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(Igraine) The Ghost
Author: Johanna Steele
Date: 06-07-14 14:31
"Abernathy Jones, Mulberry's sister, from my house has heard about it too. I tell you, it's real!"
"What if it's a rumor created just to scare us, Alice? There are two older boys from my house, Maurice Kilman and Horace Quisenberry who like to do those sort of pranks. Just the other day I saw them bothering one of the Westwicks girls, those who Rita Skeeter wrote about."
"Yes, but this is different. I tell you, Jordana Walker's ghost is definitely haunting the Ravenclaw tower! They say the water from the showers change from hot to cold without anyone touching the taps. And that the beds' curtains open in the middle of the night, and the covers are pulled down, waking up all the girls. Mulberry said Abernathy is terrified..."
Igraine put aside her Potions textbook. Even if she thought Alice's story to be somewhat silly, she couldn't help to feel intrigued. It had been terrible to learn that a student had died at the school, and Igraine's mother had been one of the many concerned parents that revealed their preoccupation to Headmistress McGonagall. It was a bit odd to know that the place she studied and lived had been the scenario of a tragic death. But Alice had told Igraine that dying at Hogwarts was not as rare and she might think and she started naming the people she was pretty sure had died in the castle. Alice seemed to like morbid topics.
Igraine, on her hand, couldn't help to feel a bit unease with Jordana Walker's death, even if she didn't know the girl. Funny enough, she felt somewhat secured at the castle because of her half-brother. His tall, muscular figure inspired her confidence and more than once she found herself thinking that Gus would protect her, if needed. After all, they shared the same blood and surname.
"If I died and became a ghost, why would I want to spend eternity at school?"
"Ghosts don't choose their haunting places, Igraine. I just hope Jordana's ghost stays in the Ravenclaw tower. You're lucky you are safe in the dungeons, but the Gryffindor tower could be next!"
Alice didn't seem very preoccupied with being haunted by a ghost. In fact it seemed to Igraine like she really wished to be at the Ravenclaw tower tonight, to witness Jordana entering into action. No doubt Alice was a true Gryffindor, brave and courageous. But of course she would not think twice about the consequences of facing a ghost.
"Maybe we could ask the other ghosts around the castle. I'm sure if it's true what you're saying about Jordana, then they know something about it."
Alice immediately stood up from her chair. She put her books and parchments inside her bag, without any care, ready for an adventure. Igraine followed her friend away from the Common Commons, hoping that the first ghost they would cross with wouldn't be Peeves or the Bloody Baron, or they might get themselves into trouble.
Explaining
Author: Errol
Date: 06-07-14 17:46
Stepping out of the fireplace behind Errol after Flooing from Muggle Studies at Cloud's Kiss Megara gives a grrrr of frustration at seeing he's already almost to the door. Rushing to catch up she orders, "Slow down." As an afterthought she tacks on a, "Please."
With obvious reluctance Errol complies. When Megara's even with him he asks, "What?"
"What do you mean what?"
"I mean what as in what do you want."
"You've been avoiding me."
"We had four classes together today. How is that avoiding you?"
"You know what I mean, Errol."
"No, not really."
"You weren't on the train Sunday. You got back last night when I was either in the commons or the library so didn't know were even here until this morning when I got to the Great Hall for breakfast and you were on your way out."
"I have an earlier class than you do. Alchemy."
"My point is you didn't owl but once over the holiday. You didn't let me know you wouldn't be on the train. You didn't come find me when you got back or wait around in the Ravenclaw common room to see me. You sort of grunted at me this morning when leaving the Great Hall. You hardly spoke in any of those four classes we've had together today. You vanished after A&D instead of coming to lunch and you got to DADA just as class was starting. You also seem to be favoring your right arm and you have some bruising on your face."
Errol slows then moves to a bench in one of the many alcoves, nooks, and crannies scattered throughout the castle. Only after sitting and gesturing for Megara to sit as well does he offer any sort of explanation.
"I didn't owl other than that once time because every time I sat down to write another I ended up tossing it."
"Why?"
His shoulders heave in a shrug. "Frustration. Anger. I don't know. I just had a hard time writing anything other than hello, I'm okay and hope you are too."
"Frustrated and angry with your uncle?"
"Him, Judith, his assistant, others. Turns out I was right but also wrong. Uncle Ross was missing but it was all part of some scheme to help them get more evidence against Gresham and his cronies. Judith didn't know but his assistant did. That's who suggested to her that I should be kept in the dark. So, not wanting me to worry and leave school, the two of them wrote a few letters as Ross to me. Judith came up with that story Parents Weekend on why he couldn't come."
"That you know all this means he's back?"
