|
|
Magical Match (Daria)
Author: Blossom
Date: 05-28-11 15:19
Daria stands on one side of Diagon Alley staring at the ground flour of the building opposite. Her friend Leanne's voice echos in her head. This would be so much fun! We should do this!
The this in question has been heavily advertised on practically every WWN station and in all the newspapers and magazines. Just this morning there was an entire insert in the Daily Prophet advertising the place.
Daria hadn't given it any thought until Leanne talked it up, joining in on the hype. At first Daria still didn't give it much thought. It was only after Leanne revealed she'd gone in two weeks ago, met someone a week later and now thinks she's found THE ONE that Daria began thinking maybe it wouldn't be so bad.
Standing across from the place now Daria isn't sure she's ready to take the plunge. She thinks she'd be embarassed to admit she actually went in and used the services even once. Then again, if it's sort of a trend now, others would be doing it and would be talking about it.
Still, it seems somewhat... desperate? Is that the word she wants? She supposes so.
Taking one step back to get out of the way of a mother with a wide pram, Daria purses her lips, trying to get up the courage to cross the street and go inside. Leanne said the first step is a simple questionaire. Daria wonders if one of those questions for females is Do you want more than just a roll in the hay?
She almost giggles aloud at the thought of a question along those lines but then quickly sobers. It's not really funny come to think of it. She slept with Kody while they were at Hogwarts because she convinced herself it was the only way to keep a boyfriend interested. Since they broke up, got back together as friends with benefits, then broke even that off - okay, since she broke things off each time - every bloke Daria's dated has seemed more interested in getting into bed than having any sort of real relationship was. The irony in it all is that Kody is the only one who hadn't pressured or hinted. He's the only one with whom she had a chance for something substantial.
And she bloody well blew that to hell.
At least they are somewhat on speaking terms again, mainly because Daria finally sought professional help. She's still working in this whole insecurity bit and not being jealous at the sight of Emma Crusher. She and Emma are even somewhat friends now. Daria sometimes wonders if that would be the case of Emma had indeed gotten back together with Kody. Somehow she doubts that.
If Daria were to be 100% honest with herself, she'd admit she wants nothing more than to pick up with Kody again as a couple. None of this just friends shite. He's leary of her though, and rightly so.
Pursing her lips even tighter, Daria thinks again at how much of an idiot she is. Squaring her shoulders and pulling in all her resolve, she starts across the street and doesn't let her pause when she pulls open the door to Magical Match.
She might be an idiot but she could be an idiot who at least has a Saturday night social life until she can figure out once and for all how to fix things with Kody.
Take The Day
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 05-28-11 18:44
A box of Appleby Arrows paraphenalia open on the floor in front of him, Viktor holds a team jersey in one hand, his head shaking back and forth. "Ridiculous."
Connor Lumsden, who's just come down from the Humbatas office for Viktor to sign off on some changes to the practice schedule, asks, "What is?"
Viktor wordlessly holds up the jersey. It takes Connor a second but then he gets it. Instead of the jersey being the Appleby Arrows pale blue with a silver arrow on the chest, the jersey is a non-metallic silver giving the jersey a gray appearance, and a pale blue arrow emblazoned across it.
Viktor turns the jersey back around to stare at it again then, disgusted, drops it back into the box. He's so irritated he drops back into his old habit of using V for W and Z for certain letters. "Ze whole shipment iz vrong. It iz not ze first time either."
"Going to drop that vendor?"
"Yes. Zere iz no excuse. Miztakes now and again iz understandable. It happens. On zis scale and more than once ." He throws up his hands, making another snort of disgust.
As annoying as this is, Connor can't help but wonder if Viktor's level of irritation has anything to do with this past week plus a few days being beyond bad. Connor had known Viktor and Ethan Somerset were friends but hadn't realized in all these years just what good friends they are until Ethan's significant other, sister of a well known Quidditch player, had died in a fall at Hogwarts. Viktor had been at Humbatas practice, playing in a team scrimmage as one of the seekers, when an owl from Theodosia Batuti arrived. Viktor hadn't taken it immediately but when the other squad called a time out a few minutes later and the owl was being extremely insistant, Viktor had gone on and read the message.
Connor still doesn't know exactly what it had said but Viktor visibly paled, called one of the seekers on the sideline over, practically barked, "Take over!" and then Viktor left. Viktor didn't even bother landing. He'd raced away at his broom's top speed, a blur the entire way. Only later did anyone there at the pitch that day learn exactly where Viktor had gone and why.
