Fandom Lumos Maxima - IC

[Akeira]

ROSEMARY WILLOW DAVENPORT

Mixed Feelings on The Train
​

When William grimaced at the mention of Gryffindor, Rosemary raised a brow in uncertainty. The brunette found it unusual, considering both sides of her family praised the House. Even the great Harry Potter and his marvelous friends were Gryffindors during their time at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. All of that had to mean they were the best, right? She snickered, the boy proclaimed Slytherins and Gryffindors could not converse with each other. "If your father thinks Slytherin is better, I'd say he's barmy or simply confused! My dad says that Gryffindor is the best bloody House at Hogwarts." She remarked with a dauntless tone, quoting Alistair Davenport directly. A light smirk crossed her young face, and she crossed her arms in a defensive manner, peering at William in suspicion. Rose was well aware of the rivalry between the two infamous groups. Brandon told her of the competitiveness, but he embellished occasionally to make himself seem more interesting. "I suppose I could make an exception for one snake lover. You seem nice enough." The first year reasoned with a shrug, a smile tugging at her lips.


The brunette turned toward Anastasia, when the girl voiced her rationale to be sorted in Ravenclaw. "Ravenclaw's aren't so bad, if you've got the brains to keep up with the lot of them." She shrugged, thinking nothing more on the subject. Rose never had a problem the lot, known for their intelligence and creativity. She thought having a mate in Ravenclaw would be quite helpful, given she may need help with written papers for class. It was learning charms and hexes that caught her eye the most. Thinking on it, the first year could not wait to try a few things she may learn on Brandon. Of course, she wanted to prank Damian with a spell, though she would have to wait until he got to Hogwarts. The law about practicing underage magic away from school seemed so impractical.


Upon hearing uproar in the corridor, Rose was drawn from her thoughts. Her hazel eyes quickly darted to the door to catch William poking his head out to see what was happening. "What's going on, then?" She inquired loudly, moving closer to the door to get a look for herself. Frankly, she did not have to go far, as she overheard the words Harry Potter and dead leave a boy's mouth in the same sentence. At the news, the brunette gasped and stepped away from the door, sorrow filling her eyes. Facing the window, she happened to miss the smile forming on William's face. However, Rose's hearing was good enough, and she heard his relief at the man's death. "Harry Potter was brilliant no matter what anyone says." She retorted, placing her hands on her hips and almost glaring at the boy beside her. She heard so many fantastic stories about Harry Potter and his adventures growing up and only hoped Anastasia would show a bit more sympathy.


As William babbled on with his misguided views of Mr. Potter, Rose simply nodded every few moments to seem like she was paying attention. Though still upset, the excitement of arriving at Hogwarts still lingered inside her. "I hope you find your cat." She called a bit harshly, when William retreated to find Waldo, looking at Anastasia. "You don't believe all that rubbish he said about Mr. Potter, do you?" She asked, wondering what the other girl thought. Rose's father warned that she would meet people who thought very differently than their family. Despite the advice, Rose was surprised by how dissimilar they could be. Rose's thoughts were interrupted again minutes later, when William burst through the compartment door, telling them what he just witnessed. At his recollection, Rose's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, wondering how such a phenomena could have occurred. "I bet some older kid played a mean joke on her." She suggested, as the prank was even unpleasant to her.


"Did the bloke say we'd be there soon? I can't wait to practice spells!" Rose voiced with excitement, producing her Ash wand from the pocket of her Muggle jeans. She waved it around dramatically, not bothering to say any incantations her parents have said around the house. Truth be told, she only knew what a couple of them actually did, and there were many more to learn. "I hope they have good food at the feast. Brandon always comes home raving about everything they make at Hogwarts." She jabbered with an animated smile, moving toward Hera's cage to pull her fresh robes out of a nearby bag.


Mentioned: @NessieAlways and @Valorie

 

[CloudyBlueDay]

Meghan Sinhem


Seeing that the two boys refused to put down the wands, Meghan let out a little whimper. Her mind raced with possibilities of what could go wrong. Fire. Dragons. Total, utter destruction and chaos. She did not seem to realize that they were all only first years and no such feat could be performed by either of them. Since Meghan had nearly set her entire house up in flames, she expected much worse from two rowdy boys. Meghan held up her arms to shield her face, bracing herself.


To her surprise, no one died! Just a few measly sparks were emitting from Ethan's wand and Gail didn't even look like he tried. Phew. They would live to get to Hogwarts, at least. Meghan wiped the sweat from her brow. The small talk was enjoyable, and even though Meghan could stutter over her words every know and then she was slowly warming up to the two. She hoped they would all be in the same house so they could talk more. Her mind wandered to the house she would get put into. Gryffindor? Hufflepuff? She just hoped it wouldn't be Syltherin. It sounded so awful, and even if Meghan liked all animals, she certainly liked Snakes the least.


There was a crash. Meghan turned, gaping at the poor trolley witch on the floor along with her sweets. "Oh my gosh! Are you okay?" Meghan voiced her concerns to the kind looking lady even if she wasn't able to hear her. Her hand slipped into her other pocket where she had a few coins to buy some sweets, a little gift from her father. Would she no longer be able to buy any? Aww..


"Maybe she tripped," Meghan mumbled, half to herself. Then she glanced at Gail, he looked kind of upset. She was about to ask him if something was wrong when he asked her if she'd seen his kitten. Oh dear! He'd lost his kitten? That was awful! "I'm sorry, I didn't see it." Meghan said sadly. She surely would have noticed a cute little kitty, but Meghan hadn't exactly been on the look out for one. Jinx was still squirming around in her pocket, luckily.


Jonas Rimmle





"Mmnn." Jonas mumbled as he listened to her talk about her wand. It sounded intriguing, and he wondered what would happen if she did somehow treat it badly. Would it refuse to work for her ever again? It sounded peculiar. "I didn't get a big explanation about my wand," He admitted rather sadly, and sighed. Dragon heartstring sounded pretty cool. Powerful, even? Dragons were powerful, after all. 13 inches was also very long. Was that a good sign or a bad sign? He was disappointed in his own lack of knowledge.


"It's fine. You've never heard of the term before, it's not a huge deal. Really." He said, smiling lightly. She seemed so frustrated. Then she went on talking about how Harry Potter was made out to be a 'nutty guy' in her family. That was terrible! "I think he actually saved Hogwarts at some point. Your grandfather probably knew what he was doing. Shame your father ruled him off as crazy."


Jonas perked up when he saw the trolley on the floor. "Woah," He muttered, stepping closer towards the scene. He wondered what had caused that. Magic? A dent in the floor? That was so strange. Then he watched Erin march right up to a young boy and accuse him, even after that really tall kid, a Prefect, perhaps, said everyone should return to their compartments. Erin seemed to have realized this a tad to late, her cheeks turning red and she hung her head in shame.


He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Not your fault." He mumbled, nodding towards her, then beckoning her to an empty compartment. "Let's go sit, okay?"


@Macaberz @RubyRose

 

[Effervescent]

Yvaine de Sauveterre

​

Autumn the cat stared at Imogen and Dakota the entire trip to Hogsmeade Station, his tail whipping about upon the plush seats of the carriage room. It wasn't that he didn't like Imogen or felt threatened, for the girl was quite energetic and similar to that of Alexandrie. The old cat was more hesitant of the new environment and never really liked change. It was more likely that he just wanted the smells of home and the comfort of his blanket upon the living room sofa. Yvaine would occasionally stroke the fur upon his neck gently, and in those moments he would be soothed to a dull pur until the boy became occupied in some other activity.


"A squib?" Yvaine repeated thoughtfully, his eyes moving from the hallway outside their door to the girl across from him. "Yeah, a squib is someone born from a family of magic that has no magic. My sister is a squib. She still doesn't understand she won't be able to go to Hogwarts like me."


He slipped out of his seat, pushing up the rims of his glasses to sit better upon his nose as he headed for the carriage room door. "Something about Harry Potter, you said?" Yvaine opened the door as the trolley witch made her way past the room. He bolted out, shutting the door behind him quickly so Autumn wouldn't get any bad ideas, and snaked his way through the crowd of students buzzing around the poor witch like bees. As he purchased his own Daily Prophet, the news of Harry Potter's death had already been discussed at length by a few of the loitering students.


Yvaine read through the article as he made his way back to Imogen, shutting the door behind him a little more slowly than before. Autumn didn't seem to have the same determination as before and remained fixed in the corner of their bench. The boy, dumbstruck by the news, lowered himself to sit next to his feline companion.


"I was going to meet him," Yvaine said crestfallen. "I was going to meet him one day when I became an Auror like him. My mom used to tell me stories at bedtime about him. Dad too. Harry Potter was my hero."


Solemnly and in thought, the boy looked out upon the rolling hills and lush landscape that passed so quickly by. The Hogwarts Express traveled through some of the most beautiful parts of the country as it made its trek to Hogsmeade. The disappointment in the loss passed quickly, much as it would for any child Yvaine's age. His thoughts turned to names, and from there, Imogen's particularly interesting name.


"You know," Yvaine suddenly said as his feet kicked the back of his seat, "Imogen isn't all that bad of a name. It's spelled like you say It, right? Well, I have all sorts of issues. Ee-van-nee. Yah-vain. I usually just tell people to call me Eevee, like the Pokemon. My last name has it worst, though. I like your name!"


A smile spread on his lips widely. Autumn slinked into Yvaine's lap after resigning to his fate upon the Hogwarts Express and curled into a ball for a nap. He gently stroked the black ball of fur as the cat purred. "Maybe if we have classes together we can see how often the professors say our names wrong. We could make it a game! Bets before class, loser has to do something risky. Are you game?"

 

[NessieAlways]

~Imogen P. Gladwyn~

It's a name game


As Yvaine explained what a squib was and stated that his sister was a squib, she began to wonder if her older brother, Layton, or her little sister, Arabella, where squibs. She's never seen them do magic before, or at least not that she remembered. Imogen was very little when Layton was taken away, and Arabella might still be too little to get her powers. There was a small part of her that hoped she was the only one of her siblings with magic that way she could be special, but then again, she couldn't imagine her brother or sister being away from this wonderful world she was just discovering. It was amazing and she wanted to share with them, just like her grandfather shared it with her. "That's a shame. Even though I've only had magic for very little, I can't imagine not having it." Imogen thought about it some more. "Maybe she's just not old enough to get her powers yet. Or they haven't found their way out. I know I didn't realize I had powers until I accidentally burned my mom's shoes while playing don't touch the lava on the couches. She was pretty mad although she never told me if it was because I was jumping on the couches or because I burned her shoes." Imogen thought back about that day. The truth was that Adeline was angry that her daughter was a witch. She had hoped that she wouldn't fall into that life because that would mean she'd have to send her away like she did with her older son.

As Imogen continued to think about the pretty pink sandal that was missing it's pair Yvaine stood up and left the room. She hadn't heard him speak, so she was left wondering if she had said something wrong. She looked around the room feeling a tad guilty until her eyes fell on Yvaine's cat. "Do you know what ticked him off? Was it something I said?" She tilted her head in confusion. "You're a cute cat you know. Not as cute as my Dakota of course, but still cute." Imogen scooted to the edge of her seat and reached over to pet the cat when Yvaine came back into the room. Quickly she dropped her hand and flopped back in the seat hitting her back a bit harder than expected. She clenched her jaw from the slight pain, but kept a guilty smile on her face, like she had just been caught with her hand on the cookie jar. Although her reaction was probably not noticed seeing as Yvaine was engrossed in the newspaper.

