The next morning dawned with a golden hue, casting a magical glow over the lush campus of Auradon Prep. Inside one of the grand classrooms adorned with enchanted tapestries and sparkling chandeliers, the Fairy Godmother stood at the front, her presence radiating warmth and wisdom. She began her lesson on the profound essence of goodness, her voice soft yet commanding attention from every corner.

Seated amidst eager faces was Mal, her vibrant purple hair framing a face that had seen both mischief and growth. Surrounding her were her loyal friends—Evie with her flawless style, Carlos with his inquisitive mind, and Jay exuding confidence. Together they formed an unbreakable bond forged through trials and triumphs.

At the back of the classroom sat Erendil, a figure cloaked in quiet contemplation. With emerald eyes that held centuries of dragon heritage within them, he looked slightly out of place among his peers. Having already completed this course once before did not diminish its importance to him; it was crucial for blending into this new world.

The alliance between Auradon and Nevar had been hard-won through diplomacy and mutual need but still hung in fragile balance. Skepticism lingered like an uninvited guest—was Erendil truly capable of embodying their ideals? His lineage as the formidable son of dragons cast long shadows over these doubts.

In truth, Erendil felt torn between two worlds: one where power reigned supreme and another where kindness led by example. He watched intently as Fairy Godmother's words intertwined tales of valor with lessons on empathy—a stark contrast to his upbringing.

Though he wore an air of calm detachment now amongst familiar strangers dressed in pastels fit for royalty or heroism alike—it belied deeper sentiments stirring beneath composed exterior; loyalty ran deep within veins coursing hotly under scaled skin inherited from ancestors who breathed fire instead love or compassion taught here today...

If any pompous princess or timid prince dared lay harm upon those he now called friends—they would face wrath unparalleled; protective instincts ignited fiercely inside heart newly acquainted friendship yet anciently tied fierce guardianship dragons inherently possessed.

"If someone hands you a crying baby," began the Fairy Godmother, her voice filled with both patience and authority, "do you: A. curse it, B. lock it in a tower, C. give it a bottle, or D. carve out its heart?"

Erendil smirked as he observed Evie eagerly raising her hand.

"Evie!" Fairy Godmother called upon her cheerfully.

"What was the second one?" Evie asked innocently, causing Erendil to chuckle softly.

Leaning forward in his seat with an effortless grace that belied his dragon heritage, Erendil placed his legs on either side of the stool's backrest. Whispering just loud enough for her to hear, he said gently, "It's C, dear."

Evie turned around and flashed him a grateful smile. Mal, however, scoffed and hissed from the corner of her mouth without turning to look at him, "Let her figure it out herself."

Erendil snorted quietly but not without amusement. Since their return from his near destruction of the forest outside Auradon Prep's boundaries—a moment when his anger had almost gotten the better of him—Mal had been noticeably tense around him. He understood; the shadows he commanded were formidable and not easily forgotten by those who witnessed their fury.

Yet despite this tension hanging between them like an unspoken challenge or wary truce—he hoped she would come to see beyond menacing exterior fearsome power within...to recognize desire for belonging acceptance among them all—not as threat but equal.

The Fairy Godmother moved on to the next student. "Mal," she called, looking at the purple-haired girl. With a sigh that hinted at reluctance but not disrespect, Mal replied, "C. Give it a bottle."

"Correct," said Fairy Godmother with a warm smile. "Again."

Jay sighed in exasperation.

"You are on fire, girl!" Carlos exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Yeah!" echoed Evie, her excitement palpable.

Erendil smiled as he watched Mal explain to her friends that sometimes the less exciting answers were the correct ones. Just like Erendil himself was proving—despite his intimidating presence and dragon heritage—he could be an ally rather than an enemy.

Mal glanced over her shoulder at the handsome boy with dark hair seated behind her. He truly was a sight to behold, but there was still something about him that kept her wary—the ever-present aura of danger that surrounded him. She couldn't forget what he was capable of; she had witnessed a glimpse of his power when he lost control at the museum. Though she knew he hadn't meant any harm, the memory of those roars and cries from that night haunted her still.

She had seen flashes of fire lighting up the sky and sensed dark shadows moving to eclipse the moon while dragon wings beat rhythmically in conversation overhead. Despite all this—or perhaps because of it—Erendil remained one of the few who consistently showed them kindness, aside from Ben, of course.

