Elle smiled back at the girl, "Oooh, I'd LOVE to meet your owl! That is, if you're okay with that." She said. "And yes, we'll definitely do them together, but I suppose we'll have to figure out when lessons start, that way we know what homework we have to do. Then we can decide on a location," smiled Elle.

"Sure, she's right upstairs in the dormitory. You can easily spot her, she's a snowy owl. Well, the only snowy owl upstairs that's not in a cage, that is." Zara smiled. "Yeah, you're right. Now why didn't I think of that? Now I have a homework buddy, a friend, and an excellent planner." she giggled.

Zara looked over from Ella's shoulder and saw the letters. "That's an awful lot of letters, Ella." she smiled from behind her. "Pretty owl. Is it a he or a she?"

Matt couldn't help but laugh at Zara's hysterics. He'd finally done something right! His grin widened. Perhaps his clumsiness was depleting already? Perhaps he was gonna be Mr AWESOME now? He'd had a feeling Hogwarts might have an effect on it. He paused, mid-thought. Naaaaa. He was sure something would come along soon enough. Trouble and falling over followed him round like a dog on a leash. At least she was happy now, her anger (hopefully) completely gone. Girls emotions were rather confusing to say the lease. He, himself, only really had one, and that was fear. He mentally "AHHHHHH"-ed a lot...He was kinda glad no one could hear him.

What she said next only made him laugh more. But he stopped when he realised she was serious. He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Do I look brave?" There he was, blushing, floppy hair all..floppy, a scarf that was too long for him, and his fingers (which he'd tried to hide beneath his scarf) were still quivering. He was the complete oppisite of brave. Why he was in Gryffindor was an utter mystery to him.

Ella grinned as she turned around. She pointed to the tall boy sitting in the corner picking up the letters she was talking about.
'yeah.. my Mam sort of sent us all one each?
I have no idea why..' Ella stroked the little owl next to her. 'That's my second oldest big brother by the way, Leo-Alix. and this is Lullah' She smiled, pointing to the owl next to her.

Once Zara was able to control her emotions, she realized the Matt had been laughing along with her too. 'I wonder why. He's probably gone mental too.' Zara thought and chuckled a little. Matt was still laughing and stopped after Zara had asked her question.

Zara raised her eyebrows. "Well, sir," emphasizing the words, "Why on earth would you be sorted in Gryffindor if you aren't, hm? You must be brave. It's what a Gryffindor is, after all." and added, "And quite frankly, that is definitely saying something."

'I mean, seriously, why could be possibly be in Gryffindor is he doesn't possess any of the characteristics a Gryffindor is: brave and courageous. If he was a complete and utter coward, he'd be somewhere else.'


"Oh, that's explains it." Zara said. "Hello there Lullah." she said to the adorable owl, "Male or female?" she asked.

"I bet you could..." he said, shaking his head, leaning against the back of the chair, half his back supported, the other half held up by his contracted muscles. HENCH MATT. He had an odd feeling, if Ella merely nudged him, or poked him, or dug her elbow into his ribs again, he'd topple off the edge...Ow. Oh well, that was the price to pay for sitting on the arm of chair, then, wasn't it?

He smiled, reaching out to stroke the bird gingerly on its bulbous, circular, feathery head. "She's beautiful." he said with a small sigh. He loved owls. Almost as much as cookies. He smirked. "I bet you guys need someone keeping an eye on you." he said, amused.

Matt watched as she threw the letters at Leo. Poor guy - she got him right in the face. He laughed, "Smoooooooth, Ella... He laughed. "You're such a bum." He turned to look at the older boy. "Is that your brother?"

Sir? Matt peered at her curiously from beneath his fringe. He'd never been called that before. It made him feel...proud. Like a brave knight in a fantasy kingdom. He was Sir Matt! The thought made him grin. "I suppose." he said, will a stifled yawn, stretching his arms out in front of him as he did so. "I've just never really considered myself as the brave type...I was thinking I'd be sorted into Hufflepuff or maybe Ravenclaw...Then again..." He indicated to Ella. "I suppose I'd have to be brave to be able talk to her." He grinned, shooting a teasing look towards his other...well, for want of a better word, friend.

