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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Welcome!”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Andrew Cartwright cheers loudly!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Next, Gerald Rathe recites “Hollister, Gilroy!”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs cheers and waves to Vashti.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Gryffindor) Adelaide says, “No problem.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs cheers!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams respectfully buttons her lip

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Gryffindor) Christopher Hobbs cheers!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Gryffindor) Adelaide Adams giggles Then look at the faces

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Oh.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “House Elves”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Animagi.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Gryffindor) Tordek says, “Dark Wizard catcher”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Adelaide says, “Professor Fallon…I think.”

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

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

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

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

Making his way in slowly, Chester finds the first empty compartment that he can manage. He has no idea where his friends have ended up, and he apparently has been unable to find them at all, given the emptiness of the compartment. After getting his trunk sorted out, Chester sits down next to the window, leaning against it lazily. He looks out the window aimlessly as he awaits the inevitable: people joining him.

It had been some time since Alden had last needed to ride the train. A working visit to help a relative build a nursery had taken a bit more of holiday than he’d expected, and riding the train back to Hogsmeade seemed about as expedient a method of getting home as any other. Taking a bit of time to find a relatively quiet, unoccupied compartment he offers Chester a small nod after stepping in and begins the process of hoisting his trunk up in to the racks; a task not made especially easy for his lack of height.

Dolly Faeden drags her trunk along, walking backwards and tugging on the handle. “Hafta talk to Da about getting it lighter next year too, not just bigger on the inside,” she mutters to herself in a thick-as-mud Scottish accent. Now that the trunk is in a compartment, though, she isn’t about to move, no matter who is within. Standing and wiping her brow, she turns to survey who it is that has the pleasure of her company. Something like that. “‘ey, Blake. Any better at that beetle to button business?” inquiries the slightly taller and older teenager(!), as though she hadn’t seen him in class countless times after that incident.

“I think I figured it out,” Chester answers almost sullenly, nodding a hello to Alden as he makes his way in. “It’s not important now anyway because I’m sure we’ll have something harder to do this term that I’ll have to work on for hours. How was your summer D- erm. Dolly.” Chester glances to Alden as he works on getting his trunk up above the seats, but does not offer help. Chester wouldn’t be much help anyhow.

It takes Alden several moments to accomplish the task, and not a little bit of stretching and straining; he manages, however, in due time and takes a seat across from Chester. His gaze turns out the window as he dabs his forehead briefly with the sleeve of his shirt, clearing himself of the evidence of his exertion.

Dolly Faeden forgets about hoisting her trunk anywhere and just slides in in front of an empty seat, leaving barely enough room for her to slide in and keep her legs from knocking everything. “I hope we learn something better this term. D’ya see the Prophet? A new Transfiguration professor, an’ she’s a bird.” Well, sometimes. “Hope we’re set to learn all kinds of things.” She looks over at Alden while she speaks, but doesn’t otherwise prompt him to join in the conversation she’s starting. “Are you gonna go out for Quidditch at’all? Heard Hufflepuff got a new Captain, and all.”

“She’s a bird?” Chester asks, his eyes widening. He glances at Alden, as if to see if the boy knows what Dolly is on about. “I don’t play Quidditch,” he shares quietly. “Don’t like it.” He pauses and leans back, detatching his cheek from the wall finally and sinking back int he seat. “She’s a bird” he asks again, coming back to her first statement. “How can a bird teach us transfiguration?”

Alden‘s expression becomes almost as curious as Chester’s with Dolly’s proclimation that their new Transfiguration professor was somehow an avian. He shifts his gaze from the sliding scenery to the Ravenclaw with a slightly arched brow, but prudently offers not a question or statement that might otherwise announce his ignorance. Instead, he answers the question about Quidditch. “I’m not a strong flier.”

Dolly Faeden raises one eyebrow at Chester as though silently evaluating whether he may be a bit slow, and then says, “She’s not always a bird. Paper said she’s an animagus, and I asked Da’ and he said it means a witch or wizard who can turn into a certain animal at will, that there’s a registry of them, and looked her up and she’s a bird.” He either didn’t share with her any other information or she doesn’t consider it news. The boys both get a cluck at their answers to Quidditch inquiry, but all she replies is, “To each their own, I suppose. I love it, myself.”

“Huh. Oh, I see. Well, I guess that’s better than being taught by an actual bird. I thought animals weren’t allowed to do magic, no matter how sentient.” Chester pauses and shrugs. “We always played football when we were in India… I never really caught on to Quidditch. Seems a lot harder to me. So I’ll stay with football, even though it’s a muggle thingy.” Chester shrugs and trails off, sinking into his seat a bit. “I don’t usually read the newspaper,” he admits.

“Football?” Alden asks, satisfied enough by Dolly’s answer about their new, feathered teacher. “That’s a muggle sport, yes? Where you kick about a small ball and can’t use your hands?”

Dolly Faeden gives a small, “Oh! I’ve seen children in the village at football. Nothing wrong with a muggle sport. I’m taking Muggle Studies this year. Grandfather is right proud.” She passes some time, now, in actual silence. Yes, exciting.

“Yeah, it’s a black and white ball, and you toss it around. It’s fun… lots of running. No brooms.” Chester glances out the window. “Oh, I suppose we should be getting ready to get off the train. It looks like we’re nearly there.” He pauses. “I think I can see Hogwarts.” He stands up rather unceremoniously and without a glance to the other two starts straightening his robes. What is it that makes him uncomfortable about this line of conversation?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Hufflepuff) Timothy Rowland waits paitently for something exciting to happen.

(Hufflepuff) Timothy Rowland leans over to talk to Seker while waiting for the first years. “So, is it true what I hear? That you’re a child of Professor Rathe’s?”

(Hufflepuff) Having come only from Hogsmeade, Constance seems a bit subdued in comparison to some of her other classmates, though this doesn’t last long. “Alice! Verity!” she cries happily as she is reunited with the latter, though it would be silly to consider it a reunion between the former and herself, since they both live in Hogsmeade. “I’m so excited for this year. It’s going to be the best year ever.” Which is exactly what Constance says at the start of every new term. “Hi, Alden,” she also greets, and then begins tossing greetings around to the others at the table.

(Hufflepuff) Glancing over to Timothy, Seker draws himself out of his book and is quite shocked indeed to notice that people have arrived. “Oh,” he says, putting down the novel. “Yes, she is my mother,” he confirms. “My sister is here too, over at the Slytherin table”. He motions non-specifically behind him.

(Hufflepuff) Timothy Rowland nods, glancing slightly in the direction that Seker indicated. “That’s neat. How is it having a mother here who is a professor? I couldn’t imagine either my mom or my dad being professors here while I’m a student. Well…not my mom, anyway. My dad would be alright, but not so much my mom.” He smiles.

(Hufflepuff) Shrugging, Seker explains, “It’s not a whole lot different. She isn’t any easier on us because we’re her kids. If anything she’s harder. But it doesn’t make a big difference to me. This is the last year I’ll be taking defence. I’ll be taking the Charms NEWT if all goes well, though, and my grandfather is teaching that. But actually, quite a few of the faculty have children attending here, so I’m not nearly the only one.”

(Hufflepuff) “I would hate to have my mum and dad at school with me, always looking over my shoulder…” Chester pipes in. “Do you think the OWLs are very hard?” he asks the fifth year cautiously. “I had to pick classes and I’m not sure if I should have picked easier ones… I don’t want to fail them or anything.”

(Hufflepuff) Alden nods as to Constance as he sips his pumpkin juice, unaware that he been watching the huge doors of the great hall awaiting her entrance or that the corner of his gaze followed her as she began issuing greetings. “Hello,” he replies to her simply.

(Hufflepuff) Timothy Rowland shrugs ever so slightly. “Really? Oh, I thought it might be really worse.” He frowns but then shakes his head. “My parents both work at the ministry, can’t see them teaching at all. My mom would be the worst too! She’d assign way more homework than any other teacher, I just know it!

(Hufflepuff) “You won’t fail,” Seker replies simply to Chester. “Just work hard.” He pauses, remembering his new authority this year. “Er… I could help you, if you need any… help.” He says this and looks down, back to the cover of his book. Glancing back up to Timothy, he replies incredulously, “More than my mother? I doubt it.”

(Hufflepuff) Timothy Rowland shrugs at Seker. “I’ve never had a class with Professor Rathe. I’m just in second year. She was the Headmistress last year. But I bet near close, if not more! She’s a stickler for study!”

(Hufflepuff) “How was your summer, Alden?” Constance asks congenially, despite that she likely saw him for much of the summer. “How did Briony like working in Diagon Alley? I saw her when my mum took me there to visit a couple of times. She looked like she was having fun, perhaps.” The girl grins to the slightly older boy, shrugging off the OWL discussion. It’s only the first day; she doesn’t need to worry about that surely!

(Hufflepuff) Smirking Seker shrugs once more. “Let’s just say, I’m glad this is my last year of Defence…” he says to Timothy with a wink. “Not that the remaining years at school will be easy… I’ve heard NEWTs are horrible sometimes.”

(Hufflepuff) Timothy Rowland giggles a little. “Well, I guess I’ll see for myself this year eh? I guess I shouldn’t be looking forward to it though.”

(Hufflepuff) “NEWTs are supposed to be the “Nastily Exhausting” ones, right? I’m really not looking forward to those… Maybe I really should see about changing my classes.” Chester seems genuinely concerned about this, seeming to want to do well on his exams, even if it means taking easier classes to do it.

(Hufflepuff) Interested, Seker asks Chester, “Why, which ones did you choose? Really, I’m sure as long as you keep up and stick with everything, you’ll be just fine.”

(Hufflepuff) “I’m taking Magical Art and Divination. I’ve heard some scary things about Professor Kensington’s homework assignments, though. Is it true she’ll assign three feet to write before the very next class? That’s an awful lot to write about such a load of rubbish…” Chester looks quite skeptical. “Which ones do you take?”

(Hufflepuff) “Why did you take divination if you think it’s rubbish?” Seker asks, rather surprised. “I’m taking Wizo-Music and Ancient Runes. So far I like them both quite a lot.”

(Hufflepuff) “It seemed like an easy course when I picked it. I mean, it’s really all guess-work, isn’t it? I’m not so sure now. I heard things about Professor Kensington in the carriage ride over, and now I think I chose wrong.” Chester looks a bit deflated over this. “Is Ancient Runes difficult?”

(Hufflepuff) “Mmm, it’s… not easy, I wouldn’t say… but I haven’t had an overly hard time of it. Just paying attention helps a lot of course. And knowing how you learn. That’s the key I think,” Seker says, looking to the younger student.

