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Unempathetic
Author: Jet
Date: 10-14-18 17:54
Jet descends from one of the climbing walls to find Emerson waiting for him. He rolls his eyes, dusts his hands against his trousers and walks by her as if she's not there. He can almost hear her eyes roll in response. She follows, trotting along beside to keep up with his longer stride. "We need to talk."
"No, we don't."
"Please."
He doesn't respond, continuing on into the locker room where he stowed his things. He could have waiting long enough to have her get tired of waiting and leave or he could have checked for anyone else being around then disapparated from the locker room. Rather than doing either he emerges from the locker room soon after entering, again walking right by her as if she's not there.
Emerson spins to follow. "Seriously, Jet. Just give me a few minutes."
She follows him out into the gloom of just past sundown. He turns in the direction of the nearest tube entrance, Emerson working to keep up with him. When he begins the descent to the tube station she asks somewhat breathlessly, "Why this way? You would already be home."
"With every step you take stalking me I come closer to taking the quick route."
Emerson is forced to scramble to be able to follow Jet all the way to the platform. It was that or risk being approached for entering without paying. She's panting when she catches up to him again just in time to board a train. When she falls into the seat next to him he dryly informs her, "I'm heading to a track for a run. Going to pace me?"
"You're mean, you know that?"
"Riiiiiight. I'm the mean one here. So cruel."
"You're obnoxious too."
"You could be spilling whatever it is you so desperately think we need to talk about rather than whining about how cruelly I treat you. I shall refrain from the whole pot, kettle comment."
Emerson glares at him for a half second before saying, "Cymdeithas y Sarff is attempting to reorganize back to being the benificient organization it once was."
"Whoopie."
"We would you to be part of the board."
Jet's cackle of laughter draws the attention of those nearby. Emerson plunges ahead. "My parents are not part of the group any longer if that's your worry."
"Your parents are in prison."
"They were but not any longer."
"What? You're kidding? How is that possible?"
"They knew the right people." She shrugs unapologetically only to then sniffle. "My mother had a stroke last month. Healers have done what they could but she'll never be the same and will need life long care."
"I'd say sorry but I'm not."
"I never took you for someone who would be so unempathetic."
"If you think I'd be sympathetic about your mother after what she did, after what she wanted to do, you're far more delusional than I thought. This is my stop. Don't follow me." Jet stands and slings his bag over one shoulder all in one motion, exiting the train without looking back, thinking he will definitely duck away somewhere and disapparate if Emerson decides to follow anyway.
Jacob's Main Vault
Author: Griffin Price
Date: 10-15-18 19:25
Standing in Jacob LaBranche's main vault Griffin had forgotten how large it is. He'd only been once, to get the galleons needed to pay for Jacob's burial. He'd not looked around then, just come in, grabbed money, then left.
When he received a notice that the long-term lease Jacob had had was due for either renewal or cancellation, Griff knew he shouldn't put off the visit much longer. His plan is to clean out the vault and let it go. No sense continuing to pay for it, even if for the time being the money would come from Jacob's rather substantial stash. At least this vault and the other are at Gringotts London branch. When Jacob had first mentioned vaults to him, Griff had envisioned the vaults at some obscure location, a place more easily accessed by someone wanted in several countries.
He starts with the easiest task, collecting the piles of galleons, sickles, and knuts into bags the bank was nice enough to provide. Easier turns out not to mean quick. He knew Jabob had what could be considered a small fortune, much of it likely ill gotten gains, but he'd had no idea that the small fortune is more like a medium one. Or even the small end of large.
When that's finally done, each bag stuffed into a carryall with an extension charm, Griff turns his attention to the vault space just inside the door to his right. He will do a cursory exam of the vault contents and then figure out some sort of organized approach to clearing the place. If he goes through everything here Griff has no doubt this will take several days. Good thing the lease isn't up until the end of December.
There are some pieces of furniture, some of them he recognizes from not only the home Jacob had when Griff was a child but some he's certain were from his own home. He'd thought everything was stored for him but clearly somehow Jacob got ahold of some of it and when Griff had gotten old enough to go through his family's belongings he'd never paid attention to what was missing.
