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Dinner with Ariella
Author: Lawrence Masterson
Date: 07-07-07 16:14
After leaving Ariella in Diagon Alley he'd quickly gone to a few Muggle specialty stores that he absolutely loved. Purchasing some fresh herbs, fresh steak, and chicken breasts, as well as freshly made tortillas, salsa, cheddar cheese, and sour cream. He planned on making fajitas for dinner tonight with Ariella, little did he know that she was bringing a dessert that would fit in well with the dinner's theme. He'd pondered having a wine with the meal, but to him wine was something used to set a more romantic tone in a one on one dinner setting unless it was already predetermined that it was to be strictly casual, or strictly business, thus he settled with sparkling grape juice.
He'd just gotten dinner on the table, the meet and vegetable mix for the fajitas still sizzling on the warming plate. "Welcome to my little piece of paradise." After setting the Tres Leches cake in the kitchen, he would seat her at the table, a glass of sparkling grape juice for each of them, it would add to the ambiance of the meal. Not that he was going for anything romantic...just two friends catching up on the past two years.
Her invention actually sounded pretty neat. "I think your invention seems pretty useful, and it would help a lot of wizards and witches especially those in business who desire something physical rather than a spell to decipher a foreign language of their business partner or potential client. I know I'd be interested in one if I was in business." It was the truth, he wasn't merely saying it to further flatter her.
He hadn't gotten around to unpacking his books, which would fill the two large bookshelves behind the table, nor did he get around to unpacking the boxes that held most of the pictures that would ultimately decorate the walls. The only ones he was truly reluctant about hanging were the ones that were of he and Vera...too many memories...maybe he'd hang them, or maybe he'd keep them tucked away.
He'd watched Ariella as she looked around the apartment, kept neat despite the unpacked boxes. He couldn't help but grin a bit at her blush, and thought of inquiring upon the cause of it, but decided instead to answer her question.
"Do I miss Hogwarts?" He repeated the question and fell silent for a moment, before he nodded. "I do. I miss being around friends all the time, the familiarity of it all. The memories that linger within the halls and in the classrooms. I guess, I miss it more than I miss Sydney, and I was at Sydney longer than I was in Hogwarts." Perhaps that last may have something to do with his relationship with Vera, but there was more to it than that.
"So, with the Tournament that was held, I'm guessing there was no quidditch was there this past year?" They'd both played on the Hufflepuff quidditch team and it had been that that had spawned the friendship they now held. "Is this something that is going to be held yearly or is it only every couple of years like the Triwizard?" Perhaps, if there was Quidditch this year, he'd come see her play if she was going to be trying out for the team again.
Stuck At The Office
Author: Forest
Date: 07-07-07 18:59
Forest walks out of his office for about the twentieth time in as many minutes. Prunella eyes him as he looks from her office area out over all the cubicles of Aurors. "All your doing is making the time seem to go by more slowly."
"I know," Forest grumpily replies.
"He leaves tomorrow for that conference."
"I know," Forest says again, not sounding any less peevish.
Spinning around to walk over and sit on the edge of Prunella's desk, Forest says something under his breath about Berwyck Oldridge. Prunella says in a conspiratorial whisper, "That's along the lines of what others call him."
"He's certainly giving everyone a reason for it. Going around asking people's bloodlines, telling me I shouldn't be in the field so much, measuring all the office spaces in the department. He'd better not be thinking of downsizing space per cubicle. They're cramped enough as it is."
Prunella makes a clucking noise in agreement before saying, "Renigging on sentencing agreements for no reason other than it wasn't he who made the agreements. Wizengamot is not weilding the authority it did. Don't let me get started on that - and who. Leastways not here."
Prunella looks down at the parchment she'd been reading when Forest came out of his office that last time. "Hugo should see this. Pertains to a witness he's questioning."
Before Prunella can tap the parchment with her wand to turn it into a paper airplane Forest snatches it up. "I'll take it. I'm caught up on all my reports, have read everything in my in box, signed everything needing my signature... I should be out doing something productive and useful. I could understand the stick up his ass about me being in the field if I was behind in my work."
Forest, continuing to grumble under his breath goes to the interview room - interview sounds less harsh than interrogation - where Hugo Grellier is talking to a witness in one of his cases. Forest opens the door, walks in and hands Hugo the parchment then starts to walk out. He stops, does a full three-sixty to look around, blinks his eyes several times then looks again.
Forest goes and has a look at the other interview rooms then returns to Prunella's desk. "Why are some of the interview rooms pink?"
"Some of the temporary holding cells are now as well."
"Why? And when?"
"You signed off on it."
"I did? I have an excellent memory, Prunella. I don't remember signing anything okaying interview rooms and temporary holding cells to be turned pink."
"That's probably because he was distracting you again. It was one day last week."
"What else did I sign when I was preoccupied by the idiot?"
