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Job Hunt
Author: Susan Fricks
Date: 05-06-18 01:41
Susan had waken up earlier than usual. She was feeling hungry and after getting dressed and combed she left the still very silent Ravenclaw tower and went to the Great Hall. The place was almost empty with the exception of some students here and there. She spotted Titus at the Slytherin table. Susan didn't have the habit of having her meals in the others houses' tables, but today she opened an exception. She walked towards Titus and asked:
"May I?" He nodded, still chewing his cornflakes.
Susan sat beside him and started serving herself with some porridge. She noticed Titus had the Daily Prophet opened in front of him. He was looking at job adds.
"My sister is looking for a summer job as well," Susan commented. "She wants to improve her curriculum."
"This not about my curriculum," he told her. "It's about survival."
And in a very short version Titus explained Susan that since he could not stay at Hogwarts for the summer, and he had nowhere else to go, he needed to find a job, perhaps something that came with lodgings conditions. Susan felt compelled to ask Titus if he couldn't stay with his brother, Professor Nott during, during the summer holidays. Titus declared that as far as he was concerned Professor Nott was not his brother anymore and they just happened to share the same surname. Susan picked the newspaper, while Titus added some more milk to his bowl. An add called her attention and she showed it to Titus.
"No way," he declared.
"Why not? It says lodging is available for a small fee. It is a good location and the job isn't bad."
"I am not going to work at Florean Fortescue, selling ice-cream. I would look stupid on that uniform and almost everyone goes to Diagon Alley in the summer. People would recognize me and it will be too humiliating."
Usually Susan would remain quiet when Titus started speaking like this. His pride was terrible and she knew that was probably one of the reasons he had been sorted into Slytherin. However, he did seem like wanted and needed the summer job and so, after clearing her throat she said:
"First, you are not that popular. Most students will not recognize you. Second, even if they did, you would have no reasons to feel humiliated. You won't be stealing or committing any crime, you will be working on an honest job. Third, I would contact Florean's as soon as possible. It is better to spend the summer selling ice-cream then cleaning owl's poo from cages, or carrying bags of dragon's dung around a shop. All the good jobs will gone soon if you don't hurry."
Titus looked at Susan. He opened his mouth, ready to protest. However no sound left his throat , as his brain processed her words. He still felt like it would be humiliating to work at an ice-cream parlor but he knew she was right and that he could end up arranging something much worse. He finished his breakfast and asked her if she wouldn't mind helping him with his curriculum so he could still owl the shop today.
(Willow) Worried
Author: Rowan Westwick
Date: 05-06-18 09:31
After breakfast, Willow and Amorica went to Alchemy class. The journey was largely made in silence, as both girls were lost in thought about different things. The N.E.W.T. exams occupied Amorica's mind, while Willow could only wonder about what had become of her brother.
Ash had been missing since the beginning of February. It was now the end of April and there were no clues as to what may have happened to him. Willow feared he might be dead, but without clues or something as definite as a body, there was some hope that he was still out there somewhere.
It was hard not to worry about him constantly.
"You okay?"
Willow realized that she and Amorica were stopped in the corridor, just meters away from the door to the Alchemy classroom.
"You sighed and just stopped walking. Do you want me to tell Professor Schnackenpfefferhausen that you need to be excused?" Amorica asked. She knew how concerned Willow was about Ash's continued absence and didn't have to ask what was bothering her.
Willow shook her head. "No, I'm… well, you know. I'm managing." Willow sighed again and said, "If I don't go to class, then I won't have a distraction."
Amorica nodded in understanding. "Good thing we have a packed morning."
Willow agreed. The afternoon wouldn't be quite as busy, but she planned on writing an extra long letter to Justin and forcing herself to concentrate on N.E.W.T. preparations, though she doubted she'd be able to focus completely on the latter.
The two friends continued on to Alchemy and sat down at their usual desks, waiting for class to begin.
Before Dinner
Author: Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen
Date: 05-07-18 18:03
Fritz gets up from his office chair and heads for the door, which he locks before setting out for the Great Hall. He just spent the last two hours in his office, meeting with those sixth and seventh year students who wanted clarification on an assignment or help understanding an alchemical concept.
Coco is working late, so Fritz heads to dinner alone. On the walk, he thinks about how they have been engaged for nearly three years now. Neither intended for so much time to pass without getting married, but their lives are very busy and they aren't in any big rush. His mother would claim otherwise, though. She's even started hinting at grandchildren.
