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Flight
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 01-27-08 09:49
The white tights Hermione wore weren't thick enough to shield her knees from the hard cobblestones. She skinned one, and the wound stung horribly in the cold. The ground was also wet, and Hermione's knees and the back of her woolen skirt were soaked through. Her lips trembled. She hated being ridiculed, especially in front of a large crowd who obviously had no intention of helping her.
She carefully picked herself up, wincing as the wounded skin on her knee stretched as she stood, and slowly reached for her wand.
"Good!" Bellatrix exclaimed, both surprised and delighted that Hermione had decided to use her wand. "Not such a spoilsport after all, are you Granger?"
But Hermione had no intention of dueling Bellatrix. She knew there was no possible way she could win, especially with nearly everyone watching against her. Even if she attempted to stick up for herself, she'd probably wind up arrested or dead. And who really would mourn a Mudblood?
Instead, Hermione did the safest thing she could. She disapparated on the spot and somehow managed to do so without splinching herself. A half second before she'd vanishied, however, she'd caught sight of someone emerging from the crowd to whom she could have sought aid. Drucilla Eternal-Black had taken in the scene before her and opened her mouth to call out to the very shaken-looking Hermione, only Hermione had disappeared before the words could have ever left Dru's mouth.
Hermione arrived in the courtyard of the new hideaway of the Order of the Phoenix with a loud crack. She stumbled towards the nearest door and followed the sound of voices.
"Hermione, what happened?" Charlie asked, being the first to see her in her disheveled state.
Ron jumped up to greet Hermione and led her to an empty chair. He looked extremely worried. "What happened, Hermione?"
She looked around the room. "I ran into the Lestranges in Diagon Alley. Nothing happened, exactly." Hermione looked down at her skinned knee. "But something could have," she finished, looking up. She sought out Sirius' face. "The moment I disapparated, I saw Drucilla. I'm sure she's fine, but..."
"I'm going," Sirius said, standing abruptly.
"Not alone," Remus said, joining his friend.
A number of others stood to join Sirius and Remus. It was a large enough group to show Bellatrix and Rodolphus that they were outnumbered, but not so large to create a bigger scene. The group immediately headed for the courtyard. Hermione could hear what sounded like several gunshots go off as they disapparated for Diagon Alley. She exhaled a breath she hadn't realized she'd been keeping and shook her head.
"I should have stood up for myself."
"Don't be silly, dear," Molly said kindly. "You did the right thing in coming here."
Hermione bit her lip and leaned into Ron, who refused to leave her side. She could tell that he was quite angry about what happened, because his body was very rigid and she could feel his jaw tightening against the side of her head as he gritted his teeth together in frustration.
Hermione was somewhat frustrated herself. The Lestranges had bullied her, and she'd had no choice but to allow it to happen.
Performance Evaluation
Author: Minerva McGonagall
Date: 01-27-08 11:06
Professor Snider looked over the employee performance evaluation form she'd just created for Professor McGonagall. From what she understood, Dumbledore hadn't had any official means of evaluating the staff at Hogwarts. To her, it seemed as if he'd taken in just about anyone. His staff was a sorry lot, but none were more lacking in what Professor Snider deemed excellent qualities every staff member and role model should have than Professor Minerva McGonagall.
Minerva reached the landing outside Dumbledore's office––she refused to think of it belonging to anyone else, much less Professor Harriet Snider––and braced herself for what would happen next. Only that morning had Snider requested she show up at four o'clock for a "progress report" of sorts. Minerva could only imagine how much backwards progress she'd made according to the Headmistress.
She'd had other plans––to attend the Order meeting––but had had to cancel in light of Snider's not-so-subtle command.
Minerva took in a deep breath and knocked on the door.
"Enter."
To Snider's credit, her voice wasn't so low to make it easy to mistake her for a man. Her looks, however, said otherwise.
Minerva entered the office and looked at the blank space next to Professor Dippet's portrait. She breathed a silent sigh of relief. As long as Dumbledore's portrait didn't exist, she had great hope that he still lived.
She turned her head to look upon the ugly face of Professor Snider. "You requested my presence this afternoon?"
"Yes, yes." Professor Snider didn't offer Minerva a place to sit. She got straight to the point. "I must be completely frank with you, Minerva. Your performance to date is abysmal at best. I'm afraid I will have to extend your probationary status until the end of the school year. That is all."
