[September 6, 2016: Tuesday, Week 1. It's the morning of the second day of classes at Hogwarts this year! Seems everyone had an eventful first day, but hopefully they got a good night's rest - and with a good breakfast on top of that, they will surely be ready for whatever the second day brings!] [Begin!] #06* Luke settled himself down near Matthew at the Hufflepuff table this morning. Matthew was pretty considerate about giving him space yesterday so he could meet people and make friends, but he still wants to hang out with his brother! #06* Luke is also hungry, though, so he loads his plate with eggs and pancakes (blueberry) and bacon (also blueberry) and pours liberal amounts of maple syrup over all of it before taking a big bite. #06* Matthew has had a relatively calm second morning after a rather busy first day. Trying to shepherd first years through the castle, making sure that they could find their classes (and make it to his own on time), catching up with friends, Hufflepuff Quidditch team meeting, and of course trying to make sure that his little brother was sorted without appearing to hover.... whew! Exhausting! #06* Matthew is, then, understandably hungry. He's filled his plate with eggs, sausage, sticky buns and toast (buttered lightly, cut into triangles, medium marmalade). He looks over at his little brother's plate, shakes his head and smiles. "it's pretty good, huh?" #06* Luke nods enthusiastically around a mouthful of baconsyruppancake. After a second or two he manages to swallow and grin at Matthew. "Yep!" make sure you try the biscuits... just like Mom's, only a bit smaller #06* Luke looks down at his plate, then back up at Matthew and grins a bit sheepishly. "Uh...maybe tomorrow." Hey, you're taking us to Charms after breakfast, right? #06* Matthew chuckles. "yep. its actually on my way, too, which is handy" how did you get on yesterday? classes okay? #06* Luke nods. "Yeah, they were fun! Well, um, Transfiguration was kind of hard. But still really interesting!" #06* Matthew nods. "yeah, that one can be tricky. but if you stay on top of your lessons, you should be okay. just pay attention." #06* Luke nods vigorously. Maybe he's a morning person, or maybe it's because he's eleven, or maybe he's just *that excited* about classes. "Yeah. I will!" #06* Mark suddenly appears behind Luke, ruffling his hair and stabbing a sausage off of the serving platter near Matthew. "Hey, squirt! How's it going?" #06* Luke tilts his head backwards to look up at Mark and does *not* fall off his bench. "Oh, hi! Good morning, Mark! Um, good! I'm going to Charms class in a bit." It's my first class with Gryffindors. #06* Luke grins at his middle brother. #06* Matthew glances at Mark. "well, well... the lost boy! how was your first day?" #06* Mark grins. "Should be awesome, then. Flitwick's pretty cool." He has a seat next to Luke and looks at his older brother with fake-seriousness. "Matthew. Good morning." #06* Matthew frowns. i was trying to be nice #06* Mark takes a bite out of the sausage on his fork (maybe he brought it over?). "I was trying to be polite!" he says around sausage. #06* Luke blinks at Matthew. "Lost boy?" #06* Matthew nods, points to his Hufflepuff tie, then to Luke's Hufflepuff tie, and then to Mark's Gryffindor tie. "was supposed to be a light hearted joke" i give up... you guys be the funny ones #06* Luke grins. "Not me, that's Mark's job." #06* Matthew nods in agreement with Luke. #01 Yeah, the sorting hat always forgets that part. "Or you could be sorted into Gryffindor / Where students have fun and are merry. / Gryffindors always know how to laugh / when the rest of Hogwarts is dreary." #06* Matthew takes a bite of his toast, wondering if perhaps today was a light- medium marmalade day rather than a medium marmalade day. #06* Luke sticks his tongue out at Mark. He stops short of flicking syrup at him, though. Matthew would frown. #06* Matthew gives Luke a look anyway. #06* Mark chews more sausage, oblivious to narrowly avoiding being syrup'd, "ANYWAY. Care of Magical Creatures this year. It looks like it'll be pretty fun. Gryffindor quidditch tryouts start next week; I'm gonna give it a