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Not Quite Ready For Lunch
Author: Coco Nutt
Date: 08-29-09 19:08
Professor McGonagall ends Transfiguration with a reminder to the seventh years about an assignment due soon then releases the students a whole two minutes early. Once in the hallway Cassander Mayfield says, "Quick, everyone get as far from the classroom as you can before she changes her mind and has us back for those two minutes."
This is met with chuckles and giggles. Most of the group walk in a cluster the short way from their Transfiguration classroom on the first floor to the Great Hall on the ground floor. It's going on noon and soon the large room will be filled with students of all years eating lunch and chattering about a great variety of topics under the sun.
Coco goes part of the way stopping at the base on one of the many Hogwarts staircases. As always these days, Coco is working on having better diction so instead of telling Fritz, "Scarper on ter lunch wifout me. Oi'm goin ter git sumfing from me room then Pea's 'as ter C'est La Vie," she instead says, "Go on to lunch without me. I've got to get something from my room and then Pea needs to go potty."
She then offers, "Want me to take your things for you?"
Fritz nods, handing over all but the items he'll need for Charms at 1 o'clock. "Thanks."
Coco grins, dashing up the stairs faster than one might think her petite leg length would allow. Once to the entrance of Ravenclaw tower, Coco gives the password - this week's being inaniloquent - and hurries to her dorm room. Less than a minute later she's going back through the house entrance, on her way outside with Pea. A short time after that she's slipping into place beside Fritz at the Ravenclaw table, more than ready to eat lunch after an already long day.
She's hardly sat down when Hagrid approaches. "Just the girl Oi bin lookin' for. There's an owl wots got a broken wing but won't come down from the rafters ta get patched. Oi don' want ta stun h'it if h'it can be avoided."
"Glad to help, Hagrid."
Coco gets up and follows the large man from the Great Hall, having to scurry to keep up with what to Hagrid ia a normal stride but to everyone else are the equivalent of long leaps. To Coco's surprise, upon exiting the Great Hall, Hagrid does not lead her in the direction of the school's owlery.
They go down a hallway then up two floors, down several more corridors, up more stairs but only about half a level, stepping off a landing into yet another hallway. How Hagrid even knew an injured owl was in some rafters in what looks to be a little visited section of castle Coco doesn't know.
Hagrid turns to the left and after a few steps is at a door on the right of the hall. "Oi closed the shutters and the door so h'it couldn't try ter fly out somewhere."
They slip into the room, though as large as Hagrid is, Coco reflects that in his case, it can't really be called sliping into. Coco stands just inside the door, eyes adjusting to the gloom of the unlit room. She ends up holding her wand aloft, "Lumos."
"There's a torch on the wall ere," Hagrid says moving forward, already in the act of getting it lit.
As the light from her wand and the torch invades the deep shadows of the room, Coco wonders how Hagrid ever saw an owl in here in the first place but is so busy searching above her for it that she doesn't voice the question aloud.
"There's no lamps in this room. Oi can get some if needed or candles," Hagrid says, his own head craning to see in the further recesses of the room's high ceiling.
"Are you sure it's here," Coco asks, still not having spotted even the tiniest bit of movement nor heard the smallest of sounds.
"Oi made sure of h'it."
Speaking in a soft, soothing voice Coco calls out to the bird, reassuring it, letting it know they only want to help. A full two minutes go by and then there's a whispered rustling of feathers and the low hooting.
"Oi see yer now li'le fella," Hagrid tells it.
With Coco keeping up a steady stream of reassurances, the owl allows Hagrid to gently lift it from the wooden beam where it was perched, Hagrid saying as he does, "Nice he were down low enough fer me ta get so easy."
"He's so tiny," Coco notes, moving closer to look at the little bird. "I've never actually seen one but I think she - not he - is an Elf Owl. Elf Owls are the second smallest of owls and live in parts of Mexico and the southwest United States."
"Not from 'round these parts, are ye," Hagrid says to the tiny owl.
Hagrid and Coco move to a room better suited for examining the owl, Hagrid being very gentle with her when he carried her between rooms, very mindful of her injured wing. It doesn't take long to assess that she's definitely got a broken wing and seems a little ragged and malnourished, as if she's been ill treated by someone.
They administer an avian version of Skele-Gro then Hagrid says, "Oi got a box that'll make a tidy nest fer her. Oi'll get 'er kitted out and see about gettin 'er some food. Might need ter consult with Indico McFusty on how much ter give 'er."