Yet even with these gestures bridging gaps forged by fear and misunderstanding—there lingered questions unanswered fears unspoken; trust wasn't easily given nor lightly held for those who wielded such formidable power.

A girl in a pale blue dress adorned with a large blue bow entered the classroom hesitantly. Her eyes darted nervously towards Mal and her friends before she quickly made her way to the Fairy Godmother standing by the blackboard. Clutching a clipboard tightly, she approached with an air of urgency.

"Hello, dear one," said Fairy Godmother kindly.

"Hi. You need to sign off on early dismissal for the coronation," the girl replied, her voice soft but steady.

Erendil lifted his chin to study her more closely. He had seen this girl many times in the hallways but had never spoken with her directly. Jane, he believed her name was—the daughter of the Fairy Godmother herself. She seemed sweet-natured, always polite and helpful whenever he observed her from afar.

As Jane handed over the clipboard and waited patiently for Fairy Godmother's signature, Erendil couldn't help but feel a pang of curiosity mixed with admiration. Here was someone who navigated their world with grace and kindness—a stark contrast to his own turbulent past filled with fire and shadows.

"Everyone here remembers my daughter, Jane," said Fairy Godmother as she signed the form with a flourish.

"Mom!" Jane whispered, clearly embarrassed by the attention.

Jay and Carlos exchanged amused looks. Erendil leaned forward in his seat again, his green eyes flashing mischievously as they met Jane's baby blue ones. She whimpered slightly at the intensity of his gaze. He responded with a fox-like grin and a soft chuckle.

Carlos and Jay both noticed Erendil's reaction; Jay shook his head in amusement while Carlos wore an unreadable expression that was difficult to decipher—neither quite smiling nor frowning.

Fairy Godmother handed the clipboard back to her daughter. "That's okay," she reassured her, gently turning Jane to face Mal and her friends. "Jane, this is everyone."

Jane gave a feeble wave, her discomfort evident. "Hi. That's okay. Don't mind me. As you were," she said hurriedly before bowing slightly and rushing out of the room.

The class watched her departure with mixed reactions—some curious, some indifferent—but for Erendil, it was another reminder of how different their worlds were despite sharing space under one roof.

"Forgive Jane," said Fairy Godmother, offering a sympathetic smile. "I may have told her a few too many bedtime stories about your...parents." With a slight clearing of her throat, she returned to the lesson. "Let's continue." She moved back to the blackboard and posed another question. "You find a vial of poison. Do you: A. put it in the king's wine, B. paint it on an apple, or C. turn it over to the proper authorities?"

Three hands shot up immediately.

Carlos and Jay practically leaped from their seats in their eagerness to be picked.

"Ooh! Ooh!" Carlos exclaimed, waving his hand enthusiastically.

"Jay," said Fairy Godmother, pointing at him.

"C. You turn it over to the proper authorities," Jay answered coolly.

"I was gonna say that!" Carlos protested loudly.

Jay laughed mockingly as he grabbed Carlos's head and put him in a playful headlock. "But I said it first!" he teased.

"Ow!" cried Carlos as they started wrestling on top of their desk amidst laughter and shouts.

Evie calmly applied lip gloss using her mirror while Mal sighed deeply at the display before them.

"Boys," said Fairy Godmother with mild exasperation before raising her voice more firmly: "Boys!"

Both froze instantly at her commanding tone.

Erendil shook his head at their antics just as his phone pinged softly in his pocket. He glanced down at the screen before standing up abruptly from his seat.

"Erendil?" questioned Fairy Godmother, noticing his sudden movement along with everyone else in the classroom turning their attention towards him as well—including Mal and her friends who watched curiously.

"Ah, I need to go," Erendil explained smoothly, meeting their gazes evenly. "My mother needs me; it's an urgent matter." He bowed lightly out of respect for both teacher and peers alike before giving Mal a quick wink—a small gesture that did not go unnoticed by anyone—and then walked off gracefully with his bag slung over one shoulder and books tucked under one arm.

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Erendil walked out into the hallways and continued towards the courtyard. As he stepped outside, he noticed Chad and Audrey talking and chuckling together. Both of them stiffened when they saw the young dragon approaching, but Erendil paid them no attention at first.

