Characters and locations from the world of Harry Potter are the property of J.K. Rowling. (My original characters just get to play there.)

Chapter 4 – A Different Sort of Sorting

James opened his eyes and stared into a ceiling of bright lights. The pain in his ribs was down to a dull ache when he took a deep breath, a great improvement over what he could remember before drifting into unconsciousness at the Danish embassy. He slowly remembered the last moments of the Danish birthday ball and could not figure out why the four men would attack him like that over a girl, especially one as independent and lively as Tora. It almost sounded as if Tora refusing to go through with an arranged marriage would ruin someone's plans, although James was sure the four men were merely lackeys. Yet only one used a wand. Were the other three as stupid as they were accused of being or were they underage and caught in the MACUSA restriction as James was? The man who had cursed James seemed to think the trio had wands, but maybe they hadn't.

He was in a hospital, one which reinforced the idea that they all looked alike: the same rooms, the same white paint, and the same bright lights. Staff had been coming in and out and James could tell by accents that he had been taken to a local hospital and suspected it was a magical one. It was extremely unlikely, yet not out of the realm of possibility, that he had been taken to a Muggle hospital. Looking around as far as his neck would allow, he saw a familiar bottle of pain potion on a table next to his bed, a comforting reminder this was indeed a wizarding hospital. But he had no idea where this place was. The various magical embassies were all in the same general area but who knew where the Americans would place a hospital since it would need to service the wizarding community at large.

"You're awake."

The voice of his Mum echoed through the quiet room. Turning to the other side of his bed, James saw she was still in her dress robes from this evening. Or was it last evening? He had no idea how long he'd been out.

"Have ye not had a chance to go home and change, Mum?" James asked in a raspy voice.

"You've not been here long enough for me to have gone home. Your Da is out in the hall trying to get an update from a nurse or doctor."

"How long was I out?"

"Not quite two hours. You had a broken rib and the doctors got it healing up right nice."

"Any word on the bloody sassenachs that attacked me?"

"Not really. The constables will be needing descriptions from you now that you're awake."

"T'will not be soon enough. Did they say when they'd be back?"

"Soon I suspect. They left to get coffee a few minutes ago."

James slowly sat up to be ready for their return, eager to let someone else know about the details about the attack. He saw a worried expression on his Mum's face and wondered if his injuries were worse than he himself had expected. The door opened and one of the nurses came in followed closely by his Da. James saw a glimmer of relief on his Da's face when the older McCrea saw James was awake. Two wizards clad in black leather dusters were behind his Da, each holding a small cup of steaming liquid.

"May we talk to your son, Ambassador, now that he's awake?" The older of the two wizards had spoken

"Of course," his Da told the man. His father looked at James, "This is Daniel Bridges, the head of MACUSA's Auror department."

"Isn't it a bit of overkill for you to be investigating an assault Mr. Bridges?" Olivia asked.

"This is the second incident at a foreign embassy within the last week and a half Mrs. McCrea. President Picquery is taking this very seriously, since we now appear to have a pattern."

"I hate to disagree," James said, "but the brigands who roughed me up last night didn't look a bit like the ones that caused the ruckus at our embassy. I don't see a connection."

"That we know of yet," Bridges said.

"Well, I can certainly tell you that the three who used me for a punching bag were possibly underage. The fourth one was complaining they didn't just curse me and be done with it and that last one was the only one I saw with a wand."

"Why do you think that makes them underage?" Bridges asked.

"Because I'm underage and was required to leave my wand at the British Embassy tonight," James stated plainly. "Either that or they enjoy pummeling blokes. The three younger ones also seemed like flunkies, as if the one with the wand was the actual leader. Also, the only one of the first three to speak was warning me off about a girl. So unless the Danish Ambassador's niece is a pawn in an international power play, I'm not seeing the connection to Grindelwald like the blokes that crashed the party at the British Embassy."

"Interesting observations," Bridges said. "Would you be able to describe your assailants to our sketch artist?" The dour Auror pointed toward his companion.

