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Thinking Ahead
Author: Griet
Date: 07-10-09 18:51
For Griet, it felt really good to be back at Hogwarts. As much as she wanted to believe that everything had been normal at home with her family, it really had been anything but. It wasn't easy forgetting about the fact that her parents hadn't stood by her side through thick and thin, even though she knew why they'd done it and in her own way had even supported their decision. Things just weren't the same anymore and probably would never be.
Despite her feelings, Griet had been more or less happy at home with her parents and siblings. They'd treated her well, like their equal, and not the way she'd been labeled during the past two years. She also truly believed that her parents wanted to forget the whole thing and continue as if the years in question had never happened.
Griet wished she could follow their example, but what she'd endured simply couldn't be forgotten. She would never forget, but she would continue to move forward.
Pinned to the front of her robes was the silver prefect badge. Soon it would be time for her to round up the Slytherin students and escort them to the common room, to which only she and the other prefects presently knew the password.
Coming up would be Quidditch trials, too. Griet had played chaser for the team for two years and hoped to regain her old position. The trials were scheduled three days after the full moon, so hopefully by then she'd feel more like her usual self again and not sick.
Regarding that time of the month, arrangements had already been made between herself and Dumbledore. They'd corresponded a couple times during the summer, mainly about where Griet would go during the transformation. The prison-like facility Professor Snider had set up still existed, and though an awful reminder of that period of time, seemed to serve better than the Shrieking Shack. Dumbledore had since made changes to the room, making it more comfortable and pleasant all around.
"Earth to Griet."
"What?" She turned next to her and looked at Cornelia questioningly.
"I asked you what you thought about Beatrix getting sorted into Ravenclaw. Personally, I'm disappointed that she didn't make it to Slytherin, but Ravenclaw is much better than Hufflepuff." Cornelia still couldn't believe that Aleydis had gotten sorted into Hufflepuff two years ago.
"She'll be with Ramona," Griet commented. "I think that's good."
Cornelia shrugged and turned her attention away from her sister and the boys and to the room at large.
Griet looked around too. She was glad Snape was back on staff, since he had previously brewed the Wolfsbane Potion for her and, according to Dumbledore, was likely to resume that duty. There were other familiar faces at the staff table but unfamiliar ones as well. Dumbledore had introduced them all during his speech but Griet couldn't remember all their names or positions. She supposed she'd get them all straight sooner or later.
She felt something touch her foot and turned her head. Gervaise and Oberon were both seated across from her. Gervaise concentrated on the food on his plate while Oberon listened to Cornelia talk about Quidditch. She had previously played seeker for the house team.
Griet couldn't believe Oberon was playing footsies with her at the Start of Term Feast! She didn't know whether to tell him to cut it out or to enjoy it. In the end, she rubbed her foot against his too. He never acknowledged it with a look, which was perfectly all right with Griet.
Her mind started to wander again, this time to why she'd been singled out as the recipient of this year's Kendra Beck Scholarship. She wondered who the anonymous sponsor was but figured she'd never know. Griet hadn't spent the money yet, partly because she didn't know what she wanted and also because she wanted to put some, if not all of it, into her savings.
Cornelia had an opinion, of course. She thought Griet should purchase a new broomstick. Maybe she would, but for now she hadn't decided.
Playing House
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 07-11-09 09:17
"And they lived happily ever after."
Hermione, nestled between Mira and James, closed the children's book she'd been reading and glanced across the room at Ron. He stood, leaning against the door jamb, and smiled lazily at her. Hermione smiled back and then looked from child to child. Both were still awake, but only just. Their eyes drooped shut, and every blink took longer than the last.
At the start of the tale, Mira and James had been active participants, asking questions and providing commentary along the way. As the story went on and the hour grew late, the children grew quieter and quieter.
"The end," Hermione said. She carefully reached over James' head to set the storybook on the side table, while Ron came over and lifted the tired child into his arms. Hermione eased herself up so as not to jostle Mira too much and then tucked first one child in and then the other.
"Good night," she whispered to them both.
The children fell into a deep sleep almost immediately. Hermione and Ron watched for a few minutes and then left the room, hand in hand.
"I'm glad Sirius and Dru asked us to watch the twins," Hermione said. Ron had started to move for the couch but Hermione kept a firm grip on his hand and directed him to an open space in the room where they could practice what they'd learned in dance class earlier that day.
Ron made a face but didn't protest. "Me too. They're good kids."
"They are," Hermione admitted. "I hope that if we ever have kids, ours are just as well-behaved and easy to manage."
Still clasping Hermione's hand, Ron placed his other on her waist. She put her free hand on his shoulder. They started practicing their steps, imagining music in their minds.
After a while, Ron asked, "You want children then?"
