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A Moment of Kindness
Author: Valeria Mockridge
Date: 05-17-14 07:49
Valeria had already found a few eggs, but she hadn't opened any yet. She'd instead picked up the basket her grandmother had sent, including ones for her friends as well, and headed to the Common Room while Petula got herself sorted out. She wasn't surprised to see others up, but she was surprised to see one of the firsties looking somewhat confused at the eggs she'd found. She started to turn away, but remembered just who the firstie was, and a rare charitable moment caught her.
"Hey, Howell, I think this one's meant for you," she said, tossing the younger redhead a green and silver egg with a curly red ribbon around it. She picked up the similar one with a light-gold straight ribbon on it and tucked it into her own basket. "You might find some good stuff," she added.
Sagitta Howell smiled, letting go of the pashima scarf she wore to catch the egg. "Thanks, Mockridge," she said.
"Nice scarf," the blonde added. She wasn't sure why she was being so nice, other than she knew that Sagitta had recently lost most of her family and gone to live with her uncle, whom she hadn't met until that day.
"Thanks. A friend sent it, she helped me with a lot of my shopping this summer."
"It's always good to have help. Uncles aren't much good at that sort of thing," Valeria agreed. When she spotted Petula coming down, she shifted to meet up with her cousin. "Enjoy the hunt, Howell."
The younger girl nodded and tucked the egg with the others in her bag before heading out of the common room.
"Being nice, Val?" Petula asked as she picked up a particularly vivid green egg.
"Eh, it has been known to happen," Valeria retorted, spotting a sparkly silver egg with what looked like emeralds in her favorite chair and snagging it quickly.
"Not in recent memory," Anton added, pulling on one of Val's braids and ducking her glare. They both reached for an irridescent egg at the same time, and yanked their hands back when they touched. Anton looked like he was thinking about taking it himself, but quickly gestured that Valeria should.
"We'll share the prize, if it's shareable," Val promised, looking a little shy and uncertain, and he nodded, clearly uncomfortable.
"Alright, you two, knock it off," Petula said, shaking her head. Somehow, she thought her own situation was much simpler, with her future already lined out. Which reminded her, where was her betrothed? Dark eyes glanced around the room, landing on Nico coming out of the boys' dormitories.
"I think this one should be yours, Pet," he said with a grin. In his hand was a tiny egg that was already opened, holding an emerald and platinum ring that sparkled far more than any ring really should. She smirked and let him slip the ring on her finger, ignoring the gagging faces Valeria and Anton were making.
"Alright, lovebirds, let's go get some breakfast and see what other eggs we can find. We can open the rest all together at the end?" Val suggested. "Grandmother will want to see our prizes too." The others agreed and the four headed out, wondering if Titus might join them as well.
A Fine Prize
Author: Finley
Date: 05-17-14 09:47
The buzz surrounding the Easter Egg Hunt at Hogwarts didn't go unnoticed by Finley and the other first years who didn't already know about the annual event. If Finley had grown up a regular girl, she might not have thought much about it, even though a magical Easter egg hunt was certainly different from an ordinary one. But, with so many other ordinary things she missed by growing up in an orphanage, Finley was doubly excited about the Easter egg hunt at Hogwarts.
Phoebus handed her one of the school-provided Easter baskets. He also didn't have his own, so Finley didn't feel like she was missing anything by not owning one. She was glad to have one at all, having briefly pictured herself as the only girl in school carrying an armful of eggs because she couldn't afford an Easter basket like everybody else.
His parents had entertained the idea of visiting so that Cynthia could participate in the egg hunt, but Phoebus had politely told them not to come since he would be seeing them next weekend anyway. And so it turned out to be just the two of them, Finley and Phoebus, searching the castle and grounds for Easter eggs.
"Do you ever wish you could tell your friends back home about magic?" Phoebus asked, as they strolled across the lawn.
"Well, I only have one friend besides you and I don't really have a home, but yes, I wish I could confide in Leroy," Finley replied. She spotted a pastel yellow egg underneath a shrub and went to retrieve it. When she turned back to Phoebus she said, "Growing up in an orphanage, you don't have much. I think it would make Leroy happy to hear about the magical world."
"You don't think it would make him jealous?" Phoebus asked. He'd found a foil-covered chocolate egg and unwrapped it before popping it into his mouth.
