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Sorting Ceremony, Part One
Author: Minerva McGonagall
Date: 08-20-10 14:22
Professor McGonagall stood on the castle steps as she did every year on the very first day of term, when Hagrid brought in the first year and transfer students from the Hogwarts Express. Each year, when the Hogwarts Express stopped at Hogsmeade Station, the older students took what seemed like horseless carriages up to the castle, while the new students were ferried across the lake on rowboats that moved of their own accord.
Now, most, if not all of the older students were in the Great Hall, eagerly anticipating the Sorting Ceremony, followed by Professor Dumbledore's announcements, and then the commencement of the Start of Term Feast.
Professor McGonagall gazed out towards the lamps that lit the way for the first year and transfer students as they traveled over the lake. The light rippled across the water and occasionally illuminated a tentacle belonging to the giant squid that lived in the inky body of water. When the boats reached the shore nearest the castle, Hagrid made sure everyone got off safely and then led them to where his colleague Minerva waited.
"Good evenin', Professor. Brought yeh our newest crop o' students."
"Thank you, Hagrid."
Hagrid waved ta ta for now to the students and then stepped past Professor McGonagall and into the castle. She, meanwhile, surveyed the latest batch of first years and transfers to come to Hogwarts. They looked as they always did, some excited, others nervous, some impossibly small and young, while others seemed mature for their ages.
She wondered which boy was Madoc, but she didn't see anyone who looked like he could be related to her. Perhaps the boy looked more like his mother's family than hers.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," Minerva greeted. "My name is Professor McGonagall." She paused, searching for an expression of recognition from one of the boys, but if there had been one, she'd missed it.
She went on, "In a moment, we will step inside the castle and go into the Great Hall for the Sorting Ceremony. During the ceremony, you will each put on the Sorting Hat and learn where you will be placed during your stay at Hogwarts. The school has four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin."
She went on to explain the house points system and warned that she wasn't above taking away points during the Start of Term Feast, so everybody better be on their best behavior!
"Now, if you will follow me," she said, and turned for the doors to the castle.
She led the students inside, where they marveled at the paintings on the walls. The Muggle borns had never seen portraits that moved before and were in awe by the sight.
Professor McGonagall crossed the foyer and then entered the Great Hall, where every face turned to watch the procession of the new students down the center aisle. Professor McGonagall had them stop at the front of the room, while she herself climbed onto the raised dais, where a three-legged stool had been arranged with a tattered old hat set upon it.
It took the new students by surprise when the hat began to sing about Hogwarts and its four houses. After it finished, Professor McGonagall picked up a scroll from the head table and announced, "We will begin by sorting the transfer students."
She looked at the first name on her list and called out, "Abdul Hazrat AlGunud."
A boy of Middle Eastern origin around fifteen years of age stepped forward and moved to the stool when Professor McGonagall lifted the hat from its seat. He sat down, and she set the hat upon his head.
"Hmm... interesting," murmured the Sorting Hat into Abdul's ears. "Not only new to Hogwarts but to the country as well. You've experienced great tragedy recently... but you are bright and resourceful and I think you belong in... RAVENCLAW!"
A whoop went up from the Ravenclaw table. Minerva removed the hat from Abdul's head and sent him to meet his new housemates, who welcomed him with pats on the back and handshakes. He seemed a bit taken aback by their friendly welcome.
There was only one other transfer student this year, "Adina Blackwood."
A girl with straight, brown hair and blue eyes approached the stool and sat down. Professor McGonagall put the hat on her head.
"Yes... you like to run free, and you know a thing or two about getting into trouble... better be... SLYTHERIN!"
The Ravenclaw table had been loud before, but the cheering from Slytherin was even louder. Adina jumped off the stool and joined her new housemates at their table.
Now it was time for the first years to get sorted.
I Am Slytherin
Author: Adina Blackwood
Date: 08-20-10 19:35
Adina took in -everything- that she could when she and the other students that were either transfer or first year were rowed across the lake and to the Castle after getting off the Hogwarts Express. She listened to the greeting from Professor McGonagall before they entered the enormous Great Hall where the Start of Term Feast, meals, and other feast occasions were held. Adina had heard from Marlow and her siblings that the feasts at Hogwarts were huge things and so far she was getting to see that.
As Professor McGonagall went over the point system, the warning that she had no qualms of deducting points at the Start of Term Feast. Adina was restless more than anything else, she'd been confined for too long with the lengthy train ride, and now she would be in the Castle, where there would no doubt be curfews and the like. She heaved a sigh and slid a hand through her hair a moment as she moved with the others into the Great Hall and toward the dias.
After a few more moments, the hat sang its little song and the sorting ceremony was under way. There was one other transfer student, a middle eastern boy who was sorted into Ravenclaw, and then it was Adina's turn.
