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Re-Meeting William Henshaw
Author: Lilac Middleton
Date: 11-10-11 18:14
"Hello." Lil heard a voice say behind her and turned to see a boy her own age from the Ravenclaw house. The boy was a bit tall for his age; she knew he was 16 because they had been in the same house since they had both started at Hogwarts. However, she had rarely spent any time with him at all. So she didn't know him that well.
"Hi." Lilac said smiling at the boy. He had dreamy green eyes and ash, blond hair. His skin was slightly tanish, how he could maintain a tan in England was far beyond Lilac's understanding.
"You're in Ravenclaw right?" The boy asked pushing back his hair. Lilac nodded.
"Yeah we've been in the same house and grade together since we came to Hogwarts." She giggled. "But I don't think we've ever talked."
"Right, you're one of the Middletons I know that much. Lilac?"
"Everyone calls me Lil." Lilac said. "You're William Henshaw." Lilac said matter of factly. She knew who he was. She knew all about William Henshaw and who his friends were and such, but Lilac had never really spoken to him much.
"Yep that's me. But you can call me Will. We have a lot of the same classes together. I wonder why we've never talked before. I was surprised you weren't with your cousins."
"Well I don't spend all my time with my cousins. I wanted to be alone for a little while, and I had to take my Piggy outside. Even though it was kinda raining. She likes to go for walks. Sometimes, I think she's part dog or something." Lilac rambled. She always rambled on and on when she as nervous. Lil hardly ever had a chance to converse with anyone outside of her family. The few times she did, it was not very good. And then there was Nate. He was one of the few friends she did have outside the family. And she hadn't even seen much of him since they started school this year. She supposed that it was expected. This was after all his last year at Hogwarts.
She had also heard that he had been spending time with some girl from Slytherin. But she didn't really let it bother her. After all, it wasn't like they even had a chance to talk much. And she was busy with her own studies and her pet and cousins. Lilac guessed it would be alright to talk to Will. It wasn't like she was really dating anyone anymore after all.
"Oh yeah your tea cup Piggy. I've seen her running around the Ravenclaw common room."
"Yeah my uncle got her for me. I was really surprised when he did." She said shyly.
"That's nice of him to get you a pet like that. " Will answered just as shyly. "Would you like to have lunch with me later on maybe? We could work on our Charms homework… Which I am sure we're gonna have. They always give us loads of homework."
"Sure. I'd like that." Lilac said smiling back at Will.
"Okay great! So I'll see you then." Will said taking his seat now in the Charms classroom. Lilac smiled back at him and sat down to Cecila.
"What was that about?" Cee asked.
"Oh nothing." Lilac said giggling.
"Uh-uh. Whatever." Cee answered. Of course she knew it wasn't just anything. But if she suspected anything, Cecila didn't press the matter.
Dream Notebook
Author: Nathaniel Ross
Date: 11-11-11 02:13
Phyllida scribbled furiously in what Nate recognized as her dream notebook for the Arithmancy and Divination class. They would have that class tomorrow, and it was clear Phyllida was in a rush to finish the homework and pass on to her next task.
"Can I see that?" he asked sitting on the edge of the sofa, placing his things on the small table in front of him. She handed him the notebook a little bit reluctantly and he started to read about her dream from the previous night. "You really dreamed about being up in the air with a broom with thousands of sugar quills flying around? And that they were so many they created a very suffocating atmosphere and you felt like you were running out of air? This is madness."
"I had to come up with something since I had no dreams last night, and that seemed to be a plausible thing to dream about, based on Saturday."
"I don't think Professor Saffron is going to buy this." Nate handed her back her dream notebook.
Phyllida looked at him furious, but he just couldn't tell her she had done a good job with it. He was her friend and so he was not going to lie to her.
He recalled how she tried to defend him in front of Snape. The next day he sent a basket of chocolate frogs to her dorm, grateful for what she had done. Phyllida thanked him with a laugh and asked how come he was not fat since he seemed to eat a lot of sweets. Nate just shrugged his shoulders saying he got lucky.
"Now you'll have to show me your notebook."
"What?"
"Well if you think my dream isn't a decent one then you have to show me yours so I can have a notion of what is right."
