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What's That?
Author: Jet
Date: 11-28-08 19:54
Well pleased with another successful trial of his Blood Hound device, Jet returns to the Ministry to finish up some real Ministry work then leaves the building by an exit that's just a block off a busy Muggle thoroughfare. He's wearing navy, wool slacks and a thick, yellow and navy woolen sweater, as well as a heavy coat, gloves, ear muffs, and scarf. Despite being bundled up the cold still bites through, making Jet glad that he's not far from a Tube station.
Although he's certain no one's followed him from the Ministry, Jet is careful to check before ducking into the Underground. While it's nearly impossibly not to have to navigate through Muggle filled streets, it's quite another thing to be caught purposely taking a Muggle mode of transporation such as the Underground.
Jet has to switch lines to reach his destination of the Oxford Circus station in the heart of Soho. On the street again, Jet goes from Oxford Street to nearby Great Malborough Street. The Courthouse Doubletree isn't difficult at all to locate and once inside, it only takes him a moment to get oriented and on his way to the meeting room. The hotel seems very posh, making Jet glad he's wearing a decent pair of slacks and his best winter coat.
There are a few people mingling around in the meeting room, some of them holding plates of food. Jet quickly spots a buffet table laden with a variety of breakfast and brunch type items. From the looks of the brunch buffet alone, Jet surmises that some members of the Resistance have very deep pockets. Probably a good thing too because he seriously doubts the Ministry would ever think that the villians in their eyes are meeting in such pricey digs.
Jet fixes himself a plate, gets something to drink, then sits in one of the chairs arranged in neat, even rows facing a podium. Mouth full of Scotch egg, Jet's tinkering with the Blood Hound device when someone sits in the seat to his right. He glances over but at first it doesn't register who the person is.
It's not until Hermione Granger asks, "What's that, Jet?"
"Oh, sorry. Didn't realize who was sitting there, Hermione. You being who you are, I shouldn't be surprised that you'd show up at one of these things." Jet does a quick look around, almost of the fervent he's guilty of something type, then dropping his voice tells her, "It's an invention of mine. Tentative name is Blood Hound. Using a combination of charms and spells along with something of a person, it tracks the person down."
"Something of a person, such a hair?"
"Yes, exactly."
"Do you have a particular person in mind to track down?"
"Once I'm done with the field trials, yes. I don't think I have to say whom that would be."
"You have sample of Dumbledore's?"
Jet shakes his head, then pushes shaggy hair out of his eyes. "Not yet. Do you? It doesn't have to be hair."
"Sorry, no. Would you like a sample of my hair or whatever to do another test with? I could give you one and then you could give me say an hour before trying to locate me."
"That would be excellent. We'd need to go to a Wizarding location so that the Ministry doesn't detect any magic used. Want to do it now or after the meeting?"
Countdown
Author: Johanna Steele
Date: 11-29-08 06:35
Although things at Happy Haven continued to be bad, the hope of a breakout was making Johanna and all of the other students to continue with their chores and classes.
She looked to the professors and the members of the staff and tried to memorize their faces. “I’ll kill you all!” she thought. At this moment she just wanted revenge.
Felicia didn’t have the same opinion. She was worried about where she was going to stay after they left Happy Haven.
“I don’t know if they’re watching my parents. So when we breakout where should I go?”
“Hush Felicia! They’ll hear you!”
“Not with those two arguing!” said Gus.
Johanna looked around. It was Griet Vanderbilt, chaser from Slytherin when she was at Hogwarts and a boy also from her old house.
They continued walking leaving the pair alone.
When the next day arrived Johanna made another cross on a paper she kept on her pocket. It was one more day she spent in that hell and one last day till the breakout.
Talking to Jet
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 11-29-08 07:15
Hermione had split most of her time between France and Spain, though she'd made a few trips to her home country in recent weeks. Like a few others, she'd gotten the opportunity to see the home Neville's contact was providing the Order. She'd also made an effort to attend some of the Resistance meetings, including the one this morning at the Courthouse Doubletree.
