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The Right Kind of Wizard
Author: Sophie McCourt
Date: 04-04-20 03:13
The sixth years were practicing turning vinegar into wine on their first Charms class of the new term. It had seemed easy when Professor Knight had demonstrated the spell to the class, and everyone got excited by it. But the charm turned out to be more complex than it looked and so far no one had been able to achieve a good result.
"It does look like wine," Tom told Patricia looking at her transparent cup. "May I?"
She nodded and he picked up her glass. He took a sip and made a grimace.
"Ewww It tastes like vinegar!"
They continued practicing the spell and talking to each other in the process. Patricia shared with Tom that her stepmother Honoria had signed her up to go to a debutant ball this summer.
"She kept insisting during the holidays. Even when we went to visit Sophie and my newborn nephew, she wouldn't stop talking about it. I finally agreed in doing it. You need a pair for the ball, and I was thinking about inviting Anderson."
Tom tried the charm one more time. The vinegar inside his glass turned into a block of ice. Unhappy with the result, he pushed the glass away.
"Are you sure about that?"
"Of course! Why?" Patricia asked.
"Don't get me wrong, but you were a little bit distressed when he told you he was going to work at Burger Wizard this summer."
Tom was right. When Anderson told Patricia he would be working in one of the well-known fast food restaurants, she wasn't happy. She had imagined Anderson wearing those distasteful working robes, and smelling like fry food, and that bothered her more than she was expecting. She would have preferred he would have taken an internship at the Ministry of Magic, or something more elegant.
"I just had to get used to the idea, that's all. I am fine with it now."
"So you will be fine going to this fancy ball with someone who serves hamburgers and fries? What will everyone say?"
"It doesn't matter what people think," Patricia replied, but her voice wasn't very convincing.
This debutant ball was important. Honoria had pointed out how serious it was. Patricia would have to learn the right etiquette and dances. What she would be wearing would be important too. Patricia had a natural grace and this did not intimidate her. But she did not want to make a fool of herself and embarrass her stepmother and her family. And Tom was right: Anderson Acker was not the right kind of wizard for such an event. Even if he agreed to go, Honoria most likely wouldn't allow it.
(Titus) Ribbit
Author: Tiberius Nott
Date: 04-05-20 03:34
Six year old Brandon Flowers was playing in his porch when he saw it. It was the biggest chocolate frog he had ever seen in his life. It had the size of his grandmother's chihuahua. The frog stared at him and when Brandon tried to grab it, it jumped into the street. Brandon looked back. His mother was in the kitchen, preparing dinner and he could smell it, as the window was open. She would often look at the porch to watch him, but right now she had her eyes on the pan.
Brandon knew it was wrong to go into the street but the frog was right there. He would easily grab it and take it home. His father would soon be back from work, and Brandon planned to surprise him by the fireplace, as he father used the Flow Network to travel. He took his chance and went after the frog.
But again, as he tried to get to it, the chocolate creature moved. Brandon followed him down the road not wanting to let it go out of sight. If he caught it, he could even bring it tomorrow to school to show to his friends. The frog continued to leap with determination until it reached a construction site. Brandon's mother had warned him about this place: it was filled with Muggles and he mustn't approach. But there was no one there, but the frog. The Muggles had already finished the work for the day and had abandoned the site.
Brandon was marveled. The place resembled a giant playground. He forgot about the frog, as he went inside a concrete tube. The frog allowed the little wizard to carry on with his explorations, until he called Brandon.
"Ribbit, ribbit…."
He was immobilized, on the edge of a hole. He could not leap, or it would fall. Brandon had him cornered, the frog had no escape. He started to move slowly, his shoes getting filled with mud, as well as the tips of his robes.
"Ribbit, ribbit…."
One step and then another. Slowly…He getting closes to the ledge, and the frog was looking him in the eyes. Then Brandon felt something in his back, a push, and loosing his balance he fell on the hole. The frog had vanished, and the little boy lost his senses.
Two wizards approached the hole, where the boy laid unconscious, on his back. His arm was making a strange angle, most likely broken. It was possible to see the slow movement on his chest, up and down. He would live.
"Wonderful spell work," Kilgore congratulated Titus. "Even I would want to eat that chocolate frog."
Titus couldn't deviate his look from Brandon. The initial plan was to lure the little boy to the Muggle construction site and make him stay there until his parents would notice his absence. The panicking parents would finally find them. But Kilgore decided to take things further. He was the one who pushed Brandon into the hole.
