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New Wand
Author: Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen
Date: 05-17-09 11:49
Fritz has been using one of the wands given to him under the table while at Happy Haven School For Nons. It's suited him well enough, but it never was his own and doesn't respond in quite the way a personal wand might. His old wand was never recovered from Happy Haven and had either been destroyed or somehow lost.
He finds himself at Diagon Alley now with Coco by his side. They go to Gringotts Bank first to verify the status of their accounts, which thankfully turn out to be in order despite the bank's turbulent past year and half. Fritz withdrawls a little so that he has spending money for the new wand he wants to buy.
The couple exit the bank after a short while and continue to Ollivander's, but they pause outside the Magical Menagerie. Displayed in the window are kneazle kittens. Fritz is immediately and painfully reminded of Domino, whom he hasn't seen since getting sent to Happy Haven just about one year ago.
"Want to go in?" Coco asks him, as she strokes Pea's head. The little dog looks at the kittens with wide, interested eyes and his ears are cocked.
"Only if you want to buy something for Pea," Fritz replies.
"Pea doesn't need anything right now," Coco answers, and she slips her hand into Fritz's. "Let's go to Ollivander's."
They continue on to the wand shop and find it empty when they arrive. Old Ollivander comes forward from the back, having heard their arrival, and asks what he can do for them.
"I would like to buy a wand," Fritz says.
"I remember you," Ollivander says, thinking back to nearly eight years ago when Fritz came to Diagon Alley for the very first time. "Your wand picked you on the first try. Let's see... mahogany, dragon heartstring core, 10 1/2 inches, am I right?"
"Yes, that was my wand," Fritz answers, impressed with Ollivander's recall.
"Well, let's see what we can find for you today," Ollivander says, never asking what became of Fritz's old wand.
He plucks a narrow box off a nearby shelf and presents it to Fritz. "Perhaps this, a practical ash wand. The length is eight and one-half inches. It has a core of dragon heartstring, just like your old wand."
Fritz gives the wand a flourish but it doesn't feel anything like his old wand. For one thing, it's a little shorter.
"No?" Ollivander takes back the wand and selects another one. "Maybe you'd like this, a simple yew wand. The length is twelve inches long. The core consists of griffin heartstring."
Fritz tests out the newer wand and immediately feels its power. In a way, it feels like an extension of his arm, like it belongs in his hand.
"Yes, this is the one," Fritz replies, smiling.
"Excellent!" Ollivander says, also smiling. "I would wager that if you were to one day return for a third wand, it would take three tries to get it right!"
Fritz chuckles and pays for his wand. He and Coco wish Ollivander a pleasant day and step out into the sunshine. They walk with no particular destination in mind and occasionally stop to look at the storefront windows or enter a shop.
Cauldron Of Love
Author: Georgia Copperpot
Date: 05-17-09 12:02
After sneaking onto the Hogwarts Express there was still the problem of getting Sage alone. Clearly I couldn't troll up and down the train cars searching for him as that would be a shouted message for all that I am simmering in the cauldron of love for Sage Porter. Or cauldwon of lobe as my sister would put it.
While it is true that my sex god boyfriend is Sage Porter, there is no need lead people astray into thinking that I was an easy conquest. It's more seemly to appear to have been gradually wooed by his charms. They should not think I have the red bottomosity for him or any male for that matter.
With the train cars that had been taken off when diverting some of us to Happy Haven added back to the Hogwarts Express and with there being far fewer students than normal, I had a number of empty compartments to choose from as the train got underway from Hogsmeade.
Once the train had gotten up to full steam, I changed into the fashionably flirty outfit I'd stuffed into my bag this morning along with brand new shoes with wedge heels. They're just a little small but were too cute to pass up. I know there's a spell to make them fit but I can't remember it. Must be my excitement at seeing my sex god boyfriend Sage.
After applying some new sparkling cherry lippy, new blusher, and a truly excellent shade of pale green of sparkly eye shadow, and fighting with the glittery boy entrancers to get them on properly, I was ready. I looked quite natural if I do say so myself. Not at all strumpety like Izzy says can happen when when wearing sparklies and glitteries during the day.
