Cece could feel something nudging her but she couldn't move. The same as she couldn't open her eyes when it sounded like something was hissing in her ear. It's a good thing she didn't react like this when that kid at the 'Claw table passed out. The boy would still be laying there.



Okay, she may be passed out and in a daze but she could still hear, and what she was hearing didn't make her feel very welcomed here.

'Can someone please handle that situation?'

Really? She left Sweden to come here and be treated as a that? And then Tate just proceeded to go on with his speech... while she was still unconscious.

Way to show you care about your staff members here Headguy.



Just as Cece was beginning to think no one at this blasted table was going to help her she felt someone digging around in her pockets. Oh great, now someone was trying to steal from her while she lay there unconscious.

Or not...

The smell of that opened phial being waved under her nose made her cough and sputter. Sitting up with the help of Gemma... not the man beside her who thought it was okay to jab her with his elbow, Cece grabbed her head. At least the spinning had stopped. "What do you people put in your water here?" It had to be the water, that was the only thing she had taken a drink of since she walked into the Great Hall. Of course she had a very good idea who spiked her drink but she wasn't going to say anything here. No, she would get Oliver Jenkins back... in her own time and way.

Looking down the table at him she gave him a look that said You better sleep with one eye open Mister. She then turned back to Gemma. "Thank you... for being the only one here to help." Maybe Tate should take lessons from this woman on how to treat his staff members when they are down.

And to think, she left Sweden for this.

Dash had completely zoned out, his attention far away from the feast. He was more focused on how he could make William fall from a sixth floor staircase while still making it seem like an accident.

Burping pink animal bubbles...

Maybe the seventh floor?

He blinked, zoning back in just in time to hear Kurumi address him. "Right." He accepted the box with a stiff nod. "Thank you Miss Hollingberry, I was hoping that my hate toward you..." He paused and gave her a small smile. Her words, right? "...wasn't too much, I wouldn't want to drive you away from a fantastic subject."

She narrowed her eyes at him... The no fire rule... that referred to students alone right? Staff was never mentioned... Maybe she should ask Tate...

... no.

Easier to get forgiveness than permission.

She smiled at the girl and said "Thank You, and you are right." Her smile turned cold. "It is none of your business. Return to your seat please."

At least Max had some sense...

...Now he was talking! That sounded like permission enough to her. What was good for the goose was good for the gander.

"I heard that!" He was merely a few seat down, not in another room.

"You know Bentley, if you don't want the other Head of Houses to reprimand your students, then I suggest you perform your own duties." She smiled. "Just some friendly advice..."

Finally... the feast. Meaning the food... wait. They had to speak to an elf? Merlin's Beard...

She smirked. Did he think she cared about her looks? Skin deep. If she wanted beauty she'd pay for it. Right now... "That's really the best you have child?"

Ewww... spider cookies. She'd pass. "Sure you do." She said and rolled her eyes. "See you in class then."

Still nudging the woman who had fallen asleep on him, she looked really familiar, but it was kind of hard to place her face when her eyes were closed, Waylon began glancing around the room, hoping no one was taking notice of what had happened. Wishful thinking, though, and he spotted Oliver all the way down at the other end of the table giving him a salute.

He would have returned it, or he would have given him a whole other gesture, but his arms were a little busy. Instead, Waylon leaned back in his seat a little, and nodded his head in the Healer's direction.

Did Oliver want to come and take her off his..lap?



Can someone take care of that situation, indeed!

Someone other than Waylon himself. Honestly, how did she manage to fall asleep? It was so noisy in the room! Which made him realize, she wasn't going to wake up with him simply whispering. He began to nudge the woman a little harder as the Headmaster got ready to deliver his speech. "Wake up, woman!" Merlin, she was like a log!

Waylon only managed to half listen to the speech, but he did manage to nod his head when he was gestured at as one of the new staff.

Yes, children. Look at him with a sleeping Healer on his lap.



Finally, though!

It seemed the Muggle Studies Professor realized that it was Waylon who needed help and rushed over to the Healer. He was actually hoping the woman was going to remove the Healer from off his lap, but what he saw only made his eyes widen.

The Muggle Studies Professor was..pick-pocketing the Healer! Right in front of everyone!

Not able to form any words from witnessing the CRIME, Waylon open and closed his mouth a few times, only to shut it completely when there was a bottle being waved under the Healer's nose and..he really needed to stop zoning out like he did. He had absolutely no idea what was going on. He did realize, though, that Gemma was not a thief. Good to know. As the Healer began to stir, and ignore the fact that he had tried to help her, Waylon blinked, then blinked again.

