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Twelfth Apparition Lesson
Author: Ellis
Date: 04-14-20 17:50
Blakeney shouldn't have been nervous, but she was. The last few lessons she had always apparated perfectly, but as this was the very last lesson and her exam was next weekend, she worried that she would forget how to do it right and end up a total failure. Blakeney didn't want to end the school year on a low note, and since she didn't have OWLs or NEWTs to worry over this year, the exam for her apparition license was her big make or break moment.
She glanced over to see how Tessa was faring. If she was nervous, she didn't show it. She looked relaxed, yet determined, and she easily disapparated from where she stood to a hoop clear across the room. Also already 17, Tessa was eligible to earn her license next weekend, assuming she passed her exam, of course.
What if they both failed? Blakeney hoped it didn't happen, but she would rather have to retake the exam during the summer with her best friend by her side. She knew that if it happened, they would have to make an appointment to take the test at the Ministry of Magic. Blakeney had never been there.
She imagined what it would be like to visit such a place. In her mind, she pictured witches and wizards walking around busily and importantly in chic business attire. For her part, Blakeney had no intention of ever working there, since it didn't seem like there was any government job that suited her or sounded remotely interesting. She really wasn't sure what she wanted to do with her life, other than possibly becoming Mrs. Bran Hyland or Mrs. Napoleon Framboise or Mrs. Aaron Miller, even though he was old and already married.
"Ms. Ellis, now is not the time to be daydreaming," said Bethula Plaskitt, the apparition instructor.
Blakeney plastered a smile on her face to show that she was very much alert and not at all bothered at being caught thinking about everything except the task at hand. She could sense all the monitoring teachers staring at her, so she made a show of concentrating hard. She focused on her hoop, which was quite a distance away from her. A moment later, she vanished with a loud crack and to her relief and delight appeared in the center of her hoop.
Eavesdropping
Author: Marzipan
Date: 04-16-20 07:11
"Can we play laser tag? We've been really good," Carter said.
"Especially good," Vallon added.
Marzi studied the two nine year olds. It was true, they had been well-behaved during the morning's errand run. They hadn't wanted to go shopping when their mother made the suggestion after getting them up and out of bed, but their presence was requested because they had both grown out of some of their clothes. Marzi could have gone without them, but she thought they might like a say in what they wanted to wear. They were at an age where they were starting to think about such things.
In the end, it hadn't taken much effort to get them to Hogsmeade. Part of the appeal was eating breakfast at the bakery. After that, they went through Marzi's shopping list and found everything they needed with just a visit to three stores.
"Oh, all right," Marzi conceded. "You can play two rounds, or one round of laser tag and one round of something else."
Carter and Vallon high-fived and led their mother to the gaming center. After paying for their tickets, Marzi settled down in a seating area where parents who weren't actively participating in the gaming sat. She wished she'd brought a book along but hadn't thought that she would be sitting idly while the boys did something in the village.
Her bid to find something with which to engage herself was short-lived, because a conversation between two adults seated in the same area drew her attention.
"I'm a bit surprised this business hasn't been under scrutiny by that Wizard for Wizards group and the other like-minded organizations or individuals that have popped up lately," said a wizard with dark hair and round, silver-framed glasses.
"Oh? Why would it be?" asked his neighbor, a witch whose thick-banded, cloth hairband failed at containing her curly red hair.
"Laser tag was invented by Muggles," the wizard explained. "While it's true this version is completely magical, its origin is not. If those groups are going after places like St. Emrys University, I'm just surprised they haven't set their sights on places like this."
"I hadn't thought of that," the witch replied. "Maybe the focus has been on the university because it's so much bigger."
"Probably, but Hogsmeade is the only all-wizarding village in all of Britain, so I can't believe those types of groups haven't snooped around or stirred up trouble here yet, especially with Hogwarts just up the road."
Marzi was surprised, too. There were all sorts of complaints about Hogwarts for different reasons lately, but one of the points groups like Wizard for Wizards made was the fact that Hogwarts had bucked centuries of tradition by hiring two sets of staff for core classes, adding courses like Alchemy and Fitness & Athletics, or combining some like Arithmancy and Divination.
She couldn't imagine that these types of groups would have the ability to change things, but then she never thought she would have a monitor from the Ministry of Magic simply for being foreign or end up in a community for nons because she had Muggle ancestry within five generations. It was a bit worrisome.
"I won!" Vallon shouted, as he rushed his mother.
"You did?" Marzi asked, focusing on her son. "That was fast."
"I know! I'm that good!" he proudly exclaimed. With a grin, he rushed back into the fray for round two.
A Visit From Dolores
Author: Sage Porter
Date: 04-16-20 20:25
Dolores Umbridge says as she steps through the door, "Thank you for seeing me on short notice."
Ushering her into the sitting room Sage replies somewhat untruthfully, "I'm glad I was available." Though he'd rather have her hurry up and explain why she's dropped by so that she can just as quickly leave Sage politely offers, "Tea?"
"Yes, thank you."
She so closely watches Sage as he pours her a cup that he can't help but feel her scrutiny is judgmental and her tone when she tells him how much sugar and cream somewhat critical. Then again, he may simply be seeing and hearing what he expects given that she is Dolores.