I was just about to start a casual, nonchalant stroll through a couple of the train cars to see if I could determine which one Sage is one and in what compartment when the object of my affection went walking past my own compartment.
"Sage!"
Clapping a hand over my mouth, I can't believe how squeaky that sounded. Not at all breathy and sultry as I imagined to be the first time I said Sage's name within his hearing for our glorious reunion.
Sage retraced his steps and when he reached my compartment my hands acted on their own to pull him inside, eyes already shutting, face upturned, and lips at the ready for a good snog.
Instead, what happened was Sage putting hands on my wrists to disengage them from his clothes as he said with great surprise, "Georgia! What are you doing here?"
"To see you of course."
"But why are you on the Hogwarts Express?"
The boy must really be in shock if he's repeated himself on something he already has the answer for.
"I thought I'd surprise you."
"How did you know I'd be on the train when I don't always ride it? Were you figuring that I'd want to ride it as a student one last time? Or did you see me get on and only get on afterwards?"
Until just then I'd totally forgotten that Sage isn't always on the train. Come to think of it, Izzy had said something but like most of the times she's being so negative, I ignored her. I hadn't seen Sage at all until he'd walked by the compartment but he didn't need to know that.
Batting my eyelashes with the glittery boy entrancers that I hope don't get stuck, I smile at Sage. "Yes, that's it exactly."
"Your parents don't mind that you were going to be on the train all day when you aren't a Hogwarts student at the moment?"
"No, not at all."
In truth, Mum and Vati think I'm at Izzy's today while they spend some quality time with Libby. And Angus the cat and Sandra, the renamed Merlin statue.
Motioning towards the two seats I said, "Catch me up on what's been going on with you. What are your plans now that you've graduated?"
Secretly I was hoping once we sat down, Sage would decide that talking could wait for later and that the time would be better passed with a good, long, snog. And an invitation to Emrys Fest.
Translations:
cauldron of love = the state of getting all hot and bothered when in lobe
lobe = love according to Libby, my psychotic younger sister
sex god boyfriend = officially defined as Sage Porter
red bottomosity = female baboons show off red bottoms when letting male baboons they're in the mood for lobe
lippy = lipstick
boy entrancers = false eyelashes
stumpety = tarty
snog = kiss
Business as Usual
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 05-17-09 13:21
Life had more or less returned to normal for Bill and Fleur Weasley. The Hogsmeade cottage, which had collected a thick layer of dust during their lengthy absence, had been scoured from top to bottom and made baby safe for little Victoire. One of the spare bedrooms had been converted into a nursery and stocked with baby furniture and toys.
Fleur hadn't yet returned to work but planned on eventually resuming her old position at Gringotts in Diagon Alley. For now she wanted to spend as much time with Victoire as possible. Bill, meanwhile, kept busy at work and at home. Gringotts in Hogsmeade had reopened and done steady business ever since. Prior to the bank's grand reopening, Bill and his employees, both old and new, had worked hard to ensure every security measure was in place.
Currently, Bill sat in his office and sorted through paperwork. His sudden flight from Hogsmeade well over a year ago had left old work in need doing, and all his new business required attention, too. He steadily worked through the mound of paperwork on his desk when there was a knock on his door.
"Come in," he called out, without looking up from his work.
The door opened and a woman entered, her super high heels clicking on the tile as she moved into the office.
"Hi, I'm interested in opening an account," she exclaimed with a bubbly, high-pitched voice.
Bill had noticed the shoes first, a pair of silver stilettos so tall and pointy they could probably be deemed weapons. His gaze traveled up her long, smooth legs to the hem of an extremely short, ruffled black skirt. He did a quick leap from skirt to eyes and found himself looking at a woman with fair hair and a heavily made up face.
He knew it was wrong of him to assume but he asked anyway. "Do you work at Petals?
The woman beamed at him. "Did you see me there last night? It was my very first day on the job."
Bill tried not to choke on his saliva. He didn't consider himself to be perfectly wholesome, but strip clubs were not his thing at all. He was among those in the village who absolutely did not want Petals in Hogsmeade.
