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(Anthony) Anniversaries & Attacks
Author: Beck
Date: 12-30-12 08:41
The Auror Office was still buzzing after last weekend's attack at Platform 9 3/4. The news unsettled everyone, especially parents who had only a month prior sent their children on the Hogwarts Express back to school. Anthony wasn't involved in the investigation, but he often found himself pulled into conversations about it.
For the moment, all was quiet at his desk. He sipped the coffee he had purchased from the snack cart in the Atrium and thought of Sunday, the first of October, the day of the attack and also the day of his first wedding anniversary with Plum.
Anthony, Plum and Alex sat down at their table at Delia's Deli & Restaurant in Diagon Alley and began eating the sandwiches and crisps they'd ordered for a late lunch. They had spent the morning and early afternoon together sightseeing at the Tower of London with what felt like thousands of Muggle tourists, many of which were visiting from foreign countries.
Alex liked the castle very much but liked the giant crows that lived there much better. He wanted one for a pet and wondered if he could bring it with him to Hogwarts when he became old enough to attend school there.
Anthony and Plum grinned at each other. They had indulged Alex in many of his passions so far: he had a drum set, which he played with enthusiasm everyday; and he had a position on the London Lambs Little League Quidditch team. There had been a match yesterday against the Iverness Imps. It had been close, but London had prevailed in the end. Alex was still riding that high.
They were halfway through their meal when Anthony pulled a small silk pouch from his coat pocket. He handed it to Plum, to whom he had given a bouquet of carnations at breakfast that morning.
"What's this?" she asked, a smile touching her lips.
"An anniversary present!" Alex exclaimed. "You're suppose to give carnations and paper as first anniversary gifts." Then he wrinkled his nose. "Paper is a boring present, if you ask me." But then he smiled. "But I think you will like what Anthony got you. It's not that boring."
Anthony chuckled. "You are a silly boy, you know that?"
"Yes," Alex answered. To Plum he said, "Open it!"
"Okay, okay!" she exclaimed, laughing. She pulled open the drawstring and tipped the contents of the silk pouch into her hand. Out fell a glass vial hung on a silver chain. Inside the vial was a note.
"It's a message in a bottle!" Alex shrieked. "Anthony won't tell me what he wrote. I guess it's supposed to be a secret."
"Maybe I will read it later then," Plum said with a smile. She leaned over the table to kiss Anthony. "Thank you. It's beautiful."
"You're welcome. Now––"
But then the news broke about the explosion at Platform 9 3/4.
Anthony blinked, suddenly back in the present, and listened to some of the conversations in the cubicles around him. It being a Saturday morning, the office wasn't quite as busy as usual, but since crime never took a holiday, there were plenty of aurors on duty today. Most talk centered on Platform 9 3/4, but everybody had other cases they were working on too. Anthony listened for a few minutes more and then focused on his own work, the investigation of Landon Dragonsbood.
Unsettled
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 12-30-12 09:13
Bill sat in his office at Gringotts and finished up some end of quarter parchmentwork that should have been submitted to Diagon Alley last week. How he had fallen behind, he did not know. Lately, he seemed to be spending more time at work than at home.
His relationship with Fleur was still a bit unstable, which made the fact that she was pregnant again seem miraculous. Most nights he slept on the couch after coming home from a late night in the office.
Sometimes they did act as if everything was all right, as if the problem of Adriana Fairchild had never happened.
It wasn't that Bill was in denial about who Adriana had become. He had accepted it soon after Dumbledore's murder. He just wished things could be different, and in some ways thought it might have been best if she truly had died all those years ago. He hated thinking it, but Dumbledore would still be alive and Adriana wouldn't be tainted a killer if it had been her body found way back when.
He suddenly felt restless and got up to stretch his legs. Bill walked into the foyer of the bank just as a pair of students came inside, each dressed warmly for the crisp, fall weather.
It occurred to Bill then that he had totally forgotten that today was a Hogsmeade trip for Hogwarts students. He replaced his perpetual frown with a smile, which almost felt foreign on his face.
"Good morning," he greeted them. "Can I help you with something?"
"We've come to get money out of our vaults," one of the students said. She held up her key.
