7 Sep 2024, 16:29
Welcome to Hufflepuff - Tour de Force
Welcoming the Newest Badgers
NOTE: This is an Officially Moderated Hufflepuff thread for any and all interested 1st year Hufflepuffs for the month of September only. It is a companion thread to the Sorting Hat feast which is being contemporaneously sponsored by Prefects @Emma Wynn and @Jake Morris. Please feel free to join in and post away with what your thoughts are on the evening, your reaction to getting sorted into Hufflepuff, or any questions. The purpose of this thread is to show the newest Badgers to the Hufflepuff Common Room and introduce them to various points of interest along the way. Once at the Common Room, you will be introduced to the Head of House, Caradoc Browne, and be welcomed by other housemates in the third and final thread of the Welcome To Hufflepuff extravaganza. Enjoy!!!
All posts MUST contain a minimum of 200 words.
1st September, 2024
The newest Hogwarts witches and wizards were all lined up at the back, and along the beautifully wood-paneled sides of the Great Hall. Like everyone else in the Great Hall that evening, each new student was wearing their standard black robes and pointy hats in honor of the Sorting Ceremony, but there was quite a bit more fidgeting going on amongst the youngest of them as they often reached up hesitatntly to adjust their pointy hats, waiting anxiously, either from nervousness or excitement, for their names to be called up to the front for sorting. Almost all of them, to a one, looked a little intimidated and awed by the grandeur and pomp before them.
As a Muggle-born, AngelFyre certainly remembered being gobsmacked at the thousands of candles floating above the room’s five, long, family-style tables her first night in that grand hall. She had tried so hard to spy the thin filaments that she just knew had to be holding them in place, but she finally had to give up as the eye strain had started to give her a headache. As one of the most observant people she knew, she laughed when she noticed the next day that she had been on so much sensory overload that first evening that she had failed to even register the Great Hall’s enchanted ceiling. She sighed in the here and now as she watched them, knowing it was an awful lot to take in, for anyone. Even as her eyes moved to Simon for a too brief time, she was glad it was them and not her going through this ceremony. Once was enough, thankyouverymuch, and her experiences at Hogwarts her first term were so much less rewarding than she had hoped they would have been.
Still, she smiled as she watched them trying to figure out just what the heck was in store for them. The Pure-bloods, Wizard-borns, and some Half-bloods were a little easier to spot as they were already familiar with the idea of magic existing. Many of them probably had parents who had attended, and may even have siblings here now, so they knew a bit about what to expect and would get their emotional footing a little more quickly. It was the Muggle-borns, like herself, that her eyes were seeking out. More than any of them, Muggle-borns, she felt positive, would be the most confused and maybe even a little frightened if they were being honest with themselves. That made what was going to happen tonight after the feast something she had been looking forward to for some months now.
Before the school year had ended last year, Papa Doc had gathered her, Simon, Emma, and Jake together to talk about doing a little something special for the newest badgers amongst us this year on their first night. He had that gleam in his eyes and that lilt in his voice that positively screamed fun was the point here… not just for the new badgers, but for all of us as well. Sure, it would mean some work after a very long, tiresome, and emotional day of travel for all of us, but when he mentioned that this could be the stuff of lifelong memories we were offering all of them, AngelFyre was sold hook, line, and sinker. Besides, there was just no refusing Doc. He was a firm and wonderful Head of House when he needed to be, but AngelFyre had largely come to think of him as a playful Labrador Retriever in a man’s body. His sentiment regarding memories, however, took her back and she remembered how alone and nervous and out of place she had felt here that first night at Hogwarts, so she understood how this could really set the tone in some ways for a few of them.
So, even beyond her great desire to see Simon after an interminably long and lonely summer, AngelFyre was excited to be back at school, for this night in particular. She truly had been looking forward to welcoming and meeting a new crop of Hufflepuffs. Best of all, she and Simon, together, would be giving the young Badgers a semi-tour of their new surroundings between the Great Hall and their Hufflepuff Common Room. It was not a lot of ground to cover, to be sure, but there were some surprisingly interesting things to point out to them once she and Simon started brainstorming on it.
