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Thoughts
Author: Jolyon
Date: 12-28-10 14:16
While Jolyon prepped the barn for the comprehensive examination his sixth year students would shortly be writing, he couldn't help but think about the situation he'd gotten himself into with his father. For whatever charitable reason, Jolyon had gone ahead and given his father the money necessary to book the Muggle cruise he'd wanted to take Jolyon's mother on over Christmas.
Emanuel had asked Jolyon not to tell Bridget anything, since the cruise was supposed to be a surprise. Jolyon had agreed to the terms, but he couldn't help but worry that Emanuel would use the money for something else and that asking for it in the manner he'd had had been his ruse for getting a piece of the inheritance Jolyon had gotten from Charles Abbott.
Jolyon supposed he would find out sooner than later whether Emanuel had been honest with him or not. Christmas was just around the corner, after all. Jolyon, himself, had done a bit of shopping already, though he wasn't yet finished with all his purchases.
He had submitted his name for the annual Secret Santa gift exchange held at Hogwarts. This year, he'd drawn Glori Hodfuffer's name. Glori was not a student he knew well, since she was a second year and a Hufflepuff. Jolyon knew her best because she was on the IQT team this year and had played in Brazil two weekends ago.
Something Quidditch related would have been the easiest thing to get Glori, but Jolyon thought it might also be too obvious. Instead, he'd enlisted Glori's uncle AJ's opinion on what to get the young girl. They both settled on something practical but cute. Jolyon found a pair of hanging picture frames that fit the bill and in which Glori could place pictures of her family and friends or whatever else she wanted.
The door to the barn creaked open, jarring Jolyon's attention away from his thoughts. For the briefest of moments, he thought his father had come back to inquire after even more money. Jolyon had managed to avoid him once, when Emanuel had wandered into The Three Broomsticks quite unexpectedly. Unfortunately, Emanuel knew exactly where Jolyon worked and had found him in the barn on more than one occassion.
This time it wasn't Emanuel Kent, though, it was the first of Jolyon's sixth year students, Francis Yao.
"Come in, Francis," Jolyon said, indicating to one of the empty desks in the middle of the barn. The comprehensive exam would be entirely written, though some would involve magical creatures placed strategically throughout the barn.
Francis sat down and looked around the place to get an idea about what questions he might have to answer. As soon as the barn filled up, Jolyon had his sixth years start on their exam.
Ice Storm
Author: Ethan Somerset
Date: 12-28-10 16:15
Sharp bits of ice whipped against the windows of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, drawing Ethan's attention away from the tests he marked and to the winter storm outside the windows. He didn't always hold office hours in his classroom. In fact, usually he didn't. Typically, after his students cleared out, he swept up his own things and went to his office.
Ethan didn't know why he hadn't done it today, only that he hadn't felt like leaving after his third year Gryffindor and Slytherins had left the classroom. To account for anyone who might come looking for him in his office, Ethan had sent a note to his door explaining his whereabouts.
The ice storm outside was distracting enough to get him to leave the desk at the front of the room and walk to the window to get a better look. Snow and ice whirled in a wild wind across the Hogwarts grounds, making Ethan thankful his classroom was in the castle. He felt sorry for anyone having to go to the greenhouses or to the Care of Magical Creatures barn.
It grew dark in short order, making it harder for Ethan to see the storm. He turned away from the window and returned to his desk, where he found something that hadn't been there before. It was a small, square package, wrapped in shiny red paper and tied with a green ribbon. There was no tag on the small box.
Ethan wondered if it was someone's Secret Santa gift to him. He guessed that must be the case, and that whoever had drawn his name had slipped it into the classroom while his back had been turned.
Ethan picked up the box and turned it over in his hands, debating whether to open it now or do it on Christmas Day. Ultimately, he decided to wait, in case the present wasn't for him after all.
He had also signed up for Secret Santa. The person he got was Marjani Batuti, a fifth year Gryffindor student who had been in his DADA class last year. Ethan knew her to be a good student, with a great personality and an interest in Quidditch. It helped that Marjani's sister was on staff at Hogwarts, too. Theodosia had advised Ethan on Marjani's shoe size, after Ethan had posed the question whether Marjani might like to own a pair of winter boots.
Her gift was the last he needed to get, and now that he'd had, he didn't have to worry about venturing out into the crowded stores for last minute Christmas gifts!
