Edited and Re-Uploaded: 4/13/2020.
Avalon Ross
The feeling of sunlight against her skin gently coaxed her into the waking world. A light breeze from the open window brushed against her face. As the air in NOLA was still quite warm, the girls had opened to sleep with the window open. Enjoying the warm air and the soft sounds of jazz that came from the streets below.
Avalon was slow to open her hazel eyes to the world. Taking grip of her headboard, Avalon stretched out until her back released a satisfying crack. A faint smile graced Avalon's lips as she took in the sight of her dorm room.
The Gaudium dorms always looked so warm and inviting. There was always something particularly homey about them in the morning light.
The room was decorated in a spectrum of warm tones. Their antique white wood four-poster beds were dressed with cherry red duvets. A shiny bronze hawk, the symbol of Gaudium house, was embroidered into their center. Their four beds were divided two to both the west and east wall. At the south wall was the white french doors that led out into the hall and at the north wall was a large stone mantled fireplace.
The fireplace was enchanted to burn all year long, but only gave off heat when needed. Instead of the scent of burning wood the fresh scent of lemon and peppermint was released from the crackling fire. The perfect scent to wake up to.
The four roommates had decorated their room with a variety of energy crystals, handmade dream catchers, magical knickknacks, and Quidditch memorabilia. As all four girls were proudly on Gaudium's Quidditch team, they each had a flag over their bed that proudly displayed their Quidditch number.
The sound of mumbling brought Avalon's attention to the bed next to her own. Gemma Huggins was just awakening as well. Gemma's ebony skin glowed against the fresh morning light. She released a loud yawn that in turn caused Avalon to yawn as well.
"Hey, Sleeping Beauties," a separate voice greeted from the opposite side of the room.
Avalon turned her head to see her best friend, Natalie Lewis, perched at the vanity next to her bed. Natalie, the early bird, was already fresh from the shower and dressed in her uniform. Natalie was a stickler for her time consuming morning beauty routine. Thus, she tried to wake up an hour earlier than everyone else. That way she could complete her drawn-out morning rituals in peace without disturbing her roommates.
Avalon didn't understand how Natalie did it. Always appearing so bright and put together. Self-care was certainly one of Natalie's super powers.
"Hey, Nat," Gemma smiled through another wide yawn.
"Morning, Nat. It's good to see you. Rune and I missed you at the feast last night," Avalon glared accusingly as she pushed the cherry duvet away from her body.
Natalie gave an apologetic smile, "Sorry about that, Ava. I should have called to let you know I wouldn't make it to dinner."
Avalon's hazel eyes took on a dark emerald tone as she looked suspiciously at her friend. It didn't slip past Avalon how Natalie made a point to be vague with her answer. Offering no real excuse for her absence.
Gemma, in her tired state, seemed not to notice anything off and offered a smile, "As long as you're here now. That's all that matters. By the way, where is Rhythm?"
Everyone instinctively looked to the empty bed next to Natalie's. The bed was a mess with pillows and sheets laying around haphazardly. It was clear Rhythm was long-gone. Which was odd to Avalon considering the girl slept like a rock and hated mornings.
"Oh, Rhythm already left for breakfast. She doesn't have a first period, but she really wanted some coffee and needed to talk to Franklin about tryouts for this semester."
Gemma groaned, "Even Rhythm is getting up early? Now I really feel like a bum. Ava, do you mind if I take the shower first?"
"Go for it," Avalon replied. Gemma grabbed her uniform and disappeared into the bathroom shutting the door behind her.
Avalon collected her own uniform from the chest at the foot of her bed and laid the articles of clothing in order on her bed. Avalon rid herself of the over-sized Quidditch tee she slept in and pulled her arms through a white button-up blouse. After seven years of living with these girls, Avalon wasn't exactly concerned with modesty. They were all well used to changing in front of one another, especially since they all shared a Quidditch locker room as well.
"So, are you gonna tell me why you were MIA last night?" Avalon pressed as she began rolling her black stockings up her gracefully toned legs.
Natalie gave a sigh. She leaned back in her vanity chair, her mahogany brown curls cascading over the back, and she looked over to make sure the bathroom door was shut. Once Natalie was sure Gemma couldn't hear them she relaxed her position. Her shoulders slumped and her gaze lowered.
"There was a hang-up with my parents. My dad wasn't exactly happy that I wanted to come back this semester. He even tried to enroll me in Ilvermorny, but my mom wouldn't have it. She said there was no way just another NOLA faction dispute would stop a Lewis from graduating from Capet. There was a lot of arguing over the break because of it," Natalie explained in a heavy tone.
"Seriously?" Avalon castes a concerned gaze at her friend, "Nat, I'm really sorry to hear that."
"Don't be. It's not your fault. Besides, I'm not the only one dealing with it. There are a lot of kids here who have roots in Capet, but also have MACUSA parents. It makes things difficult when your parents want to remain loyal to your family lineage and have their job to think about. I heard a lot of people had to transfer because of this."
Avalon listened closely to her friend as she continued to dress. She made sure to slip on a pair of shorts under her pleated skirt. To assure there were no incidents during Aceves' sparring matches.
Natalie tried and failed to pull her glossed lips into a smile as she continued to speak, "You should be thankful that your dad is a no-maj. You get the best of both worlds. How much have you told him?"
Avalon sighed, "Everything, but nothing at the same time. I don't want to lie to him so I told him about Papa Mamba, but I also didn't want to worry him."
"So you didn't tell him just how tense Papa Mamba presence is making things," Natalie nodded in understanding, "I understand that. Speaking of Papa Mamba, I heard he made an appearance last night. What did you think of him?"
Avalon's plump lips pursed in thought as she recalled the events of last night. She remembered the way Papa Mamba waltzed into the Cathedral. He had an air of importance about him that set Avalon off at first. At first glance he seemed like some tv-villian. Someone who you could sense was dangerous and who was cocky enough to be proud of it. However, the way he addressed Professor Sauvage and the school, Avalon could also sense a humility about him.
"He wasn't what I expected to say the least. He's intimidating, but also inviting?" Avalon posed her last sentence as a question to herself, "Not scary, but off-putting. I guess part of me was expecting Doctor Facilier from The Princess and the Frog. Childish- I know." Avalon laughed while Natalie giggled as Avalon compared a true Voodoo priest to a cartoon villain.
"That's comforting, I guess. You've always been a good judge of character. If you think things are going to be okay, I trust you."
