Oichi headed over to her house table for what she hoped would be a decent dinner. Upon sitting down she realized she was in no such luck. There were atleast potatoes that looked like decent whole food. She put some on her plate to try it. Ick, it's tasteless, and I paid 10 knuts for it, never again. I still have enough snacks till Hogsmeade and I guess I'll pay for my dang common room cause I have a lot more snacks in my trunk and I am gonna need it cause I won't be paying for this crud. With that she poured herself some water and left. Hogwarts hospitality is dead, ugh!!!

Sitting her bowl, plate, cup, and silverware on the table Mack siged as she looked at the food on the table, her mum could cook better food and she burned everything. she took a spoon full of potatoes and porridge. And ate it in silence, why had the elves gone, could they go? Weren't house elves supposed to listen to their master? If they worked in the school, wouldn't their master be the headmistress? UGH! so much to ask, would it be appropriate to ask her head of house, or should she go straight to the headmistress? She shrugged inwardly as the thought about it.

Sonea had just entered the great hall but when she smelled the awful food who was served she shivered. She had NEVER in her life eaten food that was so dirty as this! But if she wanted to survive she needed to eat something, no matter how awful it might be… Sonea sighed and just when se wanted to sit down on her own house table she saw a girl she knew and decided to walk over to the girl. She saw that Mack was still alone and didn’t talked to anybody so she thought that she could sit besides the girl. “Hi” said Sonea when she sat down next to the Gryffindor girl and looked sad at the food she just started to eat. “Do you know what is happening here?” Asked Sonea and frowned. “Are the house elves really gone?” Sonea wondered if this was true because they only could leave Hogwarts if they had permission, otherwise they would punish themselves so bad that they would return eventually.

Decided to sit in the middle row of Gryffindor House Table and waited for her friend to come, Aphrodite pay attentions to the surroundings .. there are some students who are in conversation with each other, and some of them looking at their food carefully. She also remember to brought her eating utensils and put them on the table. Hmm .. What if she visited Isobel while she was waiting for Amara, Nats, and Troy .. Okay .. she had made her mind.. not to mention she put her utensils back into the satchel she was carrying, she made her way to Ravenclaw House Table.

Mack shook her head "no idea, I know the school is in bankruptcy but for the elves to leave. I- I just don't understand." She really didn't and she didn't like it, but what could she do other than ask her grandparents for money for the school. "How are lessons for you so far?" The blonde poked at her food, she really didn't want to eat it but she did her best to clear her plate. "I wonder if we can cook our own food?" she thought out loud, looking at Sonea with a quizzical expression on her face.

The young girl nodded to Mack while she looked at the food, the cheap cutlery and everything what had changed since the start from this new year. “It is strange that all the house elves are gone now because I have learned that all the house elves are the slaves from us, some wizard families are treating their house elves good, but others are only mean to their elves. And… A house elf can’t disobey their master, and if the master has not given his or her permission, then it is impossible for the elf to leave.” Sonea stared with a frown at the food and tried to think of a other reason why they could have left the castle.

“Cooking or own food? That is a good idea!” Sonea looked interested at the other girl and wondered if it was allowed for the students to enter the kitchen.

The Gryffindor gawked as Sonea verbalized her own thoughts, seriously can she read minds? "I know! I thought the same thing, wouldn't their master be the Headmistress?"Mack had wanted to ask this question to someone but she wasn't sure if the subject was taboo. She grinned when the Slytherin agreed with making their own food, she wasn't sure how the girl would take the suggestion, but the next question was could she cook? "Do you know how to cook? I had my grans maid teach me a few summers back, it's very relaxing."

After finally being able to enter the Great Hall after paying a ridiculous amount of 10 knuts! Troy was ready to do some charitable work for the school, lets face it the only way Hogwarts can remain clean and steady is if everyone works together.

Yeah the kid wasn't buying it! He was still unimpressed with his first year stay here, but the classes were decent and so far the food as well.

Getting down to business, Troy had gone and borrowed a vacuum to clean up the Gryffindor house tables a bit. They were looking like they needed some extreme make over.

