The Great Hall

[Annabella Annaheim]

Seventh year Annabella Annaheim sat in the front row on the balcony of the circular great hall. Above her the enchanted ceiling’s stars glistened and below her the four wooden statues of each house waited to start sorting. It was the start of another year and the first years, or first graders as the upper grades lovingly called them, stood nervously in line before their sorting ceremony.

Annabella waved over her friend Ferne, who came and sat down next to Annabelle combing her black frizzy hair back. “That train ride has some sort of electrical spell on it I swear, every time I ride it my hair looks like a lion’s mane.”

Annabella laughed and then gasped as Ferne’s hair turned a bright shade of green. Ferne, seeing Annabella’s expression quickly whipped around to see Pierce smiling down at them, hand pointed in mid spell. “I must say,” he teased. “Lime green is not your color.” Ferne punched his arm and quickly turned her hair back into her natural dark shade.

Ferne Abara had been the first friend Annabelle had made upon coming to Ilvermony. Both Midwestern girls, Ferne and Annabelle often made note on just how boring their home town was over summer when school resumed. Pierce Nottingwill came from a whole different background of New York City life. His mother, a renowned hair stylist, was often known by the no-mag’s to “work magic on hair”.

The three had become pretty good friends after an unexpected explosion in potions class when the three were partnered up. Pierce thought it was fun being all sorts of different colors for a week, whereas the girls and professor were less thrilled.
Before Ferne could make any remarks to Pierce, the Headmaster hushed everyone and began the sorting ceremony. The first name was called to approach the circle in the middle of the room. The first grader stood in the middle of the four statues representing each house until one came to life to claim that student into that household.

Ferne sat up straight, her brother watched her nervously and did a slight wave from the line of first graders. Ferne was sorted into Pukwidgie which differed from Annabella and Pierce who were both Thunderbirds. When his name was called he went up and looked to the four statues. Eyeing the Wompus house more often, hoping the warrior house would claim him. Ferne waited squeezing Annabelles hand.
The Pukwidgie came to life and nodded at the young boy, who looked a little disappointed to not have been called into warrior house of Wompus.
Ferne smiled “He always did save bugs and nursed them back to health.”

The ceremony was almost done and the students stirred. The headmaster silenced them once again and a young man stepped into the ring smiling up to the students, with curly hair and the purest shade of grey eyes Annabella had ever seen.
“This year we have a new student, transferred here from Hogwarts, he will be finishing up his schooling with us the next two years. “

[Gideon Rawlins]

Some time ago the Great Hall of Ilvermorny might have been busy with the sorting ritual but at the very moment it was silent with maybe the exception of a few stray students or teachers passing by. Peaceful as it seemed it would change quite soon as reality warped and the powerful magic of a house-elf, the only known creature on this earth to even teleport in Hogwarts, one elf, a man and an inferius were thrown into the reality of the North American school of witchcraft and wizardry. The man tumbled forward, rowed his arms to keep a semblance of balance before stepping over the circle resembling a gordian knot and realized that there was still a foe behind him. He whirled around causing him to drop on his bum and see how the inferius tried to grap the small house-elf between them. With the wrath of the righteous the wizard pulled the house-elf towards him and sent a stream of blazing fire towards the Inferius burning the undead being and ending it's dark existence.

"Miss Beanie, are you alright? Has one of the inferi or the cockatrice hurt you?" The man ignored the shocked surrounding as he was far more concerned with the well-being of his associate. The house-elf by the name Miss Beanie looked at the wizard with a sigh carrying through the hall. She was obviously a free elf wearing a cocktail dress with with stiletto heels though one of her shoes had been damaged with her holding the broken heel in her hand.
"Beanie is fine, master Gideon, Gideon Rawlins is the one who is bleeding." She looked at him like a concerned caretaker might have.
"Well that might be true but I not a single of my wounds seems to be poisoned so it should be all well. More important of a fact is: we did it! We have found it, Miss Beanie, we have overcome all the traps and retrieved the ring of Seamus the pest-bringer. The gnomes said we couldn't do it and yet again... one more piece to study." He searched is pockets and slowly his smile started to fade away before Miss Beanie opened her purse and pulled out the ring they had been hunting for nearly costing their lives. He grinned from ear to ear and kissed the house-elf on the forehead before he took the signet ring out of her hand.

