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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Edern Fallon almost hops into the Great Hall as he comes moves in. He looks up at the Faculty table and smiles as he waves to Keelan, finally making his way to the Slytherin table.

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.

(Faculty) Having sat quietly for a very long time, Astra does startle a little as the door flies open. Muttering to herself with an eyeroll “And I’m told that my entrances are dramatic?” Casting a sidelong glance at Darius, she smirks but goes back to her usual silence pre-Sorting.

(Faculty) Darius nods to Astra and immediately quips, low and quiet, “Well, now we know where you get it from.” He studiously avoids her gaze after he says that.

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.

(Faculty) Isolde gives a soft snicker at Astra’s mutter and resettles herself, also startled at the entrance. She sizes up the first years as they file in, opens her mouth to speak, then closes it again. Instead, she smiles serenely, her green eyes twinkling with anticipation.

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.

(Faculty) Looking a bit exhausted from her own little trip Phoebe nearly flops down in her chair. “Sorry Im late everyone. I had to avoid ferry the children and explain how a squid is different than a squib. Phoebe chuckles softly and pours herself something warm to drink. “I do hope the children don’t catch cold from being out on the lake like that.

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!

(Faculty) Melvina chuckles in regards to Astra’s comment, taking a sip of her tea. She passes a shrewd, quiet gaze across the entering first years, but says nothing as the hat begins to regail the hall with it’s song. “Poetic this year,” she notes, more to herself than for anyone else’s benefit.

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…”

(Faculty) Keelan Walsh folds her hands across her lap, eyes flickering from the unsorted students to those already at their House tables, both to spy those who misbehave and to occasionally smile as a favored student catches her eye. So, quite seldom then.

“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.

(Faculty) Selene Hathaway leans forward a bit as the line of students parade in. There’s a sparkle in her eyes, a look of excitement as her gaze travels over each student as she slowly turns her cup in her hand. Slowly her lips curl into a grin as she hat begins its song and she settles back in her chair to watch the sorting.

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.

(Faculty) Grinning from her place at the faculty table, Avery nods as her house recieves one more charge. “First of the year!” she says cheerfully.

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!”

(Faculty) Though it would be unseemly for a supposedly neutral teacher to take pleasure in the same thing Avery did, he likewise has a firm grin at his old house getting the first sorted student of the year.

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.

(Faculty) Though it would be unseemly for a supposedly neutral teacher to take pleasure in the same thing Avery did, Darius likewise has a firm grin at his old house getting the first sorted student of the year.

(Faculty) Melvina Prichard grins along with Avery, quite in spite of herself. Even after all these years, old Bert was still a Gryffindor at heart. She applauds politely for Miss Adams before adding some sugar to her tea.

(Faculty) Keelan Walsh raises an eyebrow but applauds politely each time the Hat calls out a name. Certainly Slytherin would get some of them. She shifts a bit, suddenly, her eyebrows coming down together. The hands on her lap seem to fidget a bit, somewhat out of character for the woman.

(Faculty) Isolde applauds with each new sorting, and each Hufflepuff addition gets an extra grin. “Moving right along, aren’t they?” she says to no one in particular, cheerful but hushed.

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.

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.

(Faculty) “They always do, dear,” Melvina says, quietly, watching the unsorted with a tender expression. “And before you know it, they’ll all be graduating, and soon after will have become our collogues and bosses. It’s a wonderous thing, isn’t it?”

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.

(Faculty) There’s been no noticeable change on Astra‘s face during the sorting. She’s barely stirred in her seat other than to nod at one child’s placement or another. But the moment Tommy’s name is called she frowns and deeper still when the boy is placed into her House.

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.

(Faculty) Selene Hathaway grins a little more as the hat announces Slytherin members, but she seems to be enjoying the ceremony on the whole. She takes a sip from her cup and glances down her own table briefly before settling back in to watch the rest of the sorting. Her eyes do stray towards the Slytherin table from time to time and in those moments her gaze looks almost calculating.

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.

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?

(Faculty) Watching bemusedly as each student is sorted Phoebe could not help nut notice that both the Rathes seemed to twitch just a bit at the mention of the Darian boy’s house. Taking another swig she leans nearer to Astra. “Somthing the matter Professor Rathe?” Being unaware of the history behind Tommy’s name poor Phoebe is completely ignorant as to why they both reacted in such a way.

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.

(Faculty) Scowling in a rather horrid fashion, Astra turns her head away from the Sorting just long enough to take her eyes off the latest child. “Darian is a foul name with foul blood. That’s all I have to say on the matter.” “I’ll be keeping my eye on *that* one.”

(Faculty) Melvina casts a brief glance to Astra after setting down her teacup, but otherwise says nothing. Her features remaining quiet, even serious. After a moment, however, of regarding her Deputy Headmistress, she turns her gaze back to the Sorting.

(Faculty) Bites her lip at Phoebe‘s reaction as it was quite unexpected. “Forgive me, I …. didn’t mean anything Astra.” Instead of saying anything more Phoebe turns her attention back to the sorting slowly nursing on whatever it was she put in her glass. Her eyes do stray though to Tommy and then to her own son sitting at the Hufflepuff table.

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.

Next, Gerald Rathe recites “Hollister, Gilroy!”

(Faculty) Keelan Walsh doesn’t turn so much as incline her head toward Astra and can’t help but add in an even tone, “Surely the child can’t be blamed for his parentage, however horrible?” It isn’t a reprimand so much as an observation, as she too, follows Tommy’s progress to the Slytherin table. “In any case,” a tiny smile surfaces, “you’re in an excellent position to keep an eye on him, aren’t you?” She frowns and shifts again, suddenly, attention back on the sorting process.

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.

(Faculty) Isolde‘s attention wanders down the table to Astra and Phoebe, but she keeps her tongue. Tommy gets a closer look, but her attention is soon diverted to the newly named Hufflepuffs, and soon she’s back to smiling, nodding and applauding. After a while she comment quietly, “They seem to be a fairly happy bunch, these new first years. Always nice to see. Good attitudes to go with that, I hope.”

(Faculty) “I do hope they are as well behaved the whole year as they were on the boat ride.” Phoebe quips gently seemingly having forgot all about the Slytherin boy. “I didn’t have a single problem with any of them. Though I think a few were tempted to get a closer look at the squid.” “I told them in no uncertain terms that I wouldn’t be happy if I had to jump in the lake after them.”

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.

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!”

(Faculty) Melvina exhales a small, puffed, genuinely amused laugh about that as she sets her elbows up on the table and steeples her fringers together in front her lips.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!”

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.

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!”

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.

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.

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!”

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.

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.

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!”

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.

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.

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.

(Faculty) Gerald Rathe sits upright, but a slight droop to his shoulders is still evident. “I swear that this gets longer every year.”

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.

(Faculty) Laughing quietly to herself at her father’s comment, Astra quirks a sharp little grin and turns to him. “Nah, you’re just getting older old man.”

“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.

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.”

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!

“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.

“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.

(Faculty) “Well, that was fun,” Melvina says simply, taking up her fork and placing some of the turkey that had just materialized in front of her on to her plate.

(Faculty) “Admit it, Melvina. You just took this job to create your own social life,” Darius quips, also happily tucking into the food that has appeared in front of him. “How many school events are you planning on us running, now?”

(Faculty) Melvina can’t help but grin at Darius’ (not-entirely untrue) cheek. “A half-dozen or so, that may change. Not all of them are entirely my fault, I might add. You’ll need to confront my deputy on grounds of a few.”

(Faculty) Gerald Rathe leans forward on one elbow, with furrowed brow. He raises an eyebrow at Astra at Melvina’s comment, but addresses Melvina. “Tell me, Headmistress, does one actually attend this “Barefoot Social” without shoes?”

(Faculty) “No, Gerald. It’s a metaphor for the souless existence that is life in Scotland.” Darius declares, deadpan.

(Faculty) Melvina simply grins her response, a rather mischevious twinkle in her eye.

(Faculty) “I think I might have to be ill if the Social is going to happen underwater again.” “In fact, I may have to be sick on general principle.” Taking up her goblet for the first time during the whole evening, Astra presses it to her lips and takes a drink. “Much as it’s a wonderful concept,” there is no smile, “I’m afraid some of us,” but Gerald’s comment catches her and she snorts in derision at the affair. “Shoeless, yes.” “May as well try to fit in with the peasants.”

(Faculty) Gerald Rathe looks rather abruptly to Darius, staring at him for a beat with a blank expression, then breaks into an open laugh. Shaking his head, he says, “Shoeless or not, it’s an entertaining metaphor.” “Ah, Astra, I can see that you’re still the life of any party.” Here he winks at his daughter, smirking.

(Faculty) “Well, it does offer so many easy conversation starters,” Isolde says as she pours herself a glass of wine. “Such as, ‘My goodness, but you have big feet,’ or perhaps, ‘I suppose you’re still waiting to fill those shoes of yours.’” She sips at the wine, then helps herself to mashed potatoes.