(Hufflepuff) “It was alright,” Alden says, taking another sip of his pumpkin juice. He doesn’t feel the need to point out that he’d seen Constance several times over the duration of it, and that it had really only be the last couple of weeks that while he’d been away that they hadn’t a chance to talk. “Productive,” he adds, almost as an afterthought, though a slight note of satisfaction emphisizes the word as he says it. “Yours?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Hufflepuff) “I guess I’ll stay with what I have. I guess the worst that could happen is I don’t get really high marks, right?” Chester sighs and turns to elbow one of his comrades. “Shut up, George,” he mutters and shakes his head. The firsties come in and he watches with interest. It wasn’t very long ago that he was in their shoes. How very different it seemed now, though, sitting here rather than standing there.

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

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

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

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

(Hufflepuff) “Productivity is healthy, my mum always says,” Constance pipes up, grinning to Alden cheerfully. “Hear the Divination teacher is a right bear, but then, I don’t take Divination. You’ll like Magical Art, though,” she advises. “The teacher is brilliant. I love every second of it.” She pauses as she spots the first years. “Aww, look at them,” she comments, then silences as the hat begins to sing.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

After a long, long wait, the big event was finally here, and Adelaide couldn’t have bee

Making his way in slowly, Chester finds the first empty compartment that he can manage. He has no idea where his friends have ended up, and he apparently has been unable to find them at all, given the emptiness of the compartment. After getting his trunk sorted out, Chester sits down next to the window, leaning against it lazily. He looks out the window aimlessly as he awaits the inevitable: people joining him.

It had been some time since Alden had last needed to ride the train. A working visit to help a relative build a nursery had taken a bit more of holiday than he’d expected, and riding the train back to Hogsmeade seemed about as expedient a method of getting home as any other. Taking a bit of time to find a relatively quiet, unoccupied compartment he offers Chester a small nod after stepping in and begins the process of hoisting his trunk up in to the racks; a task not made especially easy for his lack of height.

Dolly Faeden drags her trunk along, walking backwards and tugging on the handle. “Hafta talk to Da about getting it lighter next year too, not just bigger on the inside,” she mutters to herself in a thick-as-mud Scottish accent. Now that the trunk is in a compartment, though, she isn’t about to move, no matter who is within. Standing and wiping her brow, she turns to survey who it is that has the pleasure of her company. Something like that. “‘ey, Blake. Any better at that beetle to button business?” inquiries the slightly taller and older teenager(!), as though she hadn’t seen him in class countless times after that incident.

“I think I figured it out,” Chester answers almost sullenly, nodding a hello to Alden as he makes his way in. “It’s not important now anyway because I’m sure we’ll have something harder to do this term that I’ll have to work on for hours. How was your summer D- erm. Dolly.” Chester glances to Alden as he works on getting his trunk up above the seats, but does not offer help. Chester wouldn’t be much help anyhow.

It takes Alden several moments to accomplish the task, and not a little bit of stretching and straining; he manages, however, in due time and takes a seat across from Chester. His gaze turns out the window as he dabs his forehead briefly with the sleeve of his shirt, clearing himself of the evidence of his exertion.

Dolly Faeden forgets about hoisting her trunk anywhere and just slides in in front of an empty seat, leaving barely enough room for her to slide in and keep her legs from knocking everything. “I hope we learn something better this term. D’ya see the Prophet? A new Transfiguration professor, an’ she’s a bird.” Well, sometimes. “Hope we’re set to learn all kinds of things.” She looks over at Alden while she speaks, but doesn’t otherwise prompt him to join in the conversation she’s starting. “Are you gonna go out for Quidditch at’all? Heard Hufflepuff got a new Captain, and all.”

“She’s a bird?” Chester asks, his eyes widening. He glances at Alden, as if to see if the boy knows what Dolly is on about. “I don’t play Quidditch,” he shares quietly. “Don’t like it.” He pauses and leans back, detatching his cheek from the wall finally and sinking back int he seat. “She’s a bird” he asks again, coming back to her first statement. “How can a bird teach us transfiguration?”

Alden‘s expression becomes almost as curious as Chester’s with Dolly’s proclimation that their new Transfiguration professor was somehow an avian. He shifts his gaze from the sliding scenery to the Ravenclaw with a slightly arched brow, but prudently offers not a question or statement that might otherwise announce his ignorance. Instead, he answers the question about Quidditch. “I’m not a strong flier.”

Dolly Faeden raises one eyebrow at Chester as though silently evaluating whether he may be a bit slow, and then says, “She’s not always a bird. Paper said she’s an animagus, and I asked Da’ and he said it means a witch or wizard who can turn into a certain animal at will, that there’s a registry of them, and looked her up and she’s a bird.” He either didn’t share with her any other information or she doesn’t consider it news. The boys both get a cluck at their answers to Quidditch inquiry, but all she replies is, “To each their own, I suppose. I love it, myself.”

“Huh. Oh, I see. Well, I guess that’s better than being taught by an actual bird. I thought animals weren’t allowed to do magic, no matter how sentient.” Chester pauses and shrugs. “We always played football when we were in India… I never really caught on to Quidditch. Seems a lot harder to me. So I’ll stay with football, even though it’s a muggle thingy.” Chester shrugs and trails off, sinking into his seat a bit. “I don’t usually read the newspaper,” he admits.

“Football?” Alden asks, satisfied enough by Dolly’s answer about their new, feathered teacher. “That’s a muggle sport, yes? Where you kick about a small ball and can’t use your hands?”

Dolly Faeden gives a small, “Oh! I’ve seen children in the village at football. Nothing wrong with a muggle sport. I’m taking Muggle Studies this year. Grandfather is right proud.” She passes some time, now, in actual silence. Yes, exciting.

“Yeah, it’s a black and white ball, and you toss it around. It’s fun… lots of running. No brooms.” Chester glances out the window. “Oh, I suppose we should be getting ready to get off the train. It looks like we’re nearly there.” He pauses. “I think I can see Hogwarts.” He stands up rather unceremoniously and without a glance to the other two starts straightening his robes. What is it that makes him uncomfortable about this line of conversation?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Hufflepuff) Timothy Rowland waits paitently for something exciting to happen.

(Hufflepuff) Timothy Rowland leans over to talk to Seker while waiting for the first years. “So, is it true what I hear? That you’re a child of Professor Rathe’s?”

(Hufflepuff) Having come only from Hogsmeade, Constance seems a bit subdued in comparison to some of her other classmates, though this doesn’t last long. “Alice! Verity!” she cries happily as she is reunited with the latter, though it would be silly to consider it a reunion between the former and herself, since they both live in Hogsmeade. “I’m so excited for this year. It’s going to be the best year ever.” Which is exactly what Constance says at the start of every new term. “Hi, Alden,” she also greets, and then begins tossing greetings around to the others at the table.

(Hufflepuff) Glancing over to Timothy, Seker draws himself out of his book and is quite shocked indeed to notice that people have arrived. “Oh,” he says, putting down the novel. “Yes, she is my mother,” he confirms. “My sister is here too, over at the Slytherin table”. He motions non-specifically behind him.

(Hufflepuff) Timothy Rowland nods, glancing slightly in the direction that Seker indicated. “That’s neat. How is it having a mother here who is a professor? I couldn’t imagine either my mom or my dad being professors here while I’m a student. Well…not my mom, anyway. My dad would be alright, but not so much my mom.” He smiles.

(Hufflepuff) Shrugging, Seker explains, “It’s not a whole lot different. She isn’t any easier on us because we’re her kids. If anything she’s harder. But it doesn’t make a big difference to me. This is the last year I’ll be taking defence. I’ll be taking the Charms NEWT if all goes well, though, and my grandfather is teaching that. But actually, quite a few of the faculty have children attending here, so I’m not nearly the only one.”

(Hufflepuff) “I would hate to have my mum and dad at school with me, always looking over my shoulder…” Chester pipes in. “Do you think the OWLs are very hard?” he asks the fifth year cautiously. “I had to pick classes and I’m not sure if I should have picked easier ones… I don’t want to fail them or anything.”

(Hufflepuff) Alden nods as to Constance as he sips his pumpkin juice, unaware that he been watching the huge doors of the great hall awaiting her entrance or that the corner of his gaze followed her as she began issuing greetings. “Hello,” he replies to her simply.

(Hufflepuff) Timothy Rowland shrugs ever so slightly. “Really? Oh, I thought it might be really worse.” He frowns but then shakes his head. “My parents both work at the ministry, can’t see them teaching at all. My mom would be the worst too! She’d assign way more homework than any other teacher, I just know it!

(Hufflepuff) “You won’t fail,” Seker replies simply to Chester. “Just work hard.” He pauses, remembering his new authority this year. “Er… I could help you, if you need any… help.” He says this and looks down, back to the cover of his book. Glancing back up to Timothy, he replies incredulously, “More than my mother? I doubt it.”

(Hufflepuff) Timothy Rowland shrugs at Seker. “I’ve never had a class with Professor Rathe. I’m just in second year. She was the Headmistress last year. But I bet near close, if not more! She’s a stickler for study!”

(Hufflepuff) “How was your summer, Alden?” Constance asks congenially, despite that she likely saw him for much of the summer. “How did Briony like working in Diagon Alley? I saw her when my mum took me there to visit a couple of times. She looked like she was having fun, perhaps.” The girl grins to the slightly older boy, shrugging off the OWL discussion. It’s only the first day; she doesn’t need to worry about that surely!

(Hufflepuff) Smirking Seker shrugs once more. “Let’s just say, I’m glad this is my last year of Defence…” he says to Timothy with a wink. “Not that the remaining years at school will be easy… I’ve heard NEWTs are horrible sometimes.”

(Hufflepuff) Timothy Rowland giggles a little. “Well, I guess I’ll see for myself this year eh? I guess I shouldn’t be looking forward to it though.”

(Hufflepuff) “NEWTs are supposed to be the “Nastily Exhausting” ones, right? I’m really not looking forward to those… Maybe I really should see about changing my classes.” Chester seems genuinely concerned about this, seeming to want to do well on his exams, even if it means taking easier classes to do it.

(Hufflepuff) Interested, Seker asks Chester, “Why, which ones did you choose? Really, I’m sure as long as you keep up and stick with everything, you’ll be just fine.”

(Hufflepuff) “I’m taking Magical Art and Divination. I’ve heard some scary things about Professor Kensington’s homework assignments, though. Is it true she’ll assign three feet to write before the very next class? That’s an awful lot to write about such a load of rubbish…” Chester looks quite skeptical. “Which ones do you take?”

(Hufflepuff) “Why did you take divination if you think it’s rubbish?” Seker asks, rather surprised. “I’m taking Wizo-Music and Ancient Runes. So far I like them both quite a lot.”

(Hufflepuff) “It seemed like an easy course when I picked it. I mean, it’s really all guess-work, isn’t it? I’m not so sure now. I heard things about Professor Kensington in the carriage ride over, and now I think I chose wrong.” Chester looks a bit deflated over this. “Is Ancient Runes difficult?”

(Hufflepuff) “Mmm, it’s… not easy, I wouldn’t say… but I haven’t had an overly hard time of it. Just paying attention helps a lot of course. And knowing how you learn. That’s the key I think,” Seker says, looking to the younger student.

