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Clinical Rotations
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 09-08-07 09:46
A half dozen interns stood in the lobby of the ground floor at St. Mungo's Hospital and listened as the Head Healer of Artifact Accidents, Aurelia Abbott, welcomed them to the first year of three of clinical rotations required to officially become healers. Hermione stood among them, positively ecstatic at the thought of continuing her education.
There was, of course, another reason why she could hardly contain her excitement. As of this evening, the antidote for Bill would be finished. As of tomorrow, he would hopefully no longer be comatose.
"You have just spent three years in the classroom. Now you will use your hands and your brains. The fun begins, though I promise you that what you face these next three years will be more difficult than anything you did in your courses at St. Emrys," Aurelia said, smiling. "At times you will feel very rewarded for your hard work and quick thinking. At others, you will know what it is like to fail. You will make mistakes, or you will see what it feels like to be unable to do anything at all for a suffering person. Such is life, as you will see.
"You will spend this term learning all there is to know about Artifact Accidents. I am your advisor. Those of you who are not asked to leave the program at the end of term will move to another rotation in January. Take a moment to introduce yourselves."
The room fell silent for a moment as everyone waited for someone else to go first. Hermione finally opened her mouth. "Hi, my name is Hermione Granger. I'm quite interested in spell research in terms of medicine."
A witch with dark blond hair pulled into a ponytail introduced herself as Caldonia Black.
A cute wizard with dark brown curly hair said, "My name's Fletcher Harrison."
"Orson Rush," said another wizard.
"Philomena Patil."
And lastly, "Imogene Li."
The interns wore lime green robes just like the other healers at St. Mungo's. Only the word intern printed on their ID badges denoted their statuses.
"Good," Aurelia said. "Now we're ready to get started."
Back to School
Author: Janine Fox
Date: 09-08-07 09:55
“I’m nervous Harry,” Janine admitted as she packed her books into her schoolbag.
Harry sat at the kitchen table sipping a coffee, also preparing to leave for work.
“With Remus gone…” Janine continued before letting her voice trail off.
“Do you know who you’ll be working with now?” asked Harry.
Finished with her books, Janine took a seat next to Harry happy to see a full mug of coffee in front of her. Cradling the cup in her hands she took a sip and sighed.
“I have no idea. I assume it’ll be with whoever has taken over Remus’s job.”
Harry frowned. “I don’t like the sounds of that. If it’s the same as Hogwarts and the Ministry for that matter, this might be a rough year at St. Emry’s.”
“At least I’m a pureblood,” Janine muttered with a note of bitterness in her voice.
“Yeah, a pureblood living with me, have you considered that?”
Janine frowned, obviously confused by Harry’s statement.
“I’m the one who killed Voldemort. I know no one is speaking about it, but they have to be thinking it. This is all too familiar – purebloods vs. nons, muggle-hating and segregation. They might not call themselves deatheaters anymore, but I wouldn’t be surprised if many of the people running the show lately are former supporters of Voldemort. And with Dumbledore gone…”
Janine could see the frustration in Harry’s face, and quickly covered his free hand with her own and gave it a squeeze.
“The Order will find Dumbledore,” Janine said firmly. “And I haven’t lived with you this long without picking up a few tricks of my own. I can take care of myself. You don’t have to worry about me.”
“Oh, I’ll worry,” answered Harry with a small smile on his face, “but I’ll also feel sorry for the person who tries anything on you.”
Grinning, Janine leaned over to give Harry a quick kiss as she grabbed her schoolbag. Before walking out the door she tried to give Harry what hopefully came across as a confident face, but in truth she was quite anxious to get to school to see what changes awaited her. It was going to be an interesting day.
First Day Of Term
Author: Sirius Padfoot Black
Date: 09-09-07 09:44
With today being the first day of Michaelmas Term 2001, Sirius has been in his office. There's been a flurry of activity in and out as students come in for signatures for adding or dropping one of his courses or to ask questions. Through it all Sirius has kept a relatively stoic face, not letting on to any how very angry he is that Remus Lupin is no longer in a nearby office.
Sirius had thought that finally there was hope for Remus to teach, something his friend loves to do, and hold the position long term. Steady income offering both financial and job security. Sirius still can't believe that after welcoming Remus as the gifted instructor he is, Blane College fired him. Blane College through pressure from somewhere higher up in the St. Emrys food chain.
