THE NEW YORK GHOST
GAP YEAR 60
Enchanted Dispatches to the American Wizard
Letter from the Editor
by Aeri Song
Dear Readers,
I hope that you enjoyed reading the very first (and probably only) issue of The New York Ghost! It may not have many articles and I do apologize, but everyone has been so busy this year (including me!)
CONTENTS
* Letter from the Editor
* The Creatures Behind the Houses
* Thrilling Quodpot Matches Continue at Ilvermorny Despite Original Student Disappearance
One of the things that I enjoyed trying out this year was introducing The Wizard's Voice. Even though we only had one submission, I might bring it back in future years as The Daily Prophet. But of course that will require some behind-the-scenes discussion.
As always, I am still ecstatic to be the Editor and to be working alongside such great people. I'm also thankful to Jenna for running the ship whenever I need some assistance. I hope to see more subscribers and to have a long run as Editor~
Sincerely,
Aeri Song
The Creatures Behind the Houses
by Reem
As the ferries start leaving for Hogwarts, we will look out the windows back to a place that gave us so much familiarity in the most different of ways. Ilvermorny; an experience never to be forgotten by both students and alumni alike. From solving the mystery of the disappearing people of Ilvermorny to playing the unfamiliar game of Quodpot, we Hogwartians sure made the most of our short-lived experience in the Western Hemisphere. While I did dabble in some of the activities offered by the ghost of Ilvermorny past (considering no one was there in the present), my main focus was to research for my very first article as this esteemed publication’s Consulting Magizoologist.
I decided to look deeper into the history behind the Ilvermorny houses, as they are one of the many similarities shared with Hogwarts. It is common knowledge that the four Hogwarts houses are represented by the lion for Gryffindor, the badger for Hufflepuff, the eagle for Ravenclaw, and the snake for Slytherin. On the other hand, the Ilvermorny houses were a bit on the nose with the creatures chosen to represent them, as the creatures themselves are the names of the houses. That means that the Horned Serpent represents the house of Horned Serpent, the Pukwudgie represents the house of Pukwudgie, and so forth.
Let us begin with the Horned Serpent. Although the Horned Serpent creature is found in many places around the world, it is mainly found in North America. Unfortunately, it was hunted to extinction in Western Europe by wizards searching for potion ingredients. It is obvious from the name that the Horned Serpent is a reptilian creature as they resemble a snake, however, what is interesting about it is that it only resides in the water. This majestic creature has intelligent eyes, but it emits a sort of musical sound to ward off potential enemies. Furthermore, the Horned Serpent has a classification of XXXXX, which is strange considering the founder of Ilvermorny, Isolt Sayre, befriended one of these creatures and thus, named a house after it.
Moving on to Pukwudgie, which, in my opinion, is the most interesting of the four due to the Pukwudgie being the only non-animal representative of a house. Imagine the goblins we have here in Gringotts. Well, the Pukwudgie possesses similar characteristics to a goblin in terms of height and ear shape, as it is also has a small stature and pointy ears. The similarities between the Pukwudgie and the goblin end there as Pukwudgies are creatures of hunting who carried with them poisonous arrows. Despite Isolt Sayre naming one of the Ilvermorny houses after the Pukwudgie, this creature is not at all fond of humans. Their culture possesses a disdain for humankind, regardless of whether or not they are indebted to them, such as the Pukwudgie William who was indebted to Sayre.
A creature of the sky, the Thunderbird is a creature native to the Arizona region that has similarities to the phoenix. This magical creature has a classification of XXXX, which is undeniable considering it can create storms as it flies away. A peculiar thing about the Thunderbird is that it has three pairs of wings, which is the most likely answer to why it can create dangerous storms. The feathers of the Thunderbird are iridescent in nature, being able to turn from gold and blue, to grey, navy, and white when creating the aforementioned storms. Furthermore, this creature can sense danger, which is a skill passed to those who possess wands with a Thunderbird feather core, primarily Transfigurers.
