STUDY TABLE
You pause at a familiar and comforting sight, a well-used study table. Only through tedious hours of dedication and education can a witch or wizard truly reveal the secrets of magic. A deck of Wizards Cards sitting near the edge of the table seems to suggest that perhaps whoever left the deck behind could use a little more self-discipline. Otherwise, the standard accoutrements are present with several pages of parchment and, oh no, a broken quill!
“Ahem.”
You hear a cough and turn to find an older student eyeing you with caution while crossing her arms. She must be a 5th-year, and is wearing a brooch with the symbol of your assigned house, House Erudia!
You pick up the two pieces of the quill and inspect them closely. As you feared, it’s been snapped cleanly in two, no doubt the work of some lackadaisical student with no regard for such a fine instrument of learning. As you rotate the broken utensil, you notice the engraving on the side:
“ENCHANTISCRIPT”
This is an autoquill! Rather, it was an autoquill. They’re not much good once they’ve been snapped in two. A simple repairing spell would likely fix it, but you never actually took the lower level class that covered those types of spells, having skipped ahead a few years back.
You carefully place the broken pieces back onto the table.
You pick up the deck of wizards cards. You never understood why students liked to collect these things. If you take some time, you can arrange the cards however you wish and flip through them at your leisure.
You quickly sort the cards in alphabetical order.
You shuffle the cards.
You decide to approach the studious-looking student who’s been eyeing you with caution. She sighs heavily as you approach, and her eye-roll is unmistakable.
“If you’re going to wander around looking dumbfounded, I wish you wouldn’t wear Erudia colors while doing so.”
The student sighs more heavily this time, uncrossing her arms. She closes her eyes, and when she looks back to you, her gaze has softened.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. This whole situation is just… highly unexpected, and very stressful. My name’s Lyra, Lyra Gray, of House Erudia of course. It’s a pleasure to meet a new Crane, ah… what’s your name?”
She extends a warm handshake and forces a slight smile.
“Your first year here? Not exactly what you had in mind for a welcome, I take it. I was just on my way here to get a headstart on some of my advanced coursework for the semester. Some teachers hurried past me, and I knew something must have happened. I’ve heard the rumors of Lysandra, of course, but I didn’t think she would strike so quickly! Though, I wonder why it was only a sleeping spell, and not something more… final? Poor Oliver, all the weight of the wizarding world on his young shoulders, I’m sure he never asked for any of it. You know, the prophecy about him defeating the dark witch upon her return? Have you really not heard about the prophecy?”
Lyra furrows her brow, once again eyeing you cautiously.
“Well, if you’re not going to help, please at the very least don’t interfere with my investigation. As it happens, I’m keeping a watchful eye on that Minister of Magic Education fellow, Roderick Dunhampton. I know the headmaster invited him for the opening ceremony, but don’t you find it odd that he actually bothered to show up? With a maniac on the loose, and a dark witch threatening the school, I’d expect a politician like him to be in hiding.”
You pick up the two pieces of the quill and inspect them closely. As you feared, it’s been snapped cleanly in two, no doubt the work of some lackadaisical student with no regard for such a fine instrument of learning. As you rotate the broken utensil, you notice the engraving on the side:
“ENCHANTISCRIPT”
This is an autoquill! Rather, it was an autoquill. They’re not much good once they’ve been snapped in two. A simple repairing spell would likely fix it, but you never actually took the lower level class that covered those types of spells, having skipped ahead a few years back.
You carefully place the broken pieces back onto the table.
You quickly sort the cards in alphabetical order.
You shuffle the cards.
You decide to approach the studious-looking student who’s been eyeing you with caution. She sighs heavily as you approach, and her eye-roll is unmistakable.
“If you’re going to wander around looking dumbfounded, I wish you wouldn’t wear Erudia colors while doing so.”
The student sighs more heavily this time, uncrossing her arms. She closes her eyes, and when she looks back to you, her gaze has softened.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. This whole situation is just… highly unexpected, and very stressful. My name’s Lyra, Lyra Gray, of House Erudia of course. It’s a pleasure to meet a new Crane, ah… what’s your name?”
She extends a warm handshake and forces a slight smile.
“Your first year here? Not exactly what you had in mind for a welcome, I take it. I was just on my way here to get a headstart on some of my advanced coursework for the semester. Some teachers hurried past me, and I knew something must have happened. I’ve heard the rumors of Lysandra, of course, but I didn’t think she would strike so quickly! Though, I wonder why it was only a sleeping spell, and not something more… final? Poor Oliver, all the weight of the wizarding world on his young shoulders, I’m sure he never asked for any of it. You know, the prophecy about him defeating the dark witch upon her return? Have you really not heard about the prophecy?”
Lyra furrows her brow, once again eyeing you cautiously.
“Well, if you’re not going to help, please at the very least don’t interfere with my investigation. As it happens, I’m keeping a watchful eye on that Minister of Magic Education fellow, Roderick Dunhampton. I know the headmaster invited him for the opening ceremony, but don’t you find it odd that he actually bothered to show up? With a maniac on the loose, and a dark witch threatening the school, I’d expect a politician like him to be in hiding.”