"Nothing of consequence. An order for more of the Extenbles and Emily Pennington's request for days off to attend a wedding in South Africa."
"And now the why?"
Prunella opens a drawer and pulls out some papers, handing them to Forest. He sees the papers are several magazine and professional journal articles about a Muggle named Dr. Alexander Schauss. He did studies to show that a particular shade of pink has a calming effect on the nervous system. Scanning the information, Forest reads that within ten to fifteen minutes of being in pink holding cells, the test subjects - prisoners in a correctional facility - were noticeably calmer and that the effect lasted for about half an hour after the prisoners left the holding cells.
Reading further along, Forest finds why it's only some of the interview rooms and some of the temporary holding cells that are now pink. Those left for longer than two hours became depressed and disturbed.
"What does he think about it?"
Prunella grins. "Don't know, don't care."
Forest grins in return and taking the articles with him to read more closely goes back into his office.
OOC: Dr. Alexander Schauss is very real. He named the pink color in his studies Baker-Miller pink in honor of Chief Warrant Officer Baker and Commander Miller, the two at the U.S. Naval Correctional Center in Seattle who cooperated with him to do the initial study. The font color used here is a close approximation of Baker-Miller pink.
I Know My Cousin...
Author: Skyler
Date: 07-07-07 19:21
It took Skyler and Kordelia weeks to go through and select everything they wanted from the basement of Littya's home. More often than not they had dinner at house at her. She was a persuasive person. Her son was adorable and Skyler loved playing with him. Littya's husband was a nice man who like is wife loved having Deely and Sky there. Littya insisted that they come back to visit at least once a week until school started and promise to write. Sky felt like she had been adopted into their family which she drew comfort from. Even she didn't have her own, they were the closest thing she had.
Skyler and Jet had written each other a few times since the first letter. She was looking forward to seeing him at school. Alex was hanging around her and Deely a lot. They had even become friends. Sky and Deely sat on the couch looking through a scrapbook when there was a pop and out walked Alex from the fireplace.
"Hey," he said, brushing himself off. They smiled.
"Hi," Deely said. Sky added in a "what's up" and continued flipping through the old scrapbook her mother started. It wasn't finished. It was one of the last projects she was working on before her death. Sky decided to finish it.
"What's that?" Alex asked taking a seat across from them. Skyler laughed. He still had powder in his hair. Deely and Alex gave her a curious look and she grinned.
"You still have stuff in your hair, and i'ts a scrapbook. My mother started it." Sky said.
"Cool, can I see?" he asked moving to the other side and sitting next to Skyler. She nodded and turned to the beginning. The first picture was of her and her mother. As they flipped through she told them about the parts she remembered. As it neared the end, there was a picture of her mother and a man. He was handsome. It looked like it was before she was born. The caption read An amazing man that changed my life. Sky wondered who and how he changed her mother's life.
"Who's that?" Deely asked. Sky shook her head. Alex looked as if he had seen a ghost.
"What's wrong with you?" Sky asked. It took him a moment before he answered.
"That's..that's my dad," he said. She looked at the picture. They had the same eyes and similar smiles.
"Your dad?" Sky echoed. He nodded but didn't speak again. "You and I might be related," she said in shock. They turned the page and there was nothing else. Sky slipped the picture out wondering if there was something written on the back like the rest of the photos, and sure there was. Me and Adam, a good man with a good heart. Sky wanted to know how he was connected to her and her mother. Deely broke the silence first.
"What about her diary?" she offered. Sky looked up. She had forgotten all about that.
"Yeah! That should tell who he is," Sky said and slid to the floor. She sifted through a box and pulled out her mother's diary. She skimmed through the entries with Adam's name in it, but found nothing until she read one dated August 3rd.
August 3rd 1992
I saw Adam today while shopping. It was nice to see him. I miss him so much and I didn't realize how much until today. It's hard to believe I haven't seen him since I was pregnant with Skyler. It seems he has a son with his wife Ivy. I only had the pleasure of meeting her once at their wedding. Adam says he wants Sky and his son, Alex, to meet soon. I think it's a good idea. After all they are cousins. Family should know each other. I wish he could have met Samuel. They would have gotten along so well. It's nice having my brother around again, although it's only for 6 months. The military has him everywhere which has to be hard on Ivy and Alex but it brought him to me. I can't wait to see him tomorrow and introduce Sky to her uncle.
"Alex you're my cousin!?" Sky said shocked. Alex looked up half relieved and still shocked.
"What? My mom told me dad's sister, I guess your mom, died but they wouldn't tell us what happened to you. We thought you died too," Alex said shaking his head. Sky put her mother's diary down and leaned back. She was still reeling at the thought that not only did she have family but she had become friends with her cousin.
