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Concentration
Author: Ellis
Date: 03-26-14 18:16
Alys stood in front of her standard size 2 pewter cauldron and carefully tipped in dried chamomile to the simmering mixture. A cloud the color of wheat gently wafted into the air and created a pleasant aroma. Alys sniffed at it appreciatively and then looked down at her textbook at the next step in the cure for bunions she was brewing.
Chip, at the next table over, leaned in her direction. "Psst!"
Alys, busily pulling petals from a single marigold flower, didn't hear him at first.
"Psst!" Chip repeated, this time a little more urgently.
Alys finally looked over at him. "What?" she asked.
"How much red pepper goes into the mixture?"
Alys frowned, fully aware that only so much classtime remained and any talking she did with Chip would put her off schedule and possibly lead to her not finishing the potion.
"It says so in your text," she hastily replied, turning back to the marigold blossom.
"I accidentally spilled some paste on that part!" Chip explained.
"Is there a problem, Mr. Winters?" asked Professor Weasley, when she came to a stop between the two tables.
"No, Professor. I mean, yes, Professor," Chip replied. "I was only asking Alys what to do next, since I made a mess in my book and can't see the next step for myself."
Professor Weasley looked at the mess in question and used her wand to clean up the page in Chip's textbook. "There, I think you can read the next step now."
"Thanks, Professor," Chip said.
Professor Weasley nodded and moved on to observe her other students.
"Sorry," Alys mumbled.
"For what?" Chip asked. "And stop talking to me. You're ruining your concentration." He shot her a grin.
Alys, spying it from the corner of her eye, allowed a smile to form on her own lips. She turned her whole attention back to the marigold and systematically added the petals to her simmering cauldron.
Relationship Questions (Catriona)
Author: Fionna
Date: 03-26-14 19:44
"There, that should do it."
Abigail Tibbs eyes flash with relief. "Thanks, Cat. I have no idea how I made such a mess of it."
"If I recall, you got distracted."
The Defense Against the Dark Arts homework now stashed in her bag, Abigail grins thinking back to yesterday in the library. "Maybe just a little."
"Are you two a couple now?"
"No, but it's early yet. We'll see where it goes." Abigail's grin turns to a sly smile. "Don't you ever get tempted to find out what snogging someone other than Christopher is like?"
Cat's been asked similar questions, though thankfully only rarely, and knows not to take offense. It's well known she's never dated anyone but Christopher Chant and now that he's no longer at Hogwarts friends and classmates are curious if with the extended periods apart whether the relationship will last.
"No, not so far."
Full of curiosity Abigail next asks, "Do you ever worry he's gone out with girls he's met since our year here began?"
"Never. I trust Christopher. He trusts me."
Abigail sighs. "I hope I didn't just jinx you or something. I also wish I could find someone to have the sort of relationship you two do."
"Maybe you already have and you just don't know it yet."
Abigail makes a sound that's half snicker, half snort before reaching for her bag. "I'd rather sit and have another half hour for lunch but time for class."
Cat finishes the last of her fruit tart and follows behind. With two other classes after DADA, one of them being Astronomy at midnight, she wouldn't mind a slightly longer lunch either.
Is There A Cloning Spell? (Duncan)
Author: Briar Rose
Date: 03-27-14 18:28
Upper body reclining on one of the couches in the Commons, not fully stretched out because Ollie kept shoving his feet aside, Duncan yawns hugely. When able to speak coherently he wonders aloud, "Is there a cloning spell to temporarily make a double of yourself?"
"Dunno. Why?"
At least that's what Duncan thinks Ollie says as Ollie's got an entire fairy cake (the regular size, not the mini) crammed into his mouth.
"So I can go to bed while the clone goes to Astronomy."
"How would that work for exams?"
"The clone would take great notes or he'd take the exam for me."
"You know the problem with this idea?"
"Other than not knowing if there's a spell for it?"
"Yeah."
"By the time I learned something that advanced I'd be done with Hogwarts."
Another fairy cake crammed into his mouth, Ollie nods, giving Duncan a crumb and frosting filled grin. "You got it."
Their roommate Hiram, his chessmatch just ended, comes to retrieve his book bag. "Coming to eat?"
