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Two Days Down
Author: Rowan Westwick
Date: 09-13-13 17:16
Rowan lay on her stomach on her bed and read over her Potions notes. She already had two final exams behind her. Arithmancy & Divination had been on Monday, and Rowan had written her Ancient Runes exam only a couple of hours ago. She felt like she had done a decent job on both, but Rowan supposed she would soon find out how she'd really fared on the exams.
Potions was scheduled for first thing in the morning, followed by History of Magic. After that, Rowan had three more exams on Thursday and two scheduled for Friday. Then at long last, she would have her fourth year at Hogwarts behind her! It was only twenty-seven years in the making, but there it was.
Rowan rolled onto her side, picking up her notes as she went. She attempted to do a little more reading, but her arms tired out rather quickly. Giving up, Rowan put down her notes and sat up to peek over at Beatrix. Beatrix was propped up against her pillows, pointing at invisible concepts in the air as her mouth moved with unspoken words.
Rowan cleared her throat, and Beatrix looked over. "What?"
"Are you at a good stopping point?" Rowan asked.
Beatrix shrugged. "I guess so. Want to go to the Great Hall?"
"Yes. I think my brain needs sustenance."
Beatrix sat up and threw her legs over the side of her bed. "I think that's just your excuse for not wanting to study," she teased.
"Wellllll," Rowan drawled, "can you blame me?"
"No, but we're not even halfway through our exams yet."
Rowan also got up and slipped her feet into her school shoes. "Ah, but I have two exams finished, while your first one was only today."
"Ah, but unlike you, who only has two exams in the morning, I have four tomorrow!" Beatrix playfully countered.
The girls exited their dormitory room and made their way through the common room to the portal.
"Well, that's your fault for choosing an extra class," Rowan quipped, grinning.
"I don't know why you didn't sign up for Fitness & Athletics," Beatrix replied, slipping through the portal with Rowan on her heels. "It's loads of fun, and I'm sure the exam will be a welcome relief compared to some of the others."
"Considering we didn't have the class when I was here the first go around," Rowan said, "I wasn't sure what it would entail, and I didn't want to overwhelm myself with too many new things."
"But you would think that a class called Fitness & Athletics might be about fitness and athletics," Beatrix teased.
"Maybe I'm not sporty like you are," Rowan responded.
"You know, I never have seen you fly a broom before. Do you even know how?"
"Of course I know how!" Rowan exclaimed, "but it's been a really long time since I've flown on one."
"Like a quarter century long?"
"Yes, something like that."
"Maybe I should visit you this summer and give you a few lessons," Beatrix suggested.
Rowan smiled. She knew that Beatrix was angling to spend some time with Ash. "We'll see," Rowan finally said.
The girls reached the Great Hall, which was brimming with activity. They took two seats at the Ravenclaw table and tucked in to the various nearby dishes. Rowan filled up her plate with sausage links, while Beatrix loaded up a jacket potato with butter and cheese. The hot, hearty meal was just what they needed to get them through more hours of studying before bedtime.
So Judgmental
Author: Fionna
Date: 09-13-13 18:26
After a hectic morning at Terrortours spend more or less by herself on a day when witches and wizards suddenly decided they had to book holidays right this very moment, Fionna finally got the much needed relief to take a very late lunch. So late it's bordering on suppertime. Luckily, she'd picked up some things from The Flour Shoppe this morning so she at least wasn't without sustenance for hours on end. At one point in the day she'd considered owling out for something or sticking her head in the Floo and making an order only to never find a long enough time to be able to do either.
Sitting now at Delia's Deli, waiting for her order, Fionna goes over the mockups for some new travel brochures. Movement towards her table has her looking up in anticipation of food only to see it's her cousin Leslie.
Leslie smiles coyly at a nice looking man, not seeming bothered in the slightest that the man is there with a woman. "You're shameless," Fionna states when Leslie pulls out a chair and sits."
"Looking is harmless. Why are you here?"
