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Estella, Kurt, & Bran
Author: Saffron
Date: 11-19-18 21:38
"Is it too early for lunch?" Kurt Blackwell asks.
"You just had an entire bag of toffee."
Confused Kurt looks at Estella Finch. "So?"
"So aren't you full from that?"
Kurt scoffs, "Hardly," then exchanges a glance with Bran Hyland. "Girls don't understand."
"Nope."
Estella protests, "I get snacky too sometimes."
"Snacky and hungry all the time aren't the same thing," Bran somewhat pointedly informs her.
Estella rolls her eyes at them then gives her attention back to selecting a pair of pajamas for Chloe Campbell, the girl whose name she drew for Secret Santa. Chloe is a first year but a Ravenclaw like Kurt, Bran, and she so learning a little about the younger witch wasn't all that hard. Estella has it on good authority that Chloe's mother has no inkling that such a thing as the Wizarding World exists and that Chloe works hard to not let on to her mother that she's attending anything other than an ordinary boarding school. Estella doesn't know why this is. Her source wasn't able to elaborate because the young witch in question came within earshot and since then Estella hasn't had time to get her source where she could speak freely about Chloe's mother having no idea her daughter is a witch and learning how to utilize her magical abilities to her best potential.
With what she does know about Chloe and her efforts not to enlighten her mother about the Wizarding World Estella feels that a gift as innocuous as pajamas would be something Chloe could write home about and when home herself be able to show her mother. While Bran and Kurt joke about getting footed pajamas for their fathers Estella selects a cute set for Chloe. The top is pink with three cat faces on it and the bottoms are pink shorts with cat faces as well.
When the trio has paid for their purchases from that shoppe they move on with Kurt teasing Estella, "You stole my Secret Santa gift theme."
"Oh please."
"I got something with a cat. You got something with a cat."
She rolls her eyes at him again but laughs. "Okay, so I copied you. You should be flattered."
Kurt pretends to preen. "Oh I am, I am, I'm just so humble you would never notice how flattered I am."
The something with a cat Kurt bought is also for the Secret Santa exchange. Kurt got Grace Valentine a necklace with a pendant of two cats snuggled together.
As they pass a vendor selling cinnamon spiced nuts, Bran stops to buy some. Continuing on, sharing the snack he says to Kurt, "I guess I'll take Professor Somerset's gift back and get him something with a cat on it so you can be even more flattered that we both like your cat theme so much we copied you."
Estella giggles, "One set of those adult footed pajamas you two were looking at is a cat."
"Whoever has Professor Snape's name should get those for him."
They stop in the middle of the walkway, double over with peels of laughter at the image of Severus Snape in those particular cat pajamas. When composed again Bran tells them, "It's almost worth it to go back and get the kitty jammies and send them to Snape anonymously."
That brings on more laughter but at least this time they aren't blocking the way for others. Kurt steers them into a place with food so they can get a snack to tide them over until lunch. As they eat Bran pulls out the 12 Coffees Of Christmas assortment he'd gotten at Botanicals & Beyond for Ethan Somerset. The twelve coffee flavors are Pecan Pie, Eggnog, Old-Fashioned Gingerbread, Jack Frost, Peppermint, Mistletoe Joe, Nutmeg Spice, Reindeer Crunch, Pumpkin Spice, Christmas Blend, Lump of Coal French Roast, and Jamaica Blue Mountain Blend.
"What do you suppose Reindeer Crunch or Jack Frost actually are?"
Estella shrugs. "No clue on Reindeer Crunch but maybe Jack Frost is white chocolate coffee flavored."
"Is there such a thing as white chocolate coffee flavored," Kurt asks.
"If there can be eggnog flavored coffee I don't see why there couldn't be white chocolate flavored. Speaking of white chocolate, don't let me forget to see if anyplace offering sweets has polar bear paws."
Bran's face scrunches up. "That's the white chocolate with peanuts and caramel, right?"
