Upon entering the market, Evergreen was surrounded by innumerable people bustling about on their errands. This was the busiest little place he had ever seen. Clouds rolled swiftly to and fro in the fake sky overhead, like an eraser over a dry-erase board. There were more people here than he had probably ever seen in one place. There was no way this whole place could fit under Mount Hood, thought Evergreen. It was a whole village, probably as large as his entire suburban neighborhood back home. The mountain was large, but it didn't seem that large.
"Welcome," Professor Woods said grandly upon entering, "to Underhill Market."
Shops and restaurants lined the blackened brick roads. Wide-eyed, Evergreen spotted bookshops, joke shops, clothing retailers, and countless cafes crowded together, almost as far as the eye could see. There was even an old sign out in a clearing off to the side, with an odd, glowing, green substance dripping from it, which read: "Banesborough, 1 mile." There were a variety of odd animals that Evergreen also noticed coming in and out of some of the stores. One looked kind of like a cat, only it was nearly twice the size of the cats he was used to! Its ears were quite large for its head, and it had a long tail with a puff ball on the end. Professor Woods called it a Kneazle when he pointed it out to her. A few small children, he noticed, were holding what looked like little fuzz balls, with cute faces and long, flicking tongues. Professor Woods said that they were called puffskeins. Seta claimed to have seen a jackalope rush into a thicket of trees and spoke of his disgust at its gratuitous nudity. Evergreen just rolled his eyes at that. Professor Woods pointed out some pretty little bluebirds overhead called Jobberknolls, that were surprisingly silent. In a nearby alley, there was a small creature resembling a ferret that yelled obscenities whenever someone got too close. This was, apparently, called a Jarvey. Professor Woods said that they were strictly banned at Ilvermorny because of their colorful vocabulary.
Despite the plainness of the blackened bricks beneath their feet, all the shops and restaurants were brightly colored, and some seemed to glitter in the artificial sunlight. Brilliant greens, reds, oranges, and blues all made it perfectly clear where one shop ended and the next began. Evergreen had sort of been expecting something like Pike's Place Market in Seattle, with quaint little open-air stands, but there was nothing like that here. This was a small city ー it made Pike's Place look like a lemonade stand at best. Looking at the shops, Evergreen could tell that most of the shops and restaurants had small apartments above them, some of which he assumed were used by the business owners, although there were too many windows for the shop owners to be the only inhabitants.
"There are so many places to go and do! Where do we start?" Evergreen asked excitedly.
"Do you have any wizarding money?" Professor Woods asked Dad.
"I don't. Will we need to stop by a bank?"
"I'll say we do."
Thus, their first stop was the bank. As they walked toward it, Professor Woods told them that the American Warlock Bank, AWB, had been around since the days of the early wizard settlers. They soon approached what looked like a large, glass box. Evergreen was delightfully surprised to find that, somehow, despite the box's transparency, it was able to shield the inside from being perceived by anyone standing outside. A large sign above the door read:
CURSES AND PAIN FOLLOW ALL
WHO ADHERE TO THIEVING'S FORCEFUL THRALL
FOR IF YOU TAKE WHAT ISN'T YOURS
YOU'LL FACE HUNGER WHICH HAS NO CURE
Reading that sent an odd chill down Evergreen's spine. What did it mean ー that stealing would make you incurably hungry? Well, that was one way to discourage thieves! What sort of curse would follow someone around like that? Evergreen was kind of glad that he had never felt the inclination to steal, because he never wanted to find out. He wondered aloud why "Thou shalt not steal" wasn't used. It was, after all, much simpler and to the point. Professor Woods didn't seem to find that quite as funny as other jokes he had told that day.
Upon entering the bank, Evergreen and Dad were both quite taken aback at the goblins that were working there. They were all between three and four feet tall, and they had white hair, gray skin, pointy ears, and long, clawed fingers. They were all dressed in smart, black, three-piece suits, and when they spoke their sharp teeth glinted in the artificial sunlight penetrating their glass building. According to Professor Woods' whispered explanation, goblins ran all wizard banks. There was also a branch of something called a Gringotts bank in the market area, but that was a British-based wizard bank, which wouldn't have really served their purposes.
