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.
Saoirse's summer had been a relatively uneventful one, apart from her stay with Grace. She had gone back to the lighthouse afterwards to spend some much-needed time with her father and his new girlfriend. Varna had plied Saoirse with gifts, but there was still something that she couldn't quite put her finger on. She was always nice and giving and polite, but Saoirse felt she had yet to see the real woman.
But, Varna made her father very happy. Saoirse had not seen him smile so much in years, and it had been a wonderful summer sailing the Atlantic Ocean and fishing. Saoirse saw and swam with an array of sea creatures she had never known before. It was almost like being at home- except, of course, for the steel-grey freezing cold water. How was the ocean still cold in summer?
Saoirse had also been forced to see her grandparents. They had tried to make her wear a hideous lime green dress and a pearl necklace, and given her low heels. Saoirse's nan had insisted she needed to make herself more feminine now that she was coming 'of age'. She was a Lammermoor, descended from a half-blood lineage stretching back generations to the time of the druids, and-
Saoirse didn't know what else her nan would have told her, because at that point she had broken off her necklace, sent pearls flying everywhere, popped a few in her mouth and tried to crunch them. It didn't work, so she just swallowed them whole. Then Saoirse was promptly taken home by her father before her grandmother was tempted to use an unforgiveable curse on her.
He had 'scolded' her as well, but only through fits of laughter. After that, Saoirse didn't have to visit her grandparents again for the rest of the summer. Varna and her father dropped her off at Platform 9 and 3/4, and she'd ridden in the carriage while pondering how her next year would go while playing with her shield necklace.
Saoirse was looking forward to seeing Alice and Grace again, but upon arriving was overwhelmed by all the people at Hogwarts. And so, she spent some time to herself on the grounds and in the lake. She wasn't sure how she felt about being back. Certainly better than last year, where she had attempted to open a train window to leap to freedom.
She supposed she would see how the first few weeks went. Saoirse came to breakfast early and started nibbling away, eyeing the first-years. Had she really looked like that last year? They looked like little babies. Were these eleven year olds just uncharacteristically short? She listened to the headmaster's speech and looked at her class schedule.
Transfiguration and history, two of her least favourite subjects. Ugh. But today was also Quidditch tryouts, and Saoirse's heart skipped a beat remembering it. She wanted to be stronger and better, and had to face her fears. A witch afraid of flying was incredibly silly.
The owls arrived, and Saoirse had to pick up her plate to avoid one of the feathered fiends swiping her bacon. She gestured wildly at the entirely full plate of bacon directly behind it, which it frustratingly ignored. No letters for her today, which Saoirse was used to. She only got letters on alternating weeks when her father was at sea.
Still holding her plate, Saoirse peered at a copy of the Daily Prophet. Oh, lovely. As if the school didn't have enough lunatics as it was. She ate her bacon while the owl stared at her hungrily. Saoirse put her plate down and shoved it towards the creature, which for some reason insisted on her crumbs rather than the actual food.
She looked at Grace, who was sitting near her. "Any letters today?"
Amelia smiled when her sister mentioned doing that too. It might be better if only one person did it though and after chewing up some of her food, she looked over at her. It wouldn't be fair to make him reply to the same thing twice, right? "Well, I can do it or you?"
Amelia shrugged a little at the next statement. The only way they could know was to ask him. Granted, he always seemed to have some idea and it was always surprising to her to a point. How did he know about certain topics? How did he know when something happened and the details. Their father had friends in high places at the ministry. "I say we go ahead and ask... He might still get an update from the Prophet, but we all know how that thing can be."
It was sometimes mixed with facts and rumors. It was hard to trust the stories all the time.
Amelia chuckled a little at her sister statement. "Then, you will be the best one-finger Twigg!"
Amelia was known for giving that slight comical look at things, which is what made her able to deal with her stress. If one laughed, it helped, right?
Post by Grace Babineaux on Mar 16, 2023 5:17:00 GMT 10
Grace found herself a bit distracted by the owls, not to mention what was going on with Professor Snape, and so ultimately she forgot to answer Felix. It was only after she'd finished reading the Daily Prophet that she focused back on the world around her.
She shook her head in reaction to Saoirse's question. It was their first whole day back, so Grace wasn't too worried about getting or writing letters just yet. There had to be a whole bunch of fun stuff to do before she could write a letter, otherwise it would just be boring stuff like "I had two classes that were hard" or "I had orange juice with breakfast." Not really letter-worthy.
"Nah, but I'm sure I'll get one later." Grace wanted to wait until she found out how her Quidditch tryouts went before she wrote a letter, but maybe her parents were up to cool stuff, too. Grace didn't know.
