Chapter Eight: The Four Statues
"I'm Lillian. Lillian Andrews. I'm from California" the girl said sticking her hand out to Drew, "What are you guys' names? Where are you from?
"This is Miles' he's from down south, This is Javi he's from Mexico and I'm Drew, I'm from Connecticut" he said pointing to each his friends then himself. "And who might you be," he asked in Nettie's direction. She looked at him up and down from behind her sunglasses then back out of the window of the stagecoach.
"Don't mind her," Lillian apologized, "She is trying to be excluded," Nettie snatched off her sunglasses and looked at Lillian. "The word is exclusive, you dorcus," Nettie screamed at Lillian. "And furthermore why would I want to talk to a traitor Mason anyway," she sneered at Drew, "Or his grubby little friends." Miles fumed in his seat, Javi began to nudge him to get him to calm down but it was too late. Nettie tried to put her expensive sunglasses back on but, they had started to crumble to pieces and eventually dust.
"Which one of you cursed my sunglasses?" she screamed, "It was probably you Mason! You're acquainted with dark magic, aren't you?" Drew dropped his head in shame.
"It was me," Miles said proudly. Nettie held out the pile of sunglasses dust in her hand and shouted "Reverse the curse." Miles looked around at Javi and Drew who both shrugged their shoulders.
"Just as I thought," Nettie scoffed, "You're not only dirty…you're a liar too! How could you curse my sunglasses? You clearly don't know magic of even the tiniest substance." She held her empty hand over the hand filled with sunglasses dust and said "reditum." The dust particles assembled themselves back into the pair of expensive sunglasses they once were. Nettie placed the glasses back on her face. "I guess I'll be the only varitan in the class."
"What's a varitan?" Miles whispered to Drew. Drew gave Nettie a nasty look and then explained, "A witch or wizard that doesn't need a wand to do magic, it's a powerful form of magic that takes years to master. Some never master it." Nettie flipped her hair and looked out the window of the stagecoach.
All the stagecoaches reached the castle and the doors to each stagecoach opened all at once. The students filed out of the stagecoaches. The main gates were flanked by a statue of a woman on one side and a man on the other. At the center of the gate were three grey creatures with large ears. The one in the center looked older and a little greyer than the others. The children stopped in front of the creatures. "Cool," said Drew peeping over the other kids in the crowd, "Real life Pukwudgies." Miles gave him a strange look then returned his focus to the Pukwudgies.
"Gather around, " the center Pukwudgie instructed in a raspy old voice, "I want you all to be able to hear me clearly." The children gathered closer around the Pukwudgies. The center one kept motioning for them to come closer, until he was tapped by the one on his left. "Come on William," the grumpy Pukwdugie complained, "If they get any closer they'll be standing on us." William swatted at him, then halted the children.
"Before you enter the gates, get sorted and become true Ilvermorny students," said William, "You must take the oath of Ilvermorny." Miles and Javi exchanged confused looks. "Raise you r right hand," William instructed, "And repeat after me:"
I take upon thee,
The true oath of Ilvermorny .
My body I give to protect the walls,
My mind I give to be filled with knowledge
And my heart I give to fulfill the promise.
To Isolt and James, I promise to thee
To forever uphold the name, Ilvermorny.
William stared at the statue of the woman for a few seconds, and then returned his focus to the students. "Students, you may enter the school," said William, "And always remember, that a true wizard or witch learns the most once he or she has learned of themselves" With a wave of his arm, the gates illuminated then open slowly. The Pukwudgies turned and led the students into the main castle. As they walked down a long corridor towards a large arch way that most have been 30 feet tall, Miles looked over to Javi.
"What do you think the Pukwudgie meant by all that?" Miles asked. Javi just shrugged and said, "After a day like today, I don't know what to think. My parents aren't going to believe the letters I'm going to send."
The students kept walking down the corridor and then they arrived in a large circular room, with a high glass ceiling. In front of the students were four large wooden sculptures, a horned snake with an emerald jewel in the center of its forehead, A panther like creature that had six legs, a large winged bird with intricate carvings all over its body and a Pukwudgie holding a bow and arrow. Miles looked up and saw that all the older students were standing on a balcony above the room watching.
