''Thornton,'' the eleven year old repeated with a smile. She quite liked titles, however, but since the male prefect had asked her to leave the title, she would.

Rachel giggled at Haddie's scoff. "Are you sure? You're always up to something.'' Haddie was shifty but Rachel wouldn't have her any other way. "I remember.'' How could she forget her birthday? "Happy birthday, Haddie. I wish nothing but the best for you.'' She embraced the other girl tightly. "Sure, I'll save you a seat.'' She was rather curious about what Haddie had to get.

More giggling happened from Rachel, this time at Ailsa. But at the same time, she was concerned by the choking. "Are you alright?'' She hadn't meant for that to happen, she had just wanted to observe Ailsa's reactions when she mentioned Garreth since she had a suspicion that the girl was quite taken with her boy best friend. "I think he will be here shortly.'' She smiled at the change of topic. "Oh yes. I quite agree. It's beautiful. Possibly one day we can have a camp out with tents and the complete works right in here.''

The words were hardly out of her mouth when she saw Garreth approaching them. Her eyes darted to Ailsa briefly before back at the boy. "Hello, Garreth. I have a feeling you're going to wear that tie practically all day everyday.'' It made her happy to see him happy about being in Ravenclaw. "How would you rate your first day in the Castle?'' She was quite curious about this.

Rachel had not failed to notice Janelle, Katherine nor Mr Kitridge. She smiled at them both. Her Head of House seemed to have his hands full, speaking with his students but this didn't bother her. She would visit him in his Office soon. She also smiled at the boy with glasses (David). "Hello,'' she told him and also Janelle and Katherine.

Ryland might have come a little late, even being guided by someone most of the way up. However, now that she had her breath, wasn't perishing of a heart attack and got a little ticket from someone unknown stuffed in the pocket of her robes (she knew where it was and that's all that mattered) she was good. Well not good, because three days before hey departed she took three caramels from her moms purse and her mom was waiting to eat those, but she was good.

It looked like the entire house was in the common room, which made her very excited for some reason and also a bit curious. Did they do this after every feast? Was this like a start of the year thing or was this a one time thing? Were all of these people really in Ravenclaw? It seemed like so many! So many people to meet and say hi to. Okay, now she was super excited. Social interaction was like, her thing, and the fact that she would get to interact with so many people, probably moe than her graduating class back home, made her happy.

Sitting in the first free space she could find, Ryland waited for something, though she wasn't sure what she was waiting for. Food? She was still peckish. A nap? Those stairs were killer. Ehh, she wasn't sure. However, she was going to find it eventually.

Abby smiled at Mr Kitridge and said "My OWLs went pretty well thank you sir, yes i did get the grades i wanted, even though i have decided to try and get into the professional qudditch league when i leave Hogwarts"

Daxton had been expecting something like this. Last year, on this same date in fact, there had been that strange house activity in the common room, all based around food and working together and the like. He had been quite eager to ditch the proceedings, and so he had.

Tonight, he entered the common room from the staircase that led to the dormitories. He had not gone to dinner, for his own reasons, just as he had not gone to the feast the night before for similar reasons (though the latter may also have had something to do with the food fight he had been fully aware would break out, and his wanting to be nowhere near it), which meant that the likelihood he had missed out on some key information about what was happening tonight was fairly high. Fact was, there were people gathered all around the room, and a chest in the middle of it all.

Daxton stared, first at the tchest, then at the prefect nearby handing out tickets of some kind, then at his head of house. He could just turn around and go straight back upstairs, if he had not been absolutely certain that that would likely call almost as much attention to himself as it had last year. In any case, he was curious about the chest, and those tickets... but he was not joining in the cozy little circle either. And he was not the only student to think that way, apparently. Across the room, he could see someone - someone he had met, actually, a year and a half earlier before either of them were at Hogwarts - had had a similar idea.

After a moment's consideration, Daxton stepped off the last step of the staircase and into the room, but not to get a ticket or to join the convocation of Ravenclaws. Stopping by a bookcase, he retrieved a book, then grabbed one of the still-empty armchairs and dragged it back out of the circle and next to one of the windows. Still ignoring everyone else, Daxton dropped into the armchair, sitting sideways with his legs draped over one arm, opened up the book and started to pretend to read whilst staying very much alert to his surroundings.

He was here, listening and paying attention to what was going on (under the guise of using the common room as a reading spot, as he was well within his rights to do regardless of whatever else was going on), but to all extents and purposes, not a part of anything. Away from people, away from noise, away from potential disorder.

