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A Little Walk Outside (Tamsin)
Author: Josie
Date: 02-21-13 03:04
"Please, don't forget to put the tea cups back on the shelf, before you leave," Professor Miller reminded us.
I had been working with Penny Puckett from Ravenclaw and she had tried to read the information contained on the leaves after I had drank the tea provided in class. Penny claimed she had seen an acorn on my tea cup and that I would receive an unexpected amount of gold soon. Both of us seemed very excited with it, until Vinny Xardel from Slytherin, who was seated nearby, said that maybe the money would come from an inheritance, after the death of a loved one.
Luckily for me, Professor Miller came to our assistance, and told Penny that the symbol on my cup was not an acorn and she asked her to sketch it to her notebook and try to figure out what it was until next class, after assuring me of course, that it was not a bad omen.
I left the Arithmancy & Divination class more relieved and said goodbye to Penny, on my way to the Gryffindor tower. My friend Alcmene was seated by one of the tables, doing some homework.
"How was class?" she asked, putting her quill down.
"It was all right. But my blather is full with all the tea," I laughed and put my bag down, going to the bathroom.
When I returned, Alcmene suggested we worked on our History of Magic essay for tomorrow. I agreed and we helped each other out. Then we decided to adventure into the grounds for a bit, so we could take a look at the falling snow. Despite the cold this was the season I loved the most at Hogwarts. It gave the castle an even more mysterious look.
Alcmene and I must have looked like two silly girls, giggling as we walked around the grounds, the snowflakes getting trapped on our hair and clothes. But we were not the only ones. Here and there other students decided to take a walk outside as well.
However, we didn't stay outside for long because of the cold and we watched the Ravenclaw Quidditch team leaving the pitch, after their practice. They all looked exhausted but satisfied, holding their brooms on the way to the locker rooms.
"How about we go shower, change clothes and go dinner?" I suggested to Alcmene as we initiated our long climb towards he Gryffindor tower.
She agreed.
The walk had left us exhausted and perhaps it hasn't been a good idea considering that we would have Astronomy later that evening.
Cryptic Revelations
Author: Phyllida
Date: 02-21-13 05:18
Daylight wore thin across the darkening, wintry sky; in a dark, deserted alley in Charing Cross, a black-cloaked wizard stood with his wand pointed accusingly at a cowering house-elf.
"Tell me what you know."
The creature raised its long, grey hands, cradling its head pathetically. "Mimsy cannot tell nasty strangers his master's secrets...cannot...please, don't hurt poor Mimsy. Mimsy is a loyal, hard-working elf; Mimsy only does whatever his master says..."
Knockturn Alley resounded with the house-elf's pleas. The half-light of twilight had set in. Shoppers had retreated indoors to listen to the WWN news. Shop doors were tightly sealed against the chilling Autumn night.
"Who is your master?" Tiberius repeated. "Tell us quickly, and we won't be forced to burn any of Mimsy's little toes or fingers."
"Mimsy has been sworn not to speak of it to those who aren't supposed to know. Nasty, cruel wizard and witch should go ask somebody else."
"Tell me," spoke Phyllida, stepping forth from the darkness. She, too, was robed in black velvet, with a hood drawn over her fiery head. "Tell me who sends you here to collect Mr Borgin's debt." She levelled her wand at the house-elf; the pitiful creature raised its enormous, grey-blue, watery eyes, fixing its gaze on the tip of her wand. Its eyes enlarged even further, its dribbling mouth opening in shock.
"Mimsy will tell the good witch all! Mimsy did not see her wand, did not know who she was..." The creature flung itself at her feet, kissing and caressing her boots lovingly. Phyllida shot Tiberius a baffled glance.
"She must forgive Mimsy's ignorance! Mimsy never seen her face before, only once, when she was but a little witch-ling..."
"Where have you seen me before?" she asked, mustering an imperious tone.
"Master's shop, of course," the elf replied, presuming he had granted enough hints already. "Before you started Hogwarts, just like every little witch and wizard does. They all need their wands...Alder, Ash and Oak, Blackthorn and Yew..."
"Ollivander?" Tiberius asked, disbelievingly. "You work for Ollivander?"
