I Am Not Nothing

Chapter Fifteen (Fourteen part 2)

Vexx lead me down to the Great Hall for dinner. Inside, there weren't four long tables, like at Hogwarts. There were multiple tables that fit about ten people placed throughout the room, then the teacher's table in the center of the room. The teacher's table was circular, so they could all see and talk to each other I guessed. But at the far end of the hall was a risen platform and on it stood a podium and Professor Hamplin.
Vexx lead me over to a table with the others.

"Where were you two? The speech is about to start." Persephone whispered to us as we sat across from her.

"We went to find Beth. We'll explain later." Vexx whispered back. 

We all looked at Professor Hamplin as she clapped for the school's attention. 

"Good evening, students! Now that everyone is sorted and has their wands, I would like to officially welcome each and every one of you to a new year at Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! everyone received their schedules for this year either yesterday or this morning. If you have not, please come see me after dinner. Here at Ilvermorny we have three terms. For those first and second year, you have seven classes broken up into three terms, meaning you have an extra class in your last term. All of you in years above them, you have a minimum of nine classes, as some of you choose to take more than required electives. Those who take extra elective classes will have smaller classes, but do not worry for you should see it as a higher chance on having a one-on-one learning moment with your teacher. Quidditch tryouts start one week from today and I suggest some of you step out of your comfort zones and try out because your team may need you and you don't even know because you have never tried. Ms. Simmons would like me to say that duelling club starts in two days and she would love to see a lot of you there. Brewing club with Mr. Franklin starts the day after. Reading Club starts on Saturday. And every other club we have at this school will be posted on the bulletin board out side of these doors. And now I know you're all starving, so enjoy your dinner!"

Just like at Hogwarts, food appeared at every table. Everyone began to dig into the turkeys, potatoes, vegetables, biscuits and everything else that would take too long to list. But I sat there, not reaching for anything. I just sipped at my water that appeared in front of me. I watched Vexx as he stuffed his face with his food. 

"Aren't you going to eat? You don't have to feel uncomfortable around us. This is your home too." He told me. 

"I'm  not hungry." I told him. 

"You haven't eaten at all since I met you and there were a couple snack opportunities on the bus in those eight hours." He told me. 

"I'm not hungry." I said again.

"Are you sure? I don't want you to starve later." He said. 

"Vexx," I snapped, "I'm fine."

He nodded and went back to eating, slower now. I just watched and listened in on everyone's conversation. I just wanted to go to bed, but I had no clue where I was going. So I had to sit there, watch people eat while the idea of eating foreign food made me feel sick. It wasn't even foreign by the fact that it was entirely different food that I've never eaten before, it was the fact that it wasn't from home. As insane as it sounded, it was like I couldn't do anything because it had to be from home. It was like saying I couldn't walk on this ground because it wasn't on British soil. Or I couldn't drink this water because it wasn't taken from Britain. But it all sounded so right to me. About an hour of watching others eat, it was now time to pack it in and go to our common rooms.

"Raven, you'll be staying with us." Persephone said to me. 

I nodded and walked with the group to our common room. Someone at the front of the Thunderbird mob opened the door and we all spilled into the giant room. A couple people stayed in the lounge, but everyone made their way up the stairs. At the top of the stairs, there were two corridors. Left for the boys and right for the girls. We said good night to Vexx and the other guys in our group that I haven't had a chance to meet. I followed the girls to our room, where our things and animals were already brought into. I walked over to my Hogwarts trunk and sat on the comfortable four poster bed. I looked around at the other girls who also went to their luggage and their beds.