Fritz also thinks about the situation with Daniel Quappe. Because Daniel hadn't actually committed any crime, except perhaps stalking or harassment, he was let off with a stern warning. After finding out the whole story, Fritz didn't want any charges pressed anyway.
Daniel is Berthold Beatenberg's great great great nephew. Verena Beatenberg, whose name the Austrian bank account was in when it was bequeathed to Fritz, is Daniel's great great grandmother. Verena was unmarried and died in childbirth. Her baby was sent to an orphanage.
Fritz doesn't know the backstory about how Daniel learned his heritage but has learned through O'Conner that Daniel believes Berthold either didn't know about Verena's heirs or he sent the illegitimate baby away to keep the money for himself. Either way, Daniel believes the money belongs to his family and not to Fritz.
Since learning about Berthold's relatives, Fritz has toyed with the idea of giving the money to them. What holds him back is the fact that there was no question about Berthold's will, and Fritz has been using the money to support new Hogwarts graduates, too.
It's already time to begin thinking about which two students he might select. He enters the Great Hall and begins scanning the four House tables for possible giftees.
Dinner With Boris (Mason)
Author: Pyrrhus
Date: 05-07-18 18:50
Boris spears a bite of roasted eggplant. "How is we've not even had a full week of term and you're already so buried in coursework you somehow forgot to eat lunch?"
Mason had practically inhaled the linguine with clam sauce he'd ordered only to still be hungry so he'd ordered another entrée. "Just think, these are only pre-law courses."
"So come back to the Quidditch and coaching program."
"As I've said before, I like Quidditch. I like coaching Quidditch. I just don't want any of that as a career. I'm finding myself challenged like never before and I love it."
Boris grins. "Who would have guessed you'd turn out to be an ace student."
"Hey now, I wasn't a bad student at Hogwarts."
"You also didn't kill yourself studying. You found time for things like meals."
"You're a far better student now than you ever were at Hogwarts."
"Some of that is due to Mamie."
"That's another thing. I never would have predicted that within such a short time after Hogwarts you'd not only be in a serious relationship but married." Boris and Mamie had married between Hilary and Trinity terms. Mason had served as best man.
Boris spears another vegetable. "I would have lost a bet if someone had bet me I'd be married now. I had plans to play the field for several years." As Boris chews the parsnip a thoughtful expression comes over his face.
Suspicious, Mason asks, "What?"
"Just thinking."
"That can be dangerous for you."
"Ha ha. You're hilarious. You remember Cecily from the wedding?"
"Yeah. How could I forget her? She was maid of honor."
"She's single."
"She's gay."
"Is not."
"Is. Right before the wedding she'd broken up with someone called Helen. They'd been engaged."
"How did I not know this?"
"Because you were so besotted with Mamie and getting through the wedding certain details went right over your head."
"Must have but, still, how could I have not known Cecily is a lesbian? I would have sworn she's had a boyfriend at some point."
"Maybe she did before she realized she's gay or maybe she's bisexual."
"There's a thought. If she's not picky, you could still have a chance."
Mason snorts. "I liked Cecily but I cannot picture us going out even if she did fancy both men and women."
"Okay. Cecily is a no. How about the brunette you were setting up a study group with yesterday?"
"Ally? She's married and has a toddler."
"So what about " Boris stops mid-sentence when Mason puts up a hand.
"Stop trying to match make."
"Just want you as happy as I am, mate."
"I'll get there eventually I'm sure." Mason's second entree arrives so for the next few minutes he says little as he shovels the food in, thinking to himself that he really needs to remember to get lunch tomorrow. Breakfast too.
Around The Dinner Table
Author: Harry Potter
Date: 05-09-18 18:35
Jamie carefully carries the pizza box to the backdoor. Albus is equally careful carrying a bag a small berry crumble. Harry carries Lily who clutches the bag with a two serving size container of salad. Ginny and Harry will try to get the boys to eat a little of the salad but Albus will only want any carrots that might be in it and Jamie will pick through looking for seasoned croutons.
Reaching the door where the boys impatiently wait, dog now dancing around and the cat winding at their ankles, having emerged through the pet door, Harry opens the backdoor, wondering how other parents have managed for so long apparating with several children and shopping or, as in their case, food for a meal. It wasn't so hard when he'd picked the children up and gone to get the pizza. It was coming from the Italian restaurant with the boys insisting on carrying items rather than Harry making those items a manageable size for the apparating home. He was - is - just tired enough not to want to listen to the whining if he'd done it as he'd wanted. He thinks that's a bad parenting thing to do, giving in like that, but at that moment it was all he could do to muster the energy to do a side-along with three kids and food in tow without losing hold of any of them.