"You rarely ever stop at just looking. I'm here to see the rare lemon spotted, spiked, lop eared, wooly thestral."
"Lemon spotted what?"
"Thestral. You know. The flying horse."
"What are you blathering on about?"
"You asked why I am here."
Leslie rolls her eyes. "I know why you are here but why are you here alone and not home or something?"
"Jericho popped over to Galway to fill in for a sick musician mate. The band has a two week nightly run at some pub and without a keyboardist, they thought they'd sound flat. Dalton is with his Auntie Basilia as part of her quest to be fully baby ready when her own sprog arrives. As I was so famished I was about to drop on the spot, coming here seemed one of the quickest ways to get something to eat."
Fionna's food has arrived by that time and as soon as she says the word eat, she does just that, tucking into her meal. Leslie, eyes on another nice looking male, nods almost absentmindedly as if she heard what Fionna said but wasn't really listening.
Fionna swallows a bite and reaches for her drink asking as she does. "Are you here to eat or did you just happen to see me and came in to say hello?"
"I was thinking of getting a salad. I want something more but I'm doing one of those live model things at Narcissa's tomorrow. I don't want to suddenly bloat."
"Unless you have some sort of problem I'm unaware of or unless you're having female issues, I hardly think a sandwich or some soup would make you bloat overnight."
"You've never done any modeling. You have no idea how even looking at a bottle of water can add a stone of weight."
"Exaggerate much?"
"Ooooh, there's a looker. I don't see a ring on his finger. Maybe I should go see if he's free for a drink."
"Your libido is going to get you hexed one of these days by some jealous significant other."
"I never steal anyone. My partners are always willing. Takes two to tango as that saying goes."
"Angry wives and girlfriends hardly ever think that rationally. Most think that as there are plenty of singles out there, there's no reason for you to deliberately set out to woo someone already in a relationship."
"I can't help being attracted mainly to men who are already with someone else."
"Yes, well, if you aren't careful, one of these days you're going to end up with runny red pustules all over your body."
"You've always been so judgmental about who I date. As someone who can be something of a bitch at times and who rarely stops until she gets what she wants, I would think you'd be more understanding."
"Big difference between being determined to reach one's goals and getting labeled a bitch for it and sleeping around with men who have girlfriends or wives."
"As I said, it takes two. A man committed to the wife or the girlfriend isn't going to want to fool around. If he's willing to step out with me or with someone else then she's better off without him anyway."
"And it's better for you because you have no interest in an actual relationship."
"Exactly. Back in a tic. I'm going to order a salad and find out if Mr. Loner over there wants to meet up for drinks later."
Fionna gives a shake of her head, returns her attention to eating and to looking over the mockups, wondering if Leslie will ever want try an honest to Merlin one-on-one relationship or if she'll be the perpetual fleeting moments of fun girl that she is now.
(Evelyn) Beetles
Author: Johanna Steele
Date: 09-14-13 06:35
Evelyn was seated at the Slytherin table finishing her breakfast while she described to Dinah the not so interesting particularities of cumin.
Today she was having Herbology and Transfiguration exam and Evelyn thought she had a best shot with plants than to have a good grade on any of the questions Professor Flint might ask her. She was pretty sure he would never be satisfied with any reply she might write down. There was always something missing, some little detail about theory of Transfiguration that she knew she would forget to mention and he would consider it vital for the answer given to be complete.
Envirude, who was seated in front of Evelyn, was not revising for Herbolgy and instead she was reading some notes she had brought from the dormitory about beetles. Evelyn couldn't really understand what make people wanting to study such disgusting creatures as beetles. Care of Magical Creatures had never been on her list of electives she would be interesting to take and she was very grateful not to spend some of her time on the grounds dealing with beasts and other creatures that grossed her out and that could be possibly dangerous.
Envirude let go a frustration sound that sounded like one of the animals she studied in her classes. She was also going to have her exam of Care of Magical Creatures today. Evelyn watched her as her friend looked around the Slytherin table.
"What are you looking for?" she asked Envirude.
