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Post by jessimyre on Nov 26, 2008 3:16:50 GMT -5
Sydelle sat aprehensively, eager to start her class but worried about her friends.
"My name, is Ms Higgins, and you may call me this or just 'Professor' will do." The pretty witch told them. She gazed around at her class as each child focused on her, some fidgeting, eager to begin.
"I am sorry to tell you that you won't be doing a lot of magic immediately, it is important as first years to be able to work through the theory and preparation before we begin brandishing wands willy nilly." some of the class huffed in dissapointment which merely made their teacher smile.
"Today we begin your journey through Defence Against the Dark Arts..." suddenly the door opened and two students half collapsed through the doorway. Ms Higgins raised an eyebrow, clearly not pleased to be interrupted in such a sudden manner.
"I trust you have a valid reason for being late for your first class?" she asked them both.
Teddy and Sydelle grinned in relief, Teddy catching Rafael's eye.
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Post by blossom on Nov 26, 2008 17:59:54 GMT -5
Sir Cudogan led them through the halls and up several staircases along what Rafael was quickly convinced was the long way to the classroom - if indeed it was the way to classroom at all.
When Cudogan finally skidded to a halt in a painting hung by a large, oak door Rafael was out of breath and his legs ached from running flat-out to keep up with the small and portly but oddly fast knight.
"Here we are," Cudogan declared, brandishing his sword. "Our quest is fulfilled! You class awaits, sah, m'lady!"
Rafael glanced at Deylani, and the two of them lunged for the door. They half-collapsed into the classroom, and looked up to see a classful of Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors staring at them in bemusement and a very pretty witch who was presumably their teacher looking less-than-pleased.
"I trust you have a valid reason for being late for your first class?" she asked.
Rafael, who had been searching the class and caught sight of Teddy and Sydelle grinning relievedly at them, turned and held his note out.
"Yes, sorry Professor. We were with Professor McGonagall."
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Post by twilightblade on Nov 29, 2008 16:12:28 GMT -5
Deylani hung back and caught her breath, nodding and holding out her own note when Rafael spoke to the pretty young witch who was their teacher.
She smiled across the room at Sydelle and Teddy, then turned her attention back to their teacher. She hoped they hadn't missed too much of the class; defense was very important, and she needed to learn all she could about it. Or so her father kept saying.
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Post by jessimyre on Nov 29, 2008 17:04:59 GMT -5
"Thank you." Professor Higgins nodded to them as she took the notes, "Please take a seat."
As they moved away from her to take their seats Professor Higgins carried on.
"As I was saying, we are first going to be learning theory before brandishing our wands. It is very important that you thoroughly understand this before spell-casting is to take place. During your first year, we will be covering basic defense spells for the first term. After Christmas we will progress to recognising some of the more common dark creatures found in Britain including werewolves, grindelows and banshees.
I expect you all to work as hard as you can during this class, learning to defend yourself and keep safe is of the utmost importance and I will not tolerate students talking when I am, nor passing notes, Ms Deagan!" suddenly Professor Higgins whipped out her wand and the note that the guilty student was passing burst into flame, crumbled and vanished as Audrey Deagan squealed in shock.
"Five points from Hufflepuff. I trust you will not do it again." the Professor continued in a calm tone. She continued with the lesson, asking all the students to get out their books and to read the first chapter on defensive spells.
"There will be no need to talk." she told them.
The lesson seemed to fly by and before long, after reading and then taking some notes on defensive spells, it was time to pack up and hurry to their next class. Sydelle packed up quickly and followed Rafael out the door.
"Are you OK?" she asked, and glanced at Deylani, "I mean, well, considering everything?" she finished stupidly, hoping they'd understand what she meant.
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Post by blossom on Nov 29, 2008 18:03:38 GMT -5
Rafael's head was filled with thoughts all clamouring for attention. He was functioning on autopilot as he jotted down notes in Professor Higgins' class, then repacked his bag and followed the crush of students out of the door. Sir Cudogan had disappeared from the painting outside, he noticed.