(Faculty) “Got it from you old man.” Not at all masking the bitterness, Astra takes another drink of the pumpkin juice without making so much as a face. “Maybe I can say that I’m trying to fill your footsteps, but I’d be afraid of catching some worm or another if I walked where you did.” Turning her head away from Gerald, she stifles a yawn before playing with the food on her plate. Pushing some beans around with a fork, she shrugs to herself.

(Faculty) Melvina watches Astra with a quiet, fond sort of smile; her smirk having faded in to something more quiet, the mischief in her eyes having eased back in to seriousness. “It isn’t under the lake this year, no. Though that does remind me, in fact. Professor Fallon,” she says, turning her gaze toward Avery. “If you have some time later this evening, I’d like to discuss something with you.”

(Faculty) “Melvina, do I need to start practicing charms to make instruments float this year? Please do cue us in a bit more this time, I’m still drying out my piano from the last one.” Darius raises an eyebrow.

“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.”

A bag slung over her shoulder, dragging her steps and massaging her temples as she enters the tower, it seems that Morgana DeWitt is not in the best of moods for class. In fact, she’s not in the best of moods for anything in particular, not that that is anything new. Dumping her bag on the floor by her feet, she leans against the wall, groaning quietly to herself as she continues to massage her temples. “Why am I even here?” She mutters. “I could be asleep. I could be doing just about anything. Why, oh, why, am I heeeeere…”

It’s midnight, but Saphia‘s not even half-way sleepy. Astronomy tonight! As always, she’s one of the first students to bound up to the tallest tower in Hogwarts, carrying only the required textbooks and her standard astronomy equipment, plus her quills, a purple dragonhide notebook, and a plate of chocolate muffins, balanced precariously on her school textbook. “Good evening, Professor Fallon!” she nods to the teacher as she enters shortly after Morgana. “I brought some chocolate muffins for everyone… I hope that’s alright. I think we could each get half a muffin and share evenly.” Saphia carefully puts the muffins down on the teacher’s desk, and then sorts her stuff out at her desk.

Already in the classroom, Avery Fallon is seated behind her desk, bent over an inch-high stack of papers. Circling a number in red on the top sheet, the professor exhales sharply as if in relief. She is only vaguely aware of the class filing in at first, and only looks up as Saphia greets her. “Hello,” she replies. “Wow… thank you,” Avery says, eyes wide at the muffin. Once she has organized the papers into order based on mark, the woman stands up, gathering the sheets in her arms as she surveys her class. “Good evening,” is her quick greeting as she steps forward a little, waiting for silence. “Your papers on outer moons have been graded!” Avery says in something of an astonished tone. “As… well… as usual, Saphia has taken first,” she comments as she hands a paper back to the girl, smiling. “However, I am overall quite pleased with the work from all of you,” she encourages as she continues handing back papers.

If Morgana even registers what the Professor is saying, she doesn’t entirely care, still rubbing at her temples and, as Saphia chirps away happily, glaring at her fellow second-year. At first, it is just a silent glare, but finally, she offers an explanation. “I feel like my brain has swollen up and is trying to force its way out of my head. This is not a chocolate muffin moment.” Surely there must be some method to relieve her headache. Like trepanning, even. A hole in her skull would certainly distract her from her pounding head.

Saphia Bona smiles somewhat dopily at the news that she took first in the class, and blushes embarrassedly. She whispers something to one of her Ravenclaw friends, who appears to be grumbling about his mark, and then turns her attention to Morgana, with a sympathetic frown. “Well, that’s no good, Morgana!” She looks down at her desk, suddenly deep in thought. But no, try as hard as she might, she can’t think of a way to make chocolate muffins cure a headache, at least not without using charms. Not that she knows how to use charms to cure a headache. Finally, she tilts her head back up to pay attention to the professor.

Giving Avery a big grin, Briony skips up to get her paper and then makes her way over to get her paper. “Thank you, Mrs Fallon!” Briony exclaims with some deliberation, for she is not used to calling the woman by ‘Fallon’ rather than Goden. Soon Briony is practically hopping back to her seat, with a grin at Saphia. “Congratulations for the score,” she tells the Ravenclaw and then glances to Morgana, who doesn’t look very pleased at all. “I’m sure Mrs Fallon wouldn’t appreciate you not coming, so you must be doing it to be nice.” She nods decisively as she says this. Briony is perhaps a bit giddy today.

Resisting the urge to pat Briony on the head as she chirps her thanks, Avery‘s face becomes a little emotionless at Morgana’s essay. DeWitt. Rafe’s sister. Fantastic. Now finished with handing out papers, Avery Fallon returns to the front of the room and sighs. “Now, aren’t we sad to be finished studying outer moons?” Avery asks, a hand to her chest as she nods with dramatic sympathy. “Luckily, our next topic is exciting, too,” Avery says, not completely without sarcasm. “I know you all read the introductory pages to astrology in your texts like I told you to last week,” the professor says hopefully. “As you know, astrology goes hand in hand with astronomy. Even though some of you will go on to take Divination next year and learn more details on the subject, it’s implied that you understand the basics here, first.” Scanning the class, Avery attempts to make eye contact with all her students as she continues. “All of you have a star sign based on the day of your birth, and a lot of you probably knew it even before last week’s reading homework.” Bracing herself for the noise, Avery says, “On the count of three, I want everyone to say their star sign out loud so that I know you did your homework.” Possibly the easiest homework-check Avery had ever heard of, that’s for sure.

Saphia Bona calls out in one long breathless word/sentence: “Leo-unless-you-use-the-chinese-methodology-in-which-case-it’s-Tiger!” She is, of course, overpowered by the many other students all yelling out their starsign at the same time.

Eying Briony with a raised eyebrow, Morgana has an excellent comeback just for this situation. “Urgh.” She mutters, clasping her hands to her forehead and resisting the urge to bash her head against a wall. That would not help. Then, after a moment, she looks up at the Professor, fixing a somewhat insolent glare on the Professor. “The cusp of Capricorn and Aquarius.” She offers, a certain defiance in her tone, before she slips back into her headachey self-pity.

Briony has to think about this for a moment. What was it again, what was it? Oh, that’s right! “Cancer!” She practically shouts, her hands both thrown up into the air, a motion which would make any true cancer cringe. The girl beams around at everyone, her face falling only a little bit as she looks at Morgana. Right, grumpy girl. She turns her face forward again happily to Avery as she waits for the next question. If only they were all so easy!

“Good,” Avery commends, nodding once. “We also learned in the reading that astrologers have worked to find some common traits of people born under each star sign. It is with this information that they cross reference, based on other signs and alternate happenings in the celestial expanse, and create horoscopes. Used to tell the future,” adds Avery, clasping her hands. “Many people are already far too concerned about the future as it is, if you ask me,” Avery notes, raising one eyebrow, “And that falls completely into Divination, anyway. Today we’ll just be looking at those primary characteristics that I mentioned before. Hands up, then, who can tell me some general characteristics of their star sign? Make sure you tell me which it is, first,” Avery says, looking to her class as a whole.

Saphia Bona raises her hand and answers, “I was born on the 22nd of August, which makes me a Leo. Leo’s are meant to be generous, kind and openhearted, but they’re also meant to be very domineering, emotional and loud,” she declares, in her tiny whisper, “And I don’t think that sounds like me very much at all. I was also born in 1914, which makes me Year of the Tiger in the Chinese zodiac, but that makes even less sense, frankly. Perhaps I’m just meant to like cats? I do like cats.”

Despite the pounding of her head, Morgana sort of half-raises her hand, a grudging acceptance that since she is here, she had better actually do something. “I was born on the 19th of January. Because I am on the cusp of Capricorn and Aquarius, it is hard to tell what I’m supposed to be like.” She begins. “If I am a Capricorn, I am ambitious and disciplined, reserved and practical.” She smiles a somewhat self-assured smile, though one hand still presses against her aching head. “And I am supposed to hate noise and immature behaviour.” This is a rather pointed remark, and she glares sidelong at Briony as she says it. “If I am an Aquarius, I am independent and intellectual, detatched, unemotional, and above all, loyal. And I would hate… sameness. Ridiculous sameness.” Turning her gaze back to Professor Fallon, she offers another insolent glare, before looking back down at her desk.

Raising her hand and waiting her own turn, Briony seems a bit less confident than her classmates. “Cancer people are supposed to be really emotional, and not like attention or people looking at them, and they would rather stay at home than go to Quidditch games or anything like that.” Briony shakes her head as she says that. “But it’s all lies, because I love going to Quidditch games.” Of course, if Briony does not fit the mold, it must be the mold’s problem, right?

Nodding, Avery smiles… even to Morgana, (though it disappears slightly as she looks to Briony), as the students take turns answering. “Good answers, all,” she says truthfully. “Five points to everyone who answered.” The professor does look genuinely impressed with her class’s astute responses, and there’s quite a pause before she looks back to Saphia, and then to Briony. “We have some deviants here, looks like,” she comments, bringing herself mentally back to the topic at hand. “What to think when you have few or no traits of your star sign? Tricky, and not really lies, Briony,” she says with a smile. “It’s a lesser known fact that while we all have star signs, we also have moon signs. Those of you sharing less traits with your moon sign are likely governed more by your moon sign. Thing is, you need to know your time of birth in order to find it out. This wasn’t covered in the introduction so I don’t expect that anyone will know theirs. For part of your homework I’d like you to try and find out what time you were born, even if it’s just a guess on behalf of your parents.”

