Hexes at Hogwarts (Frogger and Russian Vodka)

[Frogger]

Note to everyone who stumbles across this: our characters are starting young here in this first post, but we plan on skipping forward. All we want to do is set a tone for their friendship, figure out how they meet. ^^))

Dark clouds gather over the distant horizon, lightning flashing every so often to express the fury that which is brewing within. Hogwarts stands, tall and proud, mysterious to the newest students arriving here for the very first time. In awe, several fidgeted nervously while others lifted their chins to put on a false bravado. A giant of a man beckoned them closer and, after a brief greeting and explanation, all the first years were whisked off to ride boats across the lake.

It was not long until rain began to pelt upturned faces. Winter kept her head down, though she could not indulge herself in reading when the rain will surely ruin the pages. It would be preferable to the introductions being exchanged, the snippets of conversation intricately interwoven between raindrops. Blue eyes intent on pale fingers gripping onto black robes, Winter did not hesitate to follow once her own boat reached the other side. A hand was offered to help her, but she ignored it as a matter of pride. A Lace does not accept help from others, after all.

All the new students were brought to stand in a grand hall. It was… beautiful, and yet she could not help but feel nervous. Of course she knows what awaits behind these doors, unlike most, if not all, of the others. Ever since she was young, Winter had heard tales of the Sorting Hat, of the notoriously powerful Dumbledore who rules the school with a gentle guiding hand. A lump rising to her throat, regardless, she raised her head up high when the doors parted… revealing students and teachers alike, their expressions a confusing variety.

Winter joined everyone on the front dais, fighting against the impulse to fidget. It looks weak. It makes a fool out of her. FIrst one name is called, and then another… the Sorting Hat announcing what House they belong best in. As a Lace, she will likely be sorted into Slytherin. Rowan, her older sister, is in Slytherin, as is her older brother Xander. Rose is in Slytherin as well, and she is a close cousin. To be anything but a Slytherin would be a disgrace on the Love family. Lost in thought, she nearly jumped once her name was called… and taking the steps up to the Hat, she can feel the weight of expectations settling upon her shoulders.

“Ravenclaw!”

A roar echoed off the walls, however… it fell upon deaf ears. Winter’s eyes were drawn to a table not decorated in blue, but in green… and the scrutiny, the judgment in familiar eyes nearly had her recoiling. What has the Hat done? What will Mother say of this? Father? Neither will approve of this. What if… she is cast out of the family? What if they chose to no longer recognize her as their daughter?

 

[Russian Vodka]

Despite the excitement of going to this new, strange place and entering this new world, Hayden had absolutely no clue what he was getting into. Yet his adventurous side demanded his attention. He had to find out the truth about this. Could magic really be real? Could there really exist a parallel world to that he'd grown up? The train ride was long, almost tiring. Yet it had to be done, it was how they all got there. Although he didn't speak to anyone else on the train, minding his own business and staying out of trouble. He knew that in due time, he'd probably have friends and hang out with others, so he wasn't in a rush.

And arriving, first the big oaf of a man. Was he really a normal man? His wild beard and massive size made him more of a Giant to the muggleborn boy, not that he would currently understand that the man was indeed half-giant. Followed by himself and all the other first years being moved away from the rest of the students arriving, towards the lake. Black as the night sky, with faint glimmers of reflection from the lights at the massive castle, standing intimidatingly up at the hill of their destination. He bit his lip for a moment, curiously eyeing the massive fortress he would be living in during his school days from now on. He barely noticed the rain as they got into the boats, although others complained openly about it, he was too intimidated and awed by this experience to even bother with his surroundings.

A whole new world unfolding for the boy with the ravenblack hair. As they got across, he had heard no tales of this, unlike his wizard and witch companions on the boat ride. They knew what awaited them from siblings, parents, family. To the muggleborn, there was no such experience to hear tales of. And as they found themselves in the Great Hall, the eyes of everyone else upon them, he felt awkwardly shy, standing there on the front dais. As they were picked apart one at a time, to go and sit on a chair with a magical hat on it, announcing which house they would belong to. Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Slytherin or Gryffindor. He had no clue what to really expect.

"Buckley, Hayden!" The woman called out from the list, seemingly scrambled randomly as he had noticed a girl called Winter go before him. Not that he minded as he moved to the chair, sitting down and feeling the attention of everyone on top of him. Along with the weight of the hat, he felt crushed for a moment, hearing a voice in his head, almost humming and sounding like it was musing. Then a slight shifting.

"Ravenclaw!" Don't panic boy, make your new house proud. They will depend on you. The voice in his head sounded old, mature. Male. He bit his lip, a roar echoing the hall as the hat was lifted off his head.

Staggering down to the Ravenclaw table, pats on his back and welcoming words from the older students, he found himself sitting next to Winter Lace, also recently sorted into this house as he looked at her with a confused look for a moment before he heard the next person called out. She looked more horrified than exalted to be sitting where they were sitting, at the table of their new house. "Is something the matter?" He managed to stammer out, wondering if she was okay with this.

 

[Frogger]

How can this happen? How can she be in Ravenclaw?! Has she brought shame to the name of Lace? It is with a heavy heart that she claimed a seat next to a student dressed in blue instead of green, though she could not bring herself to watch others be Sorted into their appropriate Houses. Is it within the realm of possibility that the Hat made a mistake? Winter closed her eyes, placing both hands upon the table as one name after another was announced… just for one of four Houses to be declared soon after. How could she have dishonored her family in this way? A lump having found a place to call home in her throat, she was just beginning to panic, when… an unexpected interruption came.

