It had been two days since Jacob had first set out from Minnesota and since then, they had picked up multiple train cars filled with Ilvermorny students that have come from all the states, each one joined to the locomotive on the Ilvermorny Railway. As they rolled into their final stop, the conductor made a final announcement on the intercom.
"Thank you for riding the Ilvermorny Railway! Enjoy your year at Ilvermorny!" he said.
Both Jacob and Carson by then had already changed into their blue robes. The robes that they had bought in the Wizarding Mall of America were a deep shade of blue with cranberry colored robes underneath. The robes were held together right below their necks with a golden Celtic knot, the Gordian Knot of Ilvermorny. They were sent out of the train without their things, which were to be brought up to the school separately. They then climbed up the gentle include leading out of the Ilvermorny Station (Ilvermorny Safe House) and into the forest above.
Fir trees surrounded them as they stepped into a cobblestone courtyard, lit by old-fashioned street-lamps. They were surrounded by hundreds of students and the sounds of Spanish, English, and French were all mixed together as students from Mexico and Canada had already arrived. Many of them broke off from the group and began to trek through the forest. Jacob and Carson were about to follow them, but a small man standing on a box was gathering people around him, yelling: "First-years over this way! First-years over here!". As Jacob and Carson walked over to him, they realized that a bunch of short, 11-year olds were also gathering with them. The height difference was almost comical, but then Jacob began to realize that many of them had the experience with this school as a bunch 11-year olds did. His heart sank a little bit in disappointment at the thought of what ridicule could now occur, but he then turned back to the man on the box, who was dressed in long, purple robes. He began to speak to them, spreading out his hands like a performer.
"Welcome at long last to Ilvermorny!" he said happily. "Now, while the rest of the students are heading up to the castle to prepare for the Sorting Ceremony, we're just going to wait until they're ready before we head to the school ourselves" he told them. "My name is Anderson Spigett, and I am the Arithmancy professor" he finished before getting off his box and letting the students talk among themselves.
"What do you think Ilvermorny will be like?" Jacob asked Carson excitedly.
"Well, from what I read in A History of Magic, it's a huge, yet homely castle" he replied thoughtfully. "There are many toweOn the train ride, both of them talked about what classes and subjects they were looking forward to the most. Carson was looking forward to Potions, while Jacob was looking forward to Flying, which first years have to take but others don't.
Quidditch was something both of them discussed excessively on the train. Inside The New York Ghost, there was a section for Quidditch teams all over the United States, including the ones at Ilvermorny. Apparently, the Pukwudgie team had won the Quidditch cup last year, with Horned Serpent coming in at second, then Wampus and Thunderbird coming after that. Also, according to this, a "beginning of the year" Quidditch match would be held between the Thunderbirds and Wampus Cats following the first full day back, which would be tomorrow. Right as they were trying to determine which team was better, the Fitchburg Finches or the Minnesota Mountain-Lions, they had left the tree-line and were greeted with a wonderful sight. Ilvermorny.
Up on a far ridgeline was a large castle, with its windows glowing like stars under the clear night sky. There was many towers and turrets, all of different shapes and sizes. Some tall, some short, some square, some circular. Off to the left glowed what looked like a large stadium. Jacob and Carson knew right away that it was the Quidditch pitch. They could just make out the shape of three hoops poised on tall poles shining in the night; they must've been getting ready for the match tomorrow.
After another short walk, the group reached a large bridge that climbed over an equally large river. The man stopped them here and turned around to address them, with the group buzzing in excitement. For what, Jacob, Carson, and some of the others didn't know.
"Students!" the man said. "Some of you may already have guessed where we are, judging by your excitement, and you are correct! This is the same river where Ilvermorny founder, Isolt Sayre, first met the Horned Serpent with her Pukwudgie friend, William" He turned around and pointed at a statue a little ways down the shoreline to their right. "That statue, right there, is where she first met the Horned Serpent". It was an old statue, covered in moss, but still recognizable. In the moonlight, the figure of a woman and a large snake with pointed horns could be seen. It was built into the shoreline itself, with the cattails and reeds that covered the shore parting at this spot. Jacob and Carson stared at it in awe until they passed back into the trees and out of sight.
