Aura took a bite of her roll watching Sherlock and and Rain. Rain jumped out of the bowl and walked along the table sniffing people as she walked by, she was trying to find a victim to sleep on. It was something she always seemed to do during the opening feasts. She picked Sherlock up and began petting him once more.

"Don't sleep on anyone Rain." She whispered under her breath and took a sip of her drink. "Good aspects, well my mums cat Kali had kittens....see Rain and Sherlock." She pointed to the two kittens. "Sherlock's got a ring around his eye thats the shape of a magnifine glass." She chuckled.

Lasca noticed that both Lyra and Mariel gave her inquisitive looks but she made a show of finishing her dinner. Her best friend kept look at her however, so Lasca gave her a pointed look. One that said, I'll explain later. Then a commotion down the table caught her attention.

"There are people throwing food." She pointed and watched. They were making an awful commotion for it to be the first day. Well not even the first day really. Shaking her head she returned her attention to the staff table. She was gearing herself up mentally, to tell Mariel the full truth about her background. The first person ever to know, besides her father and her.

Elizabeth turned her head to look at Robert as he came over and sat down next to her. "I'm okay," she said, before taking a sip of her pumpkin juice. "Other than the fact that ghosts who have never showed up before now have decided to get involved with us again, and kids having random fights or getting silverware stuck in body parts is kind of strange. Well, not the fights so much, but you get my point." She glanced at the staff table again to see pretty much chaos up there too, then turned back with a smile. "And did you know our new History of Magic professor is an actor? He spent like a year on Broadway like five years ago. Got really famous, then vanished." She shrugged. "And now he's taking over for Lainey." Then she smiled again. "So I'm not any more lost than probably a lot of others who are confused about what all's going on here."

Mariska wrinkled her nose a little at the thought of her wearing such a ridiculous outfit. " But it wouldn't be fashionable. At least with a rain coat, I'd look cute." She said, smiling again. She nodded as he spoke to her and then it was her turn to look curious as he hugged her again and this time kissed her cheek. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, and then she opened them as she felt his arms leave her. " Alright," She said, biting her lip again as she tried to make sense of what was going on between them now. She decided that she should go back to sit at the table, and she did so, but she sat across from Elizabeth and Robert. She decided she should eat something, and it was a good distraction for the time being so she put a bit of some stew on her plate as well as a roll. She began eating, simply content for the moment to watch other students and try to figure out what was going on between herself and Robert.

Robert reached over and grabbed the pitcher of pumpkin juice, pouring some into a glass by him, "I know. It's almost surreal. What has gotten into everyone?" He followed her glance toward the staff table as he sipped his juice and nearly choked on it at her question. Swallowing he laughed and shook his head, "No way. How do you know that and why would they hire an actor to teach history? That just seems...wrong." He reached across and pulled some food onto his plate suddenly feeling ravenous.

"Beg your pardon, young man. It is not your place to question the hiring practices of such an esteemed educational institution," the Grey Lady addressed the male student quite sternly.

Elizabeth took another sip of her juice, and saw Mari come and sit down across from them. "Hey, Mari. Again," she greeted the girl, before turning back to Robert. Mari looked like she was lost in thought or something, so she could wait for her friend to reply.

"I have no idea what's gotten into everyone," she said, thinking back as she contemplated his question. "But weren't most of those students that caused the problems here firsties?" Her eyes widened as he suddenly almost choked on his drink at her revelation about Professor Truebridge, but she relaxed when he laughed. "Seriously. If you want, I can pull out some of my books from home later, and prove it. And I know because I like Broadway musicals, so I kind of followed the news about them. I mean, Bella's real name is Grizabella. From Cats, you know." She shrugged in response to the other part of his question. "I don't really know. But then, maybe whatever he did between leaving the stage and showing up here makes him more qualified."

And then the Grey Lady, who had apparently floated near enough to hear their conversation, reprimanded Robert. Elizabeth looked up at the ghostly lady apologetically. "I'm sorry. It's my fault, he was just responding to me, and the fact I was a bit confused. But I wasn't questioning the school. I'm sure they have a good reason to have hired him," she said calmly, even though it was honestly quite weird talking to a ghost.

