p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em1943, June the Thirteenth, 21:47:32 || Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Mount Greylock, Massachusetts, USA/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Dusk was setting in as the girl limped across the battlefield, the scent of blood and wet dirt and death clogging her nostrils./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The proud castle she'd once called home was littered with rubble, smoke rising in several places from the ravaged stone. The marble statue of Isolt Sayre that stood in the courtyard was covered in grime, and the snakewood tree that graced the west side of the battlements had shriveled. She could see the campfires of Grindelwald's followers glinting in the distance and hear their drunken revels as they boasted of their exploits. The bodies of the fallen littered the ground, torn blue and cranberry robes lying across mangled corpses, black cloaks with the sign of the Deathly Hallows covering the faces of the enemy./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"She stumbled and the world spun, and she fell until something hard and scaly pushed itself against her back and righted her again. She turned and her pale blue-green eyes stared into large, matching ones./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emValkyr, /emshe called to her dragon, emwhere are the other students?/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The black dragon straightened, scales glinting slightly with a royal purple in the setting sun. He sniffed, peering into the nearing darkness./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emThe keep, /emhe growled in her headem, where the wounded are being tended to and the well are The pukwudgies are collecting the dead and bringing them there as well./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The girl nodded. She raised her right hand and muttered under her breath, "Aletmes, fagrlissi'mri." emCome, my fangs. /emSeveral silver blades embedded in bodies of the fallen rose into the air and raced toward her. She snatched them quickly, scanning the blades as she collected them in her hands. Then she methodically sheathed them: one serrated blade tucked in her left boot, a throwing knife on each of her thighs, and an assortment of small daggers into her torn and bloodied robes. The last two weapons she held—twin dirks, each reaching from her elbow to her palm, one forked, one smooth—she examined carefully for damage, confirming that the runes etched onto their surfaces were unmarred./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"While she was thus preoccupied, Valkyr scrutinized his rider for injury. A darkening bruise graced her left temple, and blood flowed from a small but deep cut on her cheek. He could see where several curses had hit her: a deep cut coiled around her right calf, the rope-like spell having cut through her leather boot; a relatively shallow gash that ran across her stomach, courtesy of a emDiffindo/em; rope burns that he could see at her wrists but that he knew extended over her entire body, the result of an overzealous emIncarcerous/em. She turned to him, strapping the forked dirk to her right thigh, the smooth to her left, and intending to climb into the saddle strapped between his shoulder blades. He backed away./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emLyra,/em he grimaced, emheal yourself./em The girl fixed him with a pointed stare, her right eyebrow quirked. She reached for the saddle again. emI won't fly us to the keep until you do, /emhe continued./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Lyra sighed, unfastening her horned serpent brooch from her cloak. She pricked her right pointer finger, replacing the needle and murmuring, "emiratze"/em as she painted a rune onto her open left palm./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"As her blood dried, the rune briefly glowed aqua, then gold before disappearing completely. The prickling sensation of her flesh knitting back together coursed along her wounds, and Lyra sighed, thankful that she had used a rune instead of the emVulnera Sanentur /emspell. Only by using faerzress (which was more commonly known by Maj-folk as Dark Magic) or ancient magic could one undo the effects of dark curses./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Faerzress could completely undo the effects the curses, but she would need specific incantations for each curse, or else the consequences would be disastrous. Lyra didn't really know what she'd been hit with—she'd fought off so many spells—but thankfully, ancient runic healing worked indiscriminately, though she would be left with slight silvery scars./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emNo matter/em, thought Lyra, pursing her lips into a wry smile. emI have a penchant for collecting scars, anyway./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"She hoisted herself up into the black leather saddle, and Valkyr rose into the air, darkness billowing from his wings. They soared toward the eastern entrance of the upper keep, where the dragon stables opened with an archway shaped like the rising sun. A shimmering golden curtain greeted them, and Valkyr fired at it, deep purple flames swirling as the curtain accepted his unique fireprint and let the two of them in./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"A large circular chamber greeted them, opening out to several luxurious stalls. Torches burning brightly with eternal Grecian fire lit the space, glinting off the gold inlaid alabaster. The floor was made from solid crystal quarried from the foundations of the school and carved on the underside with many facets, distributing the light from the stables into the space below. A pool of emaqua vitae /emlay in the middle of the floor, a golden, living replica of the snakewood tree growing from its depths. Off to the side, a wide staircase led to the lower keep, where Lyra supposed the other students had set up base for the night. Upon her entrance, Lyra noticed that four dragon riders were conversing anxiously, their dragons resting off to the side./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Lyra dismounted and was immediately greeted by a cry of her own name. Turning to face the person, she got a brief glimpse of black, unruly curls jouncing around in midair before a smaller body tackled her. A sharp emOomph!/emescaped her before she regained her balance. Three more bodies swarmed her, enveloping her in a tight embrace./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Can't breathe...air...becoming...problem," she managed to choke out. The bodies withdrew slightly, and their faces—the faces of Ilvermorny's only other dragon riders—swam into focus, greeting her with worried frowns creasing their brows and relief shining in their eyes. In her periphery, she could see the other dragons greet Valkyr./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Where emwere /emyou? emDO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED WE WERE/em?!" shrieked the short, curly-haired witch who had tackled her, slight accent hinting of Italian./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Rhianne, I appreciate your concern, but as you very well can see, I'm emfine/em. I merely stopped to collect my knives. Enough about me now; how fare the wounded?