Hermione cocked her head to the side. "I've never given it a lot of thought, but yes, I believe I do. A girl and a boy would be nice, just like Mira and James."
Ron twirled Hermione. "I wouldn't mind a boy and a girl myself. One of each, you know?"
Hermione smiled. "Yeah, I know."
They fell into an easy silence again, practicing their dance steps, not perfectly, but well enough for having just one lesson behind them.
Fine Dining
Author: Illyria
Date: 07-11-09 09:39
At the staff table, Illyria sat between her good friend Marzipan Ravenscroft née FitzRoy and the other Astronomy professor, Celeste Quigley. It was Illyria's first Start of Term Feast in two years. Back then, Professor Snider had been Headmistress and Hogwarts had quickly become a different place. Illyria hadn't been discriminated against personally at the very beginning, since according to the Ministry of Magic, she'd still been deemed a pureblood, but that had gradually changed.
Illyria was glad to be back at Hogwarts with Albus Dumbledore as her boss, as he had been when she'd first joined the castle staff three years ago. Three years! Even though it didn't seem like much, it felt like an eternity ago that she'd quit her job as an inventor at the Ministry of Magic to start teaching Astronomy at Hogwarts.
Tomorrow she would have her first set of classes, first years and then third years. The first years would get a general overview of the course and then discuss the Solar System. The third years would get a feel for their year-long topic, the constellations. Illyria had already worked it out with Professor Quigley to use the Observation Deck for the latter half of both of her classes tomorrow evening.
"I think Dumbledore was spot on in assigning two professors per course," Celeste was saying as she sipped from her goblet. "Makes the load easier on us."
"Definitely," Illyria agreed, "and it means you get to stay on as professor and I get to come back. It's a win-win for everybody."
Celeste nodded. "I certainly can't complain."
"I don't know about you, but I'm ready for dessert," Marzi announced. She'd stuffed herself silly with many of the main course dishes and sides but had left the tinest amount of room for a final treat.
"I couldn't agree more," Illyria replied with a smile. She'd had her fill but didn't want to pass on dessert, especially when she knew how good everything was at the Hogwarts feasts.
It wasn't very long before the dessert dishes started to appear on the table.
Night In
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 07-12-09 11:20
Coquille Cabanon, the cottage in Marseilles, France where Bill and Fleur had lived after fleeing Hogsmeade, still belonged to the family and had since been turned into a vacation home for anyone visiting the south of France. Fleur had appointed herself the one in charge of renting out the cottage to prospective guests, which suited Bill just as well. She'd posted advertisements in not only The Daily Prophet but also a few newspapers on the continent. She'd also touched bases with travel agencies to promote the house.
They'd only had one family rent out the cottage so far, but a few more interested families had already written and inquired after future dates. While Fleur busied herself with scheduling, Bill lounged on the sofa in the living room with his infant daughter asleep on his chest.
Victoire had certainly grown in the last few months, but she was still small and precious. She had soft, fine hair on her head, long eyelashes, and little fingers clamped around one of Bill's own.
Bill thanked his lucky stars every day that Victoire had come into the world, safe and sound. He hoped that one day he and Fleur could add more children to the Weasley brood, but for now Bill was content with just having little Victoire in his arms.
Fleur carried a calendar and some letters into the living room and sat down on the edge of the couch. She glanced at husband and child with a loving smile on her face and then sorted through the papers in her hands. As she set some onto the coffee table in front of her, her eyes happened to catch a headline on the front page of the morning's Daily Prophet:
RAID ON FORMER MINISTER'S SUMMER HOME YIELDS MORE EVIDENCE
She didn't bother to read the article, as many similar ones had come out in recent weeks, detailing raids on Euphemia Smythe-Jones's various properties as well as those of other high-profile wizards involved in the recent atrocities.
Fleur turned to Bill and asked, "Did you ever find out where ze valuables found on ze raid you participated een came from?"
"Some turned out to be items reported stolen over recent years. Not sure about the rest," Bill replied quietly as he gently stroked the sleeping Victoire's back. "What's unclear if whether Smythe-Jones stole the items personally or if she hired henchmen to do it for her. Whatever the case may be, she had impeccable taste. Fine artwork, jewelry, relics. She could have had her own museum exhibition."
"What weell become of ze items zat are not claimed?"
"They'll probably go into storage somewhere," Bill replied, not sure himself though.
Victoire suddenly hiccuped and then she woke and immediately began to wail. Bill attempted to soothe her, but when Fleur held out her arms to take the baby, he willingly gave her up since Fleur always seemed to do better at getting Victoire to relax. As predicted, it took only a minute or two for the tears to stop. Victoire shut her eyes again and fell to sleep in her mother's arms.
