The noise in the Great Hall of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry could be compared to that of the noise at a muggle High School reunion. Old friends gathering after the train, speaking much louder than they needed to in order to tell about their vacation adventures or complain about one thing or another. The sorting had already taken place, and the Headmistress had decided to wait until after the feast to give her start of the school year speech, as it was no point to do it beforehand when every mind in the hall was more or less focused on what treats were going to be made available to them for dinner and desert. That, after all, was what really mattered.

For Rebecca Heartson, coming back to school was nothing short of what she looked forward to every summer. It wasn't that she didn't like her family, oh no. That wasn't at all the case. But to be with them all the time, in a house where the whole family gathered during the summer... one hardly had time to think for themselves, much less get any attention from anyone. There was always something or someone else to attend to, and could you please fetch this or that, and we'll talk later. It was for this reason that Rebecca always looked forward to coming back to school. There was nothing like being able to express your ideas and have them listened to, or gossiping with the girls.
Rebecca was starting her sixth year at Hogwarts. It was hard for her to believe that she would have to kiss it all goodbye after next year and actually have to make something of herself, so she avoided the thought at all costs, instead focusing on everything she had yet to do at school. She had been sorted into Hufflepuff five years ago, and with a father from Gryffindor and a mother from Raveclaw, it was all very unexpected. But she relished in it; to belong to a house that wasn't known for much, it was easy to make a splash amongst her fellow students. She had her friends in different houses, and while she wasn't a common name around the school, she was comfortable with where she was. Knew who she wanted to, and that was enough for her.
At this exact moment in time, Rebecca was seated among her good friends, both male and female, helping themselves to the feast that lay before them. Her long, curly brown hair was bound back at the nape of her neck, with some rebellious strands hanging around her face with her sideswept bangs. The girl's thickly lash-framed pale green eyes flicked around to each face that spoke, simply glad to be hearing the familiar voices, along with the new gossip. Whether it was true or not, Rebecca loved to know what was going on in the world of Hogwarts. It had become increasingly fascinating as they got older, after all.

A table away, sitting with the other Gryffindors, was an old friend. Lex Kingston was surrounded by his friends, talking over what they had done that summer. His story included, as always, the trip he had taken with his family that year. During each summer vacation, the Kingston family went on a trip to some country or another. The Kingstons were absolutely set in stone on having their children be wordly cultured, and would not hear of a year without a trip. Both parents were lawyers; one for St. Mungo's and one for a firm. Lex only had one sibling, a younger sister whom he was much adored with, and she much attached to him.
Both the boy's parents had been in Gryffindor before him, and he had met Rebecca on the train ride in their first year, due to their parent's mini reunion. It was said that one could be connected to any other person in the world through six degrees, but at Hogwarts, it was two or three at the most. The two had, fortunately, gotten along just fine, even after they had been sorted into different houses. However, while Rebecca had remained comfortable with her small circle of friends, Lex had moved quickly from group to group, eventually finding himself well known in the school, and a Quidditch player, to boot. Flying had long been a dream of his, and at first the only reason he wanted to attend Hogwarts. But now, even with his position as Keeper on the Gryffindor house team, he was kept interested with other things as well, from classes to homework to girls and Hogsmeade visits.
Brushing back the brandy-colored hair that was falling into his warm brown eyes, Lex let a small laugh at something or another one of his house mates had said. If there was one thing he was happy for, it was his sense of humor. The boy didn't like things to ever be too serious, and so took it upon himself most of the time to lighten a heavy mood. He had also turned out to be a terrific problem solver in terms of the relationships of others, and had been sought on more than one occasion for advice on this or that. On top of it all, his mother had made sure to raise him a gentleman. What more could one want for?

Along another table colored in sliver and greene sat a small girl that looked to be in her 4th year yet she was in fact in her 6th. She had her head in a book her black bangs seeming to covers her pale eyes, she looked kind enough, yet no one seemed to sit around her but two people. She was quite and kept to herself but would smile or peek over her book to tell the others something correct them or make a joke at some one else's ecspince.

Next to her was a slightly older girl Samantha most people called her Sam becouse of her short reddish hair cropped in to a boyish cut. Her dark brownish green eyes looking over at her brother narrowed. He must have said something about her hair cut that she had reserved from him. She hated him but at lest she had her friend Kakio and James to keep her saine.

