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(Seattle, Washington) More Time Off
Author: Desdemona Diamond
Date: 04-21-09 17:15
If anyone looked at my attendance record over the last several months they’d be shocked I was still working. I managed to take a six month hiatus to go to Australia, then within weeks of coming back I started working such long hours they had to order me home at night, and when that stopped, all seemed well… Until now. Once again, I was taking an extended time off.
This time though, it was a special case. I had to get my family back together. A letter had come not that long ago that said that the whole thing in England was over, and it was safe to travel over there again. It also said that my father and sister are MIA. Since my mother has in no shape to travel, it was my turn to go looking. My mother had also told me that Bronwyn had returned to England, and I had to talk to her too.
I finished packing my bag and was ready to go. I ran down the stairs and over to the living room where my mom was reclined. I walked up to her and put the bag down. I bent over and gave her a hug.
“Need anything before I go?” I asked standing up, “Something to read, food, drink something?”
“No Desi, I’m fine,” my mom said with a smile.
“Alright, I’ll be back as soon as I can,” I picked up the bag and walked over to the fire place, “Take care of my little brother too.” With that, I used the floo powder to leave. I came out at the hotel in England where I was going to stay. I didn’t want to impose on anyone while I was here since all the sensitive family reunion stuff was going on about now.
I checked in and went up to my room. Tomorrow, I’d go and go the Ministry and find out how to go about looking for my father and sister. If I’m finished early enough, I’ll go surprise Bronwyn with a visit. Something tells me that she’d be with her father, so that would be the most likely place to look. As much as I’m not going to look forward to it, I should probably talk to him too.
Having scoped out my room, I leave to go find something to eat.
Back to School?
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 04-21-09 18:09
Denisia Massey tucked behind her ear loose hair that had slipped from the bun at the nape of her neck and used her index finger to push her rectangular-shaped glasses up the bridge of her nose. She looked at the student/intern record on her desk and then at her own scrawled notes, which she'd been working on franctically ever since it became clear that St. Mungo's would be in for very drastic and immediate changes.
She sighed, shook her head, and looked across her desk at the young woman who watched her very patiently.
"I still haven't worked out every detail––I will need some time yet––but I will owl you and the others in your position as soon as I know all of the logistics. That said, I can give you a general idea of what to expect."
"That would be much appreciated," Hermione replied with a polite smile.
Denisia had a medical background, but her position at St. Mungo's wasn't that of healer or nurse. She headed the education department and served as a liaision between the university and the hospital.
"Before the pureblood movement began, you'd completed your courses at St. Emrys––with very high marks, well done!––and you finished two clinical rotations. It's been well over a year since your last rotation, and while I'm sure you've retained a lot of the knowledge and experience you learned from your classess and practical activities, the material may not be as fresh in your mind anymore. Also, since you hadn't finished your internship or been on staff as a full-fledged healer, I can't in good conscience allow you to continue where you left off. That said, I'm devising a kind of review for you and the other interns and any newer healers who might feel rusty from not having practiced their skills for the past year or more."
Hermione felt quite confident that she hadn't lost much of the knowledge she'd gained while in her classes because she'd kept all of her books and had brought some of them along with her wherever she went while on the run and in hiding. Some of her readings described in vivid detail how to do certain procedures, so Hermione thought she could handle some practical exercises without much review, but at the same time she understood Denisia's reasoning. Brushing up on everything she'd learned while in class and in her rotations wouldn't hurt her and might actually be beneficial.
"What do you have in mind for the review?" Hermione asked.
"Essentially, I'm going to try to devise a series of mini terms that will cover some of the major classes you took while at St. Emrys as well as include seminars on the different types of cases we get here at St. Mungo's. You'll also have observational rotations on all the floors. At the end of the review, you'll continue where you left off, pending successfully completion of the sessions, of course."
Hermione nodded her head slowly. "That sounds reasonable. When do you expect the first mini term to start?"
"No later than the start of Michaelmas Term, I would hope. Like I said before, I will owl you as soon as I have hashed out all the details."
