CHAPTER SEVEN: Touring the School
Evan watched as the other schools left the hall, leaving only the first year Ilvermorny students and the Professors. As the other houses left with their house heads, Professor Everwinter and Harry Potter walked over to the Pukwudgie first years.
"Alright, first off. Anything you want to know about me? I like to be open with my students. Any questions, I'll do my best to answer" Professor Everwinter said. A few students raised their hands. Everwinter pointed at a student, without saying a word.
"How old are you?" a student behind Evan asked. Everwinter smiled.
"I'm Forty-one, a year older than Harry here." Everwinter told the first years. Some of them gasped.
"How do you look so young?" another student shouted. Everwinter pulled his hair back behind his ears, revealing his ears are slightly longer than normal, and they came to a point.
"Because I'm what is considered a High Elf. Most High Elves stay hidden, and are seen as a myth in the wizarding community" Everwinter explained. "Now any other questions?" he asked. The students shook their heads.
"Mind if I join you, Dorien?" Harry asked.
"Not at all. Ilvermorny is different from Hogwarts though. We don't have moving staircases here" Everwinter responded. "Come students. We're going to start outside" Everwinter led them out the great hall, back through the wand room, to the courtyard where they were all sorted into their houses. Evan looked at the statues of the four houses. They seemed more statue-like than they did when the sorting ceremony was going on. Athena bumped Evan's shoulder.
"Betcha that's the snakewood tree the headmaster was telling us about" she said as she pointed to a dark brown tree, with its branches spreading all over the place.
"As you can see, that is the tree that grew from Gormlaith Gaunt's wand" Professor Everwinter confirmed Athena's suspicion. Everwinter led them down the stairs by the tree. Evan hadn't paid much attention to the surroundings the first time he came through here, as he was enthralled by the castle itself. On each side of the stairs were two more statues. These ones appeared to be made of marble. One depicted a woman. She was quite attractive, with long hair and a caring face. The other was that of a man. He had mid-length hair, and appeared to be in a old-time style suit.
"Who are depicted in the statues, Professor?" Jason asked, finally speaking up for the first time. Everwinter smiled at him.
"Those are Isolt Sayre and James Steward. The founders of Ilvermorny" Everwinter spoke. Just as he said that, a phoenix flew above their heads and landed on the statue of Isolt. "And that's the local phoenix. We don't know where it came from, just that it's been here for a long time. Possibly as long as the school itself" Everwinter told the students. Harry chuckled.
"It reminds me of Fawkes" he said. Everwinter nodded, then pointed out east.
"The quidditch arena is over there, as well as the town of Adams. It's a mixed town, with both No-Maj's and Wizards. Also just beyond the quidditch arena, but before the town itself, you'll find the Veterans War Memorial, a No-Maj monument" Everwinter said. He led everyone back into the school. Everwinter led them by each of the four staircases in the corner of the school.
"Each staircase has access to every floor, but each tower holds a different room. The northeast tower holds the astronomy tower. The southeast tower is where Headmaster Fontaine's office is located. The northwest tower is home to the divination tower, and lastly, the southwest tower is the Owlery" Everwinter explained.
"I have a question. What's that in the center of the floor. And why does the first floor seem so empty?" Harry asked. Everwinter glared at him,
"Because, Potter. The first floor is where the Great Hall is located, as well as the original cottage of Ilvermorny. That's what that is in the center. That is the home of Isolt Sayre and James Steward. Left untouched since their deaths. No one is able to go near it. We know that the entrance to the dungeon is in the cottage, but it's never been accessed" Everwinter explained, He then lead them through the rest of the school, showing where each classroom and storage room is located. As well as the lavatories. When they were finished with the school itself, he led them out the back. Everwinter pointed at four mansions down the hill.
"Each of those are the house dorms. They each have a seperate color to mark them. Blue is the Horned Serpent dorm, Red is the Wampus dorm. White is for the Thunderbird house, and lastly. our dorm's color is purple" Everwinter explained. "Now, it's getting late. Classes start at 8am. Let's go get you situated in the dorm". Everwinter led them down the hill to their dorms.