Feasting on New Beginnings
Taylor’s response was not what he expected. The boy sat up straight, his ears perking up a bit as he tilted his head. Wes changed a bit, when he straightened she could see how tall he was and his expression made him seem made a year or two older than his age. When he spoke the jovial tone lightened, though he was not harsh at all.
“I just making a joke.” He said with a kind smile. “The accent was what made me think you were Irish.”This was not the first time he had made a comment that insulted a girl, growing up with three sisters it happened a decent bit. Though this did help him know when he said something that crossed a line. Hopefully, he thought, it was something he could ammend.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say anything that would make you mad.” It was true, he did not mean to, although he was confused why she took such offense to the joke. “I guess you’re really patriotic, hmm?” This time his jovial tone was back and he smiled at her. He did not show it on his face, but he was afraid that might have been another misstep in his speech.
@Taylor Price
“I just making a joke.” He said with a kind smile. “The accent was what made me think you were Irish.”This was not the first time he had made a comment that insulted a girl, growing up with three sisters it happened a decent bit. Though this did help him know when he said something that crossed a line. Hopefully, he thought, it was something he could ammend.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say anything that would make you mad.” It was true, he did not mean to, although he was confused why she took such offense to the joke. “I guess you’re really patriotic, hmm?” This time his jovial tone was back and he smiled at her. He did not show it on his face, but he was afraid that might have been another misstep in his speech.
@Taylor Price
Feasting on New Beginnings
...Okay, maybe Taylor jumped to conclusions. She felt guilty. She was maybe too patriotic for her own good.
"Sorry. I thought you wanted to provoke me." She apologised.
She looked Wes up and down. Woah, he was taller than she thought. He looked like he was a few years older than he actually was. She could easily get a stiff neck by looking up at him. She definitely prefered him sitting down. She chuckled at the thought.
She wasn't totally sure he didn't want to mess with her, so she was being careful.
"I get on with lots of people, so I worry when that doesn't happen. I know it's not possible to make everyone like me, but I hate it when they don't. The only person that messes with me is my brother. He does that a lot."
She looks around her. Where's Mike ? She heard him getting sorted into Ravenclaw earlier.
"Right. There he is. That's my brother, Mike. In Ravenclaw. He's really nice. Quieter than me, for sure. He's really smart. And pretty lucky, since most of his friends from home were also wizards. Mine weren't."
"This is good", she thought. Would he mess with her again ? And why did she kind of want that ? She chuckled to herself again. Taylor loved talking. But for now, she was relieved. He didn't mean to provoke her. It worked though.
@Wes Morrow
"Sorry. I thought you wanted to provoke me." She apologised.
She looked Wes up and down. Woah, he was taller than she thought. He looked like he was a few years older than he actually was. She could easily get a stiff neck by looking up at him. She definitely prefered him sitting down. She chuckled at the thought.
She wasn't totally sure he didn't want to mess with her, so she was being careful.
"I get on with lots of people, so I worry when that doesn't happen. I know it's not possible to make everyone like me, but I hate it when they don't. The only person that messes with me is my brother. He does that a lot."
She looks around her. Where's Mike ? She heard him getting sorted into Ravenclaw earlier.
"Right. There he is. That's my brother, Mike. In Ravenclaw. He's really nice. Quieter than me, for sure. He's really smart. And pretty lucky, since most of his friends from home were also wizards. Mine weren't."
"This is good", she thought. Would he mess with her again ? And why did she kind of want that ? She chuckled to herself again. Taylor loved talking. But for now, she was relieved. He didn't mean to provoke her. It worked though.
@Wes Morrow
Feasting on New Beginnings
As the two continued on eating and chatting, so did the rest of the participants of the feast. “What’s wrong with non-Wizard friends?” He asked with a mock frown on his face, it was quickly replaced with a laugh and a smile as he munched on some more food. When Wes spoke, he still had food in his mouth. “No. I get it. Honestly it’ll be weird going home and then… just not having anyone there with any magic. I guess I can call them Muggles now.”