"Absolutely. I'm ready now if he is."

It was a grueling hour before James and the artist were satisfied he had described the four men as accurately as possible. A nurse came into the room as they were finishing and shooed the Aurors out and gently reminded his parents that visiting hours were over and the patient needed sleep to heal properly. She looked barely out of nursing training, much like the young nurse at Hogwarts, Ms. Pomfrey. She was correct though; James desperately needed sleep and he didn't fuss when she brought a potion of dreamless sleep over to him.

"We'll be back after breakfast, deary." His mother kissed him on the forehead.

"Always embarrassing the lad, Liv?" his Da asked with a chuckle.

"'Tis a mother's right," his Mum said, "and 'twill be until my dying day."

"Then I will see you both in the morning," James said. After his parents left the room, he drank the sleeping potion and settled in for the rest of the night. He hoped the quickness of healing would continue and they'd be able to release him tomorrow. The last thing James wanted was to be stuck in the hospital when first term started at Ilvermorny.

His rib did heal splendidly but James remained at the hospital for nearly a week. The staff wished to observe him for any lingering effects of the Cruciatus curse James had been on the receiving end of. Apparently there had not been any study on how long the effects lasted after being cursed which was not surprising. Only the most vile and wretched wizards used something as devastating as an Unforgivable curse and most victims weren't alive to study afterwards. James was also lucky to have only been exposed to the curse for a few minutes. The mediwizards had mentioned anecdotal evidence that people went insane after being tortured for hours on end with the Cruciatus curse, but few victims ever made it to the hospital before death. Grim discussion topics for sure, but the kind of impromptu lessons James would be glad of when he started his own Mediwizard training.

It was not all boredom, as his parents visited regularly and it was still another week and a half before he had to worry about the start of school. James would definitely be discharged before then but the boredom was killing him. The mediwizards and nurses had kept him in bed not even allowed out for a trip to the water closet. It gave him the chance to ask questions, but he could only get so much knowledge of healing from being a patient himself. The only solace was that they were finally going to let him out of bed to walk today, and if all was well he could leave in another day or two.

"Did I tire you out so much dancing?"

James snapped back from his daydream and looked toward the door of his room. He smiled when he saw it was Tora. "Now this is a pleasant surprise," he said.

"I am sorry I could not come sooner, but security around all the magical embassies has been heightened. I needed to wait until an escort could be provided."

"Not surprising, from what that MACUSA Auror had told me. And I really wasn't supposed to be here so long either but the mediwizards are being extra cautious."

"You won't still be here when we need to leave for Ilvermorny?"

"I think they'll be springing me out in another couple of days. I am bored to tears laying here doing nothing so I will happily take one more trip to Gossamer Boulevard to get the odor of hospital out of my nose"

"Good luck getting there without a dozen chaperones from your embassy staff and a signed permission slip from the MACUSA president."

"You're probably right, but a lad can dream, can't he?" James eyes twinkled with amusement before slipping into a melancholy expression. "Are men always fighting over you? I dinna ken I can take that much exercise and activity on a daily basis."

"That is the reality right now, James. It does not help that my father died when I was very little. I still have my mother but as the patriarch of my family, my uncle is in control of my life. I am not the eldest heir, but as a girl I have little say in my life because my family still acts as if it were eighteen eighty. I am hoping beyond hope I will be able to find someone worthy, but if a respected family presents a proper match for me to my uncle and I am unbetrothed, he will be honor bound to accept it and…"

"And you'll be forced to marry the bloke," James interrupted, "no matter how big a cad he is."

"It's always been a real possibility and if that match would be extremely advantageous for our family, then I might be forced into marriage even if I have fallen in love with someone I find more desirable."

"So would that mean you would ultimately only be having a fling, or two, before your uncle made you get married?"

"No. Like you I had never imagined I would ever fall in love before being swept along to my fate. It helps that you are from an old and respected wizarding family in England, but there are several old wizarding families in Denmark and other European countries that would seek to make a marriage of alliance with my family, especially with the Muggles in Germany marching towards another world war."

