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Feeling the Pressure
Author: Griet
Date: 05-10-10 18:36
Spring Social had been far less stressful than Fall Fair. Although there had been a little tension in the air when Griet's parents had first arrived at Hogwarts, it had quickly dissipated when it became clear that the girls could get along for the sake of getting along. Griet still wished that they could make amends, but she knew that Cornelia wasn't ready for it. Cornelia was gradually getting over her anger towards Griet, but only barely. She'd kept the peace by more or less ignoring Griet the whole time their parents had been there.
That day had been well over a week ago, and since then, Griet had been sick due to her monthly transformation, which had caused her to miss some classes. She'd also attended the very last apparition lesson of her whole life. Luckily, she'd felt well enough to attend. Not that she would have minded missing, since the lessons were typically boring.
Now Griet felt overwhelmed. She was still trying to catch up from last week when she'd missed some classes, and her professors were still piling on the work. On top of that were the O.W.L. exams to study for, which Griet would finally get to take next month. And then, of course, she would be taking her apparition exam on Saturday. It was enough to make her feel like she had way too much to do and little to no time to do it.
She'd just left Potions class, where according to Snape she'd made a simple mistake by dicing gillyweed instead of mincing it. For reasons Griet didn't understand (why would the style of cutting affect its color?) the potion turned puke green instead of neon green. Earlier, she'd gone to DADA, but she must have had her head screwed on straight because she'd gotten through the hour without making any sort of error. Now she was on her way to Charms.
Oberon and Gervaise were with her. They were laughing and playing around as if there hadn't been a half year break in their friendship. Griet was glad to see it and started to smile, but it faltered when she found herself face to face with Cornelia. Cornelia was leaving Charms and heading to DADA.
She met eyes with Griet first but gave no reaction and said nothing. Then she turned to Gervaise and gave him a big smile. Oberon she also mostly ignored.
"Hi Gervaise."
"Hi Cornelia. How was class?"
"Same as always. I'd stay and chat but I have to get to class."
"See you at lunch?"
"Definitely."
Griet and Oberon exchanged a knowing glance. It couldn't be more obvious how Cornelia felt about Gervaise, but did he know? He seemed oblivious, but maybe he knew and was just playing it cool because he wanted to keep things platonic.
Cornelia waved goodbye to Gervaise and Gervaise alone and then retreated into the crowded corridor. Griet, Oberon and Gervaise continued on their way to Charms.
Job Interview
Author: Plum
Date: 05-11-10 18:25
Plum pauses at the threshhold of a pleasant looking pale blue structure with pretty gables, lots of gingerbread features, and two gorgeous bay windows flanking the front door. She can't help but wonder if this use to be someone's home that now houses a business instead of a family. She nervously runs her hands down to smooth the skirt she's wearing then reaches up to do the same to her hair. Then, taking a deep breath, Plum enters what could have been someone's entrance hall at one time but now serves as a reception area. The way the interior is laid out has Plum thinking she's correct that this used to be a home at one time.
Plum gives her name to the friendly, smiling receptionist who indicates one of a few comfortable looking chairs that occupy part of reception; however, Plum's hardly had time to sit down fully when a man of medium height and build with an extremely thick head of very black hair is striding towards her, one hand extended. "Miss Lancaster, I am Chandran Devi. Taylor Hirst is not going to be able to meet with you today so I offered to see you."
When this man had come her direction, hand extended to shake, Plum had immediately stood up. "Very nice to meet you, Mr. Devi. Thank you for taking the time to interview me personally."
Plum is actually in a bit of shock. Chandran Devi is the sole owner of Devi Linguistic Services. She doesn't know if the interview with Mr. Hirst had gone well if Mr. Devi would have met with her before DLS would have hired her or if her paperwork would simply have crossed his desk for approval or if he is a man who trusts Mr. Hirst's judgement to hire people without having his explicit stamp of approval. No matter how that would have gone, she's both surprised and honored that Chandran Devi would take time out of his busy schedule to conduct her interview himself.
"Taylor has spoken highly of you, which is quite something given that he has only met you once, and very briefly at that. I've been looking over your CV*, read your letters of recommendation, and have spoken with the references you provided. Please, have a seat."
They had been walking as Mr. Devi talked and have now reaches a nicely appointed office. Plum sits down in a plump leather chair that feels like butter against her fingers. She gets another surprise when Mr. Devi sits not at his desk but in the twin of the chair she's in. "I was in the mind to have some tea. Would you care for some as well?"
"Yes, that would be lovely, thank you," Plum responds while thinking at the same time she might be a little too nervous to actually drink anything without spilling. Accepting, though, seems the polite and correct thing to do.
