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**Wilber Winterbottom** · #1 (**permalink**) 12-27-2022, 12:45 AM

For those who belong in Gryffindor House, on the left side of the Great Hall is where your table awaits. Red banners containing an embroidered golden lion float above the polished table in honour of the brave Godric Gryffindor. Already placed on the tables are silver plates with accompanying cutlery and goblets. All that is missing right now are the mountains of food and pitchers containing your favourite beverages.

Though your stomach might be growling as you take a seat on one of the long benches next to the table, it is important to not get hangry -- gnawing your arm away or jabbing your fork repeatedly on the surface of the table will do no good whatsoever. Give everyone some time to get settled in and wait for Headmaster Winterbottom to deliver his speech. Keep yourself preoccupied by catching up with your fellow housemates or those who are visiting from the other tables until it is time to sink your teeth into the hearty and delicious meal prepared by the house-elves.

*Nordic Witch* · 09-01-2026, 04:32 PM

Tiana had a skip in her step and a happy, smittening smile on her face as she headed over to the Gryffindor table to sit down. Her gaze kept getting drawn to the sorting ceremony to see if it was Cee's time yet to get sorted. Tee hoped that her sister would get sorted into Gryffindor too, but she had a feeling that Cee was aimed for another house. It was fine if that happened because Conner was a claw, and Tyler was a snake. When she was seated at the lion table Tee pulled out all the face paint bottles of different colours, and paintbrushes from her robepockets, and put them on the table amongst the plates, cutlery and goblets. Maybe they could paint each other's faces as they waited for the headmasters speech?

QueenPhoenix · 09-02-2026, 02:26 AM

It seemed strange walking into Hogwarts this year, sixth year, with the first set of major examinations completed. She was questioning though her skills as a gobstones player and was wondering if perhaps some beginner's luck had worn off. If it wasn't for the summer league and decent performances there, she'd likely throw in the towel for Gryffindor team.

Kara couldn't help but feel an emptiness when she glanced towards the Hufflepuff table. Aurora was graduated. She and Diego would follow shortly. Sure she still had two whole years left, but the first five years just flew by, so she knew that the last two would go quicker even as more challenging coursework went her way. Stealing a glance up at the staff table, she frowned. No Professors Khanna or Feirgrund? Which meant something else - new Gryffindor Head of House. After five years, she'd finally come to trust Professor Feirgrund, but then he had to go abandon her, as she was about to embark on her career ambitions. Couldn't he have just held out two more years?? This seemed entirely cruel ~~and completely selfish of herself~~

Feeling an unpleasantness creep through her core, she shook her head, not even wanting to know who is replacement was. "Gross. Gonna have to start all over."

FearlessLeader19 · 09-02-2026, 06:54 AM

SEVENTH YEAR!

How?

Now that Viano was seated at his House table, the question finally sunk in. It hadn’t before, not even when Vesper had constantly remarked during the time he spent at her place over the summer that she couldn’t believe that he had almost graduated. That sweet sister of his… he wished he could have spent more time with her and his nephew but! There was school to attend, Quidditch goals to accomplish, NEWTS to study for and all the other jazz. Plus, there was the option of him to live with her in Lundy Island after his seventh year instead of with his papas. He was still deciding on that but there was plenty of time for that even if it might rest a lot on his mind.

Right now, he was more interested in Tiana, her paints and her brushes. “Have you started a facepainting business?” he asked curiously, examining the colours. “If so, sign me up to be a customer.” You know how kids - and some adults too - got their faces painted at Quidditch matches? Well, Vi would like his painted for a change. “Hi, Kara. Starting over can be good, I can tell you from experience.” That experience? He was referencing moving from his home country, which had been rather scary for him.

“Facepainting?”

Eloy plopped himself down at the table, his gaze swivelling between Tiana and Viano. “Count me in too! And do we get to request our own patterns, or do you have options for us?” Either way, he didn’t mind as long as he got a cool looking pattern. “And maybe I can capture you guys on film! Got myself my very own camera.” He had developed an interest in photography which was really due to Hogwarts and the Time Capsule. The photos would make memorable keepsakes for the seventh years especially. As for Kara, he didn’t know what she was talking about that made Vi made that comment so he just stayed silent. Besides, he was more interested in the paints.