Alone. Exactly the way he liked to operate.

"I am always up to something," Haddie agreed. "Aww, thank you for noticing that." She stuck her tongue out at Rachel and waved off the girl's concern for Ailsa. "She's all right," she informed Rachel, without actually making sure if her cousin was. "She just loooves Garreth. Personally, I think you and Garreth would make a better couple." She shrugged, and started for the stairs to the girl's dorm room.

She eyed the stairs to the boy's dorms though. One of the Gryffindor's had told her that their stairs become a slide if a boy tried to get into the girl's dorms or vice versa. She was really tempted to see if that happened for the Ravenclaw dorm stairs too.

When Haddie returned she was carrying a medium sized box, colorfully wrapped. She had also dropped off her messenger bag on her bed apparently, because that was gone now. She had taken her secret scheming journal out, and carried it with present. A quill and a bottle of ink in the other hand.

No one, not even Rachel and Ailsa were allowed to peek into the journal and it was no secret that Haddie was looking for spells that would make the journal even more secure from prying eyes. "A final present from Mom and Dad," she said as she rejoined Rachel, Ailsa and Gary. "I forgot about it last night after all the fun of---" Haddie looked up at Kitridge then, and grinned sheepishly. "After all the ugly, horrible chaos," she feigned, "of last night's feast. And this morning."

Keep it safe.

Okay, she’d keep it safe, the first year stashing the ticket she was given in a pocket where she’d remember it for later. Her interaction with Thorton done and plenty more students coming behind her for the prefect to hand tickets out to, Olivia moved further into the common room. Spotting the treats, she poured herself some pumpkin juice, taking a sip before grabbing a stick and a couple of marshmallows and heading towards the fire.

She could spend the next few minutes as they waited roasting them.

“Good evening, Mr. Kitridge,” she greeted the head of house as he came near in his path. The man seemed to want everything perfect which it already seemed to be. Olivia found a perch in the area of warmth and sat down, sticking a marshmallow on her stick and holding it over the flames as she settled in. Her curiosity on what this supposed raffle would bring as he took in the gathered students both young and older.

She still had so many in her house to meet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nordic Witch

Turning to beam at the ever inquisitive boy by the name of David Truebridge he responded. "Evening David, It's nice to see you again and congrats to entering your second year here. Professor Morgan misses all of you very much. She told me to tell you to keep happy snapping and to wear lots of pink accessories."

Moving to claim a pink comfy chair Leo continued. "My summer was great. Spent most of it with Professor Morgan. She is one could say my one true BFF. How was your summer David? Played any quidditch?" He doubted that it was wise to let it out that he was engaged to Professor Morgan. It'd spread like juice on the grapevine. Very Fast!

It was nice to see him again, wasn't it? Because he was such a good student for Ravenclaw and for all of Hogwarts. Hehe. David beamed back at Kitridge. "Aww!" She missed them! "Will you tell her hi from me?" It was going to be a different term without happy snaps in Divination and playing instruments in Transfiguration, probably.

He was glad to hear that Mr. Kitridge had had a nice summer with his BFF. SEEEEEEEEE. He'd have to Char 'bout this later. They WERE BFF. "I had a nice summer too, but it was busy! I went to Peru, and hanged --- hung? hang? hunged?--- out with Char a lot, and then I DID play quidditch. Well, sort of. Well, not really. I toured that stadium, as you know," he was assuming, since the man worked for the school which had given him the tour, "but Quidditch isn't really my sport. I might try gobstones this year."

Though, also, he might not be coordinated enough for that. But no telling! He wanted to make his HoH proud.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FearlessLeader19

She also smiled at the boy with glasses (David). "Hello,'' she told him and also Janelle and Katherine.

Looking around for some more of his housemates, Davie spotted the lone boy in his year, Daxton, sitting in the corner by himself. That wasn't strange. What was strange was that Sabbath hadn't come back to school yet. Secretly, the absence of his dormmate was a relief because he was PREETTTTTTTTTY SURE the long-haired boy had taken his Mopsus card. Not-so-secretly, it would be kinda weird if he had to share a dorm with just Daxton all year.

He was pulled out of his thoughts suddenly by a girl's voice. Oh. A NEW girl. "Hello," Davie murmured back to her, a bit shy as he blinked and took in her soft-looking brown hair. Then he shook his head. She was a firstie. A little firstie... right? Or was she just new? One way to find out. "I'm David, David Truebridge. Second year." Ravenclaw. Obviously.

