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Future Plans
Author: Ellis
Date: 03-11-18 11:07
Alys and Chip wandered through Hogsmeade together. They had already gotten breakfast pastries at the bakery, played laser tag at the gaming center, and gotten ice cream despite knowing they might spoil their appetites for lunch. Alys wanted to go to the bookstore to look at study guides for the O.W.L. exams, which both she and Chip would be taking at the end of the school year.
Chip was not so keen on wasting a perfect day away from Hogwarts doing something school-related. Neither he nor Alys had really done any O.W.L. preparation outside regular school assignments, though. It may only be the end of February, but June would be there before either of them knew it. The realization was in the back of Alys' mind, which was why she thought it might be time to pick up some extra study material.
Besides getting some books, Alys wanted to stop by the music shop. At Career Day, she had spoken with the proprietor about applying for a summer job. Dominic Maestro had invited her to stop by the next time she was in the village. Since Chip was dragging his feet about buying study guides at the bookstore and because he didn't want to wander off anywhere alone, Alys figured she could convince him to go to the music shop.
Dominic Maestro's was located above Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop. The music shop was filled with instruments of every sort, from Muggle clarinets to wizarding feckdoodaps. Alys had been to the shop before to buy sheet music and other things for her hardanger fiddle. She would probably also do that on this visit, but her goal was to come away from the shop with a job.
She left Chip admiring a drum kit and called out to Mr. Maestro. Alys could see him through the open work room door. He sat on a wheeled stool and used his wand to remove old pads from the keys of a saxophone. In addition to selling instruments, musical accessories, and sheet music, Mr. Maestro also repaired instruments and offered private instruction.
He looked up when Alys called out to him and smiled. "Come on back, Miss… Ellis, isn't it?"
Alys nodded and stepped behind the counter, feeling a bit like a rebel even though she was there at the store owner's invitation. She started to extend her hand in a formal greeting, but Mr. Maestro's two hands were full. "Yes, Alys Ellis," she said instead, and she sat down in the second wheeled stool at the work table.
"Hardanger fiddle, right?"
"Yes, sir," Alys replied. "I found it in an Easter egg during my first year, and I play in the orchestra at Hogwarts."
"How long now?"
"Four and a half years, I guess."
"So I'm sure you play quite well by now."
"I''m decent," Alys said, "but not a professional by any stretch of the imagination."
"Practice makes perfect," Mr. Maestro said with a smile. "Now, let's talk about what I can offer you for the summer…"
Girls
Author: Gerry
Date: 03-11-18 15:35
Gerry and Will sat on one of the park benches facing High Street. This allowed them to people-watch while they sipped hot cocoas and ate hot sandwiches purchased from Brews & Stews. Gerry's sandwich was grilled cheese with cranberry, a tasty twist on a classic. Will's, on the other hand, was a ham sandwich with three types of cheese all melted together to form a gooey goodness. A basket of seasoned chips was positioned between them on the bench.
When Grace walked by with her friends, Will pointed a greasy finger in her direction and asked, "If not her, then who?"
"Who what?" Gerry asked.
"What girl do you fancy?"
"What girl do you fancy?" Gerry retorted.
"Well, since you ask," Will began, pausing to scan the crowd of people walking by in each direction in case he saw the girl in question, but he didn't. "That Blakeney is a real looker, but it's Tessa I really like."
"You do?" Gerry asked. He thought about both Hufflepuff girls who were also in their year at Hogwarts. "Yeah, I guess they are both pretty."
"So, who is your favorite? Susan? Eirene? Augusta? Or is it someone not in our year… older, or younger?" Before Gerry could answer, Will grinned wickedly and said, "Oh, I know. It's Kaycee. That's why you pick on her all the time."
"Wait just a minute," Gerry said, holding up one greasy hand and the sandwich with his other. "You pick on Kaycee just as much as I do."
Will smirked. "I was joking anyway."
"If you like Tessa so much, why didn't you do anything for her for Valentine's Day?" Gerry asked, hoping to get the subject off of him.
Will shrugged. "I didn't think about it, probably because I only just now admitted how much I actually like her."
