After some difficulty (and a few chosen swear words), Miranda managed to break a piece of the chicken free. Licking her lips, she drew the meat towards her and was just about to take a delicious bite when she heard her name being called. Turning around to see where it came from, she saw it was Jakers.
She paused, her hand midway to her mouth... But then he smiled and complimented her, which made her blush and look down for a second before looking at him again. "Thanks..." A nod, and then she could sort of sense how he felt...or maybe it was just her. This meant no Kaika this year...nor Dominic for that matter. All she could hope for was that they'd be proud of the new...''leaders''.

Just as she was about to say something back, she felt herself being embraced by...something, and was totally surprised. "Oh!" Aw, her chickenleg fell to her plate. But seeing who it was, she smiled big at the boy. "Cedric! I'm good thanks," ...and also so scared and nervous I'm about to wet myself. "How are you? HOw was France?" She remembered he had plans to travel there over the summer.

So she thought Tyler was funny, cute and sweet. And he just makes her nervous in a good way because Cadence is afraid to say something stupid in front of him. Parents and her boyfriend died her first year here... That's alot to take in for someone who was only eleven and going through all that. Then again, she wasn't alone. But that story had different details and all. Tyler couldn't say anything, but just listen. He couldn't think up any words to try to console her. Tyler just looked down at his his blue Vans, up to his straight leg dark jeans and to his blue shirt. So much color cordination. "I'm sorry to hear that..." was the only thing that could come out his mouth. "I'd probably do the same if my girlfriend was killed and my parents died all in the same year and I was still here," he said. Well, maybe he wouldn't destroy the common room, but he would just want to be alone for some time.

"How did you find out that you were allergic to rabbits and pineapple?" Ema wondered. She smiled happily when Nunually said that she reminded her of her mother. As long as she didn't blow any houses up she was fine with that. :P Ema listened to her story and laughed. "That musta been a shocker." she pictured a nice family dinner until Nunually bit into the pumpkin pie. "I love you too!" she gushed, swallowing her mouthfull. Aww, Nunually was so nice and cute and...well, squeezable. A kitty!! :kitty:

She looked up nervously as she heard Nunually choking on her broccoli. "You okay?" she asked, peering at her. Then Ema looked over at the Slytherin table. "They're okay...I don't know too much about them. I've met a few kids from there that are nice, though." she nodded approvingly in the direction of the Slytherin table. "They used to be thought of as mean, but obviously, as time went on they weren't anymore. After all those 'dark ages' and stuff." Ema looked back to Nunually. "Why?"

Ema looked up at Rex and gave him a smile. "Of course I remember you, Rex!" Or she had better remember him...she was to young to loose her memory. "I'm doing fine, how about you?" she asked, spooning some more carrots onto her plate. "Yeah, we certainly did. It wasn't as long as I thought it would be, though. Or maybe I'm just getting older and more patient." she smirked.

Ema turned her attention on Jake. Wait, woah! Adopted? Ema really needed to know this kid, she didn't even know he was allowed to get adopted. Well, not allowed, but...she didn't know he could. She didn't remember him talking about life back home. Hmmm...

"THAT'S GREAT, JAKE!" she beamed, jumping up and awkwardly hugging him from across the table. Huh, those tables were wider than they appeared...pfft! So she just ended up...kind of...patting him on the back a bit whilst leaning toward him awkwardly. Her face began to burn up. She should have just settled for a high-five. "Errr - what are they like?" she asked curiously.

Emalyn laughed. "No, there's nothing wrong with you," she said when she noticed he was checking his appearance. "You just look...older, maybe. Or...something." Hmm...this was weird. Ema always saw Jake as the 'young little seeker' but something about him this year didn't quite give her that impression. In fact, he was slightly attractive. Jake? Attractive? Naw. Impossible. "Just different. In a good way." she shrugged.

"Happy Birthday, then!" she exclaimed. "How old did you turn?" Jake was in his fourth year, right? That would mean fourteen...unless he turned fifteen like she did after the deadline, but would Hogwarts except someone whose birthday was a day before September 1st? "It musta been a great day with your new family. Are they wizarding?" Ema imagined in her head Jake getting adopted and moving to a new home with a new family...and then them finding out he had a whole chest full of spellbooks and a wand, etc.

Ema looked back up. "My summer?" she asked. Huh, she hadn't been asked this yet. She looked down at her plate, biting her cheek, thinking. How was her summer? "I guess it was okay." she nodded, turning her gaze back on Jake. "A leeeeetle on the down side, but good. Missed everyone here of course."

Ema, whilst shoving in some more mashed potatoes, looked up when she saw a familiar frame heading down toward the tables. When she noticed it was Miranda, she looked closer. Something was shimmering on her chest, like a...badge of some sort. Ema's first thought was prefect, but hadn't she seen Sarah with the prefect badge earlier?

As Miranda made her way closer Ema realized what it was. It all made perfect sense. "MIRANDAYOUDIDITYOU'RECAPTAINHOLYSMOKES!" she hooted, waving at her friend from across the room. She re-adjusted her voice, her blushes only getting worse. Why did she have to yell at a time like this? "Well done!!!" she said, a bit quieter, though still excited. This would be so awesome! Ema missed Kaika something dreadful, but Miranda being captain would be certainly a good change of events. "Congratulations, mah chocoholic friend."

So maybe this term would be good. Great. Fantastic. :woot:
Better than last term. Most definitely.

Seeeeee? Now she knew Jake was definitely happy for her, neither of them had to worry, right? Or maybe Jake was the only person worried about worrying.

Heck, it was only recently that he started thinking about other peoples' feeeeeelings.

"I'll buh-be seeing yuhh-yuh-you at ttttryouts," he said, smiling and turning away, leaving Miranda to get on with her conversation in peace. It felt weeeeird being a fourth year. Halfway through this year he'd have made it halfway through his Hogwarts career.

And what could he do magic-wise?

He could do squat.

Holy cows wearing stillettos on a rainy day, this girl had a set of lungs on her. Jake went wide-eyed as she leaned over the table towards him, but only for a second, since he understood people a little more now. That meant hug. The smile helped him on that count.

When Ema blushed, Jake didn't react at all... it was better to not react. He smiled widely, looking very pleased for himself. "Shhhe wuh-was mmmy foster mmmother for ab-about a yyyyear. Real nnnnice," he explained, though he couldn't explain it properly yet. He got so much attention, attention he'd always craved. In his opinion it was doing him the world of good. Even when he got into troubled the situation was dealt with properly. He didn't get away with anything but he in no way felt resentful when he was, for instance, grounded so he couldn't watch the world cup.

Well, not much... after a while.

Different in a good way, huh? "Good is good," Jake nodded approvingly. At least he didn't appear to be a troll or anything. That would be quite icky. Errr... unpleasant.

Ahhhhh, his birthday. That was such a good day... Jake got what he wanted INCLUUUUDIIING that absolutely GORGEOUS guitar he'd seen... but he'd had to leave it at home. Siiiiigh. "I wwwas fuhh-fourtteen," he explained, using his finger to trace the outer rim of his empty goblet. "And yyyeah... it wwwwas awesome. S'all wwwizardding buhh-back hhhome... but when sh-she fostered mmme it was through Muhh-muggle au-auth-autho... ritt... ees."

Stupid word.

"I'm ssstartin' to rrread ppproperly an' ev-everything."

And apparently stuttering more and more. Didn't that one Healer say that would abate soon? Ahhh well.

Mmmmm, Ema looked a tad unsure when answering Jake's question, so Jake decided not to push it. He didn't know whether it was linked to that friend she had to see or not, but either way, yes... Jake didn't want to push that at all. Sooooo... he moved on. Nodding agaiiiin, Jake tilted his head. "Ttttrying out th-this yyear?"

Yes, Quidditch again.

Well he hadn't run away or even excused himself awkwardly from the table, Cadence had to take that to be a good sign. She sniffed a little and looked up at him with a sort of sad smile. "It's okay TyTy. It's not your fault; don't be sorry. Sometimes, bad things just happen, and sometimes really really good people do bad things. The world isn't a perfect place divided into good and evil, right and wrong." She looked around the Great Hall and saw how many students were filling it up so quickly. Cadence was right, sometimes bad things just happened, and you had to learn to accept that. Look at all the bad things that had happened at Hogwarts, but people kept wanting to come back.

She took a deep breath and looked into his eyes again, smiling for real now. "What I was trying to say in that big long ramble about all my issues is that after I've known you for more than a day, I could probably really really like you... as more than a friend, but right now it's too soon to make any calls like that. So, no right now you don't make me nervous because I like you; you make me nervous because there's the potential for me to like you. And I know that's the question you were really trying to ask me, TyTy."

Meh. Wasn't as awkward as it could have been. At least she hadn't landed in a bowl of spaghetti.

"That's great," Ema was happy for him...he sounded genuine. She was tempted to ask why he had to be adopted in the first place, but decided not to touch on that subject. That would NOT bode well for the start-of-term feast. "do you like the house? Are there other kids?"

"Yuuuuppp." she bobbed her head. "Better than looking awfully, treacherously hideous. I coulda said that." she smirked. "But don't worry, I'm joking."

"Awesome. So it's been a good year so far? Well, for the most part I imagine." Ema said, remembering the term before. Ahh, so much chaos. Hopefully this term wouldn't be anything like that. It had been hard to get to sleep then. "Glad to hear it. What kinda cake did ya eat?" Because. cake. was. important!! "That's good, at least she knew what you were. I mean, what you were like. Wizarding. At least she wasn't surprised or...like...something." she rambled, mumbling.

"Good...reading's good." she said, taking a sip from her goblet.

And then a wee little bit of an awkward silence. Hmph. But the awkwardness was killed when he mentioned Quidditch. Yay! "Oh yeah, definitely. I so regretted not being able to make those tryouts last year, even though I...signed up." touching on that subject wasn't the best either, but whatever. "And I regret not being on the team for Kaika's last year." Yet another subject she wasn't sure she was supposed to bring up. "You're definitely trying out again, right?" he had better...he was a great player. "You'd better, you're a great player." she voiced her opinions, handing him the pitcher of pumpkin juice. "You aren't allergic to pumpkins, are you?"

Claudialuff <3
 

"So what have I missed so far?" Avery said pulling food closer to her ready to eat. She was starving after all she never had a chance to make it to the food trolly. "I wonder if Nymphy will come sit by me?" Avery spoke up looking around the tables to see if where he was sitting some where else, or if he had been sorted yet.

