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Curiouser and Curiouser
Author: Finley
Date: 03-14-16 09:51
Finley waited with Phoebus at the Hogwarts gates. It was Parents Weekend, and his family was expected to show up to meet with him and his teachers. Because Finley didn't have any parents or other family, the Yewbeams always invited her to spend the day with them. It had become a tradition and made Finley feel like part of the family, which was a very nice feeling.
Mr. and Mrs. Yewbeam and Cynthia, who would be starting at Hogwarts next school year, arrived in Hogsmeade and queued up at the security checkpoint. It being the very beginning of Parents Weekend, the line was longer than it might be later in the day.
"Do you suppose the head of your orphanage receives letters about school events like Parents Weekend?" Phoebus wondered aloud.
Finley shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe she does, but I can't imagine that she would ever come to Hogwarts to see how I'm doing. It's not because she doesn't care, I'm sure," she went on. Mrs. Gill was a stern woman, but she cared for each of the orphans in her own way. "She's just really busy."
It was while speaking of Mrs. Gill and the orphanage that Finley saw a familiar-looking woman get in line a few families behind the Yewbeams. It took Finley a few seconds to remember why the woman looked so familiar, and then she felt a shock when she realized where she had seen her.
"What the…?" Finley began, feeling truly baffled.
"What?"
"See that woman?" Finley asked. "The one with the purple cloak?"
She wasn't hard to miss, being the only one dressed in purple standing in line. "Yeah," Phoebus replied. "What of her?"
"I saw her at the orphanage over Christmas break," Finley explained.
"You can't have," Phoebus answered with a shake of his head. "There's no way."
"Why not? It's weird, but I swear to you she was there."
"What would a witch be doing in a Muggle orphanage?" Phoebus asked. "Unless…!"
"Unless what?"
"She's your long lost relative!" Phoebus exclaimed. He was joking, because he really didn't think the woman was the same one Finley saw at the orphanage.
"I highly doubt that," Finley replied, and she crossed her arms over her chest. She felt annoyed because she knew Phoebus didn't believe her. "She didn't talk to me at the orphanage at all. The only orphan she spoke with was Charla."
"Well, did she adopt Charla or anyone else?"
"No."
"Maybe she took her business elsewhere." Phoebus shot her a smile to show he was joking, but Finley wasn't amused. Not being wanted was something orphans knew all too well and never took lightly. The very thought that someone would visit an orphanage and decide none of the 'merchandise' was good enough was heart-breaking.
The Yewbeams finally got through the security checkpoint and came over to greet Phoebus and Finley. Because it was nippy out, they turned and hastily made their way to the castle. As Finley started walking, she looked over her shoulder at the woman in purple. She was smiling at someone in the distance.
"Aunt Gemma!"
Finley turned her head to see Eirene McLaggen cut into the queue to hug the woman in purple. So the mysterious woman from the orphanage was related to a Hogwarts student. How curious!
(Katherine) Let's Talk
Author: Beck
Date: 03-14-16 14:06
Katherine rolled over and felt a stab of surprise at discovering she wasn't alone, but then the memories from the previous day and night came to mind in a flood. Yesterday, she'd agreed to a lunchtime meeting with Jonathan to discuss the future of their relationship. They'd more or less been estranged ever since Jonathan suggested she was using him.
She'd spent a few nights at her grandparents' after that fight all those months ago, and when she'd finally returned home, she'd discovered that Jonathan had moved out of her flat. Because they worked at the same place, Katherine continued to see him regularly, but seeing someone at work was quite different than seeing someone at home, for every waking hour.
When Jonathan asked her yesterday if she wanted to formally end things, Katherine didn't know how to answer. Her plan had been to hear him out and then go home and think about what he said, to base her ultimate decision after weighing every option, but all sense went out the window the minute he touched her face. It had been so long since she had felt his hand on her skin.
They didn't end up talking any more, but they did rekindle the old romance that had gotten them in trouble in the first place.
