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(Adriana) Restless
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 09-02-13 13:30
"I am sorry, but there is nothing left," Ivanova gravely replied to Adriana's question whether any parchments remained from the days of Voldemort and his original followings. "Anything there may have been was surely confiscated by aurors after his passing," Ivanova finished, a slight frown marring his face.
"May I ask what it is you wish to know?" he said, when Adriana didn't immediately respond to his answering of her question.
She made quick work of debating whether or not to tell him and decided that for now, she would keep her wonderings to herself. Instead she asked him, "Would it not be possible that some of you who served him in the past might possess documents relating to him and his servants?"
"Yes, that is possible," Ivanova said, "but I am not in possession of any such thing."
"Perhaps you can ask the old-timers what they might have that may be of use to me," Adriana suggested.
"Yes, of course," Ivanova said, dipping his head in submission. "Will that be all, my Lady?"
"I could use a drink," Adriana stated, "but I suppose it's too early for drinking." She exhaled deeply and said, "Maybe we'll go out tonight. Terrorize a Muggle bar or something. How does that sound?"
"I look forward to it."
"Good. You can go."
Ivanova stepped from the room, leaving Adriana to her thoughts. She had no idea who the couple was in the vision she'd had of Voldemort presenting them with a jewel-encrusted sword. All she knew was that the act had been secret and a very high honor. Voldemort had wanted to keep the sword safe and had entrusted it to wizards who had served him well.
Adriana doubted a complete record of wizards who weren't Death Eaters but nonetheless had served Voldemort existed, but maybe someone from the old crowd had something to help her narrow down the identities of the witch and wizard from her memory.
Her thoughts turned to Harry next. That he had never been comatose in a hospital bed at St. Mungo's had surprised her, and she had relayed Malarie to grunt work as punishment for never sussing out the truth. A small part of Adriana was glad Harry hadn't been there when Vasilka Rakovski had turned up to put an end to him. At least she finally knew who wanted Harry dead.
Adriana felt restless. Her feet eventually carried her outside to the courtyard, where flowers were in bloom and water tinkled in the fountain. Malarie was kneeling by the rose bushes, pulling weeds the Muggle way.
"We're going out tonight," Adriana announced.
"Me as well?" Malarie asked.
Adriana gave her a once-over. Even covered in grime, Malarie was a pretty witch. "Yes, even you. We're going to get some Muggle men into trouble this evening."
Malarie quirked an eyebrow and then turned back to weeding around the rose bushes.
Adriana strolled the courtyard, thinking about the mischief they would get into tonight.
Sticks and Stones
Author: Lysander Stratford
Date: 09-02-13 14:23
In between customers, Lysander read from a slim book picked up during the estate sale during his recent visit to Greece. The book was bilingual, with the Greek original on the left page and the English translation on the right. In between the paragraphs were illustrations of historical, magical objects.
Among them was the same Baetylus stone he had seen at the archaeological museum in Delphi, described in the book as having denoted the exact center of the universe when in its position inside the Temple of Apollo. There was also a second stone, another Baetylus, sacred to the city of Delphi. According to Greek mythology, it was the stone the Titan Cronus swallowed, believing it to be his son Zeus.
Although both stones appeared to have magical properties, despite belonging to Muggle histories and myths, neither seemed to be another name for the Resurrection Stone Lysander so desperately longed to get his hands on.
Lysander had already given up hope that he would find it. The prospect of meeting Chyler again in this lifetime was something he knew could never be. He had a few more leads to follow before he would truly call it quits. Adriana had promised that she would reunite him with Charlotte no matter what. He figured as long as he tried to find the stone, she would follow through with her end of the bargain.
He next planned on traveling to Rome, where there had once been and perhaps still was another Baetylus stone.
The door bell chimed, startling Lysander from his reading. He looked up to see Aralyn enter the book shop. Charlotte wasn't with her.
"Where's my daughter?" he asked, without any greeting.
"We didn't arrange a get-together, did we?" Aralyn replied. She shrugged and said, "She's at home with Kristos."
"Fantastic."
"Yeah, well, I had to run some errands and I didn't want her coming along with me."
"And here I thought you actually wanted to spend time with her. I guess you only took her to spite me," Lysander spat.
"Actually," Aralyn retorted, "I didn't want to take her to Petals. I'm sure you would appreciate me keeping her away from a place like that."
"Isn't it a little early for dancing?"
"I was getting my things."
"Sacked you, did they?"
"You know the place is on the verge of closing. It's been in the paper. I'll be lucky if I've got a week of work left," Aralyn stated with a frown.
