After entering the castle, Daniel and the other first-year students followed the senior guides into the Great Hall. The moment they stepped inside, everyone gasped in awe. The ceiling sparkled with floating lanterns, the marble floors reflected the warm light, and banners of four different colors hung proudly from the walls.

  Daniel’s eyes widened.

  “Whoa… this place is huge,” he whispered to his friend Tom.

  Tom nodded, just as stunned. “It looks even bigger inside than outside!”

  There was a massive crowd gathered—students talking, laughing, and whispering nervously. Suddenly, the noise stopped. An old professor with long white hair and a silver beard walked slowly to the front. His presence alone demanded silence.

  “Welcome, new students,” the professor said in a deep yet calm voice that echoed through the hall. Everyone fell completely still, captivated by his tone.

  Daniel looked around, searching for Mrs. Elizabeth. He spotted her standing near the teachers’ table beside the old professor, smiling proudly at the new students.

  The professor raised his hand and spoke again,

  “Now… it is time for your House Selection.”

  He waved his wand, and a bright circle of blue light formed in the middle of the hall. A portal slowly opened, swirling with golden sparks.

  “Everyone, form a proper single line,” he instructed.

  The students hurried to obey. Daniel found himself far back in the line, trying to catch glimpses of what was happening. One by one, students stepped through the portal wearing normal clothes—and came out the other side with cloaks of different colors.

  Daniel leaned forward to get a better look. “Wait, what’s going on?”

  Tom, who was ahead of him, whispered back, “I think the portal chooses your house. Look at their cloaks!”

  Daniel noticed that there were four kinds of cloaks:

  Crimson and gold,

  Golden yellow,

  Deep violet and black,

  Silver and dark green.

  Each cloak seemed to represent a different house. Excitement rushed through him.

  “I wonder which one I’ll get,” he muttered, his heart pounding faster.

  Finally, it was his turn. He took a deep breath and stepped into the glowing portal. For a moment, everything went silent and dark. Then a deep, echoing voice filled his ears.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  “Which house will you choose, Daniel? Dracorus, Aurivex, Nihilara, or Drakthyr?”

  Daniel froze. “W–what? I don’t understand…” he said nervously.

  The voice continued, firm but warm.

  “You are strong, pure-hearted, and brave… You belong to Dracorus.”

  Before Daniel could reply, the portal’s light flared. In the blink of an eye, he found himself standing back in the Great Hall—wearing a crimson and golden cloak.

  Tom ran up to him, grinning. “Dracorus! That’s amazing! You’re in the same house as me!”

  Daniel smiled, still a bit dazed. “Yeah… I guess the portal made its choice.”

  Mrs. Elizabeth and the other teachers clapped their hands with pride from across the hall. The banners of Dracorus shimmered brightly as Daniel joined his new housemates, excitement and curiosity burning in his eyes for what was yet to com

  Suddenly, Scarlett came running toward Daniel and Tom, tears glimmering in her eyes. Before either of them could say a word, she threw her arms around them and began to cry.

  “Scarlett!” Daniel said, startled but smiling softly. “What happened”

  She stepped back, wiping her eyes. Her new cloak shimmered deep violet and black—the mark of House Nihilara.

  “Oh no…” she said shakily. “You two got into Dracorus, and I’m a Nihilara student now! I wanted to be with you, Daniel… with both of you!”

  Tom gave her a reassuring grin. “Hey, don’t cry. It’s just different houses, not different worlds.”

  Daniel nodded, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Yeah, Scarlett. We’re still friends—no portal or house can change that.”

  Both Daniel and Tom said together, smiling, “Don’t worry, Scarlett. We’re friends now, and we’ll always be friends.”

  Scarlett looked at them, her tears turning into a shy laugh. “You two better not forget that.”

  Tom chuckled. “Not a chance.”

  The three of them stood there for a moment, surrounded by the cheers and colors of their new houses—but in that moment, it didn’t matter where they belonged. What mattered was that their friendship had just become something even stronger.

  Just as the three friends were talking, a group of boys entered the hall, laughing loudly. Each of them wore a golden-yellow cloak, their confidence radiating like sunlight. The one leading them stopped right in front of Daniel, Tom, and Scarlett.

  He smirked. “Well, well… look what we have here. Dracorus and Nihilara students, huh? Poor kids from the lower houses.”

  Tom frowned immediately. “And who are you supposed to be?”

  The boy chuckled softly, brushing a strand of blond hair from his face. “I’m Light. Light Parker. And these—” he gestured to the boys behind him “—are my friends. We belong to the richest and most prestigious house in Arcanmere.”

  Daniel raised an eyebrow. “And which house is that?”

  Before Light could answer, Scarlett spoke quietly, recognizing the colors. “Aurivex House…”

  Light turned to her with a grin. “Smart and beautiful. You’d fit in better with us, you know. But sadly…” He stepped closer and smirked. “…we don’t waste time talking to the poor.”

  Scarlett stepped back, uncomfortable, while his friends laughed. One of them winked at her and said, “We’ll see you again soon, beautiful.”

  Tom clenched his fists, his voice filled with anger. “Unbelievable. They’re so proud of their money they forget what manners are.”

  Daniel nodded. “Yeah… arrogance runs deep in Aurivex, I guess.”

  Then they noticed Scarlett had gone quiet. Her face was slightly red, her eyes lowered.

  “Hey, Scarlett, what’s wrong?” Daniel asked softly.

  She hesitated before speaking. “They were… flirting with me.”

  Daniel sighed and tried to lighten the mood. “Forget them. Guys like that talk big but think small.”

  Tom added with a smirk, “Exactly. Let them brag about their gold—we’ve got something they don’t.”

  Scarlett looked up curiously. “And what’s that?”

  Daniel smiled. “Real friends.”

  Scarlett finally smiled, the tension fading as the three of them walked toward their tables—ready for whatever challenges their new houses would bring.