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Best Pally Awards
Author: Georgia Copperpot
Date: 05-20-10 18:07
"Do you suppose we're the first fifth years taking the apparition lesson?"
Isabella looks at Edith with eyebrows arched. "I would have expected such a question from Georgia, not you, Edith."
"Always so cruel to me, Izzy wizzy. Why I call you my bestest pal is sheer mysteriousnosity."
Catherine makes a face at both of us then looks to Edith. "Think about what you just asked, Edith."
"I already have. Regretted the question the moment I asked it," Edith states in such a way it's clear she really did realize the answer to her own question as soon as she voiced the question.
Izzy grins at Edith then looks to me. "And what would be the answer to that question, Georgia?"
"Are you implying I am a twit?"
"Not at all."
Catherine's the one grinning now as she says, "You aren't a twit, Georgia but you do and say some of the twittiest things. You are full of sheer twitnosity. It's a gift really."
"I shall take that as a compliment, Catherine."
"You are avoiding the question."
"Izzy wizzy. Wee Izzy wizzy,"
Edith snorts with laughter at my punliness, earning herself a glare from the punned one.
"My sex god boyfriend "
"Sage Porter," several voices chime. Voices that include more than those of Edith, Catherine, and Isabella, earning us all a glower that fairly screams, "SHHHHHHHH," from a certain professor.
"Yes, Sage Porter is my sex god boyfriend," I acknowledge with a smile and a wave.
"What does Sage have to do with the answer to that question?" Edith asks.
"You are the originator of that question so why don't you tell me, Edith?"
"You make no sense, Georgia," Edith replies, Catherine nodding in agreement.
"She does that on purpose."
"See, there you go again, Izzy, being so cruel to me, while I have never been anything but the bestest pally since the bestest pally awards were first given out in prehistoric times. There are famous cave drawings of that first awards ceremony you know."
"We should take a trip to see them," Edith giggles.
"Yes, as soon as we all pass our apparition licensing exams, we will pop out of the Great Hall, popping in to see those famous cave drawings and holding our very own awards ceremeony on the spot to honor the moment. Despite your cruelty to me, Izzy, I shall name you my bestest pally and give you an award to treasure always. Edith, Catherine, you too shall each get bestest pally awards."
"Where exactly are these so called famous cave drawings? You know, so we can all be sure to apparate to the same location."
"Good idea, Isabella," Edith nods. "I wouldn't want to go somewhere I don't speak the language and be all alone."
"The cave is in Frogs'-legs-a-gogo land. Near Amiens. Amiens being French for friends and awards and so named for the bestest pally cave drawings of friends giving friends awards."
"You are so full of it," Catherine says but she is laughing as she says it so I take no offense.
Further discussion of our little trip to Frogs'-legs-a-gogo land is cut short when one of the Great Hall's doors opens and, "Georgia Copperpot," is called out.
"I shall apparate to Amiens as soon as I pass this exam. See you all there in a tick. Too bad I have a sex god boyfriend named Sage Porter or I would suggest we plan on snogging some of the Froggers."
With a cheery wave I rush into the Great Hall to get what is sure to be a grueling exam out of the way so that my friends and I can sneak off to Frogs'-legs-a-gogo land to celebrate. As I go I also ingore Izzy's muttered, "You never did answer the question." She doesn't really want me to answer it when she knows I know that there surely were fifth years who took the apparition test in the past because of having failed a year (or more) of school or getting a late start coming to school and being made to start as a first year even though older.
Once inside the Great Hall I go to where I am instructed, ready to show the world I can apparate successfully so that I might soon be off, secretly of course, to Frogs'-legs-a-gogo land for the bestest pally awards. And Froggy pastries.
Translations:
twit = Are you such a twit you do not know what a twit is, hmmmm?
sex god = What my boyfriend is. Not everyone can have a sex god boyfriend like Sage Porter. Sad isn't it?
Frogs'-legs-a-gogo land = France, a place where frogs' legs are eaten much like other countries each chicken, due to the fact. If you have a Froggy chicken dish, you cannot be 100% certain it isn't really frogs' legs unless you made the dish yourself. That is a le fact.
Froggers = the people of Frogs'-legs-a-gogo land, so called because of their inexplicable fondest for eating frogs' leg, aka Froggy chicken.
Froggy = something French, which means that a Froggy pastry is a French pastry. Yum!
