General The Ravenclaw Table 2019 -2020

Jeremy sat a bit far from where most of the other Ravenclaw's sat. There, he admired the wooden table. It was in surprisingly good shape. His fingers glided along one of the dents left behind. Soon, he found himself getting distracted once more. Only this time, it was something far more important. Food. Smiling, he grabbed a healthy heaping of some peas, mashed potatoes and chicken. He ate silently, hazel eyes wondering around the hall. Eventually, his gaze landed on those in his table. Jeremy watched them with interest, listening to their banal conversations of what they did over the summer and gossip about others.

As he ate, his mind absentmindedly travelled back to what the hat had said. Cloud my judgement? Judgement of what? Sighing, Remy started focusing on all the intricate details of the hall again. It was much bigger than he could've ever imagined. Even with its big structure, it didn't make him feel small at all. It was homey and welcoming. A portrait caught his eye. He waved at it shyly. The man in the portrait waved back at him with a smile. Moving pictures had always been a bit unnerving to him, but the man he saw across the hall seemed nice enough. All the ones he'd seen had always been on the newspapers anyways.

After the sorting and cheers being tossed around, Lark took an empty spot at the Ravenclaw table closest to the stairs leading down from the stool, only for the fact it meant being able to sit down faster and be out of the way. She smiled and greeted those around her before scanning the massive amounts of food and drink laid out on the table in front of everyone. I can't wait to tell Mom.

Lark looked up and down the table as the students chatted amongst one another, others watching the sorting and of course everyone cheering for each 'Ravenclaw!' that was called out. She joined in the clapping and celebratory hoots, unable to help being caught up in the excitement of it all. Already her cheeks hurt from all the smiling and laughing. This felt amazing. She had been so lonely at home as an only child and it wasn't the same as constantly being around her other family members. Plus she couldn't imagine all the stories they probably had to share about past years. It felt as if she had just always been here with them... Such a nice feeling for once...

Helping herself to some sort of fizzie looking drink Lark turned towards the ceremony. She tried to make mental notes of all those being sorted. A handful of familiar faces from the Hogwarts Express. Shifting back to the table she made a plate for herself and looked down the table towards the curly haired boy who had been sorted a ways before her. He seemed to be deep in thought, she couldn't blame him. The hat had made her feel a bit strange and given her some odd advice? Lark wondered if it had done to same to him. Her focus shifting to the food in front of her she felt her stomach churn a little with homesickness.

James took a seat trepidaciously next to a silver-haired first year girl who'd been sorted slightly ahead of him. He motioned to speak to her but nervousness overwhelmed him. He grabbed a chicken drumstick and began chew on it quietly. Turns out wizard girls pretty much had the same effect on him as the muggle sort.

He slid off his backpack, his Mum had forced him to put a change of underwear in there "It's like getting on a plane," she'd said, "You don't know if your bag'll get there the same time you do." They were a pair of bright-red boxer briefs and stood out like a flag among the sea of blue robes. He tried to shove them as deep to the bottom as possible so nobody else would see them and prayed that the first impression of his new classmates wasn't that the first thing he was expecting to do at Hogwarts was pee his pants.

Along with that, he had a photo of him and Pete at the opening on the new Star Wars. It was the first time either Pete or Jame's parents had let them go to a midnight release of anything, and they'd been so hopped up on sugar, they'd both crashed before the opening crawl. He missed his friend with every fiber of his being at that moment. He couldn't tell him any of this. It had been one of the rules of this whole Wizarding business, his Mum and Dad could know but no other muggles were allowed to find out about the existence of magic. He bit his lip. He wished he was doing this with Pete.

He stuffed the picture back into his backpack and decided to try introducing himself to the girl again. He grabbed another drumstick for courage and stuck out his hand.

"Ah, Hi I'm James... I - uh, like your hair"

Interacting with @James McMurtrie

The celebrating in the Hall had started to get to Lark a little. Her ears felt like they were ringing and voice was a little horse from trying to keep up with all the cheering. Not that she wasnt enjoying herself but after the traveling she could feel herself fighting off a yawn here and there.

