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The Binder
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 12-15-15 18:30
Bronwyn stepped out of the WWN office and made the short walk to Brews & Stews, where she was supposed to be meeting Chance for lunch. When Bronwyn suggested she go to Diagon Alley so that Chance didn't have to travel every time they decided to meet up in the middle of the work day, Chance stated resolutely that she preferred Hogsmeade over Diagon Alley because Jonathan was less likely to be there.
Bronwyn found Chance seated in the back of the café, a cup of tea at her elbow and the menu closed on the small, round table. Chance brightened at the sight of Bronwyn and rose slightly to give her friend a quick hug.
"Tell me you have good news," Chance said. She looked a bit stressed, which Bronwyn would later learn was because Chance had spent more time in the office than out of it that morning, which had put her in close proximity to not only her ex but the other woman. It was a bit of a delicate situation for Bronwyn, because the other woman was her sister-in-law, Katherine.
"I do," Bronwyn said, and with a smile, she set down a binder labeled Eligible Bachelors.
Chance's eyes lit up and the sight and she clapped her hands together and exclaimed, "Goodie!"
She opened the binder to the first page, while Bronwyn gave her drink order to the waitress just arrived at their table. Bronwyn reached for Chance's menu to make her lunch selection. Chance paused in reading the bio of Bachelor #1 to tell the waitress that she wanted a garden salad and a small cup of broccoli cheese soup.
Once the waitress left to give Bron more time with her order, Bron said, "It's alphabetized for your convenience. I know every single person in that binder, but some much better than others. Ah, Carloman. Do you remember him?"
He had been a year behind them at Hogwarts and in Ravenclaw. He'd been cute back then but now he was quite handsome. Bronwyn had run into him at a Montrose Magpies game not too long ago and the pair had caught up while watching Toby and the other guys beat the Appleby Arrows. Carloman was a healer, but he wasn't employed at St. Mungo's Hospital. Instead, he worked as a traveling healer in third world countries.
Another ex-boyfriend, Lewis Levine, was a solicitor in New York City.
Hunter MacRoth, Toby's best friend, made the binder too.
Then there was Justus Monroe, one of Chance's old boyfriends. Bronwyn had been hesitant to put him in the binder, but in her own experience, her first love was also her true love. The same might not hold true for Chance, but who knew?
Some performers also made the list, but none of the members of The Wicked Wizards of the West. After what happened with Xavier Schoonmaker and Desi all those years ago, Bronwyn decided not to include those band members in her matchmaking project. Instead, she included Troy Roxburgh of Nine Inch Wands, a slightly older but good-looking and very muscled wizard; Walton Walsingham, lead singer of Wrock Band; and the coincidentally named Chance Daley, who was a backup dancer for Romeo Butterwick.
The binder was thick. Each person, and there were many more, had at least one page with information, but some warranted more. Chance had a lot of reading to do.
"Read it through and tell me what you think," Bronwyn said, before turning to the returning waitress to give her lunch order.
"This is…" Chance began, unsure how to describe it. "It's a masterpiece!" she finally said.
Bronwyn beamed at her. "Thanks. It was fun for me, and I hope it was worth the effort too!"
"Oh, I'm sure it will be. There's so much!"
Bronwyn laughed. "I say you take the afternoon off and do your homework."
"Don't tempt me!" Chance replied with a sly grin.
(Gillian) Innocent
Author: Beck
Date: 12-16-15 18:22
Gillian arrived home to find a pair of smartly dressed wizards on her doorstep. In the dark, it took her a moment to realize that she recognized both of the wizards. They worked for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and had presented her with a search warrant at the beginning of the summer, after which they'd gone through all her things and discovered ghastly items she didn't know were in with her possessions.
Because of that day, and the events that followed, Gillian had had to take a leave of absence from the forensic healing program at St. Emrys, had been ordered to stay away from the morgue at St. Mungo's where she worked clinical rotations, and had been forced to take a job cleaning toilets in order to pay the rent on her flat.
