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Changes
Author: Harry Potter
Date: 04-29-08 16:40
Ginny, who'd annoyed her parents and to the four she joined up with a few days ago with her agitated pacing, is the one now saying, "Harry, do stop going back and forth. You're wearing on nerves."
Harry gives Ginny a look loaded with sarcasm but does stop his pacing. He leans against a counter in the rental cottage's kitchen and folds his arms. After another beat he says, "Sorry."
Janine softly states, "They've still got half an hour left on the estimation Hermione gave of how long they'd be."
"I know. I just don't like waiting," Harry shrugs.
Ginny rolls her eyes. "I've been complaining about sitting back and waiting for weeks now. You're just now showing impatience?"
Harry grins. "Slow on the up-take. I'd think you know that about me by now."
"You're confusing yourself with Ron," Ginny quips.
Janine joins in with, "There are Harry's Hogwarts grades to consider."
"What about Harry's grades at Hogwarts?" Hermione asks from the doorway to the cottage's backyard, which had been open to catch the breeze.
Ron holds open the screen door, entering behind Hermione. "I'd make a joke about Harry's not so stellar grades but that would just invite comments about my own."
The other three gape wordless at Ron who reflexively asks, "What?"
Ron's hair is blond and his blue eyes, while still blue, are a totally different shade of blue. He looks like he's 100% Nordic.
Ron runs a hand through his hair. "You knew this is one of the things we were going to do."
"It's still a shock," Ginny says.
Hermione's hair looks the same but she's pulling some wigs out of a bag she'd been carrying. "I couldn't decide on a single look," she explains.
Ginny fingers her own locks. "My turn. Should I go to the same place as Ron?"
"They have reasonable prices," Ron tells her. "Or so Hermione says."
Janine keeps staring at Ron's eyes. "How did you change your eye color? Muggles can do that?"
"Colored contacts," Harry states as much as asks.
"Colored contacts," Hermione affirms.
"Maybe I should try that. The Harry Potter known to the Wizarding World has always had these round glasses and very green eyes. A change of hair color too though a haircut might not be a good idea. I can't do anything about this unique scar of mine."
Hermione grins and digs into that bag again. "Maybe we can. I got some stuff at a chemist's that's supposed to help make scars less noticeable. I think it's really just a form of stage make-up but if it works...," she shrugs.
Janine picks up one of the wigs Hermione got. "I'll take this one if you end up going with one of your other choices, though I could use a haircut as well. Maybe get a whole new style. What do you think, Harry?"
"I think I like your hair as it is but if we're being practical - thanks, Hermione - then if you want to try out a new style, our situation is the perfect excuse to do it."
Ginny points out, "If you don't like whatever you have done to your hair, you can always go with one of the wigs or we can find you another wig you like more. As for me, I'm going to see if I can get an appointment for today."
"If you'll wait long enough for me to get this scar concealed, or at least less noticeable, I'll come with you, Ginny."
Hermione and Janine study the scar concealer in preparation of putting it on Harry's forehead while Ron gives Ginny the directions to both the hair salon and the place he got the colored contacts. A half hour later, Ginny and Harry exit the cottage, leaving Janine and Hermione discussing hair styles and Ron having fun playing with the remote to the telly that came with the cottage.
Thrifty
Author: Havana
Date: 04-29-08 16:48
Havana had adjusted well to her new life alone. She lived on the edge, stealing from local markets to get by. In her opinion it wasn’t really stealing, she was only being thrifty. While residing in an abandoned building was convenient, it was quiet almost too quiet.
After settling into bed for the night, Havana’s dreams (really flashbacks) were sure to return. Who was this girl she saw every night in her dreams? Why was her face so familiar? Through the dreams Havana saw a past life through little Isadora’s eyes. Little did she know they were one in the same.
Meeting Lawrence
Author: Ariella Beck
Date: 04-29-08 18:14
Like always, Ariella had been glad to receive Lawrence's note. She'd known that they would make arrangments to see each other in the village, though she'd expected their meeting to occur in a more inconspicuous location. The Three Broomsticks was often the very first place Hogwarts students visited when they came to Hogsmeade, though with entertainments like wizarding laser tag at Blossom's, some people passed by the pub to beat the crowd.
