Darren

[quote name='Hitsuzen'][COLOR="Magenta"]I'm only a Freshman and I take upper math. I take Algebra 2 and still don't some of it. My teacher only answers 3 questions on the homework and we had a lot. As for Biology, we had a sub and she wasn't very much help! I take Language/Compostion and was wondering whether I should switch to AP LA/Comp? I was really good at LA/Comp at my last school but I'm not so sure about this school. I know that some of my friends take it and that it's good for college and stuff. But is it worth it?[/COLOR][/QUOTE] Well, is Language/Compositon a strong suit for you? I'm assuming it is since you did so well at your last school. If you have friends that take the class, then you should ask them what kind of homework you get and how strict the teacher is. (It always helps to know that you're not getting in over your head) And even if you don't do as well as you did at your old school, you're correct. AP classes usually look good on college applications, as most have already stated. Also, I don't know if your school works the same as mine, but AP classes count as a 5 point class, so even if I make a B in there, it still counts as an A... You should check into that, because it's always a plus if the class turns out to be very simple.

Okay. this thread is pretty self-explanitory, especially with the start of school. It's a thread for homework or school. It doesn't matter what grade you're in or even if you're in college. It doesn't matter if you want to ask a question or for advice, answer a question, or even just rant about a certain teacher or subject. All of it can go here. If you're preparing for standardized testing for college, you can put that here as well. Feel free to talk about anything here (as long as it's school related and [B]is within the guidelines of appropriate posting[/B]) Now, here's my problem: I'm applying to a few colleges in California (mainly the LA area) because that's where I want to live. I read that all UC colleges requires either the ACT + Writing or the SAT Reasoning [I]AND[/I] 2 SAT subject tests... So... Is there any member of OB that has been accepted to a UC school? If so, what would you reccomend as far subject tests... And I know my scores aren't that high (my highest ACT being a 24 when UCLA only accepts about 24% from 24-27 range) but I'm hoping my GPA and extra-carriculars would help me out. Also, there's the money issue. Out of state tuition is crazy!!! Do you think I should go to a junior college for a year, set up my residency, and then transfer? That's all. Remember to have fun. (Or not, considering this is school we're talking about) And don't worry if you don't have an answer to my question. You can still ask for your own advice, but just for future reference: If this thread gets pretty long, try not to ignore the ones who posted earlier, but were skipped over.

Aside from fall allergies, (I don't know exactly what I'm allergic to. I just know that I only get seasonal allergies during autumn) I'm only allergic to one dreadful substance... PENICILLIN Okay, so it's not so dreadful because apparently it helps other people. That's fine and dandy for them, but if I ever need saving, I'm out of luck. Apparently I had it when i was younger and I swell up like a balloon, my throat constricts until I can't breathe, and then I assume I would die.:animestun Luckily, doctors are there for a reason. Also very lucky: I was too young to remember it, haha. Imagine how scarred I would be to have a near-death experience that young in life. And I've come to terms with the fact that I'm allergic to it. Besides, it's a mold. (When I think about my germaphobia, I realize that I'm much more happier at the fact that mold won't be put into my body against my will) Oh, and I found out that I have an immunity to something that most people [I]are[/I] allergic to: Poison Ivy/Oak... I'm like the only person in my family who can't get it. It's great!

[quote name='Sandy']That was [I]so[/I] non-canon that I didn't know whether we had suddenly transferred to a Final Fantasy RPG or one about Pokémon. XP It was a great scene, just... not very "Harry Potter"-like. Even the casting of the spell was totally different (though I assume they uttered the magic words silently). Anyway, I really truly hope that everybody wouldn't suddenly become Summoners as well. There are already enough Animagi to fill the quota of the generation (the power is supposed to be extra-rare...). ;P But I'm just nitpicking here, it's good that you and Zeke are brave enough to add something original (or in this case, borrowed) to the series. ;D PS. Oh, and the fire genie is actually called [I]efreet[/I], the name Ifrit is almost only used in FF.[/QUOTE] Yes you are just nitpicking, but that's okay. I agree with you to some degree. The first thing I thought of when I read the summoning bit was of Naruto... And actually, Animagi are not as rare as you think. There's a complicated spell to perform, but other than that, there's nothing preventing a wizard from becoming and animagi. In the HP series we see Rita Skeeter, Minerva Macgonagall, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and James Potter as Animagi. There may have even been more that I'm forgetting. Now if you were talking about Metamorphmagi, then yes, that's what's rare in the wizarding world, but I believe that we only have one. My character is not one, but I was just trying to find a way to explain his involuntary changing irises. And actually, from what I understand, Ifrit can be spelled many different ways: Efreet, Ifreet, Afrit, and Afreet. Ifrit is the popular spelling because of its usage in FF, but it is a correct spelling of the word. Actually I would have gone with Afrit since they're mentioned in the Qur'an... But, I suppose I'm the one whose nitpicking now. :P

[quote name='Gavin'][SIZE="1"]Another good question though boys and girls, is what exactly is on that parchment Alexander handed Zeta. ;)[/SIZE][/QUOTE] I actually have an idea of what it might be... I don't want to make a guess just in case I'm wrong. I don't suppose you'd tell me if I was right anyway. I will say that if I am right, I'm very disappointed in you Gavin. Anyway, lets get to the duel already! I'm very excited. Also, does this demonstration count toward the house cup? It is just a demonstration and since I doubt Crowe and Longbottom would duke it out as well, I wasn't sure if anyone was planning on counting it...

