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(Ariella) Taking a Test
Author: Beck
Date: 06-13-10 17:37
After her early morning shift at the bakery, Ariella flooed to St. Emrys to take the written portion of the Astronomy N.E.W.T. She walked into the small classroom and recognized a few of the other students who'd been taking the N.E.W.T. review course with her all term. Ariella took the first available seat, one in the front row, and cleared her desk of everything.
The exam proctor identified herself as Gwenyth Denbigh, an examiner from the Ministry of Magic's own Wizarding Examinations Authority. Professor Denbigh went through test-taking instructions and then passed out exam booklets and anti-cheating quills. Ariella thought it a bit absurd to require adults to use the special quills, but then there were a lot of grown-up cheats in the real world.
At Professor Denbigh's instruction, Ariella wrote her name on the front cover of the exam booklet and then broke through the seal. She flipped open to the very first page and read question one:
1. Name all of Jupiter's moons and describe their physical characteristics (size, surface features, etc.).
It was a fairly straightforward question to answer, but a lengthy one all the same. Ariella spent quite some time on it, trying to remember everything she could about Io, Europa, Ganymede and Jupiter's other satellites. By the time she finished, she had a cramp in her hand, but she knew she couldn't stop there. It had only been the first question, after all!
She moved onto the next question and the next, pausing only to check the time so that she didn't spend too much on one question when there were plenty of others to answer before the end of the exam.
Ariella felt very lucky that she could take her N.E.W.T.s and hoped that come next term she could enroll in regular classes. She had already applied, so as not to miss the opportunity to start in the fall, but without the N.E.W.T.s under her belt, she'd been waitlisted. Hopefully, she'd find out very soon whether or not she had a place at St. Emrys in October.
Abed
Author: Carys
Date: 06-14-10 07:17
Carys lay in bed and stared up at the ceiling through unseeing eyes. Ever since the unpleasant incident in the dark room in which Decimus Clarke had tried to force himself onto her, Carys thought of nothing but it and her time at Goen Bren, during which she'd been subjected to the worst sort of abuse imaginable. She thought about how if she hadn't miscarried, she'd have another child now, and she wondered if she would even like it, knowing how it had come into the world.
When she wasn't lost in upsetting thoughts, she cried. She cried day and night and drove her poor grandfather to worry. Even Tristan knew that something was wrong, and he cried a lot too.
Alun poked his head into the room, but Carys didn't stir. She didn't even notice him. He'd gently suggested she see a therapist, but so far he'd had great difficulty even getting her out of the house. Sometimes he couldn't even get her out of bed.
"Carys?" he asked softly, stepping into the room and moving to her bed. He sat down and took her hand.
She turned her head to look at him. "Is something the matter?" she asked, noting the look of concern in his eyes.
He opened his mouth, prepared to answer her question in one way, but then he changed his mind. Alun gave her hand a gentle squeeze and said, "You'll be late for your French exam if you don't get up and get ready."
Carys hadn't even studied for it, nor had she done much of anything for this last week of term at St. Emrys. Her grandfather had managed to get her to attend her other finals, but she hadn't done much in the way of preparation for any of them.
Alun had also encouraged her to go to work, but she'd patently refused. The Emrys Everyday office would just be a reminder of what had nearly happened, and Carys simply didn't want to be there.
Carys sat up and brushed her hair from her face. "All right. I'll get up. What time is it?"
"After noon now," Alun said. "I'll fix you a sandwich while you dress." He patted her hand and got up, leaving her room for the kitchen.
Carys got up and went to her closet. She pulled out the first pair of jeans she could find and a t-shirt. She didn't bother brushing her hair and just pulled it back into a sloppy ponytail.
Tristan walked into her room and said, "Up!"
"Yes, I'm up," Carys told her son, going to him. She lifted him up when he raised up his hands and snuggled close to him. He wrapped his arms around her neck and squeezed her as hard as he could.
Carys carried him to the kitchen and sat down a the island counter with him in her lap. He helped her eat her sandwich and then wished her good luck at his great grandfather's prompting.