She took a deep breath and settled herself upon the stool, Professor McGonagall settled the worn, verbose hat upon her head and it was a unique sensation to be certain.
"Yes... you like to run free, and you know a thing or two about getting into trouble... better be... SLYTHERIN!"
The hat proclaimed and a deafening roar rose from the Slytherin table as Adina slipped from the stool once it had been lifted from her head. She settled herself down at the table and let a soft sigh slide from her lips for a moment, and quickly found something to occupy her hands. She turned her attention, as much as she could, to the remaining students that needed to be sorted - the first years. How many more of the new students would be sorted into Slytherin?
Tichlets
Author: Georgia Copperpot
Date: 08-20-10 20:50
Departing Kings Cross Station had been tres difficult. My sex god boyfriend Sage Porter was there to see me off. Too bloody bad we had so many other people around for our goodbye snogs. Not helping was the way Isabella kept very loudly telling me I was going to miss the train. Methinks someone is still touchy that titchy Luke Dawson wasn't available to date her. Also, there is the fact that Luke Dawson is no longer quite so titchy. Izzy has realized she missed out on a vair fine opportunity there. Her own fault. Oddly, once actually on the train, when I pointed this out to her, she got violent. Izzy wizzy may be my bestest pally but at times, I do not understand her at all.
Sadly, all too soon the sex god had to stop snogging me so that I could get on the Hogwarts Express, which was already starting to leave the station. My insane vati every so helpfully - not - offered to drive me up in his Muggle clown car if I did indeed miss the train. That spurred me into jogging, which for some is unattractive, but I pulled it off with great aplomb if I do say so myself. Even if I did trip leaping for the train, ending up facedown on the steps. By that time the train was far enough along that the only one who noticed was Izzy, but I don't think even she noticed as she'd seen something quite amusing and was laughing her arse off over it. When I asked later what it was, she told me never mind. Must have been something I would have had to see for myself to find funny.
I had to go first to join the other prefects and on the way there made a mental note to owl Vati before bed tonight asking him why he would have wanted to drive me in his Muggle clown car if I had missed the train when I could have flooed to Hogsmeade or to even to Hogwarts or I could have apparated. I'm seventeen now and have a license though I haven't ever traveled that far of a distance yet. I could have done it in hops. Why would I want to arrive at school after hours spent cramped in that silly auto of his? Sometimes I have to wonder if Vati only married Mum for her having been Muggle born, giving him access to all those double cool with knobs Muggle contraptions. Of which, his clown car is decidedly not one.
I got a later in the day walking up and down the train duty so as soon as we prefects were allowed to go our own ways, I went straightaway to where I'd put my trunk along with Catherine's and Edith's before leaving London. I was guessing Izzy put hers there as well though when she found time in between the yelling at me to stop snogging and get on the train I just don't know. I walked into the compartment just as Edith was saying, "He really is marvy. You should see him play."
He is Fortescue Fitzmorris, a lad our age Edith met this summer at Emrys Fest. Pureblood wizard yet attends a Muggle school. It seems that Fortescue is a footie prodigy. When small - something hard to imagine as Fortescue is exceedingly tall - Fortescue was with a cousin with a Muggle born vati. This uncle took the two to the park where some older kids were playing footie. They stopped to watch and in a short time Fortescue had figured out the basics of the game and when the ball went stray, he went after it, startling everyone who saw this wee thing with his nimble footwork and then with the distance and the accuracy he kicked it. He has been hooked every since and attends a school known for its footie team and has had university scouts looking at him for a few years now in hopes of enticing him to matriculate at their respective schools. Initially, Fortescue's parents has been hesistant to allow him to attend a Muggle school and get involved in various footie programs but after learning he could make millions of pounds, which Gringotts would happily convert to millions of galleons, they were happy to oblige their son's footie desire. (I suppose it could be called a footie fetish. Ha ha ha. I still slay myself sometimes!) When Fortescue turned 11, the Fitzmorrises arranged for him to get private tutoring so that he would not lag behind on learning how to be a wizard.
Edith had talked constantly about Fortescue since meeting him. Her red bottomosity is making her somewhat dull to be around, only in that Fortescue is all she talks about. She has the horn bad for him and while I do understand being on the rack of lurve, it would be nice if Edith talked about something else every once in awhile. At least Fortescue is a sex god, though on a scale of 1 to 10, Fortescue is a 7.6 while my sex god boyfriend Sage Porter is a 10. A 12 even as he gets bonus points for being a tres bloody brilliant snogger.
Edith talked about Fortescue practically the entire train trip. Izzy was reading a book about owls, earning from me little remarks about how she is vair owlish. How if she stays up reading that book she would be quite the night owl. How she's been so immersed in the book, she must find it a real hoot. How I wondered if she read it aloud if she would charge an owlerly rate for the service.
