Sabrina sat nervously at the table, watching everyone smile at her sitting down. " Well, at least it seems everbody likes me." She thought to herself. " I just hope I make some real friends." She ate her dinner casually, until someone said her name.

Finishing the last of her potato covered carrot stick Arya looked from Jake to Allison. She wasn't sure if Jake was just trying to get ride of her or making a simple suggestion. Still the offer seemed difficult to refuse, she had a lot she wanted to tell Allison. Arya took a sip of her drink before turning to Jake."Be back in a few." Without waiting for a response she skipped over to the Ravenclaw table.

Wesley was getting used to hugs. Slowly, they were no longer catching her by surprise. They were starting to feel just as good as they had before...Olivanders. And she was also coming to realize, as she had been for 2 years now, that Sarah was a very, very wise person.

Wesley was already starting to feel calmer, maybe the long process of relocating was finally starting to hit her, and she nodded. "Right. We're Hufflepuffs, and Hufflepuffs are hardworking." Because somehow, in Wesley's mind, hardworking equalled strength.

"Same to you. If you feel like crying, you find me. I have hankies."

Though it felt so good to just sit there, something was tickling the back of her mind. "But...Sarah, I don't understand, how are they still close?" Unless...? Oh dear. "You don't mean somebody evanescoed them?" The Hufflepuff pulled away. Hands still clutching the tissues, Wesley managed to still grab on to her robes, right in front of her stomach; Poor Mariel- how awful it must be to be in Wesley's kidney. "Then we've got to get them back, we've got to unvanish them!" Eyes wide, she pulled at her robes, "Sarah, it is not fun to be part of everything!" Wesley did not know this for a fact, but she could imagine.

Was that a tongue?

So of course Ema stuck her tongue right back at him. No one stuck their tongue out at Emalyn Noel Daniels and got away with it.

Really, who was the first person ever who decided to stick their tongue out at someone? It was weird.

Ema felt chills rising up on her arms and up her spine. She backed away from the table a bit, her panic rising. The spider had now scurried up on top of Jake's head. HOLY COW IT WAS A STINKIN TARANTULA! "STAY STILL! IT'S ON YOUR HEAD!" Ema pointed shakily at Jake's head. "A...a tar thing...I mean a tarangle. I MEAN a tarantula...IT'S ON YOUR HEAD!!" she spat out, gulping.

Kita listened in and her mouth grew open in shock. "What?!" she said, "That's mean!" She drank some pumpkin juice from her glass to try and soothe her throat. She looked back up at her at the mention of Lorcan and thought back to when she last saw him. "The last time i saw him was last year. I haven't seen him since. Maybe he's with that girl. Lexi i think her name was," she said, shrugging her shoulders...

"Wow" Scipia said aloud even though she didn't mean to. "That is so cool! And you have a lot a family. I bet reunions are crazy..." Scipia had not expected so much information, but how interesting. "Have you ever traveled with them anywhere?" She was glad that Evelyn was open and friendly she was a bit unsure about talking to an older student...but she was glad that it worked out.
"Oh yeah your school.."She said remembering her unclear question, "After you have been here for a bit i was wondering if you could tell me how this school is different from your old one..."

Atticus ran into the Great Hall, a little bit late as he had only just got off the last carriage to the castle. He had also waited outside the castle for a few minutes trying to figure out what was pulling the carriage. It was just too cool, and since this was his first year seeing the horseless-carriages, he was perhaps a little too excited. Having attracted a few stares when he exclaimed at their coolness at Hogsmeade Station and at Hogwarts, he then proceeded to walk straight into the 'horse' pulling it. Or rather, the Thestral.

Of course, he was terrified.

Shaking slightly and likely to explode at any moment, Atticus quickly took a seat at the Hufflepuff Table. He took a few deep breaths, trying to slow down his heart enough for comfort, and looked around the Great Hall. He was so glad to be back at Hogwarts, but like in his first year, he was also afraid. His mother had proved that she loved him and worried about him by absolutely refusing to allow Atticus to go to Hogwarts. His father was out of town at the time and could not repeat the actions he had taken in Atticus' first year. Atticus' father had seemed absolutely determined that he should go to Hogwarts.

Did he really want Atticus to leave so much?

Atticus had spent the last year going to muggle school but not really learning anything or trying hard. He missed Hogwarts, but he didn't want to be almost forced to go by his father. He wanted his father to miss him as he had missed them. Of course, this home sickness had been accompanied by a fear that he would be forgotten during the semester. This time, his dad was home and they left the house at one in the morning in order for Atticus to leave for Hogwarts. He didn't get to say goodbye to his mother again.