"I was going to meet him," he said, "I was going to meet him one day when I became an Auror like him. My mom used to tell me stories at bedtime about him. Dad too. Harry Potter was my hero." Imogen felt sorry for him. Although she wasn't very familiar with the Potter fellow, she couldn't imagine having her hero being dead. Especially since her hero was her grandfather. She looked at Dakota and shrugged not really knowing what to do or how to comfort him. In respond Dakota just flutter her wings trying to stretch in her tiny cage. Between the caged owl and the saddened boy, Imogen began to feel depressed. What was she supposed to say or do? Again, Imogen scooted to the edge of her seat and reached over, this time to pat the boy's back. "I'm sure he's a better place now. Like my grandfather says 'everything happens for a reason' " Although Imogen still wasn't entirely sure what he meant by that, she hoped that would be consoling enough to bring a smile on his face.

After a moment she scooted back on her seat and clasped her hands together starting to feel very awkward. She wasn't used to silence, but she didn't think making conversation at this moment would be right. Almost instantly Yvaine kicked the back of his seat which made Imogen perk up. "You know, Imogen isn't all that bad of a name. It's spelled like you say It, right? Well, I have all sorts of issues. Ee-van-nee. Yah-vain. I usually just tell people to call me Eevee, like the Pokemon. My last name has it worst, though. I like your name!" Imogen smiled at the thought of Pokemon, now that was something she knew by heart. When she was little and not playing superheroes she'd pretend to be a pokemon master the acorns in her back yard as pokeballs. "Thanks! I guess I do have it sort of easy compared to you, but Eevee is probably the coolest nick name ever! I wish my name was like a pokemon. That would be amazing!" "Maybe if we have classes together we can see how often the professors say our names wrong. We could make it a game! Bets before class, loser has to do something risky. Are you game?" This sparked up Imogen's attention. A game to see how many professors got their name wrong, Imogen was sure to win! Her name had been misspelled and mispronounced so many times she was sure she had this in the bag.

"You're on!" Imogen stood up ecstatically from her seat not being able to control her excitement, that was, until a crash was heard from the outside. She sat back down quickly wondering what the sound was. Her eyes stayed glued to the door not knowing if she should go outside or stay seated. "I'm gonna go se-" before Imogen could finish her sentence a student in robes walked into their compartment. "You guys aren't ready yet? They just ordered for everyone to change into robes. Hurry up, we'll be arriving in no time." The student left the compartment almost as quickly as he entered. It took Imogen a while to actually understand what the boy said. Robes...arriving?..OH! Imogen looked back at Yvaine, previous excitement now gone and replaced with confusion and a bit of curiosity as to what had happened outside. "I guess we have to change." She stood up and began to unzip her DC backpack.​

@Effervescent

 

[Effervescent]

Just a Stone's Throw Away

The pace of the Hogwarts Express began to slow as they neared Hogsmeade Station. Students, now adorned in their school robes, gathered their belongings and stood around the doorways. Conversation was lively despite all that had transpired since the start of the trip. News of the Trolley Witch Trip had spread like wildfire sprouting all sorts of ridiculous stories as to why it happened.


“I heard it was Sally McTavish who did it since the Trolley Witch ignored her.”


“I bet it was the ghost of Harry Potter!”


“She’s a drama llama, is what I heard. It’s a protest because she’s not getting paid enough.”


As the enchanted steam engine came to a halt, the students filed out into the station and herded by years to their respective transports. Standing at the edge of the platform was the image of a welcoming face and a comely smile upon an aged face. Juniper Briea, the Keeper of the Grounds, called out to all the first years in a soft tone.


"First years!" She chimed, her delicate hand raising to beckon the kids over to her. As the crowd of students dissipated, a few scragglers would whisper to the First Years as they passed before heading to their own destination.


"You better watch out or Miss Briea will bite you."


"Miss Briea gets angry when people are late. You don't want to see her when she's angry."


Once all the First years collected around the tall, aged woman, she continued to warmly smile upon them. Her bony hands were dotted with darkened age spots around notable veins that created trails of blue under her skin. She opened her arms widely in presentation.


"If you will follow me," she said before turning. Being Keeper of the Grounds, Briea didn't wear the traditional robes of the professors. Instead, she wore more practical gear. Her knee-length leather boots still carried mud up to her ankles from the day's haul, and her khaki pants still had stains of dirt upon the thighs where she had wiped off her hands. Presentation was not this woman's main concern.


The trek to the lake was an interesting hike that snaked along the woodland trails. The sun began to set casting striking colors of oranges and pinks that filtered through the canopy of the trees. Idle conversation and simple banter among the First Years was occasionally interrupted by oohs and aahs, or the shriek from an unexpected visit from a rather noisy bug. The earth became softer as they neared the water that came with the intermittent croak of an early frog.


Soon enough, the First Years would find themselves upon the lake's bank facing a row of enchanted boats. Each intricately carved boat carried a flickering lantern upon the bow. Briea filed the children into the boats four at a time, offering to hoist them into their seats if they couldn't get over the lip. She was half a foot within the water, and pushed the filled boats out towards Hogwarts when they were ready before climbing into the last.

As the sun set, the last of its gleam created a band of orange upon the horizon blocked by the breathtaking view of the surrounding mountain range. There in front of them growing slowly ever closer was the grand castle known as Hogwarts. The many windows were aglow with life like a beacon as the boats carried them forward. The boat carrying Briea had a slightly faster pace to allow her to take point. She winked at Meghan as she passed.


One by one, the boats docked securely to allow the First Years to exit without fear of falling into the water. The light pitter patter of students feet scuffled across the docks as Briea herded the children once again.


"Be patient," she said to the waiting students. "We have to wait on everyone to arrive on their boats before going up the stairs." Behind her was the very long and very high staircase cut into the cliff face that winded up to Hogwarts. From the docks, the journey upwards looked daunting. But just faintly above the slosh of water upon the docks was music emitting from the Grand Hall. The future of the First Years awaited them.

 

[NessieAlways]

|William W. Whickham|

When the tide is high


Collab w/@RubyRose


William spun around in his robes stretching his arms wide open. "So...how do I look?" he asked Rosemary and Anastasia, the girls that rode with him the entire trip. It was almost a miracle that they hand't chosen to run away. He felt almost certain he had annoyed them at some point with so much talk about his father, but he just couldn't help himself. He loved his father so much and just wanted to make him proud. As the train began to slow down, William couldn't help but jump up and down in joy. "We're here! We're here! I can't wait to see the school! Father said it was old looking like a castle and that after the war rebuilding it took forever!" William stood up and pressed himself against the window trying to get a better view, but all he managed to see was woodlands.

William looked back to the girls as he felt the train jolt to a halt. "I guess I better go find Waldo before he gets left behind. It was nice getting to know you both." William extended his hand towards both girls in a formal goodbye. "I'll see you all around! Hopefully we have some classes together although if we end up in different houses we'll have to sneak around to talk." William said jokingly before exiting the compartment and walking down the corridors shouting his cat's name. "Waldo? Waldo where are you?"

It was only a matter of seconds before the hall of the train was flooded with students dressed in robes eager to get out of the train. William had to push through and even duck underneath some of them as he searched for his feline friend. He went through 3 wagons before reaching the end where the luggage was kept. Coming from all the ruckus in the train, the luggage cart was oddly quiet that William felt the need to whisper. "Waldo? Waldo are you here?" On the verge of giving up when he heard soft purring sounds behind a black leather suitcase. Fear kicked in suddenly not knowing what the strange sound was, but cautiously William peaked around the suitcase and found two cats snuggled together in deep sleep. He recognized one of the two as his own although the other cat was foreign.

"There you are!" William yelled disturbing Waldo from his rest. The cat glared at the boy angry for having woken him, but quickly closed his eyes and went back to sleep. "Oh no you don't. Come on we have to go." William bend over to grab Waldo in his arms. The cat loudly complained and fought to go back with his friend. "What about you little one? Where's your human?" Looking around, William hoped to find the owner of the cat, but he was the only person in the luggage wagon."I can't just leave you here all alone..." He bend down again and very carefully managed to carry both cats. One in each arm. It was tough. He juggled around with both cats before finally being able to balance them. "Let's go before they find us and get mad."

"UUUHHHGGG" William wobbled through the hall maneuvering both cats in his arms. It was a long way to go before reaching the exit and between Waldo's big belly the the little one, William could barely carry two together. It was a miracle William hadn't tripped over his robes yet. "Come...on...must...find...owner." A boy appeared in front of him and William became a bit confused.

"You found him!" a boy said excitedly, trying not to shove his way past others in his hurry to get to William. "Where was he?" the boy asked.

He looked behind him to see if the boy was talking to someone else, but since they were the only two on that part of the train now, William concluded the conversation was with him. Found who? Found where? His questions where answered with the squirming cats he had his arms around. "Oh! So this little one is yours then! I was wondering who he belonged too! He was with the luggage using Waldo, over here, as a pillow." William smiled slightly amused and then looked down at his arms wondering how he could hand over the little kitten while not dropping Waldo.He looked between both cats and grinned a bit embarrassed, "I...ummm...help?"




Smiling apologetically, the boy said: "Yes, right, help. Sorry..." Before reaching for the kitten. The cat immediately squirmed away from the boy's reach, burrowing himself determinedly under Waldo and hissing in the boy's direction. The boy immediately withdrew his hand, afraid of it being swiped at, before glaring at where his cat peeked out from under Waldo and over the other boy's arms.

"Come here, you." he said, reaching under Waldo to try and scoop up Tidliwinks. "S-Sorry about this. Tidliwinks... doesn't really... like me yet." he explained, struggling to try and reach the kitten without knocking the cat out of the other boy's arms. "I'm... I'm Gail, by the way." He added.

Cat juggling was definitely out of William's career choices by now, if it was even an option to begin with. William jumped a little as the boy's cat, Tidliwinks I think he called him, squirmed away from his hand. At the same time Waldo shifted himself over the little cat protectively and meowed in complain. Waldo wasn't much of a hisser or a scratcher, William was thankful for that, but when he complained the whole world knew it. "Waldo! What's gotten into you?!" After he stablized himself with the cats again William sighed. His arms were aching and he didn't know how much longer he'd be able to carry the cats.

As the boy tried again, he apologized for Tidliwink's reaction. "That's fine. Waldo isn't a ray of sunshine either. Yes I'm talking to you." William looked down at his cat and stuck his tongue out at him before realizing the boy was now introducing himself as Gail. William looked up at him and smiled, "And I'm William. It's nice to-Waldo!" The fat cat squirmed again in his arms trying to get comfortable and shy away from Gail who was reaching under him, and because of this, William lost his grip on both cats. He left Waldo slip from underneath followed by Tidliwinks. He picked up his right knee trying to keep the cats in place, but just ended up losing his balance and falling down."Umph...hehe..." Looking at the situation, William couldn't help but start laughing.

Tidliwinks landed lightly on his feet before scampering to where Waldo had landed, curling himself up into a tight ball at Waldo's side.

"Are you ok?" Gail asked, offering a hand to William. "Sorry about that, by the way." He added, scratching at the back of his neck apologetically.

William frowned at seeing Waldo's indifference in the fall. The cat just wiggled away and slumped back down on the floor. Dozy cat. Seeing Tidliwinks join Waldo, however, melted his heart. The two cats seemed to be fond of each other. That was a first. Waldo wasn't fond of anyone. Graciously, William accepted Gail's hand and stood back up dusting himself off. "Thanks!" After William accepted Gail's help, he went over to Tidliwinks and scooped the cat up.

William looked over to the two cats as Gail attempted once again to grab a hold of Tidliwinks. This time he succeeded. The small bengal kitten meowed at him angrily, attempting to squirm out of his arms and get back to the ground. When he realized that he wouldn't be escaping, the cat began to sulk, lying limply in Gail's arms.

"Cats. What are we ever going to do with them." Gail said, glad to finally have his cat under control. "So, William was it? Seems like we are the last ones on the train... did you want to head out together? My stuff is just over there." Gail said, pointing a short distance away. "Sure! Let's go before they get us in trouble. Come here Waldo." William bend down to grab his fat cat and followed Gail to his stuff and then out the train.

