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Eye Candy
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 03-09-07 07:52
Bronwyn had heard from someone who also worked at the WWN studio at St. Emrys University that AJ Hundle would be signing copies of his latest book at Twice Told Tales in Hogsmeade. Bronwyn didn't really know who AJ Hundle was, because she'd never read of his books before. She read, occasionally, but she tended to stick to fashion magazines and textbooks required for class rather than the various genres of adult fiction. Nonetheless, the moment Bronwyn's colleague mentioned how dreamy AJ Hundle was, Bronwyn made it her mission to see for herself.
She entered Twice Told Tales, finding to be more crowded than it's ever been anytime she'd ever stopped by for a visit. Bronwyn didn't doubt that the two managers of the used bookstore, Julian Valentine and Lysander Stratford, drew in their own fanbase of women, but it seemed everyone wanted to get a piece of AJ Hundle.
"He teaches Ancient Runes at Hogwarts now," Bronwyn overheard someone say.
The Ancient Runes professor at Hogwarts had been a woman as long as Bronwyn had been in school. Not that it had mattered all that much, since Ancient Runes hadn't been a elective Bronwyn had taken. Still, she'd enjoyed the eye candy that had been present while she'd been at Hogwarts, such as Ethan Somerset, Michael Turin and Aaron Miller.
"I've read all his books to date!" someone else gushed.
Bronwyn found herself jostled forward a bit, affording her a glimpse of the wizard himself. Her coworker was right. AJ Hundle was a looker!
Right then, Bronwyn decided she might as well try giving one of his books a read, starting with Mayhem in the Mews.
Sort Of Open (Indigo)
Author: Travis
Date: 03-09-07 08:01
Indigo had not been able to decide what to call his new business. He'd ended up going with the unimaginative McFusty's Pets. It at least gets the point across.
Although not officially open, the shoppe has stayed busy today. Indigo had learned from his sister Travis that students at Hogwarts are now able to go home for the spring holiday and that those who do stay get at least one Hogsmeade trip, including 1st and 2nd years who are chaperoned by professors. Based on things said by some of the Hogwarts aged customers who've been in today, many did go home but came to Hogsmeade today to meet up with friends and to shop the sales. From other things Indigo has heard from them, one of the hot spots is down at Blossom's for something called paint ball and another thing called laser tag.
A few have recognized Indigo from when he was at Hogwarts and he's recognized some as well, surprised at how much some of them have grown and how close to adulthood several are. A couple of the girls who recognized him and whom he in turn remembered are looking very good. Enough so the temptation to ask one on a date next time she's in Hogsmeade or for over the summer is very great.
Indi behaves himself though it does take some restraint. That is until Orla Quirke comes in and openly flirts with him, letting him know she's a 7th year. By the time Orla leaves with a cute as a button Himalayan kitten, Indi's asked her to let him know when the next Hogsmeade trip is and he'll take her to lunch if she's interested.
Shortly after Orla's left, a man brings in his 5 year old son and the son's turtle. Holding the turtle out to Indi the boy's lip quives when he asks, "Can you help? Speedy won't eat."
Indi takes Speedy to an exam room in the clinic portion of the building. Although not graduated yet in veterinary healing, Indi thinks he'll be able to diagnose the turtle without calling in the vet on duty today, Hannibal Hayes. Smiling enouragingly at the boy, whose name is Jeb, Indi begins looking over Speedy. Within minutes Indi's telling Jeb and his father, "Speedy's somehow cut his mouth. We'll get him fixed right up and I'm going to give him a vitamin booster since he's not eaten the past few days."
Once back in the shoppe section, Indi starts thinking about having that grand opening and what sort of specials they can offer for it as well as specials for the next Hogsmeade trip.
Algiers, Algeria: Raid
Author: Nymphadora Tonks
Date: 03-09-07 10:20
During the several trips Mila and Tonks had made to the Algiers branch of W&W Bank, they'd managed to collect enough intel to proceed with a raid of the building. The Algerian Ministry of Magic had put much funding into the development of tools and training the aurors and other law enforcement could use to carry out all missions successfully. Tonks saw many things that she would pass along to Forest Woods when she returned to London.
One such tool had been a magical object very much like the extendable eye, only it could see through walls that weren't protected by spells or happened to be made out of certain materials, like lead. It proved very useful in expanding the public floor plan of the bank building, as it showed many of the hidden rooms and floors that weren't diagramed in the blueprints. Although the team weren't able to get a complete picture of what lie beneath the bank's façade, they did get enough to embark on the next step of the mission.
