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The Best Defense
Author: Desdemona Diamond
Date: 07-18-12 08:48
I had been handed a case file, one that was missing a few important notes and evidence. Apparently the case was handed to one of the newer lawyers, to give him experience. It was an easy slam-dunk smuggling case. Or at least it would be if some of the more important parts weren't misfiled. To make matters worse, the case was set for trial tomorrow morning.
I quickly made my way over to the legal office so I could start trying to find the needle in the haystack. Walking into the office, I found someone, and walked over.
"Excuse me?" I asked them, "You know where I can find someone who can help me with some records?"
"I think Alanna has been working with them recently," came the reply.
"Perfect! Where is she?" They pointed off in a direction, and I followed it. The helpful person was certainly good; it wasn't hard to find her. She was talking to a guy who happened to be waving a Statue of Liberty coffee mug in her face, and she didn't look too happy. Didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out this guy was a jerk.
"Alanna, you busy?" I asked walking up to the pair.
"Uh," she glanced at the guy, "No, not at the moment."
"Excuse me, can't you see we're talking here?" the guy interrupted.
"I'm sorry, but I'm on a time crunch. Do you want to help me look through a bunch of records?" The arrogant jerk recoiled. Apparently he wasn't used to people standing up to him. I just turned back to Alanna, "I heard you're the record master, and I could use your help."
"Sure, I can try," she said. She did seem to be relived to be getting away from the guy.
The guy huffed with indignation. Apparently he thought he was more important. Maybe he can be of use…
"Oh!" I exclaimed turning to him with faux charm, "Alanna and I may be here a while, mind being a dear and getting us some coffee? Thanks." His chest puffed up, trying to be intimidating, but before his response could come out I continued, "I like mine with cream and sugar," I looked over at Alanna, "And you?"
"Uh," she looked between us a little nervous, "Same…"
I handed Alanna the file and was about to tell her the details of why I was here, when I realized the guy hadn't left.
"Well?" I asked, faux charm gone. He huffed off totally insulted. I couldn't help but smile a little, I happened to see Alanna doing the same.
"So," I asked her once he was out of ear shot, "What's his deal?"
"Oh, he's a supreme jerk."
"The kind with a smug attitude that makes you do all the menial sometimes humiliating tasks he feels are below him?"
"Yeah..."
"Hmm… If he bugs you again, feel free to come get me. I hate arrogant jerks. Especially ones that mess with my family…" I ended up glaring in the direction he had walked off in.
"Uhh, ok…" She replied confused.
"Well, he's gone for the moment, so let's focus on work," I said, snapping back to why I was here in the first place, "Some newbie lawyer lost part of the file. I'm hoping you can help me find it." She agreed, and we went to work. Having been reorganizing them, she'd come up with a pretty good system to keep track of things.
However, before we could really get started, the coffee boy had arrived. He skulked over with two cups of coffee in hand. I figured someone needs knock him down some. He didn't know my relationship with Alanna so, with luck, he'd start going after me and not her. With careful timing I went to reach for the coffee. Instead of actually grabbing it, I bumped the cups launching coffee all over him.
He backed up arms out, coffee soaking the front of his shirt, and down his pants. It probably burned a bit too. He looked at me with daggers in his eyes. I was standing and it seemed as though I was trying to help him, but really there wasn't anything I could do.
"I'm sorry?" I attempted, probably not very convincingly. He finally managed to storm off without saying a word.
Studying and Need for Change
Author: Rylee
Date: 07-18-12 16:03
The study coral was occupied by a sole individual, first year Slytherin, was currently going through an abundance of notes for her final exams tomorrow for the term, before Easter Hols began. She'd be leaving on the Hogwarts Express and their driver would be waiting for her to take her to the Marks estate and ultimately get her bags so they could head to the airport so she could fly out to meet the remainder of her family in the Bahamas for the holiday.
After a few moments, she would work herself through History of Magic, Potions and Transfiguration. She flicked her gaze to the glittery bracelet that she'd been given by Wesley - he was a Gryffindor and her parents would probably freak if they knew that she'd been spending some time with him - either way he was kinda nice. Sighing gently she tried to focus for a little bit longer, and after a few minutes later she finally grabbed her things and stuffed them back into her bag.
Once again she'd been turned into the talk of every one because her parents had insisted in setting up the damned pavilion and couldn't simply be a NORMAL family. But, sometimes she really, really wanted to be a normal girl, maybe for the last semester she will bring as much with her and most definitely wouldn't be bringing as much with her next year and will of course be ensuring that she doesn't name drop and demand a variety of things like she had. She learned quite a bit this year and ultimately did not want the remaining six years here to be a constant repeat of her first year.
