The rush of the classrooms and the excitement of the school are left behind as Otto winds his way up to the sixth floor and follows a mostly unused hallway into a room that is currently unoccupied. From the looks of things hardly anyone comes here but the Ravenclaw boy seems more certain of himself here than anywhere else within the building. Carrying his sewing satchel and design tote with him, he also has another bag in his possession today that isn’t his backpack. “I probably shouldn’t do this, but if Tommy’s in here he’ll just scream like a three year old girl and throw his curlers at me.” Grinning, he limps along and gestures to Seraphina. “We found this place back in first year and I haven’t shared it with anyone, but I think you’d like it.”

“What is it?” Seraphina asks cautiously, eyeing the hallway carefully. “I don’t see anything out of the ordinary,” she comments as she comes to a stop nearby, chuckling as she considers Tommy’s ‘curlers’. Out of habit, the young woman pushes her sleeves of her robe up, and fitting the way they do, they fall straight back down, proving her action totally useless. “What have you got in there?” she asks playfully, trying to get a peek into his design tote, though not trying very hard.

“Not for your eyes, yet!” Protective fingers hold the top of the tote tight shut but the young man tosses a grin at his friend. “It’s a room we found, but it’s not right here. Come on.” Otto moves with his customary shuffle into the room and stops before a wall. Pacing back and forth three times, he waits as the door reveals itself. “This way, quick before someone comes and sees!” Disappearing through the opening, he steps away from the hall and into the room beyond.

Watching in surprise as a door appears, Seraphina follows Otto through the door, ducking in quickly. She glances back, just in time to see the door disappear behind her. “Fancy that!” she exclaims. “It’s been here all this time and I never knew about it!” She smiles somewhat and glances around the room. “So what is this place?” she asks, walking into the room slightly and pushing up at her sleeves again, only to, once again, have them fall straight back down.

No one else is presently using this room and so Otto‘s workroom appears. There are scraps of clothing scattered about, design work pinned to boards and clippings from magazines both muggle and wizarding hang in helter-skelter fashion that probably only makes sense to the boy. Scissors, embroidery thread, and other tools of his trade are found on the worktables and there’s even a muggle sewing machine that he managed to acquire from somewhere. There are several beaten up leather armchairs and a few lamps to give the room adequate light to work by. “I still don’t know what this room is, but it changes every time depending on the person. When Tommy comes here, it’s like a salon to do hair and makeup. I come here and it holds all my work.” “Go on and sit down. I’d like to show you something!” What might be considered inappropriate, or perhaps a way of romancing a girl, isn’t on the Ravenclaw’s mind or at least it doesn’t appear to be. Dumping down his various bags o
n a nearby table, he begins to open the third bag. “I had a lot of help on this so I can’t claim to have done it all myself. But I did put a lot of work into it.” What “it” is still hasn’t come out of the bag.

“What an amazing room. I wonder that we don’t use this for some of our classes,” she comments quietly, wandering a moment more to look at all of the details in the room before she makes her way over to where Otto has indicated and takes a seat. Seraphina is possibly as clueless as Otto is when it comes to romancing, since her own brief foray into it involved a lot of saying nothing and blushing nearly neon shades of red. “Who helped you?” Seraphina asks, sounding innocent, but looking on with alert interest at what Otto seems to be working on and spreading out.

“Master Talari made the finished design and helped with most of the sewing, but I had to put the pattern together myself and piece it out. There was just so much to do and put an enchantment on it so it would fit and not get ruined. He’s a wonderful man and so patient!” Otto crows over his second mentor and begins to pull out something that is awash in blue. It has layers of taffeta that much is clear from the rustling alone and then, as he pulls it into full view the upper half of the gown is cut out of royal blue velvet and lined with blue silk, while the layers of iridescent taffeta make up the tiered skirt. It’s why I didn’t make much money this summer. I asked repayment out of having a piece commissioned, but Talari said that since I was going to help that I should get some money.” “I came up with the original concept too. What do you think?”

Seraphina Pryor emits a fairly loud gasp as she sees the gown that Otto pulls from the bag. She brings her hand up to cover her gaping mouth and she stands almost without realizing that she’s stood up. She reaches out to touch the fabrics, her eyes wide with awe. “You made this? It’s so…” she whispers, running her fingers over the extravagant-looking garment. “So many textures,” she murmurs. “It’s beautiful!” She seems to have gotten her voice back as she looks very seriously at the dress. “Who is it for?” she asks, somewhat dumbly, not imagining that it could possibly be what he intended to give to her.

Beaming with pride and joy something he doesn’t really do in any class except art, he holds it up a little higher. “I really have to thank Talari a lot for this. He put on a fitting charm too so that it will tailor itself to the first person to wear it.” Holding it out, Otto‘s expression is both puzzled and amused. “It’s for you. It’s my “thank you” for all the work you put into me last year over the OWLs. No one else had the patience to even bother to help me, and I owe all the passing grades I got to you. I figure you put as much time and effort into me as I did the dress. You deserve it.” The youth’s voice is clear and there doesn’t seem to be any subterfuge to his words or expression, but then he was never really known for understanding social boundaries in certain matters. “I’m glad you like it.”

Gasping again, Seraphina takes the dress gently into her grasp. “It’s… mine,” she whispers in disbelief. “Thank you,” She tells him, then reaches out and throws her arms around him quickly. She lingers for just a moment, slightly overwhelmed, then pulls back to admire the garment once again. “I don’t think anyone has ever given me something this lovely before.” She holds it up in front of her, then does a slightly awkward spin. “I should try it on.” She glances around the room and spots a screen. “I’ll be out in a jiffy,” she tells him and walks to the screen, slipping behind. Her bold teal robes fly over the top, followed by the belt, and a flash of blue and silver appear above the screen as she pulls the dress over her head. “Wow…” she breathes, then steps out from behind the screen. “My shoes kind of ruin the effect,” she mentions, gesturing vaguely to her red buckled shoes.

Surprised at the hug, the Ravenclaw blinks but he does bring himself to return the hug although his is much shorter. Grinning as he pulls a hand through his hair, he shrugs softly. “I just thought I should do something as wonderful for you as you did for me.” Otto continues to talk as Seraphina disappears behind the screen. “I was worried that the style might be wrong, but Master Talari told me to trust my instinct.” “I’m glad I listened to him.” With the young woman reappearing his smile renews itself “Not at all! A splash of another color gives it a changeling effect. If everything matched how boring would life be?” Otto stuffs his hands into the pockets of his robes and eyes Seraphina critically, his designer nature taking over. “Red isn’t bad, but I think I’d go with a green shoe myself or maybe fur trimmed heels in court style.” The critique ended, he smiles easily and shakes his head. “You’ll be the belle of the ball in that. It fits you perfectly. You could be a model, a living mannequin in a fashion house, but I suppose you’ve already decided what career you’re going to follow?”

“Oh, well, I… well, I talked about it with Professor Helit, but…” She trails off vaguely, glancing down at the floor. “I really don’t know what it is that I want to do when I leave school. I suppose my father could get me a position of some kind at the Ministry.” She pauses. “You should really make clothes,” Seraphina tells the young man emphatically. “If this is what you could create while apprenticing…” She breathes deeply. “I can’t even imagine what you could make doing this full time.” She smooths the dress down over her slight hips and puts out her buckle shoes, looking them over thoughtfully. “Perhaps if they were darker. Or maybe my brown ones would work. Dark brown, do you think?” She suggests.

“Chocolate leather, something with a bit of flash but not so understated as to be a sparrow.” Otto picks up the last bit of conversation first and then works his way backward. “Like I said, I can’t take credit for all of that design or all the work. Master Talari really did a lot of work on it and I couldn’t have begun it much less finished it without him. I just did basic work, really, but I’m glad you approve.” He’s actually turning red from the compliments and he glances away more than once. “I plan on making my own fashion house after my apprenticeship is complete. If you, that is, if you, well, Tommy already wants to work for me and I haven’t even made my name.” Laughing a little out of embarrassment, he shrugs. “I’ve always wanted to make clothing. It’s what I’m good at. Well, anything dealing with needle and thread. It’s not magic it in itself, but I’m in the right classes to intertwine magic with my work. Once I’m set up, if you want to be a mannequin I’d
love to have you.” “All you have to do is walk around the floor and show off pretty clothing.” He chuckles again, clearly feeling awkward at discussing this, but at the same time rather happy about the turn of events.

“I’d only have to wear clothes and show them to people?” Seraphina asks in slight awe. “What a fantastic job!” She smiles a bit and runs her hands gently over the fabric of the dress. “I do wish I could create things the way you do. It’s really amazing, Otto,” the girl breathes happily, spinning slowly in place just to see the bottom of the dress bow out slightly. “I’m definitely willing to play mannequin or model, whatever you might need,” Sera tells him with conviction. “Do you think Master Talari would have use for me in that regard, too? Maybe I could have a summer job.” She pauses. “At least then I’d be away from ‘Ona and her giggly friends.” An eyeroll follows this statement.

The delight doesn’t fade from Otto‘s features as his easy smile remains in place, grey eyes reflecting the boy’s joy. “I can see if he does, but I’m not sure. I haven’t seen him employ many models of the type I’m thinking of, but he may like the idea.” The smile falters just a small amount as he considers, “I’m not sure I want to share the idea with him, but it would be a good way for you to spend part of your summer.” Pondering over this, he grins again as the momentary trouble slides away. “Even if he can’t use you that way he might be willing to let you help out around the shop like I did last summer. He didn’t hire me personally, but one of his employees did and she’s a very nice woman. If I can finagle getting a real summer internship this year that would free up some of the work I did. It was mostly mundane really, but at least you’d be in a shop with others who actually have a passion for beautiful things.”

“Wow, that would be amazing,” Seraphina breathes quietly. “I wish I could make beautiful things like you can, but I would settle for watching other people make them.” She pauses. “I’m going to take this off now so that I don’t get it dirty or dusty in here.” She steps behind the screen and starts to shimmy out of it carefully. “Really, I think my father is worried about what I would do after school. I heard him telling one of his friends that I had no discernable strengths in school, and he’s completely right.” She laughs somewhat sardonically. “The alternative, I guess, is finding some boring job and just wasting my life away at it.” At this she re-emerges from behind the screen, holding the dress delicately draped over her arms. “No matter what, it sounds like a much better gig, working with you.” She beams to Otto, one of her rare shows of true expression.

“But you’re really smart and you could do anything if you decided on something. You’ve got top grades all around and I bet you could easily land something well placed in the Ministry. You certainly have the mind for itI mean if that’s what you wanted to do.” Otto is blushing again, but though the smile naturally dipped away it makes its reappearance without hesitation. “You’ve got plenty going for you and I bet you could have the pick of a Ministry summer internship. I thought, well, you know, you’re really smart and it just seems like every really smart person winds up working for them sooner or later.” A short laugh follows this as he realizes his babbling. “Shows what I know.” “Anyway, I’ll put in a word for you if that’s what you’d like. I certainly would be very happy having you around. The older employees are nice and all, but it’d be better to have a peer to hang out with.”

At Otto’s mention of working at the Ministry, Seraphina makes a face. “You mean possibly end up working with my father? Blech.” She makes no secret that this is not a pleasant concept. “I suppose what my father meant was that I just wasn’t obviously suited to anything in specific. I’ve made it very clear I won’t be at the Ministry. That’s his dream, and… all that.” She waves her hand dismissively at the idea, reaching up to straighten her lime green ribbon. “I think I would like to work with you, Otto. All those pretty clothes…” She gets a slightly distant look in her eye for a moment, then snaps back, as if coming out of a reverie. “Well, at least if Master Talari is alright with the idea, I’ll have some show of ‘purpose’ and my father can rest easy.” She smirks, then changes her expression again to one less sarcastic looking, and perhaps a little more the norm for her. “Do you want to go for a walk?”

Most of the young woman’s reaction goes by the rather clueless young man and Otto manages to take it all in stride. “I guess working with one’s dad would be aggravating. I hadn’t thought of it like that. I know I wouldn’t want to be anywhere close to my brother.” Grinning at his suppositions, the teen quirks both brows obviously surprised by the suggestion, “Uhm, sure? I mean, yes, I’d love to. Sorry,” grabbing up his satchel and swinging it over his good shoulder he temporarily busies himself. “I’m not very good with uh, the social thing like you or Tommy.” Pausing, he allows himself a moment to think before pressing on. “Do you have somewhere in mind?”

“Well, no, I didn’t have anything in mind,” the girl admits somewhat reluctantly. Seraphina is standing slightly awkwardly holding her gift in her arms as she admits this. “I suppose I should put this in my wardrobe,” she comments, gesturing to the dress. “Maybe we could take a walk by the lake? It’s still nice enough out. We might only need a sweater.” She shrugs vaguely and glances around. Apparently Sera’s not all that good at ‘the social thing’, either, though she can fake it with the best.

“The lake sounds fantastic. Shall I meet you there or would you rather meet in the entranceway? I could use to get out a little, but,” and then he thinks about this a little more Otto turns a light shade of pink. “If you see Tommy and he says anything just tell him I’m busy. He’s been really pestering me a lot since I started seeing Yamini and he just won’t leave me alone. I like him and all, but I kind of need a break because he’s just so demanding.” “Hopefully he’s busy with trying on clothes or something.” Tapping the satchel that hangs off his shoulder “I should go put this away too. I don’t want to be lugging it outside.”

It’s the beginning of the school year, a couple days since the Sorting Ceremony. Edern has been in an exceptionally good mood, having been made Head Boy. Although he’s been busy with additional duties now. He’s taken a bit of time to just read in the courtyard while the weather is still nice and cooperation.

Her nose basically buried in the pages of a rather old-looking tome with some sort of ornately dressed spinning woman on the front, Seraphina doesn’t notice anyone else as she makes herway into the courtyard from the nearby gardens. She doesn’t notice at all that she has bumped directly into a fourth year on her way in, nor does she apologise for the lack of consideration. Whoops. It is only after she plops down onto a bench that she happens to glance up and notice Edern at which point her cheeks acquire their beet red hue, likely to stay there for the rest of the interaction (however little there may be) and very likely beyond.

Edern Fallon shakes his head and sighs. “I’ll never understand the how scale colour can effect the heat of a dragon’s breath!” He shrugs lightly. “This is what I get for taking NEWT level Care of Magical Creatures!” He snorts a little. Glances up to see Seraphina. He smiles. “Sera!” He calls out to her, waving. “How are you? And what’s that horribly big book that you’re reading?”

Seraphina Pryor is stunned beyond belief. Edern addressing her directly? Edern Fallon is talking to her? Seraphina‘s eyes get large as she raises her hand in a weak greeting as she opens her mouth to speak. At first, nothing comes out. Silence. “I–it’s called ‘The Dancing Darkness’ she tells him in more of a croak than in normal speech. Questions beg to be asked, not to mention the simple statements that her tongue begs to form (‘I love you!’), but Sera seems to be incapable, for the moment, of further engaging speech.

Edern Fallon smiles at Sera as he awaits her response to the question. “The Dancing Darkness? Sounds like an interesting book. What’s it all about? It isn’t a book of dark spells is it?” He says, jokingly, with a grin on his face. He tilts his head. He most likely, doesn’t have such questions or statements lingering in his mind towards Seraphina. But she seems nice. If not a bit quiet and often red faced…at least when he’s around, it seems.

“Well, it’s… uh… it’s about this witch. She likes to dance, but there’s… a lot of stuff making it hard. That’s… the darkness,” Seraphina finishes her explanation lamely as she looks down at the book and blushes harder. “It’s uh… well, what are you reading?” Her attempts to change the course of conversation are obvious, but being as the girl’s mental faculties seem to be compromised, it’s probably to be expected.

Edern Fallon nods ever so slightly at the explanation. “The darkness being the obstacles are the darkness because they stop her from doing the thing that she loves to do? That sounds like an interesting book.” He says nodding once more. He shrugs. “Sounds a lot interesting that what I’m reading, anyway.” He looks at the cover. “‘Dragons: A Comprehensive Study On the Biology of Dragons’. Needless to say, I need to read this for my Care of Magical Creatures class.” He shrugs. “Nothing that can be done by it really.”

“Dragons are very interesting!” Seraphina squeaks, glancing over at him only momentarily before she returns her eyes to the ground. “I’m no good at tending to creatures. They don’t like me,” is her quick excuse, which barely makes it out of her mouth before a girl decked out in more red and yellow than the average student chooses to wear runs up to her in tears. “Seraaaaaaaaaaaaaa!” the small Gryffindor cries, hurling herself onto her older sister’s lap and grasping her tight, much to Seraphina‘s dismay. “What do you want, Ona?” she hisses, hoping that Edern won’t be put off by a sniffly second year.

Edern Fallon chuckles, shrugging. “Oh yeah, they’re mighty interesting, but the stuff it talks about is not easy for anyone to understand, I’d imagine. Let alone me. But I guess that’s why the teacher’s having us read it, eh?” He grins. “Oh, I’m sure the creatures like you. I’ll take you out to meet some strange and wonderful creatures during the year and help you out with that, if you want.” He says, hopefully sounding sincere. As the smaller Gryffindor runs up and makes a seat for herself on Seraphina’s lap, crying, he furrows his brow, looking concerned. He closes up the book, puts it in his bag and slowly makes his way over to where the two are. “Hey there.” He says to Ona. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s just my sister,” Seraphina hisses looking slightly annoyed as her sister clings. “Alastriona, what do you need?” she asks the girl testily, and briefly the youngster raises her head to blink her ruddy face at the older boy. Following this is a string of whiny, high-pitched nothingness which is, apparently, supposed to be the summation of the girl’s troubles. All this is punctuated with, “I can’t believe she did that to meeeeeee!” Sera sighs in annoyance as her sister has ruined what she views to be the perfect moment alone with the object of her affections.

Edern Fallon raises an eyebrow and kneels down in front of Seraphina and her sister. “I’m sorry…I didn’t seem to catch all of that. Who did what to you? If somebody has done something wrong, you can tell me.” He points out his Head Boy pin. “I’m the Head Boy.” As if that says it all. “I’ll have a talk with whoever it is.”

“You’re the head boy? Are you my sister’s friend?” the girl asks, punctuating it with a loud sniff. Alastriona looks up at her sister with wide eyes, then back at Edern, while Seraphina‘s only expression at this development seems to be annoyance. “It’s Stacie Perkins. She told me that she would give me her lion goblet if I helped her with her assignment, and then I did and she told me that she wasn’t going to give it to me and anyway it doesn’t exist. She made it up!” Seraphina barely manages to suppress a scoff at this, though she doesn’t make any real efforts to dislodge the girl, either.

Edern Fallon smiles up at Seraphina, nodding a little. “Yes. My name is Edern Fallon. Your sister and I are both in Slytherin.” He says. “Stacie Perkins promised she’d give you her lion cup and then told you she made it up? Well, that wasn’t very good of her, now was it. I’ll tell ya what…I might be able to get you a lion cup. I can’t make any firm promises. But I think I can.” He smiles, look back from Alastriona to Seraphina, giving her a ‘Give you sister a bit of a break, please’ kind of look.

“Oh.” is all Alastriona manages to say as she continues to sniff in a pathetic fashion, still clinging to Seraphina, who has refrained, at least for the moment, from shoving her sister to the ground. “A lion cup? A real lion cup? It would be perfect in my dorm room!” The petite girl’s eyes get somewhat large and she pushes a lock of blonde hair out of her face as she seems to perk up just a bit. “Aren’t all the lion figurines enough, Ona?” Seraphina asks with slight irritation in her voice.

Edern Fallon smiles at Alastriona. “Oh yes, a real lion cup. One that roars too! Would that be good? I bet that’ll beat Miss Perkins’ imaginary lion cup any day!” He chuckles. “You know, Sera, you can never get enough lion stuff if you’re in Gryffindor. Just like everything to do with snakes in Slytherin.” He takes out his wand, and looking back at Sera’s sister, he says, “I’m going to try to make the cup now. Let’s see if I can remember the spell now…” He focuses firmly, at takes a solid grip on his wand. He starts to wave it around, muttering a spell under his breath. After a few seconds there’s a small ‘pop’ sound, and hovering in the air, there is a gold coloured cup. Protruding from the front of the cup is a face of a lion. “Now…just one more little charm…” He does a quick little wave and spell. Taking grasp of the floating cup, he points his wand at the nose of the lion. “Roar!” He says, just before it lets out a very might roar indeed. He holds out the cup to Ala
striona. “There ya have it.” He smiles kindly.

“OH MY GRACIOUS ME!” Alastriona shrieks as Seraphina stares, unable to comment as she sees magic beyond her own skill performed. “How did you do that?” Seraphina breathes, her awkwardness seeming to fade away as she examines it. “I’m terrible with charms,” she admits as her sister holds the cup and marvels over it, not for its magical ability but for its lion…y-ness. “Thank you, Edern!” the girl almost sings as she hurls herself toward him with the intent to envelop him in a hug.

Edern Fallon shrugs a litte, smiling at Alastroina. “A mixture of charms and stuff of that like. Sorta transfiguration too. Very difficult spells though. Maybe you’ll learn them some day.” He can’t help but grin. “Charms is easy enough, I guess. It’s just not everyone’s thing, eh?” But then…this is the Seventh Year Head Boy who got an O on his Charms OWLs. He doesn’t exactly push the younger Pryor away…but he seems a little awkward and unsure at the hug. He gives her a few small pats on the back. When she does let go, he says, “Now, to make it roar, you press your wand up to it’s nose, like I did, and simply say ‘Roar!’ and it will give the best lion-like roar you ever did hear.”

“Stacie’s going to be soooo jealous! She doesn’t have a lion cup, you know.” The girl grins impishly before thanking him one more time then running off as quickly as she first appeared. Seraphina watches her sister go, a little stunned at the speed of her exit. “‘Bye,” she mutters quietly, then the blush comes back into her face as she realizes once again who she is sitting with. “Sorry about that,” she tells Edernquietly, looking down at her lap.

Edern Fallon nods firmly. “Oh, very jealous. I mean, I’m even jealous now! I wish I had a cup like that!” He grins as she runs off. “Bye now!” He calls after her. He smiles at Seraphina. “Oh, don’t be quiet. You’re sister is a nice girl. She just wanted a lion cup is all. And now that she does, she’s as happy as she can be. “I was just glad that I could help.”

“She always has to be the center of attention,” Seraphina mutters. “There’s always something that’s tragic or exciting or something…” The young woman sighs a bit and clutches her book to her. “It was very nice of you, though.” She smiles to a bit, then looks down at her lap again. “I don’t remember what we were talking about,” she admits quietly.

Edern Fallon snorts lightly. “Well there always is something tragic or exciting at that age. Believe me. I’ve got a sister too. Only we’re triplets. But I know what it’s like to have a sister like that. It will pass, I’m sure it will. If not, maybe she’ll have to learn some lessons the hard way, but that’s fine.” He says with a light smile. “It wasn’t much of a problem, not really. It was an honour to help one of the Pryor line.” He chuckles and shakes his head. “You know, in all the excitement, I don’t think I remember what we were talking about either.”

“Yes, well, I suppose that’s normal.” Seraphina concedes. “I wasn’t like that, I can tell you, though.” Seraphina looks around the courtyard somewhat uncertainly for a moment. She opens her mouth to speak, though she still looks uncertain as to what she’s going to say, when a large raindrop falls nearly into her eye. “Oh – oh, that’s no good. I need to take this book inside. It was… it was nice talking to you,” she says quietly before dashing off quickly into the castle, much in the fashion of her younger sister, and she’s gone without a further word.

Edern Fallon smiles softly, shaking his head. “No, of course you weren’t. Wouldn’t think of it.” He laughs. He holds out his hand as the rain drop falls in her eye. “Oh…yes…it does seem to be beginning to rain.” He smiles and nods. “Of course, see you around. And my offer for helping you with school or anything else is still open.” And she’s off, and he stands slowly, making his way back into the school.

Sorting day has arrived again, and just like the previous year, Eva Fallon comes to the platform with some of her children. This time, her brother’s oldest son, Parker is starting as well as one of her own, Charlotte. Josie and Essie are the first through the barrier, in that order, followed by Parker – who just couldn’t wait. Charlotte came next, then Freddie Wexler, then his wife. Tom, Eva‘s husband was next, followed finally by Eva. “Please stay close, kids! Let’s make sure everything’s here…” Eva trails off as the four kids flock next to the train, talking excitedly among themselves. She sighs and shakes her head.

“Isn’t the train amazing?” Josie exclaims as she takes Charlotte by the hand, running close to it. “We’ll get on the train and then it will take us to Hogwarts. I think you’ll be in Ravenclaw with me, just like mummy was.” The girl nods enthusiastically to her sister, looking to Essie for affirmation. “Mummy, mummy, Charlotte is going to be in Ravenclaw, right? Right?” the girl shouts to her mother, bouncing slightly in anticipation.

Clinging to her mother closely, Danielle is a picture of mixed emotions. There’s tears in the corners of her eyes and she sniffles from time to time, her arms wrapped tightly around her mother’s waist. Despite this, though, her eyes are widen and focused on the crowd in front of her, drifting from group to group, and her mouth falls open as she notices owls, cats, large trunks and laughing students in varying kinds of flashy garb. Her mother is fussing over her hair and smoothing it into place and looks incredibly anxious; her father stands by, looking stern and wooden.

“Josephine Elizabeth Wexler, come back here now,” Eva calls to the girl. “Estelle Bidelia Wexler, you, too. What did I tell you about running off?” The woman taps her foot for a moment before murmuring something to her husband and shaking her head. The two oldest girls walk dutifully back toward their mother, their cheeks slightly red at being chastised. Parker and Charlotte come slowly back toward their family members, looking around with interest at everything happening on the platform. It is then that Eva notices the family just nearby to them, with the little girl who looks slightly overwhelmed. Grinning sympathetically, Eva leans over to the mother. “First year?” she asks quietly. “My Charlotte here is a first year, too,” she tells the other woman, gesturing vaguely to the girl in question.

“Does the hat really chew on your head if you’re not easy enough to sort?” Parker asks loudly as he returns to his family slowly. “One of the boys at Madame Malkin’s told me that it chews on you. Can I ask it to stop if I don’t like it?” He looks up at his mother, who smooths his unruly hair down. “Can I, mum?” She merely chuckles and smiles to Freddie without answering the boy’s question. Freddie’s eyes twinkle with mischeif as he tousles the boy’s hair, which prompts his mother to smooth it down once more. “What? Can’t I?”

Although the mother seems a little suspicious of Eva and her children, Danielle takes the opportunity to study Charlotte and Parker intently with wide eyes, though she doesn’t move away or even loosen her grip on her mother. Eventually, Juliette reaches out delicately with one hand, the other one still on her child’s head, although now she pulls her protectively closer, and remarks in a low voice, with just a slight French accent, “I don’t know how any of… you people handle it.”

Seraphina Pryor is a sixth year – almost at the top of the hill! She feels fairly proud as she emerges from the barrier, intent on getting onto the train as quickly as possible. Her sister and father follow her through so quickly that Alastriona runs smack into her. “Watch where you’re going,” she mutters at her sister, who then attaches herself to her sister’s arm. “Let’s sit together!” the girl squeals to her older sister. “‘Ona, don’t you have friends you’d rather sit with?” she asks in an exasperated tone. “I’m going to sit with Otto. Look, there’s Flossie – go talk to her.” With that, Alastriona takes off running and laughing as she spots one of her friends and Seraphina breathes a sigh of relief. “I’m going to go get onto the train,” she tells her father. “I’ll owl you once I’m settled into my NEWT classes.” With that, she makes her way toward the train, not in any particular hurry.

Eva Fallon quirks her head in slight confusion. “Handle what? Our children going off to school? It’s difficult to let go at first, but it’s so good for them. Josie and Essie,” she gestures to the two girls who are talking quietly to one another and giggling, “started last year and they’ve become incredibly self-assured and self-reliant in that time. I think it has been very good for them.” Eva smiles, though not quite as genuinely as the first time. “What’s your name?” she asks, directing the question to the girl.

Finally realizing that he will get no answer to his question from his parents, Parker directs his attention to those nearby. He studies Danielle quickly as she seems to be studying him, and interrupting his aunt (without really realizing it), he puts his hand out. “I’m Parker,” he tells her with absolutely no volume control.

“Danielle,” the small girl volunteers, though she still doesn’t pull away from her mother; a moment later, the older woman prompts her, and she lets go with one arm, holding out her hand in a neat, polite greeting to Eva. Her mother studies Eva for a moment uncertainly, though, before shaking her head and clarifying, “Goodness no, Alexis, Cyril and Dominic are already off at their schools… but this is all new, this experience.” She eyes Eva for a moment longer before adding, “But I can see you’re used to that.” Danielle, on the other hand, pokes her tongue out at Parker’s loudness.

Not quite sure what the woman is getting at, Eva just smiles and merely nods. “Well, I’m sure she’ll love it at Hogwarts. I certainly did,” Eva sighs a bit and looks at Tommy, then to the children. “Alright, alright, you all may go to the train now. Find your compartments,” she tells the children, particularly her twins, who take that moment to squeal and skip toward the train. “Parker, you stay with Charlotte. You two need to stick together!” his father directs him.

“What compartment should we sit in?” Josie asks her sister, turning and skipping backwards for a moment as she looks back toward her younger sister and cousin and the stranger girl with whom her family is interacting. “Come on, you lot!” she calls to them, turning around again and stopping near the entrance to the train. “The third compartment!” Essie declares. “Three is a very good number.” The girls giggle as if laughing at an inside joke while they wait for the other children to join them.

Parker Wexler gasps loudly. “Dad, she stuck her tongue out at me!” the boy tattles, frowning at her and crossing his arms. “That’s not very nice, Danielle,” he tells her with a failed attempt at disdain. “I’m going to be a Gryffindor like my dad, so you better not be one, too, if you’re going to be like that. “Parker!” three adults call all at once and the boy flushes deep red, still frowning at Danielle. “You’re not very nice,” he says more quietly, in hopes that the grownups won’t hear him.

As Eva instructs her children to go to the train, Danielle pulls her hand back and wraps her arms all the more tightly around her mother. “Is it time?” She asks softly, tears beginning to well up in her eyes as she grabs at her mother. The only instruction given to her in return is, “You don’t want to be late…” before she’s pulled aside from the group and what seems to be a lecture starts – quiet, so as not to unduly embarass her, but loud enough that someone nearby could certinly catch snippets – ‘no lying’, ‘best behaviour’, ‘pull you out by your braids if necessary’, punctuated by first tears, then sobs, then a messy hug between all three family members before the eleven year old pulls herself together, wipes her nose and eyes on the sleeve of her dress, then stumbles towards the train, sniffing and trying to stop her emotions showing TOO much.

“Oh my goodness gracious me!” Alastriona Pryor bounces away from her sister, and spins in wide circle towards her friend Flossie. “Can you believe it’s another year! Another summer come and gone and sooooo much news!” She presses her lips together and smoothes her static-y red hair. “Come dear Flossie! I will tell you all about it!! It’s extraordinary, really! I’m certain–” she glances around and then stops talking. “I’ll tell you on the train, these things need to remain secrets from wandering ears. . .” Mischieviously she smirks at her friend, and locks arms together.

