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Missing
Author: Charlie Weasley
Date: 06-05-07 22:38
"You're certain Mr. McFusty didn't simply skip out on this party of your mother's?"
"Positive," Travis Ravenclaw says with firm conviction. "He promised to be there. If Indigo hadn't had a date expecting to attend, I'd be the first one who'd suggest my brother had found reason not to show up. Tess never saw Indi nor heard from him and he's not the type to stand up a date."
The man with Travis takes a half step forward. Hannibal Hayes reminds auror Alix Gauthier, "Indigo never returned to the pet clinic. I received that owl I mentioned. At the time I thought it was from Indigo but now I'm not so sure."
"It would help if you still had the note," Gauthier tells Hayes.
"I'll go see if it's still in the rubbish bin," Hayes replies then adds, "I should have thought of that myself when Travis first came 'round looking for Indigo."
Hayes leaves Gauthier's cubicle. The auror gives his full attention back to Travis. "Mr. McFusty left your shop to return to the pet clinic, and left with the understanding that he would definately be at the party your mother gave last night."
"Yes, that's correct."
A knock on the frame at the cubicle's entrance point is followed by a throat clearing. "Alix, sorry to interrupt. You're taking the report on a missing person?"
Gauthier nods his head towards Travis. "Miss Ravenclaw's brother, Indigo McFusty."
Kingsley Shacklebolt steps back for a second and makes a motioning movement with one hand. To Gauthier he says, "You're going to want to talk with Charlie Weasley and Kellan McFusty. They're here about Indigo McFusty as well."
Two men appear in the small opening to the cubicle, Shacklebolt stepping back to give them more space. Travis, the look of worry on her face deepening with Shacklebolt's words to Gauthier followed by the sight of Charlie and Kellan. Both men look a little surprised to see her. Indigo's cousin blurting out, "You know Indi's gone missing?"
"He vanished between my shop and his clinic yesterday then didn't show up for a party at Mum's even though he had a date for it."
At the same time Gauthier's asking, "How do you two know the young man is missing?" Kellan is asking, "If he vanished yesterday why are you just now reporting it?"
Charlie, using a clip, holds out a sheaf of parchment to Gauthier. "We got this at the McFusty preserve a short time ago."
Travis meanwhile is replying to Kellan, "Hannibal got an owl that he thought was from Indi. The message said that Indi was needed at the preserve and that Indi didn't think he'd be back in to the clinic yesterday."
"Someone wanted to make sure there was a time gap," Charlie comments, hearing what Travis had said.
"What do you mean?" she asks.
"That note," Charlie nods to the parchment Gauthier's studying intently, "says that Indigo's been kidnapped and will only be returned in exchange for a dragon that's about to die. Somehow the kidnappers know we're tracking a dragon that's on its last legs and when it dies they want us to give over the entire carcass."
Gauthier looks up at Charlie then to Kellan. "I know dragon parts are regulated and there's a black market for such things but would a dead dragon really be so valuable as to go to all this trouble?"
Kellan gravely nods. "Worth a small fortune to have an entire carcass to drain of blood, cut up for parts, to have the heart and other organs. Usually poachers only get bits and pieces because of not having time to take the entire dragon."
Travis reaches out and grasps Gauthier's arm. "What do we do? Do we give them what they want? Would they really return Indigo unharmed?"
Gautheir looks from Travis to Kellan to Charlie. "This says futher instructions will arrive. We'll play along, let them think they'll get what they want."
Charlie responds, "We can't make any real plans for the exchange until we get those next instructions."
"Right, but we can get a rough idea with contigencies worked out," Gauthier replies.
Kellan grips the back of Travis's chair. "Let's get to planning then."
Day Free of Exams
Author: Oreileah McCoi
Date: 06-06-07 14:59
Orei wasn't taking Muggle Studies or Divination this year, so today was a day off for her. However, it was spent in the Library studying for her History of Magic O.W.L. She probably left the library maybe three or four times in total, and that was to get something to eat, to eventually take a shower the last time she left the library. It was stress time, and even though she only had one exam left, it was the one exam that had the most dates and information to remember.
Now, she currently sat in the Gryffindor Common Room, at one of the tables looking of scroll after scroll of dates...Really, she needed to stop studying, if she didn't know the information by now, then she wouldn't remember it or know it for the exam. She was stressing, and over stressing and eventually going to drive herself nutty.
