The knock on the door came again, firmer this time.
I hesitated, staring at the handle.
I'd barely been here for an hour, and already someone had come looking for me. Of course it could also be nothing, a neighbour introducing themselves or a member of staff distributing timetables. I didn't know whether to feel relieved or irritated. After everything that had happened today already, the thought of dealing with more people made my head ache.
Another knock.
I just wanted to rest.
Sighing, I pushed myself off the bed and opened the door.
James stood there, smiling, with Robbie slouched beside him, hands stuffed into the pockets of his hoodie.
'Figured you might want to get the lay of the land before dinner,' James said.
I hesitated. I really did just want to rest, especially after unpacking. I was still feeling weak and I wanted to process everything. But at the same time, I didn't want to fall into the same trap as the other first years.
But could I trust these older students?
'Don't worry too much, we'll give you a quick tour so you can see what's what and then get something to eat.' James insisted.
I looked back into my room, what's the worst that could happen?
'Beats wandering around aimlessly tomorrow.' I shrugged.
'Don't worry we don't bite.' James said smugly and he led the way, Robbie following besides me.
—
We hadn't left the dormitory yet, but already the university was larger than I had expected. Several floors of long hallways and stone staircases, unlike the bedrooms which felt more modern and comfortable, the hallways were rustic. Exposed stone walls, long crimson carpets down the center of the floor, and magically empowered sconces that illuminated the corridors.
It was like wandering around a castle. The first year rooms started on the third floor, with older students living on the higher floors. Toilets, bathrooms, a gym and a quiet reading area were on the second floor. On the ground floor, a lounge area, storage rooms and other rooms for personal use.
As we moved down the dormitory, we passed groups of students. Talking amongst themselves, hanging out in the lounge area, the reading areas were surprisingly busy considering classes hadn't started yet.
Other than for classes, I could see why some students might be tempted to stay within the dorms. Everything you needed was here already if you wanted to seclude yourself.
James led us out of the dorm, stepping outside into a fairly large courtyard.
He gestured over to the other side, to an identical building.
'That's the girls' dorm,' he said. 'Only thing you need to remember is don't go into the girls' dorm without an invitation.'
'They like their own space,' Robbie said, nodding his head. 'There's always one nosy first year who ends up getting hexed by the end of the first week.'
'Steer clear, got it.' I confirmed.
James and Robbie then led me around the usual hangout spots - lounges, common rooms, multiple libraries and even an abandoned cleaning room the students had converted for unsanctioned magical duels.
'The professors pretend they don't know about it,' Robbie said casually. 'But if you get caught, you'll be stuck in detention for a few days.'
'Totally worth it.' James grinned smugly.
It sounded like there was a story there.
—
We then walked through the main lecture halls. I tried to commit the building names to memory but between the old architecture and confusing corridors, it all quickly blurred together.
Then we reached the massive courtyard I had seen from my bedroom window.
It really was huge, with towering statues of mages throughout history lining the edges. In the center, students were practicing spells, clashing with sparks of energy in controlled duels and experiments.
'Most of the serious magic happens here,' James explained. 'You'll have combat classes, elemental lessons, and-'
A sudden explosion cut him off.
I flinched as a burst of lightning crackled through the air. Across the courtyard, a spell had gone wrong. A student stumbled back, his jacket smoking. A professor quickly stepped in, diffusing the situation with magic at the flick of their wrist.
'Yeah', James said, grinning, 'It can get a bit rowdy here. But there's always a professor or two on standby.'
I gulped. I wasn't sure if this was going to be exciting or terrifying.
We found a shaded spot near one of the statues, a stereotypical wizard with a long beard and pointed hat from the late 1700's.
'Alright, Danny,' James said. 'Spill the beans, how bad was your awakening?'
I scowled slightly. 'Not bad really, just… overwhelming.'
'Tell that to the other kid, he looked traumatised.' James replied.
