# Hogwarts: A Role Play Game Thread



## Cardboard Tube Knight (Jan 3, 2011)

*Prologue:* It?s September 1st 2010 and it?s been almost twelve years since Voldemort?s defeat. Hogwarts is rebuilt and repaired and entirely new group of students grace its corridors. So as not to repeat the mistakes of the past and to bring unity to all magical peoples of England, then Headmaster Minerva McGonagall did away with the practices that forced students to associate with only their houses and opened up common rooms to other visitors and encouraged that houses mix at meal and class times.

While these changes were at first met with opposition, in just over a decade since they were instated there?s been a noticeable change in the school and what it meant to attend Hogwarts. The new first years know little of the Second Wizard War or the school as it was before it, they?re the product of a more unified, happier time. 

Though there are signs that dark times are on the horizons?

_As you make your way through the barrier between platform nine and ten, the first thing that you notice is the immense number of wizards and witches milling about in the thoroughfare. There are whispers here and there about something on the train.

?The Hogwarts Express this year was carrying something,? they said. ?Students are being asked to sit up in the front of the train?? others commented. ?All over England and even in some other parts of the world the magical and muggle creatures are going completely crazy and behaving oddly?? the conversations take different tones, levels of fear and excitement tint the speakers words?but the subject matter is the same?_

​ *2010-2011 ? Year One*
​
Steam and mist swirled around the red Hogwarts Express train engine at platform nine-and-three-quarters. A final group of the students plowed through the doors and into the passenger cars and there was a loud blast from the train?s enormous whistle. Upon entering its impossible for one to not notice the packed state of the train. A glaring announcement over the train?s loud speaker provided the reason for the crowding.

?We?d like to remind all students yet again the back car of the train is under guard and completely out of bounds,? came the voice.  

Without further explanation the announcement cut out. The player characters have coincidentally all been shuffled into a compartment together and are awaiting the train?s departure in silence, an older, dark haired Hufflepuff girl sits with them. Slowly the train lumbers forward and there is a cheer from some of the others in the other compartments. As the train pulls out of the station, picking up speed the people outside become blurs and then the whole building is left behind as a thunderous hoot comes out of the engine?s horn.

The dark haired Hufflepuff girl looks the small group of students over. ?So you?re all first year from the looks of it,? she says nervously as she averts her dark brown eyes away from anyone in particular.


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## Rhaella (Jan 3, 2011)

Aunt Cynthia and Uncle Aeron had seen her off at King's Cross, Cynthia silent while Aeron quietly pointed out and explained the random pieces of Muggle culture that they passed on their short trip through London. Niobe wasn't listening, fixated on the anxiety that coursed through her. What if she was sorted into the wrong House? What even _was_ the wrong House?

"You'll be fine," are Cynthia's last words before Niobe gets onto the Hogwarts Express. Aeron doesn't say anything at all.

Niobe gets ushered into one of the few compartments that still has seats available, and drops into a seat across from an upperclasswoman. _Have to be social_, she reminds herself, resisting the urge to hide behind one of her textbooks.

When the upperclasswoman speaks, Niobe looks up and manages to smile. "I am, yes," she says. "Niobe."


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## Cardboard Tube Knight (Jan 3, 2011)

The dark haired girl gives a weak smile as she regards Niobe. “Well try not feel too scared, Niobie,” she says though her own tone is still clearly wavering. “My name’s Amanda Pet—I’m a sixth year. It’s a long ride from here to Scotland, so you might want to get settled in for the ride though,” she said. 

((I’ve actually changed my character’s first name, not sure why I did this though.))

“M-m-my name’s Melanie,” stammered the lanky tan blonde compressed into the corner of the seat next to the window. “It’s nice…nice to meet you,” Melanie flashed a small smile and then stared down at the cage between her legs where an excited Falcon chirped loudly.

Amanda rose and stepped over near the door, the plane was picking up speed more now and outside the English countryside was rushing by at an immense speed. “I kind of got shoved in here in the panic, you know?” asked Amanda.


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## Rhaella (Jan 3, 2011)

"I'm not scared," Niobe protests, brushing black hair behind her ear. "Though... do you know what's going on with the back of the train?"

