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(Ariella) New Mother
Author: Beck
Date: 10-28-14 07:18
Ariella stepped out of the bathroom adjoining her hospital room and crossed over to the bed, where her grandmother had laid out a simple grey knit cardigan. Josefine sat in the chair in the corner of the room and cradled a tiny baby swaddled in a pink blanket. The baby, a girl named Karina Natalia Masterson, had been born yesterday in the late morning. It had been the perfect gift for Ariella, who had also celebrated her birthday yesterday.
Lawrence had spent all day at St. Mungo's yesterday and had dropped in earlier this morning to take a few items, like balloons, flowers and cards, back to the castle. Today being Club Day, Ariella had insisted he keep up his obligation at Hogwarts rather than help her and baby Karina leave the hospital. Ariella's grandparents offered to help instead.
Rather than go directly to Hogwarts after being discharged from the hospital, Ariella planned on going to her grandparents' house in Manchester. There it would be much quieter, and Josefine could help the new mother adjust to life with an infant. Perhaps next weekend Ariella would feel ready to handle things on her own, with Lawrence's support, of course. Karina's baby room at Hogwarts was all set for her arrival, after all.
Alanna arrived at the hospital room and asked, "Ready to go?"
"Ready," Ariella agreed, slipping on the cardigan and turning to her grandmother, who had risen from the chair with the baby still sleeping soundly in her arms. Josefine carefully transferred Karina into Ariella's arms and said, "See you at the house. Don't be long."
She left the room then, leaving the sisters alone for the moment. Alanna stepped forward and gently ran her hand over the baby's silky hair. "I can't believe you're a mum."
"I know," Ariella said wonderingly. "I didn't think I would be the first of us to have a child."
"I think it's nice that you named her after her grandmothers," Alanna said, looking at the button nose on the baby's face and tiny fingers on a tiny hand poking out from the blanket. "I wish I could remember our mum more."
"Me too," Ariella said. "I wish Karina could meet her namesakes. She won't ever know either set of grandparents. It's a little sad."
"Yeah, it is," Alanna said, "but she's got her parents, and lots of aunts and uncles, and great grandparents… Want me to take her when we apparate?"
Ariella hesitated and then nodded. "I feel fine, but it might be better if you take her when it's time."
The girls set out from the room, Alanna taking a small bag of Ariella's with her as she went. They stopped at the nurses station to formally discharge Ariella and Karina and then walked to the exit of the hospital.
During their slow stroll, Alanna told Ariella what had happened between her and Reed a few weeks ago. She'd planned on telling Jared, not wanting to keep anything from him, but had opted not to in the end for fear he would say or do something. There was no question that Reed was growing more powerful by the day, and he had gotten plenty of no-good wizards out of prison. What if he called on them to take care of a problem for him, a problem like Jared Wynbourne?
Ariella listened without interruption and finally asked, "What makes you think he'll wait for Jared to say or do something? You said it yourself. He doesn't think Jared is good enough for you, and now you know what he really thinks of you. I'm sure he thinks his Death Eater clients owe him favors for getting them out of Azkaban. He need only ask––"
Alanna's sigh interrupted Ariella's thought. "I hope he doesn't already have that idea in his head. I don't want to live in fear or worry that something could happen to Jared just for being in my life." She sighed again and looked sidelong at her sister, "And you're telling me I should have told Jared the truth from the start."
Ariella shrugged and said, "Were I in your position, I would have, but your reasons not to are valid in my opinion."
They reached the hospital exit, where Ariella stopped and carefully handed the sleeping baby to Alanna. Alanna held onto Karina like the most valuable thing she was and said to Ariella, "See you in a blink."
She disapparated on the spot, arriving in her grandparents' front yard. The unpleasant sensation of apparating woke Karina at last, and she started mewling loudly. Ariella appeared next to Alanna and immediately took her daughter into her arms. The trip had been extra unpleasant for her, and her stomach ached and roiled a bit, but her top priority was soothing her baby girl. She cooed and spoke lovingly to the baby nestled in her arms and followed Alanna into the house.
New Father and Club Day
Author: Lawrence Masterson
Date: 10-28-14 18:00
Much to his protestations he was at Club Day, manning the Herbology Club booth with Marzipan, to fill his obligation as co-sponsor of the club. It was still early in the day, and a few students were trickling in to gain information about the variety of clubs that were here.
He knew well enough that Josefine and Alanna would help Ariella as much as possible, and soon enough his wife and daughter would be home. Though he longed to be at the Beck's home helping his wife and cooing over his newborn daughter, he needed to focus here and deal with the club day festivities. There would be time after things were said and done here, when he could go spend time with his daughter.
