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(Mark) On His Way
Author: Isolde
Date: 08-20-09 17:16
Mark skidded to a halt in the courtyard and presented Professor McGonagall with the permission slip his father had signed, which would allow the young third year to visit Hogsmeade on his first ever unchaperoned school-sponsored trip to the village. The Deputy-Headmistress already had a stack of permission slips in her hand and added Mark's to it, dismissing him with a stern encouragement to behave himself while in the village.
"Yes, Professor," Mark dutifully replied, though he resented Professor McGonagall's need to tell him something he didn't already know. It wasn't like he misbehaved regularly anyway, so the comment almost seemed uncalled for.
Mark started for the grounds, when he spotted his old friend Gus amble into the courtyard with Felicia Flaversham and Johanna Steele. As if sensing someone's eyes upon him, Gus looked around and saw Mark. He started to wave, but turned when it seemed that someone had called his name. Mark saw Kate run over and talk excitedly with Gus, Felicia and Johanna. They suddenly moved en masse in the direction of the Quidditch Pitch, Gus seemingly having forgotten Mark altogether.
To say it didn't bother Mark would have been a lie. He didn't like being overlooked, even by someone he wasn't even sure he could consider a friend anymore. He started to move in the group's direction, when someone called out his name.
"Mark. Hey, are you going to Hogsmeade?"
It was Baltus Crane, Mark's roommate. Baltus was a year younger, having been at Happy Haven last year. Because they shared a dormitory room and attended classes together, they'd gotten to know each other well since term began. Mark actually liked Baltus, despite their familial differences.
"Yeah. I was just heading that way," Mark said, with a final, cursory glance at the others. He turned back to Baltus. "Want to join me?"
"Yeah. I really want to play laser tag. Have you tried it yet?" Baltus asked.
"No, not yet. Isn't there paintball, too?"
"I think so. Let's go check it out."
Mark soon forgot the others and hurried with Baltus across the Hogwarts grounds to Hogsmeade village for the first official trip of the school year.
A New Flying & Quidditch Workshop
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 08-20-09 18:20
Under the leadership of former headmistress Harriet Snider, the flying and Quidditch workshop Viktor Krum began years before had ground to a halt. Like everything else touched by Snider and her people, the workshop became tainted to the point that Viktor had not held it at all last year.
With the return of Albus Dumbledore as headmaster and Minerva McGonagall as deputy headmistress, Viktor once again became excited at holding the workshops. As usual, the workshops coincide with Hogsmeade weekends, giving an outlet of fun to the first and second years and students whose parents or guardians won't allow visits to the village. Those students allowed to go into Hogsmeade may drop by the workshop as well, either before or after time away from the Hogwarts campus.
Viktor arrived at Hogwarts about the time that breakfast first was being served. He'd sat at the head table, drinking coffee and talking with several of the staff while Theodosia ate her breakfast. When she was done they walked to the pitch together with Theodosia quizzing Viktor on how the Humbatas are looking.
Halfway to the pitch Viktor's friend Dimitri Levski catches up with them. Dimitri still plays for the Bulgarian National team. Arriving at the pitch they find Pyrrhus Fine and Flora Lynch of the Humbatas, their friend Rudolph Brand who captains the German team Heidelberg Harriers, and Meghan McCormack who is a Keeper for Pride of Portree. A couple of other friends might show up later but they hadn't been able to give Viktor solid confirmations. With Viktor and Theodosia, there are seven to work with any students who show up.
They get out the school brooms, several sets of Quidditch practice balls, other Quidditch necessities such as bats, helmuts, and shin guards, and the various equipment to be used for flying drills and practice such as rings of differing sizes. Viktor also opens several boxes he'd sent down to the pitch before going into the castle at breakfast.