On Saturday morning, Ariella rose early and debated what to wear. She didn't study her reflection in the mirror to decide on something Lawrence might like. Rather, she thought of how to conceal her identity so that it wouldn't be very obvious that it was Ariella with Lawrence at the pub. Having had little time to truly consider her options before, Ariella ultimately selected a hooded cloak, one that was light enough to wear in the burgeoning summertime weather and yet would hopefully shield her face if she needed to hide from prying eyes.
She didn't even wait for Alanna, as she often did when they had the option of going to Hogsmeade together. Ariella walked swiftly across the sloping, green lawn and slipped between the gates that separated Hogsmeade village from the Hogwarts grounds. Although it was fairly early in the morning, a fair crowd of Hogwarts students already milled about the village. For some, the rare opportunity to leave the castle was one in which they didn't waste any time.
Ariella slowed to a stop outside The Three Broomsticks and peered through the windows to see if Lawrence already waited on her. She spotted him apparently having just arrived. He walked towards the back of the pub and then disappeared from her line of sight. Her heart fluttered, and she gently pulled the door open and slipped inside, gliding lightly behind him. She let her eyes to a quick rove about the room. People often took a look to see who had entered the building but just as soon returned to their conversations, the newcomer forgotten. Not seeing anyone about who might be cause for alarm (such as Yaxley or either of the horrid Carrows), Ariella focused her attention on Lawrence, who'd just turned and seated himself at a small table in a very darkened corner. His face lit up, seeing her so close by him, and he made a move to rise and greet her warmly but then thought better of it. Ariella slid into the seat near him and said, "Hi."
"Hi," he murmured. "I'm glad you came. I started to doubt choosing this place... I probably shouldn't have, but I think it must have slipped my mind. It's hard to think any rational thought when you're on my brain." He smiled at her and gently moved his hand closer to hers, though their fingers didn't touch.
Ariella threw a glance over her shoulder. No one paid any attention to them in their darkened corner, but just to be on the safe side, she pulled the hood over her head making it difficult for someone to identify her from behind based soley on her red hair.
"I think we can be discreet," she replied, smiling softly. "Besides, it won't be much longer before we can be open about our relationship again."
"I can't wait," Lawrence said, leaning back in his chair as he looked at Ariella. "Do you want a butterbeer?"
"Sure. That would be great."
"I'll be right back."
Lawrence got up to get himself a drink and Ariella the butterbeer. She smiled together and sighed quietly. She wished they didn't have to be secretive about their feelings for one another. How wonderful it would be to hold hands and kiss just like normal boyfriends and girlfriends did.
Lawrence quickly returned, bearing two ice-cold mugs of butterbeer. He set one in front of Ariella and stole a kiss to her temple before moving around the table to sit down opposite her. The table was so small that their knees touched. Ariella smiled down into her drink, watching the tiny bubbles float to the top and pop too softly for any normal person to hear.
"What are you smiling about?" Lawrence asked, bumping his knee against hers.
She looked up at him and broadened her smile. "This is bad of me to say, but I was just thinking about how badly I want to lean over this table and kiss you."
"I think that's very good of you to say!" Lawrence countered with a grin.
"No, it's not," Ariella laughed. "It's bad because we shouldn't be kissing in public. Not yet, anyway."
Lawrence, having a view of the entire room, looked around before meeting her eyes again. His twinkled with impish delight. "No one's paying any attention to us." He leaned forward, but not so close that their faces were just noses apart. "What harm will one little kiss do?"
Not Waiting Around
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 04-29-08 18:50
Sitting crammed in a booth at The Three Broomsticks with Bailey, Phin, Emerald, Jane, and Doug, Jewel insists, "It's at least something. Better than waiting until end of term."
"I agree," Doug backs up Jewel.
"Only because you're also a Non," Jane says a little snippily.
"If I didn't know you better and weren't engaged to you, I'd take that as a criticm," Doug counters.
Jewel and Emerald say at the same time, "Yeah," agreeing with Doug that Jane has just made it sound like she was being down putting about their Non status.
