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Making A List & Checking It Twice (Euphemia Smythe-Jones)
Author: Harry Potter
Date: 11-29-07 19:42
Reading over the list that will appear in tomorrow's Daily Prophet, Euphemia can't help but feel extremely pleased. The seventh day of 2002 and it is a very happy new year in her opinion.
* Non Ministry workers must turn their wands in each day to the Wand Registry of the Department of Half-blood, Muggleborn, and Half-breed Registration and Regulation. Nons who are law enforcement officers, Hit Wizards, Obliviators, and Aurors are exempt from going to the Department of Half-blood, Muggleborn, and Half-breed Registration and Regulation.
* Nons who are law enforcement officers, Hit Wizards, Obliviators, and Aurors will check their wands in to a satellite desk of the Wand Registry of the Department of Half-blood, Muggleborn, and Half-breed Registration and Regulation. Wands may be checked out as needed for field work but must be checked back in upon return to the Ministry.
* Marriages between Pures and Nons are dissolved. Applications to recognize such unions may be made to the Department of Half-blood, Muggleborn, and Half-breed Registration and Regulation for a non-refundable fee of 5,000 galleons. Submission of an application and fee payment does not guarentee the union will be recognized.
* Pure-Non unions that are recognized after the application and fee process must pay an annual renewal fee of 2,500 galleons.
* Children born of Pure-Non marriage prior to the dissolution are recognized as legimate. Each child has the status of a Non and custody is automatically granted to the Pure parent.
* A Pure parent wishing to grant custody to the Non parent may do so by filing, for free, with the Department of Half-blood, Muggleborn, and Half-breed Registration and Regulation.
* A Non parent wishing to be granted custody must file a request with the Department of Half-blood, Muggleborn, and Half-breed Registration and Regulation for a non-refundable fee of 500 galleons per child.
Euphemia contemplates adding more to the list. She almost decides to leave it as is and save additional items for another time but changes her mind. There is one important bit of information people need to have when attempting to provide documentation to establish their Pure status.
* To be considered a Pureblood, a Witch or Wizard must be able to show no Muggle-born, Half-Blood, or Half-Breed ancestry back to five generations.
Deciding that the list is enough for the time being, Euphemia signs off on it for her secretary to deliver to a waiting Daily Prophet reporter.
Shopping for Information
Author: Drucilla Eternal
Date: 11-30-07 13:25
Bundled up tightly in a fluffy white winter robe, I quickly made my way down the streets of Hogsmeade. Thelma was at home watching the twins for the afternoon while I ran my errands. Spotting Twice Told Tales, I pulled open the door and scurried inside to get out of the cold wind.
As I approached the counter, the man standing behind it gave an easygoing smile as he spread his hands apart in greeting. “Good afternoon, Ms. Eternal-Black.”
“Mrs. Black,” I corrected automatically and then blushing slightly said in a more friendly voice, “Please call me Drucilla.”
“Of course.”
He waited patiently, that faint smile hovering on his lips.
“I was wondering if you could help me with something.”
His eyebrow raised slightly as he waited for me to continue.
“I’m trying to find out more information. This is going to sound quite strange since I don’t have much to tell you other than a name. Well, not even a name exactly but more a title.” I stammered, feeling a bit flustered but determined.
“And what is this person’s title?” the pleasant-looking man inquired patiently.
“I think he’s a Lord. Possibly known as – and this is going to sound quite silly I’m afraid – the Dark Lord?”
The pleasant smile instantly faded from the man’s face. Looking around the shop quickly, I realized he was checking to see if anyone had overheard us. Taking comfort in the relatively quiet shop, he walked around the counter and lightly took my arm, steering me towards a bookshelf in the back of the store. Pausing to check the titles, he swiftly pulled out a book by his fingertips as if the book itself was something undesirable to touch. I took the book from his light hold and read the title, “The Rise and Fall of Tom Riddle”.
“Tom Riddle? He was a Lord?”
