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The Next Level
Author: Lysander Stratford
Date: 11-22-10 18:02
"What's the matter?"
Lysander turned away from the window he'd been staring out of and looked at Astrid, who had just emerged from the stacks with a pile of books in her arms. She crossed over to the counter and set down her load before turning back to Lysander.
"Nothing's the matter," he replied. He headed for the counter and looked at the books she had pulled from the shelves.
"Lysander, I can tell you have something on your mind. You always get that look on your face, the one you're wearing right now. It's like you're extremely worried or nervous about something. You keep that up, you'll likely give yourself a heart attack."
Lysander opened his mouth to deny it as he sifted through her books but changed his mind, knowing that Astrid would call him on it. By now, she knew him well enough to read his facial expressions.
"If it's about Aralyn," Astrid started, but Lysander cut her off with a shake of his head.
"It's not about Aralyn," he replied. "It may have been in the beginning, but I think she bought our lies and will leave us alone."
"Then what is it?" Astrid asked, growing concerned herself.
Lysander sighed and glanced around the shop. It was empty, but for the two of them. Finally, he looked at her again and said, "I've been thinking about us."
"Oh?"
"It's just that we've been together for a while now, and I want to take things to the next level. But," he went on, heaving another deep sigh, "I can't help but feel like I'm betraying Chyler. I won't lie to you and say that I never think about her. The truth is, I think about her all the time and probably always will. That said, I'm also always thinking about you."
Astrid put her hand on his, where it rested on top of her stack of books. "Lysander, I know that Chyler will probably always be first in your heart. She was the love of your life and your soulmate. I know that the reason you were attracted to me in the first place was because I look so much like her, but I also know that since you've gotten to know me, you like me for me. I'm not making that up, am I?"
"No, you're not, and you're right. I wanted you because you look so much like her, but you're not exactly like her. And you don't have to be. I like you just the way you are."
Astrid smiled. "That's good to know."
Lysander turned his hand over underneath hers and gave hers a gentle squeeze. "What I've been thinking about is asking if you would like to move in with me. So, would you?"
Astrid grinned. "Thought you'd never ask."
Banged Up Knee (Caerwyn)
Author: Julian Valentine
Date: 11-22-10 18:21
Just before reaching the Great Hall from Transfiguration Caerwyn bangs his left knee when, not really paying attention to where he was going, he hit it on part of the staircase banister. He limps into the Great Hall, thinking more about how he hadn't eaten his fill at breakfast so that now he's starving. Gus, who'd stopped at the loo and hadn't been there when Caerwyn hit his knee, comes skidding up behind him.
"Why're you limping? Thought you were all healed up?"
Sliding into a seat Caerwyn unconsciously rubs his knee. "Am healed up. Just hit it coming down the stairs."
"I know it's wrong of me but I still wish I'd been there to see it."
"You would have rather not been playing against Sydney's School of Wizardry just so you could have been on the ground to see me take a pratfall?"
"Since I did play in the match it's easy for me to say that yep, I would have loved to see the accident. See, I'm still not clear on how you managed it."
"I'm not sure how I managed it so forgive me for not painting a clearer picture," Caerwyn says with a grin. He rubs his knee again, the same knee that just over a week ago ended up being the reason he never played in the Hogwarts-Sydney's match. Caerwyn might not have gone in anyway but until he injured his knee there's been a possiblity of it.
Like others on the team not currently in the match, Caerwyn had been watching from the sidelines. At one point after Gus had gone into the match, Caerwyn had for some reason picked up his bat and was absent mindedly tapping it against his leg as he followed the action in the air. One second he was shifting to get a better view and the next he was face down on the ground, pain exploding from his left knee. When he'd fallen, his knee had twisted badly and then on top of that he'd caught the edge of the bat with the force of his leg, somehow resulting in a gash down his shin.
His leg was healed for the most part by the end of Saturday though he does have a slight scar on his shin. His knee was tender for a few days, especially if he'd been on his feet for awhile but he's not noticed even a slight twinge for several days now.