"Hey!" he drawled, "I know you! Cecilia." What a way to meet up again, huh?



Now that the Healer woman, well, Cece was all awake and taken care of, Waylon turned his attention to all the students milling about. He wondered if he could spot that girl with the horrible singing voice out in the crowd, but there were so many kids around..

..and his vision of those students was suddenly obscured by one student.

Who had boxes inside..another box? Raising his eyebrows, Waylon watched her very carefully as she made her way down the line of staff members, dropping one off in front of each of them. He was getting a box, too, right? RIGHT!? Smiling, despite all that had happened in the last ten minutes, the Groundskeeper leaned forward when the girl stopped in front of him.

"Miss Hollingberry." he said with a nod of his head. Hmm..forget what she had in those boxes, was she a Prefect!? Did they pick her because she gave out presents?

Waylon would pick her because of that.

"Thank you, Professor Bentley," Kurumi smiled. She hoped that it wasn't her extra special Gryffindor cupcakes that had caused the woman to change from being 150% pro-Ravenclaw to turning into a lion. Not that Kurumi was against this change at all, Kurumi always found it easy to speak to Professor Bentley and she could really use an older female to talk to about...stuff.

"I did a little bit of experimenting...and I promise there are no real spiders in those," she said as she pointed timidly at the creepy crawlies. Blame her brothers. They were the ones that made her do it. "My vacation was good," she nodded, not wanting to take up too much of her time with chit chat. There was a feast to be eaten after all. "I should probably start heading back, but I will stop by your office soon."

"Thank you," Kurumi smiled, glancing down the table at all the new professors and...everything that was going on. Prefects didn't have to...prefect professors' behavior, did they? "Good luck this term, professor." That came with a nervous smile and laugh.
o________________O

Why was it that people tended to think that she had either poisoned or spit in her baked goods? She was a Gryffindor not a...wait...Gryffindors did have a history for pulling pranks like this. Well, she wasn't THAT sort of Gryffindor just the sort that spied on professors snogging on the train ride to school. That was sacrilegious to the world of baking! Surely everyone knew that!

"Not today, professor," she laughed, hoping that the light hearted comment wouldn't be taken the wrong way. She really had never thought about spitting in cookies. That was a horrible idea.

And then Kurumi felt as though she had just been squished by a dragon. Had he just said...the word...hate...

o______________O

Kurumi's eyes widened and she felt a shiver rush through her body, causing her skin to burst out in goosebumps and, unfortunately, her hair to go white as a sheet from fright. SHE KNEW IT

The smirk on his face almost went unnoticed, but even though she did see it, she didn't fully understand what it meant and instead sort of stood there frozen in place for a while before her voice came back to her - in a slightly higher pitch than usual.

"O-O-Of course not, professor."
Well, it seemed even though good things were coming to the Potions Mistress that she was still in a foul mood like always. Kurumi remembered the conversation her and Sierra had had at her home about...THAT...and Kurumi had sworn not to tell anyway, which she had kept. She never imagined that it would actually come to this.

Fantastic. Now Sierra was going to be even more on her high horse during Potions lessons.

Kurumi nodded once more towards the woman before scampering off.
Kurumi nodded again in his direction, unsure as to his position on staff. He did look the rugged sort...just not as much as the other man a little further down the table. Who had sat in this spot last term? Kurumi mentally tapped her chin as she tried to remember.

Oh! That's right! It was the Groundskeeper. Did that mean that this man was the new one?

"Welcome to Hogwarts, sir," she said again.

Elise cringed a little under the stare of her head of house. But he wasn't nearly as awesome as Professor Bentley! And El wasn't really much good at flying anyways.


"Yes, professor," she nodded. "There was nothing there for me after my mother passed last year." And there was a flash of pain across her eyes before they regained their normal bubbliness.

"But you deserve it!" she beamed, her blonde bangs falling into her eyes. "I can't wait! But I should be getting back now!"

"Bye professors!" she grinned, bouncing her way back to the Ravenclaw table.

"Of course not." he scoffed. Was she mental? "But we must behave ourselves in front of the kiddies."

Sorry Murdoch, you are on your own with that one. It could not be said that Oliver Jenkins was not a good friend. In just a matter of minutes, he had managed to have two beautiful women fawning over his friends.

Okay so technically one was passed out but no doubt when she awoke, she would be ever so thankful to Waylan for catching her.

Yes, he was a very good friend indeed.

Hmm, it looked like he was going to have to watch this one as well, especially since she seemed to be on good terms with Hadley. They probably got together and conspired against others.

