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Unexpected Reunion
Author: Griet
Date: 03-19-09 18:41
With a red blanket spread out beneath her, Griet lay on her back with her hands woven behind her head and looked up at the clouds. A slight wind blew, causing the clouds to move overhead and change shapes as they went. Some looked like objects or creatures but others looked only like puffs of cotton. One that looked like a chocolate frog in mid-leap sailed by when Gervaise and Oberon approached. They sat down uninvited, but Griet didn't particularly mind.
"Another kid got picked up today," Oberon mused as he stretched out his legs in front of him and leaned back on his hands. "That makes two in as many days."
"I don't suppose we'll ever get picked up," Gervaise expressed, a little sadly. "Our parents support what's been going on. They won't accept us in their homes until it all blows over, if it ever does."
"Really?" Griet rolled over onto her side and propped up her head with her hand. "You never said that your parents gave up on you as mine did on me."
"Yours, mine, and Oberon's. And I suspect plenty more at that," Gervaise said. "I mean, I know why they did it, and I guess if I'd have been in their position, I'd have done the same... but..."
"It hurts being on this side of things," Griet finished.
"Yeah."
Griet cast her eyes at Oberon. She remembered quite vividly how he had only recently taunted her for being abandoned by her family. Interesting how apparently the very same thing had happened to him. His expression was unreadable, but Griet suspected he was pretending to be indifferent to everything.
"I guess before long it'll just be us three here in paradise," Oberon said.
Griet shook her head. Even though her parents had basically given her up to stay in the world's good graces, she wanted to go home. She wanted things to go back to normal.
"Well, who else would take you in?" Oberon asked sarcastically.
"Griet?"
All three heads turned in the direction of the voice that had called out to Griet from across the clearing. A man around forty approached and held two girls by the hand.
"Uncle Dale," Griet said softly at first, not believing her eyes.
Sadie and Ramona had tears in their eyes and practically dragged their father to where Griet now stood with a look of shock on her face. Dale Mickle managed to extricate his hands from his daughters' just long enough to grip Griet by the shoulders and then to pull her into a hug. She still couldn't believe that one of her relatives had found her. She hugged her uncle until he stepped out of her embrace and found his hands seized by his daughters again.
"How did you find us?"
"There are people out there working to reunite separated families," Dale explained with a smile. He was pleased to see his niece again, but understandably even more pleased to have his daughters in his life again.
"Do my parents know you're here?" Griet asked.
Dale's smile faded. "No, Griet. I haven't told them anything... and I don't think it's wise to say anything to them right now. You understand, don't you?"
Griet sighed. "Yes."
Dale smiled at her again. "I want you to come live with us for now. Do you want to do that?"
Griet looked surprised again. "Really? You'll take me in?"
Sadie and Ramona were sniffling quite loudly, and Griet could almost feel tears brim her own eyes.
"Of course," Dale said. "We're family, aren't we?"
Griet nodded and started to cry in earnest now.
Oberon turned to Gervaise. "I guess it'll just be us two before long."
New House
Author: Carys
Date: 03-20-09 11:43
The house Griffin bought in the South of France was absolutely perfect, though Carys couldn't help but miss her father's home just a little. She knew that the feelings of nostalgia would pass in time and did her best to move forward with life. The new house was within walking distance of the beach and had a view of the perfectly blue Mediterranean Sea. There was even a wizarding university in the vicinity, where Carys thought she would enroll in classes during the next registration period.
Tristan seemed to adapt quite well to his new home. He loved the sand and the water and often asked to visit the beach. Alun, though never likely to recover from losing the love of his life, seemed to take to the change in scenery. He often sat outside in the sun while deep in thought.
Griffin continued to go to work at the British Ministry of Magic, splitting his time there and at the new house. Carys couldn't even begin to tell him how grateful she was for all he had done for her and her family. Without him, she didn't know where she'd be and if she ever would have gotten the chance to see her son again.
