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Something strange
Author: Linnea Rose
Date: 02-24-10 11:23
It was all so strange and Linnea though everything would be strange when she had waked up this morning. She had had this feeling the whole week. Right when she waked up on Monday and had all these lessons that she didn’t think was boring and she have felt that during the whole year. But she had this feeling of something being totally wrong. She has had a wonderful week and there was not so much schoolwork to do as Linnea thought.
When she strolled around inside the castle she started to think what was really strange, she thought about all the things she had done this week
She had only normal lessons so there was not anything strange there. What have she done more this week and then it hit her.
- Oh, the letter I have in my bag I have forget to read it.
Linnea rushed to the dormitory to get her letter and then she went to the library to read it alone. It said
Dear darlings
We have bad news to tell you, your grandpa has been worse and he might don’t have so long to go. But we want you to stay at school and hope that he won’t become worse. But if he do we will send a letter to both you and Maria.
Hope all is well with you both, here we have it wonderful eventhought we are worried for your grandpa.
Yours sincerely
Mama
So that was the thing that was strange and which had irritated her the whole week.
Now that she had read the letter she might try to tell her sister Maria about it eventhought she should have told her sister earlier.
Linnea walked around the castle to found Maria, she found her in the entrance to the grounds.
- Maria, stop! Linnea shouted when she made down the stairs to the
- What is it? Maria said when she turned around.
- I wonder if you got any letter from Mama lately? Linnea said.
- No, why do you wonder? She said curious.
- Because I remember I got a letter from Mama in the begin of this week and I just remember it today.
Linnea handed the letter to Maria, who opened it and read it. When she was finished she handed it back to Linnea.
- Glad you let me read it Linnea, Maria said with a little smile on the face.
- What do you think we should do Maria, Linnea said with a questing mark in her face.
- I think we should do as Mama says, when can’t rush to the hospital, without the information that we need, we don’t know who what illness grandpa has and I sure Mama and Papa is their to look after him.
-You maybe right, Linnea said.
Maria left the entrance to go out and Linnea went to the dormitory, when she walked she was thinking of what kind of illness grandpa could have. The illness that comes to her mind was not a nice view to see in her head.
Suppressing the Desire to Run
Author: Adina Blackwood
Date: 02-24-10 16:17
The small (relatively) black and silver wolf flicked its tail as it sat on the windowsill of the aprtment on Diagon Alley, peering out with jade hued orbs at the witches and wizards that milled about the street below going about their business. Of course, her Aunt had to have an apartment in the middle of the city, which meant that Adina having room to run was nearly impossible without starting a panic. She wasn’t old enough for apparating, so she couldn’t go to a field or a forest and run there, not by herself anyway. She was greatly suppressing the urge to go downstairs and then run full charge through the streets, but she had no desire to get in trouble with the local authorities, or more importantly with her mother.
With a heaved sigh, Adina would hop down from the window ledge, changing back into her human form and sliding a hand through her hair. She went to her closet and put on a pair of jeans and a Weird Sister’s T-Shirt, and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. Sliding on a pair of kicks she headed down to the kitchen. “If we are lucky, she will be sent away to Hogwarts for her schooling, they are the best in Great Britain, and about on par with Athens. I should have pulled strings to get her to finish her first year now, so that way she may not have to start over again first year.” She heard her mother saying – great, they were already planning her schooling, and here she was going to be on an extended vacation – if she’d actually gotten her way.
“If I go to Hogwarts, I’ll start as a second year, hopefully, right mom?” She asked, her English heavily accented, as Greek is her first language. “I mean, I won’t have to repeat my first year will I?” That was her biggest fear, being twelve and amongst those who didn’t know what they were doing with the wand that they’ve been given.
Elona walked over and slid an arm around her shoulders. “I do not know entirely yet my dear, but we will see. You most likely won’t get your letter for Hogwarts until the summer anyway; from there we will learn if you will be a second year or if you will be first year at Hogwarts.” She said, and felt as well as heard Adina’s sigh as she was not given a definite answer on if she was repeating first year, or if she would be a second year. With a glance at her mother and her aunt, Adina shifted and turned toward the door.
“This wouldn’t be an issue if we had stayed in Greece.” She said and slammed the door. What should have been a refuge was a nightmare; she was trapped in a city atmosphere, which did nothing for her desire to run through the fields, like she used to do at their old house in Greece. She could run in the field in the back yard when she got irritated – but now, she couldn’t run, not without the risk of calling attention of a negative kind to herself. That would only get her grounded for more than like the time remaining between now and the start of term at Hogwarts.
