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Doing Good
Author: Griet
Date: 04-02-08 17:26
Griet shouldered her bag and slipped out of the dungeon classroom, feeling lucky that she'd managed to escape severe punishment from both of the Carrows, first in Transfiguration and then in Potions. Some of her classmates hadn't fared as well; Gervaise, in fact, walked with a noticeable limp in front of Griet on the way to the Great Hall.
When his books spilled to the ground, it was Griet, not Oberon, who stooped down to help him collect them. Oberon looked down his nose at the pair, and Griet did her best to ignore him.
"Thanks," Gervaise said, rising with some difficultly. Griet kept a steadying hand on his arm until he didn't need the support anymore.
"No problem," Griet said, then she sidestepped Oberon and went on her way.
"Do-gooder," she heard Oberon muttered beneath his breath, and yet intentionally loud enough for her to overhear.
Griet briefly considered turning around and slugging him in the nose to show him just how much of a do-gooder she was, but thought better of it. She knew she shouldn't allow him to goad her into lashing out, and she'd probably get in trouble anyway. Teachers like the Carrows probably wouldn't care that Oberon had a bloody nose, but they'd probably add to his pain and throw Griet into the mix as well, and that was something she wanted to avoid.
She climbed the stairs from the dungeon to the entrance hall of the castle and then turned left to the double doors that led into the Great Hall. She went in, already spotting Cornelia at the Slytherin pure table. Griet slid into a seat at the other Slytherin table and unloaded her bag to the floor. She had a craving for soup, even though the soup served in the Great Hall these days (at least for the nons) usually lacked flavor of any kind. Griet poured herself a bowl of cream of chicken soup and grabbed some crackers to go with it. Neither the soup nor the crackers tasted quite the way she'd hoped but she didn't complain. She'd grown used to the lackluster meals and was merely thankful that she was offered anything to eat at all.
Torture
Author: Carys
Date: 04-03-08 17:39
"Wake up. You need to wake up now."
Somewhere, very far away, Carys heard the words. It took her mind several minutes to realize she wasn't dreaming and that the hand gently shaking her shoulder belonged to someone very real. She somehow managed to open her eyes and turned onto her back. The worry-filled face of housemate Urania Jones stared down at her.
Carys suddenly bolted into sitting position and rubbed her eyes with the heals of her palms. "I only meant to shut my eyes for five minutes. How long has it been?"
"I don't know," Urania admitted. "I only came in to use the loo and wash my hands before supper. I found you sound asleep when I came into the building."
Carys threw her legs over the side of the cot and rose to her feet, quickly brushing out the creases in her dull robes and making sure her hair wasn't standing every which way.
"How could I have been so foolish?" she mainly asked herself, hurrying for the door to Building A. Before going through it, she turned to face Urania. "Thanks. So much. I'm sure I'm still getting a severe punishment for being tardy, but I'm sure skipping my duties altogether would fare me much worse."
Urania shrugged her shoulders. "You're welcome."
Carys turned back around and dashed through the door and then ran all the way to the dining hall, where a good number of the wizards who lived at Goen Bren lined up outside the door, waiting to get inside for dinner. So she hadn't missed the actual start of supper, but she knew the others assigned to the kitchens were already there, preparing whatever slop was on the menu tonight.
She swiftly stepped in through the kitchen door, grabbed a hair net from the communal bin and pulled it over her hair as she tried to determine what still needed doing. Her fellow kitchen-mates glanced at her pityingly. Carys sucked in her breath when she realized why. The warden for all of Goen Bren had decided on a surprise visit to the kitchen. Usually a lower-level guard supervised them, if anyone deigned to show up at all.
"What's this?" the warden sneered, his lip curling in a disdainful manner. "Your name, girl?"
Carys answered calmly, "Carys Hanham-Beauvais."
He looked down at a clipboard he held and clicked his tongue twice. "Your are assigned to the kitchens before, during and after mealtimes." He raised his black eyes to meet her gaze, which she held unwaveringly. "You are late."
"Yes, sir. I'm sorry, sir." She knew politeness would do nothing to save her skin, but hoped he would, at least, not be as severe on her if she'd shown him attitude instead. Unfortunately, Carys had already seen him in action and knew what he was capable of.
"Tardiness is not acceptable for any reason. Do you know what I do to Nons who are tardy to work?"
"Yes, sir."
