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In A Mood
Author: Sage Porter
Date: 02-12-12 10:10
The front door opens and shuts accompanied by the sound of keys, a thud of something heavy, and the clump clump noise the boots Savannah loves to wear made against the wooden floors. She enters the sitting room still divesting herself of coat, scarf, hat, and gloves. "I think my hand is going to fall off. That final was one huge ass long essay question."
From his position sprawled on a throw rug near enough to the fire to feel warm without starting to feel as if he's being roasted Ezra asks, "Just one question? For a final?"
"Just the one but it was all encompassing for everything he lectured on for the term. I do fully understand now though why the Brits tend to call it writing an exam instead of taking one. Where's Sage? Is he back?"
"Kitchen."
"Did he say how it went?"
"He hasn't said much of anything and he seemed on the pissed side so I didn't ask. I'm guessing that means it didn't go so well."
Neither heard him come in from the kitchen so startling them both Sage says, "Whitman agreed to change the grade."
Ezra rolls to a sitting. "Could have fooled me."
Sage joins Savannah on the couch. "Whitman realized it was his mistake that led him to think I was late turning the paper in. What I'm so bloody mad about is my father."
Savannah shifts, leaning down to take off her boots and asking, "What's he done now?"
"You know that big Christmas party Birdie and he are having? He wrote Georgia to let her know she's not welcome to attend because I will be there with Esperanza."
"Whaaat?"
"No shit?"
Sage nods at Ezra, "Yeah, no shit. I had invited Georgia to go with me. I know I said I would give her space so she can concentrate on her NEWT preparation but she'd be on holiday. How much studying would she be doing, right? We could get in some time together, you know? She owled this morning, really upset. I'm a little surprised it wasn't a Howler. Georgia thinks I've officially broken up with her and just didn't have the balls to tell her face to face. She thinks I've been dating Esperanza all this time."
"But why would you have invited Georgia if that were true?" Ezra asks.
Savannah tells him, "She's not thinking rationally. Georgia's gotten a rude letter from Lohengrin that has got to have hugely hurt her feelings on top of making her feel like Sage has dumped her."
"I've asked her to meet me at Saffron's tonight. Should I take her a gift, do you think?"
"Even though you haven't done anything wrong, a present might help make her feel better."
Getting up to put another log on the fire Ezra asks, "Have you spoken with your dad?"
"Yeah. Georgia's owl came between my exam this morning and talking to Whitman. As soon as I had gotten that grade taken care of I went to see Da straightaway. He was his usual arrogant self. Da claimed to not understand what the problem was. Said he knew I had initially invited Georgia but was doing her a favor since I'd be better suited with Esperanza. Oh, he also wrote her boyfriend a letter like the one to Georgia. I just hope she gets a chance to smooth things over with him before he comes wanting to punch my in the face."
Sage shoves up from the couch. "I'm going to go find something nice for Georgia. Either of you want to come?"
"Janie should be here any time now. She's bringing pizza."
Savannah is leaning over, this time to put her boots back on. "Count me in. Where do you want to start?"
"Here's fine or do you think Diagon Alley?"
"Let's start here in town and go from there."
In a slightly better mood now, Sage dons coat and gloves as Savannah does the same. He's glad she's coming because he has no idea what sort of present to give. Picking out a Christmas gift for Georgia had been hard enough.
Annoyance
Author: Johanna Steele
Date: 02-12-12 10:18
"Why didn't you sign up for the Secret Santa?" Johanna whispered to Felicia. They were in Charms class and they were just starting to learn the Reducto spell. But today Professor Fairchild had expressly forbidden the use of wands. She wanted to teach them the theory first, before they would start to blast solid objects into pieces. And so the Slytherin and Hufflepuff fourth years scribbled furiously on their scrolls, taking notes of what Professor Fairchild's piece of chalk was writing in the blackboard.
"I just don't see the point in offering a present to someone I don't know. Or maybe someone I might hate."
"You don't hate anyone."
"Of course I do! All those Gryffindors for example…"
"Well but you have to think on the bright side: you'll also get a present!"
"Maybe. But I don't want to be all worried trying to find out the right gift for someone I don't know."
Professor Fairchild sent them a threatening look and they stopped talking, concentrating in the class. But that didn't last long. Johanna's mind was in tomorrow's trip to Hogsmeade.
She knew probably Mark and Kate would want to be alone. Johanna planned to go shopping and she had to find a way to convince Gus to carry her bags for her. Maybe if she paid him a butter beer he would accept. She recalled the day Mark come to her and Felicia for advices on what he should give Kate for Christmas. Johanna felt a tip of jealousy thinking how lucky Kate was to be dating not only the co-captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team, but also someone who really cared about her to the point of asking for present advises.
