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Demonstration
Author: Analeigh Ivy
Date: 04-04-09 20:49
I entered the first class I was assigned to watch. Charms, one of my personal favorite classes. It had been my favorite ever since my first year at Hogwarts. I entered the room that was almost full of students and walked up to the front of the classroom where the professor was. "Professor Ivy." he said.
I was barely across the room and he hadn't even looked up at me. I smiled and walked the rest of the way to his desk. "Yes. I'm Professor--well--Student Professor Ivy." He finally looked up at me and pointed to a small desk on the side of the room.
"That is where you will be 'observing'." he said, almost questioning the word observing. I looked over to the small desk that sat on the far right side of the classroom. "I'm Professor Yaxley by the way." he said.
I could tell I wouldn't be able to see very well, but I wasn't going to let that stop me. I nodded to him and took my seat at my desk. It was like I was back in school.
The class had started and I pulled out a small paper where I could take notes. But, before he started, Professor Yaxley pointed over to me and said, "This is Professor Ivy. She will be helping out for a while in all of your classes, so please, be on your best behavior for her." he said. "Now, let's practice our charms."
He turned to the board and pointed to the words Wingardium Leviosa. I hadn't paid attention before, but now I realized that this was a first year class. I remembered learning this back when I was in first year, when that one girl that always hanged out with the Potter kid did it perfectly. It was amazing.
"Now, class, repeat after me. Wingardium Leviosa." he said. The class repeated him, some of them stumbling. "Again." he said. They did as he said, still some of them stumbling. He shook his head and looked over to me.
"How about a demonstration from Professor Ivy." he said. It wasn't a question, more of a demand. I felt myself blushing and quickly said, "Oh, I don't think the children really need one. I know they can all do it." He shot me a look that gave me goose bumps so I quickly said, "But, one demonstration couldn't be so bad."
I got up and walked to the front of the classroom where his desk was. I grabbed my wand out of my robe and sighed, looking at one of the books on his desk. I took in a heavy breath. "Wingardium Leviosa." I said. The book began to float in the air.
"Now, you see kids. She pronounced the words precisely and the book levitated. Most of you are having trouble with the pronunciation." he said. I made the book come back down to the desk and went back to my seat. He was still talking about pronunciation which was an important thing to teach in charms so I wrote down on my notes, Emphasize on pronunciation if charms teacher. I sighed and waited for the class to be over. Wow! It really was like I was back in school.
Contact And The Plan (Jewel)
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 04-05-09 13:12
Carefully hidden between a shed and part of an old, low stone border, Jewel hopes someone will show up. There hadn't been anyone yesterday but then the message on Professor Miller's machine hadn't been left all that long ago and Jewel has no idea how often the machine is checked for messages. With Professor Miller being a Non, Jewel doesn't even know if there is anyone who is able to pick up those messages. It's too soon though to give up hope on that front.
Jewel has only told a very small few about finding a way out and using the tallypone to attempt contact with outside help. She'd not been able to make it yesterday but one of those others had, arriving about the time she'd said in the message and waiting for as long as possible. When no one had come, a message was hidden in case someone came in between the times one of the 485ers could be there. The message is written on paper Jewel found in the house from which she'd rung up Professor Miller's London flat on the tallypone. There's a list of who's in 485, how many staff, when the guards have shift change, and should it be needed, a diagram of the prison community. With the cave tunnels as an escape route, hopefully the layout of 485 itself won't matter or will the information on guards and other staff be needed. Better to have that extra information than not enough and better to leave it when it could be left than to put it off for another time because who knows who many times they'll have doing this?
Although it's ages yet until dark, the time when Jewel had said someone would try and be waiting each night, she had the unheard of opportunity of not having a job assignment but no one knowing about it. The warden's wife had sent for her to come when the assignment Jewel had had this morning was done. When Jewel showed up she was told the warden's wife had gotten a last minute invitation for the afternoon but had not left instructions for Jewel as to what she was wanting. With the workshift overseer thinking Jewel was doing a job for the warden's wife and with the warden's wife thinking Jewel would report for regular work when learning no instructions were left by the woman, Jewel had the unique opportunity of leaving camp with ages of time before being missed.
Jewel isn't expecting anyone but the chance to sit outside with nothing to do, breathing air untainted by the stifling prison atmosphere too great to pass. It's too bad the dog from the little house isn't in the yard because he is sweet and is a good companion to sit and scratch while the minutes tick by. It's also too bad that the weather is so abyssmal. It's not raining at the moment but it has been. Buckets and buckets of it. Thankfully, the shed she's up against has enough of an overhang that Jewel is out of the worst of it should it start up again.
