"Why, thank you!" replied Ariella. "I'm not sure...I think you were sitting at the other side of the table. So what are you most excited for at Hogwarts?"

Diego glared another time at the classless feline. He would never stoop to such levels. He preferred secret sabotage rather than blatant disrespect. He put his head on his paws and began to plot.

"I've been looking forward to visiting the library," Lucas answered. "I've read every book I own so many times. I need something new!"

"I'm a fifth year," Lucas replied. "But I was homeschooled before now. How about you?"

"Awesome," Lucas said. "I play guitar, but I don't usually sing in front of people." He smiled at Nika's motion. "Football is cool. I don't play too many sports, but I like watching them."

As she muttered the password to the Fat Lady, she swung herself forward to let the first year Gryffie through.

Flopping herself down on one of the plush arm chairs, she moved Henry from her shoulder to her knee. As she began to scratch his head, he began to purr like some sort of engine. Giggling at him, Ella leant back in the chair and blew out.

She was quite tired, but she wasn't going to bed yet.. May aswell sit by the fire for a bit. Ella was also freeezing!

Jordan was relaxing when he heard someone come through the common room. He noticed em by a first year student, that he knew. It was his friend, Ella"Hey Ella. How are you? Ready for classes to start? I know I am."

Ella smiled when she saw who it was. She sat up as she responded to his question: 'Yep, defiantly!' Ella was really looking forward to them! 'i mean, it's great having a day to explore the castle and the grounds and everything.. but I think I'm ready for lessons now!' Ella smiled, still scratching her little cats head.

"Yeah. I feel the same way. Excited to get started too!"

Grinning, Ella sat back again. Wow, she could probably sit here and sleep for a week!

"No, thankfully we get weekends off," Septimus said. "Well, I hope your first year is a good one."

"Shouldn't be long before classes start up though. But you have to think, it takes alot of time and effort for these classes."

This was weird. Seriously it was because he was feeling rather...tired right now. And feeling tired was definitely weird for an energetic and kinda hyper boy like him. Anyhow there was nothing to do about it. If he was feeling tired, it meant he was tired, that shouldn't be a problem. He did not think so since he had nothing to do at all. Not even a single thing.

Moving himself in a more comfortable position, Josh wondered how he was going to deal with those classes this year and the idea of being forced to join to a History of Magic class annoying him, he was forced to open his eyes. Bleh. This just had to happen right now, did not it? Blinking a few times, when the lion boy became aware of his surroundings, he realised that two girls were looking at him.

Hmmm...

''Well....hi girls!'' he said as cherfully as someone who was disturbed in his rest can be yet with a pretty warm smile. Then running a hand through his hair, he began to play with the Gryffindor tie in his hands. ''Just don't mind me. I even even tend to spend nights here instead of the dormitory''

Yeah, that was right...

Upon hearing a familiar voice greeting him, Josh looked towards the way it has come to his ears only to find Kurumi there...eh? What was she doing? Playing with a book? Shaking it? Whatever... His smile broadening, he stopped playing with the tie ''Isn't it the Lioness Princess herself? Hmmm?''

Now, for a moment he couldn't help wondering how a nice girl like her could have such an annoying feline thing that...meeeeh. Forget the cat! ''You look like you have had an enjoyable summer, am i right?'' Hmmnnmm. Any summer which was not his should have been enjoyable after all. And by the way, did she happen to have any sweets for him? Because he had not been able to find his chocolates. Probably Destiny had stolen them. Bad she-snake.

When another girl's voice adressed to him, the lion boy quickly looked at that way..well...this was an unfamiliar one. Must have been one of the firsties by the look of her. So far, he had not been involved with firsties so much, except those who had been staring at him, however it did not mean he would never do it. He was an upperclassman of this school after all. Heheheh. Yeah, sure he was.

