FINALLY!

BACK AT THE CASTLE!

Dressed in his robes, complete with the shiny prefect badge fixed on it, Adi made his way towards his House Table. Time to welcome all the badgers for another year, new and returning. Adi was super excited for the Sorting as he had met quite a few students due to begin Hogwarts this year.

Being the first to arrive there, Adi happily sat at the Table, adjusting his pair of glasses which was slipping down his nose. Come on, Badgers! Where you guys at?

Margo waltz into the Great Hall soaking wet but happier than a clam! She had been sorted into Hufflepuff! So she practically ran to the table she belonged to and noticed Adi already sitting down.

Margo took of running down the aisle "ADI!!! ADI!!!" She shouted "I'm a Hufflepuff too!" She explained when she finally approached him. She was bouncing on her feet out of breath from running up the aisle. She was leaving little puddles in her wake and a larger one was forming underneath her and she was standing in one spot. "I can't believe we are in the same house" She cried! Margo was thinking this was going to best year ever!

Oh yeah... He was keeping a SHARP eye on the Sorting. Puffers UNITE! Hehe. At least watching the Sorting was something to occupy his time as he waited for the Speech. But he was so observed in watching that, he failed to notice little Margo running towards the Puff table. Of course he had seen her get Sorted but he was paying attention to the next student.

"Margo! I saw you getting Sorted! Congrats!'' Adi was beyond please his new friend was a Puffer. But right now, he was looking at her closely. "Why are you soaking?" he asked. Margo must be cold and uncomfortable. "Come take a seat. I can help you get dry.''

Lux practically skipped over to her second favourite House table because she wanted to see some of her fellow Puffs before heading over to join the Gryffindors.

If only Bay was here things would be perfect but she was going to talk to him after dinner via the mirrors unless she slipped into a food coma first. Yummy food. The Headmistress needed to hurry up and give her speech already so she could eat all the food the amazing house elves had prepared.

Plopping herself down at the table, she BEAMED at Adi. "Hey! Nice glasses you got there. They make you look very distinguished." AJ probably was a fan if Lux had to guess. Adi and his girlfriend were such an adorable couple. Looking around she spotted another new face (Margo) who seemed to be a First Year. Awwww, Firsties where so little and cute. "Hello! Welcome to Hufflepuff!"

Margo smiled at the new comer "Hello! Thanks" Margo told the new comer. "I'm Margo Holiday" She said sticking out her hand even though it was wet.

Margo moved closer to Adi to tell him the story. "I feel in the lake.....or rather tipped over my boat" Margo said and shivered at the thought of it. She hated that stupid lake already, it was her plan to avoid that stupid thing her entire career at this school. "I hate that lake" Margo told them. "I heard the Kraken lives in it" She shivered yet again.

While he waited on Margo to have a seat, Adi looked around to see if there were any more Hufflepuffs joining the table. Of course there was! LUX! One of Adi's favourite persons at Hogwarts. "Hi, Lux!" He beamed back at his friend. "Thanks. But wasn't I always distinguished looking?'' he asked in a fake mature voice. The fifth year was kidding, letting Lux know that with a wink. "Looking forward to the year? And how is Bay?"

Wand out, Adi pointed it at Margo's robes as she proceeded to tell him what happened. Ah! A fall in the Lake. "Pretty adventurous way of starting out your time at Hogwarts,'' he told Margo. Kraken? Adi shook his head in amusement. "It's Bart the Giant Squid. Did you see him? And YOU tipped the boat?" Actually, Adi would believe this was possible. With all that energy Margo packed, it would be quite logical if she had been bouncing around excitedly in the boat, causing it to tip. Anyway... "Siccus Aerous!" Cue the two clockwise movements before he started moving the Hippogriff feather core wand along Margo's robes.

"Well I didn't mean to tip the boat. I certainly would NOT have chosen to travel by boat at all. Who even uses boats anymore Yeesh!" Margo explained. Oh goodness that felt nice, Margo's close were drying and warming up right before her eyes. This is why she loved magic. Hopefully she wouldn't catch a cold from being wet for so long.

"I got a little scared....and the boat rocked a little to far.....and over I went. I nearly drowned! But I met a nice girl named Janelle, I wonder what house she'll be in. Margo was talking up a storm to Adi now....Jeepers the kid was probably going to run away from her, go talk to me mature students. Margo needed to learn to shut her trap!

Awwww, this girl is so cute.