(Hufflepuff) “It was alright,” Alden says, taking another sip of his pumpkin juice. He doesn’t feel the need to point out that he’d seen Constance several times over the duration of it, and that it had really only be the last couple of weeks that while he’d been away that they hadn’t a chance to talk. “Productive,” he adds, almost as an afterthought, though a slight note of satisfaction emphisizes the word as he says it. “Yours?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Hufflepuff) “I guess I’ll stay with what I have. I guess the worst that could happen is I don’t get really high marks, right?” Chester sighs and turns to elbow one of his comrades. “Shut up, George,” he mutters and shakes his head. The firsties come in and he watches with interest. It wasn’t very long ago that he was in their shoes. How very different it seemed now, though, sitting here rather than standing there.

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

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

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

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

(Hufflepuff) “Productivity is healthy, my mum always says,” Constance pipes up, grinning to Alden cheerfully. “Hear the Divination teacher is a right bear, but then, I don’t take Divination. You’ll like Magical Art, though,” she advises. “The teacher is brilliant. I love every second of it.” She pauses as she spots the first years. “Aww, look at them,” she comments, then silences as the hat begins to sing.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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!”

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.

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!”

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.

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

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

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.

(Hufflepuff) “Finally!” Kieran exclaims to himself as he starts to fill his plate. This was the blessing and the curse of having a last name near the beginning of the alphabet. You’re among the first called, but then there’s a long wait for everyone else. Kieran gives a friendly nod and smile to the new housemates gathered around him.

(Hufflepuff) Having a last name near the beginning of the alphabet is both a blessing and a curse. One is among the first to be called upon, but then he has a long wait for everyone else to be called. With that in mind, Kieran fills his plate with everything within arm’s reach after having to wait. He gives a friendly nod and smile to his new housemates along the way.

(Hufflepuff) Alternately, having a name near the end of the alphabet can cause a bit of frustration. One of the last to be called, Claude had plenty of time to absorb the sights of the great hall. However, he soon became impatient, waiting for his name to be called. The upside, of course, is near immediate service. Claude gnaws happily on what he suspects to be a Turkey leg, his plate heaping with various kinds of food.

(Hufflepuff) Teddy de Alquimia has been very picky in choosing his foods, ignoring quite pointedly anything that looks like it may have been boiled in any part of the cooking process, as well as leafy, mashed up, or overly green vegetation. As he takes the food, however, he continues to regale a second year girl with a story involving no less than three cats, a girl named Izzy, and an iguana. Severl times laughter rings from that part of the table. “So in the end her mama got it out, but I still don’t think my hearing has recovered from the screams.” Delightful.

“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.”

Sounds of a boy struggling with a large suitcase echo slightly in the empty compartment as Silas works valiantly to get his belongings into the overhead storage area. Harder than it seemed, this is actually his second attempt to get it up there, though no one would know that as he had been lucky to get on the train early and find an open compartment. Unfortunately, this attempt seems rather futile as well, as Silas looses control of the suitcase and it crashes loudly to the ground, enticing a loud groan from the frustrated young boy.

Finally having managed to get out of her father’s clinging hugs, Seraphina makes her way into the second compartment on the train, dragging her rather heavy trunk behind her. The wheels make it easier for her to drag along, but she looks a bit concerned as she peers upward into the compartment. She offers only a brief glance to Silas before peering upward again. “How, exactly, am I supposed to get it up there? I should have let my father come onto the train. I can’t get it up there.” She pulls the trunk just inside the doorway, out of the path and unceremoniously sits down upon it.

“Bye, ma! Take care of Sophia!” Jack calls as he hauls his way on to the train, trunk dragged behind him and a box of chocolate frogs tucked under one arm. It takes him several moments of weaving around a seeming forest of taller students to find a compartment that is stifflingly full of people. He pauses for a moment after sliding the door open, nodding very briefly to Silas and to Seraphina, before stepping inside.

“Stop touching me!!” exclaims Vashti Kemys from the hallway. “Jez, I’m sick of looking at your stupid face right now! Ride in a different compartment,” commands the girl, shoving her equally annoyed cousin further down the hall. Exasperated, she eyes her other cousin, Hannah, and points into the compartment. “This one,” she mutters, joining Silas, Sera and Jack in their section. Plopping down, she looks around and crosses her arms. “What are you looking at?” she asks to the room in general, whether or not they were looking. “Who are all of you? Are you first years too?”

Silas nods in some sort of greeting at the other students who have joined his compartment as he attempts, yet again, to get his case up on the rack. He doesn’t expect, however, the sudden movement of the train, and as it begins to move out of the station, Silas looses his precarious balance and falls, his suitcase landing on top of him. He stares wide-eyed at the ceiling, only barely registering a question being directed toward him as he ponders what he should do now. It might just be easier to lay here for the rest of the train ride. Perhaps, however, he could at least sit instead of lay on the ground. Standing up slowly, he adjusts his suitcase to sit at the foot of a bench before sitting just above it. “Er, yeah, I guess I’m a first year,” he mumbles, glancing around the cabin with an investigative look. They did appear to all be young enough to be first years, but Silas was never a good judge of age.

“I am,” Seraphina answers quietly, not looking at the girl. “I can’t get my trunk up there so I’m sitting here,” she announces to nobody in particular. “Hey you, you look sturdy,” she addresses Jack. “You should help me move my trunk up there. I can’t reach, and it really doesn’t suit me to sit on this thing all day. Pausing as she sees Silas fall, she shakes her head. “I think he needs some help, too.” This is stated calmly and without affect. “What house do you think you’ll be in… you, girl?” Sera is very good at this socialization thing.

“See you later, Jeeez!” Hannah Forsyth pipes sarcastically as Jezebel trots away from them. Only her and her cousin left at the compartment’s threshold, she moves a bit closer to Vashti, looking at the other people in their seats, then lets herself sink into the empty spot next to Vashti. “Yeah, who are–” the rest of the sentence gets drowned in laughter, as Silas topples over. “Yeah, you really look like a first year.” Hannah giggles.

Jack wasn’t entirely certain what think of the word ‘sturdy’… he still hadn’t quite figured out how he could tell when these Brits were being earnest or insulting. And the fact was that he was having some issue getting his own trunk up in the racks. That had been his first order of business once entering the compartment and giving the pair that had been there originally a small nod, and the only solution he’d come up with was to use the box of chocolate frogs he’d been holding as a stepping stool – which did little for the condition of the candy’s container. Eventually, however, he manages to haul the trunk up and shove it in place. Looking to Seraphina then, he gives her a queer expression, as he tries to sort out her words. Finally, though, he shrugs, nods, and moves to help her.

Joining Hannah in giggling at the toppled boy, Vashti looks down to him, standing up and putting her hand on his tumbled case. “Do you need some help or something? Maybe you should have packed less things,” she advises with a smirk. “I mean, I had no problem stowing my luggage up at the front,” she brags.

“No, no, I think I’ll just leave it here for a moment- I mean, there’s not a whole lot of point in getting it up there just to get it down again, right?” Silas chuckles at the thought, though somewhat hollowly. “Should save me time and effort. ‘Sides, now that I think about it,” he continues, leaning over to open the trunk up a crack, “I should probably let Rickard out of the suitcase before he suffocates or something.” Silas reaches into the case and fumbles around a bit before letting out a small exclamation of victory as he extracts a squat, large toad. “I appreciate the offer, though, but as the greatest wizard ever, I don’t think I need the help.”

“My father wouldn’t stop packing my trunk. He even charmed it larger,” Seraphina shares with a toss of her hair. “You leave it up there. It was in Hogwarts, A History – didn’t you read it? They’ll bring our things to the school for us.” Seraphina gets up off of the trunk to allow Jack to stow it up for her. She obviously has no intention of helping him as she stands quite clearly aside. “I hope it isn’t too heavy for you,” Seraphina tells Jack without much feeling or sincerity behind her statement.

Hannah Forsyth‘s eyes widen at the mention of wizards and charms. “So your… your parents are wizards?” the girl asks with a hint of insecurity. “I wish my parents were. I’d be so much easier, won’t it? All this magic and so on, you could get anything you want!” she bounces an inch off her seat, glancing at Vashti for a split second.

“Yeah, thanks,” Jack replies, giving Seraphina a vaguely distainful look as he drops his already crumpled box of chocolate frogs back on the floor and steps up on to it. His New York accent evident even in that very brief string of words. He was already beginning to see a certain similarity between Seraphina and a few of the girl’s he’d known from Sister Amelia’s Primary School. He’d not cared much for their attitudes, either. Groaning, he does his best to haul the heavy trunk up – causing the poor, pudgy boy to sweat profusely with the effort. He very nearly topples over as did Silas before, but by a stroke of luck and persistance, he manages to catch his balance and push the trunk in to place. “You want some help to?” He asks of Silas, stepping down off his makeshift stepstool. He could only imagine what the poor chocolate frogs would be like when he got to eat them. For the moment, he doesn’t pay much attention to Hannah or Vashti.

“My father is a pureblood,” Seraphina announces quite calmly. “He was a Ravenclaw when he was in school. Such a shame that your parents aren’t wizards. It’s quite nice to be able to learn everything straight away.” The girl pauses, looking to Jack. “Thank you,” she states calmly and takes her seat next to the door quietly. “Of course I don’t know any real magic yet, but I know some of the theory. Are your parents both muggles, or do you have a squib in the family?” Tact is not one of Seraphina‘s strong points.

Ignoring the chatter about charming and books of the History of Hogwarts and all, Vashti Kemys makes up her mind to pretend to know full well about all these already. After all, if everyone knew she were a clueless Muggle-born, that’s how they’d treat her, and Vashti would have none of that. “Yeah, Hannah,” is all she says at first, shrugging and then looking to Seraphina. “My grandpa charmed my case too and yours did too, remember, Hannah?” she lies. “He’s a wizard, a mighty great one,” she says, conveniently leaving out the part where their grandfather was invited to Hogwarts but wasn’t permitted to go.

Silas shakes his head at Jack, deciding that, if he were going to get the case up onto the shelf, he’d do it himself. “Thanks anyway, but I think I’ll be able to manage it.” He glances at Seraphina and Vashti as they both discuss their families, something Silas can do quite well. “I’m Silas, of the Vicaris line of Brighton. We’re pureblood for centuries back,” he explains, his chest seeming to puff out a bit naturally. “I’ve been studying most of the books for this year, though I only paged through Hogwarts, a History, but I expect to be top of the class when the time comes,” he adds, glancing at Seraphina as he says this.

“Yeah, our grandpa’s a wizard. And my parents aren’t squids, okay? So don’t call ‘em like that.” Hannah replies grumpily. “What’s your name anyways?” she addresses Seraphina. “And keep an eye on that toad, guy. I don’t want it to slobber all over my new robes, okay? And who cares about all your blood? I think we’ll see what blood matters in school, huh?” the girl flicks a blonde streak out of her face and crosses her arms leaning back.