[quote name='Gavin'][SIZE="1"]I thought you were referring to the mechanima series [B][COLOR="Red"]Red[/COLOR] vs [COLOR="Blue"]Blue[/COLOR][/B] for some reason when I read the thread. Maybe one of the mods should change the title to "Your Experiences with the Police". By the way Darren, you have one seriously ****** up local police force. What you need is The Rock to come in and do a Walking Tall on them.[/SIZE][/QUOTE] Those are both very good ideas Gavin... Moderator, where are you??? Come change this bad title for me... Please? And now, if only I had The Rock's address... Oh man, I could just picture a large-scale, Rock-style, fight scene at the memorial park behind the station. I would pay money and take bets. (The Rock by far)

Obviously I haven't seen this movie since it doesn't come out until Friday. However, I'm currently staying at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel across the street from Grauman's Chinese Theatre where it premiered tonight. They cleared it out and blocked the sidewalk (which I assume is standard procedure) so I couldn't really tell who was there. Whenever I was on a tour bus passing in front, I saw one of the stars (Jonah Hill) and I saw Seth Rogen. (Knocked Up, 40 Year Old Virgin) Even worse, the cast party is taking place as I type this only 7 floors above me and I can't get in!!! So, I was just wondering, from what you can find online (such as movie synopsis, early reviews, etc.) or what you've seen on TV, what do you think about this movie? I know it doesn't have many big name actors in it, but that doesn't necessarily mean it will be bad. Are you going to see it? Tell all here.

[quote name='Aceburner']Wow, you really threw me off there. In MY town, red and blue are gang colors...[/QUOTE] Well, I admit, coming from a very small town, I'm not really familiar with gang colors. but I was going with Red and Blue of obvious colors represented by the police... Maybe a different thread title would have been appropriate, but I suppose it's too late now.

Just a heads up: I'll be leaving tonight to drive to L.A. 22 hour, non-stop... :animedepr And I won't be back until the 19th. I'll have a laptop, but not much access to it, so I'll be able to keep up with the story, but no time to actually post. If you guys could keep Aiden occupied while I'm away, I would greatly appreciate it. P.S. Does anybody know of anything to do in L.A.? Never been, and there will be one afternoon that I get to myself. (while my parents are trying to get on The Price is Right.:animesigh Jeez, they're embarrassing) Just curious [COLOR="Green"][size=1]All answers to this question should be directed to Darren's PM, because this, if what, is off-topic. ;P - Sandy[/size][/COLOR]

Well I don't really play games too much. I guess I grew out of that phase. Either that, or I'm too lazy to actually go out and rent/buy my own games. I have a lot of addicting [B]mini-games[/B] on my computer that I play constantly. I was actually playing one before I decided to type this reply, but I forgot what it's called. On my cell phone, I have [B]Pac-Man[/B] and [B]Tetris[/B] and I play those all the frickin' time when I'm bored and have no access to anything to keep me entertained. In my X-Box, I think [B]Halo[/B]'s in there... Not sure, I haven't had it plugged in for ages, but I think I played it a couple of months ago. Gotta go original Halo every once in a while. Actually the most recent game I played was [B]Gears of War[/B] over at a friends house, but I didn't get to play a lot of it since I didn't really know how and when those locust guys are running, the weezing sound kinda freaks me out... *Mute* And lastly, I suppose I could actually say [B]Resident Evil 4[/B] on my Gamecube. I'm playing it through for about the 5th time... But since it's become pretty redundant and I can finish a game in about a day, I haven't even turned it on for a month or so...

