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Surprising Revelations
Author: Bellatrix Lestrange
Date: 04-01-07 11:28
Bellatrix had received some interesting information from a rather scared and eager to stay alive Bob Thackett. It seems her terror tactics were paying off and they were one step closer to getting the information needed regarding Azkaban.
She stared at the letter again, wondering what it all meant exactly. Perhaps it was time to contact Lucius and together check out the information.
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It was raining when Bellatrix apparated into the alleyway. She immediately pulled her hood up around her head and glared at the cloud covered sky, daring it to rain harder. It was no more than a minute later that a popping noise echoed off the ancient brickwork and Lucius appeared close by. She watched as he looked around, his eyes taking in everything, and then he sneered derisively. He spotted her and walked towards her, giving her a curt nod in greeting.
"Bellatrix," he said, it sound like a comment on the state of the alley rather than her name.
"Lucius, glad you could join me. I wouldn't have pulled you away from your daily tedium at the ministry but the letter from Mr. Thackett was rather interesting." She passed him the rolled parchment without comment.
After a few moments Lucius passed her the letter again and pulled his cloak around himself. "Shall we find this address then?" he said.
They passed out of the alleyway and into the muggle world. Neither was enjoying the experience of being surrounding by such useless beings going about their daily lives, but the lead had to be followed up on. They walked through the rain, past the medieval town center and into the suburbs with their leafy and old trees and large roads. The houses got bigger as they walked, more manorial and grand. And older it seemed too. Many of these houses were lost in the estates surrounding them, hidden from view of the road.
"This is the address." Bellatrix stopped before an imposing gateway and looked around. In the far distance she could make out the steep hillside with the massive castle lurking against the cloudy sky.
Lucius made a derogatory hmpf noise but said nothing else. Bellatrix pushed open the gateway and together they began walking up the stone driveway, around the side of the house to the back.
"It's odd there's no alarms, isn't there?" he stated. "These muggles do so like the sound of alarms and warnings and such."
"I did wonder about that," she said. "However, it's a bit late to wonder about that sort of thing. Shall we go in?" She gestured towards a recent addition to the back of the house. This door was open too and they both stepped inside, only to come face to face with a woman sitting a desk.
"You can't come in here –" she began, her Scottish burgh tinting the words. "How did you get in here anyway?"
Lucius pulled out his wand and calmly dispatched the annoying muggle with the Killing Curse. The woman's eye disappeared into the back of her head it seemed and she slumped forwards onto the desk. Bellatrix smirked and waved Lucius silently into the next room.
The room was an odd jumble of accessories and photos, and one of those muggle Comp Uters sat on the desk. It looked like the occupant spent a lot of time in the room. There was the sound of the occupant returning from the back of the house, and then a tall and thin woman appeared in the doorway. "I'll deal with this," stated Bellatrix, an evil smirk crossing her face.
She pointed her wand and the door behind her slammed loudly, startling the woman, who was forced further into the conservatory. "Who are you?" she exclaimed and then she spotted that both intruders were carrying wands.
"Bellatrix? Lucius?" she exclaimed. "This can't be possible!"
Bellatrix strode towards the woman. "I don't know how you can possibly know our names, muggle, but it's going to be the worst for you. Now we've been told that you have the drawings of Azkaban which we happen to need. Hand them over and you'll die quickly, Rowling!"
The woman had the gall to actually laugh. "You can't be serious. Who told you this?"
"A man by the name of Thackett," said Lucius. It was apparent he was starting to loose his temper.
"There is no such person as Thackett in the books, therefore he can't know the location of anything!" Rowling said.
Bellatrix gripped her wand. "Give us this book then and we can decide."
"I can't give you the book. It's in a vault."
Lucius made a tutting noise. "It's clear this is a wasted effort, Bella. Get the vault number from her and we'll go straight to Gringotts in Diagon Alley and make her open it."
"She's lying." Bellatrix had sized this muggle up and decided she came up wanting. "The information is here, she's just trying to buy time."
Before Lucius could stop his impetous sister in law, Bellatrix had already spoken. "Avada Kedavra!" Sickly green light enveloped the muggle and she fell to the carpet, already lifeless.
"Well that was a waste of time," Lucius muttered, looking over the desk. "What's this?" A neatly stapled pile of paper rested on the desk, entitled Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. As he reached for the paper, his hand passed straight through it.
