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Interrupting
Author: Kissy Isuki
Date: 03-17-08 22:24
Kissy dismisses her sixth years then spends the next several minutes straightening the room and gathering up some items to put in her office. Leaving a stack of papers on her desk she shuts the office door and starts for the Great Hall.
Kissy is halfway there when she comes across Ryland Yaxley and Gertrude Hatcher. The sixth year Ravenclaw had been smiling when she left Kissy's classroom a short time ago. Now, the teen is on her knees, in tears, face scrunched up with pain.
Kissy ignores Ryland and asks Gertrude, "Do you need help getting up?"
Gertrude, loudly sucking in air as she tries to stop her tears, nods and reaches out a hand to Kissy. Ryland says nothing and, not surprising, he does nothing to help. Kissy continues to ignore him, now asking Gertrude, "Can you walk on your own or do you want assistance?"
In a stop-start manner as she continues to catch her breath Gertrude replies, "I can make it on my own, thanks."
Kissy reaches down and picks up Gertrude's bookbag and hands it to the girl. Gertrude shifts the bag to her shoulder then still snuffling and with eyes downcast, shuffles off. She's not quite out of sight when Kissy wheels around to face Ryland.
"Was that necessary? Is any of it necessary?"
Ryland gives a slow, one shoulder shrug, casual as can be. "They have to learn their place. If that requires inflicting pain, then one does what one must."
"You enjoy it," Kissy snaps.
"I believe I'd told you how cute you are when being the spitfire but it's worth repeating," Ryland drawls.
"You are insufferable," Kissy huffs, turning to stalk off.
Ryland reaches out and grabs Kissy by the wrist. His voice still has that lazy, hasn't a care in the world quality but his words themselves have an sharp edge.
"Cute as I think you are, Kisiaki, if you ever send off a student again without finding out first if I'm done with the discipline, as deputy headmaster I will teach you as lesson as well. Understand?"
Kissy jerks her arm from his grasp. "Perfectly."
"Excellent. Now, put on a smile and walk with me to lunch."
Do You Know Where? (Parker)
Author: Blossom
Date: 03-18-08 15:42
The two RAC officers, whom Parker has a hard time not referring to aloud as Snatchers, both stare at Tracey. One is sitting on the sofa, perched far enough on the edge that Parker's not sure what the point in sitting was. The other stands near one of the windows. Both look bored and disappointed.
Tracey's shaking her head in response to a question. "No, I'm sorry. I've not heard from Mum in weeks, not since before learning of her blood status change. My family and I haven't been in close contact for awhile now."
"You had no idea your mother had some Muggles in her family tree?"
"None of us did. To be blunt, I highly doubt my father would have married her if he'd known."
"Mr. Davis is who informed us of Miss Hawthorne's deception."
Tracey glances at Parker with very much of a why-am-I-not-surprised expression. To the RAC officers she says, "Sounds like something Dad would do. If I'd fallen into the Non range he wouldn't have hestitated to give you my name as well."
"Mr. Davis should be commended," the one sitting says just before getting up. She hands Tracey a card. "Should either of you, Mrs. Matthews, Mr. Matthews, learn of Miss Hawthorne's location or that of any other Nons requiring relocation assistance, please let me know. We can see ourselves out, thank you."
The two Snatchers leave with Tracey getting up to make sure they've truly left the house. She rejoins Parker, nestling up beside him on the love seat and saying with a sigh, "At least I didn't have to lie about not knowing where Mum is."
Parker hugs Tracey more tightly. "Maybe we'll hear from her yet." After a minute's pause he asks, "Are you up for something to eat? I'll cook if you are."
Seventeen
Author: Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen
Date: 03-19-08 17:17
Sitting at the great work table in the greenhouse, Fritz concentrates on extracting poison from a poison apple. The poison is only harmful if ingested (usually coma-inducing, rather than fatal), but Fritz is nonetheless extra careful when handling the extract. Around him, the other sixth years are also working on the assignment Professor FitzRoy expects them to complete by the end of class. He siphons the poison into a test tube and periodically checks to see how much poison remains in the apple using a method Professor FitzRoy showed them earlier in the hour. When class ends, Fritz makes sure his apple is bagged and labeled and that the test tube also bears his name. He places both on Professor FitzRoy's desk, and after gathering his books and donning his cloak, he joins Coco outside for the trek to the castle. Presently, it's actually sunny, but earlier in the morning it was clouded and looked as if it might rain. Off in the distance, more rain clouds loom.
