Disclaimer: I do not own Hogwarts, or J.K. Rowling's characters. Willow,
Oak and their friends and teachers are mine though. So is Windigo(the
school). Incidentally, Windigo is a Native American legend. It is a shape-
shifting giant that steals people away. They say it created mosquitoes as a
curse on the Ojibwe tribe for killing it. And Aspen means "Woman Tongue"
because the leaves move in the slightest breeze.
Willow sat among the branches of her Name Tree. As a Canadian witch, at the moment of her birth, she was bonded with a tree and named for it. Name Trees were a sort of stockpile of magic. The witch or wizard fed excess magic into the tree to be used for emergencies or when the witch was low on magical energy. The taller the Tree was, you knew how much magic the wizard put into it. The down side was that pain was sent along the connection to both Tree and magical person. The wizard also took on some of the characteristics of the Tree. Willow crooned an odd tune as she let some of her magic leak into the bark of her Tree.
"We'll be leaving soon you know," she whispered, "We're going to Hogwarts. Can you imagine? The best school in Europe! The Headmaster there wants us to come. Oak, Birch, Aspen, Pine and Fern are going too." Willow smiled, "At least we'll have some friends, eh?" she was babbling by now, "Some may understand why we're so different. The professors over there will, anyway. I wonder if any students will know why we bring trees? The teachers won't tell me how they'll move you though. I hope it won't hurt…" Willow felt her Tree shift uneasily. She patted the limb reassuringly, "But I'll be there, don't worry."
"Willow!" she heard a voice call.
"I'm over here Oak!" Willow pushed her long, almost vine like hair out of her face. The sunlight caught it at the right angle, showing how white it was. If you looked closely, you could see flashes of green streaking through it.
Oak politely waited at the foot of the Tree. It was unspoken law to never touch another's Name Tree. "Gagnon wants us in his office. I think he's going to give us some more info about our mission to England."
She smiled down at the boy below her. Both fifteen, they had always been the best of friends. "Alrighty, do you know if we're practicing our display thing later?"
Oak shrugged, "Who knows?" he ran a hand through his short brown hair, "I think we're as good as we're ever gonna be, don't you?"
"There's always room for improvement. Besides, you an' me are doing the leads. If we screw up, everyone's going to know." Willow declared as she jumped down. "After this meeting I think we should check the Leaf Boards, just to be on the safe side."
Oak laughed, "You worry too much, you silly Weeping Willow. No offense," he said in an aside to the Tree, "but you know how she is."
"Oh, shut up. You know perfectly well I'm an albino Black Willow." Willow muttered as she walked towards the school. As always, the school took her breath away. It was an old fort, like those that fur traders had once used. This had always been a school, hidden away in one of Canada's majestic forests. Before the Fort, there had been the Wigwam. It was said that this was one of the oldest schools in the world. The Native American wizards and witches had used the Wigwam before the white wizards came and built the building that stood before her now. What was strange was that, unlike the Muggles, the two races had blended almost perfectly, the white wizards embracing what had always been taught at Windigo. While bringing in new theories and magical inventions, it seemed a fair tradeoff.
Oak pushed open the heavy wooden door and stepped through, Willow following close behind. She let the door swing back with a thunderous bang. Willow looked around the Fort, and the many smaller buildings that were their classes and dorms. Quickening her pace to match Oak's long stride, she remarked, "It seems weird to be leaving, doesn't it?"
Oak nodded solemnly, "It's been like home since we were five. I don't know how we're going to not be homesick." He knocked at the door of Shaman Gagnon's office. Rather than a headmaster, Windigo had a shaman.
"It's open," came the aging voice of the shaman.
As Willow stepped inside, she smelled the spices and roots that hung from the beams like an apothecary. Most of the classes smelled like this, especially the Brews building.
The almost ancient looking shaman smiled at the two students as they entered. "Sit, sit, there's much to be said. Go on, have a seat by the fire." Willow sat gingerly on the hearth beside Aspen, who was as usual chattering about nothing. The slim girls frizzy hair was almost standing on end today, as she was barely able to contain her excitement. Meanwhile, the eccentric shaman bustled to his desk and began opening and closing drawers at random. After opening the same drawer thrice, he found what he was looking for. With a cry of triumph, he held aloft what appeared to be six highly polished sticks.
