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Spring Social
Author: Ellis
Date: 06-10-16 12:10
Conrad bounced on the balls of his feet and watched the queue entering the Hogwarts grounds. Beside him stood Alys and Blakeney, each with far less energy to burn. Alys sipped from a cup of hot cocoa she'd picked up in the Commons on the way down from Ravenclaw Tower, while Blakeney wore sunglasses over her eyes to hide the fact that she hadn't gotten enough sleep last night.
At last Conrad shouted out, "I see them!"
Alys and Blakeney followed his pointed finger and saw their father standing in line with twins Daphne and Emily. The girls were just shy of their 11th birthdays and would be starting at Hogwarts in the fall.
After clearing the security checkpoint. Mr. Ellis approached his elder three children with the twins. Conrad greeted everybody exuberantly. He was in the mood to play tour guide and show his little sisters around the place they would soon call school and home.
Mr. Ellis looked at Blakeney. "What's with the sunglasses?"
"The sun is out," Blakeney replied. A yawn followed the statement and betrayed how she was really feeling.
Mr. Ellis pulled the sunglasses off her face, saw the puffiness underneath her eyes and asked, "Late night last night? Studying in the library, I hope?"
Alys laughed at the idea, while Blakeney shot her a look.
"There's a curfew, you know," Blakeney said, "though fifth and seventh year students get to stay out later because of exams."
"She was reading fashion magazines all night," Alys interjected.
Mr. Ellis chuckled but didn't say anything else about Blakeney's situation. He gave her back her sunglasses and asked, "What's first on the agenda?"
"The Great Hall is off limits at the moment, so I thought we would cover the grounds first," Conrad said, leading the way to some of the refreshment booths. He was in the mood for something breakfasty, but sweet, like a frosted pastry.
On the way, the twins became distracted by the giant gobstones game. Besides looking alike, they had very similar personalities. They were always up for a challenge, and when they had their minds set on something, it was hard getting them to do anything else.
"Let's do that," Daphne insisted. "We can eat later."
"Yeah," Emily said. "I bet we can beat the rest of you."
Conrad's stomach really wanted a pastry right that moment, but Daphne and Emily were persuasive and all the more so when in agreement about something.
"Fine. Me and Alys against you two."
Alys had thought to sit the game out, but she handed her cocoa to Blakeney and followed Conrad, Daphne and Emily to the giant gobstones arena.
(Azaelia) Wandering
Author: Isolde
Date: 06-10-16 14:59
Azaelia wandered the Hogwarts grounds with a small handheld WWN receiver stuffed into the back pocket of her jeans. The QWC match between Egypt and Germany was scheduled for a bit later in the day. Right now, the announcers talked statistics and what they expected to see in the highly anticipated match. Azaelia had the sound on low because she didn't care so much about the pre-game commentary, but she definitely didn't want to miss the match when it started.
The Hogwarts grounds were slowly filling up as guests visited for Spring Social. Some of the visitors were local merchants with stalls. Most were family and friends there to see students and take part in the festivities.
Azaelia wasn't expecting any visitors herself, and she wasn't officially assigned to supervisor or run any of the booths or activities. She didn't want to sit in the library all day when it was so pretty outside and there was lots to see and do, though she did intend on spending some time there later. The library was open and being used, despite Spring Social taking place. The OWLs and NEWTs were just around the corner, after all.
She strolled past the Quidditch Pitch, when she spotted her husband purposefully striding towards the gates to Hogsmeade. He wore his Craster Rovers uniform and trainers, and carried a gym bag and a pair of cleats tied at the shoelaces over his shoulder.
"Robert!" Azaelia called out. She reached behind her to turn down the volume on the WWN receiver in her pocket and jogged to catch up to him. Robert, meanwhile, turned and stopped.
"Isn't it a little early for your game?" Azaelia asked, after she caught up to him.
Robert nodded and said, "The match isn't till two, but I've got an errand to run beforehand. Do you need anything while I'm out?"
