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(McCray Manor) Death of a McCray
Author: Roisin Rae McCray
Date: 04-08-13 18:37
For nearly the past two days, Rosie had been absent from Hogwarts. Uncle Ailbe had arrived unexpectedly at the old school, his demeanor quite different from his cheery disposition. One glance at him sounded of trouble. When he spoke, he trembled. She fumbled as she packed, once nearly letting her suitcase tumble to the ground. The journey back to the manor had been one in silence, with a minor utterance from Ailbe. His voice was low but she could still make out his word; for some reason he had blamed the Snodgrasses for Aunt Cleona's sudden illness.
She had spent her time at the manor sitting with her aunt, tending to the elder witch's sudden convulsions. Consistently she had a slightly damp cloth in hand, softly dabbing the sweat from sickly woman's head. Some outbursts were frightening, Cleona's head, arms and legs thrashing against the bed while her corpse jolted upward. She gave off loud cries that sounded throughout the manor. Sometimes her outburst required physical restraint.
This seemingly reinforced Ailbe's absence. The author was upset at his wife's predicament, and was reduced to tears by moving past the doors. Had his wife contained her normal wits, she would have scolded him for not seeing her. But now she was quite delirious and held the gaze of shadows, looking deep into nothing. It was a rarity to hear her voice and when she did speak, it was nothing but mixed ramblings.
In the brief time when Nin took over her duties, allowing her a rest, she had inquired to her uncle about medical help. With big sorrowful eyes he looked to her and replied. "Its much too late - has been with the Dark Magic they practice."
It was clear that he was speaking about the Snodgrasses. Could it be true? Could they be the force behind Auntie's illness? She repeatedly asked herself. From the few weeks spent at the manor, she quickly learned of her aunt's healthy attitude and sharp mind. But Ailbe was also quite hasty to react to bad things - and quite often blamed the Snodgrasses for them.
Now her convulsions have stopped, at least. However her pale features denoting an impending end. An end that could take her at any moment. She grasped her aunt's cold hand, preparing for the worst. Looking down at her in her last moments, Roisin wondered if the Snodgrasses were truly responsible. She had last visited a short while ago, during the Christmas break, and Cleona seemed healthy enough to play Quidditch.
She now attempted to speak, at first letting out only a small rasp. For a moment her true self was shown as she looked to Roisin with kind eyes. Her niece leaned forward, putting her ear close to the dying woman's lips. Again she made an attempt to speak, this time successful and in a raspy tone. "Be good...you're uncle has much in store for you. Find Andreva and tell her she's forgiven. I know..."
And she died.
"Nin!" Roisin screamed, tears beginning to form in her eyes.
The House Elf appeared at her left, staring blankly at his former mistress' lifeless body. "She was a good mistress."
Dead silence emerged, until the hall sounding with running feet. Ailbe soon entered, tears already steaming down her cheeks. He stood between his niece and the House Elf, placing a comforting hand on their nearest shoulder. Silence then continued to ensue, as they each mourned the loss of a good woman.
Rosie was now bawling. Her aunt was the closest thing she had to a mother-type figure, despite only knowing the other for so little a time. Now that her only female influence had departed the word, she felt alone again - as alone as she felt the night of her father's death. But she was not alone; she was quite aware of that. She had a guardian with a kind-heart, one who would never intentionally hurt a fly. Truly she didn't even know what she felt, except a plethora of feelings.
At her feet she felt Percy rub his little head against her. It was his way of comforting her. He too was awaking to the cruel reality. The feline had spent the majority of the time at the manor following Nin around; both had become quite fond of each other. And now he had followed the House Elf to the scene of death and had become aware of the misery that now engulfed McCray Manor.
She felt small hands tugging at her arm. Through her tears she saw Nin attempting to have her leave the room. Feeling to weak to object, she allowed Nin to lead her downstairs. They sat down in the dining hall, waiting silently as Ailbe McCray had a silent moment with his deceased wife.
