Tom was hit by the smells of delicious breakfast foods as soon as he got close to the enormous doors leading into the Great Hall. He stopped in the doorway for just a moment to get a good look at the room, which he could admire a lot better now that the entire school wasn't crowded inside all at once... but mostly he was just overwhelmed by the sheer amount of food he could see on all four of the student tables.

He wondered where he should sit. The Slytherin table was very nearly empty, and he'd heard that students were allowed to sit at other Houses' tables if they liked. Should he introduce himself to some of the students from other houses? Or maybe instead of wasting time sitting down for breakfast, he should just grab something to go and take the opportunity to explore some of the castle?

It would be easier to decide if he knew somebody else in the Hall!

What was one to do when they were hungry, but didn't want to eat? Normally, it resulted in a good mind deliberation between the two extremes, and one would win out.

For Sabel, it ended up in complete indecision that led him to the great hall. Perhaps he would start with a cup of coffee and then maybe his gut would be willing to compromise. Maybe the smell of good food would help too.

Maybe he could just find a croissant or some such to eat, because eating was important and he'd done very little over the past few days. Someone was gonna poke his ribs and make a comment if he wasn't careful. So, maybe a croissant and some bacon.

Now the question was, which table did he want to snag said food from?



It seemed he wasn't the only one deliberating over location, given he nearly well ran over the kid halted in the middle of the hall. That, or the kid was trying to figure out which table had the most food, or the least, judging by the widened size of his eyes.

Clapping the kid on the shoulder, Sabel cast his gaze around the hall. "Gryffindor's got good views. Slytherin's got a bit of a breeze. Ravenclaw usually has the better juice. And the Badgers, are a friendly, chatty lot...if you like that sort of thing early in the morning."

And the staff table, had the coffee. Did he want to go up there? It was tempting, oh so tempting.

"Best hurry though. May look like a lot of food, but almost everyone here has two hollow legs." Proven fact.

Foooooood. Food was Noelle's best friend... well second best friend. Okay... maybe like her 5th best friend. But you could never have too many best friends! She sprinted down to the Great Hall. In dire need of food. Her stomach demanded it.

Her little legs took her to where she was supposed to go. Since this was the first place she had been to when coming to when she got to Hogwarts, it was really the only place she knew besides the common room. Noelle ran, determined to get a buttery yummy warm biscuit. It was calling for her.

Did someone call her name? Noelle looked backward as she ran because she KNEW someone had called her name.


CRASH

Noelle went sprawling into people. She ended up on her back with limbs entangled. She moaned because little body colliding. "Sorry sorry!" She exclaimed as she tried to disentangle herself from the others.

Sabbath was feeling peckish and had just slipped into the Great Hall, when he overheard someone give a grunt ‘oomph’. There was a clatter and clash and he saw that a young girl who’d been scuttling along at breakneck speed while looking back over her shoulder had crashed headlong into someone else. She’d gone sprawling onto the floor and was struggling to disentangle herself. Sabbath put down the guitar he’d been carrying and jogged over to see if he could help.

He knelt down on one knee and offered his hand to the girl (Noelle) to help her regain her footing, he noticed how soft her hand was in his. “Please, let me help you” he said gently. She looked a little bewildered and kept exclaiming “sorry, sorry”.

Sabbath looked down into the girl's wide blue eyes “Are you ok?”, he said with concern, “that was a nasty tumble!”.

“Oh, how rude of me, let me introduce myself - I’m Sabbath” He flashed a smile at her, still holding her hand, his black eyes warm. She really was very pretty!

Sabbath looked over to the two guys sprawled on the floor (Tom, and Sabel), the girl's blue eyes had almost made him forget they were there... "sorry guys, are you both Ok? . He offered to help them up, too, and gave a lop-sided grin.

Tom startled at the unexpected contact and spun around to come face-to-chest with someone much taller than himself. Oh. A professor, then.

"Thank you, professor!" he smiled in appreciation. It didn't actually help him to make a decision--did he want views or a chat or what?! But he appreciated it anytime that an adult took the time to give him any small measure of attention, and it was good information to have.

Tom had just opened his mouth to laugh at the professor's joke when...

Something collided hard with his side and then Tom landed even harder on the unforgiving stone floor of the Great Hall. His elbow hit first and then crumpled under the rest of his body.

"Oooow..." he groaned.

He heard the person who had run into them--a girl around his age, it seemed--apologize repeatedly and then felt when she was removed from their tangle of limbs.


Tom sat up slowly, bringing his uninjured arm up to cradle the other against his chest. He blinked back tears, but his voice was still shaky when he spoke. "I--I--I think it's broken."

