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Making Jokes
Author: Ellis
Date: 04-20-16 18:48
Conrad entered the Hufflepuff Common Room and spotted his sister sitting alone in one of the overstuffed armchairs. She had a very serious look on her face and appeared to be thumbing through a handful of pamphlets. He himself had not gone to Course Day in the Great Hall because he was only a first year and didn't have to pick any electives just yet. The only extra class available to him was Fitness & Athletics, and he was already taking that.
He crossed over to the empty chair catty-corner to Blakeney's and plopped down in it.
"What to choose, what to choose…" he said in a sing-song voice.
"I'm for sure going to take Arithmancy & Divination," Blakeney answered. She looked over at her brother and grinned. "Don't you think it would be interesting, divining the future?"
Conrad shrugged. "I'm not sure reading leaves is my cup of tea." He slapped his leg and chuckled at the joke.
Blakeney ignored him and said, "I just don't know what my second elective should be. Alys is enrolled in Ancient Runes and Muggle Studies. I'm not sure I'm interested in runes. I'm all for learning another language, but preferably one that I can use while visiting another country. I want to be able to do important things like haggle for bargains and flirt with foreign boys."
"You can use runes in Norway, I should think. You just want to be careful where you use them, because you don't want to accidentally bind a ancient Viking to you… unless he's cute and fashion-sensitive, of course."
Blakeney again ignored Conrad and said, "There's Care of Magical Creatures, but I'm not sure I care about the ones that aren't cute and cuddly. Giant spiders, no thanks. Kittens, yes please."
"Ha. You made a funny. You don't care about magical creatures."
"I guess that only leaves Muggle Studies." Blakeney nodded to herself. "Yes, I think I'll choose Arithmancy & Divination and Muggle Studies as my two."
"Until you change your mind. Say," Conrad continued, after Blakeney set down her pile of brochures. "Where's your bestie? I never see you two apart."
"Tessa joined one of the Quidditch pick-up games," Blakeney replied. "I thought that's where you were."
"Nah," Conrad said. "I was practicing my stand-up routine in one of the empty classrooms."
"Oh? Well, if it's anything like the jokes and puns you just said, then your routine needs a lot work."
"Hey!"
Just Here For The Food (Mason)
Author: Pyrrhus
Date: 04-20-16 19:35
As seventh years neither Mason nor Boris need to worry with what Hogwarts courses to take in the fall. Not unless failure to pass their current courses keeps them back. The only courses either of them need to be concerned with for the fall are those offered by St. Emrys. Coming to the Great Hall and see what they can snag from the various booths is simply something to do that does not involve studying.
Eating a handheld pie that has a creamy citrus flavored filling Mason makes a comment about needing a St. Emrys course catalog at some point.
Boris is in the process of selecting his own handheld pie, trying to determine what's in each without breaking them open or sticking a finger in where it may or may not be noticed. He finally shrugs and picks up one to bite into. "Not sure I'm going to go to university."
"Since when? I thought we were going to room together."
"I've been thinking about it a lot lately. I'm not sure I want to finally finish here only to start school again."
"So you want a gap year?"
"A what?"
"A gap year. Some Muggles do it after finishing school. They take a year or so off before starting university or a job."
"And do what?"
"Travel, work "
"You just said some take the time off before starting a job."
"Yeah, but some have some sort of job in the meantime. Save up their money. Or it's volunteer work. Some take classes but not of the academic sort. On of my mum's friends took cooking classes her gap year."
"Don't know. Maybe that's what I mean. Maybe I just want to find a job and that be it."
"What sort of job?"
"No idea."
"An advantage of going to St. Emrys or a university somewhere else would be having more time to think about that job you might want."
"Yeah, there is that. It's just the thought of sitting through more classes is tiring."
"I know what you mean." Mason snags another of the pies, this one with a mixed berry filling, then gestures. "Want to see if we can get some of the sweets from that booth?"
"Worth a shot. We've gotten something from every other booth we've been to so far."