The shop owner pursed his lips as if unwilling to discuss the topic further. Finally, after a pause, he said delicately, “I think the book will explain things better than I can. I should warn you, this is a very controversial individual. I would take care where you read this book because some might not take kindly to it. As it is, this is the only copy we have in this store and have already pulled it twice after some customers took offense to it.”
I nodded. “Thank you. I will remember that.”
As I paid for the book, the shop owner’s own curiosity seemed to win against his obvious customer courtesy. In a pleasant tone he asked, “I hear you are still having problems with your memory?”
I nodded as I counted out my galleons. “Yes, hence this book I suppose. It’s strange how certain memories will come back. Not complete memories, but names of people or villages. But on the whole it’s been pretty much a blank parchment.”
“A blank parchment,” murmured the shop owner with a soft smile as he tucked the book away in a paper bag. “Sometimes it’s nice to have a blank slate.”
Finding the comment slightly strange, I took the bag and thanked him for his help.
Winter Term Begins
Author: Illyria
Date: 11-30-07 16:09
Illyria slipped out of the Great Hall and made her way to the Astronomy Tower, where she intended on preparing for her classes. She always enjoyed the start of a new term. She hadn't assigned any holiday homework and didn't have anything to mark yet. It would be a fresh start for everybody.
Her first years would begin learning about the sun, while her second years, the only other group of students she would be seeing today––barring any OWL or NEWT-level students who might drop in for office hours––would learn about the constellation Orion. Unfortunately, it would be clear tonight, which meant that Professor Moon would probably utilize the observation deck. Illyria loathed the fact that her students were often denied the use of the observation deck, simply because they weren't purebloods.
Her first years might not need to use the observation deck tonight, but Illyria really wanted to give her second years a chance to view Orion with the telescopes. She veered away from her own small classroom and went to the one that used to be hers––the one now occupied by Professor Helveticus Moon.
Illyria knocked on the door. Sometimes she felt like barging in on the man, but she didn't want to be rude. It wasn't her style, even if she didn't like somebody. Moon was definitely one of the few "new" teachers at Hogwarts who didn't really have a problem with Snider or any of the new rules constantly coming into effect.
She heard him say "Enter" and went inside her own classroom without waiting a second beat. The room looked a lot different than it had when she'd used it. Gone were the old desks and chairs that had been fully functional and not at all shabby, like the ones in her new classroom. They'd been replaced with finely crafted desks and chairs draped in the softest, most comfortable fabrics. The room looked more like the study of a wealthy wizard rather than a classroom for children.
Helveticus Moon stood at his blackboard and wrote down a few bullet points he wanted to cover in his classes today. He kept his back turned to Illyria.
"Professor Moon," Illyria started.
Moon waited until he'd finished his thought and then dropped the chalk he'd been using. He turned to Illyria, alternately massaging together his index finger and thumb and middle finger and thumb on his writing hand.
"How can I help you, Professor Jones?" Helveticus asked. He didn't seem unkind yet he sounded quite indifferent.
"Do you intend to use the observation deck this evening?" Illyria asked, seeing no reason not to get straight to the point. "I would very much like to use it with my second years this evening."
Helveticus turned his back on Ilyria almost immediately and resumed writing on the board. For a moment, Illyria thought he wouldn't answer or would say that he very well intended on using the observation deck this evening, but then he surprised her by saying, "The weather forecast states it is to freeze tonight. In fact, the temperatures have already dropped considerably since the sun went down. I have no intention of being outdoors, with or without a heating charm to keep me warm."
Illyria said, "Then I will use it." She turned and left Moon's classroom without delay, just in case he decided to change his mind.
A Suggestion
Author: Pyrrhus
Date: 11-30-07 17:59
Py exits the fireplace carrying bags with Chinese take away in one handa and dusting off his clothes with the other. Isolde calls from another part of the house, "You're home later than I thought. You brought dinner?"
