On the dais at the front of the room sits a long table for the staff. For the most part, they don't bite, although you should probably keep to your seat until after the speeches and things.

As she sat in her seat and stared down at her legs, Lexi Carlton's eyebrows wrinkled in frustration. She'd snagged a freaking hole in her stockings on the way up to the dais. It was the chairs---it had to be the chairs. Her eyes flickered up towards the tall chair in the middle of the table---the one the headmaster sat at. She doubted anyone had ever snagged stockings trying to get up in that thing! There was enough room in it to fit a small army.

Okay, so she was exaggerating just a little, but come on---snagged stockings? The luck! She squirmed in her seat a little before finally getting comfortable. A quick glance to the right told her she had no clue who the woman sitting next to her was. Another quick glance, this one to the left, told her she had no clue who the man sitting next to her was.

Great. Perfect Strangers.

She peered down the table at Nolan and flashed him a quick smile. That Nolan was a kick! He'd spray painted lockers as a teen and grown up to be a professor. Ahh, Nolan. Too bad he taught Divination of all things... Oh, and there was Sage! Lexi waved to him---he was a little further down the table than Nolan. Wasn't Sage a former farmer, or something like that? Ha! Former farmer. Sage taught Herbology, which was a far better subject than Divination in Lexi's eyes. Lexi and Divination pretty much went together like peanut butter and spinach.

There were others further down the table, but Lexi couldn't see them---what, with the headmaster's throne in the way. In case he was looking her way, Lexi flashed the headmaster a smile. This was the guy at the top---the boss! Must stay on good side, yup.

Sage sat timidly, stiff as a wooden board in his seat at the staff table. To say he was nervous was quite the understatement - way too nervous to even admire the Great Hall, and how different it looked from this new perspective. And to make things that little bit worse? He'd been sat slap bang in the middle of two females.

Who was in charge of seating arrangements around here?

Probably him. The new Herbology professor glanced to his right and took in the grand chair at the very center of the table.. something a little way past the Headmaster however, caught his attention.

It was strangely comforting to see a familiar face, even if Lexi Carlton WAS still sort of a stranger, and Sage hurriedly sent her a wave in response. Of course, having not been blessed with an ounce of co-ordination, this didn't bode well.

His neighbour just recieved a nice elbow nudge.

Nolan looked out at the students as they arrived in the Great Hall, straightening his glasses every few moments so he could see all of them properly. He could barely remember walking through those doors for the first time and wandering over to the Hufflepuff table--had it gotten longer since he had gone to school? Hmmm. Maybe he was just going crazy. Or maybe he was just too flipping nervous.

Next to him were two professors whose names he didn't know. The one guy, the blonde one--he was a bit scary. He looked like an athlete, and therefore was SCARY compared to his sort of tiny self. The other one didn't seem nearly as intimidating but, still...Nolan wasn't sure how to approach either of them. These were the people he'd most likely be working with for YEARS and first impressions were IMPORTANT. Super dooper important!

He spotted Lexi next to the not-so-scary man and smiled back at her. He'd be so much more comfortable if he were sitting next to someone he already knew. Although, part of him felt he SHOULD know the blonde scary one. He seemed familar. Maybe he was in his year at school? He knew he had seen him SOMEWHERE.

He looked down at his plate. He wanted the speech to get going so they could start conversations over dinner, and things wouldn't feel so awkward anymore. Then again, he wasn't horribly hungry--Ginger had forced a lot of pot roast on him before he left.

Brant walked up to the dais before sitting down at the Gryffindor table. He had to introduce himself to the new staff.

He first went up to a younger lady, he didn't think at all that she was a professor, but he wanted to be nice. Plus this professor is really cute. but Brant had a girlfriend. Maybe Brant would try to be really super nice to this professor, any ways. Brant had no chance and plus he was soo in love with Miranda. "Gah, whats a boy to do." he thought.

Now standing in front of her he said "Hello Miss, Im Brant Robert Devaice. Quidditch Captain for Gryffindor. I just wanted to introduce myself" he said with a smile.

Seeing that Sage had accidentally elbowed someone in an attempt to wave back at her, Lexi laughed just a little before turning her head in the opposite direction. She was the type of person who sometimes laughed for a while over the most trivial of matters, and she knew it'd be best to divert her attention elsewhere. Meanwhile, Nolan had noticed her and returned her smile. Ahh, he still cracked her up---spray painting the lockers! Ha!