Saphia Bona raises her hand with a question and, when called upon, asks, “Professor, why would some people be more guided by their moon sign, while others be guided by their star signs? Is there a theory as to why this would be?”

Briony‘s eyes light up as Avery tells them this. Aha, a reason why she doesn’t fit in the mold set by the astrologers! One can imagine that Briony will posthaste be trotting down to see her mother about what time she was born, because after all, Briony wants to know what her Moon sign is! That, and she can’t afford to do badly in the class, lest she be disallowed to do Quidditch next year. The girl might have ulterior motives, but at least they’re for the right end.

Glancing up with a quiet growl – her kingdom for a headache cure – Morgana eyes the Professor for a moment before resting her head in her hands again. “I fit mine.” She mumbles defiantly, probably scarcely loud enough to be heard. “But I am on a cusp. I am allowed not to fit properly.” This is the best comeback she can think up while clutching her head in utmost pain. Do forgive her.

Looking to Saphia, Avery appears quite entertained at the question and crosses her arms. “That’s something we’ll be starting to study in the classes to come, and a topic I’ll hope you’ll all touch on in your term papers. As a simple answer for now, Saphia, it’s hard to know for sure why people are guided so. Your moon sign is designed to regulate your personality and, your star sign, your individual side. The intricacies of people’s personalities emerge at different stages in life. Above all, people change as their environment does. Those guided by their moon signs now may not always be…” trailing off, Avery looks to Morgana with an inquiring look before asking, “D-do you need to see the nurse, Morgana?”

“No..” Morgana moans, looking up at Professor Fallon, scowling angrily. “I need to see an undertaker.” This point made, she claps her hands over her eyes, as if the effort of all these scowls and glares is making her eyes hurt as well as just her head, and she turns her attention back to her self-pity. “My eyes feel like they are about to pop out. My brain feels swollen, as though it’s going to crack out of my skull.” Because obviously, ‘yes, I have a headache’ just wasn’t a good enough response.

Looking around, as if weighing up the wisdom of this action, Saphia slowly rises to her feet and walks over to Morgana, laying one of her hands on Morgana’s back, gently and (she hopes) soothingly. It’s unlikely the two girls have ever said more than five words to each other before today, but Saphia‘s decided to try and help, it would seem.

“Oh, dear!” Briony responds rather loudly. “Someone ought to get her to — Madam Wexler quick, before she dies!” Briony looks genuinely concerned, and she faulters as she manages to say ‘madam wexler’, after all, it isn’t exactly normal for one to call their mother by another name than ‘mum’ after so many years of calling her such. “I’ll escort her if you want, Miss Avery — I mean — oops — I mean Professor Fallon.” Briony‘s face colors very red as she manages to get the name wrong, despite doing it conspicuously often.

“Bona, I understand that you are trying to be nice.” Morgana responds, sitting up a little straighter and trying to shrug Saphia’s hand off her back while not dislodging her hands from her head. “So I will merely give you a warning. Do. Not. Touch. Me.” Then, she moves her hands from her eyes just long enough to glare at Briony. “I am not at any risk of keeling over and dying, Wexler. I just want to be left alone.”

Saphia Bona withdraws her hand hurridly and whispers, “S… sorry, Morgana.” Returning to her seat, she instead just looks over sympathetically while one of her Ravenclaw friends dismissively waves his hand toward her and whispers, possibly informing Saphia that she’s not worth the trouble.

Though touched by Saphia’s kind act, Avery doesn’t show a lot of response in her expression as Briony starts speaking. Avery does smirk faintly at Briony’s ‘Madam Wexler’, and nods, looking back to Morgana, a bit put off at her reaction to little Saphia. “Class is almost over as it is… Briony could take you to the nurses’,” she says kind of forcefully, “or you could just head off to bed if you like, Morgana,” Avery says, her arms still crossed. To the rest of the class, Avery raises her voice a little to say, “Since all the zodiac constellations appear in the sky in different seasons, it’s impossible to see them all at once. Pity,” she shakes her head. “For the rest of the class I want you to use your telescopes and try to see how many zodiac constellations you can locate tonight.”

Peering up at Avery with eyes that don’t quite focus, yet still manage to hold a certain degree of defiant contempt, Morgana stands from her desk and, waving a dismissive hand at Briony, gathers her things together and leaves, massaging her head with one hand. “This class was the biggest waste of time I have ever sat through.” She mutters as she makes her exit, perhaps just loud enough for Avery, if no one else, to hear her.

Hopping up to escape Morgana’s possible glare, the girl digs into her bag and pulls out her small telescope, running to look at the constellations through it. For once, Briony seems to be standing still, even at this late hour of night, and she slowly brings her telescope into clear focus, trying to find the constellations that are visible in tonight’s sky.

Saphia Bona nods to the professor and takes up her position at one of the stations, happily using her telescope and book of constellations to map out the visible zodiac signs, and carefully noting down her co-ordinates shown on the telescope. She is careful and meticulous and cheerful, this being the only subject where her practical skills match her writing.

Avery is not quite sure what it was she heard from Morgana, but she certainly hopes she heard wrong. “Excuse me?” Avery questions in the departing girl’s direction. “Miss DeWitt, I understand you’re not feeling well. It’s really no excuse to be rude,” professor Fallon points out, assuming Morgana did say something rude. Attempting to not show any hurt emotion, Avery glances to the rest of the class, searching for stars. As the class has always gone in the past, they are more or less free to leave when they felt they’ve seen enough. No use forcing the subject, after all.

Spinning around and affecting a look of utter innocence – exacerbated by her pitiful clutching of her head, though there is a hint of something else in her eye, something much less sweet and naive – Morgana offers only a shrug and, “Being rude, Professor Fallon?” Her tone is completely innocent, except perhaps an extra edge in her voice in the last two words, a sort of deliberate, nasty emphasis on the name. “In what way have I been rude?”

Saphia Bona continues to search, and will continue to do so until she is forced out by the Professor (which is fairly typical) or she falls asleep at her telescope (which has so far only happened once). It’s not quite reading for her, but she loves astronomy dearly.

Lest Briony be caught in the middle of the fray of Morgana’s ‘wrath’, the girl closes up her small telescope quickly, putting it back into her bag, Stuffing the essay — on which she got mediocre marks — into her bag as well between two books, the second year hops up, tosses her bag over her shoulder, and quickly makes her way out of the room. Sleep would be a good thing to have, after all.

Glaring down to the girl, Avery decides it is in her best interest not to fight over this one. “Just get to bed,” she says after a moment, exasperation more evident in her voice than contempt. Turning from that scene, Avery takes up her post once more behind her paper-covered desk. Absently trying to organize the mess, Avery looks up from time to time, waving to students who acknowledge her as they pass. Eventually only Saphia remains, and Avery only shakes her head, a lopsided grin on her face.

Climbing the many sets of stairs, Olivia finally makes it to the classroom, only to find that there is nobody in it. Hmmm. Sighing a bit, she looks at the stairs. One more set. The Hufflepuff slowly but surely climbs up the stairs, and, lo and behold, a teacher! And telescopes. Curious. The girl stays relatively close to the doorway, not looking or talking to many of her peers. She’s just a tadbit sleepy.

If sleepiness features in Matthew Cowper‘s life, it is by accident only – or so it seems as, even in this late hour, he is boisterous as always, bounding up the stairs not too far behind Olivia, and beaming brightly at the almost-empty room. “Hallo, uh,” he hesitates, having forgotten the girl’s name, then waves a hand and improvises. “Miss Hufflepuff, ’tis a pleasure to see you. Tired? Have a chocolate!” He delves into the pockets of his robes, seeking a chocolate, but finds nothing except, as the rustling would indicate, empty wrappers. “Oh. Or not. Doesn’t matter. You probably wouldn’t want one anyway.” Oh, look, a distraction.

Sorrel Jasson huffs onto the roof, cursing all the stairs under her breath. Glaring at her fellow students, who seem to be fit enough for all the stairs, she sits in a tailor’s seat, facing the Forbidden Forest, and takes in it’s sights. Closing her eyes, she tries to imagine that she is alone, blocking out the others’ noise and watches the forest most intently. One might think that she expects something to happen out there.

With a deep breath, Avery Fallon emerges onto the tower roof, her robes trailing her as she makes her way to the head of the group of students. “Good evening, everyone,” she greets casually, smiling lightly to the bunch of teens. Speaking over several stifled yawns, Avery begins with, “Now, I know you all are making good progress on your essays on comets, which are due next class,” she smiles to a loud, relieved sigh from someone near the back, “and I’m here for help if you need it. But tonight, there’s a comet above us now,” Avery raises up a hand, palm facing the stars. “I want you to get into partners and find it with your telescopes. Once you have, you’ll get your marks for this assignment by sketching a picture of it, and identifying it using your textbooks. It’s due at the end of class, so use your time well.”

