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Sunshine and smile
Author: Linnea Rose
Date: 02-26-10 09:11
Well the weather had been lovely these past week and Linnea felt that it was nothing that would break the mood even though that with her grandpa could break the mood she never thought that much about it. It was just a relive for her to have the peace she needed when she walked the grounds of Hogwarts.
She walked around for a little while think of about all the wonderful things she could do today. She realized that it was so much she could do today and the weather was perfect for this day, but she decided to sit down by the lake and looking in the water maybe she saw something their that would make her forget the horrors for a while.
While she sat there she took up her sketchbook and started to draw the lake. Linnea had always loved drawing and had started at a low age with drawing everything she saw. Her parents have always encouraged her and Maria to choose their different abilities. She was an artist and Maria was the pianist in the family and so had it always been or as longs and Linnea could remember.
The sun shined on her golden-brown hair when she sat there and draws. Linnea thought that the nature had calm and relaxed feeling to her there she sat. Nobody was even near the lake and Linnea thought it was nice to be sitting there alone because she thought it was to noise sometimes and there was not so many places there you could be alone sometimes. She stopped thinking for while and just sat there listing to the sounds from everything around her and the sun kept shining on her.
Getting into Better Spirits
Author: Adina Blackwood
Date: 02-26-10 09:36
She'd spent maybe four hours or so wandering and milling about the expanse of Diagon Alley. She knew where all the shops were, and where she could get things that she needed - when she needed them. So she trudged toward the apartment once more, pushing the door open she would call to her Aunt and Mother that she was home, and then plodded to her room.
She'd been in her room about fifteen minutes before there was a knock on the door. "Adina?" Ephona's voice called from the otherside of the door. "Dinner's just about ready, and then we have a special evening for you." She said, knowing well that the young girl was frustrated, and hated being in the city.
"Not hungry, got something while I was out at Delia's Deli." She said, and didn't bother getting up off her bed. Again, she wanted to just run, run until she passed out under the stars in the field in Greece that she'd grown up in.
"Come out Adina, I know you are miserable, but we are trying to make things better. You'll be in school in the fall, but we are going to make the next few months easier for you. Including tutoring you while you are out of school." Ephona said, before she would heave a soft sigh and begin heading away from the door.
Adina muttered under her breath and rolled over, punching at her pillow before she would push up and leave her room, heading out into the combination kitchen/living room/dining room in the apartment. "What do you mean? I'm not going to fall behind in my schoolwork? Neither of you are teachers, how are you going to ensure that I am going to be on par where I need to be in the fall?" Adina asked as she sat down at the table, and looked over the expanse of the meal that had been either actually cooked or conjured.
"I've hired a tutor for you, to ensure that you do not fall behind in your charms and herbology. You will be meeting with a staff member of Slug & Jiggers over the summer. Also, I will be helping you with your History of Magic, as well as potions. So, you will not fall behind." Adina's mother said, gaining all of her daughter's attention. They'd been in London for maybe a week, and already her mother was setting up tutoring, and the like.
"Thanks Mom." She said, quite glad that she would be able to get back to school work. "So, what is this surprise thing that you and Aunt Ephona are talking about?"
Elona smiled. "We are going to be going to the village of Hogsmeade tomorrow. It will let you at least see the outside of Hogwarts, but there is I believe somewhere you can run just on the outskirts of the village since I know you want to run. Just promise me you will be careful. I am working on trying to find somewhere for you to run - safely."
Adina was nearly beside herself - they were going to let her run?! Run for free! That was fantastic! She loved it! "Thank you, thank you, thank you so very, very much!" She said, and jumped up and hugged both her Aunt and her mother tightly, before sitting down and picking a bit at her dinner.
Hero to Zero?