He wasn't sure if he wanted to stay or go.

There was something.

On his head.

GETITOFFGETITOFFGETITOFF!

Jake sat, still frozen when Ema said there was something on his head. He moved up his hand, feeling something MOVING up there. His fingers brushed Charlie's hairy leg and the boy yelped in a high-pitched voiced, but then he realised Charlie was on his head.

HE HAD TO GET CHARLIE OUT OF DANGER!

Just as the boy scooped up his pet tarantula, he heard Ema... telling him about said Tarantula. He could have fainted in relief, but instead he giggled nervously, and held the creature out to Ema. "He's mmmine, dork. His nuhh-name is Ch-charlie," Jake explained, smiling, but still wary... he kept thinking there was someone behind him.

The RODENT THING!? Oh good god, that had been a genuine mistake. And it was AAAGES ago. They had been getting along swimmingly ever since. Oliver's eyes narrowed at Miranda. Was she sure she wasn't a snake? Did the hat ever get it wrong? Pfft.. It seemed to know everything about Oliver – except that selfish part – that was totally uncool.

Oh, and untrue.

The flicking was driving him insane. He wasn't sure which was worse out of that or the poking. He battered her hand away with his hand. “Stoppit.” He pleaded once again. Urgh.. he could just reach out and slap her face but – NO. urgh.

He should have been grateful when the prefect came along to put a stop to this at last. And he did breathe an inward sigh of relief. He flinched as Miranda, and he was sure it was deliberate, flicked food in his direction with a wave of her hand. Guh!

Oliver looked up at the prefect, polishing the invisible halo above his head. “I didn't call her a rodent.” He replied. Well it was true. Not until she attacked him anyway – THAT WAS NOT WHAT HAD STARTED THIS! He looked up at the house banner from his sitting position on the floor. “I thought that was a rodent on your house banner there and SHE...!” He jabbed a finger at Miranda. “..thought I was mocking the house of Hufflepuff. As if I would do that.” He said sounding very offended by this accusation.

Still... Hufflepuff – he was never going to get used to that silly name. Hehehehe.

He adopted a very innocent facial expression especially for the prefect. Aww.. he was cute. Was he cute? Yeah.. he was. Like an innocent ickle angel. Ahem. He took her hand and managed to get to his feet without falling back down this time. “Thank you.” He said politely and brushed at his potato covered robes. Fat lot of good that did.

Mental? Oliver was not mental. His mouth turned downwards. “I'm... I'm 15.” He replied looking down at the food covered floor. Apologise!? Oh gawd – not this again! He looked at Miranda, his eyes narrowing. SHE could go first cos SHE caused this. Hmph. He gestured politely to her with his hand as if as if allowing her through a door before him – the gesture said 'after you'. He did, however, look around him at the gathered Hufflepuffs and said what sounded like a very genuine 'sorry' to them.

“Urm..” His name? “I'm Oliver Greenwood.” He bowed his head slightly. Yeah.. he could be respectful even if wasn't completely genuine. He nodded and gulped. “Sorry.” He mumbled to the prefect. He didn't want to get into trouble on his first day at the school. Guh.

Kylie had been sitting, enjoying the looks on the first years faces. She hoped one of her friends would sit down soon, though. She was getting kind of irritated that no one was there. She was also getting a bit uncomfortable with the amount of fighting occurring. She sighed, this was Hogwarts.

Thank GOODNESS she had not been sitting next to Jake. She was still panicking even after she heard Jake's giggle. Her eyes were on the spider and the spider alone. She was frozen in her place. Any longer and she would have pulled out her wand.

Or not.

She was pretty frozen.

She took a sharp intake of breath when he held out the creature to her. She. was. so. close. She wanted to backup but she couldn't move her legs.

"H-he's yours?" now she felt like Jake's stutter was contagious. She didn't even catch that he had said 'dork' to her, she was still trying to wrap her mind around why he would have that thing as a pet and let it crawl all over him without fear. "Charlie?" she muttered, still not taking her eyes away from the thing. She gulped again. It didn't look like a Charlie. It looked like a...Igetchoowhileyouissleeping.

"Did...did you have...thaaa - Charlie - with you...the wh-whole time?" Ema hoped it hadn't been scuttling around under the table by her legs or...or...OR - "I gave you a HUG...kind of." she gaped.

Oh please oh please don't say he was on you then... Ema thought, trying to control her breathing, all thoughts of all that "Hogwarts-in-danger" stuff gone.

