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.
As Valentine's Day turned to night, the Great Hall began to fill with a mix of eager or disheartened students. The decorations from the morning were still there, including the Never-Wilt Roses in vases spread along each table.
The night was special, but not quite as grand of a feast. Yet there were various different options, including a larger array of desserts. What caught students' attention in particular were bowls of heart-shaped chocolates containing a whole range of different fillings -- nougat, cream, pudding, berries, mousse, and so on.
Inside the filling was a tiny candy ball, which hatched into a tiny candy dove. Simply eaten, like chocolate frogs were, or released to fly away.
Meanwhile, most of the staff were present -- apart from Professor Fairburn, who had beasts to attend to, and Professor Archerose who received a package of leather-bound books and fled from the hall to get a start on reading them.
Ghosts were also in attendance, drifting around the tables and conversing with some of the older students. 7th years in particular were the least relaxed -- taking every chance they had to cram some further reading or memorising for the approaching N.E.W.Ts. 6th years eyed them with dread, as that was sure to be their fate next year too.
The atmosphere was bright and filled with lively chatter. The weather was cloudy, but with glimpses of the moon and starry sky. And end to a rather enjoyable day, for even those down on their lucky were at least somewhat cheered up by the delicious food.
Professor Rivera frowned, pausing her dinner. She looked up, watching as several floating candles suddenly went out -- as if snuffed by a cold breeze, of which no one felt. She raised her wand, casting non-verbal magic to re-light them.
Another went dark.
Professor Hathmore looked up as well, eye narrowed with suspicion. They shared a look, and tried to focus on their dinner but kept an eye on the situation.
When dinner ends, or sooner if they wish, @saoirsevairea and Tobias Twiggs are to wait outside Filch's Office for their assigned detention.
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on Aug 19, 2022 21:34:31 GMT 10
After talking with Orla, the doors to the Great Hall had opened to reveal the St. Valentine's themed dinner. MJ waved to her friend and moved over to the Ravenclaw table, finding herself a free spot to sit down. Still, she hoped someone she knew would sit nearby so she would have someone to talk to.
Even though the bowls of heart chocolates were tempting, MJ focused on eating something proper first. She decided to have lasagne, grabbing one of the small dishes and pulling it onto her plate. She grabbed some skinny chips and garlic bread as well, making sure everything fit onto her plate before she picked up her knife and fork to eat.
The floating candles going out went unnoticed by MJ at first until she looked towards the staff table while eating. She noticed Hathmore looking up, his eyes narrowed and she followed his gaze.
Huh, odd. MJ didn't think she had seen any of the candles going out before...
Post by Oscar Tinkle on Aug 19, 2022 22:44:06 GMT 10
Despite his grand plans from that morning to tackle his to-do list, Oscar had accidentally taken a nap that wasted the day instead. He was very disappointed with himself.
It was pure luck that he had woken up in time to wander into the common room and hear people talk about heading up to the Great Hall. He was not quite sure what meal it was for, still too disoriented from his surprise nap to notice the time, but he thought it was probably a good idea to follow them up anyway. Food sounded nice.
After he had changed out of his sleep wrinkled clothes, he did exactly that and wandered toward the Great Hall.
He happened to glance up as he entered the hall, so at least the fact that the decorations were still up told him that it was probably dinner that he was about to eat. That was good to know.
Oscar slumped into a seat at the Hufflepuff table and, after taking a moment to blink at the various food on offer, proceeded to fill a bowl with a meat stew of some sort. To be honest, he was not sure what kind it was, but it looked nice so it would do the job.
Post by Jonathan King on Aug 19, 2022 23:09:29 GMT 10
Time spent with his two best friends was time spent well - so Joe had enjoyed his day and their picnic despite cramming in a study session as well. He definitely felt like his head was filled to the brim now.
He had looked at his Transfiguration textbook closely before he had started to wonder why exactly they were learning to turn living creatures into things. Like how they had transformed those worms into strings.
He got that it was good practice but he began to wonder what the purpose of that particular transformation was. He could imagine it was useful in case one needed string and had worms at one's disposal. Then again, why would he have worms of all things? Was he supposed to dig them out of the ground?
And besides - how long could a living being remain as an inanimated object?
Did the spell need to be reversed in time or they would die? He had started to feel upset at about that point, flicking through his textbook for any hints that the creature would be perfectly preserved as a thing no matter how much time passed.
That would be kind of like time travel, from the transfigured creature's perspective. At one point you're a worm, worming around, the next you are a string. And suddenly a hundred years have passed and you are a worm again.
Not as enticing as far as time travel went. Not like in those comic books he had read at a friend's once.
--
Joe had at some point emerged from this rabbit hole, right about the time they stopped their picnic and had to bring everything back so that they could go to dinner. Since Ryan refused to put his book down even now, Joe assigned himself the job to herd his friend to the Ravenclaw table, pulling him back sharply once - barely avoiding he ran into a Ghost. That surely couldn't be pleasant.