Hastily eating their pies as they walk, and washing them down with the drinks they both got before leaving the refreshment table, Boris and Mason continue visiting the various booths, skipping the Potions table where Professor Snape is scowling.
At Course Day
Author: Susan Fricks
Date: 04-21-16 15:12
Susan and Patricia went together to the Course Day. Both were hoping to learn more about the electives they could pick for next year, even if they have heard their sisters talking about it. But one thing was to hear it from Andrina and Sophie, and another was to be able to talk to all the teachers and somewhat have a notion of how their classes were like and what they would be learning.
From the four electives, the one Susan ruled out immediately was Arithmancy & Divination. The idea of being able to get a glimpse into the future and to make predictions about someone's life scared her a little bit. She was afraid she would see something bad and she wouldn't be able to deal with it. Maybe she was being silly, but Susan just did not want that sort of responsibility and so she decided not to explore that branch of magic.
"I might not take that one either," Patricia said. "But not for those reasons. From what my sister said you must have some sort of intuition when it comes to Divination. It's not like you can open a book and memorize everything from it. I think I am going to play safe and go with something else."
They went to visit the Care of Magical Creatures booth and later Susan left it extremely motivated. She had liked to hear Professor Kent's speech and the idea of being in contact with different animals and creatures appealed to her.
"Aren't you afraid you might get scratched or bitten by one of them?"
"Not if you can handle them properly. As long as you do as Professor Kent instructs you, then it won't be a problem," Susan replied to Patricia's question.
But her friend was not convinced. Susan could tell she did not seem leaned into Professor Kent's subject like she was. Then again Susan recalled how little patience Patricia had with Buttercup, whenever it tried to get closer to her, asking for attention. If she did not care about such a cute creature like a cat, then how would she be interested other species?
"Hello! Have you decided on anything yet?" Charles Fairfax asked, passing by them.
"Still looking around," Susan said. "How about you?"
"They all look incredible! But the ideal would be to swap them for other classes we already have. I would gladly trade History of Magic for Ancient Runes."
"I don't mind History of Magic," Patricia said. "Herbology is worse. That would be the one I would trade."
"Hum…if I could trade one for another it would be Transfiguration," Susan declared, after some thinking. "Not that I dislike it, but it's just so hard!"
They continued to discuss their elective options as they crossed the Great Hall. Susan was divided between taking Ancient Runes and Muggle Studies alongside with Care for Magical Creatures, while Patricia seemed to have excluded that one for good, and she was playing with the idea of after all giving it a try and choose Arithmancy & Divination, after they had visited Professor Sacheverelle's booth and she had talked astrology and dream interpretation.
"Do you want to visit the Fitness & Athletics booth?" Susan asked to Patricia. "Maybe you can take it next year with me. The classes are fun!"
"I don't know…"
"Just hear what Coach Krum has to say," Susan begged.
"All right," Patricia finally accepted and they walked towards Coach Krum's booth.
Deciding To Make The Rounds (Cornington)
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 04-21-16 15:38
Cornington slept in, missing official breakfast time before the apparition lesson began. He got a snack in the commons once he did pull himself from bed and after spending more time being lazy on his bed reading before getting dressed. He did make it to lunch but instead of staying then to walk around to visit the tables of the courses he's eligible to take as electives, Cornington went outside with some friends, first playing a little Quidditch and then sitting on a blanket with some others playing a card game.
Cornington hadn't been sure he'd even bother with Course Day. Having three older siblings and a number of cousins who can fill him in on those classes, he'd considered simply getting input from several of them. As he enters the Great Hall, he's not even sure what led him there other than just because.
He already takes Fitness & Athletics but stops at the table for it anyway to say hello to Coach Krum. He's glad he stopped because the visit means getting his name in for a drawing of a new model racing broom. It also meant getting a small bag of candies shaped like Quidditch equipment - brooms, bludgers, quaffles, snitches, bats, and hoops. The candy snitches wings even flutter.
Cornington's next stop is the Ancient Runes booth. A couple of girls are just leaving as he walks up, leaving him alone for the moment with Uncle AJ who smiles broadly at him. "Cornington! How are you today?"
