"One would indeed! But then, there is something to be said of the Gothic nature of the place. When I first walked through the front door I said to myself, "Chaucer my love, you are entering a dark and brooding world that will toy with your brain and force you to gain such wisdom that-" and then I tripped on a loose stone, which was irritating." Chaucer made a little snort as if to say Honestly, a loose flagstone? The castle is only a few thousand years old!

"Ah! Now that is thinking like a Ravenclaw, isn't it? But I shall attempt..." Chaucer had feuded about the whole affair in an English class back in Sir Martigan's, but only his little sister had come up with an answer that suited him. Of course he much rather liked to think he thought of it himself. "Poe wrote both on a writing desk and on the subject of a raven!"

I was always waiting for a reason to say that! Chaucer grinned openly.

There was something nagging at the back of Chaucer's well groomed head; he had forgotten to turn off the stove. No wait, that was stupid - his mother never let him near the thing. What happened to that boy from earlier? With hawk-like eyes, he scanned the table and only thought a while afterwards to look where he saw him last. Silly Chaucer. Why would you look at the staff table?
The boy seemed reserved, almost intimidated. Excellent! Chaucer worked so much better around those who were weaker willed than he. Or perhaps there's something dark and sinister lurking beneath his seemingly innocent exterior. Ha! How devious... such a mysterious past clearly usurps my own flamboyance. Well, not clearly but if one really ponders the matter.

"Boy!" Chaucer shouted with a wave of his hand. "You just slip out of the conversation like a ghost? None of that I say none of that. You will immediately tell me something interesting. Go on - oh very well I'll start." He straightened his tie a little before continuing. "What are you good at? Tell me, but be impressive!

Destiny really wanted to hear what they were saying. 'Too bad.' She rested her head on her hand, and waited for anything, anything at all to happen.

She almost jumped right out of her seat when she heard the loudest sneeze in the history of sneezes! Who could produce a sneeze that loud? Looking at the staff table, Destiny expected to see a giant, or Borr, sitting at the table. It was the new dude. The new dude was going to contaminate the whole school with his sneezes! 'Maybe it's a good thing we sat far away.' She didn't want to be contaminated!!

Destiny might like this guy, whoever he is. He mentioned pie! Even if he did use it negatively. Shut your pie hole. And then he threatened them with no pie! She glanced around the Great Hall, making sure everyone was quiet. If she didn't get her pie.. 'Was that it?' It had to be the end. The pie food appeared. Couldn't the headmaster do better than that? Maybe mention what class a certain professor was teaching this term!? 'How boring.'

Mmmm, pie.

"Oh, er... Thanks, Professor Bunbury," said Kiri, looking down at the shiny badge pinned to her chest. Over everything else that had happened, the appointment to lead the Quidditch team had taken somewhat of a backseat, but she was still pretty proud of it.

Wait. Had she even complimented Kiri on it?
Well, it always paid to appear forthcoming and friendly. And the professor certainly had noticed the badge.

Sitting next to the Herbology teacher was another woman, and as Kiri turned to Professor Lupa again, she caught a sentence or two of the conversation between the woman and Professor Bunbury.
So that's the new Astronomy teacher, Kiri thought to herself, but she didn't have more time to reflect on it because at that moment, one of the new people Kiri didn't know rose at the centre of the table and asked the students to return to their seats.

She smiled slightly. "Yes, of course, Professor," she told her Head of House distractedly. "As soon as I have my timetable." Glancing back over her shoulder, she returned to the Slytherin table. They had a new headmaster! What had happened to Profesor Bontecou?
The words of his speech flowed past her brain, not really registering. After a little while, he was finished, and the tables in front of Kiri and the other students filled up with food.

Kiri stacked some stuff onto her plate and began eating, glancing at the new teachers at the staff table occasionally. What would they be like?

"So," said Daniel with a pause and a smile on his face. "When can I meet your bestfriends?" he asked while smiling at her direction.

He looked at the Staff table and to the ones sitting in it... I hope this will be an interesting term... Academic wise, that is.

Chaucer my love???.... Well what did I expect of him?.......Wow his thoughts drift easily....

"I have been told that,besides a few personalty traits, I would have ended up in Ravenclaw." Art smiled lightly.

