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(Mark) Lazy Day
Author: Isolde
Date: 01-31-08 17:14
After waking up extremely late and thereby missing breakfast in the Great Hall, Mark went to the pureblood only common room to get a bite to eat. He hadn't slept particularly terribly during the night, but he had dreamt quite a lot and therefore felt somewhat groggy and lazy. One fairly amusing dream had been about Professor Snider. She'd sprouted whiskers and fur to match the hair over her lip and her startlingly thick unibrow. She'd also grown two furry ears and a long, bushy tail. Professor Snider had also done something quite unusual, but then what wasn't unusual in dreams? She'd given birth to a litter of cats!
Mark snickered at the thought of Furball, Whiskers and Snider Jr., but quickly wiped the grin from his face. Snider had just walked in to the common room and made eye contact with him. For a moment, Mark felt as if Snider had read his mind, but her gaze lingered only for a second before she looked elsewhere. He breathed a silent sigh of relief and looked away from her, concentrating instead of his breakfast.
Snider came into the common room every once in a while. Mark thought she often cramped the styles of the students who didn't want any sort of adult supervision while they relaxed and enjoyed themselves, but adults generally didn't think the same way as young folk. Mark wondered if she'd reached some sort of decision regarding the P.U.R.E. organization she'd posted flyers for just one week ago. Mark, of course, had signed himself up. The flyers had said nothing about age or year, so Mark thought he was probably eligible for whatever Snider expected of her group. The only requirement seemed to be one's bloodline anyway.
Snider only did a quick circuit around the room and then left. Mark shrugged to himself, not worrying about it. These days he mainly kept to himself. Ever since Gus got demoted from pure to non, they didn't hang out anymore. They didn't share a dorm room or take the same classes. They didn't sit at the same table in the Great Hall. Mark wasn't too upset about the changes, though. He was still a pureblood, and that was all that mattered.
Just Before Time To Go
Author: Brett Kingston
Date: 01-31-08 18:28
Brett uses his wand to carefully place a very small piece of the model he's working on, holding his breath until the piece is in place and the glue holds. Only then does Brett move in to the next tiny piece. The large and medium pieces of the model were completed last night. This morning and sometime this afternoon, Brett hopes to make a dent in all the small pieces to be added as well as deciding on what sort of faux landscaping he wants. The project is due on Tuesday and Brett would very much like to be completely done by lunch tomorrow. That will give him some breathing room from the project so that when he looks at it again sometime Monday he'll have a fresher eye to spot anything that needs to be fixed or tweaked.
The time this morning until this afternoon that Brett won't be spending on the model will be spent partly at Hogwarts watching Orei in the Gryffindor-Hufflepuff match and partly at Australia's and Yurie's. They're going to be at the game too and Brett's greatly looking forward to spending time with his sister and brother-in-law. The plan to yell themselves hoarse rooting for Orei and the Gryffindor team.
Something else Brett's looking forward to is the end of Hilary Term. It end on the 15th, only ten days away. Brett has no written final exams but he does have plenty of projects and papers due. After a break of slightly more than a month, it's back to Fancourt College for Trinity Term, Brett's last at St. Emrys. The term will be even more project crammed than this one has been but Brett feels all the hard work will be worth as he's already got some job offers to consider.
Brett's not sure if he wants to accept any of them as they are all in Great Britain and if things keep on as they have been, he's not sure he wants to live here anymore. He's been looking at job openings back in Canada, where he lived before transferring to Hogwarts, and in the US. Brett's a pureblood, at least by the current definition, but he doesn't like what's going on; doesn't think that he should get deferential treatment simply because he's a Pure. Worse is that the Nons are more and more being treated like they aren't worth dirt.
Standing up straight and stretching, Brett checks the time. He goes to shower and put on fresh clothes, as he was still wearing the same ones from last night. As he cleans up, Brett tries to think about happier, more positive things so that he doesn't arrive in Hogsmeade frowning. He sees Aussie, Yurie, and Orei little enough as it is without showing up in a bad mood.
Busy Day
Author: Oreileah McCoi
Date: 02-01-08 12:51
Orei sighed as she left her dorm room and headed down to the great hall, she had her fifth apparition lesson this morning, and then there was the quidditch game between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. She was dreading having to go out in the cold, but being the House team's seeker, she kinda had to be there. Not to mention, she'd get to spend time with Brett, Aussie and her husband. She'd managed apparition during the third lesson and had used the last one and this one as practice, because quite frankly she wants to pass her exam when it comes time.
