19 May 2023, 11:43
You Again . . .
Harmony Hollins had been in the presence of countless beautiful constructions and landscapes that commanded attention, but the Great Hall may have given them all a run for their money. Her hair swished over her brand-new robes as she turned her head this way and that, trying to take in everything and process her thoughts at once.Beginning of school year - September 2023
There were so many people! What a massive school. She marveled.
Why must every new child stand in a weird clump as we wait for ages? She wondered
Imagine being at the back of the clump and having to push your way to the stool. She sympathised, watching a poor student do just that.
I wonder how many heads have touched that hat. She thought as the hat sorted another student into Ravenclaw. Yuck. The hat. Not Ravenclaw. My mum’s in Ravenclaw. I love my mum
With her name being somewhere in the middleish of the alphabet, Harmony got to gain confidence from watching others go first but at the same time, did not have enough time to psych herself out. This was her preferred spot in a lineup.
Unfortunately, Harmony had spent the lengthy Hogwarts Express ride with only her thoughts for company and already had mountains of thought shoving for space in her head. She could feel adrenaline begin to trickle through her bloodstream when suddenly, her name was called and the whole store of Harmony Adrenaline tipped over and flooded her senses. She knew there was nothing to be scared of: her parents reassured her several times of that. However, just like her apprehension of the Platform 9 ¾ wall, Harmony couldn’t help but feel fear. What if something went wrong? What if they couldn’t find a house for her? What if she didn’t like her house? What if they made her choose? She couldn’t make decisions! What if what if what if-
As Harmony reached the stool that every butt had touched and the hat that every head had worn, she turned to face the rest of the students and by gosh, that was a lot of people. With every single eye on her and every face visible, she reached slightly behind her for the stool and pulled herself up with the expertise of someone permanently shorter than most raised seating surfaces. She picked a spot just above the students furthest away from her and stared, finding a little comfort in the eye discipline she so often practised when she didn’t fancy making uncomfortable eye contact with the audience. With a tactic she often used on stage, it felt a little more like performing and she felt a little less scared somehow.
She felt the slight warmth of the Sorting Hat envelope her head and there was an odd voice in her head. Intrusive as it was, it didn’t feel malicious at all.
Hmmm, The voice pondered. I remember your parents. Your mother, especially, shares your same drive to bond with others.
Harmony broke her eye contact with the spot at the back of the hall and let her eyes flicker up, where she saw the brim of the hat
Interesting. . . you are nearly an even split between your parents’ houses but it will have to be
“Hufflepuff!”
Harmony's heart fell a little, although she hated herself for it. She got off the stool and headed for the table of yellow fabric, where several older students were offering friendly smiles. Once seated and out of the way of other First Years, Harmony could contemplate her new house and her disappointing reaction. She had thought she might be in Ravenclaw, as it was her mother’s house and she always felt more similarities with her mother, but she angrily reminded herself that Hufflepuff was her father’s house and her father was a wonderful person and she loved him.
Relatively soothed, Harmony prepared to turn her attention back to the Sorting, where some student named Flynn Montgomery was about to discover his found family. That reddish brown hair looked oddly familiar, Harmony thought to herself, her irritation from the train slowly growing back. The student at the stool turned around and, yes, Harmony’s worst fears (well, maybe not that dramatic) were true. It was Fallon from the platform. All her alone-time spent thinking about the day’s events had dramatised what Fallon had done and she couldn’t help but give him a little side-eye as the Sorting Hat was lowered onto his head. Surely he would get something like Gryffindor with how aggressively he barged into her and dipped, and then they wouldn’t have to interact because Harmony was also a little embarrassed to be honest although she wasn’t sure why, and surely Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs didn’t have heaps of cla-
“HUFFLEPUFF!”
Surely Harmony had just been so deep in thought that she completely missed the Hat calling out “Gryffindor”? Nope. Here came Fallon to the Hufflepuff table now, and no one was ushering him away. Surely he’d find somewhere else to sit and they wouldn’t have to mention the platform? There were so many other seats to be fill- nope. Here he came to the seat directly across from Harmony. Surely if Harmony pretended to be extremely engrossed in the sorting of the next student, he’d find another far more interesting stude- and there it was, she’d made eye contact with him.
Lovely.
