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Cake Pops & Biscuit Balls
Author: Briar Rose
Date: 08-27-12 12:31
Leaving Grace and Charlotte with Julian revisiting their favorite rides, Briar navigated around students and their families to return to the Great Hall. Instead of checking on the bakery's booth there as she'd done throughout the day, she takes over as Inara's shift ends. Inara is one of her employees at her Diagon Alley location Briar's Bakery 2, which is still also known as The Flour Shoppe.
The first thing she does after sending Inara off to enjoy Spring Social is take stock of the tables making up the booth. The cake pops, also known to some as cake balls, have been highly popular. The regular selection of biscuits, fairy cakes, and slices of pies and cakes have moved as well as they always do. Over at the cake walk, entire cakes and pies from Briar's are available to win, both in the Muggle style of walking around numbered spots to music until it ends and the magical make the cake or pie walk over an outlined course.
Briar watches the goings on around the Great Hall as she puts out more of everything as well as another new item. The biscuit balls are decorated to look like golden snitches with marzipan wings fluttering, cats, flowers, and other cute, eye catching plants, animals, items, and even insects. As she's arranging them over two platters several girls approach. One of them Briar recognizes.
"Hydrangea, right? One of Gus Hodfuffer's cousins?"
"Yes'm. Are these like those only without the stick?" Hydrangea asks.
"Those on the lollipop type sticks and the long pretzel rods are cake pops, also called cake balls. These are biscuit balls. That plate there are also biscuit balls but they are biscuit dough balls while these are baked biscuits."
One of Hydrangea's friends selects an chocolate cake pop decorated as a bright orange flower and then a peanut butter biscuit ball decorated to look like a round peanut. Another of the girls politely asks, "May I have that slice of lemon meringue pie, please?"
Hydrangea picks one of the golden snitch biscuit balls, oatmeal raisin in flavor, and one of the biscuit dough balls, chocolate almond decorated in bright red with black spots to look like a ladybird (ladybug). They wander off nibbling their snacks. No sooner have they moved, giving more space at the table for others to peruse the selection available then two more students walk up. As time allows, Briar enjoys watching the nearby games. She also makes a mental note that for the September school order catalog she'll send out just after the new Hogwarts term begins both cake pops and biscuit balls will be in it and both will definitely go into the St. Emrys catalog currently being put together.
Putting out more of the biscuit balls, Briar absentmindedly munches on a regular sugar biscuit while cheering a little boy who's just won a stuffed monkey as big as he is.
Pony Rides
Author: Jolyon
Date: 08-27-12 13:15
Near the barn, Jolyon oversaw the pony rides. There were four ponies in all: a white Shetland with black stockings, a rather fat British spotted pony, an auburn Dartmoor pony with a pale, shaggy mane and tail, and a muscular, cream-colored Highland pony. The ponies were a big hit with everyone who visited, even those who were too big to ride. Jolyon had set out brushes and treats so that everybody had a chance to interact with the ponies.
All four were being ridden at the moment. Jolyon had the Shetland by the harness and was slowly leading it back and forth over a stretch of lawn. The child riding the pony, a younger sibling of one of the students, squealed with delight.
They were on the return stretch when Jolyon spotted his mother from across the lawn. She was dressed in casual clothing but had obviously made an effort to look nice. Her hair was perfectly primped and she appeared to be wearing makeup. Jolyon guessed that was because she wasn't alone. She seemed to be accompanied by a man.
Jolyon helped the child out of the saddle and then looped the reins around a fence post. No one else wanted to go for a ride, other than the three still in the saddle. Hagrid walked between two of the ponies currently being ridden and looked positively monstrous next to the tiny animals and the even tinier children riding them.
"Hello, Jolyon!" his mother called out, still a fair distance away.
Jolyon waved at her and wondered if the man by her side had anything to do with her apparent happiness.
"Look at how cute the ponies are, Gaius. Aren't they adorable?"
"Yes, they are quite lovely. The children seem to be enjoying them," Gaius said.
"Hi, Gaius," Jolyon stated, "Who are you and how do you know my mother?"
Bridget Kent playfully slapped Jolyon's hand. "Darling, this is Gaius Lorey. He and I know each other from Hogwarts. We bumped into each other at the market the other day and decided to catch up."
"And now you're dating?" Jolyon asked.
Gaius cleared his throat. "This is our second date."
