Headmistress Kijewski-Jareau
May 17, 2013 6:25 PM
Welcoming Feast!! by Headmistress Kijewski-Jareau
The summer had come and gone in a blink of an eye. Kiva’s baby, Harper, had turned a year old over the summer and with her big day, was also the big day that Kiva would have to acknowledge that her baby boy (who was not so much a baby any longer and would murder her if he knew she still thought of him as such) was now eleven and old enough to attend Sonora. Since she was already at Sonora, the only difference would be seeing him and Chloe during the day instead of just in the evening for dinner, much like her older adopted children, Angel and Ayita. Still, it was going to be an adjustment to know her son and step daughter were that old now.That also meant that this sorting was extra special to Kiva. Of course, she knew that they were worried about sharing a name with the Headmistress. Either people may treat them differently because of her or they would ignore them entirely because of her. Kiva never really saw any sort of change in the students behaviors towards Ayita and Angel, but they had already been established members of the school before changing their names when they joined the family. She supposed they would just have to wait and see.
Kiva watched as the returning students found friends and found seats, everyone chatting on to one another about their summers. She liked to watch them during these times because this is when they often seemed the most sincere. Soon though, the first years were being brought in by the Deputy Headmistress and most of the student body’s chatter died down knowing that the feast would begin soon. Kiva tried not to be obvious when searching out for her two children, but she smiled a little happily when she was able to find them standing beside each other. She knew she was being such a mother at the moment, but one couldn’t help it.
Charming herself to be heard, Kiva greeted them all “Good Evening, Everyone! For the returning students, I say welcome back and to our new students, welcome to Sonora Academy. For those who do not know me, I am Headmistress Kijewski-Jareau, but feel free to call me Professor K.” This was a standard greeting, but it was always necessary. She didn’t want to just jump right into things and be too overwhelming.
“Our first priority for the moment is to have the first years sorted.” Kiva turned her hazel eyes to the newest group of students. “In order for this to be done, I need for each of you to step up one at a time to your new Deputy Headmistress Pierce, who is also the Coach, and take a sip from the potion she will offer to you.” Kiva explained, nodded to Amelia to indicate who Coach Pierce was. “Once you have taken a sip of the potion, your skin will turn into the color of the house you will be spending the next seven years in. Once your house is indicated, please have a seat at your house table. Yellow is for Teppenpaw, blue is for Aladren, red is for Crotalus, and brown is for Pecari. Please, if you could form a line and begin…” She gestured for the first student to step up.
Once the sorting had ended, Kiva regained the students’ attention. “I would like to have Regina Parker and Derwent Pierce the Fourth to please come up here and accept your new Head Girl and Head Boy badges.” Kiva called out and when both students approached, she grinned and handed each their appropriate badges. “Congratulations to you both.” She whispered to them before having them return to their seats. “I would also like to have Henrietta Boxton-Fox-Reynolds, Meghan Brownbriar, Alexandra Deveraux, and Waverly Canterbury join me up here for a moment.” Kiva waited for the four to be standing at her side before continuing. “Everyone, I would like you to meet your newest Prefects. Congratulations to you four, please take your new badges.” Kiva gestured for the four to return to their seats.
“Before I announce the event this year, I’d first like to introduce everyone to our newest staff member, please give a warm applause to Professor Chambers. She is your new Muggle Studies Professor.” Kiva clapped politely before moving on. “This year’s Midsummer Event will be the Fair. Every Fair we’ve always done things a little bit differently than the last, but this year we wanted to bring it around again.” Kiva advised them, knowing they probably had no idea what she was talking about.
“That is to say, we’re having student run booths. We’ll have the Fair games and the carnival rides like normal, but we’d also like to have students to work together, whether it be with friends or on an idea that you find you have in common with someone, and create a booth for you to run throughout the evening. Obviously, the booths have to be school appropriate, but they can be of your talents or skills. Or they can feature your clubs. You can do food booths or games booths as well. Whatever you want, within reason.“ Kiva explained to them. “We’ll discuss this more as time goes on and if you have any questions, you can ask any professor or staff member.”
Kiva waited for any commotion over this news to die down. At least Quidditch was back on, so the students wouldn’t freak out on her again. “In honor of tradition, please refer to your music sheets as we begin the School Song.” Sheets of music appeared in front of the students. “Let’s begin.”
Every day we strive
Learning to survive
Life’s hardships and to solve its mystery.
Learning to defend
Our honour and our friends,
Flying high to meet our destiny
We will stand and face those who want to harm us.
We won’t let the world transfigure, jinx or charm us
I won’t fight alone, as long as you are with me.
Sonora be my home, my tutor and my spirit
Vasita quoque floeat; Even the desert blooms.
Once the song ended, the food appeared before them. A feast of great magnitude. “Please enjoy the rest of your evening. When it is time to head back to your Houses, your Head of House will call for your attention and bring you to your destinations. That is all.” Kiva concluded and then took her seat at the staff table.
OOC: Welcome First years! Please do not post on any other board until your Head of House posts his/her welcoming speech, which should be up in a week's time. Have fun at the feast and remember the site rules. Happy posting everyone!
Subthreads: Disappointment and Recovery. by Alicia Bauer with Ava Fletcher
Getting a feel of things. by Emery Kijewski-Jareau with Emrys Lucan, Emery
Not sure what to do with myself by Ji-Eun Park with Clara Abernathy, Chloe Jareau
I love a good feast. by Adam Spencer
The Worst Possible Place to Be. by Charlotte Spencer with Virginia Bellrose, Ginny Bellrose
Unimpressed. by Leo Princeton with Eleanor Vandenberg
Completely enchanted. by Noxienia Verailles with Portia Dobson, Noxienia Versailles, Darina Porter
Looking for a firstie to overwhelm! by Waverly Canterbury
My last welcome by Maximilian Joshua McLachlan
Not the best start to the term. by Brianna Japos with Valerie Lennox, Brianna
Good to be back by Carter Browning
Starting as I don't mean to go on (wotw) by Francesca Wolseithcrafte with Amity Brockert
Overwhelming doesn't even cover this by Dimitri Porter with Julian Umland
A year of last goodbyes. by Fae Sinclair with Topher Calhoun, Fae
Fairy Tale Summer Gone Wrong (RORY) by Analea Thornton with Rory Royale, Ana
I spilled my guts... by Aubrielle Thornton
Like me only better by Effie Arbon with Isabel Raines, Isabel
Must be serious, they used my full name by Henny B-F-R with Andrina Thornton, Henny B-F-R
Seventh Year can only get better by Derry Four with Regina Parker
One last time (Tag Russell) by Hope Brockert
Once invisible, always invisible. by Thaddeus Luther Leebridge III with Thaddeus Pierce II, Thaddeus-L, Thaddeus-P
Will you pass the dressing? by Addison Thornton
Ooo! Bangers and Mash! by Abigail Thornton
Ummmm pie! by Clarissa Clark
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Headmistress Kijewski-Jareau
Welcoming Feast!!
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Headmistress Kijewski-Jareau
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Alicia Bauer
May 17, 2013 11:30 PMAlicia Bauer
AlumnusHouse: Aladren
Written by: Grayson Wright
Age in Post: 15
Birthday: September 15
Disappointment and Recovery. by Alicia Bauer
Normally, returning to school was one of the highlights of Alicia’s year, a blessed escape from the constant stress and anxiety and helpless fury of her summer vacations. She spent weeks looking forward to it, working up to it, spending as much money as she could get away with on clothes and supplies, packing and repacking her trunk, rehearsing the lies she would use at the Opening Feast and afterward when people invariably asked her about her summer. She read all her textbooks twice and triple-checked her homework and was, in her head, very nearly back in school already days before she actually got on the wagon and flew away.This year, she had gone through all the usual steps in the last days of summer, but it hadn’t worked quite as well as it usually did. Spending part of that time making contingency plans for what she’d do if she failed at something else had kind of cast a pall over everything.
She had been putting her knowledge of medicinal herbs to good use to hold off the worst of her nerves about the prefect selection, taking valerian root three times a day for two weeks in spite of its awful smell and taste to try to keep herself calm as she approached this, but as she went into the Hall, made greetings, and smiled until it hurt, she felt like she hadn’t done a thing. Her hands felt unsteady, her stomach was in knots, and an overwhelming pressure seemed to have fallen on both her temples and her heart, making it hard to think, hard to breathe. Not impossible, but harder than usual, something she didn’t appreciate at all under the circumstances. Because this was her year’s night, it was a given that the Sorting was going to take three times as long as usual, and that the Headmistress would talk until all the food got cold and they had to eat it reheated when the elves finally got to send it up. And she would have to appear calm the whole time, not batting an eye out of place or letting her smile falter once. It was going to be extremely difficult.
Difficult, but not impossible. She applauded as little blue people joined her table, and then was shocked when, right away, Derry Pierce and his girlfriend were called to the front for their badges. No announcements first. Just them. So they would get their badges, and then it would be the prefects, and they were already at the table, so she had no time to compose herself –
”I would also like to have Henrietta…”
The words cut through the rising panic, momentarily freezing her in place as she processed them. Henrietta Boxton-Fox-Reynolds. Henny’s real name. She heard it so seldom that it was easy enough to forget, but that was Henny’s real name. She glanced at the line again, wondering if maybe this was something else, but no, there was the greatest rival who’d never know Alicia was competing with her, Waverly Canterbury. Nothing with Waverly Canterbury in it could be bad. She had lost.
Blood flooded into her cheeks, warming them as she watched her roommate go forward. She had lost. The only one in the family besides Aunt Helena – well, and Aunt Lavinia, but she was a Squib and didn’t count – to do so. She had known it would be close, had known it was between her and Thad and Henny and that they were both highly capable and real competition for her, but she didn’t think she had really believed until right now, when it had happened, that she would actually lose.
But Aunt Helena turned out the best of anyone, she reminded herself, a line she had carefully prepared in anticipation of this maybe happening. Never had she been gladder to be paranoid. And you have plans to get Head Girl anyway. And Henny is your friend. And Thad and Cepheus both lost, too. You can turn this around.
The thought calmed her, soothed her. It was going to be all right. She had plans. Big plans. By the end of this year, she would make up for everything she had ever failed at. No one would ever be able to say she had been insignificant, or that she was a failure on the bigger stage. She was going to make this work, and bring Thad along with her, if she could. He would not be happy right now, probably even less than she was, all things considered, but she could work on that. He appreciated her because she was smart, because she had the ideas; he would, she was sure, be counting on her to make it all right. And it would be. She refused to accept anything else.
She smiled brilliantly as she applauded for the new prefects and the new Muggle Studies teacher, noticing the lack of a new librarian. That would be the first thing they could do, she decided: she and Thad could go to Professor Fawcett to voice their concern about the library and seize control of the whole monitor program before Waverly or Russell had a chance. She hated to do it to Henny, but Henny already had a pretty toy….She nodded to herself as the Headmistress talked about the Fair. She could tie her Friends of the Library idea into that, maybe, and include more people, including Henny in that. That would work. If she could get Professor Skies in on another idea she’d had, then she would maybe have to cede the running of one booth to someone else, but as long as the staff associated her with the setting up of as much as possible, she could make that work.
She sang the school song, feeling better, then turned to the food, looking in vain for the cup of tea she badly needed at the moment to take the edge off her growing excitement and lingering nerves. It was late, so there probably wasn't any, but she craned her neck to see if she could spot anything hopeful-looking and smiled at her neighbor when she thought she did. "Hi, that's probably iced tea right there, isn't it?" she asked, gesturing toward what she meant.
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Disappointment and Recovery.
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Emery Kijewski-Jareau
May 17, 2013 11:43 PM
Getting a feel of things. by Emery Kijewski-Jareau
Emery had heard about Sonora his whole life. His mother had been pregnant with him when she had been working here as the Deputy Headmistress, but left when he had been two. From there, she had worked as a Magizoologist locally where their home was. But she still always told him stories about Sonora, both from her childhood and from her stint as a Care of Magical Creatures Professor. Emery had even gone on a school trip when he had been a baby. He, of course, had no memory of it. Either way, it was of no surprise that he held the school in the utmost highest regards. From all the stories that he grew up hearing about the different sorts of lessons he’ll have to the look of the school itself, Emery had high expectations of what his life would be like here. He hoped it didn’t let him down.The wagon ride was a little too shaky for his stomach, but he didn’t say anything because his siblings might make fun of him or treat him like a small child. He had never been one for roller coasters as he was easily ill with motion sickness (made portkey use interesting). His mother had thought ahead though and once he was able to sit down and put food in his mouth, he’d take the motion sickness potion she had pocketed to him prior to him boarding the wagon.
Now standing in the hall, Emery tried to take everything in. The first thing he had noticed, was his mother. It was inevitable. She stood in front of everyone. His green/blue eyes immediately went to her. And then, he noticed the waterfalls and the chandeliers as well as the marble flooring. He had never seen anything like it. Closing his mouth, he gave himself a quick shake. There was no need for him to look so… new. He knew Chloe was loving all of this. He had known his sister his whole life, well before she had become family. This was the sort of thing she thrived off of. The unknown. Not Emery, but even reading brochures and listening to his mom hadn’t really prepared him for anything. Seeing it was so different.
The sorting began and Emery found himself following along with the other first years until it was his turn. He took the potion and waited only for a moment before turning blue. Knowing that this was Aladren, Emery quickly made a beeline for the blue table and sat in an empty seat. Angel and Ayita weren’t in this house. Chloe managed to get sorted into Ayita’s house. He didn’t know if that was good or bad, but he felt a little down at not being in the house with one of his siblings.
The rest of the announcements were had, but Emery didn’t pay much attention to them and only muttered along to the song. His brain was till processing everything that had happened that it was difficult for him to focus on what was happening around him.
At least until his stomach rumbled and he was reminded of the last meal he had eaten. Sitting up, Emery looked around at the large variety of foods before helping himself. Turning to the student next to him, Emery smiled, “Good Evening. Are you having a good start to term?”
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Emery Kijewski-Jareau
Getting a feel of things.
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Emrys Lucan
May 18, 2013 12:09 AM
Who, me? by Emrys Lucan
Emrys was the oldest child in his family and both his parents had been homeschooled, so he barley knew anything about Sonora at all- his paternal grandfather has been quite staunch in his belief that the United States would never match up to Wales, and so refused to let his wife send Emrys' father to Sonora. Meanwhile, Emrys' mother's parents had been just as much nuts about Arthurian legend as Emrys' mother, Morgana herself was. In fact that's where Emrys got his name- Emrys was one of the names that Merlin had had. So all in all, Emrys was a little nervous about attending Sonora. His grandfather had given him a very long lecture about making the Lucan name proud and Emrys was not at all looking forward to disappointing him- as everyone his grandfather ever spoke to did.Nerves aside, he hadn't liked the wagon ride over as he was rarely fond of non-foot travel. Emrys enjoyed walking as it gave him fresh air- or horseback riding, as it made him feel closer to the characters of the myths that he held so dear to his heart. He'd wanted to talk to someone, but he had instead (stupidly) opted to read one of his many books in the first part of the ride and then spend the next part of it feeling quite queasy and as if he was going to throw up.
When the wagon finally got to Sonora, his nerves only intensified the queasy feeling that he had and he twisted his long fingers in desperation as he waited his turn to drink out of the cup. Color? His skin was going to turn color?? Emrys was not too sure how he felt about that. While he may not have liked his freckles, he thought that they at least were natural.
When it was finally his turn to drink, Emrys walked on shakey legs to the cup, looked out at the expectant faces of his new school mates, and nearly threw up. But he forced himself a sip and looked down at his newly blue colored skin. Gross. Which house was that again? Aladren? He hoped so as he didn't particularly want to be called out amongst everybody for accidently going to the wrong house.
Once seated, he sat there in awe until the boy sitting next to him turned and spoke.
"What? Huh? Me?" Emrys stuttered stupidly. "Um, yes. Alright. I nearly threw up on the wagon ride- my fault for choosing to read a book at the beginning, but then again I never really travel much by any means except foot." He paused, wondering if he'd said too much and then realized that he had never introduced himself and stuck out a shaky hand. "I'm Emrys Lucan."
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Emrys Lucan
Who, me?
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Not sure what to do with myself by Ji-Eun Park
Ji-Eun cast her dark eyes around the Cascade Hall, surveying the sea of faces looking her way. She tried not to be nervous but it was hard enough starting at a new school, far away from home, without being lined up at the front for everyone to have a good look. She knew she would have to get used to that if she really wanted to be a pop star but then she would have something to do. She would have songs to sing that people liked. Right now she was just standing here. Plus she was well aware that her ambition was more like a daydream than a goal she was actually working towards. She locked her hands behind her back in order to keep herself from fiddling with her hair, which was split into two braids, each with a silvery ribbon worked into it. She had had to go for something that would weather the long wagon journey ok but had still wanted to make it pretty. She liked experimenting with fun hairstyles, especially ones sported by her musical idols. She tried to focus on the headmistress, rather than all the people watching them, listening to how they would be sorted. She watched as the Coach came out with the goblet. Her parents ran a shop selling potion supplies and she was sure they would be interested to hear about this. Although first there was actually taking it to get through. She knew it was silly to be scared of a Potion, at least in this context where she could be sure it was harmless, but she still had butterflies as she took a step forward. She took a sip, and her eyebrows shot up in surprise as her skin turned brown. They had been warned of the effect and thus it was not this which surprised her but rather the result. She was sure that when her brother arrived the year after next, he would be sorted into Pecari. She had expected Aladren or Crotalus and rather suspected her parents did too. She hoped they wouldn't be disappointed. She could hope that so long as she brought home good grades that would pacify them but it didn't seem like an auspicious start.There was nothing to do about it, however, but make her way over to the Pecari table. She listened to the headmistress' speech, clapping politely at the appropriate points even though none of the names really meant anything to her yet. A fair sounded quite fun but the end of her first year seemed like a rather distant prospect at present. There were more pressing things like what her teachers would be like or who her room mates would be. And dinner. The food appeared and she scanned the table, finding herself a little disappointed. It wasn't that she'd really expected Sonora to be big on Korean cuisine, or that she was unfamiliar with the stuff there but they ate traditionally at home. When they went out to eat, it was usually to Asian restaurants and most of her friends at home were Asian-American too. She had tried American, Italian and all other kinds of food from time to time but none of it was her favourite. None of it was comforting or familiar and, hundreds of miles from home, she really would have liked something that was. Her mother had packed her off to school with plenty of kimchi (the pickled cabbage which was a staple accompaniment to every meal) and hot pepper sauce, not to mention piles of snacks, but it was all upstairs, as were her chopsticks and spoon. Not that she didn't know how to use a knife and fork just, once again, it wasn't what she usually did at home, and it all served to compound how far away she was, and how different everything here would be.
She helped herself to some rice and chilli. It was something she'd eaten a few times and, outside of the foods she was used to, was one of the things she liked better. At least it had some kick to it. She liked spice, so long as it was the chilli variety. Curry spices were different and she found them way too hot. She added peas and sweetcorn to her plate and stirred it all together with her fork, remembering her mother's words the first time she could recall having to use one at a restaurant - just think of it like a skinny spoon with holes in – then you only need to panic if you've got soup. Smiling a little to herself, she tucked in.
She looked at the people around it her. There were so many. It should have been easy to find one to talk to. Somehow though, it was harder. If there had just been her and one other person, it would have been logical for them to chat. Here, everyone could choose anyone. And she wasn't really sure how to make them choose her. Every time she looked up, people seemed to be looking a different way. She could have just tried to say something to catch their attention but her ideas of things to say pretty much ran out at 'hi' so if she used that to get their attention she wasn't sure where she'd go from there.
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Ji-Eun Park
Not sure what to do with myself
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Adam Spencer
May 18, 2013 4:11 PM
I love a good feast. by Adam Spencer
As delighted as Adam was that Charlotte was going to school with him, he was starting to tire of her constant clinging. Normally she wasn’t this terrible, but Adam had never been in a situation where she would be thrown into a crowd full of strangers. Even when she was a bit clingy, he hadn’t minded it. After an hour or so she would relax a bit and learn to say actual words to people, but this time around she couldn’t shut up. She had asked him a million different questions about Sonora and his friends and the people he’d met and the school’s dynamics and the courses; it was getting really wearing. By the time they arrived at Sonora’s step, he was about ready to disappear no matter how mean that would be. This was definitely a new side of Charlotte he was seeing. She was usually calm and collected, though shy, and Adam liked being the only one who ever saw her talkative side. But she needed to learn to make some friends of her own now that she was going to a real school. He couldn’t coddle her forever.He was a bit worried, but not too much. Adam had faith she would get to know her house-mates and classmates soon enough. If she didn’t, well, he would be there to support her as he always had been. Maybe he could even introduce her to some of his friends as he had in the past.
Summer had been lovely. He had romped around the countryside with his mates and their parents on holiday. He had brushed up his dancing skills, a good reminder of the ball he had come from, and told his family all about America. Charlotte had seemed fascinated, but he knew she was scared out of her wits. He appreciated that she didn’t go into a full panic attack, but he could see it by how white her face got at times and her fidgety hands. There were stages into her panic attacks that would always end up with her crying and Mum would scold her lightly for that, but Adam could understand her. His parents knew Charlotte was shy, but he wasn’t sure they knew the extent of it. They certainly weren’t aware she had a completely relaxed and talkative side to her.
At the entrance, Adam did feel a little bad leaving his sister on her own as he went to sit with the Pecaris, but she had her cat. She still had the sorting ceremony to go through after the announcements, and when it came time to do that Adam watched, hoping for her sake she would be a Pecari. She had hardly any qualifications, but if the professors knew how shy she was perhaps they would have some sympathy on her. Not to mention he was a little worried about what would happen if she wasn’t. Their cousin was going through the ceremony as well and Adam wasn’t surprised to see Leo turn Crotalus red. He would be with Cepheus; how fitting.
Adam’s eyes turned back to his little sister and he watched, holding his breath, as she took a sip from the potion. Her skin turned as red as Leo’s and Adam released his breath in surprise. Charlotte looked for him desperately in the crowd as her feet led her to the Crotalus table. When they finally made eye-contact, Adam frowned and pointed at Leo, hoping she would get his message. Now Charlotte would have poor Leo to cling onto. Though Adam didn’t know Leo very well, he knew enough that he’d better keep an eye on them both.
The headmistress began her announcements and Adam was pleasantly surprised by the Midsummer Event for this year. Student-run booths at a fair? At least Adam had all year to think about that and who he wanted to work with. He had enjoyed his dancing partners at the ball and he hoped to continue to make stronger friendships here. He usually didn't have a difficult time making new friends, but it was different here than back home.
The feast began after a hearty song and Adam settled into his seat, ready to tuck in. This was going to be his second year and he was going to enjoy it. He was going to join Quidditch now that it was back on, do as well as he possibly could in his classes and keep an eye out for Charlotte. On the grounds of socialising, Adam smiled a greeting at the person sitting in front of him. “Good evening. Did you have a pleasant summer?”
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Adam Spencer
I love a good feast.
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Charlotte Spencer
May 18, 2013 4:14 PM
The Worst Possible Place to Be. by Charlotte Spencer
It had taken everything in Charlotte’s power to not run away screaming from the wagon to take her to school. She wanted to hide behind her mother’s robes and be home-schooled forever. But she had dutifully taken Adam’s hand with her brand new kitten in her other arm and followed her brother in, squeezing his hand so tightly she thought she would cut off his circulation. She was sure she was paler than normal too. Charlotte hated the trip to America, firstly, and hated the wagon ride as well. It was bumpy and uncomfortable and filthy and she wished the whole time she had stayed at home. Adam did bring a little comfort. She hoped desperately they would be in the same house so she could cling onto him as much as possible.Charlotte’s parents had kindly purchased her a brand new kitten to accompany her to this unknown land. She had named her Missy and the kitten kept Charlotte’s fears at bay for a little while. She was such a darling little thing and Charlotte loved her immensely. Still, even little Missy could only do so much to keep Charlotte’s mind occupied and distracted from what was to come.
They arrived at the school and Charlotte followed after her older brother tentatively, feeling frightened with every step. She had to give up little Missy with the rest of her luggage that was to wait for her in Charlotte’s new dorm room, wherever that was going to be. When Adam left as well, Charlotte about had a heart attack, but stayed alive long enough to follow after her classmates, looking calm and collected though her face was white and she was fidgeting with her hands. Charlotte thought she would die of embarrassment when she was forced to stand up in the front of the hall with her year-mates. She was self-conscious and tried to still her fiddling hands, but she couldn’t. The sorting finally began and she was eager to take the potion and rush to sit by her older brother.
But alas, the Fates were against her and her skin turned scarlet instead. Charlotte blushed, feeling self-conscious again, and looked desperately at her brother who pointed over at the Crotalus table. It was cruel of him to not pull strings to have her sit by him and she was almost indignant. But she respected the rules enough that she stiffly walked over to the Crotalus section. She would have stood out anyway among the ugly brown colours of his house. At least her house’s colours were nice.
Both Cepheus and Leo were in Crotalus and Charlotte felt a bit comfort in that, but not much. Neither of her cousins were Adam and she didn’t know them that well. She took deep breaths, but found both of her cousins preoccupied with no empty seats available near them. She was fretting and panicking. She had never had to socialise with a whole school of strangers before. She had always had Adam by her side or her mum and now neither of them were there. Charlotte was very tempted to run back to her brother and beg him to take her home. She would write to her parents immediately, as soon as this feast was over. She couldn’t take it.
Charlotte sat down timidly at the table, unsure of what to do. The Headmistress began speaking and she listened attentively, but was aghast at the Midsummer Event. She had to create a booth? What sort of people were these Americans? She would have to ask Adam to get her out of it. She refused to sing the song, staring instead at her plate, and only looked up again when people had stopped and conversations began around her.
People were eating, so she did the same by piling food onto her plate. She wasn’t used to serving herself and she could feel her face grow hot as not all of her peas made it onto her plate. Her hand was starting to shake and she felt like crying. She felt so alone even though Adam was in the same room and there were so many people she didn’t know and she didn’t even know how to begin a proper conversation by herself. Her cousins had their own friends and she was the only one with no one. Not even Missy to comfort her. She put her plate down so she didn’t spill anything more and stared at her plate, feeling red-faced and not hungry at all as she fiddled with her hands again in her lap. She hated school already and no one could change her mind, not even Adam.
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Charlotte Spencer
The Worst Possible Place to Be.
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Leo Princeton
May 18, 2013 4:18 PM
Unimpressed. by Leo Princeton
The moment Leo stepped into Cascade Hall, he yawned. That was probably a sign of how things were going to go here, but the trip here had been tiring. He’d talked very little during the entire route, opting instead to sleep or listen to Nellie chatter on about everything and Adam reassuring Charlotte that things weren’t going to be nearly as terrible as she thought. Leo had two older brothers who were fine with Sonora, so he was confident he would breeze through as well. While several younger siblings would want to get out of their older siblings’ shadows, Leo thrived in it. Professors and older students already had expectations of him and he could comply with those while doing his own thing on the side. It was brilliant especially because Cepheus wasn’t a terrible person and Rupert was outlandish enough for all three of them.Nothing, in Leo’s critical eye, was better than his family’s estate in England, and this meagre school was no exception. Instead of gazing in wonder at everything, he took his time studying the students. Most of them were attractive, strong, athletic, thin. He had always been good at guessing one’s personality type from first impressions and could mould himself to work with it. Except for people like Charlotte, with whom there was absolutely nothing to work with. It wasn't until someone nudged him that he realised the sorting was going on. Potions. Interesting. It was very different from Hogwarts and Leo almost wished he had gone there instead.
On his turn, he smiled his thanks to the Deputy and took a sip, hoping it wasn’t filthy with everyone else’s saliva. His pale skin turned scarlet and he smirked. He was in the same house as Cepheus. As much as he didn’t interact with his eldest brother, he did respect him enough to be glad to be a Crotalus. According to Ceph, Crotalus was the most respected house. Brilliant.
However, much to Leo’s chagrin, Charlotte joined. Well, that was brilliant. He hoped she wasn’t planning on hanging off his arm like she’d been hanging off her brother’s. Leo made certain that he was surrounded by his classmates when she was sorted so she wouldn’t sit right next to him and cling on. This also gave Leo good reason to begin conversations with people and start figuring out his classmates. However, the Headmistress began speaking and he sighed inwardly.
The speech went over his head and Leo felt free to not listen to a word. He didn't think it pertained to him anyway, he being a first year with responsible older brothers to keep him updated. Once the feast began after some ridiculous singing, he turned to his neighbours. “Good evening,” said Leo to the person in front of him. “I don’t think I fancy the desert weather quite yet, but it’s a lovely change. How are you faring with it?”
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Leo Princeton
Unimpressed.
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Leo Princeton
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Clara Abernathy
May 18, 2013 6:37 PM
None of us really are...lol by Clara Abernathy
Clara returned to Sonora after the weirdest summer she had ever had in her entire life. She, all of her cousins, her aunts, her uncle and her dad along with a few other members of the family all showed up at her grandparents place in Sussex. It was probably the largest family reunion she had ever seen. Her grandparents had planned a huge party for all of the kids whose birthdays were in or close to summer time. They invited soo many of their friends and employees with children it was amazing anyone could move around the grounds. Just about all of her older cousins met someone they absolutely liked during the trip which was just odd to Clara. It almost felt to Clara like the whole thing was one huge set up. She grew even more sure of that feeling when she was “randomly” introduced to a few new faces herself. She was polite to the boys, but she had no interest in them. She was interested in one person and kept as close in touch with him over the summer as she possibly could.She wrote to Lucian as often as possible telling him about everything. She was pretty certain that half the time she was probably boring the snot out of him with as much as she wrote, but it made her feel better and miss him less to include him in everything somehow. The two of them got closer to each other at the end of term ball at school. She had asked him to come to the ball with her and he had agreed. The dressed in themed clothes and had a great time. She had also gotten her first kiss and kissed a boy back all in the same night. She had no idea where she and Lucian would go from there, but it was going to be interesting finding out. She had mentioned the D’Alesandro family to her grandfather and he had merely nodded. He had dismissed her briefly and she was upset, but she let it go. She just hoped that her grandfather actually gave her idea some real thought.
She mentioned it to him because she had hoped that he would try talking to Lucian’s mother and a possible betrothal between them. She wasn’t certain if her grandfather ever really took her suggestion into serious consideration. She would just have to wait and see. Meanwhile, her aunt apparently met someone nice and she was happy, her other aunt ran into someone she hadn’t seen for years and she was ecstatic and her grandfather even went so far as to try setting up her dad with someone. It was like match-maker summer at the Abernathy Ranch. Clara was still shaking her head over it. She just hoped that returning to school took away some of the craziness. She rode the wagon back to school with her cousins including Dimitri and Darina, her aunt Charlotte’s twins. She chatted with them briefly as they made their way back to Sonora. She couldn’t wait for them to see the school and meet a few of her friends. Dimitri, she was certain, would like Rupert and Wendy. She was also fairly certain that Darina would like Waverly and Wendy as well. She, herself, couldn’t wait to see Lucian again.
Walking back into the school after such a crazy summer made her feel like she was returning to partial sanity. Yeah, stuff at school was challenging, but it was a cakewalk compared to her crazy family drama. She would rather deal with spells and potions any day than try and tackle that mess again. She followed the rest of the students returning for the year into the hall and after waving to some of her cousins who went to their houses’ table she took a seat at the Pecari table. She spotted Waverly and Wendy and waved cheerfully to them smiling. Clara knew that very soon they would begin the sorting and the Headmistress would make her announcements. She sat patiently, watching with interest as the new first years were called up for the sorting. She watched at least one of them come towards the Pecari table and take a seat next to Clara. She smiled at the new Pecari and turned back towards the front for the announcements once the sorting was completed. She clapped cheerfully for Derry and Regina as the new head boy and head girl. She clapped excitedly when Henny and Waverly were called up for their prefect badges. She even tried to whistle for Waverly which didn’t quite work too well.
She clapped politely for the new Professor and mostly mouthed the words for the school song. She still couldn’t bring herself to sing it even after being at the school for the last three terms. She mentally shrugged and waited for the food to appear before she turned back to the new first year. She decided she would try to make her feel more comfortable by being the first one to say something. “Did you enjoy the wagon ride?” she asked the new girl while she filled her plate with fried chicken, mashed potatoes and peas. “I don’t mind the wagon ride as long as I have someone to talk to,” she told her. She took a bite out of the chicken and chewed it up before attempting speech again. “Although it might have been an easier ride if all of my cousins hadn’t been talking at once,” she winked at the girl and laughed a bit. “Don’t get me wrong…I love my cousins, but good grief. What I wouldn’t have given for a pair of ear plugs,” she joked, taking another bite off of her plate. “I’m sorry,” she apologized after swallowing her food. “Here I am running my mouth as usual and I haven’t even introduced myself yet. I’m Clara Abernathy. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I hope we end up being roommates. I would love to show you around if you’d like,” she offered cheerfully giving the girl a friendly smile.
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Clara Abernathy
None of us really are...lol
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Clara Abernathy
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5
Completely enchanted. by Noxienia Verailles
Big hazel eyes stared wide above a small nose, and a mouth which was currently agape. Noxienia Versailles, or just plain Noxie for short, could not believe her luck. Not in a million years had she ever thought she would be sent a letter telling her she was a witch. She had grown up loving fairy tales of course, especially ones about animals, but never, not once, had she ever dreamed she'd actually be at a place like Sonora. She'd had a bit to get used to the idea, but it hadn't completely sunk in yet. Part of her thought maybe she was hallucinating, but then, a bigger part of her, knew this had to be real life.As Muggles, Noxie's parents had been quite relieved when they'd found out it was magic Nox had been doing all along. From blowing bubbles out of her ears to her toys seeming to dance occasionally, they had been worried and taken her to several specialists throughout the years. When no one had any explanation for them except that maybe they needed more sleep, Mr. and Mrs. Versailles had come to the conclusion that they were just seeing things. After all, it was hard getting a decent night's sleep when you had people calling you with sick animals in need of emergency care nearly every night of the week. That was their duty being the only veterinarians in a small town.
Noxienia had loved everything about Sonora Academy since she had received her letter. She had adored shopping for school supplies, making sure to grab a couple of books about magical creatures in the process, and getting her school uniform. She had been especially thrilled about getting her wand, but even more excited when she had been allowed a chance to look around the pet shop. She hadn't been allowed to get a pet yet though, her parents saying they had enough animals at home and if they added any more it would be those who needed help finding forever homes. This had saddened Noxie a great deal and she'd fussed a bit, really loving the idea of having a puffskein all her own. Alas, her parents remained firm on this matter.
