The Slytherin Table 2022-2023

Colin stood up again on the wooden bench to howl over to Clair at the Ravenclaw table: "OWOOOOOOO!! CLAAAAAIIIIRRRR!!! IT'S ME! COLIN!!"

He found he really had a good view of what was going on all across the hall from this vantage point. And in fact, he saw that yet another firstie had been sorted into Slytherin. "Hey! Another one for Slytherin!" Colin cheered and clapped for the new girl as she came over towards the table. He noticed that --- wait --- was she not wearing shoes too!? Colin was aware of another boy, an older Slytherin, who went barefoot all the time; and Colin himself was barefoot most of the time. He wondered aloud: "Is there something about Slytherin that attracts barefoot kids?"

But his attention was suddenly drawn to the Ravenclaw table. Was that a --- it was! --- there was an actual fight going on at, of all places, the Ravenclaw table! "WHOAA! Everyone! Quinn! Leonard! Lily, Marisa, New Girl, Seven! Look over at the Ravenclaw table!" He pointed towards the next table over, and up a ways from where they were sitting.

"Look! Nelson just got a plate full of meat and gravy spilled on her blue hair! And --- oh my goodness! She flung a spell at some other girl. Are they --- what an idiot! Nelson's actually starting a duel right there in front of the Head Master and everyone!"

A sudden streak of red sparks erupted from the wand of the other combatant and struck Sophia! "Oof! That'll blind --- " Colin fell silent just as Gem, now also covered with turkey and taters and undoubtedly other random food as well, stood up to cast her own. "What are they doing over there!? It's only the first night back and --- OH CRAP! Guys! Look, there goes Ironwoods!" Colin looked down briefly at the first years. "One of our Prefects! That one'll give you detention sooner than the time of day, and it doesn't look like they're gonna want to chat about summer break with the girls!"

Colin laughed as Cassandra began writing out detention slips. "Yep! Oh, sweet! Detentions times three! HEY SOPH!!!" Colin cried out. "NO! DON'T GIVE UP YER WAND! Ohhh --- lassie. That is rough!"

Colin sat back down when he saw that Sophia had started bawling. He looked over towards Alora and the other first years around. "So yeah! Welcome to Hoggys! It's not usually this exciting at dinner, but the Birds really put on a show tonight!" That said, Colin set to checking out the lovely array of food the House Elves had prepared for them! Roast chicken and turkey and beef, mostly, found their way to Colin's plate, as well as thick gravy and cheese. There was a distinct lack of salad and vegetables and never any sweets. He looked over at Seven's plate, just to gauge if they shared any similarities in dietary preference.

To be sure this start of term feast would be remembered at Hogwarts for many long years!

@Clair Fernandez | @Sophia Nelson | @Gemima Sable | @Faye Simmons | @Seven Corigault-Seto | @Alora J. Graves

The Sorting Ceremony was a completely different experience if you were watching rather than participating. It also seemed much, much longer. June sat next to Maggie Hawkins, her best friend who somehow was given the honour of being a prefect of Slytherin. And June was not one bit envious. No. Not at all. "It's just because you didn't let yourself be known last year, that's all," she thought to herself. "If Professor Jensen thinks she's fit for the job, then she must be."

The ceremony was fairly uneventful, but June was grateful that she was familiar with a few of the first-years. Finnegan Conner was sorted into Gryffindor. June gave a polite clap when the Sorting Hat cried out, giving a small, friendly wave as he walked to his own table. Seven Corigault-Seto, the kind but interesting kid from both summer camp and the train ride, was sorted into Slytherin. June allowed herself a cheer with the rest of her house as they made their way to the Slytherin table, sitting not far from June and Maggie.

Eventually, finally, at long last, the ceremony was over and the feast could begin. June kept a bit quiet, mostly listening to whatever Maggie said, as she contemplated the year ahead of her. The temptation to sit and watch, to be a passive observer of the events to come, was strong. It was so much easier to decide to not be known, less opportunity for disaster. Her face faltered for a moment as her stomach tightened at the thought of all the decisions that lay before her this year.