But then, breakfast was over, and Grace had to go to class. Transfiguration was difficult, but Grace still wanted to make Professor McGonagall proud, since she was her head of house.
Post by Arthur Hocking on Mar 16, 2023 6:05:59 GMT 10
Arthur laughed at the mention of dragons, but abruptly stopped when he realized that was a possibility. What if Professor Fairburn had just rescued some and wanted to introduce them to the class? Arthur thought he probably would be a bit too nervous, which might startle them. Then again, Professor Fairburn probably wouldn't want anybody but the NEWT students interacting with the hypothetical dragons...right?
Arthur held in a laugh at what was going on with Professor Snape. True, Arthur did want the Potions professor to think that he was at least competent, but it was just a little funny! He did have to admit that he wouldn't want to be in the first years' place, though. Definitely not fun. Maybe he should warn them against cleaning charms...then again, they probably didn't even know any.
Arthur took a bite of his breakfast, wanting to get the last few bites in before breakfast ended and he had to go to class. He looked over at Oscar's copy of the Daily Prophet, and realized suddenly that breakfast was over.
"Well, I hope if it is dragons that they're at least polite dragons." Arthur said, shuddering at the idea of a particularly rude dragon. He did not want to be breakfast. Or was it brunch, now that breakfast was over?
With that, he headed out. He didn't want to be late for the first class of the year.
Post by Oscar Tinkle on Mar 16, 2023 12:10:41 GMT 10
While Oscar was busy wondering about dragon sightings, breakfast had apparently finished.
Lucky for him, and his chances of not being late on the first day, people suddenly rushing about clued him in pretty quickly. It was a bit hard to ignore the sound of scraping benches and so many different footsteps, even if he had somehow managed to miss Arthur leaving.
Being late was not how he wanted to start his OWL year, so he quickly packed his things away and shouldered his bag. With a good luck wished to any of his lingering first years, he headed off to Care.
Last Edit: Mar 16, 2023 14:55:12 GMT 10 by Lena: Fixed: alignment glitch
Post by Ezra Ashworth on Mar 16, 2023 13:25:54 GMT 10
Even surrounded by people, Ezra had still managed to doze off at the table. Only jerking awake as the noise changed with the end of breakfast.
He looked around the room as his mind caught up to where he was. The Great Hall, right. And people seemed to be leaving. Leaving for.. Lessons! That made sense.
Ezra blinked down at his timetable that he had apparently managed to clench in his fist as he had rested his eyes. He was supposed to be in Transfiguration.
That seemed okay, he had fairly enjoyed his final class of that last year. He just hoped he managed to stay awake, because he was not sure Professor McGonagall would find him napping on his desk amusing.
And it would mean that he could miss out on learning something cool! That would be a disaster too.
So he really had better stay awake. And maybe actually get to the class.
Ezra shot a sad look at the empty tables and then headed out of the hall to go to class. His stomach rumbling as he went.
Post by Joshua Twiggs on Mar 16, 2023 15:16:13 GMT 10
Joshua grinned at the thought of well-behaved dragons. It sort of defeated the point of one, but of course the castle burning down would be less than ideal.
“I‘m sure there‘s some fire-proofing charms at work - although it’s been a hot minute since I flipped through ‘Hogwarts, a History‘,“ he glanced at their studious classmate next to them for confirmation but she was busy packing together.
“Right on. I think you‘d look good with a griff,“ he said to Amber and rolled up his news paper as the food disappeared.
Post by Jaxen Ashworth on Mar 17, 2023 8:20:17 GMT 10
Jax ran a hand through messy hair, which he'd obviously neglected to run a brush through that morning. Obviously he was not yet used to the early starts required at Hogwarts, having been allowed at least a little leniency at home. Stifling a yawn against the back of his hand, he poured himself a glass of orange juice and then nibbled on the corner of a slice of toast.
Reading over his class schedule, he felt his heart drop as he saw what was waiting for him first thing that morning. Apparate lessons. Which his grandpa had so graciously funded for him- which, now wasn't feeling so generous. He wanted to learn, it was a necessary skill to have, but the idea of losing parts of his body wasn't so appealing.
With the arrival of Owl post, Jax finished off his toast before a crafty bird could attempt to steal it and picked up a copy of the prophet when one landed in front of him. Scanning the first page, he spared a moment to ponder the front page story but it didn't concern him too much, the minister's business was his own until it wasn't.
Chugging what remained of his orange juice, Jax shouldered his backpack and then headed out of the hall, deciding it was better not to linger as he didn't yet know how strict the Apparition instructor was about punctuality.