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Meeting Cammie
Author: Kissy Isuki
Date: 03-11-09 20:45
Halfway between the castle and the gates Kissy still isn't sure what she's going to do today. She's still not in contact with her parents, brother, and sister-in-law. They have periodically written and a few times even shown up but Kissy, while not holding any grudges, can't stomach the thought of being around them after what they did.
AJ invited her to Easter dinner with his family as did a number of other friends, including to her surprise Kazuo Ito-Throckmorton. Kissy had graciously thanked them all but had not accepted any of them. AJ did stress that should she change her mind she knew where in Belgium to come. The Hodfuffers were meeting in Belgium so that those so far escaped or rescued from Ministry prisons and those who have been in hiding all this time could be together.
There's also a special lunch service at The Imperial Crown & Cauldron. AJ said if Kissy didnt' want to do the huge Hodfuffer family gathering, then she should come to the restaurant before AJ and those working the restuarant leave for Belgium.
Kissy's thought about doing that but she's still undecided. If she doesn't hurry and make up her mind, the decision will be made for her because it will simply be too late to go.
There's always the Easter meal here at school for those students and staff remaining over spring holiday. The only drawback there is that both Snider and Ryland will be there.
Kissy remains lost in through as her stroll takes her to the gate and down the path towards Hogsmeade. The sun is out at the moment so the walk is pleasant and with everything blooming and birds chirping and the lake crystalline blue, the walk is also scenic and peaceful.
The peacefulness is broken by the loud CRACK of someone apparating very close by. Kissy stops, head swiveling around but she doesn't see anyone. Then she hears from the trees on one side of the path, "Drat. Missed the path. Well, Cammie, at least you didn't splinch yourself."
Kissy stands, head cocked to one side, looking towards the sound of the voice, which to her sounds like an elderly woman. There's some thrashing about in the bushes and more choice words that Kissy doesn't normally associate with things elderly women generally say.
When the sounds start getting further away, Kissy calls out, "Hello? Are you lost?"
"Not so much lost as turned around. I have it now, thank you," the voice says, gradually getting closer.
The figure that steps onto the walkway is almost comical. The woman is indeed quite elderly and very petite. Kissy judges her to be no more than four and a half feet tall. She is dressed in a floral print dress that hits just above her knees, sensible pumps that add a couple of inches to her height, and a jaunty Easter bonnet covered in bright flowers. There are also bits of twigs and leaves stuck to her cloths, particularly the bonnet and gray hair tidly braided down her back.
"Are you all right?" Kissy asks.
"Yes, yes, quite right, thank you, dear. Just got turned around. Missed my target just a smidge. Meant to apparate bang in front of the Hogwart gates."
She looks up and down the path as if still getting her bearings. Kissy points back up the path. "They're not far. Just up that way a bit. Are you visiting someone at Hogwarts?"
"My great great grandson. He's expecting me but a little later and by Floo. When he learned I was going to be alone today he invited me straight away and offered to come get me. I'm not so far in my dotage that I can't get here on my own but it's so sweet of him to be concerned. He's such a sweet lad, my Ryland."
At the name Ryland, Kissy stares goggled eyed. "Ryland? As in Ryland Yaxley? That's your great great grandson?"
"Yes, dear. Do you know him?"
"Yes, I'm a professor at Hogwarts."
"What do you teach?"
"Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"You must be Kissy!"
Taken by surprise Kissy stammers, "Yyyes, I'm Kissy Isuki. How did you know?"
The woman grabs one of Kissy's hands, "Why because Ryland has told me all about you."
Next thing Kissy knows, Ryland's great great grandmother has Kissy walking towards the school gates while talking up a storm. "I feel I know you already, Kissy. I may call you, Kissy? My name is Camella Martin but call me Cammie. Let me tell you about the time Ryland was five and got his head stuck between two of the railings along the stairs... ."
It's probably a good thing that Cammie does most of the talking because Kissy still can't wrap her mind around the fact that this seemingly sweet woman is a blood relation of Ryland Yaxley's.
The Cíes Islands
Author: Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen
Date: 03-12-09 18:05
The last six of Fritz's birthdays had either taken place at Hogwarts or at home in London if one happened to occur during spring break. Yesterday's milestone took place both away from school and home––it took place where Fritz currently lives in Vigo, Spain and with a hodge-podge of Order of the Phoenix members, Resistance Movement members, and a few refugees from the various communities. He didn't feel alone on his big day, especially with Coco visiting, but it definitely wasn't the ideal way to spend his 18th birthday.
