"Crap..."
"Should we press it?"
Sam was referring to the big blue button that would connect to a reception somewhere, and no doubt to unavoidable punishment.
"What's the punishment for breaking the curfew, again?"
We all looked at each other, but apparently no one knew.
"I'll try to find it in the guidebook, just give me a sec." Pim volunteered.
"Ah, I really want to sleep right now..." I felt like crying.
"I think I got it. Let's see, punishments for infractions... curfew... curfew... curfew... there it is. Punishments for breaking the curfew can vary widly depending on the context, but it is usually between level 2 and level 4 Corrective Actions..."
"And what are those?"
"Level 2 is detention for a week."
We all flinched.
"And level 5?" Fred asked, bearing our hope.
"...Level 4 includes several punishments, including fees in Contribution Points, detention for 2 months, obligatory social service, obligatory assistance during classes, and many others. Oh this is bad."
"Oh this is super bad." Fred started to freak out. "What am going to do without my free time?"
Fred was worrying about some weird things...
"It said it depended on the context, so let's just press the button and get it over with." I said.
"Wait, wait. What if we do get some massive punishment to make us examples for others? It's the first day! What would you do if you caught your students breaking rules on the very first day of class?" Now it was Sam who was freaking out.
I shuddered at the thought. If I was a professor... I wouldn't let it go easily, for sure.
"Do you have a better idea?" Pim intervened.
"Okay, just hear me out. At what time does the curfew end?"
Pim frowned and then answered.
"Should end at around 500. Why? You're not planning on-"
"Staying the night out, yes. We find a place to sleep, wake up before curfew, and then go back inside before anyone knows we left."
"Wha-"
"That's-"
"What a great idea!" The unknown voice of a man was heard from somewhere.
"Right? It's our- hold up, who the hell said that!?!?" Sam jumped in fright into Fred's arms.
"It's a great shame to interrupt such a moment of pure ingenuity! Mhahahah! Not only are they stupid, but they are stupid and bold. And that is a very dangerous combination indeed."
No one could recognize the voice or where it came from.
"W-where are you?! Come out already!"
"Why, I am right here, there's no need to shout." A man draped in an indigo cloak appeared from thin air, right besides us.
I jumped back in fear once I saw his silhouette from the corner of my eye. He had literally appeared from nowhere. Was he using an invisibility cape, perhaps?
"W-w-who are you?!" Sam clearly had more things to worry than his natural shyness.
He took his hood off to show his face. It was almost as dark as the night, with a grizzled beard and deep-set eyes. He stood taller than even Fred, at least 180cm.
"You can call me Lord Tkuruí. I received a notification of some students standing in front of building number 2 after curfew on their very first day of class, so I decided to come and take a look. Mhahahah. Sigh, it's a shame but I'll have to stop your incredible plan of spending the night under the stars. From what I surmiss, you hurried off to buy groceries before curfew but returned too late, is that right?"
Pim recovered before anyone else:
"That's correct, my Lord. We had forgotten about doing groceries after it was already too late, but none of us wanted to spend a week without toilet paper."
"MHAHAHA! Yes, I can see why that would be hard to bear! Mhahah! Well, since that's the case, off you go then."
We all stood upright at his words.
"Beg your pardon?" Pim was confused.
"Off you go, I said. I'll open the doors for you, so hurry inside."
"B-But..."
"You're worried about the punishment, lad? Forget about it— it's a small matter. Just hurry on while I'm being lenient." He brushed us off with his hand.
"T-thank you, my Lord." I thanked him and dragged the stunned Sam inside.
""Thank you, my Lord."" Said both Pim and Fred.
"Yeah, yeah. Just make sure this doesn't happen again, son of Dotson."
"Yes, m'Lord. It won't."
...
With a sliding sound and a silent 'thud', the glass door closed behind us. On the other side, only the dark of the night to give the stars some company.
"We were spared." Sam lifelessly collapsed to the ground.
"Thanks to Dotson here, it seems." Pim jokingly slapped Fred on the back, to which he replied with a dry smile.
"Did you know the old man?" I asked.
"...No."
"Huh. Well, he clearly knew you." Sam said.
And that's how my first day at the National Academy of Magic came to an end.
...