"She seems dehydrated so be sure to get her some fresh water as soon as you get her to your cabin, Hagrid. What shall we call her?"
"Good question, that is. 'ave ter give h'it some thought. Yer best be off ter class, Coco. If yer late, Oi'll speak on your be'alf with Professor Flitwick. Thanks for the 'elp."
"Glad to do it, Hagrid. Bye, for now, little owl. I'll come visit later today. Don't be scared of Hagrid or his dog Fang. They'll take really good care of you. Bye, Hagrid. See you later!"
Coco dashes the third floor to Professor Flitwick's Charms classroom. She's not late but it is nearly time for class to begin. Fritz smiles at her as she takes her usual seat next to him. "I brought your bookbag and a sandwich."
"Thank you!" Coco says, giving Fritz's hand a grateful squeeze. She hurries to eat at half the sandwich before Professor Flitwick calls the room to order and calls for the homework assignment that's due. Now that she's ready for lunch, lunch is no longer ready for her. Shoving the just over half a sandwich into her bookbag, Coco wonders if she can sneak nibbles once they start working on today's lesson.
More Or Less A Typical Day
Author: Plum
Date: 08-30-09 09:57
Plum's day started out nicely enough, getting up and cooking a large cheese omelet to split between Anthony, Alex, and herself. There was getting Alex bathed since he'd fallen asleep last night before having a bath, of which he was in desperate need. After getting Anthony's approval on what she was thinking to make for dinner, Alex and she bid him goodbye and left by floo for Hogsmeade. At Blossom's Daycare Plum deposited Alex with his group then went to help with the infants, there being almost twice as many today as there usually are.
Midmorning someone through the Hogsmeade Library came for storytime with the added entertainment of a puppet show. Once the show ended, Plum stayed long enough to help serve snacks and juice then left for St. Emrys, arriving with enough time to pick up a workbook that wasn't available until today at the university bookshop.
Plum's first Wednesday class this new St. Emrys term is the first in the Fairy dialects courses Anissa Weaver. She arrives at the classroom somewhat early and, finding it empty, enters to sit and work on a phonetic dictionary of the Mermish words the Hogwarts Language Club are learning. Plum plans to hand out copies of the phonetic dictionary when she meets with the club again, which meets once a week, on Tuesdays from 5:30 to 6:30. Plum had decided to do the phonetic dictionary after yesterday's meeting, thinking that having such a guide might help a few better improve their pronunciations.
"You're diligently working," Anissa Weaver says, moving into the classroom and depositing a stack of papers.
"I do have some class assignments in need of work but this is something for the Hogwarts Language Club, which I sponsor."
Neither says anything, Plum aware that this is the first time she's seen Anissa Weaver since the day of Ryland Yaxley's trial in the death of Plum's mother Mary. The older witch breaks the silence by asking, "How is Alex?"
"He's well, thank you." Although she's never met the man, who technically be, she supposes, her step-grandfather, Plum asks, "And your husband?"
"William is also well, thank you for asking. I should like you to meet him, both Alex and you. In fact, I would quite like to spend some time with you both, get to know you. I have been woefully negligent all these years in knowing you but I would very much like to make amends now and would like having Alex know me as his grandmother."
Before Plum replies Anissa then asks, "Is Evan showing any signs of improving?"
"Some. The progress has been slow but at least it is progress."
Other students are by now filtering into the classroom. Anissa holds Plum's gaze for a moment longer before saying, "After class, please let me know if what I said is amenable to you."
Plum mutely nods, accepts a class syllabus Professor Weaver hands her before moving on to pass them out to those now seated and to those entering. Tearing her eyes off her grandmother, Plum puts away the Mermish phonetic dictionary then looks down at the syllabus, using different colors of highlighting quills to mark the exam schedule, reading schedule, and assignment schedule.
Desire
Author: Lysander Stratford
Date: 08-30-09 12:31
Lysander had spent the morning at Hogwarts, working on the needs assessment project Professor Snider had offered him last year and which Professor Dumbledore had graciously allowed him to continue this year. He probably only had a few more months of work left on the project, and then he could hand his recommendations over to Azaelia Bramble and leave her with the decision of what to do next.
After crossing from the Hogwarts grounds into Hogsmeade, Lysander stopped at a flower stand set up on the edge of High Street and purchased a bouquet. He had Chyler's grave in mind, though when he passed by Scrivenschafts on the way to the cemetery, Lysander's thoughts shifted from his long-dead wife to her cousin, Astrid Thomason.
