Jinx looked around at the new first years of her House. She smiled. "Hello, welcome to Aladren House. As you probably already know," she continued with a slight smirk on her face, "our house colors are blue and black. Our symbol is the hawk. We're ...... determined people."
She chose her words carefully, clasping her hands behind her back and pacing slightly, but continued to keep her eyes on the students. "We're also rational. We like to learn new things and we're independent." Jinx grinned. "Some of you might find yourselves more like one of those things than another, but those things are what put you in Aladren." She paused for a moment, then told them a bit about herself.
"My name is Tremaine Rockwell. I am twenty five years old. I will also be your Care of Magical Creatures teacher." Again, she grinned. "I hope you all like animals. Anyway, I'd like you to call me not Professor Rockwell, but Professor Jinx. Jinx is my nickname, you see. I'm single and do not have any children. Well, not biologically. I like to think of the students here as my kids somewhat." She gave them a reassuring smile. "I hope that you all will trust me. I trust all of you right now and I hope that you will continue to do things that will reassure me I can continue to trust all of you. My door is always open. If you ever need to talk to anyone about anything troubling you, you can come and talk to me. I don't care if it's in the middle of a class or the middle of the night, if you need me, I'll be there for you. I also hope that we won't have a teacher student relationship but more of a friend relationship. With that said, I'd just like to say a few rules."
Jinx went on about what time curfew was and other things that were basic rules about the school. Her main purpose of the speech done. She wanted to become friends with these kids, because she felt that, if they wanted to, it would make their stay here more memorable. Jinx herself had been in Aladren house when she had attended school here not that long ago. She was happy to be working under her old teacher, Headmistress Marnett. She was happy to be able to teach and be the Head of House of Aladren. It helped numb some of the pain of the past.
Standing still, her gaze swept over the small crowd of students with a somewhat sad look. He would have been the same age as these kids, she thought sadly. Perhaps that's why she loved teaching, because a child had been taken from her life when she was younger. No, two, because Noelle had also been a minor at the time. Her family, especially her father and aunt, had never gotten over what happened. Truth be told, neither had she. Eleven years. Eleven years ago on October 18th.... She had been 14 at the time. Stars, Noelle had been 14 as well. Poor Noelle.... She remembered how she and Noelle had been insperable. People often asked if they were sister, when in reality, Noelle had been her aunt. Jinx's father, Noah, had been the oldest, then Aunt Naomi, then Noelle.... She closed her eyes for a second, shaking her head a bit. Now was NOT the time to space out about the past, in front of her new students, no less! I really need to get a grip on reality sometimes she told herself firmly, then forced a smile. "Any questions?"\n\n
0Professor JinxWelcome and spacing out0Professor Jinx15
From what he'd seen of the school so far, it was very different from middle school. He hadn't seen any classrooms or lockers at all. And he was pretty sure that he hadn't gotten a schedule in the mail. Even his invitation letter hadn't come by mail. Some guy had shown up at his parents apartment with it to pitch the school's high points to Zack and convince him it wasn't a joke. After he'd said yes, the guy had then brought him to get the distinctly unusual school supplies he'd need this year.
So anyway, he didn't have any of the normal stuff he'd gotten in the mail before starting at Coffey Middle*. Which rather begged some important questions now. He raised his hand from where he had dropped down on the couch upon arrival and hadn't moved from since. "Miss Jinx, are we going to get class schedules and maps of this place? And are there lockers near the classrooms, or do we come back here between classes if we need to get something?"
*OOC: If anyone here attends/attended Coffey Middle in Detroit, I found the name online and I have absolutely zero knowledge of the place.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Leann listened anxiously to the boy asking the question and nodded. She had went to school in Shady Hill, Florida*, and new nothing at all what was happening. She looked at the boy who was sitting on the couch, who was rather small.
She looked up at Professor Jinx, waiting for the answer.
OOC: I know nothing at all about Shady Hill in Florida. I too, got the name off the internet. I hope it's a school though...\n\n
Zoey stood off in a corner listening to her Professor rable on about being friends and then the rules. Zoey memorized every word the woman spoke, a talent that her mother will always be proud of. Zoey rolled her eyes at the thought of her mother.
When her brother and her had recieved a letter by...owl...and two days later a Professor from the school had come to their door to explain magic, her mother had nearly wet herself in excitement for them. Dillon and her, however, had been terrified by the idea. I mean, Witch, really? The idea of magic was bizzarre and impossible. And yet, here she stood, towering over most of the occupants.
At 5'7 and still growing, Zoey will always be one of the tallest, something she didn't think she'd ever get used to. Her doctor had told her that she would most likely reach 6'0 before she had finally stopped growing. Her twin brother at least 6'3. Zoey's long auburn hair fell into her face, but she did nothing to prevent it or remove it, she preferred to stay as hidden as possible for her. Her hazel eyes focused every-so-often on one of the students. Her eyes rested on Zack, the small boy who had asked a question. She was eager to hear the answers herself. She had spoken to Zack at dinner and he seemed alright to her, she hoped everyone else would be just as cool.\n\n
Layla heaved and pushed her trunk through the door, determined not to be embarrassed that there was a welcome speech taking place at the same moment of her arrival, nor of the fact that, by the rule of first impressions, she very well could be making a bad one to chase her throughout school for all her years.
Giving a small, wavering smile of apology in the direction of the Professor, Layla leaned heavily on her trunk, panting. In her tiny bedroom in her and Var's cramped apartment in northern New Mexico, it didn't seem like she had many wordly posessions, but the back-breaking weight she dragged from the main hall seemed to suggest otherwise.