It was then that Gideon looked around and realized that there were other people there and most of them were in the state of shock, surprise or outright terrified. Also he felt quite old with his 34 years of age while all around him were statues and teenagers.

"Cor blimey, where have you brought us to? This looks like... a school ground. And I told you I stopped being an auror to travel more and study magic not to teach it." The two companions looked quite puzzled as the story of their strange arrival travelled fast in Ilvermorny.

[Anwir Dolian]

Everything was different. The train ride was not nearly as engaging as the other students stared at the fourth year with the embroidered serpent crest on his sweater vest. His shirt was neatly tucked into his trousers and one could make out the hint of a reflection in his expertly polished oxfords. He was different and alone, all except for his trusted friedn Elias who sat perched by his side licking his paw for the duration of the trainride. The Americans were something different, something of a curiosity, but not ones to necessarily befriend as he was only here for the semester on some exchange program from Hogwarts.

Hogwarts, now that was a proper instution he thought as the foul mouthed young Americans who reguarly butchered the King's with their backwoods spelling and inarticulate accents. When the train arrived he shuffled off and grabbed his things, Elias following shrewdly behind him. As for the ride to Ilvermorny, it was nothing remarkable, not too different from home, but enough that it got under his skin ever so slightly.

The day had been long and he eventually found himself in the Great Hall, waiting around for whatever it was that was supposed to happen here. It was of course nearly empty, empty except for the handful of strays. Why exactly was it him that was chosen for this half brained exchange program? No matter, he would soon find out exactly where he was supposed to go and what house he would be assigned to, whatever the equivalent was of his house he most certainly hoped. Lest he be expelled for turning his house mates into frogs or something like that. The Fourth year nodded the female Student clearly a few years his senior and man.

"Pardon me, but I am with the exchange program, it appears that I have arrived late and missed the festivities. Anwir Dolian, of Slytherin House. Do either of you know where I shall proceed to be staying for the semester?"

His accent was refined, clean and a certain aura seemed to embelish it, a keen ear would recognize it as hailing from West Brompton or perhaps Knightsbridge. A simple American would recognize it as simply British. The boy's posture was refined and his movements rehearsed to ensure that they were proper, his tanned skin was blemish free despite his age and his clothes were neatly pressed.

[Gideon Rawlins]

Gideon looked up. Still there was blood on his arms and legs caused by scratches from several different assailants. His jacket sported the bite marks of a cockatrice and the burning corpse of the inferius told it's very own story. Yet there was a young girl and a younger boy standing beside him. The girl was obviously frightened while the boy with his familiar seemed to be unfazed. Still sitting on the ground he listened to the lad while taking in the scenery. The girl wore the robes like all the others did here while the boy was a Slytherin without a doubt which also explained his dignified indifference to the smoldering cadaver, the torn clothes and the blood. As the other student remained silent, slightly shaking Gideon took a heart and answered while he cast a reparo spell on his companions heels.

"Exchange program? Merlin's beard when I was a student no one would have thought of that except for the Triwizard Tournament. Well, I am not from here but as the young lass next to us seems a bit terrified I shall do my best." He looked at the girl and hushed her away sending her off to find her peers and afterwards the infirmary.

"Let's see... great hall, teenagers, several statues and circle with the depiction of a gordian knot. School, obviously and they at least speak or understand English. Diversity and looks I dare say North America, meaning Ilvermorny? Never been here before but it ain't European. Castelobruxo would need another type of skin, Uagadou I have visited, nice people there. Koldovstoretz students wouldn't be so shocked by the sight of blood and inferi." He pondered around with it getting quite obvious that the thought to simply ask a bystander what to do here had never crossed his mind. Miss Beanie, still in her torn cocktaildress but with repaired shoes solely looked up to the ceiling sighing silently, while her ears hung low.

