Ethel kept an ear on the conversation, but was momentarily distracted when Wade made a break for it and slithered out of one sleeve and into the seat cushions. "Wade!" she hissed, plunging one hand into the bowels of the chair. "You are embarrassing us!" Wade showed his unending shame by not responding and continuing to hide in the chair.

"Er, so, Brazil, eh?" Ethel said breezily. "Did you grow up there then, Beth?" She asked of . As if she wasn't up to her shoulder in armchair, she added to "And I don't see why you couldn't be a first rate Quidditch player and a healer. The sky's the limit! Especially if you've got a broom!"

"With all this motivation I might be!" She coos at Wade coaxing him out of the chair. "Now Wade you know better, Ethel is trying to get to know others! Don't be such a brat and lay down over hear." Gaia pats a cushion next to her on the floor.

[img align=left]http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk297/Katia10148/Screen%20Shot%202015-08-24%20at%208.09.04%20AM_zpse0pgrczw.png[/img] "Nope. I was born and raised in Spain. How about you? How you two () know each other?," Beth asked.

Ethel shot Gaia a conspiratorial grin and let out a gawky sort of laugh. "Well," she said to . "It started with me looking for Wade, of course. Cheeky blighter." Said blighter had inched his way onto the arm of her chair and was sitting their in a sunny coil like butter wouldn't melt on his forked tongue.

"I was looking for him under the Ravenclaw table in the great hall after sorting. I was so nervous!" Here she paused, clearly distracted by a random thought. "Say, what did the hat say to you? Is that a thing you're allowed to ask? I'm just so curious! It's different for everyone, right?" While it was clear she had a notion that the question might be inappropriate, her cheerful demeanor made it equally clear her curiosity trumped her good manners.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to. I'd be fascinated to hear what it said to all of us!"

"Yeah I noticed Wade going around everyone's feet and then saw Ethel frantically looking, so naturally I helped. Naturally Ethel banged her head on the table." Giggles "we have been friends since!" Gaia ponders the sorting hat question... "can we tell others? Haven't there been stories of past students helping the sorting hat choose a house?"

Amanda listened closely to Fade's advice. She was particularly interested in the bit about the restricted section; she loved books so much, and there must be some really good ones in there. She smiled at him and said "Thanks for the tips!"

She then watched him eat a tiny piece of a red jelly bean had thrown at him and giggled as his face turned red, and his hair started doing crazy things.

Her attention was then drawn to Beth () who had just introduced her pet. His name was Moony and he was very cute. Her cat Luna took immediate interest in him, and started to try and rub her body against his.

She noticed a girl she didn't know yet trying to fish her snake out of the crevice of the chair. She gestured to the girl and said, "Hi, I'm Amanda! I used to have a pet snake. What kind is yours? Mine was a ball python."

The end of the story of how and she met reminded Ethel of her most recent run in with Hogwarts' furnishings. She ducked her head and gave the sore spot a pat before moving on. "Yeah, I dunno. No one ever said we weren't allowed to say what the hat says, right? If they did, I've forgotten them saying it!"

Just as she was finishing up saying that, Amanda chimed in and drew her attention. "Lovely to meet you, Amanda! I'm Ethel." And she was a huge geek for snakes. She shifted Wade off of his perch and let him slip up her arm. "Oh you did! What was the snake's name? Was it a boy or a girl? Ball pythons are wicked." Wade was clearly offended at her heaping praise on another snake, so she gave his tail a pat. "Wade here is a corn snake. Amelanistic corn snake to get all technical. He was just so bright and cheery looking I had to take him home!"

[img align=left]http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk297/Katia10148/Screen%20Shot%202015-08-24%20at%208.09.04%20AM_zpse0pgrczw.png[/img] Beth ponders Ethel's question. "The Sorting Hat mulled over where to place me. It said I could achieve great success in Slytherin, Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. I remember asking it about Hufflepuff. I tried arguing and negotiating with it for a long time. I honestly didn't know where I would be placed until he yelled Ravenclaw. What did it tell you?"

OOC: Based my response on the Pottermore Sorting Quiz Ravenclaw 92% Gryffindor 85% Slytherin 82% Hufflepufff 53%

Ethel nodded along as () Beth told her sorting hat tale. "I wonder if we Ravenclaws are more difficult to sort than the rest of the houses. When I went under the hat, he wanted to put me in Gryffindor."

She lifted a hand and gave Wade a little pet before continuing. "But I would do terribly there! Gryffindors are a nice bunch and all, but not very kind to people who don't fit the mold. Well, who don't fit their mold. Anyway, I told him to put me in a house where I was free to be my oddball self." Then she grinned. "I'm proud to be in the same house as Uric the Oddball! What's wrong with wearing a jellyfish for a hat anyway!"

OOC Yay for Sorting Quizzes! It's been forever since I did mine at Pottermore. I have no clue what my percentages were but I am Ravenclaw all the way ^_^

Fade waved a dismissive hand at Gaia’s () apology. “No it’s OK. Part of the fun, right?” Finishing the rest of his juice he deposited the cup on the end table beside his chair. Chase meanwhile playfully batted at Gaia’s attempts to untangle him, making the entire ordeal much longer than it needed to be. However, when she offered him some jerky, he quickly gave up fighting the untangling and sat contented while she wriggled him free.

Fade nodded over at Kainra () and grinned sheepishly. “Yeah, you too.” It was sort of relieving to have another guy in the room. Especially a talkative and friendly guy. It saved Fade the risk of coming off as a jerk because he tended to be more quiet and didn’t usually have much to say.