The wind in the room started to stir. There was a flash of green smoke, then orange, then purple and then red. The flashes of dust settled and there stood four people, one in front of each statue. The older students applauded loudly. The ground started to rumble and then the wind in the center of the room gathered into a tall plume of gold smoke. The smoke blew away and revealed a man dressed in a gold bejeweled suit and cloak, quite elegant compared to the other adults who dressed in all black suits and cloaks. He posed gallantly with his wand as he looked out onto the room. Nettie put the sunglasses back on her face and tried to hide behind the other students. Miles looked up at the older students and noticed they only gave a half-hearted clap accompanied by stifled laughter.
"Welcome to Ilvermorny," the man in the center shouted, "I am Professor Vaughn Gerald Exeter, Headmaster." A slow clap started amongst the first years, to which the Headmaster bowed to graciously. "Now is the moment you have all been waiting for, the sorting ceremony!" Professor Exeter shouted as the crowd went wild, "Each of you will step here onto the sacred Gordian knot, and then the sculptures when decide whether or not to pick your for their house. After being sorted, you will walk down the Hall of Wands, where as the saying goes, the wand chooses you." The first years exchanged worried looks.
"Assisting me with sorting today are some of the first year professors" said Professor Exeter extending his hand to show the Professors, "Please introduce yourselves, your subject and the house you head"
An average sized man with bright red hair pulled into a long pony tail stepped forward and begin to speak, "I am Professor Daniel Morse, I teach the History of Magic." Drew smiled ear to ear hearing this. "And I am the head of Pukwudgie!" Professor Morse shouted and a section of older students cheered as another pulled their ears out to make funny faces similar to the Pukwudgies to mock them.
A beautiful woman with flowing black hair and glowing brown skin stepped forward and spoke, "I am Professor Maria Cervantes, I teach transfiguration and I am the head of Wampus!" Another group of students began beating on the chests and making roaring noises, while another group made a "Wamp…wamp…wamp" noise.
A dark skinned man, with a large round afro stepped forward, and spoke, " I am Professor Andre Williams, I teach Charms and I am the head of Thunderbird!" A group of students cheered and flapped their arms like birds. The other groups of students then quacked like ducks.
And then another woman stepped forward. She had shiny black hair pulled tight into a bun and her face, while pretty, was emotionless and stern. "And I am Professor Akecheta Oxendine, Master in the Defense Against the Dark Arts, and honorable head of Horned Serpent!" said Professor Oxendine to an unanimous applause. A few groups of students however only pretended to clap and made faces.
"Now, let the sorting begin!" said Professor Exeter as he stepped into the center of the room. "Indicet magnitudine tua" said Professor Exeter as he moved his wand around the stone Gordian knot in the floor. The knot soon turned into solid gold that lit up the whole room. "When I call your name, step onto the knot" Professor Exeter explained, " Then after you are sorted, enter the Hall of the Wands through the entrance closest to your House Head." The first years nodded. "Then let us commence!" shouted Professor Exeter as the torches around the room burst into flames.
The pukwudgies brought out a throne like chair for professor Exeter to sit. One of the pukwudgies then handed him a scroll of paper. He pulled his small reading glasses from his robes and placed them on his nose. He took a deep breath and said "Lillian Andrews" She hesitantly stepped on the room was silent, everyone on bated breath. And then the Wampus statue came to life and roared loudly. The other Wampuses cheered loudly and Lillian walked towards Professor Cervantes.
"Bolton Barrel"
Miles pushed his way through the crowd as he was sure his ears were playing tricks on him. Bolt stepped onto the knot. He looked and around saw Miles, and returned the same shocked expression as he saw on Miles' face. He then turned back around to face Professor Exeter. The Wampus roared back to life again and there was a large applause. "Supposedly, Wampus favors warriors," one girl near Miles whispered, "He must be really brave." Miles made his way back to Javi and Drew.
"Henry Cutter" shouted Professor Exeter and within seconds the Thunderbird flapped it's wings, sending a hard breeze through the sorting hall. "Keisha Douglass." The girl stepped on the knot, a few seconds later the Pukwudgie statue raised its arrow. "Antionette Exeter" Nettie gave her hair a dramatic flip as she stepped onto the knot. The Horned Serpent's jewel began to glow and the Thunderbird began to flap it's wings. Whispers started among the crowd.