Leaning forward a little, Oliver gave the Prefect a shrewd look. "And you wouldn't tell me if you did, would you?" Oh yeah he was onto her. It took one to know one.

"I'm gonna keep my eye on you, Miss Hollingberry." And her cakes. Since when did students give their teachers cookies and cakes? If only to put something in them. Oh yeah he KNEW those tricks.

Looking at the new Gryffindor Head of House, Beezus somehow felt uneasy. She adored Professor Bentley from the first time she had ever attended Herbology, now..she was the Head of the Red House. Beatrice wasn't disappointed or whatever. She just felt a bit..insecure. Insecure to the lions and lionesses because they now have such a wonderful Head of House-that doesn't mean she doesn't admire Maximus.

It was just that their herbology Professor was different. She was someone that Beatrice could confide in and now she's in Gryffindor, it seems like she was and would be moving far away.. Of course, she would need to prioritize the lions now. "Yes Professor Bentley.." No right to call her Professor Seren anymore. "I hope you also had a splendid summer." Said Beatrice and gave the Professor a small smile.

Oh. She saw the eye narrowing. Of course, she couldn't miss that. "Honestly Professor, I was dared that's why I told you that." She started. Why was she telling her this again? "But really..as you can see I'm in Ravenclaw so I would much hope that we win the cup this term." Now, that was the real talk. "Though, let's all just work hard. Shall we?"

Now that voice was familiar. Beezus turned at her right side and saw a verrryyy familiar face from within the staff. It was their own Head of House. Woot!

But then..a bit later, he didn't sound too happy about something. "Professor Vindictus. Good day." She said as she bowed slightly, clearly hoping that she won't get an outburst from him.

"Miss Kieren. Good evening!" Edvard greeted the Ravenclaw third year. Another point to him! Beaming at the girl he asked "Did you enjoy your holidays?" It was nice to be back at Hogwarts amongst the new minds of the future.

Seeing Gemma turn up on the dias Edvard waved in her direction “Good evening, Gemma!" Grinning he added "Yes, you can really feel the excitement thick in the air."



A sigh of relief left his lips when Edvard acknowledged the fact that he wasn’t the only one who had arrived a little late to the festivities. Waving to a hello to Professor Magnus at the other end of the staff table he looked around for the juice to quench his first.

Stretching out a hand to grab the bottle of juice Edvard know noticed the orange stuff on the pants owned by the guy sitting next to him. "Sorry, I hope the stench clears." He offered sympathetically. It was no small wonder then that the guy hadn’t jumped jump to shake his hand.

"Pleasure to meet you too William," Er what? Shrugging he let the nickname go thinking that it was just something the man had picked up when he hadn’t been there. "Going to bring in any new creatures to the grounds? It has been a bit empty of late."



Josephina greeted him so warmly and enthusiastically that Edvard wondered what had transpired at the table before he got there. It was a nice feeling though to be appreciated. "Did you two have a good time in Italy? I think I got a postcard from Seren of a beach or something…" Edvard said thinking back to the summer.

Ooo old classmate!

Sighing in audibly he said "Re-meeting old friends is always enjoyable. Does he like working for the ministry in such a high position?" Edvard couldn’t seem himself working for the government in any way other than he was now, teaching the youth about space. Longingly he muttered half to Fina half to himself "If only I had gone to Hogwarts…"



Glancing down the table Edvard’s eyes come to rest on one of the new staffers, a lady with dark hair. Shooting her a welcome smile he said over the slight clamoring voices "Welcome to the staff. I’m Edvard Roslund, Astronomy."

She seemed like a down to earth kind of woman that wouldn’t get frazzled by the first look of trouble. It was a good quality at a place like Hogwarts.

Prefect Hollingberry!

Just after Headmaster Tate’s speech the lioness prefect arrived up on the staff dais under her usual pretence of greeting the staff. Smiling at her when she stopped in front of him he said with a shrewd look. "I did enjoy the train ride. I never found the lose mouse though. I asked the driver to look for it so that it gets a proper piece of cheese and doesn’t starve."

He had figured out that the squeak sound had come from a prefect spying outside the door but he kept that to himself. Edvard didn’t want to spoil a good evening. Opening his gift box of cookies which smelled delicious he said "Thank you Miss Hollingberry. The cookies smell very delicious. I’m going to save them for later." He would probably need something sweet after his first class of the year.



