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Thank Goodness for Heating Charms
Author: Lawrence Masterson
Date: 12-13-10 16:45
Lawrence was currently in the Greenhouse waiting for his first class of the day, his fifth year Ravenclaw and Slytherin. At the moment he was quite thankful for the heating charm within the expanse of the greenhouses. It means that they would be comfortably warm through today's class. It would be in the next day or so, that he would contemplate moving courses into the castle if it got too much colder.
As his students began rapidly filing into the greenhouse, and settling at their desks, he shifted at his desk and pondered calling class off, but they had too much to cover this week and pretty much the rest of the month. He did have a few wonderful things planned for his class this month, especially on the week of Christmas.
Once everyone was settled, he did a quick tally of attendance and then began. "Alright, this week, as you can see by your syllabus, we will be studying berries, as well as special items focused on Christmas and Yuletide traditions. Now, who can start by listing a few common known berries?"
Several dozen hands rose instantly. "Thalia?"
"Boysenberry, elderberry, and strawebrry." She said, and it made a few individuals begin searching for different berries to replace strawberries in their list.
"Very good Thalia. Anyone else have a couple of ideas? Carlotta?"
"Cloudberry, gooseberry, and blackberries." She beamed lightly.
"Again, very nicely done. Now, this week, we are going to be discussing blackberry, gooseberry, blueberry, raspberry, and strawberry." He said, shifting to lean against the desk.
"Who can tell me something about any of the berries that I just listed from the reading you've done already this week?" He asked, plucking a rather ripe blackberry from the pot at his desk.
A few hands shot up, and Lawrence smiled. "Alright, Christopher Tweed, what do you know about one of those berries?"
"Raspberries are tightly compact, red false berries and are usually found during the seasons of summer or autumn." He said, and pondered a moment or two more before he decided he had nothing else to add.
"Very good, now, who else?"
"Gooseberries are small and either round, oblong, or tearshaped berries. They come in a variety of colors like red, green and purple." Came the answer from Jenny Gabble.
They spent the remainder of the course collecting samples and making notes for the beginning of their homework assignments. When the bell rang, everyone bundled up and quickly made their way out of the greenhouses and toward the warmth of the castle. Lawrence took a few moments to clean up between this class and get ready for the next class, that would be comprised of his sixth year NEWT level students.
Things were repositioned for his slightly smaller class that would be entering, and soon started entering the warmth of the greenhouse. "Good morning! I know you are all anxious to once more be back in the warmth of the Castle and lunch so, hopefully we will get through this quickly, and you will have a few extra minutes to spare between now and lunch."
With that Lawrence, after a quick check of attendance got right down to his lecture on berries and their properties, and soon enough set each student up with a partner and they worked on sketching and collecting samples of each berry. Soon enough, they were out with about fifteen minutes to spare before the top of the noon hour.
Once the greenhouse was empty, Lawrewnce set up for his last class after lunch before heading into the castle himself for a quick bite for lunch. Ariella should be back from her shift at Briar's and would have time for lunch before she went to St. Emry's for her finals for the evening as her term ended tomorrow.
Lawrence was also planning a few things for their wedding anniversary which would be coming up soon, and he himself, also had a birthday coming up, and there were Christmas presents to buy. He wasn't actively participating in the Secret Santa being run this year, but he did have a few people that he was going to purchase gifts for- he would probably do that in the next few days - especially since he and Ariella would be going to Brazil to watch the second IQT match.
Best School Year Ever
Author: Adina Blackwood
Date: 12-13-10 17:47
Today had been kinda full, they'd gotten to Brazil shortly after they'd left Hogwarts, the trip wasn't anywhere near as long as the trip to Australia. She had packed after her last course Wednesday. So, Thursday had consisted of at first an early morning run for herself, wanting to fly a bit before breakfast. This also allowed her to get somewhat familiar with the pitch incase she ended up going in at some point during the match - she wasn't in the starting line up for Saturday, but if the game in Australia was any indication, anything could happen.
She joined everyone at breakfast. There was talk about what the rest of the day would consist of. They would be on the pitch as a team from 1pm to 5pm and then would be eating with the school once more, just like lunch. The really busy day wouldn't be until tomorrow when they would be going on a jungle cruise and tour of the jungle. Then Saturday was the ultimate, the match between Hogwarts and Escola Mágica de Brasil that would be consuming most of everyone else's time.
