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(Diana) Back at School
Author: Diana Clarisse Thatcher
Date: 11-13-13 16:44
Diana was at the Great Hall. She was overwhelmed because of this year. 2nd year and she was learning so much more at this school. Being with other witches and wizards make her confused and she still is. But she's learning step by step.
She was thinking of the Hogsmeade trips and found out you have to be a third year to go there. So next year would be, at last. She missed this school so much. She was looking at a photo album she had in her hands. Pictures of her and her family. She was waiting for her best friend Galadriel who would be a 3rd year now. They also have friends from Ravenclaw, Laura, 2nd year, and Devon, 3rd year.
"Where is Galadriel? I wanted to show him my photos." She said still waiting, and looking at her watch.
"Fine, if he' s not here, I'll go to the common room. Maybe he's there."
She said and get up. She was so eager to tell him anything.
Seven
Author: Carys
Date: 11-13-13 17:56
"Mum, do I have to eat all my vegetables today? It's my birthday."
Sitting to Tristan's right at the table, Carys smiled and nodded her head. "Don't you want to grow big and strong? You're the right size for a seven year old, but if you don't eat all your vegetables, then you might make for a scrawny eight year old. You don't want that, do you?"
Tristan glumly shook his head and speared a few glazed carrots with his fork.
Carys, having already finished her own dinner, got up to check on her husband, who was still not feeling well. The only other member of the household to get ill so far was Alun. He had gone to bed early.
Griff had made a bed on the couch in the living room, so that he might participate in Tristan's birthday festivities, even if it only meant being in the same room.
Carys sat down next to him and felt his forehead. "How are you feeling?" she asked him, when he opened his eyes.
"Sick, sick, and more sick," he replied, his voice sounding much lower from the head cold.
"I'm glad you opted to stay home today," she told him with a frown, "and at this rate, you should owl in tomorrow too."
"Only if you promise to nurse me back to health."
Carys grinned. "You're lucky I have time for you right now."
Michaelmas Term at St. Emrys wasn't yet in session, and Carys wasn't working at the moment. Juliet was busy preparing a business plan for their joint venture, but neither witch was in any hurry to get the photography studio up and running. It would happen when the time was right, assuming all the pieces fell into place as they should.
Tristan came into the living room with a very clean plate. "I finished," he announced. "Dad, your nose is red," he added.
Carys looked at the plate doubtfully and said, "All the vegetables went into your stomach and not in the rubbish bin?"
"Yes."
"Which?"
"What?"
Carys gave him the kind of look only a mother could give her mischievous child. "Vegetables. Stomach or bin?"
Tristan made a face. "Muuuuuuuum. Why are you asking me so many questions on my birthday?"
"Because I want to know if it's time to have some birthday cake or if we should save it for tomorrow."
"Daaaaaaaad."
Griff said, "I think we can make a deal with you. Either you eat your veggies today, if they aren't already in your stomach, that is, or you have twice as many tomorrow. Either way, you can have cake, since it is your birthday."
Tristan seemed to mull over the idea. Then he trudged back to the dining table. Carys shared a quick smile with her husband and then got up to follow her son. She observed him take a small helping of carrots from the bowl on the table. He ate them quickly and then turned to see Carys watching him.
"Can we have cake now?"
"Do you still have room after that giant spoonful of carrots?"
"Yes."
"Okay, let's have some cake them. Ask Dad if he wants some."
Tristan fled the table in a hurry and asked, "Dad, do you want some cake?" Then he shouted, "Mum, Dad wants a tiny piece."
Carys heard Griff remind Tristan that Alun was sleeping.
She cut three slices, two regular, child-friendly ones and one extra small piece, and carried them into the living room.
Three Days Into A New School (Justin)
Author: Plum
Date: 11-13-13 18:59
Walking into the Great Hall, Justin stifles a yawn just thinking about having Astronomy at midnight tonight. Taking a seat next to roommate Nathan Stewart and eyeing the evenings food offerings. Selecting roast and several vegetables, Justin looks up from spooning au gratin potatoes onto his plate at a question directed to him from Winifred Hicks.
"How are you liking Hogwarts so far, Justin?"
"It's early yet, Winifred, but I like it well enough. There are some differences from Sydney's but a lot of things are the same or nearly so."
"What are some of the differences?"
"Four houses here, two there. There's no class there like Fitness & Athletics. Sydney's has a course called Law and rather than Defense Against the Dark Arts, there's a course on Dueling."
"That's my favorite part of DADA."
"Yeah, but I think finding out more than just dueling is interesting."