He was absolutely delighted by the sight of dessert and before he even sat down he had grabbed one of those chocolate hearts and sent a chocolate dove towards the Gryffindor table in hopes that it might find Toby, cheer him up one last time before his unjustly assigned detention.
[ooc: mentions of Ryan with permission]
Last Edit: Aug 19, 2022 23:12:03 GMT 10 by Jonathan King: Ryan is here too
Post by Ezra Ashworth on Aug 20, 2022 5:22:13 GMT 10
Ezra had spent the afternoon exploring the castle in the hopes of discovering hidden passages. He had not had much luck on that front unfortunately, but he'd had fun anyway, so he was still calling it an afternoon well spent.
By the time that dinner had rolled around, he was starving though. Who knew that climbing more stairs than he could count would leave him so hungry?
It was a good thing that he had reached the Great Hall, with all of the delicious food that it held. So much yummy food. He was excited to find out what would be for dinner that night.
He moved straight over to the Ravenclaw table and plopped down next to the first face that he recognised, just in time to see her looking up.
"Hi, MJ! Whatcha looking at?" he asked, flashing a smile at her before he turned to eye up the food on offer. Oh wow, he had been right and it really did all look so very yummy. Especially the desserts! It was going to be a hard decision over what to eat for dinner.
To put him on as he made that tough decision, he grabbed one of the heart-shaped chocolates and popped it whole into his mouth.
As he left that to melt in his mouth - mmm, strawberry! - he looked back over at MJ, curious over what had her attention.
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on Aug 20, 2022 5:29:41 GMT 10
Ezra's question pulled MJ's attention from the candles to her housemate and she smiled, "I just noticed one of the candles went out."
She shrugs, as if to say 'it's not a big deal' and went back to eating her food. In between bites she asked, "Did you do much today?"
It had been a while since she had been able to sit and talk to Ezra... Maybe Christmas dinner had been the last time? If their flying lesson didn't count. MJ was mortified by that knowledge and hoped they would be able to make up for lost time tonight. She waited for Ezra to answer, curious to know how he had spent his time.
She did her best to ignore all the Valentine's decorations as well, pulling apart a slice of garlic bread and dipping a piece into the sauce from her lasagne.
Post by Lindsey Bryce on Aug 20, 2022 5:36:59 GMT 10
Lindsey had arrived in the Great Hall and headed over to the Slytherin Table. It was still quite lovely, but she was rather hungry, so found a place in the middle of the table and sat down. She had come down with only her wand, which was hidden in one of her pockets. It wasn't like she needed her bag anyway, right?
She had picked a few extra sweets this evening, but made sure to get some actual food. She particularly enjoyed the chocolate doves, but didn't eat more than two of them before she focused back on her plate. She smiled at a few of the ghost that drifted by. Lindsey paid little attention to things above her, hoping to see some of her friends soon.
Charlotte snuck into the great hall and found a place away from the loudness of the crowd. After this morning, she was a little wary of being nearest all the others, so she tried to stick to the end closest to the door of the great hall. Once she sat, she politely filled her plate and ate quietly, not wanting to earn any unwanted attention.
She had seen MJ and Ezra not far away, but didn't want to interrupt them if she could help it. So, she just enjoyed some time, though did collect some nuts and a apple for her small shoulder bag. They would both make some lovely treats for later and she saw she could use nuts for some potions.
Post by Orla Fallwater on Aug 20, 2022 6:28:10 GMT 10
Orla felt the absence of someone to speak to more keenly now that she had spent time with MJ; she sat at the Slytherin dinner table with a sigh and pulled a face at the smell of roses that permeated the tastier scents. She took a moment to feel sorry for herself as her housemates chatted and ate with cheer, then she rolled her shoulders back and hitched up her smile.
One hand plucked fistfuls of the heart-shaped chocolates and slipped them into her pockets, while the other reached for a warm dinner bread roll. She bit into it as a ghost drifted by, paying the living souls no mind as he passed through the middle of the table, heading towards the teacher table. Orla followed him long enough to see a flicker of light, entirely out of place in the enchanted ambience of the Great Hall. It looked like when a lamp would flicker briefly, the electricity failing for a microsecond.
She saw movement amongst the teachers, and spotted Professor Rivera gesture with her wand, relighting candles that had snuffed out suddenly with a look of consternation on her face. Orla tilted her head, wondering what might have happened - she didn't even think enchanted candles could go out.
She was distracted from the weird candles by the delight of other students nearby as tiny chocolate doves took tiny flights around their tables. Orla smiled and began assembling her dinner - some chicken korma and fluffy, steaming rice piled her plate, and while she searched the table for poppadoms she began to think through her day. It was a hectic one!
