The Slytherin Table 2022-2023

The Slytherin table was really filling up with new students! Merryn and Matty and now Aspen. He greeted each of the new Snakes as they found places to sit. He smiled at them, even though they each looked more exhausted than he could possibly feel at a time like this!

He caught June's expression momentarily. She didn't look at all happy. Not one bit! He knew the look and the feeling. His own heart was shattered, how could he not recognise something was wrong with someone else? She's gonna say something, I just know it! Colin thought. But at that moment a name was called, the one name he really wanted to hear all evening and once he heard it, all thoughts of June and drama dissipated like a Sun burned fog.

ALENA FERNSBY!

His attention was immediately drawn to the front of the hall. June's rebuke would have to wait! "Colin McCoire, you will not speak ..." Nope it wouldn't wait! June spoke as his cousin's name was called to be sorted! "Colin McCoire, you will not speak to me or to Maggie in that way. We are trying to enjoy our meal and celebrate but I can not think with you screaming throughout the entire great hall."

Ack! Colin's attention was divided between June and the drama occurring at the dais. "Wh--- Wait I wasn't scr---" He turned back towards his cousin. One of the yet nameless firsties gave her a gentle shove in the direction of the waiting Hat. "Slytherin! Let is be Slytherin!" he whispered. He so wished his cousin would be in the same house! That would be so cool!

"That was uncalled for, McCoire." Alena seemed nervous. Poor kid! He thought back to his own sorting and those of the first kids he'd met. "I'm plenty excited for all of our new housemates..." If he knew Alena at all, she'd be giving the Hat some snark! He'd have to ask her later what they talked about! It seemed to be taking the Hat forever to make it's choice! Nope! Not a hatstall --- the voice cried out!

“HUFFLEPUFF”

"But I can express my feelings in a volume appropriate for mealtimes."

"WOOOOO!! ALENA! Hufflepuff gu bràth!" Colin was on his feet again, cheering her on! He couldn't see her clearly, but --- was that a look of shock or disappointment? He knew he was a little disappointed she wasn't in Slytherin, but Hufflepuff was a cool house, too. Wasn't Fyre Angel there? And Alma? He'd have to see about that later! He knew the Badgers had gained a lovely girl, even if Slytherin lost out.

He smiled as he sat back down. June was railing now, but Colin didn't mind. This was a night to celebrate! And if that meant howling and having to endure chastisement for howling, then so be it! "I thought you were better than to call people names like 'dour' and 'old women' to try and put them down." June was all but yelling herself. Colin blinked. Wait --- was she really yelling at him for howling earlier?

He lowered his eyes. She did have a point about the dour old women thing --- that was uncharacteristic for Colin. He'd have to talk with June later, too. But now...

"June! Maggie. Look, I --- Er. I'm sorry about the whole sour old women thing. I --- You're right of course. I didn't mean that." He let out a puff of breath. "It's just that, well, I can't help it! It's first night back and even with everything really sucking for me tonight, I'm still excited! I mean, there's Clair! And my cousin just started Hoggys! And I get to see all you lot again! And all the new smells, new voices, new students, new everything! I just feel like a --- like a bucket everyone is dumping water into. June if I don't overflow, I'll just explode!"

June really looked upset about something. He wondered if there more going on than just him howling for Clair. With all the other noise of jubilation in the hall, surely his occasional outbursts couldn't have been that bad! It struck him then that they hadn't seen each other since last year. Something must have happened to her. And she certainly didn't know about Liam...

"C---Can we talk about this after, June? I think we both have things we need to say to each other."

@June Selwyn || Mentioning @Alena Fernsby | @AngelFyre McCubbin || Welcome new Snakes! @Merryn Newman | @Matty Goodling | @Aspen Creel

Reducio

Hufflepuff gu bràth! is Gaelic for "Hufflepuff Forever!"

Name: Jannette Applebottom
Date: September 1st, 2022
Location: The Great Hall, Slytherin Table
Outfit: Plain Robes now turned Slytherin Robes

Slytherin. That one word seemed to be the only thing on Jannette's mind now as she waddled over to the table colored in emerald and silver. The decision was forever now, Jannette is a Slytherin, but what would her family think? Slytherin and not Gryffindor, a green apple instead of a red apple. Would her family be ashamed, or shocked? It had to be a wrong decision, right? They always say the Sorting Hat knows all, but clearly, the stupid leather thing made a mistake! With so many things on the garden snake's mind, she did the only thing she could do to help get through this -- food!

There were a plethora of options when it came to food, like spaghetti, to feast platters, Jannette decided on the most logical thing to get. None of them! And instead, she decided to grab the desserts with her grubby paws and put them on her plate. Maybe being in this place won't be so bad, especially if they are gonna have sweets every day.

