HoH Speech on Teppenpaw Commons

Nathan Xavier

November 15, 2015 9:38 PM

HoH Speech by Nathan Xavier

"Here we are," he said, stopping at a particular stair partway up the stairwell closest to the Hospital Wing, "take note of this step with the diamond shaped chip on it. This is where we enter our common room." Aside from that chip, the stair looked like every other stair in the stairwell, and the stairwell looked, well, like a normal stairwell. The entrance was well hidden, he'd give it that.

He took a breath before moving on to the part of this job he liked the least of anything. Not so much the jig anymore - he was getting used to that, almost - but telling new people that they would need to dance to get inside when he knew there was a good chance at least one of them was as bad at dancing as he was. Well, that and doing the jig in front of people. "We don't have a password," he admitted almost apologetically. "We have a secret jig. You don't need to be good at it," he promised quickly, as he knew from personal experience, "you just need to put the steps in the right order. It goes like this."

As the school's groundskeeper, Nathan's job was reasonably demanding in a physical sense. He could lift heavy bags of dirt and walk around the labyrinth for hours without needing to sit down too often, so he wasn't completely out of shape. However, he had hit his forties and they hit back. He also had a good fifteen or twenty extra pounds around his middle that were not strictly necessary and 'graceful' was never a word anybody had ever accused him of being. The jig he now performed for the new students looked a bit like an elephant having a seizure. "You step like this, this, and this, then click your heels, and tap, and tap, and shuffle. And you repeat that twice more. You can get an older student to show you how to do it with the right tempo, if you'd like, but everyone just do the steps with me now. This, this, and . . . this, click, tap, tap, shuffle. This, this, and this, click, tap, tap, shuffle." After the third iteration, the wall slid open and revealed the Teppenpaws' Sonora home.

Nathan stepped through and ushered them in after him. "Getting out is much easier," he promised. "Just stand on this mat here in front of the wall and it will open right up for you." Once everyone was through, the wall closed up behind them, looking just like any other wall save for the aforementioned doormat lying in front of it.

He led the way further into a room that was definitely yellow but not violently so. Some yellows went out of their way to assault people's eyes. The decorations here were much more muted shades and were almost homey looking, especially with the maroon scattered about to add darker accents. He liked the place, it looked and felt comfortable with the soft couches and the cozy fireplace, and he regularly came out here just to read and pet his cat if Alice was in the mood for that. (Though that was only partly because the couches here were far more comfortable than anything in his office or even his quarters; the main reason he did it was so his Teppenpaw charges would see him as approachable and not a scary authority figure.)

"This is your common room," he introduced them to the place. "Your dorms are up one of these two staircases," he pointed them out, "girls to the right, boys to the left; don't get that confused or you'd find yourself deposited right back here on your backside. Going up the correct staircase, you will find your room is the one with your year number on it."

Next, he pointed out the bulletin board hanging on the wall near where they'd come in. "That's the announcement board. It'll have important information on it like club announcements, Quidditch sign-up sheets, and so forth. "Our Quidditch Captain is Liac Reinhardt, and I'm sure he'd appreciate it very much if you would sign up to join us so we can maybe field our own team this year. For the last two years, we've combined with Crotalus to play, so we will likely do that again if we're still short players."

"Teppenpaw also has some prefects," he inclined his head to the three older students who had walked with them, "who wear badges identifying themselves as such. They are Portia Dobson, Duncan Brockert, and Jake Manger. You can come to me or any of them if you have questions or need help about anything. And my office is right over there." He pointed to the open door leading to it. "If you do ever need to find me and I'm not in there, I am likely out in the Gardens which are not called a labyrinth lightly, so just get an elf to get me a message and I will get back to you as soon as I can. As your Head of House, I'm here to help you with whatever you need help with, so think of me like your second favorite uncle who is looking after you while your folks are away.

"Just a couple more rules, some of which were probably mentioned in Orientation, but they bear repeating, then I'll let you get settled in and acquaint yourselves with your new home. Curfew is at 10. You don't need to go to sleep then, but you need to be in Teppenpaw territory and quiet. Don't tell anyone not in Teppenpaw how to get in here. Breakfast starts at seven. If you get lost or forgot to pick up a class schedule and a map, I've got more in my office," he nodded toward it again, "if anyone needs them. Are there any questions?"

OOC: Welcome to Sonora and Teppenpaw House! You may reply here with questions or just chat with and get to know your Housemates. You are now welcome to post your new Teppenpaw on any board except the common rooms of other Houses, because Teppenpaw students aren't allowed there. Have fun!

Subthreads:

What luck! by Natalie Varth

1 Nathan Xavier HoH Speech 28 Nathan Xavier 1 5

Natalie Varth

November 16, 2015 1:24 AM

What luck! by Natalie Varth

Natalie couldn’t believe the stroke of luck she just had. And Gabe for that matter. They were shoe ins! Making the team wasn’t enough, though. She wanted to make the team due to her ability not the need for warm bodies. Still, she was excited. She’d discussed with Gabe just an hour or so earlier the need for practice on the field, now the pitch was practically theirs. She still didn't know how to fly or the rules of the game but what she lacked in practicals she made up for in enthusiasm. Much like Gabe, it would turn out. They were true Teppenpaws.

