Alexa dragged her feet on her way over to the Gryffindor table. In her mind she was still trying to figure out how she would eat the sorting hat. Bloody thing stuck her in Gryffindor knowing that she needed to be placed in Ravenclaw for everything to run smoothly. Well, soon enough it would get what was coming to it so she probably wouldn't worry about it too much.

"Hi everybody!" She said, flashing them all a big smile.

She settled in among the students at the table who all knew each other and all didn't know her.

That wouldn't last very long.

"I'm Alexa." For all of you that might have missed my turn at the sorting hat...

Looking to the end of the table she an all too familiar face then felt all the blood rush out of her own. Wasn't that...wasn't that the girl she had hoped to not be in the same house with...? Kurumi? So that was her name! She sunk down slightly in her seat hoping she hadn't noticed her appearance at the table and tried listening to all the floating conversations.

Nothing really caught her attention, except Angel a bit further up at the table until the Kurumi girl pulled out some cookies and they started going around the table. She took one and bit into it. "Wow, these are amazing!" They really were, even if they were from an older kid who liked yelling.

The ride with those portkeys was never a pleasant one to the little lioness and she just wanted to forget it all because it almost made her vomit in front of everyone else. But then the ride on the carriage could replace this kind of unpleasant memory of hers before she could really arrive at Hogwarts, her only home.

Tiffany entered the Great Hall with a few hops and jumps. She was extremely excited about the coming term even though it seems like it didn't come out to be a perfect one since the accident on the train but then she was sure that it would not be a big deal at all and this school, those professors can always keep this little girl safe and sound. Luckily she only had a few bruises when she landed on the platform with those portkeys, if not she may not be able to attend the feast at all.

The first thing she could remember when she entered the hall was the cookies from Kurumi, their dearest perfect and her dear sister. She followed the smell and headed to the Gryffindor's table as she spotted her, already giving out her cookies to every lion at the table. "Kurumiiiiii!"she beamed as she ran to her side, couldn't help but come out with a big hug since they barely could meet each other during summer time and not even at DA nor on the train. As she released her grip, she noticed that there was another girl standing next to her, crutch-ed. Probably got injured during the portkey ride. "You okay?"she asked gently, even though she had never met this girl before.

Taylor didnt want to stay at her table so she wandered over to her brother's table to go talk to him, not really in the mood to go talk to her boyfriend. She sat down next to Max and hugged him, "Hey! I am going to bug you for a bit... I hope you dont mind." Tay smiled at him.
Taylor heard Alexa from her seat by Maxwell. She chuckled and smiled, getting up and going over to her, "Hey lil bit." She ruffled the firstie's hair.

Maxwell smiled, happy to see a friendly face. "Of course i don't mind. You're always welcome to hang out." He said thinking, 'Thank God someone to keep me out of my mind...' He didn't feel safe in his own thoughts at the moment so having someone around was excellent.

Tay smiled, "I am glad that you dont mind." She looked at him, "You and I need to have an adventure as soon as possible!" Tayloro kissed his cheek, knowing that he needed distractions, "I need to find you a gal soon too..."

Lex whipped around when she felt someone messing around in her hair. Oh! "Taylor!" She said with a wide smile, making no attempt at fixing her hair. It didn't make sense to, it was already pretty ruffled from the days events and even if it wasn't she was bound to mess it up anyway. She looked around for another minute curiously. "Where's you other half?"

Maxwell nodded. "We never did end up following that map.." He said with a raised eyebrow and a devilish amount of mischief in his eyes. "If you're still up to it.." He asked wondering if the remembered the map they found second year. "I'm sure you will, but no hurry." He said wanting to find someone special and not just any girl.

"Doing much better now that I am back at Hogwarts," Kurumi managed to almost laugh convincingly. There was still an obvious tone of nervousness to her voice, but that was mostly due to the aftermath of the train and having to bandage and splint so many students. It had all only proven to Kurumi that a career in Healing was SO not for her. "How are you?"

