WELCOME

[Auster Gregory Hamm]

He didn’t speak to anyone as he walked himself down the corridors, nor did he chit chat with the other students while he waited on the stairs. Auster Hamm wasn’t one to insult someone when he’d only a few moments to try and improve them. Instead he quietly carried on toward the Potions classroom. Oz’ jaw was clenched in annoyance as he slipped through the masses. People just chose to stand in the middle of the hallway in order to prattle on about nothing. They thought their information was so important. Oz would bet good money that most of it wasn’t important in the slightest. The average person had little patience, so when something came to them, they had to tell another soul as quickly as possible. If he, Auster Hamm ever stopped someone in the center of a corridor someone would have died. He was never going to start mindlessly yapping to a ‘friend’ because something ‘hilarious happened in Charms’.

Finally the Ravenclaw made his way into the Potions room, his jaw managing to loosen up just a bit. His blue eyes took in the ingredients list that was on the board in front of the class. It seemed that they would be on their own that day, a pop quiz of sorts. It didn’t bother him, but the boy who came up beside him, did. The boy started speaking to him as though Oz were actually taking in all of his words. This was not the case. Oz was staring at him, wondering where in the hell he came from. Apparently the Hufflepuff wanted to work with him. He thought the Ravenclaw ‘was the type of guy who could easily handle a surprise potion’. While the blonde was that type of guy, he certainly wasn’t going to work with just anyone. In fact, if he had his way he would work alone. He hated partner potions.

“Right, I’m going to go get the ingredients and when I return I expect not to see your round little face,” Oz said, his eyes meeting directly with the other boy’s. “Understood?” The Hufflepuff couldn’t get a word in, the Ravenclaw was too quick. He moved swiftly to the supply cupboard, taking note of a few people that were coming into the classroom. Pretty soon the class would be full and he’d be stuck with the boy he was sure probably wanted to eat half the ingredients. Oz gathered his ingredients; one after another he handled them. It was such a mundane task. He could have summoned them but he needed to give ‘Whats-his-face’ time to flee from his table. Auster looked back and saw that the blank face boy was still standing there. Their eyes met again causing the Hufflepuff’s cheeks to turn a rosy hue. Then finally, he left the table. Why he’d stayed so long Oz wasn’t sure. He hadn’t been joking with him and it was quite obvious.

The blonde strode back to his table, again checking for any reasonable partners all the while. There were a few he could stand for the duration of the class, but most were faces he rather avoid at all costs. Whether they were chatterboxes, idiots, or clumsy buffoons, they got a proverbial X marked on them. Oz set up his ingredients and readied his station to be dealt with. As he placed the last ingredient, wormwood, onto the table, in walked in another one of those few people he could call ‘a decent partner’. Aurelia Montague, a face he’d seen on numerous occasions. He’d grown accustom to it as well as her ability to withstand most of his digs and comments. It was probably why he’d let her stick around. As he pushed up his sleeves, Oz motioned for the Hufflepuff girl to join him. “Come on, Puffin. We’ve not got all day, have we?” Lia would work with him. She’d probably give him some line about ‘assuming she would’ but she would. They were friends, Aurelia and Oz. They weren’t going to shout about it, but when it came to people he’d fill a room with, Aurelia would always make the list; and not just so he could make fun of her.

[aurelia judith montague]

She was a morning person, most definitely a morning person. Awake before the sun came out, Aurelia was padding around the dormitory in her knee-high socks looking for her shoes. For the life of her, she could never remember where she placed things from the night before. Looking under her bed and her dorm-mates beds, the petite brunette couldn't find her damned shoes! Rummaging through her foot-locker, the Hufflepuff found it and let out a relieved sigh - thinking she might have to go through her day wearing her house slippers. Slipping feet into the leather school issued, Lia grabbed her cloak with the Badger crest on the front and headed out of the dorm, across the warm and cozy common and up to ground level for breakfast.

Surprised that she wasn't the only one up at the crack of dawn, Captain Montague took a seat at the end of the Hufflepuff table and began stacking pancakes on the plate that magically appeared before her bum touched the seat. As she cut through the thick pile of pancakes, brown orbs scanned the Great Hall, chuckling softly at the nervous looks on the first years faces as they looked over their schedules, compared them with their friends, and began reading the first chapter. 'Was I like that in my first year?' She questioned herself as she grabbed a goblet filled with milk and downed half of it in one gulp.

Letting out a content sigh once she was finished with her morning meal, she pulled out her copy of the Quidditch schedule. Hufflepuff would be practicing before Gryffindor on Tuesdays and Thurdays, and after Slytherin on Mondays and Wednesdays. 'Should be interesting,' Lia mused to herself, rolling up the parchment and stashing it in her book bag and taking another look around the dining hall, trying to spot her best friend Gemma Prewett or someone else she could chat with for a while before classes started. Not spotting anyone she really wanted to interact with, she rose to her feet, grabbed her belongings and headed back down to the sub-levels of the castle and to Potions.

