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Good Book
Author: Marzipan
Date: 11-01-19 18:28
"Are you boys ready?"
Carter and Vallon looked up from the funny book they were reading together. They had gotten it at school and hadn't been able to put it down since first cracking open the cover.
"We're almost at the end of the chapter," Carter said, and then he busted out laughing with Vallon.
Marzi smiled. It was nice seeing the boys interested in books for a change. Diary of a Wimpy Wizard must have the winning formula to engage boys who'd rather do anything but read. She waited patiently for Carter and Vallon to reach the end of the chapter.
When they reluctantly put down the book, Marzi again asked, "Ready?"
"Yes," they simultaneously answered. They went to wash up and then exited the Ravenscroft family quarters for the Great Hall.
The Great Hall was bustling when the family arrived. The boys sped walked all the way to the High Table, careful not to run because they didn't want to get reprimanded by Professor McGonagall, who was already watching them with a stern expression on her face.
To Marzi's surprise, Vallon climbed into the empty seat right next to Professor Snape. Carter sat down next to Vallon and immediately helped himself to the various dishes on the table. Marzi eventually made her way there and smiled at Severus.
"Good evening," she greeted.
"Good evening, Marzipan," he replied.
Marzi had long wanted to ask him how he felt about the commercialization of The Mews Community for Nons. She knew he'd been one of the prisoners there, thanks to the tell-all book that came out a couple of years ago.
She wanted to attend the protest at the grand opening, but she had gone to the Quidditch match with her boys instead. She poured over the coverage that followed and was just appalled by the statements given for justifying what was essentially a macabre amusement park. Worst of all, there was talk of opening up the other sites someday.
Marzi didn't want 14-15-14 to ever reopen, even as a "historical site". It was a place of bad memories, but more than anything, Marzi didn't like the idea about the birth that happened in the community being sensationalized. The baby born was first year Gryffindor Violet Verona.
Marzi snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Vallon ask, "Professor Snape, do you know what the Jellied Eel Touch is?"
"Do enlighten me, Mr. Ravenscroft."
Vallon lit up, describing the scene from the book in which a Jellied Eel of mysterious origin was left on the Quidditch Pitch all school year long. If a student touched the eel, then he was treated as if he had dragon pox until he passed it on to someone else. Vallon giggled throughout his telling, sometimes so hard he couldn't get the words out. Carter helped explain between his own laughs.
When they finished Marzi added, "They're enthralled by a new book. I've never seen them so eager to read. In fact, if I let them, I imagine they'll stay up all night to finish."
"Oh, please!" Carter exclaimed, while Vallon asked, "Can we?"
Marzi shook her head. "It's a school night."
The boys looked only momentarily deflated, no doubt plotting how they will finish the book tonight and introduce a jellied eel to the Hogwarts Quidditch Pitch.
Late Tuesday Evening
Author: Illyria
Date: 11-03-19 16:54
After taking supper in the Great Hall, Illyria returned to the Great Hall with her sons and started the ritual for getting them ready for bed. It was something Nathan usually did when Illyria had her Astronomy classes, but he was out of the country attending a conference for architects. One of the house-elves from the in-school daycare was supposed to come by before Illyria left for her classroom.
"Where's dragon?" Ian asked while Illyria toweled him dry from his bath.
"Did you leave him in the Great Hall?"
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Where did you see him last?"
"At the door."
Illyria finished pulling on his pajamas and said, "Did you drop him inside or outside the house?"
Ian pointed past her shoulder and said, "He's right there."
"Let's see," Illyria said, letting him go to get the toy that was currently his favorite. It was a long, bright blue dragon with green eyes. The dragon was bendable and could be worn around one's wrist, though Ian preferred him in his stretched-out state.
The dragon was on the rug right inside the front door of the family's quarters. Ian picked it up, hugged it, and said, "Dragon."
"Now that you're together again, it's off to bed with you both."
"No bed," Ian said.
"Yes bed," Illyria replied, scooping him up. Ian squealed, kicked, and wriggled, but there was a dimpled smile on his face rather than a frown. Illyria put him and the dragon to bed and read to them until the house-elf arrived to babysit.
Illyria checked on Nicholas, who was already sound asleep in his bassinet, and then slipped out her chambers for the Astronomy Tower.
Her first class of the evening was first year Ravenclaw and Slytherin students. Her niece Alexandra was in the class. Not surprisingly, Alexandra was every bit the Ravenclaw. She was a good student and always paid attention in class, but Illyria still found it a bit strange to be teaching a family member. It was definitely new territory for her.
Not long after she arrived to her classroom, the first years began filing in. Once all were accounted for, Illyria continued discussing the Sun with them.