The Gryffindor looked over to see where she was pointing, to her brother. “Are you sad that you aren’t in the same houses?”
About that time there were multiple whoops and hollers, some kids were even pointing upward. Wes looked up to see the night’s sky in the ceiling, no different than before, but even he saw what everyone was looking at. Pale, transparent humans flying around. Some were frightening looking, others not so much. Regardless it took Wes by surprise and he needed a few moments to reacclimatize himself before it clicked. He realized they were ghost, which he had read about before one of his textbooks. Still staring in amazement, Wes eventually snapped out of it and turned back to Taylor. “So it’s true. They do just fly around here! Have you ever seen one before?”
Despite the surprise at the new ‘things’ he had just witnessed, Wes took another few bites of food as watched.
@Taylor Price
The Gryffindor looked over to see where she was pointing, to her brother. “Are you sad that you aren’t in the same houses?”
About that time there were multiple whoops and hollers, some kids were even pointing upward. Wes looked up to see the night’s sky in the ceiling, no different than before, but even he saw what everyone was looking at. Pale, transparent humans flying around. Some were frightening looking, others not so much. Regardless it took Wes by surprise and he needed a few moments to reacclimatize himself before it clicked. He realized they were ghost, which he had read about before one of his textbooks. Still staring in amazement, Wes eventually snapped out of it and turned back to Taylor. “So it’s true. They do just fly around here! Have you ever seen one before?”
Despite the surprise at the new ‘things’ he had just witnessed, Wes took another few bites of food as watched.
@Taylor Price
Feasting on New Beginnings
Taylor laughed. This boy was truly clueless about the magical world, was he ? She liked the idea of teaching him the stuff she knew. She had this feeling Wes would become a pretty powerful wizard, and she wanted to have those kind of friends, to bring her up.
...But it also was because she was highly competitive, and that she liked a fair fight. Well, fight wasn't the right word. Competition, she'd say. She liked to be the best at things. Not in an obsessive way, but it still was something that meant a lot to her.
She looked around at the ghosts in her light chuckle, her cheeks pink with how much she talked. Not that they ever were anything but pink or red.
"To answer your question," she started, "I don't mind that Mike is in a different house. As long as it fits him. But I trust the hat. I wouldn't want my brother in a house where he doesn't feel like he belongs."
She smiled at the thought, putting down her fork. She wasn't a big eater...compared to Wes, she thought. Taylor smiled at the sight of him enjoying the food and the Hogwarts atmosphere. Yes, this was gonna be a great year.
"Yeah, ours is Nearly Headless Nick. But I think he'll prefer if you call him Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington. It's that one, over there. The...well, almost headless one. I heard he's really nice.
She looked around. There were so many things to look at, and yet it felt like home already. Maybe it was the food, or the friends she was making, or even the books she had read. One thing was for sure, though : she was gonna have fun at Hogwarts.
@Wes Morrow
...But it also was because she was highly competitive, and that she liked a fair fight. Well, fight wasn't the right word. Competition, she'd say. She liked to be the best at things. Not in an obsessive way, but it still was something that meant a lot to her.
She looked around at the ghosts in her light chuckle, her cheeks pink with how much she talked. Not that they ever were anything but pink or red.
"To answer your question," she started, "I don't mind that Mike is in a different house. As long as it fits him. But I trust the hat. I wouldn't want my brother in a house where he doesn't feel like he belongs."
She smiled at the thought, putting down her fork. She wasn't a big eater...compared to Wes, she thought. Taylor smiled at the sight of him enjoying the food and the Hogwarts atmosphere. Yes, this was gonna be a great year.
"Yeah, ours is Nearly Headless Nick. But I think he'll prefer if you call him Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington. It's that one, over there. The...well, almost headless one. I heard he's really nice.
She looked around. There were so many things to look at, and yet it felt like home already. Maybe it was the food, or the friends she was making, or even the books she had read. One thing was for sure, though : she was gonna have fun at Hogwarts.
