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Shooting Star
Author: Illyria
Date: 01-20-13 16:03
The Halloween Feast was in full swing when Illyria arrived, dressed as a shooting star. She had not meant to be late and would have, in fact, been punctual had Nathan Goode not unexpectedly turned up outside her quarters. His impromptu visits were few and far between, thank Merlin, and always left Illyria feeling both excited and agonized.
Why couldn't she just let him go? She desperately wanted to for the sake of her sister and nephew, but at the same time, Illyria didn't want to shut off the feelings she felt for Nathan. It probably wasn't even a matter of not wanting to move on; she probably couldn't, at least not easily.
Why couldn't Nathan just leave her alone? He had a wife and a child. Those things should have been enough for him. Why continue to pursue Illyria, when the relationship couldn't progress and would likely end in heartbreak for everyone involved?
His visit had been brief, and while there had been stolen kisses, he had mostly come to talk. He missed Illyria and wanted to see her more, but she didn't dare visit him often, for fear of giving herself away to Urania. He wanted them to meet up again sometime soon. She'd promised she would think about it, and then, after a long goodbye kiss, had sent him on his way.
She traversed the Great Hall to the High Table, trailing glittering star dust in her wake. She wore a thin, silky golden dress and a large star for a headdress. Her shoes were golden ballerina flats. Aside from the star on her head, the costume was very comfortable, and just maybe she would fall asleep in it after tonight's Astronomy classes.
She somewhat wished she would have cancelled tonight's classes, but it was too late now. She had already scheduled exams for this evening, which her students never looked forward to on an average day and no doubt would wish for even less after tonight's grand feasting.
She took her seat and immediately helped herself to the dishes nearest to her, feeling ravenously hungry and unable to resist the delightful aromas wafting from each silver platter and bowl.
Birds of a Feather
Author: Saffron
Date: 01-20-13 16:11
Aaron and Saffron enter the Great Hall with Nicola and Brandon. Aaron had had an idea for costumes over the summer with no objections Saffron had let him run with the idea. He is dressed as a character called Scarecrow from a book series about a land called Oz and from a Muggle film called The Wizard of Oz after one of those books. Saffron is in a glittery white dress with a poofy skirt as Glinda the Good Witch. Three and a half year old Nicola is a Munchkin, her fancy dress inspired by Munchkins in the movie dressed as flowers. One year old Brandon is one of the flying monkeys.
After getting spaces at the head table, down at one end where there's a smaller children's table for those children old enough not to have to sit with parents, Saffron takes Nic to walk around the hall, looking at costumes worn by students while Aaron gets a thirsty Brandon appeased with some milk. Nic's eyes light up at the sight of someone she knows rather well, Saffron's goddaughter Marion DeMarco.
Marion is dressed in feathers. Based on the bright blue feathers, some darker than others, and the face mask with black beak and yellow markings, Saffron takes it that Marion is some sort of macaw. Marion affirms this then points around the hall to the friends she's closest with.
"Savannah," she says of first year Savannah Applewhite whose in brilliant red and gold plumage and a mask with a gold beak, "is a phoenix." She next points to where Hope Hyland and Katheryn Finch have feathered heads together standing near the Ravenclaw table. Hope's feather are a mixture of a multitude of colors and even before Marion says, "Hope is a fwooper," Saffron has guessed what Hope might be. Marion jokes, "We tried to convince her we had to get someone to do a silencing charm on her but she was having none of that."
Saffron lightly chuckles, "I can't say I blame her."
"Callie said Katheryn should go as a finch. At first, Katheryn wasn't too keen on that, saying she wanted something colorful but then she looked up some pictures of finches. She found one that's got several names including rainbow finch."
Saffron studies Katheryn's feathering. It certainly is rainbowish with feathers of yellow, green, black, red, a shade of blue that might be a sky blue, and a pinkish purple that from here looks mauve. "She's definitely colorful," Saffron agrees with a smile.
