OPENING CEREMONY (all students and staff)

[Albus Dumbledore]

Dumbledore glanced up at Enid, peering at her through his half-moon spectacles. "Ah, my dear Enid! So good of you to join us for this special occasion! Please, have a seat, I assure you... everything will be just fine."

[Alice Prewett]

Alice grinned at Frank as if she'd been back in her first year of school and excited to see a feast for the first time. She was anxious of course that she had put her name in there and might actually be picked, but at the same time excited about the idea to represent her house... and make Frank proud of course. She also wanted to prove to herself that she was good enough and able to handle it. If she was selected that is, and if not she was excited to find out who WOULD be picked for Gryffindor. She knew she would be thrilled for anyone in her house who was selected. But for now she just grinned at Frank, she was more happy he was there with her than about the excitement seeming to buzz in the room around them.

"Me too, and .. thanks. That means a lot to me." She blushed again and reached for his hand.

[Rita Skeeter]

Rita came waltzing in heading straight for the Slytherin table. She'd heard the buzz that something was going to be announced today and she made sure to try to get there early. Rita Skeeter pulled her quick-quote quill from her robes and one of her new reporters notepads and as she sat down near the middle of the table so she'd be perfectly positioned to hear the most amount of gossip from both sides of the slytherin table. Not that she was out to hurt her own house exactly but the often were in the know of things going on in other houses as well or about other things in the castle and a great source of story ideas for her gossip column. She also was looking forward to getting to interview the champions once they were chosen. Or at least she hoped she'd get the assignment, but she was still new to the Daily Prophet and she realized that some more experienced feature writers might get the assignment instead. She smiled her normal brazen smile at all the guys at her table especially and licked her lips like she'd have them all for lunch if she ever got her red laquered claws on one.

[Frank Longbottom]

Once again, Alice made all his thoughts about what was going around them disappear once again. Frank noticed that she was reaching for his hand, and his hand met hers halfway. So. She kissed him back the first time, the second, and the third time. Now she reached for his hand which he obliged to take hers again, and not to mention last night when they held hands all the way up to the dorms.

What did that make them? Frank didn't know. Neither one of them said anything about feelings towards each other, but yet somehow Frank figured that right now no words needed to be expressed at the moment. It was still slightly awkward, but yet also comfortable. He didn't mind holding her hand because it fit perfectly in his, like it was made to fit into his.

"You know that I'm always going to support you in anything you do. Although, if you do something stupid, like I don't know, jump in the lake just before it freezes over, let me do it with you." Frank gave a chuckle and winked at her.

[Enid Simple]

Enid scowled at Dumbledore, annoyed that he wasn't listening to her. Why did no one take her seriously? "Professor Dumbledore, I must protest," she said again. "This tournament should not take place! The tournament is cursed, I tell you, the spirits have warned me. Please reconsider... The stars are not in position for this kind of event... tragedy is on the horizon!"

[Alice Prewett]

Sept 9, 2008 15:41:52 GMT -5 Frank Longbottom said:

"You know that I'm always going to support you in anything you do. Although, if you do something stupid, like I don't know, jump in the lake just before it freezes over, let me do it with you." Frank gave a chuckle and winked at her.

Alice gave his hand a reasurring squeeze, although she wasn't sure who she was trying to reasure more.. Frank or herself? She prayed she'd never have a reason to jump into a lake about to freeze over but she vagued wondered if a water heating spell could be made powerfull enough to keep it from freezing over in such a large area so as not to freeze the area of the lake she was in. She was hopeless she realized. Always taking a problem and trying to find a way to handle it.

Then his words sunk in... he'd follow her into a frozen lake? She wondered if he really meant that or was just saying it to make her feel better that she wasn't alone. But the thought of him doing something dangerous just because she was kind of sobered her up, she never wanted anything to hurt him if she could help it. After all he was her best friend and she.. cared.. what happend to him. Surely he wouldn't be fool brained to follow her into certain disaster like that? Alice frowned.

[Evelyn Turner]

Evelyn entered the Great Hall where already the students were filling up the seats. There was a rather large group of Slytherins and a large group of Gryffindors. It would seem the other houses weren't quite as excited to participate. Maybe they thought they didn't have a shot at winning? Evelyn smiled as she strolled over toward the Gryffindors and took an empty seat. "Wotcher Alice, Frank." They were the closest to her, but she smiled at the rest of the group as well.

[Samantha Montgomery]

Sam didn't want to be the first one at the table, and besides that she wanted to look her best. She had put her name in the goblet with confidence and had been training for the event since. It seemed that she had been training for this kind of event her entire life. Not necessarily just the tournament itself, but her presentation.

Her robes were newly pressed without a wrinkle to their name, the black of her robe seemed even darker as if there was no material just a black sway. She wore an emerald and diamond pin to represent Slytherin, it was subtle but elegant. Her hair was swept up into a coiffure that was half up half down and arranged beautifully, every strand was in place, it wasn't over the top, Sam was never over the top, but had just the right hint of presence. Her face was dazzling even with just the small ammount of makeup she had applied. Overall the effect should have been a positive one. If she was chosen, and she would be chosen, then she had to look her best.

Finally after having waited long enough so that people would already be at the table, Sam emerged from her room and proceded down through the hallways to get to the Great Hall. She paused in the doorway, held her chin high and practically glided to the Slytherin table. They didn't teach Beauxbaton girls how to glide for nothing.

[Frank Longbottom]

He heard his name called and looked up to see Evelyn. "Hello Evelyn," he said politely. Glancing back to Alice, he noticed her frowning.