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Ahh," said the tall, slender boy next to Rhianne, draping his arm over her shoulders and pulling her flush against him, "Moans and groans—y'know, the usual theatrics—but those made it out alive are patched up and doing well. All thanks, of course, to our resident Pukwudgie healer," he ruffled Rhianne's hair. Rhianne crinkled her brow up at him (no easy task as he loomed over her by more than a foot), and attempted to pat her hair down. "Did I ever mention how talented you are, Rhi? I mean, the way you fixed up that chap—"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Yes, yes, I know," Rhianne snapped impatiently. "Thank you, but honestly Aramis, flattery will get you nowhere and we both know your half-Veela charm doesn't work when you're covered in blood and guts!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Dae-seong, who somehow managed to dwarf them all, even Aramis, rolled his eyes and slapped Aramis upside the head./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Ow!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Aramis pouted, and they all chuckled at his antics, Lyra merely shaking her head at his immaturity./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Lyra, Aramis," drawled Honoura, "ya dahlings shore yo's rela'ed?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emWhy, she just keeps getting better at faking a Southern accent,/em snorted Valkyr./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emSo true, /emgrinned Lyra. She shot a sneer at Aramis, who promptly returned it./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""You see, dahling—" Aramis began./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""—I understand your incredulousness—" cut in Lyra./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""—'cause sis here has this muddy, emugly/em dark hair that is emso/em unlike anyone else's in the family since many great-grandmothers ago—"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"" —and my brother has such a fair, emeffeminate/em complexion from his Veela father—"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""—and sis is really a bit of a emprude/em, so empriggish/em and emhigh-strung /emall the time—"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""—well, excuse emyou/em for being so emvapid /emand emostentatious/em whenever you see anything in a skirt or slacks—"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""—and though unlikely as it may seem, we are from the same womb—"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""—so emunfortunately/em, we're stuck together as sister and brother—"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""—but only by halves!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""emWe know!" /emthe other three exclaimed./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"An amused cough echoed through the space. The five of them turned and saw a slim figure emerge from the shadows of the staircase./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Elder," they murmured as he embraced them/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""We have agreed to surrender in the morning," he said. "Grindelwald will know by now about the dragon riders, and will target the five of you. Lyra in particular, now that he finally knows where you are," he looked pointedly at her as the other four riders awkwardly diverted their attention, not wishing to breach the subject and incur her wrath as her pale eyes darkened and glinted dangerously./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I deem it wise for you to part ways and continue your studies at other schools around the world, and have made the necessary preparations for your departures in the morning." the elder continued. "I suggest you carry your wands, as you did today during the battle; though I know you will not need them, they help keep appearances."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Lyra gritted her teeth. "Mine was destroyed."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The elder nodded, then abruptly changed topic. "These are portal globes," he said, producing five fist-sized glass orbs from his robes and handing one to each of them, "designed to take you and your dragon anywhere in the world. They bypass all wards and concealment charms, with the exception of the emFidelius/em." The elder paused slightly, ensuring that he had their undivided attention. "To ensure that only you and your dragon can use the globe in your hand, you must speak both of your full names and some details of your lives. I think your Sortings will satisfy the globe, and your dragons' race will do as well."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Dae-seong cleared his throat, shot them all a raised eyebrow, and stared into the orb. "My name is Kim Dae-seong, chosen by Thunderbird, house of adventurers, and Wampus, house of warriors; I reside in Thunderbird. My dragon is Sakura, a female River dragon." The grey mist swirling in the orb promptly turned an opaline white sheen, light pink clouds drifting across its surface. Sakura dipped her mother-of-pearl head, scales tinged with cherry blossom pink, and brushed the orb with her snout./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Rhianne Lucretia Castello, chosen by Pukwudgie, house of healers. Kiiran is my male Faerin dragon." The mist in the orb glowed a rich forest green, glinting with bronze in the light. Tilting his head curiously, the green dragon observed the orb, emerald eyes gleaming and dragonfly wings buzzing./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""They call me Honoura Onwuatuegwu, chosen by Wampus, house of warriors, Pukwudgie, house of healers, and Horned Serpent, house of scholars; I belong in Wampus. My female Archaeryx dragon is Gyrlass." Gyrlass left off preening her feathers to watch as the mist in the orb first flashed crimson, the color of Wampus house, then yellow, green, and blue to match her plumage.'