As soon as Mr. Devi has requested the tea for them he jumps into questioning Plum. The questions cover information on her CV, her linguistic training before attending St. Emrys, her time at Hogwarts, and even a few questions of a more personal nature. Plum finds she doesn't mind answering those that much because she instantly grasps that Mr. Devi is trying to ascertai if she's the sort who would accept a serious job only to quit after only a short time for personal reasons such as getting married and deciding to be a housewife.
At one point she says, "I do have a much younger brother I am raising. I've become more of a mother to Alex and my boyfriend is more his father. Just as with anyone who works for you who has a family might from time to time need to tend to a sick child or spouse, I might have to take a day off now and again. Raising a young child can be a struggle but that's true for most everyone."
And then later, Mr. Devi directs to Plum what he says is his last question. "You have worked at a day care for some time now. With your linguistic skills why didn't you apply for work with the Ministry of Magic and if you did, why were you not hired at that time?"
"Initially, I worked at the day care because Blossom's allowed me to work around my class schedule as needed and still get in a full work week while also spending time with my brother and taking care of our father. Later, I continued on there because of then Minister Smythe-Jones' policies. Although my blood status didn't send me into hiding, the Ministry had me on a watch list and deemed me unacceptable to be employed there."
"I know I said that was my last question did the circumstances surrounding your mother's death play a role in you being on that watch list?"
"Yes, most definitely, though there were other reasons as well."
"You are most likely in interviews for other positions. Are you looking to the Ministry now?"
"Although the policies have changed and despite the fact that my boyfriend is now an Auror there, I'm not sure I want to work for the Ministry of Magic."
"Their loss and I hope the loss of others you are in talks with. DLS's gain," Mr. Devi says as he writes something down. Passing the parchment to Plum he goes on to say, "This is my offer of starting salary. DLS would work with your St. Emrys schedule while you finish there. I offer a full range of benefits to my employees. My secretary will give you a packet detailing everything. Think over my offer. Go on other interviews just so you can see what a great opportunity I am giving you. Let me know next week by, let's say mid-week."
The sum on the page has Plum's eyes bugging out. She quickly recovers her composure to rise to face Mr. Devi who's now standing and to shake his hand again. "Thank you, Mr. Devi!"
Plum leaves Devi Linguistic Services with the packet in one hand, the salary offer tucked inside. She feels as though she's floating. Plum has been going on interviews and has another later this week but she's quite certain she will be going to work for Mr. Devi at DLS. With the money she'd be making Plum could soon pay off the loan from the Reese-Emerson's and start paying herself for the solicitor working to fight Anissa Weaver's custody suite. After that Plum could add greatly to the savings Anthony and she have, building a nest egg and having an emergency fund.
For the first time in weeks, Plum feels light hearted and as if something in the world is finally going right.
*CV - curriculum vitae - course of life is a loose Latin translation; similar to a résumé
Much to Do
Author: Minerva McGonagall
Date: 05-11-10 19:26
Like some of the students, Professor McGonagall had a lot of work to accomplish before year's end. Her fifth and seventh years were currently reviewing all of their course material in anticipation of the O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. exams. They still had homework assignments, which were all review-based in nature and were marked very critically by Professor McGonagall. After all, the officials from the Wizarding Examinations Authority wouldn't be lenient on the actual exams.
Professor McGonagall continued to keep her normal office hours, but whereas before she occasionally had someone show up, now it never failed that a student stopped by and asked for help. Office hours were always busier during O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. season and more often than not ran longer than scheduled.
In addition to her office hours, Minerva still offered tutoring sessions to any students who'd been at Happy Haven last year. Most of them had gotten caught up by now and no longer attended, but test time had brought others back to the sessions for the extra help.
This year's exams would certainly be different from years past. For one, a select group of sixth years would be taking part in the O.W.L.s. At face value, it shouldn't pose much of a problem, but coordinating everything was turning out to be quite difficult. In terms of the sixth years themselves, there were some currently taking courses they hadn't taken in their O.W.L. year, and then there were some no longer taking courses who would have taken the O.W.L. in those very same subjects at the end of their fifth year. Sorting out who would and wouldn't be taking the O.W.L. exam in a particular subject was a complicated business and occupied much of Professor McGonagall's time.
She currently sat in her office, up to her elbows in parchment. If not for glancing at the small clock on the corner of her desk, she might have worked all the way through supper. Her stomach growling was only a second reminder that it was time to stop, at least for now, and go to the Great Hall for dinner. Finding a good stopping place, Professor McGonagall put down her quill, got up, and left her office. She entered the Great Hall a short time later and took her usual place next to Professor Dumbledore, who was already partaking in dessert.