He sighed and knowing he couldn't win this argument he handed her his Dream Notebook. Phyllida flipped the pages carefully reaching to the one with today's date. He looked away from her, turning his attention to the window. Last night he had that nightmare again, the one about his third year at Hogwarts.
Thirteen year old Nathaniel Ross walked into the Purebloods Only Common Room. Even being a pureblood, the well-decorated place sort of intimidated him, as if he actually didn't belong there. He didn't come here regularly, but his supply of chocolate frogs was nearly done, and he was hoping to find something to eat here.
He was a small chubby student and sweets were his friends. Too shy to talk with girls, and not feeling comfortable next to the boys, he used to be alone all the time. Laughter came from a corner and he saw some students from his year there, including the red-haired girl named Phyllida. For some reason he wanted to be her friend. He thought she was cool and there was something about her passive green eyes that told him she felt alone like he did. Suddenly, filled with a courage he did not know he possessed, he gave a few steps forward, trying to join the group of students and be part of their conversation.
It didn't take longer for them to notice the presence of the chubby Hufflepuff boy. Some of the girls looked at him with disgust.
"The kitchen is in the basement, Ross."
Soon everyone followed the lead of the boy who spoke first, throwing insults at him, calling him fat among other names.
"I have no idea how they allow you to sleep in the dorms. The pigsty, if they have one at Hogwarts, would be a better place for you to stay." Phyllida's words had hurt more than everyone else's. Feeling tears stinging his eyes, Nate turned his back to them all and ran away hiding himself for the rest of the day in a bathroom.
He looked at Phyllida when she finished reading. He hoped she wouldn't recognize herself in his narration since he did not include any names there.
Birthday Dinner
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 11-11-11 18:29
The Bamboo Forest wasn't very crowded when Ron and Hermione arrived there for dinner on Monday night. It was Hermione's twenty-sixth birthday. Both had worked that day and both were rather tired. Dinner together was all they had the energy for.
They were seated at the window and could look out at the drizzle that fell from thick, white-grey clouds. It was still daylight, but the sun had already begun to make its slow descent, illuminating a few of the rainclouds from behind.
Hermione wore a simple red dress and a cardigan. Out of all the necklaces Ron had given her over the years, she'd chosen to wear the very first one she'd received from him. The pendant was a capsule of golden fairydust, or at least that was how he had described it to her at Christmas during their fifth year at Hogwarts.
Ron had beamed at the sight of her wearing it and then drifted back into the past, when they'd been kids just starting to fall in love with each other. It was hard to believe that more than ten years had passed since that Christmas.
They looked over their menus.
"Want an appetizer?" Ron asked.
"No, I don't think so. Do you?"
Ron shook his head. "Nah. I think I already know what I want. Do you know what you want?"
"The sizzling honey chicken sounds interesting," Hermione said, "but I'm also leaning towards the chicken wonton soup."
"How about we get one of each and share?" Ron suggested.
"Sure, or we can get two small soups and one plate of the honey chicken."
"That works too."
A waitress came over immediately to take their orders. Hermione ordered tea, while Ron decided to stick with water.
After the waitress left, Hermione clasped her hands together in her lap and asked, "So, when do I get my next present?" She smiled at Ron.
All day, he'd spread out giving her his gifts. This morning, she'd woken up to a box of assorted French soaps in scents like lavender, orange-grapefruit and wild rose. After work and before leaving for the Chinese restaurant, he'd presented her with a rather fashionable, floppy brown hat. Hermione wondered who had advised him to buy it for her because surely he hadn't picked it out himself.
Ron had hinted at perhaps one or two more presents but hadn't said when he would give them to Hermione. She guessed that maybe he would give her one at dinner and the other when they got back home, but she really wasn't sure. He was being awfully secretive and loving every minute of it, too.
He grinned at her. "Not yet."
Hermione pouted.
Very soon, the waitress returned with a large serving platter on which were two steaming bowls of soup, one large platter of sizzling honey chicken, and two smaller, empty plates. She expertly served Ron and Hermione and then left to tend to another table.
Ron and Hermione tucked in to their food, which turned out to be very, very tasty.
(Adriana) Personal Question
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 11-12-11 09:35
On her way to the Great Hall for breakfast, Adriana bumped into Ethan Somerset as he was leaving the onsite nursery. Ever since the Start-of-Term Feast, she could not shake the feeling that there was something she ought to know about him. The tingling sensation she'd experienced in his presence at the feast had not returned, however. Not even now as they spoke in the corridor.
