THE MORNING AFTER THE FAST. 6AM. And Paul was bumbling around the common room, not very softly or quietly, setting out plates of waffles on the tables. He intended on leaving before anyone could wake up.

There. Note placed. Paul went to tip-toe out----HE WAS STILL IN HIS ROBE AND WAS WEARING CHIHUAHUA SLIPPERS----and he tripped over a chair, gave out a loud

"OOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWW!"

As he fell on his bum, and then covered his mouth. GAH. NO ONE WAKE UP.

Henry was up at six a.m. every morning for his daily run. Okay, there were a few weekends over summer that he slept in a little later, but now that school was back in session he had to get back into routine. It was important to him that he stay in great shape for Quidditch, even if he could only technically play over summer. He was an athletic boy though.

He was just on his way down the stairs from the boys dorm when he heard something of a crash and a loud wailing. Peeking around the corner as he walked into the common room, he noticed his Head of House sitting on the floor with his mouth covered. "Professor Paul? Are you okay?" What was going on here? And something smelled delicious...

Juliette always had a hard time sleeping the first week back to school. She missed being at home with her father, but she knew that within a week, this homesick feeling would pass. She would just need to get back into her regular routine at Hogwarts then everything would fall into place!

Since she could not sleep, she was sitting next to the window while attending to her sunflower, which HAD GROWN BIG OVER THE SUMMER! How exciting??? Well, she was excited at least. She looked up when she heard a loud noise coming from downstairs. What was that...? Peeves, perhaps? She stood up, picked up her sunflower, and headed downstairs to see what was going on.

She went to stand next to Henry, who must of got woken up by the noise (unless he could not sleep like her), and looked over at, "Professor Myers?" She placed her sunflower on the nearest table before going to offer him a hand. Oh! "I like your slippers." Heh.

Etta woke up with a grumbling stomach. For some weird reason, she felt hungry more than EVERR. Ugh. Wondering if she could grab something to eat from the kitchens, she quietly slipped out of the dormitory, not wanting to disturb any of her sleeping dorm-mates and headed downstairs... when she heard someone yelling.

Whaaaaat was happening? She quickly ran down the rest of the stairs and entered the common room, her eyes widening in surprise.. The poor professor was on the floor. Had he tripped? Or did he do yoga in the common room every morning? She couldn't help but grin. It was a little funny, admittedly. Ahem.

"You alright, professor?" Etta asked, trying to look concerned.

.... hey. She could smell FOOD.

Can't sleep, plants will eat me. Can't sleep, plants will eat me. Can't sleep, plants will eat me. Can't sleep, plants will eat me.

After his initial reaction upon entering the common room after being led here by the prefects after the feast had resulted in a shrill scream and prompt departure back OUT and down the corridor. Hazel had had to go and find him to coax him back inside, but even then he was a fidgety twitch mess. But he was TRYING to be strong, sort of, for Scamander so the newt didn't get scared too.

He had tried counting sheep, which hadn't worked. Then he tried dragons, also didn't work. Moved on to pygmy puffs...which again didn't work. Fwoopers had been an attempt as well, but that had only resulted in the 11-year-old once again wondering what COLOR feather was inside his wand serving as the core and just how he could go about figuring that out without snapping it in half.

Needless to say, Derf did not sleep a wink last night and it showed in his bloodshot eyes and pathetic stumble down the stairs to see just what the screaming had been about. Because he HAD already been up, so naturally he had heard that...

..........and was INSTANTLY suspicious when he came down the stairs to see THAT PERSON. THAT ADULT PERSON. THE ONE WHO WAS OUT TO GET THEM ALL! He was SURE of it.

He hated that the waffles smelled delicious, by the way, because he WAS very hungry and had only one chocolate frog left - currently in his other pajama trouser pocket, the one not occupied by Scamander.

Giving curious looks to everyone else who had come down to see what was going on, Derf was even more anxious that he did not recognize anyon--- OH WAIT HENRY! HE KNEW THAT FACE! He was, er, just going to go stand riiiiiiiiiiiiight over there next to the older boy. Within clinging touching distance.

Hi.

*G R U M B L E*

Holy flaming salamanders...did his tummy have to betray him?!

Lizzie was too excited to sleep past 6 A.M. Her uncle would not believe it, even if he saw her. After getting ready for the first day, she made her way to the common room,wondering if anyone else is up.

To her surprise a few other students were already up and about. She smiled and said a sleepy "Hello" to everyone.