"Yes. I want to get some for Theo," she says of her brother.
"You know, if anyone would actually love those cat footed pajamas or any of them really, it would be Theo. We should go back and pick out a pair for him." Being Estella's and Theo's cousin, Bran has Theo on his Christmas list.
"If we go back, do we need to make sure you don't get a second pair to send as a true Secret Santa?" Kurt smirks, trying not to start laughing again.
"Don't know but it's possible," Bran sniggers.
Estella simply rolls her eyes at them again.
Jordan & Saffron
Author: Saffron
Date: 11-19-18 22:08
Saffron leaves one business, climbs a staircase and enters the business above the one she's just left. She's gotten some of her shopping accomplished and while it would be wonderful to entirely finish today she's not pushing herself to do so. The nice thing about shopping right now is she can look for gifts for Aaron as he's currently on patrol about the village. With Niccola and Brandon with Sage and Georgia for some sort of street festival Georgia knows about, she's able to also shop without wanting to zag while the one wants to zig and the other go off on diagonals.
Back on street level she checks the time. Saffron has patrol duty soon so needs to think about getting lunch if she wants to have time to enjoy her meal before going on shift. Turning in the direction of the Crown & Cauldron she makes one stop along the way.
She'd asked her nephew Jordan if he'd like her to help with his Secret Santa gift. Jordan had replied, "Thanks, Aunt Saffron. I know exactly what I want to give. I was going to owl order it but if you wouldn't mind picking it up for me, that would be great!"
Jordan showed her one of the Scrivenschaft's Quill Shop catalogs that had recently arrived at Hogwarts for students to use for holiday shopping. "This set of inks and," he showed her a circular from another Hogsmeade shoppe, "this Slytherin journal." He further explained, "I have Magnus McCourt's name. He's always thinking up ideas for newspaper articles and stories. He can use the journal to write his ideas in."
"That's well thought out of you, Jordan," Saffron had complimented. She'd not been going to accept his galleons for the gift but he insisted that as this is a Christmas present from him it should be bought with his money. He was so earnest about it she'd not said another word about buying the items for him.
She'd gotten part of Jordan's gift to Magnus earlier and now makes the rest of the purchase. If only she'd had as clear an idea of what to get Daphne Ellis, the student whose name Saffron has for Secret Santa, as Jordan was on his gift for Magnus.
Once seated at the Crown & Cauldron and after ordering Saffron pulls out the two boxes with make up Daphne's gift. Shortly after arriving in Hogsmeade this morning she'd gotten Daphne a snug and comfy looking pair of bootie style slippers. Around an hour later she'd seen a lovely, delicate looking pale blue pair of ballet flats. She'd put them back and walked on only to return five minutes later deciding that there's no reason not to give Daphne both the slippers and the flats. Now, looking at them again she's glad of that decision. Packing them back away, she waves one of her colleagues over to join her for lunch.
Non-Sporty Gift
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 11-20-18 18:33
Taking a break to eat lunch from the assortment of foods nicely provided, as always, by some of the Hogwarts House Elves, Viktor selects a ham and cheese triangle and one of egg salad. He adds a few more items to his plate to get him started, grabs a fruit flavored sports type drink, and finds himself a good spot to sit and eat while watching those playing a scrimmage match that's just begun.
Despite the bright sun the day is cold and at times there is wind. Even so, there's a good turnout for the workshop, a mix of first and second years as well as those from other grade levels who either aren't allowed, for whatever reasons, into Hogsmeade or have no interest in visiting the village or have either been and returned already or came to the workshop first and are going into Hogsmeade soon.
One face he's not see is that of Maud Montgomery, the young woman whose name he drew for this year's Secret Santa exchange. Viktor knows her from flying lessons her first year but Maud doesn't take Fitness & Athletics. She's not in the Athletics Club. If she's tried out for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team in her four years at Hogwarts, for some reason he doesn't remember and if she's participated in workshops before today he also doesn't remember seeing her. That could simply be because she worked with someone else those occasions but he has a feeling if Maud has been to the workshops or tryouts it's been strictly as a spectator, not a participant.
