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Underachiever
Author: Ella
Date: 05-25-12 10:59
Because she didn't have any morning classes on Tuesdays and because she could find something to eat in the common common room if she missed breakfast in the Great Hall, Ella slept in until midmorning and then began getting ready for her day. She preferred her leisurely Tuesdays and Thursdays to the more hectic Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in her weekly schedule, though she admittedly felt rather lazy when compared to Francis, whose entire school week was quite full. Ella simply wasn't an overachiever, but she did use the argument that she could use her extra time to study in the library for the N.E.W.T. exams.
It being only the end of February, however, gave Ella the excuse that she still had plenty of time to study for those end of year exams.
She ate a light snack in the common common room before returning to the Gryffindor common room to wait for Francis to get out of his two morning classes. Rather than study for N.E.W.T.s or do some of the reading required for her classes, Ella plodded around, alternately napping or reading magazines. During one of her catnaps, she dreamed about Zane confronting her and Francis in Hogsmeade. Her ex-boyfriend had not been seen at all during the last Hogsmeade trip, though after catching a glimpse of him on Parents Weekend, he'd been on her mind often and especially when she'd been in the village.
Francis trickled into the common room sometime after twelve to find Ella thumbing through someone's discarded copy of The Daily Prophet.
"Get a lot done this morning?" he asked her, dropping into the empty seat next to her.
"Erm, yeah," she said.
Francis quirked an eyebrow. "A lot of sleep, then." He leaned forward and touched the side of Ella's lip with his finger. "Is that a track of drool?"
Ella swatted his hand away. "How was your morning?" she asked him.
"Productive," he said with a sly grin. He'd had Arithmancy & Divination first thing in the morning, followed by History of Magic. "I've worked up an appetite. How about you?"
"I can eat," she replied. She folded the newspaper and tossed it onto the cluttered coffee table.
"Give me a minute to put my stuff away and use the loo."
"Sure," Ella said.
A few minutes later they were seated at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. The dining chamber was crowded and noisy. Ella helped herself to a bowl of tomato soup, while Francis ate a sandwich. They both had Herbology later and then Ella had Fitness & Athletics.
"We should go to the library for a bit," Francis suggested, after he'd eaten half his sandwich in only a couple of bites.
"If you insist," Ella replied with a pout.
"Just for a little while," Francis said, "unless you want to skip Herbology."
Ella gawked at him in surprise. Francis had never, ever skipped a class in his life.
"I'm kidding," he said to her with a laugh. He polished off his sandwich and ate a few of the crackers Ella and put onto a plate to eat with her soup.
Ella stuck her tongue out at him. She finished her soup, the rest of her crackers and then returned to the Gryffindor common room to get her things for the afternoon. The pair went to the library until it was time to go to Herbology.
A Separation
Author: Rowan Westwick
Date: 05-25-12 13:03
The room in which Rowan sat at the Ministry of Magic was cold. Her fingernails had turned a deep shade of purple, and gooseflesh dotted every inch of her body. She slipped one hand under her bottom in an attempt to warm it, but left the other exposed to the elements. In it was clasped the little nesting doll.
"They'll take good care of it," said Elgiva Finch, the witch who had become Rowan's foster mother in the short time since the official from the Department of Magical Transportation had brought Rowan to the Ministry of Magic.
Elgiva was a young witch, probably somewhere in her early thirties. She had light red, curly hair that she wore pinned back so that it didn't fall into her face. Her skin was very fair and she had green eyes. Elgiva was married to a wizard named Cyrus. The couple had gotten married young and had always wanted children but were unable to have any. Rowan was not their first foster child, but she was currently their only one.
Rowan liked Mr. and Mrs. Finch well enough. They were kind and had given her a comfortable home. She had clean clothes, homecooked meals, and hot showers. They had gone out of their way to make her feel at home and had even tried to help her catch up on what she may have missed over the last twenty-five years. Rowan was most relieved to learn about Voldemort's death. He had been the source of her family's plight, even if Antonin Dolohov had been the one to ultimately do the deed. She almost felt like she didn't have to live in fear anymore, even though Rowan couldn't help but still feel scared. Except for the inanimate little doll, she was alone among her family.
