Half an hour away by car from the International DeckerFord School, deeper into the countryside, stood the Honored Disciple's Academy: another school for young magical users. The first one has been running longer, but for anything else the second one was considered superior in comparison.
Not anyone could enter at Honored Disciple's Academy; only the best witches and warlocks, after a hard entrance exam and if they were rich enough, maybe would have a chance. Humans and hybrids around campus were strictly forbidden, which had many radicals and conservative parents very pleased.
It's students, for academic activities, were required to wear an uniform which consisted on a black blazer, a white button down shirt, and a pair of black pants. Females were allowed to wear black or white low-heels sandals or ballet flats, and males had no choice but to wear formal lace-up shoes.
They even had more spaces to spend their free time like a small cinema, a playroom (with a ping-pong table, an air hockey table, a big variety of videogames, booths for karaoke and even a pool table) and a gym. The last one was popular among the most dedicated fighters, such as Maximilian Hamington, who was doing pull-ups non-stop.
His best friend, Jesse Theodore, was just a few steps away training his muscles in one of the machines. He wasn't as passionate as Maximilian about exercise, but wanted to accompany him anyways. On the background sounded 'Je suis malade' by Lara Fabian on the radio, and even if it was a weird song to listen to at the moment, no one dared to change it or say anything about it until…
"What's that sh*tty song!?" A newcomer dared to say.
A frown was already forming on Maximilian's face, and it wasn't because of the physical effort he was making on the pull-ups. Jesse hoped the newcomer went away already for his own sake, but the fool walked up to the radio and changed the station to what sounded like some German's commentators.
Crap.
Maximilian stopped his pull-ups and walked towards the newcomer, who obliviously decided to turn-off the radio altogether. The former then turned it on again and changed back the station, to the newcomer's confused stare, but the song had already ended and another one was playing.
"The f*ck you think you..."
He suddenly grabbed the newcomer by his shirt's collar and pushed him against the wall harshly. No one at the gym batted an eye at this.
"Next time I'll break your neck, you worthless piece of horse crap" Maximilian warned him "Don't let me see your stupid face again".
The newcomer didn't dare to defy him: he was taller, stronger and meaner. One common knowledge at the gym was that, when Maximilian was there, he owned the radio. No one could touch it, nor criticize his station choices.
The only reason Maximilian didn't go through his threat was because poor newcomer seemed like a sixth grader (new student) so he probably still didn't know how social pyramid in this academy worked. Maximilian, in spite of being only almost a 14-year-old warlock, had an imposing figure and was considered a brilliant student among the most brilliant. He even was an academic-year more advanced (being in eighth grade instead of seventh).
"We should've gone out running instead" Jesse commented when Maximilian came close to him "Next month will start getting cold as f*ck and we'll be locked in".
That's right. Almost all year the weather was Antarctic-cold, only from May to August were barely bearable. Maximilian didn't think he'll get used to it ever.
"I hate cold" He practically whispered.
"On the other side, Katya must be happy now that she can wear her puffer coats" Jesse said, shaking and raising his shoulders as if mocking the girl.
Why his friend felt the need to mention that Russian, detestable girl? Maximilian had met before a couple of Russian magic users and they all seemed kind of weird and too frozen-faced even for his standards. Ice surely ran in their blood.
Both boys took a shower no long after, changed into their uniforms and went to their room. Yes, they were roommates for a year now, which explained why they became friends in the first place when neither of them were remotely friendly. Maximilian took out a book from his small library to re-read it, and Jesse sat at his desk to study.
"Aren't you going to prepare for tomorrow's classes?" Jesse asked when he noticed his friend lying on his bed.
"I'm just gonna read a chapter. Don't think I can slack".
"With how hard the teachers are, that's not a possibility".
Maximilian read a chapter and a half of his book and then studied, content with his life. But peacefulness didn't last long, because the next day their homeroom teacher made an announcement that left him speechless:
"I'm just telling you this to avoid future false claims and complaints from some of your parents, as I already know they will come. Also I remind you this institution isn't responsible for the current situation, and neither I, the school board or Principal Odermatt will be going to receive any form of comments, suggestions or anything pertaining the issue. International DeckerFord School, or moreover their school board, have decided to take in a special student with a rare condition called hybridism..."
There was a short silence before the classroom flooded with confusion, questions and even outrage. Their parents paid a ton of money to get them away from pests, and now they have one just half an hour away? Meanwhile Maximilian wasn't the least surprised, but just as disgusted as almost everyone else.
His father crossed the line this time. He dared to bring that weakling back into their lives, who didn't even have anything to do with them.