Jack nods vaguely to Silas, taking up his box and sitting down (albiet with some reluctance) to Seraphina’s immediate left. “S’that important?” Jack asks, setting the box of chocolate frogs on his lap and starting on the process of pulling the cardboard apart to check the status of his train-ride treat. “This pure-blood and squid thing, I mean.” He was already starting to feel a bit out of place; it wasn’t much differant than his old school, those with money picking on those without. “Don’t make you anything special, does it?”

Seraphina says, “Purebloods are rare; you have to have only married wizards for a long time to be considered purebloods,” Seraphina explains, conveniently leaving out the fact that her mother was a muggle. “And I didn’t say squids, I said Squibs. Non-magical children of Wizards. It’s lamentable when that happens, really. I hope someday they’ll figure out how to prevent it. “Anyway, blood won’t matter for school. Brains matter for school.” Seraphina has not yet shown much sign of emotion at all as she sits primly in her seat, her bow changing colors at the back of her head. It appears to have been charmed to cycle through several quite bright colors.

“Prevent it?” echoes Vashti to Seraphina. “What, do you think it’s a genetic thing?” she asks, her interest piqued. After all, why wasn’t her older brother chosen for Hogwarts when she and her cousins were? “Brains, we have enough brains, don’t we, Hannah? It’s not a problem at all. You mentioned that you’d be the top of your class?” she asks, looking to Silas, “You’re wrong, because I will be.”

“That’s assuming I’m not. I had a good tutor, you know.” Well, of course they don’t know, but Seraphina is feeling quite proud of this fact right now. “It might be genetic. I heard my father talking it over with one of his coworkers one night at supper. They mentioned it may be something that can, eventually, be prevented, so families don’t have to deal with the pain and anguish that having a Squib relative can bring.” Sera emphasizes these words in a rather dramatic way as she looks from person to person calmly in the room.

Jack rolls his eyes; he’d never been much for bragging, or tolerating people who do. Making a face, he opens his box of candy to find to his pleasant surprise that only a few of the frogs had been damaged. Obviously the box had charmed somehow to protect it’s contents. Taking the top most candy from the box and unwrapping it carefully (having learned early that you have to hold on to them just so to keep them from jumping away), the pudgy American bites the head off the frog and begins to more or less ignore the posturing of the other unsorteds around him.

Silas grabs his trunk for another go at the shelf while talk of blood continues around him. “It’s a rare defect, really, to have a squib in the family. Can’t really do anything, best thing for them is to go into muggle society. My family doesn’t have any squibs in it, thank goodness.” At least, none listed on the family tree. A mighty shove and the suitcase is on the shelf above him, and he sits down again in the center of the compartment. “You can think what you like, but I come from a large family of excellent wizards, and I’m sure I’ll be able to handle magic quite effectively, when it comes to it.” He glances at the the other boy in the compartment and gives him an odd look. “What about you? Your accent is odd, where are you from?”

“Yeah we were best of our classes in elementary school and the teachers loved us, so I don’t see why it should be different in Hogwarts.” Hannah replies quite snottily. Feeling like cold-shoulder Seraphina and Silas rather than being aggressive, the girl says “Well, our families’ pain and anguish due to this rare defect will abate soon, due to our splendid performance, I guess.” Hannah smirks at Vashti.

“If you say so,” replies Seraphina, unruffled by the demeanor of the other girls in the compartment. “At any rate, I think we’ll be at Hogwarts soon. I look forward to the feast. I’m quite hungry.” Sera’s voice is calm and even as if conditioned somehow not to show any sign of excitement. “We will see soon enough who takes the top of the class.”

“Hannah, we have no pain and anguish in our family,” corrects Vashti quickly. “But it’s true, all out great talent, which is soon to be unveiled, will only make things better.” She nods. Glancing to Seraphina, she nods once more, though more slowly. “I’m hungry too. I hope we arrive in the next few minutes.”

“New York,” Jack says through a mouth full of chocolate, not bothering to look up from card he was pulling from the candy wrapper. He studies the picture of the old witch on the card for several moments, trying to remember if it was one he already had, before finally setting it aside. Without asking, he reaches in to the box and pulls out a wrapped candy and sets it offers it to Seraphina. Just because she seemed pompous, didn’t mean she needed to go hungry. As Vashti declares her hunger as well, Jack sighs and with his other hand picks up a frog and gently tosses it to her. And then one to Hannah and Silas, if only to be fair.

Silas catches the candy, though he has little interest in it and simply sets it aside. “We should be at Hogwarts soon, I’ll just eat there. So… New York? In America? What are you doing here, then?” he asks, examining the somewhat chunky boy critically.

Looking wryly to Jack, Vashti decides she can trust him for now. “Thank you,” she says automatically, before opening the frog’s box. “Aah!!” she screams suddenly, shutting the frog back into its box. “This thing’s moving! What did you do to it?” she demands of Jack, looking him pointedly in the eye.

“It’s just normal!” Seraphina tells Vashti, a look of dismay on her face. It’s the most emotion the girl has shown all day. “For someone with a famous wizard grandpa or whoever it was, you sure don’t know much about normal stuff.” The young girl shakes her head and glances about. “New York, hmm? What are you doing here then? I thought only British wizards came to Hogwarts.”

“Thanks!” Hannah says, receiving the candy from Jack. Before she can unwrap it, she sees the other frogs moving and wriggling and a small cry escapes from her mouth. “They always do that, Vashti, don’t you remember? Grandpa gave us some last Christmas!” Carefully peeling the frog out of its wrapping and quickly chewing it she looks out of the window, feeling that the train is slowing down. “Ooh, there we are.” Hannah leans forward to have a better look to examine the platform.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hannah smirks at Vashti’s comment and is glad she knows at least one person near her right now.

Seraphina comes off of the train, glancing around as the taller students make their way into carriages quickly, heading up to the school. “I hear the boats are rickety and old,” she tells a first year who happens to be standing next to her. “Whatever you do, don’t let your hands into the water.”

Coming up to the shore lined with many little boats for the many children who will be crossing the lake Phoebe sighs audibly and the look on her face does not appear to be entirely happy. “Once you board your boat please for the love of God do not fall out.” “I’d hate to have to jump in after anyone and Im sure the giant squid wouldn’t appreciate having you in the lake. Phoebe turns and begins boarding one of the boats herself looking a bit uncomfortable and mumbling something about farfetched magical contraptions being unsafe.

Once on board the boat, Gilroy pries his fingers away from his lips, which immediately part into a toothy grin aimed at Mariska and Teddy. “I don’t want to meet the squid,” he tells them, “but I’m too excited to be scared!”

Melissa gets on a boat after her cousin and smiles, looking out over the lake. If she wasn’t afraid of falling out, she would be jumping up and down of excitement

Without hesitating, Adelaide steps into the boat, not even the mention of a giant squid can quench her eagerness to get going, and motions for her friends to follow, “Hope nobody gets sea sick.”

Mariska Moore blinks. “There’s a…. giant squid?” she questions, eyes widening. “I think I’ll just stay as close to the center as possible, I do not want to be squid food,” she gives, eyeing Gil. “You are just a fountain of excitement, aren’t you?”

gulps at the concept of a giant squid. Thinking he’d rather touch the frog a million times than tangle with a squid, he gets into a boat with Adelaide and Melissa, already a tad queasy.

“The giant what? You put non-magic wizard babies in the lake?” Jack blinks, his expression aghast at the concept; especially as he tries to visualize a giant, angry unmagical baby in the dark murky water he stares at as he boards a tiny boat. Obviously he was beginning to have second thoughts about the entire magical venture.

As they board the boats with further instructions, Christopher continues to peer into the murky, dark water with wide eyes. He looks around at the boats and spots a few others whom he knows. Waving to Adelaide and Adrian and the others, he smiles nervously and waves, mouthing the words “Giant squid?” with a look of incredulity on his face.

Teddy de Alquimia is not perturbed by the reports of a Giant Squid, and instead shoots a grin around him, climbing into a boat with Gilroy and, assumably, Mariska. “I wouldn’t mind seeing it, though. I suppose it is a bit dark.” He peeks into the water but is mindful not to lean too far, after giving a glance to the Professor. She’s a bit short to be rescuing anyone, even if they are only eleven.

“They throw all the squids into the lake?” Hannah Forsyth whispers to Vashti. “I hope they don’t find out about our parents…” she says before clumsily boarding one of the boats.

“Squid, not squib,” Silas chides softly to Jack as he boards the boat behind him. “There’s apparently a giant squid in the water out here.” Silas doesn’t seem too worried about it, really, but all the same he sits as close to the center of the boat as he can.

“Shhh, Hannah, shut up. Our parents aren’t squids or squibs… they’re just…” she trails off, not knowing quite what to say. “Castle’s pretty at night,” she comments quietly.

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.

Eyeing Jack Phoebe chuckles a little. “No we most certainly do not throw Squibs in the lake my dear. Otherwise I wouldn’t be on the boat with you.” Phoebe looks out over the boats as they drift along the lake and every few moment she is forced to look away at the students. “A squid is an animal that lives under water. Much like an octopus but with more tentacles.”

Clutching the boat tightly, Adrian mutters “Squibs… squibs…” to himself. “Uh, Ade… what’s a squib?” He can’t remember, but he knew someone had mentioned to it before. Adrian‘s queasiness increases over time, and he wills himself not to be sick.

Gilroy Hollister gives a series of short nods in response to Mariska’s question. “I’d bet you are too,” is offered as a friendly challenge, with a chin shove toward the girl, then a headtilt toward Teddy. “Bet everyone shows it differently. And I wonder if the squid’s related to the tentacle thing in my wand. I…hope that won’t make it mad.”

Adelaide can’t help but giggle at the mix-up, already enjoying the journey, she nods as Phoebe speaks, “And this one’s meaner, I would imagine.” She can see her friend looking a little paler, and gives his arm a reassuring squeeze, “Don’t worry Adri. I won’t let you fall out. Oh, and a squib is a child born of magical parents, who doesn’t have magic themselves.”

Melissa watches Adrian as he clutches the boat tightly. “It’ll be fine.” She says, touching his arm lightly to reassure him. She leans to the side, peeking over the edge into the water. It is dark and she can’t see anything. She pulls her head back, looking ahead of her.

“Oh,” Jack says, still looking at the water with a decidely unpleasant expression; that hadn’t really done much to ease his mind, ultimately. One horrific imagined image replaced with another. It takes him a moment or two before he manages to connect together what Professor Helit had said, however, and his gaze rises. He looks at her for a long moment before finally nodding a little bit. Deciding in the spur of the moment way that children often do that he rather liked this small woman who was guiding them across the lake.

Mariska Moore grins at Teddy. “I don’t care to see it or fall in the lake, because that doesn’t sound fun at all,” she states with a crinkled up nose. “Well, maybe a little, but you’re far more excited than I am, Gil. I, at least, am not so excited as to not be worried about that giant squid down there,” she states, her voice rising a half octave and her words becoming slightly less understandable through her thick accent.