That day and the rest that followed had Viktor spending much of his time with Ethan or helping in some way. Yesterday had been Rosamond's funeral, making for another difficult day. This morning when Connor arrived to the Humbatas office above the Quidditch shoppe, he'd found Viktor already there, bleary eyed.
"Bad night?"
"No sleep," had been Viktor's brief reply. Later, he'd left for short time, explaining after he returned that he'd gone to make sure Ethan had eaten breakfast. According to Viktor, Ethan has been eating but just barely and Viktor thinks it's only because his friend is aware of having a newborn that needs a healthy parent caring for her.
Connor looks to the box of useless Appleby Arrows items then to Viktor. "Why don't you take the rest of the day? We can survive without you at practice and your shoppe clerks are perfectly capable of seeing to things here."
Viktor gives a tired shrug. "There iz so much to do."
"None of which is important."
Viktor's expression is one of indecision. Connor says in a fatherly, instructional voice, "Go. Get out for the day. And, Viktor, I don't mean go over to Ethan's and sit with him."
"He needs help."
"I realize that but you are doing him no favors if you make yourself sick with worry. Take today. Refresh. Tomorrow you can go offer to babysit Lilly and give him his own respite."
To add to his words, Connor takes Viktor by the shoulders and gently turns him in the direction of the door leading out to the High Street. Viktor lets himself be guided, his mind grappling with how he would fill the time. He has an idea by the time he reaches the door but then Connor seems to have become a mind reader.
"Viktor, no going to Hogwarts to see what help Theodosia needs for next Saturday's IQT match."
Viktor turns to give Connor a baleful stare before shrugging. "Fine."
Once outside, Viktor stands trying to think of something else. He finally settles on popping over to Diagon Alley to see what the Quidditch shoppes there are currently offering up.
Before the Party
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 05-29-11 11:53
"We still have plenty of time, Hermione. What's the rush?" Ron asked, from where he lounged on the sofa in the living room. His cat, Hero, sat on his chest and purred contently, especially whenever Ron scratched behind his ears.
Crookshanks slept in a cat bed on the floor and occasionally opened his eyes into slits to see what the others were doing.
Hermione used spellotape on the birthday gift she was wrapping up in blue paper printed with red, green and yellow presents with bows. She had gone to a Muggle toy store with Ron and picked out a train set suitable for toddlers. After taking it home, she'd unpacked the set, which was made entirely of plastic and consisted of an engine, a car, a caboose and enough track to make a connecting circle. Hermione charmed the train so that the engine blew steam and sounded its horn when set up on the track. She thought about charming it to move on its own once set up but then changed her mind. Maybe Georgie would like to move it around the track himself.
"We could help George and Majandra with the set-up, you know," Hermione told Ron. She wrapped a bow around the present and stepped back to admire her handiwork.
"Why would we want to do that?" Ron asked. "Fred and Blossom and Mum and Dad are their neighbors. Seems to me they have all the help they need."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Then if you don't want arrive early, you might as well make yourself useful and put in the cat door like I've asked several times already."
Hermione had purchased the cat door for the back door so that Crookshanks and Hero and even Wendy from next door could come and go as they please.
Ron sat up, disrupting Hero's contentedness, and said, "Has anybody ever told you that you can be very bossy?"
"I think you've been telling me that since the day we met," Hermione replied with a grin. "You knew what you were getting into when you married me."
Ron got up and went to Hermione. "Yeah, I guess I did." He put his arms around her and kissed her. "I guess I kind of like it when you boss me around."
"As it happens, I like to boss you around."
Ron kissed Hermione again and then decided to tackle the cat door until it was time to leave for Georgie's birthday party.
Are Twycross And Binns Related? (Zuberi)
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 05-29-11 13:10
Zuberi eyeballs his hoop, recently moved further away. The distance between it and him isn't as great as it is for some in the Great Hall but it's larger than it is for others. Being somewhat competitive, Zuberi feels a deep, inner push to catch up with those ahead and surpass them. That desire, however, unlike in times past, is not coupled with a burning need to be superior and an anger that is he not currently the best.
One thing that Zuberi does fervently wish is that Professor Twycross's words weren't the same mantra, never changing. It's enought to induce a hypnotic trance. Zuberi bets that somewhere in Twycross's family tree is the name Cuthbert Binns.
Zuberi successfully apparates to his hoop located in its new spot. Before he may move it even further though he needs to have more successful apparations from the current distance. Making sure his hoop is still where it should be, as they can sometimes move about, Zuberi makes the short walk back to his disapparation point.
