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(London, England) Watch That First Step...
Author: Desdemona Diamond
Date: 12-02-10 08:34
“So, what are you doing today?”
I sighed, “I told you, first I have some errands to run, which you are more than welcome to come along. If you get ready first,” I told my sister. She was standing on the other side of the kitchen table from me dressed in gray sweats and a white tank top. Something she, like Bronwyn, wouldn’t go out in public in.
“Speaking of, how long have you been here again?” I asked.
“Uhh.. Not sure.”
“You know Blaine isn’t looking for you anymore, right?”
“Yeah, but it’s nice to get away from being a full time older sister, part time babysitter, and occasional mom,” she responded. “And besides I can…” Her voice faded away as if she was moving away from me, but she was just standing there.
My sister, and everything in sight started to fade, like being covered in fog. Within the span of what seemed like a few seconds, I was looking at nothing but fog. That’s when the howling of the wind started, and I was it with a wall of freezing air with flakes of snow.
I turned my back to the wind, lowered my head, and grabbed my shoulders to try to keep warm. The ground under my feet was covered in snow, and as I looked up and looked around, I could see I was standing in the middle of a large field. I could only guess at the size since I couldn’t see the edges of it.
The ground was covered by snow, with more snow falling. Granted, it was mostly going sideways instead of down, but it was still falling. I scanned around me once more to figure out where I was. Off in the distance, I could make out what looked like a small figure.
I adjusted the thick cloak I was wearing to try to keep out as much of the wind as I could before I started slowly walking towards the figure. The wind was so loud that I couldn’t even hear my attempts to get the figure’s attention.
After a few minutes, I could see they were headed for a structure that looked like an old barn. They cracked open one of the large doors and slid inside before I could reach them. I reached the barn and slid inside only a few seconds behind them.
I lowered the hood of my cloak and looked around. The wind was kept out, but could be heard outside. There was little in the way of what could be called heat inside. The inside was worn and faded with age, it was a wonder how the barn could even stand against the wind.
“Hello?” I called into the barn. After a few seconds of listening, only the continued howl of the wind answered. I slowly moved forward listening for anything. After a few steps, I could hear the sound of sobbing, coming from the last animal stall. I hurried over to the end of the stall, and looked in.
There, hiding in a corner was the small figure. She was covered in a thick cloak, with her hood pulled over her head. She was hugging her knees and quietly crying.
“Hey,” I said, startling the girl, “I’m not going to hurt you,” she backed as far away into the corner as she could, “I’d like to help if I could. Are you lost?” The hood shook back and forth.
I took a step closer, and she didn’t move away. I carefully moved over and sat down next to the girl. “If you’re not lost, than what’s wrong?”
“Did, did they get you too?” She asked.
“Did who get me?”
“The other kids,”
“No, no one got me. Why do you ask?” Her hands, which had bruised knuckles, came up to the edges of her hood where she paused a moment before lowering it. The bruises continued on her face, it looked like she may have been in some kind of fight. But her face wasn’t what she was hiding; it was the paint that had been spilled in her hair. It looked like someone had taken several small containers of paint and dumped them in her hair.
The now dry paint covered most of her now tangled hair. The different colors having mixed in some places leaving a virtual rainbow in her hair. As she removed her cloak entirely she revealed her close had been stained as well. Her clothing was also torn, as if someone had tried to rip her clothes apart.
“Who would do this to you? Why?”
“The other kids, they jumped me, and did this. They called me ‘Evil BB.’” She said, “But, you know that already.”
I looked at her a moment before I knew what she meant. I did know. I knew exactly what happened. I was looking at myself 15 years ago when I had been mistaken for my sister.
“Yeah,” I finally got out, “So than, why are we here?”
“You know that too, this is no different… but it is.” Just as her mouth closed, I fell. I hit the kitchen table face on, did a small bounce, and landed flat on my back on the floor. I’m not sure how hard I hit, but I hit hard enough that I was completely scrambled.
“HEY!” The first clear word I can make out is my sister screaming at me, great. “Dee?”
“Yeah?” I groaned.
“Are you ok? What happened? I turn my back for a second, and it looked like you got pushed into the table.”