"No… what sort of errand?"
Robert gave her a quick kiss and turned to continue on his way. "Maybe it's a secret! I'll see you later."
Azaelia watched him go, not knowing that his errand really was secret, but not the good kind of secret.
(Ariella) Keeping Secrets
Author: Beck
Date: 06-10-16 18:57
Ariella entered the chambers she shared with Lawrence and Karina and stopped short when she saw her husband on the floor, sifting frantically through parchments and envelopes. He was so engrossed in what he was doing that he didn't immediately notice that she and Karina had returned. His wife and daughter had only come back because Karina had managed to find a puddle of mud on the Hogwarts grounds and was now covered head to toe in it.
"What are you doing here?" Ariella asked, walking around the mess on the floor to go to the bathroom with Karina.
Lawrence nearly jumped out of his skin and replied, "Nothing! Just… looking for something." He immediately started gathering up all the parchments and envelopes.
Ariella was already in the bathroom with Karina and couldn't see the panicked look on his face. She could hear him shuffling everything together, though, while she stripped Karina of her muddy clothing.
"Is everything all right?" Ariella called out.
"Yes, yes," Lawrence replied. "Everything's fine." She heard the credenza drawer open and shut again, and then he was standing in the doorway, looking at Ariella and Karina through their reflection in the mirror. "What happened to you?" he asked his daughter.
Ariella studied her husband's expression for a long moment before replying, "Karina decided she couldn't resist playing in some mud she found near the greenhouses."
Karina grinned at the sound of her name and wriggled as her mother tried to clean her with a moist washcloth.
"Are you going back out?" Lawrence asked.
"I thought we might, but since we're here, maybe I'll see if she'll go down for a nap first." Ariella eyed her husband through the mirror's reflection and asked, "Shouldn't you be out there anyway?"
"I took an afternoon shift in the Great Hall. I can stay with Karina while she naps if you want to go out again yourself."
Ariella didn't immediately answer. It was obvious that her husband had been in the middle of something he desperately wished to resume without her presence. "I should visit Alanna," Ariella finally said. "I have something for her."
"Great. Give her my best."
Ariella finished cleaning off Karina and turned, handing her over to Lawrence. Lawrence tickled Karina's bare belly and carried her to the crib in her room.
Ariella studied the carpet that had so recently been strewn with parchments and envelopes and mulled over things until Lawrence returned and gave her a kiss.
"I won't be long," Ariella said, as she headed for the door with her purse, in which was hidden a small bag containing birth control for Alanna.
"Take as long as you need," Lawrence responded.
She saw his eyes flick to the credenza, but then they were on her face again. Ariella smiled weakly at Lawrence and then stepped out of their chambers. Apparently she wasn't the only one with secrets these days.
Four Of The Five MacDougals
Author: Aaron Miller
Date: 06-10-16 21:00
Scott MacDougal walks along with Liannah, asking the expected questions the parent of a seventh year would ask. "How is studying for the NEWTs going?"
"Good. It's not easy keeping up with all my courses and studying for NEWTs but I'm managing."
"Your keeping your marks up?" Scott makes this query despite the fact that Liannah's always kept up her marks and as a Ravenclaw she tends to be the one of his three daughters who needs the least reminding that studying and keeping up with assignments is important.
"They're about the same as always."
"Need any extra study materials for the NEWTs?"
"I've got a few but extra never hurts."
Scott suggests that before he and Madeline leave Liannah give them a list of what she has so they won't send her duplicates. He then nods at one of the vendor booths. "I'm a little parched. Want something to drink?"
"Yes," she answers then remembering she's with her father tacks on, "please."
A few minutes later, slushy drinks in hand - blackberry lemonade for Liannah, strawberry lime for Scott - the two walk in the direction they'd last seen Lauren and Madeline. Marlow will be joining them soon but for the moment she's in the Great Hall for this morning's apparition lesson.
