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H.B. raised his hand. "Professor, Charms are spells that alter an object or person without changing their fundamental nature," he said crisply, then added, "Although there are a few exceptions that puzzle me and seem to be exceptions to that rule, like a Memory Charm."
H.B. noticed Serafina still struggling with her wolfsbane. "Cheer up, we all make mistakes," he said, smiling. "Just relax, that's the most important thing." H.B.'s dark eyes sparkled in the candle-lit classroom.
"Hmmm..." H.B. narrowed his eyes in concentration. "Root ball..compost...oh say, this isn't that bad. I had a pot-bound Squeaking Frond as a kid once," he said, chuckling. "Bit of a black thumb then but ey, you're doing ok, little fella," he said, finishing up after easing the seedling into the larger container and patting the soil around it gently.
H.B., as he had no clue what the plant is for, had his quill poised to see was Serafina is correct. Time in military-style elementary school had taught him to not guess!
"'Funny things,' eh?" H.B. waggles his eyebrows.
H.B. raised his hand. "Professor Sprout, will we begin working on plants today? The schedule looks self-explanatory enough." He looked keen to get into some combat--er, gardening.
"Hey, at least we get it over with first thing," said HB. "Professor Snape can't be that bad, can he? I don't mind a little challenge. Er, in Potions, at least." He then rolled his eyes at William's impatient question about Quidditch, preferring to wait at least a minute or three to see what the Herbology lesson would be.
"Herbology, then? Whew. I need to work up to Transfigurations," said H.B. with some relief.
"A shuttle is just any sort of conveyance," says H.B. offhandedly to William. "Wagon, carriage, magical ship, locomotive...better now than the olden days, when I hear people got stuffed into chicken leg huts and tied to giant harpoons and the like."
"I don't fancy I look like a good Saxon son either," says H.B. to Serafina, laughing. "Me folks are in the Gurkhas, and I've grown up in Scotland. I did get to watch the beginning and end of a Yeti 'suppression' as they call it--non lethal spells and flechettes, thank goodness--one time in the old motherland in the Himalayas. That was interesting." "But in terms of service," he continues with a wink, "We're as British as they come. Simply would have samosas and dumplings of a different sort than you'd be used to, come tea time." H.B. turns to Anora. "Oh, I look forward to you meeting some larger snakes," he says with a chuckle. "Even Nordic ones. Have you heard of a Jormungandr? Now that's something that I'm sure Francis is aware of. Francis! You're a famous scion! I know I'd heard that name before. Smashing! I've skimmed through some books written by your dad."
H.B. grins at his newfound House-mates, standing up at attention to shake all of their hands. He's a handsome fellow with not a hair out of place and a crisp set of uniform clothing and robes, and a bit of a Scottish burr to his voice. "Serafina! Hem Bahadur, or H.B., far less of a mouth--right, you've already gotten a mouthful. Francis--Scamander, is it? William! Welcome to the best House in Hogwarts! Hmm, was there some mixup on the time tables? Will we see a shuttle of Slytherin next, possibly on snake-back?"
H.B. sighs as he scans some pre-syllabi information on classes. "Transfigurations--McGonnagal. Ugh, those make my brain hurt. I'll be much happier in Charms; Potions, even. Hmmm...Hooch, Flying. Well, that should be interesting." He glanced at Anora. "Hmm? All's not well?"
Blimey!
H.B. waved to the Slytherins, especially Vincent and a rather poufy Isabella . "Food's better over here!" he declaimed with a wink. "Although they seem to think wee children can't stand a bit of coffee--shame." He gave Brian a second glance. "You alright there, Brian?" His own plate was neat and precise, as he ate eggs and pancakes in careful order, not getting any syrup in the eggs--a cardinal sin. H.B. could almost feel the wards of the Dining Hall--couldn't wait to really get into them with his professors. He spotted Kenneth and gave him a friendly nudge across the aisle. "Gryffindor suits you," he said.
Vielen Glück!