"Mimsy is Master Garrick's loyal servant...and Mistress Phyllida's, too."
"I don't understand," objected the young witch, feeling dazed by the cryptic revelations being dealt her.
"Wand of Elder, never prosper..." the elf intoned mystically. "The elder tree's second-born thorn..."
"Enough gibberish," Tiberius cut him off. "Tell us how to find the Trismegistus Society."
"There are secrets Mimsy cannot reveal even to good witches and wizards...It is their quest to seek the answers themselves. Master has instructed Mimsy to never tell, though he has only the highest regard for yourself, Mistress."
"Please, Mimsy," she pleaded, kneeling next to the emotional elf. "At least give us a clue. We have to find the Society, my friend is very sick and near to death, and only they can help him."
'Master is a good wizard...he may take pity on Miss Phyllida's friend." The elf picked himself up, dusting off his yellowed pillowcase. "Mimsy's job is now done. Good evening to the Mistress, and her dear friend."
The elf bowed courteously, and disapparated, leaving the perplexed pair to the resounding silence of their own confusion.
Dueling, Metrallus, & Idiotic People
Author: Kissy Isuki
Date: 02-21-13 19:16
On Tuesdays Kissy's classes straddle lunch, with the fifth year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws before lunch and the seventh years just after. Tuesdays also mean morning office hours. This morning Kissy had no student visitors but that allowed her to get quite a bit done reading and grading essays. During the fifth year class students dueled, though not with wands. Two students faced off with Kissy asking a question. The first two correctly answer faced another challenger while the other student went to the end of the line. Each correct answer garnered the student a point. An incorrect response lost a point and gave the opponent the chance to come up with the right answer. The points count towards each student's daily grade tally. At class's end Ramona Mickle edged out three others by one point as the top scorer. Kissy surprised Ramona by giving her a gift certificate to the Crown & Cauldron that may be used for lunch this upcoming Hogsmeade weekend.
Lunch had been in the Great Hall, chatting with a few of her colleagues then it was straight back to work. Kissy had the seventh years meeting in one of the obstacle course rooms but the seventh years did not find an obstacle course waiting for them. They found rows of lanes, the lanes divided by partial walls. One end of a lane had a marked position. At the other was a human shaped target.
After taking roll, Kissy had the students gather around her at one of the lanes, passing out goggles to each. "If you did the assigned reading you know that the metrallus spell is a conjuring charm. What does it conjure?" Hands shot up so Kissy prompts, "Yes, Christopher Chant?"
Christopher Tweed starts to answer only to have it sink in she'd said Chant, not Tweed. Chant had been in the process of opening his mouth, saw the other Christopher was going to answer so stopped. When it's clear Christopher Tweed is going to let him speak afterall, Christopher Chant responds, "Metal shrapnel."
"Correct. Three points to Ravenclaw. Christopher Tweed, perhaps you could elaborate."
"The shrapnel tends to be small with sharp points that tends to stay in a tight formation when fired at something nearby."
"Also correct. Three points to Slytherin as well. The dispersal from the wand is usually, though not always, tightly bunched so the closer the target, the smaller the area that will be hit. The further the shrapnel travels, the more widely it becomes spread out."
Pulling her own goggles over her eyes she instructed, "Goggles on now." Kissy demonstrated metrallus on targets at different distances from the marked spot at the top of the lane, showing the students the different patterns on the targets, and the shredding damage done by the shrapnel.
"You will notice that each lane has distance markings. Start with the one closest and only after you've successfully hit the target at the distance should you move the target to the next distance. You will find extra targets on that table there. Keep in mind that this is a dangerous spell. There is a reason for the walls separating the lanes and why you will each keep on the goggles you're wearing. You may only take off your goggles if you are out of the area designated with the red lines. If I catch any of you using the metrallus spell anywhere but down your own lane, you fail for the day and a week of detention, including Saturday, which means missing out on Hogsmeade, and a chance to do Christmas shopping. I do not need to tell you how serious things will go for you if you are ever caught using this spell outside class without an exceptionally good reason."