Getting ready to make another attempt, Zuberi thinks once more about how he's just glad to be allowed to take this term's lesson. Unlike some taking this set of apparition lessons who are currently fifth years who had been at Happy Haven and are now a year behind at Hogwarts, Zuberi failed a year of school. That was when he was so full of anger, taking much of it out on Dosie, not doing assignments, frequently skipping classes, attempting to break out of Hogwarts. When Professor McGonagall was posting the information about this set of apparition lesson, Zuberi had wondered if Dosie would allow him to take them and give him the money for the fee, worried that she'd say that since he failed a year with a huge part of that failure due to his attitude, he didn't deserve the lessons this go around.
None of that came to pass, though. Theodosia sought him out to tell him she'd already given Professor McGonagall the fee. Maybe it's because Zuberi's been trying again and although he can still be driven about something it's not generally fueled by an inner rage these days. Not much positive came out of that time period, first when still in school in Africa and then here at Hogwarts, but it did result in him making meaningful contributions working at Joseph Koroma's school and orphanage in Sierra Leon but it brought him a best friend in the form of Karamoh Musa.
Thinking about Karamoh reminds Zuberi of something he's been meaning to talk with Professor Dumbledore about. The past few times Zuberi has gone to do the volinteer work Karamoh has talked more about his two sisters. Zuberi wants to see if Professor Dumbledore might be able to help Zuberi track down information that would help Karamoh finally locate his sisters or to at least know once and for all that they have died.
Realizing he's been standing there thinking this whole time instead of making an apparition attempt, Zuberi gets his mind back on going from point A to point B without splinching.
Pre-Party Encounter
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 05-29-11 14:18
Fleur sat on the sofa with two pillows propped up behind her back and her feet up on the coffee table. Her hands gently rubbed her swollen stomach. Marguerite, the Turkish angora, perched on the arm of the sofa and flicked her white tail from side to side.
"Tell me when we need to leave," Fleur told Bill, as he passed by the sofa with Victoire in one arm. He knelt to scoop up a few toys and other items that had been discarded on the floor by either his daughter or the cat. "I want to use ze loo before we go."
"There's still time before the party starts, unless you want to go early and help or just sit with the rest of the family. I'm sure some are already there."
Victoire stretched her arms out to her mother, so Bill went over to the sofa and deposited the child next to her mum. Victoire put her small arms around Fleur's neck and pressed a wet kiss to her cheek. Then the child turned around and devoted all her attention to Marguerite, who wasn't as fond of Victoire as her owners were. The cat jumped off the sofa and wandered into another room.
"It doesn't matter," Fleur said. "You decide when we should leave."
Bill picked up a few more things around the house and brought his wife a tall glass of water with a lemon. When Victoire tried following Marguerite's example by jumping off the sofa, Bill put her into her play pen so that she couldn't get into any trouble before Georgie's party.
Fleur had done Georgie's birthday shopping at a French boutique for young children. She'd picked out a pair of white slacks, a navy stripped polo shirt, and a navy beret. Bill wasn't sure when George and Majandra would ever dress their son in a beret, but now he would have one for any occasion.
"I'm going to make sure the tulips and daffodils have enough water," Bill told Fleur before stepping outside into the front yard.
He used the Aguamenti spell to hydrate the plants who needed it and then prepared to go back inside to rouse Fleur for the sofa, when he caught sight of Adriana down the lane. She spotted him straight off and waved at him.
Bill glanced at the living room window. He could see Fleur still seated on the sofa with her feet propped up. She had her head back and her eyes closed.
He turned back to Adriana, who approached at a rather fast clip.
"Good morning, Bill."
"Good morning, Adriana. What are you doing in the neighborhood?"
"I live here, silly."
"I mean, what brings you to the lanes?"
Adriana shrugged. "I wanted some fresh air and decided to go for a walk around town. You look a little dressy for gardening work."
"My nephew's birthday party is this afternoon," Bill explained.
"Which one?"
"Georgie, George's son."
Adriana smiled wistfully. "I remember when Fred and George were seventh years. They were in my play."
"A Midsummer Night's Dream," Bill remembered.
Adriana's smile widened. "That's right. You have a good memory."
"That production meant a lot to you."
"It did," Adriana admitted. "I guess I won't be in charge of plays anymore now that I'm going to be teaching charms, but that's okay. I'm excited about going back."
Bill said, "I might be wrong but it's my understanding that Valentine––Julian Valentine, that is––is involved with the Drama Club at Hogwarts. You might talk to him about directing plays if you're really interested in doing that again."
