Monster High: Season of the Witch

A Frightful First Day

Headmistress Bloodgood was a sight to behold. Dressed in a striking velvet suit and slicked back bun, she sat before Beatrix and Autumn with impeccable posture in her high-ceilinged office.

Not to mention, her detached head was sitting upright on her mahogany desk, staring straight at them. To be polite, Beatrix avoided looking at where Bloodgood's neck abruptly ended.

Over the past week, Beatrix and Autumn had taken a train across several states to reach Oregon, rode a shuttle up a steep and perilous mountain, and when they'd finally reached the foggy peak where Monster High was located, the girls had meticulously decorated their shared dorm room and bought a heap of school supplies for Autumn from the student store.

Through it all, Beatrix could barely contain herself. She was getting a fresh start in New Salem, and she couldn't wait.

"Beatrix Felicity Ravenwood?" the headmistress asked.

"That's me."

Bloodgood's body flipped through a thick stack of forms, her pale fingers flicking the pages. "Novice witch?"

"If novice means newbie, then yes," Beatrix said.

"You understand you'll be Ms. Patches' student aid for her sophomore year? As well as a part-time member of the creepateria staff?"

Beatrix nodded eagerly.

"Very good," Bloodgood said. "Since you aren't a student, you won't be allowed to attend Autumn's classes with her. You'll only accompany her during certain intervals of the day to provide emotional and medical aid. This includes making sure she gets to all academic buildings safely, escorting her to and from Study Howl, and being on standby during her Physical Deaducation class for any torn limbs. I trust you're up to the task?"

"Absolutely," Beatrix said.

Bloodgood added, "As for your creepateria duties, you'll be reporting to Marsha, our head lunch lady, at nine o'clock sharp every morning."

Although lunch duty didn't sound very exciting, Beatrix assumed it would beat working for her aunts back home.

"Thank you again for letting my friend come with me, Headmistress," Autumn said.

"Yes, well, it would have been dreadful to lose a student of your caliber, regardless of your..." Bloodgood glanced at Beatrix. "... special accommodations."

Autumn nudged Beatrix gently with her elbow.

"Oh, right. Thank you, Headmistress," Beatrix said. "I promise I won't cause any trouble."

"I'm sure you'll try your best," Bloodgood replied, her decapitated head assessing Beatrix. "There is one last condition you must be aware of, Ms. Ravenwood. You will be attending the Monster Sensitivity Seminar—or 'MSS'—every Saturday morning. MSS is for newly transitioned monsters who possess more human traits than usual compared to the rest of our student body."

Bloodgood continued, "The seminar will educate you on the different types of supernatural creatures at Monster High to help you get acquainted with your peers. Failure to attend will result in your immediate termination. Do I make myself clear?"

Beatrix gave an enthusiastic thumbs up. "Crystal."

"Excellent," Bloodgood said.

Bloodgood's body shifted her head closer to the girls. "Now, what I am about to tell you stays within the walls of this office."

"Yes, ma'am," Beatrix and Autumn responded in unison.

Bloodgood lowered her voice. "Having a witch at Monster High is... unprecedented. I only agreed to this because Ms. Patches wrote a very moving application essay about growing up around magic users and the importance of inclusivity."