Sitting down in a rocking chair that had been his LaBranche great grandmother's before taking up a spot in Jacob's sitting room, Griff thinks back all those years. He recalls now that something was once said about the Strongs, his sister-in-law Hailey's family, taking a few items. A few pieces were sold. Now, he wonders if Jacob had secretly bought those items.
Bending over to pull a box to him, Griff isn't overly worried about anything being hexed or cursed or having some sort of security in place. Jacob has been dead for years now plus nothing he said to Griff nor written in documents mentioned anything that would continue on after Jacob was gone.
The box seems to be assorted mementos, some photos. Only after he's moved the box to look at another does he realize they are each labeled. That's helpful.
Books.
Photos.
Clothing.
Knicks knacks.
In a roll top desk he finds a box of quills that are in remarkably good condition, the feathers not dried out at all despite all the years stuck in a box stuck in a desk stuck in a vault. Ink bottles in a drawer along with some high grade pale blue stationary.
He shakes his head.
Some cursory exam.
Change of plans.
He'll do an assessment of all the furniture. Decide what definitely to keep, such as his great grandmother's rocking chair and what to get Carys's opinion on about keeping or selling or giving away or even trashing. He pulls out a small notepad, pulling off a sheet and magically affixing it to the rocker as a keeper.
Back at the roll top desk Griff goes through all the drawers, putting the few contents into a box then affixes a sheet from the notepad and marking it as an ask Carys.
By the time Griff has gone around to each piece of furniture enough time has passed he decides to take a lunch break. When he returns he'll start on the boxes. Before he leaves Gringotts to eat, he visits one of the Goblins to deposit the bags of money from Jacob's vault into Carys's and his join vault, thinking they should set up a trust for the kids with the funds.
Feelings
Author: Rowan Westwick
Date: 10-16-18 16:16
Rowan entered her dorm room, dropped a gym bag onto the rug between the beds, and collapsed onto her mattress. This term she was enrolled in a course on Muggle combat techniques, which was exhilarating and exhausting all the same. She pulled a shoulder muscle during today's training exercise and wanted nothing more than to sleep off the pain.
Approximately five minutes after her arrival and crash onto the bed, Beatrix breezed in, having just come from class herself. Beatrix took one look at Rowan and asked, "What happened to you?"
"Class was strenuous today," Rowan murmured.
"That's nice," Beatrix replied, obviously not really listening. "Do you think I could visit your brother tonight? Alone?"
Rowan cracked open an eye. "Is he expecting you?"
"I dunno, maybe," Beatrix answered. "I think he's finally showing an interest in me. He's hinted at things, anyway, though he's never specifically said it."
Rowan sat up with a groan. "I'm actually happy for you… for you both… if it's true… but what kind of relationship can you really have when he's supposed to be dead?"
Beatrix frowned. "I know. We can't go out on dates or tell anyone about us, but I'm not sure I care. I just want to be with him, and I think, I hope, he feels the same way about me."
Rowan studied her best friend and then said, "Knowing my brother, he'd caution you against wanting to be with him, despite how he may feel about you. He wouldn't want you to live a life like his."
"Maybe I wouldn't have to," Beatrix said, "but if that were my only option, I'd take it."
"You'd give up everything for love?"
"Yes," Beatrix said, and she sat down on her bed and let the words truly sink in. Rowan realized in that moment that Beatrix absolutely meant it.
"I'm a bit envious," she finally said.
Beatrix brightened all of a sudden. "You know what I think? I think you should ask Connor out."
Rowan laughed. "He's too old for me."
"Is he, though?" Beatrix asked. "You are supposed to be around his age, aren't you? What does it matter if you look and feel like you're twenty when you're theoretically much older than that? Besides, he's not bad-looking."
Rowan shrugged. "I'm really not sure he feels that way about me."
Beatrix grinned. "I'll ask him if I see him tonight."
"No, don't!" Rowan insisted. "You'll make things really awkward."
Beatrix smiled slyly, got off the bed, and said, "I'm going. Shall I bring you something back?"
Rowan flopped backwards with a wince. "Yes, and don't you dare commit to your little plan while you're away either."