He's gotten all three kids to the table and seated, drinks for them poured, and summoned plates and utensils to the table when Ginny arrives looking hot and flustered. "Hallo, my loves! Oooh, pizza and salad."
After a round of hello kisses, including for Harry, he asks her, "How was practice?"
"So so. Whomever made the final decision on the new head coach must have been," she casts a glance at Jamie, Albus, and Lily. "Little ears. I'll tell you later." She turns her attention to those little ears. "Did you each have a good day?"
Harry and Ginny listen to them, asking questions here and there and making appropriate comments, while she doles up the pizza for the boys then cuts a few small bites for Lily. Harry gets drinks for Ginny and himself, putting food out for the four legged members of the family before sitting down to join them. Once the kids have exhausted every tiny detail of their day she reaches over and pats Harry's hand. "You look as tired as I feel. Rough day?"
"Not rough exactly. I spent the day popping all over, including twice to Ireland, chasing leads."
"Those cases with the Clarkly person?"
Harry shakes his head, which in turn causes him to have to push hair out of his eyes. Must be overdue for a haircut. Tomorrow if he remembers and has time. "A new one. Or, an old one as it's a cold case, but last night someone questioned all those years ago contacted the original Auror on the case with a letter he'd come across going through a recently deceased aunt's belonging. He wasn't sure it would be helpful, especially after all this time, but turns out it's rather useful. I chased down the lead it gave, which gave another lead, and that led to a name, and so on and on. All day. If things go well, we'll close this out tomorrow."
"That's excellent!"
Ginny clinks her butterbeer with Harry's and then the kids each want to clink their glasses of milk too. As he reaches across to tap his glass with Jamie's his oldest son asks, "Hey, Dad, what's deceased?"
Ginny grins at Harry when he looks to her for help. "You said it, not me."
He grumbles under his breath only to have her smile sweetly. "I love you."
"Yeah, yeah," he says even as Albus chimes in, "So what is ceased, Dad? You gonna tell us?"
PDA
Author: Carys
Date: 05-11-18 09:09
"Thanks so much," Carys said, as she stepped out of the Diagon Alley Arts Club. The organization had offered her another exhibition after the success of her first one. With spring well underway and summer on the horizon, Carys thought she might do a study of sunrises around the country. She had a few such photos already in her portfolio and had plenty of ideas for more.
Because she was in Diagon Alley, Carys planned on running a few errands before going home to check on Meg and the babysitter and then go into the office. She had a late afternoon photo session with a witch celebrating her one-hundredth birthday. The witch in question stayed young by keeping very busy. She played tennis, was a member of the library's book club, served as secretary for a gardening group, and loved to travel, among other things. Carys hoped to be at least half as active if she reached that age.
She pulled a shopping list from her purse and started down the cobblestones, stopping when she heard melodic laughter a few doors down from the Arts Building. It wasn't a particularly busy time of day in Diagon Alley and was perhaps even less so with the threat of rain. Heavy, gray clouds loomed directly overhead.
Carys looked over at the source of the laughter and felt a chill pass through her. She saw Decimus pressing Etheleen against the wall of a shoppe in an explicit display of affection. He was kissing her neck and running his hands from her waist down the slope of her hips. She had her arms thrown around his neck and was giggling in ecstasy.
Carys thought about hurrying past them to continue her shopping, but she couldn't get her feet to move in that direction. She turned around instead and fled hastily toward The Leaky Cauldron, not before hearing a figure of authority shout at the amorous couple to break it up and get a room.
(Azaelia) Mrs. Blackheart
Author: Isolde
Date: 05-12-18 10:56
Azaelia was in the library organizing a shelving cart behind the circulation counter when she heard a throat clear. She turned with a smile on her face, expecting to see a student or fellow staff member, only to discover her mother-in-law standing in front of the desk.
Robert's mother had luxurious dark hair, now streaked with a bit of gray. It didn't make her appear old but somehow made her look stylish. Her face was completely unlined and still maintained a youthful appearance. She was very much a beauty.
"Hello," Azaelia managed, after she'd gotten over her initial shock of seeing Mrs. Blackheart in the Hogwarts library. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to ask you to reconsider," answered Robert's mother. She said it in such a way that it wasn't actually a plea or a wish but a command.