Coco stayed the night in Vigo so that she and Fritz could spend Easter together. That morning, they set out on foot for the Maritime Termina, where they will take a ferry from the mainland to the Cíes Islands, a chain of three islands individually called Monteagudo, do Faro, and San Martiño. Monteagudo translates to "Sharp Mount" and is also known as the North Island. Do Faro, or "Lighthouse Island", also goes by Isla do Medio or the Middle Island. San Martiño means Saint Martin and is also referred to as the South Island.
They reach the dock after a hike down the mountainside from the Order safe house and pick up a pair of tickets for the trip. They board the ferry and lean up against the railing, where they stare out to sea. The water is turqouise blue, and in the distance they can spot the islands they will soon visit.
It's only after a few more people board the ferry that it takes off, on schedule, and sails away from the mainland coast. Because so few people are on board, no one is within earshot of Coco and Fritz, which allows them to speak freely about everything. Being on a boat puts to mind the very recent escape by raft of the wizards who had been imprisoned in a community simply called Q. Fritz is still amazed by the story and is, of course, thrilled to learn of another successful escape from such a place. He, like everyone else, doesn't know how many other communities exist, but he's more and more confident that more and more victimized wizards will find freedom in the future.
Fritz and Coco discuss this and other things until the captain announces, first in Spanish and then in English for the tourists, that they are nearing their destination. The island grouping is very near now. Fritz can clearly see the white shore, the granite mountains, and the woods and bushes between the rocks.
The ferry gradually pulls to the dock at Monteagudo. Once it's moored there, the captain allows his guests to disembark. Fritz helps Coco off the boat and then steps off himself, and together they walk hand in hand down toward the perfect white beach.
Waking Up
Author: Harry Potter
Date: 03-13-09 17:20
Blinking against what at first Harry thinks is the sun directly in his face, it takes Harry several seconds to realize that it is sunlight but it's light streaming through partially open curtains. Once his eyes have adjusted, Harry stops blinking and starts wondering where he is, stretching as he does and wincing from the effort.
"Ah, good. You are awake."
Pushing himself up on weak, wobbly arms, Harry goggles at the person smiling benevolently from in front of a chair pushed into a far corner.
Voice hoarse and raspy, Harry asks, "Is it really you?"
"Yes, or so I think I am me."
"Ron sent word you were alive and well and I believed him but,"
"Still somewhat of a shock to actually see me?" Albus Dumbledore chuckles, moving nearer to the bed.
Harry sinks back into the bed, feeling exhausted already from the effort it took to push himself up. "You could be a hallucination."
"True. I lost count of how many times I hallucinated while trapped in a mirror."
"Trapped in a mirror? Is that where you've been?"
"A story for another day."
"Not to state the obvious but if I'm not imagining you then the escape must have been successful."
"Yes, very much so. Things went, if you will excuse the pun, swimmingly well. We had contacted Aaron Miller's parents to help us. We wanted Muggle boats that would be fast and reliable. What they came up with was better than we ever imagined. Arthur Weasley was beside himself with glee."
"What sort of boat was it?"
"It was a submersible, a seven person submarine. Of course, after we got done with it, it still looked like a seven person submarine on the outside but everyone was able to fit inside with plenty of room to spare."
"A submarine? And I missed it?" Harry sighs.
"We were able to go right under the magical barrier. The rafts were able to come alongside. No one had to attempt swimming."
"With the wind and waves, that's a good thing," Harry nods, still unable to believe he missed out on seeing the submarine and that he doesn't remember it at all. Harry tries not to let that bother him but knows it will, at least for a short while.
"What day is it now?"
"April 20th, Easter Sunday."
"How are the others?"
"For the most part, they are fine. Some are still in hospital but most have been discharged though it will take them awhile to regain their full health."
"And where's here?"
"A Wizarding hospital on the island of St. Croix, which is part of the U.S. Virgin Islands. I know you have many more questions, Harry, but I should tell the nurse you are awake and talking."
Harry does have more questions but for the moment he's fine waiting. He's too tired to continuing processing all this new information. Letting his eyes drift shut, Harry tries to imagine what the inside of the submarine was like.