Mariska let out a little disappointed sigh as a professor came up and interrupted the argument between the Ravenclaw girl and Huffie boy. " So there's a house called Huffie then? I thought it had puff in it, like the Huffiepuffins, or something like that." She said, looking at Elizabeth now. " So, basically the minister and his wife, whomever she was, decided to take matters into their own hands." She looked confused and not too impressed with that idea. " I'm glad I wasn't here then." She said with an air of finality.

Then she looked around the hall, merely gauging her surroundings. Her lips curled into a smile as she spotted Nico sitting at what she assumed was the Slytherin table, since everyone there was wearing robes with green in them. She was now actively trying to remember what her father had told her about houses and such, but she had tuned him out like she always did when he got all nostalgic on her. She thought about perhaps visiting Nico, but then she saw he was quite busy with other students, so she decided to wait. Besides, it was always better to be pursued than to pursue, or at least that's what her mother always said.

She looked over at Elizabeth again and she took a sip of her juice before speaking. " So. Is there a great deal of rivalry between houses?" She asked, hoping something would jog her memory a bit. She wasn't going to be making any faux pas if she could help it.

"Oh, I'm half half," Natka replied, her eyes straying to the laden golden platters surroudning them. "My mother's a witch, she used to come here, also a Ravenclaw. My Dad's a Muggle... and not a great fan of the Wizarding World, either, but he's learned to accept magic now. Partially, anyway."

She added this last part almost as an afterthought - after all, her father never feared to show the disdain he felt for wands solving problems. In fact, Natka sometimes wondered how on Earth her parents managed to keep their marriage in as good shape as it was - they argued so much that she would have thought it impossible, had she not been witness to it her entire life.

Natka watched this conversation with interest, mixed with apprehension. The two were speaking too fast for her to edge in any word, and so all she's managed was a small smile in Lillianna's direction. Now, she was busy stuffing baked potatoes and grilled chicken down to her famished stomach.

When Lillianna left them to go to talk to... Patty, was that the girl's name? Natka wasn't sure, but she suspected it was something like that - she turned to Meredith with a slight frown.

"That's a rather sad and... uh, strange story there, don't you think?" Then, after a moment's pause and a gulp of pumpkin juice, she added; "She seemed nice enough, though."

Incredibly aware of all the staring the little incident between Gavin, Professor Vindicuts and herself had produced, Willow began to shuffle awkwardly on her seat. People could be so nosy. It wasn't that Willow didn't like attention, she just didn't appreciate it when it was for something bad, such as arguing with some Hufflepuff idiot like Gavin.

And what was he waiting for to apologize and leave? Had he not heard Vindictus? Of course he had, he was just being his usual arrogant self, probably. To be honest, Willow would not be able to eat properly until he left the table. Really, when Willow told him that she didn't want to see him again, she'd really meant it. But of course he would not respect her wishes. It was Gavin, after all. Sigh.

Willow took a deep breath. Okay, if Gavin didn't want to leave, that was his problem with Vindictus, and not hers. She could always ignore him: ignoring people was something the fourteen year old was fairly good at.

Yes, she would definitely do that.

One hand reached for a strand of dark hair, twirled it around her fingers nervously --due all the starting before dropping it, and taking another sip of pumpkin juice.

Mind you, she was too distracted to notice that someone was standing right behind her.

Meredith thought it was really weird, so she ate something while thinking about it. She was really annoyed for not understanding, even after asking. It felt like Lilliana simply left something out. Something really important to the story.
When Meredith hadn't said anything to her, Lilliana started talking to another girl whose name Meredith didn't know.
Meredith was wondering how it must be to live with someone who didn't like Magic. It must be hard. Then Natka said something about Lilliana, making Meredith focus on that again. " Yes, very strange and sad. She did seem nice..but it was like she wasn't telling something, don't you think?"

Then Meredith turned to Barry,who was talking to a girl. Her name was.. something with Ce d, if she remembered properly. She didn't exspecti\Natka to know the answer to her question, that's why she asked Barry, after all he'd been around here for several years. "Er, where is the toilet?" she asked, rather emberrassed.

