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An Owl at Dinnertime
Author: Illyria
Date: 10-08-10 17:49
Illyria entered the Great Hall in time for supper and took her usual place at the Head Table next to Marzipan and Weston. She had heard about the loss of their sister and brother-in-law and felt quite badly about it, especially since now there was a child, just a baby really, without any parents. From what Marzi had told her, no decision had yet been made about who would raise Carter.
Illyria knew without a doubt that if something would happen to Arsinoe and Quin, she wouldn't hestitate to raise Alexandra or any other children they might have. Same went for any other nieces or nephews her other sisters might produce. She could well-imagine that if she ever had any children of her own, her sisters would also take them in if necessary.
She had barely tucked into her rotisserie chicken when an owl swept into the Great Hall and made course for the High Table. As it drew nearer, Illyria realized that it was, in fact, heading her way. It wasn't an owl she recognized, but when it came near enough, she saw the St. Mungo's emblem on the envelope it carried. For a moment, fear gripped her. What if something had happened to one of her loved ones?
But after the envelope dropped into her lap and Illyria tore into it, she hastily scanned the enclosed letter and breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't bad news. It was good news.
"My sister's gone into labor," Illyria told Marzi and Weston, who had been studying her questioningly.
"That's wonderful," Marzi gushed. She was glad to have happy news for a change.
"I would ditch my classes tonight, but she might be in labor all night long," Illyria said, though a large part of her still wanted to leave the castle for the hospital.
"I hope when I go into labor, it's quick and easy," Marzi said, hugging her small stomach.
"Me too!" Weston exclaimed, perhaps imagining how crabby his wife would be during a long, exhaustive period of labor.
Illyria smiled. "I'm going to go to the hospital after my classes are over. If Arsinoe's still in labor then, then I guess I'll wait around with everyone else. If she's asleep, then I guess I'll come back here and then go back first thing in the morning."
"I bet you won't be able to concentrate in your classes," Weston remarked.
"Probably not," Illyria admitted, "but I'm goiong to try!"
In Her Office
Author: Minerva McGonagall
Date: 10-08-10 18:53
Not terribly hungry at the moment, Professor McGonagall stayed behind in her office to mark parchments. She sipped a cup of tea as light sustenance and to soothe her slightly aching throat. Since yesterday morning, she'd felt the beginnings of a cold come on, though it had yet to manifest itself into anything other than a not-so-sore sore throat.
In between reading her students' work and making notations on their parchments and into her grade book, Professor McGonagall thought about certain things that had happened at Hogwarts in recent weeks.
She thought about her own student, Ella Harville, to whom Minerva had had to have a very serious talk that had been uncomfortable not only to the student but to the teacher as well. The last time Professor McGonagall had had a sex talk with one of her students had been a few years ago, when she'd found out that Carys Hanham-Beauvais had gotten pregnant. Minerva really didn't want another Gryffindor student getting pregnant on her watch!
She also thought about Professor Somerset, who'd gotten injured during the most recent Dueling Club meeting. Minerva had overheard a few students talking about it shortly after the fact. They had said that Peeves had broken into the training room brandishing what he'd thought was a false blade, only to find out it had been real all along. A short while after that Professor McGonagall had heard the actual story from Professor Dumbledore, who had gotten it directly from Ethan himself.
Not being one of Penn Ellison's own teachers, nor being head of his house, Professor McGonagall had little interaction with him. She couldn't say one way or the other what she thought about him, though from now on she would make an effort to pay more attention to him. Hopefully, there was nothing to worry about, but there was definitely no reason not to be cautious––just in case.
A knock on the door pulled Professor McGonagall from her reverie. She called, "Come in," and resumed reviewing the homework assignment in front of her.
"Good evening, Great Aunt," greeted Madoc, as he entered the room carrying a large napkin that had been fashioned into a basket and seemed to be turning from white to red and purple. "I brought you some berries from the Great Hall."
He set the stained napkin onto Minerva's desk, and it unfolded revealing raspberries and blackberries. Some looked a little squashed, but most seemed unharmed.
"Thank you," Professor McGonagall murmured, pleased by the kind gesture. She gently moved the napkin so that it no longer covered her stack of unread homework assignments and tested a blackberry.
"Quite good," she said, after she swallowed.
"I thought you might say so," Madoc replied happily. Then he frowned. "Oh, I told my dad about you."