Turning toward Beth () he shook his head. “No, thanks. But thanks.” Leaning back into the comfy chair he watched as Chase, now finished with his snack, began sniffing around Moony curiously. He hadn’t ever encountered a Gryphon before, and it’s feathers looked like a birds so naturally Chase was very interested in how they would taste. Just as he was about to sample a bite, Fade stood up and scolded him. “Chaser, NO!” Fade’s voice cracked slightly having been raised to an unnatural octave. Chase meanwhile cooley pretended he wasn’t doing anything wrong. Closing his mouth he eyed Fade innocently, sitting beside Moony he began cleaning one of his paws, shrugging off the scolding as only a cat ever could.

Letting out an exasperated sigh Fade fell back into his chair. How was it that a cat could make him feel so foolish. He should have brought his raven friend instead… Quietly, Fade listened to the chatter involving people's parents, Quidditch, and their own unique experiences with the Sorting Hat.

Gaia looks up from her gathering with everyone's pets and ponders about her sorting. "Mine wasn't really hard. I only had to options Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. I was tempted to ask for Hufflepuff they have the kitchens close by! But my need for knowledge was stronger. I enjoy challenging myself, so I guess the sorting hat took that as important when placing me. Like Ethel said I am a little off giggles a wanted a place where I could be myself" at that Gaia looks over at Fade "why are you screaming?" Gaia takes a look at Chase and says "who is a good boy? Want some more jerky?"

"Dang, I didn't even think about the kitchens," Ethel muttered. Indecision flitted across her face as she mourned the loss of what could have been many a great late night snack. Still! Not worrying about hiding her quirks was probably better than easy snacks. Probably.

A sudden shout made her jump, one hand instinctively anchoring Wade to her shoulder. The source of the commotion appeared to be a boy and his cat. "Everything alright?" she asked . "Your cat ok?" At this she looked at said cat and her own voice swooped up an octave or two: an instinctive reaction to speaking to an adorable kitty. "Are you ok, kitty cat?"

[img align=left]http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk297/Katia10148/Screen%20Shot%202015-08-24%20at%208.09.04%20AM_zpse0pgrczw.png[/img] "Maybe. I didn't know much about Hogwarts when I was sorted. I didn't have a preference to which House I place into. Did your parents attend Hogwarts?"

"How about you? Did your parents attend Hogwarts?"

"How did you hear about Hogwarts?"

"Who hasn't heard of Hogwarts!?! There are family friends that have come here and I got my letter. Honestly we were a little worried since I wasn't born here, but I guess I have been here long enough to attend this school!"

"Why are you worried? grins I have plenty of food for us! I already made friends." Gaia wiggles her eyebrows in a mischievous way.

[img align=left]http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk297/Katia10148/Screen%20Shot%202015-08-24%20at%208.09.04%20AM_zpse0pgrczw.png[/img] "Where were you born? Where are you from? Do you have any siblings?" Beth asks curiously.

"I was born in Puerto Rico, but move to the US where my dad was from, and then move here 7 years ago. I have an older brother but he is not around. He, erm," Gaia gets a bit uncomfortable and takes a drink of pumpkin juice. sigh "He is different from us." In an attempt to change the attention from her to others Gaia asks Beth "You said you are from Spain, right? What is it like there? How did you end up with us here?"

[img align=left]http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk297/Katia10148/Screen%20Shot%202015-08-24%20at%208.09.04%20AM_zpse0pgrczw.png[/img] Beth notices Gaia become uncomfortable and decides not to ask her about her brother. "Living in Spain is very different than living in the UK. It's warmer back home. The architecture is different. The food is different. I miss the food from home. My parents wanted my sisters and I to attend a school that would help us do great things. Lyn and I decided to attend Hogwarts. My other sister attends Beauxbatons." Beth told Gaia.

"How long did you live in Puerto Rico? Where in the United States did you live?"

"My mom did," Ethel admitted to . "Sorted into Hufflepuff and did fantastic there! Dad's muggleborn from America. I was raised there but in a different part. He doesn't talk about his family a lot." She shrugged and looked at Beth with renewed interest. "So your dad went to Durmstrang, right? I wish I knew more about it! Did he talk about it much? Do they have houses like at Hogwarts?"

Beth had a few questions on her plate (she should expect no less with Ravenclaws for friends!) so she took the chance to glance at . "So what kind of food we talking here?"

"Do you like Paella? Puerto Rico has Spanish influences. I love food! I was young when we left PR but the influences of the island came with us no matter where we went. I live in Florida in the US muggles have no idea how strong the magical pull is in that state. I wonder if that is why they created theme parks there! Oh, I'm sorry you and your sister got separated for school, but I bet you will all achieve great things!"

"Well for now we have candy I brought from home, but tomorrow we get more stuff. I asked for fruits, breads, and veggies for you. I am always thinking ahead! I knew my connections would come in handy really fast. I love food, have I mentioned that before?" Gaia laughs so hard she doubles on the floor. "I find myself hilarious at times!"

"You've got the whole trifecta in one family!" Ethel exclaimed to . "Dumstrang, Hogwarts, and Beauxbaton. Fascinating!" To imagine having such amazing first hand accounts of foreign schools. Ethel shook her head in envy then eyed with no lack of austerity at the girl's rolling around.

"Food is serious business! I'll eat anything. Well, anything other than meat that is." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I know too much!"