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Not Nervous
Author: Adina Blackwood
Date: 03-11-14 14:24
"When did I become such an overachiever?" Adina asked, as she dropped down at the Slytherin table next to her boyfriend Arthur Fu and let her messenger bag drop to her feet under the table.
"You've always been an overachiever..." Arthur said with an impish grin and leaned over, and brushed a light kiss upon her cheek.
"No, I haven't but this year it's like everything has finally clicked into place. I'm not even nervous about OWLs at the end of this term, and I probably should be."
Arthur nodded, and finished the mouthful of what looked like a very tasty and hearty beef stew. I opted for some of the beef vegetable soup, and ladled it over a crusty piece of bread to make it super soggy with the broth of the soup.
"What are your plans for between now and F&A?" Arthur asked, as his attention was divided between his lunch, his girlfriend and the Arithmancy & Divination notes that he had open for his class at one-fifteen.
"I think I'm going to take a nap, or maybe write mom. Sorina and I are going to hang out a bit too, but we've also got F&A together, so we'll probably just head to class after spending time together or whatever."
"Cool, we still going to hang out tonight after dinner?"
Adina nodded, "Before I have to do my prefect type duties and such." She grinned and tapped her prefect badge that was afixed to her robes.
"Right, I forgot that you are someone important now...being Slytherin Prefect and all..." A smirk dancing upon Arthur's lips as he teased her.
She stuck her tongue out at him and they talked and ate, and Arthur studied for Arithmancy & Divination until it was time for him to head to class. They left the great hall together, and while Arthur went upward, Adina headed to the dungeons and the Slytherin common room, and ultimately her dorm room. She debated a shower, but figured she'd just want another one after F&A, so she'd wait until after F&A and before she headed to dinner.
(Thadeous Andrew) (Prague, Unknown Location) Plotting and Planning
Author: Xiomara Sofia Serano
Date: 03-11-14 14:44
A scream, similar to the wail created by a Banshee filled the confines of the small room before what had been a priceless Ming Dynasty vase went flying across the room and was reduced to a pile of priceless rubble.
"You said that by now that bitch would be dead Thadeous, and her miserable brat would be gone with her. Instead, we are right back where we started."
Esmerelda Helsing turned her livid, azure gaze upon the handsome man across the room – who had narrowly missed being hit in the face with the now shattered artifact.
"I did say that, but as you know Esme, there are often changes that happen. Unfortunately, we did lose our leverage against the woman, but that does not mean that she won't be dead soon enough. It will just take a bit more planning and patience."
Esme let her fingers wrap around the glass paperweight that rested upon Thadeous' desk. With a flick of his wand, Thadeous was quickly able to keep the paperweight were it was, and soon enough Esme was sitting in one of the chairs across from the desk.
"That is enough of your temper tantrums Esmerlda, you area grown woman, and right now you are behaving no better than that wretched woman's spawn."
The blonde glowered at him at the comparison to Xiomara's daughter, Jasmine, who had until a handful of months ago been in their custody, and had been a powerful bargaining tool against the witch that they both wanted dead for many a reason.
"I will release the spell only if you promise that you will behave yourself and stop acting like a spoiled little brat."
It took several moments, but reluctantly the woman nodded her head (as much as she could beneath the petrificus totalus spell she'd been put under). Her body sagged into the chair once the spell was released, "Good, now it would please you to know that I've already begun formulating another plan in hopes that it will bring an end to Xiomara and her spawn."
The words had their desired effect and Thadeous moved across the room and pulled a leather bound tome from the bookcase behind his desk, and flicked it open revealing words in an ancient langugage, that Esmerelda couldn't translate.
"What is it?"
Thadeous smiled, and the smile could only be described as pure evil as he began translating the words that had been written upon the page.
(Istanbul, Turkey) Dead-End Number Five
Author: Xiomara Sofia Serano
Date: 03-11-14 14:55
Fingers tapped lightly upon the expanse of parchment pages spread out before her, a frown creasing her brow and drawing down the corners of lush lips as she contemplated her next course of action. So far, her current course of action had taken her to dead-end number five, and she was beginning to get quite frustrating and she was beginning to lose hope on her current project which was so very, very unlike her.
She had, however, enjoyed the detour not too long ago when she'd gladly helped Adriana with the ransacking of the Fox's home for the sword that was now in Adriana's possession and the actions following that saw that Kristos Fox had met his end, and his sister Aralyn Fox currently sat awaiting trial for her brother's death. It had been delightful to get a bit of blood upon her hands, and she relished in finally having a better outlet for those darker tendencies that rose within her.