Still pondering he drew his wand and started to wave it around in a complex pattern following a very own rythm while his lips moved in a silently spoken incantation far beyond the single word charms and divinations spells taught in the schools. Faint colours appeared and while some remained others faded away as quickly as they had appeared. At one point there was a reaction at one of the walls and so the adult wizard in his mid-30ies quickly changed the pattern he waved his wand around. Maybe a minute or five later he finished his incantation looked around and the summoned colours flickered and faded out slowly.

"Well of course. Divination spell crude compared to the sorting hat but quite accurate and fascinating. You see, young mister Dolian, the spells used here are a mixture of native american magic, quite fascinating kind of magic I have to admit myself, as well as ancient irish magic. Several defenses built in nearly set off a defense reaction when I tried to figure it out. Anyhow that's not answering your question. You simply step into the circle and the charms cast here tell you what house you belong in. One or more of the four statues will show a reaction. Kind of a hearthstone charm I might add... Alos has a memory spell on it once you stepped in the circle and it decided where to put you it will remember that. So it might be a one use only. Hope you like the house you'll end up in. As for the houses: I have no clue what they are. That one is a horned serpent as for the other beings... none of them ever attacked me or were used as a guardian for an old tomb so I have no clue. Then again that bird there might be a thunderbird. I think I recall a picture of it in Newt Scamanders book. Marvelous man of science, not my field of expertise but a respectable scholar and adventurer."

He sheated his wand and winked at the young Slytherin before he flipped out a pocket watch looked at it and put it back. He realized that he hadn't told his name but for what it was worth right now would be a bad time anyway. He stepped away from the circle and the teenager, got out a folded piece of paper and raised his arms, Miss Beanie silently following his motions standing back to back to him.

"Maybe right now would be the best time to stay clear of me and not be associated with me. The North American wizard world tends to be quite quick with curses and I have intruded into their estate. Good luck, Anwir Dolian, make yourself some friends and learn as much as you can."

Several adult wizards stormed the Great Hall their wands drawn and aiming on the intruder. Anger could be seen on several faces mixed with confusion as they told the british wizard, who oh so suddenly sported the crest of Ravenclaw on his chest just above the heart, to freeze and not get any stupid ideas. He simply stood there the piece of papers between two fingers and a faint smile upon his lips like it was just another ordinary day in his life.

[Anwir Dolian]

How peculiar was this man? The blood covering his body his incessant ramblings to the most simple of questions, what on earth was this place? At least his accent was something that reminded Anwir of home a place of culture and civilization unlike this rathole that he had found himself in. He was sure that this program in and of itself was nothing more than a punishment, a punishment bestowed upon him for being better than everyone else and knowing it. Perhaps that was a bit rash, knowing that he was better than everyone was not a crime per say, but broadcasting it and outwardly showing it was somehow looked down upon. It made the creatins at Hogwarts feel poorly about themselves seeing him outdo them at every single turn, that's why he was here. To be the outcast, to be what the others were. No matter, he would soon best all of them here too in fact he probably already had just by walking in, Hogwarts was an insutitution that was far superior in every way.

"Step into the circle and be sorted? How quaint."

As he entered, the other statues remained still and the Thunderbird's wings spread and acknowledged him in all it's splendor, it's break seemed to nod and welcome him into it's presence. A Thunderbird? No doubt an equivalent house, but an inferior one nonetheless as it was not of Hogwarts and not of his home. No matter, he would join the American fools at the Thunderbird house and perhaps he would find an equal or whatever would pass for one here, maybe there would be kinship among his fellow Thunderbirds and maybe he could show them the true path.

He nodded to the Statue and the man trying to remain polite. Then, all hell broke loose. There were several more wizards storming in and surrounding the man, now was the time time not to be associated with him he said? A Ravenclaw? They always knew which side to come down on and while they were intelligent they were never ones to be fully trusted, their brains could be manipulated to serve whomever and they lacked the cunning nature of a Slytherin, but they knew how to surivive and often times it would be at the cost of those around them, Anwir could respect that.