A favourite class?

He wasn't surprised Azura already had one... but him? He wasn't entirely sure yet... "Astronomy is probably my favourite... but all of them seem pretty good. Not sure I even want to try divination though..." his nose scrunched up. Seeing the future? He didn't believe in it. Even if he was at a magic school. And even if that hag could see his future, he didn't want to know.

Life was meant to be a surprise.

Anyways, he immediately went to respond to the other question. "I'm all good, you guys?"

Austin's face lit up as Azura told them her favorite class. "Potion's is an amazing class. You've chosen well." The boy listened as Jasper spoke. "And Astronomy is a great subject. But made even greater by the professor. He really.. um.. get's into his teachings." That was an understatement. Last term, he made everyone call him Admiral. He wasn't complaining, it just seemed like a perfect fit.

"For it being the second day, I'd say I'm doing pretty well. Are you guys settling in okay?" Austin looked up as a young girl sat in the chair behind him. "Hey, Ryland! Want a marshmallow?" Saying this, reminded him that he needed another one. So, he popped one on the stick and put it directly into the fire. The more burnt the better. "So, what do you guys think we're all doing here?" This wasn't a regular thing, that was for sure. But it seemed fun, and they all had raffle tickets, which obviously had to be for the wheel the prefects were setting up. He made a mental note about the fact that his ticket was in his book, in his bag.

The affected disinterest of the older boy did not escape Lex's attention, who himself preferred to take a more distant, observational role. The particular position of his own armchair was such that he had to turn sideways in his seat to get a good view of Daxton, but once the ideal position was achieved, it was fairly simple to maintain a visual.

Lex wasn't totally sure what it was about this particular student - was it that he was older, and therefore inherently worthy of admiration? Was it that he was comfortably, if distantly, at home in this strange environment, the surface of which Lex knew he'd only scratched? Or was it his preference to read rather than socialize, finding it sufficient to only occasionally steal a glance at the goings-on around him?

The potential similarity to his own mentality was nothing short of intriguing, and Lex became so enthralled by his speculation that it never occurred to him that he was staring, and fairly obviously at that.

Azura smiled as Jazzy spoke about his favorite class, she should have known that! They talked about it on the platform! It felt like that had been so long ago,and yet it had only been a few days! She grinned at him as he spoke of Divination, her purple eyes twinkling just a bit..

"I'm good, thankfully I haven't fallen.. yet. I'm sure it will happen soon." She said with a smile at her best friend. "Find any interesting drawing spots?" She asked him before she turned to Austin.

"Thank you." She noticed the older boys bright blue eyes light up and she smiled. "Do you like potions to Austin?" She asked him curiously as she nodded as he asked if she was settling in all right.

"Yeah, I think I'm doing pretty good." She still had moments of panic that she was going to lose Jasper, and occasional moments of loneliness, but other than that.. she was mostly doing all right.

As Thornton made sure that both Garreth and David had their tickets, he couldn't help but notice a student (Katherine) come in and immediately turn into a wallflower. He offered Garreth a quick "you're welcome," and was about to head over when Mr. Kitridge caught his eye.

Thornton nodded slightly at the man's thumbs up. He really did need to go talk to him at some point but that moment would come later. For now, he was returning to his position handing out tickets, since it seemed that the Head of House and some others were tending to the student. He did, however, hold up a raffle ticket and wave it a little in her direction. She (Katherine) should make sure to get one.

His attention was caught again as Julia announced she'd be headed up to change into her 'jammies.' That drew a smile from Thornton, as he was glad that people seemed excited. He was about to respond when Chloe asked a question. "Sort of a Ravenclaw only kick-off," he said, trying to explain without giving away the fun. Making sure she had a raffle ticket, he continued. "Get something to eat, roast a marshmallow, whatever you'd like."

Turning away, Thornton scanned the room. Rachel and Ryland seemed settled and, well, hmmm. Thornton's gazed lingered on Daxton wondering if he should go over. He hadn't really interacted much with the boy last year, but he'd heard a little. Trying to draw him into conversation wouldn't necessarily be a positive thing. So, instead, Thornton took a raffle ticket and, without a word, walked it over to Daxton's chair and left it on the arm rest.

