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Working A Deposition
Author: Plum
Date: 10-24-10 15:25
Plum pauses at the door to smooth down her hair where she knows it got slightly mussed from a wind gust then opens the door, entering into a small but very nicely appointed lobby slash waiting area. She approaches the reception desk. "Hi, Plum Lancaster for Mrs. Davies."
The receptionist, whose desk placard reads Lisa Penn, makes a notation on what looks very much like a large day planner and nods at Plum. "Yes, Miss Lancaster. The deposition is just down the hall, first door to the right. You can see it from here. There's tea but if you'd prefer something else just let me know."
"Tea is great, thanks." Plum returns the woman's pleasant smile then continue to the indicated door. Plum hesistates a moment, wondering if she should knock, but Lisa penn the receptionist hasn't indicated she should. Then again, maybe Miss Penn would have presumed Plum would know to do that. Plum scowls for all of a second, annoyed with herself for having doubts about how to properly act. She does what she's seen countless other professionals do and what she herself has done before. Plum reaches to open the door while simultaneously tapping lightly, more a signal to anyone in the room that someone's entering rather than someone seeking permission to enter at all.
A middle aged woman of medium height with hair of such a perfect shade of steel gray Plum can't help but wonder if it's dyed that way looks up from where she's seat, peering over half-moon glasses that put Plum in mind of those favored by Albus Dumbledore. She's flanked on either side by men, one around Plum's age and one who's probably in his mid to late thirties.
Plum's mouth turns up slightly. "Plum Lancaster from Devi Linguistics Services."
The woman rises and comes around the table, extending her hand to Plum. "Iris Davies. This is my associate Reginald Poole." Here Iris Davies indicates the older of the two men. "And this is one of our interns, Tommy Go. The others should be here soon. Clementine filled you in on what's required?"
The Clementine in question is Plum's immediate boss Clementine Whitehorn. "Yes, she said your client is a Goblin from the Czech Republic who was here visiting when he witnessed a crime. The Ministry is deposing all witnesses for trial purposes. Your client speaks Gobbledigook, Czech, Croatian, and Serbian, but not English. You need a translator to assist with the deposition."
"Excellent, yes, that's it in a nutshell. Greguska knows he's not charged with any crime, that he's only being questioned as a witness but he's not comfortable dealing directly with the Ministry, which is why he's hired us and why the deposition is taking place here and not at the Ministry of Magic. Tommy here speaks just enough Gobbledigook to have helped us muddled along to this point."
The door opens and a Goblin walks in. To Plum he looks to be on the young end of middle age for a Goblin and of short stature even by Goblin standards. He looks expectently from the three whose faces he's familiar with to that of Plum's. Unlike some Goblins who come across as somewhat stoic of expression, Greguska has a very expressive face. Tommy Go steps forward to make the introductions and once the Goblin knows that Plum is fluent in his native tongue, he begins to chatter in a friendly manner, wanting to get comfortable with Plum before the Ministry people show up. Taking a seat beside Greguska, Plum accepts the offer of tea and sandwiches and before long she's going over with Greguska a list of possible questions the Ministry people might ask. When the Ministry attorney arrives with two assistants in tow, Plum is also feeling more comfortable and confident and is finding Greguska. Iris, and Tommy to be enjoyable to be around. Reginald Poole didn't stick around long after Plum arrived but before he left he did say that Clementine's also assigned Plum to a case he's working on and after the deposition, would she please come seek him out to go over details? If Reginald is as pleasant to work with as Iris and Tommy are, Plum won't mind at all working on whatever the case is and, in fact, hopes that Iris has more need of Devi Linguistics Services and that Plum gets some of the assignments.
Homework In The Library
Author: Christopher Chant
Date: 10-24-10 21:01
With the bulk of his classes stacked on Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays, Christopher tends to spend Tuesdays and Thursdays doing the homework assignments from Mondays and Wednesdays. After breakfast this particular Thursday morning Christopher had gone to Herbology. When that class let out, he'd made for the library to finish writing a Potions paper due tomorrow. Daniel Gelson, sitting at the same table, slaps his quill down with a loud sigh.