''Hmm...no. Not seventh yet.'' he replied the girl's question with a kind smile at her ''Sixth year.'' Eh, maybe he was seventeen years old but nope, he was a sixth year unlike many people within the school. ''But yeah. I can still say i know pretty much about this school.'' One of them being how to use the broomshed for purposed other than keeping brooms. Bahahahahaha! Yet, the ship? He only knew there was a ship and...nothing more. ''Unfortunately'' therefore he said shaking his head slowly. ''I don't now any extra stuff about the ship. And i doubt even Headmaster Tate does.''

There was Si! Appearing just in time when the boy was about to wonder where his best friend was. He was guessing this captain had probably been reading something in a corner or maybe in the library yet what if he had been here in the common room all the time and he had not seen him while passing by? That was possible. But what was done was done anyway. Plus he was too tired to realise anyone's presence now unless they made him realise. Simon, being his best friend, could see that, right?

Right...

Smirking at his words, Josh raised his eyebrows before talking in a rather cool tone ''Well...well...well. I am a busy man, as you know. Very busy man. Yet just for you, to help you reach the honour of being able to see me, i have decided to come and rest a litte bit.''

" You had a good sleep, right?" William asked Rosemary. " The HogWarts grounds is amazing" William told Rosemary. " You have to see all of the grounds" William said to Rosemary.

" Well Nika derserves to be happy, too" William told her."Well, I would if this certain cute third year redheaded girl in Gryffindor was not older than me" Willaim smiled as he teased Nika. "Actually, I might have my eyes set for a couple of girls at HogWarts" William explained to Nika. " Now what about yoru love life?" William asked Nika.

" You are welcome" William told Ariella. " I probably was sitting at the other end of the tble" William agreed with Ariella." Actually, probably playing or watching Quidditch" William said to Ariella. What about you?" Wiliam asked Ariella.

" Good, we get off on week-ends" William told Sep. My parents told me about Diagin Alley, when will get to go there?" William asked Sep. " I met a lot of nice people here, my first year is going really well" Wiliam explained to Sep.

Rufus chattered a bit and then scuttled off of Lexi shoulder and climbed up on the hearth of the fireplace. Mmmmmm. Nice and waaaaarm. He curled up, his tail hanging lazily over the edge.

Prowling down from the girl's dorms came the one and only Merlin the cat. His haughty expression CLEAR as he eyed that bloody monkey that had been taking up his mistresses attention. AHA. He was up THERE though, so he could love on Lexi...

....

but wait... was that another kitty? OOOOH YAY!! Merlin pranced himself right on over and hopped up on the table next to the cat and sniffed him. Hmmmm. He seemed nice. He mewed as if to say wanna play?

Lexi watched the kitty exchange and giggled a little. How cute was that?! Returning her attention to Kurumi she smiled and motioned her over. "First you take out your graham crackers and chocolate and get them ready... like sandwich the chocolate between two crackers. Then you place the marshmallows on the skewers, place them over the flames and when they get brown and kind of stuff... then you place it between the two crackers on top of the chocolate and smoosh it down... and voila!" Wow. S'mores sounded much more difficult than they really are. Hehe



Lexi smiled brightly at Simon and nodded her head, "Yep it is! I thought it would be a nice way to welcome everyone back and all."

Then with a little pop there were two elves carrying trays of steaming cups of hot cocoa! Lexi smiled brightly as they lay them on the big table and she thanked them graciously and as quickly as they came they were gone. Good folk, those elves.

Kurumi tugged on her hair some more and shuffled her feet. She supposed it was a good thing that Selina found the whole situation amusing, but she had the desire to hide under one of the blankets on the couch and not come out for a few hours...perhaps even until morning.

"Oh...um...Selina....I....er...I have something to...to tell you," she mumbled as she began to get that dizzy and overwhelmed feeling again.

"Sure," Kurumi nodded. Sadly, she hadn't seen Eino around recently and was beginning to wonder if he had finally realized that he had killed his pet cactus and that Faustus had been replaced by a fake.

"I am sure you will," she smiled. "Animals have a way of connecting with us on levels we can't even begin to imagine. How did you know that Eirwen was the owl for you?" You know, because some people just knew when they touched or saw a pet in a pet store that THAT animal was the only one in the world for them.
"I'm...alright," she said putting on a smile. "Just thinking about a lot of things at once...that's all." Perhaps, Septimus didn't know that his big brother figure had left Hogwarts for good and she didn't really want to break it to the poor boy right now. Not when he had a glow from all the excitement of the new term.

