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Double Date
Author: Nathaniel Ross
Date: 12-09-11 12:58
The Three Broomsticks was filled with students and, like the inside of Scrivenschaft's, the environment was suffocating and noisy.
"It will take ages to get a butterbeer," Nate concluded. "Come, let's try and find somewhere quieter." He held Phyllida's arm and drove her protectively away from the wave of students that tried to reach the counter.
"Where to?" she asked. But he didn't reply. His eyes were set on two Ravenclaws who turned into a side road of Hogsmeade's High Street. Once again Nate pulled Phyllida's arm and he followed the two Ravenclaws. Soon they were in front of a small establishment, which plaque announced it to be Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. Nate entered the tea shop, ignoring everything around him. He just wanted a place to sit and rest while someone get him something to drink. His eyes found an empty table and he installed himself there. Phyllida seemed a bit reluctant in doing so, but she ended up sitting as well.
"Just one drink and then we will go."
"Of course," he assured her.
An old lady came up, ready to serve them.
"Aren't you two such dears? I have never seen you around here before. How come? I hope it's not Rosmerta again stealing my customers with her 'pay one and get two butterbeers' promotion. But she forgets this is a much better place to date. You will see. Now let me get your orders and then I will leave you two alone."
The waitress' speech had been quite disturbing. Only then Nate was able to look around. The small tea shop had a frilly decoration and all the tables were occupied by couples from Hogwarts. Their drinks and food remained untouched in its dishes as they held hands, shared deep looks and kissed. Nate's cheeks started to burn. Unsuspectingly, he had taken Phyllida out on a date.
Due to their silence the waitress just walked away chattering that she would just bring them some tea and biscuits, commenting to herself how a cute couple they were. Nate did not have the courage to look at Phyllida. He had no idea what she was thinking about this. His eyes went to the ground. Suddenly his shoes felt much more interesting than everything else around the tea shop.
"I think I was here once…"Phyllida said.
Nathaniel raised his head to look at her.
"I don't remember well," she added.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know this place was for…well…couples." Of course he had heard about Madam Puddifoot's but he had never been there. Not even with Lilac. But he barely read the sign on the door. He just wanted a butterbeer. But instead they had biscuits and hot tea, brought by the waitress, who Nate suspected was Madam Puddifoot herself. She gave him a wink as she told Phyllida what a handsome boyfriend she had. Nathaniel blushed and once again he looked at his shoes. He had never felt so embarrassed his whole life. This was the most disastrous date ever in Hogwarts' history, he thought.
"There you are! I looked all over the town for you!" Ferne sat next to Nathaniel. It was hard for three people fit in the tiny table and Nate found himself squeezed between Ferne and Phyllida. If he had felt bad before, this was even worse. Ferne seemed to be unaware of everything around her as she questioned Phyllida about her birthday gift. She was sure he cousin had brought her something while she had been away. Phyllida denied everything.
Nate however stopped paying attention to the conversation. All he wanted to do was have his tea and leave. Such was the rush he even burnt his tongue in the hot drink. He was aware of all the eyes on him, between the two Slytherin girls. This was something Nate had only had in his dreams but now this was almost like a nightmare. The date had turned into a double date.
At the Reception
Author: Lawrence Masterson
Date: 12-09-11 13:20
The ceremony was gorgeous. Plum looked spectacular and everything was perfect at least from Lawrence's point of view. Alex had done wonderfully as the ring bearer, and behaved quite well throughout the ceremony. Now that the ceremony had ended everyone was heading to the reception and everyone was waiting and watching for things to get going in full swing.
Maggie looked fantastic in the dress that Areilla had let her borrow for the rehearsal and for the wedding, however, there was quite a bit that they still needed to talk about and things that Lawrence was still trying to deal with. He couldn't ask his Aunt about it, because he doubted that she would know. Beyond that he was at a loss on how to properly deal with this situation. At the moment Ariella was currently dancing with her brother, Lawrence grabbed a glass of champagne and moved to sit next to Maggie.
"I know I'm going to make mistakes, but I am going to try and get things together and try and make things easier for you. I know how bad it can be to be without your parents. I can't even begin to imagine that your life was easy, but I can let you know your father through the albums that I have of him and my mother. Beyond that you have me now." He said with a smile, nudging her gently.
She looked up from the napkin she'd been twisting and turning in her fingertips and let her gaze settle on him. "It looks like I have a bit more than just you to lean on. Your wife is pretty wonderful, and her siblings are pretty cool to from what I've seen." She said leaning against him. "Thank you for not turning me away. I just don't know what I'm going to do for school, I missed the start of my final term in Sydney when I left to come find you. I could take final level courses at the uni here if I wanted to."