"What's happening?" he barked. Bellatrix found she couldn't move either. She felt drained suddenly, unable to move. "Why is the paper marked with Potter's name?" she screamed. "What is that, what is it for?"
Lucius suddenly vanished, but it was clear he hadn't disapparated, rather he had ceased to exist. As he disappeared, the pages of the manuscript turned, and Bellatrix was able to read the final page.
"No! It can't be!" she whispered breathlessly. "Snape can't –" Bellatrix vanished suddenly.
The room was silent, deathly silent. The muggle police would find no evidence, no reason why the author J.K. Rowling had suddenly expired on the carpet in her office.
*Now, if you actually believed any of this after the first couple of paragraphs, I have a pink bikini and a boyfriend called Harry Potter to give away ;-) Happy April Fool's Day!
After the Funeral... Not wanting to leave just yet...
Author: Oreileah McCoi
Date: 04-01-07 11:33
Brett and Orei had arrived at Orei's Aunt Eliza's house the day before the funeral was to be heald for Orei's grandmother. They'd each been set up in one of the guest rooms, with her parents in the third. The funeral was going to be early on the 26th, and that meant that things would be hectic.
A quiet funeral, held first in the church where Orei had been christened, where her mother had been christened, and even where Grandmother Rose had been christened. Then the casket was moved to the cemetary, where another small ceremony was held.
Now, Orei sat, curled on the sofa with Brett, she'd have to head back to Hogwarts soon and he'd have to return to his own schooling. "We should probably floo back tonight, as we've been gone long enough..." In truth, she felt very little like going back at the moment. She'd spent most of the time home crying and ultimately accepting the fact that her Grandmother, the one person that she'd confinded almost everything in, was truely and ultimately gone.
"We can stay the night and head out in the morning. That will give you a little more time to rest Orei. Besides, maybe we can do something to lighten your spirits a little before you have to go pour yourself back into studying for O.W.L's." Brett was trying, knowing that this was hard on her.
She smiled up at him, obviously thinking it was a good idea. "What do you have in mind?" She questioned, head coming to rest back on his shoulder, a soft sigh sliding from her lips.
Visitor To The Shoppe
Author: Griffin Price
Date: 04-01-07 11:36
Griff arrives for work, a little sad that Sinead Keddle's assignment at Gringott's is done. She got the information that was her mission objective and is being reassigned. Ruth told them it will probably mean that Sinead and Griff will have to appear to break up. If Sinead's reassignment does take her elsewhere, Griff will miss that part of his cover story. Sinead has become a good friend and someone he trusts.
Griff moves around Wolfsbane & Belladonna doing things that hadn't gotten done last night, mainly just straightening and restocking These are things Barnabus was to have done because Griff had another "errand" to run for Mercutio and Belladonna late yesterday afternoon. There was a shipment of dragon claws to be picked up. Definately not an above board transaction.
Moving around to the register to ring up the first customer of the day, Griff notices for the first time that someone's in the office. The door had been shut when he arrived but there hadn't seemed to be anyone in there. Now he can hear what sounds like someone walking around and muffled voices.
The door opens as though someone's coming out but stops when it's only a few inches open. Griff keeps ringing up the customer's purchase, though he's paying close attention to what's going on in the office. The partially open door lets him better hear the conversation. Mercutio is talking to someone and from the sounds of it it's not his sister or his cousin Barnabus.
Mercutio stops speaking and the other voice, much clearer so probably coming from very near the cracked door. Hearing that voice, Griff gets a chill. Griff hands the customer his change then moves to where he can see the office but where he'd be unnoticed if those inside come out.
It's been eleven days since Griff knows for a fact that Mercutio's visitor was last here. He might have been here since then but it's not been when Griff was around. Neither Mercutio nor Belladonna have acted differently towards Griff since then so he also doesn't think his name has come up for the visitor to be alerted that Griff works for them. At least their visitor doesn't know Griff works for the government.
The door opens all the way and the visitor emerges. Mercutio is right behind. They walk to the shoppe door and the man behind the deaths of Griff's family and who stabbed Griff just last year walks out. Griff knows he needs to find out what his uncle's business is with Mercutio and Belladonna. He needs to find out what name Jacob is going by. At least being his maternal uncle, Jacob's last name isn't Price, so if he is stupidly using his real name - the name on several most wanted lists - there's no reason for Belladonna or Mercutio to have commented that they have someone in their employ with the last name of Price.
