The council had not forewarned him of any of this.  Could even they in all of their omniscient precedence have predicted that the first day -hell, the first few hours of the first day - would unfold this way?
Between feuding noble houses and bitter war heroes, Ray could scarcely figure out just what the fuck he was doing here.  Nothing gave that question more of a weighted exclamation point than Roderic Montana being here.
Ray wanted to look away from him, pretend like he wasn't here, but his gaze was stuck on the enigmatic figure.  The pair had met on two different sides of the war.  During Ray's inauguration into the Doomsday Cult, and then on the front lines of battle on the side of the Council.
Roderic had witnessed first hand the moment Ray's hands had plunged that dagger into an innocent mans heart.  Why he later showed up on the Council's side, Ray didn't know.  He didn't care to know.  He didn't even care to be here.

His attention was suddenly snapped away as a soft voice cut through the tension, like a doves wings in the wake of a thunderstorm.  Once he saw who it was, Ray managed to relax.  Madison Lovette was one of the few members of faculty that didn't make him nervous.  He recalled their first encounter, and the mild embarrassment that ensued.  
"[i]Ma'am, it's a pleasure to meet you[/i]," he had said.  She had politely corrected him, without any shred of offense in her voice.  Ray had apologized profusely as his cheeks reddened, but the way Madison had laughed the little error off had almost instantly endeared him towards the unusual man.
Ray was glad to have him in the room, directing things to their intended course. 
He stood up now, holding his folder of papers behind him as he clasped his hands behind his back.  Time to keep it together, it was just school after all, not the damn war.  
Despite the number of recurring figures.