Still, it's damp and cold and the ground is muddy. Because of doing the upholstery and drapery work for the warden's wife, parts of Jewel tend to be cleaner than that of the other 485ers but overall she's still pretty filthy. She wouldn't have thought a little more mud and grime to the mix would matter she she's finding it does bother her.
The rain does start up again and even with the overhang to help, the downpour is so bad that Jewel's considering moving into the shed and positioning herself to look out of one of the tiny windows. She's stood up, keeping herself plastered against the shed wall and has started inching around to where the door into the shed is located when she hears something. Pausing, head cocked to one side, Jewel tries to block out the sounds of wind and rain to get a better idea of what she heard.
Voices.
Frozen with fear to the spot, Jewel tries to peg from which direction the voices are coming, not an easy thing to do with the wind is roaring, rain is drumming, and thunder is rolling.
She thinks she has it now. Muffled either by distance or that weather, the voices seem to be from beyond the stone border. There's a patch of trees there and from the way the road curves just past the house, Jewel presumes that just beyond that particular stand of trees, the road continues on.
Two figures emerge, walking across the rectangle of clear ground between the copse and stone border. Jewel has dropped back down, ready to bolt around the shed or into the woods that are more in the direction of the tunnel opening. For now though she's pressed herself against the stone wall, raising up just enough to try and hear whatever the two people are saying.
With the wind, Jewel only gets snatches of what's said but as the two get nearer it does become easier to hear them even with the wind, rain, and thunder that keeps crashing loudly overhead.
"... house and stone wall."
"Hard to see... "
"... early but can look for a message."
A message! They want to look for a message.
A surge of bravery goes through Jewel it's as if the rain has flooded her with it. She pops up, revealing herself, wand firmly grasped in hand, ready to defend herself need be.
The two figures stop short, mere feet from the wall where Jewel appeared. They're wearing heavy rain gear, complete with hoods. They gape at her then both explode with delightful cries of, "Jewel!"
Jewel finds herself enveloped by them both before she's even had time to properly see who it is. All she can tell for certain is that they are male. Their voices had seemed familiar but with the wind and rain she couldn't be certain.
They let her go and step back, pushing hoods back. Jewel gasps then throws her arms around Bailey Gray. "I knew I'd see you again!"
"Never doubted it for a second," Bailey says close to her ear.
When they finally release the hug, Jewel's tears are mixed with that of the rain on her face. Now that she can see the other person is Drake Bennett she hugs him again as well.
Once the hug is released, hand clasping Bailey's, Jewel turns serious. "Too business."
She goes to where the message is hidden and retrieves it. "It's waterproofed. All the details are here."
"Show us the tunnels," Drake requests.
She leads them to where she'd come up out of the one tunnel and takes them down into the tunnel and shows them the way to the larger cave with the shaft leading up to underneath the women's dorm. Once out of the rain they'd used wands to dry themselves off and talked the entire way to the main cave. Bailey and Drake told Jewel of the Millers getting her message, about the discussion that ensued and how it came to be Drake and Bailey being the first to come in hopes someone would be able to get away this evening to meet.
When talk turns to the actual escape for all at 485, Bailey asks, "Do you think you could get everyone ready for tonight?"
"I suppose it's possible," Jewel nods.
"What we were thinking is that if you could get everyone here to this cave, we could apparate you out. We'd not go far. We'd have transporation waiting out on that road near the house you called from," Drake says.
Drake then goes on to explain what he's thinking.
"Since apparating in underground might be difficult for those who've not seen this place, Bailey and I will lead a group through the tunnels. We'd wait down here, ready to take all of you out as you reached the cave."
"I think that would work. I'm not certain about being able to do it tonight, though I'd like to if possible."
"Would it help if you had something like a sleeping draught to slip to guards?" Drake asks.
"Yes, that would definately help. With the rain, the guards are drinking lots of tea and coffee to stave off the damp chill and usually one of us makes up the pots."
Drake says, "Be back soon," and disappparates.
Jewel and Bailey spend the time alone hugging and kissing, not wanting to let each other go. At one point Jewel does push away with an apology, "I'm sorry I'm so filthy and smelly."
"I don't care. All I care about is that you are alive and relatively healthy under the circumstances."
