Poppy filled her canteen with the coldest, freshest water she'd ever tasted in her life. She looked over at the delectable feast before a Hufflepuff girl and decided that a snack was in order. A half grapefruit sprinkled generously with sugar and a tempting cheese plate with toasted nuts would be perfect.

"I'm not sure Rose. I loved the Herbology practical, but have you taken Arithmancy yet? Maybe it's like modern Muggle art and I'm just not getting it. It makes me feel confused and dense like I'm missing something," mused Poppy.

Pemberley sat and tucked into over-easy eggs, corned beef hash, beans and toast. She sat her rat cage on the bench beside her and fed it all manner of foods from her own plate. Silently listening, she noshed heartily. There was quite a fe people around, though not as many as the Sorting Ceremony, but more than an average class. She smirked at the mention of the Arithmancy class, probably the most amusing one yet.

Beth looked up from her reading and took a sip of her orange juice before responding to Rose's question. She had just finished reading the front page of the Daily Prophet. "I'm not so sure either. I figured Professor Trelawney lost them. I think Professor Makshi is supposed to give you your class schedule," she remarked before taking another bite of her croissant.

Milla looked up from the post she had just received by owl, and turned slightly towards Rose, "I'm honestly not sure who is supposed to give the schedules this year." she said, giving a small shrug. Milla looked around, and gave a bright smile to the other girls who had already been in the Great Hall, "Hello! How are you? I'm Milla by the way." she gave a quick wave with a postcard she was holding, before sorting through the rest of her mail. She turned to Pemberley, "How are you liking it here so far?" She inquired the quiet girl.

[ ]

[ ]

Pemberley looked to the girl, "Better than Muggle School." She poured some cream into her tea, and chased it with sugar lumps. No mail came for her, she barely glanced at the owls as they flew in.

"I really enjoyed the Herbology Lesson as well!" Rose replied to Poppy. "I'm afraid I didn't understand much of the Arithmancy lesson, either. But then, I've never been very good with numbers. I was hoping to get my schedule today so I could see when we'll have Charms."

"Oh, I should probably try to find Professor Makshi after this, then," Rose murmured, more to herself than to anyone else. "Do you mind if I ask what exactly you're reading?" she asked after a little hesitation. "I'm assuming it's some kind of newspaper for wizards?" She peered at the moving pictures and the funny layout of the text on the page.

While taking her last bite of grapefruit, Rose watched the owls soaring in and out of the Great Hall. "I would agree that this is much better than muggle school," she said quietly in response to Pemberly's last statement.

(( ))

"It's fun to be outside for class! I'm looking forward to growing things in the greenhouses too and harvesting them to use during Potions. Numbers are also my weakness, but Professor Nico was very understanding once he actually woke up!" Poppy giggled. "It'll be nicer once we're all acquainted better with the adults and each other. Some parts of the castle are starting to feel a bit more familiar, but the grounds are so vast."

"I'd love to hear more about the Muggle world," said Poppy lowering her voice and turning in towards the two Hufflepuff students. "You're Pemberley right? I remember seeing you at Kings Cross. I'm Poppy," she said to the green-haired girl.

[ ]

Pem gave a polite smile over her teacup, the saucer held underneath. "Just imagine being grounded all of the time and not being allowed to do magic, or even think about it. Everyone only talks about the weather and if you mention anything even remotely magical, everyone thinks you're mad." She blinked, as if realizing she had said too much and she went back to sipping tea. Her jade colored eyes disappeared beneath her lashes and she suddenly looked very tired.

|| Yeesh, I'm late to the game, traveling will do that to you. , ,

Cardamom was still wrestling with her furry handful, even after Milla had taken the lead and escorted their small band of yellow-and-black clad students to the breakfast table. Pinot was doing her best to make the worst sort of mess, constantly nudging people's plates and refusing to return to her owner's head. The older girl finally scolded with her rabbit with her wand and said, "So help me, bun, you will either settle for classes with me, or you can go right back to the common room and wait for me there. Which will it be?"

The grey rabbit gave a dignified, if huffy, sniff and popped back into a black cap. Sighing and glad the drama was over (for today at least), Cardamom put her hat back one and allowed herself to finally take a sip of English Breakfast tea. Needed more sugar.