She looked startled to see the wizards there and wondered if they had finally come to arrest her for allegedly stealing body parts and selling them on the black market. If so, then she wouldn't be the only Beck in jail. Her half-brother Anthony still sat in a holding cell at the Ministry of Magic. His incarceration there seemed to be the longest on record.
"Can I help you?" she asked warily, not even bothering to put her key in the door.
"Ms. Colley, we attempted to contact you earlier today," said one of the two wizards. "Did you not get the owl?"
Gillian shook her head. She had spent most of the day in the home of a paranoid client who had charms on the house to keep unexpected visitors, owls included, out. Gillian imagined a confused owl bearing a letter for her, knowing its target was somewhere nearby but being unable to find her.
"May we come inside? We need to speak with you about your situation."
What? No threat to blast open the door this time? The words were on her lips but she didn't voice them. Instead, she nodded, put her key in the door, and led the two wizards inside the flat.
She gestured for them to have a seat on the sofa and mumbled something about fixing a pot of tea.
The first wizard raised a hand and said, "No need. We won't be long."
He indicated to his colleague, who produced a packet from the inside of his coat. Gillian slowly walked over and sank into the armchair adjacent to the sofa and accepted the packet from the man.
"We've come to offer you a formal apology for investigating you. We know now that you were framed to take the fall. The real thief has been arrested and has confessed to all the allegations, including breaking and entering into your home and planting evidence."
The other wizard said, "We understand that you were caused undue duress, and while we cannot give you compensation, we can help you move forward with your life. Inside the packet, you'll find a formal declaration of your innocence to give to your school or employer if your return is challenged. There are also options for employment at the Ministry of Magic, should you like to make a fresh start. Please, don't hesitate to contact either of us if you have questions or need further assistance. Our names and the name of our direct supervisor are listed there for your convenience. Do you have any questions for us now?"
Gillian didn't even know where to start. Why couldn't they compensate her for the stress she had felt since June? She had missed a whole term at St. Emrys because of them! Her professors and supervisors at St. Mungo's probably wouldn't ever trust her again, even with a formal declaration of innocence waived in their faces. Her name would forever be tarnished because of somebody's misinformation.
The thoughts whirled through her head one after the other.
"Ms. Colley?" asked the first wizard. "I know it's a lot to take in…"
It was a lot to take in, but the threat of going to prison on false charges was gone now. That was a relief, at least.
Gillian allowed herself a small smile and thanked the two wizards. She wanted them out of her flat as quickly as possible. They got up, apologizing again, and offered her their hands in turn. She shook their hands, saw the wizards out, and then locked the door behind them.
Working Late
Author: Charlie Weasley
Date: 12-16-15 20:15
Charlie makes corrections to a paragraph, loudly expelling air. The writer of this paper has yet to grasp how to write a research paper. If the writer had been a Hogwarts student Charlie thinks he'd be paying Minerva McGonagall a visit to express dismay that someone with such poor research and writing skills was allowed to graduate from there.
A glance at the clock lets him know he's been at this a lot longer than he'd thought it might take. At least Hen knows he'll be late much of this week. St. Emrys is in final examinations, or in the case of the class for which he's grading this paper, final papers and projects. This is the only course he currently has a paper in place of a final exam. Next term he may alter that to be a smaller paper and give a written exam. He'll have to mull that over a bit.
Not helping timewise is that Charlie's mind keeps going to the stalled effort to gain enough evidence that dragon keeper Raymond Washington is behind the mysterious dragon deaths and what seems to be his attempts to manipulate dragon DNA. Pierce Ford's official statement isn't enough, even though he has three times now submitted voluntarily to being questioned while under the influence of Veritaserum.
A knock on his door has Charlie looking up and calling, "Come in."
Charity Mumson pokes her head in, "Hi, have a moment, professor?"
"Yes, certainly, Miss Mumson. Have a question about the exam?"
"More like a problem."
