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Candy Heart Plants & Popcorn Orchids
Author: Marzipan
Date: 08-06-11 11:34
While the fifth and seventh years sat in their Charms O.W.L. & N.E.W.T. exams, Professor Ravenscroft lectured her third year Ravenclaw and Slytherin students on the candy heart plant. The candy heart plant grew little heart-shaped sweets that could be eaten straight off the plant and were always deliciously sweet.
Not surprisingly, everyone with a sweet tooth couldn't help but snack from the candy heart plant, Marzi included.
By the time she had everyone repot their plants, there was more greenery than little pastel hearts leftover.
All years with the exception of fifth and seventh had two weeks of classes left, and then a week off final exams. Term officially ended thereafter. Marzi couldn't believe another school year had nearly reached its end. And what a year it had been.
She'd lost her sister and brother-in-law, adopted their child, given birth to her own child, and seen Hogwarts win the Interscholastic Quidditch Tournament. With the exception of the deaths in the family, it had been a very good year.
Although it was a myth that sugar made kids hyper, the third years were in high spirits by the time they left the greenhouse. They probably wouldn't be as energetic on Wednesday, when they were scheduled to discuss the depression plant.
In between classes, Marzi quickly sent the mostly candy-less plants away and brought over popcorn orchids, which the fourth year Gryffindor and Hufflepuff students would discuss in the next hour.
She waited for all of them to file in and then started her next lecture.
First Part Of The Charms OWL & NEWT
Author: Declan
Date: 08-06-11 11:54
Declan thought that the tension in the Great Hall at breakfast was palpable. This is the first day of the examinations known as the Ordinary Wizarding Levels, aka OWLs, and the Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Exams, aka NEWTs. Now that the written portion of the Charms OWL and NEWT is underway, the tension is so thick Declan wouldn't be surprised if it became visible in the air, allowing someone to walk up and down the aisles of desks plucking it as if harvesting fruit.
The period for breakfast had ended earlier than normal, at least its availability in the Great Hall. Any student other than fifth and seventh years who tend to take Monday breakfast between 9 and 10 could get it in the common commons. By 8:45 students were cleared from the large room, the breakfast dishes whisked away, and the room transformed from one with long tables to one with perfectly aligned rows of desks. When all was ready, Declan had opened the Great Hall doors to allow the fifth and seventh years to file in, directing them to their assigned seats as they entered.
Sealed exam booklets were already on the desks. Declan passed out the anti-cheating quills, gave the few instructions there were to give, then with a flick of his wrist, promptly at 9 am, he'd turned over the hourclass timer and issued the command they were waiting on eggshells to hear. "You may begin."
After handing a new quills to two students whose quill points had broken, Declan pulls out his wand and aims it at the large blackboard visible to all. A quick wave of the wand and the remaining time left for the exam is updated. He makes another pass along the rows then returns to the front to do some paperwork of his own, keeping an eye on the test takers as he does. He'll proctor be at the Great Hall doors later today for the practical portion of the Charms examination, ushering the students inside to the awaiting examiners and keeping an eye on those waiting anxiously for their turns. He's got one class on Mondays, in the afternoons, but as all those students are taking the OWL today, Declan didn't have to worry with lining up Hagrid or Professor Grubbly-Plank or someone else to take that class at 2.
Time to make another pass around the room, Declan sets his paperwork aside and gets up, grabbing a few extra quills in case anyone needs one.
Berry Picking
Author: Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen
Date: 08-06-11 12:28
"Everything tastes better when you grow it yourself," Frau Hockenheim tells Fritz. She's sitting in a simple, plastic chair next to a matching table, on which stands a large, porcelain bowl filled to the brim with red currants. There's also a smaller, metal bowl full of raspberries.
It's a pleasant day outside. The sun is shining, and while it is pleasantly warm, it's not too hot for picking berries. As it happens, Fritz is sitting on a stool in the shade. He's got a plastic bowl in his lap, into which he's placing the currants he's pulling off a bush in Frau Hockenheim's backyard.
"I miss this," Fritz says, reminiscing about the time before he moved to London, when his backyard was full of currants and raspberries too.
"Miss what?" Frau Hockenheim asks.
Fritz realizes then that he was thinking about his real life and not the life he's fabricated for the sake of his relationship with this Muggle woman.
While the climate in England isn't all that different from Germany's, except perhaps a little colder and wetter, and the same berries do grow there, the Schnackenpfefferhausen family doesn't keep as many fruit-bearing plants as they did while living in Germany.
Fritz quickly thinks of a good answer to give to Frau Hockenheim. "I used to pick berries with my mother and grandmother every summer when I was young. I don't much do it anymore."
"I'll need help next summer too."
