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(Enid) What Do You Want?
Author: Ronan Eastwick 
Date:   07-29-11 16:03

"You have a visitor."

Enid, who had been lounging on her cot with a battered copy of a book of wizard verse, sat up and marked her place with a finger.

"Here, or do I need to go with you?" she asked.

"You're to come with me."

Enid nodded and turned her book over to keep it open on her cot while she met with whomever had deigned to pay her a visit. She hoped it was Ronan. Although he did come to visit her periodically, she longed to see him more often and wanted news from the outside world, besides.

She stood up before the gate to her cell and waited as it slid open with a clang. The prison guard had his wand at the ready but didn't bind her wrists or ankles. Instead, he had her walk ahead of him, down the corridor and then down a few more.

The corridors at Azkaban always changed, so Enid never knew where she was going or how to get back to her cell. When she finally came to a door at the end of the hall, she thought it might be to the regular room where inmates met their visitors, but she was wrong.

The room was small and isolated. All it had was a desk and two chairs. One was occupied.

"Thank you. I'll take things from here," said the seated wizard.

Enid raised her brows and went to the seat that was offered to her. The door shut, leaving the two very much alone.

"I wasn't expecting a private interview," Enid admitted. "To what do I owe your visit, Mr...?"

"Hayes. Hudson Hayes. I'm an auror at the Ministry of Magic."

"I see. What can I do for you, Mr. Hayes?"

Hudson said, "I've been reviewing your statements regarding the investigation of the group your son was allegedly involved with."

"Yes?" Enid asked. She knew she'd said everything she knew on the subject to the other auror who'd interviewed her, so she wasn't quite sure what Mr. Hayes wanted.

"What else do you know that you aren't telling anybody?"

Enid arched her brows. "I've said everything I know about the subject in court and to your colleague, Mr. Beck."

"You don't know anything else, then? Mr. Eastwick, that is your son Caden, didn't tell you anything other than what you testified and made in your statement?"

"No. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I've said everything I know on the subject. Every last detail, which is more than most know who aren't in the organization themselves, I grant you, but it isn't much either."

"That's both fortunate and unfortunate," Hayes said.

Enid furrowed her brow, confused. "I beg your pardon?"

Hayes waved his hand and then produced his wand. Enid flinched for a moment, but then he conjured a cup of tea. He slid it across the table and said, "Have a drink."

Enid looked dubious until he conjured a cup for himself and drank a large gulp of it. She sipped hers until it was empty, not realizing how thirsty she'd been until she'd started drinking.

"What is the true purpose for your visit here?" Enid asked, when she set her cup back onto its saucer.

"My superior asked me to take care of some business for him. I believe I've done my task. Thank you for your time, Mrs. Eastwick." Then he turned his head to the door and called out, "Guard!"

Enid was escorted from the room only a short while after entering it and once again led through the maze of corridors to her cell. The gate clang shut behind her, and she returned to her cot but ignored her book for the moment.

Obviously, the Ministry of Magic was still invistigating the group Caden had once led. Enid didn't have a good grasp of what day it was, but she suspected the Summer Solstice was nigh. The aurors had a rapidly approaching deadline to keep, or there'd be more dead girls in a mass grave in some Muggle town.

Enid had given them all the information she knew. It was entirely up to them to figure out the rest.

She sighed and picked up her book, but it fell from her fingers and crashed to the floor when the first spasm wracked across her body. Pain erupted across her stomach and seemed to shoot all the way up her esophagus. She cried out, drawing the attention of her neighbors.

Those who cared asked, "Are you all right?" "What's the matter?" "Should we call for help?"

Enid's heart started pounding so quickly, it felt as if it would pop right out of her chest.

She fell off the cot and curled up on the cold stone floor. Then, everything went black.

Wickedly Cool (Basil)
Author: Jared 
Date:   07-29-11 16:51

Basil and friend Ivan Grimsby had been lounging on a bench, eating an entire chocolate cake, albeit a small one, between them when they'd seen the flaring red sparks shoot up. "I wonder who's playing around with fireworks?" Ivan said, scarfing down the last bite of the piece of cake he'd been working on.