Tonks, in the guise of a young woman with spikey green hair, a nose ring, and a pointy dog collar around her throat, stood in line at one of the bank tellers. She had a bud in her ear and an extendable mouth tucked inside the dog collar, where it couldn't be seen.
Mila entered the building, as herself, and approached one of the desks in the middle of the room. Although Tonks didn't understand a word of Arabic, she had seen the procedure between Mila and the same banker enough to have an idea of what was being said. The banker gently put his hand on Mila's back over her left shoulder blade and steered her towards the lift. From there, Tonks knew that the banker would take Mila into a private office to conduct more of the phony business Mila had concocted for the mission.
The business would have a different conclusion this time, however. Mila intended on using the banker to get into the parts of the building that were occupied by the Resistance. She had no doubt in her mind that he was a member, one probably assigned to work in the bank to keep the cover operational.
Once Mila sent word for Tonks, she'd send word to the other aurors lying in wait outside the building. Some would join her for a mock bank robbery, while the others would assist Mila into getting into the heart of the building.
Tonks didn't have to wait long for Mila's call. She gently pushed on her dog collar and said, "It's time."
A moment later, the revolving door spun into life and a couple of men entered, all looking as punk-like as Tonks herself. Tonks knew that at least one had remained outside to prevent anyone else from trying to enter the bank. Others would be entering the building via other means, such as through windows or back doors. Once Tonks had her backup in place, she raised her wand to the ceiling and shot out red sparks.
In English she cried, "All right! This is a stickup! Everyone facedown on the ground!"
One of her colleagues barked the same instructions in Arabic. There were screams, but everyone got down on the floor as requested. While she pretended to be a criminal mastermind, Tonks hoped that Mila and the others would find success in their part of the mission.
Summer Internship
Author: Ariella Beck
Date: 03-09-07 13:41
Ariella and Alanna went home for Easter, like most of Hogwarts. They were glad to see their grandparents and brother again and were eager to discuss plans for visiting Toby in Australia during the summer. There was something else on Ariella's mind, however; something that might mean that she won't travel to Australia with everyone else.
Professor McGonagall had approached Ariella last week and recommended she apply for a summer internship at the Ministry of Magic. The Department of Magical Research's Agency for the Development of Magical Items offered one internship to any student at least 17 years of age. Ariella had turned 17 last September.
Professor McGonagall had suggested Ariella apply to the summer internship because she honestly felt Ariella had a future in invention and design, if Ariella had an interest in pursuing such a career after graduating from Hogwarts. Of everyone in the Beck family, Ariella was and had been the only who really didn't have a clue what she wanted to do after Hogwarts. She was the most academically geared of the bunch, so perhaps teaching was in her future.
Nonetheless, Ariella was definitely intrigued by the internship. She'd participated in the Invention and Design Competition in the SAT and had done very well with her foreign language translator device. Perhaps she could get it patented. It couldn't hurt to gain some work experience and to make contacts. One day, Ariella would need them to get a real job.
She'd talked to Alanna about the internship and Alanna had said she should definitely go for it. If there was only one position, then there's no guarantee that Ariella will get the job, but it wouldn't hurt to try... and for what it was worth, Alanna couldn't imagine anyone else impressing the employers more than Ariella would. She had good marks in all her classes and was an incredibly diligent worker. She was ideal for the job.
Too bad Alanna wasn't an acceptable reference, but Professor McGonagall had offered to be one. Ariella figured she could ask Professor Miller, her head of house, for a reference too. She bet Professor Dumbledore would even agree to write a letter of recommendation for her.
The more she thought about it, the more she decided she would apply for the internship. If she got it, then she'd get her foot in the door and open up a number of wonderful opportunities for her future. If she didn't, then she could go to Australia with her family and friends. It was a win win situation anyway she looked at it.
Seeing Lyric
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 03-09-07 14:06
Viktor walks down the High Street, making his way through the slowly thinning clusters of students, non-school age children, and adults. Usually on days of a Hogsmeade trip, Viktor is at Hogwarts giving a flying and quidditch workshop. With so many students gone for the term break and with 1st and 2nd years who stayed at school being allowed into the village today with chaperones, Viktor hadn't bothered holding a workshop.
Viktor had instead offered more one-on-one instruction for the entire week for any who want it. Some have taken him up on the offer, particularly those wanting tips and advice for making their house Quidditch teams next fall. Today though, with all the students eager to come to Hogsmeade, Viktor wasn't surprised to have no sign-ups. He came into the village himself, spending part of the day roaming from shop to shop and trying out the two games aimed at older kids and adults as Blossom Weasley's new place. Viktor also spent some time at the Humbatas Stadium, not only watching practice but taking part. There is a game on Friday and Viktor plans to be Seeker for it.
