Zhoumi alit from one of the sophomores' cars of the Meister's Train, oblivious to the still gawking riffraff whose stares followed him as he made his way through Station Immigration. He knew he looked good in his fabulously muggle getup of a black top hat, black ruffled scarf and the dark pinstriped suit over a pink button down shirt, with matching pinstriped pants and wingtips. For the start of sophomore year, he'd dyed his hair in a somewhat subdued auburn, anticipating that the first term's fashion courses are going to take out a lot from him.

If he can get past the mandatory checks at Station Immigration.

It was his turn for visa-checking, and he schooled his face to a proper seriousness as he took the top hat off and answered the Immigration officer. It was the same question he was asked last year (except during his first neophyte day as they bypassed Station Immigration to get the full Neophyte Welcome Tour), the same one asked whenever he came back from vacation in his beloved China. And he gave the same answer every time.

The immigration officer only smiled at him once Zhoumi passed the interview. Zhoumi just mentally rolled his eyes as he was waved through. He still doesn't understand why the school had the same restrictions as every other magic school about Disapparating, or traveling via Floo Powder or Portkeys. Don't even mention traveling in and out of the country needing to go through all those inspections and document checks that was being replicated at Station Immigration. Is Meister's styling itself as a mini-country? 

The only thing going for Station Immigration, in Zhoumi's opinion, is that it was designed like a duty-free mall. It was loads better than Platform 10 3/4, and it was accessible to them foreign students on regular days, just as long as they don't attempt to leave campus via the Meister's Train without an authorized pass from the Manse. One step beyond the mall and into the platform guaranteed an erring magus with the biggest embarrassment - a personalized prerecorded howler over the PA system. A couple of daring ones had tried it last year and the PA system didn't even tie itself into knots blasting six different howler messages in six different languages. Oh, did Zhoumi forget to mention the howlers are based on the erring student's home country language?

Zhoumi looked at his Tudor watch to note the time, and figured he had enough time for a look around the stores before he needed to check in at the Manse and get ready for the semi-annual Neophyte Welcome and Apprentice Sendoff dinner. Not that he anticipated much change in the stores in the mall, but he also needed to know where he could go in case he had a dire need to purchase materials for his coursework.

In the end, Zhoumi was satisfied with the decision - he fairly swooned to see quality cloth he could already imagine using for dress-robes, and other fashion wear he'd be making for the semester's fashion courses. He was tempted to buy a couple of bolts, but the faculty down at Transmogrification, as usual, have been rather secretive about the Magic Design students' end of term challenge, so he might waste the material buying it this early. The neophytes and sophomores still had it easy - each of their end of term challenges for the first and second semesters are straight out of their lessons. Junior and Senior year was when things get tough. Just the last semester, Zhoumi was green with envy when the Seniors got to showcase their works around magical sculptures - the winning entry was the bas-relief of the Battle of Hogwarts. The subject wasn't anything original, but the team of three magi who crafted the moving sculpture used correctly colored jelly and packed all involved characters into a 1 by 5 foot frame. The result was a stunning display of a short scene in that historical event. If the rumors in Meister's were right, it'll be a quarter century before they'll use the same challenge again - something about keeping up with the times.

He also found new stocks for fashion accessories, and his mind is already awhirl with all the possibilities. It was no secret that the magical world was in dire need of a fashion guru in particular and a design expert in general, and Zhoumi was determined to be both for the rest of his wizarding life. While he had no plans of making designs in the magic world look like something what the muggles normally have, he really believes there should be a way to further refine the magi's aesthetic sensibilities.

He strolled down one of the many stone-paths leading from Station Immigration to Manse Phoenixian, the house he belonged to while at Meister's. Like all foreign students, he had no choice in the matter but he had come to love it there anyway. There was just something refreshing about belonging in a mini-international community. The manse also had its own charm, never mind that it is the most modern Manse in the whole of the Meister's campus. That was to be expected of the youngest manse, created a mere quarter century ago, compared to the other older manses which counted centuries of existence.

Zhoumi marvels at the genius that went into designing the building, though Zhoumi forgets if it was a magus or an architect who designed it. The high hedges at the end of the footpaths screened the building from Station Immigration, so all foreign students who come through are treated to their first view of the building once they get past the hedges.

The tall concrete building rises in the middle of a semi-concrete park/garden that becomes the manse's assembly area whenever the whole Phoenixian population needed to gather. While it is technically the manse's backyard and back view, it didn't look that way. All the way up as far as the eyes could see, the building's facade displayed the Phoenixian emblem, sigil, colors and motto - the red and gold diamond checkered shield with the fiery phoenix spanning its wings over the words "Differ More, Differ Less, Differ Same". There was no magic involved there - the building's glass windows matched the color of the display for that area. It is the only building that proudly displays the shield on the actual manse.