"Don't worry, he will live. The Dark Lord does not spill pureblood. Things would be different if he was a mudblood, of course. But this little accident will open the eyes to the community."
Unfortunately the Norfolk community had accepted with passivity the Muggle construction. After solving the problem with the soil, when the construction started, the witches and wizards did not react as Kilgore had expected. Instead if being upset, they shut themselves deeper into the community, reinforced anti-muggle barriers and used powerful protective charms, including spells that muffled the sound of the machinery. Kilgore decided to strike back. A little boy injured in the Muggle construction would be enough to anger some people. After the Brandon Flowers' incident no one would ignore what was happening so close to their community.
There was a noise down the street.
"We need to go," Kilgore ordered.
Titus looked one last time at Brandon and the two wizards disappeared with a pop.
Takeaway
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 04-07-20 18:36
After closing up the bank, Bill went to Brews & Stews to pick up the take-away he'd put in via owl order an hour earlier. His whole family was feeling a bit under the weather, so he ordered soup and bread for the truly ailing and added pot pies for those with larger appetites.
Bill was really hoping that his family would feel better soon, especially since Victoire's birthday was on Friday. Dominique's birthday was the following Wednesday, and Louis' was the Monday after. It was a good thing that he and Fleur had planned a joint birthday party for the three siblings all along, because he was fairly certain nobody, least of all Victoire, would be in the mood to celebrate this weekend.
The party was scheduled for the following Saturday, sandwiched between the two younger siblings' birthdays. Bill and Fleur had initially thought to take Victoire shopping this weekend for some things an 11-year-old might need, like a wand, but if they were still sick, then the trip would have to be put on hold.
Bill pulled on the door to the restaurant the same time an older couple was leaving. There was a pause when the three recognized each other.
"Good evening," Bill greeted after a beat.
Mrs. Smetana said nothing and only looked to her husband, who offered a stiff, "Evening." He ushered his wife past him and then the two continued down High Street.
Bill watched them for only a moment and then entered the restaurant. He went straight to the carry-out counter and after paying, departed with a large bag of food.
He hadn't seen the Smetanas since January, when they asked to speak with him about the warrant to search their vaults. Bill had always thought they would try again, but maybe they had gotten their answers some other way. The fact that they were still on the street meant that nothing incriminating came up in the aurors' search… unless something had but the aurors were busy digging up more dirt.
Frankly, Bill would rather have the Smetanas in prison then out in about, assuming they really did have some kind of association with the Death Eaters. He had no idea and was only basing his opinion of them on what law enforcement suspected. They could be wrong.
Bill eventually got home and called out, "Food's here!"
Unlike when his family wasn't sick, nobody rushed at him to get the bag of food. He found Fleur sprawled out in an armchair with Louis draped in her arms, while Victoire and Dominique shared the couch and a giant blanket.
"As requested, I have tomato basil soup for Fleur, broccoli and cheese for Victoire, potato and bacon for Dominique, and chicken and orzo for Louis. There's also lots of bread."
There was some half-hearted movement but not much else. "Come on, you lot! Who doesn't love bread?"
Dominique was the first to get up and shuffle over to the dining table, where Bill was busy setting out everyone's food. A bit red-faced and with hair sticking out in all directions, she managed a smile and said, "You had me at bacon."
Bill handed her a spoon and grinned.
(Kate) Birthday & Wedding
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 04-08-20 17:59
Kate was all smiles as she left Everdeane & Fairbourne and made her through Harrod's for the department store's exit. Sometimes she ate lunch in the store, which had a number of dining options; sometimes she popped into one of the Muggle restaurants in the area; and sometimes she went to Diagon Alley.
Depending on whether it was a casual lunch hour or a more pressing one, Kate would either take the Muggle Tube system, which she had learned thanks to her cousin Bronwyn, or she would duck into an out of the way space perfect for apparating and appear in an equally out of plain sight location near Charing Cross Station. Unfortunately, her place of work didn't have a fireplace.
Since she was actually meeting someone, Kate apparated to where she needed to go. A short while later, she ducked through the arch and walked swiftly to Delia's Deli and Restaurant She found Mark already at a table with her favorite foods ordered.
They kissed and then she sat down.
"So, how is the birthday girl's day going so far?" Mark asked with a smile.
