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Memories
Author: Carys
Date: 11-11-10 08:20
Although the memory of what had nearly happened to her in the dark room was always at the back of her mind, Carys easily resumed her old routine at St. Emrys. She went to her classes, which consisted of a few basics as well as French and photography, and went on assignment for Emrys Everyday whenever something arose. Working in the dark room was probably the hardest part of her job, but each day was a better day.
Before her first class this morning, Carys went to Yellow. She'd already had breakfast at home this morning, during which Tristan had managed to upend his cereal bowl all over himself and the floor. She went to the cafeteria on assignment, in which she was to photograph the workers in the kitchen for an article on the university's support staff.
Carys rarely ate in either Yellow or Orange since she usually ate at home, but she had eaten in both cafeterias once or twice. She had never gone into either kitchen, though. She went straight to one of the side doors which had a sign at eye level that read STAFF ONLY in large block letters. Carys knocked loudly, hoping that someone inside would hear and come to the door.
No one did at first, and when Carys thought she might be bold and just go inside, a stout witch wearing a hair net came up to her from behind.
"Can I help you, lass?" she asked. She had large, very dark eyes and rosy cheeks.
"Yes, my name is Carys Hanham-Beauvais, and I'm the photographer for Emrys Everyday."
"Oh, yes. I was told you would be coming today. Come on in," the witch said, as she pushed open the door.
Carys followed the much shorter woman inside and looked around. Stainless steel counters ran up and down the lengthy room, with sinks occasionally interspersed between the flat surfaces. A handful of workers manned various stations and cooked breakfast foods like scrambled eggs and french toast.
Carys was suddenly struck with a less than pleasant memory. The last time she had been in a facility like this had been at Goen Bren, when she'd been assigned to work in the kitchens. The kitchen at Yellow differed considerably, however, since everyone working there presumably wanted to be there. Carys had had no choice at Goen Bren.
The witch paused and looked over her shoulder at Carys, noting the younger witch's furrowed brow.
"Are you all right, lass?"
Carys blinked and shook the memory from her mind. "Yes, thanks. I was just remembering something from long ago. Do you mind if I just snap photos of you all as you work?"
"Not at all, though Doris over there asks that you not get her face. She doesn't think she's photographic, but the rest of us think that's total bullocks."
Carys looked over at Doris, who was an older witch, but a rather pretty one for her age. Carys would respect her wishes, though, and not photograph her if that was what she wanted. She set out about taking pictures and tried to let the memories of her time in the kitchens at Goen Bren come back to the forefront of her mind.
Preparations
Author: Jolyon
Date: 11-11-10 10:42
After breakfast in the Great Hall, Jolyon slipped on his warmest cloak, a scarf and a pair of gloves, and stepped out into the frigid air. It wasn't a particularly pretty day, what with the sky an unpleasant shade of gray, but light snow slowly drifted to the ground and made the weather somehow seem nicer than it really was.
He trudged to the barn and opened the heavy door, being immediately enveloped by the warmth from within. Jolyon had half a mind to leave the door open a little, so that he could watch the snow while he prepared for his afternoon class, but he did not want the cold to seep into the barn. In the end, he shut the door and lit all of the lamps with a flick of his wand.
Jolyon had not talked to his father since the man's visit to Hogwarts. It disgusted him that Emanuel had no compassion for Charles and that as usual, all the old man could think of was his own greed. Jolyon had gone to see his mother once during that time but neither had spoken about Emanuel's behavior. Sometimes Jolyon wished his mum would stand up to her husband, because she was probably the only person who could control him.
Today, Jolyon's seventh years would be learning about hellhounds. He wouldn't be showing them a live example, but instead had amassed a number of images for them to see. He knew that it was always preferable for him to have the real thing but sometimes it just didn't work out, either because he couldn't arrange to have a particular creature in time for class or because they were just too dangerous. Hellhounds weren't very attainable and were also extremely dangerous.
Also today, the members of the Hogwarts Quidditch team would be traveling to Australia. None of Jolyon's seventh years were on the team, so he expected a full class this afternoon. That wouldn't be the case tomorrow, however, when many of his fifth years would be absent. He had already canceled his Friday class, the fourth years, because the whole school (except students with detentions) would be traveling to Australia that night, and he wanted to give his students a chance to get some rest before departing.
