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Bothered By A Letter
Author: S Snape
Date: 12-26-16 19:48
"What's in that letter that has you constantly taking it out to look at?" Selma Szyslak asks.
Harley shoves the letter back into her bag, annoyed with herself for having no self-control after repeatedly telling herself she would not look at the letter again. "From my mum," she replies to Selma with a shrug.
"She seems nice. She telling you you have to stay over for the hols or something?"
"That wasn't my mum you met," Harley explains in reference to one of the times there was a campus event that allowed family to attend. "That was my gran."
Remembering being introduced to the woman as Mrs. Croft Selma understandable concludes, "Your dad's mum." Her face screws up and she gets an odd look on her face. "But she and your dad were holding hands."
"Me mum's mum. Gran and Dad are married now."
Selma digests this tidbit, going quite for a moment. "How is it I've known you over three months and didn't know this bizarre fact about your family?"
"Do I know all the bizarre facts about yours?"
"There aren't any. Hmmm, maybe one. My uncle, Osmund, has six toes on one foot. Bloody odd to see when he's wearing sandals or going barefoot."
Harley shudders at the thought of such a weird sight. After adding some chicken to her plate she tells Selma, "The letter is my mum asking to see me over the break. Dave got one too."
"Divorce and custody not on good terms then?"
"Mum's in prison. Dave and I usually visit once a month. She's peeved we've not been since August."
"Prison? Prison like Azkaban?"
"Don't know what Azkaban is. It's a place called Bronzefield."
"Azkaban is the British wizarding prison. Lots of scary stories about it." Selma nods towards the head table. "Professor Black has been there." She narrows her eyes in thought before adding, "So have Professors Snape and Somerset."
"By been there you mean in prison," Harley clarifies. She's been to Bronzefield but only as a visitor.
"Yeah."
"How do you know all that?"
Selma looks off in the distance, her eyes narrowing again but after a few seconds she looks to Harley again with a shake of her head. "Don't know. I just do."
Selma quizzes Harley more about her family though for some reason never asks why Harley's mother is in prison or how long the sentence is. With History of Magic just after lunch the two girls have to leave the Great Hall far sooner than either would like. Before going to class Harley needs to drop off a Secret Santa gift for Professor Nott.
When drawing the name Tiberius Nott Harley had been somewhat stymied as to what to get the man. He's one of her teachers but she's one of the ones she feels she hardly knows. Ultimately, she got him a mug that reads Espresso Patronum after being assured it's a wizarding world pun. Because she felt that inadequate as a gift by itself she also got him a hat with a decidedly steampunky feel. Harley isn't sure steampunk is a thing in the wizarding world but nevertheless she hopes Professor Nott, whom she finds a wee bit odd, likes it.
Unlike Harley, Dave has read the letter from his mother once. He's thought about it but has had no overwhelming urge to read it over and over. He's not even sure he wants to visit her. He's not missed the trips to Bronzefield or the awkward conversation. Dave can't say he misses his mother much either.
Also unlike Harley, Dave has already placed under the big tree in the Common Commons the Secret Santa gift from him to Seth Weasley. Dave got Seth a couple of games that are from the Muggle world, Cluedo and Mousetrap, but should be interesting for the Ravenclaw, especially since they can be played when he's at home and not allowed to use magic. Or, Dave wondered when putting the package wrapped in dancing snowmen paper if there were magical elements to either game if they would be considered like those that make wizarding chess wizarding. He's not yet figured that one out. With an Herbology exam to get to he's got other things to think about at this moment.
Exiting the Great Hall just behind Dave, Severus reminds himself that he really must get Grace Valentine's Secret Santa gift delivered. He so rarely has participated in the anonymous present exchange that while he was prompt in selecting a gift for Miss Valentine he has been neglectful in placing it under the tree that seems to be so popular for the delivery of such presents.
Severus might be surprised at the coincidence of purchasing two items to serve at the Secret Santa gift, just as relatives Harley and Dave have done. He has yet to mention anything of the familial relationship to Carol Croft. Perhaps he shall do that the next occasion they meet. Perhaps he shall never speak of it to her or to either child.