Reducio
Interacting with @Flynn Montgomery
Last edited by Harmony Hollins on 16 Jun 2023, 10:37, edited 2 times in total.
| STA • 6|EVA • 5|STR • 4 Keen Eye WIS • 8|ARC • 5|ACC • 7 |
Harmony Hollins Ency #b8884e |
And lo, he did reach into his bag of talent, and verily, it was found to be barren |
20 May 2023, 01:16
You Again . . .
Flynn had started to feel the weariness set in as he was caught in the middle of the large crowd of first years, all clamouring for their first look into the famous Great Hall of Hogwarts. This, however, immediately dissipated as the grand doors were opened with great flair, and the magnitude of the hall blew any story his mother had told him out of the water. The candles danced tantalizingly in the air, and he was taken aback as he looked up and saw the early evening sky looming over him with such realism that he could almost count all the stars in the sky. He'd been told by his mother about the roof emulating the sky outside but neglected to share the details of how realistic it was.
As soon as the large crowd entered, Flynn could hear the loud chatter momentarily halt as everyone wanted to get the first looks at the first years. Some Slytherins had clamoured over each other to get a better look, while it seemed like half the Gryffindor table had stood up, craning their necks to see everyone. The semi-awkward silence was broken by low murmurs between the higher years. Flynn caught a comment about a Hufflepuff girl trying to see their younger brother and a Ravenclaw gossiping about who would end up in each house.
The first years were halted at the end of the tables, and Flynn could see it—the Sorting Hat, perched upon a withered and antique three-legged stool, looking down on all those before it. Its classic scowl painted across its faded leather, Flynn wondered if the Sorting Hat ever smiles, but once he pictured it in his mind, he quickly realized it was a sight he didn't want to see. As he stood near the Ravenclaw side of the crowd, he could feel a stare digging deep inside of him, and as he turned around, he caught the eye of a taller Ravenclaw girl who had long brown hair and perfect posture. She appeared to be in her last years of Hogwarts, and as he glanced at her steel blue eyes, she quickly darted her attention to the Sorting Hat as Flynn realized the first kid was already going up to the stool.
Flynn managed to just catch the kid's name, 'Aaron Abbots,' a slender boy of pale complexion and thick-framed glasses. As he cautiously approached the hat, Flynn couldn't help but feel bad for the kid, knowing that being the first one called on in an unknown situation would be stressful as anything. As he sat down on the stool, the hat was placed carefully on his head, and after a few seconds of deliberation, the Sorting Hat bellowed out its decision:
"I must be Ravenclaw!"
The kid's face burst out in relaxation as a giant grin appeared on his face. He made his way over to the table of silver and blue, where he was greeted by an eruption of cheers and pats on the back. The poor kid had his hair ruffled so much that his glasses were barely on his face as he took his seat.
Flynn had zoned out the next few kids as he was staring at the grand arches extending into the sky or the banners that seemed to flap and flow despite no wind being present. The whole situation had completely swallowed him whole; he was lost in the beauty of what surrounded him—the warm glow of the candles that were glowing brighter as the night grew darker. He was snapped out of his daydream by a sudden collection of clapping coming from Hufflepuff, where he noticed a shorter girl with long black hair step off the stool and was greeted by warm smiles from her fellow students. It was her, the girl from the platform. Hermione! Flynn was glad to see her go to Hufflepuff; Flynn was glad to see her go to Hufflepuff; he had a slight fear that she might end up in Slytherin, but no, Hufflepuff through and through it seems.
Paying more attention now, he sees the next student swagger his way up to the stool, his greasy jet-black hair swaying with each step. He sits slouched on the stool, and the hat barely had time to announce his selection into Slytherin before a sly smirk emerges from his face, revealing his pearly white chompers to the world. He makes a big scene of getting into Slytherin, his cocky stride not stopping as he was greeted by a similar energy from the green and silver. What a twat, classic Slytherin.
"Flynn Montgomery."
Flynn barely had time to snatch a spiteful glance at the arrogant person before him when his name was called. He had an awkward time approaching the front as he had to push past a few students. After maybe one too many "sorrys" and near misses with tripping over loose feet, Flynn had finally made it to the front. He took a second to adjust his robes as the awkward silence he encountered before had returned. As he approached the stool, he thought about all the history he was about to be a part of and all the students that had come before him. He thought of his mother and what she was like during her ceremony. All those thoughts quickly dissipated once he sat on the stool and the hat was placed on his head. He looked around at all the eyes staring up at him. He enjoyed it, though the silence didn't make it better.
