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(Colin) Lack of Social Skills
Author: Johanna Steele
Date: 02-28-13 12:49
Like Angus had predicted, Hogsmeade was crowded with students. Angus himself had refused to come with Colin to the village. After many years at Hogwarts the place had to interest to him. But to Colin, who had only been there a few times, Hogsmeade had a very picturesque charm and the group of students walking around with their house's scarves, made it even more interesting.
Colin had decided to buy the gift for his Secret Santa today. The name Liannah MacDougal said nothing to him and he had to ask around until he finally learned Liannah was a fourth year Ravenclaw, the older sister of one of Hufflepuff's chasers, Marlow MacDougal. During one of the meals at Great Hall, he had asked Basil if he knew who Liannah was and he had pointed to a girl with brown hair and pleasant smile, who was talking to some friends.
He thought he would figure out what to buy her as soon as he passed by some of the shops at Hogsmeade but now such task revealed to be impossible.
Colin had no idea what to buy to Liannah and he was starting to despair when he noticed Thalia Brown walking in the company of some other girls from their year. He approached them and without ceremonies, pulled her away from the group.
"Ladies, if you excuse me, I need to take Thalia away from you for a few moments,"
Some of the girls giggled towards his charming request and they started to comment between each other, but he ignored them.
"What is it, Hawke?" she had been acting a little hostile towards him since that visit at the hospital wing, but Colin believed Thalia was not going to be cruel to the point of denying his request.
"I need you to help me to get a present for a girl. It's for the Secret Santa. I'm clueless. Can you help me? Please?"
"If she doesn't, I will!" one of the girls from the group said, making all the other ones to laugh.
Colin didn't know if Thalia blushed of shame or fury, but she pulled him by the arm, telling the girls she would meet with them later. He thanked her and she asked him more information on the girl. Colin told her all he knew about Liannah and it seemed that according to Thalia all the gifts he had thought to offer her were improper.
"You don't know anything about girls do you?" she asked.
"I have never attended a school before. I was home-schooled, remember?"
"That's why you have no social skills, whatsoever," she sentenced and they walked together into a store.
After some time, Thalia gave Colin some gift suggestions, but she did not tell him exactly what to buy. She returned to her group of friends, leaving Colin to his own luck. He ended up buying a pair of earmuffs, he thought it would be useful to Liannah and that she would enjoy it wearing.
Looks Like It's Going To Be One Of Those Days
Author: Julian Valentine
Date: 02-28-13 16:59
Being a Hogsmeade weekend for Hogwarts students Twice Told Tales is busier than usual for this time of morning, even if a Saturday, but not as busy as the shoppe will be as the day wears on. Julian has just helped two different students with selecting study guides, one for OWLs and one for NEWTs, and a third student locate a first edition of a cookbook, to be a Christmas gift for a grandmother, when he looks over to greet a new customer as he's ringing up the cookbook sale to find the new customer is Harry Potter. Julian had been told Potter had come a few times yesterday looking for him.
Seeing Julian, Potter looks relieved. "Good, you're here."
"Sick children to deal with yesterday."
"You look a little peaked. You're not coming down with it too, are you?"
"Just tired from being up with them. You look a little tired yourself."
"New baby at home."
"Right, I did see the announcement. Congratulations."
"Thanks. Do you have a moment to talk?"
"We're a little busy and going to get even more so. Hogsmeade weekend. Could you come back this evening?"
An expression of disappointed frustration crosses Potter's face. "If that's when you're free, then, yes, I suppose that will have to do. I only need three, maybe five minutes for a few questions. It's about a book that might be titled Geheimzinnige Zilver."
Hearing that name Julian sighs. "Maybe now would be best then. Let's go to the office."
He stops on the way to let Jacob, the employee helping cover the extra business the December Hogsmeade trip always bring, know where he'll be. Once inside the office, he shuts the door and turns to Potter. "What do you need to know?"
"You're mentioned in conjunction with the book in a report at the Ministry from several years ago."
"Yes, I was attempting to destroy a copy. Things went badly." He taps the frame of his glasses. "It's why I sometimes have to wear these."
"What happened?"
"That particular copy was cursed. The book in general, which is quite rare, has some extremely nasty spells and potions, many of the involving rituals and blood magic, including human sacrifices. The copy I came to be in possession of turned out to have both a hex and a curse. The hex made the person the book deemed its owner want to delve into the contents, play around with the spells and potions. It was an obsessive compulsion that did not dim in the slightest when the book was buried deeply and ne going thousands of miles away. I tried a number of times to destroy it but the curse kept stopping me."
"Why didn't you turn it over to the Ministry?"
