It wasn't necessarily a bad thing that she'd tested so highly-and as she sat with the other Thunderbirds and made small talk, she anxiously put her wand into her cloak, just in one of the many inner sleeves. She didn't need it for eating dinner, did she? No, definitely not. It turned out that Thunderbird house was home to a bunch of rambunctious children and teenagers, as far as she could tell.
Of course, they rubbed it into Wampus House's face that they were chosen over them, but that hardly mattered, did it? It made Atria feel bad for them of course- but other than that, she really didn't care. She was more preoccupied with the feast to pay attention to much else-and the big, circular tables were enough to make her eyes widen-if only for a split second.
"They want the older years to recognize that they still have as much to learn as a first year," one of the prefects explained, "They want them to know, as long as they are a student, they're equal to everyone else that goes to school here."
The equal attitude made Atria relax a little. It was in juxtaposition to her home life, where she was expected to take the traditionally female role young in life while her brother was able to grow up fully without any responsibilities whatsoever. There were moments where she questioned herself-was she even a girl? She didn't feel like one. She hated dresses, hated pink, hated everything about herself.
"None of my family was able to get in, so i'm lost," She tilted her head up to get a good look at the prefect.
"I'm Haytham Grave," the boy responded, "I know. There hasn't been a Clare or Auxatia that walked in these halls for the past 100 years. We thought they'd all died out. Or at least the magic of your families had."
"Atria!" It was Jasmine's voice that drew her attention over the din of the dining hall, "Meet me in the library tomorrow, yeah?"
"Sure!" Atria wasn't sure her voice was able to be heard over everyone, and she turned her attention back to Haytham, "My families must have meant for me to inherit it all."
Her voice came out dry and deadpan, and a corner of her mouth lifted into a half-grin. Haytham rolled his eyes. "I see you met my cousin Jasmine. Look out for her, won't you? She tends to get into trouble."
They both had different color skin, but their eyes were near perfect copies-Atria should have probably figured that out sooner, she thought. Regardless, her musings came to an end when Danika Cross came to the center of the room and the lights dimmed around her. It was hard not to pay attention to the beautiful white-haired woman, even if she looked like she was nearing middle age. And for a wizard or magician, that was at least 75.
"Welcome to Ilvermorny! The feast will begin shortly, but I would like to talk about our first years, as we do every year." Her voice was clear, concise and the words were well-practiced, "And I beseech you to aid our younger years. If you see them lost, it is your duty as students to help them. If you see them struggling, it is your duty to help them. No matter what house they are in, you all are Ilvermorny students first!"
"And with that, please enjoy your entrance feast!"
The Headmistress' hands waved and suddenly there was food everywhere-all sorts of dishes, from roast beef to rotisserie chicken to grilled salmon with many different styles of food. Some fried, some oven-roasted some grilled- there was so much of it.
It was easy for them to choose, as the dishes rotated around and to claim some of each dish, all they had to do was touch the plate it was on as it passed. The amount of noise grew in the room again as the children chose their dishes and ate.
"I'll make sure Jasmine stays out of trouble," Atria assured in a lull in the conversation around them, "Don't worry!"
The boy's eyes crinkled with amusement and he tilted his head to the side as a teacher passed. She tapped his shoulder and murmured a few things that Atria couldn't hear and then continued on her way as quickly as she had come. "Atria, after dinner instead of going with the other prefects to the Thunderbird dorms, we're gonna go and visit Professor Starling-something about your sorting and wand I think? Nothing else has happened yet."
"Yeah, it was all weird. Said I had some weird affinities or something," Atria mumbled around a bite of chicken-she really didn't feel like explaining it all and quite frankly, she didn't know what about it was so special, anyway.
Regardless, dinner slowly wound down and empty plates started vanishing. Atria made sure to stay seated as the rest of the first years got up and walked away-and she waited for Haytham to stand before she did so herself. She followed him through hallways and stairs-she thought she was at the very top floor of the school, at least!
They finally reached an office and Haytham knocked on the door. A lady with dark brown hair and light brown eyes answered with a kind face. "Thank you, Haytham. You can go back to Thunderbird now.. I'll be bringing Atria back to you later, surely."
He nodded and trotted off in the other direction as Professor Starling opened the door and waved Atria through.
Professor Starling's office was… something. There were odds and ends, eclectic little decorations here and there on shelves and books everywhere-but on the desk were quills, ink and a half-finished.. essay? Regardless, that wasn't what drew Atria's attention.