Accident
Author: Plum
Date: 04-08-13 18:55
Anthony peers around the door propped open halfway, smiling apologetically when Plum looks toward the movement. She makes a staying gesture as she rises, moving quickly across the distance from a chair to the door. "He's asleep," she says following a quick kiss that, given a flurry of activity in the St. Mungo's corridor, is also rather chaste.
"I'm sorry it took me so long to get here. I wasn't where I could easily get word and then when I did, we were literally in the middle of an arrest."
Plum shakes her head. "You came when you could. That's all that matters."
"How's Alex? What happened?"
Plum takes the second question first. "When I went to pick up Alex from school he and some of his friends were playing. He tripped and fell, hit his head fairly hard on a piece of playground equipment and broke a bone in his arm and a couple in his wrist. The arm and wrist are already on the mend but he does have a concussion so the healer, Colin Foster, wants to keep him overnight. The combination of potions Alex had to take made him so sleepy he couldn't stay awake though he did try, complaining about how it wasn't his bedtime yet."
Anthony pulls Plum into a hug, again apologizing. "I'm sorry I didn't get here right away."
Plum confesses, "I was scared. He cut his head in the fall and there was so much blood. I know scalp wounds bleed a great deal but when it's your kid, it's a little harder to be objective about it."
Anthony hugs her tighter before saying, "I'm sure you've not even thought about supper. With Alex asleep we could go see if the tearoom here is still open. If not, I'll go get us something and bring it back here."
He's right. Plum hadn't given much thought to eating but now he's brought it up she realizes she is hungry. Lunch had been early, more of a brunch, and during a meeting with a client. "Okay. Let me just check he really is out and then get my purse."
Anthony follows Plum into the room, expression going even more serious at the sight of the small, pale body in the bed, a swathe of bandage covering the long cut across his forehead. When he turns away it's to give Plum yet another hug. As Alex begins to lightly snore they walk hand in hand from the room to go see if the tearoom on the top floor is still serving, Plum giving yet another silent prayer of thanks that the six year old was not more seriously injured.
At Bella's BOO
Author: Lucius Malfoy
Date: 04-09-13 18:12
Lucius is shown into Bellatrix's current favorite room, a light paneled study she's decorated in scarlet and dark grey. A fire crackles, giving added warmth to the room on this chill morning. Bellatrix turns from a window, a cut crystal tulip glass in hand. "Lucius! I'm so glad you could come."
"You asked. I was available. A bit early for cognac, isn't it?"
"Yes, somewhat I suppose but we're celebrating."
"We are?"
"Well possibly not you, darling, but Barty and I are."
"Speaking of ?"
"He's in the kitchen giving instructions on how to make a favorite meal of his."
Waving off Bella's unspoken offer of a drink Lucius settles into a stiff looking winged back chair that proves to be far more comfortable than it appears. "Why the celebration?"
"Now that the BOO* is fully livable and I've tabled, for the time being, the Azkaban escape plan for Rodolphus and Rabastan, we have, that is Barty and I have, decided the Fairchild chit is legitimate. We've been paying close attention, you know; talking with others, spying on some of her meetings."
"I... see."
"Next time there is a summoning, we will answer the call to our Dark Marks. We hope you will come with us."
"As you recall, I no longer have a Dark Mark." Lucius pushes up one sleeve, the scar revealed a visual reminder.
"Yes, yes, yes. A pesky detail. Easily overcome. Barty and I will follow the call. When we see where it is, which will probably be where she usually summons her followers, one of us will either come get you or will send you a message."
Lucius rises, moving to stand near the fire, staring into it as if studying the flames. After a long pause he turns to face Bellatrix. "I think, for the moment, I shall pass; but, thank you for offering to include me."
Pouting, Bellatrix flounces over to near where Lucius stands. "Whyyyy?" she demands.
"There is a reason I broke from Voldemort, had the Mark removed. I am not certain that slavishly following someone who claims to be his spiritual child is in my, or my children's, best interests."
"If we gain power again, you could walk freely in Britain again," Bellatrix wheedles.
"That is a consideration, yes, but as I said, for now, I will wait."
