|
|
Transfiguration OWL (Mason)
Author: Pyrrhus
Date: 07-29-14 16:36
Mason stops mid-sentence, not only in thought but because the nib of his quill has worn down much more quickly than he would have expected. After examining the nib he raises his hand, spending the time waiting for Professor Weatherby to think more about how he wishes to complete the thought he's begun with this sentence.
In the short time it takes to acquire a new anti-cheating quill, Mason knows how he'll finish off the one sentence and has worked out the others needed to round out the paragraph. Three minutes later he's moving on to the next question.
When Mason pauses again it's to give his hand a break from writing. While massaging the tired, sore muscles with his other hand he reads over as yet unanswered questions, pegging those that he can quickly, easily answer and those that will require more time.
Forcing himself to continue on much as he'd like to lie down on the floor beside the desk and take a quick snooze, Mason speedily answers three of those questions that are easy and not at all time consuming before returning to one that thought not necessarily difficult does require a well composed response. The question has to do with why when learning transfiguration so many lessons involve such spells as changing a match stick into a needle and a hedgehog into a pincushion.
What seems like weeks but is only a few hours later Mason along with the other fifth years and the seventh years are exiting the Great Hall. They find other students outside waiting to enter for lunch. Some of those who've just completed the first portion of the Transfiguration testing take their leaves to go nap or study in the short time until 2 o'clock when the second portion of the exam begins.
Mason and best friend Boris Samson both opt to eat lunch, Mason commenting, "I don't think I'll make it through the practical if I don't eat something."
"I know what you mean. I was so nervous writing that exam just now that I used up all the energy from breakfast before the time was half gone. I should have known after Charms yesterday to try and sneak a snack in."
"Professor Weatherby would have found you out and might have eaten it in front of you for good measure."
"Snape would do that or pass it around for others but not let me have any. I think Professor Weatherby would confiscate it and maybe dock a point from Slytherin but nothing worse. If I looked really pitiful, maybe she would have even let me eat it in secret. Who's on tomorrow?"
Mason has to think for a moment. "Umm, Quigley?"
"I don't know if she'd come down hard or go easy. Best not then. I'll just have to stuff myself at breakfast and hope it holds."
The doors to the Great Hall swing back open. Boris and Mason join the flood of students hurrying in to eat as there is a limited time to get lunch while the OWLs and NEWTs are taking place. People can go to the commons but they wouldn't get the full menu offered here.
Taking seats at one of the Slytherin table, no sign of the many desks filling the room only a short time before, Mason reaches for the closest platter, not really caring what's on it so long as it's edible. From the way Boris is filling his own plate, he's of the same mind. Once they've gotten their food and begun eating the two start dissecting the written portion of the Transfiguration OWL and speculate on what they'll be asked this afternoon during the practical.
Packing
Author: Ella
Date: 07-29-14 17:49
Ella looked around at the many boxes in her room. She didn't really have a lot of stuff, but what she possessed and planned on moving to Beijing filled more boxes than even she imagined. Much of the contents were actually baby things. Little Ramsey had accumulated quite a bit in the six months he'd been on the planet. It helped that he was the first grandchild on both sides of the family.
It was hard to believe that next week, the young Yao family would be moving across the world to a foreign place. Francis had his last week of finals before his internship and distance learning would begin. His family spoke Cantonese, though Francis only knew a handful of words. One of the courses he would be taking as soon as they arrived in Beijing was Mandarin. Ella kind of wanted to learn it too.
They hadn't seen it yet, but the company for which Francis would begin working had secured them a rental in the Central Villa District, a part of the Shunyi District. The townhouse had four bedrooms, a rooftop terrace, and a very pretty yard and garden. Ella had fallen in love with the home just from the pictures she'd seen of it. It looked like the perfect place to raise her son.
She was a bit sad about leaving home, but then she reminded herself that it was the opportunity of a lifetime. Her father could visit any time, and most importantly, she was less likely to bump into Zane in China––unless he happened to be on the lam in that very country. She tried not to think about the possibility, as it was probably unlikely and would only make her paranoid all over again.
Going away to Beijing would also mark the first time Ella, Francis, and Ramsey would be on their own. Ella didn't at all mind that she still lived under her father's roof, and she owed him so very much, but she looked forward to having her own household. Her father would probably appreciate a quite house, too, though Ella knew that he would miss her and Ramsey dearly. She hoped he wouldn't feel too alone in his big house without anyone else there.
