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Changes are a-comin'
Author: Minerva McGonagall
Date: 05-28-11 10:54
Professor McGonagall walked the perimeter of the Great Hall, observing the students as they practiced apparating to the rhythm of Professor Twycross's three Ds. In the week that had followed the death of Rosamond Boggs, the atmosphere at Hogwarts had calmed somewhat. Minerva had made herself available to all students, not just those in her own house, but had only counseled a handful.
She noted with relief that the students today had better concentration than they'd had last weekend during the Eighth Apparition Lesson. Far fewer students had splinched themselves since the start of the ninth lesson.
Professor McGonagall crossed paths with Professor Flitwick, who walked the other way around the room and kept his gaze firmly fixed on the students as they disappeared and then reappeared in another place in the Great Hall. Many of the students had progressed to practicing long distance apparition. Their hoops were located clear across the room now instead of right in front of them.
Catching sight of Filius reminded Minerva of a rumor that had been circulating around Hogwarts recently and which had been proven accurate a few days ago. Professor Flitwick planned on taking an indefinite sabbatical to pursue a couple of book deals he'd secured through his literary agent. His absence left Hogwarts with another open position in Charms.
As it happened, a witch had recently submitted her curriculum to Professor Dumbledore for review. He, in turn, had shown it to both Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick. If she were offered the position, Ms. Gates would be responsible for O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. level coursework.
After reviewing the material, both McGonagall and Flitwick had agreed that Ms. Gates seemed worth an interview. Professor Dumbledore had promptly written her with an interview date and time.
Most years, the Hogwarts staff remained quite stagnant, but Minerva recalled several occasions where many new faces came onboard at the same time. Next year looked to be like one such school year, with the exit of rather new professor Revenant Croghan and the return of Adriana Fairchild in a new position, the replacement of Cuthbert Binns with Karma Davyd, and the newly announced departure of Filius Flitwick, whose vacant position just might be filled by Julie Gates.
Next school year would certainly be a year of changes at Hogwarts!
Birthday Plans
Author: Coco Nutt
Date: 05-28-11 12:14
Just coming into the house from being at Nutt's & Bolt's, Coco bends to put Pea on the floor so he can get some fresh water to drink. A ringing has her reaching for the telephone on the kitchen wall only to give a short laugh at herself when she picks it up and the ringing continues. Coco pulls a new mobile from a pocket. She's only recently gotten her first cellular phone, putting her behind on the curve in the Muggle world but probably far ahead of it in the Wizarding world. Of course, she can't use it in Wizarding environments. She's found that if she leaves the mobile on when going somewhere like Hogsmeade the calls don't come through and are instead shunted straight to voice mail. It also loses power more rapidly when she's got it on in Wizarding environments so Coco's taken to turning it off when she's at McFusty's or shopping along Diagon Alley or somewhere such as that. The problem is remembering to turn it back on once back in the Muggle world.
"Ello?"
"Coco? This is Mitzi Schnackenpfefferhausen"
Even before the speaker had further identified herself Coco knows the voice just from the first word. Coco has two Mitzi's in her life. One is Mitzi Bolt, whom she's known her entire life and who is such family she knows that Coco is a witch. The other is Mitzi Schnackenpfefferhausen who is not only Fritz's mother but someone Coco has long come to consider a friend and she, along with Franz (Fritz's father) are practically family as well.
"Ello, Mitzi. How are you?"
Mitzi's voice has a pleasant German accent that, like Fritz's, Coco likes hearing. "Good, thank you. Fritz did tell you to come to dinner Tuesday?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"We are having his favorite bratwurst and spätzle with rote grütze for dessert. If you wish to also come for lunch we are having schnitzel, wiener art specifically, with pommes."
Coco LOVES Mitzi Schnackenpfefferhausen's spätzle so she's already salivating at the thought of Tuesday dinner. She also knows that wiener art, is another way of saying weiner schnitzel, which is a breaded pork. Pommes are fried potato chips, or as one of her American friends calls them french fries. All in all, both meals sound excellent.
"I'd love to come for lunch, thank you!"
"Excellent. I also wanted to ask if you could pick up more of those red currants? Like the ones you brought the other day? I want to make the rote grütze with currants and raspberries and those you brought were some of the best we've had."
"Yes, I can bring more of them. Would you like them today?"
"If it's not trouble."
"Not at all."
"Thank you. Lastly, I was thinking a small cake from that place Fritz and you like in Hogsmeade might also be nice."
"Briar's Bakery?"
"Yes, that's it. Nothing big or fancy. I'd reimburse you of course."