"In addition to school I work. Four people have come down with flu and the few others of us have been scheduled to cover. I got my exam times cleared weeks ago so I would have those times free but now the assistant manager has me down to work during your exam. The manager who approved my being off is one of the ones out sick so I can't really go to her about this. If I don't show up, I'll be fired. If I lie and say I'm sick too, then I'd have to cover the lie by not working shifts I am able to do, which means I lose that money."
Charlie nods along as she's talking. When Charity stops to take a breath he puts a schedule on the corner of his desk where she can see it. "The blocked out slots are my other exams this week. You could sit in during one of them to take your exam. We could also schedule you to come to my office."
Charity pulls a sheet of parchment from her purse and looks back and forth from it to the weekly schedule on the desk. She taps a blocked out slot for Thursday morning. I can do this one."
Charlie nods again once, making a notation to remind himself. Charity profusely thanks him then leaves him to read through and grade the last of these papers. He's able to get it done without too much time spend with a mind wandering to thoughts of Raymond Washington and Pierce Ford. After recording the grade he puts the papers in the file cabinet, tucks his grade book under his arm, and leaves, locking the door behind him. He'll get the grades for this class averaged later tonight after he's had some time with his kids before they go to bed and with his wife, who has thankfully not had any bad incidents since the one the same day Schuyler broke his arm.
Mrs. Lee Sickleby
Author: Alaia Rothstein
Date: 12-17-15 18:48
Alaia lay in bed next to Lee and traced her fingers over his chest as he slept. She was now Mrs. Alaia Sickelby and she could hardly believe it. After all the planning and everything the wonderful wedding that they had been planning for went off without a hitch. It really had been amazingly beautiful.
Lee stirred next to her and she wrapped her arm tighter around him and kissed his chest.
"Mmmm," Lee moaned softly. "Good morning beautiful."
Alaia smiled and kissed him again. "Good morning Dear Husband." The words still seemed foreign to her but she liked saying that Lee was her husband. "What shall we do today?"
"I think we should stay in bed." He whispered. "Order room service and do whatever else comes to mind." He laughed and kissed Alaia firmly on the lips.
"As much as I love this idea it is out last day in Italy before we head off to Greece tomorrow."
"Okay." Lee laughed light heartedly. "I'll take you out and show you all around to those places that the tourists don't go."
"I like it." Alaia giggled and kissed her husband again. And with that parting kiss she got up and padded to the shower where she got ready for their last day in Italy.
(Jonathan) Conflicted and Confused
Author: Chance Morgan Lovell
Date: 12-17-15 19:13
Jonathan sat at his desk and looked at Katherine who was busy working on an assignment; Chance wasn't in the office and he was glad of that. It was always stressful when Chance was there – the ex and the other woman it did not make for fun times.
He didn't know if he was happy or not he still loved Chance but he was having intense feelings for Katherine. He was a man torn between two women. However, he was glad that he was not married already when the affair started magical divorce was expensive and he didn't want to have to deal with that too. He also knew that Chance was not going to take him back – once she made up her mind about something there was no changing it and he knew this was no different; not that he could blame her. She had been through a lot with the two miscarriages and then….and then the affair he just hoped that she would be happy.
Katherine looked up and caught him staring at her, she smiled and he shook his head and smiled back at her. She watched him for a long minute before she looked away and he tried to look busy shuffling his papers around his desk.
Finally, he got up and left the building all together. He had to get out and get some air. He walked down the street and breathed in the cool air. He thought about it and just about this time last year things had been so different – he had been decorating the flat for Christmas, singing and having a good time. Now, he didn't know what he was doing, he just knew that he was having feelings for Katherine and he wasn't sure if she felt the same for him.
Going back to the office he walked over to Katherine's desk and asked her to dinner – he wanted to talk to her and find out where he stood with her, was she just using him or was there something more to their relationship?