For his fifth years traveling to Australia today, Jolyon would give until the end of Fall Term to make up tomorrow's assignment. They could pick up handouts from tomorrow's lecture and even get a one-on-one lecture from him during office hours any time.
After setting up the magical projector, Jolyon put together his handouts for today's lecture. He had plenty of time until his afternoon class, but there was plenty of work to do.
(Anthony) Mysterious Group
Author: Beck
Date: 11-11-10 13:26
After Desi had provided him with a little insight into his case, Anthony had gone down to the Records Office to get information on Caden Eastwick. He had learned that Caden had once worked for the Ministry of Magic, in the Department of Mysteries. What was of greatest interest to Anthony, however, was a transcript from a trial held just over three years ago.
By then Caden had been deceased. The trial was for his mother, Enid Eastwick, whom Anthony had visited at Azakban late yesterday afternoon. Both the transcript and Enid herself had given Anthony the push he needed to solve the murders of the girls found this past summer, as well as those from previous summers.
Yesterday, she had told him, "There is a group of wizards who as far as I know do not go by any name, but they do have a symbol, a pentagram. The leader is not elected among the group. He is chosen by magical means. I do not begin to understand how it works. I only know that it does, and that my son had been marked in that way."
Anthony had seen the crime scene photographs from when Caden's body had been discovered. Someone had photographed the body's hand, on which a pentagram had been branded.
"Are they always marked on the hand?" Anthony asked Enid.
"I believe so, but I couldn't say for sure. Like I said, I don't even know how it happens," Enid replied.
"The group is never very large, I don't think, though again I can't say for certain. Once upon a time I knew of a few members. I had hired them to take care of a piece of business for me."
"The murder of your husband," Anthony said, referring to another line in the court transcript.
Enid gave a nod. "It's my understanding that when a new leader is chosen, the previous one is usually killed. That is no doubt what happened to my son."
Anthony had left with the knowledge that there was likely a new leader, or perhaps had been several since Caden's own "reign", and that the only way to identify him was by the mark of a pentagram, mostly likely on his hand. Enid had never known where they might be headquartered. She'd made arrangments with them at various out of the way places.
She had given him a list of names, however, and Anthony planned on pursuing every one. Surely somebody would lead him to the group and make it possible for him to stop any more Summer Solstice Murders from happening.
Excitement Growing
Author: Minerva McGonagall
Date: 11-12-10 07:34
The Great Hall was crowded and abuzz with conversation at lunchtime. In just a few short hours, the Hogwarts Interscholastic Quidditch Tournament team would be leaving via magical RV for Sydney, Australia. Professor McGonagall would be traveling with them as a chaperone.
She wondered how anyone staying behind would be able to concentrate on classes and studies, knowing that a select few of their classmates were on the other side of the world having the time of their lives. Some professors had canceled classes over the next few days, but others hadn't. Professor McGonagall's own would go on with Professor Dumbledore standing in as substitute.
She had one more class of her own to teach, right after lunch, and then she would grab her travel bag and wait by the magical RV for all of the Quidditch players to arrive.
She finished her lunch (beef stew with dumplings) and prepared to return for her classroom, when Madoc cut her off halfway down the center aisle in the Great Hall.
"You're so lucky to be going to Australia," he gushed.
"You'll get your chance on Saturday," she replied, "unless you get a detention from now until then."
"Oh, I won't. Believe me! I'll be on my best behavior, for sure!" Madoc beamed, but then his smile faded as he said, "I just wish I could leave today with you. I don't want to go to my lousy classes."
"Lousy?" Professor McGonagall asked, suppressing a smile.
"I mean, they're okay, and all, but... I'd rather go on holiday with you lot than stay here the rest of the week."
"I would hardly call the trip a holiday," McGonagall commented, though she understood Madoc's meaning clearly.
"I know, but I just wish..."
"I know," McGonagall said, gently placing her hand on her great nephew's shoulder. "I have a class to teach. I don't suppose I'll see you before I leave, so be good and perhaps I'll see you in Australia on Saturday."