Christopher Hobbs frowns, his mind filled with imaginative pictures of a dark, slimy tentacle reaching out of the abyss and dragging his boat down beneath the water. Christopher shivers, staring straight ahead and trying not to think about any creepy creatures.

Teddy de Alquimia busies himself seeing how far he can look into the water without feeling like he might tip over–”There’s a tentacle in your wand, Gilroy?” Back into the full upright position he goes, to look at the other boy. “Mine’s got silver in. How does… where is?” Now he has to search his pockets, terribly concerned. “Don’t tell me she packed it.” Teddy stops talking or looking around to pat about his person, seeking his wand.

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.

“Don’t worry everyone. The giant squid is quite gentle really.” Phoebe says in a calming voice to quell any fears. “However let’s not try and irritate it.” She looks out over the students to a particualr comment she heard. “No I doubt that it has any relation to what’s in your wand dear so I wouldn’t worry on it too much.” Phoebe looks out over the lake herself trying hard to forget that magic is pushing the little boats along so that she can actually enjoy the trip.

Seraphina is quiet as she sits in the boats, attempting to hide any actual fear from her face, though her success is dubious in that regard. She says very little, a far cry from the Sera that displayed herself quite haughtily on the trainride over.

Adelaide shivers in the cold air, glad she remembered her scarf as she wraps it around her neck, subconsciously huddling closer to her friends to see off some of the cold. The mist catches in her hair, giving it a slight sparkle, but despite the cold she is still smiling warmly. “I should have brought an extra vest.” she whispers, giggling.

Gilroy Hollister nods solemnly to Teddy, one hand feeling into the pocket of his robe to assure that his wand is, indeed present. Some of the excited tension in his face briefly diminishes as the presence is confirmed, and as the professor calls out to his statement. He bobs a nod toward Phoebe, then looks back toward Teddy and Mariska. “I still don’t know what a horklump is, though.”

Mariska Moore chuckles. “Mine has gold, Teddy,” she offers to her fellow soon-to-be Firstie. “I can’t remember Gil’s, it’s some weird thing that sounds really weird,” she shrugs before grinning at Gilroy. “See, the professor said it’s not related to whatever it is that’s currently in your wand,” is noted. “Oh, right, a horklump, sounds disgusting.”

Melissa sees people who seem afraid of the giant squid all around her. She herself isn’t afraid of it, she would actually be interested in seeing it, but in this weather and in the dark it seems impossible. She can’t wait to see the castle and she keeps looking around. The air is cold, and it makes her shiver slightly. She can feel Adelaide huddle closer and she smiles, wrapping her arms around herself to keep herself warm.

Adrian, comforted by the touch of his two friends, relaxes a tiny little bit. Seeing a squid would be cool, he thinks, but is still terrified of the mere thought of something that giant, and keeps his eyes away from the edges of the boat, gulping, pulling his robes closer towards himself. He is unable to reply to Adelaide or Melissa, only able to sit quietly in the boat and hope the queasiness subsided.

Looking around him, Silas doesn’t seem particularly interested by anything. The magical boats were kind of nice, but those carriages up near the platform seemed a great deal more interesting. He pulls his wand out of his robes and idly tinkers with it, mostly waiting for the boat ride to end wherever it would end. He glances at Jack and asks, “So, what’s New York like? Is it anything like London?”

Christopher Hobbs continues to look straight ahead, trying to think of the school and what the ceremony will be like. He pats his hand on his pocket where his wand has been stored for safekeeping, as if to reassure himself that it is still there as some form of protection. Not that he knows how to -use- it yet.

Little attention is being paid to squids or squibs now by Vashti Kemys, for the girl has also become quite silent in her own right. Arms crosses as they often are, the girl looks forward to the castle, eager to get this night over with. The first day was always the hardest, after all.

“Do you think we’ll be in the same house, cousin?” Hannah nudges Vashti slightly. “I heard them say there were four of them. It would be great, if we could be in the same with Jez.” The girl lost her mean demeanour for now, looking alarmed.

Jack Wexler looks over at Seraphina after watching Professor Helit for a few moments, and almost in spite of himself exhales a deep sigh. Pulling another chocolate frog from his pocket – the last of his send-off box given to his to celebrate the first day of his new life, he reaches out and offers it to the girl who seems to be acting so diligently to not act scared. He even musters for her a slightly genuine smile, despite her haughtiness on the train; as the case may be, he was just as terrified about the idea of crossing the lake on the boats and the giant octopus as she was. Glancing back to Silas, he shrugs a bit. “I was pretty little when we left,” he answers, his American, Queens accent strong. Not, of course, that he isn’t pretty little now. In height, at least. Fair-sized around the waist, tubby thing. “London’s older… but the same. Tall buildings, lots o’ people. Differant hats, though.” He points at the flat-cap perched on his head.

Teddy de Alquimia finds it, at long last, and so is free to settle into an “Ah! They… well they’re gross little creatures that look like mushrooms. The garden gnomes eat them, and sometimes we um… dry them out.” After killing them, mind you, “I helped once or twice. For Potion-making.” He looks into the water again and gives it up for lost, being unable to see more than perhaps an inch or two down. “Gold, then?” He pulls out his wand, so long it’s quite odd that he might have lost it within his pockets, and studies it. “Can’t wait to use it. Tomorrow, maybe. Ronnie told me on the way over–she’s a sixth year–not a hairy one–that if we get Charms on first day it’s likely we could do magic right away. Then she said we had a different professor than she had.” A ponderous look surfaces.

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.

“Point of interest… for anyone who might be interested.” Phoebe calls out over the group lazily watching the water. “The squid isn’t the only thing in the lake. There are mer-people as well. Though I don’t think you will see any today.” Phoebe looks over the group again to see if everyone is alright. “They don’t usually come up to the surface from what I am told, but they are in there.” And after a moment’s pause she adds. “Oh and they wont hurt you either.”

“Merpeople?” wonders Adrian, his queasiness ebbing down a little. His mother had always enjoyed painting, especially of merpeople, and Adrian had always found the merpeople to be beautiful. He wondered to himself if the merpeople could possibly be as beautiful as his mother portrayed them to be, and as he did so, color returned to his face.

Gilroy Hollister pulls his wand out and studies the tip intently, as if attempting to see the core through the yew wood. “What does it say about me if a gross mushroom creature thing helps me do the best magic?” He frowns as he asks, but the expression can only last so long in the wider context of the evening. His smile rebounds as he puts the wand away and peers toward the water.

Christopher Hobbs blinks and looks up at Professor Helit, eyes widening in surprise rather than fear. “Really?” he piques up, a smile spreading across his face. “My wand has merfolk hair in it…Is that a good wand core?” He peers over the edge of the water and leans over, as if hoping to spot one.

Melissa is surprised as Professor Helit says that there are also merepeople in the lake. She is quite interesting to see what else is in the lake.

Reaching in to her pocket, Adelaide strokes a little, furry, purring thing that was curling up towards her for warmth, the pint-sized tabby, Eunomia. In her other pocket is her wand, thinking it wouldn’t be wise to have them together. Hearing the talk of wand cores, she glances towards that conversation, “No problem with the mushroomy thing at all, it’s all magic after all. Although I was really pleased when I got phoenix feather.” She turns her attention to Phoebe as she speaks again, “Merpeople? Fantastic!”

“Is that sort of hat common for American wizards?” Such a foreign look, that sort of hat is. “It’s a bit of an odd design, isn’t it? Can’t imagine wearing it, personally,” Silas adds, glancing at the water once more. Merpeople would be interesting, but, really, he just wants to see this wonderful castle that he’s heard about for some time.

Mariska Moore crinkles her nose. “I dunno, but I’m sure there’s other, more interesting things that one can have as a wand,” she states, before tilting her head towards the professor. “Mer people? Now that’s something I can live with, not giant squids,” blah.

“I don’t want be with Jez,” Vashti replies sulkily, glancing over to the boat where the girl is riding and looking away quickly. Despite what she said, she does want the three of them to be sorted into the same house.

“Wouldn’t know, honest,” Jack says simply, shrugging. “Never met an American wizard before.”

Knowing that Vashti is still sulking, Hannah‘s only reply consists of a short “Hm.”, leaving her alone with her worries, as she continues staring at the rippling surface reflecting the lights cast down on the lake from the castle.

Teddy de Alquimia shrugs and pockets his wand again, carefully. “Probably doesn’t mean anything. Nothing more than me doing my best magic with a bit of metal, I don’t think.” He gives an encouraging smile to the other boy, and looks at Mariska but doesn’t comment.

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.

“And Im sure there are all kinds of little things in the water that I have no name for.” Phoebe muses softly looking down into the lake. “Just rest assured that you are quite safe.” She mumbles again under her breath about blasted magical boats and giant squids. “Of course that’s not to say you should try playing in the lake during the school year anyone.”

Adelaide Adams grins at Phoebe, “Don’t worry, I’m not much of a swimmer personally.” She is suddenly struck dumb as she gawps at the castle, now they can see it, and bites back an excited squeal. “Oh, my…”

Adrian Skye looks upon the magnificence of the castle, all queasiness instantly forgotten. A shaky “Who…a….” escapes from his mouth as he stares, transfixed, at the stone walls of Hogwarts. Even the cold bothers Adrian no more as the entrancing facade of the castle holds his eyes spellbound.

“Are your parents not wizards? Are you muggleborn? Not that there’s anything wrong with that, just being curious.” Silas looks up at the castle, as it finally comes into view. “Well, look at that…” he mumbles, awed by the sight.

Gilroy Hollister appears suitably encouraged by the smile, as his own broadens and his fingers knit together in excitement. With the boat’s approach to the school, he cranes his head back and gapes, “Can you really believe we’ll be living in that?”

Mariska Moore looks up, and up and… whoah. “Wow,” is simply given. “I wonder where our houses will be. I hear Ravenclaw has a good view of the grounds,” she offers. “It’s huge,” yes, she’s stating the obvious.

Christopher Hobbs leans forward in his boat before he even realizes what he’s doing. His mouth opens into a giddy smile, eyes filled with nervous excitement. After a long pause, he states aloud, “It looks amazing!” His boat rocks slightly, until he steadies himself and leans back in his seat.

“Wow.” Is all Melissa says as the castle comes into view. Her mouth falls open at the sight of it, and she simply stares.

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.

Adrian Skye shudders, and the environment comes back to him. He wraps his cloak around himself tightly, still glancing upon the great castle and begins trying to discern the tallest tower.

“Oh geez.” mutters Adelaide, shivering. “I hope I get sorted before I lose limbs to frostbite.” She’d thought it couldn’t get much colder, boy was she wrong.