Adriana smiled. "I'll do that. Thanks for the tip. So, how are things between you and Valentine anyway? Last I remember, you two weren't exactly friends."
"We still aren't," Bill said. "Our school rivalry runs deep."
Adriana laughed. "I think you two are just too stubborn to get over it." She raised her hand to brush hair from her face. A ring on Adriana's finger drew Bill's attention. It was one he'd given her for Christmas their first year together. It was the first time he'd seen her wear since coming back into his life.
If she noticed his surprise, she didn't react to it. "I'm sorry. I must be keeping you. Do me a favor and tell everybody, especially Fred and George, that I said hello."
"I will. Take care, Adriana."
"Bye, Bill." She walked off, the sunlight glinting off the emerald stone set into her gold ring.
Bill watched her for a long moment and then turned and went back into the house.
Deep Dimples
Author: Julian Valentine
Date: 05-29-11 14:53
With the St. Emrys Trinity term beginning in just over a week, Twice Told Tales has had a display up of used textbooks. Julian dislikes going into a bookshoppe and seeing a sign touting their used books are only "gently" used. When buying something via an advertisment, such adjectives are useful. His personal opinion is that they aren't needed for in-shoppe displays, especially when it's easy to fool people into thinking something is "gently" used simply because the signs reads that it does and the outer covering of the book visually backs that up. In some shoppes, open those so called "gently" used texts and the pages tells a wholly different story. Markings everywhere, some of which won't come off no matter how many cleaning spells are used. Tea and coffee stains. Food stuck to pages.
The sign on the Twice Told Tales display doesn't bother with calling any of the used texts "gently" used. It just states they are used textbooks for St. Emrys course. Still, Julian frowns looking at the sign, it's lacking something. Maybe the colors simply need to be more appealing or the lettering changed to something nicer. Julian's fiddling with just that in between waiting on customers when Travis enters the shoppe.
Spotting Julian she gives a wave and starts his way. "Here's that tea you wanted. The tea is a blend made from extremely hard to find plants and is one that his mother raves about. Julian ordered some from Botanicals & Beyond with a mind to make a gift of it to Lisette.
"Thanks, but you didn't have to deliver it in person."
"I know but I wanted to browse your biographies."
"Looking for anything, or anyone perhaps is a better way to phrase it, in particular?"
"No, just something well written and interesting. I've a stack of fiction to read but decided a change of pace would be nice."
"Let me know if you want me to make some suggestions."
"There is something you can do for me," Travis says.
"What's that?"
"Are you busy next Saturday?"
"Caerwyn's got a Quidditch match."
"Sorry, I should have been clearer. Are you busy next Saturday night? Or are you already booked with one of your slew of women?"
"I don't have a slew," Julian grins.
"Well, I suppose that's true. What's greater than a slew?"
Julian's grin widens, deepening both dimples. Travis rolls her eyes but smiles. "Mum is having another of her dinner parties and if I don't show up with someone she's going to stick me with some poor chap whom she's deemed acceptable husband material and he'll turn about to be gay but she'll be angry with me for not giving him a chance to let his husbandly qualities shine through."
Julian's grin gets even bigger. He leans against the heavy table with the textbook display and crosses his arms. "What's in it for me?"
"Dinner."
"That's it?"
"Good company. Free drinks. I'm sure there will be music at some point."
"Wow, you're really selling it," Julian sarcastically replies.
"What more do you want?" Travis retorts, her own arms folded now, but her smile is somewhat forced now.
"You seriously have to ask me that?"
Julian's grinning so broadly now it actually hurts a little but he is oh so enjoying Travis's discomfort.
"We're just friends. Going to a dinner party together shouldn't require more."
"It shouldn't?"
Travis wrinkles her nose and pokes a finger at Julian. "What is the deal with trying to get into my knickers when you know it's never going to happen?"
"Because it's fun seeing you squirm." Julian pokes her right back. "Yes, I'll take you to the dinner party, no strings attached. You're far too easy, you know that?"
Travis childishly pokes her tongue out at him. "True, but not easy in the way you wish," she retorts before finally grinning again. With a wink she turns and walks away, soon lost in the stacks back where the biographies are.
Julian returns to changing the colors and fonts on the textbook display sign, sometimes even experimenting with different wording. When the bell over the door rings again he turns to call a greeting to the new customer. Adriana Fairchild returns the greeting, coming straight over to where Julian stands.
"I've a favor to ask."
The deeply dimpled grin returns as Julian prepares to give Adriana an equally hard time as he had Travis.