"Hey now, don't frown," said Frank with a frown of his own. He didn't like to see Alice sad. He never did. Frank wasn't sure what exactly made her frown but he was going to find out. "I-I just meant that what ever you do I'll be right there with you!" Basically what Frank was trying to say was that he was always going to be by Alice's side for as long as he could. "If you do go try and jump in the lake with it about to freeze over, I would probably do my best to stop you, and if I have to pick you up and carry you away by force."

Frank would follow Alice anywhere. It didn't matter where she went. She could walk through a walk of fire, and he would be right behind her.

[Lyra Newbury]

Lyra had not entered her name for the tournament, but was excited to watch anyway. She liked watching the danger, not being in the center of it. The outskirts were perfect for her. Lyra entered the Great Hall and looked around. There were a lot of people she didn't care for here. But she saw her friends and took a seat by them. "Hey guys," she said to Narcissa, Regulus, Severus, and Samantha. "Have I missed anything?

[Samantha Montgomery]

Everyone seemed to know exactly what this great dinner was about, after all there was only one event coming up and so when Lyra asked if she had missed anything Samantha assumed it was the drawing, "Now one's been called yet." she assured the girl.

[Severus Snape]

Sept 9, 2008 15:14:09 GMT -5 Regulus Black said:

Regulus raised his eyebrow at Severus. This was the Severus that Regulus wanted him to be with a few more exceptions. He didn't need to just slump around, but he wasn't going to comment on that yet. At least he wasn't looking so much like his eyes were glazed over when he looked at that Ravenclaw girl. Maybe his job wasn't going to be as hard as he initially thought.

"You need to start hanging around with us a little more Severus. Narcissa here was talking just yesterday about how much she misses you being around. Plus, we could have loads of fun."

As much as he wanted to say 'there is no such thing as fun' he nodded and said "That subject has been broached before, I don't know what kind of fun I could be included in, there's not a whole lot I care for in this world." He sounded jaded, he was a bit jaded. He didn't mind these people, but he longed for Natalie's companionship. Why did he start this charade? why? why? Why? He regretted the action of it, but there was no going back, only forward.

[Samantha Montgomery]

"Potions." Sam said, it was the first she had really commented, " You excell at potions, whether you care for it or not you're truly proficient." it was an off comment but Sam wondered if anybody ever said a positive thing about Severus, if he had ever heard positive things about himself, and in that area she could relate. "I almost worry for whoever that boil causing potions of yours is for."

[Severus Snape]

Severus found the comment unexpected but laughed. "Oh that, that's nothing! I turned Lucius Malfoy pink for trying to use me, If there is one thing I've learned it's that most people never see a potion coming even of they half away expect it." he said sitting up a bit. Talking about Potions was easy, it wasn't pleasant small talk, but it was still stimulating. It was almost like fun, but it wasn't.

[Samantha Montgomery]

She raised her eyebrows at that comment, "Remind me to stay on your good side, that would be the side that doesn't include you wanting to ..turn me pink." she smiled, " We'll just put my goblet a little further out of your reach hmm?" she wasn't simply indulging Severus and that showed in her eyes, she trusted his expertise in potions and didn't want to get on his bad side.

[Severus Snape]

Severus laughed again. "Oh that wouldn't stop me. Potions are so varied, there are several that would just undo a person, but of course they are restricted or the ingredients are restricted, The so-called Death potions are nothing more than just poison, all but a few that actually are a constructed potion for the deconstruction of human tissue. Very gruesome actually..." he speculated out loud about the potion. " Maybe if it was varied a bit itself it would actually be useful, instead of a complicated waste of time."

[Samantha Montgomery]

Samantha was listening and then she kept her eyes on him, he came alive talking about potions but the look she was giving him was one that insinuated his death potions weren't the greatest thing to be talking about before dinner but she laughed, "Please, *Please* don't let me get on your bad side." she emphasized, but then nodded, "It's neat that you're so good at it, I never excelled in that area really but I think I may have underestimated it's usefulness."

[Severus Snape]

Severus didn't understand why she wanted to move away from the subject. He liked potions and liked trying to change their composition without changing effects or in the case of the previous potion he was thinking of changing it to something useful. "It's a very under researched area of magic. It seems many potions haven't had a change in well over fifty years or more."

[Samantha Montgomery]

She listened to him, " I'm sure you'll be at the front of that." she said with a smile, "I had a tutor once, he was just as fascinated with potions, Arturo used to say that everything in a sense was a potion. Our bodies have been put together using different ingredients and stirred in just a way to make us work as beings, life is a potion when the ingredients are events and experiences. Potions related to all things."

[Alice Prewett]

Sept 9, 2008 16:18:53 GMT -5 Frank Longbottom said:

"Hey now, don't frown," said Frank with a frown of his own. He didn't like to see Alice sad. He never did. Frank wasn't sure what exactly made her frown but he was going to find out. "I-I just meant that what ever you do I'll be right there with you!" Basically what Frank was trying to say was that he was always going to be by Alice's side for as long as he could. "If you do go try and jump in the lake with it about to freeze over, I would probably do my best to stop you, and if I have to pick you up and carry you away by force."

Alice said hello to Evelyn as she sat nearby and replied to Frank softly "thanks Frank.. that does mean a lot to me" It did mean the world to her that he would be by her side even if he was only speaking figuratively, which is how she was taking his comment. Surely he didn't mean what she hoped it meant, but she wasn't' going to read too much into it. She suddenly leaned over and hugged him tightly before turning back to smile at Evelyn and her leg accidentally rested next to Franks.