At the time she currently contemplated on skipping another meal and pouring over the documents attempting to figure out what the hell she'd done wrong again – surely her translations weren't wrong. Digits swept through her hair and she let a soft sigh of frustration slip from her lips as she opted that skipping another meal would not do well for her concentration, and she wanted to spend the remaining hours pouring over the translations once more.
She, with a flick of her wand, sent the parchment pages back into the confines of their travel case and into the lock box, and added a fresh drop of blood to the lock before she stepped from her room and ventured out of the room, certain to lock the door behind her. Within moments she exited the hotel, and stepped out into the bustling confines of Istanbul, Turkey – and as much as she abhored all things Muggle – it was the easiest way to stay and remain undetectable while she was on this current personal mission of hers.
Stomach Upset
Author: Blossom
Date: 03-11-14 18:50
Pushing around bits of her salad, Daria notes that Blossom hasn't even opened her own salad yet. "Not hungry?"
"Yes and no. My stomach's a little off so I skipped breakfast. I feel a little hungry but at the same time the thought of food almost makes the cringe."
"Is this something just today?"
Blossom shakes her head. "Off and on for a few days."
Daria's eyebrows raise slightly. "You aren't, um, maybe pregnant are you?"
"Bite your tongue!" Blossom purses her lips, both at the question and because of her stomach.
"Sorry, but isn't it something to consider?"
"I've been trying not to. It's not that I would hate if I were so much as the five I already have can wear me out. There's also the fact that I do have five even though I've only been pregnant twice. What if we had multiples again? Or, what if we don't? Would one child feel left out having siblings who are either a triplet or a twin?"
"If not mild morning sickness, then what might it be?"
"A stomach bug of some sort I'm hoping."
"You should find out one way or the other."
"I know. I didn't mean to put it off but," Blossom shrugs, unable to adequately put words to her thoughts without sounding rather lame.
After a pause she says, "I'll see if my healer can fit me in today."
"In the meantime, if you can get down any of that salad, maybe some soup? You do need to eat at least a little something."
"How about just these crackers for now?" Blossom replies, opening a packet of the savory wafers, hoping very much that this stomach upset is just a bug of some sort and not because she's pregnant.
Dinner with Urania
Author: Illyria
Date: 03-12-14 18:35
Illyria ducked into the Crown & Cauldron and informed the hostess she was meeting someone who might already have a table. As it turned out, Urania had beaten Illyria to the restaurant and had secured a table for two against the wall near the garden area. Illyria ordered a pumpkin fizz and sat down across from her sister.
"Hi," she greeted.
"Hi, I'm glad you agreed to dinner," Urania said. Her menu was on the table in front of her, since she had already decided on what she wanted to eat.
Illyria picked up her own menu and began perusing the options. "I'm glad you asked," she admitted, offering her youngest sister a small smile.
Urania managed a small smile of her own and said, "There's actually a reason why I wanted to meet with you tonight."
Illyria looked up over the top of her menu and asked, "Oh?"
Urania took a deep breath and said, "Gustavo and I want to elope."
"Really? When?"
"As soon as possible, but there's something I want to ask you."
Illyria put down her menu to give her sister her undivided attention and asked, "What is it?"
"I know we've had a rough couple of years, but we were best friends before Nathan got in between us. I don't want to elope without you standing up for me, and I really think Gustavo would want Nathan there too."
Illyria was touched that Urania had gotten to the point where they could go back to the way things had been, but she wasn't completely sold on Urania's speech.
"You think Gustavo wants Nathan by his side or you know?" she asked. "What about you?" Illyria went on, as another question sprang to mind. "Do you really want your ex-husband attending your second wedding?"
Urania didn't answer right away, because the waitress appeared with Illyria's drink and took both their orders. When they were alone again, Urania said, "I don't honestly know what Gustavo wants, but I know he misses Nathan. He won't admit it, but it's true. As for me…" She trailed off for a moment. "I know now even more than I did before that Nathan wasn't the right one for me, but he probably is the right one for you."
Illyria took a moment to reply and then said, "I'll be there for you if that is what you want, and I'm more than happy to do it, but you need to talk to Gustavo before we even think about bringing Nathan along. You don't want to ruin your wedding day by risking a fight between the groom and the best man."
"I know, and I will," Urania promised. "I'll talk to him tonight. Maybe you can feel out Nathan about what he thinks about the possibility?"
"Yeah, I'll do that."
"Good. Thanks." Urania smiled weakly. "I have to admit, I wasn't sure how you would react to all this. It's gone better than I anticipated."
"We're moving forward, aren't we?" Illyria asked. "There's no reason for us to dredge up the past. It's done. So let's not dwell on it anymore and talk about something else, okay?"