Stuffing her hands in her jeans she pondered changing herself into a small kitten and patrolling the length of Diagon Alley so she knew all the little nooks and crannies that the street held – but she was not skilled at changing into any other animal but the wolf. She had been told that the wolf was her patron animal – and had she been born in Ancient Grecian times she would have perhaps been a protected individual because of her favor of that form – the Gods would have blessed her. Now, she was stuck in this nightmare – in a city, where she couldn’t run out her frustrations. She had to find something else to do other than pace her room, exploring this place that would be her prison would be as good as anything.
People Watching and Pumpkin Milkshake
Author: Adina Blackwood
Date: 02-24-10 18:22
Adina leaned against the front of what used to be, Olde Art & Supply shop, and watched the witches and wizards moving through the street shopping and some dragging young children away from the front of the Ice Cream Parlor - the children were more often than not screaming and pitching temper tantrums because they could not have any of the icy sweet treats within the shop.
Her mother had set up her own account at Gringotts and she would debate on getting a few coins and getting come ice cream, or maybe doing some window shopping. Either of these activities would have to do, because she had no desire to to be in the apartment, nor did she have the desire to deal with her mother or her Aunt. The only reason these would have to do, is because she could not do what she really, really wanted to do, and that was shift forms and run until she collapsed in a heap from exhaustion.
She pushed herself away from the wall and pulled her hands out of her pocket - she had a few galleons and would head toward the ice cream shop. Side stepping a mother who was angrily scolding her young child, who was probably around four or five, who was screaming in a high pitched shrill and grabbing toward the ice cream shop with a pair of dirty, grubby hands. "I said no. We will come back after lunch Ethan." The mother said, scolding her child once more, before dragging him off toward the next shop to finish her shopping.
"I'll have a pumpkin milkshake please." She said as she stepped into the shop and spoke to the witch behind the counter. Paying for her milkshake, she got it in a cup that was easily portable, so she could wander Diagon Alley and debate on just what she wanted to do - to continue to surpress that urge to run wild.
(Ariella) All the World's a Stage
Author: Beck
Date: 02-24-10 18:34
Ariella had offered to hand out programs at the Drama Club's performance of Boreas & Kalandra. She stood by the door in the Common Common Room and passed them out to everyone who came inside to watch the play. The programs were neatly done on pale yellow parchment and inked in green. They included a synopsis of the play for those not familiar with it and a list of all the characters and the actors who would be portraying them. Everyone in the Drama Club had a role, and some had more than one.
To accommodate the performance, the Common Common Room had been transformed. There'd always been a stage in the room for visiting bands and other performers, but gone were the sofas and other lounging chairs that usually occupied the room. Instead, rows of seats were arranged in front of the stage. Lawrence sat in one of the chairs near the aisle and saved the empty seat next to him for Ariella.
The room wasn't full, but it was more crowded than usual. Ariella doubted the whole school would show up, but probably most would. The Common Common Room was a popular hang out on any Saturday night, and why should tonight be any different?
Ariella stood just within the door to the room and continued to hand out programs. Five minutes to the start of the play, the sconces along the walls began to dim and brighten in turn, signalling to the spectators that the play would be starting shortly.
She imagined that there was a flurry of activity backstage as the actors and those staff and other adults helping them made last minute preparations. The minutes wound down until at last, the lights dimmed in earnest. Ariella placed the remaining programs onto a stool set up by the door and then tiptoed to her seat.
She took her husband's hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. They exchanged smiles and then directed their gazes to the front as the curtain opened on the first act of Boreas & Kalandra.
Busy Backstage
Author: Majandra
Date: 02-24-10 19:49
Majandra's face is creased with a frown of concentration as she adjusts Deak Bennett's costume. The boy has had another growth spurt practically overnight as Maj is certain the costume fit perfectly during yesterday's dress rehearsal. She straigtens from her bent position and motions for Deak to spin slowly around. Satisfied with the quick fix Maj says, "That should do it."
Deak steps off the small dias Maj had had him on. "Thanks, Professor Weasley. I'd better go get in position. I go on in about ten minutes."
"Just don't go and have another growth spurt while the play is Thin progress, please."