Lawrence pondered a moment. "I can talk to Headmaster Dumbledore and see if you can come in as a late arrival, transfer and finish up here at Hogwarts? It will give you a roof over your head, easy contact with me if you need it, and let you finish your schooling. Beyond that, I'd be one of your teachers." He said laughing lightly.
"That sounds like a good enough idea. It will let me take classes and maybe even make a couple of friends." She said with a light smile. "Thanks Lawrence." She said and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "By the way, here comes your wife, looks like she wants to dance with you since she hasn't gotten a chance yet."
"You are not getting off the hook that easily by the way. There are way too many people here that I want to introduce you to, speaking of…Maggie, this is Ariella's brother Toby and his wife Bronwyn. Bronwyn, Toby, this is my half-sister Maggie." Lawrence did the introductions and then was drawn away from the remainder of the group for a dance with his wife.
Between Dance Partners
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 12-09-11 13:33
Phin has just finished a dance with Plum's cousin Martha, who is excited not only to be at the wedding but to get a weekend away from school even if the spring weather in Australia is much, much nicer than the fall weather in the UK. After depositing Martha back at the table she's been sharing with some of her other family members, Phin excuses himself to go get something to drink. He would have asked Martha's sister Betsy to dance again but Betsy was nowhere to be seen right then and Phin was more than a little thirsty.
Weaving around dancing and mingling wedding goers to reach the punch, Phin can't help but wish Emerald were here with him. Just about the time he thinks he's finally starting to accept the break up and move on, backstage snog fest at Emrys Fest aside, something like Plum's and Anthony's wedding comes along to smack him in the face, reminding Phin just how much he misses Emerald. Making it worse is he gets to wondering if she misses him even a little. Does she ever think about him? Does Emerald ever think she should maybe reconsider parting ways with Phin?
There's no one at the punch bowl to serve so Phin picks up a glass to help himself, reaching for the ladle only to knock hands with someone else.
"Sorry!" they say at the same time.
The other person isn't someone Phin knows. He is the one who sat her when doing his usher duties for the wedding ceremony but other than her telling him to seat her on the bride's side and then thanking him when reaching the row of seats he'd taken her to, he's not spoken with her.
"Here, let me," he offers, ladling some punch into the cup she holds out then doing the same with the cup he'd picked up for himself.
"Thank you. You walked me to a seat, didn't you, and played accompaniment to those who sang during the wedding?"
"That was me. So you're a friend of Plum's?"
"We work together. Well, not together really as she's a translator and I'm just a clerk. I'm Keeley. Keeley Waffling."
"Phinfilius Hodfuffer-Flefferfore but most everyone calls me Phin."
"That's quite a name," Keeley says with amusement.
"And just think, you've not even heard my middle name yet."
"Which is?"
"Something to save for another time."
"Tease," Keeley laughs. "So tell me, Phin, are you a friend of the bride's or the groom's?"
"Both."
Phin was going to explain how he knows Plum and Anthony when Keeley exclaims, "PHIN!"
"Yes, so we have established."
"No, I mean you're that Phin, from Dynamic Duo."
"Yes, that would be me."
Keeley's expresses transforms to one of aloof snobbishness. "Your music is total drivel. I've heard all of tne seconds of one song and knew I never wanted to hear another note, but as I am sure some twelve year old raving fangirl would pay for your autograph, do sign this napkin."
Setting the cup down and accepting the quill and ink Keeley's conjured, he asks with the studied indifference of one asked dozens of times a day for an autograph, "So just sign it to Keeley Waffling?"
She laughs again. "In all seriousness, if you could sign it for my little cousin, who is not twelve but ten though acts like we should treat her like she's thirty already, I'd be grateful. Her name is Serena."
"Just to Serena? S-E-R-E-N-A?"
"Yes, on the spelling, and maybe put her last name too, which is the same as mine, Waffling with two Fs."
Phin writes Serena a personal little note then hands the napkin, quill, and ink back to Keeley. "There you go."
"Thank you so much, and just for the record, I really am a fan of the band."
"I knew you were joking. Or hoped you were at any rate. After I have a little more punch, would you like to dance, Keeley?"
"Love to, Phin. I do have to get to know you well enough to find out this middle name of yours, afterall. Though, on second thought, I am sure Serena knows it from articles done about Dynamic Duo. She's insane about all of you."
"Good to know that the band has one fan who adores us and who is not my mother."