He stood up and gestured to the chair in front of his desk.
"Please, have a seat."
The woman sat down in the chair, crossing one long leg over the other.
Bill kept his eyes trained on her face. Although he didn't condone her line of work or care for her employer to run such a business, especially in the small village of Hogsmeade, he wouldn't deny her a vault at Gringotts.
He selected a blank form from a tray on the shelf behind him and presented it and a quill to the woman.
"Just fill that out. In the meantime, do you have a size preference for your vault? Small, medium and large are your options."
"I don't have much to start with," said the woman, whose name was Candy Rookwood according to what she wrote on the form, "so let's start small and go from there. I can upgrade later, can't I?"
"Allowing availability, certainly."
Candy signed her name at the bottom of the form and then returned it and the quill to Bill.
"Everything looks in order here," he said, after glancing over it quickly. "Let me take you to your new vault."
He retrieved a key from his pocket and used it to enter a locked drawer in his desk. From there, he selected two identical keys. He handed one to Candy and then gestured for her to follow him out of the office. They went to the side room next door and descended the spiral staircase to the tunnel system underneath the building, which was shaped like snail's shell, only square rather than round.
They went to the second level underground before exiting the staircase and didn't go far before Bill stopped in front of a small vault and inserted his key. "Vault #63 is yours. Anytime you want to access your vault, you need my master key and your key. Insert yours now." He took a step back and allowed Candy to put her key in the hole.
The vault door swung open and revealed an adequately-sized chamber.
"Is this to your liking?"
"It's perfect, thanks!" In her delight, she threw her arms around Bill and kissed his cheek.
Bill, stunned, didn't know how to react. Candy, meanwhile, stuffed some of her earnings into the vault and shut the door, locking it. She slid her key down her shirt and smiled at Bill.
"I think I've already forgotten which way we came. Can you show me back to the top?"
Bill, coming back to his senses, nodded and led Candy back to the foyer of the bank.
Checking on Things
Author: Oreileah McCoi
Date: 05-17-09 14:56
Everyone else was on the train, Orei, was not, unfortunately. She had wanted to ride the Hogwarts Express once more as a student, but the urgent message she'd received from the Gringotts Branch in the village had kept her from riding the train with everyone else.
Instead of sitting in one of the compartments with Maddie and joking about their time at Hogwarts and stuffing themselves with sweets from the trolly she was now heading toward the Gringott's branch in the village. Pushing into the bank she would move toward the information kiosk.
"I received this message about there being a problem with transferring my funds from the Diagon Alley branch to this one." She said and the individual behind the counter directed her toward one of the offices off to the side.
"Hello?" Orei said as she entered the office.
"Ah, Miss McCoi, thank you for coming so quickly in answer to my urgent message to you. Have a seat." The woman said as she settled behind her desk and motioned for Orei to take the seat across from the oak expanse.
"What seems to be the problem Mrs. Davies?" Orei said, nervously running her fingertips through her hair.
"Well, I am unable to find the letters of transfer from your parents, since their name was on your account at the Diagon Alley branch of the bank." She said, drawing a folder to rest in the center of her desk and thumbing through it. "Your letter of transfer is here, but your parents are not. Until I get those items I am unable to complete the transfer."
Orei surpressed a growl. She knew she'd sent in the transfer letters, the paperwork had been properly filled out by both she and her parent to transfer the fundage in Orei's Diagon Alley account to her own vault in Hogsmeade. "I know the letters and paperwork had been in the packet I'd sent in two weeks ago. When do you need the paperwork by? It will take me perhaps a day or so to get the forms filled out once more as my parents are in Japan still and do not have plans to return to the British Isles despite the fact that things are calming once more."
Mrs. Davies looked over a few things. "If you could have them for me within the next two days I will have the funds immediately transfered and available for your use no less than twenty four hours after you get me the paperwork. I do apologize for the misunderstanding Miss McCoi."