Lysander had read about the ongoing trial about the fate of the local strip club. He couldn't feel sorry for Aralyn.
"I don't even know why I came in here," Aralyn murmured, looking around the otherwise empty room.
"We're not hiring," Lysander stated flatly. "We've no need for a talentless, morally ambiguous bitch."
"Careful, Lysander," Aralyn said warningly, "and who are you calling morally ambiguous? I wasn't the one who erased every memory you had of your daughter, and I didn't force my brother off of a cliff!"
"I only erased your memories because you and Kristos were about to go to extreme measure to cut me from Charlotte's life! And need I remind you, you're the one who decided you couldn't handle being a mother. You're the one who left Charlotte at my door!"
"I've changed, Lysander."
"And I haven't. You should think long and hard about what you're doing, Aralyn, because there will be consequences in the end. You can count on that."
"Sounds like a threat."
The doorbell chimed again, and both fell silent, glaring at each other. An elderly witch gave them each curious looks and then proceeded to the stacks.
Aralyn gave Lysander a final glare and then slinked from the bookshop. Lysander seethed at the counter, impatient for the day when Adriana finally got him what he wanted.
Working With A Hit Wizard
Author: Travis
Date: 09-02-13 18:19
Since that day in early April when Lane Brewster walking into MacFusty's, Indigo has been secretly working to shut down the man's puppy mill. He had a small hope going into the first meeting with Brewster that the wizard had one female of each of the pureblooded breeds he'd mentioned and a female Dachshund and either a female Schnauzer or poodle. It's highly usual for bitches in the same household to come into season around the same time so Indi was hoping that Brewster had a female of each and used studs owned by others. With several litters born around the same time, Brewster decided to call himself a breeder and get the necessary paperwork to show he's legimate.
That's what Indigo hoped but he had a sick feeling that wasn't going to be what he found when Brewster showed him around that first time. Unfortunately, that sick feeling was fairly spot on.
Brewster had first shown Indi all the parchmentwork to prove he was licensed and legitimate. After an exchange of a few pleasantries while Indi looked over the parchments Brewster led Indi out to a large, barnlike building. Inside, within two long rows of containment areas akin to stalls - at least not tiny, cramped cages though the areas aren't all that big - were numerous dogs. A number of the small "stalls" had a bitch with her litter then near the back of the building were the males, each in somewhat smaller stalls.
Brewster had swept his arms out in a sweeping gesture. "I know some keep their dogs outside in cages but I find this better. I don't have to worry about keepin the cages safe from bad weather. Keeps that part of the yard out there clear for them to run around when I let'em out. As the business grows, I plan to add more dogs and I'm goin to add a second level."
That's when Indigo had taken a good look up, something he'd not truly done yet at that point. Flooring is in the process of being installed for the next level and above that, he can see where a little work has been done for a third.
He still has no idea how he maintained his calm and continued to come across normal. Brewster might not be the worst sort of puppy miller with tiny cages crammed full of adult dogs and puppies, but he's still got the beginnings of a mill going.
His attention had been drawn to one stall where he kept hearing pained whining. "May I?" he asked Brewster, pointing in.
"Oh sure. If there's somethin wrong, we need to see to it."
The whining dog was a Welsh Springer Spaniel, a litter of seven pups attempting to nurse. It took Indi all of half a minute to discern the problem. "She has an infection that's not only making it painful for her to nurse but for the puppies to get enough milk. Why don't I take her and the pups with me. I'll treat her and my people and I will be able to ensure the puppies are fed regularly in the meantime."
"Sounds expensive." Realizing he was sounding indifferent to the dog's suffering and not wanting to get on Indi's bad side before a deal is reached to sell puppies through MacFusty's, he quickly added, "But, yeah, gotta do what needs doin."
In case Brewster might change his mind or decide to only let him take the mother, leaving the pups in whatever care Brewster might half-heartedly give Indigo offers, "How about I charge you only for the potion she'll need to clear up the infection?"
That had Brewster beaming. "Excellent! I'm gonna like doin business with you, Indigo!"
As that effectively ended the initial tour, the pups were put in a box and with one hand on the box and one hand on the mother, Indi had disapparated back to Hogsmeade. After doing a more thorough exam, and finding the bitch to be very slightly malnourished, he'd gotten her started on a course of treatment. After making sure each puppy was fed and they and their mother comfortable, he'd left for the Ministry of Magic.
He'd been prepared to rail at someone for issuing Brewster a license only to find out no such document had ever been filed in Lane Brewster's name. That would have to mean that at least part of what he showed Indi was forged.
