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Off the Hook
Author: Lysander Stratford
Date: 04-29-07 10:13
It being a Hogsmeade weekend, Twice Told Tales was streaming with customers, mostly of the student-variety. Lysander helped an exorbitant amount of fifth years and seventh years locate various study guides for the OWLs and NEWTs, which were just weeks away. Some were positively hyperventilating and needed to be steered to a seat or given a glass of water to drink. Lysander had half a mind to splash the water in some of their faces but refrained from doing so.
Things were so busy in the used bookstore, that Lysander hadn't had any time to review the morning Daily Prophet. It wasn't until there was a brief lull in customers (it being close to lunch hour now), that Julian dropped the paper onto the counter right in front of Lysander.
WIZARD CONFESSES TO TAITE MURDER, AND OTHERS blared the headline.
For a moment, Lysander ignored everything but the article. Evidently, a wizard by the name of Ares Mitchell had gone to the Ministry of Magic yesterday to turn himself in for the murder of Sebastian Taite, as well as those of the Stolojans and a few others Lysander had read about in the newspaper but had held no interest for him, since he hadn't been the one to actually commit those crimes. It had been determined that Mitchell was mentally unstable and that he might be confessing to crimes he hadn't committed, but he did have some evidence on him to suggest otherwise. In the case of Sebastian Taite, Mitchell had a shrine to the fallen rock star in a room in his house. Some of the items stored in the shrine included a lock of Taite's hair and a styrofoam cup he's used to drink from at a Muggle concert.
Aralyn had been permitted to return to South America, no longer suspected in Taite's death.
Lysander breathed a sigh of relief. It looked as if he were truly off the hook now.
Couple
Author: Bailey
Date: 04-29-07 10:27
Bailey had been one of the ones standing unobtrusively off to the side watching Daria Matthews's brother getting married. Bailey would probably never admit it to anyone but he's of the romantic. Well, that is, he would be if he could ever get over his shyness enough to act upon anything, like giving Jewel the poem he wrote about her. Neither of his parents are the least bit romantic so Bailey has no idea where he got that part of him from.
When the wedding party and guests have gone inside the restaurant Bailey goes the two feet to the small table for two he'd been taken to when he'd arrived at the restaurant to eat. A soft female voice has Bailey turning before he's sat back down.
"I was hoping to see you in the village today," Jewel informs him.
Bailey's face grows hot as he stammers, "Hi, Jewel. Um, want to sit?"
"Yes, thanks!"
Bailey holds the other chair for Jewel then sits down across from her. She's holding out something to him.
"What's this?"
"I don't know if you'll wear it or not but it's a friendship bracelet. There was a do at the library to make them. I made us matching ones."
Jewel holds up a wrist to show off a maroon and black bracelet. "Maroon because it's the closest to Gryffindor red they had and black for Hufflepuff."
Bailey blushes again as he takes the one she's offering him and slips it onto his wrist. "I'd love to wear it," he honestly replies.
Jewel flashes a smile then with a trace of her own shyness tells him, "I was sort of hoping if you accepted the bracelet it would mean we're officially a couple."
Bailey looks at Jewel, astounded at what he's just heard. She flashes him another smile and says, "We like each other. We spend time together. We've done things here in Hogsmeade together. I finally concluded though that you're far too shy to just come out and say anything."
By now Bailey figures his face has got to be a bright crimson. "I do like you, Jewel, and you're right about the shyness." Bailey, thinking his face is burning so much now he's sure to spontaneously combust at any second, makes a bold move for him, reaching across the table to take Jewel's hand. "I'd like it if we were officially a couple."
"Excellent," Jewel grin agains. "I've eaten and I can see you're done. Want to go walk around? There's a chess thing at the library at 3 if you're interested."
Bailey makes sure he's left enough money on the table for his meal and a tip then reaching again for Jewel's hand, walks out of the Imperial Crown & Cauldron garden with his girlfriend.
Call to Arms
Author: Ethan Somerset
Date: 04-29-07 10:54
Ethan had spent much of the morning cleaning his home. He started in his bathroom, cleaning every surface until it sparkled. Then he worked on his bedroom, levitating the heavy furniture to find the dust bunnies where they hid. He was halfway through dusting the surfaces in the living room, when a head appeared in the fireplace and shouted, "Ethan! Are you there?"
It was Jaiden Peters.
Ethan set the duster to work on its own and knelt before the fireplace. "Jaiden, what's up?"
"It's trouble at Azkaban," she explained quickly. "The word is a few wizards broke in with a band of dementors. They've set some prisoners loose. It's chaos. I'm asked to contact every available auror so that we can contain this before it gets even more out of control than it already is. Can you help us?"
"Yes. I'm on my way."
---
Some moments later, Ethan stood outside the fortress with a number of other aurors. One was giving a debriefing of what was happening inside and how the containment should be undertaken. Ethan listened intently, fingering his wand, and then swarmed inside with the other aurors as they prepared to lockdown the prison.
