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Changes
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 01-19-14 14:14
Bronwyn sat at home and idly thumbed through a fashion magazine, which normally held her rapt attention but hardly did that afternoon. Instead of gushing over the latest style in wizardwear or making note of the accessories she just had to purchase for herself, Bronwyn thought about how her life had changed, all thanks to one Maybelle Evans.
Because of Maybelle, Bronwyn had a new hairstyle. A stylist had done an admirable job at making the jagged cut Maybelle had given Bronwyn look very cute, though Bronwyn wasn't used to having short hair and couldn't wait for it to grow out again. She thought the blunt haircut made her look younger and frankly, a little like a boy.
Her hair was no longer multicolored either. The stylist had done her best to match Bronwyn's natural color.
Several visits to a spa had helped clear up the horrible tan Maybelle had inflicted upon Bronwyn, too. Bron was still a bit darker toned than normal, but at least she didn't look orange anymore.
Besides the cosmetic and physical changes, Bronwyn's professional life was different now. She didn't have a job anymore. During her absence, her colleagues had interviewed and hired Lenora Fairweather to take her place. Bronwyn supposed she couldn't blame them for moving on, since they could never have known that she might one day resurface.
Unfortunately, there weren't any other openings at the WWN at the moment, not even a clerking position or an internship. Bronwyn felt a little bad about leaving Maggie to the graces of her less than friendly former colleagues, but the girl was tough and could handle it.
Bronwyn looked at the job announcements in the newspaper every morning, and while there were some positions that looked interesting, like working in a dress shop or selling beauty products door-to-door, Bronwyn didn't see anything that she absolutely wanted to do. Toby told her not to worry about finding a job right away. Even though he had taken a leave of absence from the Falcolns during her disappearance and now spent more time on the bench than in the air, they were still making enough money to live comfortably.
Besides, there was the fact that Maybelle Evans had gone underground. Toby wanted Bronwyn to keep a low profile, just in case Maybelle decided to finish what she'd started. Searches of Maybelle's home and other places she frequented resulted in little clues as to her current whereabouts. Law enforcement even interviewed her cousin, who worked as a maintenance wizard at the stadium where the Falcolns practiced. Ramon Evans didn't know where Maybelle had gone off too either and was quite shocked to learn about what she'd done to Bronwyn.
Desi was gung-ho to track Maybelle down. Between that and searching for Dexter, she could hardly keep still. Bronwyn was almost afraid for Maybelle… almost.
Toby whirled out of the fireplace, brushing soot from his practice clothes, and then moved over to drop a kiss on Bron's forehead. "Hey."
"Hey," she said, smiling up at him. "How was practice?"
"It was great," Toby said. "I get to play more during practice than I do in our games."
Bronwyn frowned slightly. "I'm sorry…"
"Why?" Toby asked, sitting down next to her on the sofa. "I'd rather have you here beside me than ever play quidditch again." He took her hand and squeezed it. "I don't care that coach put a second string player in while I was looking for you. She's actually really very good and deserves the chance to show what she can do."
"But you love playing, and I know you don't like sitting on the bench."
"Things can always change. Maybe I'll get traded. Who knows?"
Bronwyn was still frowning, so Toby kissed her on the nose and said, "Stop that. None of this is your fault. It's hers."
"I know, but…"
"No buts." He sank back against the cushions and started petting Nerisse, when the old cat climbed onto his lap, turned a circle, and settled there. "Any news while I was gone?"
"About Maybelle?"
"Yes, or Dexter?"
"No, and no." Bronwyn sighed and put the magazine on the coffee table. "I'm hoping whoever has him is as dumb as Maybelle."
"We don't even know somebody has him," Toby pointed out.
"He wouldn't just walk away from his family," Bronwyn said.
"Maybe there was a problem in his marriage and we didn't know."
Bronwyn sighed. "Maybe there was, but he wouldn't walk out on his kids. What kind of father does that?"
They fell silent, knowing that there were plenty of fathers who did. Bronwyn had been lucky in that her father had always been in her life. Even Toby's, despite all his indiscretions, had been around until he was killed on the job.
"I should talk to Karma," Bronwyn said at last. "I haven't seen her since… well, way before all this happened to me." She waved her hands at her face to indicate her short hair.
"Bring Desi with you," Toby said, "or Orion. Don't go alone."