"Yes, a few days into the break. I'd been trying to pin Judith down on where he was. She kept telling me he was holed up in a strategy meeting with everyone putting together the case against Gresham. I knew she'd been lying just from the look on her face when she had come by the house to try and convince me to join up with you and your parents as originally planned and Uncle Ross showed up. He was mad at me for being home. Judith was made at him for leaving her out of the loop. Hilarity ensued," he dryly says.
"I can imagine. All right, that's explained. Why did you miss the train and why were you so late getting here yesterday?"
"Missing the train wasn't intentional. Uncle Ross came with me to London. We were crossing the road to King's Cross Station when this man busy talking on his cell phone "
"Cell? Oh, a mobile. That's what Professor Miller says Muggle Brits call them."
Errol continues as if he hadn't been interrupted, "And not paying attention hit me with his car. Concussion, lots of scrapes, scratches and bruises than what you see on my face, and broke my arm. He's Muggle. All these other Muggles witnessed it. Uncle Ross was trying to convince them all that he would get me to a hospital but a policeman showed up and insisted we wait for an ambulance. The hospital insisted I stay overnight because of the concussion. Uncle Ross got me to St. Mungo's yesterday about mid-morning once I'd finally been released from the Muggle hospital. At St. Mungo's, I was given potions like Skele-Gro. The combination of them made me really sleepy and also made me nauseous. I was there a few hours then because I was so groggy still, Uncle Ross took a room at the Hogsmeade Inn. We used a Floo from St. Mungo's to there. I slept awhile longer. I still didn't feel that great when I woke up but we made went on and came to school. We talked with Professor McGonagall. I went straight to my room from there, took another dose of a couple of the potions I'd been given, and passed out."
Megara says nothing for a few seconds then sighs. "Sorry if I sounded bitchy earlier."
"How is that different from how you often sound, Megara?"
"If you hadn't just had a concussion I'd smack you upside the head."
Errol makes a face at her. "I forced myself out of bed this morning even earlier than I normally would on a Tuesday to see if I could catch a couple of my Monday professors. At lunch I had to go see Madam Pomfrey and to see a few more professors. I think that covers everything you wanted to know."
"I believe it does. I do have one more question."
"What's that?"
"Since you did not spend the full two weeks traisping all over to find your uncle, did you get me anything?"
"I was supposed to get you something?"
"I got you something on holiday with my parents."
"You did? What is it?"
"I forget."
"Your memory going to be a problem until I produce this gift I'm supposed to have gotten you?"
"I think yes."
"Good thing I got you something then."
Megara grins and claps her hands a couple of times. "Yay!"
"Come on," Errol says, standing up. "I've not been hungry because of the way one of those potions turned my stomach but I'm starting to get that way. It's too early for supper so let's get snacks in the commons."
"Snacks works for me but afterwards we're going to Ravenclaw House to exchange gifts."
As they begin walking again Errol comments, "I should have suggested to Uncle Ross we come straight to Hogsmeade and skip the train station altogether. I have no idea why neither of us thought to do that."
"Because you did not want to miss a a train ride with my glorious presence."
Errol cuts his eyes to the side Megara's on. Once again sounding very dry he replies, "Right, that's exactly why."
Death Eaters in the Making?
Author: Amanda Reynolds
Date: 06-08-14 09:33
Amanda looked at the headline of the Daily Prophet article by Rita Skeeter and sighed to herself, "Tragedy Strikes Hogwarts and Student Dies".
A childish prank or a dark artifact ritual gone wrong is the question? Amanda Reynolds, Elliot Baylis, Cate Moreau and Jordana Walker all of students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry were found to be in ritual with a dark artifact. This artifact was indeed powerful enough that upon trying to destroy what the children could ultimately not handle they found tragedy when one of their own died…Jordana Walker, 15, was killed during the ritual.
What were these children doing with such a dark artifact and where did they get it? Are these students on their way to becoming Death Eaters? One can only assume the worst in these situations… Rita Skeeter wrote.
It was enough to make Amanda's blood boil as she showed the paper to Elliot who had sort of been reading over her shoulder.
"How can she say we are Death Eaters in the making? She doesn't know the truth of what happened." Elliot said indignantly.
"Don't worry about what she says," Amanda reassured him. "We know the truth…and we will prove her wrong."
"I guess." Elliot said softly as he looked around for his boyfriend he had to let him know what McGonagall said and that he would not have any free time to spend with him for the rest of the month and that he would also be serving detentions.
"Come on let's go show this to Cate and Preston." Amanda said as they got up and walked over to the Ravenclaw table.
