The Great Hall of Ever After Highsmelled like floor wax and old stone mixedwith the tangy musk of magic. The fire in the hearthburned blue. An enchanted frog sat beside the archeddoorway, repeating, "Welcome to the Legacy Dayceremony. Please watch your step. Crrrroak."The second-year students passed the frog sometripping on the step and walked solemnly outside.On the castle terrace, the audience waited in gildedchairs. Beyond a stream-carved ravine, the Enchanted  Forest twinkled with the bright trails of fairies. Butthe students hadn't gathered on the terrace for theview. All eyes were on Headmaster Grimm, standingat the podium. He smoothed down his gray turning white hair and smiled at the audience.He held up the Storybook of Legends so all couldsee. Magic sparked off its gold-embossed cover likeglitter in a whirlwind."Today is the most important day at Ever AfterHigh—indeed, the most important day in all of theLand of Ever After."The audience cheered."This year, Legacy Day is your day," the headmastersaid to the second-year students, who were lined upbefore the stairs to the podium. They were dressedin their formal Legacy Day outfits beautiful ballgowns, regal prince suits, mermaid dresses drippingsalty puddles."Today you take the first step in claiming yourglorious fairy tale legacies. Once you sign theStorybook of Legends, you are magically bound toyour parent's story. You will relive it. In this way,your story, your legacy and your very life will bepreserved." The headmaster placed the book carefully on thepodium and stepped back.

 The first student to climb the stairs rode on theback of a mouse all the way up the side of the podium.The tiny boy leaped off the mouse and declared hisdestiny as the next Tom Thumb. His signature in thebook was a blot the size of an ant.The daughter of a fairy godmother pushed herglasses up her nose and signed her promise to becomethe next Cinderella's helper.A future witch wore her mother's black dress andpointy hat, but lavender flip-flops peeked frombeneath the ragged hem. She signed wiping a tear off her cheek.  one in theaudience barely breathed. both excited in the chance to get his happily ever after and sad for the ones who didn't get ones. He would take his turn at the book in just oneyear. And one's choice would change the Land of EverAfter forever. After.