Chapter Text
For as long as I can remember, my mother has been teaching and training me to follow in her footsteps - to achieve perfection. Her rules were the law and must be strictly followed. No one dared argue with her for she had always been right, and because of her, I performed magical feats that even competent adults had trouble doing. By the time I started high school, I was known as a prodigy for the next generation. I owed all of my successes to her and her rules.
My mother is always right. Therefore, she must be perfect.
Therefore, I must be perfect.
No matter what.
I stared at the mirror as I adjusted the purple sash tied around my waist. I made sure to center the gold clasp at the center and right below the lapel of my robes.
There, perfect… I thought. Night Raven was deep in traditions. What and how we dress reflected not only the school’s reputation but ourselves.
Well, almost perfect, I admitted.
I frowned again as I glanced up at my reflection. The thick black eyeliner was done perfectly and brought out the gray in my eyes, but that wasn’t the problem here. Tradition required students to wear the black ceremony uniform’s hood over their head from the beginning of the ceremony till the end when they arrive back at their respected dorm, but for some reason, doing so has made me look shorter. There wasn’t a rule about how tall one must be, so it obviously doesn’t bother me, of course, but still, the fact that I appeared to have lost a few centimeters still irked me.
I hope I don’t run into Floyd, I thought with a sigh. Ever since our first meeting last year, he made it his own personal mission to annoy me endlessly with his sea-based nicknames. Just yesterday, he proceeded to snatch a book I was reading, and I had to chase him around the entire library while he waved it over my head like I was some sort of kid.
I immediately took a deep breath and tried to calm the anger rising up from inside.
Maybe if I wore the shoes, it will make up the difference.
“Dorm Head Riddle, are you ready?” a voice asked as there was a knock on my door.
I looked up to see Trey’s glasses peeking in. He had dark circles under his eyes, but my main focus was on his green hair.
“Trey, put on your ceremony hood! School rule states that we must wear them until we finish the ceremony and arrive back to our dorm,” I ordered. My tone was irritated though reflecting back, perhaps a bit too irritated.
“Yes, dorm head. My apologies,” he said and hastily pulled the hood over his head. As soon he was done, I immediately calmed down. It was good to see that my vice head has some sense in him. Unlike the others here. I hope that this new batch of students would have the discipline to respect the rules of this dorm. I will not have anyone tear this dorm down like a house of cards.
“I’ll be down in a minute. Get the second and third years and have them meet me at the mirror,” I said. “Does everybody remember where they must stand in the line?”
“Of course,” Trey said, “And Cater has sent everyone a copy of what everyone needs to do afterward.”
If they just memorized it, they wouldn’t need it, I thought. However, Trey reasoned that the second and third years may be nervous and that having a backup was better in case of an emergency. I decided that I would rather them have those instructions ready to be shared rather than some foolish student mess up.
“Good, because if not, it is off with their heads,” I said darkly.
“Yes, Dorm Head Riddle,” Trey said. He looked as if he wanted to say something but merely nodded and closed the door.
As soon as he was gone, I grabbed my shoes. They were midnight purple with gold at the tips and heels. I had specifically requested for the heels to have an extra inch. Of course, it wasn’t because I was bothered by my height, but since there was no rule about it, I figured why not customize the shoes? Besides, the Queen of Hearts wore high heels, and I must embody her spirit as the head of her dorm.
After I pulled the shoes on, I quickly went to the mirror again. I straightened my back as my mother taught me, sucked in my stomach, and lifted my chest forward to give off an air of confidence.
There that should do it. I should be taller now with the added heels, though I don’t know if it was all in my head. I would ask for someone else’s opinion, but the thought of questioning Trey if I looked taller was a not-needed embarrassing conversation, especially now.
I glanced over at the clock in my room and was pleased to see that I finished with five minutes to spare as planned.
Tonight’s festivities were perhaps the most important. Not only was it the opening ceremony to welcome and sort the new Night Raven College students into their dorm, but as the current dorm head for Heartslabyul, it was my first ceremony. How I present will reflect who I am to the new students, and I must lead them by example.
Everything has to be perfect, I thought as I briskly walked over and reached for the doorknob.
No, everything will be perfect.