The Last Week Of Volleyball (Theodosia)
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 12-28-10 20:30
As the winter weather set in, Theodosia had moved her Fitness nad Athletic classes indoors to the Fitness Room, which was the original common commons. So many of the students had enjoyed the volleyball that Aaron Miller introduced at one of theh special Hogwarts events that Theodosia had learned more about the Muggle sport from him, had read up on it on her own, and Aaron had shown her the game in action using Muggle videos and television. The Fitness Room is large enough that she was able to set up two side by side courts. Her classes have been doing this for the last two weeks and all have volleyball again this week. After the Christmas holiday, the classes will do a few weeks of swimming.
At the 4:30 mark, Theodosia blows her whistle. The first and second years stop playing and look expectently at her. "Exam time."
The students dutifully scatter to the desks around the room as Theodosia reveals a set of Volleyball related questions. It's a short quiz that shouldn't take above 15 minutes but those needing more time will have it. At the beginning of class, she'd done a quick evaluation of the students to determine whether each could demonstrate at least one way to serve the ball and had been watching them closely as they played, observing how the balls were hit, whether the basics seemed to be grasped, and that sort of thing. Theodosia isn't looking for total proficiency, especially not after only two previous weeks of playing. She's simply looking to see if those basics have been grasped. Theodosia very much takes into consideration that some students simply aren't as coordinated as others and that some will take to a new game much more quickly than others.
Theodosia monitors the students as they jot down the answers to the exam questions and realizes she didn't tell them something. "Once you've turned in your test, you may go. Remember, when we get back from the holiday, we're doing swimming so if you've not had your swimsuit here, be sure to bring it back with you."
Her eyes alight on Barontaine Marchbanks. Marjani drew Barons's name in the Secret Santa, while Zuberi has Eric Ling's name and Theodosia has Hunter Rabnott's. Before they'd even drawn names, she'd let them know that if either got someone who has an interest in Quidditch, she'd help set something up for them. Theodosia arranged for each boy to spend time with a professional team over the summer holiday and to have a VIP seat during a match. For Baron, it's the Heidelberg
Harriers from Germany. For Eric, it's the Portuguese team the Braga Broomfleet. It's Norway's Karasjok Kites for Hunter. Shortly before class began at 3:30, Theodosia had swung by the common commons to leave a present under the tree for Hunter, containing a fan jersey for the Karasjok Kites, a pennant, and information on what she'd set-up, including the name of the contact person. Marjani and Zuberi have similar presents to put under the tree or deliver some other way to Baron and Eric.
As the first of the first and second years begin turning in their tests, Theodosia gives them small gift bags with a few Christmas sweets and wishes each a good week.
Second Years' Written Exam
Author: Sirius Padfoot Black
Date: 12-29-10 17:06
Sirius welcomes his second year Hufflepuffs and Slytherins to class as they walk by him to enter the lower years Transfiguration classroom. As they go in he also reminds them of the scheduled exam and to hurry and get settled. When the last one is through the door, Sirius pulls the door shut and heads to the front of the classroom saying as he walks, "As you know, today is the written exam. Thursday is the practical."
He reaches the front of the classroom and turns to look at the student as he continues addressing them. "If you complete your exam before class ends, then after turning it in you may quietly practice for the practical." Sirius reaches to the desk for the stack of test parchments. "Any questions?"
"No? All right then, make sure you've cleared your desks. You may use your own quills but I will be closely watching you. Also, keep in mind that while you all have the same questions, there are three different versions of the exam with the questions in a different order. Please wait until everyone has a paper before beginning."
Sirius begins passing out the exams, pausing long enough to let Daisy Khan and Waldo Smee finish getting quills and ink from their bookbags. After he hands the last exam to Jasper Jenkins, Sirius says to the class, "You may now begin."
As the exam is the same one the second year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws will have tomorrow Sirius fully expects this class to finish with plenty of time left. If any do need longer than an hour, then tomorrow, he'll let any who need longer than an hour to finish writing the exam on Friday while the practicals for that section are taking place.
Sirius returns to the front of the room to lean against his desk for a moment. After about five minutes, he moves around behind the desk to grab a few spare quills in case anyone needs one and as he does this, he sees the Secret Santa gift ready to be given out. Sirius had drawn first year Eden Jenkins name. Mira had "helped" him wrap it last night. When he'd gotten to Hogwarts this morning, he'd come straight to the classroom so that's why it's in the desk here and not in his office. Sirius has been trying to decide whether to give the gift to Eden in class tomorrow, the class meeting on Friday, or to put it beneath the tree in the commons where many of the Secret Santa gifts are being placed.