After voicing their understanding of the repurcussions for misusing this spell, the seventh years spread out to work individually along the lanes, Kissy walking up and down to observe progress as the sound of, "Metrallus!" followed by targets, and walls of the lanes, being hit, filled the obstacle course room.
Just before 1:30 Kissy collected goggles as the students compared their various targets. "We'll work more on this Thursday. If you wish to practice between now and then, please let me know so that I or someone else may be here with you. If you wish to get in other practice, there is a new obstacle course set up in the other room."
After bidding them all good afternoon, Kissy let them go then turned her attention to cleaning up the lanes. When that was done she returned to her office to finish writing a quiz for tomorrow's sixth year class and went over her mother's CV line by line, making edits and suggestions. Nyoko has decided to rejoin the work force after years of being a housewife. There are two part-time positions at the Ministry she would like to have and asked Kissy to help her update her resumé. Or, knowing her mum, Nyoko more than likely asked several to go over her CV and after she gets back the suggestions, she'll take bits and pieces of from each person and put together something new from that.
Once she's done with Nyoko's CV, Kissy owls it to her mum then made her way to the fifth floor flat Cameron and she share. Cameron's house next to Zen and Akina's was really just one half of a small bungelow. There was a flat on the same floor she'd been living on here at Hogwarts that was larger than her small one bedroom residence. They moved into the larger one though have discussed looking for housing elsewhere but haven't actually begun looking as yet.
Freshening up with a quick shower, Kissy is toweling her hair when Cameron gets in from the Ministry where he works for the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes on the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad. Coming up behind her to nuzzle Kissy's neck Cameron murmurs, "You smell good."
"Only because I just showered," she laughs. "I had been smelling somewhat metallic after spending the seventh years class with them constantly firing off shrapnel."
"I bet you smelled good even then. Normally how good you smell would be putting me in mind of something other than dinner but I ended up only having time to munch an apple so I'm famished."
"I'm reading to go to the Great Hall, if you are, or if you want to eat here in the flat or go out. I'm not picky. What had you so busy?"
"As there's no waiting for dinner to cook if we go downstairs, the Great Hall works for me. A bunch of idiots is what had me so busy. I was on my way to lunch when I got sent to unsplinch a man who has no apparating license and admitted he's only recently begun teaching himself. Then there was the woman who let her four year old play with her wand while she took a bubble bath. The child decided to play dress-up and after borrowing some of mummy's clothes started spouting off words she remembered hearing her parents say when using their wands. Being four, she didn't correctly remember most things and ended up not only causing half the items in their sitting room to explode and holes in the walls, ceiling, and floor, but glued the wand to her hand then got her hand stuck to her hair, all the while crickets were shooting from the wand."
They leave the flat for the Great Hall, walking hand in hand, with Cameron continuing his tale of correcting magic gone wrong throughout the day.
(Malden) Transfiguration & Dysfunctional Families
Author: Minerva McGonagall
Date: 02-22-13 10:15
The words that came from Professor Flint's mouth were wholly incomprehensible, even though Malden was sure his teacher was speaking English. The difficulty of the subject matter, coupled with the dull nature of its presentation, made it nearly impossible for the Slytherin first year student to concentrate. He rested his head in his hand and fought to keep his eyes open.
It was bad enough that Monday's Transfiguration class took up an entire forty-five minutes, but double classes were the absolute worst!
Malden wasn't sure how he had gotten through term thus far, particularly since he always guessed on the answers in his assignments and exams. If there was one thing he had learned, however, it was that Professor Flint seemed to appreciate what Malden considered to be more convoluted answers rather than brief, straightforward ones.
His elbow suddenly slipped out from under him, but Malden managed to prevent his chin from hitting the grainy surface of his desk. He jerked upright and shook himself in a fruitless effort to stay focused.
Professor Flint lectured on, unaffected, but Asher Kent and a few other students who'd noticed Malden's near miss snickered under their breaths.
At long last, Professor Flint appeared to wrap up his lecture. He doled out an impossible amount of homework, which included readings and essay questions, and then dismissed his first year students.
Malden collected his things and stepped out into the hall. He was soon joined by Asher. The boys set out leisurely for the dungeons, where they had Potions next.
"Would have been funny if you'd have fallen out of your chair," Asher commented.
