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Heading to the Castle
Author: Karma Davyd
Date: 11-21-12 00:32
I'd gone up to the castle earlier in the day to get my classroom ready and make sure I had everything in order for my first day of classes tomorrow. I'd also spoken briefly to Professor McGonagall alerting her to the name change on my end of things as I'd recently been married.
I'd been back home for a little while now and currently was spending time finishing unpacking. The dress that I'd worn for the beach wedding went back into the Dex proof room (which I'd decided to keep) and currently I was sitting on the couch listening to the WWN which was on a low volume while I talked to Ember about the wedding and things.
Mug of tea in hand I flicked a glance at the clock, realizing that it was almost time for the train to be arriving at Hogsmeade Station and I still had to finish getting ready for the Start of Term feast.
"Dexter, we are leaving in ten minutes!" I called outside to Dex who was just down the lane in the midst of a run, which meant he was sweaty and nasty and would need a shower before we left.
"Want to come Em?"
She shook her head and grinned. "I've got dinner plans with Cam tonight. Will probably crash at his after."
"Alright. Have fun! Will probably bring home leftovers if we can manage. Or if Dex doesn't eat it all." I said with a grin and hugged her before heading off to finish getting ready.
Under my robes I'd opted for one of my favorite saris because this was after all a special occasion. It was red and gold and I'd also opted for it without the wrap due to the fact that at it would be somewhat difficult to manage beneath the robes. My hair was done up and adorned with my favorite little red and gold accents.
By the time I was ready to go so was Dex and within minutes we were heading up to the Castle to the Great Hall for the Start of Term Feast. I wondered idly what my students would think.
An Unexpected Visitor (Ravenscrofte Rare and Antiquarian Books, Knockturn Alley)
Author: Cassandra Catesby
Date: 11-21-12 00:39
Once the train left, Kirley took Nephele to get a bit of lunch at the Leaky Cauldron, a bit of a tradition left from their pre-Hogwarts days. When Cloris had taken Alistair to the train, before the twins were old enough, they would all stop and eat there on the way to Diagon Alley to get treats for behaving in the Station. They parted ways after lunch, Nephele heading to her meeting with the aging Potions Master Professor Snape had referred her to and Kirley headed into Diagon Alley. His recent conversation with Nephele about her friend stuck with him and he headed into Knockturn Alley to find Cassandra's book store.
The store was empty of other customers when he arrived. Cassandra was behind the counter. A black cat was curled up on one end. It open its eyes and subjected him to the kind of unblinking stare that only those of a feline persuasion could manage. Cassandra regarded him in much the same manner.
"Kirley Mockridge," she said coolly. "This is a surprise. What brings the Minister's aide to my humble place of work?"
"Cassandra Catesby," he said, equally cool. "A request from my sister brings me here. She is concerned that Callandra's alliances and absence may be affecting you."
A hint of something that might have been surprise flickered through her midnight-blue eyes and then was gone, concealed behind the composed mask that she had learned to don over the last few years.
"That is most kind of Nephele," she said. She wasn't going to ask him to thank his twin. Not until she had found out the exact nature of Nephele's 'request'. It might not be something she wanted to thank her friend for.
"Nephele hopes, I believe, that I may be able to draw some of the negative attention away from you. I wanted to see how bad that's been beforehand. Acting without all of the information would be foolish," he explained.
There was a moment's silence, then she gave a small sigh. "As I said before, that is most kind of Nephele. I appreciate the thought, but I doubt there is anything you can do." A brow quirked. "Unless you're planning to lean on the like of the Prophet? Rita Skeeter and her ilk are fond of dredging up where are they now stories. I suspect they are useful filler for lean news days."
"I was thinking perhaps a reminder that all of us have family members who do things we don't agree with. I am due to meet with Ms. Skeeter at some point soon though, I've been working to close up her sources in the Minister's office as well. I'll look into seeing if there is anything else I can do, you don't deserve to suffer for Callie's choices, no more than Nephele does for Mother's or for Alistair's," Kirley said quietly.
She considered him closely. "You actually sound as if you mean that," she said.
"I do mean that. Which, I'm sure, is the last thing you'd expect from a Snake like me. But you know how protective we can be of those we consider ours, be they friend or family. Nephele calls you friend, which means I'd best extend that protective streak or face having an experimental potion spilled on me or in my tea."
Her lips twitched just a little. "Especially as her last owl suggests she's developed an interest in modifying potions," she murmured. "Who knows what she might develop. I'm sure you'd make a most delightful guinea-pig for her experiments though."
