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After School
Author: Gerry
Date: 06-09-14 15:18
As one of the older children attending Hogsmeade Primary Day School––now eleven years old, in fact––Gerry was allowed to walk home from school. Sometimes he followed along the road, but other times he went the back way, which involved cutting from behind the school and through the park. Gareth, whose class let out the same time as Gerry's, accompanied him home via the back route. It was a lovely day, and the ground was dry. The lawn was coming in thick and green.
Whenever they came this way, Gareth would always climb up the ladder of the slide and then go down the chute with his backpack full of books and other school supplies still hanging from his shoulders. If they went to the library instead of home, it was Gerry who always reached the doors first. Knowing their mum would be there instead of at home, they went there to say hello.
They found her staring at the empty cabinet that housed books which required parental permission if a person under the age of seventeen wished to check them out. The cabinet had been empty since slightly before Easter, when a group of law enforcement officers stopped by the library with a search warrant. They confiscated all the books in the cabinet, believing one of them to contain a dark magic ritual that had killed a girl at Hogwarts.
There was no record of the ritual in question in the keyword or subject cards in the catalog, but that didn't necessarily mean the ritual hadn't been in one of those books. Gerry knew his mother was upset over the requisition of the library books, but she was also upset that a student had died because of information allegedly found in one of the books.
He came up behind her and announced, "School's out."
Gigi jumped and clutched at her chest. "You scared me, Gerry."
"Sorry, Mum. Still haven't gotten them back?"
"No, and probably won't for a while yet, if ever," she replied. She accompanied her boys to her desk and asked if they had a lot of homework and whether they wanted to get everything done there at the library or go straight home.
As neither was particularly studious, they opted to go straight home. Their mother eyed them sternly and suggested they have their homework finished by the time she or their father arrived home––whichever came first. Both boys agreed and left the library moments later.
It turned out to be their mum who got home first, along with the twins who had spent the afternoon at the daycare. Graham walked in with an armful of books. Despite only being four, he could read at an advanced level. Grady, on the other hand, was more like his elder brothers, who hadn't bothered to work on their homework despite the promises they'd made their mother.
Gigi fixed Gerry with a serious stare. "You'll only have yourself to blame if you flunk out of Hogwarts," she said.
Gerry, who had recently gotten his letter to Hogwarts, shrugged and said, "I won't."
"Blame yourself or fail?"
"Both."
"Maybe you should work on your homework now. You too, Gareth."
The older Martini-Blackwell brothers exchanged looked and then resigned themselves to the inevitable.
(Adriana) The End of Dex
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 06-09-14 18:13
Elouisa Pratt was a tall, almost mannish witch who had recently joined the Death Eaters and just happened to work as a guard at Azkaban. Her position there would prove most beneficial to the cause; the criminals Wycombe couldn't release through legal means just might get sneaked out of prison. Adriana preferred the releases to prison breaks, if only so more Death Eaters could walk around in the open rather than be forced into hiding.
The tall woman ducked out of the room after providing Adriana with a list of prisoners. Adriana set the very lengthly list aside to admit Malarie McEvilley into the room. Malarie was once again in the doghouse, though not really through any fault of her own. Her assignment had been to monitor Dex and to ensure he stayed away from his family and law enforcement. As far as Adriana knew, he had done just as he'd promised on that score––but he'd not done anything else other than rob a Muggle bank. He had become a burden rather than an asset to the cause, and Adriana found she no longer had a use for him.
She thought back to that day weeks ago when impulse overcame her.
Adriana was just outside the abbey, on the banks of a narrow stream that cut through the landscape. Wildflowers had started to grow along the water's edge, and she gathered some up to place in vases around the abbey. She might be evil, but she still liked pretty things.
She heard footsteps and saw Malarie approaching with Dex by her side.
"Well," Adriana began, turning to pull up more flowers, "what do you have for me?"
"I thought I might try for the Crown Jewels."
Adriana turned back to Dex with one eyebrow raised. She couldn't tell if he was telling the truth or joking. In the time he had been with the Death Eaters, he had learned how to mask his expressions better and better and the lies came even easier now.