Author: Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen
Date: 02-26-10 17:35
The fact that Fritz has been cast in one of the starring roles––as Boreas in Boreas & Kalandra––still comes as a surprise to him. He joined the Drama Club more for the company than for the acting. Quite a number of his friends are members of the club, and so far it's been a blast hanging out with them and acting out random scenes from random plays or improvising various scenarios. Fritz doesn't think he's a particularly good actor, but he supposes if he weren't that good, he probably wouldn't have earned a leading role in the current play.
The actress playing Kalandra is Zabrynna Ravensdale, who is a year behind Fritz but also in Ravenclaw House. Fritz thinks it's too bad that his girlfriend Coco isn't starring opposite him, but he's found that he and Zabrynna work well together. Could be, though, that she wishes someone else had gotten his role too. Fritz doesn't think she has a boyfriend, but then he doesn't really know her well enough to know her personal business.
Fritz's first scene in the play is a battle scene, which he likes quite a lot. He received some basic training in sword fighting for his role, which is a lot more fun than dueling with a wand. He swings the sword and it crashes against the blade of one of the evil witch Angelina's minions. Again and again the swords clash until the minions run away, defeated and without their quarry.
Boreas consoles those who'd very nearly been captured and then escorts them to safety, which just happens to be the castle where Kalandra lives. She is standing on the balcony to her room, and when she and Boreas lock eyes, it's love at first sight. Pretty dialogue between the two follows, with Boreas below in the garden gazing up at his new love, and Kalandra looking down at him with a hand pressed to her heart.
The scene quickly shifts to Angelina who has just learned that her minions failed in the task she'd given them. When Granite reveals who interfered, Angelina vows to make Boreas pay and turns to her cauldron, a great black one into which she tosses vile ingredients. The potion is one that need only touch his skin to take effect, and when she has finished with it, she entrusts it to her minions.
"You will see that Boreas feels my wrath on pain of death!" Angelina exclaims, gazing hard at each minion in turn.
They scurry off to do her bidding, and this time they do it without fail. Boreas is caught quite unawares and when he his splashed with the potion, he is transformed into a newt.
Just Before Going On Again
Author: Zabrynna
Date: 02-26-10 19:02
Before going onto the stage the first time this evening, Zabrynna had done what a number of the others in the play and working backstage had done. She'd peaked out into the audience. She'd taken a look earlier as well, a little disappointed then that there didn't seem many filling the seats. When she took the second peak, she saw that many of those seats had filled and wonders if a lot of people waited until the lights dimmed off and on then off again to signal the play about to begin. She knows that there was a refreshments area set up and can well imagine someone wanting to stand around there, chatting others up while getting something to nibble on or drink instead of going.
Neither time did Zabrynna spot her parents or her sister. She was really hoping they'd come and even if Magretta and Nolan didn't that Mariposa would. In fact, she was so sure Mariposa would be here that when Zabrynna couldn't find her in the audience during that second peak, she'd had a sudden urge to cry. The only thing stopping her from even sniffling a little was that fact that she was about to make Kalandra's entrance. The first appearance of Kalandra on-stage is fleeting. Her real presence isn't established until she's on a castle balcony and first sees Boreas.
It was when she stepped onto that balcony that Zabrynna finally caught sight of Mariposa, Margretta, and Nolan in the audience. She thinks her line of sight to them was obscured by a stage light when she was peaking out earlier. Before seeing them Zabrynna had been intent on giving her best possible peformance. Once she knew her family was in the audience, Zabrynna wanted to give her best plus 200% more. She felt then and still feels the need to show them they did the right thing in allowing her to try out for this play.
Anne had been in the drama club since the start of term. Philippa is a sporadic attendee to meetings. Zabrynna hadn't gone that often, mainly because of her parents wanting her to stay out of trouble and concentrate on her coursework. They also feel that belonging to even just one or two fun clubs goes against Zabrynna's term-long punishment. She knows she could have tried out for the play without asking them but decided that it was easier to ask and be told no then to try out without their knowledge, get a part, then have to find an excuse to drop out of the play were they to discover what she'd done and gotten angry.
