Paved Courtyard ("The Quad")

[aliciazee]

Aaron Renshaw
First Year || Unsorted

Aaron stood in awe of the castle before him. This place was nothing like he could have ever envisioned. Only months before he was unaware that a place like this could exist. The idea that something this massive and majestic was here, before him, and the fact that he had never even known of it's existence less than three months before, was astounding to him. Aaron had always prided himself on being able to figure things out quickly, so the fact that he was so dumbfounded was incredibly surprising to him. Of course, it is understandable, having had non-magical parents

First, Diagon Alley, with all its strange, rather eccentric folk, then Ollivander's, getting his "wand" and wizarding books, then the train ride, at some invisible unknown platform in King's Cross Station, then the ride accross the black lake and finally, this. It was sensational, and Aaron wasn't quite sure he was truly awake. All the First Years around him seemed to be buzzing with energy and excitement, talking to one another. He was sure he'd smiled at a few of them, but mostly, until this point, he'd kept to himself. Truth be told, he was a bit tongue-tied. He'd taken the short amount of time he'd had, after finding getting his school books and before setting off, to read about the place he would be spending the rest of his schooling years. But even these strange books and enchanted moving pictures did not do it justice. Hogwarts was massive, and, despite his apprehension, he was getting increasingly more excited to set foot inside.

He heard many different conversations happening. Conversations about "sorting", "houses", "Splinching" and other terms he was less than familiar with. For a moment, he decided to allow himself to wonder just what his life would have been like were he born into a wizarding family. He wondered if these children ever had to worry about a jealous and dangerous older brother, or having a sister to protect back home. He wondered if their lives were like every tale of magic he'd ever heard. But, "no", he reasoned with himself. These were kids just the same as he, he was exactly like them, for, though he hadn't known it, he did possess magic. He didn't know how or why, or even what purpose his magic would serve, but he had to embrace it, he was a wizard.

With this newfound determination he walked on, following the students, he was more nervous and excited to enter the castle than ever before. He suddenly wondered what he looked like to the other students, could they tell he was "muggleborn", as was the phrase he had been taught would apply in his case. Did it matter? All he could do was press on, secretly hoping someone might fill him in on it all, though he was not particularly in the mood to interrupt anyone.  

[Nanashi Kage Enjeru]

Noting how Elliot's nerves had suddenly returned, and that he hadn't said what house he thought he would be in, Shina decided the boy must be nervous about his house. "I'm guessing you'll be a 'claw or a 'puff, Elliot. You know three languages that I've already seen, you seem determined to memorize that book there. You also mentioned you are here to find friends, and loyalty is one of the things Hufflepuff values. And if you are memorizing that book out of sheer determination, not thirst for knowledge, that's another point for hardworking, a 'puff trait," Shina mused in a casual tone.  

[aliciazee]

Selene Gillette
Unsorted || First Year

After having passing the boat ride in silence, Selene found herself a bit bitter. Not because of the silence, mind you, just the lack of dignity. If this is how mudblood children often behaved, she understood her mother's critique of their behavior. Everything Selene's mother had said simply was the truth, not that she had ever doubted her mother's wisdom. It did seem that purebloods were a cut above the rest. For one, she noticed an obviously muggleborn boy looking positively dumstruck at the expanse of Hogwarts. Now, Hogwarts was impressive, but it was undignified to gawk in that way. Should she have ever had the audacity to gawk in the presence of her parents or elders she would surely receive a stinging slap to the face. She set her jaw and raised her chin a bit higher.

Selene heard the noisy children, something she was certain would not have been tolerated in her world. In her world, the pureblood world, children did not speak unless spoken to. They were never loud or boisterous. The fact that these children acted that way was certainly a mistake on their parents part, perhaps a lack of discipline. Though, she imagined, their dirty blood probably contaminated their minds as well, making them behave in this unruly manner. She realized ehr internal monologue was a tad arrogant.

Her mother would have scolded her on it, were she to act so arrogantly. But, she would never betray the thoughts she had in such an open manner, if there was one this Selene was good it, it was maintaining a facade and being manipulative. People were far less inclined to help you if they found you to be arrogant. She must always be polite, friendly even, and perfectly well-behaved. That didn't mean she couldn't poke some fun at the mudbloods, they deserved it after all, she would just have to be careful about how she played her game.

She flashed an eerily congenial smile at the boy who looked so lost, but turned her attention away from him quickly, looking around to see if she could identify any students worthy of her time. For now, it seemed, the only challenge Hogwarts would present was keeping the filthy blooded mongrels away. She was certain there had to be a pureblood student around somewhere. This was Hogwarts, after all, and Hogwarts was home of the best.  

[viscountknight3]

Standing in the quad, Andy gazed up at the large castle before her. It was everything she had ever dreamed of and more. Eyes turned up to the turrets and arches, she could only think of the castles in Renelle's fairy tales. This would be her castle and she would be the princess. Who needed a prince? Still fixated on the castle, she continued to ignore the chitter of the people around her. As her father always quoted Confucius, "Silence is a true friend that never betrays." She was never a useless talker. Either Andy gave orders or she listened. Listening, she had discovered, was the best way to learn another's secrets. It was amazing how much people would reveal in a simple conversation.

