"Ah, my lady," Said the knight on the closing portrait. "I do hope you have a good day." He said bowing politely. Aranel laughed and curtsied in reply.

"Come on," said Avery pulling her away from the knight "Stop flirting with sir Lacey."

"I'm NOT flirting!" Aranel said in horror

"Just kidding, just kidding!" He said putting his hands up in defense.

"You better be." Aranel grumbled

Avery laughed as Sir Lacey shook a fist at him yelling "Let go of the damsel you scallywag!"

Aranel turned and waved, laughing as the knight strutted around his painting.

As Aranel and Avery walked down the corridors to the great hall, she noticed people staring at Avery and her. She shivered, looked at her feet and kept walking.

"I know," Avery said "It really creeps me out too. Just look them in the eyes and they will look away. If you look away you'll look like your shamed, and you'll have a hard time here."

Aranel nodded in reply and slowly looked up. Every once in a while she would look at someone in the eyes and slowly she got better.

"It'll definitely take awhile, but you'll get it eventually." Avery told her

"How can you stand it?" Aranel asked. "Every single day!"

"Oh, I already knew about it. My father was stared at. I'm stared at, as I said you'll get used to it. Besides I don't think I could make it if it weren't for my friends. Here we are," Avery told her as the entered the great hall. "Come meet them."

Aranel looked up at the ceiling. It was a bright blue dotted with clouds. They walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down next to a small group of kids. Sneezing as they walked into wandering "clouds."

"This," Avery said pointing to a guy with green eyes and black hair "is Robert." Robert smiled. "This is Don and Dan." He said pointing to two boys with bright blond hair "And this is my sister Roselyn." They all smiled at her and said their hellos and welcomes.

"Well, let's stop talking and eat!" Robert said laughing.

"You're the one who is talking!" replied Roselyn

"Just eat you two!" Don told them, holding two small wooden sticks in his hands

"Why are you eating with sticks?" Aranel asked him

"These?" Don asked pointing two the sticks "These are Chop Sticks."

"He eats with them all the time." Dan told her "He is a bit of a weirdo. No one has been able to figure out why he does it."

Don glared at his twin "Am not!"

"Are too!" Dan said haughtily.

"O, stuff it!" Roselyn said

The twins glared at each other but were otherwise silent.

Aranel laughed, making the boys turn and glare at her.

"Heh, omelet anyone?" she asked nervously gesturing at a plate full of eggs in her hands.

Robert laughed and flipped the plate out of her hands. The plate fell on the twins splattering egg all over them.

Everyone laughed, and soon the twins joined in when they saw Aranel laughing so hard she was crying.

The day progressed slowly. It was the first day of school and everyone was free. It was a day to unpack and explore, which was exactly what Aranel did.

"Whatcha doin?" Roselyn asked, coming up behind her later that morning.

"Well, just looking around. There have to be secret passages and sorts. I mean it's a castle!" Aranel replied

"Oh, don't bother. If you want to find those, just ask Avery. He has a map of the place. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he knows where we are right this moment and is looking for me."

"Why would he be looking for you?"

"Oh, I stole one of his books this morning."

"What book?" Aranel asked

"A book on elves."

"They are awesome. Did you know they can be mistaken for vela's? No one has seen one since the war of Develt one thousand years ago."

"Are the like faeries?"

"Oh no, faeries are small, almost brainless beings. Elves are like us except with stronger magic and pointier ears and...well they are kind of described like a mix between faeries and humans. In fact the book says that elves have probably gone into hiding so as not to have to deal with the evils of mankind. Sigh...I wish I could meet one." Roselyn looked at the ceiling an expression of awe on her face. "They are supposed to be the most beautiful people on earth."

Aranel nodded thoughtfully looking around the empty corridor

"Does the book say where they are?"

"No but, it says that elves love the forests and build their homes there. They could be in the Forest of Gladen." Roselyn replied

"Why there?"

"Oh, because no one has ever come out alive."

Aranel jumped.

"I know. It's really scary." Roselyn told her.

"Oh no not that. It's your brother!" Aranel replied relief in her voice."DON'T EVER DO THAT AGAIN!" she said turning to Avery who was grinning sheepishly

Roselyn sighed. "What did you do Avery?"

Avery put on an offended face his eyes glinting merrily "Who me? Never, I'm deeply hurt" he said pounding his chest next to his heart. "All I did was tap her shoulder!"

Roselyn rolled her eyes as Aranel laughed.

"So anyway, where's my book Roselyn? I know you took it."

"Who me? Never!" Roselyn told him, turning away, an angelic look on her face.