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Last Lesson
Author: Illyria
Date: 08-08-12 19:11
Illyria stood against the wall in the Great Hall and watched as the twelfth and final apparition lesson took place. Since the beginning of February, Illyria had seen the students progress from absolute beginners to experienced apparators. And while it was true that she had not monitored all twelve lessons, she'd witnessed enough over time to notice the improvements. The old saying was true: Practice makes perfect.
This being the last lesson before the licensing exams for those eligible, Illyria noted that the students seemed to be giving it their all. Not even Wilkie Twycross' blatant repetition seemed to be a bother.
Now most of the students apparated easily and without splinching, though sporadic spells of overconfidence led to the occasional problem here and there. But even those were few and far between. Illyria could picture every single student passing the apparition exam, whether they took it next Saturday or during the summer. All the same, she had her fingers crossed for them.
"Now remember the three Ds, students!" Wilkie exclaimed, clapping his hands together three times for emphasis. "If you keep them in mind, you will have no difficulty whatsoever in earning your apparition license. Come on, now. Say it with me, Destination, Determination and Deliberation!"
Illyria found herself murmuring the words along with the students, who did it automatically, deep as they were in concentration.
The Great Hall reverberated with loud cracking sounds. Students vanished from one place and appeared in another and then another and another. Illyria's ears rang from the constant noise. She debated summoning a pair of earplugs.
"Oops!" Jenny Gabble exclaimed, after landing somewhat unsteadily at her destination. She stumbled and accidentally kicked a hoop, causing it to slide across the floor and run into Illyria's feet.
"Sorry, Professor," she said sheepishly, coming over to retrieve the hoop, even though she hadn't actually intended on using it.
"No worries," Illyria said. She was wearing closed-toe shoes so the hoop had done her no harm.
Jenny smiled and then set the hoop aside so that it wasn't in anybody's way before practicing apparating some more. Illyria, meanwhile, continued to lean against the wall, where she watched the last apparition lesson of the school year progress.
Why Did She Have To Smile At Me? (Basil)
Author: Jared
Date: 08-08-12 20:19
Restting his hoop after another successful apparation attempt, Basil has no idea how he's not managed to repeatedly splinch himself today. His mind has been on anything but magically moving himself from point A to point B. Basil would never admit to anyone, including best friend Ivan, that since last Saturday, he's had an even harder time not thinking about a certain someone.
During most of the match against Hufflepuff Basil has studiously avoided thinking about her or even looking at her if he could help it. With the exception of the match, because she was right there in it, he'd gotten better about not dwelling constantly on thoughts of her. He was better about not automatically seeking her out with his eyes in a room where she might be when he entered.
All that changed mere minutes before the end of last week's match. Basil has gone after a bludger, the flight path taking him very near both seekers. He'd felt their eyes on him and though he'd not meant to, he'd looked. In less time than it takes the heart to beat the crush he'd thought he was handling well, thought he was finally getting over did not blossom into something greater. It exploded.
It's a damn good thing the game ended right after that. Basil has no doubt he would have been utterly useless if the match had continued. Standing with the rest of Slytherin outside the doors leading into the hospital wing waiting to hear how Cornelia was, she was there for a time as well, allowed in when the others were not because of being Cornelia's sister. Thankfully, she was not there to hear Gus's outburst about how Hufflepuff should be punished for Cornelia's injury. Basil might have said something in her defense, which in turn would have been in Hufflepuff's defense if she had still be there. That Basil had even felt that way, still feels that way, is very telling. Normally, he doesn't give a bloody knut when a Slytherin trash talks another house's team. It wouldn't have mattered that Slytherin beaters have put their fair share of opposing team members in hospital with cracks, breaks, and concussions. He would have joined in with the trash talk, enjoying every second of it.
Basil successfully apparates two, or is it three? more times. Everything is starting to blend together but, then, these lessons have always been that way. He thinks it's the drone of Professor Twycross's. That monosyllabic repetition is sort of hypnotic, making it easy to zone out while continuing to go through the motions of apparating. As that thought filters through, briefly interrupting thinking about her, Basil considers it a real miracle that any of them, this term and all the previous terms that such lessons has been held at Hogwarts, have learned how to apparate well enough to obtain a license.