One corner of his mouth twitched up into a half-smiled as Teddy came up beside him and clapped him on the shoulder. They stood there for a moment in awkward silence until Sydelle's quiet voice piped up behind him.
"Are you OK? I mean, well, considering everything?" she asked, eyes bright with concern.
Rafael shrugged and sighed. He glanced at Deylani before he answered, wondering what she would tell Sydelle and Teddy. Well, whatever, he'd promised he'd keep her secret and he'd stick by that.
"Well, no, not really," he told Sydelle truthfully. "I mean, with my mother and everything ... but I will be," he added, with another half smile. "Thanks. For standing by me. It, it meant a lot, you know."
He felt like he might start crying again, and fiercely blinked it back. He was a man, after all.
"I wrote to my grandmother," Teddy started. Rafael nodded.
"I know," he said. "You are the best friend ever."
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Post by twilightblade on Dec 8, 2008 18:41:03 GMT -5
Deylani was relieved to find that her experience in public schools and under her father's tutelage stood her in good stead, and the class went by easily as she took detailed notes and even managed to find a bit of down-time to doodle small portraits of her classmates onto the sides of her notes. It was fun rediscovering how to draw with a quill. Ink made everything so different.
The class itself was very interesting, and the incident with the Hufflepuff girl had been informative in its own way. But she was more than ready to move on when the end of class came, and hurried out into the hall with the others, where Sydelle spoke up, giving Rafael a concerned look.
"Are you OK?" she asked, and glanced at Deylani. "I mean, well, considering everything?"
Deylani stayed quiet as Rafael shrugged and sighed. He glanced at her, his eyes firm with a silent promise not to speak. "Well, no, not really," he told Sydelle truthfully. "I mean, with my mother and everything ... but I will be," he added, with another half smile. "Thanks. For standing by me. It, it meant a lot, you know."
"I wrote to my grandmother," Teddy started. Rafael nodded, and Deylani did too, then quickly stopped. That wasn't for her anyway; it was Rafael's own information.
"I know," he said. "You are the best friend ever."
Deylani shrugged off her uneasiness at staying silent, and instead asked brightly, "So, where do we go next?"
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Post by jessimyre on Dec 9, 2008 18:34:51 GMT -5
Sydelle glanced at Deylani. Something wasn't quite right, although she was asking brightly about their next class something in her eyes spoke of sorrow. Sydelle resolved to find out, she couldn't bear her friend to be unhappy when she herself was simply extatic at being at Hogwarts and having made such good friends immediately.
"Transfiguration on the fourth floor, then Herbology in Greenhouse 1, and flying out in the grounds later!" Teddy grinned, leading the way to the flight of stone stairs at the end of the corridor. As the class was half-way down, there was a creaking and a groaning and suddenly the bottom of the staircase began to move! It eased away from the corridor below and smoothly moved around to the next one instead. A couple of the students squeaked in fear but before long the movement had ceased and the students clambered down fast, not wanting to remain on the staircase.
"Brilliant!" Teddy grinned as they sped down the corridor, "This is a faster way to Transfiguration."
Sydelle wondered how he knew but followed him anyway. And he was right, before long the Gryffidor first years had arrived at the door of a classroom and lined up chattering about the odd happenings in the castle such as moving staircases.
Before long, another group of students arrived. These were from Ravenclaw House and they smiled shyly at one another until their teacher arrived.
More note taking dominated this class. Theory had to be understood before wands were waved, and although the students were almost sick with excitement to begin spellcasting they took their notes obediently, knowing that only if they did well in this section would they be permitted to start using their wands.
Lunch came and went, and Herbology was very interesting with the class launching straight into a study on common plants used in healing and potions.
Finally, the most anticipated class of the day, flying. Dashing up to the Gryffidor tower to offload their school books and bags, the Gryffindors raced eachother outdoors to the Quidditch pitch for their first flying lesson.
Arriving nearly breathless, the students all stood in a group, eyes bright and cheeks red from the hurry. Madam Hooch was waiting for them, eyes twinkling as she watched the last few students arrive and join the group.
