Violet was relieved to be attending a class that wasn't being held out of doors, in the cold, which seemed to have been a trend among the teachers lately. But when she entered, she was surprised to see the Hall rearranged from its usual setup. Pine trees--okay, maybe that was a festive touch. Was it nearly that time of year already? Violet had lost track of time.

And--they had to sit on the floor. It always had to be something, didn't it? Well, at least there were cushions. "G'day, Professor Carton," she called up to him, though she wasn't really sure he heard her. Then she plopped down on a cushion and waited.