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In A Rush
Author: Bailey
Date: 12-22-06 19:41
Leaving the Muggle Studies classroom after Flooing back from Cloud's Kiss, Bailey pauses just outside the doorway. Does he want to go eat lunch or does he want to go work on his Dueling Dummy?
Bailey's stomach rumbles reminding him that he was so caught up in working out one kink on the Dueling Dummy this morning that he skipped breakfast. He'd nearly even been late for Ancient Runes. Bailey decides he'll go to the Great Hall and get something portable like a sandwich. Or two. Maybe three.
Bailey makes a quick pass along the Gryffindor table, snagging a ham and cheese sandwich, a roast beef sandwich, and a club sandwich. He also grabs a couple of pieces of fruit and wraps up a slice of cake in a napkin. Bailey also goes to the Common commons to get a couple of bottles of juice and two packs of potato crisps.
In the hallway, still stuffing things into his bookbag, Bailey bumps into Jewel Reily. She reaches out to steady Bailey saying, "You rushed out of Muggle Studies quickly. Is everything all right?"
Because all this happens to quickly Bailey doesn't really register that it's a girl and it's Jewel at that so he answers without his usual stuttering and stammering. "Kinks to work out on my Invention and Design Entry."
"That's right. You'll be at Beauxbatons for that," Jewel smiles. "I've put my name in for some of those events. I wish I already knew like you do."
By this time Bailey's brain has fully comprehended that he's talking to Jewel. Despite having had semi-successful conversations with her in the past and despite having just made a comment to her without any hesitation, Bailey can only manage an, "Um. Yeah."
Feeling his face growing hot as it always seems to do whenever Jewel is near, Bailey then stammers out, "Um, well, um, see you." It sounds rude to his ears so Bailey makes himself add, "Um, need to get working if um I'm um going to be ready on time."
Jewel smiles again, says, "See you later," then continues on into the Common commons.
Bailey, his legs feeling all quivery at having Jewel smile at him twice within a couple of minutes, momentarily forgets how hungry he is, walking in a sort of daze to the room where his Dueling Dummy awaits.
Fifth Year Ravenclaw and Slytherin
Author: Marzipan
Date: 12-23-06 08:52
Marzipan's first class after lunch on Thursdays consisted of Ravenclaw and Slytherin fifth years. They filed into Greenhouse 3 quickly, eager to get out of the cold wintry weather. The coat rack near the door quickly filled, as each student unloaded his or her cloak, sometimes even draping their gloves, scarves and caps where they could find an available space.
Once everyone had taken their seats at the main table in the greenhouse, Marzi spoke.
"Good afternoon, class. Today we will conclude our discussion on chard and then begin talking aobut foxglove. Who can tell me some of the alternative names to chard?"
Several hands went up in the air.
"Yes, Iris?"
"Chard is also known as Swiss chard, leaf beet, seakettle beet and spinach beet," said Miss Audley.
"Very good. Five points to Slytherin," Professor FitzRoy commended, smiling. She asked a few more questions and supplied a few last thoughts on the subject before turning to foxglove.
"Foxglove is a biennial plant just like chard, however unlike chard, it is toxic."
marzi summoned two plants from a side-table and set them on the main table in front of her. The first year plant had soft, hairy oval and spear-shaped leaves that formed a rosette. The second year plant produced a flowering stem 3-6 feet in height. Marzi's plant had light orange blooms. The color of Foxglove flowers varied anywhere between purple and white.
"Now who can tell me what some of the other names for Foxglove are?"
Cecilla Berenger shot her hand into the air. She'd done the reading assignment for class during lunch and had all the material fresh on her mind.
"Witches' Glove, Dead man's Bells, Bloody Fingers..."
Marzi nodded. "Well done. Five point to Ravenclaw."