As Rachel neared the table, she noticed the ghost talking to the boy from earlier; the one who had helped her with Willie. "You're the Grey Lady, right Miss?" she asked courteously with a weary smile as she sat down unconsciously next to the boy. She had obviously read about the ghosts, but they hadn't appeared in the school for years now. She poured herself a glass of water and swallowed it in one gulp, instantly pouring another.

For the first time, Eleanor had fallen asleep during the train ride to Hogwarts.
She hadn’t been able to fall sleep in the previous night, that was probably the main reason why she slept during the ride.

With a long yawn, and with absolutely no hurry (after all she was going spend the next nine months in there), the brunette stepped inside the great hall, letting the other students pass by her. As long as they didn’t bump into her, she was cool.
Nothing had changed in there, it was exactly the same way she remembered.
She hopped the chocolate cookies hadn’t changed a little as well.

Ellie was walking towards her table, she couldn’t wait to see Clifford, Evangeline and Emily, that Ellie hopped to be attending to Hogwarts. Those were the people she had missed the most.
However, the brunette stopped half-way to her table and turned around, starting to walk in the direction of the Ravenclaw table.
She had also missed her best friend, and even though Willow was not the first person she had remembered she wanted to see, Ellie had missed her , and her incredibly sarcasm and drama: that Willow always let know how disliked it much. Haha Willow could keep saying that for the rest of her days, Ellie knew she loved drama.

Her arms folded across her chest in a self-confident way and a smirk was on her lips as she passed by the Hufflepuff table.
Merlin knew she was happy to be back to Hogwarts. Summer holidays were suffocating to Ellie. Having the spend most of the time with her twin sister was the worst thing someone could do the her.
Well, not the worst, but still.. it was pretty awful.
She wanted Quidditch tryouts to start and oddly, she also wanted certain classes to try. It seemed that this year she was feeling more competitive and determinate than she could ever remember.
But that competitively and determination would eventually start fading with the passing of the months.

“Willow ? Willloooowwww!” The brunette called, looking from side to side for her friend, but no one answered back.
The brunette raised an eyebrow inwardly, and then started to walk around the Ravenclaw table, calling her friend’s name a couple more times.
But there was no Willow in sight.
Still with her arms crossed, Ellie stopped walking as she felt her patience vanishing. “KOVAC!” Ellie called again, this time, louder..
Maaayybe a little bit to loud, since her heard her voice standing out from all the others. But to be perfectly hones, she didn’t quite care, right at that moment, she just wanted to ask Willow if she had turned deaf during the summer vacations.

"Grey Lady miss exactly why are you here? I thought the ghosts had dissapeared. It would help us act more ..... Ravenclaw like" said Barry trying to find something out

Robert was startled for a moment as he heard someone addressing him in such a manner since not many would have dared. Turning around he saw the Grey Lady there and turned slightly red, "Oh...well...technically I wasn't questioning the hiring practices. It merely fascinated me that an actor would know about magical history."

Robert nodded, "Yes, they were firsties. Should make for an interesting few school terms if they continue to act as if they're five." Seeing her eyes widen as he choked and relaxed he was moved by her concern and smiled softly, "I'd like to look at them anyway. Not for you to prove anything just...I've never read anything about musicals and such." Hearing her explanation he had an almost blank stare and shrugged, "I don't know much about musicals." He nodded and looked back up at the staff table, "Yeah, I suppose so."

Aura looked over to Elizabeth and gave her a quick smile, "Hopefuly he will be a good teacher you know...and not a floozy one like some that we've had in the past." She bit her lip, hoping that joining in wouldn't get too bad as it had with the Grey Lady.

Rain walked across the table her stride definate and in demand and quickly launched herself onto Elizabeth's lap. Landing in the front pocket of her Robes.

"Sorry about her," Aura blushed slightly as she saw Rain was making a home out of Elizabeth's robes. Yet again, each year her cat chose to attempt to sleep on Elizabeth. "I never thought we'd have an actor for a professor...maybe its so we won't get bored? I know I often fall alseep in History of Magic when Professon Binns taught it."

Ludo watched his friend with a sympathetic look as she dropped her head on the table. "You'll be alright," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder with a smile and trying to make eye contact with her. "You're not the only one feeling that way, trust me."