New and Improved
Author: Ella
Date: 05-12-10 19:27
Ella only had two classes on Tuesdays, History of Magic, which mercifully was already over with for the day, and Fitness & Athletics, which seemed more like recess than an actual class. Tuesdays were days when she didn't feel like she was constantly on the go like on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. On those days, it seemed like she never got a break from school work and the accompanying stress, which was only heightened nowadays on account of the looming OWL exams.
The old Ella probably wouldn't have found herself in the library, studying her brains out with the hope that she would ace all ten of the exams she would be taking. The old Ella would probably be sitting in a deserted alcove smoking a cigarette or sleeping under her covers with the curtains of her four-poster drawn tightly shut. The old Ella would probably have gotten back with Zane the minute she'd gotten his letter over Easter holiday.
There was a new Ella now, though, and perhaps had been for a while. The new Ella made time to do schoolwork and study. She still might not be the most diligent of pupils, but she did enough, which was more than she would have done previously. The new Ella also thought long and hard about resuming a relationship with Zane. Deep down she knew that she was still attracted to him, but their relationship had been based on a lie. Zane thought she was older. Zane thought she was legal. Ella knew it had been wrong to go out with him and to lie to him. Back then, it had been part of the thrill, dating an older man. Now she knew better, even if she still liked him a little bit.
Thankfully, he hadn't turned up at the Spring Social. That would have made an awkward situation all the more so. It had been bad enough walking around the grounds with her mother and father and father's girlfriend. Rosemary and Delilah had acted like neither existed. Dunstan had tried playing peacemaker. And Ella had found herself stuck in the middle. She hoped never to experience a family gathering like that again.
Despite not seeing Zane then, she had heard from him since then. He wanted to know when they could meet next. Ella wasn't sure it was a good idea but had ultimately said she would meet him at the next Hogsmeade trip. She would have to ditch Francis, though. She wasn't keen on him knowing about her older ex-boyfriend. Somehow, she knew he would disapprove, and she didn't like to think about that.
For whatever reason, what Francis thought about Ella mattered to her. She still didn't like him in that way, but she valued him as a friend and respected his opinions. She wanted him to think the best of her always.
He found her in the Gryffindor common room sometime before lunch, making flash cards for Herbology. She had begun to realize that she should have started that project much sooner, because she had learned about several dozen plants over the year and even more in previous years. She had a lot to relearn before next month.
Francis sank into the seat cushion next to her. "Want a study buddy?"
"Yes. Help me make these flash cards. I underestimated how much time we have till the OWLs."
"You're not going to have a mental breakdown, are you? I heard someone already did and got themselves landed in the Hospital Wing."
Ella looked doubtful. "I don't believe it."
Francis nodded. "I bet it's true. I've heard that sort of thing happens every year, and not just to one person."
Ella rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm not going to lose my marbles over some stupid exams."
"Stupid they may be, but they're also important," Francis said, grabbing a stack of blank index cards.
"Maybe it'll be you in the Hospital Wing next," Ella remarked, smirking.
Francis took the Herbology textbook from her lap. "I think it's mostly girls it happens to."
"Oh really?" Ella exclaimed, rolling her eyes some more.
"Yeah. Boys don't ever get hysterical. We're tough." He acted completely serious at first, but even he couldn't keep a smile off his face for very long.
"You're so tough you walk out of the room when somebody opens a package of cockroach clusters."
Francis made a face and mumbled under his breath, "I don't like them dead or alive."
Ella laughed.
Seventh & Third Years
Author: Saffron
Date: 05-12-10 19:43
As the seventh year Arithmancy & Divination students enter the classroom, Saffron hands each a test with answer booklet. Promptly at 9:00 o'clock Saffron addresses the seventh year. "If you have not already begun looking over the practice N.E.W.T. and any notations I've written, do that now. Take about five minutes."
When approximately five minutes have elapsed, Saffron once again calls for the students' attention. "All right, if you've not reached the last page of your answer booklet, turn to that page." She pauses while the students flip pages then says, "I've listed for each of you the areas where I think you should concentrate your efforts over the next weeks. Now, that does not mean totally ignore other areas. It simply means that based on this test, assignments and exams since term back last September, work here in the classroom, and the one-on-one work I've done with each of you, the list you each have represents your weakest areas."
Saffron taps a stack of folders next to her on the desk. "I have put together guides for each of you based on your respective lists."
Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen points to the folders then at a nod from Saffron rises to pass each out based on the name on each folder. "Thank you, Fritz. Five points to Ravenclaw."
"I will be floating around as you work. You may work from the guide and materials in your folders, from any other study guides you have, or from anything else that you find helpful. I will also scheduling times for individual practice practicals. As with the practice written exam, I will draw from questions known to have been asked for the Arithmancy and Divination N.E.W.T.s over the past ten years. Yes, Emerald?"
"With Arithmancy once having been a separate class, have you been given any indication of what percentage of both parts of the N.E.W.T. will concentrate on Arithmancy versus other types of Divination?"
"Excellent question. Five points to Hufflepuff. Unfortunately, I am not able to answer that as yet but I have been trying to pin down the committee to give me some idea of that. As soon as I know, I will pass that information on to all of you as that could greatly affect your individual approaches to studying for both portions of this particular N.E.W.T. Other questions? No? Go on and get started working and remember that items such as the tarot decks, crystal balls, I Ching sets, etc. are resources to take advantage of whlie here in class. Anything you want to take and practice with on your own time, as always, you are welcome to use but please remember to officially check out those items so I know who has what. Over the course of the school year, some of you forget that from time to time and have had points docked. Let's not end the year with me docking points when it's so simple to avoid that."
The seventh years are soon busy with Saffron going around to answer questions and to give suggestions and advice. With only a month to go before N.E.W.T.s and with the seventhy years' Arithmancy & Divination being just a once a week class, they are rapidly running out of class meetings during which the students can get the help they need in the areas they are weakest. Any are welcome to meet with Saffron out of class but as time ticks down to the actual start of exams, the students are finding it more difficult to find the time to drop everything and get assistance from a professor when the professor isn't always available during the same times those students are free. As exam dates approach, Saffron and her fellow professors will find themselves doing far more after office hour meetings than at any other time since September 1st.
When 10:30 arrive, Saffron feels that most of the seventh years made productive progress. She's also got each of them scheduled for a practice of the practical portion of the Arithmancy & Divination N.E.W.T. As the seventh years leave, the third years being arriving. Saffron soon has the third years immersed on astrological charts and even has the ceiling magically transformed into an oversized constellation map. The only drawback is that with the room darkened for the map to show well - small lamps illuminating each student's work space - is that it's easier for a student to catch a nap without Saffron immediately noticing despite the fact that the class is small. This means she rotates around the room more as she speaks to the class as a whole and as she helps the students individually as they do their in-class assignment.
Today, the only student who seems to have a problem staying awake as Luke Dawson but then Saffron quickly realizes that it's because Luke is actually running a slight fever. Fevers can drain one's energy rapidly. She sends him to see Poppy Pomfrey in the hospital wing then spends the rest of the time until noon continuing to work with the other third years and hoping that whatever has Luke running a fever isn't contagious.
(Anthony) On Assignment
Author: Beck
Date: 05-13-10 18:31
Anthony stood in the loft apartment of Arlington J. Montgomery and Sebastian Sjoblom and looked around while Desi shared information with one of the specialists with the New York office of the Dark Arts Intelligence Agency. Soon after Sebastian formally filed his case with the Ministry of Magic's Auror Office, Anthony found himself assigned to investigate with Desi, who had already been using the Ministry's resources to find out what had happened to her missing friend.
The plan was to visit every known place to which Arley had ties. Anthony and Desi had already checked out some spots in Great Britain, like the Hogsmeade home where Arley's sister Fallon had lived, and utilized the Blood Hound to aid in their search, but their efforts hadn't yielded any results. It was how they found themselves in New York at Arley's last known residence.
"I never understood how wizards could choose to live in Muggle homes," Reuben Brodeway, the New York specialist commented. "I think I'd go crazy without the convenience of magic."
"I grew up in a wizarding family and in a Muggle home," Desi replied with a shrug of her shoulders, "and I chose to move into a Muggle apartment when I moved back to England. I might be a witch but I have always felt comfortable living in the Muggle world."
Reuben looked skeptical and threw a look over to Anthony. "What about you?"
"I don't have much experience outside of the wizarding world."
He remembered Arley from Hogwarts but couldn't remember if he was like Desi, a pureblood who liked the Muggle world enough to want to live there, or if he was muggle-born. Or maybe it was Seb who had the ties to or interest in the Muggle world. Anthony realized he didn't know enough about either of them and would need to get caught up to speed.
If he and Desi didn't turn up anything in New York, they would likely head to Seattle next. Desi's friend Angela, a specialist with the Washington office, had already done some investigating over there and would probably be able to fill them in on what she had or hadn't discovered.