Troy began by picking up large items, like sporks, cups, plates, etc, that were left over so the vacuum wouldn't get damaged. "Vacavus." he tapped his vacuum with his wand, sucking dust from the small corners under the table.

“I’m sorry but I don’t know how to cook, I never have done it before, my mother don’t want me to work in the kitchen, she said that I’m not allowed to work at home while we have a few maids who could do it.” Sonea stared again at the plates with food before her and got suddenly a idea, “We can search in the library for a cook book, I’m sure that we can find one there!”

Sonea was now really curious and wanted to visit the library, she wanted to eat some good food and not the dirty stuff they had here in the Great Hall. But… She now only hoped that the food she wanted to make was not more dirty than the food here.

Mack nodded, yeah surely the library would have something, or she could owl her grans maid and get some recipes. "Yes, let's check there first, if not then I can owl home and get some recipes." The blonde really was excited for this adventure. And couldn't wait to have the time to go and look around the library.

"Let’s go!” said Sonea and pushed the chair she had been sitting on backwards. But… When somebody is asking what we are doing, tell that we are not studying, I don’t ‘want to look like a Ravenclaw student” said Sonea simply while she looked one last time at the table. “Are you coming, or do you want to eat something more here?” Asked Sonea laughingly.

Mack sat at the table eating breakfast, well picking it really, on the morning of her first Quidditch match. She didn't want to eat, she already felt sick, she was nervous that it would be her fault if Gryffindor lost or that she'd be injured during the game. And she wasn't sure how that would go since the hospital wing had been emptied with the goblins... sigh

She filled her cup back up with water and downed her third cup, she really needed to stop drinking so much but her mouth kept going dry, the thought of the bathroom made her push away the pitcher so that she would not fill her glass a fifth time.

Ronnie walked into the Great Hall, smiling brightly as she made her way to her table. She was in a really great mood. Mostly because today was the Qudditch match and Gryffindor would be playing! She had her whole outfit on to wear at the game and made a giant poster, as always.

As she reached the table, she saw Mack sitting all alone looking...odd. She tilted her head to the side, studying her and then made her way over to the girl. Mack was probably nervous about the game. She sat down on the bench beside her. "Hey, Mack." she said. "You nervous?" she asked, putting an arm around the girl to comfort her.

Mack nodded as the older Gryffindor approached her don't do this now Ronnie she screamed in her head, she was already freaking herself out with horror stories what if after today Ronnie didn't want anything to do with her because she is the reason they lost?!

Okay, realistically she knew that wouldn't happen but this first quidditch match stuff was serious business. She wished Ronnie had made it to tryouts so that they would be suiting up together SIGH "Very Nervous, I've had like four glasses of water but my mouth is still dry..." The beater rambled on and on about her dry mouth and feeling sick. "You'll be in the stands though right?" she small girl asked, hoping that she would see at least one familiar face in the stands as she played.

She frowned. "Don't be nervous, Mack! You'll do great. I'll be in the stands cheering you on the whole time, and I made a huge poster too!" she said with a nod. "Try and eat too," she added, gesturing to some food on the table. "You need your energy." she said.

"I know we'll win this match today," she went on as she filled her plate up. "We have some pretty great players. Especially you." she said, smiling at the girl and nodding.

Mack was still able to enter the great hall on the money she had put in the turnstile at the start of term, she had only been able to accomplish this by making her own food in the kitchen. Thank Godric, her grans maid had taught her a few simple meals. But she didn't have the supplies to make anything tonight, nor did she feel like cooking. So she would have to suffer through pourage..

She sat down at about the middle of the Gryffindor table before she realized she had forgotten her cup, bowl and silverware.. "Drats" she groand and then remembered the summoning spell her grandfather had taught her at a young age for when one of the maids forgot to put something on the table.. pulling out her wand, she whispered the fimilar incantation "Accio Dixie cup, bowl, and silverware" She remembered the older man telling her to picture what she wanted in her mind or where the items might be, and she did. They were sitting on top of her trunk in the dormitories. She waited a few moments and then saw them zooming at her, she smiled to herself as she grabbed them from the air above her and sat them onto the table.

