|
|
Age Line Gone Wrong
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 07-15-12 11:12
Raking fingers through her hair, Hermione stepped out of the small lounge on Level Four at St. Mungo's Hospital just in time to meet a young patient arriving with his very worried-looking father. The patient, a boy of about five or six, rested on a gurney with his eyes closed. Hermione could tell he still breathed, mostly because an occasional snore escaped his lips.
At first glance, the boy did not appear to be injured or terribly sick––just extremely tired. What was most unusual about the boy, however, was the thick white beard that grew from his chin and his bushy white eyebrows.
She took over from the mediwizard who had brought the boy in and asked the father, "Is he affected by an aging spell?"
The wizard rubbed the back of his neck and nodded, his untidy hair reminding Hermione of Harry's. It was the same dark shade and very nearly the same length and style.
"It's my fault. I put an age-line around the liquor cabinet. It was meant to keep out my teenage stepdaughter, who is coming home from Hogwarts this weekend, but Lubert crossed it three days ago and instead of getting better he's gotten worse."
A closer inspection of Lubert showed wrinkles on his face and liver spots on his hands. He continued to snore and even wheezed a little.
"Can you help him?" Lubert's father pleaded. "Please?"
"Let me conduct an examination and then we will see what can be done for him," Hermione replied. "I will probably have questions for you when I'm finished."
"Can I stay?"
Hermione nodded.
Lubert's father expelled a deep sigh and then took a step back to give Hermione room to work on the sleeping boy. She started by checking his vitals. Everything seemed perfectly normal for an older person, but not normal at all for a boy of Lubert's actual age.
Hermione frowned and attempted to reverse the spell affecting him. She tried several counterspells but nothing worked.
"He's just going to keep getting older until his heart gives out," Lubert's father said morosely, "won't he?"
"Let's not give up hope just yet," Hermione said to him, turning to face him. "I need you to walk me through every step of the spell you performed, and I need to know if there might have been some sort of interference from another spell or magical object around the liquor cabinet. Can you tell me everything step by step?"
Lubert's father nodded. "Yes, this is what I did…"
Hermione listened carefully, hoping to find out the exact reason his spell went so terribly wrong.
I'm Fine. Really.
Author: Coco Nutt
Date: 07-15-12 11:53
Scrubbing a casserole dish she'd left soaking from the night before, Coco casts a brief glance over at shoulder as Papa Wal shuffles into the kitchen. Returning her eyes to the task at hand she says, "As soon as I'm done with this, I'm going out."
At the stove, kettle in hand to steep more tea, Papa Wal pauses mid-pour. "Thought you ain't workin 'til tha af'ernoon."
"I'm not but there are some receipts to drop off at the accountant's, we are in desperate need of several items from the market and as long as I'm going there I thought I'd pop round to the farmer's market for fresh produce. I should go check in at Nutt's & Bolt's. Mitzi has some dresses for the dry cleaners."
Done scrubbing, Coco reaches for a dish towel to dry the casserole. Papa Wal comes up behind her, patting her shoulder. "All those things kin wait. Take uh little time fer yerself."
Dropping the towel for a moment, Coco places her hand over his. "I'm fine, Papa Wal. Really."
With a surprisingly strong grip considering his current state of health, Papa Wal turns Coco to face him. He drops a kiss on her forehead then envelops her in a hug. "Ya ain't. That little beastie were yer boon companion fer years. Iffen Oi got a sore, hollow spot in me 'eart fer Pea, Oi know ya gorta be achin' sumfing powerful fer 'im."
Coco sinks into the hug, returning it, letting herself feel like a small child again seeking comfort for an owie. And this is a very big owie. Pea passed quietly, and without pain yesterday morning. Coco picked one of his favorite spots in the garden and yesterday afternoon held a very small, simple ceremony for the tiny dog who'd been with her much of her life, his own life likely extended due to spending so much time exposed to magic.
