"Who do you think he is?" A boy standing next to the gates asked his friends.
"Does it really matter?" A girl with copper-red hair answered as she flicked her hair away, "Must be some reach wannabe Nobel or just some kid who is too rich for his own good right, Liya?"
The girl name Liya who had a very similar resemblance to the boy next to her except she had glasses, didn't respond as she kept staring at the guy who just got out from his car. Though the boy was one of the good-looking ones, the girl didn't think it was something to fawn over as she pushed Liya a bit to wake her up from her daze which made Liya jump.
"What's wrong with you Alice?" The girl said getting a bit annoyed as she pushed her glasses.
"What's wrong with you?" Alice asked, "Don't tell me you've fallen for that kid, like love at first sight."
"I-It's not that." The girl said blushing a little, "It's just I recognize him?"
"Is he famous or something?" The boy asked confused.
"Yeah, a little." Liya answered, "He's Archer Rakepick, son of Patricia Rakepick."
"Never heard of them." The boy said shaking his head, "What are they famous for?"
"Ben, you idiot. I have told you before that you should at least read once in a while." Alice said, "Even I know who Patricia Rakepick is. Especially considering she has been in the news a lot lately with all the murders happening around."
"They are famous curse-breakers, Ben," Liya said, "Also be nice to my brother, Alice."
"If he wasn't your brother, I wouldn't even be talking to him." Alice said snorting, "So is he a curse-breaker as well? I mean isn't it a job for someone qualified not someone his age?"
"You mean our age? And he isn't an official one but it hasn't stopped him from going on adventures with his mother earning him a unique reputation of his own." Liya said, "It must be fun to just travel around but I do wonder why he is here considering he was born and raised in the UK?"
"He sounds interesting, wanna go and talk?" Alice said but seeing the awkward reaction of the brother-sister duo she rolled her eyes, "Fine, I'll go by myself."
But before she could she saw a girl walking towards him as well.
―==(oIo)==―
"Hey! Archer."
Archer who was managing his luggage looked back to see Selena running towards him. "How have you been?"
"Just as I was before." Archer said with a smile as he hugged her with one hand for a short while, "And you?"
"I am good too." Selena replied looking a bit heated up.
"And here I thought you'd be the shy kind." Bill said as he came closer towards them, "You must be the beautiful lady from the shop last time right?"
Selena nodded getting more flustered as she didn't expect flattery.
"Don't you have anywhere to go?" Archer asked Bill as he looked at his muggle watch, "The gate is going to open in five more minutes, so you can leave."
"Can't do." Bill said shaking his head, "It's an order from your mother to not return back until you enter that gate."
"Archer, right?" As they were chatting a girl came towards them with a smile that could melt someone's heart in an instant. The girl was fascinatingly beautiful, to say the least.
"Lucky!" Bill said patting his shoulder but Archer's expression wasn't much different from before.
"And you are?"
"How rude of me." The girl said as she softly fixed her hair behind her ear, "I am Alice Lane."
"Archer Rakepick." Archer replied nodding not giving much attention to her charm, "So did you need something from me?"
Alice was taken back a bit but she smiled again, a bit different from the way she did before, "At least, you don't act the way you look."
"What do I look like?"
"A pretty-boy," Alice said, "Don't take it the wrong way, it's actually my way of giving a compliment."
"Well, I guess that makes the two of us then," Archer said as Alice gave a boyish grin.
"You're interesting." Alice said extending her hand, "Let's be friends."
"I wouldn't mind." Archer shook her hand, as he suddenly heard a bit of cough from his side, "Oh, And this is my friend, Selena Wolfe."
"Oh! from the Wolfe family?" Alice raised her eyebrows, "I didn't expect to meet two famous people today."
"I am not famous, just my surname is." Selena said looking not so happy about how Alice came about trying to seduce Archer, "But it's not like the Lane family isn't famous."
"Well, we just own a couple of restaurants that's all." Alice shrugged it off as if it was nothing, "Though I can treat you both sometimes if you like."
"I will take you on the offer then." Archer said to Selena's dismay but before they could continue, they heard a loud bell ring as the sound lingered for a long time.
Suddenly, people started getting in their cars and leaving as quickly as the can as if they had forgotten something nearly clearing half the people from this place.
"It's enchanted to drive muggles away." Alice said looking the confusion on Archer's face, "So any guardians who are no-majs or just no-maj who are nearby will leave this place right away after they hear the sound."
"It also means the gate is now opening." Selena said trying to not lose to Alice.
And just as she said, the mist started clearing up from the mountain until they could see the forest surrounding the area and a path which led to a huge castle on top of the mountain. The gate slowly opened itself up and through their came empty carriages dragged by an Aethonan, a type of winged horse while they were being led by a man.
The carriages stopped right at the gates as the man stood right at the center of it. The man was wearing a black robe, his face completely hidden under the hood. He stood there carrying a huge staff that was taller than him. As everything went quite the man spoke up,
"Dear young wizards, I welcome you to Ilvermorny." The man said with a deep and loud voice which was enough to scare a lot of people and the fact he sounded a bit old didn't help with the scary part either, "I am Christofer, the gatekeeper here at Ilvermorny who will lead you to the castle as you begin your journey towards being a successful wizard or a witch."
The people around listened carefully as to what the man had to say as he continued, "Only those with the Invitation letter shall enter the gates and ride the carriages if not consequences will occur for forceful entry. Please make sure to take it slow and enter."
The people around started saying their goodbyes to the once that were remaining.
"Your dad isn't here, today?"
"He said he hates goodbyes so he left right before you came in." Selena replied, "You could've enjoyed seeing his face."
"I missed it." Archer said wondering if John cried or not as he looked at Bill, "Be safe and make sure to look after my mother."
"Will do," Bill said nodding. "Don't tell me you want a hug?"
Throughout the month they had been together both of them had become closer through training and duels as they began understanding each other more. With Bill being the youngest of the curse-breaker he didn't have much duty to follow so he too enjoyed the company of Archer who was very mature for his age.
"Go now." Archer said rolling his eyes, "Goodbye."
"Goodbye."