A Whole New Year ((Fourth Year Slytherins))

[Jack Rendel S5]

Jack stepped off the train platform and into the dusk. It would have been calming if it had been quiet, but the noise around him could have waken someone deaf. He scowled. His thoughts were still reeling over Mack and their talk and Roger and what he could possibly be doing. He had also been afraid of what had happened on the train. There had been some sort of commotion but, considering he wasn't in the carriage that had been attacked, he had seen none of it. Had someone been hurt and or killed? He swallowed hard; some would have thought that a Slytherin would enjoy the prospect of Death Eaters high-jacking the train but to Jack, it was just another nightmarish thing. Roger could have been one of the Death Eaters; was that why he was so happy to be going to London? Father enjoyed his job. Jack hopped into an empty carriage, but it soon became full. A Hufflepuff and a Ravenclaw, by the looks of them, joined. Jack ignored them the whole ride, looking up at the few twinkling stars that were hardly bright enough to see.

Padme had left to go with other first years, guided by Hagrid and he had been separated by Mack and Dix by the immense crowd. Now that he was out or the carriage and into that bustling crowd again, he felt a happier part of him lift up. The castle loomed eerily above him but to him, it was like a beacon of hope. He loved Hogwarts dearly as a home. There, people respected him and he had people who actually cared for him. Without Hogwarts, he wouldn't be who he was today. He walked through the Entrance Hall and opened the doors that lead into the Great Hall. There, students were sitting down at the tables, talking eagerly to their classmates. Jack looked up and down the Slytherin table but didn't see anyone who he knew or would like to sit with. He would prefer a fourth year, whom he had spent all four years at Hogwarts talking to and spending time with. Like Mary, Mack, Maddie, Pryo....anyone. He shifted through the crowd and walked over to the table swiftly. It appeared that he was one of the first to arrive yet. Sitting down next to an empty golden goblet and plate, Jack kept his eyes on the door.

[Monica Henshaw S5]

Monica hurriedly made her way towards the train’s exit. She wanted to get away from all the little snobby filthy first years. She wiped dust off her new slytherin robes. She was still in a little pain form what happened in the train with some of the other students she had trouble on the train. She pushed her hair out of her face gripping her most precious belonging that she wouldn’t let anybody to touch. Once she walked into the big mob of students, that’s when she got really mad. ‘Are these people are stupid or what? They’re just standing there as if they didn’t have anything better to do’ she said to herself. This is when she started moving the people out of the way, not caring who or what person she pushed.

After she made it to her destination she climbed into a carriage, slumping down hard in her seat. There were students from different houses staring at her in fear. “What?” she said in a low grunted voice. “You’ve never seen a slytherin before” she said after a short pause between her last word. Monica ignored the other students she was in the carriage with. She was too busy to worry about that kind of nonsense. She repeatedly grabbed onto her ribs once in a while after getting plunged in ribs very hard in train by a Hufflepuff. Once the little carriage came into a halt, Monica climbed out, making her way towards the great hall, ignoring her quick pace, pushing everybody out of the way again.

She spotted the slytherin’s table ignoring ghost and such professors who greeted her with a welcomed ‘hello.’ At the table she spotted another slytherin in her same year. He was staring at the great hall’s big doors as if he was waiting for a friend or something. She had never talk to him since she didn’t have a reason to but she had to sit near him since they had to sit by year accordingly. She made her way toward the table sitting three seats away from him. She put her book on the table gazing down on it, with her hair that moved to the position she was in. She then got up, again not wanting to be at the table, running out of the great hall.

[Fiona O'Reilly S5]

Fiona climbed off the train. She was glad to be back, but this year would be harder than the last. She wouldn't be writing to her parents this year and that aspect sadden her, though she did not show it. She would never show her weakness, not this year. She had become strong in her weakness. Her parents were dead, yes, but now that was behind her. She moved toward the carriages and this year she realized they were not driven by invisible threstrals. No, she could see them. She approached the creature and patted its head. She knew that they were dark creatures. She knew that they would understand her plight. She turned back to the carriage and climbed inside. It was full of Gryffindor second years. She didn't feel like finding a different carriage and she sat quietly clutching her fathers journal to her bosom. She wasn't going to say anything to the annoying little kids.

The ride to the castle seemed to take longer than usual. When they reached the doors she quickly exited the carriage. The second years had been frightened of her and she had smiled at that prospect. She quickly hurried inside to escape the onslaught of people. She hated people and these last few months had been horrible due to people asking her if she was okay. She hated that question and she hated it when people had pity for her.

