Unwanted News
Author: Lysander Stratford 
Date:   09-03-11 10:34

"Are we going to the beach this summer like we do every summer?" Charlotte asked Lysander as he walked her to Blossom's Daycare. They'd gotten a little bit of a late start in the morning because Charlotte had lost the mate to her favorite pair of shoes and had refused to leave the flat until she'd found it. Lysander had tried in vain to summon it, discovering later that it had somehow gotten wedged between Charlotte's bed and the wall.

"Yes, I suppose we will all go to the Valentine's island sometime this summer. You'll probably need a new bathing suit. I'll have to see if Briar or Astrid can take you shopping sometime."

Charlotte clapped her hands together, but then she paused and asked, "Why can't you take me shopping?"

"Because boys don't understand girls' clothing," Lysander replied with a grin.

Charlotte processed her father's words and then nodded as if in agreement.

"She looks so much like you."

Lysander felt himself tense at the words from a familiar voice, but he tried not to show his uneasiness.

Charlotte looked up at Aralyn and said, "Hello. We're going to Blossom's. What to come?"

Aralyn knelt so that she was more at eye level with Charlotte and said, "I'm too old to play there, but I can walk with you if it's all right with your daddy."

Charlotte turned to her father and asked, "Please?"

Lysander wished that Charlotte had taken an immediate dislike to Aralyn, but unfortunately, that hadn't been the case.

He smiled down at Charlotte and said, "Sure."

Charlotte beamed and then ran off down the street, leaving the adults in the dust.

"Charlotte! Not so fast!" Lysander called after her. She was still within eyesight and stoppped at the park to get a little bit of playtime in before she had to go inside the building.

Aralyn laughed. "She must take entirely after you."

"I think so," Lysander said, both honestly and wishfully. He hoped that she was nothing like the witch walking beside him.

"Does Chyler feel bad that her daughter takes more after her husband rather than herself?"

"Not at all," Lysander replied, which was the honest truth. Chyler didn't mind one bit because she was dead.

"So, what brings you to Hogsmeade?" he asked, quickly changing the subject.

"I wanted to update you on some things," Aralyn replied. "My husband owled me divorce parchments yesterday."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Lysander murmured. He didn't necessarily care about Aralyn's life, but he'd hoped that Vincente would take her back so that she would return to Argentina.

"Yeah, so I'm going to give him what he wants... eventually, anyway. The Slytherin in me wants to keep him hanging for a while."

"So you'll be staying with your parents for a while then," Lysander commented.

"Oh, no," Aralyn said as they reached the park and stopped to watch Charlotte go down the slide a few times. "I can't stay in that house for another minute. Don't get me wrong, I love my parents, but I don't want to live with them. My mum is trying to treat me like a teenager. I'm in my thirties, for crying out loud!"

Lysander waved Charlotte over to indicate that it was time to go inside. She took her time obeying her father.

"I checked into the inn this morning and am meeting with a realtor later to find my own place."

"The Hogsmeade Inn?" Lysander asked, alarmed.

"Yes, the very same," Aralyn replied with a small chuckle. "Why?"

Lysander waved at Charlotte again and shook his head. "No reason."

Charlotte trudged over. "Can't I just play?"

"You can play with your class. Come along, Charlotte," Lysander told her.

She stuck out her lip and trudged beside him and Aralyn to the doors of the daycare.

"There's one more thing I wanted to tell you," Aralyn said to Lysander, as he pulled open the door.

"Kristos has been asking for you."

(Anthony) Interrogating Henry Hamm
Author: Beck 
Date:   09-03-11 12:05

Anthony felt glad to have the Summer Solstice murders solved and the culprits behind the annual crime in custody, but there was still much work to be done on the case. All the suspects had been interrogated at least once, some more than once, and more were due additional sessions. The rescued girls had all been interviewed, and some would likely get questioned again.

Despite the ongoing case, Anthony no longer felt stressed. Unless a copycat picked up where the captured gang left off, no more girls would die in ritual sacrifices every midsummer. It was a great relief to everyone, but especially Anthony, who'd put so much effort into the case over the past year.

He picked up a file from his desk and carried it to the break room, where he poured himself a strong cup of coffee. He drank it black and emptied the whole cup in just a few gulps.

"Interrogation or filling the void Desi's left?" Amity DeBlieux asked. It was well-known in the office that Desi drank her coffee religiously and only ever black.

"Interrogation," Anthony replied. "With the spy," he added.

"Ah. I'd love to be a fly on that wall."

"Watch from the other side of the mirror, if you want," Anthony offered.

"Can't," Amity said with a small frown. "Have a lead to follow. Just wanted a little sustenance before I left," she said, waving her half-eaten granola bar in Anthony's direction.

"I'll fill you in later then," Anthony said. He steeled himself and then exited the break room with the file in hand. He nodded to a few of his colleagues, who had gathered in the small room on the other side of the two-way mirror. Through the glass, Anthony saw Hudson Hayes, whose real name was Henry Hamm, seated at a small table. His wrists were magically bound together, and his hands were clasped and resting on the tabletop.

Anthony squared his shoulders and entered the interrogation room. Henry looked up and shot Anthony a sly grin. "I was hoping it would be you."

"Why's that?" Anthony asked, taking the seat opposite the suspect.

"Because out of everybody here, I worked with you the closest. You were also the easiest to fool."

"I had no reason to doubt you in the beginning," Anthony replied, "but it didn't take me long to have my suspicions about you."

"Perhaps I ought to have handled you differently," Henry replied, "or maybe I should have gone after your sister-in-law instead. I remember her from the night Nott took control of the group. She should have died that night."

"How long have you been a member of the group?" Anthony asked, ignoring the provocation Henry was trying to elicit from him.

Henry shrugged. "Several years."

