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A Surprise
Author: Mildred
Date: 05-16-13 02:51
Regina Howard was at the end of the main staircase, waiting.
Mildred watched her grandmother for a brief moment from the top of the stairs, before the old witch noticed her presence. Mildred had seen her for the last time at the end of the Easter holidays and she could not help to feel surprised to notice her grandmother still used her black robes, when it has been more than a year since her mother had passed out. Regina turned and greeted another old witch that was passing by, probably one of her acquaintances and then she looked up, searching for her granddaughter. Knowing she had been spotted, Mildred started to walk down the stairs with slowly steps, not helping to feel shy. Her grandmother had always intimidated her.
On the last step, Mildred adjusted her hair and she walked towards Regina. Her legs felt like jelly. Their goodbye had not been done in the best terms and Mildred didn't know what to expect from this visit. She wished her aunt Helen could be here alongside with her husband, but she hadn't been able to come since she had some sort of commitment related to work.
Yesterday Mildred was caught in surprise at the Great Hall when she had received a birthday card from her grandmother attached to a letter where she informed her she would come to Hogwarts the next day for the parent's weekend.
"Hello…" Mildred greeted her grandmother.
"Good to see you, Mildred. What have you done with your hair? It's a bit shorter than usual isn't it? Your mother used to wear it like that sometimes…"
For her surprise Regina didn't criticize her.
"You are probably wondering what I am doing here. But it isn't a mystery. I am your grandmother, after all. I have the right to visit my only grandchild once in a while. I must confess I was a little bit disappointed by your lack of response to my letters but now that I am here you can answer to all my questions properly."
The last thing Mildred wanted was to be interrogated by her grandmother, but she knew she had no choice. She wondered if she would also like to talk to all her teachers about her progresses or if she was just here to talk to Mildred.
"But first here is your birthday gift. I thought about giving it to you myself instead of sending it yesterday. "
Regina opened her handbag and took a large gift from it. Mildred was sure her bag was under some charm because there was no way such package would fit in such minuscule handbag without any magic. She opened the present. It was a dress with a flowery pattern, Mildred had seen before.
"Yes, it belonged to your mother," her grandmother said, reading her thoughts. "But she used to wear it when she was a bit older than you. I found it among some old boxes in the attic. The fabric was in pretty good conditions so I went to Madam Malkin's and she did the necessary alterations."
"Thank you!" Mildred replied, feeling the fabric between her fingers. She had seen a photograph of her mother wearing that same dress on her grandmother's fireplace. She also had the impression her father had the same photo kept in his cell at Azkaban because once he had spoken about it.
"Now make sure you hang it properly on your wardrobe and only wear it on the right occasions. It would be a shame if such dress was ruined."
"Of course," Mildred agreed, although she had the feeling her mother wouldn't mind if she used the dress whenever she felt like it.
The two of them then went to the Common Commons. Her grandmother was craving for a seat and a cup of tea but the Great Hall was still closed because the older students were taking their apparition lesson.
Mildred's grandmother started her questionnaire about her granddaughter's performance in class and she wrinkled her nose in disagreement when she told her how much fun she was having at her Fitness & Athletics class, learning how to ski.
"It's a Muggle sport, "she told Regina, trying to describe it. But her grandmother didn't seem to share Mildred's enthusiasm and she sentenced such a class was a waste.
"During my days at Hogwarts there was no such thing. We used to spend the afternoons studying in the library, not playing Muggle games!"
She finished her cup of tea and asked Mildred to fetch her a scone at the table by the corner. The house elves had done a beautiful job displaying all types of snacks for the students and their family members. Mildred was putting a scone on a little plate when she recognized Achilles entering the room with his family. His brother Hercules was getting taller and both his parents looked as severe as ever. She pretended not to see Achilles and she quickly returned to her grandmother.
However, Regina had noticed the Sims family. She observed them in silence until they were gone from the large division. It seemed that they only came in there because Hercules had spotted the table with the food and he made his parents to stop their tour around the castle so he could try the so famous chocolate cupcakes Achilles kept bragging about in his letters.