Renovations
Author: Nathaniel Ross
Date: 12-19-15 14:30
Nate was looking at the area that would be turned into the inn's reception. It wasn't a large hall, but there would be enough space for a counter, and for the guests' luggage. Right now the main challenge was to incorporate a fireplace in the area. There was a fireplace in the division Jenny wanted to convert into the dining room. She wanted to remove that fireplace and put it at the hall, so if guests arrived via Floo, they would be right where they needed to be. It was a good idea, but Nate wasn't sure if it would work or not. He waved his wand, to make a measuring tape move around the hall, and he wrote down its dimensions. The cottage had been built when Jenny's grandmother was young and it had no blueprints, so when they started renewing the cottage, and doing the necessary changes to convert it into an inn, they needed to measure every division.
"It's going to work," a voice said behind him. Nate lost his concentration and the measuring tape fell on the floor, lifeless.
"You scared me!" he told Jenny.
"I used the fireplace. See? Guests will scare whoever is at the desk, if they come this way. We really need to install a fireplace here. If there's no room, we can use magic. I'm sure there is a way to make this work."
Nate nodded and used his wand to make the measuring tape disappear. He asked Jenny if she didn't have classes. She said she had a class in half an hour, but she decided to check on him. Later, after lunch, she would appear again and help Nate with whatever division he was working at. He was mostly using magic to paint walls, apply wallpapers, fixing windows and the floor. At first, he was a bit clumsy but after practicing a bit, he got the hand at it. It used to be his father who did all the needed repairs at home, during summer. Nate would watch, because at the time he still wasn't old enough to be allowed to use magic outside the school. Now these tasks made Nate think about his father and it often felt like he was there with him, giving him instructions on how to do things.
Once all the renovations where done, Jenny would handle the decorations and decide what else needed to be bought, such as bedsheets, dishes, etc. She was going to finish her degree in Restaurant and Hospitality next summer, and so she had more experience than Nate on these things. However, he was learning as well, because he had asked Jenny to borrow him some of her college books so he could take a look at.
"Are you going to Tim's party?" Jenny then asked.
"Yes," Nate said.
"I can't believe he had the nerve to do an inauguration apartment party and invite you. It's not like he bought the place. I told him he was being rude to you."
"It's all right, I don't mind."
When Nate heard about Nate's intentions of selling his apartment, he had approached his best friend and asked him if he would be interested in renting instead. Nate thought it was a good solution: the rent would serve as a salary to him, while he wouldn't have to lose the apartment. He made an affordable price to Tim and he couldn't be happier because the apartment was in good hands. Tim had planned to make a party there to celebrate. He also revealed to Nate he had asked Imogen to move in with him. She had accepted, and everyone seemed happy but Jenny who was going to lose her roommate at St. Emrys. Next term she would have to share her room with someone new.
"I don't know if I'm going," Jenny admitted.
"Please come," Nate found himself saying. He didn't know Tim's work colleagues and even if he didn't mind the party he was throwing, he was thinking of just being there for a moment and leave. But with Jenny there, the situation would change. They could continue to work on their project, or maybe even talk about something else.
Jenny didn't reply as she looked at her watch and announced she had to go back to St. Emrys or she would be late for her class. He watched her leave, suddenly hoping she would decide to come to her brother's party.
Ethan and Oliver
Author: Ethan Somerset
Date: 12-20-15 09:23
Ethan stood at the front of his classroom and lectured his Gryffindor and Slytherin second years on magical creatures associated with the dark arts. Today's discussion had to do with the sphinx and the vampire bat.
A real life sphinx he could not bring to class, but Ethan had several cages containing bats, which Jolyon Kent and Hagrid had kindly provided for him. It being the middle of the day, the bats hung upside down from the top of the cages and appeared to be sleeping. There were three types: the common vampire bat, the hairy-legged vampire bat, and the white-winged vampire bat.
It was not at all difficult to let his mind wander to a different dark creature while he lectured. Ethan knew that Kingsley's spy had forwarded staged information to Adriana, but Ethan had not heard any news from the Death Eater front in response. It worried him, to say the least. As much as he wanted to help authorities capture the leader of the dark wizards as well as her followers, the uncertainty about what exactly she wanted from him was cause for concern.
