As much as he had been doing his best not to dwell on firsts and lasts on the train, Rajesh was feeling it all when he walked through the doors of the school and into the Great Hall. The strong, emotional energy of the start-of-term feast all around him. The seventh year swallowed as he tried to push the feelings inside to a manageable level, making his way towards the Ravenclaw table just as he had all the previous years. Well except his first when he had approached it from the dais the first time after his sorting.

Stop dwelling he chided himself as he sat down, looking towards the front of the grand room. He should focus on Nadia and Dynah and it being THEIR first night here. It was a much better use of his focus. He just had to wait a little while longer until the sorting ceremony was actually begun. Thankfully they would likely be one of if not the first ones up with Atreyu—Rehman as their surname.

Since he was alone at the table and couldn’t see his sisters, he instead looked to the staff table. He let out a sigh of relief that his head of house was still there. He didn’t need that level of change this year with his NEWTs and trying to set things up for post-graduation. Ugh…dwelling. And look…Aunt Hads was already seated as well, the Ravenclaw giving her a small wave and smile. Another supporter he was grateful to have this year.

Thank goodness that sorting thing had been very quick. Once the hat had placed her, Mouse skipped her way over to the table with the giant blue banner overhanging it. She hadn't really done much research on the Hogwarts houses, but she quite liked the color blue. Recently, the Princess she'd felt most connected to had to have been Cinderella and blue was her signature color so this felt very appropriate. Granted, the Ravenclaw blue was a deeper and darker shade than the pretty baby blue but... well one had to make do with their options.

Finding herself a seat next to another student (Raj), she gave him a quick smile and a greeting. "Good evening!" before turning her head around to observe all the other tables. 'Do people in the same houses have to sit together?" She found herself asking the table as a whole. It was fine if they did, she just wanted to make sure she knew for any future meals.

This is it.

The sorting had begun, so Raj’s attention had turned to the dais to pay attention. Whatever house his sisters were sorted into, he would gladly support. Dynah was the first to go and it wasn’t long before she was pronounced a Hufflepuff which Raj could totally see. She took after their Daddy Adi in that respect. The seventh year clapping with enthusiasm and smiling at her as she made her way to the table filled with badgers.

Then came Nadia where the hat took just a little longer to decide. Raj began to wonder what was what, but then the Sorting Hat raised its voice picking Gryffindor for the younger twin. He had to laugh because he could definitely see the house of courage in the girl. He clapped once more in support of her, returning her smile as she made her way to the lions. He had to admit, while he loved his sisters, he was kinda glad they weren’t following him into Ravenclaw…both all of their sakes.

Ah look…there was a Ravenclaw addition, a transfer student judging by the fact she looked closer to his age rather than his sisters’. Rajesh clapped in support with the rest of the eagles, knowing it had to be hard to jump into things all new like that. “Good evening,” he said, echoing her greeting. “Usually for Start and End of Term and feasts in between but during the year its allowed to mingle with friends and students from other houses.” They weren’t THAT strict.

"I'm Rajesh or Raj by the way."

Only two meals of the year having an assigned seating of sorts didn't seem that terrible, especially considering it could probably help her meet more people right off the bat anyways. She smiled in thanks as the information was offered, before offering her hand over the table in greeting when he provided his name. "Nice to meet you, Raj. I'm Minerva. But most just call me Mouse." It was her preferred really, though she didn't mind Minnie either. Minerva itself just felt so... stiff, even if there were some very influential people in the past who had shared the name with her. "What year are you?" He seemed like he was probably her year or older, though that really only left one additional year.

Entering the hall, Ellie's nose was already tucked into a book. Although her eyes lifted enough to glimpse the hall around her she found her way to the Ravenclaw table and took one of the empty seats before her eyes dropped again down to the pages of her book.

It was weirder being here without Evan. This was worse. She kept looking over her shoulder to see her brother walk over or tap her shoulder and flash his own of a kind gummy small smile. But… he wasn’t here. She focused her attention on the people at the table. It would help if she didn’t sit so far away from the rest of them. Time to be social….

