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Preferred Shopping Network
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 05-05-20 17:40
Bill stepped out of Gringotts to meet Fleur at home for lunch. At breakfast this morning, she had brought up the possibility of returning to work part-time, now that her children weren't that young anymore. In fact, Victoire would be starting at Hogwarts in the fall. Bill knew that Fleur wanted to discuss options with him and looked forward to their conversation without the kids around interrupting.
He was also hoping to listen to ongoing coverage of the seemingly neverending match between Liechtenstein and Chad. Bill wondered if Ginny and Harry had gotten any sleep since Saturday morning. He also wondered how his parents were coping with the unexpected extension of their babysitting duties.
Bill was several paces away from the bank when he realized that a pair of wizard were standing just beyond the opposite edge of the building. They seemed to be having a debate and held between them a document.
"It is historically where wizards keep their money," said one, "even if it was founded and mostly run by goblins."
The wizard was maybe 30 years old, slightly rotund, with balding red hair a color not dissimilar to that of most of the Weasley family. The wizard was short and dressed somewhat warmly, even though it was a temperate, sunny day.
"The manager is a pureblood," his companion said. "Is manager the same as owner?"
This wizard had floppy yellow hair, rosy cheeks, and looked rather young, as if he'd only recently graduated from Hogwarts. He also didn't appear to be very bright, so maybe he'd not gone to school at all.
"Can be but isn't in this case. Gringotts is an institution centuries old. There is no owner per se," the chubbier wizard said. "Anyway, the manager is a blood traitor."
"A convict?"
"Well, no," the other wizard conceded, "but his ideals don't align with ours."
"I'm so confused," the younger wizard murmured. "What should we put on the registry? Pureblood or not?"
The other wizard studied something on the paper held between them and then said, "Pureblood, but we can always add a notation that the Diagon Alley location is preferable. It is the original, after all."
Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew the document from the grasps of both wizards. It flew directly at Bill, who simultaneously captured it and surprised the two wizards, who'd never noticed his presence even though he'd been fully in plain sight the entire time.
"Oye!" the younger wizard exclaimed. "Give that back, all right?"
Bill pulled open the document, which had twisted and furled in the wind, and saw that it was a ledger of businesses in Hogsmeade. There were checkmarks beside some.
"What's this?" Bill asked.
"I said give it," the younger wizard said again, and this time he brandished his wand.
The rotund wizard put a hand on his colleague's arm and applied gentle pressure to get him to lower his arm as he said to Bill, "We're with the Preferred Shopping Network, and we've been tasked with determining which businesses in Hogsmeade fit our criteria."
"I see," Bill said, "and blood status is part of your criteria? I've heard something about this movement, but I didn't know you had a name. Are there more of you?"
"Yeah, we're a big group and growing every day," said the younger wizard. He was proud to be part of something important.
The other wizard fought to roll his eyes, understanding that Bill was asking whether there were other groups that shared interests with the Preferred Shopping Network. He said, "Oh, certainly, but I can't speak for anybody but the one with whom I'm associated. May I have that back, please?"
Bill was tempted to rip it into shreds or banish it for review later, but he crossed the distance between them and handed the document to the older of the two.
"Thank you."
There was an awkward moment where Bill stared down the two wizards, but then he turned and said, "Have a nice day."
He walked away, thinking it was time to call a meeting of the Hogsmeade Merchants Association to discuss what he saw on the document.
Nothing On Anne Potter
Author: Harry Potter
Date: 05-06-20 19:36
"Find what you need, Harry?"
Harry looks up from the pages of a book he'd been staring at for fully ten minutes without moving beyond breathing and blinking. Smiling wanly he nods once, shutting the book. "Yes, thanks. You must be closing. I'll get out of your way. Thanks for the help."
Leaving the Hogwarts library he can hear Azaelia reminding students they only have a few minutes to wrap up whatever they're working on and to check out any books. Slowly making his way from the castle's fourth floor, Harry thinks about what he found or, more correctly, did not find.
Ginny is in Argentina since the 13th as a Quidditch correspondent to the World Cup. There's a four hour time difference between the UK and Argentina. Combine that with the unknown of how long a match will last, the current one being in its third day of play, and Ginny felt she should stay there rather than coming home after each match. Perhaps taking pity on the kids and him, Hermione and Ron invited him to supper.
A few hours earlier, sitting at their dining table Ron asked, "Harry have you made any progress on learning more about Anne Potter Fairchild?"