The boxes contain the newest line of brooms, the Supernova. They're sleek. They're powerful. They're fast. Very, very fast. Viktor thought it would be a treat for students to give them a try. Students going into Hogsmeade can purchase raffle tickets for one that's being given away next month. Viktor's got tickets with him in case anyone today wants to buy some. All the money made in this raffle and other charitable events sponsored by Quidditch shoppes and professional Quidditch teams goes into a fund to help families who lost everything under the former Minister of Magic's regime.
By that time students have arrived and more are visible making their way to the pitch. Viktor goes ahead and has those already there start working. No reason for them to stand around waiting.
Excited to have the workshop begun, Viktor starts working with two first years wanting more flying practice now that the school's official September flying lessons have ended. They tell him that Coach Batuti's been working with them regularly but they want to get good enough to try for their houses Quidditch teams next term.
Francis Almost Finds Out
Author: Ella
Date: 08-21-09 11:50
"Are you waiting for somebody?"
"Hmm? What?"
Ella, who'd been staring out the window and occasionally craning her neck to see over the heads passing by, turned to the boy seated opposite her at the booth in The Three Broomsticks. Francis had almost finished his butterbeer, while Ella's glass was still mostly full.
She shook her head and started to drink from her glass. "No, not exactly," she fibbed.
Ella had made arrangements to meet with Zane, and though she knew not to expect him to appear before her in front of her classmates, Ella still hoped to catch a glimpse of him. She found her eyes once again drifting toward the window.
Francis exclaimed, "You are! You are waiting for somebody, or at least hoping to see someone."
"I am not!" Ella protested, cursing herself inwardly as heat began to flood her cheeks.
"It's a boy! You like somebody!"
"I do not!" Ella exclaimed sourly. She took a large sip of her drink, a too large one because she started to cough and nearly spit it all up.
Francis watched in amusement as she attempted to clear her throat and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
"So who is he?"
"No one," Ella hissed, once she could talk again. "There's no one, okay?"
Francis didn't believe her for a moment and smirked. "Suuuuure."
"Look, Francis. You're really starting to get on my nerves."
Francis laughed. "Is it really that big of a deal?"
"Yes! Can you stop?"
"Ella," Francis replied, still laughing.
She rose abruptly, abandoning her still half-full glass of butterbeer. "Fine. I'm leaving. Without you."
She stalked out of the building, even as Francis called out her name. Ella was glad that Francis didn't try to follow her down High Street. Maybe he sensed that she wanted nothing more than to be alone, and perhaps he hoped that she would calm down on her own after a while.
Ella kept walking, past Blossom's, the library, Honeydukes and the adult club, outside of which some older boys stood oogling the window display. Ella took an abrupt right and ended up in an emptier part of Hogsmeade, where she spotted Zane through the window of The Hog's Head. He'd been waiting for her, and stepped outside and followed her some way down the alley, where it seemed darker and even less foot traffic flowed.
Ella threw herself into his arms, hungry for his touch after so long apart.
(London, England) Settling In
Author: Desdemona Diamond
Date: 08-21-09 12:24
It was easier then I had thought, moving to England without Bron knowing. Her mother and her had taken off to the US. Gave me the time to move into my new place. It was a small two-room muggle apartment. I always felt a little out of place living in a magical home, which was why mine wasn’t.
The second room was a guest room, complete with a small writing desk, a bed, and a crib for Wolfie. It was, of course, more traditional furnished, since it was a guest bedroom after all. I wasn’t sure how often it’d be used, but it would give Wolfie someplace to stay during his visits to England.
My room on the other hand, was a different matter entirely. Unlike my room in Washington, it had full carpeting. Freezing my feet on the hardwood floor in the morning, or whenever I woke up, was totally over. Never again would I find myself standing on ice just trying to get out of bed!
Of course, I had some pictures in my room, Mom and Wolfie, My sister and Wolfie, my mom, sister, and Wolfie. I also had a picture of my father, who wasn’t around when Wolfie had his photo shoot. My mom also insisted that day to have a picture of my sister and I together. We both were unhappy with the idea and the picture came out with the both of us scowling. Until my mom decided to have Wolfie in the picture with us, which changed my sister’s expression.
