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Thursday, Simply Thursday
Author: Charisma Stone
Date: 11-10-07 17:06
Charisma sat curled on one of the couches in the Common Common's she'd only had one class this morning and that hadn't even been until nine, so she'd actually slept in instead of getting up at her usual seven thirty. She was glad that the term only had three days left, rather, two and a half because it was well after noon now. Eyes slipping closed, she'd spent most of her time after Herbology studying over her homework, making sure it was done.
She was now relaxing in the common common's room, dulled by the existance of the Pure's only common commons, but none the less it was a place that Isma could go and simply relax and be among those she called friend. There were several Pures that came into the commons and actually preferred it over the one made for them. They had friends who were pures and who were nons, some of them even had relationships with those that were not of their blood status. However, those relationships were hampered, stressed, and perhaps even dampened with the passing of the no PDA edict.
Tugging a hand through her hair she would cast her gaze over the common common's looking toward the tree, knowing well that the one in the Pure's only was more than twice as big as this one, making this one look a twig. She had closed her eyes once more and settled, intent on taking a short nap within the common commons when a pair of hands would close over her eyes, and a voice would whisper in her ear. "Hi..."
Eric laughed as she turned and looked up at him, swatting his shoulder as he soon came to set himself beside her. "Been hiding in here all day have you?" She nodded and curled against him, resting her head upon his shoulder. "Planned on taking a nap. Might go to Madame Pomfrey, am not feeling all that well, but then again, a nap might help."
She shrugged lightly and remained curled against him within the common commons on the sofa, he wrapped an arm around her and let her drift off. He'd make certain that all would be well at least for now.
Sanctuary
Author: Illyria
Date: 11-10-07 18:07
Illyria stepped into the staff lounge reserved for the old set of Hogwarts professors (the Nons and the Pures who taught the Non students) and went to the small Christmas tree situated on top of one of the tables. There were a few gifts underneath it already. Illyria carried a flat clothes box wrapped in plain, red paper. A small card attached to the front said "Kissy" in dark green cursive.
Illyria slid the package under the diminuitive tree and then fixed herself a cup of tea. She didn't have long until her first of two classes this evening. Her third and fourth year students had exams tonight, so Illyria didn't really need to spend a lot of time setting up her classroom. Everything was more or less ready to go. She had the exam papers in order and plenty of quills, should her students need extra during the course of the evening.
She leaned against the counter in the lounge and sipped her tea slowly. Sometimes she wished she could stay behind closed doors and not step out into the madness that was Professor Snider's Hogwarts. Ever since setting up the new staff lounge, Snider hadn't stepped foot in the old one, so Illyria saw it as a sort of sanctuary. She felt at peace but knew that the feeling wouldn't last for long.
The door swung open and for a moment Illyria thought Snider had read her thoughts and had come to ruin her peaceful moment. Illyria relaxed when she saw Flitwick enter. He smiled at Illyria and said, "I see I'm not the only one with the idea to bask in some quiet."
"No," Illyria murmured, smiling over her teacup. "Everyone needs an escape every now and again... especially from the world out there."
Flitwick gave a brief nod in understanding but didn't say anything else. One never knew who might be watching or listening these days. He'd brought with him a sandwich and some crisps and sat down at a table with a book. Illyria made him a cup of tea and then after draining hers, left the refuge that was the lounge for her classroom.
A Gift for Ramona
Author: Marzipan
Date: 11-11-07 09:46
Marzipan stepped into the common common room frequented by the students who were not purebloods and approached the Christmas tree Hagrid had set up in a corner of the room. Flitwick had helped him decorate it with ornaments and candles. It looked quite lovely, especially with the festively wrapped packages underneath its boughs. She knelt and slipped a square present under the tree. She'd wrapped it in shiny blue paper that had images of blue and silver ornaments on it.
The gift was for Ramona Mickle, a first year Ravenclaw student Marzi had in her Herbology class. Ramona was a bright young girl who always came to class wearing jewelry of some sort. Marzi marveled at the number of different earrings and necklaces the girl possessed. She figured Ramona probably had a jewelry box for her treasures but had no doubt in her mind that Ramona could probably benefit from another one to hold her increasing trove of jewelry. She found one that was prettily decorated and that could hold more than perceived.
After leaving the gift under the tree, Marzi went to the Great Hall for a quick bite to eat. She noted that there were many happy faces, even among the so-called "nons" stuck at the back of the room. Everyone had taken in the Christmas spirit and looked forward to going home for the holidays. Marzi would have normally flown home to Australia to see her father, but not this year. This would be the first that she would spend Christmas without him.
