Professor Pye
October 24, 2015 8:11 AM
*First Year Orientation!* by Professor Pye
It was the second year that Sonora had decided to have a first year orientation. The idea was that the first years would be allowed a few hours to meet in the Labyrinth Gardens before the Opening Feast so that they could get to know one another without house prejudice being an issue and without the older students around thereby making it less intimidating a process for those who might otherwise be uncomfortable. This meant that the flying wagons that the students took Sonora arrived at each of the standard magical transportation centers a little earlier than usual, just as they had last year. All the students from the previous years had already done this last year and the new students who would be arriving did not know anything different, however it was still written in large, bright red ink so that no one would cause their wagon party to wait for them.This year, Alfred Pye was there to greet the students and direct them to their proper place—older students were allowed to go to their dorms or the dining hall to hang out while they waited for the Opening Feast to start while all first years were sent towards the Labyrinth Gardens where the orientation was taking place. Alfie Pye was a young professor. He was only twenty-eight with a full head of hair and scruff. He refused to shave—a sign of rebellion against the ever present father who seemed to dominate all aspects of Alfie’s life even when he was in a different country. He had somewhat come to terms with being forced to leave the Auror department and being
“Please leave your luggage on the wagon,” he said in his clear, upper-class British accent. “The prairie elves will take your belongings to your rooms so you don’t have to worry about that. Older students please head to your dormitories, first years this way to the gardens.” He spoke loudly, using the Sonoras charm so that he could be heard over the loud popping noises of the prairie elves taking the students’ belongings from the wagon’s storage cubbies to either the proper house for the older students, or a temporary storage room for the first years to wait until they were sorted at which points their things would be taken to the appropriate dorm room while they ate their dinner.
The orientation was taking place in the same large clearing near a circular water fountain as it had last year. Just like last year, there were two buffet tables full of snacks and drinks so that those who were hungry could have something to tide them over until dinner. The same banner from last year that read *First Year Orientation - Welcome to Sonora Academy!* was unfurled over the tables. “First years this way, all other years find either your head of house or one of your prefects to get your house password and make your way to your dorms. You can hang out there or in Cascade Hall until the Feast begins. Thank you!”
He had asked the four seventh year prefects to accompany him to the first year orientation to help answer any questions that students might have had and also to help keep them together as they toured the school. It would also be helpful, he noted, to have Miss Dobson and Miss Vandenberg around to take the first year witches to the ladies’ rooms and point out where they were along the way as he really wasn’t comfortable in doing so. Once Alfie made sure there were no more students lingering in the unloading area, he made his way to the gardens. There were helpful signs posted up for those who couldn’t follow simple verbal directions just to ensure that they all arrived at the same place, in tact.
“Welcome to Sonora,” he said again to get their attention, the Sonoras charm still in effect on his voice. “My name is Professor Pye and I am the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor as well as Head of Aladren House. Before I let you mingle, I’m going to quickly go over a few things that you might need to know about Sonora. Afterwards, myself and my lovely assistants, the seventh year prefects, will take you on a tour of the campus so you can get to know the area before classes start. Then, we’ll go to dinner in Cascade Hall, our dining area where you will take your breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for the rest of the year. At the Opening Feast you will be Sorted.
“There are four Houses at Sonora, Aladren, Teppenpaw, Crotalus, and Pecari. Your House will be like your family here, you will earn points during class and for exceptional behaviour along with other activities over the course of the year though bad behaviour will result in a deduction of points. The House that accumulates the most points during the year will win the House Cup, which is a trophy displayed in the common room of whichever House last won.
“Each House has outstanding qualities and though there are many things that go into determining which will be your house, in general Aladren students are those who enjoy learning, Teppenpaws tend to be on the social side, Crotalus, responsible, and Pecari, adventurous. Don’t worry too much over which House you are placed in just because you don’t think you fit the stereotype—there are exceptions to every rule.