"Hey, Erendil," called Audrey, placing a hand on her hip with anger flashing in her eyes.

Erendil sighed deeply before stopping and gripping the straps of his bag tightly. He turned around with a forced smile that didn't reach his eyes. "What do you want, little princess?" he asked mockingly.

Audrey gasped dramatically, feigning hurt. "Oh, how dare you call me that," she whined theatrically.

Chad lifted his chin in agreement. "Yeah, how—" He trailed off quickly when Erendil raised a single trimmed eyebrow in silent warning.

"What do you two want?" Erendil repeated coolly. "I need to meet my mother."

Audrey's playful demeanor dissolved into irritation as she narrowed her eyes at him. "We were just wondering why someone like you is even here," she said venomously.

Chad nodded in agreement but kept silent under Erendil's unwavering gaze.

"There are many reasons I'm here," replied Erendil calmly but firmly, not giving them any satisfaction from their taunts. "But none of them concern either of you." With that final remark hanging in the air between them like an unspoken challenge or declaration—he turned on his heel without waiting for another word from them—and continued walking purposefully towards where he needed to go.

The sound of wings cutting through the wind made Erendil look up. A black streak flashed across his vision, followed by a blast of heat as his mother unleashed her plasma breath into the air. The sky lit up as several meteors formed from the intense energy before she swooped down to the ground, her formidable claws digging into the pavement upon landing.

Audrey and Chad, who had been watching from a distance with their mouths agape, yelped in shock. They froze as green eyes—so similar to Erendil's—snapped towards them. From within the darkness that seemed to ripple around her form, sharp teeth gleamed menacingly and a voice colder than ice rang out:

"Turn around and walk away from here. Do not return until the Queen of Dragons is gone."

Their eyes went blank for a moment before they obeyed without question, stumbling away hurriedly.

Erendil sighed deeply once they were out of sight. "Mama," he said with a mix of gratitude and exasperation, "thank you, but that was unnecessary."

His mother turned her piercing gaze towards him, softening slightly as she regarded her son. "They were bothering you," she stated simply.

"I can handle them," Erendil replied gently but firmly. "You didn't need to intervene like that."

She gave him a small nod of understanding but didn't fully relent. "A mother's instinct is hard to ignore," she said with a faint smile.

Erendil returned the smile warmly before shifting back to their initial purpose for meeting. "So what did you need me for?" he asked.

"There's something important we must discuss," his mother began seriously, leading him away from where they stood.

They stood under the shade of an elm tree, and Emberlyn leaned back against its trunk, her expression a mix of concern and maternal pride. "Your father is worried, dear," she began softly. "Those VKs... they're the children of villains, you know."

Erendil sighed deeply and crossed his arms over his chest. "I know, Mama, I know. But so am I, aren't I?"

Emberlyn sighed as well, but with a touch more weariness. "No, dearest, you're not like them. You're a hero to Nevarr—remember? You saved us all from—"

"Venin," Erendil interrupted her gently but firmly. "I know, Mom. But you did that too." His voice carried both respect and frustration.

Emberlyn looked at him with a mixture of love and sadness in her eyes as he continued.

"And I didn't come to Auradon Prep just to be criticized about who I hang out with," Erendil added coolly. "You don't even care that I barely have any friends here."

His mother's face softened further as she moved closer to him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "It's not that we don't care," she said tenderly. "We worry because we want what's best for you."

Erendil looked down briefly before meeting her gaze again with determination in his eyes. "What's best for me is finding my own way," he replied quietly but resolutely.

Emberlyn nodded slowly in understanding and gave him a small smile filled with pride and acceptance despite her lingering concerns.

"Just promise me you'll stay safe," she said softly.

"I promise," Erendil reassured her with sincerity before they began discussing what had brought them together in the first place.

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The next afternoon, Erendil found himself sitting high up in the bleachers, watching as Jay and Carlos practiced on the tourney field. He wore a white long-sleeve top adorned with multiple necklaces, including one with a distinctive heart-shaped pendant. His somewhat rough appearance didn't go unnoticed by others, but he took solace in observing his VK friends from afar.