Azaelia shook her head slowly and said, "I'm sorry, but we can't be together anymore. We haven't been good together in a very long time." She didn't even get into the fact that Robert was a criminal locked away in Azkaban.
Mrs. Blackheart said, "Your duty as his wife is to remain by his side and support him through his darkest days. You are doing him, as well as yourself and your family, a major disservice."
"I can't support him after all he's done," Azaelia simply replied.
"So you choose to break his heart? I just returned from Azkaban myself." She sniffed, breaking her cool countenance for a brief moment. "The family cat died. Robert was young when Skeets entered our lives."
Azaelia frowned and stiffly murmured, "I'm very sorry to hear that, but I've made up my mind. Perhaps you can see to it that Robert signs the divorce parchments?"
"I will encourage him to do no such thing," Mrs. Blackheart replied. "I see that I can't convince you. I won't waste my time any further."
She gave Azaelia a long moment to reconsider, but when Azaelia said nothing, Robert's mother walked out of the library and didn't look back.
Azaelia frowned deeply. She didn't think that Robert's family would care whether they stayed married or not, particularly when it was Azaelia herself who helped put Robert behind bars. If anything, they should happily see her expunged from the family tree.
Talk Of Courses (Jordan & Jaclyn)
Author: Saffron
Date: 05-12-18 17:54
Jordan nods in agreement when Erik proclaims, "So glad it's Friday," only to point out, "You said that at breakfast."
Erik looks contemplative before finally saying, "Oh, right, I did. With no classes today, why did I get up for breakfast?"
"Because you were hungry?" Jordan ventures.
"You wish you didn't have a Friday class, Jordan?" Cheyenne asks while holding up her glass for him to pour some lemonade from a pitcher near him.
Obliging, he pours the sweet and tart drink into her cup. "Yes and no. Fitness & Athletics is fun but I sort of wish it were earlier in the day so I'd be done on Fridays by lunch."
"Thanks," Cheyenne says with a slight tip of her cup. "I've thought about taking it now that I have a better idea of what it is and have heard others say they like it buuuuuut "
"You don't want another course," Erik finishes for her. "Same here. I sort of hate that we're forced to add two classes in third year. Seven courses are too much, especially with one class that doesn't meet until late."
"You'd be up late half the time anyway," Jordan grins.
Erik makes a face but then grins back.
At the other end of the Ravenclaw table, second year Cynthia is having a similar conversation with third year Jaclyn. "How did you decide on which two classes to take?"
"I picked the two that sounded the most interesting to me."
"I don't want to take anything else so nothing sounds interesting. I want to drop some classes not add them."
"You can but not until sixth year."
Cynthia sighs, "I know. You don't take Fitness & Athletics, right?"
"Right. I like to be able to pick and choose when I'm doing fitness or anything athletic."
"Yeah. I don't take it either though sometimes I think about it because I know plenty of love it and some of it sounds fun."
"But then you'd be adding classes, or in this case a single class."
"I know and there is the whole doing sports and things I might not want to do."
"I know this doesn't sound very Ravenclaw of me but I don't know how after all the classes and work here at Hogwarts some go on to university with more classes and even more work."
"So you aren't going to go? It will be straight into work for you?"
Jaclyn shrugs. "Don't know. Years yet to figure that out. Pass one of those little trifles, will you?"
Cheyenne passes the pretty dish with the individual serving of trifle, musing aloud what she might what to do after Hogwarts saying at one point, "Though I wouldn't mind being lazy and doing nothing for awhile."
Her mouth full of trifle, Jaclyn nods in agreement at that sentiment.
24
Author: Nathaniel Ross
Date: 05-13-18 03:12
Nate turned 24 today. To celebrate there had been a dinner at Harebells, with his family and friends. He was in a good place right now: he was going to marry Jenny next month, they were having a baby, and the business at the inn was growing. His only regret was that his father wasn't here to watch it all happen.
After the cake and presents, the guests left leaving Nate and Jenny alone. But not for long. The doorbell rang, and Nate went to open it.
"Good evening Nathaniel. May I come in?"
He gave a step back, allowing Phyllida Grimshaw-Spore to enter the inn's lobby. Despite her usual elegant robes, she did not look very well. Her hair had lost its glimmer and she was paler than usual. She was carrying a basket. She asked Nate if they could go somewhere else and he took her to the living room. At this hour of the evening all of the inn's guests were already in their bedrooms. Phyllida placed the basket in one of the armchairs.
"Happy birthday," she told him with a sad smile. "I didn't forget."