Fiona entered the Great Hall and started toward the Slytherin table. She recognized Jack and decided to sit with him. Sitting down across from him she nodded. "Hey, Jack," she said. She didn't really know what else to say. She had ran across him over break when her father took her to Florida in the United States. It had been an interesting run in and she had been some what happy at that point in time. She didn't know if he knew about her parents deaths, but she figured since the Daily Prophet had a field day on the deaths, he probably knew. She looked up at him as she waited to see if he was wanting to talk or just sit quietly.

[maddiemalfoy]

((Yay! Fourth year! Well, Jack, I'm here!))

Maddie stepped off of the Hogwarts Express, a smrik on her face, as she looked up at the castle. She really hated to admit it, but she was rather glad to be back at school. She was glad to see her friends again, and she was also rather glad that she wouldn't have to spend anymore dull days, like she had during the summer. She raised her eyebrows as the rather anxious looking first years rushed past her. "Excuse me?" she said, expecting an apoligy from the younger children. She heard a few of them mutter a quick 'Sorry', and then rush off again.

She emerged into the Great Hall, with everybody else, and headed for the Slytherin table, smirking at the other houses as they gave most of the Slytherin dreadful looks. 'That's right,' she mused to herself. 'You all get to have another lovely years with us.' she thought while smirking. She raised her eyebrows strangely, as a girl rushed past her, out of the Great Hall, and seemed to have been sitting at the Slytherin table. Maddie shrugged, and continued to make her way over to the table. She reached the table, and saw that there was already two fellow fourth years there, Fiona, and Jack. She hadn't seen Jack since she went to visit him in the Hospital Wing, after the attack on Diagon Alley, and it was nice to see one of her good friends again. She had just seen Fiona on the train. At that thought, Maddie smirked, remembering the rather 'eventful' ride that some Ravenclaw girl, Fiona, and Maddie had shared. As for Monica, she saw her sometime around the middle of the summer.

Maddie took a seat next to Fiona, and mused with her eyebrows raised, "Well, that was a rather nice train ride, don't you think so?" She then turned to Jack, which was just a bit away from her. "Hey." she greeted. "So, you ready for the new year?" This question was directed toward both Fiona and Jack.

[Jack Rendel S5]

((Yay! ))

Jack was watching the doors here and there, switching his gaze from the grand oak entryway to the head table, where all the Professors sat. He was already hungry for food; his stomach was rumbling distantly. He looked down at his plate with a horrid expression before looking up. A girl he recognized as Monica sat down about three seats from him. He was about to say the formal Slytherin greeting when she got up and ran out of the Hall, almost as if a ghost was chasing her. He raised both eyebrows, not hiding his surprise. Was Monica coming back? Why did she just....run out? He stared after her for a moment before looking back at the Head Table, wondering when they were going to be served. He knew it might be a while yet; not all the students were in the Great Hall yet and the Sorting still had to begin and end before the golden plates would be laden with delicious foods to eat. He heard a noise beside him and looked to see that Fiona had sat down next to him. He gave her a half-smile. He had heard that her parents had died, but the details he hadn't read. He hated reading about death, even though his family was a natural cause of it. He tried to show no pity toward Fiona but it was hard. He wouldn't know what to do if his parents had died.

"Hey," he said with that same half-smile. "Look, I heard about your parents and...how are you doing?" he asked, trying to hide his concern but it must have showed through. He hoped Fiona didn't mind; they were friends, weren't they? He felt horribly for trying to tell Fiona the truth back when they had meet in the Americas. It was the truth as he saw it but now, with her parents dead, what would she think of it now? He wished he hadn't told her what he thought her parents had done already to her. It was his outlook on life and it was wrong for him to tell Fiona that it should be hers' too. He realized that it had been wrong for him to do so. Trying to keep this thoughts away from his darkening mind, he started when Maddie joined the table. He smiled at her slightly, cocking his head slightly to the left.

"Hey, Maddie." he said. "Am I ready? I guess so; I've been packing a month ago, if that's what you mean." he smirked and shook his head, wondering if Maddie liked Hogwarts just as much as he did. Fiona too. It might be hard for them to understand, but even with the lousy Headmaster, it was still a wonderful place to Jack and he was positive that no one could tell him otherwise. He shrugged. He had been wanting to get away from home for a long time and now that he was here, at his own little sanctuary, there didn't seem much to it. And now - even now - Jack felt a need to go home. His Father needed him now. He was in an odd state and he wasn't in the right mind to do what he normally does. He just wasn't himself now-a-days. Jack felt like he needed to look after him. He shook himself out of his dreary thoughts before looking at the two girls in front of him. "Are you looking foreword to this?"

[Mackenzie Holden]

First year: she was a loner, with problems.