“Hey Raj… Good summer, I hope?” she asked as she slid down the table towards the others. She didn’t realize that he was in a conversation with a girl she hadn’t met. “Oops. How rude of me! I didn’t mean to interrupt… welcome to Ravenclaw. I’m Lisa Nam.. Evan’s… sister but you wouldn’t know him. He just graduated and you just joined..” She was rambling. “Sixth year.” Lisa paused before lifting her hands to do a jazz hands thing. “Welcome!”

Okay that was sorta cringe. What a lame introduction… Nerina or Kinsay would never have done that…

So she diverted her eyes and noticed a newcomer with a book. Maybe she ought to ask to hide behind her book. “Whats the book about?” asked she.

SPOILER!!: Mouse

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chelliephone

Only two meals of the year having an assigned seating of sorts didn't seem that terrible, especially considering it could probably help her meet more people right off the bat anyways. She smiled in thanks as the information was offered, before offering her hand over the table in greeting when he provided his name. "Nice to meet you, Raj. I'm Minerva. But most just call me Mouse." It was her preferred really, though she didn't mind Minnie either. Minerva itself just felt so... stiff, even if there were some very influential people in the past who had shared the name with her. "What year are you?" He seemed like he was probably her year or older, though that really only left one additional year.

“Nice to meet you as well,” Raj remarked with a nod of acknowledgement, though it took a moment to catch the connection of her nickname to her given first name. Ohhhh. “Then I shall remember that.” Whatever she preferred, he would use for her because he wouldn’t want to be mean. “I’m a seventh year,” the Ravenclaw answered, feeling just a tad weird about that fact. He was a seventh year and graduating at the end of this year.

SPOILER!!: Eleanor and Lisa

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nymphadoraliz

Entering the hall, Ellie's nose was already tucked into a book. Although her eyes lifted enough to glimpse the hall around her she found her way to the Ravenclaw table and took one of the empty seats before her eyes dropped again down to the pages of her book.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Watson

It was weirder being here without Evan. This was worse. She kept looking over her shoulder to see her brother walk over or tap her shoulder and flash his own of a kind gummy small smile. But… he wasn’t here. She focused her attention on the people at the table. It would help if she didn’t sit so far away from the rest of them. Time to be social….

“Hey Raj… Good summer, I hope?” she asked as she slid down the table towards the others. She didn’t realize that he was in a conversation with a girl she hadn’t met. “Oops. How rude of me! I didn’t mean to interrupt… welcome to Ravenclaw. I’m Lisa Nam.. Evan’s… sister but you wouldn’t know him. He just graduated and you just joined..” She was rambling. “Sixth year.” Lisa paused before lifting her hands to do a jazz hands thing. “Welcome!”

Okay that was sorta cringe. What a lame introduction… Nerina or Kinsay would never have done that…

So she diverted her eyes and noticed a newcomer with a book. Maybe she ought to ask to hide behind her book. “Whats the book about?” asked she.

And there was a returning eagle…with a stereotypical nose in book. Rajesh couldn’t lie, he’d done it more than once himself at meals in his earlier years and he knew what it was like to be disturbed from his reading when he was so intent. The headmaster would be doing that soon enough….so he let her be to enjoy her reading for now.

Besides there was a more familiar face. “Hi Lisa,” he greeted, returning her greeting. “Great summer,” he admitted with a nod. And like always it had gone waaaaaay too fast. Raj tried not to wince as she seemed to stumble over a greeting with Mouse. “What about yours? How did you do?” Summer was one thing, but she had made it past her OWLs too.

Aurora had bounced her way over from the sorting ceremony to her new found home Ravenclaw. The table was already full of chattering students and the eleven year old wanted to be seated right in the middle of all the action. She could see why both her mums had been Ravenclaws in their day. Her Ma, Layla, had been the quiet introverted type who kept herself to herself whereas her Mum, Bambi, was much more like herself with a bright and bubbly personality.

