Chapter 2
Toathrilles and Thrills
After packing her things in a large black trunk, she kissed her mother goodbye.
"I'll see you soon! I might come home for holidays, but even if I don't, I'll write back! Just send your letters with Methrill or Vapor!"
"Okay, I'll miss you! Send me a letter as soon as you get there!" her mother called.
"I love you, bye!"
"Bye!"
Aime walked with her trunk on a dolly. Her two owls were on top of the trunk, and Holly was walking beside her. They walked towards the nearest portkey and immediately were glad when they saw other people. There were four people there holding a piece of paper and talking. One person was a third year. One was obviously a seventh year-towering above the rest-and two were first years. She waved to them and they waved back. The two first years were twin girls. They were Asian-and very beautiful. The third year was a blond boy who didn't seem interested in them, and the seventh year was a very friendly-looking, red haired boy.
"Hello, I'm Aime Larks. And you are.?" she asked.
"I'm May Chong and this is April," one of the twins said. May's hair was longer, and April had green eyes, not blue ones. So Aime would be able to tell them apart-thankfully-if they became friends.
"I'm Matthew. I'm head boy this year. Are you a first year? (She nodded) You look older-more sophisticated. Well, if you have questions, ask me!"
The third year was leaning on a tree, one hand on the paper, ignoring Aime.
"And who are you?" Aime asked politely.
"How dare you ask! You should know. Everyone does. I'm Zach Duckly, already famous Quiddich player," he said in a very snobbish tone.
"Well, excuse me, but I'm only a half-witch. So sorry if I don't know anyone yet. Man, what's with him?" Aime said, pointing her thumb behind her, at Zach.
The girls giggled and Matthew laughed ("Man, Zach. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were shown up by a first year girl").
She held her head higher and held the piece of paper. Two seconds later, the world was spinning, someone fell on her, and they were in a dog pile at the airport lobby.
Some people walked by and said things like, "Kids," but no one saw them appear. They just had to find gate 1300.
"Umm, aren't there only 67 gates here?" Aime whispered to May.
"Yes, but if you keep going past gate 67, there's a wall that you can walk through to get to gate 1300."
"Oh!"
When they got to the wall, they had a hard time walking through the wall without people staring. Aime's puppy was drawing attention. Aime picked Holly up and hid her from view. Eventually, the cost was clear, and everyone was at the gate.
The boat looked like an ancient pirate ship. It was black, wooden, and ultimately huge. Aime boarded with the Chong twins. They found that the ship was divided into rooms. Aime and the twins took one and sat down on a bed in a circle.
Just then, a boy with emerald green hair came in and asked if he could share the room. The girls agreed. Happily, they all bonded quickly.
"Our parents don't have enough money to get us more than an owl each, let alone a broom," May was saying. Already, Aime noticed May was the more talkative one. "They are immigrants. They can barely speak English, let alone buy a broom."
"Well, these are my owls, Methrill and Vapor. And here's Holly, my dog," Aime said.
They all were pleased with Aime's pets.
"Do you have a broom?" asked the boy (who's name was Eric).
"Oh, yes, a Firebolt."
"Wow! That's the best one so far. I have a Nimbus 2000.third best."
"Cool, Eric!" the girls said.
Aime met Eric's owl, Bust, and the Chong twins' owls, Sep and Nov.
"So the nine of us will be friends forever, right?" asked May.
"Sure thing May, but Eric?" said Aime.
"What?"
"Be ready to be creamed when we play Quiddich."
Matthew, the head boy, came in an hour later to tell them to change into black robes. They took turns changing and doing their hair. When the girls took about five hours on their hair, Eric was getting ready to sleep.
"Nice touch with the hat, Aime!" April said.
"Thanks April."
Aime looked at herself. She was thin, average height, and quite pretty. She had medium long hair and long eyelashes. She was as smart as she was pretty, and she couldn't wait to see the school.
"There it is!" May shouted.
