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Fit For A Princess
Author: Dante Knight
Date: 12-10-19 10:56
Logan passed out on his shoulder, Dante navigates through the backyard to the door of the family room. Doing his best to stomp his booted feet clear of snow while at the same time being careful not to wake his nephew, he's about to reach for the door when it opens. Angel stands so that he can get inside without jostling Logan more than necessary though she points out, "He's so sound asleep I think we could blow trumpets in his ear and he'd not move."
Following her through the house to Logan's room Dante explains, "We'd been having a snowball fight. I'd helped him build a fort then did my own. We'd been throwing snowballs back and forth then nothing from him. I waited a few minutes to make sure he wasn't having me on then when and checked his fort. He was passed out on top of all the snowballs he'd made."
"Poor dear. You wore him out."
Back in the family room Dante asks, "Where's everyone else?"
"Peter went to deliver cookie platters to a couple of his co-workers and Madison wanted to go with her dad. Tamara got an owl from Brian, asking her to come meet him for a drink."
"Ex-fiancé Brian?"
"The same."
"Huh. Hope it goes well. I never did understand why they broke up.
"Me either."
Dante gets some hot chocolate for both of them, bringing the mugs to the couch where she's nibbling on an Italian ricotta cookie and flipping through what looks to be a magazine. "Any good articles?"
"It's a catalog. I'm looking for new bedding in case we don't get any for Christmas. Didn't you mention you got your Secret Santa bedding?"
"Yes, from that same company." Dante takes the catalog and flips through it, locating the right page. "This one. The princess bedding set. Fulvia is 13, maybe 14 by now, but I thought she'd still like this. Also, I have to say I find it somewhat amusing as she's something of a spoiled princess."
"Oh no! She won't know you're making fun, will she?"
"No, not that I think anyway, and I'm not actually making fun. It just seemed amusingly appropriate."
"Well, the set IS pretty. I would have liked something like this right up until a few years ago."
"Show me what sets you're wanting. If you don't get one I'll gently prod my brother."
As Angel shows him her top choices, Dante hopes he does a good job of not letting on that Peter has gotten her the one she likes most and it's currently wrapped in small book-sized box under the tree.
Evil Gifts
Author: Celeste Quigley
Date: 12-10-19 12:24
Celeste watched from the window some students engaged in a snowball war on the snowy school grounds. Not far, there was an auror patrolling the area. Even in the holidays the security protocol implemented by the Ministry of Magic was functioning. The number of students that stayed at Hogwarts for the holidays was lower than usual. All parents did the best they could to have their children out of school, giving the current situation. Celeste had volunteered to stay at Hogwarts for the holidays since she and Eugene had nothing planned for the season.
"This is pleasant," Eugene Smirt commented, joining her by the window. The fact that the Ministry of Magic inspector had her husband's name was somewhat unpleasant.
"I thought you had gone home for the holidays, Mr. Smirt."
"No. The Ministry of Magic is never on vacation. Things can still happen during Christmas time. Eunice is away, but I stayed. It will be my first Christmas at Hogwarts. I never stayed in the castle during my time as a student."
Celeste couldn't help thinking that Eugene's presence was going to ruin the Christmas feast later tonight. He would most likely remain silent as he had no friends at the castle, but he would stare and watch them, hoping to have something interesting to report to his superiors, that could be used against Minerva and the other staff.
"I heard about the Secret Santa activity…quite interesting…But dangerous in my opinion. Sometimes the most evil things are wrapped. If it is really true that You Know Who has followers in the castle, they could send to an innocent student a dangerous gift. It happened before…"
"That would be a very unintelligent move, Mr. Smirt. There is a master list of who get who's name. The author of such scheme would be easily identified."
"Do you participate in the activity?" Eugene asked, not pleased by seeing his theory being dismissed so fast.
"Yes. This year I got a sixth year student from Hufflepuff. Margaret Kegg. A kind girl, with a promising future. I offered her a dress, and a matching handbag."
Hoping she could dismiss Eugene Smirt, Celeste started describing the dress she bought for Margaret, and the handbag. Unfortunately he didn't seem to let go of his theory of how Secret Santa could be a dangerous activity for the school and he continued to inquiry Celeste about it. He wanted to know what gifts she had received in the past, what presents she offered, what was the hardest gift she had to buy and so on.
Celeste kept looking at the students in the grounds in the hope they noticed her and would rescue her from Eugene's inquiry.