"As promised," Py says, walking straight to the kitchen. "Ran late because we have a new play. Everyone wanted to practice longer to get the natural feel of it for that tournament we start on Wednesday. How was your day?"
Isolde's come up behind Py at that point. She steps around him, eyes on the take away containers he's removing from the bags. One shoulder rises in a half shrug. "My day was all right. We had Polliwog practice today. I just don't get it. All my players have potential but they aren't playing as well as they should, even in practice; then, we go up against another team that has less potential but its players do better in the match than mine. It's depressing."
Isolde's moved around to grab some butterbeers as she talks and Py's gotten the plates and pulled out the chopsticks. Setting Isolde's down on the table he states as much as asks, "It's even more depressing that you can find a way to bring out the Polliwogs' potentials?"
"Exactly. I can't help but feel a little more down each day," Isolde sighs, picking up a sweet and sour prawn with her chopsticks then deftly popping it into her mouth.
Py takes a bite of a spring roll, chewing thoughtfully. After washing it down with a sip of butterbeer he suggests, "What if during a practice, just practice and nothing more, you slip them all some Felix Felicis and get them worked up about how good they all are and what great potential they each have."
"It would definately have to be only during practice and even then it would have to be very hush hush."
"Right. Wouldn't want you to lose your position over it."
Picking up another prawn, Isolde says, "I'll think about it," and says it in such a way to indicate the subject of Felix Felicis being used on the Polliwogs, even if only during practice, is a closed subject for now.
New Laws
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 12-01-07 07:20
Hermione slammed the latest copy of the Daily Prophet down onto the table where Ron was taking his breakfast. The force of the movement was enough to rattle his teacup, though he'd drunk enough of it for the liquid not to spill over the sides.
"This is unbelievable!" Hermione cried out furiously. "It's outrageous. It's completely ridiculous!"
"What?" Ron asked, somewhat amused and concerned at the same time. Hermione always got riled up about things she read in the paper, though these days her outbursts were on matters even he found serious.
"Minister Smythe-Jones just announced her latest Ministry decrees. Listen to this," she said, pointing her finger at a line in the cover story. "Marriages between Pures and Nons are dissolved. Applications to recognize such unions may be made to the Department of Half-blood, Muggleborn, and Half-breed Registration and Regulations for a non-refundable fee of 5,000 galleons. Submission of an application and fee payment does not guarantee the union will be recognized."
Ron whistled. "That's an incredible amount of money––and a great risk to pay, since it doesn't necessary mean the marriage will be legalized."
"And don't you see what this means?" Hermione asked, shaking her head wildly so that her hair flew in all directions. "This is going to affect so many people in the wizarding world. People in your own family, Ron."
Ron frowned as he thought about George and Majandra, now designated unmarried simply because Majandra had Muggle ancestry.
He suddenly realized something else and reached out to take Hermione's hand, which was still poised over the article. "It'll affect us too."
Hermione frowned. "I know."
She used her free hand to push the newspaper closer to Ron, so that he could read the rest of the new laws. Hermione watched him as he read, noting that his brow grew more and more furrowed and his face more and more red.
"This is unbelievable!" he shouted, echoing Hermione's words from only moments earlier. "It is outrageous! What kind of world does she think we live in?"
"A segregated one," Hermione replied softly.
Ron scooted his chair back from the table and pulled her into his lap.
Hermione rested her head against his chest and sighed. "Do you think the rest of the world will follow in Britain's shoes?"
"Any other country would be mad to do so. I almost think Tonks and Lupin did it right. They're probably living the good life now."
Hermione put her arms around Ron's neck and let him hold her while both thought about how these latest rules would really shake up the world as they knew it.
Just Unmarried
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 12-02-07 09:42
Bronwyn and Toby sat side by side on the sofa in the home of the Dewhurst family. Aemelia occupied the accompanying armchair and cried quietly into a tissue while Wotan paced the floor angrily.