[SIZE="1"]The rest of the night seemed to speed by in a blur. Patch had spoken to nearly everyone in his house including the new first years. (As part of his duty as head boy) When MacGonagall released the students to their common rooms, Patch jumped up and gladly led the way to the Hufflepuff room which he admired so much. He was so happy to see his room, his four poster bed, his cozy chair next to the fireplace, that he didn't realized he was almost running. The poor, short-legged first years had quite a bit of trouble trying to keep up. He went down the steps to the entrance hall, took a left down into the cellar, and turned right down a broad, brighly decorated corridor lined with torches. At the end of the hallway was one of the few still-life paintings at Hogwarts: An eight foot tall portrait of the amazing Helga Hufflepuff. Patch said the password aloud, [B]"Billywig,"[/B] and led them in. It was even better than he had remembered. The common room, with it's yellow and black hangings, fat cozy chairs, and warm fireplace brought each student to a stand-still as they took in the environment. The circular tunnels, lined with stone, branched off in both directions on seperate sides of the fireplace. The Hufflepuff prefects took the first years to their common rooms and the rest of the students began making themselvles at home. Some even headed off to bed early. Even Patch was ready for bed, but he wanted to get a little bit of celebration in. He had several cups of butterbeer with his close-kint group of 7th years and then began disucssing the quidditch try outs with anyone who was interested. But no sooner had the words left his mouth, than Professor Crowe entered through the passageway. [B]"A word, Aiden?"[/B] he gestured for the other students to leave them to themselves. Professor Crowe put his arm around patch, to show familiarity, and continued. [B]"The other houses don't think we're up to the challenge of winning the house cup this year."[/B] [B]"They never do. And they're alwasy right."[/B] he replied. Who was he kidding? Hufflepuff had been denied glory for centuries. The closest the house had ever gotten to a victory was bitter-sweet: 24 years ago, Cedric Diggory tied for 1st in the Triwizard Tournament, but lost his life to the dark lord Voldemort. Patch shivered to think of what horrible times it must have been back then. [B]"Oh come now boy, don't say that. Loyalty and Patience are two key aspects of Hufflepuff. Not Pessimism. We've been waiting a long time for this, and I feel like it's definately our year with you as quidditch captian."[/B] [B]"Whoa. Hold on a second. Quidditch what?"[/B] He was dumbfounded. Why would professor crowe choose him as the captain. Surely there was someone else more qualified. [B]"Hufflepuff Quidditch Captain. Who else would I choose?"[/B] [B]"Sir, I don't mean to sound rude--"[/B] Patch started but Professor Crowe cut him off. [B]"Then don't. Listen Aiden, I've already confirmed it with the headmistriss. You're the oldest member remaining from last year's team and you scored the most goals of the entire team. If we had a better seeker, which I'm sure Cyri will do just fine, then we've got it in the bag."[/B] When he put it like that, it was a tempting offer. But still, Patch had too many things to do. [B]"Sir,"[/B] he pleaded, [B]"I've got NEWTs this year, I'm head boy, and on the quidditch team. The last thing I need is another badge."[/B] [B]"But it's a badge of honor,"[/B] Crowe cut him off again, [B]"I've already decided that you're the one. And only you are qualified to do it. I'll tell you what: Do the try-outs. After you've selected the team, you can decide who would be best suited for the job."[/B] Professor Crowe thrust the paper and badge into Patch's hands and then hurried out of the room with a nod to a few of 4th year girls sitting in front of the fireplace. He was only gone a few seconds before his local group emerged from they boys' dormitory tunnel, looking at him wide-eyed. They seemed to be shocked that he would even want to refuse the position. But he couldn't deal with that right now. He pinned the sign-up sheet on the bulliten board and headed off down the tunnel and through the perfect, circular barrel-top door to his room. His trunk was already set next to the yellow and black four-poster bed and the enchanted windows in the room were displaying a wonderful night sky. He changed into his night clothes, unpacked a few of his belongings from home, and laid down in bed. Patch shocked himself at how quickly he fell asleep. He was finally home.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]So this happened a few weeks ago, and while it may be funny, (and at my expense) I had to tell it, get your opinion, and ask you to reveal your run-ins with the law. Yes, that's right, this is a thread about the police: If you've ever been charged with anything (anything that you feel comfortable sharing, that is) and can get a good story out of telling it, feel free to do so here. But this isn't just about humor. I've also found that police can abuse their power, (as do most people/organizations in power) so first off: [B]HUMOR:[/B] As I said, this happened a couple of weeks ago. I got permission to go spend a couple of days at my friends house. We were best friends since 2nd grade until he moved my freshman year and we stayed in contact. It was surprising that she let me go since I'm a new driver and it's about an hour and 45 minutes long to get there (not speeding) and he lives in a rather large city, so I was even scared to be driving the five lane highway during rush-hour no less. I actually almost hit a truck as I was changing lanes. (Stupid blind spots) and I got lost... Twice. On with the story... So I spent the entire two days with him, without getting a ticket or getting in a wreck or pulled over and I had quite a lot of fun... But driving around that much was killer on my gas. I wasn't sure if I could make it back home or not, but I still didn't want to spend my money so I tried. I got maybe 40 minutes away from home (probably less) and I realized I wouldn't make it, but I remember a gas station on one of the exits so I took it. Apparently, there are two exits to this town that I was in. One for the turnpike and one for the actual highway. (I was still on the turnpike and I thought it had ended :animeswea) Obviously I didn't recognize my surroundings so I fumble around in my car for my cell to call my dad. (He travels a lot so I knew he would know how to get me to the gas station) Unfortunately, as I turn the corner, my car is swerving and I wasn't paying attention to the speed and with my luck there's a cop car. Obviously I get pulled over. (I was going 72 in a 55) He suspects that I'm drunk so I go through the entire process of testing for that. (And the entire time, I'm trying to explain the situation: I'm lost, I'm not from around here, Almost out of gas, fumbling for my phone, etc.) When he dicided I'm sober he gives me a 150$ ticket... :animeknow And you don't even know. (I'm a good kid; I never get in trouble... I don't know why I was hoping for a warning) Anyway, the cop points me in the direction of the gas station. When I get there, I get out, pre-pay, and come back to my car to find the same cop parked next to my car. He says that he's messed up on some info on my ticket and asks to see it again. Guess what? He changed it to 200! and then he folded it all discreetly hoping I wouldn't see it before he had a chance to make his get-away... Which he succeeded, I never found out what that extra 50 bucks was for. Worst part. I had to be at work that day, and I would have made it with plenty of time if I hadn't been pulled over. As it were, I was an hour and a half late. next... [B]DRAMA:[/B]our local police stations constantly abuses their rights. the neighboring station was actually banned from writing tickets on the highway after they got sued for harrassment, discrimination, and was accused of only pulling over black people. (Which I'm pretty sure is true) As far as the station in town: Well, about a year or two back, they shot a man to death, in a residential area, 16 times when an officer asked to see his ID and he reached into his pocket. They said they thought he had a gun. Funny thing is, he was pulled over for speeding, but the officer felt the need to call back-up before even speaking to the man. Then just last year, our station was investigated by the FBI... It was very private what exactly they were being investigated for, but the rumors were money laundering by selling confiscated drugs... Just shortly after that, there were several officers who quit or were layed off, including the chief-of-police. It was probably a related incident but I can't be sure since there were no arrests made. And just this week, I heard they're being investigated (thankfully, not by the FBI) for sexual misconduct to one of the prisoners. They're keeping that secret as well; I haven't had a chance to hear the gossip. And keep in mind, all this is taking place in an extremely small town... So, care to share?[/SIZE]