Hmmm... Islas son, yes, a true Hufflepuff she was indeed.
"Yes, yes, Hufflepuff," accidentally let slip through his ear-to-ear grin.
Hmm, that tenacity would suit Gryffindor just right... I know, must be... HUFFLEPUFF!
"Yes!" Hufflepuff, Flynn didn't know what to think or say or do as the ecstasy flooded him. As the hat was removed, he pounced up joyously as he looked over to the yellow and black badgers, and he saw all the students stand in applause. As he approached the table, he saw a student stand up and greet him with a firm handshake and warm smile. "Welcome to Hufflepuff," he must've been a prefect. As he wandered down the table, between giving handshakes and getting his hair ruffled by older students, he scanned for a spare place to sit. He analyzed his options—a group of third-year boys who appeared rowdy but fun, a gorgeous fifth-year who sat on their own but would still be some fun conversation—then he saw her and immediately dropped all his other options. The one spare seat opposite Hermione. He completed his greetings to the other students and sat down across the enigma he met on the platform. She appeared to be deeply absorbed in the ceremony, so he decided to make the first move.
"Well, hello there, stranger. It's good to see you again, Hermione."
As soon as the large crowd entered, Flynn could hear the loud chatter momentarily halt as everyone wanted to get the first looks at the first years. Some Slytherins had clamoured over each other to get a better look, while it seemed like half the Gryffindor table had stood up, craning their necks to see everyone. The semi-awkward silence was broken by low murmurs between the higher years. Flynn caught a comment about a Hufflepuff girl trying to see their younger brother and a Ravenclaw gossiping about who would end up in each house.
The first years were halted at the end of the tables, and Flynn could see it—the Sorting Hat, perched upon a withered and antique three-legged stool, looking down on all those before it. Its classic scowl painted across its faded leather, Flynn wondered if the Sorting Hat ever smiles, but once he pictured it in his mind, he quickly realized it was a sight he didn't want to see. As he stood near the Ravenclaw side of the crowd, he could feel a stare digging deep inside of him, and as he turned around, he caught the eye of a taller Ravenclaw girl who had long brown hair and perfect posture. She appeared to be in her last years of Hogwarts, and as he glanced at her steel blue eyes, she quickly darted her attention to the Sorting Hat as Flynn realized the first kid was already going up to the stool.
Flynn managed to just catch the kid's name, 'Aaron Abbots,' a slender boy of pale complexion and thick-framed glasses. As he cautiously approached the hat, Flynn couldn't help but feel bad for the kid, knowing that being the first one called on in an unknown situation would be stressful as anything. As he sat down on the stool, the hat was placed carefully on his head, and after a few seconds of deliberation, the Sorting Hat bellowed out its decision:
"I must be Ravenclaw!"
The kid's face burst out in relaxation as a giant grin appeared on his face. He made his way over to the table of silver and blue, where he was greeted by an eruption of cheers and pats on the back. The poor kid had his hair ruffled so much that his glasses were barely on his face as he took his seat.
Flynn had zoned out the next few kids as he was staring at the grand arches extending into the sky or the banners that seemed to flap and flow despite no wind being present. The whole situation had completely swallowed him whole; he was lost in the beauty of what surrounded him—the warm glow of the candles that were glowing brighter as the night grew darker. He was snapped out of his daydream by a sudden collection of clapping coming from Hufflepuff, where he noticed a shorter girl with long black hair step off the stool and was greeted by warm smiles from her fellow students. It was her, the girl from the platform. Hermione! Flynn was glad to see her go to Hufflepuff; Flynn was glad to see her go to Hufflepuff; he had a slight fear that she might end up in Slytherin, but no, Hufflepuff through and through it seems.
Paying more attention now, he sees the next student swagger his way up to the stool, his greasy jet-black hair swaying with each step. He sits slouched on the stool, and the hat barely had time to announce his selection into Slytherin before a sly smirk emerges from his face, revealing his pearly white chompers to the world. He makes a big scene of getting into Slytherin, his cocky stride not stopping as he was greeted by a similar energy from the green and silver. What a twat, classic Slytherin.