Finishing the last bit of her drink she gave a smile to the boy who had just been sorted and took a seat next to her. What an interesting bag. He seemed to be the only one carrying any of his stuff with him. She had her journal on her but it was on a cord safely around her side and under her robes. This seemed to be stuffed with all sorts of- was that? No. Couldn't have been. Lark tried not to be nosey as the boy went through his belongings. She watched him out of the corner of her eye. He seemed just as nervous as she felt.. maybe she should say something. Her mother would've scolded her for waiting this long before an introduction. Plus, his bag looked rather interesting with it's patterning. It sure wasnt anything she had seen before. Maybe she could start there.. Lark turned slightly and opened her mouth but was greeted with a pale hand in her direction.

"Ah, Hi I'm James... I - uh, like your hair"

Lark grinned as she took his hand gently and shook it. That was a muggle ritual right? She didnt know much about it but had heard her Father talk about it being a standard way to greet another person. Her cheeks flushed a bright red at his compliment.

"Oh! Thank you! I really like your bag." Lark spoke up a little as more cheering commenced.

"Pretty exciting huh? I figured I would end up in Ravenclaw but.. it didnt make this any less scary either." She could feel herself about to ramble on. She nervously gave a quick laugh and smiled at James, staring at him for awhile before she realized.. duh a name!

"I'm Lark!" She couldn't believe she almost forgot to even tell him her name. Why am I so awkward! Great now he would think she was some weird- oh god. She looked down to realize she had still been holding his hand. Her Father hadn't said anything about a time frame for a hand greeting but this must have been too long. She was so caught up in having someone to talk to that she forgot. Lark nervously let go of James' hand and brushed a stray strand of hair from her vision.

Interacting with @Lark Flaer

The girl took his hand gently and for a moment he felt a little more at ease. He noticed the golden flecks in her eyes and the way her silver hair seemed to shimmer in the candlelight. She was teeming with power. She seemed to him to be right at home in this enormous castle; a magical creature among her kind. And then there was him... a scared muggleborn clinging to a novelty backpack. It felt like he was there by mistake, like he was some sort of bad joke.

But the kind, silver-haired girl looked like she had no intention of making him feel that way. In fact, she seemed almost as nervous as he was.

""Oh! Thank you! I really like your bag."

Wait, she wasn't blushing was she? It seemed he'd caught the girl off guard. And just for a moment he saw her for what she was; just like him.

;"Pretty exciting huh? I figured I would end up in Ravenclaw but.. it didnt make this any less scary either."

Hmm, he figured he'd end up in Gryffindor but he was steadily becoming less disappointed in his new home.

"I'm Lark!"

It was at that point he realised he was still holding her hand. Or was she still holding his? He couldn't really tell, he just knew this was one of those uncomfortable moments that would return to haunt him in years to come.

"Uh... Oh cool. Like the bird right? Uh... James is just... James... um I'm not really named after any animals."

ANIMALS? Seriously!? He was sinking. This conversation was going south quickly, and he was almost totally certain that Lark had seen his boxer-briefs. He was on a steady track to becoming an outcast, that weird kid the other kids would whisper about in the halls.

"Cling to what you know, James." he thought. She'd asked about his backpack.

"It's from Jurassic Park. Uh... the movie. It's a movie. Have you... Do you know about movies?"

Maybe the Sorting Hat had been wrong when it had said he was quick-witted. He grabbed another chicken drumstick.

Interacting with @James McMurtrie

Grabbing herself another helping of potatoes Lark gave the boy a nod. She felt much less anxious with his question. Kind of awesome he even brought it up, normally her name stemmed all sorts of bird brain, flighty, type teasing. If he still wanted to talk to her after an awkward handshake then she didn't want to chance messing anything else up on the first night there. Gran always scolded her that first impressions were everything.

