YouKnowEmma
Hansi, Sensitive Poet
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(31/12/03 11:59 am)
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First Day Back at Hogwarts-Welcoming Feast-Hufflepuff Table
Hufflepuff Table
The noble Hufflepuff table, decorated in yellow and black, sits second from the right.
The Fat Friar gazed longingly at the food surrounding him. He looked up and smiled kindly at the student. "Eat up, boys and girls! And it's wonderful to have you in Hufflepuff!"
"Hello, Friar," Gwendolyn said in relief as the plates filled with food. The Sorting had seemed endlessly long this year - after all, after five years of watching it had grown rather unremarkable.
A tall boy at the other end of the table smiled as his eyes found Gwen sitting near the Friar. He slipped out of his seat and silently made his way to stand behind her.
Aiden tapped her gently on the shoulder, his tanned face crinkling into a grin of camaraderie as she turned in her seat to face him.
Gwendolyn stared unrecognizingly at the boy behind her for a moment. He did look awfully familiar –
"Aiden!" she cried after a moment, smiling widely and jumping up to fling her arms around him.
Aiden hugged his friend back tightly. He'd missed her so much!
Gwen sat back down hard, an embarrassed flush spreading across her cheeks.
"You look...really different," she said after a moment, still rather confused by the tall, tan boy who had replaced her small, pale friend of the years before.
Aiden tilted his head and smiled slightly. "Is that good or bad?"
Gwen hesitated, still feeling flustered and caught off her guard. "Er...good," she said, and smiled. "I think. It's wonderful to see you, as well," she added, meeting his gaze again.
Without waiting for an answer he sat down next to her and, pulling a few dishes towards his plate, looked at her with a warm smile. "It's really good to see you, Gwen."
Hannah McMillan sat a little farther down the table, watching happily as Aiden and Gwen, whom she knew quite well, chatted animately. She was glad that they were having such a good time together.
"Hannah!"
Betsy, the Hufflepuff sitting next to Hannah, was tapping her on the shoulder.
"What is it?"
"Look!" Betsy was pointing toward the Gryffindor table. Hannah turned on the bench and looked in the direction Betsy was pointing. "I don't see anything, Betsy."
"Just look, Peter is staring at you!"
Hannah groaned and went back to her food. Betsy Andrews was probably the only girl in the whole school who had a crush on Peter Pettigrew. Hannah, like most girls, thought him wholly disgusting. She hoped he would stop staring at her, though, it made her nervous.
"What have you done over the summer, anyway?" Gwen asked after a moment, eyeing his darkened skin critically.
Aiden followed her gaze to his tanned arm. Laughing a little, "Well, Granddad told Mum that sitting around with him was no way to spend my summer---not that I agree with that at all---and that I ought to go to Uncle Harvey's and Aunt Becca's farm and help out. I don't know them particularly well, but they're still family. Aunt Becca's Granddad's little sister, and plus there's a high concentration of Brooks in the area that I've never met, and Granddad thought it would be good if I met more of Mum's side of the family, especially since Dad's an only child and Grandfather and Grandmother Jeffreys passed away a long time ago.
"I didn't really want to leave Granddad, but I did. Aunt and Uncle were great though. I've never been more well fed in my life!" His eyes danced, "Even counting Hogwarts, if you'll believe me.
"Anyway, I worked sun up to sun down out in the heat. I got worn out really quickly at first, but once I got used to blisters on my feet and hands and a crick in my back, it wasn't so bad. Plus, the family dinners and music-playing helped a lot. And it's so beautiful there..." He stared off distantly, envisioning the rolling green hills and cozy farmhouses.
Gwen gave an envious sigh as Aiden described the farm. "It sounds beautiful," she said rather wistfully as she helped herself to mashed potatoes.
"It is," Aiden responded. "Beautiful."
Gwen realized with some relief how much he had not changed - he was still quite the same person with whom she had gone out in her third year. She scowled slightly at the memory.
Aiden impaled a slice of meat. "So, what did you do this summer?"
"I grew a venemous tentacula in the back garden plot," Gwen said as she began eating ravenously. "I helped Mum around the house." She grinned - "Allan's been up to more than I have. He joined a summer Quidditch team and tried all through summer to get me on a broom. I did, finally, last month - and nearly fell off, I was so scared. I hate heights," she finished with conviction.
Aiden grinned and also turned to his food. He watched her out of the corner of his eye, thinking how little--and yet how much--she had changed over the years he had known her. When they had met, she had been a timid, homely first year, but it hadn't taken him long to see that this girl with the sweet blue eyes could be easily underestimated. This conviction led them to a close friendship, which, in his fourth year and her third, became a dating relationship. It had occurred to them before long that the change was silly and adolescent, so they "broke up" but were firm best friends.
"Allan's hoping to make Ravenclaw team this year," Gwen continued cheerfully. She hesitated, noticing Aiden's silence - "Are you feeling all right?" she asked.
"Hm?" Aiden asked in surprise.
"You've gone all quiet," Gwendolyn said, flushing slightly and wondering if she'd imagined it after all.
