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The Castle of the Ancients, Romania
Author: Callandra Catesby
Date: 06-12-14 06:43
The castle hidden deep in the Carpathian Mountains looked ruined; Callandra knew that it was not.
"The castle of the ancients," she murmured to Kirley.
They had apparated in a little distance away and then made their way closer on foot just in case there were any guards posted along the perimeter of the Solomonari's territory, but so far they had seen only one rather bored looking patroller. He was no longer in a position to hinder them.
In an undertone, she said, "Once inside, it's better maintained than it appears. It goes down quite a way into the mountain as well."
"And I'm betting the closer we get, the more likely we are to run into company?" Kirley asked in a similar undertone. His expression was carefully controlled, a ruthless edge to his demeanor that was usually not seen through his charming facade.
"I think," she said, "that we can probably take that as a given."
She eased away as silently as a shadow in the night. Disillusionment charms provided magical cover, but she made good use of what natural cover the environment provided. Surprise was their primary advantage and she wanted to retain it for as long as possible.
He mimicked her tactics, perhaps not as effectively due to less experience in the sneaking around department. It was a sensible plan.
The lack of obvious sentries, Callandra knew from her previous visit, was all part of maintaining the illusion that the castle was little more than a ruin. The moment they slipped through a postern gate though, the illusion was broken.
She caught Kirley by the arm and drew him back against the wall; two men in robes strode across the courtyard. She waited silently for them to pass, then gestured to him to follow her and slipped along the edge of the courtyard to the nearest door.
It was locked; she pointed at it with her wand. Adept as she was at non-verbal spells, it was the work of a few seconds to unlock it.
He followed her lead, steadily watching for others as well as to be sure Callandra didn't try to run off and strand him as well. Icy fear had only grown colder during each day that Cass was missing and he wondered what shape she would be in when he found her.
As if she had heard his thoughts, Callie glanced his way. She knew he didn't trust her. She didn't wholly trust him either.
"She'll be underground," she murmured. "I believe they have cells."
He nodded once. "Then let's go."
The Solomonari had once been greater in number, and in influence, than they were today. The castle reflected that ageing and decaying splendour. Long, winding corridors; staircases that spiralled upwards and downwards into darkness; fraying and faded tapestries hung on stone walls; strange draughts that filtered through cracks and teased the nape of the neck with ghostly fingers.
Their advantage of surprise held to the dungeons. The doors were all blank wood, no window or grill slit to peer through.
Kirley eyed the doors. "Think it'll draw too much attention if I just blast them all open at once?" he muttered.
Callandra was about to give a small, wry nod to indicate yes, it would draw too much attention when a low, wailing cry shivered through the air. It sounded inhuman.
"Damn it, a Caterwauling Charm," she cursed softly. "Blast them!"
Kirley glared at the doors and then shrugged, starting to blast the doors nearest to them. Stealth was useless now, so he might as well work quickly to find his wife.
Behind the third door was a limp figure sprawled on the stone floor, dark hair tumbling across an outflung arm.
"Cass," Callie said.
Kirley pushed her aside and knelt beside his wife. He kept his wand at the ready as he checked for a pulse.
Callandra spun around as the sharp crack of apparition sounded behind her once - twice - three times. More. A group of hooded and cowled men faced them.
"Ah, Miss Catesby," the one in the middle said, his English thickly accented. "How... fortunate you could join us. Seize her!"
One of the hooded figures stepped forward and seconds later fell to the floor in a flash of deadly green light.
"I am not so easily seized, Radomere," she said coldly. "The next to move will join their colleague on the ground."
Kirley's wand flicked, immediately reacting to the threat to his wife. The first was the same sickly green light that Callie was so fond of, the second a dark purple that signified the liquidation curse he had used on the unfortunate guard at Catesby Castle.
"Return our property to us and all this can be over," the middle figure, Radomere, said. "That is all we wish."
"You mean this?" Callie withdrew the puzzle box from her robe pocket. A small gasp ran around the room. She held it up, saying casually, "Intriguing little item, isn't it?"
"More than you can ever know," Radomere replied. "It is ours. We are its true guardians. Return it to us and there need be no more... unpleasantries."
