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Down By The Seashore
Author: Charlie Weasley
Date: 04-20-11 12:00
Charlie is holding Schuyler up so he can retrieve a clutch of Easter Eggs from a bird's nest made of the same bright green grass lining some of the Easter baskets here today, including the baskets of both his boys. Charlie his head to look over his shoulder at the sound of Kissy Isuki's voice behind him chastising, "You two know this is the small children's section. Go on now. Don't make me dock points and give detention."
"Hello, Kissy. Having much trouble with students trying to poach eggs from this area."
"Oooooh. Such a bad pun, Charlie," Kissy chuckles. "No, we've not had much trouble, or that I'm aware. Hi, Schuyler. How are you?"
"I'm wantng that egg," Schuyler replies, pointing to another high up egg. "Help me, Daddy."
Charlie obliges by lifting Schuyler up even higher while reminding, "What are you suppose to say?"
"Are you coming to my birfday?"
"No, not that. What are you supposed to say when you ask someone for help?" Charlie says to his son over Kissy's increased laughter.
"Oh. Please?"
"Yes, that's right," Charlie says, bringing the boy back down and setting him on the ground.
Schuyler looks to Kissy and asks again, "Are you coming to my birfday, please?"
Kissy affectionately tousles Schuyler's hair. "Of course I am! Would't miss it for anything."
The four soon to be five year old scurries away to look under a bush now that his question has been answered to his satisfaction. Kissy turns to Charlie to say, "Speaking of the birthday party, with it being a barbecue dinner, is there anything I can bring?"
"You know, I'm not sure. Hendrika's just around those trees there with Artie if you want to ask her."
"I will do that now while it's on my mind. Don't eat too much chocolate," she grins at him.
"What else are children for on occasions such as this if we can't steal a large percentage of the sweets?"
With a roll of her eyes but laughter on her lips, Kissy walks off in the direction Charlie had indicated she'd find Hendrika. Schuyler is back from under the bush, even more eggs in his basket and one in his hand.
"Daddy, I wanna open dis one now."
"You don't want to wait?"
"No. Dis one's different. Hear it."
Charlie kneels down to bring himself eye level with his son. "What do you mean hear it?"
Schuyler holds up the egg, which differing shades of cream, white, and pearlescent pinks and blues, with patterning that gives it an almost seashell-like look. "Lean closer, Daddy," Schuyler instructs, pushing the egg towards Charlie's ear.
Now he hears it. The sound is much like those a conch shell makes if you hold it to your ear. Curious now as well Charlie takes the egg. "Cup your hands together like this, Schuyler."
When Schuyler's got his hands held out as his father had shown, Charlie opens the egg over the child's hands. There is an illusion of water pouring out, the smell of the sea, and the sound of crashing waves, along with several brightly colored candy jellied fish, including one that is a jellied jelly fish. There's also a piece of paper so as Schuyler picks a tropical orange flopping fish to munch Charlie reads the paper.
"What is it, Daddy," Schuyler asks before popping another fish in his mouth.
"You have won a tropical aquarium and get to pick six fish to put in it."
"What's a quarhim?"
"Aquarium. It's a tank you put fish in."
"Like at school?" Schuyler asks with school meaning Blossom's Day Care.
"Like at school but bigger and better."
"Cool!"
"Very cool indeed," Charlie agrees. "Now, guess what I see just over there in the grass?"
Before Charlie has the sentence finished, Schuyler is turning to run in the direction Charlie's pointing, eager to get more eggs."
A Kindred Shopper
Author: Karma Davyd
Date: 04-20-11 14:39
I breathed a sigh of relief as I settled myself on the bench next to Bronwyn. "Thanks. As for where I got the boots, I'd had them custom made when I was in Russia for my advanced degree in History." I said, releasing my hold on the shopping bags and keeping them slightly separated from the stash that Bronwyn had around her feet.
"I'm Karma Davyd. Pleasure to meet you Bronwyn. God, that mocha smells fantatic by the way." I said. "If you want I can give you the card of the muggle shoe store that made them. Referral will also get you a discount on shipping from there to here." I said, as I pulled out the card for the small shoe store in St. Petersburg where I'd gotten the boots made for me. "Send him your shoe measurements when you make the order. I also have a small catalogue of his styles back in my flat."