"So when did you fall in love?" James mischievous smirk was back.

"You are presuming quite a lot, James."

"Somehow I don't think so. In fact I'd say being a suave dancer probably tipped the scales in my favor."

"Hmph. So not only do you presume that I have fallen in love, you also presume that it is with you." Her voice held an annoyed but amused tone. James sensed she was teasing him.

"Well, I canna ken falling in love with someone who didn't love me back." James's voice had lost the amused tone it had when he was teasing her. He now looked and sounded hopeful that she had in fact fallen in love with him. 'Twill be a sad, difficult year at school if she hadn't, he thought.

She came and stood at the side of the hospital bed and slowly grabbed James's left hand with her own. Her face held a peaceful smile as she gently squeezed his hand and intertwined their fingers. "That is something I could not live with either, James. The man who wins my heart will surely know it and will have given me his heart in return without a second thought."

The two teens stayed there in unmoving silence, searching each other's expressions for the answers to many questions. If you had asked them later, each would have said they were that way for hours, but it was only ten minutes before James's parents and the mediwizards came back into the room. Olivia McCrea paused a moment in the doorway to examine the innocence of the scene, and a smile appeared on her lips as she became more sure than ever her son had fallen hard for this girl at his bedside and that she had fallen just as far. She glanced at her husband who had a bemused look on his face. He had not been with them at Gossamer Boulevard and had not seen the beginnings of a relationship then, so it was a pleasant surprise this young lady was holding James's hand.

"Tora," Olivia said, "the mediwizards will be needing James to do some physical therapy, to make sure there are no lingering effects of the curses he received. Will you come with us to the cafeteria for a bite while he's gone off?"

Slowly breaking their visual connection, James and Tora looked at James's mother and smiled, apparently having gotten the answers each had been seeking.

"Thank you Mrs. McCrea, but I will need to leave soon. I do not know if I will be back before James is released but I will be in touch soon about traveling to school for start of term." Tora leaned down to kiss James's cheek then headed toward the exit. Before the young woman made it out the door, Mrs. McCrea grabbed her in an impulsive hug.

"You've found a worthy lad in my James and I'm sure he's glad I like you too."

Tora blushed and muttered a thank you and looked at Olivia with an embarrassed smile. She then broke the hug and hurried out to the hall to collect her escort from the Danish embassy.

The next day James was relieved to be back at the British embassy, no worse the wear from the attack at the Danish embassy and happy to flop down on a regular bed. It would be good to have real food too. Apparently meals in wizard hospitals were no better than their Muggle counterparts and the rumor was Muggle hospital food tasted like dragon dung. It was close to lunch so James had one of the house elves bring him a steaming bowl of lobster bisque and a toasted cheese sandwich. As he sat to take the first bite of his sandwich, James heard a knock at his door.

"Come in. It's open."

"I hope you dinna get too comfortable, lad," his Mum said, "but we've got to go back to Gossamer Boulevard, whether you were wanting to or not. We've received a letter from Ilvermorny; it looks like there are some special mediwizard textbooks that are different from anything Hogwarts would be having you buy."

James let out a small laugh. "I was looking forward to another trip there my whole time in the hospital and we can leave as soon as I can eat my lunch. Too bad Tora won't be able to come with us."

"And what's making you say that?"

"'Tis a bit of short notice here, Mum. There won't be time for her to arrange a body guard escort."

"You leave that to me. I'll make the arrangements for her to come while you eat."

"Mum, did you really mean what you said to Tora yesterday?"

"Yes James. I do like her very much. You could use a girl with a little spuink and sass to her."

"Is that what you told Da, when he was courting you?" James said with a grin.

"Hush, you!" Olivia replied. James could see his Mum's eyes sparkle with amusement.

