The lower harbour reopened fully in early December with what Professor Crowe insisted was not a ceremony. Harper pointed at the ribbon stretched across the access point.

"That is a ceremony ribbon."

"Temporary safety marker."

"Ribbon."

Thorne cut it anyway. Students laughed. The work barge had been patched and repainted. New gate guides replaced cracked fittings. Observation rails were stronger. Jasper's group's equipment hooks had been installed along the wall as a trial. Benji saw them and smiled. That mattered more than Jasper expected. The harbour was not restored to the exact version that existed before the storm. It had changed because people had learned things. During the reopening tour, Jasper felt the Water Titan briefly near the channel. The pressure was calm. No images. No urgency. He told Thorne anyway.

"Thank you," the Headmaster said.

Nothing more was required. On the way back, Harper asked whether they could use the harbour independently next year. Ava immediately listed the training requirements. Harper regretted asking. Jasper looked up at the Academy rising above them.

There were whole versions of Tidefall ahead that he had not seen yet: older classes, Order life, new parts of the grounds, things first-years were not allowed to do. The mystery that had once filled almost every corner of his attention became smaller in the best possible way.

Thorne cut it anyway. Students laughed. The work barge had returned, patched and repainted. New gate guides replaced the cracked ring system. The inner platform rails were stronger. Ava's equipment-zone hooks from the safety project had been installed as a trial along the observation wall. The North residence boy saw them and smiled. That mattered more than the ribbon. The whole first-year group visited during green-flag conditions. They practised rescue lines one last time before term ended. Jasper landed the ring on target first throw. Harper missed. She stared at him.

Ava sighed. They threw again. Harper hit. Jasper missed. Balance restored. After the class, Professor Elowen allowed the trio to remain on the upper dock platform for ten minutes while staff packed equipment. The sea was calm. Summer light turned the water almost green inside the harbour. Jasper felt the Titan-presence faintly. Harper sat on a bench. Ava leaned against the rail inside the safe line.

They sat quietly. A maintenance boat entered the harbour. The gate remained open. Water passed around the hull. Ordinary. Then the presence brushed Jasper's awareness. An impression came. Not warning. Not memory. The repaired gate from below. Open channel. Current moving cleanly. Then a small warm point on the platform. Jasper. The impression vanished. He smiled. Ava noticed. It was still important. It was not the only important thing.