Nearer the pitch the parent is the one being quizzed. Lauren wants to know, "Are we going on a family holiday?"
Her mother replies, "We're still considering."
"If we don't even do a weekend somewhere then it won't be fair."
"What won't?"
"Liannah's going on a big trip with Aaron."
"Because she is a seventh year and your cousin sponsors a Muggle Studies trip for any interested seventh year. You'll have the same option when you're a seventh year."
"What if he's not Muggle Studies professor then?"
"Have you heard Aaron is thinking of leaving?"
"Well, no."
"Then why come up with scenarios for which you have no foundation?"
Using a statement she's heard her mother make many times when having a discussion with someone Lauren says, "It's a valid question. Just because he's here now doesn't mean he will be then."
Madeline frowns at her youngest daughter about to reprimand her for being flip only to end up conceding the point. "You're right. When you are a seventh year Aaron might not still be with Hogwarts. If that happens your father and I will sit down with you and plan a comparable trip."
Lauren thinks about that for a moment then nods. "Fair enough. Oooh, that booth has butterbeer."
A moment later they're walking away from the booth, Lauren with a butterbeer and Madeline with an iced coffee from a nearby booth. They go over to where a giant chessboard is laid out and two students are engaged in a match. With the pieces so large every move is more dramatic than with regular wizarding chess. It's here Scott and Liannah find them. After watching the match for a bit the MacDougals wander over to where magical bowling lanes are set up, Scott and Liannah teaming up to take on Madeline and Lauren.
Updates
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 06-11-16 16:49
Hermione and Ron ducked into Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, a historic and rather touristy pub on Fleet Street in London. They were there to meet with a few other members of the Order of the Phoenix. Gathering everybody together all at the same time seemed rather difficult, but the topics of conversation in the various meetings were always communicated to those not present for the discussion.
Ron took Hermione by the arm and led her down the narrow stairs to the basement level, which was incredibly dim and gloomy and had a few long tables arranged for large parties or for guests to randomly share. Remus and Tonks, Dierna ní Cíaran, and Hestia Jones were already seated at one of the tables. Hermione and Ron joined them on one of the hard benches.
"Is this everyone?" Ron asked, while Hermione picked up a menu.
"Dung said he'd come," Dierna said, "and I believe Elphias said he would try and give us an update."
"While we wait, is there any news on the locations marked on the map he saw at Fairchild's lair?" Hermione asked. She wanted the macaroni dish with a soda, since she couldn't drink anything alcoholic.
"No," Tonks replied. "There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to the locations, and it's not clear at all why they are important to Fairchild. Most of our stakeouts have been a total bust, but then Aberforth's in Outwoods…"
Remus touched his bandaged forearm. It was believed he'd been hit by a curse, because it hadn't healed as quickly as a normal wound would under a healer's care.
"The question has been put forth that perhaps Adriana had deliberately put the map in plain view to see if any of her followers would pass the information on to her enemies. If that's the case, we can't be certain that Elphias was meant to see the map or if somebody else was. Is she suspicious of him or someone else specifically, or is it only a test to see if anyone on her team might not be as loyal as she thinks."
"Does Elphias feel compromised?" Hermione asked.
The conversation stopped abruptly when a waitress came over and took their drink orders. Those who knew what they wanted to eat also ordered their meals.
"No, but he's being extra vigilant now," Tonks replied.
"It'll be a shame if we have to extract him from his undercover work, since we currently don't have anybody else within Adriana's ranks," Ron said.
Dierna said, "Yes, but I'd rather Elphias be alive than for him to be killed because Adriana identified him as a spy. Oh, did you hear the news about Kingsley?" The second sentence was said much quieter than the first.
Hermione and Ron shook their heads but didn't say anything, because the waitress was back with a large tray bearing glasses and beer bottles. Once she took the remaining meal orders, she walked away from their table.
"What about Kingsley?" Hermione quietly asked.