"They want to study it and see if they can come up with a counterspell," Elgiva said. "Maybe they can help, but we won't know if you don't give them the chance to try."
Rowan knew that Elgiva was trying to ease her mind about leaving the little doll at the Ministry of Magic. Rowan herself had undergone several examinations after turning up at the Ministry of Magic with Alfonsa Mew of the Floo Network Office. Surprisingly, her story wasn't unique, but it was unusual. Many questions had been raised by her reappearance. Was she healthy? Had the curse simply worn off, causing her to resume her normal form? Why was the little doll still just a little doll and not the girl she had once been?
Rowan opened her hand and looked at the little doll. It had been with her since that night at Borgin & Burkes.
"It'll be okay, Rowan," Elgiva said gently. "They'll take good care of her, and if you're lucky, you'll have your sister again soon."
Rowan wanted that more than anything, but with some reluctance, she held out her hand. The Unspeakable with the Department of Mysteries, who was named Mara Croft, smiled at her kindly and gently picked up the doll.
"We will let you know if we can unravel the mystery behind the curse," Mara said.
"Keep us posted on your progress?" Elgiva asked on behalf of Rowan.
Mara nodded. "Of course. With any luck, will have a positive answer for you soon."
"Thank you." Elgiva got up and looked down at Rowan, who scrambled to her feet and looked at the hand she'd been sitting on. The pattern of the seat of her jeans was imprinted on it, but at least it felt warmer than it had only a short while ago. Her other hand felt naked, though, without the little doll clasped inside it.
Elgiva put a arm around her shoulders. "The afternoon is passing us by. Let's do a little shopping and then go home, okay?"
Rowan dumbly nodded and allowed her foster mother to lead her away.
Ashamed
Author: Celeste Quigley
Date: 05-25-12 13:05
Today, like it happened yesterday with her other class of 5th years, Celeste decided to give her students more freedom than usual.
There was no initial lecture, no homework correction, or reading passages of the Astronomy text book. The only thing Celeste did was to instruct them to use their telescopes and fill in a blank star chart, provided by her. They were allowed to work in groups and by the end of the class Celeste was going to collect their charts and grade them.
Once the first half an hour passed, Celeste left her desk in order to make a round around the classroom, so she could check what her students have done so far.
Catriona Amherst was doing an excellent job with her chart, and Celeste noticed how Baltus Crane raised his neck to check out her work. Of course he turned his head back to his own chart once he felt Celeste's presence.
The cousins Lilac and Cecelia were working together and they were having an intense argue about a star's position. They didn't seem to reach to any agreement and so each one wrote on their chart the answer they thought it was correct, too proud to ask Celeste what the right answer was in case they would be wrong.
Alastor Jenkins was looking through his telescope, his face presenting a concentrated expression. Meanwhile Mark Farnon was comparing his chart with his house colleague Olive Green and they both seemed satisfied with what they have drawn so far.
Celeste kept doing her round and after noticing no one needed her help she sat once again at her desk, working on her own chart. But it didn't last long because she saw Baltus Crane trying to take a sneak peek this time to Errol Anderson's work.
"Mr. Crane, you could just ask Mr. Anderson to help you instead of trying to copy his work. There is no shame on that," Celeste called out. "Or perhaps consult your text book, or myself. That is why I am here, after all. Next time that I catch you looking into someone else's chart without their consent I will remove points to your house."
Baltus looked down a bit ashamed, and once she was sure all the eyes had turned back to their respective charts again, he opened his textbook.
The rest of the class passed by without any more incidents and once it was over Celeste had a big amount of charts to correct. She would start her task right away, once the last student left the Astronomy tower, but she knew Eugene would be waiting for her to go to bed at their living quarters and he would have to wake up early tomorrow to go to work so she didn't want to make him wait.