"The hex and the curse. I could not get rid of it. I forced myself to try again to destroy it, and that in itself damned near killed me. I kept on despite blinding, searing pain and managed to incinerate the bloody thing."
"A book like that, would it have the steps for making a horcrux?"
"It's possible but I don't know for sure. I didn't look at everything in the book." Julian scrutinizes Potter, abruptly asking, "Is this about Adriana?"
Potter counters with, "Why do you ask about my cousin? Have you seen her?"
"Not since before she killed Albus Dumbledore. I ask because she was a childhood friend. Most of my childhood friends were Voldemort supporters."
"You think either her father or her mother, who was my father's sister by the way, or both of them supported him?"
"I can't think of why else my parents, or some of the others in their circle, would have been friendly enough with them that Adriana was a playmate."
Potter purses his lips in thought before asking, "Do you know if all copies of the book are cursed or hexed?"
"Not as far as I know."
"Do you know of a copy I could buy or at least look through?"
Julian is about to say no and be done with this but has a change of heart and mind. He has no reason to sit on the information he has nor does have reason to keep Potter from seeing a copy of Geheimzinnige Zilver. "Give me a minute."
Julian steps out of the office, walking quickly and with purpose to the stairs leading down to the cellar. There, at the back wall, he utters a word and taps his wand four times on in a specific pattern on the floor. When the trapdoor appears he descends the ladderlike stairs to a small room. Not bothering with a light he removes a leather-bound case from a niche in the wall, grunting slightly at the weight. Using a spell to lighten the case he reverses his course, making sure to conceal the trapdoor before leaving the cellar. Back in the office he sets the case on the desk explaining as he does, "I came across another copy at an auction. I buy them when I can find one and destroy it. I don't know why I haven't destroyed these three yet."
Potter looks in the case, his confusion obvious. "You have three of them?"
"Just one." Julian taps the other two books, naming them as he does, "Geheimzinnige Goud, Geheimzinnige Saffier. There seems to be a series of them. This one, Geheimzinnige Goud, has prophecies. Like Zilver at least one copy was different, but unlike that one, not cursed or hexed. In most, the prophecies are vague like most prophecies are. The one that I know of that was different was extremely detailed and descriptive."
Potter lowers his voice to ask, "Wait, is that where the prophecy that has Hendrika and Briar pretending to be half-sisters from?"
"Yes, exactly. You know about that?"
"Only because I'm officially now a member of the Weasley clan. What's this other one, Saffier?"
"Information on creating some very nasty plant hybrids made from plants ranging from the somewhat dangerous to the extremely innocuous. There are also uses for those plants and references to spells and potions in Zilver. As yet I no curse or hex seems to have been cast on this. I have never seen another copy of Saffier to know if there are any differences between the copies."
"Someone had a very sick mind."
"You may take these. Turn them over to the Ministry, destroy them, I don't care."
"If I turn them over to the Ministry, why don't I see about getting you some sort of recompense for them? They can't have been cheap."
"I'll make you a copy of the receipt."
A minute later Potter leaves Twice Told Tales, the receipt copy tucked into the leather-bound case, which is in turn tucked under his arm. Julian returns to work, helping several customers over the next half hour or so. That's when he notices Lysander is becoming a little short in tone and coming off as impatient. Again.
He pulls Lysander aside to firmly say in a low voice, "Either take a deep breath and find your polite, be nice to customers self or take a long break."
Lysander glares at Julian before stalking off in the direction of the stairs leading to the upper floors. They really, really need to figure out how to get Charlotte back from those fecking Foxes.
Moving to ring up a few customers Julian is handing change back to the first in line when he realizes Iola Carew is standing off to one side. Hell, he'd not even known she'd coming into the shoppe. He keeps her waiting until he's cleared the line and made sure no one is in immediate need of his assistance. When he does turn to her he forgoes a hello to curtly ask, "What do you want?"
"I wanted to inform you I'm having lunch with Caerwyn."
"The hell you are."
"It's arranged. I could have just met with my nephew without saying a word to you. You might have learned of our lunch together after the fact. I am trying to show you I am trustworthy enough to let him spend an entire day with me during the upcoming holiday. Perhaps even spend the night."
"You aren't having lunch with my son."
"So you'll be telling Caerwyn you forbade lunch in a public place? Won't that seem rather petty and make him wonder why he cannot share a meal with the aunt whom he knows very much wants to get to know him better? Won't he wonder what you're keeping from him? Or question if you're attempting to block him from learning more of his mother?"
