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Venice, Italy: Internship
Author: Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen
Date: 07-24-10 09:23
Fortunata Melchiorre's potions lab is located in the San Marco sestiere of Venice, not far from the Chiesa di San Giuliano, or San Zulian, as it is more colloquially known. Fritz has already played tourist and visited some of the sites near him, including that church, but most of his time is spent in the lab. He is currently towards the beginning of his week-long internship with the reknowned experimental potions mistress. The opportunity to work with her is one of the Christmas gifts Professor Hodfuffer gave him last winter.
Already, Fritz feels like he's learned a lot. He'll be sorry when the week is over, just as he felt when he had to return home from Beijing at the end of the seventh year Muggle Studies trip. Fritz didn't take Muggle Studies last year, but since the trip was open to all seventh years and cost him little to nothing to attend, he couldn't pass up the opportunity. Who knew when something like that would come up again?
Fortunata's lab looks entirely different from Professor Snape's potions classroom. For starters, it's not so dim and dreary, probably since it's not located in the dungeons. It's on the fourth floor of an old building smack-dab in the middle of a Muggle shopping district, though it is, of course, shielded from their view, as are the strange smells that sometimes come from the simmering cauldrons.
Fritz's station is right by a window that looks out at the different shops and at the pedestrians walking up and down the street. It almost reminds Fritz of Diagon Alley, only there aren't any wands or broomsticks for sale.
Fortunata herself is also different than Snape is. She's not quite as hard on him as Snape often is on all of his students, but she can be quite stern. Fritz is glad for the discipline she instills in him, because he's sure that it will only make him a better potions master himself one day.
(Reading, Berkshire) Letters to Me
Author: Melchior
Date: 07-24-10 22:15
I always thought that life would be normal for me. I mean, why not? I lived in a normal home with a normal set of parents, and an almost normal little brother. I went to a normal school and made normal grades. Everything always seemed completely average to me, and I liked it that way. I would hear from my second cousin, Johanna, about how she went to one of the best schools in the country, and how her life always seemed to be filled with excitement. I would shrug it off; I knew that that kind of life wasn’t the life for me. I was stuck and perfectly happy with being normal.
That’s why I didn’t understand why this letter was now in my hands.
It was an acceptance letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I could only stare blankly at the letter, not reading its contents. I had never heard of this school in my life. Was this some kind of cruel joke. How would I be able to be accepted to a school that I wasn’t even aware existed?
“Isn’t that great, honey?” my mum said as she looked down at the letter with me. “Hogwarts! I’m so proud of you.” She embraced me from behind. Now this really confused me.
“Mum, I’ve never heard of this place in my life! How do you know about it? I mean, look at it. It’s a school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Magic doesn’t exist. Does it?” I shrugged my mum off of me and looked her in the eyes. The excitement that was once there faded immediately.
“Melchi, I know that this must be hard for you to understand, but this is quite an achievement,” Mum said as she tried to pull me towards her for another embrace. I resisted.
“Mum, no. There’s no such thing as magic!” I stormed out the front door. I walked down the roads of Berkshire, not really heading in any general direction, just getting away from everything. Unfortunately, I had stormed out with the letter in my hands. I felt it now in between my fingers. Why wouldn’t I? The envelop could have been the weight of an acceptance letter on its own, so the parchment that was within the letter was heavier then your average letter. I rolled my eyes. I was going to end up reading this letter; I knew I was. I was a reader after all. I would read the entire newspaper every day, not to mention all of the magazines that my mum ordered. They may not have been the most interesting things in the world, but I had an interest in reading, so what else was I supposed to read? And this is why I begrudgedly picked up the letter and began to read while walking down the sidewalk. The first thing it did was congratulate me on being accepted. It then listed a date for me to be at King’s Cross on Platform 9?. I scoffed at this. I had been to King’s Cross a few times with Father when he went down for business, but I had never seen a Platform 9?. But I read on and it listed all of the objects that I would need before my arrival. I couldn’t help but laugh at every single object that was listed here. I had only heard of this objects in dark magic stories. How could they actually exist? It then said congratulations again and had their final salutations.
