“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.”

(Gryffindor) Tordek Kana hehs, and says ‘I am so glad to be back at Hogwarts the whole summer I went to see my Uncle in Scottland, then came back and spent most of my time wondering around London and Diagon Alley. So what did all of you do?

(Gryffindor) Adelaide says, “I went shopping 3 times for supplies…with different people of course.”

(Gryffindor) “I spent most of it… studying. But it’s good to have a bit of a head-start before coming here, I should be well prepared to actually practice magic,” Silas says. Other people’s summers sound so much more interesting than his ended up being, all things considered.

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs replies, “My parents and I have been busy this entire summer corresponding with the Ministry of Magic, learning about the wizarding world. There’s -so- much stuff I didn’t know. I finally went shopping just a few days ago, and it was so busy!” He nods at Silas, as well. “They told me to try and read through some of ‘Hogwarts, A History’, but it’s really long…And I don’t really like history as much,” he admits.

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Oh I forgot I did a bit of research on a certain subject over the summer also, I finally found another book about the subject that has actual information and not just telling about the people who can do it. It is a large book.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide says, “What subject? Sounds like you were busy!”

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Animagi.”

(Gryffindor) “I worked in my Auntie Eva’s shop all summer. Saved up a fair bit of change. It’s nice to have spending money for a change, really.” Briony shrugs otherwise, rather ignoring Tordek’s talk of research. “Maybe I’ll work there after I graduate, if my Auntie will have me. It would be something, at least, until I figure out what I want to do.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide says, “I haven’t even considered future careers, but I have plenty of time, it is my first day after all.”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs shakes his head, confused again. “What’s an ‘animagi’? I haven’t heard of that before.”

(Gryffindor) Silas Vicaris chuckles. “I didn’t read ‘Hogwarts, A History’- you’re right, Christopher, it’s pretty boring,” he agrees, chewing on some more pie. Mmm. Pie.

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams turns to Christopher, “A witch or wizard, that can shape shift into animals. That’s all I know about it though.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide says, “I read the History book. Have to admit, I fell asleep a lot.”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs whistles in awe. “Wow, that’s neat. That must be some really advanced magic. I was flipping through some of the textbooks we bought, and the one on…Transfiguration? Yeah, that one–it seems similar.”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs adds as an afterthought, “I mean, it seems like the same kind of idea. Using magic to change things.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide says, “Oh! I can’t wait for Transfiguration, or Defense Against The Dark Arts.”"

(Gryffindor) Adelaide says, “Actually, I kind of can’t wait for any of the subjects I have to admit.”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs frowns as he tries to remember the books he looked at. “Defense Against the Dark Arts? That sounds pretty ominous. What kind of things do you have to do in that class?”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams grins, “Defend yourself. Very useful subject, you never know what might come up.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide says, “Not all magic is good, and you need to learn to deal with both sides of it.”

(Gryffindor) “Oh, it’s just defensive spells and learning how to protect yourself against dark magical creatures,” Silas says, nodding slightly. “It’s an interesting subject, fairly worthwhile, I’d say. I can’t wait until we do charms- my parents can do some amazing things, and I want to learn how to do that sort of thing as well.”

(Gryffindor) Jack Wexler makes a mental not to look for that cabbage book Briony mentioned, or whatever it was the sport was called… it certainly sounded interesting, and if it were popular here than he’d better get to know about at some point. Now that some of his immediate outrage had subsided, he was able to enjoy his food abit more. “Twawnsphiffurtwaton?” he asks, between a mouthful of dumplings.

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams nods at Jack, “Turning something into something else. Really tricky, to get it right, from what I’ve heard.”

(Gryffindor) Silas Vicaris glances at Jack again. “What was that?” he asks, grinning.

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs‘s smile falters a bit at that statement, shifting uncomfortably as he takes a bite of pie. “But…why would someone want to use magic for bad things? Like dark magic and stuff? I mean…magic is a good thing. It should be used for good,” he states in a tone that implies he thought it was obvious.

(Gryffindor) Tordek Kana yawns broadly ‘Well I am really getting tired I wonder how much longer this feast is going to last

(Gryffindor) “Yes, it should.” agrees Adelaide, “But it doesn’t always turn out like that, it depends entirely on who a person is, regarding which path they follow.”

(Gryffindor) “I don’t know, Christopher,” Silas admits, shrugging. “Of course people should do good, I guess the problem is that not everyone does o good automatically. Some people are… misguided or something. Perhaps there’s something wrong mentally that’ll make ‘em do bad.”

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Not everything is about Good and Bad, there are some spells that are classifyed as ‘bad’ but I don’t know I think its just how someone uses the spell.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide says, “Some are fairly obvious though.”

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Oh really? What if an Auror uses a spell that is suppose to be ‘bad’ to bring in a Dark Wizard?”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs frowns, eyebrows furrowing into his forehead. His lack of magical vocabulary is taxing his mind. “What’s an Auror?” he sighs.

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Dark Wizard catcher”

(Gryffindor) “Oh,” Jack says, after swallowing. His once-overflowing plate was now nearly empty, and he had just begun the process of restoring it to it’s former glory.

(Gryffindor) Adelaide blinked at Tordek’s question. Politics again? She was a first year. “It’s like an equation. Caster + situation + spell = turnout.”

(Gryffindor) Silas struggles with that for a moment. “Well… that would technically be good, wouldn’t it? I mean, they brought in the dark wizard, right? I would think that they’d be good…”

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Silence Headmistress Melvina is going to speak I think.”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs blinks and replies, “Aha, I get it.” But his smile fades back to a frown as he contemplates the question of philosophy. “I…well…bad guys need to be caught, right? I think a good Auror would just do it without using dark magic.”

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams looks up as the head stands up again, “Maybe I can go sleep now.”

(Gryffindor) Briony Wexler rolls her eyes at Tordek. “Let the prefects do that; I see you weren’t made one, so you shouldn’t be so bossy,” Briony tells Tordek testily as she turns her eyes forward. For her own part, Briony has stuffed herself quite full, and she’s nearly ready to sleep, early yet though it is.

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Is that comment suppose to be taken as you are making fun of me for not making Prefect?”

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs offers a small smile at Briony, but says nothing else. Instead, he quiets down and looks expectantly to the Headmistress.

“Well, all, I think I shall retire for the evening. You may all, of course, stay to enjoy the wonderful meal provided for us. First years will need to be escorted to their common rooms by their prefects, but with all the catching up being done I’m sure there will be plenty of time to fill your bellies further. Again, welcome to Hogwarts. Tomorrow, we learn.” Melvina says simply, her voice filling the hall at a comfortable volume despite the need to speak over everyone else. “Sweet dreams, all,” she says, stepping down from the faculty dias. “When they find you.”

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Well I think I will go head up to the Common Room.”

(Gryffindor) “If that’s how you’re going to take it, then I can’t stop you, can I?” Briony replies cooly. “I was merely suggesting you let the Prefects do their jobs and stop being so bossy.” With that, Briony stands up. “First years, follow me; I’ll show you the way to the commonroom!”

Christopher Hobbs whistles as they approach the staircases. “Why are they moving?” he asks in amazement.

Adelaide Adams grins and turns to Christopher, “Because they feel like it.” she answered, honestly.

Briony Wexler climbs through the hole in the wall behind the portrait.

Christopher Hobbs blinks. “Wow,” he comments simply as they pass through the portrait into the common room. He peers around the room, whistling in awe again as he surveys their own special hide-out. “This is so neat!”

Tordek says, “So did all of you enjoy your first day at Hogwarts?”

Christopher Hobbs nods enthusiastically at Tordek, replying, “Everything has been amazing! I’m so excited for classes to start…even if it means we have to do homework.”

Silas looks around with wide eyes. “This is our common room, huh?” he says softly, taking in the bright colors and furniture rather quietly overall.

Adelaide turns to the others and smiles, “We’re here! I can’t believe we’re here! It’s been the best day ever!”

Tordek says, “Well I think I am going back down to the Great Hall for a bit.”

Adelaide says, “I think I might check everything’s here, then hang out here for a while, else I’m going to be on my lonesome”

“I think I’m going to check out my bedchambers, see if everything arrived safely,” Silas says, yawning a bit. Odds are he’ll fall asleep too, but we’ll just see how it goes.

Adelaide Adams turns to the others, “Well, wish me luck!”

Tordek says, “So Briony when will we learn what classes we have taken?”

Christopher Hobbs waves goodnight to Adelaide. “Sleep well, Adelaide!”

Tordek Kana waves goodnight to everyone and says, ‘Well I am going to turn in see you all in the morning classes start early.

Adelaide says, “Goodnight Tordek. See you tomorrow I should think!”

Adelaide says, “And you’re Head Girl, so it wasn’t all bad!”

Christopher Hobbs ponders for a moment and suddenly asks aloud, “Oh, I forgot to ask earlier! Who is the Head of House for Gryffindor? I heard the Headmistress mention something earlier about those…”

Adelaide says, “Professor Fallon…I think.”

Christopher Hobbs nods at Adelaide. “Alright, neat. Thanks!” He yawns suddently, surprising himself. “I didn’t realize I was so tired…perhaps I should head to the sleeping quarters for now. I can always explore the castle later. We should do that tomorrow after classes.”

Adelaide Adams yawning herself, Adelaide smiles, “I’ll second that notion. Goodnight Christopher, sweet dreams.”

Christopher Hobbs waves goodnight to everyone and heads up to the sleeping areas, yawning again as he exits the room.

Adelaide says, “Well, I’m going to hit the hay. It was really nice talking to you. See you in the morning!”

Ion Garnent opened the door to the compartment excitedly, peering around and finding himself only a little disappointed it was empty. Nevertheless he continued in, dragging his heavy trunk and getting it settled with a sigh, before flopping down on the seat closest to the window, staring excitedly out as he waited for the train to start moving.

Filan Naril comes shuffling through the halls, dragging his own truck behind him. He’s passing the doors to the compartments slowly, peering inside each and every one before he continues on his trek to find a seat. Even though the youth seems calm at the moment, there’s an air of excitement hanging about him. He pauses at the door to the second compartment, peering curiously at the person inside, “Hullo.”

Having managed to shrug his brother off of his trail, Chester makes his way down the train corridor, peeking into the second one. “Hi,” he greets dully to Filan before making his way unceremoniously inside and sitting down as close to the window as he can get. “Are you new, too?” he asks quietly, seeming a bit subdued.

Angus Fallon grabs his trunk and hefts it to an overhead bin, then does the same for Venora and Edern. Then he turns and grins at the other two, “Dibs on a window seat,” then tears off down the isle till he finds an empty row and crowds near the window, Venora follows, but takes the time to smile at the other students as she does and squeezes in beside her brother, “Come on Edern. We’ll make room for you too!”

Edern Fallon nods and follows his sister to their seat.

Ion glanced at each of the new occupants and grinned, happy to see that the once empty compartment was quickly filling up. “Hey ‘Lan, don’t dally in the doorway, come sit with us.” He called to the only boy he knew, before turning to the others and answering the shy boy’s question. “Yeah, this is my first year here. The rest of you are new too? I’m Ion Garnent, by the way, nice to meet you all.”

Filan Naril blinks at the sound of his name, before the mild confusement fades and changes into an excited look. “Heya Ion! Didn’t think I’d bump into you here.” And in he strolls, putting up much a fight to get his trunk settled before helping himself to a seat. “I’m so excited, aren’t you? In a few hours we’ll be at hogwarts.” And as more people come in, he gives an excited wiggle of his fingers, “First time too?”

Chester says, “I’m Chester Blake,” said boy speaks up a bit louder now, glancing at the others pouring into the compartment. “Do you know what house you want to be?” Chester asks casually, looking about. “By the way, we shouldn’t let my brother in. I don’t want him in here with us.” The boy scoots back into his seat and slouches a bit as he leans on the window a bit.”

“I’m Chester Blake,” said boy speaks up a bit louder now, glancing at the others pouring into the compartment. “Do you know what house you want to be?” Chester asks casually, looking about. “By the way, we shouldn’t let my brother in. I don’t want him in here with us.” The boy scoots back into his seat and slouches a bit as he leans on the window a bit.

If anyone else had crowded three to a seat, Angus would have unceremoniously shoved them off. But Venora and Edern were always the exceptions. Besides, he couldn’t imagine a first day with Ven on one side, and Ed on the other. “Hey, look! See the smoke from the engine Vennie?” Venora grins as she follows her brother’s finger, “If only we hadn’t got caught climbing up there. Hey!” She stands and calls across the car, narrowing her eyes at Filan. “Haven’t I met you? Outside the sweet shop? I’m Venora Fallon. These are my brothers, Angus and Edern.”

The rather small lad looks up as he’s spoken to, offering a rather enthusiastic nod to Venora’s question, “I think I saw you in the ice cream shop, if I remember right…right? There was that other lad, too…I can’t remember who he was…” He drifts off at a thought, reaching up to scratch at the side of his head, “Oh, anyway, I’m Filan Naril, nice to meet you lot.”

“I know, I can’t wait! But the train ride should be fun; I’m so used to going by floo that I never get to travel like this.” Ion responded to Filan, fingers unconsciously playing with the key around his neck in excitement. “As for which House I want to be in.. My mum’s a Slytherin and my dad’s a Hufflepuff, so either of those would be my choice.” He spares a moment to smile at the new occupants.

“My parents were both Slytherins,” Chester mentions and shrugs. “I don’t know if I’ll be in Slytherin. I guess if the hat thinks I should be. I hear the other houses are nice, too.” Mild Chester seems to be almost apathetic about which house he will be sorted to. “Are you guys related or something?” he asks the triplets bluntly.

Venora Fallon nods, “Right. I had my first ice-cream. We tried one of each, didn’t we?” She grins smugly at her brothers, proud to have tasted this British ice-cream treat before they did. “I don’t know what House I want. I wanted Slytherin, like Auntie Kee. But I guess I don’t care what I get. Father was Ravenclaw, so was our sister. I don’t know what mother was. Edern? Do you remember?”

Edern Fallon nods ‘no’.

Filan Naril perks up from his seat where he squirms a bit at the excitement, “Um…my Da was in Gryffindor, my brother was in Ravenclaw…and my other brother’s on his last year–he’s a Gryffindor, and sis’s a hufflepuff.” He offers a sheepish look, squirming a bit more in his seat. “I wonder how long the ride is.”

“My parents told me that all the Houses are nice, so no matter what you won’t end up somewhere unhappy.” Ion responds encouragingly to Chester; the poor kid didn’t seem like he had much energy in him. “I’m Ion Garnent, by the way.” He introduces himself to the triplets. “You guys know ‘Lan, too? I guess the candy store is a regular hangout.” He teases lightly.

Angus pipes up, turning from the window, “That’s what our sister says. But our neighbor says only ruffians, deadbeats, and rotters go to Slytherin.” He grins at the others, “She’s sure I’ll end up there, Vennie and Eddie too.” Angus seems well pleased with Mrs. Elderberry’s prediction for the ‘Fallon miscreants’. She sighs, “You know she’s not right, Angus. Aunt Kee and Aunt Lizbeth and Aunt Julie were all Slytherins. And Emma was their best friend, even if she was Ravenclaw. I don’t care which House I get, really.”

Filan Naril chews on his bottom lip as he listens to the others talk, perking up to offer his own bit of insight. “My brother Will says that the houses are all okay, he’s got friends in every single on of ‘em, but you’re always gonna bump into someone you don’t like. So I think it’s pointless in worrying about which house you get. I think as long as there’s a nice warm bed waiting for me, I’ll be happy no matter what.”

Venora Fallon nods at Filan, “That’s what our Father says, too. He said so, right in front of our neighbor. Said she was proof that Ravenclaw gets it’s share of rotters, too. Didn’t he Edern?”

Edern Fallon nods again, this time a ‘yes’.

Ion Garnent frowns at Agnus, confused and a little taken aback by his words. “Your neighbor said that? It’s not very nice; my mum’s really smart and kind, so obviously there can’t be anything wrong with that House.” He counters, backing up Venora’s opinion. “I wouldn’t think Hogwarts would accept bad people, anyways.”

Venora Fallon grins at Ion, “Don’t worry. Angus doesn’t really believe Mrs. Elderberry. He knows lots of Slytherins that are delicious. Our Dad used to teach Slytherins. And Gryffindors. He loved them both.” She winks, “Mrs. E is just cross because we accidentally set her lawn on fire.”

Filan Naril pushes himself to his feet and stretches, “Will you watch my stuff? I’m gonna walk a bit before we get going, I wanna stretch a bit.” He offers a wave before he sneaks out of the compartment.

“Don’t worry about it, I got you covered, ‘Lan.” Ion waves as the other boy leaves before returning to his conversation, though he seems a little weary of Venora. What sort of girl describes other people as ‘delicious’? “How’d you set her lawn on fire? I guess I could understand why she’d be upset, but if it was an accident than there’s no reason for her to be a troll about it.”

Venora Fallon leans back against the seat, half standing, half kneeling to be able to see above the heads of other students. “Well. We threw a dung-bomb over there.” Angus interrupts with a grin, “So that part wasn’t an accident. But she was always threatening to hurt Spot and Rover, wasn’t she Ed?” Venora picks up again, “We didn’t think the dung-bomb would start a fire.” Her eyes twinkle a bit as she glances, slyly, at the quiet triplet, “Of course, we let Edern tinker with it a bit, first.”

Venora Fallon giggles as they roll into Hogsmead station. “Look everyone!” She points out the window at an old witch in mustard colored robes hurrying away from the tracks, “There’s our neighbor.”

Ion Garnent dashes to the window, looking out with wide blue eyes. “Wow, I can’t believe we’re here already! Come on, let’s hurry on out.” He quickly starts pulling his luggage out, before pausing for a moment as a problem occurs to him. “Hey guys, ‘Lan isn’t back yet. Think you guys can help me carry his stuff, too?” He asks sheepishly.

“I think we’re just supposed to leave it here,” Chester comments, standing up and looking out the compartment. “Hey, can you help me?” he calls to a prefect who is strutting down the corridor. “How are we supposed to get all of our stuff to the school?” The prefeect sighs. “Just leave it there. It will be brought to the school for you.” Chester nods and turns back in with a shrug, nearly falling over as the train stops with a lurch.

Venora Fallon stands, stretching, “I still think it’s funny, going all the way to London just to take a train back home.” Angus climbs over her, reaching for their trunks, “Yeah, but would you have missed the ride, and just settled for meeting everyone at the station, Ven?” Venora grasps her trunk, shifts a small wicker box deep into her robes, only to drop her trunk with a thud as the prefect tells them to leave everything. “Nice,” she comments, “I hadn’t wanted to lug all that all the way to the Castle.”

Nate Hunter bites his lip as Briony hits her head. Laughing would be bad. He clears his throat instead and follows the girl out of the compartment, continuing to bite his bottom lip.

Venora Fallon steps out onto the platform she knows as well as she knows her own hand. But somehow it all seems different, now that she’s a Hogwarts student, and not just a child of Hogsmeade.

The students begin to pour out of the train, and Bonnie stands at the end of the platform, waving her arms. “First years, gather around me. Other years, straight to the carriages please! In an orderly fashion, if you please!” she yells to a group of boisterous Slytherins passing by. “Alright, first years, join here! We’ll leave for the boats once you have all arrived!” She watches as the students excitedly mill around, a smile fixed on her face.

Disembarking, dragging her copious amounts of baggage behind, Saphia sticks with Briony, continuing to ask worried questions about her head and informing her that she should really see the nurse about it. But she can’t do it too much, given that lugging so much luggage is leaving her short of breath. “It’ll all be … good… once we reach the carriages…”

Ion Garnent stretches as he exits the train, glancing around at the nice scenery. “Wow, it’s beautiful here..” He comments, before Bonnie’s announcement cuts through the air. Excited, he quickly heads over to stand around her, looking to the other first years and trying not to grin too hard.

“Mum will just tell me I’ve bumped my head and that I shouldn’t be worried about it,” Briony tells the Ravenclaw with a roll of her eyes. It seems apparent that Briony is now used to bumping her head on things, though she clearly is not pleased about this fact. She hangs behind for a moment, waiting to see if she can’t find Gabe before boarding a carriage, but as she runs into Kalynn instead, she grins and the two girls get into a carriage.

