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Appointment
Author: Isolde
Date: 01-31-10 13:49
Isolde sat in the waiting room at St. Mungo's and waited to see a healer for a check-up. She hadn't spit up any blood since that day at Salisbury Stadium, when the cat had finally come out of the bag. Isolde knew that Pyrrhus was upset with her for withholding information as serious as coughing up blood, but not once had he berated her about keeping something like that silent. She felt bad for saying nothing about it, and still to this day had no idea why she hadn't come forward with it from the start.
The healers she'd seen during that first visit to St. Mungo's had quickly concluded that the experimental potions she'd taken during her recovery from her paralysis were causing her current condition. A handful of other paralysis patients who'd taken the same potions had already shown similar symptoms and were undergoing a treatment that would hopefully reverse the ill effects of the experimental medicine.
Isolde didn't feel like she'd done a wrong thing in signing up for the experimental treatment all those years ago. It, along with the extensive physical therapy she'd gone through, had ultimately led to her walking again. True, she couldn't run and jump and play anymore, but she wasn't wheelchair bound and bedridden. She had mobility, even if it wasn't what it used to be.
Of course, when her mother found out about the latent side-effects to the treatment, Isolde had gotten a big fat "I told you so." Iseult Farnon had tried to discourage her all those years ago. "You're too young," her mother had said. "What if you end up in a worser state than your present one? What if you die from the treatment? You don't know what it is doing to you, any more than the healers do. It's experimental. It's not a proven cure."
The healers didn't indicate that Isolde was on the brink of death, and she certainly didn't feel like it, but she knew that coughing up blood wasn't normal and that it was something only sick people did. Still, the healers felt optimistic that Isolde would be all right in the end, and she believed them.
"Isolde Farnon?"
She looked up from where she'd been staring off into space and nodded, beginning to rise. "That's me," she said.
"The healer will see you now."
Encounter with a Mad Man
Author: Lysander Stratford
Date: 01-31-10 15:14
"That'll be 2 galleons, 6 sickles, and 14 knuts."
The witch who looked like a fashion model and who most definitely worked at Petals down the street smiled a perfect smile and reached into her sequence clutch purse for the requisite amount of coins. She counted them out slowly and pressed them into the palm of Lysander's open hand.
"There you go, love."
"Thanks," Lysander said. He appreciated her beauty, but she didn't hold a candle to Astrid, who next to Chyler was absolute perfection.
Lysander deposited the coins into the old fashioned register they had at Twice Told Tales, gave the witch a handwritten receipt, and slipped her purchase into a bag.
"There you are. Have a good rest of your day."
She seemed a little put off to be send away so unceremoniously but took Lysander's rejection in stride and gracefully walked out the front door. For a moment, the store was empty, save for Dexter sprawled out on the floor grooming himself and Julian working on paperwork in the office.
Then the front door flew open and a haggard-looking Varus Ingram stormed in, brandishing his wand. His eyes were blood shot, his hair long and unkempt, and his face unshaven. His whole arm shook as he held his wand pointed right at Lysander.
Julian, having heard the commotion, emerged from the office and asked very calmly, "Can I help you with something?"
Varus didn't take his eyes off of Lysander, but he spoke to Julian directly. "I have no quarrel with you. Only him."
Lysander didn't feel alarmed, since Varus could hardly hold himself together, but at the same time he knew that the wizard might act unpredictably in his present state.
"How can I help you then?" Lysander asked.
Varus' arm seemed to shake harder. "You know why I'm here, Stratford." His eyes suddenly went crazy and he asked, looking all around. "Is she here? Is she? Is Astrid here?"
"She's not, and I wouldn't let her see you like this either."
Varus sputtered, a little bits of spittle sprayed from his lips. "What gives you the right to decide for her? You took her from me. You probably poisoned her mind against me, or... or... or you used a love potion on her to make her go to you and forget me. Yes, that's what you did. You deceived her, and you ruined me!"
He stretched his arm ramrod straight and started to form a curse on his lips, but before he could utter even one syllable, Julian had his wand out and shouted, "Stupefy!"
Varus fell back, his eyes rolling to the back of his head, and his wand clattered to the ground.