She was also, at the moment, contemplating ideas for her Secret Santa. What do you get for your teachers? Well, she was bound to find something for him in Brazil, or maybe she'd mail her Dad and see if he can get something sent back from Greece. She also wanted to get something for Professor Black's two adorable children. She'd have to owl her mum as well, and see if she had any ideas.
Her mind was yanked back from the thoughts of Secret Santa gifts as Charisma Stone and Blake Halloway nudged her. "The tour is starting, and then we have the meet and greet."
"Right, thanks. Sorry, was lost in thought for a moment or two, thinking about what I am going to get for my Secret Santa." The three talked about gift ideas as they met up with the remainder of the team for the tour of the school.
Second Country This Year (Charisma & Blake)
Author: Charisma Stone
Date: 12-13-10 18:02
Isma and Blake had rushed to the tower after supper on Wednesday and finished packing what they'd needed for the trip to Brazil. They said good bye to Eric who would be coming with the other Hogwarts students and staff on Saturday before the match via either port key or floo. They had the next two days off of classes because they would be out of the country and soon competing in the match on Saturday - which would hopefully be as fantastic as the match against Sydney.
They'd met as usual at the magical RV and once a roll call had been taken of the twenty-eight quidditch players that had made the Hogwarts team this year, they all piled into the expanse of the RV and were soon heading to Brazil just after 8pm.
Their first morning in Brazil most relaxed, but Isma had seen a couple of people heading to the pitch for an early morning run. After breakfast they would be going on a tour of the school and having a meet and greet type thing with the team from the Brazillian school.
During the tour Blake and Isma talked with Adina about the Secret Santa gift-exchange thingie that was going on with the Hogwarts Students and Staff. Blake had gotten someone easy, and he already had several ideas about what to get the individual, Adina was stressing over what to get for one of her Professers, while Isma's biggest issue was the fact that she didn't know WHO her Secret Santa was.
However, any other thougths of Secret Santa was struck from her mind as they entered the area where they would be having the meet and greet with the Brazilian team. She hoped that they would have some time to pick up souviners, maybe she'd grab something for her secret santa, she had to get something for Charlie. Blake nudged her.
"Get your head out of the clouds woman...seriously. We are about to meet the team and coaches.." Blake whispered in her ear and she quickly shoved the thoughts away.
Berry-Mania with 7th Year NEWT Students
Author: Lawrence Masterson
Date: 12-14-10 13:09
After lunch and some time spent with Ariella before she headed to St. Emry's for her examinations Lawrence headed out to the Greenhouses through the snow and cold. Thankful again for the heating charms that kept the interior warm, and made classes comfortable. He needed to set up for his seventh years, he already knew and had excused one student from this class. It was his fifth year classes that had the most students absent because of the Quidditch trip to Brazil. Total of eight fifth years were absent between both of his classes with only three in his sixth year, and then only one in his seventh year course.
He flicked his gaze up to the clock and smiled, it was almost two and that meant that the students would be rapidly filing into the warmth of the greenhouse to begin their lesson. Sure enough, as expected, within moments the greenhouse was filled with the chatter of arrivals, everyone talking for the most part about the Quidditch match and the trip to Brazil this weekend. All were looking forward to it, and were attempting to be on their best behavior so that they could go in the various groups that were leaving via port key or floo for the match.
"Alright. Everyone, settle down and we are going to get started." He said, alerting them to the fact that he was indeed ready to begin their lecture for the day. "Alright, so by now you should have been mostly through the chapter on berries. Can someone name a couple of berries that you read about in the text?"
A couple of hands went up and Lawrence waited before he called on someone. "Stephen."
"Blackberries, boysenberries, and cranberries." He said, and Lawerence nodded. "Anyone eles?"
"Blueberries, strawberries, and gooseberry." Came the next little list from Gervaise Taylor.
"Very good. We are going to start this lecture with blueberries, blackberries, gooseberries, raspberries and strawberries." Lawrence said, and made a few notations on his rollbook.
"Blackberries and raspberries have something in common, they are more often than not called caneberries or brambles." He said, and motioned the image of blackberry bushes that he'd posted on the blackboard. "Now, can anyone tell me what season that the blackberry bushes often get their flowers?"
"Victoria?" He asked, raising a brow as he looked at the seventh year Slytherin.
She blinked and looked up from her book and pondered a moment. "Umm...Winter?" She said, but did not sound so sure of her answer because it was clear that she'd gotten caught not paying attention.
"No, can anyone tell Miss Visconti the correct answer to my question?" Lawerence asked, as he moved forward. "May I have the note that was passed to you from Miss Fox?" Lawrence held his hand out fo the note and reluctantly the note was handed over.
