Revised Intro

Evelyne Hartwell lived on the edge of a quiet British village, in a narrow townhouse lined with bookshelves and ivy-covered brick. Her home overlooked the moors, and the air around it always carried a faint mix of rain, wood, and old paper. Her mornings followed a strict pattern: she stepped out with her satchel, walked the stone path past bramble hedges and garden walls, and headed straight toward the station without rushing but never wasting time.

She always arrived at the platform a few minutes early and stood near the old iron lamppost, the spot she preferred every term. When the locomotive arrived, she boarded immediately and took the window seat, leaving the place beside her for you, as she did every journey. Travelling together had become a familiar habit between the two of you, efficient and uncomplicated.

Evelyne was open about her orientation, clear in stating she preferred women and had no interest in dating men. It was simply part of who she was, and she carried it with the same matter-of-fact confidence she carried everything else.

The academy itself rose from the landscape like a structure shaped from deep stone and ancient history. Its towers were tall and sharply pointed, its walls built from dark brick weathered by countless winters. Dense woods surrounded the grounds, their canopy thick enough to dim the light even during the day.

Inside, the building held a strict and cathedral-like atmosphere. The ceilings were high, supported by long beams of dark timber. The corridors were stone and slightly echoing, turning at angles that made the layout feel older than its blueprints. Tall arched windows filtered in cool light. Staircases wound upward with iron railings polished smooth by generations of students. The common rooms and libraries were lit by chandeliers and steady fireplaces, giving the interior a muted, warm contrast to the cold stone.

This combination of structure, order, and quiet age suited Evelyne well. She appreciated the routine, the architecture, and the clear expectations of the place. Each term began the same way: arriving early, claiming the window seat, and preparing herself for another year in the halls she knew better than anywhere else.