"You try staying awake in that class. I wish we didn't have it first thing in the morning."
"After lunch would be worse, don't you think?"
Malden shrugged. "Maybe there's no good time for it. I don't think I understand Transfiguration at all."
"Can't you get your grandmum to help?" Asher asked.
"She's not my grandmum," Malden replied. "She's my great aunt, and I don't want to ask her."
"Why not?"
"I don't want anyone to think I'm getting favors because a relative happens to be Headmistress of the school. Besides, I don't really know her all that well. Not the way my brother does. We didn't even know she existed until Madoc started at school two years ago."
"Seems odd, doesn't it?"
"Maybe, but I heard that she and my grandfather hate each other."
"I wonder why."
"Me too," Malden said.
The boys stepped off the marble staircase and crossed the entrance hall to the stairwell that led down to the dungeons. They still had some time to kill before the start of Potions class and spent it in a nearby alcove, snacking on chocolate frogs and talking about the most dysfunctional members of their families.
Happy Birthday
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 02-22-13 13:20
Victoire's little feet carried her to where her father stood in the snowy yard. She threw her arms around his legs and shouted, "Up!"
Bill knelt and swept his little, purple-clad daughter into his arms. She wore thick tights, a corduroy skirt and a jumper Molly had knitted her. For added warmth, she also wore a purple cloak, purple mittens, and a purple hat with a fuzzy pom pom on top. The latter two pieces Victoire's aunt Majandra had knitted her.
"It's snowing!" she giggled, holding out one mittened hand to catch the snowflakes as they lazily drifted down from the grayish-white clouds overhead.
"It sure is," Bill said, "just like yesterday."
"Yes, but today is your birfday."
"Is it? I forgot!"
"No you didn't!" Victoire exclaimed.
Bill laughed. He hadn't forgotten and, in fact, had taken the day off from work to celebrate his birthday with his family. He and Fleur still weren't on the best of terms, but they were trying to move past their differences, especially now that their third child was on the way.
"Daddy, it's cold."
"Okay, let's go inside where it's warm. Maybe Mummy can make us some hot chocolate with marshmallows."
They went into the house and took off the outer layers of their clothing. Victoire then ran into the kitchen and announced to her mother that she wanted "hot choc'late and mellows".
Bill followed her into the kitchen and met eyes with Fleur. "Ne veux papa chocolat chaud aussi?" Fleur asked Victoire.
"Yes. He wants extra mellows because it's his birfday," Victoire replied in English, as she always did when her mother spoke to her in French.
"Trés bien," Fleur said.
"Why don't you go see what Dominique is up to?" Bill suggested. "It will take a few minutes for your hot chocolate to be ready."
"Okay!" She ran out of the room in search of her little sister, leaving Bill and Fleur alone, except for the cat Marguerite, who nibbled on the kibble in her bowl.
"Do you want somezing special for lunch later?" Fleur asked, as she boiled water for the hot chocolate.
"I could eat anything," Bill replied. "We can stay in and then have supper out in the village, if you want."
"Whatever you want," Fleur replied. "Eet eez your birthday, not mine."
"Fleur, don't be like that," Bill urged, stepping closer to her.
"I didn't mean eet ze way eet came out," Fleur said, turning to face him. "I am sorry. I am jus' tired. Ze baby––" but she stopped and turned to the window, where a rather harried-looking owl flapped its wings, sending little tufts of feathers in all directions.
Bill crossed to the window and opened it, allowing the bird entry into the house. It carried a very long, narrow box and set it onto the breakfast table, along with a few, dusty-brown feathers.
"What's that?" Victoire asked, skipping into the room with Dominique in tow. Dominique wore footie-pajamas and looked as if she had just taken a long snooze. Her strawberry blonde hair stood up in all directions.
"I don't know," Bill said, taking an owl treat from a tin and offering it to the bird. It nipped it from his fingers and then flew out the window, which Bill shut before turning back to the package on the table.
"Open it!" Victoire shouted. "Open it, open it!" Dominique copied her older sister and shouted, "Open! Open!"