Putting the scrolls away in her bag, she would groan, leaning back into the cushions. Hand coming up to run through her hair, tugging the strands back from her face and dragging them back into a pony tail. Quickly twisting it into a bun she would smooth her hand over her face. Maybe she should go take a walk on the grounds...or no, she needed to send a letter to her parents, letting them know when she was headed home and give them a brief update on how she thought she'd done on the O.W.Ls she'd taken so far and how she was hoping she'd do on her up coming History of Magic O.W.L.
Can't Concentrate
Author: Ronan Eastwick
Date: 06-06-07 21:22
Ronan stopped writing and put down his quill. He'd only written maybe a fourth of his exam, and only fifteen minutes or so remained before the Theory of Muggle Studies OWLs and NEWTs ended. It wasn't that Ronan's mind had gone completely blank or that he'd put studying for Muggle Studies on the backburner, because he hadn't. He'd studied just as hard for Muggle Studies as he had his other subjects. He simply had something else on his mind.
Just last night, two aurors had come to Hogwarts and met with Ronan in Dumbledore's office. Professor McGonagall had collected Ronan from the library and had been present, along with Professor Dumbledore, for the grave news the aurors delievered Ronan. They'd managed to identify a body recently recovered from a Muggle mass grave as Caden, Ronan's only brother. Most of the other bodies that had been with Caden's had also been identified, but they were no one Ronan knew or had heard of personally.
Ronan had been suitably shocked by the news. He'd known for a few months now that Caden's personality had taken a turn for the worst, but he hadn't ever expected to lose Caden forever. First his father, then his mother (though Ronan had visual proof that she wasn't dead), and now Caden. What would become of him now?
He was too young to live on his own, being just a year shy of adulthood in the wizarding world. He didn't know any of his other relatives, if any were even alive anymore.
Professor Dumbledore had spoken very kindly to Ronan after the aurors had delivered the news. He would help Ronan locate a guardian. It should have been a burden off Ronan's shoulders, but he couldn't help but worry over it. He had a mother who by all rights should be his caretaker, but after abandoning the family for so long and only recently returning into their lives, albeit from a distance, would Ronan even want to live with his mother again? He simply didn't know.
Suddenly, Professor Jones called "Time!"
All the test booklets soared to the front of the room. Ronan frowned, but his mind was more on the death of his brother than the fact that he'd probably just failed the written part of his Muggle Studies exam. He rose, shuffling out the door behind the other test-takers, and went straight to Gryffindor Tower, where he climbed into his bed, not bothering to remove his shoes or his clothes, and closed his eyes to sleep.
Applications (Euphemia Smythe-Jones)
Author: Harry Potter
Date: 06-06-07 21:48
Euphemia loves the power the Minister of Magic position provides her. Unfortately, the office also comes with a great many dull to the point of stupefying nit picky things to be dealt with. Bunch of whiners the lot of them at the Ministry.
Give my department more money.
We need more personnel.
My staff is short three desks.
Our parchment allotment isn't large enough.
Do we get overtime for that?
Some days Euphemia simply must leave early. It's that or hex someone. Can't have that until she's more firmly entrenched with all the power of the government squarely on her shoulders. Then let some brown nosing toady come sniffing around for overtime pay. No more bitching about supply allotments. They'll take exactly how much she says they can have and they'll be grateful for it. Or pay the consequences of course.
Euphemia takes a sip of wine the deep, rich color of blood, and flips over the top parchment in the stack. Murmuring aloud she wonders, "Don't these fools know that a one page resumé is best?"
She's halfway through reading the next application in the stack when there's a knock on her study door. Sticking the applications with attached resumés into the top drawer, Euphemia calls out, "Enter."
The door opens and Cooper's head appears around it. "Afternoon, Mum. Just wanted to let you know I'm off for a few days. Ephrom and his fiance, you've not met Orelia yet, have invited me to his grandparent's Madrid house."
Euphemia rises but lets her son come to her. He drops a kiss on her cheek then she sits again. "Enjoy yourself. Send Ephrom and his family my regards. Will you have someone along as well?"
Cooper shakes his head. "No. No one I can think I'd want to take with me who wouldn't get ideas. I'm not ready yet for a girl to be getting ideas."
Euphemia, not ready at all for a girl to get ideas about marrying Cooper and then making her a grandmother, gives her son a smile of understanding. "It's good to take your time to find the right one." She makes an expansive gesture with her hand and tells a fib of the sort her son likes to hear. "As nice as it is to have money, this house, and everything else, I would give it up without a second thought if it meant your father would be still alive and with us. I was so lucky to have had the time with him I did. I never thought I'd meet anyone else I'd feel half as much for as I did your father, dear."
Cooper sits and chats a little longer with Euphemia before bestowing another kiss on her cheek then bidding her goodbye, "See you in a few days."