It was quite strange being so far away from her parents, Noxie thought. She'd never even spent a night away from them at a slumber party (she'd always called home crying to be picked up around bedtime) let alone away at school for a whole term before winter break! She was a big girl now, eleven, and she could do it. After all, Arizona was much farther away from New Hampshire than her friend Chrissy's house was from her's. Noxie's family had had to fly down, spend a couple days getting her school things and then, sent her off in a wagon to a school one could not locate on a map. Noxie had quite enjoyed riding in the wagon actually, it reminded her of all the old western movies her dad liked to watch.
Noxie's eyes flitted about Cascade Hall, completely enchanted by the water falls flowing down the walls. All the people. The tables. Every little thing that she had been told or seen at Sonora Academy so far was just so... so wonderful! When it came time for her turn to drink the potion and find out which house she was in, Noxie was so distracted, she had to rush to catch up and tripped over her own feet. She tumbled to the floor, hands smacking against it harshly, stinging. She bit her lower lip anxiously and pushed herself up, cheeks now red with embarrassment. Had anyone see her fall? Well, of course they probably had, she was a first year about to be sorted...
Not wanting to make an even bigger fool of herself, Noxie sipped from the goblet held by the Deputy Headmistress quickly and then looked down at her hands. They had gone from being pale to yellow all in an instant, and then back again. Which house was the yellow one again? Noxie gazed around quickly. Right! Teppenpaw!
After finding her table, Noxie sat there, watching the finishing of the sorting and listening to the Headmistress speak. Then they sang the school song, which Noxie thought was quite fun, though she had a little trouble figuring out the tune and keeping up. And then finally, to her great astonishment, food appeared upon the table!
Stomach grumbling from a day filled with excitement, Noxie reached forward, loading her plate with mashed potatoes. Waterfalls inside, food that appeared seemingly on it's own... yeah, despite being away from her parents, this was going to be the best school year Noxie had ever had.
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Noxienia Verailles
Completely enchanted.
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Noxienia Verailles
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Waverly Canterbury
May 19, 2013 9:08 AM
Looking for a firstie to overwhelm! by Waverly Canterbury
A new term should have brought back that joy of being back with her friends and practicing her magic, but today it just reminded her of what coming here had cost her. Just a couple weeks after their one-year anniversary, she had broken up with her boyfriend and they hadn’t spoken since that night. He couldn’t understand why and Waverly couldn’t tell him why because of the stupid magical law. She was barred already from the pureblood world and now she was barred from fully engaging with the muggle world as well. She felt like a floater; she didn’t fit in anywhere. Breaking up with Brandon was a guilt Waverly carried around with her everywhere.For the rest of the summer after that, she hadn’t seen any of her muggle friends and her mom had been a constant comfort. She was the one who had encouraged Waverly to get out of her sweats and dress up a little for the new term even though Waverly had no desire to do so. Her family had been a great support and she was really thankful for them. It was just really hard letting Brandon go. Seeing her parents do things the “muggle way” always made Waverly feel guilty again for being magical in the first place. It was a blessing, definitely, but it also came, at least for her, with guilt. Why was she magical when her parents weren’t? Were they ever bitter towards her? She didn’t think so, but she tried not to talk about magic as much as usual after her breakup. She could see now how much her parents didn’t understand and she just kept feeling guilty about it.
But she had taken her mom’s advice and was dressed up a little again, even wearing makeup that she hadn’t touched in a month and a half. It was a nice change and it even made her feel a tiny bit better. The wagon ride to Sonora was short enough that she didn’t have to dwell on her guilt long and when they got there she scurried into Cascade Hall, eager for a distraction.
She clapped for all the first-year Pecaris, happy that her house was getting some new students. She had always loved the first-years and how innocent and cute they were especially now that Waverly was much older than them. It always reminded her of how entranced she had first been by magic and those memories always warmed her, even now in her depressed state. There were things to look forward to, though. The Baking Club was going to be back on, there would be the volunteer library stuff to work on too if there was a new librarian, and she had her classes to work for as well as the other clubs she had joined. It would be busy as usual, but not as crazy as her third year had been. She didn’t even know how she had managed being that incredibly busy.
Waverly had been so wrapped up in her summer that she had almost forgotten about wishing and hoping to be a Prefect. When the Headmistress called up the Head Boy and Head Girl, Waverly’s heart leaped at the reminder that, with Head students, there were Prefects as well. She crossed her fingers and tried not to bite her lip as Headmistress Kijewski-Jareau called up Henny first, then Meghan, Alex, and then…her. Waverly’s stomach dropped at her name and she stood up, trembling with excitement. She couldn’t believe it. It felt so surreal walking to the front of the hall and standing next to her fellow Prefects. “Congratulations, guys!” she whispered to the other three as she beamed. She was happy mostly because Henny would be a Prefect with her. She gave her a thumbs-up as they went back to their seats.
Having a shiny new Prefect badge completely brought Waverly’s mood up as she nearly skipped back to her seat at the Pecari table. She couldn’t stop beaming and clapped vigorously for the new Muggle Studies professor. She had always wondered how the wizarding world really viewed muggles. It would be an interesting class to take. And with the mention of the Midsummer Event, Waverly knew exactly what she wanted to do. Baked goods, of course! That would be easy and she could rope in anyone who wanted to join her. When the song sheets appeared, Waverly, determined to be a good leader, sang the song as well as she could before the feast appeared. Her green eyes looked at everything in delight, her heartbreak almost forgotten in her current euphoria.
She singled out a first-year Pecari, eager to make them feel welcome and at home in their new house. Waverly kind of saw it as her job now and she was already loving the added responsibility. She could pounce on Jade and Jorge and her other housemates later. Her desire to forget her summer motivated her even more to be as hospitable and friendly as ever. As she put some pasta salad and Indian curry on her plate, she smiled at one of the new students. “Welcome to Pecari! I’m Waverly Canterbury. What’s your name?”
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Waverly Canterbury
Looking for a firstie to overwhelm!
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Waverly Canterbury
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Chloe Jareau
May 19, 2013 9:21 AM
I'm pretty sure of what to do! by Chloe Jareau
Chloe was so excited for school. She had been anticipating this moment for so long now that she really hoped she wouldn’t be disappointed. Really, her anticipation had skyrocketed the moment Angel and Ayita had come into her life. Since they were both older and both already in school, Chloe had points of reference whenever it came to questions that she had. She could have always asked her step-mother, but since Kiva was the head of the school, Chloe thought she was probably a little biased about the subject. That wasn’t to say that Chloe wouldn’t have believed everything said was true. It probably was. But that just made her all the more excited to go.The day that they had all gone to the wagon pick up together, Chloe thought her little heart was going to explode. She was excited and nervous at the same time. She was also sad to be leaving home, which surprised her. And she would miss her dad, baby sister, and her Grandmother Kijewski. She would still get to see her step-mother everyday still, but it wasn’t the same. What would her dad and grandma do without her? They’ll be so bored!
The wagon ride wasn’t too terrible since they didn’t have far to travel. New Mexico was neighbors to Arizona after all, but she could tell that Emery was having a difficult time with the pumps. He was always weak about things. She left him alone though and instead, chatted aimlessly to Angel and Ayita about all the things she was excited for. Which was just about everything. Her biggest concern though, was not being able to make friends with her roommates. Chloe knew she was sometimes annoying, something she didn’t always pick up on until it was too late to stop herself from crossing that line, so she was hoping that her roommates wouldn’t see her that way too soon and then avoid her. Her dad told he she just needed to relax some and take a breath so that others have a chance to talk too, but Chloe’s head was so full of curiosity that she always felt the need to get it all out at once before she forgot. She’ll just have to pace herself going forward.
Now off the wagon, Chloe’s already large blue eyes, were round as saucers as she took in the school. She had seen pictures of it, there were plenty that her step-mother had over the years of working through, mostly of the events that they had done, but seeing it all in person held a different sort of ‘awe’ feeling about it. Chloe said good bye to Angel and Ayita and stood with Emery and all the other first years to wait for the start of the evening. When they were guided in by one of the staff members, Chloe’s eyes immediately fell onto her step mother’s being as she was standing at the front of the room. Chloe smiled widely and waved happily before looking around to seek out her siblings. It was harder to find them in the crowded tables, but she managed to find Angel quickly (his white hair helped) and Ayita soon followed. She waved enthusiastically to both of them.
Family members found, Chloe was finally able to look at everything else. The waterfalls, the floor, the ceiling, even the other first years that surrounded them. This was going to be so much fun! She couldn’t wait to find her house and meet her new roommates!
The sorting had started. Chloe’s turn came and she found herself with brown skin. It looked rather unnatural on her due to her long blonde hair and light eyes. Tanning had never been something easy for her to do, even with the hours she spent in the hot sun. The most she got were freckles. But she was a Pecari, like Ayita! Chloe was sad that Emery would not be in her house with her since he had turned blue, but that just meant that they would meet even more people together! Extra fun!
Chloe managed to find a seat next to anther first year based on the coloring and remained quiet throughout the rest of the speech. Normally, this was difficult for her to do since she had so much to say, but she did so out of respect for her step-mother. Her attention even perked up at the announcement of the Fair. Chloe loved fairs! She might even do a booth! If she could think of an idea and managed to make a few friends beforehand who wanted to do a booth too.
Food was there after the singing, which Chloe did loudly and probably off key, so she immediately started to grab the food that she enjoyed on pile it onto her plate. During this, she heard the girl one down from her, on the other side of the first year start talking. Listening to her, Chloe felt like the entire family were talkers, but she couldn’t say that with any considering herself. Her last statement though, had Chloe looking at her perplexedly. “You can’t be roommates, silly.” Chloe said to her as though she ought to have known. “You’re roommates with only the people in the same year as you.” This, Chloe knew to be fact because her family had told her. Otherwise, she would have meandered over to Ayita and declared them roommates. She was smiling at the older girl, Chloe was always smiling, so she hoped the girl knew her words weren’t meant negatively. She was merely repeating what was told to her.
“We’ll be roommates though.” Chloe said to the girl. “I’m Chloe Jareau. It’s nice to meet you Clara! I hope we can all be friends!” Chloe said this to both girls, giving them two thumbs up.
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Chloe Jareau
I'm pretty sure of what to do!
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Chloe Jareau
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Eleanor Vandenberg
May 19, 2013 10:19 AM
Also trying to be unimpressed...and failing by Eleanor Vandenberg
When Nellie had officially turned eleven, her parents had sat her down and put two offers in front of her. The first was to attend Hogwarts which was closer to home, or go to Sonora in America with Leo. Nellie had obviously chosen the latter to be close to her best friend even if that meant she would be far from her parents. Her mom was happy enough. Nellie had been born in California and, though she didn't remember living in the States, her mom did have family there if she ever needed a place to crash or something.But Nellie was going solely for Leo Princeton. It was hard not to stop talking about school with Leo on the ride there, but he didn't talk much. She ignored his quietness since she and the other girl they were sharing a wagon with were the chattery ones. At the school, she looked at everything in awe, but after a glance at her friend, tried not to look as entranced by everything. It was really hard, though. Her family wasn't nearly as rich as Leo's was even if their blood was pure. She brushed her dark hair out of her eyes to look at everything better, but it was still not enough time to look at everything before they were presented with the sorting ceremony.
When Leo went ahead, she hoped desperately that she would be able to follow him. And when she drank the potion, her wish came true. She rushed after him and sat down next to him at the Crotalus table, happy that they would be able to stay together in the same house. It really helped that she had a friend here with her. She didn't feel as homesick with Leo around.
The announcements happened and then the feast began. Leo, again, didn't seem that interested in eating, but Nell was starved. Her mom had reminded her to eat properly and well especially with no one to regulate her eating schedules, and Nellie was determined to make her parents proud. After all, it wasn't cheap coming all the way from England to America for school. Leo started up a conversation and Nellie made a note to jump in whenever she found an opportunity to. If she and Leo were going to get married someday, she had to get used to being the hospitable, supporting wife. It would be good practice even if he wasn't aware of their to-be marriage yet.
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Eleanor Vandenberg
Also trying to be unimpressed...and failing
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Eleanor Vandenberg
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Portia Dobson
May 19, 2013 12:12 PM
It is pretty amazing, isn't it. by Portia Dobson
Portia was super excited to go to Sonora. It was like, the most important time in a young witch's life aside from betrothal and the following wedding. Her sister Nora had been betrothed pretty young so she was hoping to be as well. She hoped that there were lots of eligible young men in her class. Of course, her sister's fiance didn't go to Sonora so there was hope for her even if her yearmates were disappointing, like Willow's. The second year didn't seem to have a problem with it,as she often seemed to have other things on her mind but Portia had seen her sister's yearbook and not recognized the names of most of her cousin's classmates.However, she had confidence that her class would be better and that she'd make plenty of friends as well.She was dressed for the occasion too of course. The new first year liked to look nice and pretty. To make an impression. Granted, Portia didn't think she'd have to try as hard as some. Her grandmother had been a Brockert. They were well established at Sonora and throughtout the west especially as an important family. She might not end up getting prefect or Head Girl-though it would be nice-but Portia knew she would succeed in general. It would be harder for people who weren't elite purebloods, especially Muggleborns. They didn't know the magical world at all.
Today, she was wearing a new white skirt with a new ruffly pink top. She loved the color pink and wore it often. It was just unfortunate that it was covered up by her school robe. That was going to be the worst part about school. She had curled her black hair, making sure to use enough hair products that it wouldn't get bedraggled on the wagon. Portia had on her finest jewelery as well. A strand of real pearls and a gold bracelet, also new. She wasn't allowed to wear make-up yet, but she had been allowed to get a French manicure for the first time. In fact, in addition to going to get her wand and other school supplies, her mother had taken her for a spa day. It had been wonderful .
Portia stood with the other incoming first years, extremely eager. Eventually her turn to be Sorted came and she drank the potion. She turned a brilliant shade of yellow. Teppenpaw. That was great, she'd be in the same house as Willow! And Hope would be there the rest of this year too. She wasn't with Nora, but that was to be expected. Portia really wasn't that academically oriented. Besides, most Aladrens would be horrified that she'd covered her Potions text with a book cover made out of pink silk and lace. Well, maybe not Evan. Granted, that would be too girly for him but he'd probably appreciate the creativity-and make far weirder book covers.
She found a seat across from another of the first years, a girl who was quite obviously to be her roommate, the poor girl who had tripped. Portia hoped she hadn't been hurt. "Are you all right?" The new Teppenpaw asked. "That fall looked really nasty. I am Portia Dobson, of the South Dakota Dobsons by the way." She was sitting down so it would have been difficult to curtsey, plus she didn't even know if this girl was someone she had to curtsey to anyway.
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Portia Dobson
It is pretty amazing, isn't it.
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Portia Dobson
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Ava Fletcher
May 19, 2013 2:34 PM
Homesickness and Blue Skin by Ava Fletcher
Ava Fletcher had always known that she was magic, so when she had made that shell as smooth as a...as smooth as a criminal (she thought that was right, her grandfather, Papa, certainly listened to that song enough for those words to be ingrained in her head), she hadn't been surprised. But she had acted like it as her poor grandfather had never known his daughter-in-law was a witch nor that his beloved granddaughter was magic as well.Ava had been looking forward to her acceptance into Sonora since that day on the beach as it meant that her mother would take time out of her busy world traveling schedule and take her to go shopping for school supplies! But now that Ava was actually at Sonora, she wasn't too impressed. She was excited and all to be going to school and finally learning magic (she did want to be just like her mom after all), but she missed the sea breezes and the little house on the shore that she and her grandfather had lived in.
When she was waiting in line to take the potion, all she could think about was how much she wanted to be in the Aladren house because then her skin would turn blue. She wondered if it would stay like that forever or if it would fade away. Maybe it would even look like she was under water! When the potion she sipped did indeed turn her skin blue, Ava was disappointed to see that it was just a straight, plain blue. However, her musings had given her another wonderful idea to put together in her spare time- blue mermaids. She'd never thought to paint her mermaids anything non-skin colored, but seeing as they were supposed to be "mythical" creatures, or so Papa said, they should have brightly colored skin.
Pleased with her new revelation, Ava happily skipped over to the Aladren table and waited for the rest of the Sorting to finish and the Headmistress to end her speech before Ava could eat- boy was she hungry!
She was in the middle of piling food on her plate when the girl sitting next to her asked her a question about a jug sitting in front of them.
Ava shrugged. "Maybe, I've never really been a big fan though. I much prefer juice or coffee! Yes, I do love coffee!" She gave a huge smile to the girl sitting next to her. "What's your favorite?"
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Ava Fletcher
Homesickness and Blue Skin
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Ava Fletcher
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Emery Kijewski-Jareau
May 19, 2013 2:52 PM
Amongst other things by Emery Kijewski-Jareau
Emery blinked at the boy beside him who started stammering when Emery spoke to him. He half wondered if the boy was a Muggleborn and therefore, overwhelmed by everything that was happening around him. Emery was raised around magic, but his mother was only half and so, he knew parts of the Muggle world too. There were things in both worlds that amazed him. He could respect someone who was too taken in by everything to handle a simple greeting.Of course, the way the boy began talking and the choice of topic he chose made Emery feel as though he would need a little work on his social skills. Emery wasn’t sure if regurgitation was the best topic one should bring up while people were eating. But, he seemed to have Emery’s issues with a weak stomach, so he couldn’t say much against that. Emery nodded to what he was saying. He could never read while moving. Mostly, because it hurt his eyes and often gave him a headache, but he supposed if he ignored that, he would likely end up with a worse case of the stomach nausea that he would have without reading.
What surprised Emery more was how closely their first names sounded. Emrys and Emery were not that far of a stretch. This may make sharing a dorm room together and classes interesting. Emery ran a hand through his newly chopped brunette hair (when longer, it tended to curl similar to his mother’s naturally spiral curls) and allowed that thought to muse over in his head for a moment. “I’m Emery Kijewski-Jareau.” He greeted, carefully watching the other boy to see if the name caused a negative stir. He never really knew how people would handle him having the same last name as the head of the school so he was weary of ever saying it out loud to people. Lesson would ruin that for him though.
“My mom gave me some nausea reliever for motion sickness potion to have if the wagon ride is too much for me.” Emery started. The little vial was sitting in his robe pocket. “My stomach is feeling much better, so you can have it if you want it. It might help you feel less like throwing up.” Emery suggested. He wouldn’t force the potion onto his new roommate, but he felt that it might help him feel better about everything. “Plus, it would be a shame if your stomach was too upset to eat the food. I always hear that it’s pretty good.”
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Emery Kijewski-Jareau
Amongst other things
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Emery Kijewski-Jareau
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Re: It is pretty amazing, isn't it. by Noxienia Versailles
Noxienia was digging in quite happily to her mashed potatoes, her eyes scanning around the room, taking in everything still. There were so many people here! Her elementary school back home had only around two hundred students total, and that was kindergarten through sixth grade. It was almost impossible to believe that such large schools existed. She had heard about schools in cities with over a thousand students, but she had always thought people were crazy or bluffing when they mentioned them. Here she was though, in a school with so many students and all of them magic as well. If she wasn't sure this was real life, Noxie probably would have admitted herself to be insane.Noxie looked down at her food and heaved a sigh, noting that she had managed to get the end of one long auburn braid into her mashed potatoes. She quickly lifted it out and wiped at it with a napkin, hoping no one had noticed. She very rarely got her hair in her food anymore, but sometimes when she was especially distracted it just happened. When she had been younger, it had happened all the time and was to the point where her mother had used a clothes pin to clip her daughter's hair to the back of her shirt to keep it from falling forward over her shoulders. If only her mother re here now, she would laugh and tell Noxienia to be more careful.
Lost in her own thoughts, Noxie didn't even notice the other first year girl who had sat down across from her. When Portia spoke, it cause Noxienia to jump slightly and she turned her head to look at the other girl, her eyes wider than they normally were still. They were wide in general, but at the moment, they had shot open in quiet surprise.
"O-oh! Yes. Y-yes, I'm alright." Noxienia's cheeks turned red in embarrassment. So someone had seen her fall, but at least she wasn't being made fun of for it. That was much better than being teased. However, her eyes still strayed, looking down at her lap, though after a moment of fighting with her shyness, she managed to force them back up to look at Portia, not wanting to seem rude. Her father was always telling her she needed to look at people when they were speaking to her or they would think she wasn't interested in what they had to say. I was never that she wasn't interested though, just nervous,
Noxie's fingers tangled up in the green fabric of her robes nervously and she smiled. She was glad someone was speaking to her, though she always found it hard at first to make friends. Normally she waited for people to come to her, otherwise she felt like she was just going to annoy them if she spoke to them first. This girl spoke strangely though... More properly than Noxie was used to, but then, maybe that was normal for witches and wizards. Did they all speak that way? "It's nice to meet you, Portia. I'm Noxienia Versailles of... Er... The Lilac Grove Veterinary Clinic." Was that the correct way to greet. Fellow witch? It must be, since this girl had done so and she seemed like she knew what she was doing,
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Noxienia Versailles
Re: It is pretty amazing, isn't it.
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Noxienia Versailles
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Maximilian Joshua McLachlan
May 19, 2013 7:34 PMMaximilian Joshua McLachlan
AlumnusHouse: Aladren
Written by: Isaac Song
Age in Post: 17
Birthday: January 9
My last welcome by Maximilian Joshua McLachlan
At the end of the summer, Josh was exhausted and completely ready to escape his sentence under Aunt Rhian’s roof. She was hard and controlling with a passive-aggressive husband who bent to her every wish. In the last three months, Josh had briefly experienced one of the three Unforgivable Curses for the first time, tested several potions that had made him extremely ill, learned how to concoct poisons against his will, and cleaned out so many cauldrons by hand that his fingers had been rubbed raw. But he had too much pride to let any of these hardships show when he went back to school. He was unwilling to share any of these experiences no matter the cost.The one positive aspect of his summer was the stack of letters his uncle had sent him from Australia at the end of his sentence. Josh was surprised at first until he realized they were from Brianna. He had read each one carefully and felt the strange contentment at having someone to write to. It was just unfortunate that he had received them at the end of his summer. He had been so wrapped up in what he was going through that he hadn't been able to pay as much attention to her as before. At least she had Linus now. The other highlight of his summer was Inigo revealing hidden information to his nephew. Josh had never been more grateful for his uncle until then. He had found out how his parents had really been murdered and Josh could never forgive his family for it. It made him even more determined to get away and escape. But he needed to think it through clearly.
There was no way he was going to go back to that hell house for the winter break, so Josh had a full year to think of how he was going to escape from his family’s clutches. Legally changing his name and identity would be a step in the right direction, but he would have to move to a country the McLachlans hadn’t tainted yet with their presence. It was a lot to think about, but Josh was willing to do it to be free.
All these thoughts ran through his mind as Josh went into the dining hall for his last year at Sonora. It was scary thinking of what could happen to him after this school year, but he was determined not to be frightened by it. He focused on putting food onto his plate and into his mouth, looking up once to see where Brianna was. He would have to apologize for not answering her letters now that he was in Pennsylvania. The owls had followed the address, but they couldn’t possibly know where he had moved to with his aunt’s unplottable home.
His sharp gray eyes moved then to spot Henny. She had seemed strangely worried about him, more worried than before. Had she noticed something? It had led to more awkward conversations and Josh didn't really know what to make of her approaches. She was nice enough, though. His gaze turned back to people-watching. He wasn't sentimental, but he didn't want to forget this moment where things seemed so calm and peaceful. Every year since he had come to Sonora in fourth-year had been a whirlwind with different problems and complications and right now Josh wanted to put it all to the back of his mind. It would be one of the last times he'd have a moment like this.
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Maximilian Joshua McLachlan
My last welcome
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Maximilian Joshua McLachlan
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Brianna Japos
May 19, 2013 9:37 PM
Not the best start to the term. by Brianna Japos
Brianna didn’t say much of anything when she got onto the wagon. She sat quietly in her seat and passed the time lost in her thoughts. It had been a difficult summer for her. Not nearly as difficult as the one before, but it hadn’t been a picnic. Her parents had finally put the wrath of Merlin on the families in the building, but the summer was nearly over by the time it had happened and pointless. Brianna spent the last of it in her apartment. She wasn’t sure what was really the worst of it. Finding out that the guys responsible for ruining her life weren’t going to be punished at all. Probation meant nothing when their parents were rich. Nothing was being stripped from them. Nothing would change for them. It was as though they had humiliated her all over again. Was that the worst of it? Or was it that the girls of the building decided that it was their turn to kick her around and believed that she had done this to herself?They had stripped her of everything. Over and over and over again. She only had to get through one more summer at that forsaken place before she could be rid of it forever. After that, she’d prove to everyone just what she was capable of.
The success of the summer though was that she was only using one crutch now. Jonah had been happy with her progress on the right side, but her left side was still weak and would need more work. So, the crutch would keep her left side afloat until she could get it under control. The other success was that she had a firm understanding of what she wanted to do after she felt Sonora. She wanted to get into the justice system. She wanted to make sure that people with money could never get away with breaking the law simply because they could pay it off while the victim was left without any sort of justice. No one should feel like their life is meaningless and those who commit the crime should be forced to take the consequence of it. The real consequence of it. Brianna didn’t get her justice, but she was damn sure someone else will.
Now back at Sonora, Brianna found a seat at the Crotalus table. Much like she had on the wagon, Brianna kept quiet, only speaking when someone spoke to her first. All she wanted to do was go back to her dorm room and sleep. The pain in her back had lessoned significantly since last year, but it still made her life uncomfortable and after an extremely long ride from New York City, her back was in more pain than it had been all summer long, minus the physical fight she had with the girls back home. It was so exhausting, but she didn’t want it to show. Last year had been a good year and she was determined to make this one a good year too.
She clapped politely at all the announcements and lip-read the along with the song. When the food arrived in front of her, Brianna realized how hungry she was. She hadn’t eaten since that morning. Brianna went to take a big bite of spaghetti, but some of the sauce dropped off her fork and landed on her robes. “Aw.” Brianna pouted, looking down at it forlornly. She knew magic would easily clean it for her, but she felt like this was an omen as to how the rest of the year would go. Pulling out her wand, Brianna cleaned herself up. Taking her mind off things, Brianna looked to the person next to her and gave a halfhearted smile, “Hopefully your evening is going better than mine.” She joked. “How was your summer?”
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Brianna Japos
Not the best start to the term.
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Oh, it's not that bad! by Virginia Bellrose
Ginny summer had been okay. Nothing splendid, but not too boring either. The community that she was currently living in always kept her busy and the kids made her happy, but she was still homesick for Ohio. Her mother said that soon they would be able to move back home, but she told that to Ginny every time she asked her. Ginny was losing her faith. She missed her home and she missed the staff. She hoped they were doing okay. She hadn’t seen them in over four years now. But she couldn’t think about that now because it would only make her sad.Off the wagon, Ginny found a seat at the Crotalus table. This was exciting for her. Last year, she had been one of the first years being sorted, so this year, she would be able to see how it all pans out. After starting her first off with the challenges and getting to meet older students, Ginny was really confident in her place here at Sonora. She was still only a Beginner, but she wasn’t so nervous about her capabilities both with her magic and with people.
She watched the sorting with interest and then listened to the announcements with equal interest. She had no idea if she would do a booth this year because she didn’t know what she was good at other than dancing and singing, but those seemed to be a dime a dozen talents here with other students having grown up with the same lessons of etiquette and grace. But, maybe someone would ask for her to join their booth and that would be just as fun!
Although she wasn’t sure what this year would entail exactly, she was really happy to be back at Sonora. She wasn’t really sure if she could say she made super close friends, but she felt that she had really started the foundation of those and she wanted to expand and develop them even more. But first things first, the feast! The food at the community was limited because most everything was soy product. She missed eating chicken and red meat, so she ate as much as she could when she was at Sonora. Tonight, it would be meatloaf. Yum! However, in the process of getting her own food, she noticed the girl beside her spill some of her own and give up on it half way through.
The new first year girl sitting beside her didn’t look too happy with things. Ginny could understand if it were a little overwhelming and thus, didn’t know what to do with herself, but she shouldn’t look so sad about it. “Don’t worry.” Ginny said to her. “It gets better. The first day is always the worst.” This wasn’t so true for Ginny. She had met Percival on her first day and had managed to get through it just fine. But Ginny was aware that most things excited her rather than terrify her. “I’m Virginia Bellrose of the Alberta Bellroses.” She introduced herself with a pleasant smile. “It’s an adjustment, but everyone is really nice and eventually, you get used to how things are.”
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Virginia Bellrose
Oh, it's not that bad!
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Virginia Bellrose
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Amazing, for sure!! by Darina Porter
Summer had been a mix of wonderful and seriously weird for Darina and her family. Firstly, instead of being at home, spending time at the store and doing their Medieval re-enactments, the Porters had been in England at the weirdest and largest Abernathy/Thornton/Porter family re-union EVER! She felt like she’d belonged in the weird movie that her cousin Brielle liked to watch with that strange song ‘Tradition’ in it. It had all those girls with the weird thought of matchmaking. Fiddler on the Roof! That’s it… Darina thought to herself as she grinned from ear to ear. Her big cousins all met boys and some were completely enamored by them, others, were just… well… not…Each of the school aged Thorntons, Abernathy’s and Porters all took the wagon from Uncle Bryan and Clara’s house near Napa, California to get to Sonora. There was something about that being the easiest place for them to all leave from, also to allow for Uncle Bryan to take cousin Airlea to her new school. Darina was upset to learn that her cousin wasn’t going to be joining them there at Sonora, but she understood with what had happened over the summer why she had to go to some other school in the Yukon. Airlea at first seemed to have been upset with Grandfather Abernathy’s suggestion at her going there instead of Sonora, but as the information of what she would learn came out, she got excited. She even almost made Darina herself wish she was going there with her.
Almost…
Darina couldn’t bare to be away from her twin brother long enough to have even given it a second thought, however. As much as they bugged each other, they loved each other and there would be nobody that could tell them any different. Sure, they pranked the other, but that was their weirdo twin relationship. The lot of them chattered through the wagon ride from Napa, and though when the wagon pulled away, Darina wiped away a tear from her cheek saying goodbye to her parents and baby brother, she was glad to be off to school.
That day she had put on a brightly colored ¾ sleeve shirt that was yellow with multicolored polka-dots and a just below knee-length black skirt with her multicolored stockings, black shoes, straight dark brown hair in a long braid at the back with a ribbon of the same color combination of her shirt. Sure, she figured people would think she was crazy, but what was wrong with a little color every now and again, right? That was her mantra. Color is good… she thought, nodding her head. If anyone knew anything about personalities, they would KNOW that this eleven year old girl was for sure sanguine. There was no doubt in her mind.
The wagon pulled up to the school and Darina looked up at it, awe shaping her eyes. “Wow…” she said as an automatic reaction to her new surroundings. “This is SO cool!” she added, not really caring if her brother or any of her cousins heard her. The group of them walked inside the main doors and Clara, along with the Thornton branch of their family walked inside, Clara having given both her and Mitri a hug, left them standing there. Rina watched them leave and looked at Mitri with a grin on her face. “Is this place cool, or WHAT?!” she asked him, grinning from ear to ear as they too, were called into what she could only assume was the dining hall.
They walked in and the group of first years stood together as a woman welcomed the students, introducing herself as Headmistress Kijewski-Jareau and then mentioned the sorting of the first years. Rina grinned and threw a thumbs up towards Clara and Brielle specifically. She was excited to change color as it seemed the pair of her older cousins had done to each other in their second year. Sure, they SAID it was accidental, but Darina wouldn’t put it past them to do it anyway as fun as they both were. Darina loved spending time with Clara and Bri, they knew how to have fun, which was more than she could say for some of her other stick in the mud cousins. It wasn’t that she didn’t love them, cause she did, but Clara and Bri were much more fun.
Coach Pierce was indicated and the colors they could turn listed with their possible houses and Rina bounced excitedly on the balls of her feet as she waited her turn. One of the first years tripped seemingly over her own two feet and Rina gasped, slapping her hands over her mouth with worry for the girl. When the girl stood up and kept going, Darina guessed that meant that she was fine and kept walking through the line till it was her turn. Mitri stood just off to the side of her as she walked up to Coach Pierce and took the potion from her. Taking her drink of it, she looked down at her hands as they paled and turned into a shade of yellow she didn’t expect herself to become ever in her life. “I’m a BANANA!” she whispered towards Dimitri and grinned at him. “Your go big brother!” she said as she skipped off towards the yellow girl who’d tripped over herself. As she passed by Brielle she whisper-sang, “I’m a banana… I’m a banana!” before finding a seat besides two girls who were also yellow. Turning back to look at Mitri, she watched him turn yellow too and cheered. “YES!”
Rina was glad her brother and Bri (yes, Addison too, sorta) were in her house. This will be fun. she thought to herself as her brother made his way to the table too. Once the sorting was over, the headmistress introduced the new Head Boy and Girl and the new prefects. Rina clapped with the rest of the students for them even though she didn’t know them. She was sure she’d get to know them, and if she remembered right, one of the girls, Waverly, was Bri and Clara’s best friend, so that was cool. She couldn’t wait to meet her.
The new Muggle Studies professor was introduced and the Midsummer Event mentioned before the song sheets showed up in front of them. Rina didn’t sing it, this time she only listened. Some people around her had nice voices, others, oh my… Some of these people need to not be singing out loud… she thought, slightly cringing, but not saying anything out loud.
The song ended and food just appeared in front of them. They were told they could eat and Rina smiled. This is fantastic! she thought to herself as she piled her plate high with tasty foods.
One of the two girls asked if the other girl was okay and Rina watched with interest in the answer, knowing she’d wanted to ask the same question to the girl, which was why she’d gone there to begin with. The other girl introduced herself as Portia Dobson of the South Dakota Dobsons and Rina smiled. She’s pureblooded…. Darina noticed that the girl who’d fallen had let her hair fall into her potatoes, but cleaned them off right away and answered by saying that she was alright. The girl who had fallen, introduced herself as Noxienia and had added of the Lilac Grove Veterinary Clinic. She’s not pureblood… Clearly. But that’s okay. I like all people! she thought as she smiled to both of them.
“I’m glad you’re okay Noxienia. I wanted to ask too, but Portia here asked first. It’s a pleasure to meet both of you. I am Darina Porter of the Tuscon Porters and I’m pleased to make your acquaintances.”
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Darina Porter
Amazing, for sure!!
