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Yearly Observances
Author: Lysander Stratford
Date: 11-11-09 09:01
Every New Year's Eve since 1996, Lysander mourned the loss of his wife Chyler, who had died from complications due to an ectopic pregnancy. Since 1999, Lysander had a reason to celebrate the very last day of any given year, because New Year's Eve was his daughter Charlotte's birthday. Today she turned four years old. How time had flown since her birth!
Twice Told Tales was closed on New Year's Eve, but anyone passing by who happened to look through the windows would see that all the lamps were lit and a celebration was going on. Among the revelers were birthday girl Charlotte and her father Lysander, Uncle Julian, cousins Grace and Caerwyn, Aunt Briar, and several other family members and friends. Astrid was also there, much to Lysander's delight.
Seeing her inevitably brought to mind Chyler, especially on the anniversary of her death, but Lysander tried not to focus on the negative. He missed Chyler and knew that though Astrid was related and shared a remarkable resemblance, she was a different person altogether. Also, this was Charlotte's day, and he didn't want to take away from her happiness by moping around and dwelling on the loss of his greatest love.
His new love, Astrid, was currently engaged in conversation with Caerwyn, who was telling her about his trip to the Valentine family's private island in the South Pacific. They had only just returned to Scotland yesterday, so the memories of swimming, snorkling and surfing were still very fresh.
Lysander went to her and draped an arm around her shoulders. Together they listened to Caerwyn talk about how he and his friend Gus had both managed to ride several waves to shore without falling off of their boards.
"I'm going to get another snack," Caerwyn announced after he'd finished his tale.
He departed the new couple with a smile and went to the buffet table, which was laden with all sort of finger foods in celebration of Charlotte's day and the coming New Year.
Lysander kissed Astrid's cheek and said, "I'm glad you could come."
"I'm glad you invited me," she replied.
Ever since Varus had caught her in Lysander's arms, she'd not visited Hogsmeade all that much because she hadn't wanted to run into her ex. Lysander hadn't seen Varus around town either, but attributed his absence more to the holidays than to avoidance.
Needless to say, he was glad Varus no longer stood in his way when it came to being with Astrid. He was happy Astrid could spend time with his family and friends and looked forward to a New Year's kiss later that night.
Gathering in Salisbury
Author: Isolde
Date: 11-11-09 13:49
This year, Isolde and Pyrrhus were hosting a New Year's Eve gathering at their Salisbury bungalow. Both sets of parents (and all three of them in Py's case) were there, as were Majandra and George with Miranda and Georgie, and Py's half-brother Mason. Isolde's uncle Rivalen came, and so did Uncle Meirchion and Aunt Eviene with cousin Mark. Azaelia and her parents were there too. In addition to family, some of Py's teammates and Isolde's fellow Little League coaches were also there.
Isolde played the part of perfect hostess, going around to make sure all glasses were full and that everyone had sampled all of the appetizes she'd fixed herself. She didn't consider herself to be a world class chef by any means, but over the years of being on her own with Py she'd learned how to cook for themselves and sometimes for others.
She'd made pigs in a blanket, quiche with sausage, guacamole dip to go with crisps or crackers, miniature crab cakes, meatballs, tomato basil finger sandwiches and pepperoni pizza squares. There were cheese and cracker platters, pretzels and dessert trays too.
Azaelia handed her a drink. "You've been up on your feet the entire night, and from the looks of things, probably the entire day too. Sit down with us and enjoy the party!"
Isolde accepted the glass of wine and replied, "I am enjoying the party. I'm just making sure that everyone has what they need."
"We're perfectly capable of helping ourselves," Azaelia said, gently grabbing Isolde by the elbow and leading her to an empty place on the sofa.
Isolde reluctantly let Azaelia guide her to the seat. She sat down and sunk into the voluminous cushions, certain she'd have a hard time getting up again.
Isolde started to listen to the conversation around her but her mind wandered off course when her eyes fell on a napkin someone had discarded on the coffee table. It was stained by a glob of pasta sauce and looked eerily like the blood Isolde had coughed up into a tissue a month and a half ago.
She hadn't coughed up blood since then and had gradually forgotten about it. Out of sight, out of mind, as the saying went. Isolde still didn't know what could have caused the unusual ailment, but since it hadn't happened again she figured it had just been a bodily fluke and that she was perfectly fine.
"Isolde?"
Isolde snapped out of her thoughts and turned to Pyrrhus' voice.
"Are you okay?" he asked, looking concerned for a moment.
"Yes, why?" Isolde questioned, surprised to find that a lot of people were looking at her funny.
"You were staring off into space and had a weird look on your face."
solde shook her head and laughed awkwardly. "I was just thinking. Can't even remember what about now." She smiled to reassure everyone.