"Great. I can help you with that," Bill warmly replied. He led them to the spiral staircase that led underground, temporarily forgetting all his troubles and concerns.
Time in the Village
Author: Adina Blackwood
Date: 12-30-12 17:22
She'd spoken the Sunday prior at the memorial for Dumbledore. He was the first one to know about her being an Animagus and had arranged it so that she would have time set to run through a set area in the forest when she needed it without causing panic on the grounds as her shape of choice was a shaggy, silver wolf.
She'd headed down to the village early, Arthur choosing to sleep in a little bit before he would meet her for a late breakfast/brunch at her house. After grabbing a travel cup of tea from Rosa Lee Teabag and a sweet roll from Briar's she found a place to sit and let her thoughts wander.
She had been among those that had stood up and talked about her own memories of Professor Dumbledore from the time she'd transferred to Hogwarts from Athens Academy, and his acceptance of her abilities and his encouragement to seek out advice from Professor McGonagall and Professor Black. The moment she spoke of her being an animagus, it truthfully became the first time she'd felt open enough to share it, to tell others beyond her select group of friends and the staff here.
She'd written to her dad after the memorial and had yet to hear back from him, but that was expected. He was horrible about responding to her owls most of the time, but she figured she'd get something back from him by Halloween. Speaking of, she had to remember to grab her fancy dress from home when she was there.
She finished off her breakfast and wandered along the main street before heading toward home, because she figured Arthur would be heading down to the village soon and she wanted to beat him to the house. Her mother had written her several times over the last week since the attack on Platform 9 3/4 on the day of the memorial and was glad that she nor Arthur absolutely -had- to take the train unless they wanted to.
"Mom, am home. Arthur should be here in a little bit."
"Hey sweetie, there are muffins on the island, food is almost ready."
Her mother called from the kitchen as I slipped out of my shoes and jacket and padded into the kitchen. "Smells fantastic."
Before my mom could respond the front door opened again. "Hello!"
"Hey babe, we are in the kitchen." She called and tossed him a fresh baked blueberry muffin, which he caught effortlessly.
"Thanks." He dropped a kiss on her cheek.
"Mrs. Blackwood, hello." He gave her mom a hug and settled on one of the stools at the island next to her and waited for food to be served.
"Good morning Arthur. Juice?"
"Please. Thank you."
Adina slipped from her stool and grabbed the carton of juice from the cold box and poured herself and Arthur, her mom was still sipping her coffee. By the time she'd turned around the food had been summoned to the island and Arthur was already filling his plate with the food.
A knock on the door pulled her away from her plate and she grinned seeing Kida and Whitney. "Come on in. Mom just finished making food, if you're quick you can get some before Arthur eats it all."
The three girls laughed and headed into the kitchen. There was talk of the events that had happened and ultimately what was going to be going on when the families got together for homecoming that was coming up.
"Oh! Mum, remind me to take my fancy dress with me so I have it, or would it just be better if I ordered another so I'm not going as the same thing I did last year?"
"We can order you another one if you want. I've gotten a catalogue from one a muggle store that you can look through if you want, figuring you'd want to coordinate something between the four of you."
Adina grinned. "More than likely, we will look and see. Mind if I take the catalogue back with me so we don't waste time trying to plan while we could be shopping and stuff?"
"Not at all. Now finish eating and stop by here before you have to go up to the castle. I've got care packages for the four of you."
After they finished eating, the four Slytherin headed back into the main part of the village and decided on what to do for their remaining time in the village. Shopping was much needed and there were a couple of games of laser tag at Blossom's. They'd overheard that at one point there had been a group of older witches protesting outside of Petals the strip club that had opened up in the village.
"I seriously don't understand why so many people have an issue with the fact that there is a club like that here. I mean it isn't like people are going to be stupid enough to try and get in if they were underaged. And it isn't like you can see anything when the girls go in and out." Kida said with a shrug.
"I know, but old people I guess need something to complain about. I mean, really some of the older witches are from an era where women couldn't wear skirts or robes that came above their ankles."
They fell into a conversation about history and a variety of things as they walked from Blossom's back toward Adina's house to grab the care packages that her mom had for them.
