Dylan Rhydderch had been at the ceremony, had watched it all with distant eyes, eyes lost in thought. He hadn't heard too much of what had happened the past term at Hogwarts, nor did his thoughts dwell on it long. It was so strange to be back in this place, a world all its own after being home in what they termed the Muggle world for so long.

Wales seemed completely different when compared to Hogwarts, a comparison Dylan found himself making regularly. Much to his credit, he mostly managed to stay out of sight, inconspicuous in the back, nodding occasionally to any of his fellow Gryffindors that gave him the same courtesy. Dylan needed this to be over, needed the classes to start so he could loose himself in the work. But he realised these people needed their moment of recognition, of glory, by all accounts, they deserved it. But that didn't mean he had to enjoy the crush of people it entailed.

After Marvo had been led out by the WIB, Niki scanned the room. Seeing a boy half-hidden in the back of the room, she walked over to Dylan. "It seems strange, doesn't it," she said conversationally. "I mean, I've been in Britain for, what, almost a month now, and it's still so different. You look like you're not from around here either. By the way, I'm Nicola. Niki, really."

"Dylan," he offered quietly, his thick Welsh accent colouring his words strongly, giving them an almost musical lilt and a swift cadence to his speech. "Th' place has always been a bit off, it has. S'ppose that makes it distinctive or somethin'." He pushed his dark hair from his eyes, almost hesitantly scanning her, careful not to let his gaze met hers.

Peesey also notices this strange looking boy in the corner, and goes over to him. "Ahh, I'm Peesey!" he says loudly as if to be proud of such a name. "Did you see that boy leaving just now? That was Marvo the Magnificent! Or that's what he likes to be called, he's really just a big girls blouse!" Peesey says with extravagance "Oh! And what house are you in?" He says as he turns back to Dylan.

"Peesey," Niki mutters, turning from Dylan, "how can you be so rude to Marvo? I know he's a Gryff, but he saved all our lives." Turning back to Dylan, she says, "I lived in Morocco until a month ago. I can't really identify your accent... Is it... Welsh?"

Dylan nodded, his eyes narrowing a little, wondering how this would be taken. "Ne'er been t' Morocco. I'm sure it's nice." Almost anxiously, Dylan glanced from Nikki to 'Peesey', uncertain if this would turn hostile.

Arcadia Fudge moves to next to Peesemould. She is wearing a short light blue dress with white boots under her robe and a silver Alice band in her hair "Yea, he did seem to be full of himself. Looks kind of familiar though. I'm Arcadia by the way. Just been sorted to Slytherin."

Niki groans. "Now, Peesey here has the right to be rude to him... sort of. You're brand new, and yet you judge him? I mean, I don't know him very well, but he *did* save my life. Anyway," she adds with a grin, "I'm Nicola Pheidippides. My father's the Greek ambassador, right over there," she points, "I guess that your father and mine work together? I'm a Slytherin too."

'Well I know what I saw, and if Peesey here thinks he's bad then why should I argue? Anyway, he's a Gryffindor, and their always so full of themselves!' said Arcadia.

Niki rolls her eyes, and suddenly winces. Reaching into the pocket of her robe, she pulls out a small gray kitten. "Bad Skotadi," she says firmly. "You aren't to dig your claws into my leg."

She grins at the others. "He's too small to go anywhere but my pocket, but he doesn't like it one bit." Turning back to Arcadia, she says, "I don't know many of the Gryffindors, but some of them do seem awfully full of themselves. Still, I'm inclined to forgive Marvo that, he did save our lives."

The pure white wolf cub at Arcadia's side growls 'No Pantalaimon. It's not dinnertime yet! And I told you, you cannot eat anyone's pets!' She pats the cub's head and it calms down.

'So? He saved your life. I wouldn't expect less from one of those.'

**************

In a very quiet and dark corner of the hall, where the awards were handed out, you can see a student trying to be inconspicuous. You can see by her behaviour that she doesn't like to stand out. She is even trying to read in that corner using her wand as a reading light. A very beautiful Siamese cat is sitting on her shoulder, complaining loudly. You can hear her trying to calm the cat down, using words in a strange language.

You hear her mutter: Stil maar, Eezy, na het feest krijg je wat te eten (translation Quiet Eezy, after the party you get something to eat) It seems very strange, you've seen her around, even last year but you still don't know who she is. She spends most of her time lurking in the Slytherin common room, or reading or she's to be found in the library, where she assists the librarian.

If you come closer she looks at you as if you're not welcome in her "space", and very strangely your feet starting to move away from her.

Randal Fudge was also lurking in a corner. In fact he was stood quite close to this strange student. He had seen her around occasionally. He was bored of this gathering. His sister had dragged him away from his books. He didn't want to be here. He hated socialising like this. He thought he would try though, as this girl is obviously in a similar boat to him.

"Ummm, excuse me." He coughed behind her.

Alpha looks up to him and says (with a strange accent): Hallo! She grins a bit and makes a very complicated move with her wand. Randal feels he can come closer. The cat on her shoulder purrs in her ear, she listens and says: You're also in Slytherin house, yes? Miss Eezy told me that, but I think you are new, no?

Randal persistently stayed where he was propping up the wall. "Yeah, I'm in Slytherin."

Randal still felt a little uncomfortable, but tried not to sound it "I came here for the new term. Who is Miss Eezy?" His yellow eyes seem to glow in the shadow of the corner that they are stood.

Alpha doesn't say anything, but her cat reacts at his words. She leaps of the shoulder of Alpha, climbs in the robes of Randal, sits on his shoulder and whispers in his ear. After that the cat quickly leaps back to Alpha, meowing (mik mek, or something like that) and climbs back on Alpha's shoulder.

Alpha says to Randal: "She gave you her cat scan, didn't she? So you know now that is Miss Eezy!!"

Randal looked edgy. Maybe he should go and see what his sister was doing. He really did NOT like cats. Especially ones that made free with your shoulder.

"Umm. I guess she did. Well you will, of course, excuse me. I will let you get back to your book. Nice meeting you" He said politely. He wandered off, keeping his eyes on the cat on her shoulder. He started heading for another corner to lurk in.

*************

Sarah Taverner was delighted to see Marvo being led away. No one to stop her smoking when she felt like it now. She still wished to be in Slytherin House - after all that was where she had been originally sorted and it was only that they were full to the brim. With a number of students being recalled to hearth and home after the problems after the Yule Ball, she figured this was a good a time as any to seek a transfer.

"Hey" she walked over to Peesemould, "Any ideas as to who might be in charge of house allocations? I think I'll go spare if I have to spend another term with those geeks in Ravenclaw."

Niki grins. Sarah seems to have joined a group consisting of Peesey, Niki, Dylan, and Arcadia. "I don't think we've met," she says. "I'm Niki, I'm a Slytherin."

"Hi." Sarah replied. "You arrived after the Yule Ball? I slept through the big adventure. Too busy enjoying myself to have one of Achel's drinks. Anyone seen the beautiful Achel about or is he still hanging about after 'Miss Lizzbeth'. I mean cripes what chance have I with him now!"

Arcadia looks at Sarah. "Wow. Nice nose stud! I want one!"

"Thanks. I did it myself. What do you think of my tattoo?" She rolled up the sleeve of her robe to reveal a rather elegant serpent tattoo encircling her upper arm. "I didn't do that myself but my parents won't let me have any others until I'm older."

"Wow that is just SO COOL! Pops would never let me have one of those! And my brother would have a fit! So you're in Ravenclaw? That's a real shame." Arcadia glances slightly over to Dylan, but pays him no attention