"Foxglove belongs ot the Figwort family. If you ingest any part of the plant, you may experience these symptoms: dizzyness, vomiting, irregular heartbeat, delirium or hallucinations. It can be fatal. However, Foxglove has medicinal purposes as well. It can be used in an ointment to cleanse wounds and can reduce swelling when boiled."
Ever since one of her former students used information learned in Herbology to poison her sibling not once, but twice, Marzi was always worried that something of that sort could happen again, but she knew that it was probably an isolated situation and that such a thing probably wouldn't happen again. At least so she hoped!
Quidditch Trials
Author: Isolde
Date: 12-23-06 09:07
Going up stairs was something Isolde had great difficulty doing, even though she could freely stand on her own two feet and walk again. She made it up four rows in the stands at Salisbury Stadium before deciding that she shouldn't push herself too far. She'd been warned that she could overexert herself and cause an unwanted strain on her muscles, who'd been so underused ever since her accident last year. She eased into a seat and set down the crutches she used to get around next to her.
Today, the Salisbury Snakes were holding a mid-season trial for anyone interested in playing chaser for the team. Usually, new members were selected before the season began, but extenuating circumstances... the death of one chaser and the imprisonment of one alternate, allowed for some change from the ordinary. Isolde had come to watch the trials, though more than anything, she wished she could participate.
She longed to fly again but knew that she would have to go through much more rehabilitation before she could ever be active in any sport again. She just had to be patient, which was not always an easy feat where Quidditch was involved.
Fulbert Hannigan emerged from the field and climbed into the stands to greet Isolde.
"Nice to see you, Farnon. Come to put your two knuts in?"
"Yes. It's a shame this had to happen, though. Finn Quigley was a rare talent."
"Not nearly as talented as you, but an immeasurable talent nonetheless. I'm glad you could make it to the funeral."
"Me too," Isolde said. "I wish I could have gotten to know him."
"He was a good lad. He idolized you, did you know that?" Fulbert asked.
"I didn't."
"He once said that he had to push himself extra hard because the great isolde Farnon once held his position. It's a shame you never got a chance to really meet. Well," Fulbert gently put a hand on Isolde's shoulder, "time to get this show started. I'm eager to get your opinions."
He rose and trotted out of the stands to the field, where a handful of prospective chasers were standing around waiting to tryout for the Salisbury Snakes.
Vanishing Slugs
Author: Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen
Date: 12-23-06 09:22
Fritz listens attentively to Professor FitzRoy's lecture, occasionally raising his hand to supply an answer to one of her questions. He knows the plant foxglove very well, because it grows in Germany during the summertime along many of the walking trails he frequented before he moved to London. In German, the plant is known as "Fingerhut", which literally translates to "finger hat". Fingerhut is also another word for thimble, which is actually what the flowers of foxglove are shaped like.
When Herbology ends, he puts on his cloak and slips on his gloves and waits for Coco to do the same before both leave Greenhouse 3 for the castle. The walk to the front door is brisk, because it's very cold. Fritz still doesn't know how Coco can stand to walk around barefoot. He's surprised she's never gotten frostbite on her toes.
As soon as they get inside the castle, they strip off their winter accessories and head up the main marble staircase to the first floor. Each step they take warms them up a little bit more and by the time they reach the Transfiguration classroom, they are quite toasty. They take their seats at their desks and look up at the board, where Professor McGonagall has written a few notes.
This term they are studying vanishing spells in transfiguration. They started last class period by attemting to vanish slugs. Fritz had managed to vanish half of his and hoped to perfect the transfiguration this class period, since he knows Professor McGonagall will give them all the opportunity to continue the assignment from Tuesday.
At promptly 2:00 o'clock, Professor McGonagall goes to each desk and set down a slimy slug. Fritz's is orange, approximately 3 inches long, and had long antennae that keep elongating and retracting.
Fritz gets out his wand and starts working on the transfiguration as soon as Professor McGonagall says to start.