Today is actually Fritz's seventeenth birthday, and although his friends have acknowledged him and his newly acquired legal age (by magical standards), he still can't help but feel a little down. Fritz hasn't received any letters from home in over a month. He hasn't heard from his parents or from his cousin Otto. he hasn't even heard from his grandparents, whose birthday congratulations usually arrive in a bundle along with the cards and gifts from Fritz's parents and cousin.
He isn't sure if the reason he hasn't heard from anyone at home is because they, like many, went missing at the beginning of last month. His family members aren't nons, though. They are Muggles, through and through. Would the Ministry of Magic go so far as to relocate Muggles with ties to wizards, or would they simply bar all contact between Muggles and the wizards they know or with whom they happen to be related? As long as they are okay, Fritz won't worry too much about them. He just wishes he had some sort of reassurance that they actually are okay. Not hearing from them in a month makes it hard not to worry.
Fritz and Coco reach the castle. They climb all the way to Ravenclaw Tower to exchange their Herbology books for what they need for History of Magic and in Coco's case, Muggle Studies. They spent a little while longer in the common room before they head back downstairs to eat some lunch before their afternoon classes.
Letter from Mum and Dad
Author: Oreileah McCoi
Date: 03-20-08 03:28
Orei had just finished Herbology and was starting on Monday's homework when an owl landed in front of her holding a letter in its beak. "Artemis?" The owl looked familiar, and yet not at the same time. She took the owl from him and slipped a treat from her pocket and fed the owl while she read it.
Dearest Daughter,
We hope that this letter finds you well, and we hope that things with you and Brett are also going well. Your father and I have decided that it is best, given the rumors that are reaching us about what is happening in Britain, that we stay here in Japan. We are having the house packed up, save your things and having them brought here to us. You'll find a deed in your vault in Gringotts in Diagon Alley, it is to a house purchased in Hogsmeade as a gift for when you are done at Hogwarts.
We love you,
Mom and Dad
Orei quickly crumbled the note from her parents, and sent back a short reply not wishing anything to be seen that should not. She was heading into Hogsmeade this afternoon because she could as a Pure, and hadn't been there this week. She was hoping to have lunch with Brett at the house and tell him what she'd just heard. If he wasn't at the house, because of class she would leave a note and then head to Briar's Bakery or Imperial Crown & Cauldron for lunch and then head back to the Castle.
Secret Meeting
Author: Bailey
Date: 03-20-08 10:41
Jewel, Emerald, Phin, and Bailey sit in one of the rooms found by Professor Hodfuffer. With no one around to see them Bailey sits with one arm around Jewel and the other hand holding one of hers. Phin and Emerald sit in a similar fashion. Emerald and Jewel had thought to bring sandwiches so Bailey reluctently lets Jewel's hand go so he can eat.
Around a bite of food he says, "We need to come up with a list of people we want to include."
"Wiggy," Phin says without having to think about it.
"Olive," Emerald replies.
"What about Wiggy's friends Deak and Jack?" Jewel asks.
"Yeah, they're definately on our side. I think Sage Porter is too, at least under the circumstances." Bailey says this, thinking about Sage being Professor Miller's brother-in-law.
Emerald offers up, "Jill Prewitt and Alexa Wenlock. They're good friends with Olive and are related to Professor Miller. I guess, by extension, we might also consider their male cousins."
"Do you know their names, Emerald?" Jewel asks.
"Let's see. There's Daniel, Hadrian, and Alastor. Oh, and Hadrian has a brother, Hunter." She snaps her fingers. "I nearly forgot Olive's other really good friend Etta Wynbourne."
Phin speaks up, "How about her brother Jared? Didn't they both take part in that defying of the rules thing right before Christmas?"
"I think so," Bailey nods. "What about either of the Becks? I know Ariella because of us being in the same year and I know Alanna because of Quidditch, but I don't know either of them that well."
"They've got a sister in Azkaban for protesting," Jewel says. "There's also how their other sister died."
Bailey remembers Kendra and learning of her death but neither Phin nor Emerald knew her and don't know much about her. Emerald even asks, "How did the sister die?"
"Kendra was murdered while they were on holiday. I think it was somewhere in eastern Europe. The man behind her murder was had some sort of rule the world notion and was very much in favor of pureblood superiority," Jewel responds. "Coach Krum and a former DADA professor, Ethan Somerset, were also involved but with the good guys."
They're silent for a moment then Bailey suggests, "What about Jane Hillier and Doug Terbeek? Daria Matthews?"
"Coco and Fritz," Emerald adds.