She found herself an empty seat between a couple of students and with a huge beam greeted her fellow students.

“Hi! I’m Aurora” she grinned. Introductions were necessary y’know? She would’ve said she was a first year and had just been sorted into Ravenclaw but she figured that was pretty obvious. The blonde was particularly petite (she hoped she would be tall like her mums eventually) and had that wide eyed innocent look of a firstie.

Milo had never liked these feasts, particularly those that came at the start of the term, when the shock of returning to the castle sent his mind skittering hither and thither, and the likelihood of unintentionally untethering from this plane was at its peak. Those were the most unproblematic untetherings, with uncertain prospects of returning.

Still he was here, kneeling sideways on the bench, odd-socked feet folded over each other behind him, eyes on the Sorting whenever they weren't drifting towards the side of the Hall. Milo had reserved the places on either side of his own by placing two upturned goblets on the bench, a technique that had not failed him yet. He had not, he realised then, told either Mercer or Mitsuki exactly who was there to be Sorted tonight... nor that such a person existed in the first place. Unless he had.

Keeping one ear on the proceedings, Milo twisted around, keeping one knee on the bench and planting the other foot beside it, his arm hooked, gargoyle-like, around his leg. He watched the arrivals, the greetings, and the smiles, and he blinked hard, and stared hard, and said nothing.

Not one to usually attend these sort of things (really, Tommy preferred finding somewhere quiet to wait it out), it was to his own surprise that he found his feet leading him into the Great Hall. Caught up within his own thoughts, and amongst the others, it was as he stood at the head of the Ravenclaw table that the sixth year realised that turning around and leaving would be incredibly noticeable, what with the sorting going on and all.

Raking a hand through his hair, he slipped onto the end of the bench, closest to the doors in order that he could leave as soon as possible. Tommy paid no attention to the sorting, or to the new students joining the blue and bronze. His scowl was fixed as he twisted the signet ring he'd stolen acquired over the summer on his finger.

Mouse was momentarily distracted by the entrance of another house mate, this one's mannerisms making her look the perfect role of Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Seriously, had that girl looked up from her book at all? Mouse might have liked a good page turner too, but this was next level. "Is that your favorite book?" She asked the girl, unsure if she was too engrossed to even hear them.

And another person! They were certainly all friendly weren't they? Even if this new entrance from this girl had her seeming a bit... scattered. Nam and Evan caught her attention, and she considered the fact her cousin had mentioned an Evan Nam, funnily enough. Something about he was Jude's friend? In normal circumstances she probably would have just figured there was another Evan Nam but considering she had just run into someone on the train she had not expected to see, she was not so quick to discredit. But she figured best not to bring it up. This girl seemed a bit lost without her older sibling. So she ignored the comment, and the... interesting greeting. "Hi Lisa, enchante. I'm a sixth year as well. Have you been here at Hogwarts since your 1st year?"

She smiled in appreciation at Raj when he remarked he'd remember the preferred name, giving a nod of gratitude before sipping on a water glass in front of her. Ah so he WAS a year older than her. "Are you excited to be in your last year?" Perhaps not, from what she remembered hearing there was a nasty exam for the seventh years here at Hogwarts. Which... she supposed she would have to start preparing for as well. Yikes. Glancing up at the staff table she nodded up towards them, "As the most experienced among us, what wisdom do you have to impart on the Professor's?"

Another new Eagle, it seemed. Fresh to the table just like herself. The 6th year smiled in greeting, giving a small waggle of her fingers towards the young girl. Aurora? Another Disney name too. Though it did occur to her most of her housemates might not have the foggiest idea what she was talking about when she mentioned things like that. It didn't seem to stop her, however. "Hi Sleeping Beauty!" She grinned.

It took her a moment to notice the young man who had not joined in the chatter, but seemed to be observing nonetheless. She sent a smile his way as well, and a wave of her hand in greeting. She supposed he had his own reasons for not joining in, so she didn't force commentary further and just left it there, the same for the newest recruit to the table who appeared her age but also seemed... very off put on speaking with anyone.