Deak flashes a grin. "I'll try but I can't promise anything."
"Professor Weasley!"
Maj turns to see what has Thalia Brown sounding so distraught. "Someone stepped on my hem and ripped my costume!"
"It's all right. An easy fix. Step up here and stand still," Maj says. She can see the tear and can see that while it's not along a seam, the tear is a clean one. She can tell that Thalia is more upset than she should be over a rip and concludes that the reaction is due to Thalia's nervousness about going on stage in front of an actual audience is affecting her. With time a factor in how Maj fixes the costume, she takes out her wand instead of a sewing needle and within seconds she's saying, "See. All fixed."
Thalia doesn't move at first then she turns stricken eyes on Maj and shrilly say, "I can't remember my first line. What's my line?"
Maj steers the girl off the small dias. "Take a deep breath. Slowly let it out. Think about who you are tonight. You are Maude. Breathe in. Breathe out."
"I'm so nervous," Thalia states as if Maj hasn't yet noticed Thalia's having a bout of stage fright. Then in a total non sequitur says, "What sort of name is Maude anyway? It's hardly as interesting as some of the other names like Kalandra. Sounds more like a stuffy spinster."
"It's a very old name and in the Muggle World, there have been queens and other royalty named Maude and some of them were also known as Mathilde with an e or Mathilda with an a."
"Why's that?"
"Sometimes it was due to language differences," Maj says. "I'd explain more but," Maj had been steering Thalia to the wings and as Thalia's cue for the first appearance as Maude is given says, "you're on."
With needing to be on stage right that second, Thalia doesn't have time to think about being nervous anymore. She drops instantly into character and hurries onto stage. Majandra doesn't linger to watch. There's too much to do backstage for her to stand around and Julian Valentine, who is just as busy as she's been, is depending on her continued help.
A Night at the Theater
Author: Lawrence Masterson
Date: 02-25-10 05:44
He'd gotten to the Common Common Room early along with Ariella, who was going to be passing out programs for the show. He'd recieved his program as soon as she'd been given a stack, and with a kiss to her cheek he went to find them seats. He chose an asile seat, mainly so that Ariella would not have to disturb any one when she came to sit down before the play started.
They were both looking forward to the production from the Drama Club, it was a fantastic way to showcase some of the other talents within the school, and a great marketing tool for the Drama Club to gain more members. Lawrence was somewhat familiar with the tale being told, Boreas & Kalandra, but it had been years since he'd actually heard the tale.
When the lights dimmed, he smiled, and settled more in his seat. Ariella came to sit next to him a few moments later, and he slid a hand to lightly clasp hers in his. He knew that the play had to have been a challenge, because while it was well known amongst the Wizarding World, it was not well known for those who were of muggle heritage, or even those who were half-blooded. He gave kudos to Julian Valentine, and the other faculty that aided with the Drama club, because this would be more of an undertaking than their performance before the Christmas holiday.
This was the only thing he had to do today, other than grade a few essays that had been turned in for proofreading, to ensure the optimum marks - and even that could wait until tomorrow morning when he had nothing else to do.
When the first actors took the stage, he turned his attention to the stage, and simply enjoyed an evening at the "theater" with his wife.
Going to the Play
Author: Charisma Stone
Date: 02-25-10 16:16
Isma, Blake, and Eric ended up in the Common Commons, wanting to see the play that the Drama club was putting on this evening. They hadn't done anything else for the earlier part of the day - pretty much keeping to themselves and playing wizard's chess or going through some homework that was needed for the rest of the week.
The trio was sitting off to the side - reclining in their seats. There weren't a whole lot of people, but there were enough within the room to give a good showing to the play being performed.
The lights in the common common room lowered then raised once more, before she would nudge Blake once, and she was sitting between he and Eric, she nudged Eric too. "Starting soon." She murmured. She knew that the students back stage were probably nervous.
She was somewhat familiar with the story that was being told in the play. She'd read up on it, so had Blake and Eric, when they'd announced the play being performed for this particular performance. She knew some of the muggle stories that the current story combined - which kind of made it a bit easier to understand.
Waiting in the Wings
Author: Ella
Date: 02-25-10 18:14
It had been the idea of Francis for him and Ella to join the Drama Club. He had seen the group's earlier play, and though he had never had a great interest in acting, it had looked like a great deal of fun.