"I see." Jolyon gave Gaius a scrutinous appraisal. He didn't look like a bad guy and certainly seemed more pleasant than Emanuel Kent had ever been, but Jolyon still didn't like him.
"And the first date was when?" Jolyon asked.
"Well," Bridget started, "it was last weekend. We had dinner at a little Korean place near the house. It hasn't been open long and I've been wanting to give it a try. We both enjoyed it."
"Very much," Gaius said, putting a hand on Bridget's arm.
Jolyon narrowed his eyes. "I see," he said again.
"Your mother is very proud of you, you know," Gaius said. "She told me all about how you started off as the Care of Magical Creatures professor and then became the assistant head of Ravenclaw before rising to Head of House."
"She's told me nothing about you, however," Jolyon said. "We should talk."
"But later, Darling, when you're not so busy with the ponies," Bridget said.
"Count on it."
"I want to brush one!" Bridget exclaimed. She went over to the one Jolyon had recently tied up and picked up one of the available brushes. She ran it over the pony's flank and smiled at Gaius, who stood beside her.
Jolyon watched the couple and couldn't decide what he disliked more: his mother in mourning for her dead husband or his mother dating someone else.
Tenpinnius (Caerwyn)
Author: Julian Valentine
Date: 08-27-12 15:13
Selecting what turns out to be a chocolate morsel biscuit dough ball from a basket full of goodies gotten from Briar at her bakery booth, Caerwyn savors the chocolate coating mixed with the cookie dough of the bludger looking ball. Before taking a second bite to finish off the biscuit dough ball, he asks best friend Augustus, "What next?"
"There's always catch the snitch again," Gus gestures in that direction. "Where were you thinking?"
"There's that ten pin game or whatever it's called."
"I forgot about that one. Let's go try it out."
Steadily working their way through the contents of the bakery basket as they walk by the time the two growing teens reach their destination, the basket is nearly empty. The sign at the game indicates it's called both Ten Pins and Bowling and is now available at Blossom's Gaming Center in Hogsmeade. Watching someone else playing, Caerwyn remarks, "I hear this is another one that Professor Weasley and Professor Miller gave the idea for. I heard they were talking about the game and that gave the idea to add magic to it and have it at Blossom's."
Shoving a cake pop into his mouth, Gus nods. With his mouth full his, "I heard that too," comes out sounding more like, "Uh nerd hat oo."
They watch for a few minutes then indicate they're ready to the game operator who points them to an empty lane. "Do you want to go Muggle or Wizarding?"
The boys exchange glances then say at the same time, "Wizarding," with Gus also saying, "to start."
The game operator nods saying, "You both look old enough to know a few charms for moving objects but there is an easy one for the game if you need. It's right there on the sign. Pick you each out a ball and then you have ten tries to knock all ten pins down with a single ball. If on your first try you don't get them all, the game automatically removes the ones you did knock over. Those not knocked over you get to try and knock over. If you can get them all in two balls, you get a prize but not as grand as if you get them all with one ball. The game then resets and, because I'm setting this lane up for two people this round, the other one of you takes a turn. Alternate turns for your ten total tries. If you can't get all the pins down in the one or two balls, your prize is based on the largest number you do get down in one go around. After each time sending the ball down, it magically returns to you in this stand here. Got it?"
"Yeah, I think so," Caerwyn answers.
Gus affirms, "Me too."
"One other thing. Those indentions on either side of the lane? Those are called gutters. Don't get your ball in there because even when doing the magical version, once you've got a gutter ball, you aren't going to hit any pins."
Gus asks, "How is the Muggle version done?"
The ride operator has them come over to the rack of balls. "See these three holes? When doing the Muggle version or just picking up the ball to get it in place for the Wizarding version, your thumb goes in this hole and two other fingers in these holes, like this."
"Okay, thanks," and "Thank you," the boys say before picking out their balls, a pale blue one for Caerwyn and a dark red one for Gus.
Back at the top of their lane, Gus nudges Caerwyn. "This was your idea so you go first."
"Okay," Caerwyn says, unable to argue the logic there.
He decides to first try the Wingardium Leviosa charm, trying to be as light and subtle with it as possible so that the ball rises off the lane but not too far. Once he's got the light blue ball at up a few inches, Caerwyn uses his wand to direct the ball down the lane, trying to get it rolling and building up momentum enough to knock over all ten pins at once.
When Caerwyn's ball reaches the pins, it only knocks over four of them. He turns a cross between a grin and a frown to Gus, lightly laughing. "It's a LOT harder than you think."