Only when Cooper is out of the study and the door firmly shut again does Euphemia pull out the applications from the desk drawer. So many positions to fill, so little time to do it, and at this juncture, no hope of any help through official Ministry channels in going through the applications. None of this becomes official until September 1st.
Before The Muggle Studies Practical
Author: Coco Nutt
Date: 06-07-07 14:33
Just after breakfast, when the students taking the Muggle Studies OWL and NEWT practicals gathered in the Muggle Studies classroom to wait for time to Floo to Cloud's Kiss, Coco joined those fifth and seventh years already in the classroom. Fritz had come along with her to spend a few minutes before giving Coco a peck on the cheek, wishing her luck, and saying he'd be in the library getting in a little more History of Magic review for the exam later in the day.
Aubrey Abercrombie was talking a great deal about how she's only doing the OWLs to please her father because she won't be needing any of the scores for her modeling in Milan. Sandra Garretson and Rebecka Surman look a little sad to hear Aubrey talking yet again about not being back to Hogwarts come fall. Katharina Lounders and Olivia O'Toole half listen to Aubrey but both are mainly quizzing each other on Muggle Studies. Bradley Neilson and Jared Wynbourne are debating the possible strengths and weaknesses of each house's Quidditch team for next term. Cecilla Berenger is leaning against the wall, eyes closed as if trying to catch a tiny bit more sleep before being called in for her practical exam. Ronan Eastwick stood silent and apart from the other fifth years, grief etched on his face.
Coco was about to go over to express how sorry she was to have heard about his brother and to let Ronan know he's welcome to stay with Papa Wal if he has nowhere yet to go once term ends when Professor Griselda Marchbanks entered the classroom. The collective eyes of the fifth and seventh years turned to the professor. She spied Coco and gestured for the girl to come to her.
Coco had approached, "Yes, Professor Marchbanks?"
From her pocket the elderly professor took out a very small, extremely fluffy, gray kitten with greenish-yellow eyes. "Seeing you talking to animals during the Care of Magical Creatures practical made you come right to mind this morning when Puffball here wouldn't eat. She always eats and usually wants more than is good for her but this morning she wouldn't even go near the food dish."
Coco took Puffball from the professor and turned the kitten around to look it in the face. Speaking softly to it, Coco then listened to the kitten's mewling. When it stopped, Puffball obligingly opened her mouth for Coco to see inside. Gently probing, Coco found the splinter Puffball complained about to her. Equally gentle, Coco extracted it.
Handing Puffball back to Professor Marchbanks, Coco explained, "Puffball 'ad chewed on a stick last night and a splinter of hit lodged between two of 'er teeth. It were poking 'er in the gums. Oi think Oi got hit all but you should have 'er checked by an animal healer ter be certain."
Thanking Coco, Professor Marchbanks stepped up to the Floo to go on ahead to Cloud's Kiss, saying first, "You were scheduled to be tested by me today but now I need to go swap with someone. Don't want to be accused of unduly showing bias."
With that the professor had disappeared in the fireplace. Professor Jones had entered the room a half second later to tell the first group of fifth years that the exam was starting very soon, so they, as well as the others waiting, were to start Flooing to Cloud's Kiss. She then reminded them to stay in the room with the Floo to await further instructions. With Ronan in that first group, Coco had quickly gone over to him and said in a rush, "Sorry 'bout yer brother. If you need a place ter stay, yer welcome to me grandad's."
Ronan's turn to Floo came. Giving her a wan, quarter smile, he'd stepped into the Floo, calling out, "Cloud's Kiss." The other three in the first group, Alanna, Aubrey, and Cecilla, had already Floo'd and others were now lining up to step through. Only then did Coco give herself a mental thumping for not watching her grammar better when speaking first with Professor Marchbanks and then with Ronan.
Last NEWT
Author: Rolf Haaken
Date: 06-07-07 19:28
Rolf wishes Professor Jones would hurry up and call in the second group of seventh years. This Muggle Studies practical is his last exam. He wants to get it over and done so he can go collapse onto his bed and sleep for days.
One of the doors leading into the room used for testing at Cloud's Kiss opens. Professor Jones directs Rolf to Professor Huntingdon, Lauren Jackson to Professor Tofty, Natalie McDonald to Professor Brecknock, and Laura Madley to Professor Marchbanks. The remaining seventh years murmur words of good luck, all four automatically responding with similar words to the ones yet to go.
Reaching the table where Professor Huntingdon wait, Rolf politely says hello though he really wants to urge, "Hurry up so I can be done."
