Zoey smiled again and nodded at Iris' response.

Hehehehehehe. Boyfriend. She grinned just a teensy bit and tried not to giggle. She still did that. See, usually guys were either just friends or hunting partners... or crazy, but that was besides the point. Hearing Rainbow Girl mention she had a boyfriend made Zoey have to resist the tendency to giggle hysterically in all her child-like amusement.

But she couldn't do that here, oh no, for this was England- and in England people were mature and classy.

See? She knew stuff. Important stuff. Like how to make toast without a toaster. And how to act at least relatively classy.

She looked back at Iris and again around at the room. "So, uh, what do we do after this?" Go to bed probobly, it had to be at least seven or eight by now. Curse her for not having a watch.

All these thoughts rushed through her head as Magic!Mery said quidditch, "I love it, I really want to try out for the team this year, I'm a seeker want to be" Katie smiled as she giggled, yeah it was her dream to be a seeker, if only it came true "Please don't get angry if I'm wrong but I think I heard that firsties can try out, if so want to?" Katie smiled, it would be awesome if Magic!Mery was her team mate.

Nai stopped in her tracks, Lafays voice, no matter how soft and sinistercalm, carried. She turned and shot the boy a look then returned to her seat, "I am." She answered the professor shooting a pointed look at the boy "Our Head Girl is doing a good job at keeping us in check." She smiled. She liked the Head Girl and the Head Boy, but this boy... Professor Lafay needed to keep her eyes on him "How was your holidays professor?"

Iris grinned, then rolled her eyes. With a small, happy sigh, Iris was glad that they could still act like this. Imagine actually having to act like an adult? It'd be so boring.

"Mhmmm.... Blame it on the blushing glands, Fallon." She said, teasingly. Was there even such a thing as blushing glands? Iris highly doubted that there was. Oh well. Hehe. "But okay... I'll drop it. For now." Muahaha.

Iris looked to Fallon as she said this, her eyes full of concern and worry. "I know... but... " She glanced up at the staff table, "... He's later than usual. A lot later than usual..." Brushing some of her hair out of her face, Iris frowned. "What if something's happened to him?" She asked, almost silently. She really hoped that nothing had... but there was always that horrible possibility....

The worried frown not leaving her face, Iris continued to glance at the doors every so often... waiting for Aaron to show up.

Iris's attention was drawn away from Aaron's absence when she saw Professor Lafay make her way over to the table. She smirked as she spoke to that second year.

Then she had a thought. It made sense to ask now, instead of later. She didn't have the time to waste with this. Especially not considering that Iris only had two years left at Hogwarts.

"Professor Lafay!" She called, standing up and making her way over to the Head of House, "Professor, if you don't mind, can I come and talk to you about something... after the feast?" Iris had actually surprised herself at the idea... Why would she talk to Lafay - the single teacher at Hogwarts that scared the crap out of her - about this? "It's... actually nothing to do with you. I just... figured that your say in the matter would be helpful... and important."


Iris looked at the other Slytherin as she started giggling. "What?!" Iris exlaimed, with a small grin. "You'll have a boyfriend, too, soon enough." Muahaha. Iris stuck her tongue out at the girl, then sighed. Where was he?!

"Go to the common room. Hang out for a big. Go to sleep." She nodded and smiled. "We're up early tomorrow though for classes. So don't stay up too late.

Hearing her name, Sierra turned away from the mysterious man in the dark sunglasses and back toward Marie and Ev. Marie--that's what she'd learned the blonde-headed girl's name was. She'd heard the one called Ev, what she assumed to be short for Evelyn, say it just then.

Looking at them, she decided that they were the type of people she wanted to get in good with. They were older and seemed more in the know than most people she'd met. They even had some mysterious, powerful-looking man smiling at them!

...and the fact that they were both introducing themselves was a really good start for Sierra. Ahh, so Ev's name really was Evelyn. Sierra started to try and strike up a conversation about what year the girls were in, but her attention was once again drawn away from the conversation and towards that same mystery man she'd been looking at before. Apparently, she should know who he was. Was he really that well-known and powerful? Awesome!

Her eyes grew slightly wider as Evelyn instructed her to never ask who this man was again. Eeep! Who was this man?! "The greatest professor and person ever?" she repeated. "Please tell me he's a former Slytherin..." He had to be, though. Just had to be. He had that presence about him.

She'd ask what he taught, but she figured Evelyn would tell her she should have never asked that question either...

The Slytherin male prefect was such a Hufflepuff, Sierra decided. He was smiling at her, which (according to Sierra) could either be a good thing or a bad thing when interacting with Slytherins. This one didn't look like he was up to anything, though, so she spared a smile for him in return.

Again, he was one of the Slytherin student leaders, and far be it from her to do anything to get on his bad side. Besides, he seemed nice enough.