"Cookies? Not really," she laughed glad that the subject had changed. "It's more of a me thing. Well, a me and my mother thing. She is the one who taught me how to bake."
"The kitchen is plenty big actually," Kurumi nodded. Unless a hundred or more students showed up and then there would be problems. But, she highly doubted anything like that would happen. "Although, the Room of Requirement is a fantastic place. I didn't know it existed before coming to Hogwarts." Among a billion other things and the fact that she hadn't yet gotten her little hands on Hogwarts: a History. "I'm impressed that you know about it! Were your parents Hogwarts students as well?"

"Um...I don't bring my kendo supplies with me when I come here. I save that for when I am home with my brothers," she blushed hoping that this news wasn't total disappointment for the first year.

"Thank you, Simon!" Kurumi chirped clapping her hands together. "I'd appreciate that very much. But...aren't you busy setting everything up for the coming season? I-I don't want to be a distraction."

With the prospect of perhaps being able to fly around and not wobble all over the place or somehow manage to find herself dangling off the handle on the horizon, Kurumi cheeks glowed and she popped another marshmallow into her mouth.
Scratching Walnut behind the ears some more as the cat fell into a deep enough sleep that he began emitting kitty snores, Kurumi looked at Lucas' large orange cat and giggle softly. "Looks like these two are in some sort of competition with one another."

Scratching the back of her head for a moment, Kurumi bit her lower lip nervously. "Lucas, do you mind if I ask a personal question?" she said as she began playing with a lock of her hair. "Why did your family decide to home school you?"
Kurumi wondered just why Josh was looking at her strangely when she realized that she was waving a book in her hands like some sort of lunatic. Setting the book down on the coffee table that it made a rather loud slamming noise, she peeked up at Josh and turned a deep pink.

P-P-P-P-Princess! Had Josh just called her a princess? Could she call him a prince? Or would that be too obvious?

Her first instinct was to search the room to make sure there was no she-snake around to bring her venomous wrath down upon her, but she was able to discern how ridiculous that was considering they were in the GRYFFINDOR common room.

Deciding to refrain from further embarrassing herself, Kurumi moved onto his question regarding summer. "My holiday was better than the last one despite my having to travel back and forth between Japan and London so much," she explained averting her eyes every now and then so as not to become too overwhelmed by his smile. She really SHOULD be mad at him for costing Gryffindor so many points last term, but she was in a forgiving mood. "Father is working for the Daily Prophet now, so I got to stay with him in his flat near Diagon Alley. It felt fantastic to be able to stay so close to the magical world for a bit longer." She stopped and peeked up at Josh once more. "H-H-How about you? Did you have a good holiday?"

Alright, that's it...SOMEONE was getting their shoes peed in...and Pineapple Boy is at the top of my list! Walnut's eyes narrowed as some freak of an animal starting climbing all over the ruddy place. Who in their right mind brought THAT to the school. Surely it wasn't the older girl who was so kind to his Mistress? She, who smelled somewhat like cat nip, surely was more intelligent that than. Yes?

His fur went on end when he felt someone sticking their NOSE against his newly brushed fur. It's that fat orange one...isn't it?! Turning his head slightly, he saw that it was another cat - which he wasn't sure made things any better. Oh? It wanted to play? He supposed that that would be far more entertaining that sitting here watching the humanfolk roast marshmallows. What do you have in mind, he purred swishing his tail back and forth.

Kurumi listened as Lexi explained the art of making a proper s'more. It seemed...simple enough she suppose. "I think I've got it," she said nodding her head as she reached for one of those granny...graham...one of those cracker things and snapped it in two to make the outer layer. "Then the chocolate..." she said repeating the steps in her head.

Finally, she stuck a marshmallow onto her skewer and stuck it directly into the fire. Well, that wasn't so bad.