True to his word Drake is back soon, easily apparating into the cave after having been there and seen it already. He gives Jewel several vials of sleeping draught as well as a bundle of wands. After hugs again from Drake and hugs and a lingering kiss from Bailey, Jewel prepares to go back up the shaft to the dorm.
The guys are going to go get that transportation and the group who'll do the apparating, which will include Jewel's step-brother Phin and his mother Furnella, and will be back to the cave just after nightfall, waiting for however long it takes the 485ers to arrive at the cave and also standing by, ready to come to their aid should something go wrong.
Discussing Zuberi
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 04-05-09 15:41
Sitting in the closet sized office she's got just off the Fitness Room, Theodosia doesn't mind the snug space. The office was indeed once a closet, redone when the Common Commons was refurbished. There had been another office in the castle she had used before but she actually prefers this one when not in the one down at the pitch.
Theodosia chews on the end of her quill as she contemplates alternate lessons in the event the weather continues beings too fierce to do outside activities. With the way the Fitness & Athletics was just suddenly sort of tacked on to schedules last summer, Theodosia has had to spent a great deal of time structuring lessons for both indoors and out. With May upon them, she'd planned more for outdoor activities. If it were only rain to contend with, they'd do what she'd originally planned for next week but if the lightening storms with such ferocious winds continue, for the students' safety they'll be inside. They aren't, afterall, playing in Quidditch matches for points or anything like that and even if they were, lightening is a dangerous enough threat that a match would be put on hold until the danger passed.
Quidditch matches.
Thinking about them reminds Theodosia that she soon needs to post who'll play in the third, and last, match of the term. Those who've not been in a match yet know they will be playing, it's just a matter of who their teammates will be. There are some empty spots to fill, however, so Theodosia has to objectively determine who'll fill those slots from the pool of F&A students who've already been in a match. There's also the matter of what names to call the two new teams and colors for them.
"Dosie?" is said simulataneously with a knock on the door.
"Hi, Marjani. All done for the day?"
"Yes. Is Zuberi back yet?"
"Marjani," Theodosia begins.
Her sister holds up a hand. "I know, I know. We've been over this. That doesn't mean I can't hold out hope he came back to school anyway."
From behind Marjani a masculine voice says, "The very subject I have come to speak to you about, Professor Batuti. Hello, Marjani. You are looking well."
Marjani grins and lowers her eyes as if flattered that someone she thinks is as nice looking as Viktor Krum would speak directly to her. Marjani's head stays down but Theodosia can tell that the girl's eyes are cutting up to give sidelong glances at Viktor.
Theodosia stands up behind her desk and waves a hand at the only other chair in the cramped space. "Please sit, Viktor." Looking at the younger girl she asks, "Is there something you need, Marjani?"
"Then why don't you go get your homework out of the way."
"But it's Friday afternoon!" Marjani protests.
"Go do something fun then. There's a House Elf on lifeguard duty if you wish to swim."
Marjani's eyes light up. "I'll do that. See you, Mr. Krum."
"Call me Viktor please."
Marjani seems to melt a little under Viktor's charming smile.
"Viktor," she shyly says. She starts to rush away to go to the pool installed for the F&A classes but turns to Viktor with a request. "Please tell Zuberi to stop being so bloody stubborn and foolish."
"I vill pass that along," Viktor assures.
Theodosia closes the door after her sister then returning to the desk says, "You mentioned school."
"I have been notified that Zuberi's marks from both here and Okapi École de Sorcellerie are so low that even if he were to make perfect marks with the homeschool material, he vill not pass the year, Professor Batuti."
"Theodosia. I shouldn't have to keep telling you that, especially now. I suppose though if you ever had a reason to hate me, now I at least deserve it."
"I do not now nor have I ever hated you," Viktor flatly states.
"Strongly dislike. Have an aversion to. No matter how you phrase it, at least now I deserve your scorn."
"While it is true I do not approve your methods and have not enjoyed having a hormonal teenage boy with a massive attitude thrust upon me, after dealing with Zuberi for awhile now, I better understand your actions."
Theodosia's shoulders slump. "What am I going to do? Zuberi hates me and no matter what approach I've taken, he's just gotten worse and worse."
"Your brother does need, what is that expression? an attitude adjustment. I an an idea though it is distasteful and harsh."
"I am out of ideas that do not involve daily beatings," Theodosia admits. "What's your suggestion?"
Frowning deeply, Viktor leans forward in his chair and outlines the idea for Theodosia who, after he's done speaking, agrees that it is indeed harsh and distasteful and what can only be described as a last resort. After a long discussion, Theodosia firmly states to Viktor, "Do it."
