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Second Years
Author: Marzipan
Date: 04-02-10 12:11
As she had done for the first group of second years to enter the greenhouse that afternoon, Marzipan stood outside and passed out protective gear for the next group of second years to wear. The gear consisted of tan-colored coveralls, thick dragon-hide gloves, and a head covering that looked not unlike what a beekeeper might wear. Once all the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff second years were properly equipped, she put her protective headgear back on and entered the greenhouse with her students following behind.
As she walked to the front of the greenhouse and the students took their old positions around the center work table, she said, "I hope you all had a wonderful Easter break, whether at home or here at the castle. Now I'm afraid holiday is over and it's time to get back down to business."
She reached the front and turned to face the children. They all looked a bit silly, as she did, in all that bulky clothing and the ridiculous head piece, but it was for very good reason that they wore the outfits.
Scattered at regular intervals on the table were medium-sized terracotta pots in which cacti, roughly the size and shape of a large eggplant were planted. Small white stones covered up the dirt in which each cactus grew.
"Can anyone tell me what these are?" Professor Ravenscroft asked her students.
A hand went up in the air.
"Yes, Kate?"
"Cactus?"
Marzi smiled. "Yes, they are cacti of some variety, but what kind exactly?"
At that moment, one of them started to shiver. Everyone watched in fascination until it exploded in a shower of spines. Some of the students flinched and made to cover their eyes, though they were well-protected already.
Professor Ravenscroft carefully brushed away a spine that had landed on her coveralls and said, "Exploding cactus. Please make sure that your sleeves are pulled low over the tops of your gloves and that your neck is not exposed. These plants are not the most mature and will not harm you too much but the spines do hurt and different people might have a stronger reaction to being stung by one."
As one, the class made sure they weren't showing any bare skin. Marzi kept talking about the exploding cactus, some of which occasionally showered spines on everybody in the room. When the lecture was over, she had them start on the in class assignment: to repot the cacti into larger terracotta pots.
Sitting and resting
Author: Linnea Rose
Date: 04-03-10 00:59
Linnea had though about spending this day out in the sun. So after the breakfast she went straight out to the grounds with her papers and pencils and sat down by the lake and start draw the lake just for fun.
She sat there just looking at the lake and draw the things she though was lovely today one when the weather was becoming more warmer and the weather was so good.
The sun shine on her and she felt the warm sunlight on her back and she also saw all the students who had find there way outside and walked the grounds and she just thought that now there was a couple of day’s left on the spring holiday. But in a few days it is back to the classroom and to dreaming of the warm weather outside while sitting in a warm classroom.
So she sat there enjoying the weather and the spring holiday and she though nothing of the school works that should start. She only thought about this day and who she would spend it in the sun just for enjoying the splendid weather. She thought that she might regret it if she did not spend so much time outside when the weather was so fine and lovely.
She got back to the drawing and start draw all the places she saw from the lake and she also sat there enjoying the weather util it was time to go inside to have lunch. But she would go outside after lunch just to sit in the sun and rest.
Going To Islington
Author: Harry Potter
Date: 04-06-10 18:47
Instead of leaving the Ministry of Magic via one of his usual methods, Harry takes an entirely different route out of the building. Once outside, Harry heads to the nearest tube station. Queueing up to buy a ticket, Harry nearly puts knut into the ticket machine. After fumbling in a different pocket for the pence needed and after feeding the correct change and pound notes into the machine, Harry's soon standing on the underground platform. Harry's end destination is the Highbury & Islington tube station. Emerging onto Highbury Station Road, he goes in a direction that takes him along Highbury Corner. The restaurant is on a smaller street than either St. Paul's Road or Canonbury Road, both of which feed off Highbury Corner. The Turkish restaurant, Gem, isn't what he would have thought Dudley's types but then Harry hardly knows much about his cousin's tastes these days. Harry's lack of knowledge about Dudley may well be changing.
Since being introduced to Dudley's girl, Mei Butler, awhile back, Harry's only seen Dudley one other time but not for lack of trying to schedule something. Dudley reaching out to Harry came as something as a surprise. Those years growing up together, Dudley was a mean, spoiled brat who could do no wrong in his parents' eyes. For a number of those years, Harry wasn't even allowed the spare bedroom, forced to sleep in the cupboard under the stairs, just so Dudley would have another room for his many, many materical possessions. Harry was only given the room after he began Hogwarts and only then because, Harry is certain, Professor Dumbledore intervened.