She smiles at Melanie. "You're a first year also?"


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## Cardboard Tube Knight (Jan 3, 2011)

Rhaella said:


> "I'm not scared," Niobe protests, brushing black hair behind her ear. "Though... do you know what's going on with the back of the train?"
> 
> She smiles at Melanie. "You're a first year also?"



Amanda shook her head. "Not a clue--I don't think even the conductor knows," she leaned down to whisper. "Though I heard that the Minster of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt himself, asked that it be carried to the school himself," she spoke in a quite tone. 

When regarded by Niobe, Melanie smiled in a dopey manner, as her mother had instructed her to always smile and spoke. "Yeah, its my first year," Melanie writhed her fingers together over her lap.


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## Rhaella (Jan 3, 2011)

"It must be _very_ important then," Niobe replies, more than a touch bitterly. She swallows and then says, "You're a Hufflepuff?"


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## Cardboard Tube Knight (Jan 3, 2011)

With a nod Amanda answered her. "Yeah, not that it matters much anymore. My mum says that back when she was around being in a House used to be pretty profound--you were kept almost completely separate from people of the other houses except for classtimes and Quidditch games. This whole unity thing seems like a good idea to me though," she said as a small smirk slipped over her face. "I was actually dating a Slytherin boy for a while," she added twirling her hair in her hands.


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## Rhaella (Jan 3, 2011)

"Oh," Niobe manages, but she looks a bit relieved. "My cousins -- they've both graduated now -- said that the Houses didn't really matter, but they also joked about me being Sorted into Slytherin, probably, so I..." she breaks off, realizing that she's babbling, and tugs nervously at a strand of hair.


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## Cardboard Tube Knight (Jan 3, 2011)

Amanda leaned in and rubbed Niobe's straight black hair. "Awe bless, sorry if I made you uncomfortable and don't worry about the houses thing, it won't matter when it comes right down to it," she said. "I better be going now, I don't think they'll care if I move about now," Amanda added as she slid the compartment door open and stepped out into the hall, almost colliding with another student. She excused herself and turned back to the first years in the cabin. "It was nice meeting you all," she said. "Good luck this year," Amanda backed away waving. 

A short snort escaped Melanie as she laughed to herself about seemingly nothing, she was tinkering with the top of her bird's cage now and seemed oblivious to the rest of the occurrences in the room.


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## Kuno (Jan 4, 2011)

Hazel eyes peaked over the edge of the book the girl pretended to be reading as the others talked.  'Something on the train?' she mused in her own mind, the conversation continued but her mind was wondering what it could be.  Many interesting options popped into her head, each more gruesome than the last.

Only the exit of the older girl brought her back to the here and now.  The door swished softly closed and she lowered the book slightly.  “What do you think it is?  Could it be some exotic creature?  Some cursed item?”  her eyes got bigger at the possibilities.  “Oh...Sorry...My name is Jessica but you can call me Jessie.”  Jessie bit her lip slightly then smiled brightly.  “Are you guys excited?  I can't wait to get there.  Though it isn't going to be much fun with my brothers there.”  She huffed crossing her arms, the book resting in her lap.  “What houses do you think you will get?”


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## Rhaella (Jan 4, 2011)

"Hogwarts is supposed to be the safest place in the country, isn't it?" Niobe replies. "I think that thing in the back could be anything, really."

She smiles at Jessica, "I'm Niobe. What House...? I... probably Ravenclaw. Or Slytherin." She frowns. "Everyone I know has been in one of the two."


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## Cardboard Tube Knight (Jan 4, 2011)

Melanie was staring out of a window now, watching the countryside as if she had never seen rolling green fields and hills before. She shrugged her shoulders slightly without turning to regard them. "I never gave it thought really," she commented. "And the school is probably the safest place on _Earth_. It was during both of the wars..."


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## Rhaella (Jan 4, 2011)

"When Dumbledore was alive..." Niobe replies automatically, one of her uncle's favourite phrases. She then frowns. "I wonder what he was like. I mean... really like. The stories about him. They're _mad_. I can't believe half of them."