I'm quite embarrassed by this one, and I dare anyone to try and top it: So I have these phases. Maybe one day I feel like reading poetry, so I'll go out an buy a book of poetry. Another day, I'll feel like candy, so I'll go out and by bulk-size boxes of candy from The Sam's Club. (Who only sells stuff in bulk) And sometimes, if I'm feeling random, I'll drive until I get lost or run out of gas and see if I can give my parents/friends good enough directions to come and find me, after which they'll give me a bit of gas and I'll pay them back, plus interest, plus the gas to finish filling up the tank... Anyway, I decided that I was interested in drawing. I can actually draw well, but when it comes to coloring the stuff, I'm horrible. I used to use colored pencils which alwasy ruined my pictures, so I switched to markers, but realized that I didn't have nearly enough to do it right... Anyway, I took a tutorial on comic book inking/coloring/shading and then went out and bought the exact brand of tools that the pros use. Only bad part: one marker cost me about 6 buck. I bought about 15 of the stupid things, used up my entire paycheck, only to come home and realize that I'd moved on to my next phase. I haven't used them since. What's the harm in a little splurge every now and then? [quote name='Petie'][COLOR=blue]Ha, $3.92. Wait... that's not a good thing to win...[/COLOR][/QUOTE] Ha, I win. Try $4.02... But that's okay; I get a free fill-up every other week and my car gets great mpg. I usually don't have to worry about it, but even if I do, it's about 30 to 35 dollars to fill it up from empty.