"Fairchild might not appreciate you waiting to jump aboard until seeing if she's making successful progress."
"I do believe that for the time being, she's still scrabbling to get enough followers to make a difference. What may or may not happen in the future is just that, in the future. I shan't let it concern me or bother me in the present."
Bellatrix goes to a chair and slumps into it, a defeated expression mixing with the toddler level pout she's exhibiting. "Oh very well. I swear you are no fun, Lucius. You haven't been in quite some time."
"If it's fun you want, we could always kidnap Charlie Weasley again so that you can curse him again to love all things pink."
Bellatrix smiles fondly at the memory. "That was an excellent time. Do you know that curse lasted longer than we ever imagined?"
Her mood slightly brightened, Bellatrix begins reminiscing about some of the jobs Lucius and she pulled, which in turns serves to liven her mood even more. Lucius is glad of the distraction from further pressure to join Barty and Bella at Adriana Fairchild's feet.
(Sendai, Japan) Visiting
Author: Oreileah McCoi
Date: 04-10-13 05:08
"She's gotten so big hon." Celia said as she watched her granddaughter playing with blocks on the living room carpet.
"I know, a year old already and already so smart. I can't believe it's been a year already. Soon I'll be loading her onto the train for Hogwarts."
"Don't rush it, it will come soon enough sweetheart, I still remember when you were that young."
"I know mom, and Jim and I are considering another child, but we aren't sure yet. He's currently working at a muggle clinic, and getting ready to start working on his first clinical rotation at St. Mungo's."
"He starts back on Monday right?"
"Yeah, he's looking forward to it. I'm just glad that the business is doing well - it helped that we added the legal services it gives us a bit of an edge against the other translation services."
"That's good, and speaking of the business how are Christian and his partner doing?"
"They are both wonderful, and are currently taking care of things while Jim and I are here enjoying a vacation."
"I know Jim has classes on Monday, so how long are you and Meggers staying?"
"Jim's gonna go back tomorrow, Meg and I will stay until Monday afternoon here and then head home."
Their conversation lulled as they heard the men coming back in from the backyard, they'd been talking and doing manly things out in the backyard while Orei caught up with her mother.
"Hey you two, finally decided to come in and be civilized again?"
"Of course darling, now, it's time to get ready for dinner."
"Dinner?"
"Yes, dinner. Now, there is a box on your bed Orei, one for you and one for Megan, go change."
Orei blinked and looked at her father, wondering what he was planning.
Shrugging she pushed up from the couch after finishing the last of her tea, and scooped up her daughter from the mountain of blocks that she'd been playing with.
"Come along my little builder, time to get dressed for dinner. I think Grammy and Papa are up to something..."
Once they were in the bedroom she opened the boxes and gasped softly at the gorgeous kimonos that were laying in the delicate tissue paper wrapping.
Dressing both she and Megan, she soon stepped out of the bedroom, carrying her daughter.
All eyes flicked to the pair as the came back into the living room. Jim sucked in a breath and offered her a smile.
"You both look absolutely gorgeous," he said, pushing up from the couch and moving to give them both a quick kiss. He accepted his daughter from her and tickled her lightly.
"Da Da!" Meagan giggled and snuggled into her father.
"Thank you both for the kimonos, they are beautiful, and I have a feeling we will have a difficult time getting Meagan out of hers, but it's alright."
After a few minutes of discussion they were heading out to the muggle place that her parents had chosen for dinner tonight since Jim would be leaving soon to head back to London for his first day of classes at St. Emrys.
Just Another Day
Author: Melinda
Date: 04-10-13 05:25
"Christian, here is the notes on that case for Monday, and I've already finished transcribing the deposition from Mrs. Hawthorne from Wednesday."
Christian looked up from the case file he was studying and nodded. "Very good Mel, I've one more thing for you, there is no rush on it, but I'm thinking you are a good person to handle this one."
Christian handed her the file, and she blinked, looking down at the name on the file.
