The Great Hall

He left the building quickly, feeling as though he was also leaving his life behind. Everything he'd ever known and lived for lay dead on the floor behind him.

Totally out of character:

Teddy bounced around the great hall in a pink tutu throwing glitter in the air and singing at the top of his lungs because the forum is fUCKING DEAD!

OOC Because we got to start somewhere....

---NEW CANON---

"See, there were these two men in a lunatic asylum and one night they decide they don't like living in an asylum any more. They decide they’re going to escape!" 

The group he was telling this to was already starting to crack smiles as he continued.

"So they get up on to the roof, and there, just across the narrow gap, they see the rooftops of the town, stretching away in moon light stretching away to freedom. Now the first guy he jumps right across with no problem. But his friend, his friend daren't make the leap. He's afraid of falling, you see."

The boy's body language started to get more wild, gesturing with his hands to emphasize certain points and acting out the parts of the men in the joke. 

"So then the first guy has an idea. He says "Hey! I have my flash light with me. I will shine it across the gap between the buildings. You can walk across the beam and join me." 

A few sparing snickers could be heard from his audience at the Slytherin table. And the boy was ready with his punch line with the expert delivery he was known for in his peer group, "But, the second guy just shakes his head and rolls his eyes. He says "What do you think I am, crazy? You would turn it off when I was half way across!"

The students in earshot burst in hilarity, even the teller. He was a tall boy, with brown hair unkempt and nearing his shoulders. A wide grin graced his face as he laughed at his joke. His brown eyes were alight with joy.

It was another year at Hogwarts for Bartemius Crouch Jr the IV. Like most of his prestigious family, he was typically referred to by his last name by friends and teachers. The sorting ceremony hadn't even begun yet but this hardly interested the young Slytherin. He was far too immersed in his social circle to pay even minimal attention to that.

'I swear, that is the only joke you know!' A girl on the edge of the group piped up, rolling her green eyes. But she was smiling- and it was a smile that shared a similarity with the joker, the only real resemblance between the two.

River was a year younger than him, and the excitement of the sorting at the start of each year was something she was still swept up in. Even as she spoke, her eyes travelled back to the old battered hat at the front of the stage.

'You know, the first time he told it to me, I had to tell him what a flash light even was? I mean, muggles don't even have lumos.' The end of her wand lit up as she span it around her fingers, and a few other students laughed. She had to restrain her own smiled- she had always lacked the charm her brother seemed to possess, and each laugh for her was a prize, a hope that she might be as popular as him one day. But for now, she was happy just annoying and attempting to embarrass him in front of everyone. 'I think you need some new material, Junior.'

Raven could hear the Slytherin's laughing all the way from the Ravenclaw table, but isn't THAT interested.  Ever since she was taken in from Hogwarts, she didn't really make many friends, unless you count some of the professors.  She had been enslaved by a snobby Death Eater her whole childhood after her parents... Passed... So naturally she had no where to go.  

With her natural black and purple hair, deep purple eyes, and extremely pale skin, a lot of people usually steer clear of her, almost always assuming she's some form of vampire.  But Raven doesn't really care.  She doesn't know people enough to like them.  Still, though, it does get lonely sometimes.

Crouch patted his sister on the shoulder, "Riv, you know if it isn't broke, you don't fix it!" As the light whizzed around her fingers, he put his arm up to shield his eyes for the light, "Besides, I may need more material, but you need more lessons!" He lightly mused with a smirk.

He ruffled her hair, "You need to get into the Slug Club one day too right?"

---

In terms of notoriety in the school, it went Flinch, Steven Strayer and McGonagal. The Ravenclaw prefect also sat by his lonesome, deeply immersed in 'A Guide to Magical Law'. 

He'd received the nickname of 'Crest' among his peers, as he was a crest of rules and order at the school. Even minor infractions didn't escape his notice. While this alienated him, he found himself preferring it. It gave him an outsider's perspective into their activities. Though he had to move like a shadow, as his presence held roughly the same levels of intimidation as the transfiguration teacher. 

With dark brown eyes that hid all the truth in the universe behind them, and a face that looked like it would crack if it ever moved, people indeed stayed clear of Crest Strayer.

She ducked away from his hand, hearing a few chuckles from the others around them, her cheeks reddening. 'I do not need lessons. I'm fine.' That was only partly a lie- she was a quick learner, but a bored one. She was only thankful she was a teachers pet in most lessons- if she wasn't she would always have been in detention.

'And the slug club isn't anything special. Otherwise you wouldn't be in it.'

Raven takes a glance at Crest, having always been curious about him. They're both lone wolves in this big magical school. As she's never truly socialized with anyone, she hasn't seen him do so either. She's always been curious, but not really brave enough to talk to anyone, let alone one of the scariest people in Ravenclaw.

She moves towards him, not completely knowing what she'll say when she reaches him.

"Oh don't be rude River. It's just a joke!" 

He smirked as he turned to his cohorts and whispered jokingly just loud enough for River to hear, "She wouldn't make it in the Slug Club."