“Hey, who reckons I can do a handstand?” This seems to be a totally relevant question for Matthew to ask, in his mind, and he fairly promptly flips himself forward to try and do a rather shoddy handstand. Then, apparently realising he’s in class, in front of the teacher and surrounded by telescopes (or perhaps, he’s just very bad at handstands), he falls over onto the ground, only offering forward a half-hearted, “Ow.” Then, totally distracted, “Who wants to be my partner?”

Olivia immediately moves away from the boisterous Gryffindor, wiping the sleep from her eyes a bit as she stops up by a telescope near to where she had stopped as she came up on the roof. The fouth year Hufflepuff looks around and smiles a bit as she beckons her good friend over. “I don’t remember where she said it would be last class, where do you reckon we should look?” Liv reaches into her knapsack and pulls out a length of parcment as well as her ink and her quill, readying herself to draw the comet in hopes that they will be able to quickly find it.

Yawning, Sorrel Jasson looks around at her classmates as she stands and brushes off her robes. She has to be partnered with one of these gits? Oy vey. Her life is over. Wandering over to the nearest telescope, she gets out her parchment, ink, and quill, hoping against all hope that she’ll be able to work by herself tonight. Looking at the sky above, she takes a guess and turns her telescope a little further to one direction, a little up, and looks into it – a blank (well, relatively) sky. Poot.

What? Working alone? Never fear, Matthew is here! He swoops over to the Slytherin girl, peering over her shoulder with a broad smile, not-so-accidentally slipping his arm around her to reach for a twiddle-thing on the telescope on the opposite side of her to where he happens to be. “Hello, Miss Sorrel. How are you tonight?” His broad, goofy grin speaks volumes about what he could be thinking right now, though it is rather uncertain which of them he is thinking. “It’s all the better now you have me as a partner, right?”

“It’s not easy to find a comet in such a great expanse, but what you’ve been learning in your research of comets for your essay should help you,” says Avery in quite a loud voice as she walks among the students. “Keep in mind, though, I’ll know by your sketches if you’ve actually found it,” she calls, a sense of amusement in her voice. The two-tailed comet was unique in the sky tonight, and chances are good that students who do not actually find it will not chance drawing a comet so rare. “I’ll still give marks to pairs who need help locating it but can still identify it by name,” Avery notes with little subtly as she makes her way past Matthew and the girl who is, apparently, now his partner.

Slapping Matthew’s arm away, Sorrel Jasson sighs. “No.” She says. “It’s not… Unless you know where to find this comet, that is?” Ignoring the original question the boy posed, Sorrel has, however, noted the potential approach of… bahbahbahBAH… house points.

Olivia is readjusting the telescope left, then right, up, then down. It seems she isn’t giving her partner much reign of it today, as if she is more determined to locate the comet herself. “Oh — is that –” Olivia hesitates a moment while she looks to see if she’s perhaps found a commet. No, that appears to merely be a particularly bright star. She turns the telescope again, in search of the illustrious comet.

Matthew Cowper seems largely unperturbed by the fact that his new partner slaps his arm away, and after a moment, he stretches his arm around her again to twiddle the telescope again. “If we cuddle up close, Sorrel, I can find the comet for you.” And, true to his word, he squishes closer to her, certainly trying to get much closer than she would ever let him, trying to get his eye to the telescope as he does so.

Turning quickly away from the Slytherin/Gryffindor pair in order to suppress laughing at Matthew’s antics, the woman walks over to another pair, these both Ravenclaws and whispers, “Higher up,” to the boy maneuvering the telescope, presently scouring the horizon. Avery meanders over to Olivia next, showing a crooked smile as the girl scans the heavens. With one index finger, Avery pushes her telescope up slightly higher, pointed in the correct general angle if not the best direction. Moving back to Matthew and Sorrel, Avery vows to remain serious as she nods her head slightly in the direction of the Giacobini-Zinner comet.

The Hufflepuff girl glances around at Avery as she steps by and starts turning her telescope a bit. “No, no, don’t touch it,” she tells her partner and slaps his hand away. “She adjusted it so I figure it must be nearby.” Olivia starts turning and turning, and turning until she has turned nearly ninety degrees. Ah, there it was! “Here, look,” she tells her partner, directing for him to gaze through the eye of the telescope. She quickly strides over to where she had stacked her things and begins trying to sketch the comet from memory. It is clear Olivia is not much of an artist.

Matthew Cowper turns and looks at the Professor, offering a wide and rather goofy smile, then returning to the task of trying to rearrange the telescope while sleazing onto a girl who doesn’t want to be sleazed onto. Indeed, this is taking up rather more of his attentions than the telescope is, so he is missing the indicated comet by a substantial distance, even after it is indicated to him by the Professor. “I – is something funny, Professor?” He asks after a moment, suspicion edging into his words, though it is forgotten quickly enough.

Sorrel Jasson seems rather irritated by the Gryffindor boy, but, at the same time, does certainly enjoy those house points, and stealing credit. Rather than letting him “cuddle up close”, she ducks under his arm and to the side of the telescope, allowing him free rein over it. Looking around at the class, she is happy to see that other people are having trouble too. Reluctantly she looks at the sky, trying to think what the signs of a comet are. (What?)

Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap. The echo of someone noisily trudging up the Astronomy Tower steps to the roof presents before a twenty-five minute late Rafe DeWitt presents in the entranceway. He peers at Avery a small sparkle of challenge twinkles in his eyes. With a half smirk he crosses his arms and stands in front of the professor as if to announce his late presence in a defiant manner. “Professor Fallon,” he mutters.

For some reason, Sorrel doesn’t seem to appreciate Matthew‘s advances – so how does he deal with this rejection? He pouts at her, diverting his attention from the telescope and diverting the telescope even further off-course than it already was, tapping at his chest with one hand. “Sorrel… when you slip away from me like that, it hurts me, real bad, right here. You – you’re breaking my -” He turns, peering at the sound of the footsteps. “DeWitt’s late!” Yes, as if that wasn’t horrifyingly obvious.

Now considering herself finished with ‘making her rounds’, Avery stops in her wandering tracks to appraise the students as a whole, happy to see that some groups are busily sketching the two-tailed comet. She sighs as she looks upon the groups who have decided against taking her ‘subtle’ hints. As Rafe walks in very late, however, Avery‘s face darkens and one of her eyebrows are raised. “This class is mandatory to attend, Mr. DeWitt, as I’m sure you know.” Observably checking her watch, Avery notes, “Nearly a half hour late. Where have you been?”

Shaking her head at this boy’s incredible lack of IDEA, Sorrel Jasson takes a quick, smirking glance over at Rafe, wondering happily what his punishment shall be, before turning back to the telescope while Matthew is busy crowing over DeWitt’s trouble. Noting the positions of the other student’s telescope slyly, she moves her – their – telescope up further, and slightly towards the left, before once more looking into it and seeing… Nothing. Blast.

Olivia cringes a bit as she sees her housemate — and a rather rude one at that — show up to the class quite late. This is obviously not very pleasant an outcome for her. Having her comet half sketched already, Olivia makes her way back over to the telescope, peeking into it so that she might be able to show a more accurate drawing of it. Finally finishing her sketch (in a rather bright shade of lilac, no less) Olivia looks down at it and after adding her name to it (after all, credit is good!), she purses her lips before adding ‘Jacobs-zinini” to the bottom. Well, perhaps it isn’t the right name, but it’s close enough.

“The hospital wing,” Rafe counters while continuing to smirk. He crosses his arms over his chest. “I felt ill. I received a potion. I feel better. So I came to class. Late, but still here.” He narrows his eyes, tilts his head, and just stares at the teacher.

Because obviously the Professor would not have noticed Rafe’s lateness if it weren’t for Matthew‘s sharp observational skills, he beams all the more brightly and turns back to Sorrel. “See, I had to say that, so she wouldn’t notice that I don’t have a clue what we’re doing.” He confides in he girl, leaning closer – probably far too close for comfort, especially between aquaintances such as these two – and offers what he considers to be a charming smile. Needless to say, he considers wrong, because it just looks a little bit silly. “She’ll be chewing him out for a while, and unless you have some idea of what we should be doing instead…” He trails off, apparently not actually having an end to his pickup line, and just shrugging his shoulders vaguely. “I’ve got nothing. You think I’m cute, though, right?”

Leaning back again, further away from that creepy Matthew boy, Sorrel ignores his question. “I think maybe,” she starts, looking over at the position of her neighbour’s telescope, “that the telescope needs to go more that way.” she finishes, pointing, whilst moving further away from Matthew so that he has to find the comet himself, not her.

