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Good Day Tainted and Lunch with Desi
Author: Karma Davyd
Date: 08-31-12 15:25
The morning had started off quiet enough, I'd spent the night before in the apartment with Dex (as was per usual as of late) and we listened to the match to see if Britain would win against Mongolia or if they would be forced to play in the next match were they would have to win if they were going to advance into the bracketed matches.
We'd been cuddling on the couch (kinda listening to the match) and snogging like a couple of teenagers when there was a knock at the door, we tried to ignore it for several moments before Dex finally got up. Driver was at the bar, and neither of us were expecting anyone to come by the apartment so we were kind of shocked when Ember pushed her way in and immediately curled up in the chair across from where Dex and I had been cuddling.
Things had gone from good to not so good within a matter of moments. A look from Ember sent Dex out of the room so she could talk to me without her big brother overhearing and at the time I thought that was a good idea especially when the tears started. I was not pleased with what I'd heard from Ember and spent the next few moments comforting her and attempting to get her calm.
"Dex, bring in the bottle of wine please, Ember's going to need a drink and I don't want to give her anything stronger right now."
Dex had brought in the bottle of wine, and three glasses, and I knew he was worried when he saw Ember practically in my lap and balling.
It took me about five minutes to retell what had happened to Ember to Dex who hugged his sister tightly. "I told her I would talk to Desi when I saw her later. Mainly because she is an auror and female and that will probably make it easier."
We talked for a little bit longer and ultimately I managed to get Ember settled in Dex's bed, she'd fallen asleep after her second glass of wine. "She'll probably have some nightmares, and I'm considering having her come stay with me at the Castle for a little while or she can maybe stay here with you and Driver?"
Dex and I talked for a few minutes before I finished getting ready for my late lunch with Desi. "I'll be back later, love you."
With that I headed out of the apartment, the information we'd gotten from Ember tucked in my purse to show Desi including a name and description of the idiot that had been stupid enough to force himself on her. I was dressed in my favorite pair of ripped jeans, a tank top and a pair of Steve Madden sneakers, and my hair pulled back in a loose pony tail.
I'd gotten to the restaurant a bit before Desi, but I knew she'd be coming from the match where she'd spent the morning with Bronwyn, who I still needed to talk to about half a dozen things. I got a table for Desi and I, and then ordered a rum and coke that I nursed for a little while, and then switched to a berry Italian soda, so I could work the alcohol out of my system.
Competition
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 08-31-12 18:45
Bronwyn quickly read the letter she'd snatched from Desi. When she finished, she turned to her friend with a big smile.
"Well?" Desi dryly asked, with one eyebrow raised in a perfect arch.
"Well," Bronwyn began, "he says he wants to go out with you, so I think you did the right thing in bringing Xavier with you to the bar."
"Why's that?"
"Isn't it obvious, Desi? By bringing your ex-boyfriend with you––"
"But Driver doesn't know Xavier is my ex," Desi began.
Bronwyn waved her hand. "It doesn't matter. The point is, you brought a guy with you… a very good-looking guy who just happens to be a rockstar. Don't interrupt," Bronwyn quickly said, when Desi opened her mouth to probably say that Driver didn't even know Xavier fronted two famous bands.
"By bringing Xavier with you to the bar, you forced Driver into action. Do I think he would have asked you out eventually? Absolutely. But how long might it have taken him, had you not shown up with a potential rival for your affections?"
"Seriously, Bronwyn? How do you come up with this stuff?"
"I'm not making anything up. It's a classic guy thing."
"She's right," Siegfried piped in. "Jealousy is a core part of our DNA."
Desi rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help but smile a little. "Okay, fine. So Driver got jealous and decided to write me a letter."
"And a very good one too. He clearly states he wants to go out sometime. And he talks about sparring together. You know what I think about that."
"Yeah, yeah. What else?"
"He wants to know your opinion about his brother's love life, and I don't think he's asking because he wants to know if Karma is good enough for Dexter or not. I think he wants to make real conversation with you."
"Speaking of Karma," Desi said, "I promised I'd meet her for lunch."
"Really?" Bronwyn asked.
"Yeah. That's okay, isn't it?"
"It's prefectly okay." Bronwyn gazed out at the action on the field. "The game might go on for a while yet. When do you have to leave?"
"Soon."
The time until Desi had to leave to meet with Karma passed very quickly. She said her goodbyes and exited the stadium, while the others cheered on Team Britain, hopefully to victory.
Takeaway Lunch (Olive)
Author: Emerald Green
Date: 08-31-12 18:56
Written with input from Viktor Krum.
With the day being so nice, Olive and Zuberi got takeaway for lunch, or takeout as Olive still tends to want to call it even after years living over here. Sitting on a quilt Zuberi got from the house that Zuberi and his sister share with Viktor Krum and listening to THE Quidditch match, they enjoy their lunch and the slices of cake they'd gotten from Briar's. Fiddling with a cheese crisp that reminds Olive very much of good old Cheetohs©, he asks her, "Ready for the Championship Match?"
"Yes, and no. A rematch with Hufflepuff will be great but it also marks the end of Quidditch until fall."