Her nose, and stomach, pulled her towards the tables, were there were waffles! She smiled when she read the little note. 'Looks like I got a good Head Of House'she thought to herself.

She was about to sit down and enjoy this surprised breakfast when she glanced around and finally saw Professor Myers on the floor. "Oh My! Are you ok, Professor?" She asked concern wanting tohelp , but a little torbecause she is really hungry

After all of the excitement after the feast the previous night, Isa had been exhausted and had fallen asleep almost immediately after getting into bed. Some of the excitement had worn off by the time Isa was woken by a loud sound that seemed to have come from the common room. Isa grabbed her wand, put on her badger slippers, and pulled her dressing gown on over her pajamas. She moved to the common room quickly to see what was going on.

Did she smell waffles? Isa looked around at the people in the common room and the waffles that were out on the tables. Yay, breakfast in the common room! Could they do this all the time? "Good morning, everyone! How was the first night back in the dorms? Excited for the first day of classes?" Isa waved to everyone in the room. She was certainly excited, although that did not show as obviously now so early in the morning. She read the note that Professor Myers had left, because of course that was the proper thing to do. Then she walked over to where Professor Myers was, as it seemed like he had fallen and might need help. "Aww, thank you for the waffles, Professor Myers! Nice slippers. Are you alright? Do you need help?" There was no shortage of Hufflepuffs willing to help him. If he was trying to be sneaky and leave waffles without waking all the Hufflepuffs, falling over and shouting wasn't the right way to go about it. Could they eat the waffles now?

Who else was here? Derf! "Sleep alright, Derf?" Poor boy had not reacted well to seeing the common room for the first time, which was sad because the common room was a place where he should feel comfortable and at home, not afraid to even be in the room. Isa scanned the room for other firsties who were new to life in the Hufflepuff common room. There was Lizzie! "Are you excited for your first day, Lizzie?" So far this day was off to a great start! Oh, someone else had a sunflower! Isa had one too! "I like your sunflower, Julie! I love sunflowers!" Was the older girl's name Julie? Sounded about right, but Isa wasn't one hundred percent sure because she wasn't as familiar with most of the older puffs as she was with the ones closer to her age. Henry got a friendly wave and smile. "How are you doing this morning, Henry?" Isa moved over to stand by Etta. "How are you feeling about the first day of classes, Etta?" Was it time to eat waffles now?

Yawn, Yawn, Yawn.

Katerina was not used to getting up so early, or this early so that she could make it up for breakfast, and to her first lesson on time. There was nothing worst then being later for a class on the first day. It had almost been impossible to sleep last night with her belly full after the feast and talk she had with Cornelius after. Which was a big reason why she couldn't sleep.

She had woke up to a rumbly belly, she could smell something good. So she woke up and got ready for the day. Even though she really wasn't in the mood at the moment. She kind of licking her wounds so to speak. She more she thought about things more upset she got. Pushing thoughts of the night before aside, and followed that smell.

Which led her straight through to the common room, a busy common room at that. Oh no, Professor Myers seem to have a small collision with a chair."Oh no professor Myers, are you alright?"[/b] She probably would have done the same thing, due to all the yawning she had been doing.

She caught sight of the waffles. That was the source of the smell then. "Good morning everyone."

Maybe the common room wasn't as busy as she thought it was, Seeing Henry, she sleepily headed over toward the fifth year boy, Juliette was also there too. "Those waffles smell so good.' She said to the two older Hufflepuffs. It was a great wake up call.

There was Etta too, Did the smell of the waffles wake her up too? She smiled at the girl. "I didn't keep you up last night did I?" She hoped not, if she did she would make her cupcakes to make up for it. She did plan on making cupcakes soon for all of the Hufflepuffs, as well as some of her non-Puff friends,

The one new first year (Derf) that she had not gotten to speak and gotten past her one person welcoming committee, had came closer to Henry. "Hi, Welcome to Hufflepuff. I didn't introduce myself last night. I'm Kat." She gave the boy a warm smile. Boy were this years first years adorable of what? Kat was ready to be all of their big sister. Kind of like Paige was to her.

Last but not least she couldn't go without speaking to the other two girls that was present, a first year Lizzie, and Isa. "Hey Lizzie Did you sleep good in your dorm last night? Good Morning Isa.' Kat remembered her first night in the dorm, it was kind of scary sleeping in the dorm the first time and thinking about that would be place you'd been sleeping in for the next few months, and not your own bed at home.

She was ready for waffles after all of those greetings. BRING ON THE WAFFLES.