After a long moment Coco ends the hug assuring Papa Wal, "It's good to stay busy." She fumbles in her pocket for a piece of paper. "Here is the shopping list. Look over it while I go upstairs for Mitzi's dry cleaning. They're not on there but I was thinking of getting some mutton chops for supper tomorrow. Make some Yorkshire puddings."
"Carrots an' potatoes?"
"If that's what you want, yes."
Coco leaves Papa Wal licking his lips at the thought of mutton chops tomorrow as he looks over the grocery list. Five minutes later she's got everything she needs to run the errands, shopping list now tucked into her pocketbook. The errands won't take all morning and afternoon until it's time to go to Hogsmeade to work so as she leaves the house, Coco tries to thin of other things to do to fill the time, keeping her busy and not dwelling on Pea not being in her pocket.
Gifts Abound
Author: Lawrence Masterson
Date: 07-15-12 12:35
Lawrence had dropped off a gift for Toby for his birthday at his and Bronwyn's flat before heading to meet the real estate agent at his flat and have a few things taken care of to ensure that everything was in place for the title transfer that was going to be happening this weekend.
"Good evening Genivive, pleasure to see you again. Good afternoon Mister Evans. Thank you for coming this evening and I do apologize that it is short notice for the meeting." Lawrence said as he let the two individuals into the flat.
"Please call me Christian. I'm glad to come. Now, you have everything you want ready for this correct?"
"Yes. Instead of selling the flat I've decided to gift it to my half-sister Maggie Masterson-Hawthorne as a gift for her completion of Hogwarts in a few months."
"Sounds like something simple enough and it is a pleasure to see you again Genivive. You'll have to come by the office in Hogsmeade and meet my business partner since I'm no longer with the Ministry."
"I will stop in tomorrow if I can Christian, now, back to business."
The three discussed a few things and ultimately the contract and various other issues were settled and assurances made while things were tended to and the payment was made to ensure that Maggie would not have to worry about mortgage payments and rental payments when she was not currently employed - though she would have to of course take care of other things.
Once that was done, and the three had parted ways Lawrence headed to a little hole in the wall dive in Muggle London that made some of the best curry and grabbed some for takeaway to bring home to Ariella. After a few moments he apparated into the village and went the rest of the way on foot to his quarters on the sixth floor of the Castle.
(Adriana) So Close and Yet So Far
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 07-15-12 12:36
"I think you're all ready for Friday," Professor Fairchild announced at the end of her first class of the day. "Remember that you will be each asked to demonstrate at least one of the spells we've covered since the start of term. That's Fall Term, people. Charms class isn't about learning a couple of spells for a few months and then forgetting about them for the rest of your lives. Besides, all of this stuff is bound to show up on the much more important exams you'll take later on as fifth and seventh years. Are there any questions before you are dismissed?"
She scanned the faces in the Charms classroom. Everybody looked eager to go and nobody, not even those too shy to speak up, appeared to have any questions for their instructor.
"Okay, then have a nice day and see you Friday."
There was a mad scramble as the first year Gryffindor and Ravenclaw students gathered up their things and then made for the door.
Adriana turned away from them and went to her desk, where she sat down and leaned back her head so that she stared up at the ceiling. She didn't have much time until the second year Hufflepuff and Slytherin students would begin arriving, but Adriana fully intended on taking advantage of every second of peace and quiet until then.
She felt utterly frustrated. The Grimshaw girl who might just be the key to finding the Elder Wand remained right under her nose and yet Adriana still didn't have that Hallow in her grasp. Many a time she debated sneaking into the girl's dormitory room to see what she could find out, but she had yet to find a way to do so undetected.
As a teacher, she could go virtually anywhere without question but Adriana wasn't head or deputy head of Slytherin House and really had little reason for traipsing through that part of the dungeon.
Until she could figure out her next move, Adriana continued to observe the Grimshaw girl and those with whom she associated herself. Maybe one or all of them would provide her with a clue for which she so desperately longed.
All too soon the first group of second years entered the Charms classroom. Adriana sat up straight and then stood up, greeting everyone she saw with a false smile.
