Sorting Ceremony and Opening Feast

"Hi."

Dianna was talking to Natalie, of course.
"I'm Dianna Astor. We're in the same house, so that makes us family, right?"

Little Eugene was gazing wistfully up at the stool. The light of the candles echoed in the black of his dilated pupils. As he let out a sigh, his frail frame slowly relaxing into a slouch, his shoulder accidentally bumped that of this other Towers lad.

Anton was about to turn around, and snap a cold remark at the little shrimp, but his face immediately brightened when he saw who it was. It was that little gamer, who was trying to make his DS work on the train ride there!

"Hey!" Anton brushed a greasy, dark brown bang out of his hair, and grinned at the boy with a braced smile.

"You like video games, don't you?!" he whispered with ecatascy.

Eugene jumped slightly. He wasn't exactly accustomed to such enthusiasm, especially from such unsightly creatures as this. He hesitantly nodded, hands clasping together at his waistline.

"What were you playing?!" Anton's chubbiness around the waist began to jiggle with excitement. "Are you a Muggleborn?!-I am! I'm really excited about coming to school here, but I'm really sad I couldn't bring a computer to watch my anime, and video games don't work here, too... I'll have to stick with manga."

Anton Towers looked genuinely disappointed at that situation.

"Half-blood," he replied curtly, his voice a little too low to be heard over the rabble. He was swaying slightly, as one might do as a nervous habit.

"Oh, wow! If you're a half-blood, do you have MAGICAL video games?" Anton asked. "Or, do you just have regular Muggle ones?"

Eugene shrugged. He figured the answer would be obvious.

"...Neko's got your tongue?" Anton teased playfully.

The corner's of Eugene's eyes wrinkled slightly, as though trying to decipher what exactly this boy was trying to say.

"...You know, neko... cat?" Anton said, rather weakly.

Kyle watched the first years. It was hard to focus in on his pawns with the two useless, gossiping girls in his year whispering the latest scandals. Once upon a time, those girls were pawns when he needed black mail. on... everyone. He shivered at the thought of charming those two. It was awful! All the giggling and hair twirling... Pointless.

Continuing his scan, Kyle made a silent pact to himself.. He would win this game. No white queen would come frolicking in like an imbecile and ruin it all. No, there would be no sloppy mistakes of the human mind this time. Why and how? It was quite simple, honestly. Kyle was one of the few who could push away useless emotions, and simply placing a curse upon one of the weak minded first years was just like maneuvering a puppet.

He noticed a reflection of himself on the empty silver platter in front of him. Kyle almost didn't recognize the figure as his own. He imagined himself with sharp, angular facial details. Piercing, narrow eyes. A cruel smirk that could make you melt. But no, he was greeted with a pretty boy that without a mind like Kyle's, could end up being a dope. Well, that is the majority of the population. Dopes.

Like Hugh for instance. So much potential. He was in Slytherin, Head Boy, a genius. And what did he put his focus on? Mating like a beast with a foolish farm girl. So many discrete nudges in the right direction, so many failures! He clutched at the table at this though, knuckles going white. Hugh was nothing more than a bishop at this point. One more nudge was all it took. Kyle's scan upon the first year's grew to the entire hall.

Sophia Sawyer. She didn't need any comments. She was the crack in Kyle's perfect chess board. Its smooth, gleaming surface faltered by a single, ugly crack.

Will Sawyer. Kyle always particularly hated him. Similar to Hugh, he wielded the sword of mass potential. But did he sharpen it every night and actually use it for anything that could benefit anyone? Only if you include himself benefiting from toying with every single girl, and getting tongue from more than half.

Summerfield's sister. That was who Kyle believed the bubbly little first year was, she seemed to resemble Matthew Summerfield enough. Her essence already aggravated him. That girl needed someone to pop her little bubble of non reality and show her the real world... That would come soon enough.

Speaking of Matthew Summerfield... no potential as a pawn or a king, or anything for that matter. He just sits in the Gryffindor common room with his boyfriend hoping to magically wake up and be Will.

Caroline Yashnid. Why on earth did that girl think we was so amazing? It was obviously untrue, as much as she tried to be badass. Kyle had seen her fawning over Will one day as well... How ironically hilarious. If either was a pawn he cared for this could be useful.

Bianca DiGandi... Where to begin? Her over the top pride with the waste land she idolizes as her home? Bragging that her parents are actors that none of us have even heard of?

Hmm... who was that boy beside the sister? Another Brown? He certainly resembled the rest of the first years, overly bright eyed and bushy tailed. False hope of an unreal reality.

And another Sawyer? This one looked like Will but punched in the face a couple times. The way he seemed to mope around just screamed pitiful.

Josiah Silva. Swaggering around like some big man on campus when he's only a little, crushable second year. Did he think that he was going to be Will or something? Either way, it will be quite entertaining once everything comes crashing down for him.