"Nothing. I can't find a birth certificate for her. I've been going through the vault, organizing it, looking for pictures, documents, anything. So far the photos I've found don't have her and none of the parchments, letters, that sort of thing make mention of her. Turns out anyone I've talked with who should have known her has the same vague type recollection of her. No specific memories."
"It's so odd that neither Remus nor Sirius can tell you much about her. Did you ask Severus?" Hermione asked.
Harry nodded as he replied, "And Filius, Minerva, and Hagrid."
Ron, reaching to cut up some roasted vegetables for Hugo, looks up long enough to say, "What does Hogwarts have on her?"
"Filius and Minerva both looked in the records. Either someone deliberately removed hers or there never were any."
"What about class photos for the years she would have been there?"
Harry turns his attention to Hermione. "Class photos? I hadn't thought of that. I don't know why. If anyone at Hogwarts looked for her in any of them, nothing was said to me. I'll have to go see."
"Yearbooks weren't a thing back then*, Muggle or Wizarding from what I know, but some classes at some schools did put together memory type books. Hogwarts has a few but I don't know what years or what classes."
Harry nods again at Hermione. "Good idea. Something else I hadn't thought about."
When supper ended, Harry asked Hermione and Ron, "If I run up to the castle now, would you mind watching the kids for me?"
Hermione said, "Of course not," at the same time Ron replied, "Do you really have to ask, mate?"
Upon arrival at the school, Harry had to pass through the security in place but though a minor annoyance, better to have to than not. Once to the castle, a student helped Harry locate Minerva, thankfully able to bypass those two Smirt characters. Based on what he's heard of them and having had encounters with each of them when on security details for school events Harry did not want to have deal with either of them tonight.
Once Minerva heard his reason for visiting she'd given Harry the go ahead to look, suggesting he check the library first for yearbooks or memory books or school newspapers, or anything like that since it wouldn't be open for much longer. With Azaelia Bramble's assistance, Harry had located a few items for the years Anne would have been at Hogwarts. He found no photograph of her, no listings in clubs, nothing. He couldn't look in every newspaper from those years so he'd checked the ones that would be more likely to mention her: first printing of the new year when she would have been a first year, a listing of OWL students her fifth year, and one of NEWT students for what would have been her seventh year. He checked an edition from what would have been her sixth year to see if any mention was made of the apparition lessons starting and another from that year to see if mention was made of who took the apparition licensing examination here at school. Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, and nothing. Nothing at all of an Anne Potter.
Walking down now to where class photographs would be, Harry is not expecting any luck there either. Not for an Anne Potter. He's betting though he will find a girl with a similar name: Anne Potts.
*Though common in the United States for decades, yearbooks/annuals have not been tradition in most UK schools with some only starting to create yearbooks or memory type books in more recent years.
Visitor
Author: Rowan Westwick
Date: 05-07-20 17:07
Rowan was in her cubicle finishing up her part of a report after responding with other aurors to an alleged Voldemort sighting in Hamstead, Birmingham. The sighting turned out to be false. One of the more colorful residents, a drunk who had been imprisoned in one of the community for nons and had gone off the bend as a result of the daily torture he'd endured there, had loudly claimed the sighting while standing on a fountain edge in the town square. The other residents, strongly believing the wizard was having another episode, nonetheless contacted the authorities, since there was still the possibility of there being some truth to his claim.
The aurors, mainly rookies, descended on the town square. Most fanned around to check for any sign of dark activity, but Rowan and Jaidan Peters, the lead auror on the mission, approached the wizard and asked him questions. Each answer was wilder than the next, and then, as he waved his arms around emphatically, he fell backwards into the fountain, narrowly missing hitting his head on the stone edging.
The wizard was pulled from the fountain, dried off, and sent off with a relative. After a last reconnaissance of the area, the aurors returned to the Ministry of Magic. It was a wasted trip, but it made for a good story.
Rowan was nearly finished with her portion when Jack Emerson peered over her cubicle wall and said, "Someone here to see you, Rowan."
"Thanks," she said, abandoning her report to see who had come calling. She walked out to the front of the Auror Office and saw Logan standing near the reception desk. He smiled when he saw her and asked, "Do you have a moment?"
"Sure. I was thinking about getting something from the canteen for lunch. Have you eaten? Care to join me?"
"I haven't eaten, and yes, that sounds good. Lead the way."
They rode in a crowded elevator, since it was nearing lunchtime and some of the early eaters were either heading to the canteen themselves, to the snack cart in the Atrium, or out to a restaurant or home. Rowan led Logan to the cafeteria and after getting their food, they sat down together at a small table.
"So what brought you here?" Rowan asked.
