"Okay. Good." It WAS good. Very good. Didn't want to go starting feuds with and upsetting people, you know? "Yeah I do!" Tobias replied somewhat enthusiastically. "I'm about to start my second year. Uh... how about you? Do you go there?" He was worried about seeming rude if it turned out she had been there at the same time as him and he just didn't recognise her.

Toby nodded as the girl explained her Personal Plimpy History, looking over at the creatures as he listened. So they were SHARING their first time seeing one up close? Neat! He scrunched up his nose a little bit about the dissecting part but he supposed he HAD used plimpy parts in potions before so it wasn't all that upsetting. Maybe this was actually his first experience seeing a LIVE one up close. That was more fitting. Tobias DID wonder what kind of class the girl's grandmother taught, just for a moment or two, but he was still super into the plimpies. "I like these ones. Look how content they look!" Just plodding along in there and all.

Tobias couldn't stop himself, he shuffled forwards a bit so he was over the white line, but nothing happened, probably because he wasn't playing, and he dipped the tip of his finger into the nearest bowl, far enough that eventually he felt a weird nibbling sensation which made him pull his finger back super quick. He stepped back again, pretending like he'd done nothing. There was still a smile on his face as he looked to the girl again.

That was a super kind offer! "That's really nice of you!" Although... "Are the plimpies the prizes? If they are I've got nowhere to keep one. I'd just release it somewhere." To be freeeee. Or leave it there for someone else to win. "The game does look like fun though... Look, the Starman is having a go!"

Tobias beamed towards the man and, when he was looking vaguely in his direction, waved to get the man's attention. "Hi Professor Starman!" Maybe they could see what HE won first.

No more complaints from Blondie, right? Because... in reality, how hard was it to toss balls into bowls? Colin handed two sickles to the booth runner and waited his turn.

Anya bounced excitedly in her spot. And she was WAY too excited to wait for Jake to pay. So she handed the guy four of her own sickles and took her three balls.

Now. Why was the Professor being all... squirmy. Was it weird for him to see students outside of class? Because, she felt that if that were the case she should feel more awkward than him. But here she was, completely fine.

"Well done, Professor." she said watching his throw. She then turned her attention to Jake with a look that said she clearly expected her boyfriend to do better and win her a BIG prize.

Preferably a stuffed animal of some kind.

See. She'd called it! This boy was a Hogwarts student, and she just bet he was a Hufflepuff, too! He just had the personality down pat. "Yup," she said, kind of half eyeing him and half eyeing the plimpies. "...but I just got in. I'm a first year." That didn't sound so inexperienced when talking to a second year. "Kind of excited about the sorting. What house are you in?"

Hufflepuff, right? ...Right?!

Sophie turned her attention to the plimpies just as Tobias started talking about how content they looked. She bet they weren't too content with all those little balls bouncing in and out of their bowls. She leeeeeeeaned over, following his lead as he got a better look. Then he stood up, and she almost collided with him...again.

She shrugged. "Probably not. Maybe stuffed plimpies or something like that," she answered. She hadn't heard of too many people having plimpies as pets. Then... "Starman?" she asked. "There's a professor named Starman?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by LilFox06

"Well done, Professor." she said watching his throw. She then turned her attention to Jake with a look that said she clearly expected her boyfriend to do better and win her a BIG prize.

Preferably a stuffed animal of some kind.

The feeling of accomplishment for besting this muggle carnival game with a twist left the astronomer forgetting how squirmy like a worm he had felt earlier. He had his eye on the prize as it were - whatever his prize may be.

"Thank you, Miss Phillips," he said with a quick salute. "Simple physics really. Newton's laws also come in handy quite a bit." Along with some good old brute physical force. But he had no doubts that Miss Philips was lacking there. She was a Gryffindor after all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

Tobias beamed towards the man and, when he was looking vaguely in his direction, waved to get the man's attention. "Hi Professor Starman!" Maybe they could see what HE won first.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anna Banana

She shrugged. "Probably not. Maybe stuffed plimpies or something like that," she answered. She hadn't heard of too many people having plimpies as pets. Then... "Starman?" she asked. "There's a professor named Starman?"