Never having been close to Dudley and having often been the butt of Dudley's bullying, Harry hadn't done much to stay in touch with his cousin after moving out. Those glimpses Harry had of Dudley in other restaurants, in Singapore, he could tell that Dudley's lost quite a bit of that excess weight that made him at times pudgier than Uncle Vernon. The day Harry approached Dudley's and Mei's table at yet another restaurant, this one in Britain, he could see that Dudley's been working out. The one time they've seen each other since then, Dudley appeared even more fit and admitted to Harry that with Mei's positive influence, he no longer gorges himself endlessly on sweets and does indeed work out several times a week.
Arriving at Gem and going inside, Harry wonders if Dudley's already there and if so, if his cousin is seated downstairs or up. That question is quckly answered when he's led to a downstairs table towards a back corner, where Dudley and Mei are sitting with heads together, looking over the same menu. Seeing Harry, Dudley genuinely looks pleased. Taking a seat, Harry hopes that if these other changes in Dudley are due to Mei that his cousin and Mei never break up!
How Much Longer? (Marlow & Lauren)
Author: Aaron Miller
Date: 04-09-10 17:54
"How much longer, Mum?"
Marlow MacDougal rolls her eyes at how whiny her sister's being as their mother Madeline says to Lauren, "We've only just arrived and you've asked that three times. Ask again and you will not be getting a sweet."
"But you promised!"
Madeline reminds in a warning tone, "No, I said we MIGHT get a sweet."
Rolling her eyes at Lauren again, Marlow says under her breath, "Baby."
Even though she'd hardly given any voice to what she'd said, her little sister still somehow manages to hear. This prompts Lauren to whine again. "Muuuuuuum! Marlow's calling me names!"
"Am not."
"Are too."
"That's it! No sweets for either of you. Lauren, go sit over there and not another word from you. Marlow, here's a list for Slug & Jiggers. This should be more than enough to cover the cost. Don't dilly dally there or back."
"Do I have to? That place smells funny."
"How come Marlow gets to go and I have to sit here?"
Madeline takes a deep breath, her features darkening with anger. Stepping off the pedastle with an apology to the Madam Malkin's seamstress, she takes each daughter by an arm and pulls them close. She hisses near their ears, "Start behaving this instant or start losing privilages such as Kalinda's birthday party tomorrow, Lauren, and no going to the Quidditch match at Hogwarts with Dad tomorrow, Marlow. There will be extra chores for both of you. I'm sure Dad would love to come home from the Quidditch match to find you've done all the yardwork by hand. Do I need to give other examples of lost privilages or extra chores?"
"No, ma'am," Marlow replies, eyes downcast as Lauren answers, "No, Mum."
Madeline gives each girl a sharp glare before wordlessly pointing to the chair where Lauren is to sit. She steps back onto the pedastal so that the seamstress can get back to the fitting. After a few seconds during which Marlow hasn't moved, Madeline quietly says, "Slug & Jiggers. Now."
"Yes, Mum."
Marlow shuffles out of Madam Malkin's and starts walking along Diagon Alley towards Slug & Jiggers Apothecary. She's angry with her mum and with Lauren though knows she shouldn't be, not really. Lauren and she used to get along but lately Marlow finds Lauren to be too babyish to want to play with for long and they bicker more. She wishes Liannah weren't off at Hogwarts. Though, on second thought, over Easter holiday Liannah acted towards Marlow much like Marlow has been acting towards Lauren. Maybe it's a sister thing because her cousins who are the same age as Liannah get along with Marlow pretty well.
Thinking of cousins has Marlow wondering if her dad asked Uncle Gardener or Aunt Rachael if Heather's going to be at the Hogwarts match tomorrow. Ravenclaw is playing, which mean's Heather's brother Hadrian and their cousins Daniel and Deak are in the match.
Reaching Slug & Jiggers, Marlow puts thoughts of Saturday temporarily on hold so she can hurry up and get out of the place she finds to have such unpleasant and weird aromas.
