31st December – Night

  Mrs. Elizabeth met Daniel first, and together they walked toward the U.S. Army port under a pale moon.

  At the gate, Daniel stopped.

  “This is an army port! If they catch us, we’ll be arrested!” he whispered, glancing nervously at the guards.

  Mrs. Elizabeth smiled. “Don’t worry, Daniel. Just stay close to me.”

  Hesitant but curious, Daniel stepped forward. Soldiers stood like statues by the entrance, yet none turned their heads. No one noticed them at all.

  “Wait… they can’t see us?” he asked in disbelief.

  “Exactly,” Mrs. Elizabeth said. “You’re beginning to notice.”

  Reluctantly, Daniel followed. As they passed through the gates unnoticed, his fear gave way to awe. Inside, Mrs. Elizabeth had already arranged a pile of supplies — sweaters, spellbooks, a trunk, even a small pet cage.

  “Why do you have all this?” he asked.

  “They’re for you, of course,” she replied with a wink.

  Before he could respond, Daniel noticed dozens of children at the docks — some clutching pets, some carrying heavy trunks, others laughing nervously.

  “Who are all these kids?” Daniel asked. “What are they waiting for?”

  Mrs. Elizabeth’s eyes twinkled. “A ship.”

  A few minutes later, the crowd gasped and pointed toward the water.

  Daniel looked but saw only waves shimmering under moonlight. “There’s nothing there!”

  Mrs. Elizabeth’s voice softened. “That’s because you haven’t crossed into our world yet. Only when you truly belong to magic will your eyes see it.”

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  She took his hand gently and stepped forward. Suddenly, a massive outline shimmered into existence — an enormous ship, sleek and glowing faintly blue. The emblem on its hull read: Arcanmere Voyager.

  Daniel’s mouth fell open. “That… that wasn’t there a second ago!”

  “Magic hides what the unready shouldn’t see,” she said with a smile.

  Once aboard, Daniel’s jaw nearly hit the floor. The ship’s deck gleamed like glass, chandeliers floated from above, and spiral stairs curved up to glowing balconies.

  “This… this can’t be real,” he murmured.

  Mrs. Elizabeth smiled. “Get used to it. Magic makes the impossible, possible.”

  A sudden horn echoed. The ship lurched and plunged straight into the sea.

  Daniel screamed. “We’re sinking!”

  “Calm down,” Mrs. Elizabeth said firmly. “Trust the ship.”

  Thirty minutes later, Daniel opened his eyes to find calm, clear waters all around. Outside the windows shimmered tropical stars.

  He gasped. “Where are we?”

  “North Sentinel Island,” Mrs. Elizabeth replied. “Near India.”

  “India?!” he exclaimed. “That fast?”

  She simply smiled. “Speed is relative in magic.”

  Nearby, a girl whispered a spell, and a piece of candy floated like a tiny firefly. Daniel stared, wide-eyed.

  Mrs. Elizabeth chuckled. “Don’t worry, Daniel. You’ll learn soon.”

  A final siren rang. Students rushed to gather their luggage. Daniel grabbed his trunk.

  “Did we… reach?” he asked.

  Mrs. Elizabeth nodded. “Yes, Daniel. Welcome to Arcanmere.”

  A chill breeze swept across the deck as they stepped out. Ahead, the moonlit island glimmered — wild forests, mountains, and at the heart of it all, a towering castle rising through silver mist.

  Older students passed easily through an invisible barrier surrounding the grounds. But when Daniel and the other first-years tried, it felt like hitting solid glass.

  Mrs. Elizabeth raised her wand. “Form a line, children. The wall is simply testing you.”

  Golden light rippled across the barrier. One by one, students stepped through as the spell shimmered. When Daniel’s turn came, he took a deep breath and crossed — and the wall melted around him like liquid sunlight.

  Beyond the barrier, a muddy path led toward the gates where several enchanted carts waited, each drawn by two silver-horned unicorns.

  Daniel whispered, “Are those… unicorns?”

  Mrs. Elizabeth smiled. “Yes. They’ll take us the rest of the way.”

  He climbed into the first cart with Mrs. Elizabeth, a bright-eyed girl, and a curious boy with messy brown hair. The unicorns lifted their hooves — and the cart soared gently into the sky.

  Daniel’s heart pounded. “We’re flying!”

  The others laughed and cheered.

  After a moment, Daniel turned shyly to them. “So… what are your names?”

  The girl smiled. “Scarlett Watson.”

  The boy grinned. “Tom Jones. You?”

  “Daniel Cruse.”

  Mrs. Elizabeth looked at him warmly. “You’ve already made friends. That’s a good start.”

  Daniel gazed out at the glowing towers ahead, the wind brushing through his hair. For the first time in his life, he felt it — a strange warmth that whispered one truth:

  He finally belonged.