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Easter
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 05-08-16 10:36
The yard around the Burrow was a flurry of activity as the various Weasley grandchildren hunted for Easter eggs. Hermione sat in a lawn chair, sipped from a tall glass of pumpkin juice, and watched as Rose found a colorful egg tucked behind a watering can. Rose added the egg to her basket and went to join her cousins Jamie and Albus, who were trying to reach an egg perched in a very low tree branch.
"Nice day for being outside," Ginny remarked. She was sitting next to Hermione in another lawn chair. With the sun shining and not a cloud in the sky or any wind, it was comfortably mild.
The Burrow was the sort of house that could work well for an indoor Easter egg hunt, with the many nooks and crannies on every level. It would have done had the weather been less than ideal, but outside was definitely the better option.
"I couldn't agree more," Hermione said. She sipped from her chilled drink and then asked, "Are you ready for Greenland?"
"As ready as we can be, I think. Will you really not come?"
"Not to the opening ceremony," Hermione answered. "I have to work that Saturday. I'll try to make England's first round match, though. When is it again?"
"May 22nd," Ginny replied, "against Nigeria."
"If I don't have to work or can get out of my shift if I am scheduled at St. Mungo's, and if there are still tickets available, then I'll be there. I know Ron wants to go."
"Seems like only yesterday it was World Cup time," Ginny said. "Time flies the older we get, don't you think?"
"Definitely! How is it that I've already turned thirty? Weren't we just students at Hogwarts?"
"Feels that way, but the real answer is no. It's been ages."
"Now you're making us sound ancient."
Ginny laughed. "Well, over thirty is ancient to someone not yet there."
Hermione playfully swatted Ginny's arm.
Family Gathering
Author: Christopher Chant
Date: 05-08-16 21:14
Christopher checks the time then grimaces. He's going to join Cat at her family's Easter gathering but the time for him to leave is still just over an hour away. His grimace isn't because he's not enjoying overall his own family's gathering so much as it is having to endure another hour of the same two elderly relatives pestering him about why Cat didn't come today. No matter how many times he's told them that she was here but left before they arrived, that information simply isn't sinking in. He's starting to think they don't believe that Cat and he are still together.
Seeing one of those elderly relatives walking this direction, Christopher turns and walks a short distance then turn to go around the side of the house towards a small barn that's used mainly as large game room. Entering, he finds Devon and her cousin Viola playing cards with Devon's and his mutual cousin Nathan and Christopher's cousin Kalista.
He starts to go watch but sees Vincent Oliver, Devon's cousin and Viola's brother, waggling a finger at him from across a wizarding chess board. Christopher snags a couple of butterbeers from an ice bucket then joins Vincent.
"Hi, haven't had much of a chance to speak to you today. How's school?"
"It's good. I've made some great chums. Too much work and studying though."
Christopher chuckles, "I hate to be the one to tell you but it only gets worse."
"That's what I hear. I haven't dropped any clubs so far but I may have to by third year."
"Because of having to add two more courses. You'd think as Ravenclaws we'd like having extra to study."
"I don't mind it so much but not all the time and some days that's how it feels."
"I understand."
"Is university any different?"
"Yes and no. Might depend on whatever program you're in as to whether there's less studying, less coursework. What I'm at first required about what I spent on classes while at Hogwarts but that changed with each term as courses became more intense and more involved."
"Veterinary healing, right?"
"Yes, and a good bit of that decision is based on having taken Care of Magical Creatures and loving it."
"So that's one you'd tell me I should take for third year."
"Absolutely," Christopher grins.
"Who's winning?" Galen Chant, brother of Kalista and Christopher's cousin but not Vincent's, asks as he pulls up a chair to watch the chess match.
"Too soon to tell," Christopher tells him, "but for now it looks like Vincent has a slight edge."
"Play the winner?" Galen requests.
"Sure," Vincent says as he studies the board for his next move. He may have a slight edge at the moment but with Christopher being years older than he is and probably a more experienced chess player he knows that could change at any time. Vincent doesn't want that to happen if he can help it.
With Galen there, the talk turns to the upcoming opening ceremonies of the Quidditch World Cup, Vincent excitedly sharing with that other two about the tickets he won in an egg from the Hogwarts Easter Egg Hunt. This news has Galen joking about convincing Vincent to play Galen in a game of chess in which those tickets go to Galen if he wins. This leads to the boys joking about other items to bet with that would be much better and grander such as Vincent's smelly socks and a three day old pizza crust Christopher is fairly certain got kicked under his bed.
