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Smooth Sailing...I Hope
Author: Lawrence Masterson
Date: 06-27-07 21:57
The conversation between he and Jessice Rome was going smoothly so far, now came the questions. This, truthfully was the part that had him the most nervous, but he would do well enough, he hoped.
Jessice's first question came, and he answered it smoothly. "As you'd read on my application and in my resume, I'd attended the Sydney School of Wizardry for my first four years of school, it was after the death of my parents that I moved to London to live with my Aunt Maribel, who has since passed on. I finished my schooling at Hogwarts, and due to the passing of my Aunt spent the better part of the last two years back in Port Macquarie, Australia."
She continued the question with another, and he answered it again. "My strongest subjects when I was in Sydney and Hogwarts, potions, Herbology, and Ancient Runes. However, it was Herbology that interested me the most, simply because there is quite a bit that can be done with Herbology, and without it we would not have some of the knowledge of potions ingredients."
There were half a dozen more questions, before the interview wrapped up. Jessice informed him that he would hear about the position in three or four days. With that they bid each other good day and Lawrence left the Leaky Cauldron, and headed back to his flat.
Collapsing within the stuffed chair, he accepted the glass of butter beer the house elf offered him. He closed his eyes and now, the nervousness and the waiting game began.
Shades of Gray (Jewel Reily)
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 06-28-07 10:26
Jewel isn't sure what to make of Mr. and Mrs. Gray. They are being polite but are definately aloof. Jewel's first indication of the snobbery Bailey mentioned comes in the form of the question from Mrs. Gray, "I'm not familiar with the name Reily in social circles. What of your mother's side?"
Jewel manages not to roll her eyes at how the question is phrased. "My mother is a Shackleford."
"Oh. I see. That name isn't in our circle either nor in any of the fringe circles. Pity."
The questionings got worse from there. If not for Bailey's constant interruptions and protests at the questions, Jewel might have felt compelled to give Mr. and Mrs. Gray a piece of her mind about those who look down on others for whatever reasons the Grays do.
Promptly after the meal ends, Bailey suggests Jewel and he leave, claiming they have other plans for the day. Jewel is more than happy to go, even though they really only have plans to hang out together. Once they're alone, sitting on a bench in a small park between two houses Bailey says are both Wizarding, Jewel asks, "What makes your parents so elitist?"
"Like others who tend to be that way, it's because they are from old Wizarding families. If our culture had nobility, my family would surely be part of it."
"Not just really rich, upper crust?" Jewel teases.
"They wouldn't stand for that," Bailey chuckles. "Also, few know it but the Gray part of the line is from a half-blood. A Bulstrode married a Grey, that's with an e for Grey. He was a Muggle and his family had noble ties, some of them even had royal ties to the British Muggle crown. Their decendents ended up changing the e to the a we now have for the Gray spelling."
"Why is that?"
"It's stupid really."
Jewel grins at Bailey. "You can't tell me this much then not finish it. Don't make me tickle you."
Laughing, Bailey puts his hands up. "The tickle threat. I give, I give. "Those who changed the spelling did so to distance themselves from the Muggle Greys without actually changing their name entirely. Some of the Muggle ones with the ties to royalty were part of a plot to sieze the crown. One girl, named Jane, was queen for nine days. Even though by that time the Wizarding Grays were well distanced blood-wise from their Muggle relatives, they wanted to make a show of how they weren't part of what was taking place in the Muggle world and didn't pose a threat for taking over the Ministry."
Jewel wants to hear more about these Muggles and the one who was a queen for such a short time but first she wants to know, "And your mother's side of the family?"
"Pureblood all the way. There are some Muggle connections here and there but show me a pureblood family that doesn't have at least one over the centuries."
Jewel's head bobs up and down. "That's true. Okay, back to the one who was queen. That means she was the government head, right?"
Bailey suggests, "Let's go to Diagon Alley. I'm thirsty. I'll tell you all about Jane and being queen over butterbeers."
"Sounds good," Jewel agreeably replies, interested to hear more about these very distant Muggle relatives of Bailey's.