The two items for Grace Valentine are both Ravenclaw themed, a shirt and a poster. With a Potions exam to administer to the sixth years Severus tells himself he'll deliver the gift once class ends.
Gifts
Author: Celeste Quigley
Date: 12-27-16 14:39
Celeste was in the Astronomy tower, preparing things for today's class. There were some end term tests she had finished correcting and she planned to deliver them today to her sixth year students. One of the students was her Secret Santa, Amorica Wenlock, which was also a member of the Slytherin House. Celeste bought Amorica a pair of winter boots. They were at the same time practical and fashionable but without being too much.
This year she had decided to pass Christmas at the castle with Eugene. Usually Eugene would take a few days off from work, but this year he hasn't been able to do so, and so they decided to remain in the castle.
Caleb on the other hand was excited to spend Christmas with his father. He usually did so with his mother and Nigel, but this year things would be different. He was hoping his father would not get him involved on some ghost hunt. Tobias believed ghosts were more active during the holidays, always looking for people to haunt, or someone to talk to about their past lives, craving for some company. He wanted to do some preparation during Christmas break to review some History of Magic facts that he learned during his five years at Hogwarts, and so he had no time for ghosts. Caleb had been chosen to represent Hogwarts in the History Quiz Showdown, at Durmstrang Institute. He was really looking forward to it and since the challenge would be taking place at the end of January, it was most likely to be really cold in Scandinavia on that time of the year.
So, Caleb bought some new warm clothes to wear under his school robes. He also got a new set of gloves and a winter cap. He saw a beautiful fancy scarf at the shop and he decided to offer it to his Secret Santa, Professor Weasley. Caleb really missed Professor Weasley's class. Now that he was a fifth year it was Professor Snape who taught him Potions, and although Caleb was a good student, he had to admit the potion master lacked in terms of humanity, that could be displayed with a smile or a compliment once in a while.
Meanwhile Maud was at the Ravenclaw common room, trying to wrap her present using magic. She was having some trouble doing it, but she declined when Grace kindly offered to help. She was sure Grace would manage to wrap the gift with ease and she would even make the bow to become tied in perfection. So now she was on her own, not willing to giving up just yet.
There was no risk her Secret Santa would show up, since he was a Hufflepuff. His name was Davidson Croft, and he was a first year. Maud bought Davidson a radio. With it he could listen to any available radio station in his dormitory. It had the advantage of being a magical radio and so only Davidson's wand would be able to control it. Only he could change station, turn it on and off, and manage the volume. His roommates would not be able to do so. Maud ended up giving up and wrapping the gift with her hands, but only after making sure Grace wasn't there to witness it.
Looks Muggle But Isn't
Author: Aaron Miller
Date: 12-27-16 19:27
I'd given a written exam to this afternoon's class of third years, meeting in the classroom rather than at Cloud's Kiss. I'm about halfway through the grading but need a break. Dinner is soon and with exams this week and getting ready for the holidays neither Saffron nor I have been inclined to cook much for ourselves. The children love taking meals in the Great Hall though Saffron and I feel somewhat guilty for the reduced family time this week.
Getting up to go I grab a package to give Amorica. I'd gotten Franciscus Vanderbilt's name for Secret Santa and I'd gotten him a camera. The camera is Wizarding but looks like a digital camera a Muggle might own, even with the placement of a well-known Muggle brand displayed just as if it really were a Samsung.
Amorica saw the camera before it was wrapped. Intrigued by it she asked several questions, including cost. I thought she was wanting one for herself, and she does, but she was mainly inquiring about the camera with thoughts of getting one for her own Secret Santa, Madoc McGonagall.
I helped her get one in her price range only for us to discover there was a problem with it. I returned it and got a replacement, paying slightly more for a better model though I didn't tell her that. After checking over it in the store to ensure it's a working model the clerk boxed it up with the assurance that if this one too glitches not only would there be a refund but we could pick any we wanted for half off.