“Okay, girls, come say goodbye!” the woman calls to her daughters, making her way toward her daughters who are just about to board the train. “I’ll see you at Christmas holiday,” she tells her daughters. “Come on, Charlotte, join your sisters!” Charlotte glances at Danielle with a shy smile before she joins her mother near the door to the train. Parker follows, also glancing at Danielle, but with far more suspicion in his face as he keeps up with his cousins. “Bye Mum! Bye Dad!” he calls to his parents, and in an energetic bound, he’s the first of his cousins to board the train. “Be good, study hard and write often. Send an owl tonight – I want to know what house Charlotte is sorted into.” Eva smiles somewhat wistfully as she steps back to where her husband, brother and sister-in-law are standing. She waves to the small Wexlers as they bound onto the train after Parker.

Parker was the first onto the train, and he’s the first into a compartment. He dashes first into compartment one, but finds a much older student already sitting inside, so he quickly exits it without a word, then dashes into the next compartment down the way – the one marked with a “3″. Finding it empty, the boy quickly plops into the seat nearest to the door, hanging his head out of the compartment as he watches for his cousins. When he spots them, he shouts. “Hey, down here!” he yells to them, waving enthusiastically and nearly hitting a few older students in the process.

A few moments afterwards, Danielle flounces into the carriage and scowls at Parker. Her eyes are red from crying, but she seems to have pushed back all her tears for now, and is more focused on the other people in the room. “You can’t just tell on me for sticking my tongue out, that’s not against the rules.” A pause and then, “I bet it doesn’t say it anywhere in the school rulebook. Be pretty funny if it did.” And then, a moment later, a small curtsey. “I’m Danielle.” She’s very careful to only pronounce it with two syllables.

Pulling Flossie to the third compartment, Alastriona giggles along with her friend at the latest bit of news she’s relayed. “I mean really who would believe that?! Just silly people, that’s who. Or those in institutions. . . or St. Mungos–” she glances around and lowers her voice (but probably not low enough that others in the compartment can’t hear, “–I once overheard some people Daddy was talking to say that some terrible things were done to those that find themselves there. . . at least most of the time. . . they probably still deal with the occasional small issue. . . like . . .” thinking of no other ailments, Alastriona finally scrunches her nose and thinks of the only ailment she can think of off the top of her head, “. . .lice.” Flossie shakes her head in disagreement. Deciding that this would be a wonderful debate for the train ride, Alastriona and her friend finally sit down, and she asks to no one in particular, “Do you think St. Mungo’s Healers could cure lice?”

Josie, Essie and Charlotte follow down the corridor and join Parker in the third compartment. “See, I told you the train was great!” Josie tells her cousins proudly as she sits down by the window. The four Wexlers take up one side of the compartment, and Josie smiles to Danielle. “Isn’t this great?” she asks the girl, not taking notice of the tears. Charlotte, however, is slightly more perceptive than her older sister and furrows her eyebrows. “Are you okay?” the Wexler girl asks before Parker interrupts her. “I told my parents, and you can’t even imagine what they would have done. It’s just that your mum was there and they didn’t want to hurt her feelings,” the boy argues.

“Who has lice?” Parker asks loudly, his eyes growing wide at the older girl opposite. “Who are you? My name’s Parker Wexler. My dad writes for the Daily Prophet!” he boasts proudly. “And my auntie Eva owns a candy shop? Isn’t that so great? Josie and Essie and Charlotte get to go there all the time because my auntie Eva is their mum. Great, right?” Parker beams at the older girls, paying no mind to the fact that he has actually interrupted their conversation.

“Oh no, no one has lice, just hypothetically if someone did, do you think St. Mungo’s healers could fix them up?” Alastriona corrects and then asks. She smoothes her hair again and then frowns a bit at the introduction, “I don’t believe in calling people with first names by names that sound like lastnames. So. . . this presents us with a problem.” She frowns slightly. “What’s your middle name? I can maybe call you that!” She offers a hopeful smile. “Oh! How rude of me! I’m Alastriona Pryor! And this is my friend Flossie. Her real name is Locke. True story.” Flossie nods a bit fleetingly, but before she can say anything, Alastriona continues to talk for both of them, “That must be amazing to have all of that access to the candy! Everyone likes candy . . . I don’t think I’ve met anyone who says ‘I don’t like candy.’ Those are the kinds of people I was talking about earlier, Flossie! The candy haters who go to Azkaban . . .” She nods decidedly, certain that Dark Wizards dislike candy.

Scowling all the more at Parker, Danielle seems not to notice Charlotte’s question for a moment. When she does acknowledge the other girl, it’s with a whiny, sullen, “I’ll be okay.” There’s a moment of silence from her before she sits down and adds, “It’s – all very new for me,” she tells Charlotte, her voice raised slightly so as to speak over Parker, shooting him another nasty look. “I mean…” she stumbles over her words for a moment, before she continues, “because I’m new… in England. Great Britain, actually. I haven’t been here very long.”

“I’ve seen you before,” Josie tells the older girl with a beaming smile. “I’m Josie Wexler. Parker’s my cousin. Don’t mind him, he doesn’t think before he talks.” She giggles a bit. “This is my sister Essie, and that’s Charlotte. She’s my sister, too.” Josie nods and giggles at Ona’s comments regarding candy. “That’s very true. Anyone who doesn’t like candy is not my friend,” The girl states emphatically and smiles broadly. “I’m a Ravenclaw. You must not be a Ravenclaw or I would have seen you in the commonroom.”

Climbing over his cousins to get to the window seat, Parker steps on toes and kicks people accidentally as he tries to get into the miniscule space left by the window. “Move over,” he whines at his cousins who comply without much complaint past the kicks and smashed toes. “Look at how fast we’re going…” the boy starts staring out the window, only looking back when something in the conversation going on around him catches his attention.

Charlotte nods and yelping only briefly as Parker steps full on her foot, she smiles to Danielle. “I’ve never been to Hogwarts yet, either. My sisters say it’s really fun but kind of hard work. I guess magic is harder than it looks. Mum makes it look so simple.” She pauses. “I have some sweets that mum gave me. Do you want to share?” She asks, pulling a purple and blue striped bag out of a deep pocket at her side. Glancing around the compartment, she breathes in quickly, then gets up and moves across the compartment to sit next to Danielle rather than next to Parker.

“Well, Flossie and I are Gryffindors,” Alastriona says with a twinkle in her eye. “We have lots of friends from other houses.” She offers a bright smile. “It’s great to meet you! What year are you in? Flossie and I are in our third year!” Flossie opens her mouth to introduce herself, but Alastriona once again spouts some random information, “Well anyone who doesn’t like candy probably has no friends. I was talking to Flossie about people in Azkaban. I’m convinced that lack of sugar put them there in the first place, so all people must have sugar and those that don’t are to be considered . . . ” she lowers her voice again. “. . . suspicious. . .” she glances left and then right. And then Parker kicks her accidently, and while it doesn’t hurt, being somewhat of a drama queen she says, with much emphasis, “OW.”

Although she seems unimpressed that Parker is still getting more overall attention than she is, Danielle does seem to latch onto Charlotte as she addresses her, though she wrinkles her nose and shakes her head slightly at the offer. “No, I was saying I’m only new to Great Britain… oh, I don’t suppose it matters.” There’s a hesitant pause and then, “I’m sure magic is quite easy really… but, uh, no magic candy for me, thank you.” She laughs, lightly, but it’s a little forced.

“I’m a second year now! Essie’s a Hufflepuff, though, not a Ravenclaw. The hat didn’t sort us together.” Sadness briefly crosses Josie‘s face as she remembers the fact, but she quickly rebounds. “They are kind of susp— OW, Parker, watch it!” the girl exclaims and shakes her head. “What classes are you taking this year? You get to pick new ones, right? I can’t wait to pick out new classes. I want to take music, but I don’t know what else I should take.” She pauses. “Oh, sweets! Mum gave us some for the trip. Do you want some? They’re from mummy’s shop in Diagon Alley.” Josie reaches into her own pocket to draw out the large bag of sweets, offering some of hers to the older girls across from her.

“Oh, where did you live before you came to Great Britain?” Charlotte asks Danielle cheerfully. “I’ve lived here my whole life. I was born in Hogsmeade when mum co-owned Honeydukes – that’s another candy shop, you know. We moved to London when I was very small, though. I like it there. There’s so much going on. Are you sure you won’t have any?” she asks politely, drawing out a peppermint toad and nibbling it slowly. Parker pays attention again as Josie exclaims in pain. “What?” he asks, cluelessly. “What’d I do? Oh, sweets!” he remembers, pulling his own bag of sweets out of his pocket and pops a fizzing whizzbee into his mouth, giggling loudly as the fireworks begin in his mouth, a few escaping into the air in front of him as he laughs, coming out in shining sparks.

Alastriona Pryor arches an eyebrow at Danielle’s refusal of candy, and of course, having little restraint, she narrows her eyes and questions, “Don’t you like candy? Or are you a candy hater? Do you never eat sugar? Or only when on a train with strangers, Dan-ee-elle?” Flossie finally manages to get a word in edgewise, “Ona, be nice. She’s just kid.” Flossie offers Danielle a weak smile. And then Alastriona continues her questioning, “I need to interrogate when necessary. And it seems necessary. Just you wait, watch for people who don’t eat sugar and you’ll see. . .” Her attention is diverted back to Josie, “Yeah, we get to choose. I’m taking Muggle Studies, Wizo-Music, Magical Art, and Divination. I wish I could take more, but honestly, courses like Arithmancy seem. . . icky. I want to take I would love some sweets! Thanks Josie! I seriously love sugar. Daddy doesn’t let me eat it often though.” She tilts her head, “What do you think you’ll take when you’re in third year?”

Danielle Baker flinches back from Parker in shock as he laughs and fireworks exit his mouth, almost automatically, though she tries to right herself quickly enough. She tugs down on her plaits, trying to arrange them a bit more neatly, and addressing Charlotte directly rather than looking again at Parker. “Oh… France, actually. We moved here maybe – perhaps,” she corrects herself, drawing herself up in a somewhat pompous way and affecting a slightly stronger French accent, reminiscent of her mother, “six months ago. That was before we got the letter,” she adds hurriedly. Her eyes turn to Alastriona, and she corrects quietly, “Dan-yell.” There’s a moment of silence, and she bites her lip before adding, “I’m… allergic to her mother’s candy. From the candy store.”

“Allergic?” Parker asks in horror. “How can you be allergic to sweets? Is it just her sweets? Have you even had them before? My cousin Maura makes them and she does very well!” His eyes grow wide as he considers this, but he pops another fizzing whizbee (his favorite – not that that’s any shock) into his mouth and is instantly distracted from the unpleasant girl in front of him. “Oh, alright,” Charlotte replies pleasantly to Danielle, clearly not phased by much that’s going on around her. She continues to nibble her toad. “So, what house do you think you’ll be in?” she asks the girl cordially.

“Muggle studies sounds really interesting, too. I’m not sure about Divination. It seems like it might just be a bunch of fluff and make-believe. I mean, Professor Kensington seems like she’s alright, but I don’t think she’s being totally honest with us that Divination is so hard.” Josie looks pensive as she considers the subject. “I want to take Ancient Runes,” Essie admits. “It looks like it would be really interesting, and I think it would be more challenging than some of the other subjects.” She pauses briefly. “I also want to take that animals class. It looks so interesting. What’s it called again?” She considers thoughtfully. “Care of Magical Creatures!” Josie breaks in again. “How do you think you’ll manage all of those classes? I’m sure that’s more than what I could handle!”

“Okay, if you’re allergic, I’ll let it slide,” Alastriona responds with a suspicious twinkle in her eye. “I suppose that’s possible . . but know that I’m watching you. . .” She redirects her attention to Josie and shuffles in her seat a bit. “Yeah, I think Divination will be an easy course. Well relatively, even if she says its hard. I mean it’s just looking at tea and stuff, right?” She nods at Essie. “Yeah, they all sound good–it’s hard to choose.”

“May – perhaps,” Danielle tells Parker a little defensively, folding her arms across her chest and scowling at him, before affecting a smile again as she turns back to Charlotte. “I… haven’t given it much thought,” she bites at her lip again. “I – you were saying you’d be in… that house, I remember.” She tugs at one of her plaits again, considering Charlotte. “I imagine I’ll be in… well, I suppose I’m particularly hard to place.” She clears her throat, though, and fumbles for her pockets, eventually pulling out what is plainly a small packet of entirely muggle sweets, one of which she pushes into her mouth rapidly, before slipping the package back into her pocket and chewing away at the one in her mouth. Her eyes fall on Alastriona as she chews, and she starts to scowl a little sullenly at the older girl

“Mum says all of the houses are good and that it won’t matter which house I’m in,” Charlotte says placidly. “Mum was a Ravneclaw and Dad was a Gryffindor. I don’t really know where I should go.” The girl looks down into her bag of sweets then shrugs vaguely. She finishes her peppermint toad and then tucks the bag into her deep pocket again and glances to Danielle, not commenting as she spots the bag of sweets. “So is it nice in France? I’d love to go visit there,” she asks, trying to diffuse Danielle’s hostility toward the older girl. Charlotte only glances briefly at the older girl as her attention is drawn to Parker, who has frozen with a bit of candy in his mouth. Apparently Parker has forgotten what ice mice do, and for the time being, the compartment is slightly more still as the effects of the candy keep hold on him.

“Professor Kensington keeps very close tabs on us Ravenclaws,” Josie comments. “She makes sure that our marks are at a certain level, and if they’re not, we have manditory homework time! On weekends too. Have you ever heard of such a thing?” The girl shakes her head in a semblance of shock. “Thankfully, I haven’t had to stay in for it yet, but I can’t believe that she would do that! I bet she can’t be that way with her class, though. Like you said, it’s just looking at tea and crystal balls and all of that.” Essie nods quickly, but says nothing to add to the comments. Josie pulls out a sugar quill and begins to suck on it slowly. “Anyway, I think I’ll take Care of Magical Creatures with Essie instead.”

Alastriona Pryor gives an approving nod to Danielle as she pops the Muggle candy in her mouth. At least it’s sugar! Alastriona either doesn’t notice or ignores the scowl she’s given because she merely smiles at Danielle. “Mandatory homework time?! You better work hard! Professor Fallon isn’t like that. She’s more. . . the mothering type. Honestly, if I didn’t know better I’d think that she had children at the school.” She contemplates a second and then adds, “Discipline isn’t unheard of with her, but it’s not scary punishment at all.” She shrugs.

Danielle Baker looks up at Josie and wrinkles her nose again, shaking her head. “No, I don’t think I want to be in Ravenclaw.” She falls quiet for a moment, before looking up at Charlotte again. “Oh, it’s wonderful in France. There’s all different kinds of people there, and the very tallest building is the tour eiffel, and you can see it from everywhere in France, it’s so big. I lived just near it and would go there all the time.” She smiles faintly at the other first year, and swallows her sweet, casting another significant look towards Alastriona.

“Well, you know she used to!” Josie exclaims, proud that she can provide information that the older girl didn’t appear to know. “My cousin Briony married her oldest kid. His name’s Gabe. He and Briony were Gryffindors. Gabe has two sisters, too, but I don’t know them very well.” Josie beams and glances out the window. “Wow, look how dark it is! We must be nearly there!” The girl hops up and smooths her robes out, rubbing her fingers over her Ravenclaw crest lovingly and grinning at the others. I’m going to go up toward the entrance! Come on, Essie! Let’s get a carriage together!”

“Well that’s interesting! You certainly have a lot of family!” Alastriona exlaims. She quickly stands to her feet, smoothes her robes, and then for good measure, smoothes her hair once more. “Come along, Flossie! We have things to do–carriages to catch, and things to discuss.” That said, the pair begin shuffling to the front of the train.

Parker Wexler unfreezes just in time to hear Josie exclaim about nearly reaching Hogwarts. “Hogwarts! Hogwarts! Hogwarts! We’re almost there, Lottie!” he calls to her and bounces a bit on the seat, shoving his own bag of sweets haphazardly into his pocket and jumping up. This time, he manages not to trip over anyone or kick anyone, but he’s not exactly moving slowly, and he nearly falls over as he runs out of the compartment. “Wait for me!” he calls to his cousins. “No?” Charlotte replies to Danielle, giving only a brief glance out the window and frowning slightly as she sees that the trip is nearly over. “Want to go to the front?” Charlotte asks the other girls left in the compartment as she stands up and smooths her robes, folding up the top of her bag and tucking it into her pocket.

As the view outside the window starts getting less and less clear due to the cover of darkness – or, at least, as she realises that this is rapidly happening – Danielle becomes quieter and even starts biting on her nails. Eventually, she leans in a little closer to Charlotte, and whispers, “I don’t want to be given weekend homework, I got plenty of that from my last teacher. In France!” She adds, almost as an afterthought. “But… don’t you ever worry that you might pop on the hat and it’ll tell you to go away?” A pause. “Not that I ever do!” She adds, almost hurriedly. “I was just… wondering if other people did. It seems scary. Like other people would find it scary.”

Standing alone at the end of the train platform, Avery Fallon has one arm lifted above her head, waving to capture students’ attention. “First years! First years gather here! Sorted students should take the carriages, but first years please gather here!” The astronomy professor appears to be in fairly good spirits and is smiling welcomingly, vaguely scanning the faces for Charlotte and Parker Wexler.

Bounding off of the train and dodging some of the bigger students, Parker makes his way to the platform, his too-long robes streaming behind him. “Come on,” he calls to Charlotte and Danielle, pausing briefly as he hears a voice calling for first years. “This way!” he shouts and runs down the platform, not even giving the girls a chance to figure out where he’s headed. “Hi, Aunt Avery!” he greets the teacher and bounds into her with an exuberant hug.

Danielle Baker falls silent as she steps off the train and really seems to take in the sheer size of the crowds. She bites at her lower lip, glancing back and forth and reaching out to grab at Charlotte’s arm as she moves over towards the Professor calling out for them. “Is this where we get Sorted?” She hisses at Charlotte. “I don’t think anyone said!”

“Parker!” Avery exclaims, leaning down to hug the boy back and stepping back to ruffle his hair and smile to Charlotte, giving her a little wave. Once a sizeable group of first years has congregated around her, and it appears that all others are on their way towards carriages, Avery looks to her mass of eleven-year-olds and smiles. “Welcome to the Hogwarts grounds! I’m Professor Fallon, and you’ll be seeing me some evenings for Astronomy. No doubt you’re all excited to get to the castle for the sorting, so let us depart. Follow me, please,” she says, turning around and heading for the shore path.

Josie and Essie make their way off of the train, pausing and waving to Avery in hopes that she’ll see them before the two girls bounce into a carriage, greeting some other second years as they do so. In a moment, the carriage has disembarked toward the castle. Charlotte remains with Danielle as the crowd slowly thins and the girls are left with the other first years on the platform. “Oh, no. We have to go to the castle where the rest of the students are going. I think we take boats instead of carriages,” she tells Danielle quietly, glancing at Parker quickly before she waves shyly to Avery, coming to stop in front of her aunt.

With the first years in tow, Avery stops at the edge of the shore and indicates the boats with her hand. “Four to a boat, and there’s no need to steer. They’ll take you right where you should be. And don’t lean over the edge, please! And mind your cloaks are done up! It can be cool over the water and your mothers would be quite distraught if you had to start your days at Hogwarts with a cold. Alright, off you go!” she requests, she herself striding to a boat as well. She steps into it with a practiced ease and turns around, motioning for Parker, Charlotte and Danielle to join her in this vessel.

The fleet pushes off from shore in near unison. As the boats progress silently through the water, they leave no wake behind. Drifting along, the boats travel in an unhurried fashion, moving over the darkened waters in a loose group, but always remaining together. The chilly night’s breeze is more apparent here upon the lake.

As the fleet continues forward, the southern shore recedes into the distance, and is lost in loose tendrils of smoky fog. The northern shore is not yet in view, concealed as it is by a thicker blanket of pale haze. The air is cooler over the lake, and as the boats drift further onto the water, there a more pronounced breeze that nips through robe and sweater alike.

The fleet has begun to move through the steadily increasing fog now, reducing visibility to a scant metre or two. Dim lights from the lanterns on the other boats of the fleet can be seen, flickering softly in the wind. The breeze is gentle, but consistent and quite cold out here upon the nearly still nighttime waters, where is there is no shelter and no warming fire. The only company is the steady rocking of the boats and the dim lights of boat lanterns.

The fleet has finally begun to leave the haze behind, although the mist tries vainly to cling to the boats and it still laps at those lingering in the rear. The Forbidden Forest encroaches upon the eastern shoreline, bordered by grey mist and shadow. The northern shore has come into view with the castle of Hogwarts silhouetted against the hills beyond; the immense towers rise up in stern defiance to the centuries they have weathered. Few windows break the even stone facade of the castle walls, preserving the mysteries within from prying eyes. However, those few windows are merrily lit from within those hallowed halls, revealing the welcoming warmth that can be found within, a homecoming to those who have made a long journey. Ivy and similar plants sprawl across the walls of the castle, their unruly density hinting at the senescence of the walls themselves. The breeze is still cold, nipping at the boats and rustling over the water.

The fleet has begun to pick up speed, accelerating rapidly towards the northern shore. Clear of fog, all that remains of the distant haze is what marks the barriers to the southern and eastern shores, the mist lapping on top of the water but the fleet has now broken free of its grasp. Remarkably, the boats still leave no wake to mark their passage across the water. The speed causes the brisk air to hurtle past, reducing the apparent temperature further and setting the lantern lights to flickering even more, though none of them have gone out.

Rising suddenly as through from beneath the water, the looming bulk of Hogwarts Castle blots out the evening sky and casts a dense shadow over the shoreline, broken only by the steady glow of the lights from within a large section of the building. The boats have begun to decelerate now, but are still moving rapidly as they skim towards the darkness ahead. As it grows steadily darker, the night air takes on a crisper and ever more frigid bite.

The fleet has now passed into the shadow cast by the Castle and descended into absolute darkness, evading the dancing lights that reflected from the windows above. The lantern lights, which have remained so faithful during the journey, have abruptly faded away. Only the steady flow of cold night air moving past indicates that the boats are still moving; there is no other sensation of motion.

The fleet has halted at the lakeshore just below the castle, the transition from movement to rest having occurred smoothly, but without warning. Dim reflected light illuminates a stone stairway, worn smooth with age and use, with steps rising for two metres before disappearing over the cliff top. You can now DISEMBARK.

Having made their way to the castle, Avery Fallon and the group of first years wait in the Great Hall’s antechamber.

Bonnie Kensington stands in the Waiting Room as she waits for the first years to finish their trip across the lake. Everyone in the Great Hall is well settled as the group walks in. She nods to Avery as they make their way into the room. “Hello, and welcome to Hogwarts!” She greets jovially, but without any unnatural smile. “You’re going to be sorted when we walk through that door. You’ll stand at the front of the room as the hat sings its song, then you will come up, one at a time as your name is called to be sorted. Do not fidget, make noise or otherwise be disturbing while the hat sorts the other students.” She pauses and looks over the group. “Once you are sorted, you will proceed to your house table and sit down quietly to wait for the end of the ceremony. Any questions?” She waits only a moment before smiling briefly. “Alright, follow me,” she states and turns to enter the great hall.

Gawking as he enters the Great Hall for the first time, Parker, who has been at the head of the group nearly the whole way, is falling behind and a few of the first years run into him, though he takes no notice of this. “Wow…” he whispers as the first years make their way to the front of the hall. Charlotte, too, is impressed with the grandeur of the hall, and then somewhat intimidated as she spots all of the people sitting at the tables. She sees both of her sisters sitting at different tables, but her demeanor does not seem to change as she continues on to the front of the hall.

Still so shocked and amazed at the sight of Hogwarts that she can’t even bring herself to fake propriety and her worldly manner, Danielle‘s mouth hangs open slightly and her eyes consider the ceiling, then the crowds of people at the tables, and so on. Eventually, she manages a soft, “Ohhh, it’s even better than I could have imagined.

“Let’s begin,” Bonnie states loudly, her voice sounding through the Great Hall as she pulls open a scroll which holds a list of names. “Abbott, Ida” goes first, sorted to Hufflepuff, then “Atwell, Mabel” is sorted to Gryffindor. This takes only a few minutes, then the woman calls out “Baker, Danielle.”

Shocked that she’s so close to the front of the queue, Danielle‘s mouth drops open again and she seems barely able to put one foot in front of the other. Eventually, the person behind her has to prompt her to step forward and she stumbles a few steps, before affecting a rather more dainty and careful step to the stool, placing the Sorting Hat upon her head as primly as she can manage.

Glancing to Danielle, Charlotte squeezes the girl’s hand and watches with a somewhat stressed look on her face. She glances to the tables and sees her own sisters watching with interest as the sorting gets into full swing.

Although now her shock and confusion mingles with irritation, it’s clear that of all things, Danielle wasn’t expecting that. As it shouts out her house, she removes the hat suddenly and stumbles to the Hufflepuff table as carefully as she can manage, though she’s still having trouble putting one foot in front of the other.

Two more B-names are sorted, one to Slytherin and one to Ravenclaw, then it’s “Chaffee, Viviane,” who goes to Ravenclaw. Three girls are next, two of whom are sorted to Ravenclaw and one to Hufflepuff. Then a boy is sorted to Slytherin, another boy to Gryffindor, and a girl to Gryffindor. Next up is “Mycroft, Alistair”, who is sorted to Slytherin. Five or six more students are sorted, and then “Wexler, Charlotte” is called. After a brief moment, she is sorted to Slytherin, and then “Wexler, Parker” is called forward.

Parker Wexler gasps as Charlotte gets sorted to Slytherin, gawking a bit, but before he has much time to react, it’s his own turn. The boy bounds up to the hat and pulls it down hard over his head. His ears bow out and the hat comes down to his ears as he crosses his fingers, waiting to see what the hat would do and thinking very hard that he hoped the hat wouldn’t chew on his head.

To the hat, the boy thinks: Why wouldn’t Slytherin be kind? I mean, Dad was a Gryffindor and so was Uncle Tom and Aunt Avery so that would be okay, but I mean, Slytherin would, too!

Parker Wexler gasps gleefully and runs down to the Gryffindor table, finding an open spot and bouncing into it. He beams at his housemates as he settles in at the table, pleased to know that the hat did not, in fact, chew on him, even though his parents would not tell him one way or the other.

One final student is sorted, headed Hufflepuff way, and then Bonnie nods again. “The sorting is completed,” she tells the room, rolls up the scroll deliberately, then sits down at the faculty table, breathing deeply as if in relief.

As the Sorting itself concludes, Astra rises from her seat at the faculty table and stands to face the vast hall and its many occupants. There’s a beat between her standing up and her actual address of the students, but when she does speak it is clear and calm, using the natural acoustics of the room to make herself heard rather than magical spells. Turning to nod at Avery, she smiles tightly to the woman before shooting a small smile to Bonnie. “Thank you Professor Kensington for your help with the Sorting and my gratitude to Professor Fallon for your assistance with bringing the first years safely to the school, it’s always an exciting task.” Addressing the school again, the headmistress draws herself up and continues. “I’m very glad to see you all back and hope that you’ve had a wonderful summer. For our new students, welcome to your new home. I’m sure that your fellow Housemates will help you get settled in quickly and comfortably.” Pausing to look at the many faces, some new and many familiar, she grins sharply and gives a moment before she launches on.

The mood of her tone sobers but she continues the speech with the same efficient crisp pace. After a short span, she retrieves a piece of paper. Reading off the paper, she then continues. “Prefect picks for the fifth year students are as follows.” “Congratulations to Gryffindor: Arthur Towner and Rachel Stewart. Congratulations to Ravenclaw: Tobias Garner and Geraldine Parr. Congratulations to Slytherin: Francine Rees and George Whittle.” “And congratulations to Hufflepuff: William Sanderson and Bridget Madigan.” Coughing a little, she sets down the paper and takes another drink from her goblet. “I’m sure the seventh years are excited to know who will become the Head Boy and Head Girl for this year.” Taking delight in this news, Astra purposely pauses to retrieve and sip from the goblet in her hand. Glancing over the various tables, she finishes this part of the speech with, “Congratulations are especially in order to Slytherin Prefect, Luther Anderson who is Head Boy this year and no less congratulations are in order to Gryffindor Prefect Vesta Newton who will be serving as Head Girl.” Only now does the woman allow herself a brief respite to grin widely and watch any reactions that might take place.

Once things have settled back down, Astra clears her throat. “Of course, school wouldn’t be school without a list of rules and regulations now would it? Your parents have charged us with the task of taking care of you and so we do our best to imitate them most times.” “I know you’re all thrilled over that!” The dry humor comes slowly to her, but she finally seems to be getting into the good spirits of the Sorting feast. “With that said I’m charged with telling you all that a list of banned items is posted on the Caretaker’s office door and you’d do well to familiarize yourself with it. In addition, there is to be no running in the hallways.” “Use of magic in the hallways or on the outside grounds without supervision or explicit permission by a teacher is strictly prohibited and will be dealt with accordingly.” “As usual, the Forbidden Forest is exactly that – Forbidden and trespassers will be dealt with harshly.” “Third year students and above are reminded to have their permission slips to Hogsmeade signed and ready for the first weekend. Anyone who doesn’t have this will not be allowed off school grounds.” Clearing her throat, she looks around the hall. “Returning students know how I deal with rule breakers, I trust none of you will want to come to my office?” “Don’t worry, you’ll get to eat soon, but I have a few more announcements to make.”

Waiting for about a minute to let students discuss among themselves, Astra finally holds up her hand for attention. “I have just a few more notices and reminders before we get to the pleasant task of eating.” “I am also to inform you that all greenhouses are off limits to students unless you have express permission to be there outside of class.” “Finally, there is to be absolutely no magical toys, candy, trinkets, or anything else of magical nature brought into Muggle Studies. If any of these items are found upon your person, Professor Helit will confiscate and dispose of them.” Then taking one more very brief pause she then ends, “It looks to be an exciting and vibrant new term. I sincerely hope each of you finds as much fun as you do challenges.” “Now let’s eat.”

The sorting extends for quite a while, and Parker interacts enthusiastically with his new housemates while he stuffs himself as full as possible. Eventually, the chatter dies down and the food slowly vanishes. When the prefects get up and direct the first years to follow them, Parker does so dutifully. Sleepiness begins to overpower the boy who has had what could only be called an exciting day. He follows the Gryffindor prefects out of the Great Hall and disappears on his way to his new home for seven years.

Sorting day has arrived again, and just like the previous year, Eva Fallon comes to the platform with some of her children. This time, her brother’s oldest son, Parker is starting as well as one of her own, Charlotte. Josie and Essie are the first through the barrier, in that order, followed by Parker – who just couldn’t wait. Charlotte came next, then Freddie Wexler, then his wife. Tom, Eva‘s husband was next, followed finally by Eva. “Please stay close, kids! Let’s make sure everything’s here…” Eva trails off as the four kids flock next to the train, talking excitedly among themselves. She sighs and shakes her head.

