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Petra, The Chip Thief
Author: Jet
Date: 06-12-11 15:10
Petra Karathanasis reaches across the table to nick seasoned chip from Jet's plate. After the first bite she says, "You know, these have improved since I first ate in the canteen. Actually, much of the food here has."
"I think they hired a new head."
"Wonder if that means it's a new chef. I never really thought about who oversees the food for the canteen."
I haven't either. I guess there's a head chef type person but I don't know."
Petra nicks a second chip causing Jet to turn his plate so that she can reach them more easily. "I don't like working with Erebus. I'm trying to get rotated off the project."
"And then what? If you aren't careful you'll get put on with someone you dislike more or on a project that doesn't interest you."
"I've put forth a proposal so I would hope it would get approval and I could work on it. I'd ask to have you on it but it's a one person job, at least for the initial stages."
"I don't mind the one I'm on right now. Levi's not bad to work with and the project is proving more challenging than I would have thought when I was first briefed on it."
"Still having resolution problems?"
"Yes, though we've made progress. We're even working some off sight so we can look at some of the Muggle technology that allows them to project large moving images with a clear picture."
"I would have thought it would just be a matter of adjusting the lens used."
"That's what I thought at first. We're close though so hopefully soon we'll have a prototype ready."
"Put my name down as a testing volunteer," Petra grins around yet another seasoned chip. "Chelsea and I are going for Thai tonight. Want to come with?"
"Depends. Is Chelsea inviting another of her friends along?"
"Possibly."
Petra is bisexual and Chelsea is her current significant other. When Jet first met Petra he was attracted to her. Still is truth be told but while she can be flirty with him Petra has never acted towards Jet as anything other than a very good friend. Maybe if she and Chelsea ever break up, she might look at him differently but for now she's happy with Chelsea. Jet likes Chelsea well enough but she has gotten increasingly in the habit of attempting to set Jet up on dates with friends of hers and has even tried to convince Jet to fill out a form for that new dating service Magical Match.
Jet shakes his head. "I think I'll pass then. I'm not ready for another one of Chelsea's set ups so soon after the last."
"Coward."
"Most definitely."
"You know she'll just arrange you to meet this one another time. Might as well get it over with now, and besides that, for all you know, this one could be the one."
Jet rolls his eyes and makes a strangled sound before saying, "You make it sound so appealing."
"Come on. What do you have to lose?"
"A night of my life I can never get back?"
Petra laughs. "None of them have been that bad."
"Iris. Nora."
"Two exceptions."
"You won't stop bugging me about it, will you?"
"Nope."
"Fine, but I reserve the right to suddenly take ill if this one turns about to be another Iris or Nora."
"I can live with that. All we ask if that you give her a chance."
"You're getting to be as bad as Chelsea. So what's this one's name?"
"Sophie."
"What time and where?"
Petra gives Jet the rest of information, eats the last of his chips then getting up says, "Time to get back to being annoyed by Erebus."
"See you later."
Jet finishes his sandwich and the fruit, an orange and a banana, he'd gotten for lunch before also returning to the Department of Mysteries.
Harpies
Author: Jolyon
Date: 06-13-11 18:05
Professor Kent's seventh years sat at the picnic benches outside the barn and looked at a series of slides being magically projected onto the barn wall. The afternoon had started overcast, but as it progressed, the clouds cleared and made way for brilliant sunlight. Ordinarily, this might have posed a problem for projections, but Jolyon had simply cast a shading spell to keep the images quite visible, even in the dazzling sunlight.
They were discussing harpies, hybrid creatures that had the head of a woman and the body of a bird. They came from Greece but also populated parts of Italy, Germany and Liechtenstein.
Philippa Fox had earned five points for correctly identifying the creatures in the images displayed on the barn wall, while Anne Kendrick had also earned five points for knowing the creature's origins and habitats.
Professor Kent flipped to a new image. "What is this?"