"All packed?" Mr. Harville asked, leaning in the doorway with Ramsey on his arm.
Ella shook her head. "Not quite, but I'm getting there."
"Why don't you take a break and we'll have lunch," her father suggested. "If you're at a good stopping point, that is."
"Yeah, okay," Ella replied, nodding. She reached out to take her son, who gurgled happily and reached for her hair. She wasn't tender headed and didn't much react when he gave her hair a hearty tug.
"What shall we eat today, Ramsey?" Ella asked her son. She followed her father into the kitchen.
Ramsey gurgled again.
"Yes, that does sound tasty. Dad, do we have any," and Ella mimicked Ramsey's gurgling sound.
The baby let out a peel of laughter.
Mr. Harville played along and pointed at a cabinet. "In there, I think."
"Great!"
Ella went to said cabinet and pulled out a jar of baby food. She put Ramsey in his chair, put a bib around his neck, and sat down next to him. While she fed him, her father fixed grilled cheese sandwiches. Ella savored every bite when it was her turn to eat. Her father's cooking was yet another thing she'd miss while living abroad.
Transfiguration Practical
Author: Kissy Isuki
Date: 07-30-14 18:04
Standing at the main doors of the Great Hall, one of the doors partially cracked so she can keep an eye on those awaiting entrance for the practical portion of the Transfiguration Ordinarly Wizarding Level and of the Transfiguration Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Level, Kissy offers a smile of reassurance to one of the last of the fifth years. "Beatrix Vanderbilt." As the teen steps through into the Great Hall Kissy directs her to the only person not new to the Hogwarts examination panel this year. "To Professor Huntingdon, please."
Beatrix nods her thanks and walks briskly towards the table where Huntingdon is sipping from a teacup. Students seem to have two speeds after being told which examiner to see. Some, like Beatrix, set a faster than regular walking pace as if to hurry and get this thing over. Others go more slowly as if reluctant to begin, either from nerves or from feeling ill prepared.
The sight of Beatrix also brings to mind the unfortunate stomach upset caused by a bludger incident during the recent Quidditch Cup match. This only crosses Kissy's thoughts because she's been feeling a little queasy much of the day. It's been mild and Kissy has stuck to soothing tea and crackers so far, along with a little bit of a potion.
Cameron and Kissy have been considering having another child, wanting one close in age to Everett but as he won't even be one until mid-December, they weren't necessarily thinking to get pregnant right now. She doesn't know that she is pregnant but the nausea is reminiscent of what she experienced in the early days when carrying her son. If she is pregnant, Cameron and she will not regret a second baby sooner rather than a tiny bit later.
Professor Elgin is finished with Humber Umberfield. Kissy looks through the partial opening to the student next after Beatrix. "Rowan Westwick. You'll be with Professor Elgin," she says pointing the way.
A short time later all the fifth years have been through their paces and Kissy is telling the first four seventh years in the order which professor to see. While waiting to bring in another she thinks about how nice that since Tuesdays her classes are fifth and seventh years, she did not have to arrange for a substitute. She also thinks that perhaps either Thursday when her only class would have been seventh years or Friday, which would have been fifth years, she'll see if her obstetric healer has an opening.
Taking a sip of the tea she's got on a small table near the door Kissy turns to says, "Broderick Carter. You'll see Professor Stow," then slips a packet of crackers from a pocket to nibble, watching to see when to bring another student in.
Proctoring Duties
Author: Celeste Quigley
Date: 07-31-14 03:10
The students were gathered at the Great Hall in small groups, waiting to be seated in their respective individual desks. Celeste opened the scroll with a list of the students in alphabetical orders and called Audrey Appleseed's name first. The Gryffindor girl walked to the front of the Great Hall and occupied the desk indicated by Celeste.
The Astronomy teacher kept calling the students one by one making sure none of them brought any illegal items with them. She had to confiscate Kida Young's watch and promised to hand it back to the girl at the end of the examination. She could check the time in the hourglass like everyone else. The reason why the wrist watch had to be confiscated was because a student could easily charm it and once he or she pretended to be looking at the time, information about the exam they were taking would appear in the place the pointers and the numbers had been. Celeste believed in the integrity of her students and she was sure Kida simply forgot about the 'no watch' rule. But she had to be cautious.