“Yeah…” There was a pause before I continued, “Yeah,” I sighed, “So much for a day off, I have to go to work now. When the room stops moving.”
Going To The Play
Author: Nathaniel Ross
Date: 12-02-10 14:24
It seemed that finally Lilac had managed to speak to him again. Eager to win her friendship again Nate invited Lilac to go watch the Drama Club play this afternoon. She accepted and he waited for her near the Ravenclaw tower.
“You didn’t need to come all this way up here.” She told him once she left her house’s common room. Nate smiled and replied he had taken a short cut upstairs. It did not bore him to go fetch Lilac. This way they would have more time together as they walked to the common commons where the play was going to be performed.
“How has been your Saturday so far?” He asked.
“I have been the whole day stuck at the library working on this DADA essay. It was a bit frustrating actually.”
“If you need help with anything just ask.” Nate told her. He had already taken those classes on previous years so he probably would be able to help her. However Nate had never been so clever like Lilac. That was why she went to Ravenclaw, because she was very quick-witted and intelligent.
He wondered if she was clever enough to realize he had deep feelings for her. He hoped at the same time that she did and did not.
“Thank you.” Lilac replied. “I was wondering…do you have plans for Christmas?”
“Other than staying with my parents no, not really.”
“You still live in the same place as you did right?” Lilac asked with curiosity. Nate’s house was relatively close to Lilac’s uncle’s house and in the past he used to be invited for Christmas at their house along with his parents.
It all ended when Smythe-Jones was in the power. Lilac’s family abandoned their house and Nate recalled once how he broke into to empty house, hoping there would be a clue where Lilac was so he could contact her. But of course he didn’t find anything and ended up going back to Hogwarts alone, once again, after the Christmas break ended.
“Yes, I still live there. Why?”
“Well because I live again near your house, so I was thinking maybe we could celebrate Christmas together again.” Lilac seemed a bit apprehensive about all this and Nate thought maybe this had been Celia’s idea and not hers.
“I will have to write to my parents about this, but that sounds like a great idea to me. I would love to spend Christmas with you again Lilac.”
He noticed her warm smile as he told him these words. It was good to see Lilac happy again. She had showed that before as he went for a walk with her and Rosie the other day. Nate wondered if he could make her laugh again. He missed that sound a lot and he remembered how they used to laugh all the time together.
As they sat together waiting for the play to start Nate looked her in the eyes and said:
“It’s good to have you back Lilac. I missed you a lot.” Then without thinking at all he kissed her cheek with tenderness.
In the Audience
Author: Minerva McGonagall
Date: 12-02-10 17:38
Rows and rows of chairs filled the Common Commons, with a center aisle and aisles on either end. Along the far wall of the room stood a magnificent stage with a red velvet curtain, behind which last minute adjustments to the sets and actors were being made.
The Common Commons filled quickly, and promptly at 2, the lamps dimmed and the curtains drew open to reveal a grand bedroom with twelve beds. The beds had been painted a metallic gold, and each of the bed coverings was a different shade of silk, but all were complimentary to each other.
On stage were twelve girls meant to be the Twelve Dancing Princesses in the play.
It was as the opening monologue began that Professor McGonagall noticed Madoc's parents appear at the end of her row. Madoc had mentioned that they would come to see him perform in Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. She'd saved them each a seat, and one for Malden, who appeared to be absent.
Myron and Cate quietly and quickly moved down the row, keeping low so that the people behind them could still see the stage. Myron sat next to his aunt and greeted her with a whispered "Hello."
Professor McGonagall would later learn that Malden was spending the weekend with his grandfather, her brother, and that was why he wouldn't get to see his brother make his acting debut.
One Of The Princesses (Hydrangea)
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 12-02-10 18:38
As the day for the play approached, Hydrangea became increasingly nervous. Cast as one of the younger princesses in The Twelve Dancing Princesses she began to worry that she'd garble her lines or fall on her face while dancing. At least she doesn't have many lines to garble but there is quite a lot of dancing. Even her half a minute on stage as an extra in Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves had Hydrangea envisioning something that would ruin the scene.