Also narrowing her eyes, Avery bites her lip only slightly as she stands, scrutinizing the boy, as if searching out his lie. Even if he sounds convincing enough, something about his defiant air has Avery not believing him. But since there is no way, or reason, really, for her to truly call what she interprets to be his bluff, Avery only crosses her arms and replies, “You’re looking for a comet. I hope you find it.” Her tone is unusually sharp for the woman; her gaze, hard. “You’ll also need to draw it and name it,” she adds, almost in an afterthought. It seems as though some of her son’s hatred for this boy has leaked unprofessionally into her teaching career.

“You’re ignoring my question,” Matthew replies petulantly, though he does peer through the telescope and try to rearrange it as she suggests. “I think we should go out sometime. You know. Hang out in Hogsmeade together. I always wanted a cute Slytherin girlfri – hey, I think I found it!” Excitable as a puppy, he claps his hands, then reaches out to grab at Sorrel, not even looking at her, wherever his hand happens to run into her. This could be a potentially bad thing. Especially as he may not even be reaching in the direction of Sorrel and could, therefore, be potentially grabbing at just about anyone. “Is this it? Huh?”

“Professor Fallon,” Olivia calls quietly, blowing a bit on her drawing to dry the thing. “Here, I’ve finished my drawing. “Her partner is not far behind her as she makes her way over to the teacher who is not far away, considering the relative size of the roof. She presents her lilac-and-parchment artwork, containing a comet with two tails and gives a bit of a half-smile as she is rather proud of her drawing, however poor it might be.

“I intend to find it, Professor,” Rafe states as he turns on his heel away from her. And then he stops while his back is still to Avery to ask a question, “A particular comment or any comet?” An eyebrow is raised at all of the student pairs present to which the Hufflepuff merely shakes his head and clucks his tongue. An eyebrow is raised at Matthew and Sorrel, but he merely shrugs it off as he proceeds to look through an unoccupied telescope.

Being hit in the arm by the other student’s flailing arm is a welcome distraction for Sorrel, who had no particular wish to douse the boy’s spirits whilst he still might prove useful to her points-grasping gambit. Looking into the telescope, pushing Matthew off to the side, she yelps. “Yes!” she yells. “We got it! Well, that is, unless there’s more than one comet out there tongiht.” Grabbing her parchment, Sorrel quickly attempts to sketch the comet in her black ink, probably missing several bits, making it just look like a giant blob with two tails. She isn’t a great artist.

Smiling genially to Olivia as she hands in her parchment, Avery nods to the girl with approval after seeing the comet’s two tails depicted on their diagram. She doesn’t check the name of it yet, though, as she receives two other pairs’ assignments in. “Thank you, thank you,” she says idly before she feels obligated to answer Rafe. “Luckily for you, there’s only one to be found tonight. So you won’t find the wrong one,” she tacks on. Glancing past him to Sorrel and Matthew, the professor’s demeanor softens as she grins a little.

Matthew Cowper openly copies from Sorrel’s picture, occasionally peering at the sky as well, though more often just looking at his partner’s paper. That is what partners are for, right? That, or for shamelessly flirting with. “So, I’ll meet you in the Entrance Hall next Hogsmeade weekend, shall I?” Innocent as ever, though an obviously feigned innocence that says that he knows exactly what she meant by her ‘yes’, but he isn’t intending to let that get in the way of his dreams. “Sorrel Cowper sounds like such a lovely name. You can cook for me and get me my slippers when I come home from work.”

Peering into the telescope for several minutes, Rafe examines the stars and a slight smile spreads over his lips (even more of a smile than he’s ever given Kelly). After several minutes pass, the comet enters the boy’s view and he small smile broadens, and he mutters to himself, “Two tails. . .” After spotting it, Rafe reaches into his satchel and extracts his textbook. Quickly flipping through it, he finds the comet, “The Giacobini-Zinner.” Extracting a piece of parchment and a quill, Rafe looks through the telescope once more and begins to sketch his comet. He’s surprisingly good at drawing considering how much he appears to hate art in general. “Done and done.” Shuffling up to Avery, Rafe‘s expression returns to its defiant position as he thrusts the parchment to her, “I found it.”

Sorrel Jasson almost chokes as she listens to Matthew. “Actually,” she says calmly, “I like my own name. As it is. And for one thing, I can’t cook. And another…” On the verge of telling the boy to go find a hole and die in it, Sorrel reconsiders. He might turn out to be good at this getting her praise thing. And he does seem to adore her. And she does love the praise and adoration. On a whim, she answers, “But okay.”, before wandering over to the professor with her half-arsed sketch of the comet, hurriedly tacking on a name before she reaches her. The writing states, “Gucci-Sinnerer.”.

Well. Now that the chase is over, Matthew has about zero interest in Sorrel, and begins actually focusing on the lesson for the first time today. So, this comet thing, right? Well, if Sorrel thinks it’s the Gucci-Sinnerer, the Gucci-Sinnerer it is. That done, he hands it to the professor with a broad smile. “I’m finished, Professor Fallon.” It’s a blob with two tails, a copy of a bad drawing, labelled something that doesn’t even make sense. “Isn’t it great?”

“Fantastic,” Avery says in a rather harsh cynical tone as she snatches Rafe’s paper smartly away from him. Unfortunately for Avery Fallon, Rafe has been infuriatingly quick in her class since her first day. She could see why Gabriel couldn’t stand him. That, and if the stories about him were true… Shaking herself mentally, the woman nods to Sorrel as she accepts her paper with a lot less snap than she did Rafe’s. “Thank you,” she says. Making a bit of a face at seeing Matthew’s… (was that a comet?) drawing, Avery looks empathetically at the boy as she takes his paper, too. “Very nice, it’s very nice,” she assures him while taking in the last two papers. “Alright then,” announces Avery, gathering all the sheets and attempting to line them up in her hands. “Good work tonight, everyone,” she says, making an explicit effort not to look at Rafe. “I know you’re anxious to get back to warm beds. Class dismissed!”

And Avery was right, Olivia was anxious to get to bed. Giving a smile to her partner and tucking her things back away, the girl stifles a rather hefty yawn as she puts her bag on her back again, to head, thankfully, down all the flights of stairs towards the Hall of Plants. Whether she got points or not for this class, Olivia was at least glad to have completed the assignment in a relatively timely manner. The last that is heard of her as she makes her way to her commonroom is the clack, clack, clack of her shoes on the stairs that she is rather hastily descending.

Matthew Cowper seems, indeed, entirely eager to get to his nice warm bed – or, at least, eager to do something that’s not Astronomy for he flips himself over onto his hands and even stumbles along for a few steps before falling over and making a much more conventional exit from the room. Though, as he leaves, he offers a bright wink and a, “See you later, love!”

Sorrel Jasson follows the other students down the stairs, snorting silently at the Gryffindor boy’s farewell. Yawning quietly, she heads off to her bed, to go find some sleep.

Putting down a red-inked quill atop a stack of parchment sheets, Avery Fallon sighs as she looks up to Tommy, sitting across from her at a rather large table. “There, finished,” she says happily, stretching her arms out. Checking her pocket watch, Avery‘s nose wrinkles a little as she says, “a couple minutes late, as usual,” with mock concern. “Don’t you think it’s funny that Kalika sets the times for lunch dates like this and then can’t make them?” Although Avery seems to find this quite amusing, Tommy only nods with a kind of half-smile.

Shuffling his feet quietly, Lindsay Fallon cannot think of anything but the work he has to do. But his sister has arranged for the family to have lunch, and he agreed to come, so he has come. He slides towards Tommy and Avery and has a seat at the large table. “Still not here yet, is she?” He clucks his tongue and shakes his head. “I hope her dolt husband doesn’t show up… ” he mutters.

Having grown up with the moderate flakiness of Kalika, Tommy isn’t quite as entertained by the fact that Kalika can’t make her own times. And it wasn’t that he was in a bad mood about anything. He was just so tired. Sometimes, having so many children just sapped his energy. How has his parents done it? Having to put up with Tommy‘s own antics, Kalika’s constant chatter and Lindsay’s lip. Christine was probably their only relief! Kissing Eva on the side of her forehead as she settles in, Tommy shakes his head with a laugh. “But, we really didn’t expect her to be,” he says.

“I’m sorry I’m a bit late,” Eva states as she strides in, looking as if she’s begun packing on a bit of weight. Again. “Hullo, Avery,” she greets the woman and sits down next to Tommy, tucking her arm in under his rather affectionately. She glances around the Leaky Cauldron, marveling at how different it is from the Hog’s Head, where they have mostly spent their time. “She isn’t here yet?” Eva comments casually, not seeing the woman for whom they are all gathered.

The door to the Leaky Cauldron opens as the bubbly curly-haired Kalika Fallon-Wexler strolls into restaurant. Fashionably late, as usual. Larger looser robes line the young woman’s changing body. Her skin emits an unusual glow, highly uncommon for Kalika in general. A yellow and red scarf is wrapped around her neck. “Sorry I’m late,” she chimes as she tucks one of her curls behind her ear. “I just got… I was…” She presses her lips together and then decides not to go into details as her lips curve into a small smile. “Quite the fall weather, isn’t it?” she sits in a chair next to Avery as her cheeks flush slightly.

