Refocusing on the house table as more and more Ravenclaws joined her, Cassie took in the familiar faces. Most were her fellow third years. Ones that she shared dorms with who earned a polite smile. One was the girl she had met in Diagon Alley over the summer who by her robes proved her to be a Gryffindor. She waved a polite hello at Noelle who seemed to be talking to friends so she didn’t interrupt. Then there were a few older students that she’d just seen in passing.

And finally a newcomer…a snake and certainly an older girl who was saying hello to everyone.

Wait---was she wearing a badge?

“Hello…” Cassie said, returning the greeting with another polite smile. Her year-mate obviously knew her AND confirmed the badge identifying the Slytherin as head girl. As well as the new Ravenclaw prefect. The third year making a note of faces for further reference.

So this wasn't going to be like a few terms ago... when Dora shouted for Chloe to stop staring or embarrassed her. Instead, the Gryffindor quietly slipped into the seat beside her and sighed. "Professor Flamsteed is gone." Did Chloe notice? Did she know before Dora? Anyway... she was sad faced as she looked at her Ravenclaw friend.

A moment later she heard Sam speak and tore her gaze away to look at her instead. Things had been so weird between them lately. Hence her sitting with Chloe at the moment.

Dora's eyes swept across Sam's face, a small sigh escaping her again. She had no idea how horrible Dora felt for getting her grounded. It had all been her fault. TOTALLY.

The Gryffindor managed a weak smile at her friend, once she finally caught her eye. "Hey Sam. How was the train ride? Did you find someone fun to sit with?" Because she had not been sitting with Dora. Which was fine really, since the blonde had been busy. She still felt the sting of their distance though. U G H. SHe would tell her about Professor Flamsteed another time.

The grounding hadn't actually been the worst part; it was the sad smile and internal sigh she sensed from Dora as a result of it. Having never really had an environment in which to be grounded before, Sam had actually found the whole thing quite enlightening. There was a security about it, the fact that Dora's Dad just treated her like he would one of his own. Sam could never remember feeling like that before.

Doing normal stuff, getting grounded and doing chores, was really rather nice. The only fending for herself she'd had to do was when rough and tumbling with Al, and that was more of a giggle than anything else.

For once, she could say she'd had a relaxing summer.

She smiled back amicably, though not as brightly as she might previously have done. There was that tentativeness in Dora's smile, and it still made Sam's heart hurt. More than anything, she missed the tenacity of the Gryffindor, her sense of adventure, the fun of just doing stuff together.

"It was okay, yeah," she replied, looking around the firstie she'd been talking to. "Finished reading me charms book. 'ow 'bouts you?"

A few moments after he'd taken his seat a boy appeared next to him. This was the usual practice of the great hall. People sat, they got up, more people sat and so on. Yet, being away from it for a good few months made it a little overwhelming to Ethan's personal space all over again.

After breathing in and out quickly, the third year urged himself to say something. He had to. It was the only way he'd ever grow.

"He-hello." His voice was only slightly more audible than it had been before.

Huh? Oh, hi Dora.

Chloe tore her eyes regretfully away from her new Head of House (oh yeah, she noticed that) and glanced at her friend. She smiled small and shook her head, "No, I haven't paid much attention to the staff table." Besides, Hirsch. He commanded all of her attention, anyway. Ahem.

The blonde turned her body away from the staff table to give Dora some one-on-one time. "How was your summer?" They'd not really gotten to talk on the train since Clara had disappeared to snog Blaise. Ugh, gross.

Rooney was in the last batch of students, bar the new ones waiting to be sorted, to enter the Great Hall. He had waited around, taken a good break to the toilet and then made his way in. In all honesty, he just really wanted to go to bed instead of having to see the Gryffindor table. His plan was to find Minnie in the next few days and end things with her...mutually, if that could happen. But that meant he didn't want to SEE her before then. Especially not at the same table as his sister, his best friend and...and well Char. Speaking of the latter...he wanted to see her and talk to her again.

Maybe after things with Minnie.

Pushing those thoughts out of his head, Rooney headed straight for his table, giving Kitty a smile and then handing out sweets here, there and everywhere down the table. He didn't feel like making conversation with each and every individual, so...well, so Rooney climbed up onto the table.