Bored
Author: Cailyn Spicer
Date: 06-28-07 13:46
During the past few days, Cailyn had stayed inside. Following Simon around and looking for more clues as to why he wanted their money. She wasn’t completely sure yet if he did want their money. But she was almost certain he did. She just needed more evidence before she brought her case to her father. She would not accuse an innocent man. She had done that before. It didn’t turn out pretty and she had been grounded for weeks afterwards.
But today, it was as if Simon Rivera had disappeared off the face of the earth. This left Cailyn home alone without much to do, as her father was away at work. Following Simon had given her something to do because she had already finished most of her homework for the summer.
So far that day, she had already, read five chapters in her ancient rune book and practiced casting her runes too. She had made some scones and had tea. She had ridden Moondance Just because she wasn’t competing until the fall didn’t mean she didn’t need to practice.
She only hoped that no one saw her.She didnt like it when people watched her ride Moondance unless it was for competitions. Otherwise she would be hearing it when she got home. She had tried to stay above the clouds and over the woods where she knew no one lived. Moondance had enjoyed the ride as much as she did.
But now that the ride was over, her homework done and Simon away for the day, she didn’t know what to do. She had already explored the manor and decided that it was definitely haunted. She had yet to see a ghost though. She grinned suddenly.
She could go looking for the ghost that haunted the manor. Or come up with a story for the manner. Or go paint a picture. Or practice her music. Or…. She sighed. Who was she kidding. She wished there were wizard kids near by that were her age. So they could go hang out and do something. Then again, just because there were kids near by didn’t mean they would want to be her friend. She thought.
End the end, Cailyn decided to pull out a book, and was satisfied with spending the rest of her day reading away.
Letter to Ms. Whitmen
Author: Minerva McGonagall
Date: 06-28-07 19:53
After attaching a large envelope to a hefty barn owl, Minerva sent the bird on its way through one of the open windows at the owlery. She stood with her arms folded over the sill and watched the owl until it was only a speck in the sky. Then she turned and proceeded for the spiral staircase, pausing when her foot crunched over the remains of a long-dead mouse. Because it was just bone beneath her shoe, Minerva didn't need to clean it. She prepared to head for the staircase once more when an owl arrived and circled her head. It carried an envelope clearly addressed to Professor Minerva McGonagall, Deputy-Headmistress, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Minerva held out her hand and the owl dropped the envelope into her palm. Flipping over the envelope, Minerva read the return address. It was from one Ivy Whitmen. Minerva broke through the seal and pulled out the parchment folded neatly inside the envelope. She unfolded it and read the letter of interest regarding the History of Magic position now open at Hogwarts.
Sighing, Minerva decided to go to her office to respond to Ms. Whitmen's letter immediately. As much as she loathed replacing Binns, Minerva knew she had little choice in the matter. If she fought the Ministry of Magic, she might put her own position at Hogwarts as risk and could very well condemn everyone else on staff too.
She descended the spiral steps quickly and navigated the hallways and moving staircases expertly. When she came to her office, she slid into the chair behind her desk, pulled a clean half-sheet of parchment from a bin on her desk and picked up a quill filled with green ink. She wrote:
Dear Ms. Whitmen:
Thank you for your interest in the History of Magic position at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You are invited to an interview at your earliest convenience. Might I suggest this coming Monday at one o'clock? If you are unavailable at this time, please respond with a date and time more suitable for you.
Please confirm the interview as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Professor Minerva McGonagall
Deputy-Headmistress
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Minerva slipped the note into a matching envelope and wrote out Ms. Whitmen's name and address on the front. Then she sealed the envelope and summoned a house elf to take the letter to the owlery for her.
Interview pt. 1
Author: Ivy Whitmen
Date: 06-29-07 18:39
The day seemed to go through quickly, and I was nervous about my interview with a Professor McGonagall. I don't know how many times I changed clothes but with Alex's help I settled on a white and black top with a black skirt and high heels. I pulled my hair up quickly and let out a deep breath.
"You'll be fine, Mom. Calm down," Alex said. I smiled and kissed his forehead.
