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End of Term Speech
Author: Minerva McGonagall
Date: 07-15-18 08:49
The Great Hall was decked out in blue and bronze to celebrate Ravenclaw's House Cup victory. It had been a few years since the End of Term Feast displayed these colors; last year, Hufflepuff had taken the House Cup, while Slytherin had earned it the previous year, and Hufflepuff again before that. Sadly, it had been over a decade since Professor McGonagall's own house, Gryffindor, had won the cup. It was high time things improved for the lions!
Professor McGonagall sat between Professor Flitwick, who was ecstatic about his house's success, and Professor Snape, who wore his typical expression of distaste. The End of Term Feast was already well underway, with elaborate dishes arranged across all four house tables and the staff table as well. There wasn't an empty seat in the Great Hall either.
Professor McGonagall spotted her great nephew seated at the Slytherin table. It was hard to believe that he would be entering his seventh year when term began in September. She was relieved that no evidence had been gathered against him regarding the alleged recruiting of underage Death Eaters, but then nothing had been discovered about anyone, and deep down, she suspected Malden must be involved because of his grandfather's association to the movement.
"Ready?" Professor Flitwick asked, feeling especially chipper this evening.
"Yes," Professor McGonagall replied. She wiped her hands on the napkin spread across her lap and then put it next to her plate.
Professor Flitwick, meanwhile, tapped his fork against his goblet. The melodious tink tink tink was loud enough to silence the chatter in the Great Hall.
Professor McGonagall stood and said, "Good evening, and welcome to the End of Term Feast. Once again, the school year has come to an end. First years, I hope you enjoyed your introduction to Hogwarts, and for some of you, to magic and the wizarding world. Seventh years, I wish you all the best in whatever endeavors you embark on after you leave the castle. It has been a pleasure getting to know you over your seven years here at Hogwarts. Please keep in touch.
"Let us once again offer a big congratulations to Ravenclaw for winning the Quidditch Cup. Every single Quidditch match was a thrill to watch. I certainly look forward to next season."
She paused to allow the whoops and applause for Ravenclaw, which was plentiful.
"The House Points standings are as follows: In fourth place with 105 points, Gryffindor!"
There was polite applause and some sneers from certain individuals at other house tables.
"In third place with 240 points, Hufflepuff!"
The noise level increased slightly.
"In second place with 590 points, Slytherin!"
The cheering grew quite loud.
"And in first place with 625 points, Ravenclaw!"
The noise was deafening. Professor McGonagall waited a moment and then raised her hands to silence the room.
"Yes, well done. I offer special congratulations to Professor Flitwick and Professor Kent as Head and Deputy Head of Ravenclaw House."
She clapped politely and then concluded, "With that, I want to wish you all a wonderful summer. Thank you, and enjoy the rest of your evening."
Just Before The Feast Begins
Author: S Snape
Date: 07-15-18 18:05
Before the End of Term feast began, before Minerva McGonagall had taken a seat, Filius Flitwick quietly had asked, "Was that Veronica Dumbledore I saw earlier?"
"Unfortunately."
Filius knows why Severus has been acting as a member of the Knights Walpurgis. "Have you given further thought to remaining with the group as Kingsley has requested?"
"I shall remain for now but if the questionable accounting leads only to an auditing of the Knights' books I do not see a reason to keep up the pretense."
"Has she said anything more on her, er, condition?"
"Too much. She blathers constantly about who the father might be and has decided to press me again to marry her."
"Is she certain she's pregnant? She's not,"
Filius seems to grapple with how to diplomatically say that Veronica is long in the tooth to be pregnant so Severus does it for him. "She's old for a mother-to-be."
"Yes."
"Apparently, while not common, it is possible. She says it's considered high risk. Aberforth cannot decide if he's happy about finally becoming a grandfather or not."
"I can understand his indecision. If the Knights are not what they seem, Aberforth could end up having to raise the child."
As more arrive to sit at the head table and the house tables fill with students Filius and Severus put further conversation about the Knights Walpurgis on hold. Making small talk with a few others Severus gives a small nod to Dave Croft who is taking a seat at the Hufflepuff table. At some point he should speak with Carol Croft about possibly being related. Severus has put off both checking the family tree and speaking with Dave and Harley's grandmother about a possible ancestor in common. He'll do some genealogical research sometime in the next few days.