(Charlotte) Teenage Girl
Author: Lysander Stratford
Date: 12-10-19 14:07
"Charlotte!"
Charlotte shooed Dexter away from the ribbon she was using to wrap the gifts she was bringing to the elder Valentine family's Christmas Eve gathering and shouted, "I'm almost finished!" More quietly she added, "Merlin's beard," and pushed Dexter completely off of the bed.
The old cat fell onto all fours, debated jumping up again, but then walked out of the room altogether.
Charlotte had two gifts to give to Grace. One was an ordinary Christmas present, and the other was Grace's Secret Santa gift. Charlotte hoped that Grace wasn't too disappointed that she'd never found a gift under the tree in the Commons at Hogwarts. It hadn't come up when the two had talked while still at school, but perhaps it had between Grace and her other friends, Oliver and Rand.
The Secret Santa gift was something Charlotte would love for herself. It was a silver, tea-length gown with a tulle skirt and a lacy top, cinched at the waist by a thin ribbon. It was very pretty.
Charlotte's dad called her several more times before she finally completed her gift-wrapping, but she still wasn't ready to leave the flat. She wanted to change out of the clothes she was wearing and put on something pretty, since there would probably be photos taken at the Valentine event.
She looked through her closet and dresser drawers and stumbled upon something she hadn't seen in ages. Nestled inside an embroidered handkerchief were the pair of magic mirrors her great aunt had given her when she was a little girl. Charlotte pulled them out and slipped them into her school trunk, thinking they'd probably come in handy at Hogwarts.
"Charlotte!" her father barked again.
Sighing dramatically, she selected an outfit, got dressed, primped, and then met her father. He was sitting at the kitchen table, watching as Dylan and August colored. The boys were dressed in matching outfits and looked very dapper.
Her father shook his head and said, "I only just now came to the realization that I'm dealing with a teenage girl."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Charlotte asked, with a tinge of attitude in her voice.
"It means I need to ask your Uncle Julian how he deals with it. Where are the presents you meticulously wrapped?" he added, noticing she was empty-handed save for a little purse.
Charlotte started to turn to retrieve them from her room, but her dad got up from the table, pointed at his vacated chair and said, "Sit."
She did, with a little eye roll, and watched her little brothers color pictures of flying reindeer. A little while later her dad returned with the gifts, shrunk them all down to make them easy to carry, and flooed with them to Tiberius and Lisette Valentine's house.
Monopoly (Nintwinty-Flisters)
Author: Harry Potter
Date: 12-10-19 18:33
Changed from his more formal outfit worn for a recital given by some of the students at his school, including him, Argyll takes a seat at the round table in the breakfast nook. "What did you decide?"
"Monopoly," Acantha says though by that time it should be obvious to Argyll what they're playing because the board is open and Alectrona is counting out money.
Armani sighs, "I hope I finally get Mayfair*. And Park Lane, of course."
Handing Argyll his money Alectrona then reaches out to pinch a piece of his plush pullover between her fingers and rubs them together. "This is soft. Is it comfy?"
"Yeah, very."
Acantha squints at him. "It's new?"
"Gift from someone at school. We did one of those gift exchanges where everyone draws a name."
"Secret Santa at Hogwarts." Alectrona sticks out a leg to show her black tights with multicolored dots. "Mine gave me these and two other pair."
The twins says simultaneously, "We did Secret Santa."
"Kris Kringle for us. What did you give?"
"I got the name of someone called Oliver Towneley. He's got a Muggle background so knowing he'd understand what Star Wars is, I got him a Star Wars shirt. In case he's not a fan and hates it I also gave him a basket made of chocolate that has other sweets in it."
Armani reaches for the die. "We can talk while we play. My turn to go first."
Acantha starts to argue no it's not only to remember he's right. Then she wonders why she was going to argue. She never likes going first in Monopoly for some reason so even if it had been her turn to go first, she'd have given it away to one of the others.
*The Nintwinty-Flister siblings are playing the UK version of Monopoly.
Party
Author: Ethan Somerset
Date: 12-11-19 18:51
"I knew your parents," said Lisette Valentine, after sidling up to Ethan with a flute of cranberry mimosa in her hand. She took a sip and regarded him seriously.
Smiling politely, because Ethan knew she meant the adoptive parents who eventually disowned him, he asked, "Did you?"
"Oh, yes. We ran in similar circles decades ago. Maren was quite the equestrian in her youth."