Sliding a hand through her hair she debated on if she was hungry enough to head into dinner or head down to the dungeon and put her things away before heading to the great hall for dinner. It took a few minutes before she headed down to the dungeons and let herself into Slytherin house and ultimately headed to her room before she would ultimately head to the Great Hall.
"Rylee, going to be a celebration when you get off the train at the station on Saturday?" Someone asked as they past her and she rolled her eyes.
She headed into the Great Hall and settled down for dinner looking over the selection offered - yeah, the remaining years would definitely have to be a bit different.
Last Full Day of Winter Term
Author: Charisma Stone
Date: 07-19-12 14:46
Friday, however, this was the last day of Winter Term and she was getting ready to go on Easter Holiday with her parents. Unfortunately she'd be away from Blake for the duration of the break, and that would seriously suck lots, so they intended on spending as much time with each other on the Hogwarts Express before they both went on their vacations.
Right now, she was finishing up studying last minute for her Transfiguration final coming up after lunch. She'd finished with DADA and HoM before lunch and now with her notes for Transfiguration, Charms and CoMC she headed to the Great Hall to grab something quick before finding a somewhat quiet alcove to curl herself up into and go over her notes.
"We still meeting for dinner after you get out of Care of Magical Creatures right?" Blake asked as they headed out of the Great Hall and Blake headed back to Gryffindor to grab his stuff for afternoon classes.
"Yeah. I'll probably drop things off in my room before heading down however. So, meet you just outside the doors?"
"Sounds like a plan. I'll see you in class..." Quick kiss and he headed off in one direction and she headed off in the other toward Transfiguration - where she'd probably settle outside of and study in the hall.
After a few minutes she continued to study her notes, before pushing herself upward and heading into class, sliding a hand through her hair as she quickly braided the silken strands before securing them with a hair band and plopping down into her chair. She was pretty much ready for this examination - wand pulled out set on her desk, along with parchment, quill and ink.
Reduced Sentence?
Author: Griffin Price
Date: 07-19-12 16:16
The wizard sitting opposite Griff at an interrogation table crosses his arms. "No jail time."
"You know that's not going to happen. We might be able to get you a reduced sentence, stress on the might."
"Ain't got nothing to say then."
"You'll either give us the information in exchange for a possible reduced sentence or you answer our questions under the influence of Veritaserum. No cooperation on your part ensures you serve a full sentence."
"How long you talking about?"
"Ten to twelve years."
"How much time would get knocked off if I cooperate?"
"That's not my call. Might be just a year or two but could be as much as half, maybe slightly more."
"Let me think on it."
Griff gives a slow nod. "Five minutes."
He leaves the interrogation room to join fellow Auror Damien Freeman at the observation window. Damien says, "He's stupid if he decides not to give us the names."
"I'm fairly sure he will. He's just trying to look like he's got a streak of loyalty and that giving us the names is a difficult decision. Are we good to in a few when he does start talking?"
"Should be, though we might want to grab lunch first. Who knows when we'll get to eat once we start picking everyone else up."
"Good point." Griff goes back to the interrogation room door and opens it halfway. "We've decided to give you a half hour to think about your decision. Someone will bring you a sandwich in the meantime."
Without awaiting a response Griff shuts the door again and says to Damien, "Let's go grab something in the canteen."
On their way out Griff instructs someone to get the prisoner a sandwich. If the man gives them as many names and locations as they think he will, it could be a very long afternoon so stepping into the lift to go to the canteen, Griff makes a mental note to let Carys know he might be later this evening than he'd thought. At least he's not working the ongoing brothels investigation tonight. Working regular shifts and putting in time on that has everyone involved short enough on sleep as is. It will be nice to go home, even if a little later than planned, to spend the Friday night with Carys and Tristan.
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Easter
Author: Ella
Date: 07-20-12 13:16
"All done!" Ella exclaimed, sinking into one of the overstuffed armchairs in the Gryffindor common room.
"For now," Francis said, laughing. He unloaded his book satchel from his shoulder and sat down in the chair adjacent to Ella's.
She gave him the evil eye. "We are finally finished with classes," she reminded him. They had just left Ancient Runes and were officially on Easter break now.
"Please don't remind me that we have one term left," Ella continued, "not now when we should be rejoicing in the fact that we've been on holiday since the very moment we left Professor Hodfuffer's classroom."
Francis chuckled. "I'm not so sure about that. We're still ruled by the great authority that is Hogwarts and all its teachers––at least until we're back home. We're not free just yet."
"By that logic you're suggesting that those students who are staying here for Easter won't be on holiday at all," Ella replied, frowning at the thought.