I'm terribly sorry for what happened to you and your little brother. I have an older brother, and while the boy (well he's 18, so I guess that makes him a man) doesn't need protecting (being a 6'1", 190 lbs of muscled marine) I still feel protective. The only thing he needs is some common sense; something that I give gladly. So I know what you mean, but I'm getting off topic here. Anyway, it sounds like you're being a bit biased against your mom. Granted that I don't know the situation and your living environment, so I'm not trying to sound rude, but even the quotes you provided (Given that those are the [I]exact[/I] words that she said) can be misunderstood. The first thing I thought of when I read that quote, was that she was telling him that she can make sure your brother stops acting "childish" at 14 or she can make sure that he stops fighting back at 14... Only when, I read further did it occur to me that she could have been talking about that... (Also, I wasn't there, so I wouldn't know) But on the note of custody, did your mom get full custody? Does your dad have visitation rights? Are you allowed to spend weekends with him or something? Basically I'm asking this because I find it hard to believe that your mother would get full custody with a few pushes. In order to take a child away from their parent, there is a full investigation when the word "abuse" is brought up. They need pictures, multiple quotes from several different people about your father's behavior. (Not just two. And taking what your brother said, I highly doubt that two pushes would qualify as abuse) a psychological evalutaion if needed, and maybe even a polygraph test... It's not something that they just take the mother's word for; it's a lot more complicated than that. [quote name='AmnesiacKaiten']Personally, I would wait until you are 18 and try to get guardian status of your little brother and get him out of that house.[/QUOTE] And I would also just like to point out that this scenario is highly unlikely. Most judges would never consider taking a child away from its mother. That's one the hardest things to do. Unless their being beaten, not cared for, or the mother's an addict, it's very hard. Also, it would be next to impossible to gain custody over your brother. If you managed to get him taken away from your mother, he wouldn't go to a new adult, who's not capable of taking care of himself. I'm not saying that you're not capable; just saying that if you're just out of high school, no degree, no substantial job to pay the bills and feed two, the judge would never consider you for guardianship. More than likely, he would go to the next of kin. (Maybe your Dad's parents or siblings. Your mom's family? Whatever is most suited for the court) But once again, it seems a little illogical to try that attmpt anyway. Once agian, I'm sorry for what's happened, but I can't say that I would jump to the same conclusion as you did, and I can't say that a judge would either. And, not to sound biased against you two again: Cut the woman some slack. She's raising two (or is it three?) boys on her own, and probably has to put up with "guy talk" all the time. Be respectful of what other's feel. Just because she's your mother doesn't mean that she would approve of what you were talking about. (Not that I know exactly what you were saying) She's a woman, a single? mother, and it sounds like she got a little stressed out. Parents are known to come with built-in melt down buttons. Relax, take a few deep calming breaths, think about what happened and try to put yourself in her shoes. (Maybe she had a bad day and it just backfired on you two) And if you're still worried, maybe you should talk to her about it. In any case, I wouldn't be so quick to jump to conclusions and accuse your mother of death-threats... There's already been a divorce and a custody battle. It's best to try and salvage what's left of your family's relationships and get on with life.

Gavin, I can see you [I]really[/I] don't like Hufflepuff. "Ordinary Wizards," Whatever... And yet, there probably wasn't a Ravenclaw student who could out-smart or out-duel Cedric when he was in school... Oh well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see who really wins the house cup. [CENTER][IMG]http://img77.imageshack.us/img77/1600/hufflepuffef5.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Anyway, I'm anxious to get this started, but I've found that Patch will run into a bit of trouble as far as classes go. He's the only 7th year, so if all the professors wouldn't mind, could you just maybe mention your 2nd year NEWT classes every once in a while, because Aiden won't be in any classes with anyone. (I didn't actually think I'd be the only 7th year to sign up, but that's how it goes) [B][SIZE="3"]GO HUFFLEPUFF!!![/SIZE][/B]

[quote name='Blayze'][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode]Also, Alastor is a Chaser for Gryffindor's Quidditch team. I'm looking forward to the first match of the year - should be fairly interesting. [/FONT][/QUOTE] And that sparks a new conversation completely: How are we going to decide who wins what? Since we have students in each house, I'm sure we all want that house to win... So we need some form of deciding who wins and by how many point each round... (Because in one of the books, Harry had to make sure they won by so many points in order to get the house cup) Also, I'm not sure how the rounds go, but here's just a guess. I don't suppose it has to be exact now does it? [CENTER]~~~~~ [SIZE="1"][B]Game 1)[/B] Gryffindor vs. Slytherin [B]Game 2)[/B] Ravenclaw vs. Hufflepuff [B]Game 3)[/B] Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw [B]Game 4)[/B] Slytherin vs. Hufflepuff [B]Game 5)[/B] Slytherin vs. Ravenclaw [B]Game 6)[/B] Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff[/SIZE] ~~~~~[/CENTER] I'm positive Game 1 and 2 are correct, and I can't remember if the final match is between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw... But all that aside, we still need a fair method of chance (just like it would be in an acutal game) that determines who wins each round... Plus it will keep the element of surprise so no one (not even Lionheart) will know the final outcome...

[B]1) Do you have birthday traditions?[/B] Eh, I haven't really celebrated my birthday for two years because one of my best friends died and I attended his funeral on that day... So now, my birthday becomes a depressing time of the year. This sounds so emo and depressing, but I always go to the cemetary on my birthday and I leave him a card (since his birthday was only 2 weeks before mine) ... On the happy side of it... My parents alwasy buy me either an ice cream cake or a cookie cake (I love both equally) and ever since they got our in-ground pool built they insist on me having a pool party for my birthday. It usually turns up being a back-to-school part held in early August because I don't feel like socializing on my birthday. Only bad part about that is that I don't get money, just people. (and a lot of them I don't invite and I absolutely despise) [B]What was the best birthday present ever?[/B] I actually don't recall ever getting anything except for money or gift cards. I guess when I was young I used to get toys and stuff, but once I hit 6th grade, it turned into money and then I would go out and buy the stuff I wanted. So I would say money but that's a little boring. One year, after ages of begging, my mom decided to let me get my eyebrow pierced. I guess that was the best... [B]3) Has knowing your age ever given you a certain midnset? Did you ever feel like you'd passed a certain rung or like you had to change?[/B] No. My age has alwasy been just that: A number. A lot of people tell me I'm mature for my age, and I feel like I am most of the time; I really had to grow up early. So even though I'm 17 now, it really is just another day. Time seems to fly by so fast, I usually find myself thinking, "how did I get so old so fast?" I think about how I used to play tag on the playground and that stuff and it seems like it was just a couple years ago and I surprise myself at how differently I act from back then... The only days that will really matter is my 18th, because I'm uber-political and I can't wait to vote in the 2008 elections. And then there's 21 because that's the day that I'll be free of underage anything laws... Not that I plan on going and getting wasted out of my mind, (although I'll probably get close) but I just hate having age laws that tell me I can't... I just bugs me even though I know they're there for a reason. [B]4) What was your favorite birthday?[/B] Sorry, can't remember. Ever since I was in Jr. High, it's alwasy just felt like another day to me so they've all become blurred into the day I get a lot of money for no apparent reason. I'm sure you could guess which one was my worst though...