"The protest at Petals, some of the citizens are coming to you about that? I thought they were all going to some woman named Alanna Beck at the Ministry."
"One of the women in the protest has been my client for ages now, and doesn't trust that Miss Beck can do an adequate job on the fight against the strip club."
"You do realize that I work for the strip club right?"
"Yup, and that's why I want you to handle the research, since I know you have an insiders view of how things are conducted at Petals."
"Alright, but I can't help you with much more than research since it will be a conflict of interest."
"I know, and that's all I want you for on this one Mel, just the research."
A knock on Christian's door, drew their gaze to the handsome man leaning against the frame.
"Hello David," she said with a smile, greeting her bosses' partner.
"Melinda, how are you?"
"Doing well enough, getting ready to do a little research before I head home for a couple of hours."
"Ah, that's right it's Friday, shift at Petals tonight?"
"Yup."
"Enjoy the rest of your day then."
She took that as her cue to slip from the office and head back to her desk. No sooner had she slipped into her chair, that she smiled when Christian's office door shut. She took a few minutes to look over the information in the file, some of it would require a translation as one of the women had written her complaint in Welsh and Mel didn't speak a word of it.
"Alright, first stop, Koral upstairs."
Pushing up from her desk, she headed upstairs. Nicole was in charge of the Linguistics side of things while Orei was on vacation and Mel offered her a bright smile. "I've something for Koral to work on when she gets a chance. Not a huge rush on it, but if I could have it back by mid-week that would be fantastic."
"Shouldn't be a problem. Koral's getting ready to leave for the afternoon though, she's going to have her son this coming week for holiday."
"Not a problem. Thanks Nicole."
She turned and headed back downstairs to get a little bit more work done before heading home.
So Very Clueless
Author: Nana Minuet
Date: 04-10-13 11:56
Nana had practically stripped out of her uniform in the corridors as soon as her last class of the day let out. Even as she entered her room, her tie was visibly loosened and her previously tucked in shirt was hanging out while her robes and sweater were draped over folded arms. She couldn't throw those items onto her bed fast enough. What had been a symbol for freedom a few days before was now an annoyance – even if the only real 'annoyance' was the long robe that never seemed to cooperate with Nana's petite form. Or was it the fact that Nana was being told what to wear? Was a forced outfit beginning to feel exactly what it was – forced? If that was the case, Nana had at least 6 more months of torture before a two-month reprieve. She could manage for six months though, couldn't she?
As Nana set her school bag down near the foot of her bed, she wondered what it would be like to burn her uniform if not just to watch it burn. Everything died eventually anyway, right? A Viking funeral for something Nana knew she wouldn't miss. Of course Nana didn't give into her rebellious urges. No matter how fun it would be to watch the flickering of flames as they moved together in a dance of ruin and beauty, Nana knew she had to behave. Instead, the French girl continued undressing until she was left in nothing except her undergarments.
Redressing didn't take long afterwards. Once it was done, Nana was then left with the decision of what to do with the pile of clothes holding convention atop her bed. If she were home, she would have gathered the uniform as well as any other nearby dirty garments into her arms and carried them to the laundry room as François had instructed her to do. In the hospital, patients had large cloth hampers in the corners of their rooms and each week house elf orderlies emptied them into a larger bin of dirty clothes while patients were given recreation time in the visitor's tea room. There wasn't a single clue in Nana's mind though about what to do with dirty laundry while at Hogwarts.
Then again, when it came to life in Hogwarts, Nana had already proven herself clueless. How was she supposed to know that the kitchens (barely covered in Mademoiselle Lindy's tour on Tuesday) were on the bottom floor while her dorm room was up near the top of the castle? Or that wandering the grounds at approximately 2am was frowned upon, according to Miss Ramona Mickle? The first factors had made getting water in the middle of the night seem like a trek for a kidnapped princess, a lost ring, and a singing red-haired mermaid all in an enchanted far away land that Nana knew tit nor tat about. Of course, the trek ended almost two hours later not with a hero's welcome, but a frustrated and very awake prefect of a roommate.