Suddenly , a nervous tremor shot throughout her body. Questions of doubt plagued her mind. Carefully, smoothing over her robes to calm her doubts, Andy fingered the delicate pin that rested on her lapel. Carved from a peach colored marble, it was a gift from her first father, Octavian. Given to her on her tenth birthday, it was her only reminder of him. "My little rose, you've grown so much. Look how tall you are. Here, I have to go soon, but this is a gift for you. It has always been a symbol of the Yarrow line." With that, the man had disappeared along with his new wife and two sons. As much as she hated her father, part of her couldn't help but miss him. Malcolm was all she could of asked for a paternal figure, but he wasn't her father.

One biggest difference, Andy thought, was that Octavian had been a Slytherin as had her mother. It was the house she expected and wanted to get sorted into. Her cousin, William, was in that house as were many of her more distant relatives. It was the house of not only the Yarrow's but also the Vildara's and Flint's--bar Malcolm. In other sense, it was Andy's home away from home. Getting Ravenclaw would be a disappointment, but she would live. Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, on the other hand, were not as warmly welcomed. Tilting her chin up in a confident manner, she crossed her arms ready for anything.
 

[aliciazee]

Selene Gillette
Unsorted || First Year

No sooner had Selene's thought of searching for a pureblood in this muggle infested crowd crossed her mind then, amoungst the crowd, she caught sight of a First Year quickly raise her chin higher. Interesting, Selene thought. The sight of this lone girl standing proudly in the midst of all this chaos certainly deserved a more thorough examination. Arms crossed, in a confident manner, the young, dark haired girl was a force to be reckoned with, if not, she certainly looked the part. Selene had to lend her a bit of credit, looking the part was more than half the battle. She certainly seemed separate from the rest of the students. It was almost as if Merlin himself had wanted the two girls to meet, to what end Selene did not know. One thing at a time, she reminded herself, for she had to decide what her this girl was going to be her ally or her enemy. 

The more she studied the girl, the more curious Selene became. Her mother always told her she would be able to spot another pureblood by their manner in public, but was this simply an incredibly arrogant mudblood, or the real deal. Selene's curiosity, while not exactly unwarranted, got the better of her. She had always been a little too curious for her own good. Her mother had made it a point to make clear the dangers of curiosity in her childhood. If fact, her mother's lesson, in this case, was an all too real version of the phrase "curiosity killed the cat". Selene's mother could indeed be cruel, but such were the necessary steps in raising a proper pureblood witch and Selene was grateful for every wisdom imparted on her by her mother.

 Moving back to the task at hand, Selene quickly made her way over to the girl, careful not to jostle the other children. Never stoop to a rat's level she recalled her mother's lessons. Without a moment's hesitation, she turned her face into it's well-practiced mask on kindness, though she wasn't altogether certain she could hide the smirk in her eyes completely. 

"Something caught your attention?" Selene asked the dark haired girl. "Selene Gilette", she continued in her sickly sweet voice, "pleased to make your acquaintance". With that said, Selene extended her hand to the girl, in her rehearsed gracious manner. 

Selene wondered just where this exchange might take her.

((OOC:talking to Andy Yarrow, if that's okay.))  

[enoetoe]

█ █ █ █ █ █

J E N N I F E R - K A P L A N

f i r s t y e a r - u n s o r t e d

█ █ █ █ █ █

"to be or not to be, that is the question."
- william shakespear

╔══════════════════╗

Jennie stifled a giggle as Joseph stumbled out of his seat. She felt a little rude not taking his hand, but she wanted to make a "grand entrance" to Hogwarts, so she hopped out of the boat. "Da da da duh! Ow, my foot hurts now. . ." Jennie explained, rubbing her foot. She got over it quickly and looked around in awe. Yup, much bigger from here. She was positive sometime this year--- and maybe the years after too--- she was going to get lost.

Looking over at the students lining up, Jennie quickly turned around. "Wait, so we're going to that Sorting thing now?" looking at her boatmates for advice. Gah, I already forgot those 'house' things. . . I guess it's almost time to find out!

╚══════════════════╝

 

[kiska166]

♥ Ariana Hawthorne ♥
First Year: Unsorted

§ M I L Σ ツ
it looks good on you.

Ariana wouldn't take her eyes off the castle. She stood in line, gazing at how old everything seemed. Looking up, Ariana realized just how sleepy she felt. Keeping her eyes open took effort. After all, it had been a long day, and not just for her but for all of the students.

wearing

 

[viscountknight3]

aliciazee

"Nothing at all. It's quite large isn't it?" Just the smirk in her eyes sent every defense mechanism that she had learned over the years up as the girl approached. "Hello, I'm Andromeda, Andromeda Yarrow. It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance." Throwing the girl back the same sickly smile that had been given, she shook the girl's hand. Pureblood. Even though she was raised in a rather mish-mashed environment, her mother Ophelia had instilled the learning of a proper blood into Andy. Curtseying was long outdated, but a good hand shake was extremely important. Apparently, whomever this girl's parents had believe the same thing seeing that her handshake was firm.