/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I am named Aramis Laranlors Drakonia, chosen by Thunderbird, house of adventurers, and Horned Serpent, house of scholars; I live in Thunderbird. My male dragon is Elladyr, a Brightscale." Elladyr, in all aspects like his rider, lounged on the floor, muscles rolling under his skin and creating the impression of liquid silver as he feigned nonchalance towards the now cerulean blue orb./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I am Lyra Verisiel Drakonia, chosen by all four houses; I joined Horned Serpent. Valkyr is a male of the Nightwing species." Lyra smiled as she felt Valkyr nudge her in the back. Both of them stared at the orb, the mist inside a churning whirlwind of royal purple and obsidian black, lightning streaks of silver occasionally illuminating the inside, aperfect representation of Valkyr's fire and her own magic./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Excellent," said the elder./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""The globes will activate when you throw them and name your destination. Dae-seong, you will be going to the Japanese Mahoutokoro School of Magic, located on Minami Iwo Jima, and," the elder smirked, "yes, they do accept Korean students. Rhianne, the Illuminatus Institution of Magic at Rome. Honoura, Uagadou in the Mountains of the Moon in Uganda. Aramis, Beauxbatons Academy of Magic in the Pyrenees of southern France; and Lyra, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Scottish highlands."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""emHog...warts?!"/em Lyra sputtered incredulously./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Indeed," the elder smiled. "Our British sister school."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""And home to the emwarthogs!/em" chortled Aramis./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"If glares could kill, the one Lyra sent his way would have left him a smoking pile of ashes. "Speak for yourself, empretty stick/em."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Well, emeveryone/em knows that emI'm/em the prettier of the two of us."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The elder gave another amused cough. "Let us continue...and I do believe that is a lie, Aramis."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Aramis flushed a pale pink as the rest of them snickered./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Time is running short on us. I must relay this to you now, as I feel that we will not meet again for a very long time."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I pass onto the five of you three things: a duty, a gift, and some words of advice. The duty I bestow you with is this: the role as keepers of the Dragon Gate. Guard the gate to the dragon eggs that will choose the next generation of riders, so that one day you will pass your legacy to them as I have passed mine to you, one day you will instruct the next Masters of Magic."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He summoned five packages, handing one to each of them, the color of the paper matching the that of the scales of their dragons./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Inside you will find three things. Firstly, a letter addressed to a correspondent at each of your target schools. You must deliver the letter in person, as it is of the utmost importance that only the recipient detailed on the envelope reads the contents enclosed./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Secondly, a small gift for each of you, early birthday presents if you will; they should prove useful to you in the near in the near future, and you may open them whenever you like."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Thirdly, I pass to you the knowledge of the Masters, their final lesson. Guard it jealously, and study it only when completely alone, for it contains the secrets to the most powerful magic known to Maj-kind. Should even the emmention/emof such knowledge be known by an individual, the consequences for the world would be disastrous. If the documents enclosed are compromisedem, it is your duty to destroy them/em. There are terrible things taught, things that I would rather have destroyed and lost forever than fall into the wrong hands."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""And now, some parting words of advice that I wish for you to keep close to your hearts. Always try to learn as much as you can, but never show even half of your true knowledge or capabilities; instead use them as an ultima ratio. Arrogance can be your downfall, but so can underestimating yourself. The same applies to evaluating your opponents, for no one is entirely as they seem. Be wary of those around you; work alone and conceal yourself when possible. However, you are stronger as one than as individuals."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Never lose sight of your purpose: to bring love and peace to the world. A life without love is not one worth living. Never forget who you truly are: unique and beautiful in your flaws. You have no obligation to conform, but it is always regarded as safer to do so. Your mind and heart are your greatest weapons but also the areas most vulnerable to attack. A fear of death is healthy, but to make it your greatest fear means that you will lose sight of what it means to live. Likewise, to dwell on the past and in your dreams is useful and comforting, but it does not do to lose yourself in them. When you feel that all hope is lost, remember to be the light."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Finally, in a softer tone, he added, "Do not fret, my children, if I pass from this life. I have lived long, and when my time comes and Death approaches to collect me from the world of the living, I will greet him as a friend. To die, after all, must be a very big adventure, and the happiest memories I take from this world will be of you."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He embraced them for the last time that night, that day, forever, kissing their foreheads and murmuring, "May you live your lives with strength, beauty, and joy. May we one day see Eterna together." Then, sadly, "I must attend to and complete my final duties; I regret that I will not be able to see you off. Get a good night's rest, for you must stay strong and keep fighting."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Then he left, his footsteps noiseless as he melted and disappeared into the shadows, leaving only silence and heavy breaths behind./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Seconds seemed like hours as the minutes ticked by in silence./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""So this is it then," murmured Honoura finally, spreading her lanky arms in an open embrace, much as a starved bird spreads its wings to hold the wind./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"They piled together, clutching at each other as if to a lifeline, dry sobs heaving from their throats./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Just for the record guys," Dae-seong said, voice choked and hoarse with a display of emotion so foreign to his stoic, sarcastic character, "I know that we may bicker and fight, but I love you all; you guys were the best second family I could ever have asked for."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I love you too."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Luv y'all."