Chapter 3
"Ceremonies That Never End"
Within the few hours that had passed, almost every student was anxiously awaiting the school's evening ceremony. Here, the first years would be inducted. They would have to state their vows to the Institute and therefore become official students. And one could always tell which students were first years on this night because they were not donned in the ceremonial robes.
Tabitha and Rory had already been seated in the great hall. Rory fussed with her witch's hat, whose end hung low because of the ranking tassels. "Ya know these events don't seem so special after you've seen it about 5 million times."
Tabitha tried to hide a smirk and hushed her friend. A teacher was walking up the aisles, occasionally snapping at a student or two, telling them to quiet down. It was Professor Wilmott Wardwell, the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He was a lanky man who wore bifocals that always seemed to be falling down his nose. If not for his mean spiritedness, some might even consider him handsome, his tan colored hair was cut short and a small rat-tail like tuft of hair remained in the back.
He was most definitely not a favorite amongst the students, since he was the one who usually was giving out detentions; Rory herself had been given a good amount of detentions from him while she had attended SWI. As he walked by, he sneered at the two, Rory glared back, while Tabitha put on a fake smile. Tabitha elbowed her friend lightly, and Rory grimaced, putting on a showy smile as well, sweet as syrup.
Wardwell snorted and continued onward, ordering a group of first years to get in their places up front. The younger girls scattered and did as they were told.
"Jerk," Rory said, "He's something I won't miss when we graduate at the end of this year."
"Aww, I'm sure the feeling is mutual," Tabitha grinned.
There was a clink of a glass being tapped and there came a hush over the crowd. All those who had been standing went to their seats and became quiet. The first years looked around curiously, clustered in the front of the hall, standing directly in front of the teachers' table.
In the center was Headmistress Lyndia Howe. There was a woman who gave off an air of authority, her graying brown hair was cut short, but her emerald eyes were cat like, sharp and alert. Headmistress Howe may have seemed a bit overbearing to the young first years, but honestly she was a loving woman, who cared for each of her students as if they were her own children.
Headmistress Howe glanced around the Hall, beaming. As the last side conversations faded away, she addressed the group. "Good evening girls, and welcome back to Salem Witches Institute. Today marks the start of another year, and the start of another end." She paused to smile at the students before her. "Tonight we will be officially welcoming our new students to our world, to a world of prestige and honor. Please one at a time, present yourselves to your fellow sisters and recite the words of our vow."
There was an uncomfortable silence, some of the older girls giggled. Being intimidated a young girl was pushed foreword from the group of first years. Rory recognized her as Rebecca Portner, the girl who had knocked on their door earlier.
The girl began to speak in a mouse like voice, gentle and nervous all at the same time. "I- I am Rebecca Portner. I am a first year welcomed into the Swiftwing house. uh.I uh." Headmistress Howe smiled gently to the nervous girl, and that seemed to ease her embarrassment. Rebecca began to speak again, gaining confidence with every word that was spoken. "I. swear, I swear. on my very life to be dedicated and true. true to the coven for which I have been inducted. I swear to be dedicated to the higher powers. to accept magic as a gift. no a blessing. yes a blessing!" Rebecca blushed a little, but continued. "And I swear, to be loyal to my superiors and to my sisters alike. I present myself to you, the SWI." Headmistress Howe gave a nod and the girl let out a relieved sigh, she had remembered the vow as she had been instructed to do.
"You may be seated among your equals now, Rebecca." Headmistress Howe said gently. The little girl nodded and went to find a seat among the other Swiftwings, as the Hall broke out in polite applause.
The ceremony continued on for what seemed like hours, but since the amount of incoming students wasn't large, it really did not take that long. Then the food for the feast was presented, and the students, new and old alike enjoyed a very nice meal. Finally, Headmistress Howe gave the girls permission to return to their dormitories for the night, and wished them all well in their classes the next day.
Within the few hours that had passed, almost every student was anxiously awaiting the school's evening ceremony. Here, the first years would be inducted. They would have to state their vows to the Institute and therefore become official students. And one could always tell which students were first years on this night because they were not donned in the ceremonial robes.
Tabitha and Rory had already been seated in the great hall. Rory fussed with her witch's hat, whose end hung low because of the ranking tassels. "Ya know these events don't seem so special after you've seen it about 5 million times."
Tabitha tried to hide a smirk and hushed her friend. A teacher was walking up the aisles, occasionally snapping at a student or two, telling them to quiet down. It was Professor Wilmott Wardwell, the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He was a lanky man who wore bifocals that always seemed to be falling down his nose. If not for his mean spiritedness, some might even consider him handsome, his tan colored hair was cut short and a small rat-tail like tuft of hair remained in the back.
He was most definitely not a favorite amongst the students, since he was the one who usually was giving out detentions; Rory herself had been given a good amount of detentions from him while she had attended SWI. As he walked by, he sneered at the two, Rory glared back, while Tabitha put on a fake smile. Tabitha elbowed her friend lightly, and Rory grimaced, putting on a showy smile as well, sweet as syrup.
Wardwell snorted and continued onward, ordering a group of first years to get in their places up front. The younger girls scattered and did as they were told.
"Jerk," Rory said, "He's something I won't miss when we graduate at the end of this year."
"Aww, I'm sure the feeling is mutual," Tabitha grinned.
There was a clink of a glass being tapped and there came a hush over the crowd. All those who had been standing went to their seats and became quiet. The first years looked around curiously, clustered in the front of the hall, standing directly in front of the teachers' table.
In the center was Headmistress Lyndia Howe. There was a woman who gave off an air of authority, her graying brown hair was cut short, but her emerald eyes were cat like, sharp and alert. Headmistress Howe may have seemed a bit overbearing to the young first years, but honestly she was a loving woman, who cared for each of her students as if they were her own children.
Headmistress Howe glanced around the Hall, beaming. As the last side conversations faded away, she addressed the group. "Good evening girls, and welcome back to Salem Witches Institute. Today marks the start of another year, and the start of another end." She paused to smile at the students before her. "Tonight we will be officially welcoming our new students to our world, to a world of prestige and honor. Please one at a time, present yourselves to your fellow sisters and recite the words of our vow."
There was an uncomfortable silence, some of the older girls giggled. Being intimidated a young girl was pushed foreword from the group of first years. Rory recognized her as Rebecca Portner, the girl who had knocked on their door earlier.
The girl began to speak in a mouse like voice, gentle and nervous all at the same time. "I- I am Rebecca Portner. I am a first year welcomed into the Swiftwing house. uh.I uh." Headmistress Howe smiled gently to the nervous girl, and that seemed to ease her embarrassment. Rebecca began to speak again, gaining confidence with every word that was spoken. "I. swear, I swear. on my very life to be dedicated and true. true to the coven for which I have been inducted. I swear to be dedicated to the higher powers. to accept magic as a gift. no a blessing. yes a blessing!" Rebecca blushed a little, but continued. "And I swear, to be loyal to my superiors and to my sisters alike. I present myself to you, the SWI." Headmistress Howe gave a nod and the girl let out a relieved sigh, she had remembered the vow as she had been instructed to do.
"You may be seated among your equals now, Rebecca." Headmistress Howe said gently. The little girl nodded and went to find a seat among the other Swiftwings, as the Hall broke out in polite applause.
The ceremony continued on for what seemed like hours, but since the amount of incoming students wasn't large, it really did not take that long. Then the food for the feast was presented, and the students, new and old alike enjoyed a very nice meal. Finally, Headmistress Howe gave the girls permission to return to their dormitories for the night, and wished them all well in their classes the next day.