An active, character-driven Hogwarts experience set in the early 2000s. Unique items, plots, and features. Non-canon; this isn't Harry Potter's story, it's ours.
Rubes wandered into the Great Hall and plonked herself down at the table. "Time for dinner again." She gazed up and down the table. "Hmmm, what should I eat tonight? As usual, everything looks incredibly tasty."
Pouring herself a drink, Rubes surveyed the many delicious dishes on offer, finally settling on carrots and some macaroni cheese. She filled up her plate and began to eat.
"Yeah, that makes sense. I think it's more dangerous than most muggle sports" Gerald agreed. He'd definitely be there for Graces next game, but hopefully it wasn't for a while.
It made him kind of glad he didn't get to play, since Gerald felt like he would have definitely been injured if he did play.
Post by Arthur Hocking on Apr 5, 2021 8:41:29 GMT 10
Arthur sat down next to Elara, having taken some time to check that he had not forgotten to write a rather long essay. She should be proud of him, really. He could hear the Slytherins celebrating their victory, and thought it was good for them even if he hadn't approved of the way some of their team had been playing. And of course it was Tom that had to win the game for them. Arthur's somewhat irrational dislike of the boy was growing.
Arthur piled some salad onto his plate, not really feeling like eating all that much due to all the excitement from that day but lettuce leaves were easy to stab with a fork and eat, which was something his uncles had taught him.
Jamie nodded in agreement with his fellow first year and sighed as he looked at his plate. At least Grace wasn't in the hospital. Jamie had watched as the captain had pulled the keeper off the pitch. He had looked up in time to see her come into the great hall, but either missed the keeper or he hadn't arrived yet.
"I think I might be done for the night... Want to head to the common room? I can wait if you don't want to go yet," Jamie asked Gerald as he sat there at the table. He had eaten all he could and to be honest, he wasn't that hungry.
Post by Reena Ashworth on Apr 5, 2021 16:46:47 GMT 10
None of her friends seemed to make an appearance. For a fact she could not see any of the Quidditch players at the table. The rest of their house was excitedly chatting and celebrating their victory so the absence of the team struck her as odd.
Had Seabrook gone mental on them for not scoring a single goal? But even then, Reena was almost certain at least one or two would have come to dinner.
Having finished her plate, she felt better already and decided to investigate. As she walked across the Hall she cast glances to the Ravenclaw table and after a while spotted Jax. Looked like he was in conversation with Mathias just like he had said he would.
Since he had not come to find her yet she assumed the talking with Mathias might have been delayed. Reena unconsciously bit her lower lip while she debated herself wether she should go to Jax or just go to her common room.
She would love to hear first hand what role Lula Sallow played in their life but she had expressed her trust in Jax to find out about that matter and joining him now may look like she did not trust him enough.
Deciding to leave she tore her gaze away from Jax and Mathias and turned towards the door. She took a deep breath, told herself that tomorrow was soon enough to know and left for the common room. Reena hoped she would not come to regret her decision.
'You splashed a Slytherin with water during class, and you were forgiven?' Jade tossed a chip in her mouth, amused by Rylan's conversation. 'Are you sure about that, mate?'
She reached for her goblet, and paused when she heard... what?
'Did you just say you danced with McGongall?' Jade stared at him, then remembered there was that Founder's Frivolity thing the other night. 'Ohh. You this years unlucky pick, huh? Could be worst. Could be Snape.' She laughed at her own joke, then took a big gulp of juice.
A few more Gryffindors arrived. Jade was most aware of Grace, as she was on the team, and did another scan of the entryway for Tiana. She tried to see around someone sitting beside her, then frowned at her own blindness as she spotted the broomstick.
'Ti.' Jade grinned, feeling a bit better already despite risking a glance to the Ravenclaw table. Nyx hadn't showed up yet, from what she could see. 'There you are. I was just telling everyone about my big win. Thanks, by the way. Never bet against Tiana Thomas, I told them.'
She huffed, munching her chips while giving Tiana a chance to rambled about Quidditch. She was used to it. Jade also rolled her eyes at Anjay's comments about trying to shut down Mardling's "gambling ring", which was funny and she wished she could have seen it.
She resisted telling Rylan she was pretty sure magic didn't work on things like eyesight, as she glanced round the hall at several people wearing glasses. Who wore them if they had a choice, right? Normally she'd love to share her knowledge though, sound smart and skilled with magic, but now she had doubt about those things. Her cousin was a Ravenclaw... why couldn't Jade just let Nyx go, instead of finding links everywhere she looked since finding out the truth?
'How are you feeling?' Jade lowered her voice, leaning to nudge her best friend. 'Sucks you lost, but I didn't doubt you for a second. You're an amazing Captain, Ti. You know they're right about still being in a chance to win the cup.' She meant it, and hoped Tiana wasn't too disappointed inside. She'd have to have a proper talk with her later, when the team and others weren't around.
It was nice hearing her housemates wouldn't take a bet against her. It gave her renewed focus and motivation. If her fellow Gryffindors could still praise and support her even after her loss as captain, then she had everything she needed. Win or lose. She was playing for Gryffindor and if they were happy with how she and her team played the sport, then she was doing her job. Come to think of it, hearing a comment like that from Anjay of all people was a surprise.
