I know the whole American-magic-school kind of fic has been done to death, but I felt like writing another one even if I don't finish it or nobody reviews. : P
As for "Moggy", of course I'm going to keep going with that, I just did this earlier because I had writer's block.
This is a pretty random story.
Note: Hogwarts has seven years, and their students start school at about age eleven, but at this school they have nine grades starting two years earlier, so this is at the same time as the Sorcerer's Stone.
001: Can They Bring A Moose?
Off the coast of California, on an island so small it wasn't even visible on most maps, there used to be a four star hotel. Now, it was just a huge, vacant building sticking out from the ocean like a rock on a sidewalk, never really acknowledged, but not completely ignored either.
People said it was haunted; the last person to go inside came out mumbling about a talking head. Adventurous high schoolers that sailed out to it hoping to see a ghost or two (or perhaps even the legendary head) mysteriously veered off course every time they tried to get close to it.
Of course, what these Muggles didn't know was that the only thing haunting this abandoned hotel was a bunch of witches and wizards, and that this was no longer a hotel, but a school.
Today, on Monday, September the 5th, it was the first day of another year at Antares American Magic School, and of course, there weren't many kids that wanted to be there.
Except Matthew Crowley, who paced back and forth in the former hotel lobby, in front of a large window overlooking the California ocean.
"Ah, school!" he said, his hands clasped together, his eyes alight with excitement. "The joys of essays, the delight which only Arithmancy can offer – "
"Matt," said a kid nearby, Tobias Ledvina, who was standing with a bunch of other kids. "Shut the hell up, man."
The rest of them snickered. Matt lowered his voice, but continued to go on about the "pleasurable aspects of runes" and "textbooks" and other crap no one really cared about.
"He is so weird," said a tall, slim girl by Tobias. Her brunette hair was messily arranged with a large hair clip. She wore golden robes, like everyone else. The satin band on her left arm was white, with the initials "A.R."
"Check this out!" said a blonde kid near her. He held his arm out in front of everyone to show them a bright green can. "It's this Muggle thing I found!"
"What is it? A drink?" asked a boy with dark skin and jet-black hair.
"Yeah! It's called…. Mountain Dew! Watch this!" He took the can and began to shake it vigorously. Tobias looked at the short kid next to him.
"What's Charles doing now?"
"I dunno – ACK!"
Charles had lifted the pull-tab on the can, spraying everyone within a five-foot radius with brown, fizzy liquid. Everyone drew back, grimacing.
"Oh, sorry, I shook it a little too much…" Charles mumbled, looking down at the now empty can.
At that moment, the bell rang, the clattering noise filling the lobby and echoing into the corridors. There was a collective groan from all the students, and a happy "Huzzah!" from Matt. They all shuffled out of the lobby and to their own classrooms. Half of the third graders, including Tobias, Charles, and the rest, all went to Defense Against the Dark Arts.
Mr. Hayes was standing outside the classroom door when they arrived. He was younger than most teachers, and considered a favorite by many, because he was the only teacher with…
"Hello, welcome back," said Carl, the wooden head in Mr. Hayes' hands. Carl was very odd looking; his forehead was high, he didn't appear to have a chin, and his carved eyes were closed as if he were sleeping.
"Hi, Carl," they said, walking into the room.
They all piled into their seats, dropping their bags to the floor. The room was filled with the chaotic clamor of the first time being back in a classroom since the summer. Eventually the tardy bell rang and Mr. Hayes walked to the front of the room, setting Carl down on a towering stack of books by the podium.
"Everyone settle down, I have to do attendance," he yelled. "Doris Alexandras?"
"It's Dee," said the girl with the messy hair, gripping the back of her chair so tightly her knuckles turned white.
"Right, sorry," Mr. Hayes said. "Islan Alexandras – I mean, Iz…"
"I'm right here," said the kid behind Dee. He looked like her, with bright blue eyes and brown hair.
Mr. Hayes continued to call names. Charles Gregory sat by Alistair Green, the guy with the black hair, and behind him was Edward Smith, who was tall and had a big build. Andrew Saar was very short and small, in contrast. He was always right next to Tobias.
"Right," said Mr. Hayes. "Let's get started then. As you all know, I'm Linus Hayes, your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher…"
"Cut to the good stuff, already," Carl said. "Tell them the news."
"What news?" asked someone at the front of the room. Now everyone seemed to be less bored; most of the time, if there was news, the headmistress, Mrs. Celente, would tell them the night before when they first arrived.
"Well," Mr. Hayes began, "it seems Antares is going to join the Worldwide Assembly of Wizarding Institutions, or W.A.W.I. for short."
"Wah-wee?" Charles repeated. Everyone laughed.
"Pretty much," Carl said.
"Yeah, so, what this pretty much is," Mr. Hayes continued to explain, "is a meeting of other magic schools from the major countries of the world."
"Sweet!" Andrew said. "So there'll be Canadian people?"
"I don't see why not, eh?" Carl answered.
"Isn't that the same as the Triwizard Tournament?" a redhead at the back inquired.
"The what?" a bunch of other students said.
"Settle down, settle down," Mr. Hayes, said, waving at them to be silent. "No, the Triwizard Tournament is a meeting of three schools that are all near each other. This is all of the main ones. And it's just been announced early this morning that the schools will be meeting here at Antares."
"How are they all supposed to stay here? Our school is already really big," Dee said.
"Well…"
"Ooh! Ooh!" Andrew shouted. "Can the Canadians bring a moose?!"
"Now you're talking!" Carl commented.
"Alright – " Mr. Hayes started, but then the kid with the red hair cleared his throat. "I still think it sounds like the Triwizard Tournament."
"It's not the Triwizard Tournament," Mr. Hayes said impatiently. "Now, when the schools arrive, we will engage in a competition of sorts."
"But that's the same as the Triwizard Tournament."
"Can't we go to Canada?" Andrew said. "We don't have moose in California!"
"C'mon, quiet down – " Mr. Hayes began, but was quickly interrupted.
"Yeah, we do!" Dee said. "I saw some moose once!"
"I thought it was mooses," said Edward.
"If the plural of goose is geese, then I would think multiple moose would be meese," Carl suggested.
"That's confusing," Alistair said.
"Hey, try saying that really fast!" Tobias exclaimed. "Multiple moose are meese, mul-ma-moos-ma-mees… Crap…"
"ENOUGH WITH THE MOOSE!" Mr. Hayes cried so loudly a couple of girls squeaked and covered their ears. The room swiftly became silent, even Andrew. "Now… we're done discussing W.A.W.I. right now. Get out your books!"
Everyone groaned and grumbled in protest, while Matt could be heard in the background, saying, "Huzzah!"