"I've let a flat."
"Where?"
"In Dover."
"That's not far from Folkstone," Rowan commented.
"I know, and I'm not going to the house. I'm following law enforcement's recommendation to keep my distance from Francesca, but it pains me to be far from the children. I'm worried about them."
"I know," Rowan said, "but as of yet, there's no cause to remove them from the home."
Logan sighed. "No legal cause, I know. I've come to a decision about my marriage. I met with a solicitor and am starting divorce proceedings. I also plan on asking for full custody of the children."
Rowan nodded. "That's good. I mean, I'm sorry the kids will have to go through that, but I'm sure things are already strained with you not being at home. Things will get better once everything's been resolved." She paused a moment, then asked, "So, you don't want the house?"
Logan shrugged. "It's just a house. The kids are more important."
Rowan smiled. "Maybe it's because I don't have kids, but going back to the house I grew up in was one of the things that helped me adjust to being back in the world after everything went wrong. It was something solid, you know?"
"Do you ever think about the time from before?" Logan asked. "I know it was a long time ago, or does it feel more recent to you since you lost so many years?"
"It feels like ages ago." Rowan grinned, feeling weirdly bold all of a sudden. "I'm reminded of something every time I see you, though."
"Oh, yeah? What's that?" Logan asked.
"I had the biggest crush on you back then."
Logan chuckled. "Did you? I had no idea."
"Of course, not. I didn't tell anybody, least of all Ash. He'd have told you in a heartbeat."
"No, he wouldn't have. He was a total gentleman." Logan grinned. "So… how do you feel about me now?"
Before Rowan could answer the rather dangerous question, Connor dragged a chair over from a neighboring table and sat down caddy-corner to Rowan and Logan. He held out his hand to Logan and said, "I'm Connor. Hope I'm not interrupting anything."
Rowan was quick to say, "You're not," while Logan shook Connor's hand and said, "Logan. Rowan's been helping me with a case, and we actually know each other from Hogwarts, believe it or not."
Connor smiled and joked, "She's aged well, hasn't she?"
He turned to Rowan then and captured her hand in his. She smiled pleasantly at him and wondered if him joining them really was a casual coincidence or something more.
What have you done, Veronica?
Author: S Snape
Date: 05-07-20 22:22
With a reminder to the sixth years that final examinations are rapidly approaching, only around five weeks away, Severus goes over the day's assignment, a thick, dark purple potion for heartburn and acid reflux. After making a circuit around the room as the students adjust flames and begin prepping ingredients and adding ingredients to their cauldrons, he takes a seat at his desk, reaching for the stack of turned in homework from the sixth years and from the class before this one, fifth year Hufflepuffs and Slytherins, needing to read and mark them but knowing that he'll likely sit and stare as he did the last class period.
With all Severus has witnessed and experienced the rapidity in which life can be upended can still startle him, can still have a surreal quality. Last night he'd met with Veronica and Aberforth in Aberforth's sitting room. With Brian playing on the floor nearby she'd told them, "As you know, I report to the Ministry tomorrow morning."
Because she knew there was no getting out of the creative accounting and galleon skimming charges against her, Veronica had cut a deal with the Ministry, part of which involved helping on another. With the agreement, Veronica would have a prison sentence but a greatly reduced one, three to six months in Azkaban.
Veronica had continued, "I know we've talked about Brian's care while I'm gone but... " She'd paused, eyes going to her son. "Severus, I want to ask that if something happens to me you'll help Dad with Brian."
"I have told you I will give Aberforth support."
"Yes, yes, but that's for a known amount of time. I'm talking about if I die or am permanently incapacitated."
"You will be gone no longer than six months. Why are you speaking of injury or death?"
"I'm going to prison. One never knows what will happen. So, will you? Be there for Dad and Brian, I mean, if I am truly gone?"
Thinking her to be overly dramatic Severus had mentally shrugged. "Yes, of course."
Early this morning Severus had gone with Aberforth, Brian, and Veronica to the Ministry. They'd bid her goodbye with promises to visit often and to write daily with Brian updates. Back in Hogsmeade Severus bid the elderly wizard goodbye and returned to Hogwarts in time for breakfast. An hour later Severus received an urgent owl requesting his immediate presence at the Ministry. Rather than apparating immediately once off the grounds he'd apparated to Aberforth's where he learned Aberforth had received a similar owl. He was waiting for Aegean, the house elf who works for Briar Rose, to come watch Brian because his own owl specifically requested the child not be brought.