"No wonder when I saw your face I thought I recognized you. I mean you look a lot like your dad but apparently they arranged some sort of play date for me and you and..." Sky stopped.
"I have to go. I'm going to get my mother," Alex said standing.
"Don't go," Deely said. For a moment Sky forgot Deely was there.
"No, I have to. Why don't you guys come with me," Alex said. Sky nodded. She wanted to meet her aunt.
Thinking
Author: Illyria
Date: 07-07-07 20:20
Illyria sat in her office and reviewed her lesson plans, revising some here and there but mainly leaving them the same for all years. She dropped what hadn't worked well last year and where there was no room for improvement and added where she knew of an astronomical event coming up that would be crucial to the curriculum.
Despite the appearance of being productive, Illyria's mind wandered rampant. Her sister Arsinoe and her new brother-in-law Quin were currently honeymooning in Bali. But Illyria wasn't thinking about them. She was thinking about the man she'd hooked up with at the wedding reception... and in his hotel room multiple times.
Although Illyria and Nathan had appeared to have a connection, they'd parted ways the next morning without exchanging information and hadn't seen each other since then. Illyria didn't necessarily miss him or their night together. She just couldn't get the fact that she'd had a one night stand out of her head. Illyria had never been so loose before in her life, not that sharing a night of passion after a wedding with a total stranger was completely unheard of. According to Muggle and wizarding magazines alike, that sort of thing happened often.
She tried to push the wedding after-events from her mind but found that she really couldn't as long as she sat there in her office and attempted to do real work. Fresh air would do her some good. It would allow her to clear her head. Well, hopefully.
Illyria sat up, the legs of her chair scraping against the flagstones. She went straight for the door of her office and wound her way through corridors and staircases until she reached the grand marble steps that led from the first floor to the entrance hall. It was at the bottom step that Illyria ran into Marzipan. She smelled faintly of cigarette smoke.
"Hi. Is everything all right?" Illyria asked.
Marzi smiled softly. "Yes. I have some good news. I––" she paused, as if deciding to change her sentence just as soon as starting it. "I ran into Weston a few days ago. We are dating again."
"That's wonderful!" Illyria replied, smiling. She'd come to learn how much Marzi and Weston had meant to each other while they'd been dating. Her smile faltered a little though. "I can't help but notice that you look a little stressed."
Marzi realized that Illyria could probably smell the cigarette smoke on her and explained that Weston had taken up smoking and that she was already trying to rid him of the habit. "There's also Weston's father. He... he's not a good person. He frightens me."
"Do you want to talk about it? I was thinking about going to a walk on the grounds, but we could go to my quarters and drink some tea instead."
"No, walking sounds nice. And yes, I can tell you more about it." Marzi hadn't confided in anyone about what she'd learned about her father's past dealings with Weston's. Only Percival and Weston and Constantius really knew anything about what had gone on, and only Weston and Constantius knew that Marzi had only recently been threatened by the latter. Perhaps if she told a friend, someone not directly involved in the situation, she might get new insight into it or at least feel a bit better.
Illyria put an arm around Marzi's shoulders and steered her out the front door. "Start from the beginning, or wherever you feel most comfortable."
Making A Date
Author: Ginny Weasley
Date: 07-07-07 21:22
Ginny rings up a sale of a mint colored pygmy puff, her own puff nestled under her collar against the nape of her neck. With all the colors available in both the pygmies and the regular puffskeins now, they are really hard to keep in stock. She wonders if Hogwarts will find itself overrun with the cute critters once fall term begins.
"Excuse me, miss. I'm looking for something called HilariTea. It's Weasleys' that carries it, right?"
"Yes, we are the only available source for HilariTea. Both our shoppes and mail order I mean. You won't find it through anyone else, not legally that is. It's right this way."
The girl, who's probably 12 or 13, dutifully follows Ginny to the display with teas from the entire Tea line. Ginny asks, "Are you American or Canadian? Your accent isn't from around here."
"Canadian, visiting some relatives."
"Would you like to sign up to receive our catalogs and sale flyers?"
"Yes, please!"
Ginny helps the girl, whose name is India, with choosing some joke items in addition to the HilariTea then while ringing her up has India fill out the necessary information to be on the owl post list. Two more people are in line with purchases so Ginny rings them up as well before moving towards the front of the store to fix a display a toddler knocked over when he had a fit about not wanting to leave the shopped. His mother had scooped him up and in the process the child had kicked over half of the U-No-Poo display.
"Ginny?"
Ginny puts the last of the U-No-Poo back into place and turns to see Michael Corner standing there. "Michael! How are you?"
"I'm well. You look good."
"Thank you, so do you. I don't think I've seen you since you left Hogwarts."
"I got a job with the Ministry within a few weeks of graduating. I was working with a diplomat assigned to Singapore but he's back in England now and I came back with him."
"Wow, Singapore. That sounds fascinating!"