"You don't need to do that. I'll be happy to pick something up. I know Fritz's favorites from there."
"Thank you, Coco. I appreciate your help."
"I'm glad to help with Fritz's birthday. I will be there soon with the red currants. Ta for now."
They ring off and Coco kneels beside Pea, scratching him just under the chin, eliciting a rolled back eyes, blissful expression from the small dog. Coco lapses briefly into her less than eloquent speaking style. "Go do yer bizyness, Pea, whoile Oi freshen meself hup. We got ter get some currants then happarate ter Fritz's wif'em afore goin' ter Hogsmeade."
Coco skips up the stairs thinking about Fritz's birthday Tuesday. She hopes he likes what she's giving him. Fritz has long loved chemistry and has plans to become a Potions Master. He also studies Muggle chemistry on his own. Coco had thought and thought for months what she would give him this birthday, his twentieth, when she accidently stumbled onto an idea when reading through a Muggle travel magazine. The issue was devoted to travel in Germany and one of the articles highlighted some offbeat and unusual places tourists might enjoy but wouldn't necessarily think of when planning a visit to the country.
One such place mentioned in the article is the German Chemistry Museum Merseburg. Between the article and what further research Coco did she learned that the DCHM (Deutsches Chemie-Museum Merseburg) is a unique science center that she thinks Fritz would love to see. Coco's picked a weekend she knows they are both free, and hopes they both remain so, and has booked a Muggle place to stay. She doesn't think Fritz has been to Merseburg before so it will be fun to explore the historic town together and see the museum. For Coco it's also a chance to see more of Germany through Fritz's eyes.
Freshened up and wearing a different outfit, Coco bustles back down the stairs to scoop up Pea. Next stop, the fresh produce market where she bought that last batch of red currants.
The museum is real. Here is the link to its webpage. Deutsches Chemie-Museum Merseburg There are flag icons to the left so if you want the English version, just click the flag.
Memorial Service
Author: Ella
Date: 05-28-11 12:39
St. James' Park Wizarding Mausoleum in London was the final resting place for many witches and wizards who'd lived and died in the heart of the country's capital. A small group met underground in front of the marble sarcophagus bearing the name Rosemary Wildsmith Harville. Among the grievers were Ella, her father Dunstan and his second wife Delilah, both sets off Ella's grandparents, her three remaining great grandparents, and a few of the deceased's colleagues from work.
First thing after an early breakfast in the Common Common Room, Ella had taken a portkey from Professor Dumbledore's office to St. James' Park in London. From there, she'd entered the mausoleum to find many of her expected family members already there.
Ella hadn't been surprised to see Delilah there, dressed in black maternity robes. She didn't feel that Delilah was welcome, but she also didn't have the energy to argue the point. For her part, Delilah acted solemn in honor of the event.
Ella's grandparents were Camillus and Henrietta Harville and Theodore and Prudence Wildsmith. Grandad and Granny Harville lived in Gibraltar in a fabulous flat with a view towards Africa and the Mediterranean. Ella didn't see them too often because they didn't visit much and didn't want visitors either. They were enjoying their retirement, just the two of them.
Granda and Nana Wildsmith lived on the Isle of Wight with Malcolm Wildsmith, Granda's dad. Great Granda was in good health and could often be seen jogging around his seaside neighborhood in the early morning hours of each day.
None of the relatives, especially the Wildsmiths but even the Harville elders, seemed all that happy with Dunstan's new relationship, but like Ella, they kept their opinions to themselves. Everybody knew that Rosemary had taken the dissolution of her marriage hard, and that if Dunstan had never left her, she'd have never killed herself.
Despite that fact, it was difficult laying the blame entirely on Dunstan. Rosemary had obviously not been well, probably even before the end of her marriage. If only her depression had been caught early. Then maybe she'd still be alive today, regardless of her relationship troubles.
The ceremony in the mausoleum was brief. Everyone laid a hand on the marble before leaving, and Ella lingered the longest. She didn't know what would become of her next. Technically, she was an adult, as her mother had so pointedly written in her suicide note, but Ella didn't really feel like an adult. She wasn't sure she could maintain their house on her own, especially when she still had another year at Hogwarts.
Ella doubted her Harville grandparents would take her in, and she wasn't sure she wanted to live with the Wildsmiths and Great Granda. The other great grandparents lived in retirement homes, where Ella didn't even have a place (not that she'd want one). That just left her dad's place.
Ella was still sore with him, but the loss of her mother made her very conscious of the fact that he was all she had left. If Delilah weren't in the picture, Ella was certain that things would be right between them. She didn't even know if he wanted her to live with him, though. He hadn't asked, and she wouldn't ask either.
