Split Into Groups
Quinn looked around, pretending not to know which table was his, and then spotted Penelope who waved him over. With a smile he slotted down right next to her, barely noticing the glare he got from a certain redhead on another table. He in fact reacted as soon as Quinn struck up conversation with Penelope outside, even though it wasn't anything personal or anything.
The head girl spoke up. "Okay, glad we're all here. Most years there are a couple who don't show up for one reason or another. I must inform you that it will only be two days of actual proper kickoff activities ordered by the school. The rest of the time will be...a rite of passage of sorts. We have to shape you all into proper prefect after all" at this she glanced around the room but Quinn was certain she gave him a wink.
The head boy took over "Let's get into this before I get too hungry. There will be rules today with team exercises, tomorrow we will go through patrols and with that we will talk about secret passages and passwords to different rooms. Know that after this, you're allowed to go home if you don't want to stay for the fun stuff. Nobody's forcing you. But.." there was a glint in both of the head's eyes "we highly recommend you stay."
The first few hours were boring readings of different rules. There was rarely much to consider or question at all. "But what about Mr. Quirrell's robes? That can't be allowed right?" Quinn smirked at the one who asked the question. 'Percy Weasley, were you trying to get all eyes on me?' was what he thought as he answered the question. "I think you'll find that this is just a transfigured robe and it keeps its theme anyway. So it's perfectly fine." The head girl, whose name Quinn had to learn, gave him a smile and then turned her head towards Percy with a slight sneer. "What he said is indeed true. It is rarely used since you have to keep transfiguring the robes every day, and if you mess up you have to wear faulty robes for the rest of the year, but if you're insistent on keeping a certain style then it's fine."
Percy sat down and sulked a little when they started going over the rest of the rules.
A few hours later and it was time for some team exercises. True kick-off style. The head boy, Ben was probably his name, stood up and held a large urn. "I've put all our names in this urn and as soon as I use the specific word, it'll split us up into five groups for the following activities. Yes, that means that one of us will be joining you. We actually brought an alumni to keep track of score and rules." He raised his hand towards the doors to the great hall. "Meet Chester Davies, the head boy of 1986-87!" A small applause was given to the man who bowed at the attention.
He was a skinny black-haired and pale boy. He had a certain charm to him which was probably attributed to his smile really. When they quietened down, he started speaking. "Thank you, thank you. I've taken some time off work to come over here and help you lot. I was once a prefect just like you, then became head boy and I'm currently trying to rise in the ministry. This is an excellent way for you all to make plenty of friends. I still keep in contact with many of the fellow prefects I met during my time and I even met my current girlfriend Angelica Cole. She was in fact the head girl to my head boy during my final year." He chuckled as the head boy and girl clearly avoided his gaze at that comment. There was always a bit of pressure on the head boy and girl to start dating if they were both single.
"But back to business. Ben! Get that urn to sort this out." Ben nodded and picked up the urn. "I don't actually know if this makes a difference but if what I've been told is correct, we all have to touch it and it chooses the teams based on destiny herself." He grinned at that. Although most looked sceptical, one after the other they all touched the urn. When it was Quinn's turn he knew he felt something. It wasn't a complete hoax but he wondered what that actually was. He felt a pull of some sorts, perhaps a small intrusion in his mind but nothing major. Then Ben placed the urn on the floor and spoke "Pungent!"
With that, small pieces of paper flew out of the urn and made laps around the room. Quinn just loved magic. The small pieces seemed to be playing in the air around them before they joined together in groups and placed themselves on one table each. Now, a strip of paper laid on each house table and one on the head table. One paper flew back into the urn, Ben picked up this one first and read out "Ben Turner. It seems I'm out of the games!" He still smiled but there was a bit of hesitation there, it seemed like he wanted to play as well.
One by one the groups were read out and Quinn didn't really listen at all until he heard his own name being read from the paper on the head table. "Quinn Quirrell, Penelope Clearwater, Jasper Court, Violet Brown and our beloved Head Girl Priscilla Travers!" Quinn was incredibly happy for his group. Perhaps lady destiny was looking out for him after all.
A piece of parchment was given to each group with small activities and things to talk about. They'd have to start by getting to know each other. First subject of discussion was an introduction. Quinn decided to go ahead. After having dreams filled with American English he was sure he could pull off Englishman who've spent a lot of time in America by now. "Alright everyone. I'm Quinn Quirrell, the younger brother of your ex-teacher. Don't worry about mentioning him, I've had time to deal with that." He gave them a reassuring smile as it was clear they wanted to ask away. "Wait 'til I'm done though." He winked at Penelope as she seemed a bit too urgent to get information.
"I was shipped off to the States when I was younger and have been tutored by the wandmaker Shikoba Wolfe ever since. Lovely old man, I'll never forget him. He died just a few weeks after my brother, and that's why I'm here!" He smiled despite the clearly saddening facts told. "Flitwick grabbed me as soon as I got here and recruited me to be a Ravenclaw prefect. He gets excited easily doesn't he?" At that he lightened the mood a little. "Afraid you won't see me much in class even if you're in my year as I've got a few OWLs and NEWTs already but I'll be around, Hogwarts won't let me leave." He winked at them.
"I haven't spent much time with other people in many years so take care of me" he bowed his head a little "But I like to grasp opportunities, to learn magnificent magics and most of all I love attention so please indulge me." At that last joke he finally got rid of the heavy air around the group and they chuckled. A couple of questions were sent his way straight away. Priscilla was first to go. "I've heard you managed to get Poppy to take you as an apprentice, is that true?" Quinn's face lit up "I didn't know she said yes yet! But I did ask her. A lovely young woman, that. I've been spending the summer here and we hit it off fairly well." He wondered how she heard about it before him but let it go as it might be a reason to strike up conversation with her later.
She raised her eyebrow but was settled by the answer. Penelope was next. "What happened to your brother? Also what do you mean you've got a few NEWTs?" She looked anticipatory at him. Seems like the story in the prophet wasn't enough. "He was possessed all year and then he was freed by a man I feel quite indebted to." Quinn smiled at her since she was a bit hesitant after having asked about his dead brother.
"About the NEWTs. I've got nine." That broke the people around him. They were stunned so he went on. "All seven basics and divination and muggle studies. Boy am I glad I don't have to redo those.." Priscilla licked her lips as she looked at him, probably subconsciously. Those clear blue eyes were looking right into his own, duller blue ones. He felt like a prey being hunted by the way she looked at him..but it wasn't really a displeasing feeling at this point. "I'll be in the fifth year here anyway though."
Last but not least, Violet asked her question. "What's your favourite spell?" She gave him a warm smile. This girl seemed to keep a lot of warm energy inside her rather plump body. Nothing wrong with a bit of flesh to grab, Quinn thought for a second before he shook it off and thought about the question.
"It's going to have to be one of two. The cheering charm for its obvious effect and protego diabolica. The second one I will probably not show you though." He gave her a gentle smile as she was surprised at the mention of the second spell. "Enough about me, what about you all?"
A/N: As one of you has pointed out. He's not really acting like himself. He's portraying the person he wished he was. This isn't all that rare among people who try to change things they don't like about themselves. So thinking about that, he's not fully comfortable playing this character for now. Maybe one day he'll turn into the person he's portraying, or maybe it'll come crashing down as it's too hard to keep up a mask. We'll see.