Welcoming Speech on Crotalus Commons

Professor Marlowe

November 29, 2006 4:16 PM

Welcoming Speech by Professor Marlowe

Another year had arrived, and with it another batch of first-year Crotali, which necessitated another speech by the Head of House. Selina doubted the first years would cause any real problems intentionally - the liklihood of them being overwhelmed by it all, coupled with Crotali being a generally quiet group, would see to that - but people could always wander off and get lost en route, and the blame would fall back, for the most part, on her. She had counted the number of reds during the Sorting, and had counted the first years around her before leaving the Cascade Hall, admonishing them to stay close.

With only an occasional glance over her shoulder to make sure everyone was still with her, Selina lead the students through the hallways along the shortest path to the painting. She ignored any reactions the painting of a rotting zombie she stopped in front of earned itself just as much as she ignored Gunter's moaning and snarling. He was a good guardian, after a fashion; good sense would dictate running as far and as fast from him as possible.

"This," she said crisply, the trace of a British accent coming through, "is Gunter der Zombie. His painting conceals the entrance to the Crotalus commons and dormitories. Give him the correct password - it should change periodically - and you can enter. You aren't allowed to tell anyone outside the House about him or the password under any circumstances." Gunter launched into a string of gibberish Selina somehow doubted was complimentary. "Kreinham." The portrait swang away as if on hinges, revealing an entrance in the wall.

She kept the lead as they entered the room, then stepped out ahead of them once they had gathered into a knot. "This," she said, gesturing to the somewhat grand room, "is the Crotalus common room. Here is where you can socialize with your Housemates, work on assignments, and find out information - the announcements board is there, by the door. My office can be found through this door. You can all feel free to come see me any time you need, but a bit of advance warning would be appreciated if you can manage it. If I'm not there, I'm most likely in my classroom, which I expect you'll be more than familiar with very soon." She smiled, a bit dryly. More struggled with her subject than found it easy. "You may also seek help from our new prefect, Miss Chrysanthemum Mathers. Our Quidditch captain, Miss Jennifer Zucchero, may be of assistance to those wishing to play Quidditch.

"Up the stairs are the dormitories. The girls' rooms can be found on this side, and the boys' on the other. I'd advise you to not attempt going down each others' corridors, since there's a nasty little surprise for anyone who does, especially for boys who try to enter the girls' corridor." Supposedly, girls sometimes made it down the boys' corridor, if rarely. Selina couldn't remember a case of anyone trying. "Curfew is at ten, and anyone caught breaking it will serve detention." She thought she had covered all of the main points. "Any questions?" \n\n

0 Professor Marlowe Welcoming Speech 0 Professor Marlowe 1 5

Jordanna Howard

December 01, 2006 6:26 PM

To Oliver, Matt, and Riley by Jordanna Howard

When dinner was done, or to be more accurate, when Jordanna had decided dinner was done (or to be painfully accurate, when Marlowe had called all of the first years over to her and Jordanna joined them with her bunch), they had gone up to the common room. Talking to Oliver, Riley, and Matt along the way, she assured them that although it was not of the finest quality, Crotalus house was really quite tasteful.

"Profesor Marlowe is also the Transfiguration teacher," she added as they journey to their common room, "It's a trick subject, but she's fair," Jordanna added diplomatically, hiding any real thoughts on the matter.

She winced at the sight of Gunter the Zombie; he was disgusting and really had no class at all. She didn't understand why he, of all the beautiful portraits of the world, had been chosen to guard their house.

The tall blond stood out against the overall shorter crowd of firsties, and stood at the back, gesturing for her group of firsties to stand in front of her.

Jordanna rolled her eyes at the mention of Jennifer Zucchero being captain of the Quidditch team. She didn't like flying, and therefore didn't like Quidditch, and didn't think it was a very ladylike sport anyway. It was fine for boys, like Earl and Geoffrey, who were on last year's team. But really, why did girls want to put themselves in that sort of danger? She just did not understand.

"Well," she whispered to her bunch, tossing back her long braid, "What do you think?"
\n\n

0 Jordanna Howard To Oliver, Matt, and Riley 65 Jordanna Howard 0 5

Oliver Abbott

December 01, 2006 7:14 PM

Hey, Crotalus. by Oliver Abbott

After the feast, Oliver had followed their Head of House, Professor Marlowe, up to the Crotalus common room. Jordanna had accompanied them, too.

Oliver tried hard to remember the way from the Hall to the Commons, and then he worked to commit the password to memory; he doubted he’s need reminding about the zombie picture, though. He was undecided as to whether it was cool or just gross.

Oliver listened diligently to Professor Marlowe’s speech, and hoped that he would retain all the information. He was looking forward to going to the boys dormitory, which he would be sharing with Matt and maybe some other boys he had yet to meet, where he knew he would be spending a great deal of time while at Sonora.

He tried not to show any external signs of excitement when Quidditch was mentioned – Oliver had looked forward to Quidditch more than anything – but he thought perhaps his lips might have done that almost-smile thing again. It was a habit they had which he couldn’t control.