Ahh, people really didn't like spiders, did they? Jake had noooo idea why. In held Charlie up to his face and looked into the cute little thing's eyes. It was adorkable... who couldn't love Charlie?

Well... Reese... and Ema. That was clear.

At Ema's question, Jake shrugged. He knew that the spider had been sleeping in his pocket for almost the entire conversation, but Ema obviously didn't know that saying 'What you don't know can't hurt you'. "I duh-... I dunno," he stated, putting the creature back into his pocket and out of sight. He would, of course, tryyyyy to respect some peoples' wishes.

"He won't hhuh-hurt yyyou," Jake pointed out, looking a little crestfallen. Seriously misunderstood creatures, spiders. "He ssstays in th-the buhh-boys duhh-dorms... so yyyyou'll be sssafe in the yuhh-year..."

Unless Jake took him out of course.

Jace shook Emily's hand, and smiled, trying not to show how much his hand hurt.
" No problem," He grinned at her, his light brown eyes glistening. "I'm actually sort of nervous about coming here, being a muggleborn, and all. Hogwarts is sort of intimidating, to me at least," Once again, he smiled nervously at Emily. "Well, It's nice to have at least one friend here."

Professor Lawson is obviously the most popular professor at Hogwarts. Sidney finds it hard answering him with so many other people talking too, but she is enjoying listening to the other conversations. "Nice to meet you Professor Lawson. You are the Muggle Studies Professor? Wicked. Tell me do you have a laptop in your office? I love mine, but I had to leave it at my grandparents. My dad said it wouldn't work in the wizarding world." Sidney's not too sure about the new Headmaster. He certainly not what she expected. Sidney had envisioned someone more like Albus Dumbledore with the half moon glasses and the twinkle in his eyes. Sort of a great grandfather figure. "I've been reading too much Harry Potter. I thought Hogwarts would be just like it was when he was here." All the same Sidney's going to keep an eye on the new Headmaster. I imagine he will keep things hopping around here.

Sidney looks up at the head table and notices the somber Professor leaving it. He walks over to the Slytheran table. The professor with the red tie reminds Sidney of Bertha, the fiercest Hungarian Horntail at the Romanian Dragon Reservation. Betha looks that way just before she lets out a long stream of fire. She selects her victims first, and then Bertha strikes. That professor looks like he's picking out his guest for dinner-only they aren't guest, they are the entre. He must be the DADA professor, or would Dark Arts professor be more apropriate? Sidney continues to watch him as he turns and heads up the other end of the table. Not the smartest thing to do considering the professor will now be able to see the Hufflepuff table clearly.

And now Jake was holding Charlie up to his eyes and peeking at him like he was a puppy. Greeeeaaaat.

She nodded, her breathing slowing down to a less adnormal rate. Did he just let this tarantula run anywhere it wanted? How could he not know where it had been? Ema shook herself, forcing herself to move forward just a tad bit. At least it didn't seem like a rabid spider out to kill her...yet.

And then Ema felt bad. The look on Jake's face told her that he was disappointed with her reaction. She had never considered it being a pet when she first saw it. She tried to put a little smile on her pale face, but failed, so she just settled for an enthusiastic nod. "Right...well, if you say so..." she took her seat again, glancing in the direction of Jake's pocket a few times. It seemed she had lost her appetite, too.

A tarantula could be hiding inside her roll.
Or inside the chicken bowl.
Or ready to attack her face if she looked into the pumpkin juice pitcher.
Or under the table getting ready to strike...GAHHH!

She picked her feet up off the floor and tucked them underneath herself on her seat. "I'm sorry." she squeaked.

And she refused to be the first one to cut into that delicious looking apple pie down there. :apple: + =

Doubt her decisions? Oh, she was sweet. "Oh, well, you didn't. I've been doubting them ever since I got the idea." Miranda chuckled. At the other thing Emalyn said, Miranda blinked. Miranda-ish? What was that supposed to mean?? "Hehe... Great!" She said a bit confused, but still wanting to appear happy. Even though...she was really confused.

She covered her mouth and laughed at her friend. She enjoyed how hyper and cartoonish she seemed sometimes. "Yeah, exactly, hehehe." She watched her friend getting animated about the Healer talk and Miranda nodded as Ema explained and such. There were indeed alot of things to study. Like if people got stuck in teacups. Snort! "Haha! I mean...that must be terrible...getting stuck. But it totally sounds interesting!" Hopefully, Miranda would never have to see Ema at her work.... Only during her free time. Yes. "Well, I'm sure the new Healer would be glad to give you tips. She looks nice." Her head turned to see said Healer sitting at the Staff Table.