Passing Briar's Bakery Viktor hesistates, thinking that maybe he'll go inside and get a pastry. He reaches to open the door and hears his name being called. Turning to see, Viktor can't decide if he's pleased or not that it's Lyric Morgan. "Hello, Lyric. How are you?"
"Glad I saw you. I've been thinking about you - us - a great deal. I'd like to give us another try."
Viktor lets go of the door and moves to the side where he might speak to Lyric without getting jostled by someone walking past. "I do like you, Lyric, but all the secrecy about every single aspect of your life, vell, to put it bluntly, irritating. If it vere a matter of you just being shy and on the private side, that vouldn't be so bad. That's not the case though."
Lyric nods along with every word Viktor says. "I'm sorry. I am on the private side but yes, I know I was being extreme and then getting angry with you for wanting to know the tiniest detail. If you'll give me another chance I'll explain why I was being like that. Look, you don't have to answer now. Think about it and let me know."
Lyric quickly kisses Viktor on the cheek then walks away. Viktor lets her go without even calling out goodbye to her. Reaching for the bakery door again, Viktor walks in, already thinking about whether he'd like to give Lyric a chance.
Broken
Author: Shane Reimann
Date: 03-09-07 15:00
Shane walked over to the chair with nothing more than a ball peen hammer in his hand. He had given the girl something earlier when she began screaming, and she was now waking from her slumber.
"Did you have sweet sleep?" He whispered in her ear as he leaned close to her. She pulled back as best she could but found she was bound to the chair she was sitting in. "Oh, dear girl if I was you I'd not piss me off..." he drawled, "your aunt has done enough of that for everyone...and if you want to live through this..." he broke off and pulled back he wanted to see the fear in the girl's eyes. He smirked and ran his hand across her face, "oh, don't be so scared I'm only going to hurt you a little..." he paused, "okay, maybe a lot," and a wickedly evil laugh erupted from Shane's throat as the girl whimpered.
"You're not scared are you?" Her eyes were wild and she tried to speak but Shane had gagged her earlier. "Let me remove that so you can talk," he said and slowly pulled the gag out of her mouth.
"Please, I didn't do anything to you. Why can't you just let me go?" The tears flowed freely from her eyes.
"Because your aunt did something to me and I won't let her get away with it. This is pay back."
"My aunt?" she asked slowly, he nodded at her. "What did she do?"
Shane grew frustrated with her questions and slapped her. She whimpered again and he yelled at her to shut up, he didn't want to hear her whimpering he wanted to hear her screaming.
"So, my girl I am going to have a little fun with you -- then I'll return you to your loving home. Oh, but wait, they don't really care about you do they? You're not like them, you're different -- you're a do gooder. Wow, talk about a black mark on a strong and dark family name." He chuckled more to himself than anyone, he was throughly enjoying this. "So, now my dear girl the fun is just about to begin. Can you hardly wait?" His words were slow but animated, they had an excitement to them and this scared the girl more.
Moving over to a table that the girl had yet to notice Shane picked up a small vile and then a syringe. He held both up so the girl could see them clearly, she again began to whimper, he plunged the needle of the syringe into the stopper in the vile and slowly withdrew the solution into the syringe.
Shane moved towards the girl, her eyes were looking wildly around the room for any means of escape but there were none. She struggled against the ropes that held her captive to the chair, and blood began to ooze around the ropes as they cut into her soft flesh.
"It's such a pity to see you hurting yourself, before I get the chance." He smirked and then laughed as he grabbed her arm and slowly slid the needle into her flesh. She groaned softly and Shane withdrew the needle. "This will heighten your sense, it will make the pain even more..." he broke off and then said, "no, I'm not going to tell you I'll let you find out for yourself."
He moved back over to the table and laid the syringe down again and once again picked up the ball peen hammer that he'd brought in with him.
"I guess since there are no questions needing answered I'll just start." He drawled and watched the girl. She wasn't there because he wanted answers to secret questions, but because he was trying to make a point -- no one disobeyed him and lived to talk about it.
Slowly and with an evil sneer on his face he raised the ball peen hammer up and brought it down in the center of the girl's hand. She screamed out, and Shane knew it was a good thing that he had protected the farmhouse from with charms, no one on the outside could hear anything going on on the inside.
"Did that hurt?" He cooed at her in a mocking voice. Her eyes full of tears looked up at him and he couldn't suppress the smile that formed on his face. "You see all those instruments over there on the table?" He asked and stepped back so she had a better view of the table that he'd gotten the vial from. "Well we are going to use all those on you, and if I get bored well, I'm sure that won't happen. I am creative and I can think of a million ways to bring you pain and keep you alive for days. Won't this be fun?" He cackled and brought the hammer down on one of her fingers.