Phin jumps in, "We all know Jane didn't mean that in a bad way so let's not get off topic."
"Doesn't really matter how she meant it, I suppose," Jewel says. "I'm going ahead with it anyway."
"Time's wasting," Doug says with a tap to the pocket watch he's wearing. "Emerald are you in or not."
"I want to go with you but I can't leave Olive. I would have snuck her into Hogsmeade with me if they weren't watching the younger Nons so closely."
"If they weren't watching friends of Professor Miller's relatives so closely you mean," Doug says.
Bailey speaks up for the first time since the conversation really got going. "Neither of you should go but at the same time I understand your point, Jewel, that you think you need to leave. I don't want you to do this but my reasons are purely selfish."
It's Emerald who says, "Bailey, if you really love Jewel, and Jane, if you truly love Doug, you'd want them to attempt this. Do either of you think that the seventh year Nons are just going to be allowed to go out into the world after term ends?"
Before Bailey or Jane say anything Phin says, "No, none of us here think that; our objections are from safety and from wanting to have things planned out more."
"When will we have a better chance than now?" Jewel asks, her exasperation with her step-brother lacing every syllable. Glad that she's on the open end of the side of the booth she's on, Jewel gets up. "I'm going. Now."
Doug tries to get up as well but Jane won't budge. He ends up going under the table and emerging from the end. Under his breath he says, "I'm going too." Louder he says, "Meet you at Briar's in a couple of minutes."
The others say nothing, much as they'd like to, and don't make a big show of getting up to go after Jewel and Doug. If they did either they'd risk drawing unwanted attention, which would put Jewel and Doug at even more risk. After thirty to forty-five seconds have passed, Emerald nods at a clock on one of the walls. "If I'm going to get anything bought at Honeydukes or Briar's, I need to go right now. If I don't, I'll go over my thirty minute time limit."
Phin gets up at lets Emerald out of the booth. "Don't want you getting a detention. "I'll go with you and walk you back to school."
Bailey and Jane rise as well, Bailey leaving some money on the table as Jane says, "We'll walk with you to Briar's since we're heading that way anyway."
Leaving The Three Broomsticks, Phin's very glad that Emerald's not taking part in Jewel's and Doug's scheme and since his mother and Uncle AJ have promised to keep an eye on Jewel, he's really not looking forward to telling them after the fact that Jewel's done.
Playing Cards
Author: Johanna Steele
Date: 04-30-08 15:31
Being to young to go to Hogsmeade, Johanna decided to spend the day on the grounds. But soon she became bored.
“Dad told me Hogsmead was a really great place… I wish I have 13!”
“ In time you’ll be 13. Don’t worry.” said Felicia. After a small pause she exclaimed: “ I know! Let’s play cards!”
“Cards? This is the wizard world Felicia. We won’t find muggle cards here.”
“Who says that? I’ve got one deck in the dormitory! I brought it in case if became bored. I didn’t know what wizards did to spend their free time … “she blushed. Felicia was a muggleborn and had never heard about wizarding till the day she received the letter from Hogwarts.
After some time, Felicia returned from the dormitory with her deck. She started shuffling the cards.
“We need at least on more player.” She looked around “There’s Gus! Go ask him if he won’t to play with us!”
“You know he’s still a bit annoyed with me…”
But Felicia insisted:
“You want to play or not?”
“All right…”
With a sight Johanna got up and met Gus.
“Hi!”
“Hello…”
“Listen, Felicia and I are playing cards and we need another player… We were thinking if you would like to join us…”
“ Cards? Sure… Why not?”
They sat on the grass and started playing.
Some pures that passed threw them looked with curiosity. But they weren’t the only ones. Two Gryffindor also from the 1st year approached them.
“Hello Felicia!”
“Hi Eric.”
“ Me and Blake were wondering if we could join you and your friends…”
“Sure.”
Johanna and Gus dropped an angry look to Felicia. What was her idea inviting Gryffindors to play with them?
“Eric is my neighbour in the muggle world” she explained “ We went in the same class when we were little, and we received the letter form Hogwarsts in the same day.”