After the recent Secret Santa name draw Viktor thought about the gift itself. He doesn't want to give her something from Krum's Completely Quidditch, not even a gift certificate, nor does he want to do something like give her tickets to a Quidditch match. Viktor's thought was that Maud might prefer something non-Quidditch related, perhaps a gift that's entirely non-sporty.
Viktor knew he could go to Maud's aunt Celeste Quigley to perhaps get an idea or two on what Maud likes, what her interests are but decided he would only do that if he found himself stumped. He took what he does know about Maud, which isn't all that much really, to try and come up with a Christmas present Maud might want or use. He even refrained from asking the women in his life, Marjani, Olive, and Theodosia.
One tidbit he does know about Maud is that her birthday is in August. That put him in mind of birthstones. The August birthstone is peridot. Thinking of gemstones lead to thoughts about jewelry. As far as Viktor knows most fourteen year old girls like jewelry at least a little.
The same afternoon he came up with the notion of starting with looking at birthstone jewelry Viktor went shopping. Armed with the decision to go with peridot jewelry he thought his mission would be somewhat easy. He was wrong. Necklace? Bracelet? Earrings? Rings? Toe rings? If a necklace what sort? Choker? Pendant? Beaded? Bangle bracelet? Something called a tennis bracelet? Large ring? Small? Hoop earrings? Studs? Pierced?
Ultimately, Viktor select what he thinks is a small but nice pair of peridot earrings. They are pierced but can be made clip-on. As he was telling the sales clerk which ones he'd picked she'd said, "If you want to be different, you might consider birth flower instead of stone."
"Birth flower?"
"Yes. August's is gladiolus. We have some lovely flower jewelry."
Intrigued, Viktor allowed her to show him. There was a surprising number of flower and flower inspired jewelry with a variety of the gladiolus ones to choose from. "These are my favorite," she told him, indicating a dangling pair with white flowers with hints of yellow and green against what looks to be a blue background.
When Viktor left, he had both the peridot earrings he'd first selected and the white gladiolus earrings, which though dangly can be converted to clip-ons if Maud doesn't have pierced ears.
His plate empty of food but still hungry, Viktor rises to fill the plate again, wincing in sympathy as he does for one of the scrimmage chasers who just took a bludger straight to the knee cap.
Time Out For A Snack (Leo & Cornington)
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 11-21-18 18:21
Leo and Cornington meet up at the Crown & Cauldron for an afternoon snack. They'd thought about Brews & Stews this morning when setting a time to meet but the allure of freebies from Aunt Furnie, Aunt Phlagmelina, and Uncle Lars won out. Reaching for a piece of crispy bread then spreading some sort of soft herbed cheese, goat he thinks but didn't ask when Aunt P brought it over, Leo asks, "You have any luck?"
Nodding, Cornington swallows the spoonful of soup he'd just put in his mouth. "I think so. Haven't bought it yet but I think so. Why do you suppose this is called Brown Windsor soup?"
"No idea but it's good."
"Cheese is good too. You find something?"
"Yeah, but haven't actually bought it yet either."
"You have it easier than I do."
Leo nearly snorts out a stream of soup at that. "Do not."
"I have a professor. A professor from a rich family. Someone who was in Slytherin."
"Mine is a Slytherin. And a girl."
Cornington shrugs, "You have Hydrangea you could ask for an opinion on what a first year girl might like."
Leo counters, "You have Uncle AJ to ask for an opinion about Professor Nott."
The brothers stare at each other then laugh, Leo asking Cornington, "So what are you thinking of getting Professor Nott?"
"A gift box with sausages, cheeses, nuts, some sweets and other things. Stuff he can snack on when grading papers in his office or whatever. What are you thinking of for, what's her name? Sophia?"