SPOILER!!: No fair, Rachel! *giggles*

Quote:

Originally Posted by FearlessLeader19

More giggling happened from Rachel, this time at Ailsa. But at the same time, she was concerned by the choking. "Are you alright?'' She hadn't meant for that to happen, she had just wanted to observe Ailsa's reactions when she mentioned Garreth since she had a suspicion that the girl was quite taken with her boy best friend. "I think he will be here shortly.'' She smiled at the change of topic. "Oh yes. I quite agree. It's beautiful. Possibly one day we can have a camp out with tents and the complete works right in here.''

"That'd be nice," the Ailsa replied with a smile, recovering from her surprise. Apparently she wasn't as sneaky as she thought. Still, Rachel had blessedly gone along with the change of subject, which made Ailsa appraise her even more highly. "But it'd still be even more fun to have a real camp outside. It's not the same without animals around, you know?"

SPOILER!!: I do not! Haddieeeee!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Callie

"She just loooves Garreth. Personally, I think you and Garreth would make a better couple." She shrugged, and started for the stairs to the girl's dorm room.

Unfortunately for Ailsa, her expertly (ok, not really) diverted discussion was wrenched back to the boy from the train.

"I do NOT like Garreth!" she protested a little too loudly to Haddie's retreating back. Satisfied she turned back to Rachel only to find...

SPOILER!!: Oh... Um, hi Garreth...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Compootor

Instead, he approached the aforementioned familiar faces and gave a distracted wave, his mind completely in the clouds. "Hey, you guys." he muttered, straightening his Ravenclaw tie, which thankfully had been spared ruin at the hands of the previous night's food fight.

Oh Merlin. There was never an invisibility cloak around when you needed one. Well, there was for this one kid, once, but that had been a long time ago.

For a few terrified seconds she simply stared at Garreth before she blurted out, "I didn't mean that! I mean, I did mean it, but not the way it sounded like I meant it, I mean, not that someone shouldn't like you, you seem really nice and all, I just, Haddie said," Her mind rallied before she could spit out what Haddie had said, that heavens. "Sorry. I promise I'm way smarter than this most of the time..." She wanted to stop there, but for some reason, "I like your glasses, they're cute."

Just great. Now Rachel would probably think Haddie was right. Weighing her options the now noticeably pink redhead opted to curl up into the chair as deeply as possible.

SPOILER!!: Nope, not buying it Haddie. =P

Quote:

Originally Posted by Callie

"A final present from Mom and Dad," she said as she rejoined Rachel, Ailsa and Gary. "I forgot about it last night after all the fun of---" Haddie looked up at Kitridge then, and grinned sheepishly. "After all the ugly, horrible chaos," she feigned, "of last night's feast. And this morning."

Curiosity got the better of her when Haddie returned and, still slightly flushed, she peeked out a little to see what Haddie's present turned out to be.

Truth be told, older kids are scary. Jace realized that as soon as he stepped inside the Ravenclaw Common Room. Although it’s already his second night in Hogwarts, he is still a bit overwhelmed with the event that happened before that...and has now become suspicious of any gathering that involved food. Jace could see the refreshments, but before he could make a beeline for it, he was ushered by the crowd towards...an older boy with a badge pinned to his shirt.

Jace’s cheeks flushed as he realized he had been staring at the pin for too long, and bowed at the boy in apology. “One ticket please? Thank you.” He said in a shy tone, and gave the boy another bow before taking a seat.

He wasn’t really excited about the treats really. He just had dinner anyway, so obviously, he was more curious about this...raffle thing. His brown eyes shifted from the ticket in his hand, and to the people around him. Perhaps, a little bit of people watching won’t hurt while he waited, yeah?

Haddie spun on her heels fell backwards into a seat next to the fire. "Hey, Mr. Kitridge, have you ever thought about getting beanbag chairs for the common room? They're, um, really great for reading?"

She turned her focus back on the gift, tearing off the wrapping paper and set it next to her on the chair arm. It'd be good for setting her smore on in a minute. Opening the box revealed a beautiful hand mirror, which frankly confused her. It was a beautiful mirror, it just wasn't really her. And her Mom knew that, so why...? A note slipped out from under the mirror as she lifted it out of the box, scrawled in her Mom's delicate handwriting.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mom's note

The mirror is part of a set. Natalie has the other one. According to the clerk at Wiseacre's, all you have to do is say the Natalie's name and you'll be able to see and talk to each other.

Love, Mom.