Glad that there wasn't yet food, he was able to put his feet wherever about the table he felt like and then cupped his hands around his mouth. "Hello, Ravenclaws! I'm Rooney Bronwyn, one of your Prefects for this term! I'm here to help, as is Kitty Valentine. ENJOY YOUR SWEETS." He'd given a good old two handed point at his co-prefect and then hopped on down. Job done. Speech, food and then bed, yeah?

Pleaaaase?

Azura had stood in the entrance hall debating for some time whether or not to just hide out there the entire feast or to come in and sit down and attempt to have a good time.

Finally she decided to come in. Sitting in the entrance hall wasn't doing her brain much good and she needed to get her mind off of Chris and Mia and what happened on the platform..

So in she went, just as Rooney stood up on the table! She sent a wave to her prefect before her purple eyes snapped to the other one.. Wait what? Kitty was the other prefect? Whoa! She sent a smile to her and a thumbs up! She knew she would do great! even if her own hopes of making prefect had just collapsed onto the floor beneath her feet.

She turned back to scan the table, searching for where to sit. Her purple orbs landed on Noah and Noelle and they both got a wave, but she couldn't really take a happy couple right now, so a wave was all they got. Ohh, there was Jace! and Ethan! She nodded her head and decided to go sit by the two of them.

As she slid into a seat next to Jace Her eyes slid up to the head table and for a moment it felt like her heart had stopped! Where was everyone? Her violet irises frantically scanned the table.. What? Mr. Kitridge was gone? Tears actually started to well up.. He has helped her out so much! Professor Flamsteed, Professor Primeaux, Professor Draper, Professor Finch, Professor Ichihara.. All of them were gone!

No.. Please no.. Azura bit her lip hard as she felt her chest tighten a bit.. Why had they all left?

Oh no! Had Professor Hirsch left too? For the love of the Fwoopers!! Please let him be there! Him and Professor Meyers

Oh.. There they were..

Azura sat back in slight relief, but still the loss of the professors hit her hard and she stared down at the table and tried not to cry.

It was at that moment that Lady Helena floated into the Great Hall and stopped suddenly. The sight of the Prefect bounding on the tables ruffled her feathers. It wasn't poised and elegant and it certainly wasn't Ravenclaw. She shot him a reproachful look, as if he'd upset her personally with his display.

Her elegant, ghostly self floated along the table and hovered above it. "As Prefect Bronwyn has so kindly mentioned, welcome to Ravenclaw to the newly sorted students and welcome back to our returning students." A warm smile spread across her lips. "I hope you grow to love the house of my mother's as much as I do."

With that, her ladyship floated towards an empty spot between two young eagles and sat down. Her hands were clasped and sat on her lap as she looked around at the bright, eager faces of the most wisest house at Hogwarts.

Fold, fold, fold. Jace successfully blocked out the noise as he finished making his 459th paper crane. The finished product was examined by careful brown eyes before it went back to his left pocket. As he got another chiyogami print from the table, Jace looked up to see Azura sit by him. The half-Japanese opened his mouth to say his greetings, but then noticed her gloomy expression while looking at the Staff Table. "I wasn't able to say goodbye to most of them too. Especially Ichihara-sensei...and Draper-sensei." They were both tough, but for some reason, Jace was drawn to them.

Jace went back to his origami, and briefly side-eyed the girl beside him. "Is...everything alright? You don't look so good." he said almost in a whisper, afraid that people might overhear him. He knew what happened to Azura, and Jace didn't want people to pry on her issues.

A silvery mist caught his eyes next, and Jace was quick to offer his greetings to their house ghost. "Konbanwa, Lady Helena." he said as he inclined his head towards the ghost, and then back to Azura.

Surely, the food won't disappoint, but at that moment, all Jace wanted was his warm bed up the Ravenclaw tower. He didn't feel like celebrating the new term with half of his old professors gone...