"Nice to meet you, Margo. I'm Lux." Shaking the new girl's hand, she was surprised to see that it was wet. Had she fallen into the lake or something? Maybe it was best not to ask because she herself wouldn't be happy to fall in the lake. "If you ever need help getting around or have any questions, I can help you." Yep, Lux was offering her services because she was very familiar with Hogwarts by now.

Adi's comment made her laugh. He could be so funny sometimes. "Of course, but the glasses really make it more noticeable. They are very stylish." He was lucky to look good in glasses, because not everyone could pull it off. "I'm not looking forward to O.W.L.s," she admitted to her friend. The stress was all too real already and term hadn't even started yet. She really needed to get a grip on her fear of failure. "Bay's well. I think he's still planning to relax as much as possible before figuring out what he wants to do for a career." Or at least that was the plan as far as she knew. Though she remembered him mentioning maybe starting a joke shop a while back, she hadn't asked him too much about it since he didn't seem too sure himself as of yet. "What about you? Looking forward to this term? And how is AJ doing?" She hadn't talked to the younger Gryffindor since last term.

... What was this talk about Krakens??

Wide eyes, Lux stared at them both while wondering what exactly happened in that lake earlier.

Norah was positively WRIGGLING in her seat as she waited for the food to appear, cheering loudly for the new Puffers getting sorted. Looking around the table in an attempt to find Marigold, she spotted Adi and Lux and gave them each a nod and a grin.

The third year's eye was caught next by a firstie (Margo) who looked very...wet. Wellll there must be a story behind that one. Pushing a curly strand of hair from her eyes, Norah leaned over in her direction and smiled. "Hey there! I'm Norah. Congrats on Hufflepuff!" She reached a skinny arm over to shake the girl's hand, figuring the hugs could wait 'till the girl got a liiiitttle better acquainted with the Puffer breed before she got all huggy. Phew. Not being huggy was HARD.

The whole not-hugging thing was distracting Norah from her vow to be a non-bouncy thirteen year old, so she found herself back to bouncing in anticipation of seeing everybody again. AND the food. That toooo.

Puck made her way over to the Hufflepuff table because, you know friends? And she wanted to give Lux, Kace and EVERYONE hugs…and well everyone but really this was for Lux and Kace right? Because they were practically her hufflepuffbesties.

Kace hadn’t arrived to the table yet but Lux was there! “Lux!” She chirped over to the girl and walking over to where Lux and Adi were sitting. “Hey Adi,” she also broke in and talked to him "oh..." there was a first year...she didn't know if they were crazy or good or well...messy sticky gross and creepy. She shrugged her shoulder and bit her lip.

"These guys are good people, especially him" she grinned to Adi even if she didn't know him that well he was little Margo's prefect yes? So that would be good.

Bleu made her way into the great hall. She had snuck her way around this school for the last 4 years. This year, she was determined to make some friends. She generally kept to herself because she felt that her "full-figured body type"was disgusting and no one wanted to her her friend because of it. But this past summer changed her. She realized she was beautiful and talented and she deserved friends.

Bleu held her head up high and took a seat at the hufflepuff table, hoping for someone to talk to. This was her year.

FEAST TIME.

Noel was hungry and tired. He wasn't as pumped as he was when he boarded the train. Maybe because he was getting old, but yeah - all he wanted was food and his bed.

Waving a 'hey' over here and there, the fourth year made his way to the table.

He STILL had not seen Hayley. Where was she?

Oh look, the sorting had begun.

"Of course you didn't mean to tip the boat, Margo," Adi reassured the girl. He was certain she was feeling bad about what had happened. "Don't worry about it. Accidents happen." Adi laughed as his friend went on about the boats. "Apparently Hogwarts does. But they're fun. You get to enjoy the view while the boats do all the work. Didn't the magic impress you?" It had certainly impressed him. Janelle? Was Margo referring to Jasmine's sister? "I think I know Janelle. She'll probably be a Ravenclaw like her sister. Was she the one who helped you?" All the while he was talking to Margo, Adi was concentrating on getting her robes dry. "Can you turn around so I could get the back of the robes?"

