The Hufflepuff House Table
 

The table where Hufflepuffs come to eat and be merry!

Cedric sat at the table..waiting for his fellow huffies to take a seat.. then He open the book he was carrying while waiting for further announcements..

Emalyn skipped into the great hall. She could NOT believe it was already time for the end-of-term feast.
She plopped herself down. There was a lot of space at the Hufflepuff table because hardly anyone was there. She sighed and looked around. Another term...gone already. Quidditch season seemed to fly by, like the snitch itself. For the first time, Ema didn't want to go back home. Yes, it'd be nice to see family...but...when it came down to it? No way!

She sat with her hands in her lap, wiggling her feet under the table. Next term would be her third year.
Third.
Not first, not second.
Third.
She felt as if she were just leaving from her first. And Savannah...she wouldn't be back. Emalyn felt horrible...two years already gone.

End of term already? Surely it couldn't be.Seems like only yesterday that they were arriving on the train for more unexpected adventures.
Sarah wasn't sure what to feel.This year had been better for her personally,she had scored so many more points towards the Huffie total than last term...but they had still lost out on the cup.Now she had to go home.She was looking forward to seeing her family,but would miss the old castle while she was gone.It's amazing how used to something you become,even if you've only known it existed for 2 years.

Spying the colours of her house flying above the table,Sarah made her way to sit down.
Hmmmm not many people here yet,wonder where they are.
Taking a seat on the near empty bench,she began to swing her legs back and forth,before turning to the boy next to her.
"Hi Cedric,how has your year been?" she asked the firstie.

Lima headed into the Great Hall sadly. This was the last End-of-Term Feast that she would ever have. This was the last time that she would be eating a good meal at this place. She scanned the tables around her as she passed and wished that she was like some of the students, and coming back.

She gave a sigh when she finally reached her table and made a decision. Since this was to be her last Feast, she was going to eat until she burst. She took her seat and immediately began to pile her plate with food.

"If you eat too much you'll never fit into your tour costume," Vanessa smirked as she arrived next to her friend. Her friend who wsa leaving at the end of term. Her friend who wouldn't be here next year. "Don't go Lima," She spoke, quietly, as she sat down next to her. "I'll miss you," She smiled at her, at least they were spending most of the summer together. Touring the world, at least that would bring them together for a while.

She looked around, trying to spot Miles, but as she couldn't see him, she piled a few pieces of food onto her plate, and ate a little. "Tour should be good."

She snorted at Vans' first comment. "If you can't tell, I never gain weight," she said with a wink. Then her sudden good mood left again. "I know, I don't want to go either." She sighed. It was still sad even though she would be seeing so much of her and Miles over the summer.

"It should be amazing. Though it might be hard trying to keep the girls away from the Drummer." Miles was going to be such a hit. He was just so cute.

"Lucky thing. If I ate too much...I'd look like a dumpling," Vanessa shuddered. She definetly did not want to be a podgy midget. That wsa not a good look.
"Miles will miss you too." Vannie sighed, it would be wierd without Lima. It was like she was losing all her hufflepuff girls. "We'll write to you." She nodded with a smile.

"They'll have to steal him from me first," She smirked, she already knew all the girls would want him, hence why she was going to be joined at the hip with him, when they weren't on stage of course. "I'm looking forward to it."

Savannah looked composed. Calm, cool and collected.. on the outside. On the inside, well she was trying to ignore that. She was still very much so excited, and scared, and and longing to forget this was amongst the 'last time at Hogwarts' list. Tonight was the bittersweetest of them all, because it was the final night. And no matter how hard she tried shoving that from her brain, it wouldn't budge. Fact remained, she and Curt, and Dusty and Lexi and Fred would not be returning with the others next year. Kaitlynnh will be here, be happy about that; be happy for her. She encouraged herself, ocean blue eyes searching the great hall when she had finally made it past the giant oak doors.

She needed to see Professor Shackleton still, and sit with the Gryffindors for a little while too. She needed to say her goodbyes to Sarah atleast, and her other friends incase - and she knew it would happen, - there wasn't a chance before everyone went their seperate ways after Hogwarts Express arrives. But first, she would talk to her fellow house mates.

It wasn't but a moment until she spotted the smaller brunette, sitting practically by herself; she didn't appear to be talking to anyone. Savannah went straight to her, not bothering to try being quiet or sneaky because that failed when she tripped over her foot but didn't fall. She was getting good at regaining her balance just in time, no surprises there. "Emaaa!" Vannah greeted, hugging the second year from behind before claiming the seat beside her.

She laughed. "I suddenly have the image of that girl from Willy Wonka that turned into a blueberry in my head." Now that was funny. She wondered what it might be like to be a blueberry. Hmm.

"Miles better miss me, 'cause he will be getting a letter from me at the start of next Term. So will you of course," she added as an afterthought. "It's sad that I'll miss out on so much next Term. And I'll miss Hugo and Terry too." She sniffled.