The speech had been delivered and Ludo had been very surprised to see the Potions master in the Headmisstress' chair giving it. "Wow. Well...I sure hope this extra responsibility doesn't take away from his lessons. I need all the Potion practice I can get this term for N.E.W.T.s next year."

The subject changed to the History of Magic teacher and as it did, the boy who'd been part of the incident sat down on Liz's other side.
Ludo coughed slightly and carried on with the conversation, "So this guy is an actor you say?"
But just then the Grey Lady appeared and told the other boy off.

James looked at the pale figure that was the Grey Lady. "Good evening, Miss. How was your summer?" Kit had always told Ludo to treat ghosts just like living beings, so that's what he'd always done.

Elizabeth turned back to the table as Robert then chose to address the Grey Lady, getting herself some food from the table, and starting to pick at a piece of bread. Then Robert had started talking to her again, and her eyes went back to the boy. "At least they're firsties, so it's not like they were seventh years acting like they were five," she said with a grin, then tilted her head to one side as he talked about not knowing much about musicals. "What? Something a Ravenclaw like you, who is so attached to your books, doesn't know a lot about?," she teased. "I guess we'll have to fix that, won't we?" As she straightened her head back out, she followed his gaze to the staff table. "We'll find out when classes start, I guess."

Then Elizabeth turned to Auralie with a smile as she spoke. "I've only ever had Professor Lainey since I've been at Hogwarts, so bored I was not," she said, shrugging slightly before going back to her bread. At which point she felt something land in her lap, and looked down to see the older girl's cat curling up. "It's okay," she reassured the girl. "I think cats just like me."

And then she turned back to Ludo, who had been quiet for a while. "Oh, I don't think the school would have given him the job if they thought he couldn't handle it," she said in response to his coment about Professor Bontecou. Even though the professor did seem to be absent-minded a lot.

She laughed as Ludo jumped in on the discussion about Professor Truebridge now. Her innocent comment to Robert was really starting something now, it appeared. "Yeah. At least, he used to be one. But looking at him, it kind of seems like he hasn't given up some of the practices of the famous," she said to Ludo, subtly gesturing at the professor's obvious obsession with wearing sunglasses.

Helena turned a cool eye on the young woman who had a Prefect badge attached to her robes. "Quite observant, Miss Prefect. That is what students called me many years ago and it has been recorded in the history books as such."

"Ah, a young Ravenclaw who searches for wisdom. Hogwarts is my home," she replied and floated over to the next student who addressed her.

"Are you assuming that a professor without knowledge would be hired to teach history let alone any subject? You must be blinded by the inane notion that this 'actor' is a mindless dolt. Looks can be deceiving." With that said she floated over to another student.

"Professor Binns? You look quite young for someone in their early 80s," she laughed and the sound was equivalent to the chiming of small bells.

"Summer? I haven't felt the warmth of summer in centuries, young Ravenclaw lad."

"Then why oh Lady were you and the other ghosts hiding from us? We havn`t seen you ghosts for quite some years theres some confusion going on. And if you are here where are the other ghosts?" asked Barry confused "I think the inhabitats of hogwarts ought to know why you dissapeared"

Rachel nodded and lowered her gaze, feeling a little intimidated. The Ravenclaw house ghost... She must know so much! She was suddenly hit by a question and asked before she could stop herself, "Miss, I was just wondering, if it's not too rude to ask - have Hogwart's standards changed over the centuries?" She gazed up at the transparent figure, making the best eye contact she could manage considering she could see quite clearly what was going on through the Lady.
She contemplated on whether to begin interrogating asking the ghost about where the ghosts have been all these years, but decided against it. If they want to tell us; they will. "My name is Rachel by the way," she blurted out, then mentally kicked herself. Merlin, you idiot Rachel! Why would she care? You actually expect her to remember your name when she's met centuries' worth of students?

Aura chuckled, "My mum had class with him and made me sit through her memories...and in each one I fell asleep" Aura explained to the Grey Lady. "And Professor Binns was a Ghost, so I assume unless he has moved on that he is still in the school somewhere." She smiled, then she bit her lip as she heard Barry's confused Questions, "They might be in the walls hiding from us...."

