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The Figure in the Trees
Author: Ethan Somerset
Date: 08-09-13 17:15
Ethan walked around the Hogwarts grounds with Lilly on his shoulders. She had her hands in his hair and tugged occasionally when she wanted him to go in a certain direction. She had him very well-trained.
Beside them walked Aveline, who could only stay for a few hours since she had a Quidditch match in the evening. In fact, it was nearly time for her to go.
"Time flies when you're having fun," she murmured, exchanging a smile with Ethan and then looking up at her niece. Always the happy child, Lilly beamed at Aveline.
"We'll walk you to the gates," Ethan said.
They casually made their way down the sloping, vibrantly green lawn, passing by families lounging on picnic blankets or playing games like frisbee.
"Don't have too much fun without me, okay?" Aveline joked.
Ethan chuckled. "I have a feeling you'll be having your own fun. Who are we playing tonight?"
"We are playing the Montrose Magpies," Aveline said. "Wish me luck. They are a wild bunch."
They reached the gates, where law enforcement personnel stood by to perform security checks on visitors entering the Hogwarts grounds. Ethan lifted Lilly off of his shoulders and set her on the ground. Aveline knelt to give her a hug and a kiss.
"Be good for your daddy."
Lilly nodded her head and winked her hands open and closed. Aveline winked back and then rose to give Ethan a hug.
"Later, okay?"
"Good luck tonight."
Aveline blew another kiss to Lilly and then headed out the gates. Ethan and Lilly waved until Aveline disapparated, and then they turned and climbed back up the slope. Lilly ran ahead a few paces and then paused to make sure her father still followed. Then she ran ahead again.
Ethan followed her at a leisurely pace, though he was prepared to break out into a run if she decided to bolt. She stopped, suddenly fascinated by a wildflower growing in the middle of the grass. It was small and white.
Ethan stopped behind her while she studied the little blossom. He glanced around and started when he saw a figure move through a copse of trees. The figure was short and stocky and dark-headed.
Ethan reached for Lilly and placed her back onto his shoulders, ignoring her protestations about the flower in the grass. His blue eyes never left the figure in the trees.
Against Ethan's better judgment, he moved forward to get a better look at the person. Lilly tugged on his hair, but he almost didn't notice, so absorbed was he in giving pursuit.
The figure moved with obvious determination, then stopped and knelt for a moment. When he stood upright again and emerged from the trees, he held a bright red frisbee in his hand.
"Found it!" the wizard called out to his family.
Ethan felt the air whoosh out of him. He had been so convinced that the wizard had been Nero Noir, up to something nefarious.
Ethan turned and returned to the isolated wildflower, setting Lilly back down in the grass. She plopped down and plucked the flower from the ground, turning it this way and that between her little fingers.
Ethan sat down beside her and gazed over to the dark-haired wizard, who had returned to the patch of grass his family had claimed for their game of frisbee. He knew it wasn't wrong of him to worry about Nero reappearing, but was the expectation making him go mad?
Spur Of The Moment (Caerwyn)
Author: Julian Valentine
Date: 08-09-13 18:00
Thinking he hears his name Caerwyn turns, scanning faces. A hand goes up in a wave as he hears his name again. He returns the wave and tells Gus Hodfuffer, "Back in a few. My aunt's here."
Threading through a double line of students and visitors waiting to play a couple of the games set up for Spring Social, he quickly reaches Iola Carew. "Aunt Iola, I didn't know you were coming. If you'd have let me know, I could have met you near the gates or something."
"It was spur of the moment," she says stepping back from a hug.
"Dad's here."
"I know and I made sure he saw me. I don't want him to continue thinking I'm sneaking around trying to subvert you in some way. I feel guilty for getting you to lunch with me in Hogsmeade that time without his knowledge."
"Yeah, me too."
"I know I've not been here long but I can't really stay. I mainly wanted to see you in person, even if just for a few minutes, and ask if you'd be interested in breakfast or lunch or even a supper before returning to Hogsmeade during the upcoming trip." Iola hastily adds, "With Julian's permission."
