Term Forty-Six: Guests from Ilvermorny
| House Point Totals |
| Gryffindor | 3547 |
| Slytherin | 1983 |
| Hufflepuff | 1749 |
| Ravenclaw | 1501 |
Plot summary by Erindipity
This year at Hogwarts began like most any other… loads of excited kids, noise, and the expectation that something crazy was bound to happen. As per usual, anyway. In that regard, the school staff did not disappoint. Sure it was no creature straight out of a sci fi show, but it was just as exciting and full of danger and intrigue. It all began when a red Volkswagen Beetle came flying into the Hogwarts air space. Yes, that’s right, a Beetle. Talk about a lackluster way to enter Scotland.
Oh that brings me to the WHO. WHO was inside of the car that chugged into town. The entire student and professor population of Ilvermorny. Upon their arrival our illustrious Headmistress directed us to the Great Hall where an even more exciting announcement was made… if it could be heard over the obnoxiously loud Americans, that is. While their exuberance and school spirit was definitely understandable, the Britons simply took a much more subdued approach to things. Ahem. Back to the matter at hand, though, HUGE announcements were made! Aside from the fact that the Americans (and some Canadians) were invading the castle for the term, there was also going to be a competition between the sister schools. The International Magical Pupil Standoff, to be exact. It was explained that the champions would compete in a total of four tasks and after each one the bottom four contenders would be eliminated. It was also explained by the lovely Headmistress Hawthorne that the Magical Book of Merlin was going to determine who the sixteen champions would be.
In what could only be called a rather awe inspiring moment, the book took over and magically projected each name in turn: Irene Avery; Ilvermorny, Mason Winslow; Ravenclaw, Jesus Rodgriguez; Ilvermorny, Dora Umbridge; Gryffinor, Valerie Gray; Ilvermorny, Carl Leoanrd; Hufflepuff, “Kyle Baker; Ilvermorny, TEJASHREE PEALE; SLYTHERIN, LACHLAN WHEELER;ILVERMORN, CASSANDRA MCNALLY; RAVENCLAW, AURORA CHAE, ILVERMORNY, LEVI KENNING, GRYFFINDOR, AIDEN JONES, ILVERMORNY, HENRIETTA KRAMER,HUFFLEPUFF, LOUISE HAMILTON, ILVERMORNY, and lastly BRENT WESTWOOD, SLYTHERIN. Did I forget to mention that the book literally emitted this bright white light and totally floated around the Great Hall? It was awesome! As is the norm with things of this nature, there were some hurt feelings and infighting… and some houses forgot that HOUSE SPIRIT was a thing. It also seemed that the Ilvermorny champions thought themselves above the likes of MOST of the Hogwarts hosts and were surrounded by drama and noise the entire term.
The first of the four challenges took place 8 November and did NOT disappoint, to say the least. The setting was the eerie forbidden forest where the competitors were tasked with facing dementors and performing memory charms on what the champions legitimately thought were Muggles. Turns out they were dummies… Oh what fun it was! Eliminated in that round were: Mason Winslow, Lachlan Wheeler, Carl Leonard, and Cassandra McNally. Sad to see them go, but it was then on to the next… ?
The second challenge took place 10 January and was no less controversial as the champions were put under a strong daydream potion and had to battle the Whomping willow to enter the infamous Shrieking Shack. Once inside they had to solve riddles to retrieve an item that represented each school. Once they awoke there was much drama, not only concerning the potion, but also seeing as many of them fell ill following the finish. Eliminated that round were: Aiden Jones, Irene Avery, Henreitta Kramer, and Tejashree Peale. They fought hard, but as it is, someone had to go. Challenge three was, what some would say, was the MOST controversial challenge of all. It was set in an Arctic tundra and found each competitors most beloved person trapped inside of a magical cage. Yeah, that’s right. In a FROZEN CAGE that would not open without a little Astronomy knowledge. Most everyone broke down during the challenge, but as always everyone saved their person and made it back to the stadium… worse for the wear and angrier than a woken dragon, but still. And the final competitors eliminated before the final were: Jesus Rodriguez, Dora Umbridge, Aurora Chae, and Louise Hamilton. They fought hard and valiantly, but it just didn’t seem to be enough. Onto the final challenge were Levi Kenning, Brent Westwood, Valerie Gray, and Kyle Baker, respectively. Having to survive a hot African rainforest and a whole host of magical creatures… most of which paid them no mind. It was the door to be opened via Rune translation that caused the problem, or so they thought. It was the battle that ensued with a bloody RUNESPOOR that proved to be the largest issue at hand. They all fought hard and came out relatively unscathed, but one person was to be the victor. A hearty congratulations was in order for all champions past and present, but one Kyle Baker of Ilvermorny was the winner of the full ride scholarship to the university of his choice. How quaint that they risked their lives over a scholarship, right?
With the competition coming to an end that meant one thing; THE DRAMA WAS OVER AND THE AMERICANS COULD FINALLY VACATE THE PREMISES! But not before some of the professors seemed to get up to some shadiness. Not that they hadn’t been creeping about the castle the entirety of the term talking about Muggle rights and statute things. At the end of it all, though, they got in their quaint little Beetle and chugged off into the sky and back across the pond! Good riddance was the cheer from most, but there was definitely some bonding had and likely some lifelong bonds forged. Many wonder if we will see them on Scottish soil again anytime soon…?
Term 45 | Term 46 | Term 47