Turning his head at a familiar nickname of his being called, Airey found himself grinning like the Chesire Cat at Mr. Tempus and...a friend? "Hello hello, Mr. Tempus," Airey greeted before turning his attention towards the young lady. "Not Starman officially. Professor Flamsteed, I teach Astronomy at Hogwarts." His gaze went back to the Hufflepuff briefly. "You two going to give this game a go?"

Ahh, first year. See, as pleased as Toby was about entering his second year, there were DEFINITE perks to being a first year that he was going to miss. But STILL. SECOND YEAR.

"I'll bet!" Tobias responded to the part about the sorting. He'd been really excited about his sorting, and still remembered the anticipation quite vividly. "I'm in Hufflepuff," the boy revealed, obviously completely unaware that he was proving the girl right in her working out where he'd been sorted. "What house are you hoping for?"

OoooOOOOOH. STUFFED ANIMALS. That was probably right. Tobias only had one stuffed animal in his life and it would be awesome if he could win one here. He was about to say that he might give the game a go in that case, before she spoke again. "Yep!"

Okay, well technically no, if you wanted to be pedantic about it. But Professor Starman didn't mind the nickname so Toby kind of saw it as his actual name. It was EASY to forget a real name if you always went with the nickname.

ANYWAY YES.

Toby grinned at the professor. He was about to introduce the girl to him, before realising he didn't actually know her name. It was the kind of important information necessary when doing introductions.

So, he just... skipped that bit. Tobias couldn't answer for the girl, but he could certainly answer for himself. "I might do. It looks fun!" And not overly expensive either. "Is it difficult to win?" Not that it mattered, given that Tobias was a DEFINITE advocate of the whole 'it's the taking part that counts' saying.

SPOILER!!: Airey

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie

"Hello Miss Phillips, Mr. Keller," Airey greeted with a quick salute to the two Gryffindors and then, oh, erm, this was awkward. Apparently only for him though considering the two couldn't keep their paws off each other. Really did not need to see that. Really. They should be thankful that they were not at Hogwarts. In the Observatory - or the Astronomy Tower for that matter. Instant detention and point loss for blatant PDA AND making your professor squirm.

Yep.

But now his attention was back on the gentleman and his plimpy filled bowls.

"I suppose I'll just have to do that." Airey would have called the man a party pooper with his mind, but he also enjoyed the air of mystery. Not knowing what you would get kept the edge on what was actually a very muggle carnival game.

Taking his position after dropping his payment off in front of the man, he scooped up the first ball and squuuuuuuuuinted at the bowl. Yes. That one. Right there with the red plimpy. The astronomer stuck his finger in his mouth and pulled it out. Aha! No wind right now! Perfect conditions!

With a fluid underhand toss, he released the ball and watched as it slam dunked right into the bowl. Sorry there, plimpy.

"Alright! Score one for this astronomizzle!"

"Indeed," he commented simply in agreement, moving towards the bowl in question that had been the target of the professor. Nigel carefully slipped the ball from the bowl before gingerly lifting it up from its post. The man needing to check underneath for the answer to the man's earlier question...what his prize would be. For whoever had set up this both had done away with color-coding them or any other, possibly simplier ways of telling .

"It would appear you win a gift certificate to a shop," Nigel revealed, placing the bowl, plimpy and all back in place and retrieving said prize from his stash. "Here you are," he added, offering it over.

That was one customer down...or at least a ball. Any more?

SPOILER!!: Colin

Quote:

Originally Posted by LilFox06

No more complaints from Blondie, right? Because... in reality, how hard was it to toss balls into bowls? Colin handed two sickles to the booth runner and waited his turn.