Avalon smiled at Natalie's confidence in her. Though, part of Avalon believed it was unwarranted. Just because Papa Mamba didn't initially give Avalon a bad vibe didn't mean there wasn't something unsettling about him. Avalon thought as she pulled her silk red and bronze Gaudium tie around her neck and knotted it into a neat bow under her collar.
"Shouldn't you have showered first?" Natalie asked, finally seeming to take note of the fact that Avalon had fully dressed during their conversation.
"Nope. We've got Aceves first period and you know how he is about day one sparring matches. There's no point in getting all cleaned up only to break a sweat an hour later. I've got a free period between Aceves and Hoang, I'll shower then."
Natalie's face went slack, "Why didn't I think of that? I went through all this for nothing."
"Pretty much," Avalon agreed with a playful smile, "This year is H.A.R.E levels too, in case you had forgotten."
"Now that I hadn't forgotten. I heard two Animus students had to drop his course last year due to physical and mental trauma. There was a Sapientia girl before that who spent a month in a curse induced coma," Natalie stated plainly, no sign of fear in her voice though.
"True," Avalon acknowledged, "Aceves will be more brutal than usual, but there is a reason passing his H.A.R.E level almost guarantees a job interview with MACUSA."
"No one better to train future Aurors than a former most-wanted dark wizard," Natalie added.
Avalon reached to her bedside table and grabbed for her wand. She walked to stand in front of her vanity and took in the situation that was her hair. Not too oily, just a bit of bedhead. Avalon could work with that. An oil redacting spell and a smoothing charm would do.
As she flicked her wrist to start the incantation, Avalon suddenly felt dizzy.
She felt as if the room shifted under her feet. Her center of balance was completely disrupted. Her vision lost all color in an instant and all Avalon could see were shades of green. Green- the color of her aura. Avalon could see a spectrum of green swirling around her. It flowed down her arm before stopping at her wand.
Her long trusted mahogany wand no longer felt familiar in her hand. Where her wand had always felt like an extension of her arm, it suddenly felt strange. In a fit of silent rebellion, Avalon tried to force that green aura, her magic, from her hand and down into her wand. A wave of nausea took over as she could feel her wand physically rejecting her attempts.
Avalon hissed in pain and her wand clattered to the floor as a jolt of electricity shot up her arm. Her wand had backfired. She groaned in discomfort as the feeling of pins and needles surged through her arm.
"Avalon!" Natalie called, knocking back her vanity chair as she stood quickly, "What happened? Are you alright?"
With a deep breath, Avalon nodded. She gripped her throbbing wand-hand and rubbed soothing circles into the sensitive skin. Her eyes widened as she saw her wand on the floor. The wand was twitching and spasming against the ground before going still.
Natalie gently grasped Avalon's shoulders and pushed her into a sitting position on the bed, "Hey, Avalon? What happened? I can't help unless you talk to me."
"I don't know. I was about to cast a charm and suddenly I felt sick and dizzy. My wand-" Avalon paused unsure of how to explain what had just occurred, "It felt like my wand rejected me."
Natalie gasped, "That shouldn't be possible. Wands don't just backfire like that. Not unless the wand was physically damaged or-"
"Or my magical core was damaged," Avalon finished.
Magical cores were a tricky subject. The existence of such a thing wasn't so much fact as it was a theory. Considered similar to chakra, the idea was that a wizard's magic flowed through their body at set energy points. This constant circulation of energy became known to theorists as one's magical core.
While magical cores were incredibly hard to damage, the most common cases having been caused by the Cruciatus Curse, the release points could be blocked. Studies read that if even one point in someone's core was ruptured it could cause a blockage of magical flow to the rest of the body.
"I think you would know before now if your core had been damaged," Natalie gently took Avalon's hand into her own.
Natalie pulled out her wand and began whispering a healing incantation over Avalon's hand. Natalie's magic had a cooling effect against Avalon's burning skin.
"You would think I would, right? It happened so suddenly."
"You should skip Aceves class today, Ava. Go see the nurse and try to figure out what happened," Natalie suggested.
Avalon shook her head, "No, I've got a free period after Aceves. I'll go to the medical ward then."
"Are you sure?" Natalie questioned.
"Yeah. If anything it was just some freak accident," Avalon attempted to sound confident.
Natalie had healed the worst of Avalon's pain, but she couldn't remove the uneasiness Avalon felt. Gingerly, Avalon reached for her wand. The cool wood no longer felt foreign in her palm. She ran her free hand along the swirled carvings that decorated the wand and took a deep breath. With a gentle swish, Avalon cast a perfect smoothing spell onto her hair.
It was as if the backfire had not happened.
"See? Freak accident," Avalon smiled unsure.
"Right. An accident. Even so, promise me you'll go to the medical ward after Aceves' class. I'll go with you. If you want?" Natalie's own hazel gaze had become a dark brown as she looked worriedly onto Avalon.
"No, I can go on my own. I'm sure everything is fine. We should get going if we want to get breakfast before class."
Natalie looked ready to protest, but as if on cue her stomach gave a loud growl. Natalie released an embarrassed giggle. The two girls put on their shoes and started down the spiral staircase that led toward the courtyard. The morning sun shone through the courtyard illuminating the space.
The energy was high and lively. First years, terrified of missing their first class, rushed out the front door. Older students lazed about. Some still waking up from their slumber. Others seeming only motivated by the idea of food and coffee.
The majority of Gaudium's quidditch team were huddled together on the circular patio sofa in the middle of the courtyard. Laughing and telling stories about events that had taken place over break. Among the crowd the pair caught sight of Rune as he towered over their fellow seventh years.
Rune's superior height allowed him to see the two approaching through the crowd. His handsome features broke out into a wolfish smile, "Nat! I didn't see you last night. How have you been?" He asked dragging Natalie into a bear hug just as he did Avalon the night before.
Natalie hugged back with equal enthusiasm, "Wolfie! I missed you! I've been good. How about you?"
"I've been great, but I'm seriously hungry right now."
"Uh, Same," Natalie said clutching her stomach with a fake look of pain on her face. Natalie turned to smile at some of the team that had begun to greet her. Considering no one had seen Natalie had dinner the night before many people had thought she had transferred and were happy to see that they were wrong.
"Hey, guys. You all ready to make Validus pay for taking the championship from us last year?" Natalie questioned earning a round of agreeance from their team.
"We would be more ready if Franklin was around," Rune's fellow beater, Angel Hernandez laughed.
Avalon's brows pulled together as she just noticed the absence of Franklin Thompson- the Gaudium Quidditch captain, "Franklin's not here? Is he still in bed?" Avalon questioned.