I went during lunch to make the exchange and haven't had a chance since returning to Hogwarts to give the box to Amorica. The one that glitched had also borne the Samsung brand. This new bears the logo for Canon.
I stop by the school daycare where Niccola and Brandon have spent the afternoon. As we're walking out we run into Saffron so we go together to the Great Hall, both children chattering the entire way about drawing Christmas cards. Amorica isn't in the Great Hall for dinner yet, or she's already been and gone, so I set the package to the side. I'll watch for her to come in but if she doesn't I'll go in search of her after Saffron, the kids, and I have eaten.
Eden, Heather, Lauren, & Marlow
Author: Aaron Miller
Date: 12-27-16 20:24
Eden has rushed through lunch and as a result hadn't eaten much. As a result she's somewhat famished. She's also dead tired plus she's cold. On top of that she's had a stuffy head all day and the potion Madam Pomfrey gave her hasn't done a thing. If that weren't enough Eden has Astronomy at midnight tonight. She's concerned that if she were to try and take a nap between when she leaves the Great Hall and classtime that she'd oversleep even if she set an alarm. A roommate might think to wake her but it's also possible she could be overlooked. No, best to get in some studying for tomorrow's tests.
Selecting a steamy ham and bean soup to start with, along with some crusty, buttery bread, Eden spots Arielle Kent walking by on her way to finding a seat at the Gryffindor table. Arielle is who Eden has for Secret Santa. She got the younger girl a cute, somewhat artsy, shirt with a cat on it that Eden would have liked for herself. Before that day in Hogsmeade was over she'd decided she should give a little something more, purchasing some equally cute fuzzy cat slippers. Eden did end up buying herself some of those, only in a different color.
Eden's cousin Lauren also ended up getting a dual gift. Lauren drew Professor Illyria Goode's name. On the one hand she thought to give Professor Goode something astronomical related but on the other hand the professor probably gets a lot of those types of gifts. Lauren ended up going with a sort of celestial related gift but only because it captured her attention.
The gift is a mug that has little stars all over it. When a heated liquid such as coffee or tea is poured into the mug causing the mug itself to warm, the outlines of constellations appear. The dual aspect of the present is tea that Eden got for the Professor to use with her mug. The tea is actually an assortment of small tins of loose leaf tea in a variety of flavors.
A third Wenlock cousin is giving more than one thing as well. Heather has Gerry Martini-Blackwell's name for Secret Santa. She doesn't know much about the boy other than he's in third year, has been on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and his mother is a library in the village. Heather also knows that Gerry is one of the students around Hogwarts with something of a reputation as a prankster.
Deciding that a third year boy most likely has a sweet tooth, Heather got him an assortment of candy, some of which are joke items from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. There is a box made of chocolate that holds more chocolates. There is also a basket made of peppermint. Heather put other candies, regular and joke, into the basket. These range from Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean to Chocolate Frogs to sugar quills to Fainting Fancies to Fever Fudge, to Puking Pastilles, to Nosebleed Nougats.
Marlow also put her name in for Secret Santa. That meant drawing someone else's name and giving that person a Christmas present. She has Kaycee Sickleby's name. During the last Hogsmeade trip she found something for Kaycee fairly early on and though she looked around during her other shopping in case she saw something she thought would be better, Marlow went with her first choice. The got Kaycee a set of soft, luxurious feeling, warm fleece sheets. Marlow has a set and loves crawling in between them when the weather is chill to downright frigid. She hopes Kaycee loves the set Marlow gave her as much as Marlow loves her own.
Last Exam (Hunter & Jade)
Author: Emerald Green
Date: 12-28-16 15:59
Jade looks up from her Ancient Runes review and takes a drink of warm spiced apple juice. She's looking forward to getting this last exam over and starting Christmas vacation. She knew seventh year would be an overload, especially because of the NEWTs, but she has to think that if the Scholastic Aptitude Tournament had been last year and this year was the a normal school year with Quidditch, she wouldn't feel her to do list was never ending.