Post by Ezra Ashworth on Aug 20, 2022 6:59:32 GMT 10
Ezra looked up when she mentioned a candle had gone out, trying to spot it himself. That proved to be a hard ask for him though, to spot one candle out of the whole giant ceiling.
"That's weird," he said as he gave up, deciding to just trust what she said.
He wondered what had made it go out. Maybe some wind had blown just right for that one candle? There was the owl entrance somewhere up there, so that probably could have happened. He wondered why it did not happen more often though, if that was the case. Unless it did and no one had noticed until MJ came along and she was just super observant.
The question of what MJ had been looking at answered, Ezra turned back to the various dishes and finally selected some shepherd's pie for himself. He scooped it onto his plate, hesitated for a moment and then scooped some chocolate pudding on the other half of his plate.
There was no way that he was going to risk missing his chance for dessert.
"I got to help my sister make a potion this morning," he told her, grinning at the memory. Sure, his part in helping had only been reading the instructions and then some time keeping, but he was sure it still counted. "It was so cool! She made it look so easy."
He wondered if their year would ever reach that skill level, or if Reena was just that talented.
"What about you?" he asked after taking a bite of his dinner. "What did you do?"
He was genuinely curious about how his fellow first years spent their days, since he felt like he only saw them so rarely. He hoped they were all having fun though, however they might spend it.
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on Aug 20, 2022 7:19:43 GMT 10
"Your sister? That sounds like a lot of fun! What kind of potion did you make together?" Despite earning the right to use the student lab, MJ hadn't managed to get the ingredients needed to brew a potion just yet.
"It was super nice of her to let you help though, you're so lucky to have a good sister, Ezra." She added, missing Max for a brief moment.
In between some bites of her dinner, MJ reached for an apple and a handful of nuts, putting them into her pocket for later.
She also wanted to get some dessert but she knew she had to finish her dinner first.
"I did some gardening in the greenhouse and spent time with Woozle, my ferret." MJ explained with a smile, "And then I hung out with Orla before dinner time."
Of course, she had done more but she felt it was better to keep all of that a secret.
She looked towards the Slytherin table to catch Orla's eye and gave her friend a little wave.
"Tomorrow is the Quidditch match, are you going to watch?" MJ's attention goes back to Ezra. She wasn't entirely sure if he was interested in Quidditch like she was.
Last Edit: Aug 20, 2022 7:20:05 GMT 10 by MJ Birdwhistle
The Great Hall was lively with chatter, laugher, and everyone enjoying their meal. Then a cold chill spread through the room, which had nothing to do with the ghosts. All the enchanted candles floating above the tables snuffed out in one magical swoop.
Chatter died down, as the room dimmed. Several Professors cast the Wand-Lighting charm, each looking rather alarmed. But everyone only had the space of no more than a minute to notice and react -- before the candles proved to be a precursor for something far bigger.
There was a huge explosion on the grounds -- which lit everything up far better than the candles could have achieved. While the castle was untouched or unharmed, the sheer force of of the explosion seemed to make everything shake.
Students screamed, and some tried to hide under their table, but a majority (particularly Ravenclaws, who were closest) ran to the windows. And the sight that met them was beautiful in a way, if not for also being so horrifying to witness.
Sparks, flames, and bright lights engulfed the Quidditch Pitch -- which was ripped apart, crumbling to the ground. There was no sign of anyone, or an apparent cause, but it gradually formed almost a dome of residue magic that continued to ruin the pitch.
'Everyone, if you could please remain calm,' Headmaster Rickard's voice, amplified by his wand, rose above the noise and grabbed their attention. 'I must ask each of you to return to your dinner, or retreat to your house common room. No one is to leave the castle.'
'With the exception of Prefects,' Professor Hathmore added, wand at the ready. 'If you could follow us, now.'
Rickard remained, instilling order. Most of the other Professors then hurried from the hall, gesturing for some Prefects to come with. Hathmore led the charge, followed by each Head of House.
With a flicker, the candles re-lit themselves. The hall remained mostly quiet, and the atmosphere tense, but gradually students made their way back to their tables -- while some were ushered from the hall by protective older siblings or concerned friends, headed for their common rooms under the stern supervision of ghosts.
Sneaking out was impossible, but so was keeping track of people as the circumstances caused an unusual mingling of all houses. Students grouped together, keeping an eye on those close to them or reassuring scared younger students. Rickard had no issue with it, allowing the houses to merge and sit wherever they preferred as it was a matter of safety and reassurance now.
Despite the continued flaring and tension outside, dinner resumed.
This is a closed event; only Prefects are to attend the thread at the Quidditch Pitch -- @kaspian Elizabeth Doren . RPG night / dinner proceeds as per normal, and we're approaching curfew soon.