"That poor family…" her grandmother commented. But then she looked at Mildred and decided to change topic. She asked about the greenhouses and if the school still cultivated the beautiful roses there used to be when she was a little girl and attended Hogwarts.
"Achilles is my friend, grandmother," Mildred told her, ignore Regina's question. "And I know what my father has done to them…Or what at least was written at the Daily Prophet," she declared.
This time her grandmother was the one surprised. But she quickly recovered.
"How come can that boy be friends with the daughter of the man who killed his sister?"
"Achilles doesn't know. He doesn't remember Erica. I think he was a victim of a Memory charm."
"A Memory charm?! How come a second year witch knows about such things? Never mind, I do not want to know. Your father ruined that family, one way or another. At the end of the day, your father being guilty or not, a young girl died. A life was lost. And somehow when I look at the Sims family I can't help to feel ashamed. After all he was my son in law."
Regina than took Mildred's hand in hers. She noticed how her old hands were filled with rings but despite that they still seemed fragile and delicate.
"Mildred Rosalind, my dear granddaughter: you may think you are a grown up already, you just made 13 after all! But I suggest for you to be a child and seize it while you can. Don't try and dig the past. It's all over and there is nothing you can do. Promise me you will drop your search. Leave things as they are. There is no need for you to worry, sweet child. So can I have your word you leave this matter alone once and for all?"
The Decision
Author: Nana Minuet
Date: 05-16-13 11:54
A system had cemented itself into Nana's monotonous routine sometime after Career Day. To be true to fact, it had started before then – possibly during her second week of school, but things really started to blend together into the background as the weeks progressed afterwards. There was no more attention when getting ready, just the usual tasks for every usual day. Sometimes, Nana even felt as if her own skin was turning from flesh to metal while brain cells transformed into circuits and wires. Thoughts were not thoughts anymore, but codes written by some tiny programmer with tiny bottle-cap glasses sitting behind a tiny desk.
Wake up, bathe, get ready for school, meeting with Sac d'Chat in a bathroom stall, pretend to eat, maybe eat some eggs, go to class, go to another class, pretend to eat lunch, end up eating a sandwich and a salad, try to be social, time for another class, maybe another class after that, try to find some time for Sac d'Chat, smile, do some homework if you can, read something profound, pet Pilar, pretend Jacqui the dormouse is there, contemplate something important, sleep, repeat…
There were only the weekends now where Nana had to actually digest what she was doing, but even those days were beginning to mix together in their own sort of monotony.
Ultimately, Hogwarts was beginning to seem more and more like just another hospital full of delicate schedules and perfunctory routines. It wasn't something Nana minded too much. It was something she was used to. However, it seemed to put into perspective her preconceived idea of sane and insane. In Nana's mind, both lived on routine after routine after routine, mirroring each other through one-sided glass without seeing the similarities between them. It brought about a quote to the forefront of Nana's mind from the great muggle filmmaker and author Susan Sontag: "Sanity is a cozy lie." Nana wondered if she was the only one who could see that quote so alive and well as it breathed in her current environment.
Hogwarts did its best to break the mundane paths its occupants walked on a daily basis every once in a while, or at least the staff did. There were Quidditch games, monthly trips to the villa just outside the grounds called Hogsmeade, and events like Career Day that were focused on the students and took place on the grounds themselves. The most recent of these was a day designated for parents and appropriately named 'Parents Day'.
Now, Nana doubted François would show up to Parents Day. François Minuet was a squib and while he did have the pureblooded Minuet name, he had always found it better to occupy himself with muggle living. Muggle schools led to muggle universities, which led to muggle careers for the magical-blooded man. The most recent career for François was that of a teacher in A-level French at Arundel Community, a college for adolescents in the Arundel, West Sussex area. Even on the weekend, Nana doubted he would leave his comfortable muggle life to make the long muggle journey to Scotland only to have to return after a few hours. It just wasn't a practical notion and François was a practical man.
