"Come on, Sean," says a girl.

"Poppy -"

"Come on! Look, this one looks sad and lonesome like you. Make friends." And she pushes Sean and his own cup of water toward the sad and lonesome boy.

"- hello," says Sean, "I'm Sean, Manchester."

"-hello. Um, I'm Virgil.

Salvatore. I'm not from an enclave."

"Most people aren't. My parents said to always mention it introducing myself, sorry."

Nod.

"Do you- is it just you? Do you have any siblings?"

"I have some little ones, nobody close in age."

-nod.

"I'm sorry. Your parents are good, though? You feel- ready?"

"My parents are... fine."

"-yeah. My dad loved me a lot, but- love kind of collapses under the weight of preparing your kid for the Scholomance. Our house was like a fortress."

And there was that whole incident with Gail...

"The enclave's pretty safe. As things go. It's just..." Sean shrugs.

"Was it hard? Being the oldest."

"I don't know that having older siblings would be any better."

"Guess not.

What are you looking forward to?"

Who asks that question on day one of the Scholomance.

"I'm interested in learning more spells."

"It's awful, right, that most people are going to die?

I don't- I don't have any siblings. I'm sorry you do. I mean, I'm not sorry- I'm sorry."

"...thanks."

Yeah that seems about right.

"...see, this is why I was in the corner. Sorry your- Poppy- made you talk to me."

"It's not your fault. She's just like that."

"...I can make things disappear, little things. And fix them, and break them. I don't know what my affinity is exactly, but that's usually what I'm good at. So if you need any help with that, let me know."

"Thanks. I'm water affinity, it's kind of bad in here."

"-yeah. I'm thinking of going artificing- I'm good at repairs and little, fiddly things. With water, were you thinking alchemy?"

"Incantations. I mean, water's in a lot of potions, I guess, but then it's not water after that."

"Makes sense. It's the safer choice, anyway, I'm not sure why anyone without a really good affinity for it goes alchemy or artificing, if they don't have a death wish."

"Maybe if they hate languages?"

"I guess. What languages do you have so far?"

"English and French. They were going to put me in classes for more things but, uh, thought they'd better have me save it for here."