Start of the Year Feast

[Nicolas King]

Nicolas King entered the Great Hall in Hogwarts dress robes as an employee of the school once more, despite having left the school over a year prior. Cecily Rambolt had request he return to the school for a two-fold reason, so he'd agreed, with some degree of inner reluctance, and here he was - sorting students once more. He looked about the hall and saw that the House Elves had, once again, taken care of all sorting preparations. On the raised platform with the podium and the staff table was now also the three-legged stool with the sorting hat atop it. Nicolas smiled and walked hastily to the front of the hall, approaching the podium and setting his parchment down on it. One roll of parchment had his address to the school while the other had his list of student names for sorting. He read over his speech once before he took a seat at the middle of the staff table and waited patiently for everybody else to appear.

First school staff appeared in the hall, occupying the head table with him and making polite conversation amongst themselves. Most were surprised to see he'd returned, but some had known beforehand and simply welcomed him back. Nicolas made a point to get to know the names of staff that had been hired in his absence. Then, current students assembled into the hall by house, quickly filling each house table. It was sad to see some familiar faces had disappeared from the crowd, but Nicolas knew that in a matter of moments many new faces would be appearing. Soon footsteps could be heard exiting the antechamber opposite the Great Hall and moments later the doors of the Great Hall creaked open. A swarm of new first years entered the hall, cautiously wandered down the middle row and toward the front of the hall. Nicolas smiled warmly toward them, only being able to imagine the kind of emotions they were feeling right now, before he stood up from his chair anad approached the podium.

"Welcome back!" Nicolas began, a warm smile on his face as he looked out to all the house tables, "And welcome for the first time" Nicolas continued, his gaze moving to the sea of unsorted students before him. "As most of you should know - I am Professor Nicolas King and I am your Headmaster. Sitting directly behind me, " Nicolas motioned toward the staff table, "Is your Headmistress - Professor Cecily Rambolt." Figuring that was sufficient for now Nicolas unrolled the second piece of parchment and looked once more at the unsorted students, "I know you're all very anxious so I will get this over with quickly. I will call your name, then you will come forward and sit on the stool. I will place the Sorting Hat on your head, then he will sort you into the house you most belong in. Once you're sorted, your house table will cheer for you and you'll join them at the table. It's that simple. Now, let's begin." Nicolas began to read through the list of names, each student coming forth at the proper time, having the hat placed on their head, and being sorted into their house.

After quite a number students had been sorted (the most he had ever seen sorted at this school, in fact). Nicolas moved the stool to the side of the raised platform, looked quickly over the much larger and much happier sounding crowds at the house tables, then returned to his place behind the podium. He took out his original piece of parchment, then raised his to quiet the crowd and regain their attention. He cleared his throat quickly, then addressed the school as a whole: new first years, transferring pupils, and returning students. This was the first year that several faces he recalled from the start were not present - which, for him, lessened the occasion immensely, but he let no such emotion show as he began to speak once more.

"Before we begin, it is a tradition of Hogwarts to sing our School Song, inherited from our parent academy in Scotland - so if you'll all join in that would be most appreciated." Immediately the Great Hall was filled with hundreds of voices all singing the same song but to whatever tune they pleased. Nicolas himself chose to sing to the tune of a classic muggle song he'd learned about rather recently.

Spoiler: Hogwarts Song

Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something, please,
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot.

When the song concluded Nicolas motioned for everybody to settle back down and he cleared his throat to address the assembled body. "Thank you. Now, there are a few orders of business before we feast. First is that we are very pleased to be welcoming several new professors to our staff, so if you see them about the school be sure to welcome them. Next, is that the Ministry of Magic has removed Scott Pollard from his position at Hogwarts because of my return - you may all thank me later." Nicolas joked light heartedly, hearing the laughter echo about the hall he smiled before continuing, "On a more serious note - it has come to our attention that some mischief is already occurring on the grounds. I will remind you all but once that first years are not Quaffles and are not to be used as such." A few giggles were heard from some brutish looking Slytherins, Nicolas glared at them coldly before he spoke once again, "Finally - the Forbidden Forest is Forbidden for a reason and you would all do well to stay far from it. With that all out of the way, welcome once more to a wonderful year at Hogwarts, and Let the Feast Begin!" Nicolas clapped his hands together and trays of food appeared on every table, ready to be devoured by the hungry masses around them.