With a flick of her wand the eraser started to remove the words from the blackboard as Professor Fairchild introduced another topic related to the Reducto spell.
"Hey did you manage to copy everything?" Gus asked, tapping her from behind. Johanna turned to him and handed him the scroll with the blackboard's content.
"Be careful, the ink hasn't dried yet," she warned him, turning to the blackboard again, thanking Merlin she hasn't been spotted by Professor Fairchild.
"What is this word? Your handwriting sucks," He complained. It took her all her will power not to turn back again and hit him in the head with the heavy Charms' textbook.
Johanna decided to get her revenge later when he would beg her for help in History of Magic homework. Although Gus could ask any other fourth year girl for help. Some would even do his homework for him. For some reason that annoyed her, but only until Professor Fairchild interrupted her thoughts and asked her a question. Johanna had managed to reply correctly and the class moved on.
Getting A Little Dad Time
Author: Coco Nutt
Date: 02-12-12 13:42
Using her wand to decide exactly where to place a sparkly blue and silver streamer Coco is also talking to herself.
"A little higher on the left."
"Pull that bit up so the swag drapes better."
"Finish painting the windows next then a break."
The bell over the door tinkles at the same time Indigo loudly says, "I'm back, Coco. Oh, sorry. Didn't see you so near the door. "You finished the decorations? I was going to help you."
"There wasn't much left."
"Thanks."
"I want to do a bit more in the windows if that's all right with you?"
"Yeah, I think it's great. Did Leonard Mullins come by for Pixie?"
"He did, paid in full, and his wife sent a gooseberry-blackberry crumble. I had a little taste. It's very good."
"Be sure to take some home with you."
Indigo decides to rework a display of Christmas gift suggestions for tomorrow's influx of Hogwarts students while Coco collects some paint from the back and starts working on one of the windows. She's been at it about five minutes when a smiling Chadwick Yeates taps on the window from outside and gives a wave before moving along to the door. She secures the paint supplies out of the way of the puppies frolicking in the window then goes to greet her father.
"Hi, Dad!"
"Good to see you. Things are certainly looking festive around here."
"The Christmas shopping season has begun and tomorrow is a Hogsmeade Saturday for the Hogwarts students. Here for something in particular or just in the village so came to say hello?"
"I had to get some papers signed by someone staying at the inn. As long as I was here I thought I'd come see if you were working and also was thinking to pick up a new cat bed for Button. I accidentally tore a hole in the one at my place and no matter how well I patch it, it keeps opening back up."
"So you two are on again?"
"Sort of. Actually, I don't know. Button is at my house while Letty is out of town but I don't know if she's decided we're on again or if it's because I had agreed to keep the cat before that last dust up."
Indigo, who'd gone over to the clinic side of the shoppe, reappears. "Hi, Chad. Coco, why don't you go on and take your break."
"Sure. Thanks. Want to get a spot of tea, Dad?"
"Late as it is, I've not yet had lunch. Could we go to Brews & Stews? You could have your cuppa and I could get a bowl of soup or something."
"Let me grab my coat."
"And shoes."
Coco looks down at her feet, having forgotten she'd shed her shoes when climbing up on a shelf earlier to figure out why one of the decorations put up a couple of days ago had decided to come down. "Shoes. Right."
They walk arm in arm to the restaurant, chatting about getting together for Sunday brunch with Fritz and his parents. Not for the first time Coco wishes she'd shown some interest sooner in finding her father because so far having a dad has been great.
Happy Hearth
Author: Charlie Weasley
Date: 02-12-12 16:28
Arriving home to a warm house with a pleasant aroma of something roasting in the kitchen wafting to greet her, Hendrika stops just inside the front door. She's glad that Charlie beat her home and has the house feeling snug and she's even happier that he's gotten supper started. Hendrika starts to call out that she's home but hearing giggling coming from the kitchen she quietly goes that direction after hanging her coat on the hook near the door.
At the open kitchen door, she pauses, watching Charlie, Schuyler and Artie. The boys are standing on chairs, flanking their father, all three of them snickering and giggling. From her position it looks as if they are making the dough for biscuits of some sort. Seven month old Ava is sitting in a baby swing, giggling right along with them.
Artie spots Hendrika first. "MUMMY! Weeze makin peanut butter and chalklate biscuits!"
"Come see!" Schuyler orders around the mouthful of dough he's just plunked into his mouth.
Charlie meets her halfway with a welcome home kiss. "All done?"
"Completely. I wouldn't have thought the bookshoppe would have been as busy today but the lines were long. The buy back rate on texts is so low I'm not sure if it was worth standing there for ages. Did you get exams graded and grades averaged?"
"I did and got everything turned in as well. I still have some things to take care of the first of next week and there's a can't miss departmental meeting but mostly I'll be working at the preserve."