All too soon the time arrives for Christopher to go to where Cat's is spending time with her family.
With Family
Author: Marzipan
Date: 05-09-16 18:59
"So, have you settled on a date yet?"
Marius, on the floor with his two nephews who were attempting to wrestle him, looked up at the sofa where Marzi was sitting.
"July 3rd," he said. "Mum's offered up the house, so we don't have to worry about a venue. Morag, meanwhile, has been busily contacting florists and caterers and whatever else we'll need for the big day."
"A dress, I would think."
"A dress, yes," Marius agreed.
"What do you need a dress for?" Vallon asked, pausing in his struggle to pin down his uncle's arm in order to get an answer to his question.
"I don't need a dress," Marius replied, "but your future aunt Morag will for the wedding."
"Will there be kissing at the wedding?" Carter made a face.
"Yes, I suppose there will be."
Carter and Vallon looked at each other and simultaneously exclaimed, "Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!"
Marzi laughed, and Marius somehow managed to tickle both boys at once. Carter and Vallon erupted into giggles and tried to get out of their uncle's reach.
"Where is Morag anyway?" Marzi asked, once the laughter subsided.
Marius sat up and eyed the boys as they went to investigate their full Easter baskets. "She's with her family today, but she'll be over for dinner tomorrow night if you want to come."
"Sure, if you don't mind our company."
"I'd prefer a buffer against Mother, so yes, please come."
Marzi laughed again. "All right. Is she really being that bad?"
"She just has a lot of her own opinions about what the wedding should be like, and I guess I'm the only one of her children left never to have married."
"Oh, I'm sure if there's every the prospect of my marrying again, then she'll want to get involved in the planning," Marzi said.
"Do you think you ever will?"
Marzi shrugged. Weston's passing was still fresh in her mind and heart, although he'd been gone now for more than half a year. "I'll never say never," she began, "but I'm not ready yet."
"Who's hungry?"
Everyone turned to look at Georgia, who wore a clean apron over her robes. Marzi suspected it was just for show, because she didn't think her mother actually knew how to cook. She followed the others into the dining room, where the table was nicely set, and sat down for a late Easter lunch.
At The Völkers'
Author: Declan
Date: 05-09-16 20:48
Melanie watches as Rand plays with the Völkers children and dog. Without turning away she says to her hostess, "Thank you for allowing me join your family today."
Finella Völker, in the process of using her wand to draw some of the lawn furniture closer, lightly scoffs. "You were family once, Melanie. With Declan now being Rand's guardian in a way you still are."
Coming up from behind them just in time to hear this Declan joins the conversation. "Speaking of my being Rand's guardian, we need to talk about that."
Finella had just settled into her chair but now starts to rise. "You probably want some privacy."
"Stay. This isn't any secret. I've just not had a chance today until now to talk with Melanie about it."
He moves around to sit in the empty chair as Melanie asks, "What about your guardianship?"
"Don't be coy."
"I'm not. Is there a problem that's come up?"
"When were you going to tell me that when the school year's over, you want Rand's custody returned to you?"
"I don't follow, Declan. As long as Rand is enrolled at Hogwarts, you'll continue as his guardian."
"You don't know about Harvey coming to see me?"
Finella leans a little closer towards her brother and Melanie. She's familiar with how Rand came to live with Declan, the cultish type commune group Father's Children with which Melanie is involved, and the leader who is called both Harvey and Father but whose given name is Galvin Gamble. She thinks maybe she should have left Declan and Melanie to talk in private but at the same time she's glad she stayed to hear this firsthand.
"When did that happen?"
"The end of February."
"And he said I wanted custody returned?"
"Not exactly. He implied it rather than outright stating it's what you wanted. Harvey informed me that when the school year ends, I'm relinquish custody. He didn't say it but also implied was that Rand would not be returning to Hogwarts for a second year."
"I don't know anything about this."
"When I told Harvey that I would do no such thing until speaking with you and getting a request in writing, he said he spoke for you. I insisted that I had to not only see you but speak without him. Frankly, after that confrontation I was surprised that you came alone today. When you wrote Rand you were coming I just knew Harvey or another member of that so called family would accompany you to make sure I didn't have a moment alone with you."
