studiobondurri 178: Ilvermorny and Kowalski
178: Ilvermorny and Kowalski
178: Ilvermorny and Kowalski
In 1945, both the Muggle and magical worlds saw the end of their respective battles.
Grindelwald was defeated by Dumbledore, and the Muggle world witnessed the conclusion of the Second World War.
As a victorious nation, America experienced rapid development. Unlike Britain, it was filled with a lively and vibrant atmosphere.
This energy extended into its magical schools as well.
Ilvermorny—a school established by a descendant of Salazar Slytherin—stood out among them.
Founded in the 17th century, the school was built atop Greylock Mountain in Massachusetts. Initially, it was merely a stone cottage constructed by Isolt Sayre and her husband, James Steward.
Over time, it expanded and flourished, eventually becoming the foremost magical school in America.
Much like Hogwarts, Ilvermorny is divided into four houses:
Horned Serpent, known for favoring scholars and lovers of knowledge.
Thunderbird, which welcomes adventurers.
Wampus, which values warriors of great determination and courage.
Pukwudgie, which selects healers known for their kindness and nobility.
The structure closely mirrors that of Hogwarts' four houses.
But instead of using a Sorting Hat like Hogwarts, Ilvermorny sorts its students in a unique way.
Students stand atop the Gordian Knot engraved on the stone floor of the hall. Four statues, representing the houses, choose the students.
If more than one house welcomes a student, the final choice lies with the student.
One of the most famous examples is Seraphina Picquery, the former President of MACUSA, who was chosen by all four houses. She ultimately chose Horned Serpent.
"Sounds like Hogwarts Sorting Hat with extra steps," John remarked.
John and Heinrich arrived outside the school just as the morning mist began to rise.
The castle-like structure loomed amidst the fog, shrouded in mystery. From their vantage point, the two watched in silence.
Ilvermorny had been enchanted with powerful protective spells, rendering it invisible to Muggles—or rather, "No-Majs," as American wizards called non-magical folk.
On his international excursion, John couldn't resist visiting this renowned school.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Wick was engrossed in fashion week, glued to the runway shows. It seemed likely his father's credit card was about to max out.
John's travel companion, Heinrich, was a prodigy in his own right. By his fifth year at Durmstrang, he had already mastered Apparition.
Given that Durmstrang didn't adhere to strict trace laws, Heinrich had simply used a Portkey to travel to America. From there, he Apparated directly to the summit of Greylock Mountain.
John donned his mask as the mountain wind whipped his robes, making them billow dramatically.
Before long, they spotted a winged horse soaring toward their location.
The Pegasus, backlit by the sun, looked like a child of the heavens descending from the skies.
On its back sat a golden-haired boy with bright blue eyes, his carefree smile as radiant as his wind-swept hair. Upon landing, he leapt off the Pegasus and ran toward John.
"Sir Johnny Silverhand! I didn't expect you'd come looking for me!"
Kim Ledyslay, once a holiday worker at Johnny Silverhand's specialty store, now stood before them.
Seeing his former employer was an incredible surprise for Kim, who had hoped to return to the shop this break. Unfortunately, with the Quidditch World Cup around the corner and a ticket landing in his hands, his plans had changed.
John's voice carried a hint of amusement as he greeted him. "Kim, even though you've left Johnny Silverhand's Speciality Shop, I'll always consider you a friend."
"Sir, that's an honor," Kim replied, flashing his brilliant white teeth in a dazzling smile.
Turning his attention to the pale-faced figure beside John, Kim extended his hand enthusiastically. "Kim Ledyslay, Ilvermorny student."
Each loaf had a unique design—some resembled Erumpents, while others mimicked the appearance of Mooncalves.
"Are these all magical creatures?"
Turning to the plump baker behind the counter, John cautiously asked, "Do you happen to know the twelve uses of dragon's blood?"
"Dragon's blood?" The baker gave him a blank stare, looking genuinely puzzled.
John could sense that the man wasn't pretending. This raised even more questions in his mind.
If this baker wasn't a wizard, why were these loaves shaped like magical creatures?
Purchasing a few of the whimsical breads, John stepped out of the bakery. As he walked outside, his eyes caught the shop's sign.
"Kowalski Bakery?" he murmured, testing the name on his tongue.
He speculated: either someone in this shop's history had wizarding ties, or they had somehow seen these magical beasts.
Not long after John left, a freckled young boy walked into the bakery. Opening the door, he called out to the baker, "Mr. Kowalski, is Quentin around?"
"Rolf, take some bread home—your grandfather will love it," the plump baker said with a wide smile.
Rolf Scamander scratched his head sheepishly before nodding.
...
New York certainly had its charms, especially Chinatown. The food there still retained its authentic flavors, not yet "modernized" or dulled to suit broader tastes.
"Fuck my life..."
Unfortunately, everything John ate was completely flavorless.
"Hmm? Did you say something dear?"
"No, mum.. you heard something?"
"I think.. well that doesn't matter! Please eat now. You look too skinny. Eat to your heart's content, and don't make Mommy too worried."
'Fuck.. my.. life...(┬┬_┬┬) '
Faced with the delicacies of Asian cuisine, John ended up eating more than usual. Even though the food tasted bland to him, at least its aroma and presentation were a little appealing.
This eased Mrs. Wick's worries slightly. Her son's usual lack of appetite had been a significant source of anxiety.
'If this trip could make John eat a proper meal, then it's worth every penny,' Mrs. Wick thought, feeling a newfound urgency to master the art of Asian cooking.
They rented an apartment in New York, and every day, Mrs. Wick would call back to check in with Watson.
Watson assured her to enjoy the trip, as everything back home had been mostly settled.
For reasons unknown, several prominent figures who had recently made threats against Watson had met untimely ends.
Some drowned, some fell to their deaths, and others simply disappeared without a trace.
This left Watson with little to worry about—except for Sean, who refused to leave him alone. Sean was convinced that these mysterious incidents were Watson's way of flexing his power.
It only strengthened Sean's belief in Fain Wallace's unshakable trust in Watson.
The latter had now earnestly invited Watson to become the second-in-command of the Wallace family, which left the law-abiding Watson feeling overwhelmed.
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