A hand shot up in the air. It belonged to Estella Primrose. "That's not a what, it's a who," she said. "It's Gwenog Jones of the Holyhead Harpies!" Jolyon went to the next slide and then the next, all of which featured Quidditch players from the Welsh team. Estella ticked them off as she saw them. "Glynnis Griffiths, Ginny Weasley, Valmai Morgan, Niki Marks..."
The images went back to one featuring an actual harpy. "Impressive, Estella. I had no idea you were such a Holyhead fan."
"It's not that I'm a fan of the team, necessarily," she explained with a shrug of her shoulders. "It's just that there was a recent article in one of the fashion magazines about female athletes, and there was a focus on that team in particular, being the only all-girl team in the league."
"Ah, well five points to Hufflepuff anyhow," Jolyon said, nonetheless impressed by Estella's recall. "As you can see," he addressed the class at large, "the harpy's name is fit for a Quidditch team. I suppose that might make sense for a number of reasons. The word harpy means snatcher in Latin. There's plenty of snatching in Quidditch, isn't there? Stealing the quaffle from another player... Hitting the bludger just seconds before the other beater can... Catching the snitch right before the other seeker's eyes.
"I suppose it also fits because harpies are winged spirits, and as we all know, Quidditch is a flying sport."
He changed slides, this time showing a bird with not only a bird body but a bird head. "What is this?"
Zabrynna Ravensdale hesitantly raised her hand. "It looks like a bird of prey. A hawk of some sort."
"Why do you think that?"
"It has a curved, pointed beak. Its feet are large and its talons long and sharp. It just has that look."
"You're not wrong," Jolyon said, awarding her five points as well. "It's called a Harpy Eagle and is named for the magical beasts known as harpies, though it's obviously quite different. Harpy Eagles live in the Americas, for one. There's nothing magical about them, though they are special in that they are the largest and strongest raptors in that part of the world."
Jolyon talked very briefly about the Harpy Eagle and then resumed his lecture on the actual harpy, of which he had no specimen to show since they were quite dangerous. His students seemed okay with the slides, particularly since they could sit outdoors and enjoy the fresh air and sunlight.
When class ended, he assigned them an essay on mischievous magical creatures and then sent them on their way. He took care of a bit of business around the barn until it was time to eat supper at the castle.
Agnes Has More To Say
Author: Griffin Price
Date: 06-13-11 21:08
Looking small and prison wan, Agnes Halford shuffles to the table where Griff is already seated. It's been months since she requested to see him at the end of October and Griff rightly presumes that the reason is because Agnes took him at his word that if she had him come to Azkaban but didn't have anything real for him, he'd make arrangements with the warden to put her in solitary. Griff has, these last many months, sent her a few chocolate bars with raisins ever few weeks. Maybe that's also helped her refrain from getting Griff all the way out here without a good reason.
Agnes slides into the chair fixed to the floor then leans heavily on the table. In usual dramatic Agnes fashion she lets out a long sigh of one who's greatly suffered. Without any sort of greeting or thanks for Griff coming she starts with a question. "Is the deal still offered?"
"If you have information that actually helps."
"My health is fading, Griffin. I got to get out of here. In October I didn't have much more to say. A little, mind you. Enough to get by, but you'd a figured out pr't quick and as you weren't going to sign the deal till you knew what I told you was useful, I "
"was pushing for us to sign the deal before you told us more."
Agnes nods, not looking in the least bit shamefaced at having tried to scam Griff and the Ministry. She is, afterall, a con artist.
Griff asks, "So what's changed?"
"I 'membered something. Something important enough I'll tell you without insistin' on the deal being signed first."
"Go on."
"First, the nothing much information I was holding on to in October. You know I told you a male wizarding, mid-forties, graying at the temples?"
"Yes."
"He's got one green eye and one blue. Medium brown hair."
Griff writes these tidbits down the looks expectently at Agnes, quill hovering above the notebook's parchment.
Agnes takes a deep breath then slowly releases it. "I don't know how I was forgetting this other, 'specially since part of it's so fitting. The name he goes by, at least some of the time, when not working a con, is Magnus Butcher, and he's got a place in Grimsby."
Griff stares across the table. "It's somewhat convenient that you have remembered a name and a place when you're so desperate to get out of here."