This came as a surprise to Ethan and he said, "Oh? I never knew that about her."
"Yes, well, she was very private, wasn't she?"
Ethan smiled again, sipped his own drink, and looked over to where Briar stood talking to Grace's father. The diamond engagement ring he had given her on her birthday twinkled in the light. The official attachment was part of the reason why he'd been invited to the Valentine gathering. He was becoming part of the extended family.
Oliver, because he was one of Grace's best friends and also Ethan's nephew, was also at the gathering. He, Grace, Charlotte, and the younger children, Lilly among them, were looking at the different presents under the Christmas tree and trying to guess what was inside each gift. They hadn't yet resorted to shaking the boxes, but Ethan could tell that they were tempted.
Both Ethan and Oliver had participated in Secret Santa again this year. Ethan got Edwina Trainor a pretty yellow party dress and pearl-encrusted clutch, both of which Briar helped him choose. Oliver also drew a Hufflepuff's name, Alex Lancaster. Oliver got him a really cool-looking Hufflepuff hoodie.
Briar glanced over and saw her fiancé's subtle cue to come rescue him. She excused herself from her conversation and said as she approached, "I'm pretty sure I saw some mistletoe hanging just over there. Do you mind if I borrow my fiancé, Lisette?"
"By all means," the older witch replied. "I'll go see what the children are up to."
Briar slid her arm through Ethan's and led him to where there really was some mistletoe hanging. They smiled and then kissed long enough for Grace to cry out, "Mum!" and Lilly to echo, "Dad!" and for some of the other children to either make kissy or gagging noises.
Killing Time
Author: Furnella Hodfuffer
Date: 12-11-19 19:13
Sitting outside Honeydukes, Amethyst pops a fireball into her mouth. Breathing out the small burst of flame, charmed not to harm anything living that's bigger than microbes, she grins as it hits an icicle, then laughs when the icicle goes from a single column to taking on the appearance of reaching fingers. Looking to Danielle she says around the candy, "Why didn't you get anything?"
Dani holds up a bag. "I did."
"Okay, so why aren't you eating any of it?"
"Because we're getting ready to stuff ourselves at the party. These," she shakes the bag, "are for another day."
"Dani! Amethyst! Hi!"
The cousins look over to where Louis Kegg is hurrying they're way. Both wave, scooching over on the bench to make room for him if he wants to sit. "Ready for almost as much food as at a Hogwarts feast?" he asks, skidding to a stop before them. "Oooh, chocolate on sale. Be right back!" He dashes into Honeydukes, the girls laughing after him.
Approaching far more sedately than her brother, Margaret greets Dani and Amethyst, taking the spot they'd made for Louis. "He skipped a snack so he'd have more room for party food," she dryly tells them.
They snicker more then Dani, seeing Margaret's outfit under her open coat says, "Love your dress, Margaret."
"Thanks! The dress and this purse are from this year's Secret Santa."
"Oooooh. Who had your name?" Amethyst asks, also liking the navy dress and the yellow handbag.
"Professor Quigley."
"Rather have a professor get my name than get a professor's name, the headmistress at that," Amethyst sighs.
"You have Professor McGonagall?" Dani looks at her with eyes wide. "What did you give her?"
"You know who she often wears some sort of plaid here and there? Like ribbons around her hat?" At the other girls' nods she continues. "I gave her red plaid shoes. Flats to be specific. "
"Sounds nice. I had Cecily McCallister. You know her, right, Amethyst?"
"Yeah, same year but she's Gryffindor, a good friend with Miranda Weasley. What did you give her?"
"Someone told me she likes winged horses. I found a pretty Pegasus necklace that has an aged look because of verdigris, you know, that green coloring that some metals like copper get."
"I sort of feel bad. I kind of took the easy way." Dani hooks a thumb over her should to indicate the sweets shoppe they're sitting in front of. "I got Gareth Martini-Blackwell's name. I gave him a Honeydukes gift basket, some hot chocolate mixes, and as sort of a funny, because of his mum being a librarian, chocolate that looks like books."
They'd not noticed Louis coming out of Honeydukes. "Talking about Secret Santa? I had Chloe Campbell. She's pretty, don't ya think? And good at Quidditch. Anyway, I gave her winter stuff."
"Winter stuff?" Amethyst questions.
"Yah. You know, scarf, gloves, hat. You lot ready to go? I'm famished for party food!"
Margaret rolls her eyes at him. "I thought you wanted to get in a few games at the centre."