"Baron. I was wondering if he could help me with this doubt I have about these beetles."
"What is there to know about beetles? They are disgusting and insignificant."
"You would know they are a lot more than that if you took this class. It's actually interesting."
"Thank you but I'll pass."
"Same here," Dinah added, backing Evelyn up.
Envirude kept moving her head but there was no sign of Barontaine Marchbanks anywhere. An idea formed inside Evelyn's mind as she spotted Edgar on the Gryffindor table. He was seated on his own, holding a toast with jam on his hand. The jam was dripping into the wooden table, but he was so absorbed reading a section of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them that he didn't even notice the mess he was doing.
"Why don't you ask Edgar? Maybe he can answer your question."
"I'm not sure…" she replied, shyly.
"For Merlin's sake Envirude, it's just my brother."
But Envirude cheeks turned bright red and she exchanged a look with Dinah that didn't pass unnoticed to Evelyn.
"All right," she ended up agreeing and she collected her notes and with slow steps moved towards the Gryffindor table.
Edgar took a bite on his toast and then place it on the plate. Then he used a napkin to clean the jam from the table as he heard Envirude's question. From her table, Evelyn noticed Envirude's posture with interest as she finished eating her cornflakes. Edgar's lips moved but Evelyn couldn't hear what he was saying due to all the noise around her. But she knew he was explaining to Envirude something very dull probably related with beetles. Nevertheless Envirude giggled and she walked away from Edgar's house table after thanking him. In her face there was a large grin. She seated once again in front of Evelyn.
"Well, well, well…" she told, twirling her spoon on the bowl with the milk and cornflakes.
"What?" Envirude asked.
"I think you have a crush on my brother."
"I have not!" Envirude promptly denied so.
However her cheeks turned red once again telling Evelyn the contrary.
So Don't Need This Now
Author: Rylee
Date: 09-14-13 17:47
Divorce.
It had happened. I knew it was going to, and of course I would have expected too much for them to have waited until after I'd taken my final exams and was home. It happened at the end of last week. My father had moved out, gone to live with no doubt the woman he had been having an affair with. I'd see him eventually, but I was at least pleased with the fact that my mother had gotten everything, thanks to their prenuptual agreement – which my father had broken the moment he'd started having an affair.
Questions that I'd had about where I would be living when the school year ended were no longer weighing upon me, and after venting to Gideon after getting the letter from my mother I'd very much felt better.
My mother had also sent me a letter saying that she would be going to Israel for the first few weeks of the summer to help with relief efforts of the communities that were ravaged by the conflicts going on in Israel and Palestine. Which meant that I would either have to stay with my father and that muggle whore or I would be staying with one of my sisters. I honestly hoped that I'd be staying with one of my sisters instead of dealing with my father.
That I guess would ultimately be determined when I got home because my mother didn't say exactly when she would be leaving, only said that it would be sometime after I got home. So that meant that I'd be seeing her at King's Cross when I got off the train. Right now, I was busy trying to make it through finals week without being a bitch to my friends because my mood was absolute crap – had been all week.
As it was, everyone was having a snit over my now dead grandfather and why in the hell he'd ended up dying in a Muggle Hospital rather than in a Wizarding one where he could have actually lived a bit longer. It was too late now to change anything – he'd been buried and was gone. There was no reason to have arguments that wouldn't bring him back or change what had happened or the fact that my sister was one of the only ones that had actually been there for him until the very end. It also didn't help the fact that my parents got next to nothing from his will. I'd gotten the letter from the solicitor and the access information to the vault that was -mine- in Gringotts.
I was given the largest part of my grandfather's estate. I would be spending some time this summer going through the vault at Gringotts and seeing exactly what was left to me as the solicitor was not given details, just the key that will give me access to the vault.
Right now, I was going over my astronomy notes for my exam tonight. Charms and DADA were done, and I was free until ten-thirty tonight when I would ultimately be taking my Astronomy exam. Then, I has two more days of exams and it would be time for the end of term feast and then the beginning of summer.