"Lexi...where do s'mores come from?" she asked looking up at her mama lion and completely taking her attention off the marshmallow that was quickly going past the slightly browned phase.

Having completed his Prefect duties for the time being, and having changed out of his robes and into something a little more comfortable, Patroclus headed down into the common room.


It was a hive of activity! The prefect in him felt like telling everyone to head to bed in preparation for classes the next day, but the teenage part of him was fine with them all hanging out. In the end the Teen won!

Spotting Lexi, Kurumi and Simon making s'mores without him, Patroclus knew what he had to do! Running full out, the Lion sprang off the couch nearest to him and flew threw the air, coming to land on a soft pile of pillows just near them.

"S'MORES!"

"You play the guitar!?! That's the one thing I really wanna learn how to do! It's my goal." That way she could sing and play together. "I wanna hear you play sometime. It's my favorite instrument." Nika said as she nodded her head happily.
Nika's eyes lit up as she saw Ella walk into the common room. She ran up to her friend right away and bounced up and down. "ELLA!"

"Actually this redheaded girl in Gryffindor is only a second year." She giggled as she corrected him. "Well I would if this certain cute first year blonde boy was not younger than me." She teased back. Two can play at that game Willie. "I don't know. It's confusing. I haven't really met that special someone yet. And I know it sounds silly because I'm only in my second year and all, but I would really love to find someone."

Cove walked into the common room and took a seat o the sofa. She pulled out her sheet music and started imagining she was playing and wrote down each note as she thought of it. Maybe no on would notice her pplaying her air vionlin, it helped her focus.

Simon watched at listened to the other boy, somewhat amused that he seemed to have taken Josh by surprise. "Sure...I feel so honored that you could grace us with your presence then," he remarked, working to keep a straight face. "Not getting into too much trouble in your busy schedule?"

"Uh huh always a nice ice breaker," he agreed with a nod. "Not to mention yummy," he said as he retrieved all the fixings he needed as well as a mug of hot chocolate. The older boy innoscently popping an extra marshmellow into his mouth.

"You're welcome , Kurumi," Simon said, smiling back at her even as she seemed apprehensive that he might be too busy. "Don't worry about that. I'm sure I can claim some time to help a friend out and all," he assured his friend as he constructed his own s'more. He bit back the temptation to chuckle at the remark coming from Kurumi, the boy instead sticking the marshmellow into the fireplace to warm. The innoscence of the now-third year was always enlightening.

"Well nice of you to drop by there, Patroclus," Simon remarked with a laugh as the prefect jumped into a pile of pillows nearby clearly exited at the prospect of the gooey desserts as he yelled s'mores for all to hear. " I give it a 9 though," he added pulling his stick out just as the marshmellow ignited making him blow out the chared sweet.

Tayla watched as one girl started to move as if playing a violin, but there was nothing there. Maybe she was trying some kind of magical music. "Hi there. I'm Tayla Barnhill," Tayla said. "I couldn't help noticing what you were doing. Are you practicing the violin or is it magic of some sort?" Tayla smiled, hoping she hadn't disturbed the girl.

"It's settled then! When we get a chance, let's explore the ship together," Tayla grinned and hoped that chance would come quickly. "Oh, I'm not sure really...but I think my grandmother was a Ravenclaw. She gave me this locket before she passed away. I was really little and I've worn it ever since." Tayla fiddled with the white gold locket around her neck and showed it to Ari. "I think it's magical, but I don't know what it does yet. I can't even open it."

"Ssshhh!" Tayla jumped. "You might wake him." And after a few seconds, she chuckled at Zara's expression. "It's okay, Zara. Just please keep it a secret, okay?" Tayla turned to look at the boy again. Her eyes grew wide when she saw him opening his eyes...


Tayla gulped and willed herself not to blush. He was talking to her! "Okay, don't panic Tayla. He's just a boy...he's just a really cute boy...with awesome long dark hair..." Tayla thought frantically to herself. Her heart beat faster when he run his hand through his hair and played with his tie. "I don't think I can't NOT mind you..." she thought.

