The Great Hall pulsed with anticipation, the air charged with something beyond magic — expectation, almost electric. Candles floated above the long house tables, their golden flames trembling as though stirred by unseen hands. Overhead, the enchanted ceiling mirrored the night beyond the castle walls — an ocean of indigo streaked with drifting clouds and a watchful moon. Silver light spilled across the faces of hundreds of students, their voices weaving a low, restless hum that swelled beneath the high arches.