She'd long been the focus of his daydreams, but more so ever since the day he'd caught her in the rain and they'd had a moment together, however brief. For Lysander, holding Astrid in his arms had fortified what he already knew. He had fallen hard for Astrid, wanted her desperately and would go to whatever lengths necessary to make her his and his alone. Lysander knew Astrid had felt something that day too and believed it would only be a matter of time before she'd come to her senses, dump Varus Ingram, and declare her feelings for Lysander.
As he passed by the stationary shop, he glanced into the window and saw only Varus and a customer. He kept walking, again on the path for the graveyard, remembering why he'd purchased the flower bouquet in the first place.
Hogsmeade seemed relatively quiet, though not nearly has quiet as it had been when half the population or more had been in hiding or at one of the prison communities. Lysander liked the quiet, especially as he crossed onto the cemetery grounds and wove the familiar path to Chyler's tombstone. Though her body wasn't there anymore, having been turned into an Inferi several years ago and likely destroyed during the battle that had raged in Hogsmeade that day, Lysander nevertheless continued to honor the spot where she had once rested.
He knelt by her tombstone and brushed some of the yellow, orange and brown leaves that had fallen from a nearby tree away. Then he set the flower bouquet over the grass, closed his eyes and sighed.
"What's wrong?"
The voice startled Lysander so much that he nearly fell onto his behind. For a moment, he thought Chyler herself had spoken to him but then he realized that Astrid stood behind him. He scrambled to his feet and regarded her inquiringly.
"What are you doing here?"
Astrid shook her head. "I don't know, really. I saw you turn into the cemetery and thought to follow you. I'm sorry if I'm disturbing you..."
"You're not. I was just..." Lysander paused and looked over his shoulder at Chyler's tombstone. "I saw the flower stand and immediately thought of her."
He turned to face Astrid again and noticed she'd taken a step forward and had stretched out her hand to touch his arm. "You miss her, don't you?"
"I do, all the time."
"Did you think you would ever move on after she passed?"
"No, never," Lysander admitted. "Not until recently anyway."
Astrid smiled a shy smile. "Time heals," she said, "and for some it just takes longer than for others. I'm glad you feel ready to move on, Lysander."
Lysander looked at her hand on his arm and then into her eyes. He gently slid his arm up, so that her hand traveled to his. At first his fingers just touched her hand but, feeling her racing pulse as his fingers fluttered over her wrist, and seeing the desirious look in her eyes, Lysander clasped Astrid's hand more firmly and pulled her to him for a searing kiss.
Kappas
Author: Ethan Somerset
Date: 08-30-09 13:38
Professor Somerset greeted each of his third year Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students as they came into the classroom and took their seats. Once all were present and accounted for, he began lecturing on the dark creature the kappa.
"For those of you taking Care of Magical Creatures or intending to do so in the future, kappas are covered in Professor Kent's sixth year class, so consider this a preview of what's to come. You may be wondering why both courses discuss the kappa. In Care of Magical Creatures, you learn about creatures in terms of their biology and maintenance. In Defense Against the Dark Arts, you learn what to do when you encounter creatures that are considered dark in nature. Some dark creatures are just as bad, if not worse, than dark wizards. It's very important you know how to handle yourself if you ever come face to face with one of them."
Ethan flicked his wand at the blackboard, revealing a drawing of a kappa, along with some key points about the magical creature. "Professor Kent will stop by towards the end of class to show you a real live kappa. I hope you will all be considerate of him when he arrives and thank him for taking time out of his day to show you what kappas look like."
Professor Somerset's afternoon schedule consisted of two third year classes back-to-back. Professor Kent had graciously agreed to stop by toward the end of the first class and to stick around for the beginning of the second class to show off the kappa and talk about the magical creature a little bit. Jolyon would gladly stay for the duration of both classes, if he didn't have another class of his own later in the day. Ethan was glad his coworker could stop by and knew his students would enjoy seeing a kappa firsthand.
"Kappas are Japanese water demons that have scaly bodies and a depression on the top of their heads, where they store water. They get their strength from the water they keep there."
Ethan pointed at the head's hollow on the drawing on the board.
"Kappas are extremely dangerous and will strangle anyone who wanders into the shallow waters in which they live. There are two ways to protect yourself from them, however. First, if you happen to have a cucumber on you, you can inscribe your name on it and throw it into the water. This will appease the kappa and it will leave you alone.