Zara held back a laugh. Why would he have to be brave to talk to Ella? That sure was weird, something was probably going on between those two. Not knowing what to reply to that, Zara whispered a soft, "Oh." matched with the edged of her lips pulled down into a small frown.

Feeling slightly very awkward, Zara looked around the common room. People were decreasing in number, probably went off to sleep already. Zara sighed, she wanted a big brother. A big sister. A little brother. A little sister. Oh, just give her a sibling, for Pete's sake.

"Awesome! I can go get Roman from the Owlery, and they can have a play-date," Elle said. Sure, it was corny, but she wanted to spend time with her new friend & her owl, but also with her own. "Well, I wouldn't necessarily say an excellent planner, but I do try to be somewhat organized," Elle smiled. "But the friend/homework buddy, I can agree with!"

Matt frowned, biting his lip. Had he done something wrong? ARGH. He KNEW it! His together-ness was not to last. With an awkward cough, he rubbed his nose. She didn't look very happy... But he couldn't read her face. He was never good at judging people's emotions, and girl's were even harder to suss. They were very good at locking up up all that deep stuff. He never really understood why. Wouldn't it just be easier to say everything that was on your mind?

He pulled at his scarf, feeling the soft wool brush against his palms. "Hey..H-hey.." he said, his voice undeniably fragile. He peered at her curiously. "You alright?"

"Brilliant!" she agreed as Elle had another great idea. Elle had many wonderful ideas, wonder where she gets them. Hihi. "Okay then, homework buddy slash friend slash organized person." Zara giggled.


Zara looked back again at Matt. "Yeah, I'm fine." Zara reassured with a smile. Of course, she couldn't say that she wasn't okay or else she would have to explain why. And she doesn't even know why she's not okay. It'd be best not to tell him about it. "Uhm," she said, stalling, searching for an excuse. "I ran out of words to say." Zara smiled. Not a completely happy smile, probably a forced smile. It didn't reach to her eyes, her gray eyes were filled with a look that was thinking deep, opposite to her lips which were curved into a perfect smile.

"That's great! I'm so excited for term to start!" said Ariella. She was so excited that she had made some new friends.

Cove walked Into the common room and almost ran into another girl. "Oh my God, I'm so so sorry!" she exclaimed. "Hi I'm Cove Brett." She said holding here hand out.

Ella grinned, she was a pretty owl. 'Female!' Ella smiled looking down at her. 'This one isn't as lazy as Henry..' She giggled. she did love the little cat though..

Ella looked where he was sitting. Just one little push.. mwahaha.
Ella grinned. 'She is quite pretty bless her.' She took a mouse out of her pocket. Lullah had given her it in the Owlery.. awkward..She threw the mouse and Lullah immediantly took off from the arm of the chair and caught it after whizzing after it. Ella burst out laughing at the look on other peoples faces. Some laughed at the little owl, others look completely petrified.

'No, honestly we don't! It's the triplets!' Ella was being honest.. they were insane. 'Yep, second oldest brother.' She nodded. ' It's fine, you'll see me getting bullied later!'
She grinned. 'Oh I know, it comes naturally really.' She crossed her eyes and pushed her fringe over her eyes. 'Hey! I look a bit like you!' She burst out laugihng and pushed her fringe to the side again. Bet I'll get thumped for that one!

Matt's eyes narrowed, desperately searching her face for...something? I tear maybe? Girls cry when they're sad, right? But there was no tear. ...SO SHE WAS FINE! YAAAAY. He grinned, completely and utterly oblivious. He was such a guy. "Ah, ok, good. ..'Cause I thought I'd said something wrong... Sorry if I had." he added hastily, the blush creeping back onto his face as he smiled at her sheepishly, fringe a-flopping.

After a quick pause, he frowned at her. There was something...wrong. "I mean, are you sure? You seem a bit..." He pursed his lips, thinking. "..out of it. ..Not that I'm prying." he added, arms back to their flailing.