Katherine rolled onto her back and put her hands on her head. What had she done?
After a brief moment of internal chastising, Katherine got out of bed and slipped on a bathrobe. She paced the room and then decided to go make breakfast, since the last meal she'd eaten had been breakfast yesterday morning. She was starving!
But then Jonathan stirred and opened his eyes. "Hey…" He smiled lazily at her.
Katherine froze and said, "Hi. Umm… We need to talk."
At the seriousness in her tone, he sat up in bed. "About what happened?"
"Yes, about what happened," Katherine replied. She tried not to snap, but she couldn't help herself. What else did they need to talk about, after all?
"Katherine, I think you know how I feel about you. I don't want our relationship to end. We're good together."
She hugged her middle and asked, "I didn't want our relationship to end either, but it hurt when you thought I didn't feel anything for you. Do you have any idea how much I pined for you when we first met? Being with you has been a dream come true. But then it became too good to be true."
"Don't say that."
"You didn't trust my feelings for you."
"I'm sorry. That was a mistake. I see that now." He looked sad and asked, "Can't you forgive me?"
Katherine asked, "Do you still doubt me?"
"No. Of course not!"
Katherine didn't immediately reply and then she nodded her head just once. "I'm going to fix breakfast, and then we're going to TALK, okay?"
"Okay."
Katherine left him in her bed then to go to the kitchen, where she worked mindlessly on preparing something to eat. All she could think about was what happened last night and if they could truly work out their differences verbally rather than physically.
(Andromeda) Life Sucks
Author: Capri Brycin
Date: 03-14-16 14:11
It had been a little over a year since she had turned Kirby down when he asked her out. They, Kirby and Cierra and Andromeda, were all talking but things were not the same as they had been before Andromeda had turned Kirby down. Andromeda was still single and not looking to be with anyone.
Things had also not changed between she and Capri. They were no longer fighting because they did not see each other every day but the two did not get along. Capri pretty much just stayed away from her when Andromeda was home and she was there at her parent's house.
Andromeda just could not understand why Capri would keep the baby when she was raped and the baby was the result of the rape. Her parents had told her that she (Capri) and Mark had done a DNA test and the baby was not Mark's. Andromeda had thought that maybe she had cheated on Mark but that did not sound like Capri then she heard about the rape; it made sense. But why on earth would you keep the baby? How could she love a baby that was a product of something so bad? Gods what was this was she actually feeling sorry for her sister? It couldn't be, Andromeda would not allow it to be she hated Capri and was not overly fond of the baby.
Her parents were supposed to be there any minute and Andromeda was not really looking forward to seeing her. She never saw her brother, he was too much like Capri and that just meant that he was always on her side of things and never hers so they just did not get along.
A few minutes passed and Andromeda heard a familiar voice, it was that of her mother but she was talking to someone in a baby voice. Andromeda scowled and got up from where she was sitting and walked towards her mother's voice and found that she was standing next to her father and she was holding a baby – Capri's baby.
"What is she doing here?" Andromeda asked forgoing a greeting to her parents.
"Dad and I watch her so Capri can work." Ariel Brycin said to her daughter.
"Oh, I see." Andromeda replied flatly. "I don't see why she can't get a baby sitter she has all that money."
"Because we offered to watch Zoe Jane for her. It is the least we could do." Ariel said to her daughter. "After what happened to her and then Mark leaving her."
"You never liked Mark!" Andromeda almost yelled at her mother. "And Capri probably deserved what she got. She was probably showing off or teasing this man…and, he got tired of it and took what he wanted."
"Andromeda! Don't talk like that." Azaiah Brycin said to his youngest daughter.
"It's true, she is a slut and a bitch!" Andromeda spat at her parents. She looked at the baby and shook her head. She just wanted her mother, father and the baby to leave. She did not want to see any of them.