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Post by blossom on Jan 21, 2009 18:17:04 GMT -5
Flying was what Rafael had been waiting for ever since his letter from Hogwarts had arrived. He had been out on a broom a few times before, but with his brothers jostling and bullying him around he had never just been able to let loose and enjoy being aloft, flying.
"Flying! Ace!" Teddy was clearly excited too, punching the air in breathless anticipation.
Rafael grinned at him, racing him down the staircase to the sweeping lawn outside where Madam Hooch was waiting with a knowing smile. Teddy won the race, but Rafael didn't mind, eyes lighting up at the sight of the broomsticks lined up for the two classes - who were they sharing this class with ...?
"Gryffindors!" Madam Hooch called them all to attention with her crisp, commanding voice, "Welcome to your first flying lesson! Line up behind the brooms!"
The students obediently did so. Rafael found himself between Teddy and Deylani. He pulled a teasing face at Teddy, who responded with an outrageous expression aided by his skills as a metamorphagus, and then turned and smiled at Deylani. He hoped she was feeling a little better. Although he still didn't know her exact situation, he had resolved that unless she found somewhere to live he wouldn't go to Teddy's without her. It wasn't fair, and he wouldn't do that to a friend.
He still couldn't really believe he had friends. That this wasn't all just a dream ...
... or a nightmare.
The other class heading towards them and lining up opposite by their own brooms was Slytherin. Rafael suppressed a groan. Oh, it would have to be wouldn't it?
A number of them were already pointing at Rafael and whispering in snide undertones. Unpleasant giggles and sneers drifted across the lawn. Rafael, turning bright red, again, felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to look at Teddy.
"Don't you worry, mate. We're with you," he said, adding under his breath, "Bloody Slytherins."
"Alright!" Madam Hooch called. "Class is begun. Any talking, disrupting or other tomfoolery will result in ten points taken from your House and you will not be allowed to continue with the lesson. Clear?"
"Yes, Madam Hooch!"
"Good. Now, stick your right hand over the broom and say 'Up!'"
The students did so. Some brooms moved, others didn't. Rafael caught a few snide glanced directed his way from the Slytherins who had their brooms. Trying not to let it get to him, he stuck his hand out over the broom. He had done this before. He knew how to do it. It was easy.
"Up!"
The broom jumped into his hand. His face cracked into a grin of relief.
"Good Mr Levy! Come on now, the rest of you, with feeling!" Madam Hooch called.
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Post by jessimyre on Jan 24, 2009 18:38:03 GMT -5
Sydelle glanced apprehensively toward the Slytherin students. They all seemed to be so confident and so sure of themselves, and she wondered why that might be. She noticed that not all of them were joining in the snide remarks and giggles, a couple were just looking cool and aloof or even just ignoring everything around them.
Madam Hooch called the class to order and gave them all their instructions which were very basic. Sydelle didn't do as she was told immediately, she was much to frightened that the broom wouldn't move at all. Rafael's broom jumped straight into his hand and Teddy barely had to speak at all for his broom to zoom straight up for him.
She was however, heartened that not all the brooms were as obedient - it seemed some students were having a very hard time getting their brooms to behave. Zephyr's broom merely twitched when she said "Up." in a small voice and one or two Slytherin students brooms merely rolled over much to the amusement of their fellows. Ingrid was so excited she missed catching her broom altogether and it soared straight up as she fumbled for it and sailed out of reach rapidly.
Madam Hooch tutted and leapt aboard her own broom to catch the runaway and return it to the red head who's face was burning scarlet amid the laughter.
Sydelle took the opportunity to try her broom whilst most the class's attention was elsewhere. Hand over the broom handle, she opened her mouth but before a word was even uttered, it leapt straight into her hand. She stared at it in suprise, the handle was warm to the touch and seemed... friendly... insofar as a broom could.
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Post by twilightblade on Jan 27, 2009 18:03:53 GMT -5
Deylani only watched for the first try, mostly concentrating on taking a very good look at which particular Slytherins were making fun of Rafael. They would be trouble later, but by then, she should have an idea of what she could do about them.