Ella had balked at the thought of performing on stage at first. The only club she'd joined since the school year began was the Art Society, which didn't require her to be in the lime light at all. She'd always more or less kept to herself and aside from the Quidditch matches, couldn't see herself standing in front of the entire school, spouting off lines from some play.
In the end, he'd convinced her though, and now she stood in the wings, waiting for her turn to walk on stage. Her costume was elaborate, a set of airy robes cream in color and intertwined with golden embroidery. The sleeves were sheer and hung long. Her hair had been braided and pinned up and was interwoven with a golden band. Golden shoes, almost like ballet flats, complemented the costume.
Across the stage, waiting in the wings to enter stage left, stood Francis. He wore black trousers and a black tunic with silver stitching around the neck. He was actively watching the activity on the stage, but sensing eyes on him, he looked around until he met Ella's gaze. He smiled.
She stuck her tongue out at him. If it hadn't been for him, she would be in the audience, maybe, but definitely not waiting for her turn to enter stage right.
Unfortunately, the minutes until her time came ticked by very quickly. She felt a gentle nudge between her shoulders and moved onto the stage, just as Thalia Brown's character Maude fearfully cried out, "Hark! Who goes there? Ah, it is Arminia. Greetings!"
"Greetings!" Ella said. She turned to face the audience and for a moment felt panic sweep through her, but it passed in time for her to utter her next line, which thankfully, she didn't forget.
Evil Minion (Mason)
Author: Pyrrhus
Date: 02-25-10 19:01
Mason can't stop looking at himself in one of the mirrors where he and some of the others got into costume, into stage make-up, and, for some, transfigured. Mason is one of those who has undergone transfiguration and now he is transfixed with staring at his new body, trying to mentally wrap his head around the fact that the distorted face staring back is his own.
Mason wasn't the sort he'd have pegged as the drama club sort. and had not gotten involved with the one here at Hogwarts until after the Christmas holiday. His friends Ichabod and Boris had been involved and had been part of the small show as part of the Christmas events. They'd had such a good time with it they convinvced Mason to join them at a meeting. He'd allowed himself to be dragged along, not out of any real interest but because it gave him a perfectly valid excuse for putting off things like History of Magic homework.
At first, Mason had been somewhat underwhelmed with the drama exercises and had decided not to attend a second meeting but then Mr. Valentine announced with a big production for the end of March. Even though his father is a Wizard, Mason was raised as a Muggle with no knowledge that magic is real until shortly before he got his Hogwart letter. He knew nothing of the old Wizarding tale Boreas & Kalandra and found himself listening with great interest when the drama club sponsors compared bits and pieces of it to bits and pieces of a number of Muggle stories. Mason didn't care one way or another about the star crossed lovers bits but then Lord of the Rings was mentioned as were curses and evil minions.
The evil minions serve an evil woman who is, as this is a Wizarding play, a wicked witch. That had Mason thinking of the Muggle story The Wizard of Oz with its Wicked Witch of the West and had him stifling a snicker. This one though is called Angelina and her followers and minions are ironically referred to as Angels. These Angels were once regular blokes who, through trickery by Angelina, were put into positions where each either had to agree to be cursed or to be killed. Someone choosing to be cursed was physically transformed into a hideous creature with looks that remind Mason very much of the Orcs from Lord of the Rings.
Being one of Angelina's Angels on-stage means getting to take part in such things as fights that involve hand-to-hand combat, swords, and dueling with wands. Sure, it's all faked for the stage but getting to run around looking hideous while waving a sword is grand fun.
"Hurry up, Mason! It's nearly time!" Ichabod stands just out of the dressing room they'd used, his urgent tone cutting into Mason's thoughts as he studied the details of his deformed features. He grins, which with the way his face looks at the moment is a scary slash filled with jagged teeth, and grabs up his sword.
In a moment will be Mason's first appearance on the stage as a character awesomely named Granite. Granite and some of the other evil Angels get into a skirmish when trying to snatch away characters such as Maude and Arminia. One of those in the skirmish is the hero of the tale, Boreas, and his part in it leads to him becoming cursed by Angelina as well. It's a different curse from that on the Angels. When the explanation of the story was being given to those with Muggle backgrounds, this is the part that led to the Muggle fairy tale Beauty and the Beast being mentioned.
The Angels' cue to take the stage is given and with a bellowing war cry, Mason as Granite rush onto the stage with sword upraised in a visciously clawed, very gnarled hand.