Through those doors , anything resembling a normal school disappeared , and he stepped into a perfectly landscaped , indoor park . Connor gasped ; a sentiment echoed by several of his peers . Paved paths navigated through dewy grass and over rolling hills . Brilliant flower beds framed clusters of benches , and fragrant fruit-bearing trees provided patches of shade . Sparkling , sapphire ponds , placid but for the occasional leaping fish , rested in the gentle dips between flowery knolls . Connor stood on his toes , trying to see where it ended — until the growing crowd shoved him forward .
A wall of dorm rooms lined the entrance side of the park . Freshman rooms made up the first floor , with sophomores and juniors on the second and third . Above the seniors ’ fourth floor , a clear skylight poured rays of sun into the atrium . Connor followed the wall skirting the boundary of the park . He reached the end only to find a stairwell in the corner and another row of rooms extending out into the distance . “ This place is huge ,” he murmured . He continued down the new row and peeked into the open doors as he passed . He saw kids unpacking , dozing , practicing spells — he lingered longest in those doorways — but no signs of Garrett . After what felt like a great deal of walking , he found room 107 with the door ajar .
Connor entered his room to find a squat orc , with a protruding lower jaw and a tangle of black hair , unloading crisply folded clothes onto a bed made with military neatness . He wore a nice , white shirt and a gray bowtie . Connor took a quick look down at his own wrinkled t-shirt and shorts and briefly considered changing .
“ I guess you ’ re my roommate ?” Connor asked , holding out his hand . “ I ’ m Connor .”