"He's not the jealous type," Finley said after giving her answer some thought, "but I think he would wish he could be a wizard."
"I'll get to meet him when we meet up for ice cream over Easter holiday, won't I?" Phoebus asked.
"Yes."
She fell silent then, wondering if Phoebus and Leroy would get along. Phoebus was a very nice person, but for a boy he was good-looking and well-formed, whereas Leroy was unattractive and fat. Leroy might feel self-conscious around Finley's new, better-looking friend.
"Look at that," Phoebus said, pointing up at a blindingly, glittering gold egg in a tree branch.
Finley shielded her eyes to look up at the egg and then said, "I'll get it." She left her basket with Phoebus, trusting him not to steal the eggs she'd already found, and climbed the very climbable tree to reach the golden egg. She dropped down easily into the grass and returned to Phoebus.
Finley took her basket back and started to drop the egg inside when Phoebus urged, "You have to open it now."
"Okay, okay," she relented. She cracked open the egg at its seam and gasped when a cloak of the same shimmering gold emerged. "How did it––?" she started to say, baffled that something so big could fit in so small an egg but quickly realizing it all had to do with magic.
Phoebus gave the cloak a once-over and said, "Too girly for my tastes. You should definitely keep it."
Finley looked at him in surprise. Never in her life had she owned anything so fine. She turned the lovely fabric over in her hands, in complete disbelief that the golden cloak was all hers.
(Jordana) A Thief Among Us
Author: Cate
Date: 05-17-14 10:12
Jordana had found the ring weeks ago now and had yet to return it to Amanda or anyone else. She had been wearing the ring off and on and doing random things that were out of character for her.
"I'm not feeling well." Jordana said to Cate. "I don't think I am going to go to the egg hunt. I think I just need to get some rest."
"Maybe we should get you to the hospital wing to get checked out. You've not been feeling well since the Hogsmeade trip." Cate replied softly as she took her best friend's hand and held it.
"No, I'm okay. I am just tired. I've been spending a lot of late nights working on homework." Cate nodded her head in response to Jordana and then let go of her hand.
"Alright I'll be back to check on you later."
Cate left Jordana in her bed and headed down to find Preston and the others. Jordana lay in bed for a while and then got up and dressed and headed out of the dorms and down to the Common Room.
Pulling the ring out of her pocket she slipped it onto her finger. She felt a surge of energy rush through her and she began searching the Common Room for things that she could take. So far it had been small things like fancy quills that she liked, a necklace, a sweatshirt someone's earrings and a few other small things. She hid everything in her trunk where no one would find it.
Slinking out of the Common Room Jordana began searching the castle for eggs. She had a plan in mind…she made her way down the marble stairs and found a egg strategically placed and she picked it up, opened it and took out the gift certificate and closed the egg back up and put it back where it was. This went on for some time, until her basket was full of different treats, candy, gift certificates, hoodies in her house colors as well as scarfs and other miscellaneous things.
Jordana looked around and saw no one around and then headed back to the Ravenclaw Common Room and to her dorm where she dumped everything from her basket into trunk. She looked at her loot and smiled and then slipped off the ring and put it away so no one would know that she had it. However, she was going to have to give the ring to Amanda sooner rather than later because the full moon was rapidly approaching and the ring would have to be destroyed.
Getting back into her pajamas she got back in bed and went back to sleep.
On the Hunt
Author: Ellis
Date: 05-17-14 11:50
Alys spotted the seagreen and white chevron patterned egg tucked away in the bed of a potted plant in the Commons and grabbed it just seconds before Brom von Roon, who shot her a slightly angry look. "Too slow, von Roon!" she crowed, sticking the egg in her Easter basket.
She hadn't opened a single one yet but would later, probably in her dorm room where she was less likely to be disturbed. Alys was the sort to do everything systematically and would probably open her eggs in order of color or maybe even by size.
She bumped into Chip, who was seated at the bar drinking what looked like a thick, chocolate shake. His Easter basket looked to be full of empty wrappers.
Alys sat down beside him and put her basket on the counter. "All edible eggs, huh?"
Chip shook his head. "Not all of them, but those are my favorite kind. You have got to try this shake. It's even better if you put chocolate eggs in it."
He had chocolate all over his mouth and either didn't notice or didn't care. Alys laughed and said, "Maybe later. I've got more eggs to find."
He shrugged and said, "Suit yourself."