"Someone probably couldn't wait to try out what they bought at Weasleys'. Nice color and sparks but not very flashy and no sound. Where's the fun in that?"

"A dud maybe?"

Standing up, eyes on the lingering red sparks and the visible trail they'd left Basil comments, "I'm starting to think it's not a firecracker."

"What then?"

"Distress signal."

"Who'd be playing around with that?"

"Maybe it's not play. Let's go look."

They each grabbed what was left of the cake and desposited the container in a bin on their way to finding out what exactly the red flare had been. Before shoving his last bit of chocolate cake into his mouth Ivan says, "After this, we have to get something to drink. Do I have frosting all over my face?"

"Yeah. Do I?"

"Some. Not too much. It's mostly around your mouth but there's a god on your left cheek."

This prompts them to bring out their wands to clear up the evidence of their gluttony, including a dark stain of smudged frosting Basil got down his shirt front.

Others seem to be curious about the shooting red sparks as well because a few other students and some adults are walking the direction. A look over his shoulder shows Basil that even more are heading this way as well. This way proves to be the top of one of the many cliffs that dot the area around Hogsmeade and Basil bets that as with so many of the others, there is a cave or three along this particular cliff face down below somewhere.

There are some adults keeping the spectators back but as Ivan and Basil are some of the first to get there, they at least are close up and can see about as well as anyone could. Basil recognizes two of the adults, the Lupins, simply because there are somewhat famous, being friends of the even more famous Harry Potter. Another face he recognizes appears from off the edge of the cliff. Basil's been inside the Hogsmeade branch of Gringotts enough to know Bill Weasley on sight. He and another of the Weasleys are on brooms have a stretcher between them on which a man lies still and extremely pale. There's some bright splashes of blood, which serve to make the man appear even more pale in contrast.

Basil nudges Ivan. "Wonder if he's dead," he says in a low voice.

"Wonder how it happened. Would be wickedly cool if there's a murderer running around. On second thought, maybe not. They'd cut our day short and we'd be stuck at the castle with professors telling us we might as well get in more OWL study time since we've nothing better to do."

"He just twitched so no murder, at least not yet," Basil says, mentally agreeing with Ivan about how Hogsmeade Saturday would come to a rapid end of there is any hint of a murderer on the loose. He's also ghoulishly disappointed at the same time that there's no murderer among them attempting to appear calm and collected. That's if the murderer would be so stupid as to hang around the village after killing someone, or attempting to anyway. He bets that Professor Hodfuffer could write a mystery story in which there's a very good reason why the murderer hung around and not have it be something expected like sticking around to secretly gloat or making sure the deed was truly done.

With the stretcher all the way up and preparations being made to whisk the man off to St. Mungo's and as there's no real gore to go with the splotches of blood, Basil plucks at Ivan's sleeve. "Let's go do something else."

"This is a little boring so yeah. I want something to drink then how about a one on one game of wizard's laser tag?"

"Loser springs for lunch."

"You're on!"

The two boys sprint back to High Street, eager to get their game on, neither sparing another thought until later in the day when hearing others talking for who that was on the stretcher or what happened to him.

Job Interview
Author: Dante Knight 
Date:   07-30-11 17:18

Standing in the Hogwarts entrance hall, no one about, Dante looks over his shoulder to the door. It's not too late to leave. The job would be a challenge but it's that which concerns him. It's that he has no real experience at this sort of thing and isn't sure it's something he could bluff his way through. He's got to do something though because he's low on funds and doesn't want to touch the nest egg tucked away in a separate Gringott's vault unless absolutely necessary.

On the plus side if Dante gets the job his understanding is that living quarters and meals are provided if desired. There's also the privacy factor. That very much appeals to Dante.