It was because of this practical thought that Nana had continued her normal weekend routine. She had gotten up, bathed, gotten dressed, did her hair, waited until all of her dorm mates were out the room to safely get some 'help', put on her shoes, packed a few books away, and grabbed her backpack purse to leave.
To leave for where, she didn't know. All Nana knew was she wanted to be away from the four dorm walls that seemed to plague her now mundane existence. Normally, the 5th year didn't mind them. She would even ignore them during the week as they blended into the background along with everything else, but today, as she sat alone on her bed with her purse in her lap, she had begun to notice them for the prison bars they really were. Nana wasn't the sort that was made for prison, which only meant that an escape was in order.
Playing Catch w/Dad
Author: Estine
Date: 05-16-13 12:34
Estine rolled the ball around in her hand while eyeing her father as he stood a short distance away. After getting ready this morning, Estine Mignon had grabbed her baseball glove, hat, and signed 'Randal Mignon' ball to take to breakfast with her. A few American students as well as others who knew Randal would be soon starting with the Harlow Nationals had cooed over the ball, but that wasn't the only reason Esti's smile was a bit brighter than her normal joyous one as she bit into her meal of biscuits and eggs.
On Monday, Felicia the barn owl had given the 1st year Hufflepuff the incredible news that Randal would be there on Parents Day. Esti was going to see her daddy… and he had said he was bringing his glove.
"Remember, no index finger," her father said as he maintained his position away from his daughter. The athlete stood in a catching stance with his glove raised while his daughter rolled the ball in her hand some more. A small crowd had gathered around the pair in the courtyard where they stood, but neither of them was really paying their audience any mind. "Remember to point it to me. You're aiming at me."
The girl beamed in pride as she looked down at the ball in her hand. Her father had been playing baseball all of his life, so it was no wonder Esti had taken such a love for the sport. Even now, she knew she could pitch a 'palmball', a 'circle change-up', a 'three finger change-up', a 'two-seam fastball', and a 'four-seam fastball'. Never before had she even tried to throw a curveball, though. It looked like today was her lucky day for even now as she stood before her father, readying herself to pitch, she was learning how to throw a 'beginner's curveball'.
"It's just like a fastball," Randal Mignon spoke to his daughter with a tone full of patience. "Just spins the opposite. I know you can throw a fastball. Hell, you can do a change-up. That's professional stuff there. If you can do that, this should be like child's play."
Estine giggled as she tossed the ball into the air and caught it with her gloved hand. "I am a child, Dad."
The man smiled from beyond his glove. "And yet I know adult players who are terrified of your pitching. Now, c'mon girl. Dad doesn't got all day."
The student smiled and winked at her dad before stiffening her stance. She gripped the ball the way her dad had shown her and brought it up the glove as she began the Dance of the Mound. In the blink of an eye, the ball was in the air, spinning from top to bottom, as it should, before it entered Mr. Mignon's glove. The man smiled and tossed the ball back to his daughter. "Again! I want you to be able to do this in your sleep. This summer, you're learning the straight and knuckle curveballs. You need to be ready for them."
"Can I try after her?" The voice had come from the sidelines. Estine looked over to see a blonde girl waving from the small crowd of spectators. Instantly, Esti recognized the girl as her dorm mate Emily, as well as the two boys standing beside her as her brothers. Parents stood behind them, watching the muggle game of catch, but the only reason Estine could even tell they were Murrays was because the mother looked almost exactly like an older version of Emily herself. "I've been told they play baseball in Fitness and Athletics during April. I'd like to know how to throw too."
"Me too," another voice rang out. Another answered with a "Me three" as Esti looked back to her dad. "If she's right," the girl said as her father watched more students continue to volunteer. "Then it wouldn't hurt. They can use my glove and I can show them the grip."
Randal Mignon looked back at his daughter and while he didn't exactly want to be teacher to a bunch of strange kids versus playing catch with his own little Jackie Robinson, he could see his little girl's glow with the prospect of helping her fellow students.