Melanie goes quiet for several seconds. An odd expression crosses her face. She says in a low enough tone that Finella has to lean forward even more to fully hear. "Someone was going to come with me but she got up with a stomach virus. When it was clear she couldn't make it I went on and left without saying anything to anyone."
Finella had intended only to listen but now she wants to know, "Did anyone else know exactly where you were coming?"
Melanie thinks about that then shakes her head. "Not specifically, no. Only a general idea."
"Could be why no one else came to join you," Declan muses. "You don't need to go back there, Melanie."
"I know this sounds bad but, really, they're good people."
"I'm sure some of them are but there are things that Harvey, and, by extension, his followers espouse that aren't 'good', Melanie, and you know that. Why do you stay with them?"
"You've got your mind made up against them so trying to explain would be fruitless." Melanie is starting to sound frustrated. She holds up the palm of one hand in a stop gesture. "I will speak with Father... Harvey about his visit to you. He shouldn't have done that. I want Rand to stay with you and continue at Hogwarts."
Finella is considering saying something about this group Father's Children but then decides against it. She doesn't want to be the cause of Melanie getting angry enough to leave early, something she can easily see Melanie doing if the other woman is anything like she was when they were younger. As Declan says nothing more than, "All right," to Melanie's statement she gathers that he also doesn't want Melanie to get angry enough to leave early.
This is confirmed a few minutes later when Melanie has gotten up at Rand's urging to come play with the dog and Zabrynna and Finella's husband Kurt join Finella and Declan. After filling them in on what was said Declan ends up venting about Harvey, his group, and Melanie's being so involved she refused to see him and the cult for what they really are.
The venting doesn't last overly long as Declan doesn't want to spoil the beautiful day and the nice Easter gathering they're having.
New Information
Author: Tiberius Nott
Date: 05-10-16 15:04
The Muggle pub was filled with people who decided to spend the Easter Sunday drinking and watching some sort of sport on what they called a 'television'. They all ignored the man dressed in strange robes, as he joined an older woman, seated at a corner, dressing a similar strange burgundy outfit, with a matching pointed had, resting on a table.
Tiberius greeted Cecelia Hobday with a nod, and occupied the chair next to hers. Both of them had a good vision towards the door, ready to check if any of them had been followed into the pub. None of them spoke as the waiter brought them some sort of Muggle black beer, served in large glasses, the foam slipping down the cold glass, into the table. Tiberius tasted the drink, but his aunt, pushed the glass aside, with disgust.
"Why am I here?" Tiberius asked, finally breaking the silence.
"I wanted this meeting to be secret. A Muggle pub sounded like a good idea for that."
"I understand that. But what is it that you wish to tell me?" Tiberius was not in the best terms with Cecelia. Not after she and Casper had taken Titus' guardianship from him, taking advantage of the fact that he had been out of the country. And now they were competing for Titus' guard, since Judith Foxcastle had decided to take such matter in her own hands.
"She will never allow us to be with him. Any of us," Cecilia pulled her chair closer to Tiberius. "I have been collecting some information about Foxcastle. She's a Muggleborn. Her parents and her fiancé were killed, a massacre. Can you guess who was behind it?"
He did not have to think twice.
"My family."
"Exactly. The Notts had ruined her life. Yes, most of them have been to prison since then. But not all. And now she is trying to ruin our lives as well. This is personal, Tiberius. Judith Foxcastle has some sort of vendetta against us."
"You are a Hobday," he pointed out.
"Yes. But I am sure she associated Casper and I to the family. Otherwise she would have given us Titus' custody already. You know I was sent to one of those camps…" she looked away as if ashamed. "They called us Nons. I was not able to discover if Judith was sent there as well, or if she was able to escape. I was hoping she would be able to relate with my time there, but it seems we are all Notts to her," there was a tip of bitterness in her voice.
Tiberius started to process the information in his mind. If there was no chance at all to recover Titus, then what should he do? Leave the country with his brother, like his father had suggested? And how truthful was Cecelia's information? Could this be some sort of maneuver, so he would stop trying to mend his life, go back to the wrong path, so she and her husband could gain his brother's custody once and for all?
Cecelia stood up and picked up her hat. It seemed like she just wanted to tell Tiberius what she discovered. What he did with such information did not seem to bother her the slightest. She also was not going to share with him what she planned to do next, regarding Judith or Titus.
"Happy Easter," she said, as a goodbye, and walked out of the pub.