"Azaelia your glass is half empty. You need a refill," Isolde continued, changing the subject. She tried to get up, but Azaelia held up her hands and said, "No, no. I can serve myself. You stay put!"
Isolde pouted and sunk back into her cushions, but not before shooting Pyrrhus a loving smile.
Running Late
Author: Ron Weasley
Date: 11-11-09 16:17
At a near run, Ron steps from the Floo in his living room. He'd had to work today and had been on-hand when a tip came into the Ministry that Isodro Cousillas, a man who Harry had been part of a team surveilling, was once again in Singapore and meeting up with others on the British Ministry's wanted list in connection with murders and other atrocities under Euphemia Smythe-Jones.
Ron and Damien Freeman left immediately. Shortly after arriving in Singapore they'd verified the tip and quickly realized that the setting was perfect for rounding up the group made up of Cousillas and five others. Damien and Ron alerted their British liason in Singapore's Wizarding government. Working far faster than Ron would have thought two governments could, Damien and Ron had back-up and Cousillas and the other five were successfully taken into custody.
Time was then spent doing all the parchmentwork required by agents of one government doing an above board mission and arrests on another government's soil. Unfortunately, in Ron's opinion, there was an overabundance of said parchmentwork and once back in London, there would be even more. Cousillas and three of the others were taken to the British Ministry in London but the other two will remain longer in Singapore. As it turns out, those two are wanted in connection with some crimes committed there.
Jumping out of the shower, Ron uses his wand in one hand to blast his hair dry while using the other hand to rapidly pat down his body with a towel. He hurries to brush his teeth, shave, get dressed, and comb his hair.
Once back in London and all that extra parchmentment work to do and getting questioning started on the four in custody from Singapore. Capturing the six, even if they were only able to bring four back for trial at this time feels good, even despite all that parchmentwork. The only drawback, other than all that parchmentwork, is that it's put Ron behind in getting home and ready for the New Year's Eve party Hermione and he are attending.
The second he'd been able, Ron had let Hermione know he'd be running late and why and gave her the option of waiting for him or going on without him. She'd chosen to wait, which in a way makes Ron feel like he needs to rush even more. He pauses in front of a floor length mirror, gives himself a quick once over then dashes out of the room. He almost immediately slows his steps thinking that running late isn't so bad tonight because at least with New Year's Eve parties, instead of winding down the later the time is, they get more lively.
When Ron sees Hermione, his step slows even more. She frowns slightly, a hand going to her hair. "Is something wrong? Do I have hair sticking up? A stain?" she asks, eyes dropping down to her outfit.
"Nothing's wrong. You look so stunning you took my breath away."
She grins and accepts his outstretched hand. "In that case, I forgive you for being late."
Seeing Hermione, Ron decides he doesn't care anymore whether they even get to the party at all because all that matters is being with Hermione to see in the new year.
With Daria
Author: Blossom
Date: 11-11-09 18:31
Daria shifts the sleeping baby in her arms so she can stroke the thick, silky, bright red hair on his head. Putting her head close to his tiny body she inhales deeply then looks across the room to her sister. "I love that freshly cleaned baby smell. How many times have you heard already that he looks just like Seth did when the triplets were born?"
One side of Blossom's mouth turns up in a lopsided grin. "I've already lost count. I've also lost count of how many times I've heard that they look just like Fred and George as children."
Daria grins back and nods her head at the bundle in Blossom's arms. "I guess I should include that one in my looks just like Seth assessment."
"I hope that them being identical and looking just like Fred and George does not mean they will start blowing things up at an early age."
Blossom was surprised she not only reached her due date but went past by several days. As Ron had pointed out Christmas Eve, twins often come early. He hadn't known then that she was indeed carrying twins but his statement was on the mark. As tired as she was by then from being so heavily pregnant and having three 4 year olds to keep up with, Blossom was glad to have made it to her due date since babies in multiple births tend to be smaller and sometimes less developed. Every single day she carried them meant stronger, healthier babies.
The labor pains she'd been experiencing Christmas Eve didn't abate but they also didn't grow stronger until the 27th, just a day before Blossom's healer planned to induce. When Frederick Lee and Fabian Henderson finally decided to be born they saw no point in taking their time about it. Fabian was born less than a minute after Frederick.
Daria gets up to put Fabian in one of the two matching bassinets. There's actually a third one from when the triplets were born but it's still in storage. "I should be going. If I'm late, everyone will either wait to order dinner or someone will order for me and get something like raw oysters just to see me grimace at the sight of them."
"You say you and Kody aren't together."
"We aren't. Since that last big row, we only speak if not doing so would be extremely rude around others and when we do speak, it's very formal, overly polite."
"But you're meeting a group that's Ophelia, Drake, Kordelia... Kody."
"They, and the others who are supposed to be meeting up, are my friends."