Kate, beaming, told him about her day. Just last week, she had been promoted from assistant designer and sales clerk to interior designer, which often took her out of the shop and into clients' homes. Already, she was working with a recently divorced wizard, who lived in a townhouse in Lambeth and wanted to rid himself of every decoration and styling his ex-wife had put into the house.
"I spent this morning pulling samples of things I think he might like based on what we discussed last week," Kate explained. "I'm supposed to meet with him again tomorrow."
"He's not rich and terribly good looking, is he?"
Kate grinned and said, "He's both, but he's a bit old for me. Anyway, I'm not available."
"Oh, no?" Mark teased.
In addition to it being Kate's birthday, she and Mark had agreed to meet for lunch to finalize the venue for their wedding. They had visited a number of places and had narrowed it down to two. If in agreement, Mark planned on putting down the deposit that very day or risk losing the date they both want.
They were looking at October 4th, a Saturday. Neither wanted a summer wedding, preferring a date with cooler weather. Most importantly, Kate wanted to make sure that Tessa could be there.
The two wedding venues the couple was torn between was a Queen Anne manor house with a Roman-style gazebo in Cornwall and a Georgian mansion with a manicured lawn and blossoming trees not far from where Kate had always lived until she moved in with Mark.
Kate liked the idea of getting married close to home because it made her feel closer to her father, but she worried the trees wouldn't have any blossoms in the autumn. Fall colors on the leaves might be a nice alternative, though.
"It is a cheaper venue," Mark reasoned, which had surprised them both. They'd thought for sure that the London venue would be more expensive, even though Cornwall was much more scenic.
"So, are we decided, then?"
Mark nodded. "I think we are. October 4th, the Regent Redbridge. Now we know what to put on our invitations."
"Better put the deposit down first," Kate said.
They ate, glad to have made their big decision, and when they parted ways, Mark walked to their flat to pick up their contract and funds and then disapparated to the venue to put down their deposit, after which he went to work. Kate, not having enough time to be leisurely in her own return trip to work, apparated back to Knightsbridge.
Lunch At The Hopping Pot (Glori & Hydrangea)
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 04-08-20 19:27
Glori sets the menu aside. "I'm going with the spiced beef sandwich. Maybe some chips with it or onion rings."
"Onion rings sound good. I'll split an order with you." Hydrangea puts her menu aside as well. "I'm getting the pork pie with stilton salad."
"Stilton salad. Yum. I may have to had one as well."
After placing their orders Glori asks Hydrangea, "How are things with Jasper?"
"So far so good. We're thinking of going to that outdoor concert Saturday. Would Caerwyn and you be interested? We could get Gus and Ramona to come along as well."
"Yeah, sounds fun but I'll have to check with him. This whole tattoo removal has worn him out. His aunt warned it would be painful but... " Glori shakes her head and shudders. "He bore most of the process with some grunts but then, towards the end, Caerwyn let out this blood curdling scream then passed out. It's a week later and he still doesn't want to be touched where the birthmark looking spot was and he's not been sleeping well."
Hydrangea grimaces. "Is he at least able to do any metamorphmagus type transfiguring? You know, so that all the pain was worth it."
"Here and there. It's random and often unexpected but as the pain slowly dulls, Caerwyn is gaining control."
"It's bloody fantastic in a way. He's both a metamorphmagus and an Animagus. Meanwhile, I'm happy I can color the tips of my hair on my own. Do you know how bleeding much Madam Primpernell's charges?"
This leads to a discussion of how much other services cost, such as getting just getting a trim or having a manicure. Mention of a manicure has the cousins deciding to see about getting mani-pedis Saturday morning whether they end up going to that concert or not.
(Willow) University Picketers
Author: Rowan Westwick
Date: 04-09-20 18:10
After a light dinner consisting of salad with a side of fruit, Willow exited Demeter's Diner and made her way back to St. Emrys. Trinity Term had started this week, and in addition to the various classes going toward her hospitality coursework, Willow had also registered for a fun class called Folk and Western Dance. The class met once a week in the evening, which is why Willow ate lightly. She didn't think she would want to move very much if she ate a heavy meal.
As she crossed over to the edge of the university campus, she ran into a group of wizards picketing on the sidewalk. The group mostly consisted of men, and they carried signs that said things like University life = Muggle life and Only Muggles Need Higher Education.