Pine gave a derisive snort, "Wands? You expect us to place our lives in the abilities of a flimsy stick that may once have been a Name Tree?" he demanded.
The other teens shifted nervously. Delicate Fern finally broke the silence, "Sir, is that why my Tree has been missing a branch?"
"Well.." Gagnon stammered, "Y-yes, they are part of your Name Trees."
Pine gave a outraged yell, "And you never asked us? How did you dare touch them?"
"Don't worry my prickly friend, they were never touched. They each gave a branch willingly. These will be how you connect to your Trees." The shaman explained, "You will be able to tap your resources should you need them. And you will be able to send magic to the Trees. Isn't that wonderful?"
"So, we won't be bringing them to Hogwarts?" Aspen choked out.
"We can't leave them, they're like part of our bodies. It would be like leaving a leg behind." Birch spoke what was on all their minds. He always seemed to know how to get what he wanted from the teachers. There was no way he was leaving without his Name Tree.
The shaman considered for a long moment, the students sitting at his feet with bated breath. "I suppose…" he mused, "There could be a way. Yes, it just might work."
"What is it sir?" Oak pleaded.
Aspen nervously bit her lip, fighting against her own nature to speak. Waiting, the teens felt like they were going to be torn from one of the most important things in a Canadian wizard's life. A witch without a Name Tree was considered a cripple, and usually went crazy if their Tree died.
"We could Apparate the Trees just outside Hogwarts. Then, you could move them inside the grounds yourselves. It takes quite a bit of energy though… And the Trees become more susceptible to disease for about a week." Gagnon told them.
With a certainty that surprised even herself, Willow spoke for the group, "We'll do it. We can go to Hogwarts a week or two before term begins, watch over our Trees and still buy our books."
"And catch the school train, my dear." Gagnon added.
"Train?" Pine scoffed, "Why would they travel by train?"
Gagnon ignored this, "I'll send an owl to Dumbledore, the Headmaster at Hogwarts explaining the change in plans. None of the students need know about your Name Trees. Now, I want you all to go practice the display. I know you'll all want to show off the sports we play up here, eh?" With this, he shooed them off.
As the door closed behind Fern, Gagnon smiled broadly. Yes, he thought, Willow is beginning to take charge of the group. She'll do quite well as a leader, if only Birch would let her. Oak will always support her though, so that should help.
Willow sat among the branches of her Name Tree. As a Canadian witch, at the moment of her birth, she was bonded with a tree and named for it. Name Trees were a sort of stockpile of magic. The witch or wizard fed excess magic into the tree to be used for emergencies or when the witch was low on magical energy. The taller the Tree was, you knew how much magic the wizard put into it. The down side was that pain was sent along the connection to both Tree and magical person. The wizard also took on some of the characteristics of the Tree. Willow crooned an odd tune as she let some of her magic leak into the bark of her Tree.
"We'll be leaving soon you know," she whispered, "We're going to Hogwarts. Can you imagine? The best school in Europe! The Headmaster there wants us to come. Oak, Birch, Aspen, Pine and Fern are going too." Willow smiled, "At least we'll have some friends, eh?" she was babbling by now, "Some may understand why we're so different. The professors over there will, anyway. I wonder if any students will know why we bring trees? The teachers won't tell me how they'll move you though. I hope it won't hurt…" Willow felt her Tree shift uneasily. She patted the limb reassuringly, "But I'll be there, don't worry."
"Willow!" she heard a voice call.
"I'm over here Oak!" Willow pushed her long, almost vine like hair out of her face. The sunlight caught it at the right angle, showing how white it was. If you looked closely, you could see flashes of green streaking through it.
Oak politely waited at the foot of the Tree. It was unspoken law to never touch another's Name Tree. "Gagnon wants us in his office. I think he's going to give us some more info about our mission to England."
She smiled down at the boy below her. Both fifteen, they had always been the best of friends. "Alrighty, do you know if we're practicing our display thing later?"
Oak shrugged, "Who knows?" he ran a hand through his short brown hair, "I think we're as good as we're ever gonna be, don't you?"
"There's always room for improvement. Besides, you an' me are doing the leads. If we screw up, everyone's going to know." Willow declared as she jumped down. "After this meeting I think we should check the Leaf Boards, just to be on the safe side."