Felixir · 09-02-2026, 07:50 AM

New year, new start, and all that. Except that Lando couldn't really see the difference between today and yesterday. Or today and three months ago. Or today and this day last year. So, for all his dads' encouragement that a new school year could mean bigger and better things, Abraham Orlando Botros-Giordano just couldn't see it.

But he also knew he wasn't being fair to himself. The first night of term was always the most difficult, though he only had two of those to judge by, and the first had been his very first night at Hogwarts so was something of an outlier. It was though. It was difficult to adjust, or to anticipate having to adjust, and the excitement of the Sorting and the feast and the novelty of being back didn't quite assuage the pangs of homesickness which really started the moment the train had pulled out of the station.

It would have been easier to stay home again. Homeschooling had been lonely but easier to manage. But then he'd be leaving Silvio here on his own - well, on his own surrounded by other Hogwarts kids - and Lando still felt guilty for doing that in his second year. It was also the easy option, and he was supposed to be challenging himself, and so he was.

Seated at the Gryffindor table, Lando had watched the start of the Sorting with much the same interest as he had at last year's. Another of his cousins was up there this year, and Lando had a space reserved by his side in case of the very real possibility that Brom would end up in Gryffindor. He didn't, though, and was sent instead to Bisan and Silvio's house table. Even though Lando wasn't a Hufflepuff, he still clapped along with them - family, you know? - and after that moment his attention sort of drifted from the Sorting Ceremony.

Along the table, his housemates were getting situated. Lando noticed what seemed to be... was that paint? And eyed it warily. Another kid seemed to recognise it as face paint, which made Lando all the warier. He quickly averted his eyes from the stuff, not wanting to even give the idea that he might want to be involved in... that. Not that he thought it silly or childish or anything, just... it would be just his luck to get his face painted and then end up in some kind of medical emergency with his face made up to look like a tiger or something. And even if that didn't happen, it would surely bring some kind of mocking or otherwise negative attention, and he was very much opposed to that.

When someone else made a comment about starting over, Lando flicked his gaze her way, a little confused at first. It sounded like the sort of thing a new transfer might say, but he definitely recognised her, so...

His gaze drifted up to the staff table. Missing faces. New faces. He shifted uncomfortably, but not because he particularly missed anyone up there. He hadn't ever connected with any of the staff, after all, but all the same. He couldn't help but wonder... what had happened to those who hadn't returned? And was it because of...

No. Lando tore his gaze from the top table and back to his housemates again. For a moment, just one moment, he considered distracting himself by joining in with the conversation, about starting over and new starts and what his dads had reminded him only that morning. But he didn't. It didn't really feel worth repeating, and anyway those kids were older and probably weren't interested in what a fourth year had to say. In the end he simply gave a small nod - that ended up looking more like a awkward jerk of the head - at the boy's comment about Starting Over™, and lowered his gaze again.

Everything was getting to be a little much already, but there wasn't much chance of escape. Well. There was, actually, right through that door, but Lando didn't actually want to duck out of the Hall at every sign of discomfort. Plus, it would bring too much unwanted attention. Instead, he pulled a book from one of the deep pockets of his robes - surreptitiously, he hoped - held it open under the table, and started to read. This was his compromise. A figurative escape without literally fleeing the scene.

Deezerz · 09-03-2026, 03:43 AM

Her mind was still reeling from just now. She…Xelene Paloma Baltazar-Dos Santos, originating from a long, long, pure line of Slytherins a…a…Gryffindor? She was going to throw up. Or cry. Or both.

She forced herself to smile at a few of her new housemates as she made her way down the table. Xelene could typically be lured in by colors and paints, but she didn’t have the mood for it at the moment, so she bypassed that spot at the table. She also didn’t want to sit alone. Maybe Angel would be sorted into Gryffindor and they could sit together. He seemed Gryffindor material.