Dante's a little early so he's not bothered at having no one there to greet him. He'd noticed the scores of teenagers in Hogsmeade and once on the grounds could see activity over at the Quidditch pitch. A busy day on the school calendar it seems plus the weather is extremely nice, which means more people out and about than inside. While he waits, Dante makes a slow circuit around the space visible to him and looks with great curiosity at those areas beyond the entrance he can see, wondering what lies beyond.

A minute before the appointed time a tall, white bearded wizard with half moon spectacles and wearing robes with a repeated phoenix feather pattern. He's also got extremely bright, clear blue eyes. This man is so famous that even though he's never lived for any extended period in Great Britain, Dante instantly recognizes Albus Dumbledore who, seeing Dante waiting, is stepping towards him with hand extended.

"Dante Knight, I am Albus Dumbledore, Hogwarts headmaster."

"Honor to meet you, sir."

"Do you mind if we walk instead of having a proper sit down interview?"

"No, not at all."

"There is a flying and Quidditch workshop down at the pitch and I'm wanting to watch for a little while. I was delayed earlier because of an incident at one of the cliffs in Hogsmeade. Today is what we call a Hogsmeade weekend. Third through seventh years who have permission are allowed to spend the day in the village. After learning of the incident I needed to ensure that the students were safe to remain."

"Was someone injured?"

"A man but there were no witnesses so at the moment it's not known whether he fell or jumped. Or worse, pushed. Thankfully, the fall did not kill him but it may be days before he is able to answer any questions."

"I hope it turns out to have just been an accident."

"Yes, I as well."

Dumbledore points out a few features as they make their way down a well worn path to the pitch then Dante says, "I'm not sure exactly how to address you, sir."

"Most refer to me as professor, though headmaster suffices. On occassion someone calls me Mr. Dumbledore and I find that works equally well. Your letter came at a fortuitous time, Mr. Knight. We had a young woman interested in the position but she missed her interview and then never rescheduled. The deputy headmistress, Minerva McGonagall, and I were discussing what to do. Professor McGonagall was going to write to find out what had become of her but then received a letter letting us know the young lady not able to consider any position at this time. Shortly after that we received your letter along with recommendations. After talking with those who wrote the recommendations, I contacted you and here we are."

"Sounds like I couldn't have timed it better if I'd tried."

"When I spoke last night with those who'd written a letter of recommendation each spoke highly of you. All but one also said something, the very same thing I might add, which could be considered a mark against you. Would you care to venture a guess as what that might be?"

"I never worked with any of them for very long and that when hiring me they were told I might end up only being short term."

"Yes, that's it exactly. If this has gone well to the end, why should I consider you for a position if you might be leaving us well before term ends?"

"My parents were somewhat nomadic. They never stay in any one place for very long. Until I was fifteen the longest I'd every lived in one spot was six months. Two to three months was more the average. There were even times when we'd get somewhere new and by the very next day one of them would decide that place wasn't appealing and we'd go again. Once, we were in town all of forty-five minutes before we were on the move to somewhere else. You probably noticed in the information I sent that I was home schooled. My parents' lifestyle is why. When I started trying to hold a job, the first when I was fifteen, my parents made an effort to stay put longer. Things were a little better but the longer they were rooted down beyond six to nine months, the more unbearable they became. I tried sticking with them but finally had to make a break from them. I've spent the time since in one spot, working and learning. The department was being downsized and I didn't care for the position I was to be moved into. One day, while waiting for a meeting to begin I was flipping through an old newspaper, The Daily Prophet. There was a splashy advertisement that caught my eye. Right next to it was one concerning teaching positions at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It stuck with me for some reason. The changes were made at work and they ended up doing away with the position I'd been moved into. I didn't mind so much as I didn't like that particular job but there I was suddenly out of work. The HOgwarts ad I had seen instantly came to mind so decided that it couldn't hurt to contact you. The worst that would happen is you'd say thank you but no while I could honestly say it's an avenue I explored."

Now at the pitch Professor Dumbledore picks a stand from which to view the workshop rather than standing on the ground. Dante follows him up and takes a seat. His eyes on the pitch Professor Dumbledore says, "As you've no past experience, tell me why you'd like a teaching position. What skills and qualifications do you possess that would benefit the position?"