Kara Raine exits the train, talking quite excitedly with a fellow Ravenclaw. “Didn’t expect it really, knew that they needed a new captain with Noemie graduating and all.” Attention is diverted at the announcement, before with a grin, the fourth year turns toward the carriages.

Orderly is not a fashion to which the Fallon triplets are accustomed. Oh, Edern may be able to manage it, but Venora and Angus are far to excited to do anything but stumble over one another as they race to stand before Bonnie. Halfway there, after nudging by several older students they recalled that particular aspect of the teacher’s orders and did try to slow down. They just didn’t manage quite well and skidded to a stop before the woman, Venora beaming up at her, before turning to Ion. “Tis beautiful here. Our house is just over that rise there. Come, stand by us Ion.”

Olivia is smiling cheerfully as she steps off of the train, waiting for Evan before she makes her way out to the carriages. “Should we wait for Constance?” she asks quietly, her voice getting lost as she makes her way toward the carriages quickly.

Andy Carver hops off the Hogwarts Express, his coat dangling from his arm and his trunk in hand. He takes a deep breath, excited for a new school year and silently follows the crowd towards one of the carriages.

Glad to be done the train ride, Nate hops off the train, glances at the first years and then scuttles towards the carriages, trunk in tow.

Evan Geroff follows Olivia off the train, stepping quickly out of the way of the rest of the departing passengers. He stays quiet for the familiar announcement, then; “It looks like she’s finding some of her friends. Let’s get a carriage.”

As the older students all filter away into the carriages toward the school, Bonnie grins at the first years. “Follow me, and be lively. If you get lost, there’s no telling when we’ll find you again, and then how will you explain to your parents why you missed your own sorting?” Bonnie lets out a little grin and turns. “Quickly, quickly!” she calls, heading down the path toward the shore of the lake.

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.

“Please take care not to fall out! There’ll be no helping you if the squid gets you!” Bonnie warns the group ominously, then continuing to chatter on about all the wonderful things about Ravenclaw house.

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 squid?” Ion whispers nervously.

“Told you there was a squid.” Rowan whispers to nobody in particular, apparently regardless of whether he actually told them any such thing. “What do you think it eats, in this kind of lake, huh?”

“There’s a squid in the lake?” Chester replies, his eyes growing wide. He instinctively scoots in from the center.

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.

The squid! She’d forgotten about the squid! Venora leans over a side of the boat, peering into the murky depths of the lake. “Come on little squiddy!” Venora whispers, “Let’s have a look.” Angus just sighs and grabs hold of Venora‘s cloak to keep her well in the boat, used to his sister’s reactions by now.

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.

“I have to say, if anyone could take on the squid, it’s you Venora.” Ion laughs, relaxing a little more.

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.

“I’m sure it’s a lovely thing. I’ve never heard of a Hogwarts student being eaten by it. Emmaline says they used to play with it’s tentacles. Or something.” She frowns, glancing at Edern, “Do you remember? Anyway…we’re here!”

For a moment, Rowan almost looks insulted. “I could, too!” He protests, almost hurt, adjusting his glasses and peering one last time into the murky depths before springing out of the boat, still glaring at Ion. A pause, and he grabs out for his brother. “Hey, Chesty, we’re almost real students now.”

“Look lively, look lively!” Bonnie calls to the students, waiting for a moment before they’ve all disembarked from the boats. None fell in this time. “Nice to see you’ve all survived!” she calls cheerfully, waving an arm as she begins up the hill toward the school.

“Don’t call me that,” Chester replies out of habit and sighs a bit. “I hope you’re not in my house Rowan. I’m tired of being asked if we’re twins.”

Chesty? Angus looks at the other boy, eyebrows raised. He hadn’t thought Chester would like that nickname. “Is your brother Rowie, then?” Venora glances up at the boys and grins.

“You can go ‘head and call him that,” Chester replies, grinning a bit. “But my name isn’t Chesty. It’s Chester.” The boy nods solemnly.

“I don’t doubt that you could.” Ion placates Rowan, surprised at the outburst before following closer to the triplets. “I wish we could have spent more time on the boats.. it was so cool, how they gliding across the water like that!” He chatters at them wistfully, too caught up in that trip to appreciate the castle.

An incredibly tall tan-skinned woman in jade robes stands before the fire, hands somewhat unconciously smoothing out the front of her robes. At the sound of the first years entering, she turns, already rigid posture improving with the squaring of her shoulders. The light of fire reflects off of her glasses, making her expression somewhat hard to read, but her mouth does turn upward ever so minutely at the corners. “Welcome to Hogwarts, where you will begin your magical education.” Her head tilts just a bit, changing the angle so that her eyes are visable, and considerably softening her countenance. “Shortly we will enter the Great Hall and begin the Sorting Ceremony. I expect you all to be on your very best behavior. This is your chance to make a good first impression.”

“Rowie, is it?” Venora grins at Rowan, “I’m sure you could take on the squid almost as well as me.” Angus snickers, but takes a step away. If his sister is going to start something just before they’re sorted, well she was on her own. Probably. Mostly. Maybe. Anyway, Angus grins as the teacher walks up, Venora forgotten for a moment. “Aunt Kee! I didn’t know you would be the one to take us inside! Brilliant!”

Rowan shrugs his shoulders vaguely, still not quite paying attention to everything – only the relevant portions, where by ‘relevant’, we mean… uh… hey, look, is that an ant on the floor? Would he get in trouble if he did a cartwheel? Finally, something wakes him up, and he looks up at Keelan admiringly, only further offering a hushed, “You shouldn’t have come this year, Chesty. Stealin’ my turn at school.” He doesn’t seem terribly annoyed, though perhaps a little miffed that his mother took so little time getting pregnant. Registering Keelan’s words finally, though, he straightens himself up a bit, adjusts his glasses, and flattens his hair.

“Is this the brother you were talking about, Chester?” Ion asks, looking between the two of them with an air of uncertaintly. They sure didn’t act very brotherly. He doesn’t bother trying to sort out his appearence like some of the others, unconcerned with how he looks. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Ion Garnent.”

“Yeah,” Chester replies carefully, glancing over to Rowan. “We’re not twins.” He states this rather forcefully as he looks to Ion. Chester is about to speak more, but the weight of the present situation seems to impress itself on him, and he gulps a bit, looking at the ominous doors with pinkened cheeks.

For a moment, Rowan looks a touch miffed. After a moment, he grabs at Chester’s arm again, whispering, “How come you got all the friends? I don’t want to have to fight you for them.” This might seem perfectly logical to him, even if it seems like something of a leap to everyone else. After a moment, he adds, “I’m older. It’s my birthday soon.” Another pause. “You still owe me a present, Chesty, even if we’re at school now.”

Venora Fallon shakes her head. “Too bad. It’s great being multiple, isn’t it?” She glances for confirmation to Edern and Angus. Angus nods quickly, “Course it is. Pity, really, Chester. You’d like each other more if you were twins.”

Keelan Walsh continues. “I am Professor Keelan Walsh, and I will be teaching you the fine subject of Herbology, as well as acting as Head of House for those of you who are sorted into the prestigious house of Slytherin.” Her hands clasp, and then unclasp, and her expression threatens to dissolve into something of an amused smirk at Angus, but she manages not to look too, well… human about it. “I couldn’t miss the opportunity to introduce such a promising class of first years to the school.” At this the woman’s gaze meets not only the Fallon triplets but that of Batrius Lennox. Goodness, Keelan was getting old. “In any event, once we are in the Hall I’ll call you by name to be Sorted, at which point I expect you’ll all be very respectful of your fellow students and let them be Sorted without trying to call attention to yourselves.” She gestures then. “If you’ll follow me?”

“You never got me one!” Chester asserts loudly, then looking in Keelan’s direction uncertainly. “I’m not giving you any presents. As Keelan beckons, Chester walks forward with her, his eyes widening a bit, perhaps in fear, or likely in anticipation.

“Hey, no need to get upset. Everyone can be friends with each other, you know.” Ion looks at Chester, a concerned expression on his face, before following after the professor.

Venora Fallon holds tightly to her brothers’ hands as they slip into the hall, following their “Aunt” Keelan. For a moment, she’s as wide-eyed and awe-struck as any Firstie. A slow smile spreads across her face and she lets Angus and Edern’s hands fall. This was it. She was finally here. She finally understood all the stories Emmaline had told her about Hogwarts. Another glance at Keelan has the girl hoping, once again, to be sorted Slytherin. But whichever. It was school. It was going to be brilliant….

Keelan Walsh strides into the Great Hall looking very much like she does every year, just standing and moving rather than sitting and occasionally giving The Eye to the Ravenclaws. Oh, and there is a group of short (mostly) and Unsorted students following along behind her. The Professor comes to rest near a stool on which rests an incredibly old and patched hat, looking very much as though someone had simply forgotten to take it with them when they left. She turns to face the first years, clasping her hands in front of her and standing rather quietly. In fact, for a moment it seems as if she’s simply forgotten what to do next, if not for the fact that she looks exactly like she knows what she’s doing.

Ion Garnent lets his gaze roam around the room, suddenly a little intimidated by all the older students and professors, edging in a little close to the other unsorted students. He tries to keep his posture straight and not bounce on his heels like a child, as his mother taught him, but it’s so hard when he’s this close to being sorted and starting his first year at Hogwarts.

For a moment, Rowan looks – intimidated? Concerned? Frightened, perhaps? His eyes fix first on each of the tables in turn, taking in the number of students (and, for that matter, Professors) at each of them. He doesn’t speak this time, not even to jestingly tease his brother again. After a moment, however, in defiance of his pretence of good manners, he does twirl around a little, and seems tempted to try some sort of gymnastic tumble in front of the hall.

For the first time, Chester almost seems to seek out the comfort of being near his brother, stepping just slightly closer as he eyes the hat leerily. The boy does not say anything or even show any affection to Rowan, but he does look very nervous as he stands with the rest of the first years.

Keelan Walsh listens to this year’s song, eyes on the new first years, and pulls a roll of parchment out of presumably a pocket. When the Sorting Hat has finished, she smiles, briefly. Without particular flair, the woman reads off the first name, and a little redheaded girl steps up nervously to become the first “Slytherin!” of the night. The next goes to “Hufflepuff!”.

Next comes the younger “Blake, Chester!” as Keelan continues down the line.

Chester doesn’t expect to be before his older brother, and he looks a bit startled as he steps forward, looking around, sitting down on the seat and pulling the hat low on his head, his curls sticking out from under it, getting in his eyes.

Chester is sorted to Hufflepuff and he seems to breathe a sigh of relief, stepping down and putting the hat up where it belongs before he practically runs over to Hufflepuff table, sitting down as quickly as he can.

Keelan Walsh smiles politely at the newly Sorted student and calls out for his elder brother, “Blake, Rowan!”

(Hufflepuff) Charlie Linwood tries not to look too much like he might find the girls’ conversation ridiculous and that it might make him sick all over, and instead rather sullenly watches the first years. Although, to be honest, Charlie does not have the most stoic face, and an eyeroll or two escape him. Girls. At the appropriate time, Charlie applauds the new arrivals, but he doesn’t really appear to be overly excited, even as he bothers with a “Welcome to Hufflepuff.” Really. Welcome. Honest.

Rowan stares, wide-eyed at the hat. “It spoke.” He whispers, to whoever happens to be closest to him. “I mean, it sang. It sang, and it spoke. Hats aren’t supposed to do that.” A pause. “Oh, yeah, it’s magic, huh?” Good one, Rowan. As his name is called, he seems stunned, though he runs – or at least, walks very quickly and exhuberantly – to the hat, pulling it down onto his head, with more than a little bit of trepidation.

(Hufflepuff) “It might be better with more of an age difference,” Alice comments, head turning for a moment to look as another Hufflepuff is called. But her attention quickly goes back. “When is the wedding? Will you be in it?” That one, at least, must be directed to Constance; anyway, she has lowered her voice now.

(Hufflepuff) Chester looks about, a little uncertainly as he gets acquainted with the faces of his new housemates. “Hullo,” he greets them with a bit of a smile, looking up with interest to see where his brother is sorted.

(Hufflepuff) “Of COURSE I’m going to be in it!” Constance tells her friend with a grin. “I’m related, after all, how could she not put me in it?” Constance seems to be joking with this statement as she looks happy and cheerful, greeting the newcomer. “Your sister was away all summer, wasn’t she, Alice? Working with your Aunt?”

Keelan Walsh calls up three more children as the Hat calls out “Ravenclaw!” twice and then another “Slytherin!” is Sorted. Reading over the next name, a smile that the first years shouldn’t get too used to spreads across Keelan‘s face. “Fallon, Angus!” is thusly summoned, and the child goes to “Hufflepuff!”

“Well… I think you’re broken!” Rowan hisses almost spitefully to the hat, though he looks around uncertainly for what to do next. Is he supposed to remove the hat? Right, right. With that, he hurries off to the Gryffindor table.

Still looking for all intents and purposes warm and inviting, Keelan Walsh proceeds to “Fallon, Edern!”

Edern Fallon walks up to the Sorting Hat, a bit apprehensive, eyeing it wearily – he had heard a lot about it, but to actually meet it and place a thinking cap on his head? He hadn’t even had the chance to inspect it. Still, he takes a deep breath and sits down, pulling the hat down onto his head – though not too far down.

Smiling broadly and with great pride, Edern joins the long table on the side where a cheering House greets him. He is more than pleased to be placed with his Aunt Kee’s House, even if it means he isn’t with his brother.

(Hufflepuff) Alice Wexler nods, glances briefly at another new Hufflepuff, then nods again to Constance. “Yeah, she was. I didn’t see her much.” This thought pleases her briefly; Alice got more attention! “She’s back here now, of course.”

Keelan Walsh straightens a bit and nods at the boy approvingly before calling up “Fallon, Venora!”

Venora Fallon‘s smile morphs into a wide grin as she steps out from the protection of the gaggle of first years, shoulders straight and head high. Glancing to her brothers for a moment, she climbs the stairs and gives a little wave to Keelan Walsh. She sits neatly on the chair and dons the hat, not minding as it falls over her eyes. She sits, unmoving, but for her fingers crossing in her lap.

(Hufflepuff) “Of course. I see her over at Gryffindor table. She got really tall! How odd.” Constance shakes her head and then brushes some hair out of her face. “Maybe mum will let you stay at our house next summer some if she’s at home. There aren’t less people, but it would be so much fun, don’t you think?” The girl beams at the idea, waving down the table at Chester cheerfully.

Ravenclaw! Emmaline would be pleased. Oh, Venora wished her brothers would have been sorted to the same House! It would be ever so much more fun with Edern and Angus at her side. Still…Ravenclaw was very good. And they were going to have fun, no matter what. They’d promised Father. She fumbles the hat off her head, placing it haphazardly back on the stool then turns to face her new housemates with a wide, crooked grin.

If Keelan‘s face falters at the Hat’s pronouncement, it is merely momentary, though perceptive students may note a bit of a twitch going in her left eyebrow even as she smiles at Venora. More parchment is unrolled, and “Garnent, Ion!” is asked to come forth.

Ions fingers reach up to unconsciously play with the key around his neck as his name is called, and boldly he steps up to the hat. His eyes flicker towards the already sorted first years with an overly serious expression on his face, before taking a seat on the stool and placing the hat on his head, waiting anxiously.

(Hufflepuff) “That would be so much fun!” Alice agrees. “You have even more people. Would there be room?” She pauses, but then another thought hits her, and she asks again, “Do you think our parents would let us? We are already living right near each other.”

Ion Garnent blinks in surprise, obviously sorted into a house he wasnt expecting, but still pleased over the choice. In his excitement to get to his table he nearly forgets to take the Hat off, and has to backtrack a few steps in order to return it. Any sense of etiquette is lost as he takes his seat at the table of his new House.

(Hufflepuff) “Of course there would be room! You could share my bed!” Constance seems to see no problem with this arrangement, even if there might be wedding-type festivities making the house more crowded. “Why would our parents have a problem with it? It’s different when you stay at someone else’s house, and wouldn’t your dad be glad at not having to keep track of you as well as all your siblings?” Constance shrugs at this and grins about. “Hey, Charlie, are we going to do better at Quidditch this year? I think we should win.”

Three more nervous eleven year olds take their turn. One spends upwards of five minutes to become a “Slytherin!”, and then in quick succession a pair of coustins is split between “Gryffindor!” and “Hufflepuff!” With no small amount of pride in her voice, Keelan calls “Lennox, Batrius!” A young boy steps up, gives a wide grin to the Professor, and then sits with the Hat. He fidgets after a moment, frowns briefly, but then something of a wicked smile surfaces as the Hat announces, “Ravenclaw!”. Quickly, Batrius Lennox actually tips the hat at Keelan, who looks very much like she just choked on a frog, sets it on the stool, and scampers off to join his new housemates.

With a strained voice, then, Keelan calls up an entire passel of students, three of which join “Slytherin!”, two more go to “Gryffindor!”, and one each for “Hufflepuff!” and “Ravenclaw!” As the amount of scroll Keelan has shrinks and the amount dangling toward the floor lengthens, she announces, “Taber, Nell!”

Nell Taber fairly skips up to the hat, all traces of nervousness hidden as she carefully pats her hair, then waves to the watching crowd before putting it on.

(Hufflepuff) Alice Wexler laughs quietly. “I suppose you’re right. If your parents won’t mind, I’ll ask.. maybe not quite yet, though.” It’s still a bit early in the school year to worry about summer again. As Constance asks about quidditch, Alice‘s attention wanders back to the sorting that seems to be occuring, finding the new first years at least a little more interesting.

Nell looks a bit startled, but she carefully places the hat down, then takes a small curtsy for the watching crowd, before running off to her new table.

Keelan Walsh calls two more students, both of whom end up in “Slytherin!”

(Hufflepuff) Angharad says, “Welcome to Hufflepuff, Nell!”

Keelan Walsh claps, briefly, as the last child is Sorted, but this seems to serve the purpose of re-rolling the scroll rather than as applause. This done, she hoists the stool, hat still perched on it, and sets it off to the side before finally taking her seat with the other faculty members.

(Hufflepuff) “I’m pleased to meet you,” Nell says politely, looking around the table.”Er, Hufflepuffs are really secretly special, aren’t they?”

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 Keelan, she smiles lightly to the other woman before repeating the gesture to Bonnie. “Thank you Professor Walsh for your help with the Sorting and my gratitude to Professor Kensington 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 House mates 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.

(Hufflepuff) “Of course they are,” Olivia mentions with a bit of dismay at the new girl, shaking her head a bit, quickly quieting down as she looks up toward the headmistress.

(Hufflepuff) “Oh, good!” Nell says, with a relieved smile. “I’m very special. My parents both say so. My brother said the Slytherins were the best, but I’m better then him, so if I’m here this must be better.”

(Hufflepuff) Charlie Linwood is sarcastic because he’s sulky(normally he’s got at least some pride), “Oh, yes, really special. We’ve got a lot of paintings of badgers and everything.” What an excellent Prefect he makes. “Now hush up and listen to Professor Rathe.” He leans back on the bench, crossing his arms and turning his face (which may as well be in a full on pout, honestly), toward the faculty table.

(Hufflepuff) Constance‘s eyebrows raise as she looks toward Alice after Nell’s statement, obviously a little puzzled at this girl. She chooses not to say anything at this moment, however, valuing the good opinion of the prefect who sits so near.

The mood of her tone sobers but she continues the speech with the same efficient crisp pace. “For our returning students who remember Headmistress Prichard, I bring sorry news. It was all of our hopes that she would be returning to us this year, but she will not be returning in the foreseeable future. Rest assured the moment I hear any word, I will share it with the entire school.” Clearing her throat, Astra reaches for a goblet and takes a sip from the liquid before continuing. “There have been only a few minor changes to our staff this year.” “We welcome back Professors Helit, Addison, Fallon, and Walsh as our Heads of Houses. It is our sincere hope that they will continue to fill these roles for many years.” “Professor Calwern will not be returning as Charms Professor and so Professor Austin will continue as our Charms Professor. Professor Rathe stepped down from Potions and has taken over teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, good luck to him.” “Finally, please welcome Professor Orwell Gadds as our newest Potions instructor.” Finishing up with that, she takes no breather yet but picks up with a more pleasant manner and almost playful manner. “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 sip from the goblet in her hand and glance over the various tables. “Congratulations are in order to Slytherin Prefect, Evan Geroff who is Head Boy this year and no less congratulations are in order to Hufflepuff’s very own Olivia Baxtor.” Only now does the woman allow herself a brief respite to grin widely and watch any reactions that might take place.

