That afternoon Fila sat in the defense against dark arts classroom, it had been chosen to be the meeting spot for the dueling tournament coming next term.
The other students had looked at her confused when she step inside the classroom, and rightfully so. She wasn't even on the ranking board in dueling, she hadn't even had a single duel yet.
Everyone she had seen on the ranking board were here, Aaron, Marcus, sera and Daniel. The top four on that list, and here came Fila not even ranked…
"Why are you here Ophelia?" Sera asked calmly. Sera, who was part of the horned serpent house. Had blond short hair, green eyes and sharp facial features.
"I'm mostly here for the free snacks Fontaine promised," Fila joked.
Sera laughed, the tension breaking instantly. She wasn't being mean; she was genuinely baffled. "Seriously though, Fila? You haven't stepped foot on a dueling mat since the term started."
The door opened, and David Hale walked in. He wasn't in his usual "Auror-on-a-raid" mode. He looked more like a coach, still stern, but there was a flicker of something like pride in his eyes when they landed on Fila.
"Seats, everyone," Hale said, leaning against the teacher's desk. "I assume you've all noticed our fifth member. Marcus, Aaron, Daniel, Sera—meet Ophelia. She's our 'Wild Card.'"
The others shifted, their confusion turning into curiosity.
"The Headmaster and I have been watching the rankings," Hale continued, crossing his arms. "You four are the best technical duelists this school has produced in a decade. But technical skill only gets you so far when you're facing a student from Mahoutokoro who can predict your spell before you even think it, or a Castelobruxo student who uses the very ground beneath your feet as a weapon."
Aaron stood up. "Professor." He looked at Mr, hale and then at Fila. "She hasn't done a single duel, what do you mean wildcard?" he looked at the other students who seemed to agree.
Professor hale reached into one of his pockets on his robe and pulled out a heavy iron coin. He flipped it into the hair and it started to hover there.
"Aaron, you will try to hit this coin. And Ophelia, you will defend the coin." He started. "But, Ophelia. No Wand." He simply said.
Aaron and the others looked confused. But he didn't let that stop him, he took up position a couple meters from the coin floating at the front of the classroom.
Fila hadn't even had time to protest the awful demonstration about why she should be on the team, she didn't even want to be here to begin with. But she didn't get to think much about it before the Pukwudgie student aimed his wand and a pulse of magic shot out from the tip of his bright wand.
She didn't move, felt the surrounding and got her way of defense. A vine shot out from one of the walls and hastily took the spell head on.
The room went dead silent. The vine, thick and vibrant green, had erupted from the molding of the stone wall with a speed that defied natural biology. It sat there now, still twitching slightly from the impact of Aaron's kinetic pulse, its leaves unfurling in the stale air of the classroom.
"Of course, she uses plants and even made the old training yard look like a church." Sera clapped her hands. Most students think that Fila's ability to use plants are only for show, like what she did last year during graduation, or at the old training grounds. But no, she very much had the ability to use her vibrant plants to do a lot more.
Professor Hale took his coin back and walked to the middle of the room.
"The students from both Castelobruxo and Mahoutokoro, are very familiar with herbology. Espacilly Castelobruxo. That's why the headmaster insisted on having Ophelia on the team, they won't expect to meet someone like her coming from Ilvermorny." He explained.
The explanation was filled with holes, fila thought. Sure the idea of surprising them, is good but it's a big gamble on if they will even be surprised and not just go with the flow.
"The Competition will be held in October, during summer all five of you are allowed to train at home. And the competition itself will be held in Japan." Professor Hale explained. This lightened the mood signifyingly.
Traveling wasn't something everyone got to do, even with the ease of magic travel. There were many reasons for it, but the biggest was permission from the countries magical ministry. After many wars and dark wizards, the countries put in place a heavy travel limitation and controls. Which often take very long times.
Professor Hale went on to explain more about the competition. Mostly boring stuff like things that were and not allowed.