Zabrynna thinks the only reason her mum and dad agreed to letting her try out is that other than the horrible incident of being caught with Anne's love potion, Zabrynna has done exactly as told all term-long. She's not whined to them about being unable to go into Hogsmeade nor has she said one word of complaint to them about the project Professor Dumbledore gave her. She thinks another reason they agreed is that neither thought she'd be picked for anything other than a very minor part. There's also the fact that Margretta learned from Mariposa that St. Emrys University is taking a cue from Muggle universities and encouraging applicants to have at least one extra curricular activity, stating that such students are better rounded individuals.
"Almost changed, Zabrynna?"
"What? Oh, yes, nearly," Zabrynna replies, pulling her head from the clouds.
She'd been in the process of a costume change. Before she was wearing a gorgeous, flowing, old fashioned style robes. Now she's in leather and armor and when she takes the stage again in a few minutes it will be for one of Zabrynna's favorite parts of the Boreas & Kalandra story in which Kalandra gets to do more than stand around and look pretty while waiting for the hero to save her. Of course, at that point in the story, Kalandra has no idea that Boreas is nothing more than a newt, and not even a cute newt at that.
Zabrynna moves to the stage right wing with wand gripped in hand. The only way this part would be better, in her opinion, would be if Kalandra too got to fight with a sword. A regular old magical duel she supposes, however, is better than not getting to take part in the action at all.
Set Change
Author: Julian Valentine
Date: 02-27-10 21:51
From his spot in one the wings, Julian waves his wand at the stage. He works rapidly to effect a set change, much the way the Great Hall gets transformed for different events held there or when there is a color change of pennants to showcase the winning Quidditch team or whichever house won the House Cup. The sets had been constructed in the weeks leading up to the play. Over the course of this last week, they'd gotten the set pieces in positions backstage in what to an outsider might look disorganized but to those working the play know there's an order to where each piece was placed. Unlike a Muggle play which either has to go with simple sets that can be easily moved or have some sort of technical or mechanical system to move large pieces, a Wizarding play with at least one competant adult helping out doesn't have that problem. This means that even though the production tonight is school play, the sets are more elaborate than they might otherwise be. The biggest constraint they face was time, as Julian was more than happy to help with the monetary aspect if things ran over budget.
Another advantage of being able to use magic to quickly change the sets onstage is that they can do more set changes in less time. There was an intermission earlier of decent length for people to stretch their legs, get something to drink, or run to the loo.
Julian's quite pleased with how everything's going so far. He certainly picked ambitious play to produce given the amount of time they had from the first club meeting after the Christmas holidays to the date Professor Dumbledore alotted for the play. Julian would have really preferred a later date but understands the headmaster's reasons for setting today as the play's date. Not only were there other activities to be accounted for on the school calendar, there was the Spring Holiday to consider and the need to have any activities that require more time than usual, other than Quidditch, to be out of the way and no longer a distraction before the final pressure to be prepared for O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s descends on the fifth and the seventh years.
The set change complete, Julian makes waving gestures with one hand at some of the cast members waiting in the wings. They hurry to get into position on their marks before the lights come up again - they'd been dimmed for the set change. Before one of those cast members gets into place, Julian stops him, double checking the combination of costume, make-up, and magical transfiguration. His son Caerwyn is one of the cast with multiple small roles and at the moment he's hairy in patchs, has a whip-like tail, and a third leg, playing one of those cursed by Angelina. During dress rehearsals the tail gave Caerwyn some problems, not wanting to respond properly to the whipping action it's supposed to have. Satisfied that they won't have to go to Plan B on the tail, Julian has Caerwyn hustle to get into place.
Seconds later the lights come up after the very brief set change interlude and the Hogwarts Drama Club's production of Boreas & Kalandra resumes.