Second year: she was still a loner, but learning to deal with the fact that she was.

Third year: she became herself, and realised her true identity as Molly Hanner.

This year: she wants more.

Mackenzie Holden looked out the window as the carriage rolled toward the castle. Her red hair covering her face as much as possible. The train ride to the station wasn't as grand as she had thought it would be. With the outburst from Padme, and Dixie throwing her out. Mack sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, letting her blue eyes wander over the scenery before her. She remembered all those years before, when the school had looked so big- but now it didn't seem to be as scary. A smirk covered her face for only the slightest moment, and Mack leaned back in her seat- waiting for the carriage which was drawn by invisible creatures; to stop. And it did.

It slowly came to a stop, and Mack was out of there as quick as a flash. It was something about those creatures that creeped her out. Her shoes carried her into the castle, pushing and shoving people out of the way. People she didn't know, and people who were older than her but didn't seem to care. it was apparent that she was just a fourth year nothing, but it didn't bother her. As long as she got what she wanted, when she wanted she was perfectly happy. Or...well...sort of. Mack walked into the great hall and searched the Slytherin table with deadly eyes. They stopped on Jack. Her best-friend, and...boyfriend? Mack still wasn't sure about it. She mentally shrugged and made her way over to him, noticing a few girls around and naming them off in her mind. Monica, who had contacted her- stupidly- and wanted to speak to her, not two weeks before. Fiona- didn't know her too well, but knew her well enough to know her name. And Maddie- one of Mack's other best-friends.

She took a seat next to Jack and smiled at him with a lopsided smile, "This seat is now taken. I can't believe we're back here already..." Mack whispered as she gazed around the great hall. Of course, she had seen it many years before- but Dumbledore's magic and vibe of the school always seemed to impress her upon her arrival. Mack looked up as Dixie entered and took her usual seat down at the end of the table, but not near the end end where most of the older and more important Slytherin's were. She sighed and shook her head, "So...you ready?"

[maddiemalfoy]

Maddie turned to Jack, when she heard him say something about the death of Fiona's parents, and it sounded like he had a bit of pity in his voice. Maddie raised her eyebrows, but just a bit of a small smile spread across her face. Slytherins weren't supposed to show emotion, but you know what they always say, rules are meant to be broken. Maddie was just glad that he felt pity for the girl, since many Slytherins would just say something like, 'It was just two deaths, so it won't effect anything else.' Maddie felt pity for the girl, of course, because she was her friend, and she remembered that it was hard for herself to lose her grandfather. He was her closest relative, and she couldn't imagine how hard it must of been for her to lose both her mother and father. She decided to not comment on the subject, and let them talk it over, that is if Fiona was willing to, by themselves.

Maddie turned back to Jack, when he replied to her question, and giggled slightly at his answer. Sounded like he was rather excited to come back to Hogwarts, but Maddie couldn't blame him, she was rather excited as well. However, she didn't start to pack until only about a week ago. It seemed that everyone was wondering just about the same thing, about Monica, by the expressions on their faces. What was going on with her? Maddie shrugged off the thought, as another one of her good friends approached the table, Mack.

Another small smile crossed Maddie's face, as she looked over at Mack, who had sat down next to Jack. Figured, they were best friends, and it was esay to see that they had feelings for each other. They were a good couple though, and Maddie grinned just a bit, at that thought as well. "Hey Mack." she greeted her friend.

[Fiona O'Reilly S5]

Fiona eyed Jack cautiously as he asked her how she was doing. "I'm better now. It was touch and go for awhile," Fiona sighed. She didn't want to show weakness toward the subject, but the concern in his voice was touching. She remembered that Jack wasn't much for being a normal Slytherin. He showed his emotions, but just at the moments they were most needed. Fiona looked up and smiled as Maddie sat down. She was remembering the train ride. Maddie had backed her up pretty well on the train and Fiona smiled at the memory of Terra's face. The girl had obviously been scared, but she hadn't admitted to it, which put her up a notch in Fiona's book.

"The train ride was rather eventful. I must say I don't think I'll be seeing much of that Ravenclaw, thank Merlin. She was certainly annoying," Fiona smiled cruelly. She had tortured her pretty well on the train and she didn't care if she ever talked to her again. The girl was definitely a Ravenclaw and a half-breed. Maddie asked if they were ready for school. Smiling at Jacks answer she gave her own, "Been ready to go ever since I was forced to move to London. Ever since that eventful night with my parents," Fiona sighed. She hadn't unpacked since she had moved to her uncles. She didn't want them to think she was making herself at home. She hated her uncles, especially since there were so many memories of her parents in that house. Of course, her real home had many more, but at least she felt welcome there.