"Perhaps on your end," Kirley said, anger clear in his eyes. "However, there is still the matter of you torturing my wife, an innocent in the matter," he snarled. He was no idiot, he knew the signs of repeated exposure to the Cruciatus.
"Truth requires testing," Radomere said. His eyes held no remorse as they looked down at Cassandra. "Her will proved stronger than anticipated."
Kirley's eyes flashed as the same spell he so objected to flew from his wand. "Let's see if yours is any better," he growled.
Callandra killed another of the Solomonari as Radomere crumpled to the floor screaming.
"Let us have one thing clear between us," she bit out in glacial tones. "This ends here and now." She tossed the puzzle box as if it were of no importance and another of the Solomonari caught it and fumbled, dropping his wand in his haste. "Stay away from me and mine or next time there won't be any of you left to tell the tale."
She turned to Kirley, midnight-blue eyes hard. "Get her out of here," she said.
He nodded and gently scooped his wife into his arms, wand still at the ready, as he spun and disappeared with a pop.
"You won't get away with this," Radomere gasped, still lying where he had fallen.
"I already have," Callandra said. "Take my deal, Radomere. It's the best one you're going to get."
Then she too disapparated.
The Next Morning
Author: Cate
Date: 06-12-14 08:07
That morning Cate sat at the Ravenclaw table, she looked to her right where Jordana always sat and realized that she was not there and she would not be coming to the Great Hall for breakfast. Tears streamed down her face and she pushed her food around her plate with her fork.
She had wanted to tell Jordana what Professor Summerset had had her doing during her detention. Sorting skulls was not on the top of her list of things she wanted to do. It was kind of gross and creeped her out a little. She looked around again but still Jordana was nowhere to be seen – where was she…she was dead that is where. The anger built inside of her and she slammed down her hands on the table and got up and left the Great Hall. Preston looked after her and wanted to follow but thought better of it; maybe she just needed some time alone.
Cate started towards the Ravenclaw Common Room but she quickly headed for the hospital wing. She needed something to help her with this depression that was washing over her.
"Madam Pomfrey…Madam Pomfrey…" She panted as she ran into the hospital wing of the castle. "I am not feeling well…"
"Are you sick my dear?"
"Not per say," Cate said. "I just feel…down and like I don't want to be here."
"Come Dear, come with me and we will make you feel all better." She sat Cate down on the edge of a bed and began mixing a potion for her to drink. When she was done she walked over to Cate and said, "Drink this dear and will feel better. You are going to have to take this potion daily for a while as you work through your grief over Miss Walker." Cate nodded her head and drank the thick, nasty purple liquid.
Job Interview Gone Wrong
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 06-13-14 17:38
Bronwyn arrived at the WWN and checked in with reception. It was a bit strange having to announce her presence there rather than simply to say hello and move on to her office. Bronwyn didn't have an office there anymore, however, and was only there as an invited guest.
She'd had her interview for a new position the week after Easter and then had heard nothing. Bronwyn had almost thought she would never receive a response when an owl arrived a few days ago requesting she come for a second interview. Maybe there had been a lot of applicants and it had taken some time to whittle them down to a select few. Maybe too many had interviewed well and had a lot of experience in the field. Whatever the case may be, Bronwyn was there now to sell herself once more.
She didn't have to wait long before she was called in for her interview, by none other than Milla Tufton, her former coworker and someone with whom Bronwyn had never seen eye to eye. Bronwyn swallowed down her less-than-kind feelings and plastered on a smile. She followed Milla into the conference room where the interview was being held and shook hands with the two other panelists, who Bronwyn also knew from her time as an employee there.
"So, let's get down to it, shall we?" said one.
"Yes," Bronwyn said, with a bob of her head. She kept on smiling.
Milla cleared her throat. "Let's talk about your reliability," she began, tapping the feather-end of her quill against her thigh as she talked. "Your attendance wasn't very good the last time you worked here."
The smile fell from Bronwyn's face. "I'm sorry, but I don't see how calling in sick once or twice in the entire time I worked here constitutes poor attendance." She felt thrown for a loop. What sort of interview started with such an accusatory question?