Caerwyn has often found being around his aunt a little uncomfortable though he can never put his finger on a reason why; nevertheless, he does want to get to know her better and has thought that his discomfort might come from her sometimes acting like she's unsure of being around someone his age. Keeping his reservations about spending time with her from showing on his face, Caerwyn agrees, "That would be nice, but it will depend on what Dad says. Let me go tell my friend Gus not to wait on me."
Caerwyn is soon back, walking with Iola in the direction opposite from the one where he'd just left Gus. Iola spends the walk asking after his studies and whether he's made satisfactory progress studying for the OWLs. The both fall silent as they near where Julian is with the twins both napping in the shade of a tree, each wondering whether Julian will say yes or not and Iola trying to think of how to convince Caerwyn to meet with her anyway should that stubborn jackass say no.
Highs And Lows
Author: Julian Valentine
Date: 08-09-13 19:41
Saturday at Hogwats for Spring Social has been good so far for the most part. One highlight is that Charlotte is here today. Another is that Lysander came as well. He and Julian left Twice Told Tales in the care of a couple of the employees.
A big low point is that Kristos Fox is along as well. He's who brought Charlotte to Hogsmeade and he insisted he would not leave her alone in Lysander's care. The man is unkempt and has an odd smell. He also has a sort of wild look to his eyes, enough so to make Julian wonder if Kristos is on drugs these days. He's said little but when he has spoken, he's terse and comes across as agitated.
Out of Kristos's earshot, Charlotte revealed she hardly sees her uncle even though he's almost always in the house somewhere. If not for Aralyn being unaccounted for, all they know is she was angry with Charlotte so Kristos brought the child for the visit instead, Julian has no doubt Lysander would have easily gotten the drop on Kristos and left with Charlotte. Because of Aralyn, and because of the twins around as well as being in public, Lysander has shown a great deal of constraint.
Grace, of course, has been ecstatic to have Charlotte around even if only for a few hours. It's been difficult at times to convince Grace that Charlotte is here mainly to spend time with her father, not with her.
Other than Kristos's glowering presence, the day was going well then the other low point arrived. Afton's sister Iola put in an unannounced appearance. As Julian has no real rationale to have Iola barred from entering the Hogwarts grounds, his personal dislike of her simply because she's Afton's sister not being something Headmistress McGonagall would consider having any basis for banning, he's never taken any steps to keep Iola from attending these family based school functions. If he can ever think of a logical reason that would work, or if she does something he can hold against her, Julian will have Iola added to the school's not allowed list, or whatever such a list is called. That would also allow him to block her from sending owls to Caerwyn. For the time being, however, Julian just has to bide his time until she gives him something with which to work.
This bane in his life is here again, this time with Caerwyn. He'd hoped she'd say hello, spend a few minutes then leave as she'd told Julian she couldn't stay very long at all. Seeing her now, he has a good idea of why she's returned to speak with him again. That's confirmed when she offers a tight smile and informs him, "I would very much like to spend some time with Caerwyn during the upcoming Hogsmeade weekend. Breakfast, lunch, supper, doesn't matter to me. I simply would like to spend a little time with my nephew."
Julian looks to his son. "Do you want to meet with Iola?" He has to force her name past his tongue.
"I wouldn't mind. I've told you before I'd like to get to know Aunt Iola better. You so rarely allow us to see each other and when you do, it's never for long. We write but ," Caerwyn shrugs, not sure how to say exactly what he wants without also indicating he has reservations about Iola. If he were to let them be known to his father, Julian would be even more adamant about the two spending as little time together as possible.
Julian purses his lips. He so very much does not want to give the go ahead but he also can't reveal to Caerwyn the full extent of exactly who his mother was that has him hesitant to have his son around that woman's sister. There's also the fact that Caerwyn is sixteen. Another year and it won't matter if Julian is against the two spending any time together. Caerwyn will be able to make such a decision on his own and would most likely see her when he can despite Julian's thoughts on the matter.
He ends up saying, "Fine. I'll leave you two to decide on when and where."
The twins had fallen asleep a little earlier but both are now stirring. Having come to know Xavier and Jasmine quite well by now, Julian knows he should whisk them off to a loo very soon. Thought not two until mid-June, they've both been showing an interest in using the toilet. If he can get them there in time that also saves him from having to change yet another set of dirty nappies.
