A Werewolf's Promise (Scarwood Chronicles #1)

Chapter 3: Is This Lady For Real?

"First years, over here!" shouted a rather bored-looking older student, who looked more concerned with chatting with another older student who was gathering the returning second years.

Sugar suppressed an urge to roll his eyes at the display. If you wanted to talk to your friend, you should at least have the decency to do your job before you start. He soon lost sight of the older student, though, as the number of first years grew, and they awaited being led to the castle. Of course, the first years went last, so there was going to be a long wait. He huffed and sat down on the grass, as other first years began to do, not wanting to stand any longer.

Looking around, Sugar was surprised that the weird tall kid, Knight, was nowhere to be found. Strange. He was a pretty unique looking character, and he would pretty easy to find in a crowd. As he wondered where on earth that kid had gone (and honestly hoping that he hadn't gotten himself lost: that would be horribly embarrassing for Knight), he took notice of a conversation going on between two girls sitting behind him.

"Did you see? Why'd they take the guy off on his own? Do you think something happened?"

"No, I heard that they sometimes take... special students in before to make sure that the accommodations they have a good enough."

"Oh, so the charity case witches. They still do those?"

"No, no, not the scholarships... or the human-borns...did you know Scarwood accepts non-witches?"

"What? Girl, you have to be joking."

"It's true! If they can use magic our way, they might be accepted if they're well-connected enough. I heard that a few years ago, they accepted a selkie because they were in the coven of one of the leading families!"

"Oh! What do you think he is, then? A Dragonborn?"

"Ewwwww... maybe, though."

The two girls then broke into a fit of giggles and continued discussing what possibly this strange boy could be.

Was that Knight? I couldn't be right? Sure, he was a bit strange, but he didn't seem like a creature. Besides, Scarwood would never accept anyone of a non-witch or human origin. His mom had always said so, the school was too afraid of their reputation getting a hit. Apparently, even with the Witching Council's rulings on the rights of magical creatures a few years ago, the school still refused to follow, as was their right. No way was there a magical creature here as a student. The idiot probably just got lost or something.

Finally, it was finally time for the first years to head in, and get ready for whatever was to happen next.

✧༺✦✮✦༻∞　　∞༺✦✮✦༻✧

The castle's hallways were lit with oil lamps, lined with statues made from crystals, and various artworks and enchanted crafts made by previous and current students at the school. The carpet beneath them was probably once a deep purple, but had grown worn and faded from decades of feet moving over it. Occasionally a familiar would stick their head out from a corner or behind a sculpture, certainly sent by the older student that was their master to snoop on the new first years. All of this just added to the excitement the first years were feeling.

Even Sugar, who kind of knew what to escape from many an afternoon spent snooping around in his mother's school albums, was swept up in the emotion of it all, an eager smile on his face.

As the first years filed into the grand hall, the whispering of the older students grew to a fever pitch, sharing rumours of which prominent witching families had their children in this cohort. Of course, Sugar heard mention of the Crowstrikes. With an entrance like that, there was no way Charlie was not noticed. He also picked up on a few mentions of the Bones family, how their twin girls were part of the first years; surprise that the Delavignes' son didn't come (perhaps they sent him off to a different school?) and more speculation that the school had accepted a magical creature. Of course, Sugar heard whispers about him as well.