|
|
Keeping In Form (Wiggy)
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 09-16-10 17:35
Wiggersmythe Hodfuffer sets the last hoop in place then moves to the starting point of the course he's set for himself. He
got up early for a Saturday, the second in a row he's done so, to get in a run before breakfast. After that he'd showered, eaten, then came to the pitch to get in some broom sprints using his relatively new broom, bought only a couple of days before term began using money from the Kendra Beck Hogwarts Scholarship. Olive Green and he were this year's recipients of the anonymously funded scholarship.
After doing sprints for awhile Wiggy returned to the castle, going to the Great Hall where he visited a number of the tables set up by the various Hogwarts clubs. The only one he signed up for as a definite is Athletic's Club though Wiggy did put his name down as maybes with several others, some he'd belonged to in previous years and some new to him. After making a circuit around the room, Wiggy worked the Athletic's Club table for a shift, having promised Coach Batuti the first day of classes that he would.
From the Great Hall Wiggy returned to the pitch, first doing more sprints then getting out some of the aerial obstacles. At the time, Deak was down here and they set up what look like a series of low walls around, over, and under which they flew, passing a quaffle back and forth to start with then playing keep away, all without touching any of the obstacles. They'd also done a course with rings, where each ring in the course is successively smaller than the previous ones. Again they played keep away with the quaffle before Deak needed to go to the Great Hall for his own shift at the Athletic's Club table and then to spend some time with his girlfriend Etta.
After Deak left, Wiggy decided to make another ring course, keeping the rings of varying sizes and has them spinning as well. Of the flying drills he'd done last week as part of the Quidditch team tryouts, and last year over the course of the school year for that matter, the use of spinning rings of varying sizes was Wiggy's favorite flying exercise. As he starts his first run through today, he clicks a stopwatch button even though he knows that timing himself isn't going to be as accurate probably. Still, his goal is to shave a little time off with each run through.
Last Saturday, Wiggy had, in his opinion, outshown the others in his trials group when it came to the broom exercises, be they straight out, plain vanilla sprints or something more complex like the course he's flying now. He'd also surpassed the others when it came to the chaser oriented drills. He wasn't the star at the beater, keeper, or seeker oriented exercises but then, Wiggy's a chaser. Always has been except in the occassional pick-up game. There's always room for improvement with the chaser drills and working on his speed and maneuverability, which is what he's doing now. Wiggy isn't the least bit egotistical or conceited about his skill as a Quidditch player. The simple fact of the matter is he's good and he knows it and has had the pros interested in him since playing his first match on the Gryffindor team. Thus, Wiggy does not think it a conceit to presume he's made this years team, even if it's an all school team. He did well at at the trials and so there's really no reason why he shouldn't be selected. Even if he doesn't make the team though, Wiggy wants to stay in shape, keep on his game so that when he does graduate, the offers that stand now will still be there.
Wiggy had played chaser in four scrimmages last week. He didn't score in two of them, but he played well nonetheless. In the other two he made a single goal in each, thinking as the whistle blew each time to end a game that time scrimmages just go by far too fast. He was pleased even with only one goal for each of those two matches because he played well overall, worked with whomever was his teammates for each scrimmage, didn't hot dot or hog the quaffle, and let someone else run with the quaffle if that's what was best in that moment in time.
Reaching the end of the course, Wiggy simultaneously stops the clock, checks the time on it, then moves back to the start to begin again. He'll break in a bit to grab some lunch and he supposes he really should hit the books even if it is a Saturday, but for now, Quidditch is calling and the only thing that might divert him from going through drills on his own would be if enough others showed up wanting to play a match.