"I'm so lucky, oh so lucky," Hummed the petite captain sarcastically. Double potions first thing in the morning was not exactly appealing to Montague, but at least Hufflepuff was grouped with Ravenclaw instead of Slytherin like last year. What a disaster the whole semester! Running a hand through dark hair, Lia stopped inside the doorway of the classroom and eyed every student that was walking and talking throughout the tiny room. Dark glance stopped on a familiar face, the one and only Auster Hamm. 'Hasn't changed one bit, I see.' She mentally noted as she listened to him talk to one of his housemates - the way he spoke made her chuckle a bit as she took the first steps inside.

How she put up with his straightforwardedness that most found unbearable was beyond her, but that was probably what attracted Lia to Oz - not holding anything back and being completely honest. When she heard her name being called, she stopped mid-step, quirked a brow and looked at the towering blonde Ravenclaw. "Excuse me? What made you think I'd agree to being your partner?" The captain inquired as she inched closer to her friend and dropped her bag on the floor, shrugging her cloak off and tossing it over the back of the seat. "We have all the time in the world ..." She grabbed two roots of mandrake and began chopping them up as instructed on the blackboard before continuing, "... and I'm glad to see you as well. I hope your summer was as wonderful as mine..."

[Auster Gregory Hamm]

As Aurelia spouted the comment Oz knew he’d hear the Ravenclaw smiled. Was it a bad thing that he could predict even those he deemed as friends? Friends could be predictable, in fact if you know someone well enough they are just that. Perhaps she wasn’t predictable but rather someone Auster had gotten to know more than others. Still, predicting what she was going to do or say and being right certainly brought a smile to his face. Before answering her, the blonde met her eyes to give her a ‘Really?’ look. “Would you honestly work with any of these people who’ve not got a partner already? Merlin, would you work with any of them who did have a partner save one or two? No. Puffin, I shooed away a fan for you to sit there. Not to mention the fact that you find my commentary delightful and dare I say it, insightful.” His head turned back to the front and read the board for his instruction. Lia too started on preparing their ingredients.

Auster reached forward and grabbed the wormwood he’d most recently placed on the table. He put it into a stone bowl but not before getting his partner’s attention. Without looking at her, Oz said, “Alright now look what I’ve done. You see this? I’m going to crush the wormwood. You looking? I want you to watch me. Now I have already put the ingredient in my bowl and now I am going to take this thing,” still without looking, put the tiny club like pounder in front of Lia’s eyes, “scientists have dubbed it ‘the pounder’ and that’s a real scientific term, you will call it such in the future. Right, I am going to take the pounder and I am going to crush the wormwood into this stone bowl fit for being pounded in. Alright? Alright. You’ve got to do this in a bowl – because it would get all over the place wouldn’t it?” Auster stopped crushing the wormwood and dropped the ‘pounder’ into the bowl, the impact making a clink. Again, eyes focused on the bowl, the Ravenclaw put his hands on his hips and said, “You paying attention over there? This is important stuff. You need to know this or else you’ll end like Gregory in the back row – he’s taken this class five times now. And I reckon if you go back there he won’t be giving you a lesson like this. Oh no, he’ll be drooling into the cauldron and you’ll suffer for it. Do you want to suffer Aurelia Montague?”

The boy of course was joking. He was being patronizing as a joke – for once. Usually one to criticize, Oz was merely making comical conversation in order to make his partner enjoy their dull potions class. Aurelia knew damn well how to crush something, he was pretty sure she’d crushed people in her time. His style of humor did appear to be bullying but she’d know the difference. Auster didn’t instruct her on how to do anything unless she asked. He knew she wasn’t fond of that – which was why he was doing it, simply to annoy yet entertain her. It was sort of nice in a roundabout way. Not everyone would get his effort in attempts of passing the time. Not all would escape the criticism he unleashed, not long enough for him to joke around anyway. That tubby kid would have loved getting this treatment. Although, given his demeanor and apparent intellect the boy probably wouldn’t have taken Oz’s joking as joking at all. He’d probably act like he was learning, and or take notes. Which, in turn would be funny to Oz. He’d have to remind himself to try it out.

After continuing on his crushing, Oz pushed the bowl to the side. Next he sprinkled the octopus powder into the cauldron, “Oh wow, going to be a strong one today, eh?” Wiping the excess powder away from his hands, Oz decided to actually respond to something Lia had said. She’d asked about his summer and it was only fair he say a few words and ask about hers. “Well I am getting a new father, considering I’ve never had one I’m not sure what to expect. So I spent most of it learning about this family I’m inheriting. I did get a chance to read, which was nice. I do believe I sent you one of those books I read – did you read it?” He gave her the ‘you had better’ eye before asking, “And yours? You seem to be wanting a chance to vent out your frustrations with it, go on, Puffin – I’m listening.” And then came the jab, “I’ve nothing else to do.”