The relationship between them was very different from what it had been when they'd first met all those years ago. Then, Carys had been hostile, angry about Owain's death which had been followed so quickly by Gaenor's. She'd acted out to anyone and everyone and had acted impulsively and wrecklessly, not caring who she hurt or what the consequences were.
Now, Carys felt overwhelming gratitude for Griffin and treated him with the respect and kindness he deserved. She'd grown up quite a lot since her downward spiral, acting less like an angry teenager and more like a mature adult. She saw the world as if through new eyes and knew not to ever take anything for granted.
Carys walked through the house, some of which was furnished with what had been in Jean's storage facility. It hadn't been too difficult to track down the information and to get to the items, some of which were family heirlooms. Carys was glad that not all of it had been sold in the estate sale directly after Jean's arrest.
She stepped outside, where she found Tristan sleeping against Alun's chest. Alun was lounging in a recliner and looked out to sea. Carys had the impression that he wasn't really seeing the water, but that he was thinking about Mairwen as he often did. She followed his gaze, wishing she could see her grandmother again too.
Preparations
Author: Jolyon
Date: 03-20-09 13:04
In the morning of the first day of May, Jolyon went to the barn to prepare for his two afternoon classes. His fourth years would be studying the mooncalf, a creature that only emerged from its burrow on the full moon. When out, the mooncalf danced on enormous flat feet and occasionaly left strange patterns in wheatfields. Its dung, when collected before sun up, made prime fertilizer.
Because his students wouldn't get the full effect of seeing a mooncalf in action, Jolyon planned on taking them on a field trip on the night of the next full moon (Friday, May 16th). Professor Snider had already approved of the trip to a wizarding farm in the small town of Gifford, Scotland, which was just over twenty miles east of Edinburgh. Not only would the students hopefully catch a mooncalf in the act of dancing, but they would also collect dung to take back to Hogwarts for Professor Farnon (assuming he even knew what to do with it).
Jolyon's fifth years would be studying dugbogs, creatures that looked like driftwood and which had finned paws and sharp teeth. They attacked small mammals and had a special liking for mandrakes. To show off the dugbogs in as close to a natural habitat as possible, Jolyon had constructed a fairly sizeable aboveground pond and filled it with aquatic plant and animal life often found in marshlands. The dugbogs floated along, looking like pieces of wood instead of the XXX level creatures they actually were.
While tending to the pond, an owl screeched overhead and then dove toward Jolyon. He looked up in time to catch the letter it dropped from its talons. It didn't want a treat or any other form of payment and continued on the way to the Owlery.
The letter was rolled up and tied with a piece of string. Jolyon pulled off the string and then unfurled the parchment. The note was in his mother's hand.
Dearest Jolyon,
I write to you with grave news. Your father has taken ill and has been admitted to St. Mungo's. The prognosis is grim. Please come as soon as you can.
Mother
Jolyon rolled up the letter again and tied it up with string. He had plenty of time to get to St. Mungo's and back to Hogwarts before his afternoon classes. He wasn't sure who could fill in for him in the event that he couldn't make it back in time, and he really didn't want to cancel them either. Still, he decided to visit Professor Snider first and to inform her of his need to leave campus for a while.
He was in no real hurry to go to St. Mungo's and only considered doing so at all because he knew it would please his mother. Jolyon's relationship with his father had always been very difficult, and even now, with the elder Kent quite possibly on his death bed, Jolyon felt like he was under scrutiny.
Temporarily leaving the dugbog pond behind, Jolyon trekked up to the castle to see Professor Snider before heading out to St. Mungo's.
Morning Rush
Author: Lysander Stratford
Date: 03-20-09 13:56
"Must I really go?"
Lysandra Somerset had rolled onto her stomach and propped herself up with her arms. Her red hair fell in waves over her shoulder and touched the pillow on which she'd slept during the night. She studied Lysander with a pout on her lips as he dressed for the day.
"I'm supposed to open the shop in––" he grapped his watch off the dresser counter and slapped it onto his wrist "––in five minutes!"
Lysander picked Lysandra's underwear off the floor and threw it at her.