"Flynn Montgomery."
Flynn barely had time to snatch a spiteful glance at the arrogant person before him when his name was called. He had an awkward time approaching the front as he had to push past a few students. After maybe one too many "sorrys" and near misses with tripping over loose feet, Flynn had finally made it to the front. He took a second to adjust his robes as the awkward silence he encountered before had returned. As he approached the stool, he thought about all the history he was about to be a part of and all the students that had come before him. He thought of his mother and what she was like during her ceremony. All those thoughts quickly dissipated once he sat on the stool and the hat was placed on his head. He looked around at all the eyes staring up at him. He enjoyed it, though the silence didn't make it better.
Hmmm... Islas son, yes, a true Hufflepuff she was indeed.
"Yes, yes, Hufflepuff," accidentally let slip through his ear-to-ear grin.
Hmm, that tenacity would suit Gryffindor just right... I know, must be... HUFFLEPUFF!
"Yes!" Hufflepuff, Flynn didn't know what to think or say or do as the ecstasy flooded him. As the hat was removed, he pounced up joyously as he looked over to the yellow and black badgers, and he saw all the students stand in applause. As he approached the table, he saw a student stand up and greet him with a firm handshake and warm smile. "Welcome to Hufflepuff," he must've been a prefect. As he wandered down the table, between giving handshakes and getting his hair ruffled by older students, he scanned for a spare place to sit. He analyzed his options—a group of third-year boys who appeared rowdy but fun, a gorgeous fifth-year who sat on their own but would still be some fun conversation—then he saw her and immediately dropped all his other options. The one spare seat opposite Hermione. He completed his greetings to the other students and sat down across the enigma he met on the platform. She appeared to be deeply absorbed in the ceremony, so he decided to make the first move.
"Well, hello there, stranger. It's good to see you again, Hermione."
Reducio
interacting with @Harmony Hollins
20 May 2023, 05:14
You Again . . .
Perhaps Harmony could pretend she didn’t see him. People’s eyes slid over her lots without ill intent so surely she could pretend to not see him and he wouldn’t be offended and would turn back to the other students? Sure, she could snap or roll her eyes but, irritating as the name was, she felt like Finnigan was trying really hard to make friends, giving her a nickname and all, and she didn’t want to be rude. Everyone was deserving of basic human decency and it wasn’t his fault Harmony’s worn-out social battery was in the negatives. Innocent blindness it was then, she decided.
“Well, hello there, stranger. It’s good to see you again, Hermione”
She’d thought there was no way she could feel even more adrenaline after her Sorting, but there it went, coursing through her bloodstream in a panic. At that moment, the Sorting Hat shouted “Ravenclaw!” and the Great Hall burst into applause which Harmony gratefully joined, smiling at the student going to join their house. As the applause died down, Harmony risked a glance at the boy across from her who, after applauding the latest Ravenclaw, instantly turned again to look at her with a smile. She gave him a close-lipped smile and briefly raised her hand in a greeting wave so as to not sever their … classmate-ship? Friendship? She wasn't sure. Either way, she had been raised to be polite and wasn’t about to ruin someone’s first day of school.
With the nature of the Sorting Ceremony, there weren't many opportunities for students to maintain a meaningful conversation without the interruption of a name, House, or applause, and Harmony spent most of her time admiring the Hall around her or inspecting the students and trying to draw creative conclusions. That pretty girl over there was probably silently communicating with friends in other houses, that student sitting at the back had given up on trying to see, and the boy across from her had a weird liking of the name Hermione on her face.
She’d zoned out a few times when her imagination ran away or when she tried to figure out what was going on with the architecture of the Hall and eventually, the last unfortunate student was finally sorted and could rest their poor feet and nerves at their new table. With a few final words from the Headmaster, the Ceremony was done and heapings of food appeared before the students’ eyes. The smell was heavenly and as students began to dig in, the volume level quickly rose with excited chatter. Decisions, decisions! Harmony did not like decisions but she decided to take a little bit of everything that looked good and try to not fall into a food coma.