"That is five points from Slytherin from each of you, and a detention this afternoon." Lawrence said before allowing Zabrynna Ravensdale to answer the question correctly.
"Late spring and early summer is when the bushes gain their flowers and then shortly after that the drupelets or the berries themselves form."
"Very nicely done, that is five points to Ravenclaw." After the remainder of the lecture was completed, and the homework assignment was given, Lawerence spoke again.
"Now, I am going to put you all into pairs and you will begin gathering samples from each of the bushes that I have within the greenhouse. One group will have three individuals in it because of Greit being gone with the quidditch team."
He listed off the groups that would be working together:
Artemis Fitzgerald & Gervaise Taylor
Frederick Hamilton & Oberon Smith
Erebus Mars & Victoria Visconti & Cordelia Quincy
Anne Hendrick & James Lennox
Duncan Day & Philippa Fox
Orion Patterson & Alaric Beauchamp
Stephen Hunt & Zabryanna Ravensdale
The class was then dismissed at three thirty when the bell sounded.
Final Examinations - Another Term Over
Author: Oreileah McCoi
Date: 12-15-10 14:17
Orei and Jim both had finals today, Orei had taken the entire week of work at the Ministry because of finals. She was starting back tomorrow for an early morning weekend shift at the Ministry - and she was dreading the amount of paperwork that would be waiting on her desk when she got there. Jim had taken most of the week off as well, because this was his first term at St. Emry's and he wanted to do well (not that he actually stood a chance of failing).
Currently Orei was sitting at a table in Orange, waiting for Jim to get there after his Introduction to Healing examination, looking through her Advanced Charms notes. She had that exam in an hour or so, and after that she had an exam in Arithmancy II, and finished off the term with an examination in Advanced Ancient Runes.
"Hey. Ready for your Advanced Charms exam?" Jim said as he sat across from her and put his bag on the table.
"Yeah, it is not the one that is giving me fits at the moment. I'm fighting over my Advanced Ancient Runes exam. I've never had a linguistics course give me this much freaking trouble." She said, sliding a hand through her hair and closed the charms book. "What about you? What do you have left for the day?"
"I've got Homeostasis and that's it. I'll be home by four thirty, and I will have dinner on the table by the time you get out of Ancient Runes and head home." He said and made to get up. "Want something?"
She nodded. "Please. A pepper-up potion couldn't hurt either." She pulled out her Ancient Runes book, while he was gone and then she flipped through the pages that were covered on the exam. She reworked the translations, double checked them in the back and cursed lightly.
"Alright, put this away, now. Eat something, and relax. You will do fine." Jim said as he plucked the book from her and closed it. In its place in front of her, he put a tuna sandwich and crisps, there was also a lemonade as well. "Now, I am thinking curry for dinner for a celebration that we have finished the term."
"Curry sounds fantastic! I am looking forward to that." She said, smiling and set herself into munching on the lunch that he had gathered. They spent an hour or so in Orange before they both headed out to their respective examinations.
Orei went through the rest of her examinations and soon enough, once Advanced Ancient Runes was over, she flooed home to a house full of the aroma of delicious Indian food. Curry to be exact.
Brazil
Author: Illyria
Date: 12-15-10 18:26
The Escola Mágica de Brasil's equivalent of the Great Hall at Hogwarts was accessed through what appeared to be a small hut with a thatched roof. The interior, however, was spacious with long tables reminiscent of those at Hogwarts.
It was the British congregation's second full day in Brazil. This time, Illyria was a part of the Quidditch team's chaperoning staff, which also included one parent, the father of Etta Wynbourne. The visitors were currently at breakfast with the host school.
Illyria sat among the Brazilian staff, to the right of the Astronomy professor, Fortunata Irédio. She was absolutely starving. At home, it would be somewhere around lunchtime. She'd woken up rather early and waited and waited and waited for breakfast time to finally arrive.
The food, as it had been so far, was delicious and consisted of a mix of regular breakfasty foods as well as traditional Brazilian dishes. Illyria didn't want to stuff herself too much, though, since she anticipated that lunch would be amazing too.
Between now and then, however, the Quidditch team would have a few hours on the Pitch to practice for tomorrow's match. Illyria planned on watching practice, even though Professor Irédio had invited her to see the different venues used for her Astronomy classes. Perhaps later, Illyria would take Fortunata up on her offer.