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Darina Porter
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Emrys Lucan
May 20, 2013 12:14 AM
I like things by Emrys Lucan
“Oh, that’s a cool name! What does it mean?” Exclaimed, Emrys, glad that this boy- a new friend, perhaps?, didn’t seem to mind some of his random chatter. It was one of those aspects of his personality that his grandfather was always scolding him about and telling him to work on. “My last name, well I’m not sure what it’s supposed to actually mean, word wise, but Sir Lucan the Butler was a faithful servant of King Arthur. He helped to move King Arthur’s dying body off the battlefield so it wouldn’t be looted. It cost him his life, did you know that? My first name is after Merlin, did you know that one of Merlin’s names was Emrys? Isn’t it funny that our names are so similar? Emery and Emrys,” Emrys trailed off, smiling to himself.Emrys shook his head politely, his nerves were starting to wear off- he always had that problem anytime he went somewhere new. All it really took was for someone to start talking to him and make him feel as if he might belong there too. “No thank you, I’m fine now, I just have really bad nerves,” he said and paused to take a scoop of macaroni. “Did you know that in King Arthur’s court they probably ate macaroni? Well, not macaroni exactly , but a predecessor called Macaroons.” He smiled again, his mother would be proud that he remembered that information, then frowned. “No, I think it’s actually pronounced Makerouns … Anyway, did you say your mother made you a potion? That must mean you're not Muggleborn then. I'm not either- pureblooded, though my mom adores Muggles. That was nice of your mother, I wish I had thought to ask my mom for that…”
OOC: I actually didn't even notice the last name when I replied, so I just had Emrys not recognize the last name either. I just thought it was funny/cool that Emery & Emrys were so close in look & sound.
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Emrys Lucan
I like things
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Emrys Lucan
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Alicia Bauer
May 20, 2013 12:31 PMAlicia Bauer
AlumnusHouse: Aladren
Written by: Grayson Wright
Age in Post: 15
Birthday: September 15
The second is a very good thing, trust me. by Alicia Bauer
Alicia was reasonably sure that the only circumstances where she would find it truly difficult to turn her smile on were a friend’s funeral or when she herself was in full rigor mortis, but matching her eyes and words up with the shape of her mouth, that could take a little more effort. She was very careful to make that effort as the first year decided to, rather than just answering Alicia’s question, start talking about her own drink preferences. Drinks, she knew, were actually very interesting, the only reason she kind of wanted to rip the kid’s head off right now was because the littlest thing grated on her nerves when she was either at home or had just added a failure to her list of them, and anyway, she had to start working toward Head Girl. Being nice to the first years could be an important part of that, for all she knew. She could see that Waverly was with one, too, and if she got Head Girl over who spent their first hour or two back at school dealing with the new kids, Alicia was giving up on seeking power the ‘right’ way and going for the Dark Arts.“Well, between the two you mentioned, juice,” Alicia said cheerfully. Who let an eleven-year-old have coffee, anyway? One more thing to resent about her stupid parents; most of the caffeine she had been able to get at that age had been tea stolen behind their backs from her stepfather’s cupboard, though admittedly, the subterfuge had probably made it taste that much better. To this day, she was pretty sure that no one knew she had developed a taste for the very rare, very expensive white teas Jeremy favored openly. “I’m not really that crazy about either, though. I like my tea. My favorites are mostly floral greens, though I won’t say no to some orange-flavored black in the mornings.”
She demonstrated this by taking the vessel which had prompted their interaction. “My name is Alicia, by the way,” she said, smiling warmly. “I’m in fifth year. Welcome to Sonora!”
She took a sip of the tea and decided it was some kind of decaffeinated Ceylon black. It was also warm, which was the important part, and seemed to have a bit of lemon in it, which was a nice bonus. “Are you excited about being in Aladren?” she asked. “It's a great House, you should have a fabulous time here.” If she was good enough, anyway, but Alicia thought Aladrens who truly weren't were pretty rare; even Wilkes had pulled through for his House in the end, and she would have sworn he was less in touch with reality than Evan before the challenges last year. She didn't say so much, as she did have friends (and, in past days, most of her family, though she hardly considered that a recommendation) in Crotalus and was playing for Head Girl of the whole school, but she was sure hers was the best House.
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Alicia Bauer
The second is a very good thing, trust me.
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Alicia Bauer
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Charlotte Spencer
May 20, 2013 1:55 PM
... by Charlotte Spencer
Charlotte was intent on brooding and staring at her plate until she was dismissed. There wasn't much to brood on except to pity herself and she was quite good at that. She thought of how much she missed her parents and her younger siblings. She missed her home and even her house-elf. If Pinky were here Charlotte wouldn't have embarrassed herself with the food. She could almost feel everyone staring at her and she hated it. She hated being the new one. Instead of playing with her robes, she fiddled with her hands. She had learnt long ago never to dirty or wrinkle her robes. Her mum had taught her to be a respectable young lady, but it was difficult to break certain habits, like fiddling with her hands.But she stilled when she realised someone was speaking to her. Charlotte immediately became self-conscious again. She was both glad and horrified that someone was talking to her. That meant she had to keep a conversation. On her own. Charlotte didn't know if she was ready for that.
The witch seemed nice enough, but Charlotte didn't know how to respond. She hated meeting new people and it was because she never knew what the right response was. She knew her manners and could be polite, but that was the extent of it. The girl introduced herself as Virginia Bellrose and Charlotte wondered if Adam knew her. It was a bit embarrassing she had caught her looking upset and Charlotte tried to hide it. She didn't want to be too vulnerable. Charlotte had already determined that she wouldn't like Sonora at all, but it was nice of Virginia to try and comfort her. She just didn't know how to react to that.
"Charlotte Spencer," she replied, her voice soft and breathy and very quiet. She knew her family was important and pure and rich, but her father hadn't told her to introduce herself as a 'London Spencer'. She didn't think Adam had done it when he first came and so she just needed to follow him because he was almost always right. She didn't exactly look Virginia in the eye either. She wasn't the sort to make eye-contact with anyone very easily and she could hold someone's eyes for about as long as she could hold a conversation. She didn't know what else to say afterwards and just nodded at Virginia's comfort. "I hope so," she added, and then flushed as she wondered if that was the proper thing to say.
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Charlotte Spencer
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Ava Fletcher
May 20, 2013 3:45 PM
Trust you? Alright! by Ava Fletcher
“Thanks,” replied Ava to the welcome the older girl had given her. She spooned some mashed potatoes on her plate and topped it off with a large serving of gravy over the turkey she had snagged while Alicia was talking. “I do love thanksgiving food! But, I suppose I am excited to be here, I don’t really know much about the houses though; my mom only told me that all the houses were most likely good. She didn’t go here, see, we live up in Washington, so she went to Salem because it was closer. You kind of remind me of her- she likes tea a lot too. I know that I should, but I can’t help it, my dad was a big coffee drinker, and as much as I want to be like my mom, I have to remember him too. At least that’s what Papa, my grandfather, says.”Ava trailed off for a moment, thinking about the earlier times when her father would let her come on the fishing boat with him, coming home to that warm little house and warm drinks that Papa had prepared. That was when her mother came home from work every weekend, not just once a month and for the holidays as she did now.
“My mom’s really fantastic,” said Ava, beaming. “She’s a Healer, she travels all over the world healing witches and wizards in more rural areas that don’t have supplies. And she’s really pretty too. I’m going to be just like her when I grow up, that’s why I have to go to school. What is it that you want to do?”
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Ava Fletcher
Trust you? Alright!
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Ava Fletcher
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Oops! by Ava Fletcher's author
OOC:Just caught a mistake I made! I meant to write:
"She didn't go here, see we live up in Washington now, but she went to Salem because it was closer to where she lived."
Not:
"She didn’t go here, see, we live up in Washington, so she went to Salem because it was closer."
Okay, carry on! Sorry!
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Ava Fletcher's author
Oops!
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Ava Fletcher's author
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Alicia Bauer
May 20, 2013 4:50 PMAlicia Bauer
AlumnusHouse: Aladren
Written by: Grayson Wright
Age in Post: 15
Birthday: September 15
You probably won't regret it. by Alicia Bauer
The girl did not offer her name, so Alicia had no idea who she was talking to, but she was able to deduce three things about the girl right away: one was that she was at least from some degree of a magical family, the second was that she actually liked her parents, and the third was that her father was probably dead, or at least out of her life. This appeared to have warped her priorities.“You can remember things without sharing their drink preferences, you know,” she couldn’t help but comment. Her father had terrible taste in drinks, which she was sure she would never replicate even as she was never, sadly, going to be able to forget about his existence. The drink she associated most with him was cheap instant coffee, for Merlin’s sake. Not even the good stuff, or even the halfway-decent stuff. Depending on how the dice fell, she might not always have as much money as she did right now, but she never expected to fall that far, and would do without first if somehow she ever did.
Of course, First Year Girl did take advice from her grandfather, so that could explain a lot. Alicia’s experience of grandfathers involved her father’s father, who was a Muggleborn, and her mother’s father, who was just a great example of what she wanted to be like, losing interest in her partners as soon as she married them and ending up raising her grandkids in a seven-room house, most of her kids not on speaking terms with her anymore. Yeah, right. She knew part of it was her own fault, for making them think she was less intelligent and capable than she was, but Alicia thought she did have some valid reasons for her failure to be impressed with the idea that older automatically meant wiser and worth listening to.
She nodded at the ambition toward Healing and refrained from pointing out that actually, pretty much everyone came to school because they had to learn to control their powers and could, here, both be out from under their parents’ feet and make some connections at the same time. At least there was ambition there, even if she thought it was totally misguided.
The question about what she wanted to do when she grew up pleased her less. One way or another, she had been asked that same question over and over again all summer: what do you want? And honestly, she wasn’t sure even now that she knew. She had come up with an answer, but it had frightened her, and she wasn’t sure if that meant it was wrong. Plus, she had only come up with it last night. Right now, though, she trotted out an acceptable lie. “I really want to do something to make a difference,” she said brightly. “I’m still kind of narrowing down how to do that.”
She turned her head, moving her hair over her shoulder. “You’re in luck, though, if you want to be a Healer,” she said, moving the conversation back to the other person. “Our Head of House is the Potions professor, and we have great sections in our library for Potions and Charms and Defense.” She smiled. “We also have a lot of student volunteers who usually help out in the library, and I’m one of those, I know pretty much everything there is to know about the place, so if you ever need help finding something, just look me up and I’ll help you out,” she promised, continuing her sales pitch for the House and library.
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Alicia Bauer
You probably won't regret it.
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Ava Fletcher
May 20, 2013 8:49 PM
I do hope I won't. by Ava Fletcher
Ava had tried to watch the other girl’s reactions to her comments carefully, but hadn’t really been able to do anything from them. It didn’t matter though, because just watching the older girl speak was enough to inspire her. She really wanted to paint Alicia but wasn’t sure if asking someone she’d just met if she could paint them was creepy or not. She supposed she could wait to do so until later- she’d already managed to hold back asking one of the boys on the wagon ride over if she could paint him so adding Alicia to that list didn’t seem like it would be too hard.“I know,” responded Ava to Alicia’s comment about being able to remember someone without having to share their drink preference. “I can, but drinking coffee reminds me of hanging out with him.”
“That’s cool though, that making a difference thing, that’s what my mom’s doing and I’ve seen the joy she gets out of it. I mean, she has to sacrifice a lot of things like spending time with Papa and I, but it makes her really happy and she gets to travel all over the world. She’s seen some amazing things. I suppose that’s also part of the reason that I want to be like her, I think it would be amazing to see the world. Does that make me selfish?”
Ava frowned in thought and took a bite of her dinner. Luckily the other girl saved her from having to say something else by telling her about the Head of House and the library.
“Really?” Ava felt her eyes go wide. “That’s so cool! I didn’t know that! Is he nice? Is the library lovely? I bet it is!” She sighed happily thinking about the pretty books she’d had to leave at home so that her luggage wasn’t too heavy and hoping that there were similar titles in the school’s library. “I’m Ava, by the way,” she offered a hand after quickly wiping it off from the inside of her robe’s sleeve that was much too long- she’d accidently bought a size too big and then forgotten to return it or ask her mom to hem it. “I’m sorry I forgot to introduce myself earlier, I’m just overwhelmed right now, it’s the first time I’ve been away from my grandfather and I really miss him. He's the one who got me into reading, he's a very well read man though I don't believe he'll have read a lot of the books in your library.”
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Ava Fletcher
I do hope I won't.
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Emery Kijewski-Jareau
May 20, 2013 10:21 PM
Do you like stuff too? by Emery Kijewski-Jareau
Emery was surprised by the reaction of his name. He had no idea what it meant or why it sounded so cool. It was just a name that his mother had picked out for him. A lot of people back home used to think it was funny that he had two last names, but Emery was honored to have both. He did have the choice too, as to whether or not he wanted to take his step-father’s name, but he saw no reason not to do it. He felt like they were more of a family this way anyway. Even Ayita and Angel took his name and he had been mostly a stranger to them at the time. “I don’t really know what it means. I never thought to ask.” Emery said with every ounce of honesty as he always did. “I suppose my mom just liked the name. As for my last name… My mom’s an only child and her dad died before I was born. I’m the last Kijewski, so I’m keeping the name to honor him. Jareau is my step-dad’s name. He basically helped raise me, so when they finally married, it felt right to take his name too.” He wondered if saying ‘step’ father was really the correct term. He didn’t have an actual father for him be considered step. Oh well, the things he’ll work out eventually.He let Emrys continue to talk and explain his name and was very confused by it. Not because he didn’t respect the fact that a person was named from Literature, but because his whole name was. “Wait, so… your first name is named after Merlin, totally understandable, I’m sure there are loads of people who wish they could say the same, but your last name is also from those legends?” Emery asked him. “Like, did your family change their last name to fit their obsession or were they happened to be born a Lucan and used it to their advantage?” Emery thought it was too much of a coincidence for a person to be so into the legend to just so happen to also have a last name to fit right into it.
He reminded Emery so much of Chloe. Chloe could talk anyone’s ear off without stopping for a breath. Most of the time, Emery tuned her out and just let her go on and on because it made her happy. He didn’t think Ayita or Angel have learned to do that yet and his mom and Jeff were too amused by it to be bothered. Emery smirked when Emrys started talking about King Arthur again. He had a feeling that this would be what life would be like for the next seven years. At least he was passionate about something though. “I’m pretty sure a macaroon is a cookie.” Emery commented lightly, turning to his turning as he was starting to feel the hunger.
Emery gave him a strange look when he asked after his mother and realized that this person had no idea what the name of the person who was running the school was. Or hadn’t connected the fact that they shared names. He decided not to point this out to him. “I’m half. My oldest sister is Muggleborn, Ayita, is Muggleborn, I think – I don’t really know much about them. My mom says they’re tribal. My brother, Angel, is Pure and so is my sister, Chloe. She’s also a first year, but she was sorted into Pecari. And my baby sister is like me, Half.” He realized that sounded all weird, but that was the truth to them.
“Anyway, my mom’s pretty awesome about knowing what’s needed. She sort of has to with all of us. Do you have siblings?”
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Emery Kijewski-Jareau
Do you like stuff too?
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Alicia Bauer
May 21, 2013 12:07 AMAlicia Bauer
AlumnusHouse: Aladren
Written by: Grayson Wright
Age in Post: 15
Birthday: September 15
Here's hoping. by Alicia Bauer
“I can understand that,” Alicia acknowledged of the ceremonial, imitated-from-the-father consumption of straight poison which her young companion engaged in. “I climbed rock walls a lot this summer to remind me of my friends.”A second later, she thought that she probably shouldn’t have said that since she had never gone public with what she and her friends had done and assumed they had been equally circumspect, but it was a sideways comment to a first year. It wasn’t going to mean much, and anyway, there was nothing wrong with exercising with one’s friends. They couldn’t prove she had been doing anything other than that, unless the others revealed what she’d said to them that first day, and they wouldn’t do that. She trusted them.
Alicia looked at the other girl in genuine puzzlement when she asked if wanting to see the world made her selfish. “I wouldn’t think so,” she said. The world was out there, with everything in it to see, everything to learn. What was wrong with wanting all of that? It was morally neutral in her opinion, since learning could be used however the person who did it pleased, but it even worked out very well as an outright moral positive if one stopped to save random people in the places one happened to be.
“The library is gorgeous,” she assured the new girl. “Or at least I think so, but I’m biased,” she laughed. “I spend a lot of my time there, and we Monitors helped design some of the displays,” she explained. “And Professor Fawcett is a great Head of House. He’s tough, though. He expects a lot from us.” She looked over the staff table. “Most of the staff does, actually. It’s a good school.”
She shook hands and smiled understandingly as Ava explained her initial failure to name herself. “It’s perfectly understandable,” she said. “Sonora can be a lot for a person to adjust to, especially if you haven’t been far from home before.” She, personally, used the word as a term of convenience, not feeling any particular emotional attachment to the place in California where she had mostly lived before Sonora or the place in Arizona where she had been born and visited a few weeks a year to see her father, but even she had cried on her first birthday away from home, two weeks after her Sorting. That was how she had met Cepheus; they had both been turning twelve in much less grand fashion than usual, and it had provided common ground. It was funny how things happened.
As for the grandfather not reading a lot of books in Sonora’s library, Alicia was intrigued. Was he a Muggle, then, or did he collect books in a specialty? Something they weren’t likely to teach at a school for under-seventeens? Interesting, but she probably didn't want to know. "But just make a few good friends and you'll forget all about being homesick in no time," she said. "In our House or in the others, there are some good people in the other three, too. Your roommates might be a good place to start, though."
Sometimes, she almost wished she had a little sister or something, someone she could give real advice to. She did have a little half-brother, but Isaac had had the same teacher as Alicia, so he didn't need her, and besides, they would never be friends. They understood each other, but as the thing they knew about each other was how much they'd let the other get away with before the well-supported false accusations started coming out, it didn't really endear them to each other. And if she ever had a child, well, she didn't plan to ever do that unless she was so firmly established that her baby wouldn't have to live the way she did. It was satisfying enough, but since she'd made her friends, she had been steadily growing to like pleasures which took forms other than professional satisfaction. Sometimes, it was nice to just enjoy something with someone else.
If she'd been giving Ava real advice, she would have told her to make a friend or two and subtly exclude at least one other girl - nothing overt, nothing that could draw comment or be proven, but there. Instead, though, she said what she was expected to say, what would ensure that everybody thought she was just the nicest person in the history of Sonora. If a person did good things long enough, did they default to good somehow, whether they had wanted to tear their hair out while being such a wonderful person or not? She hadn't read any in-depth philosophical treatments of the question, just asides, but maybe that could be a project for this year.
Or not. She had far too much to do already, after all. "They'll be like your family for the next seven years, so I hope you all get along," she continued. "Though the boys in Aladren make wonderful friends, too. My best friend is one of them."
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Alicia Bauer
Here's hoping.
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Emrys Lucan
May 21, 2013 12:31 AM
Yes sir, I do, but I like friends best! by Emrys Lucan
“Nope!” Emrys grinned widely showing his dimples. “I can see how you would think that but actually it’s my mother’s side that is loves Camelot and the rest. My father’s father is from Wales and Lucan is his name. My dad’s real quiet and not nearly as passionate about things as my mom is so I think it’s his name that caught her attention first. Sir Lucan is her absolute favorite.” He paused for a moment realizing that what he said could have been misconstrued to make Emery believe that his parents didn’t love each other very much. “But she really does love him, they just work together, you know? I’ve got this theory- it is a theory, I’ve proven it on several occasions. Anyways, it’s that we meet and fall in love with people who fill the voids in their lives. My mom who is adores Camelot and is very outgoing fell in love with my dad who is neutral on most topics and shy, see?”Emrys nodded when Emery corrected him about the pronunciation of makerouns. “You’re right macaroons is a cookie. But makerouns was a medieval dish made out of boiled pastry dough noodles and cheese. People in the Medieval Ages thought that cheese helped in digestion and so they would eat it a lot sometimes both before and after a meal!”
Emrys felt his eyes go wide at the mention of all of Emery’s siblings and his huge family. He figured that with that much variety in bloodlines that at least some of them had to have been adopted but didn’t make any comment on it as he felt that would have been unnecessary. “Wow, that must be noisy and a lot of fun at home!” Then he got worried, if Emery was talking this much about his family, then that meant Emrys would have to talk about his family as well and he was not looking forward to that- perhaps he’d be able to skate by without mentioning his extended family too much- he didn’t really like talking about his grandfather. He was such a mean, bitter old man that Emrys didn’t feel proud to be related to him at all. He smiled with relief when Emery just asked him about his siblings. “Yes, I have one younger sister, Caelia. She’s named after the Faerie Queen. My mom loves Arthurian legends, I think that’s where I got my love from it. She got hers from her parents, I mean, they named her Morgana after Morgan le Fay after all,” Emrys laughed a bit. “But Caelia takes after my dad, she’s a lot quieter and subdued. She’s really sweet and everything and I love her but sometimes I feel like she’s not all there, a little lost, perhaps… Wow! You’re right, the food here is really good! What's that taste like?" He gestured to Emery's plate.
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Yes sir, I do, but I like friends best!
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Ava Fletcher
May 21, 2013 1:03 AM
My fingers are crossed. by Ava Fletcher
Ava just looked at Alicia in astonishment after she mentioned rock climbing. “Really? You rock climb? That’s so cool! I’m afraid of heights so I’d never be able to do that- I like much lower to the ground activities…”Ava nodded when the other girl said that wanted to help people because it would mean she could travel the world didn’t make her selfish. She was glad, sometimes, when Papa got exceedingly angry because his daughter-in-law had missed her once a month visit home, she’d find him sitting in his rocking chair on the porch muttering about good-for nothings who abandoned their adorable little children just to see the world. He’d only caught Ava staring at him then once or twice, but both times he smiled reassuringly to her and told her to come closer. “I’m sorry, Mermaid, (a pet name Papa had given her due to her love of the creatures) ” she could hear his voice in her head. “I don’t really hate your mom; I just wish that she would sort her priorities out a little more. She’s out there saving the children of the world meanwhile she’s missing her own child grow up.”
“It’s okay, I’m biased too,” replied Ava when Alicia mentioned the library being gorgeous. “I will always think that my Papa has the best collection of books there is but that’s only because I love him so much.” She followed Alicia’s gaze to the staff table when she mentioned Professor Fawcett. “That’s good that he pushes though, that’s what makes a good teacher, isn’t it? Someone who wants you to succeed but doesn’t want you to just skate by.”
Ava thought Alicia seemed to be a nice girl, she was certainly holding a conversation with her and that was something she had not had a lot of from the other children back home so when Alicia told her to make a few friends she puckered her forehead in worry. Back home she’d only really had a few friends and even they weren’t what she really counted as friends, more like people who would sit with her at lunch regularly because they were the type of people who didn’t like seeing others left out. Most of the kids she’d gone to school with had stayed away from her because she was always chattering about mermaids and the sea. They didn’t like that she thought she knew more than they did- which she did, she just knew it, and they thought it was weird that she didn’t live with both her parents. “You’re just an old lady,” was a frequent taunt that she’d heard because the neighbor girl, Lucy had told everyone at school that Ava lived with her grandfather. “How’s it feel to be a grandma, Ava, huh?”
It was a creative taunt, Ava gave it that, but she thought it was kind of stupid because it wasn’t really very insulting. She’d heard them insult the girl, Sarah, who’d sat in the back corner of the classroom for about a week before and those were really mean things that they’d said. She’d wanted to reach out to her but by the time she was finally able to get a chance, she found out that Lucy had been taken out and homeschooled due to the merciless teasing.
“That sounds nice,” Ava smoothed out her forehead as best she could and smiled again. “I think I’ll try there,” she added, in reference to the boys in Aladren, she’d gone to an all-girls school before this anyway, so she didn’t really know if boys were as mean as girls were but thought that they certainly weren’t nearly as volatile- a word she’d learned from her grandfather. She’d seen the boys in the neighboring school yard all playing together happily.
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Ava Fletcher
My fingers are crossed.
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Lead the way then... by Ji-Eun Park
Ji-Eun glanced up as the girl next to her spoke up, asking about the wagon ride and then launching off about her own experiences of it before Ji-Eun had really thought what to say. She didn't mind that as she wasn't sure she'd have come up with much – she had found it ok and spent most of the journey reading. It was a lot easier to just listen to the other girl's story, giving a little giggle or smile at the appropriate points.The girl's statement about being room mates perplexed her, as Ji-Eun had thought it was done by year group. She had barely had time to wonder what the alternatives might be though before a girl on her other side piped up confirming her thoughts.
“That's what I thought...” she said hesitantly, looking between the two of them. As the girl was currently sporting brown skin, Ji-Eun was surprised by the confidence with which she corrected the older girl. However, she did seem very certain and it was what Ji-Eun had thought to be the case. Perhaps the girl had older siblings, or had been reading up about the school on the way over.
“Right,” she smiled, when the new girl – Chloe – said she hoped they would all be friends. “And it's really nice of you to offer to help us find our way,” she smiled at the older girl, Clara, “I'm sure that will be very useful.” She didn't really want to speak for Chloe but it was probably a safe bet that she didn't really know her way, even if she had older siblings at the school. It wouldn't have been as if they'd have drawn her maps or given her detailed instructions on how to get everywhere.
“My name's Ji-Eun. Ji-Eun Park,” she said, pronouncing her name as slowly and clearly as she could without sounding patronising.
As the conversation had swung around to her again she felt she ought to do a bit more than just tell them her name.
“What's Pecari like?” she asked, addressing her question mostly to Clara but glancing to Chloe as well. Even if she only knew what she'd read about the school, she definitely seemed confident in her opinions. Ji-Eun could see why Chloe was in Pecari, from what she knew of it. But she had never expected to find herself there and, sat between these two highly chatty people, she still wasn't sure what qualities she had that reflected her new house.
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Lead the way then...
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Amazed and happy. by Noxienia Versailles
"Nice t-to meet you, D-darina." Noxienia couldn't believe her luck. She'd been sitting down for only a little bit and two people had already spoken to her. Both girls seemed nice enough, though it would be hard to tell completely unless she got to know them bette, which she hoped to do. They were probably be going to share a dorm after all, since they were all first years and in the same house. Hopefully they wouldn't make fun of the stuffed octopus she slept with. Her Muggle friend Chrissy never had, but they'd been buddies since preschool. Eleven was a bit old to be needing to sleep with an animal, but then, like her mother said, everyone grew up at their own time.Darina seemed a bit different from Portia, less posh somehow but still a bit posh sounding. She'd come over saying something about being a banana, which Noxie assumed was a referral to the way their skin had all turned yellow when drinking the special potion. Her silliness set Noxienia a little bit more at ease, though her shoulders were still hunched up from feeling nervous and awkward. She was having an easier time looking up from her plate though. Her eyes mostly remained train downwards in shyness, though they would dart up more and more frequently, still admiring the hall they were in and occasionally locking onto Portia and then Darina. She never locked eyes though, too nervous to do so.
Noxie smiled, her eyes looking up at Portia happily and then at Darina, feeling quite pleased at the moment. Two whole acquaintances already! Her eyes trailed downstairs, distracted by color and she caught sight of Darina's stockings. The bright colors were pretty, though just as interesting as her own socks. She always adored socks and refused to ever allow them to match. Currently her feet were covered in her favorite black sock with the metallic rainbow stars and her pink one with the yellow dandelions on it, though that was only because she had to wear socks right now. She much preferred to run around barefooted and free. The dress beneath her robes was plain white with a slightly floofed skirt, but otherwise simple. "Oh! I like y-your stockings!"
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Noxienia Versailles
Amazed and happy.
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Noxienia Versailles
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Alicia Bauer
May 21, 2013 12:51 PMAlicia Bauer
AlumnusHouse: Aladren
Written by: Grayson Wright
Age in Post: 15
Birthday: September 15
You could try adding your toes, too. by Alicia Bauer
Alicia supposed clambering around on sheer surfaces many feet above the ground was not exactly the kind of activity one expected from a not-exactly-sturdy girl of average height whose clothing shrieked “feminine” at the top of its lungs. She didn’t think it was substantially more physically demanding or dangerous than the gymnastics routines she had learned before Sonora, though. For her mother, that had been a socially acceptable way to allow her two older daughters to burn off energy; for Alicia, it was part of achieving the ideal, a sound mind in a sound body. Even if she could have been the smartest person in the room – which she usually wasn’t, though she didn't think she was often near the bottom, either – it wouldn’t have done her much good if she’d been stuck in a body which was sickly and slow and more unappealing to look at than it had to be. She disliked the one she had badly enough anyway, and what could be done for it, she had done, because whatever else it was, it was also the only container for her brain, which she almost liked, that she was going to get. “Just indoor walls,” she said. “My mother would not be amused if I took that interest outdoors.”Really, if Momma had her way, Alicia’s only physical activity would be none-too-serious ballet, and maybe a much less strenuous version of swimming than Alicia preferred. She worried about her getting hurt – a concern she never seemed to have voiced about Kate, even though Alicia’s second sister had played Quidditch her whole seven years at Sonora. At school or her father’s, though, she could do pretty much whatever she wanted without being coddled, and generally did.
Well, at school, anyway. She had royally screwed up at her father’s this summer, and wouldn’t make that mistake again. Not more than she could help, anyway. She could not spend a whole summer idle again just to make her parents more comfortable, she had started using her summers really productively far later than she should have as it was.
She nodded approvingly at Ava’s opinions on good teachers. “Exactly,” she said. “Though pushing yourself a little harder than they do, if you can, never hurts.”
Really, she didn’t think the staff pushed them hard enough, but she recognized that they were probably doing the best they could with the numbers they had to deal with. She liked them well enough, thought they generally dealt pretty fairly with her, with appropriate recognition of her skills, at least the academic ones. Last year, she had considered pushing the headmistress’ kids down the stairs and trying to push some of the groundskeeper’s more fragile-looking relatives into nervous breakdowns, but had realized this would be suicidally stupid quickly enough – such a direct attack could all too easily be traced back to her, the only thing worse that she could’ve done would have been throwing a fit and trying to get her mother and stepfather to get someone fired, which she would never be dumb enough to even contemplate seriously – and everything had worked out as well as could be expected in the end anyway, so she didn’t really hold any hard feelings about things. Angry was her default state, but she lost interest in specific targets pretty quickly unless they seriously damaged her or one of her friends, and very few people had that kind of power. The staff probably did, but had not exercised it yet, so Alicia could get over little insults they probably didn’t even know they had offered pretty easily and acknowledge that, by and large, she had pretty good teachers.
She did not know why the advice to make friends warranted a frown, but nodded when her advice was accepted, at least in part. “Most of the boys who are Sorted into Aladren are both very good company and gentlemen,” she assured Ava. Being a proper gentleman did not, after all, necessarily involve having much of a brain. Neither did being a proper lady. If she had been in most other years, Alicia suspected she might well have cracked like an egg by now, driven crazy by the lack of decent conversation, but in one of the totally random chances of life she had had no control over, Fortuna had chosen to smile on her anyway. “Though most people here really are really nice in general, and we have people from all over the country and parts of the world, so there’s almost always someone who shares some of your interests.”
Or at least was willing to look into them, anyway. No one could know everything, but everyone knew something. That was the beauty of their House in particular – most of them didn’t have particularly boring interests, so interacting with others meant a good chance of finding out about something interesting, something one might like to look into further and come to know about. Alicia was not generally a fan of institutional loyalty, but as far as involuntary groups went, Aladren wasn't half-bad. “What are some of yours?” she asked.
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Alicia Bauer
You could try adding your toes, too.
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Valerie Lennox
May 21, 2013 1:21 PMValerie Lennox
AlumnusHouse: Crotalus
Written by: Allegra Brockert
Age in Post: 16
Birthday: February 27
*hugs* by Valerie Lennox
Valerie was looking forward to going back to Sonora and seeing the people there that actually truly seemed to like her. She would miss Ryan, who had looked out for her since day one, but at least she still had Melanie, Brianna and maybe Sully. She wasn't entirely sure where she and Michael stood though, because of his falling out with her best friend. The sixth year did not want to take sides, she really needed all the friends she could get as she didn't really think many people liked her. She was afraid they saw her as one big contaminated carrier of disease. Even though Valerie hadn't been sick quite so much last year and it always been more dangerous for them to spread their germs to her than the other way around.Now that her cousin had graduated and she was going to be in Advanced classes, she was thinking about what she'd do after she graduated. She knew she would get married and was pretty happy that she'd made to this point instead of dying a long time ago. There had been times when Valerie had felt sick enough that she'd been terrified of that. She only had a few months to go before she made it to adulthood, with her birthday at the end of February. To the sixth year, this was a major accomplishment. Now, with the aid of her new potion, she would make it and felt eternally greatful to Medic Baily for finding it.
That did not mean she wasn't absolutely terrified, even though her future was ironically a lot more certain than a lot of people's. Valerie honestly tried not to think about it. She'd always been taught that worry and stress were not good for her. She hoped this year would be less stressful than last and actually felt it probably would be. She'd already done CATS, and done pretty well on them, especially on the Transfiguration practicals and all forms of theory and was only taking Charms and Transfiguration now, because her father wouldn't let her take more. RATS weren't until next year, and Valerie doubted they were going to have the Challenges again.
All of this was a huge relief to her. She could not, off the top of her head, think of anything that would stress her out. Hopefully nothing would pop up and make her worried and anxious to the point where she got sick. Valerie had only been sick twice since starting her potion but stress would make getting so more likely. The potion might have been the most important but there were lots of other things she'd always had to do to prevent illness as much as possible. In addition to not being stressed out, she was kept indoors-though, in part, she'd really been too sick to go out lots of times and her mother didn't consider that to be very feminine-made sure to get a proper night's sleep, which was affected if she actually did get sick, and be on an immune boosting diet. None of these things in themselves had made her completely better but she was sure they had at least helped somewhat. The new potion though was....amazing.
Entering the Hall, she seperated from her sister, and headed towards the Crotalus table, seeking out Brianna. Valerie spotted her friend and took a seat next to her. She listened as the Headmistress announced the prefects and Head Students who weren't really people she knew very well, though Derry had been her friend's team captain last year and had been nice to her. There was also an announcement about a new Muggle Studies professor, a subject Valerie would have never been allowed to take even she'd been perfectly healthy, and about Midsummer event, which was the fair again. She sincerely hoped that not everyone would have to do a booth, as she wasn't sure she could handle that and didn't know what she possibly could do anyway.
Brianna turned to her and asked how her summer was. Valerie had written to her, but at mostly let her friend talk about what was happening to her. She felt simply awful about how those boys got off, had gotten away with hurting someone close to her. It would have bothered her anyway that someone would do such a terrible thing, but it was worse that it had been done to someone she cared about. At least Brianna was improving physically though and only needed one crutch though now. "It was...pretty much like last year. Nothing much happened aside from what I told you." She'd had a sinus infection at one point but she had told the other Crotalus that already.