Her brother sat there smiling lightly and went back to eating. He brushed his blond hair out of his gra eyes as thought over the jokes he and his sister played on eachother.He was smug just like his father but he knew when to cut things short and leave well enough alone. He looked at his friends james and he smiled back waving from the Raven claw table.

James was a skinny boy about the same high of his blond friend Nick. He had short black and red hair he was a Japaneses and had a style all his own. He did not fit in to the style of Raven claw but he worked his hardiest and let others know he did belong in this house. He sighed just happy to be back.

Rebecca continued eating, staying mostly silent as the feast continued, listening to her friend's stories. She was so grateful to be back that all she wanted to do was sit and soak up the atmosphere of Hogwarts once again, and there was no better way to do so than this. So many of their classmates had returned, though there were the few here and there who had been forbidden by their parents. Strange things were happening on the outskirts of the wizarding community, and it seemed that some were extra paranoid about it. She was just glad to see that Lex was back this year. That would be a friend she would be sorry to miss if his parents had fallen to the paranoia of the state.

Lex was his carefree self though, looking around the hall for familiar faces and chatting it up with his friends as much as they could before being hushed for the speech. "What did you do this summer, Lex?" someone asked, and the boy's featured turned to all that of a grin. "Went on another trip. This time to New York, in the States, yeah? It was wicked fun, we went to go see a bunch of shows on the stage and all the buildings. But Americans... a crazy bunch, I'll tell you... but the girls arn't half bad." This was met with a rousing agreement from the males in the group, and for that moment Lex was able to look around the hall, catching Rebecca's eye for a moment and winking his recognition of her. She smiled cooly back.

The feast was wonderful and all had their time to get to know one another or to see old friends that they hadn't been able to see over the summer. It wasn't long before it the end of the feast came, while years from faith to first where to go to their rooms six and seventh where allowed to stay out one more houer to enjoy their first night here.

Samantha chreeed as they announced that and looked to her other fiends that looked never more please. Things where going well this year and nothing could ruin this. She got up from the table dragging poor Keria along by the arm. She wanted to get out side to the courtyard where every one was sitting and talking. All the house's seemed to be less hostel to each other but then agin there was always that compation for the house cup that brought out the worst in people.

Keria fallowed her friend as the moon hit her face she smiled. She loved the night and was more accustomed to it then the harsh rays from the sun. She fallowed her friend out and smiled seeing one of the boys she enjoyed looking at. She could never get the nurve to go up and talk to him but she would wave as now to the light brown haired boy known as Lex she was yanked thought to her small grupe of Samantha,Nick and James.

Nick looked up from his seat on one of the small walls and looked over to Rebekah smiling lightly, he knew she didn't enjoy his company but he didn't care he liked to mess with her here and there. He kept his eyes locked with hers ti'll James hit the other in the side.

"God Nick leave her alone..."He said and sighed brushing back his hair while Nick just glared at him. "Oh give it up tough guy"He said then smiling whormly at her then looked down at his own feet not knowing what to do with himself when she looked back.

At the announcement, both Rebecca and Lex jumped up with the rest of the older student, cheering at the allowence while the fifth years gave up a cry of protest and the younger ones wondered what was going on. In no time, though, the students had dispersed, and friends from different houses hand once again found eachother after a long summer.
"Hey little girl, long time no see," Lex said, ruffling Rebbeca's curls before she could duck away from his hand, and recieving a playful punch in return.
"Just because you're the height of the Effiel Tower doesn't make me little," she retorted, going in to give him a hug after the friendly teasing had been taken care of. While not noticing her own attention, she did spot Keria waving out of the corner of her eye, and nudged Lex in the ribs until he snapped out of wherever he had gone.
"Secret admirer at twelve o'clock," she said, grinning. Lex smiled and waved briefly before turning to her and ruffling her hair again, at which she ducked.
"Hush up, you, and worry about your own stalkers." After recieving a confused look from his friend, Lex nodded to indicate Nick and James, who were both looking at the girl. Rebecca turned and smiled back until the looked away, before rolling her eyes. Catching herself, she shook her head.
"Let's go make friends," she said, before taking his arm and pulling him towards the courtyard where the others had gone.