Feelings
Author: Finley
Date: 06-08-14 18:57
Finley stood over her cauldron in Potions class and carefully followed the instructions Professor Weasley had written on the blackboard. She took a little too long in making sure she executed every step to the letter, however, which resulted in an unfinished potion when Professor Weasley announced it was time to bottle up and label the potions. Finley knew she couldn't earn a perfect score on the assignment, but hopefully Professor Weasley would be able to tell that she had at least done each step correctly.
She gathered up her things when Professor Weasley dismissed the class and stepped out into the corridor to wait for Phoebus. Phoebus was never consistent when it was time to leave a classroom. Either he shoved his things haphazardly into his book satchel, sometimes breaking ink bottles in the process, or he dilly-dallied for no discernible reason. It seemed to be the latter this morning, because Finley waited in the corridor for several minutes before Phoebus emerged.
She pushed herself off the wall and fell into step beside him. They walked in companionable silence to the stairs leading up to the entrance hall and then turned to go through the double doors leading into the Great Hall. They went over to the Gryffindor table, set their school things aside, and sat down to help themselves to lunch.
It had only been a few days since they had returned to Hogwarts following Easter break. As promised, the Yewbeams had come to the orphanage to visit Finley and to take her and her friend Leroy for ice cream. The Yewbeams had done their very best to act like Muggles, though like many wizards who didn't know much about the Muggle world, they had seemed rather silly at times.
Leroy had hardly noticed the mismatched clothes or even the odd currency that had accidentally gotten mixed in with the Muggle pence and pounds. He'd been far too focused on Finley's new friend Phoebus. Phoebus who had yellow hair and blue eyes and wasn't fat or ugly. Finley had sensed Leroy's insecurities, though he had done an admirable job at masking his feelings. Meeting new people and going out for ice cream wasn't something orphans got to do very often, if ever. Leroy wasn't the slightest bit ungrateful. He just wished Finley hadn't found herself such a handsome friend at school.
Their parting had somehow been harder this past Sunday than it had been the very first time back in September. Before meeting Phoebus, Leroy could only imagine what Finley's school and new classmates would be like (though even then he didn't have the real story). Now there was a face to the name, and that made everything all the more real.
For her part, Finley felt even more terrible about leaving Leroy behind. She didn't want him ever to think that she liked Phoebus more than she liked him, or that Phoebus could ever be his replacement. Leroy would always be her very best friend, but even she had to admit that Phoebus made a nice substitute.
She sighed with her chin in her hand as she idly poked at her salad with a fork.
"Don't worry about Professor Weasley," Phoebus said. "I doubt she'll give you a really bad mark for not finishing your potion."
"It's not that," Finley said. "I was just thinking about Leroy."
"What about him?"
"He didn't really know how to act around you."
"Is that why he hardly said two words to me when we met?"
"Probably."
"I don't know what I can do to solve the issue…" Phoebus began, but he stopped when Finley cut him off with a shake of her head.
"It's not you," she said. "He's just really insecure, and I feel really bad for him. I hate that he can't be here with us."
"He can't be here with us because he's––"
"A Muggle, I know. It's so unfair."
Phoebus shrugged. "That's life, isn't it? We can't all have what we want."
"What do you want that you can't have?"
"An Aethonan."
"What's an Aethonan?" Finley asked.
"A winged horse."
"A winged what?" she exclaimed.
Phoebus laughed. "Your Muggle side is showing."
In response, Finley stuck out her tongue at him.
Another Blow
Author: Travis
Date: 06-08-14 19:53
Palms pressed against her face, Travis stands for a few stands saying nothing. Fingers wipe her eyes as she sighs loudly before once more taking in the devastation. Turning to Gāo Xiùlán, the Chinese equivalent of a hit wizard she says, "This is just like before."
Gāo, her English accented but not heavily so, nods once, almost perfunctorily. Travis would guess that in her line of work Gāo is so used to nodding when listening to the victim or the witness of a crime she most likely doesn't even know she's done it.
Smiling tightly without a trace of humor Travis tells her, "If you like, I'll have a copy of the report from that incident sent to you."
Another of those nods. "Yes, thank you. That might be helpful."
Gāo who'd been making notes of the scene, looks up from her writing. "You are ready for questions, yes?"
"Yes, though I doubt I'll be of much help."
Zhū Yǒng, another in law enforcements, stands some distance away speaking with Neville Longbottom, a field of withered Camellia sinensis spreading out behind them. Travis does not own the field or the others nearby, also destroyed, but this is her primary source for green tea. Because of the destruction of one of her greenhouse facilities, upon learning of what happened here from Xiè Wei, the Wizard who does own these fields, Travis and Neville had come straight away. What makes the destruction here all the worse is that the first flush (harvest) on these plants was to be in only a few weeks.