Lysander jumped the counter and kicked it out of reach, while Julian ducked his head into the floo to contact the authorities. While he did that, Lysander stared down at the pathetic excuse for a wizard who seemed to be drooling on the shoppe's floor.
What had Astrid ever seen in him?
"What did Astrid ever see in him?" Julian said, echoing Lysander's own thoughts.
"He was raving, wasn't he? Probably belongs in an institution."
"I wager he'll likely end up in one, or in isolation at Azkaban."
Lysander turned to Julian with a sly smile. "Too bad he couldn't have arranged for this visit yesterday. How often do you get to stun somebody on your birthday, or any day for that matter?"
Julian grinned, showing off his dimples. "Definitely not often in our line of work."
They kept a watchful eye on the stunned wizard while they waited for law enforcement to arrive, which didn't take very long at all.
Morning Classes
Author: Marzipan
Date: 01-31-10 15:53
Earlier that morning, Marzipan had taught her third year Gryffindor and Hufflepuff students about hazel, one of many wand trees. There were a little less than 20 varieties of hazel, dispersed throughout Asia, North America, and parts of Europe. Hazels trees were probably more famous as nut-bearing trees than wand trees, and Marzi had brought hazelnuts to snack on during class.
Her next class had consisted of Ravenclaw and Slytherin fourth years. They had covered pitseed goosefoot, which also went by pigweed and lambsquarters. Pitseed goosefoot was mostly considered a weed and was commonly found throughout North America. Marzi assigned an essay for homework that was intended to discuss the cultivation of the plant, since in Mexico it was actually considered a crop and not a weed.
Now Marzi had her first year Gryffindor and Hufflepuff students before her.
"Has anyone ever heard of mountain mint before?"
Not one hand went in the air.
"Well, you probably wouldn't have since it's not native to the United Kingdom. Mountain mint can be found in the wild across North America, and though it doesn't grow here, you can find it in local herb shops."
She indicated to a plant situated on the table in front of her. It stood five feet high, had branches on its upper half, and had greenish-white leaves.
"Mountain mint blooms in the late summer and early fall. Its flowers are white or lavender. They are important to us because they are not only edible but they have medicinal uses as well. You can use them to season what you eat as well as to soothe anything from indigestion to gum disease, coughs and fevers."
A hand finally went up in the air.
"Yes, Max?"
Max Owens lowered his hand, looking very skeptical. "This plant sounds almost too good to be true."
"Doesn't it?" Marzi smiled. "It can do so much more."
"Like what?"
"Well, it's a pain killer. If you have a tooth ache, you're supposed to put crushed flowers on your tooth. You can burn the flowers as incense. You can put them in your bath. You can use them to freshen your laundry and keep moths away from your clothing. Mountain mint is also an insecticide."
Max folded his arms over his chest. "Is there anything it can't do?"
"Yes, it can't prepare itself for all those tasks. That's where you come in. Everyone grab a plant from the shelf over there. Those are specially cultivated plants that are in bloom. Remember that they usually don't flower till late summer and early fall."
Her students each grabbed a plant for themselves and then waited for further instruction.
"Now, you're going to remove the flowers like so." She demonstrated with a fresh plant of her own. "And then you're going to crush them just as I'm doing now. Put the crushed leaves in the containers in the center of the table. Any questions?"
Since it was a relatively easy assignment, the students got straight to work.
Sixth Years
Author: Minerva McGonagall
Date: 02-01-10 08:48
Promptly after lunch, Professor McGonagall returned to her classroom in anticipation for her last class of the day. Her sixth year N.E.W.T. students were in the middle of studying human transfiguration. In the fall, they'd practiced partial human transfiguration, such as changing eyebrow colors or growing tails. Since term resumed in January, they'd practiced the even more difficult total human transfiguration. Today, they would continue practicing turning themselves into statues.
All of Minerva's students arrived on time, which pleased the Transfiguration professor greatly since she had no patience for tardiness. She immediately began class by once again demonstrating how to transfigure herself into a statue. She waved her wand at herself, gave the correct incantation, and instantly her form changed from flesh and fabric to pure white marble.