Rafael and Teddy did just fine, although she noted that Sydelle waited as she did. When Madam Hooch took off after the escaping broom, though, she noted the...interesting...reaction of Sydelle's broom. Very interesting. If all the stories her father had told her were correct, Sydelle had a very bright future in flying. Smiling, she held her hand out over her broom, keeping her voice to a low murmur. "Up."
As she expected, it drifted gently to her hand and nestled in her palm, waiting. She smiled with relief all the same. More out of the fact that no one seemed to have noticed her or Sydelle, than out of an anxiety for the broom. When it had been her task to clean up back when she'd lived at home, this had been one of the ways she had practiced her magic.
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gingherslayr
Chaos Initiate
95% of deadly is still deadly!
Posts: 12
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Post by gingherslayr on Feb 1, 2009 21:57:22 GMT -5
Keeli had always loved hearing about Hogwarts in the letters she used to receive from her adoptive father, since her real father hadn't known of her existence until a few years before his death. Granted that was before the whole war with Lord Voldemort and his forces had broken out. Once that had started, the letters came in less frequency and though he tried his best to keep her hopes up, she could sense the tension and sadness. This was the first time she actually had the chance to see it all though. She looked out through the trees of the Forbidden Forest and took a deep breath. The thestral behind her nudged her with its nose and she turned and patted it, pulling a raw steak out of a paper bag and tossing it to it. She put up her hood and walked onto the grounds with nothing more than a large duffel bag over her shoulder. Here goes nothing[/color], she thought. She had always been told she bore a striking resemblance to her biological father though feminine and a little more level headed than him. One hand remained in her pocket the entire time, lightly fingering the wand in her pocket, attempting to remain calm. Once she came to the front doors, she paused and took another deep breath before pushing through and went inside. She dropped her hood and looked around for a minute, taking it all in before walking up a set of stairs. A voice behind her made her jump and she spun to see an older man with a cat at his feet, looking at her very suspiciously. She almost started laughing when she saw the multitude of colors on his face but managed to keep her amusement under control.
"Where do you think you're going?" Filch questioned.
"I'm looking for the Headmistress' office", she said calmly. "If you don't need to go to the hospital wing, I don't suppose you'd be willing to help me."
"Are you expected?"
"I told her I was coming here a week ago. So I'd imagine she's expecting me."
He sneered and walked past her, showing her the way. As she followed him, she looked at everything and took it all in. They approached a gargoyle and before Filch opened his mouth, Keeli stepped forward and addressed the gargoyle, giving the password. Filch stared at her in blatant distrust but she ignored him and walked up the stairs to the office. He stormed off and she knocked on the door. When there was no response, she slowly opened it and peeked inside. There was no one around that she could see. I might as well wait for her to come back[/color]. She began looking around at all the paintings and the books in the shelves when soft voice spoke to her.
"I was wondering when you'd show up."
She smiled and turned around to look at the portrait of Albus Dumbledore, who was smiling. When she looked at his bright blue eyes, she almost began to cry.
"Only took me ten years to get over the combined deaths of you and Sirius. Where's Professor McGonagall?"
"Having a discussion with the mother of one of the students. She should be back shortly. Ah, here she is now."
She turned back around and faced the fireplace that had burst to life and made sure her long, black hair was out of her face, and waited for Professor McGonagall to step out and hopefully welcome her into the "Hogwarts family". If not, it was going to be a rocky process to fitting in with her American accent and habits.
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Post by jessimyre on Feb 2, 2009 4:43:11 GMT -5
Sydelle smiled quietly to herself and turned with the rest of the students to see Madam Hooch returning to earth with Ingrid's runaway broom. The girl was blushing scarlet and mumbled her thanks as she took back her broom.
A movement out of the corner of her eye made her look back to the castle where she saw a small hooded figure entering the main doors. She wondered briefly who it might be.
She turned back to the class as Madam Hooch called for attention.
"Right, class. Next I want you to all sit astride your brooms. On my whistle I want you to kick off the ground hard and rise straight up a few feet, then come straight back down. Straight back down, understand?"