At the Hufflepuff table Dave filled a cup with apple juice. Beside him Louis Kegg asks Dave and Adiran Balfour, "You two are still coming next week, right?"
Adiran nods. "Yeah, that's the plan."
"Gran said yes but I don't know if she realizes you live in a wizarding house."
"We're on the Floo so you can go somewhere like Diagon Alley and use one there or maybe one of my parents can come get you and do a side along."
"A what?"
"Apparition."
"Oh."
"There's the Knight Bus or maybe a portkey."
Dave looks more confused at Adiran's comment than he had when Louis said side along so Adiran explains. "Knight Bus you catch by standing at the side of the lane and holding out your wand hand. Costs though not much."
"And portkey?"
Louis fields that one. "Item is charmed to apparate you somewhere."
"The bus thing might be easiest." Dave looks to Louis, "You said you're going on holiday but never said where."
"We're going to somewhere on the French coast. I can't say the name right. I was worried we'd be gone during Quidditch Con but I won't have to miss it."
"I'm going too. Want to meet up?"
Louis nods at Adiran and both look questioningly at Dave. "Harley and I want to go but need to work more on Gran and Dad."
Food began appearing on the table then and as the boys began filling plates and talking of Quidditch Con Dave finds himself looking forward to a summer during which he doesn't have to make multiple visits to see his mother in Bronzefield Prison.
(Beatrix) I Spy With My Little Eye
Author: Griet
Date: 07-16-18 18:40
After pausing to admire the lights in the castle windows, Beatrix walked into The Three Broomsticks and went straight to the bar. She waited for the young woman behind the counter to finish with another customer before stating the purpose of her visit: to pick up an order that had been owled all the way from Canterbury earlier that day.
Her parents and Aleydis had been debating what to have for dinner later. Somehow pub food came up as a possibility, and it being the End of Term Feast at Hogwarts, Hogsmeade came to mind. Beatrix put in the order herself and offered to pick it up, not wanting to miss a chance at seeing the castle all lit up for the last day of term.
She could hardly believe that her baby brother was graduating. It seemed like only yesterday that he'd started school. Beatrix also couldn't believe that he was forgoing St. Emrys to go straight to work, but then Franciscus was a Ravenclaw and pretty smart to boot. He probably knew what he was doing.
While she waited for the barmaid to bring her the to-go sack, Beatrix leaned against the bar and looked around the pub. It was somewhat crowded. Perhaps some parents were planning on picking up their children in the village tomorrow morning rather than in London tomorrow afternoon.
Beatrix started to turn her head back to the bar, when she whipped it back in the direction of a cozy corner table across the room. Rowan was there with a wizard––an older, albeit good-looking wizard––and he was someone Beatrix didn't recognize. She stared in disbelief at the scene before her.
Rowan and the mysterious wizard had their heads bent towards each other, as if they were having an intimate conversation. Their body language didn't necessarily suggest that they were interested in each other, but why else were they seated so close together? Beatrix slowly shook her head in amazement and shock. Rowan was cheating on Lon with a handsome older man!
"Here you are!"
Beatrix jumped, forgetting that she was waiting on the food order. She turned to pay for it and accepted the neatly packaged sack. After thanking the barmaid, she decided to be nosey. She marched straight over to Rowan and said, "Hi!"
Rowan and the mysterious man jumped apart in their seats.
Beatrix smirked. Guilty! she thought to herself.
"Hi…" Rowan managed.
The man's brow suddenly furrowed and he pulled what looked like a pebble out of his pocket. It jumped around in his palm.
"I've got to run," he said. "It's…" He paused, looked up at Beatrix, and then back to Rowan, who quickly nodded her understanding. "Go. I'll talk to you later. Soon, I hope."
The wizard got up, nodded his head at Beatrix as an acknowledgment and apology for leaving so abruptly and without an introduction. He threw a couple of galleons onto the table and then hurried out of the pub.
Beatrix sat down in his chair. "Who… was that?" she asked.
"His name is Connor, and that's all I can tell you right now."
"Rowan! You have to tell me what's going on."
