Grayson Wright
January 14, 2022 6:22 PM
Orientation for First Years by Grayson Wright
The wizard who stood under the 1st Years Here banner off to the side of the wagon landing site could, to some eyes, have seemed assembled from a couple of incompatible stereotypes. His head and shoulders - clean-shaven face, short-cut, very dark hair which was starting to go grey, rectangular, wire-rimmed glasses, a none-too-boldly-colored tie - could have belonged to any non-magical man in his mid-forties. Then, though, what could at first have resembled a businessman's dark blue jacket just kept going, extending into a long, wide-sleeved wizard's robe, and he wore a matching pointed, round-brimmed wizard's hat, overshadowing the mundanity of his hair and glasses a bit."First year students...All first year students over here, please...."
Finally, all the older students seemed to have gotten off the wagons and dispersed, leaving only the new students. A quick head count came up to the expected number, and Grayson Wright smiled around at them all.
"Welcome to Sonora," he said pleasantly. "My name is Professor Wright. Tomorrow morning, I'll become one of your teachers, so I look forward to getting to know you all this year. For now, though - leave all your luggage with the wagons, and follow me, please."
He only led them a short distance into the Labyrinth Gardens, walking down a wide path which opened onto a hedge-walled courtyard with a central fountain, several stone benches, and three tables in it. On one of these tables, there were as many dark green folders as there were students present. On another, there was a buffet of light snack foods, with lightweight plates and paper napkins available so students could gather several refreshments in one trip if they wished. On the third table, there were several large apparatuses, each topped with a clear (and unbreakable) glass bulb which showed the color of the drink within, though they were also distinguished by written labels on their fronts above the spigots which, when turned, would dispense the contents into glasses: pumpkin juice, apple juice, grape juice, iced tea, and plain water. There was also a box of ice (charmed not to melt) with a scoop in it and plenty of clear cups.
"Come in, everyone, and please take one folder," he instructed them. "You'll get to the refreshments soon, but if you could give me your attention for a few minutes first..."
For many years, Professor Wright had recited almost the same speech to each group of first years, mostly from memory. He had noticed, however, that a lot of students seemed to find it all just as tedious to listen to as he found it to recite. He had, therefore, taken the (for him) bold decision to cut it down, leaving out most of the information that wouldn't be applicable to first years and focusing on topics they wouldn't also hear about from their heads of houses later in the evening.
"Once again, welcome, everyone," he said. "Tomorrow morning, you will all start taking seven classes - Charms, Care of Magical Creatures, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Potions, Transfiguration, and flying lessons. I'll be your Charms teacher, so you'll see a lot of me for at least the next five years." Older students might have expected him to add for them to contain their enthusiasm, but he tried to be uniformly pleasant and straightforward with the Beginners classes. "You have schedules in your folders which tell you when and where each class meets, along with other important times, like when meals are served and when curfew is." He paused for half a beat and then added, "It's understandable if some of you feel a little overwhelmed looking at your schedules, so, just to be clear - we know that you all may have had very different educations before this, and different levels of information about the wizarding world. You'll also each learn at your own pace, and find you're stronger in some areas of magic than others. If you find yourselves struggling, we - your teachers - will all understand, and so will many of your fellow students. You'll each be Sorted into a House tonight, with a Head of House from the staff and several older student leaders we call 'prefects' who you can go to for support, along with all teachers having regular office hours and the option for scheduling special sessions if that's what's needed. Don't get discouraged, or let things get out of hand."
He cleared his throat after that little speech, which he hadn't fully planned out. "On more cheerful notes, we also can provide enrichment for any subject where you find you learn unusually quickly, and you'll have the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities here during your free time. Club leaders will post sign-up sheets in the next few weeks, and the school Quidditch sign-up sheet should appear in the Cascade Hall. You'll also most likely find people in your Houses who you can create activities you're interested in with, if we don't already have something - you're Sorted into different Houses based on personality traits, though you're welcome and encouraged to make friends from other Houses as well. The Sorting Ceremony will take place later, in the Cascade Hall, where you'll dip the blank badges attached to your folders into a potion. If it turns blue, you're in Aladren, and will get to see even more of me, since I'm Head of that House. If it turns red, that means you're a Crotalus and will be under the care of Professor Skies, our deputy headmistress. Yellow badges go to Teppenpaw, and your Head of House is Professor Xavier, our very capable Herbology teacher, and brown ones go to Pecari and Professor Carter-Xavier - who, yes, is Professor Xavier's wife. Some people think of their Houses as a sort of extended family here, and I hope you'll all do your different Houses proud during your time here."