They'd used the Floo from Aberforth's, both surprised when they were met in the Ministry Atrium by Kingsley himself. "We need to go to Azkaban," he told them, refusing to say more until they'd arrived at the dock where the boats run from the mainland to the tiny island. Ignoring their questions and demands for an explanation behind their summons Kingley waited until they'd arrived at the Azkaban dock.
He'd put a hand on Aberforth's shoulder. "I am sorry to tell you, old friend, that upon disembarking this morning, Veronica had a physical altercation with the guard and ran. She went straight for that spot there," he'd gestured with his other hand. "And then... she jumped."
His voice tight and strained Severus questioned, "Jumped?"
"Yes. A search was immediately conducted. You were both owled when her body was recovered. If you'll come with me, she's there, near that one boulder. Knowing her for as long as I did, I personally identified Veronica's body but I knew you'd want to see for yourself, Aberforth, and that you would as well, Severus. We've not moved her inside because I have people still investigating the scene. You can't get overly close at the moment but," Kingsley sighs, "I wanted to get you here as quickly as possible."
Aberforth and Severus had confirmed the body did appear to be Veronica. Looking frail and decrepit, a shaken Aberforth thanked Kingsley then asked to be taken back to the mainland. With a class at 11 and having had no chance to arrange for a substitute, Severus said he would accompany Aberforth back and told Kingsley he'd check in with him later in the day.
Severus can't remember ever drinking before a class but this morning he'd knocked a couple of fire whiskeys. He'd explain to Aegean what had happened and asked if she stay with Brian and keep a watch over Aberforth until he could return shortly after his second class ended at 1:30. In something of a whiskey and shock induced daze, Severus walked slowly back to Hogwarts. Once there he chose not to say anything yet to Minerva or Filius, instead going straight to his office, hoping neither of the Smirts dropped in before he could get the whiskey off his breath.
Setting the pile of parchments aside Severus gets up to make another circuit around the room. If he were the sneak a drink sort he'd be thoroughly inebriated by now and rambling with questions such as, "What have you done, Veronica?"
The second Severus has collected potion samples and dismissed the sixth years, he locks the homework parchments in his office and leaves for Hogsmeade, walking even more slowly than when he'd returned to Hogwarts a few hours ago.
One Week Later
Author: Jolyon
Date: 05-08-20 17:25
Arielle held Sable, her brother's cat, and watched her father. He had come to their quarters after his last class, grabbed a beer, kicked off his shoes, and propped his legs up on the coffee table in the living room. Merrie had never liked feet on the furniture, but she wasn't there to stop him.
In the week since she left, he'd not shaved and had taken to avoiding socializing unless he had an obligation like teaching or holding office hours. Where he'd initially thought Arielle would have a difficult time with the abrupt change in their family, it turned out to be a reversal in roles. She was the strong one, and he was a mess who didn't know what to do.
After meeting James and Julia for lunch, which had only served to delay the inevitable and hadn't been the distraction Arielle had been hoping for, they went to Lorrie's, rightly guessing that Merrie had gone to her sister's.
Lorrie hadn't wanted to let Jolyon in, but emboldened, Arielle had demanded she admit them both and even pushed open the door, not caring if she were being rude to her aunt. Arielle's anger faded to sadness when she saw her mother and the twins.
It was she who asked, "Why did you leave?"
Merrie, not wanting to be alone with Jolyon, gave her answer in front of the full room. "I can't take it anymore. It's too much. There's so much scrutiny because of Asher. We get stopped by the press when we leave the castle grounds. When we leave our quarters, those awful Smirts are there, wondering if Barrett and Berenice are being groomed from birth to be Death Eaters. That witch actually asked me if I was disappointed in Asher, not because he made a bad decision in nearly getting recruited to the Death Eaters but because he failed at becoming one! I don't want to endure it any longer, and I don't want my babies there being exposed to such drama, not to mention danger."
"Why didn't you tell me anything?" Jolyon asked. "You could have talked to me. We could have found a place to live outside of Hogwarts, beyond Hogsmeade even."
Merrie frowned. "I regret selling the house, but I think what I regret more is admitting to you that Arielle and Asher are your children. When you confronted me, I didn't imagine any of this would happen. Asher hated you. I should have realized that the intense feelings he had upon learning you were his father would lead to him making the worst decision of his life."
"Wait a moment. You're not honestly saying that it's my fault Asher got recruited by the Death Eaters?"
Merrie shrugged. "If he'd loved you, he'd wouldn't have acted so recklessly."
