At the sound of her name, Cully glanced at the source. It took her a few seconds to place the face as Ray, someone she'd met on the train. She threw him a smile, righting herself properly.

'Hey, Ray. I'm good, thanks. And - as far as I can tell - so's Star.' His questions amused her, but she tried her best to keep the amusement from her face. She couldn't keep it from sparkling in her hazel eyes though. 'How are you? Enjoying Hogwarts being back?'

"Of course and I can see that my ancestors colors are back as well as the shape of this place" Ray said as he looked around for an empty chair, once spotting one, he waved his wand as he muttered "Accio!" and watched the chair move and stop just at his feets. "And you how do you feel now that Hogwarts is back?"

She glanced around the common room. It was good to see it back to how it should be, not how it had been the year before - if that could even be called the Hufflepuff common room.

'I'm glad, but I don't really mind. I tend to walk through the school year in a daze, anyway. I take in lessons and stuff, but other than that . . . to me it's not really anything but a normal day.' She shrugged, pulling a few cat treats out of her pocket and tossing two to Smudge and Vinny at her feet, and giving one to Charlie on her lap. Cully's pets purred in response - even the usually violent Vinny - and she smiled at them.

'So why were you asking so avidly about my cousin?' she asked suddenly, curious.

"I like your cats" Ray said as he looked at them, "I have one myself" He added as he pulled a white kitten from his interior pocket. "It's a she and I call her Hermy" Ray said as he placed his cat on his laps. "Oh nothing, it's just that I knew your cousin from before and had a little adventure together"

Cully smiled as she looked fondly at the pets. 'Thank you. I won't bother naming them, because it gets very confusing to try and seperate these two,' she gestured to Charlie and Smudge.

She glanced up at Hermy, before smiling again. 'She's rather cute,' she admitted, watching as Smudge crept from her feet towards the white kitten, placing his front paws on Ray's knees to get a better view. Cully didn't stop him; she knew Smudge was gentle with every cat except Charlie.

She raised an eyebrow. 'I gathered that much on the train. Sounds like you two had a lot of fun, the way Star suddenly forgot her worries when she realised who you were.' She smiled softly. 'She doesn't really do that much. She won't even do it for me, because I'm family.'

Ray looked at the cat that placed his paws on his knees and decided to put Hermy on the floor, in the end his cat did have something special to protect her if she was ever attacked.
"Really?" Ray asked after hearing Cully. "Well we did have a bit of fun together till we stopped seeing each other one day... Don't know why but we just drifted I guess"

Smudge, upon seeing the cat he was interested in lowered to the floor, lowered himself so he was back on the floor again, just slightly smaller than Hermy. He cocked his head to the side, before giving the cat a sniff and then touching noses with her.

Cully chuckled softly. 'Seems Smudge has made a new friend,' she commented casually. She then nodded. 'I guessed. Well. Star's always looking for new friends . . . maybe you two could rekindle your friendship again at some point?' she suggested.

She smiled at Curt. She appreciated the concern that he felt for her. And she wondered if he had lost someone too; he seemed to be relating to her. She started twisting a tendril of her hair around her fingers as she said, "it was a car crash." And other than that she didn't want to say anything to him besides a heartfelt, "thank you. I appreciate it and know that you are right." Her smile grew.

She laughed with him and said, "Pretzel's the best replacement that we could have. And the spirit of the game is really starting to go to her head. You can see it already. She's more hyper than ever." Which I never would have thought was possible... She shook her head amusedly. "And yes, I'm trying out this Term. She managed to persuade me, which I never thought possible. Go figure."

Lima returned the glare then said, "good." She was looking at Penny just as sternly. I'm not backing down you silly girl. Then adopting a normal tone again she added, "so when do you want this tour?"

She shook her head and then said, "I think that it was throwing fruit at me more than anything. My eye. Really, Ella!" She was talking in a scolding tone but then laughed to show that she was only joking. Really she had been amused and the cherries were very good.

She laughed at him. "She told me cause I had asked for any funny stories about you from Durmstrang. And really you were a very naughty boy!" She shook her finger at him threateningly then snorted.