Professor Huntingdon hands Rolf an envelope. "Please give me 5 pounds."
Rolf looks into the envelope to find it has Muggle bills of various denominations from five different countries. He looks for the pounds and counts out five 1 pound notes."
Accepting the money the professor instructs, "Now hand me 57 American dollars."
Rolf thumbs through the envelope, locating two 20s, a 10, a 5, and two 1s. He gives it over to the professor who takes it then holds out a hand, "Thank you. Envelope please. Step this way now, please, Mr. Haaken."
Rolf follows Professor Huntingdon to another table on which there's a microwave, a blender, a toaster, and a few other kitchen appliances. "Here is what's called a frozen dinner. Please prepare it."
Rolf takes the frozen dinner from the professor, takes it out of the box then flips the box over to read the cooking instructions. Looking for a knife, Rolf uses it to cut a vent into the covering on the dinner, puts the dinner in the microwave, then sets the timer for 4 minutes 30 seconds. While waiting for the time to count down, Professor Huntingdon has Rolf get a piece of bread and make toast. When the microwave timer does ding, Rolf uses the knife to stir the food then sets the timer for another minute and a half.
When the timer goes off again, Rolf removes the dinner from the microwave. Professor Huntingdon nods, pointing to another table. "Good, good. Put it there then let us go outside through that green door."
Rolf figures there's an auto out there and he's right. A few seconds later he's sliding behind the wheel, waiting for Professor Huntingdon to tell him what to do next.
Pensive Proctor
Author: Illyria
Date: 06-07-07 20:46
Illyria sent the last group of NEWT students––Jimmy Peakes, Orla Quirke and Kevin Whitby––into the testing room at Cloud's Kiss. She was relieved to finally have her duty as exam proctor and line monitor over, as her mind was very much elsewhere. The news of Caden Eastwick's death had made the morning Daily Prophet. Illyria hadn't even left her quarters yet when Urania's head had come through the fireplace. She'd had to listen for what felt like ages to Urania's monologue until Illyria finally had to cut her youngest sister off. She'd have been late for her duties otherwise.
The gist of Urania's speech had been thus: She was saddened by the news of her ex-boyfriend's grisly murder, though it almost didn't come as a surprise to her since he'd fallen off the deep end well before she'd even broken up with him. Urania had gone on and on, illuminating various examples she witnessed towards the end of their relationship that, now that she thought about it, were obvious signs to his ultimate destruction. By the time Illyria had told Urania that she had to go, Urania had been sobbing angrily.
Ilyria herself felt very sorry for Ronan. He was obviously taking the news very hard. She could tell that he was extremely distracted and that he probably wanted to be anywhere but at Cloud's Kiss, taking his Muggle Studies practical exam. Ilyria had heard that Ronan didn't have any other family except a runaway mother and wondered what would become of the boy.
Fifteen minutes passed and the students returned to the room in which Ilyria stood. She guided them to the floo and had them return to Hogwarts. Then, after briefly talking to the examiners, she flooed to Hogwarts too.
Proctoring History of Magic
Author: Marzipan
Date: 06-08-07 09:44
Around 2 pm, Marzi crossed the Great Hall to its doors and opened them, allowing the OWL and NEWT students who were taking the very last exam of the year, History of Magic, to enter and take their seats. She could see mixed emotions on all of their faces. Many dreaded the exam, as they had all the others, but they also were glad that History of Magic was the last in the two-weeks series of examinations.
Marzi waited a few minutes to make sure that everyone who was expected in the exam had arrived and settled in. Then she closed the doors and moved to the front of the dining chamber, which had been converted to hold many individual desks rather than the 4 long House tables.
She pulled her wand from her pocket and tapped a stack of test booklets sitting at the head table next to the hourglass. All of a sudden, each exam flew into the air and landed on a desk.
"Don't write anything yet," Marzi instructed, after a few students picked up their quills.
She picked up the Ministry-approved examination instructions and started reading aloud. The students had all heard the same set of instructions a million times before and hardly listened, but Marzi was required to read them and did so without rushing through them. When she finished, she set down the instructions and said, "You may write your name on the front cover."
The sound of quills scratching parchment filled the Great Hall. When it ceased, Marzi said, "Now break through the seal and turned to the first page in your test booklet."
She flicked her wand at the hourglass, causing it to flip over on its own. "You may begin."
Work
Author: Ron Weasley
Date: 06-08-07 17:11
Ron walks the short distance from Whizz Hard Books to the flat about the twins' shoppe. Ron had gone in two hours early the past three days so is leaving work early today and will go in later than uusual on Monday.