"Alright," he spoke as he let his lips form a smile for his baby only. "Everyone interested stand 3 feet behind Estine. She's gonna throw the ball back to me using the techniques I taught her. Then, each of you will come up to her and she'll help teach you what to do. Everyone gets three tries. After everyone's done, I wanna play catch with my baby girl again. Is that cool with everyone?" There were some nods from the students, but Randal didn't see that. He was watching the gleam in his daughter's eyes as her lips exposed that captivating smile she always flaunted. To him, she looked like her mother more and more as time passed.
The man made his body return to a catcher's stance while kids of different years began to line up, as they had been instructed to do. A smirk hit his lips as he watched Estine's smile fade and she began to ready herself once again. "On the count of three, baby," he said out loud to his daughter. "One…two…three…throw!"
Parents' Weekend
Author: Illyria
Date: 05-16-13 16:39
"Good morning!"
Illyria looked up from the desk in the Astronomy classroom and saw first her mother and then her father. She rose from her chair and stepped around the desk to greet them.
"Mum, Dad. What are you doing here?" She hugged and kissed them both.
"Arsinoe saw the advertisement for Parents' Weekend in the paper and mentioned we should visit," Ione said.
The Jones's had been staying with their eldest daughter and were set to return to India early next week.
Illyria couldn't help but smile. "I'm glad you both came, but you do realize that Parents' Weekend is mainly for the students and their families?"
"Is that why you failed to mention Parents' Weekend to us?" Atticus asked.
"Well, yes," Illyria said, "but I am happy you're here. Would you like me to show you around? I had planned to stay in my classroom for a while, in case some of the students dropped by, but I can always come back later."
"We could stay here for a while," Ione suggested, gazing up at the enchanted ceiling. It featured a midnight blue sky with twinkling silver stars. Every once in a while, a comet streaked across the sky.
"Why don't we sit, then?" Illyria suggested.
She guided her parents to the desks her students usually used, and then the three sat down side-by-side.
"This is a nice classroom," Ione remarked, smiling at her daughter.
"I think so too," Illyria said. "Using the Observation Deck is always my first preference, because nothing compares to the real night sky, but this is a decent second." She waved up at the ceiling.
"Quite a bit warmer and dryer too, I would suspect," added her father.
"Yes, there is that," Illyria agreed.
"Illyria, when are you and Urania going to become as close as you were?" asked Ione.
The abrupt change in topic came as a surprise. Illyria opened and closed her mouth several times, an immediate answer unable to form in her head.
"We know the both of you are trying to move forward, and we are glad you aren't at each other's throats anymore, but it is disappointing to see that you both tend to avoid each other," Atticus said.
"Dad… Mum… It's not that we are avoiding each other," Illyria finally said. "It's that she's in the middle of a messy divorce and I'm trying to give her the space she needs while she deals with that part of her life. When it's all over, I'm sure things will eventually go back to normal."
The honest truth was that Illyria wasn't sure if things could ever be the same again, but she hoped they could be.
"We didn't mean to upset you," Ione said, patting Illyria's hand.
"You didn't," Illyria said. "Things between Urania and me are so much better, but a complete mending of our friendship will take more time. Please be patient with us, okay?"
"Of course, dear," Ione added, patting Illyria's hand some more. Atticus patted her shoulder.
A moment later, Illyria heard voices in the stairwell and realized that she, or perhaps Professor Quigley, would soon have company. She squeezed out from between her parents and met Ollie Choate and his family at the door to her classroom.
With Tristan
Author: Griffin Price
Date: 05-16-13 18:09
Tristan stands on the edge of a slushy puddle, deciding that leaping across would be far more fun than skirting around it. He giggles when he successfully crosses without so much as dipping a heel in. Griff, a few steps ahead now, stops to wait for the six year old to catch up. "I thought you were in a hurry to get to The Flour Shoppe."
Mind now off the large, slushy puddle, Tristan hurries up to his father. "Oh yeah. How far is it?"
"Just up ahead, at the end of the lane."
"I get anything?"
"No," Griff chuckles, having no trouble envisioning Tristan wanting an entire cake or a couple of dozen doughnuts. "But you may splurge a little."
"What's splurge?"