Feline Charades (Mockridge Townhouse)
Author: Cassandra Catesby
Date: 12-31-12 02:10
The black cat swiped at the page with a paw. When it didn't turn over, the cat gave a slight huff and uncurled itself, nudging at the corner with its nose and trying to ease a paw beneath the page. 'Oh, for a thumb,' Cassandra grumbled inwardly. Nephele had kindly propped the volume up against one of her jars of potions ingredients. Unfortunately, whilst that made it easier to read, it didn't make it any easier to turn the pages. 'Bloody Philantha Parkinson!' she grumbled, half wishing the witch was still around so she could curse her and see how she liked it.
Kirley shook his head as he checked on Cass in Nephele's library. He stepped in, one hand turning the page. The other itched to stroke her fur, but he wasn't quite sure he'd get away with that one. "Cursing my ancestress making you feel any better?" he asked.
She cast him a look out of midnight-blue eyes; he'd interpreted the feline grumbling a little too accurately for comfort. But since he'd turned the page over for her, she grudgingly muttered something that might have been the feline equivalent of thank you.
He chuckled. "I swear, if I could translate cat, I'd be hearing the same thing from you that I hear from Nephele. She's had some not-so-pretty words for Philantha herself." He made himself comfortable in a nearby chair, the Daily Prophet in hand.
Cassandra tilted her head in enquiring fashion, and gave an impatient mew when he didn't immediately elaborate on that comment. Whilst she had been in touch with the Mockridges since their visit to Catesby Castle and Parkinson Manor, all three of them had been busy with their other projects: she with her hunt for the Book of the Dark Mirror, Nephele with her apprenticeship with Slughorn, and Kirley with his work for the Ministry. She hadn't had a chance to ask how Nephele was getting on with her research. Now here she was with the perfect opportunity - three whole days at Mockridge Manor - and she was stuck in a form that couldn't even manage the simplest words. She cursed Philantha Parkinson again.
Kirley couldn't help the chuckle that escaped. "I'm guessing you want to know about Nephele," he said, "so I'll tell you that and if it's not right, well, you can yell at me later. She's been doing the research as she can, in between the work she's got from Slughorn. She's working on redoing that banned potion, so it has far less side-effects, I think she found a copy of it in Hartcrofte's library, which she felt was much safer than asking you to try to bring that particular volume into the country. She's also been telling me I make her paranoid, since I insist she not talk about illegal books or potions in the house because I don't know yet where Skeeter's getting her information and I'm starting to think walls have ears." He seemed to realize he was rambling, though it was nice to have a semi-captive audience.
Interesting. Cassandra considered this for a moment. Rita Skeeter was getting information out of the Ministry? She wondered how. Something like one of those Muggle 'bugs' she'd read about perhaps? Pondering how to suggest this to Kirley in the absence of a voice, she looked around. One of the jars on Nephele's desk held the remains of shiny black beetle carapaces. She padded over and nudged it meaningfully, then flicked her own ear with a paw.
Kirley grinned. "Bugs? Thought of it. When we were in school, the year of the Tri-Wizard, she revealed to the Slytherins that she was an unregistered animagus. She turns into a beetle. But I've warded the Minister's office against that sort of thing, and we tried telling each employee, aside from the Minister himself and I, different parts of stories. Skeeter still got the actual story and not just the parts. Which means either the Minister or I are compromised somehow, or she's got another way to get everything."
She sat back on her haunches, her tail curled neatly around her hindquarters. Her expression was thoughtful. So not bugs then, and presumably not some sort of extendable ears because surely people would notice if they tripped over them in the corridor. Perhaps not even in person either because everyone knew Rita Skeeter... She stilled, hardly breathing, as a niggle of an idea began to form. What if Rita wasn't getting these stories directly? What if someone else was giving them to her?
She pulled the quill pen out of the ink pot with her mouth, inadvertently dripping ink on to Nephele's desk as she fumbled around with it until she got the tip to work as a pointer. Then she carefully spelled out a word by pointing to letters in the book she had been reading: H.O.W. Before Kirley could object and say he'd been thinking about how, she mewed firmly and spelled again, this time reordering the letters: W.H.O.