Not wanting to simply stand around and look lame, she chose the spot beside a quiet older boy (Lando). She had assumed he was either 1) checking out his nails or 2) sleeping sitting up, but on closer inspection she noticed the book.

“What are you reading?” she whispered, not wanting to attract attention.

*Samia* · 09-03-2026, 04:21 AM

Marina had grown over the summer.

Not dramatically, perhaps, but enough that her robes felt a little less like something she had borrowed from a taller version of herself and a little more like they belonged to her. Her hair had grown out too, and there was something faintly unfamiliar about catching her reflection in the train window and realizing she was beginning to look less like the girl who had first arrived at Hogwarts and more like someone who was, rather inconveniently, becoming a teenager.

She was not entirely sure how she felt about that.

The summer had been a strange one. There had been family things, and the usual assortment of questions she had not particularly wanted to answer, and enough time spent pretending she was perfectly fine that she had become rather good at it. Then there had been Synergy Quidditch Camp, which had been excellent. Genuinely excellent. Flying, training, meeting other players, and being somewhere that made sense in a way that most things did not.

And, because the universe apparently had a sense of humour, CJ had been there too. Somehow... Marina had managed.

The Sorting had already begun by the time Marina made her way to the Gryffindor table, and she paused just long enough to offer a few familiar faces a smile and a nod before finding an open place.

She settled onto the bench, smoothing her robes beneath her before glancing toward the staff table. There were new faces, and a few familiar ones missing, and she found herself wondering briefly what had happened to the people who had not returned. It was an uncomfortable thought, so she let it drift away before it could settle.

Around her, the table was already beginning to fill with conversation. Someone had paint. Someone else was looking at the paint with the sort of expression that suggested they were considering whether it might be dangerous. Marina's mouth twitched.

Honestly, she could probably make a whole evening out of watching that.

But committed to keeping her fourth year as ordinary as possible, she pushed herself to make conversation. So she looking over to the two Gryffindors beside her. One was already buried in a book, while the other looked as though she was still trying to decide whether she had made the right choice by sitting down.

“Hi,” Marina offered to the first year (Xelene), keeping her voice pleasantly ordinary. “I’m Marina. Welcome to Gryffindor”

Her attention shifted briefly to the book beneath the table, and she tilted her head with mild curiosity. “Isn't it a bit distracting to read when everything is so loud around you” she asked Lando, a small smile in place.

Felixir · 09-03-2026, 07:43 AM

A shift in the air beside him told Lando that someone had taken the seat next to him, but he didn't look up until he heard the someone whisper to him. At that point, he glanced up to see it was one of the newly sorted first years. The small smile came automatically - manners, and all - and he marked his place on the page with a finger and flipped the book shut to show her the title on the front cover: Boyhood. "It's about a homeless kid in the muggle world who discovers he's a wizard," he whispered back. "It's a novel, but I think it's a true story." Whadjamacallit. Semi-autobiographical.

He'd been sort of dragged out of the escapism, which was less than ideal, but perhaps also probably a good thing, because Lando was not being as subtle as he might have liked, and he'd rather not draw any negative attention from the staff table. Plus there were more and more people around, and contrary to what it may have seemed, he didn't actually want to give off the vibe that he didn't want to talk to anyone ever. Only at, you know, difficult moments.

Oh, right. "Yeah, welcome," he added to the first year, when Marina spoke up. Manners. "I'm Lando."

Speaking of Marina, she looked... different? But not. Different but not. Yeah.

"Mmm, not really," Lando said, in response to her question, mirroring her smile. "The book is sort of the distraction, I guess. I can kind of read anywhere." It was a talent, maybe. Or, at least, an extremely convenient coping skill. For a moment, the question was on his lips, the age-old 'Did you have a good summer?' But in the end Lando refrained, probably because it was just so hackneyed. Instead, he continued, "You ever find yourself somewhere and think, 'Man, I wish I had a book right about now'?"

Harron Peasley · 09-04-2026, 11:04 AM

The Start-of-Term Feast was one of Tallulah’s least favourite things about Hogwarts. In fact, she would rank it second on the hated list, only coming in slightly behind lessons due to the lack of magical requirements. She'd wondered for a long time about asking to forget her magical education, to move to a Muggle school, but ultimately she'd decided against it, explaining her consideration away to those questioning it by claiming it was whims and jokes. Luckily for her, the only people who might have cared were just relieved that she was staying and didn't dig much further.