"Yeah, Sophia Stratford. Two things. One's a box of little cakes. Petit fours? Think that's the type of little cake. Some are done like trees, some like snowmen, and some have snowflakes. Other thing is a tin with a Christmas mix of sweets. Chocolates, gummies, Jujus, cinnamons, and some other things."
"That sounds good. Get Baron a tin and we can snack on it over the holidays when he's not looking."
"Works for me," Leo chuckles.
Phlagmelina returns just then bearing a plate. "Something else for you two to try. Bacon wrapped figs. The figs have a cheese-pesto stuffing. Tweaking the recipe. Let me know what you think."
After thanking her, their conversation turns to gifts for certain family members their mother expects them to pick out on their own, Leo wondering how many of those on their list would be happy with one of those cheese and sausage boxes Cornington is getting for Theodore Nott.
Family Shopping Trip
Author: Illyria
Date: 11-21-18 18:54
Even though Illyria was technically still on maternity leave––she wasn't set to teach again until after the new year––she was participating in Secret Santa. She'd done it every year since her first at Hogwarts, twelve years ago. That first gift had gone to Cora Fields, her colleague Aaron's niece.
This year, Illyria drew Lilith Balfour's name. It had been a few years since Lilith had been in Illyria's class, but Illyria remembered her well and didn't think she would have much difficulty finding a lovely gift for the seventh year Slytherin student.
Making the shopping excursion a family affair, Illyria strolled around with Nicholas snuggled warmly against her in a sling. Nathan walked alongside her with Ian sitting on his shoulders. They had already crossed a few things off of their extensive Christmas list, but there was plenty more left to go.
Stopping at a jeweler's table, Illyria looked over the different offerings. There were pieces of all kinds and styles. Illyria ultimately selected a silver pendant with green and white stones. She thought it was a nice piece for a Slytherin student, particularly one who was on the verge of graduating and might like a pretty memento from her Hogwarts years.
The jeweler was on the ball and offered to gift wrap the necklace for free. First, the necklace was tucked into a small case with a black, velvet bed. Then, the case was wrapped in tissue paper and slipped into a small silver gift bag imprinted with shiny snowflakes. The jeweler inserted a business card with her information in case Lilith wanted to buy something herself. Lastly, she included a blank card for Illyria to write a note on, which Illyria intended on doing back at the castle.
The family of four wandered around for a bit longer and made a few more purchases before retiring to the castle to rest until supper, which they would take in the Great Hall if the children were up to it.
Leaving The Workshop Early (Joe & Amethyst)
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 11-21-18 19:05
Feeling as if he's got a cold coming on, Joe leaves the flying and Quidditch workshop a little early. Upon reaching the castle he starts to go to his room in Hufflepuff House but ends up detouring to the commons with thoughts of cocoa or other hot drink. Walking in he's surprised to see one of his cousins at the large decorated Christmas tree that appeared one day last week. It seems to be the main place for Secret Santa gift exchange participants to leave the presents.
"Amethyst, I thought you were at the workshop."
"I was but my feet got so cold they went numb. I'm wearing three layers of socks and have on thick shoes. I wish I knew a foot warming spell or one to keep my socks toasty so my feet stay that way too."
"That would be great to know. I didn't see you leave or I might have come with you."
"You were doing one of the longer distance racers when I left. How come you would have come with? Why are you here now and not out there?"
"Think I'm getting a cold."
"Don't tell your mum. She'll come rushing to take you to the hospital wing herself."
"You're dead on right there. Guess I couldn't blame her though after being sick for so long." He nods towards the tree. "Leaving a present or looking for one with your name on it?"
"Both. I got Malden McGonagall's name. You know who he is?"
"Yeah, but mostly because he's on your house team. What'd you get him?"
"Something I saw over the summer in a place called The Dragon's Cauldron. Solid cologne. The tins I picked out actually come with the Slytherin crest and name. Owled off for it."