Minerva pressed her lips together into a thin line. "Can you elaborate on why you think my performance is not to your satisfaction? Can you inform me what it is I must do to achieve what is expected of me?"
Minerva, of course, had no intention of changing anything. She had decades of experience and didn't need some usurper telling her that she wasn't good at what she did at Hogwarts, because she was very good at what she did for a living.
Snider waved her hand dismissively. "I will send you a copy of my report. Thank you."
Minerva opened her mouth to speak and then thought better of it. Why waste her breath on the moronic witch sitting in Dumbledore's chair? Her energy would be better used on something else!
She turned on her heal and left the office without a word or a single glance backwards.
Inconsiderate
Author: Ronan Eastwick
Date: 01-27-08 13:04
After lunch with Illyria, Ronan had gone to the Gryffindor common room to get some of his textbooks and homework and then returned promptly to his former guardian's office. She busied herself working on lesson plans and marking assignments, while he researched material for a few essays he had due in several classes. They worked in companionable silence until Illyria pushed her work away from her and looked out the window.
"I'm ready for spring."
"Me too," Ronan said, deciding now was as good a time as ever to take a break. It was almost supper time anyway.
"Did you see this morning's Daily Prophet?" Illyria asked, turning away from the window to fish out the newspaper from beneath the paperwork spread out over her desk.
"I don't have a subscription myself, no."
Illyria found the paper and unfolded it to the right page. She turned it around so he could see it and jabbed a finger at an advertisement on the page. "This is disgusting."
Ronan found himself looking at a small photograph of a reporter named Rita Skeeter, who smiled and winked at the camera while she held up a book called The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore. Neither Illyria nor Ronan knew Dumbledore as well as most, but they both respected him and didn't at all like the sound of the book.
"I think it's really inconsiderate for her to publish this when he isn't even around to defend his reputation," Illyria said, shaking her head in disgust.
"Yeah, that is pretty pathetic. I wonder what lies she means."
Ronan and Illyria spent the rest of the afternoon talking about Rita Skeeter's new book and then later went to the Great Hall for dinner.
Paternity
Author: Julian Valentine
Date: 01-27-08 13:24
Caerwyn returned and Julian got him upstairs and fed a slightly late lunch. After that, the boy chose to roam around the village more and ended up being asked to join some kids his age for Wizarding laser tag to even out the teams. Julian had been more than happy to give Caerwyn the money for playing as it kept the child occupied and out of the way.
In between waiting on customers, pouring over the documents, and feeling the questioning glances Lysander kept sending his way, Julian wrote a letter and owled it off to the solicitor Roger O'Shea. This being a Saturday he's really not expecting a reply until Monday though he'd like one this very second.
Julian finally motioned Lysander over to the counter. Tapping the document he explained, "The boy I showed upstairs and fed lunch is, according to this, my son."
Lysander blinks a couple of times, glancing down at the document then back to Julian. "The bag that was behind the counter is his? Does that mean he's come for a visit?"
"To stay."
"To stay? As in you have custody?"
Julian can read in Lysander's face the unspoken question of doesn't his mum want him? Lysander has full custody of his daughter because Charlotte's mother decided that being a mum was too much for her to handle. She took off, abandoning Charlotte in a filthy flat.
Julian looks away, taking a deep breath. When he looks at his friend again he says in a low rush, "Afton Carew was his mother."
Lysander whistles softly. "Still screwing with you from the grave."
Julian drops his voice even more, leaning in to emphatically state, "I have no memory of ever having slept with that bitch."
Taking the practical approach, Lysander says, "Come Monday you do whatever they do these days to establish paternity. If you are indeed his father - what's his name by the way? - then you'll have to consider that maybe she did some memory modification on you."
"Obliviated? Maybe so."
"His name?"
"Sorry. Caerwyn Rhainallt Carew. Though if he is mine, he'll by by Valentine."
"He's old enough to protest that. He might not want to give up a name he's known for this long."
"True. So he keeps Carew as a middle name but takes on mine. I wonder how long it takes for results on a paternity test. Guess I'll find out Monday."
A customer comes up to the counter, effectively ending the conversation for the moment.