"What does this mean," Miles asked Drew. "It means she'll have to choose. They say only one kid out of each year gets selected by two houses," Drew answered, "I was hoping it was going to be me."
Nettie looked at the two statues then at her father. Professor Exeter then slightly nodded his head towards Horned Serpent. Nettie gave her hair another flip and said "I choose Thunderbird," and then walked over to Professor Williams. A pukwudgie then walked over to Professor Exeter. He then leaned down and heard the pukwudgie's message. Professor Exeter's face grew stern and tight lipped.
"It appears that in my haste," He started as he looked over the scroll once more, "That I have skipped over someone, Miles Cassidy" Miles swallowed hard and walked onto the knot. The flames lowered on the torches and slight breeze came over the room. Whispers began amongst the crowd and Miles looked around, trying to figure out what he had done wrong. Then the flames returned to full height and the Wampus roared loudly. Before the Wampuses could start their cheering, the Pukwudgie raised his arrow. The crowd's whispers intensified. The Thunderbird started flapping his wings. Gasps came from the crowd and the older students began leaning over the balcony to get a closer look. Then the Horned Serpent's emerald glowed brightly. The whole room was in a stir. Professor Exeter stood and waved his arms, shushing the crowd.
"My dear boy, "Professor Exeter started, "You are the first student since 1991 to get chosen by all four houses" The other first years took a step back from Miles. "While this is a great honor, you must choose only one." Miles swallowed hard and looked around at the silent crowd.
"What am I going to do?" he said under his breath. Then he thought back to the book Trey had given him on his birthday. He looked up and then directly at Professor Exeter. "Horned Serpent." Miles said causing a loud wave of applause through the room. Professor Exeter simply nodded at him and then pointed him in the direction of Professor Oxendine.
As Miles was about to enter the doorway beside her, she stopped him by the shoulder. She leaned down and whispered to him, "You're on the pathway to greatness." She released Miles from her grasp and he proceeded into the room.
After walking down a dark corridor, Miles saw light from up ahead. He kept walking and soon the corridor had become bright, almost too bright. The floor, walls and ceiling were mirrored. They were dense vines, growing out of seemingly nowhere, covering the walls. At the end of the vines' tightly coiled branches were wands. The wands were all different colors, lengths and shapes. Miles reached out and tried to touch one of the wands but vine moved it away from him.
"Hello," a boy's voice shouted, "Hello!"
Miles took off towards the voice. He ran until he reached an octagon shaped room, that had seven other openings, three coming from the other houses' sorting hallways and four leading to unknown places. Miles saw the boy looking up at the ceiling. "Hello," said Miles extending his hand. the boy jumped back. "Did I do something wrong?" Miles asked off of the boy's reaction.
"Nah man, " the boy said, "It's just you're one of them now." Confusion appeared all over Miles' face. "One of the Great Eight, well I guess they'll need to change the name now," the boy said, "only eight witches in the last 100 years has gotten chosen by all four houses. The last one disappeared off the face of the earth. No one has heard from him in like…ever." Miles' throat tightened. He was starting to not like magic school and he had only been there an hour.
"I can't figure this out, oh and I'm Terry by the way, Terry Huang," the boy said looking up at the ceiling. Miles looked up and there was a message etched in the mirrored ceiling.
For what you see is not what you seek, it is what you feel that you truly desire.
Miles looked back down and started think of the message. "I got it," Miles shouted, "We have to close our eyes and feel our way to the wands." Terry shot Miles a strange look, then read the inscription again. "I guess you're right," Terry sighed. Miles closed his eyes and began to focus on what his insides were telling him. As he started to feel something, he heard a loud thud. He opened his eyes to see Terry laying the ground. "My feelings led me straight into the wall," he groaned. Miles thought again and then he noticed a circle on the ground in the center of room.
He walked over and stood on it and noticed the vines all started to move. They twisted and turned all across the wall. Then a wand wrapped in a vine came floating towards Miles. It came close enough for Miles to touch, but then twisted it self in the vine and went away. Then another came towards Miles, but followed suit of the previous. "I don't think am as lucky with wands as I am with houses," said Miles as the third and fourth wand came out to him and then rolled themselves back into the vines.
