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New Year's Eve Party
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 02-06-15 14:48
Bronwyn decided really last minute that she wanted to throw a New Year's Eve party. It had been a while since she and Toby had hosted a bash at their Greenwich duplex and after the events of the previous year, doing something fun sounded like just the ticket. The invitations that she'd sent had been quick and simple and had gone out to family and friends alike. Bronwyn knew that many of her intended guests would already have plans, but she hoped some might have time for a brief visit anyhow.
Of her family members, a couple of Becks were around and so was Kate, who would also be spending the night. Bronwyn had extended an invitation to Tessa as well, but Uncle Will had expressed worry that the party might be too grown-up for the soon to be twelve year old, so she remained home.
Friends in attendance included Chance and Jonathan and a handful of Toby's teammates, among others. Bronwyn had wanted to send off an invitation to Desi but didn't, knowing she was deep undercover and not wanting to jeopardize her mission in any way. The party wasn't crowded, but then it was still somewhat early.
Bronwyn sat on the couch with Kate. They discussed Kate's boyfriend Hugo, who was in trouble with his parents for earning detention from Professor McGonagall just before term ended. As punishment, he couldn't see any of his friends while on winter break. Kate reported that Hugo was taking it in good stride, which was to be expected with his carefree and easy-going personality.
"Do you ever hear anything about Mark?" Bronwyn asked, changing the subject from Kate's current boyfriend to her former one.
Kate paused and then said, "I heard he was arrested."
Bronwyn almost spit out her wine. "What?"
Kate nodded. "I don't know what happened. I've debated asking my dad if he knows or can find out, but I'm not sure it's my business. He's not my boyfriend anymore. He's not even my friend."
Bronwyn shot up from the couch and scanned the room for Anthony. If there was anyone who might know something about Mark's arrest, then it would be the family auror. Bronwyn's second choice was Alanna, the family lawyer. Neither, as far as she could tell, had made it to the party though.
She frowned and sank back down into the cushions.
Kate laughed. "I'm starting to think you're more eager to know than I am."
"Know what?"
Bronwyn and Kate looked up to see Katherine standing nearby, dressed in a flattering sheath dress and high heels that made her legs look a mile long. They moved over to make room for Katherine on the couch.
"We were just talking about Kate's ex," Bronwyn explained. "You look gorgeous. Who are you trying to impress?"
"No one," Katherine quickly replied, her cheeks growing warm.
Bronwyn stared at her for a long moment and then smiled. "You are trying to impress someone. Who?" She looked around the room to answer her own question.
"No one," Katherine repeated. She was so transparent, even Kate could tell that she'd gotten dressed with the plan of catching the eye of someone special.
Bronwyn scanned the room, debating who the lucky guy could be, but with the exception of some of the Quidditch players in the room, there weren't any single wizards present. Her gaze finally settled on Jonathan, who even she had to admit was drop dead gorgeous. She turned back to Katherine and gasped.
"Oh. My. G––"
"Stop!" Katherine exclaimed, feeling embarrassed. "I'm not trying to impress him, I'm really not. He's happily married and all that, and I don't want to be a homewrecker like my mother."
Bronwyn nodded in understanding, though she had never been in Katherine's position. She didn't know what it was like to lust over a married man.
"Have you ever considered Magical Match?" Bronwyn finally asked. "Or, I know! I'll set you up with someone. It'll be fun!"
Katherine smiled weakly. "Let me think about it."
But Bronwyn was already thinking about potential boyfriends for her sister-in-law.
Out Tonight
Author: Griet
Date: 02-06-15 18:23
Griet stood against the wall in a packed Victorian style home in Buckinghamshire wishing she were anywhere else but there. She had only agreed to go out with Cornelia and Cassander because they'd promised a low-key evening of drinks and a little socializing. Unbeknownst to all of them, the site of their New Year's Eve gathering had gotten crashed. There was loud music, drinks and more drinks, and people everywhere.