Annoying Adults and Annoying Homework
Author: Cailyn Spicer
Date: 01-27-08 15:30
Cailyn sat in the middle of an unused, locked room some place high up in the Hogwarts Castle. She had no idea exactly where she was, but she didn’t really care either. All she knew was that she needed a place to hide for a while. She wasn’t exactly supposed to have gone to Hogsmeade without permission and she had also skipped her Apparition lesson again. She was just waiting for another Howler from her father. Or worst, from Snider. She shivered at the thought of receiving one from Snider. For some reason, the thought of being kicked out of school, suddenly turned into an unpleasant one as she realized what could happen if she did get kicked out.
There was a pile of books around and she seemed to be doing what appeared to be her homework when she felt a cold chill creep up behind her making her shiver and jump. “Are you actually doing your homework for once?” A familiar voice asked in an unpleased tone.
“Yes, Ma’am.” Cailyn answered, she didn’t even have to look back to see who it was, as the ghost moved around to face Cailyn.
“Wow, I’m impressed, it looks as if you are actually doing all of your homework, dating back to when you first starting skipping classes. Did you have a change in mind or something?” Chasitity asked.
Cailyn only rolled her eyes and turned to look at her grandmother. “ Does it look as if I changed my mind? I wouldn’t be doing my homework if I didn’t.” She said in an annoyed voice.
Chasitity looked as if she was going to say something, but refrained from doing so. She figured that it wouldn’t do any good anyway. So instead she only gave Cailyn a little stunned look. She couldn’t believe that she had a grand daughter that had such a saucy attitude. Then again, these were different times and from what she understood, Cailyn was only raised by her father. She frowned and cleared her throat.
“What?” Cailyn asked as she continued to work on her homework.
“Oh nothing at all. Just, if my child had your attitude, I would severely punish it.”
“Well, you’re just my great grandmother and not even alive at that! So you can not do anything to me. Now if you don’t mind, I have homework to catch up on.” Cailyn glared and waved her hand at Chasitiy.
“How very rude.” Chasitiy said as she walked through a wall leaving Cailyn alone to do her very over due homework. Before she was through the wall, she turned around. “ When you need help with your apparition lessons let me know.” She said and with that turned back around and left.
Cailyn sat staring in the spot where Chasitiy left and rolled her eyes. Adults were soannoying. She thought.
Follow Orders Or Else
Author: Forest
Date: 01-27-08 16:49
"No, I'm not sending people on this," Forest insists.
Minister Smythe-Jones arches one of her perfectly shaped eyebrows at him. "You've been quite obstinant for weeks now, Forest. You are head of the law enforcement departments. It is your job to see that this warrent is executed."
"Warrents for criminals. This person has done nothing."
"The charge is quite valid."
"Forgetting to turn her wand in when she got to work?"
"She broke the law. Why am I explaining this to you? I shouldn't have even had to bring her to your attention."
Forest would like nothing more than to rip the arrest warrent up and stomp on it like a child having a trantrum. Smythe-Jones keeps sending names to Forest's department, sometimes with an arrest warrent already drawn up but sometimes not. Most of the names are of people who should not be sent to Azkaban yet so far all who've gone to trial have ended up there with sentences ranging from a couple of weeks to several years. Even some of Forest's own personnel have been arrest, such as Ethan Somerset on a charge having to do with his connection to Project 25.
Forest had finally gotten out of the habit of spending more time then needed here at work. Lately though he's been back to his old ways of long hours and weekends even on weekends he hadn't scheduled himself to work. Every time he comes in to work after being gone, even if only just long enough to go home to shower, Forest returns to find yet another order straight from the Minister on his desk.
Forest's silence has the Minister saying, "I had so much hope for you. Your reputation for seeing that that law breakers face due consequence is falling apart. Now run along and assign someone to go arrest that woman. If you won't, I'm sure I can find a new department head who would. Afterall, with Berwyck Oldridge the nominal, overall department head, do we really need you, Forest?"
Gritting his teeth, Forest turns and walks out before he says something he shouldn't. It's time to seriously consider handing in his resignation then getting the hell out of Great Britain.
Keeping the Higher Ground
Author: Bellatrix Lestrange
Date: 01-27-08 17:47
Bellatrix let out a cry of rage when Granger disapparated. Rodolphus had one hand on her arm, restraining her from Merlin knew what. She shook him off angrily.
Disappointed that no blood was going to be spilt, the muttering crowd began to break up. A shout had drawn Bellatrix’s attention however, and a feral grin crossed her face when she spotted Drucilla. The woman had started towards Hermione before she had disapparated, and now she was standing there, wondering what to do.