(Hufflepuff) Nell starts clapping, pleased to see someone from her table recognized even if she isn’t clear what exactly is going on due to her chatting.

Olivia Baxtor is blatantly shocked as she is announced as the seventh year head girl, her eyes wide as she covers her mouth with her hand, looking around the Great Hall in utter shock. Her shocked expression changes from a shocked expression to a grin as she spots Evan across at the Slytherin table and she giggles a little, giving a bit of a curtsey and a little wave to everyone in the hall before sitting down again quickly, obviously still a little in shock.

(Hufflepuff) Angharad O‘Duibhleargain claps as well, smiling.

Evan Geroff truly was waiting for the announcement as to who would be chosen, for Head Boy at least, but his quick smile at the news is halted as soon as Olivia is named. He stands, looking toward her with a wide grin and a mouthed “Congratulations!”, before nodding to acknowledge the rest of the hall and resuming his seat.

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.” “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 harshly dealt with.” “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.”

(Hufflepuff) Alice Wexler has turned back to look toward Olivia, and claps more enthusiastically than her demeanor usually leads her too, smiling at Olivia as she sits again.

(Hufflepuff) Olivia is still shocked as she drops back into her seat, looking about the table at the contragulatory expressions, and she blushes a deep red, grinning at those around her. “Thanks,” she replies quietly, with a grin still plastered sillily across her face.

(Hufflepuff) Constance Geroff‘s cheers come the loudest of anyone around as both her brother and his fiancee are announced as the head boy and girl positions. She cheers loud enough that it seems to echo back several times over, only stopping when she throws an exhuberant hug around Olivia’s middle as she sits down at the table again. “I just knew Evan would get it! I’m SO glad that you’ve got it, too, Olivia!”

(Hufflepuff) Charlie Linwood claps hardily despite the fact that he’s about as cheerful as a dementor with nobody to soul-suck. Or a boy with nobody to face-suck, which is what he is. “Congratulations” comes his monotone. It isn’t as if he’s ever made especial friends with Olivia. Or anyone off the Quidditch team. Or most of the people on. Or inanimate objects, even.

Waiting for about a minute to let students discuss among themselves, Astra finally holds up her hand for attention. “A few last minute notices.” “I want to again congratulate Slytherin on winning the House Cup last year and congratulations again to Ravenclaw for victory in attaining the Quidditch Cup.” “On the subject of Quidditch, the school will not be holding the traditional Quidditch tournament this year, but we promise Quidditch enthusiasts will not be disappointed.” “I am also to inform you that all greenhouses are off limits to students unless Professor Walsh is present and 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.” Letting the various warnings sink in, she finishes. “It looks to be an exciting and vibrant new term and I sincerely hope each of you finds as much fun as you do challenges.” “Now let’s eat.”

(Hufflepuff) Angharad O‘Duibhleargain shrugs her shoulders as the announcements end. Another year of being alone for her, probably. She hasn’t anything but casual acquaintances, and only a few of those – but it isn’t too bad.

(Hufflepuff) “No Quidditch?” Constance replies with a bit of a gasp. “Imagine! I wonder what we’ll be doing instead. She did say that enthusiasts wouldn’t be disappointed, and while I don’t count myself as a particular enthusiast, I do enjoy the matches.” The girl starts to help herself to some food, puzzled at this turn of events.

(Hufflepuff) “Badgers are cute!” Nell says happily. She apparently had been holding this in since she was told to listen to the announcements. “What’s the house cup? Why did Slytherin win last year instead of us?”

(Hufflepuff) Alice Wexler shrugs, not particularly concerned about this quidditch thing. Though it is strange that they wouldn’t have it. “I’m sure they’ve got something equally interesting planned, then,” she offers, reaching for plate of rolls nearby.

(Hufflepuff) “Because they must have worked harder last term or something,” Constance comments. “It was a very close cup,” she admits, pausing to take several bites of food, for she honestly is famished.

(Hufflepuff) Charlie Linwood‘s jaw fairly drops, shocked right out of his Intent to Sulk. He sits there for a moment even as the feast starts around him, and then finally, slumping a bit, he lets out a sigh that could very well be considered relieved and looks at Nell blankly. “Tell a badger it’s cute when you’re on the business end of its claws and then let us know how that went.” Mrff. He begins piling his plate in that obsessively neat and segregated way he has, leaving the explanation of the Cup to someone else.

(Hufflepuff) “I don’t like claws,” Nell said seriously. “Why did you let them work harder? I like winning things. It’s a lot of fun and people cheer for you.”

(Hufflepuff) Angharad O‘Duibhleargain fills her plate with food, letting the conversation wash over her without really paying attention.

(Hufflepuff) Constance glances at Nell for a moment, looking at her seriously. “Well, we were a bit preoccupied with our schoolwork. If you’d like to suck up to the teachers, though, you’re more than welcome.” This retort is a bit more biting than is usual for Constance, and it is clear that she doesn’t entirely trust the new girl.

(Hufflepuff) “Is that what we’re supposed to be doing?” Nell asked, looking confused.

(Hufflepuff) “Constance,” Olivia admonishes quietly. “No, we work hard to try to earn points, and whichever house earns the most at the end of the year gets the cup,” Olivia explains gently to Nell. “It just happened that Slytherin earned more than we did last year.”

(Hufflepuff) “Oh, all right,” Nell said, filling her plate. “So I have to work hard and earn points and then we can win.”

(Hufflepuff) “Is it hard to earn points?” Chester asks, cautiously. “I don’t want to do anything dangerous or anything to earn points. It wouldn’t be worth it.” Chester, for his own part has filled his plate up quite full, perhaps a bit more full than one his age and size ought. This seems irrelevant to him as he begins to eat messily.

(Hufflepuff) “I’m sure no one would let us get hurt,” Nell says, looking over Chester as if sizing him up.

(Hufflepuff) Angharad O‘Duibhleargain shakes her head and grins. “Dangerous stuff is more likely to get you losing points, I think,” she says.

Time passes and the night grows longer, but eventually Astra stands up from her chair again and holds up her hands. “We have an early and exciting day tomorrow. I hope you’ve all enjoyed yourselves, but now it’s about time to be preparing for our first day of school. Prefects please take charge of the first years and guide them back to the house commons.” “Have a good night to each and every one of you.” Trusting and confident of those left in charge, the Headmistress takes her leave of the feast without another word.

Standing abruptly from her seat, Kelly waves the youngest students from her table towards her. “Okay, first years, follow me!” She smiles a bit at this, if nothing else. She gets to boss people around! Legitimately! “First years, this way, please. Don’t get distracted or lost or I will not help you find your way later.”

Standing up uncertainly, Olivia looks to the other Hufflepuff prefects and then across the room, she spots Evan, and a smile spreads across her face. “You guys can handle it, right?” she asks them, making sure before she sneaks away, walking quickly so that Constance can’t follow and try to see where she’s headed. Quickly she makes her way toward the exit to the room, looking pointedly to Evan before slipping out of the room quickly.

Finishing the last cup of dessert, Andy nods over to Briony and Kelly. “See you in the commons, then.” Seeing that Kelly had drawn the firsties’ attention towards her, Andy thinks it’d be best to keep in the back of the small crowd of new students, not to lose one of them along the way to the Common Room.

Charlie Linwood rises from the table and tries not to look over at Gryffindor… or Slytherin for that matter. Ravenclaw is safe eyeball territory but now he’s got to cart about little people. “First years, if you follow me I’ll take you to our wonderful and glorious Common rooms, so that you can see our Illustrious Paintings and try to stake out a good chair.” Cheerful.

Briony doesn’t have any responsibility with the first years, so as she finishes her supper, she and Kalynn stand and chatting amiably, they make their way out of the great hall and up to the Gryffindor commonroom. Briony will just have to try to chat with Gabe later, after he’s finished with his prefectly duties.

Following Astra’s lead, Donovan gets up himself and heads out of the Great Hall to go crash for the night, knowing that the next day was the start of another busy year for the school.

Eleonora offers a fake smile at the first years. She hopes they will stay out of her hair this year. She starts for the doors, weaving in and out of throng of kids and heads out.

Standing up from his table along with his fellow prefects Louis does his best to not let the Quidditch news get in the way of his prefect duties. “Okay first years, this way behind me. In a neat line if you please and don’t dawdle.” He calls out motionign for a few stragglers to get in line. “That’s it, yes yes we know you can tie your shoe now get in line.” He tells another boy. With that Louis turns and motions for them all to follow him out of the great hall.

Chester Blake climbs through the hole in the wall behind the palm fronds.

“This is pretty!” Nell says, pleased, as she looks around.

Angharad O‘Duibhleargain smiles. “Yes, isn’t it?” she says. “It’s comfy, too.”

“I like it in here. I think the yellow is very cheerful,” Constance replies happily, sinking into a seat near to where Alden has gotten comfortable, grinning at the boy cheerfully, then turning her attention to the nearby girls. “I wonder what the quidditch enthusiasts will get instead of the Quidditch tournament. What do you reckon it is?” she asks the other girls.

Angharad says, “Probably some fancy competition.”

“It is cheerful!” Nell said, bouncing slightly in her chair. “Maybe we’ll do a play! That would be more fun then quidditch.”

Angharad O‘Duibhleargain dismisses the suggestion with a shake of her head. “No, that’s not enough excitement to compensate for no Quidditch,” she says.

“A play would be fun!” Constance agrees happily, seeming to come a bit out of her distrust for Nell. She pauses, considering. “Maybe we’ll get to go see some professional Quidditch matches!” The girl suggests, her eyes getting wide at the speculation.

Angharad O‘Duibhleargain grins. “That would be amazing!” she says excitedly.

Alice Wexler grabs a pillow from somewhere and stretches out on the floor near Constance’s chair, finally warming up a bit to the conversation and the crowd. “Maybe they’ll let us write the play,” she suggests, with a small smile for Nell.

“A play?” Chester considers, looking about as he chews his lip. “Well, maybe. It would be fun to help make the sets, don’t you think?” he suggests amiably. “I don’t know if I’ll care as much for Quidditch. I didn’t become very familiar with it in India, and we just didn’t get much into it when we moved back to England,” he mentions casually.

“Acting is more fun then writing, but that’s still good,” Neil said. “Watching Quidditch isn’t as fun as playing. What do they do in India?”

“Oh, they have Quidditch,” Chester answers quickly. “We just didn’t play it, really. I guess the Ministry folks who we lived around, didn’t really like it, so they didn’t play at all, so Rowan and I didn’t play as much then.” Chester shrugs as he adds this, smiling to the girls surronding him. He’s not used to be surrounded by pleasant girls.

“I’ve never played Quidditch,” Neil said, “But my mother let me practice riding her broom this summer. It was fun! I think I was good at it. I might be on the team when I’m older.”

Keelan Walsh wears, for once, plain black robes with no hint of team affliation. This is rare enough at a game against Ravenclaw, but it seems she’s either had a talking-to or a rethink over the summer break about bias in Quidditch. Maybe her red robes were just dirty. At any rate, she’s standing underneath her umbrella in the center of the pitch, squinting out toward the locker rooms of each team, trying to spot red or blue robes coming through the downpour.

Riley Markham makes his way on to the pitch with a soft yawn, his pale skin sizably more alabaster than tanned under the chilling effect of all the rain. Broom draped avross his shoulders, he waits to kick off anxiously. Growing more nervous by the minute.

Nervously Andy walks onto the pitch, his broom in hand and his robes getting soaking wet in seconds. Looking up to the dark clouds he mutters to Keira “Hm, great.” Then his hands slip into his gloves as he lines up with his teammates, waiting for Keelan’s initial whistle blow.

Boyce Gardener follows behind Riley quietly, trying to hold on to the excitement he felt in the changeroom, and dismiss the nervousness that was trying creep up in to his belly. He carries his broom much more traditionally, though the damp air keeps causing the broomhandle to slip from his fingers.

Quincy Matthias lumbers out onto the pitch, making some crack about the weather to his teammates and hoisting his broom over his shoulder for now. The rain doesn’t otherwise seem to bother him, though he uses his spare hand (beater bat tucked under an arm) to push hair off his forehead.

Rhian says, “Good afternoon everyone, students and faculty alike. Today is a lovely autumn day, if you are a duck perfect for the first Quidditch game of the 1927-28 year. I am Rhian Brecon, your announcer for this year, and for those of you unable to see, I’ll make sure to tell you everything that’s happening. Today’s game is Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw and as this is their first game of the year, I will give you a quick listing of the roster. For Gryffindor, the Chasers are 3rd year Andy Carver, 5th years Keira Sanguine and Tobias Raleigh, their Beaters are 4th years Kelly Pantall and Quincy Mattias, with the Keeper the 3rd year Briony Wexler and their Seeker and Captain, 4th year Gabriel Goden. For Ravenclaw, who this year comes to try and hold onto the Quidditch Cup they won last year, their Chasers are 4th year David Mildren, 5th year Prefect Bailey Williams and 3rd year Boyce Gardner, the Beaters are 5th year Prefect Tegan Madison and 3rd year Riley Markham, their Keeper being 5th year Laney Abbott and their Seeker and Captain, leading them once again, 6th year Prefect Noémie Ribouet. The official for today’s game is Professor of Herbology, Professor Walsh. We now wait for both teams to come brave the weather as we are now, so let’s get this game underway.”

Making her way out into the pouring rain, Noémie appears to be in quite a mood today. Her face is set seriously, and her eyes squinted, though this could likely be caused by the amount of water cascading down into her face. Coming to stop near Keelan, she does not look at the captain, instead looking in the direction of where the Gryffindor team is to join them. The rain does make it difficult to see what, exactly, is going on, and Noémie finds herself biting her lip while she looks around, rather hoping that the snitch won’t be quite so hard to see when it comes time to begin.

David follows the other members of his team, muttering against the rain and how it might affect the game. He carries his broom under his arm, hoping that it won’t behave as it did during that practice, when it suddenly stopped midair for no reason. That should not happen, though, since he had it looked over by the flying instructor, who reassured him that it should fly fine from now on. A bit nervous about the match, David stays silent and waits for the game to begin.

Laney Abbott is more nervous than anything, and keeps pushing her glasses up her nose with her free hand. Her broom is clutched hard in the other, and more than once she redoubles her stride to stay with the rest of the team, lips pressed into a thin line. Still, a “Lovely, I’ll just divine where the Quaffle is in the mess and block it that way.” escapes her lips in a sour sort of mumble.

“N– I’m su– no, Bri — c’mon, you–” Gabe starts as he walks out to the pitch, trying to sneak words in while Briony chatters at him quietly on their way out to the pitch. “You’ll be fine, I’m sure,” he tells his friend and then falls silent as the two of them come out, their red robes easily dampened by the sheer volume of water falling upon him. Squaring off in front of Noémie, his nervousness is not easily hidden, especially as he turns away from Briony a bit, perhaps to hide this very fact from her.

Trailing behind Keira and Andy, Tobias nestles on his broom a last time. It’s his first match in the main team and now it comes to a close against last season’s champions Ravenclaw. Quiet as usual he hides his excitement quite well, except of a trembling left eyelid.

Not to be left out of the intial comments, Kelly Pantall holds onto her broom, bat, and, like everyone, gets very wet.

Following Gabriel out to the pitch, once she is finally coaxed into silence by him, Briony starts to fidget. Her broom in one hand, and the other hand shoved deep into her pocket, she shifts from foot to foot while glancing around at the rest of her team.

David Mildred is about as grumpy as the other teammates about the foul weather, and doesn’t mince her words about it. She is rather in a foul mood today, for no apparent reason, and twirls her bat around, ready to play with the bludgers and send them over to the opponents.

Keira Sanguine looks almost annoyed at the water as she makes her way out to the pitch, though the smirk on her lips seems to say that she might know a bit more than she’s letting on. Glancing behind her, the smirk fades as she realizes who is following her. She’s got to do well this game. She just has to.

“Doesn’t seem all that bad to me,” Riley murmurs, sincerely, as he drives his hands in to his pockets. Both of which are wrapped in suede gloves, so that the scars of his left hand don’t catch on the fabric of his robe pocket. “Could be worse. And they have ter play in the same muck.”

Usually easy-spirited, Bailey does not look quite so easy today. The conditions are not the best for Quidditch, especially not for the first game of the season, and, with only a glance to Tegan, he goes to stand next to David, holding his broom with a rather tight grip.

“Alright, let’s keep our formation close and I…ahm…want to see clean passes. Don’t give away quaffle possession to easily. Just like in the practices. We can do that!” Andy tries to encourage his fellow chasers, finishing with a weak clap and wrings out his robe for the first time. The match hasn’t even started yet and he’s wet to the bones already.

Keelan Walsh smiles, though the gesture is merely polite. “Well, it can’t be lovely weather all the time. Okay, Captains, lets get the handshake through so you can start this game, shall we?” She watches them, gives a small nod, and turns to open the box of Quidditch balls, folding up her umbrella and setting it down. A click releases the Snitch from it’s special holder, and away it flies into the rain. Then Keelan takes hold of the Quaffle and calls, “On your brooms?” before blowing the whistle and tossing it into the air to get the game started. A few moments later, the bludgers are released, and Keelan mounts her broom to watch for fouls.

Laney Abbott is in the air and traveling toward the Ravenclaw hoops at the sound of the whistle, and soon hovers before them, waiting for Chasers to come her way with a Quaffle to, hopefully, block.

Swing his broom from his shoulders and mounting it in one easy motion, Riley turns and nods to Tegan — communicating that he understood their practiced tactic of knight at dragon. He was the knight who defended his teammates, she was going to start off being the one who grabbed a bludger and attacked.,

Quincy Matthias and Kelly rise into the air and spread out a bit, wielding the bats and watching (or at least attemping to) for bludgers to hit at the Ravenclaw team.

Reaching out to shake Gabriel’s hand, Noémie doesn’t wait long before getting herself onto her broom afterward. “Alright, keep it clean, and play hard. Remember what we practiced, everyone,” Noémie tells her team and as soon as she hears the whistle, she flies upward, though not too high. She wants to see where the snitch goes, after all, so that she has more chance of catching it.

Biting his lower lip, Boyce takes off in to the air after mounting his broom — almost slipping off it from the rain. He seens to grow a bit more confident once in the air. He’s ready.

Gabe Goden shakes Noémie’s hand as she offers it and then turns to his team. “Er –” he pauses as Andy begins to tell the team a quick last minute pep talk. “What he said,” Gabe tacks on and hops onto his broom, keeping a close eye on Noémie, though his attempts to keep up with her are rather obvious.

Following his teammates, David kicks off the ground starts to take some speed, making a direct flight towards the quaffle, which he grabs deftly before flying towards the Gryffindor goals. He makes a silent nod at the other Ravenclaw chasers to indicate them to be ready for a pass should the need arise.

Flying upward, Keira makes an attempt at the quaffle which has been released. Reaching close to David, Keira‘s face is set and she reaches out with intent to blatantly steal the Quaffle from David, though this does cause her to lose balance a bit and she has to slow down in order to gain control over her broom again.

Andy mounts his broom and sets up to shoot for the quaffle once it’s tossed up into the air. He sees the ball flying upwards and accelerates, but doesn’t reach it, since David has been more agile this time. Andy orientates again and chases the Ravenclaw.

Making her way up to the goals, it is not long before there is a small crowd headed toward her, and Briony looks almost fearful as she rubs her left wrist carefully, biting her lips while she gets situated more carefully in front of the goals, at a slight slant rather than straight on.

Nodding in silent agreement with Riley, Tegan pushes her broom forward and flies directly towards the nearest bludger, which she sends towards the pack of Chasers going after David, notably Andy.

Tobias gets into the air and hesitates a bit to go for the quaffle, since Andy and Keira are already racing for it. He stays back, turns around and is flying in front of David now, trying to guess where he is going.