It was here that Mack sat down. Fiona didn't know her too well. They had never formally met, which didn't bother Fiona too much. She looked up to the Professors table to see if things were going to start soon. It looked like most of them were there and she turned to look at the other tables. They were nearly all in the Great Hall now. It wouldn't be long before the sorting began. It would be interesting to see if any worthy students got placed in Slytherin.

[Pyro Blackfire S5]

Pyro was slowly but surely beginning to loose his hold on his patience. Pyro stared into a face that had plagued him ever since his first year at Hogwarts and he never could seem to get away from it either. He looked directly into Madam Pomfrey's face, with a slight note of pleasure since he no longer had to look up to it. Ever since his first year he had always been sent to the Hospital wing for one thing to another, and always the old bat was trying to tell him how to take care of his body. Pyro knew how to take care of his body better than this old bat. There had been another attack and once again Pyro had been caught in the middle of it. He came off a lot better in this attack than the last. Only a broken toe, some glass cuts and a mild concussion. Pomfrey had given him a potion for the concussion, easily mended the broken bone, and placed some bandages on the cuts.

"Listen to me. I know the limitations of my own body! I feel fine enough to leave, I'm not going to miss the feast!" Pyro snapped and before Pomfrey could respond Pyro dropped to his knees and rolled around Pomfrey, who had been blocking the door. Pyro hopped up to his feet and with a curt wave dodged out of the door and took off down the hall. Pyro stopped running after a while when it was clear Pomfrey wouldn't be chasing after him. Pyro immediately regretting running for his toe began to throb again and he began to walk with a slight limp.

Pyro reached the great hall. Stepping into the hall he noticed that there was a ton of students already milling about. Pyro sighed and walked over to the Slytherin table, pointedly trying to say out of physical contact with others. Pyro cast a glance out of the corner of his eye and noticed a few stares and fingers point at him. He smirked, ever since his third year he had started becoming popular and known. Although this annoyed him greatly. Pyro looked back at the table and noticed a small gathering of fellow 4th years. Pyro approached them and saw who the group was.

Jack Rendel, Pyro had never actually really met and talked with him, but he had seen him around and had heard of him. Monica Henshaw, another one Pyro had never actually met but had seen around. Than there was Fiona O'reilly, Pyro cast her a slight nod. Pyro knew her after their meeting at her initiation. Madison Kenacheak, Pyro had met and talked to her on a few occasions. The last person of the group that Pyro noticed was Mackenzie Holden, another one Pyro knew and talked to a few times. Pyro sat down next to the group with a slight nod as a greeting. "Sup?"

[calista]

Calista threw a disgusted sigh over her shoulder as she stepped down from the train. She carried a backpack that held all her art equipment. Her trunk stayed on the train. The house elfs would pick them up. Calista landed on the platform and looked at where the last car should have been. Due to a spasm of laziness Calista had decided not to trek to the back of the train and instead stayed in the middle car. Lucky for her for it seemed that Death Eaters had struck. Calista threw a smirk hoping some filthy mudblood had been caught in that train and injured severely. Calista climbed into one of the carriages waiting. The thing wouldn't move until three people occupied one. She sat there waiting and was finally accompanied by two second year Slytherins. She threw a scowl at them but let them on because she wanted to get to the castle. She tried not to make any contact with the two but the bumpy ride and the tight corridors forced her to have to stay in contact with them. Needless to say she was in a bad mood when the carriage stopped in front of the castle.

Calista quickly hopped out and walked with the group up the steps and into the castle. Calista walked down the hallways. She couldn't help but feel like she was in the middle of a herd of cows. Finally they reached the Great hall and the crowd dispersed. The mudbloods went to the mudblood table. Than there was the table for the weak and pitiful, than the know-it-alls, and finally the proud Slytherin table. Calista approached the table and noticed a group of people in her year. She grinned recognizing Pyro and Jack, the only two boys at the gathering. The others were all her dorm mates. Fiona, Madison, Mack, and Monica. Calista set her bag down and took a seat with a exasperated sigh. "Hello all. You don't know how glad I am getting off that train. Each year the mudblood filth keeps getting thicker and thicker."