​

@Akeira


@RubyRose

 

[RubyRose]

Gail Owen Talon (Colab with NessieAlways)


Gail changed into his school robes before he truly began his hunt for Tidliwinks, feeling that he should get his stuff and himself ready to go before going on a crazy hunt for his kitten. Checking to make sure his bags were still where he had packed them away, Gail began his search.


Hunting through the train compartments, Gail had had no luck in finding his little gray kitten. What made it worse was that the kitten was small and adorable and he could fit into tiny spaces, like someone’s bag. Gail wouldn’t put it past anyone to snatch up the kitten and take him home. For all Gail knew, Tidliwinks would prefer that. Heaving a sigh of frustration, he began asking people if they had seen a small gray kitten. No one seemed to have seen him, and Gail decided not only was his kitten sneaky, he was a full bred Ninja.


Gail was truly becoming frustrated as his kitten continued to elude him. For all he knew, by the time the kitten was found everyone else would be at the school. He did not like that idea at all, and picked up his pace with searching.


Tidliwinks!" Gail called, though he knew it was completely in vain. His kitten would never come when he called. But at least there was some comfort in calling his name, and he wouldn't have to stop every other minute to explain he was looking for something. His gaze moving around the aisles, seeking out gray fur, a boy who was struggling with something caught his eye. Gail moved closer, before spotting his small gray kitten in the boy’s arms.


"You found him!" Gail said excitedly, trying not to shove his way past others in his hurry to get to the boy holding a rather large cat and his little kitten. "Where was he?" Gail asked, awkwardly trying to figure out how to get Tidliwinks from this boy without seeming rude.


"Oh! So this little one is yours then! I was wondering who he belonged too! He was with the luggage using Waldo, over here, as a pillow." The boy smiled and then looked down at his looking like he was debating something. He looked between both cats and grinned a bit embarrassed, "I...ummm...help?"


Smiling apologetically, Gail said: "Yes, right, help. Sorry..." Before reaching for Tidliwinks. The cat immediately squirmed away from Gail's reach, burrowing himself determinedly under Waldo and hissing in Gail's direction. The boy immediately withdrew his hand, afraid of it being swiped at, before glaring at where his cat peeked out from under Waldo and over the other boy's arms.


"Come here, you." Gail said, reaching under Waldo to try and scoop up Tidliwinks. "S-Sorry about this. Tidliwinks... doesn't really... like me yet." Gail explained, struggling to try and reach the kitten without knocking the cat out of the other boy's arms. "I'm... I'm Gail, by the way." He added, realizing he had forgotten to introduce himself.


As the boy struggled with the two cats, Tidliwinks continued to try and squirm away while the fat cat the boy was holding shifted himself over the little cat protectively and meowed in complaint. "Waldo! What's gotten into you?!" After he stablized himself with the cats again the boy sighed.


Gail was at complete loss as Tidliwinks continued to evade him, and on top of that the other boy's cat was being troublesome as well. At least he wasn't the only one having trouble with their cat, though it at least seemed like the fat cat liked the boy.. more or less. He wasn't fighting him, at any rate...


"That's fine. Waldo isn't a ray of sunshine either. Yes I'm talking to you. And I'm William. It's nice to-Waldo!" The fat cat squirmed again in William’s arms trying to get comfortable and shy away from Gail who was reaching under him, and because of this, William lost his grip on both cats. "Umph...hehe..." Looking at the situation, William couldn't help but start laughing.


Gail did not see it coming when William fell, the cats falling as well.


Tidliwinks landed lightly on his feet before scampering to where Waldo had landed, curling himself up into a tight ball at Waldo's side.


"Are you ok?" Gail asked, offering a hand to William. "Sorry about that, by the way." He added, scratching at the back of his neck apologetically.


"Thanks!"After William accepted Gail's help, he went over to Tidliwinks and scooped the cat up. The small bengal kitten meowed at him angrily, attempting to squirm out of his arms and get back to the ground. When he realized that he wouldn't be escaping, the cat began to sulk, lying limply in Gail's arms.


"Cats. What are we ever going to do with them." Gail said, glad to finally have his cat under control. "So, William was it? Seems like we are the last ones on the train... did you want to head out together? My stuff is just over there." Gail said, pointing a short distance away.


"Sure! Let's go before they get us in trouble. Come here Waldo." William bent down to grab his fat cat and followed Gail to his stuff and then out the train.


Gail made it outside just in time to hear something along the lines of some teacher not liking people who were late. Well he couldn’t help it if he were off searching for his cat… at any rate, he hoped she hadn’t noticed their absence.


“How are we even supposed to get to the castle?” Gail wondered out loud but spoke to no one in particular. His gaze wandered around the other First years in search of Megahn and Ethan, wondering where they had disappeared to.


@Macaberz


@NessieAlways


Erin Riann Miller





Erin was grateful that Jonas had said it wasn’t her fault, but whatever happiness she’d had before the whole incident seemed to be completely out of her reach now. She nodded to Jonas, allowing herself to follow him back to the compartment and take a seat. A short while later she recalled someone saying something about needing to change into school robes.





“Jonas, we’ve gotta change!” She said, some of her enthusiasm returning to her voice. She reached for her things, hunting down her school robes. “I uh.. “ Erin paused, having been about to just take her shirt off. Realizing that’s probably not the best thing to do in the considered company, her cheeks reddened once more. She wasn’t sure if there was another place to change on the train, Erin decided to pull a trick her cousin had taught her by putting the robes on over her outfit and then taking the clothing off underneath. “I’m going to get changed, just so you know, but it’s not like… I mean you can cover your eyes but you won’t have to because… well, I know this trick…”. It was harder to do with a shirt then with a bra, which is what her cousin had showed her with, but it was doable, and soon Erin was wadding up her clothing and shoving it into her bag.


“Can you believe it? We’re almost there!” Erin said, her enthusiasm continuing to mount as the train pulled to a stop. Grabbing up her stuff, she was one of the first off the train, dragging Jonas along behind her. (if you’re not ok with that, CloudyBlueDay, I’ll rewrite it J )


She hears someone talking about the person who would be greeting them, and was glad she had made it there early. The last thing she wanted was for a teacher to be upset with her. “We have to ride in boats?” Erin whispered, fear creeping through her. Not that she was terrified of the water or anything, she knew how to swim, but she certainly didn’t want to be tossed overboard and she felt that riding with a bunch of other kids her age might be asking for trouble in that department. Trying to calm herself, she smiled at Jonas. “Shall we ride in the same boat, then?”


@CloudyBlueDay

 

[CloudyBlueDay]

Jonas Rimmle





Jonas raised an eyebrow as Erin almost moved to take off her shirt right in front of her. "Um.." He said quietly, cheeks turning a bright tomato-color. Then she just went ahead and started squirming under her robe, presumably taking her clothes off. Jonas gaped, then closed his mouth and had the sense to turn away. After a few moments, Jonas looked back at her. "Yknow, I could've just stood outside for a moment," He whispered. Jonas had almost never played with other children his age, his whole life spent holed up in a room with nannies and tutors. A situation like this caught him entirely off-guard.


He resolved to wait in line for the bathroom and change. Once finished, he made his way back to Erin, watching the window until the train slowed to a stop. He barely had any time to digest the fact that they were finally here, because Erin had grabbed him and straight up yanked him out of the train, squealing the whole way. Jonas allowed it to happen. Why? He wasn't sure. He just enjoyed her company, despite her practically ripping his arm out of it's socket.


Her excitement faded away when they got to the boats. Jonas paid no heed to the scraggly looking people that whispered about the teacher who lead them. They were just lying, trying to scare them, he huffed. "Of course we'll ride in the same boat," He said, trying to help her calm down. "No need to worry. I think they're enchanted, so it's fine." It was pretty interesting how quickly Erin's mood changed every second.


Meghan Sinhem





Meghan decided that she wanted to help Gail find his kitty, so watching him head off in one direction on the train, she decided to go the other to look for.. 'Tidliwinks'. That was a really cute, silly, but cute name. She called the kitten's name, mustering up the courage to even ask in a few compartments. Only for animals would Meghan really do such a thing. After a few minutes Meghan had reached the end of the train without a trace on Tidliwinks, and she sighed. Hopefully Gail had found him.


Meghan rushed back to the compartment where she'd left her stuff. They'd be reaching Hogwarts soon and she really needed to change into her robes. After that was done, she babbled to Ethan happily about how thrilled she was. It took Meghan some time to warm up to people, but once she did she felt right at home. Once the train began to screech, meaning it was stopping, she squealed and took Jinx out of her pocket. "This is it, Jinx." She whispered to the little rat. "We're at Hogwarts!"


She didn't even bother to wait for Ethan, she was too excited. She almost ran straight ahead, before realizing she wanted to see if Gail had found his kitty. She waited outside the train, and beamed at him as he came out. "Hey!" She squealed.


The scragglers stole Meghan's happiness. They terrified her, with their crooked teeth and evil whispers. She clung to Gail, trying her best not to look at them at all. But the boat ride was magical, taking her breath away, gazing at the lights of Hogwarts in the distance, and the shiny black water. The suspicions about Briea the scragglers planted were vanquished when Briea's boat passed her own and Meghan gasped and blushed. She seemed nice, and a wink from a teacher had to be a good omen.


"I'm ready," She told herself aloud as the boats docked.

 

[kira blackthorn]

-Conall Addams-





Tearing a leg off his chocolate frog, Conall attempted to distract both himself and his nervous stomach as he watched Tin bat at the injured frog as it tried to move. She missed and the frog finally stopped moving ceasing any entertainment it was providing. Dumb frog. Conall thought scowling as his mind, no longer distracted, went back to his current concern. What house will I end up in?


Then again, Conall thought idly, what house do I want to end up in. Gryffindor seem's like it will fit me best but Ravenclaw seem's like a good bet. It will show everyone I'm smart. Slytherin seem's a bit to cold for my taste but Hufflepuff a bit to soft. You know this is getting me know where.


Standing Conall made sure the compartment was locked before changing. One embarrassing walk in was enough for life. Tying his tie around his neck and slipping his feet into his shoes Conall looked down at Tin who was licking her paw like a diva. "Ready to go Tin. "


Looking up at him Tin seemed to shoot him a look that seemed to say 'seriously'. Giving her a nervous smile as the train came to a halt Conall headed out Tin sitting on his right shoulder like royalty. Silly cat, Conall thought fondly as he headed for the boats stomping down on his nerves firmly.

 

[Macaberz]

Ethan Caughey.

​

When Ethan had finally managed to slip into his robes, Gail and Meghan had fled the scene. Meghan probably because she was scared he'd set something on fire in the process. Good, he grinned to himself. Gail running off was less of a surprise. His rough-and-tumble friend got excited about pretty much everything. At times he thought Gail was like a cat chasing a dot of light on the floor. He was so flippin' easy to distract it was funny.


Puffing his cheeks he patted down his robes and inspected if he looked halfway decent. Crap. Inside out. With a heavy sigh he slipped out again and restarted the struggle of getting his arms and head through the right holes. Aside from his owl make noises in its cage, the whole train had turned eerily quiet. Wait for me! C'mon! he thought desperately as he fought with his shoelaces. The voices outside were dying down and fading away into the distance. Panicked, Ethan grabbed his owl's cage and half-tripped, half-ran out of the train.