Who was that little first year squawking about Japan and video games? Perhaps we should ship him to Japan, the little bouncing grease ball.

Immanuel Fannings. Honestly? No comments to be had. What-so-ever.

Alex DiGandi. Isn't he Immanuel's boyfriend? Maybe? Either way, every time he flipped his hair into his eyes on purpose, Kyle cringed. How could anyone act so glum and downright idiotic all the time? Scene little brat.

Leah Brown... A time bomb ticking away. The littlest comment has been seen to send her spiraling, fists flying and mouth running.

Matilda Silva, a very, very similar case to Leah Brown. Temper tantrums and boasting every other minute. What bipolar moods. God help us when they have periods.

Emily Sawyer. Useful, in some ways. But the way she seems to cling to the popular crowd, desperate for a chance... hmph.

Louise DiGandi was like that single black spot on your wall you can't get off, but you don't mind. She's jut always... there. Floating around in her little personal world.

Derek Brown. Will's major crony. The two were both complete idiots, to Kyle at least. There was no balance of Ying and Yang. Just... idiots.

And who was that blonde girl standing next to the new Sawyer brat and Summerfield's sister? She looked positively snotty...

Possible Pawn?

Kyle contemplated all of this, and laughed to himself. The poor, pathetic fools didn't know what was coming.

(Please do not be offended by any rude comments towards any characters, Kyle is just a total jerk.)

Professor Brown lifted her hands for the clapping to quiet down, and turned to the dimming crowd of First Years. Soon they passed nearly all the letters, until they arrived to S. "Sawyer, Anthony." she called, eying them all calmly.

Anthony stomach lurched a bit, but he still remained rather quiet as he slowly parted through the crowd, and made his way up to the stool.

"YEAH! GO ANTHONY! YOU GOT THIS!" came the screech belonging to his older brother Will. Anthony felt the heat rise to up to his cheeks, and soon enough, they were burning. Sure, after seeing Will's performance with Brian, it was only inevitable, but you can't help but hope. So, he tried his best to ignore him, and he plopped down on the stool.

"Hmm... you are a tricky one... you're definitely rather softspoken, and you place your loyalty in people, maybe a bit too much... but, you might grow to be rather bold and brash. Where to put you, is the question..."

After a minute of deliberating, the hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" and Anthony quickly took off the hat, looking rather relieved. He wouldn't be quite so alone, and he quickly took a seat by Di and That Curly Haired Girl.

"Anthony!" Dianna exclaimed, clapping loudly, a huge grin on her face. "Oh, thank goodness. I was worried for a while I wouldn't know anyone.. This is great!"

"I was too!" He whispered back, as he slipped into his seat beside her. He kept his voice low, as someone else was about to be sorted.

Derek threw his fists into the air as though at a rock concert, and hollered along with Will. Once Anthony was sorted, though, Derek sat right back down and resolved into the intense conversation with that one hot girl next to him who was a year younger. Yes, he was quite the Little Girl Hunter.

"Towers, Anton!" called Professor Brown, tilting her head over to the other kids.

Brian looked heartbroken. He didn't end up with Anthony! He was ALL alone, so far. He sunk a bit in his seat, pouting deeply.

"Gosh.. Poor Brian." Dianna whispered back, before being silent again.

Anton Towers shakily moved up towards the Sorting Hat. For someone who appeared to be so confident in the crowds, he was moving rather shakily and such.

The Sorting Hat, however, didn't take anytime in deciding on his place.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

With a smile, Anton moved towards the sea of black and yellow, and immediately ploped down next to a nice boy named Brian, he saw being sorted earlier.

"Hi!"

Brian turned to Anton. "H-hello," he said shyly, but still grinned. Might as well befriend Anton, since they'll be in the same house until they both graduate.

A few more names then next was... "Vainglory, Eustance!" called Processor Brown, almost at the bottom of the list by then.

Anton grinned at him. "You know... you sort of remind me of this one character, in this manga I've read. I'll have to show it you, after the Feast." Anton said, his voice growing lower with each word.

Thankful that the hambeast had stampeded off elsewhere, Eustace took his place on the stool.

[[lol]]

"I do? You know, my older brother Derek reads manga, but mostly just one over and over again. Do you know Death Note? It seems REALLY creepy, but hey, it's still pretty cool."

"HAH!-ANOTHER Vainglory! You are all a strange, quirky bunch! But, you are the black sheep of your family, aren't you? You're a bit more levelheaded, and intelligent. The perfect place for you is... RAVENCLAW!"

Anton moved forward, with that same, rather creepy grin on his face. "Of COURSE I know what Death Note is!" he placed a hand on Brian's shoulder.

"I didn't think many wizards knew about manga, and stuff..."

Brian looked down at the hand on his shoulder, and back up to Anton. "Oh, that's good," he said, and clapped in unison with everyone else, casually making Anton's hand fall off his shoulder in the process of clapping.