This earns him another laugh as Keeley offers her glass for a refill. When both are done with their punch, Phin takes Keeley's hand in his for a turn or two around the dance floor.
Keeping Watch
Author: Marzipan
Date: 12-09-11 14:37
Having volunteered to take the last shift in Hogsmeade, Marzi wandered up and down High Street and kept an eye on the students as their trip to the village wound down for the day. They were still out in droves, shopping for sweets, Quidditch paraphernalia, and other goodies. She overheard some talking about grabbing supper before having to head back to the castle. The nice thing about this first trip to Hogsmeade was that it didn't get dark until nearly 7 o'clock. If desired, the students could grab a quick bite to eat before having to go back to Hogwarts.
Marzi had thought to do the same herself. Ordinarily, she preferred a sit-down restaurant to fast food, but she knew it would be easier to keep watch if she ate on the go.
A short while later, with a meal from Burger Wizard in hand, Marzi resumed her stroll around the village. During her wanderings, she'd heard a rumor of an incident that had happened at Madam Puddifoot's earlier, evidently involving a stabbing with a fork. She only heard bits and pieces, and each story seemed to vary as the rumor spread from student to student. She herself hadn't seen anybody limping around with prong marks, but that didn't mean that something of that nature hadn't happened.
She started to think about her two growing boys and how she would need to stop by Baby Witch soon for new clothing, when she caught sight of a familiar figure slinking around the corner of the Post Office into the short alley that ended with The Hog's Head. Curious, Marzi walked to the corner and peered around it.
She saw Illyria whispering frantically to a wizard Marzi didn't recognize but whom she knew must be Nathan Goode. He whispered back to her just as passionately, and though it was clear that Illyria had been attempting to fight his charms, she gave in to his kiss almost instantly. Marzi's eyes widened.
The kiss ended abruptly when Illyria managed to control herself. She pushed him away. "Not here, not now," she said in a voice loud enough for Marzi to overhear.
"When?" Nathan asked, and then he looked over Illyria's shoulder and saw Marzi peering around the corner of the Post Office with a quarter-eaten hamburger halfway to her mouth.
Marzi froze like a deer in the headlights.
Illyria realized someone was standing behind her and turned around, her shoulders very tense. But she relaxed as soon as she saw Marzi, air spilling from her mouth in relief.
"Good. You have to get me away from him."
"Okay," Marzi murmured.
Illyria immediately came over to Marzi and stood beside her. She turned to Nathan, who hadn't moved, and said, "That was wrong. You know it. I know it. We can't let it happen again."
Nathan looked like he wanted to argue, but then he looked at Marzi and said, "Hi, I'm Nathan."
"Marzi," she replied. Then she turned to Illyria. "To the castle with you, young lady."
Ordinarily, Illyria might have laughed, but she was too emotional over Nathan at the moment. She immediately set off for the castle, with Marzi watching her until she was out of sight. Nathan, meanwhile, came closer. He seemed to want to ask Marzi something, but the words failed him for some reason.
Marzi shook her head. "Save your breath and your brain cells. You're the one who's already in a relationship. Either you end it and move on with Illyria, or you don't and you leave her alone."
"Even if I end it and move on with Illyria, I'll hurt Urania," Nathan finally managed.
"Then take some time away from the family before you decide to start something with Illyria," Marzi replied, "or maybe you just need to come clean with Urania and tell her that you and Illyria have, erm, dated in the past."
"She told you?"
"Only me, as far as I know."
Nathan sighed. "I just can't stay away from her, but I really do care for Urania. Is it terrible of me to say that I wish I could have them both?"
Marzi stared at him blankly. "Do you really want me to answer that?"
"No, you seem like you'd give me a very honest answer. Better eat your burger before it gets cold. Nice meeting you, Marzi."
Nathan stepped past her into High Street and then set off for a destination unknown to her. Wherever he was going, it was in the opposite direction of the castle.
Marzi sighed to herself and then set off down the street again, nibbling on her burger some more and feeling thankful that her personal life wasn't so dramatic these days.
With Maggie and then Desi
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 12-09-11 15:38
"Nice to see you again, Maggie. Take a seat," Bronwyn offered, indicating to the one recently vacated by Desi, who had gone in search of a bathroom.
The older teenager sat down, looking a bit nervous but not unhappy to have been left to her own devices while her brother took a spin on the dance floor. She smoothed her skirt down over her knees and gently clasped her hands together.
"So, are you thoroughly confused about who's who in the family?" Toby asked Maggie. He and Bronwyn had met her for the first time last night at the rehearsal dinner, but it would no doubt take Maggie a while to remember which names belonged to which faces. The Becks were a much larger family than her own.