Bronwyn took the card and tucked it away, shifting lightly so that we could talk a bit more while we both reclined on the bench after what appeared to some to be some serious retail therapy.
"Wait, you said Beck right, any relation to Quidditch player Tobias Beck?" I asked, studying the woman who seemed perhaps a few years younger than I was.
"His wife actually." She said with a smile.
"Fantastic, quite a catch that one." I said with a grin, before remembering that I'd picked up a bottle of water from one of the small stores that I'd stopped in earlier. Plucking it out of one of the shopping bags I took a drink from it.
"So, got any decent finds in those bags?" I asked, peering over at Bronwyn's bags, a mischevious little glint in my eye. I always loved finding good deals. "All muggle finds or some wizarding?"
That was all it took for us both to begin showing off the items and comparing deals that we'd found and mentally taking notes as if planning to go to those locations shopped by the other once we parted ways.
Bad Eggs
Author: Jolyon
Date: 04-20-11 17:13
Jolyon walked around the Hogwarts grounds and kept an eye on the students as they amused themselves with hunting Easter eggs and discovering which treasures they'd collected along the way. For the most part, he didn't have to do any reprimanding. In the time he'd been at Hogwarts, he'd found that students were generally good at monitoring themselves, though there was always the exception.
Earlier, he'd stumbled upon a group of eggs charmed to chase after a couple of first year students. The eggs flitted along the grass with maws chomping. The effect reminded Jolyon of a book highly recommended by Hagrid, The Monster Book of Monsters.
By the time Jolyon had cast Finite Incantatem on the aggressive eggs, the first years had been out of breath. What had remained were innocent-looking egg halves with no prizes to be found within.
The culprits hadn't yet been identified, and possibly never would be. The first years hadn't seen who had launched the attack-eggs upon them, and Jolyon himself had only discovered the prank late in the game.
Other than that episode, the day so far remained free of problems and full of entertainment. The Easter egg hunt drew in guests from Hogsmeade and beyond, making the event bigger and more exciting than it would have been if it had been restricted to Hogwarts students only.
Jolyon had extended an invitation to visit to both the Kents and the Abbotts. Unfortunately, there weren't any children in the family, otherwise he was sure someone would have come. As it turned out, he was on his own today. Not even Sarina had been available.
Jolyon didn't mind, though. He kept himself plenty busy roving the grounds and meeting the family members of some of his students and coworkers.
Unique
Author: Georgia Copperpot
Date: 04-20-11 18:39
Sage uses his taller heighth to get an egg I tried to get but couldn't reach. Handing it to me he says, "It sucks that we won't get to spend any real time together during spring holday."
"I'm tres disappointed. Ophelia and Drake just had to actually stick to a wedding date for once."
"It's the date that worked best. I'm in the wedding so I pretty much have to show up."
"You do know you have a vair confusing familial relationship with a lot of people?" I ask as I duck down to grab an egg hidden in a small indention in the ground. "At least your family isn't barmier than a flock of mad loons."
"I like your family and besides that, Da is pretty insane at times. Is that Isabella holding hands with someone?"
"Yes, Izzy wizzy won't admit it but she's got the red bottom for former titchlet, current sex god in training Wilbur Tremaine."
"If she won't admit it, why is she in plain sight holding hands with him?"
"It is because she's so on the rack of lurve that her brain is curdled."
Sage laughs. "Or maybe she's just ready to admit they are a couple? Though, isn't he only like a fourth year?"
"Yes, but he was at Happy Haven."
"Still, that's two years younger or thereabouts. I didn't think school girls liked dating younger guys."
"Well, you know what they say, lurve is vair myopic, especially when one is on the rack of lurve due to severe red bottomisity."
Sage grins at me and pulls me close for a quick peck before saying, "You are a unique individual, Georgia Copperpot. Don't ever change."
When my sex god boyfriend Sage Porter says such things to me, I do tend to swoon and to think, he says nice things like this all the time and I don't even have to wear short skirts or boy entrancers or anything like that. I grin up at Sage as he plucks another egg from a too high for me to reach spot and start trying to think of ways I can convince Mum and Vati to let me out of going to Vati's clown car convention so I can surprise Sage at Drake's wedding.