After having waved to Eva as she sits down, Avery takes a quick glance at the menu in front of her before hearing her cousin’s chipper, familiar voice. Smiling as Kalika finally arrives and sits down, Avery pats her cousin on the shoulder, looking her full in the face. “You’re looking well, Kalika,” Avery comments, tilting her heat just a little. “Right then, we’re all here,” Avery announces before studying the menu some more.

Lindsay Fallon follows Avery’s actions and stares at the menu as well. “What to eat?” At the sound of Kalika’s voice, the reporter quirks an eyebrow. “Well isn’t the word I would use,” he states matter-of-factly as he examines his sister carefully. “No, well is far from appropriate.” He blinks several times as he eyes normally petite sister’s loose fitting robes. He glances at Tommy, Kalika, then Eva. “No Gilbert?” he finally asks while fighting the grin growing on his lips.

“Appears not,” Eva comments, glancing over at Lindsay, knowing how much the Fallon brother dislikes her own brother. Of course, Eva cannot entirely forgive him of this, but she chooses to ignore it for the most part. “What’s good here? It’s been ages for me. It isn’t like we have much time to go out.” Is that an inaudible sigh? Perhaps, but Eva isn’t expressing any upset over the situation, no matter how much she might feel.

Tommy Fallon closes his menu after looking at it for only a couple seconds, glancing quickly to Eva before giving Lindsay a rather scathing look. “Lindsay, what’s your point?” he asks, sighing. “You do look well,” Tommy assures Kalika, though if he were honest, he really didn’t think she looked much different than she always did. Kalika was Kalika, excitable and enthusiastic. Looking back to Eva, he points out an item on her menu, resting the same hand on her back after having done so. “Steak sandwich,” he says with a boyish grin.

“Uh… Gilbert is… well, he’s… he just… he couldn’t make it,” Kalika smiles at her brother. “And thank you, Avery. I feel well. Sincerely. Better, now, anyways.” She shoots Lindsay a quick glare and then turns her attention to Eva, “Get a sandwich. They make delightful sandwiches–you won’t regret it. I promise.” Biting her lip she nods at Tommy, “The steak is very good. I’ve been eating a lot of them lately. Steak in general is just pleasing…”

“You’ve been eating steak a lot?” Avery asks, a little incredulously. Kalika, appetite-like-a-sparrow was eating a lot of steak? Although this is an immediate red flag to Avery, having been there (and likely is to Eva, too,) Avery doesn’t say anything, but smiles wryly as she closes her menu, too. Ordering a sandwich, the waitress having come around, she hands her menu up and looks to Lindsay. “I’m sure it’s none of your concern where Gilbert is, is it?” says the woman, though not in a chiding manner.

Eyeing Tommy, Lindsay shrugs, “Nothing much. Just…” He cuts himself off as Kalika stutters over her husband’s location. “OH! I get it! He’s like Thieras! Too busy for his family–the moron!” He turns his attention to Avery, “For the record: you’re better off without him. I never liked him, anyways.” He eyes Kalika, “First he got you fat, and now he’s ignoring you because you’re fat!” And then he turns to Tommy, “See! That’s what I meant!!”

“What?” Eva snaps, looking in Lindsay’s direction with firey eyes. “Don’t you dare compare my brother to him.” The statement is spat as if even mentioning him by proxy in a sentence is awful. She takes several deep breaths for a moment, then returns to looking at her menu. “Maybe I’ll have the steak sandwich after all. It does sound appealing,” she comments quietly, trying to remove her thoughts from Lindsay’s comments.

Removing his hand from Eva’s back to point to Lindsay, Tommy shifts forward in his seat a bit. “Lindsay,” is all Tommy begins with, in a warning tone he likely uses with his young daughters when they appear to be heading for trouble. “You can’t go around just calling women fat, let alone our sister! What’s wrong with you?” Oh, this surely wasn’t the first time Tommy has asked Lindsay this, and it likely won’t be the last. The young man had such a way of igniting the issues (which is probably why he was so good at his job)…

“I’M NOT FAT, I’M PREGNANT, YOU DOLT!” Kalika yells rather loudly, “WHAT KIND OF MORON ARE YOU, ANYWAYS?!” Right after the words escape her mouth she places her fingers over her mouth and her cheeks redden. Several silent moments in the restaurant pass as complete strangers do not know how to react. Finally, the action begins once again. Quietly Kalika whispers, “I didn’t mean–I mean… I didn’t… I’m sorry you all found out this way…” her face continues to flush beet red.

Surely not expecting to be discussing this over their quiet Sunday lunch (though, were the Fallons ever quiet?), Avery is hit rather hard by Lindsay’s mention of Thieras, and Eva’s indignant response at her brother being compared to him, as if he were an awful person. Because he wasn’t. Glaring at Lindsay, Avery retorts, “I was better off married. This is just what had to happen. I can’t have my children grow up thinking a dead marriage is the norm. I– what!” Avery stops dead as Kalika begins shouting, and Avery‘s eyebrows raise as her cousin’s cheeks redden. Avery knew it! But as always, Lindsay had turned the situation into something awkward. “Congratulations,” she says, a little slowly, after having turned to Kalika.

“Well, it’s true, isn’t it?! Thieras was trash, wasn’t he?” Lindsay begins as he drums his fingers on the table. “And no, you weren’t better off married. Your garbage marriage did nothing for Jamie. Or … the other one.” Yes, he forgot Katherine’s name. When Kalika has her outburst, Lindsay just stares at her. After several moments he mutters, “Great. Little Gilberts and Kalikas. That’s all the world needs…”

“What, really?” Eva responds, gawking a bit at her sister-in-law. Of course, Eva‘d had a hunch, but she had supposed she was imagining things and perhaps that Kalika just had a cold. “Well, that’s wonderful!” Eva‘s face brightens as she intentionally ignores Lindsay’s comments. She leans over to her husband, however, and states, “He’s really very awful, isn’t he?” she whispers, mentally wondering what it is that Lindsay thinks about her, if he blatantly hates her brother so much.

“Kate,” Tommy supplies, his hands upturned in disbelief at Lindsay. “Lindsay, you can’t say things like that. Avery’s marriage was a good one at first. And Thieras was a good father… when he was there.” Tommy really can’t defend the man much. After all, he didn’t need to work as much as he did, but Tommy thinks Lindsay is, as usual, being too harsh. Leaning in towards Eva, he nods. “Always has been. I think he’s missing a part of his brain that tells him what is completely inappropriate.” This is not spoken in a whisper as Eva’s comment was. He’s made no effort to lower his voice at all.

“You weren’t supposed to find out this way… I mean… I … we… Gil was supposed to be here when … well…” Kalika stutters. “I wasn’t going to say anything because he couldn’t come! I’m a horrible wife,” her voice crackes as she buries her face in her hands. She sobs loudly into her hands. “And I AM fat!” she squeaks.

Like Eva, Avery ignores Lindsay’s last round of remarks, Tommy having reminded him of her daughter’s name, for heaven’s sake. This is a whole new low for Lindsay. As Kalika begins to cry, though, Avery slides her chair over, closer to Kalika as she pulls back a bit of curly hair from her cousin’s face. “Kalika, you’re not fat, you’re pregnant, like you said! Don’t listen to him,” she says, her vindictive tone very foreign to her voice. It was times like these when Avery understood all to well why Kalika had gone so many years without talking to her brother.

“Yeah. Kate, fine. Whatever. The point is he wasn’t there. Isn’t there. Doesn’t make an effort to be around. That’s what matters. That’s the point.” Lindsay sighs and glances at the menu. “And no, I’m not missing that part of my brain. I’m missing the part that feels the need to flatter anyone and everyone. I tell people the way things are.”

Eva stands and moves to the seat next to Kalika, putting her arm around her sister-in-law. “Don’t say that! Remember when I was pregnant?” As if it were so long ago. “I wasn’t small, either. And you’re not supposed to be.” She reaches around to put her hand on Kalika’s stomach. “It’s a little person, and I don’t know anyone who could have a person inside them and not look like a house.” Perhaps not as comforting as she would have liked. “Anyway, the point is that it’s beautiful. I’m almost certain Gil must have said as much.” She smiles at Kalika and gives her a little squeeze.

“The way you see them, you mean. Well here’s a newsflash for you Lindsay. Have you got a quill? You should take this down: you’re not always right. The way you interpret things is just that… not necessarily the truth.” Even though Tommy agreed with what Lindsay said, some of the time, and in varying degrees, someone had to tell him. “So learn to shut up. Not everyone is interested in your truth.”

Sniffling, Kalika raises her face from her hands. “Really, I’m not fat?” she wipes the tears from her cheeks. “I’m just so tired all of the time. And I was so sick for like… awhile.” She sniffles and wipes her cheeks with the sleeve of her robe. “Gil does love me,” she answers with a small smile as Eva pats her stomach. She sniffles again. “My emotions are all over the map. It’s so scary and exciting. And Gil’s making this crib, but he’s not a good craftsman, but it’s really sweet and so I didn’t want to discourage him, but what if when the baby gets put it in it it breaks?” She raises a hand to her forehead. “I don’t think I’m making any sense.”

