It had been hours as the hot summer air swam through her room, drifting through the open window and brushing her belongings with dust from the surrounding fields. Clouds were drifting ever closer, though, bringing news of rain or possibly even storms. With as sweltering as it had been, Alyce wouldn't have been surprised. She lay upon her messy, unmade bed, gazing up at the ceiling, her limbs sprawled against the lavender-colored comforter and bed sheets. Her wand lay on a nearby nightstand, next to the bed and Alyce turned her head to glimpse at it. She wrinkled her nose and emitted a heavy sigh mixed with a groan. She covered her face with an arm as she heard the stair floorboards creak with age, knowing that her older brother would soon be knocking on her open door. When the sound came, Alyce didn't move, but she could hear her brother lean against the doorframe.
"You really should be packing," the auburn-haired man said. Alyce threw her arm from her face in a dramatic gesture and turned her head slightly so that her gaze could settle upon him. Her sharp blue eyes narrowed into a glare. The man pushed from the door frame and made his way over to Alyce's bed where he sat upon the end, palms pressing into the mattress below the mess of covers. He regarded Alyce steadily as she continued to glare at him and she pushed herself up, her long hair a mess.
"Maybe I don't want to," she said stubbornly… and bratty. A small smirk played upon her brother's lips, his own hair a natural mess and falling into his eyes, brown like their father's. He flicked his bangs away with a jerk of his head.
"Well, too bad," he said, amusement touching his eyes. They softened, though, as something else settled there. It made Alyce look away, her gaze falling to her hands, her chipped nail polish glaring against her skin. She sighed and pierced her brother with another glare.
"It's worked so far! Why can't I stay here? And finish my school at Hogwarts? You know I keep to my room and-"
"Alyce, it's not about that," her brother cut off, giving her an almost pleading look. He took her hand, but Alyce yanked it away and got to her feet, her temper flaring bright within her sharp blue eyes, blue eyes that stood out from long tresses of red hair.
"I'll be seventeen in a year! Why did you have to choose now to move? To go somewhere else? What's one more year?" she asked, her voice rising with every question. Her brother almost matched her anger with his own frustration. She watched it cross his face, etch across his features, pull his brows down over distraught eyes. His hands clenched against her covers and then balled into fists in his lap.
"You know I can't turn this promotion down. You know I have no choice." Alyce stared at her brother for a long moment and crossed her arms over her chest. He stood wearily and it was then that she saw how much this exact moment had weighed down upon him, how heavy it was upon his shoulders, as broad as they were. She didn't relent, though. She held her ground and glared at him once again.
"Yeah, so you can just boot me out. So you don't have to worry about your kid sister anymore, even though I'm only here – what? 4 months out of the year?" she shot at him. Alyce knew very well that she was being unfair, but she didn't care. She saw the hurt cross her brother's face and in one stride, he was standing before her. His hands grasped her forearms and she flinched away. He dropped his hands, taking a small step back, forgetting himself: Alyce did not like to be touched.
"You know none of that is true. I can't stay here, Alyce – in this old house? In mum and dad's house? I don't have a future here and its one year. One year and then you can do what you want, where you want. Hell, you can come back to me, if you want. But school is more important right now." Alyce threw her hands into the air with a sound from her throat.
"Yeah, a school that isn't Hogwarts, Raiden!" she yelled. Her brother only shook his head and stood once more.
"I'm sorry," was all he said before he retreated from her room and left. Alyce marched after him and threw her door shut with a slam loud enough that she heard the clock near the kitchen rattle against the wall. She then turned and grasped the nearest object – an inkwell – and launched it. It went flying into the wall where it shattered and splattered purple ink everywhere. Why did her brother have to be a cursebreaker? Why couldn't he have chosen something boring, like a shop keeper or something? Alyce fell back onto her bed where she hugged her pillow to her chest.