"Good morning," Ethan had greeted her.
"If it is a good morning," Adriana had replied mournfully. "I miss my bed."
Ethan chuckled. "You're not a morning person?"
"Actually, I am," she replied, "but my bed was too cozy to give up this morning. I had to remind myself that I have to set a good example for my students. It wouldn't do me any good to show up late to my own class, and a first year class at that."
Ethan chuckled again. "You're probably right about that."
They walked in silence for a little while. Suddenly, an illuminating thought entered Adriana's mind, almost as if somebody had just whispered it into her ear. She slowed her steps and then stopped fully near an empty alcove. Ethan who had walked on a few paces, stopped and turned to look at her. He saw the confused expression on her face and asked, "Is everything all right?"
Adriana didn't answer right away. She saw flashes of something in her mind and then focused on Ethan. "Can I ask you a very personal question?"
Ethan stepped closed to Adriana and then indicated to the alcove. "Sure, but I reserve the right not to answer."
"Fair enough," Adriana responded. They sat down on a stone bench.
"What do you wish to know?" Ethan curiously asked.
Adriana opened and closed her mouth a few times. When she finally found what she thought were the right words, she blurted them out in a rush.
"I heard that you were once Lord Voldemort's pawn. Do you still feel residual effects from his control over you?"
A look of surprise crossed Ethan's face. Evidently, he wasn't expecting her to ask about Voldemort of all things. The topic of conversation didn't appear to make him very uncomfortable.
He shook his head. "No. He cut me off fully when I fought the enchantment he'd placed over me. Even if he hadn't, I don't suppose I would have felt anything at all after his death. At least, that is how it is for some of the others who were in my position. Why do you ask?"
Adriana exhaled deeply. "I'm sorry. I'm just curious. I missed so much while I was out of the country. In fact, the whole reason I left was because of Voldemort. I was scared, and I feared him even in death. He was an extraordinarily powerful wizard, and who knows what sorts of enchantments he left behind that can't be broken by his absence from this world. Whose to say he doesn't have influence over anyone even now?"
Ethan rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm not saying it's impossible," he began, "but I do think it's unlikely. Don't you think if some piece of Voldemort were still around today, we would know it by now?"
Adriana shot him a small smile. "I guess you are the expert on all things Defense Against the Dark Arts… and perhaps on Voldemort as well."
Ethan shook his head. "DADA, maybe, but Voldemort most certainly not. There were more sides to him than I imagine anyone ever knew. May I ask why you feared him so intensely?"
Adriana's smile faded and she looked down at her hands. "My mother was a Death Eater. She died during the First Wizarding War."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Ethan replied.
Adriana nodded. "Thanks. It was a long time ago." Suddenly her mood improved. "We're going to miss breakfast if we carry on like this for much longer. Sorry for singling you out. I'm sure you would like to forget your past."
Ethan shook his head. "No worries. I'm not proud of the things I've done, but my past has shaped me into the wizard I am now. I can't forget that."
They got up and continued down the corridor.
"Do me a favor," Adriana pleaded. "Don't tell anybody about what we discussed. I especially don't want Dumbledore freaking out. He and my father went way back and though I'm sure he doesn't consider himself a substitute for my father, I know he worries about me sometimes. I think part of the reason I got this job is so that he can keep an eye on me."
Ethan smiled. "Dumbledore is a good man."
"Yes, he is," Adriana replied. "So you promise?"
"Your secret is safe with me."
Close Call
Author: Lysander Stratford
Date: 11-12-11 10:30
Lysander had seen Charlotte off to Blossom's first thing after breakfast. Because of the drizzle, she'd insisted on wearing the brand new yellow raincoat Astrid had gotten her as well as a pair of shiny, red boots. There weren't many puddles to splash in because the only rain they'd gotten since yesterday had been light. Charlotte, nevertheless, found every single one, no matter how small.
After kissing Charlotte goodbye, Lysander left the daycare and walked back in the direction he'd come. Instead of going home or into Twice Told Tales, he walked right past the building. The bookstore had just opened for the day and Julian could be seen in the window, adding books to the display there.