"In your case, it means you'd eat until your tummy felt bad and you got sick."
"If I get sick, then no McMerlin's next?"
"Right, but we have things to do in between."
Alone, Griff is fairly certain he could have the Diagon Alley to do list completed in under an hour. With Tristan long, Griff has no doubt they'll be here at least triple the time. McMerlin's isn't his favorite but Carys and he don't let Tristan have it or Burger Wizard in Hogsmeade all that often.
"What things?"
"Do you want to here the list or do you want to pick something to eat first?" Griff asks, holding open the door to The Flour Shoppe, knowing full well what his son's answer will be.
Several minutes later they are sitting at a table by the window, Tristan eager to dig in to the large chocolate covered cream filled doughnut on the plate before him. His first bite results in a chocolate mustache, which is soon also coated with milk. As it's no use to wipe Tristan's mouth until the boy is done eating, Griff leaves it for the time being, instead savoring a bite of a breakfast type quiche consisting of bacon, egg, and sausage.
Around another bite of his doughnut Tristan says, "Tell me the list, Dad."
"Don't talk with your mouth full, and a please would have been nice."
"Please?" Tristan asks, trying to mask the fact that he's still got food in his mouth, the tight lipped requested coming out more as, "Peas?"
"There's food for the cats and we were going to maybe get them something else, remember?"
"Scratching post."
"Maybe. We'll see what the store has. You and I both need some new trousers. Your mum has a necklace that needs to be repaired so we need to go to the jewelers."
"Mummy can't fix it? Or you?"
"We both tried but it needs a professional."
"What's that?"
Griff's response is interrupted by the appearance of Emauha Martin at their table. He suppresses a sigh. It's not that he dislikes Emauha. It's that a little of her can go a long way because as most who have cubicles near her or who have had to work with her on a case have found, Emauha has a different idea of personal space than most do. She also tends to act like everyone else, male or female, is as single as she is no matter how often she's told of spouses or some other significant other.
"Griffin! I think this is the first time I've run into you away from work. Who is this lovely boy?"
"Morning, Emauha. This is my son. Tristan, this is a lady I work with, Emauha Martin."
"Hello, Tristan. I've seen your picture. Your father has some up in his office."
"Hello. I'm not lovely. Boys are handsome."
Emauha laughs. "You are correct. I apologize." Without asking she sits, putting her cup of coffee and an old fashioned type cake doughnut with glaze on the table. She shoots Griff a smile before looking back to his son. "Just out for breakfast, Tristan, or do you and your Dad have some shopping to do?"
Griff thinks it's a little rude of her to take it upon herself to join them but he's not going to be rude back and ask her to leave. Tristan and he will be finished here soon enough and on their way. His attention is pulled back as Tristan informs Emauha, "Mummy was sleeping in and then has work to do at her stutio."
"Studio," Griff automatically corrects.
Emauha's response is not at all unexpected. It's the one she typically gives when reminding that a coworker is not single. "That's right. Griff is married. I always forget that for some reason. What's your mummy's name?"
Suppressing another sigh, he leaves Tristan to answer the question. He'd sound snappy if he answered as Carys's name is something he's told Emauha at least once a day since she left New Zealand to work for the British Ministry. He'll give this another minute then tell Tristan to finish the last of his doughnut and milk so they can be on their way.
(Gus) Picking a Side
Author: Johanna Steele
Date: 05-17-13 03:49
Igraine Van Tassel looked up at the massive castle. Under the pale light of the sun the place had a somewhat an aura of mystery and sadness with its old gargoyles and high towers that seemed to touch the clouds. She couldn't believe this was a school.
However, not far away, she had noticed a group of people playing baseball their laughter filling the air. Igraine's eyes followed the white ball for a moment with a mist of interest and curiosity. She flinched when her father placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Ready to enter?" Edmure Van Tassel asked.
Igrained nodded and the two of them disappeared into the castle.