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Spoiler: Out of Character Notice

Out of Character: Feel free to roleplay in this thread as you please (all students/professors/staff attending HNZ in Y8). You may be saying to yourself 'gee, this roleplay looks familiar!'... well, it is. It's a slightly modified sorting RP, but now everybody can take part in watching sorting, reacting to sorting, reacting to Professor King being back ( ) and enjoying the great company that is Hogwarts New Zealand

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

Cecily enjoyed the start of year feast immensely. Watching the sorting, listening to Nicolas go through the motions with his dignified yet quietly humorous way was bitter sweet. Asking him to come back had been the right thing to do, although it'd cost a lot for them both. Her for swallowing her pride and seeking his help, him for having to divide his time once again between the Ministry and Hogwarts.

Green eyes scanned the crowd and she couldn't help smiling at the first years. They were always so small! She wondered, as she stacked her hands under her chin, which ones would be the trouble makers in the years to come. She gave a small wave and cheerful smile as Nicolas introduced her, then contented herself with watching the Sorting. Interesting mix this year.

Oh sweet Merlin. She groaned inwardly, halfway hiding her face with one hand. But she sang along as loudly and off key as she could, clapped her hands boisterously, smiling widely. Oh those poor children, she grinned. She refused to give in to one thought that could blot the happiness of starting a new year; that her graduates, their very first students, weren't at the school any longer.

Her smile faltered then resumed when the food popped up on the tables. Piling her plate with delicious food, she said "Good evening," to the people on either side of her before tucking in.

 

[Aleyha Snow]

Aleyha kept her head down as she heard the sorting going on. Just last year, she was in their position, before the detention, the destroying the library and getting ink all over the Headmistress. The latter part made Aleyha smirked somewhat. Fenrir rested before her and he hissed a greeting to her. Aleyha hissed back, "I'm not in a pleasant mood right now, Fenrir." Fenrir nodded his head, as both of their eyes turned to the sorting ceremony. As per usual, she knew no one. However, twins with the last name Zhefarovich made her expression go from snowy and cold to utter confusion. Aleyha watched the girl get sorted first. Ravenclaw. And then the boy, who looked so much like Chavdar, it was unreal. Slytherin. Cousins? Aleyha thought incredibly.

Aleyha shook her head and put a mental note in there to meet these two and demand how they got into her family. When the food appeared before her, Aleyha simply pushed it away. She didn't feel like eating, and the expression of utter wrath told others around. Aleyha's life was ruined, she thought. She was engaged to an idiot, and couldn't get out of it without dying. Aleyha gritted her teeth together, before grasping a fork and an apple and ramming it through. Aleyha sighed and she gave Fenrir a sheepishly look.

 

[Alyssa Chevalier]

Alyssa knew this year was supposed to be a year filled with changes, and so far she was completely correct. It all had to start with the simple fact that Professor King had returned to school. It was unknown why or how he managed to come back, but she was glad to see him back none the less. The year had also be proving to be different because so far, Alyssa herself had changed. She was ditching her older snobby aura to a much more pleasant one. However her outlook on fashion and beauty was going to stay the same, no matter how much it bugged everyone else. She was sitting next to Hadan and Theodore as they all watched the sorting together. Although Alyssa was trying to be nicer this year, she still couldn't help but snort at some of the new Slytherin first years, which she hoped would be less of a pain than most first years usually were.

When the feast began, Alyssa just prompted to each a piece of bread with strawberry jam and some tea. Other than that she wasn't very hungry. If anything she was more nervous than anything about the year starting. 'Please oh please make this a good year!' She silently begged. All she was hoping for was a good year.

 

[Siobhan McGowan]

Siobhan had walked down from the stool and over to the Gryffindor table and took a seat in the empty area between two older students. She didn't know them, or anyone, as most of the people she had met had been sorted into Hufflepuff. When the song was sung, Siobhan looked down at the table and felt awkward. She wasn't a singer. In fact, she didn't have an artsy bone in her tiny body. Looking up once they had finally finished, she saw rolls appear straight ahead of her and set out her hand to grab one, quietly.

 

[Theodore Snow]

Theodore fiddled with Slytherin house tie and he listened to Nicholas King, a returning Professor, speak about the upcoming year. He was seated next to his twin sister and her friend, but wasn't really paying attention to either of them at the moment. In fact he had arrived here with Aleyha and was finally relieved to be away from her for a bit. Aleyha was a really cute girl and often was entertaining to be around, but when she was moody or feeling violent, Theodore wasn't exactly her number one fan at that time.