Despite knowing that some of the other students cast judgmental glances his way—whispering and occasionally giving guilty looks when caught—Erendil remained unfazed. He had grown accustomed to the whispers and stares that followed him wherever he went at Auradon Prep. Instead of letting it affect him, he focused on supporting his friends.

From his vantage point, he could see Jay deftly maneuvering around opponents while Carlos strategized with precision. Their camaraderie was evident even from a distance; they moved like a well-oiled machine on the field.

As Erendil watched them play, he felt a sense of belonging despite not being directly involved in their activities at that moment. The VKs had accepted him without hesitation—a rare and valuable thing for someone who often felt like an outsider due to his lineage.

He leaned back against the bleacher seat and allowed himself to relax slightly, finding comfort in knowing that there were people who saw beyond appearances and understood what truly mattered: loyalty, friendship, and strength of character.

Just then, Mal and Evie appeared at the edge of the field carrying water bottles for Jay and Carlos during their break. They spotted Erendil in the bleachers and waved enthusiastically before making their way up towards him.

"Hey!" Mal called out as they climbed up to join him. "Enjoying the game?"

Erendil smiled warmly at them both. "Yeah," he replied simply but sincerely.

Evie handed him an extra bottle of water she had brought along. "Thought you might need this," she said with a friendly grin.

"Thanks," Erendil said appreciatively as they all settled down together to watch their friends continue playing on the field below

The ball flew free, and Jay scooped it up. He charged down the field into the kill zone, roaring ferociously and expertly dodging the flying balls.

Carlos, meanwhile, was trying to crawl under the barrage of balls. Ben came to his rescue, batting away the projectiles as he pulled Carlos to his feet.

Jay slammed the ball right into the net. The cheerleaders whooped—all except for Audrey. Jay threw off his helmet and did a victory dance. Then he realized he was dancing alone. The field was littered with penalty flags and battered, beaten, groaning players in both yellow and blue uniforms.

Coach blew his whistle sharply. "You! Get over here!"

Jay trotted over to where Coach stood among the downed players, including Carlos. Ben was bent over with hands on his knees, panting heavily.

"What do you call that?" yelled Coach angrily.

Erendil perked up from where he sat in the bleachers alongside Mal and Evie; they exchanged worried glances as concern painted their faces pretty faces.

Then Coach's face broke into an unexpected smile. "I call that raw talent," he said warmly. "Come find me later; I'll show you something you haven't seen before—it's called a rule book." He chuckled and patted Jay on the shoulder firmly. "Welcome to the team, son!" Turning to Carlos next, he added with a smirk, "You ever thought about joining band?"

Carlos tittered weakly while Jay laughed heartily.

Erendil's jaw tightened noticeably in response to this cheerful scene below them on the field; Shadows began to emanate from beneath the bleachers until Mal quickly and impulsively placed her hand on a knee, not really thinking about what she was doing - just hoping to calm him somehow by touching him - and the shadows froze for a moment as green eyes met pale green stones washed ashore by the ocean, suddenly calming the stormy seas of the soul behind the gaze now locked between two friends lost for a moment together amidst the chaos everywhere else around them, both silent for a moment under the common bond that only they could fully understand.

"Easy... okay?" she whispered softly but reassuringly to Erendil, who took a deep breath despite the muscles twitching visibly underneath him until he finally let go and focused on the field again, just in time to see Ben now speaking seriously directly to the trainer downstairs, once again saying determinedly:

"I'll work with him Coach."

"All right," Coach agreed, nodding his approval decisively before blowing his whistle again, commanding everyone to immediately resume their positions on the playing surface that stretched out before them, soon bustling with renewed activity, busily preparing for another round of fierce competition that was already underway.

Jay grinned triumphantly and turned to see Chad staring at him angrily, his nose in the air, sneering and sneering, sneering and sneering, hateful, seething with jealousy, clearly etched into his arrogant features.
  

But Jay just blinked back, defiantly, and walked by, deliberately bumping him hard on the shoulder, deliberately bumping his shoulder, deliberately leaving Chad, rubbing his sore arm, looking regretfully at the victorious, proud figure retreating as he confidently walked on, knowing exactly how much satisfaction such a small gesture brought deep inside him, causing Erendil to smile broadly, seeing justice at its fullest in such a satisfying and sweet way right then and there.