Awakening on Monday morning, Evergreen was greeted with one thing he was used to, the Summerhills doing their sunrise ritual, and one thing he wasn't used to, Link's bed being empty. They must have been getting a head start on their Quodpot practices. According to Glade, student teams usually practiced quite early in the morning. Link was probably having an interesting time, having to get up at not even a decent hour, but an ungodly one.

A quick shower and outfit change later, Evergreen and Seta were on their way down to the commons. Seta was wearing a simple tunic and a pair of thin trousers, keeping his arms and his paws bare. It was still warm after all. They passed near a group of ghosts that were congregating in a corner of the annex. They were so close to one another that it was difficult to discern when one ended and the next began. If Evergreen tried to look too closely at them, his eyes started to hurt. How curious.

Once finally in the commons, Evergreen made his way to the Thunderbird table, but knocked into another student on his way.

"Oops," he sputtered, "I'm sorry. My bad."

"It's okay." Replied Valerian, righting himself after the collision.

"What in the name of Merlin's long johns is going on here?" came a familiar, yet unwelcome voice.

Swab Capital, the staff pukwudgie minder who made Evergreen's sixth grade year more interesting than he would have liked it appeared. He was huge and he had a little goatee and he always seemed like he was in a bad mood. He had a history with Mom, meaning that he pined after her when they went to school together, but she was never interested. Swab was also Beatrice's step-uncle, if that was a thing. He was her pa's stepbrother. Beatrice was a little rough around the edges, but she came around. Swab was just a bad situation constantly waiting to happen.

"Nothing." Evergreen answered quickly.

"Nothing? That's not what it looked like. It looked like a Thunderbird assaulting a Horned Serpent. Is that nothing?"

"Yeah. It's nothing."

"I don't care. I wanna hear it from him." Swab pointed toward Valerian who looked quite confused at the exchange.

"Mr. Capital, neither of us really looked at where we were going. It was an accident." Valerian replied.

"Okay. If you're sure. Just watch where you're going next time."

The large man walked swiftly away, stowing his wand within his black and red robes. Evergreen shook his head, being completely blown away at how ridiculous the man was being. He didn't know what the man had against him. If it had something to do with Mom, he had nothing to do with that and it should be dropped because it was adolescent ancient history, as far as anyone was concerned. He turned back to his classmate.

"Sorry, bro. I'm a huge klutz." Evergreen said, finally.

"Me too, so I'm sorry too."

At that, the two boys laughed quite loud at the bizarre nature of the whole situation. They really were two peas in an unfortunate pod. They were both quite awkward at best, quite clumsy, and also, they didn't buy into any of the house rivalries that most of their houses seemed to be invested in. They shared a quick smile after a few small words and then separated, heading to their respective tables for breakfast.

Other kids trickled in and so did the mail. Every day, owls, parrot squirrels, and some ravens (only some, they're proud birds) came in carrying messages and packages from elsewhere. Evergreen didn't get a lot of mail ever because he and Dad did most of their communicating through their matching pocket watches that worked like walkie talkies that Dad had presented him when he was 11. Glade, Link, and Diva, however, got a letter at least every other day.

"Wow." Glade said, scanning through her new edition of the Salem Starr newspaper.

"What's up?" Link asked, looking up from his cheese and bell pepper omlette.

"Another squib has gone missing. That's the second one this year." She replied.

"What's a squib?" Evergreen and Andie asked together. Considering Diva's face, she probably had the same question.

"Oh," Glade said, "that's right. You probably never heard that term. A squib is a person with magical parents but no magic of their own."

"So," Evergreen interjected, "Like a reverse No-Maj born, then?"

"Yeah. Just like that."

"Weird. How does that happen?"

"I don't know, Evergreen. I've never looked into the biology of it."

Curious, Evergreen thought as he enjoyed his fourth slice of French toast. For one thing, how could No-Majes have kids that were magic users? For another, how could magic users have kids that can't do magic? Glade was probably onto something. It was likely something in genetics, it would be interesting to study. Also, what was happening to them? Why would they be targeted if they couldn't even do magic anyway?

They all finished their breakfasts and made their way to Professor Graves' classroom. This year, Evergreen found himself getting increasingly on edge every time that he saw or even thought about the skeletal, wild wizard. When they approached his door, they found themselves with the other seventh grade Thunderbirds. Maggie took it upon herself to open the door for the rest of their classmates. She and Evergreen shared a quick and pleasant smile before they all filed in.

All was relatively quiet for a moment, that is, until the office door sprung open. Out came Professor Graves wearing another of his signature gray robes. He held a long scroll of parchment that was trailing on the ground behind him while he walked. He was scribbling something down fiercely with a green-feathered quill with his signature crazed expression. He stopped after a bit and apparently just noticed all the students sitting before him. Once he did, he dropped the scroll and quill and took out his wand. He pointed his wand behind him as he stepped over the things and the scroll rolled itself up and with the quill, shot toward his open office door. Once they were out of sight, his door closed with a slam. Needless to say, he really had everyone's attention.