I also had a picture of Bron, lying on a bed sleeping with her makeup all messed up… My favorite picture of her, ever. Taken the night we went to a concert and she made out with some random guy. She was going to probably dislike that picture being displayed, but it was my room, not hers.
Of course, the first thing people might notice is that my room was not painted white. It was violet. Dark colors make it hard to have proper lighting and I wanted something… different. The other rooms in my place were more traditional but not that one. It was mine after all.
Of course, being a muggle apartment, it had all the normal muggle things. A stereo which I couldn’t blast music from, a phone, a tv, and a computer. My father made sure to get me a good one since he would probably be using that most often to communicate with me.
Having been just about a month since my father was found, things had started to get better. He was spending more and more time at home. It seemed the more and more he spent time around Wolfie the more attached he got. So, things looked like things were going to work out fine.
A sudden knock snapped my head back to the present. I walked over and opened the door, not sure who would be visiting me.
“Hey,” Xavier said, “I thought you might like to go somewhere.”
“I might,” I said, “Don’t you ever actually play music?”
“Not when Blane runs off with your sister.”
“I can see how that would make things a bit difficult. So, what did you have in mind?”
Working
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 08-21-09 14:11
Bill sometimes worked on Saturdays but typically didn't, especially now that he had a young child with whom he wanted to spend as much time as possible. However, with it being Hogsmeade weekend, Bill thought it prudent to be at work today.
Gringotts kept its shortest hours on Saturdays, so Bill expected to be finished by early afternoon. He merely wanted to be on hand in case an influx of students came into the bank and needed to access their vaults so that they could spend their money, or perhaps their parents' hard-earned money, on sweets and other things in the village.
Already, several had come in and left the bank with their pockets bulging with coins. Bill smiled fondly at each student who came into the building, remembering his own days as a school-aged boy well, despite his last year at Hogwarts being nearly fifteen years ago! How quickly the time had passed since that time!
Bill had heard rumor that former Hogwarts students would be welcomed back to the castle for a day in the coming weeks. He didn't know any details, as they were scarce to come by at the moment, but looked forward to attending the event. He knew Fleur wanted to come along too, as she had fond memories of her year there when she'd been a participant in the Triwizard Tournament. If they could, they would bring young Victoire too, since she would likely grace the hallways of the castle in the future.
Bill spent most of the morning outside of his office, standing in the lobby where he could not only greet the students and other customers who entered the bank but also see what went on outside through the large front windows. When raised voices sounded just beyond the outer doors and a pair of scuffling boys came into view, Bill marched outside and separated them. The pair seemed quite young, third years perhaps but Bill really couldn't be sure. All students looked young to him now that he was over thirty.
He threatened to report them to Professor McGonagall, whom he assured them he knew quite well, if they didn't behave. Whether the boys believed him or not, Bill couldn't be sure, but they obediently went on their way in opposite directions. He watched one and then the other and then just happened to make eye contact with Lysander Stratford, who had just reached Scrivenschafts down the street. The men stared each other down for a long moment, remembering their old rivalry. Then they nodded curtly at each other and went their own ways, Lysander into the shop and Bill back into the bank.
(Ariella) Keeping Busy
Author: Beck
Date: 08-21-09 14:25
"One slice of banana nut cake with chocolate icing, two cinnamon buns, and a frosted brownie," Ariella stated, handed over a sack with the Briar's Bakery logo on it to the Hogwarts student who'd made the large to-go order. She'd gently wrapped each item to protect it from damage before placing them one by one into the sack. The student paid for the sweets and vacated the spot at the counter for the next person in line.
Ariella found herself very busy at work, and not surprisingly so. It was the first Hogsmeade trip of the school year, and a day when Briar needed all of her employees at work. Ariella spent a lot of time at the counter and in the kitchen, alternating between the other workers and Briar herself. She rather liked the fast-paced work day, because it made time fly quicker and also made things more interesting. Ariella really liked staying on her toes.
