The Black Lake

[Garden of Wisteria]

Nott nodded as he joined Charlotte and Alexander. "Me too. Just a little...Alot on my mind all of a sudden. But, at least we are finally moving."

He looked out across the vast lake, its surface living up to the name like deep dark velvet, sparkling as the lights from the statuesque castle glistened off of it. Raising his eyes he looked at it. For the first time. He had never been so close. In the far distance he had made out a turret or precipice. But this was more than he could have ever imagined. It was so beautiful. The sight of it even banished the dark thoughts from his mind.

"Merlin's beard.." he whispered. "It's amazing."

Looking back to his traveling companions he smiled somewhat abashed, but recovered quickly. Stepping into the boat in front of them. "Xander, you taking point? Any preference on seating?"

He guessed that Charlotte wouldn't want to sit up front. The lake was huge, daunting and frigid. She probably wanted to be securing in the back. But then again, she was constantly surprising him.  

[Mellow Magpie]

❖Charlotte ❖ Victus ❖ Claremont❖


Charlotte turned to look at Nott as he came up behind her. For a moment she was going to ask what the matter was, but it didn't seem the right time. At the moment her nerves were a little shoot, yet she was impatient to get going. However it was him saying he had a lot on his mind that caused a small voice in the back of her head to whisper something. Muffling the whisper she thought, I'll deal with the problem later. Yes, right now focus. The boat. The school. The year...yeah, focus.

Focusing on the current, she assessed the boat. She was sure that sitting up front would mean facing the cool breezing coming off the lake and while she was wearing the jumper and the other two weren't. That decided her, she quickly took off the jumper and handed it to Xander with a smile, saying "I'll take the middle actually. You two can figure out who is taking point."

Certain of this she clamored into the boat wobbling a touch as the boat tilted under her weight. Catching her breath, she prayed the boat wouldn't tip over. Geez this things rocks a lot, she thought as she settled herself on a bench. Couldn't have put a none moving spell...think about that.

She turned back to the other two, asking, "How do you figure they move all these boats, my books never really covered it. Do you suppose it is a Mobili spell or something else?


❖Current ❖ First ❖ Year❖

 

[BunnyxAngel]

Angela Spark

Oh, just great. Angela thought, arriving at the lake. She had to arrive in seperate boats, with people! Her shyness wiping away anxiety, she carefully settled herself in a boat she found that was empty. She hoped it would stay that way. What are her chances with getting away from having to sit in a boat with people? If it's customary, it is probably 0%.

Her shyness made her unknown of her surroundings, and her clumsines also kicked in as she dropped her book, Air By Sleep into the water. That was her birthday money, wasted on a book that was supposedly going to calm her down. Maybe Nightfall could assist me in getting another copy from mother? Angela wondered. Her owl is smart, but Angela doubted Nightfall could make that trip. She picked up the lantern in side the boat, then she sat and waited for the groundskeeper to let students take off.  

[Mexican Donuts]

Alexander Greyson
1st Year

"Yeah, I'll sit in front." Xander said as he carefully put his foot down on the front seat of the boat, transferred his weight, and quickly sat down with a thump. The boat rocked for a second, the stilled.

"Ouch, I sat down a little harder than I meant to. I think I bruised my tail bone." Alex said, and shifted in his seat. He took a moment to get comfortable. Well, as comfortable as one can be sitting in a little wooden boat on a large lake.

He considered Charlotte's question. "I think it's a little more than that. The boats all have to move in sync, otherwise they'd crash into each other. So the boats probably follow patterns to avoid collisions." He said thoughtfully.

 

[VixenViVi]

"Hey there, Ryn!" I heard from behind as some one tapped my shoulder. 'No one here knows my nickname...' Turning around Aerynn Gasped,"Oh my dumbledore!, Kaera is it really you?!" Aerynn pulled her into a tight embrace. Pulling back she asked, " Why didn't you tell me you got in?!, Oh never mind, I hope we are in the same house!" Now with a increased smile, she was defiantly ready to start the new school year. "So what house do you hope to get in?"
 

[Porcelaine Ivory]

CAMILLE CALDWELLFIRST YEAR
The question Indala asked her brought instant warmth to Camille's entire body. She looked up at her with a wide smile, "Well, my entire family has been in Gryffindor. I would love to carry on the tradition, however, my parents always joke that I'm destined to be a Ravenclaw. You know, love of learning, and all that. I honestly wouldn't mind either." It took a second to connect what Indala had said about her father's preference for Slytherin, with what she had heard about that house in the past. "Slytherin, huh. My parents used to tell me stories about the kids from Slytherin in their day. I hope it's not still like that..." Camille trailed off, barely speaking above a whisper by the last word. Freckles stirred beneath her cloak, and she reached a hand in and began to massage his light orange fur. "Stay calm, bud. Almost there, see?" She said aloud as she let his head poke out into the icy night. "That's Hogwarts right over there, Freckles." Camille whispered, pointing up at the dark, intriguing castle.  

[Garden of Wisteria]

Nott took the seat next to Charlotte and the boat began to coast away from the dock and into formation with the others. Every inch closer they came to Hogwarts, Nott felt his worry about Fenniwick moving onto the back burner. It was hard to think about anything else as the castle seemed to grow larger the longer you looked at it.