When put like that, it does seem petty and Caerwyn might start questioning his reluctance to allow Caerwyn around his mother's sister. Telling Caerwyn his mother was a bad person and that until Julian knows more of Iola, he's not sure she's trustworthy would open a can of flobberworms. His son would want to know what made Afton a bad person and why Iola would be guilty by association.
He rubs at a now tense, sore spot on his neck. "Lunch, nothing more."
"That's all it is, lunch in a public place. If you're available, come along and check to make sure we're there but I don't want you joining us?"
"Why?"
"Because I want time with just Caerwyn for him to know me better and me to know him better."
Iola gives Julian the when and the where before making her exit. With the shoppe so busy today, with no telling when Lysander might make a reappearance or if he will at all, and with the twins still under the weather and Julian wanting to check in with Aegean through the day, he's not sure he can manage getting away at a specific time long enough to merely see for himself that Iola is keeping true to her word.
Massaging the spot on his neck again, Julian forces one of his dimpled smiles when a student asks, "Do you have the third in the Mystical Mayhem series by Lunette Solari? My mum's has gone missing and that one's not in print any longer. I was hoping to give her a copy as a gift if you have one?"
"Not only do I have one but it's an autographed copy AND it's on sale today. Right this way."
(Kate) Everything Zen
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 03-01-13 17:48
Although Kate much preferred visiting Hogsmeade with her friends than alone, it made Christmas shopping somewhat difficult. How could she get them each a nice surprise if they were always with her? Of the group, Kate felt certain only Johanna shared her thoughts. As usual, Felicia was too busy kissing Baltus to notice anything or anyone else, and Baltus and Mark were boys––enough said.
Gus had started out the morning with them but had wandered off soon after entering the village. Kate doubted very much he was using the time alone to buy all the presents he wanted to get his friends. She thought he might be looking for Angharad.
Angharad had never asked Kate much about Gus, nor vice versa. The girls were roommates, which made Kate the perfect liaison. It also made her more observant than some when it came to Angharad's moods. For some reason, Angharad didn't seem too keen on Gus at the moment.
Mark tugged on Kate's arm, bringing her back to the present. The group had begun to file in the direction of one of the street vendors set up near Scrivenschaft's Quill Shop. The stall boasted a variety of trinkets, including a vast amount of Christmas ornaments. Kate stopped to admire one of a white unicorn rearing on its hind legs. It wouldn't work for her Secret Santa recipient, but she could treat herself, unless one of her friends took the hint and bought it for her. She gently set it back down and moved on, eyeing the other ornaments laid out on the table.
Kate eventually moved to a second table, which contained "stress busting" gifts like a home spa kit, tea and pillows. A sign behind the table claimed the gifts were perfect for Hogwarts students in their O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. years. Kate picked up a stress ball in the shape of a golden snitch and gave it a squeeze. Then she spotted something rather unique. It was a personal zen garden.
Kate knew who Christopher Chant was because he was on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team and had been for a few years. He was a seventh year and was no doubt under a lot of stress because of his N.E.W.T.-level classes. She eyed the zen garden and tried to picture Christopher opening up his gift. What would he think of it if she got it for him?
Johanna moved next to Kate and saw what she was scrutinizing. "That looks fun."
"Does it?" Kate asked.
"Yes. You can rake the sand into whatever pattern you like."
With Johanna's backing, Kate bought the zen garden for Christopher. She would wrap it tonight or tomorrow and then stick it under the Christmas tree in the commons for him to find.
Picking Up Some Sweets (Etta)
Author: Jared
Date: 03-01-13 18:21
Walking with Jill Prewitt, Etta gestures towards Honeydukes. "I need to get a few sweets."
"For yourself or someone else, because if for someone else you know I do love anything with chocolate. And nuts. Caramel is always good too."
Etta laughs. "Nothing like a subtle hint. You never know, part of your gift may include candy of some sort."
"I'm also partial to eye candy."
"As I am well aware," Etta says with another laugh. "I need to get part of Secret Santa there."
"I thought you said you wanted to avoid the basket of sweets fallback."
"I do and I am. I'm just getting a small amount of ones someone new to the Wizarding World might find strange or unusual, like fizzing whizbees. She may have had some by now but that wouldn't mean she's used to them or doesn't still find them fun."
"They're always fun."
"Right, so imagine someone still new to it all."
Once inside the crowded sweets shoppe, Jill gravitates toward some chocolate figurines of professional Quidditch players. Holding one, preventing it from zooming around and around her, she asks Etta, "Would it be wrong of me to want to eat Viktor Krum?"
"You would be the one to find a way to make eating chocolate sound dirty."
Jill grins. "It's a gift. I'm getting this one and the one of Wiggy. I've always said he's so cute I could just gobble him."