Griet debated leaving. She caught glimpses of Cornelia and Cassander in the thick of the crowd, at times dancing, at others making out in a very public display of affection. They had probably long forgotten about her and wouldn't notice if she slipped away. She just didn't want them to worry when they finally came to their senses and remembered they'd entered the party as a trio, not a pair.
Griet decided to move to another part of the house, where she hoped there would be less people and more quiet. She turned to go and collided into a wizard, spilling her drink all over the front of his robes.
"I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed. She could barely hear her voice over the thumping beat of the WWN and doubted he heard her either, but he nodded his head and shouted, "It's all right!"
Griet realized she knew him. Well, she didn't know him know him but she knew who he was. He was the young board member from her first true observational assignment for work.
"I'm Griet!" she blurted out, hoping he heard her.
He shook his head and pointed to his ear and then gently cupped her elbow to move her to a quieter portion of the house. Griet felt the nerve-endings in her arm tingle excitedly and followed him until they eventually reached a closed door. He let go of her elbow then to test the knob. The door was unlocked and opened up into a majestic library, which had built-in bookshelves that reached the ceilings and a massive oak desk in the middle of the room. The room was surprisingly unoccupied.
The wizard shut the door behind Griet to close off all the noise from the rest of the house and said, "I'm Valentijn."
"I'm Griet. We actually met once before, kind of."
"Have we?" Valentijn asked. He had a slight accent, which made him all the more attractive.
Griet explained when and where they'd met, an occasion Valentijn did remember. They talked about that day a little bit and then Griet exclaimed, "Oh, but your shirt!" It was still wet from the spill.
Valentijn waved off her concern with his hand and used his wand to dry himself off. "No worries, Griet. If we hadn't literally bumped into each other, then we probably wouldn't be talking to each other now." He walked over to the desk, which didn't have anything on it, and leaned up against it.
Griet tried to remain casual as she made her way over, for the first time very happy she'd allowed Cornelia and Cassander to drag her out of the house.
(Adriana) Resolutions
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 02-07-15 11:30
"Well?"
Gibbon spread his hands and answered, "Grellier doesn't know anything more than Woods. Knows less, in fact. He was there the day Potter killed the Dark Lord, one of the first on scene to respond to the raid, but he doesn't know what they did to the body. The only thing he knew much of anything about was how every member of the Order of the Phoenix was fined for their vigilantism."
Adriana frowned, immediately dismissing Gibbon's last comment and focusing what she really wanted to know. "Someone has to know where his remains are," she said. "And you're certain Grellier didn't swear an unbreakable oath to keep that information hidden?"
"Fairly certain, my Lady," Gibbon replied. "I reckon Woods would more likely have been involved in such an oath than Grellier, having been of higher rank at the time."
Adriana said, "Very well. How did you leave him?"
"With the only memory of having too much champagne to remember our little meeting," Gibbon answered.
"Thank you, Gibbon," Adriana said.
Gibbon knew without asking that she wanted him to investigate the next person on her list, who just so happened to be the current Minister of Magic. It would be a most difficult job and involve more cunning than he'd utilized before, but Adriana had confidence in both him and his project partner Jugson. They were not only experienced Death Eaters but also some of the more intelligent ones in her following.
Gibbon also knew without asking that he had been dismissed, but he had one final question before he left her. "May I ask if you have a New Year's resolution, my Lady?"
Adriana saw no harm in sharing what she wanted to accomplish next year. "I want a person in every single division of the Ministry of Magic," she said. "Not just in the departments at large, but every office, however small."
She already had some people in place, actual Death Eaters and other allies, but Adriana wanted more people on the inside to make the eventual overthrow of the government simple. If it happened organically, then all the better, but a coup would do just as well.
She also hoped that the more people she had on the inside, the easier it would be for her to complete her other project––returning Voldemort to his rightful place as the leader of the Death Eaters.
Banshees Wailing While Chewing Glass
Author: Eoghan
Date: 02-07-15 14:52
"Enjoying yourself, Eoghan?"
Eoghan lifts a shoulder at Aideen Cleary. "Yeah, enough I suppose."
"Try not sound overly thrilled at being here."
"Not exactly the party Lochlan made it out to be."
"Which was?"