The last student to be seated was the Ravenclaw Cassidy Waldron. Punctually at nine o'clock the written Herbology OWL and NEWT began the only sound in the Great Hall was the one of the anti-cheating quills scratching parchment. Celeste's class was only at midnight so she did not have to cancel it due to her proctoring duties.
She noticed Wilbur Tremaine was looking to the enchanting ceiling with quite a dreamy look in his face, perhaps searching for inspiration to a question he did not know the answer.
"Eyes on your desk Mr. Tremaine," Celeste told him, calling him back to reality. Wilbur promptly obeyed.
As the time passed, Celeste thought about the letter she had received the other day. Her brother Archer had given himself to the trouble of writing, once again insisting that Celeste should meet with Maud to see if she was a witch or not. Archer was not the type of man to write letters and of course as a Muggle he preferred the telephone. Celeste didn't have a telephone at Hogwarts, but she had one at her holiday house which she had put a spell on to let her know if someone called, which rarely happened. Her brother seemed so desperate that instead of calling he had written her.
Celeste had shared with Eugene her concerns. Archer had never been the type of Muggle who had embraced magic and he had always preferred to be out of it. Celeste remember a girl she had been in school with whose siblings were Muggles and they all wanted to learn about Hogwarts and the world she lived in. Archer had always kept his distance which at times frustrated a teenager Celeste who liked to be the center of attention in her family and brag about her magic skills and good marks. Archer lack of interest was exasperating.
She had no idea what he would do if he found out his daughter was a witch. It meant his ex-wife had lied to him and Archer wasn't known for acting with ponderation. Only Merlin knew how he would react. She couldn't see Archer in Diagon Alley buying Maud her first wand, going to Gringotts to exchange his pounds for galleons or talk about robes with Madam Malkin. Besides there was no guaranty that when Celeste found herself face to face with her niece she would be able to tell if she was a witch or not.
Sorina Matthews raised her hand and Celeste went to her encounter in order to replace her broken anti-cheating quill. After doing so, Celeste went back to her place at the High Table, taking a look at the hourglass and announcing out loud that one hour has passed and the students had two more hours to conclude their exam.
Mother & Son
Author: Nathaniel Ross
Date: 08-01-14 04:05
"Hello sweetie. I'm afraid it will just be the two of us tonight. Your father had to do some extra hours at the Ministry."
"That's all right," Nate told his mother, following her into the kitchen. The table was already set and the food was almost done, so there wasn't much he could do to help.
Rosie approached her son and took a good look at him.
"You look pale and thinner."
"I'm just tired. We have been trying to track down this witch who makes a living by entering Muggle beauty pageants. She uses human transfiguration to alter her face and body; we also suspect she uses love potions on the male judges and the Confundus charm on women. It wouldn't harm anyone if she did this once, but it's recurring. There's a Muggle reporter who is investigating, thinking the judges are being brought. Since this had called the Muggle attention, we need to catch this witch soon."
"You work too hard for a mere assistant. They should value you more."
"They do, mom," Nate assured her as he sat down on the table.
Mrs. Ross used her wand and a large plate with beef wellington and potatoes landed on the table. She seated in front of her son and filled his place with an enormous quantity of food. Nate protested, saying he had no stomach for all that.
"Nonsense! You look like a broomstick handle. Women don't like men who are only skin and bones."
Nate had no other option but to eat everything on his plate. His mother told him about Bowen and how he was nervous about his upcoming exams. She told him the boy was a bit disappointed because Gryffindor had lost all their Quidditch matches and didn't go to the Championship match. Nate remembered how the school Quidditch had been of the most importance to him when he was Bowen's age. As he got older and since he had never been very good playing the sport, he grew out of it, but naturally he still liked to watch a good Quidditch match, either a match between two Hogwarts houses or an English league one. He would always be a great supporter of the Wimbourne Wasps until the day he died.
Once Mrs. Ross finished telling Nate all about Bowen and how she was thinking about buying him tickets for the Quidditch Con, she initiated the usual questionnaire she liked to submit to her son whenever he came to visit her. How was work? How was Tim doing? Did he have news from his other friends at Hogwarts? And most important: how was his love life?
