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(Alanna) Unexpected Guest
Author: Beck
Date: 04-18-16 13:36
Alanna and Reed sat at the breakfast table and ate in silence. Reed read the newspaper in between taking bites of his croissant or sips from his coffee, while Alanna thumbed through a travel magazine. Although Alanna wished she were anywhere but in the flat she now shared with Reed, the act of having breakfast together without any sort of conversation was tolerable.
When the kettle on the kitchen stove started whistling, Alanna got up to tend to it. She poured the boiling water into a carafe and then added loose tea leaves to the infuser. She had recently become fond of aromatic fruit teas and had selected a berry mix with rose petals for this morning's brew. Tea seemed a more suitable choice for beverage than coffee, since she always appeared to be on edge.
Just as she headed back to the breakfast table, someone knocked at the door.
"I'll get it," Alanna murmured, just loud enough for Reed to hear. She was up anyway, so she might as well get the door.
Reed acknowledged her without looking up from the newspaper.
Alanna turned away from the breakfast room and made her way to the front door, tightening the sash of her silk bathrobe in the process. She wore a matching silk nightgown underneath the robe. It wasn't anything risqué, but it was certainly nicer than pajamas or an old T-shirt. Reed didn't want her sleeping in anything less than the best.
Alanna opened the door without checking the peephole first and instantly regretted it.
"Hey, Alanna," said Anthony. He stood on her doorstep dressed in a long coat and scarf.
Alanna felt a moment of blind panic and quietly asked, "What are you doing here?"
"You're my sister," Anthony said. "Can't I pay you a visit?"
"No––yes––I mean…"
"Alanna, who's at the door?"
Alanna tensed and said urgently to her brother, "You really shouldn't be here, because… because we've only just gotten up! I'm still in my nightclothes."
Anthony played along and said, "Well, I suppose I should have fire-talked to see if you were decent and up to receiving visitors."
Reed suddenly appeared behind Alanna and pulled the door open wide. "Anthony. What brings you by?"
"I was in the neighborhood," Anthony explained, "and thought I'd pay my sister and brother-in-law a visit. That all right?"
Anthony hadn't been in the neighborhood. He'd been debating for a while now just popping in on the Wycombes to see if he could figure out firsthand why Alanna had dumped Jared for Reed. Not once had Alanna or Reed invited members of the family over to their Weybridge flat.
Alanna never invited her family over because she didn't want them near Reed or the place she considered her prison. She started to tremble when she noticed a familiar look in Anthony's eye. He was up to something, and she worried that it would land him in trouble again.
"Sure," Reed invited. "Come on in. Let me give you the grand tour."
Grinning, Anthony stepped over the threshold into the foyer. He turned to Alanna and pulled her into a tight hug, and then he offered his hand to Reed. Reed shook it good-naturedly before taking Anthony's coat and leading him around the luxury flat. Alanna trailed behind nervously, wondering what exactly her brother was thinking in showing up where she and Reed lived.
Course Day
Author: Saffron
Date: 04-18-16 15:14
The apparition lesson was followed by lunch, which ended moments ago, the regular table whisked away and the tables serving as booths for Course Day have only just been set up, all courtesy of Filius Flitwick and a few quick, efficient flicks of his wand. Saffron is in the process of putting out pamphlets with information on Arithmancy & Divination and displaying a number of items used in the course a such as crystal ball, an astrology chart, ogham, and a stack of cups for those wishing a tea leaf reading.
She's getting the first of the tea brewed and a platter of Arithmancy & Divination themed biscuits, fairy cakes, brownies and blondies put out when Rex Applewhite appears. "Hello, Rex. Eager to have a look around, are you?"
"Yes, professor. I know a little about the different electives I can take but not enough to help me choose. Savannah says to take Muggle Studies and Care of Magical Creatures."
"Those are her electives and as she didn't change them from third to fourth year, makes sense she'd suggest them to you."
Rex nods, fingers stroking the crystal ball. "Can you really see things in this?"
"Some never do but many are able. Of those that can, not everyone sees something meaningful. Would you like a sweet? Or some tea?"
"Both please." Rex carefully selects a frosted brownie with the zodiac symbol of Aries as Saffron pours him a cup of tea.
Noticing the symbol she smiles. "That's Aries, your zodiac sign I believe."
"May 10th," he replies with a nod, accepting the cup.
"I'll read your tea leaves for you if you wish."
"That's part of your class. Yes, and many other things. Here, take this pamphlet. There's a generalized list by year of what you'd learn."
Rex sips the hot tea in between eating the brownie, helping himself to another when Saffron doesn't object, while skimming the lists given in the pamphlet. In between eating and drinking he asks, "Palmistry. That's reading palms?"
"Correct."
"What's I Ching?"
"I Ching itself is actually an ancient Chinese divination text. The divination method use is a type of cleromany, which the casting of lots. In this case yarrow sticks or coins. It involves numbers and a hexagram."