My head still stings where she slapped me in the back of the head with that book. Such a touchy one our Isabella.
At least the time came for me to go on prefect patrol. As I would be patrolling still when the Hogwarts Express pulled into Hogsmeade station, I fully changed into the black robes with Ravenclaw accoutrements before leaving the compartment. Upon arrival, I helped get my trunk from the compartment but was tasked with helping to make sure anyone new to Hogwarts met up with Hagrid for the boat ride across the lake. Because of this, I was on the last carriage going up to the castle. By the time I got to the Great Hall, most students were inside, some already seated at their house tables, others milling around chatting. I joined Edith, Catherine, and Isabella at our usual spot, noticing as I did that Catherine kept shooting glances at titchy Wilbur Tremaine.
"I don't think he got a girlfriend over the summer, and though titchy Wilbur is still only a sex god in training, I'm vair sure you two would make a good couple."
"What are you blathering about, Georgia?"
"You keep looking at titchy Wilbur Tremaine. Did you change your mind about me fixing you two up?"
"I am not looking at titchy Wilbur. I'm looking at that cute new boy and was thinking maybe I should direct him to Professor McGonagall so he can join the other transfers for sorting."
"What new boy?"
"That one, there."
"At the Hufflepuff table. Wearing Hufflepuff colors?"
"Yes, which doesn't really make sense for someone new. Did we get a new student at the very end of last term and with all the nonsense and stress of OWLs, somehow miss a newcomer?"
"That isn't a newcomer. That's titchy Wilbur."
"No, it isn't."
"Is."
"Isn't."
"Is."
"Isn't. He's taller. And better looking."
"Hence the reason he's a sex god in training."
"That is not titchy Wilbur. Titchy Wilbur is only going to fourth year. That boy is clearly older."
"OY! Wilbur!"
Titchy Wilbur turned and waved.
Catherine said, "Oh," then smiled weakly.
"He was at Ha HA, so he's really fifteen, unless he had failed before our forced leave from Hogwarts, which I don't think he did."
"Yes, but I'm seventeen and am not so desperate I would date a fifteen year old."
"Why not? A seventeen year old boy would date a fifteen year old girl."
"Boys aren't as mature as girls."
"Vair true but maybe you can at least get in some practice snogging with titchy Wilbur. I'm sure he wouldn't mind in the slightest."
Catherine to roll her eyes and mutter, "There's really no hope for her."
Was she talking about me do you suppose?
Right about then Professor McGonagall lead the new students in. I wanted to pay attention to the Sorting Ceremony or I would have asked Catherine who and what she meant. I really didn't mind the halt to conversation vair much as I have been somewhat down all day. The past several days really.
Here I am stuck at Hogwarts as a sixth year instead of a seventh. Here I am stuck at Hogwarts while that bloody welk Aubrey makes eyes at my sex god boyfriend Sage Porter. I totally trust him. Her, not so much. At least Ravenclaw got the very first person sorted. I can't really tell what year he is but he definitely doesn't look titchy. The rest of the newcomers, vair titchy. First years the lot of them. Titchy titches full of titchnosity. Titchlets.
At least thinking about all the cute little titchlets who might be sorted into Ravenclaw helps me stop thinking about welk girl and her efforts to steal my sex god.
Translations:
tres = everything sounds better in French, including very
sex god = a 10 (or higher) on a 10 point scale whose very hunkiness causes severe cases of red bottomosity
titchy = a little person who might not actually be shorter than you but who is younger; some can be rather annoying such as my insanely mad titchy sister Libby
vair = another way of saying very; This version came about through a misunderstanding when an partially deaf witch thought her grand-daughter had gone to see the Muggle play My Vair Lady. The old deaf witch kept shouting, "Vair? Vair? That's a very odd word. What is a vair? It's very, verry odd!"
vati = That loon who claims he is my father. Libby clearly takes after him.
double cool with knobs = tres vair x 100 and therefore a much faster way of saying all those treses and vairs
marvy = hip way of saying marvelous
footie = football, which to any of you Yanks from Hamburger a go-go land is what the rest of the world calls soccer
Yanks = Americans; used mainly in a nice way now, was once somewhat spurious as it came from terra yankus traitorius damnabus, which translates to those damned traitors who yanked our land away, which of course refers to how the Yanks took away British colonies in the New World to create the United States
red bottomisity = boy baboons are not aware that the ladies are interested unless the ladies show their big red bottoms, thus if you have red bottomisity, you are hearing the call of the horn and showing your big red bottom in hopes of attracting your object of affection's attention
horn = if you have the horn for someone or hear the hear, you are attracted to that person, who may or may not be a sex god like my boyfriend Sage Porter, and are wanting to show off your red bottom
rack of lurve = having red bottomisity after hearing the horn
HA HA = Happy Haven School For Nons
welk = muscaslike, slimy
Sorting Ceremony, Part Two
Author: Minerva McGonagall
Date: 08-21-10 08:33
"Alcmene Acker."