"Yes, ma'am. You will, I promise you that."
Madoc beamed again and then went back to the Gryffindor table to finish his lunch. Professor McGonagall, meanwhile, continued on her way out of the Great Hall.
She had finally met Madoc's parents at the Fall Fair. Myron was a pleasant chap who looked like an older version of Madoc. Professor McGonagall hadn't seen her brother in years and couldn't say whether Myron resembled him, however. Madoc's mother Cate was very pretty. It turned out that Minerva had taught her once upon a time, though she didn't remember her, who was then known as Cate Adams.
Madoc also had a little brother named Malden. All though there was a resemblence between the two boys, Malden looked more like his mother than his dad. He was also a little shy around his great aunt.
It had been a pleasant gathering, and one a long time in the making.
Professor McGonagall snapped out of her memories and entered her classroom. Her sixth years were still learning about Human Transfiguration and were going to continue practicing transfiguring their own hands to have webbed fingers.
Talking to Fleur
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 11-12-10 11:42
Bill got up from the breakfast table, where he and Fleur had just eaten lunch, and went to the nearby mirror hanging in a niche on the wall to check his tie and make sure he didn't have any crumbs around his mouth.
"Are you sure you 'ave to leave so soon?" Fleur asked, from her position still at the table.
"As much as I would like to spend the rest of the afternoon with you and Victoire, I do have to get back to work," Bill reluctantly replied, turning to her after his appraisal of himself in the mirror.
"But you are ze boss, are you not?" Fleur asked with a teasing smile. "You can make up your own rules."
Bill grinned. "Just because I'm the boss doesn't mean I can work any less than everybody else." He crossed the short distance between them and kissed her on the forehead.
"I'll be back in time for supper," he murmured. He had already turned to go when Fleur called, "Bill?"
"What is it?" he asked, concerned that there was something wrong with the baby.
When he looked at her, she wasn't clutching her stomach though.
"What's the matter?" he asked, kneeling before her and taking her hands. She had a very pensive look on her pretty face.
"You aren't looking for 'er, are you?" she finally questioned.
Bill didn't have to ask her who the woman in question was. He'd told her about the woman in the Red Riding Hood costume he'd seen at the Halloween party they'd both attended. Bill had been so sure the woman had been Adriana, but when he'd gotten close enough to see her face, he'd discovered just how wrong he'd been.
"She's dead, Bill," Fleur said. "You 'ave to believe zat."
"I know, and I do," he said. "It's just..."
"I zink you only saw 'er because she's been on your mind lately," Fleur interrupted, "and, perhaps eet eez also, 'ow do you say? Wishful zinking?"
Bill looked taken aback. "I don't... It's not..."
"I know," Fleur said, squeezing his hands. "I wasn't implying anyzing. I just know zat you would rather 'er be alive than dead."
Bill couldn't deny it. Although he'd long gotten over Adriana, she had been an important part of his life and he did miss her sometimes.
He sighed deeply. "It's those damn notes. I wish I knew who was trying to mess with my mind."
There hadn't been any new ones in a while, but he strongly believed more would come.
Fleur kissed him. "I'm sorry to distract you. I should 'ave kept it to myself. Now you will be zinking about it all day."
Bill shook his head. "There's plenty to keep me occupied at the office." He gently let go of her hands and got to his feet.
"We can talk about this some more at dinner."
Fleur nodded. "Of course. Until tonight."
"Until tonight."
With that said, Bill picked up his briefcase where he'd set it on the floor upon coming home for lunch and left his Hogsmeade home for Gringotts Bank.
Arriving For The Sydney Trip
Author: Julian Valentine
Date: 11-12-10 11:59
A short time ago Julian had been in Hogsmeade, triple checking that he'd not missed packing something. While it's true he could just summon to him or conjure up anything he'd forgotten or even easily return to his flat above Twice Told Tales, or buy something new for that matter, that's the sort of annoyance Julian doesn't want to have to bother with. Before leaving the village to walk up to Hogwarts Julian had dropped by Blossom's to say goodbye to Grace. Her group had been in the middle of a reading lesson but Grace, as with everything else, seems far ahead of the learning curve so Julian felt not guilt at pulling her out of class, particularly when his visit would not be above ten minutes.