Mercutio walks back into the shoppe after stepping outside with Jacob. He starts back to the office, sees Griff who appears to be busy rearranging a display, and stops to ask Griff to check some of the shipping manifests for some of the crates that came in yesterday. Mercutio would do it but he's got a meeting in ten minutes, Belladonna won't be in until later, and Barnabus is late to work as usual.
Griff nods, finishes what he's doing, then gets the papers. Leaning over the counter as he works, Griff can't stop thinking about how he would like nothing more than to walk out of this shoppe to find Jacob and follow him. The sooner he can put that part of his life behind him, ensuring Jacob is either in prison for life or is dead, the sooner Tristan and Carys will be safe and Griff can tell Carys the whole truth.
Auf Deutsch
Author: Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen
Date: 04-01-07 12:03
Der Tag fängt an ganz früh. Fritz kann überhaupt nicht mehr schlafen und steht auf vor alle seiner Zimmerkameraden. Er duscht schnell, zieht sich an, und kempt seine Haare. Dann füttert er Domino, sein Kneazle. Domino hat keinen großen hunger, weil er eine Maus in der Nacht gefangen hat. Er streckt sich und läuft rum Fritzs Beine, bis Fritz sich beugt und Domino hinter dem Ohr kratzt. Dann läuft Fritz vom Schlafsaal weg und geht schnell dürch dem Gemeinsamzimmer, für die Eßhalle.
Das Speisezimmer ist ziemlich voller als sonst, weil viele Gäste von die anderen Schulen für Zauberei schon da sind. Fritz guckt sich rum und sieht ein paar Gesichte die er schon kennt. Er winkt zu ein paar dieser Leute und dann setzt sich beim Ravenclaw Tisch.
Heute hat Fritz nur eine Klasse, Geschichte der Zauberkunst mit Professor Binns um halb eins. Er will sehr gerne seine Freizeit benutzen um mit die Schulgäste zu reden, aber er weiß ganz bescheidt, daß er studieren muß. Die OWLs kommen immer näher. Es ist schon ende April. Bald kommt Mai und dann Juni!
Fritz kann aber nur an morgen und übermorgen denken. Er nimmt teil mit beide SAT Wettbewerbe. Zuerst kommt die Zauberprüfung. Fritz hat sich sehr darum gekümmert. Dann kommt der Besenwettlauf. Fritz vermißt Quidditch sehr viel und kann garnicht warten bis Sonntag, wenn er wieder Fliegen kann!
April Fool's! Who actually made it this far? :-P
Here's the translation:
The day begins very early. Fritz can't sleep anymore and rises before his roommates. He showers quickly, dresses, and combs his hair. Then he feeds Domino, his Kneazle. Domino isn't very hungry because he caught a mouse last night. He stretches and moves around Fritz's legs until Fritz bends over and scratches behind his ear. The Fritz leaves the dormitory and hurries through the common room for the Great Hall.
The Great Hall is fuller than usual, because a lot of guests from the other schools of magic have already arrived. Fritz looks around and sees a few familiar faces. He waves to a few of them and then sits down at the Ravenclaw table.
Today, Fritz only has one class, History of Magic with Professor Binns at 12:30. He really wants to use his free time to socialize but knows very well that he needs to study. The OWLs are coming every closer. It's already the end of April. Soon it'll be May and then June!
Fritz can't think of anything but tomorrow and the next day though. He's taking part in both SAT events. First comes the Spelling Bee. Fritz has kept himself occupied with that. Then comes the Broom Racing. Fritz misses Quidditch a lot and can't wait for Sunday, when he can fly again!
Beyond Bored
Author: Ron Weasley
Date: 04-01-07 12:28
Ron thumbs through the same Quidditch book for what must be the fiftieth time. If there's a level beyond bored, Ron reached it long ago. The least those two barmy idiots could do is provide Charlie and he with a WWN program. Ron says as much when Gisela comes in to get his breakfast tray.
"Music, a Quidditch game broadcast, a talk show, anything," Ron says. "A wider variety of books even."
Tsking, Gisela picks up the tray. "You hardly eat again. At this rate you'll make yourself sick. I don't want to have to Imperius you into eating. I will though if you force my hand."
"Hello? Did you hear me? Some entertainment would be nice. Even a set of Extendable Ears from here to Charlie so that we don't have to yell ourselves hoarse talking to each other."
Gisela looks slightly apologetic. "The WWN stations all have news breaks. We are letting you two have the paper for the same reason, the news."