shot." #06* Luke grins. "You think you actually have a shot, this year?" #06* Mark grins back. "I got a shot *every* year." if you do, be careful... it can be dangerous, you know #06* Luke gives Matthew a look of wide-eyed surprise. "But you're on the team." i know... which gives me experience enough to know what i'm talking about. #01 Oh, I'll be fine! Last time my arm was better in half a day! I got to hang out in the hospital ward and talk to the first years who fell off their brooms. #06* Luke eeps. "I hope no one gets too hurt..." #06* Mark just ruffles Luke's hair in response and steals a piece of his bacon. you have the same roommates this year, Mark? #06* Mark says around bacon, "Mmm hmm," as he drips syrup on the table. "How 'bout you?" yeah... makes it easier. especially being Prefect and all. #01 Yeah, is that fun? Or is it just a pile of work - I heard the head boy's Slytherin this year. Good thing Alexis is there, too. #06* Luke is staying quiet for now, though he listens carefully to his brothers. it is a lot of work, but nothing wrong with that, right? i'm enjoying it. #06* Luke smiles at Matthew. "Good!" #06* Mark polishes off his stolen bacon. "Plus you're in charge of Luke's year, that's gotta count for a lot." you're right, the head boy is from Slytherin... we'll see how that goes. of course i could say the same for Alexis, too. #06* Mark rolls his eyes. "Aww, don't put Alexis Prewett in even the same *category*, Matthew! She's a total badass." #06* Luke glances at Matthew at the mention of the head boy and very carefully doesn't squirm. #06* Matthew frowns. "being a 'badass' as you say does not necessarily mean she's going to be a good head girl. there's a lot of responsibility. it's hard work. you don't always look cool and you can't necessarily be everyone's friend. you have to do what's right however unpopular that may be. it is like being a prefect, but moreso" #06* Mark snorts. "And you haven't even been prefect for a *week*. Look, you don't gotta worry about Alexis Prewett. Last year, there was a game of gobstones that got totally out of hand in the common room - like, I think one of the third years was green for a week - but one look from Alexis and everyone just stopped." #01 I'd be a little bit more worried about the Slytherin guy... forget his name. They always play favorites. yes, well that is understandable #06* Mark blinks as a thought occurs to him and looks at Luke. "Hey! Did you talk to that batty Slytherin girl again?" #01 You had classes with the Slytherins yesterday, right? #06* Luke frowns up at Mark. "She has a *name*, Mark. It's Eliana." But then the frown disappears and he says, "Yeah. She made the best Boil Cure potion in Potions class!" #06* Matthew frowns again. "you should really find friends in your own house, Luke. like one of your roommates perhaps? they seemed nice. or maybe today you can sit by someone new in class today and strike up a friendship?" #06* Luke blinks innocently at Matthew. "I am making friends in Hufflepuff! My roommates are really nice. Anyway, shouldn't I be friends with people in other houses, too?" #06* Mark grins. "Yeah, like Gryffindors." He leans over and whispers loudly enough for Matthew to totally hear, "Best house." #06* Luke pretends to frown at Mark, but the grin underneath is totally obvious. "Says you." #06* Mark holds up his fork. "Wombat's honor." well... yes, but your Housemates are people who have the same values and ideals. and sure we need to be friends with people from other houses... like Mark [sighs]... the people in your house are going to be like your family for the next seven years #06* Luke looks from Mark to Matthew doubtfully. "But you're my family. I mean, I like everyone I've met so far, they're really nice..." yes, i am your family... and this... is family, too... but when we're not around, your housemates will be #06* Matthew gestures to Mark with his fork #06* Mark is gestured to while he stabs a sticky bun with his fork. #06* Luke frowns unhappily down at his food. "But...I can be friends with them and still be friends with Eliana, too..." #06* Mark brings the bun over and starts eating the outsides. Gotta eat all