Just Another Friday
Author: Charisma Stone
Date: 04-09-10 18:01
Isma, Eric and Blake headed through the Castle, of their four classes today, only one was outside. Even then, they would be in the Greenhouse and unable to enjoy the spring weather that made today so pretty.
"I think I'm going to go read by the lake after Herbology. I've got to finish my history of magic essay this weekend and may as well work outside while it is still pretty enough to enjoy it." Eric said as they headed toward the Great Hall for lunch.
Transfiguration and DADA had been quite good, they'd had fun learning the new charms for dark arts defense, and they'd been transfiguring small animals into inanimate objects earlier that morning, and they'd had quiz in both. Now, it was time for lunch and then they had History of Magic and Herbology after lunch.
"I think I am going to see about getting some quidditch practice in. I feel a bit rusty, and we've got the game tomorrow." Isma said, and Blake nodded.
"Yeah, against Ravenclaw. I think we have mandatory practice tonight anyway, since its been a while since we've played." Blake said, and Eric nodded.
"Yeah, I think we have second slot for practice." Isma said, and shifted, settling at the table with Eric and Blake.
"Pass the crisps please." Isma said, and shifted, adding a ham and cheese sandwich to her plate and waiting for Eric to pass her the bowl of cheddar cheese crisps.
Getting things done, and new friends...maybe
Author: Adina Blackwood
Date: 04-09-10 18:24
Adina had spent much of the morning at Slug & Jiggers getting quizzed for her herbology tutoring. She'd just come out of the back room, just as Marlow entered the shop. She flicked her gaze over the expanse of the shop - and then stuck her head in the back and told her tutor that there was a customer in the store.
"Hi." She said, offering Marlow a small smile. "Someone will be out to help you in a minute. Mathew is just putting things away from my lesson." She said softly. The girl looked about her age, maybe a year younger.
"Hi." Marlow said, and then shifted her attention to the Mathew as he came out of the back room. "Sorry. Need to get this done for my Mum."
Adina shrugged, and figured she'd spend the summer without friends because everyone her age was for the most part in school. "Alright. Well, I can help you find some of the things on your list, if you want." She excelled at Herbology, but she had no desire to be a herbologist when she was done with her schooling.
"Don't you have shopping to do Adina?" Mathew said, brandishing the list that she'd come to the shop with earlier. "Yes, your Aunt and your Mum made sure that you got your things done before you went home or to Hogsmeade for the weekend."
Adina shot Mathew a glare, but nodded. She actually liked the man, and could deal with him ensuring that she did not get grounded. He knew how she loved the times they went to Hogsmeade because it meant she got to run free for a while.
"I'll go to Madame Malkin's first, and get my robes done." She said and headed out of the shop with a wave to Marlow. "Bye."
Adina headed out of Slug & Jiggers, and headed toward Madame Malkin's so she could get fitted for a new set of dress robes and ultimately some school robes which she would need for the up coming fall - however, those would be waiting until later in the summer just in case she hits a growth spurt during the summer months.
She caught sight of a woman already on the pedestal, and a rather sullen looking girl waiting for her. Adina shifted, looking through the fabrics for the time being - and the already made robes that could be altered. "I'll be with you in a few minutes." The seamstress said, and Adina nodded. "Thank you."
She moved over to where the girl was sitting and pulled out a cauldron cake. "Do you want half?" She asked, and the girl looked up at her Mum and over at Adina.
"C..can I mum?" She asked, and waited to see what she would say.
"Alright." Madeline said, and then looked over at Adina. "Thank you."
"Welcome. I'm Adina." She said to the girl, offering her half of the small cauldron cake.
"I'm Lauren. That's my mum." She motioned to Madeline, and Adina waved.
"Madeline, a pleasure. Why are you not at Hogwarts, you look about the age of a first year?" Madeline asked, shifting as the seamstress needed.
"I'm actually going to be going in the fall. I've just moved here no too long ago from Greece with my Mother. We share an apartment here with my aunt, just up the street from here." Adina said.
Madeline nodded. "My other daughter Marlow will be starting in the fall at Hogwarts. She should be back soon, I'd sent her to Slug & Jiggers for a few items."