"Mom!" Atria waved a little-just anxiously.
"Do you know what you're here for, Atria? And on the first day of school!"
Atria's face fell, "I didn't do anything, Mom, I promise-"
"Then why am I here?"
Atria knew her mother viewed it as a slap to the face-being invited somewhere that she was never allowed to attend as a child.
"Your daughter has great gifts," Professor Starling, going and pulling a few sheets of paper out of a couple different books. "Sit, please. I have a few more tests to do before we can accurately see the scope of her abilities."
Atria's head dropped. Why? She didn't care-she could just be a normal student!
"So you're saying she's not in trouble for not wearing a skirt?" Ezra's ginger eyebrow rose and Professor Starling shook her head.
"No, actually. So long as they're wearing some type of uniform robes, we don't care-" It was a distracted answer as she waved her wand over the paper she gathered and then sighed.
"According to our records, your daughter tested positive for Fire, Water, Dark and Light Magic-but what's making us pause is the amount of it. We've seen magically sensitive people with both dark and light affinities before, but usually they only have a small amount to work with.
Atria has at least two times the amount of an adult magician. And that's from a cursory scan to gauge affinities to point in the direction of what we need to have them pick wands from.."
"I'm asking that you allow a more comprehensive test with Atria's blood to see just how much magic she has and how we should be teaching her. And-without getting anyone in trouble, has she been using magic before coming to school?"
Ezra's eyes widened. "Your scan has to be wrong! She can't have a dark affiliation-of course you can! Do it again- maybe the first one was faulty? She can't have a dark magic affiliation!"
"But yes.. She's been able to use my wand since she was 7."
"Make no mistake, Madam, Atria will be a credit to Thunderbird house regardless of her magical affiliations."
Lilah Starling's eyes turned kind as she looked at Atria, who was sitting in the chair with a small frown on her face. Atria offered her hand out and gave a small nod. "Okay. Go ahead."
"Thank you, Atria." Professor Starling's hand reached around, pulling out a small ritual knife from one of the many drawers in her desk and said, "It's going to hurt a little, as I'm going to need enough to drip on five pages, okay?"
Atria nodded and closed her eyes. Professor Starling's dagger slid into her hand and Atria stiffened, but allowed her hand to be moved over all five papers. After, Professor Starling waved her wand over the papers individually, chanting in smooth latin, and then greek. Atria's eyes never left the other woman, wide with interest and slight awe.
Atria never got to see spellwork like this!
"Atria Astra Clare-Auxatia?" Professor Starling's eyebrows rose, "So she's potentially the head of both families.. And has been claimed as heir by the Clare family specifically."
Professor Starling absentmindedly tapped her wand on the desk. The blood that Atria had provided was crawling across the page, separating into words that filled one page and then the next, and then the next.
"Wow!"
"Blood magic is dangerous, Atria. It's dark magic. You can't use it.." Her mother's voice was faint, and her face was pale as a sheet as she watched the magic work.. but.. she spoke again, "Would you mind testing my son? He's eight. I.. would like to know ahead of time with him. Atreus has always been special, too.."
"Of course. Let's discuss your daughter's first, as it just finished."
"She has blood magic from both the Clare and Auxatia families and her dual nature reflects this-she must have been claimed at birth for this type of thing to happen. It's very rare. The Light and Dark magic affiliations also play into the Water and Fire affiliations too-but what I was curious about is the magical attenuation, the sensitivity and what the amount is.."
Atria's eyes stuck on Professor Starling's face as she read, "She has the possibility of having at least two times the amount of an adult magician at the mid- magical majority, which occurs at age fifteen… but, as I've seen with a few students, will need extra care with learning how to use it."
Professor Starling nodded once, satisfied with the more thorough check. "Uh-can I have a copy for later, please?"
Atria's voice was hesitant, but at Professor Starling's nod, the hesitance relaxed and a small smile played on her face.
"Madam Auxatia, please go get your son-you can both use the floo if you wish-the password is the same as I gave you an hour ago."
"Atria, stay and wait for us." Ezra said.
Atria nodded and Ezra threw some floo powder into the fireplace and disappeared in a flash of green flames.
Professor Starling wasted no time assuring, "A dark magical core is nothing bad, Atria. It's just another, different branch of magic that's not understood as much as the light magic. No more, no less."