Orei nodded her head, she did not want to have to deal with this. She would have to go home and contact her parents, probably through the fireplace and see if they could owl her another copy of the paperwork (because she knew they had copies for their own records). It would be quicker, she hoped than apparating to them and she doubted she could floo across the world.
"Thank you Mrs. Davies. I will get you the paperwork as soon as I can." She would rise and move out of the office and and out of the bank branch and onto High Street. Her gaze fell on Petals, did she even want to know what it was? She'd seen a woman coming out of the bank branch that was dressed in a short skirt and deadly high heels. Did she work at this new shop?
Shrugging her shoulders she headed over to Honeydukes Sweetshop. The bell over the door jingled and she pushed her way into the shop. "Not on the train today?" Emelina said as she saw Orei, recognizing her from the Hogsmeade trips from Hogwarts.
"Nope. Had an emergency to take care of over at the bank, apparently they lost paperwork, so I don't get to ride on the train for the last time." Orei shrugged, it wasn't like she'd have anyone to meet her at King's Cross anyway, her parents were still in Japan.
"That's too bad, hopefully things will get sorted out. What can I get for you?" Emelina asked.
"I'll take a box of cauldron cakes and I think some of the peanut brittle. Need to make a few other stops, and finaly head home." Orei said and watched as Emelina boxed up thirteen cauldron cakes and took a box of assorted peanut brittle and placed it with the order.
Once the items were paid for she would slip out of the shop, the village was starting to thrive again, starting to become at least something close to what it was before the world was turned upside down by the former Minister of Magic.
Orei had two more stops to make before she even thought of going home (why make half a dozen trips when she could do it all in one?). She would drop into Briar's Bakery as she had a cake order to put in. The cake for the party ordered, she would then make her final stop pushing into Twice Told Tales, she was looking for something.
"Good afternoon, how can I help you?" Julian Valentine's voice cut through Orei's thoughts and drew her attention to the man.
"I'm looking for a few things, wasn't sure if I could get them here or if I would have to continue searching for them." She said, drawing free a list from her pocket. "I need a copy of Magic in Ancient Egypt and Magical Hieroglyphs and Logograms."
After a few moments Orei had four books, two of which had more in depth information about Runes than her textbooks from Hogwarts. She'd need them more than likely for her St. Emry's terms. She finally headed home, pushing into the house, she would drop the books on the sofa and put the sweets in the kitchen.
She'd head over to the fireplace and attempt to contact her parents. "Kajitsu otome.*" Came her mother's voice.
"Hi Mom. Have an issue. Someone at Gringotts misplaced the letters from you and dad, so I need copies of them as soon as possible so that the transfer of my vault in Diagon Alley will be complete." Orei said, settling against the back of the chair she was sitting in.
"Will send them out tonight once your father gets back from his meeting. We've a package to send you anyway. Sending it now, to ensure that it arrives in time for the fourteenth." She said smiling, her eyes twinkling brightly. "Happy Birthday if I don't talk to you before then. Anything else going on? Don't forget to let us know your N.E.W.T marks when you get them."
Orei grinned wondering what her parents were sending her for her birthday. "Things are going well. Am enjoying being single for a change. Haven't heard from Brett in a while, not since he moved and perhaps its all for the better. Maddie will be moving in a couple of days. Emry's Fest is going to be at least decent this year. I'll let you know as soon as I can what my marks are on my exams. Anyway, I'm going to go, need to get things figured out and situated here."
After a few more minutes the conversation was cut and Orei plopped down on the couch, grinning as the house elf brought her two of the cauldron cakes and a glass of chilled pumpkin juice. "Dinner will be ready in a couple of hours Mistress!" Said the chipper little elf before popping out and going about her own business leaving Orei to her thoughts. She tugged out one of the books from Twice Told and began thumbing through it while she ate.
Looking At A House
Author: Ron Weasley
Date: 05-17-09 15:18
On the doorstep of the house that belongs to Dierna ni Ciaran, Sirius removes several warding spells then unlocks the front door with one of the keys on a chain he's carrying. Pushing open the door he says over his shoulder to Ron and the others with them, "I need to deactivate a few other spells and charms. Won't be a minute."
