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Sorting Ceremony, Part Three
Author: Minerva McGonagall
Date: 08-21-10 13:07
Professor McGonagall looked at the next name on the list of first years waiting to be sorted into their respective houses.
"Barontaine Marchbanks."
A boy with light brown hair and hazel eyes stepped up onto the dais and crossed over to where the stool sat. He seated himself, and Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat onto his head.
"Hmm... a very enterprising person, you are... better be... SLYTHERIN!"
Minerva removed the hat from his head, and then Baron hopped off the stool and joined his new housemates at the Slytherin table.
Professor McGonagall hesitated over the next name on the list. There were only five boys left waiting in the increasingly smaller group of first years waiting to be sorted. One of them, the next one, would be Madoc McGonagall, the boy she believed was her estranged brother's grandson.
"Madoc McGonagall," she called out.
A boy with brown hair and brown eyes cautiously broke away from the group and approached the stool. His eyes were on Professor McGonagall more than his destination, such that he almost collided into the stool and nearly knocked it over. Some students snickered at the sight.
Madoc steadied the stool and sat down. Professor McGonagall set the hat onto his head.
"I haven't sorted a McGonagall in years. This will be simple... GRYFFINDOR!"
Minerva plucked the hat from his head, smiling, which was a rare sight since she was usually a rather stern-looking witch. Madoc gazed at her shyly and then went off to join the Gryffindor table.
Professor McGonagall watched him until he'd taken his seat and then forced herself back to the task at hand.
"Dinah Northington" was sorted into... "SLYTHERIN!"
While "Penny Puckett" went to... "RAVENCLAW!"
Next came "Heather Rabnott."
A pretty young girl stepped forward.
"Yes... a curious, bright young lady... I know just what to do with you... RAVENCLAW!"
Heather was warmly welcomed by her new housemates at the Ravenclaw table.
The next student on the list was "Edgar Steele."
"Another Steele, but not quite cut from the same cloth, are you? You belong in... GRYFFINDOR!"
Surprised to not be in Slytherin like his cousin Johanna, Edgar went off to join his new house, Gryffindor.
Edgar was followed by his twin "Evelyn Steele."
"And yet another Steele. Let's see... you know what you want and won't stop until you get it. You belong in... SLYTHERIN!"
Smiling, Evelyn went off to join Johanna at the Slytherin table.
"Luke Walker."
The second to last boy in the group stepped up to the stool. Professor McGonagall put the Sorting Hat on his head and took a step back from him while it spoke into his ears.
"Hmm... you have courage and a good heart. I know just where to put you... GRYFFINDOR!"
With a smile on his face, Luke went off to join his cousin Edgar at the Gryffindor table.
Next came "Evinrude Walthrop," who was sorted into... SLYTHERIN!"
And last, but not least, "Vinny Xardel," who was sorted into... SLYTHERIN!" as well.
With that, Professor McGonagall rolled up the scroll, set the stool and Sorting Hat aside, and took her place at the head table next to Professor Dumbledore.
Coveting A Prefects Badge (Olive)
Author: Emerald Green
Date: 08-21-10 14:50
From the moment Olive had first learned that Alexa and not she was to be the Slytherin fifth year prefect, Olive has coveted that prefect's badge. Before then, she'd not thought about it one way or the other even though Emerald was a prefect for Hufflepuff. At least with the whole being sent to Happy Haven thing, Alexa and she aren't in the same year any longer or else she would have been in competition with Alexa for it. It's great that Etta got it in Gryffindor but even if Olive were a fifth year as she should be, she wouldn't have been vying for that one so it wouldn't have mattered who there got it, though she was glad Etta did. Nothing against Marjani or Arista but Etta's a closer friend than either of them.
Olive is determined to be named prefect next year. If she were a fifth year right now, Olive knows she'd already be thinking of ways to get Alexa to quite so she could have the position, even though she would have no way of knowing if she'd be the next choice for it or not. Olive is certain she would have been the alternative, not that anything is wrong with Thalia. She's just certain that there competition between Alexa and her would have been extremely close and most likely Alexa would have gotten it by sheer luck of the draw. That is, if Alexa had gotten it with Olive in contention against her. With all the thought she's been putting into getting prefect next year, Olive has also had time to consider the fact that if she were indeed in fifth year right now, it would be she, not Alexa, currently wearing that shiny badge.
Of course, if she were prefect this year it would mean having Basil Wynbourne as co-prefect. That boy is a total snot. It's so hard to believe he is related even a tiny bit to Etta, much less being her first cousin.