Nana wondered when this place would click for her as it had done for so many others who already much preferred the old castle walls to those in their family homes. For the time being though, there was still the matter of the dirty uniform on her bed. While lost in her own thoughts, Nana hadn't noticed herself move closer to the bed. She hadn't felt her hands, nor her fingers, move as they began to pick up each article of clothing and fold it into a proper shape. It wasn't until the clothes were practically ready for sale that Nana realized what she had been doing. Even then, she watched them as if they were going to pounce for an attack at the last minute and get their own brand of revenge for being so absent-mindedly manhandled. The only movement in the room however came from Pilar, the one eyed rescue, as she decided to make the recently folded robe her new bed.
With a shake of her head, Nana gave a small smile to the cat that was now kneading to stake her claim on her newfound real estate. "Au moins vous avez un lit de regard gentil maintenant." Nana let her hand graze the top of her disabled pet's head. The cat allowed its one blue eye to look up at the teenager in response before letting out a soft purr. It was an invitation and Nana took it for a moment as she permitted her hands to travel beneath the cat's chin to rub in an affectionate manner. They didn't stay there long though. Before the cat knew it, Nana's hands had drawn away to the skirt lying nearby.
A small coin purse was gently pulled from the pocket of the skirt Nana was currently handling. It was small, brown, and round with decorations to make the purse itself look like a cat's face. As a matter of a fact, Nana had even nicknamed the purse 'sac d'chat' when she was younger and insisted on bringing it everywhere she went. The purse had had a much more innocent occupation during that time. Now, as Nana leaned against her bed so that its frame was the back to her makeshift chair, the zipper along the purse's circular sides was being pulled to reveal all that it contained in its bowels. One small pill was extracted from the purse itself and placed onto Nana's tongue before the purse was quickly closed again.
Before the 5th year truly had time to put things away and relax, the sound of the doorknob attempting to turn damaged the calm emanating from the walls surrounding the room. Nana was up in a flash, a closed 'sac d'chat' clasped in her hand as she watched the door. Her mind reeled as her gaze beckoned the doorknob to make more movement. It did, followed by a call from the demon on the other side. "Ramona? Marian? Anyone?" Nana recognized the voice as that belonging to a fellow dorm mate, though the student's name seemed to escape her. Something with an 'a' or a 'b' in it, but Nana couldn't be sure. To be honest, Nana hadn't realized she had locked the door in the first place.
There was a brief moment in time where the student on the other side of the door must have worried no one was there and that the dorm was empty of life, but that was erased as Nana unlocked the door and moved the doorknob – an act of courage on Nana's part. She opened the door a crack, just enough to see the taller girl's face light up from a frustrating state as she realized it was the new student inside the dorm and that the new girl possibly didn't know any better. Nana noted that there was a glow beyond the understanding expression now forming across the girl's face – a genuine happiness – that seemed to pick back up to its original luminosity as the gears in the other student's head spun. "Oh, it's you, Nana! Can you not lock the door in the future? I know you're new and all, but we haven't really locked it in the past. And imagine if you weren't here! I'm sure Ramona carries her key or something, but the rest of us would have been stuck in the hall! It's just common courtesy!"
Nana never took her eyes off the girl. Inside, she had answered. 'Bien sûr, j'suppose. Je ne savais pas qu'il a été verrouillé dans un premier temps, mais j'peux le laisser débloqué si c'est ce que vous voulez.' But Joanna couldn't hear that inner dialogue. Joanna smiled at her new classmate though, despite the fact that the girl was now staring in a manner that could only be described as creepy. Any other person may have made some excuse to leave after a few seconds of Nana's gaze, but Joanna stayed. Sure, she glanced to her sides a few times as nerves rushed through her veins, but she still stayed. Nana guessed there was something admirable about that, even if she didn't know quite what it was.