On the other end of the staff table there was a bit commotion as the healer fainted and came to rest in the ancient runes professor’s lap. Edvard felt the surge to go over and help out but there were other staffer’s sitting all around her. He remained seated and kept an eye on what was happening on the other end. As the healer woke up Edvard decided that he’d go over and offer her some chocolate.

His mother had always said that a bite of chocolate after fainting was a Swedish remedy which made you feel instantly better. Pulling out the little chocolate bag he offered it to the healer as he stopped beside her saying "Hi, I hope you’re feeling better? Maybe some Swedish chocolate can perk you up? My mother has always said they helped against the after effects of fainting."

"I’m Edvard Roslund by the way. Astronomy." He introduced himself.

Little Nimma looked very cross for an elf indeed. Nimma was to say words to studentsies but studentsies were not sitting to listen to Nimma's words! Did studentsies not think Nimma's words were important? Did they not want to eat food that elves had prepared? Nimma knew that elf food was good and this term they had not made any mistakes at all!

She popped up on the staff table and gave some of the students some very very cross elf looks. Especially the cookie prefect. Nimma could make things very hard for the cookie prefect, she could! Nimma could make the cookie prefect not allowed to be in kitchens if cookie prefect did not go and eat and sit and listen like Master Head Master had said studentsies should do!

Nimma cleared her little throat.

"I have words for studentsies. A humble elf request for studentsies. Nimma and Tinka and Pips and Quirly and other elves have all worked very very hard this summer. Elf matters are important to elves and our elf matter is our Baby Elf. Our Baby Elf does not have a name, and our Baby Elf does not like names that Nimma and other elves have chosen! Nimma asks students respectfully to help Nimma and other elves name our Baby Elf. Nimma would please invite students to make name suggestions and Nimma and other elves shall make a big list of names and all names can be picked and chosen from a big list and studentsies can choose the name! This is a big special honor bestowed by elves, studentsies." She bowed furiously. "Nimma thanks studentsies for helping last year and Nimma would like help now too. Nimma says thank you and humbly asks for names to be put on papers and slipped under the kitchen door! Nimma thanks studentsies again! Nimma shall go now." She bowed and disapparated with a pop.

Kurumi bit her lower lip, a little harder than she intended, to stop herself from squeaking. He was going to watch her? WHY?! What did she doooooo?! Was giving out sweets like she did every term against the rules now? Was she really THAT suspicious? It wasn't like she was a Slytherin or anything. It looked like Professor Scary Face Scabior had some competition for the title of scariest face.

"Actually, Professor, putting something harmful in cookies and cakes goes against everything baking stands for," she said with a small nod, trying not to get too freaked out by his scary looks. "They are supposed to make people happy, not suspicious." Maybe Professor Hadley would come to her aid on this one?
Well...that was probably a good thing that Professor Roslund never found a mouse on the train. That would mean that the train was a little unsanitary. Last year the Greath Hall and kitchens, this year the Hogwarts Express? No thank you. "Perhaps it jumped off the train once we arrive," she suggested. Yep, invisible mouse got off the train and was now wandering around invisibly in the Forbidden Forest. "Mice don't stay put in one place for too long." Unless they had death wish.

Kurumi smiled again at the man when he said that he was going to save the cookies. "I wouldn't wait too long," she warned. "Especially with the cake, professor." The cookies were made from chocolate and rice crispies, so they would keep for a few days, but weeks was pushing it.


Just when Kurumi thought that perhaps Nimma hadn't heard the Headmaster announce that she should speak, there the little house elf was with a very important announcement. Pips had told Kurumi last term that house elves were not able to name themselves, so a witch or wizard had to do it - so it was no wonder that the little elf didn't like anything they came up with. Kurumi had given the little guy a name on a whim, mostly for herself because she didn't want to keep calling him an it or simpy baby house elf. Hmm, she was going to have to think this one over a bit more.

Before Kurumi could ask Nimma if she really needed help babysitting, the elf was gone, most likely back to the kitchens.

This one was going to get on her last nerve! She wasn't going to sink to his level. She would just ignore him.

...for the rest of his tenure.

Now, where was that elf! She was hungry, and she understood waiting for the Headmaster's speech. But an elf? This was ridiculous.

... the elf had apparated itself on the Staff Table... Not at the staff table, not in front of the Staff Table. This creature had it's feet ON the staff table. It didn't have to be an elf. Any creature, including witches and wizards, should never put their nasty, dirty feet ON anyone's table. You don't know WHAT they stepped in!

She was just about to set it's feet on fire, when it disapperated.

She leaned forward and looked towards Tate. She gave him a look that read, 'Really? She was allowed on the table? Where we eat?' But she asked nothing, as she really was not expecting an answer.

