio's frankness at first startled the young witch before him. Her previously collected air flinched in that moment; her smile dampened considerably, and her mouth opened in slight disbelief. But she recovered and listened carefully to what he had to say. Werewolves. Yes. Wait, was that right? She knew it was, and yet she had not yet had any time to process what that would mean. Most of her housemates would presumably be lycanthropic. She had never really known a werewolf, or a were-anything. The stories her father told her about them came back to her, though unbidden. The stylized monstrous faces from his scrolls rolled by in her mind's eye, but also those that told tales of bravery and alliance. This was as fearful as it was exciting.

So Elio would be stuck with the vampires. That was also quite a fate - one much more familiar to her. She had been around vampires for most of her life. He had heard they were assholes. Instead, Hannah said "They are haughty, and they are powerful. It takes a long time to know one well. Be careful with them in love." Assuming he was really unfamiliar with them, it was fairly sound advice. The evident solemnity in her voice had her sounding like Eli. Any more and things would become gloomy. Thankfully he accepted her request to walk together, and she followed him into the crowd.

Trespassing was an interesting idea. She wondered if he actually meant to follow up on that. In her estimation, the grounds would be more heavily guarded on a day like today, especially with the seekers around. Although the two of them had a perfect excuse to go poking around, they were also likely to encounter resistance if they did find something of significance. Which might be useful in its own way, come to think of it. "Yes. I wonder if anything will show up?" she replied.

"Clueless about the supernatural?" Hannah shot him a look like he was some kind of country bumpkin. Still, something within her wanted to be friendly and recover some face with this new acquaintance. "Well... I'm not sure how clueless you are. How could you be if you've made it into a school like this?" Her own hours of study and magical practice had been long and grueling. It was sort of bizarre to think that this person could be new to this world. Her world, really. "But you couldn't be more clueless than I'm going to be at herbology. Still, I know a good bit about the state of affairs in our sphere of things. The vampires and the werewolves have hated each other for five thousand years. Their separate kinds descended into treachery and bloodshed at the Moot of the Star and the Moon. Then they fought more battles than there are stars in the sky. Or so the stories say. Still, that was all a long time ago. There's been peace for an age. I'm not sure why they have to keep hating each other, even now. Maybe they just like competing for dominance. Thank goodness for magic."

They were making good progress, walking past a staircase and into a courtyard. The day was still dreary as could be, with rain loudly rushing to the ground. The constant droplets were creating a visible splash-back on all the exposed surfaces. Luckily, that didn't include the two of them, courtesy of a long awning that topped a walkway along the edge of the open space. There were exotic plants and flowers visible through the noise of it. They were beautiful and dreadful, though even they didn't seem to appreciate the current weather. If these were part of the curriculum, though, Hannah really would be in trouble. She couldn't identify a single one of them.

There was a sign that said "Hemlock" with an arrow, so they seemed to be getting close to her eventual destination, at any rate. Despite everything, Hannah's mood had visibly improved. She was smiling, and about to try a silly joke on Elio, when she abruptly stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes going wide. She was staring intently... but there was nothing there. Only to her, there was. A lithe and dashing young man, dressed in a formal white suit. "You actually made it here." he said in a smooth, unnatural tone. That sound reverberated all throughout her being. She was suddenly very cold, and the hairs of her arms were standing on ends. This was the spirit that had become an obsession these past few months. But she had hardly ever heard his voice before. It both unnerved and enticed her.

Suddenly remembering she was in company, she looked back to Elio with a fake smile and a short laugh. "Ha, sorry. I just, um..." She was desperately looking for some excuse, and it didn't take long for her resourceful mind to find one. But before she could deliver it, she looked back to the spirit - only to find he was no longer there. She stopped talking and looked all around the courtyard in a panic, and then the other way. Thankfully she spotted him again, this time much further away. He seemed to be walking around the edge of a building near Hemlock hall. It would require going out in the rain...

"If this is where I think it is," she began, her eyes not moving from that spot. "Then I know of something worth seeing over there." It was a lie, but you couldn't tell it from the usual cues. It was only the strangeness of the situation that made it seem off. But what was she supposed to do? She couldn't let this chance slip. She started off into the rain, pulling out her umbrella with the first few steps afterward; such was her excitement. "Come on, let's check it out!"

She hoped he Elio follow. She didn't want to ruin her first chance to gain a friend at Hawthorne. But either way, she couldn't stop chasing after the Prince. The courtyard opened up to a larger yard, and Hannah closed the distance to the building. It wasn't so remarkable on its own. The walls were old brick with stone embellishments, but really it wasn't so fancy compared to the rest of the school. Just where was he leading her? She saw his blonde hair disappear behind the corner, so she picked up the pace a little. Almost there...

▬▬ι══════════════ι▬▬

Hider

@udonoodles

[Hey Im Jordan]

_{@Hey Im Jordan & @smarty0114
Location: The Halls of the Academy → The First Year Nightshade Common Room}

---

The door shut behind Charlie and Niko, and Teddy ran a hand through his hair, taking a moment to regain his composure before turning to Hyoon. “The bit about him wanting to snog me was quite helpful, thanks for that.” Teddy shook his head, disappointed but not all that surprised. Besides, he’d wanted this, right? He shifted his gaze to the pile of wet clothes, mocking him from the floor, and muttered, “He’s going to bring the magic junkie here, isn’t he. Of course he is.”