the outsides first before the awesome sticky sweet inside. "Oh, you guys're friends now?" he asks around bun. #06* Luke does squirm a bit now. "Um, yeah, I guess...? I mean I haven't known her that long but..." #06* Matthew softens. "yes, you can... but... just be careful. generally Slytherins only really look out for themselves. i don't want to see my little brother get hurt, okay? by the way... you have syrup on your chin." #06* Luke tries to nod and shake his head at the same time, and the gesture comes out rather confused, only getting worse when he tries to find the syrup on his chin at the same time. "Um, right, I know, but...I don't think Eliana's really like that. At least, she's been nice to me, and she gave me a muggle thing..." #06* Luke digs around in his bag briefly and holds up the pen Eliana gave him in the library yesterday. Then he sets it down on the table to clean the sticky off his chin and fingers. #06* Mark brightens and asks, "Really?" but his mouth is full of sticky bun so it comes out garbled. He picks up the pen with his free hand. #06* Mark swallows. #01 What... is it? #06* Matthew looks at the object. "hmmm... ive seen a picture of one of those, i think." i think it's some sort of pointer #06* Mark holds it up, then tries a flick and a swish with the pen. Nothing happens. She called it a pen, I think. It writes! Like a quill, only smoother, and you don't have to keep inking it. #01 Huh. #06* Mark looks at the ends. hmmm... well, you can point with a quill, too... so that makes sense #06* Luke laughs at Mark and grabs the pen back from him to put it back in his bag. #01 Hey! That's not fair, you can't just say it writes stuff and not write with it! #01 I thought Hufflepuffs are all about fairness! I don't wanna mess up my class notes! #06* Matthew pulls out a small piece of parchment. "use this... it's my Quidditch team practice schedule" Oh, thanks. it is pretty much the same as last year, so nothing i don't already know #06* Luke flips it over and carefully prints on the back, "It's a pen." His handwriting is still a bit awkward, since he isn't used to the size of the pen, but it's legible enough. #06* Mark leans over to see. "Oh... nice. Like a self-inking quill. Looks like it's harder to use, though." #06* Matthew watches and nods. "well will you look at that? that's pretty neat" #06* Luke half-shrugs. " 'S just bigger than a quill. Makes it kind of hard. She says quills are hard for her, though." #01 I guess that'd make some sense. Muggleborn, used to muggle devices. Like those strings - Oh, did you ever find out what's up with the strings? #06* Luke brightens. "They play music!" #06* Mark blinks. #01 What, really? #06* Matthew looks surpsied. "how?" #06* Luke nods enthusiastically. "She showed me on the train. I dunno how it works, but she says it doesn't work at Hogwarts. She seemed really sad about it. Something about muggle stuff doesn't work right here, or something." #06* Mark blinks. "Huh." And then he points at the pen. "But that worked." #06* Matthew nods at Mark. "it did" #06* Luke looks at the pen. "I dunno why. Maybe I can ask her?" #01 Sure. It was nice of her to give you a present, anyway. true. did you say thank you? #06* Luke nods. "Of course!" i might have some thank you cards back in my room if you would like one Um...no, that's okay. I don't think she thought it was a big deal - she had a bunch of them. #06* Luke remembers his manners and adds, "Thanks though!" of course, if not... i can send an owl to Mom. oh, hey! i should show you where that is #01 Oh, yeah! I need to write back, too. I forgot some stuff. why does that not surprise me? #01 Hey, I *remembered* my broom this time! because i taped a note to your robe! Oh, um - actually I know where it is now - how could you even get onto the Quidditch team - #06* Luke just stops. It's Mark, after all. which is also why you remembered the roll of spello-tape #01 Oh, is that why that was there. #06* Matthew turns back to Luke, looking a bit surprised. "you've already been to the owlery?" he looks a bit disappointed. "oh. okay. to check on your owl... i guess that makes sense" #01 Did you find it by yourself? is