The Sorting Ceremony had clipped along at a nice pace. With each new proclamation of “Hufflepuff!” from the Sorting Hat, a raucous roar of cheers and whistles and applause erupted from the Hufflepuff table as the newest badger to join the Den made their way to their brother and sisters in gold and black. All were greeted warmly, sometimes with a congratulatory slap on the back, and once seated, a look of relief washed over most of their faces as one stressor was now behind them and they could finally eat from the bounty before them. One of her favorite things about the Sorting Ceremony was watching the astonishment on some of their faces at the way the badge on their robes had changed from the Hogwarts insignia to their House insignia upon being sorted.
The feast, as usual, was grand, but she was mostly too tired and excited to eat, so she used the time to soak in being with Simon again. Jake and Emma were already up and about and making their rounds, welcoming the news folks to Hufflepuff personally. It was no small task, but they were both all smiles and they did an excellent job of not hurrying or cutting people off in order to get to the next person. A job done well is worth the extra effort, and they were definitely putting in that extra effort.
Finally, the feast was coming to an end. Emma and Jake passed the baton flawlessly to Simon and AngelFyre for the second stage of this Welcome-to-Hufflepuff Tour de Force. She and Simon made their way together to the end of the Hufflepuff table, nearest the exit. The room was suddenly a bustling hive of activity as the older students from every House hurried to get up and out, probably to meet up with friends as everyone headed to their Common Rooms. As all of this was starting to happen, AngelFyre quickly put up both her hands and moved them in a quick succession of air “pats” to signal to the first years to stay in place. She and Simon had pre-determined this would go more smoothly if everyone was out of the Great Hall before them so they could be heard more easily and not frustrate anyone by getting in their way with a group of students who would be moving along in fits and starts.
“Well, welcome to our newest Hufflepuffs!” she said while wearing a huge enthusiastic smile. “We are all so pleased to have you in Hufflepuff, which you will hear is the best House, because, well, it really is the best House. You have met Emma and Jake already, but I am AngelFyre McCubbin, and all of you should please feel free to call me AF, almost everyone does,” and she could not resist turning a quick eye to Simon and grinning like a loon because he was the exception to that statement. “I am a 4th year Prefect, and beside me is Simon Kincaid, a 5th Year Prefect. Right now, we are both here to guide you from the Great Hall to the Hufflepuff Common Room, but we are all here, Emma, Jake, Simon, and myself, to help any of you at any time when or if you need it, so please do not hesitate to reach out to us at any time.”
Still smiling at them, she patted her enchanted satchel and ended with, “Simon still has a few words to say to you all before leading us out of the Great Hall so that we may begin our little tour. I will end by saying that I have some homemade Welcome to Hufflepuff gifts to hand out to each of you as you pass by me while following Simon. You may take one of each, just one, or none at all if you prefer, that is entirely up to you, but I hope you will enjoy them if you do accept them.”
Silencing herself for a moment while looking over to her fellow Hufflepuff, she turned the group over to his capable hands. “They are all yours, Mr. Kincaid. You lead the way and I shall be the sweep here in the back for the moment, catching up with you in front soon enough.”
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ReducioSimon and AngelFyre's writers have longstanding permission to godmod each other's characters.
Last edited by AngelFyre McCubbin on 16 Nov 2024, 12:51, edited 1 time in total.
The magic is real.
7 Sep 2024, 19:13
Welcome to Hufflepuff - Tour de Force
Grateful for Hogwarts as he begins his tour with @AngelFyre McCubbin and the new incoming Hufflepuffs. Open to interaction.
The first day of a new year at Hogwarts was always an exciting one! Even when Simon thought back to his very first day EVER at Hogwarts, he recalled good memories. Yes, he was a little nervous leaving behind the big city of London and venturing off to some ancient castle in the Scottish Highlands with no electricity or technology, or any 'muggle amenities' (he would soon learn them as) but the possibility of learning magic, making new friendships, and wandering the corridors that his mother once had in her school days was just enough adventure to get him on board - and Merlin, was he ever glad he had.