Marion moves on to Callie Blackwell and Lilith Balfour. "As you can probably tell on your own, Callie is a peacock." She nods her beak at Lilith who is has feathers of purplish blue with a little red at her throat and the back of her neck while her slightly downturned beak is a gray. "Lilith is something called a bunting."
"You all look very nice," Saffron. Nic has pulled away to look at someone else's costume so she says, "I'd better go after her. Enjoy the feast!"
After a long circuit around the room, Nic finally relents to going to sit for a little bite to eat though Saffron has a feeling she'll be wanting to make rounds again soon once her daughter realizes how many people came into the Great Hall while they were walking around. People whose costumes Nic did not get to inspect yet.
(Adriana) Trick or Treat
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 01-20-13 16:51
A small group of hooded figures appeared on the edge of the city of St David's in Pembrokeshire and cut across an unfenced backyard to the end of Ffynnon Wen Street, along which were a mix of single family, multifamily and terraced homes. It being Halloween night, there were a number of Muggles moving from house to house. Some were obviously young children accompanied by their parents. Others were older children roving in groups.
The hooded figures did not go unnoticed but were not immediately questioned since it was Halloween and they did appear to be in costume. Perhaps these were older teenagers, looking for a bit of fun and as many sweets as they could fill in their pillowcases. Only, the hooded figures weren't holding pillowcases. They were holding sticks. It was a strange sight to behold. Just what were the newcomers supposed to be?
The one in red was the first to act. She thrust the stick in her hand forward, from which a bright red light emanated. It shot across the darkness like a flare and struck a balding man with a paunch for a belly squarely in the chest. He slumped to the ground in a heap, while the child he had been escorting, a girl in a pink tutu, began to scream.
Everything happened quickly thereafter. The hooded figures attacked anyone they encountered, moving from house to house in rapid succession, intent on doing as much damage as possible. One of them had the grand idea to light a roof on fire. The blaze jumped from rooftop to rooftop, eventually destroying an entire row of terraced homes.
Muggle technology interfered with their fun, however. Some of the victims had used their mobile phones to call 999 before being attacked, and soon sirens wailed in the distance. The hooded figures delayed their exit as much as possible, causing more mayhem and destruction in the interim, and then disapparated one by one.
Moments later, several columns of black smoke collided with the dewey turf in the cloister. The hooded figures appeared, pleased with their outing, however brief it had been. Adriana threw back her red hood and smiled.
"That was fun."
Eleanor Blackthorn also threw back her hood and asked, "How long do you expect it will be before the Ministry of Magic cleans up the mess we made?"
Adriana shrugged. A part of her wanted to say "Who cares?" Tonight had mostly been about having a little fun, though it had occurred to her that if the Ministry did get involved, they would have their hands full. Memories would need modifying… The Minister would be on edge… Aurors would be on the case…
And if Adriana was suspected… then all would come to realize that she was no longer acting alone. It gave her a power trip just thinking about the ramifications the Ministry of Magic would face with that juicy tidbit of information. She smiled.
"If they are on the ball, they will take care of it tonight."
She looked around at her small gathering of followers. Ivanova was noticeably absent, still on the search for Christina Sorcha.
"Let's celebrate our success tonight," Adriana said. "Nicolas, bring us something to drink!"
Eleanor's husband bowed his head slightly and went into the abbey, where a small storage of wine had recently been installed. He returned a short while later with two bottles and many glasses, which floated in the air before him. Everyone present plucked one from the air. Nicolas uncorked the wine and poured the glasses. Then he raised his own glass and exclaimed, "A toast!"
"A toast!" everyone but Adriana echoed.
"A toast to our new leader and the merrymaking we had on this Halloween night."
"Here, here!"
Adriana sipped her wine with a smile on her face. Everything was going perfectly to plan.
(Wotan) Candy Time
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 01-21-13 06:28
Wolfie flew into his father's arms and announced, "Candy time!"
Wotan chuckled and looked at his black-clad son. He couldn't make heads or tails of his costume.
Aemilia recognized the look of confusion on her husband's face and explained, "He's Batman. Batman is a Muggle superhero."