"I think your mom's family may have an account here." Dad said as Evergreen inched closer to him.
"Really? How could we f-find out?"
"I think we would need to ask one of these goblins."
So, Dad approached one of the goblin tellers and spoke confidently, but respectfully.
"Good morning. My name is Peter Quandary. My son, Eminent, is going to attend Ilvermorny this fall. I am wondering if his mother's family had an account here?"
The goblin furrowed his dark brow which caused his whole face to be lost in wrinkles and he glared at Evergreen with bitter animosity. Then, his expression softened. When he spoke, it was a low, growling sound, like hot oil popping inside a closed container. Addressing Evergreen, he asked:
"And what is your mother's name?"
"Glinda Quandary, or Glinda Marina, when she went to school." Dad supplied.
"The boy has her eyes," the goblin growled. "Stormy, chaotic, dangerous. If you're anything like she was," he continued speaking to Evergreen, ignoring Dad, "Ilvermorny will experience things it won't soon forget."
As it turned out, Mom did have an account with this bank, which was originally her parents', but that she had inherited when they had gone missing. That explained why Evergreen had never met his grandparents on his mom's side. His mom was gone, and now he learned that his grandparents were missing. It almost seemed like someone had put a curse on his family. It was no wonder Seta had been sent to watch over him.
After the goblin, Plaagork had verified Evergreen's identity, which involved putting one of the boy's own hairs into a potion that had to react in a certain way if he was who he said he was, he led the three humans and one bunny down a long hallway. It was lined with torches, and doors facing each other on either side of the corridor displayed names of various goblins. The hallway had a simple stone floor and ceiling. At the end, there was a single, large vault door. Was this the whole bank?
Seeing Evergreen's expression, Plaagork sneered and chuckled to himself. It sounded like the sound he had once heard a chicken make as one of Dad's uncles killed it with a paddle, so Evergreen found it quite dreadful. Plaagork then addressed Evergreen, as if reading his mind.
"I know that you are almost entirely ignorant of this world Master Quandary, but remember in this world, there is usually much more than meets the eye. Preparing for the worst with a cynical eye could save you in the right moment."
With a tap of Plaagork's clawed forefinger against the large vault door, it swung open to reveal a short flight of descending stairs. At the bottom of the stairs was a massive platform of some sort, with no less than 20 sets of what looked like elevator doors lining the far wall. The room was illuminated only by a border of fire that surrounded the platform, only barely leaving room to enter each of the elevator doors, startling blue flames encroaching on both sides of each door. Bluebell flames, Professor Woods told him, were quite useful, but not very dangerous to most beings.
They advanced forward onto the platform and approached the wall of elevators. Plaagork ushered them to one of the elevators on the far left. In the eerie blue light, their reflections looked almost sinister on the reflective surface of the elevator doors. The goblin held up his palm against the door and it opened.
The elevator was unlike any elevator that Evergreen had ever been in. Three of the four walls were glass so clear, he thought he may just tumble through it, falling into the mysterious abyss at their feet. The floor and ceiling were also made of glass, so Evergreen kept his eyes forward to avoid vertigo. The glass elevator reminded Evergreen of something right out of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Seta held on tight to Evergreen's head and his nose wiggled anxiously. Looking around, Evergreen was spellbound as he looked through the glass of the elevator and perceived the utter magnitude of the underground cave below. The ground was hidden in a mist of darkness and the ceiling was so far up that only a single pinprick of light was visible to them. On each wall of the cave, numberless vault doors jutted out from the stone. These doors protruded directly from the rock face and would have been impossible to reach for anyone but an expert rock climber, or who was aboard an elevator like this one.
It was like a roller coaster ride. Dad and Evergreen clung to the walls as best they could while Professor Woods and Plaagork seemed unaffected by the wild jostling motions. They went up, they went down. They went forward, they went back. They went sideways and even did a loop-de-loop. Needless to say, the Quandarys were happy to finally come to a stop.
"Here we are." Plaagork began, "The vault of the noble House of Marina."