If she wanted to recruit the remaining members of Project 25, would she be able to successfully trigger him to do her bidding? If she tried and failed, would he know? Would the Minister of Magic ask him to pretend to serve Adriana? Ethan had many questions to what ifs that might never need answering.
Deep down, Ethan knew he would help however he could, but things were different now. He had a daughter, and he had a nephew under his wing here at Hogwarts. If something happened to him, they wouldn't be alone, but Ethan didn't want Lilly to grow up an orphan and he didn't want Oliver to lose his only familial link to the wizarding world.
Oliver had no idea what his uncle was up to outside of teaching at Hogwarts. He currently sat in the History of Magic classroom and listened to Professor Morgan give one of her final lectures of Fall Term. He couldn't believe that he had already been at Hogwarts three full months and that his first ever term was nearly at an end.
This time last year, Oliver never would have believed he would attend the school where his uncle Ethan taught magic. Magic! Now Oliver couldn't imagine being anywhere else, or learning mundane things like arithmetic and Muggle history. Not only did he have a good relationship with one of the teachers, but he had made a lot of friends too. In fact, he was sitting next to one of them now.
Rand was studiously recording what Professor Morgan was saying, which prompted Oliver to pick up his quill and start writing too. He wondered if he had missed anything in the brief moment he'd zoned out and hoped that Rand wouldn't mind lending him his notes later, just in case something wound up on the final next week.
Oliver would be going home for Christmas. He hadn't really realized it while at Hogwarts, thanks to having a relative already there and friends like Rand and Grace, but he did miss his parents and siblings and couldn't wait to see them again. Realizing he'd tuned out yet again, Oliver forced himself to listen and take notes and somehow managed not to get distracted for the rest of class.
Asha Comes to Visit
Author: Karma Davyd
Date: 12-20-15 18:02
No sooner had all three girls been properly tucked into bed, did Asha step through the fireplace, dusting a touch of ash from her top and slipping her jacket from her shoulders and hanging it on the coat rack.
"Evening Mum, girls just got settled into bed. They'll be excited to see you in the morning," I said, hugging my mother tightly before slipping into the kitchen and getting us each a glass of wine.
"Sorry, I'd have been here sooner, but was helping Broderick with a few things. He is doing quite well, and has been talking about his plans for uni while still working on his current project," Asha said as she accepted the glass of wine and settled on the couch.
"You're fine. They still have no idea that you are here for a couple of days, and it's good to hear that Broderick is doing well."
There was a bit of a silence as they enjoyed their wine for a few moments. It would be Asha that broke the silence.
"Before I start this conversation, please tell me that your wand is not within reach. I do not feel like being hexed or cursed because I'm bringing it up," Asha said eyeing her daughter carefully.
I sighed, pushing a hand through my hair, knowing well exactly what is coming. It has only been a year since Dexter's death and this is most likely the conversation that would encourage me to get back out and start dating and looking for a suitable husband.
"My wand is not within ready reach Mum, and I've no intention of hexing or cursing you for bringing up this particular topic. I've been expecting it, considering that it will be two years since Dexter died this coming March," I said curling my legs beneath me and taking a sip from my wine.
Asha shook her head and took another sip from her glass before pressing onward, "I know that you still mourn him. But, it is only right that you start looking again for someone worthy of being a father to those beautiful little girls."
I took a few moments to suppress my initial smart ass comment to the fact that I didn't actually -need- to find a father figure for my daughters. "I know Mum, and I just feel weird using a service like Magical Match, or something like that. Besides, I highly doubt many men will be thrilled about dating someone with three children and still mourning her husband."
"You'd be surprised Karma, things aren't like they used to be," Asha said as she pulled a few parchments from her purse and handed them over.
I looked at the dossiers now in my lap, information on men Asha had spoken to about me. Surprisingly not all of them were Indian and that meant that my mother was indeed broadening her outlook on what her daughter might prefer when it comes to getting involved with someone.
