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Just Another Monday
Author: Rylee
Date: 07-24-13 05:49
The weekend had been somewhat eventful, a letter h
ad come from my oldest sister and things were somewhat improving with my grandfather, however, not so much with my parents which was depressing, but I wasn't going to let it get to me.
The last week had of course been filled with jeers and insults pitched at me by my housemates, but again I refused to let others bother me any longer. I was done being their victim, and I was currently attempting to find that balance that I needed between athelete and spoiled princess who refused to cave to the whims and wants of others.
I'd already sat through my single Charms and DADA, and I had an hour to kill before my single of History of Magic, which would include venturing to the Great Hall for lunch with Gideon, or maybe lounging in the Common Commons with Aderyn, I hadn't quite decided yet, though the second option wouldn't be viable until almost twelve when Aderyn gets out of Herbology at eleven-forty five.
Though, we would probably make plans to hang out after I got out of DADA since she was done for the day. I'd spent the earlier part of the morning getting ready - hair pulled up in a messy bun with a pair of custom Slytherin hair pins tucked in, and I'd added a couple of cute bracelets to my outfit from a trip to Paris some time ago. I'd even chosen a pair of black and green heels to go with my uniform today.
I took a little while to settle in a quiet alcove and pen a letter to my sister, before heading to the owlery and then headed down to the Great Hall for lunch with Gideon.
Sunday's Skeeter Article Part 2
Author: Aaron Miller
Date: 07-24-13 17:38
When his 11 to 11:45 class of seventh years ends Aaron follows those going to the Great Hall for lunch. As he had yesterday and at breakfast this morning, he feels a few eyes on him, students curious to know how much of the two part article on Saffron and he is true. Part 1 ran on Saturday and focused on Saffron though Aaron was mentioned here and there. Part 2 ran yesterday with Aaron being central to Skeeter's continued attack on the staff of Hogwarts.
Part 2 of the article began by questioning whether Aaron had no magical training until after reaching adulthood. How could someone of his apparent level of abilities have come to learning magic later in life? Skeeter posits that Aaron was trained from a young age then working as a mole for the American wizarding government, he took a job with its Muggle government. In his position with the US diplomatic corps Aaron fed important information back to the wizarding government and when needed used magic to further the wizarding agenda. She points to Aaron's being the Muggle Studies professor at Hogwarts as further proof he's had more education and experience with the wizarding world than he claims.
Skeeter provides no proof for her supposition. No sound bites from anonymous sources. No documentation. Nothing. She also conveniently leaves out the fact that in the schooling that is documented Aaron always had the highest marks and has long been known as a quick study. There is no mention of that fact that he continues to this day to study and learn magic. There is also nothing about how teaching Muggle Studies does not actually require being able to perform magic.
From there the article rips into Aaron for having left family members at Hogwarts in that first year Harriet Snider was headmistress. Skeeter details how Aaron smuggled his niece Cora Fields from Hogwarts while leaving his wife, brother-in-law and numerous cousins. She did write about Aaron being arrested and sent first to Azkaban and then to Community Q but makes it sound like it was part of the regular Nons round-up instead of what it was: his arrest for sneaking Cora from Hogwarts, which in turn meant he wasn't able to smuggle the others away from the school.
Rita Skeeter even skewed Aaron's escape from Community Q and subsequent time in the US as him abandoning his wife and newborn child for his own safety. Not a single line is written on the fact that at that point, Aaron didn't even know about Niccola and Saffron had no way of getting word to him without being caught and Niccola's existence exposed. If any Nic had been known about, she would have been taken from Saffron and sent to Camp Lollipop. Again, not a word about that in the article.
If there were awards for yellow journalism, Rita Skeeter would sweep all the categories.
At the main table, Aaron scans the day's lunch choices and gives a friendly smile to a few students looking his way. When Saffron joins him a couple of minutes later she asks, "Has anyone said anything?"
He shakes his head, "Not yet," and passes her a bowl of green salad with grilled chicken asking as he does, "How has your morning been?"
Temporary Reprieve
Author: Marzipan
Date: 07-24-13 17:38
Was it wrong to be glad for a Monday and the start of another school week, if only to have some time away from her unhappy child? Try as she might, Marzi couldn't please Vallon in the slightest. Nothing could stand in as substitute for his favorite toy, which rumor had it wasn't a toy any longer.