She looked at her watch. The meeting would start in fifteen minutes.
Hermione turned back to Jet and said in response to his question, "Let's do it afterwards. I'm very interested to know what progress has been made with the Resistance since the last meeting I attended." The air in the room had definitely turned in recent times from one of uncertainty and fear to one of confidence and hope. Moods improved with the knowledge that good things had already happened and that more would follow.
"Have you thought of a way to get a sample of Dumbledore's?" Hermione asked.
"Ideally, I have to get to where his things are."
"At Hogwarts."
"Yes," Jet nodded, "but I'm not sure how easy it would be, even for me, to get into the castle without a legitimate reason for being there."
Hermione mulled over Jet's words for a moment and imagined the layout of the castle in her mind. There were so many rooms and corridors of which she had no knowledge.
"I don't even know where Dumbledore kept his quarters," she murmured after a long pause.
Jet shook his head. "Neither do I, but we know where he spent most of his days."
"His office."
"Yes."
Hermione nodded her head slowly. "Assuming the new Headmistress hasn't changed everything, you'll find something of Dumbledore's there... but that doesn't answer the question of how to get into the castle."
She took a sip of orange juice and then stated, "Secret passageways. There's one that leads from the cellar of Honeydukes. Of course with Honeydukes being closed, it might be difficult getting to that one. The one from the Shrieking Shack only goes to the Whomping Willow and not into the castle itself. With an invisibility cloak, I'm sure it's doable, but having been in close contact with the Whomping Willow before, I don't really recommend it."
She fell silent, and Jet didn't say anything for a long time.
"Say," he started, as an idea slowly came to mind, "isn't it the time of year for apparition lessons at Hogwarts?"
"I do believe they start in February, yes," Hermione said, not yet understanding what he was getting at, but realization quickly dawned. "Oh! That's brilliant, Jet!"
She grinned at him, but neither said anything else because the meeting was about to begin.
Second Apparition Lesson - Work Best Done Sober (AJ)
Author: Furnella Hodfuffer
Date: 11-30-08 08:30
AJ checks to make sure Freya Abbott hasn't splinched any of her toes like she thought. It was just part of one shoe that got splinched. Resuming his position alongside Kissy, Theodosia, and Jolyon, AJ holds back a snigger when Ryland Yaxley moans, "He's going to say the three Ds again, isn't he?"
Jolyon and Theodosia had joined Declan, AJ, and Kissy going out last night. As a result they have not had to ask this morning what Yaxley's problem is; not even when Yaxley went to correct a splinch by Tranquillina Aemilius only to end up splinching more of her instead.
Ryland was so busy boisterously talking about himself and how the others have to kowtow to him that he didn't notice just how many drinks the others were keeping him supplied with. He was good and well falling down drunk before any of the others even had a slight buzz. They were going to leave him at one pub but Theodosia pointed out that while he couldn't attribute his getting drunk to them, he'd know they'd left him. Yaxley would make their lives miserable once he made his way back.
A loud series of POPs fill the air as the apparition students make another attempt. AJ has to look away from Yaxley when the sound causes the man to cringe to the point he puts fingers in his ears. "I never noticed how loud apparating can be until this morning," Yaxley groans. "Are we nearly done?"
"Just a bit longer," AJ gleefully replies, slapping Yaxley on the back, and choking back another snigger when the jolting movement has Yaxley wincing again.
Enough students need assistance that Yaxley must again provide help. While aiding Rosalinda Yorke, AJ keeps an eye on Yaxley who's right next to him with Isabel Parker. Isabel comments, "You don't look very well this morning, Professor Yaxley."
"Please don't raise your voice. Splitting headache."
AJ has to look away, covering a snort as a cough when Isabel says just slightly louder, "Oh, that's too bad," then turns her head towards Rosalinda and mouths, "Good."
After having Rosalinda wiggle the two fingers she'd splinched, AJ double checks that Yaxley put Isabel back together properly then clapping the man on the back again, walks with Yaxley to the side, a little loudly saying, "Had a jolly good time last night, Ryland. We should do it again. Tonight perhaps? Never figured you were the Captain Electron underwear type."