First Nate explained that Tim was very interested in a witch named Imogen Napier, Jenny's roommate at St. Emrys.
"She's studying culinary. Tim keeps inviting her to his place with the excuse he wants to learn how to cook. She's been busy with her final exams at St. Emrys, but has agreed to teach him once she has more free time in the summer. I wish I was there to see it: Tim can't even do a sandwich."
"Your friend is very lucky: the way to a man's heart is through his stomach," Mrs. Ross said with a smile. "And what about you? Is there any special witch in your life?"
"Mom, please…"
"Who is she?"
"There isn't anyone."
"What about that girl, Maggie?"
"We are still friends, but that's it. I promise you the moment I have a new girlfriend you will be the first one to know."
"It's just you just haven't been the same since Phyllida..."
Nate looked down and pushed his plate away. He lost his mood to eat, even if the beef Wellington was delicious. He was still having a hard time accepting that Phyllida had just vanished from his life without an explanation even if more than a year has passed. It made him wonder that if he found someone else he really liked that if she too would abandon him one day, just because. Rosie Ross raised her hand and caressed her son's cheek.
"You are a very handsome and good man, Nathaniel. And what that girl did to you was not right. I am sure she had a valid reason to for it, but whatever that reason might be, you are not the one to blame. There's someone out there for you who is going to make you happy. Even happier than how you were with Phyllida. Trust me on this."
Mrs. Ross stood up and used her wand to collect the dishes. They flied to the sink and they started to wash themselves on their own with the help of a sponge. A bowl with chocolate and vanilla ice-cream landed in front of Nate. Mrs. Ross sat in front of her son, a cup of hot coffee in front of her. Nate knew she would not let him leave the table without eating desert and so he picked up the spoon and started eating his ice-cream.
Distractions
Author: Rowan Westwick
Date: 08-01-14 16:46
Rowan sat in a corner in the Ravenclaw Common Room and thumbed through her Defense Against the Dark Arts notes without truly seeing. She had three full days of exams behind her now, but still many more to go. So far, she felt she had done well enough, but she supposed she'd find out shortly if her gut feeling proved accurate.
For all the studying she had done, she felt like she had no choice but to do well on her exams. It would be very disappointing if all her hard work had been for nothing.
All of the preparation she had done recently had been completely on her own. Beatrix was still quite sore with her for insinuating that Ash had no romantic feelings for her. Rowan felt bad about bursting her best friend's bubble, but she would rather be honest with Beatrix than let her believe a fantasy that would never come into being.
She'd felt bad watching Beatrix get sick during the championship Quidditch match, but rather than show her friend support in the aftermath of the embarrassing incident, Rowan had given Beatrix the space she wanted. Having the OWLs come up so quickly after the championship match did help Rowan think about other things other than how long it would take for Beatrix to get over how she was feeling, but only some of the time.
Both Ash and Willow wondered why Rowan wasn't always with Beatrix anymore. Not wanting to spread gossip or make Ash feel uncomfortable for his unintentional part in the entire thing, Rowan had only said that they'd had a bit of a disagreement and that she didn't find it worth talking about at the moment. She had OWLs to study for, after all.
Ash had accepted her answer for what it was, Willow had not. Try as she might, however, she didn't get a peep out of Rowan.
Realizing she wasn't getting any information into her brain, Rowan decided she might as well give up or at least take a break and try again later. She packed up her things and went upstairs to her dorm room, which was mercifully empty at the moment. She threw her books onto the edge of her bed and then fell backwards onto the mattress, blowing air from her lips.
"Rough day?"
The voice came from Laurel, the family ancestor in the small portrait on Rowan's bedside table.
"Not so much that," Rowan answered. "My Herbology exams went okay, I think." She'd managed to finish the entire written exam before time ran out and with enough time to review most of her answers. Her practical examiner had been Professor Audley, who hadn't been too frightening, though a bit stern.
"Beatrix again?"
"It's just…" Rowan began, but then she stopped, unable to come up with the right words.
"She's been your best friend since you've been back and now she's angry with you."
"Yeah, that." Rowan sighed and rolled over onto her stomach, propping herself up on her arms so that she could see Laurel's tiny portrait. "I thought she would get over it by now, but she's soooo stubborn."
