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Unspeakable
Author: Jet
Date: 11-12-08 14:07
A boy called Hunter asks Jet, "What does an Unspeakable do?"
"Unspeakables work in the Department of Mysteries, conducting research and experiments."
"So that's what you do?"
"Yes, at the moment."
"Is there an apprenticeship or something through university?"
"There is a university program now in place and there is an apprenticeship program but," Jet thinks about how he should word this rest of the reply, "but due to current socio-economic factors, I was able to obtain a full-time position without going through either program."
Hunter blinks at Jet, his eyes blank. He blinks again, understanding flooding his face as he grasps what Jet means about the current socio-economic factors. Or so Jet thinks since Hunter doesn't ask Jet to explain what socio-economic means.
"What do you research?"
Jet indicates a time turner that's part of his booth's display. He tells Hunter what he tells those over him at the Ministry. "I'm working on utilizing time turner technology to allow law enforcement officers to review crime scenes, whether there are witnesses present or not."
"Cool!"
Jet can't help but smile. "Yes, it is a little, isn't it?"
If only he could talk openly about what he's really working on since it's even more cool in Jet's opinion. Blood Hound is coming along nicely and Jet hopes to Merlin that the field tests he's putting it through over the next few weeks will be 100% successful. The days until Jet can start a productive search for Albus Dumbledore cannot get here soon enough to suit him!
Hunter's asking questions about some of the other items in the display. Jet gives the third year his full attention for the next few minutes. When Hunter leaves, another student wanders up within seconds. Soon Jet is answering similar questions to the ones he's been asked so far today. Harriet Snider goes past on her flying carpet, slowing to give Jet an appraising stare. Jet smiles at the woman, able to do so without forcing it because his thoughts go to all the creative ways he's come up with to dispose of the odious woman whom Jet still finds hard to believe had ever been a Hufflepuff.
Watched
Author: Travis
Date: 11-13-08 09:09
"May I have some tea, please?" a girl asks.
Her size and stature would indicate the girl is in the first to third year range and probably a first year at that. Travis starts to ask, as she's nearly done all day so far, what house the girl is in, remembering just in time that there are no longer houses at Hogwarts. Such a shame it is, or at least in Travis's opinion.
Travis's hand hovers over the pots of brewed tea. "Which flavor would you like?"
The girl studys the placards in front of each pot then points to one. "Sugarplum spice, please."
Travis pours the drink and hands it to the girl who says, "Thank you," then asks, "Do you have to know lots about plants?"
"Having a good grasp of herbology definately helps with the sort of shoppe I own. Some in business know more about the running of the business such as marketing and customer relations but not a great deal about what they actually sell. They have to hire people who do. I think though that a shoppe owner should have knowledge of whatever merchandise is being sold. With me, I like to be more involved. I do have someone who oversees my greenhouses and I do have a buyer for those plants we don't grow ourselves but I could step in and do either job if necessary and have done so many times."
"I like plants and think I would be good as an Herbologist but I don't want to do nothing but grow them or just stand around chopping them up for potions or something. I quite like your tea."
Travis nearly laughs at the abruptness of the compliment. Instead, she talks more with the girl, who identifies herself as Drizella, about not only what goes into making a perfect tea blend but about the other plants and items sold at Botanicals & Beyond, such as the plants used in making some of the skin care products the shoppe offers.
Shortly after Drizella's moved on to another booth, clutching the goody bag Travis gave her, Travis is pouring herself some of the orange spice tea when she catches sight of Harriet Snider. All day today the headmistress has journeyed around the Great Hall on that flying carpet of hers but at the moment she's stationary and staring at Travis's brother.
Across the way, Indigo is feeling the eyes of Harriet Snider fixed on him. He gives a shudder, unsure of whether her attention is based on the fact that the woman unabashedly has flirted with most of the single adult males here for career day or because she knows that Minister Smythe-Jones has been keeping Indigo and Travis under surveillance for about two weeks now.
Indi has been shocked one day about two weeks ago to be unceromoniously dragged by two members of the Ministry's law enforcement to see the Minister herself. She was obviously angry and began an intensive questioning session about Lisianthus. Apparently, the Minister, despite all her assurances to Indi and his family about Lisi being somewhere safe, had lost Indi's sister.
After hours of intense scrutiny Indi was released. Only later did her learn that Travis, his mother, father, and stepfather were also questioned in a similar fashion. Since that day, Indi's gone a number of times to the Minister, as have other family members, trying to find out how the Minister lost Lisi and if there's been any headway made in locating her.
Giving another involuntary shudder at being watched by Snider, Indi turns his attention to six year Anne Kendrick, who has been flirting with Indi ever since he opened McFusty's. She's accompanied by the startling redhead he's seen Anne with in Hogsmeade but who so far he's not actually met. He smiles at them both in greeting.
"Hi, Anne. Anne's friend."
Anne smiles back at Indi, ignoring the friend with her. The friend ends up rolling her eyes as she says, "I'm Zabrynna. I've been in your shoppe but don't remember seeing you there."
