The Black Lake

[Mellow Magpie]

❖Charlotte ❖ Victus ❖ Claremont❖



"Life stories, especially those like yours, can detract from current feelings. I was just thinking that a distraction needed to be lighter," Charlotte said tight lipped. The whole story had made her reflect on her own life. While she hadn't known she was a witch, she didn't have the problem of being considered a Squib. No, she had been a silent sore spot in the family, along with her mother, though she hadn't known that. She hadn't know in till her grandparents had shown up, after years of little to no communication.

Still not the same as being consider a squid and having all your magical achievement handed over to someone else. To be told that or simply have it thought that you could never hold a hint of magic within you...it certainly clears the mind of tension, she thought.

For a moment she eyes scanned the water and the distant castle. The feelings from before nearly swarmed her again, so she turned her attention to her hands. There laid the key. Smiling, she said, "Um,...lets talk quidditch. It seems like a good topic. I've got more insight this time. Hmm?"


❖Current ❖ First ❖ Year❖

 

[lightdanger]

Moshe Yitzchaki


Moshe shook his head at the girls request and motioned for her to seat anywhere on the boat. He paused when he realized that she had an odd accent. "My name is Moshe, I don't mind if you sit here." Having someone, anyone sit here was better then having to pull this boat alone. "By any chance would know how this works. I can't find the oars."  

[Garden of Wisteria]

It was sort of ironic. Nott was trying to think about Hogwarts and his future to keep his mind off of other things. And Charlotte was trying to think of other things to keep her mind off of Hogwarts. In some ways he felt like they were very much alike, but others they seemed to be opposites. At least she was still retaining her biting wit.

"Oh don't you worry. I'm the Tea-Master now. If I knew how, I'd transfigure you into a tea cup and demonstrate my mastery. Speaking of which," A wide smile broke out across Nott's face as a lot of his excited animation returned. "Fenniwick bought this little pin cushion that would shriek every time you put a pin in it. Well he had my father come out to look at it and it turns out that it was a little old man that had been transfigured by his ex-wife a few years before. Oh my was he cross when they restored him. Especially at Fenniwick who had enjoyed showing the pin cushion's properties off to everyone before they found out its true nature."

Nott had begged and pleaded to be allowed to be present when they restored him. He had been a round, stumpy little man who was understandably disheveled. It seemed that he and his ex-wife had been having a battle back and forth for years. Apparently his last attack on her had resulted in enchanting all of her furniture to fly out of the house, over the nearest hill and to the bottom of a large lake. The little man agreed to a cup of tea but when he finished he hurried out to find her. Apparently he had plenty of time to come up with a good rebuttal during his time getting repeatedly stabbed.

He listened to Alexander's story and couldn't imagine what a change that must have been. Then again he was surprised that it took so long for Alex to figure it out. Some of the things that had happened to Nott could be passed off as other's work, but he had fallen off brooms, horses and houses enough times to see that he tended to bounce more than he splatted. But he knew that each wizard or witch's experience was different.

When Charlotte switched the topic to Quidditch, Nott couldn't have been happier. He felt quite proud of his part in her sports education. "Yes, I would just like to say, despite the Cannons disappointing loss." He sighed heavily. "I think that they have reached a turning point. I think that next year is going to be a whole new team. I went to see their last game over the weekend and they really did well. I mean, not as far as scoring, or defense. But they showed really spirit."

His mother, Eudessa, had always liked the Cannons. Something that riled his father to no end. Nott didn't understand why but his father hated broom riding, racing, and Quidditch. So it had just been his mother and him at the game but it was so much fun. His mother had taken him on a last shopping trip and the game had been a special treat since he was about to leave for school.  

[Rechosia]

Kaera returned her cousin's excited embrace with just as much enthusiasm. "Of course I didn't tell you! I wanted it to be a surprise." She sat down in the boat and smiled up at Ryn. "As far as which house I'm hoping for, definitely Gryffindor or Slytherin. I'm going for Gryffindor, though," she said as she folded her arms around herself to try and keep out the chilly night air. "What about you?"