The girl finally spoke once more to Nana with a small smile still present on her lips. The glow never left as it continued to mesmerize the small girl standing before it. Joanna just seemed so happy, Nana thought and for a brief moment, Nana herself was envious. The girl even cocked her head to one side in a pleasant, most natural manner as she spoke. For some reason (maybe Nana's 'help' taking hold), Nana felt the urge to mimic her, to see maybe if standing the same way as this student would make Nana just as happy. "So, mind letting me in? I need to change, and then I'm going to head down to the Common Commons for a bit. You should come! We can hang out or something!"
"Oui," Nana spoke without truly mulling the girl's request around in her head, as she normally would have done. The only thing mulling around Nana right now was a strange urge to go with this girl and see why she beamed so. To maybe laugh with her and hear stories of a normal life that Nana had already missed out on. It was strange for Nana to want this, to be so immersed by someone so full of glee. If perhaps Nana had been in her right mind, she would have preferred to stay inside and read while inner dialogue spoke of how much of an optimist this girl was in comparison to Nana's self-proclaimed realism. Instead, Nana felt something welling inside her – something warm and possibly bright – as her imagined day with this girl began to play in her mind.
A throat cleared somewhere in the real world and Nana was dragged back to reality. Joanna was still waiting, and this time Nana didn't waste any time in letting her roommate into the dorm. Without haste and mind, Nana herself got ready to go out. While the excitement began to boil within her blood, Nana began to sense a smile growing on her face, tightening as many muscles as it could along the way. She tried to relax her mouth back into its normal state, but smiling just felt so gosh darn good for some reason. She didn't want to stop. Once Joanna announced she was ready, Nana found her previously bare-feet were already covered with blue boat shoes to match her Ravenclaw colored outfit. A yellow purse backpack was also slung around her right shoulder while her hands, now empty of 'sac d'chat', were clasped together in a sort of teenybopper anticipation.
"Let's go then," Joanna said as she focused on her new classmate. Nana nodded as she pressed her hands closer to her face so that they were almost touching her chin. "Allons-y," she spoke with her still-present smile while not caring whether or not her classmate could understand her. She was feeling great, beyond great. Everything in Nana's world was light and happy. Nana didn't want it to stop either. It just felt so good to feel this…good.
---
Translations: (1) At least now you have a nice looking bed. (2) cat bag (3) Sure, I guess. I didn't know it was locked before, but I can leave it unlocked if that's what you want. (3) Let's go.
(Caleb) Trolls, Veela and Vampires
Author: Celeste Quigley
Date: 04-10-13 12:53
Caleb scratched the tip of his chin with his quill, trying to think. He had the feeling Professor Morgan had told the class something very important related to their homework about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct, but somehow he just couldn't recall what she had said. He flipped the pages of his exemplar of A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot. His book was filled little notes, and an occasional doodle here and there.
Caleb had draw what it seemed to be a werewolf, on the page related to the Code of Conduct, but there were any notes there. He sighed, frustrated, and he started to reprehend himself, thinking that from this day on he should pay more attention in his History of Magic classes.
"You know what I have been thinking?" Ector asked, next to Caleb. He had already put his homework aside, declaring he just couldn't focus on a Friday afternoon.
"What?"
"What if any of the school's teachers is a werewolf? Or some other kind of creature?"
"You are forgetting about Flitwick. He is half goblin, they say."
A loud group of girls entered the Ravenclaw common room. They were giggling and Caleb rolled his eyes. He didn't understand these older girls. He hoped Sophie didn't turn out like one of them one day.
"Flitwick is…well, he isn't scary. Besides with all these articles at the Daily Prophet, I am not surprised we might have some teacher who is not really human. Maybe there's a vampire! Professor Snape could be one with ease. Or perhaps McGonagall is some sort of harpy. Mickey Moon from Gryffindor and I were trying to guess who will be the next teacher Skeeter will write about. My mother is very preoccupied about her articles. I mean, there must be some truth about all this right? Mother likes Rita Skeeter a lot. She says she is a good reporter, otherwise would the Prophet hire her?"
Ector was not the first student Caleb had heard mentioning Skeeter's articles and their parents' concerns. It was a popular topic discussed in the corridors, classes, meal times and the common rooms. His aunt had assured him those articles were very twisted versions of the truth and Caleb believed her. However there would always be those who question the credibility of the school's staff.