Willow slowed her walk and then decided she would double back and enter campus a different way, but one of the wizards, a middle-aged white man with red, round cheeks and dirt-brown robes broke away from the groups and shouted, "You there!"
Willow ignored him and continued walking away, but she whirled around when a burst of red sparks shot past her and extinguished on the sidewalk.
"You there!" the wizard shouted again, while a younger man standing over his shoulder leered, had his wand out, and probably was the one who'd shot the sparks at her. "Little girl, who told you to enroll in St. Emrys?"
"No one did," Willow retorted, bristling at being called a little girl. She was 20 or 46, depending on the timeline.
"Are you Muggle-born?" the older wizard asked.
Willow shook her head. "I'm not sure why that would matter, but no, I'm actually pureblood."
"Let's test her," said the younger wizard. Before Willow knew what was happening, the man exchanged his wand for a vial, which he unstoppered and threw into her face. Being a wizarding vial, it contained much more liquid than appearances suggested it could.
"Ugh!" Willow exclaimed. She staggered backwards as she swiped at her face. The liquid didn't hurt, but it was foul smelling, and some got into her mouth and had an awful taste. She spit and cried out, "What did you throw at me?"
The older wizard had already turned to the younger wizard and said, "I told you that doesn't work."
"That's because it's a prototype," the younger wizard insisted.
"What is in it?!" Willow asked again, but when the older wizard turned back to her and started questioning her about her parentage, she screamed out of frustration and cut clear through the now gawking group. She wasn't sure if she should see the nurse or go to the gym shower to clean up before dance class. One thing was for sure: she was going to be late.
News
Author: Ginny Weasley
Date: 04-09-20 21:16
Carrying a pizza box along with a sack Ginny enters the house through the front door. She makes it to the kitchen without encountering anyone. There, she stops in the doorway and starts laughing at the scene before her. The children are already seated and eagerly looking on as Harry opens a box similar to the one she carries. At Harry's feed the dog and cat are also seated and also watching him with eager anticipation. Hearing her laugh all eyes swivel Ginny's direction.
"Mummy!" Lily struggles to push back from the table and get out of her booster seat.
When Ginny says, "Stay there. I'll be right over," Lily pushes out her lower lip and points down. "But I's need to show you."
Already to the table Ginny peers in the direction Lily's pointed. "You scraped your knee?"
Solemn, Lily nods her head. "It hurted."
With a massive eye roll Jamie scathingly informs her, "She cried like a baby." At the expressions both his parents shoot him Jamie quickly changes his tone. "Not that crying like a baby is a bad thing when you're three."
Albus helpfully points out, "You're seven "
"And a half."
"and you cried like a baby when you banged your shin last week."
"Did not."
"Did too."
"Boys!" Harry and Ginny simultaneously cut in.
Jamie and Albus quiet but glare at each other from across the table. In the hush Lily's sigh is overly loud and seems somewhat dramatic. With all eyes now on her she points to her knee. "Sorry," Ginny says, bending to give it a kiss. "Don't you want one from Dad?"
The best description Ginny could give of Lily's expression if asked is pitying. "He done it a-weady."
Harry explains, "She fell when we were getting the pizza. I swear that favorite photographer of Skeeter's got a photo of me crouching to kiss Lily's boo boo."
Ginny can't help but laugh again. "That would make a nice front page diversion from the usual news." She looks to Albus then to Jamie. "Half of the pizza I brought I think you two might like. Not only does it have lots of cheese but there are meatballs." To Lily she says, "Mummy got lots of carrots with a salad if you want some."
"On my p'za?"
"We can do that." Ginny reaches for the salad to start cutting up some of the carrots on a slice of plain cheese pizza while saying to Harry, "I may make the sports news."
"So it's done?"
"It's done."
"And you're absolutely certain this is what you want?"
"Not absolutely but fairly sure. When the regular season starts again I'll know for certain."
"You'll know what, Mum?" Jamie asks between bites of a slice of the meatball pizza.
"I'll know if I don't want to play for the Harpies any longer. Rather than playing it professional I'm a Quidditch correspondent now. That means I do stories for the newspaper and the wireless."
"Will you do news on my team?" Jamie asks of his little league team.
"And mine?" Albus chirps.
"Absolutely. Now, why don't you all tell me your own news on how school was today and Daddy can tell us his news how work was."