While all these thoughts are swirling around in Olive's head for about the thousandth time since learning of Alexa's being named a prefect, Olive has managed to pay attention to the sorting, cheering each time someone is named to Slytherin. Unless she's miscounted, that's seven newbies, including Hunter and Hadrian's cutie pie little sister Heather. Phin's and Wiggy's cousin Barontaine is a cute as well. Too bad he's only a first year. That first person sorted, the one with the Middle Eastern name, he's more an age Olive might be interested in and without consciously thinking about it, her eyes shift to the Ravenclaw table to see if she can get a better look at him.
Her eyes fall first on her sister Jade. Both the twins, Jade at the Ravenclaw table and Hunter at Gryffindor, look excited and nervous at the same time. Pretty much how Olive felt her first day at Hogwarts. One thing that helped Olive immensely was that she was already great friends with Etta by then and on the road to becoming best friends with Alexa, Jill, and Cora Fields.
Through time spent at Happy Haven and through Olives and Emerald's friends and through others like their aunt and uncle, Jade and Hunter do know other newbies like Marlow, Barontaine, Eden, and Heather. She's pretty sure Jade's met that transfer student Adina as well, though she's not 1005 certain. The problem is that neither Hunter nor Jade has bonded with these people the way Olive did with her bunch. The twins have always had such a tight bond - that whole twin thing - that they turn to each other first before letting anyone else in. Maybe it's a good thing they are in separate houses. It will force them to break out of the twin mold somewhat.
Before Olive pulls her attention away from her twin siblings and back to searching the Ravenclaw table to get a better look at the older boy, her attention is pulled to the front of the room where the staff sit. She's not exactly sure what caused her to look that way but almost everyone is now, so maybe Professor Dumbledore gave some sort of signal that he's about to speak. If that's the case, then the actual feasting part of Start Of Term Feast isn't far behind. Having skipped breakfast and then only eaten lightly while on the train in anticipation of all the food this evening, Olive hopes the speeches are short. She's hungry!
Horrified
Author: Johanna Steele
Date: 08-21-10 18:04
Johanna could tell Evelyn was furious when she sat next to her by the Slytherin table. She sent a look of hate that travelled to the Gryffindor’s table where Edgar was. The siblings made eye contact for a brief moment but then Edgar looked away.
“How could he? Oh I’m going to kill him!”
Johanna sort of understood how she was feeling. If she had brother or a sister she too would feel bad knowing he or she had been sorted into Gryffindor, the only house she couldn’t really stand. With Luke was different because everyone was expecting it, but Edgar…How had this happen?
Johanna knew both her uncle and aunt had been into Slytherin and she couldn’t see how Ed fit into Gryffindor. Maybe if he was sorted into Ravenclaw she could admit he had this secret intelligence no one knew before. If it was Hufflepuff she would say he was a kind boy and would feel well there. But Gryffindor? She was as horrified as Evelyn.
“I could pretend I don’t know him, but that won’t work because we share the same surname. Not to mention we will have classes together! Can you imagine that? I’m so ashamed right now. “
Evelyn was more worried with herself than her brother. Johanna left her cousin alone with all her worries and turned herself to Gus who was rubbing his hands with anticipation.
“I’m starving. When does the food arrives?”
“You still have to wait for Dumbledore’s speech, silly.” Felicia said, in a very affective tone. She too had noticed how Gus had changed, like she commented to Johanna when they went together to the bathroom at the Hogwarts Express.
Johanna didn’t like at all the way Felicia was beating her eyelashes to Gus. What the hell was her idea? Gus was their best friend!
“Hope the old man makes it fast then.” Gus was impatient and looked with intensity to the staff’s table wondering when Dumbledore would stand up and start talking.
While Gus kept complaining, Felicia kept comforting him. Johanna turned herself to Mark who teased her in a friendly way because now she had relatives at Gryffindor. Johanna mentioned Melchior and Ravenclaw and Mark shared with her theory it was very handy to make friendship with some of those nerds, because they could help with homework.
Johanna felt tempted to ask him about Hufflepuff students, to see how he would react but she controlled herself. Mark had been tortured enough all the train ride to Hogwarts with Kate’s presence.
Evelyn seemed a bit calmer now. She was chatting with a new girl also from Slytherin. The girl said she heard about some jinxes that she could use against Edgar. Although Evelyn seemed pretty excited with a perspective of revenge, Johanna thought she wouldn’t do anything to hurt her brother. Still just in case, she would have to be alert.