Her eyes raised from her book as someone asked what the book was about. Was she being spoken to or was someone else avoiding conversation? Her eyes met the other girls and she shrugged a little "My auntie suggested the book, it's something about the Greek god Apollo. I haven't gotten too far into it yet." Nope, she'd managed to finish her other book just an hour before arriving! Ellie gave the other girl a small smile but quickly dove back behind the book again.



"No, I just started it" shrugging she glanced up again at the next question. "It's a little confusing so far honestly." She liked Greek mythology, but this was definitely something new!

SPOILER!!: Aurora

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lottiepot

Aurora had bounced her way over from the sorting ceremony to her new found home Ravenclaw. The table was already full of chattering students and the eleven year old wanted to be seated right in the middle of all the action. She could see why both her mums had been Ravenclaws in their day. Her Ma, Layla, had been the quiet introverted type who kept herself to herself whereas her Mum, Bambi, was much more like herself with a bright and bubbly personality.

She found herself an empty seat between a couple of students and with a huge beam greeted her fellow students.

“Hi! I’m Aurora” she grinned. Introductions were necessary y’know? She would’ve said she was a first year and had just been sorted into Ravenclaw but she figured that was pretty obvious. The blonde was particularly petite (she hoped she would be tall like her mums eventually) and had that wide eyed innocent look of a firstie.

Ah and there was another new member of the flock joining the table. The seventh year offering a smile of welcome at the first year. “Hi Aurora, I’m Raj,” he said, returning the younger girl’s greeting. He seemed to be the unofficial house welcoming committee with the students sitting close by. “Welcome to Ravenclaw!”

SPOILER!!: Mouse

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chelliephone

Mouse was momentarily distracted by the entrance of another house mate, this one's mannerisms making her look the perfect role of Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Seriously, had that girl looked up from her book at all? Mouse might have liked a good page turner too, but this was next level. "Is that your favorite book?" She asked the girl, unsure if she was too engrossed to even hear them.

And another person! They were certainly all friendly weren't they? Even if this new entrance from this girl had her seeming a bit... scattered. Nam and Evan caught her attention, and she considered the fact her cousin had mentioned an Evan Nam, funnily enough. Something about he was Jude's friend? In normal circumstances she probably would have just figured there was another Evan Nam but considering she had just run into someone on the train she had not expected to see, she was not so quick to discredit. But she figured best not to bring it up. This girl seemed a bit lost without her older sibling. So she ignored the comment, and the... interesting greeting. "Hi Lisa, enchante. I'm a sixth year as well. Have you been here at Hogwarts since your 1st year?"

She smiled in appreciation at Raj when he remarked he'd remember the preferred name, giving a nod of gratitude before sipping on a water glass in front of her. Ah so he WAS a year older than her. "Are you excited to be in your last year?" Perhaps not, from what she remembered hearing there was a nasty exam for the seventh years here at Hogwarts. Which... she supposed she would have to start preparing for as well. Yikes. Glancing up at the staff table she nodded up towards them, "As the most experienced among us, what wisdom do you have to impart on the Professor's?"

Another new Eagle, it seemed. Fresh to the table just like herself. The 6th year smiled in greeting, giving a small waggle of her fingers towards the young girl. Aurora? Another Disney name too. Though it did occur to her most of her housemates might not have the foggiest idea what she was talking about when she mentioned things like that. It didn't seem to stop her, however. "Hi Sleeping Beauty!" She grinned.

It took her a moment to notice the young man who had not joined in the chatter, but seemed to be observing nonetheless. She sent a smile his way as well, and a wave of her hand in greeting. She supposed he had his own reasons for not joining in, so she didn't force commentary further and just left it there, the same for the newest recruit to the table who appeared her age but also seemed... very off put on speaking with anyone.