Through Herbology and Potions and his internship with the school's Hospital Wing he was discovering a love and talent for magical medicine. He had made amazing friends. He discovered the sport of broom racing. He found his magic and began to learn to expand it and control it. He learned that he didn't have some sort of condition that made him sensitive to the sun but rather that he was a dhampir and if his mother was a human witch that could only mean that his father had been a vampire. But most importantly, it was at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where he met the girl beside him who never ceased to amaze him in every way possible.
He wished for the same sort of positive experience for everyone who got sorted that day but knew, without a doubt in his heart, that the Hufflepuffs had the best chance at such a glorious fate. They were sorted into a house of loyalty and kindness and that already was enough to get them ahead - in their school experience and beyond. It wouldn't only make the world a better place but remind each and every one that wore the badge of the badger to strive to be a better human.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," he said to them to start off. His voice was confident and he didn't have the slightest bit of apprehension about being in front of a crowd. "And most importantly, congratulations on being sorted into the house of Hufflepuff. If you'll follow me, we'll head from here, The Great Hall, towards the Hufflepuff Common Room."
And with that he began to lead those that would follow out into stone walled corridors of the magical castle that one day would feel like home to these new badgers. "Now, I don't mean to boast, or brag, or put any other house down, but honestly, Hufflepuffs are the best. We're a family in Hufflepuff and we work together to not only better ourselves, but lift each other up, and to strengthen this school to be the best that it can be. You needn't fail in Hufflepuff - but learn for any misstep. You needn't be lonely in Hufflepuff because you'll always find a friend."
He walked backwards so that the group could hear them, knowing that AngelFyre would catch the back of the line once they were all through. "Does anyone have any questions while we begin down this long main corridor? We'll head straight for now."
And he would wait to see if anyone had anything to comment on or question about before he, or AngelFyre would continue on about anything that might be of important information or a highlight upon their way.
Be kind to one another. (*iNPC is Miles Thatcher)
19 Sep 2024, 10:55
Welcome to Hufflepuff - Tour de Force
Joseph rested his hand on the smooth, cold stone walls of the corridors, his gaze transfixed on the intricate carvings engraved painstakingly into the magnificent arch overhead. They were beautiful, mesmerising even, just like everything else in Hogwarts. No, mesmerising didn't quite make the cut.
It was more... spentafricular.
A weak smile spread across Joseph's face as the word occurred to him. No, it wasn't a valid English word, but more of an inside joke between him and his inner circle. Or what used to be my inner circle, Joseph thought with a pang of guilt, gritting his teeth. Over a year ago, Joseph had regrettably abandoned his closest muggle friends, Jacob and Astrid for Hogwarts without a goodbye or any effort to explain his prolonged disappearance. Determined to make up to them during the recent summer holidays, Joseph had returned to Arisaig in high hopes, only to have his little balloon of hope popped unceremoniously by news of his friends' permanent departure from the country.
And now here he was, repeating his First Year, huddled with fellow badgers almost a head shorter than him, wearing masks of excitement, confusion and fear.
Could his life really get anymore miserable?
Bored and frustrated about everything in general, Joseph tapped his feet to an slow, depressing Scottish folk song, his mind drifting off to a distant planet as Emma and Jake left the clan of clueless badgers, which Joseph was very regrettably a part of, in the custody of a girl tall by his standards, her face swathed beautifully in golden hair. A broad smile was plastered across her face, vaguely reminding Joseph of this animated duck Astrid loved. Okay, not a comparison he should be making on his first school day.
Trying hard to stay awake despite his now heavy eyelids, Joseph only caught snippets of the girl with the duck-like smile's speech. She introduced herself as Angel something - Flying maybe, because he remembered her initials were "AF". Joseph was barely listening as she exclaimed enthusiastically about what a great house Hufflepuff was. Of course, he agreed with more than 200% of that statement, but he wasn't exactly in the mood for hearing a whole pep talk on that right now.
