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One Question Answered
Author: Ethan Somerset
Date: 03-01-10 08:45
At Ethan's request, Maverick had been able to dig up a few files on Meadow O'Guinn who was, indeed, a witch. For a brief period of time she'd actually worked as a clerk at the Ministry of Magic, but that had been years ago. She didn't have a criminal history, though, and few other files about her existed in the records office where Maverick worked.
After last week's visit to the Records Division, Ethan had set out to find out more information about Callum's ex-girlfriend. From the records kept at Hogwarts, he discovered that she had indeed attended the school of magic. She'd been sorted into Slytherin House and hadn't participated in Quidditch or any clubs as far as Ethan could tell. She'd never made prefect or Head Girl.
The question of whether or not Meadow O'Guinn was a witch had definitely been answered. Now Ethan just needed to know what she wanted with the book Blackest Magick. It was of some concern to him to know that the book contained extremely dark and dangerous spells. He didn't know Meadow, though, and couldn't judge from her personality what she might want with the book or why it had ever been in her possession at all.
Callum certainly knew her, except for the fact that she'd never revealed to him her true nature. Ethan supposed that was understandable. Meadow was dating a Muggle and probably wouldn't have revealed that she was a witch unless things became serious. Knowing Callum, however, the relationship probably never had a chance of becoming longterm.
On Saturday, the third of April, Ethan found himself going to Bristol to visit his family. They had invited him and Rosamond over for brunch to celebrate Ethan's 34th birthday. Ethan figured he could question Callum about Meadow during the meal and even tell him what he'd suspected all along, that Meadow was most definitely a witch.
Ethan's mother Marigold opened the door and invited the birthday boy and his girlfriend into the house. She had missed so many of her son's birthdays and felt like she needed to make up every single one.
"Come in, come in! Everyone's already at the table. I know you can't stay for more than a few hours, so everything is already ready," Marigold explained, rushing Ethan and Rosamond into the dining room.
There was an Easter egg hunt at Hogwarts scheduled for the afternoon, and Ethan had promised to be there to help out.
No sooner did he step foot into the dining room did his family burst into song, singing Happy Birthday to You.
He grinned from ear to ear and took the empty seat conveniently located next to his brother Callum. Rosamond slid into the chair next to him and sang along. When the song ended, food platters and bowls got passed from person to person, and before long, Ethan had a plate piled high with his mother's delicious cooking.
Plotting a Day in Hogsmeade Alone
Author: Adina Blackwood
Date: 03-01-10 13:19
What I wouldn't do for a port key right now or wishing that my Aunt wasn't out of floo powder - I wanted to get to that field that I'd ran in last Sunday when we'd been in Hogsmeade. Oh! It wouldn't be a bad idea to have lunch at the Imperial Crown and Cauldron again. The food there was fantastic, and I was craving again.
It was Saturday, and at the moment, I was alone in the apartment. There had to be an ounce of floo powder somewhere in this apartment. She pondered heading down to one of the shops and getting some - she could take it out of her galleons, it wasn't all that expensive, at least it wasn't in Greece, she wasn't sure how much it cost with the conversion rate. Slipping on her pair of kicks, she headed out of the apartment, leaving a note for her Aunt and Mom if they got home while she was shopping.
She stepped into Gringotts and took some of the money out of her account, and then headed to the place she thought she could get some floo powder. She headed into the Apothecary - she spoke to a clerk behind the counter and then was directed to a street peddler just down the way. Finally happy with the purchase, she would head back to the apartment and add the floo powder to the container at the fire place.
Heading into the kitchen, she would make herself something to eat and debate heading to Hogsmeade and maybe go for a run in the field. She'd kill to be able to spend a day or so within the village - it was quaint and she adored the time that she'd already spent there.
She put the radio on, and listened to the current Weird Sister's track that was on- singing along quite happily as she danced through the apartment, enjoying the quiet of it for now.
Easy to study
Author: Linnea Rose
Date: 03-02-10 12:13
Linnea had study whole week for the test on Monday in astronomy but she thought she might study some more as she didn’t study as much as she wanted. So Linnea took her schoolbag as she left the Great Hall and went to the library where she sat in one table and started to study to the exam.
She went through the book and took note when she felt she needs it. Linnea sat there looking through the book and on ever picture that was in the book. This took a while and she tried to remember all she read. She even tried to retell what she had read after some pages just so that she never forgets anything.
After a couple of hours Linnea thought she might take a break from the studying so she didn’t overworking herself with the studying. Linnea thought she might take a break and have some lunch and some fresh air before she started again.
So she went down to the Great Hall and had some lunch. After lunch she took some fresh air and then went back to the library to finish her study.
When she was sitting there in the library looking through her notes she had made during lessons and her homework she had get back from the professor Illyria Jones. Linnea sat there think about all the things she had learnt during lessons and what professor had told them during the lesson and she was so happy she really had listen to all the things that had been said during lesson. Otherwise she would have had it hard to take in all this in one week, but now it was easy to learn.