Tayla shook her head and forced herself to speak as calmly and nonchalantly as she could. She knew how to act, so she might as well treat this as if she were acting - that's right! "Now focus, Tayla. Don't say anything stupid." Tayla cleared her throat and smiled.

"Hi," she began, hiding the nervousness in her voice. "Your name's Tayla Barnhill, what's mine?" Woops! Tayla turned red. "I'm sorry! I meant...my name's Tayla Barnhill...w-what's yours?" Tayla bit her lip, feeling slightly embarrassed.

She was also planning to stay in the common room more often, now that he mentioned he often slept here.

"Holy--you just read my mind." Zara's eyes widened, jaw hanging open. Regaining composure, she grinned a wide grin. "Exactly. I'm so glad someone understands."

Realizing she had nothing else to say, Zara began playing with her scarf, twirling the loose yarn around her fingers again and again. "What's your favorite kind of music?" She suddenly asked out of nowhere.

Snapping out of her reverie, she began to sit straight and look at the ground. "Erm, yeah. Hi." Zara greeted rather quickly. But he had greeted her cheerfully even though he was disturbed from resting. 'Courtesy goes a long way.' Sensing that she'd been too rude, Zara added, "I'm Zara. Danielle Zara Griffiths." Introducing herself, she looked back at the guy. "Sure, I'll try..I mean I won't mind you."

"No problem-o." Zara said and looked at Tayla whose eyes were growing wider as she looked at something--or someone behind Zara. Zara followed Tayla's gaze. Oh. OH. It was the guy.

'Yikes.' Zara thought, 'This is not off to a good start.' as Tayla was so nervous that she was getting her lines all wrong. 'You can do it, Tayla. I know you can.' Zara chanted in her mind.

"Patroclus!" Kurumi chirped looking over her shoulder so see the the boy land beside their small group. "Lexi is teaching me how to make s'mores." She bounced her skewer in the fire a bit, but failed to look at it...which was a very bad thing considering the marshmallow was now far beyond the slightly browned zone and quickly moving into the slightly charcoaled one.

Speaking of leaping...

"I have something for you," she said reaching into her pocket and pulling out a small envelope. "I got in on my trip with my mother and brothers. It's a charm to protect your feet."

Since the boy WAS always twirling and leaping around all over the place.
"Thank you Simon, I really do appreciate it," she said timidly reaching her free arm out and hugging the older boy's arm. It was then that she noticed her marshmallow. Rather, she heard the soft plop of something falling and then a loud sizzle and a pop.

Head looking back at her skewer, she found that it was marshmallowless and that there was a bubbling mass of something on one of the logs.

Oops...

No matter, she had more pressing things to think about at the moment. "This is for you," she said handing Simon a similar looking envelope. "It's a charm for safe flight." Sure, it was meant for when one flies on an airplane, but flying on a broom was a similar concept, right?
Her roasting a marshmallow attempt rendered a failure, Kurumi's gaze wandered around the room when she saw a younger girl...playing the air violin? She had seen her brother play the air guitar, but never the violin.

"H-Hello," she said calling out to the girl. "W-Would you like to join us?"
"That's because I'm a Legimins," she said in a very deadpan sort of tone. She looked at the girl with her rather large unblinking eyes before the corners of her lips began to quiver and she soon burst into a fit of giggles. "Sorry, I am nothing of the sort," she said bowing in apology. "I just find creatures fascinating."

Zara's question about music threw her off a bit. "I've...I've never really thought about it. My mother trained me in classical piano, but I never really ventured outside of that area..." at least not until this summer. "What about you?"

" Well, you see I thought the cute redheaded girl was in her third year because she seems so smart" William told Nika." WEll, I guess a year younger for the cute blonde boy is not a good thing, right?" William asked Nika." Yes, I am sure when you ,eet that special someone you will know" William agreed with Nika. " I can see why Rex liked you and unfortunately someone else is starting to like you" Willaim gave a our a small smile. " Good newa, an old girlfriend of Rex came and visited the castle, he had saved her from drowning" Willam explained to Nika.