Marzi and Weston had scoured junk shops, toy stores and doll vendors for a nesting doll similar in shape, size and style as the one Vallon had treasured so much, but nothing, not even the closest matches, could compare to his prized former possession.
His parents were at their wits end. They didn't know what to do for their son. Vallon threw temper tantrums at every turn, even weeks after the loss of his toy. Carter often mimicked his cousin, which meant somebody was always crying in the Ravenscroft household.
Marzi was ashamed to admit it, but she was glad the children were in the nursery wailing to the house-elves instead of to her and Weston. Their absence gave her the reprieve she needed and gave her constant headache a chance to subside.
She had taught two classes already that morning and was nearing the end of the third, first year Ravenclaw and Slytherin students. The first years had spent the class period discussing two very similar-looking, yet very different plants, devil's snare and flitterbloom.
"I see we are running out of time," Professor Ravenscroft remarked, glancing at the watch on her wrist. "We'll wrap things up, then. Your homework assignment is to write a comparison essay on the two plants discussed today. No less than 24 inches, please. You are dismissed."
The first years immediately sprang into action, gathering together their things and getting up from the work table. They filed out the greenhouse door into the sunshine, ready for lunch.
Marzi spent a few minutes in the greenhouse, tidying up from the previous lesson and getting things ready for her next class. When she thought she'd dawdled enough, she made herself go to the nursery to visit the children and eat lunch with them. Although very tempted to bring a pair of earmuffs with her, she left them behind in the greenhouse. With any luck, the boys would be in a better mood than they had been at breakfast!
Breakfast to Lunch
Author: Petula Parkinson
Date: 07-24-13 17:57
Petula sat down to breakfast, automatically reaching for the porridge and kippers, which her parents had insisted was a perfectly wholesome breakfast at home and so was her normal choice, even at Hogwarts where she had more variety to choose from.
Beside her, Valeria nibbled on a piece of bacon while her eyes scanned the Great Hall. It was normal for both of them, as well as Anton and even Titus to be observant of the room around them. The paranoid nature passed down from older relatives was deeply ingrained even at the tender age of twelve. It was second nature by the time they came to Hogwarts to always know where people were in their surroundings, to be able to reach their wand before most their age could blink and to always have an escape route.
Owls swooped through the windows and when her aunt's familiar owl landed in front of her, Petula took the letter and offered a bite of salty fish to the bird, who nipped gently at her finger before taking off again.
"A letter from your Aunt Pansy, Pet?" Valeria asked, taking her own letter from her grandmother.
"Yeah, which is a surprise since last I knew, she was on holiday."
"Meaning she and Blaise had a disagreement over something or other," Valeria said. "Grandmother says she can always tell when 'that Zabini boy' has put Pansy in a snit because Pansy goes on holiday."
Petula smirked. "It does seem to be the case. Anyway, she's home, and apparently, all is back to normal there, since she's writing to let me know I have presents waiting at home from her trip and that one of Blaise's cousins is apparently coming to Britain. Something about the brother being disowned and the family hoping being around Blaise will be a good influence. She says something else about him being close to our age and that she may drag me along to meet him after term."
"Oh ugh, sounds like those parties of Grandmothers where she's always trying to ensure I make the 'right sort' of friends. Although, those aren't as bad now, when I don't have to attend them," Valeria said with a slightly evil grin.
The two girls were quiet for a moment, Valeria perusing her note from her grandmother while half-heartedly listening to Anton and Titus discussing something about their Potions homework.
"So, does your Aunt say anything else about this mysterious cousin?" Valeria asked, turning her head to look at Petula though her eyes were still watchful for sudden movements around them.
"Just that she hopes I won't hex him too horribly and that he could prove useful in the future, something about Zabini men having a weakness for Parkinson women. I can almost hear her laughter when she writes it."
Valeria snorted. "Come on, we need to get to Transfiguration. I'm sure you can use the time to write back to your Aunt and borrow my notes at lunch."
Petula just smirked. "Why not? You've got better marks than the rest of us. Might as well make use of it. You know you love today's schedule, it's got your three favorite classes."
The blonde shrugged as she shouldered her bag, Petula echoing her actions. Sooner begun, sooner done, as her father liked to say about unpleasant tasks. She wasn't as lucky as she'd hoped, the time before lunch felt like five hours instead of three, but at least Potions had been bearable. A quick trip to the Owlery, then lunch and a free rest of the day. Petula rather thought she might need it.