She looked most forward to what would happen after practice, when everyone would go on a jungle cruise. Illyria had never been on a jungle cruise before, much less a regular cruise. She felt almost like one of the students, giddy about being somewhere new and exciting.
Getting away for an extended weekend, even if it was for work (not that it felt like work at all), also helped Illyria put some distance between herself and Roland. They had talked a few times since she'd met him at The Hog's Head. Talking to him came easy, but she did worry that Roland would slip into his bad habits again and drag her down with him. Perhaps it was wrong to think so, especially when he'd never had any sort of problems when they'd dated all those years ago. Illyria couldn't help it, though. He'd very nearly killed her, indirectly anyway, and she would never forget that.
Time at breakfast went quickly, and before long it was time for the Hogwarts Quidditch team to make use of the Brazilian Quidditch field. Illyria finished off the last few bites of her bread and jam and drained her coffee cup before excusing herself from Professor Irédio's company and joining the others outside at the Pitch.
Story Time at Lunch
Author: Desdemona Diamond
Date: 12-15-10 18:37
I walked out of the MoM, and headed down the street. I had managed to get the afternoon off. Since I never ask for time off, it wasn’t hard to get it. I had a few things to do before tomorrow, and catching my friend was one of them.
I paused, I would never catch Bron if I were to just walk to the WWN building. I had to move faster. A quick pop later and I was outside the building on the sidewalk. Taking a quick look around, I spotted a woman with perfectly done hair walking away wearing my coat.
I hurried up to her and came into step a few feet behind her.
“Hey, what are you doin?” I said making sure I was loud enough for Bronwyn to hear me. She turned around and smiled.
“Hey, what are you doing here?” She asked.
“I took the afternoon off, so, I thought we could get lunch… or something…”
“Are you ok?” Bron asked, “Something wrong?”
“Just wasn’t sure if you had plans already,” I lied, “You know, with Toby, or something.” I started to realize, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to talk to her yet. Maybe I was being stupid and over thinking the whole barn and young me thing.
“No, I didn’t have any plans. What’s up?”
“I noticed you’ve managed to borrow the coat Xavier got me. Maybe we could swing by the mall and find one for you.” I said to her. I wouldn’t have to talk to her if she was distracted by a good clothing rack. I could always hope that there was a great sale too…
“Hrmm..” Bron thought as she looked down at the coat, “That sounds like a good idea.” She cheerfully replied. Than followed up with, “But, I’m hungry and I think we should eat first.”
Any further attempts I made to distract her didn’t work. I think she was on to me, knew something was up, even if I didn’t say anything. Leave it to my newest sister to know me better then my twin. We managed to find a nice cozy place that was mostly empty since the lunch crowed had left.
I managed to duck any serious conversation when we were seated by commenting on the place. She knew something was up now, I could see it. However, she played along until the waiter took our order. She sprung the moment he was far enough away.
“What is wrong with you?” she practically whispered leaning over the table, “You’re acting super weird. Even for you.”
“I’m fine… ish…” I sighed, “I’ve just… not sure what’s going on.”
“What?”
“You know those vision things I get?”
“Yeah…” She paused for a moment,” OHMYGOD! Did you see someone get killed? Was it me? Toby? My parents? Your parents?” I tapped her leg with my boot to stop her. I might have kicked a little hard since she jumped.
“No, nothing like that. I didn’t see anyone die,” I told her, “I didn’t see anyone getting hurt either.”
“Then, what?” She asked, now rubbing her leg, “And that hurt.”
“It’s a long story.”
“I got all day.” Thankfully just after she said it our food arrived so I didn’t have to answer her right away. However, once the waiter was gone again, she pressed.
“Ok, I had one a few days ago, or something like that. It was different from the others. It played more like a dream.” Bron just blinked in silence as she ate. “Anyways, I was in a cold open field with lots of snow during a blizzard. And I saw this person.
“So, I chased them to a barn. And I find them in there all huddled up. And I can tell it’s this 8-year-old girl. And she talks to me, like she knows she’s not real.”
“And that’s… scary?” Bronwyn asked.
“That’s weird, but not the scary part. It’s what she said… She said that she had been picked on by other kids. They called her names and tore up her clothes… She fought back.
“The worst part was they had grabbed paint from the art supplies, and dumped as much of it as they could in her hair.”
“Why would kids do something like that?” Bron asked
“They had mistaken her for her sister. Her sister was a bully and had picked on all the other kids. The other kids were trying to get even.”
“How could they…” Bron started to ask, but trailed off.