"I don't know about you, but I don't usually walk around with a cucumber in my pocket," Ethan said with a smile, "unless I happen to be going on a picnic. In the instances where you don't have a cucumber on your person or nearby, you can trick the kappa into spilling the water it keeps in the hollow on its head. Remember, the water gives the kappa its power. Without it, it can't harm you."
Professor Somerset discussed a few more aspects of the kappa before Professor Kent entered the classroom, pushing a large aquarium in front of Ethan's desk. The aquarium was half-filled with slightly cloudy water. A monkey-looking creature with scales all over its body and a concave skull floated in the water with its nose and eyes over the waterline.
"And there you have it, a kappa in the flesh," Ethan announced, grinning.
A New Project (Hendrika)
Author: Charlie Weasley
Date: 08-30-09 16:02
With a house to maintain, a husband, one son who is 3 1/2, one son who is two and a half months shy of his third birthday, and a job that consists of helping at Blossom's and both locations of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, Hendrika Tenbrook Weasley really didn't need another project to keep her occupied. A new project is exactly what she's got and it's one she made for herself rather than being asked by someone else.
One recent day at the Burrow, Hendrika had been helping her mother-in-law Molly with something when she came across a room she'd never seen before and had not even known it existed. It's a very small room with a jumble of boxes. The room is so small that Hendrika could easily tell in a glance why it's never used as a spare bedroom when the Burrow is full.
Hendrika hadn't been going to poke around in the boxes, as curious as she was about them, but when asking Molly about the little room, Molly had told her to poke around as much as she wanted because some of those boxes contained children's clothes that she'd forgotten all about until Hendrika's asking after the room.
Going through the clothes to find what would fit any of the Weasley children and getting those things laundered is still occupying their time. Hendrika supposes that in a way, the boxes with the clothes are actually another project.
The first is going through the other boxes and then orgaizing the small room to be more servicable. One of the boxes has items Arthur has collected over the years as part of his collection of Muggle items, especially plugs and batteries. The ones in the room are spill over from the workshop has in an outbuilding.
Hendrika arrives at her destination, the junk shop, though she's found the reference to it as a junk shop is something of a misnomer because there are some quite nice items, including some very reasonably priced antiques. You simply have to look harder for the worthwhile items than in other shoppes. The last time she was here there'd been a very nice display type cabinet in extremely good condition.
Weaving through the narrow aisles, Hendrika easily finds the cabinet again. She gives it a far more thorough inspection than she had previously, even gaining permission from the clerk to move it away from the wall to look at the back. At last satisfied with its condition, Hendrika pays for the cabinet and arranges to have it delivered to the Burrow. She also buys some shelving units that are the perfect size for one portion of the room's wall to fit between the two tall, narrow window the room has.
Pleased with her purchases, Hendrika steps back out into Diagon Alley. As long as she's so near to it, Hendrika pops across to Weasleys' Wizard Wheeze, the original branch having reopened earlier in the summer and now back to doing a booming business. If she recalls correctly, both the twins were boing to be at this location today.
They are both there today but just not in at the moment, having stepped out down to the ice cream parlor. Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor is back the other direcion but Hendrika decides a spot of ice cream without her two sons begging for big scoops of it would be nice. Strolling past Narcissa's a gorgeous pink frock with darker pink flowers around the neck, sleeves, and hem catches her eye. It's a little girl's witch's robe such as might be work to a party.
Even though her boys keep her on her toes and even though they are less than a year apart in age, Hendrika longs to have a little girl and wouldn't mind being pregnant right now with one. In a way she envies her sister-in-law Blossom, who is due in December. She and Fred have a daughter and might have another. Neither have said what the new baby's sex is.
Majandra and Fred have Miranda.
Bill and Fleur have Victoire.
Giving the beautiful lace confection one more look of longing, Hendrika sighs and walks on to the ice cream parlor, telling herself that all she's got to keep her occupied at the moment is more than enough.
Classes
Author: Oreileah McCoi
Date: 08-31-09 02:42
Classes were going easily enough to start with, her course load was light enough that she could keep up with it and still work her shift at the Ministry in the evenings. Speaking of, her shift started after her last class, so she'd be flooing there once class was done. Today she had three courses, Introduction to Gobbledigook I, Greek Mythology, and Introduction to Potions I - Laborotory. Her schedule rounded out with History of Magic I, Introduction to Charms I and Introduction to Potions I.
