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

Chapter 8 - The Thirteenth Tower

Neither James nor Melissa ever imagined such a wondrous place. It was lit by two lines of giant chandeliers. A sea of straw boater hats with a blue and cranberry trim; and the rest of the students were sitting in front of four long tables, each laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table on a balcony where the teachers were sitting, some of them very young, embellished with four large pennants in a different set of colors with one animal on it. Chizuru, and the other Resident Advisors, led the first years to their respective tables. The Thunderbird table was on the left next to the Pukwudgie table. "Everyone, take your seats at the table on the far left, please," Chizuru said. "Once the announcements are finished, you may sit anywhere you'd like." 

As everyone began to take their seats, a ghost resembling a young woman in an aviator's suit and wearing a helmet zoomed across the Great Hall on a broomstick until she landed on the table. "Greetings!" she said gleefully in a Minnesota accent, "How are ya? Welcome to Thunderbird! The best House there is at Ilvermorny. Verity Wetherell, the resident ghost of Thunderbird Village, at your service!" She bowed. There were more ghosts, thousands of them.

"Verity! How was your summer, my dear?" said the ghost in the judge's robes.
"Never better, Petrus. Everyone, this is Horned Serpent House Ghost, Petrus Lale. You'll find him in the library."
Charmed, I'm sure," he said quietly.

"New students! I am Jonathan Caldwell! Welcome to Pukwudgie!" Another ghost resembling a fat, little monk spoke with an Irish accent.
"I hope you first-years help Thunderbird win the House Cup," said Verity, "Wampus has won the Cup seven years in a row. I'm tired of hearing Cala's constant gloating! It's making me crazier than a Snallygaster in a tornado."
"Who's Cala?" James asked.
"That would be me," said another female ghost, who appeared out of nowhere and scared James. She was African-American and dressed in garb from the Civil War.
"I'm Cala MaLoon! The Wampus House Ghost and the resident ghost of Wampus Tower! In your dreams, Verity! In. Your. Dreams!" she said as she floated away and cackled. 

"Everyone take your seats. The feast is about to begin," said Emaline. It began to quiet down up until the sudden beating of drums filled the Hall. A group of students in Native American dress with their faces covered in war paint entered the Great Hall. They appeared to represent a different tribe from across the country. They chanted and sang and danced, and beat the drums until it finally stopped. The entire hall immediately burst into applause.
"Welcome, welcome to another year at Ilvermorny!" Fontaine said as if he was excited to see everyone, "Thank you to the Native American Culture Club for that fantastic performance. Now, I have a few words I would like to say to you all before we can begin our wonderful feast." He put on a pair of reading glasses and cleared his throat and began to read from a piece of paper. "First years, please note that the Black Forest is strictly prohibited to all students. By order of the Magical Congress of the United States of America. I have been asked by our caretaker, Mr. Sharp, to remind you that any tunnels on school grounds labeled as "dangerous and unsafe" are forbidden, to those who don't wish to die a most painful death. Thank you.
"Secondly, Quidditch and Quodpot trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Professor Singleton. Baseball tryouts will take place the same week at Joe Wolfe Field in North Adams. Next, we have a change in staff this year. Well, I'm sorry to inform you that Professor Alford, our Creature Care teacher for many years, announced his retirement at the end of last year." There was a collective groan throughout the Great Hall. "However," he continued. "I'm pleased to welcome Ms. Luna Lovegood, who has kindly consented to take his place this year. Good luck professor!" Professor Fontaine raised his hand towards Luna and she stood up and waved to everyone in the hall, and sat down with light applause.
"Well, that should cover it," said Fontaine, as he took a deep breath and took off his glasses. "And now, let the feast...begin." He snapped his finger and an enormous and bountiful barbecue feast filled the gold plates. The twins' mouths fell open. There was barbecue chicken, pulled pork from the Carolinas, burnt ends from Kansas City, Texas-style brisket, spare ribs from Memphis, beef ribs, Tri-tip beef from California, ham, macaroni and cheese, coleslaw, corn on the cob, baked beans, French fries, salad, smoked sausages, buns and rolls, macaroni salad, and potato salad.
James and Melissa's dad is a master barbecuer. His barbecue was great but this seemed a little better. They took a bit of everything. All of it was delicious. 
The hall echoed with talk, laughter, and the clatter of knives and forks as Celestia walked from the Horned Serpent table to where her friends were sitting with her food. 
"Congrats on joining Thunderbird, guys," she said.
"And congratulations on becoming a Horned Serpent. I hope we can still be friends."
"We are friends."
Our dad makes a barbecue at home. No offense to him but I think this might be a little better." 
"Damn right," said Arsenia, chomping on a rack of ribs.
When everyone has had their fill, the bones and the remains of the food vanished, leaving the plates sparkling clean as they were once before. Then, the desserts arrived. Tubes of ice cream in every flavor, Apple pie, peach cobbler, key lime pie, cookies of every variety, brownies, pecan pie, banana pudding, pineapple upside-down cake, Texas sheet cake, Lane Cake, Red Velvet Cake, chess pie, chocolate cake, pound cake, cream puffs, jello cubes, and cheesecakes.
Being the Florida boy that he is, James seemed a little leery about the key lime pie. Until he took a bite. He could not believe it! The key lime pie had real key limes in it! 
"Hey, Chizuru, who's that woman talking to Professor Goode?" She bore a striking likeness to Isolt.
"Oh, her?" said Chizuru, "That's Ailís Sayre."
"What does she teach?" 
"Transfiguration. Hey, that was pretty cool when your sister decided to follow you into Thunderbird. It touched my heart."
"Yeah," James replied. "My sister is...very loyal. She'll pretty much follow me wherever I go. She's my best friend."
"It was really sweet."
Finally, the desserts vanished. Professor Fontaine got to his feet again. 
"Well, now that we are all fed and watered, it's time for bed. But not before we sing the school anthem. Everyone, please rise." Everyone got to their feet. Fontaine reached over and grabbed a guitar. Emaline grabbed her ukulele. "Everyone pick their favorite and...here we go!"