Gryffindor Table

A banner of red and gold hung overhead the long Gryffindor Table. Students from the house of Lion gather here to chat amongst friends and housemates.

The smell of the different varieties of food hovered between the tables and the ceiling of the Great Hall, but they did not make the taste buds of a certain being - suppose you could call him that - water in hunger. That was because this being was a normal being; he was silver, could float in the air and his neck was nearly severed. However he was very much alive, alive as a ghost could be. Because that was what Sir Nicholas de Mimsy Propington was. A ghost.

Instead of focusing his senses on the delicious food before him, Nearly Headless Nick was instead concentrating on how he could join the Headless Hunt, like he had for the past few hundred years.

James wandered down to the Great Hall, feeling famished. One thing he loved more than sleep was eating and that was exactly what he was about to do. James saw Nearly Headless Nick by the Table and waved to him. At the start of James' first year, the fact that his head was only holding on by a couple of sinews was rather gross to James, but as he got to know the friendly ghost, he started to not care about it so much.

James sat down at the Gryffindor table and started to load his plate with food. Just the sight of all the delicious food made his stomach grumble. When he deemed his plate full enough (basically not falling off the sides) he tucked in, knowing full well that he looked like he hadn't eaten in a week. James knew his mother would be shaking her head at him, and his father would be trying to smother a grin at the spectacle his son was making.

Mark wandered his way down to the Great Hall. He was pretty starved and knew the best place to go for that was the Great Hall. He went over to the Gryffindor table, he was hardly going to go anywhere else after all, was he? He sat down next to someone and quickly piled his plate until it was covered with food. He had just took a bite from a sausage before realising the guy next to him was his cousin. "Heya James." He said, swallowing his food before taking another bite. "How're you doing?"

James turned his head, which was incidentally, was filled with bacon and eggs, when he heard his name. He almost spluttered the entire mouthful out onto his cousin. He knew he was attending Hogwarts this year, hell, he saw him get sorted, but he still didn't expect to see him sitting next to him at Breakfast, like it was something so routine.

James swallowed his breakfast and grinned at his cousin. "Mark! What's up!?" James said, far to excitedly, as he received stares from other Gryffindors that were obviously not quite so chipper in the morning. He made to make an apologetic face, but that made him look constipated rather than sorry.

"Liking the castle so far?" he asked, stuffing another piece of bacon into his mouth; one could never have enough bacon. The stuff should be used as currency, seriously.

Mark scoffed down at least a couple of eggs and a piece of bacon before his cousin had turned to talk to him. He grinned amusedly at his reaction, his cousin seemed pretty shocked he was there, which was quite humerous. "You alright cousin? Not choking on over-eating again are you?" he asked jokingly. He really loved the fact that his cousin and him could have light joking and knew the other was only messing around.

He grinned back once his cousin decided to speak. "The sky and the ceiling? If you're asking what I'm doing that's just as obvious, I'm eating, but if you're asking for my general well-being, I'm good." He said, hoping to get a laugh from his cousin, though he doubted he would. James could be pretty cool-headed a lot. He looked around at the other Gryffindor's who seemed pretty depressed in the morning, either that or just plain tired. Well... Sleep was fun, but it was good to be awake in the morning too. He took a piece of toast and started to eat that rapidly.

"The castle is pretty amazing so far, I have to admit." He said happily, he hadn't met anyone yet, but he was still having a pretty good time just being around the place. He took another portion of scarmbled eggs and started to eat that too. Food was definitely good, one of the best things to enjoy in life by far.

James shook his head, smiling. "No. Thankfully I have remembered how to chew. Otherwise, I think I'd be in a tad bit of trouble. I'd have to eat things like soup for the rest of my life," James shuddered, "I think I'd die."

James punched Mark in the arm for being a smart arse, and told him so. "Smart arse. You know what I mean," James commented. "I'm glad to hear you're good though."

He couldn't help but notice that Mark took to his food much the same way that James did. It was a Wilson trait to love their food after all.

James remembered his own first year and how he seemed to get lost as easily as breathing. "Got lost yet?" he asked him.

Mark shuddered at the idea of only being able to eat soup for the rest of his life, scooping a mouthful of baked beans into his mouth and swallowing them quickly. "Chewing is good. I don't think anyone would consider you as good a person if you only got soup for the rest of your life, I think we both agree that just eating soup is not a good way to live." He said.

"I'm pretty sure I remember times when you've been a smart-arse James. So just take it as a part of the favour returned." He added with a grin. "How about you? You look just fine, but are you doing okay?" He asked. He took another piece of toast, slathering it with butter and jam before munching it. He realised it must be a family trait for the Wilsons to love their food, since James had his plate more piled than Mark did. "Looks like we both love our food." He commented, grinning.

At the mention of being lost, Mark nodded vigourously. "Wizard God, I can't remember how many times I got lost in just the first day, please say something similar happened to you at some point?" He asked. He knew he wasn't always the best with directions, but he hoped he wasn't the worst with them at least.