She turned her attention back to the students just in time to see a boy standing at attention right in front of her. Was she supposed to---do something? Say something, maybe? Why didn't anyone else have a child standing at attention in front of them? When the boy stated his name, Lexi realized that he was just up at the dais for a simple introduction. Oh---well this she knew all about. Socializing was her sort of thing, after all. The whole professor deal was something she'd need to get used to in time. This was her first day on the job.

"Well, hello there, Mr. Brant Robert DeVaice," she said, stating his full entire name just as he had. This one seemed like a nice, polite young man---and a Quidditch captain at that. While it was true Lexi had never played Quidditch for the house team back in her school days, she was a still a fan of the sport. She'd always showed up on game days to cheer Allie along. "I'm Professor Carlton---your Charms professor."

Iliana sat in her chair with her legs crossed, sipping quietly at her ice water. The absence of Alessia weighed heavy on her heart. She knew she feel a little sad but... This was the first time she'd ever sat at this table without her. Ili sighed and looked down along the table at Marcus. At least she was having fun now. Norway sounded amazing.

She smiled at the thought, finally taking notice of the others at the table. Sooo many new faces. (So many familiar ones gone) She pushed that thought away, refusing to let her mood turn morose.

When her eyes reached those surrounding her, she waved at Ethan and tipped her head. There was something vaguely familiar about the woman sitting between them. Where did she know that profile?! When the younger lady smiled, it suddenly came to her. "Lexi Carlton?" she said. "Oh my days is that Lil Lexi Carlton?" Oh course it was! There was no mistaking that lovely, angelic face.

Ethan had arrived and sat down well before most anyone else. He'd sat in silence and been somewhat uneasy about the seating arrangements. He supposed it was interesting to see who had left and what not, and probably better that everyone was mixed in and... after a few moments he realised that the seating order was alphabetical by subject.

He might possibly have given the new Herbology professor an almost-glare. Slightly startled he waved back at Iliana, wondering if he should ask about that whole baby thing but keeping his mouth shut instead when she apparently addressed the woman between them.

Humm. She looked familiar for some reason. Not the blonde hair, but something. Rather than stare, Ethan simply turned his attention out to the Slytherin table.

Just watching.

He was sitting next to Tate? And some random chick on the other side? Well, this was kind of intense.

With a sigh, he fiddled lazily with his wedding ring between his fingers. His eyes were focused on upon the glinting piece of silver, and occasionally looked out over the students. Particularly the Hufflepuffs. He noted the number of them. Man.

Tate grunted as the students headed into the Great Hall. Fascinating. He actually recognized a number of them... but there were all these teeny tiny faces bobbing in among the rest. They were so small. Had the first years been that size last year?

"Masterson," he glanced at the man beside him. He looked... distracted. "How was your summer?"

"Oh, Charms. Im pretty good at Charms." he said matter-of-factly to the New Professor. "Are you excited to start your first term as a teacher?" he asked. Hoepfully that the question wasn't too personal for a first meet between them.

then he quickly added in before she could speak. "Well, Im totally excited, Can't wait for Quidditch you know!"

Brants body language just screamed excited. Man he thought he was soo cool.

Violet skipped to the staff table, and went up to the first professor she saw. "Hey you! Im Violet Riddle, who are you?" she asked in a rather rude way. She turned her head and eyed Truebridge and gave him the Violet doesn't like you glare, but soon turned her attention back to Reynolds.

Gryffindor he might've been, but brave... well, he most certainly wasn't. The tips of his ears turned a bright pink when he caught some fella at the other end of the table glaring RIGHT his way. What was all that about? Had he done something wrong already? Was that because of his accidental elbowing?

Gulping loudly, he turned his attention instead to the four house tables before them. Yes, he'd keep his arms to himself and his eyes ahead. Surely that was safe.

With her introduction to Mr. Brant Robert DeVaice said and done, Lexi leaned back in her seat a little and waited for...something to happen. If she remembered correctly, the food wouldn't officially arrive until the headmaster said his speech. Merlin, she was sort of hungry. Those crackers she'd eaten at lunch time seemed like they'd been consumed light years ago. She glanced down the table to see if it looked like the speech would happen soon, but she couldn't really get a good glimpse of the headmaster. Was he even down there at all?