"Her last one managed to dissolve anything non-living that it came in contact with. Peregrinus Hartcrofte managed to spill it by accident and well, he lost his trousers. And by the way Nephele blushed when she told the story, and what the house elves said, nearly his boxers as well," Kirley said. "You can see why I'm wary."
Her expression was one of merely politely innocent interest. Nobody could have guessed that beneath the calm veneer she had the sudden and acute urge to giggle.
"You don't want to lose your trousers?" she said.
"You know Nephele's evil streak, she'd send it to me at work, and somehow ensure that it spills in the most inconvenient moment possible," he said. "Besides, she's my sister, I'd rather not be quite so exposed in front of her."
"Or the Minister for Magic or Rita Skeeter," Cassandra murmured, as if pondering other equally unpleasant possibilities. All purely theoretical, of course.
"The Minister would likely find it funny," Kirley muttered. "As for the other, I think you've given me nightmares for the next month." He shuddered slightly.
"I can just see the headlines now: Minister's aide flashes reporter," she said. "Respected scion of the Mockridge family arrested for indecent exposure. Just think what your mother would say."
"She'd probably consider it advertising. She's been on me about producing an heir," he admitted. "And you have an evil streak. I think you've spent too much time with my sister."
"I think you must be mistaken, Mr Mockridge," she said. "I'm merely an innocent and naive Ravenclaw more interested in books than anything else. It's the Slytherin Snakes who are supposed to have the evil streaks."
"Yes, yes, but you did spend most of your time outside of class with us Snakes," he murmured. "We were bound to rub off on you, in some ways at least." A flash of wicked amusement slipped into his gaze, as if there were other ways he might have liked to rub off on her.
Her brow rose and she looked down her nose at him for a moment in an intention-depressing gesture that even his mother couldn't have bettered, and then said, "Nephele could have been a Ravenclaw with her ability to devour books the way she does."
"Oh. she could have but she's far too cunning to have been a full Ravenclaw," he said, completely unperturbed. "She did throw herself into her studies though."
"She did," Cass agreed, remembering how much fun it had been to study with Nephele Mockridge. They had pushed one another well beyond what had been expected of them by the school curriculum, exploring spells and potions they had run across during their extensive reading.
"She still speaks fondly of you, and I suspect she misses having you to push her further," he said. "She's finally going to continue her dream of becoming a Potions Mistress, she starts her apprenticeship tomorrow, I believe." He smiled, a real smile, not guarded as it usually would be. "So shall I see what I can do about reminding folks that people shouldn't be punished for their family's crimes?" he asked, his voice a bit quieter. "Or would you rather just have a place you can hide away from it? You're always welcome at the Town House, we've left Mother at the Dower, and the Manor's only opened for events these days."
The invitation took her by surprise enough for the mask to fall just for a second. "That is... kind," she said, "but I cannot run a business from a hidey-hole." No matter how tempting it sometimes was just to find a handy burrow. "I have too much to do. I have a book to find for your sister, as well as one or two other clients who have made requests.
"In fact," she added, remembering Xiomara Serano's request, "I may be out of the country for at least a day or two." And then there would be less than a week before she would have to close the shop for a time. That thought made her remember just how impossible it would be to accept the Mockridges' invitation.
The smile that curved her lips failed to reach her eyes. "But do wish Nephele well for me. I know being a Potions Mistress is what she has always dreamed of."
Kirley eyed her for a second. "I will. But the invitation stands. If you need a place to get away for an hour or two, or even a bit longer, our doors are open for you," he said. He had the feeling he was missing something rather large, but he couldn't put his finger on it.
Cassandra hesitated and then inclined her head in acknowledgement. "I shall remember that," she said. She could never accept the offer, but he could not know that and neither could Nephele.
Kirley nodded. "Owl me if you have any issues from the press or the Ministry talking about Callie. I'll see what I can do to quell it," he said. "It was good to see you again, Cassandra."
"Likewise," she said. He had been entertaining to talk to. It was just unfortunate that he worked for the Ministry. She had no reason to trust officialdom, not after what had happened with Callandra.
Gluttony
Author: Wendy Mills
Date: 11-21-12 02:08
Wendy had managed to find a quiet compartment for herself on the Hogwarts Express. There was only a girl there, who introduced herself as Mary MacKenny; she was also a first year. The two girls talked for a few, brief moments, but then Mary went back to the reading the book she was carrying in her lap, and Wendy ended up pulling a book out of her bag as well.
The silence in the carriage was not a bad feeling at all. Instead, it was somewhat comfortable,, and Wendy liked this sort of understanding between Mary and her. They were so focused on their reading that they even missed the lady who passed with a trolley full of candy.