Indi's next step was to speak to someone in law enforcement. He'd sat down with a hit wizard by the name of Ebony Urban. He'd gone over everything with her, which really wasn't that much. Urban had pointed out that the license not being on file could be a clerical error. Before jumping to conclusions that needed to be ruled out. She'd send Indi away with a promise to check into the documents.
Three days later, after hearing nothing from Ebony Urban, Indi had contacted her. She said that she had someone in that particular department searching for misfiled records but had nothing conclusive at that time. It was another week and a half before Urban finally let him know something. In that time period Indi had had to return the Welsh Springer back to Brewster along with the pups.
No documentation could be found anyway so Urban now shared Indi's supposition that the Brewster had presented forgeries. She'd said, "We can arrest him right now on that but, if you want him to get time tacked on to any sentence he's given, we need to build a case against him. We need evidence of abuse and mistreatment. I'd like you to set up more meetings with Brewster, agree to do business with him. I want to come along and you can present me as one of your veterinary healing assistants. Say you want to ensure all the dogs are healthy and stay that way if you're going to attach your name to his breeding business. We also need to find whom else he's setting up deals. With that many puppies to move at a time, he has to be looking at other shoppes, I should think. I'd make discreet inquiries of those businesses."
Indigo had agreed, not realizing how many weeks it would take. Here it is mid-June already and Ebony Urban keeps telling him to be patient. They're getting there.
Plastering a smile on his face that he hopes doesn't look fake, Indigo, along with Ebony Urban, enter Brewster's barn structure to examine three new bitches he's recently acquired, another Welsh Spring Spaniel and two Picardys. He really hopes he doesn't have to be patient much longer.
After Work
Author: Nathaniel Ross
Date: 09-03-13 03:16
Nate left the Ministry of Magic, after a long day dealing with paperwork. Last week, a broomstick was sent to the wrong address during the evening by an old owl. The next morning ,while fetching her mail and newspaper, a Muggle woman thought she had also won a new broom. Of course that when she tried to use it to clean the house things got out of control. The broom flew away and destroyed part of the Muggle's house, including the window which she escaped.
The broom had to be located and apprehended, the house's state was restored and a couple of memories had to be altered. It was up to Nate to elaborate a report on the incident and the wizarding family who owned the old confused owl had promised, after paying a small fine, to retire the poor bird and buy a new one.
He then went to the Leaky Cauldron in order to have a drink before going home to his apartment. Tim was already there waiting for Nate. The two of them had planned to catch up on things. Nate noticed Tim had finally got rid of his long beard.
"What happened?"
"My nephew," he explained. Tim's older sister, Emilia, was married and had three little children. "We had a family lunch on Sunday and he thought it would be fun to push the beard down. At first it was fun, it made everyone laugh. But then the other two also wanted to give it a try and at the end of the day I went home and shaved it. Never again, I tell you. At least until they get older."
Nate was still laughing when their drinks arrived. The pub was crowded and noisy but he didn't mind. He told Tim about the broomstick incident at work and then his friend asked him about Maggie.
"She's working late now. She just got accepted at an internship at WWN."
"Awosome! Do you think she can get me Celestina Warbeck's autograph?"
"Wait, you listen to her program? Isn't it for witches?"
"That's what most wizards think, but if you actually listen, you'll see that's not the case."
"Maybe some other time, thank you," Nate replied.
The door of the pub opened and a group of witches entered the establishment. Nate recognized Adelaide Adams and he thought that the other witches were probably her friends. Tim couldn't stop staring at them, as they asked for drinks and spoke in a loud tone.
"You should just go and talk to them," Nate encouraged.
"I would make a fool of myself if I went there on my own."
"Of course not. Your glass is empty. Go there and get a refill. Then you greet Adelaide. When was the last time you saw her? Maybe talk about Hogwarts and ask her what she is doing now. I am sure the conversation will flow and soon she will present you to that brunette over there that you keep looking at."
"Aren't you coming as well?"
"No, thanks. I got to head home."
Tim didn't insist. Nate placed the money on the table so the waiter could collect it once he passed and then he walked out of the Leaky Cauldron into the busy Muggle street.
He had a lonely meal at his apartment with the company of the radio that was playing a song about a dragon that couldn't spit fire. Nate was using his wand to move the dishes into the sink and make a sponge wash it and a cloth to dry it when someone knocked the door. It was Maggie.
Nate greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. He offered her food but she was not hungry. Instead the two of them sat in his old sofa, talking. She told him about her day at the WWN studios and then she pretended she had her own radio program, announcing news and upcoming songs. Nate laughed. Unfortunately Maggie did not stay long, because both of them had to work early the next day. If not they would have opened a bottle of wine and spent the night together.