"Yes Madam Hooch." the class chorused. Most students were flushed with excitement at the prospect of flying, only a few seemed unsure or afraid. Ingrid's face was alight and Teddy was already astride his broom, waiting impatiently for the signal to go.
The rest of the students hurriedly got astride their brooms. Sydelle's took her weight almost as though the broom was a solid object rather than a thin stick suspended in the air.
"And one, two..." 'peeeep!' the whistle blew and Sydelle leapt up just like the others. The wind whipped her hair as the broom shot skywards, carrying her straight up. Her stomach swooped and her eyes were alight with the thrill. She levelled the broom instinctively and it stopped in mid-air. She took a few deep breaths as other students arose around her.
Ingrid was right beside her, Teddy had begun to loop-the-loop, showing off his skills and Sydelle's musical laugh escaped her. What a feeling! She gazed around for her classmates, many were already heading down. She wondered how she was to get the broom to head back to the ground but just as she contemplated it, the broom began to lower swiftly to the floor. Within moments her feet touched the ground and she looked up at her teacher, face radiating pure joy.
Ingrid landed beside her. Teddy was still showing off and Madam Hooch's whistle rang out again. Then her voice. "Mr Lupin! If you please!" reluctantly, he came back to earth.
Suddenly a shrill cry rang out.
"Madam Hooch! I can't get down!" A girl's voice was frightened and distant. High above them, a student's broom hovered in the air. Sydelle squinted against the sunlight as she tried to see who it was.
"I'll get her!" Teddy offered, and leapt back aboard his broom.
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Post by twilightblade on Feb 17, 2009 18:13:46 GMT -5
Again Deylani took her time, letting the broom carry her gently a few feet off the ground and enjoying the bright joy on Sydelle's face. She couldn't help but smile as Teddy had to be re-called to earth, long after her own feet had been set firmly on the ground again.
She had taken the time to stare around at the other students once more, seeing which of the Slytherins might be good at flying--and so a possible danger to Sydelle--and had followed her friend's look to the dark-cloaked figure that had entered Hogwarts. Whoever it had been had come from the Forbidden Forest, a place her father had told her never to enter...and was therefore worthy of thought. She fixed the way the person moved in her mind, and turned her attention back to the lesson just as a girl's frightened cry trailed to the ground.
Teddy, of course, was immediately back on his broom, and Deylani nearly followed him. But...her gaze went back to the Slytherins, many of whom were sneering and laughing. She'd rather run interference if it was needed.
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Post by jessimyre on Mar 26, 2009 2:00:21 GMT -5
The day was passing quickly, Sydelle decided as she sat down to eat her lunch. By common assent, she and her new friends had decided the day was too fine to remain indoors for the lunchbreak so they had grabbed a flagon of pumpkin juice, a dozen mixed sandwiches and a plateful of fingerfoods and gone out to eat in the grounds.
After the excitement of Flying class and Teddy becoming the hero of the hour helping the student who was unable to get her broom back to earth, they had chosen a spot just a hundred feet or so from the lake, beneith the memorial statue. Teddy had chosen it, really and the others agreed the shaded, grassy spot on the lawn was a comfortable place to eat.
As she munched contentedly on a curried egg sandwich Sydelle idly read the plaque on the base of the beauiful statue that depicted a Pheonix taking flight.
"In Memory of those who laid down their lives to defend the innocent in the final battle at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry and the Wizarding War that preceeded it; 1998" the plaque began, and beneith it a list of names in alphabetical order.
She felt saddened, remembering Teddy's mention of a war at dinner the night before, being brought up by Muggles she didn't know the wizarding history but no doubt would learn. The battle was just 10 years ago, the year she was born. There were a lot of names on the plaque. Realisation struck her. Teddy's parents' names would be on the plaque.
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gingherslayr
Chaos Initiate
95% of deadly is still deadly!
Posts: 12
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Post by gingherslayr on Mar 26, 2009 16:22:05 GMT -5
Once Keeli was done talking with Professor McGonagall, she walked back down to the main hallway and saw students milling around. She got a number of odd looks from students and she could only imagine why. When she paused to let a few ghosts walk past, she heard a few students whispering behind her.