Sirius thought he'd come to terms with it. He's had some time since Remus first told him. Now, with term starting, students and staff scurrying around, the university thrumming again, Sirius is experiencing a renewed surge of anger. At one time he would have cavalierly up and quit as a show of support, after having a nice outburst of anger of course. Now with two children and Drucilla not working, and being much more aware now of how far what's left of his inheritance will stretch, Sirius is acutely aware of the need to maintain this job at least until he already has another line up.
"Professor Black?"
Hearing the young man's voice, Sirius looks up, "Yes, come in. What might I do for you?"
"Is everything all right, sir? You're scowling."
"Am I? I'm sorry. I was deep in thought. Now, what is it you need?"
"I just found out that a course that wasn't going to be offered this term is being offered and it's one I sorely need. The time conflicts with the course of yours I'm taking and I'd like to see if there's room in another of your sections for me."
Sirius is already reaching for the young man's schedule and the paperwork that would need to be signed to make the Transfiguration course change. "Let's see what we can do," he offers with a smile, glad to be occupied again with something other than his own thoughts.
Back in London
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 09-09-07 16:00
Aemilia Dewhurst looked up from her dusting when Bronwyn came home through the fireplace. She still hadn't come around to the fact that Bronwyn had eloped over the summer, but she did like Toby immensely and knew that he suited her daughter perfectly. She reasoned that it could be worse; Bronwyn could have run off with a middle-aged biker.
Bronwyn had returned to London at the very last minute–-late last night. She hadn't wanted to leave her husband, but was comforted in the fact that in less than a year, they'd have their own house together somewhere in the UK. They just had to endure being separated for now, as Bronwyn had one more year at St. Emrys University and Toby was on contract with the Brisbane Bandicoots through the current season.
This morning, Bronwyn went to her three classes: Survey of Magical Music, Magic in China and Survey of Wizarding Literature. Because she waited until the very last minute to return home, she hadn't purchased any of her required textbooks yet. She took care of that after lunch in Orange.
Bronwyn deposited the sacks of books she'd bought on the sofa and collapsed in a nearby chair.
"How was school, dear?" Aemilia asked, taking a break from cleaning to sit on the arm of her daughter's chair. She patted Bronwyn's head and combed her fingers through her golden hair.
"It was all right. I think I'll like my music class. Not sure about the others." She pointed to the sacks of books on the couch. "You don't even want to know how much those cost me."
"Will you be returning to your job?"
Bronwyn bit her lip. She'd told the wizards at the WWN station at St. Emrys that she'd be on vacation for the summer but had really intended on coming back after a few weeks like everyone else who'd gone on the trip with her. She hadn't counted on getting married and staying in Australia an additional two months. She wasn't even sure if she had a job at the WWN station anymore.
"I'm going to swing by the studio tomorrow after lunch," Bronwyn told her mother. She yawned and stretched and said, "Now I think I'll take a little nap and then start my reading assignments."
Bronwyn got up and retrieved her book sacks. She toted them to her room, while her mother went back to dusting the house.
Talk About Not Fair
Author: Bambi Fandango
Date: 09-09-07 18:34
Bambi walks out of the stacks going towards the counter just in time to hear one student's plaintive, "It's not fair!"
"What's the problem?" Bambi asks, reaching the check-out counter.
Dorothy large, bat like ears quiver. "Felicia Flaversham," the House Elf begins with a nod to one of the two girls standing there, "requested a book a week ago. Bianca Bonfamille came up and asked for the same book just now as Dorothy was checking it out to Felicia Flaversham."
Bambi's eyes dart down then quickly back up, taking in the purple ribbon running about the hemline of Bianca's robes and the lack of one on Felicia's hem. Inwardly sighing Bambi gives Felicia an apologetic look, all the while acutely aware of two things.
One is that Harriet Snider's House Elf Jelly is standing nearby, his big eyes drinking in the scene and his ears listening to every word. Jelly's a nice little House Elf but he's so afraid of Snider he wouldn't dream of not reporting an infraction in the library.
Two is that Bambi does not have a sense of the type of girl Biana Bonfamille is. She might be happy to overlook the Purebloods go ahead of any Non rule or she might beat Jelly to reporting the breaking of such a rule of Bambi were to let Felicia have the book.