Gerry looked at his friend in amazement. He wondered if Will would ever say anything to Tessa, or if he would only admire her from afar. As much as Gerry himself liked to prank others, he wasn't planning on giving Will a hard time about his crush. He supposed it had a little something to do with the fact that he did think about Grace from time to time. Gerry suspected it was all because Gareth put the notion into his head, but then she was cute, and they did go waaaaaaay back. He wasn't going to say anything to her, though, not until she was older, and only if she was still on his mind by then.
Workshop (Schuyler)
Author: Charlie Weasley
Date: 03-11-18 19:00
Schuyler comes in for a landing, wobbling a lot in the process. Frowning, he vows to working more on that. His landings, even if not perfect, shouldn't be unbalanced to the point of tottering that much.
Gripping his broom with one hand he walks the short distance to the refreshments table for something to drink. Once there he ends up holding his broom under his arm, somewhat awkwardly, after deciding that as long as he was there he'd have a biscuit as well. Crunching into one he wonders if the biscuits came from the Hogwarts kitchen elves or Aunt Briar's or somewhere else. Looking around, his eyes fall on one of the workshop helpers, Marjani Batuti. Maybe she made them. Or Coach Krum himself.
Schuyler shrugs, grabs another biscuits and with drink in hand goes to join some others taking a break, taking care not to whack anyone with his broom waggling under his arm. He's no sooner seat then Seth sits beside him. "You're getting faster."
"Thanks, but my landings need work. I'm thinking of working on one of the obstacle courses. How are they this time?"
"Good but not as easy as they look."
Schuyler then brings up something that he's spoken with Seth about before, and with Gideon too. "Larkin is bloody brilliant up there. Why didn't she try out for the house team?"
"I know." Seth sadly shakes his head. "Of course, if she had, and if she'd made the Gryffindor team, I'd have to play against her."
"You play against Gideon."
"Yeah, but we're about the same. Larkin's better."
"You think she'd ever play professionally like Aunt Ginny?"
"Don't know, not when she won't even try for the Gryffindor team. You going to try again in September?"
"Probably. Artie says he will."
"You think he'll get Gryffindor too?"
"Yeah, but if not, Hufflepuff maybe."
"I still can't believe I was Sorted Ravenclaw. I kept thinking ot the hat I had to be in Gryffindor."
"You've always been the smartest of us all."
"Doesn't mean I wanted Ravenclaw." Seth holds up a hand when Schuyler opens his mouth. "I do like Ravenclaw. I'm proud to be one. It's just not the family thing."
"Maybe you're starting a new family thing. Lots of us still coming up."
Seth grins. "I'll get you ten galleons the next Ravenclaw isn't Artie or Miranda."
Schuyler returns the grin. "No no no. We already know it won't be Artie and Miranda " his voice trails off.
"She's been being a pain lately so maybe Slytherin. That would be something, wouldn't it? A Weasley in Slytherin."
"There's been some. Dad said there've been some cousins or something on Granddad's side."
"I didn't know that."
"Not so smart now then are you?" Schuyler laughs.
In reply, Seth flicks the few drops of water left in his cup at his cousin.
Clarissa
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 03-12-18 18:15
Bronwyn and Toby arrived in Manchester and let themselves into the house through the front door. Karina was the first to greet them. The not quite three and a half year old smiled big at her aunt and uncle and even bigger at the little girl with them who appeared to be exactly her age.
Bronwyn, who was carrying the other little girl, knelt and gently set her on the floor. She continued to hold the girl in a hug and said, "Karina, this is your new cousin Clarissa. Clarissa," she went on, stroking her adopted daughter's silky black hair, "this is Karina. The two of you are the same age."
Clarissa was a bit shy because she was always around strangers and didn't speak any English, but she recognized a kindred spirit in Karina. She offered her new cousin, who had red hair, a small smile.
Tobias came into the foyer at that moment with Adam by the hand.
"Gramps," Toby said, "meet our little girl."