"She looks like pictures of Sirius Black that I've seen." "She couldn't be related, could she. Black supposedly only had a younger brother." "She's too young to be a sibling."
Keeli didn't even bother to listen to the rest of the conversation. She held little doubt that news of her existence and identity would spread across the grounds soon enough. No need to give it a headstart. She went into the Great Hall and grabbed a few sandwiches and a glass of pumpking juice then went back out onto the grounds. As she stepped outside and the sun hit her black hair, she immediately felt warmer and took a deep breath of the clean air, closing her eyes. She bit into a sandwich and saw a monument a short distance away. She became curious and wandered over. She noticed a few students nearby but didn't approach them. As she looked down the list, she saw a number of names that her adopted father and real father's letters had named. Her fingers trailed down the lists of names but stopped at Albus Dumbledore's and Sirius Black's names, her heart dropping and suddenly wondering if she could remain here.
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Post by jessimyre on Mar 26, 2009 17:35:46 GMT -5
Sydelle noticed the odd new girl who had wandered over to look at the magnificent monument and realised she hadn't seen her at the sorting. She wondered if this was the girl she'd seen entering the castle during flying.
Interupting the others' chatter she chanced a tentative "Er... hello."
The girl's fingers were resting over two names close to the beginning of the list, she looked sad and, Sydelle noticed, she also looked several years older than she and her friends.
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gingherslayr
Chaos Initiate
95% of deadly is still deadly!
Posts: 12
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Post by gingherslayr on Apr 4, 2009 17:06:24 GMT -5
Keeli jumped when she realized she was being addressed and looked up, making eye contact with the girl facing her. She looked like a first-year and Keeli forced a small smile onto her face, her hand returning to her side.
"Sorry, I have a tendency of zoning out," she replied. "Hello. I'm Keeli. Keeli Black."
She swallowed, wondering how her name would go over with the first years in front of her, one of whom looked slightly familiar but she had no idea why that would be.
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Post by jessimyre on Apr 5, 2009 1:07:25 GMT -5
"I'm Sydelle Beaufort." Sydelle answered cheerfully and then pointed to and introduced each of her friends in turn.
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Post by twilightblade on Apr 9, 2009 16:39:01 GMT -5
Deylani smiled and nodded when Sydelle told Keeli her name, but she was looking at the names the girl had been touching. Standing up, she leaned over and placed her own fingertips on one of the names.
"Black?" Her voice fell into the next pause in the introductions. "Are you related?"
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gingherslayr
Chaos Initiate
95% of deadly is still deadly!
Posts: 12
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Post by gingherslayr on Apr 13, 2009 16:24:36 GMT -5
Keeli nodded in response to the question, looking at her father's name and swallowing. She'd never met him and had only gotten a few letters from him before he died. All she had of her father's were a few pictures Dumbledore had sent her from when Sirius was in school. He looked so happy with his friends. She wished she had experienced his joy in person. There was always only so much emotion you could put into simple words and it never was enough.
"I'm Sirius Black's daughter, believe it or not. Albus Dumbledore was my adoptive father while Sirius was in Azkaban. I've spent all my life in America until now, hence the accent," she responded, smiling slightly and looking at the others. "Took me several years to get up the courage and will to come here but here I am. So weird to be here when I've only heard about it."
She looked around the grounds then looked back at the first years in front of her.
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Post by jessimyre on May 26, 2009 19:42:05 GMT -5
Is ging still coming on here? I'll post away and if she isn't no harm done - if she is... then she can post her character back in.
"Oh." Sydelle answered. The war she had heard fleetingly about didn't mean so much to her as it did to the others. The significance wasn't as large.
A bell tolled and students began reluctantly rising.
"C'mon," Teddy urged his friends. "That's the first bell. We have to be at class by the second and you don't want to loose any points on your first day, do you?" he chivvied the others along with him.
"Sorry, we have to go." Sydelle told the older girl who remained by the statue.
The students got to their feet and hurried back to the castle.