Crack! His kneecaps creaked in their joints as he jumped out of the train and landed on the stone platform. Aquilla, his owl, flapped his wings wildly in protest, but Ethan ignored him. Thankfully he could still spot two other students in the distance. One carried a large furry ball on his shoulder. The other appeared to be a girl with thick, curly brown locks. He hoped they were friendly. Jogging after them, Ethan soon discovered the ball of fur was in fact a cat sitting on the boy's shoulder. Panting he caught up to the black-haired boy. "Sorry! Is this were first years go?" When he'd caught his breath a little he added, "I've never seen a cat do that before did you-"


He stopped dead in his tracks. "-train him..." his voice trailed off. "Crap. I left my luggage in the train!" He shot a look at the girl, "should I go back or...? I'm mug-born, I don't know how things go around here and-"


All the while they'd walked closer to the boats. So when Ethan stopped to look around, his eyes found the lake, the boats, and then the castle. His jaw dropped an inch and Aquilla nearly slipped from his hand. "Is that our school?"


The pumpkin orange glow shimmering across the lake made him all but forget his luggage. His school was a castle! A real castle!


@kira blackthorn @Akeira

 

[Akeira]

ROSEMARY WILLOW DAVENPORT

The Journey to Hogwarts



​

Rosemary eyed William with a small smirk, as he spun around in his robes, giving him a round of applause. "They don't look half bad." She remarked with a shrug, having returned some time ago from changing into her own robes. "I hope we don't have to wear these ghastly ties all the time. Muggle clothes are much more comfortable." The brunette voiced freely, adjusting her tie slightly. Her mother made Brandon teach her to tie one properly, given the young girl did not have much experience with the garment. Unfortunately, he did a sloppy job, leaving the first year to fend for herself. Her thoughts were interrupted when the train began to slow down, causing a large grin to appear on her face. It seemed she was not the only one excited, given that William began jumping up and down in their compartment. Rosemary released a jovial laugh, standing up and looking around William's shoulder to get a glimpse out the window. "My brother says the castle is brilliant! Better than the original, but what does he know." She chuckled.


When the train finally came to a halt, Rosemary almost fell into the seat behind her. "Nice meeting you too, William. Maybe we'll see each other around?" She thought out loud, shaking his hand with a soft smile. At the mention of sneaking around, her eyes lit up with mischief, and she simpered softly. "Sounds like a plan to me... although, I don't promise to be friendly when it comes to Quidditch, if we do end up in different Houses." She warned with a smug smile, seeing as the first year loved the competitive sport. "Good lucking finding Waldo!" Rose called, as William bolted out of the compartment to look for the cat. "It was nice riding with you! I hope you get Ravenclaw like you want." The curly-haired girl told Anastasia, waving to her before grabbing Hera's cage. "Time to go, girl." She cooed to the animal, holding the birdcage tightly in her little hand before exiting the compartment.


As the corridor was flooded with students, it took some time for small Rosemary to make it off the train. When she finally did, the brunette released a pleasant sigh, turning back to look up at the magnificent Hogwarts Express that brought her this far. Similar to the train corridor, the platform was also packed, and Rosemary was unsure where to go. In the midst of chaos, a loud voice bellowed for first years to follow. The young girl walked blindly in that direction, soon approaching a tall woman wearing muddy, leather boots and dirty, khaki pants. Rose looked up at the Keeper of the Grounds for further instructions before glancing around at other first years. As they began their trek to the lake, she clutched the owl cage and her robes tightly, wishing to keep them clean before entering the castle. She knew her brother would tease her endlessly, if she looked filthy in front of the Hogwarts populace.


Trailing behind the others, she looked over her shoulder upon hearing loud panting. Rose raised a brow, when a boy with dark, mahogany hair jogged toward the boy beside her. She giggled lightly at his question about cats, wondering what he was going on about. The brunette took the opportunity to look at the cat herself, admiring the way it sat on the black-haired boy's shoulder. "Blimey, that's a pretty cool trick!" She exclaimed in surprise, wondering if Hera could do something like that without sinking her talons into Rose's flesh. "Can owls do that!? I don't want to end up bleeding." She asked suddenly, looking at both boys. While waiting for an answer, Rose bit her lip to keep from laughing when the first boy panicked over leaving his luggage on the train. "I dunno really. I didn't see anyone else leave with luggage, so I think it's all right." She declared with a smile. "Did you say you're Muggle-Born? I'm Rose, by the way. Half-Blood. You two--?" She inquired, glancing between both first years and stopping mid-sentence, as they arrived at a large lake.


Rose stared at the dark water in awe, her hazel eyes drifting along its edge and settled on a large castle on the other side. "Woah..." She whispered softly, blinking in pleasant surprise and clutching Hera's cage tightly. The lights of the Hogwarts castle cast a shimmering glow over the water, and a grin slowly appeared on Rosemary's round face. "I think I'm really going to like it here." She spoke aloud, as her eyes engulfed the landscape once more. By the looks of it, Hogwarts was ten times greater than Brandon let on.


Mentioned: @NessieAlways , @kira blackthorn , and @Macaberz

 

[kira blackthorn]

Conall William Addams


Blinking at the panicked energetic boy it took a moment for his mind to catch up with the events even as a girl joined them. When it did he let out a weak chuckle absently rubbing Tim's head as she puffed her chest out vainly. She had always been a rather smart cat. Deciding to take everything one at a time Conall shook his head addressing the girl. "For your first question, I don't know if owls can sit on one's shoulder. If you want to try it though you should probably learn some healing spells first. Just in case. For your second question, I'm a half blood. "


About to continue he felt the words freeze in his throat as he recieved his first look at Hogwarts. It was beautiful. A large castle with twinkling lights by a large lake a lit with the moonlight. I can definitely see why hogwarts students never forget the school. Feeling excitement fill him he leaned back and forth on the heels of his shoes. "I can't wait to explore. "

 

[RubyRose]

Gail Owen Talon


Boats. Boats would be how they would be crossing the water. Well that worked out fine for Gail. He'd been out on a few boats before with his grandfather and his father and had a jolly old time, even on the occasion he had fallen in. He was glad to hear that William and he would be riding together and quickly led the other boy to the nearest boat, loading in with more new faces. Gail didn't spot either Ethan or Meghan in the sea of faces and just crossed his fingers that they had somehow made it to the boats as well- he didn't see why they wouldn't be around here somewhere, after all.


"Wow." Gail was completely awe struck when the castle came into sight, having gone rather quiet for the boat ride until that moment. He had been listening to the other students chat, locking important factors that they had mentioned away. He had heard one of them bring up the Forbidden Forest which he had already known about, though some of the creatures they had mentioned that lived in the forest was news to him. Maybe when he knew some real magic he'd go exploring in the forest and come across some of the creatures mentioned... he had an interest in giant spiders and centaurs and unicorns, especially, but werewolves, vampires, and thestrals also held his interest... though he hadn't seen anyone die before his dad had told him stories about Thestrals when he was little- before he even knew much about wizardry.


"That's our school." He said, again his voice full o admiration. It looked small at first, just like a castle for a doll house, but as they got closer Gail was overwhelmed by the sheer size of the building. He hadn't pictured the school being so big. His sisters had of course mentioned things about Hogwarts before but he had always thought a lot of it to be exaggeration. Now he knew better, though.. if anything they had played down just how immense the school was.


Having been one of the last out, Gail and William were in one of the last boats... that meant standing behind a crowd of his soon to be classmates and possible rivals. Still, the castle was big enough that he could see it even if he was one of the shorter kids of the group- the castle rose up above their heads, impressive and in a lot of ways intimidating.


"William... are there any classes you're looking forward to?" He asked as they followed the other students into the immense building, Gail's gaze still flitting from one area to another while they made their way into the welcoming corridors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.


@NessieAlways


Erin Riann Miller


"I'm glad that we're probably not going to fall in." Erin acknowledged Jonas' statement with a smile. "Even if we did, the witch leading us could save us, right?" She truly wasn't all that concerned about the boat ride over... there had been a moment of fear but that was because she had forgotten about magic. Funny considering that the whole place just seemed filled to the brim with magic...


Erin led the two of them to the nearest boat, getting in with a few other people- no one that Erin recognized but then she hadn't really been expecting to recognize anyone. The only face she had really seen besides Jonas' was the voice of the boy who thought he had hurt the witch. She really didn't want to see his face at the moment, though, still feeling really embarrassed about the way she had acted without even knowing the situation.


Erin chattered away at Jonas non-stop while they road over, the pitch black water seeming both beautiful and foreboding as the boats glided across it's shimmering surface. "So I did a lot of reading when I was little because I was always at my Uncles and sometimes you just don't want to play with cousins so my Aunt would give me books and I would read about places like Hogwarts and wish it was real and now it is!" Erin sucked in a huge breath before grinning at Jonas. "What kind of things did you like to do, Jonas?"


When the lights from the castle truly came into view, Erin got really quiet- amazed by the beauty of the castle in all it's magnificent glory. "Jonas... Jonas is that our school? Is that where we'll be learning?" Erin asked, one hand gripping the boy's wrist while the other pointed at the spots of light in the distance. As they continued to get closer, Erin became even more awe inspired. "It's just like a dream come true, isn't it? Did you know it would be this amazing?"


When the boats finally docked, it was a long moment for Erin just sitting in the boat and staring up at the school. "I can't believe I'm here... I can't believe I'm going to get to learn magic and that I already have a friend!" Erin said, turning to grin at Jonas. "We're gonna be the best of friends, right Jonas?" She asked, voice hopeful and sincere.


@CloudyBlueDay

 

[NessieAlways]

|William W. Whickham|

Boats! Boats! Boats!


William overheard Gail wondering aloud, "How are we even supposed to get to the castle?" A bright smile appeared on William's face knowing the answer oh too well. "Boats!" He stopped for a moment to get a better grip of Waldo who was sliding down his skinny arms. "First years go to Hogwarts on boats! Or at least that's what Dad told me. He said his first year he was in a boat with two red heads and he almost got in trouble for pushing them off the boat. The professors weren't able to prove it was him though, so he just got away with it." William smiled proud about his father's shenanigans somewhat hopeful that he too could cause as much trouble as his father. "I tried to push my siblings once, but Mom walked in on me and grounded me for a whole week! Talk about going to bed without dessert." A small frown formed on William's mouth as he reminisced about that week. His siblings were especially cruel to him bringing in their dessert and waving it in front of him. William continued talking, not really sure if Gail was paying attention, about his siblings and how they, like their father, always seemed to get away with their misdoings. He followed Gail around not really knowing where he was supposed to go or with who else he was supposed to be with. When William finished talking he finally realized that Gail was looking for someone. "Who are you-" "Hey!"

A high pitched squeal from a tiny girl with short hair caught William in mid sentence. The girl clung on to Gail as if the two were best friends and, for a moment, William had a feeling he should go find someone else to ride with. Shaking the thought out of his head and gathering most of his courage, William tapped the girl on the shoulder and introduced himself. "Hi! I'm Gail's friend William." Waldo hissed at the sudden lack of an arm under him. "Oh sorry..." Once again William shifted around to get a better hold on Waldo, "And this is my cat Waldo! He's a grouch so don't mind him!" William looked around when the girl suddenly yelled she was ready and spotted the docks passed a patch of forest. "Me too! I can't wait to get on the boats and sail to Hogwarts! We'll be like pirates! Oh wizard pirates and we'll be able to fly like Captain Hook and his ship!" William bounced up and down with Waldo jiggling in his grasp. "To the docks!"

William's enthusiasm only grew with Gail's short comments about the school. It was in fact a magnificent sight. The way the shimmering lake reflected the castle was just the bow on top of the best Christmas present. William spotted several kids placing their luggage in a big pile before boarding the boats, so he did the same. He set his luggage as well as a reluctantly caged Waldo in the pile. "You be good Waldo. Don't eat the mice okay." William waved goodbye to his cat and once again joined Gail and the girl.