"Oh...I suppose I did, didn't I? I was just thinking...It's interesting watching people around you grow up and change, isn't it? And can you believe it's really honestly my last year at Hogwarts? Now that's weird to think about!" Aiden scoffed disbelievingly and shook his head.
"It'll be very dull without you here," Gwen said truthfully. "I shall find my final year rather flat."
She scanned the table critically. "It is interesting," she said after a moment. "Seeing how people have changed, I mean. Even just over one summer," she added, glancing ruefully at Aiden's tan once more.
Aiden only laughed and shrugged. "Yeah, I've tanned. So what? I'm still me, right?"
"Hopefully," Gwen said lightly.
"What will you do next year?" she wondered after a moment. "After you've graduated?"
Aiden looked thoughtful. "You know, I really dunno. I'd like to do something with my hands...you know, making things or Herbology or something, but I don't know what career path really. I'd really love to continue my education after Hogwarts, too, but that's really only for the Elite And Rich. So, yeah," Aiden shrugged. "What about you? What are you going to do after Hogwarts?"
"I'm not sure," Gwen replied honestly. "Mum's all set on me going to some Muggle college like Oxford, but I can't seem to convince her of how completely futile that would be. I'm not nearly smart enough for someplace like that.
"Besides," she continued, "I'm not really that interested in it. Allan is the scholar, not me. I'd rather do something quieter - but I don't know what."
Aiden tilted his head. "Quieter how? Getting married?"
Gwendoly shot him a startled look. "Maybe later," she said with conviction, "but not just out of school. Something quiet like - growing venemous tentaculi."
Aiden laughed, "Not that that would exactly be quiet. But I totally agree on not getting married right out of school. I want to set up my life for a family before I think about getting involved in that...you know, a stable job, some money saved up, stuff like that."
"Well, no, not quiet," Gwen agreed cheerfully. "But enjoyable, and relaxing. In a manner of speaking," she added hastily. "But really, they're very interesting..."
"I've never worked with them much...." Aiden began.
"They're fascinating creatures...er, plants," Gwen said earnestly. "Mum gave me a seedling for my birthday last year. They take a long time to grow, though," she added. "Mine is only just full-grown. I think I'm going to move onto moliopods next, although I don't know where I'll get one."
"I might be able to get you one," Aiden said eagerly. "Aunt Becca keeps them outside her kitchen window...and she sings while she cooks or washes dishes, so they're almost always poking their little bulbs inside. Anyway, I'm almost positive she'd be able to get you one later on in the year."
"Oh, really?" Gwen turned a shining face to him, eyes sparking with excitement. "I've always wanted one," she confessed, "but I didn't think I'd ever be able to find one. I'd love to show Mum - she sings, she'd love it. Any flower that responds to music would catch her fancy, I know it."
"They really are very nice flowers. They look so forlorn and sickly when the buds are closed though...but when they open they are very pretty. Aunt Becca's smell like things baking---in addition to the great moliopod scent they already have. Moliopods are actually really fascinating how they absorb the scents around them and enhance them."
"The only moliopod I've ever seen or really cared for," Gwen said wistfully, "was one that Dad babysat - er, plant-sat - for one of his friends. It nearly gave Mum a heart attack, coming into the kitchen to find a great withered flower on the kitchen table. What really startled her, though," she added with a grin, "was when she began to sing to Dominica - she was three then - and the moliopod opened its petals and was suddenly beautiful."
Aiden laughed. "I don't envy your mother," he said amiably. "She must get a lot of surprises. What did this moliopod smell like?"
Gwen brushed a strand of hair across her face and began to chew it idly. "I don't exactly remember," she confessed after a moment. "I was only eleven or twelve at the time. But I remember it smelling of something very sweet and very foreign that I'd guess came from that friend of dad's. And after it had been in our house a few days, it began to smell faintly of Lysol - Mum's a very tidy person."
Aiden laughed, "Very....interesting scent, I'm sure."
A girl Aiden recognized as Annette, from his own house, approached. He never really like her very much--too superficial and kind of shallow. But he wasn't going to be mean..."Hi, Annette."
A wide smile assaulted her face, "Hello there, Aiden!" Her eyes flicked at Gwen and she offered half a smile before her attention focused back onto Aiden, looking him up and down like some kind of tree, "Wow, Aide, you've really changed a lot! Really tanned." She touched his arm. "Ooh, and muscular too." She looked at him coyly. "Very handsome overall. I would have never thought you had it in you."
Aiden had slowly turned to a lovely shade of scarlet while she talked. He looked deeply uncomfortable, replying only in a gruff, "thanks."
Gwendolyn looked slightly shocked, and then smothered a giggle as Aiden flushed more and more deeply. She buried her face in her hands, shaking with laughter, as the other girl coyly addressed her friend as "Aide".
Forcing herself not to break into hysterical laughter at the intensely baffled look on Aiden's face, she turned pointedly to the person next to her - a third year boy with dark hair and a slight stammer - and asked him how he'd liked the Sorting.
