Naturally, Serina was the very first one up the following morning. She hopped out of bed with entirely too much energy for someone waking up at six in the morning, walked over to the nearest window, and pulled the curtains wide open. The sight of Hogwarts castle filled the frame, its towers filled with empty classrooms and sleeping students peaceful under the wash of the morning sun.

She grabbed the outfit she had picked out the night before, and disappeared into the bathroom for the next two hours.

Meanwhile, sometime during the Slytherin’s unnecessarily long bubble bath, Adam had snuck out of his room (making sure not to attract Leo’s attention, as the Gryffindor had become something of a pest since Allegra’s surprise kiss the night before), and hid in the comfort and safety of the kitchen, where cheese and crackers and coffee made up his breakfast.

The boy was wiping the crumbs from his lips when a message appeared on the blackboard across the room:

“Good morning, students! Hope you got some rest last night (though judging by the surveillance video it seems that wasn’t the case), as today you are to face one of your greatest challenges yet!

Please be ready to leave by 11 o’clock.

See you soon!”

Adam frowned at the board.
Ready to leave? LEAVE? They were… they were leaving the house?! This jail?! They were FREE?! Is this the real life?! Is this just fantasy?!