Miranda had just been about to resume her grabbing of the chickenleg when suddenly another call was heard, and she was almost sure her name was called out... Her head jerked to the other side of the table and grinned big as she saw her friend Emaly. "Ema!" Awww, her teammates were so sweet. She saw her friend sort of composing herself and Miranda laughed. Ema was so funny at times. "Thankyou, Ema..." Now the blush was back, and she smiled shyly. Chocoholic friend? Snort. Chuckling, she shook her head amused and then took a breath to speak. "I'll be seeing you at tryouts right?"

And she really hoped Jakers would be there too. Who knew, some of the team players might have a problem that Miranda was now going to be their captain.

Oh, but he was going to be there! Yay! "Yeah, allright Jake!" She smiled and nodded happily. She was about to tell him, in a teasing way, to keep out of trouble, but figured that might be a little to harsh to say. It's not like Jakers wasn't trying to stay out of trouble, for Miranda knew he was, ofcourse.

"I look forward to that-" And then she felt a nudge, making her sway a little in her seat. Hey Hufflepuff? She turned to look at the boy and was utterly confused as to who it was. And it had to be a boy. A BOY.

"Er...Hi." She said and then followed his gaze to the House Banner. Was this boy mocking her or was he new at this school? Miranda couldn't really recall seeing him before."Thats a Badger...?" Her answer sounded like a question in the end. Because it was simple, right? Who didn't know about the AWESOMENESS OF THE BADGER?

For everyone else as well! :D
 

So Sarah had introduced herself to pretty much everyone at the staff table, well the ones that didn't already know her anyway.For some reason she was in quite a happy mood, and practically skipped towards the Hufflepuff table.Pausing briefly she looked up and down, trying to spot Wesley.She hadn't seen the younger 'puff on the train and was desperate to share her news.Obviously, however, she also had to make sure everyone else knew she was a Prefect...you know, in case they needed anything...

Sarah stood behind the outer bench and addressed the table at large, raisng her voice slightly to be heard above the chatter. "Hello everyone," she smiled. "I wanted to say welcome to all you first years and transfers.I'm Sarah Griffin, one of your Prefects, so if you ever need help just come find me or Torin Kane." With a nod, she flung her arm around Wesley's shoulder and slid into her seat. "How you doing, Wes? I missed you on the train."

Anastasia smiled. "Yes, I was. This whole thing is completely nerve racking." When Allison sent her letter over, Anastasia saw that pure sadness was in her eyes. "You know, we're going to get through this. I know we will." Anastasia sent a warm smile with a twinkle in her eye to Allison.

Ziva got up from where she was sitting. She was not going to sit by a bunch of first years, she walked down the table and randomly picked a spot.

"Hello, I'm Ziva. Do you mind if I sit here?" she asked the boy. So much for not making those new friends...

Ema nodded vigorously. "Of course you will! Can't wait to see you in action." that sounded weird... "It'll be great." she smirked over at Miranda. Then seeing that Miranda was devouring chicken she turned to a platter full of it and got some for herself.

quidditchquidditchquidditchquidditch...

Ema needed her yearly dose. She had completely skipped the term before. She NEEEEEEEEDED quidditch. She needed to at least make the tryouts, because not everyone got on the team of course.

quidditchquidditchquidditchquidditchQUIDDITCH!

i wrote out a huge reply before this and it got wiped >.<
 

"It's amazing," Jake smiled warmly, and now he was starting to speak about something which made him relax, like the climbing thing or the fact that he had an awesome homelife, the stutter was beginning to calm slightly. He was relaxed and it was like before it happened. "And just me. N-no other kkkids to take the atten- I m- I meea... I mean... yeah..."

Bwaha, oops?

Hideous, huh? Well... that wouldn't bode well. Everyone at Hogwarts was, like, totally pretty and everything... save a few professors... maybe... But they all looked... nice. And though Jake didn't care about his own appearance, it was nice to look... pretty. Fail adjectives, but oh well.

With a small amused and light-hearted smirk on his face from that comment, Jake allowed his eyes to wander again up to the staff table. That guy in the middle was CREEPY-lookin'. Jake didn't like him. At all. He'd liked Bontecou and he wanted Bontecou back NOW.

Good year? That depended... onnn...

"Well... if, like... yyyou started the year in th-the mmmmiddle of August, thhhen yeah," he grinned, showing he was being... silly, for want of a better word. "Good year. And ttthhis year, I wwwwant to be... good."

Ema was definitely a girl after Jake's own heart, and she proved that by directing the conversation... to cake. CAKE! AH LURVE DE CECK! "It wwwwere sugar-less," he stated, but was hasty to to explain. "But mmmy mother. New mother. Rrrreal guhhh-good at... that... that fffood thing. It was ddd-deli-... deeelee-... It wwwas good."

Heck YES! He was trying out for quidditch. Oddly enough, his favourite part of the tryouts process was the sign-up sheet. Jake was... an odd boy. "Yeah," he nodded, eyeing the food, finally, wondering what to have. Obviously no meat. But then the compliment took him by surprise. "Nnno... nuhh-not ggggg... guhhh-ggreat... Luhh-lllucky," he stuttered, pulling at his collar to breathe as he blushed furiously. To cover his bumbling, Jake took the pumpkin juice and poured out a small amount in a goblet (small because the smell always made him dizzy at first... baby steps). "Nope... just ssssugar allergies," he hrinned sheepishly, and AGAIN let his eyes wander to the staff table.

And the evil looking man.

"Wwwwhat do you th-think ab-about thhhe ssssstaff thi... this yyeearrr?" Jake asked, leaning closer to Ema and lowering his voice.

He did not like change. And was therefore ready to complain about the huge changes up. at. that. table.

Lysander Kyle Valendar walked through the great hall to take a seat at the Hufflepuff table where nobody was...Just at the edge of the table...
His skin fell beautifully right up to his warm brown eyes.....

Bonnie eyed the boy and felt her heart stop.
"Hello, I'm Bonnie Campbell!" she smiled and nodded toward a space on the bench.

Jake wants to be pretty? BAHAHA
 

And then...was Jake NOT stuttering? Ema gave him a puzzled look but covered it up with a small smile and laughed. Oh this boy was sooo gonna say attention oh yessireehewashewas! "Right." she said, trying to hide her amusement.

And then he mentioned something about...wanting to be good? Ema let out a small snort. "Jacob Upstead? Good? I'll believe it when I see it." she stuck her tongue out. Thaaat's right, it was kind of like a dare. She didn't know much of this kid, but what she did know was if there was trouble, he usually had a small role in it. "You could try to set a record though." she teased.

The thought of a sugarless cake sounded very disappointing in Ema's opinion, but Jake seemed pleased with it. She nodded. "That's good. Can you...not have any sugar?" she remembered the times she had seen this kid have sugar, and she knew he got hyper and sometimes a little crazy, but could he really not have...any? "I gave you candy last term..." she mumbled, biting her lip. She hoped she didn't cause any strange rash or itch or reaction in him or something when she did that.

Emalyn waved her hand as if to push his comment away. "No, not lucky. I've seen you practice, you're great. No luck. Unless you've been brewing Felix Feliocuoaushasildgas for the last four terms," she mumbled the last part of the potion's name quietly. It was so much easier just to say felix. "You wouldn't be our seeker if you weren't a good player." she added. Ahh, okay. So he had sugar allergies. Ohhh dear.

Ema leaned forward to hear what Jake was saying. She followed his gaze up to the staff table and peered up at the new staff members. There were a few she didn't know. "I heard about some guy...Kade? Anddd..." she saw a guy in the middle who must be the new headmaster. Poor Bontecou. "Oh gee, he looks friendly." she whispered, taking in his stubborn (or however you would say it...maybe...prudish? No...some word, though) behavior and appearance. She looked back at Jake and almost jumped. Jeez, they were close. She cleared her throat and leaned back a bit, her eyes darting back to the staff table as she started tugging on her earlobe. "Yeah, umm...it's definitely different, huh?" she asked. Now she, too, was eyeing the staff table suspiciously.

:music: cha-cha-cha-cha-cha-cha-changessss :music:

Avery sat alone at the table. Her hazel eyes wandered the Great Hall.

Her skin was ivory and her eyes were hazel. She wore smokey eye shadow and her lips were ruby red. In her nmouth she wore fake vampire fangs that you stuck to your canines. She didn't know why she wore them, she just liked to. Avery's hair was flaming orange with yellow lowlights. She had a petite and elegant frame and she was around 5 feet tall. A bit short for a sixteen year old girl.

Lysander got up to his feet....
He was rarely tall for a sixth year....
He had a broad chest and shoulders.....
and smiled while he held out his right arm....
"Im Lysander..."
He took a pause.
"Lysander Kyle Valendar,nice to meet you Bonnie."
He looked into her eyes....
They were a rich innocent color....
She eyed the bench....
"Would you want to sit next to me?"

Her heart beat was fast and she felt a lump in her thoart when she nodded.

sorry so short, pit stop back in few
 

Her eyes lite up when he asked what subject she was looking forward too."Well I love animals so I can't wait for Care of Magical Creatures. And I loved watching my brother dueling with his friends and my dad so can't wait for Defense Against the Dark Arts either.What's your favorite subject? Are the teachers nice?Arya glanced over to the staff table, she wondered who taught what."Oh, Jake this is my friend Anastasia."

"I know, I just wished that she was a Hufflepuff too. Atleast we can run around the castle together." Arya turned from Allison and back to Jake and Anastasia, taking a sip of her drink."Oh, Anastasia this is Jake." She pointed in the direction of the forth year with a smile.

He smiled beautifully....
as he held out his right arm to escort her to the bench...
She was rather a beautiful Second year Ravenclaw....
What a shame she wasnt Hufflepuff..

Anastasia smiled at the boy who seemed to be older than she and Arya. "Hello, Jake."

She grinned at the confirmation that Emaly was indeed going to be at tryouts, but then her face fell a little and she had to swallow air. See you in action. Oh dear. How did she mean? Miranda guessed it had something to do with her captaining? Urgh. Her stomach clenched slightly at the thought. What if she did an awful job and everyone would be so disheartened by the un-organized Hufflepuff Quidditch stuff that Kaika had so awesomely made Champions of and- ... Seriously, what was she even thinking anymore. "Okay..." That was a squeak, ladies and gentlemen. "I mean, I hope so. I know it won't be the same without Kaika here..."And then Ema began to shovel food, which totally seemed like a good idea and so Miranda did the same.

