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Crybabies
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 01-02-12 12:20
"The longer you're here, the better you'll become at determining what they want," Heidi said, as they wandered through a room full of crying toddlers. "For example, this one here, Lexie," she said, reading the name off of the baby's hospital bracelet, "is hungry."
Heidi looked up and waved over a nurse, who had just lowered another wailing toddler into his crib.
"Lexie is ready for her bottle, I think," she told the nurse, who was middle-aged and quite plump.
The nurse immediately swept the crying baby into her arms, summoned a bottle, and cooed at Lexie while the child hungrily drank her milk.
"And this one here," Heidi went on, moving to the next crib, "needs his diaper changed." Heidi picked up the boy, whose name was London, and handed him to Hermione. "This will be good practice for when you have your own. Have you caught the baby bug yet?"
Hermione moved over to a changing table with London and started removing his onesie.
"Not yet," she replied. When she'd first started her rotation in the maternity ward, she'd quite enjoyed it. The newborns were so adorably cute, every last one of them. But on days like today, when she listened to babies crying in stereo, she left work with a raging headache and thought she could wait a few more years to have her own crying baby at home.
Besides, she couldn't tell a baby's cries apart. They all sounded exactly the same to her ears. That had her worrying that she wouldn't be able to tell what her child needed. Would that make her a bad parent?
"Don't worry," Heidi replied, smiling. "You will."
After Hermione finished changing London's diaper and returned him to his crib, Heidi pointed out a few other different cries she should be able to identify, like when a baby is angry, scared or in pain.
Sometime later, Hermione went on her break. Sometimes she went up to the Tea Room, but other times she relaxed in the lounge. Of course relaxing meant reading a book, usually something related to healing. In her mind, it was still pleasure reading, even if the material was decidedly more serious than the romance novels she checked out from the library from time to time.
Because she had a slight headache, Hermione opted to take a nap. The lounge was mercifully empty, so she slipped off her shoes and curled up on the couch. She couldn't sleep, though. Instead, she thought about Harry and Ron, who'd finally started talking again. Like Ron, Hermione hadn't been pleased that Harry had kept Pettigrew a secret, but she'd figured he'd had his reasons.
Her break ended all too quickly. With a sigh, Hermione heaved herself off of the couch and rejoined Heidi in the hospital room full of unhappy toddlers.
Quizzes and More Quizzes
Author: Marzipan
Date: 01-02-12 13:48
Every face that had entered the greenhouse so far had lacked the enthusiasm it usually expressed. Few of Professor Ravenscroft's students absolutely loved Herbology class, but all were usually contented enough during class. After all, the plants they learned about were interesting and sometimes quite unusual.
Today was an exception to the rule because Professor Ravenscroft had scheduled quizzes for all five of her classes. The Gryffindor and Hufflepuff third years had already come and gone. The Ravenclaw and Slytherin fourth years were currently in the middle of their quiz.
The quiz covered everything they had learned since the last quiz at the end of September. It was strictly written and asked questions about subjects like the venomous tentacula, agrimony, bloodroot and touch-me-not.
Professor Ravenscroft knew there was another reason why her students were reluctant about class today. It was Friday, the end of a very long week, with the prospect of a good weekend just around the corner. Also, Monday was Halloween. Classes hadn't been canceled, but the annual Halloween Feast would be that evening.
Marzipan had already picked out costumes for her boys but hadn't yet decided on anything for herself. Carter and Vallon would be dressing up as a tiger and lion, respectively. Marzi had gotten the costumes at Baby Witch in Hogsmeade last weekend.
Maybe she would follow on their theme of wild animals and dress up as one too. If she could convince Weston to dress up as one as well, then all the better.
The time ticked by rather slowly, even though she had essays to read and mark on Native American herbal medicine. Eventually, it neared 11 o'clock. Professor Ravenscroft stopped what she was doing and got up to collect the quizzes from those students who had already finished. When class officially ended, she collected the rest and dismissed her students.
A few minutes later, the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff first years walked into the greenhouse with a look of dread on their faces. Professor Ravenscroft smiled kindly at them and passed out their quizzes, which they reluctantly started to write.