"Well, that doesn't make the writing desk and the raven 'alike'."Art said with a frown. "That just means that they could be associated."

He had hoped that Chaucer would come up with something better than that.

"So no, I am afraid that , that theory does not solve the riddle."he added with a frown.

"I have an answer to it myself though...." he said with a yawn. His disappointment with Chaucer had led him back to his goblet of juice.

"That is a bit demanding." Art murmered lightly and placed some food onto his plate.

Smiling at all the food that finally appeared, she took a few things here and there, putting it on her plate, and started nibbling. "I guess it was." she said, looking back up to the staff table. Hmm, that one guy looked slightly creepy. Had he spoken at all during this whole time? Well, she didn't know since she wasn't watching the staff table like some stalker or anything.

Sighing, finally having a little something in her stomach which was making her feel better, and a little less crabbier, Evelyn looked around once more, and spotted Professor Lawsonator at the Hufflepuff table. What in the world was he doing over there? Pssh. Looking back down at her plate, she pushed a few things around with her fork before really staring at what was on there. Smirking, she looked back up to Destiny, twirling something around her fork before holding it up so her friend could see. "What if we called Marcus, Lawsguini? You know...like pasta-ish?" she said. Of course, there was spaghetti on her fork.

"Well, Art? What is your answer to the riddle? I'm just dying to know!" Severia loved riddles. Though she was never any good at them.

Chaucer grimaced; a challenge to his pride... he had often heard of these in books. Did this mean Art meant to incite a rivalry? How curious! But it could be he was attempting to act as cock-of-the-rock to impress his lady friends. Either way, he had some gall... Everywhere I look more competition. I should be dead by the end of the year from over-exertion at this rate.

Was his example so bad as to induce a yawn? He couldn't help but laugh in disbelief when he saw the other boy do it. "You're right I gather. I mean, there's nothing visibly alike - it's all theoretical word play after all. But then I do know how a stuffed raven could be used like a writing desk." Chaucer winked. But Black Whimsy would never forgive me for saying so. He's quite sensitive for a bird associated with death."

That is a bit demanding Art had said. Chaucer put on a little smirk. Yes, it was wasn't it? He had been without a personal servant for three whole years and he still had it.

"Thanks, again though, anyway." He grinned delightedly. "Do you want to meet in the common room tomorrow morning, then?" She asked with a smile. "Ohh, really? CoMC is my favorite class!" She said, grinning. Oh, this was just so cool.

"I am?" She was, well, certainly surprised at that. "I'm really glad." She beamed back.

Art returned the grin, he was always in a very happy mood around her. He was normally in a good mood, but she just seemed to enhance it. "You are very welcome and I am very happy to help you." he said warmly. "I warn you though , for extra assistance I get paid in." he said with an attempt at a threatening tone , but failed and giggled during."HUGS." he said finishing it as though that was some awful punishment ,but laughed.

"Definelty Nattie, and you can meet my lovely ladies." Art smiled proudly."That is awesome. That means that CoMC will be even better." he said happily. Aww yaay. Nattie= CoMC study buddy. Sweet , cute Nattie.

"You definetly are." he said with a happy and very certain tone. More than you know , you make Hogwarts more enjoable already.

Art smiled at Severia."I love riddles, they challenge the mind." he was pleased with the young girls enthusiasm.

"It was very good theoretical wordplay at that friend, as I happen to love Poe, it simply didn't solve the riddle." Art noted with a smile.

He couldn't help but laugh when Chaucer made his comparison."I suppose that you are correct there."

He smiled at his friend,"Ah so you have a raven then? A good choice, they are very intelligent creatures. They even learn our language rather well, so yes I doubt that he would appreciate it." Art chuckled.

"Anyways, I am not certain that this is the answer that Mr. Carol had in mind. I doubt it is 'the answer' so feel free to give me your opinions on it, but it is 'an answer'." he noted with a small smile.

"A raven is like a writing desk ,in one way that comes to my mind. They both have legs." Art said and then laughed. It was a very simple answer , yes, but it was a proper answer. They both did indeed have legs and were therefore, alike in that way.