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Valerie Lennox
*hugs*
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Carter Browning
May 21, 2013 2:38 PM
Good to be back by Carter Browning
Carter climbed into the wagon heading for school and sighed. Overall his summer had been pretty dull. His sister Payton was almost two now and she was getting into everything. He had to constantly chase her out of his room which was an enormous pain. She always found something small to run away with and she was constantly putting weird things into her mouth. “Babies are soo gross,” he thought as he recalled her latest exploit. He was busy repacking his trunk for school when he was certain he spotted her running off giggling, something wood-ish in her tiny little hands. When Carter finally caught up to her she was chewing on the end of his wand and before he could confiscate it from her, she stuck it up one of her booger filled nostrils. He moaned “Nooo!” as he pulled it out of her grasp and wrinkled his nose at the exceptionally large booger on the end of the stick. He couldn’t help making weird faces as he wiped both the slobber and the green-ish goblins off of his wand. He sneered disapprovingly at his little sister’s diapered hiney as she ran away giggling.He shook his head, laughing to himself as he thought about it. Payton may be a pain sometimes, but she was definitely worth the headache. The trip from his place to Sonora was pretty short considering he and his family lived near Flagstaff. When the wagon pulled up in front of the school he climbed down out of the wagon and mentally had t remind himself to leave his bags. He stroked his owl’s feathers through the cage bars and gave her a wink. “I’ll see you later,” he promised her as he headed towards the front doors with the other returning students. He walked past the new first years as he made his way towards the doors to Cascade Hall. He walked inside, glanced around for his cousin Kinley and after spotting her, tapped her on the shoulder and whispered “Boo!” in her ear. He gave her a quick hug before they were ushered into the hall past the first years. He headed over to the Teppenpaws table and took a seat.
He watched with semi-interest as the first years were brought into the hall and then watched as they were sorted into their houses. He saw at least two turn yellow and join the table. He clapped for the first years when the sorting was done and half listened as the Headmistress announced the new professor, the new head boy and girl and the new prefects. Carter clapped for Wendy’s sister as she was given her new prefect badge. “Wendy must be ecstatic,” he said to himself as he clapped. The announcements over the food began appearing on the table and Carter was famished. After spending the last few months having just about everything on his plate snatched away by eager, curious fingers he was looking forward to eating a meal without interruption. He piled whatever looked good onto his plate and began stuffing his face. It felt good to be back at school. He tapped the kid sitting next to him on the shoulder and asked politely “Could you please pass that water pitcher over there?”
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Carter Browning
Good to be back
236
Carter Browning
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Ava Fletcher
May 21, 2013 2:42 PM
Re: You could try adding your toes, too. by Ava Fletcher
Sitting there in Cascade Hall this far away from her Papa had made Ava feel a little out of place as it was, but now that Alicia had started talking to her she didn’t feel as out of place anymore, however there was this feeling of inferiority towards the older girl. Ava wanted to be someone as confident and knowledgeable as her, someone who didn’t mind talking to a first year instead of the multitudes of friends Alicia probably had.When Alicia said her mother wouldn’t approve of her taking her rock climbing outdoors, Ava was still just as impressed as before. Rock climbing- whether indoors or outdoors was still a high up activity, one that Ava was sure she’d never be able to do. “Well it doesn’t really matter, does it? I mean as long as you like doing it, you should do it. If it makes you feel happy at least.”
Ava worried that Alicia was going to ask after her frown and as she did not particularly want to talk about That School, as she so often referred to it in her mind, it made her happy when Alicia did not ask and instead commented on the boys in Aladren and the rest of the students who came to Sonora.
She nodded. People from all over the country and the world? That sounded really amazing! And at last she’d be able to have a funny story to exchange with her mother when she wrote- if she wrote, a voice in the back of her head told her tauntingly put she pushed that thought to the back of her mind, she didn’t want to think about that now. Not after Alicia had made her feel so secure and welcome, at least.
“I like painting a lot, art is one of my favorite things to do. I mean, I know I’m not the best, I’m only 11. My Papa says they’re really great, but he’s my grandfather so I think he’s supposed to say that. But I also love reading fairytales and about places far away. I like pretty things. And music, but only the right kind.”
Ava nodded again twisting her braid and refraining to mention the topic that got her teased all through her time at That School. Her other topics of interest had separated her from the other girls too, but that had been on her, she knew it. She just didn’t like the books and art and music the other girls did and so didn’t feel like bonding over that was worth it. She knew that it was probably different at a school where half the kids grew up around magic and all of them would for the rest of their lives, but talking about mermaids to anyone outside of her family still distressed her and she didn’t want Alicia’s pity. “You like rock climbing, books, and being pushed,” she noted. “What else?”
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Ava Fletcher
Re: You could try adding your toes, too.
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Ava Fletcher
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Clara Abernathy
May 21, 2013 3:31 PM
I'll try not to lose you..lol by Clara Abernathy
Clara glanced at the other girl who spoke and frowned a little. Chloe was absolutely right. In the midst of everything going and that had gone on during the summer, Clara had completely forgotten that the dorms were separated by year. She smiled sheepishly at both of the first years and laughed at her silly oversight. She was impressed that Chloe had the courage to correct her not that she would have needed it. She turned towards Ji-Eun. “Chloe’s right. It would make you two roommates at any rate. I can at least claim you both as housemates,” she winked at the girls. She turned to Chloe briefly. “Just out of curiosity sake…you’re related to the headmistress aren’t you? I’m not trying to embarrass you or anything.” she smiled encouragingly at Chloe. “It’s okay if you are…I won’t squeal on ya,” she promised quietly.She gave Ji-Eun’s question some serious thought before she answered it. “What’s Pecari like huh? Well…let’s see. I guess its safe to say that we’re probably the most active house. We also have the most talkative people in school, maybe. We’re the risk takers and the most adaptive, if you believe the brochure,” she joked lightly. She wasn’t actually sure if Sonora had a brochure to be honest. “Most of the people I’ve run into in this house so far tend to be a bit on the goofy side, but I happen to like goofy so it works for me at least.”
She did her best to make both of the girls feel welcome in their new house. “We’re also some of the friendliest too I think…although I’ve met some very nice people in both Teppenpaw and Aladren as well. There’s a few friendly Crotalus people I’ve met outside of one of my cousins who’s in the house. I have cousins in every house here,” she shook her head laughing. “I have two other cousins who are starting their first year and they both just got Teppenpaw,” she told them both. She continued picking at her dinner as she spoke. “You’ll like our house dorm,” she told them. “Its really nice. We’re lucky…we have a password we have to remember to get it. The poor Tepps have to do a special dance to get into theirs my cousin once told me.” She giggled at the mere thought of it. Little by little her crazy summer was fading a bit as she talked with the new first years. It felt good not to worry about it so much. “Once you’ve had a chance to settle in if you’d like I can start by showing you both the hobby rooms. We call them the MARS rooms. There’s one for sports, music, dancing, water and…umm…huh. I always forget what the last one’s for,” she admitted sheepishly. “I’m sure we can find out together,” she laughed lightly. “That should be quite an adventure.”
She gave both of the girls a friendly wink and smile before turning part of her attention back to her dinner. “By the way…you should really try the food here. The prairie elves here are awesome cooks!”
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Clara Abernathy
I'll try not to lose you..lol
232
Clara Abernathy
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Francesca Wolseithcrafte
May 21, 2013 4:29 PM
Starting as I don't mean to go on (wotw) by Francesca Wolseithcrafte
Francesca had had an enjoyable enough summer. She had attended a few local parties, wearing nice dresses, smiling politely and using the correct fork at all times. In many ways, her life was very much like that of any other young lady of good blood and good standing. She conducted herself accordingly and, outside of one particular area, no one would have been able to tell the difference between her and her peers. The only real difference was to be spotted at Quidditch games where this year she hoped to be on the field, rather than in the stands – or wherever the rest of the brainwashed society types thought it was safe to be on such occasions, for all she knew they kept five miles from the nasty, seditious sport at all times. This was also the way in which her summer might have differed slightly from those of her peers. Between parties, she had been to debates, events for her mother's cause https://sites.google.com/site/magicalheritagesociety” The Heritage Society and had even spent a week at Quidditch camp. However, as the first day of term rolled around, she strode into the hall with all the bearing of a lady. Her hair was in a French plait, although bore no other ornamentation, and her robes were neat and tidy even after the long ride over from Chicago.She felt excited about the return to school, although perhaps not for the usual reasons. She was keen to get back to class (which perhaps was a special sub-type of normal that was relatively common within her house) and she was keen to play Quidditch properly. She had had a taste of it at camp but usually had to content herself with throw-abouts with her siblings. Real school games were going to be so much better. As far as friends and socialising went, there really wasn't much for her to be keen to come back to. Once she had actually found time to look through the yearbook, Francesca felt she understood a little more why it had been so hard for her to make friends last year. In spite of not signing up to the Quidditch team, or even breathing a word about enjoying the sport to anyone, she had still been voted as being the most Quidditch-obsessed. Clearly her family's reputation preceded her and had made people wary. Well, at least she didn't really have anything to lose once everyone saw her at Aladren's first match this year. It would have been nice to have friends. It might have given her some more leverage for changing people's attitudes. But if the whole school already knew what she believed, at least she couldn't predict that things would get much worse when she took to the field. And there was still time to work on consolidating the few acquaintances she had before then. Ginny Bellrose and Malcolm Carey had both been pleasant to her last year, and she had enjoyed the time spent in their company. Interestingly, the person she regarded as her strongest acquaintance, one who possibly even bordered on being a friend, had earnt the same notorious yearbook award as herself. She would be very interested to talk to Ann again... Although working out which one she needed to talk to might present a bit of a problem.
She clapped politely at the appropriate points in the notices. As the school song came by, she joined in. She had a sweet voice and wasn't embarrassed to be called upon to use it, although it was not an activity she sought out. The feast rose up, bringing with it its strange mix of aromas. Individually, she was sure the food smelt fantastic, and occasional tantalising wafts of a particularly strong scent caught her nostrils. However, in the same way that the sudden burst of chatter around her did not result in her being able to distinctly hear one hundred conversations separately, but added up to effectively make white noise, the smell of all the different foods cancelled each other out. Still, something kept catching her attention, over the other, blander smells....
“Excuse me,” she asked the person next to her, having identified the source of the aroma, “Could you pass the duck confit please?” she asked, nodding towards the dish.
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Francesca Wolseithcrafte
Starting as I don't mean to go on (wotw)
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Francesca Wolseithcrafte
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Overwhelming doesn't even cover this by Dimitri Porter
Dimitri spent the weekend before school packing and then repacking his belongings. When he and Darina received their acceptance letters for Sonora their parents were soo proud. His mother especially was glad that he would be attending Sonora along with almost all of his cousins old enough to go. She was glad that he and his sister would have someone there whom they would know. “I guess she thinks it will be better for us to have family there,” he mused to himself as he triple checked his trunk of items. Doing as many re-enactment events as he and his parents did you learned to make sure that you were prepared for just about anything. Once he was certain that his things were properly stowed, he moved to other tasks. He still had a bit of shopping to do before the wagon ride to school. He left his room and went in search of his father who would be taking him out to finish his list. As far as he knew Darina had gone with their mother for her things.Dimitri packed his trunk into the back of the wagon and climbed aboard sitting next to his sister. As he glanced at Darina he couldn’t help thinking about the weird summer they had had. They skipped doing their usual annual re-enactment camping trip in favor of going to a large family reunion in Sussex. It was like everyone from the family was in attendance, all but their uncle Alexander. They were informed while they were there that he was no longer part of the family. Dimitri was a bit surprised by that news. He hadn’t expected to hear that while they were visiting. He shrugged that part off. That wasn’t the weird part of their visit. The weird part was during the massive party their grandparents threw for all of the children with recent or current birthdays. For some reason the party went from being soley about birthdays to being one huge dating game episode as it were. Their aunt Alora met someone she really liked and spent her time with him, his aunt Simone ran into someone she apparently knew and they were almost inseperable, his girl cousins all seemed to be making goo-goo eyes at boys they met while they were visiting. His cousins Clara and Bri seemed to be the only two acting semi-normal, although Bri kept talking about someone named Marius and Clara mentioned someone named Lucian once or twice. He was soo bored with the whole thing he’d lost count.
By the time he and his family said their goodbyes he was soo sick of all the goo-goo faces he couldn’t wait to get home and write a silly song about it. His parents tsked him for making fun of his cousins, but Dimitri couldn’t help himself. They had been acting soo goofy there was no way he could resist. By the time the wagon arrived to take him and Darina to school he had finished the song. He put his notebook away as the wagon came to a stop out in front of the school. He climbed down out of the wagon and almost reached for his bags when he remembered that they had been instructed to leave them. He didn’t quite understand why, but he did it anyway giving his pet rat a queer sort of look. “I guess I’ll see you later buddy,” he told the rat patting its head affectionately. He walked past the wagon and stood just off to the side of his sister as they waited to go inside. The place looked much bigger than his cousins had indicated. He saw all of them pass by him and his sister and didn’t feel soo bad about being ditched when Clara stopped to hug them both before heading inside.
He waited with the other new first years and followed behind when they began walking towards the doors to the hall. He almost felt like a mindless sheep following the other sheep. He laughed lightly to himself at the thought. He would think of something like that at this time. “Tension breakers” his dad liked to call them. He waited patiently as the headmistress began her announcements and started calling the new students up one at a time for the sorting. He watched his sister go up first and studied the cup she held with interest. He watched her sip from the cup and stifled a laugh when she turned yellow. He fought harder not to laugh when she began singing “I’m a banana!” over and over again softly. He walked up to the head coach and took the cup from her. He studied the contents briefly before shrugging and taking a drink off of it.
Dimitri gave the cup back to the Coach Pierce and glanced down at his hands. He was amused to see himself turn banana yellow as well. He walked quietly back down the stairs and took a seat with the other new and old bananas. He listened with semi-interest as the Head Mistress announced the new Head boy and girl. He clapped politely for both them and the new prefects (whatever those were) and stared oddly at the music sheet that appeared on the table in front of them. He picked up the sheet and did his best to follow along. Once the school song was over with he stared in amazement as more food than he could ever eat appeared upon the table. He nudged his sister lightly and reached for one of his favorites. He piled his plate high with meatloaf, mashed potatoes and carrots. He really didn’t like green veggies and avoided them if possible. He tapped one of the kids sitting near him on the shoulder and asked, “Are meal times always this crazy around here?”
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Dimitri Porter
Overwhelming doesn't even cover this
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Dimitri Porter
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5
Alicia Bauer
May 21, 2013 6:19 PMAlicia Bauer
AlumnusHouse: Aladren
Written by: Grayson Wright
Age in Post: 15
Birthday: September 15
That should be enough, though. by Alicia Bauer
Part of Alicia was tempted to take the conversation about rock climbing and turn it into an abstract discussion of the morality of pleasure-seeking, but she restrained herself. For one thing, she wasn’t really in the mood for morality anyway, and for another, it wouldn’t fit with the part she was playing. She was the kind, cheerful, confident older girl, the one who would make Ava feel welcome and look out for her, not someone who would make her feel like her brain was melting before she even had time to get her balance back after the wagon ride.“Right,” she said instead with a smile.
She wondered if she was supposed to know what the right kind of music was. Music had never been much of an interest of hers; in her room, where she had the choice, she usually didn’t have any, preferring to read her books in silence, and downstairs, it was just background noise. Her sisters listened to music, but the rooms were, thankfully, far enough apart and well-insulated enough that she didn’t have to hear whatever they thought was cool this week. Hadn’t, anyway; Rachel no longer lived there, and Alicia couldn’t imagine Kate staying much longer, so it wasn’t something she foresaw unexpectedly becoming a problem.
“That all sounds really interesting,” she said. “I don’t know much about music or art, but I spent a lot of this summer working with fables, stories from mythology. There’s a lot to be learned from stories.”
She smiled when some of her own interests were recited back to her. “You paid attention,” she observed, sounding pleased. “Well, I like languages, I’ll read – almost anything, really, and I’m working on becoming a better writer. Though that one’s kind of practical, too,” she admitted. “I’m taking my CATS exams at the end of this year, and while it’s the content that counts, being able to present it well can’t hurt anything,” she said, aiming for a touch of self-deprecation. “I like to stay busy, too, I spend a lot of time in activities – the library, my friend Henny, she just became prefect, she’s had a book club, and I’ve worked as a tutor.” Well, had volunteered for it, anyway. It would do for now. There was no formal organization to check her claims against, not yet, anyway, and it made the list longer.
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Alicia Bauer
That should be enough, though.
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Alicia Bauer
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Fae Sinclair
May 21, 2013 9:08 PM
A year of last goodbyes. by Fae Sinclair
Fae stretched her body when she was finally off of the wagon. The trip from Connecticut was always so long and rough, that she always felt as though her body was made out of rubber. It was hard though, knowing that this would be her final year at Sonora. Things would be drastically different after she graduated and she wasn’t sure how she felt about it. Although there wasn’t a date planned yet for her and Arnold’s wedding, it was going to happen within that year after they graduated. Her mother didn’t want it in the summer because she knew there would be so many other weddings happening that it would be too much to keep up with. Besides, Fae was pretty certain that Sara’s wedding would happen over summer and Fae didn’t want to step on her toes.She was positive that Arnold wanted to wait as long as possible too. Whether she should be hurt by that thought or not, she had yet to decide.
Walking into the hall, Fae could understand the bit of nostalgia that people received when they knew the end was coming. She didn’t think she would really have that feeling because she had never felt as though Sonora was a home for her. It had just been a school. But now that she was standing in the hall for what would be her last Welcoming Feast, she felt the twinge in the pit of her stomach. Everything was going to be different from now on. This would be the last year she was free from the monotony of life. She could only hope that Arnold wanted to live away from the lives of their families and do their own thing. She’d even deal with him going into Quidditch professionally. She just didn’t want to lose who they were once they were forced into the ‘real’ world.
As Fae walked to the Crotalus table, her blue eyes scanned the Pecari table for her best friend, only to remember that she wasn’t there any longer. Sara had graduated last year. The thought that Fae would have to go through a full year without her best friend within the same building startled Fae. She had no idea what she was supposed to do now. Sara was someone with whom Fae relied on just as she did Arnold. What she couldn’t say to her betrothed, she said to her friend. What was she supposed to do now?
Feeling suddenly lost, Fae took a seat at her table. She still had Alice, of course, but Alice lacked the emotion that Sara often provided. It was going to be a difficult year. She knew that she was being selfish in her thoughts. Sara was probably equally in need of a friend, but she was older and wiser and far more put together than Fae ever could be. Maybe she could go find Arnold and ask for a hug?
She went through the motion of clapping for everyone as the Headmistress gave her speech (she did catch that both Henny and Alex made Prefects and planned on congratulating the two of them when she had the chance), but otherwise, Fae didn’t necessarily care to pay much attention. She did note the event though and also noted that there was no mention of it being mandatory. She felt good about that. As proud as she was about what she had accomplished last year, she knew she wouldn’t be able to do it this year what with the RATS happening.
Dinner was served and Fae reached for some of the salad. She smiled politely to the person beside her while she served herself. “Good Evening. How was your summer?”
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Fae Sinclair
A year of last goodbyes.
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Fae Sinclair
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5
Fairy Tale Summer Gone Wrong (RORY) by Analea Thornton
Analea’s Summer was weirder than anything had ever been before. It was a weird sort of Fairy Tale gone wrong and then righted again. She’d never read anything like it in her books before, but she wouldn’t put it past either herself or her slightly younger cousin Darina to write it one day. Her father was heading out of their lives more than he already was, and he was trying to take her brother and sister Ariel away from them. Their mother and Uncle Bryan were flatly refusing to let him do anything of the sort, but still the turmoil in the family wasn’t anything that could have been deemed fun by anyone. However, they spent most of the summer in England, where at the big Summer Birthday Bash their grandparents put on for them, she met two specific people who made everything that was going on seem better.The first one, was her mother’s new boyfriend’s son, Jonah. He loved fairy tales too, and it was fun for her to act them out with someone. Jo treated her like a princess and she LOVED that! The second, was a boy named Ryland. Ry was her mother’s best friend (from when she was little)’s son and Analea thought he was the CUTEST thing in the whole world and from seeing him the first time, she knew she’d found her prince! The best part about Jo and Ry was that they didn’t care that she lisped. In fact, if anyone laughed at her while she was near them, they made sure that the laughers would never do that again. They were like her knights in shining armor and she stuck by them like glue. She cried when she had to leave them, but she understood why and the three promised to write each other all the time. Analea couldn’t wait to call Rory when she got back to the states, but when she got back it was a whirlwind of activities and packing and seeing Arista off to Uncle Bryan’s, taking care of the little siblings, changing locks, and more. It was a few days after they got back when she got a chance to finally call her.
When she did, the happenings of the whole summer came out in one fell swoop. In fact, it sort of sounded like Ana was vomiting out everything to her best friend to the point where she felt bad that she couldn’t stop talking, sobbing and crying at the same time. By the end of their conversation, Ana was invited to Rory’s house and Ana hung up the phone feeling better, promising to call her best friend once her mother gave the yay or nay to that idea. Analea begged and pleaded with her mother, and she finally consented but only with the stipulation that Addison take her and bring her back home again. Addi agreed to do just that for her sister, with which Ana was grateful and packed up a bag for the weekend away at Rory’s house. After that weekend, Addison came back for the almost second year to take her home and the Thornton girls returned to Oregon until a few days before the Wagons were to come for them. They returned to Napa so that Uncle Bryan could help them all get to school and so that the kids could see Arista once more before they left for school without her.
Analea knew this would be weird this year without Rista there, but Ris was happy with Uncle Bryan and Caius and that was what counted and mattered to her. When they got there before the wagons left, Arista had an announcement for the lot of them. She and Caius were going to be married over the Winter Break. Ana was shocked and happy at the same time. It was almost going to be like a Fairy Tale Wedding, at least in her book. She didn’t know how it would be paid for, but that wasn’t up to the second year anyway.
Now, however, it was time for them to return to school so the wagon ride was spent chattering amongst each other and the cousins until they all got off the wagons. She and the older kids left the twins with the other first years and Ana waved as Clara hugged them. Ana walked into the Hall, spotting Rory right away and making a bee-line for her best friend, sneaking the seat next to her before anyone else could. It wasn’t like she hadn’t seen her, cause she had, but there was some comfort in knowing that her best friend was there and knew what her summer had been like.
The girls didn’t need to say much of anything as they had done it the whole weekend together, so when Headmistress Kijewski-Jareau started talking, Ana paid attention to each word, watching as the first years were sorted. When Rina got up to the Coach, Ana sat on the edge of her seat. Part of her wished that her little cousins got into Aladren House with her and Rory, but she watched as Darina turned yellow and Dimitri followed in the same shade next. She clapped for her cousins, knowing at least they would be with Bri and Addi as the Head Boy and Girl were announced along with the Prefects. Ana clapped hard for both Henny and Waverly, she at least knew those names as they were friends of her older sisters.
When their new Muggle Studies teacher was introduced, Ana clapped again for her and wished she was old enough to take that class as the Fair was announced after that. She wondered what that could entail, but she assumed that she would find out sooner or later. The song sheets showed up just like the year before, and just as she’d done in the past, she didn’t sing this time either. The food appeared at the end of the song and Ana took the time to look to Rory.
“So…” she said in her lispy tone as she piled her plate high with mashed potatoes.
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Analea Thornton
Fairy Tale Summer Gone Wrong (RORY)
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Analea Thornton
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5
I spilled my guts... by Aubrielle Thornton
Aubrielle was confused at the random meeting at the end of the year before where Arista pulled all the Thorntons and Clara together. What was so important about going to England instead of home? She’d remembered wondering. Once they got to England it all made sense to the almost fourth year. Her parents weren’t together anymore and her father had done things to her mother that she hated him for even more than ignoring herself and her sisters. Bri loved her mother with all her heart and the fact that her father hurt her mother made her hate him all the more. Cheating on her mother and getting another girl pregnant, buying stuff for that baby when he’d never bought anything for his own children with her mother, made her so mad at him that she could have spit on him if she even had seen him on the streets.While they were in England, there was this huge Birthday Bash for all the summer babies of the family and it turned into one big weird Jerry Springer episode of people falling in love or like or whatever it may be. She felt weird sitting there not ogling at a boy, but Clara wasn’t either, so it wasn’t so bad for her. After the party, Bri begged to call Marius on the phone and Grandmother Abernathy told her it was fine. When she got a hold of him he didn’t stop talking. All of his words combined with the one before and Bri was speechless with what he’d said. Marius had finally met his father and weird things were happening that he didn’t understand. The thing was, Brielle knew EXACTLY what was going on and she motioned to her Aunt Charlotte to come to her and she wrote it down as Marius spoke. Bri knew that he’d said weird things happened around him when he was mad or upset, but she just mistook it for different things than it had ended up being. He’d thought at first that it had been his friend that everyone said was imaginary. Then he blamed the odd events on a ghost in their house, and now he just didn’t understand but Bri did.
After getting the okay from Aunt Charlotte and Uncle Bryan to tell Marius what was REALLY going on, she spilled her guts like she’d never done before as the whole family made their way into the large Library, her mother and Grandfather being the last two. They looked worried and confused, but Uncle Bryan quelled that right away as Bri talked on and on, thrilled that now she can actually tell her innermost secrets to the boy she’s wanted to be with like that and for the rest of her life!
From the time they got back from England to the day she left for Napa, she spent every waking hour with Marius, showing him things about magic, teaching him charms and transfiguration, even lent him her beginners books and bought him a wand for his birthday out of her own money. By the time she had to leave for Napa he was on a jumpstart to his new life, living with his father and being taught magic by his father and Alora Thornton.
The summer got even more weird when they got back to Napa at the end of it to find out that Arista and Caius had planned on getting married over Winter Break so the children would all be there. Bri was glad for her oldest sister, but confused at the same time. So much had happened that she was overwhelmed, but happy. Even with the stuff with her father, the rest of her life seemed to be coming into place.
The kids got onto the Wagon in Napa and by the time they got to school, they’d chattered away the whole trip. The older kids made their way through the first years and left the twins with the other eleven year olds with Ana waving and Clara giving them a hug while Bri smiled at them. Bri walked into Cascade Hall, waved towards Waverly and sat down at an empty seat at the Teppenpaw Table. She didn’t know who would sit next to her or even care. The boyfriend she loved was part magical and THAT made her whole year! The red-head smiled brightly and said, “Hello! Hope you had a great summer!” to her neighbor. She looked to see who it was, but before she knew it (either before or after the answer) Headmistress Kijewski-Jareau started talking.
First order of business after the welcome and welcome back was to sort the first years like her twin cousins. Bri watched as they both turned yellow! “Yes!” she said quickly and quietly, cheering for them. Next order of business was Head Boy, Girl and new Prefects. Henny and Waverly were called and Bri stood up, cheering (and yes, making a fool of herself in the process!) but how can she not be happy and excited and proud of her friends?!
Then a weird thought hit her. If this year was Waverly and Henny’s turn for Prefect, next year was hers and Clara’s… Ohmygosh… she thought to herself as her eyes widened. Merlin’s Beard… she added to herself as their new Muggle Studies Professor was introduced. Professor Chambers looked like a nice young lady and Bri decided then and there to take her class. The next announcement was the Midsummer Event being the Fair and Bri smiled, wondering what her and her little group would come up with this time. Bri took note to make it a point to be sure that she talk to Waverly, both in congratulations, but also about what happened over the summer. Sure, the girls had written letters, but letters were not face to face and there was so much that she couldn't say...
The School Song appeared and Bri joined the rest of the singers in the words she knew well by now. When the song was over, the feast showed up in front of them and Bri grinned, turning back to her neighbor and smiling wider. “I loved parts of Summer, but I have to say, I missed the food here…” she piled anything she could get her hands on into her plate as she said it. It wasn’t that she didn’t like the food over summer, it just wasn’t Sonora food, and that was what she’d been wanting, badly.
0
Aubrielle Thornton
I spilled my guts...
0
Aubrielle Thornton
0
5
Ava Fletcher
May 22, 2013 1:54 AM
"Enough is enough," that's a song by Barbara Streisand by Ava Fletcher
“Thanks,” said Ava when Alicia told her that her interests sounded well, interesting. “You don’t have to know much about music or art to appreciate it though, just so long as you’re not listening to that pop-y crap on the radio. Those songs are too repetitive; they don’t have enough complexities in them. But fables and mythology sounds really cool too! What kind of work?” Ava wondered if it was something fun, fables and mythology was a very interesting topic, there were so many versions and all fables and mythology had to originate from something- perhaps ever something cool. She thought it would be amazing if some of the myths from popular mythology were based on a real event..Ava beamed back, proud at having done something right. “Yes, I did, my Papa always says it’s impolite to only half listen to a person when they are talking about something especially when it’s something important or has to do with themselves.”
“What kind of writing?” Ava asked when the other girl mentioned working on her writing. Ava had never thought to actually create her own story; instead she drew scenes out of the books or from her imagination and thought up stories. But she was afraid that if she tried to write them down then she would fail miserably. She nodded at the mention of the CATS exams. She didn’t know what they were really but she got enough to know that they seemed to be very hard tests.
“A book club? Really? That sounds super fun!” Ava sighed, wondering what kinds of books were discussed in it, she’d remembered that her teacher in second grade had noticed her love of books and tried to get her to join the mother-daughter book club but Ava had politely declined knowing both that the other girls wouldn’t have liked it but also that her mother would never have been able to make the meetings. What made Ava wish she was a part of it though was that the other girls would talk about it on the playground sometimes and Ava would overhear and want to correct them that no, in fact Mary and Colin were cousins, and therefore it would be incest if they got together so Dickon was obviously the better match, were they stupid?
When Alicia mentioned working as a tutor she grew even larger in Ava’s eyes, not only was this girl welcoming and confident and loved books as she did but she obviously was smart enough- and willing enough to help others with their schoolwork. Alicia seemed to be the exact kind of girl that her mother or Papa would like, so Ava felt proud in talking to her.
“So you must be really smart then,” Ava replied. “And really good at a lot of subjects. What’s the hardest do you think?”
10
Ava Fletcher
"Enough is enough," that's a song by Barbara Streisand
258
Ava Fletcher
0
5
Effie Arbon
May 22, 2013 7:13 AM
Like me only better by Effie Arbon
Since her society début, Effie had been required to spend her free time engaged in lady like pursuits, rather than in play. This usually meant retiring to the drawing room of an evening with her mother and her middle sister, Delphine. Although Delphine was younger than her, it was only by a year and thus the difference between them had never been that pronounced. However, upon returning home, she had found that her younger sister had overtaken her in certain arts. Effie was aware of them, and had put them to use on special occasions, such as balls, but her sister now seemed to be using a range of beauty potions and spells on a daily basis, and the same was expected of her. Not that she was to look obviously made up - no one, her mother had assured her, likes a painted harlot. She was to be herself, just... slightly better. And thus the summer had been spent perfecting the application of various potions, lotions and charms... She had practised lash-lengthening until she could make the results last for a week, without starting out with a solid black fan across each eyelid. She had been instructed in various hairstyles, to be executed both manually and with the aid of a wand, including volumising charms, split-end spells and a handy little number for keeping one's hair unruffled by the wind.Effie glided into the hall, her skin radiant from the dose of complexion potion she had given it. It really was marvellous stuff. It did not really alter the colour of one's skin but it made it appear healthy and vital. Effie was always going to be a pale creature but the potion made that look its best. Her pallor was definitely that of a delicate, elegant rose, not that one of who was sickly or washed out. Her hair, which although thin appeared healthy and glossy, had been brushed into a side ponytail, a section of it wrapped around the top apparently holding the style in place (although in actual fact there was a band underneath doing most of the work).
She took a seat at the Crotalus table, applauding indifferently to the majority of the announcements. She stayed her hands as the school welcomed a new so-called Professor, one who wanted to teach them all about Muggles and their alleged 'culture' and 'ingenuity.' Effie knew as much as she needed to know about Muggles. They were arrogant and violent people, who were desperately jealous of those with magic. This jealousy had led to the persecution of many witches and wizards. Her entire race had then been forced in to hiding for fear of those people. Not that she wished to associate them anyway, but it was scandalous, given their superior talents, that the Muggles' crude thuggishness had forced them to sneak around, pretending not to be there. And this woman wanted to teach them all that Muggles were clever, cultured people. It was simply nonsense. She wondered what her Father would think if he found out. He had been hesitant to send her to the school as he felt the staff had an over-liberal attitude. However, the children of many other prominent families were in attendance and, with three daughters to get off his hands, it had seemed prudent to allow Effie to mix with them. Would Father think Muggle Studies was a step too far and pull her from the school? She was surprised to find that she did not want that. Much as she missed her home and her sisters, and strange and distasteful as she found the amount of common people (and the general attitude towards them) she enjoyed the society of Sonora. She got to speak with so many more people than she would at home. Even if she knew them well enough now to attend their parties, it wouldn't be the same as having their company every day. Her parents had always instructed her to ignore the presence of those people whose company did not befit her station and she resolved to do this most thoroughly. And, if there was no such person as the Muggle Studies Professor in her eyes, then it was scarcely something she could mention in her letters. She expected her father would find out anyway but the subject was not compulsory and, so long as she gave it a wide berth, perhaps the pull of getting his daughters out of his house would outweigh any feelings he had on the subject of the elective curriculum.
She joined in tunefully with the school song before turning her attention to the food which had appeared. She helped herself to a fillet of salmon which seemed to have been poached and, if the decorative garnishes were an indication, flavoured with lemon and dill. Alongside this she placed a large portion of salad and a small bread roll. There was a jug of what looked like elderflower cordial just of reach. She glanced around, trying to see if there was anyone nearby whom she could ask to pass it to her.
13
Effie Arbon
Like me only better
238
Effie Arbon
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5
Alicia Bauer
May 22, 2013 12:42 PMAlicia Bauer
AlumnusHouse: Aladren
Written by: Grayson Wright
Age in Post: 15
Birthday: September 15
I did not know that. Learn something new every day! by Alicia Bauer
She wasn’t sure, but Alicia was pretty sure “pop-y crap on the radio” would constitute an adequate description of what her sisters generally listened to on the radio. As insults to any of their tastes (except perhaps Rachel’s taste in accessories; Alicia coveted some of her eldest sister’s hats) were, as far as she was concerned, more likely than not to be statements of fact, though, she took no offense. “Classical composition courses,” she said of her work with fables. “Based off ancient Greek models, though everything I did was in English, of course.”Sometimes, just sometimes, she felt a little inferior for focusing on Latin rather than Greek. The sources were older, and the differences in alphabet meant there was more to learn even in the earliest stages, and having a working knowledge would have pretty much solidified her credentials as a Very Educated Person. Fate had had it, though, that her uncle’s best friend had focused on fairly Western-standard Roman-style spell creation, with the attendant language classes and minor, so Latin it had been and still was for her, and it had been good to her. She didn’t talk about that particular skill set much, since she was pretty sure there were probably limits even in Aladren, but it really had been the first thing she had ever purely enjoyed. Back then, she hadn’t really known any better, so it had been something she alone knew, something which made her better than the others; she hadn’t thought there could be anything better than it then. Now, she knew there was always something better than whatever one happened to be doing, at least practically speaking, but what could she say, she was sentimental.
