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A Letter from Lawrence
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 06-19-07 19:49
Bronwyn was at home, virtually grounded even though she'd done nothing wrong. Anytime she wanted to leave the house, she got the third degree from her father. He worried excessively about her, even though she felt that people didn't just disappear for days without any knowledge of where they'd been that often, and she was pretty sure that sort of thing didn't have more than once to the same person. If only she could remember what had happened. Then maybe her father would lay off of her.
Unless I was kidnapped and my kidnapper is still roaming free. Bronwyn blew hair from her face and rolled over onto her back, staring up at the ceiling. She didn't really think she'd been kidnapped. She honestly didn't know what to think. If the healers hadn't found anything abnormal about her other than the fact that she couldn't remember a few days from her life, she would have thought she was suffering from some sort of brain tumor or that she'd had random amnesia, if such a thing even existed.
A tapping at her window forced her to sit up and take a look. She saw an owl hovering against the glass, bearing a letter in its beak. Even though Bronwyn didn't recognize the owl, she went to the window and opened it. The owl flew inside and perched itself on her desk, depositing the letter in front of it. It few suddenly, landing on a shelf up high in Bronwyn's room.
Bronwyn realized then that both of her cats, old Nerisse and Shadow, had entered the room and eyed the owl hungrily.
"Don't even think about it, you two," she told them, and she plucked the letter from her desk and broke the seal with her fingernail. She unfolded the letter and saw that it was from an old Hogwarts friend, Lawrence Masterson.
Bronwyn decided to write a reply immediately upon finishing the letter. She knew that the owl was anxious to leave the house, and neither cat would be satisfied until they had bird feathers in their mouths.
Bronwyn sat down at her desk, took out a clean sheet of parchment and picked up a brand new quill. She wrote:
Dear Lawrence,
Of course I remember you! It's only been two years since we've graduated, though at the same time it's hard to believe it's already been that long! I've been going to St. Emrys University. At first, I didn't know what I wanted to study but last year I started working for the uni's WWN station. Since you've been in Australia, you may not have heard my show. It airs on Saturday afternoons and is called Love Songs with Bronwyn. Anyway, I've recently decided that I want to study communications so that I can pursue a real WWN career or something like it in the future.
Toby and I broke up when he graduated, but we got back together last December. He's still in Australia playing Quidditch for the Brisbane Bandicoots. I'm going to visit him this month after Emrys Fest. Emrys Fest is a music festival happening at St. Emrys. If you are interested in attending, I can probably get you a complimentary ticket. I have connections!
It was good hearing from you. I would love to meet up with you in person sometime.
Take care,
Bronwyn
She folded the letter and stuffed it into an envelope. Then she sealed it and stood, holding out to the owl. "If you'll wait a moment, I'll find you a treat." But the owl wasn't interested in a treat. It wanted nothing more than to leave the room where the two salivating cats hoped to make a meal of it. It took the envelope and flew out the open window. If Lawrence lived in London, like Bronwyn did, then it probably wouldn't be long before he received her reply.
Monaco
Author: Janine Fox
Date: 06-19-07 21:32
“You’re concentrating very hard.”
Janine could feel Harry’s breath tickling her neck as he stood behind her. Trying to ignore him, she concentrated and then pulled the lever. The numbers and funny symbols spun quickly, until they slowed down to reveal a cherry, a star, and the number seven. Janine pouted when no coins fell out.
“Harry, you broke my concentration,” pouted Janine jokingly.
“I can accuse you of the same thing.”
She tried to hold back her grin, knowing that in her new “little black” dress and black shoes (that Harry wouldn’t dare tell her how much they cost after she spotted them through a store window), she knew she was looking pretty darn hot.
“I’m out of coins.”
“I can get some more,” suggested Harry but Janine was already shaking her head.
“No more throwing away of money. Let’s check out the bar on the bottom floor. It’s supposed to have a lot of star sightings.”
At the suggestion, Harry laughed out loud. “And what Muggle stars do you know of?” teased Harry.
“Well there is that blond girl. The rich one…”
“Who’s name is?” Harry continued to tease.