Productive Day
Author: Oreileah McCoi
Date: 05-25-12 23:02
"I think this might just be the perfect location for our office, now that everything is settled at the bank." Orei said as she and Christian stood in the central area of the ground floor. "Are we going to use both levels? Legal assistance on the bottom and linguistics on the top?"
The suggestion slipped from her lips with a smile and it made Christian laugh lightly. "It sounds like a perfect set up. There is plenty of room on both floors for offices and even a conference room. Though we could probably do some renovating to make the most of the space."
Orei nodded and smiled. "It does indeed seem perfect and I'm much closer to the daycare if something were to go wrong with Meagan and I'm closer to home. I know you'll still have to either floo or what have you, but this will be good for both of us."
Christian nodded and turned his attention to the real estate agent who stood off to the side waiting for the pair of them to finish their debate over the space that was currently under consideration for their legal and translation service business.
"Miss Holstein, we will gladly take this building. With a bit of remodeling it will be perfect for what Mrs. McCoi-Raynor and I desire."
"Very well Mister Evans, Mrs. McCoi-Raynor. I will begin gathering the required paperwork and we should be able to get you officially in here in perhaps a couple of weeks once things have been settled and payments have been set up."
Orei shook her head. "There will be no need for payments, we can pay the full asking price for the building with out the need for a mortgage or rental contract. We have been given enough to ensure that there will be no additional loans or hardships placed upon either myself or Mister Evans during our business arrangement."
Miss Holstein blanched a bit, she hadn't realized that the pair of individuals who had set up the appointment this afternoon would be willing to pay the asking price without the need of formalities such as loans and a mortgage payment.
"V...very well then. We can go back to my office and get the paperwork done and we will have you in here within the week."
Some time later Orei returned to the village and collected Meagan from daycare and with a skip in her step she headed home to tell her husband the good news. She also made a mental note to head to the Ministry tomorrow after her classes at St. Emrys, which she was also juggling with getting the business set up with Christian who would have even less time to devote to that as he currently had a full and maddeningly busy week at the Ministry.
After getting Meagan set up with a plate full of diced up roasted chicken breast, corn and a sippy cup filled with apple juice, she made a quick dinner for Jim and herself a hand tossed blackened chicken Caesar salad and ham and swiss paninis served with a glass of merlot to celebrate the signing of the documents for the building.
Jim came into the kitchen just as Orei finished setting the table.
Meagan squealed in delight. "Da Da!" the word echoing shrilly around the kitchen and made both her parents shake their heads.
"Well hello angel. Were you good today for Mummy and Miss Blossom and Miss Daria?" Jim asked, tickling his seven month old daughter who giggled and wriggled in her high chair before managing a nod and then stuffed a few kernels of corn into her mouth.
"She was well behaved as always and I've some good news." Orei said handing him his glass of wine after giving him a kiss.
"Do you now?" He asked with a smirk and drew her close to him. "What pray tell is this wonderful news my darling wife?"
Orei's face lit up and she nearly buzzed with child-like excitement. "Christian and I signed the papers for the building that will house the legal and translation services."
Jim smiled and drew her to him for another quick, congratulatory kiss. "Very good my love, and where will I have to come drag you back from hmm? Because I know you will end up spending as much time there as you possibly can when you go back to work," he said teasing her lightly.
"You know the empty two story that is near the owl post, library, and just behind the park?"
"Indeed I do, such a good building and it will no doubt be exactly what you and Christian are looking for. I'm assuming you are going to be using both stories for the business?"
"Yup! Going to have the legal services on the ground floor and the upper floor will be devoted to the translation services," she said with a light smile and then she and her husband moved to settle at the table for dinner while they continued the discussion.
"After dinner I've got a mountain of homework that I've not yet touched and I think part of it is due tomorrow," Orei said with a sigh.