Another Press Conference
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 04-10-20 17:36
It was nearing the lunch hour when a group of smartly-dressed individuals made their way to the part of the Atrium where press conferences were usually given. Hermione was among them, there to observe so she can report first-hand to the Prime Minister.
There were some members of law enforcement in the group, including Tonks. She raked her eyes across the scene, taking in every person, especially those gathering for the press conference, which included reporters, some citizens, and plenty of Ministry workers who were in the right place at the right time.
Minister Shacklebolt used the amplifying spell on himself and said, "Good morning. I'm here to discuss the recent discovery of a purported Dark Mark symbol inside Hogwarts. The mark, a carving etched into a bathroom stall door, was discovered by a staff member on the 13th of March. The ensuing investigation determined that the mark had been known to students at least several days, if not a week beforehand.
"Further investigation into the carving yielded indeterminate results. It is crudely made, and even the well-trained eye cannot with confidence say that it is in fact a Dark Mark. Interviews and searches of property conducted by law enforcement and independent council netted zero evidence of Death Eater or dark magic activity in relation to the carving or at Hogwarts at all.
"As such and after careful and thorough consideration, it is believed that the carving is not and was never meant to be a Dark Mark symbol. Hogwarts continues to be safe and free from its earlier Death Eater influence. I have utmost confidence in Headmistress McGonagall's administration. However, I acknowledge that the presence of law enforcement may act as a deterrent against dark activity and plan on keeping a roving team in place at least through the end of the school year. We will revisit the program this summer. I'll take any questions now."
While Kingsley fielded questions, Hermione looked around the Atrium. There were a couple of angry-looking people standing in the back, but they looked to be in silent protest, if anything. Hermione of course had heard about the anti-Muggle, anti-government, anti-seemingly everything movement that was going around lately. She wondered if those folks were apart of it.
She turned back to Kingsley, who was answering difficult questions with practiced ease. He was a very good politician. What she and a few others knew was that while the Ministry of Magic's official position was that the case of the Dark Mark carving was closed, the Order of the Phoenix was still quietly looking into it. It was a matter of constant vigilance and not letting their guard down in terms of what had and might still happen at Hogwarts.
Kinsgley was fairly certain that law enforcement would get pulled from Hogwarts next school year, for budgetary and other reasons. If that happened, then the Order might need to step in and keep an eye on things while keeping a low profile. They'd cross that bridge if and when they got there, though.
When the press conference ended and people began to disperse, Hermione thought about tracking down Harry and Ron to see if they wanted to go to the canteen or elsewhere for lunch. She wanted to know if Harry had learned anything else about his possible non-relation to Anne Potter, which if true meant he also wasn't related to Adriana Fairchild. It was probably too late to remove the stigma of the perception of being related to her, but at least he wouldn't be an actual blood relative of a truly evil witch.
Her mind made up, Hermione went over to the bank of lifts to visit Level 2 and track down her husband and brother-in-law.
Our Place? (Hunter)
Author: Emerald Green
Date: 04-10-20 19:50
Setting his tray onto the table Hunter flops into the chair with a tired sigh. "Between how busy this term is and working and your own schedule we've hardly seen each other. I'm happy we're able to grab lunch together today."
Marion gives him a cheeky smile. "So happy you didn't give me a proper hello."
Hunter chuckles and stands enough to lean over to one side to give Marion a quick kiss. Given they're in the middle of one of the university canteens it's a somewhat chaste kiss but it must appease her as the smile turns into a grin.
Digging a fork into the penne pasta dish he'd gotten Hunter says, "Maybe if we didn't live in different places we'd see more of each other, have more time together, especially in the evenings."
An eyebrow arched Marion dryly inquires, "Are you suggesting we move into together? If so, would it be at your place with sister and friend or my place with all my sisters from other mothers?"
"How about an our place?"
"So you are asking me to move in with you."
"In a manner of speaking." In one move Hunter slips out of the chair onto one knee while pulling a small box from his pocket. "This isn't how I imagined it but I'm asking will you marry me, Marion?"
Neither notice the sudden hush around them of the usually cacophonous canteen. When Marion, at first stunned, but then mistily smiling takes his hand and says, "Yes!" they also don't notice the thunderous applause, people wishing them congrats and cheers, nor the catcalls when Hunter stands to give Marion a much less chaste kiss than the one only a few minutes before.
Something Wrong
Author: Sophie McCourt
Date: 04-11-20 01:00
"Just a moment, please."