Her eyebrow arched at the boy standing infront of him, waiting to see just what he was going to do next. Was he going to stand there all day? Well, hmpf, Miranda was hungry and (not) busy to be waiting for a boy.

She was totally surprised at how he basically squeezed himself between herself and her housemate. Her mouth opened to ask him what the heck he was up to when he himself asked something. What's up with what? But she didn't need to ask because he continued. Why a Badger!? Honestly she had no idea, BUT she was not going to answer that because he had basically just INSULTED the House of Hufflepuff! And that's why she had totally ignored the fact that they were sitting this close. "Noooo," Her voice sounded like a whine. Eh. She straightened up. "For your information...buddy, the Badger is not a Skunk, which is why it's called a Badger." Like, really. "And... Who, are YOU?" Where did he wander from? She narrowed her eyes and looked at his badge. Slytherin. "Are you new?"

BE PROUD! she thought and took his arm. "You new?" she asked, hoping not to pry.

Yeshhh =3 lolol and YAY! you got my almost-bowie reference =3
 

Jake SAW that smile. He kneeeeew she knew what he was going to say, HE DID! But he ignored it. If you didn't acknowledge it, it wasn't true. Exactamundo.

Okay yeah, Ema really was bad and holding back laughter. Jake raised an eyebrow and sent a mock glare in the girl's direction, before cracking a smile himself. Mhmm, he was pretty unsure of himself being good too. The boy reached over and prodded the girl's shoulder. "Be nnnice or I'll luhh-lose pppoints on ppppurpose," he smirked, not troubling to keep his voice down, which may or may not have been a mistake... depended what happened really.

At the question about the sugar, Jake shrugged his shoulder, though he'd already said too much... He needed to keep some people oblivious just in case he DESPERATELY NEEEEEDED sugar at some point soon.

"Kaika luhhh-liked to sshhhhout at me alllot," Jake grinned cheekily, because even HE knew that Kaika would refuse to think anything bad about him at all. Which meant he was an ally down... DON'T THINK ABOUT THAT! "I ggguess I was... okay..." But he still felt he was only Seeker because... well... other people didn't like the stress... whilst he thought the other positions were more stressful. Ahh well.

He still thought he was lucky.

And as he watched the staff table, some guy (Thomas Duskurk) almost seemed to appear out of nowhere. "Okay... th-that was fffffreaky," he muttered, watching the scary looking bloke before wrenching his eyes to the guy he didn't know was Tate again. Without a second thought, Jake pointed outright at that Head Honcho. "I dddddon't like hhhhim," he whispered, glancing at Ema and leaning back, searching out Lawson and Lawson up at the table, not satisfied until he found them.

At least THEY hadn't been, like, fired or arrested when Jake wasn't looking.

Care of Magical creatures, what a good choice. Jake grinned at that and glanced at the staff table AGAIIIIN. "Pppprofessor Morgan, as sshhhe used to bbbbe called, teaches Care of Muhh-Magical Ccccreatures," he pointed at her, up there sitting next to her husband. "She mmmarried last yyyears DADA teacher, Profffessor Lawson," he explained, shifting so he was a little comfortable. "She's Proffesor Mmmmmorgan, too. Her hhhhusband is the ggguy you saw me with at Fffff... Fffff... the ice cream ppplace."

As for the rest of the staff... "He doesn't teach DADA an-an-anymore... Everyththhhing changed... Most teachers are oh-oh-okay."

As for his favourite subject... he didn't know. It was the teachers that made subjects appealing to him, after all... "Anythhhing w-without mmmmagic is mmmy fffavourite," he commented, smiling darkly. No need to explain his ineptitude at magic just yet. "My bbbbest sssubject," but not exactly his favourite, since it had soooo much reading and writing involved... though WAS in his top choices... "Is Hhhhistory of Muhh-magic."

At the introduction, Jake smiled back at the Anastasia girl. He would have held out his hand to shake, but they were so farrrrr away... ish. "Nnnnice name," he commented, shifting around again. Dang benches were so uncomfortable. "Jake Upstead," Jake added. "Ffffourth year."

Sorry Kay!
 

Kita jumped as someone jumped into the seat next to her. She laughed when she noticed who it was. "Hey. I'm good. What about you?" she said, "Yeah. It's great. Just like being home again. So how was you summer?" She started eating and didn't join in with the conversation that was going on around her. She was one of those people who get hungry easily and this was no exception. She looked at everyone sitting around her and tried to follow what was going on...

"No."
As he led her to her seat...
He took his.
Her hand was awfully cold...
So he kept help of the girl's hand to keep it warm...
"I just-...I usually inclose myself...."
He said quietly..

"Oh." she murmured and squeezed his hand ever so slightly.

Sorry for the lateness, I had some broken link issues :(
 

Wesley's daze was broken by the voice of her friend- a voice she didn't have to even think about recognizing anymore. It was Sarah's.

Though, it was a particularly loud Sarah.

Wondering why her friend was talking so loud, Wesley looked up, and, as she listened, grinned. Sarah was so nice and brave. Nice to say hello to everybody, brave to say it in front of everybody. Sarah even had good man-

WAIT! Eyebrows lifting and eyes wide, Wesley stared blindly for a few minutes, letting the words sink in, then, blinking, searched. For the shiny badge.

Sure enough, there it was, blinking in the candlelight.

Shock turning into explosive happiness the 13-year-old started to clap. But then she realized no one else was clapping. And she stopped.

Face hot with redness, Wesley hunched up her shoulders, and like a turtle, receded into her robes, returned her gaze to her plate. Maybe, if she was lucky, nobody noticed.

But obviously, somebody did, because she was grabbed round the shoulders in a sweeping motion. Preparing to excuse herself to the ladies room before any accusations could be named, she turned to face the person, and her worried frown lit into a smile.

"SAR-I mean...uhhhh...Prefect Sarah!" she exclaimed happily, then, bursting with words, managed to listen as the older girl spoke.

"Oh, I'm doing pretty good. Except," she frowned, "My flitterbloom isn't." It was a long story that had to do with water, a fehu rune, and a dirty carpet, but that wasn't important right now. What was important was Sarah, "I know, you must have been in the prefect's compartment," she whispered the words with reverence, "Because- you're a PREFECT!" beginning to bounce in her seat, Wesley continued, picking up speed, "That's so GREAT!! When'd you find out? Isitscary? Howoftendoyouhavetocleanyourbadge? Whatdoyougettodo? Haveyouhadtoputanybodyintimeoutyet?"

This was even better than Butterbeer Ice Cream!

But at that thought, the tiny girl's glow dimmed. Eyes filled with worry, she spoke again,"Oh wait- S-Prefect Sarah, am I allowed to ask you questions, or are they secrets?" Wesley would never want Sarah to break the secrets of Prefectdom. That would be the worst.

He turned his head to look at her face, the smile fixed in place. “I said, like, not it actually is.” He pointed out to her unaware that she may be offended by his comments. Hell, he didn't know he had said anything that may be taken as offence. “They're closely related. My brothers an animal expert and I've picked up on one or two things.” He grinned and winked at the girl. Oliver was not just a pretty face. Hah. "Aaaand. Here's another interesting fact for you - they have reallly liiiittle legs." He looked downwards, peering under table as if trying to see the huffie students legs. Was this just the house they reserved for the smelly, short legged freaks who didn't belong anywhere else? snicker.

This table was by far the most entertaining.

“Who am I?” He straightened up a little and tugged at the front of his robes. “I'm Oliver Greenwood. Who are you?” Yep.. names was always helpful. He nodded. “Yeah. Just transferred from Durmstrang.” He informed her proudly through a mouthful of bread.

"Ya,thats the story of my life..."
He felt a slight pressure on his hand...
and smiled gently....
"Are you cold Bonnie?"

"I guess...." Bonnie shrugged and pussed her short hair behind her ear.

"Well here....-...."
He wrapped his right hand around her shoulder
and looked at her...
Smiling radiantly...
"So what year you in Bonnie?"

Bonnie sighed and muttered "Second."

Emily looked up as another first year girl sat down next to her. Yes, Emily had remembered seeing her on the train before. "Im Emily Stryker." said Emily, and smiled gently at her. Immediately, Emily felt that she could open up to Nana, which she ever rarely felt when meeting someone.

almost-bowie reference? *lookatchooallpuzzled*
 

Hmm...why had her face fallen so suddenly like that? "I know." Ema said, but gave Miranda a reassuring smile. "But everything changes, and you'll be great!" It was true, Kaika would be gone...and she was a great captain. But Rapunzel had been great, too...and Miranda would be great. Three great captains. Changes like these weren't so bad!

Ema returned Jake's little michievious smirk. She pretended to dust off her shoulder after he prodded it, her nose in the air. "You'd better not..." she fakey faked a glare. "Let's just keep the points at 0 until school really begins," she huffed. "the least you could do is try to behave, you little...little..." she squinted at him. What was he? "...little seeker-pants, you."

Oh yeah, that was creative.

"And I am being nice. Just in a mean way." she smiled innocently.

And....okay? A shrug? Ema shrugged too, deciding she wasn't going to get any direct sugar answers out of him. Hmph.

Ema nodded. She remembered the few times that Kaika had screamed at the team and sometimes Jake. "Yeah...she did that to everyone sometimes though, didn't she? I remember once she got frustrated with me after I sent a bludger at your head." andddd the smirk was back. Of course Kaika hadn't really screamed, she had more just...told Ema off for hitting it at Dominic and Jake so much. Ema scowled at Jake for a moment. No one made the position of seeker by being 'okay', but she let it go. If it was pure luck in his opinion, it was.

Ema watched the new guy at the staff table, this sneaky guy who looked...sneaky...ish. "Oi, that was..." Ema raised an eyebrow. "He's weird. Do you know who he is...or what he's doing up there?" she asked, glancing back at Jake. "That's the new headmaster, right?" she asked, looking in the direction Jake was pointing. "He seems...thuggish." sort of. "I miss Truebridge." she said, her eyes sweeping the staff table. "He was good." she pouted.

