Ian waited as long as he could. He reluctantly made his way to the arena. He greeted the professor, found the first empty mat and sat in it, looking at no one else. He had determined after his discussion with his head of house he couldn't avoid going to classes the whole term.

As he sat on the mat, he was grateful to experience something beside the cold darkness of the corners he had stuck to. He stretched out his legs and then bent his body over his legs and reached out to stretch his back and leg muscles.