Lunch With Olive (Zuberi)
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 07-15-12 16:56
Pausing just outside of Charms, Zuberi kneels on the hard, stone floor to check if he remembered to get his Transfiguration things. Partway through Charms Zuberi became conscious of the fact that he did not remember packing anything he needs for his first class after lunch. Locating his Transfiguration textbook and binder he zips the bookbag up and continues on to the Great Hall, deciding he must have been operating on automatic, not even realizing he'd added the items this morning before leaving his dorm.
Even with the slight delay he beats Olive and, somehow, Marjani. As his sister was just in Charms with him and she was out of the classroom before him, he surmises she went to the library or to her room for something. Reaching the Slytherin table, Zuberi takes a seat where he'll be readily visible to Olive when she arrives.
Surveying the day's offerings he reaches for a serving dish of spaghetti with meatballs and then ladles up soup, though what kind he's not sure. It's got what look to be bits of sausage and lentils. He only gets a little, enough for a taste and if he likes it, he'll get more. By that time Olive nearly to the table though he'd been so busy deciding what to eat he'd never noticed her coming through the door.
Rising as she reaches him, Zuberi reaches to take Olive's book bag. "How's your morning been?"
"Pre-vacation busy. I will be so glad when classes end Friday."
"Me too. You asked about staying in Hogsmeade through lunch?"
"Sorry, I thought I told you at breakfast that Aunt Blythe says yes as long as it's okay with Professor Krum."
"It is, I asked him before I asked you. This soup is really good. Want some?" Zuberi asks, reaching to help himself to more.
"I'll try a little, thanks. That looks like an oriental type salad there. I definitely want to taste that too."
"I was thinking we could go for a walk Saturday, out past the turnstile. Get away from Marjani and Viktor."
"We could pack a lunch. I hope the weather's good. As I have Potions after lunch, I seriously wish it were Saturday already."
"I know I would have benefitted taking it this year but I have to say I do not miss being in class with Snape."
"You should be suffering with the rest of us," Olive laughs. "Say, before I forget, Aunt Blythe has invited all three of you to supper next Tuesday."
"Count me in. I'll let Viktor know and if I get to Marjani before you, her too."
They continue talking through their lunch hour, both almost losing track of time. If Olive weren't as concerned as she is about not being late for Potions, Zuberi definitely would have ended up being late for Transfiguration.
Before and After the Rain
Author: Jolyon
Date: 07-16-12 18:32
"Quills down, parchments forward," Professor Kent announced to his seventh year students, who had just spent the last hour and a half writing an exam. In addition to the written test, there had been a practical portion, during which Jolyon had called out his students one at a time to demonstrate the proper care and handling of a certain magical creature.
Luckily, the rain that had threatened to fall all afternoon remained well enough away so as not to disturb the practical examination. Whether it would remain dry until everyone made it back to the castle would be another story altogether.
"Thank you, thank you," Professor Kent said, collecting the exams. He set them aside and then said, "And that is all we have for today. I hope you all have a happy Easter and enjoy your holiday, whether you spend it here or with your families. I'm sure you'll all be refreshed by the time you return for Spring Term."
There was a bit of grumbling at that, since the start of Spring Term meant that the inevitable N.E.W.T. exams would be coming upon them even sooner.
The seventh years gathered their things and departed from the stables, some hurrying back to the castle and others walking a bit more leisurely, despite the risk of rain.
Jolyon picked up the stack of exams and climbed the ladder to the loft, where he kept a desk. The coming rain darkened the sky enough that he needed to light several lamps in order to see. He started marking papers, not quite hungry yet for supper but knowing that he would be within the hour.
A few minutes later it started to rain. The gentle beating on the roof of the barn served as a soothing background as Jolyon worked. His birds, Pia and Timo, chirped quietly to each other and snuggled together on their perch.
Sometime later, Jolyon heard someone open the barn door. A moment later his mother's voice called out to him.
"Jolyon, are you there?"
"I'm up here, Mum," Jolyon said, and he got up to meet her at the bottom of the ladder.
