Headteacher's opening speech

[incendius_staff]

Minerva McGonagall stood up from her seat at the middle of the Head Table, smoothing her bright green robes and shushing the buzzing students. She cleared her throat and spoke to the now silent students of Hogwarts, all looking up at her expectantly.

"Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts, both new students and those returning. Due to the tragic

Comments

[_fiery____gin__]

Ginny sat still for a moment, trying to absord all that the new Headmistress had said. There was a lot to take in.

She looked around her. McGonagall was right, there were fewer students this year. She was surpised to see the Patil twins. She knew that last year they were seriously considering leaving Hogwarts. I wonder what convinced them to stay, she thought. Even her own Mum and Dad were contemplating taking her and Ron out of school, what with Dumbledore gone. A terrible sense of vulnerability and dread overtook her as she thought about the death of the one man You-Know-Who was ever afraid of. What would happen now that he was gone?

Ginny shook her head, trying to rid herself of these thoughts.

She looked over the new staff, smiling at Lupin and grinning at Tonks. At least they're here. She knew she could always talk to them if she needed to. That is, if they're not locked in a broom cupboard together. The thought made her laugh out loud. People were starting to give her funny looks, so she beamed and waved at them sarcastically

[weasleys_witch]

"Phew," Hermione sighed as she sat down next to Ginny. "It's been a complete nightmare sorting out the first years. Although I am glad we get to do it." She smiled at Ginny. "Hello Ginny, how're you?" Hermione had heard what McGonagall had said about the enchanted parchments and was worried that it may have upset Ginny somewhat. "What do you think to the new prachment system? Should be fun shouldn't it?"

[_fiery____gin__]

"'Lo Hermione! I'm mad, by the looks of it," she said, nodding around at the people nearby who were still staring at her. "And how about yourself?"

Ginny looked down at her plate. She managed to swallow the small lump that had risen up in her throat and she said, "Er, yeah, it should be-- ah-- interesting. You know, to see what other people are thinking and such," she said in as bright a voice as she could muster, looking up at Hermione again.

[weasleys_witch]

Hermione waved a hand dismissively. "Oh I'm fine, just stressed from the work load as usual you know." She frowned. "You on the other hand, look as if you've just swallowed a dungbomb. If it's about these parchments, you do realise that they're nothing like a diary? Professor McGonagall has put a charm on them which means you can make it so only the people you want to see them can see them. It's untraceable, a pretty complex spell, I looked it up in the library one time. So really there's no need to be worried."

[socialcalamity]

Tracey stared boredly at her manicured nails as McGonagall spoke. She had never disliked the woman, but Tracey also had trouble picturing her as the head of authority over the entire school. Briefly, Tracey's mind flickered back to the days of Umbridge during her fifth year.

'Now there was a woman who knew how to properly run things.'

When McGonagall was finished speaking and the food appeared, Tracey looked around at the rest of the people at the Slytherin table. Most of Slytherin House seemed to have returned to Hogwarts, though two or three places were empty. Over at the other House tables, many more students were missing. Tracey smirked.

'I suppose if you cannot handle the heat, then you must leave the kitchen.'

Her parents, of course, had insisted she return and complete her education, and Tracey honestly would not have had it any other way.

[morag_mcdougal]

Morag glanced up and down the length of the Ravenclaw table and frowned. Admittedly there were fewer new students this year -- she'd heard that some parents were teaching their children themselves, or hiring tutors, rather than risk sending them to Hogwarts. But only three first years sorted into Ravenclaw? She craned her neck and counted; Gryffindor had five first years clustered at one end of their long table, and Slytherin -- had the same, she realized uneasily. Even the Sorting Hat appeared to be taking sides.

She glanced over at the Gryffindor table -- Potter was missing, although she wasn't really surprised. She'd heard that he wasn't coming back to school. Granger was talking furiously with Ginny Weasley about something or another, which wasn't really surprising either. The Slytherins -- well, they were nearly all there, except for Malfoy, of course. Tracy Davis appeared to be engrossed in her fingertips, although Morag couldn't imagine why

[we'll just pretend my other thread is over. :)]

[_fiery____gin__]

Hermione had just left to dart off to the library for some book on Arithmancy before it closed, leaving Ginny quite alone. Not wanting her mind to wander where it so often had over the holidays, she decided to pay Luna a visit.

Ginny made her way over to the Ravenclaw table and plopped down in the empty seat next to Luna. There always seems to be an empty seat next to Luna, she thought with a sad smile. Luna was a wonderful girl, really, just a bit...well...odd.

Luna, however, was completely immersed in her latest edition of The Quibbler and her whole face was hidden behind the magazine. She didn't so much as scoot over when Ginny accidentally bumped her with her elbow. Ginny didn't think it would be a good idea to interupt her reading, so she glanced around and spotted a girl putting a beautiful silver chain around her neck. She didn't know this girl, but she'd seen her around the castle before

Re: [we'll just pretend my other thread is over. :)]

[morag_mcdougal]

Morag jumped a little, startled by the comment; she'd been fully distracted with the question of just how her mother had enchanted the letter to do that. Transfigurations had never been her strong suit. She smiled back at Ginny even as she tucked the necklace into her robe. For whatever reason she didn't feel like talking about it; she thought it might be more than just a pretty stone. "You're Ginny Weasley, right?"

[_fiery____gin__]

Ginny managed to keep one of her eyebrows from rising as the girl stuffed the locket into her robes, but decided not to say anything more about it. If this girl didn't want to talk about it, Ginny wouldn't make her.

Surprised that the girl knew her name, she nodded her head. Ginny felt a bit embarassed that she didn't know her name.

"Sorry, but what's your name?" Ginny asked awkwarly. She blushed a little and smiled apologetically at her.

[mr_blaisezabini]

Blaise drummed his fingers on the table.

Blah blah blah, 'dangerous times'
crap crap crap 'new staff'
bored bored bored 'banned items'

instead Blaise focused his strength on something more interesting. Like Hermione Granger.

[parvati_p_atil]

Glancing sporadically up at McGonagall, Parvati Surveyed the latest additions to the Gryffindor House