"Sounds hard."
"It can be."
"Must be why it's not on the third year list."
"You are correct again."
With a thank you Rex hands Saffron the cup of tea, which still contains about a quarter of the beverage she'd poured. "No tea reading?" she asks.
"Oh, I forgot!" He takes the cup back and hurriedly drains it then hands it back.
A few minutes later Rex moves on to check out the Care of Magical Creatures table, still chuckling about how Professor Sacheverelle initially joked reading his tea leaves, "You will convince Professor McGonagall to allow you to take all four electives plus Fitness & Athletics." Of course, if that were really true, he'd not have this problem of choosing only two of them when all of them sound interesting.
Lazy Weekend
Author: Charisma Stone
Date: 04-18-16 15:28
She stretched languidly on the couch, closing her eyes for a few minutes. They'd both had a hell of a finals week at St. Emrys and ultimately they decided to spend the weekend lounging before they had to go back to work on Monday.
"Take away, or should I cook something?" Blake asked from the kitchen as he poured more water into a tea cup, adding fresh leaves to the pair of infusers. He carried them into the living room and ultimately, settled down next to her.
"Cook something I think, if you're up for it. Otherwise, we can figure out takeaway," she said, accepting the warm cup from him and sighing softly as the scents of chocolate and chai sailed upward and filled her senses.
"I think I'll make the steaks that we picked up yesterday. Couple of jacket potatoes, and maybe some steamed veg?" Blake said, sliding an arm around her shoulders as he waited for his tea to be ready.
"Oh, that sounds good. We have that new marinade we can put the steaks in..that would be good especially if we grill them."
"Now you're talking," Blake said with a grin. "Also, I think there might be a slice or two of that chocolate cake your mum brought by the other day."
They talked for a little while longer, before Blake flicked on the WWN, and once their tea was done he gathered the cups, and let her rest on the couch where she'd ultimately fallen asleep. Settling her against the pillows he headed into the kitchen, it was still a little bit before supper needed to be made but he took a quick inventory to ensure that they had everything that he wanted to use for dinner.
Then the steaks went into the marinade, and he popped out to the grocer to grab some asparagus, thinking to that on the grill instead of the steamed veg.
Gathering Information
Author: Jordan Thompson
Date: 04-18-16 15:55
"What are we doing here again?" Jacob asked, walking back into the Great Hall with Jordan and Essie on either side of him.
"Checking out course day," they said in unison.
"We can't pick any of these electives for another year. We're only first years remember?" Jacob said rolling his eyes.
"Yes, but we need to learn a few things and ultimately make informed choices when we have to pick our courses at the end of next term. That and Mum said you need to come today," Essie said with an impish grin. Of course she'd owled their mum and let her know that course day was coming up and of course she would say that Jacob needed to come to the event as well.
"That and chances are there will be sweets and things to sample at the various booths. I mean, aren't you always a sucker for free food." Jordan said with an impish grin, knowing her best friend well. He was only eleven, and already had a near bottomless appetite.
"Wait? Free food?" Jacob perked up as they headed toward the interior of the Great Hall.
"Calm down there bottomless pit. Now, let's go get some information," Jordan said, and the girls started leading him toward the various booths. Jacob was already taking the only elective allowed to them as first and second years and ultimately he would keep it straight through his seventh year because well - he was a sports junkie and was sad that he would miss the matches leading up to the Quidditch World Cup because a good majority of them would be happening while he was here at school. It's bad enough that the Opening Ceremonies would be happening the weekend they came back from holiday.
They walked through the Great Hall, stopping at each booth to gather some information about the potential new courses. One of which they couldn't ultimately take unitl they were sixth years - Alchemy. "So, anything you are considering for third year additions to our schedules?"
"I'm considering adding Ancient Runes and Muggle Studies," Jordan said, after finishing the bite of the fairy cake she'd gotten from one of the tables they'd passed.
"I'm considering Ancient Runes and Arithmancy and Divination," Essie said with a light smile, taking a sip of her pumpkin juice.
"I'll probably take Care of Magical Creatures and Muggle Studies," Jacob said finishing off a sugar biscuit that had been frosted with the zodiac sign, Taurus.
"That's nearly settled and we've gotten quite a bit of information. I am really looking forward to having a class taught by Professor Sacheverelle when we hit our third year. " Essie said, and ultimately they wandered around for a little bit and then made the choice to step out of the Great Hall and toward the Common Commons.
No Idea What Electives To Take (Sylvestor)
Author: Georgia Copperpot
Date: 04-19-16 15:39
Just before cramming an entire finger sandwich in his mouth Fitzwilliam says, "Remind me what our electives are."
Sylvestor points out each table in turn, "Muggle Studies, Care of Magical Creatures, Arithmancy and Divination, and Ancient Runes. Oh, and Fitness and Athletics of course."