 

[VixenViVi]

"Our Mom's always said we were alike", said Ryn noticing her cousin shiver. "I am hoping for the same, I am very interested in Gryffindor and hope to get in but I also have an interest in Slytherin, which I know is strange." discussed Ryn as she pulled out her cloak and offered it to Kaera.The cloak had a dark green outside with a black silk inside. "Here use this, I don't need it." Ryn gave the ball of fabric to Kaera. "Like I was saying I also find Slytherin interesting. I don't think I would get along quite as well but I do like the unity they have and their determination when they go after something they want. I just think Gryffindor does it a bit more politely and with a better attitude. I also have pure wizards blood which I don't think makes me better than anyone but I do like the feeling of history when I think that I will be learning spells our family has know for generations, you know?" Ryn said as she thought more on the houses.



 

[Mexican Donuts]

Alexander Greyson
1st Year

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to make you upset. We can talk about something else." Alex said, and shrugged. He didn't see his past as that sad. Worse had happened to other good people. He had a loving family, and he was a wizard, so it didn't affect him so much anymore.

But the idea of being turned into a pincushion and stuck with pins was awful. Especially because needles made him uncomfortable. "was the poor guy alright? I mean, something like that can cause mental trauma, or something.

Oh, and about quidditch, my favorite team is the Puddlemere United. They've won the League Championship twenty-two times, you know."

 

[Rechosia]

"Thanks," Kaera said as she took the cloak from Ryn and wrapped it around herself. She instantly felt warmer surrounded by the cloak's silken cloth. "Do you remember when we were younger and you would visit and we would run around pretending to know all our family's ancient spells and we would use them to defend my horses from the dark wizards that we pretended were coming to attack? Just imagine if we end up in the same house and get to do that all over again, only against real dark magic this time." She shifted around to get more comfortable on the wooden seating of the boat. "I think that's why I'm leaning more towards Gryffindor. That house is known for bravery and loyalty. I don't want to disregard our pure-blood status, but I just feel like Gryffindor suits me better. The Slytherins are cunning and determined, but those in Gryffindor have a sense of humility that those in Slytherin lack. I don't know. I suppose I'll be happy with either."





 

[VixenViVi]

"I agree with you completely on that. We do seem to be more Griffin than snake." said Ryn as she took in the night sky. She loved the stars and could look at them a trace constellations for hours. "I do miss the old days. We had some good imaginations, and living that out now would be amazing. I am really excited for all my classes, I hope I don't become a book worm!" Ryn said with a laugh. She looked away from the stars to castle once more. "It's unbelievable. I can't wait to walk through the doors for the first time and go through the great hall. Just waiting with every part of your being tensed to hear where you will be placed and have them yell out and look for the table that screams and applauds for you."




 

[Mellow Magpie]

❖Charlotte ❖ Victus ❖ Claremont❖


Charlotte had a hard time pushing the ridiculous story out of her head, she had never thought of Mister Fenniwick's as strange, but his odd happiness over the squeaking pin cushion shade him a different light. Reminds me to look beyond the friendly old man cover, she thought, but decide to keep it to herself.

Shaking off the story, she focused on the current discussion. The far safer discussion of Quidditch. Nott had given her a crash course cover of the sport during the winter, while his books had been more than useful. However it had been during the summer, when she had spent time with her papa at his two jobs that had affirmed her solid interest in the sport. Listening to the two, she just smirked and absentminded flipping through the Daily Prophet. I do hope neither are die heart fans...scare bunch those are, she thought as she said, "Yeah, I know. My da covered the history of most of the current teams out there."

"Personally, I've come to love the Tutshill Tornadors, though that is cause of my Da. We went a game this summer, though that was partly for business, she said looking between them. Smiling she continued, "I can understand why it is so popular. Despite the high speed action and hard to follow players, it was very much on the edge of your seat kind of action. Plus, Philip Turdermill the Tutshill Head Chaser was so impressive."