"What's in the news you don't want us hearing or reading? Have our deaths been reported? Bloody hell! Do you know what that will do to our mum? This is pointless and stupid, Gisela! Let us go right now and maybe you'll only get sent to hospital for awhile to treat your," Ron makes a twirling motion by the side of his head.
"I am not insane!" Gisela hotly replies.
"Kidnapping people and holding them captive until they fall in love with you two isn't barmy? If it isn't then I don't know what is. How did you two even team up anyway?"
"I took an Astronomy course last term. After that day in Diagon Alley when you in essence told me to bugger off, I was very depressed and near tears all the time. One day Professor Sinistra - Belladonna - saw me and wanted to know what had me so upset. I felt I could trust her to talk to about heartache and turns out I was right. She fully empathized and shared that she too is in love with a Weasley. Things progressed from there until we formulated our plan to help you two see the error of your ways in not loving us."
"If I ever learn you harmed Hermione I'll personally see to your demise myself," Ron snaps.
Gisela does that tsking thing she's so good at. "I keep telling you, Ron, I promised I wouldn't ever hurt her and I haven't."
"Better not have had anyone else do anything else."
"Hermione is fine! Quit bringing her up! No, back to things to entertain you. I'll bring you more books. No newspaper or WWN."
"Fine. Whatever."
Gisela turns to take out the breakfast tray. "I've got a class but I'll bring up the books before I go."
Gisela's parting words are said cheerfully and with a big smile as though everything's right in the world. Ron twirls his finger near his head again. "Barmy as barmy can be."
Seeing What Schools Have Arrived
Author: Bailey
Date: 04-01-07 14:34
With no classes until Transfiguration at 12:30, Bailey does what many of the students with the morning free are doing. He's outside looking to see what schools have arrived already for this weekend's SAT events. Hogwarts is hosting the Charms event called the Spelling Bee and the flying events. There are four Broom Racing events and Bailey is in one of them, the Long Distance event. Everyone knew at least some of the schools had arrived because there were extra people at breakfast this morning. No announcement was made though so Bailey guesses nothing really will be said until all are there. Probably at lunch.
Bailey sees there's a ship in the lake. That's Durmstrang Institute. There are groups of students standing around here and there and Bailey overhears snatches of Spanish and American accented English. That means La Escuela de Hechiceria and Watling's Wizarding Academy competitors are here.
There's Gabangaye Tsiba, someone Bailey's befriended through the SAT. That means the Okapi École de Sorcellerie contingent has arrived. Bailey waves a greeting and walks over to join Gabangaye. From his friend Bailey learns that only Beauxbatons has not arrived. Bailey would have eventually figured it out after putting together which mode of transport belonged to which school and counting how many are there but it's nice to hear it from someone, saving him the work.
As they talk, Beauxbatons arrives. Their large carriage comes in for a perfect landing. Headmistress Olympe Maxime disembarks first, giving orders on the tending of the huge horses that pull the carriage. Just after that, some of the prefects show up, calling for attention. They each call out names to form groups they will lead on a tour of Hogwarts before showing their respective groups to the Great Hall for lunch.
With several of the prefects being 6th and 7th years, Bailey guesses they must have been given time off from any morning classes to conduct the tours. With nothing else to do this morning other than perhaps go get in more flying practice, Bailey tags along with the group led by Jared Wynbourne so that he and Gabangaye might talk more.
Hints
Author: Saffron
Date: 04-01-07 17:12
Saffron had stuck a note on her classroom and office doors letting anyone who might be looking for her during her Friday office hours to come to her Hogwarts flat. With Aaron having one class this morning and another this afternoon, Saffron wanted to be with Charlie Weasley's boys. Frannie's helping out as well and Saffron knows she could get the same House Elf who nannied Marion for her but Saffron decided to go the note on the doors route.
Taking the bottle out of Little Arthur's mouth, Saffron moves the baby to her shoulder to burp him. Sitting across from her, being entertained by Schuyler, Frannie says, "You're very good with babies. You should have one of your own."
Saffron laughs, wondering if she sounds nervous about that idea only to her own ears. "Probably in time," she replies.
"It's been ages since Audrey and Cora were so little," Frannie sighs longingly. "Drake's all grown up and Deak wasn't all that young when he became part of the family. I've never gotten to be a grandmother to boys so small."
Saffron laughs again. "What subtle hints."