There is the fact that no one forced her to put her name in for any of the SAT events. There is also the fact that those who put their names in the same events she has had just as much of a chance of being selected as she did. It's luck or fate or whatever one wants to call it that she was picked as a seventh year representative for the still to come Invention & Design competition and for the Transfiguration Tournament that is approximately a month and a half away. Somehow, she also was chosen for the Dueling competition in February. Hunter has already competed in the Non-Magical Event and will be in the potions contest called the Cauldron Clash.
As if knowing he just crossed her mind Hunter enters the Commons, stops, looks around, sees Jade, and comes over. "No eating lunch?"
She gestures to an empty plate save for some crumbs. "I had a sandwich and have been munching on junk since then. How was Arithmancy & Divination?"
"I did all right I think. Nothing tripped me up that I know of and I wasn't stumped by any questions. There are some nit picky things I could lose a few points on but nothing major, or I don't think anyway." He reaches for a cookie on a half-empty plate. "I'm getting something to drink. You want a refill or something different?"
More and more often a selection of soft drinks can be had in the Commons. Her spiced apple juice nearly gone she replies, "If there's a cream soda I'd take one. If not, surprise me."
He returns a minute later. Setting the drinks down he offers, "I can quiz you if you like."
She hands over some note cards she'd made. "Thanks."
Normally by now she would have asked if Baron had gone to the Great Hall for lunch or not but she already knows he was planning on doing that after the same Arithmancy & Divination class as Hunter and then trying to grab a short nap before his 3:15 Care of Magical Creatures class.
Hunter stays with Jade, helping her study until she leaves around 1:15 for her 1:30 class. From the Commons he goes to the Great Hall to see what's left of lunch to eat. As they pass the large decorated tree they also pass the gifts they'd placed under it this morning.
Jade drew the name of a younger girl, Eirene McLaggen, who is a third year Slytherin while Hunter got Saffron Sacheverelle's name. They shopped together for an hour or so in Hogsmeade with both of them picked out a necklace for their respective giftees. Eirene's has a lovely green peacock motif and Professor Sacheverelle's represents some ogham characters.
Feeling Smug [Edwina]
Author: Georgia Copperpot
Date: 12-28-16 20:35
Edwina sits in the commons feeling somewhat smug. This morning at breakfast Sylvestor had griped about having a late afternoon class with the possibility of not being finished with the term until 3:35 pm. Libby and Bertie complained a little as well about having class until 2:25 pm, Libby giving Edwina a dirty look when Edwina pointed out that's what they got for taking Fitness & Athletics.
She was finished when she completed her History of Magic exam though she did have to sit in class until Professor Ravensdale dismissed them but now she's had lunch and is sitting in the commons watching a chess match. Edwina is also eating a slice of fudgy chocolate pie. Libby and Bertie left a bit ago for class. Sylvestor is sitting at a corner table sulking as he and some of his classmates study for their Arithmancy & Divination exam.
Edwina is sitting near enough to the main tree that she periodically sees other students checking for gifts with their names on them. Many of the presents are Secret Santa but not all. There are some students who exchange gifts with friends by placing them under the tree. Edwina also knows of at least one gift that was put there from a secret admirer to the object of his affection.
Edwina placed a gift there earlier in the week. The present was of the Secret Santa variety and for Adiran Balfour. She's played chess against him a few times since school began and has watched him a few times play against others. During one of the matches, she forgets which one, she learned Adiran loves to play but doesn't have his own set, never having asked for one as a birthday gift not putting one on his Christmas wish list for his parents.
After drawing Adiran's name this tidbit of information kept coming to mind. Edwina found an interesting set within the price range her mum gave her for a Secret Santa present. Each chess piece looks like a wild animal head. Maybe if he likes it and keeps it here at school when Hogwarts is in session, he'll play a match with her on it.