The next morning proved to be rainy, cooling the temperatures significantly. Alyce had finally packed, but everything in her trunk and backpack was a cluttered and shoved-in mess. Raiden had mentioned going out to grab some last-minute things, so she stuck to sitting on their old porch swing she would probably never see again, waiting. She took in the open fields, the country that rolled from their steps, the trees out in the distance. When would she hear the sound of coyotes again? Or crickets? At Hogwarts, you could hear anything coming from the Forbidden Forest. But this…Ilvermorny? What was the United States even like? The thoughts had swam through her mind the past few weeks when Raiden had brought it up – his promotion, his chance to finally get out of here just like he always wanted… to not constantly be struggling for money. And now, they rushed through her mind like a never-ending current and Alyce was unable to push back the thoughts of it all. She knew she would be staying with their aunt, who had escaped long ago, around the time of the last war. Apparently she was their mum's sister, but she had never come back.
A soft pop from around the back of the house alerted Raiden's return and Alyce sighed again. Even though they were six years apart, Raiden was really the only person she had left in her life. And Hogwarts… Hogwarts had been her safe haven. Footfalls sounded her brother's approach and Alyce flicked her gaze to the right, watching him come around the house. A cage weighed his hand down and she flicked a brow up. A smile played upon her brother's lips as he climbed the three steps up to the porch and handed the cage to her, his long legs carrying him both swiftly and easily. Alyce's own hands reached out to lift the cloth that covered it, revealing a small, soft-grey owl. Her gaze reached Raiden's and he shrugged a shoulder.
"For you… So we can still owl and all," he said, a bit awkwardly. Alyce rolled her eyes in exasperation.
"I'm sure Ilvermorny will have owls," she said, but he shrugged both shoulders this time. Nonetheless, Alyce took the cage as she stood and gave her brother a nod of thanks. Then, he took her arm and both of them glimpsed to the firmly shut door of the old farm house… and apparated.
Alyce had no idea how any of this would work. She was exhausted. Raiden had gotten the Ministry to set her up a portkey and he had hugged her tightly before she touched a finger to the old soup can. She had arrived right at the train station that would take her to Ilvermorny, the great blue and cranberry-colored steam engine making her wince. It was a horrid choice of colors. She clutched her ticket and tried to ignore all the American accents that swam around her and boarded, handing over the soup can and the ticket. She was welcomed politely, but Alyce practically fled towards the back of the train, looking for an empty compartment. When she found one, she slammed the door shut, threw her backpack down and settled her new owl's cage upon the bench seat before glimpsing around. A neat little rope held the curtains to the compartment's door closed and she yanked it off, tying one end to the door handle and the other end tightly to the bench's arm rest where there were intricate designs. Only then she did finally throw herself into a seat. She listened to all the voices, to parents saying good-bye and friends meeting up. Alyce had never felt more alone in her life. More than once her door rattled, but was soon given up upon. She could feel her wand tucked safely in the holster she had sewn into every sweater or hooded sweatshirt. Once the train jerked into a start, Alyce gave a small sigh and laid across the bench, stuffing her backpack beneath her head to use as a pillow after pulling out the letter she had received from the school. It was labeled 'Transfer'. In it was a list of her classes, of books and supplies she would be needing, and a short background history of the school. Alyce wrinkled her nose as she read about the four houses: the Horned Serpent, the Wampus, the Thunderbird, and the Pukwudgie. What the hell kind of names were those? Back at Hogwarts, Alyce had been sorted into Hufflepuff and her brother a Ravenclaw.
The compartment door rattled again… and then a second time. There was a curse and then the door cracked open, straining against the rope tied to the bench. Alyce sat up and simply watched. With another curse, a hand stuck between the opening, feeling at the rope.
"What the hell?" came a male American voice. Alyce smirked, thankful for the curtain that hid her from the compartment door window. "Oh come on!" She smiled now, enjoying watching this person struggle. The hand retreated but returned with a pocket knife that made Alyce's smile drop. She scooted back against the farthest wall the bench was nestled again and watched as the rope was cut. The door slid open and a tall male pushed himself through, shutting the door behind him. He turned, frustration coloring his cheeks a light shade of pink, his dark hair a mess. He lifted his brows when he caught sight of Alyce and crossed his arms.
