Sorting Ceremony and Opening Feast

All those in years two through seven poured into the Great Hall, chattering about how their summers were and what they were planning for this year. The first years were soon to arrive and be sorted.

CHILDREN! SCREAMING, PRETENTIOUS LITTLE EGOMANIACS WITH THEIR HAIR AND THEIR SHORTS SKIRTS AND THEIR SAGGIN' WAISTS AND THEIR FOAMY BILE...

Leah sat at the Gryffindor table with Derek, the two debating whether monkeys or dolphins were more intelligent.

Brian was with all the other first years, looking very anxious. He was shifting one foot, then another foot, then one foot, then another foot. He was rubbing his hands together, and his big blue eyes were looking around eagerly. Well, he wasn't anxious or anything at all, but moreso anxious in an excited way... if that made any sense. He turned to Diana, and asked her, "Are you ready to get sorted? I have no idea what I'll be put in!"

"Neither do I. There's no real bad one, though, is there? So I guess it doesn't matter.." Dianna mumbled back, turning to grin at him. "I'm still bloody nervous though!"

Meanwhile, Caroline was sitting next to Bianca, though not of her own free will. She was being reasonably.. silent.

"What?! I'm SO excited! I can't wait to meet everyone in my house! I hope I'm a Gryffindor, though, because all my siblings are in there,"

Leah stood up and slumped over to Caroline. "Sup, you,"

"I just hope I'm with you or Anthony. What if I'm stuck with a bunch of people I don't know?" Dianna asked fearfully.


"Sitting, waiting for food. How about you?" Caroline snarked, as they were both doing the same thing. "This is so boring, I swear.."

"Well, you'll make friends, right? I'm not TOO nervous about that, but I really hope that at least I'm with one of you guys, too!" Brian responded with a big smile.

"Well, obviously. But, hey, cousins and siblings and all that jazz being sorted. That'll be fun... I think."

Eustace was in the crowd. His handheld had been confiscated, and, overall, he looked visibly morose about the whole affair.

Jennifer stood a few people apart from Diana and Brian but looked still looked very dazed. She couldn't pick out any familiar faces, or new ones that seemed welcome enough to befriend. She stood their shifting her weight from one foot to the other, trying to get a hold on everything going on around her.

Matt, on the other hand, seemed as if he was back in his original habitat, jumping on friends, making bets on first year survival, even forgetting that there was to be a feast.

Immanuel sat straight and blank faced at the Raven Claw table. He never really liked the first feast at the beginning, it was so loud and obnoxious. At least at the other feasts he could sneak off to Alex's table.

Eustace thanked his lucky stars; someone he recognized! Jennifer felt a tugging on the sleeve of her robe.

Jennifer turned, and obviously didn't recognize the boy at first. But after an awkward moment of silence, the face finally matched a name in her mind, "Eustace! I haven't seen you in forever!"

~

An always familiar, scheming face had an upset, narrow frown glued onto it at the Welcoming Feast. Alas, Kyle Jones’s plan A went decently well until a little bump in the road derailed it completely. That little bump’s name was Sophia Sawyer. Kyle’s grip on the edge of the table hardened at just the thought of that wretched girl. He had so many plans for a better wizarding world involving his Bishop, Hugh! But that Queen just came and ‘Check Mate’ -it was over.

With only a single year left at Hogwarts, a single year left of access to a vast amount of resources, Kyle spent the majority of the summer break scheming, concocting a new, most flawless plan. This one would involve the simple usage of any weak minded Pawn, any first year could fill the role. Of course, this Pawn would need a little push into the correct direction, but a good King always had a war strategy planned out. Kyle’s only worry, which he insisted on pushing to the back of his mind, was the Counterpart to his plan. The other King would obviously try to stop it, just like Sophia had done previously.

Kyle sighed, combing his fingers through his wavy hair, eyeing each first year in the crowd. They all looked so similar; the same looks of utter joy, confusion, or flat out terror. Which one of these same-minded fools would be honored with the title of serving Kyle? That is when the first move would be made.

Eustace gave her a little wave and a smile. He wasn't one for speaking, but he managed to chirp out a "How've you been?"

"Pretty well, really! I'm sooooo excited to finally be here though!" Jennifer responded, smiling widely. A familiar face wiped away ehr worries.

Brian whipped around, grinning ear to ear. "I'm really excited, too!" he exclaimed.

Jennifer eyed Brian a bit afraid- Anthony never had introduced the two. This was the time to make a new friend! "It's-it's going to be a lot of fun, I bet!" She said with mixed tones of enthusiasm and caution.

Eustace enthusiastically nodded.

Dianna turned around too. "Oh, hi Jennifer."

"I know! I can't wait to start class. You know, my mom works here! She's the Transfiguration professor." he said nodding to them. "I'm Brian, by the way. Brian Brown! My initials are B.B., isn't that cool?"

"Hey Diana!" Jennifer said cheerfully, warming up. "Ooh, that's neat that your mom is here. At least you won't get home sick. But I'd imagine it would kinda suck since she will be the one giving you bad grades if you don't do well..." Jennifer chuckled at the thought of a parent teacher conference, "That is neat, Brian! I'm Jennifer!" She stuck out her hand, "Nice to meet you!"

"Pleasure to meet you too," he said grinning, and shook her hand. "You know, I don't even know how that will work if I get a bad mark, I just know it'll go badly..." Brian said shivering a bit at the thought, and looking down at the floor.

Jennifer sensed he was a bit uneasy at the topic, and quickly switched it. "So what house do you think you'll be put in?"

"Gryffindor! Or, well, I HOPE so. I mean, my whole family is in there. But my mom was a Hufflepuff, so I don't mind either way."

"Ooh, well it all depends on you! I'd really like to be in Raven Claw, though!"

"Well, you'll just have to see if you're Ravenclaw material!"

Suddenly, Professor Brown bustled past them, eying them all. "Alright, you kiddos, this is the plan. Enter through those doors, and stand together closely- I advise this, because it's a zoo out there. You loose one, everything falls out of place. It's like Christmas lights. One breaks, the whole string is gone."

Through the looks of fear and confusion, Kelsi both sighed in dismal and chuckled in humor. "JUST KIDDING! C'mon, let's get this over with, because I'm sure you're all shaking like vibrating toothbrushes,"

Even more looks of confusion.

It was almost like Kelsi was doing it on purpose, but not quite. She sighed and looked at them all disapprovingly. "ALRIGHT, shaking in your boots! NOW GET OUT OF HERE." she pointed to the door. The crowd rushed through those doors, then outside into the Great Hall.

Brian turned to Jennifer and sighed. "That, was my mom."

[2 n's, Amanda.]

Dianna, who had met Mrs. Brown, no, Professor Brown before, wasn't fased by her odd sense of adult humor. "I want to be in Gryffindor too, I suppose. It sounds like the most fun!"