She ate scrambled eggs with bacon on toast and washed it all down with a chilled glass of pumpkin juice. Then she left the Great Hall for the greenhouses, but only after stopping by her quarters to grab a thick coat, a knitted cap, scarf and mittens. Marzi almost slipped on a patch of ice on the stairs outside the school and made a mental note to be more careful when she returned from the greenhouses in time for lunch. She hoped none of the students going to Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures would slip and fall either.
Once in the cozy warmth of Greenhouse 4, Marzi slipped off her winter wear and set to work pulling various plants for the review sessions she intended on holding today. It wasn't long before the first set of sixth years entered the greenhouse and pulled off their coats and gloves. Marzi waited until everyone was accounted for before beginning the review session.
A Death of Sorts
Author: Ethan Somerset
Date: 11-11-07 14:12
A woman stepped off the lift and paused as the golden grill shut behind her. She waited until it moved to another level before going forward. Her feet, clad in classic red pumps, carried her down the corridor with a rhythmic click click click that signaled her arrival to anyone listening. She turned a bend in the hallway and came to the office she sought.
Few paid her arrival any heed. Most were busy writing reports, preparing evidence or conversing with coworkers about one thing or another. She saw their heads pop up and duck down in their cubicles, much like garden gnomes poking their heads out of the ground or diving back under to avoid getting tossed out into another yard.
She clutched her red, silk purse with golden filigree and a matching golden clasp before her as if she needed whatever it held at any moment's notice. In reality, it felt empty, even though it wasn't, because she'd been forced to give up her wand upon arriving at the Ministry of Magic only minutes earlier. She knitted her brows together in anger, not because of the discrimination against wizards with tainted blood, but because she wished beyond all that she'd been born into the exclusive pureblood class. She loathed the fact that she wasn't a pureblood. She hated her parents for being Muggles.
She caught sight of her target and forced the scowl from her face, instead turning her lips up into a confident smirk. Her quarry sensed someone looking in his direction and looked up, instantly frowning. He stood and took the small amount of steps it took to get out of his cramped cubicle.
"I'm surprised they let you out, you being Muggle-born and all."
Hattie squared her shoulders and didn't let her gaze waver from Ethan's at all. "Seems my helping the Dark Lord for the past thirty years has given me a leg up in society. I'm a free woman now––"
"If you call this," and Ethan waved his hands around to indicate the obvious discrimination against those like him and Hattie "freedom. And is that the official reason for your release from Azkaban?" Ethan thought the government was becoming increasingly crooked but didn't think it would go so far as to openly condone all of Lord Voldemort's dealings––at least not yet.
Hattie pursed her lips and winked at Ethan impishly. "It doesn't say that anywhere on my release papers. My statement merely says I served what was necessary for the so-called crimes committed and that I'm getting time off for good behavior."
"It's a bit hard to arrange the kidnapping of Muggle babies when you're behind bars, isn't it?" Ethan asked sarcastically. "So, what exactly do you plan to do now?"
"I would like to see my husband," Hattie said, showing true longing in her voice and face. Even though her husband was a Muggle and Hattie thoroughly disliked the race, she had a soft spot for Gerard. She'd always had. She suddenly reached up and touched Ethan on the shoulder where her husband had shot him.
"Do you have a scar, Ethan? A memento from what my Gerard did to you?"
Ethan took hold of her wrist and removed her hand from his shoulder. "What are you doing here, Hattie? Did you merely come to gloat that you're free or is there some other purpose for this visit?"
Hattie jerked her arm from his grasp but took a step closer to him, so that they were nearly nose and nose. "I wanted to see the look on your face when you saw me. Me, the woman who turned your life upside down. You thought you wouldn't have to worry about me coming back ever again, didn't you? Well, you were wrong. I'll always be around, Ethan. I'll always be around to haunt you, even if––"
Her eyes suddenly widened and the purse she held came crashing to the floor. Her legs went limp and she fell forward, while her eyes rolled back into her head. Ethan caught her and lifted back her head to look into her face. Hattie's eyes stared heavenward, and her mouth hung open. She didn't move at all.
"Merlin's beard! Is she dead?" somebody asked.
Ethan flashbacked to a conversation he'd had with his ex-aunt this past summer.
"When a Dementor extracts a soul from a wizard, that person is left as nothing more than a shell of his former self. For all intents and purposes, the wizard is dead though he still breathes and his heart still beats. His soul is gone forever, devoured by the Dementor. My soul, however, has not been consumed. It simply isn't here anymore." She pointed at her chest. "The moment my soul is put into a new body, which could happen at any time, I will die."
"And be reborn as someone else," Ethan finished.
"Essentially, yes."
Ethan held Hattie's limp body and knew exactly what had happened. Her soul resided in another wizard now. The Hattie Harsnip he knew was dead, but she lived on in someone else.
