The Diary of Rachel Lockhart (NEW)

September 1st

September 1st

Mood: Excited!

Ah, the start of a brand new term at Hogwarts looms and I have had no choice but to hop on the Hogwarts express with the students to make my way to the castle. Why, you ask? Well, while all the other witches and wizard staff are merrily hopping on brooms, apparating or using the Floo network to get there I find myself unable to do so since I don't actually know how to apparate (I know, how sad is that? It's basic knowledge when you reach a certain age, but I'll get to that later), my broom is out of action in a heap of mangled twigs after my oaf of a father sat on it and all our floo powder somehow ended up down our kitchen sink, blocking it horribly! So here I am, resigned to sit in the quietest cabin I could find to await our arrival at the castle. I felt a good way to pass the time would be to start writing in this diary. While I was at home mourning the loss of my broom and trying desperately to unclog our sink, I found this diary lying around in my room while searching for a book to fix both my dilemmas. To save it going to waste I decided to start using it. I'm not sure how long I'll keep it up for, but who knows... Maybe it'll be a useful outlet for me. They do say being a student relations advisor is not for the faint of heart, after all!

Sept 1st Cont: So I arrived at Hogwarts about half an hour ago to start my new job. While noisy and at times janky, the train was fantastic. I have always loved steam trains and this one was beautiful. (Even if there was a rather odd looking stain on the seat opposite me.) A few students were kind enough to say hello to me, but the majority seemed to be avoiding my compartment. I'm not sure why. Maybe because they didn't want to be seen with staff, or something. The train pulled up and I had only just noticed that it had gone completely dark outside! I have no idea where my head must have been at, as it didn't even feel as if I'd been aboard all that long either. I hopped onto the platform and followed everyone up to the castle. When I got here I was met by a couple of staff members who showed me to my new office. It was a cute little room with stone walls and hard wood floor. There were tapestries and heavy fabrics hanging from the walls to try and warm the room up and old Persian style rugs on the floor. Right in front of the door was a dark green velvetine couch with what looked like gold lions feet as the legs and the same type of green velvet on the two flat-looking cusions sat at each ends. Behind that was something I had a feeling I would be sat at for quite a number of hours each day during my time in the castle. My desk. It was dark hard wood and very old. Smelled like a mixture of ink, old parchment and some kind of floral polish. On it was a patch of brown leather on which to do work and in the front sides were a row of 3 drawers down each side with brass winged handles.

To the left and right of the door I entered the room through were old wooden bookcases stuffed with what I could only assume were a mixture of student mental health logs and psychology books. That and, of course, spell books to assist with mental health. Behind the desk was an old chair with red fabric coverings and gold gilding on the very top of the back. The back was shaped like three large mountain peaks, the middle being the tallest. Behind that was an old fireplace set into the wall with scorch marks and soot mottling it. On the mantle was an old dark wood clock, only it didn't seem to be telling the time at all! I looked at it again and noticed it was reading 'anxious'. I felt anxious, that was certainly true. It was then it dawned on me that it was one of those clocks that reads the general emotins of the room to help assist people understand others. I suppose it would come in useful with the more tight lipped students. In the far right corner set back into a little nook and surrounded by a big, heavy looking, red velvet curtain was my bed. It was a double four poster with two hard wood end tables either side and 3 small book shelves sat neatly above it in a little alcove. It sure looked inviting, but I knew I couldn't collapse into it just yet.

I looked at the small gilded window just beside it and let out a sigh. All I could see was darkness outside. I wish I'd have arrived in the day time so I could at least see where I was and get my bearings. I was feeling jittery enough about being new to the castle staff without the added bonus of not knowing where the heck I was even going or where I was! The castle, to me, has always been a mystery. I have no trouble admitting that I have just awful navigation skills. 

I suppose I had better change out of my travel clothes and into my evening attire. I hear there is a feast right after they sort the new first year students into their houses and I most certainly don't want to miss that! That is one thing I will never skip out on, or refuse - A bloody good meal!

In all honesty, I haven't the faintest idea what to wear. I don't really specialize in pretty clothes, I tend to just wear whatever I can find or whatever is the most practical. I'm most certainly not a fashion savvy witch, that's for certain! Ah well, I guess I'll shove my hand in my bag and wear whatever I drag out first. (I just hope that doesn't happen to be underwear, because that would go down a treat, right? Haha.)

I really am looking forward to meeting everyone here though. I think it'll make me feel less nervous as soon as I make some connections here. Obviously, I have been in touch with Albus who was kind enough to offer me this position in the first place, but the rest of the staff are all strangers to me. One student on the way out of the train did happen to warn me that I should watch out for a man called Severus Snape though, the Potions master. Apparently he's a nasty piece of work. I get on with just about anyone, regardless of how nasty others seem to see them though. I guess it's just down to my ability to see past the masks they wear. That, or I'm just crazy! Yes, that is probably it. I am crazy. They should lock me in St Mungo's and be done with me!

Oh gods, I hope there's chicken on the tables...