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Argument Settled…Hopefully
Author: Adina Blackwood
Date: 06-21-12 18:03
"Arthur are we really going to have this argument again?" She asked as they headed down into the expanse of one of the corridors toward the Great Hall for lunch between classes.
"I don't see what the problem is Adina, I just want to know if we can actually spend time together this summer of it will be pointless to even try." He said after a few moments, sliding a hand through his hair and shaking his head.
"Yes, we will get to spend time together. I'm only going to be in Greece for two weeks and I'd already talked to my dad and he said you aren't allowed to come. Me having a boyfriend is already one of the major arguments between my parents and they've been divorced for over a year and a half."
She slid a hand through her hair and stopped, forcing him to stop and turn to look at her.
"You act like we are never going to see each other once the school year is over. Besides, we still have several months before the year is even over."
She couldn't keep the exasperation out of her voice as she looked over at him. "Do you think that I'm going to find someone else while I'm in Greece? Is that it?"
Arthur sighed and leaned against the wall, drawing her to him or trying to, she only let him get her a couple of paces closer because she was already getting irritated with him.
"No, that's not it at all. I can't explain it, why I want to spend so much time with you over the summer," he said with a sigh and stopped trying to pull her closer, merely settling against the column behind him.
She finally closed the distance between them and slid her arms around him, careful to keep herself well within the bounds of behaving because she never knew when one of the professors would wander by and she had no intention of losing house points for public displays of affection.
She brushed a gentle kiss to his cheek before speaking, "I'm not going anywhere Arthur. I know we are young and probably don't really know what all these emotions are we are feeling, but I know one thing that you are the one for me. I cannot imagine not having you in my life as my boyfriend right now," she put up a hand to stop him when his mouth opened to protest her wording.
"What I mean Arthur is that right now, while we are here at Hogwarts you are the one that I want to be with. You are the one that I enjoy spending my time with and the only boy I have eyes for. I'm not saying that I'm in love with you, because I'm not even sure that I'm ready to say those words but my feelings for you are quite strong."
Arthur wound his arms around her and brushed a kiss against her lips before letting her go. "I have the same feelings for you, and I'm not sure I'm ready for those words either but I'm content with what we've got right now."
After a few more minutes they disentangled themselves and headed into the expanse of the Great Hall, settling down for a quick lunch and both quite happy that they'd had that discussion in one of the alcoves, and they could continue on with the rest of their day and the school year. Mondays they pretty much had every class together, except Arthur had Ancient Runes this morning as well.
Careers Advice
Author: Minerva McGonagall
Date: 06-22-12 10:48
After the end of her sixth year N.E.W.T.-level course, Professor McGonagall went to her office to work on a variety of tasks and to await the first of the fifth year students scheduled to meet with her for Careers Advice. It was that time of year again when all the heads of houses met with those students preparing for the Ordinary Wizarding Levels to discuss career interests and to determine which N.E.W.T.-level courses were required for the student's desired career path.
With Career Day having occurred towards the end of January, the students had already received an idea of what sorts of positions were available and would have had approximately two months to consider which careers appealed to them the most. Naturally, Professor McGonagall didn't expect every one of her students to already know exactly what he or she wanted, but she suspected that a few had already reached their decisions. Either way, Careers Advice was meant as a mentoring session. Professor McGonagall would do her very best to guide her fifth years in the right direction, no matter how much or little they knew.
It was also nearing the time of year when students selected their electives for the 2006-2007 term. Much like Careers Advice, Course Day had been intended to guide students, particularly the second years who were currently only taking core coursework, to discover the elective classes offered at Hogwarts.
Only two weeks remained until Easter break, when students would select which electives they would take next school year. Professor McGonagall had taken part in Course Day two weeks ago to discuss the requirements necessary to enroll in her N.E.W.T.-level Transfiguration course.
Her great nephew Madoc had also attended Course Day. As a second year student, Madoc's current elective was Fitness & Athletics, the only course freely available to students in every year. As of yet, Madoc did not yet know which additional electives he wanted to take. Every single one of them held his interest in one way or another. At least he had a few more weeks to reach his decision.
Professor McGonagall felt a sudden wave of sleepiness. She took off her spectacles, closed her eyes, and pinched the bridge of her nose. She had not yet grown accustomed to the time change from the weekend. How could the loss of one hour of sleep result in such weariness?
"Professor? Are you all right?"
The timid voice came from the doorway and belonged to a fifth year girl in Minerva's house.