Winifred asks a few more questions until distracted by a girl sitting next to her. Justin knows that girl is a Hufflepuff in the year behind but can't think of her name. Nathan supplies it without realizing he's aided Justin's memory. "Ellie Mae will talk Winifred's ear off. Good thing for you, poor chap, having all the lasses interested in him."
"In me?"
"You're the new chap and they're all wondering if you'd be interested in meeting up at Madam Puddifoot's in the village during the first Hogsmeade Saturday."
"What's Madam Puddifoot's?"
"A tea room with tables for two that are so tiny a couple is practically sitting in each other's laps."
"So not a place to go if you aren't sure you like someone that way or not."
"Exactly."
"Good to know."
Nathan points to the mashed potatoes, asking Justin to hand them over before wanting to know, "You going to try for a spot on the house team?"
As they'd talked Quidditch several times by now, Justin isn't surprised at the question. "I might, though Kay told me everyone who was on the last team is still here."
"That's right, but that doesn't mean you can't try out. Never know if someone's going to have an off tryout or decide not to try out because of having OWLs or NEWTs."
"You going to try out?"
"I'll try but I won't make it. I'm fair playing with friends now and again but don't do as well competitively, including during the trials. I do it for the fun of it and the experience. Sometimes there are professional players who show up to help Professor Krum and they give tips for improving."
"Then maybe I'll just go for the fun of it too, and for any help a pro can give me."
The rest of supper is spent talking more with Nathan about who's played in their respective house teams, which teams lost players at the end of last term, and Nathan talking about some of those from Hufflepuff who went on to play professionally. When finished with supper, they go to the commons but don't stay long, each wanting to get in a little bit of a nap before having to go to Astronomy.
Not So Happy Birthday
Author: Karma Davyd
Date: 11-13-13 20:43
I was thankful for the start of term distraction, however, evenings were difficult and often filled with tears and questions that I still had no answer to. The girls spent the with the house elves in the day care at the Castle and more often than not the three of them were with me for lunch before returning to the day care while I either held another class or two or went through the motions of my office hours.
Today was much like the other two days of the new term in that I taught classes and tried not to think about the fact that I would have to try and fish for answers to calm the worry, the fear in my children about why their father wasn't home yet, why we hadn't heard from him - if he was coming home at all.
I'd picked the girls up from day care, Nuri in her sling against my chest as we walked toward the gates that lead into the village. "so, today is Mummy's birthday. Do you want to go eat somewhere special to celebrate or just go home?"
"Can get cake from da bakery for you Mummy?" KJ asked, swinging my hand lightly as we entered the village.
"I think we can pick up something small for us to celebrate Mummy's birthday."
We headed to Briar's and left quicker than I expected. Once we were home, I made a quick dinner of lamb curry for me that was leftover from the night before, and made fish fingers and mac and cheese for the girls before we all had a slice of cake - the girls insisting that they sing "happy birthday" to me before I blew out the one candle we put on the top of the cake.
I opened the presents that had come from my parents, and wished there had been something from Dexter among the gifts - or hell my husband himself would have been a fantastic gift.
With less tears than usual and less questions I managed to get KJ and Jui settled into bed - knowing one or both of them would end up in Dexter's spot in our bed before the night was over. Nuri was settled in her crib as well, and I was sitting on the sofa sipping a glass of wine, thinking of what the last year had brought me, the good and the bad and I hoped that this new year of my life would soon start with news of where my husband was.
I knew that there were already rumors that there was a chance that Dexter had left because of all the stress of family life, that she had some how chased him away. It didn't help that she also had the added stress that her best friend was still missing, Toby was a mess, Dexter's family was a mess, and she had to know that Professor Masterson and his wife weren't handling Bronwyn's disappearance well either.
I didn't bother grading the assignments I'd brought home with me, instead I finished my wine, cleaned up after dinner - and after ensuring that everything was locked I let myself sink into bed, praying that there would be some news about my husband and about Bronwyn in the coming days.
Waterford For Lunch
Author: Eoghan
Date: 11-14-13 20:37
When Eoghan enters the restaurant where he's meeting Sherman, he finds the other wizard already there and already more than half way through a pint. "Bit early isn't it?"
"I waited until a minute past noon."
"That makes all the difference." Eoghan opens his menu. "What's good here?"
"Any of the typical pub grub. The not so typical is all good too, what I've head of it at any rate."
A waitress is over to take their order half a minute later, Sherman going for the soup of the day and Welsh rarebit along with another pint, and Eoghan asking for the steak and ale pie.
"You want to make that a steak and a pint?"