She takes an experimental sip of her tea then another, larger drink. Just as she puts her cup onto its saucer the cat appears from under the couch and jumps up beside her. "Oh! Beautiful kitty. Aren't you sweet?"
"His name is Jester. He's a ragamuffin. There's a kitten around here somewhere. Her name is Harlequin." Hearing her name Harlequin also appears from under the couch. She leaps up to join Jester, checking out this stranger on their sofa.
Having the cats join them seems to soften Dolores. She gives them each under the chin scratches before taking another sip of her tea. Another round of scratches and strokes along the cats' backsides and then another small drink of tea follow. She's talking to Jester and Harlequin in a little girl voice and just about the time Sage thinks she's forgotten he's even there she looks his way. "I was hoping you would update me on the status of Birdella's estate."
"An update? I thought everything had been gone over with you and the rest of the family."
"Yes, yes, but something more must be known by now. Senna must surely have revealed in some way that Lohengrin was abusing my cousin and, for whatever reason, she felt the route she took was her only recourse."
Initially, Sage had thought much the same. He knew how difficult and exacting his father could be and the mental and emotional abuse he was capable of. He has more information now and Da being Da was a factor in what Birdie did but they will never know exactly to what extent and now is not the time to speculate. Where Dolores is concerned sticking to the known to date fact is best. "What we have slowly garnered from Senna and what was found in Birdie's journal indicates she was mentally ill. She had been good at hiding it but was having increased difficulty keeping it a secret."
"Birdella was NOT mentally ill!" Dolores's screechy sputtering is loud enough both cats jump.
"I know it's hard to hear but... Wait. I can let you read some of her journal entries yourself." Sage gets up, going into the small room Georgia and he use as a home office. When he returns he carries a few pages of parchment that are copies from the hidden section of Birdie's journal.
At first Dolores doesn't want to take the parchment but then practically snatches them away. Her eyes rapidly scan the pages. She looks up at Sage, her pudgy features etched with confusion. She reads through more slowly and then again more slowly still before shoving the sheaves so quickly at Sage he half expects to see her fingers burned from holding them.
"Vile. Utterly vile. Birdie can't have written this... this...," she shakily insists, her voice trailing off.
"Unfortunately, she did."
"My sweet cousin can't have envisioned such disgusting, brutal acts."
The secret section of Birdie's journal that Aaron found with Senna's help reveal dark dreams filled with torture, maiming, and gruesome, prolonged deaths. It's why Sassy, Saffron, and he decided not to make the journal entries common knowledge even among her close relatives. He'd not have said anything to Dolores if her question about an estate settled months ago hadn't hinted at her yet again making an effort to gain money, or property, or guardianship of Senna, if not all three.
"Birdie knew she was losing control. She didn't want to hurt Senna but she also didn't want to be locked away. We don't know if she poisoned Da because he was beginning to suspect something was wrong or he did know and was pressuring her to get treatment, which would likely have meant being committed or if there was some other reason or no reason at all."
Now appearing wilted and small, Dolores gives the cats, who've resettled on the couch beside her, another pat each then stands. "I... I... "
Standing as well Sage forces himself to give her a gentle, one-armed hug. "It's a lot to take in, I know. We're all still in shock."
She numbly, mutely nods. Unsteadily wobbling towards the entryway, so much so that when holding open the door for her Sage asks if she needs assistance getting home, Dolores shakes her head no, disapperating before she's made it off the porch and down the steps.
(Azaelia) Run-ins
Author: Isolde
Date: 04-18-20 08:30
At lunch, Azaelia left Hogwarts to buy art supplies in Diagon Alley. She had found a lot of inspiration to paint these days and was even thinking about exhibiting some of her art at the Diagon Alley Art Society, if they would accept any. She'd painted a lot from memory from the Quidditch World Cup Opening Ceremony disaster and her more peaceful trip to Santiago that followed it and believed she had a theme of interest to art aficinados and novices alike.
She bought new canvases and a large spiral of drawing paper, and a few colors of paint she was low on, like green. After shrinking it all down so she could easily carry it around Diagon Alley, Azaelia stepped out of Olde Art and Supplies and found herself accosted by a photographer with a large flashbulb that nearly blinded her when it went off.
Azaelia blinked furiously and then groaned when she heard Rita Skeeter inquire, "Mrs. Blackheart, are you angry that the case of the Dark Mark symbol you exposed at Hogwarts has been dismissed?"
Azaelia silently counted to ten to control the outburst threatening to spill from her lips and then very measuredly said, "It's Ms. Bramble, as I've already told you once before, and I'm not expert in law enforcement, so if the investigation was deemed inconclusive, then I have nothing over which to complain."
She stepped off the front stoop and moved down the cobblestoned street, heading for The Leaky Cauldron instead of the art society's offices. Azaelia was hungry but she was thinking she might be better off returning to Hogwarts rather than risk Skeeter and Bozo ruining her lunch.
"One does wonder how the wife of a Death Eater and daughter of criminals was the one to find the carving. Could it be you knew it was there, either because it was you who carved it or you groomed a student to do it on your and your master's behalf?"