Conversation flowed around her and she listened in, picking up bits and pieces of everyone’s lives. Someone eagerly asked their sibling about the common rooms, someone else gasped in happiness at the quality of their food, ooh someone had a crush on someone at another table, and someone was calling for someone else called Hermion- oh. That was meant to be her. Harmony slowly looked up from her food to the she-still-didn’t-know-what-colour-his-stupid-hair-was boy, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw a brown-haired fellow First Year shovelling food into her mouth as if she’d never seen food before. She knew Finnigan was probably saying something, but she couldn’t help it: the other First Year was hilarious and Harmony burst into involuntary laughter. Unfortunately, she had food in her mouth and breathing was a requirement of laughter and so she took a gasp and her bite hit the back of her throat and her laughter turned into aggressive coughing.
“Well, hello there, stranger. It’s good to see you again, Hermione”
She’d thought there was no way she could feel even more adrenaline after her Sorting, but there it went, coursing through her bloodstream in a panic. At that moment, the Sorting Hat shouted “Ravenclaw!” and the Great Hall burst into applause which Harmony gratefully joined, smiling at the student going to join their house. As the applause died down, Harmony risked a glance at the boy across from her who, after applauding the latest Ravenclaw, instantly turned again to look at her with a smile. She gave him a close-lipped smile and briefly raised her hand in a greeting wave so as to not sever their … classmate-ship? Friendship? She wasn't sure. Either way, she had been raised to be polite and wasn’t about to ruin someone’s first day of school.
With the nature of the Sorting Ceremony, there weren't many opportunities for students to maintain a meaningful conversation without the interruption of a name, House, or applause, and Harmony spent most of her time admiring the Hall around her or inspecting the students and trying to draw creative conclusions. That pretty girl over there was probably silently communicating with friends in other houses, that student sitting at the back had given up on trying to see, and the boy across from her had a weird liking of the name Hermione on her face.
She’d zoned out a few times when her imagination ran away or when she tried to figure out what was going on with the architecture of the Hall and eventually, the last unfortunate student was finally sorted and could rest their poor feet and nerves at their new table. With a few final words from the Headmaster, the Ceremony was done and heapings of food appeared before the students’ eyes. The smell was heavenly and as students began to dig in, the volume level quickly rose with excited chatter. Decisions, decisions! Harmony did not like decisions but she decided to take a little bit of everything that looked good and try to not fall into a food coma.
Conversation flowed around her and she listened in, picking up bits and pieces of everyone’s lives. Someone eagerly asked their sibling about the common rooms, someone else gasped in happiness at the quality of their food, ooh someone had a crush on someone at another table, and someone was calling for someone else called Hermion- oh. That was meant to be her. Harmony slowly looked up from her food to the she-still-didn’t-know-what-colour-his-stupid-hair-was boy, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw a brown-haired fellow First Year shovelling food into her mouth as if she’d never seen food before. She knew Finnigan was probably saying something, but she couldn’t help it: the other First Year was hilarious and Harmony burst into involuntary laughter. Unfortunately, she had food in her mouth and breathing was a requirement of laughter and so she took a gasp and her bite hit the back of her throat and her laughter turned into aggressive coughing.
Reducio
Interacting with @Flynn Montgomery
| STA • 6|EVA • 5|STR • 4 Keen Eye WIS • 8|ARC • 5|ACC • 7 |
Harmony Hollins Ency #b8884e |
And lo, he did reach into his bag of talent, and verily, it was found to be barren |
20 May 2023, 10:07
You Again . . .
No response,
"Ah, that's alright," Flynn breathed to himself, slightly defeated.
It seemed the surrounding atmosphere had captivated Hermione, as she was too preoccupied eagerly awaiting the next student in line. As the hall burst into applause once more for a student going to Ravenclaw, Flynn enthusiastically joined in with the crowd, noticing Hermione doing the same. Once they had sat back down, he saw her glance over at him with a half smile and a hand gesture resembling a small wave. There it was—an opening, a chance to start an interaction that didn't have to end so hastily. Flynn opened his mouth, but alas, only air idly dripped out, for the first time in forever, Flynn had forgotten what to say. As he sat there, mouth agape, staring at the girl who always seemed to be just an arm's reach away but impossible to grasp, this wasn't a romantic fantasy of a stranger, but rather a perplexing puzzle whose finish seemed to get further away the closer it looked. Like an actor who had forgotten his line, Flynn knew what he needed to say but couldn't, for the life of him, think of what it must be. So, for now, he sat there, platonically admiring Hermione, noticing niche little things about her—how she seemed to possess a quiet charm, the dancing flames of the floating candles effortlessly reflecting off her eyes, her slight smile as she applauded the students taking their seats at one of the four tables. It showed Flynn that she carried a genuine kindness. He hadn't known her long enough to confirm his guesses, but for now, he could see why Hufflepuff was the right choice for her. Unlike most people, her beauty wasn't just skin-deep; it was a deeply rooted part of her personality as well. He thought about every possibility of their conversation and all the things he wanted to say, interrupted now and then by loud applause, which he felt obligated to partake in.
