DISCLAIMER: Unfortunately, I do not own Harry Potter. *Sobs*

A/N: This story was submitted for round one of the International Wizarding School Championship Forum.

School: Ilvermorny

Theme: Mahoutokoro

Prompt(s): Wands[Object] and Any Magical Creature

Year: 2

A light breeze filtered through the hot and humid island air, providing a balm of refreshing cool to the population inhabiting Okinawa Island. The sounds of various animals could be heard outside, chittering and twittering and chirping. The waves of the ocean were lapping at the Island's edge, the smell of the sea salt carrying over the island and causing its inhabitants to unconsciously feel at ease. At this time of the year, the people were normally inside their homes to escape the heat or in the water to cool off. But today, a lot of the population dared to venture outside because of the nice breeze filtering about.

One such person was a young girl, age eleven. She was in her backyard, sitting at the base of a Sakura tree with her legs curled to the side, the light pink flowers on the branches above her head swayed gently in the breeze and a blanket on the ground underneath her.

Her dark-as-night hair that always framed her face was dancing slightly to the blowing wind, her slightly tanned skin a great contrast to the evergreen grass near her exposed leg. Her dark brown eyes were focused on the book in her hands and were tracing the words intently as she read. The book itself was worn from the many times the young girl has read it. But, no matter how many pages she continued to turn, or how many words she continued to read, her mind refused to dwell on anything but what was to occur in a few moments time.

"You're a witch Satori."

Satori Sungai has heard that for as long as she can remember. To some, that sentence would sound completely crazy - and then refer the speaker to the nearest mental institution. But when you have a mother, a father, and an older brother as a witch and wizards respectively, it wasn't as mad as it seemed. Satori's mother, Akina Sungai, would always cook meals using her wand and read bedtime stories featuring magical creatures to her. Her father, Kazuma Sungai, taught her how to play Quidditch and sometimes brought her to games as well. And her brother, Takumi Sungai, used to buy her all kinds of sweets, including sugar quills for her to make studying more bearable.

And speaking of studying…

Satori sighed and put down her book, Ikimono: Shinwa ka hontō? (Creatures: Myth or Real?), and leaned her head back to gaze at the pink flowers above her head, unable to continue reading with anxiety bubbling up inside of her.

Mahoutokoro. The Japanese Wizarding School of Magic.

Her school for the last four years.

Today will be the start of a new term, but since she turned eleven before the term could start, that meant that this year will be the first time she stayed at the school. When she first started attending when she was seven, she came home every day. But now, she will stay at the school, only coming home for the holidays.

So, it was understandable that she was nervous.

When her parents weren't around to soothe her rattled nerves, her brother was by her side, telling her that she'd be fine and that the other kids would respect her when they figure out she had a cherry wood wand.

Satori sighed again as her thoughts turned towards her wand. Cherry wood with a Giant Storm Petrel feather core, eleven inches and completely rigid. When the wand maker, Hanako Shiori, presented her with the wand when Satori was seven, she was practically bowing low enough for her nose to touch the ground. "It is an honor to gift a young one such as yourself with a cherry wood wand," she had said. "You will go on to do great things someday, I think."

And when she had first started attending Mahoutokoro, her Senseis and some of the older students treated her like she had royal blood flowing through her veins. The other kids in her age group all tried to be friends with her, just because she had a cheery wood wand.

Her brother, who had just competed in the Wizarding Schools Potions Championship and was in his final year at Mahoutokoro when she first started attending, had explained to her the reason people were treating her differently.

In Japan, it is said that witches and wizards that possess a cherry wood wand hold immense power within themselves. These witches and wizards will go on to do great things and be some of the most respected members of the wizarding community. The first ever Headmistress of Mahoutokoro, Sasame Hitomi, had a cherry wood wand in her possession and is remembered as one of the most influential figures in the magical community of Japan.

Takumi concluded his explanation by ruffling her hair and saying, "You're going to be doing things imouto. Whether you're going to be discovering new potions or becoming an Auror with the Japanese Ministry of Magic, I'm not sure. But whatever you decide to do, you'll be amazing. I guarantee it."

Satori was startled out of her thoughts by someone calling her name. Looking up, she saw her mother and father coming towards her. She got up from her position on the ground on top of the blanket and stood to meet them.

"Otou-san, Okaa-san," she greeted them, a small smile on her face.

"It is almost time," her mother replied, a small, answering smile on her own face. "The Storm Petrel should be here in a few minutes."

Satori let out a shaky gasp and tried for another smile but it came out as a grimace.

Her father came forward to wrap Satori up in an embrace. "It will be alright Musume," he murmured in her ear. "You can write to us every day and you'd be surrounded by all your friends. You'll end up having so much fun you'll forget you miss us."

He's probably said this to her a million times before now, but since today is the day she's actually leaving, Satori actually considers his words. She nods against his shoulder after a moment. "I guess."