“Isn’t the train amazing?” Josie exclaims as she takes Charlotte by the hand, running close to it. “We’ll get on the train and then it will take us to Hogwarts. I think you’ll be in Ravenclaw with me, just like mummy was.” The girl nods enthusiastically to her sister, looking to Essie for affirmation. “Mummy, mummy, Charlotte is going to be in Ravenclaw, right? Right?” the girl shouts to her mother, bouncing slightly in anticipation.

Clinging to her mother closely, Danielle is a picture of mixed emotions. There’s tears in the corners of her eyes and she sniffles from time to time, her arms wrapped tightly around her mother’s waist. Despite this, though, her eyes are widen and focused on the crowd in front of her, drifting from group to group, and her mouth falls open as she notices owls, cats, large trunks and laughing students in varying kinds of flashy garb. Her mother is fussing over her hair and smoothing it into place and looks incredibly anxious; her father stands by, looking stern and wooden.

“Josephine Elizabeth Wexler, come back here now,” Eva calls to the girl. “Estelle Bidelia Wexler, you, too. What did I tell you about running off?” The woman taps her foot for a moment before murmuring something to her husband and shaking her head. The two oldest girls walk dutifully back toward their mother, their cheeks slightly red at being chastised. Parker and Charlotte come slowly back toward their family members, looking around with interest at everything happening on the platform. It is then that Eva notices the family just nearby to them, with the little girl who looks slightly overwhelmed. Grinning sympathetically, Eva leans over to the mother. “First year?” she asks quietly. “My Charlotte here is a first year, too,” she tells the other woman, gesturing vaguely to the girl in question.

“Does the hat really chew on your head if you’re not easy enough to sort?” Parker asks loudly as he returns to his family slowly. “One of the boys at Madame Malkin’s told me that it chews on you. Can I ask it to stop if I don’t like it?” He looks up at his mother, who smooths his unruly hair down. “Can I, mum?” She merely chuckles and smiles to Freddie without answering the boy’s question. Freddie’s eyes twinkle with mischeif as he tousles the boy’s hair, which prompts his mother to smooth it down once more. “What? Can’t I?”

Although the mother seems a little suspicious of Eva and her children, Danielle takes the opportunity to study Charlotte and Parker intently with wide eyes, though she doesn’t move away or even loosen her grip on her mother. Eventually, Juliette reaches out delicately with one hand, the other one still on her child’s head, although now she pulls her protectively closer, and remarks in a low voice, with just a slight French accent, “I don’t know how any of… you people handle it.”

Seraphina Pryor is a sixth year – almost at the top of the hill! She feels fairly proud as she emerges from the barrier, intent on getting onto the train as quickly as possible. Her sister and father follow her through so quickly that Alastriona runs smack into her. “Watch where you’re going,” she mutters at her sister, who then attaches herself to her sister’s arm. “Let’s sit together!” the girl squeals to her older sister. “‘Ona, don’t you have friends you’d rather sit with?” she asks in an exasperated tone. “I’m going to sit with Otto. Look, there’s Flossie – go talk to her.” With that, Alastriona takes off running and laughing as she spots one of her friends and Seraphina breathes a sigh of relief. “I’m going to go get onto the train,” she tells her father. “I’ll owl you once I’m settled into my NEWT classes.” With that, she makes her way toward the train, not in any particular hurry.

Eva Fallon quirks her head in slight confusion. “Handle what? Our children going off to school? It’s difficult to let go at first, but it’s so good for them. Josie and Essie,” she gestures to the two girls who are talking quietly to one another and giggling, “started last year and they’ve become incredibly self-assured and self-reliant in that time. I think it has been very good for them.” Eva smiles, though not quite as genuinely as the first time. “What’s your name?” she asks, directing the question to the girl.

Finally realizing that he will get no answer to his question from his parents, Parker directs his attention to those nearby. He studies Danielle quickly as she seems to be studying him, and interrupting his aunt (without really realizing it), he puts his hand out. “I’m Parker,” he tells her with absolutely no volume control.

“Danielle,” the small girl volunteers, though she still doesn’t pull away from her mother; a moment later, the older woman prompts her, and she lets go with one arm, holding out her hand in a neat, polite greeting to Eva. Her mother studies Eva for a moment uncertainly, though, before shaking her head and clarifying, “Goodness no, Alexis, Cyril and Dominic are already off at their schools… but this is all new, this experience.” She eyes Eva for a moment longer before adding, “But I can see you’re used to that.” Danielle, on the other hand, pokes her tongue out at Parker’s loudness.

Not quite sure what the woman is getting at, Eva just smiles and merely nods. “Well, I’m sure she’ll love it at Hogwarts. I certainly did,” Eva sighs a bit and looks at Tommy, then to the children. “Alright, alright, you all may go to the train now. Find your compartments,” she tells the children, particularly her twins, who take that moment to squeal and skip toward the train. “Parker, you stay with Charlotte. You two need to stick together!” his father directs him.

“What compartment should we sit in?” Josie asks her sister, turning and skipping backwards for a moment as she looks back toward her younger sister and cousin and the stranger girl with whom her family is interacting. “Come on, you lot!” she calls to them, turning around again and stopping near the entrance to the train. “The third compartment!” Essie declares. “Three is a very good number.” The girls giggle as if laughing at an inside joke while they wait for the other children to join them.

Parker Wexler gasps loudly. “Dad, she stuck her tongue out at me!” the boy tattles, frowning at her and crossing his arms. “That’s not very nice, Danielle,” he tells her with a failed attempt at disdain. “I’m going to be a Gryffindor like my dad, so you better not be one, too, if you’re going to be like that. “Parker!” three adults call all at once and the boy flushes deep red, still frowning at Danielle. “You’re not very nice,” he says more quietly, in hopes that the grownups won’t hear him.

As Eva instructs her children to go to the train, Danielle pulls her hand back and wraps her arms all the more tightly around her mother. “Is it time?” She asks softly, tears beginning to well up in her eyes as she grabs at her mother. The only instruction given to her in return is, “You don’t want to be late…” before she’s pulled aside from the group and what seems to be a lecture starts – quiet, so as not to unduly embarass her, but loud enough that someone nearby could certinly catch snippets – ‘no lying’, ‘best behaviour’, ‘pull you out by your braids if necessary’, punctuated by first tears, then sobs, then a messy hug between all three family members before the eleven year old pulls herself together, wipes her nose and eyes on the sleeve of her dress, then stumbles towards the train, sniffing and trying to stop her emotions showing TOO much.

“Oh my goodness gracious me!” Alastriona Pryor bounces away from her sister, and spins in wide circle towards her friend Flossie. “Can you believe it’s another year! Another summer come and gone and sooooo much news!” She presses her lips together and smoothes her static-y red hair. “Come dear Flossie! I will tell you all about it!! It’s extraordinary, really! I’m certain–” she glances around and then stops talking. “I’ll tell you on the train, these things need to remain secrets from wandering ears. . .” Mischieviously she smirks at her friend, and locks arms together.

“Okay, girls, come say goodbye!” the woman calls to her daughters, making her way toward her daughters who are just about to board the train. “I’ll see you at Christmas holiday,” she tells her daughters. “Come on, Charlotte, join your sisters!” Charlotte glances at Danielle with a shy smile before she joins her mother near the door to the train. Parker follows, also glancing at Danielle, but with far more suspicion in his face as he keeps up with his cousins. “Bye Mum! Bye Dad!” he calls to his parents, and in an energetic bound, he’s the first of his cousins to board the train. “Be good, study hard and write often. Send an owl tonight – I want to know what house Charlotte is sorted into.” Eva smiles somewhat wistfully as she steps back to where her husband, brother and sister-in-law are standing. She waves to the small Wexlers as they bound onto the train after Parker.

Parker was the first onto the train, and he’s the first into a compartment. He dashes first into compartment one, but finds a much older student already sitting inside, so he quickly exits it without a word, then dashes into the next compartment down the way – the one marked with a “3″. Finding it empty, the boy quickly plops into the seat nearest to the door, hanging his head out of the compartment as he watches for his cousins. When he spots them, he shouts. “Hey, down here!” he yells to them, waving enthusiastically and nearly hitting a few older students in the process.

A few moments afterwards, Danielle flounces into the carriage and scowls at Parker. Her eyes are red from crying, but she seems to have pushed back all her tears for now, and is more focused on the other people in the room. “You can’t just tell on me for sticking my tongue out, that’s not against the rules.” A pause and then, “I bet it doesn’t say it anywhere in the school rulebook. Be pretty funny if it did.” And then, a moment later, a small curtsey. “I’m Danielle.” She’s very careful to only pronounce it with two syllables.

Pulling Flossie to the third compartment, Alastriona giggles along with her friend at the latest bit of news she’s relayed. “I mean really who would believe that?! Just silly people, that’s who. Or those in institutions. . . or St. Mungos–” she glances around and lowers her voice (but probably not low enough that others in the compartment can’t hear, “–I once overheard some people Daddy was talking to say that some terrible things were done to those that find themselves there. . . at least most of the time. . . they probably still deal with the occasional small issue. . . like . . .” thinking of no other ailments, Alastriona finally scrunches her nose and thinks of the only ailment she can think of off the top of her head, “. . .lice.” Flossie shakes her head in disagreement. Deciding that this would be a wonderful debate for the train ride, Alastriona and her friend finally sit down, and she asks to no one in particular, “Do you think St. Mungo’s Healers could cure lice?”

Josie, Essie and Charlotte follow down the corridor and join Parker in the third compartment. “See, I told you the train was great!” Josie tells her cousins proudly as she sits down by the window. The four Wexlers take up one side of the compartment, and Josie smiles to Danielle. “Isn’t this great?” she asks the girl, not taking notice of the tears. Charlotte, however, is slightly more perceptive than her older sister and furrows her eyebrows. “Are you okay?” the Wexler girl asks before Parker interrupts her. “I told my parents, and you can’t even imagine what they would have done. It’s just that your mum was there and they didn’t want to hurt her feelings,” the boy argues.

“Who has lice?” Parker asks loudly, his eyes growing wide at the older girl opposite. “Who are you? My name’s Parker Wexler. My dad writes for the Daily Prophet!” he boasts proudly. “And my auntie Eva owns a candy shop? Isn’t that so great? Josie and Essie and Charlotte get to go there all the time because my auntie Eva is their mum. Great, right?” Parker beams at the older girls, paying no mind to the fact that he has actually interrupted their conversation.

“Oh no, no one has lice, just hypothetically if someone did, do you think St. Mungo’s healers could fix them up?” Alastriona corrects and then asks. She smoothes her hair again and then frowns a bit at the introduction, “I don’t believe in calling people with first names by names that sound like lastnames. So. . . this presents us with a problem.” She frowns slightly. “What’s your middle name? I can maybe call you that!” She offers a hopeful smile. “Oh! How rude of me! I’m Alastriona Pryor! And this is my friend Flossie. Her real name is Locke. True story.” Flossie nods a bit fleetingly, but before she can say anything, Alastriona continues to talk for both of them, “That must be amazing to have all of that access to the candy! Everyone likes candy . . . I don’t think I’ve met anyone who says ‘I don’t like candy.’ Those are the kinds of people I was talking about earlier, Flossie! The candy haters who go to Azkaban . . .” She nods decidedly, certain that Dark Wizards dislike candy.

Scowling all the more at Parker, Danielle seems not to notice Charlotte’s question for a moment. When she does acknowledge the other girl, it’s with a whiny, sullen, “I’ll be okay.” There’s a moment of silence from her before she sits down and adds, “It’s – all very new for me,” she tells Charlotte, her voice raised slightly so as to speak over Parker, shooting him another nasty look. “I mean…” she stumbles over her words for a moment, before she continues, “because I’m new… in England. Great Britain, actually. I haven’t been here very long.”

“I’ve seen you before,” Josie tells the older girl with a beaming smile. “I’m Josie Wexler. Parker’s my cousin. Don’t mind him, he doesn’t think before he talks.” She giggles a bit. “This is my sister Essie, and that’s Charlotte. She’s my sister, too.” Josie nods and giggles at Ona’s comments regarding candy. “That’s very true. Anyone who doesn’t like candy is not my friend,” The girl states emphatically and smiles broadly. “I’m a Ravenclaw. You must not be a Ravenclaw or I would have seen you in the commonroom.”

Climbing over his cousins to get to the window seat, Parker steps on toes and kicks people accidentally as he tries to get into the miniscule space left by the window. “Move over,” he whines at his cousins who comply without much complaint past the kicks and smashed toes. “Look at how fast we’re going…” the boy starts staring out the window, only looking back when something in the conversation going on around him catches his attention.

Charlotte nods and yelping only briefly as Parker steps full on her foot, she smiles to Danielle. “I’ve never been to Hogwarts yet, either. My sisters say it’s really fun but kind of hard work. I guess magic is harder than it looks. Mum makes it look so simple.” She pauses. “I have some sweets that mum gave me. Do you want to share?” She asks, pulling a purple and blue striped bag out of a deep pocket at her side. Glancing around the compartment, she breathes in quickly, then gets up and moves across the compartment to sit next to Danielle rather than next to Parker.

“Well, Flossie and I are Gryffindors,” Alastriona says with a twinkle in her eye. “We have lots of friends from other houses.” She offers a bright smile. “It’s great to meet you! What year are you in? Flossie and I are in our third year!” Flossie opens her mouth to introduce herself, but Alastriona once again spouts some random information, “Well anyone who doesn’t like candy probably has no friends. I was talking to Flossie about people in Azkaban. I’m convinced that lack of sugar put them there in the first place, so all people must have sugar and those that don’t are to be considered . . . ” she lowers her voice again. “. . . suspicious. . .” she glances left and then right. And then Parker kicks her accidently, and while it doesn’t hurt, being somewhat of a drama queen she says, with much emphasis, “OW.”

Although she seems unimpressed that Parker is still getting more overall attention than she is, Danielle does seem to latch onto Charlotte as she addresses her, though she wrinkles her nose and shakes her head slightly at the offer. “No, I was saying I’m only new to Great Britain… oh, I don’t suppose it matters.” There’s a hesitant pause and then, “I’m sure magic is quite easy really… but, uh, no magic candy for me, thank you.” She laughs, lightly, but it’s a little forced.

“I’m a second year now! Essie’s a Hufflepuff, though, not a Ravenclaw. The hat didn’t sort us together.” Sadness briefly crosses Josie‘s face as she remembers the fact, but she quickly rebounds. “They are kind of susp— OW, Parker, watch it!” the girl exclaims and shakes her head. “What classes are you taking this year? You get to pick new ones, right? I can’t wait to pick out new classes. I want to take music, but I don’t know what else I should take.” She pauses. “Oh, sweets! Mum gave us some for the trip. Do you want some? They’re from mummy’s shop in Diagon Alley.” Josie reaches into her own pocket to draw out the large bag of sweets, offering some of hers to the older girls across from her.

“Oh, where did you live before you came to Great Britain?” Charlotte asks Danielle cheerfully. “I’ve lived here my whole life. I was born in Hogsmeade when mum co-owned Honeydukes – that’s another candy shop, you know. We moved to London when I was very small, though. I like it there. There’s so much going on. Are you sure you won’t have any?” she asks politely, drawing out a peppermint toad and nibbling it slowly. Parker pays attention again as Josie exclaims in pain. “What?” he asks, cluelessly. “What’d I do? Oh, sweets!” he remembers, pulling his own bag of sweets out of his pocket and pops a fizzing whizzbee into his mouth, giggling loudly as the fireworks begin in his mouth, a few escaping into the air in front of him as he laughs, coming out in shining sparks.

Alastriona Pryor arches an eyebrow at Danielle’s refusal of candy, and of course, having little restraint, she narrows her eyes and questions, “Don’t you like candy? Or are you a candy hater? Do you never eat sugar? Or only when on a train with strangers, Dan-ee-elle?” Flossie finally manages to get a word in edgewise, “Ona, be nice. She’s just kid.” Flossie offers Danielle a weak smile. And then Alastriona continues her questioning, “I need to interrogate when necessary. And it seems necessary. Just you wait, watch for people who don’t eat sugar and you’ll see. . .” Her attention is diverted back to Josie, “Yeah, we get to choose. I’m taking Muggle Studies, Wizo-Music, Magical Art, and Divination. I wish I could take more, but honestly, courses like Arithmancy seem. . . icky. I want to take I would love some sweets! Thanks Josie! I seriously love sugar. Daddy doesn’t let me eat it often though.” She tilts her head, “What do you think you’ll take when you’re in third year?”

Danielle Baker flinches back from Parker in shock as he laughs and fireworks exit his mouth, almost automatically, though she tries to right herself quickly enough. She tugs down on her plaits, trying to arrange them a bit more neatly, and addressing Charlotte directly rather than looking again at Parker. “Oh… France, actually. We moved here maybe – perhaps,” she corrects herself, drawing herself up in a somewhat pompous way and affecting a slightly stronger French accent, reminiscent of her mother, “six months ago. That was before we got the letter,” she adds hurriedly. Her eyes turn to Alastriona, and she corrects quietly, “Dan-yell.” There’s a moment of silence, and she bites her lip before adding, “I’m… allergic to her mother’s candy. From the candy store.”

“Allergic?” Parker asks in horror. “How can you be allergic to sweets? Is it just her sweets? Have you even had them before? My cousin Maura makes them and she does very well!” His eyes grow wide as he considers this, but he pops another fizzing whizbee (his favorite – not that that’s any shock) into his mouth and is instantly distracted from the unpleasant girl in front of him. “Oh, alright,” Charlotte replies pleasantly to Danielle, clearly not phased by much that’s going on around her. She continues to nibble her toad. “So, what house do you think you’ll be in?” she asks the girl cordially.

“Muggle studies sounds really interesting, too. I’m not sure about Divination. It seems like it might just be a bunch of fluff and make-believe. I mean, Professor Kensington seems like she’s alright, but I don’t think she’s being totally honest with us that Divination is so hard.” Josie looks pensive as she considers the subject. “I want to take Ancient Runes,” Essie admits. “It looks like it would be really interesting, and I think it would be more challenging than some of the other subjects.” She pauses briefly. “I also want to take that animals class. It looks so interesting. What’s it called again?” She considers thoughtfully. “Care of Magical Creatures!” Josie breaks in again. “How do you think you’ll manage all of those classes? I’m sure that’s more than what I could handle!”

“Okay, if you’re allergic, I’ll let it slide,” Alastriona responds with a suspicious twinkle in her eye. “I suppose that’s possible . . but know that I’m watching you. . .” She redirects her attention to Josie and shuffles in her seat a bit. “Yeah, I think Divination will be an easy course. Well relatively, even if she says its hard. I mean it’s just looking at tea and stuff, right?” She nods at Essie. “Yeah, they all sound good–it’s hard to choose.”

“May – perhaps,” Danielle tells Parker a little defensively, folding her arms across her chest and scowling at him, before affecting a smile again as she turns back to Charlotte. “I… haven’t given it much thought,” she bites at her lip again. “I – you were saying you’d be in… that house, I remember.” She tugs at one of her plaits again, considering Charlotte. “I imagine I’ll be in… well, I suppose I’m particularly hard to place.” She clears her throat, though, and fumbles for her pockets, eventually pulling out what is plainly a small packet of entirely muggle sweets, one of which she pushes into her mouth rapidly, before slipping the package back into her pocket and chewing away at the one in her mouth. Her eyes fall on Alastriona as she chews, and she starts to scowl a little sullenly at the older girl

“Mum says all of the houses are good and that it won’t matter which house I’m in,” Charlotte says placidly. “Mum was a Ravneclaw and Dad was a Gryffindor. I don’t really know where I should go.” The girl looks down into her bag of sweets then shrugs vaguely. She finishes her peppermint toad and then tucks the bag into her deep pocket again and glances to Danielle, not commenting as she spots the bag of sweets. “So is it nice in France? I’d love to go visit there,” she asks, trying to diffuse Danielle’s hostility toward the older girl. Charlotte only glances briefly at the older girl as her attention is drawn to Parker, who has frozen with a bit of candy in his mouth. Apparently Parker has forgotten what ice mice do, and for the time being, the compartment is slightly more still as the effects of the candy keep hold on him.

“Professor Kensington keeps very close tabs on us Ravenclaws,” Josie comments. “She makes sure that our marks are at a certain level, and if they’re not, we have manditory homework time! On weekends too. Have you ever heard of such a thing?” The girl shakes her head in a semblance of shock. “Thankfully, I haven’t had to stay in for it yet, but I can’t believe that she would do that! I bet she can’t be that way with her class, though. Like you said, it’s just looking at tea and crystal balls and all of that.” Essie nods quickly, but says nothing to add to the comments. Josie pulls out a sugar quill and begins to suck on it slowly. “Anyway, I think I’ll take Care of Magical Creatures with Essie instead.”

Alastriona Pryor gives an approving nod to Danielle as she pops the Muggle candy in her mouth. At least it’s sugar! Alastriona either doesn’t notice or ignores the scowl she’s given because she merely smiles at Danielle. “Mandatory homework time?! You better work hard! Professor Fallon isn’t like that. She’s more. . . the mothering type. Honestly, if I didn’t know better I’d think that she had children at the school.” She contemplates a second and then adds, “Discipline isn’t unheard of with her, but it’s not scary punishment at all.” She shrugs.

Danielle Baker looks up at Josie and wrinkles her nose again, shaking her head. “No, I don’t think I want to be in Ravenclaw.” She falls quiet for a moment, before looking up at Charlotte again. “Oh, it’s wonderful in France. There’s all different kinds of people there, and the very tallest building is the tour eiffel, and you can see it from everywhere in France, it’s so big. I lived just near it and would go there all the time.” She smiles faintly at the other first year, and swallows her sweet, casting another significant look towards Alastriona.

“Well, you know she used to!” Josie exclaims, proud that she can provide information that the older girl didn’t appear to know. “My cousin Briony married her oldest kid. His name’s Gabe. He and Briony were Gryffindors. Gabe has two sisters, too, but I don’t know them very well.” Josie beams and glances out the window. “Wow, look how dark it is! We must be nearly there!” The girl hops up and smooths her robes out, rubbing her fingers over her Ravenclaw crest lovingly and grinning at the others. I’m going to go up toward the entrance! Come on, Essie! Let’s get a carriage together!”

“Well that’s interesting! You certainly have a lot of family!” Alastriona exlaims. She quickly stands to her feet, smoothes her robes, and then for good measure, smoothes her hair once more. “Come along, Flossie! We have things to do–carriages to catch, and things to discuss.” That said, the pair begin shuffling to the front of the train.

Parker Wexler unfreezes just in time to hear Josie exclaim about nearly reaching Hogwarts. “Hogwarts! Hogwarts! Hogwarts! We’re almost there, Lottie!” he calls to her and bounces a bit on the seat, shoving his own bag of sweets haphazardly into his pocket and jumping up. This time, he manages not to trip over anyone or kick anyone, but he’s not exactly moving slowly, and he nearly falls over as he runs out of the compartment. “Wait for me!” he calls to his cousins. “No?” Charlotte replies to Danielle, giving only a brief glance out the window and frowning slightly as she sees that the trip is nearly over. “Want to go to the front?” Charlotte asks the other girls left in the compartment as she stands up and smooths her robes, folding up the top of her bag and tucking it into her pocket.

As the view outside the window starts getting less and less clear due to the cover of darkness – or, at least, as she realises that this is rapidly happening – Danielle becomes quieter and even starts biting on her nails. Eventually, she leans in a little closer to Charlotte, and whispers, “I don’t want to be given weekend homework, I got plenty of that from my last teacher. In France!” She adds, almost as an afterthought. “But… don’t you ever worry that you might pop on the hat and it’ll tell you to go away?” A pause. “Not that I ever do!” She adds, almost hurriedly. “I was just… wondering if other people did. It seems scary. Like other people would find it scary.”

Standing alone at the end of the train platform, Avery Fallon has one arm lifted above her head, waving to capture students’ attention. “First years! First years gather here! Sorted students should take the carriages, but first years please gather here!” The astronomy professor appears to be in fairly good spirits and is smiling welcomingly, vaguely scanning the faces for Charlotte and Parker Wexler.

Bounding off of the train and dodging some of the bigger students, Parker makes his way to the platform, his too-long robes streaming behind him. “Come on,” he calls to Charlotte and Danielle, pausing briefly as he hears a voice calling for first years. “This way!” he shouts and runs down the platform, not even giving the girls a chance to figure out where he’s headed. “Hi, Aunt Avery!” he greets the teacher and bounds into her with an exuberant hug.

Danielle Baker falls silent as she steps off the train and really seems to take in the sheer size of the crowds. She bites at her lower lip, glancing back and forth and reaching out to grab at Charlotte’s arm as she moves over towards the Professor calling out for them. “Is this where we get Sorted?” She hisses at Charlotte. “I don’t think anyone said!”

“Parker!” Avery exclaims, leaning down to hug the boy back and stepping back to ruffle his hair and smile to Charlotte, giving her a little wave. Once a sizeable group of first years has congregated around her, and it appears that all others are on their way towards carriages, Avery looks to her mass of eleven-year-olds and smiles. “Welcome to the Hogwarts grounds! I’m Professor Fallon, and you’ll be seeing me some evenings for Astronomy. No doubt you’re all excited to get to the castle for the sorting, so let us depart. Follow me, please,” she says, turning around and heading for the shore path.

Josie and Essie make their way off of the train, pausing and waving to Avery in hopes that she’ll see them before the two girls bounce into a carriage, greeting some other second years as they do so. In a moment, the carriage has disembarked toward the castle. Charlotte remains with Danielle as the crowd slowly thins and the girls are left with the other first years on the platform. “Oh, no. We have to go to the castle where the rest of the students are going. I think we take boats instead of carriages,” she tells Danielle quietly, glancing at Parker quickly before she waves shyly to Avery, coming to stop in front of her aunt.

“I’ll talk to you soon,” Josie tells her sister as the two oldest Wexlers make their way into the Great Hall. Josie skips down the way to a spot near the front of the table and she plops down quickly. “Hullo, Otto!” She greets the boy, recognizing him from the shop over the summer. “Wasn’t the train ride terrific?”

Sauntering in slowly, Sera separates from her friend as she enters the Great Hall. The girl seems to be more relaxed and slightly more confident than she has been in previous years. The young woman is calmer as she takes a seat down toward the end of the Great Hall, giving a vague smile to the people nearby, but not saying anything to them.

(Ravenclaw) Tapping his finger idly against the table, Otto looks positively bored now that the train ride is over. As Josie says hello, he turns his head and blinks. It isn’t often that people outside of his very small clique actually acknowledge him and it still surprised him, even if it shouldn’t, when it does happen. “Hello Josie.” Smiling easily, he glances over to the Slytherin table and his gaze shifts quickly back upon the younger Ravenclaw. “It was fun, but I’m glad to be here. Now I don’t have to fret over the kid sister or Yamini thinking I’m trying to make my sweet Don Juan moves on Seraphina.” Mocking his social awkwardness, he’s learning to take it in stride rather than be angry or embarrassed by the fact that he is far from being socially astute and lacks the golden charm that some are lucky enough to own.

Gawking as he enters the Great Hall for the first time, Parker, who has been at the head of the group nearly the whole way, is falling behind and a few of the first years run into him, though he takes no notice of this. “Wow…” he whispers as the first years make their way to the front of the hall. Charlotte, too, is impressed with the grandeur of the hall, and then somewhat intimidated as she spots all of the people sitting at the tables. She sees both of her sisters sitting at different tables, but her demeanor does not seem to change as she continues on to the front of the hall.

Still so shocked and amazed at the sight of Hogwarts that she can’t even bring herself to fake propriety and her worldly manner, Danielle‘s mouth hangs open slightly and her eyes consider the ceiling, then the crowds of people at the tables, and so on. Eventually, she manages a soft, “Ohhh, it’s even better than I could have imagined.”

“Let’s begin,” Bonnie states loudly, her voice sounding through the Great Hall as she pulls open a scroll which holds a list of names. “Abbott, Ida” goes first, sorted to Hufflepuff, then “Atwell, Mabel” is sorted to Gryffindor. This takes only a few minutes, then the woman calls out “Baker, Danielle.”

Shocked that she’s so close to the front of the queue, Danielle‘s mouth drops open again and she seems barely able to put one foot in front of the other. Eventually, the person behind her has to prompt her to step forward and she stumbles a few steps, before affecting a rather more dainty and careful step to the stool, placing the Sorting Hat upon her head as primly as she can manage.

Glancing to Danielle, Charlotte squeezes the girl’s hand and watches with a somewhat stressed look on her face. She glances to the tables and sees her own sisters watching with interest as the sorting gets into full swing.

(Ravenclaw) Gasping a bit, Josie leans over. “Really, her? Why would they think you’re making romance to her?” the girl whispers this quietly once the hat is finished singing. She tsks and shakes her head. “My sister is up there, do you see?” she whispers a bit loudly, looking proudly up at the front of the room. “Parker is up there, too. He’s my cousin.” She applauds quietly as another student is sorted.

Although now her shock and confusion mingles with irritation, it’s clear that of all things, Danielle wasn’t expecting that. As it shouts out her house, she removes the hat suddenly and stumbles to the Hufflepuff table as carefully as she can manage, though she’s still having trouble putting one foot in front of the other.

Two more B-names are sorted, one to Slytherin and one to Ravenclaw, then it’s “Chaffee, Viviane,” who goes to Ravenclaw. Three girls are next, two of whom are sorted to Ravenclaw and one to Hufflepuff. Then a boy is sorted to Slytherin, another boy to Gryffindor, and a girl to Gryffindor. Next up is “Mycroft, Alistair”, who is sorted to Slytherin. Five or six more students are sorted, and then “Wexler, Charlotte” is called. After a brief moment, she is sorted to Slytherin, and then “Wexler, Parker” is called forward.

Parker Wexler gasps as Charlotte gets sorted to Slytherin, gawking a bit, but before he has much time to react, it’s his own turn. The boy bounds up to the hat and pulls it down hard over his head. His ears bow out and the hat comes down to his ears as he crosses his fingers, waiting to see what the hat would do and thinking very hard that he hoped the hat wouldn’t chew on his head.

Why wouldn’t Slytherin be kind? I mean, Dad was a Gryffindor and so was Uncle Tom and Aunt Avery so that would be okay, but I mean, Slytherin would, too!

Parker Wexler gasps gleefully and runs down to the Gryffindor table, finding an open spot and bouncing into it. He beams at his housemates as he settles in at the table, pleased to know that the hat did not, in fact, chew on him, even though his parents would not tell him one way or the other.

One final student is sorted, headed Hufflepuff way, and then Bonnie nods again. “The sorting is completed,” she tells the room, rolls up the scroll deliberately, then sits down at the faculty table, breathing deeply as if in relief.