James watched his mother exit the room before returning to his lunch. This was nothing how he expected his time in America to be going, and he hadn't even started his sixth year of school. Yet it had hardly been unpleasant. But how would things work out between him and Tora at Ilvermorny? There were clearly many things the two of them would need to talk about. It would be good if his Mum could arrange for Torar to come with them today but James wasn't going to hold his breath. If being around his Da had taught him anything, James knew it was that diplomatic channels were never swift at the best of times. Their pace would be glacial with all the extra security precautions in place. Still, if anyone could grease the wheels, it would be his Mum. She could be a force of nature whenever she felt she was on a mission and woe to those who thought they could stop her. Finishing his last bite of sandwich, James somehow knew he'd need to freshen up before meeting with his Mum. He couldn't shake the feeling that Tora would be joining them for shopping.

Olivia had worked her magic while James was eating; an amused Tora was sitting patiently in the Floo study waiting for the McCreas. Griffin was also waiting in the room but she was standing and on alert.

"I hope you did not have to rush your lunch, James," Tora said.

"Don't worry, I never rush lunch."

"Now that's a lie or your Da and I would have heard about you being late for classes because you dawdled in the Great Hall of Hogwarts at meal time." Both teens looked to see James's mother had joined them. "I see you're ready for us to go. Griffin will be accompanying us on today's trip so I expect you both to behave."

"Now how much trouble d'ya think we'll be getting into in a book store," James said with a chuckle.

"Trouble would follow you around daily, I would think," Tora said.

"Why would you think that?" James asked. He tried to sound hurt but only sounded amused.

"Because you have been in the thick of the action at the last two major diplomatic events. I almost expect you to start an international incident at this rate."

"Maybe you shouldn't have asked her along Mum," James said with a sulky tone. The women just laughed as final preparations for flooing to Devlin's Pub were made. He was still sulking when they got to Gossamer Boulevard, walking a step or two behind the ladies on their path to the bookstore. He was still new at this dating stuff, so he had no idea how to deal with Tora's teasing. It's not like friends at school hadn't teased him, but receiving it from peers in his dorm was quite different from getting teased by someone who had won his heart. Lost in his funk, James didn't see the knowing glance his Mum had given him. She whispered something to Tora who paused until James had drawn even with her, then matched his pace along the sidewalk.

"I am sorry my teasing hurt your feelings. It was something I would always do to my brothers and cousins and my best friend. I did not think you would take it differently." She slipped her hand in his as an apology.

The scowl on James's face slowly turned to a smile before the group had passed another block. "It's my fault Tora. I'm rubbish at this dating stuff. I had blokes at school tease me much worse without so much as a blink but you said something that's pretty close to the truth and I threw a snit like a toddler."

"I am no expert on this either. My Grandfather would scare off most of the young men I might consider dating and most of the ones he didn't scare away I wouldn't touch with a halberd."

"So where do we go from here?"

"To Scrivner and Binders?" Tora said with a deadpan tone.

"I meant us," James said with a smirk.

"Does being in love mean we cannot also be friends?"

"'Tis not mutually exclusive to be both," James replied, "and I think I would like that." He squeezed Tora's hand and gave her his best smile.

"Then be warned that I will tease my friends." She leaned in to his ear and whispered, "and I am extra merciless towards my best friend."

"You'll be warning me when I reach best friend status?"

"Maybe," she said coyly.

James shook his head with a chuckle, glad to have Tora in his life. Things might get bumpy, but they would be okay together. The rest of the walk was in silence, the memories of the two attacks weighing heavily on the small group, either lost in their thoughts or hyper vigilant of their surroundings. Talk of the attack on the British Embassy had wanted quickly after a week. The attack on James was never even in the newspaper; it was brushed off as a drunken scuffle at a party, one of hundreds that had happened across the city that night. So the American wizards were going about their business totally unconcerned about recent events, not caring that the foreign visitors in their midst were on a knife edge, waiting to see what the next incident would be. James began to loathe the local laws regarding underage wizards; he was left defenseless with the possibility he was a target. Or worse, Tora was a target and he had no way to protect her. These dour thoughts were threatening to ruin James's mood for the rest of the walk when they reached the main entrance to the enormous bookstore. Scrivner and Binders looked like it would have easily held twenty of Flourish and Blotts.