A yawn comes from Phoebe and a small grin looking our at the castle. “Oh but it is a little cold out here isn’t it?” Phoebe wraps her shawl a bit tighter over her shoulders. “After the ceremony we will all sit down the a nice feast. And Im happy to say that it’s quite a good one even if it is cooked by house elves.”

Teddy de Alquimia thinks perhaps the water is too cold for his tastes in any event, but keeps his opinion confined to a dubious look. And then there is the castle to take in. “It looks… it looks cold,” he whispers. “But sturdy and–large.” Previously chatty, Teddy returns to his thoughts.

it is getting colder as they get closer to the castle and Melissa huddles closer with Adelaide and Adrian. Her eyes are still upon the castle which comes closer by the second. She does hear Adelaide’s comment and she giggles.

Christopher Hobbs peers behind the fleet of boats to stare at the mysterious mist fading behind them, then glances excitedly again back to the school. The prospect of food, and family, causes the smile on his face to spread even further across his lips.

As the speed increases, Gilroy‘s smile gives way to a light chattering of his teeth. “I…th-think any v-v-view from the wh-whole castle would be g-g-g-ood!”

Mariska Moore looks around a bit more. “It is getting awful cold out here,” she states, rubbing her hands up her arms, before tucking said hans in the sleeves of her robes. “I should’ve though to wear a cloak, or shawl, or some such,” Mariska grins, before shrugging a little.

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.

As the castle draws nearer the expression on Phoebe‘s face becomes a bit more apprehensive and she begins mumbling to herself something that sounds a bit like ‘Really having children out on a lake in this… I should speak with the Headmistress.” But she looks out over the group again to make sure none have fallen in or have been carried off by some dreadful thing.

Adelaide Adams turns to the people in the boat with her and rolls her eyes, “I think they missed thermal underwear off their list of supplies.” Despite the cold, she’s still sparky and excited. “We don’t have to do this often do we?” she sighs.

Christopher Hobbs peers forward, all focus directed toward the castle. He shivers from the cold, but that excited smile is still on his face. “Are we almost there?” he asks aloud, unable to make out the distance masked by the shroud of darkness.

Gilroy Hollister‘s teeth clench together in an effort to stop shivering, and he clasps his hands over his upper arms, rubbing swiftly up and down in order to create warmth by friction. “Maybe they’ll teach us warmth spells for winter,” he murmurs to Mariska, opening his mouth as little as possible.

Despite the cold, Melissa laughs at Adelaide’s comment.

Adrian Skye ‘s teeth begin chattering, both from the cold but also from an onset of nerves. Hogwarts, finally, thought Adrian. As the frigid bite of the air clamps its teeth down further, Adrian huddles close with his friend Adelaide. “We’re almost th-there…” he chatters to his friend excitedly.

Mariska Moore can’t help but chuckle, and promptly nods. “I bet the castle is nice and warm, it looks very nice and welcoming right now.”

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.

Senseing the general discomfort of the group Phoebe speaks out over the lake again. “Just a little further children. I know it’s cold, but it will be plenty warm enough in th castle and you only get to do this your first year.” She smiles trying to remain positive for the first years. “Just try and think warm thoughts!”

Gilroy Hollister blinks hard as the darkness casts over the boats. “It looked welcoming. Now it’s just not there.” The pitch of his voice raises.

Christopher Hobbs chuckles and nods to himself, but his gaze is still directed forward. He tries to follow her advice, thinking of warm thoughts and food…

Vashti thinks warm thoughts… dunking Seraphina into hot water… pushing Jezebel into some coals. Ah yes, Vashti has no reason to complain of the cold.

Adelaide turns to Melissa, “I already am thinking warm thoughts. Light ones too.” One of her biggest fears was the dark…and only now did she seem a little uneasy.

If all these people quite accustomed to the weather in the surrounding areas are cold, it’s nothing next to Teddy, who daily longs for the sun of Majorca. “I’m s..sure it’ll be warmer inside, Mariska is right.” He huddles into himself, no longer interested in the lake. ”
” he exclaims in Spanish, and then blushes (not that anyone can see him) heavily.

Melissa knows her cousin is afraid of the dark and she grabs her hand, slightly squeezing it reassuringly.

Mariska Moore tries to spot the castle, nope, no luck. “I bet it’s hiding behind the trees,” she offers to Gil in a low voice, before nodding as she hears Teddy. “I bet it’ll be very warm, and comfortable, once we get inside, but first we have to get there.”

Staring straight ahead, Seraphina seems to be ignoring everyone else as she hugs her arms around her, as if to shield against the cold. She isn’t quite sure that the shivering she’s feeling is from the cold. She finds the water very unsettling. Perhaps she ought to have taken the sweater as her father suggested. “Not much farther,” she murmurs quietly, her face remaining expressionless despite the shivering.

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.

As her boat hits the lake bank followed by those of the students Phoebe sighs a breath of fresh air as the ride is finally over. “Right everyone stay together and follow me. No lagging behind because I am certainly not going to be happy if I have to come looking for anyone in the dark. With that Phoebe rises out of the boat and step quickly onto dry land.

Christopher Hobbs is nervous but excited, and gets out of the boat.

Not letting go of her cousin’s hand, Adelaide is happy to stand on dryish ground.

Melissa excitedly gets out of the boat, gulps with nervousness, and waits for his friends before clambering off the boat.

Finally arriving at the waiting room Phoebe turns to look over the large group of new students and then gives a nod to Gerald. “Alright everyone. This is where I will be leaving you with Professor Rathe.” She takes a long meaningful look over the first years and adds slowly. “I expect you to behave as though your parents were here. No acting out, no making a scene.” “And above all don’t make Professor Rathe annoyed. For your own sakes.” “But of course, try to enjoy yourselves. With that Phoebe turns with a smile to enter the Great Hall herself leaving the children behind.

As the blazing fireplace in the eastern wall sheds a bright light, and attempts in its flickering way to dispel the chill of the room. A massive silhouette is framed against that illumination, wide shoulders casting a shadow across the floor and up the far wall. As the students file into the room, the silhouette detaches itself from the firelight, its form resolving into that of Gerald Rathe. Towering over the students and Phoebe, Gerald has his hands clasped behind his back, pinning his cloak aside in the process, as he strides towards those assembled. Looking down with a severe expression, he first addresses Phoebe: “Thank you, Miss Helit. I’ll take things from here.”

Teddy de Alquimia is thankful for the fire, and scoots around toward it as subtly as he can, too anxious now to take in much of the architecture of the building or do much besides nod mutely and to finally spot Sophie. She gets a small smile, but suddenly the boy looks quite pale, for all that he’s a deep color of tan naturally, and as though he may be ill if his mouth opens at all. Absolutely no turning back now.

With that, Gerald Rathe turns his attention to the children, inclining his head in their direction and stating, “Welcome to Hogwarts School. The Feast has already begun, but the students are all waiting for you, the guests of honour at this meal. Shortly, you will all follow me into the Great Hall and be sorted into your Houses, but first, I wish to speak with you briefly about tonight’s event, the Sorting.” Gerald has set himself squarely facing the students, although his arms do not leave their careful military “parade rest” posture.

For the first time ever, Adelaide is completely silent, linking arms with Adrian and Melissa, “Good luck.” she whispers, before turning her attention to Gerald

Mariska Moore grins, now that she’s no longer cold, she can grin without her teeth chattering together. Blinks… oooh, guests of honour, like that’s not scary enough.

Gilroy Hollister sighs audibly as the warmth of the fire dispels the cold of the outer air, but he makes sure to make no more noise, again pinching his own lips between two fingers as he listens to Gerald.

Christopher Hobbs nods solemnly, naive excitement replaced with a fair bit of anxiety. He says nothing, waiting for Professor Rathe to continue.

“My wand’s in my luggage, my wand’s in my luggage, I can’t believe I left my wand in my luggage…” mutters Adrian quietly, suddenly remembering where his wand was. “This can’t be happening…” he adds in another quiet mutter, singsongily.

Biting his lip Tommy seems to be shaking with excitement even in the presence of the intimidating Professor Rathe. He turns to another first year and nearly jumps as he whispers “THis is going to be great!”

Melissa is just like her cousin, comepletely silent, and that doesn’t happen often. She looks at her cousin, then at Adrian and then at the Professor.

Watching the professor carefully and a bit suspiciously, Seraphina appears ever so slightly nervous for the first time. Perhaps it is the green twinge about her cheeks that finally gives it away.

Continuing with his introduction, Gerald Rathe tells you, “The House into which you are sorted will be like your family while you are here at Hogwarts, and this Sorting is a very important and ancient tradition here at Hogwarts. You will live, eat and learn with your House for the rest of your time here at Hogwarts. I am sure that you have all heard rumours about how this Sorting is to take place. Please refrain from making assumptions. Once we enter the Great Hall, you are all to follow me, and do only what you are told. I trust that there will not be any confusion on this matter. If you are ready, masters and misses, we will begin.” At this, without waiting for any sort of response, Gerald brings his arms out from behind his back, trailing his cloak around himself with a loud snap! and turns to stride through the great northern doors.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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!”

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.

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!”

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 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 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.

(Slytherin) After Seraphina sits down, she glances at her housemates. So, this was where she belonged. Knowing her father would still be proud of her for being able to attend the prestigious school that he had gone to is rather unimportant to the girl right now as she tries to sort out what her sort means for her. Very little of this crosses her face, however, even as she tries to discreetly study those who were also just sorted to this house on this day.

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!”

(Slytherin) Leaning halfway over the table Tommy has his arms wrapped around his small stomach. He is rocking back and forth in a very agitated manor. “I wonder if we will get anymore Slytherin… ” He says to himself mostly. He looks up to smile at Seraphina when she takes her seat. “Hello. Did the hat say anything funny in your head too?” He asks this question out of the blue without any prompting.

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.

(Slytherin) Nodding slowly, Seraphina looks to Tommy briefly. “Nothing I didn’t already know, of course. I knew I would be here, you see.” She explains this in a matter-of-fact voice, a very convincing statement for one previously so unsure.

(Slytherin) Aries snaps back to reality from her long daydreaming and looks around. “Where did all these people come from? Is it over already?” she asks a bit shaken. She peers over at Tommy and looks away thinking, “Hmm… that can’t be him…” She looks again and grins widely. “Tommy? Is that really you?” she asks nervously hoping that her mind isn’t playing tricks.

(Slytherin) Mariska Moore is now seated, and looking around. A slight smile is cast at her housemates, but otherwise she occupies herself with the rest of the ceremony.

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.

(Slytherin) “Yeah! Hi Aries!” Tommy calls out to the friend he made in Diagon Alley about a year ago. “Im at Hogwarts now! Isn’t that great?” He smiles once more looking and Seraphina and then to Mariska. He starts to speak but then grows silent as it looks as though something is about to happen.

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

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

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.

(Slytherin) Any concern about anything has vanished from Seraphina‘s mind as she looks greedily to the food before her. It has been quite a while since she ate, and the girl would claim that she is quite simply starving to death. Reaching out for various delicacies, she fills her plate quite full and rather than making conversation with those around her, focuses only on eating.

