MTLNOVEL Chapter 22: The First Morning
The golden morning light filtered softly through the lace curtains as Eira stirred from sleep. Wrapped in the warmth of her cotton pajamas, she blinked against the sunlit glow that filled her dorm room. Her gaze flickered to the small, antique clock on the wall—7:00 a.m.
She stretched gently, still drowsy from her first night at Beauxbatons, and slipped out of bed. Grabbing her toothbrush, shampoo, and a clean towel, she padded quietly down the corridor. At the far end of the floor, the marbled entrance to the large bathhouse gleamed in the morning light.
As she stepped inside, the scent of floral soaps and warm steam greeted her. But what made her pause mid-step was the unexpected sight of the same Veela girl from yesterday—wrapped in a towel that clung to her wet skin, her silvery-blonde hair dripping down her back. Though mostly covered, parts of her glistening figure remained visible, and for a long second, Eira just stood frozen, wide-eyed and blushing furiously.
The girl didn't even glance at her. She walked past without a word, as if Eira were invisible, and exited the bathhouse with an air of indifference. Embarrassed, Eira quickly darted into the nearest private bath chamber and shut the door behind her, heart pounding.
Sliding into the warm water, she tried to relax, but her mind replayed the image she had just seen—again and again. Her cheeks reddened even deeper.
"What was she doing in the first years' bath? She's definitely older—fourteen, maybe fifteen."
She sighed and sank deeper into the water, letting it rise to her chin.
"It's not like I'm a child," she tried to reason with herself. "Mentally, I'm still sixteen. Just…in an eleven-year-old's body. It's not that strange, is it?"
The thought made her cringe.
With a groan, she covered her face with both hands and muttered, "Ugh. It's my first day of school, and I already have a crush. What is wrong with me?" She tried to laugh it off, but the lingering heat in her face betrayed her unease.
"It's probably the Veela charm," she told herself sternly. "It's not your fault. It's like magic pheromones. Completely understandable."
Then, a beat later: "Stop it, Eira. Don't try to justify it. That makes you sound like a criminal."
After a long, steamy shower filled with far too much overthinking and self-reprimanding, Eira finally stepped out, dried off, and returned to her room. She brushed out her long hair slowly, regaining her composure, and pulled on her uniform—sky blue with silver embroidery, elegant yet simple. As a final touch, she spritzed on the required school perfume: a light, moonflower scent that hung delicately in the air. Regulation or not, she rather liked it.
Once ready, she headed down toward the Ombrelune dormitory's hall. The space was already buzzing with activity, filled with the soft clink of cutlery and the hum of early morning chatter. Girls in matching uniforms sat around round tables, enjoying breakfast under the soft chandeliers.
"Good morning, Eira!" a cheerful voice called out behind her.
She turned to see Mai Saint-Clair, smiling brightly as she approached with her usual graceful bounce.
"Did you sleep well last night?" Mai asked. "It's your first official day, after all."
Eira returned the smile warmly. "Good morning, Mai. Yes, I slept wonderfully. Thank you for asking. Is breakfast always served here? Or do we go to that big hall from last night?"
Mai laughed lightly. "Oh, that's called the Star ⭐️ Hall. It's only used for ceremonies and special events. Meals are usually taken here, in your dorm's hall, with other members of your House. So come on—let's grab something."
Eira followed her to a buffet-style table where students helped themselves to fresh croissants, buttered bread, fruit, porridge, cheeses, and a selection of juices. She took a plate and filled it modestly—some strawberries, a warm brioche roll, and a glass of orange juice.
As they sat down to eat, the prefects came around handing out slips of parchment—the class schedules.
Eira took hers eagerly and scanned it. "I have Potions this morning… and it's a joint class?"
Mai leaned over to peek. "Oh yes, for first and second years, the classes are held together. Later, from third year onward, you get to choose your subjects and they split us up more."
She stirred her tea before continuing. "You're lucky, though. There's a new Potions professor this year. The previous one left for maternity leave. The replacement is apparently quite serious—she was sitting beside Headmistress Maxime during the ceremony. I think she's from the Voclain family. You've probably heard of them—they're practically royalty in potioncraft and alchemical beauty products. Some of the perfume blends we wear were originally designed by Voclain witches."
Eira's eyes widened with curiosity. "So we might actually get to learn some really good stuff?"
Mai nodded. "Hopefully! Though I heard she doesn't tolerate misbehavior. Very strict."
After finishing her breakfast and chatting a bit more with Mai, Eira excused herself politely. She returned to her dorm room, packed her textbooks, quills, and notebook carefully into her satchel, and took a deep breath.
Her first day at Beauxbatons had officially begun with a class that her talents points aren't great .