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Homework
Author: Karma Davyd
Date: 07-07-11 15:30
My morning had started decent enough, meditation and breakfast at Wyrding Way before heading to my first class of the day. Today was a quiet day, as my Advanced Greek Mythology was canceled this morning, so I only had Advanced Linguistics - Runes tonight, which left Advanced Ancient History and Runes tomorrow. At the moment I was sitting in the library, legs curled beneath me as I thumbed through my runes text, working on the translation homework that was due tonight.
After class I was due at Orei and Jim's for dinner and we had discussed going to a muggle movie, but Jim had an early class tomorrow and a shift after that. Orei also had an early shift for a few hours at the Ministry and then class in the afternoon. So, they'd discussed doing take away for their meeting tonight and maybe playing a muggle board game or something.
I shifted, at the table where I sat, and looked over the damned translation again. It wasn't meshing, it wasn't working and she couldn't for the life of her figure out why. She'd have to ask about it tonight, as they usually go over the homework anyway before turning in the assignment.
"Are you fighting with the translation too?" Came the question from one of my classmates, Colette Nickleson.
"Yes. Seriously, this one is starting to annoy me to no end." I said, motioning to the one that I'd been fighting with all day.
"Let's work on it together..." She sat down and pulled out her own assignment and we got to working, and soon enough she left for class and I decided that I needed to get out and grab some lunch and maybe run a few errands before returning for my class later this evening.
(Anthony) Repercussions
Author: Beck
Date: 07-07-11 18:08
Through the two-way mirror inside one of the Ministry of Magic's interrogation rooms, Anthony watched as one of his colleagues questioned Bianca Schoonmaker, née Diamond, regarding the allegations that she obliviated not only the mind of her husband, but that of his bandmates as well.
From the moment Anthony had approached his superiors with what he'd learned from his sister-in-law and then Desi, he'd been effectively off the case. He was deemed too close to some of the individuals involved, and though he had come forward with information that was potentially damaging to those particular individuals, it was decided that Anthony wasn't the most impartial of investigators in this case.
He believed it for the best. Already, Anthony felt guilty for getting Desi into trouble, even though his had been the correct course of action. As much as he would have liked to leave her out of it, he simply couldn't have omitted so important a fact, even if it meant that Desi would see serious repercussions. Her written statement provided every last detail from her perspective and was a very important piece of evidence.
Anthony had felt a strong current of guilt the moment the statement had left his fingertips for those of his immediate supervisor. It only worsened when Desi was placed on administrative leave. The only consolation Anthony felt was knowing that for now, while the case was still under investigation, she was being paid. He knew, though, that she didn't do her job for the money. She did it because she liked her work.
Deep down Anthony knew that there was a strong possibility that Desi's misfortunes would increase. Could be, she would be forced to take unpaid leave for an indefinite period of time, or worse, lose her job altogether. She might even see prison time for obstruction of justice or some other charge with respect to the concealment of a crime.
If only Desi would have come forward from the very beginning. Then she wouldn't be facing penalties, and he wouldn't be feeling so guilt-ridden. At least he wasn't alone on that score. Bronwyn didn't feel any better. Only Desi seemed to be taking everything in stride, which under the circumstances was quite surprising.
"I'm going to ask you again, did you obliviate Xavier Schoonmaker?" auror Brent Trentson asked.
Bianca tapped her perfectly manicured nails on the steel table in the room. "Why would I do that?"
"Because you were jealous of your sister and wanted to have what was hers."
"Um, no. You have it backwards. She is jealous of me. That's why she made up this story. She's upset that a superstar would want to be with me and she's delusional to think that he ever wanted anything to do with her."
Anthony watched Bianca's posture and listened to every inflection in her voice. He knew that the twins had had problems growing up, but he also knew that they had grown closer in adulthood. Bianca's behavior and manner of speech suggested that she was fabricating the story about Desi being the jealous one not to protect herself, but to protect the cozy new life she had created for herself.
Anthony shook his head. Bianca's concealment of the truth would only make things worse for her. In that respect, it would appear that she and Desi had at least one thing in common.
"And your mother, is she a liar too?" Trentson asked.
So far, nothing had happened to Desi's parents regarding their knowledge of Bianca's crimes. They weren't under the Ministry of Magic's jurisdiction and couldn't be hauled in for questioning without the American government's intervention. Some interviewing had occurred stateside, providing the aurors with the evidence to back up what Desi had included in her statement, but any consequence for concealing a crime was likely out of the Ministry's hands.
"She must have misunderstood," Bianca replied with a shrug. "Why would I make such a confession?"
This wasn't Bianca's first interrogation. Each meeting took the investigator in circles and didn't seem to garner the much desired confession.
Anthony figured there were only two ways to get it: a dose of veritaserum or for Xavier to remember the truth and confront Bianca about it himself.
Xavier and the rest of the band had begun undergoing treatments to determine whether there were gaps or alterations in their memories, and if so, whether the obliviations could be reversed. All were shocked and confused as to why they even needed the treatments, with Xavier feeling denial as well. All he felt towards Bianca was love. She couldn't have done the horrible thing she's accused of doing.
Anthony could see that this session was going nowhere. Besides, he had his own cases to work on. He turned and left the observation room and tried to think positively about what he'd done.
Talking to Dumbledore
Author: Marzipan
Date: 07-08-11 18:31
A classical music program on the Wizarding Wireless Network played softly in the background as Marzipan sat at the center table in Greenhouse One with student essays scattered all around her. Out of the five classes she'd taught today, only two had had homework assignments due: third years and fourth years. The third years had written an essay on hibiscus varieties, while the fourth years had written an essay on cauliflower.