"I'll be fine, but if you think I need a sitter, than you should come with me."
"And listen to you girls talk shopping and fashion?"
Bronwyn stuck her tongue out at him. "That's not all we talk about, you know."
"Sure." Toby scratched behind the cat's ears and asked, "What do you want for supper tonight?"
"Something warm and comforting, like soup."
"Homemade or restaurant?"
"Either."
Toby glanced down at the cat in his lap and commented, "I suppose there's no hurry."
"It's still a little early, but I'll check the cupboards and see what we have."
Bronwyn got up, leaving her husband to nap on the couch with a cap in his lap.
Chile: Harsh Punishment
Author: Isolde
Date: 01-19-14 16:53
Constantine Bramble looked up from inspecting kilos of a magic herb that gave a high in small quantities and was lethal if too much was taken (the very reason it was illegal in most countries), when a group of wizards entered the warehouse located in the coastal town of Algarrobo, west of Santiago.
"What is so urgent?" asked the wizard in the middle of the group in heavily accented English. He was tall and thin with short, dark hair and piercing black eyes.
"Ah, Adalberto. There you are," Constantine drawled, abandoning the table of drugs to approach the group. "It is good of you to take time from your busy schedule to visit with me."
Constantine turned to one of the wizards standing next to Adalberto and said, "Disarm him."
The burly wizard, who despite his two chins packed a surprising amount of muscle, seized Adalberto with one hand and removed his wand with the other. Adalberto, still in the bigger wizard's grip, looked wildly between him and Constantine and asked, "What is the meaning of this?"
Constantine clasped his hands behind his back and started pacing the dusty, warehouse floor. "Did you think I wouldn't find out?" he asked. "Did you think I wouldn't investigate the leak behind my secret livelihood?"
Adalberto seemed to shrink but denied any involvement in whatever Constantine was accusing him of. "No comprendo," he said. "I don't know what you are talking about, Amigo."
"I'm not your friend," Constantine stated coolly. "After all, friends don't stab each other in the back, do they?"
With a subtle nod to another of the wizards standing in the group, Constantine sealed Adalberto's fate. A knife glinted in the poor lighting in the warehouse and then plunged into the back of the unarmed wizard. He gasped, his knees buckling. Only the burly wizard still holding onto him kept him from falling to the ground.
Constantine stopped pacing and stepped forward, stooping slightly so that he was at eye level with the dying wizard. "I know you talked to that reporter in England. I know that she paid you handsomely for the information you fed her. I also know where the money you haven't already spent is. You were very much the fool to think you could cross me."
"No lo nice," Adalberto gasped. "I didn't betray you. I only wanted…"
"Yes?"
"Lo hice por el dinero."
"Only for the money," Constantine repeated. "Well, it was the last thing you did. I hope it was worth it." He stood straight and turned his back on the group. "Throw him in the ocean and make sure he sinks."
Without needing to be told twice, his henchmen dragged Adalberto away and got rid of his body.
(Titus) A Deal
Author: Tiberius Nott
Date: 01-20-14 10:52
Titus shoved his things into his bag without caring if the parchment got ruffled or his inkpot was properly closed and he abandoned the History of Magic classroom in a rush. He hid himself at the closest supply closet and he tossed his bag to the floor without ceremonies. It didn't take much time until a massive wave of students left their respective classrooms on the way to their next classes. The conversations were cheerful: it was Friday after all and the weekend was by the corner.
Titus poked his head out of the supply closet waiting for his target to come at sight. Finally he visualized Wendy Mills, walking next to her other Ravenclaw friends Andrina Fricks and Caleb Quigley. When they approached the supply closet Titus pointed his wand at Caleb and exclaimed:
"Petrificus Totalus!"
He grinned as he watched Caleb falling on the ground stiff as a board. Quigley's body became an obstacle at the crowded corridor. Two Hufflepuff girls stumbled on him, while Andrina tried to find her wand and free Caleb. Someone shouted impatient, ordering the students to keep moving. Titus took advantage of the confusion and he pulled Wendy by her robes into the supply closet, closing the door and placing himself in front of it, blocking her the passage.
"Lumos!" He said and his wand illuminated the small room they were in.
Wendy looked up at him and perhaps considering he was no threat she put her hands down, who had clearly been searching for her wand inside her robes.