"...I will end by saying that I have some homemade Welcome to Hufflepuff gifts to hand out..." the female prefect's words jolted Joseph out of his dreamy trance. Gifts? Really? Joseph raised his eyebrows by a fraction, scanning the vicinity with wide eyes before they rested on a heap of spentafricularly painted pebbles and adorable little badger plushies. Joseph's jaw dropped. Maybe this was the start of Angelflying's redemption arc.
Joseph would never really get the chance to find out, because immediately after accepting the welcome gifts (with the sweetest thank you he could manage), she entrusted the clan of first years into the hands of a slightly-tanned older boy she had called Mr. Kingcard, who seemed to be wearing what looked like an imitation of Angelflying's grin.
Lacing his fingers together and pressing them against his chin, Joseph briefly prayed that Kingcard would simply escort them straight to the common room where he could finally sink into one of those comfortable armchairs, blissfully enjoying the warm heat provided generously by the crackling fire which threw dancing shadows across the room... ah, how he missed the common room.
But no, of course he had to start on his own mini-speech too, because everything in the universe was designed to make Joseph as miserable as possible.
"...Does anyone have any questions while we begin down this long main corridor? We'll head straight for now." Kingcard uttered, his eyes darting around to see if anyone had any inquiries.
Joseph recalled being escorted to the common room by the prefects last year, when he had been teeming to the brim with questions about virtually everything about life at Hogwarts. Now that he wasn't exactly a newbie close to imploding from excitement, he supposed there wasn't really much to ask.
Until a question suddenly floated to the top of his mind, and he decided to voice it out.
"Uh... Mr. Kingcard... is there anything special planned this year for us in Hogwarts?"
Joseph had no idea what had gotten into him. Every single tissue in his body was hollering at him to abandon his fellow first years and the prefects, making a beeline for the common room, but he supposed curiosity had gotten the better of him.
Not yet, tissues. Just wait a while longer. Joseph thought to himself as a sly smile unknowingly slid across his face.
Really sorry if I accidentally offended anyone...
Life is like a box of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans; you never know what you are going to get.
29 Sep 2024, 19:44
Welcome to Hufflepuff - Tour de Force
Welcoming the Newest Badgers
NOTE: This is an Officially Moderated Hufflepuff thread for any and all interested 1st year Hufflepuffs for the month of September only. It is a companion thread to the Sorting Hat feast which is being contemporaneously sponsored by Prefects Emma Wynn and Jake Morris. Please feel free to join in and post away with what your thoughts are on the evening, your reaction to getting sorted into Hufflepuff, or any questions. The purpose of this thread is to show the newest Badgers to the Hufflepuff Common Room and introduce them to various points of interest along the way. Once at the Common Room, you will be introduced to the Head of House, Caradoc Browne, and be welcomed by other housemates in the third and final thread of the Welcome To Hufflepuff extravaganza. Enjoy!!!
All posts MUST contain a minimum of 200 words.
1st September, 2024
As Simon started them on their way and the welcome gifts had been given out, a boy's voice from the back rang out to Mr. Kingcard. AngelFyre was still standing in the very back so no one could see her face but Simon in that moment. She struggled to contain her laughter, and did an inverse pucker of her lips upon hearing the close-but-does-not-count-since-this-is-not-a-game-of-horseshoes-attempt-at-his-name. AngelFyre knew he would take it in stride in this circumstance, but it was nonetheless amusing to his girlfriend since she well knew he had just been released from a summer nightmare where one person vampire simply refused to call him by his proper name. AngelFyre quickly composed herself and blew him a kiss.
The boy wanted to know if anything special had been planned this year at Hogwarts, and AngelFyre thought it was a both a good question, but an odd one. She listened to Simon's answer along with the rest of them, and after he had moved them through the Small Hall, she waved her hand from the back, catching her handsome hunk of a Hufflepuff's attention. He momentarily paused in the middle of the Entrance Hall, allowing AngelFyre to move from behind the group and up to his side.