"Asher does love Dad!" Arielle finally interjected, her sadness once again replaced by anger. "Yes, he was upset for a long time, and frankly, he was always a bit of an arse, but he was young, and he was stupid, and it took something really bad for him to come to his senses and grow up. Was it a litle too late? Maybe so, but at least he hasn't done anything that can't be undone. You can't blame Dad for what happened, and I can't believe you do."
"How can you talk to me like that?" Merrie asked. "I'm your mother! I know you are upset I left without telling you or taking you with me, but your speak to me as if I'm the bad guy. I'm doing what's best for my family."
"By taking the twins away from their father?" Arielle asked. "And nice to know that your family doesn't include me in it."
"That's not what I meant, Arielle!"
"Isn't it?"
Arielle and Jolyon hadn't stayed at Lorrie's for much longer after that. Jolyon felt blindsided. If only Merrie had talked to him, then they could have worked through her fears, but perhaps she'd said nothing and left abruptly because there was nothing to work out.
Arielle, meanwhile, was angry, and even more hurt when not a single letter arrived from her from her mother as the days went by. She didn't blame her dad for drinking a couple of beers every night, and if not for the fact that she didn't like beer herself, she might have joined him.
She hadn't written to Asher yet about the news, and she doubted their father had either. Arielle didn't want to upset Asher, especially when he might blame himself for everything that happened. She knew she needed to come clean sooner than later, though. Secret-keeping tended to create a big mess after a while.
"Want supper?" Arielle asked her father.
"Okay," he said, but he didn't move from the couch.
Arielle sighed and said, "I'll get us something. Burgers, how about?"
Jolyon mumbled something, which Arielle took as another 'okay'. She put the cat down, grabbed her purse, and stepped out of their quarters to pick up a couple of greasy, comfort-inducing hamburgers for dinner.
(Titus) New Assignment
Author: Tiberius Nott
Date: 05-09-20 03:42
"Congratulations on your promotion, Nott," Maurice said, with a teasing tone. "You are really going up in life!"
Maurice was referring to Titus' promotion at Floreans. The old wizard had called him to his office and announced that he was going to give him more responsibilities inside his establishment. Not only he would continue with his cleaning duties and serving the costumers, but Florean also wanted him to get in charge of the inventory, dealing with suppliers, and training new employees. He would have to work more hours but he would be fairly paid. The promotion had pleased and frustrated Titus at the same time. He was happy with the recognitions and the extra responsibilities but at the same time this was not what he had envisioned for his future after he left Hogwarts.
To celebrate the occasion he went out for dinner with Tiberius. It was important to keep cultivating the ties with his brother because Tiberius was his ticket into Hogwarts. The more he gained his trust the more likely his brother would confide on him. Titus actually liked to spend time with his brother, although for the last months all the conversations with Tiberius shifted to Caligula. Titus sticked with his theory that he might be Tiberius' son, which his brother firmly denied.
"Just ignore him," Kilgore advised Titus. He then turned to Maurice: "Shall we start?"
"Yes," Maurice agreed.
Titus and the two Death Eaters were gathered at a small room that used to be Maurice grandmother's sewing room. The wallpaper was of a pale pink color, decorated with daisies and at the corner under a white sheet it was possible to guess the shape of a sewing machine that used to gain life with a flick of Mrs. Kilman's wand.
"We have been doing tremendous progresses at Norfolk, Nott," Kilgore begun.
The Brandon Flowers incident had been the spark that lit the discontentment at Norfolk. When the desperate parents found their little son injured and unconscious at the construction site, the community's feelings towards the Muggles had shifted from numb acceptance to rage. Brandon had been hospitalized but had recovered well. Nevertheless, the people at Norfolk were not inclined to forget what had happened to the six year old boy. The Ministry of Magic opened an inquiry but it was rapidly concluded that it all had been a mere accident and the case was closed.
But a couple of sentences started to be written around the neighborhood where the Flowers lived. They could bee seen on brick walls and plaques, that demanded "Justice for Brandon Flowers!" and "The fault is on the Mudbloods!" Titus and Kilgore had been the ones who wrote those messages one evening. With time others continue their doing because the sentences started to multiple around, on a wider area. Things got worse when it was discovered that it had been a Muggle-born wizard who had sold the property to a Muggle, who in turn sold it to the Muggle's city hall which ordered the construction. It had been Kilgore who had sent an anonymous tip to a local newspaper about it.
The Muggle-born wizard was long dead, but some witches and wizards at Norfolk started to believe that if the land had belonged to a Pureblood in the first place they would never have been sold to a Muggle in the first place. They started to question if those who were not Purebloods should even have the right to own any property at all, if they would most likely sell it to Muggles. The movement Wizards for Wizards started gaining a large base of followers at Norfolk. Mr. and Mrs. Flowers continued to ask for justice for their son. There were dangerous talks about going to the construction site and tear it apart using magic.