[Jack Rendel S5]

Jack nodded at both Maddie and Fiona, once they were done talking. It seemed like they had a troubled ride to Hogwarts, if that's what they could call it. He shook his head slightly and smirked as Mack sat down and asked if he was ready. He eyed her with a raised eyebrow. He hadn't seen her for a while; they had only been writing to each other. He still had all her letters in his trunk on the upper pocket on the lid. He didn't know why he kept the letters, but when he had a whirl of emotions, he liked to read them. It would always calm him down in some way or another. It was strange to think of Mack as his girlfried.....Club Mineral seemed like a distant fairy tale. He knew it had happened, yes, but it was just as hard to believe as it was when it happened those months ago. The train ride with Mack hadn't been the best, what with Dix and Padme. He took a deep breath, that rattled some. He blinked and smirked at Mack. "I've been ready for a long, long time. You?" he asked with no show of emotions. It had been a happy time for him; the time before he would go to Hogwarts. Not even Roger's queer mood could switch his mind off the school. There was Mack and all his other buddies and friends. He had been waiting for this for a very long time. Not even in his first and second year had he been nearly as happy to go to Hogwarts. Now, it seemed like a short period of time that he had been with Roger and had seen the mysterious letter. He calmed himself as new people came to the table. Pyro and Calista both came and sat down, greeting them all. Jack knew Pyro; after all, they were dorm mates. But they had never become more then that. They just shared the same dorm and they went to the same classes, but they never developed beyond that point. He couldn't even remember the last time he had spoken to Pyro. Shrugging it off, he greeted them.

"Hey, Pyro." he said with a small nod. "Calista. I haven't seen you two around all summer....." True, he hadn't, not that he had bothered to stay in touch with them in any way. They were like school friends and nothing more. The summer was without them. He didn't even know Calista well. He hadn't really spoken to her before or bothered to even get to know her very well. He had tried to make a goal as to get to know all his dorm mates but their seemed to be so many of them. But, it was easier considering they all went to the same classes. Or at least all the mandatory. He smirked at them, not in a mean way but just in the formal expression of a Slytherin. He put on a small smile at Calista's comment. "There wouldn't be a Hogwarts without them." he put a certain amount of emphasis on them; he always had contempt for mudbloods ever since that wretched Bridget had walked into his life with no second thought. He had forgot about her but didn't care much either. He never wanted to see her again. The dirty, insignificant animal. He smirked widely before leaning back slightly, looking up at the Head table once again. The tables were almost full now, so it couldn't be much longer. He turned back to the others with a slightly raised eyebrow. "How was your summer?" he asked the group at large, not really paying attention to what he was even saying. His eyes flickered constantly up to the Staff table. Soon, the Sorting would begin and Padme would join the table. He smirked and leaned in toward Mack. "Better make room for Padme. You know she'll have a fit if she doesn't get an honorable amount of room." he whispered, only loud enough for Mack to hear.

[alexandra]

Alexandra stared down at her hands, the white cloth that had bandaged her arms and torso for the past two hours, had been removed. Her short black hair was tangled, seeing as she hadn't been able to brush it since the attack, but she never really minded. She knew her face was dotted with the scars that the glass had caused. Again she didn't really care all that much, her appearance wasn't a priority to Alexandra, but somehow it felt wrong to go to the Welcomeing Feast looking like a dead corpse. She looked up at Madam Pomfry, who stood above her bed, a stern look on her face. Alexandra watched the nurse's lips moving, barely hearing what the woman had to say. Something about how much she didn't think Alexandra was "ready" to go anywhere yet. The Slytherin girl rolled her eyes and swung her legs over the side of the bed, the covers being thrown aside. She locked eyes to the stunned nurse and stood, walking to her clothes and smiling sarcastically.

"See? I can walk!" she then walked past Madam Pomfry and into the bathroom, where she changed into her school robes. Taking out her wand and applying, magically of course, her dark make-up. Her lips painted a bold red and her dark brown eyes outlined in the blackest of blacks. She combed her hair and then walked out of the bathroom, past Madam Pomfry, ignoring the objections, and down toward the Great Hall.

As she descended the staircase, a group of second years went inside. She smiled slightly, remembering her first day as a first year. She was very pridefull, but couldn't deny that she was terrified. Alexandra's smile turned into her regular half scowl/half boredom look and walked in after the first years. She looked about the Great Hall, studying the changes in the students she shared her school with. She sighed, turning to the Slytherin table. A small group of Slytherins sat there, a few talking, a few just sitting there. She walked over to them, immidiatly noticing Pyro Blackfire, the boy she had been sitting with when the train had been attacked. She felt a shiver run through her spine at the memory of the attack. Suddenly flashes of the screaming and the Death Eaters came to her mind and she paused, a few feet from the table. She gulped, pushing the images away and taking a deep breath.

You can do this, Alex... You can! she gritt her teeth together, trying to calm her racing heart. She gathered what little courage she had and walked forward, sitting next to Pyro. She was silent a moment as Jack Rendal greated a few of the other Slytherins already seated. She propped her head on her elbow and smiled slightly.

"Hey Pyro," she said quietly.