Having tagged along with Gabe from the Opening Feast, she was able to grin widely at him when Professor Xavier made the announcement. She was sure her new friend would share her enthusiasm for the news. This was the best day of school ever! She’d made a really cool friend, she was going to be on a Quidditch team, and she still had time before curfew to check out that cool room. The dancing necessary to get into the room was the only thing that had been less than satisfactory. Thankfully this time she hadn’t needed to do it herself but after she left to explore she figured she’d need to do it again.

But all of that could wait- she and Gabe should go say hi to Joe. She needed to introduce the two boys she’d met at Orientation and the feast. And what luck, they were all in the same house! She couldn’t speak for Joe as she’d spoken to him for quite a shorter period than she had with Gabe, but maybe the boy was also introduced in joining the Quidditch team. Of course, Joe had mentioned his brother John already being a member for the Aladren team, maybe he’d want to practice with him then. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to ask if he wanted to join in on Nat and Gabe’s practice sessions.

She was about to call out when a voice cut her off.

7 Natalie Varth What luck! 331 Natalie Varth 0 5

Arthur Leithan

November 20, 2015 2:28 AM

Hello by Arthur Leithan

Arthur Leithan watched the Head of House execute the password (passjig?) with interest. His parents had not mentioned a jig as a password at their school. He wondered what they would think. Were they supposed to keep the fact that Teppenpaw's password was a jig a secret, or just the steps? He decided not to mention either to his parents or twin sister, Artemis.

He was careful to repeat the steps correctly. He wouldn't want to miss a step and be the only Teppenpaw left outside the house! Who would show him how to perform the steps if he was the only one to mess up? After all, only the other first years were just learning the steps, and if the others got them right, he would be humiliated if someone noticed him missing and had to exit the house to bring him in!

He must have executed them correctly, because he emerged in Teppenpaw Common Room and everyone else seemed to be there. He had noticed the other students who turned yellow after drinking from their challices, and they were all here. He had not had an opportunity to meet them at the feast, as he had been seated between two more senior students, who were polite but more interested in catching up with their returned friends. He wanted to get to know them as soon as possible.

He was certain he wouldn't be friendless at Sonora, with Artemis here, but if he spent most of his time with her and her fellow Croatali, he would obviously be a nonentity side kick of Artemis'. And what if she didn't make friends in Croatalus? They would be twins no one liked but each other -- Outcasts! Their parents would be horrified and might pull the twins from Sonora to transfer to their own alma mater. Two social outcast transfer students! Besides, he and Artemis had convinced their parents that it was time for them to attend school in North America, and felt it was time to have some separate lives and interests (and FRIENDS) from each other.

Arthur brushed aside his insecurities as he approached the girl he had seen turn yellow at the feast.

"Hello!" He said pleasantly. "I'm Arthur Leithan, of the Maryland Leithans. You must be a first-year student, too. May I ask your name?"

0 Arthur Leithan Hello 328 Arthur Leithan 0 5

Natalie Varth

November 20, 2015 10:59 PM

Pleasure to meet you! by Natalie Varth

Arthur’s introduction was quite the shocker- so formal! Natalie didn't hesitate to come right back and introduce herself but her introducing was sub par when compared with his. “I'm Natalie, Natalie Varth from Brownsville. Pleasure to meet you, Arthur!” she beamed, proffering her hand in way of welcome. She was not aware members of pureblooded families- having only just learned there was even a term for such a lineage- introduced themselves the way Arnold had in giving his “family address”, and so was equally unaware that she needn't have given her “address” as it were. Despite Natalie’s real parents having been a witch and wizard she was not raised with magic, her “muggle” aunt having raised her. She was the magical equivalent of a country bumpkin.

“So, Arthur,” she said taking the reins of the conversation, “how was the feast? Did you like the people you sat next to?” She waited for his answer and then said she'd had a great time talking to Gabe, their fellow first year Tepp before asking another question. She piled them on, the Teppenpaw friendliness taking hold of her, and inquired about his trip here, orientation, if he had any siblings, etc. She asked him if he was art all interested in Quidditch and explained that she was thinking if trying out for the team. “I know I'll probably be no good, but I hope that's only at first. Our house head just said we'd need players so hopefully I can be of assistance” she grinned.

“What about you, what are your hobbies?” Sure Nat was most interested in shorts but she wasn't averse to trying anything and trying it more than once. She'd dabbled in painting and the clarinet, though the last one was short lived as the music program was cut. If Arthur had anything he'd like to do she’d be more than happy to see if she liked it too. And there was that MARS room to check out, anything could be possible there.

7 Natalie Varth Pleasure to meet you! 331 Natalie Varth 0 5

Arthur Leithan

November 26, 2015 6:02 PM

Absolutely Charmed!! by Arthur Leithan

Natalie was so charming! Her introduction revealed she was not clear on the social distinctions of pureblood introductions, but she was so friendly!! Arthur had been brought up to understand that a true pureblood gentleman keeps the focus of a conversation off of himself and draws out his conversational partner, but Natalie was so eager to learn more about him that he found himself going on about himself, quite in spite of his well-bred manners. After all, he was only 11!