"But now you will have to put Norfolk aside for a little while and focus on something else," Kilgore continued.
"I don't understand..."
"There is another project where your collaboration is needed," Maurice replied and handed Titus an elegant invitation, written in golden letters, which he read with his single eye.
"A ball?! You want me to stop helping Kilgore at Norfolk for a stupid ball?"
"It's not just a ball," Kilgore explained. "It's a debutante ball where all the finest and richest families in the country will attend. Pureblood families."
"You happen to be a Nott and of the right age to escort one of the young debutants. You are perfect for this," Maurice added.
Titus couldn't help to laugh. What Kilgore and Maurice were suggesting was absurd.
"I might be a Nott, but I know nothing of balls."
"That is why until then you will dedicate your time to it," Kilgore declared.
He explained that Titus would be coached into becoming the perfect high society member. He would learn the etiquette, the dances and so on. In order to do so, and to keep working at Florean's he had to step aside from the Norfolk mission for a while. Maurice then explained that the fact he was a Nott granted him an automatic entrance into the ball. It was an evening where the young pureblood witches would be celebrated and presented to society but more important than that their parents would be there. It would be Titus' mission to understand how they felt about the Dark Lord's ascension and the recent anti Muggle feeling that was starting to slowly rise in the wizarding community. If he was able to establish some connections it would be even better.
"You're forgetting a little detail," Titus said. "Who would be the high society witch who would want to attend the ball with an one eyed Nott, whose serves ice-cream for a living?"
"That's an easy question," Kilgore said. "There are always those who try desperately to make it into the high society: the social climbers. New blood is admitted into the ball from time to time. It wasn't hard to find a witch for you."
Titus sighed. He knew he had no other option but to comply with Kilgore and Maurice. He just hoped that after this he would finally be entitled to earn his Dark Mark.
Social Life
Author: Dante Knight
Date: 05-10-20 21:15
Dante sets the Crown & Cauldron menu aside, eyes going towards the archway through which anyway coming from the restaurant's entry area would walk. The waiter, seeing that Dante is no longer looking at the menu, stops at the table. "Ready to order, sir?"
"I'm waiting for someone but maybe a starter. The sausage rolls and I'll have the house pilsner."
A person being shown a table stops at hearing Dante's order. "Alcohol on a school night, Mr. Knight?"
"I hardly think that a single pilsner, or perhaps even two, at this time of evening will affect my ability to conduct classes in the morning."
Eugene Smirt's nose literally goes up as the older wizard sniffs and looks down that nose at Dante. "We shall see, won't we?"
Dante takes that to mean he should expect a visit at some point during the two classes he teaches Thursday mornings. He smiles and says without a hint of sarcasms, "I look forward to it."
Smirt gives him a "you're an odd one" stare then continues the short way to the table where the hostess is waiting. Dante shifts his attention back to watching the archway. The sausage rolls aren't long in coming and though he would usually wait for his dinner companion, Dante's hungry and she's closing in on being fifteen minutes late. When he finishes off the sausage rolls with the last of his pilsner, Dante contemplates having a second glass, which makes him think of Smirt.
He does his best to unobtrusively turn so he can see whether Smirt is where the other man can see how much Dante drinks. Just as he turns his head a woman swishes by walking rapidly. Think it's who he's been waiting on Dante starts to rise to call out to her to let her know she's passed the table. He stops mid-rise from his chair, mouth opened not to say something to her but in shock at hearing her say, "Are you Eugene? I am so, so sorry to be late. A meeting was called just as I was going off shift."
Sliding back into his chair, Dante thinks hell must have frozen over and pigs are flying without being spelled to do so. He's been stood up but Eugene Smirt's date showed. Maybe he's been sent into some alternate universe or he fell asleep in his office and this is a nightmare.
Deciding not to linger any longer Dante pays for the sausage rolls and pilsner, stopping at Brews & Stews for a little something more, taking it back to Hogwarts to eat in his quarters. He shouldn't have agreed to meet one of his sister-in-law's coworkers without having met her first but his family, and a few friends, have started on him about how lack of a social life. When he points out that with people trying to get close to them to find out more about Terrence and Lorraine Vickers and the fortune some are certain those have hidden away, which turned out to be true, Dante has been less inclined to date. Having had at least one person show interest in her just to get a story, Tamara understands Dante's point but even she has not given up her social life entirely. At a family lunch Sunday Angel talked up one work friend of hers to much Dante finally agreed to go out with the woman. Angel, slyly grinning, said, "Good, because you're having dinner with her Wednesday night at the Crown & Cauldron."