Alanna's Day After Birthday Brunch
Author: Jared
Date: 05-21-10 16:19
Jared steers a blindfolded Alanna from the Muggle taxicab, warning as he does, "The ground is about to get a little uneven but I've got you so don't worry about falling."
"This smells like a pasture. Are we in a pasture?"
"Yep, this is a pasture."
"So you brought me to see cows or sheep?"
"You'll see some but that's not why we're here."
Alanna playfully, and blindly, slaps at Jared's arm. "The party last night was wonderful. You really didn't have to bring me to a pasture today to see cows and sheep and whatever other farm animals there are. It's a hayride, isn't it? We'll see those animals on the hayride."
"Nope. Not a hayride."
A loud noise reaches them, causing Alanna to jump. "That was NOT any farm animal I've heard before."
The sound comes again, more loudly. Jared stops walking and using the hold he's got on Alanna, indicates she should stop as well. For good measure he says, "Stop for a minute; and no, that's not an animal you're hearing."
Beneath the blindfold, Alanna's face crinkles in concentration on the noise. "What is it then?"
Jared reaches over to remove the blindfold saying as he does, "Why don't you see for yourself?"
Alanna's mouth opens, forming an O, and her eyes widen with surprise. "That's a hot air balloon, isn't it?"
"It is."
"Are we going up in it?" Alanna asks, now sounding excited.
"We are and there's a brunch while we're up there," Jared says pointing up to the sky. "I thought it might be fun to go for a leisurely flight with a brunch while aloft. That's hard to do on brooms and with the restrictions on flying carpets in Britain I thought we could give hot air ballooning a try. Out of the companies I researched, Wizarding and Muggle, this Muggle one had the best reputation along with reasonable rates."
Alanna's listening to Jared but watching, as he is, the last of the inflation process taking place with the balloon. "Is the noise coming from that thing with the flame on it?" she asks.
"Yeah, I think so."
A woman has seen them and waved and after indicating they should stay where they are she heads their way. When she reaches them she sticks out a hand. "Alanna and Jared? I'm Hildy. Rob has a stress fracture in his leg and has been ordered to stay off it so I'm going to be your pilot. The ground crew's just about got everything ready."
While shaking Hildy's hand Jared says, "I'm sorry about Rob. He's going to be okay?"
"Yes, he's fine. Rob's a runner and has been putting in triple time training for some marathons. He over did it just a bit and has to stay off the leg for a bit is all. I'm going to run over the safety protocols with you and then we should be ready to go, all right?"
Alanna and Jared give Hildy eager yeses and listen attentively to her safety instructions. Then it's time to climb aboard the gondola, with Hildy pointing out the special table and seats for flights such as this brunch one Alanna and Jared are taking. She also tells them the balloon itself is called the envelope and points out the burner. As she dones heat resistant gloves she says, "If you're interested, once we're aloft, I'll explain things more, such as how why there are vents in the envelope and what the altimeter here is for. I will also be pointing out spots of interest along the way."
Jared doesn't know about Alanna but he would like to know more about how the hot air balloon operates. From the expression on her face, he thinks she would like to as well. First though is enjoying the experience of going up, up, up as the ground crew and Hildy get them on their way, Alanna and Jared watching everything going on with keen interest as the ground slowly recedes as the hot air balloon ascends.
Here We Go Again
Author: Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen
Date: 05-21-10 18:33
Fritz leans against one of the walls in the entrance hall and awaits his turn for the apparition testing currently underway in the Great Hall. About half, if not a little more of the fifth, sixth, and seventh years who have been taking the lessons since the very beginning of February have already gone before him. They haven't come out through the front doors, so Fritz suspects that they are being sent out the side entrance at the completion of the exam.
He can't decide if that's a good or bad thing. On the one hand, he wants to know how things are going in there, even though he's not new to apparition testing. Two years ago, he'd taken the exam and done perfectly well on it, only to fail because of his blood status. Fritz knows he doesn't have to worry about that now. He just hopes he does just as well the second time as the first time. It would be really embarrassing if he failed again, even if it would be for a legitimate reason this time.
Fritz is curious to know if anyone has already failed today. Because none of the others have come back to the entrance hall, he has no way of knowing and probably won't know until he's taken his own exam. He doesn't wish failure on anyone, even those he doesn't like and especially the students who'd already been through this experience once before. Has there ever been a year where every student has earned their license to apparate? If not, maybe this would be that year.