"Done. Finally."
Christopher looks up from his own work. "The Potions paper?"
"Yeah. What about you?"
"Nearly done. I keep rewriting this last section. If not for that I think I would have been done an hour ago."
"He's going to pick it apart anyway so just copy out what you have and call it finished. Let's go to lunch. I don't know about you but I'm starving."
"I wouldn't mind a sandwich, or five."
"You started studying for OWLs yet?"
"Yes and no. Mum got me some study books and I've looked over them but haven't blocked out any time to start going through them yet. What about you?"
"My parents made me promise I'd do a certain amount of time each week starting the first week of school."
"But are you actually doing it?"
"Some but not as much as they think I should."
"Everyone says that no matter how much time is dedicated to prepping in the months before the OWLs, you still end up cramming in the few weeks before them and stressing over them."
"Everyone but the experts that is," Daniel says with a nod in agreement at Christopher's words.
"When those experts were out age, what you want to bet they crammed last minute? Okay. I think I'm done with this."
"Hurry and put it away before you decide to change it again."
The two boys exchange grins, gathering up their things. They exit for the Great Hall and lunch, neither having anything else between now and Care of Magical Creatures at two, except for more homework or studying for the OWLs though each is thinking that going to the commons to simply hang out for awhile sounds like a good idea.
Dumped
Author: Ronan Eastwick
Date: 10-25-10 18:17
Ronan was just gathering his things together to leave work and head to St. Emrys, when an owl rapped on the window nearest his cubicle. Donatella, elbow deep in complaint letters, looked up and said, "Oooh, cute owl!" She put down her quill and got up to admit the little tawny bird into the building.
It came in, followed by a strong gust of chilly wind and a splattering of raindrops. Ronan managed to avoid getting wet, but not so Donatella, who squealed and ran to the restroom to check her hair after she slammed the window shut.
The little owl flew to Ronan and deposited an envelope into his hands. Then it flew around the office, splashing raindrops everywhere it went, in search of some treats and a place to roost. When Ronan opened the door leading to the owlery, the tawny bird swiftly flew there and nestled up high in the crossbeams of the darkened room.
Ronan shut the door and turned the envelope over. He recognized the handwriting on front as belonging to Artemis. With a smile on his face, he broke through the wax seal, pulled out the letter, and unfolded it to read:
Dear Ronan,
I've been doing a lot of thinking lately and think that it's probably time for us to break up. We hardly see each other anymore since I'm still at Hogwarts and you're not. I guess what I'm saying is that long distance relationships aren't for me. I hope we can still be friends.
Sincerely,
Artemis
Ronan felt blindsided. He and Artemis had been writing each other regularly, and never had there been any sign that she was thinking about ending things between them. He sank into his chair, just as Donatella was emerging from the restroom with newly coiffed hair. She saw the expression on Ronan's face and asked, "What's the matter?"
Ronan held up the letter. "I got dumped. Via owl."
"Oh, I hate it when that happens."
"It's happened to you before?"
"Oh, lots of times. I don't know why, but the men who date me and then dump me hardly ever have the guts to end it to my face. Cowards."
"Artemis still attends Hogwarts, so her opportunities to break up with me in person are few and far between."
"Ooh, you're dating a school girl?"
Ronan gave Donatella a sour look. "Was." He got up and finished getting his things together. "And now I've got to get to class."
"You should skip and get some ice cream instead."
As tempting as the thought was, even though it was way too cold outside to even contemplate eating ice cream, Ronan left the office for St. Emrys and his evening class. He would reply to Artemis later, though what he would write, he didn't yet know.
Time Flies With A Good Book (Caerwyn)
Author: Julian Valentine
Date: 10-25-10 22:01
Reaching for the last oatmeal raisin biscuit in a box from Briar's Bakery and glancing at the clock, Cearwyn knows he should be going to bed. He should have gone awhile ago but he got sucked into a really good book. The story, set in the world of professional Quidditch, is well written and interesting. After finishing up homework for tomorrow's Defense Against the Dark Arts, Caerwyn had picked up the book, which his dad owled today along with Caerwyn's fancy dress for the Halloween feast. It is something of an understatement to say that bookshoppe owning Julian Valentine is chuffed to have a son who likes to read. When school is in sesson he regularly sends Caerwyn books and after reading them Caerwyn sends them back so that he doesn't have a huge pile of already read books stacking up by his bed.