As the last first year found their house for the next seven years, Flynn managed to gather enough attention to hear the headmaster's few dull words. He was a little startled at the food appearing in front of him due to not fully paying attention to anything; however, it allowed him to realize this was a great opportunity to finally spark up some conversation with Hermione. As he started to speak to her, though, one of the outcomes he wished wouldn't happen, happened—her attention seemed to be quickly gobbled up by surrounding second and third years who shared what sounded like their whole life stories with each other, as she listened closely. He tried one last seemingly feeble attempt to grasp her attention and managed to spew out, "Hermione," speaking into a black wall of neatly laid hair.
It worked.
What was only milliseconds felt like a few minutes for Flynn, as Hermione turned towards him and he caught her eye for only a second. As he finally allowed his words to escape his mouth, he noticed her eyes move ever so slightly, seemingly turning her attention elsewhere before bursting out in laughter.
Uh oh.
Did Flynn spill some pumpkin juice on his robes? Was Peeves playing a prank on him by making him look funny? What on earth could it be? Before he could come to a conclusion, Hermione started a coughing fit, and Flynn's immediate instinct had to be to make sure she was alright.
"Hermione, are you alright? Is everything okay?" Flynn exclaimed a bit too loudly as he sat there frozen, not knowing how to help a person in this situation.
"Ah, that's alright," Flynn breathed to himself, slightly defeated.
It seemed the surrounding atmosphere had captivated Hermione, as she was too preoccupied eagerly awaiting the next student in line. As the hall burst into applause once more for a student going to Ravenclaw, Flynn enthusiastically joined in with the crowd, noticing Hermione doing the same. Once they had sat back down, he saw her glance over at him with a half smile and a hand gesture resembling a small wave. There it was—an opening, a chance to start an interaction that didn't have to end so hastily. Flynn opened his mouth, but alas, only air idly dripped out, for the first time in forever, Flynn had forgotten what to say. As he sat there, mouth agape, staring at the girl who always seemed to be just an arm's reach away but impossible to grasp, this wasn't a romantic fantasy of a stranger, but rather a perplexing puzzle whose finish seemed to get further away the closer it looked. Like an actor who had forgotten his line, Flynn knew what he needed to say but couldn't, for the life of him, think of what it must be. So, for now, he sat there, platonically admiring Hermione, noticing niche little things about her—how she seemed to possess a quiet charm, the dancing flames of the floating candles effortlessly reflecting off her eyes, her slight smile as she applauded the students taking their seats at one of the four tables. It showed Flynn that she carried a genuine kindness. He hadn't known her long enough to confirm his guesses, but for now, he could see why Hufflepuff was the right choice for her. Unlike most people, her beauty wasn't just skin-deep; it was a deeply rooted part of her personality as well. He thought about every possibility of their conversation and all the things he wanted to say, interrupted now and then by loud applause, which he felt obligated to partake in.
As the last first year found their house for the next seven years, Flynn managed to gather enough attention to hear the headmaster's few dull words. He was a little startled at the food appearing in front of him due to not fully paying attention to anything; however, it allowed him to realize this was a great opportunity to finally spark up some conversation with Hermione. As he started to speak to her, though, one of the outcomes he wished wouldn't happen, happened—her attention seemed to be quickly gobbled up by surrounding second and third years who shared what sounded like their whole life stories with each other, as she listened closely. He tried one last seemingly feeble attempt to grasp her attention and managed to spew out, "Hermione," speaking into a black wall of neatly laid hair.
It worked.