"Thanks,'' Adi said to Lux again. He was glad she thought they suited him. He had been so unsure of what frame to choose. Fortunately, he had made a great choice. And AJ approved of it anyway. OWLs. The topic could not be brought up without Adi feeling slightly nervous. "Same here. I mean, I know I can handle certain subjects without worry but its those remaining ones that are making me nervous." Like Divination. "So he isn't sure what he wants to do. Relaxing sounds like a plan though. Who wouldn't want to after NEWTs and seven years of Hogwarts?" But this topic had Adi wondering something. "What are you going to do after you graduate, Lux?" He had never asked her that before. "I sure am! Well, with the exception of OWLs and the studying." More studying meant less AJ, Benny and socal time in general. Speaking of AJ. "She's great. Crazy and hyper as usual,'' he added fondly. He meant crazy and hyper in a really good way.

Oh! Hello, Norah, Noel and Willow! They got waves. "Hey, Puck.'' Smiles for the new prefect.

Hayden was very excited to be back at Hogwarts. She practically ran to the Hufflepuff table, even though she tried really hard to keep her enthusiasm at normal levels. She liked the feast, and sitting at the Hufflepuff table with everyone else in her house, as well as a few others. She didn't mind when other houses mingles, but she'd never sat at a different table during the feast. She didn't want to leave the Hufflepuffs, and she'd never really had a close friend in a different house anyway.

"Hi Adi," she greeted the older boy cheerfully as she took a seat not far away. She left it at just the greeting because he was talking to a younger girl who looked like she must be a first year. Hayden sent the girl a friendly smile but didn't interrupt. She could always meet the firsties later.

"Hi Norah." Hayden didn't know the girl well but they were in the same year and therefore shared a room, so of course Hayden had seen her around. Maybe she should try talking to her more. At the moment, Hayden just sent her a friendly smile in greeting and continued looking around for more people she knew.

Hayden glanced around the Hufflepuff table and the other tables to see if she could spot Kate, but she hadn't been sorted yet. Hayden turned slightly so she could see better and watched to see where Kate, and everyone else, would be sorted.

More people were arriving, and that made Lux happy because it meant more lovely Hufflepuffs for her to talk to and get to know. She was in the friendliest House at Hogwarts even though there were loads of nice people in each House.

Spotting Norah, she got a happy wave. "Hello! Did you have a good summer?" Lux didn't know the younger girl very well, but she seemed very friendly and hopefully they would get to talk a lot more this term unless she was super busy studying for O.W.L.s which was unfortunately a very real possibility.

Two other faces joined them, a boy and girl (Noel and Bleu) she had never spoken to before though they looked to be around her age. "Hello, I'm Lux!" she told them both happily. Maybe they could all be friends because it was always amazing to make new friends and seeing people helped distract her from missing Bay.

Puck was so sweet, and Lux was happy to see her wander over to join them. "Puck! Getting used to the Badge yet?" She was going to be an amazing Prefect, Lux could tell already even though her friend didn't seem to understand why the position had been offered to her. Lux believed in her friends, and knew that Puck would get along great with the other Prefects, the way she seemed to get along with Adi.

It was sort of nice to know that she wasn't alone in feeling the pressure. Companions and misery and such. "I'm nervous about Transfiguration and Ancient Runes. Divination too, since I'm not sure if I will be able to see anything." Like with the scrying; it had taken a while for her to get the hang of it, and what if she was asked to scry for her O.W.L.? That might not go over well... "Yep, though he also has mentioned maybe opening a joke shop. He really loved interning at the joke shop the summer before his Sixth Year." He was definitely more into practical jokes than she was. "For real. I'm going to be so over Hogwarts by the time Seventh Year comes and I have to do N.E.W.T.s because they are so HARD." Honestly, she hadn't really wanted to come back this year, but obviously it had to happen since she needed her education in order to have a career. "For the longest time I wanted to be a Quidditch player, but now I want to become a Potioneer! I want to become an expert like Professor Culloden and have my own store where I sell potions I brew. I want to invent my own potions too." She definitely needed help when it came to that, but she was learning a lot and would continue to learn until she was an expert. "What do you want to do after you Graduate?" Did he know yet? Adi seemed like the kind of person who would have a plan already, like her.

It was nice to hear that AJ was doing well. "She's hyper like me. I hope I can see her soon, because I think we would become great friends." Lux loved making friends.

Oh, look! Another new face. Smiling, Lux waved at the new girl (Hayden). She had seen her around, but was not familiar with her yet. "Hello! I am Lux." She was meeting new people all over the place today!!

"Sure Adi" Margo stated and jumped out and turned around to let him get the back of her robes. It felt so good to be dry, Margo was never go near that lake again.