"Solid cologne? How's that work? What's it smell like?"
"Dab your finger on it then smear your finger where you want it or use a swab. There are different scents. Have the description of the one I got here somewhere. Hang on," she tells him, rooting into a small purse. Pulling out note she wrote herself she reads, "Lime, neroli, and frankincense. It a cunning, resourceful, and ambition scent. Don't know what neroli. I keep meaning to look it up."
"Don't know either. Funny you got an older guy from your house. I got an older girl from mine."
"Yeah? Who?"
"Kaycee Sickleby."
Amethyst shakes her head. "Don't think I know her. Might if I saw her but the name," she shakes her head again. "Want to get a drink?"
"That's why I came instead of going to crawl in bed."
They each get a cocoa, taking one of the small couches that's free with so many students out of the castle, either at the workshop or in Hogsmeade. "What did you get her?" Amethyst asks.
"Who? Oh. Kaycee? Mustard yellow lace skirt."
"How'd you pick that? Catalogue?"
"More or less. I wrote Mum, asking for some ideas. She asked me what I knew about Kaycee and after I'd gotten her what I could find out she sent a list of suggestions along with the catalogues. She'd marked each page she'd made a suggestion from. Left it up to me to pick or go with something else. I picked one of hers."
"That way if Kaycee doesn't like it you can pretend it's Aunt Glyn's fault, huh?"
"Maybe," Joe grins. "Say, want to play a game as long as we're here? You pick."
Within minutes they are playing a game of Exploding Snap, Joe thinking he might make it to supper before needing to crash in bed and not move again until sometime tomorrow.
Shopping with Otto
Author: Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen
Date: 11-22-18 08:01
Because the sun sets in the middle of the afternoon now that winter is steadily approaching, the village starts to empty out early, though it's still busier than usual. A lot of students and staff are attempting to conduct Christmas shopping, Fritz included. He's already had a patrol shift, and now that he's free, it's time to get a few things off of his list.
First, he swings by home to pick up Otto. Although a Muggle through and through, Otto is no stranger to the wizarding world, thanks to having a cousin and future cousin-in-law for a wizard and witch. Nonetheless, Otto still feels amazed by magic and magical things.
He watches as someone uses a wand to light each lamp dotting High Street. Some of the street vendors have begun packing up, because not only has it gotten dark, but it's also gotten colder, but plenty are still around, taking advantage of the departing competition to get more sales in.
"Do you have an idea what you want to get… Duncan, is it?" Otto asks Fritz in German.
"No," Fritz admits, "so I'm hoping something will jump out at me."
They look at different things, including clothing, games, and Christmas sweets. Just when Fritz decides to try the stores, he spots something and gets an idea. The thing in question is a fine-looking, high-quality rolling suitcase with the Hufflepuff crest on the front. The case itself isn't yellow, which Fritz is a bit glad for because not everyone cares for the color, and Fritz guesses that might be true for Hufflepuff students too.
The suitcase is a large size, which is perfect for going on a big holiday but also for moving, such as into a dorm room, if that's what Duncan Dippet plans on doing next fall. In addition to the suitcase, Fritz decides to purchase a pair of tickets for a Rhine river cruise. He'll have to research it soon so that he can get the suitcase and tickets to Duncan before Christmas, though he wants to do it as soon as possible.
After making the purchase, Fritz sends it up to his office at the castle and then he and Otto go to the pet shoppe to see Coco. Along the way, Otto teases Fritz about whether he and Coco are trying to set a record for longest engagement ever.
Back At The Castle
Author: Georgia Copperpot
Date: 11-22-18 18:55
Sylvestor had eaten supper in Hogsmeade but now that he's back at school and dinner is going on he sees no reason not to eat again. Between hours of playing games at the gaming center and having to find some sort of present to give Hogwarts librarian Azaelia Bramble for Secret Santa, he's not only low on energy but famished. He figures eating again will help his energy level enough to get him through the rest of the evening. No way is he going to bed this early!