All of a sudden, Miles felt hot. His skin started sweating and his face began burning. He looked and he saw a black wand with a gold ring around the top and bottom, float towards him. The closer the wand got, the more Miles felt like he was melting. The vine dangled the wand in front of Miles face. Miles had to squint due to the direct heat coming from it and then the wand rolled itself away in the vine. Miles felt a coolness coming from behind. He turned to see another black wand, this one with two gold rings in the center, hanging from the vine behind him. He held out his hand and the vine gently placed the wand in it. Miles smiled.
"Whoa, you got a wand," Terry said, "An ebony one! Those are rare." Terry and Miles were looking the wand over when they heard a pair of footsteps. They looked up to see two boys, both about Trey's age.
"Which one of you is in Pukwudgie?' the boy on the right asked. Terry raised his hand. "You got a wand yet kid?" the boy asked. Terry shook his head know which prompted a loud sigh from the boy. "Stand on the circle and hold your hand out then, I don't have all day"
Miles off the circle so Terry could take his place. "So that must mean you're in Horned Serpent," the boy on left asked Miles, to which he nodded, "I see you got your wand, so let's go" Miles and the boy leave the wand hall and walk into a large castle corridor with large wooden doors down one side and large open windows down the other. Miles looked out of the window and saw the whole valley beneath the window.
"So if my school gossip is correct," said the boy as he and Miles walked down the corridor, "You're one of the Great Eight now?" Miles nodded still looking out at the beautiful mountainside. "That's pretty impressive of you…umm, what is your name again,?" the boy asked. "Miles," Miles answered. "I'm Ashton Pentinn, but everyone just calls me Pent," the boy said, "I am the House Advisor for Horned Serpent, a special honor bestowed on only the most deserving sixth years."
"What do you have to do?" Miles asked Pent as they turned a corner leading down another corridor. "I look out for all the boys in the house, report any issues to Professor Oxendine and plan fun activities for you all to do," Pent answered with a smile. "Sounds boring," Miles retorted as they came to a solid stone wall. "Oh I know what to do," said Miles excited as he ran full speed towards the wall. Pent ran and grabbed Miles by the neck of his sweater just as he was about to run through the wall.
"This isn't a portal," Pent announced turning Miles around to face him, "now take out your wand because I'm only going to show you this once." Pent dropped Miles back to the ground. Miles took his wand out and held it the same way Pent held his. Pent then drew a "S" with a line through the middle on the wall with his wand. The ground shook a little and the wall split down the middle and revealed a carpeted hallway. Pent began walking down the hall, and Miles quickly followed as the entrance began to seal itself back just as quickly as it had opened.
"This is the First Year boys's hall," Pent said walking swiftly down the hall making it difficult for Miles to keep up. "So I don't live with the other Horned Serpent boys?" Miles asked breathing hard from chasing after Pent. "No," Pent replied, "For the first two years at Ilvermorny, students share a room with three people of their same gender, one from each of the other three houses. Then in your third year forward you can share a room with three people of same gender from whichever house you like. I used to share a room with two Pukwudgies and a Wampus. We all met first year, friends ever since."
Pent stopped at door 195 and Miles stopped a few feet behind him struggling to catch his breath from walking down the extremely long hallway. "Used to?" Miles said in between deep heaves. "Yes, used to, House Advisors get their own room" Pent said with a snarky smile. "So when will I see the other Horned Serpents?" Miles questioned.
"All the time," Pent answered, "You eat every meal, except for dinner which the whole school shares in the dining hall, with Horned Serpent, your classes will be with Horned Serpent and one other house, and any non academic activities such as flying lessons and weekend trips, will be house only. Plus you can hang out in the Horned Serpent Lounge anytime you want, it's on the fifth floor, second corridor. Just draw the same symbol I showed you and it'll open."
Pent opened the door to room 195. "Well, this is your home until May," he said, "and look one of your roommates is already here." Miles walked into the room and saw Bolt unpacking his trunk. "You got to be kidding me?" Bolt and Miles said in unison. "This is going to be fun," Pent laughed as he left the room. The boys scoffed at each other and Miles walked over to the bed which his duffle bag and trunk were sitting. He unzipped the duffle bag to see a plate of cookies, with a note that read:
I hope you have a great year!