Carys set off for St. Emrys and her French exam and temporarily placed all her troubles from her mind.
Another Examination Down (Deak)
Author: Kody
Date: 06-14-10 18:11
No sooner did Deak reach Professor Huntingdon's table for his Defense Against the Dark Arts practical Ordinary Wizarding Level exam than the professor had given Deak an embarrassed smile. "Excuse me for a moment, Mr. Bennett. Terribly sorry."
With that, Professor Huntingdon had hurried out of the Great Hall through a little side door. This left Deak to stand there for what seemed like days but was in fact only a few minutes. Over near the doors, Aaron was shooting Deak a quizzical look to which Deak responded the only way he knew how at that moment. He shrugged and gave his head a slight shake back and forth. At the other tables, Adelaide Adams was in the midst peering into a tank as Professor Tofty asks a question about whatever is in the tank. From where he was standing, Deak couldn't get a good look at what was in the murky waters.
At the table where Professor Marchbanks was looking on, Henry Appleton waved his wand at one of those Dueling Dummies, invented by Hogwarts own Bailey Gray about three years ago, and sent the dummy careening backwards into the wall. This had Professor Marchbanks grinning as he reset the Dummy for Henry to do something else with it.
Georgia Copperpot was with Professor Brecknock. She was gesticulating wildly as the professor looked on with confusion. That's when a snatch of what Georgia was saying reached him, "... sex god boyfriend... " and nearly had Deak bursting out laughing on the spot.
He found watching the others distracting from the nervousness he was feeling at waiting for his own DADA OWL to begin while somehow at the same time making him more nervous as he waited. Deak had quickly turned away to stare studiously down at Professor Huntingdon's table, idly inventorying the items there and wondering which of them would be part of his practical. Next his eyes had gone to a cart on which something was covered. The way the cover was draped, Deak could see that the object was the size and shape of an aquarium tank. That had him looking around for anothe quick second and sure enough Professor Tofty's tank is on a wheeled cart and both the other professors have carts with something covered on them as well.
Deak found himself thinking about what might be in Professor Huntingdon's tank and the sorts of questions that might be asked. At the same time he sort of wished he could take a little nap until the professor returned. So far he's written exams for Charms, Transfiguration, Herbology, and Defense Against the Dark Arts as well as taken practicals in Charms, Transfiguration, and Herbology. He's got exams left in Ancient Runes, Fitness & Athletics, Potions, Astronomy, and Arithmancy & Divination. By next Friday, Deak is going to be more than ready to collapse on a pool float in either the Hogwarts poor or one of the ones at Cloud's Kiss.
Professor Huntingdon returned, echoing the parting words he'd given Deak, "Terribly sorry. I took lunch with a friend and something decided not to agree with me. Now, let's get you started, Mr. Bennett." The professor brought the cart around and whipped off the cover to reveal, as Deak thought, a tank but it doesn't have water in it. "First, please identify the creature you see. Second, give its classification and why it would be classed as it is. Third, where is it indigenous. Fourth, I will release the creature and you are to demonstrate how to repel it."
Deak was already peering into the tank when the professor began instructing him on what to do. At first Deak couldn't locate anything then zooming back then forth were vivid streaks of blue. Deak grinned with relief at spotting it after thinking at first that there was something in the tank he wasn't familiar with and didn't know how to find.
"The creature is an insect called a billywig. It's got a triple X classification. Although not poisonous, its sting causes giddiness and also causes levitation. The giddiness can become extreme, particularly if someone is stung more than once, and causes impaired judgement. The levitation, with the giddiness, can also lead to serious injury, especially when young children are stung. The XXX classification is because even though the billywig isn't a vicious insect, people have been seriously injured and some have died from the combination of giddiness with levitation. Billywigs are native to Australia."
