When the school songs finally faded into silence, Sylas rose once more and announced the end of the banquet.
"Students, return to your dormitories in an orderly manner. Your Heads of House will lead the way."
Without older students to guide them, the professors themselves stepped down from the dais, their voices ringing out one after another:
"Phoenix House, follow me!"
"Thunderbird House, this way, don't fall behind!"
"Dragon House! Basilisk House! Over here!"
The cheerful chaos of youthful chatter filled the Great Hall again as the four groups gathered behind their professors.
Meanwhile, the rest of the faculty bid their goodnights to Sylas and Arwen before departing.
Galadriel and Gandalf, who both resided in the grand Mallorn Tree dwelling within the gardens, also left with gentle smiles.
As the hall emptied, Sylas offered his arm to his wife and walked with her through the softly lit corridor toward Amonsûr Tower, their private quarters.
Arwen's hand rested tenderly on her gently rounded belly. Her eyes glowed with warmth as she whispered,
"Sylas, the castle feels so alive now, with the laughter of children echoing through it. It's wonderful."
He smiled, adjusting his pace to match hers.
"I only hope they won't tire you out."
Arwen's pregnancy was nearing its second year, elven children grew slowly, and she would not give birth for many months yet.Had she not insisted, Sylas would never have allowed her to teach History of Magic this term.
"Of course not," she laughed softly. "Their laughter gives me strength. I think they'll keep the castle young forever."
Sylas said nothing, though his hand tightened protectively around hers.
Even though he knew how strong elven mothers were, Arwen could still outduel a troll if she wished, he could not help his worry. She, sensing it, only smiled and decided not to argue. Her grandmother Galadriel had already promised to share her lectures, so that Arwen could rest when needed.
Meanwhile, among the students…
The four houses followed their Heads like small flocks of ducklings through the grand staircases.
The dormitories of Phoenix House and Thunderbird House were high above the castle's main floors, reachable only through shifting staircases that twisted and rearranged themselves every few minutes.
Phoenix House was located on the eighth floor. Its entrance was marked not by a door, but by a portrait, a painting of a beautiful Silvan elf-maiden named Nyndall.
It was said that the most famous river in Lórien, the Nyndall Creek, was named in her memory. And even now, if one stood at the waterfall where it fell from the golden woods, one could still hear the faint echo of her song, the same song she had once sung as her heart broke.
There was a beautiful, yet tragic tale behind her name.
Long ago, Nyndall, known in older elven tongues as Nimrodel, was a proud and independent maiden who deeply loved Amuros, King of Lórien. But she refused his hand, for she could not forgive the Sindar and Noldor for bringing war and shadow into the tranquil lands of the Silvan elves. She spoke only her people's own tongue, even after Sindarin became the common speech of the Elves.
When the Balrogs of Moria awoke in the Third Age, fire and fear swept through the Golden Wood. Distraught, Nyndall fled alone, seeking peace beyond the reach of war. Amuros followed her, vowing never to abandon her again.
Near the Forest of Fangorn, Nyndall at last paused. She turned to him and whispered that she would marry him, if he could take her to a land untouched by sorrow.
Thus the two set out for Edhellond, the hidden elven haven by the southern shores of Belfalas Bay. But fate was cruel: they became separated in the white mountains, each searching for the other in vain.
When Amuros finally reached the port, he learned that the ship meant to carry them west had already departed. In despair, he leapt into the roaring sea to search for her, and was lost to the waves. Nyndall's fate remained unknown; some say she too perished, others that she wandered still, forever seeking her beloved.
In the years that followed, Lórien lost its king, and in time Celeborn and Galadriel were chosen to lead as Lord and Lady of the Golden Wood.
The portrait of Nyndall before them had been painted by Lady Arwen, imbued with enchanted memory to capture the grace and sorrow of that tale. When the first-year students approached, the elven maiden in the painting came alive, her painted eyes gleaming softly as she asked for the password.
Professor Edward stepped forward and spoke it. Nyndall inclined her head with an elegant bow, her voice like the whisper of a harp string.
"Welcome, little phoenixes. May your hearts burn brightly, and never lose their warmth."
To the astonishment of the new students, the elven girl in the painting asked for the password, and after Professor Edward answered, she gave an elegant bow.
The entrance hidden behind the portrait opened, and the new students, led by Headmaster Edward, entered the Phoenix Academy's common room.
The common room was spacious and comfortable, with soft red carpets covering the floor and gold-and-red sofas and chairs placed casually about. Phoenix patterns adorned the walls and ceiling.
A huge fireplace burned brightly, making the room warm and cozy, and a family of salamanders lived within the fire.
Headmaster Edward gave a brief introduction to Phoenix Academy and distributed the course schedules before leaving the common room.
The well-fed new students, yawning and growing drowsy in the warmth, went upstairs to find their rooms.
Meanwhile, Anlomir of the Dúnedain, Alanier the elf, and Adam Bailey the young wizard were assigned to the same dormitory.
They chatted excitedly about their magical day, and even their sleepiness seemed to fade away.
...
Similarly, in the other houses,
the Thunderbird students had their own tower; their dormitories were the tallest among the four houses. The door to the common room had a Thunderbird-shaped knocker that would only open if a question was answered correctly.
The common room beyond the door was predominantly blue, with a ceiling that resembled a starry night sky and a large floor-to-ceiling window offering a panoramic view of Hogwarts Castle. A branch of a Mallorn tree even extended through the window as decoration.
The Dragon House and Basilisk House, on the other hand, were located underground.
To reach the Dragon dormitory, one had to walk down a long corridor on the first floor and stop before a giant dragon statue near the kitchen.
The statue, carved entirely of stone, was incredibly lifelike, its body curled as if asleep.
However, if one rhythmically tapped the name "Smaug" on the dragon's head with a wand, the statue would come to life, moving aside to reveal an opening in the corner behind it.
If struck incorrectly, however, the statue would spew water, drenching the intruder completely.
Furthermore, if anyone deliberately vandalized or tried to force their way into the Dragon dormitory, the statue would attack, breathing fire from its mouth and smashing its massive tail against the wall.
Behind the dragon statue was a downward staircase, narrow enough for only one person to pass through at a time.
Descending through the opening led to the common room below.
The Dragon dormitory common room was decorated mainly in yellow and black, shaped like a dragon's cave. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, with a portrait of Smaug the Dragon hanging proudly on the wall.
In the portrait, Smaug looked immensely pleased and proud of the house he represented. He immediately took the students of Dragon House under his protection, fondly referring to them as his "little dragon cubs."
The Basilisk House dormitories were located deeper still, in the castle's basement. To reach them, one had to descend a spiral staircase to a round stone door. Hanging upon the door was a silver snake statue set with two emeralds for eyes.
The snake statue appeared alive, constantly flicking its tongue and hissing softly.
After giving the correct password, the door would open, leading into the Basilisk House common room.
The common room was luxuriously decorated in silver and green. Despite being underground, it did not feel cold, the ever-burning fire in the hearth filled the chamber with a steady warmth.
The student dormitories lay even farther below the common room, almost reaching the bottom of the Black Lake.
Through the crystal windows outside the dormitories, one could see the lake's dark waters, where schools of fish swam by, and occasionally, the massive shadow of the Kraken drifting past.
...
Stones PLzzz
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