The open books on their table had sticky notes, mainly red stuck on certain paragraphs to indicate that those were the lessons Mary was having a hard time with.

"Thank you for helping me out, senpai" She started taking the books that she'd bring back in the dorm. "If it weren't for your explanation I would have comprehended it differently and made a fool of myself" The redhead added a sheepish chuckle, she didn't expect Silver to go out his way offering to join her in the library.

Speaking of which, Silver had been yawning and willing himself not to snooze off the entire time. "Are you always this anxious about making a fool of yourself? And stop addressing me so formally, I'm not used to it" Silver stretched his arms and laid his head on the table after the books were taken.

A look of concern crossed Mary's face, "I even made you lose sleep over this–"

"No you didn't, I am always sleepy whether I got a full 8-hour or not plus Sebek and I have been busy this past week at night" Silver replied in a sleepy tone.

The person he mentioned, Sebek, was also in Mary's class but whenever she attempted a casual and polite conversation with him it would not end nicely and Sebek always pushed her away, stating he refused to get involved with someone like her.

"Thank you for the time today, Silver, I best be going" Mary stated, giving a quick head nod. She took her books and was ready to walk away.

A boy with wild, disheveled magenta hair and wine-red eyes came, he sported a wide playful grin as Mary almost stumbled backward but he quickly held her forearm to steady her. "Easy now," He glanced from her then to Silver whose sleepiness suddenly took a backseat and he was fully up again. "I was hoping to interrupt a moment but I guess I'm late to interrupt any"

Mary noticed the color scheme of the boy's uniform and the badge. "Savanaclaw..."

"Yep! I'm a second-year from Savanaclaw Dormitory! The home to the Beasts! Kidding! I'm Fenrir and you are the fawn! Nice knowing you!" Fenrir took her hand by force and shook it.

Silver walked away from the table they occupied, "We were just leaving, Fenrir" He past by the magenta-haired boy's shoulder. "Come on, Mary"

"Okay! Take care of yourself!" Fenrir waved and the smile was never lost to his face as he randomly picked up a book from the shelf, flipping it opened but not really reading the content.

Silver had a stern, unreadable expression until they got out of the library but soon he became perplexed as he neared the staircase and couldn't move his legs forward. "What the hell..."

The girl following behind noticed his demise, "Silver, what is the matter? Are you feeling sick?"

No he wasn't but his legs wouldn't move how he wanted it to, "Mary, just stay there–" Then he suddenly moved and tripped on the staircase.

"Silver! Hold on!" Mary let go of the books in panic, quickly descending the stairs to catch up with him but she ended up tripping as well and tangling her legs with his.

The two ended up at the bottom of the staircase, with Silver lying on top of the redhead. It was such a compromising position to be found in and he hoped no one would show up at the moment.

"Huh"

That short reaction was enough to make Silver lift his gaze and met the garnet eyes of Professor Crewel–their elegant teacher was reeking with murderous intent.

Mary hadn't noticed yet though, "Silver, are you okay? You didn't get hurt, did you?"

"Soon I might," Silver replied in a low voice, "Mary you shouldn't have done that..."

Pouts, "Why not? It's the proper thing to do!"

"You two planned on lying there all day?" Professor Crewel asked in a deep voice that could have shaken many boys' souls.

They quickly straightened up, forgetting about the aches in their bodies temporarily and stood meters apart from each other.

From afar while they were being scolded by Professor Crewel, someone had been watching and anticipating Silver's major injury after the fall but he was so disappointed and also annoyed because it didn't happen. Damn that fawn for her interference! He should have asked Fenrir to prevent her from leaving the library.

–

"Ahm, hello! How many fingers am I holding up?"

"She is fine, there is no need to ask silly questions"

"Why are you so grouchy?"

Ink felt better and light, there were no voices and her head was hers at the moment–no intrusive chorus of thoughts. Through her hazy vision she saw three figures watching her, the tallest was noticeably Phoenix and that ever-permanent scowl while the other two weren't familiar.

Rubbing her eyes and sitting up, Ink blinked. "Where am I? Did I finally wake from this awful nightmare?"

"Not exactly, you are still in it" was the sarcastic reply from Phoenix, her arms crossed over her chest.