As the Sorting itself concludes, Astra rises from her seat at the faculty table and stands to face the vast hall and its many occupants. There’s a beat between her standing up and her actual address of the students, but when she does speak it is clear and calm, using the natural acoustics of the room to make herself heard rather than magical spells. Turning to nod at Avery, she smiles tightly to the woman before shooting a small smile to Bonnie. “Thank you Professor Kensington for your help with the Sorting and my gratitude to Professor Fallon for your assistance with bringing the first years safely to the school, it’s always an exciting task.” Addressing the school again, the headmistress draws herself up and continues. “I’m very glad to see you all back and hope that you’ve had a wonderful summer. For our new students, welcome to your new home. I’m sure that your fellow Housemates will help you get settled in quickly and comfortably.” Pausing to look at the many faces, some new and many familiar, she grins sharply and gives a moment before she launches on.

The mood of her tone sobers but she continues the speech with the same efficient crisp pace. After a short span, she retrieves a piece of paper. Reading off the paper, she then continues. “Prefect picks for the fifth year students are as follows.” “Congratulations to Gryffindor: Arthur Towner and Rachel Stewart. Congratulations to Ravenclaw: Tobias Garner and Geraldine Parr. Congratulations to Slytherin: Francine Rees and George Whittle.” “And congratulations to Hufflepuff: William Sanderson and Bridget Madigan.” Coughing a little, she sets down the paper and takes another drink from her goblet. “I’m sure the seventh years are excited to know who will become the Head Boy and Head Girl for this year.” Taking delight in this news, Astra purposely pauses to retrieve and sip from the goblet in her hand. Glancing over the various tables, she finishes this part of the speech with, “Congratulations are especially in order to Slytherin Prefect, Luther Anderson who is Head Boy this year and no less congratulations are in order to Gryffindor Prefect Vesta Newton who will be serving as Head Girl.” Only now does the woman allow herself a brief respite to grin widely and watch any reactions that might take place.

Once things have settled back down, Astra clears her throat. “Of course, school wouldn’t be school without a list of rules and regulations now would it? Your parents have charged us with the task of taking care of you and so we do our best to imitate them most times.” “I know you’re all thrilled over that!” The dry humor comes slowly to her, but she finally seems to be getting into the good spirits of the Sorting feast. “With that said I’m charged with telling you all that a list of banned items is posted on the Caretaker’s office door and you’d do well to familiarize yourself with it. In addition, there is to be no running in the hallways.” “Use of magic in the hallways or on the outside grounds without supervision or explicit permission by a teacher is strictly prohibited and will be dealt with accordingly.” “As usual, the Forbidden Forest is exactly that – Forbidden and trespassers will be dealt with harshly.” “Third year students and above are reminded to have their permission slips to Hogsmeade signed and ready for the first weekend. Anyone who doesn’t have this will not be allowed off school grounds.” Clearing her throat, she looks around the hall. “Returning students know how I deal with rule breakers, I trust none of you will want to come to my office?” “Don’t worry, you’ll get to eat soon, but I have a few more announcements to make.”

Waiting for about a minute to let students discuss among themselves, Astra finally holds up her hand for attention. “I have just a few more notices and reminders before we get to the pleasant task of eating.” “I am also to inform you that all greenhouses are off limits to students unless you have express permission to be there outside of class.” “Finally, there is to be absolutely no magical toys, candy, trinkets, or anything else of magical nature brought into Muggle Studies. If any of these items are found upon your person, Professor Helit will confiscate and dispose of them.” Then taking one more very brief pause she then ends, “It looks to be an exciting and vibrant new term. I sincerely hope each of you finds as much fun as you do challenges.” “Now let’s eat.”

The sorting extends for quite a while, and Parker interacts enthusiastically with his new housemates while he stuffs himself as full as possible. Eventually, the chatter dies down and the food slowly vanishes. When the prefects get up and direct the first years to follow them, Parker does so dutifully. Sleepiness begins to overpower the boy who has had what could only be called an exciting day. He follows the Gryffindor prefects out of the Great Hall and disappears on his way to his new home for seven years.

Seraphina Pryor has filled herself with scrumptious Hogwarts food as the sorting day feast draws to a close. The prefects begin to move toward the common room with their first year charges, and Seraphina trails behind them slowly, not in any rush to get settled into the dungeon for another year. She savors the feel of the castle as she makes her way to the common room to settle in for the night.

The sorting day has exhausted Josie quite as much as if she had been sorted today herself. The girl stands up from the table ahead of many of the other students at her table and she wanders away, waving to her sister as she makes her way out of the great hall and toward her common room.

As the train begins filling up with students Remi Amsel peers into compartment three having had his luggage loaded aboard. The boy decides the car is up to his standards and he sidles in stowing his things before sitting down. Peculiarly Remi is clutching a small stuffed bear to his chest as he stares out of the window watching his mother’s look of horror as witches and wizards walk by in their strange clothes acting strange, to a muggle like her anyway. The boy waves reluctantly to her though she doesn’t seem to see him and so Remi turns away and shrugs.

“Is it this way? Oh, it’s this way!” Josie Wexler calls loudly to her sister – more loudly than is strictly necessary, as she ducks into the second compartment on the train. “Only one person in here, Essie, we’re lucky!” The young girl holds a young cat hostage in her arm as she drags her trunk behind her. “Here, Merpurr, you sit here,” she tells the cat, plunking him down onto the seat to her right before she begins stowing her trunk. Her twin sister – in birth but not in appearance – comes in just behind her, the cage of an owl perched on her own trunk as she follows Josie‘s movements much more quietly. It is only after their trunks are sufficiently stowed that Josie turns to Remi. “Hi. Are you going to be a first year? My sister and I are, too. My name is Josie. Well, it’s Josephine Elizabeth Wexler, and this is my sister Estelle Bidelia Wexler. You can call her Essie, though. I go by Josie. What’s your name?”

Turning when he hears the two girl enter Remi straightens a little in his seat. He watches Josie, the one who seems to be doing all the talking of the two for a moment and then to her cat and then of course to her twin. He sits rather quietly while the two of them stow and it seems as though he is content not to greet them for as long as they wish to ignore him. But of course Josie then begins to speak to him and the plan is monkey wrenched, so to speak. “Yeah. It’s my first time.” He says clutching the bear a little tighter. He nods to Josie and then to Estelle. “My name is Remi Amsel.”

“We’re all going to be in Hogwarts together! Isn’t that grand?” Josie beams as she plops down onto the seat next to her cat and starts to cuddle him. The cat appears to be used to this already and settles himself down in her lap, purring happily as he begins to nap. Estelle sits down as well, setting her owl’s cage down next to her. “What house do you think you’ll be in?” Essie’s much quieter voice comes as she studie’s Remi’s face.

“Yeah …. grand.” Comes Remi‘s much less enthusiastic response to more talkative sister. He doesn’t exactly seem annoyed, but more overwhelmed by suddenly being thrust into a social situation like this. He looks to Estelle. “House? I thought we were going to a school?” And in one question Remi reveals that not only is he a muggle born but he also has not bothered to read Hogwarts A History. “I thought we were on our way to learn how to do magic?” Remi looks at Estelle and then Josie, a puzzled expression on his face.

“We are going to school…” Josie states, her face blank, as if she doesn’t quite understand what Remi is getting at. There’s a moment of silence before Essie realizes that he doesn’t know what the houses are. “Oh, we’re sorted into houses when we get there today. Mum was in Ravenclaw and dad was in Gryffindor. I’m not sure what house I want to be in. They all seem like they have their merits.” At this, Josie leans forward and whispers in a conspiratory tone, “I’m going to be in Ravenclaw, I just know it. Mum says I’m a shoe-in for it. That’s where all the smartest kids go.” She nods sagely at Remi.

“Oh!” Comprihension dawns over Remi‘s face when Estelle is kind enough to explain.”How many houses are there?” He immediatly asks this out of curiosity more than anything. He looks at Josie and tilts his head at her comment about Ravenclaw. “Well if all the smart kids go into Ravenclaw they must get the most homework.” He smiles only a little at his remark and pulls th bear up a little closer to his face. “So I think I’ll go to one of the dumb houses. If it means less homework I mean.”

Josie seems dumbfounded by Remi’s remark regarding homework and is temporarily stunned silent. It is a moment for the history books. Essie takes up her slack, though, as she starts to ramble about the houses. “Well, there are four. There’s Gryffindor, that’s where my dad went, and my uncle, and some of my cousins. Daddy says that’s where all the bravest kids go. He says it’s the best house. Mummy was in Ravenclaw, and so was cousin Joseph. There’s Hufflepuff – cousin Alice and cousin Alden were in Hufflepuff but they graduated now so we won’t see them. Someone told me that’s where they put the people who they don’t know what other house they should go in. I think it was cousin Joseph.” Josie interrupts at this, “No, it’s where the hard working people go,” she corrects. “She hasn’t read about the houses like I have, don’t mind her,” she tells Remi with a shake of her head. At this, Essie continues. “And then there’s Slytherin. They’re the ones who get what they want, like prizes and things. I’ve heard that they’re all evil, though, so I don’t want to be in Slytherin.” Josie has nothing to add to this remark about Slytherin except a roll of her eyes.

“A house of evil kids?” Remi seems a little impressed by this. “If they are evil shouldn’t they not be allowed to learn any magic?” A logical question from one who doesn’t have any preconceived notions about the houses. Remi looks between the two girls for a moment. “Well I guess it doesn’t matter so much. If I end up in Slytherin I certainly wont ask them to send me home. But what a shock to suddenly find out you’ve been evil your whole life and may not have even known it!” He smirks watching Josie roll her eyes. “What house are you hoping to get into Estelle? I think I’ll avoid Hufflepuff if they have to work hard.” “Isn’t there a house for us who just want to learn without having to do anything?”

“I… never thought of it that way,” Essie admits, frowning a bit. “Well, I guess they can’t really send them away. There’s really not test for getting in or anything. Like an evil test, or something like that…” She shrugs and Josie squirms a bit in her seat. “There’s no house where you don’t have to do work. Everyone has to do homework, or you won’t be able to pass your classes! That’s why I want to be in Ravenclaw. If I’ve got to do homework, I at least want to do it with other smart people there to help me. We can all help each other! That’s what smart people do.” One might get the feeling that Josie is a bit of a show-off. Essie seems to be pondering as she considers Remi’s question. “I think I’d like to be in Gryffindor like daddy, but Hufflepuff wouldn’t be so bad.” At this, Josie interrupts. “She’s just kidding, Remi. We’re going to be in the same house. Twins always go together! Don’t be so silly, Essie.”

“So do we just get to choose what house we want to go into? Remi asks, obviously still a little confused by the concept having never gone to quite so large a school before. “At the school I went to there weren’t any houses. And you didn’t go live at the school. You went in every day and the students didn’t like to be there and neither did the teachers.” “And I certainly hated going.” He admits. The boy looks down at the stuffed bear while Josie speaks for her sister. “Are you sure? I guess it would make sense to put twins together.” “Unless they hate each other.” The boy smirks once again and looks at Estelle. “You don’t hate your sister do you? If I had a sister I’d probably hate her. But it’s probably not the same huh?”

“Of course we don’t hate each other!” Josie exclaims. “We don’t hate any of our siblings, right, Essie?” At this, her sister nods quickly. “There are nine of us. If we hated someone, it would make things very difficult for mummy and daddy, I think,” Essie states evenly. “I’m not sure if we get to pick which house we get to be in,” Josie admits, blushing ever so slightly at this admission. “I think there’s some kind of thing that chooses for you.” She gasps. “Maybe we DO have to take a test after all, and the people who go to Slytherin get evicted for being evil!” Josie‘s eyes get wide at this dramatic thought.

“Giggling now at the reaction from the two sisters Remi shakes his head. “Oh come one. That’s what families do. They hate each other.” He looks between the two of them with an expression that says that this is not only a fact but common knowledge. He looks back to Josie and cringes. “They would give us a test on the first day? Isn’t that a little unfair if your family aren’t wizards?” Suddenly very upset by this idea Remi hugs the small stuffed bear very tightly to his chest without thinking. “Everyone in my family is just plain and ordinary without any magic at all.”

“Not magic at all?” Josie asks vaguely, looking at him very closely. “I think it must be some kind of brain test, instead of testing what you know.” She pauses. “But I’m not totally sure.” Essie interrupts her vocal pondering. “Of course we get along. It’s not normal to hate your own family. I have five sisters and three brothers and ever so many cousins and I don’t hate any of them. Right, Josie?” Josie nods enthusiastically. “We have a huge family, and we all get along! Well, except Mummy and cousin Joseph. But he just makes her mad on purpose.”

“It’ll be fine, eh?” spoke the woman who directed the Hogwarts’ Express candy and snack trolly to the small, rather delicate-seeming young child she shepherded down the aisle. “One night at ol’ Hogwarts an’ ye’ll never wan’ ter leave, I’ll be’cha!” The child, a small girl even for her age, with face and eyes stung crimson from tears that still clung to her face, look unconvinced. Or more to say, on the edge of outright panic. Her tiny shoulders shook, and her eyes darted with almost heart-stopping fear in to each compartment that the trolly-woman openned, as if she expected some horrible beast to leap out the door and immediately devour her. For her part, the trolly-woman seemed to be ignorant of the child’s state, perhaps writing it all off to post-parental jitters. “Ah ha!” The middle-age woman said loudly, in a tone not unlike she had made some great scientific discovery. “A bucket o’ firsties — good, good.. room for one more, then?” She says, without really asking, before gently-but-insistantly pushing Joscelyn Duval in to the compartment. The older woman sizes up the compartment quickly, before turning her gaze to the two, similar-looking girls, deciding them to be the better of the three to entrust an injured gosling to. “Treat this one kind, eh? Found her sobbin’ in the lue. Bit timid.” Turning then to Joscelyn, she adds, “Try an’ enjoy yerself then — I’ll check back up on yah when I’m a bit closer tah this section, yeah?” And without truly waiting for a response, the door closes with an noise that perhaps only sounds loud and echoing to Joscelyn. Having flinched a bit at the strange-woman’s touch when she had pushed her in to the room, there was a part of her that craved the woman’s return and the relative safety her adult form provided. Finally, turning blurry, tear-speckled eyes to the compartment, she takes stock of her fate.

“No. I’m the only one who has any magic I guess.” Answers Remi. Just as he is about to argue his point about how families hate each other the compartment door slides open and the trolly woman is escorting another first year inside. Remi turns and listens to the adult and eyes the girl his face twitching ever so slightly hearing the woman’s accent. Apparently something about it is a little irritating to him. When the woman finally leaves the boy sighs a breath of relief and then looks to Joscelyn. “So what were you crying about? Are you afraid you’ll end up in that evil Slyther-thing house and they will send you home?” Remi‘s face stretches into a smirking grin. “I think that house must be a decoy.” He says looking over to the sisters. “If they send me home I think I’ll tell my parents that the school said I was evil. Then my papa will take them to court.” “He’s a lawyer you know.”

“Muggle lawyers won’t be able to do anything against wizards,” Josie states plainly with a little giggle. “They think we don’t exist!” Josie turns to see the newcomer and then beams. “Hi, Joscelyn!” she calls cheerily. “I was hoping I would see you today. Remi, this is Joscelyn. She’s my friend. She bought sweets from my mummy’s shop, and then we became best friends.” The girl nods sagely. “Here, come sit here. You can hold Merpurr if you want.” She brandishes the once-sleeping cat toward Joscelyn as Essie waves and smiles at the familiar girl.

Oh, sweet Mother of Mercy! A familiar face! Fresh tears begin to work themselves down Joscelyn‘s face almost immediate as she double-steps herself to the bench supporting Josie, Essie, and the familiar cat. Tears of relief so profound that it almost causes her to collapse. Accepting the offered feline, the small, wavy-haired blond seats herself next to Josie, opposite Essie, offering both the sisters what she can muster of a small smile, dabbing her eyes with her sleeve as she uses her other hand to tenderly smooth the feline’s fur as it gets settled in her lap. She appears to ignore Remi’s barb about her state. Indeed, she seems to be ignoring Remi altogether, focusing her attention either on the sisters, or the feline.

“Well I certainly didn’t know wizards existed.” Admits Remi. He looks to Joscelyn curiously when she uses the term “Sweet Mother of Mercy.” He stops talking for a moment to watch the girl who seems even more overwhelmed by all of this than himself. “Hello Joscelyn?” He mutters under his breath when it’s clear he’s being ignored. He holds his ever present stuffed bear tightly for a moment and set it in his lap before staring out the window at the scenery of villages and farm land.

“I hope we’re going to get there soon. I’m starving and I’ve already eaten the snacks that mummy sent with me. I didn’t even bring any sweets! Can you believe it?” Josie tsks and shakes her head, as if she is disappointed in herself. “Are you excited, Joscelyn? I’m sure we’ll be in the same house. It’ll be you, and me, and Essie, and we’ll have the best time. It would be Remi, too, but he doesn’t want to be in Ravenclaw. That’s okay, though, you can still be our friend,” she tells the boy with a quick nod.

Excited? Joscelyn wasn’t sure she would catagorize what she was feeling so much as ‘excitement’ so much as ‘blind terror’ — but in the end, that might turn out to be an issue of semantics. She summons a rather meek kind of smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes and a small, vague nod. “I d-d-don-n’t k-know if-f I’ll m-m-make it in t-t-to R-rav-venc-c-claw,” Joscelyn whispers, quietly, her fingers brushing tenderly over the cat in her lap. She seemed to have a way with animals, though it could simply be the fact that with Josie as a master, the feline was used to almost anything. There does seem to be a hint of genuine panic in her voice, though, about that. Josie and she had talked about houses before, and over the summer she had read her Hogwarts, A History tome. She didn’t seem to think she fit anywhere, really. As Josie speaks to the boy again, Joscelyn turns her gaze slowly toward him, looking at him through downcast eyelashes. Almost guiltily, she offers him a small wave. Josie seemed comfortable with him, so perhaps she should at least acknowledge his existance. It does seem to take her a considerable amount of effort to actually make that happen, however.

Peering out the corner of his eye at the three girls Remi does a poor job of pretending not to listen and eventually he speaks again. “I don’t mind if they put me in Ravenclaw I guess. I just would rather not have extra work. And being smart means they give you more work.” And then he pauses to think about this. “Or less. If they think you are so smart you don’t need to do any work.” “Maybe Ravenclaw would be good if they don’t make you do a load of silly assignments.” He watches out the window as the train begins to slow apparently nearing the school. “I think we are here!” Remi exclaims excitedly forgetting for a moment to act as though he weren’t at all interested.

There is bustling about as Josie and Essie scramble around, trying to get their things together, only to be told to leave them on the train, that they will be brought in for them. “Bye, Merpurr, I’ll see you later tonight!” She tells the feline excitedly as she runs out of the compartment down the hall, hitting a bottleneck of students.

Students are now stepping out of the train and into the dark where Phoebe Helit, Muggle studies Professor stands ready to greet the smiling faces. She clears he throat as the last students pile out of the train and calls out loud enough so that the students may hear her. “Attention! May I please have your attention!” Waiting for the students to grow quiet she continues in a more civil tone. “I know you are all excited to be here and so I’ll try and get you all inside where it is nice and warm as soon as I can.” “Those returning will no doubt know that we have prepaired carriages to take you to the school! Please board them now and for goodness sakes no shoving!” “First years you will be following me! We have a much more scenic route to take to the school.” With that Phoebe waits for the first years to begin grouping up to her and stays to watch and make sure the older students all board the carriages.

The students around her start to move quickly as Seraphina barely catches the end of the professor’s statement. In a moment she is whisked away to the carriages and quickly climbs inside of one to avoid being trampled by a rather large group of boys.

Hurrying along with his bear tucked into one of his robe pockets (with it’s head out of course, so it can see) Remi stays close to Josie, Estelle, and Joscelyn. “Looks like we’re going to be taken to be tested.” He says to the girls. “I wonder if we’ll have to hike up a mountain or something like that.” The boy still as a hold of Joscelyn’s hand, though for what reason he is not utterly sure.

Josie has joined hands with Essie as they stand with the group of first years, so excited that she is shaking just a little bit as she moves from foot to foot. She waves quickly at Remi and Joscelyn as she looks around at the rest of the group, beaming.

As the train spews it’s mass of students and passengers on to the platform in a way that reminds Joscelyn of a book she read as a child that referenced an earthworm becoming sick to it’s stomach, the painfully shy young girl clutches on to Remi’s hand as if it were the only think keeping her afloat in that sea of people. She walks very close to the bear-toting boy, and just a half-a-step behind, as though she might hide behind him so he could protect her should some mysterious disaster ensue. Though she tries to keep her gaze low and avoid the sights of so many very tall, imposing-looking people in their black robes and pointed hats, she finds herself glancing from person to person in a state of almost rising panic. A feeling which cumulates as Pheobe speaks and her attention is routed upon the teacher. When Remi mentions that they’re going to tested, Joscelyn emits a small, almost silent whimper. She wanted to go home, very much.

Watching as the last student boards the carriages and they start to roll away Phoebe looks to the group of first years. “Alright then. is that everyone?” She looks around to make sure there aren’t any strays that she had not noticed. “You’ll all want to stick close to me. I’ll not come looking for you should you get lost.” This is all said with an air of playfulness from the kindly Professor. “Right. Everyone follow me. No shoving, name calling, and certainly none of that pesky magic.” With that Phoebe turns and begins leading the small troop down the the shore.

As they approach the lake, Josie tightens her grip on her sister’s hand, staying close together with the other first years. The combination of the dark and having never lived near the water has got Josie a bit out of her element as she looks out on the vast lake, wondering what lies beneath. “Do you think Uncle Freddie was being truthful when he told us about the squid?” she asks her sister, loud enough so that others can hear the question as well.

“S-s-s-sq-q-q-q-qui-i-d-d?” Joscelyn squeaks, her voice louder than it’s actually managed to reach all day. Hogwarts, a History had mentioned a giant squid in a lake — but she didn’t for a moment think that they would possibly go near said lake with said monsterous creature. If she were to clutch any tighter at Remi’s hand, she might actually begin doing damage.

Indeed it seems as though Joscelyn’s grip is causing Remi some discomfort because he begins shaking his hand a bit to ease it away. “Maybe the squid is the test?” He says to the girls. He watches the Professor as they near the lake looking to the boats. “I’ve never even seen a regular sized squid let alone a giant one….”

When the gaggle of students arrive at the shore many of them are beginning to shiver a little at the drop in temperature that the water tends to bring on, especially at night. Phoebe stops just at the waters edge and turns waiting for everyone to catch up before calling out again. “Alright everyone! We are going to be boarding these boats.” She stops to look over he shoulder at the aforementioned boats, muttering to herself (though perhaps still loud enough for some students closer by to hear) “Bloody creepy things, self propelled.” She turns again and begins speaking in her full attention tone. “No more than two to a boat please! And for the love of Merlin no horseplay.” She stops for a moment and smiles hearing Josie. “Not to worry dear. The squid is harmless. Think of him as a large underwater puppy really.” She looks up at the students and motions for them to start boarding the boats as she herself climbs onto one. “Bloody hate these things.” She mutters again.

Joscelyn blinks. Twice. A large, underwater puppy? Curiously, as hard she found that to believe, she found herself immediately curious about the strange creature.

Settling down into one of the boats with Joscelyn Remi looks out over the water. “Hear that Joscelyn? It’s like an underwater puppy.” He says this as though to reassure her though his tone quickly changes to that of mockery. “I wonder if that means it’ll like our bones when it eats us?” He turns to look at the girl, a mean sort of smile on his face. This might suggest that he himself is not afraid though the fact that he’s holding his bear close again might suggest otherwise.

“A puppy?” Essie breathes as they step toward the boats slowly. Josie steps in timidly and Essie follows her into one. Josie glances behind her as she watches some of the others climb into boats and sits down very slowly, glancing about her with trepidation. “I hope it’s not a… playful puppy,” she states quietly.

Once all of the students have gotten settled into their boats an unseen force begins gently gliding them forward across the water. Phoebe, in a boat with a small brown haired boy is the picture of unease as her boat leads the way. “Isn’t it pleasant? Drifting along the water?” She calls out. Something in her voice however says that she doesn’t enjoy it nearly as much as she lets on. “Just think. I missed out on this experience at your age dears.” “How lucky I must be to get to ride them every year in my adulthood.” This last statement while laced with sarcasm seems to be an attempt to impress on the students that this is something someone usually only gets to do once in their lifetime.

The fleet pushes off from shore in near unison. As the boats progress silently through the water, they leave no wake behind. Drifting along, the boats travel in an unhurried fashion, moving over the darkened waters in a loose group, but always remaining together. The chilly night’s breeze is more apparent here upon the lake.

Joscelyn Duval unfortunately misses the subtlety in Professor Helit’s tone that suggests she should attempt to enjoy a ride that should, by rights, happen only once in one’s lifetime. And she certainly isn’t impressed, nor curiously intimidated, by Remi’s mockery. She offers Remi a rather sour look as she looks up from the water’s edge — already owning that sacred, feminine gift of being able to communicate her dissapointment with someone in a single, silent expression. As frightened as she was by the whole process, she certainly didn’t need someone going out his way to make it worse for her. Perhaps the relative isolation of the boats was bolster her confidence some — less strangers to deal with at once. Regardless, her gaze lingers on Remi only for a moment, before shifting to Professor Helit — wondering about the one part of the woman’s statement she did truly absorb — that the woman had not been able to experience this ride at their age. “W-why n-n-n-not-t?” She queries, in a voice barely louder than a whisper.

Seemingly cowed by the strange experience, Josie‘s cheeks seem to have turned a pale green. “I wouldn’t exactly call it pleasant,” she mutters quietly, trying to stare directly at the bottom of the boat rather than into the water at all, lest she see anything even remotely squid-shaped.

When the boats start to drift forward Remi clutches the stuffed bear closely and peers over the edge into the dark water. “It’s not so bad. But it’ll be better when we get inside.” He looks off over the lake into the direction the boats are moving. “I wonder what kind of food they serve in a magical school? If it’s anything like the candy I had in Diagon Alley I don’t think I’ll ever want to leave.” The boy looks up to see Joscelyn’s dissapointed expression. It only seems to amuse him really and he looks again out toward the lake.

As the fleet continues forward, the southern shore recedes into the distance, and is lost in loose tendrils of smoky fog. The northern shore is not yet in view, concealed as it is by a thicker blanket of pale haze. The air is cooler over the lake, and as the boats drift further onto the water, there a more pronounced breeze that nips through robe and sweater alike.

Watching her young charges quite dutifully Phoebe repremands a pair in the bot closest to her who have begun dropping things into the water. “Stop that both of you!” She says this rather sharply proving that she doesn’t have to be nice all the time. “There are mer-people living in this lake and they deserve a clean home as much as we do don’t you think?” The two children blush and begin to behave again. Hearing Joscelyn Phoebe smiles. “I didn’t get to ride the boats when I was your age because I am a squib.” “Squibs don’t attend Hogwarts as most of you will no doubt know.” She doesn’t seem at all ashamed to admit that she lacks any magic of her own to the students.

Joscelyn blinks, again. Twice. Once to each bit of knowledge just dropped upon her — that merfolk existed, and not only that, apparently lived in the lake just outside her new school. And at the term she had never heard used before. Canting her head a little in curiousity, and responding only to Remi’s amusement with her dissapointment by vaguely rolling her eyes, she queries on. “S-s-squi-ib-b?”

“A squib…” Josie whispers quietly, looking upon the professor somewhat in awe. Of course, the girl knows what a squib is, but she never expected one to look so utterly… normal! Josie leans closer to where Joscelyn is. “It means someone who can’t do magic, but not like a muggle. They’re born to magical parents, but can’t do any.” Josie‘s best attempts at subtlety end up sounding almost theatrical.

The fleet has begun to move through the steadily increasing fog now, reducing visibility to a scant metre or two. Dim lights from the lanterns on the other boats of the fleet can be seen, flickering softly in the wind. The breeze is gentle, but consistent and quite cold out here upon the nearly still nighttime waters, where is there is no shelter and no warming fire. The only company is the steady rocking of the boats and the dim lights of boat lanterns.

“Mer-people?” Now Remi sounds positively in disbelief himself. He peers over the edge of the boat squinting his eyes and trying to see through the water to spot the mer-folk. “Well I guess if the squid hasn’t eaten them I don’t see why it would eat us.” The boy sounds almost disappointed in this. He looks up from the water hearing the strange new word and nods in comprehension when Josie explains what a squib is. “I guess that makes sense. She’s a fish out of water like us Joscelyn.”

Looking a bit shocked, Josie‘s eyes get wide. “I didn’t say she was a fish!” she gasps quietly. “Please don’t tell her that I said she was a fish!” The girl is perhaps a bit disoriented by the whole situation as her nerves start to get to her, interfering with the ability to think logically.

“Oh,” Joscelyn murmurs, quietly, in response to Josie’s explaination, considering it quietly as she studies the Professor. Feeling a curious kinship with the older woman, she turns her gaze back to Remi and nods slightly as he voices her very thought aloud. She blinks again, however, as Josie begins to act in a slightly irrational way. It was a reaction and a panic with which Joscelyn could relate, very much. Reaching out gently, the young girl makes a move to take the other’s hand gently. “It’s alright,” she whispers, without a stutter, and with a quiet, understanding smile that actually does reach her eyes. Though they had only known one another a short time, comparatively, it was a clear mark of how Josie had been folded in to Joscelyn‘s world-view. Or perhaps it was just the caregiver in Joscelyn, seeing a floundering soul in need of comfort. Most likely some combination of both. “I know how to handle puppies and swim. We’ll be fine.”

The fleet has finally begun to leave the haze behind, although the mist tries vainly to cling to the boats and it still laps at those lingering in the rear. The Forbidden Forest encroaches upon the eastern shoreline, bordered by grey mist and shadow. The northern shore has come into view with the castle of Hogwarts silhouetted against the hills beyond; the immense towers rise up in stern defiance to the centuries they have weathered. Few windows break the even stone facade of the castle walls, preserving the mysteries within from prying eyes. However, those few windows are merrily lit from within those hallowed halls, revealing the welcoming warmth that can be found within, a homecoming to those who have made a long journey. Ivy and similar plants sprawl across the walls of the castle, their unruly density hinting at the senescence of the walls themselves. The breeze is still cold, nipping at the boats and rustling over the water.

Pulling her cardigan a little tighter around her to stave off the chill Phoebe calls again over the water. “I do hope you all had the good sense to put on your cloaks. It’s always chill out on the lake.” She looks out over the group and smiles. “When we get inside you’ll be sorted and there will be a big feast in your honor.” Well in reality it’s a feast in everyone’s honor but who’s keeping track? The Professor doesn’t seem to hear the chatter about fish and squibs, and if she does she doesn’t comment or seem offended.

Quietly, Josie takes Joscelyn’s hand with her free hand as she continues to grasp Estelle’s in her other, and silently she stares up at the large castle that the boats are slowly approaching. “Wow…” she whispers. “It’s bigger than I expected it tobe,” she admits.

