A Sad State of Affairs (ALL STUDENTS, STAFF)

[Gia Campbell]

Gia's eyes filled with tears. "D-dead? Katie?" she choked out. "No... not Katie..." She sank down onto a nearby couch and buried her face in her hands. "How could this happen? I... I don't understand... she was at the selection ceremony.... and then she... and..."

The rest of what she said was unintelligible, as she broke down in heavy sobs. her best friend... her only friend, really... was gone... she should have been there... she could have helped.... it wasn't fair.

[Minerva McGonagall]

She reached out to comfort the student. There were no words she could say to fix things for the girl, nothing that would bring her friend back or make things better. Instead she just held her while the girl cried. There's nothing Gia could have done, and if she had been with her likely there would likely have been two dead students and that was the only hope she could offer the girl but even that she knew would not make Gia feel any better so she didnt' say it.

[Daniel Tortuga]

Oct 2, 2008 5:55:55 GMT -5 Julie Dean said:

She gave Daniel's hand a friendly squeeze back. "You're counting them, aren't you?" she asked. "Your students?"

Daniel smiled and tore his eyes away from the room and back to Julie. "Yea," he admmitted. "Just checking..." He saw Agustus walking along the table, lean down to say something to Arachne Weaver, and then continue until he stopped ad Daniel and Juliette.

Oct 2, 2008 13:05:18 GMT -5 Augustus Rookwood said:

And he was standing up straight and leaving the next moment, not giving her a chance to respond as he continued down the table and stopped by Daniel and Juliette, two people so good it was sickening.

"You two doing all right?" he asked them.

"I think I'm okay," Daniel said. "How about you Augustus?" Daniel asked out of politeness.

[Katarina Gresh]

Kat tripped over her feet as she entered the Great Hall. It wasn't the normal, chipper mood that usually circulated the Great Hall. Instead, students seemed sad and teachers seemed worried. Kat looked around and listened a bit, but from what she could hear, no one really knew what was going on. She brushed her long blonde hair off her shoulders and walked to the Hufflepuff table, taking a seat next to Timothy Scotts.
"Hey," Kat said. "Do you know what's up with all the black?" She asked him.

[timothy]

As Kat walked in time seemed to almost slow for Tim as he watched her. She was so beautiful and Tim always had such problems trying to talk in front of her. As she sat down next to him and asked him if he knew about the all the black in the hall he felt like he would feint. "Um...." Swallowing a lump in his throat he continued on. "I....I dont know. It can't be good though..." Letting the words fade into the air he turned and looked at Kat timidly. "I'm glad your ok Kat, you took a while getting here and I was beginning to.." Pausing for a moment he finished the sentence in a near whisper..."Worry about you."

[Katarina Gresh]

Kat smiled and blushed. Tim had been worried about her? How sweet. She looked around some more and figured that she'd be worried to if she couldn't find anyone she knew and the hall was like this. "I almost forgot about dinner," she explained, turning back to look at Tim. "I was reading in the commonroom and all the sudden I was hungry and I realized I was late!" she laughed a bit. "Sorry to worry you," Kat apologized.

[timothy]

Tim immediately lowered his eyes to the table where he began nervously tracing invisible outlines. "You don't have to apologize. I think..." Pausing for a moment he nearly had to push the next few words out. "Your cute and nice, I don't want to see you get hurt..." As the words left his mouth he felt almost as if he would vomit right then and there. Tim desperately tried to let his gaze drift out over the crowd and look for his sister or brother but something deeper turned him back towards Kat, locking his eyes onto her's he felt stuck. Staring awkwardly at Kat, Tim was stuck in the thrall of her angelic beauty.

[Katarina Gresh]

Her eyes stayed locked on his, and Kat smiled more. Tim was cute when he got nervous around her. "Thank you Tim," she said, nearly whispering. "I think you're really nice and sweet too." Her blush deepened, and she wanted to shy away, but she didn't, she just kept her dark hazel eyes looking at Tim.

[Gia Campbell]

Gia couldn't stop crying. She clung to Professor McGonagall, feeling utterly lost and shattered. How could something like this happen? The school was supposed to be safe... Children were not supposed to die at school. And the killing curse? So she'd been murdered?

"Do... do we know who did it? Please... they can't get away with it..."

[Minerva McGonagall]

"No we know very little yet, but Alastor Moody and several other aurors are being assigned to the school to find out why and make sure it doesn't happen again. Professor Dumbledore is making sure that security around the grounds is under more protection now as well. I trust Dumbledore will do everything possible to keep students safe on school grounds."

[Gia Campbell]

Gia looked up at the professor, her face streaked with tears. "Well, that's great, but it's all too late for Katie, isn't it?" she burst out. "I lost my best friend, and for what? Why would anyone want to kill her? She's never done anything to anyone... she was innocent! It's not fair..."

She got up and ran out of the room, through the Great Hall, and out into the rest of the castle.

[Minerva McGonagall]

Minerva sighed, the girl was right though.. it was a senseless death of an innocent child and should never have happened. It was too late to save Katie, but then would they at least be able to save others in time? She didn't chase after the girl or try to stop her. She knew that right now Gia would likely end up in her dorm and begin grieving. She needed to grieve and right now she knew that Gia would want to be alone in her sorrow. But Gia wasn't the only one who had been or would be affected by the death of Katie and she needed to go make sure she did what she could to support Dumbledore.