That notion is pushed from his head as she returns to it. Moving to reposition his hoop yet again, Basil mind returns briefly to the end of the match last Saturday and the cause of his weeklond distraction as he asks himself, "Why did she had to smile at me?"
Bar Fights
Author: Desdemona Diamond
Date: 08-09-12 01:27
I had come into work on a Saturday to do some paperwork. It had started to back up a little. I had several things happening that was taking up time. Including trying to stop Reed messing with Alanna, that guy was not backing down easily. However, I knew Alanna was not worried about him today; she was relaxed and actually happy.
I had I wasn't actually accomplishing much paperwork though. My knuckles still hurt from last night. They proudly bore the scars of the fight I was in. The bruising was well worth it, even though they were a little sore. I was stopping to massage them every so often, which was slowing the paperwork. I hadn't realized Reed's jaw was so bloody hard.
It had started last night; I was working a little late to finish up the paperwork that I was working on now. Everything was going smoothly, until a group of coworkers passed my cubical. One of the girls stopped and backed up, "Hey, Desi, right?"
"Yeah," I answered uncertainly as I turned around.
"Care to join us?" She asked
"Uhh…" I could only must for a second, "I have this…"
"Come on, you're so anti-social," She said with a smile, "We're going to go get a few drinks and would like you to join us and get to know you better. And no is not an answer." She crossed her arms in mock stubbornness. I thought about it for several seconds before sighing and getting up. I'm not sure what possessed me to go, but I went with them.
I was tagging along; when down the hall I spotted Reed, once again, standing right next to Alanna. I excused myself a second and went over to them. I grabbed Alanna and just dragged her with me without a word, leaving Reed to stare angrily at our backs. Alanna was surprised but didn't offer resistance. At least I'd have someone along that I knew.
After we had traveled for a time, we came to the bar. The name on it was familiar, but I couldn't place it until we got inside. I recognized the man behind the bar the moment I saw him, it was Driver. First time I had seen him since the dinner at Fallon's house something like a month ago.
The night was going about as expected. Alanna and I sat near each other, making a little small talk. Alanna put away a few more drinks then I did, but didn't seem to be getting drunk herself. The girls we came with were getting drunk and flirting a lot. After being there about an hour or so, Alanna pointed out that 'the cute bartender' kept looking over in our direction. I was pretty sure he had realized who I was, but too busy to come over and talk.
However, the night turned interesting, when one of the girls pointed out a guy at a table across the bar that looked like he was close to falling over. It was Reed. Apparently, he had followed us to the bar. When Alanna saw him, he decided to come over. He didn't look like he could walk a straight line either.
"Hey," He said, a little loudly, "You're going to pay for my drinksh," He said, thrusting his empty glass in her face.
"No. I'm not," She told him firmly, "YOU pay for your drinks." I don't know if it was the drinks, or the company with her, but she had a resolve that I had not seen before. Reed only seemed to grow angry in response.
"Wha? Why you…" He dropped his glass and swung at Alanna. His hand never connected. I had caught it, and had it in a hold behind his back. I threw him away into the nearby table. He caught himself on it, and turned around, almost falling over in the process.
He took a step forward and took a swing at me. I dodged his blow and gave him a solid one to the jaw. I hit him harder then I intended. He stumbled a bit, but swung again. His next blow was wild, and was nowhere near me. I landed a second shot to his nose, and a third quick jab to his eye. When he recovered, he took another swing. This time I grabbed his arm and threw him over my hip, on to the table behind me rather hard. The table broke dropping him, and the contents of Alanna's and my drinks all over him and the floor.
He groaned, and moved slightly, but didn't get up. The bar had fallen silent. Still in fight mode, I nearly struck Driver who had come over the bar to break up the fight. Without any fight to break up he asked if we were all ok. He was quick to realize that the only one hurt was lying among the remains of a table. Driver seemed to look at me a little differently after that, but I wasn't sure why.