But she was quickly pulled out of whatever cycle of thoughts she was in as her kilted classmate stood up and shouted at the top of his lungs. "Merlin," June chided to Maggie, "can we not just sit and enjoy our meal without being bombarded by noise?" She looked over to the Ravenclaw table where, sure enough, some sort of nutritional war was happening. Disgusting. June sighed, turning her attention back to her own table. "Pass me the pudding, would you, Maggie?"

It was time to go on the offense, to interact with peers instead of watching them. After a slight clearing of her throat, June spoke up. "So, Seven, how did you find the ceremony? Did the hat say anything to you?" She offered a soft but genuine smile to the new snake. "I'm glad you've been sorted into Slytherin."

Her eyes traveled to the nearby Leonard Oakworth, who kindly introduced Seven to the table and was seemingly preparing them for life in the house of ambition. "Hello again, Leonard Oaksworth. Are... Are the ceremonies really this long every year?" She looked at him with a slight look of disbelief and desperation. "I suppose it goes a bit faster when you're the one being sorted, but I still thought it lasted forever last year..."

x

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Date. September 1, 2022 | Thread. Slytherin Table | Dialogue. #ff5757

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xxxOh, Maggie's newfound superiority (or, as was preferred, authoritative position) was just as surprising for her as it was anyone else. It wasn't every day that you were chosen to be prefect of your house, though Maggie supposed that she was proud to hold the title. Of course, it meant that she had to be on her best behavior at all times (lest another prefect or, heaven forbid, Professor Jensen, find out) to 'make an example' or whatever.

Maybe it was for the best. Maggie hadn't tried so hard in forever, just for the attention and validation of her fellow prefects. After all, how would she be respected if she couldn't hold a position down with grace? She'd vowed that she'd be the best prefect Hogwarts had ever seen. It was... not working out that way.

Still, summer had been good. Maggie was sure that the upcoming year would be just as good. As juvenile a word as 'good' was, it was a good descriptor of how it had gone. How else do you describe a summer full of confusion and angst and wondering why you felt so weird around your best friend all the time? Good weird, of course. Unless it wasn't a good weird and was instead a strange, bad sort of weird.

Maggie was still sort of figuring that part out.

Even so, June had been a constant throughout the entire summer. Not just because they were obligate bunkmates at camp, but because she was a good friend. That was that. Simple as 1, 2, 3 and easy as pie. Honestly, Maggie wasn't really paying much attention to anyone or anything aside from June and the spread of food that had been laid upon the table before her, just begging to be eaten. Yes, the induction of more first-years was good, great, fun; and a prefect should probably be more enthused, but someone had to eat all this food.

"Uh... no, we can't," Maggie's gaze flitted up to the now infamous Colin McCoire, Hogwarts' biggest try-hard since god knew when. He was too much of everything, she'd come to understand through their single brief interaction. "Considering he wouldn't know peace and quiet even if it smacked him upside his stupid head, we're going to be in for a long year. McCoire! Shut up!"

The Ravenclaw he was yelling at, Clair, was one Maggie was familiar with. Poor, poor girl. Maggie hoped she possessed a working pair of earbuds.

Maggie slid the pudding over to June, observing their surrounding classmates with interest. Seven, who she knew (vaguely); and Leo, who she was going to make like her if it was the last thing she did. "Aye, hi, Seven. Fancy passing me the mashed potatoes in front of you? Here, she turned to Leo with interest. "And hi to you, too, Lenny."

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@June Selwyn, @Seven Corigault-Seto, @Colin McCoire, & @Leonard Oaksworth

Briefly mentioning @Clair Fernandez

"McCoire! Shut up!" Prefect Hawkins was clearly being quite the spoil sport this evening! Colin narrowed his eyes at her. She was sitting with June and together they looked like the two dourest old women you'd ever hope to lay eyes on. "Considering he wouldn't know peace and quiet even if it smacked him upside his stupid head..." Tonight was no time for peace and quiet! Colin knew that once the festivities were over with later tonight, he'd crash into the depths of grief stricken depression; so he decided to make the very most of these couple hours of joy and merriment.

And if that mean howling his heart out for Clair Fernandez and in general being all exuberant over the new Slytherin students, then he would not let Prefect Hawkins ruin the evening!

