Students were coming! Students were coming! Paul began to wave at them, but he realized they were too hungry/train-ride-grumpy to really care, so he stopped quite quickly. One of the new guys, A Caroleena, Paul thought he knew the name from the Herbology field...but he couldn't be sure. He'd have to ask her later! "Caroleena, you look lovely tonight, I must say!" She got a thumbs up from him.

"It is WONDERFUL to be back, Laurel, how about you?" he asked the Divination professor. Everyone looked wonderful tonight! Merlin's socks. Paul was so glad he broke out this very special and FANCY poncho for the occasion!

The healer was here, and Paul made a face at him..."Professor Myers--what are you, a student?! I am PAUL...I suppose you could call me Professor Myers, but the formality is not needed, my friend," and he took a big ole' swig of whatever was in his cup--turned out to be pumpkin juice!--and it went down the wrong tube. Which resulted in Paul coughing, wheezing, and keeling over his empty plate...HE WAS FINE. HE WAS FINE. He would answer River's question in due time...as soon as...his esophagus? Whatever the tube was that drink went down calmed down.

WHEEEEEZE

"I...am not....DYING....YET--" he gave one last COUGH and rubbed his forehead. "Merlin's pants!" he eyed the goblet holding the pumpkin juice as if it had done it ON PURPOSE. "River, I almost died and you did NOTHING!" he teased the healer...and he gave him an elbow nudge just so he would know. "And yes, everything I wear is organic, mind you," like, duh. You should know all of Paul Myers' clothing preferences, River Reed, how dare thee.

He gave Camilla a wave and smiled as she went to sit down at her side of the table. Pretty boy Hirsch was here, and Paul shot him a wave, too. Looking especially pretty tonight, too.

Ahh!

The lady of the hour! Paul stood up as she approached and bowed his head at her before she took her seat. He wasn't seated too far from her big, middle chair, either. "Hello, good evening, Headmistress! How are YOU tonight?" he smiled. He had business to discuss with her. Did she like his poncho? He saw her eyeing it up. Well, of course...she needed a welcome present.

He also did not realize Gaston was laughing at him. Or with him. But rather, thought the man was so incredibly happy to see Rosalyn again that he was just...being laugh-y! Ahh, young love. "My summer was great! How about.....yours?" he wiggled his eyebrows. Ahem.

PAH! "Eccentric is a word boring people like to use when they feel threatened by more interesting folk," he teased Viktor. "I have plenty of ponchos you could try, if you like, my friend." However, he didn't miss the pass made at Hirsch about love letters. PAHAHAHA. Viktor was so funny! Even if Paul thought him slightly......boring.

"Hello and good evening, Jordan, how are you tonight?" he asked the creatures man. "I still have that little worm problem...and they aren't NORMAL worms, mind you, but of the magical sort. I am normally decently good at identifying WORMS but...it seems to be out of my hands. Milton is close to calling an exterminator..." Even Paul did not condone that sort of behavior at all. It made him.....sad. And he knew a VERY charming woman from the ministry in pest control who would take care of the worms without exterminating them..

Imogen had arrived. "Wow...Imogen..that color looks so stunning on you!" he smiled as he passed her the compliment before she could sit down.

"MISS DENAKER!" he suddenly shouted, more...BOOMED. "How dare you come to this table and not tell me hello! Shame on you!" he joke!fussed, his tone doing its veeeeeery best to be fake!acerbic.

"Thaaaaaaank you Kay!" and that was enough shouting at her. Or shouting in general. Voice box was not happy! "Thank you, thank you, Rosalyn!" he smiled.

Anywho.

Paul's stomach gave a great big RUUUMBLEEEEE!