Squeezing Josie’s hand gently, Joscelyn follows the other girl’s gaze toward the castle looming in the horizen. Her new home, so far away from her parents and the pleasant little valley where she had spent the greater majority of her life to that point. Holding on to her Aunt’s words, trying her best to be brave, she swallows back a breath and nods in response. It was big, for sure. But big enough to hold the rest of their new lives? Her free hand moves toward the silver cross dangling from about her neck, which she squeezes softly.

The fleet has begun to pick up speed, accelerating rapidly towards the northern shore. Clear of fog, all that remains of the distant haze is what marks the barriers to the southern and eastern shores, the mist lapping on top of the water but the fleet has now broken free of its grasp. Remarkably, the boats still leave no wake to mark their passage across the water. The speed causes the brisk air to hurtle past, reducing the apparent temperature further and setting the lantern lights to flickering even more, though none of them have gone out.

“Oh wow.” Comes Remi‘s exclamation of pure awe and the size of the castle as it looms into clear view. He shivers as the boats pick up speed and the resulting gust blows over him causing him to chill a bit. “It’s blood c c c cold alright.” he mutters to himself. Of course he forgot to put on his cloak, who knew they would be going out on a lake in the middle of the night?

Rising suddenly as through from beneath the water, the looming bulk of Hogwarts Castle blots out the evening sky and casts a dense shadow over the shoreline, broken only by the steady glow of the lights from within a large section of the building. The boats have begun to decelerate now, but are still moving rapidly as they skim towards the darkness ahead. As it grows steadily darker, the night air takes on a crisper and ever more frigid bite.

The fleet has now passed into the shadow cast by the Castle and descended into absolute darkness, evading the dancing lights that reflected from the windows above. The lantern lights, which have remained so faithful during the journey, have abruptly faded away. Only the steady flow of cold night air moving past indicates that the boats are still moving; there is no other sensation of motion.

The fleet has halted at the lakeshore just below the castle, the transition from movement to rest having occurred smoothly, but without warning. Dim reflected light illuminates a stone stairway, worn smooth with age and use, with steps rising for two metres before disappearing over the cliff top. You can now DISEMBARK.

Bonnie Kensington strides in confidently with a group of first years following behind her. It is with great ceremony that the professor places the sorting hat on a stool near the front of the Great Hall, then steps back expectantly.

Pulling out a long scroll, Bonnie clears her throat before calling out, “Adamson, Lilith,” who goes to Hufflepuff. Following Lilith, “Amsel, Remi!”

Holding onto his stuffed bear amongst the crowd of other first years Remi looks out over the four tables of the Great Hall and to the imposing faculty table. As the strange hat begins to sing he looks rather shocked. “The hat is singing.” He clearly states the obvious to the three girls. “And they want us to put that on our heads?” Once his name is call Remi gives a small gulp and walks up holding his bear in one hand and place the hat onto his head. It’s slips down over his almost perpetually obscured eyes so it makes little difference, and then he takes a seat.

Rising up from his seat Remi removes the hat and places it carefully back in it’s place. “It’s not such a bad old hat after all.” He says to himself passing the other first years as he takes his seat at the Ravenclaw table.

Several more students are sorted to varying houses before Bonnie calls out, “Duval, Joscelyn!”

Watching as Remi is sorted in to Ravenclaw, as well as a handful of other students, Joscelyn swallows back a breath. She had tried her best to steel herself for this after reading about it in “Hogwarts, A History” — standing in front of the entire school, a sea of strange faces in the midst of strange faces. As she stared ahead of her, tears streamed down her face. She didn’t want to do this. She wanted to go home. But she couldn’t. She had to see it through. Clutching her small, silver cross pendant with both hands, as if it might somehow grant her the strength of the divine, she inches her way to stool after her name is called. Eyes clenched shut, breath held, face wet. She actually bumps in to Bonnie’s leg and the stool when she reaches the middle of the stage, parting her eyes just enough to climb up on to the seat.

Josie Wexler takes a deep breath as she watches her new friend get sorted, then clutches her sister’s hand as she watches Joscelyn take her turn getting sorted.

Joscelyn Duval blinks, twice, lifting her head sharply. She really had no idea what the hat meant, but she takes it off quickly and moves toward the motioned for table with a look of surprise.

Josie Wexler gasps as Joscelyn’s house is announced. “I never thought that,” she admits to her sister as she watches the girl make her way to her new table. “I so hoped she would be in Ravenclaw with us,” the still-unsorted young student says to her still-unsorted sister.

There are quite a few more students sorted along the way, siblings of this student or that. Lambert, Marnie goes to Slytherin while Lawson, Anders goes to Hufflepuff, then finally Bonnie calls out “Wexler, Estelle.” After a moment’s consideration, the hat calls out that she should go to Hufflepuff before it calls for “Wexler, Josephine!”

Josie‘s high hopes are dashed as not only does her friend not get sorted to Ravenclaw, but neither does her twin sister. The girl looks somewhat devastated as she slowly walks toward the stool and sits down, taking just a moment before she lets the hat down onto her head.

Eyes wide as the hat makes its announcement, Josie looks less dejected than she had a few minutes prior. Shaking her head a bit, as if she is in a bit of disbelief, the girl snatches the hat off and tosses it down onto the stool as she runs over to the Ravenclaw table, stopping only to look somewhat wistfully at the Hufflepuff table, where her sister sits.

After calling Zeelen, Hannah to Slytherin, Bonnie smiles upon the full hall then takes her seat at the faculty table contentedly.

Still smiling a little at seeing the Wexler twins, who she considers nieces, get sorted, Avery Fallon looks around before realizing that she is up next. Standing from her place at the faculty table, Avery pushes her chair back and makes her way down, eventually standing in front of the table she left, facing all the students. “Welcome to Hogwarts,” she begins, after a moment’s hesitation, as if she’d have liked to start with something more profound but lacked the presence of mind. “The start of each year is a time of great excitement, and I know everyone’s waited a long time for this moment, so I’ll be quick,” Avery says, generalizing a fair bit. “For you first years, I’m professor Fallon and you’ll be seeing me shortly for your Astronomy classes. Normally you’d be hearing our Headmistress, Professor Rathe, make this speech. She’s found herself a bit delayed today, but rest assured that you’ll all meet her in due time. Until then, I’l l tell you to heed your teachers, because they’ve got your best interests at heart. Follow the rules and make your parents and housemates proud. Keep out of the forest and mind your manners.” Avery pauses for a moment, considering anything else she might add. Presently, she shrugs. “Be a good friend and try your hardest. If you do, your Hogwarts years will serve you very, very well.” She smiles now, with a single nod. “With that, let’s begin the feast!” At this, the platters on each table swell with food, and Avery turns on her heel to take her place once more.

Watching as students step off the train Phoebe Helit stands ready out on the platform dressed in a warm black fur coat over a navy blue formal dress. Beside her at her feet staring with great yellow eyes is her ever faithful cat with fur matching its human’s dress. After all the students are off the train Phoebe takes another quick check over the crowd and places her hands together in front of her, she calls out to address the students. “Hello everyone! Welcome to Hogwarts! First years please stay together and come with me, returning students are to board the carriages,” “Your luggage and pets will be taken to your dormitories to wait for you.” With that Phoebe takes another quick look over the students as the crowd begins separating. She gives a glance to the blue cat beside her who mews once as if understanding and immediately sets off into one of the carriages with a couple of seventh years. A smile stretches over her face and she calls again “Right this way first years!” With that the Professor begins leading the way.

Heading off of the train quickly, Seraphina glances around the crowd, trying to latch onto someone familiar with whom to ride in the carriages. Finding nobody close enough to go with her, she instead steps into the closest one that she can find, ending up with three seventh years, all of whom seem quite familiar and friendly with one another.

Stepping off of the train, Chester quickly makes his way down the platform, intent on the closest carriage he can find. He quickly steps into one, hailing another fourth year Hufflepuff boy to join him as he does so.

(Hufflepuff) Strolling into the Great Hall with Verity on one side and Alice on the other, Constance seems happy and cheerful to be back at school with her comrades. “Ali!” she calls to the now very tall girl, waving as the three of them make their way to the table, sitting in a bit of a clump on either side. “How was your summer, Ali?” she asks, beaming as she ‘absent-mindedly’ fiddles with her shiny Prefect badge.

(Hufflepuff) “Hullo, Constance,” Chester greets the girl casually, perhaps blushing a little bit as he takes a seat sort of nearby. His eyes fall on Verity for perhaps a moment longer than absolutely necessary. Rather than dwelling on the decided reddening of his cheeks, he turns to one of the boys nearby to make a loud and raucous joke, hoping to distract everyone nearby from his moment of slight embarrassment.

(Hufflepuff) Standing tall and proud this year rather than scuffling around with a slouch as in prior years, Ali swiftly makes her way over to the Hufflepuff table after waving to Dara. Laughing brightly she takes a seat at the table and readjusts the pin on her own robes. “Oh boring for the most part except I got this odd little package this summer.” “I guess I’m Mister Ali Chamberlain at long last.” “Old Helit still thinks I’m a male and who am I to complain?”

(Hufflepuff) “He did what?” Constance asks incredulously. “How on earth could he manage that? Didn’t someone notice that we’re both, um… girls?” Constance stares at Ali for a moment, then to the girls around her, a shocked look on her face. “So, he thinks you’re a boy?” She lets out a melodious laugh at this. “I wonder if Professor Prichard will let you keep it. I mean, it’s not your fault our house head is apparently… dim.”

(Hufflepuff) “Well I don’t care one way or the other. I find it hilarious and it threw grandpapa into apoplectic fits. Just seeing his face as I read “Dear Mister Chamberlain” was payment enough.” “It’s not like I look much like a girl anyway, but you’d think a professor who’s had me in his class for two years would know my full name because of the roster sheet.” Laughing, Ali grins with wicked delight.”If it’s taken I’ll have had my laugh and if not then I’ll milk it for all it’s worth with my grandfather.”

(Hufflepuff) Leaning her chin in her hand, Constance leans forward with an amused expression. “Now, come our seventh year, would that mean you’d be up for head girl, or would you be up for head boy? I mean, I doubt this has ever actually happened before.” She pauses. “No, surely we haven’t had teachers that dumb in the past.” She lets out another laugh, and this time Verity and Alice join in. “At least your grandfather got amusement out of it… if nothing else, it was worth the laugh, right.” She pauses and glances around. “Say, is that Dara Quincy with a prefect badge, too? I would have thought that Victoria would have gotten it. I don’t know why.” She waves her hand as if to wave away the thought. “OWLs this year. Are you worried? I’m not yet except for Ancient Runes. It’s so difficult to get good marks in that class!”

(Hufflepuff) “I can help you with Runes if you like! It’s one of the few classes I’m actually good at.” Ali‘s grin flashes into the quickest of smiles before she looks over at Dara. “Yep, saw her on the train with it. It’s kind of weird to think we all made it, but here we are.” Tapping the side of her head in thought the girl thinks on something and finally shrugs. “So long as I get an ‘O’ in Runes and Arithmancy I’m okay but I’d like to get an ‘O’ in Care of Magical Creatures just because of my pride. If I can get those grades then I don’t care about much else. I’ve known that I want to work as either an interpreter or with animals. I do wish they taught languages here.”

(Hufflepuff) “I plan to get a French tutor, and perhaps an Italian one as soon as I leave Hogwarts. After all, if I’m to be a successful painter, I’ll have to travel to France and Italy to study the works of the great artists of time past.” She pauses and grins happily. “Someday, my paintings will be on the walls of every well-to-do home in England, maybe in the world! I only really need a good mark in Magical Art, but I’d like to get good scores in all of my classes. After all, it will look better if I’m well-rounded. People will take me more seriously.” She nods solemnly at this and glances down at the group of raucous boys. “Ugh, so loud. So, will you tutor me for Runes, Ali? I need all the help I can get in that class.” A pause. “I’m sure you’ll do great in those classes. You never seem to have any trouble with the homework like the other students do.”

(Hufflepuff) “When I actually bother with my homework.” Smirking and then fighting a fit of giggles that somehow doesn’t look very dignified on her, Ali smiles. “Granted I do actually work for Runes and the classes I like but yes, of course, I’d be happy to help you!” Glancing at the boys before outright dismissing them, “They’re okay to be with but most of them just have no tact.” “I’m studying Gobbledygook on my own but it’s not the same as with a tutor. I just can’t get the accents down for anything and I know I mess up my pronunciations something fierce. Ah well, maybe in the summer. I’ve been getting French lessons for several years now and I plan on picking up as many others as I possibly can.” “I’d love to be an Ambassador someday or maybe sit on the International Confederation of Wizards like grandpapa did.”

(Hufflepuff) “That’s a very prestigious goal. You’ll let me paint you, of course, if you get that position?” Constance grins. Posturing for notoriety even now – Constance is showing signs that she does resemble her mother and older brother in some ways. “They’re just stupid boys,” she mentions off-hand, rolling her eyes. “Gobbledygook seems really hard to learn. So many nuances to it. I’d much rather learn French and Italian. I’ve asked mum if I could take lessons on summers, but she said I’d best wait until later. I suppose she’s right; it would be better to focus on my courses here.” She sighs a bit. “At any rate, being an ambassador would be so interesting. Think of all of the places that you would get to see! All over the world…”

(Hufflepuff) “That’s why I want to go! I want to travel so badly and see so much. There are so many cultures to learn about and so many languages to consume! I’d love to see how people work magic in Arabia or maybe India or somewhere. Oh, being able to learn Arabic! Now there would be a challenge!” Rarely does Ali get worked up about any sort of learning, but this is apparently her Achilles heel along with whatever weakness she has for animals. “And of course you could paint me if I get that far. Besides, I’ll have to hire someone to do family portraits once I graduate. Grandpapa says I’m to inherit once I’m done with school since he’s so dreadfully old.” It’s a subject she clearly doesn’t want to linger over and so she passes over it lightly. “And once I get married, well I plan on having a huge family! Lots of paintings!” Giggling with delight she grins merrily at Constance.

(Hufflepuff) “India’s not that exciting,” Chester mutters at the chatty girls sitting next to him as he ignores the boys nearby and their bawdy conversation. “It’s just hot and flat, that’s all.” He shrugs vaguely and glances across to the tables that he can see further on. The other tables seem to be as raucous as the Hufflepuff table, which is only slightly reassuring to the boy who keeps attempting not to too obviously make glances at Verity Caldwell.

(Hufflepuff) “As long as you pay me for each one!” Constance tells her with a bit of a wink. “Do you really plan to have a large family? It seems like that would make it difficult to travel. Unless you plan to do that after, of course.” She pauses. “I mean, my mother has managed to maintain her post as Minister for Magic, but that doesn’t involve as much travel as an ambassador would have.” She shrugs a bit. “I wouldn’t know, though. I don’t plan to have family for a good long time. Not until I can get settled into a beautiful home and work primarily from that home. It might take a little while, after all, to get my name known.”

(Hufflepuff) “You can think that if you like, but I’d rather see the jungles and the magic and hear the language. Besides, I heard there are cursed cities there or at least one where if you go after dark all sorts of bad things happen. And there are lots of mountains in India, I’ve seen the maps!” “I just wish I could do more than see maps.” Ali rolls her eyes at the boy but turns back to conversing with Constance. “Besides, they have wonderful food and exotic animals.” “Their clothes are pretty too at least for the girls. I don’t think I’d look very good in a sari though.” Listening she chuckles. “I’m not going to have the kids, oh heck no. I don’t have time for that. I’ll get some nice wife and settle into the estate. If she wants to travel with me that’d be wonderful but I’d still like someone who is more domestic than myself. I’m just not good at being a girl.” Well, if there was any questions last year they’re certainly settled now.

(Hufflepuff) “India sounds very exotic to me. Personally, I would like lusher environs, but I certainly plan to visit. Maybe I could visit you after you go, and then you can show me the lay of the land. I could get in some good painting, too.” Constance grins. She glances only momentarily to Chester, offering him a vague shrug, then turns her attention back to Ali. “Do you suppose people will find it odd, you having, erm, a wife at home? It could make for a small bit of controversy among the old sticks-in-the-mud, after all. Personally, I don’t care either way of course, but people can be so cruel and I would hate to see your career suffer for it!” Constance emphasizes this in the most sincere way she can, using her most sympathetic voice.

(Hufflepuff) “I don’t think anyone would care, we’ve had many people in high positions throughout the centuries who have lead eccentric lives in one form or another. I’ll just be another batty old witch or wizard or whatever and if anyone has an issue they’ll take it up or not.” “I really don’t see it hurting my career at all. It’s not like I want to be a high ranking politician. Besides,” and here Ali grins, “if they do have an issue with it I plan on being so good at what I do that I’ll be indispensable. If that doesn’t work, which I don’t see why it shouldn’t, I can always go about translating old and ancient texts. There’s always work for translators of lore and commissions aren’t so bad in that field.” Chuckling mildly, “Besides, we aren’t muggles. As long as I work hard, I don’t see much issue and those who do have issue will be laughed at by everyone else for being sticks in the mud. Grandpapa’s even come around to the idea and I never thought he would.”

Watching as students step off the train Phoebe Helit stands ready out on the platform dressed in a warm black fur coat over a navy blue formal dress. Beside her at her feet staring with great yellow eyes is her ever faithful cat with fur matching it’s human’s dress. After all the students are off the train Phoebe takes another quick check over the crowd and places her hands together in front of her, she calls out to address the students. “Hello everyone! Welcome to Hogwarts! First years please stay together and come with me, returning students are to board the carriages,” “Your luggage and pets will be taken to your dormitorys to wait for you.” With that Phoebe takes another quick look over the students as the crowd begins separating. She gives a glance to the blue cat beside her who mews once as if understanding and immediatly sets off into one of the carriages with a couple of seventh years. A smile stretches over her face and she calls again “Right this way first years!” With that the Professor begins leading the way.

Heading off of the train quickly, Seraphina glances around the crowd, trying to latch onto someone familiar with whom to ride in the carriages. Finding nobody close enough to go with her, she instead steps into the closest one that she can find, ending up with three seventh years, all of whom seem quite familiar and friendly with one another.

Stepping off of the train, Chester quickly makes his way down the platform, intent on the closest carriage he can find. He quickly steps into one, hailing another fourth year Hufflepuff boy to join him as he does so.

(Hufflepuff) Strolling into the Great Hall with Verity on one side and Alice on the other, Constance seems happy and cheerful to be back at school with her comrades. “Ali!” she calls to the now very tall girl, waving as the three of them make their way to the table, sitting in a bit of a clump on either side. “How was your summer, Ali?” she asks, beaming as she ‘absent-mindedly’ fiddles with her shiny Prefect badge.

(Hufflepuff) “Hullo, Constance,” Chester greets the girl casually, perhaps blushing a little bit as he takes a seat sort of nearby. His eyes fall on Verity for perhaps a moment longer than absolutely necessary. Rather than dwelling on the decided reddening of his cheeks, he turns to one of the boys nearby to make a loud and raucous joke, hoping to distract everyone nearby from his moment of slight embarrassment.

(Hufflepuff) Standing tall and proud this year rather than scuffling around with a slouch as in prior years, Ali swiftly makes her way over to the Hufflepuff table after waving to Dara. Laughing brightly she takes a seat at the table and readjusts the pin on her own robes. “Oh boring for the most part except I got this odd little package this summer.” “I guess I’m Mister Ali Chamberlain at long last.” “Old Helit still thinks I’m a male and who am I to complain?”

(Hufflepuff) “He did what?” Constance asks incredulously. “How on earth could he manage that? Didn’t someone notice that we’re both, um… girls?” Constance stares at Ali for a moment, then to the girls around her, a shocked look on her face. “So, he thinks you’re a boy?” She lets out a melodious laugh at this. “I wonder if Professor Prichard will let you keep it. I mean, it’s not your fault our house head is apparently… dim.”

(Hufflepuff) “Well I don’t care one way or the other. I find it hilarious and it threw grandpapa into apoplectic fits. Just seeing his face as I read “Dear Mister Chamberlain” was payment enough.” “It’s not like I look much like a girl anyway, but you’d think a professor who’s had me in his class for two years would know my full name because of the roster sheet.” Laughing, Ali grins with wicked delight.”If it’s taken I’ll have had my laugh and if not then I’ll milk it for all it’s worth with my grandfather.”

(Hufflepuff) Leaning her chin in her hand, Constance leans forward with an amused expression. “Now, come our seventh year, would that mean you’d be up for head girl, or would you be up for head boy? I mean, I doubt this has ever actually happened before.” She pauses. “No, surely we haven’t had teachers that dumb in the past.” She lets out another laugh, and this time Verity and Alice join in. “At least your grandfather got amusement out of it… if nothing else, it was worth the laugh, right.” She pauses and glances around. “Say, is that Dara Quincy with a prefect badge, too? I would have thought that Victoria would have gotten it. I don’t know why.” She waves her hand as if to wave away the thought. “OWLs this year. Are you worried? I’m not yet except for Ancient Runes. It’s so difficult to get good marks in that class!”

(Hufflepuff) “I can help you with Runes if you like! It’s one of the few classes I’m actually good at.” Ali‘s grin flashes into the quickest of smiles before she looks over at Dara. “Yep, saw her on the train with it. It’s kind of weird to think we all made it, but here we are.” Tapping the side of her head in thought the girl thinks on something and finally shrugs. “So long as I get an ‘O’ in Runes and Arithmancy I’m okay but I’d like to get an ‘O’ in Care of Magical Creatures just because of my pride. If I can get those grades then I don’t care about much else. I’ve known that I want to work as either an interpreter or with animals. I do wish they taught languages here.”

(Hufflepuff) “I plan to get a French tutor, and perhaps an Italian one as soon as I leave Hogwarts. After all, if I’m to be a successful painter, I’ll have to travel to France and Italy to study the works of the great artists of time past.” She pauses and grins happily. “Someday, my paintings will be on the walls of every well-to-do home in England, maybe in the world! I only really need a good mark in Magical Art, but I’d like to get good scores in all of my classes. After all, it will look better if I’m well-rounded. People will take me more seriously.” She nods solemnly at this and glances down at the group of raucous boys. “Ugh, so loud. So, will you tutor me for Runes, Ali? I need all the help I can get in that class.” A pause. “I’m sure you’ll do great in those classes. You never seem to have any trouble with the homework like the other students do.”

(Hufflepuff) “When I actually bother with my homework.” Smirking and then fighting a fit of giggles that somehow doesn’t look very dignified on her, Ali smiles. “Granted I do actually work for Runes and the classes I like but yes, of course, I’d be happy to help you!” Glancing at the boys before outright dismissing them, “They’re okay to be with but most of them just have no tact.” “I’m studying Gobbledygook on my own but it’s not the same as with a tutor. I just can’t get the accents down for anything and I know I mess up my pronunciations something fierce. Ah well, maybe in the summer. I’ve been getting French lessons for several years now and I plan on picking up as many others as I possibly can.” “I’d love to be an Ambassador someday or maybe sit on the International Confederation of Wizards like grandpapa did.”

(Hufflepuff) “That’s a very prestigious goal. You’ll let me paint you, of course, if you get that position?” Constance grins. Posturing for notoriety even now – Constance is showing signs that she does resemble her mother and older brother in some ways. “They’re just stupid boys,” she mentions off-hand, rolling her eyes. “Gobbledygook seems really hard to learn. So many nuances to it. I’d much rather learn French and Italian. I’ve asked mum if I could take lessons on summers, but she said I’d best wait until later. I suppose she’s right; it would be better to focus on my courses here.” She sighs a bit. “At any rate, being an ambassador would be so interesting. Think of all of the places that you would get to see! All over the world…”

(Hufflepuff) “That’s why I want to go! I want to travel so badly and see so much. There are so many cultures to learn about and so many languages to consume! I’d love to see how people work magic in Arabia or maybe India or somewhere. Oh, being able to learn Arabic! Now there would be a challenge!” Rarely does Ali get worked up about any sort of learning, but this is apparently her Achilles heel along with whatever weakness she has for animals. “And of course you could paint me if I get that far. Besides, I’ll have to hire someone to do family portraits once I graduate. Grandpapa says I’m to inherit once I’m done with school since he’s so dreadfully old.” It’s a subject she clearly doesn’t want to linger over and so she passes over it lightly. “And once I get married, well I plan on having a huge family! Lots of paintings!” Giggling with delight she grins merrily at Constance.

(Hufflepuff) “India’s not that exciting,” Chester mutters at the chatty girls sitting next to him as he ignores the boys nearby and their bawdy conversation. “It’s just hot and flat, that’s all.” He shrugs vaguely and glances across to the tables that he can see further on. The other tables seem to be as raucous as the Hufflepuff table, which is only slightly reassuring to the boy who keeps attempting not to too obviously make glances at Verity Caldwell.

(Hufflepuff) “As long as you pay me for each one!” Constance tells her with a bit of a wink. “Do you really plan to have a large family? It seems like that would make it difficult to travel. Unless you plan to do that after, of course.” She pauses. “I mean, my mother has managed to maintain her post as Minister for Magic, but that doesn’t involve as much travel as an ambassador would have.” She shrugs a bit. “I wouldn’t know, though. I don’t plan to have family for a good long time. Not until I can get settled into a beautiful home and work primarily from that home. It might take a little while, after all, to get my name known.”

(Hufflepuff) “You can think that if you like, but I’d rather see the jungles and the magic and hear the language. Besides, I heard there are cursed cities there or at least one where if you go after dark all sorts of bad things happen. And there are lots of mountains in India, I’ve seen the maps!” “I just wish I could do more than see maps.” Ali rolls her eyes at the boy but turns back to conversing with Constance. “Besides, they have wonderful food and exotic animals.” “Their clothes are pretty too at least for the girls. I don’t think I’d look very good in a sari though.” Listening she chuckles. “I’m not going to have the kids, oh heck no. I don’t have time for that. I’ll get some nice wife and settle into the estate. If she wants to travel with me that’d be wonderful but I’d still like someone who is more domestic than myself. I’m just not good at being a girl.” Well, if there was any questions last year they’re certainly settled now.

(Hufflepuff) “India sounds very exotic to me. Personality, I would like lusher environs, but I certainly plan to visit. Maybe I could visit you after you go, and then you can show me the lay of the land. I could get in some good painting, too.” Constance grins. She glances only momentarily to Chester, offering him a vague shrug, then turns her attention back to Ali. “Do you suppose people will find it odd, you having, erm, a wife at home? It could make for a small bit of controversy among the old sticks-in-the-mud, after all. Personally, I don’t care either way of course, but people can be so cruel and I would hate to see your career suffer for it!” Constance emphasizes this in the most sincere way she can, using her most sympathetic voice.

(Hufflepuff) “I don’t think anyone would care, we’ve had many people in high positions throughout the centuries who have lead eccentric lives in one form or another. I’ll just be another batty old witch or wizard or whatever and if anyone has an issue they’ll take it up or not.” “I really don’t see it hurting my career at all. It’s not like I want to be a high ranking politician. Besides,” and here Ali grins, “if they do have an issue with it I plan on being so good at what I do that I’ll be indispensable. If that doesn’t work, which I don’t see why it shouldn’t, I can always go about translating old and ancient texts. There’s always work for translators of lore and commissions aren’t so bad in that field.” Chuckling mildly, “Besides, we aren’t muggles. As long as I work hard, I don’t see much issue and those who do have issue will be laughed at by everyone else for being sticks in the mud. Grandpapa’s even come around to the idea and I never thought he would.”

(Hufflepuff) “I couldn’t see Alice’s dad being okay with something like that. He’s such a humbug, though. You’ve met him, haven’t you? Forever worrying about one trivial thing or another. It’s a wonder how Alice and Alden ended up so normal.” Constance shakes her head and rolls her eyes a bit. “At any rate, whether you’re a translator or an ambassador, you had better commission paintings.” She winks at this. “Make sure you find someone really pretty so it will be fun to paint her.” Constance laughs at this and leans back a little, tucking one of her legs under the other. “Where are those first years? I’m getting really hungry! Alice and I haven’t eaten since lunch – I didn’t want to spoil my appetite for the feast.”

Gerald Rathe stalks into the room, his great fae-silk cloak billowing behind him and almost into the faces of the nearest students. He does not shorten his pace for the shorter-legged children, but keeps his eyes focused on the faculty table ahead, until he reaches it, only then spinning about and clasping his hands behind his back to wait for the students to catch up, watching carefully to prod them into order in front of the Hall.

Once the students are lined up in front of the Hall in some semblance of order, Professor Gerald Rathe ducks out the back door by the faculty table, returning moments later with a stool in one hand, and an old tattered, wide-brimmed hat in the other. The stool he places in front of the gathered students, and the hat is set deftly on top of the stool. Turning to face the first years, he pulls a scroll from his cloak, and addresses them: “First year students, when I call your name, you will step up to the stool, take the Hat, sit on the stool and place the Hat on your head to be sorted.”

At the Professor’s voice, the Hat shivers, splits at the seam, and a mouth forms and begins to sing!

Unfurling his scroll, Gerald reveals that his right hand is swathed in a thick bandage. He glances at the students, and then to scroll, calling out the first name, “Adenlthwaite, Cloisonne!” The girl mentioned moves carefully up to the stool, taking the hat as told and sitting. There is a moment’s silence, and then the Hat calls out, “Gryffindor!” The girl jumps up from the stool, moving quickly to the mentioned table.

Several more names are called in turn, and soon Gerald calls one out, “Garner, Tobias!”

moves on through the list, calling out names in turn, as the students are sorted into their various Houses. Among them, Luella Grey is sorted into Ravenclaw, and Rory Tam is sorted into Gryffindor. When the last student has been sorted, Gerald quickly and neatly packs up the Hat and stool, carring them out from the room without a backward glance. A moment later, he has returned to the Great Hall, and without fanfare takes his place at the faculty table.

Melvina Prichard rises from the faculty table purposefully, lifting her nimble, long-fingered hands in a suggestive way as she beckons the student audience for silence. “Thank you, Gerald. Excuse me, quiet please — yes, that includes you, Miss Smythe.” Her voice is thick and strong but laced with a hint of amusement. A half-grin touches her lips as Melvina looks over her school.

“Greetings, everyone,” Melvina calls, her voice effortlessly stretching across the Great Hall at a comfortable volume. “Welcome to your term nineteen hundred and thirty two! As I’m sure most you of you are now aware, my name is Melvina Prichard and I am the Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Though I hope each of you had a wonderful summer, I equally hope you’re prepared to clear away whatever fluff might have grown between your ears and properly further your magical education. That in mind, I’ll press on so we may all fill our bellies and get to a good nights rest. I’ve some beginning of term announcements to make.” Clearing her throat, the Headmistress pulls a pair of spectacles from the breast pocket of her emerald robe and places them neatly on the brige of her nose. With a cassual motion, the Headmistress draws a long, thin wand from her sleeve and gives it a vague flick,

conjuring a tightly-bound scroll in to the air in front of her with a small violet flash.