Hestia, who had been quiet since the couple's arrival, produced a copy of that morning's The Daily Telegraph. On the front cover was the familiar security still of Kingsley Shacklebolt's imposter with the headline: DOWNING STREET BOMBER IDENTIFIED.
Hermione and Ron quietly scanned the article, which identified the attacker by name as Kingsley Shacklebolt. Previously, only his face had been circulated. The article claimed the UK's various security agencies had worked together to identify Shacklebolt, who was vaguely described as belonging to a foreign government.
Hermione looked up sharply. "Obviously the name came from the Minister himself, since he would be the only one who would know who Kingsley is."
"Unless someone from the wizarding world put forth the tip," Ron said, "but even still, the Minister or his mouthpiece can't exactly say who Kingsley really is."
"The Muggle world isn't ready to accept wizards," Hermione agreed, "and this vague description isn't all that far from the truth. For all the Muggles know, our government really is foreign to them."
"We really need someone on the inside," Ron said. He looked at his wife and said, "Too bad you can't do it. You know the most about the Muggle world."
"Actually, somebody's already stepped up to the task," Tonks said, "and no, it's not me."
"Who then?" Hermione asked.
"Fleur," Tonks answered. "She may not be an expert on Muggles, but she can use her Veela charm to her advantage."
"Bill's okay with that?" Ron spluttered.
"I think Fleur insisted he be okay with her idea," Remus said with a smile on his face.
"I think Fleur will do a good job. I can help prepare her, if she needs it," Hermione said.
"Good idea, Hermione," Remus said.
The group fell silent when the waitress returned with another big tray, this time bearing their food. Once she left, they tucked into their dishes and wondered if Dung and Elphias would ever arrive.
Announcement
Author: Jolyon
Date: 06-12-16 09:12
Arielle helped her mother unpack the picnic basket she had brought from home. Merrie had packed a variety of sandwiches, bunches of grapes, bites of cheese, and crackers, along with water infused with real fruit. The picnic wasn't exactly necessary since there was food to be had at Spring Social, but Arielle didn't at all mind having a little bit of taste from home. With summer fast approaching, Arielle had begun to grow homesick.
Asher sat on the edge of the blanket and stared at the kites flying in the air a short distance away. There was one shaped like a Hungarian Horntail that smoked from its nostrils. There were several owls that hooted, too. He would have much rather been doing something else than having a picnic with his parents and sister, but his mother insisted he join them.
After sandwiches had been passed around and everybody had a narrow water bottle in hand, Jolyon looked over at Merrie and asked, "Should we tell them now?"
Arielle grew excited, while Asher felt nothing but dread.
"Tell us what?" Arielle breathlessly asked.
Merrie looked at Jolyon and then at her twins and said, "Your father and I have decided to remarry."
"You have!" Arielle exclaimed.
Asher let out an expletive.
"Asher!" his mother scolded. "The least you could be is happy for us."
"When are you getting married?" Arielle asked, ignoring her brother.
"This summer, we thought. After you get out of school," her mother replied.
"We've been apart for so long, we don't want to waste another minute," Jolyon said.
"But we want you both there. Arielle, my big girl, would you be my maid of honor?" Merrie asked.
Arielle's eyes brimmed with tears of joy. "Of course!"
"And I was wondering if you would be my best man, Asher," Jolyon asked.
Asher fixed him with a harsh stare. "Are you out of your blasted mind?"
"Asher!" his mother exclaimed.
Jolyon kept his cool. "I want us to be a family, Asher. It would mean a lot to both me and your mother if you would accept, but if you don't want to, that's all right. Your being at the wedding will make us happy, no matter what role you play."
Asher threw his sandwich down onto his paper plate and rose to his feet. "I've lost my appetite," he said, and then he walked away. He heard his mother protesting and his father trying to soothe her.
Asher had feared that his parents would eventually decide to remarry. He could only hope that it wouldn't work out again and that his mother and father wouldn't see each other for another decade thereafter, if not forever.