What was only milliseconds felt like a few minutes for Flynn, as Hermione turned towards him and he caught her eye for only a second. As he finally allowed his words to escape his mouth, he noticed her eyes move ever so slightly, seemingly turning her attention elsewhere before bursting out in laughter.
Uh oh.
Did Flynn spill some pumpkin juice on his robes? Was Peeves playing a prank on him by making him look funny? What on earth could it be? Before he could come to a conclusion, Hermione started a coughing fit, and Flynn's immediate instinct had to be to make sure she was alright.
"Hermione, are you alright? Is everything okay?" Flynn exclaimed a bit too loudly as he sat there frozen, not knowing how to help a person in this situation.
Reducio
interacting with @Harmony Hollins
21 May 2023, 01:34
You Again . . .
"Hermione, are you alright? Is everything okay?" Someone asked.
I'm dying, Harmony thought, rather dramatically to herself. On the contrary, she had choked on laughter several times in the past and was quite alright in this situation. Her first shocked choke had already gotten rid of the assassin food and her resulting wheezing was to attempt to draw enough air to soothe the shock.
How unfortunate it is, the process of wheezing. When your body is determined to breathe out so you draw in air, as breathing is double-sided, and it just leaves likes a never-ending circle. Fortunately, Harmony stopped dying pretty quickly. Unfortunately, when she looked up, she was met with the faces of several concerned students and one Finnigan, who seemed to be leaning slightly over the table. Maybe it was her imagination. She half-smile-half-grimaced at the surrounding students, and, as they gradually turned back to their dinners and conversations, Harmony bemoaned her bruised pride. How many students attended this school? How many people would that be, watching her not know how to properly engage in one of the most vital functions of life?
Her irrational complaints faded away as she remembered some kind soul asking a question that had gone unanswered, but as she looked up to reply, she was met with Finnigan's eyes full of concern. It really was infuriating; how was she supposed to be properly irritated at someone so well-intentioned?
"Yeah, I'm ok," she wheezed. And then, quietly, almost as an afterthought: "Thanks . . . Finnigan"
It would a lot easier if Finnigan was a proper weirdo, but alas, he reminded Harmony of a golden retriever puppy and she was not going to be rude to that face even if his energy was overwhelming.
With that done, she could guiltlessly turn back to her dinner and begin eating again. Veeeerrrry slowly. And trying not to look up in case the First Year was still inhaling food. No other reason. Definitely.
Hopefully, dinner is over soon. She thought to herself. The Sorting had been lengthy and she was tired and a bit sore and right now, a cosy Hufflepuff bed sounded amazing.
I'm dying, Harmony thought, rather dramatically to herself. On the contrary, she had choked on laughter several times in the past and was quite alright in this situation. Her first shocked choke had already gotten rid of the assassin food and her resulting wheezing was to attempt to draw enough air to soothe the shock.
How unfortunate it is, the process of wheezing. When your body is determined to breathe out so you draw in air, as breathing is double-sided, and it just leaves likes a never-ending circle. Fortunately, Harmony stopped dying pretty quickly. Unfortunately, when she looked up, she was met with the faces of several concerned students and one Finnigan, who seemed to be leaning slightly over the table. Maybe it was her imagination. She half-smile-half-grimaced at the surrounding students, and, as they gradually turned back to their dinners and conversations, Harmony bemoaned her bruised pride. How many students attended this school? How many people would that be, watching her not know how to properly engage in one of the most vital functions of life?
Her irrational complaints faded away as she remembered some kind soul asking a question that had gone unanswered, but as she looked up to reply, she was met with Finnigan's eyes full of concern. It really was infuriating; how was she supposed to be properly irritated at someone so well-intentioned?
"Yeah, I'm ok," she wheezed. And then, quietly, almost as an afterthought: "Thanks . . . Finnigan"
It would a lot easier if Finnigan was a proper weirdo, but alas, he reminded Harmony of a golden retriever puppy and she was not going to be rude to that face even if his energy was overwhelming.
With that done, she could guiltlessly turn back to her dinner and begin eating again. Veeeerrrry slowly. And trying not to look up in case the First Year was still inhaling food. No other reason. Definitely.
Hopefully, dinner is over soon. She thought to herself. The Sorting had been lengthy and she was tired and a bit sore and right now, a cosy Hufflepuff bed sounded amazing.