The silence was interrupted when two other students entered the carriage. The girl had black hair and blue eyes and the boy, who was smaller than her, had dark eyes and brown hair. They were carrying a large number of colorful packages in their arms and they placed it in one of the seats and looked at it in a way that made Wendy think about pirates looking at their loot. Mary had also been observing the two students as her eyes looked at them over her book.
"I told you we would have enough money for the Pepper Imps," the girl said.
"I still think we were too greedy. Look at all these sweets. We can't eat them all, Sophie."
"I say we can," the girl who was named Sophie replied. "And maybe they can give us a hand," she added and Wendy fell both the girl and the boy's eyes on her and Mary.
Moments later, the girl told Wendy and Mary her name Sophie McCourt and that the boy was her friend Caleb Quigley. Unlike Mary, they were both very chatty and Wendy put her book aside in order to listen to them. Mary too had stopped reading but she seemed reluctant in accepting the package of Jelly Slugs which Sophie was offering her. Wendy learned that Caleb's aunt was an Astronomy professor at Hogwarts and that just like she and Mary, none of them had a clue about how they were going to be sorted.
"Sophie keeps saying it's a race but I think it's going to be a written test," Caleb said.
"A test? But I don't know any spells!" Wendy replied nervously.
"Neither do I," Mary added.
Sophie assured them that both her and Caleb were also very ignorant when it come to performing spells despite both their parents were wizards. Then they started to speak about Quidditch and Caleb did his best to explain the sport to both the girls. Neither of them had even ridden a broom. Wendy didn't know about Mary but as for her she was very confused with Caleb's explanation about snitches and bludgers or whatever their names were.
As Caleb and Sophie would keep talking, Wendy picked up another package of chocolate frogs and opened it. In her first attempt she didn't manage to grab the jumping frog but this was the fourth time she opened one and she was getting very good at it. She looked at the large amount of sweets that were still remaining in the seat. Sophie held a Licorice Wand in her hand while Caleb ate a Pumpkin Pasty. Meanwhile Mary had opted to try out a Cauldron Cake. Wendy just hoped neither of them would arrive at Hogwarts with a stomach ache.
First Year Duncan Dippet
Author: Briar Rose
Date: 11-21-12 12:59
The morning had begun usually enough with Mum knocking on Douglas's door then Duncan's as she passed down the hallway, saying loudly as she went, "Time to get up!"
Duncan has groaned, pulling the covers up and rolling over all in one motion. Five, maybe ten, minutes later Douglas the morning person who'd probably been awake well before Mum or Dad had gotten up, came bounding in. "Still in bed, lazy rotter."
"Go away, toad face."
Douglas had made a right pest of himself until Duncan threw a pillow at him. When that didn't work, he'd throw back the covers with the threat of coming after Douglas. With rare exception that always does the trick. Duncan had been about to burrow back under the covers for what he hoped would be ten undisturbed minutes when he spotted his trunk, lid raised, waiting for him to throw in last minute items such as his toothbrush.
That's when he remembered that today marked his start at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry. When that Dumbledore person had died, there'd been a huge family pow wow on whether to let him go or not. Duncan was hoping the decision would be to allow him to go as he wasn't worried about the murderer coming after him. He'd be a lowly first year from a family that while not without means is also not overly well off either. Mum likes to call it nicely comfortable. Duncan thinks she only says that because it means if she doesn't want to buy Douglas or him something she can remind them they don't have galleons coming out of their ears in fountains.
Whatever it does mean he can't see why he'd be a target for that person who killed that old wizard. Unless it's a serial killer. Then he could be a target anywhere, no matter what school he attends or if his parents got dispensations to homeschool him. But, if a serial killer got Dumbledore, would Duncan fit the profile of who the killer went after? He hardly thinks so.
He also seriously needs to stop reading so many thrillers.
Duncan was happy when the adults decided he could go to Hogwarts afterall. He's familiar with a few others starting this term and is looking to make some of them into better friends as well as meeting other potential new friends. There is one older student on the train he knows somewhat well and that's Augustus Hodfuffer.
Gus was nice enough to seek Duncan out after Gus had had some sort of meeting, prefects or perfects or pefrects, something like that. After Gus had gone one of the other boys in the compartment asked Duncan if they were brothers. He'd shaken his head while chewing to swallow the handful of potato crisps he'd just shoved into his mouth.
"No, Gus, well really his name is Augustus, is best friends with Caerwyn. Caerwyn, who lives in Hogsmeade and didn't want to take the train all the way from London, is my cousin's brother."
"So wouldn't that make him your cousin too?"
