Hidden Magic

Chapter Two

I stare at my new home for the next five years with complete horror. It might have once been a magnificent age-old castle, but that time had long passed, it was falling apart, even the plants around it looked dead and rather scary. There was a large pond of water before the school, a fountain in the middle of it wasn't working and looked to be covered in moss, though the water in the pond itself seemed surprisingly clean and clear. I slowly step out of the car, not bothering to wait for the driver to open it for me, but he doesn't complain, simply getting my suitcases from the trunk and gently placing them beside me. "Have a nice day, Miss Valdis." I nod in acknowledgement, but in truth barely paid him any attention, how was this the place I was going to spend the next five years of my life, let alone the place that was one of the most prestigious colleges in the world.

I pick up my suitcases before slowly entering the large open doors, that everyone else seemed to be going into, I gaze upon the interior of my new school, Crest-Fallen Academy. The castle seemed very run down both inside and out for a supposedly prestigious school, a bunch of new students stood in front of a large staircase. I quietly joined them and looked up at the beautiful women standing in front of us at the top of the staircase, I glance around uneasily, unsure as to why everyone was standing here quietly, but then I hear a door shut and someone run up the steps behind us into the academy, she looks over our numbers and nods to herself, as if reassuring herself everyone was accounted for.

She smiles gently at the group of us, though her eyes narrow in on a few people with what looked like irritation. "Welcome to Crest-Fallen Academy!" She waits for the small amount of polite applause to fade, it had to be polite, because this certainly didn't look like a prestigious school that deserved applause. "Crest-Fallen Academy is one of the most prestigious schools in the world, each and everyone of you has been rigorously investigated, as is our policy, now for those of you who are trying to sneak in here to write some sort of article, please leave now, or our lawyers will be in touch with your news company in thirty minutes, and sue it into the ground. Don't bother hoping I don't notice you, I know exactly who is in our first year class, and I do not recognize a few of you, meaning you should not be here." She says narrowing her eyes at a few people, forcing them to acknowledge her stare and realize they've been caught, all of whom quickly grab their things and leave.

When the last person leaves her grin returns, giving us all a bright excited expression. "My name is Mindy and I'll be your guide, now we have to wait until they are well away from the property, but does anyone have questions to pass the time?" She asks looking at us all patiently, I glance around uneasily, having loads of questions, but not truly knowing if I want the answers to them. After all I had no idea, they did such rigorous background checks on everyone who applied, I suppose it made sense with all the rumors about this place, but to have it be stated so bluntly, kind of surprised me, though the fact that reporters tried to sneak in here, surprised me more.

A frail pale looking girl with a face covered in freckles raised her hand "Why is this place such a....." She trails off looking down shyly, her face a deep red in embarrassment for almost saying what we were all thinking.

One of the students saves her by coughing out "Dump!" Some of the other students chuckle at this, though many of us are stiff as we wait to see how Mindy will respond to the insult, but to our surprise she offers us a small grin.

"Well because this is not Crest-Fallen Academy." She says it plainly, but almost all of the students look at her with confusion, including me, what did she mean this wasn't the academy? "I know the sign says Crest-fallen Academy but we actually call this place Crest-Haven, a sort of waystation for those who will attend Crest-Fallen Academy." She finishes off with no further information, and everyone around me looks just as lost as I feel, though it isn't long before her attention is drawn towards the doors and I spin around to see a handsome male standing there "Are they clear?" She asks him, obviously wanting to be sure the reporters have left the premise and he nods before disappearing out of view.