The doors opened as the elevator landed just before a small, rocky lip in the wall in front of the vault door. Evergreen noticed a curious star that was etched into the metal door. It was a five-pointed star with a few symbols chiseled into it, situated within a large circle. Plaagork raised his hand and touched the door in a variety of places, making several complicated motions with his hand and arm. It was some curious Goblin magic, Evergreen thought. After this, the great, iron door opened with a mighty groan that set Evergreen's teeth on edge.
With an ethereal glow, the money within the vault greeted them. There was a great pile of coins, and a few precious-looking artifacts scattered about, including a fine China set and silverware service, several pieces of very fine furniture, and a large box of jewelry on what looked like a black glass table. Plaagork explained at Dad's request that there were four types of coins in magical America. There was the silver Dragot, worth approximately 20 No-Maj dollars, the steel Kerat, worth approximately half the value of the Dragot, the brass Quark, worth approximately half of the Kerat, and the iron Sprink, worth approximately 1/50th of a Dragot.
"Wizards must really l-like these s-seahorses!" Evergreen remarked, looking at an octagonal coin with two seahorses etched on the front.
"Hippocampi, Mr. Quandary. Giant seahorses that you can ride… if you're brave enough." Professor Woods corrected, with a twinkle in her eye.
"How much money will we need?" Dad asked no one in particular.
"About 30 Dragots will probably do it." Was the witch's reply.
So, Evergreen and Dad gathered up several pieces of the large, silver coins inside Evergreen's backpack. They also grabbed just a small handful of steel, brass, and iron coins between them for good measure. For, as Dad said, you never knew when you may want to purchase something that wasn't on the school list. Who was to say what wares the wizarding world had to offer? Evergreen was fascinated when the coins snapped together automatically in groups of 10, making it easier to handle and store them. It must have been some sort of charm, Evergreen guessed.
Plaagork closed the vault and ushered them off to the elevator. Quickly, the group returned to the surface and the humans and bunny left the bank and the goblins behind. Seta remarked about how, even though his burrow growing up had been underground, he nevertheless found the bank to be as creepy as can be. He compared it to the inside of some kind of mausoleum, only with vaults of cash instead of coffins. Evergreen only half-heartedly agreed, because while he could understand how the goblins could be off-putting, it was all so new still that he was amazed and excited by everything.
They all agreed that their first stop after the bank would be the bookshop. So, they crossed the road, heading for the turquoise building displaying an open book made of stone above the street. Glowing lettering on the book indicated the shop's name: WORD FOR WORD. Evergreen thought that this shop name was a little on the nose, but he shrugged it off and they entered.
The inside of this bookstore was unbelievable. There were 20-foot-tall bookshelves everywhere which were slowly rolling every which way, sometimes even crashing together, and repelling apart, shuffling about as if they were alive or even just remote-controlled. Evergreen just assumed that it was magic, though. And what curious magic it was! There were three stories within Word for Word, and each had books of increasing reading level, rarity, and danger factor. Evergreen was looking up at the ceiling, where some books were flying around of their own accord. At the top level, there was a large, multi-paned glass window, letting in some of the artificial light from the outside. While he was looking slack jawed at the ceiling, he ran right into someone.
"Oh!-I'm-s-sorry.-Excuse-me." he huffed out all in one breath as the tall, slender stranger caught him, keeping him from falling.
"Happy summer Tempest." The smiling stranger said to Professor Woods.
"Happy summer to you, Georgia." Professor Woods responded.
"Sorry for my son, ma'am." Dad said, "He's kind of clumsy and a bit of a daydreamer."
"Don't worry about it." Georgia responded with a twinkle in her eye. "It's always kind of nice to run into someone every so often." She stuck out her hand to Evergreen. "Georgia Habitatio, professor of Infusion at Ilvermorny."
Evergreen took her hand, finding himself grateful that Professor Habitatio wasn't upset at his clumsiness. She was tall, even taller than Professor Woods, with an athletic build, short blonde hair, blue eyes, and very plump lips with the whitest smile he had ever seen. He decided that he liked her. Not as much as Professor Woods, perhaps, but a lot, nevertheless. He introduced himself to her, and she and Dad shared pleasantries as well.
"Hab-it-ta-"Evergreen tried, "Habitash-" he tried again, "Ha-bi-tash-o?"