Eyes going to Sherman's drink Eoghan shrugs, "Why not?"
Left alone for the moment Sherman asks, "Well?"
"I'm here so that should tell you something."
Sherman stares, clearly not amused by Eoghan's flippancy though he should be well used to it by now.
"The handover went as planned. Hedy" Eoghan makes air quotes when he says the name, "and I met as scheduled. The codex was given over to Fairchild. She examined it and most likely have some others do the same. She seemed pleased, or at least I think she was as she didn't hex me, curse me, or kill me. One of her lackeys handed over a coin purse. It didn't seem like much on the surface but the purse has an extension charm and held a substantial payment."
"Which is now where?"
Eoghan offers Sherman a blank face. "I deposited most in my secret Gringott's vault and spent the rest, of course."
Sherman gives the stare again. Eoghan smirks and pulls a coin purse from one pocket, sliding it across the table.
"Any further contact," he asks.
"With Hedy, mainly to let me know that Fairchild might want my assistance in procurring another item."
"Mainly?"
Eoghan smirks again then asks, "How are Hewitt and Radley faring?"
"Neither has managed much."
"Shocking."
"No need to sound so smug."
"I shall refrain in the future."
"Next time you are, you'll point out that you didn't say when in the future."
"Would I do that?"
"Yes."
"Is there someone else I can meet with who doesn't know me quite so well?"
Sherman gives a small chuckle before draining the dregs of his first pint.
As this seems a good time to segue into another topic he asks, "Think I should get a flat or continue letting Hedy think I'm working out of hotels?"
(Titus) Long Recovery
Author: Tiberius Nott
Date: 11-15-13 12:08
After Potions, Titus went to the dorms to put down his bag and then he went to the Hospital Wing, located on the first floor. He was not feeling ill at all but his health had changed after the incident with the flying Bentley. He had no concrete memories of what had happened, but Tiberius told him that he had seen the falling car and at the last minute he was able to diminish the impact, using his wand. However, the car was set on fire and while Phyllida tried to extinguish the flames, his brother rescued him from the half crushed vehicle. Then, Titus was taken to St. Mungus, where the healers were able to take care of his injuries.
He only recalled waking up at the hospital, with Tiberius at his side. His glasses had been broken due to the accident, but his brother managed to recover and fix them with magic and placed them on his face. Phyllida was present as well but she kept her distant at the door, as if not wanting to interfere with the family scene. After a small tender moment, the sermon arrived and it only didn't last the whole night thanks to Phyllida who called Tiberius to the reason saying he needed to let Titus recover. Titus spent almost the entire summer at St. Mungus and he wasn't even able to go to the Averys' event that he had been invited to.
The Hospital Wing was empty and Titus' steps echoed on the immaculate floor. Madam Pomfrey heard him and she went to his encounter. He had to come to see her once a week to drink a potion that would fortify his health. Titus didn't know much about healing but Tiberius tried to explain him that his body had suffered a great trauma with the car crash and that even with all the magic used, it was still debilitated. He had been lucky that his face had been spared but he had gained a few scars on his body that the healers didn't bother to remove. They were more focused on keeping him alive at the time.
Madam Pomfrey checked his health state and she looked at Titus with a severe expression:
"You haven't been resting, Mr. Nott."
It wasn't a question. However, Titus defended himself:
"It's not my fault that the castle has so many stairs and I have to carry my books up and down. Yesterday I had to walk all the way to the Astronomy tower with the telescope."
"Next time ask one of your friends to help you."
"Maybe…"
Titus did not like this suggestion at all. As a Slytherin he was very proud and he didn't want his friends to know the pain the accident was causing him in the long term. So he acted like nothing was wrong and played strong. He even liked to tell the tale of the car crash to the other students, and sometimes he used it as an excuse not to do things. Earlier in Potions, he had been paired by Professor Weasley with Mickey Moon from Gryffindor and he told him he couldn't chop any eel eyes because of his condition. Mickey didn't buy his story and Titus still had to chop the eyes.
Madam Pomfrey went to fetch the potion and as Titus was taking it, she warned him not to exceed himself physically.
"No Quidditch, or flying or running around the grounds."
"What if I want to go to the trials?"
"You can do so next year. You have to be patient, Mr. Nott. This sort of recovery takes time."
Titus looked at the healer in fury. He wanted to be part of the Slytherin Quidditch team but that would never happen if he couldn't use a broomstick. Madam Pomfrey told him to come back next week and she warned him again not to exceed himself. Titus thought about the other afternoon, when Anton had made Wendy Mills trip over a mud poodle (he thought it was very clever of him because of Mills' blood status. A mudblood, feeling the taste of mud). They had ran to the castle and he had felt his legs protesting when they reached to the Slytherin common room. Anton seemed perfectly fine, while Titus just wanted to seat on a sofa and close his eyes.