"I'm finishing up studies as a veterinary healer so am always there though if you came in on a Hogsmeade weekend I would have been. I was probably seeing to someone's pet."
Anne finds her voice to ask, "Are you ever going to expand the pet shoppe back to what it was?"
"Not if things stay as they are."
Zabrynna looks up from the information on cat care that Indi's got displayed. "Expand back?"
"There had been a full pet store when I took over the place. I expanded the health care portion. I greatly reduced the pet shoppe portion because... well, because of a few different factors."
Anne nudges Zabrynna. "Indigo is an excellent animal healer." She bats her eyes at Indi. "Is it hard studying and working? Do you have time to date?"
Indi grins. "I have time to date. I keep telling you though that until you are 17, I'm not asking you out."
Zabrynna laughs, earning herself a glare from Anne before Anne turns pouting lips to Indi. "You aren't that much older than I am."
"No, but I am an adult and you would be dangerous to date until you are legal as well."
Anne pouts more. Zabrynna starts snickering. She tells Indi, "Very nice meeting you," then tugs on Anne's sleeve. "Come on. Someone who might actually want to ask Indigo career related questions is waiting to talk to him."
"Nice meeting you too, Zabrynna. I'm sure I'll see you later, Anne."
Indi catches sight of Snider still watching him, then shuddering once turns to greet the waiting student.
Not Rude
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 11-13-08 13:02
Taking a break from the Great Hall, leaving Pyrrhus Fine at the Hogwarts Career Day booth of the British and Irish Quidditch League, Viktor enjoys a steaming mug of strong, black coffee while looking out a window at nothing in particular. He turns when hearing someone coming down the passageway, the voice distinctively angry. Theodosia Batuti comes into view, fully stopping when she sees Viktor.
He angles slightly to the side, looking past Theodosia but sees no one else. "Vere you just talking vith someone?"
"Other than myself, no."
"Vat did you do to make yourself mad?"
Theodosia's face wrinkles in a frown before smoothing out with a small, light laugh. "I am angry with my brother."
Viktor remembers Theodosia mentioning siblings she supports but beyond that cannot recall if he ever paid enough attention to learn much more than that. "Did you once tell me he attends Okapi École de Sorcellerie?"
"Yes, he and my sister; or I should say did attend. Zuberi thinks he knows everything and does not need to attend classes or do the course work. He ignored the warnings and the punishments given have not been effective, so as of this morning Zuberi is no longer an Okapi École de Sorcellerie student."
"He vill be here now?"
Theodosia nods. "Marjani as well. I hate to uproot her because of Zuberi's stupidity but if I'm going to have him here I should have her as well." Theodosia cocks her head sideways, narrowing her eyes at Viktor. "You're talking to me without me forcing a discussion onto you."
Viktor raises one shoulder in a shrug. "I vondered vy you vere talking so angrily when no vun vas there."
Theodosia laughs again, still a light laugh but longer this time. "Admit it. You miss conversations with me."
"You call vat ve had conwersations?"
"In a warped way."
Viktor raises that shoulder again. "In the past, there vere people I vould not even tell to leave me alone. I vould have valked away."
"So I've had the nice side of Viktor Krum? I find that hard to believe."
"I admit I have been rude. Under the circumstances, I found it difficult not to be. Other times, vell, I am vat some would call shy."
"You? Shy?" Theodosia's laughter fills the corridor.
"Yes, shy. Particularly around vomen."
"But you are an internationally known Quidditch star."
"Being a Seeker, it is easy to forget there are others in the air vith you. It is easy to forget there are people watching."
Viktor looks down at the coffee left in the mug then raises his head to look Theodosia in the eyes. "My break is over. I need to go let Pyrrhus Fine have vun now. Good luck vith your brother and sister."
"Thank you."
Viktor walks away, only realizing when he reaches the Great Hall that he never actually apologized for ever having been so rude to Theodosia. Perhaps that's because he's not sure if he feels as though he should give one. Or perhaps it's because for the first time since meeting Theodosia, Viktor wasn't concerned without getting her to stop talking and go away as soon as possible.
A Career In The Travel Industry
Author: Fionna
Date: 11-13-08 15:39
Fionna puts out a few more entry forms for a Terrortours giveaway. She tries not to breath in too deeply the heavenly aroma of savory hors d'ourves available The Imperial Crown & Cauldron booth. Fionna's already eaten too much already today and doesn't want to further spoil her appetite for the date she's got tonight with Jericho Japes. His band is playing a pub but he and Fionna are going for supper beforehand.
Thinking about Jericho and his band brings a smile to Fionna's lips. Fionna never thought she'd be a band groupie but then she never thought she'd fall for someone with such deep musical ties. Jericho's only still working full-time at Terrortours because he's trying to build up his savings for when Dragon becomes better known outside Britain. Jericho doesn't want to quit working at Terrortours only to have the band's international popularity plummit before it really even gets going. Fionna doesn't think Jericho has anything to worry about on that front because the band is bloody brillliant. It's really a shame that at the moment bass player Charlie Weasley is in hiding. Dragon just doesn't seem the same without him even though the replacement player is really very good.