Way Too Many To Choose From (Glori & Gus)
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 09-16-10 18:40
Augustus overslept and missed breakfast, which for some reason is making him grumpy even though that was ages ago and he's log since stuffed himself on the wide variety of snacks and lunch foods available in the Great Hall. He vaguely remembers Caerwyn telling him to get his lazy arse up and responding along the lines of, "Okay. Coming." According to Caerwyn, Gus has promptly gone right back to sleep. Figuring Gus would be up shortly, Caerwyn had gone on. Gus slept a lot longer and by the time he walked groggily into the Great Hall, Club Day had been going on for awhile. He located Caerwyn at the side by side Chess Club and Gobstones Club tables, as both have Professor Black as a sponsor, looking at photos of a chess competition held last year.
Grunting, "I'm going to grab food," Gus immediately turned and made a beeline for the refreshments, only to come to a complete stop and stare blearily at the offerings, unable to choose what he wants.
"Good thing you were more alert last Saturday," Caerwyn comments, coming up beside Gus and snagging a sandwich half. Roast beef from the looks of it.
Settling on a slice of chocolate pie first, thinking maybe the sugar will help wake him up better, Gus has to agree with his friend. Of course, last week was Quidditch tryouts so how could Gus have not been wide awake for it? Gus had been up well before breakfast, eager to get the day going. He'd been nervous but not so nervous he couldn't eat a decent breakfast frist. Gus and Caerwyn had walked to the pitch together, talking fervently about making the team again this year and both getting to play beater.
Gus had signed up for beater, spelling it in all upper case letters and underlining it then writing normally also wrote down the other three positions. He'd rather play a position that's not his favorite of beater then to not make the team at all.
He'd been in a group that included his cousin Glori, who'd also put down all four positions. They'd done some calistenics to warm up and stretch then their group, working nearer to Hagrid's hut than to the pitch, did a whole lot of drills. They'd started off with drills geared for those playing keeper with lots of practice blocking quaffles. After that had been a mix of drills for beaters and chasers. They'd ended the position specific drills with those geared to seekers then had finished up entirely with flying exercises.
Gus played in three scrimmages, just like a lot of others. He still thinks it's too bad that for those who put down all four positions there wasn't time for every single person to play in four complete matches. He'd played beater in one, chaser in another, and keeper in a third. Glori had played seeker, keeper, and chaser.
With his mind on Quidditch, Gus swallows the last bite of his pie, grabs a couple of fairy cakes and tells his friend, "I want to be sure and sign up for Athletic's Club."
Glori, who'd walked over about then as if knowing her cousin was thinking about her, says, "Mind if I walk with you? I want to sign up for that one myself. I'm already signed up for Drama Club, Dueling, Astronomy, Muggle Studies, and the newspaper." She ticks off each then looks as though she's forgetting something.
"I'm signed up for too many," Caerwyn says, "and there are more to look at. It will be like last year. I sign up for more than I can do and have to cut back."
Glori grins at them, reaching around Gus for one of the fairy cakes. "Oh, I'm sure that will be the case for me too. The ones I mentioned are the only ones I've visited so far."
Gus rolls his eyes, "Aunt Trina's going to make you drop some."
"That's okay. By then I'll know which ones I want to stick with this year. At least I hope so."
During the short time they've been talking, Gus has scarfed down both the fairy cakes he'd grabbed. Getting a third one from the table, he holds up a finger to the other two to wait a moment, grabs a glass of chocolate milk, then the three head for the Athletic's Club table.
Babies on the Brain
Author: Marzipan
Date: 09-16-10 18:46
In the wee morning hours of the 18th of September, Carolina Ravenscroft Black went into labor at her home and soon thereafter delivered a healthy baby boy at St. Mungo's Hospital. Proud aunt and uncle Marzipan and Weston learned of the news of Carter Black's birth at a more decent hour that morning, though because of her shift at the Herbology club table, Marzi had yet to make a visit to her half-sister's hospital room.
She couldn't wait to see the little bundle of joy and found herself wondering about him in between visits from students interested in learning a little more about the Herbology club. Sometimes Marzi was so distracted that she didn't even see a person standing right in front of her or calling her name.