Run-In
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 03-02-10 17:47
Hermione shifted the shopping bags in her hands to check the shopping list she also carried. Soon after getting up earlier that morning, she'd gotten ready and gone to Diagon Alley to run errands. Although she could have found some of the same items in Hogsmeade where she lived, Diagon Alley offered much more, and more importantly, it carried everything on her list.
She muttered to herself, verbally checking off items she'd already purchased. Next on the list were some medical/healing books she wanted to read in her leisure time. Hermione ducked into Flourish & Blotts, where she bought them and several others that happened to catch her eye. To lighten her increasing load, she cast a featherweight spell on the new shopping bags she carried and then set off to cross another item off her list.
Hermione moved to the opposite side of the alley to avoid a small crowd that had gathered around one of the stalls. Although there was still a bit of a bite in the air, the weather was lovely, and more and more street vendors were taking advantage of the sun to show off their wares.
Hermione produced her shopping list and skimmed it, for a moment not paying attention to where her feet carried her. Suddenly, someone rammed into her left shoulder, forcing her to turn abruptly and for some of the shopping bags to fly from her hands. When she regained her balance, she saw a man at her feet, frantically picking up what he had dropped during the collision.
Hermione quickly bent to help him.
"I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going," she said, even though he might have run into her, even if she had been paying attention to her whereabouts.
In between picking up his items, his gaze flickered to hers. Hermione recognized him instantly and hesitated. Fletcher Harrison had beads of sweat on his forehead, which seemed impossible considering it wasn't hot or even very warm outside. His eyes were bloodshot, and there were dark circles around them.
"Fletcher!" she exclaimed, when she finally found her tongue again. "Are you all right?"
She knew he wasn't. A couple of years ago she'd caught him pilfering medicinal potions and herbs from a storage cabinet at St. Mungo's. When she still worked at the clinic at the Ministry of Magic, he'd been brought in after collapsing while visiting another department.
Scattered at Hermione's feet were packets of herbs and bottles of potions, some of which had broken and spilled their contents onto the cobblestones.
Fletcher hastily collected what he could, cutting his fingers on the broken glass.
"Fletcher, let me help you!" Hermione cried out.
"No. Leave me alone, Granger!" he spat, speaking for the first time. He got up suddenly and ran off, disappearing behind a crowd of shoppers.
Hermione sighed and shook her head. She collected her fallen things and climbed to her feet. It was then that she realized she was at the junction where Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley met.
"Hermione! What are you doing here?"
She turned her head to see Ron approaching. He'd gone into Whizz Hard Books to put in a few hours and had just stepped out for his break to get a snack and bask in the nice weather.
Hermione leaned in to kiss him and said, "I had some errands to run."
Ron looked sideways down Knockturn Alley. His raised a brow and turned back to his girlfriend. "What kinds of errands?"
Hermione shook her head and looked down at her feet for a moment. There was broken glass and unidentified liquid on the ground. She looked up at Ron, handed him half her shopping bags, and looped her arm through his. As they started to walk, she told him about Fletcher and what she suspected about him.
Interview with a Rockstar
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 03-03-10 18:35
When Bronwyn had first agreed to work a double shift at the station to cover for someone who was going on holiday to Greece, she'd thought it a fine idea. After all, she would get paid overtime and get to interview a rockstar on the air. The WWN announcer who usually ran the Saturday morning program interviewed a famous singer or band every week. Now Bronwyn would get the chance––not that she was inexperienced in the matter. She had interviewed many singers and groups during her time working for the WWN station at St. Emrys.
As it happened, the rockstar she was interviewing today was the bassist for The Wicked Wizards of the West, Xavier Schoonmaker, who was temporarily lending his talents elsewhere while his main band was on hiatus. Bronwyn had interviewed him before, and it was him she'd tried to hook up with Desi last summer.
Now that her second shift had started, Bronwyn was regretting ever agreeing to do it. She was dead tired. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she had them covered with gigantic sunglasses. She had a strong cup of coffee in her hand and a Muggle soft drink, a Coke, on standby.
Xavier looked only marginally more awake. He had a serious case of bedhead, though Bronwyn suspected that he'd actually fixed his hair to look that way. She didn't know what time he normally got up in the mornings, but she supposed that when he wasn't on the road for a gig, he slept in on Saturdays.
"So, tell me more about this side project you have going on," Bronwyn said into the magical microphone, and then she stifled a yawn with the palm of her hand.
"The band's called Cleaver. I actually play lead guitar in it and do lead vocals. It's definitely a change from Wicked Wizards," Xavier replied.
"How did you come up with the name Cleaver?" Bronwyn asked.
"One of the other bandmates, our drummer, is a terrible speller. We've started up a new dictionary in his honor. It's gotten impressively lengthy. Anyway, Cleaver is his way of spelling clever. We found it absurdly funny and it stuck."
"But you do pronounce it so it rhymes like beaver."
"Right." Xavier laughed. "My girlfriend hates the name, though."
Bronwyn nodded and prepared to ask her next question, when what Xavier had just revealed dawned on her. "You have a girlfriend?" she asked.
Cool as ever, Xavier rolled with the question and said, "Yes. She thinks she could give the band a better name, and knowing her, she probably could."
"Oh really?"