Around what's left of the cupcake in his mouth Ollie replies, "Yeah. I'm starved."
Shoving up from his recline Duncan reaches to get his own satchel, giving Ollie a bemused look. "How are you starved? You just ate four big fairy cakes."
"Those were just starters."
On the walk from the Commons to the Great Hall for supper Duncan jokes about how he's going to locate that cloning spell over the weekend and have it mastered come Monday. Hiram having missed the initial conversation on this, Duncan then has to fill his friend in on why he wants a cloning spell. This leads to the three boys speculating on other useful, but out of their current magic abilities, spells and potions for making it through their remaining years of school.
No More Chocolates
Author: Wendy Mills
Date: 03-28-14 08:06
Wendy and Andrina left the History of Magic classroom and headed to the greenhouses, where they had their Herbology class. The cold wind was unpleasant and they moved faster. Hopefully Professor Ravenscroft was already inside the warm greenhouse and they could wait there for the lesson to begin. Caleb and Ector were a few meters ahead. Andrina sent Ector a hatred look, but of course he didn't see it because his back were turned to her. She was mad at him because yesterday she had let him copy part of the History of Magic homework and today when Professor Morgan inquired the class about it he read Andrina's answer as if it was his and gained credit for it.
"If I have a lower mark at the end of the year because of him... I'll never let Ector take a look at my homework anymore. Next time I'll just make up an excuse, tell him I didn't do it."
Wendy was barely listening to Andrina. Her eyes were observing Titus Nott, who was also on his way to Herbology. He followed his friends Anton Avery, Valeria Mockridge and Petula Parkison, but he didn't seem fully engaged in their conversation. Her friend, who didn't like to be ignored when she was talking, noticed to where Wendy was looking at.
"All right, what has he done now?" she was referring to Titus, obviously.
"Nothing. And that's the thing. Since we started classes again that he hasn't gone to the library help me with the Herbology homework. He didn't came asking for more chocolates. It's odd."
Andrina shrugged her shoulders but she said:
"Well if you want to know what's going on, why don't you ask him?"
And that's exactly what Wendy planned to do. She occupied the same working table as Titus, who pretended not to notice her. During the first part of the class she silently took notes about puffballs. However, once Professor Ravenscroft told them to start harvesting some seeds from the puffballs in front of them, Wendy decided it was time to inquire Titus. From another table, Andrina, ironically forced to work with Ector, observed.
"You haven't showed up at the library since the term begun. I thought you wanted more chocolates," Wendy started.
"I don't need your stupid chocolates," Titus spitted out. His hands moved with agility as he collected the seeds. He was a natural. "I have received a large amount of them from my Secret Santa. But even if I didn't, I wouldn't want yours anyway."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't take charity." He looked her in the eyes. "Not when it comes from people who pity me."
Wendy looked down, embarrassed. She gazed at the puffballs without really seeing them.
"I've heard what you told Fricks that day. I forgot my quill and I went back to fetch it when I caught you two talking about me. 'Poor Titus!'" his voice reached a high pitch, trying to imitate Wendy's.
She noticed how upset he was and it made her feel even worse.
"I know we are not friends, and we will never be so. But I never imagined that's how you felt towards me. A Muggle-born having pity for a member of the Nott family. You really have no idea who are you dealing with!" Titus sent a glance to another work table where his Slyhterin friends were. "If anyway knows about this..."
"I'm sorry if I insulted you, Titus. I really am," Wendy apologized. "I didn't mean to offend you..."
Before she could say more, Professor Ravenscroft announced it was time to start cleaning up and put on her desk the seeds that had been collected. Titus picked up the seeds that had been stored in a small container and turned his back to Wendy. She cleaned up the working table manually. Sometimes when she was upset she would forget to use her wand. She wanted to continue to speak with Titus but he was the first student to leave the greenhouse once the class was dismissed.