He nodded as the one man who had asked the cost handed over the sickles, accepting his play into the game. "Here you go..." Nigel said when it was his turn, placing the shooting balls before him before stepping away so he could have a go.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Holmesian Feline

"Indeed," he commented simply in agreement, moving towards the bowl in question that had been the target of the professor. Nigel carefully slipped the ball from the bowl before gingerly lifting it up from its post. The man needing to check underneath for the answer to the man's earlier question...what his prize would be. For whoever had set up this both had done away with color-coding them or any other, possibly simplier ways of telling .

"It would appear you win a gift certificate to a shop," Nigel revealed, placing the bowl, plimpy and all back in place and retrieving said prize from his stash. "Here you are," he added, offering it over.

That was one customer down...or at least a ball. Any more?

Airey was bouncing in anticipation....but tried not to let his face fall too noticeably when he saw that his prize was just a regular run of the mill gift certificate. He had been hoping for something big and bulky. The sort of thing that one looked ridiculous walking around with because of its size. Maybe he could go buy a new tie with this...or some supplies for the lab since things were still lacking there with his tight budget.

Still no telescopes either. Sigh.

"Oh, um, thanks," he said as he took the certificate and pocketed in in his breast pocket.

Note to self not to go for a red plimpy again...or maybe yes since galleons were tight and his wallet was cold.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

Okay, well technically no, if you wanted to be pedantic about it. But Professor Starman didn't mind the nickname so Toby kind of saw it as his actual name. It was EASY to forget a real name if you always went with the nickname.

ANYWAY YES.

Toby grinned at the professor. He was about to introduce the girl to him, before realising he didn't actually know her name. It was the kind of important information necessary when doing introductions.

So, he just... skipped that bit. Tobias couldn't answer for the girl, but he could certainly answer for himself. "I might do. It looks fun!" And not overly expensive either. "Is it difficult to win?" Not that it mattered, given that Tobias was a DEFINITE advocate of the whole 'it's the taking part that counts' saying.

Eyeing the remaining bowls and wondering which one to try for next, he turned his attention to the Hufflepuff boy and chuckled. "100 percent of opportunities not taken are missed," he said with a quick tap on his nose. Truth. He tossed one of his ping pong balls in his hand idly for a few seconds before offering it to Mr. Tempus. "Simple mathematics and science really," he said, offering the ball with a bit more enthusiasm now. "I recommend you toss it underhand and wait for the wind to die down first."

Yes, this WAS his roundabout way of letting you use one of his balls.

Tempus? Was that this boy's name? It suddenly occurred to Sophie that neither one of them had said their name yet. She knew that this boy went to Hogwarts, that he was in Hufflepuff, and that he had never seen a plimpy up close and personal before. All that, and she didn't even know a name.

...and then some man was talking to her, answering the question she'd asked about Professor Starman. Sophie grew wide-eyed. She wasn't really used to holding conversations with random adults she didn't even know. She almost half-expected her mother to emerge from the shadows at any given moment. "Oh, you're a professor at Hogwarts," she said, suddenly feeling a little better talking to him. "I'm going there this year. My name's Sophie Newell."

She looked back at the game and then back to...the boy she guessed was named Tempus. "I don't know," she said. "Maybe I'll just watch you first." While she waited to see if he'd play the game or not, she kept talking. "I think maybe Slytherin. My grandparents were in Slytherin, and my grandma is the Head of House. My aunt was in Slytherin a few years ago, too."

Tobias noticed that the man was holding out a ping pong ball to him, and he could only really assume that it was an offer to take one of his goes. The Hufflepuff's smile seemed to stretch right across his face as he took the ball and listened to the advice. He didn't want to waste the go after all. "Thanks sir!" Toby said as the professor finished talking.

As he tested the weight of the ping pong ball (which was a lot lighter than he'd been expecting) before throwing, Tobias listened to what the girl beside him was saying. She was going to see how his throw went too, so he had an AUDIENCE. But first, he DID want to say something regarding the house thing. "I know a bunch of Slytherins, and there are some REALLY cool people from that house." Especially since that Quidditch match he'd commentated when he'd decided to befriend them all. "I reckon you're cool enough to be in Slytherin," he added with a serious nod. It didn't matter that they'd only spoken for a few minutes and didn't know each others' names; she'd been totally awesome about him flailing into her and just seemed totally collected and stuff.