She smiled politely over the continued praise of Papa. Perhaps he was like her stepfather, Jeremy, one who had taught Ava how to manage in the world. Or perhaps he had just taught her manners. Hard to say, really. “Good advice,” she complimented him as well.
“My focus was on improving my academic writing,” she answered. “Making and defending an argument, word choice, that kind of thing.” She had also spent a lot of time perfecting the art of writing polite notes of acceptance, thanks, and refusal, but did not see this as a skill to boast of. “We write a lot here – Professor Fawcett’s known for his essays, but we have as much in Charms with Professor Olivers, and Professor Skies, the Transfiguration teacher, keeps up as well. You should adjust quickly, though.”
Honestly, Alicia was frankly surprised, all things considered, that the book club had never erupted into vicious political battles, something she could only attribute to the fairly complicated networks of friendships and acquaintanceships among them all, but she smiled and nodded anyway. “It is,” she assured Ava. Maybe giving Henny a new girl here was not enough to make up for how she was going to spend so much of the rest of the year promoting herself at her friend’s expense, but it made her feel a little better about it. “Students from all years are welcome, we tend to decide what books we’re reading democratically, so there’s always some variety.”
She laughed and thought of something to make herself blush when Ava started complimenting her presumptive skills. “I do my best,” she said. “What a person finds to be the toughest subject is usually a personal thing – a lot of people say Transfiguration, but there’s plenty of people who find Charms a lot harder. Strengths and weaknesses can run in families, so if you know of any, that might be a good place to start. Though keeping an open mind is probably best. My mother can barely brew a sleeping draught, and her brother's a Potions master.”
16
Alicia Bauer
I did not know that. Learn something new every day!
210
Alicia Bauer
0
5
Isabel Raines
May 22, 2013 2:02 PM
I'm still pretty much just me. by Isabel Raines
Isabel’s summer had been spent quietly, for the most part. Most of the family’s attention had been focused firmly on either her youngest nephew, Edmund, and his little accomplishments or on Sara, who had lived in a constant whirl of parties and visits and trips to town in preparation for her last real time abroad with Aunt Margaret before her marriage, which had begun yesterday. Isabel and Alan, firmly in the middle of all these more important people, had been mostly left to their own devices, which Isabel thought had suited them as well as anything; Alan had spent most of the time reading, and Isabel had gone to as many events as people would let her into, learning in her own way things she thought she might need to know.One of those things, to her dismay, had practically been how to walk all over again, as she had gotten taller and clumsier with it. Now, on her first day back at school, she was trying to disguise it with flat shoes and a skirt which covered her knees, which she had started to really hate over the summer and not like the thought of anyone seeing at all. She had curled her brown hair, part of which was held back in a barrette to show off that she had gotten to wear her good diamond earrings along with a touch of lip gloss and mascara. She thought she looked pretty as she went to the Crotalus table to sit down and hear the announcements of the year.
Most of them didn’t seem very relevant to her, though she did applaud politely for the new prefects. They were all girls this year, no one she knew well, though she had seen Miss Devereux around the common room and of course everyone knew who Henny and Waverly were. Miss Brownbriar, she didn’t really recognize, but she wasn’t a Teppenpaw anyway, so she guessed it didn’t really matter.
After the school song, the food appeared and Isabel noticed Effie looking around. “What are you looking for?” she asked her friend, noticing that Effie’s plate was much fuller than hers. She couldn’t decide what she wanted, nothing she saw really appealed to her, so she started taking tips from the other girl’s plate just so she didn’t look strange sitting there with an empty one in front of her at the biggest meal of the year.
0
Isabel Raines
I'm still pretty much just me.
241
Isabel Raines
0
5
Ava Fletcher
May 22, 2013 2:33 PM
That's the motto- I know I do. by Ava Fletcher
When Alicia mentioned working on classics based off of Greek models, the first thing Ava could think of were the stories of the god who threw thunderbolts, his exceedingly jealous wife, and all the rest of his siblings. “Oh, so do you like Greek mythology then?” Questioned Ava. She wanted to know what Alicia thought about Hades. Ever since the popularization of Hercules in that ridiculous movie, Hades had become somewhat of a bad guy which Ava didn’t like. Hades was merely the god off the underworld- a place where all mortal souls went after they died, good or bad. Hera was the bad guy in the situation. Well, Hera and the centaur who eventually got Hercules to be in so much pain he begged to be killed.Academic writing did not sound fun at all and when Alicia started talking about all the subjects that required essays Ava only just stopped herself from making a face. Do so would have been childish and she didn’t want to appear that way to Alicia, not after all the great things Alicia had told her that made Ava think Alicia herself was great. “That’s sounds like a lot of essays,” Ava sounded worried. “I’ve never been a strong writer. It’s something that I need to work on badly.”
“Oh, that’s sounds really lovely. If I wanted to join, when should I do that?” Perhaps here was the chance she’d been waiting for to be a part of a book club with people who read books and then had sensible opinions on them. People who understood the implications of the writer properly and didn’t automatically go into who would marry who at the end of the story when they were all grown up. She knew she herself sometimes did that, as un-cliché as she hoped she was, she still dreamed of finding a white knight to fall madly in love with her and sweep her off her feet.
Ava nodded. “Okay, well my mother isn’t home very often so I don’t know exactly what it is she’s good at- whatever she needs to be to be a Healer, I suppose.” Ava shrugged. “I know it’s silly to want to do something when you don’t even know what it is you have to do to actually do it, but I know that Healers help cure the sick and I know that’s something I want to do.”
10
Ava Fletcher
That's the motto- I know I do.
258
Ava Fletcher
0
5
Topher Calhoun
May 22, 2013 3:16 PM
Here's to making the best of it by Topher Calhoun
Year Seven. The big one. It was hard to believe, as he climbed off the wagon, stiff and bruised-feeling as always, that it was really here. It was hard for Topher to get his head around the idea that by midnight at least, everyone in his year would be a legal adult and just biding their time here for a few more months before they did…whatever. Got a degree. Got a job. Got married. Whatever.Still, there was a whole year to go before he had to worry too much about that, so he put it out of his mind as he walked the paths up to the school and through the magnificent foyer and into the Cascade Hall. Right now, there was the Feast, and then there would be putting a decent Quidditch team together for one last heroic effort at kicking Aladren where it hurt, who knew, maybe last year had thrown them off their game, it was worth a hope, and then there would be classes, and RATS, and a fair, and…well, really, any number of things could happen around all that, too. Drama was always a possibility, given the complicated love lives of everyone around him, but good and neutral things could happen, too. First, though, there was the Feast, which he was ready to sit down to after the ride from Illinois. He had no idea why, considering the level of activity involved, but long voyages did have a way of affecting the appetite, either bringing it out or completely shutting it down, and for him, at least tonight, it was the former.
The headmistress made her announcements, most of which didn’t really seem to apply that much to him – sure, it was great they had a new professor, new prefects, all that, but he was too far into his RATS now to consider taking up a new subject and he would be very surprised to meet the fifth year prefect who said much to a seventh year. He clapped for Derry and Reggie as they took their badges, though; they were good people, he was glad they’d won.
“It was summer, I guess,” he said when Fae, going for salad as was pretty normal for her, asked the standard feast question. They didn’t talk as much as they had once, but the feast was a time for tradition. “Kind of weird to think it was the last one. Spent a lot of time in Dad’s office, you know, seeing if I liked it well enough to consider it as a career. How was yours?”
Pretty boring, he was sure, at least by his standards, but, well, his had been pretty boring by his standards, too. Nothing wrong with boring, sometimes. Boring meant that while nothing was going spectacularly right in the world, at the same time, nothing was going spectacularly wrong, at least by whatever criteria you used to measure that kind of thing. Merlin knew he knew that could be kind of a subjective thing, especially after the past few years.
0
Topher Calhoun
Here's to making the best of it
192
Topher Calhoun
0
5
That's good to know. by Emery
Emery still thought it was too coincidental that his roommate’s mother happened upon a man with a name from the Arthur Legends and fell in love with him. He half suspected that his mother met him, realized he had the name, and stuck by him. Love came around later. But, since that didn’t sound romantic, Emrys’s parents never mentioned it. He realized that this was a negative thought to have on his roommate’s family, so he kept those thoughts completely to himself, but they were his own thoughts and they made complete sense to him. But it was rude to say any of this and he had no doubt that Emrys and his family were happy. Emery certainly couldn’t say his family wasn’t without its questionable history, but as he was sure Emyrs felt, Emery felt this made his family all the more amazing.“I don’t know if that’s a theory so much as the definition of love.” Emery commented lightly. Wasn’t that the whole point of the emotion? You meet someone who fills the emptiness of your life and makes you happy. Emery thought that was his understanding of love and so, really wasn’t a theory, but if it makes his roommate happy to think it, then the more power he had to it. Emery didn’t have any theories about life. Not really anyway. His life had changed dramatically over the last couple of years with his mother’s marriage, the adoption of his older siblings, and with the birth of his baby sister. That had all taught him quite a bit about people, family, and emotions.
“I can understand that. My mom’s pretty quiet. She’s strong and all and super smart. And really active. But, my dad, he’s really out-going. He’s in advertising, so he’s always talking to people. Always running around. You wouldn’t think that they mixed well being so different, but it seems to work well for them.” It was probably how they managed a house full of kids. All of them very different and Angel needing extra attention due to his learning disability and health issues. And, of course, Harper still being a baby.
Emrys had an endless amount of knowledge of the old ways that it was a little freakish to Emery. Emery knew animals, both magical and non-magical, but that was due to his mother being a Magizoologist and often taking him to local zoos. But he didn’t think that was an obsession. He just smiled at Emrys as he listened. He felt like he’d be learning a lot about the old ways from him. That didn’t have to be a terrible thing.
“I suppose it can be with Harper around. And, well, Chloe, but that’s because she doesn’t stop talking.” Emery commented about his sister. “Angel and Ayita are pretty low-key though. Ayita’s a 7th year, so I think she’s too old to really get loud and Angel is… Angel.” Emery didn’t want to say anything too personal about his albino brother. “He’s a fifth year in Teppenpaw.”
Emery thought it was a little funny that Emrys’s mother was named after the evil witch from the legends who then named her own child after the ‘warlock’ who was her nemesis. He wondered if she had done that for a joke to see if anyone questioned it. He knew there were various interpretations of the stories, so maybe there was one where Morgana and Emrys were friends. "Yeah, I can see that." Emery said when Emrys made a comment regarding his mother's love of the tales and his own.
The sudden change in topic startled Emery for a moment and he had to think about what he had just ate. “It’s mashed potatoes?” He said uncertainly. “They are garlic flavored I think. Creamed. Very tasty. The Elves are really good.”
6
Emery
That's good to know.
0
Emery
0
5
Chloe Jareau
May 22, 2013 10:24 PM
Follow along, keep your hands in at all times! by Chloe Jareau
Satisfied that the older girl would not be upset with Chloe for pointing out her inaccuracy, Chloe settled back into her seat to focus on the food and the conversation. Chloe nodded politely along with the other first year when she said that it was a nice offer of her to show them around. Chloe probably could have easily bothered her older siblings or even her mother if she needed to find her way, but with someone offering their assistance so freely, she didn’t see why she should turn it down.Chloe had quieted down, not really sure what else there was for her to say, but she didn’t really have long to wait though because Clara was asking her a direct question regarding her step-mother. She wasn’t really sure why it was supposed to be embarrassing or a secret that Chloe was somehow connected to the Headmistress. For one, Chloe would openly claim any of her siblings her siblings, and Emery had the exact same last name as the Headmistress. For another, Jareau wasn’t the most common of names and someone could easily put two and two together. Also, Chloe loved her mother and didn’t care if someone made fun of her for it.
“It’s not really squealing if people recognize the last names.” Chloe commented after swallowing her food. “The Headmistress is my mother.” Chloe commented nonchalantly with a small shrug of her shoulders. Although Kiva hadn’t given birth to her, she had adopted her, so Chloe considered her more of a mother than her birth mother ever would be.
The conversation moved on and Ji-Eun asked about the house they were now to call home. Chloe had asked her mother, Ayita, and Angel these same questions a million times over for the last couple of years. They only knew of their own houses and her mother wouldn’t give her much detail saying she’d have to wait and see. Typical parent response. But at least Clara would say everything first hand without caring if she were spoiling anything. Well, hopefully.
She listened quietly (this was a feat for her) as Clara went over her thoughts. None of the thoughts seemed solid, so it was clear that it was just her opinion. Everything was nice and polite. No one was going to say anything negative about it because those things weren’t discussed. “It’s the Art Room.” Chloe advised. She had heard all about them. She was not athletic or artistic, she certainly didn’t dance or play music, but she did like the water. She planned on using that room often! “I’m excited for the water room! My mom said that the creation of the MARS room was during the previous Headmaster’s reign. She says it’s a wonderful way for students to really develop their talents. But all I want to do is swim in all different kinds of water! That’ll be so much fun!” Chloe exclaimed happily.
6
Chloe Jareau
Follow along, keep your hands in at all times!
267
Chloe Jareau
0
5
At least it's over by Rory Royale
For the first time in her life, Rory was relieved that summer had come to an end. It wasn’t a bad break. There were no massive disasters between family members or major downsides to being home. She was just tired. For the past couple months, she had been in bouncing back and forth between her parents’ homes and dealing with all five of her younger siblings. Emlen, the newest addition to her family, was incredibly cute, but she was also incredibly good at crying in the middle of the night. At mother’s house, she had Abby, her second youngest sister, running around like a maniac and Adam trying to learn how to play the drums.Her mom and Al had bought a new house right before she’d left school, and while she was excited to have a bigger bedroom, it almost wasn’t worth it. She had adjusted to this fine, but Adam and Abby had not. In the middle of any night, she could wake up to find one or both of them in her new queen sized bed. Abby was more interested Rory’s room then her own, and Rory spent a lot of time kicking her out as nicely as possible.
It was towards the end of the summer when she finally got her call from her best friend. She had worried that Ana didn’t want to talk to her when it took so long to get a call, and receiving it had been a huge relief. They’d talked for hours. Ana’s family was having all sorts of issues that she didn’t understand, but she had listened to them quietly and assured her friend that it would all be okay in the end. Knowing that she needed an escape from it all, she had extended an invitation to visit her in Alabama.
Ana had spent a weekend with her at her father’s house. They had walked down to the neighborhood pool each morning and camped out every night. Rory was delighted to have her friend with her. She didn’t have any magical friends outside of school, and it was nice to have someone that she could properly talk to without having to hide any part of her. They played with the new baby a little bit, though she wasn’t much fun after a while. Alec followed them around for a bit, but Rory had eventually sent her off so that she could be with her friend alone. She loved her little sister, but she needed some time with just Ana.
She was glad to get back to school again, where she didn’t have any younger siblings to worry about and she got to sleep in the same bed for more than a week straight. She half watched the sorting, wondering if she had looked that small just a year ago. She knew that Ana had some sort of family up there, but she couldn’t identify them enough to keep up with what color they were turning. Once it was time to start the actual dinner, she turned to meet Ana’s eyes.
“So,” she echoed back, “Alec and Trey told me to say hi. Um, how was the rest of your break?” She really didn’t want to talk about the Thorntons and their problems, but she knew that she should at least give Ana the chance to. Rory understood family problems and knew that it was nice to have a friend to talk to.
0
Rory Royale
At least it's over
0
Rory Royale
0
5
Julian Umland
May 23, 2013 8:16 AMJulian Umland
AlumnusHouse: Teppenpaw
Written by: Grayson Wright
Age in Post: 12
Birthday: December 12
Just take it one thing at a time and you'll be fine. by Julian Umland
When she had first gotten home, Julian had spent about two days almost walking on air with excitement, only to then crash and crash pretty hard for almost a week. She had still been happy to see her brothers and parents again, and to be back in the city – she had almost forgotten, in the long months at Sonora, how nice it was to be able to go different places almost any time she wanted, rather than just seeing the same rooms and structures day after day with no chance for variety; it wasn’t so much, she had concluded, that she liked to roam as that she liked knowing there was something out there she could go to if she wanted to, whether she ever did or not – and to be back in activities she had missed while she was away, but for a while, she had felt…disoriented, out of place, off-balance. Going out even for short trips had seemed overwhelming at times, too much noise, too many people, she had laughed at things which were funny if certain things from her first year were remembered only to find the people around her had no idea what she was talking about, having not been there, her brothers had formed their own in-jokes she wasn’t part of during the time she’d been away. At the lowest point of it all, she had almost been sorry to be home.Paul, her second-oldest brother, had spotted it first, and he and Stephen, the eldest, had been understanding. Stephen had the same problem sometimes because he, too, had left home for school; Paul had the opposite problem, especially now that Julian too was out of the house so much, feeling cut off from things because he hadn’t been able to go and had stayed at home, knowing all the things John and Joe knew but not having as much that was just his own as she and Stephen did. She had felt a little better just hearing that she wasn’t crazy or some awful person who had stopped caring about her family, and gradually, the feelings she had been worried about had passed.
After that, her summer had been good, but just a time when she was at home rather than a special occasion or a sojourn in a strange place. She had helped, as much as she could, with the book drives her mother ran for both Muggle and magical local organizations, taken up her share of the chores around the house again, read her weekly quota of library books all the time and discussed them with her mother and any brothers who happened to be around at the time, read the newspapers and talked about them at supper with her parents and siblings most evenings, gone to Stephen’s university orientation meetings with the rest of the family, and saw a few minor-league Quidditch games her father had announced for. Her mom had started planning Paul, John, and Joe’s curricula for the coming year, and she had gotten to help look over textbook samples and assignment descriptions and participate in those discussions, too, even though they did not directly apply to her. It had been a good time, enough that when the end of August rolled around, she had turned around so thoroughly from where she’d been at the beginning of the summer that she had almost not wanted to come back to Sonora.
Another chat with her older brothers later, though, she had gotten back on the wagon and was now back at the school, weak-legged after first crossing the border and then catching a wagon from Montana and feeling both a little hungry and a little unwilling to eat as she sat down at the Teppenpaw table to watch the Sorting and applaud the new staff and prefects and everything. The fair sounded intriguing, and she had glimmers of a few ideas of things it might be interesting to do, but she made a note to think and talk to people about it later as things went on, they sang the school song, and the feast appeared.
The sight of food brought back some of her appetite, though she started with some juice before anything else, then smiled when one of the first years touched her arm and asked a question, apparently a little overwhelmed by it all. “Sort of,” she said, a little louder, it was true, than usual in the Hall on feast night. “Not usually this much, though – this is a special occasion.” She turned a little to look at him better. “My name is Julian, I’m in second year. Welcome to Sonora! You’ll get used to it in a little while, really, it’s great here.”
Well, motivational speaking had never really been an ambition of hers.
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Julian Umland
Just take it one thing at a time and you'll be fine.
254
Julian Umland
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Thank Merlin! by Ana
Analea knew that Rory hadn’t had it easy either in the past, but the best part of it all was that the best friends understood each other. And now that Ana had been to Rory’s Dad’s house and had met her Mom and that end of the family, Ana understood her best friend even more. Rory had five younger siblings where Analea had nine younger ones and six older ones. Both had parents that weren’t together anymore, Ana even had some possible almost step siblings to top hers now. Her mother and Silas were thicker than alfredo sauce and each of the kids liked Si. The little ones even loved playing with him because he would actually play right in there with them! Ana loved that he did that, especially since they didn’t get that with their father.Ever.
Ana loved spending time at Rory’s Dad’s house. Her little brother Kris (or Trey, as he’d been coined) and little sister Emlen were adorable. Em kinda reminded her of Aerie or the triplets when they were younger. Super cute, but knew how to cry in the middle of the night. But then, she was still little yet, so that didn’t surprise one of the Thornton middle children. Ana had been youngest child, middle and now she’d become one of the olders. Just as Rory was, the oldest.
Ana and Rory spent each morning walking to and having fun at the pool in Rory’s neighborhood, camped out at night and had fun all the time. Sure, the kids were involved, Alec, her little sister was trying to be with them the whole time but sometimes Rory kicked Alec and Trey out to have some alone time with her and as much as she understood why, the middle child in her wanted to tell them to come back. She didn’t like it much when her older sisters did that to her, but as the older one now she too, understood. Of course there was also the idea that she herself wanted to spend some alone time with her friend. Her life had been in pure upheaval and she wasn’t sure what to do about it. It was this weird fairy tale gone super wrong, and she was at a loss.
The Opening Feast had started and the food arrived. Her plate was piled with mashed potatoes and she put some corn and meatloaf on it as well as Rory mentioned the fact that Alec and Trey said hi. “Tell them I said hi too. The rest of break was okay I guess. We spent some time with Mom’s new boyfriend, I like him. He’s really cool. He even plays with us. Dad never did that. And Ris is getting married apparently, over Winter Break, so we can all be there. It’s just been a really crazy summer… It’s nice to be back though. I just hope that there aren’t any issues like last year had…” she said to her best friend. Ana didn’t want to release anything more on her, at least not out there in the open. She didn’t even know if or where a good place was to talk in private where it wouldn’t matter if she started to cry or get excited about something there at school. “How about the rest of your summer? You’re Dad is really neat, and Al, he was something… I’d have loved it if I had them for Dads.” she added, smiling at the fact that now she had a guy like Silas in her life. Maybe life will be better now? she thought, hoping that was right and she found her Prince and King at last.
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Ana
Thank Merlin!
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Ana
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Emrys Lucan
May 23, 2013 6:57 PM
What about you? by Emrys Lucan
He let the topic of Camelot slip away as even though he could have talked about it all night long without tiring of it, it wasn’t exactly doing its job of distracting him from thinking about his grandfather.‘Exactly!” Emrys exclaimed when Emery explained his parents. “I think it’d be cool to find someone like that. I know I’m only 11 so I shouldn’t really be thinking about that, but my grandfather made mention of finding an “appropriate mate” for me, so I want to find one before he can. His idea of “appropriate” isn’t exactly what I’d call fun...”
Emery had two older siblings? Emrys was astonished, he wondered what it would be like to be a younger sibling. Sometimes he wished Caelia was older so that he didn’t have as much pressure on him from his grandfather. Then he realized that the pressure would still have been there since he was his father’s only son. He thought it was totally unfair because his cousin Wesley was a couple years older than he was but because Emrys’ father had been older than Wesley’s father by a year, Wesley didn’t have nearly as much pressure as he did. Then again, Wesley lived with his mother in England after his parents divorced so grandfather probably didn’t like that very much. He was very much a pureblood wizard, but family came before blood for him which Emrys supposed was at least something. He shook his head, thinking about his grandfather and all his weird ways hurt his head and now that he was away at Sonora no longer living at home, he didn’t want to think about that.
“Wow, so you must know a lot about the school then,” Emrys commented trying to distract his mind yet again. “What with two older siblings here. Is Ayita in Aladren too?”
As Emery responded, Emrys eyed his plate eagerly wondering what the creamy goodness was. It looked delicious and Emrys decided to ask about it as soon as he had a chance.
“Ooh, that sounds delicious!” Emrys searched the table for the mashed potatoes until he found them. He put a spoonful in his mouth and swallowed. “Yummy! So are you super nervous or anything to come? You said you had two older siblings already here but it one of those things where you have to live up to expectations or a more comforting thing?” He was wondering because he knew that as soon as Caelia came here then she would have to be just as good at everything he was good at and better than him at the things he wasn’t good at in order to live up to her reputation as the more Lucan of the two siblings to his grandfather. This was something he was worried about. He hadn’t mentioned anything to his parents but he didn’t think his sister was very smart or at least had trouble expressing her intelligence as if he ever asked her a question more often than not she had a blank look in her eye.
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Emrys Lucan
What about you?
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Emrys Lucan
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Alicia Bauer
May 23, 2013 7:05 PMAlicia Bauer
AlumnusHouse: Aladren
Written by: Grayson Wright
Age in Post: 15
Birthday: September 15
I try my best. by Alicia Bauer
“Well enough,” Alicia said, thinking of mythology. Frankly, she had really always found it a little depressing – that the gods of a society should, by her standards anyway, be such a sorry lot. Had she lived in Rome and been obliged to be some measure of religious, she thought she might have worked toward deification just to improve the general quality of the group a little. She had figured out early on in life, though, that some things should not be said out loud and was pretty sure that was one which at best only worked in certain kinds of company, so she didn’t mention it. “What I know of it, anyway. My focus has been in the at least quasi-historical accounts, and I haven’t read much in the original.”She had read stories in English and simpler versions in Latin, though the latter had been more intended to give her grammar and translation practice than anything and she had only gotten a general idea of controversial subjects and areas. This year, she had twenty-five texts to read in translation and an even more ambitious program planned out for herself, though she honestly didn’t know if she would be able to do it; her academic classes here weren’t likely to get harder, but she was still stuck in them until after around five every day, and then had to do homework for those, each assignment three times over, and keep up her language work, and keep up her social and extracurricular loads, and then still squeeze in other necessities: food, exercise, a few hours of sleep. She considered it one of the great failures of magic that it was considered medically inadvisable to try to find a way to stay awake from now until summer and then just catch it all up during her last-ever round of visits to her father then. There was just no time for sleep, but she had to make time anyway. It irritated her.
She noted Ava’s tone as she assessed herself as a writer. “I’m sure you’ll be fine,” she said. “But if you need any help, just look for me in the common room or the library.” Assuming it was open, anyway. But she wasn’t going to think that way. It would be, one way or another; people had to study, and besides, Thad would have a stroke if it wasn’t. Something as insignificant as the universe was not allowed to give her friend a stroke.
“I’m sure Henny will make an announcement sometime soon,” she said of the book club, though she didn’t know for sure. Henny might not have the time this year. In that case, Alicia was not sure if she should try to host something herself or just let that one go. She guessed she’d see. “In a week or so. It should make it to the common room notice board – Professor Fawcett will show you that later tonight.”
She thought wistfully of how much better she would like her mother if Emily Douglas was seldom at home when she was. Objectively, Alicia knew her mother was admirable, someone who had come from not much, fallen to almost nothing, and then risen to a fairly livable position, bringing her daughters with her, as far as they were willing to go, anyway, but those traits were not ones her mother showed off around her. Instead of the cool-headed ambition Alicia could have respected, she got underestimation and an excess of demonstrative fake affection, both of which she found contemptible. “It’s an admirable goal,” she assured Ava of Healing. “But I think Healers have to be good at pretty much everything, at least magically speaking, so it’s also a lofty goal. It’ll take a lot of hard work to get there.” She smiled. "Luckily for you, you're definitely in the best House for that kind of thing," she added. "And unless they've completely redecorated the common room, I think there are some books on career planning and things on..." She paused, going over her memory for a moment. "It might be the shelf closest to the bulletin board, but don't quote me on that, but it should definitely have more in it about Healing than I know."
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Alicia Bauer
I try my best.
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Alicia Bauer
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Portia
May 24, 2013 7:58 AM
Glad to hear it. by Portia
The first thing Portia noticed about her new roommate was that she had an extremely unusual name. Her own name wasn't exactly common itself but not unheard of. She tried to think if anyone in her family had an especially unique name and failed to come up with anything, though it was quite possible that there was a distant cousin or something that did. Her great-great grandparents descendents were Frank, Amelia-which was the most common name for a witch ever-Rosemary, James, Gary, Lucretia-her mother, which was probably as unique as her part of the family was-Oliver, Marshall, Kaylie, Adam, Chelsea,Nina, Hope, Evan, Lily,Autumn,Willow,Nora, another Oliver, Connor, Arianna and her. Nothing too typical but nothing really different either. Nothing like Noxienia. Of course, now Portia was curious about what Uncle Hugo's and Aunt Theadra's descendents were named too. Which, now that the first year thought about it, Hugo and Theadra were pretty unique names themselves. She supposed she could ask Nora or write to Adam for help on this and she was sure that some of them went to Sonora yet. Uncle Hugo had far more descendents that Great Great Grandfather did.Come to think of it though, aside from her mother, Portia definitely had the most unique name in her part of the family. She sort of liked that. Plus, it was such a pretty name and suited her well. She liked things that were pretty.
The other thing that she noticed about her roommate was that she quite clearly was not a pureblood based on the way she flubbed the introduction. Honestly, the first year wouldn't be surprised if more people did the same, introduced themselves the way proper purebloods, imitate them like Noxienia was doing. Portia couldn't really blame them for trying to adapt to the way things were in the magical world. Of course, none of her relatives had ever said that the people who weren't part of magical society had tried to emulate them.
Noxienia was also definitely not as poised as Portia herself. Her braid had even gone in her mashed potatoes! She was sort of adorably awkward. Maybe Portia could even help her become less so. She could teach her roommate maybe not to act like a member of pureblood society-because she obviously wasn't- but at least to be a little more polished, because she couldn't imagine it was fun to trip in front of everyone-which would be painful and embarrassing-or get food in your hair or vice versa. Plus, while Portia would never tease her, there would likely be people who would.
Another girl joined them and introduced herself as Darina Porter, who was either a pureblood or could mimic the greeting a lot better than Noxienia had. The first year thought her roommate's name sounded a bit familiar, though she certainly wasn't dressed like any pureblood girl that Portia knew. Not that Portia knew anything else besides purebloods. There were halfbloods where she was from, but she didn't really associate with them."Pleasure to meet you both." She said smiling graciously. The first year also wanted to express that she was glad her roommate was all right but she didn't want to just echo Darina, so she nodded in agreement.
Noxienia, who seemed quite nervous, completely out of her element, looked down and commented on Darina's stockings. Portia looked down as well. Darina's were...different than what she would wear, but Noxienia's didn't even match! Oh, Merlin, this girl clearly needed help and Portia was more than willing to do so.
She was still curious about something though. "Noxienia, how did you get your name? It's a very interesting one." Portia asked. She didn't feel the need to refer to her roommate as Miss Versailles when she wasn't a pureblood.
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Portia
Glad to hear it.
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Portia
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Amity Brockert
May 24, 2013 8:09 AM
How do you mean to go on? by Amity Brockert
Amity was back for a third year and was, as she had been last year, relieved about it. Her summer had been filled with an exhorbitant amount of extracurriculars, otherwise known as work . And, as far as the Aladren was concerned, work equalled torture. She'd probably have rather been hung upside down by her ankles. It was wonderful to return to school where she, unlike most people probably who had normal fun summers filled with trips and parties and relaxing, actually had less to do. Not to mention that she'd get to see her friends again.Plus, Mother hadn't been too pleased with her team's challenge placement. Never mind that Amity hadn't been team captain, had done her best as Overseer, and had been stuck with two complete morons on her team. It wasn't exactly fair to blame her for their finish, but Mother expected Amity and Chaslyn to get first, to achieve. Amity, of course, really hadn't and was not likely to. It wasn't as if she didn't find herself capable of stuff, she just didn't want to put forth the effort. It wasn't worth it.
And, the feast wasn't her favorite thing either. Oh, Amity appreciated good food but people tended to sit at house tables, and her friends were in a different house than her. She did like Anthony and Bianca, but wasn't especially close to either,though she wouldn't mind being more so. Though fortunately, she could only think of one Aladren off the top of her head in the years above or below hers that she actively wanted to avoid. Still, Amity would rather have sat with Isabel and Effie. It felt like her two friends were closer to each other at times, and last year's yearbook had only proved that. Sometimes, she just kind of felt left out and that bothered her.
She took a seat at the Aladren table, watching the Sorting. Her cousin Tristan had been Sorted into Crotalus. Everyone was in Crotalus. Her two closest friends, most of her cousins, Arabella's best friend and betrothed. Everyone except Arabella and her. Of course, Amity really was quite glad not to be with Carrie and Tristan wasn't her favorite cousin either. He was kind of spoiled and obsessed with Quidditch. Still, she wished she could have been with her friends. In fact, she might have decided to sit over there anyway if Carrie hadn't been in that house.
The announcements were made for prefect. Neither of her cousins had gotten it but Amity didn't think either would care that much, though she would have been pleased had Arabella gotten it. She herself didn't even really want it because it just sounded like more work and she got enough of that at home. It was really honestly rougher after being at Sonora for most of the year and knowing the difference. Truthfully, she wouldn't minded getting Head Girl, as that meant people liked her. So long as they didn't do anything big her seventh year that would involve extra work. Of course, there could be something like the challenges last year where all the seventh years had to lead teams regardless of titles and badges. Her cousin had lost Head Boy and still had to be a team captain. Amity was proud of him for doing well at that and getting second place though.
As for her, the only thing that bothered her slightly about them was that Carrie's team had beaten hers and the now fourth year had made sure to rub it in her face, because the Crotalus's team had finished behind Ryan's and Arabella's and had to take it out on someone. Well, it was really just a bit irritating, Amity didn't really care about them in general. For all her dislike of putting forth effort on anything extracurricular, it wasn't her fault and she had made sure to point out what she thought was the reason for their placement to both her mother and cousin. Mother had readily accepted the idea of her partially blaming it on a halfblood, but naturally said that Amity should have tried harder to overcome her teammates' shortcomings. As far as the Aladren was concerned, that would have taken a monumentous effort, one that she certainly wasn't about to put forth and even if she had been willing to, she didn't think it was humanly possible and she honestly didn't appreciate her mother giving her a hard time about something that really wasn't her fault at all.
The next announcement was one that nearly made Amity's heart stop. Student run booths? Dear Merlin, did that ever sound like a lot of work. Much more than she wanted to do. Granted, that was true of anything more than her basic school subjects. The Aladren didn't really want to do homework either, but she understood all that was needed to control her powers and be a good witch, though she didn't always understand why she had to waste time on theory, as the important thing was being able to cast spells and brew potions. Anything extra however was just...no.
Still, she kept her composure as the person next to her, whom Amity identified as Miss Wolseithcrafte, someone she recognized from class and the common room, asked her to pass the duck confit. "Certainly" She handed the younger Aladren the dish. "Do you think everyone has to run a booth for the fair?"
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Amity Brockert
How do you mean to go on?