"Hello there!" Savannah spoke, looking to another first year she had watched being sorted into their house. "I'm Savannah Mae, welcome to your new home away from home," She added while introducing herself, gesturing to the room in general at the end.





Katherina Looked up at the friendly voice. "Hello, Im Katherina McCarty. It sure is a great substitute for home i reckon. more spacious." she said smiling brightly.

MJ walked through the portrait thanking it for letting her go back in and not hitting her like her first term. She sighed and went to an empty couch and sat down with Misty on her lap. She had been tired but she knew that if she tried to sleep again something bad might occur and she didn't want to sleep until the potion's professor would call for her. She had waited for a bit but as soon as people began to show up she had left leaving a small note on the desk hoping that the Professor would take her seriously and think it was a joke. She softly began to sing to Misty who began to rest her head on MJ's chest were the injury was

"Everytime I think I've had enough of you I take you back again
Not because I need a friend
Just because I can't pretend
Like the others do
You think you really serious
Clever and mysterious
Talking like you're dangerous
Talking like a fool.

Everyday there's someone else who wants to get with me I'm telling you
If you know what's good for you
Treat me like you used to do
Love me like before
Coz all I can do
is watch
and wonder
where the
boy I know has gone.
You say that you want me
well it's
time to
tell your friends
where they belong.

You can find it in your heart
Give a little love
Have a little faith
In the two of us
You can find it in your song
Give a little love
Have a little faith
In the two of us
Coz all I can do
is watch
and wonder
where the
boy I know has gone."

Penny thought for a few minutes. "I dont know, what do you think Mads?" she asked him. "Where are we going to start?" she asked Lima.

"it was." Maddox chuckled. He just shook his head at her and said, "You promised you would never tell a soul." He chuckled a little. He often got away with many pranks. "I thought i told you that?" He shrugged.





Maddox didnt realize the first year girl was speaking to him. He was so engrossed with Lima and penny he didnt realize she was even standing there. "Oh im sorry. Yes i played quidditch here last year and for 4 years at Durmstrang. As far as first years are concerned im not sure. I suggest you ask Punz, the quidditch captain." He smiled at the young first year girl and said, "Whats your name Kid?"




Maddox chuckled, "Who would? I made Lima go in and get me some when we were getting school supplies." He smiled and remembered that day. It was long and not so good.





Maddox laughed, "Well all you have to do is ask i can tell you plenty. But i guess it would be funnier coming from someone else that knows me." He shrugged.



"I already told her she was taking me on a tour so..." He smiled and shrugged.

Lima thought for a moment then shrugged. She wasn't sure where to start. finally she said, "I guess that the Dorms are a good place to start." She turned to Mads. "Sorry, but you can't go into the girl Dorms." She laughed.

She raised her brow at him. "I wanted dirt on you. I wasn't going too ask you. I prefer being sneaky." She wiggled her eyebrows at him.

Miranda laughed, she totally understood what Sarah meant ''yes theres so much to see and do here, its boring to go to bed'' she grinned

''Yes actually, it sounds like a good idea to have a look see, if only they had a map or something just in case'' Miranda rolled her eyes ''i guess thats a big part of the magic here'' she smiled

Ema bit her lip. She hadn't meant for the girl to think she was walking away, but she let her go to her dormitory nonetheless and promised herself that she would apoligize the next day, if she could.


"I saw the warning sign." Ema told her. "I haven't gotten a chance to read any books on Hogwarts yet, really."

"Oh. I heard someone say earlier that Seth Paton was the boy prefect. But I could be wrong about that. Don't trust me!" (aka: accio.brain) Emalyn giggled.

"Well, I should probably get to bed...I've had a long day. See you tomorrow? Or something?"

A slightly puzzled look washed over her face for a moment, taking in the idea of who was her fellow house prefect. She knew Seth, not very well but she knew who he was. She had talked to the fifth year vaguely, throughout the past four years. "Hmm, interesting" She shrugged, figuring she would find out for herself soon.

"Of course! I'll see you bright and early tomorrow, sleep well Ema" Savannah promised, biding the younger girl farewell she leaned over and gave her a one armed hug before she was off to bed.