"Okay. You have class tonight, don't you?"
"Yes, second and fourth years."
"That's why you opted against a glass of wine," Urania replied, grinning. She had ordered a glass to go with her own meal.
"Yes, and will I have to cut you off at some point? You do have a little boy waiting at home for you," Illyria teased.
"He'll be in bed before I get there," Urania replied, with an impish wink, "or at least he'd better be. He loves the word 'no' and uses it to great effect against his daddy."
Illyria laughed.
The sisters spent the rest of dinner talking about Andrew and his antics and how all the cousins were growing and changing. All too soon, it was time for Illyria to return to the castle.
After A Raid
Author: Harry Potter
Date: 03-13-14 17:26
"You okay, Tonks?"
Nymphadora Tonks Lupin, partially bent at the waist, rubbing one leg, looks up. "Stings but I'm good." She nods at a smear of blood across Harry's cheek. "You?"
"Yeah, just a graze. Gawain Robards has a concussion and John Phillips a few burns. One of the hit wizards broke an arm, Parks I think. If there are other injuries I've not yet heard."
Tonks stands upright, scanning what she can see of the rest of the large, open room through a thin haze of smoke. "Definitely gave better than we got."
Brent Trentson, a hand bandaged, saunters over. "This area clear?"
"Yeah," Tonks and Harry say practically in unison.
Trentson jerks his head to where a row of prisoners sit against one wall. "Any word on when we're to start taking them to the Ministry?"
"For some reason we're to hold them all here until any injured are cleared to be taken in or are transferred to St. Mungo's."
Seeing Trentson's frown Tonks's head bobs up and down. "Makes no sense, we know."
Movement from the nearest stall has Trentson quietly hissing, "Thought you said this area was clear."
Harry whispers back, "We thought it was."
The three Aurors slowly approach, fanning out. A woman weavingly inches on hands and knees across the stall. Seeing feet she stops. Unsteadily putting a finger to lips she giggles, "Shhh. They can't see me."
Coming into the stall from the other side, Trentson carefully toes a piece of fabric puddled on the floor. "Invisibility cloak. No wonder you two missed her in your sweep."
"She may not have even been in this area when we cleared it. Who knows how far she crawled under that thing" Tonks notes.
By that time Harry has the woman, who's likely in her early twenties, to her feet, hands magically cuffed behind her back. He starts to lead her over to sit with the others taken into custody during a raid on a dark arts market located inside what used to be a large showroom, of what he's not sure, but stops long enough to gesture at some new arrivals. "Curse breakers have arrived."
"About bloody time," Trentson grumbles.
Harry can't blame him. A few curse breakers should have been here when the raid began. Going through all the stalls, making sure all the dark merchandise that had been for sale is safe to inventory and box to take to the Ministry is going to take days but that's still no excuse for an unexplained delay.
Depositing the woman along the wall with the others, Harry suppresses a sigh. Questioning everyone along with the bloody mountain of parchmentwork that this raid will generate will also take a fair amount of time. Looking from the prisoners and letting his eyes rove from one black market stall to the next, he sort of hopes he gets assigned to helping inventory and clear this place out. Far more interesting most likely than questioning any of this lot.
Geoffrey Blackwell approaches with another in custody. Settling the protesting man against the wall, Blackwell's eyes cut to the giggling woman at Harry's feet. "Good that someone finds this amusing."
"She's on something. One of the stalls has Sparkle."
Sparkle is one of the newer designer drugs in the Wizarding World. It has a potion base that by itself has a very mild Pepperup Potion quality. When brewed with mescaline and lysergic acid diethylamide, better known as LSD, the potion is a potent euphoric hallucinogen. The name Sparkle comes from how the potion glimmers and glitters in light. To say the least, Sparkle is a dangerous, highly addictive drug.
Blackwell makes a face at the mention of Sparkle. "Nasty stuff." He gives the woman another, longer look. "There's something familiar about her." It takes him a few seconds but it comes to him. "She's the one who caused all that trouble for that bloke from the Department of Magical Games and Sports. Win something or other."
The woman giggles more loudly. "Wynbourne. What fun that was." She nearly falls over as she laughs harder.
Blackwell and Harry rolls their eyes at her then walk away, heading over to the person who led the raid to find out if a decision has been made yet on who stays to inventory and who gets to take prisoners to the Ministry and start the questioning.
Signage
Author: Minerva McGonagall
Date: 03-14-14 17:31
After sending off the large owl that had delivered five identical posters to the Headmistress's tower, Professor McGonagall immediately set out to post the notices in the four house common rooms and the Commons. With less than a month until the first scheduled apparition lesson, she wanted to give eligible students enough time to enroll in the course.