"Can't Julian open it up without your help?"
"Some days he opens, some days I do. It's my turn, so please get dressed and go home or to work or wherever else you've got to be." Lysander wasn't angry and didn't snap at her, but he did want her gone so that he could finish in peace.
Lysandra pouted some more and started to pull on her clothes. She dressed much more slowly than Lysander, leaving him to exit the room and check on Charlotte. She had already gotten herself up and was playing with toys on the floor of her bedroom.
"Hi Daddy. Play time?"
"Daddy has to work but you can come with me if you want."
"Okay."
He helped her get out of her jammies and to put on some clean clothes. Charlotte had a potty break and then accepted a baggie of cereal to take with her into the shop along with a toy or two.
In the meantime, Lysandra let herself out of Lysander's flat and left father and daughter to their morning routine.
Once downstairs, Charlotte nibbled on her cereal and tried to share with Dexter who was more interested in basking in the sunlight that streamed through the front windows. Lysander, meanwhile, opened the shop a few minutes late. No one was waiting to get in, though, which was almost to be expected since business wasn't what it had once been.
[Draco] Reassigned
Author: Lucius Malfoy
Date: 03-20-09 18:19
Stepping from the Floo to the Atrium, Draco Malfoy turns reluctently to walk the distance to the bank of lifts. With things in Great Britain what they are, Draco has a very good idea of why he and others from the Geneva office have been summoned to London to the home office. It's widely known that a number of foreign offices have been shut down, the people reassigned either to a foreign office still open or back to Britain. Rumors are circulating that by mid-month, Great Britain will have no foreign offices remaining open.
Draco liked where he'd been in Romania. He absolutely loves Geneva, Switzerland. He likes the work he does and is quite good at it. Draco does not want to end up back here in London, doing some job he hates simply because the Minister has made all of Britain horribly short-staffed and simply because the Minister has alienated every other government on the planet to the point that some have out right instructed Britain to close offices in their countries.
Draco has long believed in pureblood superiority. He still does and most likely always will. That doesn't mean he thinks shipping off everyone not considered a pureblood is the answer. Anyone who thinks it is just needs to look around at the mess that is now Great Britain's Wizarding community.
There are some Draco would dearly love to see gone for good, Harry Potter among them. It was no secret when the Ministry captured Potter, but Draco has no idea what's become of Potter since. If his father knows, then Lucius is magically prevented from passing the information on to Draco. He presumes Potter is locked up, probably in Azkaban being the important person Potter always thought himself to be. Draco feels certain that if Potter is dead, Minister Smythe-Jones would have gleefully announced it while standing with one shoe on Potter's dead body.
Stepping from the lift into a Level 5 corridor, Draco nagivates through the Department of International Magical Cooperation to the conference room where he and others from the Geneva office had been told to meet. Stepping into the room, Draco finds it full and sees faces that he knows to be at some of Britain's other foreign offices.
There's a stir at the door then Euphemia Smythe-Jones enters. Draco's a little surprised she's taken it upon herself to address those gathered. He would have thought she'd consider this beneath a personal appearance.
Draco's located against the wall not all that far from the door so has a good view of the Minister. She looks to be in a bad mood but then, from what Draco's heard, these days she is always in a bad mood. The room quickly quiets, all eyes on the Minister.
"Most of you have heard that we are closing almost all our foreign branches. Effective immediately the offices each of you are with are no longer in operation. A few of you will return to pack up. For those of you living abroad, you will have time settle personal matters, pack, and relocate back to Britain. Those of you not assigned to helping your office make the move are expected to report here for work Monday. You will find your new assignments posted along the hallway. You have one half hour to find your listing and report to your new assignment to get your particulars. Please do not linger along this corridor as there is another group coming in within the hour. That is all."
Ignoring the questions her statement has prompted, the Minister sweeps out of the conference room without a look back. Being so near the door, Draco is one of the first out. The lists are done alphabetically by office then also have the employees' names alphabetically.