"I didn't tell you, did I? Franklin wasn't at dinner last night. I figured he was just running late like Natalie. I think a lot of people were hesitant about returning. I know a couple of people are still hashing it out with their parents. Just figured Franklin had a hard time convincing his folks to let him come back, but since he wasn't here this morning- I really don't know."
"You don't think he transferred, do you?" Natalie asked.
"That doesn't sound like Franklin. It's his senior year and he's captain. He would do anything to be here. I'm sure whatever it is, Frank will get it cleared up and be back here in no time," Rune said surely. Always the optimist.
Avalon gave a shallow smile and nodded, "You're right. There's no way our beloved control-freak of a captain would abandon us on his last year. He'll be back soon, running us into the ground, and making us wish he didn't come back," a round of laughter followed, "Now let's go grab some food. We don't want Franklin to think we slacked off while he was gone."
With that the Gaudium team marched out of the Courtyard toward the Cathedral. Avalon sighed lightly as she fiddled with her wand that was tucked securely into her pocket. As hard as Avalon tried to enjoy her return to Capet, something just didn't feel right.
Lex Adamas
The sea of students leading toward the Cathedral parted to make way for Lex and Dante.
The crowned kings of Sapientia had a commanding presence. Not only was the pair tall, muscular, and handsome- they both hailed from incredibly influential families. In their time at Capet, the two had cemented themselves as the alpha pair. Students from other houses looked at them like some fascinating oddity. Something to be awed at, but never touched or confronted. Those from Sapientia either saw them as a leader or hated their guts.
Lex would admit that he relished in everyone's attention those first few years. He enjoyed the status he had been given and hadn't been afraid to throw his importance around. This was very much unlike Dante, who was used to being scrutinized as a Francesco and grew tired of his schoolmates very quickly.
It wasn't until halfway through fifth year that Lex realized how hollow and boring popularity was. More annoying than anything else. There was always some new baseless rumor, a random rivalry with some guy he hadn't known even existed, a girl who was more than willing to sleep with him for a status boost. Even the group that currently surrounded Lex and Dante were only there because they believed being with the Sapientia kings brought them some form of importance. It was all so tiring.
"You good?" Dante asked, casting a glance his way.
While Lex didn't put a lot of stock in his so-called friendships, he could at least count on Dante. If anyone understood him it was the Francesco heir.
"Always, mate. Ready to conquer a new year. Finally knock Validus off their high horse. That championship streak of theirs is done for," Lex's laugh was forced, but believable to everyone except Dante.
"Got that right. Heard Aceves made De Pointier and Crowe captain and co-captain," Dante stated as they entered the Cathedral, "It should be easy enough getting past them this year since Devereux graduated and Ashwell transferred."
The mention of his cousin's surname caught Lex's attention. Lex's gaze sought out Lindsay amongst the Validus table. He was able to find her quickly enough. Lindsay sat at the center of the Validus table surrounded by her usual crowd. Her arms were perched on Paulon De Poitier's shoulders as she laughed at something he had said.
Lex was able to catch just a glimpse of her grey eyes as they darted in his direction before retreating again. Lex smirked at Lindsay's attempt to seem unbothered by his entrance- well, Dante's entrance to be more precise.
There were more than a few people who didn't understand Lex's stance when it came to the great breakup of Capet's 'It' couple. Some just didn't get how Lex could remain best friends with the guy that broke his cousins heart. Blood is thicker than water- most would say. However, none of them accounted for the fact Lex and Lindsay had never had much of a relationship.
They had only seen one another maybe once a year on holidays. Even when they started Capet together, they had been separated into different houses and did not have many opportunities to interact. The two had simply never clicked and had never made an attempt to form any bond outside of vague family relations.
"Just Crowe now, is it? You don't think my cousin is competition?" Lex asked in a laughing tone.
Dante cast him a glance and shrugged, "If I'm being honest- no. Lindsay is good, but she's not as good as she thinks she is."
"Damn, mate. You are cold hearted. Dump a girl then insult her Quidditch prowess," Lex laughed as he and Dante branched out from their posse. Dante was seated with his back toward the Validus table and Lex was facing them.
The duo took up seats across from one another a ways from where their group chose to sit. It wasn't uncommon for Lex and Dante to branch off. Many had learned to tell by now when the two wanted their space and were quick to give it to them.
"It's not like that, Lex, and you know it," Dante stated as he waited for his coffee cup to fill itself.
"I know it wasn't like that. However, the rest of the school, including Lindsay, think it was like that," Lex continued as he took a bite of toast.
"We both know I really don't care," Dante said, "Let them think whatever they want. I don't owe anyone an explanation for why my relationship didn't work out."
"True, but it could clear a lot of things up if you and Chavert just told the truth about what happened."
Dante's dark eyes glared at Lex as he took a gulp from his coffee. The liquid was probably scalding hot, but Dante gave no signs that he was bothered by the heat.
"We tried that. No one wanted to believe us because your cousin kept spreading her version, which was not the truth. Trying to make up for her wounded ego. Both Ainslee and I are tired of beating a dead horse."
Dante's tone was tired as he spoke. Lex knew he should just drop the subject as it would only put his friend in a foul mood. Lex knew that Dante had spent a good amount of last year negating the rumors that surrounded him and Chavert. Until finally he got tired of explaining himself.
Lex nodded, "Besides it's not like you and Lindsay were going to work out anyway."
"You're right. We weren't. She was always too worried about what everyone else thought," Dante explained vaguely as he cleared his plate.
"Not that different from the rest of them," Lex nodded as he looked down the table at their abandoned posse.
Lex had nothing against Lindsay, they were family after all, but he could understand where Dante was coming from. Lex having a string of his own empty relationships could relate to what it felt like to only date for status or because that person was available. Lex had not experienced any true connection to the girls he fooled around with and knew Dante had felt the same about Lindsay.
"Lindsay's a good person, but just not for me," Dante said in a tone that signaled he was done with that discussion.
While Lex finished his own plate he looked once again over at the Validus table. This time his gaze was drawn to the girl sitting to Lindsay's side- RIley Kramer. He watched for a moment as Riley's nimble fingers worked her strawberry blonde locks into a neat braid. Lex was momentarily entranced as she completed the action so defty even as her attention was completely focused on something Natalia Assuro was saying.
Once she had finished, Riley placed her silk Validus scarf on her head and adjusted it formed a headband. Lex had once overheard her tell Lindsay such a look was inspired by 1920's flapper girls. Riley finally placed her braid over her shoulder. The reddish blonde locks complementing her milky white skin.