Frannie stands up. "I don't know what you mean," she innocently pronounces. "I'm going to change Schuyler's diaper, or as you would say, his nappie. Then I think we might stroll around outside in the lovely weather."
"Arthur's done eating. I'll change him as well and join you."
"Even if it means more of these hints you mentioned?" Frannie chuckles.
"Even if it means that," Saffron laughs in reply.
Two days before the race
Author: Thessily
Date: 04-01-07 21:37
Two days before the race. I told myself as I mounted up onto my broom. Two days before the race. There was no way I was going to win. But I had signed up and I had to at least compete. Two days before the race.
Okay. I thought as I looked down at my broom and took off into the air. I can do this. I hadn’t quite completely healed after my ordeal with Shane. But I felt like I had to do this. I had to at least try. I knew I was good. It wasn’t a question it was a fact. It was more the nerves. Getting back on the broom. Getting back into the swing of school. Just plain getting back into life itself was hard. But I wasn’t going to let fear and get me. .
I did a couple of laps timing myself on my stop watch. Then when I was satisfied with my time, I circle around the field and flew down to the ground. My broom stood still in the air as I hopped off it and then I picked it up with my hand. Well, that wasn’t so bad. I told myself happily. Maybe I had a chance after all.
Accepting an Invitation
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 04-02-07 09:34
Bronwyn left Orange for Magic in the Dark Ages class. She didn't know why she'd signed up for so many History of Magic courses during her two years at St. Emrys thus far, especially when the class at Hogwarts hardly held her attention, but she'd quickly come to discover that not all history professors were as boring as Binns, nor was she particularly bad at history. In fact, she kind of liked it.
As she walked along the black stripe on the floor to the part of St. Emrys where some of the classrooms were located, someone fell into step beside her.
"Oh, hello Theodore," Bronwyn greeted.
"Off to class?"
"Yes, the last one of the day. You?"
Theodore shook his head. "I'm actually leaving class. Glad I found you, though." He smiled. "Listen, I was wondering if you wanted to meet me at the Wyrding Way later tonight... as friends, of course. A friend of mine is performing there tonight and I promised I'd show and bring some support."
Wyrding Way always had something going on on Friday nights, be it a poetry slam or music performances.
"Sure," Bronwyn replied, smiling. "That sounds fun."
"Great. See you at 7?"
"7 it is."
Theodore spun on his heel and took off for home or wherever it is he was going next, while Bronwyn entered the next door to her right. She sat down at a desk in the very middle of the room and began emptying her book bag, while she waited for class to begin.
An Opinion
Author: Furnella Hodfuffer
Date: 04-02-07 19:07
Phlagmelina pokes through a large hamper type basket on a table. "There's room for more sandwiches."
"What about another container of soup?"
"One of the smaller ones I think."
"I'll get more of the potato. That's always a big favorite. Probably because of the cheese."
Walking into the kitchen put a small container to filling with the potato soup while I grab more sandwiches. Back out in the main dining area I hand over the items for Phlagmelina to pack into the hamper.
"Going on a big picnic?" a voice asks from behind.
Turning I answer my ex-husband, "We're taking food to the Weasley family. They have two businesses here in Hogsmeade and a shop in Diagon Alley. One family member is in the hospital after an attack and two are missing. Not from the same attack. Something else."
Vivian, Virgil's wife, nods her head and says, "We read about that in the Prophet."
"Are you to here for a late lunch/early supper?"
"We actually came to ask you your opinion on something," Virgil says reaching to take Vivian's hand.
Vivian flushes and looks very happy. Glowing happy. Tilting my head to one side I scrutinize them both then ask, "Are you expecting?"
Vivian's smiles turns into a giddy grin. "Is it that obvious?"
"Only that you have the glow and the big grin to go with it. Congratulations."
We all sit down as Virgil says, "We're trying to decide when and how to break the news to Phin and Jewel. We'll see them on Sunday for Phin's broom racing event. If it were you, would you tell them then?"
I think about it a moment then slowly nod. "Face to face is better than by owl. Your next face to face opportunity that doesn't involve going to Hogwarts just to talk to them is next month on their next Hogsmeade trip. I'd wait until Phin's done racing though."
Vivian, who hasn't stopped smiling, grins from ear to ear. "That's what we were thinking. I'm so nervous about this!"
"If it helps to know, I'll be there too. I promised Phin I'd come watch."
Virgil reaches over and pats my arm. "Thanks, Furnie. Now, as long as we're here, I could eat a little something."