Azaelia whirled around and found herself blinded again by another flashbulb. With eyes closed she ground out, "Ex-wife, and of course I didn't put it there or tell someone to carve it. You're a hateful, deplorable woman, you know that?"
Azaelia opened her eyes in time to see a wizard step in front of her and say, "That's enough. Move along, Skeeter, or you may find charges of harassment pressed against you."
Skeeter smirked and said, "Come along, Bozo."
Azaelia heard her acid-green pumps click-clack along the cobblestones, and then Lee turned around and asked, "Are you okay?"
Azaelia nodded. She was still mad, so she counted to ten again and then asked, "Are you always in the right place in the right time?"
Lee flashed her a grin. "No, but it does seem like I've gotten into the habit of rescuing you lately."
Azaelia shook her head and sighed. "She's awful. Thanks for stepping in when you did. I was just going to get some lunch." She indicated to the pub behind her and asked, "Want to come along, or are you on duty?"
"On my lunch break, actually," Lee replied, "so, yes, I do want to come along."
They fell into step beside each other. Azaelia filled Lee in on what Rita accused her off, which had him joke that maybe he needed to take her in for questioning. Azaelia joked that she could buy him off by paying for his lunch, which Lee accepted with a grin.
Hidden
Author: Minerva McGonagall
Date: 04-19-20 07:00
Deciding breakfast could wait for a few moments, Minerva went instead to her office. The items on her desk were neatly arranged, and each had its place, including the parchments carefully laid out and marking the place in her work.
Although the Smirts should not be able to enter her office, Minerva didn't put it past them to try. She would not share her password with them for anything, but her door was metaphorically always open as long as she was available. Minerva didn't want them hanging around, of course, but she knew it was better to make a show of cooperation instead of refusing their demands altogether.
Making sure her door was securely locked behind her, Minerva crossed the room and went to her desk. Nothing appeared disturbed, but it could also be that the Smirts had photographic memories and could put everything exactly where it belonged. She doubted it, but she also knew how foolhardy it was to underestimate their abilities.
Preliminarily satisfied, Minerva produced a key from an interior pocket in her robes and inserted it into a side drawer. She pulled the drawer out––yes, it had a false bottom, but it was a decoy––and reached up, where an envelope was stashed on a hidden shelf right under the surface of the desk.
The envelope contained different documents pertaining to investigations at Hogwarts the Order of the Phoenix had undertaken all year. Among them were notes on former class rosters, which Kingsley had used to surveil some graduates. There were documents about the Dark Mark carving, which officially was not a Dark Mark, but the Order was still investigating as such.
There were also notes detailing the growing complaints about Hogwarts. Minerva wasn't sure the groups and individuals voicing their concerns would get anywhere, but the complaints seemed to be getting louder and more prevalent. She thought it better to stay on top of things to more readily defend the changes made to Hogwarts over the years.
She added a note to the file on the Dark Mark carving. Azaelia had told her last night over supper that Rita Skeeter had stopped her in Diagon Alley and suggested that perhaps her own connection to the Death Eaters had led to the mark's existence. It was all hogwash, of course. Minerva had no reason whatsoever not to trust Azaelia. True, she had been a Slytherin brat in her younger years, but she'd grown into a mature, level-headed witch.
Note made, Minerva stuffed all the documents back into the envelope, which she hid on the secret shelf. She slid the drawer back in and locked it. Then, she hid the key in her inside pocket. Giving her work space another quick once-over, Minerva then decided to go to the Great Hall for breakfast.
Dead End
Author: Tiberius Nott
Date: 04-19-20 08:44
For his first class of the day Tiberius was going to teach his first years Gryffindor and Ravenclaw on how to turn a brick into a sponge. He provided the theoretical content behind the spell, and made a demonstration, telling the students what could be the most common mistakes when trying this kind of spell. The tricky part was the sponge's texture and Tiberius accentuated the importance of vocalizing the spell correctly, as it had quite an impact on the students' spell work. On the last twenty minutes of the class he handed a brick to each student and asked them to give it a try.
He started to go around the classroom, ready to help out when someone needed and to check the students' progresses.
When Caligula noticed Professor Nott was out of range, he stretched his arm, and used his hand to call Violet Verona, who was seated on the desk in front of him.
"Psst! Violet!"
"What is it?" She asked, turning around to face him.
"When are we going to hear you play?"
Caligula had learned Violet got a keytar for the Easter egg Hunt. He was curious about the instrument.
But before Violet could reply, Professor Nott approached Caligula's desk and asked him to demonstrate the spell. Cal cleared his throat, pointed his wand at his brick and cast the spell. At first nothing seemed to have happened, but then Professor Nott pressed his fingers over his brick, and it slightly went down, just like a sponge would do.
"Not bad Nott. Keep working on it," Tiberius said, walking away and moving towards Alexandra Crumm's desk.