To Paul's absolute EMBARRASSMENT, like half of Hufflepuff house WOKE UP. Not really, Paul's a drama llama BUT STILL. "Yes yes, everyone, I am FINE!" he said with a deep breath, and he heaaaaaaved himself upward once more. "Thank you," he said to Isa and Juliette, since they said they liked his slippers! "A friend gave to them to me..." he chuckled. "Chihuahua is a funny word, isn't it?" he asked gently.

"Well...since...all of you are awake...eat up if you're hungry! I was trying to surprise you all...so when you did wake up you'd have a lovely breakfast waiting here but...it seems my clumsiness ruined that," he sighed. "I apologize if I woke anyone up!"

There was Juliette, Etta, Derf (who looked like someone had just thrown a flaming, possessed waffled at his face), Lizzie, Isa, and Kat were all here. OH, and Henry. "Good morning, everyone!" he sighed and took a plain waffle for himself, taking a bite out of it just as is. Who needed syrup when you were starving O___O

The first year came down with a small groan. What in the world were people doing up this early? And on top of that, why was there so much noise? Levi eyed all the kids in the common room. No. This wasn't okay. His mother always said he needed his sleep and he most definitely had not gotten enough last night. He grumbled but eyed the waffles. They did look yummy... and he was already up, so he might as well eat.

He went over and grabbed one blueberry and one plain one and drowned them in maple syrup before taking a seat and begrudgingly started to eat... At least they were good though.

Wow. Who knew that so many Hufflepuffs were such early risers like him? Henry half wondered if any of them were headed out for a morning run too as he did notice an increase last year in fitness among some of his friends. And any of them were certainly welcome to join. He was just a little surprised to see the common room fill up so quickly at this time of the day.

He had given a nod and small smile to Juliette when she stood near him, but he ket his focus on Professor Paul. And he seemed perfectly fine, if not kind of embarrassed. Henry guessed anyone who fell on his bottom then had a bunch of students run down to see if he was okay would be, but wasn't it just so kind of all the badgers to make sure he was fine? And waffles were even better. "Oh, thanks, Professor Paul," he grinned. "That's really nice of you." They really did have the best Head of House.

"The early bird gets the worm, huh guys?" Henry laughed a little, watching Isa as she flitted about through the common room. Gosh, and he thought he talked a lot. Even he wasn't that cheerful this early in the morning. "Well, I was about to go for my morning run," he told her when she asked. "But I think I might have some waffles first." He usually had breakfast afterwards but might as well have some breakfast with his housemates. It almost seemed like a special occasion.

Turning to his side, he noticed the first year standing quite close. Yes, Henry remembered the chocolate frog card collecting boy and he gave him a friendly smile. He seemed a little nervous. "Do you want to get some waffles with me? I think I'm pretty hungry myself." Not necessarily a reference to Derf's growling stomach. He nodded at Kat as well. "They really do. I didn't realize how hungry I was till I smelled them," he chuckled. "Let's go get some." Yeah, his run would have to wait.

Etta glanced around, noticing that quite a few people had gathered in the common room, before her attention drifted towards the waffles the professor, feeling rather bad for him. "Thank you, professor!" Arranging a surprise breakfast for all the Hufflepuffs was actually rather nice.

... and then suddenly Isa was talking to her. Oh, hi there. Etta stifled a yawn before grinning at the younger girl, running a hand through her messy hair. "I'm feeling alright, thank you." .. HEY. And her dorm-mate was down there too. She gave Kat a smile, wondering whether she was an early riser. ...Wait. What? Why would Kat keep her up? Etta was a little confused. "Uh.. no?"

Breakfast time! She moved towards one of the tables, picked up a waffle for herself and plopped down in a comfortable looking chair.

All of this missing students things was sad, the Hufflepuffs were missing one of their own. Henry!

On the Saturday after the curfew was put into place due to the three missing students, Kat decided that since she was caught up on homework, mostly due the curfew she had plenty of time to do her homework and study in the common room lately. The Hufflepuff common room needed to be filled with the lovely scent of cupcakes.

All day Katerina and some of the house elves had worked hard making all different kinds of cupcakes for the Hufflepuffs.

Bring in the last load of strawberry cupcakes! Yum. She looked at the time and noticed that it was nearing curfew time and soon the common room would be full of hungry hopefully even after dinner Hufflepuffs and there would be plenty of cupcakes to go around.