It feels like home
Author: Linnea Rose
Date: 02-28-10 01:10
Like every other student Linnea was going to the play today. It was something she had looked forward to the whole week. It was like being home again and she remembered all these Saturdays at home when her parents had take both her and Maria to the theatre and they have had this wonderful family day.
But the play was later that day so she had to pass the time around so she sat in the in one of the chairs in the dormitory room and thought she might try some spells now when she had so much time to do it. She knows it was just a couple of hours to she need to be in the Common room to watch the play. But that gave her plenty of time to try the spells.
It was not hard for here to come up with spells and she tried every spell she learnt during this year and so she went through them all and tried it for herself. She had so much fun so the time flied past and it was time to go down.
So she run up to her bed and left her book with spells and run down to go to the common room to see the play. In the dormitory room she met some friends and they went together the play.
Is that a Threat?
Author: Illyria
Date: 02-28-10 13:26
Illyria sat in the audience at the Drama Club's performance of Boreas & Kalandra and tried not think about anything other than the play, which she found to be a very fine production. The students involved had obviously practiced very hard and really seemed to be enjoying themselves onstage. Illyria herself had never been involved in a school play and now wished she had. The costumes were gorgeous and the whole production seemed to be great fun.
Ah, well. Maybe in another life.
Illyria became so engrossed in the play that she neglected to see the house elf who had entered the common common room. The elf walked down the center aisle and stopped at the end of Illyria's row. Illyria sat in the middle, and because the house elf couldn't get her attention and didn't want to disturb the other audience members or actors by calling Illyria's name, she very carefully walked down the row until she stood in front of Illyria's seat.
Only then did Illyria notice her. The house elf produced a letter and presented it to the Astronomy professor.
Illyria took it and wondered who it came from, since the only thing written on the envelope was her own name. There was no return address or family seal anywhere on it.
Instead of walking back down the row to the aisle, the house elf snapped her fingers and disappeared. Illyria frowned, since she'd wanted to ask the elf how the letter had arrived. Had an owl delivered it, or had it been sent in person?
Her intial plan was to read the letter after the play. She set it in her lap and turned her attention to the stage. Try as she might to concentrate on the activity there, however, she couldn't help but wonder about the letter. Finally, when it appeared obvious that she couldn't stop thinking about it, she flipped it over and carefully tore open the envelope.
Inside was a single sheet of parchment on which was written:
Ms. Jones,
It comes to my attention that for a time you had something of mine. I do not care how or why this came to be, but know that I expect to be compensated for the trouble it has caused me. I will be in touch.
There was no signature.
Illyria didn't know what to think about the letter, but she knew exactly who she needed to talk to about it, the one person she wanted to avoid: Roland.
Vanderbilt Sisters at the Play
Author: Griet
Date: 02-28-10 14:33
Beatrix fell backwards and dramatically clutched at her side, where a spell had struck her during a dueling scene in the play Boreas & Kalandra. Like several others, Beatrix had several small roles in the play, such as an unnamed minion to the evil witch Angelina and an ordinary villager. She loved all her costumes, even the ugly minion one, and though she had very few lines, she gave them her absolute all. If she had to pick a favorite scene of hers, she didn't know where to start. They were all fun in their own way.
Also in the play was Aleydis, who had a minor role too, though at least her character had a name. She was called Retitha, and she was an old witch who lived in an isolated cottage in the forest. Boreas as a newly turned newt stumbled upon her abode in a blind panic, and when Retitha saw him, she decided to cook him for dinner since she didn't ever go to the market to buy or barter for food. Of course, Boreas escaped her cooking pot and lived to see another day.
Cornelia and Griet were both in the audience, though they sat on opposite sides of the room and with Gervaise and Oberon, respectively. Cornelia had no desire to act, and while Griet thought it might be fun, she'd ultimately decided against participating since she knew it might put her in a vulnerable and very public position that Cornelia might seize the chance to utilize. Griet had already been embarassed enough this school year.