Caligula wanted to continue his conversation with Violet, but he thought it was too risky, considering she was seated next to Alexandra. Instead he continued to practice his spell, in the hopes he would be able to get a perfect sponge by the end of the class. Such task revealed to be impossible. Only Cassandra Flefferfore was able to do so successfully and she was awarded ten points for her achievement. The bell rang and after assigning his students some homework, Professor Nott dismissed the class.
Tiberius then started collecting the bricks from the desks. He stopped at Caligula's place, looking at the semi transfigurated brick. He was hoping that by now he would have a clue about who the boy was. On the Easter Egg Hunt day he thought he would have an opportunity to get a glimpse at Caligula's mother. Unfortunately given the size of the castle and its grounds, and the fact that the place was crowded with people Tiberius was not able to find any sign of them. It had been another dead end. He was convinced that if he saw Caligula's mother, he would be able to identify her and the mystery would be solved. He couldn't help feeling like an incompetent about his lack of progress. The school year was almost at an end and he was nowhere near to find the truth about Caligula Nott than he had been at the Start of the Term Feast.
Before Class
Author: Illyria
Date: 04-20-20 17:52
After dinner in the Great Hall, Illyria took her children home, gave them baths, and read them bedtime stories. Then, she slipped out to make the climb to the Astronomy Tower. She had two classes tonight: the Ravenclaw & Slytherin first years and the Gryffindor & Hufflepuff third years. The first years were learning about comets, while the third years were learning about terrestrial planets.
It was a repeat of last night, where the houses and years were reversed, so Illyria didn't have to do much prep work. In fact, after making sure the ceiling in the classroom projected Comet Hale-Bopp streaking across the night sky, Illyria sat down at her desk, pulled a bag of gummy worms out of her desk drawer, and opened up the newspaper, which she had brought to the classroom when she had office hours but hadn't had time to read.
She flipped from page to page, skimming stories here and there, but then one caught her eye and nearly caused her to choke on a worm.
There was a public notice about a pending release from Azkaban. Marcus Hubbs, a wizard who had threatened her in letters and then in person, had gone before the parole board and been approved for release on good behavior. Illyria couldn't believe that she had to learn about it from the newspaper and not from someone in law enforcement directly.
She wanted to talk to somebody about it who'd been there when it happened, but Roland was dead, Dumbledore was dead, and Ronan was on the other side of the world.
"Aunt Illyria?"
A small hand landed softly on the open newspaper, jarring Illyria's attention away from her thoughts. She focused on Alexandra, who looked concerned.
"Are you okay?" she asked. "Is it the baby?"
Illyria shook her head. "No, the baby is fine. I just got a shock from something I read." Illyria folded the newspaper and slipped it and the bag of gummy worms into her desk drawer.
"Sorry, I didn't meant to zone out and worry you."
Alexandra seemed instantly soothed. "It's okay. Must have been some article." She smiled and went over to her usual seat.
Illyria, meanwhile, checked off roll as the students entered the classroom. When they were all accounted for, she began her lecture and tried not to think about how Marcus had corned her on the Observation Desk of the very tower she was in.
Drinks At The Leaky Cauldron
Author: Travis
Date: 04-20-20 20:46
Kellen sets two pints onto the table, sliding a dark ale across to Tomasina while keeping the other, a lager, for himself. Retired for a long while now from the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes. Tomasina Harkiss was the Obliviator who was assigned to aid Kellen with modifying memories when he went undercover as a Voldemort loyalist all those years ago. When he went entirely underground, she was the only person he trusted 100%, though he couldn't say then or now why exactly that was. He'd run into her while in Mr. Mulpepper's Apothecary and offered to buy her a drink sometime at The Leaky Cauldron. She'd just wrapped up her shopping so suggested they get a drink right then if he had the time.
"You know, Tomi, I owe you more than a drink."
"Oh pish posh. I was just doing me job."
"At first, yeah, but later," Kellen shakes his head. "That was just me."
"You were a good lad, Kellen. I always hated that you and others sacrificed your reputations, and some their lives, for your jobs."
"Wasn't just for the jobs, or not for me anyway."
"And that's why you were a good lad. Still are."
Kellen guffaws. "I'm not much of a lad anymore."
"I'm no spring chicken either. You know I'm a great grandmum? five sprogs."
"That's great! Do you get to see them often?"
"Every day just about. Our grandson, who has three of the great grands, lives directly across from us and our granddaughter lives just down the lane. Our son, who's our only, lives next door to her. I actually wouldn't mind if he and our granddaughter moved even closer," Tomi says with a grin.
Picking up his lager to finally take a drink, Kellen states as much as asks, "Your husband's retired now as well, isn't he?"
Tomi nods, "Yes, he retired about six months before I did, went so stir crazy that he went back to work, then retired again last year."
Kellen starts to speak but coughs instead. Then again. There's a burning like severe acid reflux coming up from his stomach, scalding his throat. He tries to speak again but only manages a strangled sound. Concerned, Tomi asks, "Are you all right?"
Darkness creeps into the edges of his vision and his muscles feel weird as if both heavy and jelly at the same time. Kellen is only vaguely aware of Tomi grabbing hold of Kellen with one hand and reaching for his lager with the other followed by the always weird but overly familiar sensation of apparating.