Sneaking up behind her seat, Terry paused slightly at a professor near her, looking disapprovingly at a blond next to him. What on earth was going on? They weren't....a couple were they? Maybe they were having problems? Maybe an argument? ...good.

He thought he caught sight of a certain brunette too, but as he twisted around, he came up short of nothing.

Alright, he was hungry here. Insanely hungry. And yet, instead of being sat snug at a table in front of a plate piled high with food, he was here stalking a girl. xD He was going to get something out of this here.

Stepping right behind her chair, he tapped a finger on her shoulder, then took a step back. Looking smug, he murmured teasingly, 'Well well, what have we here?'

Laylee flashed a bright smile as Maura sat next to her! "I was hoping you would find me! I thought Id lost you forever in that crazy crowd!" She said aking crazy faces in excitement. "I knw, isnt it great!" She responded to her awe. "I cant wait to show you everything else! Evern though Laylee had said that a lot lately, the idea never became less fun sounding.

Laylee didnt know the girl named Winter, and she felt bad for not. She had been a total zombie last term. Even the funny giggles of Tink couldnt get her excited. She awkwardly waved and looked at them as they spoke.

Elizabeth smiled apologetically at Mari's confusion. "No, you're right. It's actually Hufflepuff. But I kind of got used to abrreviating the houses last term, since my cousin and her boyfriend did it all the time. Before they graduated. Hufflepuff, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. But the way I think about them a lot is as Huffie, Slythie, Ravie and Gryffie," she explained. Then she nodded. "Yeah. You're lucky you weren't here. You got to miss the illustrious painting of the Minister and his wife in togas, that was hanging in our common room for some reason. Along with the many portraits of his wife that made us all feel like we were constantly watched."

She looked over curiously as the other girl smiled at something or someone at a different table. And saw that she was watching a boy at the Slytherin table. "Who's that?," she asked. She thought she had seen him on the train, but since she had never spoken to him, she didn't know who he was.

But then Mari was looking back at her, so she turned back to the table. "Rivalry? I don't know. I mean, I guess there are some people who like to act like there is. But I've never really noticed a whole lot of actual rivalry. Except for when it comes to Quidditch. And the house cup. Then people can get pretty animated." She broke off another piece of her bread and popped it into her mouth, figuring she may as well eat while she waited for the conversation to continue.

Sammy.
 

Mariska gave a little snort of laughter as Elizabeth mentioned a painting of the Minister and his wife in togas. Had they been making some sort of statement about being gods over their respective schools? She then made a mental note to remember the names of the other houses. Not that hard, when one thought of it.

Mari felt her pulse skip a beat as Elizabeth asked her who she was looking at and a faint blush crept over her pale features. " He's someone I met on the train, that's all." She said, nodding and smiling a bit more brightly than she probably should have. While she did want to get to know Nico better, she didn't feel like broadcasting that to the whole world. She had to be seen as the one who was never out of her element, always cool and collected. " He was good company for the ride," She said with a little shrug.

A thoughtful expression crossed her face as the other Ravenclaw spoke about the house competitions. " I like Quidditch. I'll probably go to a few games. I mean, I'm no diehard but I do enjoy it, and the good spirited sort of rivalries it breeds." She said, reaching over and taking an apple from a nearby fruit basket.

Chris looked at Jason and back at Melinda. "So really whats going one between you too?" Chris asked Melinda when Jason walked away.

Livvy sat quietly and all... alone. She chuckled at the thought and pulled out a book. It was gonna be a long night and she'd rather not have to stay like that through the entire night without anything to occupy her mind. In moments, Livvy was soon absorbed into her book.

Melinda looked at Chris. She just didn't know. "Umm...I just try to be normal...and don't make all this conflict ruin our lives here...I know you are very confused, and I am sorry...someday Jason and I will talk..." She told Chris and held his hand.