H.B. emerged in the dining hall looking like the typical military brat--scrubbed and neat as a pin, breaking his poise only to bonk Brian on the shoulder. "Extra coffee for you, sir," he said with a grin. "Ethan, I hope we get a tour of the grounds before classes begin. Wow, the lake looks quite different during the day!"
H.B. could feel a huge yawn that threatened to open his mouth into a chasm and turned it into a big of a sigh and a bug-eye sniff instead. "Yearrrh...time for adventures tomorrow, I'm sure. I'm feeling pretty knackered." He patted his pillow. "'Course, the Slytherins are probably staying up figuring out how to make untraceable poisons. Ha!"
"Oh, I always get extra! Of course! If I didn't share, I'd wind up looking like a brown mountain puffskein!" says H.B. with a laugh. "Ooh..when is lights out anyhow?"
"Not...allowed...in rooms? But I've seen everyone bring in their Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Bott Beans and the like...piff. That sounds like a breakable rule if I ever heard one," said H.B. "My Nata--er, Nanna to you--she'll be sending me care packages right and left. D'you like mango pickle? Samosas?" . He flashed a grin. "We'll find a way, I'm certain."
I haven't taken a year.
And now I'll be in the woods from Thursday to Sunday, with no signal! H.B. will banter and be ready for the next day soon enough!
"Oi, Brian, cheers. And Ethan and Eillian, hullo! Hem Bahadur--everyone calls me H.B. as it's a bit of a mouthful." H.B. shook each of the boy's hands in turn. "I'm actually from around here--parents get stationed all over the Highlands," he said with a shrug and a grin. "What about you?" Baja made a small 'chwirk' from his perch and plucked at one of his jesses. "Ha, and that's Baja, my buzzard, cheeky thing. Go to sleep, bird. He'll quiet down when the lamps go out...and I promise he won't do his business on anyone's books--he's been trained not to do that."
have a great time!
So apparently the Hufflepuff Common Room hasn't been infiltrated for a thousand years. Huh.
Odd, that the password doesn't change. What if it gets leaked? Hufflepuffs are either trusting, or there's something up their sleeve that I'm not understanding. Perhaps they'll just let anyone in--no secrets in here. They--I mean 'we', chum, mused H.B. to himself as he trundled luggage to the Boy's quarters and thence to the First Year assignments. "No, no questions...hey! nice!" H.B. noted that there were no bunk beds, just comfy bedsteads for each student. It was all rather hobbit-ish, which didn't bother him one bit.
Huh, it came back yesterday, eh? Here I am!
I'm out again, from Thursday to Sunday, in the woods (like a badger)
Hufflepuff: "Ha," said H.B., getting it instantly. "Does the pattern change?" He followed near the head of the pack, rapping with one hand on his robe with variations on the 'hufflepuff' rhythm.
I'll be out this weekend in the woods, Friday - Sunday. Maybe Paizo's forums will work by then? :P
"Right, then," says H.B., sitting up smoothly. He graciously let several girls go ahead of him. "I've a feeling this is setting up to be the best year at Hogwarts ever," he said to no one in particular.
Any more table chat? I'm ready for a new scene, meself! :)
I'm out from Thursday to Sunday, so bot H.B. or just have him get into trouble! :D
"Hey Brian! Call me H.B.," says H.B., extending a hand to shake. "Ready to win House Cup points for Hufflepuff?" H.B. flashes a white grin.
"Ha, Tomas, haud yer wheest. Kelly, gled ta meet a fellow Caledonian," said H.B., grinning at the interplay between the two. "I thought I heard a MacLachlan in there, getting sorted, or maybe it were a McLoughlin--I was a little busy being nervous about getting Sorted," he said with a laugh. "How many first years are there in each House? And what do we do for competition besides Quidditch and the er, the point system, is it?"
"So far, so good!" said H.B. "Curious about my roomies and the common room, and a bit worried about classes, but this is a good wee bit o' scran," he said, chuckling and taking another bite or three. "Where's everybody else from? I'm from...around here, actually, both Edinburgh and Glasgow, and some military forts besides. We kind of moved around," he said with a disarming smile.