Still lost in her own thoughts, Lexi was a little shocked when she heard someone...from somewhere...calling her name. Who in Merlin's pink pants knew her? She followed the source of the sound and found---some woman sitting next to her. Was she---supposed to know her? Apparently so, for she'd followed up on her greeting by calling Lexi Little Lexi Carlton. Merlin! Little Lexi Carlton? She might as well be sitting up here at the dais wearing pigtails and a puffy pink dress and singing Lou, Lou, Skip to my Lou.

"Umm...Uhh, I...---hey!" she exclaimed, hoping any second now realization would dawn on her. So...what now? Who are you? How do I know you? Eep, both of those were sort of embarrassing questions to ask. She hated when she couldn't remember the names she was supposedly meant to remember. Oh! Oh! Wait---this was..."No freaking way! Iliana Morgan?" Lexi had been a little first year when Iliana had been a seventh year. Lexi remembered being twelve-years-old and thinking that the seventh years---and thus Iliana---were just oh so cool. "Oh, wow...how've you been?"

Lexi had been so focused on the fact that she'd found an old friend after so many years, that she'd nearly forgotten about the child---well, Brant---she'd been talking to moments before. She turned her attention back to the boy, smiling widely when he mentioned being pretty good at Charms. "Oh, well that's good to hear!" she remarked. Charms had always been Lexi's best subject---well, that and Transfiguration. She still couldn't believe that she'd lucked out and snagged the Charms opening here at Hogwarts. Divination...what had she done had that been offered?

Gotten a job at Florean Fortescue's, that's what.

"Well, of course I'm excited! It's good to be back at the castle, too," she said. ...and it was. The place was different in so many ways, but it was just the same, too. "Quidditch---I'll bet! I'll do my best to be at the games. I'm a former Gryffindor, you know."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cassirin

Tate grunted as the students headed into the Great Hall. Fascinating. He actually recognized a number of them... but there were all these teeny tiny faces bobbing in among the rest. They were so small. Had the first years been that size last year?

"Masterson," he glanced at the man beside him. He looked... distracted. "How was your summer?"

He blinked and instantly straightened up. Tater tot was talking.

"Tate," he responded, looking back. "It was...the usual. Wife. Child. Dogs. Cat. Eh." He shrugged. "Yourself?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Draco21

Violet skipped to the staff table, and went up to the first professor she saw. "Hey you! Im Violet Riddle, who are you?" she asked in a rather rude way. She turned her head and eyed Truebridge and gave him the Violet doesn't like you glare, but soon turned her attention back to Reynolds.

Oh no... She ran up behind Violet and grabbed her arm, smiling apologetically at the professor. "Sorry for her rudeness. She's... socially inept." Well, it was better than her first thought of saying she was retarded... that probably wouldn't have garnered her any points.

Satine glanced at the Staff Table and decided that she could be the welcoming wagon for the Ravvie table. After all, she wasn't a little third year anymore... She smoothed out her robes and pushed a stray bang behind her ear as she walked up to the staff table. She took in the new faces and with a smile she tried to make eye contact with everyone at the long table.

"Howzit! I'm Satine Farris! On behalf of the Ravenclaw House, I would like to welcome everyone back and welcome the new faces to Hogwarts!" she said as her eyes sparkled....inside she was very proud of her gesture but then started becoming a little worried that the new professors might think she was a brown noser....which she was far from...

"If I had a wife. Child. Dogs. Cat. Stuff... I think I'd be a lot happier about it," Tate wrinkled his brow at the morose man. "Want to grab a cup in the staff room later and hit things? Manly men hit things." Smile? Anything?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zellanna

Oh no... She ran up behind Violet and grabbed her arm, smiling apologetically at the professor. "Sorry for her rudeness. She's... socially inept." Well, it was better than her first thought of saying she was retarded... that probably wouldn't have garnered her any points.

"Thank you," Tate nodded at the little Slytherin. "You'd do well to help keep her in hand this year before she earns herself a cot in the detention dungeons." See? Tate could be charming. Right?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lezleighd

Satine glanced at the Staff Table and decided that she could be the welcoming wagon for the Ravvie table. After all, she wasn't a little third year anymore... She smoothed out her robes and pushed a stray bang behind her ear as she walked up to the staff table. She took in the new faces and with a smile she tried to make eye contact with everyone at the long table.