His mother wore black, as she had just about everyday since her husband's death. She looked a little thinner than usual and her hair, which she normally kept styled quite nicely, was in a simple ponytail. She had not escaped the rain, but the brunt of it had gotten onto the black umbrella she carried.
Jolyon gave her a hug. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh, I just had to get out of the house. Everywhere I look I see your father's things and it just became too much for me. I'm not bothering you, am I?"
"No, not at all," Jolyon said, hugging her again. "I'm finished with classes for today and was just reading some exam parchments. Are you hungry?"
"Not yet, but I will be soon," Bridget said. "Are you sure I'm not being a bother? I thought twice about visiting you here because I didn't want to invade your workplace, but you're the first person who came to mind."
"I'm glad you came," Jolyon said. He steered her to a chair one of his students had recently vacated and sat down in the one next to it.
Bridget Kent clasped her hands together and rested them on the desk's surface.
"Maybe over Easter I can help you clean out the house, if that's what you want," Jolyon hastily added. He wasn't sure if not having his father's things in the house would be worse than having them there.
"Yes, I think that would be nice," Bridget said, nodding her head slowly. "I'm ready to stop grieving."
"This weekend, then. After those students who are leaving board the train, I'll come over and help you sort through everything. How's that sound?"
"Perfect." She reached over and placed one of her hands on his. "What would I do without you?"
"What would I do without you?" Jolyon replied. She was all he had left, besides the various Abbotts he had gotten to know.
They sat together and talked a while longer while the rain continued to steadily fall. And when they were both hungry enough, they shared Bridget's umbrella and went up to the castle for supper in the Great Hall.
Red Bottomosity Lippy
Author: Georgia Copperpot
Date: 07-17-12 16:45
From History of Magic Isabelle, Catherine, and I walk to the library. Walk is perhaps not the best way to describe our method of journeying from point A to point B. The vair snazzy Spring Hols Is Upon Us dance with a step step here, step step there, stop, turn, shake shake shake, spin back around and do it all again. It would have been all the more grand, double cool with knobs even, if Peeves had not followed behind laughing like a maniacal hyena. Someone really ought to make sure a certain poltergeist does not have access to those Giddy Giggle Globules from Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes.
Peeves quickly peeled away to parts unknown once we reached the library and Miss Bramble stood arms crossed, sternly staring at him. While she can be somewhat frightening when too much noise is made in and near the library, I would not have thought she'd be able to scare Peeves off so easily as he tends to ignore most everyone but the Bloody Baron. Makes me wonder if our librarian and Peeves have had other encounters in which she was able to get her QUIET IN THE LIBRARY policy across. Hmmmm. Tis food for thought.
Me chummy chum chums and I reach a table where Edith sits alone, a pile of books open before her. "See, told you she'd be here." Izzy Wizzy make a grand flourish with one hand, a somewhat triumphant smile to go with her I-told-you-so.
Now, I cannot see Catherine's face from where I stand but I hear the eye roll when she replies, "We agreed with you. We didn't argue the point. Edith was more likely to be here than anywhere else because this is where she generally is on Thursday if not waiting for us outside of History of Magic."
"What I want to know if why you are wearing red bottomosity lippy and boy entrancers for the library when you have hunky Fortescue Fitzmorris, a demi sex god, pining away for you."
"This lipstick is a very subtle shade of pale pink. Nothing red bottom about it. The eyelashes are new so I thought to break them in a bit. Fortescue is not a demi sex god. He's full on and you know it."
Catherine nods. "She's dead on about Fortescue, Georgia."
Izzy produces a compact with mirror and holds it up for Edith to see. "I have to agree with Georgia's assessment about the lippy. Nothing subtle or pale pink about it."
Edith's boy entranced eyes widen and she pulls Izzy's hand with compact close to her face. "It was pale pink when I put it on, I swear."
Releasing Izzy's hand she rifles through her bag to find the tube of lipstick. "Here, see for yourselves."
Catherine takes the tube and uncaps it, slowly twisting the lippy up just enough to be visible to us all. It is such a pale pink it almost looks off white. She tilts her head, eyes scrunching up. "Oooooh. Well. This explains it. It's laced with a potion that causes a color change as it warms to your body. It says colors may vary. I wonder what shade I'll get."