"Well, they won't have to worry about classes but it's not like they can do whatever they want. They're bound by the rules and regulations of the school."
Ella rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at Francis. "Like your parents don't make you mind them."
"That's not the same thing and you know it," Francis responded with a simpering grin. "Anyway, I know it's discouraging to think about, but the N.E.W.T.s are coming up soon after term resumes."
Ella waved her hand dismissively. "I know, and I'll start studying when we come back, but my brain is on a break right now and will be for the next couple weeks."
Francis shook his head. "Whatever will I do with you, Ella?"
She didn't answer and instead sank even lower in the armchair, closing her eyes for a power nap. She soon discovered that she couldn't sleep, though, and instead listened to the conversations occurring all around her.
When she opened her eyes again, Francis wasn't in his chair anymore but his bookbag was still on the floor. She looked around and saw him studying the notice board in the common room.
She studied him for a long moment and wondered why they were so compatible. They didn't have anything in common. He was smart and driven. She was average and lacked motivation when it came to school work. She was sporty, he was not.
Both his parents still lived. Ella's mother had died a year ago.
She frowned, wondering where the time had gone. She could remember learning about her mother's death as clearly as if it had only just happened.
And yet a whole year had passed already.
Francis turned and saw the pained expression on Ella's face. He came over and knelt in front of her.
"You okay?"
"Just thinking about my mum."
He squeezed her hands. "I'm sorry."
"Me too." Her frown deepend. "She was so depressed," Ella sadly recalled. "So hurt. I can't help but wonder if she would still be alive, had my dad not left her."
"It's not good to wonder what could have been," Francis gently told her. "The past can't change."
"I know. It just sucks."
"I know."
Ella sighed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to dampen the mood."
"You have nothing to be sorry about. Besides," Francis said, smiling lightly, "I thought I had already dampened the mood with my talk of studying for the N.E.W.T. exams?"
A smile broke out across Ella's face. "Yeah, you did." She gave him a playful shove in the chest. "Do you want to go outside for a little while?"
"Sure. Let me put away my things and use the loo."
"Me too, for both," Ella said.
They both got up and went off to their respective dorm rooms and met up again in the common room a short while later before heading outside to enjoy the sunshine and the beginnings of their Easter holiday.
Curiouser and Curiouser
Author: Lysander Stratford
Date: 07-20-12 14:46
As agreed upon earlier with Julian, Lysander stepped out of the bookshop with a couple of cloth bags and went to The Magic Neep to pick up some groceries. Charlotte had insisted that she make Caerwyn a cake with icing and berries for when he arrived home from Hogwarts tomorrow morning. Charlotte, of course, didn't know how to bake a cake, so Lysander would oversee the project and ask Briar for help if it turned out to exceed his own baking abilities.
As he came upon the grocery store, he noticed Aralyn standing by a crate of purple broccoli. She held one of the florets in her hand and stared absent-mindedly at the rest in the crate as if pondering to get another.
Lysander debated turning around and rescheduling his trip to the grocery store but then decided he might as well get what he needed since he was already there. He almost walked past Aralyn without her noticing, but then she seemed to snap out of it and saw him.
"Lysander," she said by way of greeting.
"Hi, Aralyn," he replied, slowing to a stop. He eyed the broccoli. "Planning supper for tonight?"
"Hmm?"
"You were deep in thought a moment ago."
"Oh?" she asked, but then recognition dawned and she exclaimed, "Oh! Yeah. I was just thinking about something."
Lysander wasn't usually interested in what went on in Aralyn's head, unless it pertained to Charlotte, of course, but something about the way she cast her eyes away had him wondering just what was on her mind.
"Everything all right?" he asked.
She met his gaze. "Oh, yeah. Everything's fine. Kristos and I have been dealing with some stuff but we've worked through a portion of it… the worst part of it, I guess you could say."
"Yeah?" Lysander asked, curious to know just what the siblings had been dealing with lately.
Aralyn, however, kept her response deliberately vague. "Yeah. It's been eye-opening, that's for sure," she said.
She would have been happy to tell Lysander more. She liked him quite a lot and felt that she could trust him with the knowledge that she and Kristos had held the wizards impersonating their parents hostage and then had killed them both after weeks of intense interrogation.
But Aralyn had a feeling that Kristos would murder her himself if she revealed anything to anyone else. What had happened in Ashton-Hotwell was to be their secret alone, lest someone else start hunting for the Fox family's buried treasure.
Then there was also the fact that although Aralyn respected Lysander, she still carried around the knowledge that he had lied about Chyler's death. She had never confronted him about her discovery, not even after all this time of "Chyler" not even hanging around anymore. Lysander never brought it up, and neither would she even though she really wanted to know why he had insisted on having Chyler's cousin pretend to be his dead ex-wife.
