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Mallows
Author: Marzipan
Date: 03-09-10 18:00
In the short time between her second class of the morning, 4th years Ravenclaw & Slytherin, and her third and final class of the morning, 1st years Gryffindor & Hufflepuff, Marzipan swiftly cleaned up the greenhouse and prepared for her next class. In no time at all, the first trickle of first years entered the greenhouse and made their way to the large work table in the middle of the room.
When everyone arrived, and on time at that, Marzipan began her lecture.
"Good morning, all. Today's class will be the last lecture of Winter Term. We will review everything we discussed since January on Wednesday, so bring any questions you might have. The comprehensive exam will be on Friday. Are there any questions before we get started?"
No hands went up in the air, and a few students shook their heads.
"Okay, let's talk about mallows." She took out her wand and waved it at a shelf along one glass wall. A potted plant sailed through the air and landed smoothly onto the head of the table, where Marzi stood.
"There are several varieties of mallows," she explained. "Marsh, blue, musk, dwarf and tree sea. This is a marshmallow plant. Can anyone give me alternative names for marshmallow?"
A hand tentatively rose in the air.
"Yes, Glori?"
"Other names for marshmallows include mallards, mauls, cheeses..." She thought for a moment, trying to remember from her readings. "...schloss tea and mortification koot."
"Well done! Five points to Hufflepuff," Professor Ravenscroft said. "Odd and very different names for a single plant, am I right? The marshmallow plant is native to Europe and grows in marshes of all places. Easy to remember, isn't it? Hint, this will be on your test!"
Every student frantically started scribbling onto parchment.
Marzi smiled and waved her wand at the shelf again. Another plant, similar to the first, joined it on the table. "This is blue mallow. Who can give me another name for blue mallow and tell me where blue mallow grows?"
Linnea Rose raised her hand. "Common mallow, and it grows in fields and on waste ground."
"Explain waste ground."
Linnea said, "The way I understand it, waste ground is land that was developed at one time and is now more or less empty and abandoned."
"Five points to Hufflepuff," Professor Ravenscroft said, nodding. "Most plants can't grow on waste ground because it doesn't have the right soil, if it has soil at all. Weeds are particularly hardy plants, though, and can grow just about anywhere."
She went on to show examples of the other three mallow varieties and then unveiled the practical portion of the lesson. Her students would learn how to make mallows tea.
No News is Good News, but This News is Bad News
Author: Arlington J Montgomery
Date: 03-09-10 19:03
Sebastian had been waiting for weeks for any sign of Arley, or any new information. He even hoped that his boyfriend would just come home and everything would be back to normal. As time passed, he began to get more worried, what if Arley had been hurt or killed? Bronwyn had even offered him a place to stay with her and Toby, but Seb wasn't ready to leave home, until today.
It was the middle of the night, when an owl flew into the New York loft, and dropped a small package at Sebastian's feet. Seb jumped up and grabbed the ratty old cardboard box, he cautiously opened it. Nestled inside was a hand that clutched a wand with a letter tied around it.
Don't worry boy, he isn't dead. This is a warning that you better not come looking for either of them or something worse is going to happen to him. Back off and let my family be...
Sebastian stood frozen as he read the letter, then he turned back to the box, he knew that hand...it was Arley's. He knew he had to get help fast, Arley was going to die if he was with this evil person any longer. Then he glanced back at the letter "Don't come look for either of them? Then it says to let his family be? I know...it's must be Mr. Montgomery, he has them!"
Seb grabbed a sweatshirt, his wand, and the box and flooed internationally to Bronwyn and Toby's place, hopefully someone was home. "Help!!"
Filled with proud
Author: Linnea Rose
Date: 03-10-10 10:25
Interesting as Linnea walked out of the Defence against dark art lesson for today she thought when she walked out of the lesson. She had learned some new charms today and she headed out for the Herbology lessons. She thought the lesson would be interested as she walked to the Greenhouse.
When she came to the Green house professor Ravenscroft had started to let students in. Linnea hurried in before she closed the Greenhouse door.
Professor Ravenscroft talked for a long-time about the plant for today’s lesson and she also asked questions, which gave Huffelpuff 10 points. She asked Linnea a question she quickly answers the question. The she got a nod that she had answer right Linnea became worm inside of proud that she answer the question right.