Cryptic Note
Author: Lysander Stratford
Date: 04-05-09 17:37
With Julian at the auction, Lysander manned the store. He was grateful to stay behind, since he'd had about enough of Harriet Snider's visits and needed a much earned break from his special project at the Hogwarts library. Lysander was no where near finished with his assessment of the collection, but despite its vastness, he'd managed to put a large dent into the project.
Twice Told Tales was quiet. The only customer Lysander had had in the last hour had long gone. Dexter snoozed in a patch of sun coming in through one of the large front windows. Charlotte was at Blossom's, which Lysander imagined to be rich with the sounds of youthful laughter and playful shrieking.
Without anyone to wait on, Lysander decided to change the display in the window. Knowing that the OWL and NEWT exams were barely over a month away and that the Hogwarts students would have at least one more official trip to the village before then, Lysander felt it fitting to emphasize some of the test guides and other appropriate books he had in stock.
He crossed to the window display to begin removing books from their stands when a small, solid black owl with bright yellow eyes swooped toward the glass. It flew side to side along the window and watched Lysander until he opened the front door to admit it into the store.
The owl flew a circuit around the room when it noticed Dexter sleeping on the floor and debated a safe place to land. It chose the counter, where it extended its leg and waited for Lysander to remove the note attached to it with twine.
Lysander stepped over the sleeping cat and approached the owl. He quickly untied the string and took the tightly furled note from its carrier. The note turned out to be just a scrap of parchment with a single sentence written on it in slanted script:
I know what you did.
Lysander felt his blood run cold. He could think of a number of things he'd done to warrant such a cryptic note and none of them were good.
He turned to the owl in an effort to ascertain from where it came, but it took off with a flap of feathers and an ear-piercing shriek. Dexter had woken up, spotted the owl, and stalked it so stealthily that it had barely gotten away in time. It bolted out the still open front door, and had the door not been charmed to keep Dexter inside, he would have gone outside as well.
Lysander looked from where the owl had just been to the note in his hand. A flood of questions came to mind, each more frantic than the next. Where had the note come from? What did its author think he or she knew? And what did that person plan to do about it?
This Rain Will Wash Away What's Past
Author: Ariella Beck
Date: 04-05-09 18:40
When Ariella got off work on Friday afternoon, she didn't go straight home or run errands like she often did after leaving Briar's Bakery for the day. Instead, she pulled up the hood of her waterproof cloak and turned down High Street toward the edge of the village. She didn't have any particular destination in mind. Ariella simply let her feet decide where to go.
The rain came down heavily. Flashes of lightning occasionally crisscrossed the blackened sky, and it thundered regularly. Ariella's clothing stayed surprisingly dry, but her exposed skin was wet and each time she stepped in a puddle, more and more water collected in her shoes. She didn't seem to care, though. The raindrops were cold and it was windy enough to raise goosebumps on Ariella's arms, but she wasn't freezing since it wasn't wintertime anymore.
She felt like walking in the rain because she had a lot on her mind. It still hurt her that she lost the patent to her only invention. She didn't think it was fair at all that it could be taken away from her just like that, but then what was fair in this world anymore? Nothing, really.
Ariella found herself quite suddenly at the Hogwarts gates. How she wished she could have finished up what had remained of her seventh year. She would have taken the NEWT exams, which had been denied her thanks to her expulsion, and then maybe she would have gone to St. Emrys. She hadn't known then what she might like to study and she still didn't know now, but she guessed that had she been able to go, she might have figured it out by now.
Ariella couldn't help but feel that had she not gotten expelled, her life would be totally different today. The thought unavoidably put Lawrence to mind. She didn't at all regret her relationship with him when she was still at Hogwarts, though they'd done their best to maintain the student-teacher relationship that had been forced upon them during that time. She was happily married, though she wished she could see Lawrence more. Lately, he worked longer hours and even went in on the weekends. Slug & Jiggers had lost much of its already meager help, leaving Lawrence to pick up the slack.
Ariella forced herself to turn away from Hogwarts. It saddened her that her sister Alanna was so close and yet so far.
She started walking in the other direction, but when she reached Briar's Bakery again, she stopped. She stood there in the rain for a long moment, gazing down at the wet cobblestones. Then she looked up at the sky and let the rain pelt her face. She let it wash away all the thoughts that kept her from going home, and when she felt she'd gotten it all out of her system, she squared her shoulders, told herself it was time to look forward and not back, and disapparated for the London flat she shared with her husband.