"Yes!" she exclaimed. "I remember that you're the oldest and the first to get married."
"Right. Anthony's the second oldest, if you don't count Kendra, our sister who died a while back, but he's the third to get married," Toby explained. "Ariella's the third oldest, but the second to get married. Are you following me?"
Maggie smiled. "Yes, I think so."
"Alanna's the baby in the family," Toby finished, "but we can't forget our half-sister Katherine, who is between me and Anthony in age."
"And Alanna and Katherine aren't married yet," Maggie said.
"Right."
Bronwyn smiled. "You're catching on!"
Maggie smiled. "I'm glad I found Lawrence, and that he's agreed to take me in."
"I can't picture him or Ariella leaving you out in the cold," Bronwyn said. "Do you miss Australia? Toby and I lived there for a few years, in Brisbane."
"That's where I'm from!" Maggie exclaimed.
"Nice town," Toby said. "I miss it sometimes."
"Me too," Maggie replied.
"Dance with her," Bronwyn told Toby, when she spotted Desi remerging from the house.
"Yes ma'am." He got up and held out his hand to Maggie, who accepted it sheepishly and allowed herself to be led onto the dance floor.
Desi came over to the table and sat down in her chair. She took a sip of her drink and looked around the room apathetically.
"Desi, why did you come if you don't feel like being here?" Bronwyn asked her.
Desi looked at her. "I do want to be here," she replied. "I'm just having a hard time coping with all these happy people all around me."
Bronwyn frowned. She knew how much her best friend missed Xavier. "Try to at least look happy for Anthony," she said.
Desi forced a pleasant expression her face, but in Bronwyn's opinion, it looked more like a grimace. She sighed inwardly, wishing Xavier would come to his senses and fight for Desi. She needed him back.
"I wonder if Arley and Seb managed to see Fallon today," Bronwyn commented, changing the subject. The boys had gotten to town as promised and had made plans to visit Arley's older sister today while Bronwyn, Toby, and Desi attended Anthony and Plum's wedding.
"I'm sure they will let us know, one way or the other," Desi replied.
The current song ended and Toby and Maggie returned to the table. Toby let go of Maggie's hand and seized Desi's pulling her to her feet.
"I'm not dancing, Toby," she told him, but he wouldn't hear any of it. He dragged her kicking and screaming to the dance floor, giving Bronwyn and Maggie a good laugh.
Homework and Afternoon Snuggling
Author: Adina Blackwood
Date: 12-09-11 17:55
I sat in the common common room, legs curled beneath me, wishing I could be out in the village with Arthur, Kida and Whitney however, thanks to this cold I was pretty much stuck inside all weekend, but I'd gotten some reassurance from Madame Pomfrey that I would be well enough to go to class on Monday - joyous!
At the moment I was listening to a weekend program on the WWN and going through my homework for class on Monday. I had nothing else to do, and as it was I'd napped at least twice thanks to the potions that Madame Pomfrey had given me to take to help fight this flu-like thing that I've got. I sipped my pumpkin juice and nibbled on a cupcake from Briar's while I worked, humming along with whatever song was playing.
I looked up as a few other students filtered in, including the first year that seemed to at some point ruffle everyone else's feathers with her arrogant attitude. Her name is Rylee Marks and I was curious as to what exactly made her hot stuff and thinking herself better than everyone else.
Shaking my head I turned my attention back to my assignments, wanting to get them somewhat done so I could relax with Arthur for the rest of the afternoon. A quick check of the clock told me the would be back soon and that meant that I would be able to indulge in a piece of triple chocolate cake from Briar's that Arthur was supposed to be bringing me, along with a couple of other things - sweets from Honeydukes and a book that I'd had my mom get for me from Twice Told Tales and even some of my mom's baklava.
"Hey hon..." Arthur said as as he came in, and settled down next to me. His gaze shifting to Rylee who currently was picking apart a cupcake like it had done something horrible to her.
"Anyone else figure out what her deal is yet?" He asked me as he flicked his gaze toward Rylee.
"Nope, nothing yet. Anyway, I am no longer contagious according to Madame Pomfrey, but I'd still refrain from kissing me until I am fully cleared. However, I will be cleared to go to class unless I suddenly get crappy again." I said, before sinking against Arthur and plucking from the bag that slice of decadent chocolate cake.
"This is what I've been looking forward to..." I said offering Arthur a teasing grin.
"Hey..."
"I missed you too and I'm sorry I couldn't go with you to the village today." I said and shared a bite of the cake with him.