They where told that these would come on the test and Linnea had write down everything Professor had said these lesson. Professor Ravenscroft showed some examples of mallows variations before they started to do there own mallows tea that was the goal for the lesson.
They started making mallows tea dived in to class groups and she along with all her Huffelpuff classmate started to discuss what they was who to make the best mallows tea for the professor. They mix all the ingredients together in the right order and then gave Professor Ravenscroft the tea. Who nodded that it was good they looked at eachother with a smile.
The lesson float by and she took notes when the Professor started to talk and then the lesson ended and she packed all her things in her schoolbag. She put the bag on her right shoulder and started to walk to the door and head out in the sunny and breezy day. She headed right to the castle to have lunch.
The Matter in Hand
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 03-10-10 17:28
Bronwyn had been halfway between sleep and wake when she heard someone frantically cry out, "Help!" She shot up in bed, her heart hammering in her chest. Someone else was in her house, and it wasn't Toby.
When she heard the second cry for help, she realized she recognized the voice. Bronwyn peeled off her covers and stumbled down the stairs, nearly colliding with Sebastian, who had come in from the living room and tracked soot on the floor. He looked traumatized, and his entire body shook.
"Sebastian! What's wrong? What happened?" Bronwyn exclaimed, taking him by the shoulders to steady him on his feet.
"It's Arley!" Seb cried out. His eyes welled with tears.
"Oh, no," Bronwyn murmured, fearing the worst. Arley was dead.
But then she noticed the package he nervously kneaded with his hands. It had Seb's name and address on it, but Bronwyn didn't notice a return address. She looked up at him and noticed that he was staring blindly into space. His mouth was opening and closing as if he were speaking, but no words were coming out.
"Seb. Let's sit down over here. Tell me what happened. Tell me what––" She had to pause when her breath caught in her throat. She didn't want to think about Arley in any way other than alive and perfectly healthy.
She steered him wordlessly to the sofa in the living room and sat down next to him.
"What happened to Arley, Sebastian?" Bronwyn finally asked.
Seb turned to her, and at last, large tears started to roll down his cheeks. They fell onto the box in his lap.
"He's in terrible danger," Seb managed between deep, ragged breaths. "He's––" A sob wracked his body.
Bronwyn put her hand on top of one of his, which still rested on top of the box.
"He's hurt!" Seb wailed.
Bronwyn furrowed her brow. "How do you know, Seb? Have you heard from him again?"
He shook his head and gently moved his hands. Bronwyn removed hers from his and looked down at the box, which Seb tipped to her and opened. She immediately turned her head and brought a hand to her mouth. She couldn't decide whether to throw up or to burst into tears. Seeing the severed hand both revolted and upset her.
She turned to Sebastian, and now there were tears in her eyes. "Are you sure it's his?" she asked.
He nodded and produced the note that was also in the box. He read it aloud. When he finished, he looked at Bronwyn plainly and said, "I think it's Mr. Montgomery. It has to be."
"I can't picture any father amputating his son's hand, and I definitely can't see one murdering his child either." Even though she knew it happened, that there were parents who abused and sometimes killed their kids, she just couldn't imagine anyone really doing it.
Seb put the lid back on the box and sighed heaviiy. "I don't know what to do, Bron."
"Obviously, we need to go to the auror headquarters."
Seb shook his head violently. "The note said if we pursue this further––"
"Then we leave Arley in the hands of a very deranged family member," Bronwyn finished.
But Seb wasn't ready to go to the authorities yet. Bronwyn didn't push him, and instead they spent the rest of the morning and a good portion of the afternoon coming up with motives for why Mr. Montgomery might hurt his son. Bronwyn started Seb on a list of other relatives who might have cause to harm Arley, as well as other individuals who might not be blood relatives but were otherwise close to the family, or to Arley in particular.
When Toby came home from Quidditch practice, Bronwyn filled him in on what had happened. He urged them to go to the authorities, but again Seb wavered.
"At the very least, talk to Desi. Talk to her as a friend and not as an auror if it makes you feel better," Toby suggested.
Bronwyn nodded. "We should at least fill her in, even if we don't do it in an official capacity."
Seb slowly nodded his head. His tears had dried by now but he was still very disturbed by the situation. He got up, with the box still clutched firmly in his hands. As repulsive as the box's contents were, it was the closest thing he had to Arley right now and he couldn't let it go.
Bronwyn quickly changed out of the PJs she'd never changed out of and then set out with Seb and Toby to see if Desi was still at work.