“All the usual suspects, of course. Our caretaker has asked me to remind you check the updated list of prohibited items and punishable offenses that have been thoughtfully posted in each of your common rooms–” Drawing in a deep breath, the Headmistress takes the floating parchment from the air and begins to unroll it. “Spellwork outside of the classroom, rough play, pranks, hijinxs, dungbombs, Whipple’s Pimple Powder..” Demonstratively, she allows one end of the scroll to slip from her fingers; it clatters to the table, spills over the edge, and rolls across the floor Great Hall between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables until it exhausts itself somewhere near the door of the waiting room across the entrance foyer. Wearing an expression of mock seriousness, Melvina sets her end of the very long list down and vanishes it with a flick of her wand. “As you can see, the list goes on. Be sure to check it.”

After a moment Melvina conjures a smaller sheet of parchment. “Hogwarts tradition demands that I remind each that the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds for all students. As seems to happen every year since antiquity, some of you will most certainly forget that pesky little rule. It just slips out, squeezed away most certainly by the building pressure of knowledge our fine professors work so hard to fill your heads with over the term.” The elderly woman chuckles as she shares a knowing look with a few select members of the student body. “Know then that detention is the minimum punishment for entering the Forbidden Forest without a member of staff or faculty to escort you, and that such acts will usually will result in a substantial loss of house points as well.”

With a small, meaningful glance around and a pause to clear her throat and savor a sip of pumpkin juice, Melvina continues. “Naturally, we ask that you respect and defer to your Prefects. At this time, I’d like to congratulate our new prefects; for Ravenclaw house, Miss Dara Quincy and Mister Edward Innarsal, for Slytherin house, Miss Odaira Wallace and Mister Augustine Malloy, for Gryffindor house Miss Allison Ardua and Mister Luke Marcus, and for Hufflepuff house, Miss Constance Geroff and Mist… Miss Ali Chamberlain. Remember, prefects are selected by their respective Heads of House,” Melvina places a curiously strong emphisis on those last three words. “For exceptional dedication, scholastic merit, and integrity, as well as exemplifying the values their respective houses treasure. Respect and defer to them, as they chose not to bear the weight of responsibility handed to them, but will most assuredly carry out their new-found duties with aplomb.” The Headmistress pauses, looking over the hall for a moment as if to convey a silent message to the crowd before continuing on. “Leading our prefects will be our new Head Boy and Head Girl, Marten Augustine and Helen McPhereson. Mister Augustine and Miss McPhereson, please stand.” She applauds once the two have risen, leading those who care to join her in a round of congratulations.

“Well done, Head Boy, Head Girl,” the Headmistress says, sincerly. “On to faculty. Sadly, I must inform you that Professor Hathaway of our Transfiguration department has choosen to resign, and will be replaced this term by Professor Edward Marconia. I hope you will all join me in welcoming Professor Marconia in to the Hogwarts family.” Again, Melvina applauds, turning toward the new instructor and inclining her head toward him in a respectful manner.

Following a relieved sigh and Melvina finally sets down the parchment and removes her glasses, tucking them back in to her breast pocket. “That said, I have only one more announcement to mention before we start in on the delicious feast I know you’re all patiently waiting to savor. To those of you returning, my love of tradition should be no surprise; thus, I announce once again to you my personal favorite of our many Hogwarts traditions, the annual Barefoot Social. A celebration of the new term, greeting those whom are just joining us, and welcoming home the rest. This dance will semi-formal, open to all years, and include an… outdoor feast.” The too-clever look on her face almost seems to gloat, briefly, as she looks out at her young crowd. Following the precident set by events of year’s past — the ladies will need ask the gentlemen for the honor of an afternoon’s courtship. Naturally, I will be resuming the Student Events Committee, made up of students from all years to help me prepare for the Barefoot Social, Governor’s Ball, and a handful of other special events the faculty has planned for the school year; if you’d like to be on said committee, you may contact me through any of the usual means. Exact details regarding date and time of the Barefoot Social shall follow shortly. Tuck in.” And with small nod and a sly, lingering grin, she slips casually back in to her seat.

(Hufflepuff) “I couldn’t see Alice’s dad being okay with something like that. He’s such a humbug, though. You’ve met him, haven’t you? Forever worrying about one trivial thing or another. It’s a wonder how Alice and Alden ended up so normal.” Constance shakes her head and rolls her eyes a bit. “At any rate, whether you’re a translator or an ambassador, you had better commission paintings.” She winks at this. “Make sure you find someone really pretty so it will be fun to paint her.” Constance laughs at this and leans back a little, tucking one of her legs under the other. “Where are those first years? I’m getting really hungry! Alice and I haven’t eaten since lunch – I didn’t want to spoil my appetite for the feast.”

Gerald Rathe stalks into the room, his great fae-silk cloak billowing behind him and almost into the faces of the nearest students. He does not shorten his pace for the shorter-legged children, but keeps his eyes focused on the faculty table ahead, until he reaches it, only then spinning about and clasping his hands behind his back to wait for the students to catch up, watching carefully to prod them into order in front of the Hall.

Once the students are lined up in front of the Hall in some semblance of order, Professor Gerald Rathe ducks out the back door by the faculty table, returning moments later with a stool in one hand, and an old tattered, wide-brimmed hat in the other. The stool he places in front of the gathered students, and the hat is set deftly on top of the stool. Turning to face the first years, he pulls a scroll from his cloak, and addresses them: “First year students, when I call your name, you will step up to the stool, take the Hat, sit on the stool and place the Hat on your head to be sorted.”

At the Professor’s voice, the Hat shivers, splits at the seam, and a mouth forms and begins to sing!

Unfurling his scroll, Gerald reveals that his right hand is swathed in a thick bandage. He glances at the students, and then to scroll, calling out the first name, “Adenlthwaite, Cloisonne!” The girl mentioned moves carefully up to the stool, taking the hat as told and sitting. There is a moment’s silence, and then the Hat calls out, “Gryffindor!” The girl jumps up from the stool, moving quickly to the mentioned table.

Several more names are called in turn, and soon Gerald calls one out, “Garner, Tobias!”

moves on through the list, calling out names in turn, as the students are sorted into their various Houses. Among them, Luella Grey is sorted into Ravenclaw, and Rory Tam is sorted into Gryffindor. When the last student has been sorted, Gerald quickly and neatly packs up the Hat and stool, carring them out from the room without a backward glance. A moment later, he has returned to the Great Hall, and without fanfare takes his place at the faculty table.

Melvina Prichard rises from the faculty table purposefully, lifting her nimble, long-fingered hands in a suggestive way as she beckons the student audience for silence. “Thank you, Gerald. Excuse me, quiet please — yes, that includes you, Miss Smythe.” Her voice is thick and strong but laced with a hint of amusement. A half-grin touches her lips as Melvina looks over her school.

“Greetings, everyone,” Melvina calls, her voice effortlessly stretching across the Great Hall at a comfortable volume. “Welcome to your term nineteen hundred and thirty two! As I’m sure most you of you are now aware, my name is Melvina Prichard and I am the Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Though I hope each of you had a wonderful summer, I equally hope you’re prepared to clear away whatever fluff might have grown between your ears and properly further your magical education. That in mind, I’ll press on so we may all fill our bellies and get to a good nights rest. I’ve some beginning of term announcements to make.” Clearing her throat, the Headmistress pulls a pair of spectacles from the breast pocket of her emerald robe and places them neatly on the brige of her nose. With a cassual motion, the Headmistress draws a long, thin wand from her sleeve and gives it a vague flick, conjuring a tightly-bound scroll in to the air in front of her with a small violet flash.

“All the usual suspects, of course. Our caretaker has asked me to remind you check the updated list of prohibited items and punishable offenses that have been thoughtfully posted in each of your common rooms–” Drawing in a deep breath, the Headmistress takes the floating parchment from the air and begins to unroll it. “Spellwork outside of the classroom, rough play, pranks, hijinxs, dungbombs, Whipple’s Pimple Powder..” Demonstratively, she allows one end of the scroll to slip from her fingers; it clatters to the table, spills over the edge, and rolls across the floor Great Hall between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables until it exhausts itself somewhere near the door of the waiting room across the entrance foyer. Wearing an expression of mock seriousness, Melvina sets her end of the very long list down and vanishes it with a flick of her wand. “As you can see, the list goes on. Be sure to check it.”

After a moment Melvina conjures a smaller sheet of parchment. “Hogwarts tradition demands that I remind each that the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds for all students. As seems to happen every year since antiquity, some of you will most certainly forget that pesky little rule. It just slips out, squeezed away most certainly by the building pressure of knowledge our fine professors work so hard to fill your heads with over the term.” The elderly woman chuckles as she shares a knowing look with a few select members of the student body. “Know then that detention is the minimum punishment for entering the Forbidden Forest without a member of staff or faculty to escort you, and that such acts will usually will result in a substantial loss of house points as well.”

With a small, meaningful glance around and a pause to clear her throat and savor a sip of pumpkin juice, Melvina continues. “Naturally, we ask that you respect and defer to your Prefects. At this time, I’d like to congratulate our new prefects; for Ravenclaw house, Miss Dara Quincy and Mister Edward Innarsal, for Slytherin house, Miss Odaira Wallace and Mister Augustine Malloy, for Gryffindor house Miss Allison Ardua and Mister Luke Marcus, and for Hufflepuff house, Miss Constance Geroff and Mist… Miss Ali Chamberlain. Remember, prefects are selected by their respective Heads of House,” Melvina places a curiously strong emphisis on those last three words. “For exceptional dedication, scholastic merit, and integrity, as well as exemplifying the values their respective houses treasure. Respect and defer to them, as they chose not to bear the weight of responsibility handed to them, but will most assuredly carry out their new-found duties with aplomb.” The Headmistress pauses, looking over the hall for a moment as if to convey a silent message to the crowd before continuing on. “Leading our prefects will be our new Head Boy and Head Girl, Marten Augustine and Helen McPhereson. Mister Augustine and Miss McPhereson, please stand.” She applauds once the two have risen, leading those who care to join her in a round of congratulations.

“Well done, Head Boy, Head Girl,” the Headmistress says, sincerly. “On to faculty. Sadly, I must inform you that Professor Hathaway of our Transfiguration department has choosen to resign, and will be replaced this term by Professor Edward Marconia. I hope you will all join me in welcoming Professor Marconia in to the Hogwarts family.” Again, Melvina applauds, turning toward the new instructor and inclining her head toward him in a respectful manner.

Following a relieved sigh and Melvina finally sets down the parchment and removes her glasses, tucking them back in to her breast pocket. “That said, I have only one more announcement to mention before we start in on the delicious feast I know you’re all patiently waiting to savor. To those of you returning, my love of tradition should be no surprise; thus, I announce once again to you my personal favorite of our many Hogwarts traditions, the annual Barefoot Social. A celebration of the new term, greeting those whom are just joining us, and welcoming home the rest. This dance will semi-formal, open to all years, and include an… outdoor feast.” The too-clever look on her face almost seems to gloat, briefly, as she looks out at her young crowd. Following the precident set by events of year’s past — the ladies will need ask the gentlemen for the honor of an afternoon’s courtship. Naturally, I will be resuming the Student Events Committee, made up of students from all years to help me prepare for the Barefoot Social, Governor’s Ball, and a handful of other special events the faculty has planned for the school year; if you’d like to be on said committee, you may contact me through any of the usual means. Exact details regarding date and time of the Barefoot Social shall follow shortly. Tuck in.” And with small nod and a sly, lingering grin, she slips casually back in to her seat.

On the first day of Hogwarts’ term, Platform 9 3/4 is teeming with black-robed students and their fussing parents. Here a pair of wizard parents bends dotingly over their tiny first-year son, anxiously straightening his robes and checking to make sure his owl is fed. There, a confused-looking Muggle family stands slightly apart from the rest, watching the spectacle with bewildered eyes while their daughter rushes around in excitement to meet her new classmates. Beyond that, a group of older students, tall and assured after years of school, chat eagerly as they catch up on their summer holidays.

Among the odd groupings of adults and children, one is a trio: an old wizard departing from a pair of young girls, both wearing the shiny badges of new Hogwarts Prefects. The taller of the two girls bears a striking resemblance to him; the other, Dara Quincy, looks nothing like either of the others, but seems remarkably at home with both. Dara‘s expression is serious and intent, her vague, shadowed eyes narrowed in resolute focus as she glances around the platform, surveying the younger students with the determined authority of her new position.

Mariska Moore steps onto the platform and promptly dusts herself off, not yet wearing her Hogwarts robes, having deemed that it would look quite hilarious to be doing so when in the midst of the muggles. Following her onto the platform is an annoyingly perfect little blond haired girl, who quickly states how she absoloutly can not wait until she gets to go to Hogwarts. Finally, entering the platform behind the younger girl enter, presumably, the parents, who promptly start to fuss over the second year girl. “Mum, Da’, I’ll be fine, I promise, nothing happened to me last year, after all,” she states with a roll of her eyes before she quickly makes to depart from the precense of her somewhat overbearing parents.

Seraphina Pryor is a year older now, but she doesn’t look much more sure as she steps onto the platform with her obviously-doting father and younger sister, just a year too young to go to Hogwarts as yet. “Dad, why couldn’t you have waited out on the muggle platform?” she asks her father in a slightly testy fashion. “There are too many parents here already.” Despite her protests, Sera allows her father to press a bag of money into her palm and kiss her on the cheek. “I’m going to go get on the train now,” she announces to him with an unexpressive face. “Bye, Ona,” she tells her sister quickly before stepping closer to the train, glancing around only momentarily before she ducks onto the train with a very unsure face.

Chester Blake strolls onto the platform, studiously ignoring his brother – not his twin, if you please – as well as his younger sister, who is peppering the two of them with rapid fire questions about the sorting that she is still too young to attend. “Oh, shut up, Siscily,” he replies testily and turns to his parents. “No, mum, I’m fine… please don’t, oh – ugh, mum!” Chester seems appalled by the primping that his mother has just done to his disheveled hair as well as the wet kiss planted on his cheek. Such displays are unusual for Chester to experience, and he doesn’t seem to appreciate them when they do happen. “Rowan, you sit in a different car. Find your friends or something.” Whatever’s gotten into usually docile Chester this year? “I’m getting onto the train.” He drags his trunk behind him and stalks down the platform toward the door into one of the cars, ignoring his family as much as he did when they all came on to the platform.

Looking a bit flustered but no worse for the wear, Tobias Garner stumbles through the barrier, his owl, luggage, and (predictably) family in tow. Despite having gone through this painful farewell process seven times prior to today – though in those years his brother stood in his place — Tobias‘s mother and father are as tearful as ever. Jerry, on the other hand, seems unaffected by the flood of emotion, and simply tousles his brother’s hair and wishes him good luck. Promising that he will return for Christmas, Tobias edges closer to a group of older students, hoping to be noticed but at the same time remain inconspicuous. Heather hoots her displeasure and shifts uneasily in her cage at all the noise, but her protests are drowned out by the numerous conversations around her.

Even for a Prefect who seems to have to work as hard as Dara does to stay focused on her job, there is plenty to do. “Over here! This way! No, it’s all right, you can let your luggage go – it will arrive at school the same time that you do. Goodness, is that your owl flying off there? Yes, the train will wait until you’ve caught it…” Dara sorts through the disorderly crowd of first-years, directing them towards the various train compartments and giving what reassurance she can, all with the same air of steady resolve. “I’ll see you on the train, Evey!” she calls, smile brightening through her serious determination for a moment as she waves to a girl her own age across the crowd. And then she is back to work, ushering the other students onto the train. “Oh, hullo, Tobias,” Dara says, offering a smile to one of the few new students familiar to her. “Good to see you again.”

Walking up closer to the train and just narrowly avoiding a girl who is strangely walking backwards down the platform, Chester inclines his head briefly toward Dara. He doesn’t know her well, but he’s smart enough to see that the girl is wearing a Prefect badge and to act accordingly. “Congratulations,” he basically mutters before slipping through the door to the train, trunk hauled behind him. Chester spends little time glancing at those around him and manages to duck into the first empty compartment that he spots, quickly settling in next to the window – his favorite spot.

Mariska Moore takes her barn owls cage from atop her luggage, leaving the rest so that it can be loaded onto the train. “G’bye Mum, Da, I’ll see for break and of course I’ll be on my best behavior,” the girl notes, before her parents tell her to make sure she studies and to keep practicing the dance lessons she learned. “Of course, now will you let me go? I don’t want to miss the train,” she notes before kneeling down to give her younger sister a hug. That done she rights herself, dusts her clothes off and heads away from the familial unit and towards the train, though she moves at no sort of a rush.

“Thanks,” Dara replies, offering Chester a friendly, if slightly vague smile – she hasn’t had much of a chance to interact with the younger Hufflepuff boy, but from the quick brightening of her expression on his compliment, any friendly interaction is very welcome.

Following the barrage of students onto the train, Seraphina barely has enough room to move about, let alone choose her compartment for herself. She essentially ends up getting shoved into compartment One, in which there are already people. Seeing that there is room for her, though, she decides to stay rather than fight the crowd in the corridor. “Hi.” she greets those in the compartment before stowing her trunk and sitting in the opposite corner from Chester, sitting as close to the wall as possible.

Partly carried along by the momentum of the waves of students, partly concentrating on her duties, Dara bypasses the prefects’ compartment entirely. She only seems to realize that she has come to rest in another train car a few moments after she arrives, wide gray eyes blinking in brief confusion as she refocuses. Dara glances behind her – no, the tall Hufflepuff prefect with whom she had arrived seems to be gone, to her further confusion. Dara turns back to the compartment, offering another vague, friendly smile to the others as she moves to take a seat. She casts a slightly wistful glance towards the window, but there are too many people between her and it, and Dara settles for a seat near the middle of the car.

Chester Blake glances up as people begin to – seemingly haphazardly – enter the compartment. “Oh, hi, um…” He waves his hand absently in Seraphina’s direction. “Is the Prefects’ compartment full, Dara?” he asks the older girl curiously. “I thought that was where all of the Prefects sat.” Chester seems to have relaxed now that he is out of eye and earshot of his family, particularly his older brother.

Mariska Moore enters the train and squeaks, slightly, as the crowds gets the better of her slight form. In an attempt to get away from the onslaught of students she enters the first doorway she can, which leads to compartment one. “Oh… Hi,” the second year states, glancing quickly about. “Mind if I join?” she enquires in all politeness to the gathered crowd.

Relieved to see a familiar face, Tobias‘s fear dissipates temporarily as he scurries along behind his future classmates. Unsure at first of which compartment to enter, he decides it would be best to follow the older students – they, he assumes, unlike the first years, seem to know what they are doing. At the very least, he had an acquaintance among them. He meekly enters Compartment One and chooses a seat close to the door, so as to have an easy escape route (if necessary) and a clearer view of the corridor. Shooting a wary glance around the cabin, Tobias mutters a quiet and cautious “Hello.”

“Sera,” Seraphina answers without much inflection in her voice. Clutching a squirmy kitten to her chest, she glances around the quickly filling compartment without expression on her face. “Who are you?” she asks to nobody in particular, though she happens to be looking at Tobias as she says this. “Hello, Mariska,” she greets her housemate. At least she knows the girl’s name.

“Oh!” Dara‘s eyes flutter, shifting their vague gaze towards Chester in faint surprise as he calls attention to her mistake. “Er. Yes, usually they do,” she stammers, glancing backwards towards the door. “I – I just thought it would be better to keep an eye on things from here.” Dara offers another smile, slightly weaker this time, but it strengthens as she turns to greet the younger students, back on more secure ground now. “Hello. Yes, do have a seat. There’s…actually still a bit of room.”

“Oh, okay,” is all that Chester says in response to Dara’s reasoning. He seems nonplussed by the addition of a prefect to the compartment. “Hello then, Sera.” He leans back comfortably and glances at the other newcomers. “Hi,” he directs to Tobias – the first boy to actually enter the compartment so far aside from himself. “You look kinda young. Are you a firstie?”

Mariska Moore looks up from wherein she’s found herself a seat as she hears her name. “Oh, hello Seraphina,” the girl gives with a bit of a smile. “I didn’t see you through the crowd,” she notes before turning that same smile to the rest of the Compartment One Crowd.

Tobias opens his mouth to speak, but his words seem to be glued to his tongue for a moment before he blurts out, “I’m Tobias Garner. And yes, I am a-a firstie,” he finishes, wincing a bit at the title for his class. Firstie? How adorable — and slightly humiliating. Under the impression that Chester’s tone did not imply that he was teasing, however, Tobias manages to smile. “What about you all? What years are you in?”

“I am a second year,” Seraphina answers as if this is highly respectable and something to be envied. After all, it was preferable to being a firstie, wasn’t it? “It is a bit of a crowd, but of course, I was here before most of the people ducked in.” She pauses. “Though I would have preferred to secure a compartment farther back on the train, but I was obliged by some of the older students to come into this one.” Well, she was pushed in, but who was she to split hairs?

“Fifth, now,” Dara replies, offering another encouraging smile to nervous little Tobias. Seraphina’s superior tone draws a quick, sidelong glance from Dara, and she clears her throat faintly, but doesn’t otherwise interject. “It’s all right – things can be rather confusing at first,” she continues to Tobias, “but it all gets straightened out soon enough. You’ll see.”

Chester says, “Hi, Tobias, then,” Chester tells him with the first congenial smile of the day. He, too, is a bit taken aback by Seraphina’s tone, but doesn’t even spare her a glance. “I’m a fourth year,” he responds casually. “It gets better after the first year. Don’t worry about that.” A pause. “Just make sure you look out for the squid when you’re crossing the lake.” He manages to say this with a deadly serious face, much in the way it was told to him on his first trip to Hogwarts. It’s fair, right?”

Mariska Moore offers a smile towards Tobias. “Mariska Moore, second year,” she offers to the cute ickle firstie. Her statement is offered with a certain sense of pride offered, as she just barely passed all her first year classes. “I’m sure that you’ll figure everything out in no time,” Mariska gives, with a gap-toothed grin and a firm nod of her head. As for Seraphina’s tone, Mariska makes no big deal out of it, at all. “Oh, yes, the Giant Squid… it’ll eat you if yer not careful…”

It certainly is, Tobias agrees, absent-mindedly wondering why his brother was not kind enough to explain the outline of his first journey to Hogwarts. At the mentioning of the squid, he gives an expected shudder, recalling an incident where Jerry “accidentally” shoved him into a pond several summers ago and he was “attacked” by tangled weeds and irritable ducks. “Are there any accounts of firsties say, drowning, in the er-lake? Or being – well, eaten?” He straightens up and tries to appear unafraid as he says this, but terror is obviously present in his wide hazel eyes.

Sliding the door of the compartment open, the newcomer doesn’t step all the way inside. Seeing the number of students Ali blinks widely and then smiles nervously. “Sorry about that just looking for,” the dusky voice trails off as the fifth year grins in Dara’s direction. “Dara! There you are! Just the person I was looking for.” “You won’t believe what happened! I wanted to tell you but there just wasn’t time and besides, I wanted it to be a surprise.” Apparently for this youth gossip comes before introductions.

Not speaking at the mention of the squid, Seraphina merely looks on at the first year’s reaction. Of course she had not been afraid. “So, Mariska, are you planning to go out for Quidditch this year?” she asks her comrade calmly, only glancing up briefly as a very tall boy – wait, was that actually a girl? – entered the compartment.

“No, nothing like that,” Dara begins, aiming another reassuring smile towards Tobias, and a slightly reproachful look towards the others. But then Ali bursts in, and Dara‘s eyes flutter as her attention, so carefully fixed on the younger students, is disrupted once more. “What?” She turns swiftly towards the door, her gaze wide and vague for a moment, and then slipping back into focus as a brighter smile comes to her face. “Ali! Yes – what is it? Is everything all right? Er – you’re welcome to find a seat if you can, but it’s gotten a bit crowded…”

Ignoring Dara’s disclaiming about the squid, Chester leans forward, grinning a little bit. “Oh, loads of people have… it’s all in the books at Hogwarts. Of course, I shouldn’t tell you this, but just last year, a firstie got careless and the squid ate her. It was a terrible tragedy – the whole school was shocked that she could have been so dumb.” It seems as if he has to stifle a snicker as he tells Tobias the tale. “Of course, if you keep yourself inside the boat and stay away from sitting next to people who don’t like you, you should be alright. The squid doesn’t usually grab people out of the boats. It waits for them to fall in.” Chester leans back, glancing around the now quite crowded compartment. “Oh, hi, Ali,” he greets the girl.

Mariska Moore snickers slightly. “Well, I heard of one when my parents where here. A first year lost his footing, fell into the lake… nobody’s seen him since, my parents say the squid got ‘im,” she notes with a completly serious look on her face before turning her attention to Seraphina. “We were in the same flying class, right?” she questions with a quirked brow. “If so, you’ve seen me try to fly, and fail miserably, I only barely passed that class…” Upon hearing Chester’s comment Mariska blinks. “Right, I remember that, it was terrible, she was on the boat behind me,” the second year shrugs at this.

Watching as students step off the train Phoebe Helit stands ready out on the platform dressed in a warm black fur coat over a navy blue formal dress. Beside her at her feet staring with great yellow eyes is her ever faithful cat with fur matching it’s human’s dress. After all the students are off the train Phoebe takes another quick check over the crowd and places her hands together in front of her, she calls out to address the students. “Hello everyone! Welcome to Hogwarts! First years please stay together and come with me, returning students are to board the carriages,” “Your luggage and pets will be taken to your dormitorys to wait for you.” With that Phoebe takes another quick look over the students as the crowd begins separating. She gives a glance to the blue cat beside her who mews once as if understanding and immediatly sets off into one of the carriages with a couple of seventh years. A smile stretches over her face and she calls again “Right this way first years!” With that the Professor begins leading the way.

Heading off of the train quickly, Seraphina glances around the crowd, trying to latch onto someone familiar with whom to ride in the carriages. Finding nobody close enough to go with her, she instead steps into the closest one that she can find, ending up with three seventh years, all of whom seem quite familiar and friendly with one another.

(Slytherin) Seraphina Pryor walks quickly into the Great Hall with a clump of other students. She spots Mariska, with whom she had shared a compartment on the trip to Hogsmeade, and rather than securing an ideal spot, she instead secures a spot next to somebody she knows. Perhaps this feast will be more than just eating. The girl can hope, after all. She plops down at the table quickly.

(Slytherin) Mariska Moore enters the great hall from the opposite point of view as the last sorting, and promptly settles herself at the Slytherin table. Once Seraphina’s seated herself Mariska turns to her fellow second year and offers a smile. “I wonder who we’ll be Sorted into Slytherin this year,” is noted quietly, though not so quiet as to not be heard.

(Slytherin) “I don’t know,” Seraphina admits readily. “Hopefully some good people. The not as good people can be sorted into Gryffindor or something. We don’t need them here.” A flip of her light auburn hair punctuates this as she shrugs lightly. “Maybe we’ll take the house cup this year. Stupid Ravenclaw got it last time.” She seems oblivious to the irony of her statement.

(Slytherin) Mariska Moore nods. “I sure hope that we get some of the good students this year, though, obviously, we got some of the good ones last year, too,” is noted with a bit of a chuckle. “And hopefully some who can get us some points and play quidditch, because I know I can’t play.”

(Slytherin) “Slytherin only ever gets the best, of course,” Satinka replies to the two younger girls, butting quite suddenly into their conversation. “We would win the cups every year, only want the other houses to think that they have a chance now and then. Otherwise, where would the fun be in winning?” Satinka pushes her blonde curls over her shoulder and sits up neatly, grinning down at the young girls. “They only win because we let them.”

(Slytherin) “They do?” Seraphina replies with shock. “But I thought we did try last year…” Sera looks quite perplexed for a moment as she considers this. Her face then goes blank – after all, she mustn’t show any weaknesses like that to her peers. “I’m not going to play Quidditch. It simply doesn’t interest me,” the girl states plainly. She neglects to remember, apparently, her dismal showing during the flying classes in the previous year. “I plan to be a famous stage actress, after all, and sports would not help me with that.”

(Slytherin) Mariska Moore chuckles slightly. “Well, we have to make it at least look like we’re trying to win, even if we are letting the other houses win, don’t we?” she questions, grinning a little. “So how was everyone’s summer? Good, I hope.”

(Slytherin) “Mine was fine,” Seraphina answers mildly, without much conviction. “We went to the shore for a week. Did you do anything interesting like that, Mariska?” Sera does not address the older girl, though, as she is unsure of how to approach the daughter of the house head. “Daddy promised we’d go again at Easter holiday, too.”

(Slytherin) Mariska Moore shakes her head slightly in response to Seraphina. “My parents got me a tutor, they weren’t pleased with my marks through the year,” she notes, frowning. “And enrolled me in a dance class, apparently they also weren’t happy that I wouldn’t be trying out for the quidditch team this year.”

(Slytherin) “Oh, you had to study all summer? How rotten of them! Dancing is interesting, though. I’ve been asking my daddy to enroll me in some of the dance classes so that I could make a bigger splash onstage. I’m going to take Wizo-Music, too. Professor Dwight has to teach me to sing if that’s what I want, right?” She pauses and yawns a bit. “I’m hungry. When is this supposed to start? Did they lose the firsties for real or something?” Seraphina looks a bit annoyed at the long wait and she leans her elbows on the table, cradling her cheeks in her hands.

(Slytherin) Mariska Moore nods in a slightly sullen fashion. “Mmhmm, all summer, the only break I got was for dance class, but I like my dance classes, they enrolled me in Irish step dance it’s very interesting, I’m supposed to work on that when I get free time, cause I’ll be back in class next summer,” she notes, grinning with this. At Seraphina’s comment about the firsties, Mariska snickers. “I wonder if the squid got them this year… got tired of us goin’ around in it’s lake so much…”

(Slytherin) “Irish step?” Satinka butts in with a sneer on her pretty face. “They might have enrolled you in a more beautiful dance course. Ballet, now, that’s a worthwhile course. I’ve had my own private teacher since I was five years old and living in France. Thankfully, my mother understands the importance of grace and polish, and understood my arguments for having her here. It’s a real shame that your parents haven’t the same considerations for you.

(Slytherin) Mariska Moore shrugs slightly at Satinka slightly. “I like Irish step, it’s beautiful and has some similarities to ballet, and it’s incredibly graceful, especially the soft shoe dances, though I love the hard shoe dances. I’m not very good right now, but I’ve gotten to watch some of the better students, and it’s all in the footwork and the combination of the hard shoe with the music,” she shrugs and stops going on about how much she loves this particular art. “I suppose if my parents really get irritated with me they’ll put me into ballet, or another form of dance.”

(Slytherin) “Well, I’d much rather take tap and ballet – it is so much more useful for the stage, after all. Tap is in such high demand now, after all. Irish step could be very appropriate in certain venues, I’m sure,” Seraphina replies, unsure of what to make of Satinka’s interference in the converstaion. “Maybe the squid just got hungry. After all, it didn’t get anyone last year…” Sera says this perhaps a bit less sarcastically than she ought – she sounds dead serious at the suggestion, in fact.