In light of the situation, Winter felt the strange compulsion to laugh. Her world is crumbling, falling apart as they speak… and this boy has the audacity to ask if something is the matter. Why? Is it that obvious? A hand rising to brush against a cheek, she could only offer him a strained smile. “No. Nothing is the matter,” she replied, surprised to find that her voice is calm. “Thank you for your concern.” Winter gave him a small smile, as is only proper, and a bow of her head… however, she thought it best to say nothing more. If she is going to spend her days here at Hogwarts as a Ravenclaw, she will do everything in her power not to disappoint the Lace family. It will require a lot of work, but she will do what she can. Winter kept her head down all throughout the meal, though she barely touched the food set before her.

Appetite nonexistent, she rose once Professor Dumbledore bid them goodnight, asking the Prefects to escort them to their dorms. Tomorrow is when classes begin. A hand rubbing up and down her arm, dread flowing through her veins like poison, Winter went on to follow her fellow students… that is, until someone pulled her away. “Ah-!” Bright blue eyes connected with a familiar pair of green, and the dread escalated to panic within moments. “Hello,” Rowan greeted, though she did not bother providing her with something resembling a smile, nor did she try to infuse her tone with sisterly affection. “Do you care to tell me what happened? Hm?” Students passing them by cast the two curious glances, however none decided to intervene.

No one will come to her rescue. Winter drew in a deep breath to steady her nerves, to attempt a facade of tranquility in front of her older sister. “If you are insinuating I told the Hat to put me in Ravenclaw, you are sadly mistaken,” she told Rowan, first and foremost. “I would never. I do not understand why it chose to Sort me into Ravenclaw, but I assure you, it made a mistake. I know I belong in Slytherin, same as you.”

Rowan’s lips twisted into a sneer. “Do you? Mother is not going to be happy when she hears of this, Winter. You and I both know that much, at least. Neither will Father.” A chill shot down Winter’s spine.

Finally released from the impromptu interrogation, Winter hurried to rejoin her fellow Ravenclaws… though she could not leave behind the sense of forbidding just as easily. What will come of this? What will Mother say, when she does find out? Is a Howler going to come via owl?! Winter closed her eyes, no longer so confident of her plan decided upon prior. Is there a way to speak with the Headmaster? To rectify the situation? Is it possible the Sorting Hat did, indeed, make a mistake concerning her placement here?

 

[Russian Vodka]

Hayden nodded at her reply, that she was okay about it. He just couldn't help shake the feeling that something seemed off about it. Like she was distraught over something regarding her placement in Ravenclaw. He pushed the thought away as the food came to the tables, watching it all appear on the plates, he hungrily dug in. His stomach growling as he seemed to fall in well with the other first years sitting together at the table. Although he looked over at Winter, wondering if he should push the issue or not. He ultimately didn't get a chance to decide when Dumbledore rose to declare the meal over with and for the Prefects to escort the new students to their dorms.

He got up, falling in line with the others, yet as he went out with them, he heard voices behind him. Looking back, he spotted Winter with an older girl from... Slytherin was it? He didn't know if he should interfere, although the line moved forward, he fell behind slowly, looking back. He didn't want her to disappear in the corridors of this massive place on their first day, little to his knowledge, she probably already knew her way around as he watched her finally hurrying up to rejoin him and the others to go to the Ravenclaw dorm. Hayden fell to the back, ending up next to her, seeing the distress in her eyes, even if she kept her head down, he could tell something was up with her.

"I'm sorry if I butted in on you earlier." He let out, looking away from her to follow the students in front of them to their new dorm. "I'm Hayden, Hayden Buckley." He introduced himself, offering his hand to her as they walked, wanting to shake hands. "I hope we can become friends." He added, unaware of the fact that she probably wished this was a nightmare and she could just wake up soon, Hayden felt like he was in a dream and he'd wake up and find it all gone soon enough. Yet for as long as he could, he would savor every moment of this experience and get to know as many of the people as he could.

 

[Frogger]

Please. Let her wake up from this nightmare-!

It is a shame reality does not work that way. Did someone cast a spell on her, then-? Did Hogwarts decide to undergo a different method of Sorting? Blue eyes blinked as his words broke her reverie, focusing on him just a heartbeat later. It was not long before the pair shifted to the proffered hand. Is he suggesting they be friends? Winter lifted her eyes, studying the features of this young boy standing before her. Friends are no more than distractions, meant to make her stray… to make her forget of her ambitions, of her goals. Is it wise to indulge in something so trivial-? No, not likely. It is very possible the Sorting Hat has made a mistake on what House she belongs to, after all.

Even so. It does not hurt to… make her acquaintance. “My name is Winter,” she chose to reply at long last, though she was hesitant to accept the handshake. Of course she will never go so far as to say they will ever be friends, but she has no qualms with implying as such. It could very well be used to her advantage. “Do not apologize. Have a good night, Hayden Buckley. I suppose I shall see you tomorrow.” It remains to be seen if they will share any classes together. Hopefully it will not be many, if he is entertaining the delusion they are to be friends in the days to come. A hand trailed up the banister as she ascended the stairs leading up to the girls’ dormitories, leaving this day to rest. In the morning, she will wake… and find herself to be Sorted in Slytherin, not Ravenclaw.

Alas, it did not happen as she hoped. Winter reluctantly dragged herself down to the Entrance Hall, where many students have began to partake in breakfast, their laughter echoing off the walls. It was at the Ravenclaw table she sank down, however… she could not take a bite of the feast before her. No. As strange as it is, she still had no appetite. Ooh… How is she ever going to explain this to Mother-?! It required a bit of effort to catch her head before it fell onto the table, but Winter managed, hands hiding her mortification. No, wait. Did she do her hair before she came down-? A pat upside her head confirmed she did, despite everything going through her mind. Dark blue eyes opening, Winter looked at her empty plate with no interest whatsoever.