Discovery in Trier
Author: Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen
Date: 01-02-12 15:27
For once, Fritz's Introduction to Alchemy class doesn't hold his attention. While his professor drones on about the alchemic treatise of Ramon Liull, a 13th century writer, poet, theologian, mystic, mathematician and logician from Majorca, he reads over the notes he took during last weekend's trip to Germany.
Having scheduled no hours at J. Pippin's Potions, Fritz apparated to Trier, where he so often went for his community service hours. Instead of visiting Frau Hockenheim's house, which her family had probably emptied out by now anyway, he went to the Stadtbibliothek Weberbach, one of the municipal libraries in town. He chose it over the Stadtbibliothek Palais Walderdorff because it kept a lot of old books and documents. The Palais Walderdorff was less of a research library and more of a family-friendly sort of place.
Both libraries were in the Muggle world, though. Fritz knew without a doubt that Berthold Beatenberg was a wizard, because no Muggle could charm a book into speaking. Still, he thought he would take his chances and see what he could find out.
His efforts didn't prove entirely fruitless. In some of the old records, Fritz found a land grant that Berthold Beatenberg had made in the 1800s. It was for land right there in Trier.
Fritz didn't find anything else, though. After a few more hours research, Fritz decided to see if he could find the land Berthold had purchased. There wasn't an address, just directions based on landmarks. Obviously, Trier had changed over the years. What was once open land was now mostly city. He wandered around for ages thinking he'd found the right place––there was a café there now––but he wasn't entirely sure.
Then another thought came to mind. Trier was the oldest city in all of Germany. It dated back to Ancient Roman times. Surely there was a wizarding community, beyond just Berthold Beatenberg's land from way back when?
And that was when Fritz noticed something interesting. One of the most famous landmarks in Trier was the Porta Nigra, an Ancient Roman gate that was built before 200 AD. 800 years later, the gate was renovated and turned into a church. And 800 years after that, the church closed and the gate was renovated once more, so that it looked Roman all over again. It's been unchanged ever since.
To the Muggle eye, the Porta Nigra looked like a multi-storied building with lots of rounded windows. It needed a good-cleaning, although the black soot speckling the building fit its Latin name: the Black Gate.
Fritz saw what the Muggles saw, but he also saw another image overlaying it. The other Porta Nigra wasn't a ruin. The sandstone was darker and the building had a red tiled roof. The gate was symmetrical and four stories high. Through the gate, Fritz saw a narrow alleyway with a peristyle and buildings on either side. It stretched for quite a distance and ended with a triumphal arch like one might see in Rome. The astonishing thing was that while there was a bit of road directly behind the Porta Nigra in the Muggle world, the modern road curved shortly thereafter. Nowadays there were also buildings behind the gate. It was like Fritz's eyes were playing tricks on him. One moment, he could see what the Muggles saw. The next, he could see the wizarding world stretched out before him.
And as soon as he entered the arch under the gate, Fritz saw only what wizards saw. He would have spent all day there, but he'd already spent ages in the library and was running out of daylight hours. Fritz saw what he could, temporarily forgetting about his personal research project, and later promised himself he could come back soon. Maybe Coco could come with him.
Fritz hasn't heard a word of the alchemy lecture underway. He hopes that his readings will be enough to do well on his exam, if any of this material is even on it when the time comes. He reads over his notes from Germany again and thinks about how he doesn't have to work tomorrow. Perhaps it's time for another visit to Trier.
Straight To Lunch (Basil)
Author: Jared
Date: 01-02-12 19:14
From Charms Basil wastes no time getting to the Great Hall. With another class, Transfiguration, at one, he prefers eating lunch without having to scarf food down in a rush. Ivan's already seated and by the looks of it is on at least second helpings.
Basil slides into the empty seat to Ivan's left. "What's good today?"
"Everything. Except the spinach."
"That's only because you don't like spinach. Is that shepherd's pie or cottage pie?"
"Cottage. Does it matter?"
"No. Just curious. Pass it over." Basil accepts the platter, somewhat belatedly saying, "Thanks."
Ivan reaches for a plate with sausages, spearing one then reaching for a bowl of creamy mashed potatoes. "My fancy dress finally arrived."
"Yeah? You never said what it is."
"It's a copy of the Kenmore Kestrals uniform from 1900. Have a big handlebar mustache to wear too just like all the men used to have. What did you decide on?"