Poking at the little piece of french fries she had almost finished, Miranda looked up and was grateful for the awesome support. She'd tell her one day, how much it means. Like when it wasn't so crowded and difficult to hear. "I hope so... Have you heard anything from Kaika by the way? I got a letter saying she was going to study Dragons. That's like..." She threw her hands infront of her, as if it was a big shock and 'like whoa' type of thing. "I mean how awesome would that be!" Really awesome. Fo sho. "Have you thought about what to do when we...graduate?" And whyyyyyyyyy was she thinking about that NOW? She had three more terms to go!

Fine, he did say like...but to even COMPARE the two furry animals, bah! She merely looked at him and whatever piece of food he had taken up to eat. Which reminded her... Where did her chickenleg go?

Oh so he was a smartypants, then, ey? "Oh really?" She asked with a slight hint of sarcasm. "Shouldn't you know how a badger looks like then?" Well he should... Pout.

Miranda would have laughed at the way the boy was talking and said 'little legs', hadn't it been for him looking down under the table as if trying to see if they actually had badgers down there. "Are you looking for something?" She asked, looking at him like he had lost his marbles. Well, maybe he had, literally.

Her lips moved into a smile that didn't reach her eyes as he repeated her question. Well it was one of those rethorical ones, right?
She was a Captain, and even though it wasn't a Prefecting role, she had some serious good behavioural duties to uphold. "Nice" Er. ""to meet you, Oliver Greenwood. She did smile more sincere now. "I'm Miranda BelCanto..." Huffie Captain...errr nah. "Durmstrang? Oh, thats cool. Was it nice there?" She had heard it was spooky and cold. Not at all like Hogwarts. But, guess you had to go there to really know.

"Thats cute...I remember my second year....."
Lysander looked bewildered....
"Is there something wrong?"

"Your deffinatley not in third year." she said shking off his arm.

Humming a song under his breath, Blake wandered over to the Hufflepuff table in search of his ShoeBuddy, Miranda. He had cupcakes for her too. Whistling as he glanced up and down the long table, he accidentally stepped on the end some dude's robe and slipped. "WHAOOOOO!" Everything went into slow motion as he was wailing and yelping and the lunch box containing the cupcake was up in the air.

OHmyGOSH! He was falling on a....GIRL! Merlin! Annnnd the lunch box was now heading back to the ground and ....GASP. "YAOUCH!" He yelled when the box landed right on top of his head. Flailing his arms wildly, Blake groaned and shot a panicked glance around. Oh boy, he was...laying in a girl's lap. Smiling a dorky smile, he waved at her slowly, "Uh..umm Haii! Nice to meet ya." He mumbled and frowned. No slaps please, this was an accident.

cha cha cha cha changes xD i was going to put it all for the bowie factor
 

1). TRYYYYYY to behave? That was like just going into all out mayhem anyway. B)... "Seeker-ppppants, huh?" Jake snorted, thankful he wasn't taking a drink as he did so. That would have been frankly disastrous. Ohhhh man, seeker-pants... That was one for the memory archives.

PFFFFFFT! Nice in a mean way... that was... that was... Actually quite a good way to put it. Hmmmmm... Jake mock-glared again, folded his arms over his chest and did his best bratty look (and he was good and them). "Fiiiiiiiiine," he scoffed, laying it on thick. "Bbbbbeeeeee that wwwway," Jake added, before looking back at Ema again... and winking.

Dropping his arms, Jake giggled and shook his head. Bludgers... man, that was fun. The boy adored all those practices and tryouts... some were just downright funny, like the time Kaika got mad at him for pretending to be a snitch instead of going to practice.

Bwahahaha.

"Ddddon't hhhave a clue wh-who he is," Jake admitted, narrowing his eyes. "Bbbut he looks old... an' muhh-mean. Mmmaybe Kazi's bbuhhh-brother?"

It was possiblllle!

As for the actual auditory indication of the new headmaster, Jake scrunched up his nose. He wanted Bontecou, and he'd totally GET the person that made him go away.

Where the heck WAS Bontecou, anyway?

And as for TRUEBRIDGE. Hmph. Jake turned back to Ema and frowned. "He sssaid I might bbbe able to cccclimb the Whomping Wuhh-willow... and th-then I ccccouldn't," he explained, with something of a pout on his face. He knew deep down it couldn't be helped. But STILL. But... Jake didn't want him GONE.

"No im not....-.."
Lysander looked at Bonnie and seemed confused....
He was lost in thought for she had....
her eyes.....
The eyes of-.....
"whats wrong?"
Lysander looked confused....

I gotsta go now, I'll reply later ^_^
 

OHEMGEE. Lorelai pulled a face at the fact there was a CHIP in her pink nail polish. She ran a finger across it and groaned grabbing for her little bag, she had a top up in there. Unless it was in her trunk. Which compartment would it be in? Necessities, stuff, or other stuff? Necessities. It had to be. Just HAD TO BE. Placing the hand the didnt have chipped nail polish into the bag, she smiled -- completely satisified as the bottle was there.

And then as she opened it, SOMEONE WAS IN HER LAP! Frown. She looked down a little bit, and was tempted to just move her legs and watch him fall, but she kind-of couldnt do that. Because the DARNED table was in HER way. "Er... Yeah, nice to meet you too. Did you also know, that 'ya' isn't in the dictionary?" She shrugged a little bit and then lifted her eyes up to look around her table. "You know, lap boy, it would be preferable and nice if you shifted off my lap. I mean, I know my nail polish is all PINK! And everybody wants some. But you had to ASK."

Not that she would give him some even then.

Zoeee.
 

Reese kind of wished her and her brother's birthday were switched, so his birthday would be today instead of yesterday. She hated the feeling that she had forgotten his birthday when she walked up to the Hufflepuff table carrying a little box in her hand. It wasn't her fault that she was unable to go over to his house yesterday due to the fact she was watching over Dale most of the day, then she had to pack her trunk. Totally NOT her fault.

The Slytherin girl stopped walking once she made it to the Hufflepuff table and she scanned the table searching for Jake. It didn't take until her brown eyes landed on the blonde boy talking to this girl she has only seen around the school a few times. She looked down at the box in her hand and hoped that Jake would love the manly necklace she had picked out for him.

"Jaaaaake," she called out as she headed over to her brother, and then she took a seat next to him. "Happy late Birthday!" She handed him the wrapped box and smiled.

" Yes, potions class will be dangerous for me" Rex told Kay. " Gosh, what will I do in DADA class?" Rex asked Kay. Rex faked fainting in front of her. I love strawberries, honey" Rex said to Kay. Rex feeds grapes to Kay.

"Well, I will tell you who the "Magical Five are right now" Rex told Georgiana. " The Magical Five" consists of Mina, Barry, Kay, you and I" Rex said to Georgiana. "We will get along fine" Rex smiled at Georgiana.

"Well. we had an interesting time on the train" Rex told Emalyn.
" I am glad you remembered meeting me" Rex said to Emalyn. " We will hang out at Hogwart's grounds when we are not busy, right?" Rex asked Emalyn.

Really really good people do bad things...? Was she referring to him? He had Kat to blame for bring that picture. Why couldn't anyone just drop it? She doesn't like him, but she might start to in the near future. Tyler chuckled a bit when she said 'TyTy' again. He sure was going to need to get used to that name for a while. "Okay, it all makes sense now,"

"Nothing!" Bonnie placed a fake smile on her face.

Ohhh okay! xD
 

Ema shook her head no. "I haven't really heard anything. Dragons?" Ema said, a bewildered expression written across her face. "That's dangerous, but cool." She knibbled on a piece of bread and then turned back to Miranda. "Huh? Oh...no. I haven't even considered it..." Ema bit her lip, thinking. What did she want to do someday? "Of course a lot of kids say they want to play professional Quidditch, so it's kind of copying to say it. Though it would be neat. But...I think a healer would be cool." Then she could take care of so many things. And people. "I like to help people."

Ema felt like an idiot. "Err...yeah, I guess. Just - nevermind." she could feel her neck and cheeks burning up again. Seeker-pants was not smooth. Not smooth at ALL, Ema.

Ha, no come back!! Ema beamed at Jake's expression. "Oh I will be that way, I will." she said in response to the comment and the wink. "I'll be so nicely mean you won't know what hit ya." she scrunched up her face at him. "And that makes you look more like a...bratty monkey little seeker-pants." she added, taking in his folded arms and pouty face.

Ema squinted up at the new sneaky guy at the staff table. "I don't trust him." she said quietly. "Whoever he is." then she let out a less-than-normal-kind-of-squeaky-loudish-snort-laugh thing. "He could probably pass as Kazi's brother, yeah..." Ema thought of Kazimeriz and his behavior. He seemed a bit like this new guy, but a bit different, too. Sure, Kazimeriz was scary, but when Ema had confronted him he was actually...soft, in a way. This other guy didn't seem to have any mercy or softness in his eyes. None at all.

"Did you really try to climb the Whomping Willow? Why did you? What happened?" Ema asked, astonished. Who would even consider such a thing? And why would Truebridge say that? "I just...thought his classes were well organized. I didn't really know him outside the classroom." Really Ema had no real reason to like Truebridge, perhaps she just enjoyed the subject.

Her eyes went back to the staff table and she lowered her voice again to Jake. "Do you think we're in trouble? Like...just...Hogwarts, us, in general?" Ema's eyes flickered from Jake to the staff. "I mean with these new people...and stuff." Who knows? They could be. Ema knew last term was definitely pushing it with all the deaths and funky events that played out.

Ema nodded. "That we did," she agreed. She looked up again at Rex and smiled. "Sure! It'll be fun." she said this enthusiastically. "We'll definitely see each other around anyway, you're only in Gryffindor, we'll find each other."

On his other side sat a pleasent looking girl. "Hello!" Nymphy said kindly. "How are you? If you don't mind me asking, what year are you in? he asked. This girl was much older then himself or Cadence. He was guessing fifth year. He reached out to shake hands.

"Yeah. Are you?" Scipia asked in return. Thank goodness she had found someone to sit with. She felt much better.

"Well I should go....."
Lysander got up to his feet and looked down at Bonnie........
"I hope to see you around....."
Lysander smiled....
Those eyes......
......I wonder...

Bonnie smiled. "See ya!" she stood up and glided toward her table, flicking back her short, spikey hair.