“You won big, huh?” she asked Jade, turning and grinning at her. “You're lucky we didn't win then, otherwise our next round of celebratory Butterbeer in Hogsmeade would've been on you.” Ti paused after spooning more tomato curry. “When is our Hogsmeade trip supposed to be anyway? It's soon, yeah? I don't remember when we had last years.”
Ti suddenly had a thirst for a hot pint of Butterbeer. Soon, she and her friends would all be huddled around a table at the Three Broomsticks toasting foaming tankards full of butterscotch flavored goodness. Maybe when that time came, Gryffindor would have a win under their belt. Tiana hoped they would or the trip might not be as enjoyable for everyone on her team.
“You better get on that, Marsh! Quidditch is fast-paced and waits for no one. We'll have our next game before you know it,” Tiana responded, taking a napkin to her mouth after another spooning. “If your parents give you consent, come and find me. I can set up a tryout and get you squared away on the team. We could always use another Beater or Chaser.. whichever you think you'd be better at,” she said with a shrug.
She hoped the boy would get permission to join the team, because another player meant bigger odds of Gryffindor winning in the future. Tiana didn't have a preference for his position either, knowing Amelia could use the extra defensive support and she and Grace could always use some more manpower on offense. Rylan would be welcome in any of those positions!
“I'm okay. It sucks to lose, but we lost knowing we did everything we could to win. It's the fighting on that matters,” Tiana replied to Jade, her voice low. “It means a lot knowing I have you in the stands. My parents didn't bother showing, even though they knew this was my first outing as captain. I can't say I'm surprised, but I have you - and that's all that matters,” she finished with a smile, returning a nudge to Jade.
Post by Jaxen Ashworth on Apr 6, 2021 22:47:50 GMT 10
Jaxen looked between Matt and the girl who'd asked him for his vegetables and nudged his friends foot gently under the table- obviously, Mathias had taken some sort of offense to the question and Jax didn't want to see the exchange escalate into an argument. Giving his friend a pointed look, he pushed another plate of vegetables towards the fourth year- that should keep her happy, she surely hadn't meant to offend anyone by her question.
Or maybe she had, Jaxen really didn't know her that well...
Continuing to eat his spaghetti, Jaxen listened to Mathias attempt to explain the situation, but his words just worked to confuse him further. What pact was he referring to? How often had they played together as kids and how come he couldn't remember that time? He'd been young, but surely he'd have some vague memories... "What pact?" he asked the first question that came to his mind, attempting to keep his voice low to mirror Matt's, but it was difficult in the face of all the intrigue and excitement- he hadn't realised that his friend would have more information for him, it was just a long shot when he'd asked in the first place.
When Matt mentioned that maybe the Great Hall wasn't the best place to talk about something so private, Jax gave a mournful look down at his spaghetti and then glanced back at his friend... Would he ever have a chance to finish a meal? It seemed unlikely at this point.
"Where would you prefer we have this conversation?" was there anywhere suitable, where they might not be overheard by those looking to pry? It seemed impossible.
Amelia ran into the Great Hall as soon as she could, though she was upset they had lost, which was clear on her own face, she put on a brave one for a moment and a half smile. To be honest, she could have used a hug or two, but at the moment, she was hungry as well. As she walked, she held looked about for a moment and quickly saw Lucky and his crew. Shaking her head, she made her way over and couldn't help herself when she bent over and speak to him.
"So, who did you bet on winning?" Amelia asked with an amused tone in her voice, careful not to touch his painted body. It did look a little messy. Lucky was always a wild card, she knew that he didn't always bet for the team that he was rooting for, but she was curious. And, she did enjoy his company, so why not head over here for a moment before she had to deal with her own house and the depression that came with knowing she let her friends down.
Glancing over her shoulder, she did see that Jade and Tiana were at the table, but she didn't see Zachary. She would head over once she was done finding out how much money Lucky managed to win or loss. Either way, she would likely have shook her head at him. Amelia didn't trust any snake, especially when it came to actual handing money back to people.
Post by Luckett Langford on Apr 7, 2021 4:59:49 GMT 10
Cheesy mash? Say less. Langford grabbed the bowl of it, spooning glob after glob onto his plate. If there was something with cheese on the table, you didn't need to tell him twice. He was bound to be on it like yellow on a banana and white on rice. It wasn't long before he was shoveling it into his mouth either. Lucky was acting like a starved animal, famished after burning up all his energy in the stands. How would his appetite be after actually playing?
'Cheers, Trix.' He winked at the first year girl, his eyes bright against his tanned skin. 'How'd you like the game? If I'd seen you, I would've thrown you up on my shoulders. You would've had the best view on whole stinkin' pitch.' Lucky chuckled, wiping some of the mash from his mouth. 'You're not afraid of heights, are you?' He wasn't actually sure.