Janine frowned. She knew it was the name of a city in France. Lyon? Marseille? Avignon? Oh wait! She knew it!
“It’s Nice!” blurted Janine who immediately frowned when Harry burst into laughter.
Invitations
Author: Bailey
Date: 06-20-07 17:26
Much of the train ride so far has been uneventful. Jewel and Bailey have talked but they've also ridden in companionable silence, something for which Bailey is grateful for. Although at ease around Jewel now for the most part, the usually shy and quiet Bailey still has trouble sustaining conversation for a long period.
Jewel is leaving this evening with her mother and step-father for America. Mr. Flefferfore is taking them to where he lived before meeting Jewel's mother and moving to Great Britain. They'll be back in time for Jewel to go with Bailey to Emrys Fest, which is the topic Bailey's switching to now.
"Do you want me to come to your house and us leave from there together for Emrys Fest or do you prefer to meet up at the university?"
"To my house. In fact I've been meaning to mention that Mum said if you come early enough, you can have breakfast with us. The first band takes the stage at 10, so come around 8, 8:30."
"Perfect," Bailey nods. "Speaking of mums, my, uh, mum wants to meet you. That next day if you can make it, for Sunday brunch."
"I've been wondering when I'd get to meet your parents. You're always so reluctant to talk about them. You're not ashamed of me are you?" Jewel says in a tone she makes sure is teasing enough to let Bailey know she's only joking on that last part.
Bailey, glad at the moment that Phin and Emerald with whom they were sharing the compartment have gone to another to talk with some other friends, leans back on the seat cushion and sticks his feet up on the opposite seat. He sighs deeply before seriously admitting, "It's that my parents are huge snobs and that 99% of the time they don't pay attention to anything going on in my life. The 1% of the time they do pay attention, it's usually to make sure I'm being the good, model son."
Scrunching down further, Bailey then says, "They only had me because it was expected they provide a son to carry on Dad's line of the family."
"What if you'd been a girl?"
"I expect they would have told everyone I was a boy, then gone out and found a boy to swap with the girl and never told a soul."
Jewel's laughter at the comment comes to an abrupt end. "You're not jesting."
"No, not at all."
Phin and Emerald re-enter the compartment so Jewel doesn't ask anything more. Bailey's glad for that, sitting up straighter now so that the other two can have their seat back. Reaching out to take Jewel's hand in his, Bailey lapses in silence, letting the other three do all the talking.
What's The Plan?
Author: Sirius Padfoot Black
Date: 06-20-07 18:15
Sirius and Dru get closer, Sirius scoping out things. When they are close enough that it would be easy to walk up to Mira, take her, and be gone without notice, Sirius says, "I don't see anyone."
Drucilla shakes her head. "All I've seen is the woman who every couple of minutes pops her head out to check on the child."
Sirius had seen her too. She hadn't seen them, not from the direction they were approaching. "We'll wait until she checks again. That will give us at least two minutes to get in and out."
Dru grips Sirius's arm. "What are you thinking to do?"
"Get out daughter."
"Just go in and snatch her away in secret?"
Sirius can't believe that Dru is the one raising questions over it. If anything, he would have thought she'd have already rushed in now, grabbed up Mira, and been long gone.
It's finally, slowly, sinking in that what Dru said under the influence of veritaserum and her reactions and words now, she really, truly is being truthful. Dru doesn't remember what happened in that storeroom. She doesn't remember much about people and events before going into the storeroom. Drucilla doesn't even remember her beloved Mira.
Every muscle tense and tight, it takes more energy than Sirius would have imagined to stay right where he is and turn to face Dru to ask, "What would you suggest?"
"When the child," Dru pauses, recalling the name Sirius had given her such a short time ago, "when Mira, was taken, how did you react?"
Sirius doesn't have to actually answer the question to get the point Dru's making. "It would be cruel to go in and take her away, leaving them in the same state of panic and worry we were in if they are innocent in her kidnapping."
Dru looks thoughtful for a moment then suggests, "Go introduce outselves, take Mira, and Obliviate her from their memories?"