(Slytherin) Satinka gives a rather haughty shrug. “Suit yourself, of course, but it will never breed in you the grace and poise that a well-to-do representative of Slytherin house is expected to have upon graduation.” Satinka sits up just a bit straighter and slowly crosses her legs under the table in an effort to look glamorous. “I’ve been brought up for it since birth. After all, my family is famous for being respected and showered with accolades.” Perhaps a bit of an exaggeration, but Satinka is figuring on the two girls not knowing any better.

(Slytherin) Mariska Moore shrugs slightly. “Well, it’s something I enjoy,” she offers with a smile before tilting her head slightly in the direction from which the firsties ought be coming. “Perhaps. I mean, I don’t recall it taking anyone last year, though it may only take students every few years,” Mariska gives, sound completley serious as she speaks, as though she actually believes the squid will eat the students. “Yes, Satinka, I’ve heard of your family, specifically the Professor, of course… and I’m sure you’ll do Slytherin proud when you graduate from Hogwarts.”

(Slytherin) “That’s what matters, right? That you enjoy it?” Seraphina is starting, for the first time since she came to Hogwarts, to let down her guard a little. After all, she said so very little to the others in her house over the course of her first year, it’s amazing that any of them even know her name. She leans forward close to Mariska, looking carefully out of the corner of her eye to see that Satinka is distracted. “Are they really so prestigious as all that? My daddy’s never spoken of them to me… indeed, I didn’t hear of them until I came to the school.” She pauses. “She isn’t very nice anyhow. So superior…”

Gerald Rathe stalks into the room, his great fae-silk cloak billowing behind him and almost into the faces of the nearest students. He does not shorten his pace for the shorter-legged children, but keeps his eyes focused on the faculty table ahead, until he reaches it, only then spinning about and clasping his hands behind his back to wait for the students to catch up, watching carefully to prod them into order in front of the Hall.

(Slytherin) Mariska Moore nods. “Oh yes, I think it’s entirely a case of enjoying something, and, as I spent the rest of the summer studying, it was a nice reprieve from the books,” she notes before offering a shrug in Seraphina’s direction before lowering her voice to speak to her fellow second year. “I only know the professor, my parents haven’t told me much of anything about them… but that’s not saying much,” she offers with her gap-toothed grin. “Oh! Look, there’s one of the Professor Rathe’s. Good, I’ve been getting quite anxious to get on with the Sorting.”

Once the students are lined up in front of the Hall in some semblance of order, Professor Gerald Rathe ducks out the back door by the faculty table, returning moments later with a stool in one hand, and an old tattered, wide-brimmed hat in the other. The stool he places in front of the gathered students, and the hat is set deftly on top of the stool. Turning to face the first years, he pulls a scroll from his cloak, and addresses them: “First year students, when I call your name, you will step up to the stool, take the Hat, sit on the stool and place the Hat on your head to be sorted.”

At the Professor’s voice, the Hat shivers, splits at the seam, and a mouth forms and begins to sing!

Unfurling his scroll, Gerald reveals that his right hand is swathed in a thick bandage. He glances at the students, and then to scroll, calling out the first name, “Adenlthwaite, Cloisonne!” The girl mentioned moves carefully up to the stool, taking the hat as told and sitting. There is a moment’s silence, and then the Hat calls out, “Gryffindor!” The girl jumps up from the stool, moving quickly to the mentioned table.

Several more names are called in turn, and soon Gerald calls one out, “Garner, Tobias!”

moves on through the list, calling out names in turn, as the students are sorted into their various Houses. Among them, Luella Grey is sorted into Ravenclaw, and Rory Tam is sorted into Gryffindor. When the last student has been sorted, Gerald quickly and neatly packs up the Hat and stool, carring them out from the room without a backward glance. A moment later, he has returned to the Great Hall, and without fanfare takes his place at the faculty table.

Melvina Prichard rises from the faculty table purposefully, lifting her nimble, long-fingered hands in a suggestive way as she beckons the student audience for silence. “Thank you, Gerald. Excuse me, quiet please — yes, that includes you, Miss Smythe.” Her voice is thick and strong but laced with a hint of amusement. A half-grin touches her lips as Melvina looks over her school.

“Greetings, everyone,” Melvina calls, her voice effortlessly stretching across the Great Hall at a comfortable volume. “Welcome to your term nineteen hundred and thirty two! As I’m sure most you of you are now aware, my name is Melvina Prichard and I am the Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Though I hope each of you had a wonderful summer, I equally hope you’re prepared to clear away whatever fluff might have grown between your ears and properly further your magical education. That in mind, I’ll press on so we may all fill our bellies and get to a good nights rest. I’ve some beginning of term announcements to make.” Clearing her throat, the Headmistress pulls a pair of spectacles from the breast pocket of her emerald robe and places them neatly on the brige of her nose. With a cassual motion, the Headmistress draws a long, thin wand from her sleeve and gives it a vague flick, conjuring a tightly-bound scroll in to the air in front of her with a small violet flash.

“All the usual suspects, of course. Our caretaker has asked me to remind you check the updated list of prohibited items and punishable offenses that have been thoughtfully posted in each of your common rooms–” Drawing in a deep breath, the Headmistress takes the floating parchment from the air and begins to unroll it. “Spellwork outside of the classroom, rough play, pranks, hijinxs, dungbombs, Whipple’s Pimple Powder..” Demonstratively, she allows one end of the scroll to slip from her fingers; it clatters to the table, spills over the edge, and rolls across the floor Great Hall between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables until it exhausts itself somewhere near the door of the waiting room across the entrance foyer. Wearing an expression of mock seriousness, Melvina sets her end of the very long list down and vanishes it with a flick of her wand. “As you can see, the list goes on. Be sure to check it.”

After a moment Melvina conjures a smaller sheet of parchment. “Hogwarts tradition demands that I remind each that the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds for all students. As seems to happen every year since antiquity, some of you will most certainly forget that pesky little rule. It just slips out, squeezed away most certainly by the building pressure of knowledge our fine professors work so hard to fill your heads with over the term.” The elderly woman chuckles as she shares a knowing look with a few select members of the student body. “Know then that detention is the minimum punishment for entering the Forbidden Forest without a member of staff or faculty to escort you, and that such acts will usually will result in a substantial loss of house points as well.”

With a small, meaningful glance around and a pause to clear her throat and savor a sip of pumpkin juice, Melvina continues. “Naturally, we ask that you respect and defer to your Prefects. At this time, I’d like to congratulate our new prefects; for Ravenclaw house, Miss Dara Quincy and Mister Edward Innarsal, for Slytherin house, Miss Odaira Wallace and Mister Augustine Malloy, for Gryffindor house Miss Allison Ardua and Mister Luke Marcus, and for Hufflepuff house, Miss Constance Geroff and Mist… Miss Ali Chamberlain. Remember, prefects are selected by their respective Heads of House,” Melvina places a curiously strong emphisis on those last three words. “For exceptional dedication, scholastic merit, and integrity, as well as exemplifying the values their respective houses treasure. Respect and defer to them, as they chose not to bear the weight of responsibility handed to them, but will most assuredly carry out their new-found duties with aplomb.” The Headmistress pauses, looking over the hall for a moment as if to convey a silent message to the crowd before continuing on. “Leading our prefects will be our new Head Boy and Head Girl, Marten Augustine and Helen McPhereson. Mister Augustine and Miss McPhereson, please stand.” She applauds once the two have risen, leading those who care to join her in a round of congratulations.

“Well done, Head Boy, Head Girl,” the Headmistress says, sincerly. “On to faculty. Sadly, I must inform you that Professor Hathaway of our Transfiguration department has choosen to resign, and will be replaced this term by Professor Edward Marconia. I hope you will all join me in welcoming Professor Marconia in to the Hogwarts family.” Again, Melvina applauds, turning toward the new instructor and inclining her head toward him in a respectful manner.

Following a relieved sigh and Melvina finally sets down the parchment and removes her glasses, tucking them back in to her breast pocket. “That said, I have only one more announcement to mention before we start in on the delicious feast I know you’re all patiently waiting to savor. To those of you returning, my love of tradition should be no surprise; thus, I announce once again to you my personal favorite of our many Hogwarts traditions, the annual Barefoot Social. A celebration of the new term, greeting those whom are just joining us, and welcoming home the rest. This dance will semi-formal, open to all years, and include an… outdoor feast.” The too-clever look on her face almost seems to gloat, briefly, as she looks out at her young crowd. Following the precident set by events of year’s past — the ladies will need ask the gentlemen for the honor of an afternoon’s courtship. Naturally, I will be resuming the Student Events Committee, made up of students from all years to help me prepare for the Barefoot Social, Governor’s Ball, and a handful of other special events the faculty has planned for the school year; if you’d like to be on said committee, you may contact me through any of the usual means. Exact details regarding date and time of the Barefoot Social shall follow shortly. Tuck in.” And with small nod and a sly, lingering grin, she slips casually back in to her seat.

“My Ma an’ me live with my Auntie Ester in London. My Ma’s from there. Been here a while, I guess.” Jack answers, making a bit of a face. He wasn’t entirely sure what to think of his experience so far… may this being a wizard bit wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. With Vashti’s shout, Jack turns his gaze to her, arching a brow a bit. “It’s a chocolate frog… they move around. The lady at the store I my Ma bough ‘em at said they were really popular.”

“Shut up, it just surprised me,” snaps Vashti as she opens the box once more, extracting the chocolate and biting off the frog’s legs. That will take care of that.

Looking over the gaggle of students as each disembarks from the train Phoebe Helit straightens clearing her throat before speaking… perhaps a bit louder than is necessary. “All right everyone quiet! I am Professor Helit and it is a pleasure to make your acquaintances. For our new students, let me take this moment to say welcome to our school.” “For those of you returning to us let me say welcome back.” She gives the students a moment to get over there general excitement before moving on. “Now I want all second years and above to board the carriages.” She looks around amongst the crowd a moment before continuing. “All first years gather around me. No, don’t worry, your luggage will be taken to the castle for you.” Phoebe casts a glare at a particularly small student “And no pushing! I want everyone at hand, it wouldn’t do for me to lose any of you.” She stands patiently waiting to see that all the little first years are in order before continui
ng on.

Looking up, Adelaide hears the summons of the first years, and not wanting to be late, hurries to catch up with the others, her plait and robes gently blowing behind her with the movement as she heads towards the Professor.

Melissa hurries after her cousin after the first years are summoned.

Dolly Faeden tries to keep up a conversation with Chester as they disembark, but soon enough is lost in the crowd. Oh well.

“…isn’t it, then there’s something wrong with the train,” Gilroy concludes as he follows Mariska and Teddy outside, a few chocolate beans trailing after him. As soon as Professor Helit begins to speak, though, Gilroy presses two fingers against his lips, precaution against further unwanted speech. He leaves them in position as he bustles his way into the proper line.

Christopher Hobbs disembarks from the train and peers around into the darkness, gulping nervously at the ominous atmosphere of the platform. Toby, his pet owl, hoots quietly in his cage. As Professor Helit begins to talk, he gulps again and nods at her instructions, wide-eyed but excited for the Sorting ceremony.

Wonderingly glancing around, Adrian is amazed at the surroundings. The fall landscape is amazingly beautiful, colors are EVERYWHERE. Adrian bids goodbye to his former compartment mates, as they enter the carriages. As Professor Helit gives the announcement for the first years, he crowds close, hoping his owl and luggage get back safely. He finds Adelaide and edges closer to her, a bit intimidated by everything.

Mariska Moore bounds off the train, looking around to see where Gil is located. “C’mon,” she gives, again, before stopping to hear the Proffesors words. She quickly settles herself so that she can hear the professor better than before, waiting for further instruction.

Adelaide Adams emit Adelaide shoots her cousin and friend reassuring smiles, “No worries, we’re all in this together!”

Stepping off the train, Chester glances around at all the students, and this time he spots his friends. “Oy!” he calls as he trots up to the other third years and the group of them head into the carriages.

Silas follows the throng of young students toward the teacher. What is so special that only the first years do that everyone else doesn’t?

Glancing sidelong at Hannah, Vashti makes a point of ignoring Seraphina as she walks towards Phoebe’s side. “Yeah, I can think of one person I’d like to get lost,” comments Vashti to Hannah, eyeing Sera out of the corner of her eye. Stupid girl, thinking she was so much better than everyone else. Vashti would show her. Looking around, Vashti catches a glimpse of Jezebel, their other cousin, but is also not speaking to her. It doesn’t occur to Vashti that she’s at odds with quite a few people right now. She crosses her arms and looks to the professor, awaiting instructions.

Teddy de Alquimia straightens his robe as he exits the trains, and stays close to Gilroy and Mariska. There’s a brief look around for Sophie, but with the number of people about, she’s hard to spot. He opens his mouth to worry about his owl, despite the Professor’s assurances, but spies’s Gilroy’s motion for silence and thinks better of it, instead moving toward Phoebe.

Seker Rathe disembarks from the Hogwarts Express, supplies in tow.

Shoving the last of his box of chocolate frogs in to his pockets, Jack disembarks the train with a slightly distasteful expression lingering on his features. He makes his way to the line forming in front of Professor Helit, looking darn glad to have some differant company.

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Hey Briony, so how was your summer?”

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Oh wow this is the year I take OWLs isn’t it.”

(Gryffindor) “Erm, it was fine,” Briony answers vaguely, glancing only briefly to the fifth year as she takes her seat, waving enthusiastically to her friends at other tables, including an obligatory wave to both of her siblings at the Hufflepuff table. “OWLs aren’t bad, you’ll see,” she tosses at him vaguely.

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Yeah I guess your right I just am nervous.”

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “I am so excited”

The southern doors to the Great Hall are flung wide open. They fly outward, ready to crash into the wall, only to stop suddenly just before impact. Through this opening strides Professor Gerald Rathe, with an untidy line of first-year students following behind. Although he travels at what is for him a casual saunter, him long legs still eat up the distance rapidly. Arriving at the front of the room, he is forced to pause for a moment to make sure that the first years catch up, and indicates to them that they should stand in a line behind him.

Christopher Hobbs blinks as he enters the large hall, wide eyes greedily taking in all of the details of the room. A broad but nervous grin stretches across his face as he walks in line after Professor Rathe.

Gilroy Hollister trails Professor Rathe into the Hall, grey eyes making a wide sweep of the faces assembled before being pulled in by the ceiling. He speaks a vague syllable before remembering to stay silent, and instead nudges Mariska and points upward at the artificial night sky.

The heat, light and sound almost bowls Adelaide over, thanks to the long train journey and dark boat ride. As the doors open, she shuffles along with her fellow first years, putting on a face of not a care in the world, even though she knows that everyone in the hall is going to be looking at them. It’s not at all what she expected, but her brother had warned her that the sorting is different for everyone, and as undescribable for each.

Silas follows Professor Rathe into the Great Hall and gapes at the sight. He didn’t know what to expect, but he sure hadn’t expected such an extravagant sight! This was even more impressive than the banquet hall at Vicaris Hall! So many people… watching them get sorted. Silas tries to steel his nerves, but finds such a task hard to do here.

Walking into the great hall with the rest of the unsorted students Tommy‘s eyes immediatly look up to the enchanted roof and the first words out of his mouth are “Wow! Look at that.” And then they move to take in the rest of the hall, wide with wonder and a grin scrawled over his face.

Mariska Moore enters the great hall with the other unsorted students. A quick look around reveals the rest of the student body. With a slight gulp she looks to either side, finding Gilroy to one she grins and remains silent. At Gil’s nuding Mariska looks up, and her eyes widen more than they were before, if that’s possible.

A dark skinned, curly-haired boy of eleven moves along after Gerald with his head held steady and his shoulders squared back. Theodore de Alquimia is nervous, but other than a paleness to his face, it does not show. He moves with the unconcious grace of someone subjected to many ettiquette lessons, and tries to control his urge to look around. Noticing others looking up, however, he chances a peek. And then stands, entranced. A good thing he is already where he needs to be, or he’d be left gawking at the doors while everyone else followed Gerald.

Her eyes widening as she enters the great hall, Seraphina seems to trail a bit momentarily in the entrance. She tugs on the sleeves of her robes, as if doing so will take the nervousness away and she pauses momentarily. Once she realizes that the group is leaving without her up to the front, she trots along, catching up and then stopping at the front once they get there.

Jack Wexler follows the group in, looking at the hall with slightly wide eyes. He’d quite suddenly wished he’d not given his last chocolate frog to Seraphina on the boats, as his hands were fidgeting in his pockets nervously for something to shove in to his mouth.

Following Gerald into the hall beside her cousin, Vashti looks around the room at the already sorted students. She isn’t really nervous per se, but does want desperately to be sorted. It will complete the experience. It will mean she really belongs and her invitation wasn’t sent to her by accident.

Hannah walks into the Great Hall, dazzled by the impressions that are overwhelming her immediately. All those new faces and the magic in the atmosphere. “What a nice place to be.” she thinks for herself. It’s so beautiful. Intimidating, but beautiful.

Gerald Rathe steps off to the back of the Hall briefly, returning with a shabby old hat in one hand, and a stool in the other. He carries the hat gingerly, as if it were very fragile, and places it softly on the stool at the front of the room. This done, he steps back from the hat the front of the first-year students, and watches. The hat sits still on the stool for a moment, and then with a little jerk, a tear across the brim opens wide like a mouth!

Gilroy Hollister watches the Hat intently as it sings, corners of his lips twitching as he takes in each word as if the Hat were a professor in itself. When the words finish, he taps his fingers together in tentative applause, uncertain on whether or not such accolades are meant to follow the Hat’s recitation.

Leaning over to Hannah with her nose wrinkled, Vashti comments in a whisper, “That has to be the oddest thing I’ve ever seen. A singing hat? What’s next?”

“It talked!” Jack yelps in a thick New York accent, his green eyes wide as they dart to the stool where the old, patchy hat was placed. “That hat just talked! Is it supposed to do that?”

Christopher Hobbs blinks, eyes widened yet again with wonder and amusement. He whistles quietly in awe, but says nothing…yet.

Her heart was beating so fast, that Adelaide gripped her cousin’s hand, “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh…”

Adrian Skye blinks, and can do nothing but stare apprehensively at the talking Hat for a few seconds. “Ade…” he whispers. “They’re letting… a… hat… sort?”

Hannah‘s eyes widen as the hat begins to sing. Of course it’s only another magic thing she never heard of before, but that exactly is what impresses her so much right now. “That thing is going to decide in which house we’ll be in? Oh lordy…”

“Don’t your hats talk?” Tommy teases Jack with a grin before looking back over to the hat itself. The little boy looks quite pleased to even be at Hogwarts let alone to have heard the hat’s song.

“This is it, this is it!” Melissa squeezed Adelaide’s hand excitedly.

Gerald Rathe gives the first years a sharp unapproving glance in response to their chatter.

“Sure, why not?” Silas whispers to Jack, “your chocolate frogs jumped, didn’t they? Why shouldn’t enchanted hats talk?” Silas masks his surprise as well as he can, as it’s not every day one encounters a talking hat.

Stepping up, Gerald Rathe produces a long scroll from within his cloak, and unfurls it. Addressing the first years, he says, “After I read your name, you will put on the hat, sit on the stool to be sorted.” Glancing at the list, he absentmindedly cracks his knuckles in his left hand. “Adams, Adelaide!”

After a long, long wait, the big event was finally here, and Adelaide couldn’t have been more petrified if she tried. Not that she showed it. Inside she was sure her stomach was going to shake all the way down to her feet, and she could barely speak for fear of squeaking with excitement and looking ridiculous. Then, her heart shot up to her throat as she heard the unmistakeable call of her name. With a little mental nudge she walked up to the stool, sitting down on it, hat on head, and shooting everyone who was watching her one of the hugest smiles, because for the next seven years, Hogwarts would be her home.

That was fair point, actually, that Silas had made. Jack couldn’t deny it. Still, he’d have felt better about the whole thing if he could chew on something.

“Thank you.” Adelaide murmurs as her house is called, and her small form darts off the stool, all but flying towards them all, with a cheerful little wave, having regained all of her energy and excitement. “Looks like you’re stuck with me.” She quips.

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Welcome!”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide says, “Thank you. I was so nervous!”

Gerald Rathe continues to read down the list, as the Sorting continues. Atwell, Otto gets sorted into Ravenclaw, and after that, Barclay, Kieran goes to Hufflepuff. Looking back to the line of students, Professor Rathe calls on “Brooke, Melissa!”

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Well apparently your bravery came out well!”

Upon hearing her name being called, Melissa steps out of the crowd of first years. A huge smile is displayed on her face as she looks around. She is aware of the people watching her, and this makes her slightly nervous. The nervousness is hidden by the excitement she feels. She walks forward to the stool in her usual frolic way, her hair flowing behind her, and she sits down and puts on the hat, excitedly. This is it. The moment.

(Gryffindor) Adelaide says, “The hat wasn’t sure whether I should be a Gryfifndor or a Hufflepuff.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams turns as she hears a familiar name, “That’s my cousin!”

(Gryffindor) Welcoming the first new arrival of the year, Andy Carver applauds as Adelaide approaches the Gryffindor table. “Welcome, Adelaide!” and then addresses Briony with a smile. “I wonder how many we’ll get this year. What do you think, Bri?”

(Gryffindor) “Obviously you made it here, so good on that!” Briony cheers with a grin. “Although my siblings are both in Hufflepuff, so that wouldn’t have been bad, either. It’s a good house, too.” The young woman nods solemnly as she glances around at those populating the table.

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams smiles and nods, “I hope so too.” she grins at Briony, “Glad to be here!”

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “emit Giving a small smile to Adelaide, Tordek says, ‘Well maybe we will get your cousin also.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams waits in complete silence, nervous from her own sorting, and on behalf of her cousin.

(Gryffindor) Tordek Kana comforts Adelaide and says ‘No matter what house she is in you will still be able to hang out sometimes.’.

Andrew Cartwright cheers loudly!

The sorting hat shouts her house and Melissa gets up, happily running to her table, nearly tripping as she hurries down the steps. She manages to keep her balance and simply grins as she sits down with her fellow housemates.

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams smiles “Oh well. Congratulations Melissa!”

Gerald Rathe continues reading down the list of names, as Elladora Burke is sorted into Ravenclaw, and Ryskim Calborn becomes a Slytherin. Professor Rathe frowns and pauses momentarily before calling, “Darian, Tommy!”

When his name is called Tommy hurries to take the hat and sit himself upon the stool his face alight with pride that he’s finally made it to the school. Placing the hat on his head it sinks over his eyes and ears looking quite comical. His hands fold into his lap neatly and his body shakes in anticipation of what will come next as he waits patiently.

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Atleast she wasn’t a Slytherin.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams nods, “She’ll do really well in Ravenclaw I think.”

(Gryffindor) Tordek Kana goes back to staring intently at Tommy and the sorting hat.

(Gryffindor) Although her own heart is still racing, Adelaide watches her year mates get sorted, willing each of them on.

Hopping from the barstool and removing the hat Tommy excitedly runs to join the Slytherin table nearly tripping in the progress. He happily takes his seat amongst them cheering with the other first years he knew who made it there as well.

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams smiles good-naturedly, clapping along with everyone, “Poor Adrian. He’s going to be right at the bottom of the list.”

Gerald Rathe silently watches Tommy take his seat with the Slytherin, and then looks back to his list. He calls on, “de Alquimia, Teddy!”

Teddy de Alquimia has been paying attention to the names called out, but hearing his own is still a surprise. Practiced grace masks his nervousness as he moves up to the stool, and he places the hat upon his head with a tenative smile to the line of Professors at their table. Though the Sorting Hat does not engulf his head, the brim is wide, and those close enough can only see the boy’s mouth pressing together thoughtfully as his time with the Hat progresses.

(Gryffindor) Adelaide says, “You know, I don’t mind what houses everyone’s in. We all had such a laugh coming here. Was it like that for you all?”

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Yes, but then most of the people I came with we grew apart as time went on.”

Jack Wexler watches quietly as first year after first year approaches the stool and the brown, heavily patched felt hat that sits on top it. His initial shock has subsided, replaced by a certain curiousity as he notes that several of his would-be classmates have been subjected to the cap and come away safely.

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams nods understandingly, “Yea, I guess. I’m not sure we all will though. We already have some private jokes.” she grins optimistically.

(Gryffindor) Laughing Tordek says, ‘I am ready for the feast its been so long since I ate’.

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams smirks in agreement, “Yes, well be thankful you weren’t the first years this time. Those boats were so cold!”

Teddy de Alquimia looks more nervous than ever as he removes the Hat and returns it to the stool. With a slight bow–yes, really–at Gerald, he moves out of the way of the next person to be Sorted and toward the appropriate table. Well, here’s hoping it’s the appropriate table. What was that order again?

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “It was cold my first time also, I remember when I was being sorted the hat wanted me to be in Hufflepuff.”

Shaking his head after Teddy, Gerald Rathe goes back to the task at hand. After the hat sorts Kaiah DeFuenta into Hufflepuff, Gerald continues down the list to call on “Forsyth, Hannah!”

Hannah Forsyth winces, as she gets taken by surprise hearing her name resounding in the vast hall and feeling all the school’s eyes fixed on her. Vashti was in her vicinity all the time during the trip, but now she has to take those last steps alone. What if she ends up alone in one of the four houses, apart from her cousins? “Think positive…” she mutters under her breath, clutching her left arm with her right hand and takes a first step towards the chair. Hesitating for a moment, she looks back to Vashti and Jezebel a last time before marching straight to the front and picking up the Sorting Hat. Hannah turns around, flops onto the stool and puts on the hat harshly, waiting for something to happen.

(Gryffindor) Adelaide says, “If nothing else, we’re a well rounded year so far!”"

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Things change as you age don’t forget, some will go on to be great others will dwindle.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide says, “Really? The same as me then!”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams nods solemnly “True enough.”

Hannah slowly gets up, putting the hat back to its original place on the stool, then leaps towards the Gryffindor table as relief overcomes her. “Hey, I made it!” she greets her new housemates and sits down. Now it’s only about her cousins following her to Gryffindor.

Gerald Rathe reads on, his voice becoming patterned and rhythmic with the repetitious nature of his task. He calls on “Greer, Sophie,” who is sorted into Gryffindor, and then comes to “Hobbs, Christopher!”

Christopher Hobbs jumps nervously as the odd hat ominously calls out his name, and nods reassuringly to himself as he walks slowly forward to the front of the room, his steps upon the slate floor echoing in the ensuing silence. His heart beats so strongly in his chest that he idly wonders if others can hear it themselves. Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, he gingerly places the old hat upon his head and sits slowly down upon the stool. His eyes rotate to stare directly at the hat itself as if worried he might hurt it–or vice versa.

(Gryffindor) Patting Hannah on the back Tordek says, ‘Welcome to Gryffindor!’.

(Gryffindor) Adelaide says, “Hello Hannah! Welcome to our house. Guess we’re stuck with each other for seven years.”

Next, Gerald Rathe recites “Hollister, Gilroy!”

For all his quivering excitement from the train ride through the current scene in the Great Hall, Gilroy Hollister grows briefly still at the call of his name. He squares his shoulders and stretches his arms out before him. Then, with slow deliberate steps and twitchy anxious fingers, Gilroy treads to the front of everyone’s attention, and after one wide eyed look back at everyone, he carefully sits on the stool, lifts the Hat, and looks inside before placing it on his head.

Christopher Hobbs exhales forcefully, surprising himself; he didn’t realize that he had been holding his breath the whole time. He stands up from the stool after removing the Sorting Hat, a wave of joy passing over him. He offers a wave to his fellow first-year friends with a huge grin spreading rapidly across his face once again. All of the anxiety he had felt is gone, replaced with giddy excitement. Christopher walks over to his new House table, offering a friendly wave to the others already seated there.

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams grins at Christopher, “Heya, you made it then?” she winks.

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Welcome to Gryffindor hope your Seven Years here are wonderful.”

(Gryffindor) “Hello, Hannah! Welcome, Christopher!” Andy exclaims, his hands getting sore from all the clapping. “I’m sure you’ll have a good time here!”

(Gryffindor) Sighing Tordek says, ‘Man only two more years at this wonderful castle.’.

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs blushes and waves to Andy and Tordek. “Thank you very much!” he beams, taking a seat at the table. Spotting Adelaide his grin broadens even further and he mouths the words “We did it!” to her.

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams smiles reassuringly at Tordek, already liking him, “We’ll take good care of it.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams understanding what Christopher is saying, Adelaide beams, and shakes his hand on the table, “We sure did.” she mouths back.

Gilroy Hollister visibly jolts as the hat shouts the name of his new house, though for the surprise of volume and decision in his eyes, he cannot help but grin as he removes the hat and makes his way to the Ravenclaw bench. “Guess mum was right about me being too much like dad sometimes,” he murmurs to himself as his eyes skim his new classmates.

(Gryffindor) Thinking aloud Tordek says, ‘I wonder what house my brother will be in’.

The list continues, as Gerald Rathe reads on, and “Kana, Allgermein” goes into Hufflepuff, followed by “Kapoor, Rajindar” who is sorted into Ravenclaw, and then “Kemys, Jezebel” winds up in Gryffindor. Next, Gerald declares: “Kemys, Vashti!”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs nods at Hannah as well, another first-year whom he had seen on the train. To Andy and Tordek, he asks inquisitively, “What are your names?”

Vashti applauds, almost bored, as her cousin Jezebel is placed into Gryffindor. If she had to be honest, the hat’s song did little to explain exactly what being in Gryffindor really means. She shrugs. Knowing her name was coming, of course, Vashti Kemys stands up and makes her way over to the hat. She practiced this walk earlier this week, back home in her room. It’s a bit shakier now than it was then, but she finally arrives and takes a seat on the stool. As the hat is lowered onto her head, she listens carefully.

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Well I am Tordek Kana.”

(Gryffindor) Tordek Kana laughs and says, ‘Well looks like Allgermein is just like dad a Hufflepuff.

(Gryffindor) Adelaide says, “Well, you two will have to hang out when Melissa and I do!”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs smiles and nods, replying politely, “Nice to meet you.” He quiets down again and turns back to the Sorting, seeing if any of his other friends will get placed in his new House as well.

Glad inside that she’s with both her cousins in Gryffindor, her quarrel with Jezebel is forgotten as she scampers excitedly to the red-washed table. “See, I can make Gryffindor too!” she says in triumph before sitting down.

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams waves a greeting at Vashti, “Welcome to our table!”

Glad inside that she’s with both her cousins in Gryffindor, her quarrel with Jezebel is forgotten as Vashti scampers excitedly to the red-washed table. “See, I can make Gryffindor too!” she says in triumph before sitting down.

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Welcome Vashti I am Tordek.”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs cheers and waves to Vashti.

Mores names come from the scroll in Gerald‘s hands. Aedan Llewellyn becomes a Hufflepuff, Raurin Macbeth is sorted into Slytherin, the Hat chooses to place Leith MacLeod in Hufflepuff and Brian Maloney is sent to Gryffindor. The next name called is “Moore, Mariska!”

Mariska Moore blinks slightly as her name is called and steps forward. Quietly, and nervously, she makes her way to the stool, wherein she promptly sits and settles the hat atop her head. Due to the size of her head, the hat successfully manages to cover most of it. Mariska, now settled, places her hands in her lap and awaits the hat’s decision.