Fritz turned his head to smile at Frau Hockenheim. "By then you'll have another Zivi."
"Yes, but you are always welcome here, Fritz. I want you to know that."
"Thank you."
Frau Hockenheim allows the sentimental moment to last for only a few seconds and then gets back down to business. "When you're finished with that, the cherries need picking."
"Yes, ma'am," Fritz says, turning back to the currant bush.
Coma
Author: Ronan Eastwick
Date: 08-06-11 13:22
"How is she?"
Ronan had just stepped out of his mother's hospital room, where he'd spent several hours everyday since learning that she'd been poisoned. He accepted the cup of tea Solange held out to him and sat down in a chair set along the wall of the corridor. She sat down next to him.
"She's still not awake," Ronan said. He looked and felt tired. "The healers are still saying it's a miracle she's alive. That poison should have killed her."
"Is there any news about what happened?" Solange asked.
"No. There's an ongoing investigation but nobody seems to know anything. I have a feeling they're ultimately going to say that my mum tried to off herself."
Ronan had never told anybody at work about his mother. He was ashamed to admit that she was in prison for not just one but several murders.
After Enid's accident, Solange had sensed that something was the matter with Ronan. Since starting their relationship, he'd said very little to her about his mother, but when she'd asked him what was wrong, he'd finally confessed everything to her.
Solange had been nothing but understanding. Although it wasn't quite the same, her first cousin was in Azkaban, having been a guard at one of the communities for nons.
She took his free hand and gave it a squeeze. "If she's survived the impossible, I think she'll pull through. Then maybe she can tell us what happened."
Ronan nodded. "Yeah, maybe." Then he looked down the hall, where a law enforcement officer stood at the nurse's station, taking turns flirting with the nurses and glancing at Enid's door, Ronan and Solange.
Since Enid was a prisoner, she had a guard 24/7. His was a dual role, however, because he was there to protect her from harm as well. If someone had poisoned her and were to learn she were still alive, then there might be a repeat attempt on her life.
So far, there hadn't been and hopefully wouldn't be.
Ronan gently freed his hand from Solange's and rubbed his face. "I guess I need to put some hours in at work."
"You have personal days," Solange said.
"I had personal days," Ronan reminded her. "I used them up last week."
"Vacation, then."
Ronan shook his head. "Rocco's giving me a hard time about not being there."
"Rocco's an arse."
"I agree with you completely, but if I'm in this building a minute longer, I'm going to lose it. I'll come by again between work and class," he added, because he did want to be by his mother's side. He wanted to be there when she woke up––if she woke up at all.
Solange nodded. "All right. I took the morning off, so I'll be in after lunch."
Ronan emptied his cup and then took Solange's hand again. "Thanks for being here for me."
She smiled at him. "Thanks for letting me be here for you."
They kissed and then got up to leave.
Second Visit
Author: Dante Knight
Date: 08-06-11 16:47
Dante takes his time going from Hogwarts back into Hogsmeade, enjoying the walk on this late spring morning. When he's given notice at his job, his boss had not been pleased he was leaving despite knowing how unhappy he'd been at their decision to move him from a position he loved ot one he loathed. When giving his notice in writing, Dante had stated he'd work through June. His boss decided otherwise. After a sit down mid-week with the man, Dante had walked away with a generous severance package and a last work day of that Friday.
After that meeting Dante had owled Albus Dumbledore to inquire if he could see the space he'd be given for living quarters. If he was going to suddenly be free after Friday, there was no reason not to get an idea of what his assigned residence was like. Dante doesn't have a great deal to move. Living as he did growing up, he was never allowed to accumlate much. It's only been more recently, after the break with his family that he's allowed himself the luxury to having "stuff" but it's still not much. With this new job, new place to live, Dante got to thinking that perhaps it's time to actually personalize his space. Buy some art. Get a radio for wWN broadcasts that doesn't fold up to a tiny, easy to pack size that has a large enough range to pick up more than one or two stations. Maybe a throw rug or two. That sort of thing.
Professor Dumbledore had let Dante know he was free to see his quarters whenever was convenient for Dante. With what few things he had to pack all boxed up over the weekend, Dante came to Scotland this morning. A man called Argus Filch had shown Dante the quarters, which hadn't taken long to see. Dante made a few notes, took some measurements, then followed the somewhat gloomy Mr. Filch back out, trying to memorize the way the residence to the entrance. There he had asked, "Do you know when I might move in?"
"End of term, I expect," Mr Filch had replied, his expression and tone clearly asking How should I know and why should I care?
"You are welcome to move in now or anytime before September 1st, Mr. Knight," Professor Dumbledore said, coming up beside Mr. Filch.