@Wes Morrow
Feasting on New Beginnings
When the Irish girl mentioned Nearly Headless Nick her turned his head and nodded. There were bits of Hogwarts, A History that the name popped up. It took him a few moments to recall much more about the ghosts and the like, but eventually he nodded to her. It all seemed odd to him. Why would they let ghosts be here? Though just in the hour or so that Wes was at Hogwarts, it seemed to him that the Magical World loved their wimsiness.
"At least ours is not like that scary one from Slytherin, I guess." With a pause he gave the ghosts one more look and then turned back to Taylor. "So what does your mom do with Muggle stuff? Like, does she study it all?" Wes let out a small laugh as he thought back to all of the readings he did for his ordinary schooling. Learning about the histories of his nation, civics, and so on. To be truthful, he enjoyed some of it when it felt exciting, but otherwise, he thought it was all boring. It even bored him now, just in the moment of thinking about government history.
"Man, I'm happy to learn about history of wizards and stuff. It sounds so much more exciting than some of the things my mom had me learning."
"At least ours is not like that scary one from Slytherin, I guess." With a pause he gave the ghosts one more look and then turned back to Taylor. "So what does your mom do with Muggle stuff? Like, does she study it all?" Wes let out a small laugh as he thought back to all of the readings he did for his ordinary schooling. Learning about the histories of his nation, civics, and so on. To be truthful, he enjoyed some of it when it felt exciting, but otherwise, he thought it was all boring. It even bored him now, just in the moment of thinking about government history.
"Man, I'm happy to learn about history of wizards and stuff. It sounds so much more exciting than some of the things my mom had me learning."
Feasting on New Beginnings
Taylor smiles. She's glad that the blonde kid is interested in learning stuff. Maybe she could show some of it to him in the future.
"She studies it, I think. I'm not exactly sure. She doesn't really let me check her business. Says it's for when I'll be a grown-up."
She looks at the ghosts, and chats for a minute with Nearly Headless Nick. Maybe she's too sociable, but she couldn't wait to get to know the ghost she read so much about in her books. Seeing Hogwarts for the first time felt like the books didn't give it justice. She found it wonderful, and knew, deep down, that it already felt like home.
After a few minutes of talking, she went back to Wes.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. I'm...talktative. I hope you don't mind. Anyway, what was I asking..."
She thought, putting a curly strand of hair back behind her hair, again. That hair. It was rebellious, and part of her hated how bright it was. People called it pretty, but she found it too...noticeable. It's not that she didn't like attention, but she didn't like the idea of her hair making her easily identifiable. And it got messy so easily. It was thick, and the curls didn't help in making it look less big. She envied the girls who had straight, thin hair.
Anyway, what was she saying ?
"Right. I was meaning to ask, to make sure. Are you muggle-born ? Nothing bad about it, I just got this feeling that you didn't know magic that well."
@Wes Morrow
"She studies it, I think. I'm not exactly sure. She doesn't really let me check her business. Says it's for when I'll be a grown-up."
She looks at the ghosts, and chats for a minute with Nearly Headless Nick. Maybe she's too sociable, but she couldn't wait to get to know the ghost she read so much about in her books. Seeing Hogwarts for the first time felt like the books didn't give it justice. She found it wonderful, and knew, deep down, that it already felt like home.
After a few minutes of talking, she went back to Wes.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. I'm...talktative. I hope you don't mind. Anyway, what was I asking..."
She thought, putting a curly strand of hair back behind her hair, again. That hair. It was rebellious, and part of her hated how bright it was. People called it pretty, but she found it too...noticeable. It's not that she didn't like attention, but she didn't like the idea of her hair making her easily identifiable. And it got messy so easily. It was thick, and the curls didn't help in making it look less big. She envied the girls who had straight, thin hair.
Anyway, what was she saying ?