Alanna and I had left after things had been settled. She could barely contain the smile she had, which she seemed to still be wearing the next morning. I knew we would hear from Reed later, but for now, I could enjoy the moment. Maybe Alanna would take me up on a few self-defense lessons now too…
Homework Time
Author: Cai Pembroke Carter
Date: 08-09-12 17:48
Onigiri pajamas on, I am currently lounging in the Gryffindor Common room, I've really no intention of going anywhere other than the Great Hall later, breakfast had been simple enough and I'd tossed on a shirt over my tank and changed into a pair of pants and tossed on a pair of trainers before heading down to the Great Hall earlier. Then I'd changed back into my pjs upon arriving back into my dorm room.
I had homework, as usual, and I knew that Broderick would probably be holed up in the library dealing with studying for his OWLs that would be coming up soon. I, on the other hand, am not in the least bit worried about my final examinations coming up at the end of term and had little to stress about because major exams wouldn't be given until next year for me.
At the moment, I was staring at my History of Magic essay, I was missing something that would no doubt cost me a few points for my grade with Professor Davyd's expectations. I needed to set it aside, and I needed to focus on something else, and maybe I would turn my attentions to DADA or Astronomy or something else for the time being and then go back to my assignment for History of Magic. Actually, I wanted to work my way through my potions essay, because there were a few things that I have a touch of trouble with and I wanted to see about getting them done. Something told me that I'd ultimately end up changing out of my pajamas and heading to the library - probably after lunch.
Broderick came in a few minutes prior to lunch, with his messenger bag and plopped down next to me. "Hey, wanna grab some lunch before I hit the books again?"
I finished up a few things and then nodded. "Sure, give me a chance to drop this in my room and change out of my pjs, which I have pretty much been in all day. I should probably go down to the Fitness room and get a work out in, or at least a swim instead of sitting on my butt all day."
"Probably a good idea, I mean you wouldn't want to get pudgy while studying for exams and eating such fantastic food now would you?" Broderick teased, and that got him a balled up piece of parchment thrown at his head.
"I'll remember that come end of term when you've stress eaten yourself into gaining an extra five to ten pounds of pudge," I said with an impish grin and headed up to change so we could head to lunch. I'd make a trip to the library after lunch and then to the Fitness Room before heading back to my homework, wanting to get most of it would hopefully be done today so I had little to do tomorrow.
Coming down from my room I tossed Broderick a small package, "It came from mum earlier, and there is something in there from Aderyn as a good luck for your exams coming at the end of term."
"Cool. Thanks. Alright, lets go to lunch," Broderick said as we headed out of the common room and headed toward the Great Hall.
Nuddy Pants
Author: Georgia Copperpot
Date: 08-09-12 19:46
At Edith's, "What this?" I look up from a Potions practical practice NEWT.
"This is a table. This is a quill. This is ink, specifically peacock. This "
"You know what I meant, Georgia." Edith says this with an exaggerated sigh as she sits down across from me. "Why must you be so vair deliberately obtuse?"
Just to tweak her more I reply, "I don't know what you mean."
"It's a vair good think that unlike Izzy, I am not a violent person."
"I cannot imagine why you feel the need to make such a statement. What does this look like?"
"A NEWT practice exam."
"Fabbity fab. You got it right on the first guess. Or not. Is that technically correct as you did ask at the start of this odder than the oddest odd thing conversation. But, I digress. Yes, a NEWT practice exam. Potions to be precise."
"I think I must still be asleep and having a very strange dream. Will someone walk by in their nuddy pants next?"
"There are a few I can think of I wouldn't mind seeing in their nuddy pants."
"You have a sex god boyfriend."
"That does not mean I have sex god boyfriend blinders on. Looking allows me to affirm the sex godliness of my sex god boyfriend Sage Porter."
"A somewhat double cool with knobs way of justifying hoping to see certain someone's in their nuddy pants."
"You have the manly Fortescue Fitzmorris, yet you also do not wear sex god blinders that I can tell."
"Yes, but I am not the one having fantasies of seeing certain someones in their nuddy pants."
"You brought up nuddy pants. I just carried that thought to a logical conclusion. You know as well as I do that you would not turn your eyes away if someone like Wiggersmythe Hodfuffer or Deacon Bennett happened by without a stitch on."
"Daniel Gelson."
"Jack Emerson."
"Professor Knight."
Having caught glimpses of the good professor's abs when he's been running or working out in the fitness room, I can vair well understand Edith's train of thought there. We both go silent for a few seconds with our mental images, both of us dreamily sighing.