Like everything else tonight, this was going too slow for his liking. If only the boat would leap into high gear and tear across the lake. But they were waiting for the others. At least everyone was at the docks now, piling into boats. Laughing as Alex plopped down too heavily at the front.

"Be careful, seven years of school ahead, you are going to need to be fit for lots of sitting."

Nott looked up to the castle again. "Wow, do you guys realize that tomorrow we are going to have class? How strange does that seem? Yesterday we were not supposed to use our wands to open a door and tomorrow we are going to be studying charms and transfiguration. It just seems unreal."

Reaching over, he playfully nudged Charlotte with a chuckle, causing the boat to rock slightly. "Though I guess SOME of us have been preparing for that all summer. I never really got past working on making tea."  

[Mellow Magpie]

❖Charlotte ❖ Victus ❖ Claremont❖



Charlotte stiffen and in a huaghty manner, turned her head away pretending to be upset. In truth she had been planning. She had gotten all her books in July and had spent the two months of summer with her head in a book, questioning everyone around her about classes and what to expect. She had questioned her father so much, that he had sent her out to go question the other shop owners and leave him in peace. However she wasn't going to say that, she didn't want to sound full of herself, which she was sure she would sound like she affirmed Nott's statement. So she said, "I assure you that I still have much to learn, but not as much as Nott does. Really I'm kinda surprised that you haven't mastered the tea thing yet."

Looking up at the castle far across the lake, she felt a wave of smallness pass over her. She had the feeling when she looked up into starry skies. The feeling that there was something bigger than you, so far above you, yet seemingly within your reach. However Hogwarts was with her reach and she was going to make sure that she wasn't swallowed up in its massive halls and changing stairs. The excitement, fear, anxiety, and joy now mixed with pride and adrenaline. She won't conquer Hogwarts with her wits, she would simple use Hogwarts to achieve her goals, learn more, and reach where ever she was suppose to be.

"I'm so nervous that I can't wait for for the next 7 years to come, she said tapping the newspaper against the lap, eyes still glued to the distant castle. "However I need to keep my mind away from the coming sorting or I'll faint. So..."


❖Current ❖ First ❖ Year❖

 

[lightdanger]

Moshe Yitzchaki


Moshe looked around hoping to see someone. This ride was going to be lonely unless he someone sat with him. Nervously he readjusted his kippah. Part of him wanted to get out his tanach but what good would that do? There was nothing to do. He was starting to getting nervous about this.There was no way he was going to fit in, the way his grandparents said he would.  

[XThe Lily Of The ValleyX]

Jane Butler looked around quickly for a boat and saw one with only one student, one who she thought her first name might be Angela, currently sitting in it. "Sorry, mind if I sit here?" She took a step in the boat and sat down near the end. "My name's Jane, by the way. First Year." For a brief, frightening moment she was afraid the boat would tip. There's no way the boat can make it over the lake with two twelve year olds steering it! Then she remembered her mother's words: some form of enchantment kept the boats afloat, and no amount of experience was neccessary to keep it floating. However, she also remembered her father saying not to be foolish: if one went in to the lake at night, especially a first year, they would probably not return. "Your name's Angela, right?"

Jane Butler  

[Mexican Donuts]

Alexander Greyson
1st Year

"It is strange, for me at least. I grew up knowing about magic, but thinking I was a muggle." Alex said.

He leaned over the side of the boat, and trailed his hand in the water. A few fish were swimming right below the surface, and the moonlight glanced off of their silver scales.

"I'm adopted, you see, so my parents didn't know I was a wizard until I got my letter. The magical accidents in my house were thought to be caused by my magical (non-adopted) siblings.

I would watch people use magic, and know that even though I knew about it, I'd never be able to do it myself. So finding out I could use magic was the best birthday present ever."

He looked up at the others and smiled. " I spent my entire life telling myself it was okay that I was a muggle, and I would be fine without magic. But after I found out, I started to read everything I could. My family has a large library, and since it's a magical family, I was able to practice. I'm really glad that I got to come here."

He laughed. It was a relief knowing he was a wizard, even though he still had to convince himself sometimes that he was.

"Was that distracting enough for you, Charlotte?" he asked cheekily.

 

[BunnyxAngel]

Angela Spark

Angela saw that a girl had stepped into the boat. Her name was Jane. She was also a first year, Angela studied how the girl talked. She decided she would allow her to sit anyway, feeling confident that Jane was well. Angela hesitated, knowing that being alone was a fear and this Jane girl might bring comfort. "Yes, my name is Angela, Angela Spark. I don't really mind, no. Are you nervous?" Angela said very quietly, hoping she could make, if possible, a friend.  

[goodnesselite]

Avery Happer




Avery quietly slipped into the boat Angela and Jane currently occupied. She sat the farthest away she could, tilted her chin up, and refused to make eye contact. She wanted to talk to the girls, as both seemed quiet like herself, but knew that the odds they would be placed in the same house was slim. 'Best not to build any relationships yet,' she thought to herself.  

[MademoiselleHarmonie]

Lyra Wynne | 1st Year; ___________


~*~

Lyra stepped into a random boat, it swayed a bit at her weight. She saw a boy (Moshe) was already on-board, she turned to him--her blonde bangs masking her left eye in the movement--and asked in her Aussie accent. "Do you mind if I sit here?" Lyra gave him a polite smile, hoping he wouldn't say no, he looked nice enough, what if he booted her out and she got stuck with someone who was mean?....