"So, are you actually going to do it, or are you just going to tell me you're planning on it and then never follow through?" Adriana finally questioned. She was well-aware that everything Dex said was meant to prolong not only his survival but that of his family.
"It'll take time to plan…" Dex started.
Adriana put all the flowers into one hand and then held up her empty one, which was stained green and with a little dirt. "No. You know what I've discovered about you, Dex? You're all talk. I know it's because you don't want to be here and you don't believe in the cause. You just want to get home to that wife of yours. How do you think she's been holding up without you there? My guess is she's hit the bottle a little too hard. And those poor children, having to live with an absent father and a drunk mother..."
She could tell she'd hit a sore spot with Dex. His eyes narrowed and his empty hands were balled into fists. "I'm absent because you won't let me leave. They're my kids… I love them and think about them everyday."
"You don't even know them."
"Because of you!" Dex roared. He moved so quick that Adriana didn't have time to react before he had his hands around her neck.
Malarie whipped out her wand and growled, "Let her go or you're dead."
Adriana dropped her flowers and put her hands over his hands in an attempt to pry them from her neck. She struggled beneath his tight grip.
"I said let her go!" Malarie shouted.
Dex didn't. Adriana wasn't strong enough to remove his hands, so she fumbled for her own wand. She started seeing black spots before her eyes, but then her wand was in her hand. She slashed wildly in front of her, cutting a deep gash across Dex's stomach. He gasped, let go of her, and looked down at the bleeding, gaping wound across his middle.
Adriana's breath came out in wheezing gasps, but she seized Dex by the front of his shirt and spun him so that his back was to the water. She wanted to tell him off, to let him hear her final words, but her throat hurt too much to make any sound except for the wheezing, gasping breaths.
Instead, she looked him in the eye and hoped he could see all the hatred she felt against him there. Then she pushed him into the stream. His wound bled profusely, staining the crystal clear water red. The stream, though small, was deep and swift enough to carry his body away. Adriana watched as his body overturned at a tiny waterfall, and then Dex was face down, floating away in a river of red.
Malarie looked at Adriana and meekly asked, "You called, my Lady?"
Adriana reached for the obituary that had appeared in the Daily Prophet and held it up for Malarie to see. "I want this framed and hung on my wall next to Beatenberg's hands. See to it for me," she instructed.
Malarie stepped forward and took the newspaper clipping from Adriana. Then she hurried from the room.
Adriana's neck had fully healed in the meantime, but sometimes she could still feel Dex's hands squeezing her windpipe. At least he was dead now and wouldn't get another chance to finish the job.
Making A Lunch Date
Author: Declan
Date: 06-10-14 11:47
In the time between his sixth years and the fifth year Gryffindor-Hufflepuff class Declan went to his office. He'd forgotten a cup of coffee when the sixth year going to the second floor for the sixth year NEWT class. He could have summoned it to him but with so many students in the corridors with the class change he thought the cup might end up smacking into someone and spilling. The smack would hurt and the cold coffee would get clothing wet.
A tap of his wand has the coffee steaming again. Office door closed behind him, Declan carefully navigates around those many students still in transit to wherever their respective destinations might be. Back at his classroom he stops outside, pleased to see Zabrynna standing there.
"Hi, I looked for you inside," she says with a tilt of her hear towards his classroom.
He holds up his mug. "Coffee fix. Doing work for AJ today?"
"A little. Mainly I came by to see if you wanted to get lunch in the village. My treat."
"I'd like that." Declan doesn't even care where. If it's Burger Wizard, which would be his last choice of what's available in Hogsmeade, he'd happily go along if it means spending even a tiny bit of time today with Zabrynna.
"I'll meet you here at 12:15 then," she replies smiling.
"My office hours are due to start at 1 so we'll need to go there long enough for me to revise the time for today."
"That's fine, or if tomorrow's better we could have lunch then or eat here."
"No, today's good and Hogsmeade works."