Bending so that she's on eye level with Felicia, Bambi says, "I'm sorry, Felicia, but you know Headmistress Snider's rules. I'm going to have to let Bianca check-out the book."
To Bambi's relief Biana drops a friendly arm on Felicia's shoulders and amiably says, "We're in the same house so how about I check it out and we go read it together in the Slytherin common room?"
Felicia's trembling lips turn up in a crooked smile as she backhands her watery eyes. "I'd like that, thanks."
Seconds later the girls are leaving the library, arms linked, heads together, book already open between them. Bambi turns to Dorothy, her mind back on the reason she first came to the counter. "I need more of the shelf instruction sheets. There's some right there."
Dorothy hands the stack to Bambi, "Did the spellotape not work?"
"It worked but we have a prankster who's removed all the ones we put up. I'm going to use a sticking charm that few, if any, of the students would know."
The shelf instruction sheets each have a diagram as well as written instructions on how students can magically make the top shelves rotate down to easily get the books off the shelf and easily replace them. The younger ones are still learning charms such as Wingardium Leviosa and some of the ones a little older know such charms well but don't always have the control necessary to bring down a single book or two at a time and them replace them on the shelves.
Since being at Hogwarts, Bambi has replaced many of the older bookshelves with ones that have the rotating shelves. After witnessing some of the shorter students using levitating spells to get books down or climbing up shelves or finding one of the stepstools scattered about the library, Bambi realized that the newest students wouldn't know how easy it is to get books down from high up. She'd duplicated the diagram and instructions and placed the pages around the libary at varying eye levels. The problem is that someone has gone around taking the diagrams and now she's got to place another set.
Bambi finishes putting up the last of the new pages and checks her watch. Time to make the rounds to let the "Nons" know they need to start finishing up so they can be out of the library by the 7:45 library curfew Snider has. The Pures get to stay until 10:00. Not only does that make for a long work day for Dorothy, Harkin, and Bambi - and Jelly too she supposes - but talk about not fair to the Nons that they Pures get two extra hours of library time. That's not so significant now but wait until OWLs, NEWTs, and final exams approach.
The Perfect Wife
Author: Drucilla Eternal
Date: 09-09-07 18:39
It shouldn’t be this hard. Sirius always made it seem so easy!
I stared at the pot of stew, stewing a bit myself at the results. The potatoes were hard, the base was watery, and as for the rest… I blew strands of hair out of my eyes as I took a peek at what was supposed to be fresh, warm bread baking in the oven. Because when you had a hearty stew you needed fresh bread to dip in it right? Yet, somehow I knew the flat brown bit sitting in the bottom of the loaf pan was past the point of saving.
How did Sirius do this??
I pulled out my wand and raised it hesitantly. Surely magic couldn’t make it any worse than it already was…
“Maaaaaaa!”
James wail carried down the stairs and through the open kitchen door. I lowered the wand and raced out of the kitchen. I had told Sirius that I didn’t need Thelma’s help. That I, as the children’s mother, could certainly handle the twins on my own. It was supposed to be easy.
Sirius always made it seem so easy.
“Shhhh,” I soothed James as I cradled him on my side. Thankfully, Mira slept on. A miracle if I ever saw one.
Entering the kitchen once again, I put James in his high chair and passed him a cup of juice to occupy himself with as I tried to save dinner.
“Right James, what shall I try now?”
James stretched his hands out towards my wand. I always knew he was a smart boy. Raising the wand, I pointed while murmuring a spell I had heard Sirius use in the kitchen. Instantly, I could feel the heat rise around the stove. The pot began to sputter. Smoke started to curl out from the oven. James began to wail.
“Don’t panic Drucilla,” I spoke to myself, hoping my own voice would sooth the panic that was starting to build. “You just need to do the counter spell.”
I lifted my wand again and murmured the words I thought would fix the problem. A cloud appeared above the stove and immediately began to pour water.
“No… no. That’s not right. James, be a good boy and let mummy fix the problem. Just give mummy a second James…”
The door burst open, as Sirius raced into the kitchen. The paleness in his face told its own story as his eyes stared accusingly at me before he scooped up James who was by now having a full blown temper tantrum.
“What the hell is going on in here?”