"I see," Wotan said. "Well, bat man. Are you ready to go treat or tricking?"
"Trick or treating!" Aemilia corrected with a laugh.
"Yes! Let's go!" Wolfie jubilantly shouted. "Candy time!" He scrambled down from his father's arms and seized his mother's hand. "Ready?"
Annabelle met Wotan's eyes. "Ready."
The three stepped out of the house, leaving Aemilia and Wesley behind. Once upon a time, the company would have felt awkward, but the two families had gotten to know each other very well since Wolfie's birth and were basically one family now.
Wotan led the way down the street, where they eventually crossed into a Muggle neighborhood. Other children of varying ages were out, some carrying plastic pumpkins or ghosts to collect their treats, others holding sacks or pillowcases. Wolfie had a drawstring bag with the Batman logo on it.
The trio approached the first house. It was one in a long row of houses that didn't share walls but appeared to, having been built with no gap between them. The door was blue and was decorated with cobwebs and small plastic spiders.
Wolfie knocked enthusiastically and shouted, "Trick or treat, trick or treat, trick or treat!" through the door.
While they waited for it to open, Wotan looked at Annabelle. Although they had seen each other often over the years, this was the first time they were alone together. There was no danger of anything happening, not even if Wolfie hadn't been with them. For Wotan, it was the realization that everyone had finally moved past their indiscretion and that they could be trusted to be alone together.
The blue door opened and a lady in a witch's dress and hat and striped stockings peered down at Wolfie and said, "Aren't you adorable."
"Yes, I am," Wolfie affirmed. He helped open his sack and said, "Candy please."
The witch obliged, tossing in a little extra, and then shut the door with a parting, "Happy Halloween!"
Wolfie, beaming, turned and hurried to the next door, with his parents following behind him.
Misery's Company
Author: Lysander Stratford
Date: 01-21-13 09:09
A fire blazed in the hearth and provided an excess of warmth to the lonely wizard who sat too near it. Perhaps it was a combination of the intense flames and the firewhiskey he drank that caused him to sweat. So lost in his despair was he that he either did not notice or did not care.
On the Sunday evening before last, when Lysander expected to be reunited with his daughter, only Kristos had appeared. He had laid forth new terms, which Lysander had had no choice but to follow, lest he wish to jeopardize his future. Charlotte was to remain with the Foxes indefinitely.
Whether he spoke the truth or not, Kristos had promised that at some point in the near future, he and Aralyn would allow Charlotte to see her father again, under a supervised visitation. When and where would be left to their discretion. Desperately eager to see his daughter again, Lysander had reluctantly agreed to Kristos' terms.
That Lysander had put himself in his predicament, he knew all too well. The hasty decisions he had made to protect Charlotte from her maternal family had begun to unravel, and now it was the both of them who had to pay the price for Lysander's mistakes. Julian, ever supportive, never said "I told you so". He promised that they would figure out a way to get Charlotte back, and that Aralyn and Kristos would rue the day they had ever taken her away from the only family she had ever known.
Lysander drank from his glass and felt the whiskey burn a trail down his throat. His flat looked as if a tornado had blown through, upending every piece of furniture and scattering his belongings everywhere. Only Charlotte's room looked just as she had left it, with only a suitcase worth of items missing. Lysander had taken great care in packing her bag when she had first left with Aralyn and Kristos.
There was a knock at his door, but Lysander didn't stir from his chair in front of the fireplace. The knocking continued for quite a bit, until at last he shouted, "All right! Just a moment!"
He walked unsteadily to the door and unlocked it, finding Briar Rose's house-elf, Aegean, standing on the landing. The little elf carried a covered dish and took in Lysander's rumpled appeared with his big, glassy eyes.
"The mistress wishes that Lysander eats," Aegean stated, holding up the covered dish.
Lysander snapped, "I'm not hungry!" but a growl betrayed him. He couldn't remember the last time he had consumed anything that wasn't a stiff drink.