"It's not awkward or difficult?"
"Very, but I'm not giving up my friends until he comes to his senses and apologizes."
Blossom doesn't think this is the right time to point out that from what Daria's said so far about that huge fight Kody and Daria had, that Daria is the one who not only picked the fight but escalated it. Instead she says, "Well, try to have a nice time at dinner and the party after. It's at the Crown & Cauldron?"
"Dinner and the party are both there. Phin's mum, aunt, and uncle have made this big do a yearly thing."
Blossom starts to get up but Daria waves a hand at her. "Don't get up on my account." She comes over and drops a kiss on Blossom's cheek and pats Frederick's little head. "Good night and Happy New Year."
"Happy New Year to you too," Blossom says in reply.
A few minutes later she gets up to put Frederick in his bassinet, checks on Fabian, then goes to find out why Fred and the triplets have been so very quiet this entire time.
New Year's Surprise
Author: Ella
Date: 11-12-09 17:05
"Ella! What are you doing up on that roof? You're sure to slip and fall to your death!"
From her perch in the middle of the roof, Ella rolled her eyes. She'd climbed out of her window at nightfall, after hearing the first sounds of fireworks in her neighborhood. They burst loudly over her head in colors of red, green, blue and purple.
"Did you hear me, Ella? Get down from there right now!"
Ella finally looked down where her mother stood in the snow. She was wrapped in a thick woolen cardigan and had her arms crossed over her chest, more so for warmth than out of anger for her daughter's reckless behavior.
"I won't fall," Ella replied, "and if I do, I won't break my neck. I probably won't even break a bone."
"Witches aren't immune to human injuries, you know," Rosemary Harville retorted. "Do as I say and come down. Your father just firetalked with me and said he will be stopping by shortly."
At this news, Ella scrambled to her feet, sending a sheet of snow cascading down the shingles, onto the snowy yard below.
"Ella! Be careful!" Rosemary screeched, squeezing a hand to her chest.
Ella ignored her worrying mother and expertly climbed into her bedroom window. She dusted off the snow that caked her clothes and shed her coat, leaving it on the floor in the middle of her bedroom.
By the time Ella went downstairs, her mother was back in the house, looking furious. Before Rosemary could scold Ella some more, her ex-husband Dunstan flooed in between them.
"Dad!" Ella exclaimed, running to embrace him. They hugged tightly, but when a second person came through the fireplace, Ella staggered back.
The woman was quite pretty, with long dark hair that fell in big curls down her back. Her arrival seemed to have taken Rosemary by surprise too because all she could do was open and close her mouth wordlessly.
"Ella, Rosemary, this is Delilah."
"Hi, it's a pleasure to meet you Ella," Delilah said in a throaty voice. She extended her hand, and as if in a daze, Ella shook it though she really didn't want to. Delilah completely ignored Rosemary.
"I just wanted to stop by and introduce you and give my favorite girl a New Year's kiss," Dunstan stated happily. He pecked Ella on the cheek and gave her another big hug.
Ella couldn't keep her eyes off Delilah, even as she was hugging her father. Who was this woman, and what was she doing with her dad? She knew the answers of course but she wished she was more naive.
Dunstan parted the hug and draped his arm over Delilah's shoulders. "We're going to a party. You two should go out and see the fireworks. They've been going incessantly since we arrived! Well, we should be off. Ella, we'll definitelly get together before you go back to Hogwarts. Ta!"
Delilah went through the floo first, with Dunstan not long behind her. Once they'd left, an impossible silence stretched between Ella and Rosemary.
At last, Rosemary, who was looking paler than she'd ever looked, murmured, "I need a glass of wine." She staggered into the kitchen.
Ella sank into the nearby sofa and picked up a pillow, which she clutched to her chest. She could hear her mother crying in the kitchen, and though she willed herself not to, she couldn't help but cry too.
Practice Makes Perfect
Author: Charlie Weasley
Date: 11-12-09 18:24
Dragon finishes the last song in the set to a round of rousing applause. Charlie packs his base in its case then steps off the platform that's serving as an indoor stage at the Crown & Cauldron restaurant. The Hodfuffers have several bands this year for what's becoming an annual New Year's Eve bash. The bands are taking turns playing outside in the gazebo and inside. With this one set done, the members of Dragon are free for awhile to enjoy the party before heading out to the gazebo.
Charlie joins Hendrika, whom he'd had his eyes on while on stage. While playing, he's good about making eye contact with people in the audience but when Hendrika is there, Charlie's eyes never linger anywhere but on his wife. As deeply in love with Hendrika that he is, Charlie often finds it hard to believe that there was a time when things were rocky between them.
Slipping his arms around Hendrika, Charlie asks with a twinkle in his eyes, "Fancy going home with a member of the band, love?"