“Sonora is a seven year boarding school as such you will be around these people for the next seven years. Get to know each other and try not to make any judgments based on House. Over your seven years, you will be taking five core classes. Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Care of Magical Creatures, and my personal favorite, Defense Against the Dark Arts, though I’m biased.” Here, Alfie inserted a little wink. The classes are made such that first years and second years take classes together. Your third year will be the first year of Intermediate Studies. You will be allowed to add electives to your five core classes if you like. In your fifth year you will take a Critical Assessment of Talents and Skills, or CATS test. It’s a standardized test that will help decide which classes you will take in your sixth and seventh years or, Advanced classes.
“If there is an elective course you want to take but is not offered, you can talk to your Head of House to set up an independent study program. There is one other major test you will take while here. It’s another standardized test called the Ridiculously Anal Testing of Skills, or RATS. The results of said test will what will help determine what college, university, apprenticeship, or entry level job you get when you graduate Sonora.
“Extracurricular wise we have a variety of clubs whose information you can gather at that table over there,” Alfie gestured towards a side table a little bit away from the two buffet tables. “Any student is able to create their own club if they don’t find one to satisfy their interests, so long as they have a staff advisor and a place to meet. Each House also has a Quidditch team, a wizarding sport played on broom,” he explained for those who had grown up around Muggles. “Every House has openings this year as both Aladren and Pecari graduated players and Teppenpaw and Crotalus don’t have enough for a full team each so they have combined in the past two years.
“Alright, that’s it for the welcoming talk, please feel free to ask myself or one of the other staff members or prefects for help if you need it, otherwise enjoy the food and the company and don’t forget to pick up a school map and a class schedule from the table with the club information and when it’s time for the tour and the Feast I’ll let you know.”
OOC (Our of Character):
Welcome first years of Sonora! You can post a reply here to ask questions to a staff member or one of the prefects or meet your new classmates. This thread is so that first year students can try out posting and get a hang of the site before you get thrown into the big Opening Feast next week which is open to the entire school and can be a bit overwhelming. If you have any OOC board or catch us in chatzy! We’ll try to have an answer back to you as soon as possible! Remember to keep posts realistic and creative, and also to a minimum of 200 words. Enjoy, and once again so excited to have you here!
Subthreads: I feel oriented, do you feel oriented? by Benjamin "Hippo" Pierce with Raine and Kyte Collindale
Hello, world! by Joseph Umland with Natalie Varth aka Nat
Here we go. by Nevaeh Reed with Theresa Whittaker
YES! I am finally here by Camden Miller with Tasha DuBois
Equally as excited as everyone. by Daniel Fintoc with Gabe Valenti
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Professor Pye
*First Year Orientation!*
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Camden Miller
October 31, 2015 9:58 AM
YES! I am finally here by Camden Miller
It was incredible. No. It was amazing. No! It was magnificent. Well, that was Camden had been thinking about his new found abilities since he had received the letter. Wow. It was amazing. The eleven-year old couldn't really pin the perfect set of adjectives to what he was really feeling. He was elated. He was ecstatic. He was utterly and completely afraid of his new surroundings, but he was ready to tackle them all into the past. Camden was ready for this new exciting adventure. He couldn't wait for it to begin and now it had.It had been a couple of stressful and hard weeks preceding this lovely event mainly because his parents didn't really know anything about the wizarding world and they had to rely on the witch that had sent her information (BY OWL!) with the letter if they had any questions. It had been days and days of exchanging information and for the eleven-year old to ask question after question of what was waiting for him at Sonora. He was sure Miss Ellacott had ended up being rather miffed with him, but it didn't matter because he was at Sonora. Finally.
The young wizard was happy. And it was fairly obvious by the big goofy grin adorning his face. He was sure his face would stick like that forever. He just couldn't stop smiling. everything was so new and awesome! As soon as he got out of the carriage (A flying carriage! It was like magic!) his feet instigated a quick run for his life, but his mother’s voice resounded inside his head
“Be patient and follow instructions…” she had told him very seriously.