So when he was warned to not be caught socializing with Gideon he took it to heart, as the men had rushed in he fell to his back and scooted away quickly but offered the man a sly wink, returning the gesture that was bestowed upon him. One good turn deserved another and now was not the time tof fully betray a fellow member of Hogwarts.

"They were here! They attacked....and this man, this man he tried to save us all from the dark magic that surrounded this place. it was awful!"

Tears streamed down his face, as if he had practiced it a thousand times before, they came so easily and freely, how could they not be genuine? The fear, the fear itself seemed so genuine as well, but what was he talking about if not a total lie that he had fabricated on the spot? No one would be the wiser however except for Gideon who would not dare betray this gesture, perhaps he might brush it off, but the goodwill would not be outright betrayed. If it was then he would know where this man stood and who he was and a lesson would be learned regardless and with any luck they would send him away from the wannabe Slyhterin Thunderbirds and back to his home of Hogwarts, where true magic was taught.

[Gideon Rawlins]

Gideon smiled gently as the bird reacted to the student. Impressive magic was at work at least to a certain degree. Thinking of the history of Ilvermorny ist was an impressive feat and he was readily aknowledging the skills of the long gone generation that had built the school in Northern America. Home schooled and self taught rarely ever led to such abilities but in this case it seemed it was one of the luckier ones. Maybe worthy even to once have been a Ravenclaw.

He tried not to sigh when the witches and wizards surrounded him their wands trained upon him. He was ready to hear the accusing questions when suddenly the young man who had introduced himself as Anwir Dolian started his show. He had worked several times with members of house Slytherin to know what was happening. Luckily for him the grown-ups around him were teachers and not trained aurors so they reacted to the teenager. He took the scenery in and formed a plan to improvise when he felt a gentle tug at his knee. Looking down towards Miss Beanie he followed her raised hand pointing at two burning inferi. The Ravenclaw in his mid-30ies raised and eyebrow as he had been sure that only one inferius had been teleported with them. Then again why where they here. Miss Beanie had apparated the two of them and she wouldn't have chosen a school. Except maybe if there had been a curse to redirect any aparate-charm towards Ilvermorny...

Gideon slowly turned back, the teachers still startled. Obviously such things didn't happen that often in Ilvermorny. A stark contrast to Hogwarts where every year had been filled with potential death. Also: they took the words of a Slytherin to heart which he could use to his very own advantage. Especially as at least two of the teachers showed signs of slight admiration.

"May I be so free to take the lead here and right now? Marvelous." He hadn't even waited for an answer. "My name is Gideon Rawlins, curse breaker and scholar of house Ravenclaw and I fear that my sudden entrance hunting down those infernal beasts," he waved at the four inferi, when in Merlin's beard had they multiplied?, "Maybe a day off or two and stack of chocolate frogs would ease their minds. One way or another maybe we should hush the children out and then clean the room but the living dead are no sight for younger min..."

It was exactly that moment when three of seven people snapped out each and everyone with a different reason:
"How dare you tell us how to handle our students?!"
"Are you really THE Gideon Rawlins?!"
"You effing kidding me? Since when are there effing eight corpses and why are three effing moving?"

They all turned towards the piling up inferi several burning a few smoldering and three in decaying state still moving. The teachers turned their wands towards the pile of corpses while Gideon turned back towards Anwir: "Gather the students and get them out of this hall, stay and watch, I don't care. As long as you keep me between yourself and the corpses and stand really close to me or be far away. Also: do you know a spell that filters air? Might come in handy right now."

Gideon himself had flicked his wand out quite quickly and tapped his face with it causing a bubble to form around his nose and mouth like a breathing mask.

[Annabella Annaheim]

The room broke out into chaos as teachers and students scrambled about. Of course, there were alarms practiced to aid in an evacuation but no one really thinks about that when a real emergency occurs.

One of the teachers used hand symbols to help guide students out of the doors. Ilvermorny took pride in its wandless magic due to prejudice that plagued the country for centuries before. Of course, no witch or wizard ever got burned at the stake but it did get rather annoying having no-mags keeping an eye on things that were not their business. Therefore simple spells became more important to do with the wave of a hand rather than a wand. It does, however, weaken the spell and therefore it is encouraged to only do more mundane spells by hand.