"See something interesting?" Dante asked, not bothering to look over his shoulder.
The soft ringing of the Cathedral bells told students that it was time to head to first period. The Cathedral became encased in the sound of the crowd flooding out the door and toward their respective classrooms.
"Nahh, just waiting on you," Lex denied. Nonetheless he caught himself glancing off in the direction of the Validus horde as they left.
"Sure you were," Dante smirked, able to read his friend like a book.
The moment the pair stood the others in their group did as well. Dante and Lex began to lead the way out when they were forced to a halt by thunderous cracking. Lex turned around quickly, his hand reached for the wand tucked away in his blazer.
Students yelled as they raced to get away from the ear-drum rupturing sound. It raffled off like fireworks and each pop released a cloud of colorful smoke that devoured patches of the dining tables. The distinct scent of Boomslang venom and knotgrass filled the room. A scent so sickening, many of the students gagged if they were standing too close.
A glance over at the Validus table caused Lex to relax. The Validus bunch, at least those seated around Nicholas, seemed completely unbothered by the display. Ainslee was smiling widely, her porcelain face resting on one hand as she watched. Natalia was grinning widely while pointing at one of the clouds.
Lex let his wand hand drop. Quickly, he realized what exactly was happening.
"Purgo," Professor Hoang called as she passed the Sapientia students crowded around the entrance.
Light blue orbs shot from her wand and sought out the colored clouds. The orbs cleared the mist in question. Shouts and confused yells quickly turned into a chorus of laughter due to what was left behind.
Four girls, two Gaudium and one from both Animus and Sapientia, cried loudly. These girls were scratching at their arms and necks frantically. Their smooth skin had started to flake and harden. From where Lex stood they're skin looked as if it was cracking.
"Bloody hell, they are growing scales," Lex let out a huff of a laugh.
The girls reached out for their friends for help, but were further embarrassed when their fellow classmates shied away. Probably afraid of being infected with the same ailment. The rest of the Cathedral settled on looks of concern and barely hidden snickers.
Connecting the dots, Lex glanced over the triad's victims. They were the same girls who taunted Ainslee in the bar the night before. Lex knew the Unholy Trio of Validus would not let that disrespect slide, but he had not expected them to exact their revenge so quickly.
"Andrews, Assuro, Chavert!" Hoang shouted, her burning sunset eyes trained on the offenders, "you three couldn't have waited a single day? Twenty points from Validus each and detention for the rest of the week."
Any other house would have been enraged at their peers for the removal of sixty points so early in the semester. Validus, on the other hand, looked amused. This had become a routine for them after the trio's third year. By now the upperclassmen were confident they could easily regain the lost points in excess as the semester passed.
"You four, medical wing now," Hoang nodded toward the girls, "try not to touch anyone. We don't know if it's contagious," she then turned to the Validus table, "I will inform Aceves of this and you three will meet me in the water garden after dinner."
"It's a date," Nicholas smiled as Ainslee and Natalia grinned at his flank.
"The show is over everyone! Report to your first period," Hoang shouted out over the crowd. Students scattered at her command.
"Never a dull moment with those three, eh?" Lex laughed, following the mob toward the exit.
Dante shook his head, "No, there is not. Knowing them that spell won't wear off for a week."
"Those girls got off easy. Remember what they did to Maxwell Bisset after he cursed Natalia's broom before a match?" Lex grinned, reminiscing on the public spectacle the trio made of Bisset.
"It's a good thing Maxwell graduated shortly after," Clara Oliver added thoughtfully.
The mass of Sapientia students split off in the direction of their classes. Only Dante, Lex, and their posse were left heading toward the Defense and Dark Arts classroom.
"Does anyone know who else will be in this period?" Claudius asked from behind the duo, referring to the makeup of their D.A.D class for the semester.
"It's H.A.R.E level. Class is open to anyone that scored high enough on the E.A.G.L.E.s," Dante explained.
"Majority will be Validus as always. A good amount of Animus got the scores they needed, but most didn't sign up. Gaudium got scared off after what happened with Penelope March last year," Lex added.
It was common knowledge that Capet students tended to score the highest in the courses their House Representatives taught. That meant that Validus had their run of Defense and Dark Arts. This led to talented Validus students being first in line for MACUSA interviews after graduation, some even before that.
If any student was serious about working for MACUSA in the future it was a priority to become one of Aceves' apprentices. Aceves would choose ten upper-classmen to tutor personally from his H.A.R.E level course and there was a strong chance he would be making his decision for this semester soon. Needless to say, Lex, along with many MACUSA hopefuls would be doing everything they could to impress the former dark wizard.
The Sapientia group rounded the corner that led them into the stained glass hallway. The walls and ceiling were lined with moving images of creatures and legendary wizards who chatting amongst themselves as students passed.
The end of the hall opened into a large glass atrium. Sunlight shone from the ceiling and reflected a twisting rainbow of color onto the floor. What little space in the room that was not glass was made of white wood. From the window panes to the benches and long white yew dueling tables that split the room into two. The white columns that supported the roof were covered in maddening red and gold writing- protection spells.
The room, designated the D.A.D classroom long-ago, was a giant contradiction. The appearance was light and whimsical, but the energy inside set the hairs on one's neck upright. The vitality of the room was a dark one. Harnessing all the spells that had previously been cast there.
Lex and Dante continued into the room and placed themselves on the benches to the left of the center dueling table.
"It's a larger crowd then I expected," Dante noted as their peers followed Sapientia's lead and began taking seats around the table.
A handful of Animus students slipped through the large doors. They attempted to appear confident, however, one could see their fear in the way they took seats further toward the back. Three Animus in particular surprised Lex by taking front row seats- Faye Lavine, Luke Harraway, and Wyatt Viers.
Lex nodded toward the trio, "Thoughts? I think Viers will make the cut. Not sure about the other two."
Dante's dark eyes assessed the group in question, "Faye is already being tutored by Professor von Rothman. I doubt she's going to worry about a second apprenticeship. Harraway is good, but not impressive enough to beat out the majority of Validus that are going for a spot."
On que the mass of the room was consumed in black and gold. The Validus crew strutted in confidently consuming the first and second row of benches to the right. Nicholas, Natalia, and Ainslee led the march and positioned themselves front and center to the dueling table.
"Natalia and Nicholas are competition. Ainslee and Riley too. The four of them had some of the highest E.A.G.L.E. of the class," Dante stated.
