The Tale of the Black Knight: The Mark

First-Year's Potions

After all of the day's happenings all drawing close to a temporary end, Lyra failed to realize how hungry she was beginning to get. While the entire hall began to mingle about, greeting one another whilst she was having a bit of a tough time striking up conversation. At this new table, she personally began to take her tied back hair over her shoulder, proceeding to fiddle with and curl it about, all the while trying to find the smartest thing to say. This was not a commonplace for her, often so used to homeschooling that only consisted of herself and Prince. Although, through the course of the train ride that small pang to get over about meeting new faces was beginning to let off a little bit. Having started with Ron, getting along with the Twins got ever easier...

As a matter of fact, (this was to be well-kept secret, as long as she could help it) the Twin's knack for taunts and trouble was the most fun she has had after years of often boredom. It was about to head in deep until there was the sound of a glass goblet chiming from the front. That was when nearly everyone silenced and turned their attention back to the Head Table.

Only one sentence was spoke by the Headmaster after he stood so calmly.

"Let the Feast . . . Begin~"

Even when those words were spoken in such a kindly voice, each long table was suddenly covered in every inch of countless amounts of food! All set out before them all were scores and scores of biscuits, corn on the cob, chicken, turkey in their entirety, and roast beef sided with perfectly boiled potatoes. It all went on to basic things, such as fresh apples and bread pudding, mashed potatoes buttered and hot... At first, Lyra just sat there, looking at it all, agast before the realization that it was real hit her.

Ron was first to start grabbing, soon Hermoine grabbed a fork and knife and started digging in. Lyra finally gave into her grumbling belly and took in a fork of turkey smothered already in hot gravy. From her very first bite, the mingling only continued on. One lad down the line began to bark out facts that his mum was a witch as his dad was a muggle, and how the fact proved to be quite a shock when dad found out about the latter. The common chatter back and the typical chortle was all that greeted this chatty Irish lad. A fellow Gryffindor like herself, it actually drew her to pay attention as she continued chewing on some dark meat.

"And go on you redhead ~ What's your story?" Seamus prodded on with a mouthful of mashed potato and biscuit.

"Which red head are you blabberin' to?" Ron snarked back.

"The green-eyed one."

Lyra had to swallow hard, realizing that she was the one being barked at.

"Good to know I stick out somehow..." Lyra soon spoke. "My name is Lyra."

The more she kept saying the name, the harder it was beginning to stick. There was an odd feeling when it was the only thing that was meant for her entirely. She tried not to be shy but her head was still whirling about where she currently was.

"Name's Seamus! Seamus Finnigan..." he introduced himself.

"Pleasure, isn't it?" Lyra cheered on, going on mid bite.

It so happened, while they were completely engulfed in satisfiying their own hunger that a grand many of them had failed to notice that there were scores of transparent fellows coming forth through the ancient walls and soaring over the completely covered tables. Lyra thought she would choke as someone's head happened to pop out through a platter of fruit.

"Evening there, how are you?" greeted one with such a cheery disposition.

"... uh," Ron gaped at first as Lyra blinked, agape for a moment.