"So why do the other classes have tables?"
Sylvestor rolls his eyes at the question but answers affably enough. "Because six and seventh years get to take whatever they want."
"Then I'd take one course and sleep the rest of the time."
"No, I mean they get to pick what courses they take but they had to take so many. Five. Six. Or maybe it's seven."
"So I'll take the smallest number. I don't even know why we have to add electives. We have," Fitz ticks off classes in his head, "Seven already. Eight with Fitness and Athletics. Why do we have to add two more? And for the brains who want more, why do they have to choose just two?"
"Don't forget that sixth and seventh years also have Alchemy to choose." Sylvestor points to where Professor Snackenfloofernoosen... Snickerdoodlehousen... Sneckypepperhowsit. He shakes his head. Whatever that one's name is.
"Yeah, yeah, don't bloody well remind me. So, what looks good to you?"
"Don't know. We've not actually gone to any tables yet."
"Have a point there."
Muggle Studies is nearest to where they're standing so they start there. They take their time making the rounds, making sure to get as many free items they can, especially the food. After visiting all four of the classes they need to consider and a stop by the Fitness and Athletics table where Sylvestor tries to convince Fitz to add it to his schedule for third year, they go to a refreshments table for drinks, spiced pumpkin juice for Fitz and some sort of fruity punch for Sylvestor. "What do you think?" Fitz asks after draining half his glass.
"Still don't know. Muggle Studies and Care of Magical Creatures sound most interesting but still a lot of extra work."
"I like Arithmancy and Divination over Muggle Studies, or I think I do."
"Good thing we don't have to decide by the end of the day."
"Want to go out and see if anyone wants to get a Quidditch match going?"
"Sure, if there's not one already on. I guess though if there is we can play anyway, just not at the pitch."
Fitz does a refill on his drink, quickly drains it and is ready to get going. Sylvestor grabs a finger sandwich to take with and follows him out of the Great Hall, thinking he'll come back and visit the electives tables again before Course Day ends.
Out, Not Terminated
Author: Eoghan
Date: 04-20-16 14:39
Sherman slides a file into the middle of the table. "Something new for you." He looks from Eoghan to Lucy Hewitt. "Together."
Lucy's face most likely mirrors the dismay Eoghan feels. "With him again? You know my feelings, Sherman, but it seems since Jermaine left you find great glee in pairing me with him."
Eoghan sets down his pint a bit more heavily than he intended. "No need to conceal your contempt for me, Lucy."
"It's not contempt. Not disgust. I simply don't like you, Riordin. Never have."
Eoghan overdoes a sad face and touches a finger to his chest. "I had no idea and I'm hurt. Deeply. My heart just broke a little."
Sherman glares from one to the other. "You two sound like siblings."
Eoghan grins and though he knows now exactly who his birth parents are, or supposedly anyway he says, "I'm adopted. It's possible we are."
Lucy visibly shudders while Sherman's eyes harden even more. Eoghan puts up both hands in a placating manner. "Sherman, now would be a good time to tell you I'm considering getting out."
"Out? What do you mean out?" Sherman's brow draws together.
"You know what I mean."
"If you want an extended holiday, I'll see what I can do."
"Out, Sherman. Done with this."
Lucy, looking truly interested for the first time since they all sat down together at one of the pub's round tables, rather demandingly asks, "What would you do?"
"Loads of options."
She makes a sound that is a mixture of disgust and amusement. "What? Become a mainstream auror or hit wizard?"
"Sure, why not? I've the training and then some."
"You'd be bored to tears."
Eoghan shrugs. "That would be my problem, now wouldn't it?"
Before Lucy can pop off with some sarcastic comment Sherman says, "I'll have to run it by upstairs. You know getting out isn't as easy as just saying you want out."
"Jermaine did. Why can't I?"
"Jermaine was a special case."
"Was?" Lucy asks, eyebrows lifted. "You make him sound past tense."
"You know good and well he's fine but making former agents past tense is something that does happen sometimes." Sherman says this with a grimace.
"Which means he's fine for now but not always be," Lucy snorts derisively.
"It's a hazard of the job," Eoghan says this not Sherman. "Nonetheless, I want out. There's a risk with many jobs. Hell, these days there's a risk just crossing a lane what with Fairchild's followers running around and others who try to emulate them."
Sherman sighs but nods, reaching out to move the file to Lucy. "I'll see who's available to work with you, Luce. Might take a couple of days to get some sort of word, Eoghan, and if given a yes, when you'd be terminated."
Eoghan and Lucy say at the same time, "Don't say terminated." Lucy adding, "That makes it sound more final than just ending one job and looking to start something else."
Lunch arrives, stalling further conversation for a minute. When it resumes, it's Lucy listing occupations Eoghan might try, such as relief driver of the Knight Bus and owlery custodian.