Hermione took her cue to leave, thanking Denisia for her time.
Michaelmas Term was a long time from now, though Hermione didn't doubt at all that she couldn't fill her time with work until then. Help was needed everywhere, since so many places that had closed or operated on limited personnel during the last year and a half or more were reopening, refreshed and revitalized.
Hermione passed through several corridors and saw many occupied beds through the open doorways. She wondered how many of the patients were victims of the Minister's awful communities or other criminal activity. Euphemia Smythe-Jones no longer ran the country, but still some people suffered because of what she'd done.
Feeling both saddened and angry, Hermione pressed on to the fireplace so that she could floo to her Hogsmeade flat. Since returning home, she hadn't really done any cleaning. Luckily, the flat hadn't been looted or anything while Hermione had been gone. Since the present time was as good as any to finally remove the thick layer of dust that covered absolutely everything at home, Hermione resolved to do just that. She flooed to her flat and got to work.
Alone In A Crowd
Author: Emerald Green
Date: 04-21-09 18:46
Sitting beside Phin in a booth at his family's restaurant, Emerald shifts to look sidelong at him. She's so very glad to have been reunited with Phin and with all of her family yet at the same time there are moments when Emerald feels a great disconnect from all of them.
Emerald studies Phin's jawline, the way he holds his mouth when reading the newspaper as he is now, the way his hair curls at the nape of his neck when he's gone too long without a trim. It's all just as she remembers.
Phin's hand brushes Emerald's arm as he moves to turn the page. There's the combination of thrill at Phin's touch she's had since falling for him along with the urge to pull away, to sever the physical contact of even a passing touch, an urge that goes with what she experience at City of Hope.
Not all the communities had been liberated as Happy Haven had been. City of Hope never even had any viable escape plans much less any attempts that worked. One day some of the staff hadn't shown up for their shifts. By that day's end, others had left, some of them seemingly in a panic. The prisoners hadn't known what was going on though they knew something was scaring the staff. With Governor Malfoy not there in person to calm nerves of the staff and to put the fear in the prisoners, things erupted.
Prisoners attacked guards who fired wands freely, not caring who was hit by a curse, even if the one injured or killed was another staffer. When people showed up claiming that Euphemia Smythe-Jones had fallen from power and that those at City of Hope were free, those many there - as few had actually escaped in the chaos of the attack on the guards - thought at first it was a ploy to get the prisoners to stand down. It wasn't until a few with well known faces and well known names on the side of the Nons showed in person that prisoners were willing to believe things were truly over.
During the chaos, the guard who'd had a particular fancy for Emerald used the time to his advantage. Emerald used that time to her advantage as well, grappling with one hand in the clothing the man had discarded for the wand he'd foolishly put aside. Without hestitation Emerald blasted him point blank in the chest. It was only a stunning spell but at such a close range and right at his heart, the man was comatose. He didn't die but even today, so many days after the fact, Emerald thinks she could have lived with herself and not been bothered with the fact of him dying.
Emerald hadn't shared any of this with others, not anyone at all. Pulling her gaze away from Phin's profile, Emerald looks across the table at Olive who has been practically glued to Emerald's side since the day they were reunited. She's been tempted to tell Olive a few times, especially after hearing about Olive nearly killing Alecto Carrow. Each time, however, Emerald thought better of it. Olive's been through enough without Emerald adding to her burden.
Emerald does have a decision to make very soon. Will she at least speak with Aunt Blythe or will she see a healer on her own and continue saying nothing? Emerald's been seeing a healer, just for general purposes. Everyone in the prisons has had at least a little medical care. What she needs to see a healer about now though isn't something that's yet been addressed.
Emerald thinks she might be pregnant. If she is, she doesn't know what she'll do. Emerald doesn't want a baby at her age, doesn't want a constant reminder of what happened, but she also doesn't believe in aborting a pregancy unless there's a health issue. If she is pregnant the big question then is would she be able to give the baby up for adoption once it's born?