H.B. shrugged. "Well...I suppose that's for the best. Wasn't planning to break rules, just wondering about you know, defense. Since, erm, anyhow."
H.B. kept his smile, although the table manners were a bit different than he was used to. That's a lot of dead cow there, boyo, he thought to himself, and did anyone wash their hands here, eh? Great bloody Sassenachs better have put a Sanitizing Charm on all of us. He found potatoes and broad beans and greens for starters, avoiding the beef unconsciously. "Well, I'm sure a substitute will turn up," he said, full of hope. "What about Dueling, then, eh?"
We have the '84 Prefects thanks to some video game... :D This is the Court pre-Prefect H.B. met. If we wish to stick to canon.
"Kelly, Tomas, I'm Hem Bahadur, but that's a mouthful, so everyone calls me H.B.," said H.B. warmly, shaking hands all around. "I'm excited to be part of the House. Some real great wizards, and if there's a scuffle, I'm good in a scrap," he continued with a wink. "As a last resort, of course. What about Defense Against the Dark Arts? Do they have a teacher for that who's going to stay?"
H.B. gave a wave to all four Houses, and then walked to Hufflepuff's table. Well, all right then, he thought. Battle medic. He then did a double take. How in the blazes does a Muggle-born get into Slytherin? Adopted? Hospital error? Oh, that's a right good headline. "MUDBLOOD SWITCHED AT BIRTH"...ugh, I hope they don't use that word here. Like that time my cousin got his head beat by a bunch of neds calling him a Paki...anyhow... H.B. cleared his head a bit and shook the hands of various Hufflepuffs, getting a firm handshake and a grin from Court, a rising second year. She seems like a leader, he thought.
H.B.--Hem Bahadur, you're from a long line of warriors,--he mentally intoned, then made his mind as blank as a fellow without a shred of Occlumency lessons could--stepped forward and sat in the stool. Here goes, slipped out a thought, as he nodded to the Hat, his face forward.
Better than at the end of the pack, thought H.B., although he had the distinct need to use the loo all of a sudden. Glad my name isn't Zacharias or something. Mare Pachi Dumai Raaja--no one will care after they're dead. Onward.
"Gotta be Gryffindor," said, after McGonagall disappeared H.B. to no one in particular. "I mean, if the Gurkhas aren't brave Auror types, what are they?"
"One or two criminals in a tower, a whole lot in a dungeon...but I don't believe they have a functional dungeon, Dragoslav," said H.B. with a smile. "Dungeons were just where criminals languished before execution, usually. Now we're civilized and have prisons," he says, rolling his eyes. "Oh," he replied softly. He could see the line stretching out, but inexorably leading them in to meet with the Professors. Unconsciously he straightened his back and threw back his shoulders, the result of many a military procession.
Hey, question about being in different Houses. As different Houses have classes at different times, how will we role play through those classes? Would it be better if we're all in the same House? I don't mind choosing one single House or just rolling for it, for the good of the game. Otherwise we'd have to rp scenes outside of classes...or with certain people left out...and that doesn't seem as favorable, does it? ALSO I WENT TO A HOGWARTS CRAFT FAIRRRRR
I am currently at a Hogwarts craft fair!
H.B. gave the place the once-over. "Nice...well defended. All those turrets and parapets, not to mention all the magical shielding that I have no idea how to detect...yet." He hopped out of the boat and filed along with the other students.
Gargis!
"Ugh, this is taking a bit. Oi! Hagrid! Are we allowed to make music on the loch here? Me pipes are in the trunk, but..." H.B. makes a bit of sleight of hand and produces a long bamboo flute from one of his sleeves. He starts in on a bit of 'Loch Lomond', chuckles, then switches to 'The Minstrel Boy'.
"I truly wonder how we all don't puff up like balloons at Hogwarts. I've heard tales of the food," says H.B. He inspects the water with a practiced eye. "There's probably protective charms on the boat to keep us from falling in...probably."
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