Thinking about little Carter had her also pondering what her own baby would be like. Would it be a boy too, or a girl instead? Who would it take after more, Marzipan herself or Weston?
"Professor Ravenscroft?"
"Professor Ravenscroft?"
Marzi blinked and focused on the young student standing in front of her, Eilonwy Barrett, a second year Gryffindor student who was in her class.
"I'm sorry, Eilonwy. I'm afraid I'm in another world. Did you have a question about the Herbology club?"
Eilonwy had long blonde hair and giant blue eyes. She nodded her golden head. "Yes. What are the meetings like?"
"Good question, Eilonwy. At some meetings, we might focus on a certain plant... usually not one we've already discussed in class, but sometimes we'll revisit one. We might even make foraging trips across the grounds or even into the Forbidden Forest. There are even occasional field trips elsewhere."
She smiled at a few other students who'd come to the Herbology club table to acknowlege their arrival and then continued to answer Eilonwy's question. "We'll also tend to the gardens and landscaping here."
"That sounds like fun. I would like to join."
Marzi gestured to the sign up sheet tucked in between pots and pots of plants and said, "Just sign your name there and I'll let you know when the first meeting is."
Eilonwy did, and then thanked Marzi for her time before slipping off to see what else Hogwarts had to offer her in terms of extracurricular activities.
Marzi, meanwhile, went back to daydreaming about babies.
It's Okay Not To Share Every Interest With A Best Friend (Mason)
Author: Pyrrhus
Date: 09-17-10 09:08
Turning from the Poet's Society table, Mason says, "I'm not signing up for this one. Maybe the newspaper though." This is accompanied by a nod at the next table. After a pause and a glance at another nearby table he adds, "Or yearbook."
Boris, chews his lower lip for a second while in thought then replies, "I think I will sign up for Poet's Society. Some girls like that sort of thing and I'm betting that most of the members are girls."
Mason, who at twelve likes girls somewhat but does not LIKE girls yet, crinkles his nose and makes a face but then supportively says, "If that's what you want, then go for it."
This isn't the first time they've differed on which clubs to join. Mason's signed up for Athletic's Club while Boris put his name down for the Debate Club. It's a classic example of how Mason is all about actions and Boris enjoys trying to talk people to death to persuade them to his line of thought.
Last Saturday, while Mason was dodging bludgers, passing quaffles, trying to catch snitches, sprinting back and forth on his broom, Boris was sitting in the stands pretending to be a WWN sports announcer describing Mason's Quidditch trial.
"Jeffers is starting a keeper drill. The quaffle is thrown. Jeffers goes for a full body block, bouncing the quaffle off his chest. Here comes another ball! It's a bit far right but Jeffers throws himself sideways, that's to his left, folks, aaannnnd BLOCKED. The shot is blocked! No time to think about that as another quaffle is already inbound."
And there was, "Let me set the scene, folks. There are moving, player size targets. Jeffers is going after a bludger, also moving, and has hit one of those targets with the bludger. He reaches the ball, winds up for the hit and SMACK! that bludger is soaring! It's going... going... and it clips the target where a leg would be. No time to dwell on not getting a bull's eye. Jeffers is already on track to hit another bludger. He's wielding that bat like it's an actual extension of his own arm. He swings aaannnnd it's a good hit, right in the bat's sweet spot! Jeffers hit the bludger with a little spin and now it's curving aaannnd BULL"S EYE! Hit that target right in the center where the player's chest would be!"
Mason had put his name in for all positions though he's hoping first for chaser. Beater would be his next choice, then seeker, then keeper. Being all about action, chaser is more his style with beater a close second. Seeker's okay but it's a lonely position spent roving, sometimes aimlessly, up and down searching for the snitch while the real action is going on all around. Mason had played his first scrimmage as keeper, a position his brother had played while at Hogwarts even though now with the Humbatas he tends to play chaser more than anything. Keepers a really important job but for Mason, having to sit and wait for the action to come to him is akin to torture. He'll play it in a pinch, say if he were chosen for the team and that's the position he's put in, but it's his least favorite of the four Quidditch positions.