"We're going to need a map to find anything in this place," James said.

"Or we can ask a clerk," his Mum chimed in. "Never be afraid of doing things the old fashioned way."

The directory in the lobby said medical textbooks would be on the eighth floor, so the party made their way to the nearest lift and headed up. The shelves were piled with titles James had never imagined and they were in languages he had never heard. Most of the books he and Tora needed for school were relatively easy to find; however, there was one title that was no where to be found. James approached the clerk on this floor and discovered that particular title was on the tenth floor, in the department named "The Other Half". There was a short debate about taking the stairs if they only had to go up two floors but Auror Griffin squashed that idea, saying the lift would be easier to protect. So the little group made their way to the lift and queued for the trip upstairs.

When the lift doors opened on the tenth floor, James felt a strange sensation, as if someone had sucked all the magic out of his life. He glanced around the sales floor; nothing was visually amiss but something still seemed off. Then it hit him. All the books on this section were Muggle books. James noticed a fiction section and saw many titles his Muggle cousins and friends had mentioned over the years. It was surreal to not see a single magical title on any of the dozens of shelves. They would need help finding the last book for school though; there didn't seem to be as much organization as there was on the previous floor. It took a while for the small group to find the clerk for this floor.

"Excuse me," James said, "can you help us find this book?" He showed the list to the clerk and pointed to the final title.

"Gray's Anatomy?" the clerk said. "You must be getting ready to start the Mediwizard program, eh?"

"We both are," James said with a nod.

"What is so special about this Muggle book?" Tora asked the clerk.

"It might be written by a No-Maj," the clerk said, "but it's still one of the best textbooks about the human body ever written. The old No-Maj doctors several centuries ago did more of the grave robbing ancient Mediwizards have always been accused of and were meticulous in recording what they saw in all the cadavers. Not sure why they haven't come up with a magical edition though, or a magical equivalent."

"Is that why this department is called 'The Other Half'? Because it's all Muggle, er, No-Maj books?" Olivia asked.

"Yup," said the clerk. "Helps our bottom line to stock the more popular titles. That way wizards and witches can get their No-Maj fix without actually going out to a No-Maj book store. A lot of the local magical folks stay as far away as possible from No-Majs on account of how violent some of the No-Majs can get."

"Violent?" Olivia said in shock.

"Yeah, with all that stuff the Second Salem group has been doing over the years, I'm surprised they haven't tried to bring back burning at the stake."

"We'll be sure to keep that in mind if we venture out into the No-Maj part of city," James said.

They paid for their books and, a few dozen dragots lighter, went looking for a place to have an early tea. Griffin had suggested going back to Devlin's for refreshment but Mrs. McCrea dismissed the idea, insisting that a special trip required a special place to sit down and relax. Olivia noticed a small bistro not far from the book store and Griffin nodded in approval; it was a place she had been herself when off duty. Although the weather was still warm from late summer, the Auror insisted they get a table inside rather than one by the street. A waiter quickly took their orders and it was time for idle chit-chat.

"So Tora," Olivia started, "how are things going to work with getting to this Ilvermorny? I don't suppose all the students take a train up to this Mt. Greylock?"

"Not exactly Mrs. McCrea. The Muggles have recently built a commemorative tower at what they see as the summit. There are now enough tourists present to make things a bit difficult for large groups of wizards, not to mention there are students are coming from all across America and Canada. We will be taking a train up to the town of Pittsfield in Massachusetts. From an abandoned building near the train station the school has set up a series of portkeys to go back and forth to the front gate, inside all the Muggle repellent charms."

"Sounds like shrinking your luggage would be a helpful thing, eh James?" Mrs. McCrea said.

"Too bad Dumbledore didn't cover that in Transfiguration this year. That's a NEWT level spell."

"Not a problem lad. I can do the spell and you'll just need to use Finite Incantatum when you get to your dorm room."