"I can't," Rowan said, and she sounded sincere. "I'm sorry, Beatrix, but I can't. Not now, but maybe later." She looked at the packaged food and said, "Shouldn't you take that home before it gets cold?"
Beatrix eyed Rowan steadily. "Stop trying to change the subject and send me away. I know what's going on here, but you're right. I better get home before my family starves." She got up and stared down at Rowan. "We will talk about this later."
Rowan nodded once, though later was a relative term.
Beatrix seemed satisfied and said, "See you."
"Bye."
Beatrix walked out of the pub, cast one final glance at beautiful Hogwarts, and then disapparated for home.
(Ash) Desperate
Author: Rowan Westwick
Date: 07-17-18 18:30
It was already dark when Ash arrived in London, around the corner from the telephone box that led down to the Ministry of Magic. He'd tried to get away from the abbey sooner, but he'd gotten trapped by the hustle and bustle surrounding Lord Voldemort's very big announcement.
After gathering all of his supporters, the Dark Lord announced that it was time he made his return known to the world, and he intended on doing it by leading a raid in a very public place. It would be quick and dirty, since he'd come up with the plan on a whim, but it would also be great fun. All of the Death Eaters and other chosen acolytes were expected to participate.
They were now planning out the route to take. Some were even making sure their hooded robes were laundered and Death Eater masks polished, so as to look especially sharp on this first venture in a long time with their greatest and most revered leader. Vandalia had measured Ash for his own garb, the mask of which was a replica of the one his father had worn before he defected. This pseudo-heirloom was supposed to serve as a reminder of where he'd come from and what might happen if he, too, decided to pledge his allegiance elsewhere.
Ash, desperate to get away, finally managed it by telling Vandalia he would pick up supplies of the explosive variety. Too busy with her own preparations, she merely nodded her head and sent him on his way. He used the charmed pebble he kept lodged uncomfortably in his shoe to contact Connor MacRoth, and then he disapparated for London.
He was impatient and jittery. How could he tell Connor what he needed to know when he'd been spelled by impossible-to-break magic to keep the Death Eaters' secrets just that––secret. All the Ministry's efforts to break the enchantment had failed so far.
Finally, Connor arrived. "Emergency?" he asked.
Ash was shaking. "It's bad. It's…" He found himself unable to continue.
"Something is happening? Tonight?"
Ash shook his head.
"Tomorrow?"
Ash tried to nod, but his neck felt stiff and his face turned red as a vein began throbbing in his head. He took a gasping breath.
Connor reached out to steady him. "Take it easy. So something is happening tomorrow. Okay. Is it an attack?"
Ash felt his throat constrict. He tried desperately to say the words, but they wouldn't come. This wasn't like before where being unable to share information wasn't an immediate matter of life and death. Ash had never pushed against the enchantment this hard. He'd gotten headaches or felt a bit sick in previous attempts, but this was different. It was serious. He had information that Connor needed to know now, and he knew he would have to die trying to get the words out.
Ash clutched at the front of Connor's shirt.
"Easy… easy," Connor said.
Ash said, "Vvvvv…"
Connor leaned in closer. "What?"
"Vvvvvvv….." Ash tried again. Blood was starting to stream out of his nose. He saw spots before his eyes and his head throbbed as if it were being split in two.
"Ash, wait. Let me get a mediwizard," Connor said urgently, but it was now or never.
"Voldemort!" Ash spluttered, and then everything went black.
Wish We'd Won (Mira)
Author: Sirius Padfoot Black
Date: 07-17-18 20:23
Passing a plate for someone to give her a slice of a lemon flavored cake Mira looks the other way when Charlotte says, "You keep frowning, Mira."
"Just wish we'd won the cup." She turns to say thank you to the person who sliced the cake for her then says to Charlotte, "Would have been a nice way to end our first year."
Charlotte nods in agreement while Ned Wolfcastle cheerfully states, "At least Gryffindor didn't win and we finished higher than they did."
Mira fixes Ned with a withering glare. "My brother is a Gryffindor."
Anxious to make amends to a girl he has no idea why he wishes to always please Ned hastens to say, "I didn't mean Gryffindors are bad. Just meant Slytherin House has always wanted to do better than Gryffindor House."