Potions Class
Author: Johanna Steele
Date: 03-11-10 13:12
It was the last week of classes of the term and although the students were tired they worked in a fast rhythm under Professor Weasley ‘s attentive watch. Johanna was working with Felicia and Gus. As soon as he was sure the teacher couldn’t listen to him Gus asked to the girls:
“How much do you pay me to slip inside their cauldron a wrong ingredient?” His dark eyes were fixated on Blake, Eric and Charisma’s cauldron. It has been a while since Gus hasn’t tried anything against any Gryffindor members. He used to bully the first years every chance he could when there wasn’t anyone around. But today he was feeling the courage for something bolder. “If I putted some beetle’s eyes on it do you think it would change color? Maybe it would explode…” He imagined with a malicious smile on his face.
“You are going to get caught.” Johanna simple stated, mixing the liquid from the caldron with her wand. The potion was supposed to be dark green but until now she had just managed to turn it light green.
“So what?”´
“You are going to make Slytherin lose points and you are going to have a detention.” Felicia joined Johanna as the voice of the reason. She then raised her hand and Professor Weasley came to check their cauldron giving them some tips of how to make the green darker.
As soon as she left, Gus moved on with his arguments:
“I don’t care about the house points anymore. We are so behind the other houses! What’s the difference of more or less 30 points? Besides Easter is coming, so the teachers are in a good mood, they aren’t going to be hard on me. So how much do you pay me huh?“
“If you really think this is a good idea, then why you need money?” Johanna was starting to lose her patience.
“Well I need some kind of compensation don’t I? Come on Johanna. I know you would love to see their faces when the potion went wrong. I’m not asking you to do it. Just pay and enjoy the show.”
It was very tempting. She looked to the busy Gryffindors. Not holding herself anymore she put her hand in her robes’ pocket and started to count coins under the table. Felicia looked at her incredulous, but Taran and Drizella who had heard the conversation, were also getting ready to pay Gus. Taran even raised the price if instead of beetle’s eyes he putted one of the living newts that were resting in a jar on a shelf nearby.
“All right class time is up!” Professor Weasley called looking at her students. Quickly the Slytherins collect their money back, and stop talking, paying attention to the teacher. All the groups put a sample of their potion in small bottles and labeled it, putting them on the teacher’s desk. After some last words about an essay they were supposed to do for next class Professor Weasley dismissed them.
Gus left the class a little bit annoyed and Johanna thanked Merlin there were no more classes today. Who knew what ideas would Gus have next.
Slightly Obsessed
Author: Jared
Date: 03-11-10 14:03
Standing at a zebra crossing waiting to cross the busy London street, Sage asks Jared, "So where is it we're going?"
The signal changes just then so Jared holds up a finger to Sage to wait a moment on a reply as they fall into step with others who'd been waiting to cross. Sage and Jared had gone for an easly lunch to a new restaurant they'd seen flyers for posted around Diagon Alley and ads for in The Daily Prophet. After filling up on Greek cuisine, with them agreeing that the baklava was outstanding but not as good as Briar's Bakery. After paying the bill, Jared said he had some other things to do and Sage decided to tag along.
Once across the street, Jared goes straight, down the smaller cross street and away from the busy avenue. "I'm trying to find the perfect birthday gift for Alanna."
"Uh, Alanna's birthday isn't until the middle of next month, right?"
"Yeah, the 14th. It will be here before I know it."
"You sound a little stressed about it."
"Well yeah, I've just over a month to finish putting a gift together."
"Finish?" Sage echoes before saying, "Thanks," when Jared holds a shop door open for Sage to go through first.
"I've been putting this gift together for months."
"Aren't you obsessing just a little? How'd you know about this place?"
"Oscar from Transfiguration is dating a Muggle. He says she talks about this shop all the time and comes several times a week, almost always buying something. This is nice."
"Doesn't seem much like Alanna."
"No, but it's very Etta. Her birthday isn't until August but I could get something for her now."
"And here I thought you were obsessing over Alanna's birthday," Sage chuckles before sniffing the perfume he's just picked up.
"I don't think of it as obsessing so much as wanting to give Alanna a great birthday."
"You always put thought in the gifts you give, Jared, so Alanna's going to like whatever you give her. I'm getting some of this for Georgia," the this being dark blue, interestingly shaped bottle of perfume.
