HOGWARTS VISIT

[goosemods]

VISIT TO HOGWARTS

Hogwarts' reputation precedes it, so while Gooseberry may like to brag about being the best and brightest, Hogwarts is a true institution. It has history behind it that few other schools do.

Lachlan Galbraith shares a compartment on the Hogwarts Express with Ms. Vector, who reminisces briefly about her days as a Ravenclaw, and how she'd missed out on becoming Head Girl because she made too many people cry as a sixth year prefect.



The castle is imposing as the Gooseberry students arrive via boats. [Volunteer B] gets a special welcome when the tentacle of the giant squid brushes their hand, which was clutching the edge of their boat. The rest of the journey goes smoothly, and everyone is escorted into the Great Hall. The tables are lined with children ranging from eleven to eighteen, in red, yellow, blue and green. They watch the Americans enter one by one as the Sorting Ceremony begins.

It goes smoothly almost until the very end, when Basil Underhill is called to sit up. Seconds become minutes, and whispers start to spread across the Great Hall. After five minutes pass, it's recorded that Basil is a true Hatstall!

The next day, students can go to Hogsmeade and explore the castle. Cameron Carney is talking a walk through the old halls, and asks a group of preteens for directions. Soon it becomes clear the girls were messing with them, though, as they become horribly lost.

[Volunteer D] can't seem to figure out the moving staircases, and gets stranded on a balcony for an hour.

Hank Hilshire, a handsome Gryffindor, is apparently the heartthrob of the school. He takes a shine to Rosemary Stoker, and pursues their company all weekend, whether or not they're taken. This earns them the ire of more than a few rival girls who'd wanted to go to Hogsmeade with Hank. (Presume he's of an appropriate year, and if the object of his affection is a boy, it's not wholly clear if he's being platonic or not.)

HOW THIS WORKS

• Although this post is going up on Jun 3, it actually takes place on Jun 8-11. This is to give you all time to write your scenes for what will probably be an exciting event.


• On Fri, Jun 8, all students who plan on going to Hogwarts take a portkey to London's King's Cross Station. Upon arrival, they're brought to Platform 4 3/4, and the Hogwarts Express.


• Students will leave Gooseberry at 8 AM, and due to the difference in time zones, will be boarding the Hogwarts Express at 5 PM local time. They'll arrive at Hogwarts just past 6 PM in time for their Sorting and dinner.


• Visiting students are given the proper Hogwarts welcome, which means travelling on boats to the castle. Although Gooseberry is technically a rival, the general mood seems to be one of excitement, rather than competition.


• The Sorting takes place in front of the existing Hogwarts students, who are arguing and betting on which Hogwarts house will get the most students. Ravenclaw wins by a narrow margin, but are crowing about it (haha) all night anyway.


• Previous Hogwarts Students: Facing the Sorting Hat again is optional. If you don't want to wear it again, you can simply go sit with your old House. If you pursue a resorting, the Hat will stubbornly refuse to change its original decision, regardless of how much you ask it or how much you've changed. It's a stubborn thing, and never admits to being wrong.


• After being sorted, students are shown to their dorms. Gooseberry students will room in either the boys or girls' dorms together, depending upon where they were sorted. There are 5 beds in every dorm.
CLICK HERE FOR ROOM ASSIGNMENTS

GRYFFINDOR BOYS #1	GRYFFINDOR BOYS #2	GRYFFINDOR GIRLS #1	GRYFFINDOR GIRLS #2
Casper Iliya Lucas	Noel Chad Quentin	Essie Clem Hazel Rosy	Dinah Eve London
HUFFLEPUFF BOYS #1	HUFFLEPUFF BOYS #2	HUFFLEPUFF GIRLS #1
Jeffy Spencer Sebastien Jaime Tobias	Phin Ennis Heathcliff Cameron Webster	January Tuesday Natalie Avery Gwen
RAVENCLAW BOYS #1	RAVENCLAW BOYS #2	RAVENCLAW GIRLS #1	RAVENCLAW GIRLS #2
Lachlan Danny Wilde Salem	Archie Cole Basil Ira Micah	Eileen Roxie Liberty	Nisha Paris Pandora
SLYTHERIN BOYS #1		SLYTHERIN GIRLS #1	SLYTHERIN GIRLS #2
Calvin Yancey Ramon Sylvester Ulysses		Jade Ari Madison Ruby Charlotte	Mackenzie Riley Sofia Lilika Fern

• On Saturday, students will be allowed to go to Hogsmeade to shop and enjoy the little town.


• On Sunday, the Quidditch match takes place in the morning. Make sure you adjust to the Portkey lag!


• On Monday, everyone returns to Utah. They'll leave at 10 AM, and will get home in the wee hours of the morning due to the difference in time zones. Classes are still in session, so consider squeezing in some sleep.

» HOGWARTS EXPRESS: On board the large magical train, students file into their compartments and settle in for a long ride. The scenic Scottish countryside and the looming castle are foreign sights to most of Gooseberry's students.

» THE SORTING HAT: The Great Hall's ceiling sparkles with stars, and there are banners for Gooseberry's houses hung on the far wall along with Hogwarts' own. Line up alphabetically, it's time to find out where you'll be staying tonight.