Wilhelmina quickly moved towards her grandson, who was in Sophie's arms, and pulled the blanket down, covering his tiny legs.
"You may proceed," she told Carys.
The photographer continued her work, under Wilhelmina's attentive look. Not a single photograph had been taking showing the baby's legs. It had been Parsifal McCallister, Wren's brother who noticed something wasn't right with Walter.
With Jasper's permission Wren had taken Cecily and Parsifal to visit Sophie and meet her son, when Cecily came home for the Easter holidays. Possessing the candor of a child Parsifal had turned to Sophie and innocently asked what was wrong with Walter's left leg. Sophie did not understand what he meant, and Wren quickly apologized and went away with his brother and sister.
But Parsifal's words had not been easy to forget and the more Sophie looked at her son's legs, the more she realized there was a problem. She shared her concerns with Jasper and Wilhelmina and very soon Magnus O'Dell was called. He examined the child and concluded that some of Walter's left leg muscles were paralyzed. It wasn't a striking condition because at the moment the newborn did not needed his legs, but if you looked with attention it was possible to notice the stiffness of his left one. The healer explained that it most likely happened when he had to pull Walter by the legs during his birth. He must have applied too much strength, damaging the baby's tendons. O'Dell predicted Walter would be lame for the rest of his life but he assured them that besides that condition he was a healthy child. Unfortunately there was nothing he could do to repair the tendons for the damage had been permanent.
No one in the Pole family blamed O'Dell. The healer had done his best under very difficult circumstances to save Sophie and Walter. But Wilhelmina had found a target on the St. Mungo's clerk that did not deliver her letter on time to O'Dell. Jasper found out the clerk was a Muggle born which aggravated the situation. Sophie's husband was sure that things would have been different if it had been a pureblood handling the correspondence. He and Wilhelmina were thinking about suing St. Mungo's for negligence.
Sophie herself felt she was a bad mother because she wasn't even able to notice something was wrong with her child. It was a strange feeling when she held Walter in her arms, and think this baby was her son. Sophie would stare at Walter to try and find a resemblance with her but he seemed to have inherited all of the Poles' traces. And now he would be lame. Sophie started to often imagine Walter with eleven years old - looking just like Jasper from some photographs she had seen - at the Hogwarts Great Hall. His name would be called and he would move in his lame walk towards the three legged stool to be sorted. Everyone would laugh and tease him.
Walter started to cry and Carys decided to finish the session. Sophie and Wilhelmina thanked her, and assured her she would hear from them soon, for Walter's christening.
"He's hungry," Sophie declared.
"I will call the house elf to fetch a bottle," her mother in law said.
Sophie had wanted to breastfeed Walter, but Wilhelmina decided against it. She thought that after the birth Sophie had been too weak to do so, and then when Sophie was feeling better she simply convinced her to give up. Walter was already used to the formula and what a discomfort it would be for Sophie to miss some of the upcoming society events because she had to stay at home to feed her child.
Sophie started to notice that most decisions about Walter were taken by her mother in law. But she felt powerless to resist and she followed along Wilhelmina's instructions knowing she was far more experienced than when when it came to motherhood.
(Festus) Argument
Author: Griet
Date: 04-12-20 07:57
Festus stalked down to the Common Room and frowned when the sofa in front of the fireplace was taken by older students. He'd wanted to stretch out on it and do nothing since he didn't have any place to be today. Instead, he settled on an overstuffed armchair in a corner of the room. He swung his legs over one arm and threw his head back over the other, shutting his eyes and shutting out everything going on in the room.
His bid to sulk in peace was short lived.
"What's wrong with you?"
Festus cracked open one eye and saw Gavin standing over him. He shut the eye and didn't answer.
Beside him Gavin huffed and said, "You've been giving me the cold shoulder since before Easter. I don't know what the big deal is. She's not a bad person, and she's one of us anyway."
At this, Festus opened is eyes and swung his legs down so that he was sitting upright. He said, "You're only saying that because you've got a big crush on her, which is disgusting by the way. She's OLD, and she's with your brother. Do you really think she'd leave him and take up with you?"
Gavin's face went hard. "She's not old, she's mature. Besides, in a few years, it won't matter if we have an age difference."
"She's not going to wait for you to grown up, Gavin." Festus stood. He didn't like how Gavin was still towering over him. Now that they were eye to eye he added, "You overstepped when you told her about the island."
"Why?"
