"Oooookaay." Kyrohs eyes flickered from the Professor to the girl who seemed to be giving him not to nice looks. Which couldn't mean anything good. Especially if her and the Professor had their own inside jokes and stuff.

If Culloden was looking for Dima too maybe he could try to find him...and get lost in the process. And never returned ever again. Kyroh was just going to put that plan into action when when he heard his friends voice not to far away. Pushing himself up from the couch, Kyroh glanced at a nearby table and then under it.

.....Did Dima have space under there for him to hide too?

Cosgrach had to spin around himself as his eyes surveyed the room twice to spot Dmitriy under the table.

...ooooh-kay. Okay. He frowned in confusion, but shrugged to himself a second later. This was a mistake, he should have chosen other students, but he didn't let his Slytherin suspicions get the better of him. Instead, he said "Yes, you," in a somewhat friendly tone and fished out two vials of potions from his pockets.

"This one's for you, Dmitriy," he said as he gently rolled the vial towards him. "I saw that you had to ask the others to teach you how to do spells, and although you learn fast," impressed professor was impressed, "I figured you can learn better with it. It's a mixture of Dresden Draught and Wit Sharpening Potion. I hope it will help you with learning spells faster." Oh, he knew, he knew, he was such a thoughtful professor! Except, he really was. Who would do that, hmm? He eyed Sophie briefly - was SHE impressed with him? Was she going to clap him? Hehehe.

He then walked to Kyroh and handled him his vial. The potion was dark blue like a night sky. "And I noticed your love for dragons, Kyroh," he turned to the other boy, "so I brewed the potion we learnt last year again for you. It's called Fire-Breathing Potion, and as you may guess, you breathe fire with it like a dragon. In the ancient times, it was created to honour the dragons, and it doesn't even have any dragon part in it." He smiled proudly as if it was his creation. Well, wasn't that the reason he didn't drink today's potion? Cosgrach hoped he would like this one. "When the flames touch someone else, they don't burn but tickle gently and they are pleasantly warm. And it is also god for small illnesses like flu and fever. But you shouldn't drink it. What you do is, keep it in your mouth and breathe. Do not drink, or -" he smiled maliciously, "it will burn your throat and stomach. You will also burp loudly and may even, er, fart." So, y'know, just saying.

"Now, as you might guess, you are the only ones getting these small gifts. I am giving them, because I like you." These two kids. He liked them. Happy, Kyroh? No letters going home. At least not yet. "Because you've impressed me. I think you deserve it more than anyone else." He cleared his throat. He wasn't good at complimenting others, okay? Okay. He eyed Sophie and tried to gauge her reaction.

Well? What was their reaction?

Moved around a lot? Charlie could relate, and she nodded her sympathy, even if she'd only moved (often) between two places. "Ah, I see. So where did you go before Beauxbatons?" She asked out of curiosity, really. "That definitely is good news. You know you belong if you feel that was already." And gosh wasn't Charlie glad for her? And a little jealous - it had taken her months to adjust and settle down here.

Charlie laughed at the evil stepmother comment of Jasmines. She made it sound as though she lived in a fairy tale, which she almost wished she did. "I don't think she's evil -" her branch of Herbology, developing medicines and things, kind of contradicted that. "- she just didn't like having me around." And wanted to focus on her father, and apparently their plans for a child.

Weird.

"I don't even have to deal with her then, I stay with my mum, or my sister." Because they seemed to care. Maybe this summer she would visit her father. Her curiosity for her new baby sister was actually mounting.

......Advice? ERM. Charlie flailed a little inside, unsure of what to say. "Do your homework, eat your vegetables, don't miss curfew." RIGHT, sensible head, Charlie, even though she herself only followed the first two notions. "And if you figure out what the Room of Requirement is, let me know." She wanted to see this magical place.

Culloden was giving the first years... potions?

For the presentation of the Dmitriy kid's gift, Sophie was amused and smiling a bit. She didn't need a Wit-Sharpening Potion or anything to help her think more clearly, and surely Culloden knew that, but it was awful nice of him to be willing to help one of the baby Ravenclaws out. When the professor shot a glance at her, she grinned, giving a nod of approval. Very honorable of him.

Soph still had half a vial of the fire-breathing potion, so she knew straight away what Culloden was giving Kyroh when he pulled it from his pocket, since she had just seen it stowed away in her potions kit earlier in the day. That was also very cute of him, tailoring his gift to what he knew the boy was interested in.

She was in good spirits until he said it: You are the only ones getting these small gifts. I am giving them, because I like you. Because you've impressed me. I think you deserve it more than anyone else.