"You did?"
"Yeah, and he told his dad, my granddad. I guess they got into an argument, because my dad was very mad at the end of their conversation. That's what my little brother told me in his last letter, anyway."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Professor McGonagall said.
Madoc shrugged. "It's okay, I guess. Malden said that our dad was sad he never got to go to Hogwarts. Granddad wouldn't let him go."
"I suppose I can guess why," Professor McGonagall remarked with a frown.
"Because you and Granddad don't get along?"
"Precisely. Why did your granddad let you attend?"
"I guess because he's just my granddad and not my dad. My dad has always told me what to do. 'Clean your room.' 'Eat your peas.' 'Stop hitting your brother.' I guess 'Go to Hogwarts.' was just on the list of things to tell me to do too."
Minerva smiled behind her teacup. She liked Madoc a lot and was glad to be able to talk to him like this.
Reading Magazines On A Break
Author: Ron Weasley
Date: 10-09-10 17:30
Ron dips a quill in bright red ink then circles something on the page before him before using that same quill with the same bright red ink to notate on a slip of parchment the page number. He's just flipped to the next page and is studying it along with the page opposite when a voice says, "Ron Weasley?"
Startled, on one motion Ron shoves everything to the side and turns to says, "Yes?"
"Gretal Lufkin, Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. You're one of the ones who's had dealings with Hershel Fancourt?"
"Yeah, what's he done now?" Ron asks, turning around more and somehow in the process knocks off the desk what he'd been looking at when interrupted by Gretal Lufkin.
Ron grapples to grab it before it makes it to the floor but only manages to end up bent over the side of his chair grasping to reach it. He nearly flips himself over in an effort to get righted and grab it before his visitor get a good look. Too late though as she steps further inside his work space to point, "Is that a fashion magazine?"
Ron colors, finally getting his hand on it. "No. 'course it isn't."
Lufkin takes another step, turning her head sideways as she does. "Yes, it is. I wouldn't have pegged you for the type to read fashion mags much less read them at work."
"You don't know me so how would you have pegged me a certain sort."
"You are Ron Weasley. Best friend of the famous Harry Potter."
"If you know me so well, why did you ask if I'm Ron Weasley."
"A polite opening, I suppose, but you are attempting to divert attention from the fashion magazine. Looking at the upcoming winter trends or what will be hot for spring?"
"Neither. It's not a fashion magazine."
Gretal takes enother step and quick as you please has the magazine in her hands, turning it over to look at it. "Not a fashion magazine in the strictest sense but it is the newest attention of Bridal Magic. You and Potter going to bunk off from work one day to finally make it official?"
Ron colors more and snatches the magazine back. "I'm straight."
Gretal laughs. "I know that silly. I'm only teasing."
Teasing she might be but Ron feels the need to explain. "I've been promising my fiance I'd start looking for something for me and the groomsmen."
"Oh, you're engaged? I hadn't heard. Congrats. Hermione Granger?"
"Yeah. Hermione."
"When's the big day?"
"We don't have one picked though we've narrowed down the dates."
"I'm getting married next month. We were going to wait until spring and have everything out of doors but Nigil's gran isn't doing well so we decided to move everything up."
"Congratulations as well and sorry about your fiance's gran. Now, what were you saying about Hershel Fancourt?"
"We've a report he's illegally breeding creatures. With his reputation for being difficult we want someone who handled him in the past to come with and right now you're the only one in the office who fits the bill."
Ron gets up, turning long enough to drop the Bridal Magic magazine onto his desk, sliding it under a couple of files. "I need to sign out and let someone know where I'm going."
"Huddersfield, Kirkless, in West Yorkshire."
"What's he breeding?"
"Acromantulas."
"Aw, bloody hell."
"Don't care for spiders?"
"Bit of an understatement," Ron says trying not to shudder. "I hope they're small buggers."
"You and me both!" Gretal heartily agrees.
The SATs
Author: Emerald Green
Date: 10-09-10 20:30
Emerald runs a hand over her face, wishing she didn't feel so tired today. For her first term at St. Emrys, she's got her classes crammed all on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. As she's carrying a full load it does make for long days yet at the same time because it does make for full days, so far the days haven't dragged. Then again, she has only had a day and a half of classes. Who knows how she'll feel halfway through the semester?