Now she was no longer hungry.

It took everything she had to not stand and give some excuse to return to her lab. She felt ill now.

Isabelle smiled at the woman to her right. "Hecate. Please call me Isabelle, we can leave the formal greetings to the children, can we not?" Especially after 2 years of working in the same place.

Reaching forward, Issy picked up her filled goblet and tentatively took a sip. Hmm, good. The house elves were back to their usual good service.

Ooooh, speech time. She had been just in time then. Thankfully. As Tate talked about the new professors and the anniversary, Issy got her hands ready to clap for when he'd finished.

Of course, he had to add the 'don't die' part at the end. She was always curious as to what had gone on in the years before she became a professor to warrant such a request - but no matter. Clapping loudly had begun. And a wait for the little house elf who wanted to speak with the kids.

Sweets. It could only be Kurumi.

Isabelle looked up from her plate, that was now filled up with the choicest bits of food. She smiled as the prefect placed the boxes down. "Thank you, Miss Hollingberry. They look delicious. I'll save mine for after the feast, if that's okay with you."

Such a shame that Edvard was down the other end of the table. He was a pleasant person to chat to. Acknowledging his wave with a smile, Issy lifted her goblet and did a mini salute back to him.

Her view became obscured not long after, however, by the sudden appearance of Nimma the house elf. Isabelle listened carefully to what it had to say, a small smile creeping across her lips. Awww, name the baby elf? That was a sweet thing for them to want the students to do. Issy made a mental note to find out, eventually, what the winner was.

But for now, and with Nimma having disapparated again, Isabelle tucked into some of the chicken before it got cold. She'd have to meet and greet the new professors when they were less busy and distracted by each other and the kids.

Gemma noded slightly at the familiar face, "And a good evening to you as well, Edvard. i hope your break was a good one!"

She smiled back at the handsome young man while thinking about what to call him. "Well then, I'm thinking i'll just call you O then." she said with a smirk on her face.

Did he just call surfing a professional sport?...she giggled slightly at his idea of a sport...more of a friendly giggle..."O surfing and such...I was hoping you were going to say baseball...can't beat a cute baseball player..." she said teasingly...."Well, I just might have to stop by one evening so you can explain how surfing is considered a professional sport." she tilted her head slightly to the side and smiled....

She smiled genuinely, "Then W cubed it shall be." she paused and then continued, "So W to the third, are you going to be this much trouble all year or are you just getting it out of your system early on?" she asked teasingly....she already could tell he was going to be an onery one but she saw no problem with having some fun...well until someone got hurt that is.

Gemma smiled at the Healer as she woke up...and she let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. "O goodness, i'm glad I did that right...I was hoping you weren't supposed to drink it..." she could just picture in her head the fiasco that might have caused if she had made the Healer drink the concoction...it was a strong smell and who'm do you call when the Healer needs a another Healer...not it...she thought..."Well, I'm glad I was right here when it happened and that we had just discussed the Ravvie boy or I, sadly, would've been useless..." she said with a shrug of her shoulders.

The young professor smiled at the Lion Prefect. She loved to see the young woman's smiling face...and of course, her baked goods...this was one of the highlights of the feast...yes yes yes..."Hello Kurumi!" she said excitedly. "Thank you so much for the goodies as usual...and congrats on being prefect again!" she said with a little nod up and down and a little louder than her first statement so that the new professors would know that these cookies weren't spit in or poisoned or anything...or atleast they hadn't been in the past and she couldn't see them being now.... "I look forward to seeing you in class again this term..." she said excitedly.

Seren's head snapped up at the sound of Hacate's voice. Frankly, the woman was rather intimidating, how she was ever allowed to teach was beyond her, but at ay rate she wasn't going to be unpleasant.
"Had I had the opportunity I would have," be as it were Max had jumped in rather unexpectedly, "... but I would have done so in a more sensitive manner. There is no need to hound first years Hecate, we've all been there before." Children were still children, and a world like Hogwarts was always an overwhelming experience whether they were from magical families or not.



Experimenting... generally speaking experimenting usually equated to something bad happening. Hopefully this wasn't case for the cookies... because that would be a shame, and every herbologist loved their stomach. "I'm uuhh... sure it'll be delightful, once I get passed the eyes... they're um.. disconcerting." Indeed, having lifted the lid on the box to take a peek, the red eyes and the green eyes of the spiders seemed to penetrate to her core. Creepy.