After The Meeting
Author: Jet
Date: 11-30-08 09:09
During the meeting, Jet has to force himself to pay attention. It's difficult though because his mind's already going over the logistics of getting into Dumbledore's office or, even better, getting into his personal quarters. He realizes he's been lost in thought a few minutes when Minerva McGonagall's name is mentioned.
Blinking, Jet shoves the plan into a recess of his brain, listening closely for whatever it was that had Professor McGonagall's name being said. He finally whispers to Hermione, "What was that about McGonagall?"
"She's been rescued and is recovering from her ordeal at a prison called Goen Bren. She's given a great deal of information about it."
"Excellent news." Something else important is being said so Jet shuts up and puts extra effort into listening to everything else discussed.
When things wrap, Jet says to Hermione, "Want to eat something from the buffet before we do this?"
"Maybe a little something more."
They both make a selection from the buffet, each being greeted by others who'd attended the Resistance meeting, Hermione more than Jet. Much more. He goes and sits down back where he'd been during the meeting and when Hermione joins him she promptly asks, "How do you want to do this? Should I give you a few strands of hair?"
"That works well," he nods. "Then after you finish eating, you leave and I'll give you a full hour. Or would you prefer an hour and a half or longer?"
"An hour's fine. How long do you expect to take to locate me?"
Jet mulls it over before saying, "I don't think it should be above another hour."
"How about I give you two?"
"I have full confidence in Blood Hound but should something go wrong, would you like to meet somewhere when the three full hours are up?"
Hermione's the one mulling things over now. She thinks a moment then asks, "Are you familiar with the British Museum?"
"I've heard of it but don't know where it is."
"Do you know anything about the London Underground or bus system?"
"The bus so so but I know the Underground fairly well now. To get here today I rode it to the Oxford Circus tube station."
"I think the closest tube station to the British Museum is the Tottenham Court Road one." Hermione closes her eyes for a second as if visualizing a map. Her eyes pop open and she nods, "Yes, the Tottenham Court Road tube. Just across the road, that's Tottenham Court Road, is Great Russell Street. The entrance to the museum is there. It's probably a five or six minute walk."
"Meet in front of the museum or inside?"
"As cold as it is, inside. It's free admission. The Egyptian sculpture exhibit with the Rosetta Stone."
"Rosetta Stone?"
"It's got inscriptions on it that helped Muggles relearn how to read Egyptian hieroglyphics. It's something that if you can't find the exhibition room, if you ask for directions to the Rosetta Stone, any museum employee and any regular museum visitor will be able to tell you."
"Rosetta Stone. Got it. Are you ready?"
"Yes, I think so."
Hermione gets a comb from her purse and runs it through her hair a couple of times then takes the strands stuck in the comb and hands them to Jet. "See you and hopefully not at the British Museum."
Jet gives her an all to rare grin for him these days. "I hope so too!"
Jet checks the time then with an hour to kill and people still mingling about, helps himself to more of the food on the buffet, itching for the hour to hurry by so he can put Blood Hound into action.
(St. John's Wood) Don't Coddle Me
Author: Ginny Weasley
Date: 11-30-08 12:20
Ginny stalks back and forth in front of Charlie. "Why not?" she demands to know.
"Because."
"Because why?"
"You sound like one of the children."
"Perhaps if you'd give me a clear answer I wouldn't have to resort to childishly framing questions," she retorts.
Charlie impatiently sighs. Ginny folds her arms and glares. He holds up a potion vial. "I need to drink this and be on my way. Barny is scheduled to work in a few hours."
"Stop evading the issue."
Ginny, I only came to refresh the disguise. If I'd known picking up the Polyjuice Potion would result in your having a temper tantrum, I would have made other arrangements to get the potion."
"No you wouldn't have. You've been dying to see the mansion."
"True."
"Now answer the question. Why can't I?"
"Take it up with the Order."
"It's your mission. Your plan."
"It's not that simple."
"Why isn't it?"