Professor McGonagall's eyes flew open and she replaced the spectacles onto her nose. "Yes, thank you. I'm quite all right. Please, sit down."
She gestured with her hand to the empty chair opposite her desk. Once the girl had seated herself, Professor McGonagall got straight down to business.
In Ancient Runes
Author: Ella
Date: 06-22-12 12:30
Ella sat next to Francis in Ancient Runes class––like always––but whereas he scribbled notes while Professor Hodfuffer lectured, Ella stared at the blackboard. She saw the runes drawn there and yet at the same time didn't see them at all.
She couldn't help but feel tired, no doubt thanks to the start of British Summer Time. With the time change, it stayed darker longer in the morning, but at least it remained daylight well into evening. Ella knew she wasn't alone in the fact that it was much more difficult rising from bed when it was pitch black outside. Sunlight streaming in through the windows somehow made waking all the more easier.
Earlier, Francis had complained that he felt tired, but Ella had yet to see him yawn. He looked extremely alert and copied Professor Hodfuffer's every word using a shorthand he had made up himself. When Ella read his notes, she could make no sense of them. That fact alone was reason enough for her to pay better attention in class, but some days she simply couldn't do it.
Ella also felt a bit burned out, even though she hadn't really begun studying for her N.E.W.T.s yet. All of the professors loaded their seventh years down with work, and even with only seven classes in her schedule, Ella always had a lot to do. She couldn't wait for Easter break, even though that period of time would also mark the first anniversary of her mother's death.
Ella had already made plans with her father to go home for Easter. Francis, on the other hand, had decided he would stay at Hogwarts and use the time to study.
Ella fully planned on starting studying for the end of year exams after the holiday. A little more than a month and a half should be enough time for preparation, right?
In the meantime, she did plan on accomplishing one serious task. Ella had requested an application packet from St. Emrys University and had received it via owl post just that morning at breakfast. Ella still didn't really know what she wanted to read at university and would likely start out undeclared. Hopefully, she'd eventually find her niche.
The snap of Francis' quill jarred her from her thoughts. Ella blinked and looked over at him. He fumbled through the bag at his feet for another writing implement and seemed unable to find one. Ella picked up her unused quill and set it on top of his parchment. Looking relieved, Francis shot her a smile in thanks and then resumed his frantic note-taking.
Making a List
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 06-22-12 15:27
Madam Puddifoot studied the young woman sitting alone at one of the cozy tables in her tea shop and frowned. It was most unusual for a single person to patronize her establishment. The young woman didn't exactly look lonely, nor did she appear to be expecting a handsome date. Instead, she sipped tea and nibbled on a slice of cake while making a list of some kind.
Madam Puddifoot took it upon herself to see why the young woman didn't have male company.
A minute later, Bronwyn looked up from her pastel-colored notebook, when somebody stepped into the minimal light by which she'd been writing.
"Oh, hello," Bronwyn said, forming a smile.
"Are you all right, dear?" Madam Puddifoot queried, pouting ever-so-slightly. "Is the young man you are meeting running late?"
"Oh, no," Bronwyn replied, shaking her head. "I'm here on my own today."
A look of surprise and pity crossed Madam Puddifoot's face. "Whyever for, dear?"
Bronwyn looked around the room. This time of day, it wasn't exactly crowded, but there were a few amorous couples scattered around the room.
"Well, my husband is working," Bronwyn began, "and I'm using the ambience of this establishment as inspiration for a project I'm working on for my best friend."
"Ah, yes, I see your wedding band now. And oh! What an enormous diamond!" Madam Puddifoot fanned herself. When she at last found her composure, she picked up the floral teapot on the table and refilled Bronwyn's teacup. Bronwyn was drinking raspberry flavored herbal tea and eating a slice of génoise cake with raspberries and cream.
"Thank you," Bronwyn said.
Madam Puddifoot smiled beatifically at her and then left to schmooze with the other customers in her tea shop.
Bronwyn sipped her tea and ate a bite from the delicious slice of cake on her plate and then resumed working on her list. Ever since the conversation with Desi in which Bronwyn had finally learned the truth about Desi's makeover, Bronwyn had been on a mission to find Desi a new man. She consulted with Toby, Arley and Siegfried on potential prospects. She'd even asked Karma for suggestions, but all of the men Karma's mother had set her up with had been total duds.
One type of individual Bronwyn knew for sure not to add to her list was a musician. After Xavier Schoonmaker, a guy in a band was totally out of the question for Desi. Good thing all the members of Dynamic Duo were already taken.