"That's such a wide spread wipe if they've had her for months. And if they're who are behind taking her in the first place, I want them to know why they're in jail." Sirius leaves out the part that if they are behind his daughter's kidnapping or were any part of it, he'll probably murder them on the spot, the legalities of it be damned.
He does voice another thought though, "Besides that, we have no way to know how many people they've been in contact with who would have met Mira."
"You don't think the Ministry would help?"
Sirius shakes his head. "It's not something that made the Muggle news. There's no covering up of magic involved. The Ministry wouldn't help us Obliviate a potentially large number of people from their memories that may have happened over a period of several months when there's no magic or knowledge of the Wizarding world involved."
"Okay then, how about we go up, knock on the door, and ask if that little girl is theirs and if so, is she adopted."
"I guess we can try that. If they are open and admit to us that Mira is adopted and then we explain we are her parents and she was kidnapped from us, I still don't see them just handing her over."
"We'll need a solicter and documentation," Drucilla finishes with the very thought Sirius has. She squares her shoulders. "Right. Let's get this started then."
There's a tremor of emotion in Dru's voice and her eyes are once again wet. As the emotions start welling up in his chest again too, Sirius falls into step with the already moving Drucilla. At the exact same time, the woman comes out of the house and goes over to the little girl, saying in a voice that carries to them, "Time for supper and then a bath, Kaelee. One second thought, you're one little mud pie, so bath first, then supper."
Kaelee. A pretty name but soon though she'll need to get used to being Mira again.
Home Again
Author: Jet
Date: 06-20-07 19:07
Jet had ridden a carriage from Hogwarts to the Hogsmeade train station thinking to ride the Hogwarts Express. When he got there, however, he'd suddenly changed his mind. Being well past legal age, and now licenced to apparate, Jet held Beast's cage in one hand and grabbed hold of his trunk with the other and with the loud POP that often goes with the act of apparating, Jet had disapparated from Hogsmeade for home.
Jet's father had already left for work but Jet's mother was home. She'd been delighted to have him home hours earlier than planned. Jet let her flutter about in her happiness, understanding that for her, every second with him is a miracle after she'd consigned herself for three years to her only child being gone, not even knowing if he had died a painless death or if it had been peaceful. The fact that he hadn't died but was in limbo, the best word Jet knows to describe it, without having an sense of time passing, only eased her mind a little. Her son, her baby, was mysteriously gone but is now returned. Jet lets her hover.
She didn't notice that Jet seems a little down and he doesn't call her attention to it. Jet was disappointed not to see Professor Dumblefore before leaving this morning. He'd really wanted to talk with the headmaster again about things he's only partially shared with his parents. Jet had spoken with Professor Sacherelle, who assured him that if he really needs her over the summer to just owl, she'll come straight away no matter where she is.
When Jet's father gets home, the Obsidians go out to Jet's favorite restaurant to celebrate him being home. They talk about the vacation they'll be taking later on, towards the end of July. Jet acts happy enough though that voice has been talking to him some on and off all day. Maybe when they get home, he'll stick his head in the fireplace and have another quick chat with Professor Sacheverelle and ask if Professor Dumbledore is available yet.
True to Her Word
Author: Ronan Eastwick
Date: 06-20-07 20:16
The Hogwarts Express slowed to a stop at King's Cross Station. While most everyone else jumped up and started gathering trunks and suitcases, Ronan remained seated, being in no hurry to exit the train and see who waited on the platform for him. He waited until the train was virtually deserted before finally pulling his trunk from the shelf in his compartment and dragging it out into the corridor. Through the windows he passed as he walked to an exit, Ronan could see that a lot of people were still on the platform. By the time he disembarked the train, half had left and the rest were wandering towards the exit.
Ronan stood on the platform, watching the leaving throng wistfully.
"Ronan."
He turned his head and saw a solitary woman standing near him. She wore fashionable yellow robes and had her blonde hair pinned up in a stylish coif. It was strange seeing his mother this close after all these years of not having seen her at all, or at the very least, having only seen her from a distance. Enid more or less looked as she always had, if a tiny bit older.