Trying not to sigh, Emerald forces herself to smile at Olive. "Did Aunt Blythe mention that Professor Dumbledore is wanting to speak with us?"
"Yes, and I can't wait! I want to see my friends and I never thought I'd say it but I want to go back to school."
"Yeah, I know what you mean," Emerald says, smiling again before saying, "It's so nice out, I think I'm going to walk around the gazebo."
Phin closes the paper. "Want company?"
Extending her hand Emerald keeps the smile in place. "That would be nice."
Olive makes pretend gagging noises at the young couple before jumping up to trail along behind them, determined to keep an eye on Emerald for a long time to come.
Bits Of Parchment
Author: Declan
Date: 04-22-09 13:10
"Everyone got a study guide?"
Delcan pauses a moment to make contact with each of the fourth years before saying, "Good," then with a chuckle adds, "No need to make such faces. They're only bits of parchment."
"You call this novel just a bit of parchment?" Francis Yao asks, his tone light despite the scowl on his face.
"If you notice I left plenty of room for short answer and essay answers. The guides wouldn't be nearly as long but then you'd also not have the question with answer together without having to rewrite the question. Please also note that every mneumonic I gave you or that you as a class came up with to help remember dates, names, and locations are listed on the back pages."
"So how much of this should we have done for next Tuesday's class?"
"Excellent question, Cornelia. So excellent in fact, you get three points for the asking of it. Let's say have through question 40 completed though it would be nice if you had even more. Tuesday we'll start going over the guide but you aren't getting a standard review."
"Like the review game we did before?"
"Yes, Timothy, exactly like it. Points will be awarded as will prizes. The points will go toward your final grade. I can see your minds are still stuck back on prizes," Declan grins. "You'll have to wait and see but I will tell you this, one is a not available to the public history based game by Rolf Haaken.
If you need help, come talk to me.
Dismissed. Have a good day tomorrow and a great weekend!"
The five fourth years leave, all but Francis with a 10:30 class to get to. Normally Declan would also have a class at 10:30 but that's the fifth years class and they are in the middle of their Defense Against the Dark Arts written OWL. That leaves him free to help Kissy with something she's got for her sixth years.
Declan makes sure copies of anything important are locked into his office desk then shuts and locks his office door before going to the obstacle course Kissy's going to have her sixth years on today. She'd already gone over with him what she's wanting and Declan's already picked out the spot where he'll begin. The sixth years don't know he'll be on the course until he starts taking them by surprise.
Wand out and ready, Declan gets comfortable so as not to give himself away with any little noises. Less than half a minute later he can hear Kissy's voice near the entrance to the course, giving the class final instructions before they begin the challenge she's set for them.
Unable to keep from grinning, Declan can't wait to surprise the first one that comes by his position.
Hand Cramp From So Much Writing
Author: Jared
Date: 04-22-09 16:17
Pausing a moment to flex his cramped hand, Jared does a quick check to see how many more questions left. Relief floods him when he sees there are only four to go, which means he's got six overall left. There are two that he skipped, not because he doesn't know the answer but because he wants to make sure he's got the best formulated answers for the questions asked.
Having had some time to think about what he wants to write, Jared thinks he's got a good handle on the most succinct way to respond to the two short answer questions. Now if only his hand weren't cramping up. He's not surprised that his hand muscles and fingers are tired but the way his entire hand is cramping at the moment goes beyond what Jared expected. If he were taking the O.W.L.s he could better understand not being fully prepared for just how bad all this testing is a hand but he's taking the N.E.W.T.s and Jared does not remember his hand being this bad in the first week of exams back when he was a fifth year.
The only thing Jared can figure is that there's been more stress this term than back when he was in his fifth year. Combined with that is the fact that Jared knows he's been gripping the quill especially hard during the written portion of the examinations and has been holding more tightly onto his wand than is usual for him.
Giving his hand another good shake then flexing fingers twice more, Jared picks up his quill and dips it into the inkwell as he reads the next question. Good. It's a straightforward, simple question asking for five examples of spells and charms that work well against Red Caps.