Filling her cup with water she looked around to see who was in the great hall, maybe someone would be there... She hadn't seen Sonea, Ronnie, or Mika in a while. And then there was that nice Hufflepuff boy but he dated the Hufflepuff captain and she seemed mean. At that moment she didn't see anyone but she would keep her eye out and who knows maybe someone new would present themselves and she could make a new friend.

Ronnie entered the Great Hall and made her way over to the Gryffindor table. *Yawn* What a long night. She hadn't been able to fall asleep, for some odd reason she didn't know about. Boy she'd do anything to be able to sleep in today. But she had things to do...of course...

As she took a seat, she glanced around herself, noticing not many lions were up yet. She rubbed her eyes and sat up a bit more. Now for her delicious pancakes, fruit, pumpkin juice, and sizzling baco-

Blinking, she shook her head. Was she half asleep or something? She'd almost thought that good food was still here. "Stupid porridge." she muttered, glaring at the bowls of the yucky stuff. She was so not in the mood for that this morning, no sir. Hmmm...so what to eat then?

Suddenly, an idea popped into her head. ICE CREAM! Now that sounded delicious! Immidiately, she sprung up from her seat and dashed off to the kitchen. Moments later she returned with a tub of ice cream in her arms. YUMM. She dug her plastic spoon into it and began to dig in.

Ronnie entered the Great Hall and made her way over to the Gryffindor table. *Yawn* What a long night. She hadn't been able to fall asleep, for some odd reason she didn't know about. Boy she'd do anything to be able to sleep in today. But she had things to do...of course...

As she took a seat, she glanced around herself, noticing not many lions were up yet. She rubbed her eyes and sat up a bit more. Now for her delicious pancakes, fruit, pumpkin juice, and sizzling baco-

Blinking, she shook her head. Was she half asleep or something? She'd almost thought that good food was still here. "Stupid porridge." she muttered, glaring at the bowls of the yucky stuff. She was so not in the mood for that this morning, no sir. Hmmm...so what to eat then?

Suddenly, an idea popped into her head. ICE CREAM! Now that sounded delicious! Immidiately, she sprung up from her seat and dashed off to the kitchen. Moments later she returned with a tub of ice cream in her arms. YUMM. She dug her plastic spoon into it and began to dig in.

February.

She couldn't believe it was already February and the living conditions in Hogwarts hadn't really changed. The Gryffindor was getting a bit tired from cleaning her shared room and doing the laundry and making her own food. And normally, Melanie wouldn't go to the Great Hall after making herself breakfast. Nope. She usually just took her breakfast up to the common room, ate there and then left because the entrance fee to the common room was so much less than the fee to enter the Great Hall.

But she was tired.

So carrying her plate of teddy bear-shaped waffles with eggs sunny side up, the Gryffindor had paid the ten knuts needed to enter the Great Hall. Her plastic spork, which doubled as a catapult when used correctly, was hanging out of her mouth as she carefully balanced her "you can buy a pack of these plates in the dollar store" plate and red solo cup filled with tea towards the long empty looking Gryffindor table.

Well...

Except for one person with red hair digging into a tub of ice cream. Melanie blinked her eyes a few times to make sure she wasn't seeing things. Nope. She wasn't. Someone was eating a tub of ice cream in the morning. That was something... well, it wasn't exactly new since the beginning of the tern everyone was fed ice cream. It was strange really, how the school could afford so much ice cream and not take out food. Or microwavable ones except she guessed that made sense since microwaves probably didn't work at school. She slid into a seat across from the redhead, who Melanie remembered from the start of term "feast". The name wasn't coming to mind though.

It would later. She set down her plate and her cup before taking the spork out of her mouth and setting it on the plate. "Good morning," Melanie greeted, a cheerful smile on her face before taking a sip of her tea. Mmm...