"Congratulations Lawrence," Marzi said as she passed him a cup of coffee, and settled down next to him at the booth after adjusting some of the information pamphlets on the table in front of them.
"Thank you, she's beautiful, and chances are will be just as spoiled as any of the other staff members children that live in the Castle when she finally gets home," Lawrence said with a grin, knowing well that some of the other staff members children tend to get spoiled by some of the students on special occasions.
They talked for a few moments, before they would be interrupted with students trickling over and asking questions as well as inspecting some of the plants that were on the desk. They'd also obtained packets of tea that Lawrence had made up to be passed out.
After a few minutes he excused himself, leaving Marzi and a couple of current club members to man the table, while he wandered the great hall and plucked up a bite to eat from one of the tables laden with food. He cast a glance toward the DADA Club Booth and frowned, Ethan's presence was still missed around the castle, and even now during Club Day, he was still missing. He as well as the rest of the staff had questions, had heard the rumors, and no one knew the truth at this point.
Turning his attention away from the DADA booth, he took his time wandering back to the Herbology booth, and arrived just as Marzi's husband showed up with her sons who were both eager to see their mother. It was Marzi's turn to take a bit of a break from the booth.
Just as Marzi headed off, a first year Gryffindor girl approached the table, shifting nervously and casting her gaze over the table.
"What sort of things would we be doing?"
The question was so soft, Lawrence almost had to make her repeat it but he caught just enough to ensure he knew what had been asked.
"We do all sorts of things. You'll help in the greenhouses, we even do pumpkin carving around Halloween and make wreaths during Christmastime, and all sorts of other things. If you like being around plants, and like Herbology you'll definitely like being in the club."
The girl asked a few more questions, like when the club met and things like that before adding her name to the roster and slipping away to find her friends.
(Lev Torres) Focused but Not
Author: Calliope Torres
Date: 10-29-14 17:04
"Seriously I'm not used to doing work when it is so quiet," I muttered, pushing the parchment away from me and staring blankly at my Charms textbook.
"Everything alright Torres?" Brom asked as he dropped down in the chair across from me.
"Just still getting used to studying without younger siblings around, or my mum yelling at someone," I said motioning to the homework in front of me.
"How many brothers and sisters do you have? I know you have at least one, Calliope that was sorted into Gryffindor," Brom said looking over the homework, almost debating on getting his own out.
"I've a total of three sisters including Calliope and one brother. I'm the oldest of six. My youngest sister just turned one earlier this year," I said, leaning back in my chair, debating on putting the homework away and heading down to the Great Hall for Club Day or to the Common Commons and grab something to eat.
"Wow, that's crazy. I'm not sure I could be in a house with that many girls at one time," Brom said laughing.
"I know the feeling, and it's crazy at times," I said looking down at my work. "I'm considering going down to the Great Hall and attending Club Day, or maybe just taking a break and going to the Commons. Want to come?"
"I'm thinking of grabbing something at the Commons, but you should definitely head down to the Great Hall. We can work on homework later, I've some questions about the Charms assignment and I know you are pretty good at Charms."
Brom and I were going to meet at the library later this afternoon. He headed to the Common Commons and I headed down to the Great Hall to see about maybe joining a club or two to add to my list of extra curricular activities.
Decisions Not Made Lightly
Author: Ellis
Date: 10-29-14 18:11
Blakeney walked around the Great Hall with her roommate and new friend Tessa. Both being new to Hogwarts, they really didn't know much about the various clubs and student organizations available at the school. They had some idea, thanks to their older relatives, but no firsthand knowledge.
Blakeney was an easy-going sort of girl and actually reminded Tessa a little of a younger version of her sister Kate's cousin Bronwyn. She had no trouble making friends and seemed well-liked by everyone she encountered. Blakeney was open to all clubs and made an effort to visit every booth, even when Tessa might have skipped some.
Blakeney went around without making any hasty decisions, giving herself time to mull over the possibilities and decide on how many clubs she could handle on top of all her classes. Tessa was less discriminating. She put her name down for clubs as she saw them but also limited herself to only a few.
After making the entire circuit, Blakeney and Tessa sat down with snacks and drinks. They made small conversation, people-watched, and thought about how they were already three weeks in to their first term at Hogwarts. Both had been on campus prior to the Start of Term Feast, but visiting and actually living and attending school in the castle were two very different things.
After a while, Alys came into the Great Hall. She didn't spot Blakeney at first and immediately set off to view one of the tables nearest to the double doors. Blakeney only made an effort to grab her sister's attention when Alys finally looked in her direction. Alys saw Blakeney's wave and came over to join the two first years for a moment.
"Did you sign up for anything yet?" Alys asked.