Professor Huntingdon then released the billywig and Deak, ready with his wand, used a repelling charm on it, and wanted to do a leap for joy when the charm worked, both repelling and stunning the small insect. Professor Huntingdon then hastily returned the stunned billywig to the tank, immediately putting the top back on the tank, then draping the cover over it.
Professor Huntingdon smiled. "Excellent." The professor pointed his wand towards a Dueling Dummy just behind him and sent it shooting around to a marked spot on the floor several feet away from Deak. "Mr. Bennett, I should like to see you disarm this Dummy using Expelliarmus."
Deak nodded and turned to face the Dueling Dummy, easily sending its wand flying well away from it. The professor had Deak using the Dueling Dummy for four more demonstrations before having Deak identify objects spread out before the professor and the uses of each. When Deak finally exited the Great Hall, he felt he did well but he was too tired to do much more than grin happily on his way to the library to get in additional studying for writing tomorrow's Ancient Runes exam. No one really knows what to expect for Fitness & Athletics but with rules and regulations to go with what they've been learning in that class and with things that can be demonstrated, Deak also hoped to get in more time for Friday afternoon's practical in it. Somewhere in there he wants to eat and try to get in a couple or so hours of sleep. The weekend really isn't something to look forward to, not when both portions of the Potions exam are Monday. As he walked, Deak did wonder how come no one's ever tried to get this system of testing changed by pointing out that it's torture. He'd do it but right now he's far too tried to think about that.
More fun
Author: Linnea Rose
Date: 06-15-10 13:21
Linnea had now plenty of time to spend in the sunshine. Since she did not have any herbology lesson today because that the older student had their test. Even if Linnea would love to have herbology she thought that she could spend sometime outside since the weather was so perfect.
So right after the defence against dark art she went out into the grounds and sat down on the grass just sitting there with a pencil and paper and just draw a little. She saw student pass her but she did not care about them.
Linnea was sitting there for a while and just draw and people pass and she did not really take any notice of them she then stand up and walk around after a long while drawing. She went around the ground and tried to find a new place to draw since she thought it would be lovely to have these drawings in her room when she got back home.
She did not even notice that her sister Maria came walking closer to me and I turned around to met her when she came.
- Maria what are you doing here, I said when she came close
- Why can not talk to my little sister, she said with a curious smile
- Of course you can, why wouldn’t you, I said with a smile and a hug.
- So what are you up to, she said looking at my drawings.
- I draw something which I see while enjoys the lovely weather, I said.
- Okey, she said and sat down next to me.
We sat there together and she told me what she thought of my drawings and I was so glad she wanted to share this moment whit me. But mostly because it was so much more fun to sitt with my sister then alone here in the lovely sun.
Lunch Date of Sorts
Author: Harry Potter
Date: 06-15-10 20:28
Returning from the loo, Emily Pennington slides into the restaurant booth with Harry. She pushes herself up close and when Harry drapes his arm around her shoulder she snuggles in even closer. Their drink orders already taken, they share a menu and in between perusing the lunch offerings they exchange kisses and talk in low voices. The image of a very into each other couple.
The first thing Emily had whispered, complete with giggle, upon her return from the loo was, "It's a really good thingwe came in together or else I don't think I could have easily spotted you."
Harry whispers back, "Same here. You'd fit right in with my best mate's family with that hair of yours."
Emily's hair is a vibrant shade of scarlet while Harry's is a bright white with streaks of a startling brilliant blue. Her eyes are a light hazel and Harry's are a muddy brown. He's short and stocky and both heavily muscles arms are sleeve tattoos. Emily almost boyishly thin but with just the right amount of curves to come off as sexy. There's a filigreed tattoo on the back of her neck, visible thanks to the messy updo her hair is in. She's also got tattoos on both arms that are inspired by Far Eastern art. Harry's fingernails are black and Emily's are as scarlet as her hair as are her lips.
Grinning, Emily momentarily gives the menu another glance. "I've not had a good Welsh rarebit in ages."
"How do you know their's is good?"
Emily shoots Harry another grin then turns to look across to the table nearest their booth. "Oy. That any good?" she asks of a man eating what looks to be Welsh rarebit with bacon.
