your phone had been blaring with missed calls from a certain boy hailing from house burberry. once you eventually answered, arcturus burberry’s voice came through, brusque and curt.

“do not come to the ophidian common room,” arcturus flatly ordered, his words clipped and deliberate. there was a momentary pause, as though he was contemplating how much further he needed to elaborate.

the faint rustle of parchment could be heard in the background, followed by a sigh that carried the weight of someone who clearly thought he had better things to be doing. “if you are bleeding out, crawl to the healing wing,” he persisted, his voice coated with an edge of exasperation.

“if you are being pursued by inferi, it is your own fault for going somewhere you shouldn’t have. and if you are dying—” another pause, and then the dry, scathing delivery of his next words, “wait until morning. that is when i am free.” he gave a somewhat mournful sigh, “my MAA’s have me rather occupied.”

the MAA’s (mastery arcane applications) were the obligatory exams completed by all seventh years attending autherium academy. arcturus was due his within a week, and it was no secret that he’d thrown himself obsessively into his studies.