A book being dropped not far behind Edith pulls us out of our reveries. Glancing down at the NEWT Potions practice exam I remember why I am here in the library on a Saturday morning. Picking my quill back up and dipping it into the peacock ink I ask her, "Were you wanting something or saw me here and came to the table to say hello?"
Edith's face screws up in thought. After a long pause she shakes her head. "I don't even remember."
Shoving the part of the exam I've already completed at her I order, "Make yourself useful then and score this."
"Why would I want to do that?"
"Because you may still well be dreaming and you own't want to risk missing a fine figure of a male strolling around the library in his nuddy pants."
"Good point. Have an extra quill?"
Translations:
vair = very
fabbity fab = fabulous squared
nuddy pants = one's birthday suit
sex god boyfriend = by now, if you do not know this, go straight to jail, do not pass go, do not collect $200
double cool with knobs = vair cool and then some
Friday Night Fight (Driver)
Author: Arlington J Montgomery
Date: 08-09-12 19:59
Driver sat at a desk in the office above the bar, he was trying to place an order but the events of last night kept his focus elsewhere. The events of the fight and the events leading up to it played through Driver's mind, and he couldn't help the small smile that pulled at the corner of his lips.
~
The bar had been busy, and he scanned the crowd as he usually did to keep a handle on possible trouble. He couldn't help but smile as Desi and a group of co-workers had come in and occupied a few tables off to the side. He hadn't seen her since the dinner with his family at Fletcher and Fallon's house. There was something intriguing about Desi, he felt drawn to her, and he couldn't help but look at her between customers.
Driver noticed a very angry looking man walk in; he ordered a drink which Driver sat in front of the guy. "You alright?" He couldn't help but notice that the guy kept his eye on Desi and her friend's table, which had put Driver on high alert with this man.
The man grunted and ordered another drink as he quickly downed the first.
Driver moved back to the bar and spun a bottle as he poured a line of shots for a group of girls that were practically drooling over him. Driver always kept it professional when people flirted with him at work, they didn't interest him, weren't his type.
It was about an hour that the angry man, who was now very drunk, started arguing with the girl at Desi's table. The jerk dropped his glass and swung to hit the girl but Desi had jumped in and hit the guy several times and then threw him into one of the tables. He landed hard and was clearly unconscious on top of the broken table. Driver had jumped over the bar when the fight first started, but couldn't bring himself to pull the two apart, besides, Desi had it under control. He didn't think she would get into a fight without a good reason.
"You guys alright?" He dodged a punch from Desi and gently caught her hand, trying to get her to calm down from the adrenaline rush. "I'll get all this cleaned up. Nice moves Desi." He smiled and had the drunken, bleeding man taken off to jail after the girls left and the bar emptied out.
~
Driver sat back in his chair, the incident last night just made him want to get to know Desi better, he decided to send her a letter to clarify his thoughts on what happened last night.
Hey Desi, I just wanted to let you know that you kicked ass last night. I know I should have stepped in sooner, but you had everything under control. I hope that guy won't be an issue for your friend any longer. If he is, I'll be glad to beat him up with you next time. Anyway, it was good to see you again, I'm sorry I didn't have time to talk much last night. Maybe we could hang out sometime? I find you fascinating.
P.S. I could use another good bouncer at the bar, if you ever feel the need to practice your fighting technique. ;)
Driver Morgan
He sent the letter with an owl and hoped it didn't make him sound too forward. After that, he got to work on building a new table to replace the broken one. (He had built most of the tables, chairs and the bar top itself.)
Some Answers
Author: Mildred
Date: 08-10-12 05:50
The library was filled with fifth and seventh years students as they studied in small groups or alone for their respective O.W.Ls and N.E.W.Ts. Mildred felt a bit bad to be in the school library and being the target of the elder students' eyes. An older Slyhterin student looked at her with envy and she knew he was thinking how lucky she was for not having important examinations at the end of the year. It made Mildred blush and she quickly disappeared into the tall shelves.
Her friends had decided to seize the good weather and spend a pleasant afternoon on the grounds, but Mildred politely refused. She lied to them, saying she had to redo her Potions' essay because Professor Weasley had called her to her office and said her work was a mess and she wanted her to try again. Melpomene had offered to help Mildred but she politely refused, telling her friend to go outdoors and have fun.