Okay :)
 

Still laying in her lap, Blake chuckled at her 'comment'. Meh, dictionary? She thought he'd actually waste his time on going through a dictionary? He hadn't opened one in yearssss. Mentally poking the girl, he rose and sat on the table top, "Dictionaries are boriiiiing. I'd rather watch paint dry than kill my brain cells on a dictionary." Frowning, Blake ruffled his soft brown hair and chuckled when she addressed him as lap boy.

Nail polish...ewww. He's SO not lady fabulous, "So sweet of you but sadly, I don't use nail polish." He pouted and wiggled his fingers in front of her eyes. PINK? That reminded him of Lucas Poocas and his pink flowery pajamas. Double ewww ewww. "Ugh, no way! Thanks." He made a face and glared the pink bottle. He jumped off the table and picked up his lunch box, "Are you always this sarcastic, DictionaryGirl? Or is it a bad hair day?" Sitting next to her, he blinked at her innocently. Snort.

rearranged fo' my posting convenience
 

"Mhmm," Jake smirked again eeeeeeever so slightly and nodded, an eyebrow quirked in his amusement. Bratty monkey little seeker-pants... better but... *snort*. Weeeelll... at least she tried, and that was all Jake could asked for.

*gigglesnortwheeze*

This time, Jake looked at Ema in absolute alarm. What the heck was that noise she just made? In fact, Jake couldn't stop himself and giggled again, the childish higher voice coming through again. "Whh-where is K-k-kazi anyway?" Jake said suddenly, glancing around the hall as he said this. Maybe the old man's hip was playing up... or maybe someone stole his cane.

Bwahahaha.

Aaand back to Truebridge. "He wwwas helping in Hhhhherbology, ccclimbing is luh-like the on-only bbbribe that wwworks with me," Jake explained matter-of-factly, forgetting that this information should stay withheld. Again, he shrugged his shoulders. "I nnnever got to cccclimb it. I wwwwwill thuh-this yyyear," Jake added, a twinkle in his eye.

He'd obviously forgotten the vow to be good already.

At Ema's next question, Jake finally decided to stop looking up at the staff table, as it was making him feel really uneasy. He bit his lip and stared straight at Ema. "I thhhink so," he said quietly. He wouldn't forget his third year in a lonngggg time... (well, technically his mind had gone blank for half the year... but still) and he didn't want the next few years to be the same.

Then, a voice surprised Jake and the boy looked up, startled. It was his sister... the one and only sister who had turned eighteen... today. And she had the present for him. Something about that lightened the mood a little.

Especially the fact that he had another present. "Hhhhappy birthday tttto, yuh-yoouuu, tuhh-technically," Jake teased, but set to work opening the box, subconsciously shifting closer to his sister... old sister? Sister.

When Jake saw it, he grinned with delight. "Awesome!" the boy exclaimed, bouncing a little. He LOVED that kind of stuff. "Thhhhank you! B-b-but you hhhave to wwwwait for yyuhhh-your puhh-puh-p-present," he added, grinning cheekily.

It was only FAIR.

Anastasia beamed. "Thank you," she said. "I like yours too." Anastasia wondered whether his stuttering was because of nerves or if he was just born with it. Either way, it was kinda cute.
WHOAAA. NO. He's a fourth year. And this was her first day. No.

Miranda nodded. Dragons. She made a face at the Quidditch copying thing because it was true. Lot's of people wanted to be Professional Quidditch players....but not all made it. Or, not everyone wanted to be that in the end. Like herself. She'd love to play for as long as she was able to. But the Auror career seemed really exciting!

So Emalyn wanted to be a healer? Aw, she'd make a great healer. "That's awesome! You'd be really good at it." She said earnestly. Ema was a very caring person. "Maybe you could be like Hogwarts Healer assistant or something!"

It didn't look like a badger?? Looking at him with a frown, Miranda decided to inspect the thing herself and also turned her head up to look at the cute little animal on the banner. It DID TOO look like badger! Or... No, Yes it DID. "That is NOT a rodent. A rodent has these teeth," Miranda proceeded to put two fingers over her teeth to show him what she meant. Which might not have been a correct fact...but, whatever. This boy was starting to annoy her!

Omygosh, he did not just insult her height, did he??? "You WHAT?" Appaling! She was APPALED! "Do you go around looking at people's legs all the time? Well, atleast we have legs...Snakes slither!" Seriously? That was the best you could say? Oh dear. She had the urge to stomp oh his foot!

She could...they weren't that far apart.

"Oh, you do, do you?" Her eyes narrowed at his words. If this had been under different circumstances (read: if he hadn't been an annoying git) she might've blushed right then and there. But... "I'm in fifth-" She crinkled her nose slightly. "...year." It was still weird for her to think that she was now in her OWL year. "What about you?" She sort of hoped that he would be in another year...if not, they might have classes together.

Hah! Durmstrang students were really arrogant? Then what is he? Just arrogant? "Yeah, I think I do!" Nodding her head quickly, Miranda answered what was probably a rethorical question. But, eh, who was keeping tabs. And so he decided to stay here. Oh, 'hooray'... Bah, well ofcourse Hufflepuff's were cool. Who didn't know that already...Hehe.

She sighed and slumped her shoulders, and was just about to finally, maybe even take a bite of a potatoe when he started squirming. It seemed like the whole bench was moving, or maybe it was just her. There were sitting pretty close together and her shoulder was tight against Oliver's. "Wow, easy with the Cobbing there, Ollie... I think someone just fell off the end of the bench over there..."

To TyTy and Avery
 

"Good, I'm glad.... TyTy..." and she giggled, completely cheered up again. It felt good that it was all out in the open now, that he knew everything. Yes, much better. "So, Ravenclaw, huh? How do you feel about that?"

"You haven't missed anything really. Tyler and I were just.... talking..." she said, with a smile to Tyler. "Nymphy was here earlier, but I'm not sure where he went... talking to other people, I think...." Cadence trailed off looking down the table. She shrugged and bumped into TyTy again... just for the heck of it.

Tyler nodded and smiled. Always a god listener and not to go too far was his thing. People usually came to him when they had problems, but the people were usually girls. He didn't mind, that was how he got to know them. "Yup, I'm a Ravenclaw now," he grinned. "It feels pretty cool, since blue is one of my favorite color so I guess it fits,"

"Well, that's good! Blue is my.... second favorite color. Guess my FAVORITE favorite color!" She said, leaning her head down on her hand and smiling at him with a twinkle in her eye.

Okay, so he would probably guess it. I mean, it's not like it's a weird favorite color or anything. A lot of people have the same favorite color. Still, it was fun to make him guess, and she wanted to keep him talking. Who knew how long it would be before he decided to go sit with the other Ravenclaws, and then she might not see him again for a few days.

Waking toward the Ravenclaw table, Adam passed the Hufflepuffs and spotted a familliar head. "Oi, Tyler!" he called, starting a slow jog towards his friend. Suddenly, he felt a little lonely. Tyler had been made a Huffie. Stopping beside him, Adam noticed the other people Tyler was with. "Oh, hey," he said, smiling at them.

TyTy and Adam
 

"Hello!" Cadence said, smiling up at the boy who had just joined them. "I'm Cadence. Are you in Hufflepuff, too? Unfortunatley, Tyler got put in Ravenclaw; I'm apparently just too amazing for him to not be sitting with me." Cadence said with a wink at Tyler and a giggle.

"Uhh...Purple?" he asked. He didn't know why that was the first color he thought of. Maybe it was becasue of the pretty girl who had the purple hair back at the Ravenclaw table he met. Tyler was capivated bby her hair, it was extremely eye-grabbing.
Tyler's head turned around, to see the familiar dirty blonde hair walking, or more like jogging his way. "Oh, wassup Adam?" he greeted him. Tyler noticed Adam was wearing the similar blue and black robes just like him. That only meant one thing. "You were made a Ravenclaw, just like me!" Tyler felt much better, knowing the first person he met was now in the same house with him.

be back later :)
 

Ema nodded. "I don't know if I'd be good at it, but it's something I've always thought about. I used to love sticking band-aids all over my brother was he was really little." Ema shrugged. "That would be cool...Hogwarts healers must have so many interesting problems with kids...but I suppose st. Mungos would have worse ones." she let out a small laugh. "What about you?"

Ema shook her head at him. "Just shush. That sounded lame, too." she really had to shut up with the seeker-pants business.

Ema shrugged, scanning the area for old Kazi as well. "D'you think he's sick? He didn't get fired last term, did he?" she wondered aloud, biting her lip again. "He's scary but...he added spice or something." it was odd not seeing the potions master up there.

Hmmm...

"Maybe he's just late." she added.

"So you'd climb anything?" she asked, watching him curiously. "You don't think you'd...die, if you tried to climb it?" anddd again with the earlobe-tugging. It was awfully dumb of him to even want to try and climb it. "Did someone stop you last time?" she couldn't think of anything else that would put a stop to him climbing that thing.

Ema stared back at Jake. She had her own suspicions and beliefs, of course, but when he said it...well, her heart stopped for a moment. She just needed someone else to confirm it wasn't just her who thought these things. Horrible things used to happen at Hogwarts, long ago. She breathed in sharply and nodded, looking down at her plate. Maybe she didn't want to be back here. "Just...don't try anything stupid." she mumbled quietly. The last thing they needed was a fourth year thrusting himself at the Whomping Willow on top of everything else. She wasn't just talking about that, though...she didn't even know what she was talking about.

That's ok. :glompsyou:
 

Sarah just waited.

Waited for the information to sink into her friends brain.

Then would come the verbal explosion.She just knew it.

Sitting with her elbow resting on the table, Sarah laughed as Wesley addressed her. "Wesley!" she admonished her, playfully poking her in the arm. "You don't need to be formal with me, just Sarah will be fine.Same as always.Just don't go getting into any trouble...." she added with a whisper and a wink, leaning into her friends ear to say it.

Hang on.What's a Flitterbloom? Sarah was pondering that when Wesley suddenly let rip with her excitement.The word PREFECT ringing in her ears, Sarah held onto the table as the bench began to shake with Wesley's bouncing.She was so excited that her friend was so excited, unfortunately that always seemed to affect the young girls ability to speak properly.And so it happened: The funny babbling that Sarah had to try and understand and respond to.Truthfully, though...she loved it.