Annabella, who thrived in adventure stood up and got as close to the circle as she could to get a better look at what creatures covered the ground floor. She knew of monsters in the woods called the Naldloshi, a creature that was commonly feared by the Native Americans. These creatures would take on different forms of animals. Annabella had come face to face with one her second year and thankfully had just mastered enough spells to get herself out of harm's way. The Naldoshi were dangerous and often found in the woods in the more northern parts of North America. But these creatures did not seem to be Naldoshi by their appearance and behavior. Not that she had ever seen one in its true form.

Pierce came next to Annabella to see what was going on as well. Fern ran into the chaos to find her brother and get him to safety. Annabella and Pierce both watched the grow-ups closely.

[Gideon Rawlins]

As Miss Beanie positioned herself in front of him to shield him for a few moments, Gideon took the time to look around and assess the scenery as well as his options. There were quite a lot of students around and they all were quite curious. Especially a young girl who tried to get as close as possible. And in all of that Anwir stood there silently watching as everything unfolded. Typical for a Slytherin. Waiting for the window of opportunity. The wizard in his mid-thirties then focused on the inferi. Undead all looking the same. There was one with a scar over the left eyebrow, another one with a piercing wound in the area of the heart a thir one with a slashed throat and a fourth one with a hole in the skull while the fifth had a piercing wound in the area of the heart.

Gideon's eyes narrowed as he checked the inferi again as they kept multiplying. There were exactly four different inferi and the rest looked the very same. Also every single inferius with the scar over the left eyebrow was absolutely motionless. This was no strange port key it was something very different. The inferi were cloning themselves but how? Something was horribly off and he had no clue what it was except for a trap. Fascinating as it might have been he had to do something. Gideon signaled his companion and the two of them got between the attacking horde and the children.

His wand appeared in his hand the moment one of the teachers shouted something about that he found the port key. His wand moved quickly as with the sternest of voices he bellowed out the incantation while teachers opened the path to the fake port key. It was maybe seconds before the disintegration curse hit the trap that Gideon finshed his incantation. Just long enough to engulf the area: "PROTEGO HORRIBILIS!"

The strongest of all shield charms normally it took a bit to be cast but the area he had to protect was comparably small and Gideon was not an ordinary wizard. Not that an ordinary wizard would be able to cast the charm at all. The shield charm closed just in time to fend off most of the damage. Still the explosion of the trap was deafening. Dark fire greedily moved wherever it could and a few flames escaped the shield raining outside and towards the bystanders. One of the flames hit the arm of the young hot-headed teacher that had caused the havoc to unfold. The flames instantly devoured his arm and wand but didn't get any further. Other parts hit quickly raised Protego-shields and were short-lived. Another one had catapulted out of the top of the shield and aimed at Gideon who was defenseless as his wand still aimed at his own shield trying to stabilise it so the Great Hall and the students would be safe.

At the very same moment as the trap had been activated magical alarms went off in all of Ilvermorny. The school was under attack and the battle in the Great Hall was but a distraction meant to do as much harm as it could while buying time and smoke-screening the actual target.

[Annabella Annaheim]

As the explosion of colorful spells rang out, booming voices started ordering all of the students to get to safe locations. Annabella felt a jot of adrenaline pulse through her. This was probably the most exciting thing that has happened since someone created a mating sent for dragons for a prank that turned very, very, wrong. Annabella shot Pierce a grin as he whipped out his wand. This level of magic would need the source, mental magic would simply not be strong enough.
"Confringo!" Bellowed Peirce as Annabella jumped over the railing and said a cantation to keep her from breaking a leg on the way down. She pulled out her wand and to the nearest...thing...."Petrificus Totalus". The creature bent and folded into a bind that was impossible to break.
Annabella looked around and noticed how many more were just appearing into existence. It was a full-on war as the creatures started to scale the walls and head towards the doors where students were trying to escape.