'This year is gonna suck.' Theodore thought to himself when he finally decided to adjust his tie so it was hanging around his neck correctly. He must have zoned during sorting as well because he honestly had no clue how many new Slytherins they had gotten. Hopefully they all lived up to the name and the status that they had set that year. It was going to be rough without Professor Manteia there to guide them, but he was sure they'd adjust. When the feast began, Theodore placed a few things on his plate and slowly ate his fill. He wondered if he'd run into Aleyha anytime soon.

 

[Charlene Jung]

Charlene slipped unseen into a seat near the end of the Gryffindor table. Her mother told her about the feast many many times. She folded her hands and observed the festivities and noise around her with interest, hoping she'd be able to find as many friends here all the rest of these people did. Suddenly, mounds of food popped up on plates out of nowhere. Charlene gasped. It looked absolutely delicious. Grinning, she helped herself to a bunch. She was lucky, since she could eat whatever she wanted; and it was a LOT; and still not gain weight. Charlene just hoped the rest of the meals would be this awesome.

 

[Sephora Finette]

Sephora sat beside the other first years at the end of her table, watching everyone smiling having a good time talking about the year to come, She did not know who this Nicholas King but she respected him nevertheless.

The table suddenly piled with mounds of foods - ranging from Hot Chips to the mint humbugs (that she did not want to touch). Piling her plate with Chips and Battered Fish she settled into deep content, listening into Conversations about the other student's holidays and the new spells that they've learned over time.

 

[Siobhan McGowan]

Siobhan noticed a new Gryffindor sitting across from her as well and smiled. At least she could have someone to talk to. "Hi, I'm Siobhan. You're Charlene, right?" she asked, pointing, vaguely remembering her name when it was called at Sorting. Her pony tail was swaying back and forth behind her as she squirmed uncomfortabley in her robes.

 

[Charlene Jung]

Charlene looked up with a mouthful of pie. She started to open her mouth to talk, then remembered that it was full. She swallowed the whole blob quickly, rather too quickly, bringing tears to her eyes. She wiped them away with her sleeve, smiling sheepishly. "Yeah, I am. Sorry about that. I love food. And you are...?" Charlene wrinkled her forehead, trying to recall the girl's name from the Sorting Ceremony, but she'd never had a good memory.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andromeda sat down amongst all her friends and smiled at Brian and Zuka on the Ravenclaw table. She knew that Z would be feeling all sorts of wierd vibes coming from her but would attempt to explain something later. Andy herself couldn't explain or begin to understand what had happened during the vacation and she certainly didn't know why she really felt the need to want to quite literally fling herself at any boy this year. She just knew that she was tired of feeling heartbroken, of being down because the one person she had loved had left her. With him gone and writing the most droll of letters to her, she was convinced of two things Bruin had obviously found someone new and he obviously didn't care about her anymore. It was these thoughts that had spurred on her crazy idea of flirting the year away, knowing that really she should be knuckling down to her studies but as every letter of Bruin's told her this, she simply couldn't be bothered. Andy would give her best effort as she had always done.

She spoke animatedly with her friends until a familiar voice spoke from the podium and Andy turned her head to see Professor King back with them once more. She wanted to stand and applaud loudly, even wolf whistle anything to let him know that Gryffindor were thrilled with his return but then she remembered they had a Head of House and they had a DADA professor now. He clarified this in his speech by telling them all he was back as headmaster, which made Andy cringe somewhat. He had been the only professor to really catch her up to mischief, her behavior had somewhat improved since then of course but for the year she had planned, she would have preferred the invisible Scot Pollard around. With the sorting soon underway, Andy clapped and cheered as the first year Gryffindors made their way to their table. She smiled encouragingly at all of them, delighted that they might have new contenders for the try-outs.

When all were sorted, the houses stood to sing the school song and Andy had to stop herself from cracking up as she sang it. Bonkers pure bonkers, though she loved it. Eventually they got to sit down to the feast infront of them and Andy tucked in with all the others, though she was too busy looking about at the new faces to eat much but knew that there would be a feast in the common room to welcome the newest gryffindors and she could eat there if needs be.