The diamond bracelet Lawrence had given her for her birthday hadn't left her arm since that day, except when she took a shower or went to sleep. It glittered under the sconce light of the shoppe and out in the sunlight when Ariella took her breaks. She was glad for the pleasant weather, for it made everyone who came into the shoppe happier than they might have been, had it been cold, wet and otherwise conditions.
"What's that?" a young student asked, her nose practically pressed to the glass display case that held many of the sweets Briar's Bakery offered.
"That there is cinnamon-apple coffee cake," Ariella explained.
"And that?" the little girl asked.
"That's orange cake."
"Ooh, I want a slice of that."
Ariella took out the cake, several wedges of which were already missing, and cut a slice for the young girl. "Would you like to eat it here or take it with you somewhere?"
"Here would be fine," she said, indicating to a table where other students who were presumably her friends already sat.
Ariella placed the slice on a plate and handed it over with a fork. The girl paid for the cake with exact change and then joined her friends at the table.
Business went on and on, and then who should enter the bakery but Ariella's husband himself. She couldn't help but smile from ear to ear, and Briar, seeing Lawrence come in, told Ariella to take another break.
Ariella navigated around the counter, which was no easy feat on account of all the bodies in the building, and then seized her husband by the hand. She led him outside, where it was decidedly less cramped and there was a lovely breeze of fresh air.
"I was hungry, you know!" Lawrence teased.
Ariella kissed him on the lips. "How's that for a sweet, then?" she asked him.
"Oh, I think I like that," he murmured, moving in for another kiss.
Several of the younger students who didn't have Lawrence for the professor but recognized him all the same as a professor from Hogwarts burst in to giggles when they saw him kissing someone. He rolled his eyes with a smile on his face and led Ariella to a park bench where they could have some semblance of privacy.
A Detention Of Sorts
Author: Zabrynna
Date: 08-21-09 20:02
Curling tendrils of hair escape the ponytail Zabrynna put her hair into just before talking the daunting task Professor Dumbledore set for her. As she shoves back the stray hair she inadvertently leaves grimy streaks across her cheeks. She's not aware of the streaks though she knows her face, neck, and other exposed body parts are gritty from the work.
Until yesterday after dinner when Philippa, Anne, and she were sitting in the common commons gossiping and moaning about how much homework they have, Zabrynna had not mentioned the fact that she wouldn't be going into Hogsmeade on Saturday. She didn't mention it despite the Hogsmeade weekend being a hot topic of conversation as the first such weekend approached. It wasn't until Anne had asked her point blank, "Where do you think we should go first tomorrow, Zabrynna? Any thoughts?"
Zabrynna had looked down at the last bite of dessert she'd brought with her from the Great Hall and mumbled, "I won't be going."
"What did you say?" Philippa asked, leaning forward over the table.
Taking a deep breath, still not looking at either of her friends she'd repeated only slighty more loudly, "I won't be going."
"What?"
"You're joking?"
At the same time Anne and Philippa had exclaimed, respectively.
Zabrynna has had time to think of a reasonable explanation that her friends should buy. It wasn't any stretch at all to sound miserable when she replied, "Mum and Dad think my grades could be better than last term's. That's one of the reasons they considered sending me back to Durmstrang. They decided that even the rare Hogsmeade weekends are too much of a distraction from my studies so refused to sign the permission slip."
Philippa had reached over and patted Zabrynna's hand. "You poor thing. I wished you'd said something sooner. We might have been able to come up with a plan to sneak you into Hogsmeade."
Zabrynna had given a wan smile then spent the next ten minutes commisserating with her friends. The entire time she had a niggling little thought about what they would say if they knew the real reason and would they still want to associate with her.