After the ceremony, everyone met at The Leaky Cauldron for brunch. A long table in the center of the great room had been reserved for the reception guests. Ella sat next to her father, who had Delilah on his other side. On Ella's other side sat Great Granda Malcolm.
He took her by the hand and said, "Let's not be strangers anymore. We see each other far too infrequently. Why don't you come to the isle sometime this summer?"
"I'd like that," Ella said with a small smile.
"Good. Now what's there to eat?" Great Granda let go of her hand and picked up his menu.
Ella followed suit. She'd eaten early enough and only a small amount at breakfast, so she was a bit hungry now. The Leaky Cauldron offered too many delicious meals, so Ella had some trouble deciding on what to order. She put down her menu to debate between eggs benedict with smoked salmon and chives and brioche with warm, blueberry compote when a person entering the pub from Diagon Alley made her lose concentration.
It was Zane. She hadn't seen him in absolute ages, and a good thing too. He didn't see her at first but, as if sensing he was being watched, met her gaze. Zane slowed to a stop and seemed to debate whether to approach and say something, but then he took in her company and thought better of it. Instead, he sent her a smile that Ella couldn't quite interpret and then exited the pub.
Ella turned her head to watch him go and continued to look over her shoulder until her dad asked, "Ella? Is everything all right?"
Ella turned to her dad and then looked down at her menu. She didn't know how to answer his question, so she didn't say anything at all.
Admission
Author: Lysander Stratford
Date: 05-28-11 13:46
"Can I go to the park with Grace?"
Lysander had just poured himself his second cup of tea and turned to his daughter. "Sure."
"And with Caerwyn?"
"Caerwyn is at Hogwarts, Charlotte. He can't come to the park today."
"Why not?" Charlotte exclaimed, placing her hands on her hips. "Hogwarts is just there."
Lysander couldn't help but chuckle. He knew his daughter would be a handful when she reached her teenage years, but right now he found her occasional firecracker personality cute.
"Yes, Hogwarts is just there but you know that Caerwyn isn't allowed to leave the school except for on Hogsmeade weekends, and those only come four times a year."
"But that's not fair! What if he wants to play with us?"
"Then he'll just have to wait until the next Hogsmeade weekend, which should be coming up soon. Until then, why don't you write him a letter? I'm sure he'd like that."
Charlotte had started to learn to write but really couldn't do very much more than her name and a few easy words. The idea of writing a letter to Caerwyn in favor of playing with Grace didn't sound like a good idea anyway. She shook her head of dark curls and said, "I'm going to see if Grace is home."
"You do that, and if you do go to the park, tell me before you leave. Do you understand me, Charlotte?"
"Yes, Daddy."
Charlotte went for the door to the hall that led to the other flat and reached up to turn the knob with both hands. She shot her dad a grin that could only be described as mischievous and then disappeared down the hall.
Lysander heard her knock on Julian's door and ask, "Grace? Are you home?"
A moment after that, Astrid came in through the front door. She carried a few canvas bags of groceries.
"The Magic Neep had a sale on white asparagus. My aunt always said white asparagus is like sugar. It melts as soon as it touches your tongue."
"Your aunt sounds barmy."
"She is," Astrid replied, laughing.
Lysander helped her unpack the groceries. When they finished, Astrid's expression began serious.
"Lysander, there's something I need to tell you."
"What is it?"
"Don't be angry."
Those three words always told Lysander that he would, in fact, become angry. He didn't reply and simply waited for Astrid to say whatever it was she wanted to tell him.
"I saw Kristos Fox the other day."
"Where?"
"At the deli in Diagon Alley."
"And?"
"And, we talked."
"You what?"
Astrid's eyes blazed. "Well, I couldn't hex him in front of all those people, could I?"
"You could have under the table. Merlin's beard, Astrid. What did you tell him?" Lysander knew that Astrid sometimes acted impulsively, such as when she took it upon herself to get even with Aralyn, whom she'd falsely accused of kidnapping Lysander when he'd gone missing. That single event had brought Aralyn back into Lysander's life, after he'd gone through such trouble to keep her out of it.
"Nothing, Lysander. I swear it."
Lysander sighed and squeezed the bridge of his nose. "Astrid, tell me exactly what you said to him. Every word."
"I don't remember every word, Lysander. It was several days ago."
"Then why didn't you tell me about this sooner? You know that he's a threat to me, to Charlotte!"
"Daddy?"