"It isn't polite to hog a whole compartment to yourself, you know," he announced, his eyes narrowed. Alyce shot a fierce glare right back.
"Who said I was polite?" she threw at him in return. At the sound of her voice, the boy's brows lifted again and he pointed, his pocket knife still in his hand. Her wand was drawn in a second and he took a small step back. Realizing what he had done prior to this, the boy's eyes widened and he pushed the blade back into its safety before hastily tucking the knife away. He lifted his hands in surrender.
"Sorry, didn't think," he said. Alyce lowered her wand.
"Obviously," she replied.
"You a transfer?" he asked next. Alyce rolled her eyes, lifting a hand to thread it through the tresses of her long red hair, pushing the strands back over her head. She crossed her arms over her chest, wand still clutched in her fingers, and turned her gaze to the window. The boy sat down on the bench across from her, but on the other end of the compartment, near the door, keeping his distance. Silence stretched between them and Alyce wished he would just go. Finally she sighed and shot him another glare.
"Don't you have friends to go catch up with? My door was tied for a reason. I could have been changing or something and you just shove that bloody knife in here," she snapped. The boy lifted his brows again, amusement touching his eyes which irked Alyce further.
"They're all busy," he replied simply, shrugging. "And I'm sure with that wand, if you were changing, you could have locked the door better." Alyce rolled her eyes again. A small chuckle left the boy's lips. "I'm Finn." Alyce scowled as he offered his hand to her and he dropped it.
"Alyce." Finn stretched out on the bench, spreading his arms wide across its top and Alyce shook her head. Typical male.
"Wake up on the wrong side of the bed?" Finn asked her. Alyce turned to him once more and promptly gave him the finger. He barked out a laugh.
"Well, aren't you a peach," he teased. Alyce bristled.
"What part of I-want-to-be-left-alone do you not understand?" she snapped. Finn raised his hands once more. Silence stretched between them again and after a while, Alyce's stomach gave a rumble. She sighed softly and leaned her head back against the seat, closing her eyes. She was so bloody tired, and now she was hungry. A small tap on her knee made her jump, her blue eyes flying open and Finn reached a granola bar towards her, a slightly apologetic look upon his face.
"Sorry. Didn't know you'd freak. Here," he said. Alyce took the bar hesitantly and unwrapped it. She gave him a nod of thanks and took a bite and instantly wrinkled her nose. Finn chuckled and she ignored him.
"So, where are you from?" he asked. Alyce scowled at him and threw her wrapped in his direction. When it simply fluttered to the ground, she snatched up her wand and aimed it towards the wrapper, sending a gust of air to lift it back into the air again, whooshing it towards Finn and landing right in his lap. He shook his head.
"Your turn," Alyce said, a smirk playing upon her lips. Finn smiled and shook his head.
"Our wands are left back at the school," he replied. Alyce's jaw dropped and Finn chuckled once more. She crossed her arms once again and sat back against the seat, crossing one leg over the other, her foot bouncing. She glimpsed out the window.
"Reason number four why I will always hate my brother for sending me to this stupid school," she muttered under her breath. She shot Finn another look. "Will you go? Please?" Finn looked rather taken aback, but Alyce's expression darkened and she finally stood with a shake of his head. His hand brushed the door and opened it and in seconds he had vanished. Alyc pointed her wand towards the door. With a click, it locked. She groaned and let her head fall against the window as she closed her eyes, a headache beginning to pound at the front of her head. She hadn't even stepped foot into this school and she already thought it was a waste. Why would you want to go to a school where your wand was taken away at the end of the term? Her wand… Her wand was an extension of her hand, of her. No way would she ever let anyone so much as touch it. Just the thought of it made Alyce grip the thing tighter.
She didn't realize that she had fallen asleep until something banged on the compartment door, making her sit up quickly. A wince pulled down at her features as her neck throbbed. Hadley glanced around the compartment blearily, and then her stomach dropped when she realized that it was not the Hogwarts Express and her friends were not sitting across from her. Something pounded against the door again and she sighed, pointing her wand to it and unlocking it. It slid open to reveal Finn. Standing up, Alyce realized how much taller he was compared to her; her head reached his chest.