Left
Author: Jolyon
Date: 04-21-20 18:08
After the third year Care of Magical Creatures class ended, Jolyon left the stables for the castle. He took the stairs swiftly, cursing inwardly when one of the staircases changed on him abruptly and caused him to take an unwanted detour. Eventually, he reached his quarters on the seventh floor.
"Are you lot ready? The Abbots are probably already waiting for us at the Crown & Cauldron."
He stopped talking when he realized that his quarters seemed emptier and quieter than normal. Arielle was there with her back to him, and Pete was at her feet with his head on his paws. His forked tail was not wagging.
When Arielle turned around, Jolyon saw that she was holding a scrap of parchment and there were tears in her eyes. Pete raised his head and whined.
Jolyon crossed over to his daughter and asked, "What is it? Is it Asher?"
The relief that washed over him when Arielle shook her head was short-lived. She wordlessly thrust the parchment to him, which Jolyon noticed was a letter in his wife's hand.
He was halfway through reading it and not at all believing it when Arielle choked out, "She left! She just left!"
Jolyon got to the end of the letter and then looked at Arielle, totally speechless and in complete disbelief.
"I went out to walk Pete. We went into Hogsmeade, got a treat for me at the bakery and a treat for him at the pet shoppe, and then when we got back, I noticed that Mum and the twins were gone."
Arielle waved her hand around in the room. "She packed up while I was gone, and she just left. She didn't say goodbye to me or anything."
Jolyon pulled Arielle to him and wrapped her up tightly in his arms. He worried that Merrie leaving would ruin all the progress Arielle had made since Asher's arrest. If the letter was to be believed, then Merrie hadn't been doing all too well since everything spiraled out of control either.
"We'll get to the bottom of this," Jolyon murmured into Arielle's hair.
She drew her head out from under his chin and looked into his face. There were no tears in his eyes, but he looked as if he were in total shock.
"Dad, what about lunch with Aunt Julia and Uncle James?"
He shook his head. "We'll skip. I'll send an owl right now."
"No, Dad, no," Arielle said. "I think we should go. We hardly ever see them and I think we should just say Mum and the twins are sick and couldn't come. We'll sort out what happened after lunch."
"I don't know…" Jolyon said. He felt like his mind wasn't right, and he was fairly certain he wouldn't be able to hide his distraction at lunch.
Arielle took his hands in hers and squeezed them. "We need to get out of here. Neither one of us have eaten since breakfast, and it won't do us any good if we forget to eat because Mum leaving and taking the twins with her consumes us."
Jolyon squeezed her hands back. "When did you get so wise and grown-up?"
He really didn't feel like going, but if Arielle thought it was something they needed, then so be it. Merrie leaving and taking Barrett and Berenice with him wasn't going away anytime soon, so following up probably could wait a couple of hours.
After Arielle wiped the tear streaks from her face, the two set off for Hogsmeade and temporarily put off the family drama waiting for them.
How Was Your Day?
Author: Carys
Date: 04-22-20 17:42
The first round Quidditch match between Nigeria and Fiji was currently underway in Patagonia. Carys listened to the play by play from the comfort of her home while she prepared dinner. She had decided to try her hand at potstickers after finding won ton wrappers at The Magic Neep of all places.
Meg's cry of "Daddy!" let Carys know that Griff had come home from work. She was sorry that the potstickers weren't quite ready but knew they would cook quickly once she'd put them all together.
Griff entered the kitchen with Meg clinging to him and dropped a kiss on his wife's cheek. "That looks like it will be tasty."
"Yuck," Meg said in response.
Carys laughed. "You've never had one before so how can you say 'yuck'?"
She shrugged, squirmed and told Griff to let her down so she could resume playing with her dolls. After she scurried away, Carys and Griff simultaneously asked each other, "How was your day?" and then burst out laughing.
"You first," Griff said with a grin. He washed his hands in the sink and then started helping Carys make the potstickers.
"Well," Carys began, "I went to Hogwarts to look at something for the Photography Club and that awful Smirt woman cornered me again. She wanted to know what I was doing there and then grumbled that using outsiders to run school clubs is risky and ill-advised. I'm wondering if Ginny and I will get thrown out before long and if there will even be a Photography Club next year. Can you see Professor Snape running it?"
Griffin grinned. "He is a man of many talents. Did you see Tristan while you were there?"
Carys shook her head. "No. I was in and out, and besides, he said he doesn't want me visiting except for official events or Quidditch matches. He's embarrassed about being seen with his mother."
"The joys of having a teenager."
Carys nodded. "I ran a few errands in Hogsmeade after that, then stopped by the studio to pick up Meg, and then got home in time to listen to the beginning of the match."
"What did I miss?"
Carys told him about how there was little scoring in the first hour, with Fiji managing one goal and Nigeria four. The Nigerian beaters were animals and viciously injured several members of the Fijian team, though all were still well enough to stay in the match.
"I sense a theme of extremely violence in this year's Quidditch World Cup," Griffin mused. "It's good we didn't manage to get any tickets."
"Agreed. There. I think we're ready to throw these in the pan."