"Anyway wouldn't it be cool if we found out Madam Pomfrey was actually a Veela in disguise?"
Caleb laughed and told Ector he should know better. He continued to write his essay about the Werewolf Code of Conduct, while his friend kept daydreaming about which magical creature each teacher could be. He couldn't help to notice that Ector politely avoided mentioning his aunt.
By the end of the afternoon and as his colleagues were returning from their Fitness & Athletics class, Caleb's belly already hurt for laughing so hard when Ector suggested Professor Flint might be a Troll descendant whose power was to bore them to death with his Transfiguration theoretic knowledge.
Back to the Real World
Author: Maggie Hawthorne
Date: 04-10-13 14:05
I'd gotten back from Sydney way too early this morning and had passed out until nearly sunset. After a shower, and changing into a pair of jeans and t-shirt I looked through the mail that had gathered while I'd been away. I didn't really bother with the newspapers, but there had been a letter from Lawrence - why hadn't he just sent it to me while I'd been in Sydney?
Tearing open the envelope I quickly scanned the letter, and blinked, before rummaging through until I found the issue of The Daily Prophet that he'd mentioned in the letter. After a few moments, I found the Rita Skeeter article that had landblasted my half-brother and his relationship with Ariella Beck, who I adored.
"That stupid bitch.." I cursed lightly and cast the paper into the rubbish bin. She made my brother out to be some sex-starved pedophile that was going to start shagging all his seventh year students.
It kind of made me glad that his parents weren't around to see the filth that this woman was spewing about him, but it didn't make me any less pleased over the fact that she was trying to drag my brother's name through the mud as well as the late Headmaster Albus Dumbledore.
I quickly penned a letter back to Lawrence, that I would post first thing in the morning or send out with Dionysis tonight and post Nate's gift in the morning, wondering if he was still in hospital or had been allowed to go home. Either way I'd have the gift posted to him at home and he'd get it one way or another.
Once I sent the elf owl out with the letter for Lawrence, Ermine, my eight month old Ocicat hopped into my lap and kneaded her sharp little claws into my thigh, demanding attention in the form of pettings.
"Ow! Enough with the claws already you little monster.." I murmured, petting the kitten who graciously settled down and began purring like a little engine, satisfied that she was finally getting what she wanted.
I finished going through the mail and with a flick of my wand sent the junk mail into the rubbish bin and made note on which bills still needed paying. Shifting Ermine, which got me a baleful glare from the feline, I pushed up from the table and headed into the kitchen - muttering as I rummaged through the cabinets.
"Right, on vacation. Need to go grocery shopping. Guess I'm eating out tonight."
I slipped into a pair of socks and trainers and after grabbing my keys and purse I headed out of the flat and debated on what I was in the mood for. After wandering for several moments I decided to go to my favorite little sushi place, stepping in I greeted the familiar staff and was shown to my regular place at the sushi bar.
Order placed, sake brought to me, along with a glass of water I settled down to enjoy my meal.
Just Another Friday
Author: Charisma Stone
Date: 04-10-13 18:31
Friday evening after dinner found the pair of Prefects stealing a few moments together on one of the couches in the Common room. Cuddling and otherwise behaving themselves.
"Oh, I didn't tell you. Mum said that Mark is starting to sleep through the night and is doing really good."
"Fantastic. Good to hear, and I know Carmen and Cai are definitely looking forward to spending time with him, especially Carmen. Oh, they are also both extremely excited that it is almost time to get their letters to start at Hogwarts."
"Wow, really, it's almost that time already?"
"Yeah, trust me, I know. Carmen should be getting her letter this summer, and I think Cai the one after..."
"Wow."
They fell silent for a few moments, before they both got up from the sofa and headed toward the exit to Gryffindor tower, it was nearing time that they needed to start making patrols to ensure that there is no one breaking curfew before they themselves would head back to the common room and spend a little more time together before heading to bed.