I don't know Sandy, it made sense to me. What Gavin was trying to say was that Emily and Alexander fell asleep on the train, and then there was the two hours later part that jumped him up to the sorting ceremony... Anyway, I'm curious Gavin, What sort of new magic are you planning?

[quote name='Clurr'][FONT="Arial"]Actually, it's going to be a quadrilogy. :] MORE FOR ME. And I suppose since vampires don't actually exist, people can recreate them however they want; like in some stories Elves are human-sized and in others they're like pixies. My own vampires don't automatically burst into flame in the sunlight (but that's not to say they can run around in it). How you like the representation of the vampires is entirely up to you, though. (I absolutely hated them in the book [B]Thirsty[/B]). [/FONT][/QUOTE] Can't say I've ever read that... I love the way Anne Rice tells them. I've almost read all of her vampire books and I own several of them.

Yes that was me, and I do remember reading the tough competitors part for this year, but I figured that it was standard to hold try-outs before filling the positions so I assumed that she was referring to the previous players who hadn't graduated just yet. As far as her tough competitors, she could have been talking about Hufflepuff for all I know. (I kid, Patch is only somwhat good. Without his normal broom, he's mediocre at best) So opinions and differing house competitors would change that statement...

Well, I actually just finished up Twilight last night upon reccomendation from a friend... The book absolutely infuriated me. I supposed it's more for girls, which I should have suspected. The first half of the book is simply Bella's life at school and her adjustment and her infatuation with Edward, the vamp. To be honest, it's really really really dull. I liked the parts where a bit of the back story was explained, but ultimately there wasn't enough of that special something to keep me interested in it the whole way... There were a few well placed scenes of action in the first half, but only a few and when those are divided between 100 pages, it makes me mad. Then, there's the fact that the Vampires are not really vampires. Sure, they're strong, they're fast, they're beautiful... But I feel that the whole not bursting into flames in direct sunlight was contradicting the word "vampire." And when Edward said that he was different in the sun, I was expecting som amazing description of-- well, I actually don't know, because Meyer didn't describe it for me... In any case, her version of Edward in the sun didn't appeal at all to me. The image I got was of a muscled up man covered in body glitter... Lastly, it had no real story. There was a conflict, yes, but it didn't really have a plot. [spoiler]She went to school for a while and then met another coven of Vamps that hunted humans instead and wanted to kill her. Edward killed James instead.[/spoiler] And I feel that if it were going to be a trilogy, it should have been less conclusive. There should have been more questions at the end causing the readers to beg for another installment... Trilogies should have a connecting plot, and then each one should have an individual sub-plot. After I finished reading, I didn't see anything that could tie Twilight and New Moon together, except for Victoria, but there was so little development of her character that I didn't care at that point. Even the mystery of Alice was revealed in a rather cliche, cheesy way at the end of book one. I was hoping that it would stay more mysterious and the be revealed in a later book that revolved more around her. I'm not saying the book was bad. I'm just not saying it was a great read. It was just okay, but not even close to good enough for me to want to read New Moon or Eclipse. I love vampires, but I feel bad that they were ruined by Stephanie Meyer. I don't guess I'll ever see the hype of the book. And don't say it's all about the romance and that's why it's a girl's book because I like romance in books as well, but not even the romance scenes were written that well. Sorry, but if I had to rate the book, it would get a [B]5 out of 10.[/B]