Headmaster Rickard will keep students updated as things progress, and will discuss the conclusion of the event here -- if you wish your character to remain even when dinner ends. Staying in the Great Hall for news, and to keep close to friends / family members, grants an exemption from curfew rules.
Tobias Twiggs and @saoirsevairea are still expected to attend their detention with Filch.
Now this post has been made, an announcement will soon be released in Discord regarding Quidditch and the Story Quest.
Post by Alice Jane on Aug 20, 2022 16:14:00 GMT 10
The giant beast couldn't get out of her mind. Alice spent the time in the corridor, between many people. Even if she didn't know them but staying around people was better. Alice could think now rather than just being scared, which was an improvement. When others started for dinner, she followed them to the great hall, then walked to her house table.
The hall still had morning decorations and some new ones, but Alice didn't pay much attention to them. Even desserts couldn't attract her attention today because she had so much on her mind. The beast was following her. What if it was able to come out? Could it attack people in the castle? Did she endanger everyone?
Alice's eyes shifted toward the staff table, only to find one more thing to worry about. It wasn't hard to notice the confused look on Professor Rivera and Professor Hathmore's faces. She followed her gaze upward to find candles that went out on their own. She didn't remember anything happening like this before. Was I something to worry about? Could it be related to what she had done today?
It was almost as if her thoughts had triggered it. When Alice thought about today's event, a cold breeze shivered her. At first, she thought it was only her because of her scary thoughts, but then all the candles went down, and the chattering about the great hall halted. The only light in the hall was from Professor's wand. There was panic, but still, things were better than what happened just after that.
The huge explosion almost made her jump. The bright light and voice came from the ground, which proved that something dangerous had happened. Many students screamed, and Alice's scary thoughts returned to her. Alice got up from her seat, went around the Gryffindor table, and crossed the Ravenclaw's one to reach a window. Some other students were also at the window, but she didn't notice anyone in particular.
Flames were rising from the Quidditch pitch. Alice stared with wide eyes as the whole pitch ripped apart in front of her eyes. Professor Rickard's voice was the only one that could overpower the screaming. Students started to retreat to their table on his order, but Alice remained near the window. She probably wouldn't be visible in front of 6th or 7th-year Ravenclaws.
After the Professors had left with the prefects, Alice turned back to the window. The lights were back, but the environment was still scary. Alice had already lost her appetite and looked outside the window for anything. She wouldn't be able to forgive herself if all this had happened because of her.
The day had gone fine for William. He didn't complete many things from his checklist, but a few. Tomorrow was a Quidditch day meant he could finish the remaining of his tasks before class. It was the only good thing about Quidditch; a free day to study.
When William arrived at the great hall, he noticed the morning decorations still there. He walked to his house table and grabbed a seat for himself. As every day, he found himself the quietest place to sit and noticed his neighbors after getting down. To his surprise, Lindsey was there on his right, which was unusual because silence and Lindsey couldn't stay together.
"Good Evening," William said slowly. She was very talkative and sometimes didn't stop taking for long, but she had helped him with herbology a few weeks ago. He pocketed some apple and nuts for later use.
William didn't recognize other faces around him. He served himself the food and started eating until a loud explosion. The lights were out, and students started to scream. William put his fork on the plate and watched as many Ravenclaws ran toward the window to look outside.
In the explosion in shouting, William remembered Charlotte. William stood up and gazed around the Ravenclaw's table for any sign but couldn't find her. Professor Rickard silenced the environment then all the Profesor left with Prefects. His gaze followed the Ravenclaw table one more time.
Last Edit: Aug 20, 2022 19:57:14 GMT 10 by Deleted
Post by Jonathan King on Aug 20, 2022 18:36:21 GMT 10
Joe waved at Emjy and Estra who sat nearby yet busied himself with eating as much dessert as he possibly could, placing some chocolate onto Ryan's plate aswell so he wouldn't miss the good stuff just because his nose seemed to be glued to the pages of his textbook.
He looked up from his plate as a cold wind caught a hold of his neck and let out a sound of wonder when all the candles went out. That could not be right and he tried to exchange a glance with Ryan.
Then there was an explosion in his back.
Joe jumped to his feet and spun around in alarm to watch wide-eyed as the Quidditch pitch burst into flames and crumbled to dust in front of his very eyes.
Mouth agape in shock he felt helpless as he watched one of his favourite places in the school being destroyed. He took a few tentative steps towards the window but was almost ran over by a sixth year girl who took no mercy on a tiny person like him.
"Ryan," he said. There was a quiver in his voice he couldn't be bothered to choke.
He did not get to finish as the Headmaster's voice cut through the commotion, yet Joe nodded, putting one hand to his chest over his fast beating heart.
"Let's go to our dorm"
His voice sounded strange to his ears, as though it hadn't been him who had said it. He turned his head to catch Emjy's gaze. Was that it with their Quidditch career? So short-lived?
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