Ladeling sort some of stew with chicken and white beans into a bowl, Caerwyn rubs at his knee again then asks Gus, "Pass that plate of rolls, please."
Hallway Games
Author: Lilac Middleton
Date: 11-23-10 16:36
“What ya got?” I asked Cee as we walked from the Great Hall to the dormitory. Checking my the notebook I kept for the lists of all my homework assignments. Of course the notebook also had tones of doodles. Doodles, were my way of getting through classes when they got boring. Sure, the professors took the doodle book away sometimes. But I always had another one prepared. My trunk was an endless supply of doodle books.
“Everything you got, silly, we’re in the same classes.” Came the answer.
“I know, I forgot, wasn’t it swell of them to give us the same classes, again.”
“Swell?” I shrugged. Swell was a word in the English vocabulary.
“Sure, it’s swell.” Cee said.
“Cecila.” I said rolling my eyes. My cousin cringed when I called her by her real name. She hated her real name. Which was why I called her it. I always used Cee’s real name to annoy her.
“Lil, if you call me Cecila one more time…”
“Well, that’s your name isnt it?”
“Just like you’re name is Lilac. Lilac, Lilac…”
“Okay, okay, okay I get the point! Ya don’t have to remind me…”
“Lilac, wait up!” I heard a familiar voice say and cringed myself. I turned around and sure enough Nathaniel Ross was running up towards us in long strides trying to catch me. I had managed to avoid him since the whole Happy Haven thing. Of which I tried not to think about. Nate just… Was a Pureblood. They were the whole cause of that.
“Come on, Cee.” I said grabbing my cousin’s hand.
“Lil, I don’t know why you won’t talk to him, it’s not his fault we…”
“How do we know he wasn’t---“
“Because Nate, likes you.”
“That doesn’t mean anything.”
“Lil, I was there too you know.”
“I know. Can we please talk about something else? Like….”
“Lil, come on, wait up, I just wanna talk to you.” Came Nate’s voice from some place behind us, I dashed around a corner, and behind a curtain.
“I think you’re being ridicules over this whole thing.”
“Cee, can it!” Cee made a zipping motion with her hands over lips and peered around the curtain.
“He’s gone.”
“Whew, that was close.” I said crawling out from behind the curtain.
“Lil. I know you better than that.” Nate said, suddenly standing in front of me. I glared at me. Grabbed my cousin’s hand and started to head back up towards the common room where I knew he couldn’t follow because he didn’t have the password.
End of the Day
Author: Jolyon
Date: 11-23-10 19:01
During the last hour and a half, Jolyon had lectured to his sixth years about the yeti, a dangerous creature native to Tibet. Because yetis were prone to eat anything or anyone they encountered, Jolyon could only provide his students with images of the creature, with the fair majority being drawings as opposed to photographs.
As 5 o'clock approached, Jolyon waved his wand at the blackboard in the corner. His students' homework assignment appeared there in Jolyon's own handwriting.
Due Monday, November 29: Write an essay on the International Task Force in Tibet. No length requirement. Assignment will be marked based on quality of work.
"If you have any questions about the assignment or anything we discussed today, you may see me after class or in office hours throughout the week," Jolyon announced.
As he expected, no one stayed behind to ask questions. It was the end of a very long day for all of the NEWT-level students. Jolyon couldn't blame them for packing up their things, pulling on their warm cloaks, and heading off into the night for the castle.
Ordinarily, he wouldn't be long in wrapping things up in the barn (including feeding the animals and cleaning out the stalls as needed) before heading up to the castle himself. Today, he had other plans, though. Sarina had asked him to meet her at The Three Broomsticks for a drink and some supper.
Jolyon quickly tidied the barn and saw to the creatures nestled warmly in their stalls before putting on his coat and heading off into the dark, cold night.