He had to remember, not to sneak up on people. One day he was going to get a wand to the chest, and probably a good dose of jelly-legs or slug vomiting. So far, however, he had yet to encounter one who had as quick wand-drawing reflexes as they did spinning reflexes.

But the boy wasn't too traumatized by the unexpected advice, which was good. Save that he still looked a bit bewildered and overwhelmed. There was something else forming on the kid's face, when suddenly the world shook. It might have been little more than a flee bite, had there not been some flailing limbs, his foot set to walking forward and another toppling kid - namely the boy.

In a blink, or two, Sabel found himself on the ground, blinking up at the rather pleasant roof of the Great Hall. There were suddenly more voices than he remembered in the mix, a couple 'sorries' and.... GUYS?

Pushing himself up onto his elbows, Sabel blinked at the mess of limbs and bodies about. It was like a bad case of jenga, but it seemed the young girl was already being helped out of the mix by an onlooker. A firstie, given the height of the kid.

"Nice to know chivalry isn't dead." Sabel chuckled, declining the offer for a hand up and pushing himself to his feet. He'd probably pull the kid right down if he did accept the offer up. He was about to offer a comment to the young girl too, to try and stay her worries of apologies, when it was put on hold by the groan of pain from close-by, alongside the words 'broken'.

"Sweet Merlin." Wouldn't be a breakfast at Hogwarts without someone needing a trip to the Healer's. Wincing, Sabel turned to the kid, squatting down by his side. "Let's have a look then. Can you move it?"

Oh no. Noelle has struck again. She groaned as she tried pulling herself from the rumble of limbs when she felt someone grab her hand and pull her up. "Oh thank you!!" she said and beamed at the boy that helped. She fixed her clothes and left her hair, that looked like she had a bird living in it, alone.

Looking back t see what damage she caused, Noelle flinched. More limbs. Uh...oo.... ["Im so sorry! i... i didnt mean to!" Noelle exclaimed again. She tried helping up the... oh merlin.... professor but he was already getting up to his feet. She directed her attention to the boy on the ground holding his wrist. Oh no! Ohno no no! "Mum told me to always look where Im going but i thought I heard someone and I'm so sorry!" Her little lip quivered as she held back guilty tears.

Kneeling by the boy, he watched as the professor looked at it. "Is it broken?" She asked smally. She was going to be attached to this boy now. He was now in her debt. SHE HAD BROKEN HIS WRIST!!

More sorries exploded from her mouth and she looked up at the boy that had helped her up with wide eyes.

Tom experimentally released his injured arm to see if he could flex it, and immediately a sharp pain radiated out of his elbow and up and down his arm. He could feel tears welling up in his eyes then, although he'd tried to hold them back.

He sniffled and looked up at the professor. "N--no. I landed on my elbow."

He wondered if the professor were going to try to touch it. He watched the man's hands suspiciously in case he made a move.


Tom was distantly aware that the girl who had knocked them all down was hovering nearby and apologizing profusely and repeatedly. Honestly, it wasn't her fault. Well, okay, it was totally her fault, but Tom knew that it had only been an accident so he didn't blame her or anything.

Honestly he kind of hoped she'd calm down and stop apologizing, because she was making him anxious. He looked up at her to tell her so, but then he got a good look at her for the first time and realized that she was rather pretty, and his plan underwent a major revision.

"It's okay," he managed to say instead in a strained voice. "It was just an accident."

The girl looked up at Sabbath with wide eyes, she looked so frightened and guilt-stricken. Oh, No! Was she about to cry!! Sabbath felt an odd surge of protectiveness towards her. He stepped forward to console her. Being careful not to frighten her further, he reached across and gave her shoulder a little squeeze trying to reassure her. He left his hand resting there, “Everything is going be Ok. Here, look, the professor is going to help him” he said gesturing towards the hurt boy with his other hand. The injured boy looked up at them with a pained and anxious face, but his expression changed immediately when he noticed the girl standing there. Sabbath didn’t fail to notice and glanced quickly between the boy and the girl. Sabbath understood, he really did, he wouldn’t want to be caught whimpering in front a cute girl either.

The injured boy spoke, “It’s Ok, it was just an accident”, he said. But, it was easy for Sabbath to see the boy was putting on a brave front, Merlin knows, he’d do the same thing if it were him. “That’s true, it was just an accident”, Sabbath said to the girl, “try not to feel bad”, he gave her a wan smile. “Is there anything we can do to help, professor? Can we go and find a nurse or something?” Sabbath said, gesturing between himself and the girl with his free hand.