Mira's eyes go to slits as she assesses what to think of his statement. She finally says, "Yeah, okay." Waggling a fork at him she orders, "Never say anything bad about my brother."
Ned's brow furrows in puzzlement. "I like James. Why would I say something bad about him?"
Mira shrugs. "Just so you know."
While not scary like Slytherin third year Libby Copperpot Ned does find Mira intimidating. He not only nods but murmurs, "Yes, miss," as if he were addressing one of the female professors. In an effort to shift focus off himself Ned asks those around him, "Anyone going somewhere great for holiday?"
Second year Kearney Powell bobs his head up and down so rapidly Mira thinks it's a good think he's never shown signs of motion sickness. "We're going to Seattle in the United States and then to Vancouver in Canada."
This pronouncement leads to others asking him what there is to do in Seattle and Vancouver so no one else immediately says anything about going on holiday. Mira doesn't mind not having a chance as she doesn't know if the Eternal-Blacks are going somewhere or not. Every time she or James has asked the reply, whether from Mum or from Dad, is always, "We're considering options." Unless she were to get up and march to the head table and demand a more satisfactory response Mira can't say one way or the other if her family is going on holiday at all, much less where. Also, if she were to get up and make that demand, she'd likely spend what's left of the feast in trouble, possibly even losing points for her house before another school year has even begun.
For once, Mira is fine not being the center of attention, even going so far as to asking Ned a few questions of her own about Seattle and Vancouver.
(Azaelia) At the Feast
Author: Isolde
Date: 07-18-18 17:42
Azaelia sat at the High Table and idly ran her spoon through a small bowl of chocolate mousse. The End of Term Feast was nearly over, and with that, so was the 2011-2012 school year. Azaelia found it difficult to believe that she was closing out her ninth year as librarian at Hogwarts. Wasn't it only yesterday that she was sitting at the Slytherin table at an End of Term Feast?
She looked over at her former house table and pictured herself sitting there with the usual gang. Isolde and Py, Alexis, and before he transferred away, Robert, too. To her surprise, Robert had sent back the divorce parchments with his signature in all the right places. The owl bearing the thick packet had arrived at breakfast. Everything was in perfect order, which meant that Azaelia could see her solicitor on Monday and officially become a divorcée. She'd also revert to her maiden name.
Azaelia Elaine Bramble.
She liked the sound of that.
She was a bit surprised that Robert hadn't included a note with the divorce parchments. It was as if he, too, was wiping his hands clean of the relationship. Azaelia hadn't thought that Robert no longer cared for her, but then she hadn't seen him since his trial. He probably spent a lot of time seething behind bars.
Azaelia hoped that she had nothing to worry about, from Robert, Mrs. Blackheart, or Robert's Death Eater friends. She wasn't exactly concerned for her safety or that of those she held dear, but it was something she had to take seriously. If Robert was angry, then she or her loved ones just might well be in danger.
Suddenly Sleepy (Vincent)
Author: Christopher Chant
Date: 07-18-18 20:28
Abraham Albright nudges Vincent with his elbow. "You got quiet."
"Sorry. I think I'm falling asleep."
"Are you turning into an old man?" Abe laughs.
"I don't know why I'm suddenly so tired. Ooooh, is that apple crumble?"
"Think so. Looks like there's berries too." Abe reaches to pass the dish before Vincent can ask.
"Thanks. Did you find out if your parents have decided between Brighton and Eastbourne?"
"Mum's pushed for the Lake District. I was hoping for something more exciting and away but they didn't ask me. What about you?"
"Visiting family in Canada, which usually means we just sit around at their house with the women doing some shopping."
"Fun."
"I know. Maybe we'll get in some fishing. I don't love it but it can be fun and it's better than just sitting around." Vincent yawns, a yawn that goes on for so long part of his face and the corners of his mouth start to hurt. He looks at the few bites left he has of the apple berry crumble and looks to a chocolate tart he thinks would be tasty, trying to decide whether to continue the pudding course as long as the sweets are still available or to go on and call it a night before the feast officially ends.
Despite another massive yawn Vincent crams the crumble into his mouth and reaches for the chocolate tart with one hand while passing Abe a plate with fat rascals with the other.