An Advantage Of A Wizarding Household
Author: Coco Nutt
Date: 11-03-19 17:43
Deandra checks the time. "I need to get going if I'm going to be home when the kids come through the Floo." She pushes back from the table where she and Coco have been taking care of some final details for Skye's 11th birthday party on Saturday. Her actual birthday is Sunday but Saturday is better for the outing with friends and the party to go with the outing.
Roman wanted Skye to have a party at Blossom's Gaming Centre in Hogsmeade but she told him if that's what he wants for his own then do that but don't tell her where to have hers. Coco is fairly certain Skye was thinking of the gaming center before Roman starting pushing for it. Skye ended up deciding asking Coco for ideas and went with a Muggle World one that none of her circle of friends has done or might have thought of doing: a circus workshop.
The National Centre For Circus Arts in Shoreditch offers a children's workshop with professional circus instructors on tightrope walking, the trapeze, and diabolo tricks. Though on the pricey side and this particular activity requires a minimum of 10 participants, Deandra and Harlan decided to allow Skye to include the workshop as a birthday activity. After the workshop, there will be a larger gathering with food, including cake, and music. It's for the party itself that the two women are having one last meeting.
Coco sees Deandra out then goes into the kitchen to decide on something for dinner. She didn't work today and had nothing school related. She'd normally have dinner thought out already but got sidetracked for a large portion of the day with a deposition. After repeatedly failing to get Mitzi to agree to move to a care facility, Mitzi's daughter Kirsten petitioned to have Mitzi declared incompetent and to have herself declared guardian with power of attorney.
Coco was called in to be deposed by Kirsten's solicitor. Determined to trip Coco up, the woman would take the same basic question and reword it in a variety of ways. With there being a number of those basic type questions, having multiple variations on each stretched the deposition out by several more hours than Mitzi's solicitor had thought it would take. At least they have an idea now of what to expect for Papa Wal and others on Mitzi's side. Since Mitzi's solicitor is excluded from Kirsten's side of the depositions, having Coco give a detailed account after hers finally ended will help him better prepare the others.
Deciding on lasagna, Coco pops out for a short time to get a bottle of red wine to use as part of the lasagna sauce. Neither Fritz and she are huge imbibers of alcoholic but she's still surprised they're out of red wine. While out she also picks up what's needed for a tiramisu cheesecake. Back home, Coco gets dinner put together, happy that in a Wizarding household lasagna and cheesecake do not take nearly as long as in a Muggle one.
Lunch Meeting with Kingsley
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 11-04-19 18:35
Hermione was seen into Kingsley's office by his secretary. The Minister of Magic was seated at a small table set for two. There were little sandwiches and other finger foods available.
Kingsley poured Hermione a glass of pumpkin fizz and said, "Thanks for agreeing to come over lunch."
"Thanks for offering to feed me," Hermione replied. "You must be awfully busy."
"Seems like I work through my lunches more often than not." Kingsley fixed her with a knowing stare. "I feel like it's something you do from time to time, too."
"You are not wrong," Hermione replied with a smile. She helped herself to a sandwich and asked, "What did you want to discuss first?"
"What questions does the PM have about the latest goings-on?"
"The usual," Hermione replied. "He want to know if we've discovered Voldemort's whereabouts yet. He also asked about the situation at Hogwarts."
Kingsley nodded. "And I wish I had new answers for him. The search for the Death Eaters is on-going but so far has not garnered the slightest bit of success. We have no leads. Not a one.
"As for Hogwarts, I suppose the lack of news there is good. It's my understanding the two independent consultants are continuing to monitor the situation, but I'm not at all certain they've discovered anything at all. The law enforcement on hand hasn't reported anything either."
"Can we assume that Voldemort has asked whoever is involved in that project to fall back for the moment, if not forever, now that the gig is up, as they say?" Hermione asked.
"For the sake of the children, I hope it's done," Kingsley replied.
"Me too." Hermione's kids had some time yet before they started at Hogwarts, but she already had nieces and nephews at the school. "To the former question," she went on, "are there any more plans to interview the Death Eaters in custody to see what they might know?"
"Yes, but the ones long-incarcerated and those picked up during the raid last spring are least likely to know the current Death Eater hideout. Our best bet is Asher Kent––on both accounts."
"But it's not a matter of if he'll talk, since we know he's cooperating," Hermione commented with a frown.
"Precisely," Kingsley said. "What I wouldn't give for the secrecy spells to break."
"We'll find a way," Hermione said, her thinking cap already on.
Related
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 11-04-19 19:31
Myra fights to keep from nodding off and face planting into her half-eaten plate of food. Gage on her left prods her. "You're leaning on me."
