We get closer to the roots of a giant tree, we all gasp at the scale of the giant thick roots winding around the Haven. The kids from lumber huddle are argue over the size of the red wood from that tree. One kid says, "What if it's not big but we're really small?" We all fall silent trying to get our heads around this one. Magic is giving me a headache already.
The boy from the floating door realm stands in the cart and points, "I can see lights there's a house in there!" We all stand up to get a better look at this mysterious house. It's amazing, I can see the trees roots start to move aside to reveal the biggest house I've seen. It's bigger than the mayor's mansion and even the Capitol kids start to say it's bigger than Snow's mansion.
The Thestrals speed up their gallop and the carts starts to climb up into a giant tree root which moves and twists into the house. We hold on tight as the Thestrals hooves become a blur as they run towards a tall stained glass window. I close my eyes and hear a popping noise as we slide forwards in the cart like we're falling down. I open my eyes to see we are entering a large wood panelled ballroom with four long dining tables. The carts pull to a stop as they reach the floor of the ballroom and we are welcomed by a huge cheer from other children seated at the grand tables. We all get off the carts which when empty exit through two giant doors at the other end of the ballroom.
"Welcome first years to great ballroom of Blackthorne Manor." We turn to see an old white haired bearded man in baby blue robes speaking at a podium. "We hope you got here safely and will enjoy the freedom and hope we can provide to such promising young witches and wizards. I am the Headmaster here but just call me Julius. I know today is a lot to take in but before you can start your school term you shall be sorted into you school houses." He pulls out an old dusty hat. "Don't worry this won't be like being sorted into Districts. Some say the sorting hat doesn't decide where it thinks you should go but instead decides where you want to be." There's a little twinkle in his eyes. I guess this must be an important ceremony.
I look round the room and see the four banners for the houses. There's a big red and gold banner for house Liberty. A blue and bronze banner for house Truth. A green and silver banner for Justice. Last of all a yellow and black banner for house Happiness. Valentina whispers in my ear, "I bet my rations Snow wasn't from house Happiness."
Headmaster Julius speaks again and the entire rooms joins him "Liberty, Truth, Justice and Happiness for all! These are the values we pursue."
He signals and a nervous looking 10 year old steps forwards and the hat wakes up! Oh damn it has a face and it's talking, "Hmm rough life you had there but I see a joyful caring nature and a strength to you to overcome the dark days...Happiness!"
The table for house Happiness roars into a cheer and the little kid runs off almost taking the magical talking hat with him. More people get sorted and I start to worry. The Liberty house is full of people who fight for the underdogs I can already see lot of fierce courage there, something I don't have. The Truth house has people with their heads stuck in books, I've never read a proper book before my mom told me most of the stories from her memory. Justice well, they look very rigid and meat headed I'm not sure if I'd survive there without being pushed around. Happiness would be nice they look very friendly and open minded.
"Liberty!" Shouts the hat and I see the boy we met earlier has been sorted in a house that's not Happiness. My heart sinks but only a little! In a friend way of course...
Valentina lets go of my hand and heads up next. I feel really nervous now. The hat falls on her head and ponders. "Ooooh the fire in this one! I haven't seen a mind like this since before the revolution. LIBERTY!" The crowd goes wild and she goes to sit next to the boy, who I swear is just a friend. I see them talk and laugh and my mind is set 'not happiness.'
I step up and feel the hat plonk on my head. It's whispers "Hmm why not Happiness? You've got the their qualities and you'd excel with like minded friends...ah is it a boy?" I can feel myself blush. "Hah who am I to stop young love. LIBERTY!"
Everyone cheers and I shuffle my way to squeeze next to my sister. "What did it say to you me and Octavian couldn't hear?"
"Oh nothing I just you know, needed some help deciding which house I liked."
"Well of course you'd be with me we are twins after all. Anyway quit talking and start eating this food before you starve." Says Valentina. I look at her as we start to eat. We might be twins but I feel like I'm still a little kid around her. It's like she got all the confidence and strength while I'm just left with following her shadow.
Opposite us two Capitol girls dig into the food, "Viola? Is it me or does this chicken taste funny?"
Me and Valentina smirk. The firey haired boy called Octavian says, "I know what you mean this stuff tastes like mussels but it has an earthy taste."
A pair of second years lean in from the table next to ours, "I bet the District 12 girls have worked it out already."
We both nod, you can forget that taste.
"What is it?" Say Viola,
The second year grins ear to ear, "Headmaster says you can't grow enough food or animal feed down here so you got to use magic to make something bigger for dinner." He leans in closer, "You're eating earthworm and he's eating a garden snail." They spit out the food and the second years laugh. "We'll show you Seam kids how to charm a saucepan to do this, it'll get you through the food shortages." I whisper 'thank you' to the second year and he nods.
Viola looks at us with wide eyes, "You don't really eat bugs in the Districts do you?"
We both nod, "It's either that or die of starvation when it gets bad."
"That's horrible." Says the other girl. "We have plenty at the Capitol why can't you have some of our food?"
"Because Snow likes it that way." says Valentina "If we disobey him he cuts our food. Revolutions can start when you're hungry, but it's impossible to fight when you're starving to death. So we're always kept between hunger and starvation in 12." She's always going around our District listening to the old revolutionary stories and I guess she finally has an audience of horrified Capitol kids to listen.
"I wish I could perform magic outside the Haven." Says Viola, "Then I'd make it rain magic cakes over the districts."
"You can't just Magic up some cakes from nowhere." Says Octavian who has started eating his snail again, "It's got to already exist from somewhere to materialise in the sky. You might make it appear from taking it from another starving mouth."
"And how do you know this?" Says Viola crossing her arms.
He shrugs, "My older brother told me. I've known for ages I'd become a wizard."
We eat dinner and then our Houses prefects guide us to our dormitories. We reach a tall staircase which rises up and up into a distant upper floor. Urgh this is going to take forever. We step on the stairs and then it's 10 steps and we're at the top. I get off and look down to the below floor, it's at least 200 stairs downwards.
A school Prefect taps me on the shoulder, "Best not to think about how it works. Especially in your first year. Just accept it for it is and you'll survive here."
The older boy and girl stand in a corridor to the side, between two red and gold round doors. They shout 'lumos' and their magical sticks start to glow, "Girls dorms on the left and boys on the right." They point to the four sets of armour on each side. "If you try and sneak across or anyone tries to sneak in. Our armoured friends will stop them." The suits of armour salute in unison. "They will also stop students from sneaking out at night to explore the rest of the house. We must warn you not to do this because at night The Wailing Warriors run around the halls, they are harmless but many students have gone crazy from being stuck out here with nothing but their screaming. You have been warned." They split and lead into the girl's dormitory. Inside me and Valentina grab some bunkbeds near the fire as everyone else admire the furnishings, there's no time to look at a fancy painting when a warm bed is up for grabs. We both open up the boxes from our parents, each are uniquely carved wooden masterpieces. On each is a little carved forest with little wooden animals and a hunter. "I hope we don't have to hide these again when we go back home they're so beautiful." I say.
"I can't believe they hid these from us for so long, let's look inside."
Inside the tiny boxes is a huge space and I swear one day i'll get used to the odd things magic can do to my sense of space. I reach in and feel a bundle of objects. Spreading them out onto the bed it looks like a pair of magical sticks, two shimmering grey cloaks, and a bundle of old worn out spell books. We pick up our sticks and start to mimic the older students with their wands and whisper 'Lumos' like they did. The ends light up and we both smile. There's no doubt now, we are witches.