"Because I was the one who showed it to you in the first place. You should have asked me before you decided to invite a girl over."
"I didn't realize you owned the place," Gavin retorted. "Seems to me, it's just as much mine as yours as it is hers or anybody else's."
"Oh, so do we want to tell all of Hogwarts about it?" Festus countered. "Share the wealth since it belongs to every student and teacher here? If we do that, then you won't have a secret place to rendezvous with Belinda anymore."
"Shut up," Gavin said, "and no, I don't want to tell anybody else. It's like I told you. She's one of us."
"Whatever. That was our island, and you ruined it by sharing it with a girl." Festus pushed past Gavin to leave the Common Room. He'd skipped breakfast, but maybe he could still get something to eat in the Great Hall. If not, then he'd just go to the Commons instead.
Fortunately, Gavin didn't follow him out the portal. Festus stalked down the dungeon corridor, stamping his feet angrily as he walked, mirroring Fulvia when she was at her most dramatic.
He was glad to see that he hadn't missed breakfast in the Great Hall, though he had to eat quickly. He inhaled a hard-boiled egg, a sweetened swirl of brioche bread, and three pieces of bacon, washing all of it down with a mug of chocolate milk. Afterwards, he decided to blow off some steam by walking around the Hogwarts grounds instead of potentially encountering Gavin again in the Slytherin Common Room.
Right Place, Right Time
Author: Lee Sickleby
Date: 04-13-20 18:22
Lee found that he really liked it when he was assigned to patrol Hogwarts. Walking the corridors reminded him of his seven years as a student there. He walked familiar paths and rediscovered old short cuts and tricky staircases he used to know. It always brought back memories, most of them happy ones, too.
There was also a lot to see at Hogwarts, from the portraits filling every wall, to the ghosts that drifted here and there. There were pets of varying kinds, suits of armor, and Peeves making a spectacle as only the poltergeist could. It was very easy getting distracted, but the other thing Lee was good at was multitasking. While it seemed he wasn't paying attention to students or the shifty Smirts, Lee in fact was making mental notes of expressions he saw or conversations he overheard. His ability to appear one way but really do another was why he'd made such a good spy.
Lee really missed his old career, but the one he'd taken up a whole year ago now certainly held his attention. He had been forced to give up his covert work because his identity had been exposed following the accident in Nigeria. Once the criminals he'd encountered during his missions and most of law enforcement at the Ministry of Magic learned who he was or more importantly that he wasn't just a clerk in the Department of International Magical Cooperation, Lee had to kiss his life as a spy goodbye.
At least Lee could still catch bad guys. He could also do some undercover work if he donned a disguise.
The other nice thing about his new career was that it distracted him from the less than pleasant thoughts from his past, like what happened to his wife and was she still alive or long dead? It was strangely easy to forget about Alaia when he was working, which he did often, picking up extra shifts here and there if something came available.
This shift at Hogwarts was one such extra one. One of the other aurors assigned to it asked for emergency time off to deal with a sick child.
Lee's feet carried him to the fourth floor and to the library, which looked a bit different from when he'd been a student. He wandered around, taking in the changes, and then became aware of a conversation taking place a few ranges down from where he was. He followed the voices and paused around the corner of the bookcase, recognizing one of the voices as belonging Eunice Smirt. The other he thought belonged to the librarian, his former Hogwarts classmate Azaelia Bramble.
"Frankly, I'm disappointed that you didn't take my advice," Eunice stated.
"While I see your point, placing a trace on every single book in the Restricted Section to see who has touched it is a massive undertaking, best done during the summer months… and that's even if such a thing is possible."
"Of course it's possible," Eunice retorted. "It's vital that we know who utilizes the material kept in this section, whether the items are removed from the library via proper checkout procedures or used in-house. Is it that Professor McGonagall didn't sign off on it? Do you not have control of what happens in your own domain at Hogwarts?"
"Of course she respects my opinions and allows me to make my own decisions," Azaelia replied. "That's not––"
When Eunice cut Azaelia off, Lee decided to make his presence known. "Good evening, ladies," he greeted, turning up the charm even though there was no question he was a dashing handsome wizard.
Eunice was caught entirely by surprise and she genuinely looked a bit flustered, especially when Lee put a hand on her arm and said, "I was just thinking about going to the Great Hall. Have you eaten?"