She kept working on her list, deciding she would need to get photographs of everyone and perhaps even conduct interviews. She didn't want Desi to get hurt again. After all, it had been Bronwyn who had set Desi up with Xavier.
Under The Circumstances
Author: Jet
Date: 06-22-12 18:56
When Petra Karathanasis pokes her head in to see if Jet's wanting to grab some supper with her significant other Matt she finds him splayed on the floor in front of the desk and using a small slingshot to send small tightly packed wads of paper towards the ceiling.
She clears her throat. "Ah-hem."
In the process of lining up a shot, Jet uses one foot to point to an IN basket located on one corner of the desk. "Just drop it there, thanks."
Petra walks over to look directly down at Jet. "What the hell are you doing?"
"You're blocking the shot. Move back one step and then a little to your left." He belatedly adds, "Please."
"If certain people see you, you're going to get in trouble, you know, maybe even fired."
Jet rolls to a sitting position, scootching back to lean against the front of the desk. "They aren't letting me do any real work so what's it matter?"
"You vanished with no explanation and have no memory of that time. None of the professionals here or at St. Mungo's has been able to figure out if you've got honest to Merlin amnesia or have had your memory altered. Albus Dumbledore himself has speculated that he was not as successful as he thought in ridding you of whatever problem it was that seems to be a top secret."
Fiddling with the slingshot Jet mumbles, "I was possessed by a fragment of Salazar Slytherin, or something calling itself Salazar, when I opened what Professor Dumbledore believes was a horcrux."
Petra drops into a crouch and reaches out to grab Jet's chin, applying just enough pressure to get him make him look up to meet her eyes. "Excuse me? What was that?"
"You heard me."
"I thought you just said you'd been possessed."
"I was. Before I vanished the first time, when I was trapped in that crystal, I was exploring a cave I'd never seen before, one that ran under the Hogwarts property. I found a few things and one of them, we think, was a horcrux. My behavior started changing. I did things I would never had even thought about before. After I was released from the crystal, something still wasn't right. There was a voice, my behavior was sometimes still off, had violent thoughts, and was angry a great deal. Once he figured out we might be dealing with a horcrux, Professor Dumbledore destroyed it. I felt free for the first time in a long time, the voice was gone, I wasn't angry all the time. I felt in control again."
As he was speaking, Petra had released Jet's chin so she could sit beside him on the floor. "Sticking you in here makes more sense now. If there's still a fragment of the soul or whatever it is inside you and it's taken over once making you lose time and we have no idea what it had you doing, they don't want you involved on a project or around other projects."
"That's the sum of it."
He slumps down and looks up at the ceiling. Only then does Petra notice he's pinned a target up there, a target now dotted with a number of the small wads of paper. "And that?" she asks.
Jet spreads both arms out, taking in the small office with his gesture, careful not to hit Petra in the process. "That is because of this. For nearly three weeks I've been stuck in here filing forms, filling out forms, correcting mistakes on forms others have filled out. I'm going starkers and whenever I've asked about being put on something else, even temporarily assigned to another department that doesn't have secretive projects taking place, I'm told to be patient."
Petra gently sighs, "Under the circumstances, what else do you expect?"
"If I could see that an effort is being made to figure this out, I might be okay with being shuttered away in here. As it is," Jet loudly blows out a stream of air. "Screw patience. I'm done with this."
Jet gets up, no longer wanting to be in these cramped quarters. He puts out a hand to help Petra to her feet. After accepting it, still holding onto his hand, she quietly says, "I hate to repeat the phrase but under the circumstances, you have to consider the possibility they aren't done with you."
"They can't keep me from quitting."
"No, but if faced with you not checking in here regularly, they could place you in custody, justifying it as being for your own protection."
Jet's already dark expression turns to a glower. "Then I guess before I give notice tomorrow I should spend lunch break retaining the services of a solicitor in case something like that happens."
Still holding his hand Petra gives it a light squeeze. "I hope I'm wrong but if not, I'll help however I can. Matt too. Now, speaking of Matt, by now he's standing in the Atrium wondering what the hell is taking me so long to meet him. We are going to supper. Come with us."
Jet gives a shake of his head. "Thanks, but I'd not be much company."
Petra weedles, "You have to eat and we can pull Matt into this conversation, get his opinion. If nothing else, we can think of possible career options for you if you do leave the Department of Mysteries."
Jet considers arguing but Petra's got a determined look that lets him know she'll keep at him until she wears him down. Besides, he actually is a little hungry. He scowls at her, grudgingly acceding, "Fine."