"I look forward to it," she replied, giving Kurumi a strong nod of head. After all there was nothing more inspiring than a good old get together with all that team spirit stuff. In fact... coming to think about it, perhaps the lions could benefit from another house focused pep rally. Or something.



"Oh I'm so sorry to hear that... my condolences." Was it too late for condolences? Seren hadn't found herself in a situation like this before, dealing with death was an unknown. Talk about awkward...
Still Elise seemed to be coping with it quite well now, even if her home life wasn't what it used to be. Seren only hoped it wouldn't hinder the girl in her grades... Herbologically, she was well on track, so that had to count for something.

She deserved it? Now that was an interesting thought. The House Cup was more of a student victory, not really something she could earn. All she could do was support and inspire her troops, which she would do without a doubt.
"Thank you, but I think you'll find that a ot of people, and a lot of houses deserve the victory."

"Enjoy the feast, I'll see you in class."



Something wasn't quite right, there seemed to be an air of awkwardness between herself and the young Ravenclaw. Why? Had she said something previously to offend the girl? ... or not said something? Seren was lost.

Her thoughts were confirmed-- to an extent, when Beatrice addressed her by her proper name. Professor Bentley... it seemed strange and unnatural coming from the Ravenclaw, and this phenomenon certainly deserved an eyebrow raise.

"I did...." she replied with caution, wondering how to approach the situation. "Is there something the matter?"
Blunt and to the point.



Wide eyed with surprise, Seren watched as the elf stood on the staff table. Where in the house elves guide to proper etiquette did it say they could stand on tables? She wasn't the type to discriminate elves, but she wasn't about to let them do whatever they pleased... it would be just as rude for a wizard to stand on a table.

Odd... as for naming the baby elf, good luck.

... perhaps larcen... taken from the word larceny, seeing as the infant elf was so fond of stealing things. It was a good thing she wasn't the one doing the naming.. otherwise the elf would be sorely disappointed.

The kids could deal with it, and enjoy it no doubt.


Now FOOD! time to eat!
Filling her plate with a couple of lamb cutlets and some roast vegetables, Seren then took up the gravy boat and with the expression of sheer pleasure flooded her plate with the glorious amber liquid.
It HAD to be better than last terms.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie

Starting at one end of the table with an unfamiliar face (Professor Jenkins) beside the familiar one of Professor Hadley, Kurumi bowed to this section of the table. "Good evening, Professor Hadley," Kurumi smiled as she reached into her medium sized box for some smaller ones containing the results of her experimentation and her brothers' dare and a small cake. "And...welcome to Hogwarts, professor."

Her gaze and box giving continued, bringing her to stop in front of Professor Roslund. "I hope you enjoyed the train ride, Professor Roslund," she said, eyeing him slightly and glancing at Professor Schirmer. The two sandwiched a new professor the one who looked like he liked hugging trees and she bowed to them all before handing out a box to each. There was another new professor beside the Charms professor, and Kurumi offered her another bow with a smile before setting a small box in front of her as well. "Good evening and welcome to Hogwarts," she said to those new faces. "My name is Kurumi Hollingberry."

Just as William was getting hungry and starting to reach for some vegetables and roasted chicken, dessert arrived in the hands of the Gryffindor Prefect. Watching eagerly as the girl moved down the table, doling out desserts, Will had to contain himself and his glee as she delivered a cookie and a cake...?!

"ARE THOSE ACROMANTULA COOKIES?!" he couldn't help exclaiming, practically bouncing in his seat despite the obnoxious pumpkin stain all over his pants. "WOW. Miss Hollingberry," he reached out for a spider cookie and shoved in his mouth all at once, chewing with great fervor, "THESE ARE AWESOME."

Maybe, just maybe, she, too, was a fan of big hairy creatures and hugging trees??

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhoenixRising

And that was how proper, mature adults acted. With the introductions and nice to meet yous. But of course, she doubted that some the new professors needed to introduce each other, that still didn't mean they could set poor examples for the students.

"So ... did you attend Hogwarts as a student?" Or was he like some of her other both former and present colleagues, whereas this was his first time in the castle.

Oh, Josephina was still talking to him. Ah. Will leaned forward around Ed a bit and nodded at her. "I did. I graduated in 2065, as a Slytherin...." he eyed her face for a bit and raised a brow. "You were a Hufflepuff, weren't you? A few years older than me, maybe?"

He had taken it upon himself to study the pretty Hufflepuff girls closely back in his Hogwarts days. After all, Natasha had been a Puff....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nordic Witch

Stretching out a hand to grab the bottle of juice Edvard know noticed the orange stuff on the pants owned by the guy sitting next to him. "Sorry, I hope the stench clears." He offered sympathetically. It was no small wonder then that the guy hadn’t jumped jump to shake his hand.