Blakeney shook her head. "I'm debating still, but I've already checked everything out and gotten loads of information."
Tessa indicated she had signed up for a few clubs.
Alys said, "I'm going to join Band/Orchestra. I hope the private lessons I took over the summer are enough to make me not be the worst player." She had spent all summer learning to play her hardanger fiddle, and while she was no expert or prodigy, she had improved since first finding the instrument in an enchanted Easter egg. "See you later," Alys added, setting off for Professor Flitwick's table.
Only after Blakeney and Tessa finished snacking, did they get up and go back to the booths Blakeney favored. She put her name down for two organizations: the Art Society and the Dance Club. Maybe if she found she had more time as term went on, then she would see about joining more, but for now those two would suffice.
Shot Down
Author: Capri Brycin
Date: 10-29-14 18:36
Capri sat at her desk in her office listening to music as she read. It was a good thing she liked to read because her job was full of reading.
She marked down a couple things she wanted to talk to the author about and she kept up her reading. Another hour passed and she got up and headed to the bathroom and then to the lunch room where she found her boss oogling another one of the girls. She walked in with hesitation and her boss turned his attention to her. She closed her eyes and sighed and walked over to get her lunch. As she bent down on to pick up her lunch bag off the shelf her boss grabbed her butt. Capri squeaked and jumped and turned to look at her boss who was smiling at her.
"Please keep your hands to yourself." She said softly so that the others in the room could not hear. Her boss' smile never faltered but it was clear that he did not like that Capri shot his advancements down.
Turning Capri walked out of the room and into her office and slammed the door. A minute passed and there was a knock on the door and it opened; it was her boss.
"I was just being friendly." He said.
"Too friendly." Capri said. "I have a boyfriend thank you. Please keep your hands to yourself from now on."
It was very obvious that her boss was very unhappy with what she had said. He oogled her as she sat at her desk. "You know with the clothes you wear, revealing tops and short skirts you are just asking for someone to do something to you."
Capri sighed deeply and stood from her desk. "Please leave my office."
"You'll get what's coming to you." He said as he turned and left her office.
She gathered her things together, locked her office door and then disapperated home.
"I'm home." She said as she set her things down on the table. "Mark are you home?"
"I'm in the kitchen." He called as he leaned around the corner and peeked into the living room where she was standing. He furrowed his brow when he saw her, "are you alright?"
"No." Capri answered. "My boss..."
"What did he do?"
"He grabbed my butt."
Mark balled his fists and Capri could see that Mark was very angry. "He has no right to do that to you. He needs to learn to keep his hands to himself before he pisses off the wrong person and something happens to him."
Capri made a face and wrapped her arms around him. "I love you."
He smiled slightly at her and said, "ditto."
"I think I am going to go take a shower and then take a nap." She said. "I feel kinda dirty from him touching me." Mark nodded his head and watched as she walked into the bathroom.
(Justin) Grazing
Author: Plum
Date: 10-29-14 19:17
Standing near one of the refreshment tables Justin eats from a plate containing a variety of fruit. Though there are tables with chairs scattered about he chooses to sit along the walls. It's more out of the way there. Now that he's not the "new" student he doesn't draw as much attention, which is how Justin likes it.
Roommate Kay Dunlap had tried to convince him to try out along with Kay and Nathan Stewart for the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. Justin had considered it but then never signed up. He likes Quidditch and can play it well enough but really doesn't want the sort of attention being on a team might bring. There's also the fact this is fifth year and fifth year at Hogwarts means the O.W.L.s.
Thoughts of the Ordinary Wizarding Levels are what brought Justin to the Great Hall today. Last year he'd signed up for the Alchemy Club, Language Club, Pet Society, and Athletics Club at Club Day then a couple of days later ended up joining the Muggle Studies Club. He wants to go about and visit each of those clubs' booths and a few others he's had an interest in, such as the Potions Club, to decide what he'll stick with, what he might drop, and if he'll add anything.
With the O.W.L.s this year, he needs to scale back, not add. The problem Justin has is that he enjoyed all five clubs last year and doesn't want to cut any of them. He also doesn't need to add any but the same interest he had last year in those few others hasn't waned.
Slowly chewing a slice of very juicy pear, Justin swipes at the moisture that's dribbled on his chin and waves back to a girl who had called his name and waved her hand at him rapidly enough he at first thought she might be fanning herself. Looking to his plate to select another bite of fruit, he frowns at seeing he's eaten it all.
Getting up, Justin refills his plate with fruit, adds some sort of muffin with a glaze on top, and grabs something to drink. He returns to his spot thinking that whether he stays with his five clubs, drops one or two of them, or adds something, at least he's getting a good grazing of food in by coming.