"James will still need a small backpack or travel satchel to carry one of his school robes and anything he would like or need on the train ride." Tora said.

"I have one of those Mum, so I'll be fine there." James chimed. "Say Tora, what's the policy on animals at Ilvermorny?"

"Cats and owls are allowed along with a few other magical beasts. The Americans frown on toads or reptiles though, if I remember."

"You'll be wanting to take Victoria then James?"

"Aye, Mum. Having Vicky will make the post a bit easier, although I suppose I can use a school owl in a pinch."

"Victoria will be fine with you, laddie. The embassy has more than a few owls for official use so she'll get no exercise if she stays with us."

"Sounds like all that's left is the packing then," James said with a pleased smile.

"Twas a brilliant day all around then," Olivia said. For the hundredth time in the past month she could not help but think on how much her son had grown up, how ready he was to be a man and a wizard. They would see James for the holidays between terms, but she could not help feeling her son was going to be flying the nest sooner than later. The waiter brought their order, breaking Mrs. McCrea's reverie. She looked at James and Tora engaged in small talk and smiled at the thought there might be a wedding to plan for in the near future.

The day for start of term went extremely smoothly, from the Ministry automobile to the Muggle's Penn Station to boarding. They had a separate magical platform here, same as at King's Cross in London, but MACUSA had found it was easier to list the train as a chartered special in the Muggle railway system, to help with scheduling, even though the engine and cars were as enchanted as the Hogwarts express. The turnstile to the platform was also enchanted, allowing only those witches and wizards who had the proper ticket for boarding. Chatting with other students in the queue, James found out that New York was actually the final stop for the train before it ran to Pittsfield. It had spent the previous week collecting the students from the western coast of the country and points in between. Additional cars were added here in New York for the students boarding in the North eastern region. A separate train would be reaching Pittsfield from Canada today as well, coming down from Montreal and through Vermont.

Once boarded, Tora found some of her friends from school and James received many introductions while the students loaded up their things in the various carriages. Transfers were actually fairly common at Ilvermorny, especially as MACUSA had normalized relations with greater numbers of wizarding communities across the globe. Kenji Hinata was from Japan, a fourth year who had transferred last fall, and whose father was the Japanese magical Ambassador and Mario Zabini was a new transfer from Italy, here for his fifth year. Both his parents were high ranking embassy officials but neither was the actual Italian Ambassador. One other transfer James met was Gabrielle Delune. She was here from France but James only got a brief introduction as she hurried down the aisle of the passenger car in search of God knew what.

There were also American friends who were in the same house as Tora. Claire Madden was a fellow sixth year from Sarasota, Florida, who was studying to be a magizoologist. Apparently that Scamander chap had made quite an impression on the young wizards of America. Then there was Josh Scobie from Nebraska, a seventh year looking to get into the Auror program. The last person James met before the train pulled out of the station was Joyce Freemont, a native New Yorker and another sixth year who was hoping to become a potions master after graduation. She hurriedly stowed her bag as the train began to slowly pull away from the platform.

"Wow, it gets harder every year to get to the station on time," Joyce complained.

"Is that because there are more children going to Ilvermorny every year?" James asked.

"Nah, more likely because of all the No-Maj in the city. Swarming like insects and breeding like rabbits," Josh teased.

"Shut it Scobie," Claire said, "you can at least wait until we get to school before busting everyone's chops."

"Where's the fun in that?" Josh said.

"Hah! You American girls have such passion and spirit," Mario said, looking directly at Claire. "I think I am in love, mi amore."

"Love at first sight?" Claire scoffed. "That's a bit of a stereotype, isn't it?"

"You make it sound like I am going to be falling in love with every girl at this school we are going to." Mario said with mock indignation.

"I was on vacation in Italy with my parents this summer, buster. Every little boy over there was drooling over me as if I were some piece of meat to win at a carnival."

"You wound me, mi amore. I am not like those peasant boys that were following you around over the summer. I have much more self-respect and respect for my true love than that."