The rest of the day, and indeed the first week flew by in a blur. Sydelle and her friends fell exhausted into their beds every night after a long day of studying and practising magic. Life seemed pretty perfect to Sydelle, and she enjoyed writing to her parents about her new life as a young witch.
They learned the best ways to class, they learned to avoid Peeves and hide from Filch when he was in a foul mood. They began to use magic and learn the theory behind spells and Sydelle was delighted to see that she was not at all behind the other students with wizarding parentage at all.
Flying remained a highlight in her days however she shied away from the small games of Quidditch that the First Years played amongst themselves, the pace too fast and frightening for her and she was terrified of the bludgers.
History of Magic was fascinating, as Professor Binns told them all about He Who Must Not Be Named (although they did learn the real name but most students and many teachers preferred not to use it) and about Teddy's Godfather Harry Potter and his two best friends who had defeated the most evil wizard in history.
Teddy was getting famous as everyone realised who he was and he cheerfully basked in the reflected glory-by-association.
Things were going very well as the weeks took them into October. The grounds began to lose their charm as it got cold and instead the students spent most of their lunch hour indoors.
One misty autumn morning...
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Post by twilightblade on Jul 17, 2009 19:30:39 GMT -5
Deylani had eaten quickly today and hurried from the dining hall as soon as she could, avoiding her friends. Clutching her books to her chest, she headed for the one place that she was certain no one would find her. At least, no one had yet. And she could take her books there without needing to worry she might get in trouble.
She climbed through the window onto the roof near the girl's dorm tower and settled back against the chill mix of wood and stone, staring up at the clouds. Halloween was not far away, and neither was Christmas. The rest of the students were excited about the upcoming holidays, but all it could mean for her was a possible expulsion from the school or going to be part of the dreadful 'orphans' home, or whatever passed for it in the magical community.
Her brows wrinkled as she tried to recall the name of the place the Headmistress had mentioned. She shook her head. Popinjay's. But it was supposed to be a wizarding foster family or something. She supposed it would be ok over Christmas, but staying at Hogwarts for a holiday like that would only serve to remind the Headmistress that she didn't have a place to stay for the summer. She clenched her teeth and rolled over, pulling out one of her drawing notepads she'd brought with her. She would draw for a bit.
Sydelle flying gracefully through the air on her broom, backed by the treetops of the Forbidden Forest and a stray cloud.
Rafael gesturing with his wand as he did a spell, face serious and concentrated, and light spilling down over him from one of the floor-to-ceiling windows in the Charms room.
Teddy grinning and wiggling improbable ears in Professor Longbottom's herbology class, his hands buried in the dirt and with a smuge across his nose.
A rare side-glimpse of Keeli Black, staring across the lake, face solemn and sad, one hand holding her hair back from her face as she leaned over a table.
Professor Longbottom holding up a screaming baby mandrake, demonstrating the proper technique of repotting it.
The gargoyle at the foot of the stairs to the Headmistress' office.
Peeves, shrieking and thwarted in his mischief, as furious Filch and his spitting cat, Mrs. Norris, looked on.
She found herself smiling, relaxed again, as she spread the inked drawings out on the roof, weighting them down with beautiful pebbles so they wouldn't fly away. She'd work on one of her Histry of Magic essays while they dried.
She reinked her quill and opened her book, finally looking up as she stretched the kinks from her hands and shoulders.
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Post by jessimyre on Jul 18, 2009 21:50:09 GMT -5
Sydelle and Teddy had raced each other to the school brooms that morning. They signed the best two out with Madam Hooch, pleased to be first that cool Saturday morning. They nodded impatiently as Madam Hooch reminded them of the limits they had to stick to before kicking off.
"Seen Delayni this morning?" Sydelle asked Teddy as they settled into a mid-air conversation.
"Nope but I'll race you around the course!" Teddy grinned and crouching low he shot off on his borrowed Nimbus gaining a rapid head-start.
"Teddy!" Sydelle complained to thin air, she too crouched low over her broom urging it on to greater speeds as she chased her friend down, flying at a breathtaking pace around the castle, using the turrets, towers, battlements and arches as an obstacle course.
