Magic in North America: Origins of the Nation

The final piece that J.K. Rowling written and posted on Pottermore is the moment many waited for, for she tells the story of how Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry began. This is the final entry of the 6 part essay in History of Magic in North America.

Ilvermorny is a school founded in the early to mid 1600s by four immigrants that came to America from over seas. The Primary founder was a girl from Ireland named Isolt Sayre (pronounced Eye-zolt Say-er) who ran away from her aunt after finding out a truth surrounding her parents, William and Rionach. The second known founder was, surprisingly, a non-magical boy from Plymouth, James Steward. The final two founders are brothers who lost their parents in a mishap to a Hidebehind, they are Chadwick and Webster Boot, and wizards. Isolt and James became headmasters after having 2 daughters; squib Martha Sayre and a witch, Rionach (who never married). Webster became a Auror for Hire and married a Scottish witch and had kids who went to Hogwarts. His brother stayed and became an author and a teacher of Charms, later married to a healer in Mexico. Many generations later, today, the Boot-Calderon family is a well known and important family.

Lets back up a bit:

I noted how the school must have influenced America when it comes to the colors used by the continental army, given Isolt chose blue and James for red a decade before.

So, Who is Islot Sayre?

Isolt Sayre is a witch and daughter to two families; according to her aunt. One family is her fathers William Sayre and her mother's family. William is a son of a known witch who is also an animagi, her name is Morrigan. Isolt's mother, Rionach, has a sister, Isolt's aunt, Gormlaith, and both are members of Isolt's other family. Gormlaith and Rionach are sisters in the Gaunt family. Making Isolt important to the wizarding world already. Gormlaith, Isolt found out, killed her mother and father and wanted her to represent the Slytherin name. And Isolt would not know till she was older that her wand, who she stole from her aunt, is Slytherin's wand. She wan away to the new world in 1620 and met new people and a pukwudgie who helped her as a servant; something he hated. When Isolt saw the boys who were hurt, she told the pukwudgie that their health would suffice the payment he regretted. After they got better, the pukwudgie, true, left. His name was never given and is only called William. After she met James, whose a stonemason, she helped him get better after he casted a wand, causing him to be knocked out. She fell in love with him as her fear that he will hate her leaves. She had a nightmare once about a snake and went to it, a horned serpent who could telepathically communicate to her, warned her about the dangers her family will confront. This was before she met James and the boys. A time when William the Pukwudgie was around. Isolt, for some time, was called Morrigan, and Gormlaith eventually found out who she was when she heard the name Ilvermorny. There was a fight between Isolt's sons and Aunt, she kept her aunt's existence hidden from them until she felt she needed to say. She was scarred and called her father, and the pukwudgie came and stabbed her heart with a poisonous arrow. (Given she is related to Slytherin and Gaunt makes her connected to Voldermort, the three brothers and Harry Potter.)

Now lets' go into another thing; responses.

As I said a sum up of the story, here is what i noticed:

The story of Islot Sayre is a retelling of a known muggle fairy tale; Sisters, evil aunt, a protagonist who finds out who she was, is a story of Cinderella. Isolt has an evil aunt (stepmother) who didn't allow her to attend school (a royal dance) and even ripped her letter (an invitation). She falls in love with a handsome stonemason (prince charming). Both Isolt and Dorcus Twelvetrees (Cinderella/Rapunzel) are examples of an adapted fairy tale twisted to fit the Wizarding World. Both, I think, is indicating a parallel to Beedle the Bard, an American Bard. A book that has those stories and more; something that is indicated is Isolt being a parseltongue is a legend in the world (referenced to in Newt's 2017 edition of his book).

I think J.K. Rowling is indicating what many ask for in the story that is not recognized. American Beedle, but, importantly, are the houses.

What does it mean to be in a house in the American School of Magic?

There are clues within The History of Magic in North America about the very defination of what it means to be a Pukwudgie, a Horned Serpent, a Thunderbird, and a Wampus.