And by people, she meant person. And even if Rafferty had been curious, he was also easily distracted.

Either way, she'd disembarked the train with a feeling of dread that only mounted as she got closer to the table and tried to work out where to sit. Definitely nowhere near face-paint girl, that was for sure. Instead, she settled near Lando and Marina, figuring there was some comfort in year mates even if she didn't know them too well. When the first year joined the table, she nodded and offered what she hoped was a welcoming smile, but might just have easily been a grimace.

Tallulah hadn't been planning to speak, but when Lando asked the question the words were out of her mouth before she could think about it. “Merlin, yes. I wish I had a book at all times,” she admitted, cheeks turning pink at having forced her way into the conversation. "A book I was interested in." The clarification was important, of course, given the textbooks they required for class were beyond dull.

Charely Potter · 09-04-2026, 09:36 PM

Before Tyler went to seat with the Slytherins, he had to go see his twin. It was September 1st, aka, their birthday! The now 13 year old snuck behind to give Tiana a surprise hug. "Happy Birthday, sis!" Before he sat down next to her. "So what do you think, think Ciara will join yours or my house?" He asked. He personally liked being a snake and could see her in either of their houses. He waved at Viano who acknowledged Tiana's facepaints. "Heey, wee should definitely paint ours to celebrate." As for Eloy, "Sure, make sure you get my good side." Which according to Tyler, he didn't have a bad side at all!

Diego did accompany Dario before they briefly separated. He and Zen agreed to meet up after the feast, so he slipped right by Viano, who he began to realize that he would be graduating this year. How sad. But they had many months to spend together as friends. "Hey Vi. How are you?" As if they didn't sit in the same carriage together, they did.

"My Papa said he loved the pie your parents brought over and wanted some more." Which he waited to say now because their daddy was within earshot and was trying to make sure Papa didn't overdo it on the sweets.

What was that picture time? "That's a cool camera." He pointed out to Eloy. Also nearby was Kara, another one of his good friends. "Hey Kara..." She didn't seem herself tonight, watching her gaze at the table. He felt a different vibe from her. He couldn't read her mind, but the scene made him hypothesize. "...you miss them too, right?" Whoever was going to take over Professors Feirgrund and Khanna's positions, he hoped they did alright.

Deezerz · 09-05-2026, 03:51 AM

Xelene returned the smile, a bit forced, but light all together. She’s been taught even when she doesn't feel like smiling. The boy was nice, though, so the smile wasn’t wholeheartedly forced. She curiously peered over at the book cover and when he spoke she looked up at him with her big crystal blue eyes. “It sounds true,” she whispered back. “Like Harry Potter but homeless.”

Despite her whispers, attention was attracted. That was alright! It was nice people who joined in and that made her feel a bit better. It served as a distraction to her current state.

Glancing over at the older girl and then back at the boy, Xelene smiled again. “Thank you. I’m Xelene.” It sounded a bit like Selene but with the X. She had that habit of explaining that, but not tonight. The mood wasn’t there.

When Marina asked Lando about loud environments and reading, Xelene’s gaze drifted back up at the boy, expectantly. That was a fair point, but then Lando made another great point. “I understand that,” she nodded, smoothing her palms over her lap. “I can nap anywhere despite the noise.” It wasn’t the same, but kind of was. That’s how she caused a massive search party at her grandparent’s 75th wedding anniversary party when she had fallen asleep under a soft and fluffy bush of some sort of plant, and everyone thought she had either wandered off or had been kidnapped.

By the time another girl popped up, Xelene was feeling a little better. She returned a smile that mirrored the older girl’s. There was more talk about books and Xelene wondered if she had mistaken the Gryffindor table for Ravenclaw. She knew not to judge a book by its cover (no pun intended), but the only Gryffindors she knew met the stereotype of loud and bouncy. Her little crew at the moment was not that.