She tugged her hand through her hair, wishing she'd put it up before she'd come down for the lesson. She'd most definitely be putting it up for the game, because despite the fact that it was chilly out, she didn't need it getting in her way when she was trying to find the snitch.
For now, her concentration was on the hoops in front of her. Eyes closing, picturing the hoop directly across from her and with a double pop she would disappear from one hoop and reappear in the other. She'd managed not to splice herself, which was good. She thought about leaving the lesson early, wanting to get a few minutes to herself before the insanity that would be the quidditch match began later today.
After gaining permission to leave the lesson a little early, she headed up to the Pures only commons and grabbed a bite to eat, rarely was she in there as she was usually hanging out with Maddie, Tidus, and Artemis as well as Isma and that particular group of first years, and they were generally in the common commons or sitting outside when they weren't having class and all.
Orei headed out to the pitch after she got something to eat and tugged her hair up. She wanted some time before things started getting crazy to think about a few things. She still had another year at Hogwarts...which sucked royally especially if Dumbledore wasn't back any time soon. She knew Brett had one more term at St. Emry's and then he was done...what would that do to them? They saw little of each other as it was, but after that...She shook her head and ducked into the locker room and set about getting herself ready for the game.
Another Life Sentence
Author: Ethan Somerset
Date: 02-01-08 18:10
Ethan rested his arms on the crossbar of the front of his prison cell and sighed wistfully. Back in Azkaban again. The last time he'd been within these walls as an actual prisoner had been nearly four years ago! Ethan could hardly believe it had been that long since Kep-Tian Zhongxun, disguised as James Yao, kidnapped Ethan from the wizarding fortress. However, it hadn't quite been four years since Ethan had been cleared of all charges––a temporary thing at that.
After his arrest two weeks ago, Ethan had spent time in one of the Ministry holding cells while awaiting his trial. It came swiftly, just under a week later.
His trial had been just as speedy. It lasted a mere fifteen minutes, with Ethan's charges read before the court (a fairly lengthly list), a vote among the members of the Wizengamot as to whether Ethan were guilty or not (guilty, of course), and the final judgment: life in prison.
Ethan snickered. The last time he'd been handed that sentence, he'd gotten out less than a year later. Somehow he didn't think he'd be so lucky the second time. Not as long as Euphemia Smythe-Jones ran the Ministry of Magic, at any rate.
He palmed his face with his hand. Just over a week in Azkaban and already going batty.
The same evening of the trial, Hit Wizards escorted Ethan to Azkaban. They'd led him through corridors Ethan couldn't remember from his original term, but then again, the corridors always changed at Azkaban, so how could he remember where he'd once walked?
Things were familiar and foreign at the same time. He remembered the guards posted everywhere in the building. He remembered the plain black robes he wore day in and day out. He remembered the gruel he ate for nearly every meal.
Ethan's cell wasn't the same one he'd once inhabited. His had been the last cell on the right side of a corridor in a different cell block (at least, he thought he was in a different cell block these days--they all looked the same), and Nero Noir had been his neighbor. Now Ethan had one close to the beginning of a corridor, just a few cells down from the entrance to the cell block.
One of his former students, Siegfried Dewhurst, occupied the very first cell across the corridor. Maverick Pilot, someone Ethan hadn't spoken with in years, also had one across the hall, several cells to Ethan's right. Ethan and Maverick spoke a little bit, and for the first time in quite friendly terms. Like all the members of Project 25, Maverick was a changed wizard without Lord Voldemort's enchantment hanging over his head.
The rest of the Project 25ers were in other cell blocks. Ethan wondered if he would ever get to see them. He didn't think he knew anyone else in Azkaban, as most of the people he'd put in prison in recent years had gone free for a bizarre reason he'd yet to understand. Unfortunately, he had a sinking feeling that more good witches and wizards would wind up behind bars before long.
Focus
Author: Sage Porter
Date: 02-01-08 18:18
Sage notices Oreileah McCoi leaving the Great Hall and can't help but wonder why she's allowed to do that when she didn't appear to be ill nor had she so badly splinched she got hysterical like a few have done. Sage wishes he could go on and leave. He's not feeling all that well and he need to reserve energy for today's Quidditch match. Even if he's just the Keeper and not flying all over the pitch, Sage wants to be at full strength. That's not going to be easy to achieve when focusing on apparating without splinching requires the very energy he'll need soon in the game.