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Amity Brockert
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Must be serious, they used my full name by Henny B-F-R
Henny's summer had been fairly unremarkable, awkward conversations with their grandpa aside (and frankly, rather unfortunately, those were a typical feature of most holidays). She had had assignments to complete for her literature course. She had been able to take some reading down to the beach, or else stretch out in the garden whilst she worked. It also gave her and her Father a good excuse to natter on about books, not that they ever really needed one. She was careful not to let him give her too many ideas though as she wanted her work to be her own, and he was very good at keeping this boundary whilst making sure they had an interesting conversation. They had also spent the day at the museum for her and Charlie's adoption day. He had enjoyed the fashion through the ages exhibit most, whilst she had liked the manuscripts of old spellbooks, not just for their content but the beauty of the illuminated letters and gilded illustrations. They had both liked all the strange contraptions and the very large chocolate cake that had formed part of the picnic.As she seated herself, she tried not to allow her thoughts to wander onto how easy it would be to get up to the front from here, should it prove necessary. She had spent the summer adopting much the same strategy, trying to push down all thoughts about becoming prefect as though even daring to let them cross her mind might affect the outcome. Part of her was sure Alicia would get it. She had, after all, got virtually everything else – most of the academic awards in the yearbook, Thad Pierce. Not the latter had ever really been a competition but all the same... Yet, the other side of her couldn't help but hope. Yes, there was every reason to give it to Alicia but there were just as many to give it to her. Or to Thad. Andri was kind of hyper, Ephanie rather quiet and Evan spent most of his time in his own little world but really, with Aladrens, it was anyone's. They were all the kinds of people that worked hard and tried to please.
She tried not to fidget through the sorting, and through the head boy and head girl being announced, even though they already knew those... Her heart was in her mouth and, against all better judgement of it being superstitious and silly, she crossed her fingers under the table. She squeaked as her name was called. For a moment, all she could concentrate on was making her way up to the front. Her legs seemed to have forgotten how to walk naturally and she was fighting quite a strong urge to cry. Only once the headmistress had announced, officially, why they were up there, and had placed the badge in her shaking hands, could she manage to scan the Aladren table, trying to meet the eyes of Thad and Alicia to check that nothing was amiss between them. She knew they would be disappointed. She would have been too. But she hoped it wasn't a big enough thing for them to fall out over. She couldn't imagine it of Alicia who was as nice a friend as anyone could wish for – after all, she had done her best to speed them all to victory in last year's challenges. Sure enough, as she found Alicia, she saw that she was beaming at her, and Henny beamed back.
The rest of the announcements and the school song passed over her in a blur, although she dutifully joined in the singing. With the feast before them, Henny was surprised to find her nerves and excitement subsiding enough to actually make way for hunger. She had no idea what she really wanted though – apparently, whilst there was room for hunger, there was still too much elation spinning around to allow for making a choice. She decided to just plump for the things nearest to her, which turned out to be a vegetable quiche, potato wedges and sweetcorn, all of which was more than acceptable to her.
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Henny B-F-R
Must be serious, they used my full name
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Henny B-F-R
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Effie Arbon
May 24, 2013 5:19 PM
Just you is still much pretty by Effie Arbon
“I was hoping to get that jug, which I believe is elderflower,” Effie replied to her friend, nodding in the direction of the vessel, “Is it within your reach?” she asked.“It's good to see you again. You're looking lovely,” she beamed at Isabel, meaning it. Isabel seemed to have grown over the summer. Effie supposed she had too but it was harder to notice on oneself. She had always been small for her age and had definitely not grown as much as her friend. She envied her the stature, quite certain that it would have brought a certain amount of poise and elegance with it. With her demure length skirt and tasteful earrings, Isabel appeared quite the charming young lady. Effie was quite sure Isabel would have her pick of the boys in their year – she was very traditionally pretty, whilst Effie knew that she was definitely A Type. Still, Isabel couldn't marry all the boys, and hopefully one of them would like startled looking doe-eyed creatures.
“How was your summer?” she asked. She had written to Isabel, Amity and McKinley over the course of the holidays but nonetheless it was not the same as chatting in person.
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Effie Arbon
Just you is still much pretty
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Effie Arbon
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I hope you're right...lol by Dimitri Porter
Dimitri was glad that the first person he had spoken to here was as nice as Julian had been. He was also glad that she was a second year. That meant that she might be able to help him find his way around this very new and very big place. He was glad to hear that it was only this crazy for special occasions. He would hate to see what this place would be like if it was this crazy all of the time. He grinned when she told him it would get better and that he would get used to it. “You’re probably right,” he agreed finally. “I probably do just need to get used to this place. Its very different from the school I attended before coming here.” He smiled when she welcomed him to the school. “Thanks Julian,” he said politely. “I’m Dimitri. My sister Darina and I both ended up in Teppenpaw. She’s sitting around here somewhere,” he told her, glancing around looking for Rina. When he didn’t spot her right away, he shrugged it off. “Oh well…I’ll see her eventually,” he told Julian cheerfully.“What’s Sonora like?” he asked, taking a bite of dinner and chewing it up. He watched her carefully while he waited for an answer. “Do you like it here?” he asked curiously. He really wanted to know what she thought of the school. He was also curious to see if she would say anything about it. He doubted it, but one only had to wait and see. He sat and ate some more of his dinner. “Is there anything fun to do here?” he asked. He wasn’t sure if he’d like hanging around this place without some incentive. He wanted to keep their talk going for as long as he could. He wasn’t sure what he had to look forward to, if anything. “Does this place have a music room somewhere?” he asked curiously. “I haven’t had the chance to practice in a while and I really need to,” he told her chuckling lightly. He really couldn’t wait to either sit outside and play like he did at home or find a place where he can play out of prying eyes. He found himself studying his new friend and liked the idea of being able to sketch her. He would have to ask her about it before he tried.
He gave her a thoughtful look and asked a question of her. “Julian, would you mind too terribly if a sketched a picture of you?” he asked, hoping she wouldn’t the question too weird. It was his first day here afterall…he didn’t want to be considered a freak or anything like that.
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Dimitri Porter
I hope you're right...lol
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Dimitri Porter
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5
Derry Four
May 25, 2013 1:37 PM
Seventh Year can only get better by Derry Four
Derry was the last of the family to catch the bug Ben brought home from playgroup so the misery was still new as he got onto the wagon that would return him to his Seventh Year at Sonora. He was doing all right with it until the wagon actually began to move. He could only assume he had turned a very alarming shade of green as they took off because Thad and the Anns abruptly abandoned him and found seats elsewhere. He wasn't quite sure where it came from, but as they disappeared, a very convenient bucket appeared in their place. He guessed either the wagon itself had some way to tell when students were going to be sick and had thus provided him a receptacle for it, or else maybe Thad had conjured it up for him.Either way, Derry made use of his bucket quite a few times over the long journey from New England to Arizona. He was going to go with the assumption that it was a wagon-provided bucket, because as good as Thad's skills were, Derry thought auto-vanishing the sick as soon as it landed in the bucket was a little beyond his cousin's abilities, at least for a conjuration done on such short notice. It was pretty neat though and very appreciated (no doubt by the others on the wagon as much or more than by Derry), and if the discovery hadn't come with such a horribly tumultuous stomach, he would have been glad to have found this hidden gem of the wagon's capabilities.
When they finally reached the school, he was sorely tempted to kiss the solid ground, but figured that would be weird, even for him, and he couldn't promise himself he wouldn't just curl up and fall asleep while he was down there if he tried, so he didn't. More tempting was to just go up to Teppenpaw and fall into bed, but he was getting his Head Boy badge at the feast tonight, so he went with everybody else to the Cascade Hall instead.
He mustered what enthusiasm he could to applaud the new Teppenpaws as they turned yellow, then went up with Reggie to get his badge. He didn't even need to fake his grin as pinned it on and gave his best friend and girlfriend a thumbs up gesture. The burst of energy did not last long and he dropped back into his seat with a tired groan. The rest of the Headmistress's speech passed mostly as background noise, and he made a mental note to himself to ask Reggie if he missed anything important when he was feeling better.
Eventually, it ended and the food appeared. Derry supposed it was an indication of how unsettled his belly was that nothing even looked appetizing. It was the first time in seven years that had happened.
He pushed his empty plate away and made an unhappy expression that felt a little unnatural on his face. "Do you think anyone would mind horribly if the new Head Boy slunk off to get some rest instead of sticking around being Head Boy-y?" he asked the advice of his neighbor.
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Derry Four
Seventh Year can only get better
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Derry Four
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5
Or they'll get ripped off by a Firebolt going the other way? by Ji-Eun Park
Chatty... Risk-taking... These were neither things that really described Ji-Eun nor things that her mother would be pleased to hear she, apparently, was. 'Studious,' 'well-behaved' and 'high-achieving' would have got far more approval. She guessed being adaptable was alright but it wasn't really in the same league as the things her parents wanted her to be. Goofy was definitely not desirable.“It sounds... uh... pretty lively,” she smiled, trying her best to make it sound like a positive thing, although she was a little worried about being overwhelmed by so many big personalities, and could foresee herself doing most of her homework in the library.
She was a little surprised by Clara's question about Chloe being related to the Headmistress. With everything else going on, she hadn't really noticed the shared name or made the connection. Well, she supposed that was something to be said for the house... If the headmistress's own daughter was in it, it couldn't be too bad. It might even impress her parents. They would much rather, of course, that she made friends with other Koreans or Korean-Americans. The reason her mother seemed to have for this was that it would ensure Ji-Eun understood and appreciated her heritage. Her mother also felt that many Western children lacked the proper respect for their parents and didn't have decent work ethics, although – beyond occasional remarks about her classmates being lazy - she generally did not share these thoughts with Ji-Eun, as if even mentioning such seditious behaviour could incite it in her daughter. Still, she thought, giving the rest of the hall a sweep with her eyes, as it wasn't exactly rolling in people to delight in her heritage with, she could hope that her parents would regard Chloe as good consolation.
“They sound very enjoyable,” she commented on the extra curricular rooms. Her mother had never really pushed her into sports or arts, regarding academics as far more important, but Ji-Eun had discovered pop-music through her school friends and took absolute delight in it. “I like to sing and dance,” she commented, “Nothing proper - I don't do ballet or anything. I just like learning the dances that go with songs I like,” she explained. She had sudden visions of the dance room in MARS being lined with ballet bars and strict portraits barking out instructions. “Is... Is that ok? I mean, are we allowed to use the rooms like that?” she asked.
13
Ji-Eun Park
Or they'll get ripped off by a Firebolt going the other way?
268
Ji-Eun Park
0
5
Francesca Wolseithcrafte
May 25, 2013 4:07 PM
With more friends, if possible by Francesca Wolseithcrafte
“Thank you,” Francesca smiled, accepting the dish from Amity and serving a small portion onto her plate. She was less concerned about calories than some Purebloods as she had more opportunities for burning them off. Really, given their obsession with balancing their diets, she would have thought they would have relished the chance for a bit of exercise. However, duck confit was very rich and thus she did not want a large amount. She topped up the plate with some red cabbage, which would counterpoint the richness nicely, and a couple of boiled potatoes.“I don't believe it was specified,” she commented, when Amity asked about the booths at the fair. Really, she suspected the other girl was in a better position to judge such things, seeing as she had been at the school a year longer and also had many older relatives there. She only had the challenges to go by, which had been compulsory. But booths at a fair seemed somehow rather different. “Are things here usually so, in your experience?” she asked.
“The food here really is superb,” she commented, having taken a bite of duck and cabbage. “What are you having?” she enquired. Neither of these topics really plumbed great intellectual depths but she recognised the importance of small talk. And, irksome as she sometimes found it, it was definitely much more comfortable and pleasant than sitting in stony silence. She was quite happy to spend the feast chatting with Amity. The older girl had a whole year's head start on making friends, and was now in a different class to her, which made the age gap between them seem much bigger than it really was. However, she was the same year as Ann and Ann, with whom Francesca got along well enough. Or at least, she got on well with at least one of them.
“Do you have any idea what you would run one on, if required?” she asked, returning to their previous subject. She really knew very little about Amity, besides that she came from a big family that probably repeated the notions of WAIL without really questioning whether they made any sense. Still, that applied to everyone here with whom she was supposed to socialise, so it really didn't narrow things down much. The type of booth the girl would be interested in running might provide a little more of a clue to her interests.
13
Francesca Wolseithcrafte
With more friends, if possible
250
Francesca Wolseithcrafte
0
5
I'll join you in that toast by Fae
Fae couldn’t very well blame Topher for that answer. Most summers tended to just fade out. Fae had no idea what other people did during their summers, especially ones that didn’t follow the Pureblood standard summers of social events and tea parties. Fae had become more accustomed to all the social parties and events that she had to go to now that she was older (it would only get worse now that she was an adult and would be married not long after she graduated), but she didn’t necessarily enjoyed it. Her sister loved those sort of things and it seemed like her husband equally enjoyed the attention, but Fae not to have to deal with it. She was certain that Arnold held the same thoughts as she did too.“Office work? What exactly does that mean you might end up doing?” Fae didn’t think office work sounded all that entertaining for anyone. Her family was in the banking business, so her dad and now her brother worked in offices and traveled often to Europe to work with the Goblins. She could remember the look on her father’s face whenever he had returned from the office or from his trips. He always looked for tired. He put on a smile for his family, but she could tell he didn’t really enjoy his work. She hoped her brother didn’t fall into that feeling too.
“My summer was the same as usual. Parties, weddings, more parties.” Fae commented, not sounded enthusiastic about it at all. “I feel like this is what the rest of my life will entail. Sounds like it should be fun, but it’s really exhausting. I do not know why people enjoy them.” Fae stated as she filled her goblet with water. Maybe since this was her last year here, she ought to take in more opportunity to eat the delicious food. But she was afraid that she’ll gain weight and people would notice, so she kept to her salad.
“So far, everything seems a little numb to me with this being our last year. I mean, I know the RATS are coming up and everything, but it hasn’t really hit me yet that we won’t be coming back.” Fae admitted. “Actually, the only thing that has hit me is that Sara isn’t here this year. It’ll be very strange not having her to keep everything in perspective. At least this year will be back to somewhat normal with Quidditch. Are you nervous about being the Captain?”
6
Fae
I'll join you in that toast
0
Fae
0
5
Aw, thanks! *hugs back* by Brianna
Brianna nodded to Valerie as she commented on her summer. Of all her friends, Valerie was the one she had the most correspondence with. Because of Josh’s family, Brianna didn’t write as much to him as she would have and she didn’t want to load him down with her life since he was dealing with enough of his own. By the end of the summer, she barely wrote to him at all due to the lack of correspondence she had received back. She had written to Linus too. Not nearly in detailed as the letters to Valerie, but she had wanted him to know that she was still thinking of him. He had seemed annoyed last term when no one had written to him after her…incident. She didn’t want to make him feel that way again if she could help it.But because the two girls had kept a close correspondence with one another, making small talk at a table full of people seemed a little impossible. “I suppose a boring summer is better than a summer full of drama.” Brianna commented lightly. It would have been much worse for Valerie if she had gotten very sick again and for a longer period of time like she used to. Not that a sinus infection wasn’t serious for her, but it hadn’t seemed like enough to take her out completely.
Brianna gingerly stretched out her back and recharmed the heating pad that was placed there beneath her clothes. She was so good at those sorts of charms now that it was a little scary. But she needed the recharge due to the wagon rides. Everything was making her so tired and her back ached too much for her to really focus. The heat always relaxed her muscles and edged away some of the pain. It was unfortunate that this would be a sort of chronic pain that would never really go away. She didn’t want to be on pain relieving potions forever either, so she was trying to best to deal with it the best that she could. Tomorrow would be a better day.
“At least this year we don’t have to do all that extra work on top of taking major exams.” Brianna commented. She still couldn’t believe that she had managed to keep up with all of those challenges and not be one of the last teams on the list and do well on her CATS examinations. Somehow, she had managed to score O, E, or an A (Potions earning the only A of the bunch). Her parents had been proud, but she owed most of her success to Josh for keeping her focused and on top of her workload. She’d have to thank him for it, of course, once she figured out how exactly to do that.
“The Fair will be a nice break, I think.” She said after some thought. “I’ve never really been to one back home, so being able to ride some of those rides I’ve seen in books will be fun to do. Unless I chicken out.” Brianna commented with a chuckle.
6
Brianna
Aw, thanks! *hugs back*
0
Brianna
0
5
Hope Brockert
May 27, 2013 6:36 PM
One last time (Tag Russell) by Hope Brockert
This was it, her very last year at Sonora. Hope was certain that even though she wasn't betrothed yet, she would be before too long. It was not what she wanted. Maybe she wouldn't have minded, in fact probably wouldn't have at all, had she not met someone she really liked. Of course, Hope didn't have any indication that Russell liked her as anything but a friend, but then Sophie and Ryan had started that way and so had Reggie and Derry.Even if Russell ever would be interested in her though, there was still Great Grandfather and what he wanted to deal with. The Teppenpaw had a feeling he would be a Problem and she would have to find a way to solve it. If her friend was interested in her, Hope would do just about anything to make it happen, whether her family liked it or not. Chelsea had. Of course, Julian Tate was in their social class, so Great Grandfather approved, despite the way it had come about. Hope's mother's family was less pleased.
No matter what though, Russell was still her closest friend and she sought him out at the Opening Feast. She found him and sat down across from him, not really caring about House tables. She'd never been close with any of the other Teppenpaws in her year, much preferring Russell's company-obviously- and Sophie's. Why should Hope spend her last year sitting with her housemates rather than someone she really liked? Not that she disliked them, she just liked him much better.
The seventh year listened to the announcements. She wasn't allowed to take Muggle Studies, and wouldn't have even if she had been. For one thing, it was her last year and it was pointless to take up a new subject now. Her brother had not gotten prefect and she didn't know any of the others really, though Megan Brownbriar's brother was betrothed to Nora. She already knew last year that Reggie and Derry had gotten Head Students. Finally, the plans for the Midsummer event were announced.
Once they were finished singing the school song, Hope turned to Russell and asked "Do you think you'll do a booth?" She wasn't so sure about herself, there wasn't anything that she could particularly think of doing. Unless someone asked her to do something with them, Hope would probably prefer not to. With this being her last year and last Midsummer event, she wanted to just relax and enjoy herself, especially after RATS.
11
Hope Brockert
One last time (Tag Russell)
186
Hope Brockert
0
5
Right, well. by Ginny Bellrose
Well, apparently Charlotte was not much for conversation. Ginny really wasn’t sure what to do about that. Everyone she had met thus far hadn’t had any problems with having conversations with her. Really, thinking about it, she had never struggled at all to think of something to say. “Spencer?” Ginny asked her. “Are you related to Adam?” Ginny wondered. There were many large families at this school. The Careys, she was sure, were one of the largest currently in attendance, but she thought Willow was also part of a large family who did not share the same last name. Ginny was an only child, so she would never have siblings come to Sonora and currently, her extended family continued their schooling in Canada where they are from. Eventually, more Bellroses were to come to America, but until then, it was just Ginny.“Adam’s pretty nice. He and I won Class Gentlemen and Princess for the yearbook awards.” She commented. She still didn’t know Adam all that well, but that seemed to be the case for everyone in her school. She didn’t have roommates, so she couldn’t really get close to anyone and really only had class to rely on. It was difficult for her to make friends that way and she often felt left out because of it. Everyone else was guaranteed friendships because they had roommates. Maybe they wouldn’t all be friends, but they were bound to have at least one. Ginny was naturally a social person, so not having people to be social with was difficult for her.
It was clear though that Charlotte was not a social person by the lack of conversation she was providing Ginny. She was wondering now if it had been a good idea to have attempted to talk to her to help make her feel better when it was so clear that Ginny was only bothering her. Maybe Charlotte was one of those girls who just hated people and wanted nothing to do with them? Which was weird if she were related to Adam since he never came off in a negative way.
“Okay, well…” Ginny started, not really sure what else to say since Charlotte wasn’t really communicating back to her. “I’ll leave you alone. If you have any questions or need help with something, feel free to ask me.” She commented and meaning it. If Charlotte didn’t want to talk to her, that was fine, it didn’t mean that Ginny wouldn’t still be nice to her.
6
Ginny Bellrose
Right, well.
0
Ginny Bellrose
0
5
Regina Parker
May 28, 2013 7:55 PM
I should hope so! by Regina Parker
Reggie’s summer had gone by so quickly! She had spent a good portion of it with her father. He had finally taken a real vacation. But it wasn’t on purpose. He had racked up so much personal time off time that they forced him to take a vacation. So, for three whole weeks, the two of them celebrated her coming ‘Of’ age by traveling around to different famous state parks. Some of them they had already been to, like Yosemite, but it didn’t matter. They went to Mount Rushmore, the Grand Canyon, the Rocky Mountains, etc. It had been a great way to celebrate her last easy summer with her father before she graduated and went off to college or into an apprenticeship. She’d get a job in her summers between semester if she went to college or already be in a job if she went into an apprenticeship, so vacation may not be something she could so easily do. Of course, she was thinking of taking a year to travel (or maybe the summer after she graduated), but she wanted to see what Derry was doing first to see if maybe he’d want to travel with her before they had to settle down into their adult lives.Then again, she had no idea what Derry’s adult life would entail. It worried her a bit not knowing this since they were still establishing an official relationship with one another. If they had similar paths, she could see everything going smoothly, but if they both wanted different things… she didn’t know what to do about it. Derry was very important to her and even though graduation was something to be excited about, the future made her extremely nervous.
Upon seeing Derry at the Teppenpaw table, Reggie stalled any thoughts she had on her future as he clearly was hardly even in the present with her. He looked awful. Reggie frowned as she sat beside him. Normally, she would have given him a hug, something she had always done even before they were dating. But as much as she adored him, Reggie did not want to catch whatever it was that was plaguing him. She wanted him to rest though instead of badger him about his summer and sat quietly beside him.
As her name was called, Reggie found herself surprised that Derry had the energy to go up in front of everyone and get his badge. She returned his thumbs up and followed him back to the table where he promptly returned this his former sickly self. Worried about Derry, Reggie tried to focus on the speech. They had a new Muggle Studies professor and they had the Fair this year. On top of that, she needed to go and say congratulations to Waverly for making Prefect. The idea of a booth intrigued her. She had done the chili cook off with Derry the last time, so she wouldn’t mind doing a booth, but she’d have to think about what it was that she wanted to do first.
Before she could eat anything, Derry spoke up and Reggie gave a pouty lip because he seemed so sad to look at. “Aw, Der,” She started, rubbing his back, hoping it helped. It usually helped her when she wasn’t feeling well. “Do you want to see the Medic first to get something to help? I don’t think anyone will mind if you go rest, but I don’t want you to go up without medicine to get you better.”
6
Regina Parker
I should hope so!
187
Regina Parker
0
5
Thaddeus Luther Leebridge III
May 28, 2013 8:59 PM
Once invisible, always invisible. by Thaddeus Luther Leebridge III
The Sorting itself was not the challenge. No, Thaddeus thought as he downed his potion and turned a startling shade of blue, the problem was finding a seat. This process had always been a difficult one for him, and navigation around the knots of friends and acquaintances who crowded Cascade Hall made it clear just how badly he blended in with the crowd. Sure, the throng of students all wore deep green, all had a flush of excitement on their cheeks, but each seemed to have his or her place among the others. Even Thaddeus' fellow first years fit like missing puzzle pieces into the patchwork of the school, meet-and-greeting nervously among themselves.He let the gazes of his peers glide seamlessly past him, and slunk his way to the unoccupied end of a table. Thaddeus sighed, sunk into a chair, and helped himself to a small portion of vanilla pudding. He didn't much feel like real food, and the bland dessert seemed just about right -- the only nondescript option of the lavish spread. Just like him, it was the quail to everyone else's peacock. The pudding was delicious, but it did little to improve the boy's sour mood.
He wanted ever so much to approach one of the other First Years and say something. Say anything, really. Like a "hello, how are you enjoying this magical school so far?" or honestly, just a "hello!" It wasn't the words itself that were the problem, it was the sheer number of things that could happen when he dared to speak to another person. What if they hated him off the bat? What if they were utterly off their rocker? He couldn't be expected to plan for every eventuality, for goodness sake! An encounter with a human being wasn't predictable like the ending to a favorite story, and Thaddeus would never admit it, but this fact scared him more than anything else.
0
Thaddeus Luther Leebridge III
Once invisible, always invisible.
0
Thaddeus Luther Leebridge III
0
5
Me too! by Darina
Darina loved being happy and friendly, so when she sat next to the two girls she had hoped they could all be friends. When Noxienia and Portia both said that it was nice to meet her, Rina grinned from ear to ear. She had friends already! YES! she thought to herself, wondering how Dimitri was doing in that category, but making a note to talk to him later on.Darina loved being silly, she in fact, was known for it at home. Nox’s shoulders were hunched over and Rina wondered if she was just really nervous or if she was sick or something like that. She sighed and wondered why Nox never made eye contact with her and sort of chalked that up to nerves as well, though she couldn‘t be sure unless she asked. But Darina didn’t want to be too forward, so she left that question for later on.
When Nox mentioned Rina’s stockings, she grinned even more. “Thanks! I love bright colors! Always have! It makes things happier, you know?” she said with a shrug.
When Portia asked how Noxienia got her name and mentioned that it was interesting, Rina watched and listened, wondering as well where her new roommate’s name came from.
0
Darina
Me too!
0
Darina
0
5
Andrina Thornton
May 28, 2013 9:34 PM
Must be... EXCITING! by Andrina Thornton
Summer was strange. Andri’s parents were no longer together, her oldest sister was getting married AND she had a boyfriend!! Andri hadn’t really been interested in boys until the Summer when the big huge Birthday Bash and she’d been introduced to Abbott. Abbott was the son of Grandfather Abernathy’s Office/Business Manager and he was the cutest thing she’d ever seen! Best part of it all was he was smart too!Andri had written to Henny over the Summer, mostly about Abbott and Si and the other kids. She hadn’t really mentioned much about her parents, she felt that was a face to face thing, if Henny would still talk to her. Andri felt like the odd duck out in their room, especially when Alicia was involved. After the wagon ride to Sonora, Andri found her way to the Aladren table and spotted Henny. “Hey!” she said to her friend and roommate as Headmistress Kijewski-Jareau welcomed them and the sorting started. Andri watched as both Darina and Dimitri turned yellow and she clapped for them both, waving as they passed her by. She heard Rina mention that she was a banana as she walked passed them towards Bri and she giggled at her cousin. Mitri looked more nervous than Rina did, but then she was the more outgoing of the pair and Andri knew that.
After that, Head Boy and Girl were announced and badges given before the same was done for the new Prefects. Andri knew Henny and Waverly and clapped excitedly for them both. The other two she didn’t really know, but they wouldn’t know the clapping wasn’t for them, she was sure. She wasn’t expecting to get Prefect herself, though she couldn’t help but think about how it would have felt if she had. Shrugging it off as something that wasn’t to be, she listened carefully as Professor Chambers was introduced as the new Muggle Studies Teacher and the fifth year grinned again. YES! More to learn! she thought excitedly as the Midsummer Event being the Fair was mentioned too. Andri wondered if Henny may want to do something with her, or maybe Kitty, but she figured she’d wait and see what would happen.
The sheet music for the school song appeared in front of them all and the music flowed around them. When it finished, the food popped up too. Her grin widened at all the food and her stomach rumbled as a thought popped into her head. I’m a fifth year now… It’s CAT’s year… Oh Merlin…
Henny put what looked like a quiche, potato wedges and corn on her plate and Andri smiled towards her friend and roommate. “Congrats! I had a feeling you’d get it!” she said to Henny. “Oh, can you pass the corn?” she asked, thinking of the summers full of corn on the cob.
0
Andrina Thornton
Must be... EXCITING!
214
Andrina Thornton
0
5
Friends would be a nice start. by Emery
Emery made a grotesque face when Emrys stated that his grandfather wanted him to find a mate for himself. Who in the world talked like that? Mate? What were they? Dogs? Were they breeding? His grandfather used have used a better term. Like partner or heck, even wife. Calling the person ‘mate’ was just belittling that person into nothing more than a meat they were expected to produce offspring from. Emery was not raised that way. He had watched his mother struggle with opening herself up to someone, but he had also watched as she fell in love with his father. It had been hard for Emery to let Jeff into the family, but he knew how happy his mother was and that was the sort of thing he would expect a person to look for. Not a mate.Not that he was looking for that. He wasn’t really thinking about girls at all. He just knew what it looked like as a third party seeing it all come together. Plus, he had a sister who talked endlessly about romance. Thankfully, Ayita was not like that. “Your family is way too serious to be looking for someone to marry with you and you only just started proper schooling. That’s really weird.” Emery commented with sincerity.
“I know some things.” He said, thinking about it. He grew up with his mother working here and then with Angel and Ayita coming into his home. Things were always discussed between them. “No, Ayita is in Pecari where my other sister was just sorted into. I’m sure Chloe will demand her time though.” That was the sort of thing Chloe did and Emery was happy that he had not been placed in the same house as her. Otherwise, he would never get away from her.
Emery couldn’t help the smirk that curved at the corners of his mouth as his roommate reacted to the mashed potatoes. He really did not know what to think about him. “Nah, there’s no expectations with them. My parents are very much a ‘be your own person’ type of parents. So, they’ll support me no matter how I do. It is nice though to know that if I do need help, I have them to go to. Angel is really good with spells and Ayita’s in advanced classes, so she knows everything that I’m going to be learning. And if I’m still having trouble, I’ll just go ask my mom for help.” Emery said with a shrug. Maybe it was because they had become a family when he had been eight that competitions or expectations had just never been set in a negative way between them. Plus, they were all way too different for that. Angel was sick all the time and had a learning disability and Ayita grew up as a nomadic Native American (or something). There was just no way to have those types of expectations between all of them.
“Are you worried about anything? Or excited?” Emery asked.
6
Emery
Friends would be a nice start.
0
Emery
0
5
Clara Abernathy
May 29, 2013 12:38 AM
I suppose thats possible by Clara Abernathy
Clara grinned sheepishly at Chloe’s comments about her name. She wasn’t really surprised to learn that the headmistress was her mother. She was glad that Chloe wasn’t upset with her for saying that she’d keep the commonality between them secret. She hadn’t been certain at the time whether or not she wanted the information spread around, but since Chloe didn’t seem to mind she didn’t feel so bad about asking. She was glad that Chloe knew what the last room was because she had completely forgotten. “The Art Room…”she mused fighting the urge to slap herself on the forehead. “That’s the room I keep forgetting,” she laughed at herself. “I suck at drawing so it explains why I keep forgetting it,” she laughed again. She heard Ji-Eun’s question about what the MARS dancing room was for and she nodded. “It has a couple of portraits that are of ballet dancers, but the room is totally for whatever dancing you want to do,” she told the younger girl.“I can’t wait to try out the water room myself,” she told Chloe excitedly. “I love swimming.” She didn’t want Ji-Eun to feel weird about wanting to use the dancing room for something other than classic ballet dancing. She turned to look at the younger girl. “I wouldn’t worry too much about not using the room for ballet,” she assured her. “I think the whole purpose of the rooms is to help us unwind in some way or another,” she told the two girls. Somehow she had a feeling that Chloe probably already knew what the rooms were really for thanks to her mother so where Clara couldn’t fully fill in the gaps Chloe probably could. Clara didn’t feel bad about that part one bit. She was glad to have someone around with the answer even if it wasn’t her. That part could explain why she hadn’t ended up in Aladren in the first place. Research was never quite her strong suit.
She finished up her dinner and couldn’t help, but wonder what her first class this year was gonna be like. Since she was technically at intermediate level now she could sign up for the Muggle Studies class if she wished. She couldn’t wait to get the year started and it looked like the year was going to start off well. “What do you say after we get situated in the Common Room that I show you both around the MARS rooms first and you can see for yourselves?” she asked them excitedly.
0
Clara Abernathy
I suppose thats possible
232
Clara Abernathy
0
5
Julian Umland
May 29, 2013 9:31 AMJulian Umland
AlumnusHouse: Teppenpaw
Written by: Grayson Wright
Age in Post: 12
Birthday: December 12
It works for me. by Julian Umland
Julian smiled politely as the first year said Sonora was different from his old school. “I can only imagine,” she said. “I was homeschooled before I came here, so I felt like I’d been thrown into a World Cup stadium full of people when I first got here.”She filed away the new names, thinking she would need to know them anyway, since they were going to be in classes together for the rest of this year. One thing she had discovered, more or less, at school was that she was not half-bad with names; at home, she had had to learn lots of names in the community as well, but she had seen most of them often for her entire life, so it hadn’t struck her as a particular skill until she’d been abruptly introduced to the many faces of Sonora. “That’s nice, that you’re with your sister,” she said, feeling safer speculating on a happy relationship among Teppenpaws than she might have with other Houses. They did have a type, Teppenpaws. “I’m a little jealous. I miss my brothers all the time.”
She nodded when asked if she liked the school. “Oh, yes,” she said. “There’s always something to do here, and you meet the most interesting people, and then you make good friends….” Well, friend, anyway, and she liked the girls in her dorm. Willow and Gemma weren’t much like her, but they were sweet. If they had ever found her secondhand clothes, unusual name, large family, bedside decorations and books, or anything else about her mockable, they hadn’t done it to her face, and she appreciated that. “It’s very nice here,” she concluded. She nodded again about music. “We have a music room, and a water room, and sports and art rooms,” she said. “I – “ she was momentarily surprised by herself, but guessed she was an older student – “can show you, and any of the other first years, if they’re interested, where those are, they’re all in one complex, and there’s a nice lounge there, too.”
Julian blinked, surprised, when asked for permission to be sketched. “I…suppose if you want to,” she said, though not sure why he would want to. She was all right, she guessed, but with her round, slightly freckled face and brown hair, she knew she was hardly exceptional-looking, not really the type who usually got selected for Muse duty anywhere. "It sounds like you like the arts a lot in general," she added, thinking of how he had also mentioned music. "Are you involved in any others?"
16
Julian Umland
It works for me.
254
Julian Umland
0
5
We are so very pretty by Isabel
Isabel turned her head to look for the jug Effie was indicating and decided she could get it. “I think so,” she said, and with a little effort, succeeded in getting it over to her friend without spilling anything or getting in the way of anyone else too much. Not a bad start to the year, she thought.Her cheeks became a little pinker when Effie complimented her appearance. “Thank you,” she said. “So do you.” Effie was built more like Sara, small and dainty, with lovely fair coloring. Isabel would admit that her own hair was at least a better shade of brown than Catherine’s, which was very plain, but it was still just…brown. And, if she didn’t put an awful lot of work into it, stuck up in the back, like Papa’s. Catherine always remarked on how much like their father Isabel looked, though Isabel could never tell if that was meant to be a compliment or an insult.
