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Fall Fair
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 11-02-10 18:06
Wearing orange wristbands to signify their status as guests at the Hogwarts Fall Fair, Hermione and Ron walked hand in hand across the grounds and looked at all the booths and activities offered this year. It was quite cold outside, but heating charms warmed up a few areas of the grounds and made being out of doors somewhat tolerable. Many more activities were inside in the Great Hall, where it was considerably more temperate.
Despite the chill outside, a number of people strolled about and partook in the various games and meals available to them. Among the crowd were Harry and Ginny, who'd just spotted Hermione and Ron. They waved and made for the other couple.
"We never did say where we planned on meeting up," Harry remarked.
"I guess it's not so crowded that we didn't find each other," Hermione replied. She shivered. "Have you both been inside yet?"
"No," Ginny replied. "Let's go have a look."
The foursome headed for the castle, making the same trek they'd made over and over again as students. Sometimes it felt like only yesterday that they'd all attended Hogwarts, but other times it felt like ages ago.
The castle itself seemed the same and different all at once. Not all of the professors were the same from when the four had been students there, but some were, like Snape, McGonagall, and of course Professor Dumbledore himself.
He happened to be at the front of the Great Hall and beamed at them upon their entry.
"My fondest greetings to you all," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling behind his half-moon glasses. "If I didn't know better, I would say we've all been transported back in time to several years ago."
"It does feel a little bit like deja vu," Ron replied, "only we didn't have anything like this when we were students. It somehow doesn't seem fair."
"Ah, but you are here now, are you not Mr. Weasley? There's no reason why you cannot let your inner child out and enjoy all the fair has to offer. In fact, I insist that you do."
"Ron let's his inner child out all the time. I'm convinced his outer adult still hasn't manifested itself," Ginny quipped.
Harry laughed outright, while Hermione smiled. Ron looked like he might like to shove Ginny but he curbed the impulse.
"I'm glad you came," Dumbledore said, with his own smile on his face. "Go on and have some fun, and if later you feel like falling into conversation with an old man, come find me. I'm eager to know how your wedding plans are progressing, Miss Granger."
"I'll be happy to fill you in," Hermione replied. Ron nodded. "She's in charge of the whole thing. I'm just going to show up on the day."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Guys," she muttered. She seized Harry's hand. "Come on, let's see what there is to see. Bye, Professor Dumbledore. See you later!"
"Goodbye, goodbye," he said, watching them all go.
Student Wristband Duty
Author: Furnella Hodfuffer
Date: 11-02-10 20:25
AJ had started out his morning earlier than he might usually on a Saturday. That's because as Assistant Head of House for Hufflepuff AJ sat at in the Hufflepuff common room at teh portal giving students arm bands for today's Fall Fair. The arm bands were not made common knowledge. Students were told last night at supper to see their house heads this morning and a similar announcement went up in each house common room. Visitors don't know about the wristbands until arriving at the Hogwarts gates.
After the initial rush of getting arm bands put on students and their names ticked off a list, AJ had said to Aaron, "I can manage from here."
"You're sure?"
"Positive."
Aaron had thanked AJ then left Hufflepuff House to return to his own living quarters to find out if Saffron and Niccola were ready to go down to the Fall Fair. AJ settled in at his spot by the portal, reading while waiting for more students who needed wristbands. Professor Dumbledore had suggested only waiting for students until a certain time so when that hour arrived, AJ posted a notice about the wristbands and where those who needed them were to get them. From there AJ came to the Great Hall to the wristband booth. He'd agreed to take the first shift and before long he had the lists from the other three houses as well as the wristbands from the other house heads and assistant heads.
For the most part, AJ reads his book, putting it aside whenever a student comes up to get a wristband, and occassionally stopping to watch what activity he can see well from this spot. Approximately half an hour has passed when AJ looks up and notices a pretty young woman. She's got lustrous long, jet black hair and olive skin. She's standing close enough to the wristband booth that as she does a slow turn, AJ can clearly see that her eyes are as dark as her hair and that full on she's even more attractive than in profile. She also looks familiar but AJ can't place her.