As the technical details droned on, Fila found her mind wandering back to the Thunderbird feather resting against her skin. The prospect of Japan and specifically Mahoutokoro, felt like a strange coincidence. The school was famous for being built on a volcanic island where the weather was notoriously volatile. It was the perfect place for a girl carrying a literal piece of a storm.
"So," Sera whispered, leaning over as Hale charted out the prohibited dark charms on the blackboard. "Japan. I've heard their robes actually change color as they get more powerful. If yours turns white, they'll probably just kick you out for cheating."
"I think my robe is more likely to turn into a bush," Fila whispered back, earning a quiet chuckle from Daniel.
Hale reached onto his desk and picked up five small, wooden boxes. He handed one to each of them. Inside was a heavy, silver brooch shaped like the Ilvermorny knot, but etched with five distinct runes.
"These are symbols that each and one of you are chosen champions of the school. Wear them from now on, and during the competition." He gave each of them a pin, each of them looked different. Fila's had a rose symbol, while Sera had a cat.
"What are the symbols for?" Aaron asked as he looked at his dog symbol.
Professor Hale turned back to the students. "They are chosen for your traits and other things that you will have to figure out yourself during the summer." He walked to his desk. "With that said, if you have more questions come and speak with me or the headmaster. Otherwise, go and study on your OWLS and finals." The door opened and the champions left.
The cool afternoon air hit Fila as she stepped out of the classroom, the silver brooch heavy in her hand. Beside her, the rest of the "Ilvermorny Five" were still buzzing, turning their pins over in their palms like they were trying to decode a secret language.
"A cat?" Sera mused, pinning the silver ornament to her robes. "I suppose I can be stealthy when I want to be. But a dog for Aaron? That's almost too on the nose for a Pukwudgie."
"Hey, dogs are loyal and have great reflexes!" Aaron defended, though he looked a bit puzzled. He turned to Fila. "A rose, though? That seems a bit... delicate for someone who just grew a combat-vine out of a solid stone wall."
Fila looked down at the intricate silver petals of her brooch. She knew better. Roses weren't just pretty; they were hardy, they had thorns, and they could reclaim abandoned ground faster than almost any other plant.
As the students walked through the corridors. Aaron who walked first stopped and turned to the group. "Alright, since we are a team now we should act like one. As professor Hale said, the announcement about us being the schools champions will go out during dinner later today. So lets sit together at the united table." He smiled at the group.
Fila listened but her mind was on something else, she never knew Aaron was such a leader. How he easily collected the group, and directed the towards a goal. It was impressive.
Fila watched him with a newfound sense of observation. Aaron wasn't just "the fast guy" or a "loyal dog"; he had a natural gravity that pulled their disparate personalities into a single orbit. It made sense why he was rank one, it wasn't just about the wand work, it was about the presence.
"The United Table?" Daniel asked, pushing his glasses up his nose. "We haven't used that since the start-of-term feast. It's going to draw a lot of eyes, Aaron."
"That's the point, Dan," Marcus said, clapping a heavy hand on Daniel's shoulder. "If we're going to Japan to represent the whole school, we might as well start acting like we belong to more than just our own houses. Besides," he glanced at Fila with a wink, "I want to see the look on everyone's face when they see the 'Gardener' sitting with the heavy hitters."
Fila didn't really like being called a gardener, sure fitting as it is. "I going to take that first spot from you for saying that" she mumbled. Sera who stood beside her chuckled.
"Oh, careful Marcus," Sera teased, nudging Fila playfully with her elbow. "The Gardener has thorns, remember? And I think she just promised to prune you right off the top of the leaderboard."
Marcus threw his head back and laughed, a booming sound that echoed off the stone corridor walls. "I'd like to see you try, Grindelwald! Honestly, it'd be a nice change of pace to have someone actually push me for that spot. Aaron's getting predictable."
"Predictable?" Aaron squawked, though he was grinning. "I'll remember that next time I'm blocking a hex meant for your oversized head."
