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

Chapter 6 - The Old Puckwudgie

The next morning, James awoke feeling tired. The scuffle at dinner gave him a fitful sleep at best last night and left him craving coffee. He showered quickly and headed for the house common room to wait for Tora. They had all of the same classes and he would need her to show him where all the classrooms were, at least for the next couple of weeks. As he reached the common room, James found Professor Dram, the Puckwudgie Head of House.

"I'm glad you're up early James. The headmistress sent me to fetch you."

"Any particular reason, Professor?"

"I believe it pertains to the squabble you had with another student last night at the dining hall entrance."

James muttered a short curse before responding. "I'll be in trouble then?"

"I don't think so. We won't know for sure until we get to her office, I suspect."

James followed his Head of House through the school halls until they reached the office of the Headmistress. The entrance was nothing like the gargoyle guarding Headmaster Dippet's office at Hogwarts, but there did seem to be magical wards in place because he saw Professor Dram make a small wave with her wand. The office door opened silently after that, with Dram passing through without slowing her stride. James followed her close behind in case he door began closing on its own.

Once inside, James saw the differences did not end with the doorway. Headmistress Two-leaf's office was much brighter and homier than Professor Dippet's. It had white washed walls and many tall windows letting in the early dawn light. There we tidy bookcases along the walls and the Headmistress was seat behind a large wooden desk stacked with parchment. Professor Two-leaf looked up at her colleague and then motioned for James to take a seat in one of the chairs facing the big desk. A few moments later and Professor Janus came into the office with Edvard in tow, the young boy looking frightened and nervous. After acknowledging the other Head of House, Professor Two-leaf motioned the boy to take the other seat. James saw the chairs were positioned more than an arm's length apart. As if I'd be starting something here, James thought.

"I was very displeased to have this matter brought to my attention last night. It is only the second day of classes and I already have a disciplinary problem to deal with." The Headmistress did not sound pleased. "I am very disappointed in you James, after everything Professor Dippet had written in his letter. I would have expected you to turn the other cheek and ignore Edvard."

"That I am sorry for, Professor Two-leaf," James replied, "but yon ruffian had caused me much trouble in New York before term had started. If you ask them, I'm sure you'll be finding the MACUSA Aurors are looking for him and a few of his friends. They attacked me at the Royal Birthday celebration at the Danish Embassy. You might want to think of expelling the prat."

"I was aware of what had happened over the summer Mr. McCrea and sent an owl last night to inquire further about that, but the particular incident you mentioned occurred before term started, therefore I will not and cannot expel Mr. Kaiser for that. And whatever he did to you over the summer was not a reason to accost him here."

"Perhaps I can be of assistance, Headmistress?" It was Professor Janus who had spoken. "I can check both boys for any residual of dark magic. It is possible that neither of them were in control of themselves over the summer. Or here at Ilvermorny." He looked pointedly at James at the last statement.

"Very well, Balto, you are the head of our Defense Against the Dark Arts department." Professor Two-leaf said with a small wave.

Professor Janus raised his wand and muttered an incantation. James saw that both he and Edvard had begun to glow and he felt the magic from the spell course through him, caressing every nerve that had been laid raw by the Cruciatus curse. James turned his head slightly and saw from the corner of his eye that the spell was affecting Edvard the same way. Soon Professor Janus released the spell and both boys relaxed.

"Well, no wonder Mr. McCrea was angry," Professor Janus said. "He had the Cruciatus applied to him during the attack this summer, if I'm not mistaken." James nodded in assent. "Edvard showed some traces of the Imperious curse. It is quite believable that Edvard was under the effect of the Imperious curse when he allegedly attacked James."

"Which would make him not responsible for his actions even if he was part of the attack," Professor Two-leaf finished. "I'm sorry James, but there is definitely nothing we can do about what happened to you over the summer. Since no blows were thrown last night, there is nothing I can punish either of you for there. I would suggest you both try to stay away from each other this term though. Any new disturbances will be dealt with and I'm sure neither of you boys wishes to have a detention so early in the year. Edvard, you are dismissed. I wish to talk with Mr. McCrea in private for a few minutes."

Edvard got up and left with Professor Janus and Professor Dram; this would truly be a private conversation. James couldn't imagine what more the Headmistress would say to him, given it was the beginning of term. What stronger admonishment would be flung at him?

"I am very sorry Mr. McCrea, but my hands are tied in more ways than one. After the news that the No-Majs had begun another war, I made it a priority to see that the exchange and transfer students from European countries were taken care and would not need to worry about being sent home. I secured many promises from MACUSA on that point and had to make many concessions on my part. One of my demands was that the current MACUSA president swore that none of the affected children would be forced by our government to go back to Europe and, as a concession, I swore that MACUSA Aurors would be able to come and take any of those children if they were discovered to be acting as spies for their home countries. Each of us swore an Unbreakable Vow on those two points."

"So what does that mean exactly?"

"Unless Mr. Kaiser strikes you directly and does so willingly of his own volition as part of actions to destabilize either MACUSA or the United States No-Maj government, he will stay here at Ilvermorny. Fisticuffs will still land the offenders in detention, but I will have no power to expel him."