Such little habit had started the day of the Championship Match. Both he and Maggie drank more than they should and one the few things he could remember was to wake up in her apartment the next morning. Without his clothes.
They didn't really discuss the episode that morning or any other time. Instead there had been some sort of mutual consent and now, a couple of nights per week, they would gather and spend the rest of the evening together. It could be either at his or her apartment, it didn't matter the location. Nate hasn't labeled his relationship with Maggie yet, and at the moment he really didn't want to. He just enjoyed her company and she made him happy.
Down Time (Dexter)
Author: Arlington J Montgomery
Date: 09-03-13 05:13
"I'll be back in a couple hours, Kar. Owl my parents if you need anything, they'll pop over in an instant to help out with the girls." Dex said as kissed his wife and headed for the front door. He was dressed in casual jeans and a t-shirt with his favorite, faded muggle band, Queen, emblazoned on it, he cast a concealment charm on his wand, to keep nosy muggles from questioning the object. It was rare for him to have some time away from the house alone in the preceding months, the kids kept them beyond busy. As he walked down the lane, he apparated to a usual point, one just outside Muggle London. After taking a quick glance around, he stepped onto the street and made his way towards Drive's bar. He was thinking about how time was flying by, a whirlwind of major events had all happened in less than a year. Dexter had been changed in a lot of ways, not only had he gotten married, he had become a father of three little girls, a newborn, a three year-old and a five-year old, needless to say it was pretty chaotic in the Morgan home.
He opened the door and stepped into the bar, it was fairly crowded for a Tuesday evening. A quick glance around and he noticed his brother wasn't manning the bar, instead two slightly younger men were taking orders and slinging drinks. That was probably for the better, Dex thought with a smile, he could let his mind wander without feeling the
"You're Driver's brother, right?" The blonde-haired bartender questioned as he handed Dex his usual drink of choice.
"I am." He looked up, wondering just what they wanted from him, and really wished everyone didn't know him, maybe he should have chosen another bar.
The man laughed, "Hey, I was just curious, from what I've been told you've got a lot going on at home."
Dexter nodded, "Yeah, hence the reason I want to sit here and not think about anything, alright?"
"Alright, but you've gotten something in your hair."
"Ah hell." He glanced in the mirror behind the bar and wiped whatever substance was lingering, some sort of now unrecognizable food from dinner that KJ and thrown at him. "Thanks."
The bartender nodded and moved off to chat with another customer. Dex looked around again, he was curious as to where Driver was, maybe he had a meeting with Orion about the St. Emrys classes, but he could find that out later. He sipped his scotch and relaxed, eventually chatting with some of the other patrons of the little bar. Little did he know there was a group coming inside shortly after him, the night may be more interesting then he had intended.
Care Of Magical Creatures NEWT
Author: Christopher Chant
Date: 09-03-13 17:53
Writing the Care of Magical Creatures NEWT this morning was fairly easy for Christopher, aside from the fact that after days of writing so much his hand tended to cramp frequently and being tired after all the testing last week and Potions yesterday meant having to work harder to not let his eyes drift closed for a minute here or there.
He was confident going into this mornings portion of the NEWT and even with the hand cramps and eyelids wanting to take a break he'd made his way through the Theory of Care of Magical Creatures exam relatively quickly. He'd gone back through, make sure he'd not made any errors out of tiredness or misreading and that he'd not inadvertently skipped anything. After that, he'd put his head down and let himself drift off. Embarrassingly, he must have started snoring enough to draw attention because Professor Quiqley, the exam's proctor, was forced to give him a prod in the back at one point.
Having had that bit of a nap he'd been a little groggy at the start of lunch but was soon awake. Christopher wasn't worried about the practical portion of the Care of Magical Creatures NEWT, no more than he'd been for the written portion. It's a subject in which he not only excels but loves. His only concern has been flubbing something easy when face to face with one of the examiners and feeling the flood of shame over it as his goal in life is to become a veterinary healer. He's already been accepted to Marjoribanks College, St. Emrys, pending his NEWT results.
For the practical he was put through his paces by the elderly Professor Tofty, who had been his examiner for Charms and Herbology. The practical began with, "Please identify each of the following," with the following being either pictures or an actual creature. There were five: a horklump (actual), a kappa (picture), diricawl (picture), doxy (actual, though dead and stuffed), ramora (actual, in a small aquarium).
Christopher had had to correctly identify the food to be given to various named creatures, such as giving woodlice to bowtruckles and selecting something from the line-up to feed a crup, which was sort of a trick question as crups eat just about anything. Christopher has no idea if the trick was knowing that pretty much any of the foodstuffs would work or simply not getting thrown by the question and indicating a single item. He also doesn't know if it was a question with a specific correct response.
