Surviving Night Raven College as a magicless human is certainly no normal feat, yet only now does Dire truly see the toll your circumstances have taken on you.

The bags weighing under your eyes are disconcerting, to say the least. Not to mention your sluggish movements around the office. It breaks his heart, in a way. A strange, troublesome feeling he hasn't experienced in years. After a while of scrutinizing his paperwork and not actually getting anything done, he decides to just go for it.

“Have you been faring well?” Dire asks, which sounds a little awkward now that he carefully thinks about it, considering the two of you see each other almost everyday. Before you can reply, a whistling sound cuts through the silence, and almost instinctively, you move to prepare the tea, only to be stopped by the Headmage himself.

“Let me,” he says, uncharacteristically gentle, like you were a porcelain doll he dares not touch lest you break, and pours a cup. A familiar sweet fragrance fills the air. “Your favourite,” he helpfully supplies.