Mr. Filch, without batting an eye, sounding sarcastic or ironic, looked Dante straight in the eye and said, "Any time between now and September 1st."
"Thank you, Professor Dumbldore, Mr. Filch."
Mr. Filch had nodded at the headmaster then walked away, though he didn't walk with any real sense of purpose or direction. It was more of an I'm done here sort of walk. Dante fixed his attention on Professor Dumbledore. "So I could move my things today if I needed?"
"Yes, absolutely. Do you need to do so?"
"I don't have to but it would be nice if I could move sooner rather than later. I had thought to work through the month but my services were no longer needed after this past Friday. My landlord, knowing I was going to be moving, had been looking for a new tennant and has found one who wants to move in next weekend. He said he'd give me back most of the month's rent if I were to go on and leave. If needed I was going to stay in a hotel or an inn after the weekend."
"Did Mr. Filch give you a key to your residence?"
"Yes, thank you, he did."
"Then consider Hogwarts your home now. You may put a fireplace in your quarters on the Floo system if you wish, though you should be aware that all comings and going at Hogwarts via Floo are monitored for safety reasons."
"Yes, sir, thank you."
"Now, if you will excuse me, Mr. Knight, I wished to peak in on our fifth and seventh years taking examinations in the Great Hall. If you choose to move in today, you are quite welcome to sup with us there, which will be after 5:15 this evening thanks to these exams."
"Again, thank you, sir. You've been most kind and extremely generous."
Dante had taken his leave then, enjoying the morning weather and the pleasant walk back into the village. Now, as he reaches the outskirts of Hogsmeade he wraps his internal debate on whether to move in today or wait for tomorrow. He could sleep there tonight and move his things tomorrow. He's got what he needs for overnight stowed at the Hogsmeade Inn. Dante had thought he'd see his living quarters then do a little shopping here in the village for things to put in those quarters. Maybe even pay a visit to the famous Diagon Alley.
After more thought, Dante decides that as he's paid for one night in the Hogsmeade Inn, he'll just sleep there. He'll start the shopping and send anything he might buy straight to Hogwarts. In the morning he'll get his sparse belongings from his old place, settle up with his landlord, then make the trip back to the UK.
Though it's somewhat early for lunch, he's also hungry. Dante stands looking at the bakery then looks down High Street in the direction he knows Brews & Stews to be then back the other way to where he remembers the Imperial Crown & Cauldron as being located. There's also pub food. He could go to The Three Broomsticks for something. He thinks about it another minute then, decision made, crosses over to the bakery to buy a snack.
Lunch Time
Author: Lilac Middleton
Date: 08-06-11 21:43
Liliac sat quietly flipping through an old photo album, at the Ravenclaw table with her lunch in front of her. She was very quiet, and didn’t notice at all when her cousins showed up at the table. She had her piggy in her lap, gently stroking Rosie’s chin, keeping her firm and from squirming. The piggy, surprisingly sat still.
“You’re quiet, is something wrong?” Cee asked startlingly her cousin. Liliac jumped, and nearly lost Rosie, but caught her piggy just before Rosie could escape. When she finally did look at her cousin, she had tiny tears in her eyes, and shrugged.
“I miss them.” She said tracing the picture of her parents dancing in the moonlight under a tree.
“I know.” Cee said with a quiet sigh, also looking at the photo. The cousins had all been very close to their aunt and uncle and had felt Liliac’s pain when her parents were killed. “We all miss them.” She added.
“But you have us.” Thomas said looking at Liliac.
“I know.” Liliac tried to smile at Thomas. “ But…” He nodded, understanding.
“We aren’t them. But it’s good to miss them.”
“Since when did you become so wise?” Cee teased gently.
“ I know, what would cheer you up.” Cryil said from across the table, and opened up a tiny tin box.
“What?” Lil asked.
“Chocolate Frogs! I bought a whole bunch last time I had a chance. You can have some if you want.”
“Thanks, Cryil.” Lilac said this time actually smiling. It was very rare that Cryil decided to like her and be nice to her. But they were cousins after all.
“No problem.” Cryil added quickly shutting the lid on the tin after Liliac had taken three frogs. He smiled.
“I guess he’s not all bad all the time.” Cee commented. Simply staring at her brother in disbelief.”
“Hey, I’m not a Slytherin or anything.” Cryil replied. “But don’t get any ideas. I got a reputation to uphold you know.”
“Yeah of being a brat.” Thomas said.
Making a Cute Friend - Maybe?
Author: Karma Davyd
Date: 08-07-11 11:01
At the moment, I was debating on where I wanted to grab a quick snack - wasn't in the mood for a full meal or anything heavy, maybe something light at Briar's, or something from Burger Wizard. Burger Wizard was automatically vetoed as I had no desire for anything caked in grease. I'd just gotten a mani pedi yesterday at a fabulous Wizard Day Spa and was sporting the pedi with a pair of cute, strappy open toe sandals.
