Hogwarts Start Of Term Feast - 2027

Persephone was still shocked. The fact that something like that could happen in the safest place on earth was shocking, and not only that, damaging. The poor girl was still shivering on her spot and her nerves were about to give up. It was only thanks to her strong will she was perfectly still on one spot and eyes looking rapidly from one direction to another. She was safe now.
Her mother, father and sisters were also somewhere, she did not know where, but somewhere. Swallowing the hard glump in her throat, she looked awkwardly around when the lady in the front called for a boy named Bartimus Arrowbeam. The silence that fell in the hall scared her even more and Persephone wanted to scream and run to her mother and cry.
But no, watching how others stood, she had to stand as proudly as them and display her sense of courage.

The poor albino girl in her ragged school uniform listened patiently, waiting for something... something that would soothe her.
And it came. In the middle of silence the front woman approached a girl not so far away from her and asked for her name.

Persephone watched how the sorting ceremony started slowly taking place. People were sorted and she began wondering where she would be placed. Maybe she won't be like her sisters, maybe Persie will break the chain and go somewhere else? Like Gryffindor for example. She had heard stories from her father about that house. It was so full of heroes and Persephone wanted to be brave and become one as well. Or maybe she would be Ravenclaw? She knew she was not the brightest lamp on the street, but maybe she had something in her head that was suitable?
Or perhaps Slytherin? Her mother disliked the house for one reason or another and she wondered what would happen if the girl herself would be sorted there. Would Persephone be left out in her family then?

And it was her turn after Ciara McGee. Drawing a deep breath, Persephone Star got up and sat on the chair. The hat was big for her head, but with the help of her locks, it was kept there quite comfortably.

Ah, another Star I see... but not quite your sisters, are you now? You are smart and brave, and very loyal too little girl... What? You are afraid of disappointing your parents? Slytherin would suit you best... Hmm... many contradictions in one head...

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

She heard cheering from the named house and Persephone removed the hat quickly before running off to the giant table where she sat next to the other first year students.

Ben stood amongst the other first years waiting to be sorted, hands clenched and shivering from the cold. The Great Hall itself was warm and absolutely awe inspiring. Ben couldn’t remember if he had ever been in such a grand room. Hogwarts was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. In most other circumstances, he would be absolutely thrilled at such a place. This was not most other circumstances. Ben felt an almost devastating chill run through him that had little to do with the temperature. His first Hogwarts experience was in fact, the most terrifying of his entire life. He was not of a magical family and still, at this moment, did not fully understand what had happened or what was even happening now.

It was all a confusing distortion to Ben and for the first time since he had found out he was a wizard, Ben wanted to go home. He had seen people die tonight… bodies floating atop the glassy black waters. He wholeheartedly expected them to come too at any moment and swim to shore with the rest of the struggling students… but they never did. Ben himself had been struggling within his flooded cabin, but was pulled from the sinking train by an older student who, of course, Ben did not recognize. The Boy tried to shield as much of the disaster as he could from Ben by cradling his head but there is only so much one person can do against such a large and horrifying sight. Ben never got a chance to thank the older student for saving his life before he was off attending to other students in need. Ben scanned the great hall trying to locate the familiar face… he could not. Most were looking away or in tears. No one seemed to be in very high spirits.
An adult witch rose to stand at the front of the Great Hall with a roll of parchment stretched out in both hands. From it, she read a name:

“Bartimus Arrowbeam.”

No one moved. Ben did not understand what was happening. After a moment of silence, the witch put the parchment away and approached the closest girl and ushered her onto a solitary stool at the front of the Great Hall and placed the hat that had sung the confusing song on top of her head. After a few more moments, the hat announced to the entirety of attendees:

“Hufflepuff!”

What the heck is a huffelpuff? Ben questioned. Ben’s head raced, everything was so confusing… crashing trains, missing students, talking hats, hufflepuffs, dangerous werewolves… Ben thought that there must have been a briefing he missed where they explained what was happening. He felt alone.

Then after the hat called out, a group of students at one of the four long tables clapped and welcomed the timid girl to their ranks. Ben realized that they were being sorted into groups. He felt a wave of warmth wash over him as he witnessed the girl receive an earnest greeting from the welcoming table. These students would soon be welcoming Ben to a table. Despite the craziness of the night’s events, these people were kindly receiving everyone who had never been to Hogwarts before, regardless of whether or not they were from non-magical houses. Regardless of the fact that half of them couldn’t hide their grim expressions or wipe their fresh tears. Ben would soon be welcomed home as well.