---

Crest turned his gaze to the slow incremental movement toward him. His gaze was like getting hit with a blizzard, roaring with ferocity yet deathly quiet. 

And this blizzard kept on her, as though his mere stare was enough deterrent to force her away from him.

River's eyes narrowed as she scowled at her brother. The second he turned away, she had her wand back out, pointing it at his goblet and food and muttering a spell. She watched his drink freeze before carefully glancing up to check none of the teachers were watching. 

One was, but there was half a smile on his face as he turned back to whatever conversation they were having.

River slipped her wand back away and waited.

As much as the stare chilled Raven, she kept on walking.  After everything she's been through, all the hardship of witnessing her parents get murdered and then being abused and enslaved by a rich, spoiled Death Eater, nothing else compares, even the cold stare of an icy, solitary prefect. 

When she reaches him, she sits next to him, not so close that they're touching but not so far that they can't speak to each other.  She takes a deep breath, one of the first to actually talk to him willingly.  "Hi."

After a few moments of laughter he reaches for his drink. Having become accustomed to Ministry held events, it was difficult for Crouch to make the transition to any drinks below the top shelf. Transfiguring drinks was one bit of magic he intended to learn provided he had spare time though he'd have to be cautious. The last time he saw someone try to turn water into rum, it exploded.

He poured the cup toward him but was met only with a frozen cube. The surprise took him for only a moment before he turned to River, ignoring the laughter of his cohorts. "Really Riv? It's not bad enough I have to drink this shrill but you freeze it?" He asked with snarkiness. 

---

All she got in return was a sideways glance and a cold, "What do you want?" No one ever spoke to him of their own violation, but Crest prefered it that way. The dribble of small talk was comparable to a tooth extraction to him. He had a lot he needed to do to become a full auror and didn't have time for such things. Every second mattered.

She's far from offended by his coldness.  The both of them are social outcasts after all.  "I just thought since the both of us are always sitting alone, I'd brave actually sitting next to someone."

'Be thankful I only froze it.'

The others around them seemed to be settling in for this, some folding their arms, others resting elbows on the table, all eyes cheerful as they watched what would happen next. River saw some coins change hands- the first day of term and people were already betting on what would happen. She would have to push in and get her own cut before her brother used it as a business venture.

The exchange of galleons didn't go unnoticed by Crouch either. He had no true love of money, but something about the risk of winning or losing was what appealed to him. 

And it made his hands shake with excitement. He restrained himself though, slowly reaching for a small potion vial from his bag and poured it into his drink with a quick slight of hand to avoid it being noticed. 

After a casual sip from his cup, after unfreezing it of course, his hands stopped shaking and a pleasant, relieved smile returned to his face.

'Mungos orders.' He chided to himself in his mind before returning to pleasant conversation. 

"Looking to get in on that River?" He asked following her gaze.

---

His gaze turned away from her and returned to his studies. That was as close to permission as he would come. So long as she left him alone, he'd tolerate her proximity.

Raven opens her book, leaving Crest be for the time being.

She's reading a book on the Dark Arts, having a particular interest for it.  She doesn't know why though.  Perhaps she draws understanding from her dark past?  It's hard to tell.  Raven can be quite curious, sometimes getting the urge to try out some of these forbidden spells... And use them on Archibald.

She smiled slowly. 'You know... we could fix it.'

Her brothers friends- and even her own- always underestimated her. Because she was the younger sibling, the quieter one. She didn't have the charisma he did, but she had never cared about that. Not when she had her mind.
 
She lent into him so the other wouldn't hear. 'They make too much money on us. Maybe we ought to use their love for a bet to get us both the money without them knowing.' 

It wouldn't take too much- the siblings constant bickering was well known. But so was their friendship under the arguing.

Crouch found himself snickering mischievously, "And people say I'm the true Slytherin in the family..." He extended a hand to shake hers with as a smirk stayed on his face.

---

Crest was this close to paying her no attention at all... until he saw the cover. 

That book specialized in the dark arts. He would know. He's been through the library enough times to recount most of the books in there. 

His eyes moved up to Raven's face, as though branding the details into his mind. She could prove to be trouble later...

Raven looks back at him.  His lack of emotion makes it hard to read him.  "Is there something you want to say?"

'You have the ambition. I have the cunning.' A pause. 'And the brains.'

"Oh River, my dear deluded sibling..." He shook his head with mocking sympathy.

---

He stays silent, his gaze staying on her for several moments. Confident he'd memorized each feature, his eyes returned to his book.

Raven knows he's cold and suspicious, but that seemed... Very weird. "Are you sure you have nothing to say?"

'Harsh, brother.' A gentle laugh. 'but I'm right. Isn't that why you let me annoy you all the time?'

"No, we have a little thing called blood to blame for that." He joked as he patted her head. "But anyway, let's take these saps for what they got..." He resolved, smirking at her mischievously. 

---

Silence.

Though his eyes weren't on her, the cogs in his brain were clearly turning. He didn't even seem to draw notice that the sorting ceremony had now concluded, such was the intensity of his focus.