Tobias vaguely wondered about the head of house thing. HE had thought Lafay was head of Slytherin house, but she didn't seem old enough to have an eleven year old grandkid. So either he was mistaken or she knew some good potions. They were both equally likely. "So d'you think that'll be a good thing? You're grandma being a teacher at the school while you're there?" Because he couldn't even imagine having his grandfather teach at the school while he was a student there. You'd just have to be so careful with the rules.

Anyway yes, he had a GAME to play. Tobias looked from the girl to the Astronomy professor and back to the plimpy bowls and tried to concentrate. He kept his feet behind the white line and gently tossed the ping pong ball with an underarm throw.

He'd misjudged the weight of the thing entirely as he threw it, and Tobias we well aware of that. He'd just twisted his mouth into an expression of acceptance of that fact, when the ping pong hit the rim of the bowl he'd been aiming for, instead of disappearing between the bowls like he'd been expecting. The ball bounced off at an angle before dropping into a bowl that contained a blue plimpy.

Tobias stared for a second, pleasantly surprised by that outcome, and then grinned again and pointed right at the bowl he'd managed to accidentally dunk the ball into. "That counts, doesn't it?" he said, looking between the professor, the girl and the guy on the stall. "That totally counts, right?" He sure hoped so, but if not, it wasn't such a big deal.

Sophie watched Tempus, or whatever his name was, take the ping pong ball. "It's almost like a snitch," she said, "only...it doesn't fly and it's just plain white." Right. Growing up in a very magical family would cause a girl to make those sorts of connections over a ping pong ball.

"There are a lot of cool people in Slytherin," Sophie agreed. "There's my Daddy," she began. Then as an after thought, she added, "He's my grandfather." Confused much? "Then there's my grandmother, my Aunt Sierra, and a ton of older relatives on my Daddy's side." Again, that was referring to her grandfather. "My mom and dad were both Gryffindors, though."

"You got one, Tempus!" she suddenly exclaimed. "That's your name, right?" Anyway, now Sophie was intrigued. She wanted to see what kind of prize came from a blue plimpy.

See?

SEE?

It DID count. The cool girl Sophie with the mostly Slytherin family even said so. Tobias smiled widely as he spoke to her. "I totally did!" And as for his name. "Yep! Well, it's my surname. My first name is Tobias, but some people call me Toby. I don't really mind." As long it wasn't a mean name and he knew people were talking to HIM, he'd take anything.

The part about the family though had got him thinking. "I think my family have been in all the different houses. My grandfather was a Ravenclaw, and my grandmother was a Gryffindor, and my other grandparents were both Hufflepuffs. And I know we had some Slytherins further back. So didn't mind where I was sorted, 'cause I knew all houses had their own way of being amazing. The sorting it was super exciting," Tobias added excitedly. Sophie Newell probably didn't want to know all that, but he wanted to TELL her and it was too late now anyway. Now he'd just got himself pumped up and READY to watch the sorting for THIS year and he was kind of bouncing on the balls of his feet again. He had to look back to the plimpies to stop himself talking and talking and talking about the Hogwarts houses and what he liked about them all.

"You're quite welcome, Mr. Tempus," he said as he gave the boy one last salute before his attention was back on the young lady. "I am," he grinned, although he wasn't going to entirely repeat himself because he had just given her the full introduction and she would be hearing it again at Hogwarts come his lesson. "It is nice to meet you, Miss Newell." Hmm...he thought he had seen that name somewhere before. Then again he did read A LOT of names with his professions.

Still holding his last ping pong ball, he watched as Mr. Tempus tossed the ball he had given him. "STELLAR! Outstanding Mr. Tempus!" See? Told you you could do it. Airey looked down at his sundial watch and... "Oh sweet solstice," he muttered under his breath. "I've got to get going, but I look forward to seeing you both at the feast and lessons. And a bit of a premature welcome to Hogwarts to you, Miss Newell."

And then without another word the suited astronomer scurried off into the growing crowd.