"Thanks. Wish me luck."
"No. You don't need luck. Just stay calm," he replied and headed upstairs. I watched him disappear before apparating to Hogwarts. I appeared outside the gates and walked to Hogwarts. Once at the entrance I looked around and tried to calm my nerves. I walked in and was greeted by a ghost.
"'Ello, Miss," he said. I smiled back.
"Hi, could you tell me where Professor McGonagall office is?" I asked him. He nodded and it looked like his head wobbled, but I didn't pay it much attention.
"What is your name, m'lady?"
"Ivy, Ivy Whitmen, and yours?" I asked.
"Nearly Headless Nick. Ah, here we are," he said then left. I looked at the wall he disappeared through, then knocked on the door. A woman older than me answered the door. She wore glasses and seemed quite serious.
"Hello, I'm Ivy Whitmen. I'm due for an interview with Professor McGonagall," I said.
"Come in. I'm professor Mcgonagall. How do you do?" she replied. I smiled.
"I'm fine, thank you, and yourself?" I replied politely.
"Good. Please have a seat, Ms. Whitmen," she instructed.
"Thank you," I said, taking a seat at the desk across from her.
"Before we begin may I ask where you're from?" the professor asked. I nodded.
"Mexcio, then I moved to California when I was about 12," I answered.
"I see, and what's brought you here?" I hesitated. That was a good question.
"I don't know really. I like it here always have and so when I got the chance to come here with my son, I took it," I told her honestly. I didn't want to talk about my husband or anything negative.
"Now you're intrested in the History of Magic position. Have you taught before?"
"Yes, I taught history in a muggle school, while my husband was away. I have a degree to teach in both with wizarding and muggle world," I replied. She nodded then wrote something down and looked back at me. For some reason I was no longer nervous. I sat back and waited for more questions.
A Request
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 06-29-07 21:20
Hermione left her flat for Twice Told Tales, hesitating outside the book shop's door for just a moment as she debated whether or not what she intended would be worth the trouble. Hermione had heard from Ron that there was no love lost between Bill and the owners of Twice Told Tales, Julian Valentine and Lysander Stratford. Would either be willing to help Bill recover from his illness? Perhaps Hermione need not even mention Bill to get what she wanted.
She put her hand on the door handle and pulled, entering to the twinkle of a welcoming bell.
Twice Told Tales was somewhat deserted. An old witch perused the gardening books, and a wizard in his mid-twenties sat in an armchair and thumbed through a massive tome. A cat wove its way between Hermione's feet, brushing against her leg before it walked away.
"Can I help you with something?"
Hermione looked up at and saw Lysander Stratford approaching. He carried a couple of books with the intent of shelving them.
"Actually, I hope you can," Hermione started. "Do you ever do special orders for customers? Orders that may be difficult, if not impossible to obtain?"
Lysander quirked a dark brow. "I have conducted specific searches for rare works in the past. What exactly are you looking for?"
Hermione took a deep breath. "It's called the Book of Kem Heka. It's supposedly very rare. Only four copies are known to exist, but I'm hoping there might be another out there, or at least a partial version."
"I have contacts who may be able to help," Lysander started, "but such an undertaking comes at a steep price."
"I understand, of course. Do you expect a payment upfront?"
Lysander thought about it, but the truth was he enjoyed a good mystery and would at least begin investigating free of charge. "I will see what I can dig up and then we can talk money. Why don't you step into my office and tell me everything you can about the Book of Kem Heka."
Hermione followed Lysander into his office and told him everything she knew about the book. She considered omitting the fact that the four known copies in existence had recently been stolen, because she knew that that fact alone might up the price on any manuscript Lysander should find, but then she guessed that he might discover the truth himself during his investigation. When she finished, Lysander asked for her contact information and promised to get in touch with her as soon as he could determine whether there was something out there for him to find.