Alys got up with her basket and went off in search of more eggs. She found one that looked like beige marble and another that was shiny, obsidian black. When she found one the size of an ostrich egg, she couldn't help herself. She sat down in an alcove in the corridor and cracked it open. Inside was what looked like a tiny violin, but when Alys touched it, the instrument grew to its normal size. A note attached to the instrument explained it was actually a hardanger fiddle. It had twice as many strings as a normal violin and though the same shape as that ordinary instrument, this one had ornate carvings and inlays. It was beautiful.
She admired the fiddle for quite some time and wondered if the music shop in the village delivered, though perhaps her parents could take her shopping for music and a case when she went home for Easter. Maybe she could even take lessons over the summer.
Alys finally got up from the stone bench in the alcove but instead of continuing her hunt for eggs, she went to her dormitory room to stow away her big prize.
Pink Egg
Author: Griffin Price
Date: 05-17-14 18:20
Locating Carys and Tristan, Griff walks to join them, waving when Tristan looks up from collecting an egg and spots him. Tristan waves back then returns to the hunt. When Griff reaches his son, the seven year old asks, "What took so long, Dad? You've been missing it."
"I had to talk to someone for work."
Griff had stopped in Hogsmeade to speak with Travis Ravenclaw about the case concerning damage at some of her greenhouses. Carys and Tristan had come on ahead because Tristan insisted that if he wasn't at the Hogwarts egg hunt first thing he'd miss out even though he's been repeatedly told that there are plenty of eggs to go around and will be throughout the day.
"Work, work, work. That's all you and Mummy do."
This is said without rancor. It's a very matter of fact statement. Griff decides now is not the time to point out he's actually working now. There is visible law enforcement patrolling the grounds and manning the gates as this is another Hogwarts event that allows outsiders onto school property. There are also law enforcement personnel who aren't as obvious. At the moment, Griff is one of them. Later in the day, he'll be one of the visible ones but for now looks like a father at the egg hunt with his family.
Carys is also working but Tristan knew that before today. As she's done in the past, she's taking photographs. Griff doesn't need to ask Carys if she's gotten any shots yet because he knows her well enough to know she probably has taken a number by now, even if it's been mainly here in the section for kids in Tristan's age range. Before long, she'll go off to take pictures elsewhere around Hogwarts but for now, even with Griff technically working, for the moment it's family time and a few photos of Tristan. Griff has jokingly said they will need to turn one of the extra rooms into a Tristan photo album library.
When Carys does go off on her own for awhile, the three of them have snacked on some of the great food provided today, shared a little of the candy Tristan has found in eggs he's gone on and opened, and talked with some of Tristan's friends and their families who are also here today. Tristan has also managed to find a fair number of eggs to put in his basket.
At the moment Tristan is bent over, peering under a bush. He's taking so long Griff bends to have a look. As he gets down on a level to see Tristan informs him, "Dad, there are two eggs."
"So take them both?"
"One's pink."
"Then leave it for someone else."
"If it's pink it's for a girl, right?"
"I might be but it could also be pink just because."
"It's pink with kittens. Maybe it's for a girl cat."
"The prize inside might be for a cat and for a girl cat at that. It could also be sweets."
"Maybe candy in the shape of a cat?"
"That's possible too."
"What if I take it and it is for a girl and a girl girl, not a cat girl?"
"You could give the prize to a girl then."
"Would I get anything for it?"
"I suppose that would depend on the girl and if she wanted to give you something in exchange."
Tristan heaves a heavy sigh as if the decision whether or not to take this pink egg is the biggest decision he's ever faced. The weight of the world is in that sigh. At length he plucks the pink egg out from under the bush along with the other egg, which is a swirl of earthy browns.
The brown egg goes into Tristan's basket. He stares ponderingly at the pink egg with its cavorting kittens. "I have to know right now!" he breaths out in a rush.
Breaking the pink egg open reveals a stuffed kitten toy. As with many stuffed toys in the Wizarding World, this one is not static. It's able to move, prowling and pouncing as a kitten would. While there is a pink bow around its neck, the coloring is a natural tortoiseshell. Being seven Tristan still likes stuffed animals, depending on what they are that is. Griff waits silently while his son assesses the kitty, making a determination whether to keep or give away.
After a moment he picks it up announcing, "Snowy will like playing with this."
