The teenagers gazed up in awe at the formidable statue that strikingly resembled Ben's father in his beastly form. With a confident clap from Ben, the statue stirred to life, emitting a deep, resonant growl that echoed through the courtyard. Startled, Carlos let out a shriek and instinctively leaped into Jay's waiting arms.

Noticing Carlos's apparent fright, Ben quickly clapped again, a swift double-tap that seemed almost rehearsed. The stone beast underwent a magical transformation, smoothing and reshaping into the younger, human form of the Beast as a prince. Carlos's tension visibly eased as the figure before them softened.

Erendil watched with narrowed eyes, his mind whirring with thoughts. So, even the villains are afraid of something, he mused silently, a smirk playing at the edge of his lips.

"Carlos, it's alright," Ben assured, his voice carrying across the small gathering. "My dad wanted his statue to be able to shift from beast to man as a reminder to us all that anything is possible."

Mal, intrigued by the spectacle, quipped with a playful curiosity, "Does he shed much?"

"Yes," Ben responded, his face deadpan as if sharing a state secret. "My mom won't even let him on the couch."

The light exchange drew a shared smile between Mal and Ben, a moment of levity that seemed to briefly lighten the mood. Erendil, observing the interplay, couldn't help but smile to himself. Looks like more blossoms are blooming tonight, he thought, the romantic undertones of the evening not lost on him as he sensed new relationships beginning to take root under the auspices of their extraordinary surroundings.

As they moved further into the castle, Erendil glanced back and saw Jay quietly ushering Carlos to catch up with the others. They entered a hall with soaring ceilings and ornate trees carved into the walls, the engravings shimmering in the light. "So you have a lot of magic here in Auradon?" Mal asked. "Like wands and stuff?"

"Yes, there's certainly magic, but it's mostly retired," Ben replied. "Most of us here are just ordinary mortals." Mal looked over at Erendil who was walking a bit ahead of them since he wanted to avoid any overhearing by Audrey. "Except for the immortals among you, then," she added.

Erendil glanced over his shoulder and replied, "I'm only immortal because my parents are, but yes, that's true." He smirked, "And some of us are royalty."

"That's true!" Audrey interjected snobbishly, looping her arm through Ben's over his shoulder. "Our royal blood goes back hundreds of years." She gazed adoringly at Ben.

Erendil met Ben's eyes, and he stepped up, gently took Audrey's arm, and spun her around in a circle, effectively detaching her from Ben. He smiled at his best friend. "Doug!" he then called out to a nerdy boy with thick glasses descending the stairs. The boy wore a blue and gold band uniform and carried a clipboard. "Doug! Doug, come on down!" Ben patted Doug on the shoulder. "This is Doug," he announced. "He'll help you with your schedules and show you the rest of the dorms." He looked directly at Mal. "We'll catch up later, okay? And if you need anything at all, you're welcome to..."

"Ask Doug," Audrey cut in, laughing artificially and pulling Ben away.

Erendil rolled his eyes and nodded to Doug, who nodded back. Mal turned to him. "Aren't you going with those lovebirds?" she asked.

Erendil shook his head. "I might have stopped Audrey from possibly strangling her prince, but I've been seen with you guys," he leaned back against a pillar beside him, "I might as well be your bodyguard," he joked, easing the tension with a light-hearted remark.

Doug flashed a grin at the group, his demeanor shifting between professional and playfully charming. "Hey, everyone," he began, his voice tinged with a hint of excitement. "I'm the son of Dopey—as in," he paused, ticking off the names on his fingers like he was recalling a well-loved but often forgotten song, "Dopey, Doc, Bashful, Happy, Grumpy, Sleepy, and..." His eyes met Evie's, who gave him a knowing look. "Heigh-ho," he finished, his cheeks coloring slightly under her intense, scrutinizing gaze.

Evie leaned in close, her voice low and sultry. "Evie. Daughter of the Evil Queen." She twirled a lock of her hair around her finger, her eyes locked on Doug in a flirtatious challenge. At this, Erendil couldn't help but snort, drawing a glance from both.