There was a question regarding a glumbumble, specifically, "Mr. Chant, if you were to accidentally ingest these leaves, which creature would be required as an antidote?" The leaves were alihotsy and the fluid the furry insect produces is the antidote for the resultant hysteria.
The questions and requirements ranged from the exceedingly simple to ones that Christopher didn't rush to respond, wanting to make sure there was no trick involved or that he was missing something. When Professor Tofty dismissed him it was with a, "Thank you, Mr. Chant, and good luck with your veterinary healing studies. I believe you shall do well."
"Thank you, professor!"
Christopher had exited the clearing where the Care of Magical Creatures OWL and NEWT were being administered, leaving a slightly different way from where he, the other seventh years, and the fifth years had been waiting. With some time before supper and as he's not enrolled in Astromony this term, free time to sleep or study before the Theory of Arithmancy & Divination exam tomorrow at two, he'd not lingered to wait on friends. Thinking a nap then supper then another round of flash cards for Arithmancy & Divination, in that order, would be the way to spend the rest of the day, he'd headed straight for the castle and Ravenclaw Tower where he made sure to set his alarm so as not sleeping through dinner. He'd plopped facedown onto his bed, rapidly falling asleep, his cat Beetle already stretched out on his back for a nap as well.
The Joy of Teenagers (Zabini Park)
Author: Niccolo Zabini
Date: 09-04-13 17:24
Written with Blaise Zabini
Blaise eyed the teenager who sat across from him. "So, care to explain why my house elves are begging to not have to serve you?" he asked. When Nico didn't answer, he sighed and fingered the handcuffs that still rested on his desk. The key was attached to his money clip, and tucked securely in his pocket. "I could make you talk, you know. These cuffs Pansy gave me are quite useful in that respect. Better than Veritaserum," he said. The notation with the cuffs had explained that they had been confiscated from a muggle after a suspect wearing them had tried to lie and spontaneously burst into flames.
Nico leaned back in his chair, studying his cousin's face. "No, I don't care to explain. Your elves are rather annoying, Blaise." He glanced at the handcuffs on the table, "What are you going to do, lock me up for whatever I've done?"
"A tempting thought. And they are, but they've been with the family for generations, so try to quit antagonizing them," Blaise said. "I would hate to have to find a year round boarding school."
"See, I knew you were just trying to get rid of me. I wonder why Mother even sent me here in the first place, but then I remembered, she dislikes having me around too, said I remind her too much of my father." He sighed, then turned his attention back to Blaise. "I'll try and leave the house elves alone, if that's any consolation."
"That's all I'm asking," Blaise said. "The consequence of behaving rudely and insulting those who make their whole lives around serving this family is having to find somewhere that it won't be an issue. If you'll refrain from tormenting the creatures, I won't have to go through with that."
The older Zabini took a drink from his tumbler. "And for the record, your mother is a flighty bint."
Niccolo nodded, "Alright. No more threatening to toast the elves if they don't do as I ask." He grinned as a fresh butterbeer appeared in front of him. "That's better. Oh, I assume you and your lady had a good evening the other day then?" He asked with mischievous grin. "It looks like she's got you under control, hmm?"
He thought for a moment, "Thanks again for letting me live here, it is much better then home."
Blaise snorted. "Pansy and I, well, it's complicated. We might, finally, be making progress, but that's not really any of your business." He leaned back in his chair and put his feet up on his desk. "As for boarding school, well, you're going to Hogwarts, but you can come home on breaks," he said, his tone slightly teasing.
"Relationships are weird, I swear it better not be like that when I start dating." He couldn't help but grin at the teasing tone from Blaise, "Gee, thank you Master."
"It'll probably be worse," Blaise said with a shrug. "And hmm, that does have a ring to it, but it makes you sound like a house elf. Which is just wrong for a Zabini."
"Why would it be worse? My ego shouldn't get in the way anymore than yours."
Nico shuddered at the thought, "I am in no way comparable to a house elf!"
"You just keep saying that," Blaise said with a grin. "As for the ego, it will get in the way. It's when you find a girl who can see past it that it'll be worth it. And for the love of Morganna, do not bring home a muggle-born. I don't think the paintings could handle it."
Nico glanced around the room, thinking to himself for a moment before responding, "I'm not stupid, or that lowly, dear cousin, I'm NOT my brother. I will never disgrace the family, we're so much better than that. I suppose though, I am thirteen, finding a girlfriend that fits my standards could be difficult...Pansy's pretty cute." He said with a smirk before sipping his drink.