start of term feast :open to all:

[* JAQI]

Persephone applauded as the last student (Zimmer, Calvin) was sorted into her former house of Gryffindor, and waited patiently as the sorting hat was whisked away along with the three-legged stool the first years had all sat on in turn to be put into their houses. She wasn't sure if it was just her, but it seemed that every term the incoming first years got smaller and smaller. She shook her head at herself lightly before getting to her feet to address the students and staff. Her robes fluttered around her although the air was stationary- she had donned a nice set for the occasion. They were a rich dark purple, embroidered with silver stars and moons that twinkled slightly.

She had pulled her hair back, though she figured that she should have left it down. Persephone had been fairly off-colour recently, truth be told she didn't feel all that well. She was nauseous on and off throughout the day, and so fatigued by at the end of the day it was all she could do to keep her eyes open. Persephone blinked a few times to clear the slight rush she had gotten from standing up too quickly, and then smiled out at the four tables of students.

"New students, welcome. Old students, welcome back. As notice to our first years I would like to say that the forest on the grounds is strictly forbidden- and that curfew is at nine in the evening sharp. For those interested in joining their house Quidditch teams, they should see their house captain for information about tryouts. And I am very pleased to announce that we will be allowing third years and above with parental consent to attend the Hogsmeade Halloween festival at the end of next month," Persephone announced, using her clearest tone, "Our caretaker has also asked me to remind you that the list of banned items has, yet again, been expanded. The list is posted on his office door for any who wish to check it."

"Though I do think that is quite enough for tonight, and without any more boring announcements and things- tuck in," Persephone concluded and then seated herself. No sooner than she had settled did the plates fill with the extravagantly prepared feast. Persephone smiled in spite of the fact that she felt entirely exhausted, it was good to have a full school once more.

[nixnight]

Nix sat at the top of her house table and her face had a firm smirk on it, she was one of these to listen to the first speech given and then ignore it all when it came down to it. She had the werewolf pack in the forest to see along with new sign-ups for the quidditch team and then her own NEWT's to think of this year so she was really looking forwards to it all.

She'd found herself smiling when the first years had been sorted, the looks on their faces when they got put in to their houses always made her feel good and she loved the look of those who clearly thought hey would be put else where. Those who knew her would know his was because that had been the look on her own face when she had been put in to gryffindor so many years back, the first Night in 8 generation to not be sorted in to ravenclaw.

Nix clapped like everyone else as the headmistress finished her speech before turning to the table and seeing the food laid out in front of her and smiling, once again she had not been home in the summer to her own family but to her new adoptive one. Her own family would have starved her again or beat her or both and she had the temper now to actually do damage when she got angry so she was most happy she had another home to go to when summer came.