Rising up quickly, Bailey is too slow to even be in contention to get the quaffle. This time, however, it appears as if a Ravenclaw has gotten it, and this bolsters Bailey a bit. Making his way down the pitch in an attempt to catch up, he swerves wide around Keira as she slows down and reaches out with an arm to let David know that he is currently open.

Kelly swoops in and knocks a bludger toward a streak of blue that will probably turn out to be Boyce, while Quincy takes flight, however slowly, toward the sound of another bat cracking, in order to attempt to intercept the other bludger, though he doesn’t yet.

Boyce Gardener moves notices Bailey postion himself and moves further up field to provide Bailey a passing lane ad possibly an attempt a a score., moving at a moderately quick speed but holding a fair amount of control. He is completely ignorant of the bludger sailing at him.

Feeling that the Gryffindor chasers are getting a bit too close to him, David makes a pass at Bailey, before continuing towards the goals to prepare the field for another pass.

Not being aware of Bailey, Andy stays behind David, coming nearer inch by inch he is now at his heels, but still not able to reach for the quaffle. As David passes, Andy notices that he’ll only be able to cover the Ravenclaw now. Bailey is too far away already.

Reaching out with his hands wide, Bailey makes a clean catch and begins to fly forward in an effort to catch up to Boyce. The older boy swerves a bit and then flies in to toss the quaffle to the younger chaser as he crosses in front, making his way diagonally away for a moment before coming back behind David and making his way around to hover behind a bit, in case the quaffle needs to be passed out again.

Riley, however, is very aware of the bludger that has been hurtled toward Bailey. Laying low on his broom in an attempt to keep the rain from blinding him, he darts foreward. Reaching out with his bat, he bunts the bludger away from Boyce almost at the last moment, before wheeling back and hitting it toward Keira. Though his aim isn’t dead on, exactly, it’s a right sight more sharp than last year, and definately sail in the general direction of his hopefully distracted target,

Seeing David’s pass, Tobias tries to intercept the ball, but it’s too well thrown, so that his finger just get the quaffle’s gust. He dashes down to hassle Bailey now, but too late, another pass he could not reach. “Keira, watch out!” Tobias points at the bludger and keeps flying next to Bailey, to cover him.

Shrieking a bit, Keira turns her broom and tries to get out of the way of the bludger, finding this difficult as her broom hasn’t quite calmed down yet, and her broom is stuttering a bit as she tries to out-fly the metal orb. “You bloody beaters! Get over here and hit this confounded thing at those bloody Ravenclaw!” Several more sentences, riddled with obscenities follow and the girl’s face gets quite red while she tries to get control of her broom still.

Quincy Matthias is in the path of the bludger at last and aims it with a powerful crack of bat-on-ball back toward the Ravenclaw Chasers with a grunt. Kelly flies for the other bludger, a bit peeved that Riley redirected it.

Freed of the bludger he’d not realized he had, Boyce catches the quaffle on the tips of his fingers, nearly dropping it a few times because of his slick it was, and making his flight briefly jerky. He manages to get himself relatively under control, however, arching up as he comes at the hoops, before diving and trying to shoot over Briony’s head, hoping for a quick score.

Deciding to let her role as the dragon aside for a while, Tegan flies towards the chasers to prevent the bludger from hitting them. She is still a bit away from it, so she does not reach it immediately, but flies there the best she can.

Rhian says, “The captains come into the center of the pitch and shake hands before both teams are called to their brooms. Professor Walsh waits until they are ready before releasing the Quaffle, the two Bludgers and the Snitch. With the toss of the Quafle, Mildred is quick on his broom and manages to catch it. Ravenclaw has first possesion this game as they head down toward Wexler who waits at the goals she is guarding. Pantall manages to get to one of the Bludgers and hits it over at Gardner, who seems totally oblivious to it. The Ravenclaw Chasers seem in good form as Mildren passes the Quaffle to Williams and Williams in turn tosses it to Gardner.”

Kelly takes care of the bludger again, calling something out to Keira that is lost in the sound of the rain and noise of Quidditch, while Quincy tries (poorly) to keep pace with Tegan and prevent her hitting the other.

Reaching up with both hands as the Quaffle is tossed at her, Briony manages, for once, an easy block. The block is easy, but the catch is not, and she fumbles with it for a moment before getting a good grip on it. Tossing it outward, she aims it to Andy without a word, though a grunt does ensue.

David Mildred groans as well, but for another reason, as he sees that the quaffle has been blocked. He immediately starts to chase Andy, hoping to get the quaffle from his hands.

Rhian says, “Markham manages to notice the Bludger flying after Gardner and hits it away back over to Sanguine. However, Gardner is having a slight issue with the Quaffle while he flies. Mattias takes the other Bludger and hits it in general at the Ravenclaw Chasers, though Tegan is attempting to protect her team’s Chasers. Pantall goes after the Bludger that is chasing Sanguine, attempting to keep it away from the Chaser. Gardner, now in the clear, attempts to score… But is stopped by Wexler, but it is only batted to Carver to head down back the other way.”

A short smile brightens on Andy‘s face, as Briony saves the first shot and gets a hold of the Quaffle. Flying for a second, then seeking one of his fellow chasers, Andy finds Keira at his side and instantly flings the Quaffle to the girl, noticing David behind him. Andy then performs a hard turn, to force David to slow down and get Keira an advantage.

Finally reaching the iron ball which was flying towards the Ravenclaw chasers, Tegan swings her bat and sends the bludger towards Keira. “Take that!”

Tobias slows down and lets his broom drop a bit to avoid the crowded field. He shoots forward and heaves up again, so that he finds himself in front of Keira now.

For a moment, Noémie thinks she’s spotted the snitch. While she begins to fly toward the gold fleck that she thinks she has seen, it is a moment before she realizes that she has a bludger following her, and her course is altered in order to avoid the orb that is hot on her tail. “Riley, Tegan! Someone” she shrieks in a rather undignified fashion, flying downward through the action in hopes of losing it.

Rhian says, “Pantall finally got the bludger that was after Sanguine away, and now it heads off to Ribouet, give the Seeker something to do until the Snitch is spotted. Meanwhile, Mattias is trying to stop Madison from getting at the other Bludger, but she manages to get it away over at Sanguine, who just recently got the Quaffle from Carver. Carver is trying a nice move though of attempting to block Mildred from persuing Sanguine as she barrels her way to Abbott.”

David Mildred narrowly escapes a collision with Andy Carver as the Gryffindor does a reckless turn right in front of him, and dives to avoid him. He lets out a shout of rage as he does so. Keira is already far from her, but noticing the bludger flying towards her, he decides to anticipate her (very likely) pass to Tobias and flies directly towards him instead.

It takes Riley a few moments to divine the location the bludger, having heard the sound of a bat striking it, but unable to see it for all the rain. Sailing upward quickly, he chases after Noémie — not quite able to keep up with her in all the rain and wind (he did have more wind resistance, naturally). But he could get close enough to send that bludger away. His aim is off, though, for the angle he had to strike it. It sails off in no particular direction toward friend or foe.

Keelan Walsh pulls up short on his broom to change direction, sweating a bit even with the rain coming down. He and his broom are not the fastest on the field, and it’s likely that the bludger will inflitrate the Chasers before he makes it. Kelly remains, for the moment, on the lookout rather than the offense, thanks to the rain unable to see the result of her last hit.

Quincy Matthias pulls up short on his broom to change direction, sweating a bit even with the rain coming down. He and his broom are not the fastest on the field, and it’s likely that the bludger will inflitrate the Chasers before he makes it. Kelly remains, for the moment, on the lookout rather than the offense, thanks to the rain unable to see the result of her last hit.

Laney Abbott starts to get a bit more nervous as she squints through the rain and detects scarlet blurrs moving toward the Ravenclaw end of the pitch. She begins to bob vaguely in place on her broom and her grip tightens around the handle.

What has she done to get the bludgers flying toward her today? Keira Sanguine has only barely managed to get the Quaffle secured under her arm and started on her way to the Ravenclaw goals before another bludger is directed at her. Looking over her shoulder, she checks to see if there are any other Chasers available, before she notices Tobias in front of her. Chucking the Quaffle quickly, with a shout of “HERE!” Keira swears a little more and veers away so as not to direct the bludger to Tobias.

Beginning to grin as his bet has paid off, David begins to chase Tobias, closing in to him as every second goes by. Had he gone for Keira after his near-miss with Andy, he wouldn’t be so close to the Gryffindor chaser as he is now… David has good hopes to at least bother him a good bit if he tries to throw the quaffle.

Tobias looks over his shoulder and receives Keira’s well-metered pass. He zooms up into the zone, heading for the left hoop and attempts a score. He dekes to puzzle the keeper, but notes David then and flies out of the zone again, throwing the Quaffle to Andy.

Making his way down the pitch, Bailey seems to think it a good idea to stay close to Andy now that David has gone after Keira, leaving Boyce to follow Tobias. As the Quaffle is tossed to Andy, Bailey sees his opportunity, and flies forward a bit, as well as his broom will let him. This is just in time, as he manages to get a grip onto the red orb, turning quickly and flying as fast as his broom will take him in the other direction. He is headed straight for the Gryffindor hoops with the slick ball.

Quincy Matthias is belatedly in the fray and with a very wet smack, sends the Bludger flying in the opposite direction, hopefully scattering at least some of the Ravenclaw Chasers, now that they’ve recovered the Quaffle. Kelly scans the skies for the other and zips toward it, sending the Bludger toward the Ravenclaws as well.

Seeing Bailey crossing in front of him, Andy‘s flying becomes unstable and he can’t avoid him stealing the ball from Gryffindor. Changing into defensive mode again, he shoots away to follow Bailey and gets a hand on the Quaffle, pulling at it.

Noticing the smooth work done by Bailey, Boyce does his best to tag Tobias and prevent him to follow the Ravenclaw chaser and intercept the quaffle.

Rhian says, “Markham manages to get the Bludger away from Ribouet with ease, but where it went, I don’t know… Matthias has also managed to get the other bludger away from the Gryffindor Chasers while Sanguine tosses the Quaffle to Raleigh. Raleigh now takes a chance to pass it to Carver, but wait… Williams has managed to intercept the Quaffle and the field now turns around to head to the Gryffindor goals.”

Gabe curses loudly as Ravenclaw gets hold of the Quaffle again, and the Gryffindor pulls her broom around, making a hard turn to try to follow down to the other end of the pitch in an attempt to retrieve the quaffle for her own team and scoring.

Keira curses loudly as Ravenclaw gets hold of the Quaffle again, and the Gryffindor pulls her broom around, making a hard turn to try to follow down to the other end of the pitch in an attempt to retrieve the quaffle for her own team and scoring.

A second later, David turns his broom and flies in Andy’s direction, attempting to hinder him and prevent him from catching up with Bailey.

Tobias slows down and ponders if he should go and dive into the bunch of chasers, threatened by both bludgers or wait where he is to receive a pass, should Andy really get the quaffle from Bailey.

The situation is a bit dire for the Ravenclaw chasers, since the two bludgers are directed towards them. Noding to Tegan, Riley Markham decides to take the bludger, which he reaches easily enough. The bludger is sent away from the pack of chasers in a matter of seconds. On her side, Tegan has more difficulties to catch the other bludger, and reaches it just as it was going to hit David, but as she does so, she prevents him from tagging Andy correctly and nearly collides into the Ravenclaw boy.

Tugging back at the Quaffle as Andy attempts to grab it back from him, Bailey growls a little and says something rather unintelligible as he tries to fly over a bit, pulling both the quaffle and his broom at once while he yanks again, finding this difficult due to the wetness of the Quaffle.

Andy pulls and turns the Quaffle in Bailey’s arms and hands. A tough opponent, as Andy isn’t the strongest of boys after all. But then his arms slips through and prises the ball out of the Ravenclaw’s grasp. A quick look and the Quaffle is on it’s way to Tobias again, who seems to have been sleeping at the zoneline.

Back and forth, back and forth! Keira turns around again and makes a rather sour comment under her breath before yelling, “Make up your confounded minds!” The chaser makes her way back down the pitch and pushes her auburn hair out of her face, looking quite irritated.

Rhian says, “The two Gryffindor Beaters seemt o have a vengence for the Ravenclaws as both Bludgers are sent to the Ravenclaw Chasers. Gardner attempts to block Raleigh from following while Mildred tries the same thing with Carver, but it fails as Carver tries to steal the Quaffle away from Willaims. With this rain, it seems overly difficult to keep a good grip, and it seems that it succeeded as Carver pulls the Quaffle from Williams and tosses it to Raleigh, the closest to the goal.”

The Quaffle is pried away from him as just as a bludger connects with the Ravenclaw’s leg. “AUGH!” he shouts loudly and grabs his leg. This prevents Bailey, at least for the moment, from following the group of chasers who have turned and headed toward his goals while he — rather babyishly — rubs his leg, his eyes pricking with tears, though he’s not about to show them.

A bit surprised Tobias prepares for the catch, does well and whirls around towards the Ravenclaw hoops. Maybe his first goal for Gryffindor, today? With a small groan he tosses the Quaffle towards an empty ring, hoping that the keeper won’t get it at that speed.

Quincy Matthias gives momentary chase to the Bludger, hitting it neatly toward Noémie, while Kelly guards of her own group of Chasers, intentionally or not, in case a Bludger heads their way.

Laney Abbott‘s lips have been moving at a nervous under-toned mumble for the last few moments, as if the rain weren’t distracting enough, and so she doesn’t move fast enough, and the Quaffle soars past her outstretched hands through the hoop, bringing bright red splotches to the Keeper’s cheeks.

Letting out a loud “WHOOP!” as she hears the clang from the other end of the pitch, Briony seems to be ready to jump up and off of her broom. The game, however, is not over, as the Seekers are both still prowling about, flying this way and that, and Briony does not move off of her broom, instead, getting situated to prepare for another shot, should it come.

Rhian says, “Raleign manages to get the Quaffle, and before anyone can stop him, he turns around and tosses it to the goals. Abbott can’t seem to get there fast enough and Gryffindor scores… It is now Gryffindor-10, Ravenclaw-0. Though the game isn’t over yet… Williams has gotten in the leg with one of the Bludgers while the other one seems to be going after Ribouet once more.”

Riley Markham glances a few differant ways, trying to make out shapes in the rain that had long since gave up trying to sting his eyes in a more worthwhile pursuit of hoping to freeze them. The bludger, however, can hardly be missed as it sails past his head directly toward Noémie. Wiping his eyes with his sleeve, Riley grabs his broom, pulls up, and gives the cannonball chase.

Unclenching his teeth again after the loud scoring sound, Andy throws his hands into the air. “Yes! Great shot, Raleigh!” He backs up again to be ready for more chasing and scoring.

“I scored.” Tobias looks into his empty hands and to the score board. Then he flies back again to set up for defending.

Boyce Gardener swoops in behind the Gryffindor hoops, snatching up quaffle (much more easily than the last time) and looping back hard — Bailey and David both seemed rather close, but he didn’t reckon he could he bank hard enough in the rain without falling off his broom to give himself a good go at it. Chosing between the two, Bailey and David — Boyce tosses the quaffle to David, trying to put himself in the airway enough to set up a pick for David to have a clear shot if he catches the red ball.

Having fully recovered now from his pain — or at least put it aside — Bailey makes his way around just in time to see a score go through for Gryffindor. A sour look crosses his face at this and he turns, flying toward the middle of the pitch and pausing as Boyce comes down. At the pass, he flies forward more, making his way toward the other hoops. They’ve got to even up!

Approaching Bailey again, Andy tries to cover the zone between him and David to prevent a pass to this Ravenclaw chaser.

Catching the quaffle, David quickly assesses the situation and the position of the chasers –both Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. And then, he darts towards the Gryffindor goals, choosing not the direct path (which would probably sent him straight towards the Gryffindors) but choosing the right side of the pitch instead.

Heading for Bailey first, then trailing off towards David, Tobias tries to reach the Ravenclaw, but it’s still a long way to go. He didn’t see Andy on Bailey’s other side and lost a good amount of time, now.

Keira Sanguine flies down, a grin on her face. Sure, she doesn’t like her teammates, but it’s still her team, and a win for Gryffindor is a win for her. She tries to catch up to David, but her broom appears to have a bit of a stuttering problem, likely due to the rain, or perhaps her issues at the start just persisting on, and she has trouble catching up, especially as he swerves out to an alternative path.

It takes Riley a fair bit of effort to catch up to the bludger chasing Noémie — especially considering how graceful and fast Noémie could fly, even in adverse conditions. He was no slouch in the flying department, it was his best strength. But in this weather, it was killing him. Swinging, aming as best he can, he tries to arch the bludger at Keira. His bat begins to slip out of his hand, though, as he swings — and the bludger takes off in Gabe’s direction, instead.

The golden snitch has come into Gabe‘s view! He flies downward in pursuit of the little golden ball which e has only barely been able to see. The rain seems to have let up some and he makes his way downward, downward, making it only slightly closer to the little orb as it continues to stay just out of reach while he begins his chase.

Deciding to give the Gryffindors something else to think about than the quaffle, and cursing herself for having allowed a bludger to hit one of the Ravenclaw chasers, Tegan goes after the other bludger, which she intends to send after Andy. At the last minute, though, she notices Gabe’s dive and sends it against him instead.

Rhian says, “Ravenclaw heads back to the other end of the Quidditch Pitch with the Gryffindors chasing them. Markham manages to intercept a Bludger that was going after Ribouet, but turns and sends it toward Sanguine… What is this, seems that Goden has caught sight of the Snitch and has begun the chase. Madison has spotted this and sends the Bludger near her his way to try and change his attention and to loose the Snitch.”

The bludger, this time, doesn’t even register to Noémie as she spots Gabriel beginning to fly quickly downward. Flying before she even begins looking for it, it doesn’t take Noémie long to catch up to the younger boy, and she is flying neck-and-neck with him, her hand outstretched as if she is to be able to reach the little ball before he will. The snitch swerves this way and that, up and down, and it appears as if this chase is not about to stop soon.

Noticing that Bailey was totally covered by Andy, David has no option but doing the job himself. He approaches to the Gryffindor hoops the best he can, pretends throwing the quaffle towards the rightmost hoop but sends it to the middle hoop instead…

Bumping into Noémie a little — on accident, he promises! — Gabe makes a sharp turn as the snitch does, and overshoots it a bit in his excitement at being so close to possibly winning. His broom does not turn quite as well as he would like back, though he tries to catch up to the snitch and Noémie.

Keelan Walsh and Kelly almost simultaneously spot the double bludgers heading toward their Seeker and take off through the rain to try and stop them. Kelly, faster, arrives first and manages to deflect the Bludger, but Quincy is trailing behind.

Quincy Matthias and Kelly almost simultaneously spot the double bludgers heading toward their Seeker and take off through the rain to try and stop them. Kelly, faster, arrives first and manages to deflect the Bludger, but Quincy is trailing behind.

Reaching up as the Quaffle comes her way, Briony makes an attempt to catch it, but the Quaffle’s slickness does not help, and it flies through the hoop behind her. Briony does not look pleased at this, and scowls a bit as she retrieves the Quaffle, tossing it out to Tobias harshly.

Rhian says, “After some jostling, the Ravenclaw Chasers make their way down the pitch and right in front of Wexler. Mildred attempts to score, faking to one hoop and trying for the other. Wexler misses and Ravenclaw scores! It is now tied at 10 a piece. Bludgers are still flying around though as both Goden and Ribouet fly after the Snitch. Goben almost had it there, but seems to have missed.”"

Noémie hears the clang, but she doesn’t even know who it’s for as she reaches out, despite the jostling, and closes her fingers around the golden snitch. The little ball goes limp in her hands and its wings fold up again as Noémie holds it above her head triumphantly. The sixth year pushes her water saturated hair out of her face and flies down to the pitch quickly, hopping off of her broom and then holding both broom and snitch in the air in celebration. They’d won!

So close, and yet, so far. Gabe Goden flies down to the pitch, having nearly managed to get his hand around it before Noémie but not quite making it. He flies down to the pitch and looks up at his team, a bit disappointedly, before sighing. The captain doesn’t even wait for his team to come down before he makes his way off of the pitch, bound for the locker rooms. A nice warm shower sounds about right for the fourth year captain.