The Golden Wand
Author: Josie
Date: 07-25-13 03:58
I started my class by passing a velvet bag towards the students. Inside the bag there were several cards with the name of a few oils and elixirs. I watched as they read the names in the cards and compared them with each others. After a moment I demanded silence and I explained:
"Next month you will produce the elixir or the oil that is in your respective card. I will not provide any help and although you can bring notes into the class, you are not allowed to work together or ask a colleague to assist you. For these next weeks, I expect you to do some research about your elixir or oil. You can trade information with the ones who got the same card as you. Let me assure you that all these oils and elixirs have the same degree of difficulty so there are no easier or harder ones. And no trading is allowed.
You may be asking why I am allowing you to learn the elixirs and oils you will have to produce during evaluation in advance. The answer is simple: Alchemy requires a lot of research, study and technique. That is one of the things that differentiate Alchemy with Potions. You can make a potion by following the text book. Even first years do that. Alchemy is more subtle. You need to know what you are working with. Sometimes two feathers from the same bird have different qualities. Or the way your retort is placed in the table. Or even the room's temperature. Those are all things that matter. And so I will give you a few weeks to be prepared. Any questions?"
Since no one seemed to have anything to ask or add, I started my class. We have been talking about Transmutation and today I would demonstrate to the students how the myth of the golden wand was created.
"It all started with Basilius Valentinus. He lived during the 15th century and he declared he had managed to find the correct formula to turn a simple wooden wand into gold, without changing its properties. As you learned last class, for a transmutation to be succeed, the properties of the element you want to transmute are changed in order to become the other element you want to obtain.
So, Valentinus was somewhat a fraud, in what comes to transmutation. He had written other papers that are quite reliable and contributed to the alchemy but they are not as famous as his golden wands. But at the time the wizards around Valentinus were so marveled that they did not think twice and wanted him to also turn their wands into gold. "
"How would he do that Professor?" Zuberi Batuti asked.
"It was a false transmutation. He just limited himself to cover the wood with gold. "
I asked Zuberi if he would have the kindness to borrow me his wand. He seemed suspicious but nevertheless he handed it to me, a fine 12 ¾ piece of umbrella thorn. Carefully, I placed it inside a recipient that already contained a golden liquid. After a moment I removed his wand and handed it to him. There were some exclamations in the classroom: Zuberi's wand was made of gold.
"Now Mr. Batuti would you please do a basic spell for us, in order to confirm that your wand did not lose any of its properties?"
Zuberi nodded and some green sparks left his wand. He seemed relieved that despite the looks his wand was working like before.
"Back then Valentinus was convinced he had found the formula to transmutate anything into gold. "
I used my wand and the chalk started to write on the blackboard the formula used by Valentinus.
"He made a lot of money with this and he refused to share his knowledge with anyone. However the time revealed that what he done was not really a transmutation. Can I have your wand again, Mr. Batuti?"
Reluctant to be departed from his unique golden wand, Zuberi passed it again to me. Using the tip of my nail I started to scratch the golden surface. Moments later part of the gold started to fall.
"As you can see, Valentinus did not change the wand into gold. He just placed a golden layer in it. But for while he was convinced otherwise and so did everyone around them, until the golden coat from their wands started to peel. There were a lot of angry people, as you can imagine and Valentinus spend the rest of his life hidden in a monastery. "
I returned once again the wand to Zuberi, awarding him 2 points for his collaboration. Then I concluded:
"In Alchemy history there has been a lot of wrong assumptions. When we get a result, it is important to test it to see if it is really what we want to obtain. At times our eyes are not enough. We need to use other methods to make sure if we are going in the right direction."
Then after this little lecture, I went to a more serious topic, ordering the students to open their books on page 234 so we could proceed the study of Transmutation.
An Intriguing Absence of Evidence (Mockridge Townhouse)
Author: Cassandra Catesby
Date: 07-25-13 07:04
Cass arched a brow at Kirley, absently petting Malantha who purred on her lap; it was convenient to have a black cat occasionally be seen about the Mockridge Townhouse at other times than during the full moon. "Nothing?" she said. "Nothing at all?"
"No, which is bloody weird," Kirley said. He raked a hand through his hair, not noticing that it fell into its normal perfect disarray. "There should have been something, but there's nothing. Which means I have no idea where the bloody hell Skeeter's getting whatever she is using as a source."