"What do you want, Nott?" she asked.
"I need a favor," he told her and tossed a small pouch to her that she had to trouble catching in the air. The object tingled and it became obvious it contained coins.
"What is the money for?" Wendy asked, looking with suspicious at the pouch.
"I want more of those Muggle chocolates you got me the other day."
"No," she replied right away, giving him the pouch back.
"Why not? There's plenty of galleons there, if you want you can buy some chocolates for yourself as well, or something else you want."
"It's not about the money."
"Then what is it about?" he asked, starting to feel irritated by Wendy's refusal to corporate.
"We aren't friends. You and your buddy Avery made clear that I am not worthy of your sympathies or respect. So I have no reason to buy you any chocolates, with or without your money, or do you any sort of favors."
The agitation outside, at the corridor, seemed to have decreased. Caleb was probably freed and Titus thought he had heard Andrina's voice inquiring about Wendy. His first thought was to use his wand and punish the foolish girl for refusing to buy him the chocolates. But he realized almost right away how stupid that would be. They were in a crowded part of the castle; teachers were all around the area not to mention the prefects.
"Fine. I don't need your stupid Muggle chocolates. They weren't that good anyway. "
He picked up his bag and was about to storm out of the supply closet when the roles changed and now she was the one pulling him back inside.
"Perhaps we can make a deal," she suggested.
Titus was about to say he didn't negotiate with Mudbloods but the thought of having more Mars chocolates was something he couldn't just toss aside without hearing Wendy's proposal.
"You're good at Herbology. Professor Ravenscroft always compliments your essays and you're always the first one finishing the assignments at class. Perhaps you could help me with Herbology homework from now on. A chocolate bar for each essay."
"Three."
"Two."
"Deal."
Titus was the first one to leave the supply closet, ignoring the hand Wendy had offered to him to seal the deal. His mind was already trying to find an excuse to be helping her with homework. It wouldn't be hard to make others believe he was doing some charity work helping Wendy with Herbology. After all Muggleborns were stupider than other witches and wizards and even as a Ravenclaw she would need his help that he kindly was willing to offer her.
(Adriana) Showtime
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 01-20-14 13:48
After a great deal of surveillance and planning, the time had finally come to close in on the home occupied by Aralyn and Kristos Fox. Adriana, along with a selected group of Death Eaters, made their move in the middle of the morning. It was both a bold choice, what with the possibility of being seen, but also well-planned, since many of the immediate homes were empty during the day. This had been noted during the many reconnaissance visits to the neighborhood.
The circle of Death Eaters first cast charms around the home to muffle any sounds and to preserve the illusion of a well-kept exterior. Then, they attacked from all sides. Doors were blown off their hinges. Windows were broken. Even the chimney was used as a method of entry.
Black, hooded figures rounded up the occupants inside the home, disarming first a startled-looking witch and capturing a screaming child. The third occupant fought the Death Eaters who found him in the basement but failed at harming any of them. Instead, he lost his wand and his consciousness. His limp body was dragged upstairs and deposited on the rug next to his sister, who knelt on the floor with her arms around the frightened child.
Adriana stepped forward, removed the rose-embellished mask she wore, and threw back the hood of her robes.
Aralyn's eyes widened. "What do you want?"
"For starters, I want her."
Charlotte Stratford was shaking and silent tears streamed down her face. Adriana frowned and knelt so that their faces were level.
"Don't be afraid, Charlotte. Your daddy is waiting for you to come home. Don't you want to live with him again?"
Although she was still very scared, Charlotte nodded her head.
"Wait, no!" Aralyn cried out, refusing to relinquish her hold on Charlotte. Her eyes searched the masked faces of the other Death Eaters. "Lysander? Lysander, where are you? You can't do this to me. We made a deal!"
Adriana stood up straight. "He's not here," she told Aralyn. "He's not one of us. He has no idea that we're here or that he's getting his daughter back today, so whatever "deal" you two had hasn't been broken. But I can tell you this," she went on, stooping to look at Aralyn challengingly. "You're going to leave him alone now. You're going to butt out of his life and let him raise his daughter without your interference. You're going to stop blackmailing him. Do I make myself clear?"
There was a long pause while both women stared at each other.
"Is that why you're here?" Aralyn managed at last, looking both angry and worried for her safety. "You raided my house to give Lysander back his daughter?"