After about an hour of staring at the same paragraph and not actually recalling what I was studying or reading I figured it would be a good time to take a break and venture down to dinner. I was just sitting down in the Great Hall when Lixue soon landed with an envelope in her beak. Dropping it off and sniping a crisp that I'd held out to her. She then flew off no doubt to hunt something more suitable to her tastes. I on the other hand returned to my hot roast beef sandwich with au jus, crisps with brown gravy and pumpkin juice. I refused to let myself stress out over exams. I'd get it done and I would deal with things as they happened – what else could I do?
(Beatrix) Halfway Point
Author: Griet
Date: 09-15-13 10:04
Beatrix moved from station to station at Cloud's Kiss, either demonstrating the proper manner for using a device like a telephone or answering written questions associated with a particular Muggle object or custom. Muggle Studies was her third exam of the day; she had already taken her Potions and History of Magic exams that morning.
Directly after Muggle Studies, Beatrix had Fitness & Athletics. Tomorrow she had another full day of exams, which included Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology and Astronomy. She had two more on Friday, Transfiguration and Charms.
She couldn't wait for Friday afternoon. Beatrix planned on doing absolutely nothing. Saturday she would pack her trunk and then Sunday she would board the Hogwarts Express for home.
Beatrix hadn't been joking when she'd suggested to Rowan that she visit the Westwicks over the summer. It wasn't just that she wanted to get to know Ash better, either. Beatrix wanted to spend some time with her friend outside of Hogwarts. Maybe Rowan could visit the Vanderbilts in Canterbury, too. If Ash came along, all the better.
"Next station, please," Professor Miller announced.
Beatrix moved several paces to her right and studied the objects on the table. Most were cylindrical of varying widths, but a few were rectangular. The first question on her test parchment associated with the objects was to identify them. Beatrix knew to write down Batteries. She spent the next few minutes answering other questions relating to the objects and then moved to the next station when Professor Miller said to do so.
Sixth Year DADA Final
Author: Kissy Isuki
Date: 09-15-13 12:34
The sixth year Defense Against the Dark Arts students stand just within the entrance to one of the large rooms used for practicing certain spells and as an obstacle course or sorts. Kissy instructs, "Leave your bags by the door. You will not need inks or quills as I have provided them for you. Yes, Wilbur?"
Wilbur Tremaine holds up some items in his hands. "All I brought were quills and some ink."
Kissy summons a small table to put by the door so that the ink bottle won't accidentally get knocked over or the quills stepped on. "They should be fine here, Wilbur." To the rest of the class she adds, "Anyone else who doesn't have a book satchel, may leave your items on the table. On each desk is an exam booklet. Please locate the one with your name but do not open it yet."
Knowing that the longer they take to follow through, the less time they have for writing the exam, the students are quick to comply and are soon seated as the desks spaced well apart. When all have been seated, Kissy gives other instructions while getting anti-cheating quills and ink passed out. "As you have noticed, there are some stations around the perimeter of the room. At some point during the exam I will call each of you to me and you will draw a letter from this hate. The letter corresponds to one of the stations where you will follow the instructions you find there. You may be required to demonstrate a particular defensive spell. You simply have to give me the answers to some short answer questions."
"Does everyone now have a quill and ink?"
"Good. You may open the exam booklet and begin. If you have a question, please raise your hand. If you need another quill, hold up the quill you have."
Kissy gives them ten to fifteen minutes before she begins calling them individually, beginning with Catriona Amherst. Throughout the hour and a half allotted for the testing, Kissy periodically munches dry, slightly salty wafers, helping with the slight nausea of morning sickness that while never horrible like some have, also doesn't seem to show any signs of abating.
At 2:30, Kissy announces, "Fifteen minutes remain." Several students increase the pace of their writing while others, who seem to be finished, either sit reading back through their exams or sit taking a few moments to do absolutely nothing. At 2:45, she's collecting the exam booklets and wishing the sixth years, "Good luck on your remaining exams!"