Resting her head down on the top of her vertically-positioned trunk, a sweaty strand of bright red hair slipped out from under her bright yellow beanie, curling slightly at the end under her chin, Layla's light green eyes rested on the sight of an extremely tall girl standing off in the corner of the room near her, as if she wanted to hide. Preferably, Layla would rather be in the front of the crowd, soaking in the professor word for word, but she wasn't in her most presentable mood at the moment.
"Hey," Layla asked the tall girl in her quiet voice, standing up straight and stretching, "What's the professor's name?" Beyond the fact that her 25 year-old uncle, Var, that she lived with, went to this school a few years ago was the only information she entered the Academy with. Her mother had been squib, her father non-magical, and Var preferably lived a muggle-influenced life, so the magical school in Arizona was her first education, of any sort.
And she was damn scared. Not that anyone needed to know that.
Zoey was startled at being addressed. She looked over at the girl who had just struggled pulling her trunk into the common room. Zoey thought for a moment before answering.
"Her's names Professor Rockwell, but she likes to be called Professor Jinx. I'm Zoey Welsh by the way." She whispered so that she wasn't being rude.\n\n
Layla quickly observed her foreign surroundings, meant to be her new home. Not bad, but she knew it would take a while to get used to. Arizona didn't look much different than New Mexico, but the air about her still had an overwhelming feeling, that of unfamiliarity.
"Her's names Professor Rockwell, but she likes to be called Professor Jinx. I'm Zoey Welsh by the way."
Layla glanced at her head of house, unsure as to anything about her, but deciding she liked her immensely all the same. It had to be, first hand, the nickname. Anyone who could take a boring name like Rockwell, and switch - whether willingly or unwillingly - to Jinx had to be cool. It made her wish that there was some sort of spiral twist she could put to plainative 'Layla'.
Lowering her voice even more, to a whisper that matched Zoey's, Layla offered a fleeting, warm smile. "Layla Radovon. Nice to know ya." She wanted to say and ask more, about the opening feast and about Zoey herself, but a small boy spoke up and asked Professor Jinx a question, and Layla just reinverted back to her leaning position on her trunk, propping her head up in her hands.\n\n
Sally looked at the girl leaning on her truck. She did not look really comfortable. She leaned over herself, and whispered, "You know, they have things like couches and pillows for a reason. I'm Sally Porter, by the way." \n\n
"Any one of those things would look really good right about now. I'm Layla Radovon," She replied kindly, taming her voice to a whisper as well. It was hard for her to speak quietly. Back at home she was known as being loud and a blabbermouth.
Standing up straight again, she glanced back at quiet, tall Zoey, then to Sally, and whispered behind her hand so that both of the girls could hear, "I glad I know you guys now, since we'll being sharing a dorm and all. I'm a bit nervous. Are you?" In fact, she was so jittery that she was literally bouncing on her toes with nervous energy and excitement. So strange, so new.\n\n
Sally whispered back, "You have no idea. I've already made enemies with like 3 people, yelled at someone, slapped someone, got caught up in a prank war, nad all that jazz. Enemies in the dorm would not be cool.
"So, what are ya'lls families like? I'm a muggle born, 3 older sisters and 2 older brothers."\n\n
Layla's eyes went wide with amazement, amazement of the skeptical kind. Well, she rendered herself lucky, then, running into Sally and Zoey beforehand, and on good terms, too. Granted, she had missed all of the first day, but it by the looks of it, Sally had already had it tough.
On the question of families, Layla abandonned her trunk and scooted closer to Sally and Zoey, past a couple of people. The crowd hadn't dispersed, so she still whispered her answer back to Sally.
"Wow, five older siblings? That's awesome," As an explanation as to why she thought it beyond even that, Layla continued, "I'm an only child. Half-magic, half-muggle. Maybe even less; mum's a squib."\n\n
0LaylaYou're right - that's pretty far-out!0Layla05
Zoey stared off at the girl named Sally who had sprinted away.
"Well that was sudden. She didn't even wait for my answer." She wasn't really angry just shocked. It made her feel slightly invisible. Looking over at Layla she said with a small smile, "I'll held to bed too, busy day. Coming up too?"\n\n
Halfway up the stairs, Sally remembered that hte second girl hadn't answered.
Feeling extremely ashamed of herself, she went back down to their group, and began to apologize profusely. "I'm so sorry, I'm kinda out of it at the moment. I didn't mean to forget about you, honest. Will you forgive me?"\n\n
Zoey was surprised that Sally had come back down to talk to her, having acknowledged the fact that she had forgotten. Zoey was tempted to just ignore, but she couldn't exactly blame the girl. Zoey wasn't one to stand out and be remembered. Smiling lightly,
"Of course. I think we're all a little out of it tonight. No harm done."\n\n
Layla was surprised too, to see Sally do a turn mid-way on the stairs, and to come running back down, apologizing heavily. Folding her arms, Layla had to grin despite herself at the girl.
"Of course. I think we're all a little out of it tonight. No harm done."
Grinning impishly, Layla hooked her arms through both of the others girl's, ignoring her luggage (Ha! Like she'd tow that again in the same night! It could wait until the morning), and starting leading them towards the stairs that went up to their dorm room.
"Since we're all tired, I say we get acquainted with our dorm and its offerings. But really, Zoey, on the way up, what about your family?" Layla inquired curiously, already feeling a yawn due to travel-drag coming on.\n\n
Jinx smiled at the boy. "You'll receive schedules for sure, and maps if you want them. Lockers, I'm afraid we don't have. You'll have to carry your books with you throughout the day."
She noticed a late arrival come in through the door and smile apologetically at her. The professor smiled back and nodded, silently saying it was alright.\n\n