Ah. "It looks like the Ministry believes Hogwarts needs added protection," Nick said, sounding less than pleased. Nothing good had ever come of Ministry interference at Hogwarts. "He's valued at the Ministry of Magic."

"Good evening, Simon," Nick swept towards the boy, glad to see the young Lion. "Captain, is it?" he asked, his gaze landing on the badge the young man sported.

"Lexi." Nick had a smile for the polite lady. "Good to see you back."

"Wait, I am just joking, are those called himself ghost have not sense of humor, Sir Nicholas" Raven chasing word, "Sorry then didn't mean to offend you, by the ways, I'm Gryffindor first year, Call me Raven if you like" he say

Ed smiled at the girl and said "Hello, you're Kurumi, right? We met at Cass' house over the summer.."

Ed sighed sadly. He knew Heather would act this way. He pulled her aside for the moment and said "I'm sorry, ok?" Then he placed a hand at the back of his head and said in a rushed manner "GuysteasegirlsthattheylikeandIthinkyoulookreallyp retty"

From staring over at the Slytherin table in search for her friend, Heather snapped out of her trance upon hearing some commotion. She turned to see what it was about and saw-GASP!- the famous Gryffindor ghost she had heard of from her parents's stories and had always wanted to see! (Though it's curious why she didn't see him last year.) Heather became nervous but she wasn't sure if it was out of fear or just pure excitement.

she went for excitement.

"G-g-good evening Sir Nicholas." she greeted, being as polite as she could be.

"Added protection?" Kurumi repeated with a questioning gaze. She unfolded the Quibbler she had picked up from the trolley and began searching for clues. Maybe there was some sort of hint in there..."Oh, thank you Sir Nicholas," she said looking up at the ghost and offering him the bravest smile she could muster at the moment. If this man was valued at the Ministry, then there was some real serious force trying to break into Hogwarts. Kurumi gripped the Quibbler with her fists.


Ug, who was trying to disrupt her thinking face? Oh, right, the boy who was causing so much stress to her Gryffindor best friend. "Y-Y-Yes," she said slowly. "I remember you. Edmond, right?"

Nick's eyes narrowed. He gave the boy a nod, but made no response.

Nick felt less than pleased about the questions being asked. He had discussed this with Harry Potter once, but the matter had been of importance then. "Wizards can leave an imprint of themselves upon the earth, should they so choose," he said, adjusting his ruff.

Returning Sir Nick's smile she gave him a little nod of the head. "It is lovely to be back, sir," she said as she let her eyes drift back up to the staff table. Mhmmm. The Ministry was interfering at Hogwarts... not a good sign. She wanted to ask Sir Nick what he thought about it, but decided that it was best not to.

All Selina heard around the Gryffindor table was a bunch of commotion. People were walking around with either shocked or amused looks on their faces. It was puzzling to the small redhead. She did not understand why everyone was acting so odd, well odd for a school full of Wizard's. She then turned around and saw, or rather saw through, the figure of Nearly Headless Nick.

She could not believe her eyes, it was Sir Nicholas. Her parents always spoke on how he was their favorite ghost and because he was the Gryffindor ghost, he was superior to all of the other ghosts. She also heard that out of all of the ghosts he was the most friendly. However, she was going to test that theory.

So the small redhead made her way over to the ghost and said, "Your Sir Nicholas. Oh it is a pleasure to meet you. My parents and cousins and grandparents only have really good things to say about you. By the way, I'm Selina Skylar." She smiled at him. If she was being honest with herself the fact that she was talking to a ghost was pretty cool.

"excuse me?" Now Edward was being silly. Pulling her aside just like that (in the midst of her greeting Sir Nicholas) and saying something incoherent in a somewhat nervous manner-wait a second, he's incoherent and nervous? that never happened before. And he's apologizing? What did Edward even eat this morning? Is this really Edward?