"Thought I mentioned it. Wasn't going to do anything at first but then I decided to go as Sir Cadogan."
"That barmy old coot from the seventh floor portrait? That Sir Cadogan?"
"That Sir Cadogan."
"But why?"
"Why not?"
"Good point. Pass the peas."
Handing his friend the peas Basil asks, "How much exactly have you eaten already? Are you trying to outdo Deak Bennett?"
Ivan shrugs. "I think I'm having a growth spurt. I'm hungry all the time, more tired than usual, and my knees and wrists ache sometimes. According to my mum those are classic signs."
"Cool. I do not want to go to classes this afternoon but I can't miss Transfiguration and I heard we might be having a pop quiz in A&D. I think I want some soup."
Basil gets up to closer inspect the day's soup offerings, sort of wishing he'd have another growth spurt. He wouldn't mind going over the six foot mark.
Are You Shy?
Author: Errol
Date: 01-03-12 14:06
Megara Flynn drops into the chair directly across from Errol at a small table in a room that Errol thinks is oddly named as the Common Commons. He's not sure why the lounge slash study area in Ravenclaw is called the Common Room instead of the lounge or study or great room or something along those lines. Why this gathering place isn't called the Student Lounge or whatever he also isn't sure of. He guesses it's another example of the differences in American English and English English.
One other thing Errol is not sure of at this moment is why Megara has invited herself to sit with him when there are plenty of other spots, some of them with her friends. Rather than asking he drops his eyes back to the Transfiguration notes he's rewriting, not doing it to be rude but simply because it's what he was doing when she sat down.
"I really like Arithmany and Divination," she begins by way of greeting, "except that it's a late class on Fridays. I don't mind so much on MOndays, that's the other day it meets, but I do not like going until nearly four on a Friday. Suppose it could be worse, though, and it not get out until five."
Errol's response is to look up again, smile, nod, then resume working on his notes.
"Speaking of this being Friday, you are allowed to take a break for a bit, you know. Or is that something for a four o'clock class that you are now running late to get to?"
One quick head shake causing hair to flop into his eyes has Errol simultaneously pushing the hair back and replying, "I'm done for the day."
"Then be done. Socialize for a change."
"I should get this done."
"Why is it that you don't socialize, Errol? Do you not like us?"
Errol looks up again. There's a challenge in Megara's frank stare though it's not unfriendly or angry. He says nothing for another three or four seconds before giving another, single shake of his head that once more sends hair into his eyes. "It's not that."
"Are you shy?"
Shoving the hair off his forehead, eyes tilted up in annoyance at it, mouth puckering into a small frown, he makes a mental note to ask Professor Kent or someone like that where students can get haircuts here in the castle. If it costs money, he'll have to write Uncle Ross, or maybe his secretary. She's who he has to write to when needing ink, quills, toothpaste, and such.
Realizing Megara is waiting for a reply he tells her, "Not really."
"So what is it then?:
Errol sits up straight, leaning back in his chair, turning his quill over and over in his hands. The words It's none of your business are on the tip of his tongue but for some reason he can't bring himself to say them. Regripping the quill to write, he dips it in the bottle of ink, he leans forward over his notes again quietly saying as he does, "Things didn't turn out very well with the last friends I had."
"How so?" Megara pushes.
Errol means to say, "I don't want to talk about it," but for some reason replies, "They lied and said I killed someone."
Megara's eyes widen and in them he can see countless questions wanting to spill forth. She must have read something in his eyes as well because instead of that stream of question he's expecting she simply says, "That's awful."
Megara stands but reaches out one hand to place over his. "Maybe sometime when you aren't busy and feel like talking, you'll tell me all about it."
Just before leaving him alone at the table she says as an afterthought, "Abigail Tibbs does nice haircuts. She's in our year but in Hufflepuff."
Errol mutely nods, eyes already back on the Transfiguration notes in front of him.
Sick
Author: Griet
Date: 01-03-12 19:03
All of the curtains in Griet's flat had been drawn tightly shut since midday yesterday, when she had started feeling the effects of the full moon. She'd gone to bed straightaway and skipped all of Friday's classes. If it weren't necessary for her to lock herself up Saturday night, then Griet would be contented to stay in bed throughout the weekend.