The warden held out his clipboard for someone to take. The nearest Non snatched it from his hand and held it as if it were a bar of gold instead of a board with a piece of parchment clipped to it. The warden removed his wand from the pocket of his black robes and pointed it at Carys. For having been at Goen Bren for a month and a half and having witnessed many instances of physical abuse, Carys had never felt the effects of the Cruciatus Curse before and had never quite imagined just how terrible it would be. He'd aimed for her center, causing her to buckle forward and clasp her stomach as if she were experiencing a bursting appendix or going through the worst labor pains. Only this felt much, much worse.
Carys fell to her knees and cried aloud, unable to stop the tears from forming and then spilling down her cheeks. She didn't know she could experience pain like this. Although the torture only lasted a minute, it felt like it had lasted an hour. The warden stopped the cursed and stared down his long nose at her, watching her pant and sniffle with a hard look in his eyes.
"Get up," he commanded roughly.
Carys didn't think she could but she forced herself to do it. It took all her willpower to climb to her feet and to stay standing. Her knees felt weak, and she could still feel tremors coursing through her veins. She raised her face and met the warden's eyes.
"Will you be tardy again?" he asked.
"No," Carys replied, wheezing, "sir. I," she paused, "will not."
The warden smirked and stowed his wand in his pocket. He held out his hand for his clipboard, never once letting his eyes leave Carys. The clipboard was quickly pressed into his hand.
"Get to work," he said, first to Carys before roving his eyes around the kitchen. "All of you!" he barked.
Carys pushed herself to the nearest counter and started chopping up old vegetables that weren't quite rotting but just days away from reaching that point. Tears stung her eyes and she blinked constantly to clear them so that she could do her work and not accidentally cut off one of her fingers. The warden didn't stick around after that, leaving the kitchens to supervise and probably terrorize some other group at the community.
(Mark) Spring Fever
Author: Isolde
Date: 04-04-08 14:41
The advantage of having only a handful of students in his classes meant that Mark received almost one-on-one attention from his professors. In the past several months, Mark felt like he'd gained so much more in terms of learning practical and theoretical magic than he had in months past––not that he'd considered his previous educational experience worthless by any means. He merely felt like he really absorbed the material and truly understood it so much better nowadays.
On the flip side, being in such close quarters meant that he couldn't lose his focus in his classes. His professors would surely notice much quicker if he were to stop paying attention to their lectures. As long as the lessons were interesting and more practical than theoretical, Mark had no great difficulty keeping his mind where needed, but sometimes it took a lot of willpower to concentrate.
With just one class on Thursdays, it should have been easy for Mark to pay attention to Professor Masterson's lecture. However, with the knowledge that he had the rest of the day to do with what he wanted, Mark occasionally found his mind wandering. Luckily, it seemed as if Professor Masterson had a lot of his mind himself, since he didn't seem to notice that Mark was a bit stir crazy in his seat. Or perhaps Mark didn't seem to show any outward signs of wishing he were anywhere but in the greenhouse.
It was a nice day outside, with a bit of sun and clouds. The air was warm enough that one could walk around comfortably, but sitting under the shade of a tree was still a little too cool. Mark gazed out the clouded window of the greenhouse longingly, and when Professor Masterson dismissed the class with a lazy wave of his hand, Mark was the first to leave.
He walked halfway to the castle and then turned, deciding instead to relax by the lake until lunchtime. During his walk, he spotted Gus walking towards the castle alongside Johanna Steele. He didn't think they were necessarily friends, but they obviously had something in common, both being nons. The Hufflepuff girl, Kate, trailed a fair distance behind them, reviewing a piece of parchment. She stopped suddenly and knelt to the grounds, plucking a white flower from the grass. She brought it to her nose and then tucked it behind her ear before standing up again and continuing towards the castle.
Neither her gaze nor that of Gus met Mark's. Just as well, he supposed. He didn't need to soil his reputation by having even casual conversation with Kate or his old friend Gus. He went on towards the lake, and when he got there, he tossed his books inot the grass and sank down next to them. He stretched out his legs before him and leaned back on his arms, basking in the sun, and watched the squid raise its massive tentacles out of the water as it, too, enjoyed the springtime weather.
(Erigone Jones) Mumbai, India
Author: Illyria
Date: 04-04-08 15:21
Mumbai, the largest city in India, also had the largest community of wizards in the entire country. The majority lived in Mumbai City proper in terraced homes along the coastline. Muggles passing through the wizarding area saw several condos but for some reason never seemed very interested in buying them or popping in for a visit. Using all the money she'd been able to carry with her before fleeing Great Britain, Erigone Jones had secured one of the cheaper homes for herself and for her parents, both of whom had required a great deal of convincing to leave their native country for a foreign land. Erigone had purposefully picked a country where English was officially spoken, and yet one not too close to home.
