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Lunch, Not Dinner As Promised
Author: Pyrrhus
Date: 08-07-07 19:30
Py's watching the restaurant entrance closely, rising when he spies Isolde entering. Rapidly covering the distance to where she's speaking to the maitre'd, Py quietly, but clearly, says, "Isolde."
The maitre'd steps back as Py gives Isolde a quick kiss then taking her by the hand leads her to the table. As they walk, Isolde says, "I'm a little surprised at your choice of restaurant."
"I'll explain in a bit why I chose a Mug... my choice."
No sooner had Py held a chair for Isolde to sit then he's striding once more towards the entrance to greet his parents. When Eliza and Paul are seated, a waitress comes over to take drink orders. The menus, one at each place since Pyrrhus arrived and was seated, are perused as Eliza says, "We were so glad you invited us to lunch, Pyrrhus. We don't get together nearly enough."
Isolde asks "Why is there another menu?" at the same time Paul asks, "How come there's a fifth place set?"
Py takes a breath. Time to just dive in. "The fifth place is the whole reason I asked everyone to meet here for lunch today. Isolde asked me before you arrive why a restaurant like this, since she and I rarely venture to this sort of establishment on our own. The person joining us rarely ventures into the Wi, erm, goes to places we might be, except for an occassional visit to Hogsmeade and on rare occassion goes from Hogsmeade to a restaurant we might frequent."
Py hopes they're getting that he's meaning we as in people of the Wizarding community. He supposes it won't matter shortly if they have or haven't gotten that because Edmond Jeffers will be here soon and there will be other things to talk about then.
"All of you recall that weird Cube?"
The other three nod, waiting for Py to go on. "I figured out the clues. I tracked down the person behind it all. He goes by Edmond Jeffers now and lives in Sidcup, that's in the London borough of Bexley."
Here it comes. Just get it out. Say it and be done. "Mum, Dad, Isolde, Edmond Jeffers used to be known as Graham Hipworth."
Another voice speaks up just then, "Hallo Eliza, Paul. You're both looking well; and this must be Isolde. I've heard a great deal about you, my dear."
Edmond takes his seat in the fifth chair as Eliza, Isolde, and Paul attempt to get over their shock that they've been joined for lunch by a dead man.
Seeing A Healer
Author: Majandra
Date: 08-07-07 20:15
"Join us for lunch?" Ivy Kettleburn asks Maj.
Maj looks from Ivy to those just behind her, on their way out. Her stomach gives a heave at the thought of eating. "Thanks for asking, but," Maj pats her stomach, "I'm still a bit peckish."
Ivy's face krinkles with concern. "You've not feel well for a few weeks now. Have you seen a Healer?"
Maj shakes her head. "I've had this before. Was just a persistent stomach bug."
Ivy waves at the others to go on. "Join you in a bit." To Maj she says, "You should still get checked. It might be someting different. Go now, see if someone can give you a check-up. If you aren't here when we get back, I'll know you're either being seen or are going to be."
Ivy drops an arm around Maj's shoulders and steers her out into the hallway. "See you sometime after lunch," the older witch says before leaving to join the others.
Maj walks to the nearest stairwell, in no rush to get checked when she knows what the problem is. When she reaches the floor she needs, Maj lets the duty nurse know why she's there then takes a seat in a waiting area.
An hour later, Maj has seen a Healer and is on her way to another floor, so stunned that she's walking on autopilot. Another hour after that, Maj is even more stunned. She returns to the lab, finding herself faced with a concerned Ivy.
"What's the matter? Stomach bug afterall? I'm sorry. All that time waiting just to find out you were right."
"No, it's not a stomach bug." Maj voices sounds odd to her own ears.
Ivy takes hold of Maj's arm. "Oh. Merlin! What is it?"
Maj, still stunned, says, "What I had come to think was the impossible." Gathering her wits she then says, "I really need to talk to my husband before I say anything more."
Ivy, dying to know what's going on, nonetheless doesn't pursue the matter. "Go on and take the rest of the day then. As hard a worker as you are, you've already done more than most will do all day."