Professor McGonagall's students still found it fascinating that the statue version of their teacher looked as lifelike as the real thing, as if the artist had sculpted it with a live model sitting before him. After a few moments time, she changed herself back to her normal form and had her students practice on themselves.
Barnaby Barlow's attempt resulted in a bronze lower half, while his upper body remained perfectly normal. Tiffany Grant attempted to turn herself into a statue made of pure gold, and she succeeded, though she turned out tarnished instead of pure and clean. Griet Vanderbilt focused on turning herself to stone, but she only managed to transfigure her right hand and lower arm, which dragged her right half down so swiftly from the weight, that the stone cracked when it hit the flagstone floor.
Professor McGonagall rushed over to reverse the transfiguration. To Griet's relief, her hand wasn't broken or bleeding like she'd imagined it might be.
"As with many forms of transfiguration, you must concentrate fully on what you want to achieve," Professor McGonagall instructed to the class at large.
Her students tried again and again, with varying levels of success. Complete human transfiguration was very, very difficult, and Professor McGonagall knew that from years of teaching, it would take a lot of practice for most students to do master it.
Dumbstruck
Author: Harry Potter
Date: 02-03-10 18:22
Upon entering the the Greek restaurant Zeus, Harry is instantly greeted by a hostess but before he can tell her he's meeting someone, Harry spots a familiar shock of red hair. "I see my friend," he tells the smiling hostess. She nods and leads him to the table, waits until Harry's taken a seat at the table opposite Ron, then hands him a menu.
"Been waiting long?" Harry asks his friend.
"All of thirty seconds. It was getting to the point I thought you weren't going to show."
"I'll try to be more punctural next time." Harry opens his menu and looking down to peruse it asks, "Is this place new? I don't remember seeing it or hearing about it before."
Ron nods. "It's only been open a couple of weeks. They've got a big ad campaign that starts tomorrow. Tonks and Remus told me about it. The owners are friends of theirs."
"The beef gyro looks good, or maybe with lamb. The Fakes soup instead of salad I think."
"Souvlaki for me, or maybe giouvetsi. Or the gyros sound good. Or keftedes. No, I think the souvlaki for sure. And a side of Greek salad."
"I haven't had afters with lunch in a long time but I am today."
"Baklava," Ron nods.
"Of course."
Their waiter has perfect timing, walking up right that second to inquire if they were ready to order. His order given, Harry leans back in his chair and asks, "So when are you going to come work full-time as an auror?"
Ron shakes his head, sending shaggy hair over his eyes. Pushing it off his forehead he answers, "I don't know. I sort of hate giving up the publishing business entirely. I've enjoyed it and it's something that I am, amazingly, quite good at. I like helping with the family businesses too."
"We could really use you."
"Kingsley told you to say something, didn't he?"
Harry says, "Once or twice he's asked. Has he pressured you directly?"
"Once or twice. I just, " Ron doesn't finish the sentence, shrugging instead.
"Just what?"
"It's been nice carving my own niche."
"Hermione's got you another word a day calendar," Harry teases.
"It was a Christmas present."
Harry quirks an amused eyebrow at Ron who then adds. "From Hermione."
"You're good as an auror and you have a place there."
"I'm not as good as some and everyone knows that the only reason I was ever considered for the job is because of all the things you did that I tagged along for."
"That's not true," Harry firmly states.
"Isn't it?" Ron asks just as firmly.
Harry's about to counter Ron's assertion when he sees someone who has his jaw dropping open. Literally. Ron gives Harry a quizzical look. "What?"
Dumbstruck, Harry just inclines his head towards a couple being led to a table and seated. Ron swivels to take see, his eyes growing large. "Isn't that ?"
"It is. I HAVE to find out what he's doing in a Wizarding establishment and who that women is I keep seeing him with. Excuse me a moment."
Harry walks across the restaurant to where Dudley Dursley is laughing at something the woman has just said. Reaching the table Harry says to his cousin, "Hello, Dudley. Fancy meeting you here."
Dudley looks up with great surprise but then, standing up and hand outstretched to shake, he says with what sounds like geniune warmth, "Harry! It's really good to see you." Dudley turns to the woman, "Mei, this is my cousin I've told you about, Harry Potter. Harry, I'd like you to meet Mei Butler."
