Demigods at Rookwood

Chapter 2

Piper

The next morning, Annabeth, Hazel, Thalia, Reyna, Ivy, Scarlet and I, piled into one of 2 cars.
As there were 7 of us that needed to be taken to Rookwood, and only 4 seats in one car, (not counting the drivers seat,).
Annabeth and I, rode in Mr. Grey's car, with Scarlet and Ivy. Meanwhile Hazel, Reyna and Thalia, went in another car that had been organised.

Mr. Grey was making a weak and awkward attempt at a conversation.
He was asking Ivy about school and even asking Annabeth and I about school in America, which we just had to make up on the spot.

As we got closer to Rookwood, I could tell that Ivy was getting more and more nervous. Considering what her and Scarlet had told us about what had happened there, I didn't blame her.

The car drove through a pair of giant gates. Beside the gates, were pillars topped with birds, that looked like they were about to set flight.

We stopped in front of what I assumed was the school building,
I glanced at the stone steps out the front of the school. Hazel, Reyna and Thalia, were there. They looked like they had arrived not too long before we did.

Annabeth and I thanked Mr. Grey, and got out of the car, grabbing our luggage on the way. Scarlet got out of the car without a word or even a 'thank-you'.

Annabeth, Scarlet and I climbed up the steps. Annabeth and I greeted Hazel, Thalia and Reyna. Scarlet said 'hi', but didn't didn't do much else, and just waited for Ivy to get out of the car.

We were only waiting for a few minutes, before Ivy climbed up the steps and took Scarlet's hand.
Ivy then opened the doors, and made a 'You can go first' gesture. I walked in, followed by Annabeth, Thalia, Reyna and Hazel. Then Scarlet pulled Ivy inside.

As the door shut, Scarlet started screaming.
"HOW DARE HE!"

I heard the most timid Shush ever from behind me. I looked around, and spotted what looked to be the school's secretary.

Scarlet continued yelling, and kicked the wall.
"This is SO unfair!!"

"And it won't be any more unfair if you keep yelling" Thalia muttered

"What did you say?"

"I said...."

"Ahem....." I looked around.
There was a woman with big grey eyes and greying hair, who was standing on the other side of the hall.

"Kindly leave the wall alone Miss. Grey" she said

"Sorry Miss" said Ivy.

"Sorry" we all said except for Scarlet.

The teacher looked at the rest of us.

"You must be the new American students" she said. "My name is Mrs Knight. I am the head of Richmond house".

"Nice to meet you Miss." I said.

Mrs Knight smiled.
"We've been expecting you all. Mr. Bartholomew has been making arrangements, and I am to take all of you to his office now".

She pointed to the secretary, who's name was apparently 'Miss Carver' and told us that she would arrange for our luggage to be taken to our rooms.

"This way," said Mrs. Knight, as we placed our suitcases by the front desk.

As Mrs. Knight led us past empty
classrooms, she whispered "I hope you can put your ordeal behind you Scarlet, and have a fresh start. We were all so horrified to learn what had happened".
She looked at Annabeth, Hazel, Reyna, Thalia and I, as if hoping we hadn't heard, which was slightly strange.

We came to a wooden door with 'HEADMASTER' on the nameplate.

Mrs. Knight knocked on the door. From the other side, came coughing and "come in" in a raspy voice. She gestured for us to go in, and closed the door behind us.

Behind an oak desk, was a hunched over, silver haired man sitting in a leather-backed chair. He took a pocket watch on a chain out of his pocket. "You're all late". He said. His voice rattled like bones. He looked sickly.

We all glanced at each other, in horror.

He gestured for us to sit on some chairs that were in-front of his desk.

"Sir" Annabeth said "There are only 2 chairs."

Mr. Bartholomew coughed, and ignored her.

We sat ourselves down, Scarlet and Ivy, sat on the chairs, while Annabeth, Hazel and I sat on the floor, in between them. Reyna and Thalia tried to stand next to the door, but Mr. Bartholomew forced them to sit down.

"Scarlet, Ivy, Welcome back to Rookwood." said Mr. Bartholomew. "I know there have been.... troubling times. But I assure you that these times are now over".

He was silent for a bit.

"Thank-you sir?" Ivy whispered, obviously not sure what to say.

As if he forgot we were there, he said "I always questioned whether I was wrong to leave a women in charge of this school. Now, I know the answer"

I saw Ivy grab Scarlet's hand under the table. Thalia and Reyna looked like they wanted to shout at Mr. Bartholomew, but neither of them did anything.

Mr. Bartholomew explained to us some things about the importance of Rookwood reputation, and other things that I wondered about their usefulness.

"Is there a point to all this sir?" asked Scarlet after Mr. Bartholomew had been talking for a little while..

Mr. Bartholomew unhunched.

"I don't remember asking you a question Miss. Grey"

"You didn't sir."

"THEN WHY ARE YOU SPEAKING!!"

I flinched, Scarlet blinked. Everyone else in the room seemed to have a different reaction.

I was kind of surprised a sound like that could come from a man like Mr. Bartholomew, with his bone rattling voice and his sickly coughs.

Mr. Bartholomew hunched up again, and started coughing more.

He talked a little more about Rookwood, saying "Nothing like what happened before will happen again".
And stuff like that, which was welcome, since we didn't want anyone else going through what Scarlet and Ivy went through.

Then he stopped ignoring us demigods, though not for long. He told us our room numbers:

Thalia, Annabeth, Piper-Room 15

Reyna and Hazel - Room 20

And he gave each of us a time table, and told us all the rules, which there seemed to be a million of. Scarlet looked half asleep, and Ivy looked sorry for us.

After he had finished droning on about rules, and about the school's image and all that stuff, we sat there in silence. None of us really wanted to speak, or knew what we should say.

"That is all. You may go."