Thankfully her lab was only one day a week, and the first two hour block of her day. She only had one class with Maddie, whose schedule was just as full, and yet fully balanced so that she could continue working as well. She met Maddie for lunch, and then the pair of them headed to Greek Mythology.
"I'll be in late tonight. Have some translations that are giving me fits, and want to have Miss Jacobs look it over, so that I can continue deciphering the message." Orei said as they took their seats in center of the class room and waited for the professor to arrive.
"That's fine, I'm heading over to the library after my shift. I have a project that has a rough draft due tomorrow in Intro to International Affairs. Need to get that finished." Maddie said, and all conversation ceased as the professor entered the room.
This was their second meeting of the course and thus the professor wasted no time and launched into her lecture. She at least, was more entertaining to listen to than Binns had been at Hogwarts. The pair parted ways, Maddie heading off for a two to seven shift at work, and Orei to Introduction to Gobbledigook I with Professor Hrolfgar and then to her shift at the Ministry, late evening shift, it tended to give her more uninterrupted access to the translation books. Though, rarely did she use them, she however preferred the quiet of the office in the late evenings, when most of the staff had gone home.
She shook her mind off the linguistics puzzle she had sitting on her desk at work, and turned her attention to Professor Hrolfgar's lecture and took notes, marking with her quill places within the textbook.
Thursdays were some of her longest days, including her longest shifts at the Ministry, when she often didn't floo home until almost midnight...however, her first class didn't start until ten a.m. on Friday.
Gryffindor and Hufflepuff 2nd Years
Author: Illyria
Date: 09-01-09 18:56
The Astronomy classroom consisted of several tiers of desks arranged in half-circles. The teacher's desk shared by Professors Jones and Quigley stood opposite the desks of the students, and a dais with a removeable podium stood in the middle of the room. The ceiling reflected the night sky, which currently focused on the constellation called Octans.
Professor Jones had already given the same lecture last night to her Ravenclaw and Slytherin second years. Tonight, the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff second years would have their turn. They filed into the room looking sleepy, as was expected after a full day of classes.
Illyria smiled sympathetically at them and waited until everyone had found a seat before beginning to speak.
"I know you all prefer having class on the observation deck, but Professor Quigley's classes are making use of it tonight," she began. "If it makes you feel any better, it's grown quite chilly outside so I'm sure everyone up there is having to dance from foot to foot to keep warm."
No one laughed at her comment, but she spotted a few smiles.
She dimmed the glowing sconces in the classroom to draw attention to the stars that shimmered on the midnight blue ceiling.
"Today, we are discussing the constellation known as Octans. Octans is found in the southern sky and was devised by a Muggle by the name of Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the eighteenth century. Its name is Latin for the eighth part of a circle, but it's actually named for the octant. Can anybody tell me what an octant is?"
Kate Dewhurst raised her hand, but she didn't look too sure about the answer she might give.
"Yes, Kate?"
"I remember the mention from the readings," she stated tentatively, with furrowed brow. "It's for navigation, isn't it?"
"You're absolutely correct. Five points to Hufflepuff. An octant is a navigational instrument that has an arc measuring one eighth of a circle, hence its name. It's also known by the name "reflecting quadrant" because it uses mirrors to reflect the path of light to the observer, which doubles the angle measured into a quarter circle, or a quadrant."
She suddenly wished she had an actual octant to show her class and quickly jotted down the idea for next year's batch of second years.
"Octans just happens to be the location of the south celestial pole," she went on. "As you may guess, there's not only a south celestial pole, but a north celestial pole as well, and they appear directly over the Earth's North and South Poles. Octans differs from the north pole in that it lacks a bright pole star. Who can tell me what the Pole Star for the north is?"
Charisma Stone raised her hand confidently.
"Yes, Charisma?"
"Polaris, also known as the North Star."
"Very good. Five points to Gryffindor," Professor Jones said, nodding her head. "The South Pole has a pole star, it just isn't as noticeable as Polaris. It's called Sigma Octantis, or the South Star."
Illyria went on to describe Octans more, naming its other stars, its position and size. Near the end of class, she announced the homework assignment:
"Your star chart on Octans is due next class! If you have questions, as always you are welcome to see me during office hours."
As always, when the students sensed the end of class, they began to collect their things and prepare to leave. Sometimes Professor Jones called them out on their behavior, but she could sense how tired some of them seemed and didn't want to delay them from their beds any longer. She dismissed them with a smile and a good night and sent them on their way.
She couldn't go to her own bed yet, since she had one more class to teach that night.