Since graduating from St. Emrys there are still times that Ron very much wishes he could be playing professional Quidditch. Most of the time though he's very happy with his job. It puts him still in the world of Quidditch, which to Ron is the next best thing if he can't be a pro player; but he's not giving up hope on that quite yet. Ron has some tryouts lined up over the summer and if he gets selected, his boss at Whizz Hard Books has promised to work something out with Ron so that he can continue working there as well.
If Ron were to get a slot on a pro team, the first thing he'd do is give up the Aunt Aggie column with The Daily Prophet. With income from playing pro and from the publishing firm, he'd not need what he pulls in from doing the advice column. His boss at the paper, the only one who knows that it's Ron writing Aunt Aggie, would protest because the popularity of the column as steadily increased since Ron took it over. Ron would stand firm if it comes to quiting. That job is tougher than he'd ever imagined it would be and he actually finds himself stressing over what advice to give someone. Never had Ron ever imagined he'd take the job so seriously.
Ron still thanks his lucky stars that when he'd been kidnapped by those barmy women he'd had enough done on the column for it to run three and a half weeks without him being missed. Reaching his room in the flat, Ron shuts the bedroom door and pulls out some letters to work in replies to for the column. With only the cat for company, now's an excellent time to be working on it.
Letter Exchange
Author: Skyler
Date: 06-08-07 17:37
After taking her History of Magic test, Skyler was free and clear of all tests. She smiled as she sat down and relaxed. Now she could focus all her energy on finding her family. Sky was going to lay down when she noticed a letter on her bed. She sat down and read the letter.
Dearest Sky,
I have been trying to find all I could on Jacob LaBranche but this seems to be a great deal more diffcult then we thought. What I have found out you will not like not even a little bit. It seems your father was a criminal and believed to have died some time ago. I am still waiting to receive a family tree or something of that nature. Don't worry, I won't give up and as soon as I get anything I will send it to you, I promise. Please don't be too sad. We will find someone. Just wait Sky. Even if we don't, I will always be your "sister" and will always love you like one.
Deely
Skyler sighed and tossed the letter aside. As usual it was to good to be true, after sulking for a moment she sat up and wrote Deely back.
Dear Deely,
Thanks so much for your hard work and support. I'm all done with my tests so any information you pass along I can go through immediately. I can't wait to get out of here, and inquire about my family together instead of you doing all the work. I wish we could go home now. Do you really believe we'll find them? Do you think I have any family alive? I'm waiting to hear from you.
Love,
Sky
Skyler handed her letter to Silver and he flew away, she watched until he was no longer insight before turning and walking out into the common room. She looked around at the people then just walked out, she headed to the one place she felt semi-normal, the gardens.
The Plan
Author: Gabrielle Delacour
Date: 06-08-07 19:33
Estella wrings her hands. "Do you really think this will work?"
Estella and Gabby both look to Rosalinda who shrugs. "If my cousin comes through for us it will. Marisol said she'd help but I can't predict if she'll change her mind."
"I veree much 'ope Mareesol does not change 'er mind. Thees first step een the plan eez crucial for success," Gabby says, crossing her arms resolutely.
The plan the three friends are talking about is not one they really want to carry about but if Gabby's mother won't back down about making Gabby return to Beauxbatons, they simply don't know what else to do. To Gabby, there is no option of returning to that French school of magic.
Next week instead of Estella and Rosalinda taking the Hogwarts Express to London, they will go with Gabby to Fleur's and Bill's house in Hogsmeade. They'll send their trunks through the Floo to their respective homes and then while all three sets of parents think the girls are spending part of the day together before Gabby returns to France and Estella and Rosalinda go home for summer, they will Floo to Marisol's.
Rosalinda's cousin lives on the outskirts of London. Her current boyfriend has far too much knowledge about faking Muggle documents such as passports for him to be wholly above board. Gabby doesn't care about that at the moment. She simply cares about Robbie giving her a good deal on a passport. She's even sent him a picture to use for it, one that doesn't have Gabby smiling and waving in true Wizarding fashion.
From her modeling jobs, Gabby has some money. She had had to deposit most in a bank account her parents set up for her but she'd always held some back. Gabby has enough now to pay Robbie for the fake passport and for Marisol to have gotten Gabby a plane ticket to New York City for when Marisol and Robbie leave on a vacation there next week.
Estella nudges Gabby. "Best be off to Muggle Studies or we'll be late."
As they walk out of Hufflepuff House, Rosalinda walking with them, Gabby is very glad that Rosalinda's cousin is of a rebellious enough frame of mind to think helping Gabby run away is a lark.