Having classes spread out among Tuesdays and Thursdays might be easier but by stacking her classes as she has to leave those two days of the week open as it were, Emerald is able to take part in an SAT prep course to help her get into Duke University. The same Ministry of Magic department that oversees administering the OWLs and NEWTs at Hogwarts helps students such as Emerald who entertain thoughts of attending a Muggle institution. Usually they work with those wanting to take courses or training somewhere there in Britain but as there are British students who go to America to study, they too need SAT scores when applying to most American colleges and universities. The Ministry put Emerald in touch with a Wizard, who's married to a Muggle, who runs a preparation course out of Luton where he also is a professor at the University of Bedfordshire. There's a church there, St. Mary's, that has a chapel called the Wenlock Chapel. Since learning that, Emerald's been meaning to tell Hogwarts professor Aaron Miller. He might be interested in seeing if the Wenlock family that chapel is named after is a Muggle branch of his Wizarding Wenlock relations. Apparently, it's a very old family like his Wenlock family, and has been closely connected with St. Mary's since 1389.
Walking into her next class and going to the same spot where she'd sat on Monday, Emerald takes out the day planner she's using to keep track of class assignments, due dates, and test dates and writes a note to herself to contact Professor Miller. Her last class let out slightly early so there's a tiny bit of time before the bulk of students for this class arrives so in the ensuing relative quiet, Emerald sits for a moment with her eyes closed. Between reading ahead for one class because the reading is interesting enough she hated to put it down and working some from one of the SAT study books she'd picked up yesterday after meeting with Stewart Thurkell, her SAT instructor, Emerald had stayed up far later than she'd meant to. Getting up was the absolute devil this morning and she's still feeling groggy. Maybe once this class is over and she's had some lunch she'll perk up for her afternoon classes. Emerald doubts that as afternoons are often times when the effects of lunch mean being a little sleepy but she can always hope.
The biggest obstacle in getting ready for the SAT, in Emerald's opinion, is the math section. She had had an algebra course and a geometry class when living in America, wholly unaware that schools such as Hogwarts existed. If she'd continued at her old school she would have had more algebra, trigonometry, and probably taken calculus her senior year. Because math, or maths as she's learn the English refer to mathematics courses, is not on the Hogwarts curriculum, Emerald is behind on what her contemporaries from her old school and other Muggle schools learned in that area. Professor Thurkell and she have already agreed that while she will of course study for the critical reading and the writing portions of the SAT, the emphasis will be on math. Emerald's even taking two math courses here at St. Emerys as part of that preparation. She probably would have taken both the classes anyway, just maybe not in the same trimester.
"Hi, Emerald. How have you been?"
Emerald opens her eyes and smiles at Castor Lyon. "Hi, Castor. I'm good. How are you?"
"Even though I missed all my classes Monday, I'm great!"
"Why did you miss classes?"
Castor holds up his right arm. "I broke my arm, a couple in my wrist, and some in my hand."
"Ouch! What happened?"
"I was learning how to do something call rollerblade."
"I'm familiar with it. I use to rollerblade all the time before living with my aunt and uncle."
"My girlfriend is into it and talked me into going with her Monday morning. Neither of us have a class on Monday until 10 so her idea was for us to go out after breakfast, get in some rollerblading then come to school. She didn't alot time in there for me taking a header. I was wearing protective gear but elbow and knee pads and a helmet didn't do my arm much good when I landed with my full weight on it."
Emerald makes a face. "I can well imagine. Who's your girlfriend. Anyone I would know?"
"I don't think so but it's possible I suppose. Isidora du Bourg. She went to Beauxbatons and actually came to Hogwarts as a broom racing competitor during the SAT."
At the mention of SAT Emerald can't help but laugh earning her an odd look from Castor. "I'm sorry. I've had SAT on the brain lately. Not the SAT you mean but something else. It's the Scholastic Assessment Test, or some call it the Scholastic Aptitude Test. It's an exam many American colleges and universities require for admission."
"Oh? Not going to stay with St. Emerys then?"
"I am but I also want to take courses at the school where my mother went, Duke University. It will also give me a chance to reconnect with friends from when I lived in the States. I tried staying in touch but with the stress of losing both my parents, finding out about family I didn't existed, having to move over here and starting Hogwarts during fifth year without having had any magic training, I didn't write anyone as often as I should. Then, with the whole segration of Nons stupidity and not being allowed to send or receive mail followed by being sent to Happy Haven as well as City of Hope, I lost touch entirely. Over the past year I've been in contact with a few again but it's difficult what with not being able to fully explain the long silence."