Translations:
tres = French for vair
barmier = crazier
mad = insane
red bottom = like what some female primates get when trying to attract a male
titchlet = a little titch
sex god in training = almost a sex god but not quite
rack of lurve = quite fancies someone
lurve is vair myopic = love is blind
sex god boyfriend = That would be Sage Porter, MY boyfriend, and don't you forget it.
boy entrancers = false eyelashes
Vati = my loonier than a loon father
clown car = a microscopic, three wheeled Muggle contraption that has the nerve to call itself an automobile
Good Haul from the Eggs
Author: Charisma Stone
Date: 04-21-11 17:46
Isma, Blake, Eric and Calliope Quinn were currently hunting eggs throughout the grounds. Calliope had a crimson and gold basket with the Gryffindor crest on it, Blake and Eric had different quidditch themed baskets and Isma had a basket that was bedecked with fluttering Snitches. All four baskets held a large quantity of eggs, none of which were open just yet, but would be soon enough. They'd chosen a spot that had been unoccupied by any group or single egg hunter, and gone to town.
Calliope had just decided to headed to their blanket when she tripped over a root, Eric had managed to catch her basket before the basket toppled and scattered the eggs. The way she landed, she peered under the bush that was near their blanket and cried out triumphantly as she reached under it and grabbed the sapphire and gold egg. She handed it back to Eric before pushing herself up and accepting her basket back.
"You alright?" He asked, and she nodded, smiling lightly at him as the pair headed toward the blanket once more. Isma and Blake joined them after a few minutes and they decided that now, as the time for the egg hunt was drawing to a close it was time to start opening their eggs.
Calliope's first few eggs had little more than sweets in them, and the same with Eric and Blake. Isma had some with sweets in them, and when she'd plucked an egg with a brilliant sky blue wrapping with glittering snitches hovering around it she perked up a bit. Breaking the seal, she would frown lightly as nothing at first seemed to be there.
"There in your lap..." Blake said, spotting the parchment which Isma picked up and began to read through it.
A delgihtful little squeal escaped her as she read the delicate script that was on the parchment...
To the holder of this parchment, you have been granted the privilage of a one week workshop with the Irish National team. If you are on the IQT, you will be paired up with the player that matches your position during the tournament, if you are not on the IQT then you will have your pick of positions.
"OH. MY. GOD. I get to spend a WEEK with AIDAN LYNCH!!!!!!!" Isma squealed and collapsed back on the blanket. She closed her eyes and sighed dreamily.
Blake cast a glance at Isma who shifted, cleared her throat and curled herself against her boyfriend. "Alright. I'm composed now." She said, pressing a kiss to his cheek.
While Isma had been having her wonderful little girlie fit, Eric had opened an egg and was now sporting a pair of black and gold trainers, that instantly had the others wishing they'd gotten a pair as well. "Nice trainers."
The four went through the rest of their eggs, there were free food coupons from Burger Wizard, various sweets and trinkets from Zonko's. Isma had even gotten a certificate from Twice Told Tales, and both Isma and Calliope had gotten Narcissa's original garments - Calliope had a gorgeous cashmere sweater that shimmered like mother of pearl, and Isma had gotten a dress that came down to her knee, and was a deep burgundy color. The dress and sweater according to the card that had been with both garments would fit themselves perfectly to the individual that had recieved them (exchanges provided if a boy got a dress instead of slacks or something of the sort).
"This was a good day." Blake said, as each of them began repacking their baskets with their goodies getting ready to head in.
Accusations
Author: Lysander Stratford
Date: 04-21-11 19:00
Twice Told Tales was rather busy. Lysander attributed it to the activity at Hogwarts, which brought in not only the locals but family members from all over the wizarding world. He himself had spent a few hours at the school, watching as Charlotte found egg after egg. Her big prize so far was a certificate for a free pet from MacFusty's. She'd wanted to cash it in right away, but Lysander had asked her to wait so that she could think it over properly and decide exactly what she wanted to get.
Meanwhile, Julian had taken her back to Hogwarts for more hunting with Grace and Caerwyn. That left Lysander to man the shoppe, not that he minded. He loved to work, especially with musty old books like some of the ones he sold at Twice Told Tales.
He rang up a purchase of much newer literature for someone visiting the village, no doubt with relations at Hogwarts, if the O.W.L. level preparation books were anything to go by. Then, he beckoned the next person in line to step forward. As soon as his eyes met those of the wizard in question, Lysander groaned inwardly.