"What about you?"
"I'm a student at St. Emrys University. Have you heard of it?"
"A little, yes."
"I've completed two years there and will start my third year in the fall. When not busy with school I help out here or at the twins' other shoppe; they bought out Zonko's in Hogsmeade. I also work some at another family business in Hogsmeade, Blossom's."
"I need to run. I saw you through the window when I was passing by. I do want to talk more with you, catch up. Would you like to go to dinner with me, Ginny?"
"Tonight?"
"Tonight, tomorrow, the night after. You decide."
"Tonight's good."
"Is 7:00 all right?"
"Yes, that's fine. I live upstairs. Would it be easier if I met you at the restaurant though?"
"Only if you want. I don't mind coming by."
"All right then. See you upstairs around 7:00."
Ginny walks Michael to the door and gives a wave as he continues on his way. Ten minutes late Fred hands Ginny something for a customer for her to ring up. "What's got you grinning like an idiot?"
"What? Oh. Nothing. Didn't realize I was."
"You were. Don't scare away the customers," he teases.
Fred walks off and Ginny rings up the customer, trying hard not to start grinning broadly again.
Cleaning the Attic
Author: Carys
Date: 07-08-07 10:01
Carys climbed into the attic that served not only as a storage area but also as the owlery for Homer and Mon Chéri. With her father's incarceration, Mon Chéri had relocated to Wales with Carys and would so remain until Jean Beauvais' release––whenever that would be. Every once in a while Jean wrote to his daughter. She always responded to his letters and often included new photographs of Tristan.
Unable to use magic to tidy up the owls' messes, Carys was forced to do it the Muggle way. She used a broom and a dust pan, making a neat little pile and then scooping up what she could into a large rubbish bin. The room smelled slightly of decay, on account of the mouse bones that littered the floor. Carys cleaned all that up too.
While she worked, she thought about Tristan's upcoming birthday. It was just under a month away. He would be one. Alun and Mairwen had already suggested that Carys invite Griffin over for supper then, which was something Carys had already had in mind to do. Perhaps the whole family could even spend the whole day in the park or at the Muggle zoo.
Carys finally finished tidying up the attic and made sure that both owls had fresh water and some treats before heading downstairs, where she went to check on the baby, who had gone down for a nap. He was still sleeping soundly. Carys tucked his blanket around him and put his favorite stuffed animal in his arm before turning away from the crib to get something cool to drink. All that work had made her hot and thirsty.
She went into the kitchen and poured her a glass of lemonade. It had already been magically chilled so that Carys wasn't stuck drinking something lukewarm. She sat down on a stool and drank slowly, allowing her mind to wander to something else that would be coming up. Something she again wouldn't be able to experience: the start of a new Hogwarts term.
Had Carys not left Hogwarts, she'd be entering her seventh year. She did miss Hogwarts and her old friends and felt envious that they were experiencing everything she wasn't. She had forced herself to grow up early by becoming sexually active and having a child at barely sixteen years of age. Carys didn't like to think that she'd ruined her life by having Tristan, but she knew that she'd changed it severely.
She looked at the clock and sighed. She had a shift at McMerlin's in a couple of hours and needed to shower before she left. Carys quickly drained her glass and then went to the bathroom to get cleaned up.
Conversation over Dessert
Author: Ariella Beck
Date: 07-08-07 10:16
Honestly, Ariella didn't know if the Scholastic Aptitude Tournament would be held again but she did know that it wouldn't be held next year. She told Lawrence as much and said that she fully intended on playing Quidditch again next term. She'd played beater for the team and would likely assume the same position again, if someone better didn't come along.
The rest of the evening passed quickly. The fajitas had been absolutely delicious (Ariella had never had any before in her life and fully intended on reading up on the dish to see if she could try her hand at making it sometime too). Now it was time for dessert. Lawrence got out the cake Ariella had made and carefully sliced two small pieces.
"This is really good," Lawrence expressed after the first bite. "You're a talented baker."
"Thanks," Ariella replied, smiling. "It was my first try. I'm glad it turned out all right."
"It's better than all right." Lawrence grinned. He looked down at his spongy, extremely moist slice of cake and prodded it a bit with his fork. "So," he started, looking up again. "Have you dated much since we last saw each other at Hogwarts?"
Ariella swallowed the bite that had been in her mouth and shook her head. "No." She hesitated. "There was one guy. He transfered to Hogwarts the year after you graduated. We didn't date for very long." She almost threw in that he'd dumped her heartlessly but only added, "He moved to South America only half a year into term."
"That's too bad," Lawrence replied. "Do you miss him?"
Ariella had a very honest answer to that. "No. I really don't." In the beginning she'd been very heartbroken, but she'd gotten over Christian Hoffmann long ago. "So, what about you? Last I remember you and Vera Delgety were inseparable."