Start of Year Feast!

[Katherine Alicastell]

The Sorting Ceremony drew to a close in an eruption of claps and cheers resounding throughout the Great Hall as the last remaining first year made their way to their new house table. Katherine joined in on the final applause. The Sorting Hat had done its job well, as always. While not every student may have agreed with their house placement - and indeed some looked shocked or disappointed - they'd soon learn that they were put into their house for the qualities they possessed, whether they were aware of them yet or not. Their traits weren't always so obvious as first, Katherine herself was at times surprised by where the hat placed some of the students. but as time went on and the children developed, their house attributes became more recognizable.

Removing the patchy enchanted hat and the stool it now sat on, Katherine set both to the side of the stage and returned to her place behind the podium, raising her hands to command silence. A hush fell over the hall and Katherine began to move on, her voice magically amplified with a Sonorus Charm. "Thank you. Now, before we begin, I'd like to introduce myself, and some of the other staff here. I am your Headmistress, Professor Katherine Alicastell, and to my right -" She gestured toward the staff table behind her, where the other professors were seated. "Is your Deputy Headmaster and the Ravenclaw Head of House, Professor Justin Cliffeton. Your Head of House for Hufflepuff is Professor Kennedy Pratt, for Gryffindor, Professor Cyndi Kingsley, and for Slytherin, Professor Kalif Styx." She introduced each of them present as she spoke, ensuring the newly sorted first years knew who to look for if they needed any assistance. After speaking briefly of key points of interest throughout the school, the hospital wing among them, she moved on to conclude the ceremony. "With that said, I would like to welcome you all again to another fantastic year at Hogwarts. Stay out of trouble, study hard, and enjoy your time here. Now let the feast begin!" At once, the empty tables were filled with various foods - roast meats, potatoes, salads and pies tirelessly prepared by the house elves working in the kitchens below, and Katherine returned to her seat at the center of the staff table.​

 

[Professor Cyndi Kingsley]

Professor Kingsley settled into her seat just as the sorting hat was being places onto the head of the first student. The ceremony was a long one, but she clapped as each new Gryffindor joined their house table. She was eager to discover whether these students would help lead Gryffindor back to its former days of glory. She hoped so. As the ceremony transitioned to the feast, Cyndi held up her hand and gave a small wave, a smile on her face as her name was announced. With that done, she was happy to tuck in and make small talk with the colleague sitting beside her.

 

[Odette Madison]

The end of the last school year had been tumultuous, and Odette's holidays had been awkward and quiet. She now knew what her ...brother had sent her at the end of last year was the truth, but she still didn't know what to do with the information. Her mother had wanted her to avoid the boy, to distance herself, but could she? Even now she was glancing at the Hufflepuff table to catch a glimpse of the boy she was starting to think of as her half-brother. As the new first-years filed in, she noticed his expression change to shock. She followed his gaze, wondering what was the matter, she didn't see anything out of the ordinary.

The sorting started and she was starting to grow bored when a name was called that snapped her attention. 'Harper, Charlotte'. No way. Wasn't that the name the boy had mentioned in his letter? His sister? She stared as a girl walked up to the stool, and she grabbed a fork tightly in her fist as she watched her. Even as her mind was working through this information, she knew that it had to be a relation. Not only did the girl look like Matthew, she looked like her. Odette watched the girl get sorted into Slytherin, though she thankfully didn't sit near her at the table.

A sideways glance from Jessica reminded her that she was gripping her cutlery hard enough to leave indents in her hand. She slowly put it down again, but her mind was spinning. Then, she got angry. She was getting sick of this. Who did they think they were? Barging into her life, her school. She had been here first! She lived in New Zealand for most of her life, did they think it was funny to parade around in front of her and show her what she couldn't have? She remembered from the letter she had read too many times, that the mother or sister had no idea. Of course she didn't know if that was still the case. Why did she have to be here? Of all places? Wasn't Matthew enough to worry about? And the girl would be In her house, at her table, in her common room. Odette barely paid any attention to the food during the feast, angry and upset. She would have to talk to Matthew, ask him what they were playing at. And she was sure she would want to avoid this girl, she wanted nothing to do with her. But even as she thought it, she glanced her way briefly. How was she going to survive this year?