Class Outing To A Park
Author: Griffin Price
Date: 09-15-13 18:41
"When's Mummy coming?"
Though the swings at this Wizarding park can be self propelled, Griff is standing behind Tristan giving him a push every third or fourth time the boy comes backwards towards him. "You asked that two minutes ago."
Tristan grip tightens as he looks back over his shoulder. "I just want her to hurry and get here. Higher! Push me higher."
"A little higher but if I do much more than that you'll go over the top of the bar and come down on the other side."
Tristan loudly chortles, "Do that, Daddy! Push me over the top!"
The child in the next swing, Tristan's friend Tyler Casey, who Griff is also pushing, adds his laughter to the mix. "Me too! Me too!"
Griff pushes them higher but, to their disappointment, not so high they flip over the top of the swing set bar. They swing for a little longer, three or four minutes, before deciding to switch to slightly inclined rope ladders. Griff goes with them, not because he's worried Tristan or Tyler will get hurt but because Tristan asks him to come.
All around the park others children from Tristan's school class are either playing or lounging lazily on picnic blankets. The class is having an end of school year picnic and earlier in the day they'd gone on a tour of the Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean factory, even getting to taste some potential new flavors (caramel popcorn, octopus, dust bunny, and shortbread biscuit). Some parents went on the tour then had to return to work or whatever else was on their schedules. Some skipped the tour but came for the picnic. Others did neither. Carys and Griff chaperoned on the tour and then while Carys went to pick up a cake from Briar's that is a surprise for the children and their teacher, something several of the parents decided to get together and do, Griff came from the tour to the park.
"Dad?"
Expecting another, "Where's Mummy?" question Griff says, "She should be here just any time now, Tristan."
"Daaad, that's not what I was going to ask."
"Sorry. What is your question?"
"When am I getting a brother or sister? I'd rather have a brother but a sister would be okay. Tyler has two brothers and is getting a sister soon." As he says this last Tyler, trying to hang on to the wobbly rope ladder as it twists under him, is bobbing his head to back up what Tristan is saying, which makes the rope ladder wobble even more.
"We've talked about this. We can't just run out to a shoppe and pick you up a brother or a sister."
"You got me a cat when I asked."
Griff chuckles at that. "Yes, well, a kitten is far easier to get."
"If you can get me a brother, can you make him five? That way he's my baby brother but not a real baby."
Griff lightly laughs again. "Doesn't quite work that way unless we adopt and even then, it doesn't always quite work that way."
"What's 'dopt?"
"Adopt is when a mum and dad bring home a little boy or little girl who no longer has parents; but, it's not as easy as just going and picking out a boy or girl who needs a home."
"Why?"
Carys appears in Griff's line of sight. "Mum's here. Let me go help her. I'll be right back."
Griff hurries over to help Carys with the large cake box as well as the picnic basket she's also carrying. Taking the box from her he grins, "Tristan would like us to go round to the Baby Brother Shoppe and pick him up a five year old."
Carys returns the grin. "You do realize that when he's asking the difficult questions or wanting us to do these sorts of things, he's your son, not mine."
Hands occupied, Griff bumps her with his hip. "So you've told me along with he's your son when he's being sweet and wanting cuddles."
Carys hip bumps him back then walking over to one of the picnic tables scattered about the park she puts the basket on it then gestures for Griff to put the cake box down. He asks, "Since we have our picnic food over there in a basket on that blanket, I'm taking it this basket has the plates, forks, and napkins for the cake."
"That would be correct."
They leave the cake and other items for the time being as Tristan is calling them over to come watch him climb the rope ladder while Tyler is trying to figure out how to get his own ladder flipped over so he's on top of it instead of under it.