The good news was that most of the prisoners were unarmed, though some had stolen wands from the guards and used them to fire hexes and curses at each other and the aurors barging into the different wards. Ethan stunned two and confiscated a wand before moving deeper into the building.
Suddenly, it grew very cold. Ethan felt his heart start to palpitate faster. In his mind, he could see himself transform from his ordinary self to Voldemort's pawn. He heard himself shout "Avada Kedavra" and saw Taz-Marah Wong collapse to the ground in a burst of green light. Ethan shook the thoughts from his mind and gripped his wand firmly. He pointed it at an approaching dementor and shouted, "Expecto Patronum!"
A silver hawk burst from his wand and torpedoed at the dementor, which turned abruptly and fled in the opposite direction.
Ethan allowed himself a single millisecond to catch his breath and then he continued onwards, stunning prisoners as he went. He had an intense fear that he'd find his ex-parents roaming the halls, but he found them both locked up in their cells, glaring daggers at him. He ignored them and pressed on, stopping every inmate who crossed his path and battling the dementors that dared remind him of why he'd once spent time in Azkaban himself.
Workshopping
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 04-29-07 14:37
Viktor gathers his group around him. All the students at today's flying and Quidditch workshop had wanted to work more on the Quidditch aspect of things. Viktor and the other adults helping today had broken the students into groups to do Quidditch drills and to give one on one advice and suggestions to each student in their respective groups on improving skills. That portion of the workshop over, the groups are now preparing to do short scrimmages against each other.
Viktor points to Olive Green and Damian Lampwick. "You're our Beaters. Jack, Etta, Deak, you vill be our Chasers." Viktor turns to the other two in his group. "Timothy, you vill be please Keeper and you, Sadie, our Seeker."
"Do we have a name?" Etta Wynbourne asks.
Viktor scrunches up his face in thought then says, "Ve are the Cobras."
The seven students and Viktor put their hands together and yell out, "Cobras!"
Just down the pitch Tess Goshawk of the Holyhead Harpies laughs aloud and calls down to Viktor. "Going with names are we? All right, my group, we're the Sabertooths."
The first up in the scrimmage, determined by a blind draw, are Viktor's Cobras and Tess's group with Basil Wynbourne as Keeper, Chasers Luke Dawson, Alexa Wenlock, and Wiggy Hodfuffer, Beaters Alan Birdwell and Thalia Brown, and Seeker Cornelia Vanderbilt.
The Snitch is released, the Bludgers in the air, and the Quaffle is thrown up for grabs. Alexa grabs the red ball and shoots off across the pitch with the other chasers blazing a path after her. Viktor sits on his broom, watching with a grin on his face. It will be good to have Quidditch back again in the fall. He's got the Humbatas but he's really missed regular games here at Hogwarts with the students!
Trapped Memories
Author: Drucilla Eternal
Date: 04-29-07 16:57
I waited in the room as he left to put his son – my son? – down for a nap. I had the urge to run, and leave this place but one halting fact remained. Where would I run? Who would help me? And if this were my son, then the stranger was obviously my lover perhaps even my husband? I shook my head again, hoping the movement would unlock the hidden memories from within.
“Dru, stand up.”
I felt a shudder of apprehension. He was still angry. Getting slowly to my feet I stepped over the piece of parchment and exited the closet. He closed the door firmly behind me. He stood for a moment, regarding me, and then sighed and walked away. Unsure what to do, I followed behind him.
We entered a cozy room, a study of sorts with a wide fireplace at the end of the room, and turning towards me he gestured towards a chair.
“Sit.”
I sat down quickly. Folding my hands tightly on my lap, I rubbed my two thumbs together nervously. He stood for a moment, hovering above, before he sat down as well in a chair across from me.
After a pause, he asked again, “What were you doing in the closet with my son?”
My mouth felt dry. My head was still pounding painfully. Taking a deep breath, I whispered, “I don’t know.”
His hand slammed down on the coffee table in anger as he stood up again. I closed my eyes, expecting his hand to lash out on me. When nothing happened, I opened them slowly. The man was pacing the room in agitation. Getting up to my feet shakily, I pleaded again. “I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know!” I could hear the hysteria in my voice but couldn’t bring it back down again.
Finally the man stopped pacing. Giving me a curious stare, he asked, “How can you not know? What do you last remember?”
“I…” I closed my eyes, trying to remember something, anything! But trying to search my mind had the same effect as trying to find one’s way in the dark – I could see nothing. Remember nothing. Rubbing my temple again roughly, I finally whispered, “I don’t remember anything.”
Harsh laughter filled the room. “You’re not getting away with this that easily. Tell me what you remember!”
Survival instincts seemed to flare up inside as my fists instinctively clenched in anger. “I said, I can’t remember. Why are you so quick to disbelieve me?”
The man gave me a long stony stare. When he finally spoke, his words were low and intense. “I don’t know what games you’re playing at Drucilla but trust me I will find out. I’m going to check on James now, but when I get back I expect some answers. And don’t you dare even think of leaving this house before I do.”