Castor, having been at Happy Haven, empathizes with what Emerald's talking about. He nods, "I understand."
Further talk is put on hold as by that time the class has filled and the professor has entered and is moving from row to row passing out some sort of handout. Castor says in a low voice, "If you're free after this, I'm meeting Isidora for lunch. Want to come with?"
"I'd like that," Emerald whispers back before giving the professor her full attention, all thoughts of any sort of SAT temporarily put on hold.
Reflections and Academic Travails
Author: Abdul Hazrat AlGunud
Date: 10-10-10 13:18
Abdul scribbled furiously in his notebook, trying to keep up with Professor Hodfuffer’s lecture. The study of runes at Al Kafilah Academy had been subtly different, with a pronounced emphasis on Assyrian and Akkadian cuneiform. Whereas, the instructors of Hogwarts taught more of Egyptian hieroglyphics. This resulted in Abdul devoting at least an hour everyday after class to study in the library. Fortunately Professor Hodfuffer’s staccato lecture was interrupted by the question of another student thus allowing Abdul to finish his note taking. It would not do to fall behind in any of his classes. There had already been one conversation with Professor Flitwick regarding Abdul’s lack of familiarity with Egyptian mystical rituals. The tone of the conversation had been cordial, but Professor Flitwick was also head of Ravenclaw House. As such, Abdul wanted very much not to make a negative impression on the man. His displeasure could make the school year very unpleasant. Or even worse, he might speak to Abdul’s father. The lecture ended shortly thereafter, giving Abdul a much needed respite from the bustle of classes. It was time to eat lunch before going to Care of Magical Creatures.
The first week had been a blur of new faces and names. Life had gradually settled into a stable routine of classes, meals and study time. Abdul realized how much he had missed that stability in his life recently. With his father’s long absences, punctuated by brief returns and hushed conferences conducted in the study behind the closed and warded door, life had always had a slightly manic edge in the AlGunud household. Abdul had never realized how that uncertainty had come to define his life until coming to Hogwarts. His mother had tried to provide a sense of normalcy, but her death had shattered whatever pretense there had been about Abdul’s home life being normal.
His classmates were cordial enough. Several had made polite inquiries about his background. Despite their obvious curiosity, none had pressed him about his reluctance to discuss his family. Christopher Chant seemed to be a decent fellow. This had proved to be something of a relief. He was a Prefect for the fifth year students. He was also Abdul’s roommate.
Care of Magical Creatures was a relatively easy class. Researching the hippocampus and other aquatic creatures had not been difficult. As such, Abdul was able to relax and not worry quite as much about keeping up. This was just as well. Professor Kent was a ranking member of Ravenclaw House, second only to Professor Flitwick. Seeing a live hippocampus had proven to be interesting. The only other magical creature that Abdul had studied in-depth was the sphinx. Of course, studying a sphinx meant long hours of cryptic and tortured conversation. The sphinx naturally did not give information freely. It often demanded that the questioner answer a riddle before the creature would release any information. Writing a two page essay often took at least a week.
(Ariella) College Girl
Author: Beck
Date: 10-10-10 14:31
Falling into the routine of attending classes and doing homework came easy for Ariella. She had been a good student while at Hogwarts, and though she was intelligent, discipline mostly factored into her academic success. Ariella never procrastinated when it came to doing her reading assignments and she made sure to visit her professors during their office hours if there was something she didn't understand.
It certainly wasn't as if this was her first time back to school following her unexpected expulsion from Hogwarts, though. Last year she'd enrolled in the N.E.W.T. review courses that had prepared her to take the exams she'd missed taking while a seventh year student and which had opened the doorway for her to take higher education classes at St. Emrys this term. It was just that those courses had been a review of classes she'd taken at Hogwarts. This term, everything would be new, with the exception of History of Magic and Charms.
In addition to those classes, Ariella had signed up to take introductory courses on magical research, teaching, and international magical cooperation. She had an interest in magical research because of her involvement in the Scholastic Aptitude Tournament's Invention and Design Competition. Ariella knew she could invent things if she put her mind to it. That was how she'd come up with the LinguoCube, which had gone into mass production and had given her a decent income on the side.