Speech, Speech
Author: Sirius Padfoot Black
Date: 08-21-10 18:14
Shortly before the Hogwarts Express pulled into Hogsmeade Station, Mira, James, Drucilla, and Sirius walked up to the school's castle. Dru and Sirius had not been sure about taking the twins to the Start of Term Feast but after a brief discussion decided that since they've been to events at the castle before and behaved relatively well, and since they had not taken them to the End of Term Feast, they would take the twins for this evening's welcome back dinner. Mira, who always loves all the attention she tends to get from the older girls, skipped excitedly ahead, her shiny curls bouncing with every step. James was excited about coming to the feast but not because he gets his fair share of attention but because he'd been on good behavior for several weeks now and had been told he could have double afters tonight. The four year old's sweet tooth propelled him towards the castle, reigned in only by his parents' warnings of not to get so far ahead and by the interesting rocks he would spot on the ground, stopping long enough to stoop over to inspect them.
Once at Hogwarts, the Eternal-Black family went right to the Great Hall where, because a number of staff now have spouses and some have children occassionally brought along to meals, the staff table arrangement is slightly different from the usual one long table setup. Now there is more of a large U. Sirius and Dru found spots near one end of an arm of the U closest to the house tables, thinking to sit with Mira and James between them. This changed slightly when Professor Dumbledore came in and after James and Mira had shrieked with delight and run to hug their "Uncle Albus" the headmaster had suggested out of the twin's hearing to have a small table, perfect in size for most of the children coming with parents tonight. George and Majandra Weasley had arrived right about then and got in on the conversation. They said Miranda would love to sit at such a table with Mira and James and that two year old Georgie would probably do okay at it as long as some of the adults were able to supervise from their own seats. By then Aaron and Saffron Miller had arrived and they too felt that Niccola, not quite two, would be all right at a children's table as long as it was close to them or other adults. The decision was made to have the table situated so that the three couples could oversee their children and help with things like cutting up food and making sure none of them ate nothing but sweets but where the children still felt special having their own place to sit. Helping matters was the fact that each child knew that acting badly meant having to leave the feast. Not even the two year olds wanted to miss it so they've all been acting well, though of course it's early on yet.
In her usual efficient way, Minerva got the Sorting Ceremony underway, steadily working through her list. Sirius paid close attention to their faces as all but one of these new students would be his pupils in Transfiguration, starting tomorrow at 9 o'clock with the first year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. Shortly after the last student, Vinny Xardel, is sorted, and the Sorting Hat and its stool are sent back to Professor Dumbledore's office, the headmaster himself was ready to give a speech before the dinner commenced.
After rising from his centrally placed chair, Albus walked around the table, a slight flick of his wand bringing a podium to stand on the dias directly in front of the table where he'd been sitting. He waited until all the students had quited and were focused on him before saying, "Welcome to the 2004-2005 school term. For those who might not know me, I am the Hogwarts headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. All of you new to Hogwarts have already met Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall, who is also head of Gryffindor House. The Gryffindor assistant head is Kisiaki Isuki. The head and assistant head of Hufflepuff House are Aaron Miller and Asterjoylian Hodfuffer, for Ravenclaw we have Filius Flitwick and Jolyon Kent. And for Slytherin House, Severus Snape and Theodosia Batuti."
Each time Albus said a name, that person raised a hand, slightly stood, or gave a nod of the head in acknowledgement. Albus continued with, "Professor Ivy did not return to us this fall. Please welcome to the staff, teaching lower years Charms, Revenant Croghan."
Professor Croghan half stands and waves as the students and faculty clap in welcome. Once the applaused has faded enough for him to continue, Professor Dumbledore says, "Now, on to other matters that all but our newest students have heard before. As always, it bears repeating. The Forbidden Forest is off limits unless you are accompanied by a staff member or have been sent there by a staff member. Additionally, Argus Filch, the Hogwarts caretaker, has sealed off a section of the fourth floor while repair and renovations are being done. Students are not to use that section of the fourth floor. Students caught venturing into off limit areas are subject to loss of house points and to detention. This is a very bad year to earn detentions. As with last year, we are holding many events this term. A number of those events will allow parents and other family members to join us here for festivities. Anyone serving detention the week preceeding any such event will not be allowed to have visitors for the event nor will that student participate."
Albus lets this sink in before continuing with quite the bombshell.
