his seat and resisted the urge to ask if they were there yet for the hundredth time . Instead , he opted for something specific . " Where exactly is this school ?" " In a forest in the middle of nowhere , obviously ," his mom replied . She pointed to a looming expanse of green on the horizon . “ Not long now .”
They reached the outskirts of the forest and entered through an archway formed by two thick-boled trees . The leaves showed the golds and reds of autumn , yet the forest looked lush , as though no leaf had yet fallen , and none planned on it . The archway extended deep into the forest , a winding , natural tunnel . The trees ’ perfect symmetry belied their magical nature . Connor peered deep into the endless woods with wide eyes , not wanting to miss a thing . Outdoorsy stuff rarely appealed to him , but magic outdoorsy stuff ? He could get behind that . His mom chuckled at her son ’ s sudden silence .
" These woods are magic , you know . Enchantments on the forest are the school ’ s first line of defense . Anyone who goes in not knowing what they ' re looking for has a way of getting themselves turned around . It ’ s very old magic ."
Old , new , in between , Connor didn ’ t care . He was ready to learn all the magic there was .
After several minutes in the verdant tunnel , they emerged into an open expanse surrounding a rounded hill , and Connor got his first look at his new school . A tall , gray , cement block , peppered with windows , stood at the center of a sprawling assortment of similarly dull structures , each attached to the main building in odd , unappealing angles , like afterthoughts . An open-air amphitheater , closer to the size of a professional football stadium than a school facility , rested at the bottom of the hill next to the school . The school didn ’ t look magical , but