"Calm down!" she laughed, placing a hand on Wesley's shoulder and patting her. "Would you like me to answer them in order? Hehe.1: I found out about 4 weeks ago.2: Yes it is scary.3: Not that often it seems, they stay quite shiny.4: We have to make sure no-one is causing any trouble, patrol the castle and such, reporting anything untoward to the Professors.And 5: Nearly.There was an incident on the train with some Slytherin's and a Gryffindor.Name calling and that, nothing else though....yet." Sarah had been counting them all out on her fingers as she went to make sure that she got them all.And now she stopped to take breath.It wasn't just Wesley who could take alot.

Her smile faltered a little as the look on Wesley's face changed.Just about to ask her what was wrong, Sarah was relieved to find it was nothing more than worry over her questions. "Don't worry," she assured her. "I've not been told to keep quiet about anything yet.And I'm sure I won't get in trouble for answering your questions." Smiling, she leant forward and poured herself some pumpkin juice.Having had nothing to drink for the entire train journey, Sarah's lips were starting to stick together.

"So, who did you speak to on the train?" she asked casually, raising the goblet to her lips to take a sip.

When Tyler turned around, Adams fears that he was a Hufflepuff where vanished. He was wearing the same robes Adam didn't even realise he himself had on. Grinning, Ad ran a hand through his tousled hair. "I am," he said with a laugh. "Although the way the way the Hat was talking, I though I as gonna end up back home."

Sighing, Adam shook his head and then laughed. "Didn't catch you on the train, what's been happening?"

Otay :D
 

Again, Jake smiled at the girl. Was it just him or was every single person he'd spoken to so far... well... female. He did tend to get more female attention these days.

Eh.

"Lllllooking fuhh-forward to luhh-lessons?" Jake asked, which kind of sounded like a stupid question to him, but he remembered looking forward to every class when he was a first year.

A young, naive, foolish first year.

Pushing the hair away from his eyes, Jake raised his goblet to his lips, draining what little fluid was in there, studying Anastasia as he did this. He loved getting to know these people... it was so much easier now he was older.

"'Kay, bbuh-beater-pants," Jake said casually. Wooo, new name! Jake had to press his lips together to keep a straight face, and he looked down, clearing his throat to disguise any giggles, the blond hair falling straight back into his eyes. Really? It was being annoying already?

At the mention of Kazi being sick, Jake felt a horrible fear go through him and he wasn't quite sure why. He never consciously felt safe around the man but on the other hand... he'd been there when Jack had bullied him... and... well, tough but fair. Plus, Jake NEEDED Kazi to be here so they could... talk.

HA! Dying whilst climbing... no way, dude. "I duhh-don't die," he said, laughing at the mere idea of it. He'd not died whilst climbing before, so that definitely wasn't stopping him. Nosiree. "The llllesson fuhh-finished an'... an' it wwwwas at tttthe end of tuhh-term... Had ttto p-p-pack an' didn' gggget a ch-chance to ggggo back." They had just been DISMISSED from the class.

Evil.

Hmmm, wow. Ema didn't look happy. And what she said about not trying anything stupid... made Jake think hard. He had a feeling he'd already sone something stupid... a while ago. Still, he gave a humourless laugh that wasn't supposed to be humourless at all. "Me? Sssuh-sometttthin' sssstupid? Nah," the boy joked, trying to catch Ema's eye again... because he didn't like the fact that she felt unsafe. Or... whatever.

"Really? Was it because of the age thing?" Ty joked. But then again, the sorting could've told Tyler to go back home as well. But he was sure glad it didn't. That's right. They didn't see each other on the train. "Well, I met more people, got into an argument with a Slytherin and re-encountered my past..." he sighed at the last part.

"Yes," Anastasia said, " I am. Particularly DADA and Charms." Potions, well.. she wondered how that would go. And the headmaster looked a bit scary. This year, maybe she'd just get a feel for this place. That, and not NOT lett her parents' death's haunt her.

She ran a hand through her hair, as she cleared that thought from her mind.
"What about you?" Anastasia asked. Remembering that an older girl had come over earlier and given him a present for his birthday, she felt she needed to express a sentiment. "Happy birthday, by the way."

Reese looked down the table to see if Torin was there, but he wasn't thank merlin. She didn't want to see that boy after he tried to give her a bloody tarantula on the train as a birthday present. Torin and her have been friends for HOW long now? And, he didn't know she was terrified of spiders. There was something definitely wrong with that. You would think he would know that about Reese.

She turned back to her brother and grinned. "Technically, yes," she replied. "Though, since I didn't get around to seeing you yesterday, we're going to celebrate your birthday today as well." She watched her brother open the present, not even didn't even realize that he was getting closer to her.

Jake's expression to his present had probably made the rest of her night. "I saw that while shopping one day and thought you would like it," she explained. "No problem, Jakers. And, I'm sorry I couldn't give it to you yesterday. I was watching Dale while mum and dad went out and I couldn't find time to come over." She nodded when Jake said she would have to wait for her present. "Okay," she replied. "I guess that's...fair?"

Nodding, Adam couldn't help but laugh. It wasn't like he was sensitive about his 'situation', and he knew a joke when someone said one. "An argument, already?" Adam asked, in mock horror. Then he thought about Lori, and a hand instinctively rose to his face and touched his still slighty red cheek. He wondered what house she'd been put into.

Frowning, Adam looked at Tyler, a little confused. "What do you mean?" he asked. He was talking about the 're-encountered past' thing, and just hoped Tyler understood that. It seemed strange, the way he said it. Adam wondered i he should've asked, or if it had seemed like he was prying. Oh well, to late now.

For anyone who wants to reply to this. :]
 

The very first thing that Melanie noticed walking into the Great Hall was the Staff table. There were quite a few people up there she didn't recognize, and she didn't like it. She wasn't exactly a fan of change.

However, the truth was that she didn't know any of the teachers not sitting there well enough to be upset. So, Melanie averted her eyes, and began walking over to the Hufflepuff table, taking a long look down it for anyone she knew... It was nice to see familiar faces after a long summer...

The fourth year picked up her pace, starting toward the benches to grab a seat, and then a most shocking this happen. She was BETRAYED. By gravity, her worst enemy. Melanie hated gravity. WHY couldn't they just float! It would make things much more interesting.

Tripping over her robes, Melanie somehow manged to land on the ground, uttering a shocked "OOW.". Then she was looking straight up at the starry ceiling of the great hall.

The Hufflepuff considered what an idiot she probably looked like right then, and how dirty her robes were probably getting just lying there. That damage was already done. Then she considered the view. Sure, from down there she could see some dried up gum on the bottom of the house tables...but the ceiling was really pretty. She'd never really taken much time to admire it before. It was such a shame... She would get a cramp in her neck if she tried to look at it when she was sitting up at her table...

Perhaps she'd hang out there for a bit. "Can someone pass me a Cherry Coke, please?" Melanie asked, peering up at her house's table hopefully.

TyTy. And where is my Lanie?!?! *pouts* :-D I FOUND HER!
 

Cadence smiled when he guessed. "Nice guess! That would be one point TyTy, 0 Points Cadence. Anyway, Ravenclaws are usually pretty nice. I think you'll fit right in there." She got quiet for a minute and then looked up at him with a little half-smile. "Is it bad that I was kind of REALLY hoping you'd be in Hufflepuff?"

As Tyler began talking to the Ravenclaw boy, Cadence just sat there silently and listened to their exchange... kind of. More so, she was spacing. Tyler was, in fact, a really nice guy, and easy to talk to when she wasn't being a completely spaz. She smiled to herself as she realized that one of the cutest boys she had ever seen was sitting next to her, which was especially fun because he wasn't even really supposed to be sitting there since he was a Ravenclaw. She watched him talking and got the sudden urge to mess up his hair some more, though she was pretty sure he probably didn't need anymore help with that. Cadence really really hoped they would stay friends after they went their separate ways tonight.

But then, she would be in the Hufflepuff Common Room, sitting in the dormitory, giggling with Lanie and telling her all about TyTy. What had happened to Lanie? She wondered again. She wanted to introduce her to Tyler.

And then Cady saw her. "Lanie! Hey Lanie! I saved you a seat!" And then Lanie tripped! And Cadence rushed away from Tyler to help her up. "Lanie are you okay?"

Hmm. There was a very simple answer to that right there.

No.

But that would mean giving lots of reasons and Jake wasn't exactly very clear in his speech at the moment. But still... there were some subjects he wanted to get stuck into. "I llllike Ccccare of Mmmagical Cuhh-creatures," he said in a kind of contemplative way, as he looked off into space for a moment. Then, of course, since he knew about Lawson teaching... "Muhh-muggle Sssstudies ought ttttter be a lllaugh."

Bwaha. Oh yes it would.

And OF COURSE his other best subject. "Ffffflying. Those thuhh-three I'm llllookin' ffforward tuh-ter."

At the birthday wishes Jake blushed, yes, BLUSHED, and smiled, muttering his thanks through a smile he tried to hide. "Erm... sssso..." Oh jeez, he needed new conversation... thingers... "Ggggot any puhh-pets?"

That was, of course, a very important question.

When Reese looked up and down the table, Jake took the opportunity to scan the Great Hall for a certain Gryffindor 7th year JERK that he wanted to keep AWAYYYYY from for now. Still... he needed words with that boy. Awayyyyy from authority. Little did Jake know, Jack was actually Head Boy.

Anyway, yes. Present. All good. Jake beamed at Reese when he had her attention again and hugged her tight around the middle. That was kind of a good thing about not living with his old family anymore. He and his sister had less of the falling out stuff. "Th-thank you," he said softly, deciding not to ask how things were right now.

"Vvvery fffair," he commented, and pulled back from the hug staring up at Reese. "S'yyyour lllast year," Jake stated, his face void of emotion. It was... kind of very sad, and Jake bit down hard on his lip to stop the lip wibble.

Ahhh well. He'd get a laugh when Reese eventually found out the boy had just placed Charlie, his tarantula, on her back.

"That sounds really fun. When I get older,I'd like to tryout for Quidditch. I used to play in Russia with my brother."

Pets. Pets. Did she have a pet? N- oh wait yes. She'd just bought one. Stupid.

"I have a kitten named Tegan," she said.