A short time later Jared has all the questions answered but with time left on the exam clock, he's reading through everything, tweaking here and there, particularly on the longer essay questions. Jared takes his time with the proofreading but still has a couple of minutes to spare to sit with eyes closed, telling himself to relax, before Professor Farnon calls time and collects the exams.
Students are ushered out of the Great Hall but none go very far because the doors will open right back up to allow them in for lunch. Standing with Alanna and Sage, rehashing a few of the Defense Against the Dark Arts questions, Jared is torn between wanting lunch to take awhile and wanting it to hurry up and pass by so that the practical portion of the DADA N.E.W.T. is closer to being over.
Luxembourg
Author: Lucius Malfoy
Date: 04-22-09 17:22
Bellatrix does a slow turn around the room, trailing a finger along furniture as she goes. After greeting his former sister-in-law Lucius had retaken what's become his favorte seat in the entire house. It's a winged back chair that's not too squishy nor too firm and fits his entire body as if it was molded especially for him.
When her circuit is complete, Bellatrix comes to stand directly in front of Lucius, blocking the light streaming through the window that he'd been using to read by. In that not quite snide, bordering on derisive tone she's perfected Bellatrix says, "Luxembourg, Lucius. Really."
Making an obvious show of shifting in the chair to catch the light on his book again, Lucius replies without looking up, "Luxembourg is quite nice, Bellatrix."
"Yes, but the Wizarding population here is so small."
"The entire country is small."
"You don't worry that with as small a community as this is that your location won't be quickly learned and someone from Britain will come calling?"
"No, I'm not worried."
"Then why is Carina with Draco still?"
"Because I've been moving around a great deal, looking at property. Draco is in London for the time being, providing a more stable day to day routine for his sister."
"Draco's not there for much longer. Back to Geneva for him now that the British Ministry is welcome to reopen its foreign offices."
A House Elf swans into the room carrying a large tray. "Tea for the missus."
Bellatrix drops elegently into a chair across from Lucius. "Oh excellent. I love the little cucumber sandwiches."
"Draco's going to bring Carina here before resuming his life in Geneva. What are your plans?"
"My plan is to figure out a way to get into Azkaban so I can tell Rudolphus to his face that after the lengths I went to breaking him out last time, he can stew in his cell for awhile before I break him out again."
Lucius chuckles at that. "What of Rabastan?"
"Him too. It was genius of you to play at being sick the day the Ministry was raided."
"I wasn't playing. In fact, honest to Merlin, I thought I was going to die."
"Since when do you use childish phrases like honest to Merlin?"
Lucius just grins, reaches for a watercress sandwich, and adds to his mental catalog that Bellatrix finds it annoying when he says, "Honest to Merlin."
Reunion
Author: Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen
Date: 04-22-09 17:24
A couple of days ago, Fritz arrived at the London home of his parents, accompanied by a pair of Oblivators. He'd known beforehand that it seemed very likely that his family's memories had been adjusted to forget his existence, since so many other Muggles with wizarding ties had endured partial oblivations themselves. Professor McGonagall herself had advised Fritz not to see his parents until they'd gotten their memories back, since any prior meeting would almost certainly have been difficult for both parties involved.
The day of the anticipated visit, Fritz realized that it had been two whole years since he'd last been home. Two whole years since he'd last seen his parents and cousin Otto.
Back then, he'd been about to start his sixth year at Hogwarts. That school year Professor Snider came onboard and segregated the school between pures and "nons", or students who weren't purebloods. She'd forbidden any of "non" from going home for Christmas or Easter, and then when the Hogwarts Express came to take them home, it detoured and took all the "nons" to Happy Haven School For Nons, where Fritz had spent several months before its liberation. He'd been in hiding until only recently, when everything changed for the better.
Two whole years was a long time to not see one's parents. Fritz wondered whether they looked different now––older, perhaps. Otto was Fritz's age, 18, and probably looked a little different now too. He would be finishing school soon, if he hadn't already, and then what? Off to university?