In his second scrimmage, he'd played beater and his third was spent as chaser. He did all right in each match, but he didn't stand out like some. That didn't bother him that much unless the standout was a first year, and there were some really decent first years trying out. It just means he needs to work even harder if he doesn't make the team this year and if he does get picked, it means he needs to work even harder to maintain a spot each of his remaining years here.
By this time Mason and Boris have made the rounds to a few more club tables. They both sign up for Dueling Club, and Boris puts his name down for the Drama Club while Mason decides to join the Charms Club, one he hadn't belonged to or even checked out last year. By then both are hungry, not having eaten anything, even snacks, since breakfast. The two boys hit the refreshment tables, deciding to carry food outside to eat while the weather is still nice before coming back inside and having a look at the remaining clubs.
Confirmation
Author: Minerva McGonagall
Date: 09-17-10 13:55
While Professor Dumbledore manned the side by side tables for Honor Society and Student Council, Professor McGonagall made the rounds in the Great Hall. So far, she hadn't seen much trouble-making, but the day wasn't over yet and it didn't take much for some children to start misbehaving. She kept her eyes and ears open in case she had to intervene any given situation.
Professor McGonagall turned at the end of a row of tables and started to move back the way she came when someone barreled straight into her. She felt the wind get knocked from her stomach, but her assailant was small and not strong enough to knock her off her feet.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Professor!" exclaimed young Madoc McGonagall.
Professor McGonagall had been about to sternly tell him not to run in the castle and to watch where he was going but the reprimand never left her lips. Instead, she asked him, "Are you all right?"
"Yes. You're quite soft!" And then Madoc's eyes went wide and he clapped a hand over his mouth.
Minerva didn't know whether to laugh or be insulted.
"Are you all right?" Madoc asked, when he felt less embarrassed.
"I've felt worse," Professor McGonagall said. "Are you enjoying Club Day?"
"Oh, yes. Very much so. I had no idea Hogwarts had so much to offer."
"There is plenty to do, certainly, but make sure you can keep up with your studies. Maintaining good marks is the most important thing you can do here."
"Yes, ma'am," Madoc answered. He gazed at her for a long moment and then blurted out, "I think we might be related."
Professor McGonagall hadn't expected that to come from his mouth. She guided him away from the throng to a less busy part of the Great Hall where they could talk without being in anybody's way.
"I've wondered that myself. Who are your parents?" Professor McGonagall asked, after they'd moved to the side of the room, where some chairs had been set aside.
"Myron and Cate McGonagall."
"I don't recall a Myron McGonagall ever attending Hogwarts." Cate, whatever her maiden name was, she might not remember after all this time, but another McGonagall she most certainly would.
"He didn't. Granddad homeschooled him," Madoc explained.
"Ah, and your granddad is...?"
"Menelaus McGonagall."
So she had guessed right. She sighed and fixed Madoc with a sympathetic gaze. "Menelaus is my older brother, and I haven't seen him in decades."
"How come?"
Professor McGonagall hesitated and then ultimately decided to save the story for another time. "It's a long story, but I promise you'll hear or it one way or another someday."
Madoc seemed satisfied enough by the answer and smiled. "So, what does that make you to me? My grandmother? No, my aunt?"
"Your great aunt."
"Cool."
"Yes... I suppose that is... cool." Minerva hadn't been sure how she would feel upon learning the truth, but she found she rather liked having a family member around to talk to sometimes.
Madoc broke out into a broad grin. "Well, I guess I should go back to seeing what other clubs there are around here. See you later, Great Aunt?"
"Yes."
Madoc started to scamper off, but he slowed his pace and shot Professor McGonagall an apologetic look. She waved him off and stayed put, reeling over what she had just confirmed.