There was awkward silence between the Brycin's. Zoe Jane started to cry and everyone looked at her, even people who were not a part of her family looked at her and stared. Andromeda hated it. She just wanted to hide away somewhere but she couldn't. Why did they have to come? Why couldn't they have just stayed home, after all they had the baby to take care of while Capri worked; maybe they thought that she would want to see her niece.
After a long uncomfortable silence Andromeda said, "why don't you guys just take the baby and go home. I have things I need to do anyway." No more than the words were out of her mouth Cierra and Kirby walked up to her (without their parents) and asked if she wanted to hang out.
Andromeda looked at her parents and then turned and walked away. She had very little respect for her friends let alone her parents and that baby. Talking to her friends she wandered down the halls of Hogwarts and into the throng of other students and parents.
Dumbfounded
Author: S Snape
Date: 03-14-16 14:35
His long hair slicked back in a ponytail, Severus pauses in front of an excessively reflective shoppe window then shudders at his appearance. The overly casual slacks, dungarees actually, and equally casual striped jumper are not his normal sartorial choices but fit in well for the Saturday crowd at the Muggle restaurant in Dundee to which Simon Simeon asked him in a recent owl.
He glances at his shoes as he begins walking again, the restaurant in view. Trainers. Tennis shoes. Sneakers. Snape is not a sneakers person though now he's wondering why when they are comfortable. He can easily picture himself puttering around in his lab at Hogwarts wearing them rather than his usual footwear.
Severus pauses again at the restaurant entrance to allow an elderly couple to exit and a family of seven to enter. Before coming today, with assistance from his Ministry of Magic contact, Severus learned The Tattie Scone does a booming breakfast business on weekends, with an extensive menu that includes a full breakfast at a great price.
He's considering getting a bite as long as he's here. Severus met with his Ministry contact early to go over this face-to-face with Simeon, having only time for a cup of tea to take with him. His contact ran late so it's fortuitous that Severus thought to ask Celeste Quigley to step in for him during the third apparition lesson.
He left from that meeting for this one. As today is Parents Weekend at Hogwarts - a misnomer in Severus's opinion as it is more technically Parents Day or Parents Saturday - he will return there after seeing Simeon and whatever debriefing is required with the Ministry contact.
Entering behind the family of seven, not seeing Simon Simeon waiting, Severus scans the visible tables and booths. As the hostess turns to ask Severus the number of his party a hand glides between one arm and his body to loop around his arm. The voice that goes with that hand cheerily informs the hostess, "Two, please."
Severus is so severely shocked at the presence of this woman holding his arm and giving it a pat he says nothing until they are seated with menus. "Veronica."
Veronica Dumbledore's smile is blinding. "Surprised to see me, Severus?"
He takes the question to be rhetorical. "I'm meeting someone."
"Yes, that would be me."
"You? You're with the Knights of Walpurgis?"
The smile broadens. She gives a tinkling laugh. "I keep telling them that with a number of female members now we need to rethink the organization's name."
Veronica reaches across to take one of Severus's hand. Her touch and the tone she takes is borderline intimate. "I cannot tell you how elated I was when you finally agreed to take a meeting with Simon then not only heard him out but have had subsequent meetings. That you are considering joining us."
It is rare for Severus to feel so completely dumbfounded and blindsided. Seeing Aberforth Dumbledore's adopted daughter for the first time in approximately ten years, sitting across from him to discuss a group with a dark history has done just that but does somewhat explain the Muggle location after Wizarding World only locals when meeting Simeon.
Waiting For Melanie
Author: Declan
Date: 03-15-16 19:25
Rand shifts from one foot to the other, unable to stand still for even a second. Standing just behind him Declan looks over the boy's head for the same face Rand is seeking in the queue at the security checkpoint. Unless Melanie has changed greatly in looks these past years Declan is certain he'll instantly recognize her. At his side, Zabrynna watches the slowly but steadily moving line for the woman she only knows from a few photographs and from what Declan and Rand have told her.