These are questions Dante had anticipated. Though he'd mentally gone through what answers he'd give putting those answers into actual words that will be weighed and measured gives him pause. Not wanting to sound rehearsed or stilted, Dante ends up with his eyes mostly on the actions taking place on the pitch, looking sidelong from time to time to see if he can guage what Professor Dumbledore is thinking. It's not as stressful that way.

The two talk at some length, with Dante doing most of the actual talking. After they've watched the workshop for awhile, Professor Dumbledore walks with Dante to the front gates, asking more questions of the younger man as well as filling him in on what the job entails. At the gates the headmaster shakes Dante's hand again. "You will hear from us soon, Mr. Knight. Thank you for coming on such short notice."

"Thank you for granting me the interview, professor."

Dante turns and walks back into Hogsmeade where this morning he took a room at the Hogsmeade Inn. He's not eaten yet today, overly nervous about the interview so instead of returning to his room he strolls the village to find somewhere to grab a bite to eat, alternately thinking the interview went really well and thinking Albus Dumbledore is even now laughing at Dante's audacity at applying for a position.

A Good Time Was Had By All (Zuberi)
Author: Viktor Krum 
Date:   07-30-11 19:44

Zuberi hasn't taken part in that many Hogsmeade weekends since being transferred to Hogwarts. There were detentions and being confined to the grounds and then days spent doing volunteer work in Sierra Leone for Professor Dumbledore's friend Joseph Koroma's orphanage and school. That's where he'd wanted to go today but his friend Karamoh wouldn't have been there, off on some sort of field trip. Even if Karamoh had been at the orphanage-school it probably wouldn't have been a good idea for Zuberi to have gone anyway. He would have badly wanted to tell Karamoh that his sisters may have been found. As he'd promised Professor Dumbledore not to say anything until they know more, Zuberi would have had to exhibit a massive amount of self-restraint and in so doing he's certain that he'd be acting oddly. Karamoh would have wanted to know what was wrong. That would have meant even more self-restraint, and that would have meant even more strange behavior, which would prompt Karamoh to make some sort of comment or to ask another question. Zuberi got tired last night just thinking about the vicious circle of it all.

At supper last night, having already decided he might as well come into Hogsmeade today for a much needed carefree day what with OWLs looming, when Bianca Bonfamille had asked if he'd like to meet up with a few others for lunch, he'd thought why not? He hadn't immediately said yes though, wanting to find out who the others were. Nothing again girls as girls, especially now that he's actually paying attention to how pretty and nice some of them are, but Zuberi doesn't think he'd want to have lunch with a group of girls with no other blokes in sight. When learing that the others would be Polly Potts, whom he couldn't readily place, Alan Birdwell whom he also couldn't place, Catriona Amhurst, and Christopher Chant, he again thought why not. Christopher seems all right enough and what little he knows of Catriona seems favorable. Bianca is more than pretty. When she smiled at his, "Sure, I'll meet you lot," he thought more than pretty didn't do her justice.

When arriving in Hogsmeade Zuberi had done the usual Bakery, Honeydukes, Weasleys', Krum's, a check at the Humbatas stadium to see what the team might be doing this morning, and a stop in at Botanicals & Beyond to see if Travis - for the life of him Zuberi can't think if he's ever heard her last name and has never seen anywhere in the window signage telling who the proprietor is - was carrying any of the ice cream she'd had at the Hogwarts Spring Social. When it was time to meet the others for lunch, Zuberi made his way down the congested High Street to Brews and Stews Café. Christopher was already there was was Alan, whom Bianca had pointed out to him last night. Half a minute later the three girls arrived.

Now, after walking around for half an hour after leaving the restaurant, the six are at Blossom's for wizard's laser tag, boys against girls. Zuberi's having such a good time that he's glad he accepted Bianca's invitation, though he does still wish he could have seen Karamoh today and given him the news.

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