This morning Zabrynna had seen them off at the large double doors that are the school's main entrance, thinking that if she went all the way to the gates with them, the temptation to try and slip off the grounds would be too great. As she was leaving, Anne offered to bring Zabrynna things from Hogsmeade. Not wanting to admit she also has no spending money and knowing that if she'd said she had left hers in her room that Anne would offer to let Zabrynna pay her back, she'd replied, "Thanks, but I can't think of anything off the top of my head to ask you to get."
Shortly after she's given Philippa and Anne a final wave and was standing in the entrance hall trying to decide what to do all day, Professor Dumbledore came out of the Great Hall. Seeing her standing there he'd called her over to him.
"Going to the flying and Quidditch workshop, Miss Ravensdale?" he'd politely inquired, looking at her over the half-glasses perched on his nose, almost as if he'd forgotten they were there.
Repressing a shudder at the thought of flying, Zabrynna had quickly shaken her head, "No, professor."
"Not thinking of at least going and watching?"
"No, sir."
"What plans do you have?"
"I don't know. I have schoolwork but it seems a shame to spend all morning on it when most everyone else is taking the day off."
"Walk with me," he said, already in motion.
They walked for several minutes in silence. After going up a few staircases and turning one corner after another in the mazelike corridors of Hogwarts castle, Professor Dumbledore led Zabrynna into a room crammed floor to ceiling with books.
Speaking for the first time since requesting Zabrynna to accompany him, Professor Dumbledore said, "These are old textbooks and books donated to the school over the years but which longtime librarian Madam Pince did not wish to put on the library shelves. There are many reasons for her decisions." He picked up one thick tome. "This particular title, for example, I recall her quite clearly telling me 'we do not need twenty-seven extra copies when the one we already have is hardly ever checked out' or take this one," he said tapping another volume, "Madam Pince had a disagreement with the author so did not want to 'sully' the shelves of her library."
Zabrynna had stood there, somewhat confused and having a huge urge to somewhat sarcastically say, "So?"
Professor Dumbledore wandered further into the room. "It's extremely dusty and there are cobwebs. If the dust bothers you, I suggest a mask."
"A mask?"
"Yes, to filter out the dust. You'll need some cleaning supplies, note cards, ink, quills "
"I'm not following you, professor."
"Ah. Forgive me. I failed to mention why I brought you to this room, Miss Ravensdale. I wish for you to be doing something constructive today. You will make an inventory of the books and create a listing on index cards, though nothing as detailed as a card catalog entry. I would like the books to be cleaned up enough for Miss Bramble to decide which she would like to add to the library now that she runs it and which we should offer for sale or for donation."
"I have to do it all today?" Zabrynna had gulped, taking in the thousands of books filling the room.
"No, of course not. It will be an on-going project. Since you may not use any magic to do the cleaning, make the inventory and the card entries, I expect you to be working on this for quite a while."
"Is this detention?" Zabrynna morosely asked.
"Yes, in a way."
Given everything that happened, Zabrynna knew better to make a single sound of protest. Instead, she'd said, "Let me change into something better to work in then I'll get right on this."
"Your wand, Miss Ravensdale."
Zabrynna had handed over the wand, thinking, "Great! He's going to ensure I don't use magic on this enormous project."
Instead, Professor Dumbledore had taken the wand and tapped it against the door then handed it back to her. "If you cannot find your way back to this room, your wand will guide you. Now, don't forget to take a breaks, though not so many you accomlish nothing. I, or someone else, will check on you from time to time. When you return from changing clothes, all the supplies you need will be here."
The headmaster had bid her a good day without any hint of irony or sarcasm, as if he truly expected her to have a nice Saturday, then departed. Zabrynna was right behind him but even though she was only a few paces behind him to exit the room, Professor Dumbledore was nowhere in sight when she reached the hallway. Grumbling under her breath as she walked to her dorm to change, Zabrynna really, really, really wished she'd said yes when the professor asked her if she was attending that workshop!