Lysander continued on and turned right at the junction to the neighborhood. He turned right again onto the East Lane and continued until he reached the entrance to the cemetery.
He'd felt the overwhelming urge to visit Chyler's grave when he woke up this morning. Lysander had had the most vivid dream about her. In it, she'd been very much alive and it had been Astrid, her cousin, who'd died all those years ago.
Astrid had sensed that something had been on Lysander's mind this morning. He hadn't opened up to her about his dream, though. How could he tell her that he'd dreamt about the love of his life, her cousin, and that she'd been long dead herself?
He walked the familiar path to Chyler's grave. The ground was wet, so Lysander didn't kneel in front of her headstone, like he often did when he visited. Instead, he just stood there and looked at her engraved name.
"Lysander?"
He nearly jumped out of his skin. Lysander turned around and saw Aralyn approaching. She wore a cloak over her robes and held an umbrella over her head. She wore a neck brace.
Lysander quickly moved away from Chyler's grave and approached Aralyn. He caught her by the elbow and then looped his arm through hers in an attempt to direct her away from the headstone. He did so as gently and casually as possible so that it wouldn't seem obvious that he was purposefully moving her away from Chyler's grave.
If Aralyn noticed anything, she didn't indicate it.
"I saw you enter the cemetery and followed you. I hope I'm not intruding," she said.
"You're not," Lysander replied, walking with her to another row of headstones. "I like to come her sometimes to clear my head. It's so peaceful here, you know? I also like to look at the headstones. This place is so full of history."
"What caused you to come out here in the rain?" she asked him. "Is something wrong?"
"Not really," he replied. "I just felt the urge to come. Why are you still wearing your neck brace?"
Aralyn made a face. She'd had an accident at work, when she'd slid up-side-down the stripper pole too quickly and landed badly on her neck.
"I'm convinced an inexperienced healer treated me at St. Mungo's. Kristos has started to wonder if one of the other girls cursed me."
Hearing Kristos' name put to mind the fact that Aralyn's brother had started calling on Lysander and Julian lately as if they were all friends. At Julian's advice, he and Lysander had decided to play nice since Kristos wasn't supposed to know any better. They'd all gone out to a bar one night, had supper together another. It was like they were following the old adage: keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
Except that Kristos didn't remember he and Lysander were enemies.
"Do you get along with the other girls?"
"Some of them," Aralyn replied, "but not all of them. There's major jealousy among some of the girls. Everyone wants to be a star, but not everyone is."
Lysander couldn't decide whether or not it was a good or bad thing that some of the girls at Petals might be jealous of Aralyn's pole-dancing abilities.
"My neck feels better but it still doesn't feel 100%. Unfortunately, it's put me out of work," Aralyn went on. "I have another appointment with a healer this afternoon."
"I hope you get some good news when you go," Lysander replied. "Merlin's beard, but it's miserable out here, isn't it?"
Aralyn laughed. "You're the one who wanted to stand out here in the rain, and without an umbrella too!"
Lysander steered Aralyn to the cemetery exit. When they got back to the East Lane, he carefully removed his arm from hers and stuffed his hands into the pocket of his coat. The collar was turned up, shielding his neck from the drizzle, though he still stood under Aralyn's umbrella for the moment.
"If it were raining heavier, I might have brought one," Lysander replied. "Coffee sounds delicious right now."
"Or hot cocoa. Mind if I follow you to Twice Told Tales, if that's where you are going?" Aralyn asked.
Lysander wanted to say, "Yes, I do mind," but he answered, "Not at all."
They walked back to the bookstore, greeted Julian, who was still in the window, and then went straight to the coffee nook for two piping hot cups of coffee and hot cocoa.
The Replacement
Author: Johanna Steele
Date: 11-12-11 13:37
At Tuesdays Johanna shared two classes with Roger – History of Magic and Astronomy. She was a bit annoyed of spending bits of her day bumping into him. She wasn't regretted of her decision to break up with him. However she missed the attention Roger gave her and the benefits of their relationship. Johanna liked how he would carry her bag and her books, or how he would give her gifts.
But she had to admit dating him had been a mistake. He had insulted her friends and she had done the same to his. They couldn't reach to a deal about who to spend time with and so they broke up.