Mutely nodding, Maj signs out to leave and go talk to George.
Unsuccessful
Author: Anthony Beck
Date: 08-07-07 21:10
Tobias Beck came home through the fireplace and dropped his briefcase on a side table, shedding his Ministry of Magic ID and removing his tie as he paused to study his reflection in the oval mirror that hung over the table. He dropped both items onto the briefcase and sighed. A tired man looked back at him.
He moved on through the house, eventually stepping out onto the back patio, where his wife sat around a table with Anthony, his girlfriend Plum and Katherine. They'd already started a cold lunch of fresh bread, cheese and ham but had set a place for Tobias, knowing he would come home hungry. They just hadn't been sure when he might show or if he'd arrive at all.
Tobias had made a habit of coming home for lunch years ago but had missed most lunches this week. Ever since hearing from Anthony and Plum about the changes at Hogwarts, he'd lobbied against the discrimination affecting those students unfortunate enough not to be purebloods. There wasn't anything wrong with having muggle blood or even otherwise "tainted" blood flowing in ones veins. In fact, there was hardly a wizarding family without some sort of Muggle connection somewhere. There simply weren't enough wizards in the world to keep the bloodline pure. Some people could ignore such trifles when it was convenient, though.
The patriarch of the Beck family slid into his chair and sighed again.
"No good news then?" Anthony asked, frowning.
"Bad news, I''m afraid. I was told to leave it be or risk getting sacked, or worse, being labeled a blood traitor. I'm old enough that losing my job won't matter to us, at least from a financial standpoint, but I don't want to risk the safety of my family. I'm going to let it alone."
"We'll stand up with you, Gramps," Anthony argued, but he backed down when Tobias vehemently shook his head.
"You may be an adult, but we still have Alanna to worry over, and while Ariella may be of age, she is still a student at Hogwarts. Rest assured that they will suffer more than we, if I continue to argue against the Minister."
"But––"
"Let it be, Anthony."
Anthony frowned. The only consolation was that Ariella and Alanna were purebloods and that they were probably being treated like goddesses and princesses. He would hate to imagine their treatment if they fell from Headmistress Harriet Snider's good graces.
Sticking It Out - For Now
Author: Jet
Date: 08-07-07 22:37
Entering the dorm room he now shares with guys from four different years, Jet sort of wishes he'd gotten assigned to the other "Pure" dorm room. He'd only have one roommate then. More privacy. Maybe Timothy or William would be willing to switch. He doubts it but it won't hurt to ask. He wonders if one does say okay if he'd have to then get permission from Professor Batuti, now the Hufflepuff Head of House.
Beast flies from her small perch next to Jet's bed, settling on his shoulder and immediately diving in to nestle against his neck. The tiny owl is almost instantly asleep. Jet decides Beast can stay there when he leaves for his next class. If he goes that is. He really should. There's Transfiguration in less then a half hour now and after that at 2:00 he has Charms. Not having met either class yet, Jet supposes now is not the day to start skipping.
Jet also supposes he shouldn't prejudge Nina Whitehorn and Carmella Flume before he's ever sat a class with either. Yaxley, whom Jet had had for the first time this morning, seems intense but as with the rest of the new professors he has, Jet hasn't decided one way or another what he truly thinks of the man. So far, Jet is leaning towards dislike when it comes to Yaxley.
Herbology, a class Jet has on Mondays, is going to seem really weird for a long time. Professor Masterson - Lawrence - was once upon a time Jet's roommate. They'd been in the same year and house, Lawrence having been Sorted into Hufflepuff when he transferred to Hogwarts. He and Jet hadn't been fast friends or anything but they had been roommates and classmates.
Another instance of Jet standing still while another moved forward in time.
Jet checks the time. He'll need to be to Transfiguration soon. Most others are in the Great Hall for lunch. Jet wasn't hungry enough to join the cacophony of sound. Peace, quiet, that's all he wants. Sometimes the noise in his own head is enough to make him want to scream.