Of course, Griet had no idea that Cornelia had purposefully ceased trying to make her life hell, since she didn't want to jeopardize things with Gervaise. She had lied to her family about them being a couple, and she didn't want him finding out about it. Griet would surely say something if Cornelia pushed her buttons too much. What if Gervaise had a problem with it? What if he still had feelings for Griet, despite the outwrad appearance that he loathed her now as much, if not more, than Cornelia did. Cornelia didn't want to blow the chance of them ever getting together.
So very badly did she want to reach for Gervaise's hand, and she even gazed down at it where it rested in his lap a few times. Her heart leapt into her throat when he tapped her hand after a while. He leaned his head closer to hers and made a comment about something that had just happened in the play. Cornelia could smell the soap he'd used on his skin during his shower that morning. She wanted to sink her nose into his neck but she refrained, and though he leaned away to watch more of the play, his scent lingered in the air for a while. She inhaled it blissfully.
In The Audience
Author: Aaron Miller
Date: 02-28-10 14:35
Not having grown up with any inkling that magic is real and Witches and Wizards really do exist, the Wizarding fairy tale Boreas & Kalandra wasn't something I'd ever heard of until becoming guardian to Deacon and Drake Bennett. At that time, Deak was young enough to still love having stories read to him and there were portions of Boreas & Kalandra he couldn't get enough of. Other parts, he'd turn his nose up and say, "Why did they have to muck it up with all the kissing?" He's at an age now where Deak thinks far differently about kissing.
This is the first time I've seen the story performed and knowing that Mom would enjoy it as well, Saffron and I invited her to join us this evening. I figured Dad would pass on the invitation but he decided to come and even though it is a story he grew up with, seems to be enjoying it as though it's something brand new to him. We've got Niccola with us and she behaved very well, even after she was awake longer than usual taking in everything going on around her. She finally conked out and is drooling on my shoulder in her sleep. We did have a house elf on stand-by to babysit for us in case Nic started acting up, though I'm glad we ended up not needing him.
Deak's in the play and I have to admire Maj Weasley's skills with the costumes. I saw Deak's on him earlier today and his most recent growth spurt was extremely obvious in the fit of the costume but with whatever she did to it before Deak came onstage it looks as though it were made to his measurements now.
Jill Prewitt, Jasper Jenkins, and Hunter Rabnott are in the play as part of the assemble. Each has more than one character ranging from townsfolk to Jasper getting to gallop around briefly as a Centaur. Also in the play is Liannah MacDougal. It surprised us that she even tried out because we know how much of a struggle Liannah's been having with the post traumatic stress of being made to go to the prison community called Camp Lollipop. I think she was shocked when instead of a very minor assemble part, she was cast with a part that's still minor in the grand scheme but is a speaking part with lines in each of the acts.
The need to applaud what's going on has me shifting Nic to a different position, trying not to wake her while clapping at the same time. There's a small party after the play ends, what one might think of as a cast party but anyone in attendance is invited. If Nic is sleeping this soundly by play's end, maybe Saffron, Mom, Dad, and I will stay for more than the few minutes we plan on lingering to congratulate the family members in the play. Plus, by then I'll be hungry for a snack and there's sure to be some excellent food at the little party.
Working at Home
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 02-28-10 15:12
Fleur poured Bill another cup of tea and sat down next to him at the dinner table. Piles of official-looking documents scattered the table's surface. Bill used an eagle-feathered quill to make notations on some of them and to sign others as needed. Ever since returning to work, Bill took some of it home with him every night. He'd missed around a month's worth and felt it necessary to utilize his evenings to catch up. Mrs. Davies had done a good job on her own in his absence, but there was still plenty do be done before Bill was where he needed to be.
Beside him, Fleur sighed. "Must you work again? Eet eez Saturday night."
Bill lowered his quill and turned to his wife. He cupped her face with his palm and said, "Only five minutes more, I promise."