Just to be sure, she gave the banners a glance to make sure she was at the correct table. What a nightmare it would be if she joined the wrong table. That was not the case. So, without worrying too much about houses, she turned her gaze at the other older girl (Tallulah). “What books interest you?” She was naturally curious to know now.

*Nordic Witch* · 09-05-2026, 05:33 AM

Gross... Tee just heard the word gross and looked up from fiddling with her paint bottles to eye [Kara] across the table suspiciously. "Hi Kara, do you really think my face paint bottles are gross?" Hopefully not, otherwise it'd be an akward moment.

Tiana was though saved by [Viano's] appearance, and interest. Smiling broadly up the 7th year she practically beamed with excitement. "Yes, I do. Do you want something small on your cheek or hand or something big in more of your face? I like painting butterflies, but I'm open to most things..maybe you even want to try a beard?" An idea out of the blue so Viano was allowed to shot it down since it wasn't very serious. Next minute [Eloy] was there eager to be painted too, and Tiana beamed, getting more and more excited to paint. "Hi Eloy, You can request patterns, but I like painting creatures most. Sure, you can take a photo of me." Anything for a friend after all. If she got to paint him, then he could take a photo of her, and maybe paint her back.

Before Tee had a chance to open a paint bottle she caught in a surprise hug by her twin [Tyler]. "Happy birthday, right back at you, bro!" As she side-hugged him while stealing a glance up at the sorting. Thoughtfully she said "I think Cee will get sorted into your house. She has more snake traits in her, you know?" Especially evidenced by their chocolate frog incident this summer that Tyler unfortunatley had missed. "Bro, can you paint my face if I do yours? I'd like butterfly or a fairy." Unless, Ty intended to give her something gross like a moustache then she was going to go hide behind [Diego] who got a "Hi Diego!" before Tiana sent waves and finger wiggles in greetings to [Xelene], [Tallulah], [Lando] and [Marina] who were deep in their own conversation, further down the lion table about a book of some sort.

*Samia* · 09-05-2026, 03:02 PM

Marina listened to Lando’s explanation with the sort of attention she usually reserved for anything that sounded even remotely more interesting than the feast itself. Her smile widened a little at Xelene’s comparison.

“Harry Potter, but homeless,” she repeated clearly amused, glancing between them. “Why does that sound so intriguing” She glanced at the cover again, then at Lando. “I wish I could read anywhere. I’m more of a ‘buy a book because the cover is shiny and then forget I own it’ sort of person.” There was no particular shame in the admission, though she did give a small, self-aware shrug. She had several books at home that had been purchased with the very best intentions and abandoned somewhere around the third chapter. “Although I do like the idea of having a book with me,” she added. “It makes you look like you have your life together.”

When Tallulah mentioned wanting a book she was actually interested in, Marina nodded in agreement, reaching for an empty goblet, just to do something with her hands. Why oh why was it always a goblet?

She smiled at Xelene’s answer about being able to nap anywhere. “That’s a useful skill. I can’t even nap properly when I’m trying to nap. My brain starts making a list of everything embarrassing I have ever done.”

Then, with a glance between the three of them, she added, “Just imagine though, what fun book club we'd make, right? The read anywhere and everywhere kind” Sure, she'd never actually truly finished a book but maybe they could motivate her enough to do it.

Her gaze drifted briefly toward the rest of the table, offering a small smile to whoever acknowledged her, before returning to the group.

FearlessLeader19 · 09-06-2026, 12:20 AM

The seventh year took a brief pause in chatting to scan the Slytherin table. His gaze was seeking out Feliks but in the process found Alexei first. His eyes fixed on the sixth year for a bit, intending to give him a nod in greeting. Soon enough, he was back to focusing on his own table. Vi had never thought he’d say this - though he never minded a crowd - but he certainly was pleased to see all of these familiar faces. Lando was included in this even though the other guy didn’t socialise much. He tilted his head at him, smiling a bit. It was never kind to make anyone feel ignored no matter if they didn’t fancy getting involved in all of the chatter.