Reaching the main gates to Hogwarts, Dante stops at the security checkpoint, realizing he's depressed somewhat knowing that he's about to eat his takeaway dinner alone while Eugene Smirt has a blind date who showed for dinner, which means Smirt currently has more of a social life than Dante has.
Briefing
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 05-11-20 18:15
Hermione entered the Cabinet Room at 10 Downing Street and took a seat in one of the chairs against the wall. When invited, she usually spoke at these meetings, but she didn't have an official place at the table. Even after nearly 3 1/2 years of working for the Prime Minister, Hermione felt a bit like an outsider, and the feeling only intensified as the political climate grew more conservative.
After some announcements by the PM and various cabinet members, Hermione was called upon to give a briefing on the state of affairs in the wizarding world. There was the usual update on the search for Voldemort and the Death Eaters. However, her main points centered around a growing concern, one that would certainly be of interest to the Muggles in the room.
"There appears to be an increased anti-Muggle––that is non-wizard––sentiment among some groups and individuals." She always defined the word Muggle when she brought it up in these meetings, especially since some members of the cabinet had changed since she first started working as the Special Liaison to the Prime Minister. Those that heard the term always had a strange look on their faces, as if they couldn't quite believe that they were Muggles themselves.
"There haven't been attacks against our kind, have there?" asked the Secretary of State for Defence.
"No, and there are no indications that there are any planned. Mainly, there is a renewed sentiment that wizardkind is better and shouldn't be tainted with Muggle blood or ideals. For example, there have been protests outside St. Emrys University. The concept of higher education in the wizarding world is relatively new, and it most certainly takes its inspiration from Muggle universities"
"Why wouldn't a wizard want more education?" asked the Secretary of State for Education.
"Wizards traditionally follow the apprenticeship path," Hermione answered with a small smile. "And that's really what it's all about… traditions. These groups and individuals think things were better before Muggle influence. It's mostly noise, but the movement is not without cause for concern. There was an accident in Norfolk not too long ago. A child was injured at a Muggle construction site. Neighbors are understandably upset, but some have become particularly vocal."
"If they try anything, we'll take them out," said the Secretary of State for Defence quite angrily. "No wizard will retaliate with violence and not pay the price for it."
Hermione lost her words for a moment, shocked by the aggression and frankly outlandish comment, but before she could recover, the PM addressed her directly. "You mentioned groups and individuals… Have you got names?"
Hermione nodded and handed a document to the nearest cabinet member, who passed it around the table to the PM. "The main group is Wizards for Wizards, but there are others we believe may be offshoots. Some might be independent, but we're still waiting on verification."
"I find it rather ridiculous that a small group of people think they can undermine the rest of us. Don't they know they are in the minority?" asked the Secretary of State for Defence.
"They're really not focused on you," Hermione tried to explain. "There is greater prejudice against wizards like myself who are Muggle-born. That said, I don't think we are moving toward a repeat of what happened more than a decade ago. Muggle-borns and half-bloods can't be rounded up and imprisoned without directly impacting the wizarding economy. While it's true that the younger members of these groups might not remember the ramifications, the older ones most certainly do and would be fools to make the same mistake twice. Besides, Minister Shacklebolt would never allow it."
She had talked about the communities for nons before and didn't feel the need to explain that dark time in wizarding history all over again. Hermione suspected that the registry of pureblood businesses going around was a status symbol and not a bid to shut down other businesses, since many non-pureblood establishments offered unique services. The registry was just a way for snobs to shop selectively when able.
"I find the whole thing disturbing," announced the Home Secretary. "I never felt comfortable knowing that there's a whole group of honest-to-God magicians living among us, and now I hear that they are plotting against humans?"
"It's a terroristic threat, plain and simple," the Secretary of State for Defence agreed.
The PM held up his hands. "Enough. Hermione said plainly that the grumblings are mainly against wizardkind who are not 100% wizard. She merely brought this to our attention because it could spill over into our world. It may not, and as of yet, there is no indication that it will."
"I still don't like it."
Hermione noticed that there were many who appeared to echo the Secretary of State for Defence's thoughts. It was plain in their faces.
She suddenly felt overcome with sadness. It was apparent that the progress she had made in working hand and hand with the Muggle government was unraveling. The PM still trusted her, but his cabinet became increasingly distant.