Wampus House:

Chosen as the favorite by Webster Boot, Wampus is a 6-legged cat. They are STRONG, FAST, and HARD TO KILL. The house represents the BODY of the witch and wizard. The Body is a physical part of the self; the strong, fast, power-house. A WARRIOR. It represents STRENGTH like in STRENGTH IN NUMBERS. The founder that chose this house was LOYAL and BRAVE. The cat also can read minds and has the power of hypnosis-wand. Legilimens/Legilimency (Johannes Jonkers-a Muggle-Born, to put it simply. His father is a No-Maj, American cabinet maker, and mother is a Muggle, European. His article has him as a Muggle-Born, which means the same with No-Maj-Born, he was born in Europe making him a Muggle-Born. He came to America and experimented with many animals before finding a Wampus. Only the Cherokee knows how to use it.)

Thunderbird House:

Webster's brother chose the Thunderbird; which are believed by some tribes to be gods who take the form of humans and impregnate the woman to carry the child - this is why it says when a feather is used for a wand, its best for those with good transfiguration skills. He was HIGHLY TEMPERED but, INTELLIGENT. The house represents the SOUL of the witch, the soul is the true self; who you are. It is the SPIRIT like as in THE SPIRIT OF AMERICA. Often ADVENTEROUS.

Horned Serpent House:

The Horned Serpent is a beast known for seeing the future due to the stone on its forehead. This could suggest that, as a wand, the user might have this capability or ones who are masters with Divination or seers. Given premonitions are important to the identity in America.... It represents the MIND, so they think about the problems at hand. These SCHOLARS study to the point that it is permanent in the their brains. They represent POWER, the more they know the more powerful they are so, KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. Often times can be JUDGEMENTAL. The House was founded by a parstletongue, Isolt Sayre. I want to note also Isolt cares for people.

Pukwudgie House:

They are beings who can do magic of their own - fire. The arrows are poisonous, so can be deadly. But, like William, they will attack ones that do harm to others. They are BRAVE AT HEART. Chosen by Isolt's husband, James Steward, they protect people, HEALERS - which can be anything from careers (mediwizards) to simply assuring others so, they heal in many ways. The reason the HEART is the part it represents is because William stabbed Gormlaith's heart. Much like William, they are SENSITIVE, but/and don't like to show it so they often show ANGER instead. They are very EMOTIONAL who secretly loves everyone. LOVE is the key trait of this house. Much like with James, when they believe in something they will see it. James loved the stories that Isolt told and he loved it so much he believed it and saw it.

STRENGTH POWER SPIRIT LOVE

Combined makes the perfect self, community, and society. J.k. Rowling said the houses are not in common with Hogwarts. I do think they do. interior vs exterior. Which is to say, much like Beauxbaton and Durmstrang, Ilvermorny will have a preference of where to sit.

Isolt Sayre got a letter to Hogwarts, her birth is early 1600s, her letter came at the year she turned 11and was ripped by her Aunt. She left to America in 1620. After she built a home and later becoming a school, she chose blue as she thinks she would be a Ravenclaw. Durmstrang and Beauxbaton sits at the houses they sit at for a reason. The houses reflects the personality of the school and traits of the students. The French sat on Ravenclaw with the traits of knowledge and Durmstrang sits with Slytherins as both are ambitious. I could say that Ilvermorny students would sit on different tables like Pukwudgie with Gryffindors, Thunderbird, thou it could be at most the Horned Serpent, with Ravenclaw. Wampus with Hufflepuff, or Thunderbird and Slytherins slytherins would do anything to get to a goal and thunderbirds will keep doing something despite that they are not allowed. That is a mess. Ilvermorny is about Union/Unity, this is why everyone wears the same colors. Ilvermorny as a whole would sit on one table. Now the colors are blue and red, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, respectively. That alone would suggest the tables the students would sit at and yet one table would be Ravenclaw. But Ilvermorny, much like the history of magic in North America, first and foremost, is about choice. So, wherever they please to sit.

This information has two branches, one i think is a precursor and the other a continuation when it comes to the details. When there was enough students, inter-house competitions became a thing. What are they? no idea. Gobstones, Quidditch, Quodpot, everything. It is purposefully generalized.