Kristos stepped up to the counter and set down a slim volume entitled, Spells to Strengthen the Mind.
"Will that be all?" Lysander asked.
"In terms of books, yes," Kristos replied. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a money pouch. While he emptied it into his palm and selected the requisite amount of money for the book, he expressed, "My sister told me something rather interesting the other day."
Lysander didn't even want to know, except that curiosity made it impossible for him not to ask, "What's that?"
"I mentioned to her that I had seen Chyler's cousin. Aralyn seemed to know exactly who I meant."
"They have met," Lysander admitted.
"It's rather a shame that Astrid appears to be psychotic," Kristos mused, handing over the coins.
Lysander put them into the register and started to write out a receipt. Astrid isn't the psychotic one, he thought to himself.
Lysander put the receipt in the book and slid the book over to Kristos. "Have a nice day," he said, without further comment on Astrid.
Kristos didn't take the book right away. Instead, he leaned forward and said, "Aralyn told me something else. Aren't you curious to know what it is?"
Again, Lysander thought no but said yes.
"She said that she thinks you and Astrid are having an affair." Kristos grinned and stood upright again. "Oh, she told me you denied it, but you were awfully quick in telling me she had a boyfriend when I asked."
Lysander shook his head. "You two can think what you will. It means nothing to me."
"But what would Chyler say if I asked?" Kristos questioned. He looked around. "And where is she?"
"She's at Hogwarts," Lysander said, stating the first place that came to mind.
"Great."
Kristos picked up his book, tucked it under his arm, and headed for the door. Lysander was conscious that the people in line had more or less heard the conversation. He waved the next person over, but before he could offer up a greeting, Kristos called out from the door.
"Oh, and Lysander... I haven't proved it yet, but I think I know what you did."
Kristos didn't elaborate. He only grinned again and then stepped outside, heading in the direction of the castle.
Lysander had no idea and every idea what he meant. He had done so many things that Kristos might have found out about.
The witch in front of him cleared her throat.
Lysander turned back to her and mumbled an apology. He really, really was starting to hate Kristos. Now more than ever.
Chatting With Celeste
Author: Declan
Date: 04-21-11 19:24
Popping a chocolate egg into his mouth Declan slowly chews it, savoring the rich fudge flavor. He's currently parked on a bench overlooking one of the garden areas where students have been busy searching for the decorated eggs hidden by staff and Hogwarts houe elves. He's reaching for another when, much to his surprise, Celeste Quigley joins him on the bench.
"Afternoon, Celeste. We don't see you enough during the day. Of course, the same could be said of Illyria."
"It's one of the drawbacks of teaching Astronomy. I am very much a night owl so the hours aren't bad for me as far as teaching goes but it can hinder how much socializing I get to do."
"Would you like some?" Declan asks, holding out a candy filled egg half.
"Don't mind if I do." Eyeing the other eggs on the bench she asks with a raised eyebrow, "Did you join the hunt, Declan?"
"With some of the prizes available, I wish I could have. Some of these were given by students,"
"Mostly of the female persuasion I'm guessing," Celeste says with amusement as she unwraps gold foil from a piece of chocolate. "And the others?"
"Confiscated when a couple of second years decided to have a chocolate egg war."
"Such a criminal waste of excellent chocolate," she says with a smile. "Looking forward to the holiday?"
"I'm sticking around here but still, it will be nice to have the break from classes."
"No family to see?"
"I was with them all at Christmas and they can be a bit much to take but even if I weren't staying at Hogwarts they wouldn't be available anyway. My sister's going to the in-laws and my parents are taking a trip to the Maldives. What about you?"
"The in-laws. My husband's family has a little place in Majorca. It won't be as toasty as being somewhere tropical but compared to here it will be wonderfully balmy."
"That does sound nice. I've been trying to decide if I want to go somewhere during summer holiday. I was thinking of maybe visiting some Mayan ruins or traipsing around Greece from historical site to historical site."
Celeste laughs out loud. "I do understand being passionate about your chosen field but it is all right to have fun doing other things as well."
"I know, but I was thinking I could do both." Declan returns her smile and offers Celeste more candy. After talking a little longer about places they'd like to vacation, they get up to make a circuit of the general area to see if there's any other candy in need of confiscating.