"You've been busy Mum," I said looking down at a couple of them. It would seem that almost all of them lived in London or surrounding areas, and that would make things a bit easier to get in contact with them if I so chose.
"I just thought about giving you a gentle push in the direction you need to go dearest daughter," Asha said taking another sip of her wine.
"I'll consider it Mother, and look over the information you've given me and possibly contact some of the gentlemen you've given your stamp of approval to," I said offering my mother a light smile.
They talked for a few more hours, before ultimately they both retired to bed. Karma had classes in the morning, and Asha had every intention of making a delicious breakfast for her granddaughters before they had to go to school and daycare. Though, Asha had nearly convinced Karma to allow the girls to stay home with their grandmother.
Study Break (Cat)
Author: Fionna
Date: 12-20-15 19:19
Returning from a coffee refill Catriona comments, "You know, until I think I can count on one hand how many times I had coffee before I became a St. Emrys students.
Megara Flynn, who has a giant cup of the brew in front of her, smiles in understanding. "For the most part, same here. I didn't drink coffee often but when I did I tended to have more than one cup. Now, I live off the stuff."
Cat rearranges some notecards into a single, neat stack then stirs cream in her coffee. With this being final examinations week at St. Emrys one of the canteens is open late each night. She had thought about going home to finish studying but knows she'd have ended up turning in ages ago. She'd left the library to come to the canteen for something to eat, running into Megara who was also grabbing a bite and who is studying for the same exam Cat is, though they are in two different sections of the course.
Reaching for one of the fried cheese bites she'd gotten when getting the coffee refill Cat asks, "How was your date the other night?"
"So so. I think it's the last with that one."
"Sorry. I think."
Megara waves a hand. "It's fine. The more I went out with him the more I got to see his self-centered side. He's got enough of one I'm surprised it wasn't in full view right from the start."
"Good then that you didn't date for very long."
"True, but now I have to start all over again. I hate first dates." Megara reaches for one of the fried cheese bites. "I meant to ask earlier. How's Christopher?"
"One moment he's fine and the next he's a mess. He's still in a little bit of shock and definitely has post traumatic stress."
"Is he taking exams?"
"He's insisted even though all but one of his professors offered to give him an extension on course work and exams."
"Maybe going to class, doing assignments, taking tests helps him."
"Most likely but his focus isn't what it normally is. I'm concerned his marks will fall enough to affect the rest of his time at St. Emrys. He's being stubborn though and even the therapist he's seen wasn't able to take the extension."
"I'm not sure how I'd react if I killed someone, even by accident. Any word on Amalia?"
"You know she didn't come back to school after that night?" At Megara's nod and murmured yes Cat continues. "She's not answering letters nor will she see anyone who goes to see her."
Megara frowns then yawns, saying, "Sorry," afterwards.
"I'm tired enough too that the coffee isn't helping as much anymore. What say we go through this material once more than call it a night?"
"A sound plan but let me top off my coffee first. I need the slight buzz to get through another run through."
A few minutes later Megara and Cat are once again immersed in studying, both eager to get out of there and get some sleep before having to write more exams tomorrow.
Breakfast
Author: Tiberius Nott
Date: 12-21-15 14:48
"The Kenmare Krestels will win. Here's my galleon, now write it down."
"You're a fool. Only if a couple trolls were set free on the pitch and knocked down the polls, then maybe the Kenmare Krestels would win. Nah, I say the victory belongs to Puddlemere United. And I bet two galleons on that."
"I bet three knuts on Puddlemure,"someone else said.
"Only three?" asked the witch who was writing down the bets and collecting the money.
"Yes, my girlfriend doesn't like when I bet."
"Three then. What about you Nott? Will you bet this time?"
"No. But if I had to, I would go for the Krestels."