“Even quieter than I made it sound in my letters,” she admitted of her summer. “Really the most interesting thing that happened was when my niece went to a party and got stuck up a tree.” Ella had apparently developed a habit of doing that kind of thing, but usually kept it at home; their aunts muttered about how Catherine ought to be stricter with her, but apparently, that wasn’t in Catherine’s many books about childrearing and child development. The rest of the family considered her very odd for reading those books, and Isabel thought she could be very boring discussing them when it was just family and was glad Catherine at least knew it was a little strange to be that interested in your children and didn’t talk about it in public. “I worried about intermediates some, too, but I think it'll be all right. How was yours?”
0
Isabel
We are so very pretty
0
Isabel
0
5
Thaddeus Pierce II
May 29, 2013 4:10 PM
Do you need a disillusionment counter charm? by Thaddeus Pierce II
Thaddeus had chosen his seat based not on the people surrounding it, as was his norm, but for its placement. At the end of the table, he was well positioned for getting up to receive his prefect badge. He waited impatiently through the sorting of the First Years, clapping perfunctorily for each one that turned blue, and offered a welcoming greeting toward the one that sat down across from him at the table as was proper and polite. The Head Boy and Girl had been announced at the end of last year, so there were no surprises there, though Thad was a little impressed by Derry's dedication - Head Boy or not, if Thad had felt as bad as Derry looked on the wagon here, he would have made his excuses before the Feast began and gone up to his dorm to sleep off the nausea. But there was Derry, sick as a dog but smiling and throwing out thumbs ups to his fellow Head. Just in case this was the trait that got him elected, Thad made a mental note to smile cheerfully to his constituency even when horribly ill. He wasn't sure he'd be able to pull it off, but he'd make every attempt to manage the feat.Then it was the prefects' turn to get their badges and Thad tensed, ready to get up when his name was called. This never happened.
It took him a moment to recognize 'Henrietta Boxton-Fox-Reynolds' as Henny's name, but he did and sat back in his seat trying desperately not to look crushed. He had worked so hard to get noticed as this year's new Aladren prefect. It had been his goal since first year. Oh, he understood why Henny got it. She had been the first of last year's fourth years to take over her challenge team that first morning. She had been the only one of the Aladren fourth years to start a club - and a successful and very Aladren club it had been, too. Even Alicia had initiated the Challenge training group last year. Thad had only ever participated in activities, never created his own. Apparently being the delegated leader of the winning challenge team last year had not been enough to overcome that shortfall.
He missed the Headmistress announcing the other names, but he saw Waverly receive her badge and surely, surely that was proof that it was founding clubs that most impressed the prefect-choosing staff. He wasn't quite sure how Alexandra Deveraux got it over Cepheus, but he was secretly vindictively glad that none of his close friends (aside from Henny, if she counted as that) had gotten it either. Not that he would ever say as much to anybody.
Still, it was not going to be a happy letter that got owled home to his parents tonight. While he knew his parents were not so shallow that they would be angry or disappointed with him for failing to achieve the honor, he also knew they had been hoping, even expecting, that he would get it, and the situation would certainly disappoint them. He hated to disappoint his parents, even by reported disappointing situations. Maybe he could announce his intention to start a club to compensate. No other fifth year boys had done that yet; it might give him a leg up on Head Boy in two years. And after Derry got it, Thad had to win that one. At least he wasn't in Preston's situation yet, where his cousin got a badge he hadn't. Neither Derry nor David last year had been prefects, so it certainly wasn't a prerequisite for Head Boy.
Quidditch Captain apparently helped, though. Thad would just have to do exceptionally well on the Pitch this year to ensure he got the Assistant Captain position after Kitty next year.
And, apparently, he would need to help set up a booth as well for this year's Midsummer Fair. Well, that didn't sound as intensive as the Challenges had last year, so he should be about to arrange time in his schedule for that in between the other clubs, Quidditch, the library, regular classes and homework, and studying for his CATS.
Speaking of the library and his schedule, there was no new librarian named. Thad saw no reason not to assume Ms. Diaz's position himself - or possibly share it with Alicia and Henny if they thought of the same thing - until the staff replaced her formally. Consequently, he would need to allocate a fair amount of time in his schedule to library duties until that happened. Maybe make an effort to recruit some minions - er, Assistants - since there hadn't been any last year.
He eyed the blue skinned boy across from him. Aladren first years seemed like a good bet for such recruitment. By turning blue, they were pretty much guaranteed to like libraries at least a little and they didn't have any other commitments yet.
As the food appeared on the table, Thad tried to catch the younger boy's attention. "Hello and welcome to Sonora and Aladren House. I am Thaddeus Pierce the Second of the New Hampshire Pierces." It was always proper to greet a person and introduce oneself before getting too involved in anything. It would give them a chance to return the introduction, which should allow him to determine whether or not the boy was from a proper family or not. At fifteen years of age, Thaddeus did not expect to become bosum buddies with any eleven year regardless of family background, so it wouldn't make a huge impact on how they interacted as Thad firmly believed politeness was proper in all situations, but it would be good to know anyway. Also, it might be good to develop a rapport before attempting to enlist child labor. And thirdly, Thad figured he should make sure the kid really did respect libraries before making any kind of recruitment proposal.
Finally, though the first year was too young to be able to vote in Thad's Head Boy election himself, being seen being helpful to new students would surely win him points with the students who could vote for him. "I'm a fifth year, so if you have any questions about the school, classes, teachers, or Sonora in general, I should be able to answer them, or at least direct you to somebody who can."
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Thaddeus Pierce II
Do you need a disillusionment counter charm?
213
Thaddeus Pierce II
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5
How could I refuse? by Thaddeus-L
Thaddeus was halfway through his meal and not quite ready to be spoken to when an older boy seated on the other side of the table addressed him. Startled by the attention, the young Aladren glanced up and just as quickly returned his gaze to the bowl of pudding before him. It felt awfully rude, to be examining his dessert while the older boy spoke, but Thaddeus was acutely aware of his flushed cheeks, that unfortunate physical manifestation of paralyzing shyness. If he looked up now, his friendly tablemate would know what a coward he was, and that most certainly was not the first impression he wanted to make.His unfortunate predicament was resolved for him when the older boy introduced himself. Thaddeus started, and reflexively raised his head to meet the eyes of the boy who shared his name. Thoughts ran through his head like rabbits, disorganized, leaping and rapidly multiplying. In a moment of irrationality, he wondered if the older boy might scorn him for some sort of plagiarism if he deigned to return the introduction. The small boy almost smiled as he dismissed the thought.
Heart pounding in his chest -- what if he came off as stupid or rude? -- Thaddeus tried his best to smile. "It's, ah, it's nice to meet you. I--" He held out a small and sweaty palm for the older boy to shake, "I'm Thaddeus as well, actually. Erm, one of two, I suppose. Not that that are only two, in, um, the world, or anything."
Inwardly, he could only wince. He knew he was a stammering mess, but it seemed there was little he could do to stop this tide of words pouring nonsensically from his mouth.
"I mean," he tittered, "people call me T.L., for Thaddeus Luther. My brother does, anyway, and I figure it might make sense to introduce myself that way, um, to avoid this sort of situation. So, T.L., you know, if you wouldn't mind or anything." He paused to take a breath and perhaps to allow Other Thaddeus to get a word in.
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Thaddeus-L
How could I refuse?
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Thaddeus-L
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You say "No, but thank you for offering." by Thaddeus-P
Thaddeus was going to go ahead and assume Thaddeus Luther was not a pureblood of high standing. First of all, he had never heard of a Luther family. Secondly, anyone of proper breeding would have been trained to give an introduction in their sleep and TL's certainly did not have the ring of seamless practice. On the other hand, he did possess a name that was almost more compelling than any well-respected surname.As the wearer of a numeral himself, he knew without doubt that there were other Thaddeuses in the world. In his research of Sonora's recent history, he even knew a Thaddeus had once taught History of Magic here. However, Professor Thaddeus Flatt had left the school before Thad arrived and his great-uncle Thaddeus Pierce I had died before Thad Two had been born, so this was his first actual experience meeting another Thaddeus in person. Perhaps it was just because Thaddeus was such a rare name, but it felt oddly like finding a long lost kinsman.
"TL," he repeated, shaking the boy's hand and finding it slick with sweat. After withdrawing his hand, Thad took care to lay out a cloth napkin primly over his lap, using that overt action to surreptitiously dry his hand. "I am also called Thad," he shared, not quite an invitation for TL to use the shorter form of address, but it felt rude not to exchange his own nickname for the right to use TL's. Of course, 'Thad' didn't really differentiate the two of them as 'TL' did, so he added, "Or sometimes Thad Two, or just Two." With Thaddeus the First deceased, there wasn't often much chance of confusion, but there had been two Derwents on the mountain during his early childhood, so with Derry getting called 'Four' regularly, it had seemed only fair for Thad to get called 'Two' (of course, 'Two' opened up confusion with Derwent Two, but Uncle Derwent was generally just called Derwent as he was the surviving senior holder of the name).
Deciding that was about all that could be said about their shared name, he repeated his initial offer, which seemed to have gotten forgotten in the other boy's stammering. Thad attributed that, and the sweaty palm, to nerves from being in a new place and getting addressed by a rather older student. "Is there anything you want to know about Sonora?"
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Thaddeus-P
You say "No, but thank you for offering."
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Thaddeus-P
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Terribly sorry, I seem to have misplaced my manners. by Thaddeus-L
As his tablemate accepted his sweaty hand with dignity, and politely continued the conversation, T.L. wondered what his mother would think of his behavior. She had always been the table-manners drill-sergeant, his own personal incentive to develop into a functioning member of Pureblood society. By this point, she'd as much as given up on her firstborn, though. He, Thaddeus Luther Leebridge III, could read fluently in three languages but barely stammer out a sentence to another human being. It was clear that little Edwin would be the one to carry on the family traditions, and like as not T.L.'d end up like his crazy uncle. Some kind of agoraphobic freak all shut up in an apartment with his books and a passel of cats.Thaddeus sighed as he imagined what the Fifth Year across the table must think of him. The older boy's table manners clearly marked him as high society, and in T.L.'s experience, that meant that as kind as Other Thaddeus might act, he was privately judging his young companion. And goodness knew he'd provided enough material be judgmental of, what with the stammering and the sweating and the blushing. It was frustrating, really, watching himself royally screw up his very first friendly encounter with another student. He had all these perfectly reasonable bits of dialogue floating about in his brain, but when it came down to the actual vocalization of the abstract, T.L. was hopeless.
If words were magic, then the smaller Thaddeus was the Squibbiest Squib who ever lived.
Recognizing that it was far too late to set straight the mess he'd made of his introduction, T.L. swallowed hard and found his voice in time to ask the likely knowledgeable Fifth Year a question.
"When, um, does this whole thing get less... scary?"
The question he'd been intending to ask had had something to do with class schedules or professor availability or something equally mundane, but this one had slipped out unnoticed before he could utter its saner alternative. T.L. could probably have cried right then and there, if he hadn't been so angry at himself. Now he'd gone and made himself look weak, in addition to shy and stupid.
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Thaddeus-L
Terribly sorry, I seem to have misplaced my manners.
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Thaddeus-L
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Usually works for me as well by Dimitri Porter
Dimitri hadn’t really thought about the other stuff he was into before. No one had ever really asked about it. He was glad though that she was willing to let him draw her. He really liked sketching different people’s faces and he felt hers had a lot of potential. “Thanks,” he told her. “I promise you won’t regret it.” He meant that too. He was also really glad that she offered to show him where the art rooms were at the school. It beat stumbling around trying to find them on his own. He thought best about how to really answer her question. Yeah, he liked to draw and he was into music, but how did he explain the other stuff without sounding like a nutcase? He figured he’d just go for it and see what happened.“I’m an artist of sorts…yeah,” he told her, rubbing his chin slightly. “My family and I are into a bit more than art,” he admitted sheepishly. “We belong to a group of people that do Medieval re-enactment. I not only know how to play music and draw, but I can also dance, sing and sew my own clothes,” he admitted, scratching his head awkwardly. “Sounds a little weird and geeky I know, but it’s a lot more fun than it sounds,” he assured her. “My mom owns a shop in Tucson where she makes the medieval clothes herself and she is amazing at it. She taught me and my sister how to do it and I think we’re halfway decent at it.” He knew how geeky that just sounded and inwardly cringed a little, but she had asked and he wasn’t going to lie to her.
“What about you?” he asked curiously. “Do you do anything artsy or dance? If not…I could teach you,” he offered. He wanted to make a decent first impression on his first new friend.
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Dimitri Porter
Usually works for me as well
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Dimitri Porter
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Emrys Lucan
May 30, 2013 3:36 AM
So, friends then? by Emrys Lucan
Emrys noticed the face that Emery made when he spoke of his grandfather and he smield very widely, pleased that his new friend? aquantaince? friendly dinner person? was not at all like Myrddin Lucan in the least. "I know, it's kind of gross, isn't it? That's why I need to start looking now because if I've got someone in mind already who I find to be a wonderful person then my parents will be happy and let me and then Grandfather will just have to deal with it. He'll come around, he's one of those blood is thicker than anything else in the whole world kind of guys."Emrys shrugged his shoulders when Emery said it was weird to be looking for someone already. "I suppose, and y cousin Wesley would make fun of me endless for this but..." Emrys trailed off with a dreamy look in his eye. "Sometimes I just imagine what it would be like to see someone and just know that she's right for you. Someone who is smart, like really intelligent, and nice and imaginative. Someone who doesn't care about stupid things like the crooked tooth that shows when you smile..." Then, he seemed to snap out of it. "I really do have a crooked tooth, see?" He opened his mouth really wide and contorted his face using his fingers to spread his lips. "My cousahn, Weshleigh saysh dat it looksh shilly." He released his lips andsmiled. "That's when I punch Wesley in the arm and tell him that it's okay because he has a good-for-nothing gap. Us Lucan men do not have perfect teeth at all." He laughed.
The way that Emery phrased the bit about Chloe just being sorted, Emrys looked at him hopefully. "Does this mean that Chloe is your twin then? Because that's really awesome. I've always wanted a twin. My cousin Wesley is sort of like that only..he's older than me and lives 'across the pond'." He imitated a British accent for that last bit.
"I'm super excited to be here," said Emrys, putting on a smile. "I love learning new things and I know that everyone here has a lot to teach me but sometimes I worry about letting my grandfather down. It's not that I particularly want to impress him, I just know that living up to his expectations is something I've always dreamed of. Not because I want to but because it'll give me a moments peace." He made his smile go even wider hoping it didn't look too fake. "He was tired of his father not standing up to his grandfather. Of being reprimended every day for not having it together. His mother was too engrossed in her books to notice anything and Caelia was...Caelia."
Then he clapped his hand over his mouth realizing he'd said that last bit out loud. Talking to another boy his ag when he hadn't spoken to Wesley all summer just made things flow from his mouth that shouldn't have. These were private, family matters he'd just spilled to a practical stranger. If his grandfather were watching he'd definitely be scolded. Emery sort of reminded him of Wesley in a way, he seemed to have it together. Regardless, Emrys should not have brought up family matters like that. "I shouldn't have said that. They're my family and I do love them, they're very special to me, honest."
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Emrys Lucan
So, friends then?
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Emrys Lucan
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Ava Fletcher
May 30, 2013 4:23 PM
Your best is always good. by Ava Fletcher
Ava nodded, not really sure how to continue the conversation on myths as she herself read mainly the fantasy stories or what Alicia might call the original. She liked the flourishes and details, it all seemed magical to her, an aspect of fiction literature that she had always enjoyed, it's ability to just sweep her away from wherever she was if she let her imagination take over. It was why she enjoyed her grandfather's collection so much. He had the factual books like histories and biographies that she knew the older people in her town liked to read, but he also had a pretty good range of fairy-tales and fantasy stories like Peter Pan and The Secret Garden . She just loved stories that had an element of fairy-like magic to them and The Secret Garden was among her favorites.When Alicia offered to help her if she needed on her writing, Ava smiled. "Thanks, if I need help I'll try and find you and I promise I won't ask you on everything, just if I'm particularly stuck." She'd never really asked a fellow student for help before, mainly because she'd been afraid they'd make fun of her, and besides, it was her assignment, she'd want to do it on her own. It just wouldn't be the same if she wrote the essay all by herself than if she wrote the essay but had someone suggesting things all the while. She didn't really know what Alicia meant by help only that when the other girls at school asked for help from Anne, the only girl in the class who, in Ava's mind, had a brain other than her, Anne ended up doing most of the work and Ava had always sworn never to make someone else her personal version of Anne. She was better than that she she knew it.
Ava nodded again, feeling very repetitive but she was so overwhelmed that she couldn't help it. "Alright, when I get to the common room later then I'll look at it, it shouldn't be too hard to find, right?" If it was hard then Ava would either have to just suck it up or try her luck in the library where she was sure things had an organised fashion. She knew she was going to go there as soon as possible anyway as she desperately wanted to find a new book to read before bed time.
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Ava Fletcher
Your best is always good.
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Ava Fletcher
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Have you checked the Lost & Found? by Thaddeus-P
In perfect honesty, Thad was prepared for any number of questions regarding academics, the book selection in the library, the habits and reputations of the professors, the amount of homework to expect, or even a skeptical 'Is magic really real or is this all some kind of elaborate hoax?' He was not expecting a query regarding the relative scariness levels of the first days, weeks, or months. First of all, 'scary' was hard to quantify. Secondly, Thaddeus had been far too excited about finally coming to Sonora that he hadn't really been scared, and neither Alicia nor Evan nor Henny had seemed particularly nervous about the whole thing either, so he had no basis for extrapolating when 'the whole thing got less scary.'He almost would have suspected T.L. of asking such a question just to stump the fifth year, except that the kid seemed quite genuine in his desire to know the answer, if the apparent unplanned spontaneity of the question was anything to go by.
"Well," he stalled, trying to come up with some kind of reply that might suggest that Thad was not floundering in his boast that he could answer any question already. He assumed the usual coping strategies for more general stress levels would apply here as well. "I suppose once you settle into a routine and get your schedule worked out and memorized a lot of the unknown disappears and a comfortable familiarity begins to grow in its place." Thad would have gone mad a long time ago without his schedule to keep everything going on in line.
"You could also find a place where you can relax - some people like the Gardens or one of the MARS rooms, but most Aladrens stake out a corner or table of the library as their own - and that can be your go-to spot to unwind and get comfortable with the world again."
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Thaddeus-P
Have you checked the Lost & Found?
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Thaddeus-P
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Nevermind, I've tracked them down. by Thaddeus-L
T.L. honestly didn’t know what he’d expected the older boy to say in response to his query. The answer he gave seemed like the answers to a couple of other questions sort of spliced together in a masterful avoidance of the issue to be resolved. The Fifth Year was good at thinking on his feet, at the very least. T.L. regretted burdening the poor kid with his insecurity. Most likely he’d just wanted to reach out to one of the younger students to fulfill his moral obligation as an upperclassman. It made sense, and the younger Thaddeus could imagine doing the same himself in a few years, if he were slightly less likely to put his foot in his mouth every time he opened it.Giving his bowl of vanilla pudding a last scraping, T.L. decided he ought to give the older boy the satisfaction of a job well done. It wasn’t as if it was his own fault he’d chosen the most screwed up First Year to practice his welcoming skills on. Pasting a broad, semi-convincing smile across his face, Thaddeus mustered what was left of his dignity and made eye contact with the boy across the table. “Thanks for the advice. I, uh, really appreciate you coming over here to talk, but... you can go sit with your friends now, I don’t want to keep you.” Just in case his conversation partner was particularly persistent, Thaddeus excused himself to go to the bathroom.
As he walked down the length of Cascade Hall, the very small boy known as Thaddeus Luther Leebridge III kept his eyes on the marble beneath his feet. The enormity of Sonora around him was echoed in the rushing of the waterfalls and the scraping of chairs and the back-and-forth chatter of its inhabitants. It was in many ways the same as the mansion he’d grown up in: oddly oversized, just large enough to make him feel like a doll which had wandered from its dollhouse into the world of humans. Just as the dark wood-paneled warren of his parents had its hidden pleasures and secrets, so must Sonora Academy. And it was then that Thaddeus came to understand his mistake. In asking the boy who shared his name about the inherent fear of arriving in an unfamiliar place, he’d been looking for a shortcut. Some sort of panacea to wipe clear his newcomer’s perspective and reveal the school’s more mysterious bits. But just as he and his brother had explored and fought and gotten entirely too familiar with mildew in discovering the truths of their childhood home, he would have to work to discover Sonora on his own. And it would probably stay scary for a while. But one day, he’d be the older Thaddeus.
This revelation did not grant him confidence, nor did it provide relief from the burdens which he bore as a product of his own nature. That sort of thing only happened in fairy-tales, which the boy had always been good at differentiating from reality. There was no sudden shift, no carriage-into-pumpkin, but that was the way he liked it. Thaddeus dealt in facts, and the fact was this: he walked back into Cascade Hall standing up just a bit straighter than when he’d left.
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Thaddeus-L
Nevermind, I've tracked them down.
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Thaddeus-L
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Amity
May 31, 2013 2:06 PM
Friends are always nice. by Amity
"Well, I mean, the ball seems to always be mandatory, unless you're sick and we all had to sleep out on the pitch in tents for the bonfire my first year." Though she thought Valerie might have stayed inside. "The challenges were also mandatory, so, I guess, they might be." This was not a pleasing thought to the third year at all . She just wanted to have a chance to have a good time. She had so few. Even at school, Amity had social obligations as well as academic ones. These were things she felt were necessary, but she hated to have to go above and beyond what a normal pureblood child or teenager had to do. True, if booths were mandatory, the other purebloods would have to do them too, but it was still asking people to go out of their way to do more work that wasn't necessary to be a functioning member of society.She considered things for a moment. "I suppose I could ask my uncle." Though he hadn't been any help last year at all . In fact, when Amity had gone to see him last year about the challenges, the first thing he'd said was that it wasn't his fault and he had nothing to do with it. She had replied that was fine, but he was still going to listen to her complain. Nor had he given them any tips on what the challenges were going to be. "And I guess if everyone had to do a booth, there would be nobody attending them because everyone would be busy with their own, so it would make sense for them not to be mandatory." Amity sincerely hoped that this was the case. If not, well, at least she could take a little solace in the fact that she wouldn't be forced to work with anyone that she didn't want to be around this time.
Of course, on the other hand, if it wasn't mandatory, there was always the possibility that nobody would want to do a booth or that not very many people would. However, Amity did not think that was very likely. There were always masochistic overachievers and people who wanted to be involved in everything like her cousin's roommate. It was something she quite frankly couldn't understand, but they probably hadn't gotten forced into so many things as a child like she had. They probably weren't burnt out, though Amity was sure that if people like that kept on going the way they were, they probably would do that to themselves.
The third year nodded in agreement. She was used to good food, she always got it at home too, but Sonora's was pretty good as well. Sometimes, she would have rather liked trying something that was more...common, but Amity was too worried about looking improper. She wasn't like Rupert Princeton or Annabelle Pierce who didn't seem to care about those things and risked their futures all the time. "I'm having the sushi." She'd been exposed to many foreign foods, as part of her parents wanting her and her sister to be more cultured. This part of it was something Amity was perfectly all right with. She just wished that she didn't have to learn every language that went along with said foods. She might have actually enjoyed foreign languages if Mother hadn't forced her to learn so many. That was why Amity found it safer not to develop hobbies. Mother would just ruin them for her if she found out.
"I'd probably do something with my friends." Amity responded. There was absolutely no way she'd do a booth on her own.Splitting up work was definitely preferable to doing everything on her own, which was why she was glad they usually had to work in pairs in class. "Something fun. Maybe a game of some kind." There had to be one that wasn't improper. Effie, she was sure, would never want to do anything improper and the Aladren definitely wanted to keep her friends. However, never having much of an opportunity to play games, she really didn't know what kinds would be appropriate for a fair. "I mean, the fair should be enjoyable, a time to unwind after a year of schoolwork." And for her, a chance to have a good time before she was sentenced to another summer of extracurriculars.
"How about you?" Amity asked, turning the question around to Francesca.
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Amity
Friends are always nice.
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Amity
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Valerie
June 01, 2013 10:46 AM
You're welcome by Valerie
Valerie nodded in agreement. "I much prefer an uneventful summer." Given that the events she usually experienced involved sickness, which was massively unpleasant, and occasionally small gatherings, which she felt uncomfortable at, she would much prefer things to not be eventful. It was just unfortunate that her friend really had not had one. She hated and felt bad about how people treated her friend. The kind of cruelty from people that both Brianna and Ryan had experienced was unfathomable to her and she hated that they'd had to.Still,even though nobody had ever been really mean to her, she still felt uncomfortable around people until she knew for sure that they did like her. Having been sick so often, Valerie really hadn't had much chance to socialize, so with the social circle at home, she felt kind of left out, like she was just tagging along with her sister and holding Melanie back. She was glad they were back at school, where even though they spent some time together, they each had their own friends.
In some ways, summer had been almost exactly like last year. She'd been sick less often but had a sinus infection, while her closest friend got mistreated by people at home. Valerie rather wished Brianna didn't have to live where she did or even could spend summers with her. She wasn't sure her parents would let that happen though, even though she was getting sick less often-which was something her father would be more concerned about-and that she was pretty sure that if Melanie wanted to have Lucille Carey over, she might be allowed to. Even though her sister wasn't as close to the other Teppenpaw as she was to Brianna.
Valerie also often wondered where Attoria was in all this. She'd never been particularly close to her other roommate even though they were of the same social status. She'd just...never felt as comfortable with her, even though she'd never done anything in particular to Valerie. She had thought that Attoria and Brianna were friends though. Although Brianna seemed to spend more time with her, Josh and Linus. And at one time, Michael. The sixth year really was kind of unhappy that the two had had a falling out. It had made her feel rather awkward around the Teppenpaw, even though he hadn't really treated her any different. Valerie was just sort of insecure about things. Like that he would think she was siding with Brianna over him and not like her anymore because of it.
"Oh, indeed." Valerie smiled. "Last year was...pretty stressful" She admitted, though she was sure the other Crotalus knew that she'd felt that way. CATS were a stressful thing under normal circumstances and it was very unfortunate that the Challenges had been in her fifth year. By the end, she'd really been pretty run down, though fortunately had not gotten sick until around the Summer Solstice, too miserable to even watch the fireworks from one of the balconies, while her parents went to a party celebrating the holidays. Melanie had stayed home with her though. It was more a party for people her parents' age anyway, with not a lot of teenagers.
She nodded. "I think the fair will be better too. I've never really been to one either, other than the last one we had here." Fairs were something else that she'd never had the opportunity to go to, both because they weren't especially activities that proper young ladies went to much and the fact that she'd never been particularly well. She smiled as Brianna chuckled. "I'm a little afraid of going on rides." Valerie admitted. "I mean, I've never been on one. I don't even really know what fairs have. I know the last one had student exhibits." She could have always submitted a quilt for that, but she...honestly hadn't had one done at the time. In fact, the Crotalus probably could have exhibited her needle work and quilts and whatnot this time, but she wasn't all that sure she could even handle a booth.
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Valerie
You're welcome
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Valerie
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Effie Arbon
June 02, 2013 10:23 AM
Sharing a concern by Effie Arbon
“Thank you,” Effie smiled as Isabel passed her the jug, pouring a glass for herself. “And for you?” she queried, ready to pour one for her friend as well.“Sometimes quiet is good,” she noted, as Isabel told her about her summer. “Time with family, not too much pressure,” she smiled. Families could be pressurising, of course, though Isabel had not intimated hers had been. Of course, there was a chance that she would not have committed it to paper even if it had been the case. There were things she herself kept off the written record. For example, although she had mentioned her mother's increased interest in cosmetics and hairstyling, her letters had not contained any mention of practising the wandwork elements of this at home. The law, she knew, pertained to lesser people than themselves and was designed for those who lived in close proximity to Muggles. The magic that occurred on a small private island was not worth anyone sticking their nose into. And anyone who tried quickly found it was far more worth their while to stick it back out again. Her sister being home-schooled provided a useful smokescreen, given that locations rather than individuals, were tracked. Nonetheless, she only ever made fleeting references to it out loud and was not foolish enough to write down anything about their little side steps of some of the rules and regulations. “Mine was much as I described to you. Delphine and I were under mother's tutelage during the evenings. If she had any engagements, we made them with her where appropriate but she largely keeps her own company,” The Arbons, traditionally, were a somewhat reclusive family. Her mother was not one by birth of course but seemed to have taken the family line on things. Effie was not sure whether this had always been the case, in an attempt to fit in, or whether it had something to do with the three of them. She and Delphine were too close in age for her to remember her sister's birth but she doubted that a second daughter had gone down well. She knew mother had been ill for a period afterwards, and she could vividly remember the tension surrounding her mother's pregnancy with Araceli, and the mood in the house after she had been born. Perhaps it was that, and not family tradition, that had made her withdraw. After all it was that – the unprecedented problem of three daughters to get shot of – that had prompted this latest change in demeanour, that of sending her to school. “And on those days we mostly were at leisure. We took walks and the like. It was nice as we could include Araceli. I think...” she began, spilling another thought she had not dared to commit to the paper, “I worry that she's lonely without us. I mean, she's used to being tutored on her own but in the evenings... I can't really imagine what she does all by herself all the time.”
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Effie Arbon
Sharing a concern
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Effie Arbon
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Francesca Wolseithcrafte
June 02, 2013 10:52 AM
And useful by Francesca Wolseithcrafte
Francesca nodded quietly as Amity mused over the available evidence. As she had suspected, her role in the conversation was more sounding board than informed participant but that was quite alright by her. She could be verbose enough once an idea got into her head – as she was sure her challenge team would attest – but when she had nothing particularly interesting to say she was happy to be a quiet observer. Plus it gave her time to enjoy her food.“That's very true,” she nodded, when Amity mentioned that if the booths were mandatory then no one would be available to go to them. “Unless they did something with time slots. It might also be the case that they don't run for the entire evening, otherwise the people who do run them won't be able to enjoy other aspects of the fair, which I'm sure many people would see as a poor reward for their efforts.
“That sounds like a good idea. I'm not sure what I would do,” she stated honestly. Her mind had initially sprung to the Heritage Society and running a booth where she handed out pamphlets and answered people's questions. However, she couldn't really see that fitting in with the fair. A fair was a jolly occasion. It did not mix well with politics. “Games or food are really the staples for a fair, I suppose...” she shrugged. She could also wait and see what other people suggested, although she as yet did not think she had clear friends to join up with. She realised that her mind had been picturing her challenge team together – she had got so used to working with them, and it being a school event had led her mind down that avenue. But that was about as likely as a merperson flying. Still, she could not help but wonder what they would have done. What would they have come up with, as an idea that united them all? It was with little pang of sadness – one that perhaps was the result of her really acknowledging that the bond was not going to somehow endure – that she realised that she could think of nothing.
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Francesca Wolseithcrafte
And useful
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Francesca Wolseithcrafte
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Henny B-F-R
June 02, 2013 2:12 PM
Yes, it is... by Henny B-F-R
“Thanks,” Henny smiled as Andri congratulated her. “I'd hoped...” she mused, in response to Andri's statement that she had had a feeling about it. “But I would never have dared to count my owls before they'd hatched. I mean, it could have gone to anyone.”She tried to tone her smile down a few watts, passing the corn as requested. She didn't know much about Andri's summer.... Her initial owl at the start of the holidays had received a reply saying that things were pretty weird at home and they were going to be in England for most of the break. Henny had written back letting Andri know she was free to talk to her about what was going on if she wanted to but she had no idea whether she'd received this before she'd left or whether it had been waiting for her when she got home. In spite of the scant details, Henny had felt like something was happening that she should not intrude upon. Besides which, international owls were pretty costly. She had felt a little guilty that this formed part of her reasoning but she felt that not intruding was the dominant part, and that it would be up to Andri to make the first move. All in all, the girls had not exchanged much news over the summer.
“How's things?” she asked, leaving the question vague. If Andri didn't want to talk about her summer, she didn't have to. The two of them had never been close and there might well have been someone else Andri would prefer to confide in. She managed to make her face neutral. 'Weird' could mean 'exciting and good, and she was ready to ratchet back up if Andri had been on some kind of whirlwind adventure, and she had just misinterpreted. But the pessimist in her worried and she didn't want to sit here grinning away about something like a prefect badge if her room-mate's life had been the bad kind of crazy for the past couple of months.
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Henny B-F-R
Yes, it is...
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Addison Thornton
June 02, 2013 2:45 PM
Will you pass the dressing? by Addison Thornton
Addison wasn’t sure what to think over the whole thing. Summer was a whole hot mess except for one thing. The Summer Birthday Bash and being with the family she loved. The fact that her father wasn’t there wasn’t a bad thing really, it was strange, yes, but it wasn’t like he was there for them anyway. Addi had met Lucan again over the summer and he was just perfect.Lucan was Grandfather Abernathy’s best mate’s grandson, and sure, Addi had met him before when they were younger, but that was before boys were important. This time, he caught her eye and the two spent a lot of time talking together. His parents had just split as well so he knew how she felt. Addi knew that he understood how she felt and she could actually open up to him about everything that had been going on with her. Lucan was the only one other than Josephine and Emma who knew everything. Addi couldn’t even tell her mother all of it. She thought Luca would hate her after that, but he didn’t. In fact, he became even more caring and loving towards her after she told him. Addi hated that they had to leave England, but when she got back she was asked to take Ana to her friend Rory’s house and was allowed to go see Josephine.
Addi was a little nervous to do all that traveling by herself, but she was older now, mature, and going into 7th year. Her mother gave her a lot more responsibility and trust. She would not let her mother down either. She spent the time with Josie and went back for Ana who chattered about all the things she did with her friend all the way home. The now seventh year laughed at her sister’s energy and wondered where some littler kids got it all from. She didn’t remember ever having that much energy for sure!
But, going back on the wagon the others chattered amongst each other and she listened half heartedly while she wrote a letter to Luca. She’d promised she’d write him, and he promised to do the same. In his letters to her he actually talked to her about after she got out of school and what they could do, and Addi was shocked when he’d asked her what her thought was on if they could be a more official couple then. She’d told him that she would like that and he seemed so excited that he’d even made her excited too!
All this happened after the little trip to Josie’s house, so Addi couldn’t wait to tell her best friend all about it! She spotted her walking into the Hall, but knew that now was not the time to tell her. She had her perfectly duties to perform and Addi was not included in that. She would have to tell her later.