Aegean stepped past him into the flat and went straight to the table in the kitchen, where he uncovered the dish and conjured silverware. Promptly, the aroma of smoked sausage and scalloped potatoes reached Lysander's nostrils. He sniffed appreciatively and went to the table, sinking into a chair.
While he ate, Aegean surreptitiously swapped Lysander's glass with a cup of water and then went into his bedroom to make sure it was appropriate for sleeping. After changing the bedsheets and tidying up a little, Aegean slyly suggested Lysander think about turning in for the night. He protested at first, feigning wakefulness, but the booze he had drunk and the full meal he had eaten had made him more tired than he realized. Lysander tripped to his bedroom and fell into bed, clothes and all.
Aegean draped a warm throw over the passed out wizard and then tidied up the kitchen before reporting back to Briar.
(Anthony & Toby) Party House
Author: Beck
Date: 01-21-13 09:48
The duplex was so packed with party-goers that Anthony felt very much like a sardine in a can. He and Plum could barely navigate through the house to find Toby and Bronwyn, the hosts of the Halloween party. Anthony, dressed as a Falmouth Falcons Quidditch player, held onto his wife's hand and led her through the crowded house.
"Do they really know all these people?" Plum shouted into his ear.
"Somehow I don't think so!" Anthony shouted back.
It had worked out that Alex was spending the night with one of his friends from his Little League team. Judging by the lewd costumes and surplus of alcohol, which many of the party-goers seemed to have supplied themselves, this party was no place for a child.
Finally, he spotted Toby, who was dressed as a Native American warrior. Toby looked rather flummoxed by the party crashers and wondered how they had found out about it. He had missed Bronwyn's WWN presentation that morning and didn't realize that she had let it slip that she was hosting a shindig at home tonight.
She was dressed as a Native American princess and had charmed her long hair black. Anthony didn't see her anywhere, though.
"Toby!" Anthony shouted.
Toby saw him and pushed his way through the crowd to reach his younger brother and sister-in-law. "Glad you could make it," he shouted to them.
"Who are all these people?" shouted Anthony.
Toby shook his head. "I have no idea!"
They tried to navigate to a table that had at one time held party snacks, but the excess of guests had emptied it rather quickly. "I think we might need to make a run to the grocer's," Toby shouted apologetically.
"Don't bother!" Anthony shouted back. "Everyone will leave when they get hungry!"
A tawny owl zeroed in on the duplex from a distance and made its descent. It flew in through the open front door, through which spilled party-goers who could no longer fit in the house. The owl remained just below the ceiling as it searched for its target, and once spotted, dropped a small, rolled up note into his hand.
Anthony unfurled the note. It was from the Auror Office at the Ministry of Magic. He was being called out to respond to an emergency.
"Go!" Toby shouted. "I'll keep Plum company."
Anthony shot him a grateful look and then kissed Plum goodbye. She advised him to be careful. Anthony slipped away, which proved difficult, but as soon as he found a clear spot on the front lawn, he dispparated.
Toby, meanwhile, pointed out Bronwyn in the crowd. She had spotted Plum and was coming over to them.
"Hi!" she expressed breathlessly. "Is this wild or what?" She and Plum started chatting a mile a minute, as girls tended to do when in each other's company. Toby stuck close by and roved his eyes around the room. They fell on the profile of a witch who looked rather familiar, though Toby couldn't place her. A couple dressed in lime green healer's robes blocked his view of her, and when they had moved on, she was no longer there.
"Oh, look!" Bronwyn exclaimed. "There's Arley and Seb!"
Everyone turned to look.
No Treats
Author: Christina Sorcha
Date: 01-21-13 12:53
Christina sat at the desk she had set up in her living room. It was currently covered in papers, photographs, and a couple of books. The dig they had come from was on hiatus because of the weather. The specific room they came from had been opened on the second to last day. There was barely enough time to take the photographs and make etchings, let alone translate everything.
"Mummy?" the young voice pulled her back to reality.
"Yes kiddo?" She asked turning to look at her son.