Was he excited? “Yes and no,” Rajesh answered, admitting that he had mixed feelings with this being his last term at Hogwarts. "It feels kinda weird to be honest." As for the information she was asking him for due to his experience at the school, he found his gaze popping back to said staff. “Well, our head of house, Professor Carton, is pretty great. He teaches Transfiguration. And Professor Paton is awesome with Care of Magical Creatures. “Yeah, so he was more than a little jaded on the side of his aunt. "Astronomy, Charms, and Defense professors...and the headmaster...are new."

Aurora, having a name so high alphabetically was one of the first newbies to sit down at the table and was more than happy to let her presence be known. Being shy and timid wasn’t in her nature, No she was bold and excitable and would probably grate on some of the students nerves with her enthusiasm for being at Hogwarts but that thought hadn’t even crossed her mind. Aurora was here to make friends and to learn to be a witch just like her mums. Not that Layla ever really used magic, she might as well have been a muggle really.

A much older student (Raj) greeted her and she beamed at him. “Thanks! It’s very exciting to be here” she giggled. It was in her opinion anyway. Her mums had said that if she really wanted to be in Ravenclaw then all she had to do was ask and the hat would listen. And listen it did. To be perfectly honest Aurora could’ve fit in any of the houses.. except maybe Slytherin. Not that there was anything against being a Slytherin, her uncle had been one after all and he was a cool, albeit a little serious Uncle.

The next student (Mouse) who spoke up confused her for a second. She glanced around the table wondering whether there was a student having a nap during the ceremony. There were a couple reading a book, one who seemed to want to be left alone with a scowl on his face (maybe best to not speak to that one) but none were asleep..

And then it dawned on her..

OHHHH.. SHE was Sleeping Beauty. A delighted giggle escaped her lips as she acknowledged the girl. “Like the Princess!” she grinned. There was a slight theme in the family with her mum being called Bambi. It was a good job that her older sister didn’t have a Disney themed name otherwise someone would’ve probably judged her mums for it.

Hope finally made it over to her new table, filled with the members of her new House, and slid into a empty place near the end. She felt totally out of place in this big Hall, with all these people and all the grandeur. This was nothing like anything Hope had ever seen in her secluded little village. And she had no idea what to talk about with all these brilliant Ravenclaws, who would surely soon see that she was an imposter among them who didn't belong.

Oh this other girl was very fancy and sophisticated. The enchanté was intriguing. She offered a warm smile as her mind focused on the new housemate. Friend, competition, or… something else? Still to be determined. She’d prefer it if she could befriend her but she knew that’s not how friendships worked. “Enchanté,” she nodded in return. “I have. All my siblings went here. My sister’s a seventh year. Where were you studying before here?” She figured it be rude to insinuate Beauxbatons as the school that came to mind so she left the question open-minded.

Lisa turned to Raj. She nodded, remembering a former conversation when she had confided just how stressed she had been in prepping for OWLS. “Waaay too fast. Most days spent in Diagon and recovering from OWLS,” she grinned.

She did nod towards Milo and Tommy who joined. “Hello,” she greeted.

She wiggled her fingers as she waved to a newer Ravenclaw (Lottiepot) that joined. “Welcome to Ravenclaw! I’m Lisa Nam. What do you think of Hogwarts so far?” she asked with a slight tilt of her head.

Lisa turned her gaze away from the last conversation to see another first year join them. “Hi!” she waved to the younger girl. “Welcome to Hogwarts and to the best house ever.”

Jonah sat somewhere on a bench, someplace at the Ravenclaw table. Until he did not. Because his somewhere seat that he had someplace chosen had somehow become the center of commotion, which JRU I DidNotLike™.

Pulling the hood of his robes over his head, he turned to look directly into Lisa Nam's soul as he loudly, abruptly, and not-so-discreetly stood up from his somewhere seat and dragged his feet over to a newplace spot elsewhere near his nephew instead.

As Milo sat there, half listening to the other Ravenclaws' conversation in case something interesting came up, and attempting to ignore the frenetic whirring and chattering in his ears, he blinked hard, incessantly, inexorably. Nevertheless, his eyes roved the room, and fell upon someone looking directly at him. He jerked his head, as if to twitch away a bothersome fly, and returned the smile with an infinitesimal incline of the head.