Winding Down
Author: Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen
Date: 07-12-09 11:49
With the main course behind them now, all of Hogwarts begins to tuck into dessert, which consists of apple pie, raspberry cheesecake, lemon squares, mango sorbet, peach cobbler, chocolate mousse, butterscotch pudding, carrot cake, brownies, peanut butter fudge, and much, much more. Fritz helps himself to small portions of as much as he thinks he can handle, and by the time his plate is full, he knows he'll be unable to finish and that he'll probably get a stomachache later––but it will be worth it!
Beside him is Coco, whose plate is equally full. She occasionally feeds Pea, who's in her pocket, a treat. Fritz hopes that Domino has already gotten settled in the Ravenclaw common room and boys' dormitory. He still can't believe that he and his kneazle have been reunited after more than a year apart. It only goes to show that sometimes miracles do happen.
Fritz and Coco eat and converse with each other and those around them about all sorts of things. Quidditch is, of course, a popular subject. Fritz hasn't played in a long time and hopes that he hasn't lost any of his skill. Talk of a pick-up game comes up too. Fritz definitely thinks he'll take part in it, so that he can see if he's still good at flying and playing beater, his preferred position on the house team.
It's not long before he's stuffed to the brim. The Start of Term Feast begins to wind down, and prefects from all houses begin to rise and lead first years and anyone else who might not know where the common rooms are in the right direction. Some students new to Hogwarts last year wouldn't know where to go since there hadn't been houses. What had been their common room then likely wasn't now.
Fritz, a prefect himself, rises though it doesn't seem like an easy feat since his stomach is so full. Coco is already calling to the first years and anyone else who wants to be escorted to Ravenclaw Tower to follow her. Fritz makes sure the stragglers join them and then follows at the back of the group, making sure that no one gets left behind.
No News & Good News
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 07-12-09 13:08
In the short time since Wolfie's birth and the impromptu birthday party for Desi and Bianca, Bronwyn had returned home to London and resumed working at the WWN station at St. Emrys. Siegfried, Toby, and even Wotan had come back too, but Wotan visited Seattle every other day for a few hours to spend time with his newborn son. Wotan seemed tired all the time nowadays, not so much from the sleepless nights that came with caring for a baby (which rested solely on Annabelle, unfortunately), but from all the traveling and time change adjustments that came with it. One thing could be said about Wotan, however. He seemed very, very happy.
Bronwyn, meanwhile, wrote to Desi daily and occasionally stuck her head in the fireplace to get news if she felt her best friend wasn't writing her enough. Bronwyn simply had to know what was going on between Desi and Xavier Schoonmaker.
Bianca and Blane Cooley's new "friendship" seemed to have gone off without a hitch. Bronwyn had already seen at least one photograph of Blane and his "mystery date" in an entertainment magazine. In the photo, they were making out and very nearly all over each other.
Bronwyn felt good about her matchmaking skills after seeing proof her success via the photograph of the pair, though maybe Bianca wasn't picky. Then again, who would be, when a good-looking, talented celebrity was involved?
As far as Desi went, Bronwyn didn't know what had gone wrong. Xavier seemed perfect for her, and yet it didn't seem like there was any connection between them. Of course, Bronwyn didn't know for sure since Desi rarely said much of anything about Xavier in any of her letters. Bronwyn almost thought Desi was holding out on her but mainly wondered if she was leaning the other way again, à la her work friend Angela. It disappointed Bronwyn only a little bit (okay a lot!) that she'd been way off base with Xavier and Desi. She'd been so certain that they were the perfect match!
Maybe it was time to take a break from attempting to find somebody for Desi.
Bronwyn took out a sheet of parchment, filled purple ink into a brand new quill, and started a letter to Arley and Seb. She hadn't seen them shortly after Emrys Fest and hoped to see them again soon. In her letter, she wrote about Wolfie and about her birthday surprise for the twins. She enclosed a photo of the newborn baby and another of herself, Bianca and Desi, and the two bandmates from the Wicked Wizards of the West. Then she sent off the letter with the family owl, who'd put in a lot of mileage lately.
Just as Bronwyn was about to join Toby in bed with a beauty magazine, there was a loud knock on the door. Surprised, she headed down the stairs and peeked through the window into the darkness. She couldn't see very well but she could make out the form of a woman standing on the front porch.
Bronwyn opened the door a sliver and asked, "Can I help you?"
"Is this the Dewhurst residence?"
"It is. May I ask who's asking?"
"My name is Olympia Jones. I work for the Ministry of Magic, in the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes. I'm sorry to contact you so late in the evening."
"Is something the matter?" Bronwyn asked, immediately fearing that her father had had an accident of some kind. He'd gone to Seattle after work and was due back within the next couple of hours.
"I'm actually delivering good news," Olympia said with a smile. "As of this evening, we have located missing person Aemilia Dewhurst, your mother I presume?"