Jannette began to look at her surroundings, she noticed people were talking, obviously, most of them being older people. It was an intimidating sight, she needed to make a good first impression, especially for the older Slytherin students since she doesn't wanna be known as the weird girl in Hogwarts, who would wanna talk to her if she had that creditability? No one, obviously. 'Okay Jannette, stop being shy, you need to make friends, say hi, introduce yourself, what's the worse that can happen?' Finishing her cupcake, Jannette would look at the group of Students around her table, her cheeks puffed with sweets before spitting out the first thing on her mind...

"Oi'm Juhne'ht Apphlbutt'm mnoice tuh mee' yah all!"

As she was talking, small chunks of food would escape her mouth with each word she spoke, falling onto her oversized plain robes and to who knows where else. She'd look over at Slytherin students still completely frozen, the image of the young girl was one of youthful ignorance, her face stuffed like a chipmunk and her clunky glasses didn't help the image of her wide puppy dog eyes that screamed, HEY LOOK IM A FIRST YEAR! Before making it any weirder, Jannette finished off her wonderful introduction by giving a beautiful wide stuffed food smile before thinking to herself,

'I think I made a good first impression if I do say so myself!~'

interacting with @Jannette Applebottom

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It was an awkward moment for the first year, her introduction wasn't met with welcomes and smiles but instead met with snickering and silence. 'Great job, Jannette. you ruined your only -' but before she can finish her thought a chirp rose from the table.

"Hi..you seem to really like sweets.."

From the graces of Merlin (or was it Melvin), someone actually spoke to Jannette, gave her a chance. Looking in the direction of the voice, Jannette sets her eyes on that someone. It was a Slytherin girl in front of her, she had ginger hair, green eyes that matched the colors of the Slytherin house, and freckles sprinkled over her face. A first year, obviously as "Mhmm, ahye!~"¹ She says energetically, nodding, Jannette wipes the crumbs on her mouth with her robe before finally finishing her sweets. "Ice cream is moi favori'e t'ing t'ea' like ever! Bu' hones'y -- I can' complain abou' cupcakes, they're super good"² The sound of her Scottish accent is a lot more potent now. Sure it was her first time eating the tasty treats here at Hogwarts, but they were super good, and hey maybe Jannette might take some back as a treat in her robe before the Feast is over.

"Oi'm Jannette, by dah way -- "³ She says more clearly, "SOooooo 'ow do yah feel abou' bein' in Slytherin, hmmm?"⁴ She tilts her head and raises her brow. She heard of the usual stereotypes of Slytherin from her siblings, but maybe, just maybe... she might get a more positive viewpoint and more honest one from the ginger-haired first year.

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Colin settled down after June talked to him. Mind you, there was simply no guarantee that he could remain either quiet or subdued if any more mayhem occurred at the feast! And speaking of, he hadnd n't really eaten anything yet. He was starving, but Colin just didn't feel like eating anything much.

He looked over the selections available and nothing seemed appetising to him. He found a cheese platter and put several slices and cubes of different kinds on his plate and he figured that if the turkey were good enough to decorate Gem and Sophia's hair, it ought to be good enough to eat, so he took a bit of that as well. He ate some of the turkey, then stopped. It was good, but it had lost its savour.

That was when Colin noticed that two new Slytherins had joined the table. One of them had red hair and green eyes and looked like she'd never get a word in edgewise with the other one, the with long brown hair, big spectacles and looked like she'd never eaten a bite of food in her entire life!

The red haired girl commented on the other one's obvious delight in sweets. And that got Specks going on about something --- probably food! Colin just stared at her with his brows furrowed, trying to piece together what she was saying. But he mouth was so stuffed and her accent so thick he couldn't make head or tail of it.

He looked over at Red, but her expression offered him no more clue than the block of cheese on his plate. And then it struck him. My goodness, is she Scottish!? "Whoa, I hope my accent isn't that thick!" The words popped out unbidden, though little more than a whisper. Colin turned towards Jack, but he didn't seem to notice. Oh crap! I hope no one heard that --- even if it's true!

To cover his embarrassment he said: "Easy lassie! Have ye no eaten sweets before? You're like to split yer side!" He couldn't help but watch as one treat after the other disappeared! He raised his eyebrow at the red haired girl. "She can pack it away like a niffler, that one!"

Specks introduced herself as Janette, but Colin didn't catch her last name, but thought she'd said something like Applebutter. That was an odd name. And Red never introduced herself at all. But before either she or Colin could say anything, Janette switched topics to her new House and how the others felt about being in Slytherin.

Colin only smirked --- he knew the new first years would be initiated soon enough to their new House, so he didn't say anything. Best to let the new kids observe, interact, and form their own opinion!

He said only: "Lassie, ask that question again in the common room later tonight! After you've been welcomed to Slytherin --- in proper Slytherin fashion!"