Milla made a show of sifting through parchments from a folder in her lap and looked very pensive as she did so. "You missed three full months of work, which led to your termination…"
"On account of being kidnapped, and I wasn't sacked. I was presumed never to return since I could have been dead for all you lot knew," Bronwyn responded hotly. This interview was not going well. Not at all.
"Be that as it may, how can we be certain you won't disappear for several months if you are hired for this position?"
Bronwyn stared at Milla dumbfounded. When she finally found her tongue she asked, "Can anyone predict if they will unexpectedly go missing and for how long? I'll certainly do my best to avoid it. Merlin knows two kidnappings is more than enough to last a single lifetime. Why would I ever want to put myself through such horrors again? But if you really think anyone can circumvent the unsavory plans of others, than you're dumber than you look."
Milla's quill snapped in two.
Bronwyn stood up and extended her hand to the other two interviewers, apologizing for wasting their time, and then excused herself from the conference room without giving Milla a backwards glance. She breezed past the front desk, threw a hasty goodbye over her shoulder, and went out the doors.
It was late in the day. Toby had practice and wouldn't be home till late. Bronwyn wandered aimlessly for a while as she debated what to do and in order to cool off. Eventually she landed outside Chance's door. Bronwyn didn't know if Chance had plans this evening and hoped she wouldn't be disturbing her if she knocked on the door. They had yet to truly catch up on all the years they'd missed. So much had happened, too. She raised her hand to the door and knocked.
(Kate) Run-Ins
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 06-13-14 18:21
Kate stepped out of Professor Knight's office, thanking him once again for making a special appointment so that they could discuss the topic of her research paper. She planned on hitting the library next so that she could grab a few books on the subject while it was still fresh on her mind. It being a Friday night, the corridor around the library wasn't as busy as it tended to be during other times during the week.
She was nearly at the door when none other than Capri Brycin stepped out with an armful of books. The girls both staggered backwards out of alarm and in an effort to avoid colliding into one another. An awkward feeling crept over Kate when she realized she was alone for the first time ever with her ex-boyfriend's girlfriend. She didn't know what to say or how to act.
To her surprise, Capri didn't scowl at her or make fun. Instead she said, "Sorry," sounding like she meant it but also like she didn't want to make conversation.
A second later, Mark emerged from the library. He gave a start when he saw Capri and Kate standing in front of each other.
Kate looked at him only briefly and then mumbled, "It's all right," before stepping aside to let them pass.
She didn't see him give Capri a curious look or slip his arm around her shoulders and lead her down the hall.
Kate was in and out of the library, quickly finding several books on the subject she and Professor Knight had discussed. When she left the library, she nearly ran into Hugo.
Unlike Capri, she dropped one of her books. It landed on the flagstones with a loud thud.
"Sorry," Hugo said. "Didn't mean to give you a fright."
"You didn't," Kate said, giving him a kiss when he picked up the fallen book and took the rest from her arms.
"After your date with Professor Knight, I'm surprised you can even look at me without running the other way," Hugo teased.
Kate laughed. "He's not bad looking, but I think he's a little old for me."
"Lucky for me," Hugo said with a grin. "So, do you plan on hitting the books tonight or did you want to spend some time with your boyfriend instead?"
Kate pressed her lips into a smile. "Well, this is a major assignment…" she began, but then she linked her arm through his and said, "I suppose it is Friday evening. Where did you want to go?"
"The regular common room, okay? I don't mind socializing with your other friends, but Gus van Tassel's impressive musculature is giving me an inferiority complex."
Kate laughed at Hugo's joke. "The common room is fine, but are you sure Lon's presence won't make you feel like less of a man?" she asked, referring to a fifth year Hufflepuff boy who had recently bulked up much in the way Gus had done a few years ago.
Hugo looked crestfallen. "Now that you mention it… maybe we should hang out in the first year boy's dormitory room."
"Somehow I don't think they'd appreciate my presence."
"Good. I'm a very jealous man, you know."
Kate laughed some more and tugged him down the hallway.