I had seen that look before. The first look I could remember receiving from my husband when I had first awoken in the storage closet. I could feel my wand lower in defeat as Sirius finally got a chance to take in his surroundings.
“Drucilla, are you… cooking?”
I looked at the stove and then scowled.
“It’s supposed to be easy. You always make it look easy!” I stared at Sirius accusingly.
As his lips started to twitch, I could feel my frustration start to rise.
“Don’t you dare laugh at me! This is your fault!”
“My fault?” Sirius’s eyebrow lifted in disbelief.
“Yes, your fault. You do this every day. You cook. You look after the twins. You make it look so easy. But it’s not easy!”
“Drucilla, if you want Thelma to…”
I stomped my foot just the same way Mira did when she was ready to throw a fit. “I don’t want Thelma to help. I just want to cook a damb meal. Is that so much to ask?”
Sirius came over slowly, probably wondering if I was just about to rant and rage like Mira. But he needn’t have worried since my outburst had released most of my frustration. I was surprised when his arm reached out to circle my shoulders in a comforting motion. As he flicked his wand to stop the storm cloud over the stove, he ushered me out of the kitchen.
“Cooking isn’t something you just do,” Sirius said calmly as he eased me onto the couch. He took a seat next to me while James scrambled onto my lap.
“But you make it…”
“Cooking,” continued Sirius as he cut my protest off, “has to be learned. And even then, it’s not always easy. If you want to learn Dru, I can help you. I can ask Briar as well, and see if she has time during the week to help you.”
“I would appreciate that…” I mumbled feeling slightly embarrassed.
“And if you need help with anything else... spells and what have you, I want you to come to me. I’m here to help you Drucilla. I don’t know how many times I need to say that to you.”
As I finally lifted my head to look at Sirius, I noticed something in his eyes. A look quite different from when he had burst into the kitchen. I watched as his hand gently came towards my face and tucked the loose strands of hair behind my ear. As his head began to bend closer I felt a flutter of panic.
“I need to clean up,” I said as I hastily moved James onto Sirius’ lap and stood up quickly. “We better order some food. Dinner is ruined and it’s too late to start something else. Send out an owl, and I’ll go pick it up after I’m done in the kitchen…”
Even to myself, my voice sounded shrill and rushed but I couldn’t help it. The look Sirius had given me on the couch was confusing. It had been warm and tender. Loving…
I bit my lip sharply as I pulled the mop out of the kitchen closet. I could deal with a brooding, angry Sirius. But a Sirius who was giving tender glances was something I hadn’t been prepared for and wasn’t quite sure how to deal with yet.
Back to School
Author: Anthony Beck
Date: 09-10-07 09:02
When Anthony filed into his Defense Against Dark Creatures class yesterday morning, he'd expected to see Professor Lupin at the front of the classroom. Instead, he'd found a short, elderly witch who was missing two fingers on her wand hand. From her general appearance, she looked like she could be someone's kind old grandmother but her battle scars suggested she'd lived an interesting life. It was still too early to decide whether or not he'd like his class without Professor Lupin teaching it, but so far he didn't have any major complaints.
Yesterday, he'd also had Methods of Interrogation and Advanced Transfiguration I. Today would be a light load of just Government I and History of Magic I.
He and Katherine both had morning classes on Tuesdays and so left their Manchester home for the university together. Katherine was still very much interested in leading or arranging a student protest group and while there was interest from others she discussed it with, most everyone wanted to be cautious first and foremost. Most were worried about getting caught, but not necessarily for their own sakes––for the sakes of their families, who would ultimately get caught in the crossfire too.
The rumor was that any pureblooded person who had spoken out loud against the Minister and her new decrees was publicly branded a blood traitor and cast out just like the Muggle-borns, half-bloods and half-breeds already considered second class citizens. Anthony wasn't worried about himself but he knew if he did something, it would likely harm the rest of his family and he didn't want to be responsible for their downfall as well as his own. His grandfather had already warned him about that.
If, in time, the entire Beck family decided it was time to unite and stand up for what's right, then they would take the consequences together. But not now. Not as long as Ariella and Alanna were still kids at Hogwarts.
Anthony and Katherine parted ways to attend their classes, promising to meet up in Yellow for lunch, where Anthony hoped to see Plum too.