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams looks around at the uniforms and tables, “Blimey. A lot of Gryffindors this time round!”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide says, “Welcome to our house Vashti”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs chuckles, still glancing around the room. His eyes are wide-eyed yet, but at least he no longer appears nervous. “This place is…amazing,” he repeats in quiet awe.

(Gryffindor) Vashti says, “Thanks! I was getting a bit nervous that I’d be put into Slytherin for a second there… that hat seriously considered it.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide says, “It didn’t know whether to put me in Gryffindor or Hufflepuff, slightly odd combination, hehe.”

(Gryffindor) Christopher says, “I think I was a challenge for it. The only one it -didn’t- consider for me was Slytherin…”

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Not really, Hufflepuff is loyal and Gryffindor is bold a nice combination if you ask me.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams nods in agreement with Christopher, “I’ll say!”

(Gryffindor) Hannah Forsyth jumps and waves as both Jez and Vashti are sorted into her house. “Woo! We made it, guys! I’m over heeere! That’s so awesome! So great we’re all together now! Yeah, the hat guy considered Hufflepuff for me too, but he said I’d do better here. I’m so excited!” she giggles. “So, when’s the feast?”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams grins “Soon I hope, I’m hungry. Those boats really work up an appetite.”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs‘s stomach rumbles at the mention of food. “I’m starving…” he adds in agreement with a small grin.

(Gryffindor) Trying to calm Hannah down Tordek says, ‘It starts after the last person is sorted.’.

(Gryffindor) “I don’t know but I wish the others would hurry up,” complains Vashti, clutching her stomach.

Mariska Moore removes the Sorting Hat from her head and looks around. Quickly the girl spots her house table and makes her way towards it, promptly taking her seat once she reaches Slytherin table.

Reading on, Gerald Rathe comes to “O’Bannon, Albert,” “Perelli, Phoenix” and “Pheras, Kiyan,” all of whom are sorted, one after the other, into Hufflepuff. With an apprehensive glance at the swelling Hufflepuff table, Gerald calls on “Pryor, Seraphina!”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams sneakily offers Vashti a paper bag, with bonbons in it, “All I’ve got right now. If anyone else is peckish, help yourself.” she winks

Seraphina has seen a group of people get sorted now, and it doesn’t seem so frightening to the girl. After all, nobody else appears to have been injured. She pauses, however, before stepping up to the hat, glancing backward at those around her, waiting yet to be sorted. It is moments like these that Sera realizes she’s a lonely child, but given that the hat is waiting for her, she doesn’t have the time to dawdle. Quickly she hops up to the stool and plunks the hat down on her head.

(Gryffindor) Plunging her hand hungrily into the offered bag, Vashti nibbles on the candy happily for a second before remembering, “Oh, thanks,” she says to Adelaide.

(Gryffindor) Adelaide says, “No problem.”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs turns to Vashti and the others near her and asks, “So, which of you are cousins?”

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “A nice bunch of first years this time around.”

Hopping up quickly, Seraphina breathes in deeply. That wasn’t so painful! She quickly walks over to her designated table, joining her housemates quietly with merely a semblance of a nod toward them.

After the Hat sorts Haley Renalds into Ravenclaw, Gerald Rathe comes to the next name: “Skye, Adrian!”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs blushes slightly again and replies with a smile, “Thanks.”

Adrian Skye takes a last deep breath and mutters to himself, “I can do it.” Glancing one last time to his friends already sitting at their various tables, he starts. As Adrian is walking towards the Hat, his foot catches the edge of his robe, and he trips. Although he is able to regain his balance quickly, there are some sniggers amongst the crowd. Adrian, however, magnificently keeps a straight and stoic face, ignoring everything until he has finally arrived at the stool. With shaking fingers, Adrian removes the hat from the stool, sits, and puts the Hat on, feeling the stares of so many, too many eyes on him.

(Gryffindor) “Not that you can tell by looking really…” starts Vashti, “but, she is,” she says, pointing to a girl with dark and curly hair. “That’s Jezebel.” Pointing to Hannah, she notes, “And Hannah.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams smiles at Tordek’s kind words, and then sits bolt upright as Adrian’s name is called, one of her best friends since childhood.

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs smiles and waves to Vashti, Hannah, and Jezebel. “Nice to meet you all.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide says, “My cousin Melissa’s a Ravenclaw”

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Didn’t I see that boy Adrian in Diagon Alley?”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams giggles “Probably, he gets everywhere!”

(Gryffindor) Gladly accepting a candy from Adelaide, Hannah nods in approval. “Yeah, we didn’t really grow up together, but we’re still friends, I guess.”

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Well after the feast I must go send Regan with a letter to mother and father telling them that Allgermein got sorted into Hufflepuff.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide says, “You have an owl too? Everyone seems to.”

(Gryffindor) Christopher says, “Well, I have a cat at home, so I thought it would be nice to have a different pet.”

(Gryffindor) Tordek Kana nodding at Adelaide, ‘I got my owl for being sorted into Gryffindor like my Grandfather’.

Adrian‘s face is still stoic, and he is unmoving for a second. Slowly and daintily, he removes the Hat, putting it back on the seat, face still a blank. As he stands up, a slow grin begins to dance across his face. He walks away from the stool silently, but the glowing look on his face tells all of his emotions. When he reaches the table of Gryffindor, his face absolutely explodes with joy as he gives an enormous hug to his best friend Adelaide, his Housemate for the next seven years to come.

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs cheers!

The Sorting continues, with more and more of the scroll unfurling as the names are called. “Stufflebeam, Graham” goes into Ravenclaw, while “Torpenhow, Marius” and “Trumble, Aemele” end up in Slytherin. After “Vertigonte, Claude” is sorted into Hufflepuff, Gerald calls on, “Vicaris, Silas!”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams smiles at Tordek, “I have a kitten, she’s dozing.” as Adrian is sorted, she jumps up and cheers, “Yay! Adri!”

At hearing his name called, Silas suddenly tenses up. His nerves start to fail him as he walks forward to the stool, his mind focused hard on not stumbling or tripping on the way there. Once there, he turns around and slowly climbs backwards onto the stool, staring with wide eyes at the population of the Great Hall. The Sorting Hat is placed upon his head, and he glances up at the brim as he waits for something to happen.

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Welcome Adrian I am Tordek if you need any help even though I am not a Prefect I can still help you.”

(Gryffindor) Adrian Skye sighs. “Whew.” I didn’t need a wand…

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams nudges Adrian, “It’s Silas!”

(Gryffindor) Adrian says, “I forgot my wand in my luggage… I hope we don’t have to do any magic!”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs subconsciously pats his pocket where his wand is safely stored, as if to make sure it hasn’t magically disappeared on him.

(Gryffindor) Adrian Skye comes to realize who is being analyzed by that very Hat which placed him in the best house he could have hoped for. “Oh… look, it is!” Waiting in anticipation, Adrian can do nothing but look.

(Gryffindor) Tordek Kana jokingly says to Adrian, ‘You have to have your wand to get into the Common Room!’.

(Gryffindor) Then after a moment Tordek says, ‘Just kidding no wand needed yet.’.

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams playing along, Adelaide nods emphatically, “I heard that too. You’ll sleep in the hall without it.”

(Gryffindor) “Oh look, that Silas guy, I hope he’s not in our house…” Hannah says, wrinkling her nose. “He thinks he’s better than everybody else.”

(Gryffindor) “What? Wand? Common Room? No, I don’t have it, it’s in my luggage… what do I do??” Adrian‘s voice fills with panic.

Somewhat gratified by the exclamation of the Sorting Hat, Silas pulls it roughly from his head and hops off the stool, depositing it on the vacant seat before walking quickly to his table. The grinning fool takes a seat at a vacant opening and looks at the few left in line to see where they get sorted.

(Gryffindor) Adrian Skye breathes a sigh of relief. “Whew… You… got me.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams giggles, “Joke!” as Silas is Sorted, Adelaide stands up and cheers, “Congratulations Silas!”

Gerald Rathe intones, “Walker, Abe!” and the named student is sorted into Ravenclaw. Looking at the last name on the scroll, Gerald says, “Wexler, Jack!”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs laughs at Adrian’s silliness, and cheers Silas as he takes a seat at the table.

Jack takes a deep breath as his name is called; the curse of his surname and it’s place at the end of the alphabet an occassional boone, as well. He’d plenty of time to steel his resolve and gathering his wits, and now that his name had been called, he was ready… or at least he thought. His first step toward the stool on which sat the brown, talking hat is a wobbly one, and he very nearly loses his balance and collapses. It’s only with a fair amount of arm-flailing and a pinch of luck that he manages to fetch his footing and keep himself upright. His following steps are more careful as he pulls the flat-cap from his head and makes his way to the stool, clambering on to it and placing the Sorting Hat carefully on to his head as if he might hurt it somehow.

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams looks around “The Gryffindors are taking over!” she grins.

(Gryffindor) “Not another!” exclaims Vashti distastefully as yet another Gryffindor is added. “Alright hat, no more Gryffindors now…” she mutters.

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Welcome To Gryffindor Silas I am Tordek if you have any questions ask any of the higher up students.”

(Gryffindor) Silas waves at Adelaide as he takes a seat. “Thanks… I’m rather glad to be here,” he says with an absent smile, still somewhat shellshocked from the experience at the stool.

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams smiles at Vashti, “It’ll be fine. It’s a big castle,” she winks, then offers Silas a bonbon, sensing his nerves.

(Gryffindor) Adrian Skye helps himself to food. He was indeed starving, and the Sorting had only served to increase his appetite. Chomping on a chicken leg, he waved hello to Silas.

(Gryffindor) Adrian says, “Melissa got sorted into Ravenclaw…”

(Gryffindor) “Yeah, glad that you are here too…” Hannah hisses into Silas’ direction frowning.

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams nods at Adrian, “Yea, she did. But I’ll just make more effort to talk to her.”

(Gryffindor) Tordek Kana yawns and says, ‘Well I’m not that hungery anymore maybe I will sneak down to the kitchen tonight if I get hungery I might just head off to bed.’.

(Gryffindor) Chewing on the bonbon, Silas waves back to Adrian before looking for things to fill his plate with. “That was a bit intense, wasn’t it?” he says idly, his mind going over what the hat said. He glances at Hannah and Vashti but says nothing, either without retort or deciding it not worth his time.

(Gryffindor) Christopher says, “The feast will start in a few minutes, Jack’s the last one.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams looks almost disbelieving, another one, she cheers and claps with the rest of the table as Jack joins them, “Welcome Jack!”

Blinking, Jack pulls the hat off slowly – again, careful, as if he might somehow hurt it – and sets it back on the stool before making his way to the Gryffindor table.

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs laughs happily as yet another Gryffindor is sorted, and cheers loudly for Jack as he takes a seat at the table.

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams waves in greeting, “Wow, there’s a lot of us this year. Welcome!”

Looking a little deflated and relieved, at the same time, Gerald Rathe furls the scroll with the names of the first years on it, and returns it to his cloak. He picks up the hat with same care shown earlier, and the stool, returning them to their original place. Finally, with a somber expression, his takes his seat at the faculty table with a nod to his neighbours there.

(Gryffindor) Silas cheers loudly as Jack also makes it to the Gryffindor table. “It seems we’ve got a good class this year!”

(Gryffindor) Tordek Kana laughs then says, ‘Welcome to Gryffindor’.

(Gryffindor) Adelaide says, “Gryffindors really are taking over, aren’t they?”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs peers towards the faculty table with curiosity. “Who is that?”

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “That is the Headmistress.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams follows his gaze, “That is the headmistress!”

(Gryffindor) Adrian Skye goes quiet. “The headmistress….”

(Gryffindor) “Hush, Tordek,” Briony scolds. “She’s going to give her speech.”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs blinks. “Oh, right! She sent me my invitation to Hogwarts.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams respectfully buttons her lip

Melvina Prichard rises with purpose from the faculty table once the ritual of Sorting has concluded, lifting a nimble, long-fingered hand in a suggestive to beckon silence from the students massed in the hall. “Thank you, Professor Rathe. Excuse me, quiet please — yes, that includes you, Mister Markham,” she says in a strong tone, ever-laced with a hint of amusement. The ghost of a grin touches her lips as she looks over the wealth of her school.

“Greetings and salutations, everyone,” Melvina says, her voice effortlessly floating across the Great Hall at a comfortable volume. “Welcome to your school year nineteen hundred and thirty one! I trust that all of you enjoyed your summer vacation. Some of you will of course remember me, while for others this will be our introduction; my name is Melvina Prichard and I am Headmistress of Hogwarts school. For intensely personal reasons I have spent the last few years on sabbatical away from our majestic island and have only recently been able to return to its fair shores. Toward both staff and students, I pray that my departure has not left a rift between us, nor that you find my return unsettling. I value the friendships I’ve made in this magical place and the opportunity to see each of you grow in to the dreams you have of yourselves. While I can not ask you to forgive me or my previous and hasty departure, I do ask that you believe it was both necessary and carefully thought out; that you accept that I left you in the very best of hands. With that said, I’d like you all to stand and applaud Professor Astra Rathe, who has been performing the role of Headmistress in my absence and has most graciously deigned to resume her previous duties as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, head of Slytherin house and Deputy Headmistress, as well as Professor Keelan Walsh, and all other staff and faculty members of Hogwarts who pulled together to fill the holes and make the changes required by my egress and homecoming.” Melvina turns then to face the rest of the faculty table and leads the school in what she hopes will be a loud, rousing and heartfelt symphony of cheer for her most esteemed colleagues.

(Gryffindor) Standing up, Silas applauds in a somewhat mediocre fashion for the former headmistress, though he really didn’t know if she was worth the trouble or not. Regardless, teachers should probably be respected in whatever fashion is asked.

After a long few moments of leading the cheer, Melvina turns again to face the assembled student body and lifts her hand once more; beckoning for silence and motioning the students back in to their seats. “Thank you, everyone.”

“Pressing on, I’ve some beginning of term announcements to make.” Clearing her throat, the Headmistress pulls a pair of spectacles the waist pocket of her emerald robe and rests them on the bridge of her hooked nose. She then reaches with her right hand in to the cuff of her left sleeve and withdraws an aged cherry wand which she gives a casual flick and conjures a scroll of parchment which floats unassisted in the air several inches above her head. “All the usual suspects, of course,” she says simply as the scroll unrolls itself horizontally, expanding most of the length of the faculty table. “Our caretaker has asked me to remind you check the updated list of prohibited items and punishable offenses that have been thoughtfully posted in each of your common rooms–” As she begins to speak, delicately written, calligraphic letters glide across the floating parchment from the left to right like ticker tape – PROHIBITED ITEMS AND ACTIVITIES – and then begins to mirror her words as she continues, “Spellwork outside of the classroom, rough play, pranks, hijinxs, dungbombs, Whimple’s Pimple Powder..” With each item listed the speed on which the words dance across the parchment grows quicker and quicker still until they become little more than a seemingly endless blur of black cursive. “As you can see, the list quite extensive. Be certain to check it.”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs frowns and turns to the rest of the table to whisper, “We can’t do magic outside of classes?”

Melvina gives another vague flick of her wand and the hovering scroll rolls itself up, tumbles twice and then vanishes in a small puff of mauve-colored smoke. “Of course, Hogwarts tradition demands that I remind you the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds for all students. As seems to happen every year since antiquity, some of you will certainly forget that pesky rule. It just slips out, squeezed away from the building pressure of all that knowledge our fine professors work so hard to fill your heads with.” A rueful chuckle escapes her as she shares a knowing smile with the hall. “Know then that detention is the minimum punishment for entering the Forbidden Forest without a member of staff or faculty beside you and that such acts will usually result in a substantial loss of house points as well.” Clearing her throat, Melvina pauses to take a sip of pumpkin juice before continuing. “Naturally, we ask that you respect and defer to your prefects. I’d also like to congratulate our new Head Boy and Head Girl, Oliver Cloverwood and Briony Wexler respectively. Mister Cloverwood and Miss Wexler, please stand.” She again leads the school in a round of applause.

Briony Wexler gasps as it’s announced that she is head girl, and she beams, waving enthusiastically to everyone in the room before she plops back down in her seat, beaming quite excitedly. Head Girl!

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs cheers!

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams beams, “Congratulations Briony!”

“Well done, Head Boy, Head Girl,” the Headmistress says, sincerely. “On to faculty. There are many exciting changes in Hogwarts faculty this year; as mentioned before Professor Astra Rathe will be returning to post as Defense Against the Dark Arts lead, head of Slytherin house and Deputy Headmistress. I’d personally like to thank Professor Walsh for heading up Slytherin house during Professor Rathe’s tenure as Headmistress, and Professor Gerald Rathe for stepping up to cover Defense.” She turns briefly to face Keelan and Gerald, offering then a modest but genuine applause before facing the Great Hall once again. “Professor Gerald Rathe will be taking over our Charms department. I’d like to introduce you all to our new Professor of Transfiguration, Selene Hathaway.” With her right hand she motions to Professor Hathaway, then begins another round of brief, polite round of applause. “And I would like to welcome back to the Hogwarts family Professor of Arithmancy, Isolde Morgan, and Potions Master, Professor Adalphous Fallon.” Again she applauds, nodding to each of the returning Professor in turn.

(Gryffindor) :stands up and cheers for her housemate. “Good job, Briony!”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams looks at Adrian, “Isolde Morgan…? That’s the woman we spoke to!”

(Gryffindor) Adrian Skye wracks his brains, but cannot remember. “Isolde.. Morgan….?”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs nods at Adelaide and Adrian. “Yeah, we met her at the Leaky Cauldron!”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide says, “Doubt she’ll remember us though!”

“That said, I have only one more announcement to mention before we start in on the delicious feast I know you’re all patiently waiting to savor. As some you know, I am a firm believer in tradition; both in the keeping of it, and the occasional breaking. Thus, I announce the return of what I hope will become one of many long-standing Hogwarts traditions; the third Barefoot Social.” An almost devilish grin dances over the lips of the Headmistress. “A celebration of the new term, greeting those whom are just joining us and welcoming home those returning for yet another year. This dance will semi-formal, open to all years, and include an… outdoor feast.” The too-clever look on her face almost seems to gloat as she looks out at her young crowd. She is clearly terribly proud of herself. “As this is the daughter of tradition, we shall follow the precedent set by events of year’s prior — the ladies will need ask the gentlemen for the honor of an afternoon’s courtship.” She waits, eagerly, for the reaction to that before at last finishing up. “I will be resuming the Student Events Committee, made up of students from all years to help me prepare for the Barefoot Social, Governor’s Ball, the Valentine’s Soiree, Career Day, and a handful of other special events the Deputy Headmistress and I have planned through out the school year; if you’d like to be on said Committee, you may contact me through any of the usual means. Exact details regarding date and time of the Barefoot Social shall follow shortly. Let’s eat.” And with small nod and a sly, lingering grin, she slips casually back in to her seat.

(Gryffindor) Andy rises and applauds for his fellow Gryffindor. He had no hopes to become Head Boy himself anyways.

(Gryffindor) A mischeivous little grin spreads across Adelaide‘s face at the mention of the ball, now that might be interesting.

(Gryffindor) Wait, what was that about a dance? “What does she mean? What is the Barefoot Social?” Silas asks the table, hoping for some more information.

(Gryffindor) Christopher says, “I think she said it was a dance of some kind.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide says, “Didn’t you hear? It’s a semi-formal, and us girls have to ask the gentlemen. Very modern!”

(Gryffindor) “It’s a dance,” Briony answers in a whisper. “Girls ask the boys to go with them, and nobody wears shoes.” The girl leans back a bit but still offers a grin. “It’s quite fun, really. I mean, who wouldn’t turn down a whole day to go around barefoot?”

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “I rather don’t like feet.”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs giggles and shakes his head. “That sounds silly, but it would probably be fun.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams giggles Then look at the faces

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams grins “Hey Chris, maybe we can go!” she quips

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs blushes and replies awkwardly, “Err…really?”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams smiles brightly at him, “Sure! Why not? We’re friends aren’t we?”

(Gryffindor) “Barefoot?” The entire idea seems rather odd. Going barefoot to a dance, having the girls ask the boys, what sort of mischief was this? Silas glances around once more before looking down to focus on his food. Hopefully the dance won’t be for a while yet- imagine having to deal with social pressures on top of schoolwork! Already!

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs smiles and nods, “Yeah, we are. That would be fun.”

(Gryffindor) Christopher says, “When is it?”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams beams, “Then we should go, whenever it is, hehe.”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs blushes again and nods. “Ok, sure!” As his stomach rumbles, Christopher glances down and licks his lips. “This food looks amazing! Let’s eat, shall we?”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs begins to put some of the delicious-looking food on his plate, licking his lips in anticipation.

(Gryffindor) “Finally!” exclaims Adelaide, “I don’t think I could hold out much longer!” she gathers up some of the food herself.

(Gryffindor) Finishing with his food, Silas looks around the Great Hall curiously. “So, now that we’re all sorted and after the feast, what do we do next?” he asks offhandedly.

(Gryffindor) “Then I’ll take you to the commonroom,” Briony tells the first year, her mouth half full. “Take your time, though, I’m not in a hurry.” Briony smirks a bit, taking another bite of food as she chats amiably with a seventh year girl nearby.

(Gryffindor) Between bites of food, Christopher replies to Silas, “I think we check out the Common Rooms, and move in our luggage.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams downs yet another drink, suddenly very warm, “I can’t wait to see what it’s like. I can also grace my brothers with my presence.”

(Gryffindor) “Yeah, I wonder what our chambers will look like,” Silas agrees, taking a drink of pumpkin juice as he ponders. “Where is our common room, anyway? Do we start classes immediately tomorrow? When do we find out what classes we’re starting with?”

(Gryffindor) Jack Wexler seems quite relieved once the food materializes in front of him, and wastes no time piling mashed potatoes, gravy, noodles, turkey, and all the usual trimmings on to his plate until there is a small mountain of foodstuffs awaiting him. Curiously, despite his American accent and upbringing, he also helps himself to a huge portion of steak-and-kidney pie with peas and potatoes… Something he’d grown fond of since coming to this fair island.

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs swallows another bite of food with a smile and states, “This food is great!”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide says, “It almost rivals my mothers.”

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “How do you have a rival at such a young age?”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs blinks and giggles. “I think she’s saying that the food is almost as good as her mother’s.”

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Oh.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams grins sheepishly, “Yes, that’s what I meant.”

(Gryffindor) Chuckling, Silas takes another helping of pie and eats it slowly. “It is rather good, I’m impressed. I wonder who they get to make it.”

(Gryffindor) Christopher says, “:frowns between bites of dessert and replies, “Professor Helit mentioned something about house elves cooking the food…What are those?”"

(Gryffindor) Jack Wexler rolls his eyes a little toward Tordek as he begins to devour his meal; not so much savoring as inhaling it. Each bite chewwed only enough to promise that it most likely won’t get stuck in his gullet after being swallowed before the next is shoveled in to his mouth to replace it.

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “There pretty much slaves that cook the food.”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs blinks with his fork halfway to his mouth, frowning again. “Did you say slaves?”

(Gryffindor) Silas Vicaris looks up at Tordek’s comment. “Who are pretty much slaves?” he asks before taking another bite.

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams looks up from her plate, stopping, “I hope they’re looked after well.”

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “House Elves”

(Gryffindor) Christopher says, “I’m not quite sure I understand…”

(Gryffindor) Silas blinks a moment. “House elves?” He chuckles at the idea of them being enslaved. “My family has two, and they’re not slaves- they love what they do! They live to serve, and I’d hardly say that they’re slaves if they enjoy what they do for a living.”

(Gryffindor) Jack blinks, twice, mouth half-open and filled with half-chewwed food. “Wuf? Swahphves?”

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “They are slaves but I don’t really care my family has two also.”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs shifts uneasily in his seat, although Silas’ description seems to ease his worries somewhat. “Are they magical creatures, then?”

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “They are like goblins so yes we classify them as Magical Creatures.”

(Gryffindor) “Then why do you call them slaves? They house elves- that’s what they do, it’s hardly slavery if you’re not keeping them against their will.” He glances at Jack, half-amused at his attempts to speak. “Try to chew and swallow before you choke yourself, Jack.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams still looks a bit hesitant, “Well, ok, if they’re happy.”

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Well not every house elf is happy so some are slaves some are not.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide says, “Couldn’t you let the not happy ones go?”

(Gryffindor) Again, Jack blinks, his gaze shifting to Tordek, then to Silas, then back to Tordek. Slowly, almost carefully, he finishes chewwing his mouthful of food and swallows. And then quite deliberately sets down his fork. His gaze darkening in to as much focused hatred as an eleven year old can manage. “They are slaves, and you don’t care?” That was very clearly a not-okay thing, as far as Jack was concerned.

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “You could but then you would be out of work so I wouldn’t”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams blinks I’d be out of work?

(Gryffindor) Silas shakes his head at the thought. “I have never met an unhappy house elf. Every house elf is happy and proud to serve you as well as they can, it’s just how they are, and have always been. Freeing a house elf is a punishment, not a privilege. How would that be slavery at all?”

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “I was speaking in general”

(Gryffindor) “I can’t wait to see who wins the Quidditch cup this year,” Briony interrupts the conversation. The girl certainly does not like politics. “I think we could take it this year. I hear Andy’s been made captain after all, and he was quite good while I was on the team before.” The girl grins to nobody in particular, stretching a bit before filling her plate with a bit more food.

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams pulls a face slightly, “Oh geez, please don’t start talking politics.” she pleaded.

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “I was going to try out for the team this year but I don’t really know.”

(Gryffindor) Glad to change the topic, Adelaide turns to Briony and smiles, “I’ll be cheering our house on!” She assures.

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs blinks, mind completely distracted by the change in conversation. “Quidditch!” he squeals excitedly. “My friends have been telling me all about it. I can’t wait to learn how to fly! My dad was a pilot in the World War,” he boldly states with pride, “and I want to fly too!”

(Gryffindor) “I’ll have to replace myself as announcer this year sadly,” Briony admits, her face falling a bit. “But maybe I can figure out how to keep up with Quidditch some way after I leave school. I just hope whoever does it after me is good enough for it. After all, can’t have a bad announcer! That would ruin the matches!”

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “We will miss you Briony, so what are you planning to do after you Graduate?”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams turns to Christopher, “I could be the announcer.” joked Adelaide, “My brothers say I don’t stop talking.” she turns to Christopher, “Um, flying magically, is a bit different…” she wasn’t sure how much he knew.

(Gryffindor) Jack offers Silas a dubious look; what he said made sense, in a way, but it still sounded an awful lot like bunk to him. But Tordek… now that was just plain a rude clyde, as far as he was concerned. “What’s quidditch?” Jack asks after a few moments, deciding it best perhaps to let the conversation be redirected, though he continues to glare daggers at Tordek as he shovels more dumplings in to his mouth.

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs inquires in a wave of questions, “What are the games like? What position did you play? Why can’t first years own their own broom? I kind of thought I might be able to convince my mum to let me get one for my birthday…”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide says, “I’m quite happy with my feet planted firmly on the ground, thanks.”

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Briony would you like to explain to our friend Jack about Quidditch?”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs adds in, “And me, and me! I want to learn more!”

(Gryffindor) Silas slowly turns to look at Jack incredulously. “How long have you lived in London and you don’t know what Quidditch is?” he asks, rather shocked. The kid may be American, but he should at least know what the national wizarding pasttime is!

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Jack are you Muggle-Born?”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs blushes and adds after a moment in a more controlled tone, “Sorry, I get excited some times. But the wizarding world is just so interesting to me!”

(Gryffindor) “I was a chaser when I played,” Briony answers happily. She is more than pleased to talk about Quidditch! “First years can’t have their own brooms because they have to learn how to fly first, and the Board of Governors decided that they have to learn on school brooms to be safe.” Pausing as she considers this question. “Well, I don’t know, really. I did want to be a Quidditch player, but my dad was really unhappy with how many bruises I always had when I was playing – Keeper is a dangerous spot, you know – so I stopped playing and just did announcing. I don’t know now. Maybe art or something.” Pausing briefly, Briony sighs. “Quidditch is a wizard sport – you must be a muggleborn? It’s played with hoops and balls called quaffles and bludgers, and there’s a seeker who has to find the snitch, and when the snitch is found, the game is over.” The brief description couldn’t possibly be helpful to one who has never heard of the sport, but Briony seems unaware of this fact.

(Gryffindor) Jack Wexler shoots both Tordek and Silas a very similar, slightly chilly look before nodding, continuing to shovel more food in to his mouth and chewwing rather savagely as if taking it out on them. First on the train, now here… he was starting to feel like this pure-blood thing was going to become tiresome really quick. “Muggle means unmagical people, right? They yeah,” he says between large forkfuls of food.

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Cool thats why you don’t know alot about Quidditch don’t feel bad.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams gives Jack a reassuring nudge and whispers to him, “Don’t worry, I’m a half and half.”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs blinks and looks at Jack with a new smile. “Oh, really?” he replies excitedly. Pointing to himself, he adds, “I’m a Muggle-born, too! I was kind of worried at first, because I thought that it would mean I’d be treated differently. But there’s nothing wrong with it, really. I think it’s really neat that magic can work like that for some people.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams nods at Christopher’s words, “Right. Nothing to be ashamed of!”

(Gryffindor) Oh. Muggleborn. “Well, no wonder you don’t know,” Silas says in what he hopes is an understanding and not condescending tone. “Well, you’ll pick it up, I’m sure- it’s a fun sport. You’ll get to learn to fly this year! I learned to fly a year ago, but I would welcome some more practice,” he adds with an air of superiority.

(Gryffindor) His cold glance at Silas and Tordek is shifted toward Briony, though it noticably eases while the Head Girl explains the sport to him. She didn’t seem so condescending, at least. Jack nods to Briony, trying to imagine the whole thing in his head but finding himself unable to wrap his mind around it all. He glances then to Adelaide and Christopher, and can’t help but smile a little bit. At least he wasn’t alone.

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “First time I flew I fell off. So try to land on your butt not your leg.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams grins, “Or head I guess!”

(Gryffindor) “You should read Quidditch Through the Ages,” Briony suggests. “It is terribly interesting,” she tells them and grins. Briony, for her own part, shoots Silas an eyeroll and leans forward. “Quidditch is the best sport in the world, just so you know. I love it so much. So, are you happy to be here? It’s the best place anywhere.” Briony is a bit sensationalist, perhaps.

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams laughs and nods, “I’m happy to be here! I’ve only been waiting oh, 11 years?”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs giggles aloud at Tordek’s story, and adds to Jack, “There’s a lot more to it than what Briony said. I’ve been trying to learn all of the rules and stuff…It sounds a lot like other Muggle sports, except you do it on a broom and shoot through hoops that are elevated way up in the air!” He makes grandiose hand motions that probably don’t help at all, then finishes lamely, “It seems really cool.”

(