With a grin, Beatrix left the room, and Rowan knew that she was doomed.
Is He Or Isn't He?
Author: Lucius Malfoy
Date: 10-16-18 20:09
Lucius walks into the dining room just as Rodolphus asks Bellatrix, "Is he or isn't he?"
She looks blankly at him. "If you're asking if Lucius is coming to dine, I would presume yes as here he is."
"Deliberately obtuse does not become you, Bellatrix."
She gives her best innocent expression, which on Bellatrix is somewhat comical. She really should practice that one more often.
"I only just came in but even I know to whom Rodolphus is referring."
"I'm thinking I should dine at my own manor more often."
"Answer the question."
Bellatrix shifts her gaze back to her husband. "You're only now asking this?"
"I hadn't thought I was interested. Hadn't thought I cared."
"Your sudden interest wouldn't have anything to do with your son the auror, would it?"
"My sudden interest is with the realization that if he has been resurrected, in time he might expect certain things of me. I've given enough years of my life for him and for others."
Bellatrix flounces to a chair to sit, her robes poofing out around her. "You truly think someone long dead could be brought back?"
"Experimental dark magic has accomplished many feats thought impossible. You've yet to actually answer the question."
"If he were, do you think I could tell you?" The question is almost identical to the one Rodolphus had asked Eoghan.
"If you can't give a straight reply that could be a good indicator the answer is yes."
"Or," Lucius points out, "the inability to give a response could be an effort to mislead."
Rodolphus, taking his own seat, nods with a sigh. "Let others think he is to heighten fear. That has crosse my mind."
Bellatrix puts on her innocent face again and sweetly asks, "Husband dear, how was your day?"
(Paton) New Experiences
Author: Griet
Date: 10-17-18 18:56
Paton entered the library and went in search of the table he'd unofficially deemed his own ever since first setting foot in the place. So far, his table had always been free when he'd needed it. He grinned as it came into view. It was once again his for the taking.
Enrolling in St. Emrys was perhaps the best decision Paton had ever made. He loved living on campus and enjoyed all of his classes, which were interesting and challenging and totally different from the courses he'd taken at Hogwarts. Paton was just sorry that Franciscus wasn't there to share all his experiences.
Franciscus, meanwhile, still lived at home but had been apprenticing at Flite-Rite since the summer. He was learning how to mend and refurbish broomsticks. Why Franciscus thought that should be his calling, Paton didn't know, but Franciscus seemed to enjoy it, and that was all that really mattered in the end.
Instead of rooming with his cousin like Paton always envisioned and had done at Hogwarts the last seven years, Paton's roommate was Archie Kiptoo, a boy his own age from Africa. Archie had gone to Okapi École de Sorcellerie and was fluent in both English and French. He was very friendly and instantly likable. Paton felt he had definitely lucked out in the roommate department.
Even if Archie wasn't as great as he seemed, Paton preferred living with him to the Flavershams. He no longer had to feel like the odd one out. Fulvia and Festus weren't around to get him into trouble with their father. Paton was free, and he was so very glad for it. It was a brand new day.
A shadow fell over his table. Paton looked up to see a pretty girl looking down at him. She had silky dark hair, exotic features, and carried a backpack over one shoulder.
"I was really hoping to have this table," she said, not very loudly since they were in a library. Her accent was American.
Paton looked left then right and then at the girl, stating, "There are plenty of other available tables."
"So why don't you go to one?" the girl asked. "This is my table."
Paton laughed, partly in disbelief, and partly because he thought the situation was funny. "This is my table, so you can either go sit somewhere else, or we can share it."
The girl didn't say anything for a long moment and just stared down at Paton. He was starting to get the feeling that he better just move, but then she pulled out the chair opposite his, dropped her backpack to the floor, and sat down. She held out a hand across the table and said, "I'm Britney."
Paton took it and said, "Paton."
Nothing else was shared about themselves. The two fell silent to work on assignments for their respective classes. It turned out that they were perfectly capable of sharing the table they had each claimed for themselves.
