[hr][hr][center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/4yS8QqqT/image.png[/img][hr][@BlueSky44][@FantasyChic][@Achronum][@Nallore][@Natsu][@Kirah][@TrainerBlue192][@Framing A Moose][hr][color=FFDF00][b]September 1st, 1984 - 6:00 P.M.[/b][/color][/center][hr][hr][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/uiLzUWI.png[/img][hr][hr][b][color=41700D]Location:[/color][/b] the Great Hall - Slytherin Table
[b][color=41700D]Magic:[/color][/b] Pocket Sneakoscope[/center][hr]	The first years had been fairly evenly sorted into the four houses. To no one's surprise, [url=https://i9.lisimg.com/19958169/360full.jpg]Charlie Weasley[/url] was sorted into Gryffindor. [url=https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOGYzNjE2MDYtMjhhNi00MGE4LTk1ZDUtM2ZmODZlMmQ2ZjE3XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjUxMjc1OTM@._V1_UY1200_CR585,0,630,1200_AL_.jpg]Nymphadora Tonks[/url], [url=https://freedesignfile.com/upload/2016/11/Pretty-blonde-little-girl-with-autumn-background.jpg]Beatrice Haywood[/url], and [url=https://i.pinimg.com/originals/42/24/85/42248581b34bbb5feb26dba99374dce5.jpg]Chiara Lobasca[/url] were placed into Hufflepuff. Each house received about ten first years - some had a few more, some a few less. The dormitories were enchanted, able to magically expand to match the size of the incoming class. The food was about to be served, but [url=https://giphy.com/gifs/applause-harry-potter-gif-albus-dumbledore-nQfQayikD5rX2]Headmaster Dumbledore[/url] stood at his podium, candles ablaze around him as he waited for everyone to quiet down.

	"Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts, especially to our seventh years who are nearing the end of their journey and our first years, who are at the cusp of theirs," Dumbledore began, the Great Hall hushed. "I would like to thank everyone for the bravery and courage they displayed on the Hogwarts Express earlier today. The conductor was one of the escaped Death Eaters disguised via polyjuice potion and he was killed." Dumbledore paused, letting this news sink in. "Rest assured, there is no place safer in the wizarding world than Hogwarts. I would like to thank our prefects and Professor McGonagall for the session they conducted with the first years... but let us move onto happier subjects. We have a new professor for Defense Against the Dark Arts this year, Professor Bhengani - would you care to say a few words?" Dumbledore asked, stepping back from the podium. 

	[url=https://www3.pictures.livingly.com/mp/q5x4WexxBgxx.jpg]Professor Bhengani[/url] nodded, standing up from her seat between Professors Sinistra and McGonagall. Her elegant robes swept the floor as she walked up to the podium, Dumbledore taking his seat in the headmaster's chair. She didn't need an amplifying charm to boost her voice - she was confident and clear, loud enough to be heard by the 200 some students in the Great Hall. 

	"I am Nomvula Bhengani," she introduced herself. "I have been teaching at the Uagadou School of Magic for six years now. It's an honor to be invited as a visiting professor to Hogwarts - and perhaps the food is not as bland as I have been told. At Uagadou, we practice wandless magic - so consider this a notice for my students. There will be no wands in my classroom." She had a strong and steady smirk on her face, a smile that seemed to dare and challenge each student in the crowd. 

	"Thank you, Professor Bhengani!" Dumbledore said, as Professor Bhengani took her seat and he resumed his place at the podium. "Now - tuck in!"

	Suddenly, a magnificent feast materialized on the long tables. Facing the Head Table, the tables in order were (from left to right): Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor. The feast food was the same sort of things that the house elves prepared every year, although it tasted divine so the lack of originality could be excused. There were beef, lamb chops, steak, potatoes, meat pies, sandwiches, and salads. Pitchers contained most sorts of juice as well as water. 

	[color=41700D]"Fucking ace, I've missed steak,"[/color] Paige said. She was seated next to Barnaby. Merula was unfortunately across from them. It was hard to avoid her at times. Paige took her fork and jabbed it into a piece of steak, before flinging it onto her plate. She scooped up a huge helping of garlic mashed potatoes and then placed some roasted carrots on her plate (for her health, of course). She started to dig in, only to notice that Merula was hardly touching her food. 

	She looked at Merula for a moment, contemplating asking her what was wrong. However upon further reflection, Paige realized she didn't particularly care and she went back to cutting up her steak, cramming her mouth with the juicy meat. She liked her steaks medium well, stemming from when she was a little girl and actually liked pink. She thought the pink meat was better. 

	"They forgot to have vegetarian food again..." Liz Tuttle sighed. She was sitting on Barnaby's other side, grabbing sandwiches for the bread and putting all of the fillings on a separate plate. She then took the potatoes, roasted carrots, and the salad, making her own sort of meal. 

	[color=41700D]"Do you want me to go fight the house elves for you?"[/color] Paige offered seriously, talking with a mouthful of steak. She couldn't help but be excited. She had an endless supply of steak in front of her, Merula was being quiet, and they were getting the chance to study wandless magic that year in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Their last few professors hadn't even tried to teach them it, but the applications were endless, especially when it came to Curse Breaking. What if she got trapped in a tomb and lost her wand in the dark? Maybe Dumbledore would give them some pointers on wandless magic in their private lessons, that way she could really impress the new professor. 

	"No way! It's totally grody by the way, house elf enslavement. We force them to work for us all day and the horrible abuse that they suffer, especially in pureblood households... I think I've lost my appetite," Liz complained, setting down her utensils. 

	"Of course [i]you'd[/i] not get why we need house elves," Merula muttered sourly, rolling her eyes. 

	"Oh go on, Merula, tell me more about why you're okay with the systemic abuse of house elves and other beings," Liz challenged Merula, fire in her eyes. 

	"Can't we talk about something else?" Barnaby asked. He was extremely conflict adverse. It was a defense mechanism for the abuse he had experienced growing up. Whenever things got bad, he would run off to his room and cuddle whatever cute magical creature he could fine. He [i]loved[/i] crups and had even raised a few kneazle kittens on his own. 

	Merula got up from her seat. "Hogwarts is really going to the dogs," she spat, grabbing her plate and heading down to the front of the table where the first years were sitting. She shoved one of the first years over roughly, before taking a seat. Merula was eating her food angrily now, as if she was punishing it. 

	[color=41700D]"Urgh, what is her damage..."[/color] Paige asked, shaking her head. 

	"She's horrible, that's what. And she can't handle being challenged on [i]anything[/i]," Liz explained. She still hadn't touched her food, despite her stomach growling. "But enough about that tosser... Paige, you need to tell us what Dumbledore wanted," Liz insisted. She then spotted Eliza. "Flame, you too!"

	Paige thought on her feet. The best lies were those that were partially true, right? [color=41700D]"He's trial running some new class, he wants me to be in it,"[/color] Paige shrugged. [color=41700D]"I dunno why he picked me,"[/color] she added.