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""We'll be family forever and always."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Love you everyone—even you, sis."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emWhack. Wha-whack./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Ow!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"They broke apart, Honoura howling with laughter as Lyra grinned cheekily at her scowling older brother./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Well then, I suppose it's time to hit the hay...emliterally,/em" sighed Aramis. The chorus of emgood night/em's filled the air as each of them went their separate ways, turning in for the night with their dragons./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Lyra waited until the other riders had drawn the silvery curtains across the entrances to their stalls before she drew her own. Nestling into the hay next to a curled up Valkyr, she lay the portal globe in her lap and carefully slipped open the package. An envelope tumbled out, spiraling slowly before resting at her feet./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The creamy parchment was crisp at the edges and made of heavy stock, she observed. The red wax seal was roughly the size of a Dragot, and bore the Ilvermorny Gordian knot and the words "Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Scripted neatly on the front in shining cranberry and royal blue ink was the address:/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emTo Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledorebr /Deputy Headmaster, Professor of Transfiguration, Head of Gryffindor Housebr /Second Degree Acolytebr /Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardrybr /—Lemon drops, my friend./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Lyra sighed as she tucked the letter into Valkyr's saddlebag./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emOf all the names they could have gone with, why Hogwarts? Why the exact reversal of warthog?/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emWell,/em snorted Valkyr,em at least they didn't go with Katmeer. Or Batwom./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emTrue, but meerkats and wombats to warthogs...the founders must've been drunk off their rockers./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emNow we know why President Picquery caused such an uproar twenty years ago when she told MACUSA that the gigglewater was "non-negotiable."/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"She chuckled and reached for the package again, admiring the undetectable extension charm that enabled it to be no larger than the size of her palm. Inside she found two wooden boxes, each large enough to occupy the entirety of her lap. In character they were vastly different: the first a warm, lacquered rosewood with a gold embossed dragon, the wood and sign of the house Drakonia; the second an unpolished ebony with silver engraving of the ancient language flowing across the lid./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emEbony; protection, power, secrecy. Activated by blood. This must hold the elder's final lesson./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The ebony box she tucked carefully into the saddlebag as she slid the rosewood box towards her knees. Without warning, the bas-relieved dragon rose up, nipping her index finger and drawing drops of blood that were absorbed by the wood. Lyra cursed, then was distracted momentarily as the box grew warm and popped open, revealing a lining of Bordeaux purple velvet. A fine sheet of vellum lay across the contents, golden ink glittering across its width./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emDear Lyra,/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emInside you will find a few artifacts of great /A Thiago Quintana wand—one of the last of its kind, a gift from the White River Monster, known for power and elegance in performing /A Violetta Beauvais wand—use it carefully, and ensure that it does not leave your hands. Remember what people say: a Beauvais wand takes to Dark Magic like a vampire takes to /A wand made from the snakewood tree and the horn and gem of the legendary Horned Serpent, loyal to the one who proffers it his blood. Bind your blood to it, for then it shall serve no /A locket with the crest of House Drakonia and memories of music from us, your loved ones. It will keep you calm in situations of great distress, and call your truest friends to you in times of great /A potion to be used when you want to disappear; each drop you take will remove your magic for an hour and prevent others from tracking /Do not reveal that you possess these items; they can be used to effectuate great personal gain with disastrous effect in the hands of the /I also confide to you the location of a room in Hogwarts: in legends they call it the Room of Requirement, also the Come and Go Room, an unplottable room that will appear when you need something. It is located on the left side of the castle, on the seventh floor, the wall opposite the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy attempting to teach trolls ballet. Walk by the wall three times while thinking of what you need—you must be very specific—and a door will appear that reveals the room./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emStay safe,br /Elder Erhivast/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"With great care not to soil it with her blood, she folded the vellum and placed it within the lid. She squeezed a few drops of her blood onto the snakewood wand. The serpent carved into the handle seemed to slither slightly, amber eyes sparkling. A low hiss emitted from its mouth, which Lyra recognized as, emMaster I will serve you alone./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Good,"/em she hissed back./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Lyra strung the locket around her neck before closing the lid of the box and depositing it into the saddlebag as well. As an overthought, she folded a fresh pair of Ilvermorny robes up, her fingers lingering on the softness of the fabric, the warm cranberry and the royal blue dimmed by the darkness, the golden Gordian knot dull and without its twinkle, and tucked her Horned Serpent brooch into its folds for good luck. This she dropped softly into the saddlebag, watching it slide out of sight into the infinite abyss of the bag./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"She quickly stripped herself of her bloodied and torn school robes, removing the blades from within and banishing the ruined clothing with a flick of her wrist to the castle's laundry. In their place, she donned the skin-tight tunic and pants of the dragon riders, sliding the blades into their holsters./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"A spare pair of boots and her gauntlets were donned as well, and she wrapped herself in a