But what about inter-school competitions? The other branch of the connection. America is similar to Africa and Europe. This could suggest Ilvermorny, a school in Europe, and Uagadou are in a three-school tournament. No-Maj, i think comes from Non-Magique, and it is not the only french connection. Ilvermorny-Beauxbaton-Uagadou. Plants and animals are important magic in America. Uagadou has animagus organizations, maybe tournaments. Animagus tournaments and Herbology tournaments. However, animal links to Transfiguration. Everything animal, everything plants.

To have an Inter-school competition, the school must have a way of transport.

Transportation:

No indication of any form of transport to school, so i must rely on the world. Witches and wizards would apparate and use broomsticks until the Minister Ottaline Gambol, introduced trains inspired by muggles. Students attend Hogwarts on an express way within Kings Cross Station to the Highlands of Scotlands where the school sits. I can assume they all have a train. and America's London is New York making the Kings Cross Station equivalent being the Grand Central Terminal on 42nd Street and Park Avenue.

There is even an astrological chart on the ceiling.

(Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has a store on 42nd Street). Some fans calls it the Ilvermorny Line. There is a railway to Salem (the Hogsmede of America) which then youd have to take a ride all the way to Mount Greylock, perhaps on carriage pulled by the Jersey Devil, or Leeds as i call them. Going back to inter-school links, Durmstrang has a ship and Beauxbatton famously uses a carriage pulled by Abraxans. Isolt Sayre boarded the Mayflower with others under a name of Elias Story (who existed according to a list of names present). Then the Mayflower is referenced to on the crest by MinaLima as a flower of the name. The Mayflower, itself, I think is the transport between schools. Salvaged by witches and wizards. This makes the school connected to Durmstrang. (I also think the school could use it as a newspaper.)

J.K. Rowling is teasing what books, if any, would be about:

There are subjects or themes that are referenced which would be major to any secrets the school has. The major thing that the essay teases is the tree. The tree is made of Snakewood (Schlangenholz) that blossomed out of the wand of Slytherin, which has medicinal properties. This suggests, as many people, as the essay indicates, the very best parts spreads throughout the land of America. This is a reference of myth. I said previously that the wizard who founded America is an animagus who turns to an eagle (even thou it is a phoenix that the Magical Congress uses). The snake plays a role in explaining the personality of the nation. Unfortunately, the essay does not say what those good parts were. Salazar was never a bad guy, he just has a more understanding view to why Hogwarts should be a pure-blood school, which is to protect the world. The snake in the ground might be from mounds of glyphs of snakes. The Serpent Mounds are areas where technology malfunction and compasses will not point north but will keep going in a circle. It is way of making it un-plottible similar to Hogwarts or the Bermuda Triangle. So it's not just mist. Natives believe that a great snake was buried in the lands. Ilvermorny has a forbidden forest of its own, the Freetown-Fall River State Forest, and there is a stone serpent mound was reported to be there and a triangle of its own called Bridgewater Triangle. The wand, being a wand, has a basilisk core, surely it is giving some affect to the tree. The tree is not only behind the school but also is a symbol on a tower in a glass.

Salazar would be important to the what is going on as well. Parseltongues, Slytherin, Snakewood tree, the basilisk gives the nation its identity.

The Thunderbird could also indicate a part of the hero's (whoever) journey. This comes from the film and how the Thunderbird is a cousin of the Phoenix.

There is a symbol that Ilvermorny has plastered around much like the Deathly Hallows with Durmstrang. The symbol is an endless loop that keeps going which is found on the gates of the castle, on the platform that students stand on when they get sorted and on the robes itself that fastens the sides together. It is also a pendent that Isolt Sayre had around her neck from her mother. The Symbol is a Gordian Knot. The Gordian Knott is known in two ways; the symbol of Trinity and a large ball of rope or strings with no starting point and no end.

The Trinity symbol is the one on the pendent of Rionach/Isolt, which is also a common look in Celtic lore. It is seen in Lord of the Rings but not directly because of what it represents.

The trinity represents the father, the son, and the holy spirit in christianity. The power of three. 3 is a number JK uses with the amount of heroes (even thou there is a forth). The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Harry, Ron, Hermione. The Three Brothers. Harry, Voldermort, and Albus. Albus, Grindelwald, and Newt-perhaps. If Isolt herself is one of 3, whose the other 2? James...