Lysander and Astrid looked to the doorway, where Charlotte was standing with Grace right behind her. Both girls looked wide-eyed and worried.
"Charlotte, Grace. Are you going to the park?" Lysander asked, swiftly changing the subject and taking on a more pleasant countenance.
"Yes, but––"
"You two have fun, then. Don't stay away too long."
Charlotte looked like she wanted to say more but Grace took her by the hand. "Let's go, Charlotte." She was a little older and therefore a little wiser and could tell when grown-ups were fighting. She was just as curious as Charlotte to hear more but knew Lysander and Astrid wouldn't say anything more in their presence.
Charlotte allowed herself to be led from the flat. Lysander stepped to the door and watched the girls go downstairs. When they were down the street, Lysander shut the door and whirled on Astrid.
"What does he know?"
"He didn't tell me."
"Did you ask?"
"No. Lysander, I don't think he knows you did anything. He suspects you did, but he doesn't know for sure."
"I need to know exactly what you said to him."
"Lysander... I..." The look on Lysander's face said everything to Astrid. She shook her head, sighed, and then sat down at the breakfast table. She started from the beginning and told him everything she could remember about that lunchtime meeting in Diagon Alley.
A Party For Georgie
Author: Majandra
Date: 05-28-11 13:51
"Mum."
Pat pat pat.
"Mum."
Pat pat pat.
"Mum."
Pat pat pat.
"Miranda Elise."
"Mum."
Majandra crosses her arms and gives her four and a half year old daughter an even sterner look.
"But, Mum."
"Do you want to be at Georgie's party?"
"Yes."
"Then I suggest you stop bothering me for a fairy cake and go pick up the toys in the sitting room like I asked."
Miranda's lower lips pushes out, but only a little. She knows if she goes into a sulk her chances of getting to attend the birthday party go down. She shuffles from the kitchen, eyes plastered to one of the platters of fairy cakes.
Majandra turns to check on the potatoes she's got peeling to make chips with. She looks over her shoulder as a knock comes to the open back door. "Hi, Fred. Come on in."
"In a few. Dad and I are here to help George set up tables and chairs and get the grill fired up. Where is he?"
"Just down the lane making sure it's passable for my mum and dad's auto. He should be back any time now. Thanks again for covering for me yesterday."
Fred had covered for a short time in Majandra's classes at Hogwarts yesterday while George and she attended the funeral of Rosamond Boggs.
"Glad to do it. Such a shame. Did you ever learn anything more about what happened?"
"Some, such as that boy I mentioned, Penn Ellison, being pegged as Rosamond's murderer. Beyond that... Well, Professor Dumbledore told the staff that it's best for some things not to be made public, at least for now. He said that it involves something that would be very, very bad if widely known to criminals."
Fred frowns deeply. "Just makes me more curious now."
"I know!"
Miranda appears in the kitchen doorway. "All put away, Mum."
"If I come look, I'll be happy?"
"Yep."
"What's that?"
"Yes, Mum."
"A single fairy cake then."
The fairy cakes are miniatures. With a number of the party attendees today being six and under, Maj thought the small cakes better than regular size fairy cakes. There is a strawberry cream cake as well, frosted and with Georgie's name on it. The party starts at noon and goes for a couple of hours so lunch is being provided. The men are going to grill up sausages, hot dogs, and hamburgers. There will be the chips when fried, a variety of salads, and several dips with crisps, crackers, and cut of vegetables to eat them with. Along with the fairy cakes and strawberry cake are three flavors of ice cream.
Maj hands one of the fairy cakes to Miranda then offers one to Fred. He takes one and downs it in one bite. "Those are good. Did you make them or Briar?"
"I made these but Briar made the strawberry cream cake."
"Did someone say cake?"
"Hello, Arthur. Thanks for coming to help."
"Anything for one of the grandchildren," her father-in-law replies. "Miranda, I need your help. There are ponies just arrived and we need to make sure each one is rideable for the party."
Miranda gives a squeal of delight and runs out the door with Arthur close behind. With a grin Fred snags another fairy cake. "I'll go on and get started putting up the tables."
Alone other than their small dog Killer who's snoozing in a patch of light coming in through the open door, Maj does a slow turn in place, taking stock of what's done and thinking about what she still needs to accomplish. Not thirty seconds later she hears the front door opening and closing, signaling that George and Georgie are back.
"Honey, Fred and your dad are out back setting up!"
"Be right there!" George calls back.
All the potatoes peeled, Maj sets a knife to julienning them for frying later then turns to gets started on one of the salads. So much still to do it seems and not that much time left until noon!