After another minute during which she stays in the same spot, slowly looking around, AJ asks, "Do you need help?"
She turns to face him and takes a few steps closer to the wristband booth, shaking her head as she approaches. "No, not really. I'm waiting for my sister."
AJ taps a stack of parchment in front of him. "I can see if she's been checked off for a wristband. What house?"
AJ is rewarded with a luminous smile. "That's so nice of you! She's in Ravenclaw. Zabrynna Ravensdale."
AJ had looked down to looked down at the word Ravenclaw but hesistates a second at hearing the name. That's why this woman looks familiar. Pulling the Ravenclaw list he quickly locates the Rs. "She's not gotten her wristband yet and since I have the list now, she has to come here to get one. You're Mariposa? I'm AJ Hodfuffer, the Ancient Runes professor."
That luminous smile again. "Yes, Mariposa, and I know who you are. I also know you are a novelist. I've read some of your books."
"Only some?" AJ jokes.
Mariposa gets a mischievous glint in her dark eyes. "I could have stepped all over your ego and denied any knowledge of who you are and after you'd mentioned being writer, I could have then made some comment about how I read a great deal but am not familiar with your work at all."
"You'd wound a poor soul that way?" AJ asks with mock seriousness.
"But of course," she teases.
AJ grins back then indicates the empty chair beside him. "You're welcome to sit here while you wait for Zabrynna."
Mariposa glances to the doors that Zabrynna will come through then looks back at AJ. "As I promised her I wouldn't do anything without her and her glued at the hip friends, I'm stuck here so I might as well sit, but only if I'm not disturbing you or anything."
AJ holds up his book. "I've just been reading to kill time waiting on students needing their wristbands."
Walking around the table to take a sit, Mariposa asks him, "Are you here all day?"
AJ holds out the chair for Mariposa, replying as he does, "No, just for a little while then someone will relieve me. After that I'm free to enjoy the fair or leave as long as I'm at the balloon darts booth at one and at the dunking booth at two-fifteen."
"You're sitting in the dunking booth?"
"I am."
"I know where I'll be at two-fifteen," Mariposa says, giving AJ an impish grin.
AJ laughs while thinking that he wouldn't mind at all if Zabrynna doesn't show up for the remainder of his shift.
Tolerable Company
Author: Ella
Date: 11-03-10 18:34
Ella had lingered around the Gryffindor common room after receiving her wristband from Professor McGonagall. Although she and Francis hadn't repaired their friendship, they'd come to tolerate each other. They hadn't confirmed attending the Fall Fair together, but since neither was expecting guests––their parents were both busy and Ashleigh had a prior engagement as well––Ella just assumed that she would spend the day with Francis.
Just when she thought he wasn't coming, he arrived. He nodded to her and went to get his wristband. Then the pair left the common room for the Great Hall.
They spent a considerable while just looking at all of the booths before actually participating in anything themselves. For the most part, they didn't really talk, though occasionally one topic or another came up. They talked about Quidditch or some of the carnival games, but avoided certain topics like Zane.
Francis was satisfied enough to know that Ella and Zane weren't dating anymore and knew that Ella didn't want to hear "I told you so" or something similar about how wrong the relationship had been in the first place. He knew that she wouldn't take Zane back, and that was good enough for him. Ella didn't want to talk about Zane because even thinking about him brought up memories both upsetting and embarrassing.
At Homecoming, Ella had hoped to avoid talking to Zane at all, despite the fact that she had known he was there and would probably try to speak with her. She especially had wanted to avoid him since her mother had been there watching her play in the exhibition matches. At the end of the Quidditch games, after getting showered and changed, Ella had sought out her mum to spend some more time with her before Mrs. Harville had to leave.