Sarina was already waiting at the pub when Jolyon arrived. She sat at the bar with both hands wrapped around steaming mug. At Jolyon's arrival, she got up and gave him a quick kiss.
Looking around, Jolyon saw that the place was rather crowded. Seems a lot of people had gotten the idea to visit The Three Broomsticks tonight.
Sarina led him to an empty table halfway between the bar and the back of the room and said, "You arrived sooner than I thought you might."
"Really? Sometimes when I'm working on something, time seems to fly by quicker than I realize."
"Did you get everything done?"
"I think so. The animals are fed and have plenty of water, or other liquids, depending on what creature we're talking about. Speaking of, what's that you've got?"
"Hot cider. It's quite good."
"I think I'll have one of those, then," Jolyon said, looking up to flag Madam Rosmerta or someone else, but no one was nearby at the moment.
"You would think there's a Quidditch match on the WWN tonight," Sarina said, looking around at the crowd of people. "How was it on Saturday anyway?"
"Loads of fun," Jolyon replied, turning to her with a big grin. "Hogwarts won, of course."
"That's great! Oh, there she is," Sarina said, waving at Madam Rosmerta, who had just passed with several empty butterbeer mugs in her hands. "Can we have another hot cider?"
"Of course. Be right out in a minute, luv."
"The kids all seemed to enjoy it," Jolyon went on, "and why wouldn't they? They got to visit another school and attend a very special Quidditch match. Everyone's looking forward to the next one."
"Where will that be?"
"Brazil, on December 4th."
"You know, I don't remember visiting different schools of magic when I went to Hogwarts. I don't remember very many special events, come to think about it."
"Me either," Jolyon replied. "But doesn't every generation say the next one has it better?" He grinned.
Sarina smiled. "Maybe so."
Madam Rosmerta arrived with Jolyon's cider and then asked if the couple wanted anything to eat. They both ordered fish and chips.
"So," Sarina asked after a while, "is your dad still asking about the money you inherited from Mr. Abbott?"
"Other than that one time, he hasn't. But then I haven't seen him either." Jolyon shrugged. "Knowing him, it will come up again. The man is nothing but greedy."
Just thinking about his dad darkened Jolyon's mood. He may have avoided speaking to Emanuel for this long, but at some point Jolyon would have to see him again. So far, it had only been luck that he'd missed his father each time he'd visited his mum.
And as if the fates had heard his thoughts, the door to The Three Broomsticks opened, and in came none other than Emanuel Kent.
Making Up (Cat)
Author: Fionna
Date: 11-23-10 19:15
A shadow falls across Catriona's Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook, darkening the pages just enough that she's forced to squint to read the text. She waves her hand without looking up. "You're blocking my light."
When the shadow doesn't move she says with a trace of irritation, her hand flapping more vigorously, "That meant move. Please."
After a pause she looks up, sarcasm in her tone. "Are you deaf or an i... Oh. It's you."
Christopher Chant stands there, arms folded, looking down at Cat, his face set with resolve. "You can't keep avoiding me."
"If you won't move, then I will."
Cat snaps the DADA text book shut while simultaneously reaching for her bookbag. Christopher puts his hand out, palm up, in a stop gesture. "What did I do that was so awful it ruined a great friendship?" He doesn't come across as confrontational, just very wounded.
Cat stands, hefting the bookbag to her shoulder then shoving the textbook into it. "Nothing," she curtly says, making a move to step around him.
Christopher lightly grabs her arm. "Cat. Please."
She sighs then looks up to meet his eyes. "Seriously, you didn't do anything. It's me."
He knits his brow. "I don't understand."
"It's stupid and I'm embarrassed, okay?"
"Embarrassed about what?"
Cat rolls her eyes, drops the bookbag with a thud, then crosses her arms in a subconscious defensive gesture. "Tell me," he urges encouragingly.