 

[Flavio Morales-Tipene]

Flavio had enjoyed his holidays immensely, although by the time he was due to return to school he missed learning in classes everyday and walking in the castle halls he had grown accustomed to. It wasn't that spending time with his family wasn't his favourite thing to do, but it was simply a matter of missing the routine and experience being in school provided him. He was quiet throughout the sorting ceremony, then later tried to make small talk with the other Ravenclaws around him as the headmistress' speech ended and the feast began. It was a requirement for him to sit at his houses' table during the feast but that didn't mean it was a requirement for him to also keep to himself. He in fact wanted to make more friends in his house that year as it was one of the goals he wanted to achieve. It would mean that future feasts would feel less lonely when his friends in other houses were away from him so he happily tried to get to know the people next to him, smiling politely in between mouthfuls of food.
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[Kennedy Pratt]

This felt like a big year for Kennedy and her family at Hogwarts. Her youngest sister had just been sorted into Gryffindor and her teenage sister, Darcy was graduating this year. It felt like book ends of her life, with Darcy having transferred when she began teaching here and soon moving on, while Eleanor began school as soon as she'd taken on her new promotion. She was still adjusting into her position as the Head of House for Hufflepuff and this would be her first full year in the position so she had a lot of planning and ideas running through her mind. Kennedy watched the remainder of the sorting take place and clapped at the end of it before listening to the Headmistress's speech. She smiled and waved politely when her name was called out so her future badgers could identify her clearly. Last year had been such a great year for Hufflepuff, winning the House and Quidditch Cups, as well as the international Quidditch game - she just hoped they could repeat that success with her as their Head full time, but she had no doubt they could. As the food appeared, Kennedy helped herself and dug in, chatting with her colleagues, though admittedly she had a lot on her mind so the conversation remained cordial and idle chit chat.
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[Lady Helena the Brave]

Watching the Sorting Ceremony unfold from above the Gryffindor table, Lady Helena joined those below her in applauding the students who the hat decided best fit for her house, so pleased to see many new faces fill the empty seats. She recalled fondly the very first time she herself had the very same hat placed upon her head, and how quickly it had called out her house. The house of the brave. Every day she regretted letting it down by making the most cowardly choice of all.

Not focusing on the thought, the woman clasped her hands in front of her and floated down to the table as the ceremony ended, and the feast began. Avoiding passing through the food and risking potentially making a warm meal cold, she remained just above the assortment of dinner plates and nodded respectfully as she passed over the table. "Good evening. Welcome to Gryffindor. It's a pleasure to see so many of you." She said with a pleasant smile as she passed the eleven year old children, moving further down to the older students. "And welcome back to all of you."

 

[Rose Holland]

Rose had enjoyed the sorting ceremony just like she had last year, though there was less excitement for her without a sister being sorted. Thinking of her, she waved at her younger sister Phoebe at the Ravenclaw table, smiling when she waved back. But as much fun as sorting was, there was one thing that was more important to the Gryffindor: food. She was piling it onto her plate eagerly when she heard a vaguely familiar voice from above. She looked up to see the Gryffindor ghost and stared at her for a moment. She was beautiful, and Rose wondered if she enjoyed being at the feast. She didn't think ghosts could eat, and she would hate to be at an event like this without being able to eat the food. It must me kind of lonely, being a ghost. She hoped Lady Helena was friends with the other ghosts. "Hi! I mean, welcome back to you too?" She paused. "Though I guess you didn't leave, uhh... happy new... year? Happy new school year?" Rose almost wished she hadn't started talking, and now she felt like taking a bite from her food may be rude as well. She settled for waving at the ghost as she floated along. She would wait until she was at another part of the table before starting on her food, even if her stomach was rumbling.