So Camden stopped himself from running away and dutifully - and boringly - followed the man that later on their walk introduced himself as Professor Pye. However, his eyes wandered at his amazing surroundings. Everything seemed dangerous and inviting. His smiled became wider - if that was even possible - as his brain took everything in. Camden was happy. He was excited.
The boy tried to listen carefully to what the older professor was telling them, but his mind was somewhere else. It was going over the gardens that he was sure was full of interesting things. Things that were waiting for him. He didn't realize the speech had finished until everyone around him started scattering around
Crap he thought. He hadn't heard a word that was spoken. For all he knew he had been assigned like lab partners or something. It didn't matter. That was easily solved.
Camden moved swiftly towards the first person that his eyes could see. His smile was still wide and friendly.
“Hi!” he said enthusiastically. “I am Camden,” he introduced himself since that was the polite thing to do - his mother that taught him that. “I am sorry to bother you, but I didn't really catch anything Mr. Pye said,” he confessed with a small laugh at his own expense. “Could you help me out?” he asked hopefully.
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Tasha DuBois
November 02, 2015 3:43 PM
Me too! by Tasha DuBois
Nine months. She was going to be here nine months. Tasha wasn't used to being in one place for so long, especially around kids her own age. Nor had she admittedly been on her own. Well, except that one time that she'd been lost in the Netherlands a few years ago but that had been different. Sort of terrifying. She'd spent the day going in and out of funny smelling cafes looking for her parents.Of course, she wasn't totally on her own. Her cousin Duncan was here, a prefect for Teppenpaw. Part of Tasha hoped that she'd be with him, not so much because she was needy and scared, but because she really liked the sixth year, even if she hadn't necessarily spent a lot of time with him growing up. Instead, Tasha had spent most of them going from country to country with her parents, her mother loved travel and it was what Tasha was used to. She was more afraid of being bored here or missing out on some fun new place her parents were going than she was being on her own. Sonora was not the streets of a foreign country.
Tasha had spent the last week visiting her grandparents-her mother's father and step-mother-and getting her school supplies. The latter had been fun, but really, it had gotten awkward when her step-grandmother Claudia's mother Gloria Royce had shown up. Mother had never had anything good to say about Mrs.Royce, and Tasha could see why. Mrs. Royce didn't really like Mother or Tasha either so the new first year was glad to board the wagon in Colorado with a good many of her distant cousins. Duncan had been on their wagon too, having gotten on in Montana.
So she'd said goodbye to the lot with the exception of Angelique who was also a first year, though the two girls had gotten separated in the hoard of first year students and went to orientation. Tasha listened as Professor Pye dumped a lot of information on them, considering the characteristics of each one. She thought Aladren sounded good, she did love learning, but she'd heard a lot about the houses all before, getting a full rundown from a lot of her older cousins on the ride here. One of them, Fabian, had mentioned Aladrens tended to be exceedingly uptight and not much fun at all. To which one of the twins had replied that Fabian's dad had been one.
As for the others, she supposed she could be considered responsible. Teppenpaws were actually more nice than necessarily social because it was not the same thing but Tasha rather considered herself in the middle on both in terms of kindness and sociability. Whether or not she was adventurous depended on one's definition of the word, Tasha liked to go new places and try different foods but she wasn't crazy about dangerous situations.
Then again, Professor Pye did say that there were exceptions to every rule. She supposed that meant there were exceptions to what Fabian thought the "rules" were too. Like apparently his father wasn't an especially uptight Aladren.
She noted the professor's comments about their classes and what they'd have to do later on in their Sonora careers. It seemed like the former was pretty standard and Tasha felt it was way too early to worry about CATS and RATS. And she'd never been a very sporty person, so she had zero interest in joining Quidditch.
However, she was interested in looking over the clubs, she knew there was a book club and a baking club, for instance. Granted, Tasha was more interested in eating different foods, than cooking them. In fact, she was more interested in seeing what they were serving right now, but before she could, the boy next to her spoke.