"Right. I was meaning to ask, to make sure. Are you muggle-born ? Nothing bad about it, I just got this feeling that you didn't know magic that well."
@Wes Morrow
Feasting on New Beginnings
The feast continued on and the clanging of utensils on plates slowed down some and the conversations seemed to pick up more now that everyone was near the end of their eating. This was true for Wes too. The boy had definitely had his fill of meats, vegetables, soups, and desserts. It all felt so magical to him.
It did not seem to bother him that the girl talked so much. He had a lot to take in, so he did not really have much more to say himself. Wes smirked and chuckled when she said she was talkative. “Yeah. I can tell.” For a half second his eyes flashed, realizing he said something that could have annoyed her again. That thought quickly faded when she asked if he wasMuggle-Born.
Was he that easy to read, he thought to himself. It was not in a bad way though, he did not consider himself less, but he did know it made him behind on the curve. Most of the kids probably had both parents who were wizards or witches, at least that is what Wes thought.
“I’ve had a few people ask me that. Yeah, I am.” Though it did not seem to bother him. “My mum and dad have no magic. Neither do my sisters.”
@Taylor Price
It did not seem to bother him that the girl talked so much. He had a lot to take in, so he did not really have much more to say himself. Wes smirked and chuckled when she said she was talkative. “Yeah. I can tell.” For a half second his eyes flashed, realizing he said something that could have annoyed her again. That thought quickly faded when she asked if he wasMuggle-Born.
Was he that easy to read, he thought to himself. It was not in a bad way though, he did not consider himself less, but he did know it made him behind on the curve. Most of the kids probably had both parents who were wizards or witches, at least that is what Wes thought.
“I’ve had a few people ask me that. Yeah, I am.” Though it did not seem to bother him. “My mum and dad have no magic. Neither do my sisters.”
@Taylor Price
Feasting on New Beginnings
The thought that Wes didn't know much about magic yet didn't push Taylor away, to the contrary.
"That's so great ! I mean, in the way the way that you have so much to learn. Maybe you'll teach me a few things I don't already know about muggles. Like...the use of goggles !"
She giggled, while taking a sip of her drink. The glass was still almost full, because she had talked so much. She sighed.
Her mom complained a lot about that. She sometimes talked so much, that everyone was done eating but she wasn't. The redhead glanced at her brother, who was on the other side of the room. He was talking with his friends.
She'd never admit it, but she envied him. Most of Mike's friends were wizards, so they came with him when it was time to go to Hogwarts. But Taylor didn't. Her friends were muggles, and she missed them. She was also a bit disappointed. She had hoped that one of them would have their first instance of magic, but that never happened.
Despite talking to new people easily, and having made a few friends already, Taylor felt lonely. She was starting from the ground up, for some reason. Maybe that was partly why she read so much about the coursework and the school before arriving. Of course, it interested her. But a part of her felt reassured by the knowledge she already had before coming in the school. As if it could fill the hole that her muggle friends left when she had to go to Hogwarts.
"Being muggle-born isn't a bad thing at all !" She explained. "Trust me, it's a learning opportunity. You'll fit right in, I'm sure."
@Wes Morrow
"That's so great ! I mean, in the way the way that you have so much to learn. Maybe you'll teach me a few things I don't already know about muggles. Like...the use of goggles !"
She giggled, while taking a sip of her drink. The glass was still almost full, because she had talked so much. She sighed.
Her mom complained a lot about that. She sometimes talked so much, that everyone was done eating but she wasn't. The redhead glanced at her brother, who was on the other side of the room. He was talking with his friends.
She'd never admit it, but she envied him. Most of Mike's friends were wizards, so they came with him when it was time to go to Hogwarts. But Taylor didn't. Her friends were muggles, and she missed them. She was also a bit disappointed. She had hoped that one of them would have their first instance of magic, but that never happened.
