Rooming With Royals ✔️

The biting English wind whipped around Violet as she stepped out of the sleek black limo, her worn bag clutched in her hand. Before her, S. Sheffield Academy loomed, not a school, but a gothic castle, its ancient stone walls rising majestically against the grey sky. It was far grander, far more imposing than any place she'd ever seen.

"Violet, kiddo!"

A familiar, booming voice cut through the silence, and suddenly she was enveloped in a bone-crushing hug. Her Uncle Connor, his smile wide and genuine, pulled back, his tired eyes crinkling at the corners.

"Wow, kiddo, you've grown up a lot since I last saw you."

Violet managed a small, almost imperceptible smile. The last time they'd met was at her parents' funeral, a memory that still clung to her like a shroud. She nodded, muttering a quick "I missed you too," as he clapped her on the shoulder.

He led her through the massive gates, past students who inexplicably lowered their heads as they passed. Inside, the school was a maze of ornate hallways, each more lavishly decorated than the last. She barely registered his explanations, her gaze drawn instead to the striking portraits adorning the walls. Her uncle paused outside a grand oak door, pulling a set of keys from his pocket.

"I'm just going to grab something from my office. Wait here for me, alright?"

He disappeared, leaving Violet alone in the opulent corridor. Boredom gnawed at her, and her eyes drifted to another imposing door, identical to the one her uncle had entered. A flicker of curiosity, a rare spark in her usually guarded demeanor, urged her forward. Without thinking, she reached for the knob, a silent question forming in her mind: what lay behind this door?