Blinking, she sits up straighter. "Sorry."
On her right Cassie asks, "Something the matter?"
"I'm so sleepy I can barely keep my eyes open. You'd think we'd have Astronomy last night."
Gage rolls his eyes though she can't see him do that. "More like you stayed up half the night reading."
Directly across from him Myra's roommate Cammie Ling gives him an odd look. "How did you know?"
"Because she's gotten in trouble a few times for staying up reading at home."
Cammie looks more perplexed. "How would you know that too?"
"Lots of sleepovers."
"Oh, so you knew each other before Hogwarts?"
Myra laughs. "I thought everyone knew, Cammie. We're cousins."
"I thought Gage and Cassie are cousins and you were friends with Cassie so that's how you know Gage and that's why Cassie sometimes eats at our table."
All three shake their heads and look to each other to see who wants to field the response with Cassie ending up being the one who explains. "My half-brother Phin is Gage's and Cassie's cousin."
"Oooooh. Are there others I don't know about?"
Gage gestures to Dani at the Hufflepuff table. "Do you know my sister Danielle? And there's Cornington. He's a cousin."
"Or my brother Joe?" Myra indicates Joe sitting towards the end of the Gryffindor. Next she points out Amethyst at the Slytherin table then lists the Hodfuffer cousins not yet at Hogwarts and the ones who've already left.
Cassie draws Cammie's attention to the Hufflepuff table again. "There's also Louis and Margaret who are sort of family but not really."
Mind spinning from all the names she's been given, most of who she's never met, Cammie smiles at the trio. "If I've got this straight then Professor Hodfuffer is your uncle and yours," she uses her fork to point first at Gage and then at Myra, "but not yours though you treat him that way," her fork now on Cassie.
"Yes," the three answer at the same time.
"When people find out your uncle is also a famous writer, do they bother you for free books?"
"Some of them," Myra says with a nod.
"And we get asked all the time to get people autographs and photos of Wiggy," Gage says of their professional Quidditch playing cousin.
"Can't blame them on the photos. He's blazingly cute." Cammie grins at them. "Yes, that is a hint that if you want to give me an autographed photo of Wiggersmythe Hodfuffer for Christmas I would be very happy."
They smile in return with Cassie reluctantly reaching for her satchel. "Guess we should get going to class."
Myra yawns and pops a piece of corn muffin into her mouth as she too reaches for her bookbag. "I just hope I can stay awake."
The four leave the Great Hall together, Cammie, Gage, and Myra heading for History of Magic while Cassie joins up with roommates and friends Haley and Alexandra to walk outside to the greenhouses for Herbology.
Pennod Gudd
Author: Aaron Miller
Date: 11-05-19 21:24
After making a mug of hot chocolate I sit back down thinking to read more in a psychological thriller but instead pick up the sheets of parchment the seventh year Muggle Studies students and Muggle Studies Club members submitted with suggestions for the end of school year Muggle Studies Club sponsored trip.
Giraffe Manor in Kenya
Tokyo with Tokyo Disney Resort
Nkuringo Gorilla Camp in Uganda
Paris with Disneyland Paris
San Antonio, Texas
Anywhere in New Zealand
"I woke up and can't go back to sleep."
Turning towards the small voice I put the parchments aside and motion for her to come sit by me. "Have a bad dream?"
Senna shakes her head. "I don't think so. I was just awake all of a sudden. I tried going back to sleep but nothing happens."
"Want some hot chocolate? That might help make you sleepy again."
"Yes, please."
It's when I'm getting a mug of hot chocolate for Senna that I realize just how late it's gotten. "If our hot milk drinks don't help make us sleepy soon neither of us is going to want to get up for school in the morning," I say handing her the mug.
Senna giggles. "You have school?"
"I'm a teacher so just like students have to go to school I have to go too. I don't have any classes in the morning but I do need to be available in my office and have parchmentwork to do."
"What's that?" she asks, pointing to the stack of parchment I'd been going through.
"Those are suggestions for the next end of term Muggle Studies Club trip for seventh years."
"What's space camp?" she asks, reading from the top parchment.
I open a folder and pull out a Space Camp brochure and let her look over it as I explain a little about it. When she asks, "Where is it?" I get one of the atlases and show her where Huntsville, Alabama is.
This leads to her wanting to know the other suggestions so we go through all of them with Senna wanting to know more about each. When we've talked about the last suggestion in the stack Senna reaches for a leather-bound journal on the table.
"This is Mummy's book," she states, flipping it open.
"Yes, her journal."
"Why is some of it missing?"
"There's not anything missing. See," I say, reaching to show her that no pages have been torn out.