Something Vi loved watching was the new Gryffindors arrive. However, this one in particular {Xelene} seemed sort of… put out? Still, Vi offered her a friendly smile. “Welcome to Hogwarts and Gryffindor,’’ he told her. Then there was Marina. He lifted his hand in a wave to her. The seventh year stroked an imaginary beard as he considered Tiana’s question. “I’ll pass on the beard but I wouldn’t mind a butterfly. A red one, to represent Gryffindor, perhaps?” For now, he liked to show off his youthful, clean shaven features.

Oh? It was Tiana’s and Tyler’s birthday? “Happy birthday, you guys! Can I just say I hope your sister joins Gryffindor?” Vi chuckled because yes, the more Gryffindors, the better. A big smile now played on his face as his bestie joined the group. Di would be right: they had loads of time to spend together - the chill hangouts, the Quidditch practise and of course, the studying. Vi hoped that Di would be up for helping him again like he had for OWLs. There was a playful eyeroll at him. “You’d think you’re only now seeing me for the entire day,’’ he joked. “But I’m alright. All good with you?” He had figured that Di had gone to hang out a bit with Dario and Zen. Thinking about Di with Zen sent a sharp pang through his heart yet again, but he stored the pain away so that he could process it when he got up to his dorm, rather than ignoring it. Coach Feirgrund and Healer Curious would be proud of his continued progress. A mention about the pie got Di chuckling though it threatened to turn into a snigger. He knew Di’s parents had a HUGE liking for cake - Rafael in particular. “I’ll let Papa Renner know. You know he likes spoiling your parents.” Vi suspected that his parents were just grateful that Di’s parents had adopted him, which in turn had led to Di and Vi becoming fast friends. Such a lovely chain of events. “Hey, is there any confectionery you want? I have to put in my request for extra white chocolates so… if… Zen wants something too, just let me know.”

Eloy on the other hand, craned his head in Lando’s direction as he tried to take a peak at the book before it could disappear under the table to see if he could make out the title. Sadly, he failed. But he too knew not to disturb his fellow Gryffindor. His attention honed in on the other activity buzzing around him. “Hi!” he greeted the new Lioness {Xelene}. Everyone was welcoming her but he didn’t go that far, worried he might overwhelm her. You see, El remembered what it was like being the newbie - the joy, all the things to take in etc. Marina’s nod was returned before grinning at Tyler. “Despite all this time of knowing you, I’m yet to figure out which is your good side.” El pulled on an angelic expression because yes, he was teasing.

He was now all smiles as Diego complimented his camera. “Thanks! My dad got it for me!’’ he said brightly. “It’s a very good model too.” Based on his research. He lifted it to snap a candid picture of Diego and Viano, figuring that both boys would like to keep it as a memento for when Vi graduated. “I’ll make a copy so you each have one.”

The camera was then aimed in Tiana’s direction. He captured a rather lovely one that made him think that she could be cast in an ad for facepaints. “Will get this to you as soon as I get it developed,” El promised. Setting the camera on the table, he thought of her earlier question. “I think I’ll take a roaring lion. You know… he’s going to have his mouth wide open so we can see his tongue and a couple of teeth?” Rawr!

Zoe · 09-06-2026, 08:18 PM

Seventh year. Ariel still wasn't entirely sure how that had happened.

She'd spent enough start-of-term feasts in the Great Hall that the whole affair ought to have felt routine by now: the Sorting, the applause, the mountains of food appearing across the tables. Yet there was something strangely whimsical about knowing this was the last time she'd sit through it as a student. The thought had been hovering at the back of her mind since she'd stepped off the train, and Ariel had made a determined effort not to dwell on it.

Which was perhaps why her attention had found something else to dwell on instead.

Or someone.

From her place at the table, Ariel's gaze wandered—quite casually, thank you very much—across the Hall toward the sea of green and silver. It took her approximately no time at all to locate Calliope among them.

Not that she'd been looking.

Obviously.

Hoping she caught the Slytherin's eye, she offered a smile, followed by the slightest tilt of her head. The redhead then promptly returned her attention to her own table and the ceremony before them as though she had been deeply invested in the Sorting all along.

Very subtle, Scamander.

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