(Anthony) Out for Blood
Author: Beck
Date: 09-17-10 15:11
Not off on Saturday, Anthony spent part of his day in the office going over paperwork and part of the day following leads. Although he had many other cases going on, some more pressing than others, he always fell back to his investigation of the Summer Solstice Murders whenever he found the time. Today was one of those days.
Wearing a false nose, mustache, and wig, Anthony went to Knockturn Alley to check for establishments or street vendors that sold human blood. He wasn't sure what the shelf life for blood of any kind was and whether or not he'd find any belonging to the girls murdered last summer, but perhaps that didn't matter. If he could find a seller, perhaps he could find a source.
He knew he had to be careful how he asked for the blood, because if a seller suspected he wasn't an actual client and was actually an auror in disguise, Anthony wouldn't learn anything at all. He also suspected that many of the stores in Knockturn Alley kept certain items off the public floor, so he would more than likely have to ask for assistance to find out what he needed to know.
He went into Borgin & Burkes and looked around. The shoppe was very dimly lit. Dust covered the shelves and cobwebs could be found in every corner. There wasn't a single customer in the store, and no shopkeeper to be found either.
Anthony approached the dusty counter and rang the bell. While he waited for someone to come from the back, if someone even would, he looked around some more. There was an assortment of bones in a cabinet... human, if Anthony wasn't mistaken. Grotesque masks that were probably cursed hung on the walls. Anthony wouldn't want to put one of them on. There was an assortment of other questionable objects on the shelves and cases, making Anthony wonder if the shoppe had ever been raided before. It probably should be.
"Can I help you?" asked an older man from behind the counter.
Anthony stepped forward, aware that he was being carefully scrutinized. "I wonder if you might be able to help me find something. I recently acquired a book of rituals from my deceased great grandfather that contains a lot of spellwork involving human blood. I wasn't sure if a regular apoethcary would contain vials of the stuff, or if I would have to look elsewhere. Can you point me in the right direction?"
Mr. Borgin studied Anthony carefully for a long moment. The wig Anthony was wearing was uncomfortable and a little on the warm side. He could feel sweat begin to form where the wig met his brow.
Finally, Mr. Borgin decided Anthony seemed sincere and said, "I haven't got any, but the old hag with the cart across from the pawn shop has been known to sell stuff like that."
"Thanks," Anthony said. He backed out of the shoppe and headed in the direction of the pawn shop. The old hag Mr. Borgin spoke of wasn't there, but a seedy-looking wizard was. He had a cart laden with jars. Upon closer inspection, Anthony could see toes, teeth, and eyeballs in the jars.
"Can I persuade you to buy these fingernails? They're fresh and a good price!" the seedy-looking wizard said, pushing the jar into Anthony's hands.
"No, thanks. I'm looking for blood, actually. Human blood. Have you got any?"
"Not today," the man said. "But I have earwax. Want some of that? It's fresh."
"No. The man from Borgin & Burkes mentioned an old ha–– witch who operates a cart like yours. He said she usually sells blood. Do you know where I can find her?"
"She's me mum and she's not working today. This is all we've got."
"Do you get blood often?"
"No, but we do occasionally."
"Okay, well I'll come back another day then."
"Are you sure I can't convince you?" the man asked, holding a small vial of dark mustard colored stuff.
Anthony tried not to wrinkle his nose. "Maybe next time."
He turned before the guy tried haggling with him some more and decided to check out some of the other locales to see what they offered.
Muggle Studies Club
Author: Aaron Miller
Date: 09-17-10 19:13
"Do I have to wait until third year when I can take Muggle Studies to join your club?"
The speaker is none other than Marlow MacDougal, one of my Wenlock cousins. "Hi, Marlow. No, you don't have to wait until third year. Are you interested?"
"I like visiting Cloud's Kiss for family stuff, and those whatchamacallit pictures... films. I quite like those. And playing around on the computers."
"You would do that in Muggle Studies Club and we sometimes take field trips."