"Especially on...what?!" she asked, suddenly perking up. Her eyes all aglow, she listened intently for the rest of Evan's sentence. ...objects?! What was so interesting about that? She had a feeling he had started to tell her something completely different, but he'd stopped for one reason or another. Maybe because of her age?! BAHH! She could handle it!

"...oh," she remarked. "Objects, right. What sort of objects will we be practicing on?" She was hoping at some point to go one-on-one with another student. That way, if she ever came across that crazy Sugarplum's shopkeeper again, she'd be prepared to face her this time--and with something else other than a sugar quill for protection!

She nodded along as he told all about some of the classes she'd soon begin to take. Ancient Runes sounded really difficult. Apparently, there was a lot of studying involved, and that really didn't sound all that easy to Sierra. Nope, not easy at all. "I'm not too sure how Muggle Studies will work out for me, though. It doesn't really sound that easy for a pure-blooded witch." Shrugging, she added, "Sounds interesting, though." Maybe.

Katie slid down her chair hoping she wouldn't be seen, but as Lafey came past she shot up so she was seen, maybe she wouldn't talk to her?

NICE SCARY POTIONS LADY.

"... Hello. Thank you, Evan." Truebridge murmured in response to the boy's greeting, noticing his new badge and then, as his eyes flickered across the table, a few more.

Well.

Excellent. Good choices. Deserving Slytherins. He nodded approvingly at each of them. Yes, he noticed their shiny badges.

He could hear the low murmur of voices, and some not so low, and his name and various descriptive words attached to said name and frankly it was making him uneasy. He supposed it was a good thing that the majority of them had positive things to say though.

Meeting the eyes of several students, he attempted smiles, or at the least nods of acknowledgement when they looked to him.

Truebridge spotted one of the two kids from Eeylops, one of the fighters. And he was a prefect? Well. Standards just got raised for that one. Ethan made a mental note to mention to Max the names of those two. Finlay and James it was. Finlay being the prefect apparently.

He ignored more mentions of his name and his eyes settled on a young girl... who looked startlingly familiar but was thankfully not old enough to pose as a college student like a certain Gryffindor had once done. Scary stuff. Student crushes were horrifying. Could this little girl be related to Anna Greingoth?

And Trixie Malfoy was Head Girl? Excellent. He overheard her mentioning winning the house cup and that put a genuine smile on the man's face.

Then she spoke and he nodded at her. "Well, actually Tate asked me, and Annie... err... Professor Bunbury, she wanted to return to England so... here I am. I suppose." But yes, he had missed many of them.

As for which class? He waited for a lull in conversation considering it appeared many students were interested in the answer.

"...Ancient Runes."


He turned his head slightly, hearing Hecate speak.

He nodded politely, and also firmly, in complete agreement with at least the last part of what she said.

"Professor." He greeted, tonelessly.

Meredith noticed when Trixie first came u to her she looked concerned, but it seemed to fade. Meredith smiled. "Thats what i was assuming. Well thats good. Cause i one of the first person i met was a was stereotypical Slytherin so i got a little concerned. But i'm feeling a tad better about it all since i have met some people like you who are really nice and friendly." Meredith smiled. She really liked Trixie a lot! She made her feel a LOT better. "Ahh, yes, it kind of runs in my family too. Well, sort of. You see, my mum was a slytherin but my dad was a gryffindor. Weird, i know!" Meredith said. "Haha, ya, for me there isnt much of a filter between my brain and mouth" Meredith chuckled. "Oh cool. Thank you so much for coming over here" Meredith said with a smile

Benjamin folded back his cloak sleeve, then his suit sleeve then his dress sleeve to show Evan the runes wrapped around his his arm up to his elbow.

"It's like this all over body from my kneees up to my neck and down to my wrists.. in the middle of chest and back are two giant lightning bolts. my father muttered an incantation while he drug his wand over those parts, so I don't know what they mean. but he said they were for power and protection. So that's what I think they mean."

He folded back his sleeves to cover the runes up as he saw his fellow Slytherin's looking at him. He made a small laugh as he covered them up.

"And they're impossible to cover. i ordered muggle make up, they jsut showed right through. I tried to mask them with magic, my skin absorbed it. I'ved tried everything, and just don't go away. So I gave up. I haven't shown many people for the sake of not being called a freak. Ya know?"

"I had a good holiday, Miss Mattherson," She said taking a green sour apple from their table. "Now try to mind your own business." and she bit into the fruit.

Hecate looked at her prefect, from head to toe, twice, thinking about what the girl could have to say. "Fine." She said taking another bite of the apple. "This isn't going to be about boys, is it?"

"Miss Star." Hecate said looking at the kids who where at the table.