Adriana stood up straight again and laughed. "Funny you should ask. I'm looking for an object, and I'm wondering if it will save me time to ask you where it is or if we will have to do things the hard way."
Aralyn didn't answer.
"I'm looking for a sword. Do you know where it is?"
Again, Aralyn didn't answer. She kept her face perfectly neutral, which irritated Adriana greatly.
She nodded to one of the Death Eaters standing behind her, who stepped forward and pulled Charlotte free of Aralyn's grasp. Charlotte went reluctantly, even though she was eager to get home to her father. She cast a last look at her mother and then disappeared with her Death Eater escort.
The moment Charlotte was gone, Adriana raised her wand at Aralyn and stated, "Crucio!"
Aralyn shrieked and fell onto her side, writhing with pain.
"One more chance, or we'll tear this house to the ground," Adriana growled. "Where. Is. The. Sword?"
Aralyn let out a raspy breath and then shouted, "I'll never tell you anything, you BITCH!"
Adriana paused, then nodded to her followers, who immediately peeled off in different directions to begin their search. Adriana, meanwhile, stayed before the Fox siblings and fingered her wand.
"You're not too bright, are you?" Adriana questioned. "Oh, but that's right. The only job you're good at doesn't require a brain, though from what I heard, you weren't very good at stripping either. I guess there's really no place for you in the world, is there? I guess I'll just have to take you out of it."
Aralyn's eyes widened. Was this it? Was she about to die?
But Adriana didn't want to kill her, at least not yet. She raised her wand, pointed it squarely at Aralyn and spat, "Crucio!"
(Devon) Diana
Author: Diana Clarisse Thatcher
Date: 01-21-14 11:41
It's friday. Devon is not totally in a good mood. He can't concentrate on his lessons. Today he has DADA. Just thinking about all those people who got tortured, kidnapped is enough for one day. All those books he read, got through his head. Also about in the news. That's why he wanted to focus on DADA. After this he has Potions and Arithmancy and Divination.
The class went well. He went to the Ravenclaw common room and sat on his bed. He was thinking really hard. He was thinking about Diana. The 2nd year Gryffindor, with Galadriel as her best friend. They are all friends, plus another 2nd year Ravenclaw girl, Laura.
Diana. He can't stop thinking about her. Well, maybe as friends, but he's not quite sure yet.
He took out something from his bag. A picture of Diana, writing in the Great Hall. Another one, talking with Galadriel. What is this he's feeling, jealousy?
What? Why? He can't be jealous of Galadriel. He is Diana's best friend. And also he is a Gryffindor. They have the same house. Why am I in Ravenclaw?
Now he's getting a little bit mad, for nothing. He took these pictures when Diana doesn't know. He had a habit of watching her when she don't know. He knows she prefer the Great Hall instead of the Library for they already met last year, even Galadriel.
He knows how she reads books and make her homework. And also when Galadriel gave her chocolate frogs in which Devon thought he could have given her that. Now, he has an idea. On the next Hogsmeade trip, I'll buy her lots and lots of things.
He smiled at the thought. "I want to get to know her better."
Just Friday
Author: Niccolo Zabini
Date: 01-21-14 19:51
After tossing an unfinished assignment onto the floor Niccolo stretched out on his bed, his arms folded behind his head. Friday wasn't the worst of his school days, with only Potions, DADA, and Arithmancy & Divination. Nico was out of class by 3:45pm, leaving him plenty of time to relax and attempt to focus on classwork. Although actually studying wasn't the teenagers favorite way to spend the evening. He'd meet up with his friends in the common room before dinner, but the thoughts of the past few days drew a smirk on young Zabini's face.
Thanks to the brilliant minds of Valeria and Petula, and Nico's eagerness to help the girls, he had insured their house's seeker had been chased around by the giant snitch. Much to the amusement of several students, despite the team's win, a loss would have proven much worse for the aforementioned quidditch player.
A quick check of the time and he pulled out a scrap of parchment to scribble a short note to his cousin. It was expected of him to check in every once in a while, as head of the family, Blaise was responsible for him now. He added in that he had avoided detention so far, and had been trying to not pester Petula constantly, but the Parkinson girl had that effect on him, in a good way. After sending off the quick note, he got up and moved down to the common room, lounging in his favorite chair by the fire with an ever-present smirk.