They began to play. Johanna and Gus were very determinate in trying to make Blake or Eric lose. Soon another students from the 1st year (only nons, the pures didn’t knew how to play muggle cards ) started joining the game. In time they stop admitting new players- they were too many!
The competition between houses started to rise and Ramona Miclke from Ravenclaw suggested that they should bet.
Gus bet his Hebredian Black dragon from Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, Johanna her lasts package of Hog Warts Chewing Gum also form Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, EricLling his “Wake-up Call" , Blakke Holloway also bet a package of Hog Warts Chewing Gum, Kate Dewhurst from Hufflepuff bet her West Ham scarf ,Wilhelmina Kluck also from Hufflepuff an examplar of
“Pop Stars of the 1990s”.The Ravenclaws Ramona Miclke and Roger Gesner bet together a box of muggle coins. Felicia bet her deck of cards.
After a moment of tension the winner was found: Wilhemina Kluck from Hufflepuff.
Before getting away, the group schedule an hour to meet Wilhemina so that she could collect the prizes that she won. Then she step aside with her friends and also with Felicia’s deck.
“Don’t worry.” She said to the others. “ We’ll play again soon.”
Johanna , Gus and Felicia went to the Slytherin common room very joyful.
“What a game!” Johanna exclaimed. The other two agreed.
Leaving Hogsmeade (Doug & Jane)
Author: Rolf Haaken
Date: 04-30-08 16:36
Jewel and Doug make their way down the High Street in the direction of Briar's Bakery. There are a number of students clogging the road though not as many as there would normally be. The Nons eligible to come into the village are only allowed thirty minutes total time away from school grounds. Some of the Nons are waiting until a little later in the day to come to Hogsmeade. They can sleep in and then hit the shoppes after the initial crowds have already swept through, making their waits in check-out lines shorter. Not that many Nons have much to spend these days. Even those with family not carted away to Merlin knows where haven't been getting mail from the outside - and thus no funds - unless they have a Pure as an owl go-between, like Jewel having Phin and Bailey or Doug having Jane.
Doug has a little money and Jewel's got a tidy sum but they figure they won't need much. They'll do a series of apparations to get to the continent. From there they just need to find an international floo conduit or someone with a portkey to the States or to Canada. Neither is all that clear on how available portkeys are in other countries. The only certain thing they know about portkey use is that in Great Britain, creation of and useage of a portkey tends to be closely monitored by the Ministry. Even if they have to figure out some sort of Muggle transport, by then they'll have help from Jewel's mum and step-father. Both of Doug's parents are among the missing but he does have relatives elsewhere who'll also help as much as they're able.
When they reach the crossroad, they turn right as if going to Madam Puddifoot's. They continue on, past the establishment, reaching the end of the lane. From there it's a short walk into a particularly thick patch of trees and brush. Doug and Jewel have already mapped out several routes, giving each route a single number designation. Doug looks and Jewel, "Number 3?"
"That's what I was thinking too," she nods.
They put a little distance between them but just before either apparates, Jewel is hit with bolt of pain from behind. The one aimed at Doug missed his body by less than half an inch. Through gritted teeth Jewel urges, "Go! Go!"
Doug does't want to. He thinks it's cowardly but he can't very well help anyone if he's taken down too. Before the second curse directed at Doug reaches him, he's gone in a blink, the energy beam of the Cruciatus Curse harmless hitting a bush.
Professor Pansy Parkinson hauls Jewel off her knees from where she'd fell from the pain of being crucioed. "Damn!" Parkinson says, staring at the spot where Doug was just seconds before. She shoves Jewel at someone wearing an RAC badge. "Looks like you're getting a big fat Troll on your homework due next week, Miss Reily. In fact, you can consider yourself with a T for the entire term. No way to make up the course work where you're going."
Parkinson walks away, in the direction of the village, talking idiot half-bloods and Jewel, just as she's being taken away from the spot in a side-along apparition, would have sworn she heard Parkinson also saying something about Granger, Potter, and Weasley and why couldn't using the Cruciatus Curse legally have come much sooner.