Ella nodded, not having any strength to stretch her hand, she said, "Glad to meet you Ema." and, "Thanks. yours too.." smiled with a reply as she said abut their names. "Mine is Stone, i'm the youngest of the great Stone family."

Yes both are cats. XD

Ella plunged deep into the couch now, better she should go off to bed before fall asleep on the couch completely. But the surrounding was so warm and happy since everybody was in great mood. She didnt want to miss all this, her first common room experience of Hogwarts. But slightly distracted by Browny and the other cat, which was jumped off and squeaked. Did the cat get afraid of Browny or just in happiness?!! She couldnt find out. She turned over to Anna, "Is it your pet? Is it scared of my Browny?" she asked, pointed out her index finger at Tiger.

Browny taken aback a bit by the roaring and jump of her counterpart. Still curiously looking with her deep grey eyes, waiting clamly to let the cat settle down as she wagged her bushy tail in soothing manner.

"Hahaha.."Ella laughed, forgot her tiredness at the talk of that fruit fun back in the great hall. It was a pure accident actually. Her aim was failed at once. "Sorry about that Lima, You should better catch it in your mouth.." she stuck her tongue out at her friend.

Penny smiled at Maddox. "Hey! I never promised on that one. I promised on the big one you pulled." she said. Penny nodded, "Ok then. This is going to be fun." she said.


Penny jumped up when Lima suggested the dorms. "Ok. Lets do this." she said. Then the turn to Mads. "See you laters?" she said with a smile.

Aaaah, Hogwarts was home sweet home. Sweet, sweet home. And no place said home better than the Hufflepuff common room - well, besides maybe the Quidditch Pitch and Huffie Locker Room.

But here she was at last, in the Huffie Common Room, with all her favorite Puffs. Both boys and girls. "WOOOT WOOT!" Punz cheered to herself as she wandered in, a little late from the feast. "I. Love. This. Place."

She grinned and plopped into her favorite gold-and-black plaid armchair. Aaah. Perfect for some reading, Rapunzel thought as she pulled out her favorite book, Quidditch Through the Ages. No wait! Nacho! He'd wanna read too!

Punz reached back into her Chudley Cannons messenger bag and pulled out a tiny little gold pygmy puff, who was squeaking slightly. The poor puff had been deprived of his favorite snack - dust bunnies - all summer long because of Punzel's freakishly clean mother. But now, now all was good, and Nacho was happily situated on the armrest next to her.

It was good to be home.

MJ stopped singing and looked around, suddenly more and more people had appeared. A smile spread on her lips as the room was filled with Happiness and joy. "This is home" she whispered to Misty who was sound asleep. MJ's smiled continued to grow as she forgot about her worries. It had been a long time since she had seen these many students in one place, especially when she had been sick. She remembered the last three months when she was getting better, how horrible they had been. No one was allowed to visit her not even Misty, even thought that didn't stop her from climbing the tree outside her window and making signs to MJ. The only people that were allowed were the cooks and the nurse but it was always for a short time.

Penny turned around and saw MJ. "Hey, how are you?" she asked the girl that she met at the feast.

It had been a while since she had smiled this long without faking it, or pretending to be happy. Suddenly she saw Penny turn and talk to her she continued to smile.

"I'm good, bit tired thought."

She told Penny and saw that she appeared to be having a good time. "How about you?" she asked her.

Her green eyes shone with happiness

Penny smiled back at MJ. "That is good. I am having a blast now that I am back with an old friend." she said and pointed at Maddox. Penny could see that MJ was glad to be back at school.

"Yeah it would be nice to have a map.One of the Gryffindor's I was talking to at the feast,Chris,he said we might get one from our head of house...but I don't know."
Shifting in her seat,Sarah saw her bag move..."Norman!" she exclaimed.

Taking the little yellow ball of fluff out of her bag she placed him on her lap and stroked him absent-mindedly.

"So,Miranda,what parts of the castle have you been round already?" Sarah asked,smiling as she did so.

Eva was reading and hearing pieces of conversations. Her cat was - surprise! - asleep and woke up only when Eva pated her lightly. Finally, the girl got tired of reading and put the book away to play a little with Missy. After the entire holidays, the cat and the owner were 'understanding each other'.