The gordian knot is a ball of string that Alexander of Macedonia simply cuts with a knife. A ball that is deemed as impossible to untie. The fact it can't be untied suggests a bond. But as Alexander shows, a bond can be broken, and there is a start and an end.

Morrigan herself is a huge clue. Morrigan might be a witch in the world who could turn into a crow, but she is more than that. The Morrigan is an Irish Goddess who is known for her symbol of the crow. Associated with War, Destiny, Fate, and Death. In a way, Isolt is a granddaughter of a goddess. She is called The Morrigan because the name can be 3 people. In King Arthur there is a character named Morgan Le Fay that researchers think there is a link to who is seductive person and has sexual relationships with Merlin (who is in the world of Harry Potter). She is a Phantom Queen. She is not just a clue to the school but even a story. Morrigan is a name that Isolt has a nickname by her father. She went by that name for a time to avoid the possibility of confrontation with Gormlaith. At this time, the anthem was made.

Anthems:

Essays say that a student attends the Dome where they get sorted and then after the student enters a Large Hall where a wand gets chosen. The Large Hall is Ilvermorny's Great Hall so i can assume students eat there. Not just dine there but also say the pledge of allegiance. That is what the song is, it is an allegiance to Isolt and an account of her life. The school song is different from Hogwarts in theme.

The Anthem of the No-Majes:

The anthem changed over the years with its wording:

"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America,

and to the Republic for which it stands,

one Nation under God,

indivisible,

with liberty and justice for all."

It is short and direct. This is sung in school with our hands over our hearts (Massachusetts) and it is about unity, it is our allegiance to the flag which is a symbol of vigilance (which is a term the Ministry of Magic says and the Magical Congress as "Constant Vigilance", purity, valor, etc. Republic being that power belongs to the people."Under God" was never there from "my heart to God" In fact 1906 had a slightly different wording: "I pledge allegiance to my flag, and the republic for which it stands. I pledge my head and my heart to God and my country. One country, one language and one flag." Head and Heart.

The Anthem of Hogwartians:

Hogwarts, Hogwarts,

Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

Teach us something please, Whether we be old and bald, Or young with scabby knees, Our heads could do with filling, With some interesting stuff, For now they're bare and full of air, Dead flies and bits of fluff, So teach us things worth knowing, Bring back what we've forgot, Just do your best, we'll do the rest, And learn until our brains all rot.

There is nothing about who made it, the song has no tune as Albus says "pick their favourite tune". The film, however, does have a tune. The anthem is particularly known for its theme on learning. I feel this is a mirror of the humor the school has in regard to motto; Draco Dormiens Nvnqvam Titillandvs (Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon). While there is a theme of learning, I realize it is also about age and how no matter how old we are, or the school, we all could learn.

The anthem of Illvermornites:

We stand as one united Against the Puritan. We draw our inspiration From good witch Morrigan.

For she was persecuted By common wandless men. So she fled from distant Ireland, And so our school began.

Oh! Ilvermorny-Massachusetts! We choo-choose it! We choo-choose it! The wizard school supreme.

Your castle walls, they kept us safe. The days with you, a dream You taught us all our magic And now one thing's quite clear

Where'er we roam Where'er we roam Our one true home Our one and own

Is Ilvermorny dear!

The song is first heard on a deleted scene in 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find' Them movie. The song was sung by Tina and Queenie Goldstein with a tune. It is not known if there is a tune or, like Hogwarts in the book, anyone can use any tune. The school is about unity and so i don't think there is a collaboration of weird sounds. That belongs to Hogwarts. The song is about history and if there is a motto, it would echo that theme as well. History really plays a large role in Wizarding America and really it is about where we came from and who we are. Some say this song is deleted so it is not canon. I think it is wrong as the reason it was is because of pacing and placement. Alison Sudol wrote it and JK helped. Therefore, unlike many who sees it isn't consistent. Morrigan is Isolt, as said, and like the Pledge, it is the allegiance to Isolt and what she stood for. Isolt, a person, is the symbol over the flag. She was in danger of prosecution (i noted this in another article about skin-walkers). I think the song expands her story with details from the other parts of history. The song is also about choice and that the school is a safe place and if we ever get lost, no matter where or what we are dealing with that leads us to be lost, all we have to do is find Ilvermorny.