Grace had crosses her arms and quirked an eyebrow at Julian, her expression disgruntled. "I want to go, Dad."
"I know you do but as we've discussed you aren't coming until Saturday."
"How come you're going now but I have to wait?"
Julian had leveled a hard stare at his seven year old daughter. "What have your mother and I said to you about that petulant tone?"
Grace had immediately wilted. "I'm sorry, Daddy. I'm going to miss you very much."
Grace, every bit as capable of manipulating Julian as Charlotte is with Lysander, though often by different means, knew just the right thing to say to get Julian to soften his expression. He'd pulled her into a hug. "I'm going to miss you too, poppet, but it's only a few days and you get to come on Saturday."
"Charlotte and Uncle Lysander too?"
"That's up to Uncle Lysander. Caerwyn personally asked that they come. Astrid too if she likes. But if they don't wish to come, Mummy is going as are Gran and Gramps."
"Will you buy me something between now and then?"
"Maybe. Will you be good?"
Grace had rolled her eyes at the question. "Of course I will, Daddy."
"Then I suppose I could keep my eyes open for something to get you." With a sight seeing excursion scheduled, Julian won't have to make any special trip into a shopping area to buy her something from Austrlia but he knows he would have done just that if the sight seeing trip weren't planned.
After giving Grace kisses and hugs, Julian had seen her back to her class then had gone to the bakery to let Briar know he was off and to pick up something special Briar had made for the team to eat this afternoon with supper on the magical RV.
Upon arrival at Hogwarts, Julian had gone straight to the pitch. The RV was parked there, the door open. From time spent in the Muggle World, like when attending a Muggle university, Julian had seen various forms of recreational vehicles but it wasn't until one of the open weekends at Hogwarts that he'd seen inside one and as the interior of this one differs from that of a regular one, Julian still only has a vague idea of what the inside of a Muggle RV looks like. There's a rustling sound from within so Julian steps on the lowest step and looks inside, calling out, "Hello?"
Across the largish sitting area to kitchen, Theodosia Batitu suddenly pops up. "Hi, Mr. Valentine! Excited to get underway?"
"I am. What about you?"
"I'm full of nerves. I've been taking lessons from Aaron Miller on driving this thing but it's different when it's just he and I from an RV full of someone else's kids."
Julian chuckles, "I can understand that. Does this have that lurching, stop-start motion of the Knight Bus?"
"Thankfully, no," she laughs in return then motions Julian inside. "Let me show you where to stow your things, Mr. Valentine."
"There's no need for formality. Call me Julian."
"Only if you call me Theodosia, or even Dosie. That's what my brother and sister call me. The boys are going in here and there. The girls will be there and there."
Julian puts his small suitcase down in one the rooms where the guys will be sleeping then turns to ask, "Is there anything you need help with?"
"I was just going over the kitchen inventory. Other than that I think we're set. I've already got the practice equipment and spare brooms on board. Oh, know what you can do? Check and see if there are plenty of towels. There is a linen closet in each of the baths. I checked for things like toilet paper earlier but just realized I never looked to see if there are towels."
Julian nods, "Will do. What about bed linens?"
"I've looked but if you want to double check, that would be great."
Julian nods again then holds out the large box sent by Briar. "Sweets for afters this evening, Theodosia. Briar Rose sent them."
"Oooh. Sugar. I might need to sneak something right now."
"I won't tell if you pinch one now."
"It's very tempting. I just might. I'll make myself wait until after I'm done checking the kitchen."
Theodosia goes up the hallway to return to the kitchen. Julian locates the two linen closets he's to check then goes around making sure all the beds have sheets before joining Theodosia at a table in the kitchen where she's nibbling on a gingersnap. As he sits she tells him, "The team should start showing up any time now. They're to report here no later than 3:30. I think they would have been here at dawn had we let them."
Reaching for one of the gingersnaps, just one type of the large variety of sweets Briar sent, Julian replies, "I know I would have if we'd done anything like this when I was a student here."