Nephele perched on the edge of a chair, watching her brother pace. "I believe this thing with Skeeter is getting to you. Have you tried asking the obvious person who may know something? Besides Grimshaw-Spore, of course."
Kirley looked at his twin. "What are you... Mother. Mother was giving money to various Ministry causes, someone could have approached her to donate..."
"To project funding?" Cass considered. "It's possible, and I prefer the idea of asking her than asking Grimshaw-Spore. Not only is Azkaban not somewhere I'm desperate to visit, but we don't know enough yet. He could lie through his teeth and we'd be none the wiser. I'd rather keep him as a last resort."
"It's a logical step. And Mother can't hide too much, I'd just be able to ask for the books and check them myself," Kirley said thoughtfully.
"There are benefits to being the head of the family. Mother may be matriarch, but she is still bound by duty to the heir. Sometimes, those ancient family rules come in useful," Nephele said with a smirk.
"If you're the heir," Cassandra said dryly.
"Or have the heir twisted around your little finger," Nephele pointed out, earning a dirty look from her twin, which she blithely ignored. "I should probably go Floo Pip, though I'm starting to think I spend more time in the Blackguard Offices than I do at home. Maybe I should convince them to just hire me," she added, getting to her feet and heading out of the parlor with a wave as Kirley shook his head.
"I'd almost wonder if she's been given some odd potion, but she's more paranoid than I am."
Cassandra laughed. "Yeah, plus it's a potion and it's Neph..." she said. "I just cannot imagine her being tricked that way. Now if you said it was some sort of sneaky spell or charm that might be different. Callie caught her out once or twice when we were practicing for exams."
Her lips curved into a wicked smile. "Although I suspect it's Pip who has the charms."
Kirley made a face. "Ugh, I don't need to think that about my sister," he muttered. "Now if we want to talk about me luring you in with my charms," he teased. "And yeah, it's unlikely that she'd let her guard down around just anyone."
A flash of amusement brightened Cass' midnight-blue eyes. "You have charms?" she teased. "I would have said more anti-charms, myself."
His hand flew up to his heart. "Cruel woman, you wound me. Good thing I like that sharp tongue of yours," he teased. Seeing her eyes brighten had a hint of a smile on his own lips.
"And you make such a convenient whetstone to keep it honed to a fine point," she murmured playfully.
He chuckled and reached out, playfully pinching her side. "You know you like having me about, for more than just sharpening your tongue."
"Possibly," she conceded. "Just a little." She reached up to draw his head down to her and kissed him.
Disturbed by the movement, Malantha grumbled and jumped down from her perch on Cassandra's lap. The cat stretched, dug her claws into the carpet and then padded off out of the room in search of a quieter place to snooze.
Just Another Day at the Office, Right?
Author: Jefferson
Date: 07-25-13 18:44
Another day dawned, Jefferson was up early and to work before eight A.M. He sat at his desk, quietly searching through a file. A recent case he was working on had brought up very few leads, and the possibility of it not being solved was increasing. Jeff leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his short hair. His mind wandered to thoughts about his family, things had been moving along rather quick in his relationship with Melinda. Remedy and Camden got along well, which was beneficial as they all lived together now. His sister, Lawson, was another story altogether. She was still staying with him and Mel, but had been disappearing and skipping shifts at work. Jeff had to think she was into something, but he couldn't figure it out, yet.
He was pulled back into reality when he overheard a few of his co-workers chatting nearby.
"You know, I would do the same thing if I could get one of those girls. Have you ever been to Petals?"
Another man laughed in affirmation, "Of course, who wouldn't for some entertainment. I do wonder about their kids, though. I mean, stripping is not exactly an honest profession."
Jeff sighed and tried to brush off the conversation, he had to resist the urge to draw his wand and transfigure the two men into paperweights right then. It was no business of his colleagues to be involved in his personal life, and he was about to say something when his boss stepped in front of his desk.
"Foster! My office, we need to talk!" Edgar Myles could be a very intimidating man, though usually fair as far as his staff was concerned.
"Yes, Sir." Jeff stepped into the office. "I wanted to speak with you about the Ericsson case. It doesn't seem to add up, and was wondering…"
The boss slammed the door and looked down at the younger man. "No Foster. We're not talking about the case right now."
"Okay, what exactly are we talking about then?"
"You."
"Me, Sir?"