"I've got some to do, but most of mine isn't going to be due until the end of the week. I think I will take Meagan out for a walk, also, we've got some new neighbors a couple of houses down. If you want, before you settle into homework we can go down and pay a visit?"
"I'd planned on going down there tomorrow or Thursday, give them a bit of time to settle in," Orei said with a smile. "But, don't let my want to wait stop you if you want to head down and introduce yourself."
"I'll wait and go with you, seems only logical, now you go get started on your assignments, I'll take care of the dishes and then Meagan and I will be heading out for a stroll before bedtime," Jim gave her a light peck on the cheek and sent her out of the room turning his attention to the dinner dishes.
Possibly Grounded without a Chance of Parole
Author: Araxie Loren
Date: 05-26-12 08:50
Fingertips slid through her hair as she plopped down on the thick pile of cushions across from her canvas, sliding her gaze across from the perched half finished picture she was working on. She was dressed in her painting clothes which consisted of a pair of ragged jeans covered with paint splotch is each and every color of the rainbow, a faded Nine Inch Wands shirt that she had tied in a knot against the small of her back to keep the loose from being unmanageable. "I don't know what in the bloody hell it is missing." She muttered to herself, licking her lip lightly she pushed herself up she turned off the wireless listening station that her uncle had installed in her studio killing "Love Me" by Orange November in mid lyric.
She then headed to the door, stepping out of the studio and running into the house. "Hey Charline. Thought I'd come up for air and food. I'm starving, that and I can't figure out what my current project is missing. Has Nichole come by?"
"Hey yourself, how long have you been out there? I didn't even think you were up." Charline said and slid a plate filled with sausage, scrambled eggs loaded with cheese and ham and crisp toast with butter on it across from me at the breakfast bar.
"Since before sunrise. I woke up inspired and have been in the studio since. It is going to be weird being away from the studio while I am at Hogwarts, but I think I can manage it so long as I have my sketchbooks," I said sliding a hand through my hair, before tucking into the food before me, "Also, at least I'll only have a year before Nichole is with me at Hogwarts. That will be awesome! Hopefully we get sorted into the same house when she gets there."
I rambled on while me and my aunt ate the late breakfast, my Uncle was already at work, Charline was on vacation for the next two weeks.
"Sounds like you've got this almost all planned out. I'm expecting you to have dozens of pictures to show when you come home on Christmas Holidays. What else do you have planned out?"
I shrugged. "I think Nichole and I are going to go to some muggle films later. I've been craving a huge tub of movie theater popcorn lately. I'm not sure yet, and why don't I have lessons today? I half expected you to come pounding on the studio door hours ago saying that my tutor was here."
"If you need money for the movies let me know, and you have a two week break while I'm on vacation so we can spend a bit of time together. There are some things we need to talk about and some things you need to know before you fully commit yourself to shutting your father out of your life. Within the next couple of days your uncle and I are going to sit you down and answer some of the questions you might have."
I blinked and stared at my aunt for several minutes. "There is no reason that I have to want to see the man that murdered my mother again. He is nothing to me, he became nothing to me when I found out he murdered my mother. Why do you want me to keep seeing him? I told you last time, I'm not going back to Azkaban to see him any more. He can rot there for all I care Aunt Charline."
I shoved my half finished meal away and grabbed a couple of bottles of water from the ice box and stormed back to my studio, turning on the WWN and flicking through stations until I found something that was blaring heavy metal, and turned my attention back to the unfinished fantasy scene of a dragon that I was painting. I finally found what was missing and worked until I was happy with the piece, by the time I emerged from my studio the sun was already beginning to sink, and I had no issue with the fact that I'd basically spent all day working on one piece of art (it was common really) and I saw a note from Nichole spell-o-taped to the studio door, flicking it open I smiled.