"Precisely." She said, trying to hide her amused smile.
"What's infusion?" Evergreen asked.
"It's enchanting No-Maj technology with a special kind of magic. The practice was actually highly illegal worldwide until the year 2000. You can take my class starting in your ninth-grade year." She replied, eyeing Seta with curious scrutiny.
"What brings you here, Georgia?" Professor Woods asked politely.
"Why, my baby girl Maggie starts Ilvermorny this year."
"Really? She's 11 already? Where has the time gone?"
"Yes, in fact, she is currently over in the music section. Let me get her."
In a swift motion, Professor Habitatio's crimson robes billowed behind her, and she disappeared. Moments later, she was back with a small girl with brown hair and a pretty and intelligent face that was pleasant to look at. Professor Habitatio had a face of utmost pride as she rested her hands on her daughter's shoulders.
"Mr. Quandary, meet Maggie Habitatio, my daughter."
"Nice to meet you, Maggie. You c-can call me Evergreen. Did your m-mom say you were in the m-music section?"
"I sure was, dude. Do you like music?" she asked in a low, raspy voice.
"You bet. I'm d-decent on the violin and know the p-piano okay."
The two of them continued to chat as she led him back to the music section. The Habitatio family was apparently one of the oldest wizarding families in the United States. Maggie mentioned how she hoped to open another magical theater when she finished school. She was a devoted student of Shakespeare. She said that she really liked Seta and how he was so well dressed. Evergreen just laughed at that. Maggie seemed cool, not super girly like Lynn was, but rather, she seemed like the type of girl who was just "one of the boys."
While they looked at various books, Dad and Professor Woods went to collect the books on Evergreen's list. Dad insisted that he carry the basket for the books because "it's what a man should do." Professor Woods didn't argue this point but just rolled her eyes with an exasperated sigh. At some point, Dad fetched the 4 Dragots and change from the coin bars in the backpack, and Evergreen asked Dad if they could purchase just one more book that he had found, called Wandless Musical Incantations for Beginners, by Viola Highmore. The author actually taught at Ilvermorny as well, according to the book's back cover, but he figured that, like all electives, Evergreen would not be able to take the class until 9th grade. Dad bought the book, reasoning that, since music was so important to their family, it would thus be important that Evergreen find the magic inherent in music. Sure, Dad was no wizard, but this he understood.
They left Word for Word after making their purchases, with Professor Habitatio inviting Evergreen to stop by her office on the third floor at any time he may need anything. It was the least she could do for such a polite No-Maj-born, she said. Dad bristled slightly at that, but Evergreen assured him that she had meant it as a compliment. At least, he hoped she did. She seemed too nice for it not to have been. They said their goodbyes, and Professor Woods led Dad and Evergreen to a dramatically purple shop with a large glass window on the front of it, with long curtains visible just behind the pane.
The sign on the window said Sir Appleseed's Silver Cloak: Tailor Services and Manufacturing. Sir Appleseed had the finest, yet most economical clothing options on this side of the Mississippi River, according to Professor Woods. If you were buying comparable wares in New York, good luck! Upon entering, they saw a man and a woman, with a child between them, who looked to be about Evergreen's age. Only, this child was quite a few inches taller. He had a dark cloak about his shoulders, and a floating measuring tape was moving rapidly, from his shoulders to his arms to his waist. It was kind of a funny sight.
"We'll be right with you," a dark-complected man called out to them with a deep, melodic voice.
Sir Appleseed, Evergreen assumed. The man was wearing a silver vest beneath an emerald robe and had a well-trimmed goatee. He wasn't overweight, but he did notice the buttons on his vest were kind of putting up a fight.
"No problem, do what you got to." Dad quickly replied.
"Hey kid," the tall boy called to Evergreen "Are you going to Ilvermorny?"
"I sure am." Evergreen called out to him. "I'm Evergreen Quandary."
"Link Blackguard. So, have you thought much about what house you hope to end up in?"
Link had one of those faces that was hard not to like. He had a sly smile and a twittering laugh. If Evergreen were a girl, he would maybe find him quite cute. He never really looked at guys that way, but he knew Link was good-looking.