@Janette Applebottom | @Violet Grace || mentions @Jack Ace

@Janette Applebottom @Colin McCoire

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As Jannette was waiting for a response, Jannette decided to grab another cupcake from the plate, her sticky hands holding the cupcake liner before taking another bite of the treat. Hey if she's gonna get a response, might as well enjoy more sweets while you're at it. Jannette had a prime sweet tooth from a pretty young age, she hated that she would always have to eat dinner first at her before having dessert. But, now the brunette is in Hogwarts, she didn't have to worry about her bedtime, nor did she have to worry about what she wanted to eat -- it was like she had ULTIMATE freedom, finally.

Before she could receive an answer from the red hair gi-, wait no, from Gingersnap! Sounds of light hisses came through the ear of the young garden snake. She looked over for a moment, noticing a boy that is probably older than her by a year or maybe two years, with platinum hair. Jannette didn't really know what they were saying but by the way, they were looking at her, it was an obvious comment made at Jannette. 'Good going you had one chance to make a good impression, gone in an instant.' Oh if only Jannette knew...

"Easy lassie! Have ye no eaten sweets before? You're like to split yer side! She can pack it away like a niffler, that one!"

Jannette's turned toward the direction of the boy, her face red like an apple in embarrassment. Sure it didn't help that her face is still stuffed with delicious sweets, and yeah it also didn't help that Gingersnap laughed in response, but Jannette had to defend herself, "NOOOoo OI'HM NO' UH NIFFLUH...."¹ She whined, in reality, yes... she was planning on packing a few snacks on her way to the common room, however, now after that comment, she doesn't wanna be known throughout the whole school as the 'Niffler'. That would destroy any credibility she'll have, like... ever!

"Lassie, ask that question again in the common room later tonight! After you've been welcomed to Slytherin --- in proper Slytherin fashion!"

Jannette gave an uncomfortable look at hearing that, 'What did he mean by Slytherin fashion?' she thought triggering the memories she heard from her siblings, this got her worried. Was it true that all the first years were gonna have to get bitten by a snake to be welcomed into the common room? Was it also true that they had to deal with scare pranks by the older Slytherin students? All of these things came together and caused the Slytherin girl to feel butterflies in her stomach, or was that just because of all the sweets she ate?

"Honestly... I wasn't expecting to be in Slytherin so much, but I was not completely sure of what other house I would be sorted into either. My father was a Ravenclaw so I thought maybe I could be in that one. But I agree with being ambitious about achieving stuff so I actually feel glad and proud to be here..my name is Violet, by the way"

Jannette loved that name.

Finishing her food, and not allowing for the same mistake to repeat itself, Jannette responded in Scottish delight, "Mmmm, twins Voyle', oi wasn' expec'in' t'be in Slytherin eithah!~ Infact moi whole famileh was in Gryffindor, moi older brothers 'n sis'ers, moi pa 'n ma, even moi Nan as well but--"² She shrugs her shoulders, "Excep' fer me since oi'm in Slytherin now so...."³ Jannette lightens up and chuckles, a genuine smile appearing on her face for the first time as dimples begin to show. Maybe the things about the snake bites, and the scare pranks were all just a rumor, maybe the whole Slytherins are mean people were just a stereotype, and maybe... just maybe, things are actually gonna be alright.

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Colin laughed merrily as he watched Niffler down another cupcake and the girl that introduced herself as Violet talked a little about her family and her hopes for her time in school. Colin bowed slightly and remembered that he never told these two his name. "Nice to meet ye, Violet! I'm Colin! A wasna so sure aboot Slytherin either, but it's no so bad, really. A've made a lot of friends in this house and all."

And it turned out Jannette felt about the same as Violet. "Well, Jannette, ye can show them what Slytherin is about, then, right?" Colin smirked. Weren't he and the gang going to show them what Slytherin is really about after dinner?

The Sorting Hat sang out another name for Slytherin: Rebecca Loops! Poor lad looked like he wanted to say something, but the sight of all the food seemed to capture his attention. Colin laughed again. What was it with first years and food? He could never remember being hungry at home --- were all of these kids starved for the last eleven years or something?

"Oi! Lambchops! What's yer name? Looks like you and Niffler here," he cocked his head towards Jannette, "should get along! Ye can eat her dinner and she can gobble yer dessert!"

Colin decided that a bit of turkey and roast lamb might be a nice combination. And some cheese. He looked around at all the new first years that had decided to sit nearby. He smiled now, but wondered how many of them would be around in a year, only to disappear from Hogwarts. He also couldn't help wondering which of these might turn out to be less than friendly than they appeared here on their first night!

@Janette Applebottom | @Violet Grace | @Rebecca Loops

Oi! Lambchops! What's yer name? Looks like you and Niffler here should get along! Ye can eat her dinner and she can gobble yer dessert!