"The best. I eat out once a week at lunch and I almost always come here for the rarebit."
"Thanks, luv."
Harry's settled on the bangers, mash, and beans. They put in their order and as they waited for it they kept up their act of being a couple. Having Emily to talk with helps Harry keep from fiddling with the nose ring he was given as part of his disguise. He even tells her, "I can't wait to get this off. I don't know how people stand having them."
"Try having the pierced tongue look. I've got a strange metallic taste in my mouth and I hope it doesn't make lunch taste odd."
Their eyes both darted quick looks to a booth further down from them. The woman they are tailing is turned sidesway in her seat. She's recently ordered as well and is now talking on a phone. Harry and Emily are both hoping they get to actually eat their lunches. If the woman, known these days as Flo Hardwick, gets up and leaves before then, they have to follow.
Emily's voice speaks extremely close to Harry's ear as she whispers the question, "What's that thing she's talking in to called again?"
"A mobile. It's a mobile phone and is also known as a cellular, or a cell phone. Think of it as fire chatting without the fire."
"It's too bad we don't have anything like that. It would make some thinks so much more convenient."
"Definitely. Maybe someone could come up with something along those lines using something similar to how the WWN works."
Emily shrugs. "Maybe. I'm hopeless when it comes to that sort of thing. She's got company."
Right then both tables get their lunch orders. After Harry's and Emily's waitress has walked away again he says, "She ordered for him. Maybe that means they'll be here a little while."
Emily, who's already digging into her Welsh rarebit, grins at Harry. "This is so, so good! I hope they do linger awhile. I might need seconds. Who do you think he is?"
"They seem friendly enough so many a boyfriend?"
"There wasn't anything in the file about one. Maybe he's," Emily lowers her voice even more, "Muggle."
"Yeah, could be."
Emily and Harry make a good show of having attention only for each other and for their meals when really they are taking in every detail of the woman and her companion and quietly discussing their options for continuing the tail should the two leave together, leave separately, or leave together but then part ways.
Found
Author: Ethan Somerset
Date: 06-16-10 17:56
The Locator Potion Ethan had brewed with Severus Snape's help had revealed an address where Meadow O'Guinn could be found. Immediately upon learning of the location, Ethan had gone to scout it out. The address had turned out to consist of a three-story building on Knockturn Alley. The bottom floor belonged to a pawn shop, while the upper levels comprised of flats.
During his initial visit, as well as the subsequent ones, Ethan determined that Meadow, whom he could identify thanks to a photograph he'd gotten from his brother, not only worked at the pawn shop, but also lived in one of the flats upstairs. As far as he could tell, she lived on her own.
Ethan had tried to make his stakeouts as inconspicuous as possible. The wizards who frequented Knockturn Alley were an unusual bunch and typically looked rather suspicious themselves, so perhaps his stalkerish behavior hadn't stood out too severely. At any rate, he didn't think Meadow had noticed him.
Now that Ethan knew where Meadow worked and lived, he wanted to find the book she had stolen from his home. It was something he hadn't yet worked out, though several scenarios had already gone through his mind, ranging from sneaking in to look for it to putting the full extent of the law behind him and obtaining a search warrant. The tricky part was the fact that the book actually belonged to her, and that she had gone with Callum to Ethan's duplex to retrieve it.
"Professor?"
Ethan realized he'd gotten lost in his thoughts and focused on Coco Nutt, who stood next to him at the door to the Fitness Room. This afternoon was the Fitness & Athletics OWL and NEWT exam, the first ever of its kind. Ethan wasn't quite sure what the exam consisted of, but he imagined it was probably more fun than all the other exams the students had taken so far this week.
"I think they just called us in," Isabel piped up from behind Coco.
"Right," Ethan said, with a shake of his head. He opened the door a crack, making sure the examiners were ready, and then had Coco and Isabel go inside. All that remained in the hallway with Ethan were four very tired-looking seventh years.