Charlie makes an exasperated grunt. "It just isn't."
"Evading again. You don't want your little sister in the middle of things when The Mews revolts. Admit it."
Charlie rolls his eyes.
"I'm not a baby to be coddled, Charlie. I've been in some dicey situation and I think I've more than proven myself. I've been training, more than you know. I want to help on Friday. I even looked over the information on The Mews guards and have one all picked out I can go in as."
"No, Ginny," Charlie firmly states.
Ginny smiles sweetly. "For me to accept no, you'll have to give me that clear, concise reason I've been asking you for. Until I get it, I'm going to be a bloody pest about it."
Charlie eyes the grandfather clock on the opposite side of the room. "Look, talk to Mum and Dad. I really need to take this potion and get going."
Charlie scurries out, not wanting Ginny to stop him again. She glares daggers at his back, arms defiantly crossed. Sure, she'll talk to their parents and others in the Order, but no matter what they tell her, she's planning to be part of the support when The Mews stages a revolt on Friday.
After Charlie's been gone for several minutes, the still angry Ginny decides to work off some of the frustration by getting a work out on the obstacle course now set up in the main ballroom. As she starts that direction she wonders if Janine is around and if she is, wonders whether Janine would like to get some practice as well.
(City of Hope) Milking Goats
Author: Emerald Green
Date: 11-30-08 14:56
Emerald had only thought Happy Haven was cold until she arrived at City of Hope. The only warm spot she's been in since being sent here is the place where she arrived when first brought from Happy Haven. Clutching a thin blanket to help ward off the biting wind, Emerald pushes against that wind to a stable.
The interior of the stable is cold but compared to outside, it's a hothouse. The stable is kept just warm enough that the sheep and goats don't freeze. If out of doors weren't so bitterly frigid, the inside of the stable would feel relatively cool.
Relieved to be inside, out of the wind, and someplace that seems so much warmer than outside, Emerald refits her blanket on hour shoulders so it's more like a shawl, walking over to where the clean milking buckets are stored. She grabs two of the buckets and picks up a three legged stool then approaches one of the goats to begin the milking.
After positioning the stool and the bucket, Emerald flexes her hands several times in an effort to dispell the numbness the lingers from the walk to the stable. When she puts her hands on the goat to begin milking, it turns a baleful gaze on her.
"Sorry," Emerald murmurs. "The cold hands aren't something I can do much about."
If not for fear of someone seeing her, Emerald would use the wand hidden in her boot to warm her hands. While she's glad Olive forced it on her before that awful visit to Headmistress Carrow's office at Happy Haven, Emerald is now faced with the fact that it's one wand against many and unlike at Happy Haven, there isn't anyone working as a conduit to the outside to bring in more.
Emerald attempts to warm her hands a little more by sticking them into the pit of her arms but she dare not sit idle for too long because there's a guard watching from a cozy, heated stall. Reaching out again to the goat, Emerald once more says, "Sorry."
The goat stares at her for several more seconds then turns its attention back to the food in front of it. For her part, Emerald relishes the heat the goat is giving off though she still isn't used to the strong odor of the goats and sheep. She wonders if the aroma would be more tolerable if they were outside instead of cooped up in the stable. Emerald remembers visiting petting zoos as a child and remembers the animals there smelling, but doesn't remember the odor as being so pungent.
Working methodically, Emerald soon has the first bucket filled and is starting on another. She tries to keep a pace steady enough not to earn the guard attention and wrath but slow enough so as to delay having to go back into that bitter wind again. As she works, Emerald thinks about the things that keep her from totally giving up. The twins are safe. Phin, Aunt Blythe, and Uncle Woody know Olive and she are alive. Olive will soon be out of Happy Haven if the mass escape goes as planned. Olive will then be able to get Phin and the others working on a way to locate Emerald and free her as well.
The second bucket filled, Emerald takes it and the other bucket to dump the contents into a large vat then returns to the milking, trying hard to imagine she's somewhere warm, at one of those dude ranches in the States.