"Ohh, she's so beautiful." Zara smiled and added, "But not as pretty as its owner." Zara giggled as she teased Ella.


Blinking twice, Zara shrugged it off her head, whatever it was. Honestly, she didn't know herself, she just suddenly felt...strange. But really, what happened to her? She shook her head as she shrugged, exhaled, and was back to normal. Trying to change the subject, "So Matt, you like Ella?" she teased with a smug face. But if felt wrong. Just wrong. Why?

Ella picked up the owl and put her infront of her face.
'Oh, stop it! Your making me blush!' She burst out laughing.

Then hearing her comment to Matt she turned aorund wagging her finger. 'Hey! None of that, he's already like my sixth brother!' She grinned flicking Zara.

Zara giggled. "Okaaaay, if you say so, Ella-Maay." Zara said in a sing-song voice.

Ella stuck out her tounge and flicked Zara again. ' You can be my only sister, seen as I'm the only girl!' Ella tugged a bit of her shiny hair playfully.

Elle laughed with her new-found friend. "Okay, I'll be back in a bit to show you Roman!"

"Yey! Haha," Zara cheered as she began jumping up and down because she felt like it. Her brown curls bouncing in the air and flowing back down as she jumped. "I still think you like Matt." she said, sticking her tongue out at Ella playfully.

"I'll be waiting!" Zara said cheerfully.

'Why? Cause I'm so hilarious?..' She didn't wait for an answer..[/B] Ella burst out laughing shaking her head, but stopped as she got whacked over the head with something.

Looking up, she saw Leo-Alix walking past on his way to the boys dorms waving the letters at her blowing kisses. Ella flipped her hair again, trying to get it not so messy...
[B]'How am I expected to be mature? I'm surrounded by hooligans!'. Ella laughed. That was the word her Mother often used to describe all 6 of them.

Matt watched, grimacing slightly at the mouse, before staring in wonderment as Lullah swooped around and caught the airborn rodent in her beak. "Wicked." he said breathlessly, laughing, at all the dumbstruck people who lined the plushy sofas and seats with expressions like a slapped bum. Well, he supposed that wasn't something they saw often. An owl with skillage. If he ever attempted to try that out with Pond, he'd probably end up with a squashed owl. She was so tiny. "How'd you teach her to do that?" he asked curiously.

He nodded, rolling his eyes. "Of course." he said, smirking. She had triplet brothers? He had twins. Brothers born with the same genes were not easy. He probably knew how she felt; they were mental. "I can't imagine you ever getting bullied." he said, shaking his head. She was...feisty. Scary. Scary + Feisty = AHHHHHHHHH. She was AHH. And AHH's don't get bullied.

O. OOOOOO. He glared down at her. "I do NOT look like that!" he growled, instinctively pushing his fringe out of his eyes. He had cool hair. Innit. The first year poked her on the forehead, scowling, a smirk pulling at the corners of his mouth. "My hair's awesome." He shook his head. "You bum."

That was when Matt fell off his chair.

"AHHMPH." He collided with the floor, his skinny limbs tangling themselves up in his over-sized scarf as he tried to right himself. He was lying on his back, like a turtle, arms flailing. He wasn't even bothered about the prying eyes, or small chuckles. It'd been what Zara had said that'd scared him. It was disgusting.

Flinging his head up so he was now in sitting position, the first year whirled his head round to face Zara. He stared at her, in utter disbelief, as if completely oblivious to what had just happened. "WHAT."

"It's nice to meet you too, Ariadne," she smiled nodding her head and secretly panicking in her head as to whether or not she had said the girl's name properly. "Welcome to Hogwarts and," perhaps more importantly, "welcome to Gryffindor. This is Walnut," she pointed to the sleeping cat. Clearly, the feline had exhausted himself during the night sniffing all the new students' shoes and school trunks.

"Of course you may," she blushed gesturing towards the box. "I try to bake cookies for everyone once a week. It's...a sort of hobby of mine."