"House? I'm n-not sure what you m-mean." Evergreen asked.
"Wait a minute. Are you No-Maj born?" Link urged, with raised eyebrows.
"My m-mom was a witch, but I d-didn't know about any of this until a l-little while ago."
"Okay, can we make a deal, as friends?"
Evergreen thought this interesting. He only just met Link and he was already calling them friends? He was happy at the thought of already having made two friends before even starting school.
"What sort of d-deal?"
"I'll teach you all you need to know about magic, and you tell me all I'd like to know about No-Maj life. Deal?"
"That sounds good to me. Thanks!"
"No, thank you Evergreen. I have lived pretty much my entire life in the Tututni Settlement of Magic down south of Coos Bay. We have visited the coast and the mountains, but I have never really been to the No-Maj communities. I am so glad to meet you!"
Most of Link's words flew by at nearly the speed of a Southern auctioneer. Dad didn't understand most of the words, but Evergreen did, because he was paying extra close attention. Evergreen knew right away that this kid would either get him into a lot of trouble or have his back no matter what. He was kind of hoping for the latter.
"So, at Ilvermorny, there are four houses, just like the school it was based on in England. The Horned Serpent, for the scholars, the Pukwudie for the healers, the Wampus for the warriors, and the Thunderbird for the adventurers. My whole family has been Thunderbird and that's what I'm hoping for too."
"I'm actually the head of Thunderbird House." Professor Woods interjected.
"You are?" both boys asked with wide eyes.
"I sure am. I have taught some of the finest adventurers and ground-shakers the United States has ever seen! But no matter where you gentlemen end up, I trust that you will be a fine addition to your houses."
Shortly after their exchange, Link's parents ushered him away with their purchases all neatly folded in bags. With Link's departure, Sir Appleseed's attention turned to Evergreen. His floating tape measure flew over to Evergreen and started doing its thing as Appleseed approached.
"Ahhh, another Ilvermorny student, yes? How exciting for your family, and for you of course. You need the first-year pack, then? Of course, you do. No second year and above gives off such chaotic magical energy as you do. That's why we go to school, to learn control and discipline, yes?"
Evergreen tried in vain to get a word in edgewise with this guy. Sir Appleseed was even more talkative than Dad was, so it was simply impossible to have an actual conversation with him. He was kind of glad when they got his navy robes, his gray cloak, gloves, hat, and other miscellaneous things and left, 13 Dragots poorer.
Next, they took a stop at Wildwood Cauldrons so they could pick up Evergreen's potion supplies. This included a standard size-two pewter cauldron (gold wasn't allowed for sixth through eighth graders, according to Professor Woods), a small assortment of basic ingredients, several glass phials, and a small set of brass scales. There were so many things to look at in the shop, but Evergreen was much too scared to touch anything. For all he knew, after all, that ram horn on the wall could change him into a salamander! After that, they stopped at The Write Place to pick up parchment, feathered quills, and ink. Evergreen found it curious that some quills were capable of being dictated to and others could even change the color of the ink they used, mid-stroke. Unfortunately, for his schoolwork, he wouldn't need the magic quills, so Professor Woods convinced Dad not to waste the money. Evergreen was just a little put out at that. After they got those supplies, they picked up a mini telescope next door at the Banesborough Annex. Professor Woods said that every respectable wizard avoided going directly into Banesborough, but that the Annex had many useful and safe wares.
For lunch, they all stopped at the Kneeling Fork, and despite Dad's protests, Professor Woods ordered and paid for everyone. She ordered a chicken parmesan plate, Dad ordered the multi-meatloaf, Evergreen wanted the fizzing meatball spaghetti, and Seta received just a whole head of lettuce at his request.
They very much enjoyed themselves, and at one point, Professor Woods told Evergreen that their last stop of the day would be to the most important shop of all: a place called Dragonite, where they sold the finest wands in America.
A/N: Thanks for reading thus far. More is coming next week. I promise. Also, thanks for the correction in that earlier chapter. It's good to know that it's not Jimmy, but Jimi Hendrix. Please comment if you like what you're reading; if not, go about your life; I can't tell you what to do! Happy Sunday!