|
|
Berlin, Germany: Business & News
Author: Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen
Date: 08-28-11 14:35
The German Ministry of Magic is busy when Fritz arrives in the late morning for his appointment with Richard Schmidt of what is essentially the Muggle Relations office. The spiral ramp that leads to the different floors is rather congested. Fritz wonders if everyone is getting a late start to the day or if they are heading off to an early lunch. Either way, it takes him a little longer than what might be usual to navigate to the third landing.
He remembers the correct path to the office from the only other time he's been there. It's not long before Fritz finds himself standing in front of a reception desk. In German, Fritz states his business and then is directed to one of the nearby chairs. He sits down and picks up a pamphlet on wizarding opportunities in Muggle universities.
Fritz only has the first paragraph read when Richard approaches with a friendly greeting. Fritz gets up and shakes the slightly older wizard's hand. Richard leads him back to his cubicles. Both men sit on either side of the desk.
"Before we get started with your final parchmentwork," Richard begins, "there is something I need to tell you."
There is something in Richard's expression and tone of voice that suggests that Fritz isn't going to like what he's about to hear.
"Henrietta Hockenheim passed away over the weekend."
Fritz is so shocked that for a moment he can't even speak. "I just saw her last week. Friday was my last day. She was fine."
"I know," Richard says with sympathy in his voice. "She wasn't sick or anything like that. She died in her sleep. One of the nurses who checks on her periodically found her in her bed."
When Fritz first met Frau Hockenheim, he'd had a very low opinion of her, but that had changed over time, especially in more recent months. He'd come to like and respect her very much and it saddened him deeply to hear of her passing.
"I thought you should know," Richard says.
"Thank you. I'm glad you told me. Will there be a funeral?"
Richard opens a file on his desk. It's marked with Fritz's name on the tab. Right in front is a black card as well as a newspaper clipping. He hands both to Fritz.
The card is basically an invitation with the details of the funeral and the names of the family members. The clipping is from the Trierischer Volksfreund, a daily newspaper in Trier. It has a picture of Frau Hockenheim and a blurb about her passing and her upcoming funeral.
"Can I have these?" Fritz asks Richard.
"They are for you," Richard replies.
"Thank you," Fritz says again. He feels like he's in a daze. He knows it's just the initial shock of hearing about Frau Hockenheim's death and that it will pass, but for now it's all he can really think about.
Richard tries to give him something else to think about, though it's difficult because the whole nature of the meeting is about Fritz's community service with Frau Hockenheim, which had just ended last week. They discuss how everything went and then Fritz fills out some forms. Richard adds his signature to them and informs Fritz that a copy will remain there at the Ministry and another will go to the Muggle government in the offices of the Bundeswehr.
They exchange some small talk after that, and after offering Fritz his condolences again, Richard leads him back to the reception area.
Three Down Four To Go
Author: Adina Blackwood
Date: 08-28-11 16:32
"Thankfully that is over." I said, as we entered the Common Commons and headed toward our usual grouping of seats. Arthur, Kida, Whitney, and Daisy sat around as I settled next to Arthur.
"I know it. Tomorrow we've got two, and only the one on thursday and then final two on friday and we are done." Kida said as she reached for one of the biscuits off the tray that I'd grabbed on the way to the table.
"So, do you think you'll be able to play Quidditch next year Adina?" Arthur asked as he slid an arm around Adina and pulled her close.
"I'm hoping so. Though I've not yet decided on what class I'm gonna add for the year as well." I said as I rested my head on his shoulder.
"Mum was pleased with my marks at mid-term and now that I've started meeting with Professor Black I'm dealing with things a bit better." I said, grabbing a biscuit off the tray.
"What are you doing for summer break? Going to Emry's fest?" Whitney asked as she took a sip of her pumpkin juice.
"I am spending some time with Dad in Greece, and then I should be home for Emry's Fest, but I don't know yet." I said, eyes sliding closed as I massaged my temples lightly. "I think I'm gonna go take a nap before supper, haven't been feeling well."
I gave Arthur a kiss and Kida said she'd come get me for dinner, and recommended that I go see Madame Pomfrey for something if the headache wasn't gone by the time I woke for dinner. I told her I would, and slipped off toward the dorms.
Shortly Before The Sixth Years F&A Exam
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 08-29-11 15:18
Theodosia counts the number of tests for her sixth years Fitness & Athletics exam even though she knows she's got the correct number. With a little time left to kill before she might reasonably expect any of them to arrive, she walks from desk to desk placing an exam facedown. There's no breeze at the moment but in case one kicks up, she quickly charms all the exams to stay in place. Theodosia could have given the exam in the F&A room inside the castle but since she's wanting to give each student a quick practical and since much of what this class has done should be demonstrated out of doors or can just as easily be done outside as in Theodosia brought desks down for today's mostly written exam.
