HOGWARTS GRAND OPENING BALL
Date: Saturday, 26 August
Time: 6:00 p.m. to Midnight
Place: Hogwarts Great Hall and Grounds
Characters Involved: Everyone! Don't forget to add your character's tag if you join the thread!
Rating: Hopefully not more than PG-13 - this is a public location, folks! Take your libidos 'home' for higher-rated stuff please! *grin*
The Great Hall was the most splendidly decorated of all, at least for tonight. Lighting and flowers, and the colours of the setting sun reflected in the enchanted ceiling all combined to give it an aura of... well... magic. The doors were open to the Entrance Hall and then to the Grounds outside, so the gentle breeze of the fading summer's day prevented the room from being too warm, no matter how many people crowded inside for dancing and chatting. The music would be magically played out over the castle and grounds - though quieter on the grounds - to enable dancing to 'spill out' of the Great Hall if extra space was required.
Later, Weasley fireworks were promised!
Tables lined the outer-most walls, continually filled and refilled with all manner of finger-food edibles and a delicious selection of wines and mild-spirits pouring out of decorative fountains - just for this occasion, of course. There was also punch and non-spirited beverages for those who did not need intoxicants to have a 'good time'. House elves circulated discretely, prepared to turn any alcoholic beverage to juice or water if any attendee appeared to be at risk of becoming belligerent or obnoxious in their drunkenness - though with Filch lurking about glowering at anyone collecting wine from the fountains, that was unlikely to be a problem.
Minerva McGonagall was not Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Nor did she wish to emulate him, no matter how dearly she had loved him. Nor did his twinkling portrait image in her office expect her to do any such thing.
No, indeed.
Every new Headmaster or Headmistress of the school had added his or her own 'flavour' to the school during their tenure. Some more notable than others - Albus, having been among the longest-standing Headmasters had influenced things greatly.
Minerva had plans of her own. Plans kept relatively secret with a surprising amount of success, and which she was now ready and eager to unveil.
She had taken the time, yesterday, to speak with Severus, having caught him in his dungeons as he was moving things in. Of all her Professors, he was the one from whom she most expected (and had received) a great deal of protest, and so she felt she needed to make sure it was not a surprise to him, lest he cause a scene here and now! Already she thought she could feel his angry, disapproving glower from wherever he was located at the moment, but frankly she didn't care.
The DJ for the ball was already quietly setting up on the slightly raised dias in the center of one wall of the hall. Minerva climbed the steps regally and faced the crowd.
"Good evening everyone. Thank you for coming to share this joyous event with us as we celebrate the reopening of Hogwarts school.
"As we are all painfully aware, our world has been torn by strife for nearly three full decades, between these two wars. This does not even take into consideration the fight against Grindlewald many years prior to this newest enemy.
"The cause of this strife, in each case, was an inherent divisiveness which still exists in our population. The sense that this person is better than that person because of heritage or bloodlines. Albus wished to fight this prejudice, as did many Headmasters and Headmistresses before him - and even our own Sorting Hat which has repeatedly told the students that we must find ways to get along, revealing its own sentient concerns that 'sorting' merely adds to the underlying problem.
"Having given this subject much consideration and thought for many, many years, a decision has been made to attempt to bring our children closer together, to ease the sense of 'us' and 'them'. Hogwarts is a bastion of learning - but there is no reason that we cannot teach acceptance as well as academics.
"From this day forward - as long as I am Headmistress of Hogwarts - our Sorting Ceremony which occurs on the first day of term, will sort the FIFTH YEAR students. All First Year students will go to Hufflepuff House, as well as the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh years who are sorted into that house. Likewise, Second-year students will go to Ravenclaw. Third year students will go to Gryffindor, and fourth year students will go to Slytherin."
Minerva paused briefly as the crowd erupted with astonished outcries - some positive, many negative. She waited a few moments, then raised her hands for silence, and got it - mostly. It was this last point which had finally stopped Severus' ranting and raging - at least he would no longer have to deal with homesick First-Years!