Zabrynna nods once before saying, "I'll see you in a bit then."
Declan enters the classroom, knowing his smile must be of the sort the fifth years consider goofy or silly. He greets them all, quickly assessing whether everyone's present. Some of them are grinning at him as if they know Declan has a lunch date. Maybe they do know. Some of them could have positioned themselves to overhear the conversation before rushing to sit down once Zabrynna said goodbye. Those smiles quickly turn to an assortment of faces ranging from sour to frowning to stoic when Declan says, "I'm sure you've heard from your Ravenclaw and Slytherin counterparts by now of an essay assignment that's 24" minimum. The essay topic is contributions made to the burgeoning Renaissance by witches and wizards."
There are a few groans as well as a few hands. After answering the questions some have about the essay assignment, Declan picks up where he left off Tuesday on the early Renaissance.
Lazing with Raz
Author: Rylee
Date: 06-10-14 12:34
"Why did Professor Morgan bother coming back? I mean, if I'd just lost my significant other I would be able to function, let alone teach students." Raz said, as he dropped down onto the grass next to me.
"I don't know why she came back. Surely Professor McGonagall would have easily given her time off to get herself together, and ensure that she is actually ready to come back." I said, running a hand through my hair and falling back on the blanket and looking into the late afternoon sky.
Raz shifted, settling down next to me and offering me a sour cherry gummy candy, that I easily popped into my mouth. "What are your plans for the evening?"
I shrugged, chewing on the candy until all the tiny pieces had been consumed, loving the lingering puckering sensation brought on by the candy. "I've got to finish some stuff for Ancient Runes and put the finishing touches on my essay for Potions that is due tomorrow morning."
"Sounds about as eventful as my evening. Though, I do have to finish a letter to post to Etana."
"Yeah, I wrote her yesterday, hadn't heard back from her yet. Nicholette is done with school, and will be there to spend time with her while my mom is dealing with things."
"Yup, she'd mentioned a few things she'd like me to send her the next time we go into the village. Mainly she wanted me to see about getting her something new to wear from Gladrags."
I couldn't help but giggle, I knew Raz hated shopping for clothes, especially for clothes for his little sister because he always wanted her to dress conservatively and Etana had completely other ideas on what she wanted to wear. "You hate shopping, especially for Etana, she always hates what you pick out for her."
"I know, which is why I was going to drag you with me. Because she'll know you helped me and will not actually hate what I pick out for her."
I shifted, rolling on to my side and couldn't help but laugh. "You would rope me into this. Not that I mind. And, you are just lucky that I intended on going to Gladrags when we went to the village next anyway."
Raz grinned, and offered me another sour cherry candy. "We should probably head in for dinner soon, unless you intend on skipping dinner and just going straight for something light in the commons."
I shrugged. "Really don't know what I want to eat yet, but I'll come to the Great Hall with you anyway, need something to do and I'm not really feeling getting into my homework just yet."
Raz helped me up, and we folded the blanket, tucking it back into the bag I'd brought with me. I'd also marked my place in the novel I was reading, and stuffed it into the bag as well. Then, still discussing plans for the next Hogsmeade trip Raz and I headed into the castle and ultimately into the great hall, where we ate dinner at the Slytherin Table, as I'd eaten lunch with him at the Ravenclaw table earlier.
The Problems Playboys Face (Justin)
Author: Plum
Date: 06-10-14 17:04
Chewing a bite of whatever kind of sandwich he's currently methodically working his way through Nathan Stewart looks from roommate Kay Dunlap to roommate Justin Hodges. "I need advice."
"Could you ask without showing us what's in your mouth?" Kay asks, lips curled in disgust.
"Excuse me, Mr. Never Closes His Mouth When He Chews," Nathan retorts.
"Maybe I don't fully close my mouth but not on purpose and I don't talk with my mouth full."
Spooning some sort of vegetable casserole onto his plate Justin points out, "If you two keep bickering we'll never get to what the advice needed is."