Unless otherwise specified, Marzi never expected her students to write long essays on the assigned topic, particularly when the assignment was always due at the start of the next class meeting. As long as the essay had a beginning, middle and end and discussed the vital points about the plant in question, then Marzi was satisfied. Exceptional work was always rewarded with house points.
She finished reading one of the fourth year essays and glanced at the time. It was going on five o'clock now, which meant that her office hours were coming to an end. She hadn't had a single student all afternoon and had spent the entire block of time reading and marking essays.
Marzi got up and gathered all the essays together, stashing them into a Chinese-style silk shoulderbag Weston had seen in a window in Chinatown. He knew Marzi would love it, and indeed she did. The bag was green with purple, red, blue and green flowers, outlined in gold. It had a black, adjustable strap. It was perfect for hauling around parchment or a couple of books.
She flicked her wand at the small WWN listening device on the corner table and then exited the greenhouse. A short while later, she entered the castle and ran into Professor Dumbledore.
"Ah, Marzipan, just the someone I wanted to see. How do you like being back to work?"
"It's been great," she replied, "though I miss having all that time with the boys."
"It's about the boys that I want to speak with you," Professor Dumbledore said, gesturing for her to walk with him up the grand staircase. "Do you have a moment or two?"
"Sure," she answered, intrigued.
"Professor McGonagall and I have discussed the possibility of converting one of the empty classrooms into a nursery. Since there are quite a lot of infants in the castle, perhaps it would be of benefit to offer such a service to staff. Some of the house-elves already serving as nannies can be in charge of the nursery. Would you use this service if it were offered?"
"Absolutely," Marzi replied without hesitation. She liked the idea of having all the young children of Hogwarts in one place where they would have each other for company and be well-cared for by house-elves experienced in childcare.
"I thought you might say that," Dumbledore answered with a smile. He came to a stop in front of a door and opened it. He gestured for Marzi to enter the room first.
Right now, it wasn't much to look at, but it definitely had potential. The room was quite large, longer than it was wide. She could already picture it full with cribs, comfy mats and colorful rugs, and lots of toys.
"It's a nice size," Marzi commented, turning to Dumbledore after making her assessment.
"I thought so. I would like to show it to all the other parents before I begin the renovations, but I believe they will all share your opinion and welcome the addition of a nursery to the castle."
"I imagine so," Marzi agreed. She liked the idea of having daycare on campus very much and had no doubt in her mind that the others would agree!
Will Curiosity Kill This Cat?
Author: Harry Potter
Date: 07-08-11 19:00
Harry looks to a clock on the mantle, frowns, then checks the time on his watch. The mantle clock is quite a bit off so it's later than Harry was thinking it is. He's got dinner plans with Ginny so really needs to be paying better attention to the time. His mind firmly fixed on dinner now Harry surveys the take away containers arrayed on a side table before asking the room's only other occupant, "Did I forget anything?"
Half bent over that side table, poking through the containers and some bags, he turns. "No, this is everything I asked for. Will you stay?"
"I can't. I've plans."
Shoulders slump. "Oh. Right, you would. Young man your age; Friday night. Not that you would want to spend time with me anyway. Not after everything. I just get lonely, you see."
The speaker is right that he's not someone Harry has a burning desire to spend time with.
Hell, Harry's not even sure why he even brought the man here or why he hasn't mentioned to anyone who he's got stashed away at #12 Grimmauld Place. Sirius certainly isn't going to be thrilled to learn of Harry's use of the house without a single word in the week that's gone by since this man approached Harry in a driving rain in Coventry this past Saturday. Shocked to see who had been watching him, or as best as that was possible given the weather, the first thing Harry had thought to utter was a somewhat lame, monosyllabic, "You."
This was met with, "Harry, you have to help me. Please. Just a few days. I'm begging you."
He looked bad. Haunted. Hounded. Much thinner than Harry's ever seen him, even in pictures. He also looked ill.
Curious as to what had become of this man and why he was now in such need of help that he'd turn to someone who might happily chunk him into a jail cell and forget about him or, worse, put him in a room with Sirius Black and leave for half an hour, Harry heard himself flatly saying, "Yeah, okay."
He'd taken old of the hand outstretched in supplication and without warning disapparated, using a side-along to drag the pityful, waterlogged creature along, having no idea why he was bothering beyond the curiosity.
Not wanting to reveal locations of Order safe houses and definitely wanting to catch holy hell from Kingsley for using a Ministry safe house without making mention of who he'd be putting there and not wanting to take the man to his own own, the first place that had come to Harry's mind was Sirius's Black family home. It had been badly damaged years earlier by a battle there in which Bellatrix Lestrange was involved. Since that time Sirius has had it repaired and has had thoughts of selling it. It was no use anymore as an Order house and Sirius had no desire to live there but in the end he'd ended up leasing it out. It came vacant again recently but Sirius hasn't made arrangements with an estate agent to let it out again nor has he done anything towards that on his own. For the time being Harry thought it a perfect place for his... for lack of a better word he supposes the man could be deemed a guest.
Guess is the nicer word but rat suits better as far as names go.
Harry picks up the other sack he'd brought and holds it out. "I did bring you a working wireless."
Eyes light up. "Thank you! I can't tell you how this is appreciated after... well, the past being what it is."
After a week, Harry still has come up with no better reason for helping than curiosity.
He looks at his watch again. "I'd best be going. I'll come in the morning with breakfast and then I'll see about getting more groceries as I can't sure of being able to bring you a meal three times daily."
"Thank you. Thank you," Peter Pettigrew practically snivels.
Harry simply nods before exiting the room and going out onto 12 Grimmauld Places small front stoop to apparate home to get cleaned up for his date.