cloak as she raised her wards and silencing charms, before finally casting off to sleep./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Dusk was setting in as the girl limped across the battlefield, the scent of blood and wet dirt and death clogging her nostrils./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The proud castle she'd once called home was littered with rubble, smoke rising in several places from the ravaged stone. The marble statue of Isolt Sayre that stood in the courtyard was covered in grime, and the snakewood tree that graced the west side of the battlements had shriveled. She could see the campfires of Grindelwald's followers glinting in the distance and hear their drunken revels as they boasted of their exploits. The bodies of the fallen littered the ground, torn blue and cranberry robes lying across mangled corpses, black cloaks with the sign of the Deathly Hallows covering the faces of the enemy./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"She stumbled and the world spun, and she fell until something hard and scaly pushed itself against her back and righted her again. She turned and her pale blue-green eyes stared into large, matching ones./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emValkyr, /emshe called to her dragon, emwhere are the other students?/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The black dragon straightened, scales glinting slightly with a royal purple in the setting sun. He sniffed, peering into the nearing darkness./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emThe keep, /emhe growled in her headem, where the wounded are being tended to and the well are The pukwudgies are collecting the dead and bringing them there as well./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The girl nodded. She raised her right hand and muttered under her breath, "Aletmes, fagrlissi'mri." emCome, my fangs. /emSeveral silver blades embedded in bodies of the fallen rose into the air and raced toward her. She snatched them quickly, scanning the blades as she collected them in her hands. Then she methodically sheathed them: one serrated blade tucked in her left boot, a throwing knife on each of her thighs, and an assortment of small daggers into her torn and bloodied robes. The last two weapons she held—twin dirks, each reaching from her elbow to her palm, one forked, one smooth—she examined carefully for damage, confirming that the runes etched onto their surfaces were unmarred./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"While she was thus preoccupied, Valkyr scrutinized his rider for injury. A darkening bruise graced her left temple, and blood flowed from a small but deep cut on her cheek. He could see where several curses had hit her: a deep cut coiled around her right calf, the rope-like spell having cut through her leather boot; a relatively shallow gash that ran across her stomach, courtesy of a emDiffindo/em; rope burns that he could see at her wrists but that he knew extended over her entire body, the result of an overzealous emIncarcerous/em. She turned to him, strapping the forked dirk to her right thigh, the smooth to her left, and intending to climb into the saddle strapped between his shoulder blades. He backed away./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emLyra,/em he grimaced, emheal yourself./em The girl fixed him with a pointed stare, her right eyebrow quirked. She reached for the saddle again. emI won't fly us to the keep until you do, /emhe continued./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Lyra sighed, unfastening her horned serpent brooch from her cloak. She pricked her right pointer finger, replacing the needle and murmuring, "emiratze"/em as she painted a rune onto her open left palm./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"As her blood dried, the rune briefly glowed aqua, then gold before disappearing completely. The prickling sensation of her flesh knitting back together coursed along her wounds, and Lyra sighed, thankful that she had used a rune instead of the emVulnera Sanentur /emspell. Only by using faerzress (which was more commonly known by Maj-folk as Dark Magic) or ancient magic could one undo the effects of dark curses./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Faerzress could completely undo the effects the curses, but she would need specific incantations for each curse, or else the consequences would be disastrous. Lyra didn't really know what she'd been hit with—she'd fought off so many spells—but thankfully, ancient runic healing worked indiscriminately, though she would be left with slight silvery scars./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emNo matter/em, thought Lyra, pursing her lips into a wry smile. emI have a penchant for collecting scars, anyway./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"She hoisted herself up into the black leather saddle, and Valkyr rose into the air, darkness billowing from his wings. They soared toward the eastern entrance of the upper keep, where the dragon stables opened with an archway shaped like the rising sun. A shimmering golden curtain greeted them, and Valkyr fired at it, deep purple flames swirling as the curtain accepted his unique fireprint and let the two of them in./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"A large circular chamber greeted them, opening out to several luxurious stalls. Torches burning brightly with eternal Grecian fire lit the space, glinting off the gold inlaid alabaster. The floor was made from solid crystal quarried from the foundations of the school and carved on the underside with many facets, distributing the light from the stables into the space below. A pool of emaqua vitae /emlay in the middle of the floor, a golden, living replica of the snakewood tree growing from its depths. Off to the side, a wide staircase led to the lower keep, where Lyra supposed the other students had set up base for the night. Upon her entrance, Lyra noticed that four dragon riders were conversing anxiously, their dragons resting off to the side./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Lyra dismounted and was immediately greeted by a cry of her own name. Turning to face the person, she got a brief glimpse of black, unruly curls jouncing around in midair before a smaller body tackled her. A sharp emOomph!/emescaped her before she regained her balance. Three more bodies swarmed her, enveloping her in a tight embrace./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Can't breathe...air...becoming...problem," she managed to choke out. The bodies withdrew slightly, and their faces—the faces of Ilvermorny's only other dragon riders—swam into focus, greeting her with worried frowns creasing their brows and relief shining in their eyes. In her periphery, she could see the other dragons greet Valkyr./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Where emwere /emyou? emDO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED WE WERE/em?!" shrieked the short, curly-haired witch who had tackled her, slight accent hinting of Italian./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Rhianne, I appreciate your concern, but as you very well can see, I'm emfine/em. I merely stopped to collect my knives. Enough about me now; how fare the wounded?