Runes? At least it wasn't close to her floor.

She smiled sweetly, and inclined her head to him demurely... "Professor..." She'd see him at the table.

Iris smiled and nodded. "Thanks, Professor." Her expression went from happily relieved to well... shocked at Lafay's next words. "What? Oh... no. Not at all... I've got that one sorted..." She said, bluntly.

"Well... Thanks. I'll come by your office tonight then... I hope you enjoy the rest of the feast." The prefect nodded, somewhat awkwardly, before heading back towards Fallon, Trixie and Zoey.

Katie looked at Lafey as she walked past, should she saw hi back? Or just ignore, she must not do something wrong, "Hello Professor Lafey" She said smiling at her. Good Katie.

"Really? That is so cool! You should!! Haha, cool! Seekers are obviously the best" Meredith said playfully. She smiled. "Really?! I didnt know that! That would be soo cool!" Then she frowned. She wanted to try out so badly, but she couldn't. "Aww, i want too! I really REALLY do! But i couldnt fly to save my life! No matter how hard i try i just cant fly! I want to play Quiddtich for than anything! I LOVE to watch it though! I am so sorry! I really would! I promise i will be there in the stands cheering you on if they let me!" Meredith sighed

Carson watched as her Head of House who she admired and respected a lot even if she wouldn't admit it came over and started talking to a few of the students. "Professor," she said with a nod and hint of a smile as the woman passed. Even the piece of a smile was a risk in her eyes, of course.

Zoey chuckled at Iris' explanation. "Ooooookay." she said with a grin. She nodded again as she pointed out not to stay up to late. "Yes Miss Prefect." she said with a salute. Heh.

Hmm, now the common room was a different matter. That was probobly where she'd be getting lost. Oh well, she'd just follow Rainbow Girl. Well, assuming she went straight there. Actually she could probobly follow anybody in green. Yeah.

Zoey looked over at another older person, deciding that this one didn't look too friendly. And it was a she this time. "Who's that?" she asked. Hmm, maybe she was just in a bad mood?

Hmm her mother always told her that and she never listened to blood so thirteen or not, Lafays words went in one ear and out the other.

Marie just looked at Evelyn for a minute when she said they should welcome back Truebridge instead. Who did she think Marie was talking about? Surely she didn't think she meant LaFlame... did she?

"I was talking about Truebridge silly. You didn't actually think I meant LaFlame did you?" Heck she didn't even see that woman anywhere around. Maybe Truebs was back to be their HoH and LaFlame wouldn't be back this term. Oh how sweet life would be if that were true.

Just as she was about to get up and head over to Truebridge someone else joined them. "Hey Sal, what's in the box?" Oh so that's what the little girls name was... Sierra. And now she knew what was in the box. Cookies. They looked like the ones that crazy little Gryffindork girl was always handing out. What was her name... Krummi or something like that.

"Who's that?" she asked as if she expected everyone to know who Truebridge was. "That's Professor Truebridge, the best Head of House Slytherin has ever had. I hope and pray that he's back to be Head of House again. That would be so awesome." And if he wasn't, well she was still going to go to him with all her concerns and problems. No way would she talk to LaFlame about anything.

A big smile crossed her face when her favorite prefect arrived. However it sort of disappeared when he only acknowledged the little snakette sitting with them. Oh, so it appears that Evan knew the girl too. It seems the little one has been making her rounds with getting to know the boys. Oh well, at least she was getting to know the right ones. Once Evan was done introducing himself to Sierra she couldn't help but be just a tad bit obnoxious. "Hey there Prefect Evan Cartright, I'm Marie Salazar... your best friend... remember me?" Okay, so she knew he remembered her, she just wanted to make sure he didn't forget her or the fact that she was friends with his girlfriend and would therefore be keeping an eye on him.

Ohhh, another prefect had come to join them, and this one acknowledged that she was sitting there. "Hey Finn." She said smiling up at him. "Sorry about running off on the train. I wanted to make sure Mia was alright." Then it hit her... he knew Evelyn's name. "You two know each other?" she asked looking between her best friend and her boyfriends best friend. Her boyfriend that still wasn't at the feast. Where was that boy?

Her attention was suddenly brought back to the little snakette sitting across from her, next to Evelyn. Right, Sierra, so she had heard from the boys. "Hello Sierra Greingoth, I'm Marie Salazar. Nice to meet you." Wait, what was she saying? Since when did she like meeting little kids? Eh, she couldn't take it back now... could she? She would just wait until the kid proved that she wasn't good enough to be friends with the She-Snakes.

So Sierra did know Evelyn. Or at least knew of her. It seemed Evelyn had a story to tell Marie later. She grinned over at Ev upon hearing something about a crazy shopkeeper. Yes, definitely a story worth hearing she was sure... but later. Right now she had to explain to yet someone else just who Ethan Truebridge was.