The wizard who had bet the Kenmare Krestels would win, raised his fist with joy, because someone agreed with him regarding the result of the upcoming match against Puddlemere United. Tiberius would like to make a bet, but he knew it was better not do so because if Judith Foxcastle found out, it could be something she would use against him. She could claim that betting money at the Leaky Cauldron at eight in the morning, wasn't a very good quality for someone who was looking for to regain his brother's guardianship.
He was working the night shift at the desk of St. Mungo's, and when his shift ended he went to have breakfast with some of the other workers. When he worked during the morning shift, instead of breakfast people would go to the pub for a drink. Tiberius had lived so long in the solitude of Endhope Abbey that he forgot what it was like to spend time with other people. These breakfasts reminded him of Hogwarts and the meals he had shared with his house colleagues. He even had the funny feeling Elphaba Evercreech, his tutor, was present back then. Could she have been a Slytherin?
While his work colleagues continued discussing the Quidditch League, Tiberius thought about stopping by Diagon Alley and buy his birthday present to Titus. He would turn fifteen on the eleventh. Tiberius wanted to buy something special for his brother, but at the same time nothing too extravagant: who knows what Judtih Foxcastle might think of it. His first idea had been a broomstick but Titus' interest on Quidditch seemed to be fading away with age. Tiberius knew he didn't try out for the Slytherin team this year or even talked about it. He decided to ask his colleagues about it. Maybe they would have a good idea. He was discovering how people tended to help each other, when asked. Tiberius wasn't used to count on anyone when he had a problem, but now people came to him at times wanting to know his opinion about many things, like which cake they should bake for their mother in law, or what spell was better to repel a nosy neighbor. He was learning he could ask people for help too.
Now his colleagues were talking about the man that appeared last night at the hospital with an elephant's snout in his face. Some had seen the wizard, others had just heard about it. Apparently he had been trying some sort of human transfiguration, which went completely wrong.
"I heard he will have to stay a week at the hospital."
"Don't be silly, the healers will fix it in a minute."
"I guess it depends on the healer."
"I bet he will stay three days. One galleon."
"I thought your girlfriend didn't like you to bet?"
"What she doesn't know won't hurt her. Who wants to bet?"
They started throwing days and hours, as the witch started taking a note of everything. Tiberius just smiled as he finished his breakfast, once again refusing entering the bet.
(Katherine) Thoughts
Author: Beck
Date: 12-23-15 15:49
Katherine stood in the dark room in the basement of the offices of The Daily Prophet and developed photographs she had taken earlier that morning. She and one of the newspaper's investigative reporters had gone out to the scene of a murder to cover the breaking story. Katherine had gotten a good shot of a sheet-covered corpse and one pale hand exposed. The victim was female and the cause of death suspicious in a dark magic kind of way, which had the news media questioning whether Death Eaters had been involved. So far, law enforcement wouldn't say what they theorized or perhaps already knew as fact.
Katherine clipped a couple of photographs to the line and let her mind wander to her dinner with Jonathan from the night before last. It had been the first time that things had been awkward between them, other than those early days when Katherine had had a big crush on him and didn't think he would ever give her a second glance.
Their date had started out with a lot of pensive silence on Jonathan's part.
He looked concerned, if not a little bit unhappy, but what was bothering him or making him seem so different than usual was a mystery to Katherine. She finally couldn't take it anymore.
"Are you breaking up with me?" she asked.
Deep down she had always known that theirs was a relationship that might not last, if only because of how it had started. Besides, she was her father's daughter. Tobias Beck's marriage had lasted till death, but his relationship with Katherine's mother had been nothing more than a fling. Jonathan may not have been married to Chance, but they'd been well on their way to being husband and wife. Maybe Katherine was only ever meant to be a fling.
Jonathan looked startled and exclaimed, "What? No."
"Then why are you acting like you're ready to cut me loose? Is it Chance? Do you want to get back together with her?"
Jonathan hesitated just long enough for Katherine's heart to drop into her stomach. "Oh."
"Even if I did," Jonathan quickly said, "she won't ever take me back. With Chance, things are final."