Haddie smiled softly and examined the mirror for a minute. "Natalie." The reflection in the mirror changed until she was looking up at her bedroom's ceiling. So much for that. At least it worked. Haddie shrugged and set the mirror down on top her journal before getting up. She returned a minute later with a flask of cold pumpkin juice, which was a lot better than she expected it would be and was quickly becoming a new favorite drink of hers and all the ingredients needed to make several smores. She popped a marshmellow onto one of the sticks and began roasting it over the fire. "I'm not sure which is redder, Ailly-babe. Your face or your hair."

It was almost time for the raffle! This was going to be fun! Penelope was currently investigating the food that had been provided for the raffle event. She didn't like smores, but she did like apples and carrots. Carrots were good. Marshmallows and chocolate were not. She grabbed a carrot and went to go welcome people.

She overheard some people saying happy birthday to Haddie. "It's your birthday? Happy birthday Haddie!" Hopefully Haddie wouldn't be getting in trouble again tonight.

It was Azura from the platform at King's Cross! She had been sorted into Ravenclaw! "Hi Azura! Enjoying Hogwarts?" Not that they had been here long enough to really know what it was like. The feast hadn't exactly been a good experience for most of the first years.

Next she headed over to the corner where one of the firsties (Katherine) was standing. Just standing there in the corner. Not even reading or anything. "Are you okay? There's food over there if you want some, and we're going to start the raffle soon." It couldn't be so bad that she just wanted to stay there in the corner, could it?

Jasper listened as Austin was talking about potions and astronomy. Potions definitely seemed to be something that his two friends had a common passion for. One that, while Jasper thought was in fact an interesting subject, he didn't share.

"Yeah... he's the one that fainted during the feast wasn't he?" he asked the older Ravenclaw. While he might be an awesome professor, he seemed kind of dramatic.

Which might actually add to the enthusiasm for his subject in a good way.

Following Austin's lead, he grabbed a stick, toasting himself a marshmallow as well. It seemed like such an odd thing to do in their common room. But hey, Jasper wasn't complaining!

"So far so good then" he responded to Azara. He already knew she was clumsy, especially after she'd fallen on the train. Any good drawing spots? He couldn't help but beam at the girl beside him. "Everywhere!"

Truly this was a perfect place to find inspiration.

Haddie grinned and nodded. "Thanks Penny." To think, if she were born just a day or two earlier she'd be in her 2nd year instead. What if Natalie had also been a witch, and they had been one of those where the first twin was born so close to midnight that the second one is born after midnight? Then Natalie would be a second year while she was a first year... Weird. Her marshmellow was on fire.

Her marshmellow was on fire!

"AHHHHH!!" She blew on it, strongly, four or five times before it went out and looked around sheepishly. "It's okay, it's out." Haddie bit her lip and avoided looking into anyone's eyes. She slipped the roasted marshmellow in the between the graham cracker and block of chocolate of her first smore and took a bite, immediately gasping in pain. "Ow. Ith'th hot!"

****

Deciding that it was high time to start Leo stood up from his chair and went to stand next to the raffle wheel as he beamed out at the assembled students. "Welcome everyone to a new glorious year of education here at Hogwarts school of Withcraft and Wizardry!" Eyes drifting over the faces of the many first year eagles in the room Leo continued "For those of you who don't know me I'm Leobald Kitridge head of Ravenclaw, School Librarian and I also serve as one of two Gobstones advisors. You should all come down and watch and play when the house matches are being held!" Enough advertising.

Gesturing to Thornton, Penelope and TiaMarie in turn Leo spoke on. It was best to keep talking when he had everyone's attention. "This year's student house leaders/prefects and head girl are Thornton Baines, Penelope Wright and TiaMarie Mancini! I expect you all to respect and listen to them and follow their lead. They are my extended arm when I'm not in the common room, so if you have a problem or a conflict you can't sort out please seek one of them out before things get too out of hand." Here Leo paused to let his eyes drift around the many student faces lingering a little longer on Haddie.

Getting excited now his serious tone turning more upbeat and happy he leaned towards the raffle wheel as he spoke. "Now I've bet your all dying to know about the raffle and what you all have won! After we finished in second place in the house point race last year a great team effort I' might add, I wanted to give you all something nice that will give you all the encouragement, drive and motivation you need to make Ravenclaw end this year on top of the house point race in first place."