Before coming into the Great Hall to chow down Sylvestor had gone to the commons to deposit the gift he'd gotten Ms. Bramble. Having it wrapped where he got it save him from trying to grapple with the ungainly shape of a gift basket. The gift basket is a Hawaiian orchid spa basket. Despite the fact that to his disappointment the bath bombs in it do not actually explode, Sylvestor thinks he did well with the gift selection. He does suspect that the Secret Santa recipient won't be overly upset that the bath bombs sort of fizzle and dissolve in water rather than explode.
He could have gone the easy route and gotten Ms. Bramble something library or book related but decided to put in a little more effort even if it did mean less time for gaming and eating. As long as he was putting in that effort he even got Edwina something. Normally, he'd do his best to get his mother to get his sister something and stick his name on it but when he saw the assortment of gift baskets and variety of sizes he got Edwina one too, though hers is honeysuckle, a scent he somehow knows his sister likes. He got one for his mum as well, selecting a basket with one of her favorite scents, gardenia.
Edina, Libby, and Bertie ate lunch in Hogsmeade but time got away from them before they could get supper. They had little choice but to eat in the Great Hall if wanting to return to Hogwarts on time. They'd spent some of the day together, at times all three going their separate ways, other times Libby an Edwina together, and others still Edwina and Bertie.
While Edwina and Libby were together, Bertie had taken that time to find gifts for each of them, spending a tiny bit more on Edwina as she is his girlfriend. It was during that time when he also found what he wanted to give the person for whom he's Secret Santa, Care of Magical Creatures professor Jolyon Kent.
Bertie found some yogurt covered pretzels that come in an assortment of dark chocolate, milk chocolate, vanilla, peanut butter, berry, and raspberry. He's not sure what specifically the "berry" one is but thinks either strawberry or blueberry. He'd also found a biscotti assortment of twenty-four biscotti in six flavors: chocolate craisin, chocolate chip, caramel chip, nut crunch, almond crunch, and cookie crunch. He couldn't decide between the two assortments but with them on sale he didn't have to.
He needs to wrap each box and tie them together with ribbon before taking the gift to the massive tree in the commons. He'll likely do the wrapping and delivery.
Libby had a hard time selecting a Secret Santa gift. She'd gotten Caleb Quigley's name and for the life of her, no matter how much thought she put since the name draw into what to give him. It was while Edwina and she was browsing some of the shoppes together that something jumped out at her. She didn't buy it right away, wanting to make sure it was "the gift" but after visiting other businesses and coming back twice on her own Libby got Caleb a horseshoe set.
She has no idea if he plays the game as it has roots in the Muggle world. This particular set can be played in the traditional Muggle fashion or can be played magically with the participants using their wands to throw the horseshoes. The set is a nice one, in her opinion, coming with its own carrying case.
Edwina also found a present for Ingrid Hyland, the person she has for Secret Santa. She was with both Libby and Bertie at the time. They'd stopped at a temporary shoppe selling perfume set up along the High. The perfume Edwina picked out for Ingrid has a lovely light floral scent. She can't say what flower the scent brings to mind, only that it's floral. Neither Bertie nor Libby were of any help with pegging the specific flower and the person working the kiosk when they were there was of no help either even after giving the perfume label a close inspection.
Edwina liked, no loved, the fragrance no matter whether she could put a specific name to the perfume simply called Spring. That the perfume comes in a beautiful bottle is an added plus. Additionally, the bottle can be refilled, either with more Spring or with some other fragrance. Edwina likes the entire package of perfume and gorgeous bottle so much she's tempted to keep it for herself. Tempted but won't. She'll give Ingrid this one as planned and if she really wants one for herself she can owl order it or return to Hogsmeade once school is out for winter holiday.
Over supper, Edwina, Libby, and Bertie fill each other in on what they'd done when not all three together, though not sharing what they'd bought for each other, and discussed plans for getting together over Christmas break.