Regaining his composure, Doug quickly shifted the conversation back to business. "So, regarding your schedules," he said, pulling up a clipboard that seemed to hold the weight of the world. "I've already inputted the requirements. We've got History of Woodsmen and Pirates, Internet Safety Regulations, and," he coughed slightly, embarrassed, "Remedial Goodness 101."

Mal, lounging casually against a wall, unwrapped a piece of candy and popped it into her mouth, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Let me guess..." she mused aloud, the candy crunching between her teeth, "new class?"

Doug gave a sheepish nod, his earlier confidence waning under Mal's scrutinizing stare. The girls then turned their attention to Erendil, who sighed deeply, a look of resignation washing over him. "I tried to get it removed," he admitted, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "But the Fairy Godmother insists you need it."

Mal exhaled a long, dramatic sigh, her eyes trailing up the grand staircase. "Let's find our dorms," she declared, leading the way with a determined stride. Carlos, Jay, and Evie quickly fell into step behind her, a motley crew of mischief and reluctant excitement.

"Oh! Yes, your dorms are that way, guys," Doug called out, pointing in the opposite direction. But Erendil, with a respectful nod to the young prince, chose to follow Mal and her friends instead, intrigued by what awaited them upstairs.

They entered a dorm that was an explosion of light and airiness, sunlight streaming through windows and dancing on the white four-poster beds adorned with pink pillows. Floral curtains fluttered as if alive in the gentle breeze. The room seemed designed to dazzle.

Evie's eyes sparkled with unbridled joy at the sight, while Mal's face scrunched up in obvious distaste. "Wow," Evie cooed. "This place is so wonderful..."

"Gross," Mal countered sharply, her voice dripping with disdain.

Evie quickly mirrored Mal's grimace, flipping her stance. "Incredibly gross. Yuck!" Yet, when Mal looked away, a secretive smile flickered across Evie's face, a silent admission of her true feelings about their plush new digs.

"I'm going to need some serious sunscreen," Mal grumbled, crossing her arms defensively against the offending sunlight.

"Yeah," Evie agreed with a nod, still playing her part.

"E," Mal said abruptly, and started drawing the curtains closed. Evie jumped to assist, plunging the room into a soothing twilight that resembled the dusky hues of the Isle of the Lost.

"Much better," Mal approved with a satisfied nod, her features relaxing into a more comfortable expression. Erendil chuckled lightly at their antics. "I can always use a bit of magic to make it look more like home," he suggested casually, his eyes glinting with a playful magic.

"Would you do that for us?" Evie asked, twirling a lock of her hair, her gaze turning hopeful and a little flirtatious.

"Of course, princess," Erendil responded with a warm smile. Clapping his hands together, he unleashed a swirl of golden magic that enveloped the room. The magic rippled through the air, weaving a transformation that discarded the overly pristine and princess-like aesthetic. Within moments, the room took on a cooler, edgier vibe that better suited its new occupants—less fairytale, more real.

"Thank you," Mal said, her voice carrying a rare note of genuine gratitude. She posed with a hand on her hip, looking at Erendil with a playful smirk. "What would you like in return?" she asked, her tone suggesting she was half-joking, half-serious, fully ready to balance the scales of their newfound camaraderie.

Erendil smiled, a gesture warm and genuine. "I don't need anything in return; your friendship is enough," he said, bowing slightly with a flourish of his hand. With a swift flick of his wrist, a small black cloud briefly appeared above him before he dismissed it. Then, leaving Mal and Evie alone in their newly transformed room, he exited with an air of casual grace.

"We definitely need to find a way to get him on our side," Mal said, moving towards her corner of the room, her mind already plotting. Evie nudged her shoulder playfully.

"He's already on our side, or didn't you notice he'd do that for us?" she pointed out, her voice tinged with a dreamy sigh. "He's a true prince, much more so than Ben."

Their room, now dimmed and redesigned to their tastes, felt like a small sanctuary—a perfect blend of Isle darkness and Auradon luxury. Evie and Mal, standing amidst their new domain, began to see the possibilities of their new life at Auradon Prep, with allies like Erendil who might just make their transition smoother and infinitely more interesting.