She went to Gryffindor Tower first, where she ran into Madoc. He was using one of the smaller tables to write a letter home, which he planned on posting in the morning after breakfast. She talked with him only briefly and then went to Ravenclaw Tower.
On the way there, she thought about the terrible article Rita Skeeter had written on the Westwicks and wondered if it was a one-time occurrence or if other students were at risk of getting their feelings hurt, or worse. It was one thing to defame and discredit adults, but it was quite another to falsely and maliciously sully a child's reputation.
At least the Westwicks appeared to be coping in the aftermath of their unmasking. Other than the subject of gossip from the rest of the student body, the siblings seemed wholly unmolested. Having anticipated bullying or teasing, Minerva was pleased to think that her fears had been unfounded.
She had received a handful of letters from Skeeter followers on the subject, however, just as she had after all the articles about the Hogwarts staff. After reading every terrible word, Minerva fed the letters to the fire. She found no reason to share them with the Westwicks, because they would only serve to bring down their spirits.
After putting up the poster in the Ravenclaw Common Room, Minerva went to the Commons, followed by the Hufflepuff Common Room and the Slytherin Common Room. There, she spotted Mr. Farnon and one of the two new students, Capri Brycin. She decided to see how Miss Brycin was getting on, now that she had a full week of classes behind her.
"Good evening," she greeted the pair, who were seated together in a corner of the room. She addressed Capri directly, "I trust you've settled in nicely at Hogwarts?"
"Yes, ma'am," Capri replied, "thanks to Mark."
"I'm pleased to hear it," Professor McGonagall replied, giving Mark a commending look before turning back to Capri. "And your sister? Is she getting along well?"
A fleeting look of annoyance passed across Capri's face, but she quickly tamped it down and murmured, "I think so."
"Good. I'll leave you two to it, then. Good night."
"Good night," Mark and Capri echoed.
Her task completed, Professor McGonagall left the common room.
Mucked Up Right And Proper (Augustus)
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 03-14-14 19:18
There is a buzz in the Commons now that the apparition lessons have officially been announced by way of a notice put up a short time ago by Professor McGonagall. Augustus Hodfuffer already signed his name to the post and has the galleons needed in his room. His mum had given him the funds to pack with his other things when Christmas holiday ended. He just needs to find out when to give payment. It is before the lessons start or the first day of?
Gus goes to take a drink of his spiced pumpkin juice only to find his glass has only a few drops left. "I'm getting more to drink. Want anything?" he asks Caerwyn Valentine.
Caerwyn looks in the direction of the bar then grins at Gus. "You could ask Ramona if she wants anything. You'll pass right by her."
Warmth floods Gus's cheeks. "Why don't you ask her?"
"Because I'm not the one who's fancied her all fifth year and who's been drooling even more over her since September."
"I don't drool."
"In your sleep a little when dreaming about her."
"How would you know I dream about her?"
"You talk in your sleep."
Gus grunts at Caerwyn. "Do not."
"Do. Ask someone else."
Gus can't decide if Caerwyn is having him on or being serious. Maybe he'll discretely ask another of their roommates when he's sure Caerwyn wouldn't overhear.
Rather than adamantly stick to the do not claim, Gus makes a show of rolling his eyes and getting up, glass in hand for that refill. He can feel Caerwyn staring after him as he reaches the table where Ramona Mickle sits. Gus desperately wants to ask her to sit with him or spend some time with him next Hogsmeade weekend or study with him. He could do that, right? Ask her to study.
He makes it past her table to the bar without stopping. He gets the spiced pumpkin juice refill and also some biscuits since it's been a little while since dinner. This time, when he reaches Ramona's table he stops with what must be a scary-silly-stupid smile pasted on his lips. "Hi, Ramona, Marian."
"Hi, Gus," they both reply.
"Ramona, I was, um, wondering if, um, you'd want to study Alchemy together sometime." As a somewhat lame afterthought so as not to appear rude he adds, "You too, Marian."
Both girls nod. "Yes, sure." "That would be nice."
Marian asks, "Will there be anyone else?"
"Um. Caerwyn? Whoever else is interested?"
Ramona says, "Let us know when and where."
"Yeah, okay. Great."
Feeling horribly awkward at not knowing what else to say, Gus nods at them both then continues on to where Caerwyn is obviously amused at what he'd observed. Gus sets down the juice and biscuits then falls into his chair groaning, "I mucked that up right and proper. Kill me now and put me out of my misery."
Snickering, Caerwyn filches one of the biscuits then wants to know exactly what was said.