Neither Harry nor Ron are surprised by how safeguarded Dierna's Hogsmeade house is. Drucilla isn't either though she still says aloud, "No wonder no one tried laying claim to Dierna's house, even as big and nice as it is."
The Eternal-Black's home, while not claimed by anyone else, had been taken by the Ministery and put on the market. Ron really doesn't want to think about what Sirius would have done to the buyers if the house had been sold. Bill and Fleur didn't have to reclaim their house from the Ministry or a new owner, though there was cleaning to do but Charlie and Hendrika did have to contend with people who'd rented out their house and didn't want to move when the rightful owners showed up. If not for the Matthews running the family businesses, and thus keeping watch over the flats above them, Ron wonders if the twins would have had to evict someone so that Hermione could move back into the Hogsmeade flat or if Ginny and he would had had problems returning to the flat in Diagon Alley.
The Burrow had some interior damage from where Snatchers had repeatedly searched for clues to the whereabouts of Arthur and Molly. Fred's home had some storm damage but was otherwise untouched. George's house had had a Ministry approved squatter. The man, who had a well paying job with the Ministry, lived there rent free in return for keeping an eye on the cluster of three Weasley homes, watching for any signs of any of the large family.
Unlike those who left their homes in a hurry or who might have had more time but had things other than warding their houses to be concerned with, Dierna has been gone for Hogsmeade for quite awhile. Even when living full-time in Hogsmeade, she'd kept her home well warded, but then she does love to repeat Alastor Moody's favorite phrase of, "Ever vigilent!"
As both her trusted neighbor and long-time friend, Sirius knew how to safely get into her house in the way most people would go in. Usually, he would have just used the tunnel running between the two homes that few know about. Today he's giving Ron the grand tour so is doing it proper.
Ron's been in the house a number of times but it's been a long time. Also, those other times he was there with Harry as a guest, not as a prospective buyer. Ron's realized that visiting a house and looking around as a guest and going into a house that is a possible purchase are entirely difference experiences.
The front door opens even wider as Sirius returns. He beckons them in telling the twins, "Mira, James, you are not to touch anything of Aunt Dierna's without asking Mummy or Daddy first."
As they wall futher into the main hall Drucilla asks, "Have you looked at many houses, Ron?"
"Just a couple but before Smythe-Jones's mess began, I'd already talked briefly with Dierna about this one."
"Going to be needing a proper house soon, are you?" Sirius asks with a nudge and a wink.
"Just thought it's time to start thinking about living someplace other than my parents' and someplace other than a flat over my brothers' shop, that's all."
Before Euphemia Smythe-Jones's policies began, Ron had been working several jobs, including writing an agony aunt column for the newspaper that as far as he knows, Ginny is still the only other person besides the editor who hired him that Ron was doing that particular job. All the work was to be able to buy a nice house to help further show Hermione that he really is being grown up and responsible and would make a good husband.
Dru asks, "Would Hermione be living here with you or wherever you buy or build?"
"If we were to get married, then I hope she would," Ron says with a grin, covering the fact that there are still days when he's not sure if Hermione does actually want to spend the rest of her life married to him. Hell, they aren't even engaged.
"Has she looked at anything with you?" This from Sirius.
"No, but then I've not really started house hunting again until now. Hermione was meeting with friends who'd been in the camps or else I would had mentioned this to her for today."
"Take your time looking around. Just let one of us know when you leave so I can secure it again."
Sirius scoops up James, who starts giggling when his father lightly tickles him. "You'd rather go swing, wouldn't you?"
"Swing!" Mira cheers.
Dru points to the open door, "Let's go then. Our yard or the park?"
"Park!" James and Mira chorus.
"There's more to choose from at the park," Dru says to Ron and Harry, rushing to chase after Mira who's bolted out the door. With James still in his arms and still saying, "Park!" over and over, Sirius says, "You'll find us at the park when you're done."
Seconds later it's just Harry and Ron. As they move from room to room for Ron to get a good look around, Ron asks how things between Harry and Janine are going with Harry ending up doing most of the talking. That's fine with Ron as it means he can pay closer attention to inspecting the house.