Looking over at the professor then back at Sierra she smiled. "As I have already said, Professor Truebridge is and was the best Head of House Slytherin has ever had." Well in her days at Hogwarts anyway. "If we are lucky enough maybe we will find out that he is once again our Head of House." And possibly the new potions professor.

Hearing Evelyn ask Salander if he was crazy she couldn't help but giggle. Of course the boy was crazy... he was friends with Lexi, or so it appeared that way on the train.

"Yeah, so I heard. Seems the little snakette here has been making friends with some of the boys already." She said when Ev told her who Sierra was. It was obvious that this little girl wasn't a shy one. Not if she was already interacting with the older students. Whatever happened to the little kids being scared of the big kids?

O____O

Say it wasn't so. She was NOT seeing Professor LaFay entering the Great Hall and she was not seeing her come over to their table.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

This was NOT what she wanted to see. She wanted to see and hear that Professor Truebridge was once again their head of house.

She looked back over to Truebs. Well at least he was there as a professor... right? She knew she could go to him for anything. He wouldn't just leave them to Lafay when he was around. He would be there when she needed him... right? You know, like Lawson had always been there for her. Well he was still there for her, just in a different way now.

She really should go over and welcome Truebridge back... unless he was going to be coming their way, then she would welcome him back from the table.

Maybe she would just wait and see what Evelyn wanted to do.

Why was it everyone seemed afraid of this lady professor who came over...? TJ looked over the woman, silently her own eyes taking in the woman, who seemed very blunt to each person who spoke to her. Interesting... the woman fascinated her, who was she...?

Watching the happenings seemed to be more interesting then actually conversing with people with mundane talk. Which is what she preferred, speak only when you must. Mundane talk to her was not worth her time.

.....

A salute... That was new. Hehe. Iris grinned, but didn't comment on it.

"That. Is Professor Lafay. Potions mistress. Our Head of House." Iris looked back to Lafay and smiled slightly. "I wonder if she's outgrown the habit of setting students alight... Good job I'm not doing a NEWT Potions class, to find out, eh?" Smirk.

Iris looked to the doors, then to the Staff dias. This was really beginning to worry her now. Aaron wasn't coming... She knew it. She just didn't know why. But Iris didn't like it...

Had Sierra not been observing mystery man at that very moment, she might have missed the fact that his eyes suddenly settled right on her. As it was, though, she'd seen every bit of it, and for the second time today, a Slytherin was staring right at her.

Staring, she'd gathered, was much like smiling at someone. You just never knew what they were thinking. Especially with Slytherins. This man, she'd decided, was definitely a former Slytherin. Deciding to play it cool, she lifted the corners of her lips just a little before casually saying, "Hello, professor."

This was her, wasn't it? The Slytherin Head of House, Professor Hecate Lafay? Yes, Sierra already knew her name, but only because her father apparently knew the woman and had previously told Sierra a little about her. He'd been so sure his daughter would be a Slytherin, and Sierra couldn't wait to write him and tell him he'd been, of course, right all alone.

She watched the woman as she made her way down the house table, rolling her eyes and warning children to watch their step. That was exactly what her father had said he liked the most about Professor Lafay--her no-nonsense attitude and the fact that she was Slytherin right to the core.

Awesome!

Amy skipped to the great hall and looked around for maisie "Maisie!!!" she exclaimed happily as she sat down next to her at the table.She noticed that Professor Lafay was walking around the slytherin table "Hello proffesor!" she said as she walked by, she turned back to maisie "soo maisie are you excited to be back!?"

Satine headed toward the mass wave of green robes avoiding firsties the whole way. It was like avoiding torpedoes in a war or something. She was on a mission to find her Slythie buddies that she hadn't seen since the middle of the summer. She had luckily already run into Fallon. She walked along the edge of the Slythie table hunting away, but it was even more covered up than her table. Wow, were there always this many peeps?....

She glanced up and down the table and wondered if she should ask if anyone could point her towards Iris or Arron. She stopped quickly before stepping on a firstie that ran in front of her.

"They play an important role in quidditch" Katie remembered that when the snitch is caught that is when the game ends, Katie would play an important role if she was seeker, it made her feel happy inside just thinking about it. "Really? Are you sure? Have you rode on a broom before? I said that as well before I went on a broom, I'm sure with a little practice you'll be great" Katie said smiling.

Slytherin. From what Evangeline knew, she'd guessed that she would be in Slytherin, or Ravenclaw. So with a small smile, she walked confidently over to her house table, thinking about whether she'd met anyone in Slytherin yet. She didn't think so.

"Mind if I sit here?" She asked a girl who looked around her own age, and sat down before she answered.