"Now, we realize that this past year marked a return to Quidditch as normal for students and the four houses; however, Hogwarts has been invited to participate in tournament the likes of which has never been held before. Hogwarts is taking part in a seven school Quidditch tournament. Instead of house teams this term there will be one single team made up of members from all four houses and the team will consist of more than the usual 7 members each house generally fields. Over the course of the school year, we will travel to five different schools and we will also be hosting a match here at Hogwarts. At the end of the tournament, the top two teams will compete for a tournament cup. The location for that match will be determined based upon the two teams making it to the championship. For the five away matches that we know for sure Hogwarts will take part in, the team will be taken the day before in the magical RV. Now, we cannot have a sporting event such as this without supporters cheering on the team so we will go in waves, using portkeys, to these matches. Any student, including a team member having detention that week or who even merely loses a single house point, shall not be eligible to go. Let me repeat that. Lose even a single house point and you do not go. I should also point out that attendance to these matches is not mandatory but it is a rare opportunity to visit another school of magic. Quidditch tryouts are the 11th of this month. Please also keep in mind that the time differences between Hogwarts and some of these schools is great enough that for the given date and time of the match there, certain classes will be shuffled to accomodate the schedule. These classes will not be cancelled without a professor's consent. That is all I shall say on the matter for now. Theodosia Batuti will have information posted on each houses bulletin boards about tryouts. Oh, yes, one last thing. To take you from campus requires signed permission slips. Beginning today slips are being owled out. We are staggering them so as not to be inundated all at once with returned forms. What this means is that if you write home over the weekend and get a letter back indicating that no such permission slip has arrived, do not panic. It simply means that the batch your slip is in has not yet been sent out."
Sirius hides a grin when Albus says this because he'd be willing to bet a few galleons that come Monday or Tuesday, there will be a few students frantic to know why no one at home as gotten a permission form yet.
Albus pauses again, this time because there is a buzz among the students that began the moment he said there would be no houe Quidditch teams. Once the chatter has begun to die down again, Albus smiles broadly. "I think nowm rather than at the end of the feast, is a good time for the school song." He raises his wand and with a slight wave a ribbon appears. "For those who do not know the words, they will appear here. Follow along as best you can."
Albus begins singing with everyone quickly joining in, the looks on some faces amusing to see as they try to listen for the proper tune only to realize there isn't one.
Teach us something, please,
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot.
Song lyrics by J. K. Rowling
After everyone has sung the last line of the song, Albus raises his wand again. "Without further adeiu, let the feast begin!"
The tables are suddenly crowded with a wide variety of food, worked hard on all day by the house elves who work the kitchen. Sirius and Dru start off the feast by each taking a plate and asking the twins - Sirius with James's plate and Drucilla with Mira's - what they'd like to start off with. Only after getting their two children settled at the little table do they help themselves, Dru starting off with roast chicken and Sirius with a grilled fish with a wonderful buttery lemon sauce.
Start of Term Feast
Author: Lawrence Masterson
Date: 08-22-10 14:40
Lawrence sat at the head table along with the rest of the Staff and their family members. This was nostalgic for them both, all the feasts were, and it was also interesting to see what would be done for the new school year, this was Lawrences' third year teaching Herbology (well second and a half or so) and he loved it. Ariella would be starting at St. Emry's in the fall, and he couldn't be happier, now all that was left was for them to eventually start a family. However, that was not something he was rushing, because he liked being able to take her on spur of the moment trips like he had over the summer's first half when they'd spent the better part of four weeks traveling.
He listened to the Sorting Hat dutifully sort the pair of transfers and the abundance of new students. The first years looked nervous and excited - and anxious to see what was going to be laid out for them. Not all of them knew what was going to occur at the Start of Term Feast, but some of them did, and were only nervous about where they would be sorted into of the four houses.
Finally, Professor Dumbledore rose and gave his opening speech as always - and he was interested in how the seven school tournament would go for Quidditch this year, and as the rules were explained, and the deduction of a singular house point would disqualify anyone from going on the trip as spectator or player. Once the formalities were done the time came, and within moments the tables were thickly covered by an abundance of food.
"The house elves have out done themselves this year, I think." Professor Flitwick said, as he was loading his plate with a few items.
"I'm inclined to agree with you, this is much more than the End of Term last year, and it only makes me wonder if they will go above and beyond for the rest of the feasts this year." Lawrence said, before passing Ariella a bowl of smashed potatoes that smelled like they had a bit of garlic and cheese within them.
After a few moments the din of conversation turned into the clatter of platters and bowls being passed along the length of the table and food being consumed in waves. Everyone that was a returning student or family of a student that had attended or was currently attending, knew that the main course was -not- the end of the feasts at Hogwarts, no there was still going to be just as much appearing on the tables for the dessert course.