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## Nicodemus (Jan 4, 2011)

Keith had been sitting quietly in the corner for quite some time now (something that was quite unusual for him) for two reasons. One, he was...well, nervous. A new school. New friends. Going off to learn how to shoot fire out of a stick was, while awesome, also rather intimidating.

And two, he had been up all night trying to find his broomstick. So he was really, really tired. But after enough dozing, he decided to join in on the conversation.

"I know right?" He said in response to one of the girls. Ni-something-or-other. "He was supposed to be the greatest wizard of all time, but whenever anyone mentions him it involves him doing something stupid."


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## Cardboard Tube Knight (Jan 4, 2011)

"My mum says just because someone does something stupid doesn't mean they're not really good at something," said Melanie with her blonde hair hanging down on either side of her face so that one almost might not been able to tell she had actually said it. Her voice was small and wavered as she spoke. 

Then she added absently. "I hope I don't end up in Slytherin..."


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## Rhaella (Jan 4, 2011)

"Half the stories I've heard," Niobe whispers, "involved a Dark Wizard. Gra-- Grenvall... something German."

She turns to Melanie at her last sentence. "It would hardly be the end of the world," she says, somewhat defensively.


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## Cardboard Tube Knight (Jan 5, 2011)

((going to give Melanie some color to make her speech easier to tell from other people's))

The train rattled along, twisting over the open fields of central England toward its destination. The sky had been bright before, with the sun casting golden light over the rolling green fields but now clouds were blotting out the light and a light rain had began to fall. 

They thundered on down the tracks and were entering a tunnel as Niobe addressed Melanie's comment. 

Melanie shrunk back into her chair nervously, her shoulders drawn up around her neck slightly in an apprehensive shrug. "I guess not," she said in a small voice. 

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

((going to try and spur this along a bit)) 

The light drizzle had become a renewed, pounding deluge by the time the trained pulled into Hogsmead station. Water coursed over the big, flat square windows of the train and little bursts of thunder could be heard in the distance. 

Students flooded past the compartment making their way out into the station. 

*"Over 'ere! All first years line up over 'ere!"* came a gruff voice from somewhere down the long stretch of the train. 

Raising from her chair, Melanie gathered her things and paused as if to wait for the others in the compartment. She wasn't sure if she should, but it seemed like the proper thing to do. Melanie really wasn't used to other people, let along other kids. 

And there was something else, some of the boys that passed, even the older ones were staring through the door of the compartment at her. She sighed and averted her eyes.


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## Kuno (Jan 6, 2011)

Moving quickly, Jessie gathered her things, making sure to put the book she had been reading away.  The rain outside would ruin the book and Jessie didn't want that.  It was one of her favorites, she had read it so many times that she practically had it memorized.  “Isn't this exciting?”  she grinned picking up the large box that held Mr. Jenkins.  

“You know...”  She said organizing a couple of things.  “It wouldn't be so bad to be put in that house or any other house for that matter.”  Jessie began to continue the conversation from earlier.  “I mean, for me anyway.  At least I wouldn't have to be with my brothers.”  she rolled her eyes, not even noticing thing looks that were being tossed toward their compartment.  “Anyway, I think we are being paged!  Shall we go?”  Jessie walked over and stood next to Melanie waiting for the others in the compartment.


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## Rhaella (Jan 6, 2011)

Niobe gets to her feet and joins the others. "Well, what are we waiting for?" she demands, good-natured, and gestures for them to start moving.


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## Cardboard Tube Knight (Jan 7, 2011)

The small group of First Years clamber out of their compartment, passing right out of the train and down the side near the car with the darkened windows. Even if you manage to steal a glance back at it, you?ve got no more knowledge of what?s inside than you did speculating on it the ride over. 

As the pack of students gathers together, the upperclassmen make their way off into the distance around the side of the station and off toward a lamp lit road. 

A huge, bearded figure, who seems to stand taller than the train itself stands as a way station for the new students to gather around. He clears his throat and looks down at them all through huge darkened eyes, leaning down on the pink umbrella he carries instead of using it for some reason. ?Alright,? he said waving a huge stubby hand. ?I?m Hagrid, the Keeper of the Keys and Professor of Care for Magical Creatures,? he said. ?I?m going to be leading you up to the school, this way.? 