Hendrika gives Charlie a come hither look and flirtily replies, "I'd love to but my husband might object."
Charlie leans in closer and nips her ear. "Then how about we find a secluded spot for a quickie?"
Hendrika laughs and hits Charlie on the arm, "You sound almost serious."
"Maybe I am."
Hendrika steps into Charlie's embrace, closing what little space there is between them. "Is your wife aware you are this racy and adventurous?"
"If she hadn't before, she does now."
Charlie's just about to drop a smoldering kiss onto his wife's lips when Percy, standing at Charlie's elbow, says, "It's not midnight, you know."
Without releasing his hold on Hendrika, Charlie turns his head to look incredulously at his brother. "I wasn't aware there's a no kissing until midnight rule in effect."
Percy has the grace to color then shuffles his feet. "Right. Sorry. Erm. Have you seen Penny?"
Hendrika smiles warmly at Percy. "Penny was looking for you and headed in the direction of the longest of the buffet tables."
"Thank you." Percy starts to walk away then turns back, a very serious expression on his face, though come to think of it, most of Percy's expressions are of the serious variety. "You two are happy together, right?"
Charlie gives Percy another incredulous look before replying somewhat sarcastically, "No, not at all. I was under an Imperius to flirt with and make out with my wife with all these people around to see."
Hendrika bats Charlie on the arm again, only not in a playful manner like before. To Percy she says, "Yes, we're happy and love each other more every day."
"And you like being parents?"
"Yes," Hendrika says as Charlie responds with a firm, "Definitely."
Percy twists his mouth from side to side and shifts his weight, though Charlie can't tell if it's because Percy isn't sure what to say next or if he's having an internal debate. To help move things along, Charlie asks, "What's this about, Percy?"
"You know I have had a long term plan in place for quite a long time. I've wavered from it some, such as when Penny and I were getting married, and I did have to re-evaluate the financial aspect after," Percy pauses, then shrugs, "after my forced time away."
"And Penny wasn't happy with the plan to begin with and now is even unhappier," Hendrika helpfully supplies.
"Exactly. She keeps asking why we can't get pregnant now and start our family."
"Do you want kids?" Charlie asks.
"Yes, but the revamped plan does not "
"Scrap the plan, at least the part about when to have children," Charlie interrupts.
"Having a plan is nice and being financially prepared for the future is a very good thing, but the timing on when to have children doesn't always fit neatly into some well thought out, logical plan," Hendrika says kindly.
Percy looks from one to the other then nods. "I shall take your advice into consideration, thank you."
Percy moves away, heading in the direction Hendrika said Penny had gone. Charlie watches his brother for a second or two then noticing that Hendrika isn't in the snug embrace from when they were interrupted, Charlie pulls her close again. "Where were we?"
"Practicing for the kiss at midnight."
"Yes, practice does make perfect," Charlie grins, leaning down once more to kiss his gorgeous wife.
New Year's Date
Author: Ethan Somerset
Date: 11-13-09 08:27
This time last year, Ethan had only dreamed that he would one day get the chance to attend another New Year's party. He'd been at Brecqhou, the community for nons, where quality of life had been dismal and hope had barely existed. Only perseverance, and perhaps a little bit of luck, had gained Ethan and the other survivors at Brecqhou their freedom.
Ethan's life had improved tremendously since his last days at the community for nons. He had a great job at Hogwarts, a loving family, and none of the problems that had plagued him for so long. His connection to Lord Voldemort and Project 25 as well as his subsequent prison terms were definitely things of the past.
Ethan had spent Christmas with his family in Bristol but had made plans to spend New Year's Eve with Rosamond. The two had started casually dating some months ago, and while they both seemed interested in no one else but each other, they had agreed to take their relationship slow. It was perhaps opposite of what so many couples felt these days.
After the horrors so many wizards had experienced in recent years, many people realized that life was short and that they needed to seize the day, since tomorrow might not ever come. Ethan understood that sentiment, but he'd overcome so much in his life and believed that if any other hardships were thrown his way, he could overcome them too. He didn't have to rush into anything and could enjoy life one day at a time.
He and Rosamond decided to go out to dinner and chose The Imperial Crown & Cauldron as their venue. As luck would have it, the restaurant was hosting a New Year's Eve concert series, so not only did they enjoy good food but good music also.
"I'm having a good time tonight," Ethan said, smiling over his glass of wine at Rosamond.
"Me too," she replied, smiling also. "It's almost midnight," she commented after a moment to glance at the silver watch on her wrist.
"Counting down the minutes until then, are you?"
"Well, I am looking forward to my first New Year's kiss in a long time."
Ethan grinned. "I hope it'll be worth the wait."
Rosamond winked. "I'm sure it will be."
Ethan had no doubt on that score himself.