Sylvestor, Libby, and Bertie are all taking part in Secret Santa as well. Sylvestor got Professor Miller's name, selecting a Muggle inspired watch for him from that Muggle Mayhem place in Hogsmeade. The wrist watch has something to do with a Muggle television show - Edwina only knows what that means because of going to some of the Muggle Studies Club meetings - called Monty Python and something from that show called the Ministry of Silly Walks.
Libby and Bertie also have professors and Bertie also got a wrist watch as his Secret Santa gift. He drew Professor Ravenscroft's name, sending his mum a picture of what he had in mind for her. Mrs. Nutcombe sent him the galleons needed for an owl order. He showed Libby and Edwina the watch before wrapping it. Edwina thinks it rather pretty, with a floral watch face in a botanical theme.
Libby's professor is Professor Ravensdale. Edwina half expected Libby to go for a history oriented gift or something simple such as a pair of gloves so she was surprised when Libby chose a lovely Christmas plate set.
A tap on the shoulder has Edwina looking away from the chess match and game to say yes to an invitation to join a just getting started card game. Grabbing a refill on her drink, Edwina is soon laughing and having a good time, happier now than before that she has no Friday afternoon class like Sylvestor, Libby, and Bertie.
Kents Do Secret Santa
Author: Jolyon
Date: 12-29-16 19:02
Arielle put some clothes into an oversized bag and considered what else she might wish to take home with her for Christmas break. Because she would be back in a few weeks, Arielle planned on leaving her trunk and the majority of her things in her dorm room. She was only taking essentials and the things she simply couldn't live without. She looked around her corner of the dorm room and then knelt to look underneath her bed.
The four poster stood high off the ground, so there was plenty of storage space underneath the box spring. It was there that Arielle found the square package she'd meant to put under the Christmas tree in the Commons but had somehow forgotten. She debated now running it over but wondered if it might be too late for her Secret Santa recipient to find it. Maybe it was better if she sent it by owl post, but she had to find out where Marlow would be for Christmas.
Arielle decided she better make an effort to figure out what to do with the package right then and there, so she grabbed it and left the dorm room for the Commons. Inside the square box was a very pretty dress Arielle had found at Gladrags Wizardwear of all places. It was just gorgeous in her opinion and would look amazing on Marlow. She could definitely wear it to a New Year's Eve party, if that was on her agenda this holiday.
While Arielle attended to her Secret Santa, Asher lounged in his own common room. He sat in a corner and thumbed through a magazine someone had left behind. Asher didn't really care about what was in it, but he was bored with everything and it was too early to go to bed. He was surprised that Malden was sitting across the room and not somewhere with Arielle. The two were still together and had made plans to meet up over the Christmas holidays. Asher knew this because his mother had written him to discuss various holiday plans which apparently sometimes included Malden.
Like his twin, Asher had also put his name in for Secret Santa. This year he'd drawn Leo Marchbanks as his recipient. Asher knew who Leo was because they were in the same year, though Leo was in Gryffindor like Arielle.
While in Hogsmeade a few weekends ago, Asher had found a drinking horn that was definitely an odd choice for gift but also something unique. Leo could hang it on a wall because it came with a strap, or he could pour butterbeer in it or some other beverage of choice and actually use it as it was intended. He could even add it to a Viking costume for the next Halloween Feast.
Unlike Arielle, Asher hadn't forgotten to put it under the Christmas tree. He'd done it soon after making the purchase. During that visit to the Commons, he'd stumbled upon his father putting a thin envelope addressed to Rex Applewhite under the tree. Asher had smirked at the sight of the gift, which had to be something lame like a Christmas card with a voucher to some store or maybe a pass to one of the British wizarding zoos or aquariums.
What Asher didn't know was that his father had actually gotten something very specific for Rex. The gift under the tree had been a card with instructions to meet Professor Kent at the stables sometime. Hidden out of sight in the loft upstairs, Jolyon had kept a terrarium with a bearded dragon, which he'd purchased from MacFusty's Pets after getting approval from Rex's parents. The lizard had been in Rex's care since Wednesday's Care of Magical Creatures class.