"Oi! Hawkins! Oh, excuuuuuuse me! Prefect Hawkins! You and June look like the two sourest old women ever, gobbing over mashed tatties! You'd probably boo and hiss at each other's funerals!" Colin rolled his eyes dramatically and laughed. He didn't care if she gave him detention for it, he wasn't going to let her admonishment spoil his mood. Shut up indeed! In a great hall full of noise, excitement and happiness!

"She should be cheering with the rest," he said to himself as another boy was called to join the ranks of the house of pride. "Plenty of time for sorrow later!" Colin turned away from the Dour Duo and thumped the heavy wooden table with both hands as a smiling Jack Ace came over towards them. The lad was confident, that was clear! He looked it, and as he got closer, his scent betrayed no timidity.

Jack sat down next to Colin like they'd been mates for years, and Colin liked him instantly. Funny how that worked. He liked Seven, too, and right away. Barefoot Alora too. But the Dour Duo, and Hawkins especially, not so much. Either way it was something visceral. Almost instinctual. He wondered at those two so different reactions --- somehow Colin just knew that Maggie Hawkins would be trouble, while he and Jack and Seven and Alora would certainly get along famously!

He turned on the bench to get a good look at Jack. It was clear that Jack was sizing him up too. He smiled at Jack and said: "Heyo! I'm Colin!" With a nod of his head, he said: "That's Seven and Alora. They're cool. That older boy who looks like his entire world is caving in on him, that's Leonard. He's okay too." He lowered his voice to a whisper: "I think the magic's made him a bit, you know, mental. And those two over there, the Dour Duo. That's June and Prefect Hawkins!" He said Maggie's name with extra emphasis and a laugh! "All she wants is a quiet candle lit supper --- but as you can see, she's not like to get it!"

“Aren’t you cold? Your feet, I mean.” Colin thought that was probably the most interesting introduction he'd ever gotten from anyone. But he followed Jack's gaze down towards the floor where, indeed, his bare feet were comfortably resting on the cool and smooth flagstones of the great hall. He couldn't help but wonder at what famous Slytherin feet, shod or discalced, hat rested on this very stone. He knew more than one family member had been Slytherin; perhaps they'd sat here too?

Colin smiled at Jack's question. "Nah. Not really! I'm used to it by now! At home, we never wore shoes much, especially when we're out playing. Ma always has a fit! But Da just laughs and kicks his own shoes off too!"

From the sound of his voice, Jack was clearly Irish. "And what about you Jack? You look like you'd done this before, walking all Slytherin proud, like some pure blood prince! Where in Ireland are you from?"

@Jack Ace || Mentions: @Clair Fernandez | @Seven Corigault-Seto | @Alora J. Graves | @Maggie Hawkins | @June Selwyn

A small smile crept across June's face as Maggie spoke to Colin about his volume. That was kind of her to do, June hadn't meant to insinuate that she wanted her new prefect friend to stand up for her. But her smile was quickly replaced by a look of bewilderment and irritation. To be honest, June was a bit on-edge. Summer camp was fun, but was much more exhausting than she imagined, and the terrible Selwyn-Hawking-McGarry conflict had not even happened a week ago, which she was still trying to catch her footing from, so to speak. And so June did something she wasn't so sure had done before.

June was going to stand up for her friend.

June sat up straight and spoke with a confident voice. "Colin McCoire, you will not speak to me or to Maggie in that way." Her eyes locked on to her enthusiastic classmate, a passion burning behind them. "We are trying to enjoy our meal and celebrate but I can not think with you screaming throughout the entire great hall." She took a breath, not wanting to let things blow out of proportion. "That was uncalled for, McCoire. I'm plenty excited for all of our new housemates, but I can express my feelings in a volume appropriate for mealtimes. And," June tried to catch herself from talking too much, but the words simply tumbled out, "I thought you were better than to call people names like 'dour' and 'old women' to try and put them down. You're certainly making a fine impression on our new first-years, I hope you're happy with it." Her face remained calm and serene as she spoke, her voice never raising above a slight projection.

She turned back, deciding to focus on her food instead, blocking out all the terrible things in the world as she pushed her peas around her plate.