When the four down pins are cleared and Caerwyn's ball has appeared in the stand just behind them, he glances at the charm given on the sign and decides to try it. Ball centered on a line that runs from one side of the lane to the other and squared with the remaining six pins, he points his wand, "Tenpinnius!"
The ball levitates then starts rolling forward, Caerwyn using his wand to try and keep the ball on the course he wants it on. When it strikes the six pins, three more go down, giving him a total of seven for that turn. Determined to get the hang of this and do better the next go around, he looks to Gus, "You're up."
The Match Gets Underway In Jamaica (Wiggy)
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 08-27-12 18:24
The home country Jamaica crowd is large and loud. There is a good sized British contingent but the majority of spectators are most definitely here to cheer on Jamaica. Being the away team, the British Nationals were introduced first. That meant they were on the pitch when the Jamaican team was introduced. The deafening roar that greeted the other team could be intimidating if Wiggy let it but he's determined not to. Though the outcome of this match is more important than any other he's ever played, he's trying to view the match as nothing more than just another game, much like any he's played for Puddlemere or even for Gryffindor when he was still on his house's team.
The two team captains are called to center pitch for the obligator handshake as the head referee admonishes for a clean game to be played. Within seconds after that, Wiggy is in the air and the balls have been released. After that, it truly does become just like every other match as everything else fades into the background. The thought that he's missing a major event at Hogwarts, the Spring Social, hasn't even crossed his mind since he awoke this morning here in Jamaica, eager to get to the pitch and hating the wait for afternoon to arrive. If someone flying past him or during a time out were to mention Spring Social to him, Wiggy would probably greet the remark with a totally blank look.
Wiggy's smile breaks wide as Aveline Boggs is the first to get hands on the quaffle. Wiggy and the third British chaser in today's match, Fletcher Morgan, move in to flank Aveline as they begin working the quaffle from roughly center of the playing field to where Jamaica's keeper most likely can't wait to have a chance to participate in the match.
A bludger screams at them from one of the Jamaican beaters. Wiggy accelerates forward just enough to block the hit on Aveline. It's to his shoulder and not an overly hard hit and him putting himself in front of it meant Aveline was able to get a successful pass off to Fletcher, whom most everyone calls Etch. Darting around one of Britian's beaters, Toby Beck, Wiggy shoots forward, opening himself up to accept a pass should Etch choose to send the quaffle Wiggy's way. While eager to get his hands on the ball, he's also a team player. If a pass to him isn't in the cards anytime soon, Wiggy will continue to do what he can to help get the quaffle within scoring range. The majority of those in the stands surely would boo so loudly they could be heard all the way back to the UK, but it would be totally worth the excessive negative noise to be the first team to score in the match.
Improper Things
Author: Johanna Steele
Date: 08-28-12 05:52
"What's wrong with Gus?"Felicia asked. She had come to get some butter beers to her parents when she noticed Gus leaned against a tree, a hand on his stomach. Mrs. Van Tassel was passing a hand over her son's forehead. Mr. Van Tassel ,on the other hand, kept a considerable distant from his son. He didn't seem very happy with the situation.
Johanna, who had been observing the scene for a while, explained to Felicia what had happened:
"Roger Gesner challenged him for the pie eating contest. He took it too serious and ate more than he should. Now he's trying to recover from the stomach ache. Madam Pomfrey already gave him a tonic for the pain."
"Did he at least win?"
"No. Some chubby Hufflepuff did it. Of course Gus accused him of being in advantage since their common room is in the basement next to the kitchens…" she sighed "You know how he is when he loses, always making excuses. You should see his father's face filled with fury."
"He got mad because Gus lost?" Felicia asked, shocked, taking a look at Mr. Van Tassel. He had taken a pocket watch out of his dark blue robes and consulted it. He seemed to be in a hurry to leave the Spring Social.
"No. He didn't want Gus to participate in the game. He said it was not proper…"
"Now I see why you aren't kneeled next to him and holding his hand. You're afraid about what his dad might think! It might not be proper, huh?" she teased
"No, I'm not! I actually have to go back to my parents," Johanna excused herself.