"It is not for the Ministry to decide what makes a marriage," Bronwyn's father stated firmly, shaking his head as he wore the carpet thin. "We have been married for twenty-two years!"
Bronwyn squeezed Toby's hand and looked from her weeping mother to the man who was no longer recognized as her husband in Great Britain.
Toby squeezed her hand in return and addressed Wotan. "Her circle of supporters will grow even smaller now that she has alienated so many more of the population. She can't possibly stay in power for much longer with just a few behind her."
Nons far outnumbered Pures––everyone knew that. The wizarding race would have dwindled to only a handful, who were to a certain extent already related and would have to interbreed further in order to sustain their existence. Toby wagered that many who had considered themselves Pures and who had been deemed as such were now considered Nons, thanks to the Minister's new defintion for pureblood. Toby was fairly certain he had pureblood ancestors going back at least five generations, but he knew that most wizards did not.
"If anything, I suspect more wizards will speak out against the Ministry now," Toby went on. "People may have been frightened to act in the beginning, but I believe the more they are knocked down, the more they are realizing they have to fight or they can never win. I'll join any rally to overturn the Minister's new laws and the rest of the rubbish she's put into effect since coming into office."
"Toby!" Bronwyn exclaimed, horrified at the thought. "You'll get thrown in Azkaban for sure. And what about your grandfather? He doesn't want any of you involved in the protests."
"Ariella and Alanna would be the first to tell you that they can handle whatever repercussions come their way. They just don't want to upset Gramps by disobeying him."
"Please don't do it," Bronwyn pleaded, tugging on his hand. "At least not yet."
Toby cupped her chin with his hand and looked her in the eye. "I'll wait, but there will come a time when we will have to do what we must to set things right again. We have to be brave and stand up for our rights."
Bronwyn didn't feel very brave. She felt scared and sad, especially when she looked across the room at her solemn mother. She realized then that Toby was right. Bronwyn couldn't just sit back and allow the world to get worse and worse for her family and friends. She would have to find the courage to stand up, not matter what the consequences. Only through great effort could things ever return to how they once were.
Married No More
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 12-02-07 13:02
Bill stormed home from the office, extremely ticked off about the most recent developments in wizarding law. As of today, his marriage to Fleur Delacour was deemed invalid, simply because she was a quarter veela and thereby considered unpure. Bill thought the world of his marriage and would gladly pay the 5,000 galleon fee to see it recognized, but he knew that Fleur would not let him throw away that much money on something that wasn't even guaranteed.
He'd read about the new laws in this morning's Daily Prophet while at work and had wanted to speak to Fleur immediately, but she'd been held up in meetings all day at Gringotts in Diagon Alley.
Bill burst into his home and found Fleur sitting at the breakfast table, holding a cup of tea between both of her hands. She looked sad, but strong.
Bill went to her immediately and stood behind her chair, wrapping his arms around her. He was careful not to spill her cup of tea.
"Zis iz not ze end, Bill," she said firmly. "We are, een my opeenion, steel married, and zat iz all zat matters."
Bill untangled himself from her and slid into the chair next to hers. "In my eyes, you are and always will be my wife. But––" He paused, clenching his fists and jaw together. "But, legally, this poses problems for us. If we want to sell this house... If I die..."
"Stop," Fleur said. She put down her teacup and placed both hands over one of his fists. Her hands felt very warm. "We will get past zis."
Bill saw her face harden quite suddenly, and for a moment he saw the veela in her try to come to the surface.
"I zink eet eez time ze Ordair of ze Phoenix fights like een times past."
"We're not longer a group working in secret," Bill replied. "The Ministry knows who all is involved with the Order. If we act as that group, or even as individuals, we will most certainly go to Azkaban."
"So?" Fleur replied hotly. She stood up abruptly and looked down at him. "I would rather go to prison for what I believe een zan waiting a lifetime for zings to get better for us!"
She strode from the room, leaving Bill alone with his thoughts.