Meredith drank a little more pumpkin juice and looked at the other Ravenclaw students. Suddenly, she noticed someone she hadn't noticed before. It was Livvi, the nice girl she'd met on the train. So she'd gotten in Ravenclaw too. Livvi was reading a book.
" Hi Livvi! " she said. So, you've been sorted in Ravenclaw too?" Meredith smiled. " What are you reading?" Meredith labsolutely loved reading.

Chris nodded. "Its alright, I know you two didn't mean to start this big fight and, get me stuck in the middle." Chris said and chuckled.

Livvy looked up and smiled. "Meredith! Hi!" she said. She vaguely remembered the girl but she remembered meeting her before. Oh well. It was nice seeing a familiar face in Ravenclaw. "Oh. Um. Becoming Me," Livvy said, showing Meredith the cover. "So... you're in Ravenclaw too, I guess," she said, smiling.

*glomps* mah buddie is in!!!
 

Melinda saw a girl approaching the table and sitting down. She seemed very concentrated on the book she was reading. Melinda remembered when it was her the one absorbed into them.

Melinda went back to the talk with Chris. "No...we didn't...we both consider you a lot in our actions...and you are for me...like the light of my day...remember that..." She told Chris, hoping he would get in a good way.

It really wasn't that difficult to see the brunette casting glances back and forth between the professor and the older boy.

Oh well, it didn't really concern him right now though, did it?

Shrugging, he waited for her turn to around. Mentally, he prepared himself for her introductory jibe. Or even the evil eye.

So he was sadly mistaken when she replied all nice and sweetly. Dude, who was this girl? But then his gaze skittered back to the professor and it clicked instantly.

Haha. So she was being nice to him because of some teacher being there? Whoa, this was doing miracles for his pride.

But even then, he was getting the inkling that somehow he could turn this to his advantage. Studying her carefully, a knowing glint in his sapphire eyes, he smirked slowly then replied smugly, 'Evening, love. You doing alright today then?'

Striding forward, he slid into a seat beside her, purposely keeping close enough to her so that their elbows touched. Mwaha.

Piling his plate with food, he reached over for a fork, scooping up a good mouthful. Darn, he'd missed the food here alright.

"Yeah don't worry I don't forget everything." Chris said with a smile. "But as I've been for awhile now, everything with be fine in the end." Chris told Melinda.

Livvy grinned and raised her eyebrow. "Ravvie? I'm guessing that's a nickname for our house, eh?" she asked, chuckling. She rather liked that and to come to think of it, she had heard many other students call it that. "Well... glad to see a familiar face. Was there another house you wanted to be sorted in? Yeah... it's pretty interesting. There's a girl that doesn't know who she really is and tries real hard to fit in, and in the end... she's supposed to find out who she really is and that no matter she'll be loved by God. It's kind of a religious book though, but real inspiring," Livvy said, smiling. She had begun to read books of all sorts... religion... inspiration... mystery... horror... fantasy... you name it.

*keyboard not working*
 

Melinda nodded and smiled to Chris. "Yes...everything will be fine..." She repeated his words and giggled.

Elizabeth nodded as Mari chose not to say much about the boy. She had caught the faint blush that resulted from her question, so wasn't going to pry. Although, now that it had been pointed out, she thought Mari had been in that compartment too. Water under the bridge, she figured. "It's nice when you have good company on long rides," she said conversationally.

As Mari then said she liked Quidditch, she smiled. "I like it too. Nowhere near as much as my older brother, but he's on a professional team back home, so I guess he has to be pretty diehard."

Mari felt a surge of relief as Elizabeth either chose to ignore her blushing or truly didn't notice it. What had caused her to be so taken aback was that when she had been watching Nico, for a brief moment he had seen her doing it. That had been when she had turned around rather quickly and made up some excuse as to why she had been looking in the first place. " It is, isn't it?" She said, losing her footing in the conversation for a brief moment. She took a drink of water then and looked at Elizabeth as she spoke of her brother. " Oh well that must be nice. Does he give your family tickets to see his games? Have you traveled to see any of them?" She asked, grateful for the change in subject. She shifted a bit in her seat, stretching her arms behind her. " I've only been to a few games; my mother wasn't that big of a fan of any team." She said as she leaned forward a bit again to continue the conversation.