Soon, the potstickers were sizzling in the pan, and then the family sat at the table and listened as the match progressed. Although skeptical until the very moment she put one in her mouth, Meg decided she liked potstickers after all, especially when drizzled with duck sauce.
That's It
Author: Mildred
Date: 04-23-20 00:05
"I saw Jasper yesterday," Mildred told her roommate and friend Queenie.
The two of them where having breakfast at the Yellow cafeteria.
"Tell me everything!" Queenie demanded, ignoring the muffin she had just purchased.
Mildred had got a part-time job at a law firm, as an assistant. She worked during the afternoons, after her classes, and she was hoping that the job would give her the chance to watch in first hand how the judicial system worked. Unfortunately her job consisted in serving coffees and running errands. She wasn't anywhere near of helping with any case.
"I was told to serve some coffee in my boss's office. And when I did Jasper was inside, talking to him. His hair is shorter and he is growing a beard. It suits him."
"That's it?" Queenie asked.
"No. He finished the meeting and he left. He passed by my desk but he didn't say a word."
"That's it?" Queenie repeated.
"He was waiting for me downstairs. I finished work and came down and there he was."
Mildred explained to her friend how Jasper politely greeted her. He expressed his surprise to see her working but Mildred quickly explained her job was nothing serious, although she actually hoped to use her scarce law knowledges to assist in any case. Then she asked Jasper what he was doing at the law firm. Jasper was a lawyer himself, but he explained that he was considering suing St. Mungo's hospital and he thought it better to recur to a third party. He did not want to risk his personal emotions to meddled in a case, so he consulted Mildred's boss about the chances of a lawsuit and if he was interested in representing the Pole family.
Mildred wanted to know why Jasper was thinking about suing the hospital but he didn't share it with her. Instead she congratulated him on the birth of his son. She had learned by it on the magazines.
"Thank you," he told her.
Then there was a long moment of silence between the two. They had not seen each other for almost a year, before Jasper's wedding when they decided they should end their affair.
"It was good to see you Mildred," he finally said.
"And then he left,"Mildred concluded finishing her story.
"That's it?" Queenie asked for a third time.
"Yes. That's it," Mildred replied, letting go a huge sight.
She couldn't help herself. She hadn't seen him in a while but Jasper still had the same effect on her as he did before. Her knees had felt like jelly and she found herself shaking as she watched him walk away, leaving the scent of his cologne behind him.
"You still like him," Queenie said, stating the obvious.
"That's it," Mildred confirmed.
Gobsmacked
Author: Ron Weasley
Date: 04-23-20 20:22
Ron looks around the healer standing in the hospital room doorway as if blocking access to the patient within. His eyes move from the person in the bed back to the healer. "If Mr. Fitzmorris is able, it's imperative we get a statement from him."
Rather than allow Ron to pass or inform him that while awake, Kellen Fitzmorris is not currently capable of being questioned by law enforcement the healer counters, "We?" looking for whomever might have accompanied Ron.
"Speaking metaphorically as in I and the Ministry of Magic." Ron is proud of himself for the proper use of metaphorically. At least he thinks it's the proper use. The healer isn't giving him a "you're an idiot" expression.
The healer looks over his shoulder as a nurse assists Kellen Fitmorris in sitting up. Back to Ron he slowly nods, "Yes, all right, but keep it brief. You can get a longer, more detailed statement later."
As the healer steps away from the doorway Ron says, "Thanks," and enters, thinking he'll ask however much he can before Kellen gives out. The more they have to go on and the sooner they have it, the better.
Kellen gives Ron a weak smile. "Hello, Ron. I'm guessing this isn't a social visit."
"Unfortunately, but if I'd not been assigned I'd have come as a friend to check on you." Ron got to know Kellen from the Knights Walpurgis investigation.
The nurse gives Kellen and Ron a stern look, admonishing, "Don't overdue, Mr. Fitzmorris," before leaving.
Ron pulls the only chair closer to the bed and sit, notepad out and pencil at the ready. "If no one's said, you got lucky. Tomi Harkiss acted quickly to get you here and thought to bring your lager."
"I'm foggy on that but I think I remember her grabbing me. One second we were talking. I was fine. The next is muddled and confused. They," Kellen lifts a hand in a vague gesture to take in all of St. Mungo's, "said the lager was poisoned."
Nodding Ron fills in, "A small amount of a potion was added to cause rapid onset, severe food poisoning. Severe enough to kill. It's possible the culprit was hoping that your illness or death would be chalked up to food poisoning and no further investigation would be conducted; but, "
"Whomever it was didn't take into consideration that if no one else who drank the same lager got ill, that alone is suspicious."
"Exactly. How about you go step-by-step on what you recall from the time you walked into The Leaky Cauldron to when you drank the lager."
Kellen and Ron go over the details several times, Kellen trying to recall who might have gotten to his glass other than the barmaid. He also tries to recall if he looked away at any time when the barmaid was filling the order for the lager and Tomasina Harkiss's ale. When Kellen seems to be flagging Ron closes his notepad. "You look like you're ready for a break." He taps the notepad, "This is a good start, thank you."