"Mostly people we all know. Good music. Good food and drink."
Aideen's eyes widen slightly. "So you're not having much of a good time because there are a large number you don't know?"
"Music is awful. It's like banshees wailing while chewing glass. As for the food and drink, a couple of bowls of stale crisps and a choice of either cheap ale or even cheaper whiskey, neither of which can hold a candle to warm piss, aren't what I'd call good."
"It's more about enjoying the company to say goodbye to another year."
Eoghan's expression is one of distaste. "Be better if it were the party Lochlan talked up."
"Speaking of your brother, have you seen him?"
"Last was over there in that chair with what's her name. Noelle."
Aideen's expression mirrors Eoghan's look of distaste from a few seconds ago. "She's such a tramp. He can do better."
"You mean like with you? Lochlan's never shown that sort of interest in you your entire lives. He might never. You shouldn't pin your hopes on him suddenly seeing you in a different light."
Her face hardens and in a sharp, snippy tone asks, "I've always wondered, Eoghan, with five of their own, biological children already, why would Keavy and Parlan adopt?"
"Adopt me, you mean. You'd have to ask them, Aideen," Eoghan replies in a flat voice.
"I don't dislike you, Eoghan. Stop acting like I do. It's an innocent question."
"Asked with venom." Eoghan pushes away from the wall. "I'm out of here."
"Happy New Year, Eoghan." Aideen's voice has turned syrupy sweet.
"Yeah. Happy New Year to you, Aideen."
Eoghan walks away, sure that if he turned he'd find Aideen smirking at him. Stepping through one door to a patio, he disapparates for another party that he hopes will be far better than this one, fleetingly giving thought to stopping by to see Jermiane. Jermaine Radley was recovered safely though a great deal worse for wear. Since then he's not been the same, preferring desk duty and parchmentwork. Of late, he's talked of leaving the organization altogether. He could do with some perking up at a smashing New Year's Eve fete.
Arriving at one party he hopes will be bloody excellent, Eoghan stays a short time, deciding if it's worth staying or not before he does go location Jermaine to convince him to return with Eoghan.
Fatal Argument
Author: Marzipan
Date: 02-07-15 15:12
Marzi and Weston stood with Kitty and socialized while watching the finely dressed witches and wizards at the party Redberga had insisted they attend. The other guests at the party were all well-to-do, the only folk with whom Redberga associated herself. Carter and Vallon were also at the party, but they were sleeping in a room in a quieter portion of the manor with some of the other young guests who found it difficult staying up past their bedtimes.
The midnight hour was near but somehow not soon enough. Marzi decided she needed to use the bathroom and excused herself from her husband and mother-in-law to locate the facilities. There was a large bathroom just off the great room where the party-goers milled about, and it consisted of an antechamber with a long counter and two sinks and then a secondary chamber with the toilet and bath. Redberga herself was just exiting the secondary room when Marzi entered the first.
The elderly witch, dressed in cranberry-colored velvet robes and enough jewels to sink her to the bottom of the ocean if she fell in, crossed over to the nearest sink and began to wash her hands. Marzi started to walk past her to enter the other part of the bathroom when Redberga made a comment.
"Must you look so terribly bored?"
Marzi paused and turned to look at Redberga's reflection in the mirror. "Excuse me?" she asked.
"You, and my daughter and my grandson are acting as if attending this party is a chore." Redberga turned off the faucet and picked up a folded plush hand towel from the counter top. "You should feel honored to be in the company of such fine witches and wizards."
Marzi knew she should ignore the old crone and go into the bathroom to use the toilet, but she couldn't help herself from reacting. "While we appreciate you inviting us to your party, you know perfectly well that we don't fit in your circle, nor do we agree with everything for which you stand. For the record, we are enjoying each others company, so I'm not sure where you get the notion that we are bored. Out of place, yes. Bored, no."
Redberga put down the hand towel and turned to face Marzi. "I don't know why you should feel out of place, Marzipan. I'm doing everything I can to integrate you into my circle. The boys are well on their way to becoming part of the upper crust."