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Ahh," said the tall, slender boy next to Rhianne, draping his arm over her shoulders and pulling her flush against him, "Moans and groans—y'know, the usual theatrics—but those made it out alive are patched up and doing well. All thanks, of course, to our resident Pukwudgie healer," he ruffled Rhianne's hair. Rhianne crinkled her brow up at him (no easy task as he loomed over her by more than a foot), and attempted to pat her hair down. "Did I ever mention how talented you are, Rhi? I mean, the way you fixed up that chap—"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Yes, yes, I know," Rhianne snapped impatiently. "Thank you, but honestly Aramis, flattery will get you nowhere and we both know your half-Veela charm doesn't work when you're covered in blood and guts!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Dae-seong, who somehow managed to dwarf them all, even Aramis, rolled his eyes and slapped Aramis upside the head./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Ow!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Aramis pouted, and they all chuckled at his antics, Lyra merely shaking her head at his immaturity./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Lyra, Aramis," drawled Honoura, "ya dahlings shore yo's rela'ed?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emWhy, she just keeps getting better at faking a Southern accent,/em snorted Valkyr./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emSo true, /emgrinned Lyra. She shot a sneer at Aramis, who promptly returned it./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""You see, dahling—" Aramis began./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""—I understand your incredulousness—" cut in Lyra./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""—'cause sis here has this muddy, emugly/em dark hair that is emso/em unlike anyone else's in the family since many great-grandmothers ago—"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"" —and my brother has such a fair, emeffeminate/em complexion from his Veela father—"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""—and sis is really a bit of a emprude/em, so empriggish/em and emhigh-strung /emall the time—"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""—well, excuse emyou/em for being so emvapid /emand emostentatious/em whenever you see anything in a skirt or slacks—"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""—and though unlikely as it may seem, we are from the same womb—"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""—so emunfortunately/em, we're stuck together as sister and brother—"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""—but only by halves!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""emWe know!" /emthe other three exclaimed./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"An amused cough echoed through the space. The five of them turned and saw a slim figure emerge from the shadows of the staircase./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Elder," they murmured as he embraced them/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""We have agreed to surrender in the morning," he said. "Grindelwald will know by now about the dragon riders, and will target the five of you. Lyra in particular, now that he finally knows where you are," he looked pointedly at her as the other four riders awkwardly diverted their attention, not wishing to breach the subject and incur her wrath as her pale eyes darkened and glinted dangerously./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I deem it wise for you to part ways and continue your studies at other schools around the world, and have made the necessary preparations for your departures in the morning." the elder continued. "I suggest you carry your wands, as you did today during the battle; though I know you will not need them, they help keep appearances."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Lyra gritted her teeth. "Mine was destroyed."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The elder nodded, then abruptly changed topic. "These are portal globes," he said, producing five fist-sized glass orbs from his robes and handing one to each of them, "designed to take you and your dragon anywhere in the world. They bypass all wards and concealment charms, with the exception of the emFidelius/em." The elder paused slightly, ensuring that he had their undivided attention. "To ensure that only you and your dragon can use the globe in your hand, you must speak both of your full names and some details of your lives. I think your Sortings will satisfy the globe, and your dragons' race will do as well."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Dae-seong cleared his throat, shot them all a raised eyebrow, and stared into the orb. "My name is Kim Dae-seong, chosen by Thunderbird, house of adventurers, and Wampus, house of warriors; I reside in Thunderbird. My dragon is Sakura, a female River dragon." The grey mist swirling in the orb promptly turned an opaline white sheen, light pink clouds drifting across its surface. Sakura dipped her mother-of-pearl head, scales tinged with cherry blossom pink, and brushed the orb with her snout./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Rhianne Lucretia Castello, chosen by Pukwudgie, house of healers. Kiiran is my male Faerin dragon." The mist in the orb glowed a rich forest green, glinting with bronze in the light. Tilting his head curiously, the green dragon observed the orb, emerald eyes gleaming and dragonfly wings buzzing./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""They call me Honoura Onwuatuegwu, chosen by Wampus, house of warriors, Pukwudgie, house of healers, and Horned Serpent, house of scholars; I belong in Wampus. My female Archaeryx dragon is Gyrlass." Gyrlass left off preening her feathers to watch as the mist in the orb first flashed crimson, the color of Wampus house, then yellow, green, and blue to match her plumage.'