She supposed she'd signed up for the teaching course because her husband was a teacher. Ariella could see herself teaching at Hogwarts one day, assuming her expulsion didn't automatically blacklist her from ever applying, of course! She just didn't know what she liked best as far as subjects went.
International studies interested her because she was interested in other cultures, not just their politics but their everyday lives as well. She also liked to travel, as Lawrence had long figured out. At the rate he whisked her off on holidays around the globe, she guessed that one day she'd actually visit every single country in the whole world! Well, maybe not. The world was extremely large!
All of Ariella's classes were in the afternoon, which allowed her to continue to work at Briar's Bakery in the mornings. Ariella didn't have to work, but she liked it. She planned on sticking with it, unless she found herself too overwhelmed by her college classes to continue.
It being Thursday afternoon, Ariella had already gone to her Charms class and now had History of Magic. Afterwards, she planned on going straight back to her quarters at Hogwarts to get some reading done before suppertime.
Sales Run
Author: Ronan Eastwick
Date: 10-10-10 15:08
"As you might have guessed, we're not the only manufacturer and supplier of parchment around," said Dashiell Tickhill, one of the salesman at Farnsworth & Wallingford. He was tall and willowy with lank brown hair and too large for his face wire-rimmed glasses. Ronan found him mostly annoying, but he tried not to let his true feelings show.
"Some of the stationary shoppes not only sell the stuff but make their own, so they usually won't buy from us, but I'm a really good salesman and more often than not can make the sale regardless their usual practice. Come on, let me show you how it's done."
He and Ronan were in Hogsmeade on a sales run. They were not only planning on visiting Scrivenshafts, but some of the other businesses in the village that used parchment for their own recordkeeping or what-have-you.
The door over Scrivenshafts tinkled merrily. Ronan thought nostalgically about how it hadn't been very long ago that he'd visited the stationary shoppe as a Hogwarts student on a Hogsmeade weekend. How strange was it now that he was off campus on a school day and actually had a real, grown-up job?
Dashiell approached the front counter and spoke rather unkindly with the girl at the checkout counter. "Go get your manager. Tell him Dashiell Tickhill is here to see him."
She looked a bit unsure about the request, but when Dashiell asked her, "What are you waiting for?", she swiftly slipped into the back to get her boss.
Ronan looked at Dashiell questioningly.
"You have to be forceful sometimes, especially with the peons," Dashiell explained.
Ronan kept his brows raised and turned to the new arrival, the manager who looked a bit weary at the sight of her guests but nevertheless shook both of their hands and invited them to her office. Her name was Frances Osbourne, and Ronan guessed that she was probably older than she looked. Her hair was jet black and her eyes just as dark. Her skin was starting to wrinkle but only just.
"Your prices are too high," she said, after she'd offered them seats and seated herself behind her desk.
"You always say that, and yet you always wind up buying from us. Why is that?" Dashiell asked with a sly smile on his face. Suddenly Ronan felt uncomfortable. The look between Dashiell and Frances suggested their relationship hadn't always been strictly business.
"Who's the kid?" she ignored him, looking at Ronan. "Got your name but don't know your story."
"He's our intern. But nevermind about him," Dashiell replied, before Ronan could even answer for himself. He flipped open the clasps on his brown leather briefcase and pulled out a contract. "These are our terms, and you just sign here, here, and here."
Frances gave the contract a brief lookover and then said, "I want more colors than you've previously offered me."
"Done."
"And I want a discount. The more I buy, the bigger the discount."
"Doable."
Frances then turned her eyes back to the contract and read every word. She wouldn't put it past Dashiell to write something she didn't agree to. When all seemed in order and the changes had been added in, she signed it where he told her to and then had a copy made for herself before giving him the original.
He and Ronan left a short while later, but stopped outside the building where Dashiell said, "And that's how it's done."
Ronan wasn't sure that tactic would work for everyone but he kept his mouth wisely shut. He was only the intern, after all.
They made the rounds to some of the stores in the village and then left for the office again. Ronan's day wouldn't end with work, though. This was his first term at St. Emrys, which had started just this week, and he had enrolled in night courses so that he could continue to work full time and earn enough money to pay his own way without asking anyone else for help.