Bill unraveled the twine around the box and then removed the brown packaging paper. He pulled up the flap to the box's lid, revealing a dozen, long-stemmed red roses. A small, pearl-colored envelope rested halfway between the top and bottom of the dark green stems.
Bill picked it up and removed the small card nestled inside it.
Happy Birthday, Baby.
A.
Bill tensed. Fleur read the note over his shoulder and hissed between her teeth.
Unaware of the tension in the room, Victoire stated, "Flowers are for girls."
When she reached out to touch one of the blood-red petals, Bill and Fleur both shouted, "Don't!" and "Non!"
Victoire shrank back, looking hurt and like she might cry.
Bill knelt so that he was level with her and said, "I'm sorry, sweetheart. Those flowers are a mistake. I need to talk to Uncle Ron or maybe Uncle Harry about this. Go into the kitchen with Mummy. I think your hot cocoa must be ready now."
Victoire managed to compose herself and went to Fleur, who for once didn't look angry with Bill. She looked scared. They stared at each other for a long moment, and then she turned and guided both of her daughters into the kitchen.
Bill, meanwhile, went to the fireplace and threw some floo powder into the flames. He got down onto his knees and stuck his head into the green fire.
A Little Stressed And More Than A Little Tired
Author: Kody
Date: 02-22-13 17:48
Covering his mouth as he yawns, too many times in the last few minutes to bother counting, Deak Bennett would like nothing more than to take a nap. With an exam to write in just under an hour a nap is not currently an option. Scrubbing at tired eyes, he flips to a particular section of his notes, wanting to read over one more time some information he finds particularly convoluted, which pretty much ensures it will be one of the most weighted essay questions on the final.
"This place seems packed. Mind if I share your table, Deak?"
Looking as tired as Deak feels, Geoffrey Ludlow stands with a tray containing a sandwich and a steaming mug of something. Though not one of Deak's closest friends he'd always gotten on well enough with Geoffrey. There's also the fact that Orange does seem overly crowded for a final examinations day. Then again, it is lunchtime.
"Hi, Geoffrey, sure, take a seat."
Geoffrey nods at Deak's notes. "What course?"
"The intro to Economics. It may be the last I take."
"Don't have a head for it?"
"I understand most of it but the professor has made it deadly dull. I thought I knew what I wanted but then I started having doubts. I ended up taking a hodge podge of courses this term."
"I'm doing that as well, or to a point. First term and all, it's mainly intro courses anyway but I've declared for Fancourt College, both Engineering and Design and Invention to be more specific. That may change but for now I'm happy."
"I'd thought I'd do what my brother did and go for the coaching and teaching side of Quidditch but, now I'm not as sure. I'm starting to think the only way I'd want to make Quidditch my life is if I were to play professionally first and then move to coaching and teaching. I love Quidditch and I'm good enough for a St. Emrys team, but I don't know if I want to try going pro at some point; and, if I were go professional, should I do that now and put off university for the time being or go on and finish a program here then tryout for one of the pro teams?" Deak stops talking. Sighs. Scrubs at his eyes again then apologizes, "Sorry for rambling and sounding like I'm on the verge of panicking."
"No need to apologize. Imagine how stressed you would have been if St. Emrys weren't here, hadn't paved the way for other universities. You would have had to pick a track of study back at Hogwarts in hopes of getting the NEWTs you needed to even be accepted at an entry level somewhere. At least now we have a little more buffer time to decide what we want to do in life. On top of that, we're in the middle of exams. Most everyone's stress level is high. Though, you were in Ravenclaw so I would think studying would come easier for you."
Deak manages a grin. "Finding studying easy isn't the same as being able to successfully translate that to the exam itself. Speaking of, I should make my way in the direction of this class." Deak taps his notes. "I've still a little time but we can sit wherever we want in the class only there is one section that's drafty. If I don't go get a seat soon, I'll be stuck writing this exam with the a full gale blowing on me."
"Thanks for the seat. Good luck on the exam and your others as well."
"You too. We should get together sometime. I'm having a party this weekend. I'll owl you the details."
"That would be a great way to destress after this week. Thanks."
Deak nods, grabbing up his now packed bookbag and heads out of the canteen, shifting gears to get his mind off friendly conversation and back on Economics.