She overheard just the last part of what the young, green-haired first year was saying and laid a gentle hand on Pem's shoulder. "Most of us muggleborns have been there, sweetling. Not to say that people never get teased around here -" she shot a dirty look over at the Slytherin table "- but for the most part, I hope you feel more at home here."

"Hi! I'm Beth," she told the group of Hufflepuffs ( ).

Beth turned to Rose (). "Why, yes it is. Would you like to read it? My parents think it's important to read what's happening in the wizarding world outside of Hogwarts," said Beth as she handed her copy to Rose.

"What's you favorite place in the castle?" Beth asked the girls ().

Milla looked at Pemberley, when she spoke about muggle school, something Milla had never experienced herself, but often heard of from the muggle-born students. "Think of this as your free place," Milla suggested, "It's your place to be who you want to be." She gave a small smile.

Milla had put her tiny bundle of mail away, and refocused on the girls at the table. "Hello Beth!" She smiled shortly at the girl in question, giving a small nod.

Milla loaded her plate with food, almost picking one of each food item within arms reach, she really did like the food here. "My favorite place in the castle would probably be here." Milla answered, a bit bashfully, but then shrugged it off, "Or maybe the ground, I do love the nature surrounding the school!" she dug in to her food fervor.

[ ]

[ ] Pemberley's cheeks flushed with color briefly before simply nodding. She finished her tea and went to lift her empty plates to take care of them, but they had disappeared already; when she looked back to her completed tea cup, it too had been magically cleaned up.

She gave a dip of her head to her fellow students and excused herself from the Great Hall.

Rose listened sympathetically as Pemberly described her experiences with the muggle world. Milla and Cardamom said some comforting things to Pemberly. It was quiet for a moment, and then Pemberly left the table. "She must have had a rough time before Hogwarts," Rose thought sadly. "I am fortunate that my experiences growing up the muggle world were not that severe." Her thoughts were interrupted as Beth offered her the newspaper.

"Oh! T-thank you!" Rose exclaimed, as she accepted the paper from Beth excitedly. She immediately set to work studying it, turning her head to the side as she read one of the headlines running vertically along the edge of the page. She looked up as Beth addressed the girls with a question.

Rose nodded at Milla's response. "I would have have to agree that the castle grounds would be one of my favorite places, as well. Especially by the lake. It's so serene, and yet so interesting. I'm almost certain I saw one of the Giant Squid tentacles splash out of the water the other day!" She grinned earnestly. "How about you, Beth?"

(( ))

Beth watched sympathetically as Pemberley left the Great Hall. She wished she had been able to offer some words of support to the Hufflepuff.

Beth turned her attention back to Rose and Milla. "My favorite place in the castle is Ravenclaw Tower. The courtyard is another one of my favorite places. I love spending my breaks between classes there."

Milla stared after Pemberley as she left, feeling a bit sorry for her, hoping that shed open up at some point. Milla didn't like it if her fellow students didn't feel good.

Milla divided her attention between Rose and Beth as they spoke, "I love the lake!" She nodded her agreement, "And the Giant Squid is SO gentle." She continued, she had spotted quit a few times in her years at Hogwarts, fed it maybe to or three times.

"In general I just really like the outer surroundings here, they are always a great place to find retreat." Milla said, the furrowing her brow, "Except for maybe the Forest, I would really rather not go there."

[ ]

Amanda had been walking toward the Great Hall when all of a sudden she was hit with a bight purple water balloon falling from above. "ARGH," she yelled!! She looked up and saw a ghostly man floating near the celieng. He taunted her a bit and then zoomed off while blowing a raspberry. She yelled some choice words at him as he zoomed away. Dripping wet, she turned around and made her way back to her dormitory for a pair of fresh robes.

Ravenna was headed for the great hall when she noticed Peeves zooming around, throwing brightly colored objects at the students ahead of her. She raised the book she was carrying just in time to save herself...but her book wasn't so lucky. Peeves had thrown a water balloon. Ravenna sighed and attempted to dry the book on her robes. As she did so, the screams of students in the great hall reached her ears. She approached the great hall, but stopped at the doorway. Peeves had his back turned, and Ravenna was hungry. She decided to take a chance. Dashing to the Hufflepuff table(most students were too distracted to notice) she grabbed some toast and mumbled something like 'I'll just eat outside' then dashed back out of the hall and headed outside, planning to sit by the lake and eat.