She'd also managed to find a job within a week of arriving in Mumbai. Erigone, an editor for Magical Style Magazine (or former editor, since her absence probably had caused her to lose her position), now worked in the style section for the Mumbai Messenger. Knowing she wouldn't have easy access to her Gringotts account and realizing she might stay in Mumbai for a long time before returning home, if ever, Erigone had to find a steady source of income. She didn't expect her parents to find work, but to her surprise, her mother Ione eventually got bored with staying at home all day everyday and found part-time work as a hostess at a nearby Indian restaurant. Erigone's father, Atticus, eventually became bored at home without his wife to bother and decided to work part-time as a day clerk at the local hotel.
Erigone was glad that her parents had ultimately acclimated themselves to Mumbai. She worried greatly about them, even though they were safe and sound and not missing like Arsinoe, Olympia and Urania. Illyria was still at Hogwarts, last Erigone had heard. Erigone feared writing Illyria regularly, and vice versa, but hoped to find a way to keep each other updated. Ergione had guessed long ago that Olympia and Urania had been relocated, since they both worked for the Ministry of Magic and hadn't been heard from since those workers had first gone missing. Erigone hoped that Arsinoe, her unborn baby, and her husband Quin were safe but had no way of knowing where they were or what their status was. She tried not to worry about them, if only to appear strong for her worried parents.
Erigone also worried about her fiancé. He'd been MIA for well over a month, probably relocated as well. Was he with Urania and Olympia or were they all separated from one another? She wished she knew.
For now, all she could do was try to live her life and protect her parents and hope that one day, she would be reunited with the rest of her family.
Growth Spurt (Catriona)
Author: Fionna
Date: 04-04-08 16:50
Herbology over for awhile now but not yet time for lunch, Catriona is in her dorm room trying to decide if the hems on her robes and other clothes are enough to let out or if she needs to have new clothes sent. Cat wasn't aware she was growing. It wasn't until yesterday when she went to get dressed and saw in length mirror just how short her uniform robe had gotten. She'd know it was a tiny bit short just from how it hit her when she walked but until she saw in a mirror just how short the one yesterday now is, Cat had no idea she'd grown quite so much since winter holiday.
Or maybe it's just been since spring holiday.
Cat shrugs, deciding it doesn't matter when. The main thing is to let hems out on clothes that have enough hem to let and write either her mother or her aunt about getting clothes to replace the ones that can't be let out.
Throwing a dress in the can't be let out stack, Cat wrinkles her nose. She hates to bother Aunt Moira with this but Mum's last couple of letters have had an undertone of not really wanting to be disturbed while on her extremely extended honeymoon. This thought brings dampness to Cat's eyes and she quickly backhands the unshed tears away. She knows her mum loves her but since meeting Willem - not William as he is quick to point out but Willem - and then getting engaged and married and going on this long honeymoon, Cat often gets the feeling that neither she nor her sister Leslie are first in their mother's affections.
Chucking the last item of clothing into a pile, Cat frowns at how small the can be let out pile is. Speaking aloud to herself she sighs, "Well, there's nothing for it. I'll have to write Aunt."
Grabbing her bookbag, Cat shuffles books and notebooks so that she's got Charms, History, and DADA work then hefting the bag to her shoulder she heads out of the room. She pauses in the common room long enough to take out parchment, quill, and ink to dash off a note to her aunt, then leaves Ravenclaw House for the owlery. After that she'll visit the library even though she doesn't like the place that much since Miss Bambi was made to leave, but she's got assignments for tomorrow to finish and the library is a good place to do that until it's time for lunch.
Camp Lollipop (Euphemia Smythe-Jones)
Author: Harry Potter
Date: 04-05-08 09:19
Euphemia's fingers fairly caress the newest of the newer model portkeys. The uni-directional portkey takes her to a large, well appointed office where a slightly zaftig woman with snowy white hair is waiting to greet her. As soon as Euphemia appears the grandmotherly matron steps forward with an extended hand.
"Welcome, Minister Smythe-Jones! I have been looking forward to giving you the tour."
Euphemia takes the hand and gives it a firm, though quick, shake, saying warmly, "I'm quite looking forward to seeing your place, Ms. Rackharrow."
Hester Rackharrow motions Euphemia forward. "Would you like some refreshment first, Minister?"
"Thank you but no, I believe I'd like to look around first."
Rackharrow leads Euphemia through a set of elegant French style doors, down a spacious, well lit corridor to a goodly sized room where she's shown the reception desk and introduced to some of the staff. From there it's out into a sunny courtyard.