Giving the raffle wheel a spin he said as he moved to lift up the heavy chest in his arms. "Everyone has won a prize tonight. There are no blank tickets!" Holding up the chest so that everyone got a good look at the treasure Leo said with excitement bubbling in his voice. "In this chest is a large assortment of eagle goodies like, stuffed eagle toys, eagle scarves, caps, gloves, book marks, diaries, quills, novels and even some fun games like exploding snap and a new chess set. Everyone needs to step up here in an ordered line as I open the chest and pick out their prize by sticking their hand into the chest without peeking and drawing something out. Alisa, would you please come up here and get your prize first? Everyone else form a line after Alisa!" He hoped that Thornton, Penelope and Tia would see to it that there was no shoving or evil tricks to get ahead of the line as he unlocked the chest and opened it to look down at the navy cape hiding the chests content.

HAPPENING RIGHT NOW: When the head of house opened the lock to the chest it was the signal to the things waiting inside the chest to start acting. Before anyone could do anything the chest started to shake uncontrollably in the adults hands and make squeaking sounds and then next second a whole horde of furry pugmy puffs, puffskeins and ferretts in multiple colours tumbled out of the chest attacking every student in close proximity with their claws and teeth, one ferret even jumped up to attack the Head of House's nose. Watch out EAGLES! These furry creatures are NOT happy and they our out for BLOOD!


OOC: We are under attack by a horde of furry creatures! Try to defend yourself and leash and cage the fur balls without harming them too much. Work together! Do not, I repeat do not go overboard with this and use unnecessarily strong spells, these are all pretty harmless creatures. Have fun! Wrestle a furry creature, have your character get a few scratches from the attack. If you all show house spirit and work together you may just get to keep a furry creature for your character.

As blue eyes scanned the room, they fell on Daxton as well, and Katherine oddly felt... safer. There were PEOPLE she KNEW, so she wasn't a complete stranger. And she also wasn't the only one who didn't want to join others (yet - although maybe it was because Daxton couldn't talk and writing things every single time ought to be tiring). So she wasn't a weirdo. All was well. She waved a little and smiled. Hi, half-friend. But she didn't bother to go next to him, because he was already pulling in a chair for himself. Besides, she liked her corner alone.

Her own Head of House was beckoning her to come closer... with a big smile. Her Head of House, Mr. Kitridge, was AWARE of her existence and even smiled at her. And all this before she even had to to impressive stuff at a class!

Katherine blushed and smiled shyly back.

"Okay," she mumbled. In a moment - once she made sure she would be accepted in that circle of first years who were enjoying themselves.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmbiguouslyMe

Thornton nodded slightly at the man's thumbs up. He really did need to go talk to him at some point but that moment would come later. For now, he was returning to his position handing out tickets, since it seemed that the Head of House and some others were tending to the student. He did, however, hold up a raffle ticket and wave it a little in her direction. She (Katherine) should make sure to get one.

Prefect person, who had risen quickly to be Katherine's short-term idol, was also waving at her. They ACKNOWLEDGED her, a pretty insignificant first year girl, who'd spent last night under the table.

Ravenclaw really WAS the best!

Yes - she was coming for sure to get her ticket and be merry like everyone else and maybe even exchange a greeting with the Haddie girl (although not more). Yes. Okay.

Quote:

Originally Posted by griffin

Next she headed over to the corner where one of the firsties (Katherine) was standing. Just standing there in the corner. Not even reading or anything. "Are you okay? There's food over there if you want some, and we're going to start the raffle soon." It couldn't be so bad that she just wanted to stay there in the corner, could it?

And at last, the girl prefect greeted her - and talked to her to make sure she was fine.

Katherine was pretty relaxed and happy now. It was goot to be acknowledged by people of authority, y'know? She quickly nodded at the girl.

"I'm fine, thank you!" she said, "I was just... looking." Observing. But now that the authority figures knew she existed, no one could reject her. So, she would go join them now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ashwinder

...and instead aimed for the one standing off by herself. In a corner.

"Are you in a time out?"

Did their House Dad give time outs? If he did, maybe she shouldn't be talking to this girl; after all, in Julia's house, if the time out got disrupted it had to start all over. Not fun.

...but then her eyes fell on another (first year?) girl who had addressed her. Time out?!?!?! Her? EW, NEVER.

"No!" she quickly said, terrified of the idea. She had NEVER had time out, tyvm. And she never intended to. "I'm coming," she said, and did come and join the group in the centre of the room and got her ticket from Thornton.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FearlessLeader19

Rachel had not failed to notice Janelle, Katherine nor Mr Kitridge. She smiled at them both.

Oh, Rachel! Katherine'd smiled BROADLY at someone since yesterday at last. Rachel was friend - a smart and responsible one. She was safe. Katherine could still talk to her.

