#284 - Chapter 284: Novel Sorting Ceremony

On Sunday morning, after breakfast, two Ilvermorny students arrived to guide Harry and the others on a tour of the campus.

As Harry and his companions walked through the North American magic school, they sensed an atmosphere distinctly different from Hogwarts.

Listening to the Ilvermorny students recount the school's history, Harry gradually became captivated by its background.

He learned that Ilvermorny's founding could be traced back to the early 17th century.

At that time, it was merely a small stone cottage, built by an Irish witch named Isolt Sayre and her Muggle husband, James Steward.

Harry found it incredible that this now vast magic school had initially been established by Isolt for her two adopted children, Chadwick and Webster.

Isolt had shared stories of Hogwarts, filling the two children with longing for the magical world.

By the time the two children turned eleven, a school with only two teachers and two students was established.

As time passed, Ilvermorny's reputation gradually spread, and many wizarding families began sending their children to study there.

As Ilvermorny grew and prospered, the original small stone cottage was continuously expanded, eventually becoming a magnificent castle.

Harry and the others continued their tour of the school, eventually arriving at a well-known attraction outside the school: a densely grown Serpentwood tree, heavily protected.

"This Serpentwood tree is extremely resilient, impossible to cut down or destroy. Its leaves possess powerful healing properties, making it an excellent ingredient for brewing healing potions."

Harry was curious about just how magical this Serpentwood tree was, to warrant such tight security.

The dense array of protective magical runes sent a shiver down his spine with just a glance.

However, Harry felt a strange impulse to communicate with the tree in Parseltongue.

To avoid causing trouble, Harry forcefully suppressed his absurd urge.

Unbeknownst to Harry, this Serpentwood tree had actually grown from a special wand.

It was the Serpentwood wand personally crafted by Salazar Slytherin himself, with a core made from basilisk horn.

It possessed a remarkable function: upon hearing commands issued in Parseltongue, it would enter a dormant or awakened state.

Fortunately, Harry hadn't acted impulsively, or it could have potentially triggered a major disturbance.

As evening approached, Sebastian and Snape led the five students to the Sorting Hall.

Indeed, the special event prepared by Ilvermorny before the dinner was to allow the delegation from other schools to experience their unique Sorting Ceremony.

Then, based on the Sorting results, the students from each delegation would be dispersed to the tables of the various houses, in order to achieve the purpose of exchange and learning.

Because Ilvermorny was established by Isolt Sayre in imitation of Hogwarts.

Therefore, like Hogwarts, it also has four different houses.

However, unlike Hogwarts, the names of the four houses here all originate from North American magical creatures, personally chosen by the school's founders.

Thunderbird House was founded by Chadwick Boot.

The Thunderbird is a magical creature capable of controlling storms, symbolizing adventurousness and the pursuit of freedom.

Chadwick himself was a wizard who longed to explore the world. He imbued this house with a spirit of courage and fearlessness. The students of the house mostly enjoy adventure and travel, just like the Thunderbird soaring freely in the storm.

Compared to Hogwarts, this house is similar to Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.

Pukwudgie House was founded by Chadwick's younger brother, Webster.

The Wampus is a magical creature with immense power and speed, symbolizing unwavering determination. This house reveres warriors and emphasizes the strength and resolve of its students. This house is similar to Gryffindor and Slytherin.

Horned Serpent House was founded by Isolt Sayre.

The Horned Serpent is an elegant and mysterious aquatic creature, symbolizing wisdom and insight.

Isolt hoped to cultivate wizards who valued wisdom and learning through the house's education. The students of the house are usually intelligent and academically enthusiastic, skilled at problem-solving and contemplation.

This house is somewhat similar to Ravenclaw and Slytherin at Hogwarts.

Pukwudgie House was founded by James Steward, the Muggle, symbolizing healing and care.

The Pukwudgie is a magical creature skilled in healing. The students of the house are mostly compassionate, eager to help others and participate in healing work.

This house is similar to Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw at Hogwarts.

Unlike the Sorting Ceremony at Hogwarts, there is no Sorting Hat here to decide which house a student goes to.

Instead, four magical statues consider whether they are willing to accept the student into their house.

When multiple statues express a willingness to recruit, the choice reverts to the students themselves.

When Sebastian and the others arrived at the Sorting Hall, the delegations from the other schools had already arrived.

Yo—

The people from the other schools arrived quickly. It seems everyone is very interested in Ilvermorny's Sorting Ceremony.

Sebastian glanced at the delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, thinking secretly in his heart.

I wonder if these two schools will still perform any talents later.

Logically speaking, they shouldn't, after all, each school has at most five students, and they can't even gather enough people for a talent performance.

Harry kept scanning the delegations from the various schools around him. It was the first time he had seen students from different magic schools around the world.

He didn't see anyone familiar in the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang teams.

However, there was a dazzling witch in the Beauxbatons team, with silver-white hair that reached her waist.

She was too beautiful, and just standing there attracted the attention of many students present.

Harry really wanted to take out his magical camera to take a picture, to take back to Hogwarts and let his friends have a good look.

He would bet that Ron had never seen such a beautiful girl.

However, thinking that such behavior was too impolite, Harry could only obediently stand in the team, waiting to participate in Ilvermorny's Sorting Ceremony.

Soon, the Sorting Ceremony ended.

Cedric was chosen by the Pukwudgie statue, Percy was favored by the Wampus statue, and Penelope and Theodore were accepted by the Horned Serpent House.

Harry, on the other hand, was simultaneously recruited by the Thunderbird House and the Wampus House.

After a moment of contemplation, he joined the Thunderbird House's table.

The lavish dinner began, and the students who were originally somewhat nervous all relaxed and began chatting with students from other schools.

Through communicating with students from other schools, Harry was surprised to discover that each magic school had its own characteristics.

Uagadou sends out dream messengers during admissions, and then informs the children of their acceptance in their dreams while they are sleeping.

After the children wake up, they will find that they are holding a special stone with inscriptions.

Students at Mahoutokoro are recruited at the age of seven. Between the ages of seven and eleven, these children commute between home and school by riding giant storm petrels, until they officially start boarding after the age of eleven.

Castelobruxo has a castle like a temple. Its founding time is very close to that of Hogwarts. A thousand years ago, the two schools shared the magic of hiding the school.

So to this day, there is still controversy in the magical world about which school first came up with this method.

After the dinner ended, as soon as they returned to the dormitory, Sebastian called everyone to his dormitory.

Looking at these smiling students, Sebastian said softly.

"The first round of the competition will begin at nine o'clock on Monday morning."

"Everyone cheer up and pay attention to the questions for tomorrow's test."

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