(Mark) What a Jerk
Author: Isolde
Date: 03-28-14 17:09
Mark left his dorm room, where he had been taking a little bit of a pre-lunch nap, and went to the common room. These days, he rarely liked to linger there unless Capri was around, and she wasn't. Her Arithmancy & Divination class didn't let out till 12:30. Before leaving his room, Mark had debated waiting for her in the common room or meeting up with her in the Great Hall. His decision would hinge on the other occupants of the common room…
He did a quick scan upon entering the room and saw only Gus and Felicia out of his old circle of friends. Mark did a mental rundown and remembered Johanna had Ancient Runes this hour and Baltus, who rarely ever left Felicia's side, was in AriDiv with Capri. There were others in the common room as well, but the room wasn't overly crowded. While Mark considered between waiting at any empty table far from Gus and Felicia or simply leaving the room, he heard someone say, "Oy!"
Mark resisted the urge to look over, recognizing the call had come from Gus himself.
"Oy!" Gus called again.
Mark finally glanced in his old friend's direction and saw that Gus had gotten up from the table he'd been sharing with Felicia and had begun walking towards him.
Mark said nothing and simply watched him approach.
Gus stopped so that there wasn't much space between them and towered over Mark, who wasn't short by any means but hadn't experienced the incredible growth-spurt Gus had a few years ago.
"Can't keep a friend, can you, you sorry bastard. Even the new girl wants nothing else to do with you."
Mark wanted to tell Gus he had no clue, but he held his tongue. He could sense that Gus was trying to get a rise out of him, but Mark exercised control and stood his ground.
Gus wasn't too far off, though. Capri had gotten irritated with Mark, though they still hung out because they had nobody else. Mark knew he hadn't been fair to Capri. He didn't have to open up and tell her his deepest, darkest secrets, but he also didn't have to snap at her based on things she had no control over or involvement.
Felicia came up behind Gus and put a hand on his arm. "He's not worth it," she simply said.
Gus glowered down at Mark and then allowed Felicia to steer him back to the table.
The decision fully made now, Mark turned in the other direction and left the common room. He went to the Great Hall, deciding he would apologize to Capri for being a jerk, and maybe, just maybe, he'd tell her exactly what had set him in such a bad mood.
Apologies
Author: Capri Brycin
Date: 03-28-14 17:54
Capri got out of class and dropped her books off in her dorm before heading to lunch. When she reached the Great Hall she saw Mark sitting by himself and considered sitting alone, not that that would be hard because no one wanted anything to do with her; Andromeda had made sure of that.
Sighing softly to herself she sat down next to Mark and said, "hi."
"Hi." He replied. "I…" he started to speak and stopped and then went on, "I'm sorry for the way I have treated you. It was unfair of me."
Capri made a face and then said, "yes, it was unfair of you but I'll get over it, as long as you don't let it happen again."
"Promise." He said as he took a sandwich off the tray in front of him. "It's just that I saw my ex with someone else."
Capri nodded her head, "I see. Well does she still like you?" Mark shrugged. "Well you can always make her jealous and date someone else."
"Yeah like who? It's not as if I have a plethora of friends these days."
"I don't know." She finally said with a shrug. "There has to be someone." His eyes fell to her and she shook her head, "I like you but…"
"But what? It'll make my ex jealous and I can imagine it won't make your sister happy either."
At hearing that it might make Andromeda mad she got a wicked look on her face. "It just might work…" She said not wanting to admit that she might have some feelings for her one and only friend.
Friday Night
Author: Nathaniel Ross
Date: 03-29-14 14:28
The Leaky Cauldron was crowded but Nate was able to find a quiet spot at a corner. Tim arrived fifteen minutes later apologizing for the delay. They asked the waiter for some steak and kidney pie alongside with beer.
"If we keep coming here every Friday, they'll start making fun of us. We should consider going out somewhere else and meet some girls..." Tim commented. "But the only place I can think of is Petals and it's been shut down."
"Have you ever been there at all?"
"No and so didn't you, so don't tease me, Nathaniel."
They both grinned. It didn't take a long time for the food to arrive. The two friends talked about their work and then Tim told Nate that his older sister, Emilia, wanted him to babysit her children on Sunday.
"And I told her to ask Jenny instead. But the new term just started at St. Emrys and she said Jenny would be busy with homework," Tim rolled his eyes. "She'll be busy with her boyfriend. How much homework can you have on your first week of classes?"
"How's Jenny been?" Nate asked.