Honestly, Sabel was seriously considering taking the backseat in this little incident and seeing where the kids took things. Already, it looked like they were an active an attentive bunch, if not riddled with a few overriding emotions. Given something was likely broken, however, that was to be expected and more than acceptable.

Except that, said young boy with said broken arm looked as if he was trying to put up a brave front. Sabel's eyes darted between the three, lingering for a long moment on the tear-stricken girl. A small smile touched his lips, and he put his hand gently on the kid's good shoulder. "Well, it's a good thing that accidents make friends."

Guaranteed, these three would be spending some time together. They already had their first, solid memory in place.

As for the kid, no sense in downplaying his bravery. "I'd say definitely okay, but we'd best get the healer to check you out." His gaze went up to the second boy that had taken to reassuring the young girl, as he offered help. Well if he was going to offer.... "Why don't you and ....." Names. He needed names. "Grab a few pastries and slices of bacon. Looks like our breakfast will be to go."

Unless the kid wanted to stay and try to eat with a broken arm.

The professor had suggested that they all head to the healers office with the injured boy. "Oh, I'm Sabbath", he offered when the professor had paused searching for a name. "Sure, we're happy to help" he glanced at the girl for support, "Let's go grab some pasties, then". Sabbath crossed the floor and picked up his guitar that he'd left on the ground earlier.

"I'll grab something for you too, mate. Do you want pasties or bacon?" he called back to the injured boy. Sabbath figured even if they didn't feel like eating right now, they'd probably have a well earned appetite after they were through with the healer. What was it that the professor had said? "Accidents could make friends" Sabbath supposed there could be some truth in that statement.

Oh Merlin! This poor child's elbow was broken!! Noelle was clumsy and was always falling out of trees. She had broke her elbow one time and it had hurt!! She knew this boy had to be in pain. "Let me help you..." She stammered to the boy because really... It was all her fault.

Noelle felt an arm go along her shoulders but she was preoccupied to do whatever it took to help this kid whose elbow she broke. She heard the Professor suggest getting them all some breakfast to take to the hospital wing. "Yes! I can do that! Do you want anything special?" She asked the boy first before turning to the Professor and then the other boy. She was ready to cram her arms full for food for everyone.

"But I'm coming with right?" Because there was no objection. She was going with or without permission. She nodded and didn't let them answer before she was running around to get food and juice. If she knew any spells she would have wrapped it all up nicely, but alas, being a firstie she didn't know a lot. So she crammed her arms full and came staggering back to them. She noticed Sabbath, as she heard him introduce himself to the Professor, had food as well. Good. They should be covered on food.

"Oh I'm Noelle Grace Summers." She said and smiled at the bunch. She slid into position by the broken elbow boy.

Tom sat there silently and trying not to sniffle or cry as the three people surrounding him discussed the situation. He'd broken his wrist once and he knew that if he just stayed as still as possible and nobody touched it then the pain would probably be okay until he could get to the healer. He did wonder how they were going to get him there without jostling his arm, though.

FOOD! That sounded like a wonderful idea. Sure his arm hurt a lot, but that didn't stop his tummy from grumbling. He was sure that the others could probably hear it, it was so loud!

The girl asked him if he wanted anything special, and he opened his mouth to tell her how much he loved spicy sausage links, but she'd darted off to the nearest table before he'd had time to get the words out. Fortunately Sabbath seemed to realize that if you asked a question then it was a good idea to stick around and hear the answer. But really, bacon or pastries? How could Tom be expected to choose only one?!

"Um... both?" he replied, hoping he didn't sound too greedy. He was a growing boy!

Tom's opinion of the girl--Noelle, as she'd just now introduced herself--rose substantially when she came back with her arms overloaded with food. He managed a small smile, although it came out a bit like a wince since his elbow was throbbing.

"I'm Tom. Tom Selwyn," he finally told the assembled group. He turned to the professor (whose name Tom hadn't caught--he hoped it hadn't been said when he was distracted with his arm) and asked, "Where exactly is the hospital wing, professor?"

He hoped he wouldn't have to walk. He could if he had to, of course, but he imagined that every step would probably jostle his arm.

What a lovely bunch. Not only did he not need to make a suggestion twice, he didn't need to explain it either. Both the boy and the girl, Sabbath and Summers as they introduced themselves, made quick work of depriving one of the nearby tables of it's good quality breakfast items. Sabel couldn't help smile a little at the sight of it.

And even the boy with the broken arm seemed none the less eager for something to eat. The fact of the matter was, there was very little which food didn't solve. Though, he couldn't rightly say that Cece would appreciate so much food going into the hospital wing, but there it was. The best way to give eager hands something to help with.