As a lot of you know, (and those who don't, well you know now) I have been planning on staring a new death card game ever since the end of The Maze, but was forced to wait after DB created The Panopticon. (Which turned out better for me anyway) Anyway, I've been tempted for the longest time to just post the sign-up and get the game started, but I alwasy wanted to keep my promise to the past death card players and wait it out for "a break" from all the violence. I've even been so tempted, that I've already written out my introduction to the story, which I've sent out, as a sneak peek, to a few select members of OB, and they all seemed excited at the story, and intrigued at the mysteries. Anyway, my original plan was to post the sign-ups on August 10 (This Friday) and leave them open for a week while I was away in California... Then I was going to close them on the 19 (the Sunday after) and hopefully get it started somewhere between the 20 and 24... But here's the question to all the past members of Death Card: Is it too soon? For those of you who sat out from the Panopticon, would you be interested in playing once again. And of course to everyone else who hasn't had the opportunity to play, would you be interested. I ask this because I hope that even if the seasoned players aren't ready, that I'll have enough support to start with new people. If you are new and wondering what Death Card is, here are the links: - [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=55804"][U]The Labyrinth[/U][/URL] by: Sandy - [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=56925"][U]The Maze[/U][/URL] by: Rachmaninoff - [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57091"][U]The Panopticon[/U][/URL] by: 2007DigitalBoy Let me know what you think, so I can properly gauge a starting time that suits everyone.

[SIZE="1"][B]"Hey Cyri!"[/B] Patch exclaimed to his fellow housemate. She sat down across from him enthusiastically and placed her owl near the window, next to Xanthia. [B]"So how was your summer?"[/B] She asked. It must have been a ritual to be asked that question at least 100 times on the first night, but Patch had planned out his speech several weeks in advance, so as not to sound too unbearably dull. [B]"It was okay. I visited my grandparents in Michigan and explored the great lakes,"[/B] Cyri gave a sound of acknowlegment, and Patch figured not to bore her with the details of his encounter with the very same species of magical beast that donated a feather for his wand. [B]"Then I spent most of the summer back-packing with Dad. Paris, Rome, Athens..."[/B] He trailed off, not remembering the several other cities. He didn't bother to mention that it was all for business purposes. Now that Patch was 17, his father had gotten him an interview for a possible job at the Department of Muggle Artifacts at the MoM. One requirement was to write an essay over the different living styles of muggles in different regions of the world. Once again, he held back the details out of fear from boring her. [B]"And the quidditch?"[/B] she asked, inching closer to him, [B]"I know you have bad taste in teams, but you're the best chaser to come to Hufflepuff in ages. Have you been practicing?"[/B] And in fact, Patch had been. It was amazing that he had time to fit flying into his busy schedule but it was something that he loved, so it always found its way there. He had been practicing several difficult maneuvers and was itching to try them out in practice against other people. But Patch knew the real reason for this question: [B]"Yes, I've been training as much as possible. The Halo runs just as smoothly as ever,"[/B] he said indicating his broom, [B]"With all the good players gone from last year, we're sure to win the house cup!"[/B] Patch was known for his Halo 5.0, a new model broom, designed to compete with the Firebolt's speed, but better suited in strong winds, giving the rider the capability of unbelievable maneuverablity. His model was about three years out-dated, but it was still rather impressive and costly. Lucky for him, his mother's muggle parents were pretty rich and, with the help of his father, bought the Halo for his 15 birthday. [B]"How about you? Are you ready for your first year as seeker?"[/B] Cyri lurched back in her seat, obviously uncomfortable about the position. After a moment of silence, she responded, [B]"I don't suppose I could ever be worse than the Cannon's seeker."[/B] She smiled a bit at red tint that was flooding Patch's face; alwasy taking a hit at his team. [B]"You know they've improved a lot now that they've got Newton on board as Chaser."[/B] He almost recited that as he'd done to his father several times when he complained about Patch's quidditch taste. [B]"Yes, and I suppose Newton's the only thing that's winning the games for them, isn't he?"[/B] Patch stayed silent, [B]"After all, that damn seeker they have flying around up there, Mendel, can't catch air."[/B] He winced at the comment. If there was anything hindering the Cannons, it was their seeker. Still, he couldn't let his team down. [B]"All they need is the recognition they've deserved for quite some time. Each year they get further and further to the championship, and soon, I suspect the drafting line for the Cannons will have shot up."[/B] [B]"Wishful thinking I suppose,"[/B] and she reached into her owl's cage to stroke his head thoughtfully. Patch had returned to writing in his notebook and there was quite a long moment of silence shared between the housemates. That was one thing he liked about Cyri. Despite her age, she really knew her Qudditch, she had a sense of humor and new how to joke around, and of course, they both liked the occasional period of silence. They both took peace in the sound of the rumbling train and the scratching of Patch's pen against paper. He was glad they both played quidditch. Otherwise, they would hardly ever see each other. Finally when he had finished sketching a picture of the Chudley Cannonball crashing into Cyri, (and getting quite a laugh after he performed a spell to animate the image) the witch who carried the Trolly full of sweets appeared at their door. Patch ordered several Chocolate frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, and liquorice wands, which were the only three wizarding sweets that he could handle. (The rest made him sick very quickly) Cyri scowled at his conservative sweet-tooth and said, [B]"You gotta take risks. Be a man,"[/B] and she popped a Bertie Bott's Jelly Bean into her mouth. After a while of curious chewing she smiled, [B]"See? It was only spinach; not so bad."[/B] Patch reached out to grab a jelly bean, knowing his luck wouldn't be so great and threw the tan and white speckled bean into his mouth. Instantly he spit it out; the taste alone was enough to make his mouth dry up. [B]"Sawdust,"[/B] he explained and it really had felt like he'd swallowed a mouthful of sawdust. The two shared a fit of laughter, while Patch drank some pumpkin juice to wash out the taste. And then he remembered: [B]"Oh, I never asked you. How did your summer go?"[/B] Patch felt so ashamed for not asking. But then again, maybe she wanted to escape the ritual just like he did.[/SIZE] ~~~~~ OOC: I hope that's alright Tempest... I just played around with some casual conversation between the two. If you don't like any of it, (or think it's not in Cyri's character) then tell me and I can change it.