And then all of sudden it seemed like over half the school was here talking to Adi. Man that kid was popular. Jeez would she know everyone too by the time she was a 5th year student, she sure hoped so. Margo was smiling and enjoying her time, she was watching and listening to everyone. Again organized chaos, the moments Margo lived for and thrived on.

She was watching the rest of the sorting going on, while finally feeling like she was dry. "I hope she's a Hufflepuff though." Margo told Adi when they started talking about Janelle again. "She pulled me back into the boat, I think that makes us friends forever" Margo said smiling, remembering the boat incident.

Bleu had a small shy smile on her face. She still couldn't believe that she hadn't tried to make friends with anyone over the last 4 years. She only had 3 years left and she needed friends in her life.

She waved to a boy who she thought was a fourth year (Noel) and then at the male prefect, (Adi), because well it would simply be rude if she didn't wave at him. Plus he could get her into trouble and she didn't want to seem rude.

She noticed a girl that was much younger than her, but she could tell she was looking for someone so she didn't bother her.

Then, finally, someone spoke to her. A girl she had seen many times over the last few years. They had all the same classes together so she knew they were the same year. She smiled gently, and with her gravely alto voice replied, "Hello Lux. I am Bleu. Well, at least that's what I like people to call me." She reddened a little, and questioned if that was too much information on a first meeting.

Kace made his way back to the great hall. He couldn't believe he was back at the castle so soon! He smiled ear to ear and was just glad to be back. He made his way over to the table and noticed all his friends were here and some new people. He met as well say hello to his old friends and new ones. He first saw Adi and went over to his fellow prefects. "Heeyy man. Long time no see." he grinned and gave him a high five. "Where is your girlfriend?" he asked looking around. "Was your summer good for you?" he asked curiously.

Then he saw a new hufflepuff firsite and he wondered who she (Margo) could be. He smiled and went over to introduce himself. "Hello I am Kace." he might as well make himself known to the firsties right? "How are you liking hufflepuff house so far?" he smirked because he already knew the answer. Hufflepuff house was awesome there was no doubt about it.

He saw a familiar face out of the corner of his eye and saw Cucumber Lux. He thought he might scare her again just for fun. He crept up behind her and lightly tapped her shoulders, "BOO Cucumber.." he smirked and waited for her reaction. As he was done scaring Lux, he noticed Norah made her way to the table. He smiled and thought she adorable. "Hey Norah how was your summer?" he asked. Probably amazing but he needed to ask.

Aahh now the person he was looking for, he noticed Puck made her way to the puff table. He might as well go congratulate the prefect since he noticed the shiny new badge. "Heeyyy Miss Prefect.." he smirked pointing to her badge. "Who knew you would be Prefect but I am happy for ya.." he said giving her a hug. "How was your summer?" he asked his friend. He wondered if she saw Brae or anything.

As he caught up with his friend, he noticed a new face. He wondered if she was a transfer. She seemed to be in his year. He went over to (Bleu) and thought he could introduce himself. "Hello I am Kace, have you newly transferred here?" he asked might as well just assume. He noticed the sorting going on and he remembered being in their shoes just moments ago. He could remember being a first year like it was yesterday. He smiled to himself and saw a dude he didn't recognize that well.

He held out his hand to the puff (Noel) and nodded, "I am Kace I don't know if we have seen each other that much." But he could change that right?

The moment that she was back into the castle, the little badger ran into the Great Hall and towards the Hufflepuff table making a few people laugh at her excitement. Sitting down at the table she blushed and chuckled nervously. "Heh. Haha sorry, I'm just so happy to be back at Hogwarts, I can't believe that I finally get to go into Hogsmeade without trying to sneak in!"said Sophia giggling. Looking at her fellow badgers she smiled shyly at them. Seeing Kace her eyes brightened happily as she seen him. "Mumbles!"said Sophia has she tackled hugged him.

Seeing Adi she pulled away from Kace before hugging Adi. "How was everyone summer?"Sophia asked everyone softly but curiously. Sophia was trying to open up more, Kace and everyone was helping her become more open, but she still was a but shy. "Do you mind if I join you guys? If not that's ok, my friend Tyler hasn't made it in yet." said Sophia. Sophia didn't want to intrude if they were busy talking among their friends, but badgers had time for anyone really, that was the great thing about Badgers. Sophia looked around the Great Hall and seen that Tobias and Savannah made it to the Gryffindor table, but where on earth was Tyler at? Sophia sighed to herself her eyes not leaving the Great Hall doors.