"Oh yeah!" He starts in the direction of Blossom's, stopping to ask, "What are you waiting for?"
With nothing else to do just then and time to kill before the party, all three girls follow Louis, Margaret wondering what games she'll play that won't muss her dress.
Intent on reaching the gaming centre, none of them notice AJ walking on the opposite side of the lane, four year old Jacinda holding tightly to one hand as she carefully steps along the icy walk. They are going to Botanicals & Beyond to get more of the bath bombs AJ had first gotten as part of a Secret Santa gift for Sophia Stratford. He'd gotten the second year a set of bath bombs and bath geodes, each with a hidden surprise. As each dissolves, a piece of surprisingly good quality jewelry is revealed. He'd also gotten Sophia a bath gift basket of show gels and lotions.
The more he thought about the bath bombs and geodes, the more he was leaning towards getting more as stocking stuffers for the many women in his life, particularly the younger ones. With loads of energy to burn and overly excited about the party at the Crown & Cauldron, AJ thought Jacinda might enjoy coming with him on the outing. She'd jumped at the chance and the only reason she's not prancing ahead of him is her worry about sliding on a patch of ice. Reaching Botanicals & Beyond, AJ holds the door for her, Jacinda dancing inside, face upturned sniffing some wonderful aroma and telling her father, "I want that, Dad."
AJ grins down at her. "I know. You want that and that and that and that."
Jacinda guilelessly smiles back. "I do! How you know, Daddy?"
Late Christmas Eve
Author: Briar Rose
Date: 12-12-19 19:24
While trying to decide if she wants a cold or a hot drink Grace is joined by Charlotte. "Rand left already?"
"He has a party with the Hodfuffers at the Crown & Cauldron. You want to do a late lunch on New Year's Day? My treat as part of your birthday?"
"Love to! Where?"
"You're favorite place of course, say around 2?"
"Works for me. I do need to ask Dad but shouldn't be a problem. Thanks!" Charlotte makes an exasperated sound. "August is trying to get that one snowflake ornament again." With all the adults elsewhere at the moment, Charlotte hurries over to keep four year old August from pulling the tree in that room over, Grace calling after her, "Just take the ornament off and give it to him."
Yawning massively, Deborah comes over to top off her punch. "How the littles aren't all curled up asleep somewhere I don't know. I can barely keep my eyes open."
Reaching for one of the hors d'oeuvres near the punch bowl, Grace asks her cousin, "Why don't you go lie down then? I can show you a place."
"And maybe miss something?" Deborah giggles. "What is that? It's good but I have no idea what it is."
"Gran called them Caesar salad spears. I meant to tell you earlier that I like your outfit. It's cute."
Deborah is wearing a black dress with gold stars it. She strikes a model pose. "Thanks. It was my Secret Santa gift from Professor Snackypepperhouse."
"Schnackenpfefferhausen."
"That's what I said," Deborah giggles again. "Really, though, I can never think how to say it right. Anyway, he also gave me a necklace but for tonight I wore a more Christmasy one."
"I got a Secret Santa dress too. Did you see it? Charlotte had my name and only gave it to me tonight."
"I saw. So pretty."
"It's sort of funny that I got a dress for Secret Santa because I gave one for Secret Santa. I had Blakeney Ellis, who is the sister of one of my classmates." She'd given Blakeney a purple lace dress that Grace came very close to keeping for herself and having to find Blakeney something else.
"I had an Ellis too, the one who's a second year. Franklin. I was going to owl order it but Doug surprised me. Said he'd get it for me when he was in Hogsmeade." Deborah gave Franklin a wizarding chess set, which isn't all that original, but the one she wanted for him has the added challenge of being a three person chess game.
Doug has never told Deborah that he had planned to get the exact same gift for his Secret Santa as she was having him get for Franklin. He changed his mind while in the shop and saw the assortment of chess sets. Instead of a duplicate of Franklin's gift, Festus Flaversham got a really cool looking stained glass chess set. It's awesome when one piece shatters another and then all those fragments pulls back together to reform the piece to play another game! So awesome Doug's used some of his birthday money to buy a similar glass chess set for himself.
Grace and Deborah walk over to where August now stands with the snowflake ornament in hand, Charlotte rolling her eyes and shaking her head. "What?" Grace asks.
"Now that he has it, he wants a different one."
Grace and Deborah can't help but laugh, Grace picking August up and asking, "Which one do you want now?"