While Jill gets distracted selecting other chocolate Quidditch figures, Etta gets the fizzing whizbees, toothflossing stringmints, and some sugar quills. The sugar quills tie in nicely with another part of the present, a pretty feathered Ravenclaw inspired quill pen. To round out the Secret Santa gift for first year Wendy Mills, Etta got Wendy another pretty item, a charm bracelet with blue and copper colored beads and charms such as one that reads Knowledge on it and another that represents the famed Ravenclaw diadem. Between the quill, bracelet, and sweets, Etta hopes Wendy likes at least part of her gift.
Getting in line to pay, Etta can't help but roll her eyes at Jill who seems to have enough of the figurines to form a miniature Quidditch team made of chocolate.
Knickers In A Twist (Basil)
Author: Jared
Date: 03-01-13 19:30
Standing in line at Briar's Bakery, Ivan is shoveling candied walnuts into his mouth while flip flopping on what he's going to order when it's his turn. Basil, who knows he's getting some of the sticky toffee pudding and the dark chocolate hazelnut torte he'd spied in the display case as soon as they'd walked in, asks his steadily snacking friend, "You aren't worried that by the time we actually sit down to eat you won't be full?"
"Didn't have breakfast, remember?"
"But all you've done since we got here is eat."
"Unlike some I don't need to watch my figure as I am currently without a girlfriend."
Basil refrains from pointing out that Ivan's never had a girlfriend. Instead he points out, "If you keep eating at the rate you are, everything you bought at Honeydukes will be gone before you get back to school. That means having to buy even more so the person you have for Secret Santa actually gets something."
"True. I'll just have to make another visit before the end of the day," Ivan says around another mouthful of the candied walnuts. "Speaking of being full, you're getting two things, right?"
"Yeah. One for now, one for later. Why?"
"Didn't you say you're meeting Aleydis for lunch at some point?"
"Yeah, but like you I didn't have breakfast. Unlike you I haven't been eating from the second I left Hogwarts."
Ivan nods at a bag Basil carries. "That for your bird?"
"Stop referring to Aleydis as a bird."
"It's just slang."
"I know but stop."
"Don't get your knickers in a twist. Is it?"
"No, it's for Professor Ravenscroft. I got her name for Secret Santa."
"You must have gone somewhere else when I was taking so long in Honeydukes."
"Yeah, to Botanicals & Beyond."
"And you give me a hard time for going the easy way out by giving a Knight Bus load of sweets."
"Huh?"
"She teaches Herbology and you want to a botanicals shoppe."
"It's not like that. For once I put a lot of thought into Secret Santa." Basil pulls out the gift and unwraps it to show Ivan. "See? It's a necklace that's also a planter."
"Easy way out."
"It's not," Basil insists.
"Knickers in a twist. Have no clue how you walk."
Ivan has now reached the front of the line so Basil darkly mutters, "Just hurry up and order, you twit."
Back To Gladrags (Mason)
Author: Pyrrhus
Date: 03-02-13 09:46
Mason comes to a stop in front of Gladrags. Beside him Boris Samson gives a dramatic eye roll. "We've been in here once already and once was too many times."
"I decided to get something from here for the secret Santa."
"I told you to do what I did, get a bunch of teas in a tin."
"I thought about that but my mum and Majandra both said I should give consideration in picking a present. Your person loves tea so even though you didn't give any real thought to the gift, you know she'll like it. Mum said I should think about how I'd feel if the one I get was obviously gotten just to be getting it and nothing more."
"Yeah, guess that's a good point. Of course, I also didn't get a Gryffindor."
Mason shrugs as he leads Boris to the jewelry display he'd looked at earlier. "Majandra was a Gryffindor and I like her a lot."
"She's sort of your sister and your professor so you sort of have to."
"I guess. Charisma's okay though. She did play Quidditch."
"Why'd she quit?"
"Don't know. Wanted more time to study or snuggle with the boyfriend. Why don't you ask her."
"Ha ha ha. Right. I'll just run out and do that now. Back in a tick."
Mason removes the initial C pendant necklace he'd come back for, glad no one else had snagged it. There are other initial C necklaces but this is the only one of this design and it's the one he likes best. Hopefully, Charisma Stone will like it, even if only a little. Carrying it to the register he wonders if Gladrags giftwraps. If not, since he's shite at that sort of thing, maybe Majandra will help him.
Necklace paid for, and wrapped in metallic red paper with a glittery silver bow, Mason turns to Boris. "Lunch then wizarding laser tag or paint ball?"
"Sounds like a good idea to me."
Packages in hand the boys exit Gladrags, lingering a few moments in front one of the window in debate over where to grab a bite to eat.