"Well Mr. Selwyn, let's get you on your feet." Because they would not be floating or carrying him. It was a possible broken arm, not leg. That being said, he reached over to the boy's good arm to help him to his feet. "It's only a few flights up," three to be exact, but who was counting? "A few minutes and we'll have you sorted out."

His smile turned to the returning food-bearers, a chuckle leaving him at the sight of how much food was in their hands and arms. "Excellent work, Summers, Sabbath." Merlin, he was going to end up getting their names confused if he wasn't careful. "Just remember if one drops on the floor, ten second rule is in effect. The elves keep a very tidy house."

That, and they couldn't really leave a line of food all the way up to the hospital wing.

Ok, ‘three floors up’, the professor had said. This was going to be a bit of a trek for Tom, but Sabbath still had not had a chance to see much of the castle as yet, so all journeys at the moment held some fascination. He wondered to himself what the healer would do about a broken arm. Would they all end up signing Tom's plaster cast? Probably not, he reasoned, magic surely had a better way. Well, he was keen to find out.

Sabbath glanced over to Noelle, she had her arms precariously full of pasties and breakfast foods. He raised an eyebrow and smirked, “Well, I think there’s enough here for all of us, and you too Professor..(he drew a blank).. Ah, I’m sorry Professor, I think I may have missed your name earlier?”

Sabbath hitched up his guitar which was still slung over his shoulder and offered to help Noelle carry some of her pasties which were tottering in her arms. “Here, please, let me help you carry some of those” he offered, he wasn’t about to have her lug a larger amount than him up three floors.

Sabbath prepared to follow the professor to the hospital wing, he laughed at the Professors joke about the 10 second rule, there was no way they’d be allowing for any pastie escapees.

Okay so we have Tom, Sabbath, and the Professor. Noelle would have to remember their names. She was ready to go. To the hospital wing. Come on. Time to go. This food was heavy. Who knew good could be so heavy.

Sabbath offered help and Noelle grinned at him. She was more than capable of holding and taking all this stuff up three floors but... Maybe he could take a muffin or two. She nodded and out her arms out to him. " But only one or two. I can handle the rest." and she could.

Noelle saw Tom wince and her face turned into concern. " Can you make it up to the third floor?? I'd carry you but... " She indicated to her arms. She was ready to amend for her breaking of his elbow.. If that's what was wrong. Which she knew it probably was from the way he was wincing.

Noelle looked at the professor, concerned still etched on her face. "Ten second rule! Got it! Although I won't drop a crumb!" And with a curt nod, she was ready to prove it. Now, hospital wing everyone?

Happily Botros walked into the Great Hall with a long parchment in hand. He didn't walk walk into the hall rather he stood at the double doors and used his wand to stick the parchment on there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Announcement

NEW RULES: In the spirit of making a fun change in our everyday routine schedule, headmaster has issued the following rules to be followed by students and staff alike:

• Please hum the school song when you enter the Great Hall on Saturdays.
• Must try a new food every Thursday dinner.
• Please say everyone's name backwards at breakfast.

Those who are caught not following the rules will receive appropriate consequences.

Thank you.

- B

Patting it with his hand happily, the headmaster continued on to the staff dais to have some dessert.

Blaise loved all his quills equally--'least that's what he'd had to be telling himself of late. Anything to keep himself from sulking over the lost one; his favourite.

The boy walked into the Great Hall, humming the school song like the sign said to do on Saturdays and watched the blue quill scribbling on the notepad floating by him. Blue was okay and so was red and yellow and purple and orange and pink and black and gray but none of them were his GREEN quill. After taking most of his notes with that particular quill, it was taking some time to get use to the blue in his peripheral vision where he used to see green. Worst of it all was that the majority of notes he'd taken since the end of summer coming into the first week of school were all in THAT notepad that went missing with the quill. All those embellished memories...gone...just like that.

Mari said his friend had taken it but she didn't know what friend and HE didn't know what friend making it no friend of his. Blaise stopped just after the large double doors, trying to figure where he would sit for his lunch. Had to be by interesting people so his quill could make them MOAR interesting. They could thank him later if they weren't the sort to try ripping up his notepad when they found out. Some older girls were just plain vicious.

Humming to himself as he settled in at a table for lunch, Davie dug around in his bag for his spell notes and his new most favorite quill to review the notes with. Ah, there he was, trusty Mr. Green, as he'd taken to calling the quill.