“Twin sisters. Identical twins,” I paused a moment, Bron not saying anything, “She didn’t tell me the whole story though, just reminded me of it.”
Lunch Meeting
Author: Harry Potter
Date: 12-15-10 19:13
Not thirty seconds after Harry's slid into a booth and opened the menu Griffin Price walks in with Tristan in tow. Griff spots Harry, says something to the hostess as he gestures towards Harry, then starts this way. Harry half rises in greeting. "Hi, Tristan. How are you today?"
"I fell down," the four year old gravely states. "It hurted."
"I bet it did! But you're all right now?"
Griff is lifting Tristan onto a booster seat the hostess has brought over. As Tristan nods at Harry, Griff says, "He cracked his shin pretty hard, ripping his pants in the process. He was at Blossom's and they contacted me as a matter of form." Griff, who's taken his own seat by now, leans forward and lowers his voice slightly, "You know, when they think a healer is needed or if they administer a potion or something. I took him to get checked." Picking up his menu and speaking more normally he asks, "How'd you find this place?"
"My cousin. Dudley. He likes the American cuisine here, particularly the chili cheese chips, or fries as they're called on the menu. He also loves that they do an all day breakfast."
"Oooh, Tristan, they have waffles."
"Waffles for me?" Tristan asks with great interest, looking up from the colorable child's menu he was given to draw on.
"Yep, if you want. Do you want me to tell you what else there is to choose from?"
"No, Dad. Waffles."
Harry grins at the exchange musing aloud, "Waffles do sound good but I'm not sure yet. All I know is I'm starving. Who knew spending the morning knee deep in old files would work up such an appetite?"
"Making any progress?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact, from the list of aliases for Rufus Henshaw that Perry Heath gave us. I found one of them mentioned and followed a trail."
"Which alias?"
"Kyle Fraser. Get this, the same Kyle Fraser is listed on the payroll of the Department for," aware of the Muggle surroundings, Harry drops his voice a notch, "Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures."
"Either of you ready to order yet?" the waitress asks, approaching the table.
Harry ends up going with the American classic of ribs while Griff orders the Southern fried chicken and the waffles for Tristan. They also go with an order of the chili cheese fries to split between them. For drinks they order milk for Tristan and coals for themselves.
Griff picks up where Harry left off. "So we either have Rufus Henshaw holding a legitimate job under his alias or he's got someone of that name working there."
"Those are the two logical conclusions. I've put in a request for a current listing of all Ministry employees."
"Looking for other names from the aliases Perry gave us."
"Yep. Still digging in old files too."
"Until I was called to Blossom's, I was going through real estate records as we discussed. So far I've found two property holdings on record, with one unplottable but the other not."
"At least we can visit the one though."
"Yeah, though if Henshaw's not bothering to hide the location, I'm not expecting much. Still, we have to look."
"Want to go scope it out after we're done here?"
"Works for me. I'm tried of being holed up with stacks of papers."
"Waffles, Dad?" Tristan asks without looking up from the art he's creating.
"They'll be here soon. After we eat, do you want to go back to Blossom's or go home? Great granddad should be home by then."
"Blossom's. Wibrary storwy day."
"Oh, that's right. I forgot about that."
Harry says, "So we eat, get Tristan back in time for the library story, and go check out that property."
"Unless you're just wanting to dive back into files." Griff half grins.
"I think I can be patient about that until after we've scouted the property, though it will be difficult."
Griff changes the topic by asking, "Did you speak with Ginny after her match last night?"
"I tried but she was still way too angry with me to do more than scowl at me. I'm going to go by this evening and see if she'll do more than slam the door in my face."
"Good luck with that."
"I need all the luck I can get on that front. Look, Tristan, here come your waffles."
All conversation stops for a moment and when it resumes they end up talking more about Christmas than they do about work or Harry's trying to get back into Ginny's good graces.
That Vision Thing
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 12-16-10 18:23
Bronwyn and Desi rode up the escalator at London's Westfield Shopping Centre from the ground floor to the first floor, where a number of restaurants were located in an area known as "The Balcony". After a rather serious lunch, in which Bronwyn had probed Desi on the vision she'd had, Desi had reminded Bron that a shopping trip was on the table. Since Bronwyn could never resist a trip to the mall, especially when Desi offered up her credit cards, she'd let the more serious conversation drop for the time being.