During dress rehearsal she had messed up a few times. The only comfort was that some others had as well. Mr. Valentine kept assuring them that more often than not, a chaotic or poor full dress rehearsal translates into an exceptional performance in front of an audience. While peeking out from one of the stage wings as the common commons filled, Hydrangea certainly hoped that was true.
No matter how it goes, she absolutely loves the dresses and the shoes that are her costumes. Each dress is a gorgeous ball type gown with shoes that are equally beautiful and, more importantly, comfortable to wear and easy to dance in. Even the sets are to die for. Hydrangea would LOVE to claim the silk bedding on her character's bed as her own. Maybe Professor Weasley and Mr. Valentine will let her buy her costumes and character's bedding after they're done this afternoon.
Hydrangea is called away from the curtain. It's time to get into positions prior to the curtain going up. As the lights in the audience dim and the stage lighting comes up, Hydrangea is suddenly not nervous anymore. Suddenly, even though she still has butterflies, Hydrangea no longer feels like she's going to mess up. Now she thinks this is going to be fun and spectacular! As the curtain rises, Hydrangea is ready and almost wishes her part were larger.
In Romania
Author: Charlie Weasley
Date: 12-03-10 22:04
Charlie moves around behind the Romanian Longhorn, well out of sight of the dragon's peripheral vision and upwind of its sense of smell. Working in sync with two others, the dragon keepers get the dragon sedated and returned to the dragon preserve. The male dragon had strayed from the santuary and gotten far too close for comfort to a Muggle community. Normally the dragon keepers here are far better at maintaining the protective spells around the perimeter and at regularly patrolling to keep tabs on the dragon population but an odd, new strain of dragon pox has a good number of the preserve's workers in quarantine, making the preserve greatly understaffed. It's why Charlie's here today helping out.
The straying dragon back where it belongs, Charlie and the other two, a Chinese woman called Zhu Daiyu and an American with the French sounding name of Alphonse Comeaux, begin working on strengthening spells along the perserve border where the dragon is believed to have left the sanctuary. As they work, they talk, letting Zhu Daiyu direct the flow of conversation as she works on improving her English. At one point she asks Charlie, "You had no prwans today?"
"I did actually. My wife's niece's brother is in a school play."
"Wife's niece's brother? But he's not her nephew?" Alphonse chuckles.
"No, not technically but we treat Caerwyn as if he is. Hendrika's half-sister Briar has a daughter, Grace. Grace's father has a son, Caerwyn."
This led to a discussion of all their families and somehow that led to them talking about their current jobs as well as other jobs they've each held. It's Alphonse who says to Charlie, "You once worked here in Romania, didn't you?"
"Yes, my first dragon keeping job and the one I held until moving back to the UK and taking the job with the McFustys and the job at St. Emrys University."
The conversation continued genially though a small part of Charlie's mind started thinking about another time there'd been illness at the Romanian preserve, when dragons were dying and humans were being quarantined. Charlie supposes that with the way Bill's been hung up lately on Adriana Fairchild that it's only natural that here in this setting he'd be unable to stop himself from thinking about Helena Tufton. It was here that they'd met, with great animosity at first, pushed into working together. It was here that Charlie fell in love with Helena and had thought she loved him in return.
Charlie really doesn't want to think about Helena. Doesn't like how thinking about her almost makes him feel like he's not being true to Hendrika. Then again, if not for what happened here and the events that followed, the odd way that Hendrika came into his life would never have come about. Hendrika would probably still be in South Africa. There would be no Schuyler and no Artie. Charlie can't imagine not having these three very important people in his life and finds himself with greatly mixed feelings as the memories of his time here in Romania, working with Helena threaten to distract him from the task at hand and from being able to pay attention to the conversation with Zhu Daiyu and Alphonse. It takes a great deal of energy and resolve, but Charlie shoves all thoughts of Helena deep inside until a time when he's alone and not doing something meant to save the lives of both humans and dragons.
A kiss?