Every time Jet thinks the nightmares, the voice, the whatever it is has stopped, the headaches gone away, everything comes back worse then before. He really needs Dumbledore but then so do a great many others. Professor Sacheverelle does her best but Jet thinks it's to the point that another Dumbledore intervention nis needed.
Knowing that won't be happening anytime soon has check thinking several times a day to chuck it all, leave Hogwarts. He doesn't have to be here for all this segregation crap. Utter stupidity that the little voice in his head embraces. Laughs with glee every time Jet hears of another incident of how the "Nons" are ill treated.
If not for feeling like he'd be letting Dumbledore down by leaving, Jet would go. Maybe enroll at St. Emrys. But no. When Dumbledore and he first spoke and Jet decided to finish his Hogwarts education, he'd made an unspoken promise to the then headmaster. Jet will stay and do his best, only leaving when he knows that Professor Dumbledore, wherever he might be, won't hold it against him.
Getting off the bed, Jet grabs up everything he needs for his next two classes, double checks to make sure Beast is wanting to stay perched just under Jet's collar, then walks out of Hufflepuff House to go to the second floor for Transfiguration with Nina Whitehorn.
Talking Over A Lunch
Author: Furnella Hodfuffer
Date: 08-08-07 10:41
Sitting opposite me in a booth, Forest stares morosely down at the plate I've just set in front of him.
"Try not to look so thrilled," I say without any bite behind the words. I know why he's on the day side.
Forest looks up at me, "Sorry," then picks up his fork.
"They're not going to another planet, you know."
"Yeah. It's not really that Aspen's moving back to the States. It's their reason why, the reason they're moving and the reason Christopher is quitting his Ministry job to take one with the American government."
Twirling a nearly empty water goblet between my fingers I ask, "Things at the Ministry are really looking to echo Hogwarts?"
Forest, spearing food onto his fork, shrugs then affirms, "That's what it seems like. What else are we all suppose to think when people like Berwyk Oldridge are walking around verifying blood statuses? When good people like Arthur Weasley are fired and others with great potential like Harry Potter are flat out told not to bother ever applying for a job, not even as janitor?"
"What are you going to do?"
"Keep my job. For now, anyway. If those of us opposed to the changes that seem certain in coming all leave, then the chances of stopping those changes or making things better are pretty much zero."
"I've thought about pulling Phin from Hogwarts. He hates what's going on there but at the same time doesn't want to leave the friends he's made and his girlfriend. Told me he'd rather stick it out at Hogwarts then go back to his former school. If Virgil and I hadn't grasped just how much Phin disliked that other school, we certainly do now."
"What about Virgil's step-daughter? How's Jewel handling everyting?"
"As best she can considering she's one of the ones the segregation and other rules are aimed against."
"I didn't know that but then I'd like to see the Minister or that new Headmistress take a room full of people and with 100% accuracy based on nothing but looking at each person, pick out who would be considered a pureblood and who wouldn't be."
Forest takes another bite then asks me, "Want to do something tonight? I know it's short notice."
"Phlagmelina and Lars will both be here for dinner service so going out or even staying in would be nice."
"There's a play Prunella was telling me about. How about I see if tickets are still available and then afterwards I'll cook for you for a change."
"Sounds like an excellent plan to me."
I sit talking with Forest until he leaves to return to work then start thinking about what I'll wear to the play that will also be comfortable for lounging around at Forest's while he cooks dinner.
A Tale about the Blacks
Author: Drucilla Eternal
Date: 08-08-07 11:39
I waited in the study nervously. Sirius had asked me to wait there. I was unsure what was to come now. A lecture? An argument? He had certainly been angry when I had mentioned Lucius Malfoy’s name, which seemed ridiculous considering how helpful and kind he had been to me.
I started as the door clicked open. Looking up, I saw Sirius enter. In his hands was a stack of books. Carefully, he placed the books on the coffee table as he took a seat next to me on the couch.
“First of all,” he started, “I want to make it quite clear that Lucius Malfoy is not our friend.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but Sirius held up his hand in a motion to let him finish first. I waited.