Tolerating Happy Haven For A Little Longer (Olive)
Author: Emerald Green
Date: 11-30-08 15:30
Olive pours hot water into a bucket that already has liquid soap in it. She winces as the steam makes her raw, cold, chapped hands hurt even more. There are discolored spots on her hands, her feet too, but unless something happens to get the escape plan off track, Olive will be out of this wretched place soon. Of course, before she goes, Olive fully intends to kill the bitch Carrow.
Sloshing as little water as possible from the bucket, Olive slops across the expanse from the kitchen, where she got the hot water and liquid soap, to the administrative building. As part of her on-going punishment, Carrow has Olive doing nothing but outside work, sometimes after the sun has set so that Olive is out when the temperature starts to plummet. At other times, Carrow has Olive out in the predawn hours, ensuring that Olive is out when the temperature is at its lowest.
Despite the added work and having to be outside in such extreme weather, Olive would not change a single thing to have earned the punishment. She'd gladly choke Carrow again if given the opportunity.
Olive pauses in her thought process to backtrack slightly. There is something she would change. Olive would change Emerald's murder. She still doesn't know why Carrow killed Emerald and has concluded that the reason doesn't matter, if there was even a reason at all.
Hefting the heavy, water filled bucket up a ladder, Olive takes a deep breath and plunges her hand into the still steaming, soapy fluid, grasping a sponge at the bottom. She starts cleaning the windows, making no effort to hide the fact that she's staring at Carrow. The woman is just on the other side of the glass, in conversation with Peakes and Bloom, the Shop and Herbology professors.
It takes a great deal of self-control not to yank out the wand hidden under her clothes and kill Carrow this very second. Olive has to keep reminding herself that the others at Happy Haven deserve their freedom and if she acts now, she'll ruin their escape plans. She promised Emerald she wouldn't jeapordize that plan by acting rashly.
Leaving the window only half washed, Olive climbs down, moves the ladder to a window that doesn't look into the room where Carrow is, then climbing the ladder once again, resumes working.
Leeds, England: Hide and Seek
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 11-30-08 18:35
After parting ways with Jet, Hermione made a quick decision on where to go next. She knew of a quiet wizarding café in Leeds in the vicinity of the Victoria Quarter shopping center. It had been a while since she'd blatantly gone anywhere out in public in the wizarding world, and she felt some hesitation in doing so. However, Jet had been correct in saying that they ought to conduct their experiment in the wizarding world. They didn't want to attract unwanted attention from the Ministry of Magic.
So, she arrived at Café Briggate and carefully surveyed her surroundings without making herself look suspicious. Only one other customer sat inside the café, an elderly wizard who sipped a cup of coffee and read the financial section of The Daily Prophet. He had a half-eaten scone on a plate at his elbow.
Although she had just snacked at the meeting, the scone looked so delicious that she decided to order one too. The barista at the counter looked so overjoyed at having new business that he practically stumbled over himself to get the cranberry-orange scone on which Hermione had her eye. She ordered an espresso and purchased the latest volume of Witch Weekly, a magazine she didn't ordinarily care to read. She just needed something to do to pass the time and didn't have any better options.
After paying for the items, she sat in a corner of the room and thumbed through the magazine while waiting for Jet to find her. Hermione often glanced around to make sure she wasn't in any apparent danger, but snatchers didn't seem to be lurking in the area. The elderly man left after some time, leaving his copy of the newspaper behind. Hermione gratefully took it to her table and paged through it as she continued to wait for Jet.
When the shop door opened, Hermione glanced up suddenly. There Jet was, holding the Blood Hound device in his hand.
The barista could hardly believe his luck. Three customers so far today!
"Can I get you anything?" he asked excitedly. "Coffee? Tea? Pastry?"
"Coffee would be great, thanks," Jet said. He waited patiently for his cup, paid for it, and then met Hermione at her table.
"You found me," she said with a smile.
Jet grinned. "That I did."
They didn't say anything else with the barista across the room, ready to serve them if they so wished. Instead, they chatted lightly about other things, all the while thinking about continuing a more serious conversation somewhere else later.