Flirty little summery skirt and matching peasent top completed the outfit and made wearing my hair down fitting despite the bit of heat that permeated the mid-day weather. I needed to poke my head into Narcissa's in the next day or two and check on my custom ordered dress for an event that would have me in Mumbai before the start of term at Hogwarts. Though, I was thinking of begging out of the event in Mumbai because it was the same week as exams for St. Emry's.
Apparently my mind had made up itself where I'd be grabbing something to nibble on while I'd been mentally rambling to myself about events in Mumbai and Narcissa's in Diagon Alley. I realized soon enough that I was standing in line at Briar's behind a rather handsome, dark-haired individual.
Quick flash of the cute-boy radar - dark hair, nice build, nicely dressed - had me smiling brightly as I leaned forward and tapped him on the shoulder. "It's kinda busy in here, want to share a table?" I asked offering him a bright smile. "My name is Karma by the way."
"I'm Dante Knight."
Lunch Delivery
Author: Harry Potter
Date: 08-07-11 11:59
Stepping inside 12 Grimmauld Place, Harry still sometimes expects to hear the portrait of Walburga Black, Sirius's mother, screaming at the muddied blooded individual daring to set food inside her home. Bellatrix has no idea the favor she did Sirius causing that explosion those years ago that took the portrait off the wall. It also allowed Bellatrix Lestrange to snatch it up and leave with it. Harry hopes that Walburga's portrait gives Bellatrix grief every single day for taking the portrait out of the Black family home.
That same day Bellatrix also whisked the houe elf Kreecher away. Another favor to Sirius and as Harry is secretly using the house right now, a favor to him. He could easily see Kreecher running to tell Sirius about the houseguest Harry's lodged here at Grimmauld Place just to spite Harry as Kreecher never seemed to have any love lost for Sirius that he'd ever witnessed. Sirius feels pretty much the same way about Kreecher and over the years, since the house elf ran off with Bellatrix, Sirius has talked about calling Kreecher back to him just because he could.
Harry thinks that having children has definitely tempered Sirius somewhat. That said, he's still not planning on having Sirius find out what he's been up to or, rather, who he's been hiding out here at Grimmauld Place. That though reminds Harry of why he's standing in the foyer of 12 Grimmaduld Place. Moving down the hallway in the direction of the kitchen, Harry shifts the bag of food he's carrying to his other hand. When he steps into the kitchen a moment later he finds Peter Pettigrew sitting there, a small fire in the hearth and a kettle of presumably water on a hook over the flame.
"Lunch."
Harry sets the bag in front of Pettigrew. The older man still has that hunted, harried expression he wore that day in Coventry when begging Harry's help. The man is also thinner than Harry's ever seen him, though whether it's from fear and worry, illness, or even just a life these last few years spent living on the run Harry doesn't know.
Pettigew reaches for the bag but doesn't open it. "He's still not told?" He being Remus Lupin.
"What do you think?"
"No."
"That's my guess. Remus isn't talking to me. He makes a show of pretending to be polite and friendly when others are around. I would think though that if he'd told, Sirius would have ripped me a new one by now and you'd... Don't know what you'd be. Dead. Out on your own again."
"Better dead. I can't be alone out there again. Something wretched and angry. Poking fingers in my head. Feels like him only darker. Bitter. Insanity whirling in a typhoon."
Peter began talking about this when confronted by Remus the day Harry took Peter for a meeting with the other man. He thinks it's might be why Remus hasn't tattled to Sirius. He knows it's why hey's continued to shelter Pettigrew. Peter gets to moaning about something that's Voldemort yet not. Frankly, Harry can't imagine anyone being more wretched and angry than Tom Riddle was. Someone darker. The whole insanity whirling in a typhoon is a good way to describe Tom Riddle/Voldemort. If there's someone lurking about who has aspirations to be the next Voldemort, Harry most definitely wants to know about it. Problem is, Peter can't tell him more than these vague, cryptic words and phrases; at least not at the moment. Harry's been working with Pettigrew when he's able to try and unlock more.
Not at the moment though. Pettigrew's got lunch and his tea. Harry's not eaten either plus he's got to get back to work. Griff and he have a meeting with Kingsley later to give the Minister an update on the Rufus Henshaw case.
Harry starts for the kithcen door then stops. "You need anything special when I come back tonight?"
"No, just do come back. Please."
Harry nods then turns to leave, not betraying just how disturbing he continually finds Peter's broken description of whatever it is he feels is pursuing him.