"No, but sometimes it's easier to say yes, we're cousins too. See, my father Byron has a half-sister called Briar, only really her name is Rosalyn. Anyway, Briar is my cousin Grace's other. Caerwyn is Grace's brother because they have the same father."
"Sounds confusing."
"I guess it is."
Another of the boys joins in to ask, "Briar? Isn't that the name of the bakery in Hogsmeade?"
"Yeah, Briar's Bakery. My aunt owns it and the one in Diagon Alley, The Flour Shoppe."
"Does that mean you get free sweets?"
That was all the invitation Duncan needed to pull out a box from the bookbag he'd had stowed. Aunt Briar had popped down to London this morning to King's Cross to send him off with an assortment of biscuits, including his favorite chocolate with a nutty caramel center.
By the time the trolley came around all the biscuits were gone and Duncan was in a fierce game of Exploding Snap. He'd had such a good time on the train the ride hardly seemed as many hours as it was so to him the slowing of the Hogwarts Express into Hogsmeade Station came all too soon. But, now there is the feast he's been told about to look forward too. Of course, there is the Sorting to get out of the way.
Like many of the other firsties, Duncan's got some trepidation about it, mostly because he has no idea which of the four Hogwarts houses he seems best suited for. Pulling on a school robe devoid of any colors other than the Hogwarts crest, he wonders if he will be the first student ever told, "We're sorry but there is no place in any of the houses here for you. You will find your trunk on the train for a return trip to King's Cross. Thanks every so much for coming."
Near The End Of The Journey (Zuberi)
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 11-21-12 16:45
The con of taking the Hogwarts Express from King's Cross Station to Hogsmeade when as a Hogsmeade resident Zuberi could have slept through early afternoon had he wanted, was getting up early enough to be fully alert upon arrival in London. He'd left his trunk with Marjani to take up to school, taking only a small pack with a few sandwiches, snacks, and enough room to stick his Hogwarts robes after the prefects met. He'd put them on, prefect badge for Slytherin visible, when his turn to patrol the train's carriages.
The pro of taking the Hogwarts Express from King's Cross Station to Hogsmeade has been the time spent with Olive. Also a prefect she would have been on the train this morning even if he hadn't been and had attempted to convince her to join him in Hogsmeade, leaving from there rather than arriving by train.
Never having had to take the train before, only being named prefect this year because of Basil Wynbourne being named Head Boy, Zuberi had been expecting an overlong, somewhat boring ride made tolerable only by the presence of Olive and his friends. He was pleasantly surprised that while yes, at times the journey did seem to be taking overly long, he'd had a good time, never once bored. Olive and he took their prefect tours around the train together, which also helped.
As the Hogwarts Express nears Hogsmeade and students up and down the train are packing up anything pulled out during the trip and donning school robes in preparation of the Sorting Ceremony and the Start of Term Feast, Olive and Zuberi have a few minutes alone, standing at the end of the last carriage on the train. Olive takes hold of Zuberi's hand in both of hers. "Okay, give. What's bothering you?"
"Who says anything's bothering me?"
"I do, so tell."
"I've been wondering if I'll be allowed to continue the volunteer work at Joseph Koroma's school now that Professor Dumbledore is gone."
"You think you'll be denied the trips?"
"Yeah, there's a good chance. That was Dumbledore's project and Mr. Koroma was his friend. There's no reason for McGonagall or whomever to allow me to go any longer."
"Will you ask Viktor to speak for you if you're denied?"
"Maybe. I don't want to impose on him."
"He wouldn't think it an imposition."
"No, but I would. He's been good to Marjani and me, giving us a home."
"You should still ask him if needed."
"I might. It will depend on if I'm not going to be allowed and if denied, how firm the no is. If things don't work out for when school's in, I'll still go during holidays."
"I knew you were going to say that."
"A mind reader now, are you? What am I thinking now?"
Olive laughs, pulling him in for a kiss.
Start of a New Year
Author: Rylee
Date: 11-21-12 18:04
Already the compartments were filled with students that were filling with students getting ready for the arrival at the Hogsmeade Station. The scenery was changing again, and she remembered this trip last year and shook her head to dislodge the memories of what she had been one year ago today. Spoiled, selfish and entitled, tempertantrums and demands issued that only got her mocked and ridiculed by the other students and talked about constantly.
Currently she was sharing a compartment with Gideon and a couple of others who were first years and anxious about the upcoming sorting ceremony. They'd heard rumors that it will be a race or a written test or a test on what spells that they know or something else humiliating like that before they are placed in one of the four Hogwarts houses.