It has been a while since he had last seen her. They weren't exactly friends since she thought they dated and he had cheated on her with Adelaine, but Nate still cared about Jenny. Tim told him she was quite happy at the Dodderidge Institute of Culinary Arts and she was a very hard working student. The whole family was proud of her but they missed having her around. She spent most of her time at the St. Emrys' campus. Nate was glad to hear Jenny was well and he expressed those feelings to Tim.
"It's funny because just the other day she asked about you. I told her you went to the Career Day at Hogwarts. She said it's too bad we don't have younger siblings so we could use that as an excuse to visit the school. She misses Hogwarts. Who doesn't?"
Nate nodded in agreement. Hogwarts had been his home for seven years and there were times he woke up with the feeling he was still at his bed at the Hufflepuff dormitories. Now it was occupied by some other lucky boy. When the plates became empty and after another round of beer, Tim asked his best friend about Imogen Napier.
"Have you found your mystery lady, yet?"
He shook his head. Imogen Napier, or Cinnamon, like Nate preferred to think of her, hasn't made any more appearances since the New Year's evening. He had spent a long time trying to figure out how could she know his name and who he was but nothing came up to his mind.
"No. I thought she might work at the Ministry but I asked around and no one seems to know her. Of course the Ministry of Magic is big and there are all sort of secret departments and workers there but still..." he shrugged.
"I was actually thinking that maybe she attended Hogwarts. You might not know her, but you were a prefect on our seventh year. That means you were somewhat known."
"I'm sorry to disappoint you Tim, but I wasn't that popular at at school..."
"You dated Phyllida Spore, if I recall. If you were able to call her attention, then you didn't pass unnoticed mate, that's for sure. You my friend, are a witch magnet!"
"Oh really? Then why am I still single?"
"I said a magnet, that means you also have the ability to repel them."
Nate ironically thanked Tim for the compliment. He also thought his friend was right and maybe Miss Napier had been a Hogwarts student. He decided to check the school's yearbooks once he got home after dinner.
Slowly Getting Easier…Maybe?
Author: Karma Davyd
Date: 03-29-14 16:54
"Karma Jade, I've asked you three times to please go wash up." The words slid from my mouth as I flicked my wand, setting the table for three, and a place for Nuri's high chair. Dinner was curry over rice, as well as fresh baked naan, and I was looking forward to relaxing with a glass of wine when all three girls were tucked into bed.
To say things had gotten easier, would be a lie. To say that I was refusing to give into the desire to ball my eyes out every hour of the day, or to get pissed off over and over again, or worse to abandon my daughters when they needed me as much as I needed them, would be more an apt description of how my life was going right now.
Nuri chewed on a bit of naan, while Jui came and settled in her seat, KJ shortly after - thankfully cleaned up after playing outside with Crew after I'd gotten home from the Castle.
"Thank you KJ. After dinner, homework then bath and bed. And if you want to go to the park tomorrow you'll not argue with me." That said, KJ and Jui ate their dinner, did their homework, and were bathed and in bed right on time.
Nuri was easy to put to bed, and thankfully had slept through the night since she'd come home. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day, because I intended on taking the girls to the park tomorrow, but I also had to get the grocery shopping done. I was considering getting a house elf simply because it would take some of my stress off keeping things up around the house.
I'd prepared myself for bedtime arguments, or nightmares which had often been a part of nighttime routines since Dexter had gone missing, but by ten-thirty all three girls were still slumbering soundly and I was on my third glass of wine and looking through the photo album from both weddings, allowing myself to cry just a little bit.
"Did you really abandon us like people are saying? Did things really happen too fast between us? Do you regret everything that had happened between us since we'd met?" Fingers smoothed over a picture taken after the huge Hindu wedding we'd had to satisfy my parents as I asked my questions.
There was no reply, nor had they been answered any night since I'd begun asking them and they wouldn't be answered until Dexter returned - if he returned. After finishing my third glass of wine, I cleaned up and tucked away the photo album and headed to bed, I needed to be clear headed to deal with the children tomorrow.
At The Hogsmeade Park
Author: Majandra
Date: 03-29-14 17:49
"Stay in the park."
Miranda refrains, only just, from rolling her eyes. "Yes, Mum."
"Don't take that tone with me, Miranda?"
Miranda does her best to sound innocent. "What tone?"