She sat down at the Teppenpaw Table and Headmistress Kijewski-Jareau welcomed them all back and welcomed the first years. The new kids were sorted and Addi clapped for Rina and Mitri who were both sorted into Teppenpaw.
Reggie and Derry were called up for their badges and Henny, Megan, Alex and Waverly were called up for theirs. Addi clapped for all of them and listened carefully to the other announcements. “Fair again… Okay.” she said, wondering if they would each HAVE to do something for the fair this time around. She supposed she’d find out about all that when the time came, so she didn’t stress on it, much.
The sheet music appeared in front of them and she sang softly with the others. She was a seventh year now and knew the words. After the song ended, food popped up and Addi smiled, picking only healthy things for her plate, starting off with a nice salad with a fat free dressing. Addi had lost more weight over the summer and actually felt good about herself more than normal partly because of that, partly because of Lucan. But either way, her journey was continuing and regardless of the mess with her father, she was feeling better thanks to her family and friends.
She turned to her neighbor, “Will you pass the fat free Italian dressing?” she asked them. It was sitting right in front of them.
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Addison Thornton
Will you pass the dressing?
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Addison Thornton
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These are things that friends do. by Brianna
Brianna smiled. It seemed so stupid to have been so worried about the challenges now that they were said and done. “It was stressful, but it was a little bit fun too. I’m never included in those types of things, even before everything happened, so it was a little nice to be part of something.” Brianna admitted. She might not have liked it from the start, but she felt her team had done a pretty good job, even with her on it.Really, her team had been very good to her and, as far as she knew, Valerie’s team had been pretty okay too. During that year, everything had been complicated. It was her trying to learn how to walk again and deal with the outcome of someone else’s choice for her. It was her dealing with heartbreak for the first time in her life. Or making real friends. It was learning how to deal with the stress of school and relying on her peers for help. But mostly, it was learning about herself. The challenges had only been a small thing in comparison for herself. The CATS were a far bigger threat, but she had managed to get through them, of course, with the help of her friends.
“Yeah, but the Fair last time was different since we went to Tumbleweed. It wasn’t like a traditional Fair, you know?” Brianna couldn’t really remember what she had done at the last Fair. She didn’t remember much other than spending time with Gareth. She hadn’t spoken much to him since then. That was a little sad. She had considered him to be a bit of a friend. But, he was a year younger than her and hung out with a larger crowd. She didn’t think he really thought much of her anymore as it was.
“I know they have Ferris Wheels and roller coasters, but I don’t know much more than that. From books I’ve read, they have game booths where if you win the game, you get a prize. I doubt I’m any good at it, but I’d love to at least attempt to win a prize.” Brianna thought it would be a little romantic if someone won a prize for her, but she didn’t want to say that out loud and risk sounding stupid or rude. Valerie was betrothed, so Brianna didn’t really know how that worked. Was it an actual relationship where they dated? Or was it something less… emotional? She didn’t know and didn’t have the heart to ask out of worry that it would upset her friend. But Brianna couldn’t deny the fact that she felt the Fair would be a great date to have with someone. Not that she wanted to get her hopes up and think Linus was still willing to give her a chance, but it was definitely in the back of her mind.
“You could do a booth this year, if you want to showcase something.” Brianna commented. “I don’t have any talents or anything to do a booth, but it will be fun to have a look around to see what everyone else comes up with.”
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Brianna
These are things that friends do.
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Brianna
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Airing out the laundry by Andri
"Welcome!" Andri said in reply to Henny. "And I don't blame you, its the best way to go." she added. "As much as it could have gone to any of us, I really thought it would be you anyway." she added with a smile. When Henny passed the corn, she smiled again at her roommate. "Thanks! It looked really good, you know?" she asked, trying to keep her smile on as odd as the summer had been. She was now back at school and there were things that must be done. Classes that must be taken, younger and even older siblings to take care of and Quidditch to play. The rest wasn't supposed to be as important. School was what mattered, whether she wanted to think it or not.Andrina had never really been the type of person to let all of her dirty laundry air out in front of everyone. In fact, she'd kept most things to herself before now, so why change that? Right? she asked herself as she turned back to Henny, noting that her roommate had turned down her smile. Maybe Henny's thinking about the few owls we sent back and forth to eachother over the summer? she thought to herself and sighed. She knew she'd have to tell her roommate something, but she was sort of afraid that Alicia would find out and then she'd be a worse outcast than she already was. After all, with Dad gone and Mom having another boyfriend I'm even weirder than I already was... she said to herself with a sigh. If I say it quietly and have Henny promise not to tell anyone then... she thought before realizing that it wasn't just with her, that all her sisters and her cousins knew and someone was sure to tell someone who would spill it to the whole school...
Henny DID say that I could talk to her... she added to herself as she looked down at her lap before looking back up at her roommate again when she asked how things were. "My parents are getting a divorce. Dad cheated on my Mom and everyones really mad about it. We were in England with Mom's side of the family most of the summer. Cousins too." She started. "And now I have a boyfriend... It's been a hot little messy roller coaster..." she said, still softly so that only Henny could hear her.
"I know my sisters and cousins will probably tell people about it, but I really don't want people to know just yet if I can help it..." she added. "I'm not really sure how I feel about it to be honest. It's just really weird..." she added, feeling strange that she actually told someone her emotions. Her sisters barely ever even saw if she was upset or anything at something...
Andri looked at Henny, wondering what her roommate thought and if she'd say anything...
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Andri
Airing out the laundry
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Andri
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Abigail Thornton
June 04, 2013 1:40 PM
Ooo! Bangers and Mash! by Abigail Thornton
Abigail, like the rest of her sisters, had a very strange summer. The thing was, as upset as she was with what her father had done to her mother, and to them, it didn’t make her mad like it had most of the rest of them. He was never a dad to her, just a father, someone who had made half of her, he wasn’t important to her like he had been to her sisters, to her mother, her brother. Abi didn’t really love the man, and the fact that she could say that out loud or to herself was something she wasn’t sure how to deal with. While everyone else was upset and mad and everything like that, she went on like it was a normal day, each day.Until she met Anders…
Then everything changed.
Abi spent as much time as possible with the boy. He was the son of the Abernathy’s best horse trainer and he taught her so much! Abi had decided that not only was he the one she wanted to be with forever, but she wanted to work with the horses with him and his father. Of course Anders wasn’t always with the horses, he had school too, he went to Hogwarts and he was a Gryffindor. But when he was home he was there and that was what she wanted more than anything! She’d much rather be around horses than people anyway, so that was no different. Any animal really…
But the time came for them to all go back to the states and Abi was silent the whole trip home. There was something about not wanting to go home because a person is happy where they are versus wanting to sleep in a persons own bed that made her wish that she was still in England.
She wasn’t home long of course, but it wasn’t the same as being in England. Even when they went back up to Napa to be with Clara and Uncle Bryan before the Wagons it wasn’t the same. Even the Appaloosas didn’t appeal to her as much as the Abernathy horses in England (okay, and Anders) did. With a long sigh, she listened to the others chatter amongst each other and instead of joining in, she watched out the window, wishing to see the signs from across the ocean instead of in the states.
When they got to Sonora, she walked inside with the others and waved to the twins before the older kids split from them. She sat down at the Crotalus table, and turned her head to Headmistress Kijewski-Jareau as she’d started speaking right then. The first years made their line like she had a few years before and she watched, looking for Darina and Dimitri. Once Abi spotted them she kept her eyes on them and when Rina drank the potion first, turning yellow, she clapped for her cousin as she skipped off talking about being a banana. Oh Rina… Abi thought as Dimitri turned yellow as well. At least they are together! she thought as the rest of the first years were sorted.
Reggie and Derry were called up for their badges, then Henny, Megan, Alex and Waverly after them. Abi wasn’t much for cheering generally, but for her best friend’s sister, that she would do. “YAY WAVERLY!” she called out, excitedly. She glanced towards Wendy and when she finally caught her attention, she gave her a thumbs up. The announcements went on about the new Muggle Studies Professor and the Midsummer Event being the Fair before the school song showed up in front of them. Abi didn’t sing, she knew she couldn’t carry a tune out of a paper bag so she didn’t even try. Then the food appeared and Abi’s mouth watered. As much as she wanted to be back in England with Anders, she really did miss Sonora food…
“Ooo! Look! Bangers and Mash!” she exclaimed as she dug a spoon into the mashed potatoes before taking a fork to one of the links in front of her. “I don’t know how they do it, but they find the right foods and put them out, these Elves are fantastic!” she didn’t know who was sitting next to her, but she was sure to find out!
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Abigail Thornton
Ooo! Bangers and Mash!
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Abigail Thornton
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It's a possibility. by Emery
It was very clear to Emery that Emrys and the way he lived was very different from the way that Emery was raised. He wasn’t even thinking about the weird obsession of the Arthurian ages, but of the fact that someone at age eleven was already looking for someone to marry. It was way too much for Emery to take in on the first day of school. He knew weird. Emery was weird. His family was weird. But, they seemed so normal next to Emrys.When Emrys started talking about his dream girl, Emery just looked at him with his mouth open, unable to bear listening to another boy talk about fantasies of love. It just wasn’t right. This kid was too consumed in a fairytale to realize that things like that didn’t work that way. Emery knew this for a fact. His mother, he thought, was a great person who was very successful but had not found love until she was nearly forty and with her best friend of eight years. Emery was certain this was how it normally happened for most people. There may be a slim few who found love quickly, but he wasn’t sure if it was as easy as Emrys was making it out to be in his wistful ways.
“Why don’t you guys just get your teeth fixed?” Emery asked, confused by all of this conversation. They were magical, fixing their teeth would have been a very easy and quick solution to their teeth problem. “Unless you like your teeth, I guess.” He added so as to not offended his roommate.
It was clear that Emrys was confused about Emery and Chloe. “No, we aren’t twins.” Emery explained. “We’re step siblings. She’s a couple of months older than me. But, I’ve known her my whole life, so it’s like we’re twins, I guess.” That was pretty accurate. Chloe’s dad and her had always been around him and his mother for as long as he could remember. And what he couldn’t remember had been forever caught on camera.
Emery blinked at Emrys. This kid was really strange. Emery could handle strange, but he wasn’t sure how he would handle the third person talking. “Every family has their issues, I suppose.” He commented. “But I really do think you guys are way too serious about things that you shouldn’t worry about until you’re older. I mean, thinking about marriage right now is way too heavy. You should be more worried about what our first lesson with our wands will be, not if that girl over there is perfect for you.” Emery had picked a girl at random to make his point. “You have plenty of time to figure things out, forget your grandfather.”
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Emery
It's a possibility.
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Emery
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Henny B-F-R
June 05, 2013 1:43 PM
Goodness. by Henny B-F-R
“Oh. Gosh. I'm sorry,” she stated, when Andri told her the brief version of events from the summer. “I.... well, I've never exactly been there, but I know what it's like to have your family go through changes. Let me know if you want to talk. Even if it's ages after it. Sometimes stuff just sneaks up on you years later- sorry!” she gasped, realising how negative that sounded. “I mean, it gets better. Loads better. Just sometimes, certain things can only strike you once you get hindsight, y'know?” she asked, hoping she hadn't made Andri worry more or think that she'd be dwelling on this forever.“I won't tell,” she promised. “But... I mean, it's nothing that reflects negatively on you. I can get that you don't want everyone knowing your personal business and I won't tell them. But it's not anything they'd judge you badly for,” she said, keeping her voice confidential so that the people around couldn't hear. She didn't know whether that had worried Andri – she was generally a fairly private person and it might just have been that which meant she wanted to keep it to herself – but Henny knew that, crazy as it was, in these situations people often felt like it was their fault.
“Congrats on the boyfriend though. That's cool,” she added, finally letting a little of her smile return. She hated herself for it but she couldn't help but feel a little twist of jealousy and... surprise. Their year was so society-heavy, that she'd always assumed she and Andri would be in the spinster sisters of Sonora club together until they graduated. She'd never really met anyone that interesting outside of school and so it hadn't occurred to her that her room mate might, even though the same had happened to Waverly. At this rate it was just going to be her and Jade Owen...
“You can tell me more about either of those if you want. But let me know if I'm prying too much at any point,” she offered. She wasn't someone who minded being told to back off and would really much rather that that happened than she put someone into a situation where they were uncomfortable.
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Henny B-F-R
Goodness.
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Henny B-F-R
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I know... by Andri
When Henny apologized, Andri smiled at her as her friend kept going about how she’d never been there exactly, but she had been through changes. “Changes aren’t easy… They really aren’t…” she said softly, still slightly unsure what was really going through her mind. Henny went on to tell her that stuff gets better, but sometimes things can come back in hindsight. “That’s what I was afraid of…” she said with a sigh. “But thanks for not saying anything, and though I know that it won’t reflect negatively on me, but its one of those things that I don’t know if I want people knowing until I know how I really feel about it, you know?”She looked at Henny and sighed. Andri knew it wasn’t her fault that she was born a girl and the kids before and most of the kids after were too, except for Alexander. The fifth year also knew that Ariel was his second favorite child, But she’s a girl… What’s she got that I don’t? she thought to herself as Henny brought up the fact that she had a boyfriend now. “Thanks. Abbott’s really great, he’s smart and everything too. OH! And my oldest sister’s getting married over Winter Break. Our grandparents say we can invite a few friends, and I was sorta hoping you can come…” she added to her. “There’s pretty sure to be lots of guys there if my grandma has her say…” Andri winked at Henny.
“Henny?” Andri started, after Henny said she could tell her more about either thing. “Is it bad that I still sorta love him? Dad I mean… Not Abbott. He’s cool… But what has he ever done for me? Why should I still love him?” she asked. She didn’t know if Henny knew the answer, but it was worth a shot…
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Andri
I know...
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Andri
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Henny B-F-R
June 07, 2013 1:18 PM
And the surprises just keep coming by Henny B-F-R
“But often hindsight helps too,” she assured her. She could have kicked herself. The last thing Andri needed to hear was about things way in the future that would be difficult, not when she had so much still unprocessed in the present. And she claimed not to have been feeling it reflected badly on her, so Henny really hoped she hadn't put it into her head to start doing so...“That makes sense,” she nodded, when Andri said she needed to know how she felt about things before having to deal with other people.
“Wow! Congratulations to her!” Henny grinned, as Andri told her the oldest sibling would be getting married soon. Their summer had certainly been a real mix of up and downs. Henny had never been great at disguising her emotions, and surprise was probably hardest enough to conceal of the grounds of it being... well, surprising. She had popped some quiche into her mouth which she promptly choked on when Andri casually invited her to the wedding. Luckily this gave her some thinking time about how to respond although probably rather belied her shock. Managing to swallow her food properly she turned back to Andri.
“Sorry – you, um, surprised me. I... I'm really flattered that you'd ask me but I mean... I barely even know your sister. Why would she want a load of strangers at her wedding? I'm not trying to be rude – it's really nice of you,” she repeated, worried she would hurt Andri's feelings, “I'm just... uh, surprised, I guess,” she finished lamely. The idea of a wedding was fun and exciting but she couldn't shake the feeling that she'd be out of place at a wedding where she was the friend of one of the bride's sisters... That didn't really sound like a legitimate guest status and Henny couldn't see how she'd fit in other than by trailing Andri like a shadow, and the other girl would know loads of people there – she might even be being a bridesmaid, for all Henny knew, meaning that wouldn't be at all appropriate. She was also sure Andri must know other people better than her who she'd rather ask, the two of them never having been exceptionally close.
“No, of course not!” she stated, when Andri asked whether it was still wrong to love her father. It was a gut reaction, really but she didn't regret it. She didn't know a lot about Andri's relationship with him, and only knew as much as she'd just told her about the divorce. “I mean, what he did to your mother was wrong. And so I kind of see why you'd be on her side if you had to pick one. But you don't. Even if he wronged your mother, he's still your dad.”
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Henny B-F-R
And the surprises just keep coming
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Henny B-F-R
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Valerie
June 10, 2013 11:30 AM
:) by Valerie
Valerie laughed a little. "I can't honestly even remember if I went to the last fair." She admitted.She never kept track of what illness she had when, it was more like, when in doubt, she'd probably been sick. Valerie would probably get to go to this one and hoped it wasn't like the ball last year, where all her friends had dates and she'd felt left out. Because she'd been sick so often, it was very hard for her to socialize beyond the pureblood basics-and even that felt awkward to her.So she stuck to her sister and her friends. Sometimes she worried that she was being a little clingy and that they'd see her as such too and not want to be friends with her anymore. Still, it was natural to gravitate towards one's friends and not everyone had to be a social butterfly. Valerie knew that she would never be. Once she'd started her potion and stopped getting sick so much, she'd realized how painfully shy she actually was. The Crotalus had a terrible time talking to new people, joining or starting a conversation where she wasn't even sure she was wanted. At least she could say that Jasper wasn't an especially social person, that was a plus.
And what if at the fair, Brianna wanted to hang out with just Linus and Melanie wanted to hang out with Marcus Crosby? Valerie knew her younger sister had a crush on the other Teppenpaw and she sincerely hoped the two did end up betrothed. She would be so thrilled to see Melanie happy in her betrothal. Nor did she begrudge Brianna a boyfriend. She just didn't want to hang out alone at the fair-and it would honestly be improper to hang out with just Michael or Sully. It would be nice to be able to hang out with all her friends, but Brianna and Michael didn't get along anymore. Besides, Valerie was certain Michael would be hanging out with Eris. It was possible that maybe she and Brianna could hang out with Josh and Linus, and see if Sully wanted to join them too. Then it wouldn't just be her tagging along with Brianna and her other friends.
She looked down embarrassed. "I'm, um, not sure I can handle faster rides." Valerie admitted. "I really didn't go on any of them last time." The Crotalus had been sure that she'd have gotten sick if she had. It had always been a constant worry for her. She didn't think a ride would give her an ear infection but she certainly didn't want to regurgitate in public. That would be so dreadfully embarrassing. Not that the sort of food that people had at fairs was the sort Valerie was allowed to eat. She could only have healthy stuff both because of her medical condition and societal pressures to stay relatively thin.
"I'm...not sure I can handle doing a booth either." She was starting to feel sort of bad about this whole fair thing. "I mean, I can knit and crochet and do quilting and stuff like that." It made Valerie feel a little better about herself to think about that. "I'm just worried it might be stressful" The sixth year bit her lip. "Hey, um, I'm sorry if I'm being a downer about this fair stuff."
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Valerie
:)
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5
Sympathizing by Isabel
“Please,” Isabel said to Effie’s offer. She had never tried elderflower before, but it was good to learn new foods. She might travel someday – Sara did all the time, and even Catherine had a little, though not so much since she started having her babies; taking four children around was evidently not done and Catherine didn’t like to leave them, not even to go with her husband on his many, many trips out of the country, from which he brought Isabel and her niece and nephews all sorts of interesting presents – and besides, she never knew when she might find something really good.“Yes, of course,” she agreed about quiet, and then tried to imagine Mamma keeping mostly to her own company. She didn’t go out all the time, but she had lots of events, their house was often busy with one party or another. Isabel had heard whispers that there had been a time when Mamma had not had very many friends who would invite her out, so she had decided to become a hostess herself just to spite them. Catherine was the opposite; her sister didn’t like to have people over to her house, only doing that enough to keep her own reputation as a hostess intact, but she was always going to events, or lunches. Theo hated it, but he dealt with it better than he used to.
The problem of Effie’s sister, though, distracted her from thoughts about how different their families were. Isabel had grown up all but an only child, there were so many years between her and her only sibling, but she had never been alone exactly, since she and Alan were the same age and that made Sara sort of like her older sister, too, and Ella had been big enough to play with for ages, too, though now Isabel felt more like she was doing Ella a favor than anything when they were together. She could only hope it would pass soon, that Ella would grow up enough that they could be friends again. “I can’t imagine,” she echoed. “How old is she, again? Maybe – I don’t know – I could get Mamma to invite you all to something at midterm and she could be friends with my niece?”
It was always so strange, actually saying Ella was her niece when there were only four years between them. She had been confused, when she had first met Annabelle and Annette, by how comfortable they were with being aunts and wondered if it was still that way for them. Ella had never called Isabel aunt in her life, and neither had her brothers; everyone really just seemed to want to forget that they weren’t really just some sort of cousins, like Alan and Sara, to her. Still, she didn’t think this was the worst idea she had ever had; Ella was a nice girl, when she wasn’t in trees, and it would be good for her to see more people besides just family. Wouldn't it? Isabel thought that kind of thing should probably make adjusting to school easier, and while Araceli might be like Delphine and stay home, Isabel couldn't see Catherine keeping any of her children out of Sonora. As attached as Catherine was to them, Isabel thought she was more attached to the idea of Sonora as some kind of premarital paradise she had been wrenched from and was sure no one could help being perfectly happy in. Besides, it felt like she ought to offer some suggestion just as a matter of courtesy and sharing concern.
0
Isabel
Sympathizing
0
Isabel
0
5
I thought it was a pretty good one by Topher
“If I do the same thing as Dad? Tons of paperwork interrupted only by the occasional foot reattachment,” Topher said matter-of-factly, then grinned. “Exciting life my old man leads, huh? I don’t know that that’s exactly what I want to do for the next sixty or seventy years, but hey, if worst comes to worst, it pays the bills, right?”Not that bills, he reflected, were a subject Fae had likely ever heard much about or could relate to even if she knew of them in the abstract. He could be jumping to conclusions – when he had first gotten over being furious about her presence in his country enough to observe anything specific about Caroline, he had been surprised to notice that his sister actually knew how to handle money, that she didn’t honestly believe personal property appeared out of a clear blue sky just because she wanted it – but it was not the least probable thing he had ever thought of. Fae had been born rich, raised rich, both of her parents were the same thing from what he’d gathered, and Merlin knew Arnold Carey did not seem to be hurting for funds. Nor was he likely to; he would probably, with his record, get onto some kind of Quidditch team, and while it might be mildly embarrassing for both the Careys and Sinclairs to have someone working to entertain common people in the family, he doubted they’d be too good to take the money that went with that. She wouldn’t have to worry about anything for the rest of her life, probably. Not that he held it against her; it wasn’t her idea, wasn’t his idea. It was just how things were.
“Couldn’t say,” he said, since the kind of parties she was describing were, from all he’d ever heard about them, boring as hell and he didn’t think too highly of weddings, either. The wedding part itself might be all right, but why did they have to have such long receptions afterward? That was the exceptionally boring part, and he was convinced that even those who appeared to enjoy gossiping about the gifts were liars. Who cared what sort of gifts they got? If he ever got married – bizarre as the thought was now – he wasn’t going to put up with it. An hour, tops. That was it. Give ‘em some cake and then tell ‘em to leave. That was all that seemed necessary.
Sara Raines, to Topher, had been more of a symbol of something than a person, but he knew she had been Fae’s friend. Was still, he guessed – it wasn’t like graduating from school meant you ceased to exist. Unless she had unexpectedly died, but the odds of an eighteen-year-old girl with anything money could buy just falling over dead over the summer seemed pretty slim to him. He shrugged when she asked about his feelings on being captain. “Not really,” he said. “I mean, it’s cool and all, but my primary focus is still on busting your boyfriend’s head open.” He took a bite of pasta. “Joking, joking,” he lied. “Though if you wanted to have a huge fight with him the night before the games, you’d be doing a great service to your House. How’s all that going for you guys? Got a house – a living house – picked out and all?”
0
Topher
I thought it was a pretty good one
0
Topher
0
5
Effie Arbon
June 14, 2013 11:53 AM
According to the proverb my problem should now be halved by Effie Arbon
“That's very sweet of you – thank you,” she smiled at Isabel. Effie was not only relieved by the reaction that her confidences had received but also grateful – plain sympathy would have made her feel that she had made the right judgement in confiding in Isabel, which would have been welcome enough, but the fact that the other girl was trying to offer solutions really meant a lot to her.“She's just turned eight – at the end of August,” she clarified. Her sister's birthday meant that she would be one of the youngest in the year and she already felt the need to ensure that people brought this into consideration. Eight, for Araceli, seemed awfully old. She had stayed fixed in Effie's mind as the age she had been when she Effie had left for school, on the grounds that it really didn't seem possibly that very long had passed since then at all. There was also a big difference between six and eight, in terms of how long it seemed until Araceli would be at Sonora. Although the gap between eight and eleven was greater than that between six and eight, it meant it was less than a handful of years until her little sister started at the school – assuming Father let her – whereas before it had seemed such a distant prospect. Although the numbers sounded so different that she could scarcely believe it, Araceli herself did not seem to have changed much. Perhaps that was why it was such a hard idea to grasp. Her sister seemed as lacking in confidence – as prone to tripping over her words, or wobbling on her curtseys – as she ever had done. “How old is your niece?” she asked.
She hoped Isabel's offer of support would come to fruition. Araceli hadn't had her début and so wasn't really part of society yet. However, it was a personal invitation, made to Effie as Isabel's friend and extended to her sisters, rather than something like a party, she thought it would be alright. The whole point of her coming to Sonora was to foster connections for the family and she was sure her father would capitalise on any opportunities which that presented. She hoped an opportunity to clarify this matter arose as she thought it would be rude to outright ask Isabel what kind of invitation she had planned on extending to them. Given the fact that they were discussing ways to bring Araceli out of her shell, and that the fact of her age had come up, she thought Isabel must be thinking along those lines though.
“It really is a lovely idea,” she reiterated, “Thank you.”
13
Effie Arbon
According to the proverb my problem should now be halved
238
Effie Arbon
0
5
Seems like it... by Andri
Andri listened to Henny tell her that hindsight helps sometimes too and nodded with her in agreement. The fifth year wasn’t going to argue that point at all. She knew it wasn’t anything she’d done, at least she hoped it wasn’t… At least she wanted to hope it wasn’t… When Henny said it made sense that she wanted to know how she really felt about it before having to deal with other people knowing about it, Andri felt better.When Andri mentioned Arista’s wedding, Henny grinned and congratulated her. “Thanks.” she said, then she brought up the possibility of Henny coming to the Wedding. When Henny choked on the quiche she was eating, Andri realized perhaps this was a bad time to ask her friend if she would come to the Wedding.
When Henny apologized to Andri, the Aladren realized that this was not going to go so well, and as much as she wanted her friends there, she had a feeling that she wouldn’t end up that way at all. “I know you’re not trying to be rude, Henny, and my grandparents basically said they wanted us each to have at least one friend there, and they’d rather we each had two. I’d like it very much if you and Kitty can come.” she said.
“I know we’re not close yet, but we have the chance to be still. We’re not done with school, there’s still time for us to get closer.” she said, before she asked the burning question in her mind. When Henny said that it wasn’t wrong to love her father still.
“Yeah… I know I don’t have to take sides, and I don’t want to.” she said with a sigh. “Why is this so hard?” she asked her. “I know I’m not really one to air my dirty laundry, never have been and I really don’t want to become that either. But I just don’t know what I think about all this just yet.” she said, sighing again as she looked down at her lap until Henny spoke again.
0
Andri
Seems like it...
0
Andri
0
5
You thought correctly. by Fae
Fae tried not to make any sort of face when Topher commented on the career choice that his father had made. It did not sound like a good life choice at all, but what did she know? She never really asked her father what he did on a day to day basis, but she doubt that he would have told her anyway. His relationship in the financial world had its highs and lows and she sometimes heard him discussing with her mother about the goblins, but he always stopped when he knew she was in the room. Her parents felt that adult things remained adult things. Now that she was an adult, she was going to be the one to have to hear those troubles. She wasn’t really sure if she was ready for that… or knew exactly it was that would be troubling Arnold in the future.She smiled at him, “I don’t think my father has an exciting job either.” She commented. “He works in finance. From what I gather, it’s a lot of meetings and dealing directly with the goblins. If the market crashes, the world is in chaos, and my father spends his days without sleep trying to help put it back together.” She made it sound nicer than it was, but she remembered the last time this happened and how haggard her father had looked after months of trying to repair the damages. Her father was a hardworking man, she respected that of him. It was something she had taken for granted for a long time, but now that she knew her brother was in the same business and had seen the stress on his face over the summer, she finally understood that everything they maintained was from the difficult work her father had done on his own for years. She hoped that Elle was a good wife to her brother and took good care of him.
Well, his response to her summer was clear that he couldn’t care any less about it. Not that she could blame him. She didn’t even care about it. She wished she could go back to life before Sonora when she thought the adult world was wonderful and exciting, instead of being an adult and living in it and knowing that it wasn’t. Maybe she should have a talk with Arnold about that sort of thing. She would rather they lived quietly and only went to parties where it was absolutely necessary… like Christmas. She was pretty sure he would be okay with that. She could throw one small gathering, because it was her job to throw at least one and still maintain some status in the world, but that would be all.
At his quip at Arnold, Fae laughed. Quidditch would always be the one thing that would give her anxiety. Arnold seemed set in the game, so she couldn’t very well tell him not to do what he loved doing, so she would just suck it up and deal with it. Of course, her laugh stalled when he asked about their relationship. “A house?” She looked at him like he was crazy, but then realized he probably wasn’t. She had no idea what their parents were planning, but she knew that Jaiden had a home prior to his marriage and Victor’s parents had a home for them prior to their marriage. “I… don’t think so. We aren’t even getting married for at least another year, so having a house now would be pointless.” Fae said in all seriousness. “Anyway, I try not to think about it too much. I think even mentioning it to Arnold freaks him out… I wonder if I should be insulted by that sort of reaction.” Fae said, more to herself than anything. Arnold seemed to have issues with their future. “You know, maybe you should just mention that before the game, I’m sure that’ll get some sort of reaction from him. Although, that could just make him angry enough to want to win more.”
6
Fae
You thought correctly.
0
Fae
0
5
Henny B-F-R
June 20, 2013 12:18 PM
Re: Seems like it... by Henny B-F-R
“When and where is it?” she asked, regarding the wedding, “I'd have to ask my parents. And what are the transport arrangements? Is it on the floo, or are you having portkeys? Or is it a Muggle place?” she queried. She hoped Andri wouldn't take this series of questions as a 'yes' – they were all things she needed to know before she could make a decision as to whether or not it was practical.Andri's comments on the possibility of them becoming closer made her stomach twist a little. Part of it was guilt over the fact that Andri had never been part of their group, and over the possibility that this was something she could have done more about. Although she wasn't sure what, given that she didn't know what the problem was in the first place. Neither Alicia nor Andri was a nasty person, and she was sure both of them would have made every effort to be friends if that seemed viable. Which, given that it had never happened, she guessed meant it wasn't. She doubted it was either girl's fault, it was just some... personality thing where they didn't click. And that was the second half of why her stomach was twisting. If Alicia and Andri fundamentally couldn't get on, how was she supposed to be friends with both of them without ending up piggy in the middle, or at some point having to choose between them for something?
“I think it would be nice if we could all get on,” she replied to Andri. She wanted to be as tactful as possible but she felt she needed to make it clear that she was neither going to be poached from Alicia nor stranded in no-man's land between them. “And if that's going to be the case, I'm not the only one you need to make an effort to be closer to. I'm not saying you have to try to be Alicia's best friend or invite her to the wedding,” she added. She rather got the impression that Andri was a fan of the big gesture, and she wasn't sure Alicia would know how to react to that. Heck, she didn't know how to react and she actually got along ok with Andri. She left it there, as she wasn't really sure what she could ask Andri to do. It wasn't like she and Alicia were at each other's throats, or even really rude to each other. She couldn't pinpoint any behaviour on either party's part that obviously caused friction. Which was, if anything, more of a worry, in that it meant it was just some irresolvable personality thing, and her choices were going to be limited to being caught in the middle or only being friends with Alicia.
“Cos it's change. And cos people got hurt, including you. Those things take time...” she assured her, when Andri asked about why everything was still so difficult. It made her feel bad that she couldn't just unequivocally state that of course she wanted to be friends and be there for her. But she couldn't - life was rarely that simple.
13
Henny B-F-R
Re: Seems like it...
211
Henny B-F-R
0
5
Ummmm pie! by Clarissa Clark
Clarissa realised that she was positively beaming as she entered Cascade Hall for her third welcome feast. She recalled how strangely the first time she had been both the best and the worst; it was the most exciting and terrifying by far. The Hall still dazzled her now, and although she still felt her usual anxiety about being around so many people, she was excited to see her classmates and talk about the summer.The past summer had also been one of Clarissa's favourites to date. Because she was now a little older she had been allowed many more small freedoms, and had been busy playing with her baby sister Lucy as well as helping to take care of her. Lucy was nearly a year old now, and Clarissa thought, slightly meanly perhaps, that she was becoming more interesting as well. Clarissa was helping to teach her sister baby sign language, so that she was older she would be able to make signs to her family before she learnt to talk. Clarissa found this very interesting, although it was hard to keep up at first. She knew that muggle babies often became frustrated when they were about two years old because they knew what they wanted but hadn't developed the language to express it yet, and she wondered if it was different for magical babies that could express themselves in other ways. Clarissa didn't feel that she had a natural aptitude for dealing with babies, like with other people, but it felt good to be a useful member of the family and have more responsibility placed on her, as she wasn't allowed do magic at home. It seemed a shame that Lucy might never be a witch and get to do fun magic.
She had been reading her books however, and thought that this school year was bound to be interesting. There were a few spells that she was determined to try as soon as she entered the magical world again and settled in, such as a glamour to change the colour of her eyes, perhaps for special occasions, or to match her clothes, like Dorothy in the wizard of Oz. Having always had one green eye and one brown eye, she had often wished to do this exact thing as a child, but instead matching them up, she wanted to experiment with colours to make them more interesting, for example by having one purple eye and one blue eye. It was a bit advanced for her, but by the end of the year she hoped to have perfected it.
Looking around the Hall, it occurred to Clarissa that her classmates were beginning to look different, some of them as if they were wearing makeup, and wondered if it was magic, or just growing up. She herself still felt like a child, but was tall enough to be a few years older and now found that she was literally looking down on some of the other students that were used to having things the other way around. Perhaps it was a bit intimidating to be back, after all.
She took her place at a table, and, expecting to mumble through the school song as usual, found that she knew most of the words. When the tables filled with food, she chose to pour herself a cup of tea with milk, and helped herself to some pie, food from home that she missed so much. These things were too incongruous to be appreciated at her current home in the heat of Florida, and not to the tastes of her American step -mum Tracey. It was easy to sit concentrate on the food, but after a few mouthfuls Clarissa realised that most of the witches and wizards around her seemed to be both chatting and eating enthusiastically at the same time. She put down her cutlery for a moment and glancing nervously around the table, caught someone's eye and said with as much volume as she could muster "Hi! How was your summer?"
0
Clarissa Clark
Ummmm pie!
1486
Clarissa Clark
0
5