It was back to school again, which meant lots of boring homework and long classes and other things Riley was not very good at partaking in, despite her status as a Ravenclaw. BUT, before all of that misery could begin, there was one thing she could take VERY seriously. One thing she looked forward to all summer. The welcoming feast, for all the newbies and returning students. Of which she was the latter.

As soon as she walked through the doors of the Great Hall, she needed to make choices. Who to sit with. Now, she wasn't too sure because everyone already appeared to be in conversations with other people, so she settled for just poking them on the shoulders and saying "hello" before going on her. In the end, she headed towards The Grey Lady, greeting her warmly.

The first one to notice her appearance at the Ravenclaw table had been Kitty. Giving the Prefect a bright smile she also sent a wave her way. Despite all the staff changes she was attempting to be in high spirits.

Taking her little name twin sister by surprise had been her goal. Just because she was now named Head Girl didn't mean she couldn't have a tad bit of fun still. A small laugh escaped her lips as she hugged Haddie properly pulling back when so she could look at her. She took in the look and waited for the congrats she knew was to come only Haddie didn't finish what she was saying. Another laugh happened as the younger girl realized fully what the badge pinned onto her robes truly was. "Yup. Now you can say you're on best terms with the Head Girl," she joked. It wasn't a lie though, they were good friends.

A soft 'hello' caught her attention and she turned giving the speaker a warm friendly smile (Cassie). "Hello, did you have a nice summer?"

Hady had been about to greet some of the new first years, her voice dying in her throat when Rooney appeared. Now it wasn't so much his presence that stopped her but what the Prefect went on to do next. He climbed onto the table and spoke loudly to his house! She wasn't sure whether to laugh, clap or say something about him standing on tables. Slipping around some of the other kids she walked over to him and gave him a light smile. "Nice speech Rooney but next time stand on the bench, safety and all that," she whispered with a light laugh. He would know she was only being friendly, yes?

Uh oh? Hady shifted her gaze towards the house ghost who didn't at all appear very happy with Rooney being on a table. Putting on her warm smile she nodded at the ghost. "Good evening, Lady Helena."

*GIGGLE*

Miffy swooped in to the Hall after the love of her life. She floated lazily over to the Ravenclaw table. Look at them all too busy talking to notice her.

HOW RUDE!!!!!

She zoomed lower with another *GIGGLE* to upend a huge bottle of ketchup all over some students heads. They should notice her now!!!! For good measure she even seized another two bottles to douse them. To top it off she emptied a pack of lacewig flies on their heads.

*GIGGLE*

"MISSED ME, LOVELIEEEEEES?"

Away she swooped after her lover-geist.

Harvey joined his new house just in time to see the poltergeist drop ketchup on some of his new house mates. He sure was glad he hadn't been sorted thirty seconds earlier, or that might very well have been him.

Glancing around, he realized he didn't recognise anyone, and everyone around him looked older anyway. Oh well. He heard at least one more first year being sorted into Ravenclaw before him, so at least he knew he wasn't the only one.

Besides, the students around him seemed like a friendly bunch, and there was lots of friendly banter. He'd be fine. Someone was bound to talk to him eventually.

And in the meantime, there were roasted potatoes...

A note, clearly meant for Mr. Rooney Bronwyn, landed right in the boy's lap, folded neatly with a flower sticker keeping it shut. The flower sticker was glittered, and when the note was to be opened, glitter would fall onto it's recipient's lap. The note said:

Quote:

Rooney,

It is Professor Myers. This is a top secret note. Do not let others read it. I request your presence in my office tomorrow morning, before lessons. Do not tell anyone. It is of UTMOST importance, I assure you. Fix your gaze on a certain new professor, Professor Gaston Marchand....keep him in mind. His name is Gaston, dear boy.

That is all. Have a good feast.

-Professor Myers.

Azura turned to look at Jace as he spoke and she nodded a little as he spoke of the departing Professors. "I didn't know any of them were leaving, and Mr.Kitridge leaving... He helped me out so much last year. " And now he was just gone.. Azura bit her lip and tried to calm herself down. People left, it was okay.

But half the school though? And with what had just happened with Chris.. Az was feeling the sting of the missing professors even more. "I'll miss Draper a lot too, his classes were amazing and they pushed me. " She needed that.