Mum's eyes narrow at Miranda but she says nothing, turning instead to Georgie. "Did you hear me, George?"
Lazily spinning around in a swing Georgie stops long enough to parrot his sister's words, "Yes, Mum."
Majandra Weasleys gives each of her childen a warning look then walks to the Hogsmeade Library to drop off some books Miranda and Georgie had had then from there then walks the short distance to Zonko's, otherwise known as Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, to see if the other George has returned from a business meeting.
Georgie resumes his spinning but asks his sister, "Randa, push me."
Miranda gives him a baleful stare before abandoning the merry-go-round, not so much because she adores pushing her brother on the swing but because that yucky David Peakes just came into the park and is coming towards the merry-go-round. David plays too rough for Miranda's taste, always making the merry-go-round spin fast then violently jumping up and down on it or jumping off then back on then off then on, always making the merry-go-round bump and shake so much that the spinning isn't fun any longer.
Georgie's ready for her when she gets there, the swing back, his feet in a position to quickly lift up when she starts pushing. After giving her brother several good shoves, telling him as she does, "You're such a baby, Georgie. Always wanting to a push." Miranda conveniently overlooks the fact that she loves being on a swing and having someone, such as her dad, pushing her higher and higher.
"Am not," Georgie automatically denies.
"Are too. You're not even six and you're still at the bitty school."
"I'm six soon."
"Months from now."
"Is not."
"This is January. Your birthday is April. You don't even know the months."
"Do too. Janwary, Febwary, Marsh, Aberil. Seeeeee."
"But you don't know them all proper like I do," Miranda says, trying to sound grown up.
She gives him another hard push then plops into the next swing, kicking off. Georgie is pumping his legs but isn't as good at making the swing go by himself as she is so about the time he's in need of a few more pushes, Miranda slows her own swing to jump off. A voice from behind them offers, "Would you like me to push you both?"
Georgie responds, "Yes!" without looking to see who it is.
"Yes," Miranda also answers, turning in her seat to see, thinking it might be David's mum, and going to say thank you. Mrs. Peakes is always very nice so Miranda doesn't understand why she never tells David not to play so rough.
The words, "Thank you," are already leaving her lips when she sees it's not Mrs. Peakes. Her gratitude is followed by, "Oh. It's you."
The woman, standing where she can alternately push each swing, smiles. "Hello again."
"You made it out of the woods."
"Yes, thank you. I followed your directions and was able to find the road straight away."
Miranda and Georgie chat with the woman, who says to call her Holly, until they see their mum coming back. "We have to go now. That's our mum."
Both children jump from the swings as soon as they are going slow enough, calling thank yous over their shoulders to Holly. When they join their mum near the gate to High Street, Majandra asks, "Who was that?"
"The lady who looks like Randa," Georgie tells her.
Majandra starts to say, "What?" but remembering how often she tells Miranda and Georgie it's more polite to say pardon or excuse me she quickly switches to the former. "Pardon?"
Miranda explains, "That lady who was lost in the woods near our house. Georgie says she looks like me. She was giving us pushes on the swing."
"Her name is Holly," Georgie further enlightens.
Majandra looks up from her children to get a better look at this woman but no longer sees her. She glances around the rest of the park but only sees adults she knows. Whomever the woman is, she must have exited out the back way. Shrugging both mentally and physically Majandra returns her attention to her kids. "Daddy's still at his meeting. Do you want to go to the castle for supper, eat here in the village, or go home and have something?"
Georgie immediately responds, "Pizza!"
At the mention of pizza, Miranda nods in agreement. "Pizza."
"I don't believe anywhere here in Hogsmeade has pizza." Not having all the ingredients at home for pizza Majandra debates for a moment whether to go somewhere else, such as A Little Pizza Heaven in London, or overrule them and pick somewhere here in the village, go home, or walk up to Hogwarts. It's really not a big deal to apparate to A Little Pizza Heaven so Majandra says, "Let's put our things at Daddy's office and then we'll go for pizza."
After depositing her satchel, and both the children's small book bags off at the shoppe, Miranda takes Miranda and George each by the hand and apparates to a spot just outside the pizza parlor, that woman called Holly no longer in her thoughts.