Lucille
Author: Coco Nutt
Date: 10-17-18 19:00
Coco is saying goodbye to an elderly witch who brings her cat in regularly. There's rarely anything wrong with Tiger but Mrs. Thomson seems lonely so no one at MacFusty's ever says anything about seeing Tiger as often as they do. She's holding open the door to the clinic portion for Mrs. Thomson and Tiger when Deandra Hewson hails her.
"Coco! We were hoping you'd be here today."
Her son, Coco's half-brother, is carrying Shadow, their cat that Coco first met when he was a kitten with a cleft palate impairing his ability to eat. Shadow has a harness and leash but seems happy snuggled in Roman's arms. Daughter Sky is walking Shadow's mother Canary, who is also on a harness and lead. Deandra has the family's dog Frugward, named by Skye and Roman, with a harness and lead that matches those of the cats. With them is an older woman who seems familiar in a vague sort of way but Coco can't place why.
Reaching her Deandra explains, "I know we don't have an appointment but the furries need claws clipped and teeth cleaned. I've tried doing it myself, both with spells and by hand, but can't seem to manage properly and I think I may have chipped one of Fruggie's teeth."
"You came at a good time. You would think lunch would be a time we were packed and some days we are but today is fairly quiet. At least for the time being." As she leads them to an exam room Coco greets her siblings. "Hi, Roman. Hello, Skye. No school today?"
"We're probably switching to the one here," Sky, who is nine, almost ten, tells her.
"Starting Monday," Dee affirms. "I've not been happy where they are and should have pulled them sooner. Oh, how rude I am. Lucille, this is Coco. Coco, this is your great aunt Lucille."
By now Coco has met some of Harlan's family and while she's heard of Lucille, his father's sister, she'd never even seen a photo of her. She holds out her hand. "So nice to finally meet you."
Lucille looks disdainfully at Coco's hand. As Coco starts to think Lucille has some issue with her the older woman takes Coco's hand and pulls her into a hug. "I don't know why we've waited so long, Coco dear." When the hug ends Lucille steps back and takes Coco's face in her hands. "I know you look a great deal like your mother but I see some of my own mother in you," she says with a small sniffle.
Coco gives her another hug, a quick one, before turning her attention to the two cats and Frugward, a Pug-French bulldog mix that Dee rescued when he was no more than a day or two old. While she makes short work of the nail clipping Dee says, "I don't think I ever mentioned that Lucille took the other two kittens from Canary's litter."
Skye giggles, "Auntie gave them funny names. Lucifurr with two R's and Clawdia spelled C-L-A-W-D-I-A."
Coco chuckles. "Clever, don't you think."
Roman, who Coco thought was almost Hogwarts age two years ago but who doesn't turn eleven for another week, rolls his eyes. "But silly."
"My whole name is silly and my first love was a dog with a silly name."
Roman tilts his head. "Coco Nutt. Yeah, okay. Never thought of that before. What is your dog's name?"
"He was a tiny little thing named Pea."
Sky giggles again. "Pea Nutt."
"You've met my dog Cash, who is actually Cashew, and one of the cats is Purrl but not P-E-A-R-L like you might have thought. It's P-U-R-R-L."
Lucille is the one laughing now as Dee asks, "Didn't you say your horse's name is Hazel? So Hazel Nutt."
"Yes, named for my grandmother."
"Auntie, her grandfather's name is Wal." Skye tells this to Lucille but is peering closely at what Coco is doing to Shadow's mouth for the teeth cleaning. This leads to her asking questions, shifting the conversation away from talk of silly names.
When Coco is finished, Lucille says, "My veterinary healer is retiring. I've been with her for so long I didn't want to switch when I learned about you, Coco. Now that she's not only retiring but shuttering her surgery rather than handing it over to someone else, I can switch to coming here without any guilt."
"I'd love that and would love to see Lucifurr and Clawdia again. I've not seen them since they were kittens."
"I also have two dogs, Barkly and Cleopawtra, and an African grey called Greyham."
"I can definitely tell we are related," Coco chuckles. "I can't wait to meet them."
After a stop at the desk Coco sees them out with a promise to have lunch on Tuesday with Lucille and assuring Roman that Fritz and she are coming to his birthday party a week from Sunday. In the short time they were at MacFusty's several others without appointments have come in. As she steadily works for the next few hours Coco thinks back to when she wasn't sure she even wanted to meet her siblings. Now, she can't imagine not knowing Roman and Skye nor can she imagine not ever having met some of the other family members.