"Train's about empty, come on," he said. Alyce pressed her lips together into a thin line but sighed and stowed her wand away. Finn slid her door shut and she whirled around.
"You need to change," he said on the other side. Right. From the look of his shadow, it seemed the boy was guarding her door. Alyce took out her robes and when she was done, she grabbed her owl's cage and slipped her bag back over her shoulder. She gave the door a small thud with the toe of her Converse. It slid open and while Finn waited for her to join him, he did not meet her gaze. It didn't bother Alyce. She was here to get through the school year, not make friends.
Her heart pounded as she followed the other students and soon, her palms were sweating. Her breaths came quicker, shorter and as the cool night air rushed over her, Alyce felt no relief. Instead, she took in the giant castle before her, trees and hills and boulders surrounding it. There was no Black Lake… No Forbidden Forest…
"Hey, you okay?" came Finn's voice. His fingers brushed her elbow and Alyce leaped.
"Ah, yeah," she replied. What she really wanted to do was just go back home. To Hogwarts. To her friends. Alyce shook her head and continued on, forcing the panic back into the recess of her mind. Finn was quiet a few moments as they continued on the path towards the school, excited chatter surrounding them.
"So, since you're a transfer, you'll go with the first years. But you'll be last. You'll wait til they all get sorted and then it'll be your turn," Finn said. Alyce stopped and glimpsed up to his face, getting a good look at him for the first time. She then tore her gaze away.
"Thanks," she said. Bitterness coated her voice. Her eyes scanned the giant statues that flanked the entrance to the castle: a man and woman. They all filed in through the giant opened doors and Alyce realized how much more humid America was compared to Britain. The air was stifling inside, even though a breeze swept through from open windows, or so she assumed. A small nudge made her glimpse at Finn once again and he nodded towards the first years who were lining up towards the circular room. She gave him a small nod and followed the younger students, watching as Finn and the others all made their way up a staircase, and surrounded them up on a wooden balcony. Alyce was feeling more and more claustrophobic as the minutes ticked on. She was sure she looked just as nervous as these first years did. A few of them kept glimpsing at her, but she shot them glares which made them turn the other way. There were wooden carvings that surrounded the circular room and she assumed each of the four represented the houses. There was some sort of carving – or maybe a drawing – of a knot in the middle of the floor. Alyce took in a small breath and let it out, impatient and fidgety. From behind her, there came a rustle followed by a thud, and finally an indignant cry. Alyce turned to see what was going on and spotted a small girl sitting up, her knees beneath her skirt skinned as a boy smirked above her. Alyce rolled her eyes and pushed through the shorter children before reaching them. She placed her hands upon her hips.
"You," she said to the boy, pointing her finger at him. He was skinny, but had an air of arrogance about him. Alyce bent down to help the girl up, but offered no smiles. "I'll kick your ass myself next time. Knock it off." She gave the girl a small nod and retreated from the group of first years to make her way towards the back. She continued to keep an eye on the boy from where she stood.
"Excuse me, you are Alyce Cardova, no?" a female's voice came from her side. Alyce turned and a woman only a bit taller than she stood before her, a soft and kind face peering at her curiously and with welcome. Warmth radiated from her; locks of honey-blonde hair were swept back into a bun, wavy tresses falling about her face. She was petite, but held herself with confidence and surety; bright blue eyes blinked softly as a smile played upon soft-pink lips. Freckles splashed her cheeks and Alyce instantly thought of how beautiful this was.
"I'm the Head of Wampus House. Welcome to Ilvermorny. Your brother sent me all of your information. Once the first years all have their turn, you just walk up to the Gordian Knot and wait. One of the statues will call to you and that will be your House. After that, there will be a feast," the woman continued on, her accent very different from anything Alyce had ever heard. Despite her anger towards the whole situation, she found herself softening as the woman's warmth radiated against her. Alyce only nodded and when the woman gave her a soft smile, Alyce's own lips twitched slightly in return.