Now that he was all set up, the first year loaded up a plate with some fluffy mashed potatoes and buttery rolls to dip in them. Delicioso. He began underlining things in his notes with his precious quill, starting with Transfiguration and paying no heed to the other people in the Hall.

It wasn't certain how much longer he would need to stand there before deciding where to sit. It HAD to be the right place. Sometimes, even with a quick quotes quill handy, there was nothing you could do to liven a conversation and he'd be stuck with it until he'd done his lunch of...of...mashed potatoes...? Crispy biscuits? Merlin was that roasted ham? Okay. Didn't matter where he was sitting; his stomach was given urgent orders that needed taking care of and so the boy made his way toward a seat.

On his way up the row, he passed good 'ole Four Eyes with a ton of notes and some food and a green quick quotes quill. "Hey, I have one just like that." He said good naturedly enough. Fancy seeing him with one. No one else around here seemed to carry them from what he'd seen and heard.

"A green one too--got a whole set, but I lost it." And just like that, the boy took a seat next to one David Truebridge at the Ravenclaw table and began stacking things on his plate. It wasn't every day he could discuss his most favourite magical item in the world--not when most people never ever owned one. Four Eyes was instantly much cooler for owning it. "Only difference is mine has bite marks right under the top...right...here--" Brown eyes widened immediately and his blue quill scribbled as fast as it could, trying to guage a reaction.

.........

.....................

.................................................. .........

What were words?

Hey look, it was the Loud Boy, the One from the Boats. He was a Gryffindor like Char. Davie gave his fellow first year a 'sup' nod of approval as he sat down and started talking. Then again, when DIDN'T Blaise talk? He probably even talked in his sleep.

"Oh yeah?" He responded lazily to the other boy, turning a page in his notes and only half-listening to all his chatter. "Blue is my favorite color. Does it write in blue too?" Might be worth trading in this green one for the blue, then. Davie hadn't known his free quill was a Quick Quotes Quill... but how cool now that it was!

He tickled his cheek thoughtfully with it and ripped another roll in half to drag it through his taters.

...

.....

..........

He wasn't gonna answer the question on the choice of ink colour. No. He wasn't going to respond to blue being the kid's favourite colour. Also no. All his focus was on the quill his yearmate had rubbing against his cheek like it was nobody's business. Blaise squinted at what he was starting to realize was HIS quill. The bite marks near the top. The tiny smudge left there by his sister when she'd 'borrowed' it. The way the feather had a small section plucked by that one girl who'd made a grab at it back in Wizarding Prep.

But HOW did Davie get his quill??? He'd left it RIGHT AT HIS FEET by the Monkey Bar on the playground. He'd looked away for all of two seconds. Was HE the friend Mari was talking about? The impulse to wrestle him to the floor and TAKE his quill the way he would if he was his cousin became all too real but his impulse control was somewhat better than it was at 8. Thankfully. Deep breaths. The Gryffindor reached forward and plucked it from the boy's grasp. "Where'd you find this? WHERE is the notepad it was lying with." Merlin tell him that wasn't lost forever. He'd never get those memories back.

"...HEY!" That was rude. "You can't just TAKE STUFF from people," Davie exclaimed, reaching forward and snatching Mr. Green back from Blaise's grasp. He tucked the quill under his bum and GLARED at the Gryffindor.

Never mind the irony in his outrage over taking other people's things...

"Who says I found it, huh? It's MINE and I quite like it, okay." As for the notepad... Davie's face took on a dreamy and far-away quality suddenly. Hmm. Come to think of it, there HAD been a book-like thing with the quill when he'd picked them up... but where was it now? Davie just shrugged and added some ham to his plate, stuffing a fork full into his mouth so he didn't have to answer anymore.

One minute he'd been reunited with his quill and the other it was being snatched back. The feeling could be likened to someone socking him hard in the gut, repeatedly. For a moment he just stared, mouth hung wide open at the Ravenclaw sitting next to him with his meal all but forgotten.

It was his quill. Plainly his quill. How many quick quotes quills in that specific colour could have the same EXACT wear and tear marks as the one he'd made?

Perhaps the breaking point was when the boy SAT on his wand. ONE DID NOT SIMPLY SIT ON A QUICK QUOTES QUILL! HE WAS GOING TO CRUSH IT WITH HIS LARGE (In comparison to the quill of course) BODY!!!!! "Are you insane??? Get OFF it!" Blaise reached forward and shoved the boy as hard as he could to get him off his most prized possession. "It's NOT yours, it's MINE and you CAN'T HAVE IT!" No, in fact Blaise had full on tackled the kid with every intention to wrestle him to the floor.