Oak laughed, "You worry too much, you silly Weeping Willow. No offense," he said in an aside to the Tree, "but you know how she is."
"Oh, shut up. You know perfectly well I'm an albino Black Willow." Willow muttered as she walked towards the school. As always, the school took her breath away. It was an old fort, like those that fur traders had once used. This had always been a school, hidden away in one of Canada's majestic forests. Before the Fort, there had been the Wigwam. It was said that this was one of the oldest schools in the world. The Native American wizards and witches had used the Wigwam before the white wizards came and built the building that stood before her now. What was strange was that, unlike the Muggles, the two races had blended almost perfectly, the white wizards embracing what had always been taught at Windigo. While bringing in new theories and magical inventions, it seemed a fair tradeoff.
Oak pushed open the heavy wooden door and stepped through, Willow following close behind. She let the door swing back with a thunderous bang. Willow looked around the Fort, and the many smaller buildings that were their classes and dorms. Quickening her pace to match Oak's long stride, she remarked, "It seems weird to be leaving, doesn't it?"
Oak nodded solemnly, "It's been like home since we were five. I don't know how we're going to not be homesick." He knocked at the door of Shaman Gagnon's office. Rather than a headmaster, Windigo had a shaman.
"It's open," came the aging voice of the shaman.
As Willow stepped inside, she smelled the spices and roots that hung from the beams like an apothecary. Most of the classes smelled like this, especially the Brews building.
The almost ancient looking shaman smiled at the two students as they entered. "Sit, sit, there's much to be said. Go on, have a seat by the fire." Willow sat gingerly on the hearth beside Aspen, who was as usual chattering about nothing. The slim girls frizzy hair was almost standing on end today, as she was barely able to contain her excitement. Meanwhile, the eccentric shaman bustled to his desk and began opening and closing drawers at random. After opening the same drawer thrice, he found what he was looking for. With a cry of triumph, he held aloft what appeared to be six highly polished sticks.
Pine gave a derisive snort, "Wands? You expect us to place our lives in the abilities of a flimsy stick that may once have been a Name Tree?" he demanded.
The other teens shifted nervously. Delicate Fern finally broke the silence, "Sir, is that why my Tree has been missing a branch?"
"Well.." Gagnon stammered, "Y-yes, they are part of your Name Trees."
Pine gave a outraged yell, "And you never asked us? How did you dare touch them?"
"Don't worry my prickly friend, they were never touched. They each gave a branch willingly. These will be how you connect to your Trees." The shaman explained, "You will be able to tap your resources should you need them. And you will be able to send magic to the Trees. Isn't that wonderful?"
"So, we won't be bringing them to Hogwarts?" Aspen choked out.
"We can't leave them, they're like part of our bodies. It would be like leaving a leg behind." Birch spoke what was on all their minds. He always seemed to know how to get what he wanted from the teachers. There was no way he was leaving without his Name Tree.
The shaman considered for a long moment, the students sitting at his feet with bated breath. "I suppose…" he mused, "There could be a way. Yes, it just might work."
"What is it sir?" Oak pleaded.
Aspen nervously bit her lip, fighting against her own nature to speak. Waiting, the teens felt like they were going to be torn from one of the most important things in a Canadian wizard's life. A witch without a Name Tree was considered a cripple, and usually went crazy if their Tree died.
"We could Apparate the Trees just outside Hogwarts. Then, you could move them inside the grounds yourselves. It takes quite a bit of energy though… And the Trees become more susceptible to disease for about a week." Gagnon told them.
With a certainty that surprised even herself, Willow spoke for the group, "We'll do it. We can go to Hogwarts a week or two before term begins, watch over our Trees and still buy our books."
"And catch the school train, my dear." Gagnon added.
"Train?" Pine scoffed, "Why would they travel by train?"
Gagnon ignored this, "I'll send an owl to Dumbledore, the Headmaster at Hogwarts explaining the change in plans. None of the students need know about your Name Trees. Now, I want you all to go practice the display. I know you'll all want to show off the sports we play up here, eh?" With this, he shooed them off.
As the door closed behind Fern, Gagnon smiled broadly. Yes, he thought, Willow is beginning to take charge of the group. She'll do quite well as a leader, if only Birch would let her. Oak will always support her though, so that should help.