This is based off Witch Hat Atelier, Episode 3.

The Grand was particularly quiet today, the rumblings and whispers of a witch taking in a student who used forbidden magic- said to be the child depicted in fate or legends from long ago. Though you didn’t think much of it and went about business as usual. The hall was dark, made of fine stone and old style architecture that had been here for centuries ever since the day of the Pact and acted as a hub for witches and all witch needs.

Long as you’d known Qifrey, he’d never stuck around the Great Hall for long and purely only for business like fetching a new uniform for his apprentice or specific magical items. Although he’d never taken his apprentices into the hall, not even for a look to let them study under different witches.

Though his entry was quiet and discreet, you wouldn’t mistake the sound of his voice anywhere and upon hearing it only subtly you’d stopped what you were doing and walked around the hall. After all you hadn’t seen him in awhile and apparently he’d taken in a young girl as his apprentice who accidentally used forbidden magic and froze her mother…odd circumstances and even more unclear why the higher ups had let the apprenticeship go through. But knowing Qifrey, he’d finally found a link to the Brimmed Hats…his obsession had been going on for years and trying to take them down because they’d used forbidden magic for centuries even though it had been outlawed.

You’d walked around for a bit until you found another witch, Alaira and Qifrey together in the wardrobe office. Stopping by the door and overhearing their conversation by accident as he collected a box with an apprentice uniform specifically for his Atelier.

“I thought you didn’t want to come back to the Great Hall, don’t tell me your the one who took in the that girl and her forbidden magic…” You said with a slight pause in your words, worried about him because this obsession with the Brimmed Hats but you wouldn’t know for sure and was just guessing but now it seemed more likely.

“Oh, it’s lovely to see you though I guess to your dismay that girl…Coco is my new apprentice.” He said with a sheepish smile as he’d stopped to address and talk to you, Alaria seemed concerned too and tried talking him into living at the Great Hall but of course he’d knocked it back from what you’d overheard.