The air in the Grand Hall of the Scholomantic Academy crackled with anticipation, thick with the scent of ozone and arcane energy. The Ritual of Reckoning had concluded only moments before, leaving the assembled faculty, students, and even some invited dignitaries from other magical institutions, utterly breathless. Dust motes danced in the shafts of sunlight piercing the stained-glass windows, illuminating faces etched with shock, awe, and, for some, a dawning realization.