____________





She almost started to slap-fight with Oliver when HE slapped her hand away. BUT there was a Prefect there...so....
Uh oh. Miranda's lower lip jutted out a little as she scrunched up her face in SHAME. Her hair was still rather dishevelled and with her smeared hands, she tried arranging it to look okay. But it was sticky and...bleh! "But-" Her mouth opened to protest, but Sarah had begun to reprimand Oliver aswell and was cut off. HE DID TOOO CALL ME A RODENT!

She made a sound as her jaw snapped shut, wanting to scare him off into thinking she was going to bite his jabbing finger off. "Hey, you said Hufflepuff's were SMELLY and had LITTLE FEET!" And something else she couldn't quite remember right now... Guh!

And she HELPED HIM OFF THE FLOOOR! GASP! Allright...she was a Prefect afterall, she had to do that stuff. Help and all that. Both of them were mental...hehehe. Miranda looked at the Prefect with a little smile. She knew Sarah had to be stern, but also that this was a little funny anyway. How old was she? "Fifteen..." she said in a low voice, echoing Oliver.

APOLOGIZE!? A look of shock came over Miranda's features. With a look of disgust, she turned to Oliver who was narrowing her eyes at her. HOW DARE HE NARROW HIS EYES AT ME! And what the hell was that!? Did he actually think she was going first? Nuh-huh! No way. No sir, Mr Potato Head. You can go and-

Sigh. Fine! Beeeee the better person and do it. But she would not make it seem like he had won. "I'm sourry for..." ...putting you in your place... "...poking you." There. She wasn't sorry for that, which is why she said 'sourry' instead of correctly saying 'sorry'. Hehehe.

"Sorry everyone!" She said, turning around with a grimace, actually bowing a little. She was a Captain, she had to say something else, more mature and responsible. "And eeeh... Do as we say, NOT as we do!" A finger waggled in the air, as she looked at the people around the tables. Oh please please please don't take my badge.

Her eyes narrowed at the boy when Sarah was talking to him about leaving the Hufflepuff table. See, if he had done that in the first place, none of this mess would be here!

Eeek! Inform a Professor! No! NO, no no no onoooooooo! She might have gasped, but regained control of herself quickly, not wanting to let Livvy here know she was freaking out at that part. "Yes, ofcourse. Thanks, Sarah. Sorry for the mess...We'll clean it up." Smiling apologetically, she then turned to Oliver. "I hope you know how to cast a cleaning charm." Because she wasn't sure how to do that.

Warren searched the Hufflepuff table for Lucille.. he really needed to see her after what happened, though he was upset and confused that he still didn't know much.. he just wanted to see his girlfriend and apologise for his behaviour towards it all.. He scanned the table and couldn't find her.. where was she? this was slightly worrying.. If he couldn't find her.. it'll be because of him.. and that would make him feel worse!! Where was Lucille?

Oh Dear Merlin, that guy had no right!
"My name is NOT Reagan!!!" she yelled, lacking of any other words to deny what he was acussing her of being this time. "If I'm all that bad... Why are you sill here?" she asked harshly, having the intentions to go over the Slytheirn table and unload her frustations on someone else, that would probably be Thalia.

Lucille stopped as she reached the doors to the hall. A movement in the corner of her eye made her do a double take.

Warren was stood at the Huffie table. Her first impulse was to walk towards him, but then what if he didnt want to speak to her after what had happened? She hesitated, biting down on one side of her lip. But then, he did look like he might be looking for her. Forehead furrowed, she set off uncertaintly towards him.

Ema beamed. Oh goody, she wasn't the one that 'doubted her decisions'. Or choices. Or thoughts. Or considerings? Whatever. "That's good. I mean, it's not good that you've been doubting them, but...yeah..." she rambled, clearing her throat. "How long does it take to train to be an Auror? I heard it takes a lot of work."

"Yeah, and you couldn't just pull the thing off them, either...I mean, I'd have to use a spell. Obviously. But whatever. It would be fun...but people would be hurt, so it wouldn't really be funnn..." she was rambling again. She shut her mouth and nodded, looking up at the staff table. Ooh! New healer lady! "Cool. She looks more...down to earth?...than Melita." Ema gave a small chuckle. My gosh, this time last term Miss Melita had been handing out cookies to everyone.

"I'm sure she could give me loads of information." Ema said quietly.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, snapping out of her reverie. "Summer! How was yours?"

With a curious look on his face, Jake watched Ema closely. She seemed to be... not waaaarming to the idea of a spider as suuuuuch... but, more tolerant. He managed another smile as she sat down. Thaaaat was the ticket!