"Such as?"
"One field trip last year we went to a Muggle shopping area."
"With Muggle money?"
"Yes, with Muggle money. Liannah went. Didn't she mention it?"
"Liannah told me the only clubs Hogwarts had to offer were things like the Old Hags Society and the Argus Filch Fan Club."
I suppress a grin and ask, "Did she mention who Argus Filch is?"
"Of course but she wasn't exactly truthful about him. She said all the girls swoon after him."
I can't help it. I snicker. Marlow shudders before saying, "Mum told me not to listen to Liannah's nonsense but then Liannah later said that Mum's been gone from Hogwarts since forever and lots of things have changed. She made a very good point."
"She did but now you're here as a student and see for yourself that the school offers a wide range of interesting extracurriculars."
"Yes, but there's also lots of homework. Lots and lots. It really cuts into a girl's fun," Marlow says somewhat seriously before reaching to pick up the quill next to the sign-up sheet. As she signs her name she asks, "How come Saffron, I mean Professor Sacheverelle, doesn't have a club? And why is she Sacheverelle and you're Miller but Sage is Porter? I've wanted to know for ages but Mum said it's rude to ask. Should I not have asked just now? I don't mean to be rude you know."
When Marlow pauses to take a breath I tell her, "It's all right that you asked. Saffron was Porter like Sage but she was married once before. When she and I got married, she decided to keep using Sacheverelle to cut down on any confusion over having two Professor Millers."
"That makes sense," Marlow nods.
"As to why she doesn't have a divination or other similar club, why don't you ask her sometime?"
"Maybe I will," she grins. "I'm sort of hungry. Want me to bring you anything?"
"If there's any ham and cheese on wheat left, I'd love one. Thank you."
Marlow beams a broad smile and practically skips off. On her way she passes her cousins Alexa and Jill and then nearly runs into another cousin, Daniel. Last week I'd watched those three and some of the other Wenlock cousins trying out for the single Quidditch team Hogwarts is having this year. Alexa was mainly trying out for her usual position of chaser but she, Jill, and Daniel put their names in for all four positions to better their chances of getting selected. Like everyone else trying out, they were part of groups that each ran through a series of drills, some very general but others targeting specific skills. I really like the fact that nearly every group was first made to go through stretching and warming up. I'm not much of a Quidditch player but by now have played it here and there enough times to know that you use a whole lot more muscles than you'd think. When I first learned about Quidditch, sitting with books on it at Flourish & Blotts in Diagon Alley, I thought that while the mechanics of flying at high speeds on brooms while passing a red ball of average size might be difficult, I hadn't thought it would be that hard on the body, unless hit by a bludger of course. I now know otherwise. The first time I tried playing, with Deak and Drake and some of their friends, even though they went easy on me, and even though I am in really great shape, I was so stiff and sore the next day it was like I never exercised at all, ever.
I'd watched some of the drills last week and some of the scrimmages, returning to the castle now and then through the day. Saffron and I brought Niccola with us for awhile and she really loved it, but then she was fascinated last year watching the matches as well.
Daniel played in three matches, once as keeper, once as beater, and once as chaser. Alexa played two as chaser and once as keeper. Jill played in one as seeker and one as keeper but shortly after her second match she became so nauseous I ended up walking her to the hospital wing to see Poppy Pomfrey. A mild stomach bug was diagnosed, thankfully not overly contagious. Jill insisted on going back to the tryouts after Poppy gave her a honeysuckle smelling potion to drink but when we got back down to the pitch, Theodosia said she was glad Jill showed the pluck to return and put her in another scrimmage as seeker again.
In my opinion all three did well, but then so did a whole lot of others trying out.
Marlow's back with my sandwich and right about then another first year comes up to ask questions about the Muggle Studies Club so I put the sandwich aside for the moment and talk up the club. A few minutes later, I've got another signed up for the club and I'm taking a bite of a very good ham and cheese sandwich.