"I will probably help Blossom out more or possibly the twins. Fred said something about one of their employees here at the Hogsmeade shoppe needing some days off for a family thing."
"Daddy, Schuyler's eating it all."
For Artie to tattle on his big brother is serious, but then in Artie's book, having warm, gooey peanut butter and chocolate biscuits to eat is a high priority. Charlie and Hendrika move to the counter to inspect just how much of the biscuit dough their eldest has eaten. It's actually not that much though in Artie's opinion they need to make another recipe of it.
Hendrika leaves them long enough to change into more comfortable clothes. When she returns to the kitchen, she coos at Ava who gurgles happily back and she helps her three men finish making supper and, more importantly as far as Artie is concerned, helps them get the biscuits baking as they talk about how the boys' day went and going in the morning to pick out a Christmas tree.
Out with the Old
Author: Griet
Date: 02-12-12 18:08
Griet stumbled into her flat and immediately unshouldered her bookbag, leaving it where it fell near the front door. She shrugged out of her jacket and let it fall, too. Her shoes left her feet next and were also abandoned on the floor. She debated for half a second taking everything off and taking a long, hot shower but then she collapsed onto the couch, resting the back of her head onto the crook of her arm.
"What took you so long?"
The voice startled Griet into a sitting position, even though she recognized it.
"Oberon? What are you doing here?"
Oberon had emerged from the bedroom, wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. Droplets of water glistened on his chest.
"How long have you been here?" she added, taking in his appearance. She liked what she saw, of course, but his visit, and in such a state, was quite unexpected. Oberon never stopped by when she wasn't home. In fact, he was usually too busy with his job to visit her anymore, especially on a Friday night.
"I was sent home early today and thought I would visit my girl. Where were you?" Oberon asked.
"Writing my last final," Griet replied, "and why were you sent home early? You didn't get sacked, did you?"
Oberon looked insulted. "No."
"What then?" Griet asked.
"Does it matter?"
Griet stared at him and then laid back again. Oberon took that as an invitation to join her on the couch. She pushed him away.
"Not now, I'm tired."
Oberon looked even more insulted. "You're tired?"
"Yes, Oberon, I'm tired. I pulled an all-nighter last night and I've had exams all week. Now that I'm finally finished, I just want to relax."
"So, let me help you relax…"
"No, Oberon," Griet said, sitting up and drawing her knees to her chest. "I'm tired."
At that moment, there was a knock at the door. Griet climbed around Oberon to get off the sofa and stepped over her discarded things to get the door.
Tucker was standing on the other side, holding a pizza box. "Hey, I know this is spur of the moment, but I thought you might like to celebrate the end of Michaelmas Term with a pizza. You haven't had dinner yet, have you?"
"No, I've only just gotten home," Griet said, "but––"
Oberon suddenly appeared behind her, staring daggers at Tucker.
Tucker took in Oberon's appearance and looked extremely embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize you had company. Here, why don't you two take the pizza?"
"What the hell is he doing here?" Oberon asked Griet.
"Nothing," Griet said to him.
"I'll just go," Tucker said.
Griet gave him an apologetic look and then closed the door on him. She whirled on Oberon. "What's your problem?"
"Him," Oberon said. "What was he doing here, Griet? Do you two always have pizza together? What else do you do together that I don't know about?"
"It's not like that," Griet replied. "It's not like that at all."
"I don't believe you."
Griet gave him a long look. "If you don't trust me, then maybe we shouldn't be together anymore."
"You want to break up?"
"Yeah, I do. You're not the Oberon I love."
"You didn't even hesitate in giving me your answer. You really must have feelings for him."
"I don't," Griet said, "I just don't have feelings for you anymore."
"Fine. I'm out of here."
He turned on his heel to collect his clothes from Griet's bedroom and emerged a few minutes later fully dressed. He stalked past Griet and left the flat, slamming door behind him.
Griet slowly turned away from the door and prepared to head back to the sofa for more relaxation, but then she stopped and started thinking. While she was a bit saddened about breaking up with Oberon, he had changed since they'd left Hogwarts and she'd found that she didn't like who he'd become. They had definitely drifted apart.
She hadn't lied when she'd told Oberon that she didn't have feelings for Tucker. But she recognized that she and Tucker got along quite well. And he had picked up a pizza…
She turned and slipped on her shoes. She left her flat, realizing as she was locking up that she'd not gotten her key back from Oberon, but abandoned the thought as soon as she knocked on Tucker's door. He opened it warily but brightened somewhat upon seeing Griet.
"I'm sorry about before."
"No, I'm sorry," Griet said.
"Do you still have that pizza?"
Tucker nodded. "Yeah. Come in."
Griet stepped inside Tucker's flat, leaving her life with Oberon very much in her past.