Frowning
Author: Majandra
Date: 11-11-07 16:17
Majandra joins Ivy Kettleburn at a table in a tearoom few non-staffers at St. Mungo's know about. Most only know of the Visitor's Tearoom up on the fifth floor. As she sits Ivy asks, "Why are you scowling?"
"I'm scowling?"
"Yes, rather fiercely at that."
Stirring cream in her tea, Maj forces her face to relax. "I"m sorry. I guess it's because I keep thinking that any day now I'm going to be told I can't have the baby here at St. Mungo's or that I can have it here but because I'm a so-called Non, the delivery room is some dark, dim, grungy looking little room that was formerly a janitor's closet."
Ivy frowns now. "Then I can't say I blame you for the scowl."
"Everyone's on pins and needles waiting for new rules to be proclaimed here. I have to say I'm glad my tenure here is almost up. I'd thought about signing up for another stint but now, with everything, I'm accepting the position at Slug & Jiggers Apothecary. It will be equally good training plus they've already agreed to the time off I'd need when the baby comes in early April."
"We've loved having you here and I do wish you would consider staying on for another six months or even a year at interning but, again, I can't blame you."
"I can't believe I'm saying this but for once I'm envious of my brother."
"Why is that?"
"My brother is adopted and our parents know who his birth parents were so know for a fact Pyrrhus is pureblooded. He doesn't have to worry about any of this crap, well, at least not directly."
"What do you mean not directly?"
"There was an incident a little while back with one of his Humbatas team members. The person was attacked right there in the stadium with plenty of other people around. A wand blast. The guy is a Non and because of that, his case has received really low priority."
Ivy takes a sip of her tea then says, "Almost makes a person want to move. France. America. Spain would be lovely."
"Seriously thinking about it?"
"With everything taking place these days, yes, sadly I am."
The two women fall silent for a moment, frowns on both their faces as they drink their tea.
Making a List
Author: Bellatrix Lestrange
Date: 11-11-07 17:01
The wind whistled around the corner’s of the manor house, driving the snow and ice against the windows. It seemed the weather couldn’t decide if it should just freeze everything under a layer of ice or aim for a foot of snow. But then north Essex has always been rather unpredictable.
“This is unusual weather for this early on,” she remarked, turning back to the fire. Mortifer added another log and gave the fire a poke with the fire iron.
Since Euphemia Smythe-Jones had handed out the pardons, all the Lestranges were present today. No more skulking around and passing notes by owl, no more disguises, and no running for your life on the spur of the moment. Bellatrix had to make sure she didn’t become bored. Mind you, she still visited the BOO, and that allowed her and Lucius the opportunity to have a quiet glass of port together and commiserate over Lucius’ disastrous second marriage and Bella’s torture-withdrawal symptoms.
“I’ve never seen you looking so fed up,” drawled Rabastan, bestowing his sister-in-law with an almost evil smile, one that made him look like the cat that finally got the cream.
Rodolphus sighed. “Leave off winding up my wife, you annoying bastard. I don’t want to have to watch the house elves scrape what’s left of your sorry hide off my new Turkish rug.” He put his glass on the sideboard and poured another drink.
With perfect timing, the wind howled, rattling the windowpanes, followed by a smattering sound as the ice hammered on the glass.
Bellatrix crossed her arms. “So is this it? We are reduced to sitting around the fire like the local wellie-boot nobility, talking about inane things like the fecking weather? Is that it? By Merlin’s hairy balls, if the Ministry had realized that all they had to do to effectively immobilize the pureblood cause was grant us a pardon – how much trouble they would have saved themselves!” She laughed bitterly.
“All is not lost,” muttered Rabastan to his brother as he sat back down. “I detect a note of mad hysteria in that laugh. We may see some action after all.” He cleared his throat. “So, what do you intend to do about it then?” he said loudly.
Bellatrix grinned. “Up the stakes somewhat. A little more fear never did any harm. And in the current political climate, just as long as we play by the rules we should come out of it without a scratch. I can’t of course offer that sort of guarantee to the mudbloods, but then that’s all part of the fun.”
She sat down opposite the two brothers. “So, any names come to mind? Say, anyone who’s made the mistake of crossing your path recently? Let’s make a list shall we?”
Lost
Author: Havana
Date: 11-11-07 19:07
“Cruciatus…Imperius…Avada…” Havana shrieked and bolted awake. “Just a nightmare that’s all it was. I need to relax and sort through this.” She pulled a tattered blanket around her shoulders, shivering as the cold December air that passed through several holes in the wall. Ever since she lost her memory (due to the attack by her siblings) Havana had been living on the streets. She did what she could to get by, which ever so often led to stealing. Most recently the young woman had taken up residence in an assumingly abandoned business. Being inside had provided some relief from the weather.
