On the day Lyra and Astrid went to Elizabeth Academy of Magic to submit their graduation applications, the snow in the capital city wasn't as heavy as the previous night's blizzard, but endless white flakes still drifted down onto Lyra's head. The snow on the ground hadn't melted yet, and her shoes crunched with every step, "crack, crack, crack."
Lyra's most vivid memory of that day was probably handing the parchment with her graduation intentions to the head teacher, witnessing the surprise on his face, and then spending the afternoon at the Purple Dragon Restaurant, sipping tea while keeping Astrid company as they watched the snowflakes glisten outside the window, melting bit by bit at their edges, such a warm, peaceful scene.
It was perhaps the second greatest turning point in her life, second only until when she took the entrance exam for Elizabeth Academy of Magic.