Are you really Edward? she wanted to ask that, but what came out of her mouth was different. "Ed..." she sighed. "alright, i accept the apology, but really, you didn't need to. you didn't do anything wrong anyway." she said and added: "it's sort of sweet really...but let's keep this in mind. we're both in the same house now...so let's just...you know....get along? If you're up to it." Heather finished and stepped away from Edward. "Enjoy the feast." she said and turned her back. It was quite inevitable that she and Ed have to get along well with each other since Ed's in the same house as she was, but could she even bear it? She'll haev to think of a counter attack when he becomes mean to her again...but she has to admit...

Edward taking an effort to apologize really put her in a better mood since she got to hogwarts despite the fact several unfortunate events happened to her...

It is sort of...sweet.

The little lady seemed surprised to see him and that puzzled Nick. Surely, she had seen other ghosts around Hogwarts? Dropping the thought, he smiled at her.

"And a very good evening to you, my dear."

"Yes." Nick floated right over to Kurumi. "It has happened in the past, if the Ministry has felt... unsure about things at Hogwarts." He paused, clearly saying much less than he perceived. "The best advice I can give you is to know your own strengths, and the need for unity. There is no need to suspect without cause."

He smiled at her and floated away a little, hovering a little to her left.

It seemed the staff and students werent the only people...eh..creatures a bit ruffled by Mr. Gevrik's presence, the ghost making his displeasure known in his ghostly tone. However tonight was for celebrating so one couldn't let it bother them too much at least for now.

"Uh huh it is," Simon confirmed as Sir Nicholas made note of the badge he worn. "Hopefully I'll do the house proud."

Nick might have taken his hat off to Lexi, but he had none on. So he only smiled at her, finding her a refreshing change from some of the ruder Gryffindors he had met tonight.

"And are you looking forward to this year?" he asked pleasantly.

Nick grinned at the small kid. "I am," he said affably. "Ah, do I know your grandparents?" Certainly not a first. Nick knew the grandparents of many of the students here. "You almost make me feel old."

He hovered near her.

Indeed. "Your hope is mine," Nick grinned. He had seen so many new captains that he had lost track of them, but that did not mean he had run out of Gryffindor spirit.

He was the house ghost, after all.

"Known my own strengths," Kurumi repeated in a low whisper and she set the Quibbler down on the table. Well, she was good a baking, but that would hardly help her unless she made the enemy eat so much that they were too fat to move. Her eyes went back to the Quibbler. No mention of a Gevrik in it, just someone named D'Isigny. Kurumi looked back at the ghost. "I suppose you are right," she smiled closing the paper and setting it down on the table. Still, things were very different from her first year and she was feeling the effects already. "I do hope you will spend some time in the common room this year," Kurumi said with a smile. Open invitation, of course.

Turning her attention back to Sir Nick she nodded her head vigorously causing her hair to bounce a bit as she did so. "Yes, sir. I am indeed looking forward to it. Well, all except for the OWL exams. I have to admit they frighten me a bit," she said with a little grimace at the last part. Exams were NOT her friend. Not one little bit.

"Yes sir, you do or you did. Connan Skylar is my grandfather. My grandmothers: Dierdre Engel and Cosette Thenardier are their maiden names. Actually my Grandma Dierdre was Quidditch Captain of your house once, sir." Selina smiled. She was still in shock from her meeting of Sir Nicholas. He was quite famous.

Kurumi's soft expression from talking with Nearly Headless Nick hardened into a concern frown at Mr. Gevrik's speech. It seemed that he didn't think much of Headmaster Tate from the way he spoke. A few words towards the end of his speech rang in Kurumi's ears...

...remain open-minded this school year, for you will all find that I am not your typical dose of Ministry intervention....

What was all that supposed to mean?

Kurumi put the Quibbler back into her pocket and looked directly at the man as he sat down in his seat. Poor Professor Vindictus...now his hands were stuck together.