“Yes, he is technically part of our family but, as I’m about to show you, he is part of a family that I haven’t been a part of for years.”
This was all very confusing. Lucius Malfoy was not our friend? But he had been so kind to me!
Sirius reached over and picked up the first book on the table. I noticed the fancy calligraphy on the front cover and could just make out the letter “B”. As he opened the book, I realized it was a photo album. Placing the book on his lap, I moved closer to get a better look.
“This is the only album I’ve kept from my childhood,” he started in a strained voice as he stared at the pictures dancing on the page. “The rest were burned.”
“There was a fire?” I murmured while staring at the pictures of a young couple and two small boys.
“No. I burned them.”
I looked up in shock.
“There is much you do not know of my family and myself. I want to fill in the holes that I’m certain Lucius has left.” He worked his jaw before adding. “By doing this I’m hoping that the next time you have questions you will feel you can come to me rather than seeking answers elsewhere.”
I blushed, feeling guilty and ashamed.
“I’ve also grabbed a few other albums to show you. The baby albums and our wedding album.”
Again, I noticed the slight tick in his jaw.
“But first, let me start about the tale of the Black family. I must warn you, there is no ‘and they lived happily ever after’ ending to this story.”
I looked down at the album to hide what had to be quite clear on my face. If there was no happy ending, that meant that Sirius had not ended up happy either. And somehow I knew a lot of that had to do with me.
Pre-Dinner Conversation
Author: Griffin Price
Date: 08-08-07 17:45
Seeayetee curled in his lap, Griff works his way through a bag of cheese crisps, not really paying much attention to the crisps or to the program on the WWN. Ruth comes out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on an apron.
"You have never been all that chatty but the past few days you've been even quieter than usual."
"I need to get a place of my own."
"I've told you you're welcome to stay here indefinately."
"I know and I thank you, but Carys is going to let me have Tristan weekend after this."
"What's wrong with this house? I don't mind at all if you have Tristan here."
"I hate to impose on you more than I already have."
"This is about more than wanting to provide a home to bring Tristan to when you have him. I've been trying to get you that assignment with Stanford & Howard but so far they seem bent on sticking you with all these dinky, peripheral assignments."
"Yeah, helping clean up the Muggle way that mess yesterday in Bath was definately dinky and peripheral," Griff says in such a way that Ruth can hear his eyes rolling. "I'm still paying penance for not getting the job done like they wanted at Hogwarts. I'm well aware of that. I have spoken with Forest Woods about becoming an Auror or even just regular law enforcement."
"What did Woods say, knowing now your relationship to Jacob LaBranche?"
"He didn't say much but did show an interest."
Ruth crosses her arms, leaning against the doorway into the kitchen. "Do you think you'd feel like you had more freedom to pursue LaBranche if you weren't with us anymore?"
Griff sighs heavily, slumping further into the chair and dislodging Seeayetee in the process. The cat flips her tail at Griff, turns three circles on his lap then settles again to promptly go back to sleep. When he does reply to Ruth's question it's to say with a shrug, "I don't know; maybe."
Ruth straightens. "Supper's about done. After we eat we'll start clearing that room across from you to put Tristan. He's going to need a crib. You'll need to do some shopping tomorrow."
Griff disturbs Seeayetee again, picking her up then depositing her back on the chair after he's gotten up. Never when he first met Ruth would he have imagined that she'd be inviting a one year old to stay a few days in her house, or for that matter to sometimes get as excited about new pictures of Tristan as Griff does. Just goes to show you can't always count on first impressions.
First Week Down
Author: Illyria
Date: 08-08-07 19:57
It had been an interesting first week of classes, having been nothing at all like it had been last year, her very first year of teaching Astronomy at Hogwarts. Illyria's classes were virtually cut in half, which wasn't so much a problem. Last year, the Astronomy classes had been split along house lines, with Gryffindor and Hufflepuff in one set and Ravenclaw and Slytherin in the other. Now every student from a particular year was in the same class, as long as they shared the same blood type. Illyria taught the half-bloods, muggle-borns and half-breeds, or the nons as Professor Snider called them, while her counterpart Professor Helveticus Moon taught the pureblooded students.