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily was not happy. Not happy at all. She did not want to come back to school to face life without Blake in it. Yeah, she was the one who messed up, but it wasn't that she had set out to betray him. It had happened, and now she was dealing with the repercussions. As prefect, she knew that she was expected to be at the start of year feast. She made her way down to the great hall, keeping her fingers crossed that she did not run into anyone she didn't want to in the process.

Finding the Ravenclaw table, she found a seat near the exit so she could make a hasty departure if she needed to. She listened to the speaches, and was shocked to see Professor King back at the school. That fact almost brought a smile to her face. Almost, but not quite. As the food came, she went through the motions of scooping some onto her plate, then pushed it around, not eating much more than a few bites of mashed potatoes. Sadly, she looked up and realized that she was sitting on the side of the table that faced the Slytherin table. Before she could stop herself, she scanned the table for the familar head of dark hair -- but he wasn't there. If he was, he was doing a good job of hiding and Lily was grateful.

Soon the feast was over and Lily slipped out before she was stopped by anyone wanting to make small talk. All she wanted to do was go back to her dorm and crawl in bed.

 

[Jessame Rose Trewelly]

Jessame Rose was offended at the way the stupid Sorting Hat had spoken to her, telling her she wouldn't succeed. With a blank face, she made her way to the Hufflepuff table and sat as far from all the stupidly happy looking people as possible. The food appeared out of nowhere, and she could only think of the Lost Boys on Never Never Land, having to imagine their food in order to eat. Tentatively, she reached out a hand, and the croissant she touched was real. Feeling slightly disgusted at herself for eating something made from magic (or so she assumed), she chewed on it absently, thinking seriously about everything that had happened.

The school song was certainly dumb. Too many of these people seemed happy to be here. Livia and Anita, the only people she knew before coming to Hogwarts, were in Slytherin and Ravenclaw respectively. She felt very, very alone and very, very swamped in her now life. All she could think was Someone has to put an end to all of this. How can I make it stop?

 

[Siobhan McGowan]

Siobhan gave a small laugh and then smiled. "I'm Siobhan, Siobhan McGowan,"she replied, nodding. She actually took the roll off the platter and too a bite into the warm, soft center, letting steam come out of the empty place. She wanted to make conversation and have a new friend, but she didn't quite know how all these different people would react to her crazy socialness. "So, are you happy from being sorted into Gryffindor?" she asked, trying to make small talk, which she was usually rather good at.

 

[Cecily Kiernan]

Cecily had stood awkwardly at the end of the table for quite awhile before finally spotting two girls who looked about her age. Walking over, she looked at the two of them, hoping they wouldn't mind her interrupting thier conversation, but Gryffindors were supposed to be nice, so she figured she'd give it a try. "Hi you two, uhm, Charlene and.... something with an S I think they said? Do you mind if I join you guys? I don't know anyone yet and I don't really want to eat dinner alone. I'm Cecily." She smiled brightly and hoped she'd be welcome.

 

[Charlene Jung]

Charlene held out her sticky hand for Siobhan to shake, and then remembered her manners. She grinned sheepishly again and wiped it on her napkin thoroughly before holding it out again. “Nice to meet you!” She dipped her head in greeting. “Yeah, I think I am. I don’t know all that much about the houses. Just my mom was in Ravenclaw, but I’ve never really had the work ethic for that y’know? She never said it, but I think she sorta implied that she didn’t want me in Slytherin.” Charlene shrugged. “Psh. But I suppose I’m umbiased. Don’t care too much.”

Another girl walked over as she was finishing her sentence, and she introduced herself as Cecily. Charlene held out her hand and dipped her head toward her too. She smiled. “Sure! I don’t mind,” she said happily with a glance at Siobhan. She scooted over on her bench to make room for Cecily.

 

[Tosh Kirby]

Tosh listened while some boring toff he'd never heard of gave a speech while he scanned the people in his new house. Slytherin, should be interesting. His Mar'd been a Slytherin, she'd said you meet all kinds of interesting people there. The food appeared in front of him and he sighed as it was more of the poncy foreign stuff he'd had to eat since he'd arrived. What he wouldn't give for a proper meal, like hot chips an' curry. They had chips at least, and tomato sauce, he piled up his plate and started to eat, looking 'round at the other 1st years while he did so. He hadn't met anyone yet, not since they arrived in this horrible country. There didn't seem to be any other Scousers here, but maybe in Slytherin he'd meet some people with the knackers to be worth talkin' to.