Missing Ginny's First Match Back
Author: Harry Potter
Date: 06-13-14 19:45
Crouched low as another flash of chartreuse light passed overhead, Harry wishes not for the first time that his shift today had been earlier, allowing him to make Ginny's first match since Albus was born. Between the shift he's on today and the time difference to where the Harpies are playing meant he'd have to have put in for the day off or played sick for him to have any hope of seeing any of the game. Harry's not afraid of a fight but watching his wife play Quidditch does seem a far better option right about now.
The vague shape of fellow Auror Stefka Zhivko-Turner is barely visible through the thick, orange smoke someone trigger shortly after Stefka, Harry, and the others with them entered the building from various access points. He has no idea who set it off - one of the law enforcement personnel or one of the three they'd come after. If law enforcement, Harry doesn't know which of them did it. He doesn't think he did but he supposes it's possible. All he knows for sure is that not two seconds after he'd gained entrance through one door where he'd had to dismantle two traps, the smoke started.
Harry, with Stefka coming in through a window she'd also disarmed and then secured, were able to make progress down a hallway before the smoke got so thick it became difficult to see. That's when the spells started flying. They'd each found cover behind furniture in one of the rooms, luckily not encountering any other magical traps or hexes in the process of getting there, firing nearly blindly in the directions from where the flashes of dangerous light were coming.
From somewhere else in the building he hears shouting. He can't make out the words but the vocal tones sound like those of Auror Emily Pennington. Her voice stops then is answered by Connor MacRoth. Connor's deeper voice carries further, Harry distinctly hearing him say he's got one of the perps contained.
Two more rays of that chartreuse light flashes on either side of Harry's position. Each seems to come from a slightly different location so he's guessing there are either two people or one who's using two wands practically simultaneously. He quickly fires off a spell in the general direction of one of those light sources. Thinking the person or persons are constantly moving, making it all the more difficult to hit him? them? in this dense fog of orange, he's somewhat surprised to hear a yelp followed by a loud thump.
A single beam of light confirms that it is two as the one firing is calling to the friend in between cursing all magical law enforcement, Harry as the source of the colleague's injury in particular. This allows both Harry and Stefka to better locate the one casting spells at them. She shoots high, Harry goes low. The voice stops the foul barrage of language to cry out in pain before they hear a second thud. They wait a few seconds then once sure that both are down, they use their wands to force the orange smoke to thin, both watchful for other colleagues of the two in here who are down.
Binding the two who are unconscious, one a man and one a woman, Stefka voices a concern Harry's had. "I hope this smoke doesn't make any of us sick or cause blindness. My eyes burn horribly."
"My lungs do too. Unless it's something they could take a potion against, I don't think we have any long term worries. Neither is wearing any sort of breathing or eye protection."
Before leaving the room to continue on, sending out the spells to dispell the smoke still heavy in the hallway, Stefka and Harry do a thorough check of this room and ensure that neither prisoner is going anywhere soon. They secure the room behind them, making it exceedingly difficult for any comrades of those two to enter should one get past Stefka, Harry, or one of the other Aurors or Hit Wizards.
Setting out slowly down the hallway, mindful not only of more of the gang they're after but also of other traps, hexes, and cursed objects, Harry wonders how Ginny's match went. Unless it's one of those that goes on for ages, it's long over by now and she's probably at home or will be soon, having picked up the boys from her parents'. Stopping at a long, narrow area rug, Harry gets his mind back on the raid and the dangers at hand. Thoroughly checking out the runner which only covers a potion of the hallway, Stefka and he discover that it is indeed a trap. If anyone unauthorized stepped on it, the person would be whisked away though they have no idea where. Maybe to nowhere and that's the end of the person but it's probably to some type of cell where the intruder could be interogated before meeting some sort of grisly fate.
Working in conjunction, the two get the carpet rolled up and tagged, ensuring that the patterned portion is rolled inward as that's the spelled portion. Using a sticking charm to keep it in place propped against the wall, they continue on, eventually meeting up with a fifth member of the raid, Brent Trentson. Quickly filling Brent in on what's what with them so far and Brent doing the same, the three start down an intersecting hall, going in the direction they can hear both Connor MacRoth and Emily Pennington.