"That's a possible six out of the ten spots already filled," Lex smirked.
"Four Validus and the two of us?" Dante chuckled at Lex's lack of faith in some of their classmates.
"You know it," Lex nodded, "Now we just wait and see who snatches up those final four spots."
Lex scanned the crowd and allowed his eyes to rest on Riley and Lindsay who had seated themselves at the fair end of a bench at the opposite end. Lex smirked as he saw Lindsay send the slightest glance in his direction. She continued to say something that caused Riley to look over as well.
Lex wiggled his fingers in a taunting, yet playful hello. The gesture was mostly aimed toward his cousin as he knew Lindsay would turn away quickly once she noticed Dante beside him. Lindsay glared, but her mouth was set in a tense smirk.
Riley returned his sarcastic wave with an amused grin of her own. A light feeling filled Lex's stomach as Riley met his gaze before her attention was torn away by Lindsay once again.
The final group, a small number of Gaudium students lagged behind.
Lex turned to make a comment about Gaudium's lack of numbers when he saw Dante's eyes tracking someone across the room. Lex discreetly followed suite and quickly found the center of his friend's attention- Avalon Ross.
The autumn skinned beauty strode with confidence toward the Sapientia group. Her few, five, housemates followed behind her. Avalon's pearl-like teeth gleamed as she smiled at Rune Brody. Lex had never interacted much with the Gaudium seeker, but knew she was well liked among her house and others. She had a relaxed, self-assurance that was not only attractive, but inviting as well.
Lex's eyes darted between Dante, who stared confidently at the approaching figure, and released a low chuckle. Avalon Ross could not be more different from his cousin and maybe that is what his best friend really needed.
"Surprise, surprise, I didn't expect so many of you Gaudium to be up to the challenge," Lex joked as the Gaudium group sat directly behind them.
Avalon grinned, "Really? From what I remember we took four of Aceves' apprentice spots last year and Sapientia had one."
"She's got you there," Dante laughed, "but we all get lucky once in a while. You guys think you can pull that off again?"
"Hell yeah," Rune Brody cut in, good naturedly, "I say we all conspire to keep Validus out of those spots." The broad-shoulder beater gave a wolfish smile as he looked across the table to the house in question.
"I like the way you think, Brody," Lex released a laugh.
"What happened to your arm?" Lex heard Dante ask quietly.
Lex turned his head to see Dante had turned his body around to fully face Avalon. Lex's eyes scanned over her blazer covered right arm and his eyes narrowed. He hadn't noticed the way Avalon gripped at her arm, massaging the tendons as if she were trying to stimulate the muscles.
Avalon flushed for a moment before shaking her head, "Oh, nothing. I rammed my shoulder into the corridor trying to get past a pack of first years. Really, I'm fine."
"Hitting your shoulder injured the rest of your arm?" Dante questioned, once again in a low tone ignoring the chatting masses around them.
Lex tore his gaze from Avalon and settled on her pretty friend, Natalie Lewis. Natalie's eyes shifted quickly from Avalon's arm to Dante's questioning gaze. Lex noticed how Natalie gripped lightly at her own thin fingers a motion only slightly more subtle than wringing her hands.
Something had happened. Something Avalon did not want to share and Natalie was loyal to her friend. It was obvious to Lex that Dante had noticed this too, but did not press the issue.
"I can ease the muscles if you want? Nothing that will hinder you if Aceves calls on you to duel. It will help with any pain or discomfort, though," Dante stated as he grabbed for his wand from the inside of his sleeve.
"You don't have to really," Avalon said quickly.
"Just let him give it a go, love," Lex grinned, "Prince Charming over here won't rest until you let him be the hero. Healing charms are one of his specialties anyway."
Avalon looked hesitant at first, but nodded, offering Dante a soft smile, "Alright, I would appreciate that."
As Avalon began to rid herself of her blazer, Lex turned his head to continue his conversation with Rune Brody. In doing so, Lex managed to catch the annoyed look that had settled on Lindsay's face as she stared in their direction.
Lex sighed for a moment. Despite what some would think, Lex did not enjoy the tension between his cousin and best friend. He could only hope that Lindsay would find someone to move on with soon. Given the way Dante was gently grasping Avalon's wrist as he cast his healing charm was a bold statement that he was ready to move on.
Ainslee Chavert
"Do you really think it is a good idea for you to sit this close to Aceves? After what we just did?" Ainslee asked Nicholas.
Nicholas gave a mocking gasp and placed his hand over his heart, "Are you implying that Victor doesn't love me anymore? That he doesn't want to see my lovely face again?"
"If Aceves hears you call him by his first name we won't be seeing your lovely face ever again," Natalia stated.
"Come now, ladies. Everyone can see the deep and passionate bond that Aceves and I share."
"Mmm," Ainslee hummed thoughtfully, "he passionately hates you and you have a deep desire to annoy him into an early grave. That is indeed a powerful bond- I ship it."
"Just you wait, Ains. I can bet you I will be the first person he acknowledges when he walks through those doors," Nicholas said surely before kicking his legs, one over the other, on the dueling table in front of them.
Ainslee's icy hues rolled playfully. In their turn of motion, something curious caught Ainslee's attention. On the other side of the table, Dante sat tending to a lightly blushing Avalon Ross. Dante's broad hands moved deftly as he traced the tip of his wand over Avalon's arm.
It was obvious the Avalon was a bit flustered by the interaction. Dante, though, seemed calm. There was a softness to his face that took Ainslee off guard. Ainslee felt the corner of her mouth spread unconsciously.
"What do you think that is about?"
The curious whisper of Riley drew Ainslee's attention. Riley and Lindsay had taken a spot on the bench directly behind Ainslee and her friends. Interest almost caused Ainslee to turn in their direction.
Luckily, Ainslee caught herself before she did so. Instead, she turned her head slightly towards Nicholas as if she were listening to him. All while keeping her attention solely focused on the conversation behind her.
"I don't know and I don't care," Lindsay snorted in response, "if he thinks strutting around with his rebound is going to get to me then he's wrong."
Ainslee forced herself not to smile by biting down on her bottom lip. Lindsay's jealousy was painfully obvious and something deep inside Ainslee found it riveting. Suddenly, Ainslee couldn't resist the urge to add in her two cents into the conversation. The spiteful bitch that rested deep in her soul came to head. Sadly, Ainslee was beaten to the punch by an unlikely person.
Faye Lavine pulled the crowd's attention toward her with a loud scoff, "I wouldn't call getting over your toxic ex who you've been broken up with for months a 'rebound', but then again what do I know? I'm sure you can educate us though, Lindsay, since this is your field of expertise."