"How are you, Fionna?"
"Hello, Crispin. I'm good. How are you?"
"Fine. Wishing end of term would hurry up and get here even if that does mean getting through N.E.W.T.s."
"That's right, you're a seventh year now. You and Mary still a couple?"
"Yeah, we're still close."
"Any long term plans there?"
"You'd have to ask Mary. I just do what she tells me," he chuckles.
Fionna joins in laughing. "Knowing Mary Black, that's a very wise thing to do, Crispin."
"Do you like your job? I'm still undecided on what I want to do."
"Mary's not told you?" Fionna teasingly asks before answering Crispin's question. "I adore my job. When I first decided it's what I would do, part of me wanted it because I knew it would piss of my mum, which it did. She's still angry with me about it. Thing is, now I don't care if she likes my decision or not because I think my job is the absolute best. I love going to work. I love talking about the tours we have. I love helping create new tours. I love experiencing the tours myself and checking out new places to add to what we offer."
"And you just jumped right into the job?"
"Pretty much. I had to have some training of course and on my own have taken a few of the business and finance courses offered at St. Emrys to help me better understand certain aspects of the job."
"What sort of training?"
"Things like the best ways to interact with customers, how to track consumer trends in tourism, that sort of thing. Here are some informational brochures if you'd like."
"Thanks, I definately want to learn more."
"Be sure to put your name in for the drawing I'm doing at the end of the day for a trip. You get to choose from several of the tours we offer, including our newest. It's to Crete and is called the A-Mazing Minotaur Encounter."
"Cool! Where do I sign up?"
Fionna points Crispin to the entry forms then looks questioningly at a much younger student who's just walked up. "Hello, welcome to the Terrortours booth. Let me know if you have any questions."
Reynier & Pieter Vanderbilt
Author: Griet
Date: 11-13-08 17:44
Reynier Vanderbilt was a distinguished-looking older gentleman who'd been a healer with St. Mungo's for many, many years. Over time, he'd worked his way through several specialities, but his current expertise dealt with creature-induced injuries. To showcase what he saw on a daily basis, Reynier had brought to Hogwarts photographs of some of the bites and burns and other wounds his patients sustained. They were, without a doubt, a hit––and particularly with the boys.
Reynier had two sons, Johannes, who wasn't a healer but did work in a similar field (pharmaceuticals), and Pieter, who was also a healer with him at the Career Day today. Johannes had five children, two of whom were milling about the Great Hall. Cornelia and Aleydis had visited the St. Mungo's table first thing to greet their grandfather and uncle, but they had gone off to other booths soon thereafter and hadn't been back since.
If things hadn't changed in the world, Reynier's oldest granddaughter would have been there too. Reynier certainly believed purebloods were superior to the so-called "nons" and he also believed that Griet's situation was quite different than most, but she was his granddaughter and his very first grandchild, for that matter. He wished there was a cure for her monthly ailment so that she could be returned to the family, assuming she still lived, of course.
As Reynier thought about Griet, Pieter grabbed a snack and a drink from one of the concession tables. He was quite a bit younger than his older brother, unmarried and on that note completely single, and he didn't have any children. He dated occasionally but hadn't yet found the one, not that he was seriously looking or anything. Some of the female teachers at Hogwarts were certainly very pretty and young in comparison to the ones he'd had back when he was in school, but they were probably all married or in relationships.
He caught a sudden glimpse of movement out of the corner of his eye and turned his head slightly to see what was going on. It was then that he noticed Professor Snider gliding towards him on her flying carpet. Suddenly uncomfortable, Pieter made a beeline for the table he shared with his father. Harriet Snider definitely wasn't pretty or young!
He didn't get very far when Cornelia and Aleydis crossed his path. As much as he loved his nieces, he really wished they hadn't gotten in his way just now because Snider easily pulled up beside him and smiled sweetly at the girls.
"Enjoying the Career Day, ladies?"
"Yes ma'am," said Cornelia and Aleydis simultaneously.
"Good. Why don't you two run along and see what else is being offered? I'd like to chat with this fine young man."
Pieter could feel the cookie he'd just eaten threaten to come up again.
The girls slowly wandered away and threw looks over their shoulders at Snider and Pieter.
"So." Harriet smiled at him. His eyes were instantly drawn to her mustache. She had cookie crumbs stuck in the hair.
Snider bent forward to meet his eyes. Pieter instinctively pulled back.
"How long have you been a healer?"
"About seven years."
"You've got a lot of experience then." She licked her lips.
"Yes... well..."
"I have a proposition for you... Pieter..."
He was almost frightened to find out what exactly she had in mind.
"If ever Madam Pomfrey is sick or goes on holiday, do you think you could fill in? Our students could so use your care. So could our staff, for that matter. Why, even I get sick from time to time."
"My schedule is generally quite full," Pieter said, and he started to back away from her to return to his table. "I, ah, should be heading back to my booth. Thanks... erm... thanks for the offer." And with that, he reclaimed his place next to his father and vowed not to leave his side again until they were finished for the day.