"Yup. Some people just don't know manners," he laughed and remembered what happened on the train. "I got into some trouble before I came here," he started. "My niece found a picture of it and brought it with her. She then showed a friend of hers who later used it against me,"

"That didn't seem hard to do," Tyler chuckled and crossed him legs. His back was to the table and his feet were stretched out in front of him. A much more comfortale position to sit like. "I don't think it is. Seems like you want to be really close to me," he smirked and winked at her.
Tyler heard a THUMP on the floor. He looked in the direction the sound came from and saw a girl on the floor. "Are you alright?" he asked her as he helped her up.

She chuckled at the image of Emalyn's poor little brother covered in band-aids. St. Mungos? "Oh yeah, I can imagine that... It's gotta be crazy over there..." She glanced at her friend, thinking that comment might scare her off and mentally slapped herself. "But you know, it's gotta be way way cooler and more interesting that a couple of bruises... Or Quidditch faints. Hehe."

What would she want to do? Hmmm. "I'm not sure... Ofcourse, Quidditch would be so awesome, you know? But... I guess something exciting. Like...Errr...An Auror." A smile spread her lips. "But...yeah. Who knows. Could you imagine youself being a teacher?"

Her house pride had made her oblivous to wether he was laguhing at her or with her, so she simply looked at him and was expecting more of his snarky comments and weird questions. "Well, it's not." AAaaaand? "Do you know..." Miranda leaned in closer and continued in a low voice, "...what badgers eat?" A smirk was appearing on her lips and she whispered the next part. "Snakes." If that didn't shut him up, and she had an inkling that it wouldn't, shed plaster his face with this delicious pumpkin pie.

Sitting straight again, Miranda took a bite of a carrot and looked at Oliver from the corner of her eyes. So her being short was why she became a Hufflepuff? Hah! The carrot got mauled by her teeth as she bit into it like her mouth was a grinder or some sort. "The 'traits' are that we are one of the most friendly houses in Hogwarts. We don't descriminate, judge or insult people for who they are or what they look like." There. That ought to shut him up-

Oh for the love of Chocolate frogs... "Your'e a fifth year too??" She groaned, but thought that was a bit too mean to do and sort of turned it into a low whoop. Study together? Hah...hahaha...HAHAHA. "Why would you want to do that?" She asked sincerely. Because really, he had only been insulting her since he got to table. "Do you want to pretend you're smarter than me so you can feel better? Eh, no thanks." She said and grabbed a piece of pie to eat. Quidditch... For a second her face lit up at the prospect of talking Quidditch, her most favorite game of ALL GAMES! But...Give me tips? Okay, she wasn't going to say no to some advice and stuff, but this guy looked like he knew less than her... 'Cause, c'mon...she was a Captain. "Uh, no thankyou." She said sweetly and took another bite of the pie before he elbowed her. Arrrgh. "I...don't think I'm that interested in...Quidditch tips." That wasn't a lie, not if the tips came from him.

Then he leaned in and she narrowed her eyes again, only to have them widen at the idea he had. Oh, no no no no no no.... "Hey- Stop that- My pie!" She tried talking as she wobbled on the seat. And she had dropped her piece of pie. Oh, if only it had fallen on his HEAD! She tried to get out of the seat, but they were sitting so tightly that she could only try and hold onto the table. Have to...reach...for his...neck! She wanted to strangle the boy! He was so ANNOYING! "Oliver!" she hissed, "The Professors are going to see and I'm getting neauseated so if you don't want me to throw up all over you, and trust me there's no place to do that, I suggest you stop." And for good measure, she put a hand to her mouth and made a small gagging noise. She was faking it, but hopefully, the way she was starting to feel, it wouldn't happen anytime soon.

Tyler and Cadence.
 

Someone was saying her name...

Sadly there was no Cherry Coke involved in what she said next though. Nope. Not at all.

Melanie grinned up at her anyway. "I'm finne. I'm just looking a the stars. And trust me I'm not talking about he one that people see above their head in old movies...or whatever it is. Birds or something, maybe?" That just had to be clarified. Melanie wasn't sure if people even saw that in real life when they passed out. she'd heard they just blacked out, but that was a lot less interesting.

The fourth year contemplated the situation for a moment, looking at the dude with Cadence, with what was most definitely curiosity in her eyes, and wondering where he had come from AND why he didn't look familiar, yet looked older than her. What was with all the transfers this year?

And WHY were they all determined to get her up out of her stargazing position?

All very legitimate questions, I'd say. She let herself be hauled off the ground, staring at them quizzically at the pair.

"I only wanted a Cherry Coke." Melanie informed them matter-oh-factually, dusting off her robes with her hands. "I can still use my legs. Thanks though."

Bah. She'd have to ceiling gaze another time. Silly people

To: TyTy and Lanie
 

"Well, maybe I do, got a problem with that, TyTy?" she asked raising her eyebrows.

Cadence giggled as Tyler repeated the same question she'd already asked Lanie. "Well, this isn't the most graceful way I wanted you guys to meet, but Tyler this is my best friend Melanie. Melanie this is my friend Tyler. I met him on the train."

Cadence looked up at the stars while Melanie mentioned them. It was a really pretty night, maybe Cadence should have just laid on the floor with her instead. She giggled again at Lanie's request for a Cherry Coke. "Lanie, I don't think they have Cherry Coke at Hogwarts..."

Was Jake HUGGING her? Reese hadn't expected a hug. She wrapped her arms around her little brother with her smile still on her face. She might not have been expecting it, but she sure didn't mind getting Jake hugging her. "You're welcome," she replied to him. "So, what did your foster mum get you?"

She unwrapped her arms from around Jake and when he mentioned it being her last year, she slowly nodded her head. "Yeah," she sighed. "I can't believe I'm already a 7th Year. I don't really want to graduate." She just didn't want to leave all her friends and her brother behind, but she really had no choice. "Jake," she said. "I do want you to promise me right now that you will try to be on your best behavior after I..."

Why did she feel something crawling on her back?

She reached her right hand behind her back and grabbed the fuzzy thing that was on her back. What in the name of Merlin was that? She moved the object in front of her, so that she was able to see what it was.

O__________________________O

Reese let out a little scream, then she threw Charlie towards the direction of Jake. And, before she knew it, she had fallen backwards off the bench and was looking straight up at the bewitched, Great Hall ceiling. She was deep breathing and her brown eyes were watering up, just like they were when Torin had given her a tarantula.

Oh how she hated spiders.

SNOOOOORT.

Good choice of words there. Very good. Their meeting had been anything but graceful.

Melanie nodded a the boy in greeting. "Nice to meet you Tyler." she said politely, as most people do when they first meet someone. If he was Cadence's friend he was okay by her. even if he like yanking innocent stargazers from their domain.

Speaking of Cadence... Melanie turned her attention back to her, raising an eyebrow. "Are you sure?" she asked, a little disappointed. Melanie had thought they had pretty much everything here. "I could just have a normal coke I guess." Melanie shrugged, peering down at her feet. It wouldn't be the same thing, but she would live.
Melanie glanced down, peering at the girl. HA. She wasn't alone. Sitting on a bench was a girl gazinging at the starry ceiling. Man, she was a trend starter.

"OH. Are you looking at the stars?" she asked the girl happily, peering down at her curiously and wondering if she'd seen her before. "They're so pretty aren't they? Do you see any constellations?" Melanie glanced around, so she could look right at her while she talked.

It was then Melanie noticed something out of the ordinary. She looked ...frightened. How odd. Perhaps they were so stunning, she was speechless, or something? "Are you okay?" Melanie inquired, her eyes getting wider as the girl's did.

Weeeeeeeeeird.

"I ppplay Quidditch," Jake smiled, glad to get onto that subject briefly. "Suhh-seeker."

Mhmm, he sure did. And he LAIIIIKED IT!

Ooooooh! Jake LOOOOOVED KITTENS! He went all mushy and squeally when he saw them, hence the reason he brought his own cat. "I gggot a cuhh-cat... Lolcat. An owl, Fuhh-fly. And I gggot..."

"Ohhh," Jake replied, smiling as he started to answer, deciding NOT to correct his sister. The woman wasn't his foster mother anymore... she was his real mother. Legal and stuff. "Sssstuff... guhh-guitar..." To name but ONE of the presents. Awesomeness.

When Reese started to talk to Jake about how to act when she wasn't here, Jake tried to look as serious as he could, but it was hard when he saw one of Charlie's legs on Reese's shoulder. And quite creepy if you didn't like spiders... the way it s-l-o-o-o-o-o-w-l-y crept up... making Reese quite aware.

THEN Reese THREW Charlie towards him, and Jake only too happily caught the creature, gaping in indignation. POOR CHARLIE! The poor little arachnid was quite obviously TERRIFIED. Jake sat there, soothing the poor creature before he glanced down at Reese. She'd definitely learnt her lesson, so Jake reached into his pocket and brought out a tiny box wrapped in silvery wrapping paper, and leant down to put it in Reese's hand.

Inside the box was a white-gold ring which would magically resize to fit her finger when she put it on. On the outside of the wide band, Reese Upstead was carved lightly in a script font, and on the inside it read in tiny lettering Jake and Reese, Bro and Sis.

"Well-buhh-behaved... guh-guh-gotcha."

When that was done, Jake looked back at Anastasia and showed her Charlie. "An' a ttttarantula... Ch-ch-charlie," he smiled, and then looked back at his sister, kind of worried by her teary eyes.

TyTy and Lanie
 

"I mean..." Cadence began, looking around at Tyler for help. "I'm sure we could probably use magic or something to get you a Cherry Coke, but I'm the wrong person to request that of." She looked down at the table to see what there was to drink. "I see... pumpkin juice, water, and Butter Beer."

Okay... Lanie was acting a little weird. Maybe she hit her head when she fell. As Lanie talked to the... other girl on the ground, Cadence tried to silently communicate to Tyler. She mouthed, "TyTy" and bumped into him, "I think" and tapped her head, "Lanie" pointed at Lanie, "Hurt her head." and she held her head as if in pain.

Lanie wouldn't pass up the feast to lay on the floor and look at the stars. Or would she. Cadence guessed she didn't really know. After all, she and Lanie had only communicated in letters the past 2 years.

"No. I'm a third year. But I'm new so I don't know anyone in Hufflepuff yet. I just moved here. Well, moved back here. I grew up in England but we had to move to Australia five years ago because of my mum's job." Even though Evelyn didn't always get along with her family, she did find their work interesting and hoped to work with them one day. She could have spoken more about her family, but she wanted to hear about Scipia too. And anyone else who wants someone to talk to, Evelyn thought, looking at the big empty seating space beside her, the more the merrier.