Ehh, Destiny wasn't complaining that the Headmaster's speech, well, sucked. The food came and now she could finally relieve her stress with food! Great, now that the food was here, she pictured Kay and Rex feeding each other some more. Why couldn't she get that image out of her head? Because it was disgusting, that's why. She wanted to take a quick peek over there, but she didn't want to ruin her appetite. After all, the pie was served!

Destiny almost choked on the food she was eating. Why did Evelyn have to make her laugh when they were eating? After coughing a few times and drinking a goblet full of..whatever that was.. Destiny took a deep breath. 'Lawsguini? What is that?' She thought she heard something about pasta, but in between the choking and coughing, she couldn't be sure. 'We do need a new name for him anyway, since he found out about Lawsonator.' Darn that Lawson and his eavesdropping Auror ears!

She took a quick glance at the Staff table to find this newly named Lawsguini, so she could point and laugh at him. He wasn't up there! She did happen to see a lady..a lady who resembled her grandmother, a lot. Who was she? How old is she? Where did Lawsguini go, she needed a good laugh..

"Soon of course, I mean; we should just be alone for a bit before I introduce you to them. You do know that you still have to introduce me to your friends because I'm definitely interested in meeting them" Raven said with a smile then rested her hands on the table before she looked towards the staff table with immense interest as she noticed all the new staff members.

"That was a very simple answer. I suppose I was trying too hard to think of something difficult." Severia said, feeling rather unintelligent for not figuring out the answer on her own.

Daniel smiled at her, "Well, that can be arranged." he then looked at the man two chairs from the new Headmaster. "Hey, hun. do you know who that guy is?" he said pointing at the direction of the new Professor.

She was so happy. He made her so happy. And that he wanted to be around her was SO awesome. Natasha looked at him when he started to say he got paid, whaaaaaat? But then he giggled and burst out laughing. Finally she recovered and her face sobered up. "I don't know, Art. That sounds pretty bad." She teased him, starting to laugh again. Then she hugged him briefly, her eyes sparkling. "That's for being awesome and making me laugh."

"Cool." She suddenly could not wait for CoMC to start again, because it would be twice as fun. With Art, that is.

"That's good, you are too." She never, ever imagined she'd feel half this good before she went on the train.

Indeed it was a very simple answer. Chaucer had been expecting some sort of grand finale of wordsmithing, but no - the answer was "they both have legs". The idea sunk in as Chaucer played around with it in his head, putting table legs on a raven and raven legs on a table. Hah! Bird legs on a table. Could you imagine such a world? Chaucer shook his head with a grin, barely supressing a chuckle. Gods, but he was funny.

"I shall give you my rubix cube next I think, perhaps you will need to turn it but four times whereas I..." He held up an imaginary cube and pretended to twist it, "I can barely get two lines on one side to match. Hah! Yes, there was no chance I'd have been a Ravenclaw." Now finally put into concrete words, Chaucer came to the realization the not only was his cousin better at transfiguration, but he was also an intellectual superior. Bah! Now I have condmened myself to a frown all day.

"No I don't actually, at least I don't think so." Raven said with a slight shrug as she looked at the Professor that Daniel was pointing at; she actually had never seen the professor before. "Oh good, seeing as we're officially dating now. I should tell you now that I don't want to rush this."

Daniel turned his gaze from the staff table unto Raven and smiled. He was there but still what's on his mind is the Professor. Something is up..

"Oh, yeah, sure. I wont push you, hun." he said and smiled at her.

"Uhmm, maybe I should go back to my house seat for a while." he said.

While some of the words went in one ear and out the other, most of what this boy said was registering with Tobias.

SMAD-YuG? Tobias laughed allowed at the ridiculous idea. "The way you describe it, it may as well have been a tavern," Tobias commented.

Wait...he liked Herbology? Really? "I love Herbology!" exclaimed Tobias excitedly. Maybe he would know how to work with the Abyssinian shrivelfig, assuming this...Smad Yug place had a similar curriculum? That was one plant Tobias knew little about; they worked with it this year. "I know very little about Muggles," Tobias mentioned, sounding a little sad, "so I'm looking forward to Muggle studies this year." He thought back to his childhood, full of neighbors playing Quidditch on cheap brooms and his mother's magical concoctions.