Despite talking to new people easily, and having made a few friends already, Taylor felt lonely. She was starting from the ground up, for some reason. Maybe that was partly why she read so much about the coursework and the school before arriving. Of course, it interested her. But a part of her felt reassured by the knowledge she already had before coming in the school. As if it could fill the hole that her muggle friends left when she had to go to Hogwarts.
"Being muggle-born isn't a bad thing at all !" She explained. "Trust me, it's a learning opportunity. You'll fit right in, I'm sure."
@Wes Morrow
Feasting on New Beginnings
Wes tilted his head a bit and smirked a bit. With a huffed out laugh he said, “So you’re telling me that Wizards don’t have goggles? Come on, are you messing with me?” He appeared to take it like a lighthearted joke, if it was, and shook his head. “What about when people are flying brooms and stuff? But I mean honestly don’t know what there is to tell people. It’s just like… normal stuff.”
When he saw her look in the direction of her brother’s table. He missed his own family, but thought it would possibly be easier to just have that separation because it had to be hard to be here and be in a different house. His sisters did bug him, but he would like to at least say they were in the same House here. “Does it make it harder that he is here, but in a different house?” Wes asked as he turned back to her. “I guess it’s great that he’s here though, he’ll probably be a lot of help when it comes to all of this stuff.”
The boy then turned back forward, hoping that he did not make it awkward by saying that.
@Taylor Price
When he saw her look in the direction of her brother’s table. He missed his own family, but thought it would possibly be easier to just have that separation because it had to be hard to be here and be in a different house. His sisters did bug him, but he would like to at least say they were in the same House here. “Does it make it harder that he is here, but in a different house?” Wes asked as he turned back to her. “I guess it’s great that he’s here though, he’ll probably be a lot of help when it comes to all of this stuff.”
The boy then turned back forward, hoping that he did not make it awkward by saying that.
@Taylor Price
Feasting on New Beginnings
"Yeah, but I meant goggles for swimming. It looks funny !" She giggled.
After all, Wes wasn't mean. Maybe she got scared too fast. He was actually pretty nice, and quite curious about her world. He wasn't as talkative as Taylor, but that wasn't hard. And she was sure that she could make him talk some more. Or maybe he was the observant type.
"I actually like having Mike here. Sure, we're not in the same house, but I think it'll be good, in a growing up way, if that makes sense. I will miss him though, but at least I'll be able to visit him wherever I want."
She held back from saying more. She had understood that he was alone in Hogwarts, and that, like hers, his friends were muggles. Maybe they could understand each other, in that way.
@Wes Morrow
She was still curious about his contact with the muggle world. How would they send him letters ? "Can muggles use owls to send letters ?" she wondered. If not, maybe she'd help him make a how-to letter to explain to his family how to owl. Or maybe that was going overboard. Taylor tended to do that when she wanted to help.
"Will you go back home for the holidays ? I know I probably will. We always organise a big family celebration on Christmas. And we do a secret santa between the children. I got my brother two years in a row, which wasn't great, but he liked both presents."
After all, Wes wasn't mean. Maybe she got scared too fast. He was actually pretty nice, and quite curious about her world. He wasn't as talkative as Taylor, but that wasn't hard. And she was sure that she could make him talk some more. Or maybe he was the observant type.
"I actually like having Mike here. Sure, we're not in the same house, but I think it'll be good, in a growing up way, if that makes sense. I will miss him though, but at least I'll be able to visit him wherever I want."
She held back from saying more. She had understood that he was alone in Hogwarts, and that, like hers, his friends were muggles. Maybe they could understand each other, in that way.
@Wes Morrow
She was still curious about his contact with the muggle world. How would they send him letters ? "Can muggles use owls to send letters ?" she wondered. If not, maybe she'd help him make a how-to letter to explain to his family how to owl. Or maybe that was going overboard. Taylor tended to do that when she wanted to help.
"Will you go back home for the holidays ? I know I probably will. We always organise a big family celebration on Christmas. And we do a secret santa between the children. I got my brother two years in a row, which wasn't great, but he liked both presents."