"I'm telling you, boy, I don't know why I didn't remember either. I overheard two guards talking about music yesterday and one of them mentioned one artist's magnus opus. After that I couldn't get that word magnus out of my head. It stuck with me all yesterday and today. It finally came to me and that's when I set for you."
Griff bends sidewise to pick up a small bag he'd placed on the floor after sitting down. He hands it across the table to Agness who suddenly smiles. "It's heavy. Lots of chocolate."
"More than I should have brought. I'll get on this information and if it turns out to be something, I'll bring you the deal to sign."
Griff starts to rise but Agnes shoots a hand across the table and grabs his wrist. There's not supposed to be any physical contact yet no guard comes rushing in and for some reason Griff doesn't make a move to make her let go.
"Something else needs be said. About Jacob."
Griff stiffens at hearing his uncle's first name. He stays seated but is on the edge of his chair, ready to walk out. He tersely asks, "What about him?"
"Ever since I asked you if he ever said why he done it, I've gone over and over what I remember of it all, what I heard. I don't know if my memory is true on this but there was rumor of a book. Dark magic. Nasty stuff of the blood sacrifice sort. If there be a reason, I'd wager that book were part of it."
Griff breaks eye contact with Agnes, fixing on a spot on the floor instead. He hears himself asking, "Knowing a reason won't bring them back."
"Might finally give you," Agnes snaps her fingers as she searches her mind for the word she wants. "Closure."
"What makes you think I need closure? He's in prison."
Agnes moves her hand from Griff's wrist to jerk up his chin so she can look him in the face again. "It's in your eyes, Griffin Price. There's pain in them when I've said your mother's name. It's how you react when mention of Jacob is made."
"Missing my mother doesn't mean I need closure and of course I react at hearing his name. He killed my family and damn near killed me more than once and he was living free for years. My reaction is normal."
"I'm telling you boy, you need closure. There's a burning need gnawing at your insides to know the whys."
Griff shoves up from the table. "I'll get on this new information so we can see about getting you that early release."
"Visit him. Ask about a book."
"I know about the book. I know why he did it," Griff snaps out, though he hadn't meant to say anything at all. "No matter his reasons though, it boils down to the fact that he murdered his sister, his brother-in-law who was his best friend, his nephew, his nephew's wife, and their unborn child. I was made to watch when he cut open my sister-in-law and take out the baby's heart to make a potion. He also carved up my chest that night. I don't remember the explosion but there was one and I have scars from that as well. Closure or no, my reaction at hearing his name is normal."
Agnes has gone even more ashen faced. "I'm sorry. I didn't know, I didn't mean to . I'm sorry."
Without saying anything more Griff gets up and walks to the door behind him, letting the guard there know he's ready to leave and that Agnes should be taken back to her cell. By the time Griff reaches the boat to go back to the mainland he's almost decided to turn around and go see Jacob. He is so bone weary and numb though that he's not sure he has the strength to make the walk back. It's late, he'd not been able to grab lunch and he's so far not had time for dinner either. He's missed getting to Carys's in time to see Tristan to bed.
Griff climbs into the boat wanting nothing more right then than to be home, stretched out on the couch with Seeayetee for company. Better still would be to have a certain someone comforting him but as she's never shown anything but friendship towards him for a very long time, it's home to Seeayetee and the den couch with whatever sports program he can find in the WWN. In the morning, with so much still to do on the Rufus Henshaw case he's working with Harry Potter, other cases in need of attention, and now this information from Agnes to run down, Griff figures he'll be too busy to keep moping about a deep wound being rubbed raw tonight.
OMG
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 06-14-11 17:53
The Morning Show had been off the air for a couple of hours. Bronwyn sat at her cubicle and checked the newspaper and other periodicals for upcoming Quidditch matches and other sporting events throughout the wizarding world. She made notes about particular matches or events she needed to follow and simultaneously nibbled on a piece of strawberry cheesecake somebody had brought into the office.
"Have you seen this?"