Author: Lilac Middleton
Date: 12-04-10 20:40
The costumes and the set were simply wickedly, brilliant. The music that started was just like I imaged it would be. I had of course read the fairy tale right before the play was put on. It was a lovely little tale. 12 dancing princesses, each more lovely than the next. How couldn’t it be lovely? I sat back as the play slowly began and suddenly, I felt a very, tiny, gentle, peck on my cheek. I turned, to see Nate, shyly smiling at me. Had he just kissed me?!
He did just kiss me, my cheek was a little wet where he had kissed me, and I stared at him. Did he really like me like that? Had I always known this? Yes, I decided that I had always known he had liked me because secretly, I liked him too. I always felt so safe when I was near him. Why had I thought he would be like the others were when I knew deep down that he wouldn’t be? I looked at him for a moment, before gently, reaching up and kissing him lightly on the cheek.
“I missed you too.” I said sinking back down in my chair then, I shyly cuddled into Nate. I looked back up at him, and then tried to turn my attention to the play. I loved this fairy tale. Even though it was a Muggle one, and nothing like anything from the Tales of Beadle Bard. But it was still good.
“Nate?” I whispered.
“Um?” He asked wrapping his arms around me.
“I can’t wait till Christmas.” I said smiling up at him. Then, suddenly I remembered my mother had read this fairy tale to me a long time ago once. She would every now and then read me Muggle stories. I blinked. It had been very long time since I had thought of my parents.
“What is it?” Nate asked.
“My Mum read me this.” I said. “ She used to read me Muggle stories once in a while. “Do you think, if she was still alive, that she’d have come to see this?” I asked. After all, Nate had known my parents. He smiled at me.
“I think she would have and your dad too.” He said softly. “You miss them don’t you?”
“Yes.” I said. “But I have Aunt Kelly and Uncle Brandon. Some kids don’t even get that when their parents are killed or die.” I said. “I guess I’m lucky in that. But I think my Grandparents would have taken me in too.”
“We would have.” Nate said matter of factly. “If no one else would have, we would have. I know my parents would have.”
“Sh.” Someone said behind us. Oops. I guess we were talking a bit too loudly. Nate and I giggled, and ducked down in our seats. We’d have to save the rest of our conversation for later.
Strange
Author: Johanna Steele
Date: 12-05-10 15:22
Johanna had no plans to go and watch the play. It wasn’t really her thing to see a bunch of students dressed up and saying some lines to the audience. However as she was leaving the Great Hall after a lonely lunch Roger Gesner showed up and dragged her to the Common Commons.
“I still don’t know why I'm here.“ She complained in a whisper. It would be so much better to be sat by the fireplace in the Slytherin common room, reading a book, or simply be sat with her eyes closed feeling the heat from the fire.
“It’s called culture. I bet when this play ends you will learn something new.” Roger tried.
“First I was raised in the muggle world and I had also read The Tales of Beedle the Bard so I know all these stories well. And second I am not a nerdy Ravenclaw like you who uses knowledge as oxygen to live.” Roger tried not to laugh but it was impossible. An elder student sat on the row in front of them turned around and told them to be quiet.
“Just try to enjoy it Steele.” Roger said in a whisper.
But instead of paying attention to what was going on at the stage Johanna looked around trying to spot familiar faces. For her surprise Gus was there, surrounded by girls. He seemed bored, but apparently they managed to grab him into there too. Maybe some of his fans would be performing at the play and they wanted him there to see them. There was no sign of Felicia, nor Mark or Kate. Johanna knew Felicia wasn’t in the Drama club, but she couldn’t tell for sure about the other two. There was no sign of her cousins either.
Johanna yawned, now trying to focus on the play. She ended up enjoying the show and when there was a small break Roger asked her what she was thinking about everything. Of course she was not going to admit in front of him she was liking the play so far. The Drama club was doing such a great job and now she was eager to see what they would perform next.
“It’s not bad Gesner.” She ended up replying.
“Well next time we go on a date, I’ll let you chose the place.” Roger told her.
A date? She looked at him as if he had been a victim of some charm or spell that messed up with his mind. There was no other explanation really, because when Roger asked her to go with him to see the play he did not mention anything about a date. Plus Johanna had no interest dating a Ravenclaw. She was about to yell at him, making a scene if she had to, just to make clear this was not a date when the play started again.
