Professor Fawcett
October 12, 2013 12:03 AM
Head of House Speech by Professor Fawcett
Once he was sure he had them all, John led the first years through the school, pointing out useful landmarks – rooms they might have reason to enter, distinctive statuary and tapestries, and making a brief introduction to one portrait – until they reached a pair of doors and he paused, turning to the new students with a severe look not in keeping with the pleasant tone he had addressed them with so far.“This,” he said, “is the entrance to the school library.” He would be very surprised indeed if there was even an Aladren group which did not contain a single member who found this very interesting and exciting information, but he thought it was necessary to cover some ground rules before unleashing them on Ms. Nicchi’s new domain. After all, they would all spend a lot of time going back and forth through that room whether they cared to or not for the next seven years.
“Inside the library – in addition to a great many books, most of which you may check out and many of which may be helpful to you over the next seven years – is the entrance to the Aladren common room,” he informed them. “As such, you will often find many of your Housemates in the library, as it is something of a second common room for many of us. That does not, however, mean that you may disobey any rules Ms. Nicchi, our new librarian, establishes for the library, and I will know if you do. The library belongs to all of the school, and I expect you all to respect Ms. Nicchi and your classmates from the other Houses as much as each other.”
He led them into the library, pointing out sections as they slowly made their way toward the back of the room, where he stopped at last at the wall. “Look very closely at this book,” he instructed them, pointing out a worn volume called Birds of Prey, a reference to the House symbol. “If you remove it from the shelf – “ he put his hand on it and pulled to demonstrate – “the wall will open, allowing you to enter the Aladren common room,” he finished as a section slid aside, revealing a wide rectangular entrance to a large, comfortable (if rather darkly decorated) room.
Inside, there were two sets of stairs, furniture in blue and black, hawk motifs, a bulletin board by the entrance, and a lot of books. He ushered the new students to the prime seats around the fireplace, standing himself on the hawk-patterned rug. “Welcome to the common room,” he said. “You may enjoy leisure or study time here with your housemates, but are required to be back here by nine p.m. for curfew each night, and are not allowed to tell students from other Houses where our common room is, or to bring them here.” Exact words were important with kids in general, but especially the sort who tended to be Sorted into Aladren.
“I am, as I said, Professor Fawcett, also your Potions professor,” he informed them. “Your class with me will meet after lunch, as you will note on your schedules. If you have any questions about Sonora, or need to speak with me about any other matter, you may meet with me after class, or in my office, which is behind this door.” He indicated the place. “There is another entrance down the hall, with my name on it,” he added. “You may also speak with or seek assistance from any of your prefects, Nora Dobson, Henrietta Boxton-Fox-Reynolds, and Lucian D’Alesandro.
“As Aladrens, we are people known for independence,” he told the new first years, “but we are, as much as any of the other Houses, a community and a family to you while you study at Sonora. It is my hope that each of you will strive to represent both yourselves and each other and your House in the best way possible as you rise through the years here.” His tone lightened slightly. “An effort you will have a better beginning to if you all get a good night’s sleep before you begin your classes,” he added. “Boys’ dorms are down one corridor, girls’ the other. There are spells preventing you from wandering down the wrong corridor.” Which was probably not a problem with them at this point, but he was sometimes rather glad for it with the older students. “If no one has any questions to begin with, you may go settle in now.”
OOC: Welcome to Sonora! You may now post on any board, though your character will not have access to other common rooms, and all posts must follow the posting rules: good spelling and grammar, stay in character, no god-moding, and all posts should be at least 200 words. Have fun!
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