She looked back down at the table, twisting her fingers a bit as she tried to at least get a smile onto her face when Jace spoke again and she almost felt her eyes fill with tears at his question.

He was so sweet and such a good friend. She would have hugged him if it wasn't for the fact that they were at a table and it would have been awkward..

"With everyone leaving and what just happened on the train.. I'm having trouble.. But I'll be okay, talking to you is helping, " It always did.

Miss Head Girl had caught her greeting. “Yeah I did,” she answered with a nod. “How about you?” she returned to be polite though silently berating herself. Surely gaining her new role had to have made it good. Then Cassie had gone back to her quiet observations when her attention was brought to an upper class boy she was sure she had seen in passing at the very least standing on the very table and being loud and trying to be in charge. Rooney Bronwyn…and confirming Kitty as his partner in crime as their two house prefects to replace the graduating ones. Another mental note made.

Oh look…there was another familiar face. One that didn’t like all to happy this night. (Azura) The girl debated approaching her fellow third year when someone else beat her two it and turned away to let them be. She figured she could at least inquire when they went up to the dorms if things still weren’t well. And another person…well ghost was making her appearance and greetings anyway.

“Hello Lady Helena,” Cassie greeted the house ghost with a smile. She always was a fan of the nice spectral member of the castle. In comparison to the poltergeist who appeared to be having fun at their table. Eww…what exactly was she dumping on people?

When hearing his name, Mason turned to look at his side to see a girl wearing a badge sit next to him. This must be one of the prefects Hogwarts had. She looked younger than him though, or perhaps she was the same age? He gave a smile however and a "thank you" before pointing at her badge. "First time a prefect or is this your second year?" he asked.

"Durmstrang" he answered her question and looked around the great hall. "its much warmer here" literally.

Not noticing the discomfort he was giving, Mason had turned his back to the other ravenclaw while talking to their Prefect. And it was only when he heard slightly audible voice say a word that he turned around. Out of curiousity. "Did you say something?" he asked as he looked at Ethan but then also at the other students who sat next to him in a line. Or had one of them spoken?

---SPLASH!---

It had happened in a matter of a second. Mason felt the ketchup drip from his hair and on to his face before dripping down on the table. With his hands he cleared away the ketchup and looked above him to see what had happened and lace wing flies hit his head, some even got stuck to it. "What in Merlin's pants was that?!" he checked hisnow red hands and then sniffed on his fingers. "oh! Ketchup!" he then turned to the other Ravenclaw (Ethan) and laughed. "you got some ketchup on your head" that wasn't even funny but he was laughing.

Oooooh! A ghost! The fifteen year old looked at her. Her elegancy was something he admired in a woman. If only she hadn't been dead siiiigh "Thank you for the welcome" she had not introduced herself so he probably had to find out by himself. Merlin, he loved this house already.

"That's okay Bloom," Kitty accepted Bloom's apology. Really, she wasn't mad at all. "Sometimes I scare people too. It's great we're housemates. In my un-biased opinion we're the coolest house. But they're all cool. You'll have to answer a riddle every time to get into the dormitory but if you want I'll give you clues." Nearby Azura had given her a thumbs up, which she promptly returned with a smile and another thumbs up. She looked around for Rooney, still not seeing him. "There is one other prefect too, but I can't see...hang on-"

Because Rooney had just entered the hall. He had approached the table and was handing out candy. Awww how sweet of him. She returned his smile with a wave and another smile and watched as he handed out candy. Then before she knew it he was shouting out an introduction that included her. Kitty stood up rather awkwardly as Rooney mentioned her name, just so first years could know who he was referring to. At first she was going to try to give a little speech of her own, but she found her voice caught in her throat so instead she just waved and sat back down.


"Ooh look, it's the Grey Lady." Kitty pointed the Grey Lady out to Bloom. "She's our ghost. Hello Lady Helena!" She waved enthusiastically at her.


Kitty nodded in answer to Mason's question. "Yeah this is my first year as prefect. I was surprised, truthfully. Do they have prefects in Durmstrang? I once attended a Romanian pre-school and they didn't have prefects, at least not like this."