Hermione didn't want to admit it, but perhaps Wizards for Wizards got one thing right when they called for a return to tradition. It used to be only the PM knew about the wizarding world, after all…
Listening to a First Round Match
Author: Pyrrhus
Date: 05-12-20 19:45
Sliding onto the couch beside Isolde Pyrrhus asks, "What did I miss?"
"Nothing much," she replies, shifting to a more comfortable position as Py puts his arm around her. "Wales scored, intercepted a pass and immediately scored again. How many stories did it take?"
Gio had woken up and claimed he needed more bedtime stories to fall asleep again. "Five but three of them were the same book."
"If You Give A Mouse A Cookie?"
Py leans in to kiss Isolde's cheek. "Right in one. Who would have thought that with so many wizarding children's books full of moving pictures, Gio's absolute favorite would be a Muggle one?"
"I know! We really should thank Azaelia again for it. Did you know there's a whole series? If You Give A Moose A Muffin. If You Give A Pig A Pancake. If You Give a Dog A Donut. If You Give A Cat A Cupcake." Isolde ticks off on her fingers. "Those are the ones that come to mind. There are others."
"You thinking get more of the set for his birthday?" Gio's birthday is still awhile away, in October, but it never hurts to think about possible gifts in advance.
"We could get him one or two more between now and then and see if he likes those as well. If he does, get a few more for his birthday."
Excited chatter from the WWN has them going quiet so they can listen closely to the Germany versus Wales Quidditch World Cup match to see what's got the announcer so worked up. The German seeker Thorsten Pfeffer appears to have located the snitch. Pfeffer goes into a steep dive racing after the winged ball. This is one of those moments Pyrrhus wishes the Wizarding World had television or something similar.
Isolde and he both cringe when Pfeffer smashes to the ground, Pyrrus even blurting aloud, "Oi!" The tension in the Quidditch stadium in Argentina is palpable in the Fines' sitting room while waiting to hear if Pfeffer has killed himself or managed to survive what might have been the infamous Wronski Feint. When a still alive Pfeffer is finally taken from the pitch and the game allowed to resume, the current score Germany 100, Wales 180, Pyrrhus says, "That's it for Germany then unless they can run up the score before Cadwallader catches the snitch."
He chuckles at Isolde's all to true, "Stranger things have happened in Quidditch."
Having tensed up when listening to the running commentary of Pfeffer's actions and crash and the hurried work of healers on his crumpled body, Isolde and Py relax again, nestling against each other to listen to the remainder of the Germany-Wales match while also listening for any sounds that might indicate either Gio or Alexis has woken up, again in Gio's case.
Friday Night
Author: Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen
Date: 05-14-20 17:56
Fritz usually splits his time evenly between St. Emrys and Hogwarts, but he ended up spending much of the afternoon at the university, assisting a student first with narrowing down a topic for a term paper and then coming up with project ideas to complement it.
Now he's ready to head to Hogwarts, though at this rate he'll only be there for supper. If Coco's finished at the veterinary clinic, then he'll bring her along. Usually she's free to eat in the Great Hall with him, but sometimes she stays late because a surgical case runs long or a pet is in need of extra care.
Fritz disapparates from St. Emrys, avoiding any protestors who might be lurking about, and arrives in Hogsmeade on the west end of High Street. He walks the short distance to MacFusty's, chats briefly with Coco's colleague and soon-to-be newlywed Indigo, and then strolls arm in arm with Coco the rest of the way up High Street to the lane leading to the castle grounds.
"I'm definitely working next Saturday," Coco says, referring to Hogmeade weekend for the Hogwarts students.
"Then I'll make sure to pick up a patrol shift either morning or afternoon so that we can meet for lunch in between," Fritz replies.
"Have you decided on who you might pick for the next Hogwarts Graduate Fund?"
"I'm torn between Finley and Alys," Fritz answers.
"What's your reason for selecting either?" Coco asks.
"Finley grew up in an orphanage, though she's found her family in the meantime. She used to not participate in events like Secret Santa because she couldn't afford to," Fritz explains. "Alys, meanwhile, is the oldest of something like two dozen children. She's also had a bit of a difficult time this year."
Coco shakes her head. "You're not truly serious about the two dozen children, are you?"
Fritz grins and says, "What? You don't want us to have that many?"
"Four-legged children, yes, absolutely, and I'd say at least one human child but definitely not twenty-four!"
Fritz laughs. "Fair enough."
It's not long before they've reached the gates. There is a security check, since aurors are still regularly patrolling, but they are soon waived through to the castle.