Tasha nodded. "Understandable, it was an awful lot of information to take in. By the way, I'm Natasha DuBois, of the French DuBois, but you can call me Tasha." She gave him a friendly smile. "What in particular do you want to know?"
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Me too!
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Camden Miller
November 03, 2015 5:49 PM
We are here together! by Camden Miller
For a fleet second Camden was taken aback by the the formality of the girl in front of him. Natasha Dubois from the French Dubois. That really didn't mean anything to him other than her family came from France. That was about it. Deep down he was intimidated by the girl’s grand introduction. He was sure it meant something to her. Like something big, but to him it was just pompous and a bit over the top. Regardless, his smile never faltered, “Well, Tasha,” he tried the offered nickname with excitement. This probably meant they were sort of friends, “I didn't hear anything he said,” he confessed a bit embarrassed about his lack of attention.
It really wasn't his fault! Everything was so new to him. He was dying to know everything the wizarding world had to offer him. For the first time he was excited about his classes starting. How could he not? When he was going to learn charms and transfiguration! whatever the hell those were. He was just all around excited about this new life. Tasha didn't seem that awestruck.
He laughed a bit, “it's just that I was so excited and amazed by our surroundings that I got distracted.” Camden hoped he seemed somewhat cool still. The girl in front of him seemed so cool and collected. Maybe she had been raised in a wizarding household. Miss Ellacott had told him such families existed. She had explained to him that he was a Muggleborn - a wizard born from Muggle (non-magical) people. Camden had a lot to catch up on. “This is so new to me,” he confessed after a moment of hesitation.
“Will you please give me a short version of the speech? Anything important I might need to know before the term actually starts?” His face showed a mixture of happiness, excitement and embarrassment at his lack of listening skills. That had always been a problem for the eleven-year old. He got distracted way too easily. His big brown-eyes melted into big puppy eyes imploring Tasha for the help he desperately needed. It would be more embarrassing to head over where Professor Pye was standing and ask what he had said because it would read like ‘No, Professor. There are more important things than what you have to say’ or something along those lines. He couldn't be that disrespectful on the first day at Sonora!
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Camden Miller
We are here together!
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Tasha
November 10, 2015 8:03 PM
Yes, we are! by Tasha
Tasha nodded sympathetically. "It's okay." She personally had seen an awful lot in her life, places most of her classmates had probably never even heard of and she could understand someone who hadn't would be really impressed with something new in their life. Tasha usually was.And the way he said that he was new didn't just suggest that he'd never been away from home before, like her-though technically she just hadn't been away without her parents around other kids her age. Truthfully, sometimes, Tasha wasn't quite sure where exactly home was. Her mother was American and her father was French, so she had dual citizenship and she'd gone to so many other places. Anyway, Camden sort of made it sound like he was new to magic completely .
That wasn't really something Tasha knew a lot about. Even going to other countries, she'd seen more about how other magical cultures worked. She smiled at Camden though. "No problem! Well, okay, so there are four houses, Aladren, Teppenpaw, Crotalus, and Pecari. A house is sort of like a second family. Aladrens are...well, they like to learn." She decided to go with the traditional version rather than Fabian's. "Teppenpaws are really nice and friendly, my cousin is one of the prefects there. Let's see...Crotali tend to be very proper and respectable and responsible." Crotali were hard to define. "And Pecaris are adventurous types."
Tasha went on. "Let's see, he mentioned the Quidditch teams. It's a magical sport played on brooms. All of the houses need people this year. There's information on student lead clubs over there." She nodded in the general of the table. "And if there's something you're interested in and there's not a club for it, you can always start one. Oh, and he talked about some big tests we'll have when we're older, which we don't have to worry about yet and will most likely hear an awful lot about when they get closer." First year was way too soon to think about CATS.
She gave Camden another smile. "Hey, any time there's anything you want to know about, I'm happy to answer it okay?" Tasha really did want him to feel welcome at Sonora and in the magical world as a whole.
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