James smiled. He was often a smart arse to Mark and the younger Gryffindor was often the butt of his pranks, but he took them well enough. As Mark was a closer age to James than Phil, James' older brother, him and Mark were often hanging out as children, playing pranks on their family members.

James took a drink of pumpkin juice and wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his robe. "Yeah. I'm doing good. I still can't believe that I'm nearly in third year and you're nearly a second. Crazy."

James laughed. "Sure did. I was stuck in that step on the third floor for like, 30 minutes before some sixth years helped me. Embarassing, but you get over it."

Mark grinned as he devoured a few more pieces of bacon, along with another piece of toast. He took a sip of pumpkin juice as well, before grinning. "Well people do grow up you know,
which means that will happen eventually." He said cheekily to James, before munching a few more pieces of food. He wondered where his other cousin was. He hadn't seen Phillip yet and he was curious as to where he would be. "Good to know you're doing well though." He added.

Mark let out a slight sigh of relief at hearing James had gotten lost as well at some point. He would've felt quite a fool if he was the only one to have gotten so lost in his family. "So how's Phillip doing?" He asked curiously, his brain remembering what he thought before.

James was tempted to punch Mark again. The boy was definitely a smart arse. It was a good thing though. James needed someone other than Andy and Alli to keep up with him.

James looked down the table at the mention of Phil and saw his brother eating breakfast with his fifth year friends. He gestured in his direction to Mark. "Meh. I think he's okay, but I can't even remember the last time I spoke to him proper." Phillip must have had ESP as he seemed to look up as James was looking down the table at him. He raised an eyebrow and then seemed to notice Mark was sitting there as well. Phil got up from the table and headed down to see them.

"Sup, Lil Bro and Cuz," Phil said, using a style of language that James found hilarious coming from his brother's mouth.

James shrugged and took a bite of toast with vegemite, an Australian spread that James was rather fond of.

Mark grinned as he saw his cousin tense slightly, as if to hit him again. Looks like he was doing well today, twice and it was only Breakfast. He didn't seem that mad about it though in the end, which he supposed was a good thing. He ate a few more pieces of toast and bacon before replying. "He can't be doing that badly then." He then noticed James looking over towards the fifth years, by following his line of sight, he saw Phillip get up from the table and walk over to them. "Hi Cousin number two." He said to Phillip grinning. "do both of you have the same problems and can't look up? There's the ceiling above us, and then the sky above that. Same as every other day." He said cheekily, he guessed the joke was getting old, but when Phillip used that silly form of dialect, he just had to jump on it. Mark took another bite of bacon, waiting for either Phillip or James to say something.

James snorted. Mark was such a dork, it was funny. Phillip seemed to think the same thing, as he slapped Mark on the back jovially.

"Ah, Marky. Still with that old joke. You need some new material, mate," Phillip said, sitting down on the edge of the bench as though he wouldn't be gracing Mark and James with his presence for long. "Enjoying your first year then? I was rather proud to see another Wilson enter Gryffindor. James here hasn't done anything remarkable yet, so perhaps you can take a crack at giving the family name some extra honour instead."

James groaned into his breakfast. Sometimes he hated his brother and this was one of those times.

"Wasn't there somewhere you have to be, Phil? Perhaps, say, oh, I don't know.. not here?" James said, feeling irate.

Phil laughed out loud. "Icky Jamesie. Mind your manners now. Wouldn't want mum to hear you're being unresponsive now, would we?"

James groaned again. "Seriously? Gonna run to mum? How old are you?" James turned his back on his brother. He didn't speak to him very often and that seriously was enough interaction for James to have with his brother.

Phil turned to Mark instead. "Hope you don't let James' attitude affect you, Mark. Got any troubles, you'll know where I'll be." Phil stood and gave a wave to his cousin. "Catch ya."

James sighed and muttered under his breath, "Good riddance."

Mark mock-glared at James from his snort. "You had too much bacon James? You're starting to act like a bit of a pig. Though you don't look like it... Yet." He said, smirking. He winced slightly from the pat on the back. Phillip had obviously intended it to be more than a gentle pat, but Mark didn't mind much, it wasn't like Phillip attempted to knock him out after all.

"Suppose I should get something new, but that is a decent piece of material. One that should always be used on the rare occasion." He said, though he supposed thinking some new jokes that would hopefully be good might come in handy. "Icky Jamsie?" Mark asked, trying to hold back laughter. He held it back at the mention of getting Mark's Aunt involved though. It was quite a feeble threat in effect. He nodded and waved to Phillip as he walked off.

"Don't worry, I'd much rather stick around you than your brother. I'm pretty sure he'd become a pain soon enough, you though cousin, have better charisma, meaning I can put up with you for much longer. So, is Jamsie-Wamsie all full up yet?" He asked with a snicker. It was always fun to push James' buttons, especially when it annoyed him enough to react, but not so much it actually annoyed him that much. "Think of it this way; now he's gone, you won't see him for a while probably." He said.