Again. The compliments. Kurumi's cheeks turned the color of ripe peaches instantly and she couldn't help but chew on the inside of her cheek for a few moments as she tried to compose her body's temperature that was rising like crazy. "I-I-I wouldn't call myself...amazing..." she somewhat mumbled, sounding more like a first year than the seventh year that she was. "Just glad to bring smiles back to all of you, especially after today's events."

Which was soon where the discussion went. "I...I don't know, to be honest," she sighed as she shrugged her shoulders. "The Hogwarts Express runs on different sorts of magic than those monitored by the Ministry...or so I've read... but it seems, odd...the train breaking down, having all those visitors..." She trailed off as her eyes drifted towards the staff table. A table that was looking to be very VERY crowded this term.

"Hello Maxwell," Kurumi smiled, bowing her head to the returning lion as he made he way to the table. The cuts and scrapes on his face didn't go unnoticed, but at least he wasn't in splints and bandages. "You doing alright?" There were cookies dancing around above his head if he needed a pick me up of sorts.

Deciding not to stay seated anymore, Kurumi got up and began to walk around the Gryffindor table just a bit when she heard her name being called and spun around on the spot. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped slightly at the sight of tiny little Alice on crutches. "Alice! I'm so glad to see you!" Kurumi chirped as she refrained from throwing her arms around the young lioness. That wouldn't be the best of ideas considering her balance was probably all coley wobbled at the moment. "How are you? Feeling better?"

Kurumi assumed Walnut had made his way up to the common room now and was sitting on his throne waiting for them all to come. He knew better than to show up at a feast...hopefully.

And then Melanie joined them soon after. "Oh! Welcome to Gryffindor!"

Kurumi's smile widened juuuuuuuuust a bit when she saw the look of shock and surprise on this one. It was probably a little bit of Selina rubbing off on her there, but it still was amusing and downright ironic that this one had been sorted into Gryffindor. Merlin would she be surprised when Selina showed up as well. "Welcome to Gryffindor, Alexa," Kurumi beamed. Yep, she knew your name now AND had seen you. Hello!

Flicking her wand again towards all the dancing cookies, sending them on a slightly different circular path around the table - sort of in a zig zag pattern - Kurumi returned her violet gaze to the young lion. "I am glad you like them," she nodded as she pocketed her wand again. "Expect loads more throughout the term."
OOOOOOOOOOOOF!

Kurumi hadn't been expecting the sudden hug from behind that had come, but it wasn't exactly unwelcomed either. Kurumi had grown accustomed to hugs now, thanks to six terms of experience, and her personal bubble wasn't as easily burst. Not that she went around hugging everyone all the time, she just didn't shutter back when people offered her one. Or just came at her like right now.

Turning her head slightly, Kurumi's expression softened even more when she saw that it was Tiffany that had latched herself onto the seventh year. "Hi Tiffany," she laughed as she tried to return the hug as best she could. "It's good to see you again." Healthy and unscratched to boot. "Alice ran into some bad luck on the train, but she'll be alright." Alice could speak for herself, of course, but the smile the little Gyffindor wore was proof enough that Kurumi was right. "You make it here alright? No injuries?"

Taylor smiled at the first year. She chuckled at the question, "He is probably at his house table." Tay shrugged, "I came over to bug my brother." Taylor gestured to Maxwell, "But then I heard your voice and I just had to come over and talk to you." She laughed, "Congrats on getting gryffie." Tay smiled at the younger girl.
Taylor smiled at him and laughed about the devilish look of mischief in his eyes, "Of course, I am still up to it, bro." She smirked with some mischief in her eyes as well. Tay laughed, "Yeah because the girl has to be perfect for ya!" Taylor beamed at him.

Maxwell nodded to Kurumi. "Hey, yeah i'm all right. Needless to say i'm no big fan of portkey travel." He said with a small laugh. "Just a long day and a bit of an odd summer, but hopefully it'll be a great term." He said. Max had resolved not to share the loss of his mother with too many people, he didn't want pity, he just wanted to be treated like normal.

Maxwell smiled. "Good! I've left it alone, i didn't want to go where it lead without you." He proclaimed and laughed and nodded to the second part. "Exactly, she has to be awesome!"