"Good morning, Thunderbirds!" He began brightly in a way that could still put someone at ill ease. "Today, we will begin the change goblet spell. Please repeat after me Vera Verto."

The class did so immediately.

"Now, anyone who had done the reading would know this, but I'm going to explain it anyway!" Professor Graves barked at the class. "This change goblet spell is used to change small animals into usable goblets. But don't use it on another person, or else. Human transformations are always a mess to fix."

Something clicked in Evergreen's brain. There was something that he was planning on asking Professor Graves that he had forgotten all about until that moment when he used the term 'human transformations'. He raised his hand. Professor Graves looked amused at best and called on him.

"Yes, Mr. Quandary?"

"Excuse me sir, but what's an animagus?"

In that moment, Evergreen could have sworn that his professor's pupils dilated, and that smoke started swirling from his nostrils. He almost wished he kept his mouth shut. The professor answered with gusto.

"AN ANIMAGUS! Why that is one of the most difficult transfigurations of all time. Mostly because it's wandless transfiguration performed on oneself. Mr. Quandary, an animagus is a witch or wizard who can transform into an animal at will!"

"That's fascinating!"

"Yes, it is, Mr. Quandary. Please briefly meet me after class and we can look into it with more detail!"

Evergreen didn't know how else to respond to the wild wizard, so he just nodded his head.

With that, they continued their lesson about the goblet change spell. Seta expressed reservations about being changed into a goblet. Professor Graves reminded them that it was small animals they were to use this spell on, not creatures two feet and taller, that was why using the spell on a human was discouraged. The smaller the beast, the cleaner and simpler the transfiguration. There was an obvious weird period with Seta those first few weeks of school. He was no longer keeping his ability to speak English a secret and that would startle anyone upon hearing it the first time. Professor Graves, however, was the first to accept Seta as normal. That spoke volumes either for or against the man, Evergreen wasn't sure which.

Both Link and Evergreen managed to change the sparrows they had before them into goblets. Other than Glade and Maggie, they were the first in the class to manage it. Evergreen figured he'd test his goblet and he filled it with a quick water charm and took a swig. It was like any goblet he had ever handled. Professor Graves gave some praise throughout the class which put Evergreen just a little more at ease with the wild wizard.

After class, Evergreen stayed behind for a few minutes to speak with Professor Graves, at the wild wizard's request. He just stayed in his seat while the others all headed out toward their next class. He wasn't sure what to expect because with Professor Graves, he was learning that one must always expect the unexpected.

"Thank you for staying behind for a moment," Professor Graves began, taking a seat near Evergreen's. "You see, I have a proposition for you."

This was weird. What sort of proposition could the professor have for him? Business? No. Social? Not bloody likely.

"What are you talking about, sir?"

"I know we have you signed up for the Transfiguration Tournament this spring and that is an exciting prospect!" the skeletal professor said, nearly foaming at the mouth. "But I would like to talk to you about what is arguably one of the hardest acts of transfiguration known." He took a deep, yet shaky breath. "How are you at potions?"

"I am decent. Nothing to write home about, but decent."

"You need to find one of your peers who is both skilled in potions and willing to help you with minimal question. Could you do that?"

"I'm sure I can, but what is this about?"

The wild wizard's face was so crazed, Evergreen wasn't sure what was going to happen, but with Seta close by, he wasn't scared or anything. Professor Graves stood up.

"I would like to challenge you to become an animagus."

That was a wild concept. So wild, Evergreen wasn't sure he heard the man.

"Of course, you would have to get registered eventually, but those who attempt the process don't have to worry about any of that yet. What do you say, Mr. Quandary?"

The idea was thrilling, so of course Evergreen said yes.

Professor Graves conjured a slip of parchment and scribbled something on it and handed it to Evergreen. It was a book title, upon inspection. The Beast Within: On Animagus Transfiguration by Minerva McGonagall. Evergreen had never heard of the author before, but he figured he would give the text a chance. Apparently, Professor Graves didn't have a copy, so Evergreen would have to head to the library for it. He figured he would do so after Charms. Looking at the clock, he had five minutes to go up toward the third-floor landing across the floor and to the opposite corridor. He could make it, he was quick.

After lunch, Evergreen stopped by the library for the book. He approached the book doors on the middle floor to see and speak with Mrs. Montgomery. He ran into her in the corridor headed to the doors. Obviously she too was coming back from lunch. She appeared amused to have Evergreen coming back to the library so soon. What can he say? He just couldn't stay away for long.

"Back again, Mr. Quandary?"

"Yes ma'am."

"I do swear that I believe I have seen you more in the past year than most students in seven."

"I'm just always curious ma'am." he said, as they approached her reference desk.

She looked at him with a thoughtful expression as she called out to a house elf. The elf was possibly female as she was dressed in a small dress. She asked what was wanted and Mrs. Montgomery just told her to wait for a short while.

"What do you need today?"