The group split up and walked their separate ways, since none of the others were thunderbirds she had to walk alone.
The school corridors had always been a favorite for Fila. Paintings of professors or people from history littered the walls. Armors stood guard and could often be seen fighting each other until one of the is knocked down. The tall windows lining on side of the corridor casted the lovely afternoon sun over the walls and floors.
Fila climbed the stairs toward the Thunderbird dorms, the silver Rose brooch still feeling a bit weird in her hand. It was a pretty symbol, sure, but after the morning she'd had, she was mostly just glad it wasn't shaped like a giant snowflake or a pair of frostbitten toes.
She reached a tall, arched window that overlooked the forest. The afternoon sun was doing that golden, glowy thing it always did, making the school grounds look like a postcard. Below, a couple of first-years were accidentally levitating a trash can, and for once, Fila didn't feel like the most chaotic thing on the property.
"A rose," she muttered, looking at the pin. "Great. I'm the floral department. At least it's not a dandelion."
The door to the thunderbird tower common room opened and welcomed her. Inside sat students around in group, on the couches playing chess, by the fireplace.
She noticed a first year who had been very interested in the training yard creation. Penelope, she was a vey nice girl. And she loved herbology, sure she couldn't make roses and roots appear but she was a very good herbologist.
Fila waved her finger and around where Penelope sat a ring of different flowers and greenery appeared.
Penelope's head snapped up, her eyes going wide as the sudden circle of blossoms, violets, snapdragons, and a few sprigs of wild mint, shimmered into existence around her armchair. The scent of fresh rain and nectar cut through the dusty, warm smell of the common room.
"Fila!" Penelope gasped, a huge grin breaking across her face. She reached out to gently touch a petal, as if making sure it wasn't an illusion. "You've gotten so much faster! These aren't even in season yet."
Fila continued her stride up towards her dorm room, the coming dinner would be attention grabbing. Something that she despised.
As she entered her dorm door she was directly bombarded with questions from Calla and June.
"Where have you been?!" Calla demanded, nearly tripping over a stack of textbooks as she rushed toward Fila. "People saw you going into the Defense classroom with the Rank Four. The actual Rank Four, Fila. Not the 'I'm-good-at-Charms' group, but the 'we-might-be-Aurors' group."
June was perched on the edge of her four-poster bed, her eyes narrowing as she spotted the silver glint on Fila's robes. "Is that... a pin? Fila, why do you have a silver rose on your chest? And why do you look like you just spent the morning fighting a hurricane?"
"I was at a meeting," Fila said vaguely, trying to unpin the rose without making a big deal out of it. "Fontaine and Hale have some... ideas for next term. Something about a duel."
June and Calla looked at her, and in unison. "You haven't been in a single duel."
Yeah I know, she thought as she sat on her bed.
"This info will come out during dinner, but I will tell you now." She stood up. "I am part of the duel team being sent to Japan next next." She stood proudly in the middle of the room, holding her chin high. Basking in the gaze of the two. Or so she thought.
The two of them had started laughing.
Fila's "champion pose" lasted all of three seconds before the first snort escaped Calla's nose. A second later, both girls were doubled over, clutching their sides.
"Japan!" Calla wheezed, wiping a tear from her eye. "Fila, I love you, but the last time you tried to 'duel' in class, you ended up growing a pumpkin over the professor's head because you got distracted by the soil quality!"
June was nodding breathlessly. "Is this a prank? Did Marcus pay you to say this? Because if the 'Ilvermorny Five' is being sent to face the world's best duelists and our secret weapon is a girl who apologizes to her Mandrakes, then we might as well just send them a white flag and a nice bouquet now."
Fila's face went from proud to annoyed in record time. She dropped the pose, her chin sinking back to its usual level. "I'm serious! Professor Hale himself said I'm the 'Wild Card.' And look," she jabbed a finger at the silver brooch. "Only the champions get these. Do you think I just nipped down to the gift shop and bought a custom-etched silver Rose?"