"This gives every student the opportunity to make friends with all the other students in his or her year. It gives every student the opportunity to learn to appreciate the best characteristics of each House - and the fact that all of us share all the same characteristics to some degree or another. In the final years of school, the students will be sorted in those houses which will help them develop their primary strengths, best - but it will be an occasion for celebration and growth, not division.
"Do not fear that I have left Quidditch out of this equation! It is high-time that Hogwarts recognises Quidditch as a viable career path for our students, just as any other. Our Varsity Teams, and therefore the teams whose Quidditch points count toward House Points, will be made up of only the fifth year and older students.
"We will have a set of four under-classmen teams made up of the second through fourth year students. Rather than be sorted by House - due to the discrepancy in ages - these students will try out to be on the teams, then sorted by our coaches into evenly matched teams based on skill and aptitude for their position rather than House. Our Quidditch Program will be headed by Professor Hooch, but I am hopeful to hire one Coach for each House Varsity team, and this coach will also be responsible for one of the under-classmen teams. In this way, our younger students will also have an opportunity to play, but in a slightly safer environment, and one in which the focus is truly on learning the game of Quidditch in far more detail than we have ever taught it before.
"These are large changes in traditional methods, and I am well aware that change of this nature is often unpopular. However, after the prejudice and strife through which we have suffered for so many years, it is time to realise that 'status quo' is simply not working any longer.
"Hogwarts has long set the example for educational excellence throughout Britain. It is now time that she also be an example of tolerance and cooperation.
"Welcome, my friends, to the beginning of a new Era of Acceptance."
Stepping down from the podium, she nodded at the DJ, who looked as gobsmacked as everyone else. He finally realised he was 'up', and tapped the wireless box to start the music for the ball. Eventually, he would begin encouraging the crowd into various 'group' dances - maybe even the Hokey Cokey and the Chicken Dance - but for now, he didn't figure he'd have a chance of collecting the crowd's attention for a while, anyway.
Time: 6:00 p.m. to Midnight
Place: Hogwarts Great Hall and Grounds
Characters Involved: Everyone! Don't forget to add your character's tag if you join the thread!
Rating: Hopefully not more than PG-13 - this is a public location, folks! Take your libidos 'home' for higher-rated stuff please! *grin*
The Great Hall was the most splendidly decorated of all, at least for tonight. Lighting and flowers, and the colours of the setting sun reflected in the enchanted ceiling all combined to give it an aura of... well... magic. The doors were open to the Entrance Hall and then to the Grounds outside, so the gentle breeze of the fading summer's day prevented the room from being too warm, no matter how many people crowded inside for dancing and chatting. The music would be magically played out over the castle and grounds - though quieter on the grounds - to enable dancing to 'spill out' of the Great Hall if extra space was required.
Later, Weasley fireworks were promised!
Tables lined the outer-most walls, continually filled and refilled with all manner of finger-food edibles and a delicious selection of wines and mild-spirits pouring out of decorative fountains - just for this occasion, of course. There was also punch and non-spirited beverages for those who did not need intoxicants to have a 'good time'. House elves circulated discretely, prepared to turn any alcoholic beverage to juice or water if any attendee appeared to be at risk of becoming belligerent or obnoxious in their drunkenness - though with Filch lurking about glowering at anyone collecting wine from the fountains, that was unlikely to be a problem.
Minerva McGonagall was not Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Nor did she wish to emulate him, no matter how dearly she had loved him. Nor did his twinkling portrait image in her office expect her to do any such thing.
No, indeed.
Every new Headmaster or Headmistress of the school had added his or her own 'flavour' to the school during their tenure. Some more notable than others - Albus, having been among the longest-standing Headmasters had influenced things greatly.
Minerva had plans of her own. Plans kept relatively secret with a surprising amount of success, and which she was now ready and eager to unveil.