Tay smiled, "You are amazing, bro." She laughed and hugged him again. "Yeah, that she has to be."

POP.

Algamus appeared at the Gryffindor table to see the studentsies from the house of red and gold chatting and blabbering on. Blah, blah, blah. He waddled along, and oh! There was the prefectsie with the shiny badge. Yes, that one had that badge for a looooooong time, she did. And she kept it nice and shiny. He waddled along further and inspected the new studensties. And the oldies, too, mhmmmm.

Kurumi laughed softly. "Neither am I. No matter how many times I've traveled it I never land on my feet." Then again, Kurumi actually DID prefer nonmagical transportation to wizarding. Brooms were terrifying. Floo was somewhat creepy. Apparition seemed frightening yet essential. "Well, I hope it is a great term, for everyone."

Especially since this would be her last one.
It was the familiar POP! that had caught the seventh year's attention and her head snapped around half expecting to see Nimma but instead a different familiar pair of ears was there. "Evening Algamus," Kurumi smiled, bowing her head to the house elf as he waddled around.

Maxwell smiled, thankful for his sister. "You're not to bad yourself." He hugged her back. "And i'm sure if anyone can find her it'll be you." He said confident in her.

And.. and here was Melanie! Hehe. She got a hug from a Melon. Alice hugged her back, all the while wondering what Melanie was doing at the Gryffindor table. Was she a Gryffindor?! "MELANIE! What're you doing here?! Are.. are.. you a Gryffindor?!" OHYAY. That meant that Alice and Melanie would be ROOMMATES. Oh gosh. So fun. It took all of Alice's strength to keep herself from hopping around in excitement. Which she couldn't do because of her stupid leg. "That's so awesome. We're going to LIVE together." Best. Day. Ever. Apart from breaking her leg and all. But, yeah, you get the point.

"Yeah, I'm okay," she told her friend reassuringly. "It hurts a little when I walk on it, but that's why I have the crutches, see?" She held out a crutch for Melanie. They were kind of fun to walk on. You didn't wave to move your legs at all, you just had to swing them. "I'm in one piece! It's okay, Mel. Caaaaalm doooown." BUT. Enough about herself! She wanted to know about MELANIE. "What did the Sorting Hat say? What did it tell you? What happened?!"

You sure missed a lot when you broke your leg.



And here was someone else next to Kurumi! Alice smiled back at the person. "I'm okay. I just broke my leg when some trunks fell on my leg when the train stopped, it's really nothing." She didn't understand why everyone thought a broken leg was bad. Worse things happened at Hogwarts, right? "Did you hurt yourself? Are you okay?" The lioness hoped more people weren't hurt. She didn't like it when people were upset. And this girl seemed rather nice, so she most definitely would not like it if she was hurt.



Alice smiled back at Kurumi. The Prefect seemed happy, surrounded by little Gryffindors and friends, and it was hard not to let her mood to get to you. The air just seemed happy. "I'm glad to see you, too." She really was. She wanted to thank Kurumi for helping her out, especially when so many other people had needed her attention as well. "Yeah, I'm okay. I'll visit the Healer right after the feast and she can mend me up really quickly! Until then, I guess I'll just work with the crutches.." They weren't so bad. Honestly. And she could poke things with them.

"I dropped the pretty.. I mean, err, HANDSOME.. kitty of at the Common Room before I came down. Last I saw, he was curled up by the fire and licking himself." Cats were odd creatures.. but they were still adorable. "I figured you wouldn't want me to bring him down.." He would probably lunge at the fish on the table or something. Didn't cats like fish? "What about you? Have the devilish ickle firsties collapsed you from exhaustion yet?" She gave Kurumi a small smile. They definitely were a handful this year, they were.

Tay smiled at him, "Thanks." She laughed, "Yeah, I am sure." Taylor nodded, "You know what, Maxwell?"