I put the letter back in the envelope just in time to return to the house. I had taken a short route around the neighborhood since I knew it wouldn’t take me that long to get over being angry. I noticed my father pulling into the driveway. “Melchi!” he said as he got out of the car. I approached him. “Good to see you, boy. I got a letter at the office today from your cousin, Johanna.” He then pulled a letter from his overcoat and handed it to me. Sure enough, there was a letter addressed to me from Johanna. As my father entered the house, I stayed outside and wordlessly opened the letter to see what my cousin had to say after what must have been three years at least.
‘Dear Melchior,
How have you been? It’s been a long time. I’ve been fine. I heard from Mum that you were going to go to Hogwarts this coming year. I couldn‘t be happier for you…’
The letter went on to explain how she had also been accepted and that it was an experience that she was glad to be apart of. I tried to imagine Johanna happy; it didn’t work. But it also said how I might have gotten the impression that magic might not exist and how wrong I was, that it was real, and very active. She described all that she had learned at Hogwarts and all of the friends that she had made. By the end of the letter, I decided that I should give Hogwarts a chance. Even if it was a joke, it might be fun to see why they went through this elaborate scheme and just for me. Especially if Johanna was in on it.
I walked through the front door. My mum came up and asked if everything was alright. I smiled and said yes, then said that I would attend Hogwarts this year. My mum looked at me puzzled, but seemed happy at my reply all the same.
“Brilliant! Now come to the kitchen table. It’s time for supper,” she said as she led me to the table. Not another word was said about Hogwarts that day. There was no need.
Getting Ready For A Meeting
Author: Ron Weasley
Date: 07-24-10 23:07
Ron uses his wand to direct two heavy cases of Muggle soft drinks off the lift, nearly running into Harry and Griffin Price waiting to get on the lift. "Sorry!"
"Have a taste for soft drinks now, do you?" Harry asks.
"Yes, but these aren't for me. Pinky's helping me with something tonight so these are for him. This is the brand he prefers, right?"
"Yeah, that's it."
Griffin asks, "Isn't Pinky your house elf, Harry?"
"Yeah, well, no. I don't own him. Pinky's free and works for me on salary. What's he helping you with, Ron?"
"I'll tell you later. I'm going to be late if I don't hurry."
"We'd best be going as well anyway."
"Lunch tomorrow."
"Yeah, if Griff and I aren't off on this case, lunch it is."
Ron hastens down the hall, briskly moving the cases of soft drinks. He'd rushed out to get them while on break, but since it was a Muggle shoppe he had to tote these heavy cases until he was where he wouldn't be seen apparating. Just when he was about to disapparate he thought he heard someone coming. That blew his concentration just enough that he wound up on a different floor of the Ministry than he'd intended. Reaching his desk, Ron leaves the two cases, grabs a file then hurries in the direction of a small conference room to meet with Hit Wizard Dinias Fairchild, and law enforcement personnel from France, Morocco, Greece, Costa Rica, and the United States: Mignon Chevalier, Farid Mazouzi, Kristofr Giannakopoulos, Sebastián Valenzuela, and Janette Duckworth, respectively. Ron had been working with Dinias one day when what at first seemed like two separate cases - one his, one Dinias's - started showing a similar pattern. Ron had been working with Jaiden Peters, who is another Auror, and Dinias with fellow Hit Wizard Willis Patrick but after a brief discussion, the decision was made that Dinias and Ron should tackle the cases together, allowing Jaiden and Willis to work on other things. It hadn't taken Dinias and Ron long to figure out that the two cases were indeed related and most likely perpetrated by the same person. Over the course of the three weeks between then and now they'd learned of similar cases in other countries. The five visitors are the lead investigators for their respective cases.
Ron is halfway to the conference room when he stops, slaps his forehead while muttering deprecatingly at himself, then swivels around to practically jog back to his desk. Ron's mind hasn't been as much on work today as it should be. Also on his mind is that he's finally going to quit his other job at Whizz Hard books, giving notice in the morning. He writes his last agony aunt column as Aunt Aggie this week as well, wondering still how he got sucked back into doing that in the first place.