"Howzit! I'm Satine Farris! On behalf of the Ravenclaw House, I would like to welcome everyone back and welcome the new faces to Hogwarts!" she said as her eyes sparkled....inside she was very proud of her gesture but then started becoming a little worried that the new professors might think she was a brown noser....which she was far from...

Tate raised a hand at the little Ravenclaw. Okay, fine. They were ALL little to him. "Thank you, Miss Farris. I hope you enjoyed your summer."

Nolan was rather jealous. Lexi was playing catch up with a professor over on her end of the table, and he was stuck between two guys he didn't know yet. Sigh. He continued to watch the students, looking at some of the ones he recognized from Diagon Alley--there was that Lucky girl. She was glaring at him. Pssh. They were on HIS turf now. He was a professor--he got the call the shots! Silly child.

Speaking of silly children--his gaze was blocked as a young girl in Slytherin robes walked into him and very rudely asked him who he was. WELL. That kind of greeting would NOT due. Obviously he was a professor, right? He blinked a few times and got over the initial shock of being addressed that way before he answered.

"I'm Professor Reynolds, the new Divination professor," he explained with a small smile. "And it's nice to meet you, Violet Riddle. But I do have to say, I'm not a big fan of that tone you just used...I'd really appreciate if you'd address me AND the rest of the professors with a...nicer attitude," he said.

And...here was someone to the rescue! Was she a prefect? Hmm. Didn't have a badge. He'd give the younger girl the benefit of the doubt (for now)...maybe she just didn't really know how to act around adults? With the young age and all...twas understandable...

"Well, she knows now that I'd rather NOT be addressed that way, right Violet?" he asked the young girl with another grin. He REALLY hoped she took his advice. He did NOT want to take the first points of term.

Wow, what a greeting! Nolan smiled at the girl who was clearly making an effort to lighten the rather quiet mood right now. "Nice to meet you, Miss Farris," he said with a grin at the girl.

Oh wow. It just occurred to him that he had to learn their names...ALL of their names...he had forgotten about that. EEP!

The end of the table. It was a good place for.. observing, though it wasn't terribly well situated for getting to know one's colleagues. As he looked down the length of the table, he was taken aback at how young the rest of the staff seemed. He reserved judgment, however, drumming his fingers lightly on the table as he watched.

He let his eyes drift toward the Ravenclaw table before turning to the students who had approached the table. Like... ants descending on a fall piece of cupcake.

"Lina let go of me!" she said looking annoyed.
"Whaaat? Did you just say your name is professor Reynerds?" she asked, completely ignoring his question.

Truebridge gave Violet a disappointed look, nodded in greeting at Satine and Lina, then went right back to looking out over the Slytherin table.

That is until Violet decided to be Violet some more.

"I trust you have not forgotten your detention with me as soon as the feast ends, Violet?" He reminded her sternly, partly to let this other fellow know about it.

It was a shame really. Ethan was sure that the little girl would end up expelled.

Iliana raised an eyebrow at the expression on Ethan's face. She was just about to ask him how he was doing when she realized who else was missing from the staff table. She gave him an understanding smile instead and focused her attention back to her drinking glass.

Excited to hear she'd been remembered, Iliana smiled brightly and said, "It's Iliana Lawson now," she said, grinning down the table again. "I'm..." - much better now thanks - "well I've been great. What about you? What are you DOING here?!" she asked. It had been YEARS since she'd last seen her. She had so much to ask. "How's Allie?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cassirin

"If I had a wife. Child. Dogs. Cat. Stuff... I think I'd be a lot happier about it," Tate wrinkled his brow at the morose man. "Want to grab a cup in the staff room later and hit things? Manly men hit things." Smile? Anything?

Constantine grinned. Hitting things was fun. "Certainly," he nodded, slipping his ring back onto his finger. "And your summer? I'm going to guess that it was tame compared to the previous term?"

Satine glanced at the new professor and with her usual smile she held out her hand, "Hello Professor," she paused as she realized she didn't know his name, but not for long, " it's nice to meet you as well. What will you be teaching this term?" she said choosing her words and actions carefully after coming in on the tale end of some type of tension....she def didn't want to ad to it by saying the wrong thing.

Satine's cheeks turned a slight shade of red at the apples....the Headmaster always had this affect on her. "You're very welcome Headmaster. It was a good one but a short one....and yours?" she asked quickly standing as tall as she could and hoping that her cheeks weren't too red or blushed.