She had always known who Kace was. He was very cute. What girl wouldn't notice him? But she was slightly annoyed that he hadn't ever noticed her and thought she was a transfer. She gave him a sassy grin and replied, "Darling, I'm not a transfer." She pushed her long auburn hair back from her shoulders, and with a smile that didn't reach her grey-green eyes, continued, "I'm a fifth year. My name is Bleu. Nice to make your acquaintance." She casually placed her hands in her lap and continued to give him the sassiest smile she could muster.

"AAAAAAH!!"

Jumping in her seat, Lux almost had a heart attack as Kace startled her. Normally it didn't work, but this time he had succeeded since she had been so distracted by the other people at the table. "Not cool!" Playfully she slapped him on the arm as she tried to get her heart rate back to normal. She so wanted payback for this. At least the girl she had just met seemed nice. Lux was sure that she had seen her around numerous times over the last few years, but she had always seemed shy.

"Nice to meet you, Bleu. That's a nice name. Are you starting your Fifth Year?" They seemed to be the same age, but sometimes it was hard to tell when some people looked older than they really were, and others looked younger. Noticing the slight reddening of Bleu's cheeks, Lux wondered if she really WAS very shy, and offered her another smile. "Did you have a good summer?"

Seeing another new girl (Sophia) who seemed to know both Kace and Adi, she turned the smile towards her. "Hello, I am Lux." She was introducing herself like crazy today, but there were so many new faces popping up!

Tyler was one of the few people who was laughing at Sophia who ran into the Great Hall and ran over towards the Hufflepuff table. Shaking his head at her, Tyler walked into the Great Hall before he headed towards the badger table. Hearing Sophia talking to the older boy he guessed was Kace, he chuckled at what Sophia said to him. "Well...if you wouldn't have ran into the Great Hall Hugglepuff you would had lost me!"said Tyler before ruffling her hair. He knew how excited Sophia was about this year, he couldn't help but to smile at her excitement.

Looking at the lion table he seen Savannah waving at him and smiling he waved back and smiled at her. His eyes scanning the table he didn't see his twin brother at the Gryffindor table but Savannah was, that was odd. "Hugglepuff have to seen Toby he's not at the Gryffindor table. "seeing him into the Great Hall he sighed in relief knowing that his twin brother was safe. "Heh. Never mind I see him, I guess I worry about you guys to much seeing how I'm the oldest!"said Tyler softly but honestly. Taking his seat beside Sophia he felt better knowing that best friends and twin brother were safe and ok.

Tyler scanned the Ravenclaw table and seen Abby at the Ravenclaw he gave her a soft warm smile as he thought he heard a familiar giggle that was giggling at him. "Are you giggling at me Hugglepuff? I give you something to giggle about! "said Tyler smirking at her before tickling her.

Blue smiled sheepishly. Why was she acting shy? Probably because Lux was one of the more popular and pretty girls at school. But she seemed to be genuine and sweet. "It's nice to meet you too Lux. Thank you. It's actually my middle name." She she grinned to herself and slightly shook her head. She hated her first name. "Um, yes, I am starting fifth year."

Lux thought about the summer she had. She spent most of her time in London with her mother where they lived, a week long visit to Nottingham where her muggle grandparents lived, (her father's parents), and then spent a week in Godric's Hollow with her wizard grandparents, (her mother's parents). She also came to a realization about herself and herself image. She wanted to know people and wanted friends. The last friend she had was before she came to Hogwarts. Her muggle friend Jaz. She hadn't seen or heard from her since she was 10 years old. With those thoughts quickly running through her mind, she responded, "My summer was lovely. How was yours?" She gave the girl a confident smile and twisted her long auburn hair around her finger.

"Hi Kace" Margo smiled at the new person hanging out by her. She was having so much meeting all these new people. All though how she was going to remember everyone's name was beyond her. Margo thought she should be writing all of this down and making notes for her self later.

"I'm Margo" She told Kace and then said it again a little louder for the whole table to hear "I'M MARGO" She nearly had to shout in order for everyone to hear her, and maybe no one was listening at all but that was ok.

"I'm loving this Hufflepuff table that's for sure" Margo told Kace flashing her brilliant white teeth. Margo loved her smile. "I can't believe this is really happening! I was worried after my brother....but never mind...I'm here and I love it!!" She cried out!