Buried under her thick covers, the knock on the door sounded muted to her ears. She ignored it, wanting to see no one.
Whoever was on the other side wanted to see her, though. She heard a key twist in the lock and then footsteps moving through the flat. A moment later, her bedside sagged.
"Griet?"
"Hi, Oberon," she murmured, eyes squeezed shut and head still buried under her comforter.
"I brought you something to eat."
"I'm not really hungry," she moaned.
"I'll just set it on your bedside table in case you change your mind."
"Thanks."
Griet wanted to ask Oberon to leave, but she didn't want to hurt his feelings. It wasn't anything personal. She just wasn't feeling very well at all.
He seemed to get the unspoken hint. "Send me an owl or firetalk with me tomorrow before sundown," he said to her, "or if you're feeling up to it, we can get together." He got up and peered down at the lump in Griet's bed.
"Okay," she said.
"Feel better." With that, he left.
Griet didn't know how much time had passed before she heard a new voice call out to her. Confused, she forced herself to emerge from her cocoon so that she could see who her new visitor was.
"Tucker?" she asked, gazing up at him from her pillow. She had terrible bed-head and her eyes were slightly crusty.
"Sorry to barge in uninvited, but did you know you left your door unlocked?"
Griet frowned. Oberon had forgotten to lock up on the way out.
"Why aren't you moaning and groaning in bed like I am?" Griet asked.
"I don't feel well, but I don't feel horrible either," he replied with a shrug. "Some months are better than others. Isn't it that way for you?"
"Yeah. This is definitely a bad month."
Tucker reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a thin vial. "I think you might need some of this."
Griet accepted the Wolfsbane Potion gratefully. It did wonders on the night of a full moon, but it also helped soothe the early side-effects that came beforehand.
She unstoppered the vial and emptied it in her mouth in one go. The potion didn't taste good, but Griet swallowed every last drop. She handed Tucker the empty vial and settled back into her pillow.
Tucker looked like he didn't want to go yet. He massaged the vial between his thumb and index finger and seemed to want to say something.
He wore only a thin T-shirt and his jeans, even though it was blasted cold outside. Griet remembered what he looked like underneath his clothes and felt herself blush. Tucker didn't notice, though, watching instead the thin vial he passed between his fingers.
"I suspect there will be loads of Halloween parties tomorrow night," he finally said.
"Yeah, probably so, what with Halloween falling on a Monday this year."
Tucker looked up and smiled at her. "Guess we'll have our own party, won't we?"
"With costumes and everything," Griet replied, also smiling.
He finally stuffed the vial back into his pocket. "I should let you rest. See you tomorrow before nightfall?"
"It's a date, I mean, it's a deal."
"Don't forget to lock up."
Tucker shot her a farewell grin and let himself out of the flat.
Griet extricated herself from her blankets and padded through the flat to the front door. She turned the lock and then padded back to her bedroom. She already felt a little better, but she had sleep and sweet dreams on her mind. She climbed back into bed and buried herself beneath the covers once more.
The Option Of Trick Or Treating
Author: Dante Knight
Date: 01-03-12 20:36
As soon as his Friday office hours ended at five Dante had changed into running clothes and headed out. With sunset before six, the already chill Scottish air was rapidly becoming cooler but while Dante did not wear shorts or a plain t-shirt, he also didn't bundle up against the cold. Once he got to running, the activity kept him more than warm enough. As he's often done when out running, when passing the pitch he can't help but miss Theodosia and the friendship that was developing. He knows he's not the only one, well imagining how those who knew her much longer must miss her presence.
Upon return to the castle Isabella Hastings, who is in Dante's Monday-Wednesday-Friday class of seventh years, stopped him before he made it to the first flight of stairs. She held a piece of parchment out to him. "Professor Knight, I sorry but somehow I left this out when turning my assignment in today."
Dante took Isabella at her word, having no reason from her to date to doubt the page not being turned in this afternoon in class was from any reason other than an oversight. He'd stopped off at his fourth floor office to leave Isabella's page before continuing on to his sixth floor flat to shower and change for supper. Being Friday night and the Friday night before a Halloween that falls on a Monday this year, and because he'd come into the Great Hall later due to going on that run, the head table wasn't as full as usual.