Not far away, Gus had been observing the girl that was supposed to be his half-sister. He was leaned against a tree, his arms crossed, trying to find something the two of them might have in common, not counting with the father they shared. But it was impossible. The girl had dark hair, where his was light. She dressed like a muggle: a pair of sneakers, jeans and a red jumper and she looked incredible small, even for a soon to be first year. While Gus had always been tall for his age.
His father had used the excuse of Parents Weekend to bring his half-sister to the school and show Hogwarts to her. Thank Merlin he hasn't spotted Gus yet, but Edmure had written him a letter expressing his wishes of wanting he and Igraine to meet.
"What sort of name is Igraine, anyway?" Gus asked to his mother, who had also been observing the young girl from behind him.
"Apparently her mother likes King Arthur's tales, or so I heard."
"What else have you heard?"
He had the feeling his mother knew a lot more than what she had revealed to him so far. Katrina Van Tassel looked around making sure there was no one nearby who could listen to their conversation. Then feeling completely safe she confessed to her son:
"I told your father I would forgive him. I cooked him dinner and I said I would accept this child in my life because I loved him."
Gus was about to open his mouth and say something but his mother raised her hand and continued to speak.
"The dinner was just a stratagem. I had bought a small flask of Veritaserum in the morning, cost me a little fortune but it was needed, and I slipped it into his drink. We had a nice dinner. Your father was able to answer to all my questions without any hesitations. "
He looked at his mother in disbelieve at first and then with more respect than ever. Katrina Van Tassel might look like a fragile little witch but there was more than it meets the eye. She would attack when least expected.
"I learned some interesting things. You see, your father has been living a double-life. It was not a simple affair, oh no. He actually would spend time at that woman's house and play with the child. The girl shares his surname. Our surname. How could he?"
Katrina sat on a nearby bench. The baseball match was getting intense. Someone yelled with excitement, but Gus ignored them. He just sat next to his mother waiting for her to continue her narrative.
"Having the woman come here to confess it was just part of his act. He somehow convinced her this was the best way to proceed and he pretended to be shocked when he heard the news about his daughter. The funniest part, Gus, is that your father didn't even use magic. That filthy Muggle used her acting skills to play her part in this game. He told her it would be better this way. That maybe I would be more benevolent with him if this all seemed like a sad misfortune of fate. I remember he blamed her. 'How does she dare she to enter my life like that?', he said. 'Now I have to be part of this girl's life and I don't even want to'" his mother laughs. "Your father always had an artistic vein. He should have become an actor. "
There was a moment of silence. Gus held his mother's hand. It was clear which side he had picked. Katrina than told him she had expelled his father from the house and that it wasn't that much of a surprise when she learned that he was leaving with that Muggle and the girl.
Apparently in the past his father was convinced Igraine wasn't a witch. He didn't spend that much of a time with her to have been attentive to the signals. So the letter from Hogwarts had been a surprise and a shock. Edmure decided he should better step up now, not wanting Gus to write home describing that at the sorting ceremony there was a girl with his surname. Not that it would be something unusual but how would it be when Edmure appeared during the school events? Which of his children would he pick to spend the day with? And what if the other one spotted him hanging out with the other? And so he decided to come clean.
"Well, but enough of all this. How have you been, sweetie? I hope this year your teachers don't come and tell me that you speak too much during classes and that you could do a much better job if you dedicated yourself…Remember you have your OWLs this year."
"I know, mom," Gus assured her.
"And what about a girlfriend? Have you been seeing anyone? I don't believe a handsome young man like you doesn't have a girl."
"Mother!"
Gus hasn't told his mother about Joanna Porter yet. Mostly because it wasn't even official that they dated. Besides they didn't even kissed or anything. They had dinner at the Common Commons during Valentine's day. They talked and they had fun and he loved to hang out with her but nothing happened just yet. Gus felt attracted to her but he didn't have the courage to give the first step just yet. His relationship with Polly had begun so fast that he was afraid to rush things with Joanna and ending up catching her kissing another boy. He didn't want that and so he was just trying to be careful.
"I see I have embarrassed you," Katrina stood up. "It's getting cold out here. Why don't we go inside and you tell me about your apparition lesson? Did you manage to apparate yet?"