Langford had a soft spot for the kids. They reminded him of his younger sister, Lorelei, who didn't attend Hogwarts. She was off somewhere learning magic at some all girls school or whatever. He just knew he missed Lolo, and it showed in his interactions with the firsties. It was through trying to give noogies to little troublemakers like Tobias Twiggs or igniting a mischievous streak in sweeties like Ruby Farrowbrooke that Lucky showed his adoration.
'Amy!' He nearly choked on his food when Amelia snuck up on him. 'You can't go sneaking up on a guy like that, you know. What if I had choked? Death by cheesy mash isn't an honorable way to go.' He proclaimed his words with a laugh, trying not to let his voice crack from the thick coating of potato that still lined his throat. It proved difficult and he coughed.
'Don't be mad, okay?' He dropped his fork and turned to face the pretty ginger. His puppy eyes were on full force. Maybe they were even cute, depending who you asked. 'I had to bet on Slytherin. Gut instinct and all that. I knew Seabrook would promote a cheating culture.' He shrugged. 'I got a whopping 60 galleons though. Pretty good, innit?'
"No problem Lucky" Trix smiled as she noticed as Lucky winked at her. "I really enjoyed it, I didn't really know what happening. I would of liked being up on your shoulders. I am slightly scared of heights though it more the falling down that I am scared off." Trix explained.
Trix never had a older brother or any siblings for that matter. She had loads of cousin but there was never there for her. She was the black sheep in a way, as she was quiet and shy. So of course she looked up to Lucky as a friend and respect him as a older student.
"Choking on food?" She thought at his words. "Honestly, you could probably pull off that death with more style than you know," she said as a wicked smiled played at her lips when she surprised him and leaned her broom against the table. The whole scene was comical and it reminder her of a few times during the summer. Gosh, it was so much fun and she missed them. With school back, they had barely had time to have a decent conversation.
At his words, 'Don't be mad, okay?', she raised an eye brow and crossed her arms. He turned on those big puppy eyes that he liked to use when he knew he was in for it. Though the smile was still on her face, her eyes narrowed a little and she listened. At the confession of his traitorous action, she let out a sigh.
"60 galleons, huh?" She said in a thoughtful tone before her smile brighten a little and she gave him a look that said she was thinking of a way to get him back for his action. "Well, I guess that's enough to buy me a drink and something sweet in Hogsmeade, huh?" She asked as she picked up her broom before patting him on the cheek with her hand. She cringed, in an amused way, at the paint that transferred from him to her before she gave a wink and went to the Gryffindor table.
Once she was there, she plopped down near Tiana and Jade. Wiping the paint on her sleeve, she grabbed a plate and started grabbing some food. The last thing she wanted was to starve until breakfast. To be honest, she wasn't even sure if she felt like talking, but if Tiana or Jade said anything, she was there.
Post by Jonathan King on Apr 7, 2021 14:06:37 GMT 10
After Toby had joined them and they’ve had some banter about the banner, Joe had thought about the prospect of spending Christmas with his two best friends. He felt rather excited about it too and he would write home about it tonight.
Once he had entered the Great Hall, he made a bee line towards his table- although not without glancing towards the Gryffindor team on his way. He would have loved to tell Grace she had played a great game and that he would practice even harder now that he knew how good she was, but he was not brave enough to approach her publicly.
Instead he plopped down onto a seat close by (after giving an excited wave to Jay and Gerald) in case Toby wanted to rather join his team than them and Joe finally took the banner from Ryan when he sat down. Joe put the banner underneath the bench and started filling up potatoes and some chicken while talking about Christmas and practice tomorrow.
Post by Tobias Twiggs on Apr 7, 2021 19:54:11 GMT 10
Toby entered the hall, having returned to the common room to shower and change, he now wore his pyjamas and a dressing gown that had obviously seen better days. The worst of the worn areas had been patched up by someone who obviously cared enough to do it, but the faded colour spoke volumes of just how old the gown must be.
Looking around the hall, Toby waved towards Joe and Ryan at the Ravenclaw table, a little upset that he wouldn't be able to join them for dinner. However, perhaps it would be better if he sat with his team after their first match- House loyalty and all. He would have all Christmas to spend with his best friends, a fact that would likely keep him pumped up and excited for the rest of the term, even in the face of such a heart breaking defeat as they had suffered that evening.
Walking over to the Gryffindor table, he saw that much of the team had already gathered and were tucking into their food. It was only at that point that Toby realized how hungry he was and sat down at the edge of the group and started piling food indiscriminately onto his plate. Pushing up the sleeves of his dressing gown to save them from being soiled by his dinner- they were still a bit long on him, he shovelling food into his mouth so fast that any who didn't know him might assume that he hadn't eaten for days.
It might as well have been days, he felt like he hadn't eaten in months.
He wasn't really paying much attention to what the older students were saying, it was just nice to be around people who he could relate to and look up to- if he couldn't sit with his Raven-friends, then he'd have to settle for the next best thing.
Food vanished from the tables. Though the desserts that appeared in its place were just as delicious and tempting as always, most students were heading headed out after a tiring day of Quiddittch. Staff had already left the hall by then.
@elara and @sinead are due at Filch's office. Don't be late!
02 | 
19 | 
20
February