They all went to the side of the room and saw a mansion-over 20 stories high and over a mile across-towering above a field. Greenhouses were located along one side of the place. There were tree towers that extended higher than the rest of the building. Aime was in love already.
Aime put on her new shoes and packed up her things. She got Holly on a leash and put the owls in cages. Their things-and pets-would be taken to their rooms while they were at their meal.
Aime was hungry. She followed the others out of the room and got ready to leave the wonderful flying ship. She didn't want to leave, but she had a feeling that Toathrilles would be much better than the flying ship.
They walked onto the grounds when the ship landed. May spoke up now, "I've heard they have sort of teams.you get chosen by the head boy and girl from each team, and they are like your family."
Aime wanted to see these "families" and she definitely wanted to be together with the twins and Eric.
When they entered the palace, Aime saw the third year snob named Zach hanging out with some other kids-second and first years. They looked as annoying as him.
They entered a large dining room. It was split into thirds, but there were several tables. The tables in the middle had red sparks flying above their tables. There were red flames from the candles, and the drinks in the glasses were red. The right had blue, and the left had green. These must be the houses.
The older students sat down, but the first years were asked to go to the front of the room.
An old wizard stood up and said, "Please be seated in your appropriate houses. May all first years stand up here, and all head students please stand up where they are."
Everyone did as they were told.
"We will have the head boys and girls pick students one-by-one. The students from the Ice Dragon team may pick first."
Clearly, the "Ice Dragons" were blue. The blue head boy and girl were deciding quickly.
"The fourth student in line. The girl with the black hair." the head girl said, and pointed to Aime. "Matthew tells me you're Aime Larks?"
"Yes," Aime replied.
Groans were filling the room from the left, along with clapping from the blue side. Apparently, everyone wanted her. She smiled and walked over to an empty table after saying thank you to the head boy (Matthew) and girl (named Lian).
The red team picked next. The old man, Professor Readen, called them the Fire Elementals. They picked a strong boy named Derfect.
When the green house picked next, (this team full of many annoying people) Aime thought she heard the head girl say "the twins". Luckily, there were other twins in the group, and two greasy-haired boys joined the "Poison Serpents".
Aime loved the ceremony. She was relieved to see that her friends were all on the Dragons' team. She even recognized one boy for being the one who was setting his hair on fire at Luke's Wands. She waved at him and he waved back. Things were going all right!
Professor Readen stood up for one last time and announced that an unusual number of students were allowed into the school that year. There was a student who was not picked. For a subtraction of 5 points from the team's total score (the team with the most points won the house cup at the end of the year), they could have the extra kid. He was a short kid with a pale face and brown hair. He was wearing rugged robes, and he had a tattered old hat.
At the sight of this boy and the hesitation to include him in a group, Aime raised her hand.
Professor Readen was surprised at the sight of her hand, but he smiled all the same. "Yes Miss Larks?"
"Professor, could I talk to my team's head boy and girl for a moment?"
"Sure," he said.
Aime got up and walked to Matthew and Lian.
"Why don't we get him?" asked Aime.
"Well," Lian began.
"Please? Trust me, he looks all right. he might be good enough to get us some points back! And, I mean.all this hesitation for a bunch of tattered robes!"
They got the message. They raised their hands and said, "We'll take him!" at the same time. Aime was overwhelmed for warmth. She hugged Matthew and sat down again.
Professor Readen smiled and said, "For standing up for someone when no one else will, I give the Dragons 15 points." waved his hands and signaled for the feast to begin. Everyone started eating.
"I told you!" Aime told Matt. She walked back to her seat and smiled at everyone.
"C-can I sit here?" asked the boy in tattered robes.
"If you wish. I don't mind," said Aime.
"Thanks for that. I really didn't like being the last one picked. You were the first! That usually means good things. They probably know how smart you are or something. I mean, I know."
"How do you know I'm smart?"
The boy shrugged and said, "rumors."
Aime smiled and said, "Parenthetically, what's your name?"