In Potions
Author: Gabrielle Delacour
Date: 12-23-06 13:57
Double checking whether there's a specified direction - clockwise or counterclockwise - to stir at this point in making a deflating draught, Gabby finds what she's looking for and gives the potion in the cauldron four stirs clockwise. Scooping up the julienned ingredient that goes in next, Gabby doesn't pause in her actions when Professor Slughorn comes to stand next to her.
Gabby does jump a little though when instead of speaking to just her Professor Slughorn booms out a classwide announcement. "Tomorrow is the deadline for putting your name in the goblet of the Cauldron Clash. Although only two students per year are selected I would find it a jolly good show if each of you submitted your names. Those who do are most definately invited to the next Slug Club meeting."
Professor Slughorn beams a bright, wide grin at the fourth year Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws as if he's just offered the best gift any of the students will receive this year. Gabby notices several who roll their eyes though not where the professor can see them. Gabby has the urge but resists mainly because she's too busy making sure she's got the next step of the deflating draught correct.
Gabby has already put her name in the goblet for some of the events with a deadline of tomorrow but if she doesn't get chosen she won't be too very put out. She's so busy preparing for the History Quiz Showdown at Beauxbatons that even doing the basic work for upcoming events she might be chosen for is a drain of time and energy.
Thinking about the SAT events and the History Quiz Showdown at Beauxbatons gets Gabby to thinking about showing Hogwarts friends around her former school. With this on her mind and paying attention to doing her deflating draught perfectly, before Gabby knows it time is up and Professor Slughorn is calling for labeled vials from each student.
Walking out of the dungeons Gabby puts her thoughts on Astronomy this evening and whether she needs to review anything. She also looks forward to reaching the Common commons where Rolf is sure to be working more on his game for the Invention and Design competition. Even more, Gabby looks forward to being able to sleep in a little in the morning before her one Friday class, History of Magic, at 10:30.
Another Stakeout
Author: Forest
Date: 12-23-06 16:22
From his spot of cover Forest rubs his hands together as Aurelia Hartenian grumbles, "Couldn't do this somewhere less fecking cold."
Forest mumbles in agreement then says, "I suppose it could be worse and be even farther north."
Aurelia, Forest and three other groups of two are scattered around in the sparse coverage offered in this spot just outside of St. Margaret's Hope in the Orkney Islands. Most of the brothels involved in the human trafficking of Muggles have been shut down and most of those involved have been rounded up, much of that thanks to the files Ethan Somerset had gotten during that rotten business involving the death of Jebediah King.
Most but not all. Of those who escaped arrest some continued doing business. One of those individuals, Yasmine Ubbly, has made the mistake of blabbing about a transfer of "goods" to a Ministry informant. That informant had come straight away to report what she'd learned, salivating at the thought of what the Ministry would give her in return for such an important tidbit.
That was this afternoon and now a combined group of Aurors and Hit Wizards lie in wait for the transfer. Along with everyone else, Forest hopes it's soon. With the sun gone down now the chill has increased greatly but none are using even small, localized warming spells in case one of the individuals they're after sees spots of melting ice and snow where there shouldn't be and flees before any proof of illegal activity takes place.
Forest rubs his hands together again and sticks them under his armpits, wishing he could stand up and stamp his feet and glad he thought to wear clothes that don't let the dampness of the snow under him seep in.
Friday Morning
Author: Remus Lupin
Date: 12-24-06 08:24
Remus shuffled a few papers together from his desk and stuffed them into his briefcase before leaving his office at St. Emrys for the auditorium in which he had Introduction to Defense Against the Dark Arts II at 9 am. So far, the first week of Hilary Term at St. Emrys had gone quite well. Lupin's two classes, Intro to DADA II and Dueling Strategies, were full of bright students eager for learning.
In many ways, Remus preferred teaching at St. Emrys than at Hogwarts because the university students for the most part wanted to be in his classes. It wasn't like teaching children who were required to take Defense Against the Dark Arts for at least five years of their Hogwarts education. However, university students weren't as impressionable as Hogwarts students and Lupin did miss teaching someone who could absorb something brand new like a sponge.