Briefly Sage considers asking to also be excused. Yaxley is standing slightly to the side observing at the moment so Sage thinks it highly unlikely he'd be allowed to leave early. Aaron, whom Sage still considers to be his brother-in-law even if the Ministry doesn't, is both a half-blood and on the old staff. Sage's sister Saffron is also old staff plus, as far as Yaxley's concerned, had the bad taste to marry the son of a Squib and a Muggle. The fact that a Non student, Georgia Copperpot, seems to think she's Sage's girlfriend most likely adds a third mark against him in Yaxley's eyes.
No. Sage can't see being excused early despite not feeling well and having to play in today's match.
At least there's one thing Yaxley nor Snider can hold against Sage for much longer. In two weeks, well fifteen days, Sage will turn 17. Any lingering issues of him under the guardianship of someone other than his father, whom the headmistress and her deputy headmaster apparrently hold in high regard, will no longer matter. Sage will be a legal adult.
A sharp poke in Sage's ribs gets his attention. Hufflepuff House head Theodosia Batuti gives Sage a stern look. "You need to focus, Mr. Porter. You're facing the wrong way. Your hoop is that way."
Sage feels his cheeks grow hot as he mumbles an apology and turns around to where he can see his hoop. He blushes even more when Coach Batuti comments, "If your attention wanders so easily today, Gryffindor might expect to score a number of goals off you."
Apologizing again, Sage makes himself listen to Professor Twycross repeated yet again the apparation mantra of the three Ds.
Point Made
Author: Pyrrhus
Date: 02-02-08 11:21
Pyrrhus picks up the cup of tea his mother's just poured for him. He watches Eliza as she pours her own cup then stirs in cream. Py starts to take a sip of his tea but puts it aside, asking, "Why do you still pretend to be married? You're free now without any legal problems hindering you."
Eliza fixed Py with a look that he finds uncomfortable. It's not a hard stare and there is no anger in it. It's more of a look of pity.
"Paul and I have been married just over twenty-four years. We've been a couple for nearly twenty-six and a half years. I love him just as much now as I did then. No, that's not true. I love him more. So tell me, Pyrrhus, why would I embrace the Ministry's law that proclaims your father's and my marriage invalid?"
"Because Dad's Muggle born."
"That's the only reason you can give? I suppose you think George should boot Majandra out since their marriage has been invalidated as well and she's a half-blood; and that George should have sole custody of Miranda, who is also considered a Non since so far no one's been able to find out who her biological parents are. You seem to adore Miranda and she you yet you would have her parents living apart and Miranda living only with George."
Py opens his mouth to speak but Eliza plows on. "What about your grandparents? Going to cut them out of your life? Or will you let them be part of it still as long as they continue giving you money and gifts? When you were at Hogwarts, you were such the hypocrite, you know. Much of that time thinking you were a half-blood but hating anyone you considered to be of lesser blood, and all the while greedily taking whatever money and presents your Muggle grandparents sent.
What of your teammates who are Muggle born and half-bloods? I seem to recall you were extremely upset when one of them was viciously attacked. You were, weren't you?"
Py isn't sure he's supposed to actually answer. His mum has thrown out several questions but never let him actually answer. He figures this is the same so says nothing only to have Eliza prompt, "Well, weren't you?"
"Yes, Mum, I was."
"What if Isolde walked in right now and told you she'd found out she's a Non? Would you leave her? Kick her out of the home you've made together? You could you know. The Ministry would side with you if she wanted her to move out and she didn't want to be the one moving."
"Of course I wouldn't leave Isolde! I wouldn't care what her status was. If Isolde told me right this second she's a Non, I'd still want to marry her and raise a family."
Eliza picks up her tea and sits back, a smug expression replacing the pitying one. Py reaches for his own tea. "I take your point, Mum. No matter what, you are going to stand by Dad and consider yourselves married. Not every Pure has found the new Ministry policies liberating and when you put things in terms of a what if for Isolde and me, I would be one of the Pures ignoring the policies too. Do you have to look so smug?"
Eliza's face breaks into a smile. She motions to a plate, "Care for a sugar biscuit?"
Embarrassed
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 02-02-08 17:33
Hermione removed a dirty bandage from an unconscious woman who'd been mauled by an unidentified creature and busied herself with cleansing the wound and then binding it with a fresh bandage. She tried not to think about the somewhat terrifying and extremely humiliating events of last weekend, when she'd been stopped in the middle of Diagon Alley by Bellatrix Lestrange. The uneasiness had mostly worn off, but the embarrassment remained as strong as ever. Hermione absolutely hated being made a fool of in front of a crowd. She would never forget the feeling of everyone watching her get taunted by Bellatrix and her husband Rodolphus.