"Can you believe this guy Kenji," Josh said.

"He is quite sure of himself, Josh-san," Kenji said. "Maybe too sure?"

"I think he's all talk," Joyce said. "What do you think Tora?"

"I must agree, but it doesn't bother me one way or the other."

"Did you meet someone over the summer?" Claire asked with a squeal. "Summer romances are always fun!" Tora said nothing but blushed and smiled.

"You did! Start dishing details!" Joyce demanded.

"It was someone I met at a couple of the big diplomatic parties at the Danish Embassy and some of the others," Tora said. Her friends could tell she was holding back information, although Tora had a magnificent poker face. She gave no indication that James was the object of the discussion.

"Really? So when did you meet him for the first time?" Claire asked.

"I first met him at the welcoming ball for the new English Ambassador," Tora stated calmly.

"So he's English?" Joyce asked.

"I think he made it very clear he was not an Englishman," Tora said with a smirk. James found it difficult not to snort with laughter; being a Scot he was definitely not an Englishman. He had not met Kenji or Mario, or Gabrielle for that matter, at that first ball, so James was pretty sure they wouldn't be able to give him away, but he didn't remember if any of those three had been at the Danish Royal Birthday celebration.

"What was he like?" asked Joyce.

"Well, I didn't get to talk very much with him that first time," Tora said. "The ball was attacked by what appeared to be Bulgarian terrorists before we could connect."

"I remember my parents saying something about that when they got home that night," Mario said.

"So when did you see him again?" Kenji asked. It was surprising for a boy to be interested in girl's gossip, but Tora was doing a masterful job of storytelling, drawing her audience into the tale.

"At the Danish Royal Birthday celebration the following week, although by pure luck I had run into him and his mother at the robe shops on Gossamer Boulevard between the two parties."

"Aw, that sounds sweet," Joyce said. "Was his Mom nice?"

"She was an absolutely powerful, energetic, and friendly witch. I am very glad she seemed to like me."

"Yeah, yeah," said Claire, "let's get back to the birthday ball. Did you kiss him there? Did you dance with him? A girl's gotta know!"

Tora giggled at her impatient friend. "He was a magnificent dancer and I'd have to say a pretty good kisser. Although it was hard to sneak a kiss when my Grandfather was watching me like a hawk."

"Ah yes," Kenji said, "the old, scary wizard stomping around the party with a glass of vodka in one hand."

"I'll second that description," James said. "That old bloke had me very worried he'd curse me right then and there."

"Why would that old goat want to curse you?" Mario asked. "I though Tora said he was only being over protective."

Joyce started glancing from Tora to me, looking like she was figuring out a puzzle. I had started to blush a little after Mario had spoken and realized the jig might be up. After a minute, Joyce smiled and spoke to Tora. "I thought you said he wasn't English?" She looked at me pointedly at that last word.

"Um, I'm not English," James said nervously.

"But you are the son of the English Ambassador, are you not?" Kenji asked.

"Yes, but I'm not English, I'm Scottish," James said sheepishly.

The six friends laughed at the unexpected punchline and James was happy that he and Tora weren't going to be a secret. He reached for her hand and she gave his a comforting squeeze. They looked at each other and smiled before turning back to their friends. James thought it was going to be a very good first term indeed.

After several hours, the train pulled into the station at Pittsfield and as they exited the train the students were ushered towards what James thought looked like an old abandoned factory or warehouse. The school staff needed such a large building; there were several queues snaking through the large interior space and at the end of each line was an adult witch or wizard handling the portkeys as they popped in and out of the space, with ten or twelve students hanging on for each outbound transit. Finally it was James's turn and he put a hand on the assigned portkey, which looked like a large serving platter. With students being transported by the dozen, a larger object made sense for use as a portkey. A few seconds later, after everyone's hand was touching, James felt the familiar pull at his navel and the group of students whooshed away. Uncounted moments later and they were landing just in front of a set large iron gates, very similar to Hogwarts. Another staff member took the portkey from them and directed the students to move out of the way to allow then next group room to land.