Lastly, we have the Wampus cat, which is a creature that is not as friendly as it sounds. With a classification of XXXXX, the Wampus cat possesses many traits that make it deserving of such a high rank. It is a creature that is impossible to kill due to its magnificent speed and strength. As it is native to the Appalachian Mountains, it is no wonder that it resembles a cougar or a mountain cat, both animals found in mountainous regions. Moreover, the eyes of this creature are where the magic lies. The Wampus cat’s eyes are capable of hypnosis and leglimency, while its tears have severe degenerative properties that could potentially cause severe memory loss at a fast rate. The closest a group of people came to procuring anything from the Wampus cat is when the Cherokee tribe, who have been studying this creature intensely, were able to get a sample of its hair to make a wand core.
This is how I spent my limited time in this unfamiliar continent, researching intensely about the creatures behind the noble Ilvermorny houses. Therefore, as the ferries leave one by one for the ports of Scotland, I hope you carry with you some newfound knowledge on the houses you temporarily belonged to. You may also breathe a sigh of relief in knowing you will never come across these creatures, considering their high classifications do not make for the most friendly of encounters.
by Koolia
Thrilling Quodpot Matches Continue at Ilvermorny Despite Original Student Disappearance
Kablam! The Quod explodes with a loud booming noise as a player is rushed off the field and into the Infirmary. It’s not often that we hear that back at Hogwarts, but this year is different than most others. Year 60 has brought with it a lot of changes, from a totally different country to a school with new houses and all new, unique classes to take, to all the students having gone missing, to the game of Quodpot, which is the most popular sport in Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Differing plenty from our typical Quidditch games, Quodpot is one dimensional, but fast and thrilling. The object of the game is for one’s team to pass the ball (known as a Quod) to each other and shoot it in the other team’s goal. The Quod is explosive, and it can go off with a bang at any time, so both teams had better be nimble and accurate! Let’s dive into the results of this year’s matches.
The first match we watched was between Horned Serpent and Thunderbird. The latter appeared to be at an advantage with eight players on the roster to six, but that didn’t stop Horned Serpent from scoring three points right out of the opening, with Hufflepuff Head Ichigo Mirai, Dragon, Willow, and the house’s prefects pelagia and followthespiders leading the charge. Thunderbird and recent Slytherin graduate Reiluna tried to get her hands on the Quod afterwards, but the pesky ball exploded, and Rei was sent to the medic tent, as referee Ashftslipknot14 halted the game and tossed a new Quod amid the onrushing players. In the end, Horned Serpent came out victorious with four points to one.
Pukwudgie versus Wampus was also a heated match, with both teams determined as ever to maintain possession. Koolia was the first person to take possession, and after some confusion with the rules regarding steals, both teams went back and forth for a bit before october, krystinnnx, Aeri Song and Megan Blincoe managed to make the first goal of the game for Pukwudgie. The Wampi get things figured out and even after the Quod explodes on Koolia, Ashftslipknot14, Reem, KathyP along with Koolia manage to score and tie up the match. At the very end, Wampus makes another goal and wins with an extra point.
Horned Serpent and Wampus face off next, and when watching this match, one can’t help but be reminded of the fierce rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin that raged in Harry Potter’s day! Chel is the first to get her hands on the Quod, but Wampus steals after 6 hours passed without an update from the opposition. After some back and forth amongst the players, Wampus added prefects Leda and starlight to join their ranks as Horned Serpent is the first to score a goal. Wampus counters with a score of their own to tie up the match, but no! Horned Serpent scores again, and as they were about to score for a third time Wampus Prefect starlight manages to barely scrape through with the Quod, allowing Wampus to score and end the match with a tie.
On the other hand, the match between Thunderbird and Pukwudgie was relatively quiet. Thunderbirds Asphodel and Reiluna start off strong and attain possession, only to have a long string of Pukwudgies start passing. SusanHP attempts to score a goal, only for the Quod to explode in her hands and after she is sent to the medic tent, she attempts to score again, but the Thunderbirds take possession, and no score was made – the match ended in a draw.
These were such fun games to play – I’m sure we will all miss Ilvermorny once this year comes to a close. Until then, we do have two matches to enjoy – Horned Serpent versus Pukwudgie, and Thunderbird versus Wampus. Who will come on top? There’s only one way to find out! 😊