James rolled his eyes at Mark's little side comments, but let them slide for the moment. He'd get him back when Phillip decided to go back to his own group of friends.

He didn't wave goodbye to Phillip as Mark did, but was entirely thankful that his brother had left them alone. He seriously was a pain in the proverbial.

"Charisma, hey?" James grinned at the though of him being eloquent in any way shape or form; it didn't seem very likely, but his cousin got some points for the compliment.

James nodded his head, "You've got a point there. No arguing with that. Merlin, I'd be happy to only see him once a year. You have no idea what it's like at home over the summer with him. If I have to hear about him being a Prefect one more time, I'll lose my mind! I'm just lucky that he hasn't heard I've received two detentions already, or guess who's in store for a Howler?" James sighed. He really was sick of always being in his brother's shadow.

James pushed away his plate, which seemed to vanish the split second he did. He was rather full. "Yeah, but for the love of Wizard God, please don't call me Jamesie Wamsie! Everytime I hear that, I want to stab myself with something sharp and preferably pointy!"

Mark was still grinning after Phillip went, he loved making all the silly side comments, because even if they failed, they were fun to say. It seemed to make him more likeable too, or at least in front of people he was, but if they talked behind his back he didn't care. "Yup. Charisma, you're much more likeable than your brother, so that's one advantage he'll never have, there's probably a million other things too." He said without thinking, he never thought about it if it was true.

"See. I do have good points, just because I'm a pain doesn't mean I'm always a stupid-face you know." He said to James with a smirk. "Well at least your brother won't be along for a while any more. You've survived the encounter at least." He added. Mark grinned at James being finished eating, while he was no good with sweet stuff, give him a decent breakfast and he could eat for hours. But he supposed he shouldn't forge himself too much, so pushed his own plate away. "Awww... Ickle Jamsie-Wamsie all upset now?" He said with a grin, James must have known to tell him to not do something meant he would do it.

Gwen sat down at the table and grinned,
"Hi James mind if I join? I´m Gwen and you are?" she asked the boy next to him.
He seemed younger than them. Maybe a newbie.
Prankprankprankprankprank-ohshutit!" she cut her thoughts off mentally letting a smirk show as her blue eyes got that troublemakers glint.

Mark nodded to the other Gryffindor who had came to the table, and who's introdouced herself as Gwen. "I'm Mark." he said, trying to not laugh at how fast she was talking. He noticed a kind of glint in her eyes and started to wonder what she was going to try... He remembered he'd seen the selfsame glint in James' eyes whenever he...

"Don't even try something. I may be new but I've seen that glint in Jamsie's eyes and trust me. I know what it means." He said, while staying seated by the table. He knew better to stand up, she could do all sorts to his seat then, which meant after he sat down he'd be twice as dead.

Gwen grinned.
"Nicely spotted Mark." she smirked.
"Gratz on getting Gryff. Poor snakes won´t know what hit em..." she added the last bit in more of a mutter.

"Don´t worry, I´m not going to do anything...yet." she winked.
She might actually do nothing. But the never-knowing seemed a better prank than any.
And it wasnt even a prank.

"So, are you two related?" she asked glancing at the Teachers table and smiling at her parents.

James looked up to see Gwen standing there. He nodded at her request to sit by him and his cousin, thankful for the distraction.

He half listened as Gwen and Mark held a conversation, zoning out from time to time. He was still rather pissed off with his brother and his way of always making him feel inferior. He knew that he shouldn't let it get to him, but that was easier said than done sometimes.

"So, are you two related?"

James looked across at Gwen as he heard the question.

"Yeah, we're cousins. I know you wouldn't think so, me being irrefutably awesome, and him being... well... not, but yes, we are." James dodged a hand that flew his way from his relation.

"Can't hide from the truth, there, Marky." James was in a sour mood, but something about insulting his cousin raised his spirits just that little bit extra.

Mark nodded to Gwen, "Yet being the key word of course. I'd rather not have you tamper with my food either thank you." He said, about to answer the question of being related before his cousin beat him to it. "Yup. Cousins are we, but I think James has a puffed up sense of his own importance." Mark drawled sarcastically. "Maybe you should remember that age isn't everything cousin." he added, sticking his tongue out at him impulsively. "But Gwen... If you are in the mood for pranking, trying something on Jamsie-Wamsie here can't go wrong." Mark commented with a smirk.

Marie skipped towards the Gryffindor table, hoping to see Nearly Headless Nick around. Frowning at not seeing the ghost anywhere, she took a seat at the table near a few of other Gryffindors. She could see that they were in conversation, and chose not to disturb them, even though this was not what she usually would do.

Picking up the first thing that came into her hand - a drumstick - she placed it into her plate, before taking a piece of it with fork and putting it into her mouth. She had to admit that the food at Hogwarts was great, and smiled at that thought.