While the entrance from Station Immigration is considered the back view, the building is actually fan-shaped. The flat side towards Station Immigration faces north; the other flat side faces east, towards part of the Airehawke Ravine; the curved part, the frontview of the building, faces southwest towards the Meister's campus. So anyone coming in from Station Immigration or the Meister's campus invariably still ended up in the manse's hotel-like lobby.

The lobby is predominantly decorated around the red and gold colors of the manse - nothing garish, Zhoumi thinks, despite the bold colors. A reception counter delineates the guest area from the residents' area, a huge banner displaying the manse's shield on the wall behind it, easily reaching the grand lobby's ceiling at the top of the third floor. Out of all the decorations in the lobby, the banner would be the most extravagant and magical, with the phoenix sporting flaming wings at this time of day. It also follows the seasons - Zhoumi had watched it go through a lifecycle all throughout his neophyte year - a fiery death and explosive rebirth from the egg hatched from its own ashes. Zhoumi doesn't doubt he'll get to see it again on sophomore year.

The elevators are behind the banner wall at the back of the reception counter. While the manses don't have restrictions against non-residents being inside the residents' area, they do all follow the rule that non-residents should be accompanied by residents at all times. But this early in the schoolyear, most magi that milled around the manse's lobby are upperclassmen red jackets that arrived with Zhoumi from Station Immigration. Well, maybe except for a few Apprentices visiting from other manses who would have been required to stay over for the mandatory summer session of Apprenticeship Prep, which all qualified magi who finished their senior year would take.

He only briefly waved a greeting to Heechul, a green jacket currently occupying one of the lobby's settees, before Zhoumi went past reception and waited outside the elevator entrance. Heechul would be there waiting for his boyfriend to come down, a Phoenixian Apprentice who would've stayed over the summer break.

Zhoumi had an elevator to himself going up to his 19th floor apartment, the lobby not crowded - either all the other students are already in their suites, or already making their way to the Meister's Garden. None of which really concerned Zhoumi, as he faced the glass back wall of the elevator, thrilled as the elevator rose past the third floor and he was treated again with the stunning view of the Meister's campus.

All five main elevators of the manse are clustered on the center of the building's front facade, giving the illusion of five pipes going up the manse's building. Riding any of the elevators gave a view of the Meister's campus, all the center buildings, all the manses, all the public parks... well, at least all that can be seen depending on one's vantage. Up at the 19th floor, Zhoumi was pretty high up to see most of the Meister's campus. He also occupied the fourth suite on the floor, which opened to a view fully facing the other manse located north of the Meister's campus.

Zhoumi's nose wrinkled at the morbid picture his apartment presented as he stepped back into it after close to two months. The linen shrouds still covered his furniture, making it easier for the house elves to dust while students are on vacation. His flashy and colorful LV suitcases, shaped like a trunk and sitting in the middle of the living room floor where it was delivered from the Meister's Train, still didn't help with the scene. With a flourish of his wand, the shrouds were lifted up and away from his bare furniture, and linens, curtains and covers were replaced. In a short time, the studio apartment felt more like a second home again.

Another flourish of his wand, and the luggage he had packed in his "trunks" sorted themselves to designated places while he checked in on his own Room of Requirement. It had taken all of his neophyte year to build, finally understanding why magical construction was taken early on. Any Magic Design student would need a place where he can be both creative, practical, and more importantly magical, what with all the needed coursework, so Meister's made it mandatory that any Magic Design student worth his tuition should be able to build his own magical space. So, Zhoumi chose to build a Room of Requirement, and his passing mark was only awarded when the manse approved his design, and later permitted the actual construction inside the manse, conducting an inspection and assessment after the room was finished.

It is a point of pride for Zhoumi that he got top marks after constructing his. He had not gone for more flamboyant designs nor obviously magical ones, like the tent version. His easily blended in with the manse's structure - it looked and felt as if he was only opening a door to another room in his apartment, being a replica of his own studio apartment, including floor to ceiling windows that gave the same view outside, though the room is twice the size and height. The manse and his professors appreciated his thesis around opting to build a Room of Requirement, and creating it the way he did. As of the moment, only his drafting table and a few canvasses were scattered in the bare room, though some of his luggage consisting of the year's required materials marched in right behind him and settled into the room.

Then Zhoumi was off to prepare for the welcome dinner, taking a quick shower before raiding his newly populated and arranged wardrobe. He skipped all the Meister uniforms but took the hooded Phoenixian short cloak and sauntered out of the manse dressed in a body-hugging white shirt, dark pinstriped skinnies with suspenders and his favorite Birkenstock sandals.

__________________
© higashinoumi (http://www.asianfanfics.com/profile/view/1108258), 2016. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to higashinoumi (http://www.asianfanfics.com/profile/view/1108258) with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.