she all right? #01 My first year, I tried to find it by myself, and I ended up nearly getting eaten by Filch's cat. #06* Luke nods. "Well, and Eliana had a letter to send and *she* doesn't have an owl, so I said Alannah could carry it for her - " #06* Matthew nods. #06* Luke is having trouble keeping up with all his brothers' questions. well, that was nice of you She's fine! I took her a treat. She seemed happy to see me, though. But at least she has plenty of friends! #06* Luke smiles. Anyway, um, Vesper took us. #06* Luke glances at Mark. "That's the head boy's name." #06* Luke tries valiantly not to shrink in his seat in anticipation of oncoming disapproval. #01 Oh yeah? That's- wait, what, the HEAD BOY? #06* Matthew blinks. and frowns. and takes another three bites of toast. and frowns. Um. Yeah. Eliana said he offered to show her and... so... the head boy, from Slytherin, took you and the Slytherin girl to the owlery... why didn't he just get the Slytherin prefect to do it? #06* Luke half-shrugs awkwardly. "I dunno. He seems to like Eliana, though. That's probably why." of course he likes Eliana, she's Slytherin... they like each other because they're all Slytherin #06* Mark shakes his head rapidly. "Man, I dunno. Not even Alexis offers to take first years anywhere; that's the fifth year prefects' jobs." #06* Matthew nods thoughtfully. #01 And I *really* don't think Alexis Prewett isn't as nice as Vesper... uh, whatever. #06* Luke fails to not shrink. "Um...I really don't know." it is hard to be nice when you're badass, i bet #06* Matthew shoots a glance at Mark #06* Mark rolls his eyes. "Matthew MacRae," he says, feigning a professor's tone, "the most badass thing you can do is treat people with kindness and respect." #06* Matthew grins. "Mark MacRae," he says, adopting a tone similar to one of their parents. "you should always treat people with kindness and respect regardless because it reflects on your parents. we didn't raise you to be a jerk!" #06* Luke pokes at the last of his eggs unhappily, ignoring his brothers arguing again. #06* Mark looks properly chastised. "Yes, father." He looks at Luke. #01 Hey, what's wrong, squirt? #06* Matthew looks at Luke, too. "yeah... are you okay?" #06* Luke pokes at his eggs more. He doesn't answer right at first. "Um...I dunno," he mumbles. He frowns at his plate. #06* Matthew looks at Mark #06* Mark looks back at Matthew. #01 Not enough bacon and biscuits. #06* Mark fixes it by piling such things on Luke's plate, without regard for silverware. thank you Dr. MacRae, where would we all be without you? #01 Dead, probably! Gotta keep up your nutrition! because bacon is the pinnacle of nutritional suppliments #01 Got everything you need! #01 Salt, fat, meat, deliciousness. Add syrup and you've met all of your daily requirements! right, whatever... Luke, are you feeling okay? or just missing Mom and Dad or what? help us out here... we're trying to help #06* Luke gives Mark a sideways look through that litany, but eventually he smiles a little. Then he looks up at Matthew and blinks. "Oh, um...a little I guess. But I like it here, too," he tries to assure his brother. #06* Matthew frowns, still looking a bit concerned. #06* Mark pours some more syrup on Luke's plate. Just helping out. #06* Luke tries to frown at Mark and can't. "I can't eat all that, y'know." #06* Mark stops with the maple syrup. "Sure you can! You don't want to stay tiny your whole life, do you?" Hey! #06* Luke mock-punches Mark. 'S not my fault I'm little. I'll grow. #06* Luke sticks his tongue out at Mark again. #06* Matthew grabs Luke's tongue. "mom would not approve" #06* Matthew lets it go and laughs. Gack! #06* Luke claps a hand over his mouth, blushing. #06* Mark mock-flinches at the punch. "Ow!" He rubs at his arm. "Matthew!" he cries, channeling his inner eight-year-old self. "Luke hit me!" #06* Matthew punches Mark in the arm. "and so did i". grow up #06* Luke laughs. #01 BETRAYED BY MY BROTHERS! #06* Mark swoons right onto Luke. Eep! very courageous, Gryffindor #06* Luke tries to catch Mark, but Mark is way bigger than him, so mostly he just falls over. #06* Mark is so heavy! He doesn't respond