In her mind, she could hear my mother's crisp tones chastising her. Unlike her usually reflective and observant daughter, her mother had been a social butterfly that attracted everyone's attention. Known in France and England for her hospitality and beauty, it seemed that everyone adored her mother. How wrong the sentence "the apple never falls far from the tree" came to when applied to them. Andy was everything her mother wasn't- astute, withdrawn, cynical, and slightly hostile.

"Gilette? Are you French by any chance? La France est supérieure à l'Angleterre, ne pensez-vous pas?" Slipping back into the tongue that she had spoken for a majority of her life, she felt the muscles in her back relax. France had been everything to her. It was her true home, but she had left to come to England. "A fresh start" her mother had said. Payton had gotten to stay because he was already attending Beuaxbatons and wasn't coming back from the looks of his serious French girlfriend. Instead, she was dragged from the sunny ancestral villa to rainy England. Sometimes, if she concentrated hard enough, Andy could taste the warm croissants and strawberries that she had eaten religiously. Here, it was like being an animal in a zoo.

The only plus in returning was attending Hogwarts. Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Hoggy Hogwarts. "Excited to start the year? I plan to be a Slytherin, that was where most of my family has been sorted. Ravenclaw would be alright, but Gryffindor? Not really my style." Raising her eyebrows, she waited for Selene's response. Often times, many students would balk at the idea of someone actually wanting to be a Slytherin. "A tainted house," Andy continued, "Well, that's what many say. But, I find it the only house that can actually get anything done. Don't you think?"

 

[Commander Aran]

"τнε spyιηg scнεмεr"

LOCATION: The 'Quad' with Ben and others of his class.

THOUGHTS: Well, well, looks like this filth has some bite in him.

MOOD: Surprised, and amused.

Matt had been busy in his own mind as the prideful pureblood made his way across the lake on the boat. It wasn't until they had reached the top of the long flight of stone stairs and were outside in the main courtyard of the castle did Ben speak and his temper only served to make Matt raise an eyebrow at him. Not exactly showing the best of manners in front of the entire first year class. Matt had half a mind to embarrass the boy in front of the entire class. So he slowly crossed his arms and kept his eyes closed as he opened his mouth to speak. But once again he didn't act on his instincts and only served to mutter in a low voice to Benjamin St. Cloud, "Now Ben, must you make a massive scene and only make yourself seem more and more like an idiot? At least my pride prevents me from being as rude and short tempered as you." He said, happily meaning every word. The boy's attitude entertained him, he liked insulting people. He just wondered why he didn't embarrass the filthy Mudblood.

What makes you happy?

I wonder... what makes you happy...

Does it make others happy, too?

 

[Professor Tahiri]

♛═━┈☆┈━═♛
Samuel Meridith
First Year __
♛═━┈☆┈━═♛

✔Age: Eleven
✔Mood: Excited
✔Status: Single

The boy climbed from the boat and held his hand out for Kat to help her out of the boat. What she had said about her family had made him feel sad and thankful, surprisingly, for his family. Though pureblood, his parents were accepting of Muggles and muggleborn witches and wizards. He sighed and looked to Ari. "I really do hope you're sorted into Gryffindor so I'll have a friend in Gryffindor. I know that's where I'm gonna be put." He playfully stuck his tongue out and looked at the massive castle in front of him. His hands were shaking because he was so excited.

Out Of Character: ...

 

[Professor Tahiri]

╔══════════════╗
Katrina Varren
First Year ___
╚══════════════╝

Where am I? Paved Courtyard
What am I doing? Waiting with my friends
What am I thinking?I'm glad they don't hate me.

Kat accepted Sam's hand and climbed from the boat, adjusting her uncolored tie and shrugged to her new friends. "Am I the only one who the castle looks incredibly awesome? Just looking at the school makes my knees weak. I'm so gonna get lost," she said, chuckling. She knew she would too, but hoped not too badly. She didn't want to get detention for being late to class.

Out of Character ...

 

[kiska166]

♥ Ariana Hawthorne ♥
First Year: Unsorted

§ M I L Σ ツ
it looks good on you.

Although she hoped to be put into Hufflepuff, Ariana wouldn't mind being sorted in Gryffindor. Since the Houses are chosen based on the students' personalities, she accepted that maybe she would be placed in Gryffindor. "I hope we're in the same house, too! And even if we aren't, promise we'll still be friends and hang out?" she asked, holding out her pinky to make Sam swear on it. Still holding out her pinky, she looked at Kat and let out a giggle. "I hope I don't get lost," she said. Maybe getting a map of the school would help, if they have any, she thought. She looked Sam in the eyes, waiting for him to make the promise.

wearing