He resisted the temptation to add especially if you're Aladrens; he was not only Head of House, but had also been an Aladren student during his years in school, long, long before any of these kids had been born. Instead, he said, "if no-one has any questions about all of that, you can talk for a while and have some snacks until we begin our tour of the main building. If you do have any questions, feel free to come see me before we begin our tour – and welcome again to Sonora.”
OOC: Welcome first years to Sonora! You can post a reply here to ask staff questions or meet your new classmates. This thread is intended for first year students to have a chance to try out posting and get acclimated to the site before we throw you into the big Opening Feast, which is open to the entire school population and can be a bit overwhelming. New authors have been given a buddy for ease, so look for your names below.'
Now, go forth, new first years of Sonora! Post, enjoy, have fun! Everyone here is happy to help out, so if you've got a question, put it on the OOC board or try to catch somebody in the Chatzy and we'll try to get you an answer as quick as we can. Have fun and we’re glad you could join us!
[Credit to Nathan Xavier's author for the content of this OOC notice]
Subthreads: Orientation buddy for Flora Wilkins by Leviosa Scurlock
Orientation buddy for Antonia Guter by Fortune Ardovini with Antonia Guter
Hi, I'm Lenny by Lenny Pierce with Xander Faro
Orientation Buddy for Eris Ryan by Cole Pierce with Eris Ryan
Touch Down by Freya Curtis with Yaniel Ayala Velez
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Grayson Wright
Orientation for First Years
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Freya Curtis
January 21, 2022 3:06 PM
Touch Down by Freya Curtis
Freya was largely excited about the prospect of starting Sonora Academy. It sounded like an exciting new adventure that she couldn’t wait to begin. But as her first day loomed ever nearer, the eleven year old began to feel more and more nervous about the big step she was taking. She had no doubts that she was going to feel homesick. Whilst Freya was used to being away from home and travelling a lot, that was different as she was always with her family. The most she had been away from them was sleepovers at friends houses, but now she was going to be in a strange place so far from home, with no familiar faces to rely on. Freya did wish she at least had someone she knew at the school for support but she could only hope she’d make friends quickly and the professors would be nice.The journey was pretty simple, but Freya felt extremely nervous and alone as she stepped off the flying wagon and took in her first view of her new home, but she tried not to let any of that show. Fortunately the directions for where to go were pretty clear on arrival so she joined the huddle of fellow first years, her eyes scanning over their faces as she wondered what they’d all be like. As daunting as the schedules and information all was, Freya did think Professor Wright seemed quite nice and that made her feel a bit more comfortable about her new surroundings. Once he had finished talking, Freya looked around at the other kids as some of them began to strike up conversations with each other. She didn’t feel particularly hungry, her mother having sent her off with plenty of snacks for the journey and she also felt a little too overwhelmed for eating, but she decided to pour herself a glass of pumpkin juice.
“Would you like a glass?” she asked one of the other first years when she noticed them also approach the drinks table.
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Freya Curtis
Touch Down
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Yaniel Ayala Velez
January 26, 2022 3:14 PM
Like in football? by Yaniel Ayala Velez
Yarielis fidgeted, transferring the baseball cap from one hand to the other, before realising this probably looked like a nervous gesture (because it was) and firmly sticking to one hand. Wearing it would have been better. Mama hadn't said 'no, you may not wear a baseball cap' but that was possibly because she hadn't been asked. Well, she probably also wouldn't phrase it like that. Mama wasn't that strict. But she probably would have said 'Are you sure it goes?' or something like that, which would have been enough doubt to start chipping away at Yarielis' decision. It decidedly did not go with the first day outfit Mama had chosen. That shopping trip had gone exactly how the first year had thought it would - Mama pointing out nice skirts and dresses, amd Yarielis being too afraid of disappointing her to say she hated them all. It wasn't like Mama had anyone else she could pick out clothes for and dress up. The perks of being an only child...The offensive dress was now hidden under the Sonora robes. They were weird and dress-like but seeing as everyone had to wear them it was harder to call them dresses. And they were long enough and loose enough that maybe no one would insist on things like sitting with your knees together when wearing one. Still, they didn't feel familiar or right yet, and the dress underneath was - like all dresses - horribly uncomfortable. It was like people only made dresses out of material that prickled your skin as soon as they were on, even if they'd seemed soft and innocent on the rack.