The boat ride was filled with Ooh's and Aah's from him. He gasped at every ripple and turned his head everywhere not wanting to miss a single view. His hands gripped the edge of the boat tightly as if it was the only thing keeping him from running towards the school. Once they arrived his excitement tripled. The school was ten times bigger than he had imagined and the ghostly feel of walking into a wizard school was oddly comforting. There was a warm feeling bubbling inside of William as he followed Gail, the girl, and the other students inside the castle and to the welcome corridor. "William... are there any classes you're looking forward to?" The question came from Gail. "Of course!" William yelled in respond. He gasped a bit realizing he had yelled and just giggled ducking his head so Mrs. Briea wouldn't know it was him who yelled. They were already one of the last people since he and Gail had to look for their cats. "I want to take Defense Against Dark Arts already! I overheard my dad saying that class would finally shape me up to be the man I need to be. I don't know what he means by that, but if my dad wants me to take it then I want to take it too! What about you guys?"
​

@RubyRose


@CloudyBlueDay

 

[Effervescent]

Yvaine de Sauveterre

Collaboration between NessieAlways and Effervescent
​

Yvaine slipped his arms through his robes and secured the front just like his father had shown him. This was the first time he had warn a robe his size. He had worn his father's robes from his alma matter. But this was his own official Hogwarts uniform, and he never felt more important in his eleven years.


Resituating his black rimmed glasses back upon the bridge of his nose, he beamed at Imogen as the train came to a halt. "This is going to be fun!" he said and moved back to the bench. Yvaine bent down to scoop Autumn up and place him back in his crate, to which the cat protested in a soft meow.


The black fabric of the robes felt warm and familiar, yet new and strange. She had worn robes before in secret when she'd play pretend wizard with her grandfather, but this was no longer pretend. These were her robes not some dusty old one in a trunk. Imogen looked down with a smile on her face as she remembered playing with her grandfather. The voice of Yvaine broke her memories, "This is going to be fun!" Imogen looked up at the boy and smiled brightly.


"You bet! I can't wait to see the castle! I wonder if there's a fire breathing dragon guarding it! Or if we have to cross through a wobbly bridge over a pit of lava! My grandfather said there was a monster. Maybe we'll get to see it!" Imogen continued rambling about the endless creatures the castle could hold while grabbing Dakota's cage, her backpack and following Yvaine to the hallway and out the train.


"Come on!" Yvaine called out


He quickly gathered his belongings and scurried out into the crowded hallway of the carriage. It only took minutes to file out onto the Hogsmeade Station platform, but it felt like eons to Yvaine. All the while he would look back at Imogen to make sure she they were keeping up together.


He set his belongings to the side with the others left in a pile alongside the train. At first he wasn't sure about it, but he saw student after student placing their belongings with the pile.


"I think we leave our things here," he said with a shrug to Imogen.


Imogen had noticed a lot of people when first boarding the train, but seeing everyone pouring out of the train made Imogen realize just how many people here were like her, wizards. Everybody here knew magic, everyone here went to the same school, and everyone here was wearing the same robes, well more or less. Specks of colors on the robes of what seemed to be older students caught her attention. Her gaze lingered on the robes of the people walking past her. Green...Blue...Yellow...Red? Why are theirs different? The quick motion of Yvaine checking on her made her eyes return on the path ahead of them and that's when she saw it. The Hogwarts castle. Glowing dimly with the light of the sunset.


She got to the pile of belongings and stopped a few feet away from Yvaine as seemed to wonder if it was safe to leave his things there. Not paying much attention to where she left her stuff and staring at the lake and docks that had just come into view, Imogen dropped her things and made a run for it. She heard the cry of Dakota complaining about being dropped so suddenly and took a quick glance back, "Sorry Dakota." The last thing she did before immersing into the crowds of Hogwarts students and sprinting to the docks was tug Yvanie's hand, "Race you to the boats!"


"Hey! Wait!"


Yvaine couln't react fast enough. Imogen had already started running. He looked over at Miss Briea where she gathered the First Years, and then back to the crowd slowly dissipating from the station. The blonde was now completely out of his line of sight. He gave no more thought to following the rules and set off after her.


Cutting through the crowd of older students proved to be a bit more difficult than anticipated for the small boy. They were so tall and took up so much space as they loitered and casually strolled to their destinations. He called out, "Excuse me!" And the few that could hear him parted enough for him to see the treeline into the woods.


It took a few yards before Yvaine could catch a glimpse of Imogen's golden locks streaking through the woods. She followed no discernible path, which made it all the more fun. He leaped over obstacles and quickened his sprint to try and catch up to the enthusiastic girl.


Being short always proved to be an advantage, plus she'd race Layton and Arabella so much dodging people was like second nature. Imogen twisted and turned her body as she went through people mumbling the occasional apologies to those who gave her dirty looks. She ducked underneath the crowds and, at one point, even crawled underneath a group of fifth years. She looked back to see where Yvaine was, but the boy wasn't in sight anymore.


With a frown Imogen slowed her pace since it was no fun to win if there wasn't any competition, yet her feet kept moving. When the sight of bouncing dark hair came into view, Imogen quickly recognized the boy. A thrilling smile came back to the girl's face as she turned back around and continued zooming through the now dispersing crowd. She could see the docks through the clearing in the woods and all she kept thinking was, I'm gonna win! I'm gonna win!





Only a short distance left to go, Imogen turned back to see how far Yvaine was. He had quickened his step, so she did too although only for a short second or too. With her gaze set on Yvaine, Imogen missed the passerby in front of her which caused her an abrupt stop. Imogen reeled back trying to steady herself from the crash and looked up at the person she collided with like a deer in headlights. A tall lady with silvery hair and casual attire stood before her in a not so friendly expression, Briea. Her arms were crossed over her chest and her eyes looked down on Imogen with a sense of both anger and disappointment. It was enough to send chills down Imogen's spine as she realized she had just been busted. Imogen took a small gulp and smiled guilty "Umm...hello...is this the way to the docks?"


Yvaine caught up just as Miss Briea stared down at Imogen with disapproval. He placed his hands on his knees as he caught his breath. It'd been a while since he'd run that quickly in such a short amount of time! Dirt gritted between the sweaty fabric of his socks and the hard soles of his dress shoes. He scrunched his toes to try and manipulate the dirt away from the balls of his feet and more towards his arches to relieve the awkward and uncomfortable feeling.


He walked up casually as Briea helped students into the boats, filing himself just near Imogen as he waited.


"You win this round, Imogen!" he said to her once he caught his breath.

 

[NessieAlways]

~Imogen P. Gladwyn~

Time For a Dip


Collab w/ @Effervescent


Without a word Miss Briea went back to helping the students into the boats, her cold and disapproving self gone. Imogen stared at that sudden change of emotions that the lady displayed and turn towards Yvaine who was still having trouble with his breathing. She brought a finger to her ear and twirled it in a circle "Coo-coo". Imogen stifled a giggle as she waited in line for the boats. Once Yvaine joined her and was able to talk again he admitted his defeat and Imogen's victory. She smiled proudly glad she still held the title of racing champion and that the competition had extended to more than her father and sister.

The boy hopped onto the tips of his toes as he eagerly counted through the lines of students waiting to be placed within the boats. A frown formed upon Yvaine's lips as he rolled through the numbers in his head. By his count, Imogen would be placed within the boat ahead of him. His eyes trailed down the students ahead of him, and then he turned to look down the line behind him. He could risk it all and jump into the boat with his new friend, but it was also possible he'd be scolded, taken out of the boat for his impatience, and told to go to the back of the line. The risk was too high, and the reward too uncertain.

As it came for Imogen's turn to ride the boat, she jumped on board eagerly making the rest of the kids clench on to the sides afraid that her enthusiasm would rock the board over. Excitedly she looked around at the now darkened sky and then down to the lake watching as ripples began to form. Wait... Imogen looked back to the docks to see they had traveled a good two meters into the lake and she had gotten on alone.

Yvaine sighed in defeat and watched as Imogen was helped onto a boat that rocked with her excitement. At least he'd be able to catch up with her after the boat ride! His feet shuffled in the sandy dirt that lined the shore before the docks. But then a voice cut through the air that perked Yvaine's large ears, and a smile spread on his face once again. "Eevee! Come back!" Imogen looked towards Yvaine who was still standing on the docks. Imogen reached out towards him as she called, and he laughed and waved back to her. "I'll see you over-" Imogen stood up in the boat, jumped into the lake, and began swimming back to the docks to catch the next boat with her friend.

His words were cut off as Imogen dove into the lake. Miss Briea gasped at the reflexive decision made by the bright First Year, and Yvaine cheered his friend on as she swam. The Keeper of the Grounds, lips somewhat pursed in frustration, was ready to scoop Imogen from the water as the girl neared the docks.

Drenched, soggy and dripping with water, Imogen reached over her head as she was scooped up by the Keeper with a bright satisfied smile on her face. She stood next to the keeper. "It seems we're going to have a handful with you," she stated with a tisk. Her smile turned to a scowl and soon Imogen defened her actions. "Grandpa always said 'Never leave friends behind Pemy' so I couldn't leave Eevee by himself!" She looked up at Mrs. Briea through dripping wet strands of hair. Her eyes, so innocent as if her recent actions was completely justifiable, but her frown displaying just the right amount of sass to show the gamekeeper just how feisty the little girl could get.

Yvaine jumped upon the docks, the structure giving slightly with each little hop as he clapped at his friend's brilliant display.

Imogen's attention switched to Yvaine who was bouncing and cheering on his friend on. Before joining his side Imogen furiously shook the excess water off of her like a wet dog fresh out of a bath. Yvaine continued his clapping, a few other students leaning forward to observe the drenched Imogen as she carried herself in confidence. The girl was surely building up a reputation quickly from the start. Just as the vibrant girl began to shake off the excess water, Yvaine shielded his face from the wet, and the surrounding students gasped in protest.

"AH!" he called out through a chuckle. "You'll get us as wet as you at this rate!"

With a kick and a shimmy the soaked tangled mess of a girl move once again to the front of the docks this time making sure she was placed in a boat with her friend. "Let's go!"

Miss Briea glanced sidelong at the two as they approached the next boat together. There was no fighting the will of Imogen, she knew this much now, and so she insured the two were placed upon the same boat headed for Hogwarts. Yvaine was giddy on the ride, the boy practically bouncing in his seat as the boat floated closer and closer to the castle docks.

"Imogen! Look!" Yvaine pointed up towards the tall windows of the Great Hall aglow with flickering candle light. As they floated closer to the docks, they could see how the candles were floating magically in the air, the lights slowly undulating up and down above the tiny specks of students lined along the tables. The visual soon disappeared behind the tall jutting cliffside, preventing the First Years from further gawking.

Now that she was reunited with her friend on the boat, her hype only increased. Just like Yvaine, she was bouncing on her seat as the slow boat sailed across the lake."Imogen! Look!" At the voice of her friend, Imogen snapped around to follow his gaze. The castle was glowing from the dim candle lights making Imogen's jaw drop. "It's so beautiful!" For the first time in this entire day she was at a loss of words. The magnificence of the castle was too grad for her to put into words, but her wide eyes staring up in awe were enough to see the amazement in this eleven year old's face.

As the boats made their stop at the other side of the lake, Imogen was too excited to get down she basically shoved her way in front of everyone. "Oh I'm sorry..." She mumbled taking her actions into consideration and even staying behind and helping people off the boats as if making up for her actions. "Come on Yvaine! I want to be the first one in!" Imogen grabbed for Yvaine's hand and ran across the docks maneuvering her way through the first year students and to the front of the line. She looked back occasionally to see if Yvaine was following her.

Keeping up with Imogen was quite the task. Yvaine held onto the girl's hand tightly, using it to guide him through the crowd of First Years as she made their way to the front of the group. Anytime he bumped into a fellow student, he'd quickly apologize as he swerved and slinked through the mass. Miss Briea herded the First Years toward the cliffside staircase, a brow lofting as her gaze came to fall on Imogen once again. Yvaine couldn't tell if the Keeper of the Grounds had a small smirk of amusement hidden upon her lips or if it was that of mild frustration with the now-damp girl. Either way, his excitement overpowered his will to discern.