Preparations
Author: Illyria
Date: 09-15-13 19:08
The sun was still up when Illyria went to the observation deck to set up all the telescopes her second year Ravenclaw and Slytherin students and fourth year Gryffindor and Hufflepuff students would be using for tonight's final exams. She arranged them in even intervals in three rows on the deck, giving the students enough room to work but spacing the telescopes far enough apart that her students kept their eyes on their own star charts. Anti-cheating quills would prevent them from copying answers, of course, but Illyria hoped to eliminate all distractions in her arrangement of the telescopes.
When everything was ordered to her satisfaction, Illyria went down the spiral staircase to her classroom and sat at her desk to count out the number of star charts she would need for both exam groups. She added a few extra, should unforeseen circumstances require the use of another, and then turned her attention to the quills. She counted out the necessary amount, plus a couple extra, and then leaned back in her desk chair.
She couldn't believe that another school year had already come and gone. With the exception of the slightly less than a year spent at the community for nons 14-15-14, Illyria had been at Hogwarts continuously since the fall of 2000. Back then, she had taught Astronomy to all years. The next year, Harriet Snider had taken over Hogwarts and delegated the half-bloods, muggle-borns and half-breeds to Illyria. Then came 14-15-14, and finally, in 2003, Illyria had returned to Hogwarts and taken up her current position of teaching Astronomy to first-fourth year students.
So much had changed, both in her professional and personal life. Other than the one time Illyria thought she had seen Nathan in Hogsmeade, she had not given him much thought, though the knowledge that his divorce would soon be final remained at the back of her mind. She and Roland hung out a lot, but only as friends. Illyria was glad that they had reconnected, since he had been a big part of her life once upon a time. They certainly made better friends than lovers, though.
Outside her window, the sky darkened, and Illyria knew she better go back to the observation deck. She arrived just before the first second year Ravenclaws and Slytherins arrived. Promptly at 10:30 PM, she passed out star charts and quills, gave a few instructions, and then asked her students to begin their exams.
(Château de Catesby, Normandy) Visiting the Parents
Author: Cassandra Catesby
Date: 09-16-13 05:47
It was several years since she had visited, but it seemed exactly the same. The same rolling countryside. The same little villages with their half-timbered cottages. It was like time had stood still.
But, of course, time stands still for no one. Not even wizards.
One of the most visible changes was standing beside her. Her companion on this trip, not her twin sister and her parents, but her... significant other? Boyfriend, whilst technically correct, sounded highly inappropriate. She didn't think she could bring herself to use the word.
Which led to the interesting question of just what her parents would call him. Her lips twitched slightly.
Kirley had been studying Cass far more than the landscape. "Uh-oh, that look usually means you having some sort of naughty thought," he teased. "Care to share?"
"I was just pondering how to introduce you to my mother," she admitted. She tucked her arm through his. They were following a path that wound through - and then out of - one of the aforementioned little villages. It was all very charming, quaint, and rural.
"Well, it would sound rather juvenile to introduce me as your boyfriend, I suppose. And I would say we left friends behind us a ways," he pondered. "It does pose a quandary." And made him infinitely grateful that he'd not needed to think about such with his mother. Cloris had inferred their relationship and it greatly simplified things.
Cass wrinkled her nose. "I refuse to call you a boyfriend. That is just... no. Definitely not," she said. "It reminds me far too much of school and all the girls wondering which boy would ask them to dance."
He chuckled and slid an arm around her waist. "I can understand that," he said. A more serious expression flickered through his eyes as he glanced at her. "You could always introduce me as your fiancé," he murmured, "but I know the thought of marriage makes you skittish." It wasn't the first time they'd talked about it, but it was the first Kirley had brought it up so directly.
"With good cause," she retorted. "I cannot appease your mother's desire for lots of little Mockridges, and you know perfectly well why."
Kirley shrugged. "I could care less if you can appease her desire for them or not. While I would hate for the name to die out, I am not about to tie myself to someone for life that I don't care about. I wouldn't want any other for my wife," he said, for once quite serious.
Her eyes narrowed. "You're not just saying that?" she said.
Kirley turned her to look at him, his eyes meeting hers, for once without his normal guarded mask. "Cassandra, I am with you because I want to be, because I care for you. I cannot imagine being with anyone else for the rest of my life, but I can see you there. Marry me?" he asked quietly.
