The Secrets Of The Gordian Knot Book 1: Book Of Secrets

Chapter 3 - James' Junction

7 months later

Seven months had passed since the day Emaline Goode came to Florida and personally hand-delivered James's and Melissa's letter, telling them both that they were wizards. Their lives had changed forever in just one day and would never be the same again. Now, they were preparing to leave home and head to Ilvermorny, their new school. Their mom had told their old school that they were moving to Miami (They were told by Emaline not to mention Ilvermorny). On James and Melissa's last day of elementary school, their classmates threw them both a farewell party.

The next day, August 26th, Mom and Dad drove them both to the train station that was described in the supplies list early in the morning. They both said goodbye to their parents and they left. And so, they waited for their train to come with nothing but their suitcases, full of their clothes and everything they were bringing with them to Ilvermorny.
"Are you excited, Mel?" said James to his sister.
"Yes," she said. "Emaline didn't even give us a ticket for the train."

"Don't worry," James said as he showed Melissa his Gordian Knot pendant. "I think she said that the necklace doubles as our ticket for the train," he said. He put it down. As they waited for their train to come, it was still very dark outside.
"I wonder how we get our schoolbooks and supplies," James thought to himself.
Several hours had passed and both James and Melissa had fallen asleep with Melissa sleeping on her brother's shoulder. It was now 5 minutes to 8 o'clock. Suddenly, a faint rumbling began to shake the ground and she woke up. "James," said Melissa. "Do you hear that rumbling?" James was still asleep. "It's probably an earthquake. Not even a 4-pointer. Go back to sleep," he said groggily and closed his eyes. Then, the Gordian Knot pendants around their necks began to glow gold.

"No really, I hear some rumbling, dude." As the sun began to rise, the rumbling became louder. Suddenly, James woke up. He could feel the rumbling as well. It began to get louder and louder. Then, a loud deafening screeching sound was coming from the train tracks. A faint pair of lights began to appear on the tracks. "EARTHQUAKE!!!", James yelled and it knocked him onto the ground. He and Melissa can feel it but everyone else who was at the train station preparing to head to work, could not feel the rumbling. A second later, a pair of wheels and a headlight manifested themselves. They belonged to a train, a locomotive that appeared to be about 150 years old, covered in blue and cranberry red paint bearing the Ilvermorny crest and silver lettering spelled James' Junction: The Atlantic Flyway Express. It then came to a screeching halt. For a split second, James had wondered if had been knocked silly by the fall he had taken. No one else could see the train, except for them. Then a conductor in a blue and cranberry uniform stepped out of the train and began to speak into the morning with what sounded like a Southern accent.

"Good morning and welcome to The James' Junction Atlantic Flyway Express, the official transport for all Ilvermorny students from across the Eastern Seaboard traveling to New York to begin the school year at Ilvermorny School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry. My name is Rylen Westbrook and I will be your conductor this morn-" He stopped abruptly and caught sight of James, who was still sitting on the ground. Melissa walked up to him and reached her hand out to him. James took it and lifted himself back on his feet. "Are you okay, James?", said Melissa. He nodded yes. Close up, the young man looked somewhat older than James and Melissa, twenty or twenty-one at least. "What are you doing?" he said.
"I fell over," said James.
"What did you fall over for?"
"I didn't do it on purpose." 

"Well, come on. Let's not wait for the grass to grow!" Melissa peered at the other side of the train car to see if anyone could see the train. 
"What are you looking at, young lady?" said Rylen.
She looked around at Rylen, whose mouth was only slightly open.
"Can't they see this train?" Melissa asked.
"Oh, the No-Majs?" Rylen scoffed, "Not at all. They don't suspect a thing!"
They both looked at each other very confused. They had no idea what a "No-Maj" was. So, out of curiosity, James asked: "What's a No-Maj?"
"What's a No-Maj?! It's our name for non-magic people," said Rylen. "They call them Muggles over in England. Just hop on the train. I'll grab your luggage and take you to your stateroom." James and Rylen grabbed the luggage, lifted them onto the train, and walked to their assigned stateroom. "This one's yours," Rylen said. "You'll be sharing with---," He stopped again to grab a piece of paper from his pockets. He put the trunk down and ran his finger down the list. "Ah! Here we are! James and Melissa Evercreetch! You'll both be sharing with Arsenia Gonzales."
"I think I might have heard that name before," said James.
"We should be on our way by now. Enjoy your stay at James' Junction." Rylen smiled and walked away.
"Oh, and feel free to look around!" he added, "Breakfast will be served very soon."
For a very old train, the stateroom looked surprisingly very modern. There were a bench and a table that turned into a bed, as well as air-conditioning, a bathroom, plenty of electrical outlets, and a trunk that had been already unpacked. Among the items was what appeared to be a broomstick. James felt almost tempted to touch it, but he knew very well that it was not his to touch.