"Enough of that, child. Someone is coming up the stairs," Laurel said, apparently possessing sonar hearing.
It was no doubt one of Rowan's roommates, possibly Beatrix herself. Rowan crossed her arms in front of her and lowered her chin so that it rested on them. If it was Beatrix, then Rowan would probably just be ignored, but Rowan was hoping Beatrix would finally decide it was time to make amends.
Gone but not Forgotten
Author: Cate
Date: 08-01-14 16:47
Cate sat with Preston and picked at her food. She was still upset about Jordana's passing, understandably so. She had served her detentions and done everything she had to do but that wasn't bringing her best friend back. She often sat alone in her door room at night and looked at the bed that used to be Jordana's and cried. This was a very serious thing and she wished it wasn't. She wished she could say she was sorry and make it all better like when she was little and something got broken – but this wasn't like that – Jordana was gone and nothing was bringing her back.
"Are you alright?" Preston asked softly as he laid a hand on her arm.
Cate jerked her arm back in surprise and then took a deep breath, "I'm sorry, you just surprised me." She sighed and then said, "I'm fine."
Preston knew she wasn't fine but didn't know what to do to make her better. He had tried everything he could think of and nothing was helping. Most of the time he just sat and held her while she cried.
Why had that damn ring come into their possession? Who sent it or where did it come from? And why hadn't they taken it to Professor McGonagall in the first place. Right because it had been seductive to feel things and allow you to feel uninhibited for a short time.
"Do you want to go for a walk tonight after dinner? I was thinking around the lake?."
"I don't think so. I think I am going to go up to my dorm when I am done here. I just want to study and then go to bed."
Preston sighed but he let the subject go.
With that Cate pushed her plate away from her and went upstairs just as Amanda was arriving at the table. Cate really did not want to see Amanda. She blamed Amanda for all that had happened. If she had not found the ring, granted it dropped out of the sky at her and she had no control over it, maybe Jordana would still be alive.
Tired of Studying (Etta & Basil)
Author: Jared
Date: 08-01-14 17:05
Feeling a yawn coming on, Etta covers her mouth before spearing a piece of apricot from the fruit salad she's been snacking on the for the quarter hour. Across from her Basil flips back and forth in some notes he's going over. After another minute he makes a sort of grunting noise, slapping the notebook closed. "To quote many others, either I know this or I don't."
Nodding in agreement Etta puts aside the notecards she's been going through. "I could have used this time to nap."
"But then there'd be the risk of sleeping through the exam," Basil says only half joking before taking the last bite of roast beef sandwich.
"That actually happened yesterday to someone in one of my classes. She arrived nearly twenty minutes late. Luckily for her the professor allowed her to write the exam."
"Did she get an extra twenty minutes too?"
"No, but that's better than having to go grovel at the professor's office to even take the exam at all."
With both Etta and Basil deciding not to do any further studying for the exams each have soon they spend the remaining time until they need to leave the canteen talking. Basil asks Etta, "Are you still thinking of switching from nursing?"
"I am. Right now I think come next term I'll have made it official. I'm not really sure why I didn't go the healer route in the first place."
"Will you have lost the entire year?"
"Not the entire year, no. Some of the courses early on are the same. I will have a few to take but otherwise these past terms have not been a waste. Is that that Lluvia girl?"
Basil turns to look. "Yeah, that's Lluvia."
"Does she still bother you?"
"Only every now and again, mainly when she's between boyfriends. How's Henry?" Basil asks of Henry Appleton, someone Etta had started seeing months back.
"He's good. We go out from time to time but aren't exclusive."
"That means he's got another girlfriend."
Etta shrugs. "I think he's gone out with two or three others. I've gone out with a couple here and there. Neither of us is leading the other on so we're fine with how things stand for the moment."
Finishing off a slice of pie he'd gotten with the sandwich Basil replies, "At long as you're good with it and aren't still pining after Deak Bennet."
Etta decides not to say anything about Deak as denying she's still pining for him never seems to work and since she isn't, she's not about to say she is. Instead, she starts gathering her things. "We should get going."
After depositing their trash in one of the bins, they part ways at the canteen doors, Etta turning left while Basil goes right, neither all that eager to write yet another final exam.