Petra grins at her victory, tugging Jet from his cloistered cell, chattering about possible dinner options Matt and she have considered.
(Adriana) What's in a Name?
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 06-23-12 09:14
"I've been told that mindless eating isn't good for a person."
The statement went unheard for a full minute before Adriana turned to her neighbor and asked, "What?"
Ethan Somerset chuckled. "You seem sleepy––that, or a million miles away from here. I asked you a few times to pass the bacon. Instead, you've been steadily eating one crispy piece at a time."
Adriana seemed surprised by the fact that she was indeed halfway through eating a strip of bacon and that the nearby plate which had been laden at the start of breakfast now appeared to be mostly empty.
"Oh, great. That's going to go straight to my hips." She put the half-eaten piece of bacon onto her own plate and then handed Ethan the plate of untouched strips.
"Thanks," he said. He helped himself to a couple of pieces and then asked, "Is everything okay?"
"Everything's fine," Adriana responded automatically. "I just have a lot on my mind."
This was no lie. For weeks now, she had been thinking about a particular family name, the only extant one descended from the line of Antioch Peverell. At the very beginning, the name had meant little to Adriana.
That had all changed in a flash when she'd overheard Severus mention one of his students in conversation with Minerva. Adriana had then realized that she had heard the name before; it had simply never sunk in, since the girl in question wasn't and had never been one of her own students.
Adriana had yet to confirm the connection between the girl and the family, but she had no doubt that they were one and the same. It didn't appear to be a very common surname, after all.
Suddenly, a tall, red-headed girl entered the Great Hall alongside her cousin and a boy with somewhat shaggy brown hair. Adriana sat up straighter in her seat and followed the trio with her eyes.
"Ethan," she began after watching the three students for a while, "how long have you been at Hogwarts? Back at Hogwarts, I mean."
Like Adriana, Ethan had taught at Hogwarts for a brief period around a decade ago and had returned to teaching relatively recently.
"I came back in 2003," Ethan said. "Sometimes that doesn't seem all that long ago, and then other times it feels like ages."
"Did you teach them?" she asked, pointing at the three who were now sitting together at the Slytherin table, two dressed in green and silver, the other in yellow and black.
Ethan followed Adriana's finger. "They're seventh years," Ethan said, recognizing all three on sight. He was very good at remembering names and faces, even for students he didn't actually teach. "They would have been fifth years when I started back here, so they were in Kissy's O.W.L. class."
Adriana frowned. She wanted to know what sort of wand the redheaded girl used. It wouldn't be difficult to find out, but she had hoped that Ethan could tell her.
Could it be possible that the greatest wand known to wizardkind was right there in the same room as Adriana?
"What's your interest in them?" Ethan asked.
Adriana saw no harm in telling Ethan at least a partial truth. "I've been reading up on ancient wizarding families and one name came up most recently."
"Yeah? Which name is that?"
Adriana looked over at the Slytherin table. "Grimshaw."
Seeking Compensation
Author: Plum
Date: 06-23-12 10:57
After seeing Alex off through the Floo to Blossom's, Plum had gone into the bedroom to grab a pair of earrings she'd meant to put on when getting dressed. Anthony, who'd worked a few hours with an ongoing special investigation that many of the law enforcement personnel have been taking part in over the course of many weeks now, was a still a lump in the bed. Fastening the back of one earring in place Plum sat on the edge of the bed then bent to brush a soft kiss on Anthony's forehead.
"I've left a plate of waffles and bacon warming for you."
Arm snaking out from under the covers, Anthony pulled Plum closer. "Your cooking is why I have to work out more."
Plum grinned and said against his mouth, "We're still newlyweds. You need to keep up your strength and stamina."
Five minutes later Plum forced herself to untangle from Anthony. "I've a morning meeting. Don't forget that Alex is on a sleepover tonight. We'll have the flat all to ourselves so don't lose track of time this afternoon and work later than planned."
Pulling her in for one more kiss Anthony told her, "That goes for you as well."
After smoothing her hair and touching up her lipstick, Plum had left for work thinking that when she takes lunch she'll go pick up a lacy silk bit of lingerie she'd seen when doing some shopping Saturday morning.
Arriving at Devi Linguistic Services she's not taken more than three steps toward her office when Clementine Whitehorn intercepts her. "Butler sent this over to be added to the contract."
"Thank you. I'll work on it after this meeting with O'Callaghan." With Butler's hoped for contract signing with the Merfolk in a lake down in Wales taking place tomorrow morning, Plum needs to make translating this contract addition into Mermish a priority once this meeting with Kyna O'Callaghan is concluded.