"I would like to take a moment to quickly point a few things out here, to help you orient yourselves. We are currently standing in the Entrance Hall. The small, wood paneled room we just passed through after leaving the Great Hall is known as the Small Hall. Think of it as kind of a Hall of Heroes, if you will. All of the greatest and most notable wizards who ever taught here, were Headmasters here, or who made notable contributions to the world of magic in some way have their portraits hanging in that space. I encourage each of you, at your leisure, to spend a little bit of time in there, looking at their portraits. In fact, as a little incentive for you to do so, I will give a chocolate frog tomorrow to the first three Hufflepuffs on this tour to tell me what is so different about the portraits hanging in there compared to the portraits you see hanging out here," and she raised a hand and swept it gracefully in an arc, drawing their attention to the portraits gracing the walls surrounding them.
As she expected, a lot of tired faces suddenly came to life before her and Simon. She could now see the whites of their eyes and some hands moving quickly to their mouths in disbelief or to cover their astonished gasps. She even saw one small girl off to the side, waving at one of the characters as he haphazardly hopped between the two or three portraits around him, even going so far as to steal an apple from a fruit bowl in one, thereby unleashing the wrath of the stately woman reading a book next to it, before settling back in again at the empty spot he had left behind in his own portrait. With a huge, self-satisfied grin on his face, he took a crunchy bite of the apple. "I know for those of you raised with magic, this may not be news to you, but for those of us who were brought up in Muggle society, trust me, THIS is a wonder."
She turned to Simon, briefly, and shoulder bumped him. Her fellow was still enthralled with the magic behind the moving portraits. She was as well truth be told. Turning back to the group, she excitedly added, "Here is another surprise for you; they also speak!" AngelFyre then did a quick head bob in the direction of a group of portraits near the entrance to the Small Hall, and a rousing cacophony of "Glad to see you, here!", "Hogwarts welcomes you!", "Stop by to visit any time!", "'Tis magic being magical!", and one quite loud "Move it along already. Some of us are trying to sleep!"
AngelFyre snickered at the last one, but nodded her acquiescence that perhaps they were being a little inconsiderate in the moment. "Sincerest apologies, Lickwartz. We will be moving along in just a few more minutes. I promise." His cheeks puffed out and he grumbled incoherently as he punched his pillow a few times and huffily rolled over in his bed to face his window, clearly meaning to snub the group in the process. AngelFyre chuckled a little, but nonetheless put her index finger up to her lips in the universal sign for the portraits to now all be a little quieter. "Thank you, all," she said appreciatively in a volume just a decibel or two above a whisper, while beaming her smile in their direction.
Looking back to their group, she motioned for them to gather a bit closer so neither she nor Simon would have to speak too loudly. "That was Lickwartz. He is a grumpy sort, but not a bad fellow. He will settle down in a week or two. It is always hard for him when school starts since there are suddenly hundreds of students clamoring in this area and he has grown accustomed to the relative silence over the summer term."
"There are two more things I want to point out in the Entrance Hall and then we can move forward. The first is the Bulletin Board. We will have a Billboard in our Common Room, but that is House specific. This houses announcements that affect everyone, so check it out at least once a day if you can. Finally," and she motioned her head towards an intricately carved mahogany table off to the side, "I want to draw your attention to the House Cup Hourglasses. Each one is comprised of their house mascot and their primary house color. You will soon learn that like everything at Hogwarts, they are enchanted with magic as well. There is a competition each month between the Houses to see who wins the bragging rights to the cup. Those hourglasses keep a visual tally of who is ahead in any given moment." She took a brief pause to let them look the hourglasses over and then she continued.
"Many times during the course of a day, you will hear your Professors or Head of House say something along the lines of, "Well done. Five points to Hufflepuff!" if you have given a particularly brilliant response in class, or perhaps a sports match has been won. Orrrrrrrrr maybe a Hufflepuff has been caught doing something against the rules, such as being found out and about after curfew," and she put her had up to the side of her mouth and spoke in a conspiratorial tone, "and I know that neither Simon nor I will ever find any of you under such circumstances," and she winked at them, "because points can be taken away just as easily as they are given. The moment the amount is spoken, those grains of colored sand are added or subtracted from the House total."
Satisfied, she asked if there were any questions before turning them back over to Simon who would next lead them to the moving staircases.
@Simon Kincaid @Joseph Sims
The magic is real.