Excusing himself from Caerwyn and Iola, Julia hoists the twins up, one in each arm, trying not to grunt with the effort. After a successful trip to the nearest restroom, instead of going straight back to where he'd left the others, he takes them to an open area to let them freely roam for a bit. Nearby Julian recognizes Hogwarts professor Ethan Somerset with his daughter Lilly. Since bringing the twins to live with him, Julian is more aware of others with children around the same age as Jasmine and Xavier. With the twins healthy and hale after their poor start to life, he really should consider arranging some playdates for them. He makes a mental note to ask a few around at Blossom's next week on one of the days the two are there. Looking over to Ethan and his daughter, he wonders if the other man would be open to a playdate for Lilly. After a few more minutes, Julian gets up, deciding it wouldn't hurt to ask.
Moving In
Author: Niccolo Zabini
Date: 08-09-13 21:10
After Cassandra and Kirley had left his office, Blaise had used the Floo to head back to Zabini Park. His aunt, the wife of his late father's equally late brother, had asked him if his cousin could come to stay with him in the same letter that she'd asked him to adjust the Zabini Family Tapestry, blasting off his young cousin's older brother who had apparently committed the horrible crime of marrying a Muggle.
He had only just changed into a jumper and comfortable pair of denims, a bit of genius he had no problems wearing, despite them being made by Muggles, when his Floo turned green. He sat in one of the worn dragonhide wingback chairs and took the offered tumbler of Fire whiskey from his house elf as he waited.
"Can I have some of that?" Niccolo stepped through the fireplace, dusting soot off his shirt, as he looked up his gaze met that of his older cousin, "Nice welcome to London, the Master awaits." Nico was trying to behave, his mother had sent him here for a reason, maybe Blaise would straighten him out.
Blaise smirked. "No. But you can have a butterbeer, if you'd like," he offered. "So, your mother not coming through mean you're going to tell me just why I'm supposed to blast your brother off the tapestry?" he asked, taking a sip of his drink as one of the elves brought a butterbeer for Nico.
Nico dropped down in another chair after tossing his bag messily onto the floor. "Thanks." He accepted the drink from the elf and sighed. "She was going to come, but backed out on me. She's been having a fit since Dantavian eloped with this filthy Muggle. That's why she wants him off the tapestry, and he should be." There was a slight hint of sadness in the thirteen year-old's voice, he did miss his brother, but his crime was unforgivable.
"I see. I suppose I'll have to do it then, otherwise the portraits will make my life hell," Blaise said. "But I can do that tomorrow. What shall we do with you, Niccolo? Or would you rather I call you Nico?" he asked.
The boy shrugged, "I don't know, what are you going to do with me?" He couldn't help but roll his eyes.
"As far as what to call me, most of my friends call me Nico, only Mum ever called me Niccolo."
"Well, come September first, I can ship you off to Hogwarts for most of the year," Blaise said, appearing thoughtful. In actuality, he was trying to gauge Nico's reactions.
Nico leaned back in his chair and shrugged, "Why am I not surprised? I figured you would want me out of the way as soon as possible."
"It's not that, it's more that I can't homeschool you, and Hogwarts is a good school. Maybe not as pure as some other schools, but it's got a solid reputation," Blaise said.
"Ah, I see, I'm glad to know you aren't going to pawn me off first thing. Although, it has to be better than some of the other options I was presented back home. This is the school you attended?"
"It is. I graduated the same year as The Golden Trio, the Chosen One, you get the idea," Blaise said, taking another drink. "You'll be sorted into a house when you get there, and in all honesty, I will be somewhat pissed if you sort Hufflepuff, and may consider disowning you if you sort Gryffindor."
Nico nodded and sipped his butterbeer, "Ah them. I doubt I'd end up in a lowly house, I'm too awesome for that." He said with a cocky grin. "As for disowning me, you wouldn't, but can I watch you blast Dante off?"
"I suppose you can," Blaise said with a smirk. "Did you bring anything more than that bag? Or are we going to have to go shopping for enough clothes to get you through the summer."
"Just this for now. Mum says she'll send the rest, but I could use some more clothes, and stuff for school?"
"We can take care of that this week, when I'm not busy with work. School stuff can wait a bit longer, I think, at least until the curriculum comes out," Blaise said.