Atria gave a small nod, and her shoulders relaxed-just a little bit-before Ezra and her brother stepped through the floo once more. Atreus took one look at the pin on her cloak and narrowed his eyes. "Mom, she was supposed to go to Wampus!"
"She was. But they let her choose, and this is what she got." Ezra's eyes rolled.
Professor Starling's estimation of Atria changed a little in that moment. Someone going against their family in such a small way would definitely be someone she would have to keep her eye on in the future. "Nothing's wrong with Thunderbird." Atria said quietly.
Atreus rolled his eyes and said, "Our grandfather was in Wampus and he was one of the greatest wizards of his time! You should have gone there."
"I can be a great magician in Thunderbird." Atria asserted.
"Your hand please, Atreus," Professor Starling was starting to realize that Atria would probably be the easiest of her family to work with due to her open-mindedness. She hoped it would stay that way-it was a quality she encouraged in all of her students.
Atreus put his hand over the paper and flinched as the knife bit into his hand, giving a sniffle and a soft cry. It took a moment to process, and Professor Starling's eyes roved over the paper a few times-her face looking like she would prefer to have better news than this, of all things.
"Atreus Scott Auxatia has enough magic to attend Ilvermorny," she stated, "However, he might have more trouble with more magic-intensive courses like Light Magical Practice and Defense Against the Dark arts. He has..approximately about an eighth more magic than is required to attend Ilvermorny."
Atria's head jerked up. Meaning he was magically-weak in regards to being able to cast spells and the amount of magic he was able to use per-spell.
"However, he'll have a hard time keeping up in that regard with our rigorous class load. It's the same reason that Scott was refused from this school, and his brothers along with him. It's the same reason that the Clare family hasn't seen a scion enter this school in the past 150 years. He may blossom late like Yvone did, but as of current, attending would be very strenuous and I would be worried about him. As Yvone did courses once she attained her majority, he would be offered the same option."
Ezra's eyes narrowed. "If Atria has two cores-and he needs one, can't she just give it to him?"
"I am well-versed in transfiguration magical theory, Madam-you would have to find someone that was willing to help with it. Unfortunately I'm not that person-but I can put you in touch with a few of my colleagues who might be interested in studying if it's possible!" Professor Starling's attitude had completely changed from before-it seemed as if Atreus was favored over Atria in Ezra's estimation. "I will send a letter through the floo tomorrow morning, as I would like some time to pick out the very best for you."
She vaguely wondered if Yvone would condone this. Probably not-but seeing as Ezra was the children's mother, there wasn't anything she could do. To do as Ezra was suggesting was magical line theft-as magic was unique to each magician and an easy identifier if necessary.
Ezra seemed to relax at that, though her blue-grey eyes were sharp-as if she was picking up on Professor Starling's dislike for her.
"Atria, make sure to write me often and no less than the best grades, you hear? Or you'll be grounded."
"Yes, Mom."
Ezra hugged Atria before gathering Atreus close to her and walking into the flames, disappearing in a flash of green fire-maybe quicker than she had gone before.
For some reason, Atria felt the need to apologize. "I'm sorry, Professor."
"Not a problem, Atria." Professor Starling at least had the knowledge that Atreus would be sorted into Wampus and she wouldn't have to deal with Ezra in regards to two of her students. She sighed before she continued. "We don't have classes tomorrow, dear, and for that, I'm grateful. However, we still have to get you to your dorms."
Atria followed her Professor as she stood, walking after her through the halls. Atria wasn't surprised that the Thunderbird dorms was found in a tower-but it wasn't drafty. It looked comfortable, with rich reds and turquoise everywhere. "Be mindful-each student has their own room-if you need access to one of the students, be sure to knock. We don't usually have a lot of students in Thunderbird house. Most like Wampus or Horned Serpent, so we have more room for each student to use."
Atria was glad-she wasn't sure she wanted to spend time with her year-mates, considering everything that had happened tonight. At least she could talk to Haytham about it-or Jasmine or Anson. It's not like their mothers knew each other or anything.
"Here's your room, dear! Everything was brought up and put away for you-if you have any questions, my office is out of the dorms, and to the right at the end of the hall."
"Thank-you, Professor."
After Professor Starling left, Atria fell into the bed, fully clothed, and then fell asleep. Who knew being a magician was so exhausting!