"Well geez, that's a lot of pets." Anastasia sighed. She used to have a horse
in Russia, but that was another life now.

"I hope to make it on the Quidditch team here someday."

Anastasia noticed the poor older girl and her teary eyes. "Is she okay?"

"Nuh-not nearly as mmmmany as I wuhh-want," Jake shrugged, realising his slightly bratty side was showing. Ahhhh well. And in his personal opinion, he thought Anastasia should try out for quidditch. He'd tried out when he'd never flown a broom before, and he made the team as seeker. THAT had been a surprise.

When Anastasia mentioned Reese, Jake glanced quickly down at the girl. "Sssshe dun like sssspiders," he explained, placing Charlie up onto his shoulder. Reese was an ADULT now, both in the Muggle AND the Wizarding world. "She's mmmy sister," Jake added hurriedly. Boys were allooowwwwed to torment their older sisters.

Though if she started crying, Jake would feel very bad.

Anastasia smiled. "I've always wanted loads of pets too." Ah. Sister. That explained it. Anastasia herself had tormented her older brother Dimitriv multiple times.

Reese closed her eyes until she had calmed down a little bit and when she had opened them back up, she moved her head a little bit so that she could see Jake. She had an evil brother, that was for sure. She wiped her eyes with her left hand and in her right hand, she was clenching something that Jake had just put there.

After she took a few more deeps breaths, she raised her right hand over her face, so that she was able to see what Jake had put there. It was...a present? She blinked a few times and quickly glanced over at Jake before unwrapped the silver wrapping paper from the little box. She then opened the top of the box and pulled out a ring. The first thing she noticed was her name engraved on the front and as she examined the rest of the ring, she noticed what was engraved inside of it.

"Jake," she quietly said. The present that she was holding had made her forget all about why she was laying on the ground in the first place. She finally stood back up and was about to hug her brother until she noticed the tarantula. Instead, she just ruffled his hair and gave him a big smile. "Thanks," she told him. "I really do love it, but I don't love..." She pointed her finger towards Charlie. "That thing," she added.

She looked over at the blonde girl Jake was talking to and she nodded. "I'm fine," she answered her question. "My head hurts a little bit, but besides that, I'm going to be okay."

Looking back at Jake, she gave him a very disappointed look. "Did you really have to do that?" She asked, referring to the whole spider incident that just previously happened.

Yeah, she wasn't going to believe for one second that Jake Upstead was going to behave himself after she graduated.

I'm baaaack! :) missed a few post
 

Arya looked at the staff table as Jake pointed out the teachers, paying close attention to Professor Morgan,um Lawson, since she taught CoMC. When she saw her husband she remembered seeing him with Jake earlier."I did see him there, I thought he was your dad. Ya''ll must be really close."Arya laughed when she said his favorite class was anyone that didn't have to do with magic, thinking it a joke.

"I didn't know it was your birthday, Happy Birthday Jake!" Arya grined at Jake, thinking he had the coolest birthday ever. A birthday on the first day at Hogwarts, how cool was that!

Wow,Jake had a lot of pets. She wondered if he brung them to Hogwarts. Then when he showed Anastasia his trantula she got excited."Oh, that is a lot of pets! Can I hold Charlie?" Arya loved playing with spiders, she used to spend hours in her backyard with her friends looking for them.

Arya turned to Anastasia with a shoked expression. "I didn't know you played Quidditch! What postion do you play?"She turned to the girl Anastasia was looking at, thinking the sam thing that Anastasia had already asked.

"There's no harm in that," he laughed. Tyler than turned his attention to...Melanie was it? Yup, that's her name. "It's nice to meet you Melanie," he smiled. Tyler began to space out a bit until Cadence tried telling him something. He laughed at how she was trying to tell him Melnie hurt her head. "You could've just said that,"

Smiling back at the girl, Jake realised he was fast running out of topics to talk about. He was feeling slightly restless, and he knew it wouldn't be long before he had to take the third calming draught of the day. Or he'd just be bouncing off the walls.

Which totally reminded him he needed to visit that new Healer soon. Obviously not now. One look at the staff table told Jake the woman was busy and besides... this was something that you didn't shout about in front of the whole school.

But back to Anastasia... Twiddling his thumbs, Jake searched through his mind for something to talk about... but nothing was coming to mind.

"Are yyyou... guhh-glad ab-about being sssorted into... Huhhh-hufflepuff?" he asked, which was better than alot of things he could have asked.
"Hmmmm?" the boy acknowledged his sister, glancing back at the girl again as she said his name. It appeared she'd opened the present, and Jake bit his lip to see her reaction. Fortunately, it appeared that she loved it, which made Jake smile. He was BACK in the good books.

Well... maybe not entirely. The boy pouted a little and nuzzled Charlie, who sat stoicly on his shoulder, being good... for now. Man, everyone hated Charlie. He'd never done anything to THEM.

Ahh... wait... disappointed look. Jake bit his lip again and lowered his gaze, feeling just a little bad about what he'd done. Well, that was a payback for the late present, so Reese got hers today as well.

But still... "Nnnno?" the way Jake answered the question sounded like he was asking for confirmation of the right answer. "Sorryyyyyy," he added, placing Charlie on the table and reaching over to hug Reese.

Nobody could resist a Jakers hug.

Hehe, she thought Lawson was his dad. As cool as that sounded... "Nah," he grinned. "Wwwwe'd bbbeen camping," he explained, nodding at the comment about being close. They really were... And Jake did NOT tell Arya about the incident last term... where he'd... somehow put Lawson in the hospital.

Close. Thick as thieves.

At the birthday greetings, Jake smiled bashfully. "It wwwas ye-yesterday. We ccccelebrate it ttttoday sssoo I can sssee my sister," here, Jake pointed to the Slytherin prefect. "Ssssince I ddddon't live with thhat family nnno more."

Simples.

When Arya asked to hold Charlie, Jake beamed at her and resisted the urge to bounce. He loved it when people weren't afraid of Charlie, and the boy scooped up the creature again and passed him over. "Ssssure! You lllike an-an-animals, thhhen?"

If there was a possibility that smoke could be coming out of people's ears, then Miranda would be looking like a chimney by now. Why oh why had this thing sat himself here? Why here? Yes indeed he had offended her house pride. No one mocks the name of Helga and gets awey wiff it! But she didn't respond to him and kept her eyes straight ahead, staring at whoever was sitting across from her, a piece of celery getting mashed between her teeth.

She did, however, look at him when he said he wasn't making fun, but this boy was one of those scary people who you couldn't really tell if they were joking or not. And what is up with that smile! She wanted to show an apple into his mouth to make it go away. Her eyes scanned the table... There was one nice round red apple over there... She could levitate it over here!

But no...she is a Captain. Argh. Her badge was closer!

Dangit! She was not good at this...talking back stuff. "No, I don't want to eat you." She said annoyed, but at the same time thought it was a little amusing how his comment had sounded. But she was irritated started to mutter. "...chew and then spit you out maybe..." Okay that was mean... She hadn't meant it, but she hadn't said it so loud for him to hear. So...yeah. Probably everything she said would come back and masticate her in the butt.

The way Oliver was repeating what Miranda had been saying made it sound so corny... "Yes. Friendly." Eh. "Why do think I haven't hexed you from this table yet?" Now it was her turn to smirk. Hehehee.
Her eyes scanned the boy now. Was he serious? Miranda believed there was a little of every house in all of the students, so yeah it was a probability that Oliver would indeed fit in this house had he been a little...less obnoxious. "You know," she started, putting on a more happier face, "That is true. I think you would've fit in great! Deep, deep down inside your little scrawny body of yours, is a little Hufflepuff waiting to break out and dance." This...made no sense. But she kept on babbling just to see what would happen. "Maybe, one day, you'll be the Headmaster and then you can redesign the Huffie banner and put an picture of yourself on it." She smiled big and took a bite of a pear. "Well, yes, yellow wouldn't go well with you...and you can skip the rodents...as for the smelling..." At this, her expression change to one of uncertainty. Fine, he didn't really smell bad...atleast not that she had noticed when she leaned in, but she wanted so bad to insult him to get him away from her. But her little just heart was saying 'no'. Ah, blarf it.

'Smirk Soap - Cleans out those Smirks in no time!' Heh, she'd have to invent one of those. Or maybe there was a spell for that... And for that stupid wink too! Which, hadn't she been super annoyed, would've probably made her blush. "Did you fall and hit yourself on the head on your way over here?" Oh, that must've been sarcasm, becasue he must've noticed that they were NOT getting along AT ALL. Right? "Oh, no, sorry, luv - I'm not sure there would be anything for me to bounce off of." She smiled fakely. Wait...did that even make sense? Ugh! "What I'm saying is, no, bro'."

Hmmm... Should she just make up Quidditch stuff or tell him the truth? Meh. "Now why would you want to know that?" She said with an air of curiosity. "A bat?" Making a face, she tilted her head to the side. "Oh, will you teach me, please?" Now she was just messing around with him, and aslong as he didn't see her badge, this would go smoothly.

The gagging noises were working! HAH! Miranda made some louder noises and pretended to heave while leaning closer to the boy.
But then he started to laugh and her charade's were over becasue she was getting tired and sleepy and she was still hungry!

She turned to see just what it was he was laughing at and noticed the girl... Melanie!? She was just about to call her name and ask her if she was allright, even try to get the heck out of the tight seating arrangements, but then the Oliver dude grabbed a breadstick and she was suuuuuure he was going to poker her with it. No one...messes...with...my...teamates!

Okay, someone went and helped the girl...which was weird because now there was nother one... Oh dear. The madness.
"Oliver... So why did you transfer from Durmstrang?" Huh, why had this question popped into her head? Curiosity...

Cadence rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips as a sign of her pretend exasperation with him. But she couldn't hold it, and she smiled at him, giggling. Pushing him off balance a little she said "Oh shut it!" and looked away from him to contain her laughter, but the second she looked back at him, she was laughing again.

Sarah walked over to the Hufflepuff table and saw Miranda as she got closer she realised that Miranda had the badge that had belonged to Kaika the previous term it was the Hufflepuff Quidditch Captain badge, Sarah walked over to her and smiled. "Congrates Miranda." She smiled. "How was your summer?"