"Well, we can be his bodyguards." She smiled. "Someone has to do the nasty work and keep the girls from mobbing him on the street." haha! Poor Miles.

"Oh Thanks Lima," Vanessa giggled, as kept away from the blueberrys. She didn't want to turn into a blueberry. But at least then she'd be taller then. But she'd be blue too. Not good.

"Yeey," Vannie grinned, smiling at Lima. "I'll make sure Hugo and Terry write to you too," She nodded, smiling. She knew that Hugo would, Terry would too, if he didn't get lazy. "We'll all miss you more though."

"Me a bodyguard? I'm too small for that," She giggled, imaginging herself as trying to protect Miles. It would probably be the other way around. "I'll show off that I'm with him." She grinned, she was proud of that.

Jack shuffled into the hall, clutching at his neck and kicking his leg a little more than usual, shaking one wrist and glancing around nervously, he sat at the Hufflepuff table, closest to the staff table, it was closer to Kazi and easier for the teachers to see who started it.

Emalyn had been busy plopping a scoop of mashed potatoes on her plate that she was startled when she heard her friend shouting and almost crashing down next to her. She looked up, her eyes wide, until she laughed.

"Hey you," she smiled, nudging Melanie. "Can you believe it's the end of the year already? You'll be a second year soon!" Ema beamed and handed Melanie the pitcher of pumpkin juice. "You want some?"

Emalyn grinned as she was hugged from behind. She knew that voice very well; the first person ever to speak to her in Hogwarts, on her first day...and now this was Vannah's last day. Emalyn choked back a lump in her throat as she looked up at her.

"Hey!!" she stood up and hugged her back. "Haven't seen you too much," she commented, wrinkling her nose at the seventh year.

The last thing she wanted to do was to mention Vannah leaving to her face. She wanted to cling to her forever, never letting go; even though she hadn't been able to spend too much time with the girl, she had always seen her as something of a...well, a safety zone, maybe. An older sister...or umm...well, someone to depend on, that knew what she was doing. She would have to force Vannah to write when she departed...there was no way she was letting her go that easily.

Dragging his feet and looking as though he'd just lost all the money in the world, Jake sidled into the Great Hall and beelined for his safe Hufflepuff table. Sure, he was glad to go home and get some sleep... but he wasn't too sure what home would be like, because he was going to find his dad. What if it totally sucked. Dangflabbit.

Not paying too much attention to where he was headed, Jake moved along the table and found himself a seat, hands in his pockets, legs swinging beneath him, staring absentmindedly at the wall across from him.

He didn't want to leave. He didn't really think it was all that great here, but it was somewhere he knew... somewhere safe... and there was always someone he could go to.

Siiiiiigh.

Melanie, completely ignoring the food surrounding her (she was too excited to eat...), gave Ema a huge grin. "I know!" she squealed happily, pride evident in her voice. She'd come back to school all mature and all then they'd see. She wasn't just an immature Hufflepuff first year. or was she?

An amused look took over on the first year's face as she remebered the first time she'd experienced pumpkin juice... and then Ema had offered it to her as well. Her first day at Hogwarts... Melanie shook herself, not wanting to get all freakishly emotional just because someone had offered her some pumpkin juice. "Yep, sure." Melanie said, eagerly, sticking a cup underneath the big glass pitcher so Ema could pour some pumpkin juice in for her. "Please." she added.

Melanie noticed the older girl Ema was speaking to and couldn't help but note she was old enough to be leaving Hogwarts...for good. Melanie never ever ever wanted to leave Hogwarts. Ever.


Melanie's eyes scanned the table as Ema spoke to the older girl hoping she'd see someone else she knew...

Jake. Jake Upstead.

Was it even worth it? She knew he didn't like her, but he had seemed really nice in the muggle studies project and he'd found her locket, but maybe he was just a fantastic actor.

She didn't exactly desperately want to speak to him, but he looked sad... and you didn't just let another Huffie go sad.

"Jaaaaake." she called, to get his attention , sliding a few inches down the bench to talk to him, still keeping a possessive eye on her seat next to Emalyn. "You look sad." she pointed out, giving him a look that clearly said you're-not-allowed-to-be-sad-while-sitting-at-this-table-so-there and poking him on the shoulder.

Hearing someone call his name, Jake turned and looked down the table a tad. "Hmmm?" he answered automatically, before he noticed who had spoken to him. "Oh, hey there, Melanie," a slight smile appeared on Jake's face out of the recognition that he now had company. "Yeah... yeah, I am a bit..." Jake nodded, face falling a tad, again. "I just... don't want this year to end, I guess..."

Resting his elbow on the table, Jake propped his head up on his hand and kept his head turned towards Melanie. "How are you holding up?"

Was- that...a smile?

Trick of light. He was being nice again though...odd. "Hey." she answered, giving him a small smile. So Jake was sad about the term ending as well? It seemed everyone was. Too bad they didn't have school all year round...