Nathan had started to take another bite of sandwich but with a glare at Kay he pauses long enough to tell them, "Winifred Hicks keeps hinting about the two of us going to this next Quidditch match together."
Making a show of stuffing a chunk of bread in his mouth Kay says with a shrug, "I don't see the problem."
"I don't know whether to give in and ask her. What do you two think?"
Eyeing a platter of grilled sausages, debating to have more, Justin replies, "Winifred's cute. She's nice. I also don't see the problem unless you don't like her even a little."
"I like Winifred. It's just, well, see, I want to play the field."
Kay nearly chokes on the drink of pumpkin juice he's just taken. Coughing and sputtering while laughing he repeats, "Play the field?"
"Yes, as in date around."
Justin rolls his eyes. "Nathan, you can't play the field if you don't actually ever go on a date."
"Uh, good point. So I should ask Winifred to the match."
Still coughing some Kay says, "Yeah, but Winifred's nice and in our house so if you're going to," he starts snickering again, unable to finish the thought.
Nathan nods, knowing exactly where Kay was going. "I shouldn't hurt Winifred's feelings. But, how can I play the field if a few hearts aren't broken along the way? It's not as if I'd purposely do it but it's bound to happen."
Eyes rolling almost to the point of being painful Justin mutters, "The problems playboys face."
Nathan scowls, Kay keeps keeps laughing, and Justin decides to have more of those grilled sausages.
What If (Marion & Friends)
Author: Saffron
Date: 06-11-14 17:28
Sitting at the Ravenclaw table with her five closest friends, though not all are members of Ravenclaw House, Hope adds gravy to the mashed potatoes already on her plate while putting forth a what if scenario. "If we were playing spin the butterbeer bottle and it's your turn, who would you want it to point to? Let's say just among the fourth and fifth years."
Callie stops in the process of cutting her roast chicken to point the knife at Hope. "You thought this up, you should go first."
Hope makes a face at Callie but readily agrees. "Fine, no problem. Either Luke Walker or Mason Jeffers."
Marion snickers, "If you go out with Mason Jeffers, that puts you closer to Professor Weasley, which means possibly doing better in Potions."
Hope makes another face but this time at Marion. "I do very well in Potions, thank you very much. Also, I don't see how associating with you makes taking Arithmancy & Divination any easier."
"She's got you there," Katheryn says with a laugh.
Sitting near enough to overhear this exchange Estella joins the conversation by asking, "How would dating Mason Jeffers get someone closer to Professor Weasley?"
Rollling her eyes and sighing heavily as a put upon big sister Katheryn tells her, "Everyone knows that Mason's brother is Professor Weasley's brother."
Estella glares at her sister long enough to say, "Obviously everyone knows." Looking to the others she asks, "Wouldn't that make Mason and Professor Weasley brother and sister?"
Lilith is the one who replies with a shake of her head, "Different fathers or something."
As Estella shoots her a smile of gratitude Lilith gives her answer to Hope's what if situation. "Baron Marchbanks."
"That's one of my answers," Marion says, pretending to be miffed for all of a half-second. "Jasper Jenkins I think."
"Justin Hodges," Callie inputs, "or maybe Bart Kimple."
Katheryn asks, "You said only of the fourth and fifth years, right? Hmmmm, Hunter Green then. Oh, or Edgar Steele."
Eyes turn to Savannah who's not given a response yet. "I don't know. Maybe either Kay Dunlap or Cody Sweet, but I'm not sure."
Estella chimes in, "Madoc McGonagall."
"No one asked you," Katheryn snipes.
Mockingly mouthing Katheryn's words when her sister has turned away, Estella looks to friend and roommate Alys Ellis. "Sisters," she gripes.
With a nod Alys agrees. "I know exactly what you mean."
Detentions
Author: Ethan Somerset
Date: 06-11-14 18:03
After taking an early supper in the Great Hall, Ethan retired to his office and awaited the arrival of Cate Moreau, who had been assigned to serve detention with him every Thursday in April. On Tuesday night, Ethan had arranged for Elliot Baylis to sort through boxes of books on the subject of Defense Against the Dark Arts. They were to go onto some of the low shelving units in the classroom but first needed to be organized. Amanda Reynolds picked up the project the next night and managed to get most of the books shelved. Cate's assignment would be to finish shelving the books, but that wouldn't take all night.