A small girl with long brown hair that fell to the middle of her back stepped forward and put on the Sorting Hat. She was sorted into... "GRYFFINDOR!"
Professor McGonagall read the next name off the list. "Melchior Dingum."
A boy with curly hair approached the stool and sat down. Minerva put the hat on his head and took a step back.
"Hmm... where to put you. You are a very clever boy. Better be... RAVENCLAW!"
Minerva had just enough time to take the hat from his head when Melchior sprang off of the stool and joined his new housemates at the Ravenclaw table.
Next came "Kay Dunlap", a boy who was sorted into..."HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Penn Ellison."
A boy with pale skin and dark hair and eyes stepped onto the dais and sat down on the three-legged stool. Professor McGonagall set the Sorting Hat onto its head.
For a moment, it said nothing to Penn. Then it murmured, "Very difficult. You are reserved and studious, but I see an ambition in you that I'm not sure you've had for very long. Very difficult indeed."
Penn didn't care where he wound up. He just wanted to get started.
"Very well. You belong in... SLYTHERIN!"
The corners of Penn's lips turned up in the smallest of smiles. He got off the stool and joined the Slytherin table to thunderous applause.
Next came "Hunter Green."
"Yes..." the Sorting Hat murmured, "Your bravery does not go unnoticed. I know just what to do with you... GRYFFINDOR!"
Followed by "Jade Green."
"Another Green, and a clever one too. You belong in... RAVENCLAW!"
"Winifred Hicks" came next and was sorted into..."HUFFLEPUFF!"
Then came "Eden Jenkins", who was also sorted into... "HUFFLEPUFF!"
The Sorting Hat placed "Bartholomew Kimple" in... "RAVENCLAW!"
"Marlow MacDougal."
A pretty girl approached the stool.
"Hmm... interesting. A friendlier girl there couldn't be... better be... HUFFLEPUFF!"
Marlow smiled and went off to join her new housemates.
Now they were halfway through the first years' sorting.
Serious Talk
Author: Lysander Stratford
Date: 08-21-10 10:30
Lysander and Astrid sat at the kitchen table in his flat and picked at their dinner. Charlotte had gone over to Grace's to eat and play before bedtime, so the two adults could have a serious talk without having to censor themselves before the child.
Astrid looked at Lysander over her plate of spaghetti and said for what seemed like the millionth time, "Look, I'm sorry, okay?"
Lysander put down his fork. "Didn't I tell you not to get involved?"
"Don't tell me you wouldn't have done the same thing had you been in my shoes, Lysander. You were missing, and I really thought the Fox family was behind it. So, I was wrong. I already said I'm sorry. What else do you want from me?"
Lysander sighed. "I know you meant well, and I appreciate that, I really do, but you inadvertently stirred up what could potentially turn into a lot of trouble for me."
Astrid frowned. "I know, and again, I'm sorry, but... isn't there something we can do to protect ourselves? You altered Aralyn's memories before. Can't you just do it again?"
The thought had crossed Lysander's mind before, but it hadn't exactly been easy the first time around and he wasn't sure he wanted to go through the trouble of doing it again. Not to mention, he really didn't want to make another visit to Santa Cruz if he could avoid it.
Unfortunately, he felt that there was a strong possibility that Aralyn could still decide to look him up. She'd stopped by Twice Told Tales once already to notify him of Astrid's arrest. What if she stopped by again? How long could he lie about the fact that Chyler wasn't alive anymore, that she had died ages ago, and that Charlotte wasn't his daughter with Chyler but with Aralyn herself? Aralyn had already wondered if Lysander and Astrid were having an affair. Lysander thought he'd managed to steer her away from that line of thought but there was really no telling if she bought it.
"I don't know," Lysander finally said. He wished there was an easier way.
Astrid mulled over another thought in her mind. "Or," she began, "we could kill her."
Lysander looked over at Astrid in surprise. He actually hadn't thought of that possible course of action, even though he had killed before and wasn't exactly squeamish about getting blood on his hands. He'd never told him about his past experiences with murder, but maybe she was more like him than he ever thought.
Lysander leaned back in his chair. "There's no telling what she's told that husband of hers, or her brother, or even her parents. Taking her out might not exactly end this."
"So... what do you want to do about it?" Astrid asked. "Just wait and see what happens?"
"It would be easier if Charlotte weren't involved," Lysander replied. "I don't know what Aralyn would do if she ever found out the truth."
Hopefully, it would never come down to that.