Kirley blinked. "You're brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. If you weren't in cat form, I might have to kiss you. Of course, that would probably get me hexed within an inch of my life, but still." He would've laughed at how the conversation echoed the one Nephele had had with Pippin Hartcrofte, if he'd known about that part. "It might be time to update the wards so that nothing discussed in office can be discussed out of the office. Then I can investigate other methods too, without the pressure of current new information being leaked."
Cassandra dropped the quill and gave him the intention-depressing look that she did so well whether it was as a human or a cat. Nonetheless, she was pleased to have been able to help. And since she'd helped him with his problem... She cast him a sidelong look and batted the corner of her book again.
"Ready for a new page, I take it?" Kirley asked, moving to turn the page for her. "Has Philantha said anything useful or is it more ranting about how she's been wronged? Parkinson witches are rarely reasonable creatures."
She gave a soft snort. Reasonable witches did not curse a family down the generations because they lost the guy. No guy was worth that kind of grief. The look she cast on Kirley was eloquent.
"You don't have to tell me she was crazy. You forget, I grew up with Mother. I know all about that deadly Parkinson temper. Nephele seems to have skipped much of it, though if she's really pushed. Valeria though, she got a full dose. She's got the accuracy with her wand to go with it. I probably shouldn't have allowed her so much leeway with Mother's books."
This comment only caused him to get another look, one which clearly said he was the one who was crazy if he thought he had any say in the matter. From what Cassandra could tell, Parkinson and Mockridge women did whatever they thought they would.
"You might be right, I probably didn't stand a chance. Makes me wish Alistair had been the one to deal with it," he said.
'Yeah, right', Cass thought inwardly and gave another soft snort. Despite his complaints, she knew Kirley was one hundred percent loyal to Nephele and Valeria. She flicked her tail across his hand.
He laughed slightly and tugged gently on her tail. "Are you getting hungry? I can have one of the house elves bring you something if you want?"
She whisked her tail out of his hand, rising to her feet and flicking him with it again. This time she bounded off the desk and to the floor before he could tug on it. She trotted over to the door and waited with an imperious look for him to open it.
His eyes still showed clear amusement. "Yes, Your Majesty," he murmured, bowing to her with a wry grin. "Let's go find you something you'll deign to eat."
Aleydis & Sadie in Hogsmeade
Author: Griet
Date: 01-01-13 17:37
Aleydis and Sadie stepped into the queue at Burger Wizard and read the menu board while they waited to order. The fast food restaurant was quite busy, it being around lunch time. It was also comfortably warm compared to the cool autumn air outside in the village. A lot of people stood in clusters and talked.
Sadie glanced behind her and then smiled. "You should really put him out of his misery," she murmured to Aleydis.
"Who?" Aleydis asked, tearing her gaze away from the menu board to look behind her. Basil had just entered the restaurant and quickly glanced up at the menu, as if debating what to order.
She smiled at Sadie and resumed her perusal of the menu board. "You're one to talk."
Sadie raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"Rumor has it Hunter Rabnott likes you," Aleydis answered.
"Really?" Sadie asked. "I didn't know." Then she asked, "Are you sure?"
"Yes," Aleydis replied. "Just pay attention when he's around and you'll see. He's always staring at you."
"I wonder why," Sadie murmured.
Aleydis looked at her. "Because you're pretty, that's why," she replied, "and who knows. Maybe he has a thing for redheads."
They finally reached the counter and put in their orders. Minutes later, a table emptied just in time for them to claim it as their own. It seated four, which worked out perfectly because a short while later Basil and his friend Ivan needed a place to sit.
Aleydis waved them over. She and Sadie were sitting across from each other, so Basil sat down next to Aleydis and Ivan, smirking, sat down next to Sadie. Aleydis immediately fell into easy conversation with Basil, asking him what he had shopped for, if anything, and if he had gone to the gaming centre at Blossom's. Ivan kept smirking between eating bites of his burger. Sadie, meanwhile, wondered if what her cousin had told her was true. Did Hunter R. really like her?