Ainslee nearly gave herself whiplash with how quickly her head turned back. Her heavy ponytail slung in compliance and she could vaguely hear Nicholas yelp as it hit him across the face.
Lindsay was a picture of statuesque composure. Her head turned ever slightly so that she could look at Faye from over her shoulder. A dark blonde brow raised ever so delicately in question.
Ainslee, having been on the receiving end of that look before, knew Lindsay was deeply bothered by what had been said. However, Lindsay was never one to show weakness.
"And what do you mean by that, Lavine? Because I know you of all people have no room to judge. When was your last relationship again?" Lindsay pretended to ponder, "Oh, wait, you've never had one. I'd suggest you mind your own business."
Faye smiled spitefully, "You've got me there. I've just never felt the need to throw myself at first person to show me attention."
From beside Faye, Luke Harraway looked increasingly uncomfortable by the exchange, "Faye, just leave it," he said quietly.
"What? No, this is Avalon she's talking about. Who is our friend, remember?" Faye accused, looking slightly betrayed.
A look passed over Lindsay's face that Ainslee immediately recognized. Lindsay's stormy eyes settled on Luke curiously before the corners of her lips began to turn upward. A calculating look passed over Lindsay as her attention shifted between Faye and Luke.
"I could care less if your little friend is sleeping with my ex. If she wants him, she can have him. Because at the end of the day, Lavine, that's what it's all about," Lindsay hummed thoughtfully as she cast a final look at Luke, "going after what you want. Not that you would know much about that either."
"And the black widow has found her next target," Nicholas whispered to Ainslee.
Ainslee nodded looking at the enraged Faye and confused Luke.
"Andrews! Feet off my table!" The booming voice of Professor Aceves echoed through the halls as he waltzed through the atrium doors.
"See! I told you he missed me," Nicholas laughed as he slowly removed his feet from the table.
The room went silent as Professor Aceves marched in. Aceves' handsome face, sharper than one of Michelangelo's sculptures, was completely stoic. His piercing eyes scanned the room like a cat preparing to pounce. The sleeves of his black button-up had been rolled to show his elaborate tattooed arms. If one were to look close enough they would even be able to see the ink moving across his skin.
With one extension of his long legs, Aceves lifted himself onto the dueling table. He towered above the class as he spun slowly. Those glacier eyes made contact with each student as he went. An alpha wolf asserting his dominance.
The morning rays of the sun shone through the atrium glass and cast the former dark wizard in a pale glow. The vision of black-winged angels from Renaissance paintings came to Ainslee's mind.
"There are more of you than I expected," Aceves nodded to himself, "Good. This was going to be a boring day otherwise. I'm not going to stand here and give you all some speech about how exciting this new semester will be. You all know exactly what this class is and why you are here.'
"As you are all aware, this is the most rigorous and difficult defense class in the nation. Pridefully, I'd say it's the toughest in the world. I will not go easy on you, baby you, or hold your hand throughout this process. I designed this class to push young wizards and witches to their very limits and that is exactly what I intend to do. The wizarding world may be at peace, but trust me, the world is not kind. It is better you learn that lesson here than outside the safety of Capet's walls.'
Aceves stalked the end of the table as he continued, "I'm required to state this disclaimer before we begin; Over my years of teaching this course, there have been several instances in which students found themselves unable to complete the coursework. Whether that be by mental or physical exhaustion, I don't particularly care. All I can say to that is- don't let that be you.'
"If there is any doubt in your own ability to excel in this course, I implore you now to pick up your belongings and change your class schedule. It is better to admit to your faults now then to embarrass yourself later on in the semester by having to spend weeks in the medical wing due to inadequacy.'
Respect, admiration, and a tad bit of unease spread through Ainslee as she observed both Aceves and the room. Every pair of eyes was trained on Aceves as he spoke. No one was willing to show the fear that Aceves' words placed in their hearts.
"With that said, you will be greatly rewarded for seeing this class through to the end. From the top in this class, I will be choosing ten students to tutor privately. I'm sure you've all heard of the doors my tutelage has opened for Capet alumni.'
A grim, smirk took to Aceves face as he paused his movements, "By a show of hands, how many of you are actively seeking one of those ten positions?"
Two-thirds of the class raised their hands proudly. While many, including Ainslee, were confident in their declaration there were a few who seemed unsure once they saw who their competition was. A part of Ainslee felt bad for them- they had no chance. Out of the class there were at least six students that had the potential to easily procure one of the ten spots.
For the unsure, ten possible chances quickly became only four.
"This is going to be a fun day," Aceves grinned darkly, "I see no reason to delay the inevitable. Today we shall begin the first round of dueling matches to benchmark your skills against your classmates."
With a wave of his wand, several of the atrium windows began to darken. Light was slowly stolen from the room and those former windows became hard pieces of chalk board. The names of everyone who had raised their hand appeared along a scoring bracket. From the look of the match-ups, Aceves' magic had randomized the duels- gender, house, and age did not matter.
"Let's get started then. Ainslee Chavert and Natalie Lewis- you will take the table first."
Instead of feeling anxious, a wave of calm washed over Ainslee as she stood.
From across the table, Natalie could be seen wringing her fingers together as she approached the opposite end of the table. Her movements were rigid, but she did not look frightened. There was a spark in her eyes as she stared down Ainslee.
Ainslee smirked in her direction while removing her black and gold bomber jacket. She removed her wand from the inner pocket and folded the jacket so the Validus Leopard was displayed on the back.
"This should be easy enough," Natalia said while taking Ainslee's bomber from her hands.
"Make it quick, Ains. I wanna get to my turn so I show off to Aceves," Nicholas grinned.
With that, Ainslee turned in Natalie's direction and walked to the center of the dueling table. The two opponents met in the middle. They sized one another up. Ainslee, with the height of the average runway model, was easily five inches taller. A battle of wills was fought between the eyes and they both reached a hand out to shake.
"Try not to take this personally, Lewis," Ainslee winked.
"I'm not the sore loser here, Chavert," Natelie grinned.
"Alright, ladies," Professor Aceves clapped his hands together, "take your positions. Let's keep this as friendly as possible. It's only day one. We spent five weeks last semester studying offensive spells that can be easily healed. I would prefer you stick to those. And to protect from wide radius spells-"
Aceves waved his wand and magic vibrated through the room. The red and gold inscriptions that covered the walls began to glow. One could literally see the magic radiating off the scripture in waves.