Evergreen handed the old witch the slip of parchment Professor Graves handed him all the while looking right at her face. Her expression didn't change a bit while she read it and then handed it off to the house elf. She disappeared between some stacks of books and reappeared in a few moments with a thick book. Mrs. Montgomery retrieved the book from the elf with quick thanks. The elf smiled at her, then at Evergreen and she then disappeared once again within the books. The ancient librarian then took a separate slip of parchment, scribbled something on it, and handed it to Evergreen to sign. He did and thanked her.

"If you don't mind my asking, what got you interested in this topic?" she began.

It was at that moment though, that the room started shaking. In a moment, Mrs. Montgomery took out her wand and pointed it right above her head. Suddenly, the sound of shutters echoed throughout the colossal library. Looking up, Evergreen saw that each of the bookshelves had closed, becoming what appeared to be tall, solid pillars of wood. It was a wondrous protection spell on the books! Still, the room was shaking, and Evergreen stumbled into the doorway and held tightly onto it. Mrs. Montgomery had a shield charm over her head.

Just as quickly as it had begun, the earthquake had stopped. Evergreen reentered the library and he and Mrs. Montgomery checked in with each other. Everyone was okay.

"I'm in the Transfiguration Tournament." Evergreen said, preparing to leave. "I'm just trying to be prepared."

"Well, that's some quite advanced magic, way beyond the talents of a seventh grader, but having the reference never hurt." She said kindly as she turned her back and started looking through the library catalog.

Later that day, Evergreen found himself arriving at the basement lecture hall just a few minutes early. Miss Agatha was already out of her office, and she was reading through a massive tome that laid across most of the surface of her desk. She was engrossed in whatever she was reading and had an excited look on her face.

"Good day Miss Agatha."

"Why if it isn't mah dear Evergreen Quandary."

"Whatcha reading?"

"It's just so exciting, isn't it? You'll just have to wait for my lesson to find out like the rest. No one's ever accused me o' special treatment!" she said in a way that was both amused and something else that Evergreen couldn't place.

"If you say so."

"Oh, but I do!" she laughed, as she ruffled Evergreen's hair the way he had seen older siblings do to younger ones when they were being especially silly.

The rest of their class eventually filtered in and took their seats. Evergreen looked over to Link who had an oddly distracted look on his face. It was a look he hadn't seen since before Link made the Quodpot team. Something was going on with his friend. Sure, he didn't want to be nosy, but Link may just not know how to ask for help, like Evergreen. Birds of a feather flock together, right?

It wasn't too long until Miss Agatha got on her feet to address the class. She had a bright smile and kind of a spring in her step that Evergreen hadn't yet really seen that year. It was a much more welcome sight than the brooding she had been doing for their first class of the year and most since then. He didn't exactly know what was going on with her, but he was glad at least that she appeared to be having a better day.

"Thunderbirds," she began, "As I said near the start of the year, we are gonna be lookin' at snapshots of history. Last year was a survey of sorts, this year is about the details. Starting today, though, we will be lookin' into the history of Ilvermorny!"

True. Sixth grade History was a literal crash course in American history of magic, this year, it was great to be able to look more into it.

"I'd like to begin with talkin' of course about one of the greatest love stories in our history. That between Irish immigrant Isolt Steward, once called Sayre and her No-Maj husband James Steward. They met shortly after she immigrated to America to escape the clutches of her wicked aunt. She managed to do so for a while at least and befriended a pukwudgie she called William. You see, pukwudgies cannot communicate their real names to the likes of us, so they must glean a human name from a human. Once Isolt met James, everythin' happened so quickly, and they found themselves a little stone house where they were to raise their family and Isolt was to teach them magic."

Evergreen raised his hand at that point. Miss Agatha stopped and smiled. It was a warm and wonderful sight.

"Yes Evergreen?"

"That sounds lovely, but why was their love so special?"

"They were star crossed lovers. She was a witch, and the new Puritan settlers would have never accepted her into polite society. He was a No-Maj and was an affront to all traditional 'pureblood' wizarding thought. It is oh so romantic to think about. Gives someone like me hope for somethin' better. Plus, the love they made in that stone house gave the house some magic of its own. In fact, Ilvermorny castle wasn't built, but it was grown from the very walls of that stone house built by the No-Maj James Steward. According to legend, the stone house is still below us somewhere and possesses magic so wild that it can change reality as we know it!"

Star crossed lovers indeed. Evergreen never really gave romance much thought because he was raised by Dad alone. Plus, he was 12. Sure, he had just begun experiencing all the things that come with having a crush, but that was all he really knew. However, he was instantly fascinated by the stone Ilvermorny house. He wondered where it was and what exactly its magic could do.

He didn't have much chance to think much into that, because before he knew it, a worksheet was before him, asking questions about James, Isolt, their biological daughters, and their adoptive sons. Just like Mom and Dad, James and Isolt certainly represented an idea of both the magical world and the No-Maj world coexisting. Perhaps that was why he felt a certain tenderness towards those who were ostracized from 'polite society' as Miss Agatha had said. Maybe he was supposed to act as a unifier. If that summer said anything about him as a person, is that he was open-minded and willing, as had been said before, to try something new.