Another cheese crisp in hand Zuberi uses it to point at her. "There are always pick-up matches and I bet of I begged nicely, Viktor would let us use the Humbatas stadium when the team isn't using it."
"Using the stadium could be fun." Olive snatches the cheese crisp from him and takes a bite of it before he's able to protest.
"Viktor has tickets to Quidditch Con because of the team. He says I can have some for you and your family."
Olive squeals, throwing her arms wide and leaning in to give Zuberi a huge hug and kiss. "You are so awesome!"
Sitting back with a sly smirk she informs him, "I am going to let the twins think I am going but they are not."
"You're so mean but, as a big brother, I would do something like that to Marjani just for the fun of it." Zuberi's snickering causes him to choke on the bite of sandwich he'd just practically inhaled.
After swallowing some butterbeer and assuring Olive he's fine, Zuberi next asks, "We're set for Emrys Fest?"
"As far as I know, unless something comes up between now and then. Emmie wrote that Phin would see about getting us ticket discounts but couldn't promise anything. I let her know we had gotten passes from an Easter Egg and that I thought Jade had too. Or, maybe it's Hunter who did. Either way, I told her to check with the twins."
They both go silent as the WWN announcer's play by play has Britain with the quaffle and in goal range. Olive doesn't realize she was holding her breath until a very loud, "SCORE!" bellows from the small WWN receiver has her letting out her breath to yell in glee. From all over Hogsmeade similar sounds of cheering erupt at the same time.
As the moment of excitement dies down, Olive reaches for another bite of food, saying as she does, "I wonder how well Gryffindor would have fared this year if Wiggy had played for their team."
"We'll never know unless you want to get a time turner and go back to a point when you could convince Wiggy to keep playing for his house team."
Laughing at the thought, Olive pelts Zuberi with cheese crisps.
From the Stadium to the Restaurant
Author: Desdemona Diamond
Date: 08-31-12 21:42
I said goodbye to Bronwyn, Siegfried, and Asa before leaving the stadium. I wanted to catch the end of the match, but I had plans. I walked out of the stadium before apparating near the restaurant where Karma and I had agreed to meet. I walked the remaining distance and went in. I found Karma already inside waiting.
"Hey Karma!" I said coming to the table, "I hope you weren't waiting too long." I sat down as I finished talking.
"Desi! I wasn't waiting long. How was the match?" Karma asked.
"Good, but I wasn't really paying attention, I was talking to Bronwyn." The waiter walked over and took my drink order. Also reminded me to look at the menu!
"How is Bronwyn?" Karma asked.
"She's good. She was helping me with a few things?"
"Oh? Such as?" Karma asked suddenly sounding a bit like Bron when she's prying.
"Oh, just stuff. Like, when did you and Dexter start dating?" I asked and a moment later I added, "Driver told me. Sorta."
Before Karma could reply, the waiter returned to take our food order. After he left, there was a moment of silence.
"So," I said, "I guess… when did you and Dexter start dating?"
"Since Bronwyn's birthday dinner. I thought it was going to be just the one, but we hit it off," Karma started to get a dreamy look in her eyes. The same look Bronwyn gets when she starts to ramble on about Toby.
Karma and I exchanged some more questions about each other. Not having ever really spent time together, we were trying to learn about each other and become friends. Well, at least I was. Karma seemed to be doing the same. Finally the food showed up and we dug in.
Telling Desi about Ember
Author: Karma Davyd
Date: 09-01-12 06:16
I'd already switched to non-alcoholic drinks by the time Desi had shown up and that was good. We talked and continued to learn more about each other to continue to become friends. Finally the food arrived and we started talking while we ate, and I filled her in on how things were with Dexter and I, and could not help blissfully happy look that I'd get on my face when I talked about him.
"We have pretty much been hanging out or spending time with each other since Bronwyn's party. He's met my parents and that did not go over well, but hey, I'm happy and that's what matters," I said while we ate.
I had the information from Ember and was attempting to figure out how I was going to tell Desi about what happened to Ember, but how exactly do you tell your friend that someone had raped your boyfriend's little sister. I knew she knew the entire Morgan clan, and I knew it would piss her off over the fact that someone hurt Ember.
After several moments, I sighed looked to Desi, "What I'm about to tell you is probably going to end up cutting this day short because it is going to piss you off, but you are the only person I trust to handle what had happened and I promised Ember I would talk to you about this."
Desi blinked and the look on her face said that she probably wasn't going to like what I was going to say. "What happened?"
I took the small folder of information that I had and slid it toward Desi. "Ember was raped last night by a guy in one of her classes. He asked her out and instead of taking her somewhere on an actual date he brought her to the woods and apparently doesn't understand the meaning of the word no."
I watched as Desi looked over the information. We were nearly through lunch and ultimately I didn't feel bad about ending lunch early because I had a feeling that is what is going to happen. I called the waiter over, and got the check. Once lunch was paid I looked at Desi who had finished reading the information I'd gotten from Ember earlier today.
"She needs to go to St. Mungos and she wants me with her when she goes," I said, leaning back in my chair as I finished off my drink.