"Okay, so, seriously the sorting ceremony isn't going to be anything like that at all. What will happen is, Professor McGonagall will call your name and you will go up and take a seat upon the stool where she will put the sorting hat on your head. It is that hat that will ultimately decide which house you will end up in for your time at Hogwarts."
The couple of first years both seemed relieved at that point because they wouldn't have to run a race or pass a test or whatever. The conversations continued as Rylee put her Slytherin robes and Gideon put his robes on while the first years put on their unidentifiable robes, bearing only the Hogwarts Crest upon it.
"We are almost there." She said with a smile and settled back against the seat and sighed, cuddling with Gideon.
They'd gotten closer over the summer and had even started dating as much as twelve year olds could at this point in time. Lids sliding closed as she relished in the feel of the train beneath her as they approached the station at Hogsmeade.
Once that was done, she and Gideon bid the first years good bye until they got into the Great Hall. They'd be riding to the castle in the carriages while the first years went across the lake via the boats.
Outcasts
Author: Rowan Westwick
Date: 11-21-12 18:23
The Westwick girls had somehow managed to secure a compartment for themselves. It had been years since they'd boarded the Hogwarts Express, but the scarlet engine and its cars looked just as they remembered. By contrast, King's Cross Station had been wholly recognizable, but there'd been enough subtle differences for the girls to realize that they were living in another time.
They had received a number of questioning looks by other students, both on Platform 9 3/4 and on the train. Most suspected the two were new transfer students, but no one had yet dared to ask. The girls had their Hogwarts robes packed in their trunks, so there was no reason for the other students not to think Rowan and Willow were new to Hogwarts.
The girls themselves felt uncharacteristically shy around the other students. It felt extremely strange to them to know that if things hadn't gone so wrong all those years ago, then they might have children of their own starting at Hogwarts on this very day. It felt even stranger to realize that in all likelihood, some of the students riding on the train with them at this very moment were the children of their former classmates.
Willow suddenly sat up straighter in her seat. Her gaze was fixed on a point out the window.
"I see the castle," she breathed.
Rowan moved to the other seat to look out the window. There it was, Hogwarts Castle, towering over and reflecting on the lake in the distance. The train gradually curved away, eventually hiding Hogwarts from view.
"I think we should put our robes on now," Rowan said.
Both she and Willow were reluctant to do so. They knew that the other students would really question who they were if they were seen already wearing robes trimmed in blue and green, respectively, instead of the generic black all first years wore prior to the Sorting Ceremony.
Nevertheless, they donned their robes.
Soon, they would be stepping foot in Hogwarts for the first time in over 26 years...
(Broderick) A Friendly Wager
Author: Cai Pembroke Carter
Date: 11-21-12 18:27
Ever since Quidditch Con and then off and all summer I'd been dating a now fifth year Slytherin girl named Drizella, and currently she was in the compartment I was sharing with Aderyn, Cai, Eric, and Angharad. We'd spent time talking and found that we actually had a lot in common and even supported the same Quidditch teams and had similar taste in music. However, she was Slytherin and I was Gryffindor and in many things we were complete opposites and our houses were biggest rivals.
Either way, I could care less. We'd been dating throughout the entire summer and spent most of our time either at her house or mine. My parents even liked her and liked her parents and her parents liked mine and my sisters.
At the moment Drizella and I were talking about the up coming school year and the fact that she would be dealing with the stresses of OWLs this year, while I will be free of major exams and dealing with actual finals. Cai and Angharad would be dealing with OWLs as well this year, and next year would be the most stressful for me as I'd be getting ready to graduate.
"So, I think we should place a bet, just a minor one between the two of us Brody..." Drizella said as she cuddled into me and rested her head on my shoulder. I loved her competitive streak sometimes and at this point in time I am intrigued.
"Oh, and just what kind of bet do you have in mind Driz?" I asked, an impish grin flashed to her as I used the nickname only I had permission to use (though she rarely objected if Cai or one of my other sisters used it).
An equally impish grin danced on her lips as she laid out what she wanted to bet on. "Who will come out the victor for the house cup this year. Slytherin or Gryfifndor."
I laughed and grinned down at her. "Gryffindor will of course, and just what are we wagering?"
"Hmmm...I'm thinking a kiss and another prize to be determined later." She said and I couldn't help but smile.
"I think I can accept those terms." I said and dropped a kiss on her lips which issued a mock gagging sound from Angharad.
"Seriously, if you are going to spend the rest of the trip to the station snogging go find an empty compartment." She said with a laugh.
"Aww, don't be jealous Angharad." He said, "Just because you are single."
She laughed and we quickly set up a game of wizard chess after we got our robes on. Everyone but Aderyn's robes having house colors and crests on their school robes.