After drawing Eden's name, Sirius had at first thought to ask Dru her opinion but that was the same day he'd taken James and Mira Christmas shopping. While passing a jewelry store in Diagon Alley Sirius spotted in the window a cute charm bracelet watch he thought Eden might like. Going inside to get the bracelet watch proved additionally fruitful when Sirius and the twins decided upon a mother's ring for Drucilla. It's a simple band with a double emerald, the twin's birthstone, and the names Krasimira and James in an elegant script on the band on either side of the stones. They'd gotten a few other gifts for Mummy that day and Sirius found a couple of gifts just from him to Drucilla. He'd also had the twins pointing out many many things they insisted they needed. Sirius doubts that either Mira or James will ever truly need twelve foot tall stuffed yeti.
With the extra quills in hand, Sirius begins making a slow circuit around the classroom. He's starting to get a little hungry so he hopes the time doesn't seem to drag by though when it comes to proctoring a test, the time rarely goes by as quickly as for those actually taking the exam.
Exam Review
Author: Marzipan
Date: 12-29-10 17:39
"And now you know everything you need to know about horehound for Thursdays exam," Professor Ravenscroft announced, after concluding her discussion on the flowering plant, of which there were two varieties, white and black.
"Professor, what else will we need to know for the exam?" asked Alan Birdwell, as Marzi flicked her wand at the two pots of horehound she'd exhibited for her lecture. They sailed across the room and landed neatly on a shelf against one of the greenhouse's glass walls.
"I'm glad you asked, Alan," Professor Ravenscroft replied. "Everything we have discussed since term began is on the table. I know it's a lot, but I'm confident you remember more about each lesson than you think. That said, what we are going to do from now until the end of class is review for Thursday's exam. I have also provided you all with a handout of topics likely to be covered on the exam."
She waved her wand at the stack of parchment on the small, cluttered table in the corner and sent a handout to each Gryffindor and Hufflepuff student congregated around the main work table in the greenhouse.
For the rest of class, they worked through the handout, with Marzi stressing certain topics over others. The bulk of the exam would actually consist of everything covered since the last quiz, but older material would make appearances here and there.
When class ended, she bid them adieu. They pulled on their thickest winter clothes and pushed out into the storm, leaving Marzi behind in the coziness of the greenhouse. Ordinarily, she would check on Carter during her lunchbreak, but she knew he was in good hands at the moment.
Instead, Marzi busied herself with prepping the greenhouse for her next class, and then sat down to wrap the Christmas gift she had gotten Jasper Jenkins for the Hogwarts Secret Santa. Jasper was one of her own students, so she knew him as well as any of his teachers might.
She wasn't quite sure what a boy of around twelve would appreciate as a gift, though. She'd grown up without brothers and though she had Carter now, he was still just a baby. Surprisingly, Weston had been no help at all either, and he had been a twelve year old boy at one point in his life. In the end, Marzi had gone with a book bag, which probably wasn't exciting but was something Jasper could suitably expect from one of his teachers.
It was nice but not flashy, and Marzi had even had Jasper's name stitched on the front. She hoped that he would like it!
Christmas Gift
Author: Illyria
Date: 12-30-10 17:14
Shortly before supper, Illyria entered the Commons and approached the towering Christmas tree, beneath which dozens of festively wrapped presents lay. She knelt in front of it and placed a slim, rectangular box with all the others. It was wrapped in silvery paper printed with shiny snowflakes and had a tag that read For Heather Rabnott.
Illyria would actually see Heather tonight in class and had considered giving her the Secret Santa gift then, but she had ultimately decided against the idea. She didn't want to give Heather a package when she didn't have one for anyone else. She could ask Heather to stay after class for a moment, but with third year students following the first year class, Illyria didn't think they would get much privacy.
She hoped that Heather would like her gift. Illyria and her sister Urania had gone Christmas shopping together, both in Diagon Alley and then in the Muggle world. While at a department store in London, Illyria had found a cute cardigan she thought Heather might like. It was colorful, with the dominant color being fuscia, and was long and had a hood.
After depositing the package beneath the Christmas tree, Illyria left the Common Common Room for the Great Hall. She didn't have to go very far before the aromas of dinner reached her nose. All week, the house elves had outdone themselves with Christmas-type dinners. Yesterday, Illyria had eaten turkey with cranberry sauce. The day before that, honey-glazed ham. She wondered what tonight's options might be!