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The next day, Atria awoke, got dressed, snagged her wand out of her covers and dragged herself down to the cafeteria before continuing to the library...after getting lost for about an hour before she stumbled on to a few eighth-years coming out of the Wampus dorm. The library wasn't too far away, at least..
She finally found it, and Haytham and Anson and Jasmine- they spent the entire day trying out spells and reading and doing magical things. Atria never really got the chance to do anything other than household spells with her mother's wand before, and doing silly things like charming things different colors or learning how to make her cloak a jacket or write a message in air! It was fun!
And soon after that, it was bed time, and the first day for classes.
Classes were something, Atria mused, Something that excited her. She was good at pretty much everything that had been assigned, from the beginner light magic courses, to the dark magic courses, to everything. Besides the physical components of the defense courses. She could do it just fine, to the letter, but she was always left out of breath, exhausted and frustrated at the end of it. That seemed to be what she would have to focus on-and on top of her very ambitious school schedule, her mother was making a fuss about her magic and the courses she was taking.
Luckily for Atria, Ezra legally couldn't pull her out of the classes she was in due to her magical nature- as it was proven that dark-affinitied magicians were more likely to lose control of their magic unless they were taught how to use it in a more constructive manner and to shield themselves and others from it.
The first year of that course was one that taught basic, dark-style charms that anyone of any nature could use, things like cutting charms, cooking charms-everything that used dark type magic was taught.. Other than curses, that is.
But-Professor Starling was as good as her word and had contacted Ezra's mother with a group of magicians willing to study Atria's magical core. The tests themselves were rather quick-with Atria having to perform a few spells of different magical levels, of different types of magic. It was apparent that even with her dual-affinities, that Atria still favored the dark arts.
Ezra couldn't stand for that at all-and at her instruction, one of their potioneers created a potion-one that would siphon away the dark magic that she was so attuned to, refine it, and then give it to Atreus to was experimental-something that even the potion's professor at the school refused to make and administer, to Ezra's frustration.
She eventually did manage to get someone to make it for her-and she forced Atria to take it. The doses were once a month, usually at the beginning…
Professor Starling hated the fact that she led Ezra to the potion-and the way that it made Atria struggle, not only to use magic, but to even breathe, made her ready to strangle Ezra on the spot. It wasn't that Atria's grades fell, but it seemed like the life had been sucked out of her, and the dark under-eye bags only heightened the effect.
But the truth came out at the end of Atria's first year: the potion itself was toxic and caused an immunodeficiency-and though she had enough magic, her body was having a hard time with illnesses most other children would shrug off. It only magnified her breathing problems, and her inhaler became her best friend. Professor Starling kept reminding Ezra of why Atria was having so many issues-but Ezra refused to budge on the potion, continually stating that 'if Atria has more than enough, it shouldn't be too bad for her to give some to Atreus, right?'
Professor Starling hoped that Atreus would understand the sacrifice his sister was making- such an undertaking could have been misconstrued easily and Ezra could have been charged with magical theft not only due to the amount of magic, but the type as well-and on top of that, considering that Atria was also the heir to the Clare family..
She was starting to see resentment pile up in Atria's gaze, every time the two children met for the potion-and Atreus only looked like he was getting stronger, healthier and more conceited. Meanwhile, Atria seemed to be withering away, at least physically and emotionally. While she continued to participate in class, Atria's extracurricular physical activities took a giant hit. She'd been sick more than most of the other students combined and had no defenses to be able to combat her mother.
Professor Starling did more than she thought she could to ease Atria's burden in many aspects- such as extra time that the child never actually took-private tutoring in both defense, charms and transfiguration- and she soaked it up like a sponge soaks up water. Atria's innate grasp of magic far exceeded most fifth-year students. She was a true prodigy in every way- and her friends were the same.
She'd heard more than one student, from Jasmine, to Haytham to Anson, complain about it to other professors, but no one could do anything-short of them bringing up Ezra's conduct to MACUSA. And no one was about to do that to the Heiress' mother. Not when Atria would be handed a seat within the highest governing body in the USA or the Ministry of Magic upon her majority...
She rubbed her brow as she stamped the approval of Atria's schedule for next year-she sighed. Even with what Ezra had done, she still managed to maintain a perfect grade average… but, she decided, she was definitely going to take a look into the Clare-Auxatia family and make sure that nothing untoward was happening. She didn't exactly have a good feeling about Ezra...