James looked at the Headmistress with a grim expression. This could make the whole term a gigantic minefield. It was very lucky that he had no classes whatsoever with Edvard, but it might still be difficult to have zero contact with him the entire year. Last night at dinner proved that. It was a lot to think about.

Edvard and Professor Janus marched slowly back to the Wampus common room. Professor Dram had peeled off to the potions wing of campus soon after they left the Headmistress's office. As the pair made their way down a hallway of deserted classrooms, Professor Janus suddenly grabbed Edvard and pulled him into an abandoned room.

"Why are you even here, you fool?" the professor hissed.

"My father got reassigned after hostilities broke out. I had no choice but to come back to Ilvermorny."

"You're lucky I was able to cover for you. I don't think the Headmistress realizes that the Imperious curse doesn't leave a trace, but I was able to gain her confidence by correctly identifying McCrea had been tortured. The Cruciatus does leave a trace that my seeking spell could find."

"It was not me who cursed McCrea. I did not even have my wand with me. I was still underage at the time of that damn party at the Danish Embassy."

"How did you even get mixed up in that?"

"It was Arno and Latke. They asked me if I wanted to help them rough up an English fop for a few galleons. Sounded like easy money. The man that hired the three of us was the one who cursed McCrea. I didn't know him but Arno did."

"Yes, those dolts had graduated and wouldn't care what they dragged you into." The professor calmed down a bit. "This could work out to our advantage, especially when the Master's plan is put into action."

"Master?" Edvard was confused. Who was his Head of House talking about?

"Yes. I'm sure you are aware of him, since it was he who hired you and your friends this summer, through a lieutenant." Janus withdrew a necklace and pendant from under his robes. From it dangled a curious sculpture of a triangle bisected with a line and containing a circle. Edvard gasped when he realized what Professor Janus wore. "Yes. Our Master is not here in America as he was a decade ago, but he will still require our obedience. I will let you know what he has decided your task shall be. Do not fail him when it is your time to serve him." Professor Janus's voice became lower and more sinister with each word.

Edvard gulped in fear. His own head of house was a follower of Grindlewald and if the Master required service from him then he was in terrible danger even though he stayed in school. Edvard had heard stories of how Grindlewald dealt with failure. No one ever lived to fail him a second time. This was bad. Very bad.

Thankfully for James, Edvard succeeded in avoiding him the rest of the week and Saturday morning dawned clear and sunny. It was the perfect day to explore the Ilvermorny campus in earnest. Up before the rest of his form mates, he pulled on a light sweater and some casual pants, perfect for a hike around the grounds. A quick stop in the dining hall for a scone and a thermos of tea for the trip then the hike began in earnest.

James decided to start at the main gates to the campus. It had been dark by the time the portkey plunked him down on campus and the rushing mass of students eager to start term had been an unstoppable flow, mightier than the Thames back home. Very few of them were up this morning though, preferring a lie in after a rough first week. That meant James had the leisure to spot details and views that went unnoticed only seven days earlier.

A lush green forest spread out from the mountain top aerie in waves of gently rolling hils, a verdant mix of pine, oak, and a tree the locals identified as maple. A mile or so away was the tower on the hill the Muggles thought was the summit, shimmering through the layers of protective spells set up around the school. Students native to the region said the leaves of the latter two trees would turn brilliant shades of red, orange and yellow in a few weeks as the seasons crept along into Autumn. James also saw that their were many types of fruit trees on the campus. He recognized apple, pear, and plum and spied another fruit tree in the distance that might be cherry and pondered if these were the source of all the wonderful desserts that had been served in the dining hall.

Several more minutes of walking the many paths across campus brought him to the front doors of the castle and the pair of magnificent statues guarding that entrance. They were of the founders, Isolt Steward, nee Sayer, and her husband James. The figures were larger than life, much like the couple themselves, and made of marble as white and shiny as the day they were first sculpted. As he drew closer, James saw an old wizened creature cleaning and polishing the statues, paying special attention to Isolt's. It could not be identified until James had gotten within a few feet of it and he realized it was a Puckwudgie, the totem of his Ilvermorny house. As elderly as it was it still looked fierce, its eyes betraying no weakness.

"Hello there," James said. "I didn't mean to disturb you. I only wanted to explore the campus."

"You are new face, but you are not young one"

"That's right. I transferred here from Hogwarts in England to finish out my education in the Mediwizard program." The creatures looked at him with highly intelligent eyes; it's gaze felt like it was boring into James's soul.

"You connected to snake man," the Puckwudgie said with a calm finality.

"Why yes," said a surprised James, "I was in Slytherin house at Hogwarts. How did you know?"

"No talk of school across big, salty pond. I talk of family many moons ago. Many moons before Isolt come and make Ilvermorny. You come from tribe who get three gifts from Matiguas.(1) Three brothers who trick Matiguas."

"Matiguas? Who is that?"