Then, the seemingly generous act of gift-giving from Culloden became personal. He had never awarded her a cool potion, and she was his proclaimed favorite. Did she never impress him enough? Did the two first year boys deserve that kind of praise more than her, even? Had... she just been de-throned by two kids as his favorite students? But maybe... maybe he thought she didn't need anything like that. Maybe he knew she was capable of brewing virtually any fun potion she wanted, so it was silly to gift one to her. Or maybe he didn't really mean any of his praise to her over the last year and was just humoring her because she was his protege. Maybe he just didn't want to hurt her feelings, and this presentation of gifts to two Ravenclaw newbies was his way of breaking the news to her.

Calculating through the possibilities in her head over the course of a few long moments, Sophie's former grin was gone, but her face came to a mellow place of rest. There was no dominant expression of feeling on her features as she shut her journal and moved, quite calmly and casually, to the stairs and up to her dormitory as if nothing was wrong and she was coincidentally headed there right at that moment, not even daring to steal a glance at the professor.

Kate entered the common room from the girls' dormitory, carrying a stack of books and notes to help her do her astronomy homework. Generally ignoring all the other people in the room, she found an empty sofa and dropped her stack of things onto it before sitting next to her pile. Now, where had she copied the homework assignment? Ah, there, in her notebook. Kate opened the notebook to the page with the assignment and skimmed the page.

Options.

She didn't like having to choose what homework to do. She generally preferred being told what to do, so she could just go do it. Now she had to think about three assignments and choose which one she thought was most fun. Or rather, which one was slightly more fun than the other two. Let's see. What were her options…

Oh, she could answer questions. Nope. Boring.

Option two… writing a myth that explained why seasons changed? Hmm, that sounded interesting. Definitely better than just answering questions. But what was the other alternative?

A diagram or demonstration. Well, Kate was decent at drawing diagrams, but she didn't think she could make one any better than those used in class. And she didn't really have anyone to demonstrate the Earth's orbit to. So! Writing a myth explaining the seasons seemed like the obvious choice for her. Now she just had to write it. Hmm… Getting out her quill and turning to a fresh page in her notebook, Kate started doodling and scribbling notes for her story. She had to have the best story, so that clearly required prewriting. Yup.

Hope looked up and gave the girl a smile. "Not at all, Penelope." She sat the box on the floor and scooted over to the left a tad bit trying to make a little more room. "I'm Hope." She swayed a bit from side to side. "So, how do you like being at Hogwarts?" She new the girl was new. A first year. She had kept track of the people in her own year and she was a new faced that was young.

They were in trouble.

They were probably in so much trouble of Culloden decided to come into the Ravenclaw common room. Kyroh did not want to be in trouble. He really didn't! That was not his goal, he just wanted to learn and do magic and be cool and make friends!

As the Professor pulled out two vials, Kyroh just blinked, uncertain of what was going on.

Did the girl know? Did she know what was going on?

When Culloden rolled the vial over to Dima and explained what it was Kyroh's eyes grew. Ohh!! He wanted to learn spells more too! He did! But the contents in both vials looked so different. Did that mean Culloden didn't think he was smart enough to learn spells? The professor didn't think he was smart enough to learn spells......but he was smart see? He was a Ravenclaw! He could be smart like Dima! The boy's bottom lip wobbled just slightly, but he did his best to stop it when Culloden walked over to him.

Yes, he did love dragons he- fire-breathing potion. Kyrohs brown eyes widened as he took the vial from the Professors hands, forgetting all about thinking that the Professor did not think he was smart. Fire breathing. FIRE. FIRE BREATHING POTION! FIRE BREATHING POTION THAT CONTAINED NO DRAGONS! He listened, eyes locked with the Professors taking in EVERY SINGLE word that was being spoken.

......Culloden liked them? He did? Really? And they were the only ones getting these? Even though Kyroh had not drank the potion? EVEN THOUGH HE SAID HE WAS GONNA SEND A LETTER HOME TO HIS PARENTS?

Leaping off the chair, Kyroh BEAMED and gave the potions master a GIANT hug."I didn't know if I liked you before 'cause you were kinda scary but now I do 'cause you're not really" Not really that scary.

My, Charlie was full of questions wasn't she? "Well, first I went to muggle school in California, then we moved to Connecticut. I went to Salem briefly that time. Then we moved to Virginia and I had a tutor. Finally we moved to France and that's how I ended up at Beauxbatons." Now she was here at Hogwarts and hoped to have two stable years. "I'm sure that's more than you eveeeer wanted to know about me. You never told me where you were from.

When Charlie said that her step mother didn't want her around, Jasmine felt badly for her. How could you do that to your step child? It seemed like a wife would at least make an effort for their husband, if nothing else. "Well at least you have other options", Jasmine said. It was good that she could stay with her mom or sister and not have to be subjected to negative vibes.

Jasmine laughed when Charlie shared her words of advice. "I'll try very hard to do that. Thank you for sharing." And then Charlie mentioned the Room of Requirement. "Oh, I've heard about the Room of Requirement and it sounds awesome. I haven't actually seen it yet, but I will not stop until I do. How could you not want to see a place that could be whatever you wanted it to be? "When I find it, and I will, I'll be sure to let you know."