The classes ran simultaneously, and Professor Moon always had first dibs on the observation deck. Fortunately, it had rained most nights, so he hadn't laid claim to the deck at all. Unfortunately, the rain and clouds made for poor visibility, so Illyria's students hadn't gotten much out of their visits to the top of the Astronomy tower. Still, Illyria had taken advantage of the space. There was no telling if Moon would ever let her students up there again. Unlike most of the new professors, he actually seemed keen on Snider's ideals, even though he hadn't had any prior knowledge to the changes coming to Hogwarts. He hadn't even known he would be teaching at Hogwarts, until the very last minute.
Illyria's classroom was decidedly smaller than her old one, but still within the Astronomy tower itself. She'd made it as homey and atmospheric as possible, and the students didn't at all seem to mind the change in venue. Although the furniture and equipment wasn't state of the art or very new, Illyria tried hard to fix them up to work better and more comfortably when she didn't have anything more pressing to do.
She shot the back of Professor Snider's head a dark glance from where she sat at the "rejects table" in the Great Hall. The woman took pride in another's suffering and was probably thinking of ways to ultimately get rid of the students who didn't share her blood status or ideals.
Illyria looked down at her plate and decided she did want another helping of pasta. Marzi, who normally sat next to her, was absent tonight, having gone to see her boyfriend Weston. Marzi had told Illyria about Weston's father's flight and had since heard that there was a warrant out for the wizard's arrest.
Seated nearby was Ivy Whitmen, whom Illyria had gotten to know a little bit over the summer, but whom she didn't know very well. She thought it was rather unfortunate that Ivy had joined the Hogwarts staff at such a bad time in the school's history. Ivy seemed to be taking it in stride, however.
"Hi, Ivy. Could you pass me the pasta?" Illyria asked.
The Hispanic woman smiled and said, "Sure." She lifted the bowl from in front of her and handed it across Marzi's empty chair to Illyria.
"Thanks," Illyria said, smiling.
Finally Getting To Tell George
Author: Majandra
Date: 08-08-07 20:10
Maj had gone from St. Mungo's to Hogsmeade, thinking to find George at the shop there. It was only when she was standing in front of the larger of the display windows that she remembered George isn't in Hogsmeade today or at the Diagon Alley branch either. Fred and he were off at some seminar to hear a couple of famous inventors speak.
As long as she was in Hogsmeade, Maj went over to Blossom's to ask if one of them would take Miranda home for a little while this evening. Molly, Blossom, and Hendrika all thought Maj was popping by on a lunch break. Maj didn't correct the assumption. After Molly told her that Arthur and she would be happy to have Miranda this evening, Maj had gone home to the quiet there.
Her stomach still queasy, Maj curled up on the couch with Killer at her feet, a WWN music program playing in the background. After awhile she roused herself to make herself eat a little something then went back to doze more on the couch. A few hours later, Maj got up and went to the kitchen. George will be home soon and she should have something for him to eat. Should probably also eat a little more herself.
When George does come it, it's to roast beef sandwiches on thick, crusty bread that Maj had made the night before, bread and butter pickles Molly had made, and piping hot chips, crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, George's favorite way to have them. George kisses Maj hello then sits down to eat.
"How was your day?" he asks then notices that Maj has just a salad. "Not having a sandwich and chips? Feeling peaky again? You should see a Healer."
Maj waits to make sure that George is done speaking then replies, "My day was a bit unusual. Yes, I'm still feeling peaky so wanted something light. As a matter of fact, I did see a Healer today."
George had been picking up his sandwich to take a bite. Now he lets it drop back onto his plate, eyes focused intently on Maj. "Are you all right? Is it just a stomach ailment again?"
Maj smiles. "Yes, I'm all right, and no, it's not just another stomach ailment."
George makes a face, "Well, are you going to tell me or are you going to keep me in suspense."
"Keeping you in suspense is sort of fun but I've been dying to tell you all day. George, I'm pregnant."