She drew in a breath. The question was unexpected. Not entirely unwanted, but... "I need to think about it," she said. "It's too big a decision to make on a whim."
He nodded. "There's no rush," he answered. At least it wasn't a no. He could handle her needing to think about it, it was a huge decision and one that he hadn't come to lightly either.
They walked on in silence for a few minutes, arriving outside a set of wrought iron gates in the middle of a tall, stone wall, a short distance from the village. At first glance they looked rusted shut and tangled with ivy, but even as they watched the ivy parted like a curtain and the rust vanished.
The gates gleamed like new in the sunshine, the central device in each an ornately-worked cat. Cassandra tapped the lock with her wand and the gates swung open.
The estate beyond had been the home of Catesbys since time immemorial. The Norman castle that stood there in the days of Arnost Catesby, elder brother of Ranulf who had been rewarded for his services to William the Conqueror and thus began the English line of the family, was long gone. What stood in its place was a mini Versailles surrounded by ornamental gardens.
Kirley kept his wand nearby. Not out, because that would be rude, but close, just in case. "Any odd pets I should know about?" he asked in a quiet voice.
"Not unless things have changed dramatically since I was here last, but that was some years ago," Cass admitted. "We used to come most summers when we were children, but I haven't really visited since taking over the bookshop from Great-Aunt Morwenna."
"Figured I should ask. Mother got rid of Father's when the Dark Lord was defeated the first time, but I've heard some others still have theirs," he said with a grin.
"Oh, I am sure my Aunt and Uncle have their secrets; we explored the château rigorously as children, but still... There are still secrets at Catesby Castle and I lived there for years. I have no doubt there are those that remain hidden here too," she said.
She cast him an amused look. "Relax. The family taste was never to keep basilisks or thestrals in the garden."
"Oddly, those never scared me. Those blasted peacocks the Malfoys had though... Those were creepy. I'll take thestrals any day," Kirley said with a hint of a grin.
A distinctly feline smile curled the corners of her lips. "You should have let me play with the peacocks," she said. "Then they would be no problem at all."
He laughed. "I'll keep that in mind should Mother decide we need some at the Manor," he murmured. "Although it's much simpler to keep her from getting ideas with none of us living there."
"Or more time unsupervised to plot," Cass murmured; she liked Cloris, but she had no illusions about the older woman's taste for intrigue.
Gravel crunched softly beneath their feet as they made their way along a path between knot gardens, past a fountain, and up towards the front door.
"Oh, she'll not have nearly as much time to plot. Mother's accepted an offer from Professor McGonagall to teach Transfiguration to the lower years at Hogwarts," he said. Cloris had told he and Nephele just a few days previously, and she would be telling Valeria when she picked her up from the Express.
Cassandra couldn't help it, she started to laugh. "They're really going to let her loose on all those young and impressionable minds?" she said between giggles. A wicked sparkle entered her midnight-blue eyes. "I wonder if she needs a teaching assistant."
"The really scary part is that she's going to have Valeria as a formal student," Kirley muttered. "And I'll be sure to tell her you've offered."
"By all means," she replied with a wicked smile; transfiguration had always been her favourite subject.
The front door of the château opened.
"Bienvenue au Château de Catesby," a house elf said in a squeaky voice. He wore a tea towel emblazoned with the same heraldic logo, the cat, that they had seen on the gates. "Qui puis-je informer mon maître et la maîtresse appelle?"
In fluent French, Cassandra replied, "We're here to see the English Master and Mistress Catesby. I am Cassandra Catesby and this is Kirley Mockridge."
"The English Master and Mistress are in the blue drawing room," the house elf replied in the same language.
Kirley raised an eyebrow at Cass. The moment of truth was rapidly approaching, she'd have to decide how to introduce him to her parents. He was quite looking forward to hearing what she chose, though not so much on the meeting her parents front.