Charlie hoped that she wasn't annoying Jasmine with so many questions. It was just lovely getting to know her because they were going to be roommates and whatnot. Na'aw. She nodded as the other girl spoke, because WOW, she'd gotten around. Charlie was jealous at all the travelling, in all honesty. "Don't be silly, I'm liking getting to know you." Cue cute grin. And... Now it was her turn. "Well, my mother's from Poland and my fathers from Leicestershire, so I lived with my mum until my magic began to show." That was when things got awkward. She never didn't like her mother, but it had been awkward having no one to relate to when she'd started making things happen.

Geez, she'd only been six. "Then I started here in my fourth year, but I usually go to visit her at Christmas or Summer." Both, if they could afford it. It wasn't like Charlie and her family were poor, but flights? Wow, they cost an absolute fortune. She nodded her curls at the mention of options. Options were good right now.

"You're welcome," Charlie replied, with her own laugh. She hoped Jasmine knew that she wasn't being one hundred per cent serious, but... well, she guessed she'd find out soon enough, depending on what time the girl came to their dorms. "Thanks." That got another laugh. Maybe if she could find the room of requirement, Charlie could create her own personal haven?

Pretty much perfect. That was what Kate thought as she read through her astronomy homework assignment. Sure, maybe she had some grammar or spelling mistakes. She wasn't perfect. But the myth she'd made up to explain the seasons was quite convincing.

Pleased with herself, Kate closed her notebook and textbook and gathered her things. Bedtime. Yes. She had finished her homework, and now she could go to sleep. Carefully balancing her stack of astronomy stuff, Kate headed back up to the girls' dormitories.

Jasmine was enjoying talking to Charlie. It would be nice to have a roommate that she got along with and someone she could talk to about......things. Listening to Charlie's story, she knew it had to be hard to have to switch back and forth between parents. Jasmine knew what it was like to be separated from you father for long periods of time, just not for the same reasons.

"So do you have just the one sister or do you have other siblings?", she asked. "I have one of each, one brother and one sister that is". Jasmine thought about her siblings. She missed them terribly, but hopefully she would see them both at Christmas.

Jasmine thought again about the Room of Requirement. "I think I will start searching for the Room of Requirement soon, I want to find it so much. I'm hoping for a dance studio and a miniature golf course. What would you like the Room of Requirement to turn into?"

Blinking at the vial rolling toward him, Dima sort of... stared at the professor. Huh? Was he THAT badly behaved in the last lesson? Had Culloden noticed that he hadn't drank the potion like all the other kids in the class had? Was he trying to POISON him? Was that not illegal?

The first year had no idea what Dresden Draught and Wit-Sharpening Potion were, but he still picked up the glass and peered at the liquid stuff inside. For... for him? He'd IMPRESSED the Potions Master? Cupboardbin LIKED him, even after he'd called him the wrong name and done everything wrong?

He barely even heard about Kyroh's potion, 'cause he was so AWED.

When his friend leaped up to hug the man, Dima crawled out from under his table and hugged Culloden from BEHIND. Professor sandwich. "I like you too, sir! Lots! And I'll make sure I know EVERY spell we need before next lesson!" Even if he ran out of potion stuff! Even then!

Cosgrach knew she was upset. He could tell, even though her face was completely relaxed - he could tell, because she wasn't grinning and she picked to leave just at that moment. But he was also sure she would forgive him soon enough. Yeah. As long as she reached her bed... so for now, his attention turned to the boys who were examining their potions.

Pheeeeeew both seemed to have liked -

"Oooh-hahaha, boys-hehe!" He laughed at the show of affection and felt immensely great. He lived for this. The affection and laughter and love. Ehehe.

"I'm glad you like 'em," he said, "and I'm glad you like me now, Kyroh. And Dmitriy, you don't really have to learn all the spells. I just hope this mixture will help you."

Well, then... "If you don't have any more questions..." It was kind of late. They ought to sleep.

DOUBLE HUG! YEAH! Who knew that Kyroh could actually maybe like potions? That hadn't even been one of the classes he thought he could do well in! "I don't have any more questions professor." Kyroh let his arms fall, ending the double hug.He was going to breathe FIRE and do awesome things. Kyroh paused though for a second. "Thank you." He said, because he wasn't sure if he had said it, and THIS was something that deserved a thank you. It was the BEST way to end his first day.

Nigel was doing what he usually does in the common room. Sitting in his favorite chair and in his normal common room attire and trying not do to anything. Which is a lot harder than people think. All the distractions like homework, quidditch, starfishing. All make it harder to just stare at the ceiling and think of nothing.