Heading into the house, I ignored my Aunt for the time being and went up to my room and grabbed my overnight bag, after changing out of my paint stained clothes into my favorite pair of jeans, a t-shirt and my favorite sweater. Slipping on my boots I headed back downstairs. "I'm going to Nichole's for the night, I'll be home sometime tomorrow."
"Araxie..."
"Save it Aunt Charline, I'm not talking about that right now. I don't have to, nor do I have to go see him in Azkaban. I am a special event for him, one that he doesn't deserve. Now, I'm going to Nichole's for the night."
I pushed past her and slammed the door behind me, yeah, I was going to be in so much trouble when I got home tomorrow. I had probably just earned myself a one way ticket to grounded with no chance of parole until I left on the Hogwarts Express in September. Shrugging it off, I quickly headed to Nichole's house, letting myself in through the backdoor.
Five Minutes - That's All I Need (Coffee Wouldn't Hurt Either)
Author: Karma Davyd
Date: 05-26-12 13:23
Having woken up an hour later than I intended, I barely had the required time to get through my morning routine and make it down to breakfast, but I did it (somehow) and this was one of three of my busiest days of the week. I have five classes and only an hour break which is pretty much my lunch hour and even that I still had office hours, so I'd merely brought some curry that I'd made last night when I'd gotten in too late to grab dinner in the Great Hall.
Breakfast had been a quick, on the go affair, a simple breakfast sandwich with chicken, egg and cheese as well as a small fruit and granola parfait that I could eat at my desk while I set up things for my first class. First years would be begin learning about key events and a pair of individuals that were either born or died between fifteen hundred and sixteen hundred. Though, the classes that I was most looking forward to were going to be my second years and my fourth years as they were learning about Elizabeth Tudor and William Shakespeare respectively.
I'd just finished the remainder of my breakfast and was sipping my tea in my happy face travel mug when my third year Ravenclaw and Slytherin students began filing in and taking their seats. Once the final students had filed in and a quick check of the roster was given I began class.
"Adina, please return the quizzes from Monday. Liannah, please hand out the study guide for the exam at the end of the month. This will give you an idea of what I will be asking for. We will be spending two classes prior to the exam reviewing and going over the study guide."
Once the pair of students had done as asked, I launched into my lecture highlighting some of the major events of the century and then touching the very beginnings of the first person that the first years would be learning about Balfour Blane.
At the end of class I bid them good bye and within moments my next batch of students began trickling in as their own classes had ended or they were coming to their first class of the day.
Everything went quickly, and before I realized it, the noon hour had arrived and I took a few moments to reheat my leftovers so I could enjoy lunch while I waited to see if anyone would poke their head in for my first office hours of the day.
"Professor Davyd?" I blinked, looking up from my own homework for my classes at St. Emrys at the sound of someone standing in the door way.
"Come in Luke, what can I do for you?" I motioned to the chair near my desk for him to sit if he'd like.
"I just wanted to know if I could go ahead and make up the quiz from Monday since I'd been in the hospital wing most of Monday and almost all of yesterday." He said, pushing a hand through his hair and offering me a light smile.
"Of course Luke, you've already had lunch yes? Considering that class will be starting at one. If you've not yet eaten you are welcome to come back to my second office hours starting at four this afternoon."
"I'll come back at four, because I've not yet eaten lunch and it is quarter past twelve, and I don't want to be late to class." He said and grabbed his bag where he'd left it on the floor at his feet.
"Alright Luke, I will see you this afternoon, do not forget." I said, turning my attention back to the work I had on my desk, wishing I had time to run to the Great Hall and at least get a cup of coffee to survive for the rest of the day. I think I will end up taking a trip to the Village after my last class and grab some tea as well as something from Briar's and then return for my office hours.
I was pulled from my thoughts as voices began getting closer to the classroom and my second year Gryffindor and Hufflepuff students began filtering into the classroom, at least with a busy day I didn't have the time or the energy to focus on the meddling my mum tended to do (unfortunately for me she was still trying to get me to settle down and start popping out grandchildren!).