Bronwyn was kind of mad. She really wanted Xavier to get together with Desi and it bugged her to no end to know that he was dating somebody else.
"Yeah. Rammstein II or something like that, I'm sure." Xavier laughed and ran a hand through his disheveled hair.
"So this girl," Bronwyn began, annoyed that she'd failed in her matchmaking skills. "Wait," she said, interrupting herself. Maybe she was tired, but she was sure she heard him say what she thought she'd heard him say. "Did you say Rammstein?"
Xavier's smile started to fade. "Oops."
Visiting Hagrid
Author: Harry Potter
Date: 03-03-10 18:37
With all Hagrid's done for Harry and been for him since first meeting when Harry turned eleven, and after all they've been through over the years, especially their time together at the prison camp known as Community Q (Tropical it was. Paradise it was not.), Harry made a personal vow to see Hagrid on a regular basis. He hasn't ever said anything to Hagrid about making sure they get together regularly. He's disappointed Hagrid enough in the past after telling his overly large friend that he'd come to Hagrid's hut or help with a problem Hagrid had.
Usually, Harry tries to arrange to get together with Hagrid but this morning he decided to just drop by. If Hagrid isn't available, there are always others he could visit with if they had the time, like Professor Dumbledore and Dobby. Harry would included Professor McGonagall on that list but given the time of year it is, Harry would be very surprised there weren't an apparition lesson going on in the Great Hall this morning with Professor McGonagall in attendance. Despite the visit being spur of the moment, Harry nonetheless has a chocolate amaretto cheesecake for Hagrid courtesy of Pinky and a fresh, very huge ham hock for Fang.
Harry apparated to Hogsmeade then walked up to the gates, enjoying the weather that's finally trying to be spring-like. Spring is still a few weeks away and this region will still have chilly temperatures even after spring sets in, but for this area and for the time of year it is, today is very nice and the sun is extremely welcome. Harry strolled at a leisurely pace, his face upturned to the sun, his thoughts on nothing in particular. Once onto the Hogwarts grounds, Harry passed a few students here and there and even saw Argus Filch. He gave Filch a jovial wave, chuckling a little when Filch scowled at him then, scooping up Mrs. Norris, began muttering to his cat. Harry has no trouble imagining the earful about him that Mrs. Norris was getting.
Harry finds Hagrid sitting on the steps to his hut, a large tankard, most likely filled with ale, beside him and Fang dozing in a patch of sun at Hagrid's feet. Upon seeing Harry, Hagrid jumps up, ready to envelop Harry in a massive hug. The only thing preventing him from doing so is because of the way Harry holds the container with the chocolate amaretto cheesecake.
"'Arry!" Hagrid booms. "Weren't expectin' you. Everythin' all right?"
"Hi, Hagrid! Everything's fine. I thought if you weren't busy this morning we could eat some of this cheesecake - It's chocolate amaretto - and talk about whatever catches our fancy."
By that time Fang is nuzzling Harry, both out of affection and for the ham hock he must surely smell. Hagrid takes the cheesecake from Harry with a hearty, "Thanks, 'arry!" leaving Harry a free hand to first pet Fang then to pull out the ham hock from the sack he was carrying it in. "Here you go, Fang. Pick it up just for you."
While Fang chews happily on the ham hock, Hagrid and Harry cut the cheesecake and with Hagrid on the hut steps and Harry in a chair, they sit outside eating and talking. After they've gotten through half the cheesecake and Harry's starting on a second bottle of butterbeer with Hagrid on his second tankard of ale, Hagrid asks, "Ya seein' anyone, 'arry?"
"No, haven't gone on any dates to speak of since Janine and I officially broke up."
"Ginny's not seein' Perfessor Declan no more."
"Yeah, I know but I don't know why. I thought she really liked him and that he was really into her."
"The perfessor is a good bloke and they did make a nice couple. Whathever tha reason fer breakin' up, point is, she's single now."
"What's that got to do with me?"
"Ask her out."
"We dated if you recall and decided we were better as friends."
"That were then. Ya both 'ave changed. Grown hup. You should ask 'er ta dinner. Wouldn't 'urt none ter try."
Harry shakes his head, shaggy hair flopping enough with the movement that he reminds himself to get a haircut. "I don't know, Hagrid. I like Ginny and I know I have given the guys she's dated a critical eye, but it's been in a brotherly way."
"You sure 'bout that?"
Harry shrugs, not really knowing how to reply. A House Elf with a monstrously large basket running moving towards them in a random, almost haphard looking fashion gives Harry the perfect distraction from the present conversation. "Is that Dobby? What's he doing?"
"Heaster egg 'unt today. Most likely gettin' eggs 'idden."
"I would have thought he'd use House Elf magic for that."
"Don' know. Want ter 'elp? I told 'im I'd lend a 'and. From the looks of 'im, Dobby's comin ter get me, 'idin' eggs along the way."
"Yeah, could be fun," Harry agrees, already on his feet, hand in the air to wave at Dobby who's now spotted Harry and has abandoned the stopping and hiding of eggs to hastily run towards the hut, calling a greeting to Harry, the large basket flopping up and down to the point that some of the eggs go flying out as he runs.