He turned off down to a small cobbled walkway and started for a single light that sat against the edge of a huge lake. In the distance, reflected back up in the darkened waters of the lake was a magnificent castle resting on a hill top. A flicker of lightning revealed a darkened forest at its back. 

?Five at?a time, in the boats,? Hagrid said with a short chuckle. ?Com?on quick now, we don?t want to be late for the sorting.? 

As the boats are launched off from the shore and make their way across the water, propelled by some unseen force. The boats skirt past a small island near the center of the lake where a huge white monolith stands guarded by steadily burning torches. 

It?s not long before the entire group reaches the opposite shores and are able to make their way up to the school and into the castle Hagrid seems to sink back into the crowd as they are led up into a ground floor corridor by another of their professors who introduces himself as Slughorn. There are murmurs and talking as he walks them to the Great Hall, he breaks his silence by telling them: ?Before we can do much else, the sorting must take place. You will each be given a house, which will serve as your family while you?re here, though we?re all expected to act as family at Hogwarts and family has come to take on a different meaning in recent years?you should still all be very excited about this. The four houses are Slytherin, of which I am head. Ravenclaw, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. Right then, right this way!? 

He lead them down through the center of a huge banquet hall and up to the front of the room where a hat waited atop a stool. ?Now, you put on the hat and it will tell you into which House you are to be sorted!? Slughorn said excited. ?Go on.? 

((everyone already knows their houses)) 

When the sorting was finished and everyone had taken their places at the tables, the food appeared with a wave of Headmistresses wand. Melanie looked to Niobe and Jessica and then over to Keith, all of whom she had taken a seat with despite their different houses. ?Ooo, I can hardly eat,? said Melanie. ?I don?t think I?ll have any right now,? she stared down at her plate nervously.


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## Kuno (Jan 8, 2011)

Excitement caused Jessie to wiggle in her seat after the sorting.  Even though she was in the same house as the rest of her family, the fact that she was actually there couldn't be subdued.  “How could you not want to eat?”  Jessie's stomach gave a loud growl when the scents assailed her.  “Well, maybe I can understand.  I always eat when I am nervous or excited or...well eating is good!”  she giggled putting different things on her plate.  

Despite her thin frame, Jessica could eat quite a bit and now was no exception.  “You should eat.  Need to keep up your strength!  Lot's of things to do!”  she then took a large bite of the delicious meal.  “So are you guys glad you got into the houses you did?  I don't mind Hufflepuff.  Family tradition I guess.”  she said after swallowing her might, then when she finished she took a long drink from her glass.


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## Cardboard Tube Knight (Jan 30, 2011)

((Yeah I a determined to keep this running now)) 

The wave of panic that had swept through the room during The Sorting slowly subsided and was replaced by the sounds of light chatter and forks and knives scraping against plates. Melanie shoveled a careful spoonful of food into her mouth, regarding Jessica from across the table. Despite the mouthful of food, Melanie still replies. "My mum says _you can stand to miss one or two meals_, she calls it a diet, I think," she says in a small awkward tone.


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## Kuno (Feb 3, 2011)

“Really?  Well...”  Jessie stared down at her full plate of food for a moment before looking back up at Melanie.  “I suppose she is right.  But, why would one want to skip meals when they can have such wonderful food?  I mean seriously, why starve yourself?  That doesn't make sense.”  She then took another big bite of the wonderful meal that had been prepared.  

“Anyway, you need to keep your strength up.  Things are pretty rigorous...”  Jessie says with a mouthful then looks toward the ceiling as if remembering something.  “Then again my brothers told me that so I don't know how much truth is in that.”  Shoveling in another bite she looks around her.  “Do you guys have any siblings going here?”


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## Cardboard Tube Knight (Feb 4, 2011)

((Thanks Kuno)) 

Melanie shook her head rapidly, her hair slapped lightly against the sides of her face as she did. "It was just me, mum and dad...never had any brothers or sisters around. How many did you have?" she asked.