The reverse obliviation happened quickly and without incident. The memories of Franz, Mitzi, and Otto returned, though there was a lot that they'd missed since even before their original obliviaton. They didn't know anything about what Fritz had endured the past two years. The letters he'd sent them at Hogwarts they'd never received, just as he'd never gotten any of theirs.
Slowly, but surely, Fritz filled them in on everything. He spread his story out over several days since there was so much to tell and since most of it was very upsetting. Fritz didn't worry so much about his own feelings or mental health––he'd had a lot of time to cope with his experiences––but he did worry about his family and in particular, his mother.
Just now, he got them caught up to the present day. His family surprises him, for while they show the emotions he expects––confusion, worry, horror, anger, sadness, and more––they shoulder the burden he sets upon them with amazing strength. Perhaps it helps that they are only hearing it from him and haven't experienced it for themselves. It's probably also beneficial that all of it is the past now.
Now that Fritz has spent the last few days talking about himself and his experiences, he turns the tables upon his family. He wants to know everything he's missed the past two years.
(Rivalen) Entrance Hall Monitor
Author: Isolde
Date: 04-23-09 17:47
"Sage, Mortimer, you're up," said Rivalen after consulting a list tucked between the pages of Quidditch Illustrated. He opened the door to the Great Hall, where he saw the two Ministry of Magic representatives standing evenly apart across the room. Sage Porter and Mortimer Rollo stepped into the Great Hall and crossed the floor. Rivalen shut the door when they were halfway to their destinations and then resumed his place against the wall.
Only two more seventh year students remained in the entrance hall: Cailyn Spicer and Jared Wynbourne. If Rivalen had paid either student any notice, he would have sensed that Cailyn felt like she would fail, since she hadn't studied very hard, and that Jared seemed both nervous and confident in his abilities, since he had put a lot of work into his studies, though he'd had a lot of distractions to contend with too. But just like during the written portion of the exam, Rivalen gave minimal attention to his duties as proctor and entrance hall monitor and showed more interest in his magazines and other leisure reading. It wasn't that he didn't care––he just found other things much more engaging.
He was reading an article on the British and Irish Quidditch Little League (his niece, Isolde, currently coached for the London Lambs), when he suddenly had the feeling he was being watched. Rivalen looked up over the top of his magazine and saw Albus Dumbledore watching him from the front door of the castle.
"Professor Dumbledore!" Rivalen greeted. "I didn't hear you come in."
Dumbledore, whose tone was much softer since the exams were going on in the very next room, spoke as he crossed the entrance hall to join Rivalen at his side.
"I had Hagrid oil the hinges. It appears Professor Snider did not have a groundskeeper on staff, so simple things such as oiling a creaking door were not attended to in recent years." His eyes fell on the magazine as if he were noticing it for the very first time. "What have you there, Rivalen?"
"This?" Rivalen asked, holding up the magazine as if it were nothing important. "Just the latest issue of Quidditch Illustrated. My niece has a brief mention." He pointed to the article in question.
"She played very well for Slytherin House while a student here at Hogwarts," Dumbledore responded. He seemed to remember every student who'd ever attended Hogwarts during his time there.
"Would you mind terribly if I borrow your magazine, Rivalen?" Dumbledore asked. "I haven't read any of the articles, and the one mentioned on the cover, Seeker Snitches On Teammates, has already peaked my curiosity."
Rivalen didn't hesitate to hand over the magazine. "By all means."
"Thank you. Ah, I think you'll be needing this." Dumbledore handed him the list of students Rivalen had stashed between the magazine's glossy pages.
Rivalen took it, smiling sheepishly.
Dumbledore turned to the two remaining students. "Miss Spicer, Mr. Wynbourne. Good luck."
"Thank you, sir," both students murmured.
Dumbledore smiled at them both and then glanced at Rivalen before crossing the entrance hall for the grand marble staircase.
Without anything else with which to occupy himself, Rivalen had no choice but to give his duty as monitor full attention.