"MIFFY!?" Kitty was too shocked to react right away as Miffy came up and started dumping Ketchup on people. Miffy. Usually Kitty was sweet and loving with almost everyone, but Miffy had earned her enmity in her second year by pulling several humiliating pranks on her in the second year (including poisoning an anti-dote in potions and throwing glue and feathers at the Rabenclaws at the end of term feast). At the end of that year Kitty had vowed to come back and challenge Miffy to a duel, but she hadn't seen her at all last year. And now here she was. At first Kitty almost drew her wand to challenge Miffy to challenge her to that long awaited duel, but she remembered that she was a prefect and was supposed to set an example. Maybe later when no one else was watching. "Miffy! Can we please talk?"


She stood and shouted her question to Miffy , who looked like she was about to float away.

Before Kitty could answer Bloom's question, the appearence of a boy(Shanners) caught her attention , he suddenly climbed on the table and started speaking loudly,introducing himself and welcoming the others. He was a prefect too but his manners were obviously diffrent from Kitty's ,he even distributed sweets to everyone !
Although Bloom was at first shocked , she soon got overwhelmed by another feeling : relief , her earlier doubts concerning her sorting started to fade away , perhaps being a Ravenclaw didn't necessarily mean you'll have to be a walking prodigy spitting wisdom, perspicacity and doing everything the right way . At least this boy gave her hope ...

Then a short moment after that , a transparent silhouette appeard before them , a woman's.It was that of a ghost, and a very elegant one. " This must be the Grey Lady , she's so beautiful just like the book described her " Bloom thought . The Grey Lady approached their table , displaying a grave countenance , she was clearly unpleased with the boy's attitude. The whole scene was somehow amusing to Bloom

And upon seing the grey lady sit , Bloom felt the urge of going to greet her and immediately told Kitty : " say Kitty , do you mind if i go greet the Grey Lady for a minute ? "

And then this happened.

Was there ever going to be such a thing as a quiet feast?

Hirsch had been halfway through his plate of sausages - not as great as German ones but a very close second, house elves - when the commotion occurred. Though, considering, maybe commotion wasn't the right word for it. Ketchup after ketchup was doused on the his Ravenclaws and the last thing he could do was sit back and watch.

So, looking immaculate and pretty carefree, the Defence Professor stepped down from the Dias and hurried towards the Ravenclaw Table. His stride might've been casual but there was an urgency in his step and a small frown on his face as he surveyed the area.

"Okay, Ravenclaws," he called out, taking out his wand from his suit pocket, "If you've been doused with ketchup, come over to me. I'll siphon it off." He was here to, er, save the day? Something like that.

Hadley was one of the lucky ones, this time. She'd missed being hit by the ketchup. And had managed to ignore the Rooster's crowing. How Kitridge ever saw Rooney as prefect material was beyond Hadley.

After finishing chatting with Hady, Hads sat back down and dug into the food that finally appeared on the table. She never noticed Sir Knight move from the dais and approach the table until she heard his voice. Hirsch had come down personally to aid the Ravenclaws. Did this mean...? She couldn't tell, not from here. His back was towards her.

The third year dabbed her mouth with her napkin and calmly stood up. She had to know already. Waiting was never a strong suit of hers. Hads marched peacefully over to Sir Knight, took his arms in her hands and spun him around until he was facing her. Where was it? Was it on him? Her eyes danced over his suit, searching. And there it was. The Head of House pin for Ravenclaw! Her wish had come true!

"YES!" Hadley pumped her fist in the air, practically leaping after it. Having gotten her answer, the girl waved calmly to her new Head of House, turned and skipped back to her seat.

Miffy floated backwards.

*GIGGLE*

Kitty was shouting at her. Miffy simply blew a LOUD RASPBERRY in the prefects direction. It was all about a duel. She knew. Miffy was not forgetful.

Did Hirsch get hotter over the summer or what? He had nothing on her polterman.

Miffy righted herself to zoom off towards Peeves. They had a big announcement to make. Yes. The time had come.