The Head of House finished by asking if there were any questions. Oliver did have questions, loads of them, but invariably he found that the answers would reveal themselves in time, and he didn’t want to look like the fool who didn’t know anything by asking questions in front of his whole house. If he got desperate, he could always ask Jordanna. The older girl seemed willing to help them, and friendly, too. “Well, What do you think?” she whispered.

Oliver adjusted his glasses and said, “It looks comfortable.” He put his hands in his pockets and shook his hair out of his eyes before adding, “Professor Marlowe seems alright. Are the other staff members okay, too?” That was a question that no teacher could adequately answer.
\n\n

0 Oliver Abbott Hey, Crotalus. 99 Oliver Abbott 0 5

Riley Garraway

December 02, 2006 4:59 PM

Awe. by Riley Garraway

Riley had heard many stories from various relatives and family friends about Sonora Academy. Cascade Hall had lived up to her expectations, and on their way to the Crotalus common room, she'd gotten a better look at more of the interior of the school. It wasn't like anything she'd ever imagined (and she had certainly imagined a lot). Her awe was perhaps demeaning to her character, but no one had to know that she was so amazed. She could keep a cool exterior, despite her excitement, and she could keep her tongue under control.

She'd allowed a small horrified gasp, however, upon approaching Gunter der Zombie. Immediately she'd deemed him gruesome and altogether disgusting... why did their guardian painting have to be so revolting? He hadn't seemed particularly friendly, either.

Now, standing in the common room, she began to feel a little more at home. It was comfortable here, and an inkling of belonging crept across her skin, not yet working to her core, but certainly beginning to. She realized that she'd have to part from Oliver and Matt when they went up to the dormitories, and she was more than a little nervous. What if the other girls didn't like her? She wasn't even yet certain that the aforementioned boys liked her; she supposed she'd know in due time. Thinking about making no friends and being alone made her feel small and feeble.

She heard Jordanna ask them what they thought, and replied with, "It's... wonderful," trying to restrain the awe wanting to fill her words. And indeed, it was. She was really looking forward to the coming year, and had been, in fact, for many years. The stories her grandmother had told her had made her long to be here, made her want to be spirited away to the Academy, away from her home and away from her mother. Her father was an obscure character, never really around (at least not around Riley) and so she hadn't cared one way or the other about leaving him. It was her mother that she'd wanted and needed to get away from. And now she was here.. and there was a feeling of freedom, a feeling that had been captured a while ago with the passing of her grandmother. Now it was being rereleased, and it really did feel wonderful.

Oliver asked about the teachers, and Riley too started to wonder. Thusly, she hadn't given them much thought, but her curiosity was beginning to mount. And always with curiosity came uncertainty. What would the teachers be like?
\n\n

0 Riley Garraway Awe. 0 Riley Garraway 0 5

Matt Tripp

December 03, 2006 10:27 PM

Cozy, If I Do Say So Myself by Matt Tripp

Matt followed the Professor and his new found, well not friends yet exactly, acquaintances sounded more like it, out of the Cascade Hall. He listened intently as the Head of House spoke.

When they reached the painting of Gunter der Zombie, all he could think about was how Rachel would react to see the Crotalus House guardian. Matt himself found the picture distasteful; it would never be found hanging in the Tripp Manor, but Rachel's reaction would be... Matt heard a small gasp near his right shoulder and turned to see Riley wearing a disgusted look... something like that. 'Riley and Rachel would probably be good friends,' Matt mused.

They entered the Common Room and Matt nodded as he looked around. The room was smaller than he expected, but it was nice. It felt cozy. Matt found that it was a place he could think of as home, which was good, as it would be his home for most of the year now. Although it did seem weird to think of any place without Cole and Rachel as home.

Matt tuned back into the conversation just as Oliver was asking about the teachers. "Yeah," said Matt before there was an answer, "I heard one's supposed to be a vampire or something."\n\n

0 Matt Tripp Cozy, If I Do Say So Myself 0 Matt Tripp 0 5

Riley Garraway

December 06, 2006 3:45 PM

Vampires? by Riley Garraway

Riley looked curiously at Matt. "A vampire? Would the school really hire a vampire to be a teacher?" she wondered aloud. She had nothing against vampires, personally, but well... they were vampires. They fed on the blood of living things... living things, like students. And while she didn't think that one of the teachers would actually bite a student, one would be led to wonder who then the vampire was feeding on. She had always imagined vampires too proud to stoop as low as to feed off of animals, cats and rats and the sort, when there was a perfectly healthy surplus of humans.

She shivered, shaking herself of such thoughts. Riley wondered what time it was, and suddenly yawned. It must have been late. She supposed she should go to bed, even though tomorrow was a Saturday and they'd have time (she assumed) to relax and sleep in. Nevertheless, she bid Matt and Oliver and Jordanna goodnight, and then disappeared up the staircase to the girls' dormitory. \n\n

0 Riley Garraway Vampires? 0 Riley Garraway 0 5