Felicia nodded and they separated. Johanna went to her parents' encounter. The rest of the family was there as well. Edgar and Luke were asking if they could go and watch the Quidditch match between Britain and Jamaica while Evelyn protested: she wanted to stay where she was. Who cared about this match? It's not that Jamaica could beat Britain…
"You should never underestimate a Quidditch team, Ev. Besides we want to see Wiggy Hodfuffer's performance. Can you imagine, being at school and be a professional Quidditch player at the same time? He's at Gryffindor too. Maybe in some years it could be us…" Edgar said with a dreamy look.
"If he's that good why isn't he playing for Gryffindor this year?" Johanna asked. She couldn't understand why the Gryffindors would not consider having a professional player on their Quidditch team. Too bad that was not the case with Slytherin. They would have won the cup for sure.
"Because if he can play in the professional field why should he be happy by playing some silly school tournament, that barely means anything?" Luke explained.
"It's not silly," Johanna protested.
"So what year is Wiggy at?" Evelyn asked, making sure the adults were distracted. They seemed to be busy commenting the last events related to St. Emrys, the wizarding university.
"Sixth year, but he is a year behind, so he's 18. You're not thinking about dating him are you?" Edgar inquired her, reading his twin's mind.
"What if I am? He is single right?"
"You're mental!" Luke said, laughing. "You're only 13. You really think he will look at you?"
"Never heard of love potions before? Besides isn't our History of Magic teacher dating the brother of a Quidditch player as well? If Professor Davyd can do it, so can I!"
They all laughed but Evelyn promised she would be the last one to laugh. She said she wouldn't offer them free Quidditch's tickets for Wiggy's games.
Surprise Visitor To Spring Social
Author: Errol
Date: 08-28-12 14:15
Watching from just inside the Hogwarts main gates Errol gives his Uncle Ross a half-hearted wave goodbye. He stands there until Uncle Ross is lost from view then turns to walk slowly back across the grounds n the general direction of the castle. Still somewhat in shock the Uncle Ross came today, Errol is somewhat oblivious to the activity of games, rides, people eating, and the sound of many portable WWNs all tuned to the same Quidditch match.
Errol had slept in this morning, thinking that if he were hungry, skipping breakfast wouldn't be a problem as there would be more food than anyone could possibly choose from when Spring Social began. When he finally did get up and dressed. he'd hung around Ravenclaw House for awhile getting in some study for the OWLs. When he did at least emerge to see what specifically the Hogwarts Spring Social was all about, he'd no sooner stepped foot into the Great Hall for a look there when Megara with her parents saw him. The Flynns insisted he join them and as he had no other plans than to roam around on his own, Errol accepted their offer.
Having Megara and her parents to go around with did, admittedly, make his Spring Social experience more enjoyable. Errol ate more than usual, had fun trying his hand at the various games, and trying most of the rides. Spring Social has very similar to the Hogwarts Fall Fair but for that previous event, Errol had such a heaviness and bleak state of mind then that the two experiences are hugely different. He's still in a somewhat bleak state of mind but compared to in the fall, his outlook is much improved. Megara commented at one point, "You have eaten more today and smile more today than you have all the rest of the school year combined."
Megara, Mr. and Mrs. Flynn, and he were out on the grounds, taking a break with ice cream cones while sitting on a blanket when Errol spotted Ross Anderson slowly turning a circle, clearly searching for someone. He'd stared, mouth agape at his uncle until Megara's sharp nudge to his ribs. "Isn't that your uncle? He's HOT!"
Rubbing his side, he'd scowled slightly at her. "You've seen pictures of Uncle Ross."
"Yes, and I thought he's nice looking but in person he's HOT!"
Mrs. Flynn voiced her agreement. "He is nice looking, isn't he?" At that same time Megara asked, "Why didn't you say he was coming?"
"I didn't know. I should go see what he wants."
He arose at approximately the same time as Ross caught sight of him. Errol took a few steps forward but then ended up letting Ross close the distance. "Errol, glad I found you."
"If you would have let me know you were coming, I could have met you at the gates."
"I wasn't certain until the last minute. Who is this?"
Following the direction Ross is looking he sees Megara a little ways behind him, looking on expectantly. "Megara. Megara Flynn."
Megara hurried forward at that. "Nice to meet you in person, Mr. Anderson."
"Megara of the Veritaserum."
"Yes, sir. I was only trying to help. Here are my parents."
More introductions are made then Mrs. Flynn, taking Megara's arm, suggests, "Let's give Errol and his uncle some time without us hovering about," then steered her daughter away.