"First ones in," he said to Imogen. "We've got this!"​

 

[Effervescent]

The Great Hall Awaits

Water sloshed upon the docks just below the glistening Hogwarts castle. The sun had finally set behind the mountains across the grand lake emitting a colorful display of oranges, pinks, and purples before the deep indigo of night blanketed the sky. A waxing moon held low in the sky surrounded by the tiny sparkling dots of the stars that twinkled in silent tandem with the chorus of crickets and croaks of frogs along the shore. The boat house rested off to the left of the docks where the magical boats floated into once every student had exited the thwarts.


Miss Briea raised one hand into the air and cupped the other around her lips as she called out, "Everyone to me! We're heading up the stairs!" Miss Briea, despite her age, looked very spry and carried a lot of energy behind her calm demeanor. Her thoughtful gaze scanned through the First Years as she herded them towards the steep staircase that wound up the cliff's face. She placed herself at the foot of the stairs and waved the students through and up. "No more than two at a time," she said as the students passed. She wouldn't follow until all the students were headed up the stairs.


The stairs leading up to the castle were carved from the very rock to which Hogwarts rests upon. Each chiseled stone was worn from weather and use as the starting point for every Witch and Wizard since the school's genesis. Counting each step would place the number in the thousands until they reached the courtyard. Miss Briea quickly made her way around the students to once again take point at the front and insure that the First Years didn't wander off as she urged them towards the vestibule where large statues guarded the entrance set within two large oak doors framed in filigreed iron.


Standing just at the double doors was a woman of similar age to Miss Briea, though far more imposing in stance and appearance. Her striking features, albeit aged, still held its angularity framed within a coif of wild white hair beneath a sharp, modern style witch's hat. She held herself with poise, her black robes fitted to her thin frame. As Briea rounded the First Years towards the woman, the woman stared down at the group with a smile ever so faintly upturning the corners of her lips. It would be easy to miss as she straightened her stance and addressed the Keeper of the Grounds.


"Thank you, Juniper," the woman said.


"They're all yours, Deputy Headmistress," Miss Briea said with a bow before turning to take her leave.


The Deputy Headmistress then turned to the First Years, her hands clasping before her as she spoke. "Welcome to Hogwarts," she began, a smile finally adorning her features. "My name is Constance Sharpiro. Passing through these doors marks the next big step in the journey of your lives. Once we enter the Great Hall, I ask you keep within the isle and file down to the front in an orderly fashion. From there the Sorting Ceremony will begin. Now, make a line, and we shall go forth!"

 

[NessieAlways]

|William W. Whickham|

Walking Up Stairs


The castle was everything William had imagined, yet nothing close to what he had expected. Seeing the glowing lights escaping through the windows from the boats was one thing, but finally seeing the towering walls in front of him was a completely breathtaking view. All along he'd fantasize over stepping into the grand castle just as his father had many years ago, but as he followed Mrs. Briea up the stairs all his fantasies seemed like child's play compared to the elegance the castle held. William stood next to Gail as Mrs. Briea instructed them to climb up the stairs in pairs, though he kept looking around to make sure Meghan was still with them. He wasn't about to lose one of his new friends. Instinctively, William reached out for Meghan taking her hand so she wouldn't get lost, something his mother had done to him many times before and something he had done to his siblings before they slapped his hand away.

"Father said that his first year, a kid fell down the stairs and he had to be taken to the hospital wing." William said to his friends while looking down at the steps making sure that didn't happen to him. The story William knew, of course, was only half of what had actually happened. What his father hadn't told him was that he was the one who shoved the kid down the stairs. He hadn't meant to do it, or so he likes to think, but the kid was talking too much so William Father shoved the kid to shut him up. He hadn't expected the kid to be a klutz and end up stepping on his robes, losing his balance and tripping down the stairs. "So be really careful! I don't want to spend the night in a hospital taking care of you guys." William joked with a smile although he was still looking down at the steps paranoid.

William couldn't help but grin excitingly when they stopped in front grand double doors that shielded the grand hall. He clapped his hands enthused finally letting the idea of him being at his father's school sink in. If just a few moments he'd be walking through those doors and meeting a lot more people. It would be great! William turned to make sure Gail and Meghan were still with him and to look for Anastasia, the first person he'd met on this trip. He wanted to see the reaction of his friends' faces as they walked through the doors hoping they were as excited as he was. When a tall lady came out and addressed the students, William felt a chill run down his back. She looked scarily intense. Certainly a person he didn't want to get in trouble with. William took a step back wondering if not everyone in Hogwarts was as nice as Anastasia, Gail, and Meghan. "Could there be evil students and teachers here in Hogwarts? I don't want to find out." Before William could finish his thoughts, however, students began moving around and shuffling past each other to form a line. William's eyes opened in fear not wanting to stray away from his friends. "Hey guys! Wait for me!" William tried to ease his way through the crowd, but people kept pushing and shoving him. William was persistent. He wasn't going to be alone on his first day. Finally standing behind Meghan, William whispered to her excitedly, "I can't wait to go inside!"
​

Talks to:


@RubyRose


@CloudyBlueDay


Mentions:


@Akeira

~Imogen P. Gladwyn~

First One In Line


If Imogen's eyes weren't attached to her body, they would have popped out considering how hard she was gawking at her surroundings. The girl had managed to shove her way to the front of all the first years bringing Yvaine along. Excitement poured our of her body as Mrs. Briea instructed them to line up in pairs. Imogen hugged Yvaine shouting loudly, "I have chosen my stair climbing buddy!" She giggled letting the kid go and looking up at Mrs. Briea who seemed the slightest bit annoyed. Imogen gave her a small smile in a way of reassuring her that she wasn't going to do something crazy again. She would be a good student, at least for a little while. Mrs. Briea just shook her head with a simple smile and continued up the stairs.

Imogen was close behind Mrs. Briea going up the stairs slowly. Although had it been up to her, Imogen would have climbed up the stairs taking two at a time. She was anxious! Yearning to get inside and run around the castle exploring every room and corner, Imogen began jumping from step to step feeling that Mrs. Briea's pace was getting them nowhere. She looked over to Yvaine wondering if he had any plans when they got inside. Maybe he would go find a cat play ground for his furry friend, or maybe he was going to go exploring also! "Let's go look around as soon as we get in!" she said quietly so Mrs. Briea wouldn't over hear, but there was still a sense of eagerness in her voice. "I bet this place is crawling with secret rooms and magical creatures! I want to find them all!" Her voice started to get louder. "Just imagine it! Tunnels, fairies and FIRE BREATHING DRAGONS!" Imogen finished loudly raising her hands in the air pretending they were claws and began to roar. All she got was a concerned stare from Mrs. Briea.

Had the other meaner looking lady not arrived, Imogen would have pushed past Mrs. Briea and burst into the wooden double doors wanting to see what was behind waiting for them. But the older lady had a scary vibe coming from her. "Maybe she's the lady in charge..." Though Imogen was too concerned with what could be behind the door to pay attention to what the lady was saying, she was able to catch her last few sentences. "Now, make a line, and we shall go forth!" Imogen quickly stomped on the floor claiming her spot at the front of the line and looked back at Yvaine, "Where are we going?" She asked having missed everything that Shapiro had said.



​

Talks to: ​

@Effervescent
​

​

 

[Macaberz]

Ethan Caughey





It was hard to tell what was more wondrous: the lights shimmering over the lake, or the flaming torches bathing the cavernous entrance hall in a homely glow. He stopped a moment to rest his hand upon the cold, stone wall as if to make sure it was really there. If it was all but a dream, it was certainly the most vivid one he'd ever experienced. He even saw one of the armors move, but when he turned to look again, it stood stiff as ever. Picking up his pace, Ethan quickly joined the sloppy line that had formed before the doors leading into the Great Hall.


It was impossible not to catch conversations left and right. A taller, blonde boy stood out in particular, his shrill voice claiming that the staircases were a great danger. Ethan tried to stifle a chuckle, but didn’t quite succeed. Out of all the things that had caught his attention so far, the stairs really weren’t all that special. Besides, he’d always thought it was just Americans that put warning signs near stairs, but apparently Brits considered them dangerous too.


He was about to correct the boy when they suddenly came to a halt. Ethan glanced around, expecting someone to speak up.


A tall, stern-looking woman immediately caught his eyes, not in the least because of her unusual pale hair. She had skin like ironed, dry parchment and an unmistakable air of aloofness about her. A groan escaped him when it became clear the woman was the Deputy Headmistress. Already her impeccable voice and even more impeccable smile made his skin crawl.


Much more annoying however was the blonde boy from before, shoving his way through until he stood before Ethan…and next to Meghan. How very flattering. He’d thought Gail to be an easily excited goofball, but this lanky reed was getting on his nerves faster than Gail ever could, and not just because he was chatting up Meghan.


”I can’t wait to go inside!” the boy whispered excitedly.


“Psst!” Ethan hissed through his teeth as he tapped the kid's shoulder. “Mind you don’t trip over your feet like that lady on the train," he whispered. "You know, you might hurt yourself and die falling off all three steps. Truly, the stairs here must be the most dangerous things in a flippin’ magical castle.”


@NessieAlways


@CloudyBlueDay (Meghan mentioned)

 

[Akeira]

ROSEMARY WILLOW DAVENPORT

Stairway to (...Heaven?) Hogwarts
​

During the boat ride, Rosemary resisted the urge to jump out and swim toward the castle. She ruled out that scheme after a few moments, given the young girl had no idea how deep the black water was. Instead, she sat at the front of her boat impatiently, trying her best not to tip over from leaning too far over the edge. Running her hand along the water's edge, she grinned, as the cool liquid made contact with her palm. Though the brunette could see nothing beyond the water's surface, the shimmering oranges, pinks, and purples of the setting sun brought a smile to her face. She was captivated by the lights of the large Hogwarts castle, as the boats drew nearer, eager to see what the interior of the grand structure looked like. Despite only having a glimpse of the fortress for now, Rose could tell that Brandon had been holding out in his stories about Hogwarts. Just the landscape alone was enough to make her never want to leave.


When Miss Briea, the Keeper of the Grounds, instructed the First Years to get out of their boats, Rose was the first out of hers. She glanced behind her to make sure the others got out before her large, hazel eyes glanced up at the large castle. "Do they expect us to get to the top of the bloody castle without an elevator?" She asked no one in particular, not caring about her language or tone. The brunette glanced around to make sure no one heard, peering up at the castle once more, when she saw no one gawk at her. Looking up at the large towers, the young Davenport suddenly felt small, as Hogwarts was much larger in person. Moving pictures were one thing, but they were pale in comparison to being there in the flesh. "Woah.." She whispered for the second time that night, stepping closer to the wall and knowing it would not be the last time she uttered that phrase whilst at Hogwarts.





Rosemary was drawn from her thoughts, when the reverberating voice of Miss Briea guided them toward the stairs, following the others in that direction. As she gathered closer, the young brunette recognized a few First Years she saw on the train. She snickered softly when a girl with wavy blonde hair pushed her way toward the front, pulling her male companion with her. Rose reasoned the young girl wanted to make her grand entrance into the castle before anyone else could. A familiar, male voice warned everyone to be careful on the stairs, and she rolled her eyes slightly, knowing there probably was more danger in the lake than on a set of stairs. "Here he goes with his father again..." She mumbled to herself, falling in line with the others and slowly beginning her ascent toward the castle.