Shane brought the hammer down on all of her fingers on both hands until all the tiny bones in the girl's hands were nothing more than broken bits. She cried hysterically not being able to control herself, the pain was unbearable, and heightened by the solution he'd injected into her.
"So, what can we do to you next?" He drawled as he walked in front of her still holding the hammer, "hmmm, there are five basic methods of torture, hot, cold, loud, sharp and blunt and you are going to experience them all my luv." He said coolly.
Walking over to the table he picked up a picture frame that had a piece of broken glass in it, and brought it over to the girl, "shall we start with sharp now? I think we covered blunt well with the hammer, but if you'd like, we could revisit again sometime." He smirked and drew the glass across her beautiful face. Blood poured from the cut and Shane stepped back to admire his work.
Often In Hogsmeade During The Break (Daria)
Author: Blossom
Date: 03-09-07 16:06
Daria hadn't stayed at Hogwarts for the break between terms, which also coincides with Easter. On Saturday she'd not even ridden the Hogwarts Express. Instead Daria had gone to her half-sister's new shop where her parents Garrett and Azura were along with Blossom and a number of others from Blossom's extended family. Daria helped with some of the many last minute things to be done so that at least some of what the center has to offer would be ready for Tuesday.
Saturday night after going home and cleaning up, Daria had gone out with Kody. Sunday started out with Kody, going to his house for breakfast with his sister and parents before some alone time with Kody, some with friends and then it was to Hogsmeade and helping at Blossom's again. Monday was similar. Time spent with Kody, time spent with friends, and time spent in Hogsmeade at the center.
When Tuesday started Daria put in an appearance at Blossom's then left to go listen to Dynamic Duo get some practice in with Phin before the band's first set at the Imperial Crown & Cauldron. Lunch was spent with friends listening to the band and enjoying the food. Afterwards, Kody and some of the others wanted to try out both paint ball and laser tag. Finally, as darkness has fallen, Daria has Kody alone again.
Sitting on a bench in the little park between the libary and her sister's business, Daria picks up Kody's hand and twines her fingers with his. "We need to talk about something. Promise you won't get mad?"
Don't Get Angry About What?
Author: Kody
Date: 03-09-07 17:06
"We need to talk about something. Promise you won't get mad?"
Kody sits up a little straighter, feeling Daria's fingers tighten around his. "That doesn't sound like a good way to start a conversation."
"No, but promise anyway?"
"Okay. I promise I won't get mad. What is it I'm not getting made about, Daria?"
"You already sound peeved."
Kody disentangles his hand from Daria's and turns to face her on the bench, the lamps in the park and nearby on the High Street allowing him to clearly see her. "I don't mean to sound that way. I'm reacting to how you started this conversation."
Daria sighs and looks away, staring in the direction of Scrivenshaft's. Kody takes a breath and counts to ten, not wanting to futher complicate things by getting impatient.
Kody's gotten to ten and has started over again, having gotten to three, when Daria speaks again. "You know how Parker kept telling us to cool it? How Plum and Ophelia talked to me to make sure you hadn't convinced me to do things I wasn't ready for? That being their way of saying they think we should have waited. And you know how you kept telling me that I didn't need to prove anything to you to keep you interested?"
"Yes, and you worried that I'd meet someone else to start dating while you're still stuck at Hogwarts," Kody says just to be saying something.
"I like you, Kody. I love you, in fact, but I'm starting to think we should have waited."
"You thought I'd get mad because you want to stop doing it with me?"
"No, not at all," Daria assures. "I know you'd never get angry over that part of things."
Kody stands up and walks several paces away from the bench. When he turns around again he keeps the distance between them. "There's more," he states. "You want to break up."
"Yes and no. We can still see each other but maybe we both need to see others as well."
"Has someone made you change your thinking?"
"No anyone in particular. Meeting so many different people at the various SAT events I've been in has made me realize I'm too young to stay tied down to one person. I want to be able to meet up with a few of them over the summer and not be cheating on you or feel like I was even if it's nothing but friends getting together and nothing more."
Kody throws up his hands, suddenly exasperated. Holding to his promise not to be mad at Daria, difficult as it is at the moment, Kody tonelessly says, "Well, that's it then. I should get going. If we're now officially broken up, I guess we aren't going to supper together. See you around, Daria."
Kody steps back a little more then disapparates for the campus of St. Emrys, glad Drake and he are staying there between terms, in no mood to see his family at home at the moment.