"Please forgive me if I have no interest in your circle or want you instilling your lifestyle on my children," Marzi sarcastically replied.
Redberga narrowed her eyes. "And what does Weston have to say about your opinion on the matter?"
"He agrees with me."
"Oh? And here I thought he was grateful to know his grandmother."
"He was so excited at the prospect of meeting you," Marzi said, thinking back to the day he announced he would look for his long-lost grandmother. "I think growing up in a broken home had him wishing for ideal family members, like a loving, doting grandmum. I can't say for certain, but I think he had an image in his head of what you would be like. While I know he has no real regrets meeting you, I also know you are not the grandmother from his dreams.
"That said," Marzi went on, feeling a buzz that she knew didn't come from any alcohol she'd consumed over the course of the evening, "I think it was a mistake seeking you out. All you've done since meeting us is attempt to conform us to your ideal family members rather than accept us for who we are. I know it's hypocritical to say that when our ideal grandmother is someone more like us and not anything like you, but that's how I feel, and though Weston is less vocal about it than I am, I know he feels the same way."
"I will never stoop to your low class ways," Redberga stated, seeming to stare down her nose at Marzi even though Marzi was the taller of the two.
"I see now why your own daughter kept her distance from you!" Marzi exclaimed, unable to hold her tongue.
"I kept my distance from her because she was a whore who couldn't keep her legs together!" Redberga shouted in a most undignified manner. "How dare she throw away the life I set up for her by having a bastard son!"
Marzi shook her head. "You're nothing but an insufferable snob. No!" she amended excitedly, "you're also a BITCH!"
Redberga's eyes widened, and just when Marzi thought the older witch would retort, she let out a strangled cry and clutched at her chest with one of her bejeweled hands. Marzi felt her own expression falter and then reached out when Redberga's legs started to fall out from under her.
"Redberga!?" Marzi exclaimed, trying to keep her grandmother-in-law from hitting the tile floor. "Redberga!"
But Redberga didn't answer. Instead, her eyes rolled to the back of her head and her body went limp.
Marzi stared in horror and then did the only thing she could do. She called out for help.
Fight
Author: Finley
Date: 02-08-15 13:59
Finley sat in the lunchroom at the orphanage and sipped hot apple cider from a glass cup. Mrs. Gill let everyone stay up for New Year's Eve and supplied them with treats and hot drinks and indoor games like chess and cards. Every year, only the oldest orphans remained awake past midnight. The younger ones always fell asleep at the table or wandered off to bed at their own volition.
Looking around the lunchroom now, Finley saw a few sleeping children and many deserted seats. If not for keeping Leroy company, Finley might have opted for bed herself. She felt tired and also a little bored. A part of her wished she would have taken up Phoebus on his offer to have her visit for a few days, but the whole reason for coming home was to spend time with Leroy.
Mrs. Gill picked up a tow-headed girl of about six or seven, whose cheek was resting on her folded arms, and carried her off to the dormitory room. No sooner was Mrs. Gill out of the lunchroom, when Charla strutted over to where Finley and Leroy sat.
"Let me guess," she drawled, eyeing Leroy, whose girth had only grown since Finley had first gone off to Hogwarts a year and a half ago. "Your New Year's Resolution is to grow the size of a blimp!"
"Shut your mouth, Charla," Finley said, putting down her cup and rising to her feet to stand eye to eye with the other girl.
Charla put a hand on her hip and asked, "What the matter, Finley? Don't like the idea of your fat boyfriend getting even fatter?"
"I told you," Finley said, wishing she could use her wand, but it was locked away in her trunk. "Shut. Your. Mouth."
"Make me."
The lunchroom had gone deathly quiet, but for the occasional snore from a slumbering orphan.
Leroy stared at the two girls with his mouth hanging open quite unattractively.
Charla smacked the gum in her mouth, grinned, and said, "That's what I thought." She turned to antagonize somebody else.
Finley knew she should turn back around and sit down, but she had the overwhelming urge to jump on Charla's back and pull her hair. Her self-control went out the window and she launched herself at Charla, who screamed and tried to pull Finley off of her.