Most of all, Natalie dispelled any fears he had about not making friends. He almost wished she were in Crotalus with Artemis, then they could be best girl friends!! However, if Artemis didn't do well socially in Crotalus, he was convinced Natalie would accept her with open arms as a friend, anyway. With a girl like Natalie as a friend, Artemis would not look like a reject who was hanging around her twin brother's friends. He knew Artemis would adore Natalie, too. Throughout their conversation, Arthur did manage to insert questions to Natalie about her own siblings, etc, but Natalie's natural charm kept the conversation mostly about Arthur.

Gabe certainly sounded like an interesting fellow, and he was certain he could get Natalie to introduce him. He had such interesting, friendly housemates!! Arthur felt sure Sonora was going to be everything he had hoped.

Natalie was interested in sports, and perhaps she might visit his family and learn archery sometime when school was out. Then he and Artemis would have someone else to compete against instead of just each other. She wanted to play quidditch, and while he had not planned to play, it was something he would volunteer for if Teppenpaw desperately needed one more player. He would wait and see.

Arthur's further answer to Natalie's question about hobbies was that he enjoyed training a particular breed of dog used in sheepherding. "They're called border collies," he explained helpfully. "They originated in the same area of Scotland my ancestors came from, and we like to keep up with it as a link to our homeland." He wondered if that sounded strange to her. He directed his attention to his conversational partner hopefully.

0 Arthur Leithan Absolutely Charmed!! 328 Arthur Leithan 0 5

Natalie

November 28, 2015 5:14 PM

Positively Impressed by Natalie

As Arthur answered her questions, Natalie was happy to learn he had a sister. She liked when people had siblings. Though there were of course siblings who couldn’t get along no matter the situation, she had found most siblings in her old school protected each other. She couldn’t imagine anyone bullying Arthur or his sister if she was as nice as him but the buddy system was good to have in place no matter what. Being so far away from her own she was glad that they still all had each other. Subconsciously she wanted to make as many friends as possible in part to deal with the loss of her sibling cohort, but only in part. She genuinely wanted many friends because Sonora just seemed the place to do that. Not like Brownsville at all.

He then asked if she had any siblings of her own and she obliged by telling him she had four- all younger, two boys, two girls. But now was not the time to think about them all, not again. She couldn’t regale every person she met with the tales of her siblings or she’d know nothing about anyone else. It was much better to live in the present and enjoy the new then reliving memories, even good ones.

Natalie had seen one collie before and didn’t know if she was a border collie or not. Technically, she hadn’t really seen her in person either. Watching Lassie in class one day might not count, especially with someone who trained them so she kept her very limited “interaction” with them quiet. “Wow, you must really be great with animals to be able to train them.” Nat was properly impressed. “We found a stray puppy once and tried to teach him to shake but he never got the hang of it. Herding sounds like it’d be much harder to train them for.”

“I’m not sure they’ll be able to replicate that in the MARS room but at least we’ll have Care of Magical Creatures class! Are you excited for that?” She wasn’t particularly. She loved animals but often got a little over. . .zealous with them. Being 11 she should have learned when she was being too rough, but she hadn’t. She had much better luck with the stray dogs than the cats. Cats were “overly” sensitive.

"Oh, will your sister be in that class with us?"

7 Natalie Positively Impressed 331 Natalie 0 5

Arthur

December 12, 2015 9:34 PM

Completely mutual by Arthur

Arthur was extremely happy to have met Natalie. She was so friendly that it was impossible to imagine life at Sonora not turning out as well as he had hoped, or even better.

He explained that herding dogs had innate instincts to herd, and all that was required of him was to let the dog know where he wanted the sheep, or which ones he wanted separated out. Now that she mentioned it, his experience with nonmagical creatures might be a foundation for Care of Magical Creatures! After all, border collies were still creatures. He began to feel less lonely for his dog with the prospect of learning to take care of other types of animals. School was going to be a positive adventure after all. He would have to see if he could invite her to visit during school breaks so he could introduce her to Nitro, his champion herder. It was a shame that you couldn't bring dogs with you to school, but Nitro would not be interested in his classes, and they had no sheep to keep Nitro happy, anyway.

Arthur hoped she would introduce him to the students she had met earlier. He was certain that she would be willing to if he asked. It must be difficult not having her siblings around. Arthur could not imagine being separated from Artemis for an entire term. Arthur determined to make sure Natalie would not miss her family while she was at Sonora. It was the least he could do considering her friendliness and making him feel so at home here.

When Natalie suggested that Artemis might be in the same classes with them, Arthur was delighted. He was sure Artemis would enjoy Natalie's company as much as he did, and he intended to make sure they became friends. “I hope she will be in our class with us.” Arthur stated. “She will be very happy to meet you.”

0 Arthur Completely mutual 0 Arthur 0 5