One thing though is taking up almost all of his thoughts. It's the reason he's got Pinky helping him tonight, for which Pinky's getting the two large cases of Muggle soda. Ron has become a fairly decent cook but tonight he wants more than fairly decent and that's where Pinky and his culinary handiwork come in. Pinky's helping Ron cook a very special supper for Hermione. Ron's mustered up the courage to ask Hermione the question that Molly Weasley's going to ask for him if he doesn't hurry up with it. Every time his mum is around Hermione for more than a second, she starts acting odd and making little remarks, and giving strange, dewey eyed looks. Several times when Hermione wasn't looking, Molly would make go ahead gestures to Ron, making a herding sort of motion with her hands, jerking her head at Hermione and nodding vigously, and so on. Ron's leaving the Ministry a little earlier than usual this afternoon so he can get home and get started. He's clueless enough about setting a romantic table for dinner he thinks that alone will take a few hours.
Reaching his desk, Ron picks up a box he'd seen when he'd put the soda down and grabbed the file. He'd requisitioned quills, ink, parchment, and that like to have on hand for the meeting and the exchange of information he hopes will take place. The box is the same sort that the amount of supplies he'd asked for usually would come in so without really looking closely at the box he takes it and hustles back in the direction of the conference room.
Ron reaches the conference room just behind Dinias. The room is empty, which is good. He'd wanted to get in here and set-up at least a little before any of them arrive. Dinias, who is also carrying a box, sets it down on the table and starts unpacking cups, drinks, and a deli platter of sandwiches. Ron plots his own box down and sets the file off to the side. The box has been taped shut for some reason so Ron works his finger under an end of the tape. When he's got enough peeled from the side, he grabs hold and starts ripping. As the tape pulls away from the box, a noxious, dark gray cloud rises up, choking him and stinging his eyes.
Ron's coughing violently and his knees are going wobbly. The edges of his vision start to darken. Something hits him from the side, knocking Ron to the ground. Next thing he knows he's being pulled towards the toward as Dinias hoarsely instructs, "Stay down."
Once in the hallway, Dinias reaches up to pull the door of the conference room shut then uses his wand to seal around the door so none of the gas or smoke or whatever it was can leak out. Ron has pushed up on his hands and knees, sucking in the fresh air of the hallway but still coughing so hard it's hard to get a breath. His eyes are watering so badly he can't see much of anything. Dinias kneels by Ron, bracing him as the coughing continues, shouting for help.
Ron's lungs feel as though they are on fire and he still can't stop coughing. The lack of being able to breath properly is making him feel light headed and he suddenly doesn't feel like he's got the strength to stay even on hands and knees. He sort of falls over to lean against the wall as someone tries to hand him water. Ron would dearly love a soothing drink of water right now but at the moment doesn't think he can stop coughing long enough to get even a tiny sip down.
This Is Not The Plan
Author: Ron Weasley
Date: 07-25-10 10:49
Just over an hour later, Ron is sitting in an exam room at St. Mungo's. They want to admit him but he hasn't been moved to a room yet for two reasons. The first is because of Ministry business. With a second attack on law enforcement personnel within the walls of the Ministry, Minster of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt came down to talk with Dinias and Ron about what happened. Ron thinks Kingsley might have come anyway, because of the friendship between Kingsley and the Weasley family. Dinias and Ron were questioned thoroughly, though Ron ended up having to nod yes or no or write out his answers. Dinias is hoarse but can talk. Healers were able to get Ron's coughing under control but his voice is gone. Even if it weren't totally gone, one of the healers said he'd be advises not to talk anyway.
The second reason Ron hasn't been formally admitted to hospital and moved from the exam room is because he's being stubborn. Tonight is a big night and he bloody well is not planning on cancelling simply because his voice is gone for the moment, and his lungs are still on fire, and his eyes burn and sre red and swollen very nearly shut. He can just present Hermione the ring. She's a genius so it's not as though she actually has to hear him speak the words to know what a guy down on one knee before his girl, offering up a ring means.
Or does she?
Need to hear the words?
Ron hadn't thought about that until just now. Maybe girls do need to hear the question. Or would finding some other way, like say getting Pinky to bake the ring with the question affixed do the job? Or the whole silent on one knee business?
A harsh, gutteral sound escapes Ron's lips as he flops back on the exam bed in exasperation. Tonight was supposed to be romantic and here he is looking like like a sorry piece of refuse. He feels like a sorry piece of refuse. His throat, lungs, and eyes are raw. Even his nose is itchy and runny. Is this the picture he wants forever burned into Hermione's mind associated with the giving of an engagement ring and asking that all important question?