As Zabrynna is more or less considered Rand's foster mother she wanted to come to Parents Weekend as a parent more than as Declan's significant other or AJ Hodfuffer's sister-in-law who has done research and archival work for him. Though she's not out and out stated anything to Declan he knows she's also wanting to meet this woman who dumped her son off on Declan for herself. Not only dumped Rand off but then went months without a word, not even an I miss you. Declan is slightly concerned whether Zabrynna will come off as hostile, especially given that she's not in the best frame of mind as it is because today is the day her mother is getting remarried and having a grand private reception at the museum where Zabrynna works.
Rand starts bouncing on the balls of his feet. "There she is! There she is! Muuuuuuuuummmmmmm!"
The woman who has just come up the lane from Hogsmeade to stand at the back of the security checkpoint does not hear Rand at first. Rand would go running to meet Melanie but she's still past the gates and Declan has repeatedly stressed it's best to wait until she's through the gates.
Rand doesn't go running but does move closer. He's cut the distance in half, Declan and Zabrynna just behind, when he points a finger. "Look, there's Father with her!" Father as in the man who runs the communal group, which Zabrynna insists is a cult, that Melanie is a member of and with whom Rand lived until late summer when she left him with Declan along with all the parchment work turning over custodial rights to him.
Declan has an urge to say something that if he were a student and overheard he'd get about fifty points deducted from his house's total. He literally bites his tongue even as Zabrynna gives him a sharp elbow in the side.
Parents Weekend
Author: Georgia Copperpot
Date: 03-16-16 15:01
Bob Trainer reaches for a raspberry scone. "You're not having us on, are you, Libby?"
"Having you on?"
"Decent marks. No detentions."
Breaking apart a jammed filled fairy cake Libby huffs, "I've not lost a single point. Not a single one. And wouldn't my professors tell you if I was bad in class?"
Connie places a hand on top of Libby's clutching the fairy cake. "We like being reassured, poppet. Once you began at Hogsmeade Primary Day, we did have to speak with teachers far too regularly."
Libby frowns and starts to say something sarcastic but for once thinks better of it. The last thing she wants is giving her parents a reason to think she's having them on, even if only a little. Instead, she bites the other half of the fairy cake, trying to give her parents a smile that won't have them wondering if she's up to something.
Across the room where they are mulling over drink options Archie Trainer is nodding along as Sylvestor bends his ear with tales of Quidditch practice. Edwina picks up a platter of finger foods as Alice checks for a free table. The one her brother Bob, sister-in-law Connie, and niece Libby are using is small and as there aren't any free ones near them, she ends up directing Edwina to a table about halfway between the bar and their relatives. Pointing it out to Archie and Sylvestor, Edwina and she leave them to get the drinks so they can hurry and grab that table before anyone else.
Once seated, Alice asks Edwina, "How did you do on that one exam Thursday? The one you wrote about earlier in the week."
"Charms. I think I missed two or three short answer so probably very well."
"Excellent." Alice nibbles on a tart before adding, "I do miss having your brother and you at home on a daily basis."
While she does like Hogwarts and somewhat enjoys dormitory life and the special feasts, Edwina would much prefer living at home, sleeping in her own bed, eating her mother's cooking, coming to school in the mornings and leaving each afternoon. "Maybe someone will convince Hogwarts to become a day school for those who want it?" she wistfully comments.
Sylvestor and Archie arrive with the drinks, picking up the thread of conversation with Archie pointing out that rules pertaining to underage magic outside of Hogwarts would have to be changed so that day students could practice and do magic related homework while Sylvestor's remarks have to do with those who play Quidditch having to stay later on days of practice during the week and return on weekends when a practice is scheduled.
Three tables away Albert Nutcombe is telling his father, "I wasn't sure about Freddie Benwick as a roommate at first. He's messy and borrows things without asking." For a boy of Bertie's age who is not obsessive-compulsive about cleanliness, considering another boy to be messy is saying a great deal.