Reducio
interacting with @Flynn Montgomery
| STA • 6|EVA • 5|STR • 4 Keen Eye WIS • 8|ARC • 5|ACC • 7 |
Harmony Hollins Ency #b8884e |
And lo, he did reach into his bag of talent, and verily, it was found to be barren |
22 May 2023, 00:12
You Again . . .
Phew!
Hermione was alright, after a few laboured wheezes. Her breathing returned to normal, and Flynn could see the immediate embarrassment swallow her whole as she took in her surroundings. Flynn immediately sprang into cleaning mode, offering Hermione a napkin while he hurriedly removed the small pile of improperly chewed food that lay in a slimy mound on the table. He knew it would all be removed by magic, but he still wanted to retain an air of normality around them to save Hermione from any lingering stares.
As he frantically wiped around the table and cleared up any out-of-place dishes, he heard Hermione let out a "Yeah, I'm okay." It felt like it wasn't addressed directly to him, but in his haste to finish off the cleaning, he wasn't able to fully capture the end of her sentence. As he put the last treacle tart on its tray and wiped away the last would-be stain on the silky mats that lay under their plates, he let out a long sigh. Finally able to relax back into his seat, he resumed enjoying the mountain of cauldron cakes he had snuck onto his plate.
As the feast went on, he kept a watchful eye on Hermione, making sure she wouldn't meet her demise at the hands of an under-chewed turkey leg. Alas, she hadn't even looked up from her plate since the incident. Poor girl Flynn thought to himself, deliberating on how to change the situation to something more positive. However, nothing suitable came to mind, so he was left with the task of keeping watch over the innocent girl in front of him. She just wanted to enjoy her first day at school but was left with a day of people blundering into her and now being subject to becoming the first-year who became overly eager when eating her first Hogwarts meal. Flynn wished he could do anything to make at least the end of her first day something memorable for a good reason.
As the rest of the feast droned on, surrounded by joyous overzealous conversation, Flynn decided to remain where he was, despite the gloomier embarrassed cloud that surrounded the two nervous first-years. He felt that moving anywhere or joining another conversation would be a disservice to the girl in front of him. She at least deserved to have a person who stuck by her to escape the solitude she'd feel after a day like today. So, he sat there, plotting the many ways he hoped to brighten her following days.
Hermione was alright, after a few laboured wheezes. Her breathing returned to normal, and Flynn could see the immediate embarrassment swallow her whole as she took in her surroundings. Flynn immediately sprang into cleaning mode, offering Hermione a napkin while he hurriedly removed the small pile of improperly chewed food that lay in a slimy mound on the table. He knew it would all be removed by magic, but he still wanted to retain an air of normality around them to save Hermione from any lingering stares.
As he frantically wiped around the table and cleared up any out-of-place dishes, he heard Hermione let out a "Yeah, I'm okay." It felt like it wasn't addressed directly to him, but in his haste to finish off the cleaning, he wasn't able to fully capture the end of her sentence. As he put the last treacle tart on its tray and wiped away the last would-be stain on the silky mats that lay under their plates, he let out a long sigh. Finally able to relax back into his seat, he resumed enjoying the mountain of cauldron cakes he had snuck onto his plate.
As the feast went on, he kept a watchful eye on Hermione, making sure she wouldn't meet her demise at the hands of an under-chewed turkey leg. Alas, she hadn't even looked up from her plate since the incident. Poor girl Flynn thought to himself, deliberating on how to change the situation to something more positive. However, nothing suitable came to mind, so he was left with the task of keeping watch over the innocent girl in front of him. She just wanted to enjoy her first day at school but was left with a day of people blundering into her and now being subject to becoming the first-year who became overly eager when eating her first Hogwarts meal. Flynn wished he could do anything to make at least the end of her first day something memorable for a good reason.
As the rest of the feast droned on, surrounded by joyous overzealous conversation, Flynn decided to remain where he was, despite the gloomier embarrassed cloud that surrounded the two nervous first-years. He felt that moving anywhere or joining another conversation would be a disservice to the girl in front of him. She at least deserved to have a person who stuck by her to escape the solitude she'd feel after a day like today. So, he sat there, plotting the many ways he hoped to brighten her following days.
Reducio
interacting with @Harmony Hollins