"I'm glad to hear that," Kurumi smiled as she brushed a lock of raven hair behind her ear. "Coming to Hogwarts was my first time away from home and practically the first time being out of my small town, so, I know how you feel. Being nervous to the point of feeling sick, but also being overwhelmed with excitement to the point that you feel like you will burst."

Kurumi looked down at Walnut and could practically see his kitty ego growing with all the compliments he had been getting over the past few hours. She felt very bad for whatever first year managed to offend him and found a rather unpleasant surprise when they put their shoes on the next morning. "Walnut is a he....and a king in his own right," she giggled scratching the cat behind the ears.

Kurumi looked over from petting Walnut and saw a familiar face. "Septimus," she called over from her seat on the sofa. "How have you been? Are you glad to be back at school?"

He and Adam had become rather close last term and she wondered if he had noticed his disappearance from the school as much as she had.



"LEXI!" Kurumi chirped jumping up from her seat on the sofa, startling Walnut so much that he practically flew across the room and landed on a table with his hair standing up and his eyes as wide as saucers. "Oops...sorry Walnut," Kurumi blushed waving for the cat to come back, but he wasn't having any of it at the moment.

Swishing his tail back and forth, Walnut perched himself on the table and narrowed his eyes at his Mistress. She was lucky that he loved her and that she knew how to worship a feline such as himself. It meant that he would not be forced to play his paw.

No...he was pretty sure that he needed to reserve THAT for Pineapple Boy...

Shrugging her shoulders, Kurumi walked over to Lexi and eyed all the goodies and bowed in thanks to the house elf that had appeared. "Please send my regards to Twinkle," she smiled to the elf. She would have to make a visit to the kitchens soon.

"So...um...Lexi...how does this work exactly?" Last term, she had stuck a slab of chocolate on a stick and roasted THAT over the fire. Needless to say, it didn't turn out the way it should have.

Shrugging, Ella grinned. 'I think I just kept throwing mice ather.. she never used to come near anyone..' Ella's brow furrowed.. as she thought back.. a long way back. 'She just.. did it.' Ella shrugged again.

'I do get bullied! I'm a big time bully victim!' she pointed after Leo, who was disappearing up the staircase to the dorms. 'Did you not see that abuse I just got?!' Ella rubbed her head. Ow.. those letters hurt! How much had Mam written?!?

Ella raised her eyebrows. 'Don't look at me like that!' She laughed. 'I've practically told you my life story! You tell me something now! Do you have brothers or sisters? Sitting a up a bit more, Ella looked at him.. urging him to tell her something. She didn't know anything about her new pal. She grinned.

Speaking of bullying.. she'd like to see anyone bully him now! Boooya!

Ari sensed a little hesitation before Tayla spoke, and she started to worry for hinting she might not like the boy. Neverthless, nobody can like everyone, right?

'Thanks, I'll be happy to.' the girl replied sincerely. 'Are we allowed to go on board, you reckon?' she asked. 'I'm looking forward to a bit of adventure.' No wonder she was a Gryffindor. She lived up to the House's reputation of bravery and a small-or not so small- inclination to break rules.

'Flying lessons worry me, actually. I'm a bit afraid only at the idea of going in the air on a broom.' she shuddered. 'Do you want to try for a position on the Quidditch team?' Ariadne wondered. 'I'm looking forward to Charms as well, but even more so to History of Magic, I love history.' Ari added. 'Yes, of course I started reading, I enjoy reading very much.' she answered, thinking Tayla was her kind of girl. It was refreshing to meet someone who also liked to read.

'Thank you, but I think the cookies said it all, I bet the other Houses don't get this sort of a welcome.' she smiled, and then took a cookie. 'It's delicious!' the girl exclaimed, after eating the first bite. 'I can't believe you bake these yourself, I admire everyone who can cook, my mum is terrible at that.' Ari chuckled. 'What other hobbies do you have, besides baking?' she wanted to know.

'Walnut? Such a pretty name!' Ariadne commented, looking at the pretty cat fondly. 'Do you have it for a long time? I just got my cat at the Menagerie on Diagon Alley this summer.' she shared a totally useless piece of information.