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## RenegadeDragon (Feb 11, 2011)

((Can I join? I promise I'll be good and not bite ^_^))
Emily picked at her food, twirling her fork in her long-fingered hands. _"Artist's hands"_ her parents said. Emily ruefully thought that they might be better for wandwork. The tiny girl took a careful bite of her chicken. She set her hands down on the table, her pale skin looking like paper against the woodwork. _Maybe I can find something to charm this darned silver hair of mine normal..._ she thought. Emily had always wished she looked more 'normal.' With her huge, shiny, goldish-brown eyes, pale skin, silver hair, and the dark scar across her long-fingered hand, she had always looked rather strange. As a result, she had taken to pretending it was all on purpose. Emily had always been a rebel, but it truely started in the fifth grade, when the girls started teasing her. _I miss my skull earrings..._ she thought, feeling rather naked without her typical goth style. Then she smiled. _They can't take my hairstyle away._ Her hair had long bangs slanting off to the side so that one side fell over her eyes. The back was down to her shoulders and had what looked like hundreds of layers. Emily noticed her dinner in front of her and took a few more bites of chicken, hoping no one would talk to her. _If only I had my iPod..._
((Hope I didn't bother you too much  This character is someone I've been working on for a while)


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## Cardboard Tube Knight (Feb 11, 2011)

((You can join but you might want to make a character sheet in the OOC so we better understand who you are and what your character does.))


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## RenegadeDragon (Feb 11, 2011)

((Oh OK  didn't see it there))


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## EvilMoogle (Feb 15, 2011)

The door to the hall opens suddenly and a teacher enters, dragging a young boy forward by his arm.  The boy squirms as he is pulled forward, obviously mid-explanation, "--don't understand, the bee was the size of a horse!  And when I saw what the pumpkins were up to I had to--."

The teacher ignores his protests and dumps him roughly at an open seat, conveniently near the only other people who have protested so far.  In a rough tone she chastises him, "eat now, we'll handle your sorting after everyone has gone, you've been enough of a disturbance."

The boy quiets for a moment suddenly aware of the others and the commotion caused by his entrance, "sorry ma'am."  As the teacher walks away to enjoy her own meal the boy turns to the others sheepishly, "how was I supposed to know the turtles spoke French?  I just wanted a look at the engine."

Pausing a moment to look at the room in amazement, he begins collecting some food on his plate and turns back to the others, "anyway, I'm Harry, Harry Potter.  Is it always this crazy here?"

((Sorry for the brief threadjack, but Harry Potter can't come to Hogwarts without some sort of misadventure!  ))


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## RenegadeDragon (Feb 18, 2011)

((name change to Emma, check my OOC post for more info))

Emma glanced at the boy, rather intruiged. She had always loved pranks, and if her first impression of Harry was right... Let's just say Hogwarts had better watch out. She smiled and continued picking at her chicken, not eating much. _I wonder where they put my iPod..._ 
She reached over the table to grab a peppermint. Unwrapping it, she popped it in her mouth and smiled again. It wasn't pocky, but it was pretty darn close. She glanced around the table, flicking her bangs into her eyes. _Doesn't look like anyone wants to talk to me..._


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## Kuno (Feb 18, 2011)

*Jessica...*

“Bees?  Horses?  Turtles?  French?  Engines?  What?”  Jessie swallowed hard thinking about what the boy had just said.  “I...don't...get it...”  She mumbled taking another bite and shrugging.  “Sounds intriguing though.  I love animals and if you are right this will be the most exciting time ever!”  She clutched her hands to together and squealed in excitement.  

“Do you think they will allow us around those?  Oh...I don't know french.  How am I going to talk to them?  Anyone here know french?  Can you teach me?”  Jessica then took another huge bite of her food.  “I'm Jessica Mileson but you can call me Jessie.  I don't usually answer to Jessica.”  She shrugged then watched the girl grabbing the peppermint.  “Are those good?  I'll have to try one when I'm done.  Crazy?  Not sure...my brothers didn't say anything about crazy but of course they wouldn't either to surprise me or they were part of the cause.” Again she shoveled another forkful into her mouth and began to chew.