Ron's thoughts are interrupted when Dinias walks in. The Hit Wizard's voice sounds gravelly as he holds up a potions bottle and gives it a little shake. "This stuff tastes like week old sour milk but my throat's feeling better already. They're releasing me. I'm going to the Ministry to see if there's anything new on the attack, get my statement signed, that sort of thing. Oh, and our meeting's been rescheduled. It's in Morocco in two days. Think you'll be up to it by then?"
At Ron's nod Dinias says, "Excellent! I'll let Farid Mazouzi know we plan to be there. You need anything before I leave for the Ministry?"
Ron starts to shake his head no then changes his mind. With a nod he pantomimes writing so Dinias gets im parchment and though he can't find a quill or ink he does find a pencil. It's got a good point to it so that's fine with Ron. He dashes off a missive for Pinky then after folding it and addressing it, jots down to Dinias on a second piece of parchment, "Owl this for me?"
"Happy to, Ron."
Dinias takes the message, his foul tasting potion and goes, leaving Ron alone again in the exam room. He's already thanked Dinias for knocking him out of the way of that gas but he should probably do it again. Dinias breathed in a little of the stuff but only a little. That's why he's hoarse but hasn't had any problems really with coughing or with his lungs. His eyes are red and have a watery look to them but that's about it. He'd not been right there by the box when Ron opened it or else Dinias's damage could be worse.
Ron got a face full of the stuff and has been told if he'd not been knocked out of the way when he was, the effects on him could have been a hundred times worse, if not more so. If Ron had been alone in the room, even if he'd fallen over, the gas would have permeated the room and potentially been fatal.
Dinias and Ron were told that a message was found inside the box, on top of the supply items. It read Isn't this a gas? But Avada Kedrava is still better.
As with what happened to Harry with the cursed and poisoned memo, no one is sure yet if Ron was the intended target or whether this was random. With Harry and now Ron the victims, those who know of both incidents are starting to wonder whether a Voldemort supporter has decided to go after Harry and his friends.
Making that harsh sound - the only sound he seems to be able to make at the moment - Ron thinks he now has another reason not to be admitted to St. Mungo's. If Harry's friends are targets then Hermione could be next. And Ginny. The rest of Ron's family. Even Neville.
Ron gets off the exam table to find his legs feeling oddly rubbery. He takes a deep breath, grimacing at the pain in his lungs, and makes it halfway across the exam room. He's stopped when Molly comes hurrying in, "Why am I just now learning you're here, Ron? Where's Hermione? Does she know? Why are you still in an exam room? Shouldn't you be in a room by now?" She's speaking in a rush, not giving Ron a chance to indicate he can't talk at the moment. That's no matter right then though because Molly grabs Ron and fiercely hugs him. When she at least releases him Ron can't help but notice his mum's eyes are teary. She takes hold of his arm and guides him back to the exam table. Ron sits as she directs, knowing his chance to make a break for it is now gone.
Hearing the News
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 07-25-10 14:53
Hermione perused the stalls of a traveling farmer's market that had set up shop at the edge of Hogsmeade. She'd already purchased a variety of berries and other fruit and now looked at the different kinds of vegetables for sale. Just as she picked up an ear of corn, an owl called from high above, drawing the attention of not only Hermione but several others at the farmer's market.
She recognized the grey bird as Errol, the ancient and half-blind Weasley family owl. Errol flew erratically at a decline and very nearly collided into the head of one of the merchants. He landed abruptly on one of the tables and knocked over a pile of oranges, which scattered in all directions.
Hermione apologetically helped collect all of the fallen oranges and then swept up Errol in one arm so that he no longer lay all over the merchandise. She carried him away from the stalls and set him down on a park bench, where she also set her grocery sacks and sat down.
"I didn't think they still used you to run errands," Hermione commented, plucking the letter Errol bore from his talons.
It consisted solely of a small piece of parchment folded in half. There was no envelope. Hermione unfolded it and saw that it came from Molly.
Hermione,
I poked my head in the fire just now but you weren't home. Ron is at St. Mungo's. He will be fine, but come as soon as you can!
Love,
Molly
Hermione sprang up immediately and startled the poor, old owl so that he nearly fell off of the bench. She reached into the small purse she carried that contained much more than it ought to based on its look, and showered Errol with a handful of owl treats. Then she grabbed her grocery sacks and hurried to her flat. She'd had half a mind to just abandon the fruit and apparate immediately for the hospital, but farmer's market merchandise was something special and not to be wasted.