On one side of him had been Celeste Quigley and her husband, who got to talking to Dante about working out. Before the conversation turned, inevitably, to the upcoming Halloween Feast both Quigleys had promised to join Dante on a run this weekend. The Halloween Feast conversation centered mainly on the fancy dress option. Like the majority of wizarding families, Dante's had had a special meal for Halloween but unlike many, they'd never been to a party or feast. As with the majority of wizarding families, costumes were also not a part of Halloween. On those occasions when his family was in a Muggle location on the thirty-first of October, Dante and his siblings had seen Muggles in costume, wanting to dress up as well. They were told it was a silly, nonsensical Muggle tradition. To say the least, Dante nor his siblings ever got to wear costumes for Halloween.
He now knows that the costume tradition began with the superstitious belief that costumes and masks confused the ghosts and evil spirits believed to roam the night on All Hallow's Eve. When he'd first found out that fancy dress was an option for the Hogwarts Halloween Feast, Dante had thought it was something for the students. He's since learned otherwise, with a great deal of thought going into what costume he'd wear. Whenever the subject has been brought up near him, whether by colleagues or by students, Dante listened closely to get an idea of the sort of costumes one might expect. Tonight at dinner, he'd listened with interest as the Quigleys talked about the inspiration behind their costumes for Monday.
By the time Dante left the Great Hall, he was again thinking deeply about his own costume. Unless he changes his mind between tonight and the feast on Monday, he thinks he's fairly well set, though he will need to pick up one thing tomorrow. Back at his flat, he'd decided to brew some coffee to go with the slice of pie he'd brought up with him for dessert. He's just settled on the couch, a news program on the WWN, a book recommended to him by Hogwarts librarian Azaelia Bramble, coffee and pie, never once thinking about how he should be out on a Friday night or with friends, when there's a knock at the door.
When he opens it, his sister offers him a smile. "Surprise!"
"That's an understatement," he says, ushering her in.
"That Mr. Filch remembered me and told me to come on up. Why do I get the feeling he was hoping I'd get lost?"
"He may well have been and let me tell you, it's so easy to get lost around this place it's scary. Is everything okay?"
"Yes and no. Remember I told you that I don't mind the lifestyle most of the time but every now and then I do need a break?"
"Yeah, sure."
"I need a break. I was hoping you wouldn't mind putting me up for a night or two."
"No, not at all. This is basically a one bedroom flat but there is another room. It's quite small but it's yours if you want it, or you can have my room and I'll sleep in there. There's also the couch, which is extremely comfortable."
"The small room will do nicely, thank you. Should I be glad that you are home this time on a Friday night or sad for you that you are home on a Friday night?" she teasingly asks.
"I'm just glad you dumped your date early to come for a visit," he teases back. "Coffee?"
"Love some, thanks. Is that pie?"
"Yeah, want some?"
"I don't want to be a bother."
"No bother. I assure you there was plenty of pie at supper so getting you a piece won't be a problem."
Soon they are both on the couch with coffee and pie, the news program still playing but at a lower volume. Tamara, as she'd decided to be called when visiting Dante, points with her fork to something draped over a chair. "What's that?"
"Part of my fancy dress for the Halloween Feast, unless I change my mind on what costume to wear that is."
"Costume? They do costumes here?"
"Yeah. Apparently either a Muggle born, or someone with Muggle connections or something, I'm not exactly clear on that part; anyway, whomever it was suggested it several years back. It's not been done every year since then but it seems to be fairly popular. It's for everyone and it's optional. If you want to stay an extra night, we could come up with one for you."
"No one would mind if I came to the feast?"
"I doubt it but I'd ask either Professor Dumbledore or Professor McGonagall to be sure."
"I know who Dumbledore is and didn't you tell me that McGonagall is the vice or deputy or assistant, something like that?"
"Deputy."
"You really think it would be all right?"
"Sure."
"Then I think I need to figure out a costume. Do they also do that trick or treating thing the Muggles have?"
"Not that I've heard."
"Pity. Those times we were somewhere Muggle at Halloween when we were kids, I wanted to do that."
"Me too. How about on Monday I put some candy in a bowl and after you have your costume on, you go into the hall and knock on the door?"