But Professor - Mr. - Librarian? she would ask Yoongi for the correct title - Kitridge began his speech, so she listened like it was the most important thing on Earth. Well, it was.

Gobstones, yes, for sure. She would be a player NO DOUBT.

And... the introduction of the prefects were great too. She hadn't had a chance to meet them last night, so she mentally repeated their names till she felt she got them. She would ask them about the school later anyway...

Raffle and gifts, yes please! Katherine listened on, and wasn't actually pleased to hear that they finished only second. They had to be first in everything, and she would see to that from now on as well as she could, yes. But - fun time! And they had ALL won something tonight! She instinctively stood on her tiptoes to take a better look at the chest. Every gift sounded great, but if she had a preference, she would go with a diary, quill or a novel. Hopefully, she would get one of them. She quickly got in line. And the chest was opening now, how exciting!..

Instead of the promised presents however, FURRY ALIVE MOVING STUFF got out of the chest. Before Katherine could comprehend what was happening (though she DID comprehend that they were puffskeins, pygmy puffs and - ferrets?) one purple thing was tugging on her feet to climb. She gasped, shook her hand, but another one was on her other leg and before she knew, it had already climbed up to her tummy and was TICKLING her! She SQUEALED in delight and tried to get it OFF but there were TWO of them HFLŞAKŞ

"HAAAAAAAAAHAHAHEHEHEHAHAHHE!"

One second more of this, and she would curl up in a ball on the floor and be useless about collecting them back in the chest.

As soon as the chest opened, something under Lex's robes began squeaking; within seconds, a pair of small male rats emerged from his collar, looking a bit distressed.

"Hey, hey, what's the matter, guys?" he whispered, taking note of how they nervously clung to him. As the chest began to shake, he reached for his wand, and began wracking his brain to recall any of the charms he'd read about before the term.

When the furry creatures poured from the chest, Lex immediately backed away, knowing the ferrets in particular would mean his rats harm. He raised his wand as one headed straight for him.

"Flipendo!" The simple Knockback Jinx hit his target; the enemy ferret squeaked and retreated under an armchair. However, two more were headed his way. He cast two more jinxes, but only one met its mark; the ferret he'd missed reached his pant leg and began to climb.

It was then that, in a panic, both of his baby rats lept from his shoulders, landing on the floor amidst the chaos.

"Lance, Artie, no!" he cried unable to grab for them due to the ferret on his robes. The two rats split up, scampering away in search of cover.

The little ginger girl sighed slightly and managed a weak giggle at her cousin. At the very least Haddie could be relied upon to take attention away from Ailsa's awkwardness. Well, eventually, anyway, after teasing Ailsa about it. Still, cousin. Ailsa handed her cousin a cold mug of pumpkin juice. "Drink.," she simply said. That should help Haddie with her burning mouth.

Ailsa looked around for a few moments wondering who Alisa was before realizing that the head of house meant her. The girl's face still quite warm despite her cousin's unintentional distraction, Ailsa stood and headed towards the chest and the head of house, her slightly oversized but comfy bathrobe billowing a little as she did.

"It's Ailsa, sir. Like the drink? Ale? Sorry... ". She wasn't strictly sure why she'd apologised for her name, but it was the sort of thing she did relatively frequently with adults whom she didn't yet know well.

Before she can say anything else though, pandemonium breaks loose as angry balls of fluff burst from the chest, one of the ferrets leaping to nip the head of house's nose!

There's a slight start when the animals first fly from the chest, but then...

"Careful! Don't hurt them! They're probably just scared!"

Reaching up with one hand under the back paws of the ferret hanging from the head of house's nose and the other pressing her thumb and forefinger gently on either side of the ferret's mouth, as when getting a cat to open its mouth for a pill, Ailsa got the offending fluff to release Kitridge's nose.

Right. One down. Sort of. The ferret no longer on her superior's nose was now attacking Ailsa's ankles, but it was definitely an improvement.

Shimmying out of her robe, leaving just her T-shirt and pajama pants for protection from the animals Ailsa dropped the thick robe over a group of the attacking furballs and gently scooped it up again. "I've got some, but where do I put them?"

Chloe had a raffle ticket shoved in her hand and instructions to enjoy the night. She was a little miffed about being told what to do by an older, boy student but the prospect of winning things had turned her mood right around. The second year was almost getting into the mood of things when the animals escaped.

She froze.

This. Was. Not. Happening.

Her anxiety suddenly spiked and she panicked. Unhelpful, true, but that was all she was capable of.