Watching his retreating back, I sunk onto the chair and buried my hands in my head. What was happening to me? Why couldn’t I remember? Why couldn’t I remember anything? What had happened in that room that had sent this man into such a rage?
Clenching my hair, one last question lurked in my head. What had I done to deserve such distrust and hate from the father of my son?
Paint Ball Is Brill
Author: Coco Nutt
Date: 04-29-07 18:05
Coco had gone to the friendship bracelet workshop at the Hogsmeade library and she's fairly sure Fritz wants to go to the chess one later. In the meantime they and friends are playing paint ball at Blossom's. Coco, her special paint ball wand shooting a brilliant amythest colored paint, spies Jim Raynor darting behind a barrier made of wooden slats. Earlier Coco had noticed that every few minutes the slats rearrange themselves and anyone behind the barrier at the time is exposed for the 20 seconds the slats are moving about.
Coco makes her already small body smaller behind her own hiding place. While she waits for those slats to start moving or for Jim to change positions, she doesn't want to be spotted by anyone coming up from behind. Turns out Coco only has to wait about fifteen seconds. The slats begin moving and Coco gets her paint ball wand ready to fire when the openings are at their widest.
The paint ball wands work two ways. There is a very simple nonverbal magical charm that even many of the fourth years who've played have mastered. There is also verbal charm for those unable to do the nonverbal one. Since stealth is key to the game, the spoken charm doesn't have to be said above the lowest possible whisper. When playing for the first time Coco had asked how it was the students and those not even students yet were allowed to use the magic required for both paint ball and laser tag. She was told that Blossom's had gotten a special license for each and that the wands would not work out of their respective gaming areas.
Coco's pointed paint ball wand shoots out a blob of the jewel toned colored purple paint. She nearly whoops with glee when the hits Jim on the arm. Coco doesn't know how the Muggle version is played since she's never played it, though she did know of it, but here a hit on the arm is worth a point. On a large scoreboard the point number by Coco's name automatically goes up one. However the Muggle version is played it can't be a brill as this one, Coco thinks, so very glad to be part of the magical community.
Into The Fray
Author: Forest
Date: 04-29-07 21:23
Forest joins the Aurors and other law enforcement already fighting to contain the breakout about five minutes late. He'd been at his sister's inlaws' home so it had taken Jaiden Peters longer to locate him than it normally might. Forest knows he left information on where to find him at the office since he was someplace they wouldn't normally look but he can't check into the break down in communications until the Azkaban situation is over. Forest can't even afford to waste energy being galled at being there after everyone else. That too will have to wait until later.
Ducking to avoid one witch, Forest throws up a shield to protect him from a wizard coming up on his left side with a wand taken from a fallen guard. The witch also has a wand, which she's so busy using without caring at whom she's aiming that she doesn't see the Dementor fast approaching from behind. Forest yells a warning but she ignores him then begins screaming when the Dementor attacks. Forest winces and shudders at the same time he's using Patronus. A very small voice in his head tells him if the witch is lost to the Dementor it can't be much of a loss because the witch is in prison for some crime, she was just trying to kill Forest, and it's her own fault for not acting to get out of the Dementor's way the second she felt it approaching.
Shaking his head to get rid of such a nasty thought, Forest has to duck again to avoid another spell thrown by the very witch he just saved from the Dementor. With a surge of anger Forest blasts her with a stunning spell. His shoulder erupts with firey pain when the man he'd thrown up a shield against just moments before comes at Forest again. The prisoner, whom Forest recognizes as a murderer convicted for life, throws another spell then jumps cowering into a doorway as another Dementor approaches.
Forest uses the wizard's cowering in fear to disarm the man, spins to shout, "Expecto Patronum," at the Dementor then whirls back around to put restraints on the convict. Once that's done Forest makes sure the woman is restrained as well before moving both to a secured area. That done, Forest jumps back into the fray, ignoring for the moment the intense burning in his shoulder.
Worried and desperate
Author: Epithymia
Date: 04-30-07 15:47
The day couldn't get any worse. First, Jynxie ran into the great hall carrying a huge rat causing half the population of people to scream at the top of there lungs.
Second, she hadn't talked to Cael in a week. He had been showing off and wound up cursing himself. Whatever he did it was bad enough that the nurse sent him to St. Mungos. She was waiting for her mother to summon her home to visit her only friend in his time of need.
He would be embarrassed yes, but she was so worried about him now. It wouldn't hurt just to look in on him. Jynxie ran down the stairs from the entrance with a rolled up parchment in his mouth. Apparently her mother replied sooner than she thought she would. All she had to say however was that Mia should stay in school and not leave to see Cael, but uf she wanted to bad enough she would tell Dumbledore to take her. Mia snarled at the letter and got a brillant idea. She wrote a short note with directions on what to do, stamped a box...took the form of her animagus and climbed in. She was set to be delivered. St. Mungos was waiting.