Kat was glad to also see that the house elves had bought juice and some other refreshments. Those elves were impressive and 110 percent on top of their game, as always.

Paul had lallygagged up here. He was sad. Henry. Henry Whittebrook was missing. He had spoken to the boy's parents already...that had not been...fun.

Not at all.

He frowned as he slid into the Hufflepuff common room, but there was no TIME for frowns! He merely pursed his lips and smiled gently at the one student he saw. Katerina!

"Cupcakes! How nice." He grinned. He had an idea in mind for what they could do once more Hufflepuffs had arrived, but he would wait for more. "Thank you, Miss Delgado."

Etta entered the common room... and stopped. She could smell food.. And since her stomach seemed to be grumbling already, she thought cupcakes would be great right about now. She grinned at Kat, appreciating the fact that she took the time and effort to pull this together. "Hi. This looks pretty good."

Her gaze turned towards the professor, greeting him with a small smile. "Hello, professor." She moved towards one of the more-comfortable looking sofas and plopped down, the expression on her face instantly turning to one of worry. Would those boys be back? Were they alright? When would they return? Ugh. She closed her eyes, trying not to panic too much. It would be okay. Yes.

A curfew, in Althea's unsolicited opinion, was unnecessary. Tucking the students in early wouldn't prevent more abductions from happening. Why not just let it happen? She was sure that wherever those lost students were they at least had the prospect of not having homework to look forward to. She decided to put off doing homework--she would feign emotional distress and anxiety over whether or not she and her brothers would also be abducted next if the professor asked--and wandered into the common room.

Althea was surprised to see cupcakes and refreshments. She wondered if they were commemorating something. She picked up a cupcake and inspected it carefully before taking a bite. "Are we celebrating something?" Because if they were, everyone was under-dressed and the decor was underwhelming. She was trying to do the whole 'socializing' thing, because people often commented that she was unapproachable, cold, and self-absorbed. And while all those things were true, Althea did not need others keeping away from her when she thrived off of attention. "We need some form of entertainment," she said with a slight nod. Despite how annoyed she was at Declan and Levi, she was trying to figure out a way to pilfer some cupcakes inconspicuously to give to them later.

The fourth year could not take her mind off of thoughts of Henry and where he was and how is was. There was Rooney who, was her cousins boyfriend, ex boyfriend? whatever they were now, all she knew was that Liv wasn't here right now. Which was probably a good thing given the missing boys. Then there was the sweet little first year Carlton, that was missing too. Sad times at Hogwarts.

Just when you think that a acromantula attack was the worst thing to happen in recent memory. Students and a professor was taken then. Everyone was okay in the end. Just like then the boys would be okay too.

Kat was starting to get worried seeing that it was curfew time, and she was the only one standing in the common room. What if something happened, she was in the kitchen all afternoon and if something had happened would she have known?

Relief rushed once she seen their head of house Professor Myers there. She smiled at the herbology professor. "You're welcome, Professor." Grabbing a cupcake for herself. "I thought that this would help even a little." And it helped to take her mind of other things too, other than the missing boys.

Etta! One of her favorite dormmates. She was glad that Etta had came to Hogwarts this term. Plus Kat already knew that she would get one of these cupcakes, because she knew that she likes her cupcakes. After sharing them in the fourth year dorms many times. "Thanks. It was nothing really, I like baking them." Someone had to do something, or at least she needed to do something.

She hated sitting on the sidelines, all she knew to was bake just make. No one should be near that portal, even if they thought that were helping by going to "look" for the boys. She was starting to wonder where everyone was again. Then another dormmate showed up. She watched Althea carefully. Celebrating....Celebrating? "I'd hardly call three boys missing a reason to celebrate." Eyeing the girl. She was joking right? She looked around at Etta and Professor Myers, did they hear her too? "Professor Myers plays the Banjo, maybe he can play a few songs?" ENTERTAINMENT? This wasn't a party party, they didn't need entertainment..

Juno walked in from the girls dorms with an arm full of different muggle games. She had taken advantage of the extension charms she decided to finally put on her luggage and decided she would need her muggle games for a rainy day. Well, this was about as dreary as it could get. They were stuck in their common room from six at night until breakfast time the next morning. She knew her Puff's needed entertainment.

"Hey guys! Could I get some help over here?" She literally had 10 different game boxes in her arms. She had Monopoly, Risk, Clue, Settlers of Catan, Battleship, The Game of Life, Pictionary, Apples to Apples, Scrabble, and Trouble! Hopefully this would help her Puff's to not be so bored. Everyone was finishing the Homework days before it was due because of this curfew, so they all really needed the distraction.