Cat and its egg go into the basket, Tristan not worried about running out of room. He knows from past experience the basket holds far more than it appears it would. That particular conundrum solved, Tristan with Griff right behind goes in search of more eggs.
(Titus) Old News
Author: Tiberius Nott
Date: 05-18-14 10:54
Titus knocked the stall's door with his fist.
"Hurry up, Zaid! I don't have all day."
The flush sounded and Iago Zaid, a first year, left the bathroom stall, still closing his trouser's belt. He sent a deadly look to Titus, and made a comment about all the other empty stalls of the bathroom. But Titus ignored him and as Iago washed his hands, he entered the stall locking himself inside. Last year he had heard a rumor about a Ravenclaw winning a broomstick from a egg he had found inside a bathroom. Titus wanted so badly to get a new broom as well, and for the past days he had came up with a strategy of checking as most bathrooms as he could starting with the ones located at Slytherin's headquarters. He daydreamed about walking inside his house's common room with his brand new broom, which would be the last model produced. Malden and Asher would be very jealous once they spotted him. Then, next year, he would try out for the Quidditch team and pass over his colleagues. He was counting that by then he would be fully recovered from his injuries and that Madam Pomfrey would allow him to fly again.
Titus searched inside the small stall and peeked behind the toilet. A satisfaction sound came from his mouth as he discovered a small sized red egg. He didn't wait a second to open it, already feeling the wind running against his face due to the incredible speed he would reach in his new broomstick. Unfortunately there was no broomstick inside the egg, but a simple newspaper. An old copy of the Daily Prophet that perhaps the house elves thought would be a nice useful gift to be used inside a bathroom stall.
"Stupid thing!" Titus exclaimed, leaving the stall. Iago had already left, thank Merlin, or he would teased him.
Titus was about to throw the newspaper into the bin when his surname flashed on the first page. It said First Nott Leaves Azkaban and it lead to page five. Titus flipped the pages until he found a small article next to a mugshot of his mother. He had never seen that photograph before and it really disturbed him. Lucinda carried an annoyed expression in her face and the only movement came from an occasional blink of her eyes. Titus read the article three time until he was sure he was not imagining it.
Lucinda Nott, is going to be released this week from Azkaban due to good behavior. Contacted by the Daily Prophet, the 46 year old witch, stated that she was repented by her past actions and the first thing she will do once she leaves prison is to be with her son Titus, who currently attends his second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Questions, which he had no answer for, started to swirl inside his mind. Surely this could be no joke; the newspaper looked quite real. Could his mother really have been released from Azkaban? And, if that was so, then why did he spend last Christmas with the Hobdays? Why didn't his mother came to see him like she said she would? Where was she? Titus marched back to the dormitory in search for quill and parchment. He needed answers, and they only way to obtain them was to write home and demand an explanation.
(Asher) What a Ripoff!
Author: Jolyon
Date: 05-18-14 13:17
Asher had a plan. Instead of doing what he did last year––opening every egg the moment he found it––he decided it might save him time if he waited to learn what his eggs contained after the hunt officially ended. So far, it seemed to be working out to his advantage. His basket was already much fuller than it had been this time last year.
He plucked an egg from the crook of a suit of armor's arm and stuck it into his basket.
"You seem to be making out like a bandit," came a voice he didn't want to hear.
Asher turned slowly and looked up to see his father standing in the corridor. What he was doing there and not in the barn with the other animals was beyond Asher.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Asher finally questioned. "Are you accusing me of something?"
Professor Kent shook his head and held up his hands in the universal sign for 'hold on a minute'. "It's just a figure of speech," he said. "I only mean you appear to have found a lot of eggs. Aren't you curious about the prizes?" he added, when he noticed that all of Asher's eggs seemed undisturbed.
Asher mumbled, "I'll open them later."
Professor Kent looked as if he wanted to say something more but then he walked off to leave his son in peace. Asher breathed a sigh of relief but watched his father go. Professor Kent got as far as the end of the corridor, when he stopped. He reached out with his foot and nudged an oval object out of the corner, leaving it for Asher to pick up if he wanted.
Asher was not above collecting the egg, even if it had been sullied by the mere presence of his father. He lifted it and decided it felt far too light to contain any prize, but then again, magic could fool anybody into thinking the egg was empty. Asher started to put it in the basket with all the rest, but then curiosity got the better of him and he opened the egg.
It was empty.
