My heart was racing as I entered the ceremony hall. I had no idea what was happening, but the vision I'd seen of myself at the podium was about to come true. Or so I thought.
"Professor Silverstone, it's great to see you again after so long. Please join us!"
someone called out.
The professor nodded and walked forward, but not before giving us students a sharp look that meant, 'Go to your seats and don't hang around.'
It was the first time many students had seen Professor Silverstone. They were amazed by her beauty. She was truly stunning, almost otherworldly in her appearance.
"And now, for our final announcement," the speaker continued, "I'd like to introduce the representative of the first-year class. This student not only aced the practical magic evaluation but also scored perfectly on the theoretical exam."
The hall grew quiet as everyone waited to hear the name.
"Please give a round of applause for the first-year representative... Leon Ashworth!"
Complete silence fell over the hall. The students were too shocked to speak. Even I was surprised. I had thought my name would be called.
I wondered, 'What did those visions mean, then? Aren't they supposed to show future events?'
I looked at Vivienne, who was sitting next to me. She seemed just as surprised as everyone else.
"No way..." she whispered.
The hall soon filled with curious whispers.
"Did I hear that right? Isn't Leon Ashworth that crippled kid?"
"It must be a mistake. How could that good-for-nothing be the top-ranked student?"
"He must have bribed the professors," another student suggested.
The whole hall was in chaos until a loud voice boomed,
"SILENCE!"
It was the vice headmaster.
"There is nothing wrong with the first-year rankings. Now settle down!"
The hall grew quiet again, but the silence was heavy with disbelief. The students couldn't accept that Leon Ashworth, someone they thought was useless, had taken the top spot. Was he a hidden dragon, concealing his true powers all this time?
Step
Step
Leon Ashworth walked to the podium. He had black hair and blue eyes. He looked around, and for a second, our eyes met.
"Did our eyes just meet?"
"My name is Leon Ashworth, and I look forward to our three years together at Nerissa Academy." Leon spoke confidently.
He smiled, nodded at the vice headmaster, and left the stage.
"Ah... alright, let's have another round of applause for Leon Ashworth," the vice headmaster said. "And now, I'd like to give a speech myself."
Groans could be heard from the students. I glanced at Vivienne and was about to say something, but before I could...
"Uh... Vivi, I mean Vivienn-"
"I'm sorry, Aiden. Let's talk later. I have to go!"
And with that, she rushed off before I could reply. After enduring the vice headmaster's long and tedious speech, the ceremony ended.
"Classes will begin next Monday," he announced. "Class arrangements will be random. I hope you all focus on your studies."
As the students filed out of the hall, the air buzzed with excitement and confusion. The unexpected announcement of Leon Ashworth as the top student had thrown everyone for a loop.
I couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. On one hand, I was disappointed that my vision hadn't come true. I had been so sure that I would be the one standing on that podium. On the other hand, I was intrigued by Leon. Who was he? How had he managed to outperform everyone else?
As I walked out of the hall, I overheard snippets of conversations around me.
"I can't believe it," one student was saying.
"Leon Ashworth? The same guy who could barely cast a simple spell during our entrance exams?"
"Maybe he was hiding his true abilities all along," another suggested.
"Or maybe there's been some kind of mistake," a third chimed in. "I mean, how likely is it that someone like him could suddenly become a prodigy?"
I had to admit, they had a point. Leon's sudden rise to the top was suspicious. But then again, appearances could be deceiving. Maybe there was more to him than met the eye.
I tried to spot Vivienne in the crowd, but she was nowhere to be seen. Her sudden departure had left me feeling uneasy. Was she upset about the announcement? Or was there something else going on?
As I made my way back to the dormitories, I couldn't shake the feeling that something big was about to happen. The vision I had seen – the one of me at the podium – it had felt so real. But now, with Leon taking that spot instead, I wasn't sure what to think.
Were my visions unreliable? Or was there more to this than I realized?