"I'm good, thanks. How are you, Aunt Mariposa, and Jacinda?"
"We're all doing well. Look, here's the newest picture of Jacinda. She'll be in the daycare here all next week so you should stop in and see her."
"Yeah, I'll do that." He peers closely at the image of the baby playing with some toys. "She's gotten big!"
AJ could talk about his daughter all day but knowing everyone, even one of Jacinda's cousins, isn't as interested in her as he is, he refrains and ask instead, "Thinking of taking Ancient Runes?"
"I think so. I'm not sure. I want to talk to Leo and Glori."
"I see. Well, I'm here to answer questions too if you need."
"I know, and thanks. It's just I want to know what students think. You professors are going to talk up whatever course you teach. It's part of your job."
Uncle AJ guffaws. "You're right there." Still grinning he hands Cornington a brochure. "This may answer some of your more general questions. Want a sugar biscuit? Mariposa and I made them using Gran's recipe." The cookies are shaped like some of the runes learned in Ancient Runes.
If it's Gran Hodfuffer's recipe then it's worth taking two. Or three or four. Not wanting to appear greedy to anyone else who might see, or thinking that Uncle AJ is showing favoritism to a nephew, Cornington limits himself to two. He returns AJ's grin when he's told, "Come back towards the end and I'll give you some of the leftovers."
"Thanks!"
Cornington walks away, eating the sugar biscuit in a shape that reminds him of a B and has aqua frosting, thinking he'll go to the Care of Magical Creatures table. That course is top of his list, not that he'd tell that to Uncle AJ, but just because it sounds interesting and cool doesn't mean it is in reality. He'll have to ask Leo, Baron, and Hydrangea their thoughts. Of he thinks thats who of his relatives here are taking the class. He'll have to ask that too.
Just before reaching the table where Professor Kent is talking with a few others, a Slytherin first year Cornington has played chess with a few times calls out, "Hallo, Corny. Chess later?"
Grimacing at being called Corny, something he hates, Cornington quickly turns his expression into a small smile. "Sure, see you in the commons in a bit." If he made an issue of not being called Corny by this time tomorrow everyone would be calling him that and nothing else. Why can't he have name easily shortened like his brothers? Maybe he should start going by his middle name, Geoffrey or do what Uncle AJ does and go by his initials. CG wouldn't be so bad, especially when compared to Corny.
Reaching the Care of Magical Creatures table, "CG" looks over the information and items Professor Kent has on display, waiting his turn to speak with class's teacher.
(Irene) Informed Decision
Author: Finley
Date: 04-22-16 18:48
Eirene first entered the Great Hall at the start of Course Day, made the rounds, collected brochures and other giveaways, and then returned to the Slytherin Common Room to review the information on all four electives available for her to take next school year. She didn't want to make the decision lightly, especially since she wasn't sure how easy it would be to change her schedule if something wasn't too her liking. Better to make an informed decision. After all, this was her future and she wanted to get it right the first time.
Eirene had already decided that she would continue taking Fitness & Athletics. She had always been an active girl. Eirene found that liked most of the sports played in class, and she enjoyed physical activity in general.
Of the four electives, Eirene was fairly certain she wanted to enroll in Ancient Runes. Learning what symbols meant in ancient magical texts sounded interesting. Maybe she'd see about picking up a runic dictionary during Easter break.
The question became, what other elective should she choose? Arithmancy & Divination could be entertaining. So could Care of Magical Creatures, depending on the topic. Eirene liked most animals, but there were some she would rather not handle.
What about Muggle Studies? Eirene had heard about something called video games from older students enrolled in the course. Professor Miller apparently did a lot of other fun things in his class, too. Did Eirene care enough about Muggle life to be curious to find out what made Muggle Studies so entertaining? She wasn't sure.
After thoroughly reviewing the material she picked up earlier in the day, Eirene decided to head back at the end of the day to talk more with Professor Sacheverelle and Professor Kent about their classes. Maybe one or the other would help her decide what her second elective should be.