Sarah looked and saw Ira, who had been one of the first sitting at the table. "My vacation was super!" She said "I did get bruised and grazed- yet I am a Gryffindor. Lion's aren't wimps! We don't cower at the slightest injury!" Sarah exclaimed proudly. She was proud to be a lion! "Thankfully skin heals, and I was anyways not planning on revealing my knees in any case!" Sarah said. Her mother was very strict with Sarah dressing modestly and covering her knees and elbows and not wearing pants and stuff, and now it become second habit. Anyway, her knobbly knees were not at all attractive, especially not now with a graze occupying centre stage.


Sarah laughed again "yeah it was, yet I am a growing girl. Hopefully lengthwise, not width wise!" Sarah's soft spot was her short height. Her baby brother was catching up too fast! Her mom always said to her that dynamite comes in small packages and it will give her more choice in husbands... yet it was still awful to be short. During the holidays her muggle aunt had given birth at the muggle hospital. Only people over then twelve were allowed to visit, so Sarah could go. Yet the hospital staff would not let her in - claiming that she was younger than twelve. Her mother said later that many women would only be too glad to look younger then they are and Sarah was lucky to have inherited young skin. Yet Sarah hated people thinking she was ten!

Sarah smiled at the compliment, she never blushed yet she had the internal blush, that was not visible. Her face did not go red! Her prefect was proud of her? That was awesome. She hoped to do it again this year! Sarah loved her prefect who was actually one of her role models... She was so nice to EVERYBODY! And everyone liked her in turn.

"To me it is just a saying - I don't actually keep my finger's crossed... Yet there are people who do." Sarah smiled again, she prayed instead. "Yet hoping is all right. Yet if he doesn't get into Gryffindor, I shan't be upset. After all does the sorting hat not know best. I would hate for him to be in the wrong house! Each house is for a different kind of student. Different strokes for different folk!"


"Yeah, I am fine. Putting it in prospective my injuries are rather minor. Had I gotten while playing around outside I would have taken it in more stride, yet what happened happened." Sarah said with a dramatic sigh "Can I call your Ari?" Sarah asked. The girl's real name sounded hard to pronounce, never mind spell.

"Hello Alexa" she said to the first year who came in and announced her arrival. That girl was brave, Sarah remembered how meek she had felt at the welcoming feast last year.

Then she saw another fellow lion that she had had a whole conversation in the dorm with last year, "Hello Tiffany!" she said to the girl.

Then Sarah leaned forward and said in a stage whisper "I think the Hogwarts Express rebelled against the Board of Governers who were riding on it. Maybe Hogwarts was meant to be left alone. Yet, don't get me wrong, I am thankful to the BoG for making sure things are good here, yet isn't accompannying us on the train a bit overprotective? Unless it was staged..." There she was jumping to conclusions...



There was a house elf at the Lion's table this year too. She wondered if it were tradition or something, yet she had to thank it. "Hi! Nice to see you! Thank you for keeping Hogwarts so nice and clean" Sarah said to the little thing.

Landon Hughes had just gotten sorted and he made his way over to the Gryffindor table, where the red and gold banners hung. It was purely amazing and the fact that there were floating candles everywhere made it even more amazing. He was about to sit when he saw those two familiar girls. Melanie and Alice.

When he had grabbed onto the portkey, he had lost the two girls and ended up having to go up to Hogwarts by himself from Hogsmeade. He was so worried about him and seeing Alice with her crutches and splint made him even more worried. What had happened since he had lost them? He ran over to the two girls and gasped as he caught sight of Alice. "What happened?" He asked, worried and then looking over at Melanie. He grabbed her face in his hands, pushing her cheeks together to almost look like a fish. "You're not hurt either are you?" He said, teasing her a little, but still worried. He never liked it when his friends were hurt, even when it was his two favorite girls.

The now Gryffindor boy took a seat beside Melanie, awaiting the explanation of how Alice had gotten hurt so much. As he waited he heard a rumor going around about how James had gotten hurt as well. His eyes widened and he frowned. How come everyone had gotten hurt?

She jumped slightly when she heard the girl say her name. So much for blending in! Sigh. She would have to work on that before the term started.

Wait....

Lex was now very suspicious....if the Kurumi girl was in this house...then...then what house was scary bat girl in?! Merlin she didn't know how she would handle it if they were both in this house! She could just see it. Being chased around the common room with the girl holding some intimidating weapon. There would be no escape.