Harry shakes Mei's hand and says politely, "Nice to meet you," though he's not sure if that's going to be true. Dudley was never known for having very nice friends.
Mei smiles pleasantly. "I have heard so much about you from Dudley." Her mouth turns up even more and she says, "I had of course heard of Harry Potter even though I have lived mainly in Singapore, but one never knows how much to believe from the media."
"You'd heard of me before you met Dudley?"
"Yes, some of your exploits made the international press, though I'm sure you know that, though perhaps you didn't."
Dudley, who's grinning from ear to ear, tells Harry, "I didn't mention, did I? Mei's a Witch."
Harry stares at Dudley, finding himself dumbstruck for the second time in less than ten minutes. When he finds his voice again it's to dryly ask, "Do Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia know? If not, I want to be there when you tell them."
Unexpected Question
Author: Ronan Eastwick
Date: 02-04-10 17:44
After a grueling hour in Transfiguration class, during which Ronan practiced conjuring fire and very nearly burned off his eyebrows, he raced upstairs to Gryffindor Tower to exchange out the textbooks he'd needed for his morning coursework for those he would require for the afternoon. There was only an hour until Ronan's next class, and not only did he want to switch out books, but he also wanted to grab a quick shower, change into clothes that didn't smell like smoke, and eat lunch.
He was panting heavily by the time he reached the Fat Lady's portrait. She wrinkled up her nose as if she could smell Ronan's singed hair.
"Password?"
"Stratus," Ronan managed between huffs.
The portrait swung open, revealing the narrow corridor that led into the Gryffindor common room. Ronan stepped over the threshold and moved swiftly into the bright common room, where a number of his housemates lounged around. Most looked up to see who had come in but returned to their conversations or books without another glance at him. Maybe he didn't look as grimey as he felt.
He headed for the staircase that would take him up to the boys' dormitory but got only as far as the first step, when he heard someone call him by name.
Ronan turned to see Artemis coming up to him.
"Hey," she said, shifting her own books from one arm to the other.
"Hey," he replied. "Just got out of class too?"
"Yeah." Her nose wrinkled. "Do I smell smoke?"
Ronan rolled his eyes and ran his hand through his hair. "Don't ask."
Artemis smiled, watching Ronan. "Do you want to go out some time?" she blurted out.
Ronan's jaw fell open. He hadn't really seen that one coming. He and Artemis hung out sometimes, and he still helped her with her Astronomy homework from time to time. He hadn't really thought of her as more than a friend, but he wasn't at all opposed to them being more than friends either.
He closed his mouth and grinned. "Sure."
Artemis let out the breath she'd been holding. "Okay, good. Well... I guess we can make some plans later. You look like you need a bath."
Ronan laughed. "Yeah. Let's talk later."
They grinned at each other, and then Ronan continued on his way upstairs to do everything he'd planned on doing after he left Transfiguration class.
Hanky Panky
Author: Majandra
Date: 02-04-10 22:06
Majandra smiles when George slips into the back of the classroom but doesn't otherwise stop to acknowledge that he's there. She continues her circuit around to all the cauldrons, telling the second year Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, "Ten minutes left. By now your potion should be a amethyst in color and clear, not cloudy; the consistency of syrup; and, should have an aroma that's both a hint of something floral and of cinnamon."
She stops to view Donald Li's work. "Nearly there, Donald, but your color isn't quite there. Your flame may be too low."
"Very good, Kate. You may turn in a sample and go ahead and clean up your workspace."
"Excellent, Gus. Turn in a vial and be sure to mark your name legibly this time."
"Ramona, your flame is slightly high, that's why the cinnamon aroma isn't there. You still have time Adjust the flame, stir counter clockwise three times then clockwise for a full minute."
By the time Maj has made one final check on the students, giving tips and critiques as needed, it's time for the class to come to an end. Maj makes sure each student has turned in a sample in a stoppered vial and that all work stations are clean. She sends them on their way to lunch with the reminder, "Potions Club meeting at 12:15 tomorrow. Lunch will be provided. There is no scheduled quiz but there is an examination next Wednesday."