" Wow, you can really play that insstrun=ment" William told her. " I play the air guitar, but I want to play the real one" William said to her, " my name is William Montcenaggio aka Starr" he introduced himself to her.

Ella sat up grinning as Nika bounced over to her. 'Niiiiiikaaaaa!' She waved her hands too.. just for effect.

Blushing, he looked down at his lap. It felt nice that she cared... She was like an overprotective mother or something. It was what his real mum used to be like before she realised that falling over and hurting himself was just a natural part of who he was. Poor Zara. She'd have to put up with him now.

"Sorry." he said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Over-reacted a bit.." After all, she was only teasing. But still. What she had just suggested was COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY HORRIFIC. HORRIFIC I SAY. "It's just...that's disgusting!" He grimaced, slowly getting to his feet as she sat back down on the chair. Bit stiff here, there'd probably be some bruising. He looked over his shoulder at his rump, expecting to check it by looking through his trousers, and once realising he couldn't do this, he perched himself back on the floor, this time leaning against the arm. At least this way he couldn't fall anywhere. "I'm a bit of a clutz, y'know." he said matter-of-factly, staring at the fire. "But it's ok. I'm made of steel." He grinned, and poked his biceps.

"It's not fun, is it?" he said, sighing. The amount of times his brothers had pranked him, insulted him, beaten him up, were unreal. He loved them, of course, and they loved him. But it was tough love. "One time, they put a sheep in my bed." Bleurgh. He shuddered at the memory.

He grinned. "It is cool...But the early mornings are hell." He yawned, rubbing his eyes. It seemed the early mornings here were going to be hell too. At least he didn't have to go out and feed cows now though.

He matched her grin with an exictable chuckle. "Me neither." He looked over at her wand. He'd left his up in the dorm...He hoped. Oh god. He couldn't have lost it could he? He patted his pockets; nope, not in there... AHHH AHHH AHHHHH. This was EXTREMELY VERY NOT GOOD. "Any idea on what the subjects will be like?" he asked, a small layer of sweat beginning to form on his forehead.

He watched Ella leave, wondering where she was off to all of a sudden. Poor Zara. She looked a bit...down. And tired. She should really get some sleep. He peered up at her. "Sleepyhead." he muttered quietly, with a small smile.

Ella shook her head, but she missed them all begin together. It was like she was in a magic bubble when they were all together..

'My oldest brother's sixteen..' Ella looked down. 'He's probably the most serious, Leo's only fourteen and he's alright. The triplets..' Ella sighed. 'Like I said.. mental.'

Ella looked up and grinned. 'D'aw, sheep are cute!' She impatiently brushed her hair away from her face. 'I have a horse. You should come to my house in the holidays or something, Zara is at some point.' Ella smiled. 'You could have a go on him if you like.' Ella grinned, the idea of Matt on a horse was questionable...

Ella shrugged. 'Exciting?' Ella's eyes sparkled. 'I'm excited for the outdoorsy ones.. just not Flying.' Ella shuddered. 'Are you not trying out for the Gryffindor Quidditch team?' Ella raised her eyes looking at Matt.

Selina could tell that Kurumi was growing slightly embarrassed by the situation concerning Selina's Jewish/jewel blunder. So to the best of her ability she stifled her laughter and shoved another s'more down her throat. Just when she was about to swallow Kurumi piped up a question for her. Selina's face turned see her and she titled her head to the side with her mouth still full of s'more. "Hmm?"

Realizing her awkward position she turned away and swallowed her s'more and then asked, "Yeah, what is it?"

Selina was so involved in the discussion on Vergil that she did not her another person call her name. But her name did buzz slightly in her brain for a few moments so she decided to turn around and see who was saying hello. When she turned she saw Simon sitting across on the other chairs in the amoeba that had consumed the pair of them in the Gryffindor Common Room for the sake of s'mores.

Trying her hardest not to blush she buried her feelings underneath the surface. After all she had seen the way Kyle looked at him and he her. She did not want to even entertain any thoughts about him to avoid making things awkward between him and her and also her and Kyle.

"Hey Simon. Have you ever read the Aenid?"