It was not the first time Professor Aceves had to activate the magical barrier inside the atrium. The magic was ancient. An assemblage of early protection spells from every corner of the globe. When activated, no magic could pass in or out of the glass structure. The atrium absorbed and stored every spell cast inside its walls.
No one knew when or for what purpose the atrium was built. There was no mention of the mysterious room in any history book. All one could guess was that the room had seen more than its fair share of dark magic.
Ainslee and Natalie both moved back until they were once again standing at opposite ends of the table.
"On the count of three," said Aceves.
Luke Harraway
Aceves began his countdown. The two duelers raised their wands and shifted into position. Natalie took a confident step forward. Proclaiming her intention of taking the offensive. Luke could see the slightest upturn in Ainslee's lips as she stepped back in response.
"Ainslee. Hands down," Wyatt said surely from Luke's side.
"Can't count Natalie out that quickly," Luke shook his head.
No sooner than Aceves reached three, Natalie fired her first spell in Ainslee's direction, "Stupify!"
Luke including most of the crowd was shocked when Ainslee did not even attempt to put up a shield. Instead, Ainslee met the stunning charm head-on with her own flurry of hexes. A jet of blue light encased Natalie's stupify and appeared to dissolve the charm in mid-air.
Ainslee fired a rainbow of spells in Natalie's direction- forcing the later to take a defensive position. Natalie appeared to be taken off guard by how quickly Ainslee had turned the tables.
Many of Ainslee's attacks were non-verbal. Ainslee's porcelain face was stoic as she advanced on Natalie. Her grace and ferocity were captivating as she practically danced across the dueling table.
"You were saying?" Wyatt said smugly.
Luke could see his friend was fully enthralled by the duel before them. Wyatt's dark eyes were focused solely on Ainslee and he was not the only one. Nicholas and Natalia watched the duel with smiles. From across the table, Avalon and Rune looked concerned, but hopeful that Natalie could turn the fight around.
"I think Natalie can still turn this around," Luke nodded, "right, Faye?"
Luke turned to look at his best friend. He found Faye watching the duel with a clouded gaze. Her honey eyes stared off into the distance. Clearly not focused on the match before them. It was obvious that her earlier confrontation with Lindsay had put her in a sour mood.
While Faye was in a daze. Lindsay's full focus was on the match before them. Unlike many, whose heads twisted back and forth between competitors, Lindsay remained suddenly focused on Ainslee. Her dainty fingers threaded through her champagne locks absentmindedly. A habit Luke had come to know was a natural reaction for Lindsay when she was anxious, bored, or angry.
"You might want to blink at some point. Stare any longer and your eyes will dry out," Faye's stiff voice said from beside him.
Luke turned his head to see Faye's honey hues glaring at him. She seemed to assess him for a moment before scoffing and turning her attention back towards the duel. Her body shifted away from him and closer to Theodora who sat at her other side. Faye's shoulders hunched as she leaned on elbows on her knees.
"I wasn't staring-" Luke defended himself quietly.
"No, you were pinning," Faye hissed, "just like every other sad guy that can't see what a Gorgon she is."
Luke sighed and placed a hand on Faye's shoulder, "I get that you're mad she was talking about Avalon, but that's not fair."
"Don't," Faye whispered harshly, "just don't. I don't want to argue with you. You can stare longingly all you want, but don't try to convince me to be okay with it."
There was a sunken emotion in Faye's eyes that Luke could not place. Her eyes looked like they were beginning to redden. Luke was unsure if her misty gaze was out of anger or something else.
Luke's heart was heavy as he watched Faye turn away from him once again. He racked his brain silently. Desperately, Luke searched for the right thing to say to her, but he did not even know what he said that was so wrong.
The feeling of Wyatt bumping his shoulder roughly drew Luke's attention.
"Leave it, man. Before you piss her off," Wyatt stated lowly.
"I just don't get what I did," Luke whispered honestly.
Wyatt's dark gaze bore down on him. A single dark eyebrow was raised and his lips were drawn into a thin line. Luke recognized that look- it was a judgmental leer that Wyatt gave people he thought were idiots.
"You got involved in a chick fight. That's what you did. You don't have to understand it. Just know it's better to stay out of it," Wyatt said finally before turning back to the duel.
Luke had the sinking feeling that Wyatt knew something that he did not.
In the moments Luke was distracted he almost missed Ainslee delivering the final blow. Natalie had done a good job keeping up with Ainslee's offensive attack, but soon found herself tiring against the barrage of curses.
A jet pf purple light fired from Ainslee's wand and hit Natalie directly in the stomach. The air had been knocked from Natalie's chest as she was barely able to yelp in pain. The spell threw Natalie off her feet and she landed flat on her back a few feet from the dueling table.
No one in the room seemed particularly worried besides Natalie's friends. The entirety of the class had seen Natalie take worse falls during Quidditch season. The room broke out in applause for Ainslee's win with Nicholas and Natalia being the loudest.
"Very nice, Chavert," Aceves nodded in Ainslee's direction as she hopped off the table, "Lewis, you did well, but you cannot let your opponent over take you like that. You lost the moment you allowed yourself to be stuck in defense."
Aceves waved his wand toward the scoring bracket. Ainslee's name was moved further up the bracket. The next fight on the list was Lex Adamas and Rafael LeBlanc.
The fight went pretty similar to the first. Lex quickly took the offensive position and gave Rafael no chance to breathe. The fight was over much quicker than the first. As applause broke out for Lex's victory, the chime of a bell rang through the classroom signaling the end of the period.
Aceves deactivated the protective wards in the room with a wave of his wand. Despite the bell having rung, no one made any move to gather their things. Rule number one of the Capet School Survival Guide, "The bell doesn't dismiss you. Aceves dismisses you." This rule was not only thoroughly understood by students, but also the junior staff members who were known to be more lenient on tardiness if a student was arriving from Aceves' class.
"Congratulations to Chavert and Adamas for their performances today. I want you all to take a good look at both of them," Aceves paused to allow his students to follow the order, "they are your competition. These two, while their dueling styles are sloppy and in need of conditioning, are what stands between you and one of my apprentice positions. With that said, tomorrow we shall begin with Riley Kramer and Rune Brody."
Aceves gave a single nod of his head that signaled class was officially dismissed.
Luke stood and placed him heavy backpack on his shoulder. Secretly, Luke was dreading his next period- Magics and Lore of Japan with Professor Hoang. Normally, Luke would be looking forward to a class with the wise fox spirit. However, Hoang's classes were graded heavily on group projects and Luke was the only one from his friend group who has Hoang for second period.