Asher stared into both halves of the egg and turned them over, shaking them to the ground as if an invisible object would drift down and magically materialize. He felt extremely gypped, and it was all his father's fault! Asher glared down the hallway where his father had only just been and then threw the broken, empty egg onto the floor.
(Mockridge Townhouse) Worry
Author: Nephele Mockridge
Date: 05-18-14 14:12
Nephele tossed the useless letter into the flames that flickered mockingly in the fireplace. Yet another lead that came back empty. Kirley hadn't been to work, had barely even budged in Cassandra's flat, only eating when she forced him to at wandpoint, or when she spelled nutrition potions directly into his stomach. The house elves had taken over caring for Malantha, and the owl hadn't been seen since her brother had gotten the idea into his head to try to reach Callandra Catesby.
Mockridge owls had been kept busy, flying between Cloris in Scotland, Nephele in London and Cassandra's parents in France. This was on top of the normal work Nephele had with making sure Valeria had what she needed, and with trying to ensure she spent time with her fiance, and started planning their wedding. If they could get most of the details done, it might ensure that neither her mother nor his would try to take over. But it was a bit difficult to plan when someone so crucial to their family was missing.
Tousled blonde hair, for once less than perfect, fell foward to shield her face as she dropped it onto her arms. She was nearly ready to sob in pure frustration. There were no ties to the Wonderland Gang with Cassandra's abduction, no obscure signatures or bizarre clues, so she was reasonably confident that this had nothing to do with Camille Revanche. Kirley had enemies, any wealthy pureblood did, but none of those had anything to gain by taking his new bride. Which left few options. It could be random, which Nephele doubted, since it appeared the guy had followed Cass. It could be tied to Cass's book trade, but there was nothing in the shop to support that. And it could be a case of mistaken identity, easy enough when one has an identical twin sister.
Long fingers slid into the blonde curls as Pip stroked her scalp. "We'll find her, Love," he murmured. Nephele looked up and forced a slight smile, leaning into his touch.
"But how? And will we be too late?" she asked. He couldn't give an answer, so instead, he just tugged her over to a chair and pulled her onto his lap, stroking her back and letting her cry.
(Alanna) Finally Getting Married
Author: Beck
Date: 05-18-14 15:56
The large backyard at the residence of Tobias and Josefine Beck served as the site of Alanna's wedding to Jared, which had just taken place before family and close friends. The newly wedded pair bent over a table to sign their marriage certificate, both smiling widely now that they were finally husband and wife. The officiant, a plump, jovial fellow, couldn't stop congratulating them. He continued to do so even as he signed his own name to the document, sparking worry that he would sign Congratulations! instead of his actual signature.
It had been a long road, replete with trials and tribulations though never because their love had wavered. If anything, it was stronger now than ever. Their big day had finally come, and Alanna was so happy she could burst.
She took Jared's hand in her own and gave it a loving squeeze. "Well, Mr. Wynbourne, what now?"
"I think, Mrs. Wynbourne, it might be time for cake."
"Cake before the meal?" Alanna asked, laughing.
"Hey, it's our wedding day, isn't it? Don't we make the rules?"
She leaned over to kiss him. "I knew there was a reason why I married you. You're brilliant!"
The pair went over to the dessert table, where there were two cakes. Both were rather simple looking, but simple could still mean delicious. Alanna's cake was vanilla with lemon filling and Jared's was chocolate with raspberry filling.
"Dessert first?" called out Toby teasingly. "Bloody genius!" Beside him, Bronwyn rolled her eyes and grinned.
Ariella, Alanna's matron-of-honor, handed over a large knife and cake server. "Just cut the cake already. I'm starving!"
Alanna and Jared posed for a photograph with the knife at the ready and then cut themselves each a slice of cake. They fed each other in the traditional manner of shoving cake in each other's faces and then laughed uproariously as they wiped away icing and crumbs with napkins.
Ariella then shooed them out of the way to cut more slices for the assembled guests, which weren't few since the Beck family wasn't exactly small, but weren't too many either.
The happy couple sat down at one of the garden tables set up around the yard. If it had been an evening wedding, then they would have decorated with lamps, but with the sun shining brightly, there was no need for additional lighting. They sat in the sun instead of the shade since it was still technically winter.
"This is the best day of my life," Alanna murmured.
"This is the best day of my life," Jared replied.
She smiled at him then, thinking nothing could ever top their wedding day.