Unfortunately, Zane had found Ella's mum while Ella had been in the locker room, which had shocked Ella since she had never introduced them before. Mrs. Harville hadn't even known that Zane existed nor that he used to date her daughter.
Without having heard the conversation between them, Ella had known without a doubt that Zane had spilled the beans about everything. Rosemary Harville's face had been pale, and she'd looked devastated to learn that her daughter had carried on an illicit affair with an older man.
Before Ella had even reached them, Zane had excused himself and left, leaving Ella to get publically reamed by her mother. It had been quite humiliating since just about everybody on the whole planet had heard Mrs. Harville's shouting.
Following Homecoming, Ella had gotten a Howler from her father. That had been embarrassing too, but not as much as hearing it all in person from her mother. For a while after that, she'd gotten a lot of looks in the corridors and Great Hall from witnesses to one or both of the incidents. She'd even heard someone call her a whore once, which she'd found a little outrageous since she'd only ever had the one boyfriend.
Her affair wasn't quite forgotten yet, since it had only gone public two weeks ago, but she no longer got all of the stares and muttered commentary she'd gotten when the news had been fresh.
Ella did wonder if Zane would show up today, but she thought he was less likely to since all of the guests were wearing wristbands and were presumably accounted for. The professors probably had a blacklist for potential troublemakers like him anyway. At least Ella hoped so.
Lack Of Verbal Communication
Author: Zabrynna
Date: 11-04-10 19:02
"You're going to have to talk to me at some point, you know," Mariposa states.
Zabrynna sighs inwardly and rolls her eyes. As long as Anne and Philippa were around Zabrynna could avoid talking to her sister. Unfortunately, Anne broke away from their little group more than a half hour ago when her family arrived and wanted to spend a little bit of just family time with her. Philippa left just after that for the same reason. They're all meeting up again after lunch but in the short time since being left alone with Mariposa, Zabrynna hasn't said a word to her. Before Anne and Philippa left, Zabrynna had been cordial to her sister, trying not to let on to her friends that she's extremely put out with Mariposa.
When Zabrynna first arrived at the Great Hall this morning she'd stopped just inside the doorway to look for Mariposa. Not immediately seeing her, she'd turned right to walk the short little way to the booth where she needed to pick up her wrist band. With all the noise on the Great Hall she'd not heard the two people at the booth even though she wasn't far from it. Busy still looking around for her sister, Zabrynna wasn't even paying attention to who was manning the booth. She walked up to the table itself just in time to hear a familiar female voice flirtaciously saying, "You'll have to show me around there sometime."
Professor Hodfuffer and Mariposa both registered Zabrynna standing there. "You'll be wanting your wrist band," Professor Hodfuffer said, reaching for one of the black bands. "I suppose you'll be wanting your sister too."
As he spoke Mariposa had gotten up and started around the table. Zabrynna had wordlessly extended her arm, allowing the professor to place the band on it. Philippa arrived, also needing a wrist band and Anne came bouncing up, impatient that Philippa and Zabrynna hadn't been up extra early as she had. Mariposa picked up a piece of parchment with a map of the booths and rides inside the Great Hall and outside on the grounds. She'd glanced at it then said, "Thanks for letting me sit here, AJ. You said balloon darts at one?"
"Or dunking booth at 2:15."
"Great! See you later then."
No one noticed that Zabrynna hadn't said anything up to that point. AFter that with Anne excitedly chattering about Indigo McFusty being there and with both Anne and Philippa talking about how cute Professor Hodfuffer is and trying to find out what Mariposa's interest there is, and the other three making just regular chit chat and talking about the Fall Fair, none noticed that Zabrynna hardly said a word. With Anne and Philippa both gone, Mariposa very quickly picked up on Zabrynna's lack of verbal communication.
Zabrynna's eye roll isn't lost on Mariposa. She says, "You could at least tell me what's got you in such a mood."