"Yes, Sir. Now, care to show me around? Is it just you and I living here, or do you parade women in and out?" For a young teenager, he knew he shouldn't speak to a family member like that, let alone the head of his family, but he had a tendency to speak his mind, unfiltered most of the time."
Blaise reached over and just cuffed him on the back of the head. "Living here, just you and I and a couple of house elves. I do have Pansy Parkinson visiting frequently, but she has her own rooms here. Mother visits occasionally, usually when between husbands," he said. "Come to think of it, Pans has a niece close to your age."
Nico couldn't help but laugh, "Ow! A Parkinson? I've hear stories about them. Is her niece at Hogwarts too?"
"Yeah, Petula will be a second year, and she's got a cousin there too. Pansy's Aunt Cloris married a Mockridge, and their granddaughter is the same age as Petula," Blaise said. "Come on, let's go find you a room to make your own." The master of the house got to his feet and snapped his fingers, summoning an elf to take Nico's bag.
Siblings (Marion & Company)
Author: Saffron
Date: 08-10-13 16:46
Overhearing Marion once again being snarky to one of the boys Margeaux DeMarco calls her daughter over. Appraising the teen she sighs, "I swear, Marion, some days I have no idea how you Sorted Hufflepuff."
"I can't help it that Clarence and Clark are annoying."
"They're little brothers. That's how they're supposed to be at their ages. You, on the other hand, are enough older, thirteen now, to contain your behavior towards them."
Marion rolls her eyes. "Muuuuum. THEY are the ones bugging me and you want me to just let them?"
"That's not what I said. Now, dial back the attitude or I'll send you to your room."
"Can you even do that here?" Marion asks, eyes going wide.
"Keep up the bad attitude and you'll find out."
Marion stares at her mother before rolling her eyes again. "Whatever."
"That's giving attitude."
Shaking her head Marion says, "I think I'll go play one of the games because if I keep standing here doing nothing I'll end up grounded for the rest of the year."
Hiding an amused smile at her daughter's martyred tone. "Just done be long. Dad, the boys, and I will have to be leaving soon and would want to say goodbye."
"See you in a little while then."
Marion walks off in the direction of the nearest game booths, so very glad Mum didn't suggest she take one or both of the boys with her.
Callie Blackwell isn't annoyed with her younger brother like Marion is with hers but she does wish he'd stop being practically glued to her side. Every opportunity Kurt has had today he's peppered Callie with questions about Hogwarts. It's finally sunk in that he's on the Hogwarts Express September 1st.
At the moment, as they go up against each other in a game of bowling, Kurt's line of thought is one the four Hogwarts houses. "You're Slytherin. Does that mean I will be too? Wait. That can't be right because Mum and Dad were in different houses."
"Right. Mum was Ravenclaw. Dad was Hufflepuff. Be quiet so I can concentrate."
Kurt obliges but only until Callie's sent the ball down the lane. "If I don't get Slytherin, do you have to act like you don't know me?"
"I get to act like that even if you get Slytherin," she dryly replies.
The sarcasm goes over Kurt's head. That or he chooses to ignore it. He grins at her. "Ha ha. Good one. Do you think I'd get Slytherin? Is there a trick to getting a certain house?"
"I don't know how it's done. I think mind reading is used."
"Ha ha ha ha."
"No, really."
"Huh?" Kurt goes to scratch his head only to realize that's the hand holding with fingers inserted into the bowling ball, causing Callie to be the one to laugh.
"Hey, not funny," he protests.
"Maybe not to you but trust me, for everyone else, bloody hilarious."
Kurt scowls before pressing, "How can mind reading be used?"
Callie shrugs. "Don't know. All I know is you have to sit on a stool. This old hat is put on your head and then it announces what house you're in."
"Scary."
"It sort of is but only because the entire school is staring at you. Are you going to throw the ball or not?"
Kurt goes through the motion of throwing the ball down the lane, holding his breath as it curves a little to the right, only knocking down two pins.
Waiting for the ball to return for his second throw, he asks, "Does it hurt?"
"Does what? Sorting?"
"Yes."
"Excruciating."
Kurt's throw goes wildly off, crossing out of their lane to end up four lanes over.