Grinning at this, Avery says, “That is sweet of Gilbert. I’m sure things will be alright. After all, it’s his baby, too. He’ll make sure it’s safe… I’m sure…” she says. The hint of hopefulness in her voice may not instill a lot of confidence, but the woman shrugs. “It’s a crazy time, of course,” she says, “but Kalika, you have a large network of support. You’re not the first Fallon or Wexler to have children,” Avery says, laughing loudly.

“Interested or not, everyone needs a solid dose of reality,” LIndsay spouts back at Tommy. “You’re so boring, I wouldn’t take your advice. Ever. Not anymnore, anyways.” Shaking his head, Lindsay stands to his feet, “The Fallon legacy,” he begins and then points to Tommy, “Domesticity,” he then points to Avery, “separation,” and he finishes by pointing to Kalika, “and complete nonsense… cheers to us!”

“That’s so true,” Eva laughs and pats Kalika on the back, returning to her seat. “Don’t worry about that, once you get used to it, it’s easy.” A pause. “Well, it’s easier. I won’t say it’s a walk in the park.” The woman smiles and absentmindedly rubs her stomach, as she so often has done while pregnant. “Ugh,” is all she says in response to Lindsay, glancing at the clock. “When are we going to order, anyway?”

Tommy can hardly believe his ears! “G-get out!” he says to Lindsay, standing and pointing with his whole arm towards the door, his voice trembling with anger. He was a father, now. He couldn’t deck his brother in a pub even if he deserved it. “Now!” Tommy‘s face is quite red, his jaw set.

As Lindsay points at her, Kalika is rendered temporarily speechless, but then she nods to Avery. “It’s true, I’m not alone in all of this, I guess. And Gil is wonderful. The crib is a sweet thing, I just hope I can convince him not to put the baby in it… and yes! Let’s order! I want a steak sandwich!” Her eyes widen as Tommy demands Lindsay leaves. “Boys… I didn’t mean to… Please calm down…”

Sliding back in her seat after having comforted Kalika somewhat, Avery is hit anew with Lindsay’s most recent declaration. “Go,” is all she can say to her cousin, reinforcing Tommy’s demand. Separation will not be her legacy. She’d done it for the children. She wouldn’t be hurt about this. But the emotions were all so recent and raw. Trying to focus on the happier matters (Kalika was pregnant, and it was wonderful), Avery sighs, looking to Eva and Kalika but not saying anything.

“You don’t have to tell me! I was already on my way!” Lindsay counters as he marches angrily towards the door. “Goodbye Fallons. Good luck.” He smirks ironically, opens the door, and exits into the cold.

Dragging himself into his mother’s class, Gabriel is admittedly a little agitated tonight. Digging his homework out from his bag, the boy hangs onto it as he stands well away from the new teacher, among a group of Gryffindor boys. “Bet your homework is perfect, huh Goden?” one remarks before Gabe punches him lightly on the shoulder. “Shut up,” he says with a grin.

Charlie Linwood hates Astronomy with every fiber of his being today. Or tonight, rather. He hasn’t bothered combing his hair and apparently forgot he was going to be up again because his pajama bottoms poke out from under his (rather crooked) school robes. How unfair is it that he has to get up after only two hours of sleep and walk to the highest place in the school? Charlie has forgotten every last thing he needs for class, and is in fact carting his Care of Magical Creatures text. “Mrrhpble.”

“Well, isn’t it Gabriel? I’m sure your mother would have nothing less.” Nellie grins as she sweeps in past the group of boys in her house. “Good evening, Professor Fallon,” she says congenially as she stops and smiles towards the teacher, placing her bag on the floor next to her. The girl looks as if she hasn’t slept a wink and is, in fact, more energetic than she had been the entire day. “I wonder what we’ll be doing tonight,” the girl wonders aloud, pulling out her text.

Judging from the way the sound of bouncing feet and humming announces itself before Kelly Pantall even enters the room, one may judge that the girl is, in fact, in a remarkably good mood. For a start, although she is all but exploding with excess energy, she is not spiralling through an extended ramble or rant as she usually is, simply humming to herself. The bag slung over her shoulder is left open, revealing some messy homework, some books on the subject of Astronomy, and a book about torturous murder. If indeed her relative quietness is evidence of some sort of change, it does not run as deeply as one might hope. Spying a particular boy, however, her face lights up even more than it presently was as she bounds over to his side. “Charlie!” She exclaims, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she stands by his side. “You told me that friends tell each other things, right, and if I’m going to be your friend, I have to stop hiding things from you, right?”

Vivian Accacia is also a non-fan of Astronomy, because it took up her night times! Where else was she going to find time to gossip about everything that’s been going on? Wishing she could be back in the common room and finding out who’s been asking out who to the social, she at least continues to look perfect, she muses, her pointy hat slung under her arm and her hair braided up perfectly. An early bloomer in her physical development, Viv had been turning heads in her year from the beginning.

Once all the students appear to be present, Avery Fallon clears her throat slightly, nodding to Nellie after having done so, and stepping up in front of them all. “Good evening,” she greets, a rather large paper bag in her hands. “I realize it’s late and a little cool… but I’ve brought you some Bertie Botts jelly beans for your troubles of coming tonight.” The woman smiles as she holds it out in front of her. “They might give you a little jolt to help you stay awake… because I’ve eaten all the good ones out,” she says with a smirk. Though, apart from the Linwood boy, they did seem quite awake for the most part. “I know you’ve all got your homework, labeling the stars in the constellation Orion and Ursa Major finished and ready to hand in,” Avery says, perhaps a little too hopefully. “Gabe will come around and collect your papers.” Signaling with one finger to her son, Avery sets Gabriel reluctantly in motion.

“Grembibble?” Charlie asks Kelly with a bleary blink, and then a sleepy, “Wha’dyo meanKateohLordI’m so…” and here he yawns… and then groans, looking at the sole book in his possession. Well, if he maybe hides a little next to Kelly, Professor Fallon won’t notice he is not handing anything in. Also if he looks at the floor and slouches his shoulders, mentally cursing growth spurts once again.

Jaw dropping, Gabriel‘s eyes widen. He was not her personal slave! With a sigh, the boy starts grabbing the papers (in varying conditions) which are being held out in his direction. “Thanks, yeah, thanks…” he says, working up a pile of parchment before long. Looking back to Nellie, he asks rather pointedly, “Where’s yours?” Waving the pile as if needing to get her attention, he sighs forlornly.

Kelly Pantall rolls her eyes at Charlie, though she beams brightly at the boy and shakes her head quickly. “Grembibble’s not even a real word. Don’t be stupid.” Two sheets of parchment are plucked from her bag and waved at Gabriel vaguely. “Here’s mine…” Glancing at the Hufflepuff boy, she nods decisively, and adds, “oh, and Charlie’s, too. ‘S underneath.” Okay, so it’s actually just entirely blank, but hopefully no one will notice that until the boy has a chance to sort it all out for himself. “And on the subject of homework, you know how you told me I should have told you about who I wanted to ask to the social?”

“It’s right here,” Nellie replies with a smirk and a flip of her hair back over her shoulder. “Here’s mine, Professor Fallon.” Nellie grins at the teacher, then at Gabriel as she gives it to him. Rumor has gotten around about why Gabriel’s mother has a different last name than he does, and though Nellie has wanted to, she resists the urge to ask. “What’s that, Kelly? Another killer thing?” Nellie appears to even be interested, though not quite as fascinated in it.

Vivian Accacia looks at her own homework and winces. God, she’s barely put any effort in on this one, she realises, a second before she smilingly offers it to Gabriel with a flutter of her eyelashes, and then returns her attention to the front of the class. She’s not talking to anybody… for the moment.

With her hands clasped in front of her (as though, almost, a little nervous,) Avery Fallon begins. “Now that you have a little experience with constellations, you’ll be able to appreciate the many legends that go along with them. The legend of Orion is one of my favourites.” Taking a deep breath, Avery looks at her students meaningfully as she starts telling the legend. “Long ago, the Earth Goddess sent the scorpion on its mission– to kill Orion, the handsome hunter. Some of the legends tell of Orion engaging the scorpion in battle but quickly realizing its armour was impervious to attacks. Orion is said to have then jumped into the sea, swimming toward Delos. Apollo, who witnessed Orion’s battle with the scorpion, would not let him escape so easily. He challenged his sister, Artemis, to hit ‘that small speck in the sea’, who he told her was a villain. Artemis hit Orion with her first shot, and upon realizing the true identity of her victim, implored to her father, Zeus, to restore him.” She pauses. “He refused. Artemis put Orion’s image into the sky eternally.” With a wry smile, Avery Fallon nods. “If you’ll notice, Orion’s constellation has long disappeared below the horizon by the time Scorpio rises. Just an interesting tidbit, that.” With another nod, Avery crosses her arms across her chest. “Alright, now who can tell me the name of one of the stars in the constellation Orion? No need to put up your hands. Just shout them out,” she says.