Exiting Kellen's room Ron is feeling a bit parched so rather than immediately leaving St. Mungo's he goes to the tea room to get a cuppa while reading over his notes to try and figure out if there are any questions he's missed asking, any detail that needs to be examined more closely. Spotting a corner table that's out of the flow of traffic and would be good for reviewing everything Kellen told him, Ron starts for it only to be brought up short when a woman abruptly pushing her chair back and standing all in one motion causes the chair to slam into his legs.
"Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry!" she exclaims, reaching for the chair.
"It's all right though my shins might not agree. At least we're already at the hospital," Ron manages to chuckle, reflexively reaching to rub one of the shins in question.
She grimaces, peering more closely at him. "You're Ron Weasley."
It's not until she says his name that Ron recognizes her as well. "Eulalie Paulson, Edantha's sister. How is she?"
Eulalie grimaces again. "Honestly? I have no idea. Some days there seems to be progress but other days there is clearly something off," she taps a finger against her temple. "Then there's this supposed heart issue. She has one of those 'attacks,'" she makes air quotes around the word, "every time she's pushed even a little for information or for a motive for her crimes. Healers can't find any heart issue so think it's psychological."
"Do you think it's all an act?"
"Most of the time but I can't help but wonder. And now I have something else to wonder about." Eulalie reaches for a newspaper on the table where she'd been sitting. "The reason I jumped up so quickly was because of this story." She turns the paper so Ron can see the page, one of her fingers tapping a small photograph that accompanies a short news article. "This man who was poisoned...
Eulalie pauses to turn the paper to where she look at the photograph again. "As much as you know about my sister you may not know she and I have different fathers. Neither of us remember him. I swear this man," she points to the photo again, "is the same man identified as Edantha's father in a photograph our mother had."
Too momentarily gobsmacked to speak, all Ron can do is stare at the photograph of a much younger Kellen Fitzmorris.
Birthday Gathering
Author: Beck
Date: 04-24-20 18:15
Ariella put the finishing touches on a specialty pie she made for Alanna in celebration of her birthday, which had been yesterday. The pie had a cookie crumble bottom, key lime filling, and an artful arrangement of mixed berries on top. As soon as it was ready, she made sure her grandfather and children were ready. A family gathering was taking place at the new home Jared bought for himself and Alanna in Hogsmeade.
A little while later, the foursome arrived in Hogsmeade. Since the rainy weather had cleared, a long table was set up in the backyard to accommodate the large family. Ariella left the pie in the kitchen for the moment and greeted everyone. Among the other guests were Toby, Bronwyn, Clarissa, and Zoe, Anthony, Plum, Evan, and Theresa, Katherine and Dean, Gillian and her somewhat new boyfriend Ernie, Jared's parents, and Etta and Deak.
After a great deal of talking amongst one another, when some of the children started voicing how hungry they were and if they could start with the dessert course, the family moved to the long table with Alanna at one end. She wore a crown of flowers on her head and looked happier than ever.
Drinks were poured from wine bottles, lemonade pitchers, and water carafes passed around the table. The food was varied and plentiful: salad made with seasonal garden vegetables and with or without lean fajita steak, whole roasted cauliflower, creamy asparagus soup, flatbread pizza with tomato and mozzarella, lemon ricotta penne, pesto linguine, herb and parmesan crusted salmon, garlic chicken thighs, honey roasted pork chops, and more.
After everyone had gotten settled and taken a few bites, Jared got up and raised his glass. "Here's a toast to the love of my life. I'm so happy that we can celebrate like this in front of our entire family. Happy birthday, Alanna."
Alanna beamed while everyone else congratulated her.
Karina asked, "Can we sing happy birthday now and have cake?"
Ariella laughed and said, "Not yet."
Alanna, overhearing said, "If you want to sing happy birthday to me twice, that's perfectly fine with me, Karina, but birthday cake has to wait until after dinner."
Karina mulled this over for a moment. She really wanted cake, but the birthday girl made the rules.
"Okay, we'll sing now and later and later also have cake."
She started things off after getting some reassurance from her mother. Ariella started singing along to give her some encouragement and help others join in. Before it was done, everybody at the table was singing to Alanna.
Yesterday had been her 29th birthday. She'd missed her last one entirely due to being in a coma. Alanna knew she was lucky. She was alive, she was in love, and she was going to make the most of this second chance.
"You know what?" Alanna said, once normal chatter and dining resumed. "Who says we can't have dinner and dessert simultaneously?"
"The birthday girl has spoken," Toby said, rising from his chair to first survey the cluttered table and then fetch the desserts, which were also many and included Ariella's pie and of course the birthday cake.
A couple of guests got up to help. Ariella, however, stayed in her seat to make sure Karina and Adam ate what was on their plates. They made big eyes when the desserts were brought out but dutifully ate everything that was expected of them, knowing they wouldn't get dessert if they didn't. After all, it might be Aunt Alanna's birthday, but Mummy was still the boss!
(Magnus) No Exception
Author: Sophie McCourt
Date: 04-25-20 09:58
"Magnus, would you mind to chop some of these rat's spleens for me?" Fulvia asked.
"Not at all," he replied.
"Thank you!"