Wishing and Hoping
Author: Charisma Stone
Date: 05-17-09 15:25
Isma sprawled across her bed, bare feet kicking to the beat of the Bangle's "Manic Monday" coming from one of the muggle radio stations. She rolled over and looked up at the ceiling which was painted an inky black and had glow in the dark stars in the form of constellations from one of her original astronomy maps. She was bored, Eric and Blake were busy with their families and she was stuck at home because her parents were working.
She desperately hoped that she would be allowed to go to Emry's Fest this summer and finally begin getting back to normal. The nightmares from things that happened at Happy Haven were fading and she hoped that she would be able to settle in at Hogwarts in the fall. Right about now she would be with the others on the train, heading to King's Cross Station.
She would push herself up just as she caught sight of an owl hovering outside her window. She let the animal in and fed it a treat as she took the message from him. It was her invite to Emry's Fest from Blake, Eric wouldn't be able to go as he was going out of the country the week of the Concert.
She sent a message back with the owl and cranked the muggle radio station as she flopped back on her bed and skimmed through today's copy of the Daily Prophet that had been delivered to her after breakfast.
Stuffed
Author: Kody
Date: 05-17-09 16:50
Gorged from eating too many sweets off the trolley, Timothy Gabble asks Deak, "I just remembered that we're going out to eat when we reach London."
"Me too. I'll be hungry again they then though," Deak replies, licking what's left of a chocolate frog from his fingers.
"What card did you get?"
"Dunno; haven't looked yet."
Deak reaches for the Wizard trading card that came with the chocolate frog. "Wow. I didn't know there's a Harry Potter card now."
"Me either. Let me see."
Handing the card over to Timothy Deak states, "Guess we should have known they'd get to one eventually."
"Wonder if one was planned before everything happened. Could you see old Hairy the Snide going around snatching up Harry Potter cards as contraband since he's a Halfblood?"
"It would have been worth it to have a pile of them just to annoy her," Deak snorts.
"All those weeks with detention weren't enough?"
"Not if getting more would have meant ticking Snider and Yaxley off even even more than I did."
"What do you think happened to them?"
Deak shrugs, "Azkaban probably. I hope after Yaxley tried killing Jack and did kill Mrs. Lancaster that he never sees daylight again."
"Yeah. Me too."
"You think Jack's going to look different? And Wiggy?"
"Not sure but probably. Drake told me they both look good, that they look relatively healthy considering. I don't think we'd be going out to eat tonight if they weren't back eating somewhat regularly again."
Since become part of Aaron's family Deak, like his "Uncle" Sage wouldn't normally be on the Hogwarts Express today. Timothy and he are being met at King's Cross by Wiggersmyth Hodfuffer, Jack Emerson, and Jack's parents. Jack's mum was in a camp, Goen Bren, which was the one where Dementors went berserk. Soibhan Emerson is fine physically but Jack wrote in a letter that she does have some pretty bad nightmares, enough so she's taking a specially prescribed potion. Wiggy's mum was at City of Hope, which is one of the camps that wasn't liberated until after Euphemia Smythe-Jones lost power. Trina Hodfuffer is still regaining her strength but is otherwise fine. Also fine is Wiggy's younger sister Gloriaspania who was at Camp Lollipop.
The Emersons and Wiggy are meeting Timothy and Deak in London. After dinner tonight Timothy's going home because he leaves with his parents tomorrow for a vacation to Vancouver, Canada. Deak's going to stay with the Emerson's a few days, as will Wiggy, and Jack, Wiggy, and he will go to Wiggy's where Jack and Deak will stay a couple of days.
Deak peers out the train window. "Won't be long now. Where do you think we'll go to eat?"
"Jack mentioned steak in that last letter," Timothy replies as he opens one of few the chocolate frogs still unconsumed.
"Thought you were stuffed."
"I am but I can always make room for more sweets; besides that, I want my own Harry Potter card. I have all the others unless there are more new ones."
The two teens spend the rest of the train ride debating who should be included in the Wizarding trading card collection.