Haha Tempest, I love the comment that Cyri made, "Cuddly Cannons." It's funny. I don't know if it was a typo, but it was funny and in character. Don't change it. I'll make a post later tonight. Also, I just wanted to say that all Hufflepuffs should get together through PM and discuss what our Common room would look like, since it's the only one never described in the HP series. All I know is that it's on the ground floor. Lastly Lionheart: What do you say to made up spells?

[SIZE=1][B]"This is not good, Patch,"[/B] his father was saying, as they rushed in the family's muggle car, to get to King's Cross. [B]"I don't see why you had to go back for that music box. I could have just sent it to you when you were actually at school."[/B] Patch knew this, of course. But his father's ruddy owl was so old that it was bound to either get lost or drop his package, which would render it broken... He had already explained this to his father: [B]"I told you that if my 'ruddy' owl had broken the music box, I know you could repair it with a simple spell. I've seen you preform better repairing charms than officers at the Ministry."[/B] Patch also knew this. But there was something about the magical box, the way it had a recorded song and message from his mother, that made him think it wasn't able to be repaired. There was no sense in taking such a risk... Besides, is father was always uptight. He believed that everyone in the world was just like him: highly professional, unforgiving, and always 30 minutes early. He had spent several years trying to force this way of life upon his sone, but he lived in the past and Patch had seen enough of the wizarding and muggle world to know that his father was few and far between. They arrived at the Kings Cross about 10 minutes early, and already Patch's dad was trying to scare him into thinking that he had missed it, continually quickening his pace until he had reached a run. Patch settled to walk behind him. Xanthia was sleeping in her cage. She hated other people and certainly hated the sunlight. As Patch descended onto the platform landings, he noticed a rather large group of people who stuck out like a sore thumb. [B]"Wizards,"[/B] he muttered to himself, shaking his head. Even with the increase of muggle-wizard relations, most wizards just couldn't get how to follow the style. It was kind of like the elderly muggles trying to figure out how to run a computer. They all crowded around the area surrounding platforms 9 and 10, and of course, in the middle of it all, was Patch's father, waving in an exaggerated manner as though he were implying that the train had rumbled to life and he would have to run and jump on. Of course, this wasn't the case and it never had been the case in the seven years that Patch had gone through this mess. He stopped outside of the entrance-way, knowing that his father would not follow him through. They shared a brief, awkward hug. [B]"Take care Aiden and don't let those NEWTs bother you too much. Have fun with Quidditch, and don't let your superiorority cloud your judgement. No need to get power hungry like the Slytherins."[/B] He said aloud. Several heads turned to give him an evil stare. They were obviously a Slytherin family. [B]"Don't worry dad, I never do."[/B] and with that, Patch passed through the brick wall and onto the platform. It still shocked him every time he did it, as though he were back in his first year, scared and unsorted. The beauty of the platform and the sheen from the bright train alwasy caught him off guard. There were students of all ages running around, and several parents bugging them about last minute checks on their supplies. He even saw a couple of professors boarding the train. One was Professor Corvidae, DADA master. And the other was Emily. Patch recognized her from school before. (She was a very popular 7th year when he was in his 3rd) Patch guessed that she was replacing Professor Binns in history after he passed on. He boarded the train, just as its whistle blew and began moving. It was quite packed and there were only a few cabins left with small 1st and 2nd years. As he traveled farther back, the students seemed to get older, but none of his friends were in sight. After a while, Patch settled on a cabin with a solitary Gryffindor girl reading a book. She seemed like a second year and her dark hair hid her eyes perfectly. Patch hadn't even noticed her stealing glances at him, but after only few moments, she stood up and stalked out of the cabin, leaving him to his own thoughts. He pulled out a pen, a dandy muggle tool that was far more convenient than a quill, and began writing. Patch liked to write and sketch out different things. Whatever was on his mind was what went to paper, and currently he was thinking of the trolly witch, (who he hoped would be by soon) resulting in an odd shaped drawing of her. He hoped he could find a few of his friends soon.[/SIZE]