The lunchroom grew loud with orphans shouting, "Fight! Fight! Fight!"
Finley tugged on Charla's hair, which she still wore in poofy pigtails despite the fact that she was nearly a teenager. Charla clawed at Finley, but to no avail. She ended up tipping over and rolling, so that she was on top with her hands around Finley's neck. Charla raised Finley up and knocked her back onto the linoleum, which was cold and stained from age. Finley's head cracked against the floor and she saw stars but the pain wasn't enough to disorient her from the fight. She reached out with both hands and shoved Charla in the chest, knocking the wind right out of her. Then she pushed Charla off and scrambled to her feet, just in time to see Mrs. Gill run into the room.
Mrs. Gill went straight over to Finley and seized her by the arm, yanking her roughly away from Charla, who was wheezing and putting on an aire of having been nothing more than a victim.
Mrs. Gill shouted for the room to be quiet and then sent Finley and Charla to her office. Before leaving the lunchroom unsupervised again, she eyed every child in the room with a look that suggested they would all be sent to bed if they even breathed in a manner of which she would disapprove. Then she swept out of the room after the two punished orphans.
Finley and Charla both sank into the two chairs in front of Mrs. Gill's desk and crossed their arms over their chests.
Mrs. Gill sat down in front of them and demanded, "What is the meaning of this? I leave the room for five minutes and come back to find you rolling around on the floor like hoodlums! Explain yourselves!"
Finley wanted to speak up for herself but she hesitated because there was nothing she could say that would make what happened okay in Mrs. Gill's eyes. She had acted out of line and she knew it.
Charla, of course, had no trouble weaving a most untrue story. "Oh, Mrs. Gill! It was just awful. There I was, minding my own business, when Finley came over to me, yanked me out of my seat, and started beating me. I wanted to defend myself, I really did, but some kind of madness just came over her. She's dangerous, Mrs. Gill! I don't know what they are teaching her at that boarding school of hers, but it can't be anything good!"
Finley stared at Charla with a look that suggested she deserved the beating she received and then look at Mrs. Gill. To her surprise, Mrs. Gill didn't believe a word Charla said.
"What a cute story," Mrs. Gill said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "I don't believe I will ever see the day when Charla Hogg minds her own business."
Charla's mouth dropped open in disbelief.
"But, Mrs. Gill!" she exclaimed.
"No buts," Mrs. Gill replied. "There's no doubt in my mind you instigated the altercation. You will go to bed this instant."
"But, Mrs. Gill!" Charla tried again, but anything else she wanted to say was cut off with a stern look.
Charla made a face, got up out of the chair, and stomped out of the office.
Mrs. Gill looked at Finley. "Well, what do you have to say for yourself?"
"Nothing, ma'am," Finley said. "She made me angry and I reacted. I'm sorry."
Mrs. Gill eyed Finley for a long moment and then said, "Off to bed with you, Finley."
Finley got up without needing to be told twice.
New Year's Eve
Author: Jet
Date: 02-08-15 20:18
Jet hands Petra the glass of sparkling cider she'd requested. Accepting it she looks to the obvious bulge of her belly. "Remind me next time I get pregnant to time it so I'm not restricted from anything alcoholic."
"How about next time you decide to get married, you tell your man of honor so he's better dressed."
"You look perfectly nice and you know it."
"I'd have worn my tuxedo robes."
"Hardly anyone here is that dressed up."
Jet makes a show of looking around the room where the New Year's Eve party slash wedding reception shows no signs of slowing down, taking in all many women in the cocktail and full length dress robes and a good number of the men in tuxedos of some style or other. "Yes, hardly anyone."
"You look fine, Jet. It's not as though you're in tatty slacks and stained t-shirt. Why the sudden interest in fashion and what you wear?"
"All I'm saying is if I'd known your party was also a wedding that I'd be a party in, I'd have dressed more to the occasion than just decent dress robes. Stained dress robes at that." He points to a section along the hem. "I've only just noticed."
"That changes everything. You must leave at once."
The exchange a look then start laughing. When the mirth dies down Petra turns serious. "How's the research going?"