Breathily, Eunice asked, "Oh, is it that time already? Oh, my. It certainly is. I need to freshen up… excuse me, thank you." Her cheeks were a bit pink as she stepped away, and she patted her hair even though there wasn't a strand out of place.
As soon as Eunice was no longer in sight, Lee turned to Azaelia and grinned. Smirking, she asked, "Does that really work?"
In response, he leaned in a little closer and put his hand on her arm. "Didn't you just witness it?"
Azaelia rolled her eyes and pulled away from him, saying, "I mean, I can see how it would work, because you're so…" She waved her hand around in front of his body as she searched for the word, but none came to her.
Lee's grin widened and said, "I'll take the compliment. Was I right in guessing you needed rescuing?"
"You were. Thanks," Azaelia said. "She's something else… and you better go to the Great Hall, because surely she'll be expecting you."
"Technically, I'm on duty," Lee said, "but I really am heading that way now. You should come and eat, too."
Azaelia looked at her watch and sighed. "Yeah, I guess it is about that time. Let's go."
Lee fell into step beside Azaelia, not remembering a single time when they spoke to each other while classmates at Hogwarts, though they must have, since they'd had classes together. When they arrived in the Great Hall, Azaelia went up to the High Table and Lee roved around keeping an eye on things. He schooled his features perfectly when he saw Eunice enter the Great Hall, wearing the most garish shade of orangish-red lipstick imaginable.
That Was That
Author: Zabrynna
Date: 04-13-20 20:35
Zabrynna sets a platter of appetizers onto the coffee table. "Before I sit do either of you need anything?"
Reaching for a stuffed mushroom Philippa says with a laugh, "My wine and this mushroom are all I need for now."
Mariposa shakes her head. "I'm good, thanks, though I'd be better if you'd let me help."
"Nothing to help with at the moment," Zabrynna replies, lowering herself into her favorite chair and wishing being seven months pregnant didn't throw off her center of gravity. "In fact, I think everything's covered until our other halves arrive and then it will just be getting everyone topped off on drinks and serving supper."
Reaching for another of the mushrooms Pippa asks Mariposa, "Are Jacinda and Javier with AJ?"
"No, with my mother actually. My stepfather had business in London so she came with him to spend time with them." Mariposa picks up her own wine. "I've never heard how Indigo and you got together, Pippa. I thought you were serious with that bloke Ivor."
Zabrynna frowns in thought. "I'm sure I told you."
"No, though you were going to one day when the kids and I came to the castle to eat in the Great Hall with AJ, Declan, and you but that Mr. Smirt was loudly asking Declan if he was sure you weren't still slipping him love potions."
Zabrynna's cheeks flare red with both embarrassment and ire. "Don't remind me. There are days I'd like to slip him a love potion to make him fall for a toad."
Pippa chuckles, "That would make for an interesting wedding." Mariposa and she both take an apricot walnut brie bite from the platter as Pippa says, "Ivor and I were getting serious but he'd started showing an ugly side. He was getting more and more possessive and jealous while at the same time increasingly belittling me. I was going to break up with him and knowing it was coming he swore to get counseling.
A few days later I'd gone into MacFusty's with my dog for his check-up and was thinking about getting a cat if there was one there he seemed to like. An old classmate, James Lennox, was there. We chatted for a few minutes then he left. Suddenly, Ivor was there demanding to know who that man was. How long had I secretly been seeing him? He was loud and belligerent and the more I claimed that James was just an old school friend and a married one at that, the angrier Ivor became. He was so worked up I thought he might hit me.
Next thing I knew Ivor was flat on the floor, Indi standing over him wand in hand, asking me if I was all right. When Ivor came to I broke up with him. Indi banned him and threatened to have him arrested if he bothered me again. After that Indi regularly checked on me to make sure Ivor wasn't causing trouble. We began talking more and more, really talking. He saw me as more than just Zabrynna's and Anne's friend and that was that.
Zabrynna snorts, "That was that really quickly."
Pippa grins, "What can I say? Once we started talking regularly, and not just the friendly, idle chit chat we'd done over the years, it didn't take either of us long to know."
"That's how it happens sometimes." Mariposa is nodding sagely, making it difficult to drink her wine without spilling.
A knock at the door puts that particular topic on hold. Zabrynna opens it to greet Indigo, AJ and Declan within view coming up the walkway. Soon, the three couples are sitting to supper with the topic of conversation debating who the winners of the still to be played first rounds World Cup matches will be.