As the students file out of the classroom, eager to get to lunch and to have a break, even if only for an hour, from Wednesday classes, George hands out owl order forms telling them, "Send these in for a free sample of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes newest product Laugh Taff. The ridiculously fun to eat taffy. Three flavors in stock with more in the works. You lot are the only ones at Hogwarts getting these free coupons."
Maj stands with arms folded, giving George one of the looks he's come to know well in the not quite seven years they've been married. When the last student is gone, George turns up his hands as in supplication and simply asks, "What?"
"You know what."
"I do?"
This earns him another look and to which he responds by saying, "Okay. I do. I shouldn't be offering free samples to the students without gaining permission first. Thank you for not berating me in front of my clients, who just happen to be your students."
Maj, arms still folded, holds the look and pose for all of two seconds more before breaking into a grin. "You do realize that remorseful effect is ruined when you purse your lips like a fish."
"I am merely anticipating a hello kiss from my wife."
"I'll be sure to tell her when the stodgy old Potions professor exits the classroom."
In mock fright George quaveringly says, "Snape's in here? Where? Where?"
Majandra laughs and takes a step closer to George, her face tilting up. "Hallo, husband."
"Hallo, wife. Might I inquire as to why you have asked me here today? If it's noontime hanky panky you are after, I should warn you there's a stodgy old Potions matron who might show up at any second."
"It's hanky panky I'm after, but of another sort. I would like you to make the potion I'm having Potions Club do tomorrow, both to get an idea of the time involved to make it when it's not me doing it, and, here's the hanky panky part, to see how long it takes you to figure out what it is you're making."
"What's hanky panky about that?"
"All the ingredients have been transfigured or charmed in some way, or both."
George waggles his eyebrows, "How fiendish if you. I don't know why you are being fiendish in this manner but since I like it, I don't care."
Maj guides George over to a station, waving her wand as she goes to move a table from behind one of the movable blackboards. With another wave of her wand that same blackboard flips to reveal a potions recipe on the other side. "Here's a cauldron, there's the recipe, and the ingredients are all on that table. Knives, measuring cups and spoons, stirring spoons, and so on are in that side cabinent there. Have you eaten?"
"Nope, you said not to. I take it that's because your Potions Club attendees tomorrow will be eating while they work and you want to factor that distraction in with working on the potion."
"Exactly."
"You know you married me for my brains. Poor Fred. Blossom only married him for his looks."
"That works better when poor Fred is around to hear you say that."
"So very true. Don't be surprised then if I find a way to work it into conversation at Remus's birthday dinner this evening."
"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were joking."
George just grins at his wife and sets to work while she retrieves a lunch for them of sandwiches, crisps, dill pickle spears, and cookies, along with tart lemonade to drink. forty later George is licking the back of the spoon he'd used to stir the potion, saying in between licks, "Clever. I didn't know it was candy until those last two minutes of cooking. The ingredient that looks and smells like tarry sludge is the transfigured sugar?"
"Yes, that's the sugar. What do you think? Do you think they'll have fun with it?"
"Definitely. Now, how about another form of hanky panky?" George asks with a very cheeky grin.
"As tempting as that sounds," Maj says with a giggle, "the stodgy old Potions lady must return rather quickly as students will be arriving just any moment now for a 1 pm class."
"Drat!"
"Some may already be lingering outside the door."
"Best clean this up then, though I think I'm going to take the candy with me. It's very good!"
"It's a recipe of your mum's so thank her."
"I thought this tasted familiar," George says, taking a big bite of the candy he's pouring into a container Maj has given him.
Before opening the classroom door to send George on his way back to work, Maj gives him a lingering kiss before saying, "Thank you for helping." Opening the classroom door to indeed find a few students waiting in the hallway, Maj tells George, "I'll come straight away to Hogsmeade after my office hours end at five. I'll pick up the kids and we can all change for Remus's party at the shoppe."
George drops a peck on his wife's cheek, earning a few students making noises at them. "See you then."
A short while after that, Maj is taking roll for her 1 pm class of Gryffindor and Slythering third years and calling for the homework assignment to be passed to the front.