As the sun rose, Havana sat in a daze. Last night the haunting dreams returned, but little did she know that they were real, flashbacks into a dark past. As a child Havana witnessed her parents cast unforgivable curses on innocent people. Every dream was intense and realistic. The screams of pain, the looks of horror on the victims’ faces were real. The attackers were cold and angry. “Who are you people!” she yelled in frustration, not noticing the family passing by. “Sorry! I didn’t mean you.” Turning her attention from the pedestrians, the quest for answers resumed.
Finally she stood, pulled her hair up, tucked her blanket into a ratty school bag, and set out for the day. Havana sighed before she pulled her wand out of her bag. It was her only possession, other than the scrap of paper that gave her a new name. The wand was slender, and fit perfectly into her hand, like it belonged there. “Who am I? Better yet what am I? I’ve never felt so lost.” Suddenly a something slipped into her mind “ministry of magic” maybe that’s what she needed to find, maybe they could help.
Busy Month for Business
Author: Lysander Stratford
Date: 11-12-07 06:50
Twice Told Tales was always at its busiest in the month of December, when every wizard hurried to complete his Christmas shopping. It always grew more frantic towards the second half of the month, with the more frazzled customers hoping to find something for a friend or family member at the very last minute. Sometimes these wizards were impatient and had short tempers, but most were always eternally grateful for the suggestions Lysander and Julian provided them when they couldn't think of the perfect gifts themselves.
Lysander prided himself on never having to accept a return on something he'd suggested to a customer at Christmas time. He knew what people liked to read, even if he didn't know the individual at all. He simply had to ask a few calculated questions and then had an idea of what the wizard liked or disliked. It didn't take a genius to do a little reader's advisory, yet Lysander considered himself an expert in the field. It certainly helped that he'd helped run Twice Told Tales for years now and that he'd always had a penchant for reading and books, especially old ones.
Twice Told Tales was currently decorated in the Christmas spirit. It had actually been little Grace's idea to go all out this year. In the past, both men had put up a little holly here and there but neither had the interior design gene that many women, even as young as four, apparently had. Grace had told her father and uncle that the store needed a big Christmas tree and that they should put presents underneath it, because all Christmas trees had to have presents underneath them. She hung ornaments on the bottom and supervised the men as they decorated the top. Charlotte was her little assistant, but Charlotte couldn't really do much advising because she wasn't quite 2 years old yet. She was more interested in unwrapping all the packages under the tree and was quite disappointed to find that they were just empty boxes.
Dexter had managed to tear up all the paper Charlotte had removed from the few boxes she'd unwrapped. That had been well over a week ago, and Lysander was still finding pieces of red, green, silver and gold all over the store.
A customer came in, jingling the bell over the door and jostling Lysander from his thoughts. He smiled at the elderly witch and said, "Welcome to Twice Told Tales. May I help you find something?"
"Yes!" the woman exclaimed. She produced a scroll, which when unraveled fell to the floor. "I need to find something for everybody on this list, and I need to do it today!"
"Very well," Lysander said, up to the challenge. He smiled and led the old witch into the stacks.
Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 11-12-07 14:47
Bronwyn bounced up and down in front of her fireplace, unable to sit, unable to simply wait for Toby to arrive. The Australian Quidditch season had gone on pause for the holidays, so Toby could come home to be with his family, and most importantly, his new wife. Bronwyn hadn't seen him since leaving for home in early October. In the two months that had passed, Bronwyn learned that absence really did make the heart grow fonder.
The fireplace suddenly lit up green and Toby came spinning out of it, leaving a track of black soot on the freshly cleaned rug. Bronwyn jumped onto him quite immediately, causing him to drop his bags to the floor. He heart glass shatter, and winced.
"Oops," Bronwyn said sheepishly. She kissed him once, twice, three times before asking, "What was that?"
"A gift for your mum," Toby replied, grinning. "I think I can repair it without her knowing. Where is my mother-in-law anyway?"
"She and Dad went flat-hunting with Siegfried."
"Siegfried's getting his own place?"
Bronwyn made a face. "Evidently, he's really impressed them. He has a job. A good one. Maybe I shouldn't have gone to St. Emrys after Hogwarts and found a job right away too. Maybe then they would have found me a flat also."
Toby put his hands on Bronwyn's face and kissed her forehead and then her nose. "So, you're saying that we're quite alone in this house right now."
"Yes... oh!" Bronwyn giggled and pulled on his hand. "My room's upstairs."
"I think I remember where your room is," Toby said, following her up the stairs.