With so many people around, Tobias soon lost the other boy to a gaggle of what looked like mostly first years. Tobias didn't feel like dealing with their excitement and nerves - he had enough of his own. He let his mind wander, and his eyes too. He was inspecting each of the new professors when one of them suddenly rose and...sneezed. Tobias smiled a little, almost laughing before hearing his next words. He shut his pie-hole instantly because he did indeed want pie. Then the new Headmaster...Tate was it? Gave his speech (and frankly, it was rather forgettable, too). And then there was food - and the speech entirely forgotten. YUM.

With a slightly guilty thought to his family and their meager meal, Tobias dove in.

Tobias had his teeth sunk into a particularly delicious drumstick when he saw the boy from earlier shouting in his direction. Ignoring the boy's apparent need for immediate gratification, Tobias took several bites of his drumstick, savoring each carefully. This was his first real meal since last term; he was not going to let some fourth year prevent him from filling his stomach.

He carefully shifted his setting closer to where the boy and his group of new friends were discussing things. "I may as well be a ghost, if you're going to call me 'boy'," he pointed out, a hint of ice in his voice. "My name's Tobias Rivers." Deliberately, he neglected to request the older boy's name.

"What am I good at?" Tobias said, completely friendly now, his moment of annoyance passed. After pondering a minute, he continued. "I'm rather good at gardening magical plants and brewing potions." Tobias, that’s boring. He said “be impressive”, Tobias scolded himself. “I have one requirement every year,” he continued. “My Aunt Mabel asks me to grow blue roses around my garden each season.”

"But the cunning of a Slytherin is just as important as the knowledge of a Ravenclaw. What good does knowledge do if it is not put to good use? Making Slytherin is nothing to frown upon." Severia said with a smile. She couldn't understand why so many of her new housemates would have rather been in any other house.

"If you want to that's fine, I really should be getting to know the new Slytherins myself so I'll see you later." Raven said with a slight wink then smirked and turned her attention back to the staff table, something about some of those professors seemed odd to her but she wasn't sure what.

Nathalie watched with interest as Sara was sorted. Poor child had been a bundle of nerves on the train - scared that she'd disappoint her parents by being sorted into a house other than Slytherin. With four older sisters in that house already, she had a lot to live up with. But it had turned out alright, and Nathalie gave her youngest sister an encouraging smile as she took her place at the end of the table.

She glanced along the table, seeking her other sisters. Anneliese was with her fellow fifth years, and Sylvie and Laurelle were with a mixed group of fourths and thirds. Her expression became bleak for a moment, reflecting that there should have been a brother sitting with the second years; but they had lost him shortly after his birth, which meant that Nathalie was stuck being her father's heir. She shrugged; her brother was only a vague memory to her.

She glanced at the students on either side of her, and nodded at the boy to her right, trying to remember his name. She knew him by sight from the common room, of course, but didn't think she'd ever spoken to him before. "Pleasant journey?" she asked, making polite conversation as her mother had taught her.

Lucia sat waiting for the food to show up when some man up at the staff table made a loud sneeze then told them to shut there pie hole if you ever want the pie to materialize on this fancy dinnerware. "How rude!" She thought out load to herself. When he sat down she was releaved, she knew he was the headmaster. Then the headmaster got up and did a speech. When it was over food appeared. She looked around at all the food and choose some sliced roast beef, two slices of bread, some salad and made herself a sandwich.

Evelyn dropped her fork slightly onto her plate, making a loud CLANG noise, though she still held onto it. Waiting for Destiny to finish her choking fit, she smiled and nodded. "Yup, Lawsguini. And it isszzz, a name." Taking the bite of spaghetti that was still twirled around her fork, she chuckled when she heard the name Lawsonator. What would that make Professor Morgan now? Was she Professor Lawson now? Pfft, Evelyn was not calling her that. It was bad enough that there was already one Lawson in this school. "Hey, what's Professor Morgan's first name? Do you know?"

Glancing back over to the Hufflepuff table, making sure to look away from Kay and Rex, she noticed he actually looked like he was enjoying himself. How can someone enjoy themselves around a Hufflepuff? With the exception of Kylie that is...