It was hazy but the last thing she recalled was someone touching her shoulder and then she blanked out. But there was no complaint from her because she wasn't hearing stuff anymore.

"You were brought here, we were told you fainted due to fatigue so we didn't wake you yet" The explanation came from the shortest girl in the room at the moment.

Wow, is she for real? She looks and feels...peculiar. Ink thought, pertaining to the girl with long straight white hair and dual-colored eyes–one was yellow, the other was azure.

"He was tall, dark, and handsome" The third girl inside, this one has short charcoal black hair and ash-gray eyes, "He already left before I could ask for his name on your behalf"

Ink chuckled lightly, scratching her cheek. "It's fine, I'm sure he'll come clean if he really wants to be known" Albeit the small talk they already had the tension was conspicuous in the air–minus Phoenix, she didn't know these people.

The door swung open and inside was Headmaster Crowley followed by Sirius Oswald.

"Apologies for taking a while, this week is barely finished and random accidents are suddenly happening." The masked mage said, he went behind his mahogany table whilst his assistant stood on the side. "Welcome to Night Raven College, I didn't expect to have female applicants again for this school year but my Mirror of Darkness never became inaccurate and if it deemed you fitting to be here then be it. This might be a sign for me to make my school co-ed next school year. I'm Dire Crowley, your headmaster and he is Sirius Oswald" He gestured to the brown-haired man in his early 20s. "--he is my assistant, I will also be announcing your presence to the others tomorrow and for your dorm designation...you will be staying at Ramshackle Dorm." It would be a good idea to put them there, perhaps getting more members would make Ramshackle an official dorm again and participate in activities.

–

Mary felt kinda uncomfortable sitting on the table but she was too afraid to speak up so she sat there frigid and let Divus check her.

"No gashes, bruises, or any scratches, that's a relief" The Potions Professor sounded genuinely reassured to see that she didn't get hurt after witnessing the staircase fall. He pulled on the girl's cheek though but not too hard, "Be careful next time pup, and don't attempt any moves that will get you in an accident again!"

They were inside an empty classroom–where Potions and Alchemy Class were usually held. Good thing no one was around, it was a rather strange set-up to see their strict elegant teacher this overly worried towards the redhead.

Mary was slightly looking sullen. "But Silver could have gotten hurt bad, sir...really it was fine, I am okay" She wanted to add that he was being exaggerated but again, she was scared of voicing her thoughts.

"Isn't it too early for you to be thinking about boys?" Divus Crewel raised a brow, jumping to the conclusion that something was up between her and Silver. "That boy is no ordinary, he is in Diasomnia for a reason so you need not worry about him too much"

Turning flustered at the question, she vehemently shook her head. "No! I am not thinking about boys, sir!"

"Very good, you can adore some from afar but I suggest you do studies first, is that clear, child? I will not go soft on you in my classes, you better earn for the stars. And I will not accept a low score either" Divus pressed on, serious about wanting her to get an above-average grade. "Also mind your composure" He nudged her back.

Mary nodded and replied meekly, "Yes sir" Albeit there was pressure in everything he said, it rained down heavily on her.

A couple more pieces of advice and instructions later, Divus finally let the redhead go and she was glad to leave the classroom–her chest got restricted the whole time she sat there just nodding in agreement to everything said.

There were shrubs and flowers planted in the front yard of Ramshackle, it was a way to beautify the once abandoned dorm and make it livelier but those flowers although blooming largely, the ghosts found it puzzling that the colors were not showing up–all the flowers Mary planted last time were either black and gray. The petals were large but wrinkled despite being watered every day.

Mary was stunned upon entering Ramshackle, seeing new faces but only one struck familiarity at her. They were all in the living room with Grim standing on the coffee table with eyebrows furrowed.

Wide emerald eyes turned to dual-colored ones. "Snowdrop!!!" She spared no time glomping the petite pale-haired female.

"Mary, you mustn't" The reply was soft yet stern, a tone of finality in Vernie's tone as she made Mary pull away. "You cannot act so familiar with me" She added in a whisper.

With reluctance and a tinge of sadness, Mary pulled away. "Sorry" She wasn't able to control her joy of seeing the girl again that she forgot.

--

(A/N: More problems and troubles to come)