Catherine applies the lippy without a mirror, asking afterwards, "Is it on halfway straight?"
"You missed a little spot." I take the tube and dab it to the spot before taking the compact Izzy still holds and apply some of the color to my own lips before passing the tube off to Isabelle.
After she's properly lippied up, we help Edith gather her things so we may go eat, wondering how long we'll have to wait to see what colors we each get and Edith asking, "If I take this off that I've got on and reapply, will I get a different shade?"
"Only one way to find out," Izzy tells her, digging out the compact again so that Edith may start over with lipstick.
Half a minute later we're exiting the library, walking slowly in the direction of the Great Hall so that we might watch each other's mouths for the color change from pale pink to something much brighter and far more noticeable.
Translations:
vair = very
Hols = Brit speak for holiday
double cool with knobs - extremely cool
chums = mates, friends
red bottomosity = having the red bottom such as some primate females have when wanting to let males know they are interested
lippy = lipstick
boy entrancers = false eyelashes
demi sex god = almost, but not quite, a full on sex god
Queued Up
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 07-17-12 18:21
Bronwyn entered Delia's Deli and joined the queue at the takeout counter. She had gotten wrapped up in planning for tomorrow morning's show and had completely forgotten about lunch, which in her case tended to be brunch since her typical workday started very early. When her stomach had finally reminded her that she hadn't eaten since well before dawn, Bronwyn had decided to grab takeout in Diagon Alley.
Unfortunately, because it was closer to lunchtime, the deli was full with other working wizards grabbing a bite to eat or something to take back with them to the office.
"Think it's going to rain?" asked a wizard who had just queued up behind Bronwyn.
She turned, thinking he had addressed her, when she realized that he was talking to the wizard who had apparently come into the deli with him.
"No, I think it's going to clear up. The sky already looks less gray to me," the other wizard replied.
Bronwyn faced forward again and eyed the menu.
Toby's birthday had been two days ago. He had received gifts from many friends and family members and had been pleased with everything. The gift that Bronwyn liked the most had been the magical wardrobe Desi had picked out for Toby, no doubt a response to Bronwyn's encroachment of Toby's dresser drawers and closet space.
She had vowed to be good and not use the wardrobe for her own clothing, although it was awfully tempting.
Bronwyn finally reached the counter and ordered half of a BLT sandwich, a bag of cheesy crisps, and a cup of cream of potato soup. She also grabbed a bottle of butterbeer.
After paying, she stepped aside to await her order, which took only minutes more. Takeout bag and butterbeer bottle in hand, she left the deli and returned to the office for lunch and then a few more hours of work.
Almost One Day Left
Author: Adina Blackwood
Date: 07-18-12 06:24
Classes were done for the day and she had exams to study for tomorrow including Care of Magical Creatures before she headed to the Village to spend Easter Hols with her mum. Arthur was heading home as well, but for the most part they were probably going to spend most of Saturday with each other as his parents were coming to the Blackwood's for dinner Saturday night.
She debated on going to the library, but she had all her notes for her exams coming up tomorrow already in her bag and she would simply curl up on one of the couches and begin looking through her notebook. Reading through History of Magic first, wanting to go over her notes from that because it was the most memory intensive because there was a few dates that she couldn't remember them all without finding someway to keep track of them.
She also had some Care of Magical Creatures notes to go over for her exam there, and she wasn't really worried about DADA or Potions but she also wanted to practice some of her spells for Transfiguration tomorrow.
Flicking her gaze up to Arthur as he came over to where she was seated. "Afternoon." He bent down and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Ready to come to lunch?"
"Sure. I've not eaten yet today and then it is back to the books and then to make sure that I've got stuff packed for Saturday's trip into the village for the start of Easter Hols."
After gathering her things she moved to drop her things off in her room, tossing them on her bed, she headed back down to meet with Arthur and they headed to lunch. "Charms at two, and then I'm done for the day," she said as they headed to the Great Hall.