Yarielis took a few steps towards to the orientation space, and then realised the cap had switched hands again. In fact, that hand was now balled into a fist around the soft, squashy fabric of the hat's dome. There was nothing else for it but to jam it on. Mama wasn't around to see, and no one could see the dress it didn't go with, and the only thing to worry about was it being a dress code violation and ending up with detention before they even properly began. That was almost enough to make Yarielis yank it off again, but the comfort derived from having the hat - the reason the first year had it out in the first place - outweighed the anxiety. It provided a line of protection against both the sun and other people.
They'd be nice, right? There was no reason to susepct the vast majority wouldn't be, but these interactions could make or break the next seven years, and that was a lot of pressure.
Still, with a very literal baseball-themed cap that declared membership of (or at least allegiance to) a little league team, Yarielis felt more grounded, and stepped into the clearing.
First up was a lot of information. The first year nodded periodically, knowing most of what was said already from reading school brochures, but it was good to have a recap. Then they were set free to socialise. A drink sounded like a good first move, as Yarielis' mouth was incredibly dry.
Someone else was already there though. So, here it was, social interaction number one. It was an offer of juice.
"Thanks, that'd be nice," Yarielis agreed, offering the other student a smile that was much more confident than Yarielis felt inside.
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Yaniel Ayala Velez
Like in football?
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Freya Curtis
January 28, 2022 7:05 AM
I can't say I'm familiar with that concept. by Freya Curtis
“Here you go,” Freya handed her fellow first year student a glass of pumpkin juice, accompanied by a warm smile. “It’s a lot to take in, isn’t it?” she remarked as she helped herself to a glass.“Very exciting though, don’t you think?” she added enthusiastically. “Do you know much about the school?”
Freya was aware that there would be some people at the school who wouldn’t have even known about the wizarding world until recently. Although she didn’t know any muggles personally, Freya’s parents had made sure she had some understanding of the muggle world and explained to her that she may well meet muggleborns at her new school. Freya was aware of some of the unfavourable opinions that society had in regards to these people but she had always been raised to be kind regardless of things such as social status, appropriately so of course. Although many people she knew were more callous about such things, Freya understood being a good young lady to involve having compassion for those whose situations were below her own.
Freya herself didn’t feel as though she knew a great deal about the school despite her thoroughly magical upbringing. Although there were Sonora alumni among her family members, Aunt Joella was the most recent that she was actually close to and she had graduated over ten years ago. Although she knew her second cousin Beatriz had graduated only last term, Freya didn’t see her very often so she didn’t know her that well. At least she had some knowledge to go off of, which was more than some would have, but it was still very new and strange for Freya and she did feel very alone.
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Freya Curtis
I can't say I'm familiar with that concept.
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Yaniel Ayala Velez
January 28, 2022 5:29 PM
Oh. by Yaniel Ayala Velez
Pumpkin juice. It was weird, and definitely tasted like it was trying to be good for you. It was fine. Not Yarielis’ favourite, but growing up semi in magical society, it was impossible to avoid it completely. And people liked it when you smiled, and said yes, and liked the same things they liked, and didn’t make a fuss about wanting something different, which was why Yarielis had accepted it in the first place. At least after several sips, the horrible bone dry mouth feeling was gone. And at least this other student admitted to the situation being a lot. Which meant Yarielis could nod and say “Yeah, it is,” and actually really be agreeing this time.“That too,” Yarielis said, in response to the idea of it being exciting. This was a whole big magical rite of passage after all. Knowing that boarding school and being part of this world was looming on the horizon had meant a certain degree of holding back at home. That was a big drawback of having a foot in each world, and of non-magical relationships. They weren’t going to last, and so Yarielis had never seen the point in getting super close with people back home. Now, these were relationships that could be real, and go deep, and last. Which kind of made Yarielis want to pull the baseball cap down even further and go running back to the wagon. Not that anyone was going to expect to get deep within the first five minutes. That was something that it would take time to build up to.
“I’ve read all the brochures,” Yarielis confirmed, when the other first year asked about knowing much about the school. “And we had a while to look through different ones and think about it - my mother is magical, but she grew up in Puerto Rico. Dad was born here, but here he’s non-magical. So, I guess I know a middling amount. How about you?”
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Yaniel Ayala Velez
Oh.
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