Invitations (Grace, Duncan, Douglas)
Author: Briar Rose
Date: 12-29-16 20:03
Sitting for a few minutes with Rand and Oliver, Grace gives each an invitation to a Christmas party next week. She'd mentioned it to both of them days ago so neither is surprised at getting an official invite. Rather than stay with Oliver and Rand and eat at the Gryffindor table Grace had told friend and roommate Jaclyn Rex she'd sit with her so she could help Jaclyn narrow down gift ideas for her mum. As she's getting up to go to the Ravenclaw table Rand asks, "Who else is invited?"
"I thought I said. Everyone from our year and a few others, like Duncan and Douglas and the Weasley triplets."
"Oh yeah. You did say that. So you're inviting Maud?"
"Well yeah. She's our year AND one of my roommates. Even if she weren't I'd have asked since you sort of like her."
"Do not."
Oliver smirks. "Do."
Rand colors. He rolls his eyes as he admits, "Maybe a little but that's not why I asked."
"Then why?"
"I think maybe she's a little jealous of you."
"Of me?"
"Yeah."
"Why ever for?"
"Don't know."
Oliver suggests, "Maybe Maud likes you a little, Rand, so is jealous of Grace being one of your best mates."
"Yeah, that's probably it," Grace agrees. "If she comes to the party you can be sure to give her attention."
Rand's color deepens and he shrugs. "Maybe."
Grace grins at him and Oliver then departs for her house's table. She passes Arielle Kent along the way, which put her in mind of Arielle's father, Jolyon Kent. Grace got Professor Kent's name for Secret Santa. It didn't take her long to decide upon a gift but not seeing what she was after in any of the numerous catalogues found scattered about this time of year she'd enlisted her mum for help.
Grace told her mum that she wanted one of those picnic baskets that comes with plates and utensils as Professor Kent remarried Arielle's and Asher's mother. They might like to go on picnics or attend outdoor events just the two of them and bring a picnic basket along or do these things with Arielle and Asher. Her mum sent a picnic basket that looks more like a backpack, complete with shoulder straps. It even comes with a blanket to spread on the ground. Grace is rather chuffed with it and told her mum they need one too.
Over at the Hufflepuff table Duncan has the Secret Santa gift for Titus Nott to put under the tree after he finishes supper. He's waited and waited, and waited and waited, to place the present because he's been unsure of whether the other boy would like what he chose. He knows Titus as they are both fifth years but he can't say he truly knows him.
Duncan got Titus a black tee that humorously reads I'm not trying to be difficult. It just comes naturally. He also got Titus a selection of wicked looking temporary tattoos. What makes them even cooler is that after using a tattoo it can be magically placed back on the tattoo page to be used over and over again.
Douglas also put his name in for Secret Santa because of the prospect of getting an extra gift for himself, the drawback being having to give one. He's not that into shopping, even by catalogue. Then he had a thought. He'd pick a few things, tell his mother about them and their costs and she, in turn, would send him the galleons to get one or two of them. Douglas would then pick something else altogether that cost less and keep the difference to buy sweets for himself.
Knowing Doug all too well, Bethany didn't fall for that. She told him she would do the owl ordering, picking a clock for AJ Hodfuffer that has photo frames around the face. Douglas's mum picked that out of the other items Doug had marked in the catalogue he'd sent to show her, thinking that as the Ancient Runes professor has a young daughter and a still fairly new wife, he might like such a clock.
When Doug, Duncan, and Grace leave the Great Hall a little later, all three head to the Commons, Duncan with Devon, Grace with several of her friends including Rand and Oliver, and Doug with roommate Akira Gunderson who's sharing with Doug his grand idea for next year's Secret Santa. Akira wants to somehow get his own name, best done by not actually joining in on Secret Santa, then telling his parents he's participating and that he needs money. Akira would then spend the money on himself, maybe even going so far as wrapping it so he'd have the fun of opening it. He would tell his parents what his own Secret Santa gave him and they'd be none the wiser that he was his own Secret Santa. Laughing at the plan Doug can't help but wish he'd thought of it first.