"Thank you," he said, not feeling very comfortable with her presence. "What are you doing here?"
"I have heard you are going to marry soon. Congratulations!"
"What do you want Phyllida?" Nate insisted. "Last time you were here, you have insulted my bride."
"I need your help..." she started.
"No." He replied.
"You don't even know what I am asking..."
"I don't care. You always brought trouble into my life. Whatever you need I am sure someone else will be able to help you."
"Nate..." she pleaded.
And before she could say anything else the basket moved and a sound came out of it. Nate turned his head to the basket, with surprise.
"Is that a baby?"
"Yes," she replied. "And he is the reason I am here. I am asking you...begging you... to keep him under you care."
"Where did you get that baby?" Nate asked, not daring to approach the moving basket. The child inside seemed to become restless, as the basket moved again.
"You look at me as if I stolen it, or something. It's mine." She opened the basket's lid with her wand. "Do you see the red hair?"
"You are insane!" Nate declared. "I am not going keep your baby. You had it, you must take responsibilities for it. You or its father."
"The father doesn't care. And I cannot take care of him. Please Nate. He will go to some orphanage, he will not be loved. You have a beautiful home, and a beautiful family. Give him the chance to be raised in a happy home! Please..."
"No, Phyllida." He said. The baby started to cry. Nate was afraid it might wake up the guests. He felt some compassion for Phyllida, but he did not think her request was reasonable. He was being used by her once again.
Jenny entered the living room asking what was going on. The baby continued to cry, as Nate explained Jenny the reason for Phyllida's visit. Without asking for permission Jenny moved towards the basket. She pulled the covers that covered the baby and she made an angry expression.
"This child is very thin! It hasn't been fed properly."
Phyllida shrugged her shoulders.
"I was not made for motherhood. But you clearly are," she had noticed Jenny's belly, which by now was starting to show. Jenny ignored Phyllida's provocation. Instead she declared:
"We will keep the child."
"Jenny, we can't!l Nate protested.
"We can and we will.This child has no fault in all this. We can give it shelter, food, a family...look at its clothes! When was the last time they have been changed?"
Phyllida did not reply. Instead she thanked Jenny. She said there were no words for what she was doing and that she would be sure to send them some money so they could keep her son.
"No," Jenny said. "We do not want your money. In fact, we will only do this if you promise to stay away. You will not try and contact your son, not even when he gets older. You will not return to this inn or into our lives ever again. And to make sure you will keep your word, we are doing an unbreakable vow, the two of us."
"What? Jenny!" Nate called.
But both women ignored him. Phyllida agreed to Jenny's terms. However she imposed that her child would carry her own surname. He had red hair, and he would know he was not a Ross. Jenny did not seem to mind this. Her maternal instincts had already kicked in and she was eager to pick up the baby from the basket and take care of it.
The two witches knelt in front of each other, clasping their right hands. Both urged Nate to perform the spell.
"Will you, Phyllida Grimshaw-Spore, give me and my future husband Nathaniel, the full custody of your son?"
"Yes."
"And do you promise not to interfere in his life in any way, not even try to contact him, during his life?"
"Yes, I do. And will you, Jennifer Gabble, soon to be Jennifer Ross, promise to give the boy, my family's surname?"
"Yes."
"Do you also promise to treat him as your own child, despite that fact?"
"Yes, I do."
There was a moment of silence where both looked at each other. Then Nate waved his wand, and the spell was done, bounding Jenny and Phyllida forever. Once it was over, Jenny ran to the basket, and picked the crying baby, taking him away. Phyllida did not seem to mind that she was not able to say her goodbyes to him.
"We will not meet again anytime soon," she told Nate. "I know you will take good care of my son. Think of him as the child we might have had, if we had been together."
"What is his name?" Nate asked.
"I never gave him one. Giving names only makes you more attached. But in my head I called him Francis. But I am sure your wife to be will have some other name in mind. It does not matter." She approached him and kissed his cheek. "Goodbye Nathaniel Ross. Have a good life."
She left, taking the basket with her. Nate went to the kitchen. Jenny was feeding the baby with a bottle, a gift from Tim for their own upcoming child. The baby had red hair like her mother, and also her eyes.
"The poor thing was starving. And he needs a bath."
"Francis."
"What?"
"His name is Francis. Francis Grimshaw-Spore."
Jenny nodded in agreement and she looked at the baby with love. He was already hers. It would take Nate more time to accept him as is son but it would happen as well. On his 24th birthday he had become a father for the very first time in his life.