The knocking entered his awareness like a pebble against glass. Soft, persistent, and somehow already irritating.
Noah blinked awake to the dim stripe of dawn on his ceiling and let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
'Why is every day like this? Why can't I sleep without been woken up by a fucking knock? Is this dorm cursed or what?'
He swung his legs off the bed, padded across cool stone, and pulled the door open.
A second year student in a neat uniform stood ramrod straight in the hall, eyes flicking once to the new gold trim at Noah's collar before dropping.
"Professor Cecilia requests to see you before classes," the boy said. "Right away."
"Got it," Noah replied, voice dry.
He shut the door, stared at it for a moment, then turned to the bathroom.
Steam ghosted off the basin as he scrubbed sleep from his face.