Minerva stood slowly and walked calmly into the Great Hall and nodded at Dumbledore before sitting down at her seat. Her eyes looked haunted but there was a strength and steel in the older woman that defied her age or her grief.

[Marlene McKinnon]

Marlene had noticed when Professor McGonagall pulled Gia Campbell into the antechamber. She didn't know the girl well, but maybe now she and Alice and Frank and Kingsley could try to get to know her. She regretted that she had not done so for Katie. But Gia didn't deserve to be alone, especially now, while she was grieving.

When Gia returned, running through the hall in tears, Marlene could see every eye following her from one end of the room to the other. It was a terrible feeling, and she couldn't imagine how the girl must have felt at that moment, to know that her grief was suddenly a very public thing. She'd always seemed to blend into the background before, but for a brief, terrible second, she had everyone's attention.

"I wish we could do something for her," Marlene whispered to Alice and Frank.

[timothy]

Tim's couldn't believe what he had just heard, Kat thought he was sweet. He couldnt believe his ears, which had begun to turn a very deep shade of red along with the rest of his face. "Tha....Thank you." The words barely escaping he turned his head to hide his embarrassment and he began to scan the crowd once more for any sign of Gwen or Thane. Seeing none his eyes stay plastered on the table, afraid to look back at Kat.

[Genevieve Danforth]

Genevieve looked up as a girl she didn't know, she looked like a Gryffindor, went running through the Great Hall, She looked like she was in tears. "Oh, no... that looks bad," she said, frowning. "I hope they tell us what happened soon. Poor girl, I don't even know her and I want to help her."

[Lance Jordan]

Lance saw the girl run out of the hall in tears. He didn't know her, but he felt sorry for her. When Genevieve spoke he leaned over and hugged her reasuringly. Whatever it was, he was sure Dumbledore would tell them soon and in the mean time he'd do his best to make sure Genevieve had comfort and support of his arm. He had a bad feeling that she was going to need it once they heard whatever news that girl had obviously heard.

[Wesley St. Clare]

Wesley was late coming down to the Great Hall for the announcement; he'd been wandering all over the castle grounds looking for Natalie. He didn't think she should be present for the announcement and the outpouring of grief that was sure to ensue. The emotions would be too much for her to handle, and he didn't want her to have nightmares again.

Finally, he gave up and decided to check the Great Hall. He found her there, sitting at the Ravenclaw table and already looking as if the emotional levels in the room were taking their toll on her. He walked up to her and took her hand. "Come, Natalie, let's have supper in my quarters. I don't think you want to be here for this."

[Natalie St. Clare]

Natalie sighed and placed her hand in her father's. "Yes, Daddy," she said softly. She already had a pretty good idea what had happened; the Gryffindor girl who ahd run through the hall had been radiating with so much emotion that she could read it from a distance. She knew she didn't want to be here for what was about to happen next. Standing up, she let her father lead her out of the hall.

[Enid Simple]

Enid walked into the Great Hall and shook her head at the black decor. She, of course, already knew what had happened. She had seen it coming. And now it had come to pass. It was a tragedy.

She walked up to the staff table and approached Professor Dumbledore. "See! Did I not warn you that something bad would happen? You see? The tournament is cursed and it must not go on! This may be the first, but it won't be the last!"

[Albus Dumbledore]

Dumbledore sighed. "Yes, Madam Simple, you made your point quite adequately before. However, I am not sure that this was connected to the tournament. We will see as the matter is investigated. But the tournament cannot end now. Once the Goblet of Fire chooses the champions, the tournament must go on. We will simply have to be more careful about security. Now, if you don't mind, Enid, I must get on with the announcement."

He turned from the Divination professor and walked over to the podium. He cleared his throat, then, using a spell to magnify his voice, he began.

"Students, I am sure by now you have all noticed the black decorations in the Great Hall and are wondering about the reason. I regret to inform you that the news is not good. One of your classmates, Katie Lawrence, was found dead in the Forbidden Forest, a victim of the Killing Curse. We do not know who was responsible or why it happened, but we have several aurors investigating the matter."

He sighed slightly, looking out at the students. "For those who did not know her, Katie was a fifth year Gryffindor student. Her picture will now be displayed in the Great Hall for the rest of the term, so that you will not forget her. She was young and innocent and died for no reason, but make no mistake, she was a hero. She is a shining example of why we must work together for the good of the wizarding world. No other young people should die for no reason."

His voice was choked with emotion, but still he continued on. "It is the wish of her parents that the tournament continue on. Katie was excited about the tournament and was looking forward to watching. Therefore, the tournament is now dedicated to her memory. We will also be adding stricter measures of protection for all students. As a reminder, the Forbidden Forest is off limits for students. No exceptions. If you leave the building, you must bring at least one friend with you. And students below third year must be accompanied by a staff member or older student when they go to Hogsmeade. We will also have a strict curfew--no students are permitted outside of the building after dark, for any reason, unless they have specific written permission from me. Now then... any questions?"