The biscuits had been in the package as well. After supper, Gus Hodfuffer and Caerwyn had made started working their way through the fresh, very flavorful biscuits while working on class assignments. Caerwyn had offered the box of biscuits around to others in the Hufflepuff common room but even after that he still had plenty of his own. Gus ate a fair share though not his usual number, complaining of an increasingly bad headache as the night wore on. Gus had finally gone to see Madam Pomfrey, insisting Caerwyn stay there at Hufflepuff House. When Gus returned he was already feeling groggy from some potion Madam Pomfrey had given him so he'd gone straight to the third year boys' dorm room, with Caerwyn promising to Gus's things.
Without Gus there to help give distraction, Caerwyn finished his homework fairly quickly. For a little while he'd watched two of the other third years, Hugo and Anita, play wizarding chess then got into a discussion about the Interscholastic Quidditch Tournament, and that had put Caerwyn in mind of the book his dad sent today. With tall glass of milk on the table beside him and the box of oatmeal raisin biscuits, Caerwyn had settled into one of the scrunchy, comfy chairs scattered around the Hufflepuff common room. He'd promptly gotten lost into the story, losing track of time.
Caerwyn would love to sit up reading more of the book but with tomorrow's schedule of Herbology, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and most likely Quidditch practice if the weather allows, he knows he should go on to bed. There are a couple of second years lingering in the commom room after returning from their Astronomy lesson and if Caerwyn stays up much longer, the seventh years who take Astronomy will be returning. Caerwyn debates doing that, staying until the seventh years get back. It's tough to do the right thing of going to bed but Caerwyn forces himself to do just that. He takes a moment to make sure he got all his things and Gus's, puts the now empty milk glass on a table with a couple of other dirty dishes, and grabs the now empty biscuit box.
In the dorm room, all his roommates already asleep, Caerwyn is very quiet as he gets dressed for bed. He shifts the box with his costume for Halloween, a luminescent swamp green space alien with six eyes and four hands, and starts to climb in bed then thinks better of it. Between the milk and biscuits, he really should brush his teeth. Even if he'd not eaten them, he should brush his teeth. A few minutes later, teeth brushing done, Caerwyn crawls into bed, resisting the urge to get his book and read just one more chapter.
Not Very Charmed At The Moment
Author: Georgia Copperpot
Date: 10-26-10 18:37
Catherine makes a face and mutters under her breath. "I am never going to master this bloody charm."
"You always say that and then always end up doing better than most," Isabella points out, also speaking in a low voice. Professor Flitwick might not be as stern as some when it comes to students talking to each other as they work, it's still best not to speak overly loudly.
"I'm so frustrated I'm rethinking my fancy dress for the feast." There's a deep frown furrow creasing Catherine's brow.
"But you will make such a cute Professor Flitwick." Edith smiles encouragingly at Catherine.
I helpfully add, "No need to change fancy dress just because you're making a cock up of the charm."
"That's not a very helpful thing to say," Edith huffs at me.
"No need to get in a tizz, Edith."
Catherine chimes in, "Georgia's right, Edith. I do like Professor Flitwick and I do like my costume. I shouldn't change just because I'm frustrated."
"At least you aren't going as Professor Snape. I'd have been trying to talk you out of it from the start if you were." Izzy suddenly grins. "I think I have it!"
Professor Flitwick happens to be near enough in his rounds about the classroom that he overhears Izzy. He moves closer to examine her work then returns her grin. "Excellent, Miss Hastings. Now, try again. It should come easier to you now that you've had 100% success."
When he's moved off Catherine shoots Izzy a smile. "Show off."
Even though she knows Catherine is teasing Izzy says, "Don't go giving me aggro."
"Maybe I like giving aggro."
"Then I change my mind. You should go as Professor Snape afterall."
Edith snickers. "For that you'd have needed to give up washing your hair a week ago if you wanted an authentic look."