Day with Ariella Cut Short
Author: Lawrence Masterson
Date: 04-30-08 18:25
Lawrence leaned in, it was dangerous and he knew it, but in all honesty he didn't care any more. He would within a few scant seconds close the distance between them and place a chaste kiss on her lips. It lasted maybe a couple of seconds at the most, and then it was over. However, he'd wanted it to last longer, so much longer, and not in such a public place.
"See? No harm done in one little kiss." He said smiling at her as he sipped his drink leaning back in his seat.
"But we still could have..." Ariella said, but he cut her off with a shake of his head.
"But, we didn't and that is what matters. We only have to go through June and its done." He said, smiling lightly, closing his hand over hers. "I know you are just as frustrated as I am over the whole thing, but soon enough we can actually be a couple again."
She nodded and let her gaze drift nervously over the crowd of people, most of them Hogwarts Pures who were enjoying their day in the village, well, those that decided not go back with their friends who were nons.
"Want to walk a bit? Or just stay here?" He asked, knowing that at this point they stood just as much risk of getting caught here as they did anywhere else in the village, shadowed table or not.
"Just stay here I think." She said, both hands wrapping around her cup as she staring at the bubbles popping on the surface. "Besides, Alanna will eventually show up..."
They talked about plans for the summer, Lawrence mentioned spending the fourth of July in Sydney again if she wanted to. With her brother and sister-in-law, because it would be a welcome change from the nightmare that Britain had become thanks to the Minster of Magic. "Or, we could spend the entire summer in Australia, or somewhere else if you wish."
"I don't know yet. But, don't count anything out yet." She said grinning across the table at him. "Besides, I'd like to see Toby and Bronwyn again." She'd been the only one of the Becks who hadn't gone to Australia last summer...and that was when her relationship with Lawrence had taken off, and almost immediately set on the back burner when it was complicated by the student-teacher relationship given the recent divisions of life enacted at Hogwarts.
Lawrence slipped away from Ariella to place the order for their meal, they were going to simply sit and talk for a while. Most likely until Alanna figured out where her sister was and came to meet them and he would say good bye to Ariella and let her spend the rest of her time in the village with her sister. Little did they know...
Snider and the Carrows entered, the Carrows moving ahead of the Headmistress to find a table for the three of them. Ariella pulled the hood of her cloak up and sunk back into the more shadowed recesses of the booth and nudged Lawrence and indicated that a trio of trouble just walked in. It wouldn't have been so bad if Snider hadn't excused herself from the Carrows' company and started waddling toward his table.
"Professor Masterson, good to see you this afternoon. Are your students ready for their exams?" She asked, casually as she let her beady gaze roam over both him and his cloaked companion. She of course missed Lawrence's hand beneath the table moving to rest lightly on Ariella's hand and squeeze it lightly.
"They are ready. I will be doing practice exams for my fifth and seventh years the next couple of weeks, getting them ready for their O.W.Ls and N.E.W.Ts. There are a few who will benefit from the practice exams." Lawrence said doing a fairly good job at keeping the nervousness out of his voice.
Things were going well until Ariella leaned forward to lay claim to her glass of butterbeer, the hood of her cloak had gotten caught on a splinter of wood and slid off revealing who she was, and Lawrence's eyes darted to her and gave an apologetic look, because this was not going to end well. "Miss Beck. Interesting." She studied the pair of them and moved away for a moment and spoke in hushed tones with the Carrows and then was back. She'd apparently excused herself from lunch with them.
"Professor Masterson, Miss Beck. I expect you both in my office within the hour." There was no please, there was no thank you. Simply that and she turned and waddled off back to the Carrows and spoke with them for a moment or two before leaving.
Nervousness overcame both of them...this was not going to end well for either of them. "I'm sorry." He said softly, leaning in and pressing a soft kiss to her cheek. "I will take the severer punishment, I don't want you getting booted from school this close to the end. Not for me." He said, curling an arm around her shoulders. They had nothing to hide now, Snider knew, it wouldn't be long before everyone in Hogwarts knew what had been going on beneath their noses for the entire term.
They walked like that toward Snider's office, his arm around her shoulders her body tucked against his. They would face this together, for what other way was there at this point?