She held her arms wide. "Aren't you going to give your mother a hug and a kiss?"
Ronan had mixed feelings about hugging the woman who'd abandoned him after his father's death, but at the same time his feet moved forward and he enveloped her into his arms. He was taller than she was, though he hadn't been when she'd left him.
"Come, let's get you home."
Home turned out to be the house Ronan and Caden had lived in the last few years. Ronan entered it tentatively, as if he were going inside it for the very first time. It looked different than it had during spring break, when the place had been unusually messy. It positively sparkled now, and Ronan quickly learned that his mother had two house elves who never had a moment's rest.
Ronan went into his room and dumped his trunk at the foot of his bed. Then he turned and went to what had been Caden's bedroom. Everything that had once been in that room had been replaced with new furniture and assortment of female robes hung in the wardrobe. Enid had taken over Caden's room.
Ronan turned on his heel and nearly walked straight into his mother.
"What happened to Caden's things?"
"I had the house elves box them up and send them to storage. You may sort through his things and decide what you want to keep for yourself."
Ronan blinked at his mother. "I'm going to make something for dinner."
"There's no need. I'll have the house elves cook." She clapped her hands suddenly, and both house elves materialized.
"How can we serve Mistress?" one squeaked.
"Ronan, what would you like to eat?"
"Never mind," Ronan said. "I'm not hungry after all." He spun on his heel and went to his room, closing the door behind him.
A Step Away from the Pan
Author: Drucilla Eternal
Date: 06-20-07 21:45
I was impressed that Sirius was able to walk away. Even with the repressed memories, I could still somehow feel the overwhelming emotions building up inside of me. I could only imagine how Sirius was feeling.
As we made our way away from the farmhouse to find an appropriate spot to apparate from, we were suddenly stopped short by the growling of a dog. The unmistakable click of a muggle weapon had us both carefully turning around until we were facing an obviously frightened woman aiming a long hollow wand-like weapon at us. The only way I knew it was a weapon was by the menacing way in which she held it.
Sirius was the first to speak. Raising his hands in front of him in a peaceful gesture, I was surprised when he took a step forward putting himself clearly in the path of the weapon and at the same time shielding me from it. In a soft voice he said, “We’re not here to hurt you.”
“No?” asked the woman as she continued to point the weapon at us. “Tell me why you’re sneaking around my property and spying on my daughter. You didn’t think I noticed? I was just about to call the police when I saw you both trying to slink away. Figured I better round you up first before you got away.”
“I promise you, there is no need for calling the police. If you would just take a moment to hear us out…”
As Sirius took another step forward, the woman nervously jerked the weapon. Fearful of what might happen, I grabbed Sirius’ arm and stepped forward. I could tell this was the first time the woman had truly had a good look at my appearance, for when she did the weapon slackened in her grip, until it was pointing towards the ground.
In a hushed whisper she said, “I knew this day would come. You look just like her.”
I gave a small sympathetic smile as I moved forward. I knew it would be alright now. Placing a hand on her shoulder, she grasped on to it and started to ramble. “It just didn’t feel right. Oh, we were overjoyed at getting a daughter and tried to overlook the little things, but in my gut I knew something was wrong. But I decided to believe that man, I did. I just didn’t want to let her go. Not after seeing her.”
I didn’t really understand what the woman was talking about, but I could see the emotions playing on her face. She was completely overwhelmed. I kept my hand on her shoulder knowing it would give her comfort on both a human level and also on a Veela level as well since my touch did seem to have a calming effect on some people.
As we made our way towards the house she said in a choked voice, “I suppose you’re wanting to see the little lass are you?”
I looked back at Sirius and saw the longing look on his face. Feeling the need to see my daughter as well I softly said, “Yes.”
As we approached the door, I paused. She turned to look at me and as she did I felt an urge to comfort her. Not really knowing what to say though, I said quickly, "We’re not here to take her away today. We couldn’t do that to you. We understand that there are steps that need to be taken, legal procedures to straighten out. But do understand that we know how you feel. We’ve been through this too.”
The woman stared into my face for a second and then, with a silent sob, she buried her hands into her face.