"You said zat five minutes ago!" Fleur responded. Although she felt he was working himself too hard, she was smiling. She knew Bill loved his job and that it was important for him to be up-to-date on everything that went with it.
Bill chuckled. "I guess I did, but this time I mean it."
He'd actually gone to Gringotts today and gotten a lot accomplished, but Saturdays were short work days, so he'd spent nearly all afternoon at home doing more work. He'd only taken a break for supper.
"Good," Fleur said. "I zink eet's time to put Victoire to bed. Perhaps you would like to tuck 'er een?"
"I would love to," Bill replied. He didn't even bother finishing what he'd wanted to accomplish in those last five minutes. He gathered together his paperwork and stuffed it into his briefcase. He threw the quill inside too and then went to the play pen in the living room where Victoire was holding a stuffed animal cat that looked remarkably like Marguerite. Her eyes lit up at the sight of her daddy, and she dropped the cat and stretched out her arms. Bill scooped her up, basking in her smile.
With his daughter in his arms, he turned to his wife, who had followed him into the room. "What say you to giving Victoire a baby sister or baby brother?"
"I zink I can be persuaded to try to 'ave another child," Fleur responded with a grin.
"Good. Let's tuck this little one into her bed and then retire to ours."
He waggled his eyebrows, to which Fleur laughed out loud. She followed him to Victoire's room, where Bill gently lowered his daughter into her crib and tucked her soft, pink blanket around her. Victoire seemed far too stimulated to want to go to sleep, but it wasn't long before her eyes drooped shut. Bill and Fleur watched her sleep for a while, admiring her soft hair, her little nose, and the tiny fingers that were wrapped around her blanket.
Easier Said Than Done
Author: Declan
Date: 02-28-10 15:43
Every time Zabrynna Ravensdale comes onto the stage as Kalandra, Declan gets a start. The first time, it wasn't even as though he hadn't know Zabrynna is one of the leads in the play. He's not sure what it is. Perhaps it's how mature she looks compared to her usual fresh faced, definitely teen appearance. As Kalandra, Zabrynna still looks young of course, but there's just something else there that Declan can't put his finger on. Whatever it is, no matter how many times she's made an appearance, which as one of the leads is often, Declan experiences the same little jolt of surprise at seeing her.
Declan is still grappling with what exactly he feels for Zabrynna. There's the anger and contempt for what she did but with months now to reflect on everything, Declan does try to keep in mind that teens can do some truly stupid things and teens who think they are in love tend to act even stupider. Still, that doesn't justify what Zabrynna did and with Declan having been the one she did it to, that makes the teens do stupid things argument a whole lot harder to accept.
He also feels sorry for Zabrynna. She's a bright, beautiful girl who royally screwed up and is going to be paying for that mistake for a long time yet. Zabrynna has the rest of her sixth year to go and all of seventh and Declan has a sneaking suspicious that Nolan and Margretta Ravensdale are so disappointed in their daughter's actions that life in the Ravensdale home when Zabynna is there is on the miserable side for the girl.
Declan feels something else as well. Declan would never willingly cross the line and date a student, even if the student were seventeen, but it's not so hard to imagine a former student. Declan's eyes stray to where Ariella and Lawrence Masterson are sitting. That one definitely crossed the line but at least Ariella was already seventeen and they had begun dating before they knew Lawrence would be a teacher at Hogwarts and have her in one of his classes. Nonetheless, they should have put a hold on the dating once they did learn they'd be student and teacher. Being truly in love though makes it one of those easier said than done things and Declan hates to think of himself as judgemental.
His eyes go back to the stage. He hates being judgemental yet he can't help but judge Zabrynna. Declan really wishes he could objectively view what happened but with him as the victim, then again, it's an easier said than done thing.
For about the millionth time this night, Declan tells himself to relax and just enjoy the play, but as good as the production is, sitting back and doing nothing but being entertained when the irony of Zabrynna being cast as the romantic heroine Kalandra is right in front of him is something else he's finding much easier said than done.