"That's what you've told Mum and me a few times now."
Bertie nods, aware he's mentioned Freddie's untidy ways a time or two. "Since we got back after Christmas holiday he's better. Still messy but not as much and so far he's remembered to ask before borrowing something."
"I've never asked when you've mentioned him before, are you mates with Freddie?"
"Yeah, we got on well. He's a great bloke, just not always the best roommate." Bertie points towards the door. "That's Freddie there." He rapidly switches subjects to ask, "When did Mum say she's coming?"
"Whenever that baby shower is over. Should be anytime now. That's why I suggested coming here as I told her to meet us in the Commons. Still can't get over there is such a place. When your mother and I were students, there wasn't a Common Commons. Wasn't a lot of things, like that Fitness & Athletics room. Wasn't a course for that either. Speaking of, if you wish to take that course second year, I think I've convinced your mother to agree."
"I rather like belong to the club and Libby Copperpot loves taking the course."
Reginald Nutcombe nods towards a woman just entering the large room. He raises a hand and waves to gain Meredith's attention. "There's your mother now. We can bring it up after she's had time to say hello and gotten caught up with you."
Hurrying to cram another frosted sugar biscuit in his mouth before his mum gets to the table and starts taking note of how much sugar he's consuming, Bertie smiles at the thought of being able to take a course that could well become his favorite.
Another Parents Weekend
Author: Rylee
Date: 03-16-16 17:22
"So how are your classes going so far?" Mary Elizabeth asked Caroline and Etana. Knowing well that the two girls were often together and it did not surprise her that their classes were pretty much the same right down to the electives.
"Good so far Mrs. Harper. I actually think that I did fairly decently on the Charms exam this past week and I should know my grade on my History of Magic paper on Monday. I turned that into Professor Morgan yesterday," Etana said with a light smile.
"I'm pretty much the same, Mum. I'm still not sure what I'm going to add as electives come next year, but I know we've got course day coming or something like that where we will get to learn more about the classes sometime before the end of the year," Caroline said before finishing off the last bite of a frosted chocolate biscuit that she'd selected from some of the many treats offered.
Rylee and Raz were currently off talking to Mrs. Marks and Jasmine and Charlotte. Two of the Marks sisters had ventured to Parents' weekend with Rylee's mother. They were talking about the upcoming OWLs that the elder two students would be taking at the end of the term. Things were already increasing for the two students and Mary was pleased so far with how the eldest two were doing. She'd also talked to Etana's teachers and she was please with how the younger girl was doing.
"I'm just glad that you and Etana both have managed to settle in so well. I'm glad also that the house-elves here have made certain that your dietary restrictions are met and everything is working out quite well," Mary said giving Raz a light smile. She'd figured that it would be easy for the house-elves to ensure that each students' unique dietary profiles were dealt with. For Etana and his sister, who both ate Kosher, and tended to have a unique palate given their growing up in Israel before moving to Britain.
"I'm glad as well, it has made things a lot easier transitioning to know that things won't have to change too much. I miss a lot of the things from Israel, still. However, some of the things that you send in care packages helps to make up for that," Raz said giving Mary a hug.
"Charlotte, thank you very much for the basket you sent with stuff for Purim on the twenty eighth. Etana and I both are glad for it." He said with a smile, offering the older girl a hug and a light kiss on the cheek.
"Most welcome Raz, I figured it would be a good addition to whatever they had available for you here at Hogwarts," Charlotte offered after finishing a bite of fairy cake that looked to be a chocolate and peanut butter sponge with a white chocolate icing and chopped up chocolate and peanut butter candies.
Rylee and Raz talked a bit more with Charlotte and Jasmine while Mary went to join Caroline, Etana and Mrs. Harper at their small table. There conversation kicked up between them while Rylee and Raz slipped out of the crowded room both, needing time to be away from people. They'd settled on the expanse of the steps just outside the great hall and just let the sounds settle around them.