[img align=left]https://sapi.subeta.net/shared/355235.png[/img] As the students enter the common room through a stack of barrels near the kitchens, they see a tall woman standing waiting. She has a warm smile and beckons them to gather around.

"Welcome Hufflepuffs! I am Professor Karisha Makshi Head of Hufflepuff House and Deputy Headmistress.”

Professor Makshi waves her wand, causing a table to appear behind her filled with various pastries and sweets, along with jugs of pumpkin juice and butter beer.

“I know that you’ve all just come from the feast but some small treats before bed can be so nice. Please, pick out what you like, grab a place on one of our couches or overstuffed chairs, and I’ll fill you in on everything you need to know about our honorable house.

This cozy common room is located one floor below ground level. Once the sun comes up in the morning you’ll be able to see the grass and flowers outside of our many round windows. A neat little trick for an underground space, wouldn’t you say?

As you’ve likely noticed by the decor, our house colors are yellow and black, and our emblem is the badger, a quiet creature but not one to be underestimated.

Our house ghost is the Fat Friar, a jolly spirit and a personal friend of mine. Don’t be afraid to say hello when you see him floating through the corridors!

And the Friar isn’t the only great Hufflepuff to have passed through these halls! Our house has produced a good many witches and wizards who have come to accomplish great things, including several Ministers for Magic and the famous magizoologist, Newt Scamander.

As I look around this room at all of you, I’m certain that there will be great things accomplished by this generation of Hufflepuffs as well.”

Professor Makshi smiles as she looks about at the many faces of her students.

“Before I go and leave you to get to know one another, I have one last thing, how to get into our common room. As you might have noticed when you came in, there is no password. We badgers have our own method of protecting our home from intruders. When you approach the stack of barrels near the kitchens that you entered through a few minutes ago, simply take your wand and tap the barrel two from the bottom, middle of the second row, in the rhythm of ‘Helga Hufflepuff’ and the door will open. Be careful though! Tap the wrong barrel or the wrong rhythm and you’ll find yourself dowsed in vinegar.

If you need help with this or anything else, I am always available, as is your prefect .

Welcome to your new home.”

Millie was so happy to be back in her second home. She passed through the barrels and gently tapped the rhythm. The door opened and her long haired calico burst past her to grab her favorite cushion near the fire place. She took a deep breath and smiled. To her, the common room smelled of vanilla and a garden after a spring rain.

As she passed through the barrels, she noticed she was the first student. She warmly greeted her head of house, Professor Makshi (). "Hello Professor. I'm so happy to be back. Especially after being sent home from the Triwizard Tournament early because of a nasty case of Dragon Pox." ((ooc - real life got in the way, so I had to take a break from subeta)).

Jona waited for an upperclassman to do the knock and let him in. He crawled through and breathed out a sigh of wonder as the tunnel opened out into a room he could only describe as home. And from now on, that's exactly what it would be for him - he hoped so, at least. Looking around, he noticed only one student () who looked rather comfortable and one teacher, who announced herself as Professor Karisha Makshi (). It was a lot to take in, so Jona used the excuse of food and drink to distract himself while he wandered the perimeter of the room and gawked at every sentimental detail.

Millie had made her way to the snacks table and grabbed a bottle of butterbeer and looked at the pastries. She saw a Hufflepuff she didn't know enter. She smiled and waved. "Hello. I'm Millie, a 5th year. Welcome to Hogwarts"

Jona jerked his head in alarm and away from the hanging plant he'd been admiring, not even noticing Millie () until she asked the question. His face was the epitome of the 'deer in headlights' expression, with cheeks puff out and full of pastry to boot.

He nodded stupidly as he force-swallowed the dry lump of flaky dough and took a swig of pumpkin juice to wash it down. "HI!" he yelled excitedly, then apologized and said more quietly, "My name is Jona; I think we talked at the feast!"

[img align=left]https://i.imgur.com/6nplr75.png[/img]

Lily follows an upperclassman into the common room and gasps. "It's beautiful" she thinks to herself. She sees the upperclassman, Millie () talking to Jona (). She walks up to them both "Hey guys." she feels calmer in the smaller common room, everything was so overwhelming at the feast. She wipes her mouth where Jona still has some crumbs on his mouth from the pastry he just scarfed down, motioning for him to do the same.

Millie gave a warm smile to the 1st year who just entered () "Hello. Welcome to the Hufflepuff house, both of you. I'm Millie, a 5th year." She greeted. "I know you both () must be overwhelmed, so feel free to ask any questions.

"It is beautiful in here and very comfortable. The best part is the kitchen is right next door, so if you ever get hungry out meal hours, it's right there and the house elves are always happy to feed you. I'll show you how to get in later. And if you enjoy baking, let them know and they'll be happy to tell you the best times. I usually do my baking before bedtime. They've had to sneak me out of the kitchen several times because I went over curfew" she said with a laugh.

[img align=right]https://78.media.tumblr.com/425f0dc738aa943b21046d0000aa0a07/tumblr_inline_p0mff0jKgr1r28tx7_540.png[/img] Luck entered her familiar home behind a few students she noticed were 1st years. After Professor Makshi's speech, she looked towards the table of treats that already had others gathering around it. Prior to arriving in the common room, she had saved room at the feast; she had grown accustomed to the traditional table of treats that would always greet them. With her pet lizard perched on her shoulder, she slid over to the table. The other students near the table made her shy and, taking a pastry and some pumpkin juice, she tried to slip away to the couch before she was noticed. It's not that she didn't like the others, but she was very introverted.

Lily giggles at Millie () "Thank you both again for chatting with me at the Welcome Feast, it's tough being new here...but I can't wait to make some new friends, and hope I already have." she smiles at both of them () "I don't know much about baking, but my Mom taught me a little bit about Herbology, maybe it's similar?"

She also notices Luck () enter the room, but being shy herself she says nothing, but can't help but stare at her lizard.

((OOC: I was waiting for a few more people to pop in and for the Great Hall RP to getting go, before really socializing on here. Otherwise, I was afraid of having the same convos. All good now!))

Jona flicks his head towards Lily () and hurriedly wipes crumbs from his face. He smiles apologetically at her and nods his head in thanks.

"Looking forward to sneaking into the kitchens now and then," Jona said aloud with a glimmer of mischief in his eyes.

Jona noticed another girl () walk in who seemed familiar with the layout of the common room. She obviously wasn't in the socializing mood, but he made a point to catch her eye and wave energetically at her - almost accidentally whacking Lily's head in the process.

"Oops! Sorry." Another sheepish grin parted his lips. He continued talking with Lily and Millie (). "Yeah, I've never baked or cooked before, except for some toast and eggs. I'd love to learn though! My uncles aren't exactly master chefs back home, so it'd be nice if at least one of us learned how to handle food." Jona made the motion like he was flipping invisible pancakes in the air and catching them in an invisible pan.