James followed the other people from his group through the gate and up towards the main building on the campus. It was clearly not a castle and looked more like a collection of additions that were made over time to the original cottage or cabin. Other buildings had been added that were most likely classrooms, each building probably hosting a single magical discipline. As James neared the central building, he heard yet another staffer instructing the first years and any new transfer students to follow the red marked path to the main hall for their sorting. James began following the steady stream of eleven year olds and was glad that Mario was soon walking with him with Gabrielle not far behind. If he couldn't be walking with Tora he felt better walking with friends. Soon the large group arrived at the designated place where a very stern looking wizard was waiting. James noticed a crowded balcony where the older students seemed to be congregating and arrayed in front of him were all the newest students, but it was not until the last of the stragglers arrived that the wizard spoke.

"Good evening boys and girls. I am Professor Balto Janus and I am the Deputy Head Master of Ilvermorny. We will soon begin our sorting ceremony." The youngsters murmured with excitement at that announcement. James was not as excited as the sea of eleven year olds but their enthusiasm was infectious. The older wizard continued. "You will enter the individually and stand on the Gordian Knot symbol in the center of the floor. It is there that the totems for each house will judge you and whichever totem selects you will be your house. If you are fortunate to have more than one totem express interest, you will have the option to choose which house you will be in." He paused to make sure the youngsters understood what he had said.

"The totems for the four houses area as follows. They are Horned Serpent, Thunderbird, Wampus, and Puckwudgie. Each house represents a different aspect of the witch or wizard. Horned Serpent is said to represent the Mind of a wizard. This house favors the scholars among you. Thunderbird represents the Soul of a wizard. The adventurers out there might just find yourself here. Puckwudgie represents the Heart of a wizard and many a healer has come out of this house. Finally, there is Wampus, which represents the Body of a wizard, and is where you might be if you are a warrior. Again, the totems will examine you thoroughly and the one that finds you the best match will give its sign. If more than one house believes you belong, then you may choose which house is a better fit for you."

"Before we sort our first years, I would like any new transfer students to come forward." James looked around and saw that besides Mario, Gabrielle, and himself, there were a handful of other transfers waiting. The older wizard began to call out names alphabetically, with each student stepping onto the large complex design in the large hallway. Soon it was James's turn and he strode purposefully to the center of the design and faced the Horned Serpent totem. Once a Snake, always a snake, he thought. A few minutes passed before any of the totems reacted. The jewel on the head of the Horned Serpent lit up. No surprise there, James thought. He was about to move when he heard the Wampus growl loud and deep like a gigantic house cat. Before he could react, the Thunderbird flapped its wings and then he heard the crowd behind him and in the balcony gasp collectively. James turned around and saw that the Puckwudgie statue had raised the arrow it was holding. Confused, James looked the Deputy Head Master for guidance.

"My Lord. This is quite the rarity!" the older wizard exclaimed.

"How so?" James asked, still not understanding the significance of the event.

"While it is not unheard of for all four houses to react and show interest in a young witch or wizard, it is a rare sight indeed and has not happened in my tenure here at Ilvermorny."

"When did it happen last?"

"It is my understanding the last person this happened for was Seraphina Picquery, who is currently our illustrious MACUSA Secretary of state and a former President of that organization. I am certain this means we can expect great things from you while you are at Ilvermorny, Mr. McCrea. But now you must take on the task of selecting which of these four houses you will be sorted into. Choose carefully young man, because once made the choice cannot be undone."

James looked down at the ground in thought and closed his eyes in meditation, the better to search out what part of him signaled his path: his Heart, Mind, Body, or Soul. He stayed that way thinking for a few moments before the answer came to him. He remembered that professor Janus had said healers are defined by their heart and since James wanted nothing more than to be a Mediwizard there was only one house he could pick.

"Puckwudgie," he said slowly and clearly. "I choose Puckwudgie."

Author'snotes: Once again, changing Seraphina's title/office within MACUSA.