Apology
Author: Julian Valentine
Date: 10-18-18 19:00
Caerwyn takes the food tray and maneuvers through the canteen wondering what the heck he was thinking taking a Friday night class. Who schedules a class for Friday nights? It's not even as if there's a choice of other time slots. Only one time with only the one professor.
Maybe that's it. The one professor teaching the course this term has other time constraints and requested a Friday slot.
Still, Caerwyn thinks he might prefer a Saturday morning class than a Friday night one.
Not that he has much of a social life at the moment. He dates but so far no one seriously.
Heading for a table near one of the "windows" showing a starry night along some beach he abruptly stops. "Iola? Hi. Teaching again this term?"
"Yes, finished the last class of the week a short time ago. I'm just tired enough I couldn't even face picking up takeaway to eat at home so here I am. How's your first week going? Want to sit?"
Caerwyn hesitates. Too many times to count now his aunt has tried to convince him to either train for the black ops sort of work she's done or become an Auror. Before the pause gets overly awkward he smiles. "Sure, thanks. The week has gone by quickly. The usual like some professors and classes so far and others not so much. How is your course going?"
"Great so far but it is early on. Two sections this go around." She reaches for a mug of coffee only to set it back down, looking straight across the table at him. "I owe you an apology. I got so focused on trying to recruit you that I got obsessive about it. I'm sorry."
"Thanks, but you didn't have to apologize."
"No, I did." Her sigh has a sadness to it. "I was trying to best Afton even if she wasn't around to know it."
"What do you mean?"
"I was so excited that you seemed more like me than like Afton, like some of the other family, that I wanted you on my team so to speak. I got so focused on trying to win you over that I ended up losing you. I should have been honest with you to begin with about that cure and after first telling you about that other thing I do, I should have back off when you said no. Instead, I amped up my effort and when that didn't do anything but make you want to keep me at arm's length, I started in on you becoming an Auror. I still think you'd make a good one, but after you said you aren't interested and are happy with what you're doing, I should have let that be that.
"I was always so envious of Afton. She was a metamorphmagus and I am not. She decided to have a child and got pregnant without any difficulty. I was always told that if I ever got pregnant the odds of me carrying to term was almost nil. It took seven miscarriages before I accepted that. My marriage fell apart." At Caerwyn's surprised look she apologizes again. "Sorry, I never mentioned I'd been married. My occupation wasn't conducive to being a candidate to adopt. I could have changed jobs but at the time I couldn't think of what else I could other than become an Auror but he, the ex that is, had moved into an Auror position. I couldn't bring myself at that point to have to see him on a regular basis. I have no idea why it never occurred to me then to move to another country. I also still don't know why when I wanted a child so badly I didn't open myself up to options in other fields. Hell, I probably could have apprenticed to a law firm. I knew enough of criminal law by then I could have at least considered something like paralegal."
She finally reaches for her coffee again. "What I'm getting at in my convoluted way is that a small part of me saw winning you over to what I wanted for you as a way of taking Afton's child and making him my own. Whew. Bet you're sorry now you agreed to sit."
Caerwyn, in the process of reaching for his own mug, tea not coffee, replies, "If I hadn't sat down I might not have learned you'd been married or that you've long wanted a child. You know, with you doing less field worn now and being a professor, even if only for a single course at the moment, you could reconsider trying to adopt. You're still young enough. Or even doing that surrogate thing so do now."
"Huh. You know, you're right. I could do either. Only thing about surrogacy though is finding a male to donate. Say, you don't think you're father be interested?"
Caerwyn shudders. "I do hope you're joking. Do you know how bloody weird it would be to have a half-sibling on Dad's side and on your side a cousin?"
She laughs. "Yes, I was joking. Your expression was worth it. I am going to think again about adopting. Maybe even look into doing more here through Blane College. A full-time professorship."
They spend the rest of the meal before Caerwyn leaves to go to his night class with Iola filling him in on some of the other Carew family members he still knows little about.