Katherine couldn't help herself. "So, you're settling with me, then? Is that it? You can't have your fiancée back, so your mistress will just have to do?"
"No!" Jonathan exclaimed, and his hands came down onto the table, causing the wine in their glasses to spill over the sides and stain the white tablecloth red. He sighed deeply and rubbed his face with his hands. "This is coming out all wrong."
Katherine looked at him through slightly narrowed eyes but didn't say anything and instead waited for him to clarify himself.
"The truth is," he began, setting his hands onto the table more gently now, "I really care about you, Katherine. Yes, I still have feelings for Chance and maybe I always will because she was supposed to be the girl I married, and she was almost the mother of my children." He paused to formulate his thoughts and then continued, "But the more I'm with you, the more I get to know you, really know you, I realize that you mean a lot to me. The thing is, I don't know if I mean anything to you."
Just when Katherine thought she might soften towards him, she felt her hackles rise up again. "What? Do you think I'm using you for sex?"
He opened his mouth to say something, but Katherine cut him off with a wave of her hand. "How could you even ask that? I thought my feelings for you were pretty clear, but apparently I have to spell everything out for you. I care about you, Jonathan, apparently more than you ever realized."
Katherine got to her feet and grabbed her purse. "I have to go," she said in a tight voice. "You've given me a lot to think about."
She hadn't been back to the flat since and instead spent her nights in Manchester with her grandparents. Of course, she still saw Jonathan and work and he did try talking to her, but so far she only ever told him that she needed some space and time to think.
If Chance noticed the lovers' spat, she never indicated, which suited Katherine just as well.
No Longer A Grinch
Author: Blossom
Date: 12-23-15 19:22
Dexter restlessly shifts in his chair, waiting for his granddaughter to be ready to go to lunch. He could have waited in her office or in the kitchen or one of the other child-free rooms but decided to wait in a room used by the daycare primarily for art projects. A room that is currently in use by a class of four year olds who are doing finger paintings of winter and holiday scenes. Why he chose to sit in here he has no idea.
Or perhaps he does have an idea.
A little girl with russet colored hair that shines in the light points a paint stained finger at her work. "You like?"
"Yes, it's very nice. Is that for your mom and dad?"
The head shakes. "Grandmummy Bess."
"Grandmummy Bess will quite like it."
"My name's Bess too."
"Would you like to put your name on your picture for her?"
"I don't write my name no good yet."
"I'll help you." Dexter rises from his chair, a little slowly thanks to the arthritis that bites now and then in one hip and goes to the easel. "What color do you want it in?"
"Pink but dere ain't no pink no more."
Based on the amount of pink in the picture, right down to the pink Christmas tree, Dexter is not surprised that Bess wants her name in pink nor that all the pink is gone.
"I think I can help you with that too." He looks over at the next easel where a little boy industriously works. "Hi, are you using any of your pink?"
"Pink is icky."
"How about Bess here lets you have some of her green and you let her use some of your pink."
The little boy, Damon if Dexter understands him correctly, readily agrees. After Bess has some of the pink on her index finger, Dexter helps guide her hand to write her name in the spot she's chosen on her work of art. No sooner are they done then Damon asks for help doing the same, only he's chosen purple for his name.
The time waiting for Blossom goes speedily by as Dexter helps others write their names or the names of the person or persons who will be receiving the pictures. When Blossom is done with whatever task she was involved in and is ready to go to lunch, Dexter has immensely enjoyed the time waiting, the children tell him to come again, and the teacher overseeing them thanks him and agrees with the children that he should come back.
Exiting the daycare with Blossom, Dexter wonders why it took him so many years to take joy from moments such as that. Years ago, before his great grandchildren arrived, he most likely would never have considered assisting a child like that much less enjoy spending time in a room full of them. He would have complained and criticized, and certainly would have waited elsewhere, complaining also about having to wait.
Dexter decides that over lunch he'll apologize to Blossom for not being a better grandparent to her and for, at times, making her life miserable with this dictatorial, no nonsense ways.