"Fine. Might as well," Cat says flatly. "When I told you what Mum and Leslie wanted I was hoping you'd say sod it, we should keep on as we have. When you didn't, it made me a little angry and then that made me embarrassed because you were just being polite and trying not to put me in a bad spot with Mum and because it's not as though we're officially girlfriend-boyfriend or anything. I didn't know how to tell you and apoligize for going off in a snit without getting embarrassed even more. There. Happy now?"
Christopher had dropped his hand from Cat's arm but now he raises it again, this time to push back the bangs that have fallen across her forehead. "I did want to say sod it but yeah, it's your mum and I didn't want you getting into trouble with her because of me. I want us to be a couple and think I have since we met that day on the train. I miss you, Cat. Miss your friendship. We don't have to be a couple if your mum doesn't want us to but please be my friend again."
Cat's heart suddenly feels as though it's racing. For a long moment she doesn't say anything, just stands looking up at him. Finally she quietly says, "I miss you too." Then, her cheeks flaring hot, she says even more quietly, "We've got an audience."
Christopher glances around to see several others in the common room staring intently at them. He grins cheekily at them and gives a little wave. "Encore at 11. Pass the word."
Cat finds herself grinning too as Christopher says, "I'm going down for supper. Want to come with?"
Cat's reply is to take his hand, really happy again for the first time since the Fall Fair.
Sooner or Later
Author: Nathaniel Ross
Date: 11-24-10 09:18
After Arithmancy & Divination, Nate went to the Great Hall for lunch. Since none of his Hufflepuff colleagues was around, he went downstairs alone, wondering what he was going to do with his afternoon since he had no more classes today.
He sat at the Hufflepuff table, serving himself with some beef and potatoes. He ended up eating his meal fast since had no one to talk with.
As he walked away from the Great Hall, Nate glanced at the Ravenclaw table. This gesture had become a habit since Lilac was sent to that community named Happy Haven. In the year she was gone, Nate would look everyday to that table, just in case she would be there.
When Lilac returned to Hogwarts he had noticed not only she came back too skinny but there was also this constant fear in her beautiful eyes. The first time Nate approached her, happy to see his friend again, he was surprised because she was hostile towards him and she seemed somehow distant.
At first, hurt because Lilac didn’t seem at all interested on talking to him, Nate had ignored her. But as time passed he got sick of living at the same castle as her and not speak to her. He wanted to know what was going on with Lilac. They had been close friends when they were younger. They used to be inseparable. With the time Nate had developed a crush towards Lilac and he did nothing to hide it. He remembered when her cousin Celia started to inquire him about that and she didn’t seem eager to tell him what were Lilac’s feelings for him.
Having a chat with Lilac was getting more and more an impossible task. Every time she spotted him, she would run away, disappearing, not eager to give him any satisfactions of what was going on. Yesterday for example, as soon as she heard him call, she ran away, dragging her cousin with her. Nate wished they still had the same classes because it would be easy to corner her. But with different schedules and houses they were always in different parts of the school.
Nate then realized what he was going to do this afternoon: he was going to try and track down Lilac. Homework would be done later, that night in the Hufflepuff common room.
A couple of hours later, when he was about to give up he spotted her. She was walking down the stairs, with a bunch of book in her hands.
“Lilac!” He called going after her. Without any surprises she started to run away from him. “Please Lilac, this can’t go on. Why don’t you talk to me? Just give me a good legitimate reason and I’ll stop chasing you.” he tried. But she kept running down the stairs.
Nate followed her and was about to reach her when the steps started to change. He cursed them as Lilac managed to hop down to the safety of the floor. Nate let himself be moved away along with the stairs. It was like the castle himself didn’t want him to speak to her.
“I’m not going to give up until you talk to me Lilac.” He yelled as she walked away. Some students looked to Nate as if he was mental but he didn’t care. Disappointed for having lost her again, he sighed and he went to the basement, to the common room, so he could do his homework. Maybe he would be lucky and see her at dinner time…Sooner or later this cat and mouse game would have to end.