"Well, more your current family situation. It's been brought to my attention the nature of your girlfriend's other job. Some of the employees here are concerned."
Jeff leaned back in his chair and sighed. "Oh. That. It's not really my place to have concern's over it. I mean, that's where we met."
Myles shook his head and sighed. "Look, I know this bothers you, I saw how defensive you were when Parks and Allen were talking about her just now. You need to take the rest of the day off, spend time with the kids, talk to your girlfriend. It's not acceptable, Jefferson, I do expect something to be done about this, or you can move on."
Jeff was a little sidelined by that, was his boss threatening to fire him for not agreeing with Mel's job? The more he thought about it though, he was getting much more concerned about the situation. Not to mention he was getting much more jealous. He hated knowing that other men were ogling his girlfriend, that set a fire inside him, and almost took him to a very dark place. He refused to face that again, he had to talk to Melinda.
"Okay." that was all he said as he apparated home.
The Forbidden Forest
Author: Wendy Mills
Date: 07-26-13 03:33
"Oh Weeeendy...Come out, come out wherever you are…"
The girl was leaned against the large trunk of a tree, not daring to make a sound. A drop of sweat fell down her forehead and she held her wand tight in her right hand. Wendy could hear the sound Anton Avery's steps now far away.
The boy stopped and raised his wand up in the air, the light coming from it illuminating the surrounding area of the Forbidden Forest. Wendy closed her eyes, hoping the tree was big enough to hide her and her small shadow. A bush rustled when the light from Anton's wand passed by it and there was a sound of something moving away into the darkness.
Anton called out for her once again, and then he continued to walk. Soon the sound of his steps faded away as he disappeared deeper into the forest. Wendy didn't know if this was good or bad. Now she was completely alone at the Forbidden Forest.
She wondered how could Anton not be afraid when she had heard the older students tell the first years stories about giant spiders and centaurs. There were also rumors about werewolves and ogres. Of course Wendy had never seen any of these creatures and if they told her months ago they were real she would just laugh. But now she knew not everything the Muggles considered to be part of folklore or fairy tales were mere stories or legends. They were real. Wendy could swear she had even seen what it seemed to be a werewolf claw in one of the top shelves of the potions' classroom, inside a flask. At least that was what Ector Newland had told her.
Her heart started to beat faster and her first instinct was to abandon the fragile security of the tree and run towards the forest, trying to find her way out of the mass of trees and bushes. She would only feel safe once she saw the dim lights coming from Hagrid's hut as well as the smoke coming from its chimney.
However, before Wendy could take a move she felt something climbing her right leg. It was an ant, a big one. She tried to shake it away by moving her leg, but the moment the ant fell another one took its place. Wendy noticed she was surrounded by these creatures and they wanted nothing else but reach out for her. She started to feel them on her legs, feet, and arms and the more she tried to shove them away, the more they appeared.
She made an attempt to cast a spell with her wand but she ended up dropping it on the ground. Wendy screamed for help and moments later Anton Avery was in front of her. There was a mad glow in his eyes and he laughed as Wendy was started to being devoured but the ants.
She woke up in her bed at the Ravenclaw girls' first year dormitory. Her heart galloped in her chest and it seemed ready to jump out of it. Her blonde hair was glued to her face and her mouth was dry. A faint daylight started to enter the dormitory and Wendy could hear Andrina's soft breathing in the bed next to hers.
Everything was very quiet and she realized that it had been nothing but a silly nightmare. She had never been to the Forbidden Forest and Anton didn't want to kill her. There were also no sign of the ants.
Incapable of going back to sleep, Wendy climbed out of the bed. She took a shower and dressed up the school uniform. The Ravenclaw common room was almost empty but she found Caleb Quigley at a corner, seated on a blue armchair. Wendy greeted him and in silence she started to check if she had all the books needed for today's classes. Transfiguration with Flint first thing in the morning, then Potions, and later History of Magic alongside the Slytherin house. At night she would also have Astronomy with the Slytherins.
"It's going to be a tough day, huh?" Caleb asked her.
"I would rather spend the entire day with Flint than having to deal with the Slytherins," Wendy declared.
"Most of them aren't so bad," Caleb replied. "And I am sure this little quarrel will soon be over, with examinations almost at the door. There will be no time for retaliation."
"I hope so."
Feeling a little better she then asked Caleb if he wanted to go down the Great Hall with her in order to have breakfast.