Potions Practical (Deak)
Author: Kody
Date: 12-31-10 10:34
Looking down at his bubbling cauldron, Deak frowns in concentration, carefully counting the number of times he stirs the brew counter clockwise. He only realizes he's been holding his breath when he lets it out in one big heave of relief when at precisely the end of the fifteenth counter clockwise stir, the potion turns a deep indigo just as it should. Deak already knows the next step but takes a second to double check. Now would not be the time to screw up this exam because at this stage it's too late to start over and still be done by the time class ends. Snape would have to pick such a tricky potion for this portion of their end of term exam.
Deak is more glad than he knows how to express in words that he didn't draw Snape's name in the Secret Santa. Of course, as dour as Snape is and as much as he dislikes most everyone and everything, Deak does't really get why Snape would submit his name for Secret Santa anyway. By what process does Snape go about buying a gift for the person whose name he's drawn?
Deak drew Marzipan Fitzroy Ravenscroft's name. Beyond something for the baby she and her husband more or less inherited and for the baby she's expecting, Deak was having difficultying thinking of what to get the Herbology professor and had ended up consulting Saffron. He didn't want to get her something only for the babies and it not really be for her. Saffron agreed with his thinking and helped Deak brainstorm. AFter Saffron mentioned nice it would have been to have been pampered for a day (which wasn't really possible as she was hiding her pregnancy from then Headmistress Harriet Snider), Deak got Proffessor Ravenscroft a spa package that includes three different massage options that she can use at any time, even after she's had her baby.
For Carter he is giving Professor Ravenscroft a pair shoes that resemble little athletic trainers.
For the new baby, when she or he arrives, Deak got a pair of koala booties in homage of Professor Ravenscroft having largely been raised in Australia.
Professor Snape makes a pass by Deak's row, making little comments here and there, some of them actually positive. Deak thinks it's a disservice to the lower years to have nice Professor Weasley for four years of Potions only to be thrust in Snape's lair just in time for fifth year and OWLs. Really, it should be the other way around. Snape tormenting the younger students, whipping them into shape, and then Professor Weasley getting them for the last three years of Potions. Deak supposes that Snape with his seniority chose the upper years because it would be too tempting not to eat the little ones.
By the time Potions ends, Deak's brew is looking just as it should and has a distinctive flowery aroma as it should. As he bottles up two vials and labels them, he hopes that having the color and aroma right means the potion is 100% correct and he'll get a high mark. Turning in the vials, he grabs up his book satchel and heads for Charms, his stomach already grumbling for lunch.
Secret Santa Delivery (Jack)
Author: Kody
Date: 12-31-10 21:24
About the same time that Deak Bennett was in Potions thinking that Professor Snape should be the lower years teacher and Professor Weasley the upper years Potions professor, Jack was in Transfiguration trying not to yawn. With exams and end of term assignments of various sorts all week he'd spent much of Tuesday night after practice studying then had had Astronomy then later than usual after class getting to bed because of some things he remembered he had left to look over for this morning. It wasn't so much Charms at 9 or Transfiguration at 10 that were worrisome for Jack but Potions at 11. If he'd known what Deak had been thinking about in that 10 to 11 class period, Jack would have wholeheartedly agreed.
Even after making it through Potions relatively unscathed, though his potion wasn't as deeply darkly crimson as he thinks it should have been, Jack had paused at Professor Weasley's classroom door to see if she was still there. She was but she was talking to a student and as it looked serious, Jack chose not to interrupt. He'd been carrying her Secret Santa gift around all morning so what was a little longer?
At the top of the stairs from the dungeons, Jack thought about taking it to the commons and putting it under the tree there. The desire for lunch won out though so he'd turned in the direction of the Great Hall. If after eating Professor Weasley were in the Great Hall, Jack would hand over the present then but if not, if he doesn't linger after he's finished lunch, he could take it to the commons and put it under the tree then.
Jack sits now at the Ravenclaw table getting thirds of an excellent shepherd's pie. Professor Weasley came in a short time ago so after he's done with what he's got on his plate, he'll give her the gift wrapped in red foil with a green foil bow. Jack's mum has a good friend who designs and makes womens coats. Upon learning whose name Jack had drawn for the gift exchange, Siobhan had gotten one of her friend's plaid coats for him to give Majandra Weasley. She'd sent it unwrapped so Jack could approve of it, which he did of course since the alternative would have been to figure out something equally nice to give the professor instead and then find it in Hogsmeade last weekend or owl order it. Catherine Scott is the one who wrapped it for Jack after taking pity on his efforts last night after supper.