Clarissa shied away from the elderly wizard, but she took an instant liking to Adam. Adam, on the other hand, wanted to see Uncle Toby. Toby scooped the boy up high in the air and tickled his belly. Adam squealed with laughter.
"Is anybody else here?" Toby asked, throwing Adam over his shoulder so that the boy was now laughing into his ear and kicking his little legs in the air.
"Just Alanna," Tobias said, frowning. "She's in the garden."
The family moved out of the foyer into the living area, where the new arrivals could see Alanna sitting on the snow-covered patio. She appeared to be wearing slippers, pajama bottoms, and a coat over a thermal top.
"What's happened now?" Toby asked.
"She won't say," Tobias replied.
Bronwyn let go of Clarissa's hand and went to the patio door. She slid it open and called out, "Alanna, come meet your new niece."
Alanna had a serious case of bed head and there were bags under her eyes. Bronwyn wanted to give her a makeover, stat! Instead, she held out her hand, which Alanna merely stared at for a long moment. Just when Bronwyn thought she might have to force Alanna into the house, Alanna got up and trudged inside. Bronwyn slid the patio door shut and turned around to see Clarissa and Karina getting to know one another, though neither could speak the other's language.
"That's Clarissa," Bronwyn said.
"I thought she had a Chinese name," Alanna said, her voice raspy from disuse.
"She does still," Bronwyn explained. "We just moved it to her middle name. Clarissa Li Na Beck. Li Na means elegant in Chinese."
"Pretty," Alanna murmured. She suddenly realized how scary she must look and ran her fingers through her hair. She shrugged off her coat and threw it into an armchair and then got down onto her knees to be at eye level with the newest member of the family.
Clarissa was still playing with Karina, though, which was okay. The grown-ups chatted about the adoption process and how Clarissa seemed to be adapting to her new life. Then there was how Bronwyn and Toby were handling being new parents. It was eye-opening to be sure, but they were both extremely delighted.
[Dave] Between Scrimmages
Author: S Snape
Date: 03-12-18 19:17
"I like these workshops enough that maybe I won't go on all the Hogsmeade trips next year or I'll go but only part of the day and do part of the day at the workshop."
Dave looks at Kearney Powell. "I like these things too but I don't know if I'd give up a full day or even half a day away from this place."
"I thought you liked Hogwarts." This from Louis Kegg.
"I do but don't you miss being able to go somewhere else sometimes without having to wait months in between or only get to go somewhere because of a class trip."
Kearney shrugs then nods. "Yeah."
"Me too," Louis agrees. "This mean you're going home for Easter holiday?"
"Probably but maybe not. Depends."
Around a mouthful of sandwich Kearney asks, "On what?"
"Mum's solicitor is trying hard to make Harley and me visit Mum at least once over the holiday. The last time was supposed to be the last time."
Louis knows some about Dave's mother but other than Dave's gran who's visited Hogwarts Kearney doesn't know the situation so this tidbit prompts him to ask, "Dad got full custody, does he?"
"You could call it that. Mum's in prison."
"Like Azkaban you mean?" Kearney's eyes have gone wide.
"Place called Bronzefield." Having a good idea of Kearney's next question Dave tells him before being asked. "Attempted murder."
"Whoa! That's, that's... I don't know what that is but there has to be a word for it." Kearney leans around to look at Louis. "You already know?"
"Some of it but we are roommates."
"Yeah." Kearney shifts his focus back to Dave. "She a dark witch or something?"
Dave shakes his head. "Far as I know Mum doesn't have magic. If she did, she probably would have killed us all."
Kearney's eyes are wide again, almost to the point of making him bug eyed. "Us all? So you're one of her victims?"
"Me, Harley, Dad. Took out big insurance policies on all of us then wanted to collect before scarpering off to Brazil."
Louis had not known this part of things. He shakes his head now. "I'm sorry you went through that." Might sound lame but he can't think of anything else to say that wouldn't also be lame or stupid.
Dave nods then gestures to the pitch. "We're being called for the next scrimmage."
The three boys get up, Kearney sort of wishing to have a few more minutes to quiz Dave about the attempted murder, knowing that after the scrimmage bringing it back up might be awkward.