(Mark) Angry
Author: Isolde
Date: 10-30-14 17:56
The whole time Capri was in the shower, Mark stewed over what she'd told him. He envisioned himself slamming his fist straight into the face of her boss. Who did he think he was, touching a woman who didn't belong to him? Mark was more upset over the fact that somebody had made advances against his girlfriend, rather than the fact that Capri felt very uncomfortable by the whole thing. He was so lost in his angry thoughts that he didn't notice Capri return until he felt her hands on his shoulders.
He flinched and then reached for one of her hands, pulling it down over his chest. "Sorry. Didn't mean to jump."
"I didn't mean to startle you," she said. She moved around the easy chair and slid onto the arm, leaning against him. Her hair was damp, and she smelled like Japanese cherry blossoms.
Mark wrapped his arm around her waist and expelled a breath of frustration. "I don't like your boss."
"I don't either."
"I really don't like him. I have half a mind of going down there right now and giving him a piece of my mind, only with less words and more hexes."
"Mark, don't," Capri urged, lifting her head to look at him. "I don't want you getting in trouble because of me."
"I wouldn't be getting in trouble because of you," he started to say, but Capri cut him off with a shake of his head.
"You know what I mean. It's not worth your getting arrested for assault and battery. I just need to keep my distance from him, or maybe I should quit and find a new job."
"You can't keep your distance from him if he's your boss, but you could file a complaint to his boss," Mark said. "The Ministry of Magic probably has some sort of business ethics board where you can file a formal complaint too. I can check on Monday."
He had been working in the Floo Network Office for two weeks. So far he'd done a lot of shadowing of other employees in the division and attended various trainings.
"I'm just worried he'll try something else," Capri said.
"You tell me if he does," Mark insisted.
Capri chewed her bottom lip and then nodded her head. "I will, but you have to promise you'll control your temper."
Mark didn't answer. Instead, he pulled her head down for a kiss.
(Kate) Lounging
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 10-30-14 19:27
Kate and Hugo lounged in the Hufflepuff Common Room, neither feeling particularly hurried about visiting the Great Hall for Club Day. With it being their very last year at Hogwarts, they already knew a little something about most of the clubs. They'd also found themselves very busy with their NEWT-level classes, even only three weeks into term. Knowing the amount of work they received was not likely to lessen as the year progressed, doing nothing sounded like the best thing in the world to them right now.
"Do you think we ought to make an appearance?" Hugo asked after a while. "We don't want anyone to think we've gone AWOL."
"I think not checking in at Club Day is no cause for anyone to send out a search party," Kate replied with a smile.
"No, but your friends might want to see you. I know what a close knit group you are." Hugo waggled his eyebrows. "I'd also hate for them to think we're up to no good."
Kate looked around the common room, which wasn't exactly empty. "I think if we were up to no good, my friends would learn about it in short order. Secrets don't exactly stay secret at Hogwarts, especially when a whole roomful of Hufflepuffs know about it."
"I don't know why Hufflepuffs are so looked down upon," Hugo remarked. "Sure, they think we're perfect little angels and therefore very boring, but if they only knew the truth." He looked around the room and pointed out a boy who hadn't bothered to comb his hair that morning. "Look. He's making a statement. 'I don't need to follow socials norms. Who needs a comb? I don't.'"
He pointed out a girl eating an ice cream sundae she'd picked up from the Commons. "Ice cream for breakfast. Why the hell not?"
Kate poked him in the arm. "We're so rebellious, us Hufflepuffs."
Hugo grinned. "Come on. Let's be wild and stretch our legs."
He put his legs up on the couch and stretched them out over Kate's lap. She bumped them to the floor and got up. "Funny. Shall we make that appearance before my friends start to wonder, assuming they are even there?"
"Yes. Let's," Hugo said, also getting up.
They left the common room and made their way to the Great Hall. Quickly glancing around, Kate didn't see her friends anywhere. Either they had come and gone already or they hadn't yet arrived. She did see her sister Tessa, though. Kate and Hugo went over to say hello to her and her friend Blakeney Ellis.
Tessa revealed she'd joined the Athletics Club, Dueling Club, and Gobstones Club. She wasn't a tomboy, but she was more sporty than Kate or Bronwyn. Dueling sounded like fun, and she didn't know anything about wizarding games like Gobstones.
After talking with Tessa a little bit, Kate and Hugo set off to peruse the booths for themselves. They didn't linger too long. Kate only wanted to limit herself to one club, but she ended up signing up for both the school newspaper and the yearbook. Hugo, meanwhile, signed up for the Drama Club and Poet's Society.