“Relax and go with the flow Steele. You’re too tense.” Roger said in a gentle and somehow worried tone, as he held Johanna’s hand in the dark.
She did not know what had happened on that moment, but it seemed that his touch managed to calm her down. Her last thoughts before she focused on the play again were if Roger had put some unknown potion inside the butterbeer he had offered her during the break that made her feel somehow strange towards him.
In The Wings
Author: Julian Valentine
Date: 12-05-10 16:32
Julian stands in the wings, just off stage right, ready to assist in transforming the haughty queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to an old woman peddling apples if the polyjuice potion doesn't work properly. It should. They'd tested it several times, but nonetheless it's best to be prepared in case something doesn't go as planned. They've also rehearsed the back-up plan though neither Julian nor Majandra think they'll have to resort to it. Julian watches from his vantage point for the potion to take effect. Across the stage, hidden from view in the other wing Majandra has her wand at the ready to change the queen's beautiful outfit into something more befitting and expected of a old apple seller.
The first portion of the production, The Twelve Dancing Princesses, went off well. So far Snow White is going just as rehearsed and from the audience's reaction, both segments of the entertainment so far are well received. Based on certain reactions, Julian is guessing that many in the audience had no idea Muggle fairy tales are so full of magic. He was extremely surprised when he first read one and is still sometimes surprised when reading a new one. His mother was of course shocked to learn that Julian was planning on Muggle stories for this production, that he's been reading such stories to Grace (and to Charlotte as well), and that there is so much magic. Lysette is in the audience, as is Julian's father, not so much because Julian is one of the producers but mainly because Caerwyn is part of it. Caerwyn is the dwarf Sleepy in the segment currently going on and is an extra thief in the third, and final, segment of the play Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.
Julian wonders what his mum will say when she finds out he's thinking of exploring more of these Muggle tales for future plays. They are unknown to many so could generate more interest in the long run than the usual Wizarding fairy tales, be they from Beedle the Bard or some of the other many sources of Wizarding children's stories. At times Julian's found it hard to believe he's so embraced these stories. Once upon a time, Julian's dealings with the Muggle world were for self advancement, such as attending Muggle university to gain better understanding of the Muggle financial markets. Also, there's that old chestnut about knowing one's enemy.
It's easy to forget sometimes that he'd ever secretly sold Dark Arts books. That visit recently from Russell Peakes was a harsh reminder of just how deeply entrenched in certain ideas espoused by Death Eaters, Lord Voldemort, and more of that ilk Julian had been. He could still get time in Azkaban for some of those things. Hell, if anyone were to ever learn that Lysander and he once delivered Harry Potter to Death Eaters, to Lord Voldemort, he'd be lucky to see the light of day again.
The sounds of gasps from the audience pulls Julian's mind back to the here and now. Snow White has just taken a bite of the apple and fallen over as if dead. Some in the audience know how the story turns out but the majority don't, hence the gasp. They never would have thought the herione would be felled in such a manner. Julian wonders of those that do know the story know that in the very original story, Snow White was called Snowdrop, the queen is Snow White's mother, not her step-mother. He also wonders how many of them know that in the Grimm's fairy tale version the queen is invited to attend the wedding of Snow White and the Prince where she's forced to wear red hot shoes made of iron and to dance until she falls over dead. Majandra and Julian had debated how their play would end and decided to go with the Grimm's ending because of the magic involved with the shoes.
With things going as they should on-stage, Julian leaves his spot long enough to remind certain students that the time to strike the Snow White set and get the stage ready for Ali Baba is almost upon them.
(Azaelia) Back Row
Author: Isolde
Date: 12-05-10 17:30
Azaelia sat in the very last row at the play, engrossed by the theatrics on stage, even if the basis was a Muggle fairy tale. Having grown up in the wizarding world and having more or less shunned the Muggle world for its inferiority, Azaelia wasn't familiar with The Twelve Dancing Princesses, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. She couldn't deny that she didn't like what she saw tonight, though.
Perhaps it helped that both of the fairy tales performed so far had elements of magic in them. At any rate, Azaelia sat at the edge of her seat, eager to find out what would happen to Snow White. Would she live, or would the evil queen triumph?