And cute, she added to herself. For a moment she could feel the worry and anxiety come back, but taking a calming breath she looked down at the newspaper to find herself looking at the sports page. "Hmm...well, it is good that there is a new team coming in Nott. Yup...don't think they could do worst than this..."

❖Current ❖ First ❖ Year❖

 

[Professor Tahiri]

William Radcliffe

Will saw the boat that Alys had entered and climbed in as well. He furrowed his brow and fiddled with his robes. "I... I'm sorry about before. I don't usually brag like that. I mean, it was wrong of me so I understand your anger. So, forgive me?" His bright blue eyes looked pleading and it appeared that his apology was heartfelt.  

[hocusss]

♚Malcolm Dundas♚

Malcolm breathed heavily, ignoring all the idiocy and excitement surrounding him. What was the big deal? It's just a normal school, with teachers, students, plus talking portraits and ghosts! It makes no sense at all. He brushed away the usual blond curl falling back on his eyes with his free hand before glancing up at the enchanted castle.

 

[Rechosia]

Kaera followed Ryn's gaze back over to the castle and the feeling of utter astonishment she had felt earlier fell back over her once again. "I can't wait either," she said quietly as she stared at what would be her new home.

She hoped that with this year ahead of her she would find some peace and answers to the questions that had plagued her since the death of her father about a year ago. She also hoped that being at Hogwarts would put her mind at ease and she would be able to meet new friends and enjoy her life, which was something she hadn't been able to do with everything she had known being turned upside down when, after her father's death, her mother moved her family from Ireland, the only place she had known as home her entire life. She just wanted to forget, and to move on.

She shivered, this time not from the cold but from something that struck her much deeper. She missed her father.



 

[Garden of Wisteria]

"Ouch, so judgemental. Let me see." Nott playfully snatched the edge of the paper, turning it towards him. His eyes skipped over the details about the enchanted antiques, he would deal with that later. Scanning the article, his face squinched in pain.

"Wow, now THAT is judgmental. It wasn't a win but I wouldn't have called their effort a...'simpering, drooling, pathetic attempt.'" Nott relinquished the paper and sat back, feeling the gentle rocking of the boat as he did so. "I'm telling you, next year, the Cannons will dominate. Even PU" his preferred way to refer to Puddlemere United, "won't be able to beat them. I feel it."

He grinned at Alex as he spoke. PU had a huge fan base. But it was easy when you won all of the time. Nott liked an underdog, he wanted to root for someone that really needed rooting for. It wasn't as if the CC had never won a championship. They just hadn't won one in a hundred years or so.

"So, is it only Turd-hill that makes you like Tutshill, Lottie? I would have figured that you favored the Hollyhead Harpies." Most girls did support the witch-only team. Nott had seen a few of HH's games and was truly impressed. Really he had a secret love for the Kestrals, but it was all Chudley Cannons with his mother and he liked sharing that with her. She had been a Chaser during her time at school but he didn't know what it was about the Cannons that had earned her fandom.

With a sigh he wondered how long it would take everyone to get in the boats. Looking back over his shoulder he caught sight of two girls talking in another boat. One was fair with red hair and a sprinkling of freckles and the other had a creamy complexion with shockingly purple hair. Two very different looks and equally good looking girls. In fact, now that he looked around he noticed that they were a fairly good looking class. It seemed that this school already had alot to offer. Smirking as he turned back, he kept his thoughts to himself.

He saw the tenseness in Charlotte. She definitely wasn't herself tonight. Though he had been run through the gauntlet of emotions as well. But he supposed it was to be expected with so much changing in their lives. Reaching out he gave her shoulder a little squeeze. "Just a little longer, Lottie."

He knew that once he was Sorted, no matter into which House, he would breath a sigh of relief.