Ethan had a box of skulls that needed examining. They belonged to dark creatures for the most part, though it wouldn't surprise him if an ordinary mouse was among the bones. He'd found the box in a storage closet past Defense Against the Dark Arts professors had used. The closet was also where he had found the boxes of books.
Ethan suspected some of the skulls were damaged, but if the broken off bits were in the box, then perhaps they could be mended. Cate's job would be to sort through the skulls, determine which were whole, and also to identify which creatures they belonged to. Ethan had a nice book with osteological sketches that should help.
It was still a bit early, so Ethan busied himself with a little bit of lesson planning. His first years had begun discussing Gellert Grindelwald, the dark wizard Dumbledore had defeated many, many years ago. The second years were studying the history of the Second Wizarding War, beginning with the events of the early 1990s. The third years were discussing dark objects, like cursed items. And finally, Ethan's fourth years had begun practicing and discussing prevention and protection spells.
Thinking about prevention and protection spells had Ethan thinking about his birthday seven days ago. He had wondered if his enemies would send him an unwanted gift. The thought had consumed him so wholly that he had hardly been able to enjoy his day. Only when the next day dawned and not a peep had been heard from anyone did Ethan feel as if he could relax again.
A light knock sounded at his door. Ethan pulled himself away from his thoughts and called out, "Come in."
Cate stepped into the office, looking a bit timid and unsure. She wasn't the sort to get detention.
"Good, you're on time… actually, a little bit early. Give me a moment and we'll head over to the classroom."
Cate nodded and waited as Ethan gathered together a few things to work on while he supervised the detention. While they walked, he told her what her assignments would be. Books first, then bones.
The Weight of the World (Mockridge Townhouse)
Author: Peregrinus Hartcrofte
Date: 06-12-14 06:38
Pippin strode across the room, his long legs serving to make up for his lack of energy. He came upon Nephele from behind, engrossed as she was in pouring over notes. He brushed her long golden locks aside to bare her neck, which he immediately barraged with kisses.
"Careful, I'd hate for my terribly jealous fiancé to stumble across us," Nephele said, a hint of humor in her tone. Under it, there was still the firestorm of emotions tied to her sister-in-law's mysterious disappearance and her increasing concern for her twin.
"I think I've met the gentleman." Pip landed heavily into a nearby chair. "Devilishly handsome, natty dresser, and completely head-over heels in love with you. I suppose, out of respect, I shall keep my hands to myself, for now. In the meantime, I could use a very tall firewhiskey and to never see another blast-ended skrewt as long as I may live. It's a good thing I like Hagrid so much."
"I see you are indeed well-acquainted," Nephele carried out the joke while pouring said tall glass of firewhiskey and delivering it as she perched herself in her fiancé's lap. "I do hope Valeria's not going to take Care of Magical Creatures if Hagrid still has those things," she murmured.
Pip thanked Nephele for the firewhiskey, from which he took a long, much-needed pull before setting it on the table, freeing his hands to the much more important task of wrapping around his lady love. He leaned his head forward into the crook of her neck and let the worries of the world melt away ... save one.
It had been a little over three weeks since Cassandra's capture, and their investigations had yielded nothing more than the exclusion of blondes and gingers from their list of potential suspects. It was far too little to go on. After his lack of success against the Wonderland Gang, this failure shook Pip's faith in his abilities as a member of the Blackguard. Being unable to help a friend and soon-to-be-family made the failure all the more unbearable. At the thought of someone taking Nephele from him, as had happened to Kirley, Pip tightened his grip on her and fought to hold back tears.
Nephele slid her arms around him and tangled her fingers in his hair. "We'll find her," she murmured soothingly, but there was a slight edge to her voice, something that promised retribution for those that dared attack her family.