Taking a seat at her respective table, Vivi took a sip out of her goblet. She looked up at the voice of someone saying the Grey Lady's name. Peering her eyes, she spotted her at the table. What a delight! She was here after all.

"Miss Grey Lady, tis a pleasure to meet you," she spoke up to her. Really it was, she had always wanted to speak with her.

Copernicus had a bit of strained... something on his robes that he wiped off, his mind simply spinning from all the commotion around him. A food fight between two rather loud little girls and then someone was bleeding... and now a ghost. It wasn't his FIRST ghost to be sure, but he was surprised to see one at Hogwarts after reading Hogwarts, a History over and over.

"Is it always like this?" He asked the group in general as he attempted to clean food off the table before him.

Becca, who had just shoved a spoonful of mashed potatoes into her mouth as she watched the commotion with strong interest, looked up as someone said her name. Oh wow... a face she hadn't seen since her first term! "Juniper!" she greeted cheerfully, some of the gooey substance almost escaping from her mouth. She grinned up at the girl, not showing her teeth as she tried to swallow quickly.

"Nah, go ahead and sit down. I'm pretty sure I picked a good seat... it's a bit barren over here, but it's a good spot to watch all the action. Right between the food fight and the staff table. Couldn't get much better than that!" Upon mentioning it, she glanced back up at the staff table momentarily before looking back at Juni.

"I almost got in on the action, just for the fun of it. But Miss Professor Lainey wouldn't be too pleased if she happened to find out about it." Even though the woman was gone, Becca still respected Lainey's expectations for her. She wasn't going to be an angel one hundred percent of the time, but she had to do what she could to fulfill the woman's wishes. "Were... you just in the midst of all the chaos?" she inquired, not sure of where Juniper had come from.

Rian grinned at her cousin. "We'll just try to be his friend. Then, if he's not taken, it'll be great," she said enthusiasically.

Realizing that Liz was now talking about the Chocolate frog cards, Rian laughed. "I think I have at least one of everyone. Which makes sense, I guess, from the way I eat these." she blushed.

She looked around herself when Liz said something about the Grey Lady. Then she saw the ghost, and her eyes widened. Quickly shifting her face back to normal, she smiled to the ghost of Ravenclaw House. "Good evening," she said politely.

"Your mother is in her early 80s?" the Grey Lady inquired. "Fascinating." She drifted down the table and ignored the other questions that were pouring out of the mouths of the Ravenclaw students.

After all that had happen, teage seemed to be amazing flustered, and irritated. All because of one simple male professor and his stuck up ways, and the fact that he just tried pushing A five ton whale out from under the table. It made no sense, really. ut why did it bother him, really? Naturally he wouldn't give A rat's tail for who and what. Maybe it was all because of the beginning of the term, and he'd already put his house in the negative eight. Yeah, that summed it up, about.

Whole readon he was heading for his girlfriends table. To the fact that she might be able to loosen his tention. Sighing, he raised his head, only to see her talking to something that was not there. Brow raised high at that. What, she had invisible friends, now? Some thinks he could never explain.

But she kepted talking, and as he got closer, it looked as though the invisible friend was right in front- chills ran all through his body, like cold spikes stabbing into his skin. He gave one good jump forward to the reluctence of being scared out of his pants, and turned his head back. What in the world was that?

Karma started. Now there were two ghosts? Hogwarts hadn't seen any in SO many years! So far, this term was starting out different, and odd at the same time. She was so confused as to what was going on, and watched the Grey lady go from student to student, and awaited her turn to ask another question.

Karma smirked slightly as she reprimanded one of the other boys. The professor wouldn't be here unless the school saw him fit to teach. She cleared her throat, and then asked her question.

"Begging your pardon Miss Grey Lady, but... Hogwarts hasn't seen ghosts in years. And now, there's at least two. What, in Merlin's name, is going on? Or, do we have to wait and find out for ourselves?"

"No, it's definitely NOT like this," Karma said, still slightly startled. "Ghosts haven't been around for YEARS. And the food fights? Those never happen. These are strange events."

Very strange indeed. She was excited though, and her eyes sparkled thinking of another mystery being revealed at Hogwarts while she was here again. This term? Might as well be her favorite. The ghosts were back!