I thought back to the test and the interview, the wave of heat that came from my grimoire and how the shadows had moved to my will. Depending on your grimoire, I could see how it could be a pretty horrifying experience - maybe I got off lucky.
'Do you guys remember yours?' I asked, trying to shift the focus away from me.
James grinned proudly.
'Mine was easy. Comes with the territory when magic runs in your family. I knew it was coming, my folks had me training for it my whole life.' he said smugly.
Robbie rolled his eyes.
'Yeah, yeah. Some of us don't get a head start.' Robbie replied, I got the impression James had a habit of talking about how he grew up in this world. Robbie leaned forward slightly.
'For us commoners, it's different. We don't get time to prepare. One day you think it's just fantasy, all dragons and unicorns. Then… boom!' he gestured widely. 'Your whole world flips upside down.'
I nodded along, I knew actually what Robbie meant.
'Oh yeah, Danny,' James said, as if he had just remembered something. 'Keep your grimoire to yourself, try to avoid giving people specifics. You're the only one who can read it.'
'Why?' I looked at him curiously.
'Because knowledge is power,' Robbie said simply. 'Some people love knowing what spells other people have, or what they're capable of so that they can use it again them later.'
I wasn't sure how I felt about that, but I appreciated the warning.
Before I could ask anything else, a voice cut in.
'I didn't expect to see you two babysitting.'
A small group of girls approached, conversing in hushed whispers and quiet laughter. And then I saw her - the dark haired girl who took the exam with me. Unlike before, she seemed less composed. Uneasy, like she was unsure whether she belonged to the group she was trailing behind.
They stopped a few steps away, the woman at the front had long flowing blonde hair. Her arms folded in front of her chest, as if she was assessing the three of us.
James waved at them and grinned, the one leading them came and sat next to him, snuggling into him.
'Danny, meet Lily. Lily, this is Danny.'
I smiled at her, nodding my head.
Lily smiled back politely.
She then started casually asking James about something, but I had turned to look back at the girl from my interview.
She looked more uncomfortable now that she was walking around with older students, but I gathered they must have been giving their newcomer a tour as well.
'How are you finding it?' I asked, trying to start a conversation.
She looked around the courtyard, struggling to take it all in before looking back at me.
'It's big, isn't it?'
I stifled a chuckle, nodding my head.
'That it is.'
That felt like the understatement of the century.
'Sophie, by the way.' she said abruptly.
'Are you looking forward to next week?' I asked, trying to gauge if the reason she was so calm in the interview was because she came from a magical family like James.
'I guess? Did you get a timetable? I feel really unprepared not knowing what we'll actually be studying.' She admitted. Now that I was talking to her, I could tell she was just as nervous about the whole thing as I was.
'Nope, not yet.' I replied, thinking about it. It would be nice to know what we were actually going to be learning.
'Don't worry about that, it's only your first day.' Robbie butted in. 'You'll probably get it tomorrow now that they know how many students there are.'
Yeah, that made sense. What would they have done if everyone had passed today?
James and Lily started to stand up.
'C'mon then, it's nearly time for dinner.' James said, checking his watch.
We all stood and stretched, my body was still aching but I had just realised how hungry I was as well.
As we walked, they explained how the dining hall worked to Sophie and I. It was like a buffet, with different stations for different food.
'We usually sit with friends,' James added. 'But I'd suggest you find other first years to sit with, get to know them a bit better because you're going to be going through hell with them.'
I glanced at Sophie, who was walking beside me.
'Guess that means we're going to be stuck with each other.' she smirked sarcastically.
'Don't sound too excited,' I rolled my eyes.
The dining hall was like a large cafeteria. Large tables surrounded by seats, the wall on the right connected to the kitchen with dozens of trays of freshly cooked food. There was something for everyone here, different cuisines, different diets, for a university it was surprisingly well catered.
Sophie and I went around the various sections, picking an array of food. We then headed to a sparse table where a couple of students sat, each of them isolated in their own little world. The reality of the situation was starting to settle in, I was surrounded by strangers who might soon be my friends… or my rivals.