Still... he wanted to go to beddddd already.

Hearing the apology, Jake looked back at Ema and shrugged. There was really no need to be sorry...

Buuuut he may as well change the subject... But what was there to talk about now? OH!

"Yuhh-you hhhave your OWLs th-this year," the boy pointed out, shifting around on the bench. "You nuhh-nnnervous?"

There was no luck.. he couldn't find her anywhere? Warren sighed and turned around about to walk back to the Slytherin table when..

Lucille came down walking towards him.. He smiled faintly before hugging her.. ''Im sorry.. i.. was just a lil confused i guess'' he kissed her cheek and smiled some more.. he knew she was feeling awkard.. she was also shaking, Waz kept her in his arms and craddled her. ''I love you'' He didn't mean to be arrogant and ignore her.. he was scared.. but he could never hate her..

"Nice to me you Evelyn." she said and repeated the name once more. "Evelyn." she said to remember it, today she had meet many people with the letter E. Nunually smiled and listened to what Evelyn had to say about the blood stuff. Nunually smiled. "Okay so if its not important I am glad I thought I meant my blood might not be all blood but some other liquid the thought scared me." she said looking more relaxed.

When Evelyn had began to talk about her family Nunually listened attentively. As she talked about her mothers side, and her fathers side. It must be nice to have a big family she thought and gave a big smile. "You are so lucky, I bet you have very little time to fell alone." she said giving her a smile. "Not many people can say that they have such a close family. I meet my grandmother by mom's side before she passed away she was a harsh woman, but she was happy for mommy at the fact that she had me." she said and then looked at Evelyn. "Family reunions must be something to experience. When Evelyn began to laugh and tipped over the je cut Nunually's eyes widened, as she saw that Evelyn was wet. "Evelyn." Nunually was about to ask her if she should go get a teacher or a towlr or something when she had said that she was fine. She looked around for napkins or anything she then pulled on her ripped slipped from earlier and gave it to her. "Here." she said softly.

Nunually smiled as Emily joked about giving away her brother. "I don't think he will appreciate that." she said giggling and felt happy. Even though she talked about back home and all the horrible things she still was happy, for the first time she was making friends, friends who would be by her side and not think of her as a freak, and were talking to her because they wanted to not because they had been dared, or were trying to find out dirty secrets about her to tell the whole school. As Emily said Oh loudly and blushed Nunually smiled at her. "House well I didn't know about the houses until the train ride and I know I don't have intelligence, I am average as the hat stated, and bravery is limited." she said quoting the hat. She suddenly shivered as the hat told her that her whole family had been in Slytherin. "And I don't think I can be cunning at all. To be honest I didn't know but I was hoping to end up in a place were I had made friends and the people were friendly." she said blushing now. Blushing was contagious.

Nunually turned to hear what Ema was saying and she smiled. "It's okay all I know is that I am glad that will no longer be occurring" she said with a huge smile. "Yes, but I think its in their nature, their parents were rich as well but unlike me, they did not spend time with their parents, the parents were always away, throwing parties, or leaving the kids with maids." she said sadly. "I feel sorry for them, even though they treated me badly, I had the one things that they didn't." she looked down the smile disappeared she was really sorry. "Quality time with mommy. Maybe if they had, had some with their family they would be different." She carefully listened to what Ema was saying about the Slytherins and Nana began to giggle. "Always one in each." she repeated and smiled. ""Okay then so I should not be scared of them" she said and smiled once more. "Thank you Ema."

Ema returned the smile awkwardly. Hopefully there was only one of those things at Hogwarts. It just happened to be in Hufflepuff.

Ema bobbed her head at Jake's question. "Oh yeah, I do." she had almost forgot about OWLs. She had thought about them during the summer but never really thought thought about it. "Very nervous," she sighed. "I have no idea what to expect. I guess I just need to pay more attention to everything?" she shrugged. "We'll see. It can't be...that bad, right??"

She finished off the rest of her pumpkin juice (checking inside the goblet for spiders, of course), and then turned to Jake again. "You have them next year...do you think you'll be nervous?" she asked him, raising an eyebrow.

Really, who wouldn't have a little anxiety over a major test?

Warren looked as tho he was just about to give up when he spotted her. Lucille waited, and to her surprise he hugged her. "i know," she said in a little voice. "It's not your fault, she's your sister, and, and im just really sorry," she said and shut her eyes against his chest as he craddled her. The former lump in her throat disappeared. "I love you too," she said, "and i am really sorry...I-" but she didnt know quite what to say, so she stopped trying to talk, and concentrated instead on the arms wrapped around her.