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## RenegadeDragon (Feb 18, 2011)

["Umm... Yeah, they're good." _Man, this girl talks a lot_ Emma thought ruefully. "My name is Emma Brown. Nice to meet everyone." She brushed her bangs out of her eyes and grabbed another peppermint. "Is anyone else here Muggle-born? Well, I'm not actually Muggle-born, I'm half-blood, but my dad never told me he's a wizard. I actually thought my letter was a prank at first." _Oh God, I'm getting talkative too..._
She just shrugged and ate _another_ peppermint. She looked at the boy. "Hey, you like pranks?"


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## Cardboard Tube Knight (Feb 20, 2011)

Melanie eyed the boy curiously as he was dragged into the room by the arm. Her large, wide eyes flicker over to Emma and then back to the new boy. Him introducing himself as Harry Potter prompts a grimace from her. "That's not funny...you can't just steal someone else's name," she said somewhat rudely. Despite the rise in her temper, the Veela charm is still apparently having its effect because the other nearby boys at the table have their eyes locked on her. She ignores them. 

"You're going to have to give your real name...sooner or later..." she said. "The Professors won't stand for it."


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## RenegadeDragon (Feb 20, 2011)

Emma frowned. "Hey, don't beat up on him for something he can't change." She tossed her bangs into her eyes and sunk down into her seat, glaring.
She sighed as she remembered the girls at her old school teasing her about her hair. Emma's eyes flickered around the hall, wondering if people were staring at her. She had gotten a bit paranoid, she wished other people liked her, but all the signs pointed to the fact that they didn't. ((remember, this is biased as Emma's POV))


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## EvilMoogle (Feb 22, 2011)

((Sorry about the delay, was a bad weekend/start of the week for me))

"Zharmf blarkjfa afjoisdc," Harry says with a mouth full of food.  He pauses to take a drink and swallow, "pranks?  I guess so, maybe?  Never really thought about it I guess."

With a glare he looks at Melanie, "I'm _not_ going by Harold, give it up right now.  Only my mum calls me Harold, and only when I've done something.  I've been Harry as long as I can remember.  Why should the teachers care anyway?"


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## RenegadeDragon (Feb 23, 2011)

Emma muttered from her spot, still slouched back her her bangs in her eyes. "'Cause that guy who defeated Voldemort was named Harry Potter and they'll think you're stealing his name for attention." She leaned back on her hands and leaned her head up to the ceiling, her bangs sitting messily all over her face. She blew them out of her mouth region. "And you might get teased and all, but no big deal. I think most people will understand," said with a nasty look thrown towards Melanie's direction. Emma shrugged. "If you do get teased, I can beat 'em up for you." 
Slighty cheered up, she reached for a peppermint again, then stopped and remembered the box of pocky she had hidden in her robe. "Yes!" she smiled and dug it out. "Oh pocky, I have missed you so much!" Emma opened the box and paused. "I suppose it would be impolite not to offer some to anyone?"


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## Kuno (Mar 1, 2011)

*Jessica...*

“He's right...he can't help what his name is.”  Jessie took the final bite from her plate then pushed the dish away from her as she exhaled a satisfied sigh.  “Though he looks like he can handle himself.”  she shrugged then grabbed one of the peppermints.  “I don't think things would be that bad would they?  I mean people should tease others over their names.  That isn't their fault...that fault would lie with their parents.  Besides it isn't like they can go around changing their names all the time, that would get confusing, of course I would love to change my name to Heather or Monica or something really cool and...now what are we suppose to do?  Do they dismiss us after dinner?  Do we wait for a group?  How are we suppose to navigate this place it is huge!”  Jessica groaned then let her head fall to the table barely missing her plate.


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## RenegadeDragon (Mar 1, 2011)

Emma smiled a bit. "I'm assuming someone is going to show us the way." She popped the rest of a stick of pocky in her mouth. "I can't wait to go up to our rooms and unpack my laptop. Shannon's probably emailed me about twenty times by now... She's my friend at home," Emma explained. She finished her box of pocky and neatly tucked the trash into her robe, dusting off her fingers. 
"Now," she straightened up, "I know these people keep chickens, but where's the talcum powder?" Emma had a maniacal glint in her eye and a few canon fodder first-years edged away from her. She looked as if she was about to burst into cackling laughter any minute.


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## RenegadeDragon (Mar 13, 2011)

((Is this officially dead?))


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