The only things she can't have a student do down here at the pitch are those that require a swimming pool . Students will draw a card from a bag to find out what each must do to fulfill the practical portion of their exams. What she did yesterday for the first and second years was to have them draw their cards as they arrived and immediately notate on a clipboard what card was drawn. Theodosia got them started on their written exams then called them one by one to perform or demonstrate the card requirement. Any students drawing one of the few cards that required the use of the swimming pool went with her at the end of the written portion to the F&A room in the castle and from there down to the swimming pool. As the Fitness & Athletic exams are each scheduled from 4 to 5 in the afternoon, the only thing those students drawing such cards would miss would be the first few minutes of supper if going to dinner immediately after her exam.
"Theodosia?"
At the sound of her voice being said Theodosia whirls around, both in surprise that someone is there as she'd not seen nor heard anyone approach and in shock at the man standing before her.
"David! What are you doing here?"
"I have a dinner meeting in Hogsmeade tonight. I'd heard you were working here at Hogwarts. I thought I'd get to Hogsmeade early for the meeting and come see for myself if what I'd heard was true."
"As you can see, what you heard is true. Now, you may go."
"You don't have to be like that."
"Don't I?"
David takes a step towards her. "Can't we sit and talk like two old friends?"
"We are not old friends and besides that I have students arriving any moment now for an examination."
"Of course we're old friends. Why would you say we aren't?"
Theodosia contemptuously snorts, "You're seriously asking that?"
"Look, we might not have parted under the best of circumstances but, "
"You have a way with an understatement." Theodosia nods at a point beyond David. "There are the first of them. You have to leave now and don't come back. You are't welcome here."
"Please, just hear me out."
"No. It's not the time nor do I have any inclination to do so."
"I'll go, but only because you've got something pressing. I'm not giving up talking with you about, well, about everything."
David turns to go leaving Theodosia glaring after him. She only watches him for a second or two before pivoting back around to face the desks. She stares at the desks for a moment, not really seeing them then speaking aloud, more to herself than to the first of the arriving sixth years, she says, "Anti-cheating quills."
She gives the just arriving students a tight smile before stepping into the locker room where her pitch office is located to grab the quills and to give herself a brief moment of respite to get her anger at David showing up in check. When she steps back out, her smile is a genuinely welcoming one. She sets the quills aside for the moment and has those students there draw their cards for the practical requirement of the exam.
Unavoidable Encounter
Author: Illyria
Date: 08-29-11 18:26
It was much later than Illyria had thought when she'd apparated to Hogsmeade and walked in the direction of the two winged boar statues that marked the entrance to the Hogwarts grounds. She carried shopping bags bearing the name Astronomer's Nook in both hands. Illyria had just come from Diagon Alley, where she'd purchased some goodbye goodies for her students. She'd given some out last night from her own private stash and had wanted to get more giveaways for her remaining students.
Illyria got no further than the castle gates when she felt a hand catch her by the arm. She turned, alarmed, and found herself face-to-face with Nathan Goode.
"I'm sorry, Illyria. I didn't mean to startle you."
Illyria shook her head and shrugged out of his hold. "It's quite all right," she said, though she felt a bit flustered at seeing him again. She'd never felt this way during any of their past encounters and knew she only reacted that way now because of the knowledge that he was dating her little sister.
Nathan ran his hand through his hair and smiled at Illyria sheepishly. "I suppose you've heard by now."
"Yes," Illyria replied, kwowing what he meant without the need for explanation. She shifted the bags to one hand and murmured, "Urania is very happy."
"I am too," Nathan replied. The expression on his face said it all. Illyria bet all the money in Gringotts Bank that he was in love.
Nathan's wistful smile faded. "How do you feel about it?"
Illyria really didn't want to talk about it. "I was surprised to hear about it." That much was true. "But I'm happy that Urania is happy. She's been unlucky in love." That was also true.
"So, you're okay with me dating your sister?"
Why did he have to ask? Illyria wondered to herself. She sighed, looked down at nothing in particular, and then raised her chin, looking him straight in the eye. "Perfectly okay," she lied.
Nathan stared at her for a long moment, making her uncomfortable. She very nearly excused herself to return to the castle––she did have to finals to give tonight, after all––but then he held out his hand and gently patted her arm.