The truth was that since the Easter holidays she was determinate to find out more about her father and the nature of his crime. She did not dare to write to anyone about it. Mildred knew her grandmother would probably exaggerate when she told her what happened, while her aunt would advice her to speak directly with her father. But Mildred didn't want to upset him. Her visits to Azkaban were rare and she wasn't going to waste them by talking about the past, a theme that her father seemed to avoid.
And so she decided to collect some facts on her own and the best way to do it was to check the old editions of The Daily Prophet. Not that her father was famous but she had read many editions of the popular newspaper to know there was a section there reserved to crimes.
First Mildred tried to calculate the date her father had been arrested, but she couldn't recall what month it had been. And so she just started with the first January's edition of that year and analyzed each newspaper carefully. She was thankful when Miss Bramble had passed nearby, asked if she needed some help, and walked away when Mildred turned her head negatively. She was afraid the librarian would ask questions, that she wouldn't want to answer.
The sun was starting to set and Mildred was about to abandon her research for today when the edition of July 14 caught her attention. The front page had a picture of a young witch with braids, who smiled and waved to the camera. Unlike the girl, the headline was not so happy. Mildred read it to herself : Tragedy at St. Mungo's . The little witch passed her eyes over the article. Apparently a healer had killed the girl of the photograph. The healer declared it was an accident but the family of the girl believed otherwise. It was a sad story and Mildred read that the healer, whose name was not mentioned, was going to be judged in a trial.
She was about to put down the newspaper when she read the note under the girl's photo: Eleven year old Erica Sims died yesterday at St. Mungo's. She had received her letter from Hogwarts not so long ago. The funeral is going to be held tomorrow at Hogsmeade's cemetery. Erica was the eldest child of Harold and Ursula Sims. They also have a son, Achilles. Ursula is expecting another child. She claims she is going to give birth at home and that she will not return to St. Mungus ever again.
Suddenly Mildred felt herself getting pale and her trembling hands searched for the next editions of the newspaper. There it was, a few weeks later, in a small column: Alexander Campbell, the healer accused by the Sims family of murdering their eleven year old child, had been sentenced to spend eight years at Azkaban, losing his healer license. A source claims that the Sims family is going to appeal the judge for a harsh punishment.
And that was it. There wasn't anything else in the next editions. Mildred stayed seated in her place, thinking. Her father had been accused of killing Erica Sims. Erica, who was Achilles' sister! Now it made sense the hostile looks his parents sent to her. Even if her father was innocent and he wasn't able to treat Erica when she went to the hospital that would not bring the girl back from the dead. She felt sorry for the girl who was still smiling and waving at her from the photograph. She never had the chance to go to Hogwarts...
As for her father she had to find out the truth. Mildred was sure there would be more information about what happened during the trial and what he said in order to defend himself. Maybe she skipped a newspaper, with all the emotion.
"Here you are! How is that Potions' essay going on?" It was Queenie and Achilles. Queenie explained they were in charge to find her and take her to dinner. Amelia and Melpomene were already at the Great Hall saving places for them.
"Who's that girl?" Achilles then asked, looking at Erica's photo on the Daily Prophet that Mildred failed to hide on time. She looked at him incredulous as she picked up the newspapers and turned them to the other side so he could not read the article.
But Achilles wanted to know what she was reading. He didn't seem shocked that Mildred was looking at a photo of his dead sister. How was that possible? She was sure he might have photos of her at his home and of course he would remember her.
"Just some old news. I distracted myself. These were on the table and I couldn't help to read some."
Both Achilles and Queenie believed her story, although Queenie said Melpomene was going to kill Mildred if she knew she had distracted herself from homework. During dinner Mildred didn't speak much, absorbed in her thoughts. Achilles was behaving like his old self, telling goblin jokes to Wesley and always serving himself with more food than he could eat. He didn't seem upset or disturbed with what he had seen in the library.
Mildred on the other hand lost her appetite as she thought about her father as the responsible for killing a girl. With a vague excuse she left the Gryffindor table and went to her dorm, closing the curtains of her bed in order not to be disturbed by her friends.