She cast him a look, knowing exactly what he was thinking; if he wasn't careful she'd introduce him as the mad nephew she found in the attic.
"Merci," she said to the house elf.
"Cassandra, this is a surprise," Lydia Catesby said, half-rising from her position on the chaise as they were shown into the blue drawing room by the house elf. "And who is this?" She offered her hand to Kirley.
"Nephele Mockridge's brother, Kirley," Cassandra said smoothly. "Kirley, my mother, Lydia, and my father, Maitland."
"A pleasure to meet you both," Kirley said, kissing Lydia's hand before offering his hand to Maitland. He had to admire Cass' adroit avoidance of the question.
"I remember your sister," Maitland said gruffly, shaking Kirley's hand. "Friends with my girls at Hogwarts."
"They were. Nephele's always considered them both among her closest friends," Kirley said with a smile.
"Can we offer either of you some refreshment?" Lydia asked.
"That would be lovely, thank you," Kirley said, holding a chair for Cass to sit before doing so. This was her show, he was just along for moral support.
A house elf appeared with a tray of glasses of elf-made wine. They offered them around the room and then disapparated with a soft *pop*.
"Now, tell us what brings you here today?" Lydia said smoothly. "It is some time since you paid us a visit." She sipped her wine and cast her daughter a look.
Cassandra could hear the maternal rebuke in the soft words. "The bookshop keeps me busy," she replied.
"Ah, yes. The shop," Lydia said. There was the faintest hint of disdain in her tone. She had never understood her daughter's obsession with musty old volumes, even less with her decision to go into trade, of all things. Such a shocking state of affairs for such a well-born young woman. Maitland tried to tell her these were modern times, but when she thought of all the pure-born wizards with whom Cassandra and Callandra had danced at their debutante ball, none of whom either had shown a particle of genuine interest in, Lydia could almost weep with frustration for the missed opportunities.
"We are hoping that you might be able to help us with something," Cassandra said, ignoring the comment; she could not be bothered to rehash the old argument right now. "We are looking for a French wizard by the name of Marc Lebeau."
"Lebeau?" Maitland said. "Why would you be looking for him?"
Kirley smiled, and there was a hint of something predatory in it. "Because we'd like to make sure he's not the one telling Rita Skeeter things that are none of her business. My work in the Ministry has put me firmly against her and rather than attack me directly and bring the entire family down upon her head, she chose to go after Cassandra through Callandra."
Maitland's expression hardened. "Those stories in the Prophet," he said flatly. He gave a brusque nod. "Yes, I've seen them. I prefer to know what nonsense is being spouted about us rather than have it creep up on me unawares."
"That dreadful Skeeter woman..." Lydia said, and sniffed, elevating her nose as if she'd just smelled something distinctly unpleasant.
Kirley's smile turned even more wolfish. "She has her uses, just at the moment, she's not being at all useful. Unfortunately, we've been able to only verify some of the details, which means that someone who knew rather a lot is spinning tales for her."
"This Lebeau chap?" Maitland said.
"Perhaps," Cassandra said. "Perhaps not. We would like to talk to him and find out."
Her father looked at his wife. "My dear?" he asked her.
"The Lebeaus. Excellent family," she replied. "Pureblood, of course. From the South of France, if I recall. Somewhere near Carcassonne, I believe."
"That's more than we had before, thank you very much," Kirley said with a slight nod of his head.
"If we can do anything else to help," Maitland said, "let us know. We would both be pleased to see these stories about our family put to rest once and for all."
"I will certainly do so, although I feel a certain responsibility. If I wasn't doing my best to make Skeeter's life hard, she may not have gone after your family, my relationship with your daughter hasn't exactly been a secret, nor has my sister's friendship," Kirley said, stumbling over the words for a mere fraction of a moment.
The stumble was telling. Maitland's eyes narrowed just a little. "Indeed," he said. "Then I expect you to rectify the situation, and with due speed," he said.
Kirley's smile was decidedly reminiscent of his mother. "I will, Sir."