Having what he thinks to be all the papers he’s likely to collect, Gabriel walks up to Avery as she’s just finished asking the question, though he doesn’t offer an answer along with the sheets he hands to her (“Thank you, dear”). Shuddering, Gabriel walks back to Nellie. She can’t call him ‘dear’ in front of everyone! What was she thinking?

Vivian Accacia leans over to a boy sitting next to her and whispers something. The boy, a Hufflepuff, blushes bright red and whispers something back. A second later Vivian is calling out, “Mintaka!”

Charlie Linwood opens his eyes a little wider than half-shut and gives Kelly a look that is supposed to be meaningful but probably looks slow and stupid. Especially because he tries to smile and yawns instead. Keeping his voice down, although he hardly has to try, “Right?” But then the teacher talks and on a day where he’s let a girl lie about his homework being turned in, forgotten his class things, and worn his pajamas, he’ll at least listen to the lesson. “Uhm, there’s the uh.. belt… and… Sai.. Saiph?” He did do his homework, after all.

“Is what another killer thing? My date to the social? No.” To her credit, Kelly‘s voice is pitched somewhat lower than usual, whispering under the voice of the Professor, leaning towards Nellie before standing up straight again and nudging Charlie in the stomach. “You owe me for that.” Never mind that submitting a blank piece of paper in someone else’s name does absolutely nothing except to postpone the inevitable trouble-getting and risks her getting into trouble as well. She considers that she’s just done a good deed for a friend. “Anyway, you’re not letting me finish. You know how you said I should tell you stuff? Well, I was talking to Rafe about stuff, and then he asked me to be his girlfriend.” This is obviously such an important point that it cannot wait until after Astronomy or at least until the Professor’s not talking. It simply has to be shared right now. Risking getting herself and Charlie into even more trouble. Yay, Kelly.

Nellie Caldwell doesn’t have anything to contribute in the names of the stars, though she can recognize the constellations themselves when coaxed a bit. The girl cannot help herself while she listens to Kelly and gasps. “What, really? Rafe? I thought he didn’t even like girls!” Nellie is shocked and turns to Gabriel. “Did you just hear that? Rafe asked Kelly to be his sweetheart!” Nellie shakes her head quickly, and one has to wonder who it is spreading the rumours in Gryffindor house. “I just simply cannot believe it.”

“Excellent, miss Accacia,” Avery beams. “That’s correct too,” she says, looking at Charlie. Glaring a little in Kelly’s direction, Avery‘s only comment to her is, “Could we please further our social lives on our own time, Miss Pantall?” An eyebrow is raised to the girl as Avery continues. “Now, the familiar constellation Ursa Major also has a legend, which I encourage you to read in your textbooks. It’s also ‘suggested’ that you memorize the names of the stars in that constellation as well as the ones in Orion, as there may be a quick test on it next class.” Judging by the obvious look on Avery‘s face, there’s no question as to whether or not there will be. “Orion watches us all, presently,” Avery says, raising her voice somewhat as she turns around, pointing upwards at the bright stars. “You all have your telescopes if you’d like to take a look. Also, the large telescope is available to you, as you know,” she says, indicating the massive instrument.

Donning a very sour expression indeed, Gabriel scoffs at Rafe’s name. “I’m surprised she’d have him. I’m surprised anyone can stand the presence of that slug,” Gabe’s opinions of Rafe have always been clear, no doubt. Halfheartedly, Gabriel extracts his telescope as he glances vaguely to Nelly. “Shall we look at the stars through a chunk of glass so that they appear as larger spots of light?” he asks sarcastically, the mention of Rafe only worsening his mood.

Giving the young Hufflepuff who helped her a smile as thank you (he smiles goofily back) Vivian sets up her telescope. Sigh. How dull. She’d just fake where she was looking, but knowing the professors here, she’d be caught out.

“Of course he likes girls!” Kelly hisses in response, folding her arms across her chest and glaring at Nellie angrily. “What did you think? And not that it’s any of your business, but yes he did ask me to be his sweetheart.” Well, more or less, anyway. The situation was rather more the subject accidentally coming up with lots of umming and ahhing and blushing from both parties. But it counts. “And! He’s not a slug. He’s a brilliant human.” Yes. A brilliant human. And though her cheeks turn pink at this chiding from the Professor and she falls into silence after her obligatory defense, she does not for a moment cease her glaring at Nellie and Gabriel. Grr.

Charlie Linwood smiles briefly at Professor Fallon and then suddenly looks quite cross. He turns toward Nellie and hisses, “Be quiet, Caldwell, it’s none of your buisness.” A bit venonmous, but then a lighter, gradually more alert tone, “I told you, didn’t I?” He did, too. Or something like it. “Thanks for telling me.” Charlie doesn’t say anything for a long moment, looking up and pretending, sans telescope, to watch the sky. Then, apparently not having paid any mind to Avery’s admonishment to Kelly a moment before, “I’m glad for you, too.” Aww, he can be nice. He can also pay attention in class, seriously. Although it’s another long moment before he sort of mumbles indistinctly, “Don’t suppose anyone will let me share their telescope?” Poor Charlie, he’s not used to being grossly unprepared for class.

“Oh, you’re no help,” Nellie sighs and pulls out her telescope, glancing up at the sky. “It is my business, as your friend.” Well, sometimes, that is. Nellie’s a regular social butterfly, and considers everybody her friend, and everybody’s business her own. “Besides, I only asked.” She hmphs and just starts looking through her telescope, peeking out the corners of her eyes at the other people, to see what they’re doing, and what gossip-worthy things are going on.

Going around among the clumps of students, Avery herself feels slightly redundant, as anyone needing help to locate Orion, for heaven’s sake, clearly has much larger problems afoot. “Right then,” she calls. “Of course you are all welcome to stay and stargaze,” Avery says, a happy look on her face, “but class is now dismissed. Remember about the test,” she winks patronizingly, but catching herself in the middle of the action, shrugs afterwards. She’d been working with toddlers for too long… teaching teenagers would take some adjustment. “I’ll see you all next Wednesday.” With a nod, the professor turns to walk back down to her classroom.

It doesn’t take any more than that. Vivian hops up and gets out of there. Phew. Another stupid class done with…

Kelly Pantall is fuming, quite visibly overflowing with anger, and her hands shake as she tries to set up her telescope and peer through it at the sky. “I don’t see how it is even remotely your business – here, Charlie, use mine – if Rafe asked me to be his sweetheart or what I said in response.” Not that it’s particularly secret, from the way she has been acting, what she must have said. No one else would be defending him so fervently. “And it’s not that hard to believe anyway, is it?”

Charlie Linwood raises an eyebrow and, not counting tonight, has probably said all of ten words to Nellie ever (thus any calling of ‘friend’ is ridiculous. “Good night, Professor!” Charlie can’t help it; Sucking up is good for you when you don’t have or do anything. He takes the telescope and gives a perhaps two second glance about, and then holds it back to Kelly, “Seems we’re done with class.” He sounds rather lame, like he isn’t sure what to do if she’s angry at someone other than himself. Charlie settles for giving Nellie a really stern look.

Turning quickly on her heel and striding over to her bag, packing things away. “Fine. Be that way. So much for being your friend.” The girl tosses her hair over her shoulder again and pulls her bag up. Nellie is skipping down the stairs, humming cheerfully to herself as she quickly leaves the nighttime class, headed back to her warm bed, in the commons that she will, of course, have to share with Kelly. This does not figure into her mood, though, and she’s quickly gone.

“Yeah, we are done with class. Or at least, Gabriel is.” Look, a pun. Very nearly exploding with rage, Kelly shoves her telescope back into her bag and glares at the departing figure of the Gryffindor girl. “I – I – if he says another word to me about Rafe, I really will just slap him in the face. I really will – where does he get off saying stuff like that? And since when is it any of her business?” After a moment, she bites down on her lower lip and offers Charlie a grateful smile. “I’m sorry. Thank you.” Her arms are thrown around him for the second time in one quick, tight hug before she releases the poor lad and makes her way out of the room.

Charlie Linwood is really going to have to talk to her about this hugging business. Maybe just looking plainly uncomfortable will do. He tries it out, and adds, “Kate, I’m in my pajamas.” as though it would mean anything or make a difference. Rolling his shoulders back, he tries out some topic changing magic. “Thank you. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, bringing the wrong stuff…” He gives the stairs a very thoughtful look, now. “I really am glad you talked with DeWitt.” Partially because he believes it was His Idea.

Kelly Pantall stops at the top of the stairway, then turns to look at Charlie with a nod. “Ah, yes. Well, just don’t do something like that again, okay? Don’t bring the wrong stuff to class. I’m not in all your classes so I can’t always cover for you.” Plus, she won’t always be in the type of mood where she can bear covering for him. “If you don’t want me to hug you, I’ll stop. And yeah, I’m sort of glad I did, too. I’m just glad I don’t have to break Morgana’s fingers.” Considering this to be an excellent way of ending a conversation, she makes her departure.