"But there are some missing. Oh, I know. You have to say the words and tap three times along this part of the book." She indicates the journal's spine.
"Words?" I try not to sound excited. Since Saffron, Sasafrass, and Sage had come across her journals when going through Birdie's and Lohengrin's things, we'd been studying the newest of them for hints or clues to what led Birdie to murder Lohengrin and to kill herself. We'd look for hidden messages, invisible ink, cyphers, pages stuck together, and any number of other techniques and tricks.
"Ummm," Senna's small face scrunches up in concentration. "Penny good? Nooo, that's not right. It sort of is but not really."
Senna takes a sip of what's left of her hot chocolate. Her face suddenly brightens. "Pennod," she excitedly exclaims. "The other word sounds sort of like good to me but Mummy said it was spelled, ummmmm, G-U-D-D. I think that's it. It's been forever."
I have my wand out now. "And how did she tap her wand? All in one spot or all along the book's spine?"
"That's what it's called? A spine? Like my backbones? Huh. Guess that is a book's backbone. All along. Once at the top then sort of in the middle and then at the bottom."
"Pennod gudd," I say the two words out loud and she nods, "Like that."
"Do I say them then tap or say them and tap at the same time?"
"Pennod gudd!" I say somewhat forcefully, making one tap on the journal's spine per syllable. I nearly drop the journal in surprise when I feel it expand in my hand.
Senna smiles broadly at me. "You did it! Now it looks like when Mummy would write in it."
I start to open the journal to the newly revealed pages but Senna and I both yawn several times. With reluctance I set the journal aside, telling myself it's better to wait to share with Saffron if not also Sasafrass and Sage. Senna's eyes, so wide and bright only a minute or two ago, now droop.
"I think I can go back to sleep now," she says through another yawn.
"I think I can sleep now too."
I see her to bed then head for my own where Saffron fell asleep reading hours ago, the book somehow still on her face where it dropped. I move it then climb into bed, snuggling against her, surprisingly falling asleep almost as soon as my head hits the pillow.
Search Warrant
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 11-07-19 08:23
Bill looked up when someone knocked on his office door. He put down his quill and rose from his seat as he said, "Come in."
Two wizards wearing Ministry of Magic badges entered the office and introduced themselves as Quentin Arnold, auror, and Nicholas Hastings, law enforcement officer.
"Please, have a seat. Coffee, tea?" Bill offered.
The wizards passed on refreshments and got to the crux of their visit to the bank.
"We're investigating a family believed to be associated with the Death Eaters," Quentin began, "and we have reason to believe they have a vault here at Gringotts. I have a warrant to search the vault."
He produced the document, and though Bill would have cooperated even without the warrant, he took the proffered parchment to review it.
"What is the family name?" Bill asked, handing the warrant back to Quentin.
"James," the auror replied, "but we believe the vault might be registered under the surname Smetana."
Although the vault system at the Hogsmeade branch had expanded over the years, it still wasn't anywhere close to the many twisting underground passages in Diagon Alley. Bill knew every name associated with his branch, though he didn't necessarily remember to whom the specific vaults belonged.
He nodded, reaching for the bank's register book. "Smetana is a customer," he said, running his finger down the list of names, which were listed chronologically next to the vault numbers. "Ah, #65 - Josef and Anna Smetana."
"Any other vaults in their name or other Smetanas?" Quentin asked.
Bill ran his finger the rest of the way down the list and shook his head. "No, just the one." He shut the book, propped his elbows on it and steepled his fingers together. "I suppose you'll want access straightaway?"
"Yes."
Bill removed his arms from the desk and leaned back in his chair. "Easier said than done without the customer here. I have a key, the family has a key. We need both to open the vault."
"There's no other way?" Quentin asked.
"Yes, but not easily. All of the vaults are heavily protected by security spells so that they can't be broken into unless one possesses incredible skill and a lot of time. Is the family refusing to cooperate, or are they unaware of your investigation?"
Quentin pressed his lips together. Nicholas, who had been silent since his initial introduction stated, "We're not authorized to discuss specifics. We just need access to the vault. Can you assist us in the matter or point us to someone else with the bank who can?"
Bill took a deep breath and said, "Yes, I will help you, but as I said, it will take time. Let me show you to the vault and I'll get started."
He turned to the cabinet containing the vault keys and took the one for #65. It wasn't entirely useless without its mate, though it wouldn't open the vault on its own. Having it would make the breaking-in slightly faster.
"If you'll follow me," Bill said, and he led the auror and law enforcement officer out of the office and to the stairwell, where he led them down to the vaults.