"I'm glad I saw you arrive," he said. "I'd been hoping to talk to you ever since Urania and I connected at Olympia's wedding."
Illyria felt torn between moving her arm out of reach and drawing closer to Nathan. He dropped his arm all too soon and said, "Maybe we can catch up sometime?"
"Yeah, sure," she said. Then she really remembered she had some place to be. "I've got to go. Final exams are tonight."
She turned and started for the gate, but then she paused and looked over her shoulder at Nathan. He was watching her with his hands in his pockets. His hair was slightly dishelved, in a stylish on-purpose kind of way.
Illyria swallowed hard and forced herself to turn back around and go through the gates.
End Of A Run
Author: Dante Knight
Date: 08-30-11 18:57
Just past the pitch Dante slows his running then stops altogether. He stands for a moment, hands splayed on the fronts of his thighs, watching the lake in the distance where the giant squid is visible. As he's often done since coming to Hogwarts, Dante tries to imagine being a student here, of the friendships he would have formed and how different his life now would be. He stands for several more minutes lost in though before continuing on to the castle at a slow jog.
Dante's not gone far when he stops again, this time to retrieve some parchments that a sudden gust of wind ripped from Theodosia Batuti. She smiles gratefully. "Thank you."
"Glad I could help. Exams?"
"Yes, for my last, a class of third and fourth years this afternoon at 4."
"There's not an OWL or NEWT for Fitness & Athletics, is there?"
"No, or not now anyway. It was done one year but then dropped."
"Would you like to see your course added back?"
"Yes and no. I think it would be good for the fifth and seventh years to have more to show than a regular grade, something equal to the OWL and NEWT marks for their other courses. At the same time, they work so hard as it is that I hate the thought of one more heaped on the pile. Are you settling in nicely?"
"Yes, thank you. Professor Flitwick has allowed me to observe him in his classes and to look over his lesson plans and exams. He's been immensely helpful and I've learned a great deal. It's still somewhat intimidating to think of myself in charge of a classroom full of students come September."
Theodosia laughs. "I can well imagine. I'd not had much experience before coming here. Some, but I was still very new." Despite the smile she's given Dante and the laugh, Theodosia looks slightly tense.
"You seem to be doing well so that's encouraging for me. I don't mean to pry but you look, I don't know, frazzled. Are you all right?"
"I'm fine. It's just everything related to end of term and having a brother and a sister both taking OWLs at the same time." Theodosia says this lightly enough but then her mouth tighens into a thin line and her eyes grow hard. "And him." The hand holding the exams gestures to a man walking up the lane from the main gates. "David's an old boyfriend who showed up yesterday. He seems to think we need to talk."
"I take it that talking with him isn't high on your list."
"It's not on my list at all. I told him to go away. Here, hold these."
Theodosia shoves everything she's holding into Dante's chest. His choice is to take them or let the exams scatter to the breeze that's been steadily blowing since the earlier big gust. He'd have offered to go speak with this David but it's clear she prefers to handle matters.
Theodosia reaches David far enough away from Dante that he can't hear what's said. All he can see is frustration on the other man's face and anger radiating from Theodosia. She keeps gesturing towards the gates and, Dante presumes, Hogsmeade while David keeps shaking his head. When Theodosia pulls out her wand, David looks resigned, turning to walk away. He looks back, say something, then continues on when Theodosia points her wand.
Theodosia watches for a moment then turns around to rejoin Dante. He mutely hands her things back, earning another smile and, "Thank you," in the process. She glances in the direction of the gates before saying, "Don't let me forget to make sure Argus Filch knows not to let David onto the grounds again. He remembered David from yesterday so let him come looking for me again today."
"I won't let you forget. Is he going to be a problem do you think? I could talk to him about staying off grounds or if you prefer someone you've known longer, I'm sure others would like to be of help."
"If he hasn't gotten the message, then I'll take further steps, but thank you for offering."
"Is it easy for someone not expected to gain access to the grounds and school?" Dante asks, hoping it comes off as a casual question when it's actually somewhat important to him.
"There are security measures in place. Spells and charms that are regularly reinforced and there are magical devices hidden from view. Still, there is access particularly for parents and guardians. Also, when access is granted by someone such as Mr. Filch then those spells, charms, and devices rarely come into play."
"Interesting. Thanks for the information. I bought a copy of Hogwarts, A History but it's an edition that's a few years out of date. Information such as this is the type that of thing that might need updating every edition. I could ask you a dozen or more questions on the spot but I'm keeping you from getting these exams to wherever you were taking them."
"Just to my office at the pitch. The exam is there, the pitch, not my office," she ends with a laugh.