Adina now had a name to the girl who had come in when she was leaving. "I saw her when I left. I was leaving a tutoring lesson with Mathew, to ensure that I am on par to start as a second year, since I had nearly completed my first year at Athens Academy."
By the time Marlow returned to the robes shop, Adina and Lauren were talking about wizard cards. Adina looked up and waved to Marlow. "Your mum is just about done, I was just talking with your sister. I'm Adina."
Quidditch Practice Shoes
Author: Ginny Weasley
Date: 04-09-10 22:35
Clomping up the outer stairs to the flat about her brothers' shoppe, Ginny thinks she probably should have changed out of her practice shoes while still at the Quidditch pitch. She probably should have showered and changed the rest of her clothes there as well. She probably also shouldn't have gone from the pitch to The Leaky Cauldron in her sweaty, disheveled state. At the time though it seemed a good idea to head straight to the pub, pick up a daily special lunch to go, then bring it to the flat.
Depositing that lunch on the table, she debates whether to go on and clean up now or eat then clean up. Ginny's grumbling stomach and leaden legs that seem far too heavy to take the further steps required to reach the loo to shower have her plopping down on the spot, pulling the take out box of lunch towards her. While she's opening the box, Ginny uses her wand to summon a pitcher of fruit juice from the kitchen icebox then, remembering she needs something to drink it from, flicks her wand produce a glass. About that same time there's heavy knocking on the door that leads down to the shoppe. Before she's had a chance to get a word out of her mouth, Fred is throwing open the door and loudly calling, "Oi! Ginny! You here?"
Ginny cocks her head to one side. "No, Ginny is not here. I am an illusion."
"Sorry. Didn't see you there."
"You didn't look."
Fred shrugs, not looking the least little bit abashed at having yelled for her when she wasn't even ten feet away. "What was all that noise? Sounded like the outer stairs were shaking loose."
In a very unladylike move, Ginny lifts one leg so that her foot is above table level then lets her foot drop heavily down on the table. "Practice shoes."
"Just you?"
"Twenty thousand pair marching up all at the same time. I always fancied having a collection. Stuffed them all in Ron's old bedroom."
"You're in quite the sarcastic mood today."
"Sorry. I'm tired and I guess it's making me cranky."
"Bad practice?"
"Practice was good. It's just that since making the team I've had that full time and doing the catalogs and flyers for Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes and similar work for other businesses, and helping with the photography club at Hogwarts, all while still trying to have a semblance of a social life is starting to wear on me."
"You have a social life? You've not had a date since breaking up with Declan."
"How would you know? It's not as if I ever talked about all my dates. Besides that, I do have friends I enjoy spending time with."
"I guess friends count as having a social life. Still, you've not had a date since Declan and no use pretending you have. Ask Harry out and get it over with. Either he'll say yes and you can see if it leads to another or he says no and you can move one."
"What makes you think I want to go out with Harry?"
Fred quirks an eyebrow at Ginny. "You honestly think we're all clueless about your feelings for Harry? Sure, some of us might not have twigged on as fast as others, but we're not stupid. Well, Ron maybe, but Ron is in such a dither over whether to finally pop the question to Hermione or to wait awhile longer that he doesn't know half the time if he's coming or going."
"I wouldn't necessarily describe him as being in a dither. At least not outwardly."
Fred starts to reply to that then stops. He points a finger at Ginny and waggles it. "Nearly had me with the changing the subject ploy. If you don't want to admit you want to try it with Harry again, that's fine. Just stop deluding yourself into thinking that the rest of us are blind to it. Except Ron. And Harry. How those two ever got girls in the first place I haven't a clue. As for the catalog work for George and me, we're ahead on putting the next one together so take a break from it for a few days. It's not as though we can't use stock photos and reuse product descriptions for those items we have in every mailer and catalog."
"Maybe I will."
"Take a break from a few things or ask Harry out."
Ginny grins and shrugs then picks up the sandwich she has yet to take a bite of. Fred grins in return before saying, "I'll leave you to your lunch. Oh, nearly forgot the real reason I came up here. We want you to supper on Sunday."
"Love to, thanks."
Fred nods then leaves Ginny alone to eat her meal and to think over what Fred's said.