"You're not going to believe what that red haired girl told me! She said it was going to be hard for her to support her own house when it faces Slytherin at a quidditch match, because I will be playing." Gus said, as Johanna, Felicia and himself sat together in the History of Magic classroom, waiting for Professor Davyd to arrive and start the class.
Johanna missed Professor Binns a lot but it was actually nice to have a whole lesson without the teacher falling asleep. "These girls are all mental. " Gus concluded, and he started to take his book with reluctance out of his bag.
Johanna prepared herself to do the same when Felicia patted her arm. Roger had just entered the classroom holding hands with Joanna Porter. Since most of the seats were taken, Roger and Joanna were forced to separate each other and he had no option to sit near the three Slytherin friends.
Joanna blow Roger a kiss and looked at Johanna with a smug smile on her face.
"So…I see you're dating Joanna now. " Johanna stated, thinking how ironic it was he found a replacement for her with her exact name.
"Yes. She's amazing. And I see you're alone…" He noticed obviously pleased with that fact.
"Better alone than with a moron." Johanna muttered, writing today's date at her notebook.
"What did you say?" Roger asked, but that was the moment Professor Davyd picked to enter the classroom. She greeted their students and didn't lose anytime starting the class. When Professor Davyd wasn't noticing Felicia whispered into Johanna's ear asking if she was all right. Johanna nodded. This didn't upset her. She knew she could do better than Roger. She should have a boyfriend like Mark or Gus.
She blushed a bit not believing she was thinking about their friends that way. But those thoughts ended soon as the class proceeded and she started paying attention.
Dropwort
Author: Marzipan
Date: 11-13-11 07:25
Tall, green stalks with round clusters of small, white flowers filled a narrow, rectangular planter that stretched the length of the work table in the greenhouse. Today, the Ravenclaw and Slytherin first years would be learning about dropwort, or water hemlock, an extremely poisonous plant.
They filed into the greenhouse and took off their warm cloaks, hanging them on a coat stand near the door. Then, they took their places around the table and studied the plant before them. There were interested looks on their faces, but Professor Ravenscroft couldn't tell if it was for the plant or the incredibly long planter.
She did a quick head count. All were present.
Professor Ravenscroft smiled. "Good afternoon, class."
"Good afternoon, Professor," the first years murmured as one.
"Who can tell me what this plant is?"
When no hands were raised, Professor Ravenscroft hinted, "It is a common plant in England, in the southern counties particularly."
Only blank looks met Professor Ravenscroft's gaze. She smiled again. "This is dropwort. Dropwort has many other names. Perhaps you've heard of some: water hemlock, horsebane, dead tongue, five-fingered root, water lovage, and yellow water dropwort. What do these names mean to you?"
Amorica Wenlock offered, "I think it must live in or around water, if water is a part of its name."
"Good answer," Professor Ravenscroft replied. "Two points to Slytherin. Dropwort doesn't live in the ocean or in lakes, but it does live in and along ditches and other watering places. What else?"
Paton Shrewsbury held up his hand but he didn't raise it high, causing Professor Ravenscroft to nearly miss it. "Yes, Paton?"
"I think it must be poisonous to horses, but probably other animals as well."
"Correct. Two points to Ravenclaw. Dropwort is poisonous, not just to livestock but to people as well. Ingesting dropwort leads to the following symptoms: pain, sickness, convulsions and even death."
Professor Ravenscroft walked around the table as she lectured. "Because it grows near waterways, it is often eaten by animals who go there for a drink. It is sometimes eaten by mistake, too. In appearance, dropwort doesn't look very differently from wild celery or water parsnip."
She discussed its appearance then, starting with its outward appearance and then delving into its interior parts. Professor Ravenscroft explained that the "yellow" in one of its other names referred to the juice that exuded from the plant's stem and root when cut. It was imperative that anyone handling the plant wear gloves, not only because of the poisonous nature of the plant but also because the juice stained skin yellow.
"If you've forgotten your gloves, I have spares in the cabinet," Professor Ravenscroft announced, now that it was time for the practical portion of class. Some of the students pulled on their very own dragon hide or similar gloves, but a few had to sift through the pairs in the cabinet. Not everybody found a perfect fit, but they would have to do.
Professor Ravenscroft demonstrated how to remove a dropwort plant from the planter and then how to cut its root. Her students followed suit, and soon, everybody's gloves were covered in yellow stains.