"I have part of the gift already and I have part of the birthday planned but I want everything to be,"
"Perfect. I know."
"Most days I still can't believe Alanna likes me and is dating me. Do you know how long I've been in love with her?"
"Are you seriously going to make me hear the story again?"
Jared keeps talking as though Sage hasn't said anything. "I fell for Alanna the second I first saw her on the platform our first day of school. I'm getting some of these."
"Some of what?"
Jared points to small, open bins with what look like flower petals, a different type of flower in each bin. "Scented soap."
"You said you have part of the birthday planned. Planned how?"
"The fourteenth of May is a Friday. Term will be in session so unless we can both manage to get out of any Friday classes we'll have, I was thinking of an afternoon out doing something fun. I've already made arrangements with Alanna's grandmother for a party. You should get an invitation for it tomorrow or the next day. There will be a dinner buffet with Alanna's favorite foods and presents of course. I've got a cake ordered from Briar's. Then Saturday I've got a day out planned starting with brunch."
Sage grins. "Like I said, just slightly obsessed."
Jared shrugs and returns the grin.
Running Into An Old Friend
Author: Charlie Weasley
Date: 03-12-10 14:48
Hendrika rubs fabric between her fingers, thinking how cute the material with little dragons roaming and flying across it would be for the boys. Taking the bolt from the rack, Hendrika carries it over to where a sales clerk is in the process of cutting fabric Hendrika's already picked out. She then gives attention back to the silk shantung that was her main reason for coming to this shop. Hendrika had seen the material on another visit and since then had thought about what sort of dress robes or regular dress she'd like with the peacock blue silk shantung with its irridescent quality. She didn't buy any of it that previous visit because being a silk shantung it's one of the pricier fabrics she wanted to get only as much as needed.
With Majandra's help, Hendrika had decided upon how to use the silk shantung and how much would be needed to make the outfit. Hendrika sews but not as well as Maj so Maj is going to help her though with two kids of her own, a husband, and a job as one of the two Potions professors at Hogwarts, Hendrika has never figured out how Majandra fits so many other things, such as all the sewing, knitting, and crocheting that she does, into her already busy schedule. Hendrika came to the shop today because not only was she not committed to helping at Blossom's today or lending a hand at Briar's, but the shop is having a sale that includes the entire stock of silks. The other fabrics she's getting at the moment are mainly for outfits for Schuyler and Artie. At four and three, sometimes it seems that Schuyler wears something once before it's slightly too small and being passed to Artie and then almost immediately having to passed down to either Georgie or being put aside for when Freddie and Fabian could wear it.
Hendrika thanks the sales clerk who cut the stack of fabrics then after getting the various sewing notions she knows will be needed, moves to the checkout at the front of the store. It's as she's pocketing her change that she hears, "Hendrika? Hendrika Tenbrook?"
Hendrika looks up from her purse at the woman who's just coming into the shop. "Kufara! It's been ages. How are you?"
"I'm good. How are you? Are you living in the area or just visiting?"
"I'm good as well. I live in Hogsmeade these days but popped down to take advantage of this sale. Where are you?"
"Cilgerran, the little place in Wales where Dad is from. After Mum died last fall he decided to move back and I chose to move with him. Being a freelance journalist I can work out of anywhere."
"I'm so sorry about your mother. I hadn't heard."
"It's been difficult, more so I think because of how badly Dad's taken her being gone."
Hendrika gives her old friend a hug then Kufara steps back and says brightly, "Enough sadness. Let's go somewhere and catch up on all the good things, one of them being I finally dumped Harris. I should have done that years ago when it was painfully clear that none of my friends liked him and that my parents couldn't stand him."
"Why whatever makes you think none of us liked Harris?" Hendrika asks with mock innocence before suggesting, "There's a coffee shop just down the way and there's a Muggle restaurant just across from it that does a very nice afternoon tea."
"Afternoon tea sounds lovely but I don't have any Muggle money on me though I could apparate to Gringotts and get some I suppose."
"I have some so my treat," Hendrika says. "Do you want to get your shopping here done first?"
"If you don't mind. I've had my eye on a home decor fabric to recover a couch so thought I'd snap it up while it's one sale. I know exactly where it is and how much I need so shouldn't be but a couple of minutes."
"I don't mind waiting."
A few minutes later Kufara and Hendrika are exiting the fabric shop, walking the short distance to the Muggle restaurant.