After a somewhat awkward silence Ross held out a package that Errol hadn't noticed before. "A very belated birthday gift. There was a miscommunication in who was taking care of the sending. I'm very sorry."
Taking the gift Errol had shaken his head, "No need to be. It's not as though you had to give me anything."
"I've never missed giving you a gift, Errol, and all that's gone on is not reason enough to stop."
With the Flynns away from the picnic blanket for the time being, Errol had sat down on it to open the gift, finding some new shirts and a board game. "Thank you."
"Judith also sent these," Ross said holding out a bag he'd produced from one jacket pocket. Judith is Judith Russell, his sometimes girlfriend.
The bag contains a caramel peanut candy that's one of Errol's favorites. "Thank you," he said again.
Another silence fell between then broken when Ross suggested, "How about showing me around?"
Leaving the box and candy with prizes he'd won at some of the games, knowing they won't be bothered there on the Flynn's large blanket, Errol got up once more and picked a random direction with which to start.
Ross and Errol had meandered around the grounds and the Great Hall then back to the grounds, very little conversation passing between them. Mainly, it was Ross asking him questions from time to time, along the lines of, "How are your grades?" and "Did I mention in a letter that I'd returned your course selections for the fall?" That particular question let Errol know without asking questions of his own that yes, the plan is for him to return to Hogwarts. He was dying to know if that would be under school arrest again or if he'd finally be permitted to take part the occasional field trip or be allowed apparating lessons.
The only other words that passed between them would be when one would ask the other something along the lines of, "Would you like a go at this game?" or "You should try these cookies, Uncle Ross, only they call them biscuits here."
When Ross indicated he needed to be going, they'd walk together to the gates. Ross's parting words to his nephew were, "Do well on your exams. I expect high marks. Don't let me down."
In Errol's mind there is an unspoken, "Again," at the end of that last sentence. He gave a tight smile. "No, sir. I won't let you down."
Turning off the path to the castle to go back to where the Flynn's blanket is located, trusting that Megara would have taken care of his stuff if they've no longer got the blanket spread out, Errol can't help but think that as he is innocent of everything he was accused of doing, except the having snuck off to a party part, it's not he who has done the letting down. It's Uncle Ross who let him down by not believing him and sending him away.
Finding the blanket there but no sign of the Flynns, Errol gathers up everything of his as best he can, ready to return to his room. He's not sure he's in much of a Spring Social mood any longer.
The Regular (Driver)
Author: Arlington J Montgomery
Date: 08-28-12 23:26
Driver stepped up to Desi and Xavier's table. He never expected her to show up at his bar with a guy. He was pretty sure she was still single, or was she? He quickly took their order and dropped off their drinks before returning behind the bar. He couldn't help but feel a little jealous of Xavier, hopefully he and Desi could be friends soon, perhaps more.
"So, tell me more about your bartender friend." Xavier sipped his drink and waited for Desi to elaborate, he had not missed the look Driver gave Desi when they first walked in.
"Well, like I said my friend Arley is his brother-in-law. Arley's sister is Fallon Montgomery Morgan, she married Fletcher Morgan who's a pro quidditch player, and on the British National team. I think Fal's playing as an alternate or something." Desi shrugged a little.
"He runs a muggle bar though, isn't that weird since he's a wizard?"
"I dunno…but he's nice." Desi's voice trailed off slightly as Driver approached again.
Driver returned to the table again. "So, can I get you guys some more drinks?" When he stepped into the light, Desi and Xavier could see a nasty bruise across his cheek and a slightly swollen black eye.
"What happened to you anyways?"
"Oh, the bruise?" Driver grinned. "That's from a fight I won the other night, muggle mixed martial arts, it's fun and good stress relief. You guys let me know if you need anything." He smiled at them, well it was directed at Desi and he slipped her a letter, not wanting to say something in front of her friend. "Don't forget about the Quidditch match today, Etch and Toby are playing."
Hey Desi,
Sorry if this was a stupid idea, but I didn't want to say anything in front of your friend, and I had planned on writing you anyway. I was curious, are you guys…together? I was hoping we could go out sometime. You know, I could still use a sparring partner if you'd like.
I was thinking about taking some time off this coming summer too, maybe we could hang out then? Dexter and Etch have been telling me to for over a year. I've just been busy, you know? Also I wanted to ask you what you though about Dex and his girlfriend Karma?
Again, sorry for all the questions, lets meet up soon to talk?
Talk to you soon,
Driver