Rhian says, “Ribouet has caught the Snitch. Ravenclaw has won the first game of the year, and are on their way to a wonderful streak to trying to keep the Quidditch Cup. Final score is Ravenclaw-160, Gryffindor-10. Now what do you say to getting out of the rain everyone?”

Keelan Walsh blows her whistle signifying the end of play, and with less terseness then usual congratulates anyone who goes by as she collects the balls and returns them to their box.

Feeling quite disappointed, Briony flies down and lands soon after Gabriel has. She waits just a moment, intent to see how Kelly had done — after all, Briony couldn’t be watching the Beaters the whole game, could she? — and see if perhaps they had at least bruised up some of the Ravenclaws well enough. After she has caught up to Kelly, the girl makes her way slowly off of the pitch, whether Kelly is following her or not.

Riley cheers from his place Noémie lands, throwing his arms in to the air and whooping. “Yeah, Raaaveeenclaaaw!” Drifting down toward ground, pleased as hell to be done zipping around a too-cold sky in too-wet rain, Rilet leaps off his broom and cheers. Those practices had paid off. “YES!”

David cheers loudly, both for the ten points he managed to score than for the victory of the team, and quickly lands to celebrate with the other members of his team.

Boyce Gardener lands not from Riley, grinning and cheering “Yeth! Yeth!” Clapping Riley hard on the back, he walks over to congratulate Noémie on her catching the snitch. His first victory with the team.

Catching the quaffle as it is thrown to him, Tobias has only a moment to fly toward Ravenclaw goal before he hears that the snitch has been caught, and not even by his team. His disappointment is apparent as he flies down and hands the Quaffle over to Keelan, making his way inward. Perhaps he can talk shop with Gabe in the lockers.

Tegan Madison shakes her fist in the air. “YESSS!” she squeals, happy that Ravenclaw has won, and lands near Riley, David and Boyce. “Congratulations, everyone!”

Letting out a stream of obscenities, Keira Sanguine makes her way down to the pitch, looking sourly at the Ravenclaws, and then stomping towards the lockers. That no good Wexler, and that confounded Goden and Raleigh and Carver and Matthias, all of them were worthless. Yes, even Raleigh. The girl doesn’t head to the lockers with the rest of them, instead deciding to head into the commonroom and the girls’ bathrooms.

Cheering with the rest of his team for a moment, Bailey grins widely. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m going to go get dried off and head to the commons! I heard there’s going to be a wild party!” Without another word, the boy trots inside, waving a fist joyously above his head.

Quincy Matthias rather dejectedly, and with a good deal of squelching, dismounts and heads off to shower(as if being wetter was at all useful) or at the very least to dry off and sulk in the Common Room with everyone else.

Laney Abbott feels some of the good spirit at winning, though her only role in this sodden game was to let Gryffindor score. As such, her jubilation at her first Quidditch game being a win is tinged with self-mockery, evident with the rather closed expression of her eyes as she avoids the team and stalks off of the pitch, murmuring vague pleasantries that sound rather forced if anyone addresses her.

Grinning at her team, her demeanor much improved from the start of the match, Noémie looks quite pleased now. “Good work, everybody! We played beautifully!” Hearing Bailey’s comment, though, her attention strays toward the castle. “A party sounds about right, don’t you think?” the girl tells her team. “Come on, let’s celebrate!” Striding over to hand the snitch over to Keelan, Noémie turns, then, and runs inside. She doesn’t even stop along the way, instead going to the commonroom dripping wet. What’s a little detention in light of this cause for celebration?

Amidst the hustle and bustle of children of assorted ages and uniform colours, Gabriel Goden shoves his way through the masses in the Express’ corridor, Briony in tow. “Mooove,” Gabriel mutters under his breath, eventually spotting an empty section. “In here, Bri,” Gabe advises, turning his neck to make eye contact as he points. He opens the door with no intention of closing it himself and slumps onto a seat. The summer, against his will, had gone so fast, and now it was back to school. How could anyone be cheerful? “Well, another year,” Gabe says to Briony with a sigh.

With a bit of a flourish, the door opens again and Carrie Mary Jane Whittier enters the door. She’s carrying a smell pet carrier in which a siamese cat lays sleeping, a suitcase of clothes, and a small golden harp. But that’s not what draws attention from anyone who knew her before. When she left Hogwarts last year, Carrie had beautiful long red hair that used to fly behind her during quidditch matches. Now, it’s cut off into a jet black, bob-style haircut. Her face is powdered, and her lips painted into a petite blood red circle. “Terribly sorry to intrude,” She grins as she enters, “But all the other carriages are full.”

“Isn’t it exciting, Gabe-y?” Briony answers cheerfully, bounding in with a rather harried looking cat in her arms. “It’s okay, Whimsy. We’re going soon. Come on, Alden! Don’t straggle!” Briony sounds like quite the all-knowing older sister as she plops down as close to the window as she can, on the seat facing Gabriel. “I can’t wait for Quidditch this year, can you? I’m sure we’ll do better. I’ve been practicing all summer, of course. I want us to get the cup this year! And we’re going to do good with the Good Deed Club. Alden, you can be with us if you’re sorted into Gryffindor. Well, of course you’ll be Gryffindor. You should be, anyway. I’ll be terribly disappointed if you’re not. And, and, oh, I get to start the electives this year! I’m so excited to see the Divination teacher. Nearly everybody likes her!”

Alden Wexler follows Briony in to the cabin with a small sigh, his expression grave. “Don’t shout, Briony. It’s unbecoming, especially when I’m just behind you.” He lingers in the doorway for a moment, waiting for his older sister to find her seat and clear the way, before placing his suitcase neatly up in the rack and taking a seat near the door and opposite from Briony. His arms folding over his chest in a thoughtful way. He had vague feeling that this would be a long trip — much longer than the floo power ride still dusted his cheeks annoyingly with soot that delivered him to Diagon Alley.

Gabriel truly doesn’t recognize Carrie as he replies to her with, “Yeah, it’s no problem,” and turns to glare somewhat at Briony. “Exciting?” he echoes before he remains silent for a few seconds, not hearing much of what Briony says (though, this lack of attention can partly be defended by the notion that Gabe thinks she is mainly talking to Alden anyways. Though, it was hard to tell for Gabe sometimes). Despite the figurative cloud looming over him, he almost can’t help getting caught up in Briony’s excitement somewhat. Maybe this year would be better. Shrugging to Alden, Gabriel Goden sighs as he looks back to Briony. “This year will be great,” he says with the naive, hopeful tone so common of him in his younger years.

“I didn’t shout,” Briony comments, taking this in stride as she continues on. “Hi! You’re on Hufflepuff team, aren’t you?” she tells Carrie, but doesn’t linger. “Anyway, buck up, Gabe. We’re going back to Hogwarts! Your mum is still our House Head isn’t she? I like her being our House Head. Professor Calwern scared me a little bit. She had all those rules and I was afraid I was going to break some.” Briony shakes her head a bit and then shrugs, grinning cheerfully at her brother and her friend. “Why are you so glum? You’ve been this way all summer. It’s no fun. We didn’t even get to go on any adventures because of it.” A pout crosses Briony‘s face as she says this, but it doesn’t last long. “Maybe we can find some while we’re running through the Good Deed Club and solve them! We didn’t find many last year. It was really sad. I wish we had.”

Felicity Wexler lingers for as long as she is allowed on Platform 9 3/4 — standing beside next to a short, silver-haired woman in her early seventies, who leans heavily on a cane. With one arm linked with the elderly woman, helping support her, Felicity talks in near tears to her until the whistle blows it’s last warning and the ushers begin making final shouts. And it’s with deep, obvious reluctance that Felicity parts with her (not for the least of the matter that the lack of support almost causes the old woman to fall over, until two men on the platform come to help), make it on to the train. Tears in her eyes that she fights to hold back, Felicity makes her way quickly to the nearest cabin with a window looking out on her Grandmother Larsen — and without worrying about it being Briony who she has to press close to in order to look out the window and wave, she abandons her suitcase at the door and cuts straight to her objective, watching sadly as the two men help the old muggle woman toward a hearthstone so she can return home.

Sitting down to the lukewarm reaction from Gabe, Carrie actually bursts out in a tiny laugh, “You really don’t recognise me, do you? I’m offended, Mr. Gabriel Goden. I stole the quaffle enough times from you last year to think you’d have noticed me.” She winks, and plucks at her harp, noting, “Briony here has a sharper mindski, I see.” She also smiles to Felicity as she comes in, and quips, “Oh, my! I’ve boarded the Wexler compartment, I see!” Her smile doesn’t dip, though, and she even begins to play a quiet tune on the harp.

“What?” questions Gabriel, confused at Carrie and showing it with a perked eyebrow and ignoring Briony for the time being. “Oh,” he says, realization dawning on him finally. “Right, I guess I recognize you, K… C… uhh…” he stutters with her name, though he probably did know it at one point. “Yeah, I recognize you,” he says quickly and looks away, a little flushed. As luck would have it, he turns immediately to the teary Felicity. Even worse! Girls and their emotions…! In a last effort, he turns to Briony, safe and always cheerful Briony. “Yeah, I… I…” he starts before crossing his arms and smiling, maybe a little falsely. “I’ll tell you later… this summer was kind of… a failed mission.” He shrugs. “But yeah, my mum’s the head of Gryffindor again this year.”

Alden Wexler arches a brow as Felicity comes bolting in to the compartment, leaving her suitcase at what is, essentially, his feet. Exhaling a long sigh as the Felicity leans over Briony to get to the window, knowing at least in part the nature of the girl’s apprehension and tears, Alden (much like Gabe) looks away. Though his motion is bore more out of modesty than any embaressement. Without a word, he rises, takes Felicity’s trunk, and stretches himself once more to place it in to the racks.

As Felicity continues to cry, Carrie finally breaks her carefully constructed image to shuffle next to her and ask, “Hey, hey. You alright, Jane?” She rubs a hand over Felicity’s shoulder. “It’s alright… shush. It’s alright. I’ll play you a song, OK? Make everyone happy here?”

“Hey, I was here first,” Briony comments and frowns a bit. Felicity isn’t her favorite cousin, after all. Does Briony have a favorite cousin. “Get your own window seat if you want one.” Briony doesn’t say this with as much sourness as usual, because having seen Felicity’s grandmother, even Briony can’t help but feel a little bit sad for the girl. “Oh, a failed mission?” Briony responds to GAbriel, looking almost concerned at it. “Why did it fail? You should have let me help! We would have succeeded together. After all, I’m thirteen now. I’m every bit as good at stuff as you.” So Briony thinks anyway. The train has begun moving, and Briony shoots a beaming look of pride to Alden. “Look, isn’t it nifty? The train ride is so fun.”

Wiping a few tears from her cheeks that manage to escape despite her best efforts, Felicity looks briefly to Carrie — smiling a little, in a brave sort of way, before rising and pulling away somewhat from Briony and the window. “No, thank you, I’m alright –” Briony’s words, strangely, are somewhat comforting to her. The mild harshness in her tone is familiar, and so it’s in the nature of that solid rock that she pushes Briony on the arm (though decidedly more gentle than she would most other times, matching Briony’s understated kindness with some of her own) before flopping down next to her Gryffindor cousin. She passes a small smile of thanks back to Alden, for his putting her suitcase away, and decidedly keeps her gaze from the window as the trainstation fades well from view. Otherwise, she remains quiet.

“I said I’ll tell you later,” Gabriel re-states with much emphasis, eyeing the others in the compartment furtively. Really, it wasn’t the type of ‘mission’ one discussed openly while among others. “And…” though it pains Gabriel to say it, “I… don’t know if you’ll be able to help. Or anyone.” He blinks quickly a couple times before forcing a smile again and trying to change the subject. “It’s okay, Felicity, it’ll be summer again soon. Just think about how fast last year went,” he lies, trying to make her feel better about leaving.

Felicity Wexler nodding slightly to Gabe, in response to his comforting words — words she knows to be false, but words that are comforting never the less, she puts on her best smile, in an attempt to convince herself that she might believe them. Her hands fold in her lap, and she finally turns her gaze to Alden — somewhat curious what it is that Gabe is whispering about, but feeling a little to down to pry. “Are you excited?”

Alden Wexler shifts his gaze back to Felicity once she has regained control of herself, his expression mute — excitement, it would seem, wasn’t a part of his typical profile. “About Sorting, you mean?” Alden murmurs, thoughtfully. His voice mildly high pitched, and somewhat effeminate despite the clarity and certainty he pours in to his words. It only adds to the general air of “delicacy” that radiates from the child. “Not especially, no.”

Keelan Walsh is standing on the platform, covered in robes that seem impervious to the rain that falls thickly from the sky. “First year students, please, this way!” She swings about a lantern, held high over her already considerably tall head, to emphasize her location. “Everyone else, the carriages are–over there!” Indeed, the carriages are lit rather warmly, as though they’ve been fitted with heating for the particularly blustery weather this Sorting day. “Come on, first years! We’ve got a lovely trip planned for you.” If being drowned from above while floating across an icy lake in the dark could possibly be considered fun.

Kara Raine hopes off the train, turning back to wave towards Rhyne. “Good luck! See you at the feast.” Glancing around, the second year tries to stay up with her fellow Ravenclaws, trying to see where they need to go next. No boat for her this year.

Alden Wexler hardly seems to notice the rain as Keelan calls out for the first years — quite despite the fact that in a little under a few moments, the poor boy in new school robes is throughly soaked, head to foot. Without a word, he does as instructed, following Keelan along the way. Ugh, rain. Olivia sighs and pulls her hood up carefully, tucking her hair back into the hood as best she can, though the water has not done nice things to it. “I’m glad we’re finally here,” she comments to Evan, making her way to the carriage and stepping into one several down.

Exiting the train, Evan pauses after a few steps to hear Keelan’s familiar voice and watch the first years begin to separate. He looks in particular for one first year boy; upon spotting the child confidently walking off toward Keelan with a few others, he hurries to follow Olivia into the carriage.

Riley Markham throws a somewhat cold look up at the Faculty table as he enters the Great Hall — wine red hair soaking wet despite his brief exposure to the rain. His expression is nothing short of rageful as it falls upon the Headmistress, before he flops down at the Ravenclaw table with a dark, dark hiss.

(Gryffindor) Being seemingly confused due to the events in the train compartment, Andy sits down at the Gryffindor table, keeping an eye on Orion. As Felicity comes in, he wishes he could be invisible or vanish in the ground. Still unsure how to handle the experience he looks down to the table, glancing up only from time to time, checking Orion and the Faculty table.

(Gryffindor) Forcing himself into something resembling a cheerful mood, Gabe glances up to the faculty table, too, as he seats himself at Gryffindor’s table. After he is unable to catch his mother’s eye (she seems busy talking to a child at the table, go figure), Gabriel shrugs, acting like he didn’t try to make eye contact in the first place. “These feasts are always the same, have you noticed?” he asks Briony with a perked brow. “Not that it’s a bad thing,” he adds, catching himself in what could be interpreted as a negative comment.

(Gryffindor) “Well, I suppose so,” Briony answer quickly, shrugging a bit. “I like watching people get sorted. And my brother’s going to be sorted, so I’ve got to pay attention. I do hope he’s in Gryffindor like me and mum and dad. I’ll be so disappointed if he isn’t.” She pauses. “Though, I’ll still like him no matter what house he’s in.” She sounds very rehearsed as she states this and then leans down with her chin in her palm. “I dunno if I’d like him to be in Slytherin, though. I don’t know many Slytherins that I like. I think they’re too mean.” Clearly, the girl hasn’t had many run-ins with Slytherins.

(Gryffindor) Felicity Wexler sinks down in to a seat next to Andy, looking preoccupied and tired. Her gaze lowers toward her empty plate, and almost idly, she reaches up and takes a curly lock of hair between her fingers before absently moving it toward her lips.

(Gryffindor) “Like my sister you mean?” Gabe asks with a grin. “If she’s a model Slytherin, I’m glad that we don’t have much to do with them,” he says. “If my mum would have had another kid, I bet it would have been in Ravenclaw. Then mum would have a full set,” muses Gabriel , idly scratching an eyebrow. “It’s strange how we all ended up in different houses I think,” he continues with, picking up a fork and standing it on its tines, though not letting go. “Don’t you think?” he asks Briony, looking down afterwards.

(Gryffindor) “I guess it kind of is,” she answers cheerfully. “But my dad was in Gryffindor, and then Uncle Logan was in Slytherin — dad still doesn’t like that; I think he wishes Uncle Logan had been Gryffindor, too — and then Uncle Jared was a Ravenclaw and Uncle Gilbert was Hufflepuff, and then Uncle Freddie was Gryffindor, too, and Auntie Eva was Ravenclaw. So I guess they have all the houses, too. Maybe it’s not that uncommon. I wonder if any families have only people who go to one house. That would be neat, don’t you think?” Briony giggles as she says this, thinking more about it. “Imagine, a whole family of Ravenclaws. I bet they’d all own libraries!”

(Gryffindor) “No, no,” Gabriel says, being caught up in his excitement of times past. “One, a sister, would own a library. The parents would own a dusty museum and the brother would be the manager of Flourish and Blotts,” he says, ticking the entities off on his fingers. “The youngest sister would be an editor for the romance novels of the oldest sister, and the oldest brother would be a guide on the tours of his parents’ museum,” he says, grinning as he pictures the family, all with inch-thick glasses and disheveled hair.

(Gryffindor) “My mum was in Slytherin,” Felicity says, quietly, turning her gaze toward Gabriel and Briony. Her tone is somewhat shy, almost as if she isn’t certain she should be joining thier conversation. But all told, she needs to talk, to get the image of the receeding train station out her mind. “Dad, too, I think. I’ve never asked him. Not sure about my sisters, either, though I’d bet Maura was in Gryffindor or Hufflepuff.” Felicity didn’t have much oppertunity to speak to her family often, socially, considering how busy they all were.

(Gryffindor) Sensing the pathetic tone in Felicity’s voice, without really understanding what she, Briony and Gabriel were talking about, Andy is torn between staying quiet and involve in the conversation and maybe find out what was her cause of concern. He finally lifts his gaze and turns to his housemates. “Hey, I…ahm…unfortunately didn’t find you in the train.” he attempts with a tiny voice.

(Gryffindor) “You don’t even know what houses they were in? How could you not know?” Gabe asks Felicity, obviously surprised at learning these things. Just how someone could never have heard what houses their family members were in is completely lost on Gabriel. The boy shrugs as he lets the subject drop, sensing somewhat that Felicity is still a bit depressed about leaving that woman he saw her waving to.

(Gryffindor) Felicity Wexler cringes a little with subtle voracity of Gabriel’s question. Any other time, and she might have bristled, lashed back with a stressed few words of her own which, likely, would met and exceeded anything Gabe’s slightly exasperated question might have delivered with a hint of sack full of righteous anger. However, the simple fact that she has had a lingering, mild crush on Gabe ever since they were first years, combined with the nature of her current, delicate state, instead only lowers her voice and makes her retreat a little. “I.. mum and dad.. are just busy, I don’t see them.. much, and Maura and Ariena are so much older than me.. and they’re gone, living on their own.. and really, it’s just me and Grandmother Larsen.. and she’s a muggle..” Her voice sort of drifts away, accepting Gabe’s willingness to shrug and let it go, before turning to look to Andy. “What cabin were you in? Who did you sit with?”

Entering later than the other faculty, Astra wipes her hands nervously on her robes. Hurrying up to the table, she doesn’t greet anyone or even Arriving at the faculty table; she walks around behind it and takes her seat.

(Gryffindor) Andy shudders a bit at Felicity’s question, but answers right away. “Uhm…It was the…third, yes. And there was this Hufflepuff with me. Orion. I suppose you know him?” Andy tries to look into her eyes for the first time this evening. He can’t hide a hint of reproach in his glance.

(Gryffindor) Felicity Wexler blinks, twice, before looking at Andy wide-eyed. “You sat with Orion Kari?” A small, quiet hint of excitement fills her voice as she turns in her seat and reaches out to take both of Andy’s hands in both of her own. “What was he like? What happened? Did he say anything?”