While Remus made the journey to the auditorium, he thought back to the case of the copycat werewolf attacker, who'd injured another child in Kingston upon Thames during the last full moon. The child who'd be mauled in December had turned into a werewolf in January, which was a relief to all. Now it was another waiting game to see whether the child bitten in January would turn into a werewolf in February.
Already, the Auror Office was making plans to stakeout L cities on February 8. Unfortunately, there were A LOT of L cities in the entire United Kingdom, rendering it extremely difficult to pull off capturing the new culprit without stretching resources to thin.
Remus, for one, hoped the bad guy would get caught soon.
Thinking Ahead
Author: Ariella Beck
Date: 12-24-06 09:02
Ariella left the sixth year girl's dormitory and entered the Hufflepuff common room, where a number of her housemates were sitting and standing around, either alone or in groups. The fifth years and seventh years looked the most overwhelmed, even with it only being the first week back at Hogwarts after winter break. OWLs and NEWTs were creeping up ever closer. Then there were those who were participating in the various upcoming SAT events. Ariella had two coming up next weekend: Invention and Design and the History Quiz Showdown.
Her foreign language translator was finished, but now she just needed to work on the presentation part of the competition. She'd already made dozens of notecards but still needed to fine-tune what she wanted to say. Ariella also knew that the judges might ask her difficult questions, so she tried to anticipate the sorts of things they might ask her. She wanted to be perfectly prepared for the Invention and Design Competition. It meant much more to her than the History Quiz Showdown, because only a handful of students were eligible to compete in the Invention and Design Competition.
Not that Ariella hadn't diligently prepared for the History Quiz Showdown. She'd worked hard for it too, even visiting Binns during his office hours to get a little extra help. funny how the ghost could put her to sleep, even when she willingly went to seek his help! Still, she'd worked hard ever since learning she'd been selected for the competition. She didn't want to let Hogwarts down by not giving it her all.
Alanna bounded down the stairs and went over to Ariella. "Good morning!" she exclaimed, sounding far too happy for so early in the morning.
"Why are you so happy?" Ariella asked. The two sisters headed out of the common room and headed to the Great Hall for breakfast.
"The weekend is almost here. I can't wait to sleep in."
"Don't you have OWLs to study for? Shouldn't you utilize your time a bit better than that?" Ariella said.
Alanna could tell her sister was joking with her. There was a hint of a twinkle in her eye. "Seriously, I know I should, and I will. I will do a lot of studying this weekend, but I intend to sleep past seven too."
"Me too," Ariella admitted, though she had a ton of things in need of doing this weekend too.
With Students Practicing For The SAT
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 12-24-06 09:07
Viktor makes sure the stop watch mechanism is working properly in this frigid weather then nods to a group of first years. "Ready?" he asks.
As one they nod, the schools brooms they're using hovering several feet off the ground. Viktor reminds them, "Fifty laps. Vatch for the twenty-five laps to go signal and a flag marking the last lap. Abigail, Damian and I will record times."
The Abigail and Damian Viktor refers to are two other first years, Abigail Tibbs of Hufflepuff and Damian Lampwick of Gryffindor. They're both down at the pitch to get in some flying practice for the SAT event as well but Abigail is going to work on sprints and Damian on one of the obstacle courses. Both decided to first volunteer to help Viktor with this group wanting to practice for the long distance event.
Thinking about their volunteering reminds Viktor to say, "Five points to each of you for helping without being asked."
Turning back to the students perched on brooms, eager to get going, Viktor says, "Ready! Steady! Go!"
As he says go, Viktor depresses the button on the stopwatch and another student, Ivan Grimsby makes sure the placard he's holding reads 50, fingers poised to flip the placard to reveal the 49 underneath. Viktor walks over to Ivan. "Five points for you as vell, Ivan."
Viktor watches the race with interest, wondering who will improve his or her time the most.