*UNBASHFUL GIGGLE*

"Mr. Kitridge is a very warm man. He will be missed, definitely." he said in a soft tone, nodding to himself and spared a glance at Azura. Jace knew that his friend was the sensitive type, and that she tends to have attachments easily. "How about, we give the newcomers a chance? I'm sure they've got something special to share. Forming new friendships with our teachers won't hurt." he said with a shy grin, and nudged Azura ever so lightly.

The third year Ravenclaw turned his head towards the dais as he saw the Headmaster rise up to give his Opening Speech. Jace gave Azura a light tap on the arm and gestured his head towards the man. The thirteen year old listened, and tried to memorize the new faces with their names and what subject they'd teach. "Does Hogwarts get an annual staff overhaul?" he asked Azura while keeping his eyes on the man. The next thing he knew, he stood up with the rest of the student body to pay his respects to a former Headmaster who already passed on. The name sounded wise, Jace thought. It was too bad he didn't get the chance to meet him.

With the speech over, Jace was back to his seat and as soon as he did so, food finally appeared. Jace's stomach made a grumbling sound at the sight, but his mind kept wandering off to the thought of sipping a nice warm seaweed soup. "The train, you said? What...happened? I dozed off while on board..." he continued as the teenager reached out for a chicken leg with his knife and fork when an unmistakable giggle erupted from nearby. Jace was quick to react, releasing his eating utensils and covered Azura with his robe like a cloak as he got doused in red, sticky liquid coming from above.

Jace kept his calm, slowly breathing in and out as he flicked the ketchup that slowly ran down his eyebrow. As he did so, Jace took notice of Professor Hirsch but decided against getting help from him. He didn't want his attention...unlike the others.He can manage to clean himself up like a true, bright wizard.

As Janelle looked around, her attention was drawn to the Sorting Hat happenings. Lots of new firsties and then a familiar face appeared. Her non-first year compartment mate from the train, was being sorted. Mason was very shortly thereafter pronounced a Ravenclaw. That was good.

As Mason arrived at the table and gave her a wave, Janelle waved back. Raising her voice slightly, to reach him across the table, she said, "Hey Mason, welcome to Ravenclaw!" She hoped that in addition to a new housemate, she'd have a new friend and ally.

Nearby, Janelle noticed Hady visiting the Ravenclaw table. She broke into a grin when she spotted the Head Girl badge on the Slytherin's robes. Making her way over to her, Janelle spoke. "Congratulations Hady! Head Girl, that's pretty awesome. Good luck this year."

Then somewhat shockingly, her prefect made a sudden appearance ala Flamsteed. Rooney was on the table and spreading greetings to all. One mystery was solved, as he announced the new female prefect. Kitty? Janelle hadn't quite seen that coming, but ok. She was on her way to speak to the prefects, but stopped short because......... Miffy happened. Just when she thought that it might be a quiet feast, ketchup was flying everywhere. Maybe she should just consider wearing a plastic rain poncho to the feast because it was always something.

Before Hirsch could siphon off any kind of ketchup, he found his hands being taken by a much younger pair of hands and was forced to turn towards her. He didn't oblige, especially when he saw who the hands belonged to, in the first place. Hadley Denaker hardly had it in her to do things on other people's terms. After all, the memory of her barging into his office and demanding that they start Patronus Lessons was still fresh in his mind.

But that reaction? Priceless.

Hirsch let out a small chuckle as he glanced between her and the Ravenclaw pin on his suit and then back again. "Yes. I'll make it official when this has been sorted over but...... yes." There, she had her answer.

And he wasn't going to ask what was going on between Kitty Valentine and Miffy. He watched the poltergal go before raising an eyebrow at his Prefect and........ choosing to say nothing. Nope. Blissfully unaware, over here.

While he waited for people to step up to the cleaning plate, the Defence Professor moved over the small part of ketchup on the floor and tried to siphon off the ketchup on the table itself, all the while trying not to get to any other liquid that was there. He wouldn't be anyone's favourite if he accidentally took away their drink. He certainly wouldn't have been pleased.

It was just as he was passing by a group of students where a lot of the ketchup had gone, that his eyes found a certain young Ravenclaw and..... cue an eyebrow raise. "You know, ketchup isn't the new black, Jace." Hint hint.