Just not classes or homework. She definitely could NOT deal with that all year round. "Me neither." she agreed, nodding slightly, her dark brown hair falling around her face so she had to push it back behind her ears.

How was she holding up? "Umm fine I guess." she answered, shifting awkwardly and glancing longingly back at Ema who was only a few feet away. She didn't want to tell him she had just about started sobbing at being offered pumpkin juice...that would be bad. What was his motive in asking her stuff anyway? Did he actually care? Or was he simply bored and avoiding Jack?

Pffttt whatever... she didn't care if he liked her...much. Okay so she cared, but he still probably didn't like her. He'd made that clear enough, but here she was having a normal conversation with him and he was being nice again. Strange.

Whit walked into the Great Hall and just before heading to her house table she decided to stop and see the lovely Huffie's first. And that's when she spotted her "big sister." 'It's not fair!!!' While she'd never thought about it much before,this was her last year and after the summer vaca,who knew when they'd see each other again. She didn't want her sister from another mister to leave her yet. "Lima!!!" she yelled running towards her and pulling her into a big squishy hug. There was no way she'd let herself cry now. Not yet. She would....cry later....when Lima wasn't looking. "Hi!" she yelled and then felt everything blur as her eyes watered. "Don't leave yet." she mumbled under her breath.

A girl of few words, eh? Well, Jake could deal with that... hopefully. "Just a whole bunch of big changes, I guess... it's kinda unsettling," he explained in a matter-of-fact tone. Reaching out across the table, Jake picked up his knife and fork, and balanced them on his goblet, using their weights to counter each other.

Looking up from his geekfest work of art, Jake noticed that Melanie seemed to be shuffling along the bench. "You can go back if you want," he shrugged, still with a slight smile playing on his lips. "Thanks, though... for... you know, talking to me."

Tilting his head, Jake looked further past Melanie to see she was already sitting with someone... and Emalyn at that. "I don't mind."

Rachie, Zoe and Gissel
 

She snorted and said, "you're welcome. Though I wonder what it would be like to be a blueberry. Though I might look so good that I would want to eat myself." WHOA. Weird. She shook that thought off.

"I hope you won't have to get Hugo to want to write to me." She giggled. She still was sad about the breakup even though she knew that it was for the best seeing as he would be away at school for most of the year and she would be living in France. "And I hope Terry isn't too big of a lazy butt too." She shook her head.

"Awww, you two are so cute!" she added smiling.

And then she heard the voice of her baby. He was here! "Jakey Wakey!" she exclaimed reaching over and giving him a huge hug as he sat down beside her. "I'm going to miss you so much," she said sniffling now.

And just when she felt she was going to cry, Whit had to come over and give her a huge hug and start telling her how much she will miss her. Returning the hug she said, "don't start!" while laughing weakly. "I'm going to start to cry and then I won't be able to stop."

"Don't you like it at home?" she asked a note of surprise in her tone, hoping she wasn't being to nosy again. She had to admit she was a bit surprised... she was jealous of Jake for a reason. Her seemed to be perfect on a level. Perfect Seeker. Perfect Student. But not he just wasn't... and her jealously was slowly starting to fade slowly away. "You don't have to answer that." she added, remembering why he got mad at her when she had been overly curious.

Melanie felt a small amused smile slip across his 'work of art'. Annnd now he had to go and remind her of her older brother...For the first time in a a long time since she'd been at Hogwarts Melanie felt a wave of homesickness hit her. She missed him...

Shaking herself out of her thoughts, and managing to wipe off any emotion that had been on her face while staring at the food utensils that he had turned into a sculpture and a very dorkish one at that.

Melanie, realizing what she'd been doing, let her eyes flicker back up to Jake who was speaking. She missed the first few words, but heard the rest. "No problem." she answered, wondering why he was thanking her anyway. "Honestly." Melanie gave him a small smile. Did he want her to though...? Jake was being really nice and she was starting to realize it may be authentic. Why would he fake it anyway?

Melanie glanced back as he did to see what he was looking at. Ema of course... She wanted to talk to her before she had to leave Hogwarts and knew the feast would just be too short, but Ema was speaking to someone else too. Maybe she could just continue until she was finished or until Jake had someone else to talk to? She didn't want to leave him all alone anyway. "I can stay for a bit." Melanie said, smiling. "If that's okay with you I mean." she continued, her grin faltering slightly.

She heard Lima over her small sniffles and really didn't want to make Lima cry. "I'm sorry." She wiped her eyes with her sleeves and tried to smile a bit. 'Crying + Lima = Bad' She reminded herself to make sure she didn't start crying again. "Let's restart." she said with a small giggle. She backed away a bit and took a deep breath. "Hi Lima!!!" she yelled and gave her another hug. 'I'm gonna miss you so so much!' she thought but knew better than to say it out loud.