Two others in Marion's and Callie's group of friends have siblings starting Hogwarts for the 2007-2008 term. One of them is Katheryn Finch who is currently sitting in a lawn chair between her sister Estella and brother Theodore, all three eating waffle cones stacked high with ice cream when out of the blue Estalla announces, "I'm going to introduce myself to everyone as Sinead."
"What are you talking about?" Katheryn asks.
"When school starts."
"School isn't over yet."
"You know what I mean."
Theo pipes up, "Why, Stel?"
"Why what?"
"I like your name."
"Estella is dull. Stel and Stella are worse. Sinead is bril."
Mouth full of ice cream Theo asks, "Hut bil?"
"Bril means brilliant."
Hit with brain freeze after the huge bite he's just taken, Theo scrunches up his face, one eye closed, hand to head, leaving Katheryn to wonder, "Why is Sinead bril?"
"Because it sounds lovely and famous. Estella sounds like someone's smelly great great aunt."
Theo laughs at that but as he'd just taken another bite of ice cream the laugh turns to a coughing fit. Katheryn leans over to pat him on the back. "Stop taking such big bites."
Red faced and wheezing a little Theo shakes his head. "It's so good and we never have ice cream at home, Kathy."
"Don't call me Kathy. You know I prefer Katheryn; and, don't lie. There's almost always ice cream at home, even in the dead of winter."
"Not always flavors I like and not as good as this."
At the same time Estella is giving a sniff of disdain. "If you get to be called what you like best, then it's only fair I do to."
"There's a difference."
"Is not."
"Is to."
While Katheryn and Estella squabble, Hope Hyland is walking with her family to the gates. Brother Douglas and sister Ingrid managed to sneak more sweets than their parents Dagmar and Finan realized. They two youngest Hylands are now feeling sick enough to their stomachs they, their parents, and brother Bran are leaving a little earlier than originally planned.
Like his friends Kurt Blackwell and Estella Finch, Bran will be a Hogwarts student come September. Unlike Kurt and Estella, Bran has not given it much thought. He'll have to soon enough and has better things to do than think about school when it's still a few months away.
Bran's main concern right now is how unfair it is he has to leave Spring Social and miss out on winning a few more prizes at game booths and eating food he normally doesn't get much of at home simply because Doug and Ingrid made pigs of themselves.
Dragging his feet, he follows his parents and the two pains in the arse out the gate, wishing there was some way they'd let him stay with Hope until Spring Social officially ends.
At a food booth offering different colors and flavor of candy floss (aka cotton candy in the US), Savannah Applewhite is also with a sibling, her only one, brother Rex. Aside from friends Marion, Callie, Lilith, Hope, and Kathryn, Savannah has always considered Rex to be a best friend. She wishes he were starting in the fall like the brothers and sister of three of her friends but she'll have to wait. He's fine with that, though Rex does miss having Savannah around on a regular basis. He's been attending Hogsmeade Primary Day and thinks it's all overrated. He wishes he could go back to sitting in the kitchen doing lessons with Mum hovering about.
Lilith Balfour and brother Adiran are splayed out on a blanket both feeling like, as a great uncle by marriage from the southern US would say, "A couple of stuffed ticks." Lilith neither finds her brother annoying most of the time nor does she consider him a close friend. Adiran is so different from her, either always doing something sporty or having his nose stuck in a book, that Lilith and he rarely rarely have much to say to each other. She likes to read but not like her does and while she doesn't hate sports, Lilith would rather watch than participate. It's why she's not taking Fitness & Athletics this term. Maybe when he's a little older, and here at Hogwarts, they'll have more in common. She's not going to hold her breath on that, fairly certain Adiran is bound for Ravenclaw versus her being in Slytherin. He's not only bookish, he has a freaky ability to retain loads of useless trivia from all those books he reads.
Today, they did have one thing in common. Eating lots of good food. As they also enjoyed a number of the games, Lilith concedes that's two things. Maybe if he'd been a girl things would be different.
She puts her thoughts aside as well as the feeling her stomach is pooching out about three feet when Theron Balfours stands over his two children and asks, "Who's up for one last scoop of gelato?"
Wondering if she's waddling as she walks, Lilith and Adiran join their father for one more sweets run before Spring Social comes to an end.