Draco easily, and quickly, finds the listing for the Geneva office, hoping he's one of the ones getting to stay behind to pack up the office. He deflates a little seeing that he is not. Draco deflates even more at seeing his new assignment: community prison guard.
It doesn't say what community, just tells Draco to whom he's to report. Not sure now if he's going to continue with the Ministry, Draco makes his way to the stairs, deciding to take his time going to find out where he's supposed to go on Monday and at what time.
Someone with his talents wasted as a prison guard.
Shoulders slumped, Draco starts running through a list of countries that might take him on, beginning with Switzerland.
(Katherine) Life in Brisbane
Author: Anthony Beck
Date: 03-21-09 14:30
Sometime after arriving in Brisbane, Katherine found work as a photographer for the local office of the Australia-Wizarding Times. She'd waited until she'd recovered enough of her strength to feel well enough to attend work everyday. She might have waited longer to immerse herself in any activity except that she had never liked to sit idly by and do nothing, even when not at her fullest of health.
Katherine would have preferred to do something to help the cause back home but Toby hated the idea of her returning home and possibly getting snatched again. She respected his wishes enough to stay in Brisbane and to occupy her time by working. Contributing to Toby's household bills and other expenses did make her feel marginally better about being there and not back home.
She enjoyed her work as a photographer for the local newspaper. Photojournalism had been her field of study at St. Emrys before she got arrested and eventually transfered to The Mews. Before now, she hadn't had any work experience in photojournalism and felt that if things ever returned to normal and she could finish her degree, she'd already have a leg up in the world thanks to her current job.
Soon after Katherine's arrival, Toby's wife Bronwyn had left for Seattle, Washington in the States. In a way, it had been nice for Katherine to have her half-brother to herself for so long. Toby was the one half-sibling Katherine knew the least. His being away in Australia when the rest of the family was in Great Britain made it hard to see him often and get to know him better. Now Katherine had gotten the chance. With Bronwyn's return, Katherine could get to know her sister-in-law better too.
Although she had adapted to life in Brisbane, she still dreamed of the day that she could return home. Hopefully, it would happen, and soon at that.
Marseilles, France: Victoire
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 03-22-09 09:00
Victoire Gabrielle Weasley slept snugly in the arms of her mother Fleur, unaware that she was being admired by more than just her parents. As soon as her birth was announced and news of it spread far and wide, friends and family members started dropping by to catch a glimpse of the newest Weasley.
Bill and Fleur called her Victoire, or victory in French, because they had finally become parents after many failed attempts and because they felt certain that with Dumbledore back and more and more communities falling around Great Britain and its territories, victory over the Minister of Magic and her prejudicial policies was on the horizon.
They gave her the middle name Gabrielle because Fleur's sister had been with her when she'd gone into labor and had stayed by her side during the entire birthing process. Bill had been at St. John's Wood with other members of the Order of the Phoenix when he'd first gotten the news that Fleur was having the baby. He'd rushed to Coquille Cabanon as quickly as possible, arriving just in time to witness the birth of his first child.
Gabrielle had the biggest smile on her face. For the first time in her life, she was an aunt, and the baby was named after her! Her brother-in-law slipped his arm around her shoulders and smiled down at her. He was grateful that Gabrielle had been with Fleur when her water had broken. Gabrielle had seemed so calm during the entire ordeal, whereas Bill's nerves had been all over the place. In truth, she'd been just as nervous.
Fleur looked at Gabrielle. "Would you like to hold your niece?" she asked her in French.
Bill, who had been taking language lessons, actually understood what Fleur said.
"Oui!" Gabrielle exclaimed. She leaned forward to gently accept the baby from Fleur's arms and carefully cradled little Victoire to her chest. The baby continued to sleep peacefully.
Bill came around to the other side of the bed and put his arm around his wife. He kissed her on the side of the forehead and whispered, "We did it."
Fleur smiled. "I know, and do you know what?"
"What?"
"I want another. And another."
Bill chuckled. "So do I," he murmured. "So do I."