"Is Daddy here yet?" Theodore asked impatiently.
"Not yet. He'll be here soon." She watched him run back towards his room to do something, probably destructive, until his father arrived. When she turned back to the desk, the doorbell rang.
The excited cry of "DADDY!" rang through the apartment.
Christina walked over and opened the door.
"Fintan," she said acknowledging her ex-husband. "Eee…" she started, but couldn't seem to remember.
"Elizabeth," the woman finished.
"That's right. Pleasure to see you again," Christina said, trying to smile and sound pleasant.
"Daddy!" Theodore said running up to his mother's side. He was already to go.
"Hey there Theo!" Fintan said, "Ready to go trick-or treating?"
"Yeah!" He replied all excited, in a not so excited tone asked "Is Elizabeth going?"
"Yes she is," Fintan replied.
"Don't worry, it'll be fun," Elizabeth reassured Theodore.
"Is Mummy going?"
"No, I'm not," Christina told her son, "Someone has to give out candy."
"Ok…" Theodore said sounding disappointed.
"You be good," Christina said to her son, "And have fun."
"Ok!" Theodore and Christina gave each other a quick hug and kiss goodbye. "Bye Mummy!" He said with a parting wave before walking off with his father.
Christina closed the door with a sigh. She hated being apart from her son. However, before she could sit down at her desk, the doorbell rang.
Christina opened the door to find a strange hooded man standing there. No children present.
"Hello? Can I help you?"
"Christina Sorcha?" He asked.
"Yes…"
His wand came up and with a bolt of red light Christina hit the floor with a loud thud. The stranger stepped over her, and pulled her into the apartment, closing and locking the door as soon as he could. He took a few minutes to look around for anything that may be valuable to his master. He picked up Christina when he had finished and with a pop the apartment was empty.
Carter the Dalmatian
Author: Marzipan
Date: 01-21-13 14:25
Of the Ravenscroft family, only Marzi and Carter attended the Halloween Feast this year. Vallon was under the weather, and Weston had elected to care for him so that his wife the Hogwarts professor could attend the feast. This year, Vallon was a dalmatian. Marzi wasn't in fancy dress, but her robes were burnt orange in color.
"Carter, do you want anymore pasta?"
"Ruff, ruff!" Carter replied.
Marzi took that as a yes and fed him a bit from her fork. He swallowed the pasta with a look of utmost satisfaction on his shining face.
She was glad that only one of her children was sick, though she wondered how long it would be before Carter fell victim to Vallon's illness. It was bound to happen.
"Ruff, ruff!" Carter said, looking up at somebody standing over Marzi's shoulder.
"It appears you have a new dog," Professor McGonagall stated, smiling down at Carter.
"Yes, so we have," Marzi replied, with a small smile of her own.
"How are you managing?" Professor McGonagall went on, getting straight to business.
Marzi didn't have to ask to know that the Headmistress was referring to the scandalous Rita Skeeter article. Like Ethan, she had received some feedback regarding her "inappropriate relationship" with Weston, who despite Rita Skeeter's implications was not her flesh and blood but step sibling. Not only that, they had not grown up together and had not been aware of the family members they had in common until much later.
It had, of course, come up in class. Marzi had told the complete truth, and as far as she knew, none of her students had doubted her word. That at least made her feel a bit better about her situation.
"Well enough, all things considered," Marzi replied, feeding Carter another forkful of pasta.
"Ruff, ruff!" Carter said.
"I'm glad to hear it," Professor McGonagall. "Do tell me if you feel threatened or if something happens that I should know about. I am taking this very seriously."
"And for that I am very grateful," Marzi said. She looked up at the Headmistress and wanted to tell her that she was doing a fine job filling in for Dumbledore, but she didn't. His absence was still felt by many, but especially by Professor McGonagall, who wished above all else that he were still protecting Hogwarts from foes like Rita Skeeter. "Thanks," she said instead.
Professor McGonagall inclined her head and then moved to talk to another member on staff. Marzi, meanwhile, fed her hungry puppy another bite.