Scooping the last bite of shepherds pie off his plate, Jack hastily swallows, washes it down with spiced pumpkin juice then grabs up the present to give to Professor Weasley.
(Kate) Volleyball
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 01-01-11 15:59
Fitness & Athletics class was winding down, but there was still enough time for one more volleyball rally. Kate, who wasn't the most athletic of students but found volleyball really quite fun, played close to the net. The Mickle girls and the Stryde boys rounded out her team, with Cutter in the position as server.
On the other side of the net were her friends Gus, Johanna and Felicia, as well as Cat Amherst and Olive Green. Mark Farnon was also on the team, and stood exactly opposite her on the court.
With it being Secret Santa season again, Kate couldn't help but be reminded about how last year, she'd drawn his name. She remembered mulling over what to get him, and how difficult it had been for her to find him the right gift. In the end, she'd gone with a portable writing desk, which had turned out to be a big disaster.
Thankfully, this year she'd gotten someone else. That someone was Christopher Chant, who was a fifth year Ravenclaw student Kate didn't know terribly well. She knew him only because he played seeker for the IQT team and had caught the snitch in the match against Brazil.
It never seemed easy finding a good gift for a boy, but it was really hard finding one for someone she really didn't know. Kate had thought about asking some of his friends for advice, but in the end had consulted her father Will instead. Will had posed Kate the question about whether or not Christopher liked any bands. Kate hadn't done her homework to find out, but while in Hogsmeade last weekend she'd purchased a couple of band T-shirts.
The first was for Killed by a Curse. It was navy blue in color and had the band's name in scrolling, silver letters across the front. The back had a snippet of song lyrics in the same fancy script. The other was for Werewolf Code of Conduct. It was black and simply said the band's name, all in small letters.
Kate had gotten a gift receipt in case Christopher didn't like them or had a preference for other bands. She'd stuck the gift under the tree in the Common Common Room before breakfast and hoped that Christopher would find it before term ended in a couple of days.
Cutter put the volleyball into play. Across the net, Johanna bumped it to Felicia, who set it to Mark, who spiked it hard in front of Kate. Kate fell to her knees in her attempt to prevent the ball from hitting the ground. Luckily, she positioned her hands in a way that allowed the ball to avoid hitting the net in the rebound.
Ramona tried to spike it, but Mark blocked it. Felicia set it up so that Mark could attempt another spike, which he did in quick succession. Kate again tried to get to the ball before it could hit the ground and this time was too slow. She frowned and picked up the volleyball to toss it over the net for the other team to serve, but by then class was over.
Mark had a very pleased expression on his face. Kate handed the ball to Coach Batuti and turned on her heel. She didn't mind so much that her friends had won that round, but at least most of them had good sportsmanship. She wasn't sure Mark even knew the meaning of the word!
She half expected him to follow her out of the F&A classroom, gloating over his success and her failure, but he didn't. Instead, it was Gus who came out. Sweat had beaded across his forehead, and his F&A uniform showed off his muscles and broad chest.
He saw Kate and with a grin, put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a friendly squeeze. "Good effort, Kate! That was fun, wasn't it?"
Kate noticed that a few of the other girls leaving the classroom gazed at her with a mixture of hate and envy in their eyes. Why did Gus have his strong arm around Kate's shoulders and not theirs?
Kate admitted, "It was fun. I just wish I played a bit better."
Gus slipped his arm from her shoulders and said, "It's just a game. Winning is great, but it's more important that you had fun."
"When did you get so wise?" Kate asked with a small smile.
Johanna and Felicia had just come out of the clasroom and heard Kate's question. They exchanged looks and then Johanna stated, "You're talking about a boy who always asks to copy our homework!"
Gus shook his head. "Can we not talk about homework right now? Our holiday is just days away."
"Yes, days away, which means you still have to get through tomorrow and Friday and yes, do some school work before you get a break," Felicia reminded him.
Mark finally came out of the classroom. Everyone fell silent for a long moment. Then Kate said, "Well, I'm going to head back to my dorm."
"Us too," Johanna stated for herself and Felicia. Gus nodded, and Mark didn't say anything.
They all started walking in the same direction, since the Slytherin and Hufflepuff common rooms were near to each other. Kate kept expecting Mark to tease her, but he never did. Johanna, meanwhile, posed the question to everyone about what they might be doing for the Christmas holidays. When it was Kate's turn to answer, she said that she would be going home and spending time with her dad. It wouldn't be terribly exciting, but she was looking forward to it.
After a while, she peeled away from the group for the Hufflepuff common room, while the others continued on to the dungeons.