Never Saw It Coming
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 12-09-11 19:47
"I am stuffed," Theodosia says, "but this is so good I don't want to stop eating it." This is a bread pudding with praline bourbon sauce that Lars Hodfuffer told them was inspired by his wife Bambi's roots in the southern US.
"It's easy to overeat when coming to the Imperial Crown & Cauldron," Viktor says, spoon hovering over the bite or two left of his own Bambi Fandango Hodfuffer inspired dessert of Bananas Foster with a luxurious vanilla bean ice cream.
Their waitress comes to check on them and to leave the bill. Theodosia reaches for it, not remembering how much her entree was and not wanting to short Viktor on her half of the check. Viktor is quicker, picking up the bill and saying, "I invited you. Dinner is my treat."
"You don't have to do that."
"I don't have to but I vant to. You buy next time."
"Thank you, and agreed. I hope you like Burger Wizard," she jokes.
A short time later they are strolling away from the restaurant, chatting about nothing in particular, and avoiding being run over by students desperately trying to keep their time in the village from ending. When they reach The Three Broomsticks they pause, debating whether to go in for a drink.
Theodosia finally shakes her head. "I'm so full I think I'll pass but if you want something I'd be happy to keep you company."
"I am thinking to pass as vell. I am not sure vhere I vould put it."
They continue on the short way to where High Street intersects with the road leading to Hogwarts. "You don't have to walk the entire way with me," Theodosia tells him.
"I don't mind. This has been nice. I don't mind keeping the conversation going."
"It has been a very enjoyable evening," Theodosia agrees. "To think, for a long time you didn't even like me and now, here we are acting like friends."
Neither says what they are thinking, that the late afternoon into early evening meal together has felt more like a date and neither one of them minds that fact at all.
"Theodosia!"
Hearing her name, both turn to look back in the direction of the public conveniences and J. Pippen's Potions, located in the building on the corner opposite The Three Broomsticks. Theodosia's face clouds with anger as a man steps out of the shadows brought on by the growing gloom.
"Go away, David."
He strides toward them, eyes darting back and forth from Theodosia to Viktor. "Please just hear me out. Hear me out and I know you'll give me a second chance."
Viktor has heard a little about this ex-boyfriend of Theodosia's who's shown up now and again over the past few months despite her telling him she's not interested. "You heard the lady. She doesn't want to see you."
Ignoring Viktor, David snarkily asks, "Is he the reason you won't give me the time of day?"
"YOU are the reason I don't want to see you, David. Why can't you understand that?"
"But if you'd just listen," he whines.
"No! Now go or I'm going to get a restraining order."
"That wouldn't stop me from trying to talk with you. Just five minutes. Give me five minutes."
"Theosodia said no. You need to respect that and go," Viktor warns.
"No one asked for your input," David snaps.
Neither Theodosia nor Viktor had noticed that the hand David's had hanging down his side is holding his wand. When they do see it, it's too late. David's fired off a spell that punches Viktor in the chest, hurling him backwards across the road. Gasping in shock, Theodosia takes steps towards Viktor, wanting to see if he's all right but David grabs her by the arm.
One hand clutching his chest, Viktor rolls over, struggling to push up to his feet. Through a haze he sees Theosodia jerking away from David, hissing, "What have you done?"
Voice filled with regret, David says, "I'm sorry, Theodosia, but you've left me little choice."
David casts another spell, this one aimed at Theodosia. Still struggling to get to his feet, vaguely aware that his chest feels wet, Viktor helplessly watches Theodosia crumple to the ground. David, suddenly aware of students who've stopped to gape at one of their professors in a heated exchange involving a strange man and Viktor Krum and thinking they'd come from it with juicy gossip, drops his wand, sorrowfully telling them, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. She left me no choice."
With the man no longer holding a wand, several of the students converge on Theodosia and Viktor, voices calling for help. David numbly stands there, repeating his, "I'm sorry," mantra, then producing a vial from his pocket, upends the contents in his mouth. Seconds later he collapses in a heap near Theodosia.
Viktor is having trouble focusing and can't understand why he can't seems to stand up. A student is trying to get him to roll back over and lie down, finally saying, "Mr. Krum, please, you're bleeding!"
"Have to check on Theodosia," he insists.
"I'm, I'm sorry, but I think Coach... I think she's dead," the student tells him voice quivering.
By then other hands are pulling at Viktor, voices admonishing him to lie down, he's bleeding. Viktor stubbornly shoves at them, trying to see Theodosia for himself but what little strength he has is quickly drained, the pain in his chest too overwhelming to continue to ignore.