"Spirit who rules underworld. Wizards name him 'Death'. Isolt come from one ancestor brother and bring magic stick of snake man. But she not bring ancestor rock here, second totem from Matiguas. Other family members keep rock. You come from ancestor brother who get most powerful magic stick, but he lose it soon after getting it from Matiguas. No one from third ancestor brother has come to this land but might not know if they did. Third totem was blanket of hiding."

"That sounds very much like a tale from Beedle the Bard, a book they read to children in England, across the big pond." James mused.

"Always piece of truth in all legends and truth always known to spirits."

James pondered the Puckwudgie's words, marvelling that the Tale of the Three Brothers might actually be a true story and not just a morality play. "You said that Isolt had come here with Salazar Slytherin's wand, his magic stick. What happened to it?"

"Stick stop working one day. Isolt bury it to forget bad past. Tree spring from it after many moons."

"Really? That must have been a sight to see."

"Young wizards can still see. Tree just outside campus wall."

The Puckwudgie beckoned to James to follow and headed out the front gates, shambling along the outside of the wall until the pair came to a tree gnarled with age but still sporting a full crown of lush green leaves. It was a type of snakewood that James had never seen before and was surely not native to this region. As he moved closer, he could almost feel magic coursing through the limbs and roots. James gently reached for one of the lower leaves and felt an intense calmness wash over him as his fingers brushed its surface. "Extraordinary."

"Shamans and wizards find much medicine in tree leaves."

"Would it be okay for me to take a few leaf samples to send to my potions master at Hogwarts? This is just the type of item he enjoys studying and I did promise I'd owl him if I discovered anything interesting."

"Tree is for all to share. Great spirit provides for all."

"Thank you. My name is James McCrea by the way."

"More connection with ancestors," the Puckwudgie observed. "Men cannot say my name in the Puckwudgie tongue. Wizards call me William. You go back to grounds now. William need to finish chores."

"Very well. And thank you again." James grabbed a large hand full of the miraculous leaves and headed to the owlry. There had to be a few larger owls for long distance deliveries with the size of the United States. It should be no issue to find one for a delivery to England. Sure enough, there were a pair of great horned owls in the area marked long distance. James wrote a short note to Professorr Slughorn and tucked it into an envelope with the leaf samples before tying the whole lot to the bigger of the two horned owls. Trans-Atlantic mail was a dragot, payable to the wizard in charge of the owlry, and then the parcel was on its way. It was late in the morning now and James was feeling famished from all the hiking and exploring. If he hurried, he could catch the last part of breakfast. This morning's scone was delicious but wasn't meant to hold him over until lunch.

There weren't many students left in the dining hall when James got there but there was still plenty of eggs, potatoes, and pancakes on the serving dishes. More importantly, Tora was one of the students still there. James sat down, kissed her cheek, and filled a plate.

"You were not in the dorm this morning," she said with a teasing tone.

"Sorry, love. I wanted to explore a little on my own this morning."

"So did you find anything interesting?"

"Quite a bit, actually. I was surprised to find out that there is a tree just outside the walls that grew out of the wand of Salazar Slytherin, one of the founders of Hogwarts."

"The Medicine Tree. Professor Dram had mentioned it in fourth year. A number of medical potions have been created using leaves from it."

"I knew it felt powerfully magical. I sent a few of the leaves to the potions master at Hogwarts. He's always looking for unusual items like that, for academic purposes of course."

"You could get in trouble for picking those leaves, James."

"I had permission. Did you really think I'd grab them if I didn't?"

"From who?"

"One of the Puckwudgies who do the upkeep around here. I met him this morning while he was polishing the statues of the founders."

"The really old one? He almost never talks to students. Some of us think he's been here since the founding of Ilvermorny. Did he tell you his name?"

"Yes, Tora. He said it was William, or at least that's the name wizards call him."

"It's probably impossible, but some of us think he's Isolt's William from the story of the founding."

"That would make him, what, over three hundred years old? How is that possible?"

"No one knows how long a Puckwudgie can live. They had never interacted positively with European wizards before Isolt came to the English colonies. There many stories of them killing wizards and No-Majs alike in the early days of exploration here in the New World."

"Might explain some of the odd things he said about me this morning. Stuff about being distantly related to Isolt. Stuff a creature, no matter how magical, shouldn't know."

"He might not have been telling you the truth."

"I don't think so Tora. I trust what William told me. I truly believe he could sense things about me. And those things he told me wouldn't have been known to a creature on this side of the Atlantic."

"I never studied magical creatures James, so I do not know what magic a Puckwudgie possesses. William may have a type of clairvoyance native to creatures such as him."

"Even so, it really is only just a new interesting tidbit about me. It's not like that information will save the world."

It was crazy to think that the tales William told him about his past were relevant to anyone but himself and James was not one to blow things out of proportion. And being very distantly related to a scholarship founder meant nothing in the long run. It was only personal trivia after all.

Wasn't it?

(1) Matiguas (also spelled Mateguas or Matgwas) was the ruler of the dead in the mythology of the Abenacki tribe of New England and Canada.