/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I am named Aramis Laranlors Drakonia, chosen by Thunderbird, house of adventurers, and Horned Serpent, house of scholars; I live in Thunderbird. My male dragon is Elladyr, a Brightscale." Elladyr, in all aspects like his rider, lounged on the floor, muscles rolling under his skin and creating the impression of liquid silver as he feigned nonchalance towards the now cerulean blue orb./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I am Lyra Verisiel Drakonia, chosen by all four houses; I joined Horned Serpent. Valkyr is a male of the Nightwing species." Lyra smiled as she felt Valkyr nudge her in the back. Both of them stared at the orb, the mist inside a churning whirlwind of royal purple and obsidian black, lightning streaks of silver occasionally illuminating the inside, aperfect representation of Valkyr's fire and her own magic./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Excellent," said the elder./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""The globes will activate when you throw them and name your destination. Dae-seong, you will be going to the Japanese Mahoutokoro School of Magic, located on Minami Iwo Jima, and," the elder smirked, "yes, they do accept Korean students. Rhianne, the Illuminatus Institution of Magic at Rome. Honoura, Uagadou in the Mountains of the Moon in Uganda. Aramis, Beauxbatons Academy of Magic in the Pyrenees of southern France; and Lyra, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Scottish highlands."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""emHog...warts?!"/em Lyra sputtered incredulously./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Indeed," the elder smiled. "Our British sister school."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""And home to the emwarthogs!/em" chortled Aramis./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"If glares could kill, the one Lyra sent his way would have left him a smoking pile of ashes. "Speak for yourself, empretty stick/em."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Well, emeveryone/em knows that emI'm/em the prettier of the two of us."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The elder gave another amused cough. "Let us continue...and I do believe that is a lie, Aramis."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Aramis flushed a pale pink as the rest of them snickered./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Time is running short on us. I must relay this to you now, as I feel that we will not meet again for a very long time."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I pass onto the five of you three things: a duty, a gift, and some words of advice. The duty I bestow you with is this: the role as keepers of the Dragon Gate. Guard the gate to the dragon eggs that will choose the next generation of riders, so that one day you will pass your legacy to them as I have passed mine to you, one day you will instruct the next Masters of Magic."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He summoned five packages, handing one to each of them, the color of the paper matching the that of the scales of their dragons./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Inside you will find three things. Firstly, a letter addressed to a correspondent at each of your target schools. You must deliver the letter in person, as it is of the utmost importance that only the recipient detailed on the envelope reads the contents enclosed./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Secondly, a small gift for each of you, early birthday presents if you will; they should prove useful to you in the near in the near future, and you may open them whenever you like."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Thirdly, I pass to you the knowledge of the Masters, their final lesson. Guard it jealously, and study it only when completely alone, for it contains the secrets to the most powerful magic known to Maj-kind. Should even the emmention/emof such knowledge be known by an individual, the consequences for the world would be disastrous. If the documents enclosed are compromisedem, it is your duty to destroy them/em. There are terrible things taught, things that I would rather have destroyed and lost forever than fall into the wrong hands."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""And now, some parting words of advice that I wish for you to keep close to your hearts. Always try to learn as much as you can, but never show even half of your true knowledge or capabilities; instead use them as an ultima ratio. Arrogance can be your downfall, but so can underestimating yourself. The same applies to evaluating your opponents, for no one is entirely as they seem. Be wary of those around you; work alone and conceal yourself when possible. However, you are stronger as one than as individuals."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Never lose sight of your purpose: to bring love and peace to the world. A life without love is not one worth living. Never forget who you truly are: unique and beautiful in your flaws. You have no obligation to conform, but it is always regarded as safer to do so. Your mind and heart are your greatest weapons but also the areas most vulnerable to attack. A fear of death is healthy, but to make it your greatest fear means that you will lose sight of what it means to live. Likewise, to dwell on the past and in your dreams is useful and comforting, but it does not do to lose yourself in them. When you feel that all hope is lost, remember to be the light."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Finally, in a softer tone, he added, "Do not fret, my children, if I pass from this life. I have lived long, and when my time comes and Death approaches to collect me from the world of the living, I will greet him as a friend. To die, after all, must be a very big adventure, and the happiest memories I take from this world will be of you."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He embraced them for the last time that night, that day, forever, kissing their foreheads and murmuring, "May you live your lives with strength, beauty, and joy. May we one day see Eterna together." Then, sadly, "I must attend to and complete my final duties; I regret that I will not be able to see you off. Get a good night's rest, for you must stay strong and keep fighting."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Then he left, his footsteps noiseless as he melted and disappeared into the shadows, leaving only silence and heavy breaths behind./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Seconds seemed like hours as the minutes ticked by in silence./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""So this is it then," murmured Honoura finally, spreading her lanky arms in an open embrace, much as a starved bird spreads its wings to hold the wind./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"They piled together, clutching at each other as if to a lifeline, dry sobs heaving from their throats./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Just for the record guys," Dae-seong said, voice choked and hoarse with a display of emotion so foreign to his stoic, sarcastic character, "I know that we may bicker and fight, but I love you all; you guys were the best second family I could ever have asked for."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I love you too."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Luv y'all."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""We'll be family forever and always."