"So," she quickly said, before Lysander could question her any further, "do you have a long shopping list?"
Lysander wavered between answering the question and posing another one of his own, then said, "Charlotte wants to bake a welcome home cake for Caerwyn."
"How sweet," Aralyn said, smiling. "Does she know how to bake?"
"No," Lysander replied, "so I almost feel sorry for Caerwyn, but maybe Aunt Briar will give us a hand."
Aralyn laughed. "I'm sure it'll turn out just fine. Oh, is that the time? I have to run. I'll see you later, okay?" She started to hurry off but remembered she still held the broccoli floret in her hand. She quickly tossed it into the crate with the others and then walked away as swiftly as her feet could take her.
Lysander watched her go for a long moment. Was it just him, or was she in a hurry to get away from him? Wasn't it normally the other way around?
He shook his head and went into the store to hunt down the ingredients Charlotte needed to bake Caerwyn his cake.
Fessing Up
Author: Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen
Date: 07-20-12 16:36
Fritz and Coco walk hand in hand down Diagon Alley and then step into Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. It's not exactly summer weather outside, but ice cream tastes good any time of year and also tends to cheer up a person. Fritz of course knows that ice cream won't make Coco feel any better about losing Pea after all these years, but hopefully it'll take her mind off things for a least a short while.
They sit down at the counter and peruse the menu board. The ice cream parlor isn't exactly empty, but it's not crowded either. They have just enough time to think about what they want and then it's time to give their orders. A minute later, they move to a secluded corner with their cones.
"I did something supremely stupid," Fritz says after several licks from his orange sorbet ice cream cone.
"Besides knocking out the power at home?" Coco replies, grinning. Her cone has two scoops. One is peanut butter cluster, and the other is mint chocolate chip.
If Fritz were the type to blush, he would have then. Instead he gives a slight shake of his head and says, "My parents were not very happy with me. I think they are ready for me to find my own place."
"You never did tell me what you were doing," Coco says between licks.
"The supremely stupid thing," Fritz replies. He shakes his head again and asks, "Remember the book Frau Hockenheim left me?"
"Yes, the book of German myths and legends."
"Right." He sighs and admits, "I didn't tell you, but the book was possessed."
Coco arches an eyebrow. "Possessed?"
"Yeah, with the spirit of a dark wizard. I researched the guy, and it turns out he knew Frau Hockenheim years ago and they had some sort of romance. Anyway, he told me he didn't want to "live" in the book anymore and asked me to help him "die", so I brewed that potion and… well, I think it's over now. I hope it is."
Coco stares at Fritz blankly for a long moment. Some of her ice cream melts down the side of the cone.
"If I didn't believe that such things could happen, then I would think you're crazy," she finally says, "and by the way, you are crazy. Why would you ever do whatever a talking book tells you to do? That's dangerous, Fritz."
"I know. I told you it was stupid."
"You're not stupid, so why did you do it?"
"I don't know." Fritz takes a couple licks of his sorbet and says, "He didn't make me do it. I wasn't under some sort of compulsion. I did it at my own free will."
Coco shakes her head. "Where is the book now?"
"At home. Still in the cauldron."
"You need to get rid of it, but don't just throw it out for somebody else to find. You need to dispose of it properly. Burn it, maybe."
"Okay."
Coco very rarely gets angry or annoyed with Fritz, so he actually wilts under the stern gaze she gives him now. She turns her attention to her ice cream cone, and Fritz to his, but when they are both finished Coco says she wants to go to his house to destroy the book.
A short while later, they apparate near the house, head inside and then go straight to the basement. The cauldron is still full of murky liquid, but the fire has long gone out.
Fritz reaches for a pair of tongs and fishes out the book, which is warped and waterlogged and wholly unrecognizable. He stares at it for a long moment, wondering if Berthold Beatenberg is really gone.
"I think you killed the book," Coco says. It's her attempt at a joke even though she's still disappointed in Fritz.
Fritz nods. "I think I did too. Should we toss it in the fireplace or take it somewhere to incinerate it with magic?" he asks.
While they make their decision, something happens in another part of the world. The air seems to shudder and shift, and then a man appears on the cobbled street. He might appear to have apparated there, but he's lying on his back and his arrival didn't make any sound. He is noticed, however, by those who happen to be nearby.
They rush over to him and ask him if he's all right. For a moment, he lies still and listens to the sound of his beating heart as it rings in his ears. Then he sits up on his elbows, offers a reassuring smile to those gathered around him and says, "I'm just fine."