Food Glorious Food
Author: Adina Blackwood
Date: 08-22-10 15:00
Finally the formalities were done and over with, and Adina was one step closer to getting away from the large crowds of people. She wanted to run, needed to run, and didn't know how she would get what she needed. Adina had waved to Marlow after she'd been sorted into a different house, and that was about it, and it covered the people she knew save for a few faces she remembered from spending time with Marlow over summer break.
So lost in thought had she been that she hadn't realized that Kida had asked her something apparently more than once before she came back to earth when she'd been prodded. "Adina, are you alright?"
Adina's cheeks flushed and she nodded her head, closing her eyes and taking a long drink of her pumpkin juice. "I'm fine. Just distracted is all." She said, and it wasn't an outright lie, because she was.
"Well pay attention." Whitney said, as she looked over at the Ravenclaw table. "That kid over there keeps looking at you..." Whitney said, and motioned toward the boy whose name was Melichor Dingum. "He'd poked his head in on the train too, almost thought he'd ask for the seat next to you."
Adina blushed again. "When was this? Because I was paying attention for almost the entire trip." Kida laughed a bit.
"When you'd fallen asleep." Kida said, and took a bite of her garlic bread.
Adina looked over at Melichor and waved, and the boy's gaze instantly averted itself back to hunting down something more to go on his plate. Alright, so that was something other than the need to run to focus on - besides, he is kinda cute, maybe this transfer wouldn't be so bad afterall.
Stay On Holiday Until The Last Second
Author: Kissy Isuki
Date: 08-22-10 18:18
Kissy had arrived back at Hogwarts later than she'd planned, only slipping into her seat for the Start of Term Feast as Professor McGonagall had called the first student, Abdul Hazrat AlGunud, to be sorted. Kissy recognizes the new fifth year student's name only because Professor McGonagall had recently owled a copy of Kissy's 2004-2005 class rosters to her and just last night Kissy had looked over the lists, looking with interest to see if any names she was expecting to see weren't there because of not passing OWLs. All her students from last year had had passing grades, though some just barely, but that doesn't necessarily mean that even her tops students would have passed the Defense Against the Dark Arts OWL. Some students choke under such pressure and even before the first OWL and NEWT begin, the fifth and seventh years are tired both mentally and physically from all the preparation in the weeks leading up to the exams. She wonders how the seventh years faired with their NEWTs and if anyone had to change work or university plans because of not making the required NEWT marks.
Because of arriving so late, Kissy wasn't able to do more than shoot a smile and mouth hello to a few, including Declan and AJ who'd both waved at her as she entered, indicating they'd saved a seat for her by them. As soon as the Sorting Ceremony was over and Professor Dumbledore's speech ended, the men on either side of her simultaneously asked, "Where have you been?"
Pointing to a tureen containing some sort of chunky looking soup, Kissy replies, "I told you both I was going to visit relatives in Japan."
"That was just after Emrys Fest. I got a single owl from you since then and it was a simple postcard that said you'd see me when you got back."
Declan is nodding as AJ says this and once AJ is done Declan says, "Same here."
"I went to visit family. For the most part it was a really nice holiday. Brilliant really."
"Why do you say only for the most part?" Declan asks.
"One reason for going was a big family reunion on my father's side. That meant seeing the lot of them, though I did get to see my nephew Kazuki. Akina's already pregnant again. Is it wrong that I have the urge to take Kazuki away from them and do the same when the new baby is born?"
"Still not grasping why you aren't fully embraced them back into your life?" AJ asks somewhat rhetorically before asking, "And the brilliant part that had you gone for almost a month and forgetting you have friends back home?"
"I did some sightseeing, got to see relatives I hardly ever get to see and meet some I'd never met before."
"You're smile is too coy for that to be all there is to it," Declan says. "Pass that standing rib roast, will you? Thanks."
Kissy leans back a little so AJ can more easily pass the roast to Declan, shrugging as she does. "I don't know what you mean."
AJ levels a look at her and Declan says, "Sure you don't."
"Maybe I'm not ready to say more at this point."
AJ looks past Kissy and says to Declan, "That means she's met someone."
"Someone who had her so caught up that she forgot all about us and who has put that coy I've got a secret smile on her lips."
Kissy shrugs nonchalantly again. "Believe what you wish."
"Yes, she definitely met someone. Was it at the reunion? Is he a distant relative of yours? Come on, spill, what's his name?"
Kissy turns her head to grin at AJ then looks over to Declan, sounding much like a child with a secret when she says, "That's for me to know." She arches her eyebrows at both of them her smile widening then asks, "What did you two do all August?"