(Gryffindor) Another world collapsing for Andy, every crumb of hope has just been blown away. Shutting his eyes for a split second, Andy gathers some power to be able to speak again. “He has been drawing, just sitting around, not talking much or let’s say hardly anything. Just not my type of person to be with, I think.” he replies, rolling his eyes a bit.

Keelan Walsh leads the firt years out of the Waiting Room, most of them still soaking wet, Keelan herself strangely dry as she removes a ridiculously large cloak. Up she goes toward the head of the room, darting a glance at the other faculty with a ‘And why do I have to do this?’ look on her face. Then there’s a brief smile as she disappears off to the side. Returning, she carries with her the age-old stool (although it’s sturdy) with an ages-older rumbled bit of hat. This is set down in front of the Faculty table and she steps aside, clasping her hands silently in front of herself.

Fern Featherstone follows after Keelan. Her upper teeth press gently against her thin lower lip as she attempts to control her nerves, while looking over the room from beneath the curtain of her sparse lashes. She then tilts her narrow chin and looks up toward the ceiling. A gasp is heard, but Fern stubbornly and with much pride tries to control her vocal and trembling reaction. When the hat begins to sing, she looks upon it with a nervous kind of suspicion. She then looks toward the other first years, waiting to see what how they respond before stepping into a line.

Alden Wexler widens his eyes at that last line — no matter how composed a young boy appears about the process of Sorting — the notion of possibly being bitten by a old, dirty hat raises a hint of alarm as regards the patched bit of leather on the stool from the end of the line of first years. Still, he remains quiet, hands clasped in front of him, regaining his composure with a small shake of his head that sends droplets raining in a meager arch around him.

Keelan Walsh unclasps her hands and produces from a pocket a thick role of parchment. Unfurling it a bit, she repeats the instructions, “When I call your name, step up and place the hat upon your head, please. Peering through her spectacles at the first name, her voice comes, a bit unsteady, truth be told. “Castle, Rhyne!”

“I’m going to be in Slytherin, I know it,” Satinka tells Seker in a quiet whisper as she crosses her arms. Her voice is stronger and more certain than the look on her face would have one believe, but the girl appears rather focussed on the old-looking hat that sits nearby and then glances to Keelan. “Oh, I wonder where he’ll be sorted,” she comments and watches with interest as the first name is called.

Rhyne Castle makes his way to the Sorting Hat and settles it firmly on his head, doing his best to project more confidence than he actually feels. He waits in silent anticipation for the hat’s verdict.

Rhyne Castle blinks, owlishly, as he removes the hat, looking just a little bit bewildered. Although the bemused expression doesn’t fade entirely, it is joined by something at least resembles pleasure, and he puts on a more-or-less convincing smile as he goes to join his new housemates.

Falling into line behind Satinka, Seker only nods and watches nervously as Rhyne is sorted. “I met him in Hogsmeade,” comments Seker after a moment, clapping as the boy is declared a Ravenclaw. “Well, it looks easy,” Seker notes, sighing.

Fern Featherstone shifts her slight weight from one narrow foot to another as she stands in the line. She watches as Rhyne is sorted, seemingly slightly less nervous now. Her thin lips curve into the ghost of a smile. She then glances between Satinka and Seeker, clearly listening to their words.

“It didn’t hurt him, it looks like. Looks kind of easy. All you have to do is wear it. I wonder what it does. Do you suppose it just randomly picks, or if it really does decide based on, well, how you are?” Satinka whispers back, watching for the next name to be called while Rhyne makes his way to Ravenclaw table.

Keelan Walsh calls out, “Cowper, Jason,” who takes approximately four seconds before the hat calls, “Gryffindor!” and then Keelan calls another Ravenclaw, then a Slytherin and “Featherstone, Fern!”

Alden Wexler applaudes politely as Rhyne Castle is sorted in to Ravenclaw, squinting a little as the newly sorted student removes the hat as if he might actually be able to see if the leathery bit of rag actually had teeth or not to carry out the threatened biting.

Fern Featherstone approaches the hat with tentative steps, suggesting that the slender girl is rather shy. Still she throws back her narrow shoulders and lifts her dainty chin, as if trying to display a bit of pride. She reaches for the hat, while frowning with distaste in response to its ragged appearance. She then places it upon her head, leaving her lank ragged dark locks to cascade against her shoulders. Her breath quivers in the hollow of her pale slender throat, as she awaits the sorting and her small form is tense, as she sits still, silent and statue like.

Keelan Walsh claps a bit awkwardly and briefly and then continues on with two Hufflepuffs, another Gryffindor, “Linwood, Patricia!” who goes to Gryffindor as well, a Ravenclaw followed by a Slytherin and two Gryffindors and then, with a smirk, Keelan announces, “Rathe, Satinka!”

“There’s no way it’s random, are you joking me?” Seker whispers in an incredulous tone to his sister. “Haven’t you heard of the families who all get into one house, no fail?” Seker questions, crossing his arms. “No, it’s got to read your mind or something,” he says with determination, though clapping idly. “We’ll be joining her in a few minutes, hopefully,” Seker says, watching the girl go to sit down. “Go!” Seker says suddenly.

Looking startled, Satinka lets out a gasp as her name is called, and glances back at her brother, walking to the stool with unusual caution. Hesitating a moment, she looks at the hat, and then picks it up, simultaneously plopping it on her head while sitting quickly onto the stool. She bites her lip and closes her eyes up tight, seeming to be in deep conversation, or else in deep pain while she wears the illustrious hat.

With very little pause, Keelan announces, “Rathe, Seker!” as if she really needed to emphasize that he was next in line.

Still taking deep breaths, Seker does smile as his sister is sorted, nodding in her direction. One down! Now the other Rathe needed to be placed rightfully as a son of Slytherin. Hearing his name called, Seker feels like choking and fainting (life is so hard), but instead nods and steps up to the hat, sitting down and putting it on.

“It isn’t random,” Alden assures them, finally, as Satinka’s name is called. Though he chooses not to elaborate on anything else he might have gleaned from his summer reading. He draws a deep breath the closer it gets to his name being called, idly wondering if it were better that his last name was poised at the end of the alphabet, or if it might have been more simple to be at the beginning and get it over with. Indeed, despite all appearances, he is nervous. Though largely, it’s more rooted in the fact that his mother is watching from the faculty table, and seemingly a half dozen relatives are all scattered in the audience, eagerly awaiting another Wexler in their house, and sure to give him guff should he fail to share it.

Stunned, it is a few seconds before Seker comprehends the word emitted from the hat. “What?” he asks, standing up and turning around to look at his mother, his face a mask of surprise and horror. He can’t bring himself to try and look at Satinka, not after she made it and he didn’t. What is this. What it this? Seker is in a stunned reverie as he stumbles to the Hufflepuff table, not thinking, yet, to look for Rafe or any of the other Hufflepuffs he’s acquainted with. It was probably a prank or something. Well, Seker would play along for now. “Hello!” Seker greets his ‘housemates’ with a put-on genial demeanor. “What are we having?” he asks, pointing to his empty plate with a perked brow.

Keelan Walsh chokes a bit on the next name, though Sheldon, Galen sorts to Slytherin all the same. Three Ravenclaws, a Gryffindor, and yet another Hufflepuff later, she calls, “Wexler, Alden!” who is second to last in the world of Sorting unless someone has been missing from the list or Keelan‘s recitation of names.

Alden Wexler swallow a breath, Alden steps forward, moving toward the stool and the old, patched hat with an even stride. He pauses briefly to glance up at the faculty table toward Sibyl, then to the Gryffindor table toward Briony and Felicity, before exhaling a long sigh and lifting up the Sorting Hat. With a grave expression, he climbs on to the stool and places the hat on his head.

(Gryffindor) Gasping, Briony‘s face falls ever so slightly as her brother is sorted into Hufflepuff. Brothers apparently are to go to different places than their sisters this year, and it is clear that Briony was hoping rather hard for him to come to Gryffindor. “He would have made such a dandy Gryffindor,” she comments. “It’s sad, now he’s a Hufflepuff.”

His eyes somewhat wide, caught a little off guard by the insight of the hat, Alden quietly removes the cap after it’s shout and slides off the old, solid stool. “Thank you,” he says, politely, to the ragged bit of leather, before turning toward the cheering table to take his seat. He was certain he could feel Briony gaping at him from behind.

Keelan Walsh calls out, “Wexler, Kyler!” who takes a seat and sits there for so long Keelan is actually startled to hear, “Slytherin!” call forth from the hat. With one last look over the assembled students, she rolls up the parchment, claps briefly, and takes the stool and hat away. When she returns, it is to her seat at the faculty table, where she relaxes, duties done.

Melvina Prichard rises from the faculty table purposefully once the ritual of Sorting has concluded, lifting her nimble, long-fingered hands in a suggestive way as she beckons the student audience for silence. “Excuse me, quiet please — yes, that includes you, Mister Alcot.” Her voice is thick and strong, but laced with an ever-present hint of amusement. An almost coy half-grin touches her lips, looks over the heart of her school.

“Greetings, everyone,” Melvina calls, her voice dancing across the Great Hall at a comfortable volume. “Welcome to your school year nineteen hundred and twenty seven! I trust that all of you enjoyed your summer vacations! As I’m sure most you of you are now aware, my name is Melvina Prichard and I am the Headmistress of Hogwarts school. Last year, all of you helped give this blustering, frugal old woman a home and a purpose. This year, I hope to reward and repay each of you for that wonderful gift. Now, pressing on, I’ve some beginning of term announcements to make.” Clearing her throat, the Headmistress pulls a pair of spectacles from her emerald robe pocket and resting them on the bridge of her nose, before gathering up a tightly-bound scroll sitting next to her empty plate.

“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 begins to unroll the wound parchment, “Spellwork outside of the classroom, rough play, pranks, hijinxs, dungbombs, Whimple’s Pimple Powder..” Demonstratively, she allows the end of the scroll to slip from her fingers, clatter to the table, spill over the edge, and roll across the floor Great Hall until it exhausts itself somewhere near the door of the waiting room across the entrance hall. A somewhat playful glint sparkling in her eyes, Melvina sets her end of the very long list down and vanishes it with a flick of a wand which she withdraws from the sleeve of her robes. “As you can see, the list goes on. Be sure to check it.”

After a small bubble of laughter, Melvina takes up a blessedly smaller sheet of parchment. “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 most certainly forget that pesky little rule. It just slips out, squeezed away from the building pressure of knowledge our fine professor work so hard to fill your head with over the year.” 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 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. Also, I’d like to congratulate our new Head Boy and Head Girl, Andrew Larson and Margaret Cresterton. Mister Larson and Miss Cresterton, please stand.” She applauds once the two have risen, leading those who care to join her in a modest round of congratulations, before continuing on.

“Well done, Head Boy, Head Girl,” the Headmistress says, sincerely. “On to faculty. There are many exciting changes in Hogwarts staff this year, so to begin I hope you all with help me in welcoming Professor Phoebe Helit whom will be heading up our Muggle Studies department, and Professor Addison Williamson whom will helm our History of Magic class.” Melvina holds for a pleasant-enough round of applause before plowing on. “Also, though she has been with us a great while, I hope you’ll all help congratulate and welcome Professor Rathe in to her new role as Deputy Headmistress. Naturally, she’ll continue to provide you all with excellent lessons in your Defense Against the Dark Arts courses as well.” Another pause for applause, and quietly surprised murmurs — it was hardly a secret that last year Professor Rathe could hardly stand Professor Prichard. Now she was Deputy Headmistress? “Sadly, I must inform you that Professors Calwern and Ashcroft have chosen to step down. Professor Fallon will properly replace Professor Calwern as Gryffindor head of house.”

Following a deep, relieved breath and Melvina finally sets down the parchment and removes her glasses. “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. This is my second year as Headmistress of Hogwarts school — last year was a daring step on to the path of the uncertainty for all of us. A maiden voyage, where bold choices were made, some rising to shimmering brilliance, others not so much. But in this second year, the fright of the unknown fades as well all walk in a comfortable security. Each sure we know, or at suspect, of what to expect It is in this peaceful repetition that we as a family forge traditions. Thus, I announce to you all our first of many traditions, the second annual Barefoot Social.” A sly, almost devillish 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 of us returning for 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, briefly, as she looks out at her young crowd. Obviously, she is terribly proud of herself. “As this is the mother of tradition, we shall follow the precident set by last year’s grandmother event — 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, and a handful of other special events 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.

Rising from her place at the faculty table and clearing her throat loudly in a meaningful manner, Melvina lifts her hands motions for the room to quiet. The hall is lavishly decorated in blue and silver, as seems the tradition for the current house points holder. “Hello, dear students of Hogwarts term 1926 to 1927. Or, more aptly, I should say, goodbye. What a year it has been! Yes, indeed. But, before we travel much further done this ceremonial road designed to fill our bellies, hearts, and minds until our next fine year of learning, it is my great honor of announcing to you all we have with us a special guest, joining us for a good-will mission of sorts. If you will please direct your attention, and warmly welcome…” withdrawing her long wand from the sleeve of her emerald green robes, Melvina gives the length of cherry wood a dramatic flick. The huge double doors at the rear of the hall swings open slowly, their loud creak filling the room.

(Gryffindor) Though the gryffindor has been chattering almost incessantly to her friends, when Melvina begins to speak, Briony clams up quickly, staring up at the front of the room. Now is not the time to lose more points for Gryffindor, of course. It wouldn’t be the right way to end the year. “Who do you reckon is coming?” she asks those around her as the doors open and she cranes her head to see what’s going on at the back of the room.

(Gryffindor) Not one to be outdone by the likes of Briony, Rawnie was chatting it up quite feverently herslef and had to be nudged several times by her neighbor before she was stifled sufficiently. “Maybe it’sa troll.” Whispers Rawnie to Briony, it’s no secret she had been wanting to see one since the begining of the year.

As the doors swing open to allow a view into the entrance hall, it is Sylvie Winters-Geroff, Minister for Magic, who is revealed standing behind them. Her eyes flit over the tables of students quickly, head not turning, before she takes her first steps into the room. From there it is a straight walk up the middle aisle, somewhat formal dark robes swishing slightly as they hang around her, until she has joined Melvina at the front of the hall. When she reaches it she gives a brief nod of greating to Melvina. “Thank you, Headmistress.”

(Gryffindor) Leaning back, away from the fainting chatter, Andy Carver pays attention to what the Headmistress has to tell them. Brisky turning around to the opening entrance door he almost falls over and saves himself by taking a hold of the table. “Hm, who’s that?” he asks, feeling sort of uninformed.

(Gryffindor) “It’s the Minister for Magic,” Briony hisses to Andy with a wide-eyed expression. “I got to meet her at the Ball! Oh, she’s so important!” Briony seems not to know what other adjective to apply to the woman as she stares with interest, almost rising in her seat to see better over the tall person nearby.

Melvina Prichard returns the nod with one of her own, her lips painted with a quiet, half-amused grin that is pertepually a part of her character. Perhaps more so now than on average. She did so enjoy the dramatics. “Naturally, Minister,” she replies, before finishing her introduction to the crowd. “Sylvie Winters-Geroff, Minister for Magic.” She offers some time for the stunned silence and whatever applauses might creep up out of the shock, before pushing on. “The Minister’s time is short, and she has a very special purpose for visiting us today, so I will turn the floor, and my pedistal, over to her. Minister?” Stepping away from the podium from which Melvina usually stands behind, she motions for Sylvie to take it, before returning to her seat.

(Gryffindor) A sigh of dissapointment from Rawnie, “I wish it was a troll. Witha big club’n everthin.” She mutters pokeing at her empty plate before turning attention to the Head Mistress again curiously…. but still pouty.

(Gryffindor) Felicity Wexler actually drops her pumpkin juice as the Minister for Magic enters, and lets out a fairly loud squee as it stains her skirt, immediately grabbing up as many napkins — her own, and her neighbors, to try to contain the mess as best she can while turning a fairly brilliant shade of red.

(Gryffindor) “A troll? Well, that would be exciting, I admit,” the girl tells her housemate with a bit of a giggle until she notice that her napkin has been stolen up. “Hey, that’s mine, FeLICity,” Briony tells her cousin with a scowl. “You shouldn’t take things without asking. It’s just a bit of pumpkin juice.”

“Thank you, again.” As Melvina takes her seat, Sylvie turns to fully face the students, pausing a moment as she looks over them again before she starts speaking. It’s been a few years since she’s been in this exact position, after all, though many of the older students are still familiar. “I am here today to honor two of your peers, two of the wizarding world’s finest citizens, for their great efforts put forth this past year on behalf of one of your professors.” A very quick glance is directed back at Karina. “Miss Eliza Marlowe, Mister Martin Foster, would you please join me?”

(Gryffindor) “Just a bit of pumpkin juice?” Felicity says, her voice becoming a bit shrill, even as she tries to whisper. Sylvie’s words, however, give her pause, as she looks up front while maddly dabbing at her skirt as if it would help the orange liquid from settling in.

(Gryffindor) Andy Carver really feels dumb now, but does not try to find and excuse. “Oh, politicians…” he rolls his eyes and sends a commiserating smile to Felicity as she tries to recover her skirt. As a quarrel seems to be about to begin between the cousins she hisses back, adressing both of them with a blink. “Psst, the Minister.”

(Gryffindor) “She’s the one making noise, don’t psst at me,” Briony retorts irritably and scoffs at Felicity. “You should just learn a charm for that,” the girl tells her cousin and turns her face to Sylvie as the Minister begins to talk. “Oooooh, I wonder what they’re being honored for! I want to be honored!”

With a startled gasp, Eliza Marlowe springs to her feet, unfolding gracefully to her full height despite the fact that her mouth is still hanging open in surprise. It stays open as she exchanges a glance across the room with Martin over the heads of the other students – then looks back to the Minister, and then to Karina, and then to the Minister again. Slowly at first, and then faster as the initial shock wears away, Eliza strides down the aisle towards the head table, a slow, incredulous smile beginning to spread across her face.

(Gryffindor) “Quiet ya ninnys!” Whispers Rawnie to her table suddenly and uncharacteristicly as Martin and Eliza are called. “I bet there gunner get a reward er somthin.” She says with a bright smile tossing Felicity one of her own napkins.

(Gryffindor) Andy Carver smiles and applauds as the headgirl’s and headboy’s names are announced. “Maybe we’ll be seeing you walking up there in a few years.” Andy grins to Briony. “I wonder what she’ll tell them…or give them…” he considers.

(Gryffindor) Felicity Wexler makes a vague clucking noise with her tongue at the notion of Briony being honored, though she sagely keeps any further commentary to herself, actually to curious about what it is that the Minister for Magic has come all this way to do.

Sylvie Winters-Geroff offers a brief smile to the Head Boy and Girl as they walk forward, waiting until both have reached the front of the room before she speaks again. “Mister Foster and Miss Marlowe played a crucial role in researching and apprehending Immanual Irving, a man who was working illegally to create and test dangerous potions.” She leave the explanation at that; the news of the trial likely spread even to here. “In doing so, they also cleared the name of Professor Sedgewick, for which I know we are all very grateful.” “For their skill, determination, and bravery in assisting the Ministry in this way, each will be awarded the Order of Merlin First Class.”

(Gryffindor) “I will be honored someday,” Briony comments quietly, then clapping cheerfully as the Minister announces the Head Boy and Girl’s work in apprehending a criminal. Her applause is loud, though she does not deign to whistle as she might otherwise. After all, Briony has some sense of decorum when she needs to.

(Gryffindor) “Woo! Way ter go!” Yelps Rawnie as she cheers with the rest of the school as the two students are awarded, in the middle of her excitement she pauses and leans over the table asking “Wot’s this order-o-Merlin thing?” Yes utterly clueless as usual but being raised Muggle gives her ignorance an exscuse at least.

“What?” Eliza‘s exclamation carries to every corner of the Great Hall, and her mouth hangs open again for a moment after it is done. She looks swiftly over at Martin, as if to check whether he’s heard the same thing that she has. “Order of – First class?” Eliza repeats, her powerful voice barely a whisper now. And then she looks back at Sylvie, gulps, and straightens up, unfurling her shoulders to stand at attention before the Minister. Another smile starts to edge up the corners of Eliza‘s mouth, smaller, wondering, and proud.