It was easy to forget about everything but shopping when Bronwyn was in a mall. With stores like Dior, Jimmy Choo and Prada, how could she concentrate on anything else? But after hours of spending Desi's money and burning off what she'd eaten at lunchtime, Bronwyn was hungry again.
"Let's see... what are we in the mood for..." Bronwyn mused, as she looked around the food court. "Ooh, Pho!"
She led an increasingly reluctant Desi to the counter to get a better look at the overhead menu. A few minutes later, they were both sitting at a table waiting for their soup dishes to arrive. At their feet were many shopping bags, and all of them Bronwyn's.
"Isn't Toby going to wonder where you are?" Desi asked, in an attempt to get Bronwyn to keep the conversation strictly off of her vision.
"Nah. Anyway, I can go home after we eat." She reached for a packet of chopsticks and opened it. As she removed the conjoined sticks from the wrapping and broke them apart, she quietly said, "I still wonder what it all means. Don't you usually have visions of the future? I don't understand why you would have one of the past."
"Well, it wasn't really the past," Desi mumbled. "We already discussed this at lunch," she reminded Bronwyn rather petulantly.
"I know, but you have to admit it's weird," Bronwyn pointed out. "So it wasn't a vision of the past exactly. It was more like you going back in time and meeting a younger you." A thought occurred to Bronwyn. "Are you sure it was a vision?"
"What else would it have been?"
"Well, I don't know," Bronwyn said. "Maybe you forgot that you used a time turner to talk to your younger self?"
"How would I forget that I used a time turner to go back in time?" Desi asked a little louder than she intended. She got a few funny looks from the Muggles around her, but other than that, no one paid the two friends much attention.
"I don't know," Bronwyn replied quietly. "Maybe you got obliviated or something."
Desi shot Bronwyn with a look of disbelief. She didn't say anything else because their food arrived at that moment.
When the waittress left, Desi said, "It was a vision. A different kind of vision than I've ever had, but a vision all the same. I just have no idea what it means."
Bronwyn fished some lean meat from her bowl and said, "Maybe it means that you'll have a case of mistaken identity in the future."
"Seems unlikely since Bianca and I have different styles of dress and different hair color," Desi replied. "And anyway, that wasn't a happy memory I walked into. If it's what you say it will be, then I can't imagine I'll be thrilled when it happens."
"It's just a guess and probably a wrong one too," Bronwyn replied. She worked at her pho in silence. Both girls thought about the vision, but neither had any real clue what it might mean.
Stuffed
Author: Declan
Date: 12-16-10 20:16
Looking at the remaining few bites of bolo de maracuja on his plate, Declan really wants to eat what's left of the passion fruit cake but he's so stuffed he's not sure where he'd find room for even those two or three bites. All the food he's sampled tonight at the feast given by Escola Mágica de Brasil has been outstanding. There was a wide variety of traditional Brazilian dishes to choose from during each course as well as a number of dishes for those not wanting to venture far from what they'd have back home in the UK.
Lunch on the cruise had been excellent as well. The cruise and jungle trek overall have been exciting and not just for the Hogwarts students. Theodosia, Illyria, Gawain Wynbourne, and Declan had had just as much fun. Aaron Miller had sent a surprise for them all, omniocculars. Declan made great use of his while standing at the side of the boat during the cruise and looking across to the bank and the surrounding jungle and then while on the jungle trek. The Amazonia flora and fauna is truly amazing and so colorful!
The group had been given a tour of Wizarding and Muggle Manaus after the cruise and trek and they'd also had a good look around Orquídea, the village across the river from Escola Mágica de Brasil. Declan had bought a few things including what he's giving to the person whose name he drew in the Hogwarts Secret Santa.
Declan glances around the dining room where others have that stuffed look about them, mirroring the one that's surely on his face. Soon, the feast will end and students from both schools sent off to bed. For the Hogwarts group, the four hour time difference is most noticeable at times like this, when most of the Hogwarts students would be in bed by now or nearly there. With Theodosia planning to get in some practice before breakfast in the morning, as she'd had the team do today, Declan's expecting her to give the signal any moment now to get their kids rounded up and off to the RV.
Sure enough, not five minutes later, Theodosia's looking down the table to the other three chaperones and nodding. Declan bids goodnight to those he's sitting nearest and makes a point of thanking the headmaster, Demétrio Santos Leão, for the feast and for arranging the sightseeing activities today. Shortly after that, those of the Hogwarts contingent still in the dining hall are making their way out to the RV, a number of the students yawning widely despite protesting that they aren't tired yet and couldn't they stay just a little longer at the feast?