The door to the Great Hall opens and Professor Snape steps through, black eyes focused on the next student in line. He jerks his head in the direction of the Great Hall when the student doesn't move fast enough for his liking. The student stumbles into the Great Hall, and Snape shuts the door behind him.
The collective hush that had fallen over the entrance hall vanishes as those left behind murmur to each other about the testing and whatever else. Fritz looks over at Coco, who has yet to go as well but who is ahead of him in line. She shoots him an encouraging smile.
Fritz smiles back and tries to forget about the butterflies that are starting to form in his stomach. He doesn't know why he's getting nervous. It's not like he doesn't know what he's doing or what to expect! Still, he supposes the fact that it's a test and an important milestone to surpass are reason enough to make him feel less than 100% confident that he'll do nothing but his best.
Coco turns away to focus on her own thoughts, leaving Fritz to his. For some reason he can't help but hear the phrase Destination, Determination and Deliberation over and over again in his head.
Waiting, Waiting, Waiting
Author: Zabrynna
Date: 05-21-10 19:26
Zabrynna hasn't been called yet for the apparition test. She was told to be here but she keeps thinking Professor Dumbledore will come tell her never mind, then suggest she go work on the project he gave her way back near the start of term. Earlier, she thought Professor McGonagall was giving her the evil eye. Zabrynna isn't sure whether the professor was looking that way because of having to spend the morning with this testing that for McGonagall must surely be tedious in the extreme or if it was, in fact, a look aimed at Zabrynna, a disapproval laden glare at having Zabrynna at Hogwarts much less outside the Great Hall in anticipation of getting an apparating license.
Zabrynna leans against the wall and contemplates sliding down to sit on the floor. The only drawback to that would be if her name is called anytime soon. Professor Snape has called in the last few and his body language has spoken volumes on what he thinks of those who aren't quick enough to suit him. Probably has something he'd rather be doing today. Zabrynna can't blame him there. She desperately wants to pass the apparition licensing exam but at the same time she would like to be snug in her bed still, even though it's well into morning by now.
There are assigments due and final examinations to study for. Zabrynna's hand feels crampy just at the thought of all those exams to write. At times the days leading up to the end of term just drag by while at other times they fly. Before she knows it, Zabrynna will be face to face with her parents as they once again list all the reasons they don't want her returning to Hogwarts. Problem for them is that Zabrynna is seventeen soon. Even if they object to her returning to Hogwarts, which they will, the Ravensdales will not be able to make that decision for Zabrynna. She still has trouble believing she got them to agree to being here for sixth year, especially after the mess she made of things.
Zabrynna can't help but wonder if her parents will turn her out of the house and if so, what will she do? Mariposa has a place now. Maybe she'd let Zabrynna stay there. Her mother and step-father are paying the rent so it's not like their father could do much about Zabrynna staying there. But then, he and Margretta could make Mariposa's life miserable in other ways if she were to assist Zabrynna too much.
Folding her arms, Zabrynna moves away from the wall and starts to pace. Her actions aren't seen as anything odd or out of the ordinary. Many of those students remaining to take their exams are showing signs of worry or impatience and most likely see her actions as something along those lines. Anne's already gone in and Philippa is so busy whispering the three Ds over and over that she hardly notices what Zabrynna is doing. As she paces, Zabrynna wonders why on the world she'd start thinking about being kicked out of the house. Margretta and Nolan have never given any indication they would do that to her for not complying to what they want. With so many other things to think about why find other things to dwell on? She should just be thankful she's being allowed to take the exam this morning. There was some doubt that she'd be allowed and Margretta had indicated at one point that Zabrynna could wait until summer holiday because as part of her punishment agreement, she would be banned from taking the licensing exam here at school. She doesn't know why that's changed but is glad she doesn't have to come up with an excuse to Anne and Philippa on why she missed out.
The door to the Great Hall opens again. Zabrynna stops her pacing, listening with the same mix of dread and anticipation as the others still waiting. When her name is called, Zabrynna feels a number of eyes turn her direction as she supresses the desire to gleefully crow that it's finally her turn. She also supresses the urge to throw up. Hurrying into the Great Hall, but still earning a scathing look from Professr Snape for being too slow, Zabrynna finds she doesn't care of she's issued her license today or, even if passing, is made to wait to pick it up this summer. It's not as if she can actually go anywhere with school in session but at least by being allowed to take it, she'll have it over and done and with no need to add yet another lie to the many she's already told her friends.