"Pleasure to meet you too William," Er what? Shrugging he let the nickname go thinking that it was just something the man had picked up when he hadn’t been there. "Going to bring in any new creatures to the grounds? It has been a bit empty of late."

Yeah, Will hoped it cleared too. He wasn't making such a good impression right now.

"New creatures? OF COURSE I will be bring in new creatures!" he responded to Ed's question with a lot of enthusiasm. "I plan to open two sanctuary-type areas where students can practice taking care of animals on their own --- none of the excessively dangerous kind, naturally --- and perhaps I'll even allow the kids to adopt an animal or two, should they be capable of caring for it!"

Will was positively beaming with his plans for the school year thus far. "Are you an animal lover, Ed? You should swing by the grounds some time. I've got an ashwinder about ready to lay some eggs. I think."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nimma

Little Nimma looked very cross for an elf indeed. Nimma was to say words to studentsies but studentsies were not sitting to listen to Nimma's words! Did studentsies not think Nimma's words were important? Did they not want to eat food that elves had prepared? Nimma knew that elf food was good and this term they had not made any mistakes at all!

She popped up on the staff table and gave some of the students some very very cross elf looks. Especially the cookie prefect. Nimma could make things very hard for the cookie prefect, she could! Nimma could make the cookie prefect not allowed to be in kitchens if cookie prefect did not go and eat and sit and listen like Master Head Master had said studentsies should do!

Nimma cleared her little throat.

"I have words for studentsies. A humble elf request for studentsies. Nimma and Tinka and Pips and Quirly and other elves have all worked very very hard this summer. Elf matters are important to elves and our elf matter is our Baby Elf. Our Baby Elf does not have a name, and our Baby Elf does not like names that Nimma and other elves have chosen! Nimma asks students respectfully to help Nimma and other elves name our Baby Elf. Nimma would please invite students to make name suggestions and Nimma and other elves shall make a big list of names and all names can be picked and chosen from a big list and studentsies can choose the name! This is a big special honor bestowed by elves, studentsies." She bowed furiously. "Nimma thanks studentsies for helping last year and Nimma would like help now too. Nimma says thank you and humbly asks for names to be put on papers and slipped under the kitchen door! Nimma thanks studentsies again! Nimma shall go now." She bowed and disapparated with a pop.

Speaking of new creatures.... whoa whoa! William almost choked on his cookie from Kurumi as one of Hogwarts' house elves suddenly appeared on their table, all to make an announcement about naming a BABY house elf.

Oooh what a magical creature! Will of course gave the elf a round of applause, though he seemed to be the only professor to do so, and beamed as she disapparated. Awesome. Now he had a legitimate reason to head down to the kitchens: to check on the baby elf! He'd never seen one before! It was probably adorable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lezleighd

She smiled genuinely, "Then W cubed it shall be." she paused and then continued, "So W to the third, are you going to be this much trouble all year or are you just getting it out of your system early on?" she asked teasingly....she already could tell he was going to be an onery one but she saw no problem with having some fun...well until someone got hurt that is.

All right, she had him smiling now. "Trouble? Me? Never...." Willy drawled, a certain glint of mischievousness dancing about in his eyes. "Whatever gave you the impression that I'm trouble, Miss Cerulean?"

OLIVER was the one she should be worried about. He had half a mind to warn her now.

Huh? Had she jumped to conclusions far too rapidly again? Flushing, she looked back at Oliver. That's what happened when she assumed; she really ought to know by know that assumptions were bad. "Oh. You went to Hogwarts together?" Fina glanced over at the Healer again; she looked a few years younger than herself, but there was something vaguely familiar about the blond.

Was that sarcasm? It wouldn't surprise her with how he and William played jokes. "Divination? The only form of Divination I ever seemed to be able to master was Divination with numbers," she mused, forking some potatoes into her mouth.

She chewed quietly for a moment but then turned to him as he asked a question. Swallowing the potatoes, she smiled. "That's easy. Charms. Considering I taught it for two years in South Africa." But Arithmancy was still her number one, despite Charms being a close second.

Good luck? For what? Automatically, her hazel eyes drifted for a moment to the Hufflepuff table, curious to see if the fifth year had been inferring to her house. But no, no indication of that really. "Likewise to you, as well." It was the girl's OWL year. Luck and hard work were going to be quite foreseeable in the Prefect's future months.