When Neville and she are both done for the moment they find a place to sit down, watching as the first of Xiè Wei's employees are questioned. Rubbing at her eyes again Travis remarks, "None here are connected to the Stottesdon greenhouses except you and me."
"I know I didn't do either and I can't see you doing this to your own business so who else?" Neville asks.
"There aren't many others. I can count on one hand."
"But you can't imagine any of them doing this or at Stottesdon."
"Exactly."
Hours later, when given the okay from Gāo to leave, the two return to Hogsmeade, Travis immediately contacting the Ministry to see about getting a copy of the Stottesdon vandalism and destruction of property report to Chinese law enforcement.
(Mark) Between Classes
Author: Isolde
Date: 06-09-14 09:07
Mark swore under his breath. The potion boiling in his cauldron had turned a putrid green instead of the light sea foam it should have become. He glanced up at the front of the classroom to see whether Professor Snape had heard him, but the potions professor made no reaction. Either the simultaneous bubbling of all the other cauldrons had drowned out Mark's swearing, or Snape had elected to ignore it.
Mark glanced down at his open copy of Advanced Potion-making to see where he went wrong. Capri, whose own potion wasn't quite sea foam green but was definitely nearer to the correct color, leaned over and pointed at a line in the textbook.
"Damn!" Mark muttered, realizing he had thrown mint into his cauldron without pinching it first. He glanced up again to see if Snape had noticed his outburst this time, but again, the potions professor looked busy with something at his desk.
Mark knew he couldn't fix the problem, and he didn't have time to start over, so he decided to simply carry on. The end result was a smelly, too-thick concoction, absolutely the wrong color, but at least he'd finished it.
Capri didn't have any more classes after Potions, but Mark had Ancient Runes next. She walked with him to the classroom.
Both had stayed at Hogwarts over Easter break. Mark hadn't been keen on being home with his father, who would only continue to disparage his mother. He was tired of all the bad-mouthing, even in letters.
Despite not wanting to go home, Mark had shown some concern over being at Hogwarts with few other students and with the possibility of Kate being one of them, but she and Hugo had both gone home. Mark may have moved on with Capri, but that didn't mean he liked seeing Kate with somebody else.
He and Capri had spent every waking moment together during the break from classes and school work. They talked about almost everything. They worked out together in the gym and went swimming in the pool. They lounged together on the grounds or in the common room, doing nothing for long stretches of time. In short, they enjoyed each other's company and became even better friends in the process.
They arrived at the Ancient Runes classroom. Mark still had a minute or two before he was due inside, so he turned Capri so her back was against the wall of the hallway and kissed her. Somebody wolf-whistled as they passed, and somebody else said, "Get a room, you two!"
Mark pulled away, thinking Professor Hodfuffer might surface at any moment, and said, "See you after class."
"Don't work too hard," Capri replied with a grin.
She turned to go, and Mark watched her walk away before stepping inside the classroom and taking his seat.
Changes and Exchanges
Author: Lysander Stratford
Date: 06-09-14 11:25
Lysander knelt in the window at Twice Told Tales and swapped out the display. With it officially being spring-time and the weather having improved tremendously, it seemed like the perfect time to show off some of the gardening books for sale in the bookshop.
Dexter sat up straight in the corner of the window display and let out little meows. A stray cat was on the prowl in the street and seemed far too preoccupied with its task than to pay the cat in the window any attention.
Lysander reached over to scratch the classic tabby behind the ears. Dexter pushed against his hand but then went back to mewling at the cat outside the window.
"Afraid he's encroaching on your territory, are you?" Lysander asked. He realized then that somebody had stopped in front of the window. He looked up to see the wizard who had visited him weeks ago regarding a very dark and difficult-to-find book. Lysander indicated with his head for the man to enter the shoppe and got down from the ledge to meet him at the door.
"Have you found it?" the wizard asked without preamble.
Lysander said, "It wasn't easy, but yes, I found you a copy."
He had found it in a dingy bookshop in Albania. The bookseller hadn't wanted to give it up and then had quoted Lysander a very steep price. He'd almost balked at making the purchase, but the niggling feeling that it would do him little good if he didn't bring the book back convinced him to pay the wizard's price.
"Just a moment and I'll get it for you."
Lysander ducked into the back to fetch the book. He presented it to the wizard wrapped in brown paper. The wizard carefully peeled back the wrapping, but only enough to verify the title and to have a little peek at its contents. Then he nodded and reached for a the secondary payment, which he left on the counter and which looked substantially larger than the first.
"Thanks," the wizard said. "Have a good afternoon."
"Thank you," Lysander said. He loosened the drawstring around the money bag to peer inside and then dumped everything into the till.
Just who had been that wizard and what did he want with the book?