He smiled back and said, "James. My name is James."
After packing her things in a large black trunk, she kissed her mother goodbye.
"I'll see you soon! I might come home for holidays, but even if I don't, I'll write back! Just send your letters with Methrill or Vapor!"
"Okay, I'll miss you! Send me a letter as soon as you get there!" her mother called.
"I love you, bye!"
"Bye!"
Aime walked with her trunk on a dolly. Her two owls were on top of the trunk, and Holly was walking beside her. They walked towards the nearest portkey and immediately were glad when they saw other people. There were four people there holding a piece of paper and talking. One person was a third year. One was obviously a seventh year-towering above the rest-and two were first years. She waved to them and they waved back. The two first years were twin girls. They were Asian-and very beautiful. The third year was a blond boy who didn't seem interested in them, and the seventh year was a very friendly-looking, red haired boy.
"Hello, I'm Aime Larks. And you are.?" she asked.
"I'm May Chong and this is April," one of the twins said. May's hair was longer, and April had green eyes, not blue ones. So Aime would be able to tell them apart-thankfully-if they became friends.
"I'm Matthew. I'm head boy this year. Are you a first year? (She nodded) You look older-more sophisticated. Well, if you have questions, ask me!"
The third year was leaning on a tree, one hand on the paper, ignoring Aime.
"And who are you?" Aime asked politely.
"How dare you ask! You should know. Everyone does. I'm Zach Duckly, already famous Quiddich player," he said in a very snobbish tone.
"Well, excuse me, but I'm only a half-witch. So sorry if I don't know anyone yet. Man, what's with him?" Aime said, pointing her thumb behind her, at Zach.
The girls giggled and Matthew laughed ("Man, Zach. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were shown up by a first year girl").
She held her head higher and held the piece of paper. Two seconds later, the world was spinning, someone fell on her, and they were in a dog pile at the airport lobby.
Some people walked by and said things like, "Kids," but no one saw them appear. They just had to find gate 1300.
"Umm, aren't there only 67 gates here?" Aime whispered to May.
"Yes, but if you keep going past gate 67, there's a wall that you can walk through to get to gate 1300."
"Oh!"
When they got to the wall, they had a hard time walking through the wall without people staring. Aime's puppy was drawing attention. Aime picked Holly up and hid her from view. Eventually, the cost was clear, and everyone was at the gate.
The boat looked like an ancient pirate ship. It was black, wooden, and ultimately huge. Aime boarded with the Chong twins. They found that the ship was divided into rooms. Aime and the twins took one and sat down on a bed in a circle.
Just then, a boy with emerald green hair came in and asked if he could share the room. The girls agreed. Happily, they all bonded quickly.
"Our parents don't have enough money to get us more than an owl each, let alone a broom," May was saying. Already, Aime noticed May was the more talkative one. "They are immigrants. They can barely speak English, let alone buy a broom."
"Well, these are my owls, Methrill and Vapor. And here's Holly, my dog," Aime said.
They all were pleased with Aime's pets.
"Do you have a broom?" asked the boy (who's name was Eric).
"Oh, yes, a Firebolt."
"Wow! That's the best one so far. I have a Nimbus 2000.third best."
"Cool, Eric!" the girls said.
Aime met Eric's owl, Bust, and the Chong twins' owls, Sep and Nov.
"So the nine of us will be friends forever, right?" asked May.
"Sure thing May, but Eric?" said Aime.
"What?"
"Be ready to be creamed when we play Quiddich."
Matthew, the head boy, came in an hour later to tell them to change into black robes. They took turns changing and doing their hair. When the girls took about five hours on their hair, Eric was getting ready to sleep.
"Nice touch with the hat, Aime!" April said.
"Thanks April."
Aime looked at herself. She was thin, average height, and quite pretty. She had medium long hair and long eyelashes. She was as smart as she was pretty, and she couldn't wait to see the school.
"There it is!" May shouted.
