Chapter 2: Ilvermorny Awaits!

Rose and Scorpius stepped off the train and stared up at the towering castle of Ilvermorny. It was perched right on the side of Mount Greylock, with its blue and cranberry-red banners fluttering in the wind. The castle was huge, like a fortress, with twisting towers and wide stone steps leading up to a grand entrance. Around the school, the forest stretched out as far as they could see, looking dark and mysterious.

"Whoa," Rose said, her eyes wide. "This place is amazing."

Ezra grinned and spread his arms like he owned the place. "Welcome to Ilvermorny! The coolest school in the wizarding world, if I say so myself."

Scorpius mumbled something like, "I still think Hogwarts is better," but Rose elbowed him, and he fell silent.

The students were herded up the giant staircase and into the Entrance Hall. It was even bigger than the one at Hogwarts! Instead of a ceiling with floating candles, Ilvermorny had a glass roof that showed the night sky and the stars twinkling. The floor had a giant mosaic with the four house mascots: the Thunderbird, the Pukwudgie, the Wampus, and the Horned Serpent, all circling a shining "I" in the center.

"Okay, so here's the deal," Ezra said, leaning close. "Before you get sorted into your houses, there's one rule you gotta know."

"What's that?" Scorpius asked suspiciously.

"You have to dance a jig in front of the horned serpent statue—"

"Ezra!" Rose laughed. "You're making that up."

Ezra shrugged, but his grin stayed firmly in place. "Am I? Guess you'll find out."

Just then, the headmaster, Professor William Oakes, a tall, serious-looking wizard with silver spectacles, appeared at the top of the stairs. He clapped his hands, and the hall went quiet.

"Welcome, students—both new and old!" he said. "Especially our guests from Hogwarts! We're excited to have you with us for this special term."

Rose glanced around. There were about a dozen other Hogwarts students, all looking a bit lost and wide-eyed like her. They were mixed in with the American students, who seemed eager to show off their school.

"We hope you'll enjoy your time here," Professor Oakes continued. "But, unfortunately, some of our most prized treasures are missing from the relic room."

Everyone started whispering and gasping. Scorpius leaned over to Rose and muttered, "He's talking about the theft already?"

"Someone has stolen the Horned Serpent's Scale," the headmaster said, looking very serious, "and now, our Pukwudgie's Bow has disappeared as well. Until these relics are returned, security measures will be in place. You may not explore the castle grounds alone, and any suspicious behavior should be reported immediately."

Ezra made a face and whispered, "Yikes. I was planning to sneak you both to the Thunderbird Tower tonight, but looks like that's out."

Scorpius sighed. "Is there anything you *don't* try to sneak into?"

Ezra shrugged. "Nope."

The headmaster finished his speech, and the students split into their houses. Since Rose and Scorpius were guests, they weren't sorted into Ilvermorny's houses; instead, they were shown to a special dormitory for the exchange students, located right near the kitchens.

"I heard the Thunderbird House has a hidden room where you can see your future," Ezra said as he led them through the winding corridors. "And Wampus House has a secret passage straight into the woods where they practice dueling."

"Is that true?" Rose asked, feeling excited.

"Eh, maybe." Ezra smirked. "I mean, I *did* see a Wampus student disappear into a wall once, but maybe he just likes hiding."

Scorpius looked unimpressed. "That's not exactly proof."

"Lighten up, Malfoy!" Ezra said, clapping him on the back. "You're in America now, the land of adventure!"

Scorpius rubbed his shoulder where Ezra had slapped him, but Rose could tell he was trying not to smile. She couldn't help but laugh. "Scorpius, you need to have some fun, or you'll be all frowns and frowns."

After settling into their dormitory, Rose and Scorpius were given their timetables for the term. Rose was excited to see that they had classes like Enchanted Geography and American Magical Creatures. Scorpius, on the other hand, seemed more interested in *Advanced Potions, but he wasn't happy when he noticed that he and Rose had almost every class together.

"Great," he muttered. "We're going to be stuck together all day."

"Cheer up," Rose said, rolling her eyes. "It'll be fun."

The first class of the day was American Magical Creatures. Ezra had promised it was the best subject at Ilvermorny, so Rose was eager to see if he was right. They walked across the castle grounds to a big barn filled with strange creatures in cages. There were bright blue birds that whistled tunes, scaly lizards with wings, and even a giant turtle that glowed bright green.

Their professor, Professor Skyheart, was a tall witch with curly black hair and a big smile. "Welcome, everyone! Today, we're learning about *Jackalopes*—magical rabbits with antlers. They're very sneaky, so keep your wands ready."

Scorpius looked skeptical. "Rabbits with antlers? How dangerous can that be?"

Five minutes later, Scorpius was up on a chair, waving his wand frantically as a jackalope chased after him, its tiny antlers aimed straight at his ankles. Rose was laughing so hard she could barely manage to cast a spell. "Stupefy!" she shouted, and the jackalope finally froze, skidding to a stop.

Scorpius climbed down, red-faced. "That was… not what I expected."

Ezra was laughing too. "Welcome to America, buddy!"

After class, they sat outside to eat lunch, which was served in a picnic style on the castle lawn. Rose munched on something called a *pumpkin pasty pie*—like pumpkin pasties, but with American spices. "Hey, these are actually pretty good," she said, smiling.

Scorpius was still sulking about the jackalope. "I'm starting to think this place is full of tricks."

"Of course it is!" Ezra said, leaning back on his elbows. "And speaking of tricks… did you guys hear the headmaster's warning? Two relics stolen already! I bet there's a curse on them or something."

Rose's eyes lit up. "Do you really think so?"

Scorpius looked less impressed. "Or maybe it's just some prankster trying to mess with the exchange program."

Rose shook her head. "No way. If these relics are really that important, they have to be worth something. What if they hold some kind of magical power?"

Ezra nodded. "Exactly! That's why we need to figure it out. How about we check out the relic room tonight?"

Scorpius's eyes widened. "Didn't you hear the headmaster? No exploring alone!"

Ezra just smirked. "Good thing there's three of us then, huh?"

Rose grinned. "I'm in. We'll meet after dinner."

Scorpius sighed, but there was a tiny sparkle of curiosity in his eyes. "Fine. But if we get caught, I'm blaming both of you."

As the sun set and dinner ended, the trio snuck out of the Great Hall and made their way to the relic room, their hearts pounding. They crept through the dark corridors, their wands lighting the way. Ilvermorny felt even bigger at night, and every shadow seemed to move.

When they reached the relic room, they found it locked with a big, glowing blue spell. "Looks like it's enchanted," Rose whispered.

Ezra pulled out a tiny pouch of glittering powder. "Not a problem. My granddad taught me how to break these."

Rose and Scorpius exchanged a nervous glance as Ezra sprinkled the powder on the lock. There was a bright flash of light, and the door creaked open.

Rose stepped inside, holding her breath. The relic room was full of glowing artifacts and treasures. But there was one empty pedestal in the center, with a sign that said: Horned Serpent's Scale – Missing.

Scorpius was about to say something when, suddenly, they heard footsteps approaching. "Someone's coming!" he whispered.

They quickly hid behind a big statue of a Thunderbird. Just as they ducked out of sight, the door opened, and Professor Oakes walked in, looking around suspiciously.

"Hmm," he muttered to himself, frowning as he scanned the room. "I know someone's been here…"

Rose, Scorpius, and Ezra held their breath, trying not to make a sound. What was the headmaster doing here so late?

And why did it feel like he was hiding something?