The courtyard is mainly dirt though grass is starting to show and a few flowers and bushes are being planted. Rackharrow tells Euphemia, "Within a few weeks this will all be grass. Cuts down on the amount of dirt tracked into the buildings. Now over there are the dorms. They are identical so if you prefer, we can go through just one of them."
"Yes, that's fine," Euphemia nods.
Rackharrow takes Euphemia to one of the nearer resident halls. "This building is called Chocolate Frog and as you can see there are paintings of chocolate frogs along the front. Some of the others are Fizzing Whizbee, Canary Cream, and Acid Pop."
The dorm has two floors of big open spaces lined with beds and a chest at the foot of each bed. There are baths and loos as well. Altogether, there dorm is just the drab, bland place Euphemia expected.
Outside again Rackharrow takes Euphemia to the canteen. "With our residents the ages they are, it was more prudent to have one dining hall, which we're calling Cauldron Cake, than to do what some places have done with a dining room in each residence hall. The older ones will assist with the serving and the cleaning up. Those capable enough will also help with the food preparation. This will also serve as our general assembly hall."
From there Euphemia views some of the work buildings where jobs such as picking threads from the seams of old clothes (to be recycled) and hand stamping the Ministry logo on stationary will take place. Once the tour is completed Euphemia takes tea with Rackharrow in the woman's office and asks, "You are fully operational now? Prepared for residents?"
Rackharrow beams at Euphemia. "Yes. The RAC has assured me the first group will arrive tomorrow. I confess I am almost giddy from the anticipation."
Pleased with the progress being made, Euphemia returns to the Ministry for a meeting and then it's off to a dinner party being given by the semi-tolerable Dolores Umbridge.
More Questions
Author: Charlie Weasley
Date: 04-05-08 15:26
From the doorway of his office Charlie flicks his wand. The lights go out and he reaches for the knob to pull the door too just as a throat clears nearby. Looking that direction, Charlie barely contains the eye roll that the sight of the woman compells him to do.
"Good evening, Mr. Weasley."
Charlie gives Charity Sun a glacial smile but says nothing.
Charity Sun closes the short distance between Charlie and her. "I looked for you at home. Do you always work this late?"
That question is loaded with other questions. Charlie has no trouble imagining that one of those questions includes, "Meeting with friends the Ministry has an interest in?"
Charlie releases the doorknob so that he might turn to fully face the woman. "If whatever I'm doing, whether at the dragon preserve or here at the univeristy, requires me to stay late, then I do."
"It's not late enough for a night class to have kept you."
"No."
Charlie reaches back to make sure the door is locked then steps around Charity Sun and starts down the hallway. She falls into step beside him even though it means that to keep up with his longer stride she does an odd loping movement.
"That's the entirety of your response?"
"Yes."
"Very well, then I must directly ask, what kept you?"
"A departmental meeting."
"Have you been in contact with Ronald Weasley, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ginevra Weasley, Molly Weasley, Arthur Weasley, George Weasley, or Majandra Fine?"
"That's quite the list."
"There are more I could quiz you about and that is not a proper reply to the question."
"No, I have not been in contact with anyone you just listed."
"Two of those people are your parents. I find it difficult to believe that you've not been in contact with them."
"If you aren't going to believe my answers, why bother asking the questions?"
"No need to get testy, Mr. Weasley. Why did your elder brother move out of Great Britain?"
"Have you ever been in love, Ms. Sun?"
Charity Sun's expression goes from bland to that of repugnance complete with curled lip. "I can't say that I have."
"Then my brother's reason for moving is not something you'd be able to comprehend."
"Are you saying his move has something to do with love?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying."
A slight shudder passes through Charity Sun's body, causing Charlie to have to suppress a grin. When another question or comment is not immediately forthcoming from her he points to the fireplace they've reached. "If you are done, I'd like to go home now. The woman I love and our two sons are waiting dinner on me."
At the word love, Charity Sun shudders again, her face still slightly scrunched up. She recovers quickerly, putting that bland expression back in place. "The Ministry is watching you very closely, Mr. Weasley. Should you have contact with those I mentioned, as well as a number of others of interest , our next conversation will be at the Ministry and I will personally make sure that we will employ whatever methods are needed to obtain the truth."
Charlie gives her that glacial smile again. "I'm sure you will, Ms. Sun."
Charlie doesn't bother saying goodnight to the woman nor does she bid him goodbye. He steps into the floo and with a sense of relief walks out into his home.