Their trek now continued upwards, up what must've been Mount Greylock. Again, they stopped, but this time at a path that branched and led off into the woods to their left. There, they came upon a large statue. The statue showed two boys, a mother, and a father holding a small child in his arms. With smiles on their faces, it was easy to feel welcomed in this clearing. The man turned back to them again.
"This clearing here is where Isolt first met James Steward, Chadwick Boot, and Webster Boot. This clearing has been held in reverence ever since the school was founded, in honor of the witches and wizards who died trying to make a new life for them in the New World, but also to honor the first meeting of all the founders of Ilvermorny" the man said, gesturing to the statue. They were able to look at it for a short while, but the man, who introduced himself as Professor Minten, the Deputy Headmaster at Ilvermorny. Professor Minten was dressed in dark red robes, with a short pointed hat on his head. He had small, circular glasses, and was about five feet tall. His robes fluttered behind him as they left the clearing.
Eventually, after stopping a couple more landmarks, like Chadwick's Overlook, they reached Ilvermorny. The castle looked even more fantastic and magical up close. Gawking at the huge towers, the group of students led by Professor Minten walked through a large wrought-iron gate into a paved courtyard. The gate had Ilvermorny's crest inlaid into the iron, with a Gordian Knot above the entrance. As Professor Minten directed them to the entrance of the castle, they walked past a large tree. From what Carson whispered to them as they walked past, it was the famous snake-wood tree. It was huge and thick, with silvery leaves glinting in the light given off by Ilvermorny. Before Carson could tell Jacob more, the crowd pushed them away. Their group turned and then walked up the staircase to the large, set of fir-wood doors that acted as the entrance. Gas lamps set within iron holders illuminated two, marble statues that guarded the front doors. One was of a woman dressed in traditional colonial garb, with the addition of a witch's robes. The pedestal she stood had ISOLT carved into it, and the other statue was of a tall, skinny man dressed in a man's colonial garb, with the name JAMES carved into it. Both of them were smiling, almost beckoning them all inside, and were freshly polished. The front door opened into a small entryway built out of granite bricks, with a lofty, peaked roof. Another set of large set of wooden doors faced them before they stopped. Inside, they could hear hundreds of voices chatting with each other. Professor Minten then turned around to us again.
"Students! Welcome to Ilvermorny. The beginning of year feast will begin soon, but before that you all need to be placed into your respective houses. This ceremony is very important because the founders of this school, a family themselves, wanted all the students to be put into houses. They wanted this because all of them wished to attend Hogwarts in the United Kingdom, but was prevented in doing so. To honor their wished for a little over four-hundred years, you will either be a part of Wampus Cat house, Horned Serpent House, Thunderbird house, or Pukwudgie house" He said loudly, looking at the whole assembly of first-years.
"While you stay here at Ilvermorny, your accomplishments will earn you house points and any rule breaking will lose your house points, as each Professor sees fit. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will be given the House-Cup, which is always held to be a great honor among friendly sport and competition at this school. Even though competitions are held between each house, like Quidditch matches, the Transfiguration Tournament, The Charms Chalice, and more, this school above all else has been a family" He opened the door into the entry hall slightly.
"Please wait here as we prepare for you" he said as he entered the hall and disappeared. The first-years remained there, wondering what the sorting ceremony would be like. Would it be a test or what? Sooner than later however, Professor Minten returned. Smiling, he said: "We're ready for you"
The second set of doors was pulled open and we entered into the room. It was huge, with a small walkway running underneath what appeared to be a wooden balcony held above us by large wooden pillars carved like trees. Across from where we entered was a large set of doors, bigger than the ones we already walked through. The right and left side both had doors as well, leading to other parts of the castle. The biggest feature of this room however, was the huge wooden carvings. As we walked around the circular wall, we stared at these statues. The ones that flanked the entryway doors were the Thunderbird and Wampus cat, and the other two flanking the opposite doorway were the Horned Serpent and Pukwudgie. All of these statues were at least 14 feet tall, with all of them being the same shade of wood.