The boy looked startled, his dark eyes rounded in surprise. "It was g-good," he muttered, and turned quickly to his plate.
At the other end of the table...Chelsea Tompkins carefully raised her head a bit to get a second look at the handsome new boy down the table. Just look at his tan! I've never seen him before...wonder what his name is?
Her friend, Lucia, poked her. "What are you doing?"
Chelsea pointed carefully at the tall boy she'd been looking at. "Who is that? I've never seen him before."
Lucia shrugged. "Why should I know? Who cares, anyway?"
Chelsea giggled. "Duh, just look at him!"
Lucia snorted. "I've seen better."
After a moment, Chelsea got up and slowly walked over to where the new boy, and a girl Chelsea recognized as Annette, was standing. She almost pushed the other girl out of the way, before gazing up at the tall boy through her long lashes.
"Hi. I don't think I've ever seen you before--what's your name?"
Aiden looked at her curiously, "Aiden Jeffreys.....you've been in my House......for the past five years." And you've never said two words to me before. So why are you bothering now?
Chelsea gave a little laugh. "Oh, really? Wow, I never noticed you before. I wonder why. Well then, you know that my name is Chelsea Tompkins?"
Gwendolyn shook her head in mild exasperation and turned back to her food.
"Yeah, I know your name." Aiden tried to smile, and succeeded in wearing what could be confused with a coy expression (though he thought it was a grimace), "So did you have a nice summer, Chelsea?"
Chelsea smiled, showing her straight white teeth, and slyly stepped closer to him. "I had a great summer. How about you, Aiden?"
"It was...enjoyable. I wouldn't say fun, since it was a TON of work. I went to stay with my great aunt and uncle for the summer on their farm. I learned a lot and really got close to them," he smiled reminiscently, looking through Chelsea.
Gwen, now feeling distinctly shunted aside, smiled weakly at her mashed potatoes.
If he tells her about the bread-scented moliopod, she thought suddenly, I think I'll scream. She wasn't angry very often, but this complete rudeness, on top of the very long day she had already had, was just too much.
"Wow," Chelsea said, jerking Aiden from his memories. "I can tell you worked hard."
She touched his arm. "Look at all that muscle, and that amazing tan. My skin would never tan like that."
With a sigh of exasperation, Gwen stood abruptly, letting the stem of her fork clatter noisily to her plate. The noise, as well as her mumbled excuse, were lost amid the babble of the Great Hall. Without further ado, she fled. She wondered briefly is she should perhaps have stayed until the prefects led the students out--but disregarded the thought immediately. Gwen'd learned the password from a prefect earlier that day, it wasn't as if she wouldn't be able to get into the common room.
She slid into the Hufflepuff common room quietly, loath to disturb the peaceful silence. Quietly she slipped into the dormitory and collapsed on the bed, getting up again only long enough to pull a transfiguration textbook out of her still packed trunk. She might as well pound some of the difficult information into her head while she had nothing better to do.
After several fruitless minutes of unproductive reading, she cast the book away with a sigh and picked up a novel instead.
Chelsea stepped out of the way as Gwen suddenly got up and left the Great Hall.
She looked up at Aiden, surprised. "What's wrong with her? Was it something I said?" She tried to look worried.
Aiden slid his arm away from Chelsea as Gwen stalked away. He gaped after her. "I dunno what's wrong..." he turned back to Chelsea, why'd she abandon me with her??? "Maybe I should go and talk to her..."
Chelsea grabbed Aiden's arm again. "Oh no, don't go! I'm sure she's fine. Probably just needs to use the bathroom or something..." Chelsea drew him toward the table. "Let's sit down until she gets back, shall we?"
Annette looked daggers at Chelsea. That's MY line... She promptly sat at Aiden's other side. "Yeah, I'm sure it's nothing at all to worry about. So, what exactly did you do this summer, at the farm?" She nonchalantly slunk her arm through Aiden's.
Aiden's face was burning. He was sure he was going to have to go to the hospital wing soon if it got any worse...surely there was already visable scorching! And Gwen was gone, and upset, apparently. "Uh, I, uh, milked cows, and um, did a lot of planting...I really think I ought to see what's up with Gwen--"
"Oooh, so that's how you got this great tan and muscles." Annette squeeze the arm she'd latched onto. "Working sooooo hard, and staying out in the sun..."
Chelsea looked caustically at Annette. "That would generally be how you develop muscles and a tan, Annette, in case you didn't know."
Annette only glared and wrapped her other arm through Aiden's.
"Um, it was nice talking to you, but I need to go..." Aiden stood up, slipping out of Annette's grasp. He smiled bewilderedly for half a second before he fled.
Chelsea smirked at Annette and resisted the urge to stick out her tongue. I notice he didn't leave until Annette latched onto him...he didn't mind it when I did.
She turned to the fuming girl. "Well, I'll be seeing you," and smoothly got up and walked back to her seat.
Lucia looked up as she approached. "So, how did it go?"
"It went fine," Chelsea said casually. "I'm going to the Common room. Are you coming?"
"Sure," Lucia said. "Let me go find Cindy and the others."
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