"At least four if you were there when my sister-in-law nearly lost her life," Anthony said. "Who recruited you?"

"A wizard by the name Boris Nebbish. He's dead now."

"Who killed him?"

"Caden Eastwick."

"So Boris was the leader prior to Caden, correct?"

"That's right."

"And a wizard only ever becomes leader if he kills the current wizard in charge?"

"Yes, but not anybody can become the leader," Henry replied, sounding incredibly bored by the conversation. "He has to be chosen."

"The pentagram on the palm, you mean?"

"The very same."

"And how does that work?"

"I have no idea." Henry unclasped his hands, but he couldn't open them very wide since his wrists were bound together. Still, Anthony could plainly see that his palms were unmarked.

"Who was in charge before Boris Nebbish?" Anthony asked.

"I don't know. I wasn't part of the group back then."

"When were you assigned to infiltrate the Ministry, and who asked you to do so?"

Anthony continued to ask questions until Henry became less cooperative. By then, Anthony had grown tired himself and was thankful for a reason to leave the small interrogation room and do something else.

The first thing he did was go back to the break room for another cup of coffee, this time with creamer, and then he went to his desk to write a report on what he'd learned in today's interrogation with Hudson Hayes, aka Henry Hamm.

He looked forward to the day being over, not just because it was Friday and he actually didn't have to work the weekend for once, but because he had a date with Plum tonight.

Last Final
Author: Marzipan 
Date:   09-03-11 13:11

Marzi felt both glad and sad that term had nearly reached its end. She was happy, because no classes meant no assignments to plan and mark, and most importantly it meant more time with her family. She looked forward to spending all day with her three boys: her husband, her adopted son and her natural son.

She was unhappy about the end of term because she would miss her students all summer. The fourth years wouldn't be her students anymore come next year; if they decided to continue with Herbology, then Professor Masterson would be their instructor. It would be interesting meeting the incoming first years, though.

Before term could officially end, however, the last day of finals had to come and go. Marzi only had one to give today. It was scheduled for 11 am and would involve the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff first years. Because there was so little time allotted for the exam, it would be strictly written.

Marzi hoped to have all the exams marked by the afternoon, but if not, then she would devote tomorrow morning to it as well. Tomorrow night was the End of Term Feast. Marzi still found the feasts a work of magic, no pun intended. She couldn't wait for all the delectable appetizers, entrées, sides and desserts spread across the tables in the Great Hall. Her mouth was already watering at the thought.

Sunday would be a bittersweet day for many, she wagered, as it would be the day all of the students left Hogwarts for the summer, or in the case of the seventh years, forever. Maybe some would come back as teachers or as representatives during Career Day or something like that, though. One never knew what the future might bring a person.

She came out of her reverie when the first of the first years entered the greenhouse for their last Herbology exam of the school year.

Charms Final Exam
Author: Charisma Stone 
Date:   09-03-11 19:49

This morning had started in the Library with Isma, Blake, Eric, Sonya and Polly all quizzing each other for their Charms final that was being held at eleven. They'd actually started quizzing each other at breakfast, and then moved to the library. It was their last final for the term, and tomorrow would be the End of Term Feast and they would head home on the Hogwarts Express on Sunday for the beginning of summer break.

She'd owled home some things the day before, just a couple of parcels that were gifts for Charlie and a couple of other friends at home. At ten thirty, she looked at the group. "Alright. Time to head toward class, its ten thirty." Isma said, and began packing up her notes and textbook and waited for the rest. She hooked her arm through Blake's and the five third year Gryffindor students headed toward the Charms classroom on the first floor. Already there were others that were going to their exams so they weaved toward the classroom and followed the ever shifting staircases to the first floor.

When they entered, they broke up from their group and finished quizzing each other, as they headed toward their respective seats. Anti-cheating quills were quickly handed out for the written portion of the exam. During the hour, each student would be called up to perform three or four charms for the practical portion of the final exam.

When Isma's name was called she quickly moved toward the front of the room and was instructed to demonstrate two cheering charms and a feather light charm before being allowed to return to the written portion of her exam. Soon enough, everyone had gotten their chance to do her practical portion of the exam and was nearly complete on the written portion.

"Time." Came the Professor's announcement from the front of the room, before all anti-cheating quills were summoned to the container upon the desk and then the exam papers were summoned and stacked neatly next to the jar.

"May you enjoy your summer break and have a wonderful year next year." He said before officially dismissing his students for the last time this year.

Final Two Exams - DADA and HoM
Author: Adina Blackwood 
Date:   09-03-11 20:01

After dinner on Thursday, I officially shut my self off from all distractions including Arthur, but he knew it was coming because I needed these last two finals to be flawless which meant all my attention would be focused on Defense Against the Dark Arts and History of Magic. History of Magic would get a bit more of her attention, because it was a subject that she had a hard time focusing on.

At the moment, she was early to her DADA exam, and looking over her notes for the final time as everyone else filtered into the classroom and took their seats. She'd briefly spent some time with Arthur over breakfast, and then went to study some more before DADA.

The exam went quicker than she wanted it to, and unfortunately that made her all the more nervous about her results. Beyond that, she was ready to grab a quick bite to lunch and then return to the library and study some more for History of Magic at two.

Binns wasn't a bad teacher, but he was a ghost and tended to drone on and on and on, and his exams were largely date and name related and Adina had a horrible time remembering dates and such. However, she HAD to do well on this exam or she would literally be stuck in the castle on each and every Hogsmeade weekend and she wouldn't be playing Quidditch either. She failed one course and that was the end of it for the entire year.

She intended on going running after her History of Magic exam, to run off the stress from exam week and then she planned on spending some much needed cuddle time with Arthur in the Common Commons and one of the WNN listening stations and probably something deliciously sweet and decadant from Briar's in the village.