"Perhaps Professor Snape cannot help that he is cleanliness challenged in the follicular department."
Izzy snorts. "You've mixed up words again, Georgia."
"No, I'm quite sure the word is cleanliness."
"Not that word. Follicular."
"You mean it does not refer to follicles?"
"I think it does not not in the way you mean and definitely not having to do with hair follicles."
"Then I need to revise a letter to Woolly."
Edith wrinkles her nose in disgust. "I can't believe you still write that woman."
Catherine nods in agreement but Izzy says, "I used to think that too but have decided that it's genius really. Think of the torture Georgia is inflicting if Woolly actually reads the letters."
Catherine nods again. "That's a good point, Iz. What I don't get is why you're fancy dress is as Woolly, Georgia. That's taking things a bit too far, don't you think? And what of the sex god?"
"Sage, that would be my sex god boyfriend, Sage Porter,"
"WE KNOW WHO HE IS," Izzy forcefully, and a tad too loudly, interjects. Professor Flitwick calls out from where he's working with Tim Gabble, "Is there a problem, ladies?"
"No, professor. No problem," Edith is quick to answer.
"won't be at the feast with Professors Sacheverelle and Miller and going as Woolly means I will have one of the scariest fancy dress outfits at the Halloween feast."
"True. So true," Catherine says with Izzy and Edith echoing their agreement.
Translations:
bloody = a common British swear word that just sounds silly when Americans say it
fancy dress = costume
cock up = make a mistake, mess up
tizz = in a dither, worked up
aggro = aggravation
Woolly = Hairy the Snide, hirsute former Hogwarts headmistress Harriet Snider
sex god = a 100 on the 1-10 hotness scale
Conjuring Spells
Author: Minerva McGonagall
Date: 10-26-10 18:51
Professor McGonagall walked up and down the aisles in her classroom, observing her seventh year NEWT students as they practiced conjuring worms out of thin air. Conjuring spells were quite different and exceedingly more difficult than summoning spells, which caused items to appear by retrieving them from somewhere else. Conjuring was almost like creating something new out of nothing at all.
No one had managed to fully conjure a worm yet, but many had had interesting results so far. With more practice, however, Professor McGonagall had no doubt in her mind that all of the seventh years would be able to successfully conjure worms.
She assisted her students where necessary until class ended. As usual when the end came, they immediately started gathering their things together even though Professor McGonagall hadn't dismissed the class yet. She cleared her throat loudly and gazed at everyone sternly.
"Your homework is to continue practicing conjuring worms, and I want you to read chapter 7 in Guide to Advanced Transfiguration. Are there any questions?"
Some students shook their heads, while others said, "No, professor."
"Very well, then you are dismissed."
With that, the scramble resumed, and soon Professor McGonagall was left with an empty classroom. She spent a few minutes vanishing parts of worms and other items that had been mistakenly conjured during class. Then she ducked out of her classroom to grab some lunch in the Great Hall.
It was while she was on the way there that she remembered a note she had received that morning at breakfast. She'd been in a rush and had tucked it into her pocket to read later, and promptly forgotten about it until now.
She took it out of her pocket, unfolded it, and read:
Professor McGonagall,
I am sorry that we didn't get the chance to meet at Homecoming. Madoc has told me a lot about you. I had hoped that we could finally meet face to face, but I suppose it wasn't meant to be. Perhaps we will have better luck some other time.
I hope that you are as interested to meet me as I am to meet you.
Sincerely,
Myron McGonagall
P.S.: How is Madoc doing in his studies?
This was the first personal correspondence Minerva had had with her nephew. She'd known of the possibility of them meeting at Homecoming and had wondered why it hadn't happened. Then again, she'd looked for Madoc and hadn't seen him anywhere. Hogwarts had been rather crowded that day, though.
She made a mental note that when she wrote Myron back, which she would do at some point today, she would mention to him that they could perhaps finally meet at the Fall Fair happening in early November. The Fall Fair was another occasion for family and friends to visit Hogwarts.
Professor McGonagall entered the Great Hall with the slightest of smiles on her face, an unusual sight for anyone who noticed.