At this realization, he couldn't wait to get to the stool and then to his new family located at one of these four tables. At a certain point within the proceedings, a man with who seemed to have trouble walking, took over for the young witch began motioning for students in her stead. At last, Ben was at the front of the line and was ushered to the single seat and had the hat placed atop his head.

“Hmmmmmmmmm…” The hat crooned in Ben’s ear. Ben was not expecting this but at this point, he was not surprised either. “An improbable passion for the extraordinary with enough curiosity to kill a dozen cats…” The hat continued. “Thank you?” Ben replied. “How does your…” he trudged on but was sharply cut off by the hat. “No questions please!, it’s all here in your head. If I indulge you, we will be here until the start of next term” the hat quipped.  Ben buried his inquisitions deep within his thoughts. “You are indeed a brave one but have a tendency towards trouble… even bordering on chaos… not exactly the most academic either…”The hat sustained. “Thank you?” Ben replied again, a little unsure of whether or not that was a good thing.  “Aw, yes, certainly not the most academic. Your intentions are pure however and your courage for life is resounding. Best be…. Gryffindor!” That hat finished.

A table to the right of where Ben had been sitting applauded and a few of the students stood to welcome him into his new house. Ben also did not know what a Gryffindor was but he took a seat next to one of the girls who had been sorted earlier. Students shook his hand and patted his back as he did so and, although there was still a thick air of solemnness around the Hall, Ben couldn't help but feel the spark re-ignite inside of him.

Mindana shivered as she looked around at the other students in the Great Hall. The attack had left her stunned...never in a thousand years could she ever have imagined that something like that would happen at Hogwarts, which was probably the safest place to be as far as she and the other students were concerned. She was, however, more concerned with how the first-year students were reacting to what was going on around them, especially during the Sorting. For once, she didn't feel like laughing at any of them; instead, she felt solidarity with them. And the thought that some of them might not have made it to the castle at all...that was too much to think about.

Things were going to quickly...if the rest of the year was like this, Minda had no idea how she was going to get through it. She figured it would probably be a good idea to step out of her shell and start making some new friends. Merlin knew she would need them.

Still battered and bruised from the train wreck and everything else that had happened on her journey to the school who had poached her, Juliet was standing up the front of the great enormous hall getting ready to be sorted along with the other 11 year old's. Juliet wasn't entirely sure what being sorted necessarily meant only that all the first year years did it.

The train wreck had been an attack she had over heard. She wasn't sure why a school would want to send all their students in one way and nearly kill them all. Clearly her parents had not done their research when they received her letter because if they knew the danger she would be in after the first few hours they would have never allowed her to go.

After the first few Students ahead of her where approached and asked their name before sitting on a small stool and  large hat placed on their heads, Juliet was feeling a little more calm but as her body relaxed she started to feel the ache in her arms from the swimming and crash.

"What's your name, love?" Asked a man with a cane.

"Juliet Milner" She said and went to sit on the stool. As the hat fell on her head she took a deep breath.

"So, Young lady. Very passionate and clear-headed but arrogant-" That hat said in her ear telling her some of her qualities but she wasn't listening. I'm not arrogant. Pfft.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" Cried the hat and Juliet climbed off the chair and headed towards the table that seemed to be cheering just that little more becomingly. Since of course everyone was exhausted and probably just wanted to go bed.

Ariel walked into the great hall quite a bit after everyone else, her long brown locks completely dry as she took the time to dry her hair and change out of her wet clothes before taking the walk to the Great Hall. She decided since her school clothes were sopping wet she would just wear her normal clothes consisting of a black leather jacket, dark blue skinny jeans, and black heels.
She knew she was running later then everyone else so when she walked in she could feel a few pairs of eyes on her. Ariel quickly walked to the Gryffindor table and sat down just in time for the male instructor to make his way to the first years. Ariel moved her bangs back into place thinking about how this year would definitely be another year that would forever be etched into her memory.
She still had a shiver from the cold waters, she was thankful she was able to swim, but when the werewolves attacked that was too much she almost got attacked when she got taken back into her memories of what happened the last time a werewolf attacked. Ariel shook her head lightly and took a deep breath to collect herself and started focusing back on the First years