They all went to the side of the room and saw a mansion-over 20 stories high and over a mile across-towering above a field. Greenhouses were located along one side of the place. There were tree towers that extended higher than the rest of the building. Aime was in love already.
Aime put on her new shoes and packed up her things. She got Holly on a leash and put the owls in cages. Their things-and pets-would be taken to their rooms while they were at their meal.
Aime was hungry. She followed the others out of the room and got ready to leave the wonderful flying ship. She didn't want to leave, but she had a feeling that Toathrilles would be much better than the flying ship.
They walked onto the grounds when the ship landed. May spoke up now, "I've heard they have sort of teams.you get chosen by the head boy and girl from each team, and they are like your family."
Aime wanted to see these "families" and she definitely wanted to be together with the twins and Eric.
When they entered the palace, Aime saw the third year snob named Zach hanging out with some other kids-second and first years. They looked as annoying as him.
They entered a large dining room. It was split into thirds, but there were several tables. The tables in the middle had red sparks flying above their tables. There were red flames from the candles, and the drinks in the glasses were red. The right had blue, and the left had green. These must be the houses.
The older students sat down, but the first years were asked to go to the front of the room.
An old wizard stood up and said, "Please be seated in your appropriate houses. May all first years stand up here, and all head students please stand up where they are."
Everyone did as they were told.
"We will have the head boys and girls pick students one-by-one. The students from the Ice Dragon team may pick first."
Clearly, the "Ice Dragons" were blue. The blue head boy and girl were deciding quickly.
"The fourth student in line. The girl with the black hair." the head girl said, and pointed to Aime. "Matthew tells me you're Aime Larks?"
"Yes," Aime replied.
Groans were filling the room from the left, along with clapping from the blue side. Apparently, everyone wanted her. She smiled and walked over to an empty table after saying thank you to the head boy (Matthew) and girl (named Lian).
The red team picked next. The old man, Professor Readen, called them the Fire Elementals. They picked a strong boy named Derfect.
When the green house picked next, (this team full of many annoying people) Aime thought she heard the head girl say "the twins". Luckily, there were other twins in the group, and two greasy-haired boys joined the "Poison Serpents".
Aime loved the ceremony. She was relieved to see that her friends were all on the Dragons' team. She even recognized one boy for being the one who was setting his hair on fire at Luke's Wands. She waved at him and he waved back. Things were going all right!
Professor Readen stood up for one last time and announced that an unusual number of students were allowed into the school that year. There was a student who was not picked. For a subtraction of 5 points from the team's total score (the team with the most points won the house cup at the end of the year), they could have the extra kid. He was a short kid with a pale face and brown hair. He was wearing rugged robes, and he had a tattered old hat.
At the sight of this boy and the hesitation to include him in a group, Aime raised her hand.
Professor Readen was surprised at the sight of her hand, but he smiled all the same. "Yes Miss Larks?"
"Professor, could I talk to my team's head boy and girl for a moment?"
"Sure," he said.
Aime got up and walked to Matthew and Lian.
"Why don't we get him?" asked Aime.
"Well," Lian began.
"Please? Trust me, he looks all right. he might be good enough to get us some points back! And, I mean.all this hesitation for a bunch of tattered robes!"
They got the message. They raised their hands and said, "We'll take him!" at the same time. Aime was overwhelmed for warmth. She hugged Matthew and sat down again.
Professor Readen smiled and said, "For standing up for someone when no one else will, I give the Dragons 15 points." waved his hands and signaled for the feast to begin. Everyone started eating.
"I told you!" Aime told Matt. She walked back to her seat and smiled at everyone.
"C-can I sit here?" asked the boy in tattered robes.
"If you wish. I don't mind," said Aime.
"Thanks for that. I really didn't like being the last one picked. You were the first! That usually means good things. They probably know how smart you are or something. I mean, I know."
"How do you know I'm smart?"
The boy shrugged and said, "rumors."
Aime smiled and said, "Parenthetically, what's your name?"
He smiled back and said, "James. My name is James."