Evidently, Milo was not in a talkative mood, and it only now occurred him that he had not spoken at all that day, possibly not since the day before yesterday - difficult to say, as it was not the kind of thing he kept track of. He twitched his head again in response to Nam the Younger, but a moment later had looked back towards the sorting, and the one he'd been listening out for.

The minutes didn't matter, the result was enough. This made things easier, even, to consider what Papo Jake had spoken to him about. Milo still wasn't sure he wanted to, but now found himself less resistant to the idea.

With the ache of released tension flooding his narrow shoulders, he grabbed the edge of the Ravenclaw table and used it to spin himself a quarter turn, so that he knelt facing the plates and goblets and empty platters. Jonah had sometime almost-joined him in recent history, but he was just as likely to engage in conversation as Milo was today, so there was no need to say anything at all.

Even before entering the Great Hall—before the carriages, and even much before the train ride as we know it—Sailor Zhang already had every intention of not finishing the start-of-term feast. The sorting ceremony took far too long and there was a speech still to be heard from who is definitely their new headmaster, and this Ravenclaw did not care for such traditions as much as he hoped he would.

However, he was currently battling his worst enemy. Growing boy pains. Especially hunger. While he had finished the snack he stole from his parents' restaurant on the train ride, Sailor still wanted to eat. So, you know, it wasn't his best day. Underneath his usual deadpan face, he was grumpy.

Sailor slipped into a space on the Ravenclaw table, and quietly eyed the newer members of the staff table. Trying to assess the odds of escape, but also willing them to hurry up.

Her arrival to the Great Hall had been delayed after what was a rather unremarkable carriage ride to the castle. The way some lint and little specks of dust had clung to one of the suits of armour lining the corridor had been reminiscent of one of the works of Ryōkan Taigu she had emulated during her performance calligraphy competition during summer term at Himitsumahou and, therefore, had spent a couple of prolonged minutes just admiring the organic placement and contrasts.

But, she had arrived now with Mercer somewhere nearby and glided to her usual seat across from Milo and just so happened to be the place beside quite the quivering new face (Hope). Not one for boisterous introductions nor initiating socialization, she simply did as she always did and reached into her pocket for a pinch of salt to lay down on the bench and in a neat line just in front of her plate before she slipped onto it and folded her hands on her lap.

She too would exist in comfortable silence until prompted to do otherwise. At least her resting stoic expression was softer these days (or today, rahter) than usual. Apparently she could give off an unpleasant vibe with the way her features naturally rested - which was most unfortunate.

Also most unfortunate was that she was not feeling particularly hungry at the moment due to how much Mercer (and his little shadow) had encouraged her to indulge on the parental offerings. Not having the space for the house elves' pudding would be the most tragic of starts to her fourth year.

Hope watched nervously as more students came and sat at the Ravenclaw table. The girl who'd just taken the place beside her didn't speak to Hope, so Hope remained silent herself. But she snuck a curious glance as her dinner companion laid down a thin line of salt in front of her setting--what could that be? Was it some sort of custom from somewhere? Or...maybe it was magic!

But then Hope's attention turned to the staff table, where an older man sitting in the center had gotten up and begun to speak. That must be the headmaster, then! Hope listened in attentive silence, though she had a bit of trouble following his train of thought a few times. And then, she was totally distracted by the sudden appearance of more different types of food than Hope had ever seen anywhere at once in all her life!

If Jonah was hoping to get a rise out of Lisa for such an immature and LOUD protest, he’d sorely be disappointed. She ignored him. Such an action didn’t deserve an acknowledgement so instead she turned her attention towards the Headmaster who had approached the Dias to give a speech. She missed the former Headmaster. She knew him. This one… Well she had learned the stories from Atlas and a few others.

Hesitant thoughts worried her.

The happy demeanor vanished as she listened to the speech in silence.