O_____O

Eeep.

Oh but then Kurumi told her that there would be more cookies during the term. Okay, she was happy again and all was forgiven for this one. "Really? Wow...I'm really gonna like this house!" Minus, scary bat-girl of course. "Did you make these?"

Lex turned to a girl that had said hi to her and flashed her a wide smile. "Hello! And what's your name?" See it was good meeting people and even better knowing there names so they wouldn't be pointless passer-bys!

"Ohhhh...so then you two aren't in the same house?" Now there was a shock for her. She'd think that people who seemed so inseparable would have landed in the same house in the first place but apparently not! "And who's your brother?" who was in Gryffindor and perfectly fair game for her to bug sometime. "Oh and thanks...just wished I had gotten Ravenclaw thought because now I have to eat the sorting hat."



Peeping around Taylor she say something that made her face light up! She flew up from her seat immediately and tip-toed quickly over to the little house elf that was going around looking at everyone.

Closer....closer...

Tackle.

"Hi there little guy!" She said after trying to tackle the little cutie to the floor. "Watch'ya lookin' fooooor?" she asked curiously.

Maxwell nodded. "Anytime!" And then he looked curious. "What?" He asked wondering what she had to say.

Arabella-Marie entered the great hall grumpy and well hungry it was a very long journey and she hoped that her wrist was okay she felt it was a bit broken but she didnt have time to see the healer on the platform before heading up to the school

Taylor smiled and shook her head, "No he is a puff and I am a Claw." She laughed. "Dont eat the sorting hat, it probably taste stale and you dont know whos head it was on..." Tay wrinkled her nose then giggled.

Tay smiled, "I am happy that it didnt work out with us because we are so much better as siblings." She giggled and looked at him, "Less fighting and more fun."

Tay smiled and saw Arabella-Marie, "Hey, Arabella!" She waved to her friend.

Maxwell nodded. "Me too, plus it's nice to see Mom and Dad so happy.." He said knowing it would have always been weird for their parents otherwise.

Arabella-Marie smiled and waved back at Tay and said "Hey Tay"

Melanie didn't wanna let go of Alice. Her Queen Alice was hurt. But she let go... just because it must be hard standing with crutches and having someone hug you. She smoothed her hair out and beamed at the Gryffindor. "Thank you so much!" she exclaimed, sticking her hand out. "I don't think we formally met, I'm Melanie." Because introductions were important. Especially since this girl had a shiny badge. Her mom had told her that too - to respect those who were older and in positions of power, like this girl.

Was Melanie a Gryffindor? She supposed what Kurumi said had basically answered the blonde's question. "I'm a Gryffindor~" Melanie said in a sing song sort of voice, giggling when Alice said that they'd live together. More time for Melanie to put Alice in some pretty dresses. She wondered if Miss Shiny Badge would like to help. Couldn't she make some rule or something that Alice had to wear a dress once a week or something? She relaxed, taking in a deep breath then letting it out, smiling at the younger girl. It was definitely good that Queen Alice was alright. "The hat just... sad some things and put me here," Melanie said shrugging her shoulders.

Was the hat supposed to say something in particular? She wasn't sure.

There was another girl (Dan and Emma<3) there too. Melanie looked at the other girl, who she assumed was a Gryffindor because she was at the Gryffindor table and smiled. "Hello," she greeted politely before Landon came over.

She had totally lost him after the portkey. Before she could say anything though, Melanie's face was being squished. Ahhhh. Why did he do that? "Laaanndddooooooooooooooooooonnnn," Melanie said as her cheeks were squished to look like a fish. He had done that last time too. Was her face really that... squish-able? With a slight blush she removed his hands from her face. No squishing the new lion. Lions' faces didn't get squished, right?

She gave the boy a big hug. "I'm fine, are you alright?" Melanie asked. Because there seemed to be a looooot of hurt people... or just Queen Alice. But it was a big deal. Hearing a pop, Melanie looked around and saw... an elf?

What was an elf doing here? Melanie waved hello to the creature with a smile.