A copy of The Wizarding Inquirer appeared on Bronwyn's desk. The huge, bold headline read XAVIER SCHOONMAKER SECRETLY MARRIED. The accompanying photo showed Xavier walking along the beach, holding the hand of a woman who was decidedly not Desi. Both he and the woman were wearing wedding rings. The woman also wore a gigantic diamond engagement ring.
"Oh, my God," Bronwyn breathed.
"Aren't you friends with him?" Milla Tufton, one of the co-hosts of the Morning Show asked. "You didn't tell me he'd gotten married."
"I didn't know," Bronwyn said, rising immediately and picking up the tabloid newspaper. "I gotta go." She grabbed her purse and dashed off.
"Bronwyn, wait!" Milla called out, but Bronwyn ignored her.
She stepped outside and immediately apparated for the Ministry of Magic. She hated using the visitor's entrance because it seemed so much slower than just flooing into the building, but Bronwyn didn't have any choice. She listened impatiently to the cool-sounding witch and then retrieved her badge from the slot. She put it on, went to the registration desk, and then went onwards to the lifts.
There she waited even more impatiently for an empty one. It seemed they were heavily in use since it was around lunch time. Finally, she caught a break and stepped into one. As soon as it reached Level Two, she got out and marched straight to the Auror Office.
Anthony saw her straight away and got up from his desk. He met her around the front and asked, "Did you remember something else?"
Bronwyn slowed to a stop, though she hated to at that very moment. "No," she replied, shaking her head. "I'm here to see Desi. I've got to see her. Please tell me she's here!"
Desi must have heard her name, because she popped up from behind her cubicle like a gopher emerging from its hole in the ground.
The first thing Bronwyn noticed about her friend was that she actually seemed normal. Back to her old self normal. She didn't appear moody, and she wasn't wearing sunglasses that covered half her face. It was as if everything that had been bothering her since Christmas had suddenly gone away.
Bronwyn didn't want to be the bearer of bad news, but as Desi's best friend, she had to be. She left Anthony scratching his head and went to her friend's cubicle. She sat down in the chair opposite Desi's desk and said, "Desi, there's something I have to show you."
"If it's about your case, you should really tell Anthony."
"It's not. It's about... well..." She put the tabloid on Desi's desk and turned it so that it was facing Desi.
Desi read the headline. She didn't look upset, but a bit of surprise registered on her face. "Well, I guess they couldn't keep it secret forever."
"What?" Bronwyn exclaimed. "You knew?"
Desi nodded. "Yup. I knew all about it."
"What the hell happened? I thought Bianca was with Blane?"
"She was, on and off. More off than on, probably."
"How long have you known about this? What do you know about this?"
Desi sighed and leaned back in her chair. "Remember Christmas? I told you that Xavier stood me up for our anniversary?"
"Yeah, I remember."
"And Bianca wasn't in Seattle with us?"
"Yeah, I remember." Realization dawned. "She wasn't with your grandmother, was she? She was with Xavier!"
Desi didn't say anything, which was as much confirmation as Bronwyn needed. "That bitch! And that jerk! What the hell was he thinking? I thought he loved you!"
"He did," Desi said. "He just doesn't remember that part."
"Huh?"
Desi sighed again and then lowered her voice. She was in a room full of aurors who would have no problem getting involved if they heard what she had to say next.
"Bianca altered Xavier's memories to make him forget he was ever with me and to think he was always with her. She obliviated the band, too."
Bronwyn's jaw dropped open. "She what? And you are letting her get away with this?"
Desi shrugged. "I was mad at first. Hurt. But I'm done with that now. I've moved on."
"You are such a liar." Bronwyn knew her friend could play tough, but she also knew Desi well-enough to see through her façade.
"I'm not getting involved, Bronwyn. Period."
"But whyyyyyy?" Bronwyn complained. "Bianca's messing with your life, and not just your life. Xavier's too. God, even Blane's. You can't let her get away with what she's done. It's wrong. It's probably illegal."
Bronwyn felt herself getting pretty angry. "Desi, I know what it's like to have somebody mess with my mind. It's not fair. It's not right. If you're not thinking about your own feelings, then you damn well better think about Xavier's."