[aurelia judith montague]

Lia smirked a bit when he asked if she'd work with anyone else other than himself. "Aw, you shooed one of your adoring fans just so I can work with you? I'm touched, Oz, really I am." And to show some emphasis on how touched she was, the Hufflepuff placed a hand over the right side of her chest and sniffed. Shaking her head, she glanced up at the board once more to find out what else she needed to do. Grabbing a handful of Abyssinian Shrivelfig, the petite brunette began peeling them, setting them carefully aside. She was curious to know if they were making a shrinking concoction or something else. She wasn't too sure since they were supposed to add mandrake instead of wolfsbane.

Busily cutting roots and peeling leaves, Aurelia hardly noticed Oz talking to her. But when he finally did manage to catch her attention, she wanted to grab the thing he called a pounder and pound his head in for speaking to her like she was a child. However, as he continued to commentate on the things he was doing, she couldn't help but laugh. It was one of those rare moments that Auster put aside his usual serious self and bring out the 'kid' in him. Her smile grew bigger as she nodded in response to his question of paying attention to him. Russet orbs glanced over her shoulder at the bloke, Gregory, and frowned a bit. "Poor thing, he looks like he needs help. I should ..." She stopped mid-sentence knowing he'd tell her 'no' and say something about needing to do it on his own, or her failing this class because she was helping someone like him out. At least that's what she thought he'd say, but sometimes Oz said some of the most unpredictable of things. And she was right, at least partially, "No, I don't want to suffer ..." she replied quietly, focusing her attention back on the blackboard.

Peering inside the cauldron, the brunette wrinkled her nose and nodded. "Seems like it will be." With that, she began adding the chopped mandrake roots and bits of abyssian shrivelfig before mixing them in with the other contents they had thrown in. As he spoke about getting a new family, especially a new fatehr, and not knowing exactly what was in store for him, Lia nodded causing the bun at the back of her head to bounce a couple of times. "And what did you learn about your soon-to-be family? Anything worth mentioning?" A slender eyebrow rose, taking out the ladel from the cauldron and letting the concoction brew for a while. When he asked about the book he had sent her, she gave him an innocent smile, "I started on it when I got back from that Quidditch camp. It's interesting so far." She took a seat and looked up at Oz, shrugging a shoulder, "I told you, mine was wonderful. Keep up Oz."

Eyes rolled when he delivered his punch line, "Of course you've nothing else to do, you're in potions class for Merlin's sake!" She swatted his hand gently while shaking her head, crossing one leg over the other and looked around the class room. The pair next to them had added an ingredient they weren't supposed to which made the yellow-green coloured potion spill over the sides. Another pair, she spotted at the front, was fanning themselves, their faces scrunched up from the stench one could smell all the way in the back. "What exactly are we supposed to be making?" She inquired, not looking at the Ravenclaw boy standing next to her, her gaze still focused on the other pairs in the room, and thanking Merlin she did partner up with Oz.

[Auster Gregory Hamm]

Oz shrugged in response to Lia’s faux humility. “Well you’re my number one fan so what can I say? I have to spend more time with you out of thanks for your deep devotion.” The blond’s eyes rolled as the girl sniffed, “Come now, love – no one looks attractive when they cry.” The truth if anyone ever spoke it. The Hufflepuff was not really going to cry, this he knew but he couldn’t give up the chance to make some sort of comment especially when it was the truth. That was his thing, brutal honesty. While saying that no one looks half way decent while sobbing is not ‘brutal honesty’ it would have been if the girl was seriously choking back tears. It was very possible that the Ravenclaw would have said the same thing given the situation. Melodrama was disgusting anything to thwart it was necessary as far as anyone was concerned. Although someone who just started to cry would only cry harder if Auster Hamm had criticized them. It was the risk he was always willing to take.

After all his teasing, Aurelia was going to run off and help Gregory? Gregory? Auster gave her a look that explained his mindset. Why would she go and do that? “Aurelia, why do you think that young man is back there? Because he shouldn’t be in here. Do you not think people like you have taken pity on him in the past? You bet your broom he has gotten some girl like you over there to help him. But as you can see he is still there. If he can’t do this by himself by now it won’t stick just by one person going over to assist him. He could get extra help from the professor but he doesn’t.” Oz threw some powder into the cauldron and looked back at Gregory. His eyes fixed on the boy he continued, “My guess is he feels a fool and tutoring for him would only make him feel more like a dunce. Some people see extra help as a bad thing. So he will just remain there until he isn’t able to be here anymore. Help is good, but doing something yourself is a big reward. If and when he does succeed he’ll feel good about himself but, sadly I don’t think it will happen.” Again, the truth. Auster assessed people like they were mathematical equations. No matter how much it bothered them. It was his nature.