» COMMON ROOMS AND DORMS: Each house has a common room and an assortment of rooms with 5 beds each. You're informed by a seventh year prefect which rooms you'll be in and with whom.

» gryffindor: Gryffindor's welcome is loud and rambunctious. They accept their new additions enthusiastically and call you all honorary Gryffindors, and immediately set to telling you to stay away from Slytherins.

» hufflepuff: The new Hufflepuffs are greeted warmly, and invited to socialize with the rest of the house. There may be a bit of an us and them divide, but they're not unfriendly.

» ravenclaw: Ravenclaw's still pleased they got the most Gooseberry students. They're very curious about Gooseberry, as well as the rest of you, and end up interrogating the new students.

» slytherin: To no one's great surprise, Slytherin's ready to eat its visitors alive if they take a wrong step. You get extra points for being pretty and pureblood (or at least close to it).

» AROUND HOGWARTS: While Gooseberry is sprawling, Hogwarts is dense. It's easy to get lost in the ancient corridors, and prefects warn the visitors not to wander far without someone to guide them. They're free to explore, though, and the Quidditch team can get in a bit of extra practice on the unfamiliar pitch.

» HOGSMEADE: Saturday is an opportunity to visit the traditional Wizarding town of Hogsmeade. Students can shop, eat, and take in the sights. The residents seem a alternatively baffled, mortified or amused by these loud foreign witches and wizards, taking selfies and dyeing their hair wild colors. One little old witch gives the teens her wifi password. "Poor dears, keeping you disconnected. I couldn't live without my soaps."

» OOC - Questions/Discussion

Comments

Micah & Calvin

[stclair]

The hat sits on Micah's head barely long enough for him to think of asking to be put in Slytherin. He knows it hears him; he hears the Hat says hmm in a little voice, then promptly decide no, no, that won't do at all. Micah's watched enough Sortings by now to know he should be headed over to the table with the dark blue banners over it, but he detours immediately, for the students in green.

One student in particular, shining and lovely even in this cold castle setting. Micah shoots Calvin a bright grin, and puts his hands on Calvin's shoulders as he approaches.

"Sorry," Micah says, leaning in a little closer than he should. "Seems like I'm not much of a snake. Can you believe that?"

Micah & Calvin

[evercreep]

Calvin sighs, resigned, but he's noting all the eyes on Micah. The rumour has undoubtedly spread through their ranks, about who Micah is, and why he's coming over to Calvin. Sam's smiling, but his eyes are trying to bore a hole through the American's skull. It's enough to make Calvin lean into Micah's presence instead of shooing him away.

"Shockin'," Calvin agrees dryly. "I could've sworn you were cutthroat enough."

"St. Clair," Sam interrupts the banter before it can take off. "Good to see you again. I guess this," he gestures at both him and Calvin, "is still a thing?" Nearby conversations go quiet as ears open up for scraps of gossip.

Micah & Calvin

[stclair]

Micah takes a second too long to turn his attention over to Sam, obviously enjoying Calvin's attention, as he always enjoys Calvin's attention. Micah gives his shoulders a little squeeze. "Oh! You know my name," he says brightly, in full playing dumb mode. If anyone else is watching this scene, Micah seems totally oblivious to it. "Sorryyyyy, have we met before...?"

Micah & Calvin

[evercreep]

Calvin sits back and lets this exchange happen, merely observing. Micah knows exactly who Sam is. In fact, he knows a great deal about him at this point. Calvin can't resist complaining, although he tries to limit it. He's heard it's tasteless to talk about your exes.

"Only briefly." Sam's smile broadens to show his teeth. "You seemed distracted by our good mate here at the time. Then the game happened, so on and so on, and I didn't think to look you up again. Oh, but Calvin says you're the Seeker now, so I guess I'd better start paying more attention. Good luck out there on Sunday."

Micah & Calvin

[stclair]

The slight raise of Micah's eyebrows is the only tell that he noticed what Sam is trying to imply. Calvin's told me all about you. Micah just grins. "Ohhhhh man, oh man, oh man. Have you all been gossiping about me? Calvin. If I didn't know better, I'd say that you like me." Micah wraps his arm around Calvin's shoulders with the easy casualness of someone who's done it a hundred times before, and plants a feather-light kiss on his cheek. Calvin had already given him the go-ahead on being as tacky and annoying as possible, and Micah is committed to not leaving a single person at this school with a good impression of American wizards. He knows which school Calvin would choose. Sam "Cheekbones" Goyle doesn't scare him.

"And actually, you're facing off against our very own angel of the broom rodeo, Tutu North. Should've done some better research on your enemies, buddy." That's all the attention he's giving the other Slytherins before he finally lets go of Calvin. "Let me know when you've had enough of all your cool friends. We can go do something fun."

Micah & Calvin

[evercreep]

Calvin braces himself for the sudden intimacy, although he's not sure why he feels the need. Everyone knows already. They've known for years. He resists looking at Sam, who's probably staring at him, waiting to say something the second Micah is gone. They'll get into an argument. Ramon will be angry. Ed will feel like he's got to do something about it even though he hates all these people, Calvin included.

Calvin neatly folds his napkin and begins to stand. "I'm done. Let me show you around the castle."