He left the Hospital Wing, blaming everyone from the St. Mungus' healers to Anton for his actual condition. Everyone but himself, of course.
(Broderick Carter) Thursday Evening
Author: Cai Pembroke Carter
Date: 11-15-13 16:09
But you always find a way to keep me right here waiting
You always find the words to say to keep me right here waiting
And if you chose to walk away I'd still be right here waiting
Searching for the things to say to keep you right here waiting
The lyrics to Staind's Right Here, continue to play through my head as I look over pictures taken while Driz and I were together. Things had been awkward when we'd broken up – and even then the break-up didn't even really feel right but I wasn't entirely sure that I wanted to get back together with her. I would be leaving Hogwarts this year, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue a relationship with someone while I was going to be going to St. Emrys, or wherever I ended up.
Being Prefect this year, now that I was single, it would ensure that I wasn't playing favorites with my girlfriend who was in Slytherin, which would of course look bad for me being in Gryffindor. So, avoiding that drama was decidedly a good thing – but it still kind of hurt seeing Driz act like nothing happened. Maybe I was still emotionally invested in her, and missing the days like today where we would either be spending the remaining evening hours out on the lawn or on one of the love seats in the Common Commons listening to music and sharing either a slice of cake, one of the larger cupcakes, or some other sweet after dinner in a chance to avoid homework or other obligations.
It would be the feeling of eyes on me, that tore me ultimately from my thoughts, and I looked up seeing Alice Acker, one of the new first years.
"Um, can you help me?"
"Sure, what's the problem Alice?"
"I can't get back to Gryffindor Tower. The stupid stairs keep moving and I keep getting lost."
I chuckled, "I know that feeling well. I think I can help you get back to Gryffindor Tower."
"Thank you Broderick."
She allowed me a moment to grab my things and then the pair of us headed out of the Common Commons and into the main part of the castle. "I can definitely help you once the stairs start moving. I'd gotten lots of practice in the couple of years that I've been here, and I think at one point my sister Cai and I had gotten lost coming back to the tower after dinner one night."
Alice giggled at my story and it was cut short by a gasp as the stairwell moved, shifted in the complete opposite direction of where we needed it to go. "See, this is what it does to me every time," Alice said.
"Right. Easiest solution to that, instead of getting off the staircase, wait about three or so minutes and it will move back to its original place."
Alice looked at me like she didn't believe me, and shook her head and I couldn't help but laugh.
"No, seriously trust me. I'll prove it to you."
She opened her mouth to protest, but it was cut off the moment the stairs started moving back toward their original location.
"See, I told you. So, next time they move on you just wait for a few minutes and the stairs will go back to their original position and you can hop off when they stop and head to the tower."
That said, the two of us headed off the steps and continued heading toward Gryffindor tower where I gave this week's password, "amaranth" to the Fat Lady, who after a brief moment allowed Alice and I to enter the common room.
"Thank you for helping me get back to the tower Broderick." She said with a bright grin before racing off toward the stairs that would carry her toward her room.
Cai had been sitting in the commons, and looked up from the book she'd been reading.
"Aww, that was nice of you big brother! Being such a good Prefect." She said with a grin, sticking her tongue out at me.
I stuck my tongue out back, and dropped down on the couch next to her and sighed.
"It's been a long day, and honestly I welcomed the distraction of helping her get back to the common room. Those stairs are devious if you aren't paying attention."
"I know it, I still remember the day you and I got lost," Cai chuckled as she leaned against me. "So what has you so distracted four days into your final year of Hogwarts?"
I sighed, debating on telling her not to worry about it or telling her what was bothering me. I knew already what would win, and so I simply gave into it.
"I was thinking about Driz, and honestly, I couldn't get the lyrics from Staind's Right Here, and I was debating on if I should try and get back with her or if I am better off leaving it alone."
Cai sighed and shrugged. "I'm not sure, but for now, just leave it alone. You know what granny would say...'If it is meant to be, it will be.'"
I nodded at Cai's words and sighed, running a hand through my hair before slowly pushing up off the sofa and grabbed my bag and slipped it on my shoulder. "Alright, I'm going to go get my History of Magic assignment done for tomorrow morning. I'll see you at breakfast Cai."
"Yup, have a good night Broderick," Cai said as she turned her attention back to the book she was reading.