Oz paused for a moment, thinking of all the details he’d picked up from his new family. “They’re good people, fortunately. Mum’s happy, which means the most to me. However, if she’d been happen and I’d not approve it wouldn’t have mattered.” Auster Gregory Hamm loved his mother. He wasn’t what you would label a ‘mama’s boy’ but she raised him and he thought she deserved a lot more than some stuck up know nothing with only his bloodline as successful. Thankfully Everett had been good to her, and he seemed like a gentleman. However, if he found out the contrary, if the man had fooled Auster, then there would be hell to pay. “Your friend Rolanda and I are going to be cousins now. So I suppose that means you’ll be over a lot more.” Oz could just see the girl appearing at every Christmas, birthday, and all around holiday party either family threw. “You know I don’t gallivant with the younglings at parties. I talk to my intellectual superiors. That’s what we call giving someone a heads up.” Again he taunted, liking the feeling of the taunts coming from his brain and out his mouth.

“You said it was wonderful in a rather lackluster way and you didn’t tell me about what you did. I keep up just fine, thank you. As if I could ever lag in a conversation with someone who has quidditch on their mind all the time.” Auster pointed a finger at his partner and raised an eyebrow as if to say ‘so there’. Next the Ravenclaw pulled a jar to the side, not bothering to empty the contents into the cauldron. His eyes caught site of the Hufflepuff and began looking at what she was looking at. “Technically we’d be making a bomb if we did this correctly. I noticed on the way in. All these things together will explode. We are going to add everything aside from this,” he picked up the jar he’d set aside. “It’s a test to see if we know these things. You can memorize so much but deducing? Well, that’s our task for the day. And because you stuck with me, we might be the only ones to come out with a fine grade and a face without soot.”

[aurelia judith montague]

Aurelia wrinkled her nose at being called his number one fan. "Shouldn't the number one spot be reserved for your future girlfriend? Not your friend?" An eyebrow arched as he continued speaking. He was right, no lass looked attractive when she cried - their eyes puffy and red, their make-up dripping down their face, and boogers smeared above their upper lip; and when a bloke cried it either looked embarassing to other blokes or showed they had a sensitive side to lasses. Puffing out her cheeks, the Quidditch captain looked up at the board once more to make sure they hadn't missed anything or had something else to do. They didn't. Once they had finished the potion, they could leave. 'Good,' Lia thought to herself since she had a ton of homework to finish and to post up the results of who would be on the house team this year.

She placed a hand on the Ravenclaw's elbow and glanced at him with a questioning look. "Oz, do you honestly think I would really go back there and help him? Really?" An eyebrow arched and she removed her hand from his arm, shaking his head. "I was joking." As Auster looked back to study Gregory, so did Lia. She couldn't help but let the frown tug at her lips as she watched the boy scratch his head in confusion as he looked from his open textbook to the contents in his cauldron and back again. "I think he's too proud to ask for help. I'm sure he rejected any help anyone offered him. Just look at him, does he look like the type to accept help if it was given to him? No..." Lia tore her gaze away from the older Hufflepuff student, cursing Merlin that Gregory was in her house and probably was one of many who contributed to lowering the average for the House of Hufflepuff.

"That's good, really good Oz." A small smile was given to the older boy, the petite Hufflepuff was glad that all was good with his family and his mum had found someone that made her happy. Massaging the side of her neck, Lia tilted her head to the side with a big smile. During her summer with Harpies and Ro, the ex-Gryffindor lass did mention something about becoming family with Auster which Lia didn't know whether was a good thing or not at that time, but now that Oz seemed like he approved of the Hooch family becoming part of his family (or the other way around) , she was happy to hear the news. "Not like you would really mind me being over more often, right? Afterall, I am your number one fan, hmph." Lia turned her head to the side, acting like she took his comment about seeing her more during the holidays as an insult.

"It was wonderful," She repeated in a more enthusiastic way forcing a bright smile along with it. "Well, what else would I do besides Quidditch? That's what I did, Quidditch with the Holyhead Harpies and Ro." She began nodding absent-mindedly when he picked up the jar and went on about their potion being some kind of explosive. "Right. Are we done? Let's start putting the potion in the jar now, yes?" Lia stood up and rejoined Oz's side and grabbed the ladel, snatching the jar from his hand and started carefully adding the now bright yellow liquid to it. "What do you have planned after we're done here?" Lia didn't look up when she inquired about Oz's plans once they were done here, wanting to make sure she didn't spill anything.