At least she would be prepared. She got to watch thirty young students make their way to the Gordian Knot when their names were called. If they were to go to Wampus House, the creature roared; a crystal lit up for the Horned Serpent, the Thunderbird beat its wings and finally, the Pukwudgie raised its arrow into the air. At one point, a boy was chosen by both and Alyce found that he got to choose which one he went to.
Finally, it was her turn. She woman from earlier gave her a small nod of encouragement as she rolled up her list of students and Alyce passed her. There were murmurs and whispers above her from the balcony and, holding her chin high, she made her way to the Gordian Knot in the middle of the floor. Someone giggled and Alyce thought of how she really did not care for the colors of this school. She glimpsed to each of the wooden statues, taking in one at a time. Finally, the Wampus roared and Alyce lifted her foot to step away when the Pukwudgie raised its arrow. Her heart skipped a beat and then hammered away within her chest. The jewel in the Horned Serpent's head glinted brightly and last, the Thunderbird beat its wings. Hadley tried not to cringe as all the students erupted into conversation, their voices climbing over one another in excitement. The woman from earlier approached her, curiosity bright in her eyes, yet that smile never left her lips.
"It's been a very long time that each House has chosen the same person. You get to choose which you wish to go to, Alyce," the woman said to her kindly. Alyce glimpsed to each statue again. What did it matter? She was only here for a year? What did this even mean? Why did they all choose her? All the voices were distracting her, each of them climbing over the other to be heard. Alyce wanted to cover her ears. She wished she wasn't here. She wanted to disappear.
Something about the beating wings of the Thunderbird caught her attention, the breeze of it touching her face like a fresh breath of air. She saw herself soaring on the back of an eagle, of seeing mountains and hills and landscapes. She felt earth beneath her boots and fresh air against her skin; she felt rain trickling down her arms and grass against her legs.
Without really thinking, Alyce made her way towards the large bird and there was a series of cheers and clapping, though it was a bit subdued compared to how it had been with each of the first years. The woman gave Alyce a nod of acceptance.
"Welcome, all, to a new year at Ilvermorny," another voice came. Alyce glimpsed up: another woman stood at the top and center of the balcony, grey-streaked hair falling down to her elbows, wrinkles lining her face and hands. One set of knobby fingers gripped a wooden, twisted cane, like it had been taken from a tree. A pair of grey eyes found each of the first years and then finally settled upon Alyce. While the woman looked to be very aged, her gaze said otherwise – her gaze was full of life and mischief, of wit and bravery. Alyce knew this was the Headmistress.
"I am Headmistress of this school. Those of you who don't know may call me Professor Vexa."
Alyce had stayed at the feast with the rest of her house, but not for long. She asked what would have been a Prefect back at Hogwarts to show her where the Common Room was, stating that she felt ill and tired. Which, neither were a lie. Part of Alyce wanted to be sick while the other half wanted to sleep for two days. Classes were to start first thing in the morning.
The common room was much like that at Hogwarts; in fact, as she had been lead up stairs and through corridors, Alyce found that there was a lot that was similar to Hogwarts. The Thunderbird common room was in one of the highest towers and for whatever reason, Alyce found that comforting. The common room was decked out in lots of golds, but a bit of blue and mostly a deep maroon. There was a sofa before a hearth; chairs and tables for studying here and there; plush chairs pushed into corners with rugs decorating the floors. Overall, it was comfy feel and she found that she liked all of the windows lining the walls. She thanked the Prefect and made her way up to the girl's dormitory, her gaze searching each door she passed until she found "Seventh Years". Alyce pushed the door open and found both her trunk and her owl's cage at the foot of a bed. It was right next to one of the windows and she had a nightstand to the left. Alyce sat carefully on the bed, her hand pressing into the thick comforter, down against the mattress. She kicked off her shoes and laid upon it, pulling a pillow down closer. It didn't take her long to fall asleep.