As the herd of First Years stopped in front of two large doors, Rose came to a halt behind some of the others. She peered around a rather tall boy in front of her to see what was happening, deciding to move instead to avoid straining her neck. "Excuse me." The brunette murmured, pushing her way up toward a few familiar faces and listening, as a poised woman with silver hair introduced herself as the Deputy Headmistress. Rosemary was not entirely sure what the title meant, but something about the woman's deposition told her she was important. The brunette wrinkled her nose at the thought of being alone with her for more than five minutes.


At the mention of getting in a line, Rosemary moved closer to the front where William talked with other First Years he met. "They have so many rules before they finally let us inside." She remarked quietly enough so the authority figures could not hear her. Afterwards, She became silent, listening to a few of the others' conversations. Some voiced their excitement, which matched hers, but one comment stood out to her. She watched as the same boy who asked her about luggage tapped William on the shoulder, raising a curious brow at his snide comment. "Oi, what's got your knickers in a twist?" She chuckled, looking at him with intrigue.


Mentioned: @NessieAlways , @Effervescent , @Macaberz

 

[Macaberz]

Ethan spun around. The "oi!" coming from behind was rather startling. It was even more startling considering it was Rose who'd barked at him. He'd expected a teacher, not that girl who'd asked if he was a mug something something. She'd been pretty odd to begin with and her latest question flat out bamboozled him.


"What?" A rare smile broke through. She appeared to be deadly serious but Ethan couldn't for the life of him figure out if she was just messing around, or actually asking a question. For the moment, he decided to play along. Feigning deep thought, he cocked his head to the side and glanced up. "I don't know what's gotten my niggahs in a twist, nor do I know what that's supposed to mean. It's probably racist though. Had you thought about that?"


Dropping his act, he glanced to the heavy double doors. The air was thick with anticipation of what was to come. What would be behind those doors? A test? More staircases? It was all starting to become very real all of a sudden. He desired to be near someone he knew better, to help qualm his rapidly increasing nervousness. Where was Gail when he needed him?

 

[Effervescent]

Into The Great Hall

Deputy Headmistress Sharpiro turned about-face, her elegantly fashioned robes flowing with the motion as she waved her wand outward from the entrance. With a low groan, the large oak doors slowly swung open to reveal the interior of the vestibule. Marble stairs led up towards another set of large double doors. Sharpiro called out for the First Years to follow her as she headed for the entrance to the Great Hall. Off to the right, a distant rumbling could be heard.


Sharpiro did not hesitate at the Great Hall's entrance. With another swift movement with her wand, the double doors opened up, revealing the lighthearted banter and conversation of students already present for the feast. Four long tables spanned the length of the hall filled with excitement even as the First Years filed down the main isle. As they walked down towards the front, thousands of candles hovered above their heads in soft undulation, their flickering lights aglow along the vaulted ceiling that carried a magical enchantment to simulate the night sky.


As the First Years passed, a Gryffindor leaned over to his friend, phones out as they tried to quietly speak to each other about figuring out the wifi password. As soon as they saw Sharpiro, their cell phones were quickly hidden away within the sleeves of their robes. The Deputy Headmistress gave the two a stern glance sidelong as she passed silently. It was enough for the two to display a certain level of guilt.


At the very end of the hall stood Professor Calvin Cordozar Broadus, the current Hogwarts Headmaster, and behind him the line of professors quietly awaiting the feast's events. Professor Broadus carefully hopped down the landing to stand in front of the stool where a dilapidated wizard's hat rested, its tip askew and drooping with age. A wide smile peeked through the bushy beard upon the old wizard's face, his arms widening in greeting as the First Years neared.


"Hey, hey! Welcome!" Professor Broadus greeted, and twirled his hand with a flick of the wrist. Appearing within his palm was a simple wooden pipe, and he took a generous puff from the lip. "Hogwarts is so blessed to have so many in attendance this year, for real, you feel? Ha! This year we have the largest roster in the history of Hogwarts, and you know what that means."


The Headmaster gave pause, a little dance starting from his shoulders wiggling his upper body as Sharpiro rolled her eyes. A few of the professors behind him murmured while a few of the upperclassmen snickered. Professor Broadus took another drag from his pipe before continuing.


"The Wizarding World is bouncing back, y'all!" he exclaimed, his lack of English accent apparent even moreso. "And you are the future. And so, before we get to announcements and all that. Sorting Hat, take it away!"


As soon as Professor Broadus introduced it, the Sorting Hat straightened its crown and fluttered its brim, and from among the drooping fabric came the image of a face creased within the threads. The hat was alive! And then it began to sing boisterously and proud... or rather... it was rapping! A loop track began to accompany the hat, and the headmaster calmly danced to the beat.

"With so much Hogwarts history


It's kinda hard bein Sorting H-A-double-T


But I, somehow, some way


Keep comin up with funky ass shit like every single day


May I, kick a little something for the Wizards


Sit me on heads as I breeze, through


Young'ins minds to see where they will be in houses


Cause you could be at home


In Gryffindor where the loyal sit pretty and brave


and they ain't leavin' you hangin' til mornin'


Cause they chivalrous yeah, sheeeit


We got a pocket full of lovers Hufflepuffers so true


You need a friend turn to them brother


Dog, we love those patient bros, yeah!


But if you wise be Ravenclaw


Books up, heads down, while you other Wizards bounce to this


Flyin' down the pitch, wizardin' world, sippin' on butterbeer


Laid back with my mind on Hogwarts and Hogwarts on my mind


Now let us not forget Slytherin


Everybody got cunning, but they all are real friends


Now these types of Wizards from all houses


You got to understand it's all gonna be good


Everything is fine when you listen to the H-A-T


I got the cultivating music that be captivating ye


Who listens to the words that I speak


As I take me a drink to the middle of this hall


And get to sortin' you to all the houses of Hogwarts!"

The Sorting Hat finished its song and the beat came to a close, and as Professor Broadus applauded the performance, he stepped back for Deputy Headmistress to take center stage. Sharpiro inclined her head sharply and smiled to the headmaster before turning her gaze to the students both seated among the four long house tables and to the First Years eagerly standing within the main isle. Parchment crackled crisply as she adjusted the list of First Years and prepared to speak the first name at the top.

 

[RubyRose]

Gail Owen Talon


Shapiro smoothed the fringes of her wild white hair as she looked down the list for the next name. "Gail Talon."


Gail froze for only a second before taking a deep breath through his nose, puffing out his chest, and walking proudly over to the stool. It was odd to be here without his sister... he wondered how she would react to the sorting hat. She'd probably cry. He reasoned, looking out at the crowd of people for the moments before the hat was tucked over his eyes.


The Sorting Hat was in place, the worn looking hat set upon Gail's head by the Deputy Headmaster, and with the connection, it immediately sprung to life. "Oh!" the Sorting Hat began. "What magnificent pride! Such independence and cunning! I sense a Slytherin in you. Yes..." The Hat paused as if in thought, a small hum emitting from it as it contemplated the boy's personality.


'My oldest sister was in Slytherin and she's off to become a great wizard! But then my other sister was in Gryffindor, the opposing school, and she's also off to become a great wizard. I think it's what you make of it, right? Your house just gives you a home?' Gail asked the hat. He hadn't been sure if he wanted to be more like his oldest sister or not. 'I can make my own path. And Slytherin can help me get there. I agree with the hat, I'm going to make a fantastic Slytherin.' Gail decided, his face splitting into a grin.


The decision was settled, and almost as quickly as the Sorting Hat was placed upon Gail's head, the verdict was called boisterously, "Slytherin!"


Grin still in place, Gail headed over to a table that seemed to cheer just as boisterously as any other table, though he didn't get quite as many slaps on the back. Which he preferred. He took a seat among the Slytherin students, wondering if this is how his sister had felt. He glanced over at the Gryffindor table, wondering if this would but a wall between him and his other sister... he sighed softly. He would make all of his sisters and his parents proud in this house- he just knew it. He was going to become a great wizard.


Erin Riann Miller


Constance Shapiro looked at the list, "Erin Miller"


Erin bounced over excitedly with a simple, yet enthusiastic statement of "That's me!" She went and sat on the stool, glancing around at all the faces looking up at her. One of those houses would be her new family... She was so ready for this!


Shapiro looked at the girl quite amused with her enthusiasm. "Shall we?" She placed the hat over Erin's head and took a step back as the hat worked its magic.


"Well what do we have here." The hat's voice sounded pleased. "Though she be but little..." The hat smiled largely entertained by the girl's mind. "Great qualities you posses. Passion, consideration. You have a power to create what is not seen, so a Ravenclaw it must be! But one outweighs the other. Not as easy a decision it'll be...No. For your kindness and grace must not be overseen. Loyal and patient though your fire burns bright. Can we have a new Hufflepuff in our house tonight?"


Everything became dark when the hat was placed over her head and she listened as a warm and friendly voice spoke to her. Ravenclaw? Hufflepuff? Erin had heard good and bad things about both. She had heard from another student a brief summary of the houses: Gryffindor was for the brave, Ravenclaw for the smart, Slytherin for the Ambitions, and Hufflepuff for everything out. They made Hufflepuff sound like a bad thing... Erin's eyes narrowed a bit as she thought about it. The sorting hat says kindness, grace, loyalty and patience, and a fire that burns bright is what puts me in Hufflepuff. Passion, Consideration, and the ability to create what is not seen makes me Ravenclaw... I like the idea of creating what is not seen, but those other qualities I like a little more. Erin attempted to think at the hat: 'Do you really think I'd make a good Hufflepuff? Is that a good house to go into?"


Once again the hat smile at the girl's thoughts, "Quiet the charmer are you? Yes, Hufflepuff would be a good fit. Strong morals and values. The voice the deaf can hear and the flower the blind can see. In the perfect house you'll be!" The hat was suddenly silent. Bringing the entire hall still. The quietness echoed as everyone waited for the hat to speak again. "HUFFLEPUFF!"


Erin felt her face widen into a huge grin as the hat announced to the school where she would go. "Thanks hat!" Erin said as it was pulled away from her head and she was able to see and hear the cheers coming from the house that was wearing yellow scarves and neckties. She headed over to the house with a huge smile in place. She was welcomed with smiles and pats on the back, and she couldn't help but feel like she really did belong. Truly and finally. she was in her house.

 

[CloudyBlueDay]

Jonas Rimmle


"She'd definetly save us if we fell," Jonas mused. "Hogwarts wouldn't do well if we uh.." Glancing at Erin, he decided not to ruin her fun. "Never mind." He sat quietly as she spoke, her random gibberish a could way to escape his own thoughts. "Oh, uh.. well." Jonas said quietly. "I like to play outside. And I have a squirrel friend. He protects my tree base." Jonas giggled. Oh, but woah, all of a sudden she grabbed his wrist tight. "I had an idea. But it is rather magnificent." Jonas said, gazing at the school with the brightest of look on his face.


Jonas wasn't sure how they could be friends with people in different houses, and just looking at Erin, Jonas had a bad feeling they wouldn't be together. "Yes," He said firmly, nodding at her. "Even if we end up in different houses. I promise."


~


Constance Shapiro cleared her throat, "Jonas Rimmel"


Jonas blinked, making sure there was no other Jonas Rimmel in the room before standing up slowly. Just please, anything but Ravenclaw.He prayed silently as he made his way to the stool with the sorting hat. It somehow felt like walking to his death, the silence and suspense, like something almost bad was going to happen.


As Jonas took a seat on the stool, Shapiro gave him a smug look. "Good luck, " she said to him soft enough for only him to hear. She placed the hat over his head and watched as it came to life.


"Ha!" The hat cackled. "A Rimmel! Bright young minds. Very peculiar, in deed, but what do I see here...Interesting. Very interesting." The hat took a long pause slightly swaying side to side over Jonas's head as if debating between several options. "Motivation, yes. Also Wit. There's certainly a Ravenclaw inside. But there's more, oh so much more. Determination. Pride, yes. Big pride. Quite a character, rebellious too, Perhaps Slytherin might be a good fit for you."