to Matthew; too busy fainting. #06* Matthew shakes his head and then looks around to make sure that nobody's paying attention to this scene. wouldn't look good for a prefect on his third day to be at the center of a spectacle #01 [Nobody's paying much attention - well, a couple of older Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs have noticed, but they're going back to eating and chatting like it's not a big deal.] #06* Luke pokes Mark in the ribs. "Mark!" #06* Mark jumps up. "Ow!" #06* Mark rubs at his ribs. "Watch that pointer finger, kid. Could poke an eye out." that's it, Luke! again! #06* Luke waves his finger mock-threateningly at Mark. "You'd better not fall on me then, huh?" #06* Matthew grins and encourages his brother, since Mom isn't around to say "Matthew, don't encourage your brother" #06* Mark cringes away from the implement of destruction. "No, please! No more!" #01 I'll be good! #06* Matthew snerks and then says quietly to himself, "i doubt that" #06* Luke grins and hugs Mark. #06* Luke leans over and grins at Matthew, too. #06* Matthew smiles back. #06* Mark sticks his tongue out at Matthew. #06* Matthew grabs Mark's tongue. #06* Mark is too quick, and leans away! #06* Luke ducks out of the way. #06* Matthew shakes his head. #01 That's right! Gryffindor keeps Hufflepuff from scoring the goal! Maybe I should be keeper. #06* Luke actually just *laughs* at that idea. #06* Matthew grabs a muffin and throws it at Mark's head. "whoa! rogue bludger!" #06* Mark bounces the muffin off his head by sitting there. It falls and he catches it with his hand. "Oh hey, a muffin," he says, before taking a bite. "Blackberry." #01 I didn't know bludgers were so tasty. muffinhead #06* Mark grins mischievously. "I'm gonna save that one for when you *really* want the first years to listen to you." i'm not afraid of you #06* Mark leans forward, locking eyes with Matthew. "You should be." And then a cranberry muffin smacks Matthew in the head. #06* Luke just stays out of the way. It's Matthew and Mark, after all. Not a bad spectator sport, though... He nibbles on a biscuit. #06* Matthew frowns. then looks at the muffin, puts it back on the table, and looks at Mark disapprovingly. #01 What? You started it. no... you started it. #06* Matthew chuckles. "i was perfectly happy being an only child and then you showed up. at least Luke makes up for you" #01 What! Matthew! #06* Mark clutches his heart, wounded again. #06* Matthew shakes his head. #06* Luke raises his finger at Mark in case he's getting any ideas about fainting again. #06* Mark straightens right up! A miracle! He's about to take another bite out of his muffin when he checks the time. "Oh, crap. I gotta go." Huh? Oh! #06* Luke bolts upright. "Is it time to get to class?" #06* Mark jumps to his feet, nabbing another strip of bacon to go with the blackberry muffin. "Nah! I'm meeting with the guys for practice. Make sure you finish the stuff on your plate, Luke!" #06* Mark runs off and nearly runs into a hapless Hufflepuff making his way to his seat. #06* Luke looks at the mound of biscuits and bacon and syrup on his plate dubiously and turns back to answer Mark, but he's already gone. #06* Matthew shakes his head. "good old Mark. always the same" he's right, though... you should make sure you eat enough. breakfast is the most important meal of the day #06* Luke grins at Matthew. "I had plenty." How long til class? there's still time... do you need to do anything before we go to charms? #06* Luke shakes his head. "Nah." He starts to bounce a little. "I'm excited for class!" #06* Matthew smiles. "that's good." he then looks serious again. "you sure you're okay?" you know if you need anything... i'm here #06* Luke blinks up at Matthew, stopping the bouncing for a moment. "Oh - yeah. I know." He smiles and hugs his brother. #06* Matthew smiles and hugs back. "gotta watch out for my little brother... it's part of being the oldest. it's my job" #06* Luke grins. "And you watch out for Mark by throwing muffins at him?" #06* Matthew grins. "sort of... have to keep him on his toes. also part of my job" #06* Luke laughs. "That's a big job." you're telling me! [End]