"It is! Some sort of tradition with my family about the first born having a bird name. Not sure where it came from." Lark shrugged and shoveled a spoonful of buttery potato into her mouth. Man was she hungry, swallowing hard she continued. "Plus they both work with tons of different creatures for the Ministry." This was great, a topic she felt comfortable enough with she might chat his ear off. She hadn't expected to meet someone she felt this comfortable with so quickly. A huge grin spread across Lark's face.

"It's from Jurassic Park. Uh... the movie. It's a movie. Have you... Do you know about movies?"

She watched as James grabbed another drumstick. His question made her pause. Oh he... James was muggle born? Half? Lark instantly felt like the biggest idiot ever. The thought had never crossed her mind while they were talking, he seemed to fit right in. This was.. was-
SO.
COOL.
Her eyes widened at this opportunity. Movie? She admitted to being rather sheltered at home and basically thrust into everything and anything magical. Not to mention her parents always too busy outside with their research, Lark had never really interacted with Muggles. She knew about basic Muggle things but being outside and being with her family had always been priority.

"Jurassic Park? Right movies like... oh that whole moving pictures thing like we have?" Lark pointed at the portraits along the wall. She scooted closer to James and inspected his bag.

"Is this a popular thing? It's awesome! How much does it hold? Does it do anything? My aunt once had this bag that ended up growing teeth or something, crazy! It actually bit her hand once, some sort of hex." Her curiosity was getting the best of her. The rest of the sorting ceremony was long gone in her mind, wanting to know more about whatever the heck a Jurassic Park was? Way more interesting.

@Lark Flaer


"Jurassic Park? Right movies like... oh that whole moving pictures thing like we have?"

He saw her Golden eyes flood with curiosity, and he felt a rush of excitement fill him.

"There's nothing like the joy of finding somebody who's never heard of a thing you love," his Dad would say to him, "Cherish one of those people like a diamond, because you get to experience your favourite thing for the first time all over again along side them."

The words started to fly from his mouth.

"Oh yeah! Totally, it's like that. But you can't talk to them. You just sort of - watch them... and the tell these amazing and crazy and fun stories. Like, for example, Jurassic Park. It's about these scientists, right? And they figure out a way to bring dinosaurs back to life because they find this mosquito with like dinosaur blood in it. And then this guy, he's called Richard Hammond, and he wants to make a theme park out of it, but he also makes all these super dangerous dinosaurs and they get out. And his grandkids and a bunch of scientists have to survive a whole night with these terrifying dinosaurs trying to get them. It was kind of scary the first time I saw it but then it wasn't so scary after that."

He shifted in his chair for a moment, hoping he hadn't lost the girl completely, but she still seemed hooked into the curiosity of meeting a muggle-born. She scooted closer to him and for a moment the nervousness flooded back. She saw him looking at his backpack.

"Is this a popular thing? It's awesome! How much does it hold? Does it do anything? My aunt once had this bag that ended up growing teeth or something, crazy! It actually bit her hand once, some sort of hex."

"Ah, well. The bag doesn't really do anything. It's sort of just... holds stuff, like a trunk... see?" he opened the bag to show her but then suddenly remembered his undergarment predicament and snapped it shut quickly. "Ah... well, there's uhm... private... well not that private... I just don't. Maybe you don't need to see what's inside. You seem smart enough to get the idea, we're- ah- Ravenclaws afterall."

He smiled lopsidedly and stashed the bag under the table.