Robert Blackheart sat to her left. Since rekindling their childhood romance, the pair appeared inseperable. Only their jobs kept them apart. Robert worked for the Department of International Magical Cooperation and was often away on business. In fact, he'd lived out of the country for many years before reuniting with Azaelia.
On Azaelia's other side sat Isolde and Pyrrhus. Py's half-brother Mason was currently playing one of the dwarfs. It was amusing, seeing him with a long white beard and bushy eyebrows.
When Azaelia had been a student at Hogwarts, there had been only one play that she could remember. It had been a Muggle one too, put on by then-Muggle Studies professor Adriana Fairchild. Robert had already transferred out of Hogwarts by then, but for the others, attendance had been mandatory. Azaelia forgot why, but she definitely remembered how resentful they'd all felt at being forced to attend some Muggle play.
But then she remembered something else. Isolde and Pyrrhus had actually gotten out of attending the play because Professor Snape had had some accident on the staircases. Azaelia had been saving seats for her friends and had wound up watching the whole thing all by herself!
She snickered under her breath at the memory, causing both Robert and Isolde to look at her questioningly. Azaelia shook her head. She would remind them of that long ago day later, but for now, she wanted to concentrate on the current play!
Getting A Tree Somewhat Early
Author: Plum
Date: 12-06-10 20:13
Plum surveys the Christmas tree now positioned where it can be seen from Diagon Alley below. Anthony and she had had a discussion recently on when to get a tree and when to decorate it. Plum was thinking of getting a tree the first weekend of December, which is the following weekend. Anthony's thought was to get one nearer Christmas Eve. They had decided to compromise and get something somewhere in between but then Daria Matthews invited them to go this weekend with her, her brother Parker, and Parker's wife Tracey. As often happens on a Saturday, Anthony ended up on the rota to work, being one of the lower ranking Aurors. Though tired from several overseas trips this past week, Plum opted to go, thinking that Alex would have fun tramping out in the forest, romping in pristine snow, and "helping" pick out Parker's and Tracey's tree.
Alex has an absolute blast, using his new favorite word to deem it, "Wicked." He also fell in love with a tree not far from the one the Matthews had selected. Plum had to agree it was a full, perfect tree and the right height for the flat without having to overly trim it down. It's got a lovely bright green color and has a wonderful smell. Alex, who had recently decided he loves the sound of the letter L so makes a point of pronouncing them instead of substituting it with a W as he'd long done, had looked beseechingly at her and asked, "Pleeeeeeese, Plum? For my birfday?"
It was such a beautiful tree and they were right there that it seemed a shamed to magically tag it and come back in a few weeks for it. Surely Anthony would understand the practicality of cutting it right then, so Plum had agreed and with Parker's help had gotten the tree cut and to the flat. After that was lunch with their friends and taking Alex window shopping so he could point out presents he wants for his birthday and for Christmas, they're returned home. Since then Alex has been wanting to decorate the tree. Plum finally said, "You may put two decorations on, Alex, but then we have to wait for Anthony."
"Okay, Plum. Den can I have milk and a biscuit?"
"Yes, you may but only because you ate a good lunch without me having to remind you to eat more than your pudding."
Plum gets out several unbreakable ornaments and lays them out for Alex to see. "Pick two," she says, holding up two fingers for emphasis.
Alex scrunches up his face in deep thought, taking the choosing very seriously. At length he picks up a wooden rocking horse with one hand and a gold bell in the other. Plum has her camera ready and takes a series of pictures of Alex studying the tree, giving great consideration as to where he should hang each ornament. It's a good five minutes before he hangs the first one and another three before the bell is carefully hooked onto a fragrant little branch. With a very pleased smile he turns to Plum and asks, "Milk and biscuit?" then looks at his handiwork on the tree, his smile growing bigger, then remembers to say, "Please?"
Plum gets Alex settled at the table then gets him milk, her tea, a plate with a few sugar biscuits, and also serves up toasty cheesy soldiers thinking that it will be so nice when Anthony doesn't have to work so many Saturdays and miss out on such wonderful moments as this.