Professor Minten walked to the center of the room, spreading his hands out as he turned around and gazed at the students on the balcony, almost like a showman.
"Good evening everyone!" his voice boomed. "Tonight, we'll begin the sorting ceremony, but first, any words from our esteemed headmaster?" he asked with a warm smile, obviously immensely good friends with the headmaster. He turned to a man in his late forties sitting on a wooden chair above him. The man stood from his chair and addressed the students.
"No, thank you Professor Minten, but I have nothing to add, but only my warmest welcome to all of the new students who have journeyed to us from the world of No-Majs. My name is Agilbert Fontaine, and I am the headmaster here at Ilvermorny. I bid you come into this with a mind like a blank piece of parchment, ready for many glorious tales to be told on, and for a new journey to begin! Surely, our wonderful founders, Isolt, James, Webster, and Chadwick too, would've done all they could to make you all feel at home, and we will do the same" he said kindly with a smile. Agilbert's fondness wasn't that of an old man, but of a good man who knew what must be done.
"But you seem to have forgotten something Professor Minten" he told him from the balcony with a sly look in his eye. "Our school songs!" he exclaimed. A ribbon shot out of the end of his wand and unfurled, words appearing on it as the school burst into song.
We stand as one, united, against the Puritan!
We draw our inspiration, from good witch Morrigan.
For she was persecuted, by common, wandless man,
So she fled from distant Ireland, and so our school began!
Ilvermorny, Massachussets!
We choo-choose it!
We choo-choose it!
The Wizardry School Supreme!
At "We choo-choose it!" the left and right side of the chamber echoed each other. It was surprisingly beautiful, with the majority of the students enjoying themselves as they sand.
Your castle walls, they kept us safe
Our days with you a dream!
You taught us all our magic, and now one thing's quite clear.
They began to echo each other again, singing together on the final line.
Wherever we roam, wherever we roam,
Our one true home, our one and own,
Is Ilvermorny dear!
The song ended, and the sorting ceremony began. Mr. Minten walked up to the Gordian Knot in the center of the floor and began to call names.
"Grot, Drake!" Professor Minten began with. Drake walked out to the knot and looked up at the wooden carvings. The Pukwudgie and the Horned Serpent reacted to him, so he chose Horned Serpent. Soon enough, Jacob walked was called and walked onto the Gordian Knot. He looked up at all the statues, his heart pounding in his chest. The room was silent, until the first statue responded to him. The Thunderbird flapped its wings and the whole house erupted in cheers from the balcony. Next, the Horned Serpent responded, with its huge jewel glowing in its forehead. After that, no more statues responded. Jacob's voice responded loudly as many other students before him did.
"I choose THUNDERBIRD!" he yelled.
NEXT CHAPTER: LENGTHENING SHADOWS
Magical Creature Profile, The Santer:
The Santer is a magical beast native to the wooded swamps in western North Carolina. In appearance, it looks similar to that of a gopher, but with a large, round, bald head. It stands about 3-4 ft tall, it is about 4-5 ft long in length, and it has a tail that is as long as its body. What sets this magical creature apart from others native to the United States is its unique tail, which has eight large knots in it. These knots are known to be hot to the touch, often burning what it comes into contact with immediately. It uses this impressive tail to subdue its prey and to defend itself. While there have been no recorded Santer attacks on any witch or wizard, it has been known to kill livestock quickly and easily. Santer attacks on livestock are known to leave eight bruises and along with eight scorch marks on the corpse.