(Slytherin) Mariska Moore blinks slightly. “Y’mean, we have to ask them?” she enquires, slightly aghast. “I think I’ll be staying the dorms that day.”

(Slytherin) Aries peers over at Mariska and nods shyly. “Me too… The word ‘Social’ kind of turned me away…” She looked over at the food and only picked out her favorite fruits, just like last year. She giggles as she picks up an apple and remembers the little Apples and Gravy incident.

(Slytherin) Mariska Moore grins. “The social’s okay, the actual thought of attempting to ask someone I don’t know to go to some social is… utterly unacceptable.”

“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.”

“Stupid beetle, stay still,” Chester mutters quietly as he stumbles about, trying to catch the small black bug while still keeping hold of his wand, as well as the Transfiguration book that had, moments ago, been precariously propped up so that he could continue to study exactly why his beetle was not at all beginning to resemble a button. “BUGGER!” he states probably a bit louder than he had intended while he dives across a stray desk for the beetle, which scuttles a bit faster than Chester expected, apparently. His stack of books scatter over the floor as he nearly knocks the table over, trying to catch said bug.

Louella May , who had been taking her own study session in a nearby classroom pattered quietly into the room and nearly burst into laughter at the scene in front of her. “Do people always make such a mess when they try this spell?” she asked, wide-eyed.

Dolly Faeden has learned to move quietly in order to better observe people, and in any turn of events Chester is likely distracted enough to make her movements much quieter. Therefore, it would not be out of order to find her sudden hovering next to the desk in question a bit startling. Were in not quite impossible, one might assume she appeared quite magically in the classroom. Of course, Dee has also left a trail of footprints in the dust that seems to carpet this room so much faster than it does others. Shaking her head a bit, causing her cloud of red hair to float about in it’s strange way, the girl attempts in her thick-as-mud backwater Scottish accent to offer a bit of advice. “I’d try givin’ it a bit of a leaf to nibble on while you jab at it, maybe that’ll distract it so you can squash it faster that way, Blake.” Since she couldn’t figure out, hovering at the door of the classroom, exactly what he was trying to do the beetle. For now, as she’s acting a bit more normally than Chester, Louella only gets the briefest of wide-eyed acknowledgment before attention is returned to the boy.

“OOF,” Chester manages, trying very hard not to swear – it isn’t proper, of course, for him to do so – and then pops his head up, looking over the table as best he can. He isn’t quite tall enough to see over it, so he stands up, his wand and the beetle in one hand while he rubs his head with the other. “Er, no, I suppose not. I just can’t get it to work out. Am I interrupting your study time or something – oh, hullo, Dolly. Is this… a Ravenclaw gathering or something? I didn’t get a notice about it.” He rubs his elbow slightly nervously, his cheeks flushing pink. Girls make him nervous. “I, erm. I haven’t got anything to give to the beetle, and I’ve got to give it back to the professor once I’m done practicing, so I’m just trying to be careful.” He shrugs vaguely. “So, can you do it, then?”

“No, it’s okay,” : says vaguely, glancing about the empty room. “I was ready to fall asleep in there anyway.” As if to back up her claim, : yawned, only remembering to cover her mouth at the last minute. “And no, I have no idea where she came from,” Louella added “…but it wasn’t from a Ravenclaw gathering.”

Dolly Faeden is only a girl because her body says so, rather than her general demeanor. “Yer not trying to squash it, then?” She sounds slightly confused, and looks about a bit more before spotting the textbook. “Oh! Transfiguration, a’course!” Out comes her wand with a little whipping noise, “It’s just… let’s see… a little twirl-” her eyes dart briefly to the open page, “and…” she taps at the beetle. It flutters it’s wings and goes very slightly flat about things but is still very much a beetle. Dee blushes and frowns, “Well, I… don’t want to do it for you, you won’t learn. I did it in class, of course.” Well, she very messily got button holes to appear through her shortly expired beetle, anyway. Taking the distraction of Louella to heart, Dee says a little too loudly (but by no means shouts), “Well I came from the hallway, a’course. And before that I was on the stairs coming up from the fourth floor because I wanted to look out of a higher up window to drop some roc–” she stops abruptly, and then mutters, “Just wanted to see how long it took them to fall.” with her lips all drawn together in a sulk.

“Well, you’re both wearing – I just assumed – Er, nevermind,” Chester replies absently, looking back and forth from Louella to Dolly briefly before glancing back at his slightly flatter beetle. “Oh, maybe it goes…” He vaguely – and poorly – mimics Dolly’s wand movements, and ends up with a slightly square, not much flatter beetle than he had started with. “Square?” he comments, scratching his head with a puzzled expression. “I wish I could drop transfiguration. Potions is ever so much easier to comprehend. You were doing what now? Rocks? What would you want to drop rocks for?”

Having no valuable knowlege on the specific spells or classes to pass onto two second-years, Louella yawned again and cast a curious eye upon Dolly.

“I did not say I was dropping rocks!” protests Dolly, who proceeds in a rushed voice, “if I were it would just be to record how long it took them to fall from here to the ground as opposed to how long it took from the fourth floor because you never know when that sort of thing might be handy, and maybe it could tell me how high up we are, though I’d need to look up a formula because they don’t teach that sort of thing here and transfiguration is fascinating, Blake, though I do like Potions as well, I’ve got a diary of all the ingredients we’ve ever used and what they seem to do when combined with other things.” She stops, now, for a breather. A long one, actually, her cheeks pink from the exertion of talking so quickly. It’s not overlong that Dee gives a short sort of excited noise. “Oh, look, you did make it square. What did you do? Can you do it again?” From some pocket, she produces a notepad and a pencil, poised at the ready, eyes fixed on Chester. Yes, witches can use pencils just like everyone else. Out of the corner of her mouth she says, “You should take notes, then you can answer questions next year, you know,” to Louella, blue eyes not leaving the boy’s face.

“I… don’t know how I made it square,” Chester answers blandly. “I did something like,” he mumbles as he tries to mimic his previous wand movements. “Do all Ravenclaws do this with rocks?” he asks to Louella, rather than to Dee, who seems to think it a perfectly natural situation. “Does it really matter how fast a rock falls? I’m sure you could make it fall faster, if you learned the right charms. Or slower, of course.” He pauses. “I don’t know those charms, though.” He pauses again. “What good is making a beetle turn slightly square when it’s turning it into a button that will be on the exam?”

“Well,” Louella began, standing up much straighter and lifting her chin, as she tended to do when aswering serious questions. “There is a lot more to magic than exams. Just because you a don’t think it really matters now, doesn’t mean you won’t wish you knew it some day.” Turning her attention back to Dolly, Louella seemed to shrink quite a bit in stature. “I left my books in the other classroom,” she said, setting her mouth in a stubborn line. “But it doesn’t matter anyway, becuase you’ll have all the information written down and it won’t be that important next year. Just like he said. What’s your name, anyway?” Louella asked, turning back on Chester.

Dolly Faeden looks quite affronted at the same time that she’s furiously scribbling a description of how Chester is moving his want. “I don’t want it to fall any differnt than it’s supposed to! It’s called an experiment. If you understood experiments then you’d know that if you can figure out what makes the beetle square you can figure out what makes the beetle a button, and understanding how it works is how you work it!” She nods quite briskly and tucks the pencil behind her ear to take out her wand again. “Just like a clock. If you know how the gears go together, you can make sense of the inside even though it looks very busy and complicated!” A little flourish, mimicking Chester’s mimic, at the beetle, and the squarishness seems to emphasize, making the beetle quite ungainly. “Hmm.” She frowns again, “Well, that worked…” Without asking, she reaches for Chester’s textbook to study the page herself, biting the tip of her tongue in concentration, making a vauge sort of ‘Mmnh’ noise at Louella.

“… Oh,” is all Chester can manage to reply as Dolly babbles at him. “I guess as long as it works, I don’t really care what makes it work,” comes the boy’s intelligent response. “Oh, sorry,” he mumbles toward Louella. “I’m Chester. Chester Blake. I’m in Hufflepuff.” Way to state the obvious, Chester. The boy shrugs vaguely and grabs the beetle just as it tries to scuttle off. “So, what are you going to do, when you figure out how fast a rock falls from each story of the school?”

Seeing as it’s too early to see the real stars, too cold to wait until dark to go up into the Astronomy Tower, and Gabrielle Cavendish has twelve inches to write before Monday. The noise from the empty classroom catches the fourth year’s attention, and she stops murmuring coordinates of stars and playing with the sleeve of her robe and slows her steps so that she can peer through the open door at the younger students with her wide, blue eyes.

“Well Chester,” Louella said, peering out the door past him. “There may not have been a Ravenclaw gathering scheduled for tonight, but it looks like this is turning into one!”

Dolly Faeden looks at Chester with a bit of… is that pity? and also contempt. Perhaps it isn’t becoming that her tone goes slightly haughty, but it does none the less. “What I’m going to do is know how long it takes things to fall from different floors, Blake. Aren’t you curious about anything?” She leans away from the desk with her upper body, having the effect of jutting out her hips. “It’s no good knowing something does work if you don’t care how. What if it stops working? How will you know what to fix? And you can’t find new ways of doing things–it’s very simple minded of you.” The book is uncermoniously dumped on the desk behind her, and she stares hard at the beetle (or, as Chester seems to be holding it, his hands). “Okay, so I think you have to… up like this,” she brandishes her pencil, rather than her wand, “then… a little bit of a movement,” flourishes, “…concentrate on a button as well as you can and– tap!” Dee completes the movement with a nod of her head. “Go on, give it a try?” She’s got her notebook back out for notes, and her eyes only flicker up briefly toward the door, not even really taking in the fact that Gabrielle is there, just that she noticed a difference in color out of the corner of her eye, or something.

“I like potions better. Makes sense,” Chester mutters as he watches Dolly’s wand movements, mirroring them in a much smaller fashion with his own wand. He then extends it and with perhaps too much flourish, tries to turn his beetle into a button. He manages… a slightly round, flat version of a beetle, which perhaps, in some universe, might slightly resemble a button. “I, erm. I’m not… school is okay, but I rather…” Chester is flustered, and can’t even manage to complete his sentence as he picks up his beetle. “I’m going to have to have the professor fix it before it dies. I don’t think it can breathe. Do beetles breathe?” Does it matter? Chester isn’t sure. He glances around, seeming rather nervous as he starts to stack up his books haphazardly, attempting to pick them all up at once, rather than strapping them together. “I definitely don’t want to be responsible for killing the beetle of a teacher.”

“Why?” comes Gabrielle‘s voice from the doorway. She steps in slowly, eyes narrowed somewhat. “It’s just a beetle. A knut a dozen at the right shop.” She looks then to Dolly and arches her blonde eyebrows. “What’s the point of measuring how fast rocks fall when you can make them fly?” But Gabrielle pauses, narrowing her eyes in thought. “…unless they are very big rocks.”

