Welcome All First Years! You’re in an antechamber to the Great Hall right now, and can click the link below whenever you like to get sorted. But before you do, know that you can always come here to this chat room/message board which is reserved for FIRST YEARS ONLY. (That is, if you're enrolled, you must still be a first year). If I see second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth or seventh years posting here, I’ll be…rather irate. And house points will be taken off.
Since this is a first-year-only area, I’ll talk to you a little about the school. You, obviously, don’t need to read this if you don’t want to. But it might help you feel a little more secure. The castle is built as faithfully as can be on four books’ knowledge to the original. The only difference is that here, things move around a lot less often. In fact, they don’t move at all (although I’m trying to find a way to have some stairways change on Fridays…let me know if you come up with an easy solution…). So it’s relatively easy to find your way around. The other benefit to having the school online is that if you find yourself down the wrong corridor, you can hit the “back” button, and only go three seconds out of your way. The bad news is, this site isn’t nearly as easy to navigate as others. There is no page titled “Classes,” followed by a list of links to go to various classes. You have to, instead, maneuver your way through corridors, and try to find your way around. This can be baffling at first. I trust that you will all find your way eventually. While you don’t have a house ghost to direct you, neither do you have Peeves to misdirect you. So…it’s probably a bit easier. Once you are sorted (see link), you will be given the password to your common room. Any time it changes, you will be informed. Other things may be password protected (for example, the Restricted Section of the library), and you may not enter without a very good reason. Don’t try.
Other explanations for first years: your books, which you purchased at Diagon Alley, are available in the Library. They too are password protected. If you threw out the list of passwords that you were sent (silly children), I can re-send them to you. The only way to access your books is to go to the library (which you have to find. A hint, though, it’s on the 5th floor), click on the book title, and enter the password.
Oh! One more thing. If you are starting in the middle of a six week period (find out what week of term it is in the Great Hall), you will remain a first year through that six week period and the next. You don’t have to be active in that interim, but we want to have classes graduating at the same time. So…if it’s two days after term starts, I’m incredibly sorry, but you’ll just get to be a first year for two years, and get even better oriented!
I suppose that’s all. Click on a link to go to either your message board, the chat, or to go be sorted! You can come back here for as long as you remain a first year, to either greet new ones at the chat or to just talk with others. Be each other’s support group. No one here is too far ahead of the pack. You can all help each other out. I hope you are cheerful about the start of a new year. All students should read the FAQ, but if you don’t want to now, I entirely understand. No doubt you are excited to be sorted. Now, off to be sorted. First year message board, or first year chat , or…