Ronnie looked up from her ice cream when someone said goodmorning to her. "Goodmorning!" she said cheerfully, wiping some of the ice cream on her face off with her sleeve. Yum. That ice cream sure was goooood. She then looked at the girl. Okay. Ronnie knew the name, she knew she did. After studying her for a minute, she pointed her plastic spoon at her. "It's...Melanie...right?" she asked, cocking her head. She was pretty sure that was it. Or something like that.

Melanie started to poke at her waffle with her spork before placing it down. She really should've just slept in and skipped breakfast. She could've done brunch. Brunch would be nice. But no napping now, there was company. She tied her hair back in a ponytail and watched as the other Gryffindor wipe ice cream off her face with her sleeve.

Oh... kay. She smiled politely as the red-haired girl looked at Melanie. Was there something on her own face? Melanie suddenly felt very self-conscious and shifted a little in her seat and then tightened her ponytail before she saw a spoon being pointed at her.

Eep. What? Oh.

Letting out a little breath and giving the girl a much more relaxed smile, Melanie nodded her head. "The one and only," she said with a little awkward laugh. "And you're..."

Why was it that Melanie couldn't remember the girl's name? It started with an R, she knew that. Thinking for a little bit, Melanie fiddled with her spork before stopping. R... R... "Roooo..." Melanie felt like she was getting there. "Roxy?" Melanie finished hopefully. Was that right? Melanie sure hoped it was right. She crossed her fingers mentally and all because it'd be embarrassing if she got the girl's name wrong.

Chuckling, Ronnie smiled, watching as the girl tried to remember her name. She nodded as she began to say it, but then shook her head. "Ronnie," she corrected her. "Which is short for Veronica." she added. That name had disgusted Ronnie ever since she was about four, so she had everyone call her Ronnie.

Anyways... "So, enjoying the school year so far?" she asked as she took more bites of her strawberry ice cream. Ronnie hoped to be making another friend at this moment, she felt like she needed more friends from her own house. She had plenty in her first year...but...they were all gone now...

Ronnie. Oh. Melanie knew that. She gave herself a mental face!palm while her face turned red. "Ronnie, right, sorry," Melanie said, giving another awkward laugh. She had been close though right? Ronnie... Roxy... kind of? Sort of? No...? Okay then.

"Veronica's a nice name. It sounds like a movie star name and all glamorous and stuff," Melanie exclaimed, her eyes wide, smiling. It sounded like the name of someone from long time ago who walked on the red carpet and waved to adoring fans. One day, Melanie would do something like that. But with singing, not acting because acting was so much harder.

Melanie had to think about the question for a little bit. "It's..." Melanie couldn't seem to find a word to describe how the school year had been so far. "It's been..." she tried again but just like before, she couldn't seem to find a single word. She poked the teddy bear waffle's ear. "Interesting. It's been interesting," Melanie decided before poking the yellow yolk of her egg and watching it spill out onto the plate. "How's the year been for you so far?" Melanie asked.

She waved a hand. "Don't be sorry, it's all good." she said with a reassuring smile. It's not like they had talked very much or seen each other that often at school, so it didn't really bother her much. But if it had been one of her friends, she'd be quite concerned...

Shrugging, she played with her spoon in her tub of ice cream. "It is a pretty name and quite glamorous, I agree with you there. Although, it just doesn't fit me, y'know?" she said, shaking her head. That's why she preferred Ronnie. It just felt more better and comfortable hearing others say that. That's why it bothered her so much how most of her uncles, aunts, and grandparents still called her 'Veronica'... meh.

Ronnie ate her ice cream some more as she waited for Melanie to decide on what her year was like. She nodded. "Yeah. Mine's alright. There's been amazing parts and it's all been pretty good but..." she glanced down at all the yucky food on the table. "I miss the food. Even the dishes and silverware and everything else that's gone. I just wish we could have it all back, y'know?" she told her, sighing. The food was always the part she was most looking forward to when returning to Hogwarts...but sadly, there was no good food (except the ice cream!) this year. And this was her last year... "But at least we can still be here, I guess. I'm thankful for that."