Within a few minutes we were heading out, I was going to grab Ember and apparently needed to do some shopping to make something for the three of us at Desi's apartment because apparently her kitchen was in sad shape food wise.
Last Trip Laziness
Author: Maggie Hawthorne
Date: 09-01-12 06:37
"I can't believe that this is the last trip of the year," I said as William and I sat on a blanket in the Hogsmeade park, enjoying our lunch that we'd gotten from Crown & Cauldron since the place was busy as all get out (as expected).
"I know it, it's been an awesome year. I'm above and beyond ready for it to be over and honestly, I think I'm actually ready for NEWTs when they start in about sixteen days."
"Seriously, sixteen days until all this stress comes to a head," I said with a sigh and slid a hand through my hair as I lounged on the blanket.
"Yeah, sixteen days, just over two weeks. The Championship match in a week, plus the double elimination continues for the world cup brackets and hopefully Britain will win today..." He said while there was a break in the coverage at the moment, and then the game coverage kicked off again.
"As much as I love just laying here and listening to the match against Mongolia but I want to do some shopping, including getting some of those cake pop and biscuit balls from Briar's."
"Alright."
We got things together and headed from the park and wandered back into the village, and instantly began trying to get things done, and then we were going to play a game of ten pins or something at Blossom's before we headed back to the Castle.
(Adriana) Nearly There
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 09-01-12 12:14
Adriana slipped from the library with the intention of leaving the Hogwarts grounds for Hogsmeade village. She had volunteered to supervise the last student trip of the school year and had been assigned to the final shift. As she made her way downstairs, she thought about what she had just done in the library.
Ever since determining that she no longer needed the book she had "borrowed" from Nathaniel Ross, Adriana had debated how to return it to him without him knowing. Perhaps it shouldn't have been on her to-do list. After all, why should it matter to her if he ever got the book back and returned it to its rightful owner, Phyllida? Whatever the reason, Adriana had spent some time observing the seventh year Hufflepuff student to see what parts of the castle he frequented and where she could slip the book for him to find.
That place turned out to be the library. Like many of the N.E.W.T.-level students, Nathaniel spend an ungodly amount of time cramming for the exams in the library. Adriana had seen him on more than one occasion, especially lately, visit the same bookshelf in the library for certain books.
Adriana decided to slip Phyllida's book in with the others so that if Nate didn't change his recent pattern, then he would likely find it there––unless, of course, somebody else found it first. In all likelihood, he would think it had accidentally gotten shelved with the library books and would be none the wiser about what had really happened.
She did wonder if either Nathaniel or Phyllida understood what the book recorded. After intensive research, Adriana could say that she did. The dates next to the names were dates of death, but the book wasn't just a catalog of long-dead wizards and their death dates. It was so much more than that. All of the wizards listed had one thing in common: they had died in a duel and subsequently lost their wand, the wand of legend, the Elder Wand.
Adriana had done some research beyond the last name listed and had determined that the wand left Grimshaw possession and had probably not found its way back to the family. Unfortunately, she was stuck for the moment, but she knew that even this would pass. She had come very far over the past year and was so very close to finding out the identity of the wand's current owner.
It was still very bright when Adriana finally stepped outside the castle and made her way across the grounds. Sunset wasn't until very late, which meant the students could enjoy an extra long last Hogsmeade trip. The village was crowded, with many searching for dinner options. Adriana felt somewhat hungry herself and debated where to find something to eat. As her eyes scanned the various establishments in front of her, she spotted a familiar red-headed man not too far away.
"Bill!" she called out.
Bill somehow heard her calling his name over the din of the crowd and turned toward her. He waved and came over. He was alone.
"Hi, Adriana. How are you?"
"Fantastic, and you?"
"Doing okay. What's new?"
Adriana gestured for him to join her on an empty bench. They sat down and faced each other.
"Oh, you know. It's the end of the school year, so everyone is really wound up about the upcoming exams," Adriana answered. "What's new with you? How's work?"
Bill shrugged. "Administration has decided that we need to take various trainings. We're gearing up to learn about the dos and don'ts of customer service."
"Let me guess," Adriana began, grinning, "Do be polite. Don't treat your customers like dirt, even when they are wrong… or is the customer always right?"
"No!" Bill replied with emphasis. "But yes. Be nice even when the customer isn't. It's mostly common sense, don't you think?"
Adriana laughed. "I know people who don't have a shred of common sense. Sad, isn't it?"
Bill nodded. "Yes. So, take two at Hogwarts is going well?"
Adriana beamed. "It is. Coming back to Hogwarts was the best decision I ever made."
"I'm glad to hear that."
Adriana smiled at Bill. She missed talking to him. They were very close once upon a time, but they hardly spoke to each other anymore. Their lives had moved on in two very different directions.
"I was going to find a bite to eat somewhere," she said to him. "I don't suppose you want to come along?"
"I would, but I have other plans tonight. Maybe another time? We can catch up."
"I'd like that, Bill," Adriana said with a smile. They both got up from the bench. "Well, see you later," Adriana said.
"Bye, Adriana." Bill hesitated for a moment and then leaned in to give her a quick hug. Adriana had hardly enough time to hug him back when he let go, offered her a small smile, and disappeared into the crowd.