"Ruta and I are grabbing lunch together around noon. You should join us."
"I'd love to but I've an errand and don't know how long it will take."
Clementine's eyes suddenly narrow in scrutiny. "For morning, you are far too bright eyed. You got some this morning didn't you?" She sighs, "That's so not fair."
"No." Plum laughs. "Anthony worked his regular shift yesterday and put in several hours last night on a special detail. He was sleeping in a little bit this morning before going in to work."
Clementie waves a hand in a circular motion up and down Plum. "There's just something I can't put my finger on." Dropping her hand she gives a shake of her head. "I know. I know. My mind stays in the gutter. I can't help that I am envious of you and a few others who are having sex on a regular basis. I seriously need to find an available someone for a no strings attached few months that give me a reason to update a certain aspect of my wardrobe."
Stepping around Clementine to go into her office Plum playfully suggests, "Magical Match has a free trial offer going on right now."
"Funny," Clementine retorts to Ruta Gamp's snickering from inside the office.
That last exchange with Clementine serves to remind Plum of a favor asked by her sister-in-law Bronwyn. Wanting to set up a friend, who happens to also be a frequent work partner of Anthony's, Bronwyn asked Plum yesterday evening for names of eligible men Plum has met through Devi's. Plum had reluctantly agreed, though as yet none of those whose names have come to mind meet Bronwyn's criteria.
Putting that out of her mind, she grabs what she needs to take into the meeting with Kyna O'Callaghan then exits her office for the room designated for the meeting. Ms. O'Callaghan isn't due to arrive for another ten minutes, time that Plum uses to make sure coffee and tea are in carafes on the table and to triple check that she's got all the materials she needs.
Around the same time that O'Callaghan should be walking into Devi's, Clementine knocks on the door of the meeting room. "I have a few minutes so I thought I'd say hello to Kyna. I worked with her a few "
A man's loud yelling, more like bellowing, comes from the direction of the main entrance. Clementine and Plum exchange puzzled looks before stepping into the hallway. In that short time what the man's saying has come clear. "WHERE IS SHE? WHERE'S CLEMENTINE?"
Plum looks to Clementine. "Does that sound like Marshall Maddock to you?"
Before her boss and friend can answer, the answer to the question is confirmed when Maddock comes into view, the receptionist running along behind, entreating him to calm down.
Others have stepped from offices and conference rooms, a few stepping in front of Maddock, trying to both calm him and slow him down. Maddock gets into a shoving match with a couple of them that quickly turns into punches thrown, never stopping his yelling during any of it.
Taking a step forward, Clementine raises her voice to be heard. "ENOUGH! STOP IT!" At a lower volume she says, "Here I am, Marshall. What do you want?"
Jerking away from the two with whom he'd been fighting Marshall Maddock snarls at her, "Compensation."
"You were given severance pay. That's compensation enough."
Walking right up to Clementine, shoving her face close to hers he snottily snaps, "Maybe to you but not to me. Because of you, the only job I've been able to get is at a Burger Wizard in Ramsgate. Do you know what sort of pay cut that is?"
"You can't blame me for your inability to get a job paying you what you think you should be earning."
"Of course I can blame you. I had a decent thing going here and you, you fecking uppity bitch, ruined it."
"You've been paid your due from here, Marshall. I suggest you leave on your own now and we won't have assault charges filed against you."
Even though she's been standing next to Clementine since they emerged from the conference room, Plum never saw Maddock bring out his wand nor, based on the reactions of others, had anyone else. One second he was standing with his face practically pressed into Clementine's. The next, he's got Plum in a choke hold with his wand sharply poking into her.
"Someone from this office will get me the two million galleons minimum you owe me for the mental anguish you've put me through or we'll see how well Miss Bitch Plum here tolerates the Cruciatus Curse."
Maddock starts backwards into the conference room. "You to, Clementine. No fun in using the Cruciatus if I don't have someone to watch. Put someone in charge to get me the money then get your arse in here."
Clementine looks to one of the men who'd exchanged punches with Maddock, Taylor Hirst. "Get Chandran," she says of the company owner Chandran Devi. "He's at the Paris office this morning."
Once Clementine is inside the meeting room, Marshall Maddock shuts and locks the door then shoves Plum towards a chair. "Drop your wands on the floor then sit down, both of you."
Doing as told, Plum hopes that someone else in the office has already thought to contact the Ministry. If so, the wait for someone to arrive from there shouldn't be more than a few minutes.