When Shapiro told him good luck, Jonas couldn't help but smile, feeling the slightest bit reassured somewhere inside.


The hat.. laughed at him? He hadn't it expected it to be like this. Jonas was also surprised when the hat recognized his last name. The words were kind, but it's tone was not. "Slytherin?" Jonas asked, pondering over it. Already, he was happy it didn't say Ravenclaw. "But don't all the.. evil guys go to Slytherin?" Jonas whispered. "Am I evil?" Jonas wasn't sure if he would rather go to Ravenclaw than be evil. He just.. couldn't stand being his father's pet anymore.


"Good. Evil. Meaningless words." The hat mused. "For there is good in evil and evil in good. There is a battle between two wolves inside all of us. The good and the bad. Who will win? Depends on which you feed. Fear not the house, but the choices you make. For the house does not define the individual." The hat began to sway once again. Pondering.


The hat's words only confused Jonas. So.. he wouldn't be evil if he was in Slytherin? Or he would be.. more evil? "Okay.." He said slowly. "I don't fear the houses. As long as I don't get Ravenclaw. I'll make my own choices, just like you said." He mumbled, not fully understanding the situation.


"If that is your wish..." The hat grinned very amused with the boy. He was certainly not what he had expected for a Rimmel, but the twist was better. There was a silence that filled the Great Hall as everyone looked up at Jonas waiting for the hat to speak. "SLYTHERIN!"


The applause and cheer from the Slytherin table made him feel so proud and good inside. Jonas hopped off the stool, grinning like a little kid in a candy store. He felt so refreshed. I'm not evil, Jonas told himself. It's just the choices I make. Like the hat said.


I'm not Ravenclaw. I'm not my father.


He glanced to the Hufflepuff table. If Erin would see him, Jonas would give a small wave before he sat with his new house.


(@RubyRose)


~~~~~~~~~~~~


Meghan Sinhem





"Hi, William." She said quietly. She was a bit busy being awestruck with the beautiful grounds, too excited to make small talk. "I want to take Defense Against Dark Arts already! I overheard my dad saying that class would finally shape me up to be the man I need to be. I don't know what he means by that, but if my dad wants me to take it then I want to take it too! What about you guys?" Meghan blinked. "I want to take a class with Mythical Creatures.. but my mom told me that we don't get classes like that for a while." She said sadly.


As they walked, Meghan couldn't help but think about how big the place was. She'd probably get lost a hundred times over before she finally got the hang of the place. But William seemed to read her thoughts, because he grabbed he hand. She let out a little eep, taken completely by surprise by the kind gesture.


“Mind you don’t trip over your feet like that lady on the train, You know, you might hurt yourself and die falling off all three steps. Truly, the stairs here must be the most dangerous things in a flippin’ magical castle.” Oh, it was Ethan. She wondered why he was so upset all of a sudden, what he said seemed pretty mean. Meghan couldn't bring herself to speak up, but she did keep close to William. "Oi, what's got your knickers in a twist?" "I don't know what's gotten my niggahs in a twist, nor do I know what that's supposed to mean. It's probably racist though. Had you thought about that?"


Another quiet eep. She kept her eyes on the ground.


~


Deputy Headmaster Shapiro's grey eyes flecked from her loose parchment to the gathered First Years. "Megahn Sinhem," she called out.


Meghan's heart was already beating out of her chest, it took all she had not to squeal pathetically when the Deputy Headmaster called her name. Slowly, shakily, she stood up, glancing around her as she walked up to the Sorting Hat. She was utterly terrified, but of what she didn't know. Making a mistake, humiliating herself, tripping on the way to the stool, something stupid like that was always prominent in her mind.. but she wanted to do good for her house and she wanted to make her family proud. It felt like, right now, someone was making a decision that would change her life. And she didn't know how to handle it.


Sharpiro gave the nervous looking girl a reassuring smile and helped her onto the stool. With a hidden wink, she carefully lowered the worn old Sorting Hat to sit upon Megahn's head, the brim immediately snapping as the Hat began to sift through the girl's personality.


"Hmm, oh! What a bright young mind we have here!" the Sorting Hat said. "Very nervous. Is this due to pride or for care? Hm! Ah, yes, it does seem like you care a great deal about others. You want to make people proud, but not for your own gain. You'd fit very well in Hufflepuff, you know."


Meghan forced herself to smile back, but the wink confused her a little bit. Did all the teachers wink at her? Was it good or bad? She brushed it off, jolting just a little bit as the brim of the Sorting Hat snapped around her head. This was scary!


The young, fiery haired girl squeezed her eyes shut as she listened to the Hat. She didn't know what to think. "Hufflepuff?" Meghan had read about all the houses, but even now, she wasn't sure where she'd fit. She wasn't even sure what she had expected. Her mom had been in Gryffindor, and a part of her wanted to be in Gryffindor too, just for her mom. But her mom would be happy with any house she got, right?


"Concern with your heritage?" the Sorting Hat observed. "Ah! You do possess the loyalty within Gryffindor. Your compassion for even your mother shouts further for Hufflepuff! Ah, hmm, yes I see a fit for both houses."


The Sorting Hat gave pause in thought, the quiet between the hat and the girl serving as a chance for Megahn to rebuttal. It seemed as though the Sorting Hat's ruling would place her in Hufflepuff should the girl not feel strongly about following after her mother.


Meghan just wasn't sure. She was never sure about anything and she hated it. Both houses sounded promising, and a part of her wanted to come home, shouting to her mother that she'd gotten into the same house. And oh did she love the stories about Harry Potter, of his adventures in Gryffindor. But Meghan wanted to convince herself she could do the same in Hufflepuff.


"I trust you, Sorting Hat." Meghan said cautiously. She knew she would never be able to make up her own mind.


With a haughty dance, the Sorting Hat shouted out for all to hear, "Gryffindor!"


Meghan blinked in surprise as the Hat shouted Gryffindor. It had seemed to be so set on Hufflepuff, and she had been ready for it. But a warm feeling spread inside made her feel like Gryffindor was right. She made her way to the Gryffindor table, which was hooting and cheering for her. A big grin was stuck on her face as she felt like she sat down with new family.

 

[Akeira]

ROSEMARY WILLOW DAVENPORT

Wondrous Hogwarts
​

Rosemary continued to look at Ethan, brow still raised, though laughter was bubbling in her mouth. Of course, she was not serious in her question, but what her fellow First Year did not know would not hurt in any way. His reply actually confounded her, making her think for a few moments on what to say in response. "Oh, you must be American. It's just a silly phrase." She reasoned, when he repeated knickers entirely incorrectly. "If you must know, it just means it seems like there's a stick far up your arse." She teased with a small smirk, satisfied with her reply and turning her attention back to the doors. Looking up at them, the brunette wondered what adventures awaited her beyond the threshold.

THE SORTING CEREMONY
​

In a pointed, sharp tone, Deputy Headmaster Constance Sharpiro then called out the next name. "Rosemary Davenport."


The floating lights entranced Rosemary, as soon as the horde of First Years entered the Great Hall. Her hazel eyes seemed to widen and never return to their normal size, probably producing snickers out of her brother, Brandon, at the Gryffindor Table. The grandeur of the large window behind a long table caught her attention, almost making her miss the Sorting Hat's melodious tune to begin the sorting. She gazed at the Sorting Hat in awe as it sang, applauding along with the Headmaster afterwards. Upon hearing her name, Rose gulped slightly, feeling uneasy about which House she would be put in. Pushing her way through the mob of young students, Rosemary attempted to tame some of her wild curls, proceeding up the steps toward the Deputy Headmistress and the Sorting Hat.


Sharpiro gave the child a small nod, aiding the girl on the stool before the entire student body that awaited the Sorting Hat's declaration. Once Rosemary sat with the dilapidated hat atop her head, she swung her legs gently, listening to what the hat had to say. The First Year exhaled softly, as the large brim of the tattered Sorting Hat covered her head, shrouding a portion of her face from the curious eyes of the Great Hall. Animatedly, the hat began its melodious monologue within the connection. "Mmmm stubbornness, yes," the Sorting Hat mulled, "and a thirst for notoriety. I sense a lot of qualities that could go well with both Gryffindor and Slytherin. Slytherin, though, could definitely raise you above the others. You could achieve so much!"


Rose huffed in slight annoyance, as the Sorting Hat proclaimed her stubbornness. She glanced up at the mention of notoriety, wondering how the hat knew so much about her. "Slytherin!" She scoffed, though the exclamation was not loud enough to be heard by others. Thoughts of William's words about Slytherin came back to her mind, yet she was so set on Gryffindor, when she left home that morning. "What's so good about the snakes anyway?" She inquired, crossing her arms gently. Despite the things she heard about the House, the thought of achieving a lot did seem enticing.


"Oh, come now," the Sorting Hat continued. "Slytherin isn't that bad! It's a place where the individual thrives! Independence! Success! They are just like you in their drive for achievements."


Rose opened her mouth to continue her conversation with the Sorting Hat, though she was lost for words. The thought of thriving was very appealing, especially without the looming shadow of her perfect older brother following her throughout Hogwarts. Brandon was who he was, and the young First Year wanted to be her own individual. The brunette wanted to achieve greatness to show everyone why she matters. Maybe Slytherin was the way to achieve that? "Oi, don't Slytherins hate Muggle-Borns? Is that still true?" She asked the Hat suddenly, peeking from under the large brim to see how many students were staring at her. "I'd lose it, if someone said anything bad about my mum." She murmured boldly, as Sidra Davenport was a lovely person, regardless of her blood status.


"Oh, no no," the Sorting Hat responded. "The hatred for Muggle-Born have nothing to do with being a Slytherin. The house was filled with a lot of ambitious and misguided wizards and witches in the late nineties, but that era is over. Hogwarts is more PC! There is value in every student. There is value in your qualities...but...if you should feel strongly against Slytherin..." The Hat's voice trailed off to allow Rosemary the chance to formulate her own thoughts in the matter.


Rosemary nodded her head slowly in response, taking the Sorting Hat's wise words into consideration. The mystical hat was right in saying some previous witches and wizards in Slytherin had been very misguided, but she was glad to hear things have changed at the wondrous institution. She slumped her shoulders dramatically and exhaled a sigh, having an internal battle with herself on what to do. The Sorting Hat's last statement hinted at a choice, though the brunette was unsure whether she would be able to make it. Peeking out from under the brim of the hat once more, her eyes connected with Brandon's, who stared at her expectedly from the Gryffindor Table. She rolled her eyes inwardly, as his demeanor implied there was really no choice to be made. Rose scoffed at the thought, as this decision was far more hers than it would ever be his.

​

I just hope mum and dad won't be disappointed. She thought with shudder, as her parents' approval and attention is what she strived for above all else. "You've put up a strong case for the snakes, especially when I didn't like them, when I first got here... Just, put me where you think I'll do best." She murmured, knowing that the Hat's next words would seal her fate. After a pause, the Sorting Hat chuckled before calling out the decision. "SLYTHERIN!"


Rosemary nodded and smirked softly, listening as a bellow of applause came from what she imagined was the Slytherin Table. After the mystical hat was lifted from her head, the young brunette hopped off the stool and descended the stairs toward her new House. Clapped on the back by older students, as she sat down at the long table, her hazel eyes traveled across the Great Hall to her older brother's. Instead of confusion and mild fury, Rose was met with an expression of pride, respect, and budding rivalry, causing her to smile and salute him in acknowledgement. She chuckled, knowing she could feel her brother's warm affection, despite not being placed in Gryffindor. It was a freeing feeling, as she finally felt like an individual with her own choices, rather than following in someone else's path.


Mentioned: @Macaberz , @NessieAlways