She had taken the time, yesterday, to speak with Severus, having caught him in his dungeons as he was moving things in. Of all her Professors, he was the one from whom she most expected (and had received) a great deal of protest, and so she felt she needed to make sure it was not a surprise to him, lest he cause a scene here and now! Already she thought she could feel his angry, disapproving glower from wherever he was located at the moment, but frankly she didn't care.
The DJ for the ball was already quietly setting up on the slightly raised dias in the center of one wall of the hall. Minerva climbed the steps regally and faced the crowd.
"Good evening everyone. Thank you for coming to share this joyous event with us as we celebrate the reopening of Hogwarts school.
"As we are all painfully aware, our world has been torn by strife for nearly three full decades, between these two wars. This does not even take into consideration the fight against Grindlewald many years prior to this newest enemy.
"The cause of this strife, in each case, was an inherent divisiveness which still exists in our population. The sense that this person is better than that person because of heritage or bloodlines. Albus wished to fight this prejudice, as did many Headmasters and Headmistresses before him - and even our own Sorting Hat which has repeatedly told the students that we must find ways to get along, revealing its own sentient concerns that 'sorting' merely adds to the underlying problem.
"Having given this subject much consideration and thought for many, many years, a decision has been made to attempt to bring our children closer together, to ease the sense of 'us' and 'them'. Hogwarts is a bastion of learning - but there is no reason that we cannot teach acceptance as well as academics.
"From this day forward - as long as I am Headmistress of Hogwarts - our Sorting Ceremony which occurs on the first day of term, will sort the FIFTH YEAR students. All First Year students will go to Hufflepuff House, as well as the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh years who are sorted into that house. Likewise, Second-year students will go to Ravenclaw. Third year students will go to Gryffindor, and fourth year students will go to Slytherin."
Minerva paused briefly as the crowd erupted with astonished outcries - some positive, many negative. She waited a few moments, then raised her hands for silence, and got it - mostly. It was this last point which had finally stopped Severus' ranting and raging - at least he would no longer have to deal with homesick First-Years!
"This gives every student the opportunity to make friends with all the other students in his or her year. It gives every student the opportunity to learn to appreciate the best characteristics of each House - and the fact that all of us share all the same characteristics to some degree or another. In the final years of school, the students will be sorted in those houses which will help them develop their primary strengths, best - but it will be an occasion for celebration and growth, not division.
"Do not fear that I have left Quidditch out of this equation! It is high-time that Hogwarts recognises Quidditch as a viable career path for our students, just as any other. Our Varsity Teams, and therefore the teams whose Quidditch points count toward House Points, will be made up of only the fifth year and older students.
"We will have a set of four under-classmen teams made up of the second through fourth year students. Rather than be sorted by House - due to the discrepancy in ages - these students will try out to be on the teams, then sorted by our coaches into evenly matched teams based on skill and aptitude for their position rather than House. Our Quidditch Program will be headed by Professor Hooch, but I am hopeful to hire one Coach for each House Varsity team, and this coach will also be responsible for one of the under-classmen teams. In this way, our younger students will also have an opportunity to play, but in a slightly safer environment, and one in which the focus is truly on learning the game of Quidditch in far more detail than we have ever taught it before.
"These are large changes in traditional methods, and I am well aware that change of this nature is often unpopular. However, after the prejudice and strife through which we have suffered for so many years, it is time to realise that 'status quo' is simply not working any longer.
"Hogwarts has long set the example for educational excellence throughout Britain. It is now time that she also be an example of tolerance and cooperation.
"Welcome, my friends, to the beginning of a new Era of Acceptance."
Stepping down from the podium, she nodded at the DJ, who looked as gobsmacked as everyone else. He finally realised he was 'up', and tapped the wireless box to start the music for the ball. Eventually, he would begin encouraging the crowd into various 'group' dances - maybe even the Hokey Cokey and the Chicken Dance - but for now, he didn't figure he'd have a chance of collecting the crowd's attention for a while, anyway.