(Gryffindor) Andy Carver‘s jaw drops. “An Order of Merlin First Class?” A warm feeling of joy emerges from deep inside of him and he applauds loudly. Amazed he settles again. “Unbelievable, it must be like a dream comes true for them.” he says, still beaming.

(Gryffindor) “First class!” the girl gasps loudly. “It’s the top award they can get!” Briony tells Rawnie and stands up a bit, clapping loudly again. “Oh, my… can you imagine? We should be so lucky.”

Slight smile back as she watches Eliza and Martin’s reactions, Sylvie waits until the large amounts of cheering have died down again before continuing. When it finally does, she turns to face the Head Boy and Girl, taking a single step toward them to present each with the award and offer a handshake. Alongside this she adds, “Thank you, both, for your services. I’m glad to know there are people such as you, and am sure you will both do well once you leave these walls.” She offers another, larger smile to the two, before turning back to the student body at large. “It has been a pleasure to be here with you today. With no further ado, I turn you back to your Headmistress.”

With a steady hand, Eliza reaches out to accept the award, shaking the Minister’s hand firmly with the other. She stands even taller, if that were possible, and her smile shines forth into a full-force grin as she closes her hand around her Order of Merlin. But Eliza‘s eyes are shining with more than pride – as she withdraws from the handshake, she hastily reaches up to scrub at her eyes with the heel of her hand, swallowing hard even amid her smiles.

Rising from the Faculty table after Eliza and Martin have accepted the rewards, Melvina applauds loudly, after after a few moments, motions for everyone to rise and applaud as well. And with some satisfaction, she notes that the applause is both loud and very sincere. “Thank you, Minister, and congratulations to the Head Boy and Head Girl! Let us praise our fine student leaders by honoring the with the school song!” Giving a great, wordless, hooting cheer, the Headmistress breaks in to a very loud, very happy round of largely off-key song, in hopes that the room follows her lead in good cheer. “Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts, teach us something, please! Whether we be old and bald, or young with scabby knees! Our heads could do with filling, with some interesting stuff! For now they’re bare and full of air, dead flies and bits of fluff! So teach us things worth knowing, bring back what we’ve forgot! Just do your best, we’ll do the rest, and learn until our brains all rot!” And only once the Headmistress-invited standing ovation and song has progressed for several minutes, the Headmistress makes motion for everyone to quiet again. Turning to Sylvie, Martin, and Eliza, Melvina grins, warmly. Obviously quite jovile, even if there is a small mark of seriousness in her eyes. “Miss Marlowe, Mister Foster, please remain there for a moment. Thank you, Minister. I know you have pressing a pressing agenda, but if you could see fit to stay, I’m sure my staff would make room for you at our table. The meals are as lovely still as I’m sure you remember.” The offer made, she looks back to the crowd of students, her rich brown eyes twinkling, “Now, moving right along..”

“Indeed, indeed. Well done, Miss Marlowe, Mister Foster. You have both performed an act and bravery and cunning that speaks well of yourselves and this school. It is with a genuine heart that I, the faculty of Hogwarts School, and your fellow students congratulate you. However,” Melvina notes, the mirth leaving her expression at the note of that last word. The Headmistress’ tone becoming gravely serious. “As prefects, and certainly Head Boy and Head Girl, you of all pairs should know that rules are rules, and are not to be broken lightly, even in the wake of such good tidings or favorable results. Thus, I fear I must make some last moment addendums to our house rankings.”

Stepping back to allow the Headmistress the spotlight along with the two students, Sylvie joins in with the last round of clapping as the room stands up. As the clapping.. and, later, song.. fade off and Melvina resumes her speech, Sylvie apparently accepts the invitation to stay. After all, who would refuse the Hogwarts feast? And the beginning of Melvina’s speech finds her at the Faculty table.

Basking in the glow of applause and praise, Eliza stands at the front of the room, pushing back the tears of joy and pride that threaten to spill out of her shining eyes. She tosses her head back, and lifts her chin higher in a show of strength, struggling to keep her smile from wavering. And then the Headmistress’s next announcement comes – and Eliza‘s expressive face melts into a look of sudden apprehension. She exchanges an entirely different kind of look with Martin now, worried and uncertain.

“For leaving the school grounds without express permission or escort of myself or one of the school faculity, I find that I must penalize both the Head Boy and Head Girl by twenty points each.” Knowing what an unpopular announcement that will be, especially after such a jolly congratulations, Melvina similar waits and allows that to sink in. Noting those who boo with the same quiet, grave expression.

(Gryffindor) Joining in cheerfully, Briony sings the school song loudly, and perhaps a bit out of tune, sacrificing her tone for her volume. “Oh!” she comments as both Hufflepuff and Slytherin lose twenty points each. “Maybe we’ll catch up!” she comments, though this is rather wishful thinking, even given the wake of point losses.

(Gryffindor) Andy‘s eyes suddenly widen. “Hey, they just got the Order of Merlin, why do they still have to be penalized?” Andy shakes his head. “Hm, maybe you are right, Briony. But don’t you think they will be awarded even more points for what they really intended to do? They just broke the rules for other good purposes, you know…” Andy is quite uncertain.

(Gryffindor) “Maybe!” Yelps Rawnie excitedly. “I wouldn’ta traded points fer some order thingy.” She says sniggering softly. Truth be known Rawnie only recently came to understand the points system. “But that erm… Ravenclaw house should lose some too… erm for reasons I don’t care ter discuss…” Meaning ‘I just want us to win.’

Eliza lifts her chin higher still – not in defiance, but in acceptance. She stands just as straight and tall as ever, even with the burden of losing her House points as one of her last acts as a Hufflepuff – but Eliza still can’t quite bring herself to meet the eyes of her housemates, or Martin.

Once Melvina has let that reality sink in, that Ravenclaw’s lead had become absolute, the Headmistress continues. Her expression equally as serious and tone just as grave. “However, I would be remiss in following Hogwarts policy if I didn’t then, in turn, reward your fine accomplishments as well.” It’s only then than the tell-tale twinkle in her eyes glimmers as she shifts her gaze toward Martin and Eliza. “With dedication and cunning that exemplifies the core traits of both your houses, Miss Marlowe and Mister Foster, you two alone subdued and helped bring to justice a singularly Dark Wizard, and cleared our dear Professor Sedgewick’s name. For that, I have the great pleasure of awarding you fifty points, each.”

Continuing on, as if not to lose her momentum, Melvina adds in a grand voice, “Further, I award Martin Foster another fifty points efforts that saved the lives of third year Louis Harper and our Professor Rathe while putting himself under great personal risk.” Drawing a deep breath, Melvina grins, quite suddenly, and opens another round of applause, before looking down to Martin and Eliza, nodding that after they have soaked up enough praise, they may return to their tables.

And Eliza‘s grin bursts forth again, spilling over into a laugh of relief and triumph. She reaches over to shake Martin’s hand, and then changes it to an enthusiastic thump on his shoulder. With the momentary anxiety entirely dispelled, Eliza is free to let her joy emerge again, and she strides – no, runs back to the Hufflepuff table to rejoin her housemates for one last time.

“Our Hogwarts family has endured much this term, and by sheer pluck of our students and faculty, we have emerged from the struggle stronger and shining brighter than we ever have. It is on that note, that I also wish to praise Professor Sedgewick and Professor Rathe,” Melvina continues, after the applauses have died down again. “Professor Sedgewick, of course, endured a grueling assault on her character and soul and perserved as best as one could expect. Professor Rathe showed great strength of character and soul in during the trial of Paul Clairwill, and such fortitude and bravery should be rewarded. Thought it would be unfair for me to award house points, or implore upon our dear visiting Minister to grant medals as were just recieved by our esteemed Head Boy and Head Girl, I believe they are each equally deserving of said regards, and we should all be proud of them, and of there connections to us and this school.” Again, leading a round of applause, Melvina then turns to Astra with a grin brimming with genuine pride, and motions to the blue and bronze decorations lining the room. “I believe we have a new House Champion, do we not? If you would do the honors?”

Standing up, there is a pause as the small woman reaches into her cloak to retrieve her wand. Looking rather perplexed as her name was mentioned, Astra tries to cover up her discomfort with a tight smile and a muttered, ‘my pleasure.’ Following that there she moves swiftly with a snapping motion of her wrist and wand, the banners flip from Blue and Bronze to Green and Silver changing to display from Ravenclaw to Slytherin colors. Astra‘s smile faded during the loss of points, but now she bestows a very pleased expression upon the Slytherin table as she tucks the wand away and retakes her seat without a word.

“Congratulatuions, Slytherin house! Now, only one more thing to say, before we enjoy –” With her still withdrawn wand, Melvina negligantly flicks it at the direction of the tables, summoning the End of Year Feast for everyone to enjoy. “– the fine food which has been prepared for us. This has been my first year at Hogwarts School, but it has been a fine one. Thank you all for that. When I arived, this was an imposing castle, something I remembered from my youth. A daunting job. But thanks to you all, staff and students alike, I felt welcomed, and now, I can’t help but see this place as my home. For those of you students who will return next year, remember that magic use over the summer is strictly prohibitted, and that next year I hope we can grow together as much as we have this one. For those of you graduating and going out in to the world, we have only had the oppertunity to touch each other’s lives briefly, but I hope you will remember me and this place fondly, as I will remember you. My first graduating class as the luckiest woman in the world, Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Eat well.” And with that, Melvina sits, smiling quietly.

(Gryffindor) “Ooooh, tasty food!” Briony squeals, feeling relatively apathetic about the house cup now. After all, from the start of the term, Gryffindor had been at a disadvantage. “What’re you doin’ ‘fer summer?” she asks those around her, her mouth full of chicken. “My da’ says ‘eeees go’ a project ‘fer us.” Really, Briony. Girls this age should know better than to talk with their mouths full.

(Gryffindor) Has no qualms about talking with a mouth full of food, and she is eating just as ravenously as ever as she answers. “Im gunner try an spend ano’r summer with me mum I think, She said she’s gots me a surprise an Im je diein ter know wot.” Rawnie washes her food down quickly with some pumkin juice. “I’m gunner ask if we kin stay at that Hogsmeade place!”

(Gryffindor) Felicity Wexler only adds a very small amount of food to her plate, and compared to Briony whom she sits next to, her usually slow method of eating appears positively dainty. Still somewhat cross about the pumpkin juice on her skirt, the third-year asks with a somewhat lofted brow, “I imagine I’ll spend the summer with my Grandmother Larsen — she wants to go up to the lake. What sort of project?”

(Gryffindor) “I ‘unno,” Briony answers, surprisingly congenially considering to whom she is speaking. “Dad hasn’t told me yet, he just said we’ve got a project after we get home for summer. He said mum gets to help, too, so maybe it’s something fun and not repapering the house or something.” Briony shudders at the thought of this. “If you come to Hogsmeade, you should owl me! We can go on adventures and such! It’ll be fun! Gabe is probably coming to visit, too. It’s going to be a very exciting summer.” She pauses. “I’m going to be thirteen this July!” Briony looks quite proud at this.

(Gryffindor) “Oh! Blimey, thirteen! I only jes turned twelve a few days ago.” Rawnie says a bit surprised. She seems a little dissapointed being the youngest of the three girls but it still doesn’t curb her appetite. “I’ll do that! I don’t gots many people ter send Figaro too with let’as so ‘ell be happy.”

(Gryffindor) After Andy has shuffled a good amount of food onto his plate he follows the conversation, mainly just listening while eating. “Hm, I’ve got no idea what I’m going to be doing the whole summer with my parents. So you…uhm…won’t be in Hogsmeade or so over the summer, Felicity?” Andy asks with a small voice, quickly looking down to his plate again, trying to let it sound as occasionally as possible.

(Gryffindor) Felicity Wexler seems to consider that, after placing a small forkful of meat pie on her mouth. It’s quite a curious thing, despite being somewhat upset about her skirt, her tone to Briony is more or less cordial as well. There were, it would seem, times that they occasionally put aside (or simply forgot) the fact that they couldn’t stand each other, and got along rather well. “July fourteenth, right?” Felicity murmurs, recalling the date from her calander. “I don’t know that we’re planning to stop in Hogsmeade, though I imagine that Gran probally will have a few more visits with Aunty Sybil, at least until Aunty Sibyl becomes — well, to busy.” Her eyes twinkle, almost a little mischeviously at that, as she glances to Briony. The idea of Briony’s coming little sister excites her, especially since she has no little sisters — just a little brother, who cried all the time. “She doesn’t like me to be around when she sees Auntie Sybil, but I tell her I’m going to play with you, I’m sure she’ll bring me along.” She pauses a little, as Andy speaks, turning her gaze to him as she puts down her fork, and picks up her pumpkin juice — being very careful with it this time. “Some, I’m sure. Will you be?”

(Gryffindor) “Oh, mum should have the baby before my birthday, she said. She told me she’s amazed she lasted this long.” Briony pauses as she thinks of another sibling, though, looking forward some, and then also cringing a bit. Another one to stretch their school supplies and clothes between. Of course, it doesn’t occur to Briony that the little one might not even need to share with them. “Oh, yes, it’s in July,” the girl finally answers, nodding before she puts more food into her mouth. “Iffs gunna be great, too. Gabe iff gunna be there, too. His birfday’s the same.” Briony pauses as she continues to chew. “Are you going to be there for your birthday, too?”

(Gryffindor) Andy quickly gulps down half a potato and almost has to cough it out again, because it still is too hot for being swallowed. Having managed this while blushing to a deep red he replies to Felicity. “Yes, I surely will be there. I’ve nothing planned, you know. So just send me an owl when you know the date and so on.” Eased that there could be a way to meet his friend outside of the school’s boundaries, Andy takes another fork of carrots.

(Gryffindor) “That all depends, I guess,” Felicity murmurs, her voice becoming quiet, and her eyes somewhat subdued at Briony’s question. A thought creeping up on her that she’d rather not consider, a harsh reality. “On Grandmother Larsen.” Those last few words fall from her with a weight that she can’t quite bear, which immediately summons her voice again, with a somewhat forced smile to try to lighten them. “She loves the lake, after all. She might want to stay all summer.” Looking grateful for a switch in direction from her hard thoughts, Felicity smiles warmly to Andy. Her too-cute, shimmery smile. Subtle, cute, and real, unlike her fake-face-everyone-is-looking smiles. “I will. I look forward to it.”

(Gryffindor) Looking from Andy to Felicity and back again, Briony seems to miss entirely the connection between them and the significance of their words. Why the drama about visiting? Shrugging, the girl continues working on cleaning her plate, and it is not long before her plate is, in fact, cleaned. “Should be a great summer,” Briony responds, grinning at Felicity, apparently unaware of the significance, too, of the comment about her grandmother.

(Gryffindor) “Mhn, great,” Felicity murmurs, quietly, in response to Briony’s assessment of the summertime’s potential. Her tone half-genuine, and half-filled with a quiet dread. She’d not expected Briony to cotton on to her verbal slip, and honestly, she was glad. It hurt to much to think about. “Well, I still have some packing to do. I’ve let it go late. And I need to change my skirt. I’ll let you know when I’m going to be in Hogsmeade. See you on the train tomarrow. Excuse me.” And before Andy can make note of it, afraid that he might be more perceptive, she pushes herself up and makes her way from the hall.

(Gryffindor) After a long while, Briony, too, finishes her meal and grins at those around her. “Have a good vacation!” she tells them all. “I’m going to go make sure all my things are together so we can leave sooner!” She giggles as she says this and finishes off her pumpkin juice before standing up from the table quickly and making her way out to her commonroom.

Donovan Harrison stands in the center of the Quidditch Pitch, not in his usual robes but in more appropriate referee robes for the game. With a broom in one hand, he also has the box full of those well-known Quidditch balls that are needed. He waits patiently for the two teams to arrive and the captains to come over to him to do the usual pre-game ‘meeting’ with the referee of the game.

Rhian Brecon settles into the announcer’s seat and clears her throught. “Good afternoong everyone, what a wonderfully white day to have a quidditch game, isn’t it? I hope everyone is nice and bundled up like I am, though I’m sure the two teams today won’t need it. Today’s game we have Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff, two excellent teams so this should ideally be a good game, despite the weather. Today we have, for the first time this year Professor Harrison of Transfiguration refereeing this game. Let’s just hope that we will be able to see this game, as well as the Quidditch players.”

Marie-Anna Greyton steps out onto the pitch in the colours of Gryffindor House. Broom in hand the captain makes her way over towards the referee of todays match. “Professor,” the teen gives with a slight nod of her head as she looks towards the rest of her team, and towards the Hufflepuff team.

Wandering out to the pitch, Briony seems to be feeling almost ill as she steps onto the pitch for the third and last time during the season. Granted, the girl has practiced all she could manage for this last and final match, but while she is quite adept at blocking the shots of her own team, her confidence is still lacking when it comes to blocking shots from those whose movements she cannot predict.

As it is his first match for the Gryffindor team, Sebastian Praw is more than nervous. He is trying to hide his excitement behind short smiles and because he’ll be the seeker today, he’ll be watched especially hard by everyone. Of course dressed in Gryffindor colors, his nearly mint broom in hand, Sebastian is standing on the pitch next to his teammates, waiting for the game to begin. Agitated, he rubs his short blonde hair with his free hand, wondering if he’ll be successful today.

Eliza Marlow strides onto the pitch with a confident gait, her broom on one shoulder. She gives her team a wide smile, projecting her confidence at them, hoping to calm their nerves. “We will do just fine,” she said to them as she motioned for all the members to gather around for a quick huddle. “We’ve worked hard, and we’ve really improved, even after our last game. We won against the Slytherins, and we will win here. Now let’s go out and play hard. Chasers, remember to work together, and keep an eye out for the bludgers. Beaters, you need to know where everyone on the pitch is, on our teams and theirs. Alex, don’t let your nerves take over your flying.” She paused in her impromptu little speech, and flashed a grin at her team. “You are all great flyers, now let get out there and win this for Hufflepuff!”

Donovan Harrison gives a nod to Marie-Anna and then looks to Eliza as they both stand on either side. “Well, I’m sure I don’t have to tell either of you that we should have a good, clean game. Just be careful of course, with this weather. Now, shake hands, get in position and let’s get this game started then.” He lets the captains do such and turns to the box with the Quidditch balls and opens it up to get ready to release the four different balls into the air.

Following the team captain, Eldric Carver walks on the pitch, sporting his trademark confident smile. The boy walks with his chest sticking out proud, his broom is swung over his left shoulder. As he walks forward, he toys with his heavy bat in the right hand, and he occasionally waves to a few people he knows and who are sitting on the bleachers. “We’ll smite them!” he replies with a broad grin to the captain’s little speech.

Marybeth Campbell wanders out to the Pitch, this time with her very own scarf on, near Carrie as usual. Her own broom is held carefully, and she keeps brushing snowflakes off of her robes with her free hand, if just to keep them from melting and soaking through before the game has even properly started. Listening to the speech, she punctuates the end with a bit of an excited yelping noise and “Right! We’ll win!” but then she gets into position for kicking off.

Charlie Linwood is practically bouncing on his feet as he comes out, not even half as ridiculously bundled as he has been for the last several …dozen… practices. No, he’s still got on a full set of clothes under his Quidditch robes, gloves, scarf, hat, and cloak, but that’s about a layer less than usual. After all, it’s a game and if he’s used to being weighed down, this should help. The other Hufflepuffs get a grey-eyed glance, but any turn of the mouth up or down is concealed, as usual, with the thick black and yellow stripes of his scarf. Clutching his broom, it seems that Charlie is not about to display any nerves. Just don’t mind the way his eyebrows are kind of twitchy. Even with Eliza’s characteristic enthusiasm, he’s Charlie.

Marie-Anna Greyton nods towards the Professor and turns to offer Eliza her hand. Once the formalities are done she offers a smile at the Gryffindor team. “You guys’ll do fine, you’ve worked hard for this match, just like all the others,” she gives in a calm voice before she takes her position on the pitch. Her stance is that of someone ready to play the game.