Whizzing after Teddy, Sydelle almost missed the little shape on the roof of the Gryffindor tower but she stopped anyway, Teddy rapidly vanishing from sight. She recognised her friend.
"Hey!" Sydelle called as she rode the broom carefully down to the rooftop.
"What are you doing up here?" she asked. "Are you alright?"
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Post by blossom on Jul 19, 2009 15:09:20 GMT -5
Rafael was up early that morning. His friends were still asleep as he silently dressed and slipped from the dorm, feet padding quietly down the stone staircase into the common room. There were only a couple of other people about, who now ignored him out of habit.
The rest of Hogwarts was also eerily quiet as he left and made his way through the labyrinth of corridors and staircases. After a few weeks he found he knew the castle like the back of his hand, even in the dim greyness of dawn.
A few of the portraits greeted him as he passed; after his cold reception by almost everyone at the school, Rafael's kind-hearted, affable manner and dedicated work ethic had earned him the benefit of the doubt and he was slowly beginning to be accepted.
It didn't take him very long to reach his destination of the Library, but he hesitated a few minutes before pushing open one of the large oak doors, which swung back on its hinges with a protesting creak.
Madam Pince, up at the crack of dawn as usual, glanced briefly up at him as he entered before returning to her stack of books in need of organising. Rafael kept his head down as he scurried between the tall bookcases, stopping when he reached the only occupied table.
The brown-haired, blue-eyed third year sat there kept reading for a few minutes, then carefully, deliberately, slotted a bookmark in place and closed the leather-bound cover with a soft whumph. Then he looked up at Rafel.
"Hello."
"Hello, Gabriel."
Rafael greeted his brother warily; true to his mother's word, none of his brothers had acknowledged his existence. They had icily frozen him out in the corridors, refused even to glance his way, and had not exchanged one word with him since he had been Sorted into Gryffindor. The other Slytherins were not so kind, jostling and heckling him at every opportunity.
Yesterday, however, Rafael had received a note from Gabriel requesting this meeting. He wondered what was so important as to make his brother risk their mother's wrath.
"How are you?"
"Alright." Rafael slid into an empty seat. "Why -"
"Mum's still furious, you know. She's disowned you entirely and so have Zephyr and Samael."
"I know," Rafael murmured, still upset over the Howler, "Then why are you ...?"
"Because I may be in Slytherin but I'm not a total git," Gabriel snapped. "You're still my little brother."
"Oh. Really?"
"Yes, really, you idiot. What are you doing for Christmas?"
"Teddy's grandmother said I could stay with them."
"That's good. I wondered if you might stay here."
"I was going to," Rafael admitted, "But then Teddy invited me ... and I don't think anyone else is staying. Except maybe Deylani ..."
He frowned. He hadn't actually asked Deylani what she was doing, and had wondered whether or not to hint to Teddy to invite her as well. He was certainly determined that if she was staying at Hogwarts then he would too, but she didn't seem to want to discuss her situation at all.
"Okay. How are your lessons going?"
"Good. I'm doing well at Charms and Flying, but not so much at Potions or Transfiguration."
"Let me know if you need any help."
"Really?" Rafael looked up at his brother wonderingly, suddenly realised he may have completely misjudged Gabriel all these years. He'd known he wasn't as awful as their elder brothers, but he'd never bothered to stand up for Rafael before.
"Yes, really. But you can't tell anyone. It's just between us, got it?"
"Got it."
Soon afterwards, Rafael found himself running down the steps towards the grounds with a much lighter heart.
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Post by twilightblade on Jul 31, 2009 16:18:29 GMT -5
Deylani squeaked and jumped, then scrambled to keep her notes from flying off, hide her portraits, and not roll down the roof all at once. In the end she caught her notes, was facing Sydelle, and hadn't quite managed to hide her drawings.
"Sydelle!" She took a quick breath, trying to slow her heart. "I--you...surprised me." She pulled up a wobbly smile and tried to firm it up. "I was just...doing my essay." She held up the notes and her quill as she got to her feet, then quickly tried to changed the subject, gesturing toward the broom Sydelle was on. "Practicing with Teddy?"
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