Selina leaned over to Kurumi and whispered, "Have you ever heard of a lady named Dolores Umbridge?" Her great grandmother was in school during the short time that lady was Headmistress. She had heard awful stories about how the Ministry was "aiding" the students progress by enforcing order. And to Selina, this new guy sounded a lot like that previous Ministry Enforcer.
"Is it just me or does that Ministry figure rub you wrong?" Selina continued.

Nick smiled. "I am," he said gently.

Ah. The common room. He'd floated through it once or twice in the summer, to see how it had changed. Not much, Nick was proud to see. The place still retained its old-fashioned, comfortable elegance.

"Why not?" He agreed. He could pop in there from time to time. Keep an eye on the students.

"I have a feeling you are going to do just fine, Lexi." Nick said, adjusting his ruff again. He did not need his head to half fall off, right now. "Enjoy the evening and the year."

Yes, yes, he could remember the names. Nick nodded as Selina listed them, one by one. "Indeed... and can Gryffindor expect the same of you?" He asked pleasantly.



He fell silent as Ikenna Gevrik began his speech. His eyes narrowed at one point and, once the man had finished, Nick rose higher into the air, hovering there as if in thought.

Smiling brightly at the ghost Selina replied, "I hope so, sir. I intend to work my very hardest to follow in my family's tradition of being on the Quidditch team. And if I fail this year, which I hope does not happen, I will try again until I can proudly wear that uniform, Sir Nicholas."

That much was true. Her family had been on the Quidditch team for Gryffindor for ages. Selina's father was even the Chaser for the Fowlmouth Falcons. If anything she wanted to make her family and her house proud by doing what she did best, playing Quidditch.

"hey, Kurumi" Raven called, smiling "what is really happening at the staff table, I saw you there earlier, who the black man on petty quarrel with the professor" Raven ask not the name but the purpose of Ikenna

"I have," Kurumi nodded still looking at Mr. Gevrik. She turned to Selina and tried not to look over her shoulders too many times at the man. "I'm just startled, that's all. "Special Security Liaison to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...protection from what? Not many questions were answered in either the Headmaster's speech or Mr. Gevrik's...and he is a different type of Ministry official...whatever that means." It looked like Kurumi may have to put her family research on the back burner for a little.


"I would like it very much if you did," Kurumi beamed.

After the Minstry official's speech, it was clear that even the ghosts were concerned with this man's appearance in the school.


Kurumi shook her head at Raven. "I don't know. I didn't talk to him." Not that Kurumi was all that inclined to do so now either.

Lexi smiled sheepishly and bowed her head gratefully to Sir Nick. "Thank you very much, Sir Nicholas. And the same to you. I hope to see you about, sir," she replied.

Hmmm... she did not miss the expression on the ghostly man's face after Creepertastic guy gave his speech. Seemed that no one was too thrilled about his presence.

"My Mom says any time the government gets involved it isn't good. There is something they are not telling us. And this guy... I don't know. I just don't trust 'im." Selina said looking at the man dead on. She was not afraid to draw attention to the fact that she was uneasy about this guy. Why had the Ministry only sent one man? Was he really there to help the children?

There was something in his voice when he had mentioned the shananigans that had occurred previously at Hogwarts. And that smile was phony. This guy was not a good vibe for Selina and she had a feeling things were only going to get worse.

"Look like there is something creepy here, I heard the Gryffindor ghost saying something like unity among the houses, sound scary", He say but in his mind sound interesting

Nick shook off his thoughts and beamed at the redhead. Selina. The kind of Gryffindor that made the house proud. "I have high hopes of you, young lady," the ghost said. "Enjoy the evening."

He turned to Kurumi. "I cannot possibly turn down that polite an invitation." He smiled at both her and Lexi. "You can expect me in the common room, my dears."

His smile seemed to vanish as he glanced at the staff table again and frowning slightly, he swept off, passing right through a wall and disappearing from the Great Hall.