Dolly Faeden rolls her eyes. “She didn’t mind us turning them into full buttons in class, and I really don think a button can breathe.” Dee has written down what happened–and suddendly she points at Gabrielle. “You! You’re a fourth year, aren’t you? Can you manage a beetle into a button? What’ve we got wrong?–And the point is knowing!” Dee looks positively scandelized that a fellow Ravenclaw would take such an attitude. “I mean, just because you can make something fly doesn’t mean anything. What if you were falling from a tower and didn’t have your wand? Wouldn’t you like to know how long you had to yell ‘Help! I’m going to hit the ground and be painfully injured in approximately ten seconds would someone quickly do something!’ rather than ‘Help help I have no idea how to stop it but it will hurt and someone –’ then,” she smacks her hands together, which is a feat considering both are full. “Crunch! It’s off to the hospital wing with you because you thought ‘Oh, well, I could make a rock fly.’” She’s shaking her pencil at the older girl now, Dee’s hair creating a sort of irritated halo about her head. If that makes sense.

“If you can make a rock fly, you can make a person fly,” Gabrielle snaps back, “or at least not hit the ground as fast or as hard.” She pulls her wand out of the pocket of her robes and points it at the beetle in Chester’s hand, and with the appropriate wand movement and recitation of the spell, the little abomination jumps into the air for a moment before it falls back into the Hufflepuff’s hand – a round russet button. “Close the door or keep your voices down.” And with that, Gabrielle slips back out the door and down the hall.

Chester‘s blue eyes get wide as he watches Dolly chatter on excitedly. “Well, buttons have holes, so maybe it can… breathe through those? I mean, this doesn’t appear to have holes in it.” He looks genuinely concerned as he glances down at his immobile not-quite-a-button just before Gabrielle transfigures it for him. “I’m, erm, just going to go talk to Professor Breckenridge about this. I can’t fail transfiguration over a button.” He edges toward the door, grasping the now-button and pauses in the doorway, holding far too many things for his still small, second year form. “I’ll… see you later… er, you … girls.” He almost runs out of the room at full jolt, as if the three Ravenclaw girls have got him so flustered that he can hardly string words together.

Dolly Faeden sticks out her tongue at Gabrielle’s retreating back. “Grumpy old maid.” Nevermind she’s only two years older. “I said you didn’t have your wand when you were falling did’n I?” She looks at Chester as though expecting support on the matter, too put-out to bother writing down what had worked about the spell. “Now we’ll never get it right,” she says, looking at the button with a crestfallen expression. And then Chester leaves too. “Well!” says Dee, straightening her shoulders and marching to the door. Down the hall she yells, “Fine! I’ll just… do something else! I didn’t want to figure out your stupid beetle problem anyway, Chester Blake! I hope you never learn how to do it!” She stomps a foot and then mutters to herself, as though forgetting Louella is even there. “Stupid close-minded uncurious gits. If you can make a rock fly you can make a person fly! As if that was the point!” Grumble.

“Well then,” says Louella, edging her way towards the door. “I um, had better be getting my books…and finish my work.” She yawns again as she backs towards the door. “And get some rest. Maybe I’ll just go straight to bed.” She nearly trips over herself, puts a hand on the door frame, and smiles weakly at Dolly, not quite sure the girl has noticed a word she’s said. “Good luck with your, uh, beetle…and rock…issues.”

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

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

Alden Wexler hardly seems to notice the rain as Keelan calls out for the first years — quite despite the fact that in a little under a few moments, the poor boy in new school robes is throughly soaked, head to foot. Without a word, he does as instructed, following Keelan along the way.

Ugh, rain. Olivia sighs and pulls her hood up carefully, tucking her hair back into the hood as best she can, though the water has not done nice things to it. “I’m glad we’re finally here,” she comments to Evan, making her way to the carriage and stepping into one several down.

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

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

(Ravenclaw) Interested in every single student, that enters the hall, Kassandra sits down at the Ravenclaw table, greeting her housemates she has not met in the train and waving here and there to her entering acquaintances.

(Ravenclaw) “Hello everyone!” Bubbling with excitement, Kara Raine dances in and takes a seat at her house table, calling out greetings to various friends. She sits down amid a group of second years, immersing herself in tales of trips taken on holidays and the differences between being a first and second year.

(Ravenclaw) With a remarkably sour look on his face, Riley flops down across from Noémie and next to Saphia, immediately pouring himself a pumpkin juice with enough force that cracks his goblet. His waist-length hair clings to his face and cloak, and his wrinkled robes drip with almost casual disdain. Naturally, drying himself would be a simple feat, but he seems to cling to the cold water, almost as if making a point to the Headmistress sitting at the faculty table, who is waggling her fingers at Riley with an amused grin.

(Ravenclaw) Rhian Brecon took care of how wet she was as soon as she entered the school, really quickly. She sits down with the other Ravenclaws and smiles. This is it… her last year here… Last sorting she’ll get to see, among the last feasts she’ll go to, and the start of the last nine months to hang out with her fellow Ravenclaws… Unfortunately, two of her best friends are no longer here, graduated at the start of the summer, among them, her boyfriend. This is going to be a long year.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Ravenclaw) Kara Raine waves as Dolly joins the table, turning back quickly to listen to the sorting hat. She cheers loudly as the song finishes, quieting quickly as she waits for the sorting, trying to watch for the first year who shared a train compartment with her earlier.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Ravenclaw) Dolly Faeden gives out a heavily-accented cheer as not one but two Ravenclaws are Sorted early on. “Good job!” calls the redhead down the table at Rhyne and the other new student, just as her stomach gives a bit of a gurgle. Ahem. “Hush,” she tells it, blushing a bit. At least she’s not still throwing her underpants about and accusing people of being transgendered.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“All the usual suspects, of course. Our caretaker has asked me to remind you check the updated list of prohibited items and punishable offenses that have been thoughtfully posted in each of your common rooms–” Drawing in a deep breath, the Headmistress begins to unroll the wound parchment, “Spellwork outside of the classroom, rough play, pranks, hijinxs, dungbombs, Whimple’s Pimple Powder..” Demonstratively, she allows the end of the scroll to slip from her fingers, clatter to the table, spill over the edge, and roll across the floor Great Hall until it exhausts itself somewhere near the door of the waiting room across the entrance hall. A somewhat playful glint sparkling in her eyes, Melvina sets her end of the very long list down and vanishes it with a flick of a wand which she withdraws from the sleeve of her robes. “As you can see, the list goes on. Be sure to check it.”

After a small bubble of laughter, Melvina takes up a blessedly smaller sheet of parchment. “Hogwarts tradition demands that I remind you the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds for all students. As seems to happen every year since antiquity, some of you will most certainly forget that pesky little rule. It just slips out, squeezed away from the building pressure of knowledge our fine professor work so hard to fill your head with over the year.” A rueful chuckle escapes her as she shares a knowing smile with the hall. “Know then that detention is the minimum punishment for entering the Forbidden Forest without a member of staff or faculty beside you, and that such acts will usually will result in a substantial loss of house points as well.” With a small, meaningful glance around and a pause to clear her throat and savor a sip of pumpkin juice, Melvina continues. “Naturally, we ask that you respect and defer to your Prefects. Also, I’d like to congratulate our new Head Boy and Head Girl, Andrew Larson and Margaret Cresterton. Mister Larson and Miss Cresterton, please stand.” She applauds once the two have risen, leading those who care to join her in a modest round of congratulations, before continuing on.

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

Following a deep, relieved breath and Melvina finally sets down the parchment and removes her glasses. “That said, I have only one more announcement to mention before we start in on the delicious feast I know you’re all patiently waiting to savor. This is my second year as Headmistress of Hogwarts school — last year was a daring step on to the path of the uncertainty for all of us. A maiden voyage, where bold choices were made, some rising to shimmering brilliance, others not so much. But in this second year, the fright of the unknown fades as well all walk in a comfortable security. Each sure we know, or at suspect, of what to expect It is in this peaceful repetition that we as a family forge traditions. Thus, I announce to you all our first of many traditions, the second annual Barefoot Social.” A sly, almost devillish grin dances over the lips of the Headmistress. “A celebration of the new term, greeting those whom are just joining us, and welcoming home those of us returning for another year. This dance will semi-formal, open to all years, and include an… outdoor feast.” The too-clever look on her face almost seems to gloat, briefly, as she looks out at her young crowd. Obviously, she is terribly proud of herself. “As this is the mother of tradition, we shall follow the precident set by last year’s grandmother event — the ladies will need ask the gentlemen for the honor of an afternoon’s courtship.” She waits, eagerly, for the reaction to that before at last finishing up. “I will be resuming the Student Events Committee, made up of students from all years to help me prepare for the Barefoot Social, Governor’s Ball, and a handful of other special events I have planned through out the school year; if you’d like to be on said Committee, you may contact me through any of the usual means. Exact details regarding date and time of the Barefoot Social shall follow shortly. Let’s eat.” And with small nod and a sly, lingering grin, she slips casually back in to her seat.

(Ravenclaw) “Oh, bloody effin’ ‘ell,” Riley hisses, allowing his head to collide with the table uncerimoniously. “She did it again — that’s what the hell she’s been smirkin’ about all these weeks. Another damned Barefoot Social. Kill me now.”

(Ravenclaw) “Ah, food,” Noémie comments, grinning to the new folks with a bit of a stretch. She grins to a certain other sixth year at her side and then winks, perhaps a bit more playfully than would be her norm otherwise. “Looks like a good little crowd, all of you,” she comments to the new firsties briefly before putting more food into her mouth. It is Riley’s luck that she has done this, too, for she does gift him with a rather stern look while she clears her throat. “Riley, you fuddent say fings ‘ike vat.” Ah, ever the graceful, polite young lady.

(Ravenclaw) Kassandra peers over to Riley. “Be careful, before I ask you out.” she grins and moves nearer to the table to begin loading small portions of various kinds of food onto her plate. She finally sees the variety in front of her and shrugs grinning. “Hm, seems like I can’t decide this year.”

(Ravenclaw) Dolly Faeden is a girl, and last year made a face at dancing with boys. Dangerously, though, she gives a look over the table at the announcement and says to Riley, “It’s not so bad, or are ye afraid ye won’t get asked?” A bit of roast turkey is chewed and swallowed before, “Or are ye afraid ye will?” comes out in her standard arrangement of impossible to understand accents. A giggle is all Noémie affords, as again the boys get eyed before there’s a shrug that seems to say ‘Meh, boys’ and she reapplies herself to the buisness of eating.

(Ravenclaw) Rhian Brecon smiles at Riley. “It wasn’t that bad last year, and it was fun planning it. Just relax Riley, just six more years and you don’t have to deal with her as Headmistress because you will have graduated. Focus on your studies and you’ll totally forget about her.”

(Ravenclaw) “Turf it,”