Zabrynna shrugs.
"If all you're going to do is be silently bitchy, I'll leave you standing here and go around on my own."
"Only until one," Zabrynna snits.
"What?"
"You promised."
"What are you talking about?"
Zabrynna looks around, takes two steps towards her sister, and drops her voice. "You promised you wouldn't hit on my professors."
Mariposa knits her brow in a frown. "Nooooo, I said I wouldn't try to date one particular professor. That's what this is about? Me having a friendly conversation with AJ?"
"You were flirting."
"So? He's very nice, good looking, intelligent, funny, and he started the flirting if you must know."
"He did?"
"Yes, and so what if I flirted back? So what if I plan on seeing him at least once more today?"
"He doesn't like me," Zabrynna mumbles.
"I doubt that but even if he does, so what? It's not as if I'm planning on marrying him."
Zabrynna can't think of anything to say. Things do come to mind but they aren't things to say in a room teaming with people. She ends up lamely shrugging again, wishing like hell that tears weren't stinging her eyes. Mariposa calmly waits out Zabrynna. A third shrug and Zabrynna mutters, "Whatever."
A little more loudly she asks, "Have you seen Dad or my mum lately?"
"Not for a couple of weeks. I'm sorry they chose not to come today."
"Maybe it's for the best."
Mariposa puts her arm around Zabrynna, squeezing her shoulders. After several more silent seconds she says, "I don't know about you but I'm ready to have a look around outside."
Zabrynna nods. "Yeah, okay. Maybe we could grab some food too. I've not eaten anything yet today."
"We can do that," Mariposa says with a smile, dropping her arm from around Zabrynna's shoulders and pulling out the map to consult it. "Let's figure out what we want to eat."
Like Mother, Like Daughter
Author: Lysander Stratford
Date: 11-05-10 17:34
At nearly five years old, Charlotte had a way of getting whatever she wanted. Lysander suspected that she'd inherited some of her powers of persuasion from her mother. When Aralyn set her mind to something, she didn't rest until she got her way––or until she was fooled into believing she'd had.
Astrid's ruse had worked as far as everybody could tell. Aralyn had genuinely believed that she'd gone to Madam Puddifoot's with Chyler and not the cousin who shared a striking resemblence with the deceased witch. As Lysander had predicted she would, Aralyn had told Astrid-as-Chyler that she believed that Lysander was having an affair with Astrid. Astrid had laughed at the thought and convincingly explained to Aralyn how she knew that wasn't true at all.
Lysander hadn't heard from Aralyn in a while and presumed that she had gone back to Argentina. He hoped that she wouldn't come back any time soon, and that if she did show up again, Astrid could again fool her into thinking Chyler was alive and well.
Charlotte had her hands on her hips and looked up at her father with eyes that weren't quite pleading but more like demanding. She had behaved rather badly all morning to the point where Lysander had decided not to take her to Hogwarts and the Fall Fair. Somehow, she'd finagled him into doing it anyway, and even now was trying to convince him to let her have more sugary biscuits.
"You've had enough for the moment," Lysander said.
"But Daaaad," Charlotte complained, "I want another!"
"Later."
She started to tap her foot.
"If you keep that up, I'm taking you back home," Lysander told her.
She looked down at her pink shoe, which she stopped tapping onto the flagstones. Lysander could only see the crown of her head. Her hair had been parted into curly pigtails.
Charlotte hunched her shoulders and then began to sniffle quietly. The hands had moved from her hips to around her stomach. She hugged herself and cried silently.
Lysander rolled his eyes heavenward and then said, "Fine. A few more, but then that's really all for now, do you understand me?"
Charlotte looked up with a smile. Her face was suspiciously dry and her eyes clear.
"Thanks, Daddy!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around his legs. She let go before he could pat her head and turned to the sweets booth.
Lysander sighed to himself. Either his daughter was turning into a master manipulator, or she just had him wrapped around her little finger.