P.S. I hope you got into Pukwudgie :) - Miss Sweeting
"Sorry Miss Sweeting, I'm a Horned Serpent," said Miles placing the plate on the bed. He heard Bolt's trunk slam shut. "You got into Horned Serpent? You?" Bolt questioned. Miles slammed the lid of his trunk as well and walked over to Bolt. "Yes I did," Miles told Bolt, " I actually got chosen by all the houses and I picked Horned Serpent." Bolt pulled out his wand and put it in Miles' face. "You're lying," Bolt said pointing the wand at Miles, "If I couldn't get picked by two houses, you sure as hell couldn't get picked by all four." Miles simply turned and walked away from Bolt and back over to his bed.
"I didn't come here to fight with you Bolt," Miles said unpacking his books from the trunk, "I came to learn how to be a great wizard." Bolt put away his wand. "Fine then, we don't fight now and take the time to learn all the magic we can" Bolt said returning to his unpacking, "But on the last day of school…we battle, wand on wand." Miles shot him a look. "The loser cleans after the winner all second year," Bolt wagered as he stuck out his hand. Miles took a few seconds to ponder it, then he agreed to the battle. Bolt took his hand back from the shake, "They'll be sending you back to Waller Creek in pieces when I'm done with you."
Just as Bolt began his devilish laugh, the trunk lid slammed down on both of his hands. He yelped out of pain and hopped around swinging his stinging hands causing Miles to laugh at the painful dance. "You did that?" asked Bolt, "You couldn't have. Your wand wasn't even out." Miles winked and continued to unpack. "We'll see who's going back home in pieces," Miles thought placing his clothes in one of the chest of drawers that was on the wall between his bed and the one adjacent to it. A trunk appeared on the empty bed next to his and then the door opened, it was Javi. The boys ran to each other.
"I can't believe all four statues wanted you!" Javi screamed. Bolt cut his eyes at Miles and Javi went back to waving around his sore hands. "What house did you get put in?" Miles asked. "Pukwudgie," Javi shouted pointing to the embroidered Pukwudgie on his sweater. Miles looked down and saw he had a Horned Serpent on his sweater. "Cool," exclaimed Javi and Miles. A few minutes later, the door opened again and a trunk appeared on the bed next to Bolt and across from Miles. A mean looking kid with brown spiky hair and his sleeves rolled up to the elbow stood in the doorway. Javi ran over to greet him.
"Hey, I'm your roommate-
"GET OUT OF MY FACE PUKWUDGIE" the kid yelled. Miles gripped his wand. Bolt snickered. Javi just turned around and silently began to unpack his clothes again. The kid walked over to his bed and kicked the trunk off of it and then plopped into the bed. "Wake me before dinner," he said putting his hands behind his head and closing his eyes.
"You can wake up on your own or you won't eat," Miles said. The kid's eyes popped open and he looked at Miles with a tight grasp on the ebony wand. "You don't know who I am do you," the kid said getting off the bed, "I'm Charles McKenny Jr and my dad is…"
"Charles McKenny," Bolt said in a shaky voice, "The lead singer of Blaze, your dad is a rockstar. You're famous." Charles Jr smiled and crossed his arms. Miles wasn't impressed. "And you think that matters here?" Miles said almost with a laugh, "You're a first year, just like us. You aren't special." Charles Jr stepped closer to Miles. "But you think you are?" Charles Jr asked Miles "Just cause you got chosen by all four houses, you think you're special. You think you're more powerful than me? You haven't seen real power." Miles and Charles Jr began to stare each other down. Miles took a startled step back after a few seconds as Charles Jr's eyes flashed bright red.
Bolt began to laugh with the bruise lines now clearly visible on his hands. "Come on man," Charles Jr said to Bolt, "Let's go explore the castle, no need to sit here with these losers." Bolt and Charles Jr left the room. Javi returned to unpacking his trunk but noticed that Miles was still standing in the middle of the room, fuming about having lost the stare down to Charles Jr.
"Miles," said Javi patting Miles on the shoulder, "calm down." It was like Miles couldn't hear him, he looked down and saw that Miles was gripping the wand even tighter than before and it looked like the veins in his hand were pulsating. Javi slowly pulled the wand out of Miles hand and he saw his friend slowly return to normal. "Are you alright?" Javi asked. Miles shook his head no. Both of the boys stepped back and looked at the wand laying on the floor of their room. It was pulsating and the gold rings had turned into a glowing emerald green.
"I don't know a lot about wands, but I think there's something seriously wrong with mines," said Miles.