When they've subdued all the gang present, taking care of a number of other traps, curses and hexes, they've captured seven, killed two, and have found a trove of stolen items along with numerous dark arts objects. When he's able to leave for home hours later he still has no idea whether the Harpies won or not. He'll just have to wait until morning to find out.
Catching Up
Author: Chance Morgan Lovell
Date: 06-13-14 20:39
Chance had been sitting at her desk in her office and had been working on some photographs – some needed to be resized and others needed a touch up here or there when there was a knock at the door.
Getting up Chance went to the door and pulled it open to find Bronwyn standing there.
"Hi!" Chance said with a smile on her face. "What brings you by?"
Bronwyn shook her head and her smile faltered a little, "I had a rough job interview."
"Want to come in and tell me about it?" Bronwyn nodded and the two went inside. "Would you like some tea or butter beer or something stronger?"
"Tea is fine." She smiled and the two headed into the kitchen of the quaint little house. "I like your house." Bron said as she looked around.
"Thank you. I will give you the grand tour when we have had our tea."
Bron nodded again and smiled.
"So tell me what happened." Chance asked as she busied herself making the tea and some cucumber and cream cheese finger sandwiches for them to munch on. Bron told her story of how she had run in to someone she knew from a previous job and how the interview went south very quickly.
When Bron was finished with what she was saying Chance agreed that she had done the right thing in saying what she had said and then leaving. There really was nothing more she could do without letting the woman walk all over her.
"Good for you for standing up for yourself!" Chance finally said with a smile.
"Here you go." Chance said as she handed the plate of cucumber sandwiches to Bron. "The dinning table is in the little sun room just over there."
The two women sat down and Chance poured the tea and they each took a sandwich and began eating in silence for a few moments before Chance ventured into her story about how she lost her first husband, Torrance.
"They never figured out what was wrong with him?" Bron asked sympathetically.
Chance shook her head, "In the end they went with heart and organ failure as cause of death but there was something…but I don't know what. It killed him slowly and painfully." A tear slipped from Chance's eye and she whipped it away with the back of her hand and took another bite of her sandwich.
"I'm sorry, Chance. I really am. I wish I could have met him. He sounds like a wonderful man."
"He was."
"Did you two want to have babies together?"
Chance nodded, "yes. We tried the whole time up until he was too sick – I had three miscarriages and the doctors finally said I could not carry a baby to term."
"But you don't believe them?"
"No. I think I can with careful care and management." She let her hand fall to her pregnant belly and she smiled. "We really want to have this baby." Chance said.
Bron smiled at her friend and the two continued to eat and drink their tea and get caught up.
Kate
Author: Capri Brycin
Date: 06-13-14 21:00
Capri waited until they were in the Common Room before she said anything to Mark about Kate. "She seems…uh, nice."
"She is." Mark said but did not elaborate.
"Why did you break up?"
"Oh, you know things happen." He said still not elaborating any. Capri was getting frustrated with his answers.
"You're not going to tell me?" She pressed.
He shook his head, "there is nothing to talk about. Things just did not work out."
"I see. Fine. I won't bug you about it anymore I was just curious."
Mark closed his eyes and sighed knowing he wasn't telling his girlfriend the truth bothered him but it was better left unsaid about the whys and how's of how they broke up; right now Capri was a good distraction from Kate, and he did like her and he didn't want to ruin that just yet.
Setting her books down on the table in the Common Room she turned and pushed Mark playfully into a chair and then sat herself into his lap a smile playing over her face and she began kissing and nipping at his neck.
"Get a room!" Andromeda yelled across the Common Room as she entered. "That is a disgusting sight.
Capri rolled her eyes and she turned and looked at her sister. "If you don't like it you can leave."
"Capri don't, just let it go." Mark said. "Come on let's just go down to the Common Commons or find some place a little more private."
With a smile on her face she nodded and got up from Mark's lap and the two left the Common Room and her sister standing there.
"Bitch!" Andromeda called from behind Capri. Capri began to spin around but Mark grabbed her hand and stopped her.
"Come on."