"Excellent time. I think Seren enjoyed herself too, even," Fina said, turning back to her other side to look at the Astronomy Professor. "We even attended the wedding of the former Healer, Lilyan Moretti, while we were there. Good times." She wondered if Edvard had heard of Lily, as now that she recalled, Lily left the term before he started at Hogwarts.

"He was always good with Magical Creatures, so I think... the position suits him." Fina nodded thoughtfully, thinking again about her chance meeting with Atticus. She sighed, taking another forkful of potatoes, she barely heard Eddie's mutterings. Pondering over whether to respond to that, before she could change her mind, her voice took over from her thoughts, "You're at Hogwarts now and besides, you went to the school you did for a reason." Everything happened for a reason. Didn't it? Just like her meeting with her former schoolmate...

"Had you been a student at Hogwarts, who knows if you'd have returned to teach?" and it'd be a pity if he hadn't.

2065. Slytherin. So that meant he was three years younger than her, but wait what? He remembered her?

"You have quite the memory..." Fina said, studying him for a moment, trying to place his face in her own mind. She really SHOULD have remembered him. Especially if he knew her; that only made her feel worse for not paying him any mind from her third year up.

"You're welcome, Professor Magnus," Kurumi smiled as a knot formed in her stomach again. "I...um....sorry that I never set up a proper meeting with you last term. If it is alright, could I perhaps have a private meeting with you in your office sometime?"

And...had Professor Magnus just given Professor Roslund a look? Didn't she have a daughter? Scandal! Well, perhaps there was one or perhaps Kurumi was looking too far into things. Besides, Professor Roslund had been kissing the Charms professor on the train or so she thought.

"Thank you, on all accounts professor," she smiled in return, offering one more bow before moving down the table.
Kurumi frowned. She thought that of all the professors that Professor Bentley would like the spiders and appreciate their creepy beady eyed candies. Spiders were, after all, vital to all gardens in keeping down the insect population. Still, she did say that she would eat it later.

Smiling to the Herbology professor, Kurumi took her leave.

And just as Kurumi was about to say one last thing to the Headmaster, Kurumi nearly jumped out of her robes when the one professor did all but leap over the table at her. AHA! So he WAS the new Care of Magical Creatures professor. At least, that seemed even more likely now judging by his reaction.

"Y-Y-Yes, sir," Kurumi said nervously. Awesome? For some reason hearing that word come out of a professor's mouth gave her the giggles.
*----------*
Figuring that she really should be heading back to her table, Kurumi moved herself one last time in front of the Headmaster, her cheeks flushing just a bit and she leaned in ever so slightly. She wasn't sure if this information should be public or not, but seeing as she had come across it in her research while looking up famous witches and wizards for Professor Scabior's assignment, she figured that it was alright to bring it up.

"Headmaster Tate," she said with a sheepish smile on her face. "I also wanted to say....happy birthday."

"Cela is still suffering from that incident," Max retorted. "Which is why I still recommend that you get a Snargaluff seedling in your office. You could talk to it, nurture it, and feed it a raw steak when disciplining problem students. Just the sight of the plant feeding will scare 'em straight!"

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhoenixRising

2065. Slytherin. So that meant he was three years younger than her, but wait what? He remembered her?

"You have quite the memory..." Fina said, studying him for a moment, trying to place his face in her own mind. She really SHOULD have remembered him. Especially if he knew her; that only made her feel worse for not paying him any mind from her third year up.

Quite the memory.... "Not really," Willy commented idly, looking up from his food to meet Josephina's eyes before looking quickly away. No, he only remembered what he had a reason to remember.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie

And just as Kurumi was about to say one last thing to the Headmaster, Kurumi nearly jumped out of her robes when the one professor did all but leap over the table at her. AHA! So he WAS the new Care of Magical Creatures professor. At least, that seemed even more likely now judging by his reaction.

"Y-Y-Yes, sir," Kurumi said nervously. Awesome? For some reason hearing that word come out of a professor's mouth gave her the giggles.

Heh. "Amazing," Willy nodded, finishing chewing his spider cookie with a happy grin. "Those are great; you send send me the recipe, all right?"

He went back to his meal and tucked in, finishing it rather quickly and with a happy sigh. Looking around, William noticed that most of the students had finished and were being herded off to their respective common rooms for bed, most looking sleeping and far too full.

The young professor pushed back his chair to go do the same, all too eager to get out of his embarrassing khakis. "Nice to see you again, Thea," he remarked toward the woman on his left, "and nice to meet you, Ed." Then with a nod toward each and a flick to Olly's head as he left, William vacated the feast.