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Love you everyone—even you, sis."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emWhack. Wha-whack./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Ow!"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"They broke apart, Honoura howling with laughter as Lyra grinned cheekily at her scowling older brother./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Well then, I suppose it's time to hit the hay...emliterally,/em" sighed Aramis. The chorus of emgood night/em's filled the air as each of them went their separate ways, turning in for the night with their dragons./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Lyra waited until the other riders had drawn the silvery curtains across the entrances to their stalls before she drew her own. Nestling into the hay next to a curled up Valkyr, she lay the portal globe in her lap and carefully slipped open the package. An envelope tumbled out, spiraling slowly before resting at her feet./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The creamy parchment was crisp at the edges and made of heavy stock, she observed. The red wax seal was roughly the size of a Dragot, and bore the Ilvermorny Gordian knot and the words "Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Scripted neatly on the front in shining cranberry and royal blue ink was the address:/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emTo Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledorebr /Deputy Headmaster, Professor of Transfiguration, Head of Gryffindor Housebr /Second Degree Acolytebr /Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardrybr /—Lemon drops, my friend./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Lyra sighed as she tucked the letter into Valkyr's saddlebag./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emOf all the names they could have gone with, why Hogwarts? Why the exact reversal of warthog?/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emWell,/em snorted Valkyr,em at least they didn't go with Katmeer. Or Batwom./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emTrue, but meerkats and wombats to warthogs...the founders must've been drunk off their rockers./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emNow we know why President Picquery caused such an uproar twenty years ago when she told MACUSA that the gigglewater was "non-negotiable."/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"She chuckled and reached for the package again, admiring the undetectable extension charm that enabled it to be no larger than the size of her palm. Inside she found two wooden boxes, each large enough to occupy the entirety of her lap. In character they were vastly different: the first a warm, lacquered rosewood with a gold embossed dragon, the wood and sign of the house Drakonia; the second an unpolished ebony with silver engraving of the ancient language flowing across the lid./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emEbony; protection, power, secrecy. Activated by blood. This must hold the elder's final lesson./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The ebony box she tucked carefully into the saddlebag as she slid the rosewood box towards her knees. Without warning, the bas-relieved dragon rose up, nipping her index finger and drawing drops of blood that were absorbed by the wood. Lyra cursed, then was distracted momentarily as the box grew warm and popped open, revealing a lining of Bordeaux purple velvet. A fine sheet of vellum lay across the contents, golden ink glittering across its width./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emDear Lyra,/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emInside you will find a few artifacts of great /A Thiago Quintana wand—one of the last of its kind, a gift from the White River Monster, known for power and elegance in performing /A Violetta Beauvais wand—use it carefully, and ensure that it does not leave your hands. Remember what people say: a Beauvais wand takes to Dark Magic like a vampire takes to /A wand made from the snakewood tree and the horn and gem of the legendary Horned Serpent, loyal to the one who proffers it his blood. Bind your blood to it, for then it shall serve no /A locket with the crest of House Drakonia and memories of music from us, your loved ones. It will keep you calm in situations of great distress, and call your truest friends to you in times of great /A potion to be used when you want to disappear; each drop you take will remove your magic for an hour and prevent others from tracking /Do not reveal that you possess these items; they can be used to effectuate great personal gain with disastrous effect in the hands of the /I also confide to you the location of a room in Hogwarts: in legends they call it the Room of Requirement, also the Come and Go Room, an unplottable room that will appear when you need something. It is located on the left side of the castle, on the seventh floor, the wall opposite the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy attempting to teach trolls ballet. Walk by the wall three times while thinking of what you need—you must be very specific—and a door will appear that reveals the room./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emStay safe,br /Elder Erhivast/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"With great care not to soil it with her blood, she folded the vellum and placed it within the lid. She squeezed a few drops of her blood onto the snakewood wand. The serpent carved into the handle seemed to slither slightly, amber eyes sparkling. A low hiss emitted from its mouth, which Lyra recognized as, emMaster I will serve you alone./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"em"Good,"/em she hissed back./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Lyra strung the locket around her neck before closing the lid of the box and depositing it into the saddlebag as well. As an overthought, she folded a fresh pair of Ilvermorny robes up, her fingers lingering on the softness of the fabric, the warm cranberry and the royal blue dimmed by the darkness, the golden Gordian knot dull and without its twinkle, and tucked her Horned Serpent brooch into its folds for good luck. This she dropped softly into the saddlebag, watching it slide out of sight into the infinite abyss of the bag./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"She quickly stripped herself of her bloodied and torn school robes, removing the blades from within and banishing the ruined clothing with a flick of her wrist to the castle's laundry. In their place, she donned the skin-tight tunic and pants of the dragon riders, sliding the blades into their holsters./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"A spare pair of boots and her gauntlets were donned as well, and she wrapped herself in a cloak as she raised her wards and silencing charms, before finally casting off to sleep./p