"If the weather turns bad, would it then be in your office?"
She shakes her head. "The F&A room in the castle."
"It's all right that I've used that room to work out in a few times, isn't it? I've been meaning to ask."
"Yes, of course it is. I know some of the others do but none on any sort of regular schedule. I use the equipment regularly, usually early in the morning before breakfast. I encourage the students to utilize it more as well, especially in winter. You do know there's a pool?"
"Someone mentioned it and then Aaron Miller told me I'm welcome to use the ones at his Muggle Studies place. The name's slipping my mind."
"Cloud's Kiss."
"Thank you. I really should let you go on about your business now. I need to shower before going to lunch. Professor Snape gives me dirty enough looks as it is without me showing up reeking from a run."
"Professor Snape gives everyone dirty looks if it's any consolation. See you at lunch."
They part ways with Dante resuming his slow job the remaining distance to the castle.
Administering One Of The Potions Exams
Author: Majandra
Date: 08-31-11 13:28
For some reason this morning both Miranda and Georgie wanted to come to work with Majandra today. She had to explain that no day this week is good for that because of important tests the students are taking. The two children pouted, Miranda more so than Georgie since he was mainly just copying whatever she was doing. George had been on the verge of asking if they'd like to go to the shoppe with him when Miranda remembered that something fun is taking place at Aunt Blossom's daycare today. In a blink she was all smiles, anxious to get to Hogsmeade. As usual, Georgie copied his big sister, going from having his lower lip extended as far as he could get it to smiling, laughing, and dancing around, eager to get to his "school" to see his friends and for whatever the fun thing is his sister suddenly recalled.
That resolved, the four Weasleys finished breakfast with Miranda and Georgie thinking they were being so secretivie feeding Killer bits of sausage under the table. Maj thinks it's a very good thing the little dog is so energetic and often running around or between her two children Killer's tiny belly would be dragging the floor by now. Just after George and she did the clearing off and cleaning up, they each took a child by hand and George scooped up Killer and they'd apparated to Hogsmeade.
George and she took the children to Blossom's then walked hand in hand to McFusty's to drop Killer off for a check-up. In an hour or so George will retrieve Killer and probably take him back to the shoppe. Killer loves being in the shoppe, getting loads of attention from staff and customers alike and generally turns up his cuteness factor to convinces them all he's in dire need of treats.
George walked part of the way to Hogwarts with Majandra, the two of them enjoying the quiet time together. Before parting ways, George asked, "You're sure?"
"Positive. Are you?"
"Absolutely."
"We'll go Monday then and get things started."
They'd kissed and gone their separate ways with Maj trying to get her mind on the upcoming exams she had and not on going with George Monday to get the process started to adopt another child. Busy as they are, they'd like at least one more if not two and don't want to wait much longer. There are two years between Miranda and Georgie and it's been three years since Maj had Georgie. They don't necessarily have to have an infant but a child younger than Georgie would be nice. They figure that unless they luck out, it could be awhile before they get a child, which means another year or more could elapse.
Once at Hogwarts Maj had gone straight to her office to get a little work done then she'd gone to the Lower Years Potions classroom to get everything ready for 1st year Gryffindors and Slytherins at 10. She has a second exam to administer today but it's not until after lunch, at 2.
Just before 10 when the first years began arriving Maj directed them to take their usual positions and to get the fires going for the cauldrons. Promptly at 10 she waves her wand, utters a spell, and addresses the class.
"You may now turn over the cards each of you have. Get the potion started that your card indicates. Read your card carefully. Some of you will need to get a beaker of already brewed potion to be able to do the steps you've been given. Be sure you get the correct potion."
Maj indicates with one hand the table where potions in various stages are lined up and clearly labeled.
"No one should take above 15 minutes to complete their cards. When done, I want two vials, properly labeled. You will pick up the written portion of your exam when you turn in your vials. Writing the exam should take approximately 30 minutes. That gives you a little bit of a grace period to get your exam written should you take longer than 15 minutes to do the steps on your potions cards. Questions? No? Then begin."
To give the class an idea of the time they are taking on their potions, Maj puts a large stop watch type clock in full view and starts it, using a silencing spell to keep the loud ticking noise it makes from being a distraction. After standing at the front of the room watching the activity for a few minutes, Maj makes her first circuit around the classroom to peer into cauldrons and to remind, "Each card is slightly different so should you get stuck, you cannot rely on what your neighbors are doing."
Too soon for some of them, the hour alotted for the exam is up. Time might fly when one is having fun but time can pass at the speed of light when rushing to finish an exam.