New Beginnings
Author: Synn Gardenn
Date: 06-29-07 22:09
Synn Gardenn sat in the atrium of her aunt's lawyer's office and tapped her foot impatiently. There were very few things that angered her but being kept waiting was near the top of her list. She'd been notified a little over three weeks ago of the death of her Aunt Matilda Valere'te, She had been close with the kind old woman. She'd have been here sooner but it had taken that long to finally be released from Azkaban prison. Her teeth clenched at the thought of the reason, for possessing Venomous Tentacula seeds. The Ministry had arrested her after a disgruntled maid went blabbing her fat little mouth. She made a mental note to herself while she waited that she was going to pay the little wench a visit and soon. She was asked to come into Mr. Lowtree's office by his secretary, whom Synn gave a scathing look as she passed her.
"Mr. Lowtree will be with you in a moment, ma'am," The young girl said as she avoided Synn's gaze.
Synn sat down on an over-sized leather chair and was surprised when Lowtree appeared a few minutes later.
"Mr. Lowtree, I'm not used to being kept waiting," She said not looking at him.
"I apologize, Miss Gardenn. I'm preparing for a Mis-Use of Magic defense. The deposition took longer then I anticipated. I know your time is valuable," he replied taking his seat behind his desk. He opened his briefcase and removed a teal colored folder.
"Why am I here? Mr. Lowtree?" Synn asked. She was growing increasingly tired of repeating herself.
"When your Aunt found out she was sick she made arrangements. All of the demands of her will have been executed save one. You, of course, know she owned and operated The Fire Berry. Her herb and potion supply store. None of her children had any interest in the shop, but she knew you would. She has left it to you."
Synn sat wide-eyed and in complete shock. Her memories flew back to her childhood and running through the store grabbing this herb or that and having Auntie make something truly magical! She especially loved the Milk of Magical Kindness she'd make out of milk, vanilla and sugar. Synn, as an adult, knew it was infused sweet milk but back then she'd believed that the mixture had really been Magical milk!
"You will find in this folder all the information you'll need for your ownership of the store. The mortgage is paid in full and all taxes have been taken care of for the next five years. Your Aunt wanted to make sure you weren't overwhelmed with taking over. I really must excuse myself as I need to get to court." He handed the file to her. Synn sat for a few minutes trying to get her head wrapped around what had just happened. She leafed through the folder, much to Mr. Lowtree's annoyance. She rose from the chair and left without another word. When she was out the door the secretary came in and placed a cup of tea in front of Mr. Lowtree and went back to her desk.
Before she left she closed her eyes, concentrated and heard a yowl of pain as Mr. Thomas Lowtree dropped a cup of scalding hot tea into his lap in the next room. She grinned evilly at the secretary who immediately burst into tears.
Writing a Letter
Author: Skyler
Date: 06-30-07 02:26
Sky and Kordelia sat around the apartment doing nothing. Sky has been debating writing Jet but she just couldn't get the courage.
"What's up with you?" Deely asked sitting up. Sky shook her head.
"Nothing," she replied a little to quickly. Deely looked at her with great interest.
"What is it? You like Alex?" she teased. Sky made a face.
"No! He reminds me of this boy I knew when I was a kid. I...I don't know. Something about his eyes just triggered a memory. Let's drop it, okay?" Sky said, shaking her head.
"I'm sorry. Who is it?" Deely asked again. Sky gave in.
"I'm thinking about writing this guy I met at school. I could use more friends," she told her. Deely smiled.
"Or more than a friend," she joked. Sky rolled her eyes then grabbed the nearest parchment and quill.
Ello Jet,
How's your summer going so far? I'm bored out of my mind. I don't know what to do with myself. Anyway, I know we didn't really get the chance to know each other during school, mainly because I'm not all social, but I'm working on that. So let's start with the little stuff. Favorite color, band, and food? Mine are black, Nine Inch Wands and Killed by a Curse, lasanga. I look forward to getting to know you. Hope to hear from you soon.
Skyler^
Sky quickly sealed the letter and sent it before she could change her mind. Deely just watched her write and smiled when the letter was on its way to Jet.
"Friends hmm?" she muttered. Sky shot her a look then threw a pillow at her. Deely caught it and both girls broke down in a fit of laughter.