The laughter didn't die out immediately, but it did turn into a series of skeptical giggles. Calla stood up, walking over to squint at the pin. She reached out to touch the silver petals, her expression shifting from mockery to genuine confusion.
"Wait... this is real silver," Calla whispered. "And that's the school seal. June, look at the runes on the side."
June scrambled off her bed, joining them. The atmosphere in the dorm room shifted instantly from a comedy club to a high-stakes investigation.
"Wow, you two don't trust me at all." she waved her hands annoyed and sat down on her bed again, reaching out her hand and pulling the pin from Calla's hands. It flew right into her hand with a snap and the two girls looked even more confused now.
"You can do wandless magic now?!" June exclaimed. And only then did Fila realize that she did that out of habit.
She dug her head into the pillow and didn't want to answer, but it was to late. The two girls came down like hawks on her, seeking answers.
A little later, after a much explained reason as to why she could do that. She mostly said that she trained a lot at home with teachers. Fila now found herself sitting with the other champions at the so called united table. It wasn't called that but more of a nickname, the tables purpose was to have a spot for when students wanted to sit with other houses and not bother the others of his or her house. Sort of like a meeting ground.
The table was a massive slab of polished oak that sat right in the center of the hall, equidistant from the four house banners. It felt less like a dining spot and more like a stage. Fila could feel the weight of the silver Rose brooch pinned to her chest; it felt like a target.
"Stop fidgeting, Fila," Sera whispered, nudging her with a sharp elbow. "You're making the silver reflect the candlelight right into my eyes. If you're going to be a 'Wild Card,' at least look like you meant to be here."
"I did mean to be here," Fila countered, though she was currently trying to use a large bowl of mashed potatoes as a structural shield between her and the whispering Pukwudgie table. "I just didn't realize 'here' involved being the main attraction at a zoo."
Across from them, Aaron was leaning back, looking entirely too comfortable. He was already halfway through a stack of corn muffins. "Get used to it. Once the Headmaster makes the announcement, every student from here to Mount Greylock is going to want to know how the 'Gardener' skipped the rankings and landed a spot on the team."
"I didn't skip anything," Fila muttered, stabbing a carrot. "I was recruited. There's a difference."
Marcus grinned, his Dog brooch gleaming. "He's right, though. The rumors are already flying. I heard a second-year say you've been a secret assassin for the MACUSA this whole time and the plants are just a cover."
Fila raised an eyebrow, "Trust me, I'm the least likely to be anything with the macusa." This was true considering her relation with them.
Suddenly, the heavy double doors of the Great Hall creaked, and a hush began to ripple through the room. Headmaster Fontaine walked in, followed by Professor Hale. Hale looked as stern as ever, but there was a certain sharpness in his stride today. He didn't go to the High Table. instead, he walked straight toward the United Table and stood at the head of it.
The entire hall went silent. Even the enchanted ceiling, which had been showing a light spring rain, seemed to pause its clouds.
"Attention," Hale barked, his voice echoing off the rafters. "As many of you have noticed, the United Table is occupied by five specific individuals today. This is not a social club. These five have been selected to represent Ilvermorny at the Continental Tri-School Trials in Japan this coming October."
Hale's eyes swept the room, daring anyone to challenge him. "Four of them you know from the rankings. Aaron, Marcus, Daniel, and Sera." He paused, his gaze landing directly on Fila. "The fifth is our Wild Card. Ophelia."
The silence that followed was heavy. Fila felt the Thunderbird feather in her pocket give a distinct, rhythmic thrum, as if it were laughing at the shocked expressions of the student body.
Fila at his point wanted nothing more than to walk out of that hall, quickly. And why even say wild card, no one had even seen her fight yet. One she and the headmaster knew what she could do, maybe Hale if Fontaine had informed him.
The thunderbird table however was nothing but quiet, they were standing cheering for her. Which didn't help her feeling of wanting to create a wall of vines and flowers around her.