Feeling remarkably dizzy, while stepping onto the field, Andy Carver clings to his broom. Today he does not care about its tousled looking tailtwigs. He positions himself next to Briony and glances over to her, while tying up his hair to a ponytail, so that they won’t bother him during the match. As acclimates slowly, the spectators seem to come out of reach. ‘You’re playing here. Don’t care about them. Don’t-care-about-them’ he says to himself under his breath and puts on his father’s old quidditch gloves. Finally he puts his head back and breathes in deeply, looking up to the sky.

Alexandra Leong titters nervously, bouncing on her toes, toying with the handle of her broom. She gulps as Eliza mentions her nerves, but nods in response, bobbing her head up and down vigorously. “I won’t let you down, Captain,” she blurts, and turns a bright red. She looks at the rest of her team, then, in a small voice, adds. “Good luck, everyone.”

These words to not soothe Briony‘s nerves, and she looks to her fellow second-year with a bit of a gulp, then readies her broom for when the whistle is given to fly up to the hoops. The only thing Briony can hope is that there is a large tussle for the quaffle and she won’t have to see it for a good long time.

“Yes… we’ll smite them.” Carrie Whittier repeats after Eldric, clutching her own broom firmly with her right hand and smiling back, for the briefest moment, at the sixth year boy. “We’ve trained a lot and I’m sure this will pay off eventually” she goes on, mostly for herself. She wonders how she’ll fare in this match and if she would be able to do justice to her team, but now is not really the time to doubt about such things, is it?

Eliza Marlow steps forward and shakes Marie-Anna’s hand firmly. “Good luck,” she said to the opposing captain, with a friendly smile. “Alright team! Let’s get started!” She mounts her own broom with an almost careless grace, like something she’s done a thousand times (and perhaps have), and could do in her sleep. There is a certain edge to her movements, however, as soon as she is on the broom. Poised and ready to take off, her grips her broom firmly, adjusting her grip until it is perfect, flexing her gloved hands.

Donovan Harrison looks up at the two teams and waits for them to be in the proper position as he takes the Quaffle out of the box into his hand. His wand is in his hand to be quickly used though. Once everyone was relatively settled despite the weather, he points to the box and has the Golden Snitch released, which flitters in place for a while and then goes zooming off into the snow. Following that the two bludgers were let go, which he dodges one while they go to create mayhem. Once that is done, he waves the box off the field and then tosses the Quaffle up into the air between the Chasers, letting them argue over it as he moves to his broom and kicks off to keep an eye on the game.

Charlie Linwood is not in the habit of mounting his broom until the referee has signaled the start of game. With a “Why do they always release them before we’re even airborne?” under his breath, Charlie pulls out his beater’s bat, mounts, and zooms upward. He watches as the other members of both teams begin to play. He looks, as always, a strange combination of menacing and ridiculous, holding the bat and moving rather quickly from here to there, but thin and all bundled up against the cold.

Marie-Anna Greyton makes her way up into the air, with Landon no ttoo far behind. Both beaters have bats in hand as they prepare to keep their teams from getting knocked out cold from the flying monsters that are bludgers.

Andy Carver sets up as the game is about to start. His toes seem to dig themselves into the ground to perform a proper kick off the ground. Since the quaffle is taken out of the box his eyes only know one direction. As it gets thrown into the air he shoots up into the air, trying to reach it earlier than the Hufflepuff chasers.

“I don’t know, but we’d better take off quickly” Carrie Whittier says to Charlie. Mounting her own broom, Carrie quickly takes off and takes her own position with the other Chasers of the Hufflepuff team, and starts manoeuvering so as to get closer to the red ball.

Marybeth Campbell moves with her team-within-a-team toward the quaffle as well, racing with the set of Gryffindor Chasers to gain hold of the ever-important red leather ball. “Oi!” she calls briefly, moving suddenly to the left, “Mind the wind!” Down, toward Andy, then, expression set rather seriously, for Marybeth.

Eldric Carver follows suit, and jumps on his own broom, bat firmly held in his right hand. He kicks off the ground, flying directly towards the nearest bludger, which is, however, still a bit too far away to be hit directly. Eldric mutters something under his breath as he presses his broom forward towards the heavy iron ball. The beginning of the game is the best moment to shoot a Bludger against the opponents and wreak confusion amid their ranks, he thinks.

Alexandra Leong kicks off hastily. Once in the air, her hair black hair flying, she lost some of her nerve, and began to fly a search pattern above the game, her eyes scanning the pitch for any sign of the snitch. So far… nothing. She does a fancy little turn, to change directions, more to calm her own nerves than anything.

Sebastian Praw decided to always keep an eye on Alexandra, as she is the opponent seeker and he really isn’t experienced. Of course he already caught a Snitch in his life, but this was a real Hogwarts quidditch match and not a fluffy training session. He whisks off some snowflakes from his broomstick, to make it more handy and looks up again. Where is Alexandra? Apparently gone. “Argh.” Sebastian curses himself and kicks off, following the Hufflepuff seeker and glimpsing out for the nasty bludger he has heard of.

Marie-Anna Greyton flies towards a bludger and takes a heavy swing at it, doing her best to aim for the Hufflepuff seeker. Meanwhile, Landon’s on his way towards the other bludger.

Seeing that he has a small lead in the race for the quaffle, Andy reaches out for it and plucks it out of the air. A bit surprised that he made it again to catch the first quaffle, he zooms upwards, trying to get out of the trajectory of the Hufflepuff chasers and starts looking for Josh and Gabe, who were flying next to him a second ago.

Rhian says, “And the two teams have come out. The captains, Eliza Marlow and Marie-Anna Greyton come to the center, getting last minute advice from Professor Harrison, shake hands and go to get their teams into position. Once everyone is settled, Professor Harrison releases first the Golden Snitch, good luck in this weather Seekers, then the Bludgers, which one attempts to hit Professor Harrison, and now the Quaffle is tossed into the air, with… Gryffindor taking it, Carver managing to get a hold of it. Greyton manages to get a hold of one of the bludgers and sends it off toward someone else.”

Too late for Landon. As he reaches the bludger, Eldric Carver swings his bat and sends it towards Andy, who seems to have caught the quaffle. This would give him something else to think about, he smirks.

Eliza Marlow launches herself with a firm kickoff, and within seconds she was bobbing about her goal posts. Her eyes narrow as she watches her team and the trying to keep an eye on the play, but so far, everything seems to be fine. “HUFFLEPUFFS! Communicate!” She yells out, sounding a bit short, although her tone of voice is usually like this during a game or a practice. Short and to the point, although not unkind or angry. Hopefully the team remembers that what “communicate” means in Eliza terms.

Charlie Linwood watches Eldric go for for the bludger and so heads in the direction of the other ball, rerouting when Marie-Anna hits it, with a bit of a glower. Actually, the ball is now closer and becomming rapidly more so. Quickly applying the breaks he glances very briefly around the pitch and barely has the time to swing and hit the bludger back toward Andy and the Gryffindor Chasers, with a bit of a shout.

Pushing her own broom forward, Carrie begins to chase Andy, trying to get the quaffle, exactly as her role requires. As she hears the sound of the bludgers drawing nearer, she breaks off the pursuit. It wouldn’t do much good to be targeted by the bludgers. Better leave them all for Andy to taste.

Marie-Anna Greyton flies upward a bit to have a better view of the players below, and the bludgers. Just as she’s about to head off towards the bludger Landon beats her to it. A swift hit of his bat sends the bludger in the general direction of the Hufflepuff end of the field.

For the very first time in her life, Alexandra felt complete at ease with her direct competition. After a few minutes of flying, she felt completely comfortable with her broom, and actually started enjoying the flight, although her muscles are still tense and she still overreacted to every sound or shout. She could tell that the Gryffindor seeker was following her, and that gave her an idea. Suddenly she zooms in the opposite direction as she was flying before, hoping to distract the other seeker and maybe lose him with a bit of fancy flying.

Marybeth Campbell frowns as Andy gains the quaffle, but follows Carrie out of the path of danger, swooping rather unexpectedly sideways (hopefully not into anybody else’s airspace). “Linwood! We’re down here too!” she calls in a surprisingly good-spirited tone, not that it’s likely to reach his ears. For all she knows, Eldric hit the ball in this direction, but it’s more fun to blame Charlie, for one reason or another.

Sebastian does not really search for the snitch, he’s more trying to keep track of Alexandra and avoiding bludgers. As Alexandra performs a hard turn, Sebastian wonders if she is trying to trick him, but then he just decides to stay behind or at least near her.

Andy hears the sounds of the bludger rushing towards him and hectically passes the quaffle to Gabriel, who caught up and swooped down to his left side. An adequate toss and Gabriel catches the quaffle. A grin escapes from Andy‘s lips and then he the bludger slams into his chest. “Ugh.” Andy moans and fights back onto his broom. Sitting on it again holding his side, he watches Gabriel engaging the Hufflepuff hoops.

Rhian says, “Ooo, the Hufflepuff chasers have to break off their attack following the Gryffindors due to the bludgers coming in from their own beaters, not a good thing. Leong seems to behave that she’s found the Snitch every now and then, but keeps changing direction, Praw following her almost like a lost puppy. Carver tosses the Quaffle to Goden, just before Carver is hit straight on by a bludger, that had to hurt. Carver tries to get air back into his lungs while the other two chasers head off toward the hoops.”

Marie-Anna Greyton looks towards Andy. “Come on, keep it going, Carver!” she shouts as she flies overhead, still, taking on the bludger that hit Andy. With an oomph she winds up and hits said bludger, intent on getting it towards the Hufflepuff chasers.

Charlie Linwood hit someone who isn’t a team member! Far from feeling bad that Andy took the quaffle to his stomach, he gives a bit of a whoop, grinning a bit (still obscured by his scarf) and waving about his bat. Andy isn’t Leong, who is the only person (or broom) he’s managed to hit yet (it was Louis’s fault, really!). As Marie hits the offending bludger toward his own chasers, however, Charlie urges his broom forward, eyebrows set. “Not if I can help it!”

Eliza Marlow watches calmly as a bludger heads towards her end of the field. The other bludger is hit towards the her chasesrs, which is a bit of a relief, as two quaffles might be a bit dangerous to deal with, if the Gryffindors get towards her end quickly enough. “Hufflepuff chasers! Watch for the bludgers!” she warns her team.

Alexandra Leong rights herself from her turn, just in time to see a glimpse of something glittering gold in the falling snow. For a moment the small Seeker shocked into a kind of trance, but the moment passes and a plan quickly forms. She still closer to the snitch than Sebastian, but not by much. Quickly she pulls into a sharp dive for about 10 feet, then she shoots straight up again (something she’s learned how to do from losing control of her broom way to many times), pulling up hard, then righting herself. She makes another swerve, then heads straight for the snitch, her body pressed against the handle of her broom as she urges it faster, everything around to beginning to blur as she gains speed.

Rhian says, “Gryffindor heads for the Hufflepuff hoops, but what is this? Leong has suddenly picked up speed. Has she actually spotted the Golden Snitch? And where is Praw?”

Marybeth Campbell pushes snow flakes away from her face, but it seems they’re coming down thicker than before, or maybe she’s just looking at them instead of through them. “What?” She urges her broom toward a blur of red that must be a Gryffindor chaser, as they haven’t been much far apart, and finds herself flying ridiculously close to Josh. “Ugh, you haven’t got the quaffle at all!” is her statement, as the whistle of a bludger reaches her ears and she leans sideways to increase the distance between herself, the ball, and Josh.

Sebastian suddenly sees Alexandra swooping down, but has no idea where the snitch could be. His new broom giving him a faint boost, Sebastian catches up to Alexandra slightly but still is a few yards behind her. Then he focusses something glimmering in front of the snow covered scene. It the snitch. Come on, broom. Sebastian leans forward to hide from the wind. The opponent’s seeker coming nearer in front of him, just in form of a fluttering robe.

Andy tries to catch up to Gabriel and Josh, who is also trying to maneuver into a good position. As Marybeth let’s go Josh, Gabriel tries to throw the quaffle to him, fooling the Hufflepuff chaser, who is heading for the other direction. Josh gets a hold of the quaffle, but then he gets entangled in his cape and drops the red ball. The three Gryffindor chasers seem to sigh simultaneously and discontentedly steer downwards to recover the quaffle.

Charlie Linwood finally notices the bludger heading toward Eliza and, figuring that the Chasers are, for starters, not in possession of the quaffle, and for seconds, much more able to avoid the hurting ball of metal, changes course. He isn’t about to let his Captain and Keeper have to deal with the bludger, even if it’s unlikely she’ll be his. Away, and then CRACK!, with an awful lot of force, he sends the bludger in the opposite direction, toward Gryffindor’s end of the field.

She’s close now. Only feet away, Alexandra raises one arm, reaching forwards, but she’s not close enough. She mutters to herself, pushing for her broom to go faster, and it obliges, although the increase in speed is only slight. With the golden ball so tantalizating close, she is aware of nothing else, not even the other seeker.

The race goes on and Sebastian is getting nearer inch by inch. He’s approaching a bit faster now, that he is right behind her, but there its still a long way, if he is going to overtake her. The Hufflepuff’s cloak whips into his face, but he won’t concede. Sebastian swerves to the left, as it seems to be a good moment and perceives, that Alexandra’s fingers are only inches away from the fluttering golden ball. He reaches out and tries to catch it with a single strike. He misses and tumbles, doing a awkward roll in the air and falling back immediately, losing several yards in a second.

Sebastian’s sudden appearance (and disappearance) startles Alexandra, and she nearly falters, but as she turns to check on the other seeker, her outstretched hand brushes against something fluttering. Instinctively, she closes her fist. A second later she is slowing down, and in a few moments she is stopped, right dead center of the pitch, looking a bit confused, her hand closed on something. She opens in hand a little, taking a peek, and suddenly she breaks starts to laugh. Finally, she raises her arm into the air, holding the snitch, now visible in her hand, it’s wings protruding from between her fingers. “I catch it!” she says intelligently.

Rhian says, “The Seekers are so close it seems in catching the Snitch, Praw makes a grab for it but fails in getting it, quickly loosing ground on Leong. Leong has stopped and… she has the Snitch! Hufflepuff wins! The final score is Hufflepuff 150, Gryffindor 0 as they failed to get a score before the Snitch was caught. That’s it for the game and lets all get back to the castle and warm up.”

Marie-Anna Greyton screeches to a halt as she hears the words from Alexandra. “Oy, good try guys,” she gives to her teammates as she looks around and offers a nod towars Alexandra. “Yeh did good,” with that she lets her broom make it’s way to the ground. Once having touched down she offers her congratulations to the Hufflepuff team before heading back to the castle.

Donovan Harrison gives a whistle as he sees that Alexandra has caught the Snitch. He flies up to her and nods. “Good job Miss Leong. I’ll take the snitch now. Go ahead and get cleaned up and celebrate with your House.” He also goes around and gathers up the bludgers and quaffle, putting them away as he also makes sure the pitch is cleared of players before he goes to get warm himself.

“So, we gave up on the ribbons for now, because as soon as my hair gets wet or anything, the ribbon falls out anyway,” Briony blathers to Gabriel as she leans against a statue, fiddling with the sleeve of her robe, for really no reason. The girl is decked out in Gryffindor colors today, hat, scarf and mittens, as well as wearing her school robes, and she looks to be quite ignorant of the fact that some snowflakes are floating down from the sky and getting stuck in her rather messy hair.

Things have seemed slow-going to Gabriel these days, which is what he is thinking about as he sticks his hands in his pockets and sighs, only half-listening to Briony’s chatter about ribbons. “Oh, yeah,” he comments indifferently as he looks around for something to change the topic to. No luck. “Well, maybe you’ll just get better at it,” he says, despite Briony’s admitting of their having given up.

Orion Kari sits rackishly near the fountain, back propped against a stone pillar. Uncaring for the state of his crisp robes on the cold, somewhat damp ground, the olive-skinned Hufflepuff gaze flickers between the picturesque statue of the wing-spread phoenix and the sketch pad propped against his one bent knee. A point of sharpened charcoal scritching furiously at the page. His hair is somewhat damp, and clings to his overly-handsome features, hinting that he had been outside for quite a while.

“But we like it,” Briony admits with a sigh, seemingly oblivious to the fact that Gabriel probably doesn’t care what their hair things look like. “Have you asked anyone to the ball yet, Gabe?” she asks her friend, standing up and walking around the statue she’s been propped against. On her round, however, she spies Orion, and as if some sort of charm has been cast on her, she stops and watches him for a moment, wide-eyed, then makes herself tear her eyes away. After all, one can’t be caught staring! The damage is done, though, as her face is now quite red.

Gabriel Goden truly doesn’t care about ribbons, but good friends always tried to be supportive, didn’t they? He nods, raising an eyebrow at her as she stops to gaze at something. Briony had no attention span, did she? At her question, though, Gabriel shrugs and stretches his arms. “Well, no. I wasn’t on that planning committee so I can only go if I ask someone who was on it. I don’t know, balls aren’t really my thing. Are you going?” he asks casually, though he assumes she probably will find a way of getting there.

Bundled up in about sixteen layers of cold weather gear – after that snowball fight, she’s not going to get caught unprepared for the cold again – Kelly Pantall makes her exit from the castle and meanders through the courtyard, her gait one indicating her distraction and, likely, her lack of any actual purpose in her wandering. When, finally, she does seem to notice the small handful of people in the courtyard, she blinks a few times and offers Gabriel and Briony each a small smile, a sort of ‘I’m not specifically angry with either of you’ expression more than anything else. “‘Allo, Briony.” Gabe doesn’t get a greeting. Nor does Orion get so much as a look. Then, the question on everyone’s lips. “Going to the ball?”

A happy Alexandra nearly bounces across the courtyard, bookbag stuffed full of supplies on one shoulder. She’s here to participate in one of her favorite pastimes – drawing – and her favorite subject is the phoenix statue. She’s done many drawings before, of course, but now, armed with new knowledge from her Wizard Art classes, she had started a new drawing, one she intends to make full colour and animate. She’s not the only one interested in the phoenix today, however. A bit awed, she looks at Orion and his drawing, not quite approaching him, but edging closer shyly. Shy is something that Alexandra usually is not, but Orion’s good looks and talent seemed to have an effect on the small Hufflepuff. “That’s really good…” she says finally, blurting out the compliment.

Wrapped up in his thick cloak and a woolly Gryffindor scarf, Andy Carver shuffles out to the courtyard. Passing Briony and Gabriel, he greets them with a muffled “Ullo!” and raises the gloved hand. He just went outside to take a few minutes of fresh air and heads for the fountain to finally sit down at its edge, opposing and ignoring Orion. Andy rubs his hand and watches his foggy breath vanish in the air.

Orion Kari lifts a hand slowly, raking some sodden, obsidion locks from his chisled feature. It takes him a moment to feel the eyes on him, and another after it before he feels confident enough with his last stroke of graphite against the parchment that he turns his gaze. It could be a moment painted in time, chisled against the snow. Handsome, dark features, blending in to grey tone of the late winter world. Yet his hair, and his eyes, start out vivid and vibrant brown. A rich color, surprisingly full of life against the cold tone of slush and stone around him. And for a moment, he catches Briony’s gaze, before she tears it away. And the faintest hint of a smile touches his lips, a sunrise that adds color to the world. The page of the parchment is turned, and his charcoal flickers across it once more in dazzlingly quick motions. But otherwise, he remains motionless.

“Hi,” Briony greets the newcomers, trying not to look as distracted as she feels with Orion in the vicinity, and glances to Kelly as she makes her way in. “I dunno, if someone asks me. I didn’t go to the events planning thingy. Felicity was there, after all.” Briony says this as if Felicity’s being there is possibly the worst thing that could have happened to the committee. “Are you going with your — er — well, Rafe?”

Waving nonchalantly to the others, too, Gabriel looks to Briony as she talks to Kelly. “Felicity!” Gabriel snaps his fingers at the revelation. He could ask Felicity if he ever decided he wanted to go to the ball. As it stands, Gabriel is rather impartial to the event. After all, the Barefoot social was rather fun, but no more fun than any other weekend, really. The boy tenses a little at the mention of Rafe, but says nothing.

Biting down on her lower lip and most pointedly not looking directly at either Briony or Gabriel as she formulates her answer, it takes Kelly a long moment to actually say anything particularly relevant or coherent. “I don’t think so.” She finally offers, clearing her throat ostentatiously, and trying to draw attention away from the fact that her