Her father steps back from her, his eyes shining with happiness, her mother not looking too different next to him. They both had gone to Mahoutokoro as well, and they were excited that their youngest child will now attend as a boarding student, where she can have the full experience of the school.

"Have you got everything?" Akina asked.

Satori nodded. "I cast a shrinking charm on my trunk and placed it in my pocket," she explained. "And my wand is in its holster on my arm."

She pulled back the sleeves of her school uniform to emphasize her point. Her school robes were a light blue, a nice change (in her opinion) from the pale pink they were when she first got them at age seven.

She wanted them to be gold by the time she graduated though.

A gust of wind above them, a great shadow covering the yard, and a giant bird touched down a few feet from her and her parents. Satori couldn't help the smile that crossed her face as gazed at the creature before her.

The bird was the size of a pony, standing proudly on its feet with its head held high. The feathers on its body were a mix of brown and white, with a majority of it being brown. Its beak was as sharp as a goblin-made dagger, light glinting off of it as its head shifted in the sunlight. In its eyes were intelligence that you often find with this creature.

Especially if their gaze was directed towards you like it was doing now. But even if she wasn't looking in its eyes, Satori would know this creature anywhere.

She walked towards it, her hand already outstretched to rub its head. The feathers felt like silk the way they were sliding through her fingers and she could have sworn she heard the avian chirp in satisfaction.

"Looks like you have to go now," her mother's came from behind her.

Satori turned to smile at her parents once again. "Hai, I guess so," she said.

Her mother reached forward to grip her arm. "Have fun Satori-chan," she said firmly.

"We'll see you when it's your Christmas break," her father added.

She nodded at them. "Okay," she said, hoping they didn't notice the slight catch in her voice. She hitched one of her legs over the Storm Petrel and hoisted herself up like she was going to ride a horse - except she doesn't have a helmet. Just pretty school robes.

"Sayonara," she intoned quietly. Before her parents could respond, the Storm Petrel took off into the skies, leaving the two beings left on the ground.

As the bird neared the clouds, Satori could feel the tension leaving her body and a grin lifting her mouth at the corners. A sigh escaped her lips as she gripped the Storm Petrel's feathers. "It's good to see you, old friend."

When a student starts at Mahoutokoro at the age of seven and becomes a day student, a Giant Storm Petrel will bring them to and from school every day. The one she's riding now was the same one that has been taking her to and from the school since she was seven years old. This creature was the one that was with her every day for the last four years, the one that took her home from school each night, the one that protected her while she was in the air.

While all Giant Storm Petrels that transport the students have charms on them that protect their passenger, Satori had always felt better protected on the one assigned to her. She felt a close kinship to the animal, especially since she has a Giant Storm Petrel feather as the core for her wand.

She had always wanted to give it a name, the animal that always kept her safe in the skies, the creature that was so intelligent that it always amazed her. But the thought that someone else would be carried by this creature, that someone else will be basking in the safety it provides always stopped her.

Because this creature doesn't belong to her. This creature doesn't answer to her as much as she wishes it does. It belongs to Mahoutokoro, and it will transport other students besides her.

Having grown up hearing about magical creatures from books, Satori always thought that giving one a name would establish a connection between the person and the animal. But seeing as she won't be the last person this one will transport, nor was she probably the first it ferried, she feels as if it isn't her right.

It didn't stop the longing though.

Satori couldn't remember how much time has past before she saw the familiar sight of Mahoutokoro atop of Minami Iwo Jima. The translucent white stone of the elegant Shiro was glinting slightly in the sunlight, giving the ancient palace an ethereal feel. After glancing about, Satori was able to see other students arriving on other Giant Storm Petrels, all heading towards the school.

Unease was trying to unfurl in her gut but she firmly squashed the feeling down. She wasn't going to freak out. Today was the day she became a boarding student; today was the day she started her serious studies as a witch.

Soon enough, her ride touched down in the courtyard of the school with many others doing the same. Satori hoped off before taking her shrunken trunk out of her pocket. With a flick of her wrist, her wand slid into her hand. She pointed it at her trunk before muttering, "Engorgio."

The trunk grew back to its original size and she stored her wand away for later. She took ahold of it and was about to make her way toward the school, but hesitated.

She turned back to the creature that brought her here, the one that had always brought her here, and couldn't resist walking back towards it and wrapping her arms around it. She buried her face against its neck with her eyes closed for a brief second before pulling back. She gazed into its eye, meeting its stare unflinchingly. "Thank you," she intoned quietly.

She backed away and began walking back towards the school where the other students were congregating. She nodded and said hello to some of them, smiling and waving at her friends as she passed. When she finally reached the doorway of the school she chanced a glance back.

The other Storm Petrels have taken off by now, flying to wherever they're kept during the day and night, but the one that flown her here hadn't left yet.

If birds could smile, Satori could've sworn that it was smiling at her.

~END~

Imouto ~ Little Sister

Otou-san ~ Father

Okaa-san ~ Mother

Musume ~ Daughter

Hai ~ Yes

Sayonara ~ Goodbye