Alys Alone
Author: Ellis
Date: 11-08-19 13:13
Alys exited History of Magic at the end of class and traveled from the second floor to ground level, where she ran into Amoret Needlehouse in the Entrance Hall. Ms. Needlehouse was one of the two counselors introduced during the Start of Term Feast.
The two nodded at each other in passing, with Ms. Needlehouse heading to the empty classroom where she held her sessions and Alys stepping outside into the cold. Her next class was Herbology.
The first few weeks of term had been quite rough. Alys was always in a bad mood. She snapped at her friends and her siblings. Her grades slipped and she even earned detention after showing up late to Professor Snape's class. That was a mistake she only made once. It was bad enough being in his presence during class and quite worse serving detention with him.
One day after Alchemy class, Professor Schnackenpfefferhausen asked to see Alys. He inquired if everything was all right and as much as Alys wanted to walk away, she could tell that her teacher was genuinely concerned about her well-being. She took particular note when he reminded her that everyone was being watched, and odd behavior might draw unwanted attention.
"I feel like they already suspect me," Alys had said, even though Eugene and Eunice Smirt really hadn't paid her any mind since their arrival at Hogwarts. "i was questioned by authorities, and then my idiot brother dressed up as a Death Eater at a party over the summer. Then, Gavin had to get sorted into Slytherin. I knew it would happen, but still."
"Slytherin gets a bad rap," Professor Schnackenpfefferhausen had replied. "They're not all bad."
"Were you in Slytherin? I thought you went to some other school, maybe."
Her teacher had smiled. "I was born in Germany but I did all my schooling here at Hogwarts. I was in Ravenclaw, like you."
That had gotten a small smile out of Alys.
"Can I tell you a secret, Alys?" Professor Schnackenpfefferhausen had asked. "Like you, I'm worried about everything that's gone on and about things that are beyond my control. I'm afraid the Smirts will figure out that I knew a follower of Gellert Grindelwald and that they'll decide I'm to blame for luring students over to the Death Eaters. Once a mind is made up, it's difficult to change. All I can do is take each day as it comes and talk to someone if I need help. You can talk to me, or Professor Flitwick or Professor McGonagall. You can talk to the counselors, too. That's why they are here. It's a difficult time for everyone."
Alys had felt weirdly better after the conversation, and at her professor's encouragement, had gone to meet one of the counselors that very same day.
From that point on, she met with Ms. Needlehouse on a weekly basis: every Friday before lunch.
Since her weekly sessions, Alys was less moody, better company, and doing better in her schoolwork, which was important, since this was her final year at Hogwarts. Alys wanted to be a musician after Hogwarts, so she didn't think N.E.W.T.s would matter all that much, but she still wanted to do well in all of her subjects.
She arrived at the greenhouse, where it was infinitely warmer than outside, and settled in for Professor Ravenscroft's class.
Kaycee - Blowing Bubbles
Author: Lee Sickleby
Date: 11-09-19 12:10
Finished with classes for the day, Kaycee parted ways from Chip and went to the library to work on some of the assignments she'd been given this week in her various classes. With it being an OWL year, Kaycee did her very best to stay on top of things. She'd never been the lazy type but she wouldn't consider herself particularly studious either, so going to the library at the start of her weekend took some effort.
Kaycee plugged away at her homework, stopping only after she'd made a decent dent into her assignments. Since Chip had another class this afternoon, Kaycee's next task was to get a little practice in––flute, not Quidditch. She was still a member of the Band/Orchestra and this year had earned the distinction of being first chair. She felt very honored and wanted to maintain her position.
Kaycee swapped the library for the large classroom where Professor Flitwick held their musical meetings. Smaller rooms off the main one were just the right size for practicing solo. Kaycee entered one, displayed sheet music on the music stand, and removed her flute from its case. The Band/Orchestra was planning to perform in the Great Hall the Sunday evening before winter break.
Kaycee raised the flute to her bottom lip. She wanted to start with some warming up with scales and arpeggios. When she blew to play her first note, she was dismayed when no sound came out of her flute. Instead, bubbles emerged from the end.
Kaycee pulled apart the flute, glanced inside each end, and frowned. She didn't see any soap residue, which could only mean that her flute was tampered with by magical means. She had her guesses who could have done it, but then she also wasn't totally sure. Gerry and Will hadn't yet done anything to her this school year, and she knew they were just a single prank away from getting expelled.
Kaycee put the flute back together and blew in it some more, but more bubbles came out, not sound. Frustrated, she decided she needed to have Professor Flitwick take a look at it. Not only was he the conductor for the Band/Orchestra, but he was also Charms professor, and he would be able to solve her problem. She collected her things and went to his office, hoping he would be there.