Third Years at Cloud's Kiss
Author: Aaron Miller
Date: 04-10-10 21:24
Even though my Friday office hours are only until noon, Mom and Dad wanted Nic for the weekend so I took her by international Floo just after 1 pm our time. Saffron has Friday afternoon classes until nearly 4 pm. This left me some time to kill alone, so until my 3:30 class I got busy with making a final decision on what the big year end trip for the seventh year Muggle Study students would be. I usually have more done at this point in the school term but for some reason I've had a hard time deciding what we'll do. At least with no need to do fund raising there's no one pushing me for a total amount needed to pay for the trip.
I did ask the students their thoughts and got feedback ranging from Beijing, Moscow, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Mexico City, Hawaii, and Bora Bora. I'm leaning towards Beijing though any of them and any number of other destinations would be fun. By the time I needed to come to Cloud's Kiss for my class of third years, I'd made a list of possible things to see and do in Los Angeles, Beijing, and Bora Bora. I'll let the seventh years see the lists on Monday at the beginning of class then put it to a vote at the end of class.
As the third years arrived at Cloud's Kiss by Floo, I directed them to gather just outside the large room we refer to as the market. It's where the third years get to put their Muggle money knowledge to the test. After the last, Damian Lampwick, had come through the Floo, I joined them with the greeting, "Welcome back! Everyone had a good break?"
That prompted Aleydis Vanderbilt to ask, "Is calling a holiday a break a Muggle thing or an American one?"
"American, though it could be a Muggle American one. I still don't know all that many Wizarding folk who were mainly raised in the States. You've got me curious now though, Aleydis, so I think I'll ask a few people. Five points for asking."
I held up the envelopes I'd had in my hand and gestured at the doors leading into the market. "It's an international market today for a review before we move on. I realize you had an exam just before the break but spring breaks are really bad about making students forget all they've learned."
As I passed out the envelopes, each marked with a student's name, I explained, "When you open your envelopes, you will find currency from five different places. As some of you have already figured out, there are both coins and paper money. There is also a slip of paper listing items you are to buy and with which currency. Each market section is clearly marked by country name. I'll be cashier so once you think you've selected items from the correct areas, bring them to be to check out. If correct, you are done. If incorrect, you have to put back the items you've brought to me and try again. Sounds easy enough, right?"
"There's a catch," Baltus Crane said with a frown.
"Just a small one. The items on your lists can be found in multiple sections. Addtionally, you won't be using all five different currencies. You will only need three of them. Lastly, you have items on your lists that require currencies you don't have. If you don't have the correct money for it, then you don't bring that item to me when you come to check out. All this means you have to have some idea of what your respective currencies are. Now, unless spring break turned you all into dunces, getting through each of the two lists you'll have shouldn't take the entire hour and a half. Does anyone remember what I told you before Easter break?"
Alastor Jenkin's hand shot up first so I called on him. "Alastor?"
"Computer time."
"Correct. Five points. You get some computer time today but how much depends on how long each of you take on the market task. When everyone has completed this review, we'll go to the computer room. We will go through some exercises together and then you may work at your own pace. I'll come around to each of you with your exams from just before term ended."
The students enjoy getting to work with the computers, even when doing educational programs, so they were eager to get started on the review. I opened the doors and they swarmed in to find spots to open their envelopes and get a look at the contents. As I predicted, they made short work of the review and we were soon in the computer room. One of the educational software packages has a variety of game-like features to help learn about the currency of different nations. The one I have for my students was designed with the British student in mind and then I have the same program designed with American students in mind so that my students have the exact same games-like features for learning all about British Muggle money.
I gave them the last fifteen minutes or so to surf the net, monitoring what sites they visited. When 5 pm came I reminded them, "Barbeque cookout here tomorrow afternoon after the Quidditch match. If you decide to come, bring your swimsuit if you wish. The outside pool is heated but if the April air is still too nippy, the inside pool will be chaperoned. Around 7 we'll be watching a film from 2002, called Spiderman."
After I saw the third years off at the Floo, I met with the Bingley's, Tulip, and Bluebell to go over what's been done and what still needs doing for tomorrow's barbeque. After that it was back to Hogwarts to rush to leave with Saffron to meet her sister and brother-in-law for supper.