Beatrix Gets a Warning
Author: Griet
Date: 01-01-13 18:14
"Have you decided where you want to go for lunch?" Beatrix asked Rowan. The pair had gone into Hogsmeade early and had spent all morning going into every shop they passed. They hadn't spent money everywhere they'd gone, or they would have run out hours ago. Mostly, Rowan had looked around as if seeing everything for the first time––or perhaps the first time in a long time.
Beatrix found her friend's behavior strange, but then what else was new. Rowan was a very curious girl.
"Let's go back to The Three Broomsticks," Rowan murmured absentmindedly. She stared at the façade of Petals with an unreadable expression on her face.
"Okay, let's do that," Beatrix stated. She turned to go back in the other direction, when she realized that Rowan hadn't moved to follow. "Rowan? Are you coming, or did you want to try to patronize that strip club? I'm really not sure they'll let you in. I also don't think they have male dancers there… unless you are interested in female ones?" she hastily rambled.
"What?" Rowan asked. "No, I'm not. And no, I don't want to try to get in. I was just wondering how long it's been there. I don't remember it from the last time I was here. I don't remember a lot of these places," she said, finally falling into step beside Beatrix.
As usual, Beatrix processed Rowan's words for a long moment before answering, "Well, it's been there as long as I've been allowed to visit the village. So, since last year at least, but I want to say it's been around a few years."
They walked in silence for a while, Rowan thinking about all the changes Hogsmeade had undergone since her last visit, and Beatrix challenging herself to ask a question she knew would result in a vague answer on Rowan's part, if past attempts were anything by which to judge.
"So, how long––" but before Beatrix could finish her thought, Cornelia popped into view.
"There you are," Cornelia said.
"Um, hi," Beatrix greeted, slowing to a stop. "What are you doing here?"
"Just making sure everything is going okay," Cornelia replied, looking around as if bad wizards were lurking around every corner. "Is Aleydis around?"
"I saw her with Sadie earlier, but don't ask me where they are now. What exactly are you doing here, Cornelia?"
Cornelia looked at her blankly. "I'm worried about you."
"Um, why?"
"Because Clover Blakely isn't in Azkaban anymore, that's why," Cornelia snapped.
Beatrix stared at her older sister for a long moment. "I know, but what does that have to do with me or Aleydis? She didn't threaten us, did she?"
"No," Cornelia replied, "but I don't trust her, and you shouldn't let your guard down while you're outside the castle grounds. Who's this?" she asked, scrutinizing Rowan.
Rowan, for once not looking lost, raised both eyebrows and assessed Cornelia with an unwavering stare.
"Oh, this is my friend Rowan. She's new… kind of. Rowan, this is my annoying sister Cornelia."
"Hi," Rowan said.
"Yeah, hi." Cornelia turned back to Beatrix. "Seriously, watch your back. As long as Clover is out there…" she trailed off and then shuddered.
Beatrix furrowed her brow. It sounded like her sister was being paranoid, but she supposed she couldn't be blamed for worrying about Clover being a free witch. Clover had tried to kill her, after all.
"We'll be careful," Beatrix promised. "We were just heading for lunch. Did you want to come with us?"
Cornelia waved her hand. "No, thanks. Just be careful, okay?" She walked off without waiting for a reply.
"Okay…" Beatrix said. She exchanged a look with Rowan and then continued walking to the pub.
"So, is your sister always that weird?"
Beatrix cracked a smile. "No offense, but you're kind of weird yourself."
"I know I must seem that way," Rowan said, sounding lighthearted instead of her usual serious self.
"And to answer your question," said Beatrix, "my sister is usually a supreme bitch. In her defense, though, this thing with Clover is kind of serious. I mean, I'm not worried she's coming after me or anything like that. But it's kind of a big deal that she's out of prison. She tried to kill my sister."
Instead of asking the questions Beatrix herself would ask, if she had been the one listening to the story instead of telling it, Rowan merely said, "Oh."
Beatrix guessed correctly that Rowan wanted to hear more, but as Rowan wasn't one to divulge much about herself, she wasn't going to press Beatrix for answers either. The lull in the conversation lured Beatrix into talking, however, and soon she was telling Rowan everything about Clover Blakely's connection to Griet and Cornelia Vanderbilt.