"Listen, Lark. You're one of those- uh- what do you call them? Like, pureblood witches, aren't you? You said your Parents work for the Ministry of Magic right? So you've got a pretty good grasp on this whole- magic thing.
Can I be honest with you for a sec? I'm really freaking out. I only found out that magic exists last Autumn and I'm really not coping super well with the - whole - uh- y'know just the whole thing. Moving pictures, and talking hats and teachers wearing armour and stuff. It's a lot. I'd really like somebody who knows what they're talking about to show me around... M-maybe - maybe you could teach me some more about this wizard stuff and I could teach you some more about this muggle stuff. I don't know - if you want. Everyone needs somebody to look out for them - you know? And, like, my only friends growing up were muggles and none of them are here with me now. So, could we be friends? "

He grabbed a goblet of pumpkin juice and held it up. "Ah, I don't know if you have this, but sometimes when muggles make pacts with each other they clink their cups together, so- uh just clink away if you'd like to be friends".

Interacting with @James McMurtrie

Lark's mouth hung open as she listened to James explain Jurassic Park. The poor girl felt like her head was going to nod right off of her shoulders! A scientist? Dinosaurs seemed to be the only thing she sort of knew. Some type of Dragon thing..I think? It was amazing how much he knew and was willing to explain to her. Plus, looking at his eyes she could tell this must be something he really enjoyed. That nasty homesickness that had been knotting itself up in her stomach started to loosen.

"Wow." Was all she could manage, her imagination trying to brew up just what this movie would look like.

"Ah, well. The bag doesn't really do anything. It's sort of just... holds stuff, like a trunk... see?"
Except she didnt get to see, he had snapped it shut before her eyes could even peer inside again. She remember the- it's for the best She thought waving the flash of red from her mind before giving him a quick smile and nod back.


"Listen, Lark...." James went on to explain his situation. No wonder he had looked so nervous. She couldn't imagine having to do any of this alone especially not having any idea about the magical world until now. There were plenty of other Muggle born students who came, but Lark figured the majority were already from magical families. She couldn't even wrap her head around how Muggles got by without it. As the boy spoke to her, Lark felt a bit of pride well up inside her.

"...Everyone needs somebody to look out for them - you know?"

Was he really asking her? Even her own family had brushed her off as silly and naive. Here James talked to her like she could actually be useful for once. Her gaze fell to her lap where her hands laid tied together nervously. Was she really the best option, there had to be others who knew so much more than her especially about Hogwarts. No stop. She warned herself. This is what the hat meant, no more doubting.

Taking a breath and pulling her gaze up to face her newfound friend, Lark looked at the goblet then matched James' brown eyes. Without giving herself time to overthink things and scare herself away, she grabbed her goblet and put it in front of his.

"Friends!" She laughed and tapped her goblet against his. This was going to be the best year at Hogwarts she could feel it.

@Lark Flaer

As the two first years’ goblets clacked together, James felt a rush a excitement and energy. Perhaps this year wasn’t going to be so bad after all! And as Lark officially declared them “Friends” it was as if a dam broke in his mind.

He told her everything. About his Dad, how they loved to watch old movies together. The first time he taught James how to ride a bike. About how he’d freaked out for nearly an hour when James got his Hogwarts letter, yelling “I knew it!!” Over and over like a conspiracy theorist who’d just had his ideas validated.

His Mum. Who’d fussed over him for every preceding month leading up to his trip to Hogwarts. Making sure she read every book she could get her hands on concerning anything remotely connected to magic. She knew more than he did about Hogwarts. She’d also made sure to pack everything she could to remind him of home, his Star Wars posters, all of his novels and his D&D stuff. He’d asked her not to pack it, figuring wizards had no interest in pretending to be wizards, but he was now glad she had. Even if he never played, at least it reminded him of home.
His Mum had also sneaked a few muggle treats into his backpack and he shared a bag of Skittles with Lark.

He also told her about Pete. How James and he had met under pretty similar circumstances. A lunch table at his preschool. They’d traded lunches and formed a friendship that had lasted the rest of their lives. He told her about all the pranks they’d played on Pete’s sister and that one incident where they broke into the school to see if the lunch lady was trying to brainwash the school (she wasn’t). He told her about how much he missed Pete and how angry he felt that he couldn’t tell Pete anything about Hogwarts.

The flood came thick and fast, but he felt at home for the first time in months. Maybe he did belong here.