That and hiding. Which she eventually did once she found her feet were no longer jelly. Behind the couch she stayed crouched and cowered and covered by the curtain of her blonde hair. This was horrible. She hated this.

She should have gone to bed.

Haddie grinned at Ailsa and gave her a little push toward the Head of House. She was proud of her little cousin, getting that honor and distinction from Kitridge. She deserved it.

Haddie on the other hand. Well, her spot in line was no doubt the very back. That's always were teachers put her with this sort of thing. The very back. In hopes it will wake her up about the consequences of being her, or something. It never did.

Finishing the smore and the pumpkin juice her cousin had handed her, she walked down the line, giving her housemates high fives where ever they were willing to reciprocate. Her back was still turned when the commotion broke out. Naturally. When Haddie turned around her face lit up with joy and excitement. "Pygmy puff!!!!" She had wanted one since she saw Noelle's at Madame Malkin's. "Come here, little guy. Come on."

Inching her way closer to the little ball of fluff, she reached out for the puff, a vibrant indigo in color, and became aware of the commotion around her. Especially since three very surly looking weasels looking things (ferrets?)(She didn't really know her tube rats) seemed to be approaching her, menacingly, from three directions. "Um... hi?"

First Peeves starts a food fight in the library, while she was fulfilling her punishment for the food fight in the feast last night (ironic, non?), and now this? Was it her, or this place? Or both? Certainly the most... interesting birthday of her life.

Haddie scooped up the indigo pygmy puff protectively and placed it in her pocket for safety, and stood. Chaos reigned around her. There was only one thing to do. Assure everyone of her innocence. "It wasn't me, guys. I swear!" Now that that was out of the way, she should probably help. Um... Ah! She grabbed a few marshmallows and kneeled down, offering them to angry weasel things.

The weasels went for her instead, straight into her robes, clawing and biting their way toward her face. "AHHHHHOOOOWWW! Son of a bi...uh...broccoli?" Huh?

She giggled. Haddie could be so cheeky. "Are you a frog trying to catch flies with that tongue?'' she joked lamely. "But you're right, Haddie. I think Ailsa is smitten with him but doesn't want to admit it.'' Best friend say what? "Me and Garreth?'' Rachel coloured slightly in the cheeks. "He's just my friend and nothing else.'' Still pink, she watched Haddie depart and return with a box. "I wonder what they have gotten for you.'' She looked on as the wrapper was torn away. "It's a two way mirror.'' Haddie's mother was brilliant.

"That's true. Do you think there's a spell that would let us mimic animal sounds?'' She hadn't come across one in her reading yet. Rachel went into a fit of giggles at Ailsa's denial about her like of Garreth and even more so when the boy joined them. Awkward. That comment about Garreth's glasses just made her smile even more. She nudged Ailsa. "You do like him.''

Rachel did a double take of a seemingly familiar face (Daxton). Wasn't he the same boy she had met at the vendors in Diagon Alley sometime ago? A second later, she was positive it was him. She approached him. "Hello. I remember you from Diagon Alley.'' She smiled. Would he talk this time around? On their first meeting, he hadn't talked at all.

"It's lovely to meet you, David.'' She smiled at him, wondering if it had been her hair he had been observing or something behind her. She had noticed the movement of his eyes. "I'm Rachel Watson, first year. Did you enjoy your first year here?'' She had not seen among the new students to be Sorted and reasoned that he had been at Hogwarts since last year.

Olivia was always alone, wasn't she? "Toasted marshmallows are really delicious,'' Rachel said to the girl who was similar to her in terms of appearance. She had brought a stick and a some marshmallows too. "Mind if I join you?" Just then, she spotted her Samurai friend. She waved at him.
.....................

Mr Kitridge was starting his speech so Rachel drew all her attention to him, listening intently. She glowed with pride when he mentioned Tia as a student leader. Despite the very short time she had known the other girl, Rachel was quite fond of her and looked up to her.

Did her Head of House just say stuffed eagles? The girl's face lit up. She loved stuffed toys! She eagerly went to follow Ailsa but then her eyes widened when suddenly little creatures burst from the chest. A pygmy puff instantly bounded at her and tried to get to her face by jumping on various pieces of furniture and even other students. "IT WANTS MY BOOGERS!'' she yelled as she tried to defend herself and at the same time catch the creature. Yes, she was remembering her conversation with Hope and Noelle at the joke shop last summer about boogers and pygmy puffs.