He put on a smile, obviously forced, and took a seat on the edge of what was now his bed, facing one of the few people he called a friend. “I’m assuming your day has been infinitely better than mine?”

“Well, you know what they say. You get what you deserve.” Hyoon cooly replied as Teddy complained about her mentioning Charlie’s feelings. She didn’t quite hear what he said - she thought she heard the term ‘junkie’ thrown around, but Hyoon hardly cared. As much as she treated the entire Academy like her personal manor, the fifth year dormitory and whoever got dragged into it was hardly her problem. “Are you seriously sitting on the bed while you’re still dripping wet?”

“I don’t see you holding a wand.”

She shook her head before she pressed on to discuss her day so far. “Well, you know me. I can’t complain. For some reason, they still let me stay here…” She trailed off a bit, shaking her head. She knew there was an idea with the staff that she ‘kept the vampires in line.’ If only they knew the truth. “I like when there are people here, when the Academy is empty it’s too… quiet. The only benefit is Lightwood lets me watch my shows in the big hall.”

Teddy smirked. “You are the strangest millennial I’ve ever met,” he said. There were precious few people in the world that Teddy liked, and even fewer that he respected. Hyoon had managed to claim a place on both lists. He had spent much of his time at Hawthorne ingratiating himself to her, earning her trust. Of course, his grandmother had asked him to do all of that, but he liked to think he’d had some choice in the matter. Hyoon was the leader the vampires needed. He just needed her to want it a bit more.

“They let you stay here because they’re afraid of you. I’m sure they don’t want to deal with the fallout of an eviction notice.”

“Please, who would be afraid of me?” She rolled her eyes then gestured with a single hooked finger as she turned to head out the doorway.
“Come.” She said in a voice that was in-line more with a command than a suggestion. Expecting Teddy to follow, she left the room without looking over her shoulder as she continued to speak. “I”m bored, Teddy. There haven’t been any interesting new students in years - no offense, but I count your year. You’re fine, and the Valentine brats aren’t too bad, but… someone truly interesting. I remember when Lucius was a student here… did you know even back then he was complaining about wanting to upgrade the place? Now, granted, then all he wanted was a television in the common room, but nobody ever really signed the poor guy’s petitions. Bastard.”

She rolled her eyes and looked over her shoulder at Teddy, her dark eyes a little harder than they normally were. “My point is, I think I want to babysit the first years. Maybe a first year to start. Singular. Thoughts? I’m hoping there’s something out there that’s new…”

Teddy blinked. Hyoon was meant to be a great liberator, the vampire who freed them from the Academy’s chains. He thought that he could get her there, Adventure Time be damned, but here she was, more concerned with adopting a first year than with seizing any type of power. “Are you asking me if I think it would be enjoyable to spend my free time babysitting? Because I would hope my answer would be obvious.”

“Oh, you seem to still believe in the illusion of choice.” Hyoon sounded almost disappointed when she said that. She sighed and rolled her eyes. She didn’t understand why her peer was so opposed to the idea of adopting a first year. “I’ll do it myself if you don’t want to participate, but I surely can’t think of anything better to do with my time. There’s nothing else they can teach me here, you know that, I know that, and so do the professors. I’m just a fixture here. Like one of those damn gargoyles.”

She paused.

“I hate those things. They’re so tacky.”

Teddy rolled his eyes. “I think there are plenty of things better than building influence with the least influential, but perhaps that’s just me.” The young vampire had quite obviously not cooled off from his conversation with Charlie. “You’re ancient and powerful, and if you are truly nothing more than a fixture, it’s only because you allow yourself to be.”

“Yes, yes, Teddy. I’m just so lazy and decrepit that I’ve allowed myself to become a fixture. Haven’t we had this conversation several times?” She retorted. “I am not Charlie Valentine, and I don’t think you should get snippy with me because of a spat with him.” Her voice was something of a hiss as they walked together through the halls of the Academy. “Do you not see the value in teaching first years how to behave?”

Teddy sighed. “I guess you have a point. Just, you know, make sure they’re useful. I don’t have it in me to deal with an idiot all year.” She was right, at least about the Charlie of it all. In truth, he wasn’t sure how to feel about bringing up a potential replacement, but like Hyoon had said, he had little choice in the matter. Hyoon would do what Hyoon would do, and he would do his best to make sure he benefitted from it. It’s what he had always done. “Is it too presumptuous to think you already have someone in mind?”

“I won’t say I’ve picked one already, but I did watch them from the corner during the speech. There are a few interesting ones, but I was thinking we’d just stand near the first year dorms until one of them is brave enough to approach us.” She explained her plan as if it were the most perfect plan in the world - and to her, it was. It was basically an active litmus test. Any first year who was too scared to approach them would hardly be worth her time, but… “If they’re brave enough to walk over to us while we’re standing there menacingly, then maybe they’d be a good option for adoption.”

Teddy made a small, soft noise of displeasure and glanced up at one of the many clocks that adorned the walls. “I’ve got to meet Roxanne in thirty minutes, but I suppose there’s no harm in seeing how this plays out.” Teddy followed her, moving stiffly in his wet clothes. “I wish we had a wizard I could trust to dry me here. These wet rags won’t inspire anything other than laughter.”

“With any luck, I’ll find you one right now. Hopefully soon, before you smell like wet dog.”