“Well, well,” said Bellatrix. “If it isn’t Mrs. Black. Figured things out for yourself yet or are you still wallowing in the mists of forgetfulness?”
Drucilla stood her ground, but looked confused. Bellatrix sensed it was more than the scene with Granger, something else was bothering the former Death Eater.
Rodolphus took a few steps towards Drucilla, the crowd parting to let him past. Things had become interesting again, a more than a few were going to hang about to see what happened next. “I don’t think she’s remembered, Bellatrix. That’s such a shame; we could have sport with her.”
“Congratulations Drucilla on making the top of my list,” Bellatrix said. “However I prefer to do away with my enemies when they know who they are. Consider this your lucky day.”
Sounds like gunshots echoed around the street, causing a few people to jump. Bellatrix stood her ground, knowing that for now the authorities would not be bothering her. She cackled with glee when she recognized her cousin, and a couple of other members of the Order.
“Bullying Hermione, Bellatrix?” Sirius snapped, wand out. “That’s a bit beneath you isn’t it?”
“I was bored,” she said, advancing towards him. “She walked directly into me. What else was I going to do; let her apologize? The chit needs to be taught a lesson in how to talk to her betters. You should know that, you come from the ancient House of Black yourself.”
“Bellatrix…” Rodolphus’s warning was only loud enough for her to hear. Taking stock of the situation, it was now apparent that the ever annoying Remus Lupin was working his way quietly around her, and Drucilla was on the other side. Other members of the Order were starting to fan out in a defense position.
Bellatrix smiled chillingly. “Well, there we have it,” she said. “Yours appears to be bigger than mine today, well done for the Order.”
“You think you can just walk away?” snapped Sirius.
“Yes I do. You may be pureblood Sirius, but I doubt if some of your friends are. What about the werewolf? He’ll have a hard time explaining what he was doing threatening a pureblood in the middle of Diagon Alley in front of thirty witnesses.” She raised her eyebrow, watching him scanning the crowd.
His jaw was set, and Remus looked murderous. He nodded briefly, unable apparently to speak he was so angry.
“Until later, Drucilla,” she said meaningfully. She pocketed her wand and took Rodolphus’s arm. “Let’s finish shopping, shall we, darling? Goodbye Sirius.” Without waiting to see what he might do next, she allowed Rodolphus to lead her away.
Playing My Trump Card
Author: Drucilla Eternal
Date: 01-27-08 19:50
I could feel my heart beating wildly as I tried to catch my breath. Bellatrix was walking away, showing her back to Sirius like a cat teasing a tied up dog. For the most part she knew she was safe, but there was that underlying risk that the rope might snap. I personally was in no shape to deal with broken restraints today.
“Sirius,” I whispered.
His eyes stayed glued on Bellatrix as she paused to look at a store’s display window.
“Sirius,” I said louder but could hear the quiver in my voice. This time his eyes snapped towards me, and as soon as his eyes locked on mine it seemed to shake him out of his angry trance.
“Drucilla.” He moved quickly to my side. Wrapping an arm around me he pulled me into him protectively.
I leaned into him, fearing my legs might actually give out. Bellatrix had been hinting at things again, things about the past that I couldn’t remember. I knew about her past. I knew what she had been. And knowing these things, my fears grew.
“Sirius, I want to go home.”
His eyes darted around the crowd, locking with Remus’. Without speaking, I knew they understood what the other was thinking. I felt rotten knowing what I had to do, but I couldn’t risk Sirius alone with Bellatrix. There was no telling what she would say to him. So I played my trump card (as Harry was always saying).
“Sirius, I think we need to check on the twins.”
Instantly, his hands tightened around me. “Mira and James. Yes. Of course.”
I turned to Remus apologetically, but he patted my arm reassuringly. “We’ll finish up here and be on our way. Shouldn’t be any more trouble today the way I see it. Best we break it up before someone calls us in for creating a disturbance or worse.”
I nodded, grateful for the escape but fearful of the questions that might follow. Would anyone relay the conversation Bellatrix had spoken to me before Sirius had arrived? There certainly had been a large enough crowd to overhear her words. Would Sirius become suspicious? I bit my lip nervously, feeling the weight of the key and parchment in my robes weighing me down even more.