"Wyatt, are you ready?" Faye asked, completely avoiding eye-contact with Luke.
Luke gave a light sigh. It was all too clear Faye was upset with him and he had no idea how long the cold-shoulder was going to last. Luke gave Wyatt a questioning glance, subtly asking for help with their mutual friend, only to be met with a bored shrug from Wyatt.
"I think I'm just gonna skip," Wyatt said earning a pointed glare from Faye, "What? Its syllabus day anyway. Nothing gets done on the first day."
"Wyatt, please, you said you would give Papa Mamba a chance," Faye pouted playfully in a hope to sway him.
"And I will- tomorrow," Wyatt responded as they followed the crowd out of the atrium and into the long stain-glass corridor that led back to the main building.
"Skipping class doesn't make you seem any cooler, Wyatt."
"I'm not skipping to be cool. I'm skipping because I don't wanna go. Quit pouting, Faye," Wyatt placed a large hand on the top of her head and used light force to point Faye's gaze away from him, "I'm not Luke. That look doesn't work on me."
"You calling me a pushover?" Luke pretended to sound offended.
"Aren't you though?" Faye asked sweetly.
Her teasing smile gave Luke a sense of relief. Luke was thankful that Faye's bad mood did not stick.
"Only for you, shorty," Luke conceded.
"If that's the case, you should change your schedule to have Papa Mamba with me and Wyatt- who might just go to class if you're there," Faye narrowed her eyes at the offending Canadian, "besides, then we can all have Hoang together and knock those annoying group projects out easily."
Luke smiled and nodded, "that actually sounds like a great idea."
"Pushover," said Wyatt.
The trio found themselves entering the center courtyard that separated the two main buildings and the Cathedral and paused for a moment.
The grounds were lively. Some students rushed to their next class while others lounged in the courtyard without a care. Luke caught sight of Nicholas Andrews talking to a Gaudium girl under one of the blooming magnolia trees. The girl was blushing profusely while Nicholas ran a hand lazily through his blue hair. Natalia and Ainslee appeared to be giggling among themselves as they cast a glance toward Nicholas before continuing on their own toward their next class.
Natalie Lewis was rubbing her shoulder lightly as she passed Luke. Rune Brody was at her side asking how Natalie's side was doing. It appeared that Natalie's duel with Ainslee had left her quite bruised on the side she fell on. Natalie seemed unfazed, smiling at Rune as the two continued on through the courtyard.
"Are you sure your arm is okay?" Dante Francesco's gravely voice asked.
Luke turned his head slightly to see Dante standing a few feet away and looking down at Avalon Ross from the courtyard entrance.
Avalon nodded with a slight smile, "I'm positive. The muscle relaxing spell you used really helped. I'm still going to run over to the infirmary real quick since I have a free period and get it checked out."
While Avalon's smile was convincing enough, Luke could see the slight twinge of pain on her face as Avalon readjusted her bag on her injured arm. Avalon moved tentatively to remove her bag from her shoulder to transition it to the other side.
Dante must have noticed Avalon's pained reaction as well. Luke watched as Dante pushed his own bag up higher on his shoulder before taking Avalon's bag from her. Ignoring Avalon's sounds of displeasure, Dante held the bag away from Avalon with an amused grin as she went to grab for it again.
"I've got a free period too. I'll walk with you to the infirmary," Dante gave Avalon no room to argue as he began walking in the direction of the infirmary.
As Dante's giant form moved, Luke should see the outline of Lindsay and Riley standing a bit further back against the courtyard's half-wall. Lindsay's stormy eyes followed Dante as he walked away with Avalon begrudgingly catching up to him.
Luke's hand clenched his backpack strap involuntarily as he stared at Lindsay's blank face. While Luke did not pretend to know what Lindsay was thinking in that moment, it was clear she was not okay with seeing her ex talking to someone else. A part of Luke was annoyed at the Francesco heir for clearly having no concern for Lindsay's feelings.
"Really?" Faye's voice questioned coldly.
Luke's head snapped in her direction only to be met with an icy glare. Faye's honey eyes glanced between Luke and Lindsay before she shook her head and began to turn. Faye did not even spare him a glance before saying a stiff goodbye to Wyatt and walking in the direction of Papa Mamba's class.
"Wait, Faye!" Luke called after her.
"You really are useless, dude," said Wyatt.
Luke motioned toward Faye, "what is up with her today?"
"She's your best friend. Figure it out," and with that Wyatt began to walk away.
Luke watched him go with a perplexed look. He wracked his brain for the cause of Faye's anger and was pulling blanks. Faye was one of the most reasonable and logical people Luke knew. She was not the type to get upset for no good reason. A part of Luke's brain knew he had done something wrong, but he could not figure out what it was.
"Hey, Luke, right?"
Luke turned his attention to the source of the voice and was surprised to see Lindsay Crowe standing before him. He took a moment to appreciate the woman that stood before him. Luke honestly couldn't remember the last time Lindsay had addressed him directly and the look she was giving him made Luke's heart stop momentarily.
Lindsay's plump lips were pulled into a smile as she looked up at him. Her glossy blonde hair fell over her shoulders in a light wave. Luke instantly felt the desire to run his fingers through the silky looking strands. Her hair layered around her face perfectly accentuating her features.
"Yeah. What's up, Lindsay?" Luke managed to get out as he forced himself to relax. Afraid his sudden stiff appearance would scare her off.
"I heard you have Hoang next period. So do I. I was wondering if you wanted to walk with me?" Lindsay asked.
Lindsay's brisk Chicago accent caught Luke temporarily off guard. The blunt pronunciation of her words was so different the sweet Cajun drawl he was used to hearing from Faye. Luke was careful to not outwardly show his shock as he internalized Lindsay's words to ensure he had heard correctly.
"Walk to- absolutely," Luke blurted out, "might as well if we are heading the same way."
Lindsay grinned at him, "Great. I know we've had class together before, but I feel like we've never really gotten to know each other. I'd like to change that."
With that Lindsay pushed on his shoulder playfully to turn him in the right direction. She lazily strutted past him toward Hoang's classroom. Her slow pace and coy look over her shoulder made Luke realize she wanted him to follow her- of course she did! She just asked him to walk with her to class. Luke mentally smacked himself before taking long strides to catch up with the beautiful blonde.
This year was already full of surprises. Luke, ever the optimist, ignorantly looked forward to what else Capet had in store for them.