The School of Bermuda - Volume 1 - The hunter's daughter

-6-

Lili observed the headmistress. She was an old woman with a tired look, standing leaning on a battered cane. Her wavy gray hair cascaded down her hunched back due to age. A striped cat - certainly her familiar - was perched on her shoulders. With a wave of her wand, she made the table in front of her disappear to pass through, making it reappear behind her.

"A new year is approaching," she proclaimed warmly with a smile. "I would like to congratulate once again the students who have moved up to the next grade, and I am happy to see all those who were already here last year. A page of the rules was given to you with your admission letter, but since I know that few of you have actually read it, I will enumerate a few lines for you. As you know, the forest is irrevocably forbidden to you. It is home to creatures that you will discuss later with Mr. Salvator, your professor of magical creature studies."

She pointed to a young man at the teachers' table, with long black hair and blue eyes, who waved to the students.

"The first and second years are not allowed to use magic in the school corridors. Your limited experience could harm someone. It is also important to remind you that under no circumstances is a student, regardless of their year, allowed to carry a weapon in the school. That is only permitted during weapon handling classes. Finally, it is obviously forbidden for you to enter the teachers' room, the office, or any of our rooms without permission. Now, I invite you to stand up and help yourselves at the buffet. Thank you."

She sat back down as the older professors and students were already getting up. Lili noticed a man of the same age but in better shape, taking the headmistress's plate in addition to his own to serve her. Finally, the first years also dared to get up. As they were serving themselves, Lulis bumped into a professor and spilled his entire plate on him. It was an imposing man dressed all in black. His square hair was just as black, and a scar ran across his face. Lulis was already small, but he looked tiny in front of the muscular adult, but the latter laughed heartily.

"Oh, it's nothing," he said, cleaning himself with a wave of his wand. "All the first years are nervous. I am Thorn Howler, your Transfiguration professor."

Lulis mumbled his name timidly, which made his professor laugh even more, and he helped him refill his plate.

"We will surely meet again in class," he said as he left.

Lulis shook his head to snap out of his daydream and went to join his friends at the first-year table. Charity Dirty took a seat next to Lili.

"Hi!" she exclaimed. "You're Lili, right?"

"Yes," murmured the hunter's daughter.

"Don't worry, I have nothing against you. You didn't ask to have a hunter father."

"... That's kind of you, thank you."

"You see, at the teachers' table, next to Professor Howler, whom your friend bumped into."

Lili turned her head to look. Talking with the Transfiguration professor was a man also dressed all in black with ebony hair, but longer and braided. He had a gentle face and seemed cheerful and compassionate.

"Yes, I see him," Lili replied, turning back. "Who is he?"

"Professor Amos Butter, he teaches Potions. Well, older students told me that both his parents are hunters."

"Really?"

"I heard that he escaped from them and has been living on his own since he was eleven. But no one knows where he settled."

"That must have been horrible when they found out."

"Yes, I imagine. But you see, you also have your place here."