"Still just the one reference. Another instance of wishing Albus Dumbledore were still around to quiz. I'm betting he'd at least heard of Cymdeithas y Sarff."
"What of some of his colleagues?"
"I've thought about talking to Minerva McGonagall or Filius Flitwick, one or two others but Minister Shacklebolt is somewhat close with these people. I should think he's spoken with one or more of them, coming away with nothing."
"Or nothing he's cared to share with you." Petra takes a sip of her sparkling cider before completing her thought. "Though not sharing that information with you makes no sense."
"I may at least ask Professor McGonagall for permission to access the Hogwarts library's restricted section."
Petra hands Jet her glass. "Matthew's coming this way so I am off to dance. You should ask someone as well."
Jet doesn't reply to that but does give dancing some thought. He also gives thought to getting another plate of food. It's been awhile since he made a pass around the various tables of savory and sweet food. After a moment, he puts Petra's glass aside and goes for the food. He'll eat then give more consideration to asking someone to dance and do his best for the rest of the night and early morning to have a great time, putting his concerns and worries about Emerson Reed and the crazies making up Cymdeithas y Sarff.
Brand New Day, Brand New Year
Author: Jefferson
Date: 02-08-15 21:26
Jefferson excused himself from the small group in his living room to answer the door. "Hello Orion, Sagitta, c'mon in." There was a more distinct southern drawl in his voice as he stepped aside for his neighbors, usually a sign he had been back home in Louisiana.
"Hey Jeff, thanks for having us over, Ita has been beside herself all afternoon." Orion said to his neighbor as Sagitta ran past the men to her friends.
Jefferson laughed, "It's not a problem, and the girls usually behave, unless Crew is involved."
"I heard that!" Crew grinned from his spot on the floor next to Remedy while Sagitta joined them.
"Dad's got a point Crew, you rarely behave. Y'all wanna come hang out in my room for a little while the adults do whatever it is they do?"
Crew nodded and hopped up, "Okay, but Mase has to come too, Mom said I have to watch him." He wasn't thrilled to be watching his brother, but it could have been worse.
After the group exchanged greetings back in the living room, Fallon, Fletcher, Ember, Jefferson, Orion and Driver had taken various seats. "Here's to another year come and gone." Fal said, leaning against her husband.
"It has been one heck of a year." Driver said as he exchanged a look with his older brother and sister. The family still wasn't the same without Dexter, and never would be, but they had to move past his loss.
Etch sighed a bit, "I still think there was more to his death then what we were told, but let's not dredge that up tonight, Drive?"
"I agree, lets just have fun tonight." She turned her attention to a quiet Ember, "You doing alright kiddo?"
"I guess so, I still live with Mum and Dad, they help me with Ever." That was only partly true, since her daughter was born, Em dealt with some depression and her parents were practically raising their granddaughter.
Driver handed Ember a glass, "You need to cheer up and relax Sparky." Em smiled in relief as she took a sip, the burn of the drink did relax her.
"Fallon, I invited you brother, I assume they went elsewhere tonight"
"Yeah, I reckon Arley and Sebastian went to Bronwyn's party." She raised an eyebrow at Driver as he sat down next to Orion, really close. She wasn't sure what was going on between the two, but even outside of classes at St. Emrys they seemed to be together most of the time.
The rest of the evening went by with the adults reminiscing and the kids occupied themselves after dinner, only to rejoin their parents for the countdown to midnight. Little Mase didn't make it that far and was asleep well before Ten.
In the end, New Year's Eve passed, and a new year began. Jefferson only hoped this year would leave him at peace, and possibly with more answers. Everyone eventually left, only Jefferson alone in the room to clean up and check on the kids before bed. He made his way down the short hallway and peeked in the room, the girls were asleep and Crew was laying on the floor snoring. Jefferson finally gave in and cast mobilicorpus on Crew to carry him to made-up bed on the couch. Satisfied that everyone was settled he made his way to his room to attempt to get some rest. He was surprised no one had asked about Lawson, but it wasn't really their business to know she was in New Orleans, under a sort of protective custody.