Hopefully, she'd never run into either Lestrange again, and if she were to, she'd hold her own much better.
She threw herself back into her clinicals, studying hard and nonstop as she was always wont to do. Hermione had heard the rumors of St. Emrys officially restructuring itself like Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic had. She wondered if and when St. Mungo's would follow suit. Hermione hoped never, but somehow she doubted her wish would come true.
She finished treating her patient and then stepped out of the room to take a fifteen minute break. Hermione met all but one of her classmates upstairs in the Tea Room.
"Where's Fletcher?" she asked, sliding into an empty seat next to Imogene. Someone pushed an empty teacup and saucer towards her. She poured herself a cup from the steaming pot at the center of the table.
"Dunno," Orson said. "Haven't seen him for hours."
"Really?" Hermione asked. "He hasn't been working?"
"He was here this morning," Caldonia said, "but I haven't seen him in ages either."
"Speak of the devil," Orson said.
Fletcher had just come into the Tea Room looking a little worse for wear. His skin was pale, almost transparent, and shiny. He had bags under his eyes.
"All right, mate?" Orson asked, making room for Fletcher at the table.
Fletcher pulled a chair over from a nearby table and winced as he sat. "Just a rough day."
"Tough case? Pye give you a hard time?" Orson questioned, wanting to hear of someone having a harder time than him.
"You could say that," Fletcher said. He waved his hand to draw the conversation away from him and said, "What about you lot? Any good cases?"
They all talked about their patients in turn, and before long, their fifteen minute break was over and they had to return to work.
Art Encounter
Author: Griffin Price
Date: 02-02-08 18:32
Thanks to his mother Susannah, Griffin has a love of art. It's that love that has him visiting a new exhibit at the Zelda Shimpling Art Museum in Sheffield. Griff's mother had owned a Zelda Shimpling, now in storage with most of the rest of his family's belongings, and had wanted to visit the museum named in honor of the artist. Susannah Price never made it to the museum before she was killed. Walking along looking at each of the works on display, Griff feels a pang that he's here but his mother is not and will never be.
Griff enters the gallery where the new exhibit is showing. Each painting is of the same wooded stretch along a river but each is painted by a different artist and every season is represented. Griff finds himself drawn to one in particular. It's a winter scene and there's a deer flitting in and out of the painting. It will cautiously enter the picture and approach the icy river only to be startled as someone in the gallery moves.
"I feel as though I could step right into the scene, landing right behind that tree to watch the deer moving down to take a drink."
Griff glances at the woman who's just spoken. He stiffens slightly at the sight of Minister of Magic Euphemia Smythe-Jones. She turns her head slightly to look at him. "Is this one your favorite?"
Griff could let her first remark go without answering as it wasn't necessarily aimed specifically at him. It could have been taken as a thought spoken aloud. He can't ignore the second ting she's said as it's a question directed at him.
"Of the ones I've seen so far, yes, ma'am, this is my favorite."
"I know you, don't I? Ah yes," the Minister's voice drops and she takes a couple of side steps toward Griff. "You did the Hogwarts job."
"Yes, Minister, I did."
"We aren't utilizing you at the moment, are we? I've not read any reports mentioning you."
Griff asks, "Should we be speaking of this in so public a place?"
"We won't be specific."
"Then no, ma'am. I'm not being utilized at the moment. I have been doing some work in the law enforcement department and have been doing a great deal of archiving and clerical type work for...," Griff's not sure what to call the black ops division so ends up finishing by saying, "for the ones I'm on payroll for."
"What a shame. You must be restless, though I suppose the law enforcement duties do fill the void somewhat."
"I'm actually thinking of changing jobs altogether."
"Really? Why is that? What is your named again? Something Price I seem to recall."
"Griffin Price. I'm thinking of changing because I have a young son."
"I have a son so I quite understand. You want safety and security so that you will be around to watch your son grow up."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Should you decide you want a position in law enforcement, even as an Auror, or should you decide to pursue a position in another department, do let me know. Or, if you decide to continue with your current job, I can arrange to have you put on a new assignment."
"Thank you, Minister."
Minister Smythe-Jones spreads her arms to encompass the entire special exhibit gallery. "These are all for sale, you know. If you can afford it, snap up this little number. It's fabulous and will undoubtedly sale quickly. Nice to see you, Mr. Price."
The Minister of Magic walks off to view another painting, leaving Griff to wonder why she would have shown any interest in him at all let alone offer to see to it that he gets a Ministry position or a new black ops assignment.