"Oh cupcakes! Thanks.....Kat, right? I meant to make some or get some food but with all the patrolling....this, " she gestured to her stack of games, "was the best I could do. Hopefully it will help."

She looked around....was someone going to help her with all these boxes or what???

Friar hadn't been up to the common room in ages. He had been kind of under the radar lately with all the portal stuff, and the energy he could feel. The Friar did not like it, not at all.

But his worry about everything made him want to check on the students and maybe Professor Myers lately.

Hello? Was anyone in here? Alfred peeked around.

The common roooooooooooom was not Hazel's favorite place but it was up there on places she felt comfy. Especially in this instance, where instead of sitting on the sofa, Hazel was lying on the floor staring at the ceiling, her legs thrown up onto the couch where her bottom should properly be.

Sighing she blinked her eyes very very slowly, closing and then opening and then closing and then ope--- OH. She broke into a huge grin as she saw the familiar shimmer around the room.

"Hi Alfred!"

One of the younger Hufflepuff's was laying what only looked very uncomfortable to the ghost. He peered at her curiously with a cock of his head to the side.

"Hello, little one," Alfred smiled and tilted his head straight again. "Is that at all comfortable?" he asked curiously. "The ground isn't too hard on your back? Where is everyone?" he asked almost cautiously. He started shivering. "The...happenings around here have me spooked." He shivered once more and crossed his arms, resting his hands on his rotund stomach. "I came to check on you all. We ghosts have been....scarce to say the least."

And he wasn't much a fan of the poltergeist drama around here. The conflict made him feel anxious.

Home sweet common room.

This curfew was really, REALLY staring to be such a bummer, everyone sitting around in the common bored. Well maybe not bored, bored. But enough where between dinner and bed time.... well besides home work and being bored. Even she would take the homework to have things to do.

Now she has a idea. Something fun and cool. A blank fort for in her self calmed corner of the common room. As she headed into the common room. Not expecting to see Alfred here. She beamed up at the floating spirit. "Helloooo there Alfred.". The blonde felt so much better, that she knew the ghost proper name and didn't have to call him fat friar or Mr. Friar anymore.

Her blue eyes also spotted the young Hufflepuff, Hazel. Well that was an interesting siting style. She smiled and also waved the first year girl. "Hi, Hazel." She didn't know the girl that well but she knew her enough to know her name and that she was a first year. And an adorable one at that. They are so cute at that age.

The older Hufflepuff bit her lip as Alfred spoke to them. All of this portal stuff really made her nervous. Even just talk about it, give her goosebumps. See? She also shivered slightly. "Why is that? Where have you ghost been?" Come to think of it she hadn't seen Alfred or the other ghost much at all lately.

Hazel giggled at the way Alfred -she refused to call him the fat friar- tilted his head at her. "It's ok. It's not too hard or anything and it's fun to have a different look around." She was about to answer his question about everyone's whereabouts when Kat came in. Hazel didn't know her, but did know who she was.

"Hi, Kat!" she waved, still upside-down on the floor. But, now that she was conversing with multiple people, she swung her legs off the couch and rolled until she could get into an upright, seated position.

"Yeah, where do you all go?" Hazel was super curious about the ghosts and what they got up to when they weren't floating above the great hall tables or popping into the common rooms.

The whole curfew rules and students disappearing thing had Isa on edge. She was in a strange turbulent mood. She was sad that people were going missing and getting hurt. Not being allowed to take walks outside when she wanted to had drastic impacts on Isa’s mood, and it was just annoying that she wasn’t even allowed to use the bathroom unaccompanied. Isa was going crazy not being able to go outside alone.

Isa came into the common room looking for someone to talk to. With all the things on her mind and being very extroverted, she needed to be able to talk to someone. Seeing some of her friends already in the common room, Isa brightened up. "Hi Hazel! Hi Kat! Hello Alfred!" She smiled at her friends. Hazel was her adorable, precious little firstie friend. Isa wondered if Derf was also around somewhere. He and Hazel were so cute. "How are you doing?" Hopefully there would be something good to share. Sure, things weren't all good right now, but there was joy to be found in every day.

She looked over to her plants that were in the common room garden, delighted to see everything looking happy and healthy. Isa took great pleasure in gardening and in seeing life thriving in the garden. "I love herbology. Do you like herbology?" That question was directed at Kat and Hazel. Now would be a good time to get to know them better.