See, even now he was getting idea about what would be fun to do. Like getting some fizzing whizbees and levitating all zen like. Cool and Zen.

Nothing else matters.

Though maybe he should go take a bubble bath just because he can and sing as loud as he wants. This year even fewer people were allowed in that bathroom. So the chances of getting interrupted were less. Though not like it would be awkward or anything. Still was the second best room in this school. First being the Room of Requirements of course

The Comfortable Room in the History of Forever.

*POP!*

Tinka appeared in the middle of the Ravenclaw Common Room with a wrapped package in her tiny elfsie hands. Shaking her ears a bit, she looked around for Prefect Hair. "Ah, there you be, Master Hair!" she said, rushing up to him. "This be for you! It be fresh from the laundry, Sir!"

She handed him a small bundle with a note on top.

Inside was his toga from class.

GALLIVANTING GARDEN GNOMIES!!

That was a surprise. Nigel usually never see house elf's in the common room. It was usually always neat for the random Professor that come on in or even rarer Headmistress. And their sudden apparating is always surprising and awesome. Wait, Tinka was looking for him. Awesome and Master Hair was a lot better than Mister Hair or just Hair.

Just saying.

"Oh, thank you Tinka"

Fresh from the laundry. Wonder what it is. He only did laundry one time in this castle and it result in a tiny suds fight. Awesome, buthe did not do laundry after that. Oh there was a note. Well only one person calls him that name. Nigel opened the package thing to see it was a clean toga.

AWESOME!!!

Now he knew what he was wearing in the common room. He would definitely have to thank Señora Domingo next Arithmancy lesson or whenever he sees her next.

Tinka bowed repeatedly in front of the Prefect. "That be all for Sir? Tinka need be back to cleaning if he have nothing else for Tinka." Her great orb-like eyes bulged in anticipation of some other task to perform.

Nigel was busy staring at his new clean toga to realize that Tinka was still here. "Oh, Yes that is all and thanks again Tinka" Now his lazy attitude was ruined by this awesome thing.

Bubble Bath, here Nigel comes

"Tinka be goings now then, Sir."

And with a loud CRACK! she disappeared back down to the laundry room.

Sitting by the fire, Jun had his new journal in hand and Charmander with him. Poor ferret was too cold upstairs so maybe the sweater and hat Jun had put on him would keep him warm. And the fire in front of them. Just recovering from a cold, Jun was in his Peter Pan onesie with an extra blanket. Now with brown hair, the boy was scribbling things down. Mainly just words that might work for a song and all. His ferret was curled up by his feet, snoozing away like always and everything. Jun wiggled his toes and woke him up. "Stop sleeping so much," he whispered to Charmander, who was waddling his way onto Jun's lap and back to sleep. Shaking his head and poking him lightly, he went back to writing and being distracted.

Coming down from her dormitory, Charlie muffled a yawn with the back of her hand as she dragged a brush through her hair with the other one. Padding towards the fire in her three-socked feet, she leant over the back of the couch to ruffle a brunette head of hair that she wasn't used to seeing.

She was used to seeing the head, actually - just not the colour of it.

"Let him sleeeeep." She managed, leaning over Juns shoulder to tickle the ferrets back with her manicured fingers. "Sleep is great." With super extra lots of blankets and a hot water bottle. This had to be the longest winter in history, Charlie couldn't help but think. Speaking of blankets, Jun had one. The girl flopped over the back of the couch to wiggle in next to him.

"Hi." By the way.

Jun jumped a bit at the sudden voice. He sniffled and rubbed his nose as he turned his head to look at the person. HAI CHARLIE. "He was just sleeping in the dorm earlier. Silly animal is always sleeping," Wherever he got the chance too. Jun would even have to wake Charmander up just to feed him. Seriously. He got more sleep than Jun did. Even from last term. Watching as Charlie wiggled in next to him, the boy grinned and wrapped the blanket around her more. "Hi," he nudged her.

"What have you been up to?"

"He's so not silly." Jun should stop being mean to his pet. Charlie would adopt him, otherwise, and let him sleep allllll of the time. It probably would help that that's what she tended to do, a lot, too. Pulling her hair around her shoulder, she continued brushing it as the boy wrapped the blanket around her, curling up next to him. Toassssty.

What had she been up to? What had she been upto? She shrugged a little, nudging him back. "Planning summer trips. Thinking about uni. Reading." The usual. "You?" Apart from waking your ferret up.

Hope was just stilling on floor of the common room. She had come up with a rather intricate design that she had placed down on paper while attempting to study, yes attempting, and she had a magnificent idea that struck her just at that moment. Why not lay it out using dominoes? So she did. All over the common room. If people weren't careful they could knock one over because she really did take up a lot of floor.

They spread around the couch, in front of the fireplace, next to the stairs and just EVERYWHERE. She had ten more to place and then she would stand up and observe it and then knock them over without hesitation.