Tiberius remained seated thinking about what Cecelia had told him. He finished his beer and he also drank from his aunt's untouchable glass. He left the pub without paying, when the owner was distracted looking at the television, because he did not bring any Muggle money with him and he had no idea how much a beer cost for them. The Bentley was parked nearby and he drove back home, a plan forming in his mind.
Easter at the Orphanage
Author: Finley
Date: 05-10-16 18:49
The courtyard at Winchcombe Children's Home was full with children clustered in groups either talking or playing games. As usual, Finley sat against the wall with Leroy. A single, though fairly decent-sized chocolate Easter bunny lay in front of her on the pavement. Leroy's, on the other hand, was stripped of its foil covering and halfway eaten. He had chocolate all over his face.
"I still don't understand why you came back here," Leroy said. "Given the chance, I would stay at school than return to a place like this."
"It's not so bad," Finley said, though she was lying even to herself. Being an older child in an orphanage was quite depressing. It also didn't help when there was someone around like Charla, who grew even more unpleasant with age.
Charla stood across the courtyard and bullied some of the younger children into handing over their chocolate bunnies. Finley was tempted to go to their defense, but getting up seemed difficult at the moment. Maybe Mrs. Gill would come out and put a stop to it.
Leroy frowned. "It is that bad. The week before you came, an older couple adopted two of the babies who'd barely been here a week each. Shortly before that, someone adopted a five year old." He unwrapped more of his Easter bunny and said, "Nobody wants a teenager."
"Think of it this way," Finley began, in a lame effort to cheer both herself and Leroy up, "in a few years, you'll be grown and can leave this place."
"But where will I go?" Leroy asked. "What will I do?"
"Go to university and become someone great."
Leroy's chocolate-covered frown deepened. "I'm stupid."
"No, you're not."
"Well, I'm not smart."
"Everybody has something they're good at. You just have to find out what your talent is."
"What's your talent, Finley?"
She hesitated. What was she good at? Flying on a broomstick? Playing Quidditch? Charmwork?
"I'm good at being brave," she finally said, and on that note, she climbed to her feet and crossed the courtyard to have a word with Charla.
Hosting The Easter Gathering
Author: Fionna
Date: 05-10-16 20:50
Aunt Blair compliments the cheesecake. "This is excellent, Fionna. Did you make it or is it from a bakery?"
"Neither. Cat made it."
"My Catriona?" Blair asks in surprise, looking into the next room where Cat and her boyfriend Christopher are being entertained by three year old Dalton.
"Your Catriona," Fionna smiles. "I made the trifle and the cake. Mum made the tart."
"Well, everything is wonderful. The starters and main meal were so good I didn't think I'd have room for pudding but I've tried a little of each of the sweets and am considering having a little more," Blair says the last with a laugh.
"Thank you." Fionna can't help but feel overly pleased with how her first official holiday hostessing has gone. Jericho's mother has praised her and her own mother Moira has given her a number of compliments.
Blair casts another glance into the other room then lowering her voice asks Fionna and Leslie, "Has Cat said anything to either of about how Christopher is doing?"
Leaning to where she can double check that Christopher is still in the other room Leslie answers her mother's question. "If asked, Christopher will tell you he's fine but Cat says he still has some trouble sleeping and has nightmares. She thinks he's got some post traumatic stress but he insists he's handling things."
Moira, who'd joined them about the time Blair asked after Christopher, comments with a shake of her head, "It's just such a shame that helping a friend resulted in someone's death. Christopher shouldn't feel responsible for something that was an accident."
"And when that someone was being abusive and brought an intervention on himself." Blair works hard not to dismissively scoff. She can't understand why Christopher has been beating himself up over the incident when that guy was beating that Amalia girl. If Blair had been the one there instead of Cat and Christopher and what's his name had died, she wouldn't feel the least bit sorry. She'd also be somewhat cheesed off that Amalia has been less than grateful that someone cared enough to that arse from putting her in St. Mungo's or, worse, killing her.
An unpleasant smell wafts over them. Rising, Fionna takes McKenzie from her high chair where she was mouthing an Easter egg too big for her to actually fit in her mouth. "I don't know anymore than Leslie and I agree that he's not fine. Now, either we can continue enjoying the lovely aroma coming from McKenzie's nappy or I can go change it."
She laughs as she leaves the room with her daughter as the others encourage her to run, not walk, to make that nappy change.