Magnus used his knife to chop some spleens and then he passed them to Fulvia so she could use it on her potion. They were working in pairs at Potions class. Fulvia was paired up with Mira, while Magnus was working with Ned. However, when Professor Weasley wasn't looking Fulvia would turn to Magnus and ask for help to deal with the most unpleasant tasks, such as chopping rat spleens, produce some leech juice, and smash dry cockroaches turning them into dust.
Magnus and Ned were able to finish their potion right when the bell rang. The two friends cleaned their working table and went to their next class, which was DADA.
"You need to stop doing that," Ned told him as they crossed the busy corridor of the fourth floor.
"Do what?"
"Assisting Fulvia at Potions."
"I'm just being friendly."
"No. You're being too servile. Magnus, could you please chop this? Oh would you be a dear and slice that? Magnus could you please go fetch me some more bat's bile?" Ned high pitched his voice, trying to impersonate Fulvia. "You are acting like you're her personal house elf."
Magnus pondered on Ned's words for a few moments. He could understand his best friend's point of view. It was true that lately, especially at Potions and Herbology, Magnus had dedicated most of his time helping Fulvia, in the most unpleasant tasks. And he did so without hesitating. Maybe he should be upset about it. He knew Fulvia was very much capable of chopping her own rat's spleen. If she couldn't, he didn't think he would have any interest in her at all. But it was sort of a game they had been playing for a while, where she would call upon him to intervene, and he would act like the savior of her day for doing so, growing higher in her consideration. Magnus saw Fulvia has someone exquisite, and it only seemed proper for him to spare her such nasty tasks. It seemed right.
"I don't mind helping her," he replied with a shrug.
"You're a fool," Ned retorted. "But I can't blame you. My mom says men are fools when it comes to women. You're no exception."
They both laughed and entered the DADA classroom, installing themselves in their seats.
Ripping Off the Band Aid
Author: Nathaniel Ross
Date: 04-26-20 03:35
"We need to talk," Nate told Tim.
He took his best friend outside, into the gardening shed, while Jenny was doing the check in of some new guests. Francis and Nolan where with Amelia in the kitchen. Tim looked around at the gardening tools, and the pack of poisson Jenny used to stop weeds from growing.
"You look like you're about to murder me."
"Don't tempt me," Nate replied.
"Is this because of the shirt I bought for Francis? I swear it was only a joke,"
On Francis' second birthday, Tim had bought him a shirt with the colors and crests of the Appleby Arrows. Nate was a fierce supporter of the Arrows rival team, the Wimbourne Wasps, and he didn't appreciate the joke. He hoped when Nolan birthday came in July, Tim wouldn't pull the same stunt.
"It's not about it. It's something far more serious…I'm talking about Amelia."
"Amelia? What about Amelia?"
"Drop the act Tim. I've figured it all out."
Tim let go an enormous sigh.
"Fine. We are dating. How did you find out?"
Nate explained to Tim that his discovery was made by accident. It was true that Tim spent most of his time at Harebells, but Nate didn't find that suspicious. They were best friends, he was Jenny's brother, and he seemed to enjoy spending time with his nephews. He had mentioned his girlfriend a lot of times, but he never revealed her identity. Nate didn't even notice the way Tim looked at Amelia. Jenny didn't either, as she was busy running the inn and raising their two sons, while Nate spent his days at the Ministry of Magic. What called Nate's attention was a bracelet Amelia started wearing. It wouldn't be of great significance but the bracelet was very familiar to Nate - it was one of the homemade bracelets his niece Hannah started to make since she received her Secret Santa gift. Hannah had offered bracelets to all female members of her family and Nate witnessed when she offered one to Tim, so he could give it to his girlfriend, during their Easter family lunch. Tim promised he would do so. A few days later Amelia went to work wearing Hannah's bracelet.
Then everything started to make sense, and the more Nate watched Amelia and Tim, the more he realized how obvious it was that they were together. He couldn't believe how he and Jenny had missed that.
"You're not going to tell Jenny, are you?"
"I'm afraid I must," Nate replied.
He knew Jenny wasn't going to be thrilled about this. Not because she disliked Amelia, she had come to become part of their family in a way, but because she wouldn't like learning that Tim and Amelia were dating behind her back. How many times had the two of them been alone in a division at Harebells? Nate was sure his wife was going to stress out a little bit, before she accepted everything.
"Can't you just hold it for a few more days? Maybe when we caught her in a better mood? She's been very irritable these days. Haven't you noticed?"
"Of course I did. That is why you need to tell her rapidly. Rip off the band aid. The sooner the better. You don't want to wait until her state progresses. That will be worse."
"Her state?"
Nate smiled.
"Jenny is pregnant."
It hadn't been a planned pregnancy. With these times of uncertainty given the threat of Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters, they were not thinking about having more children, at least for now. But when Jenny told him the news Nate was thrilled. No matter what they would pull through together. Furthermore they were all purebloods, and for once Nate was actually giving importance to his blood status. It seemed a safe-conduct these days.
"Congratulations!"
"Thank you. Please go and tell her. I am not going to murder you, but she might murder us all, if she finds out on her own."