"Is that enough to begin with, you think?" Phin asks.
"It's a good start. We can include more as we go along and I'm sure they'd all have ideas too," Bailey says before taking the last bite of his sandwich.
"We need to decide on the next meeting time and who of those we just named we want to invite, just a few or all of them," Jewel states.
With an initial list of names to work with, the four start thinking about possible meeting times and about getting AJ Hodfuffer to help them get more chairs and pillows to sit on for that meeting.
Muggle Studies
Author: Coco Nutt
Date: 03-20-08 15:39
After History of Magic, Fritz and Coco part ways. Fritz mentioned getting a snack and, since it's raining again, getting started on a homework assignment. Coco tells him he should get a game of chess going or something else fun. It is his birthday afterall. Coco had given Fritz an old fashioned looking pocket watch with his name inscribed on it.
Even though letters to family members don't seem to be going out or coming in for the Nons, mail orders are still being allowed. Coco thinks that's probably because the merchants are Pures and the Ministry isn't going to stop a business transaction if it's a Non's money going to the Pure. Because of this, Coco was also able to order a small cake for Fritz from Briar's Bakery. It should be here in time for dessert in the common room after supper. With no money coming in from Papa Wal, however, Coco is going to have to be frugal from now on. It's a good thing she was never a spendthrift to begin with.
Coco reaches the Muggle Studies classroom, feeling sad to know that Professor Miller won't be there. No one's really sure what's taken place but Professor Miller hasn't been seen or heard from since the start of the spring holiday and on that same day his niece disappeared from Hogwarts.
It's well knowny by today that Professor Miller's replacement is Pansy Parkinson. Five years older than Coco, Pansy was sixth year when Coco was a first. Coco never knew Pansy, or Professor Parkinson, but she definately knew of her. Pansy Parkinson was the sort who helped maintain the bad, obnoxious reputation of Slytherin House. Unfortunately, from the things Coco's heard as the week has progressed, Pansy Parkinson hasn't overly matured much since graduating, at least not enough to have others wanting to address her as professor.
Coco's barely had time to walk into the classroom and sit down when a familiar figure moves to the front of the room, barking at the sixth years, "Anyone not seated within three seconds will be disciplined."
There's a scramble as students still standing race to the nearest seats. Professor Parkinson looks disappointed that all of them are seated by the time her short time limit is up.
"I am Pansy Parkinson. Most of you were here when I was and should remember me."
Her lip curls into a sneer, "I will not be picking up where Aaron Miller left off. The Muggle way of doing things is vastly inferior to the Wizarding way. Muggles are subservient, lower even than House Elves... ."
Professor Parkinson continues her diatribe for quite sometime, the sixth years pretending to take notes.
Staying Informed
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 03-20-08 18:20
Hermione settled into a chair at the kitchen table and flipped through the Daily Prophet from the day before yesterday. The safe house she lived in with Harry, Ron and Janine didn't receive a subscription to the wizarding newspaper, and for good reason. First, it was located in the Muggle world and second, they didn't want to lead anyone to their doorstep. Hedwig never left the house to run errands or hunt, being too recognizable an owl. On extremely rare occasions, Pig was sent out, but the majority of the time the four friends didn't want to risk using owl post to send and receive missives when anyone could intercept the outgoing or incoming mail and thereby potentially discover the new Order headquarters.
The only time Hermione, Harry, Ron and Janine received news from the outside world was when someone came to visit. Earlier today, Molly had popped in, bringing pictures of baby George Frederick, who had been born on Tuesday. It hadn't been the first time that the four friends had heard about the birth of George and Majandra's bundle of joy, having had an all-too-brief visit from Arthur Tuesday evening. The pictures were Muggle-style, in that they were polaroids and didn't move, which Ron found extremely odd but Hermione, being Muggle-born, found completely normal.
Hermione was extremely happy for George and Majandra, but she also felt sad in that mother and baby had to remain in hiding lest risk getting separated because of the Ministry of Magic ruling that nons could no longer legally have children. Hermione longed for the day that the wizarding world turned itself back around because one day, maybe she and Ron would marry and decide to start a family. As long as things were the way they were, marriage and children simply couldn't happen.
Every issue of the Daily Prophet said more or less the same thing. Nons remained unaccounted for. Pures continued to earn perks simply for being pures. Arrests and notices of wanted person filled many of the pages. Even though there was nothing pleasant about any of the articles in the paper these days, Hermione scoured every word. She wanted to stay informed rather than be left in the dark, even if ignorance was bliss.