No sooner had she dropped it off at home, though, she immediately went to the hospital, where she found Molly outside in the hall.
"Hermione, there you are!" she cried out, embracing Hermione tightly. "I'm so glad Errol found you. I wouldn't have used him but he was the first owl I found and I wanted to hurry back to the hospital to be with Ron. Can you believe it? First Harry, and now my baby boy!"
Hermione gently pulled away from Molly. "What happened?"
"Why it was another attack at the Ministry!"
Hermione gaped. "What? How?"
Molly filled Hermione in on what she knew and led her to Ron's hospital room.
No Lobe Lost
Author: Sage Porter
Date: 07-25-10 16:10
Sage watches as Georgia's little sister Libby stalks an unsuspecting rabbit. Having seen the ministrations Libby gives their cat, Sage has half a mind to use a little spell to nudge the rabbit along. He ends up not having to do that though when Libby gives herself away and the rabbit bounds off into some thick undergrowth. Beside him on the picnic blanket Georgia follows Sage's gaze then once again apologizes, "I'm so vair, vair sorry about having her along."
"I told you I don't mind."
"Having my completely barmy sister along is NOT how I wanted to spend time with you today."
Sage looks directly at Georgia and grins. "Sort of hard to get out the door when a five year old is wrapped around one's leg." After a slight pause he adds, "Libby has an amazingly strong grasp."
"Scary little bugger, isn't she?"
"Libby is definitely unique; but, then, so are you."
Georgia playfully swats at Sage. "I hope you don't mean I'm barmy too."
"You are a loon but a loveable one."
"Then I take it as a compliment," Georgia says, leaning in to kiss him.
Their lips have barely brushed when another face is suddenly looms from the side. They each jump and Libby laughs somewhat maniacally for a five year old only to abruptly stop and demand, "Where is Sandra?"
Sage reaches behind him to grab the Merlin statuette, adorned with something furry Libby's glued to the head in place of the yarn hair she'd had their previously and a spangly pink bit of cloth tied on much like a toga. Libby grabs her doll, leans close in to Sage's face and with her free hand pinches his cheek. "Spank you vair much, you cheeky monkey sex god, you."
Georgia groans, burying her face in her hands, mumbling through her fingers, "Just go play, Libby."
"I lobe you too, bad Gingey."
"You are five, Liberty. Try to at least speak like most kids your age."
"Bad, Gingey! Push me on the swing!" All this is said in a scolding tone accompanied by a swat to Georgia's nose.
Sage pushes up from the blanket. "I'll push you, Libby."
"Libs lobes the sex god now. Spank you berry much."
"She's rather immmature for her age to be speaking and acting like that, isn't she? Georgia, I'm so sorry your sister is... special."
Sage, holding Libby's hands, turns at the voice, bristling at the condescension. He starts to say something but Georgia beats him to it, saying in an overly saccharine tone, "Aubrey, so nice of you to notice the double cool with knobs uniqueness that is my sister. We are honored you took time from your vair busy schedule to speak to us."
Aubrey rolls her eyes at Georgia then turns fully towards Sage. "I've never been able to understand half of what she says. You should be award some sort of medal for it."
"I've never known you to be so catty, Aubrey. If you're going to be like this, go somewhere else. We're having a perfectly nice time and don't need this ugly attitude of yours to spoil it."
Aubrey's eyes widen with a little hurt at Sage's words but then flash with anger as she glances at the now smirking Georgia. She quickly recovers, a smile now plastered on her face. "You're right. I am so sorry for any slight, Georgia. My only excuse is I am extremely exhausted after a long day. Photo shoot for two different magazine covers and layouts and rehearsal for a runway show here in the park this evening. You should come. See what real fashion is all about. Pick up some tips."
"Aubrey," Sage warns.
Aubrey's fishing around in her purse then pulls out what look like tickets. "Here. For you and your gang of friends, Georgia. This being a wizarding park, the show is going to have some really great special effects." She looks at Sage and flashes what some would consider an angelic smile. "Sage, always good to see you."
Aubrey sasheys away as Libby declares, "I DO NOT LOBE HER AT ALL. PUNISH THE CHEEKY MONKEY!"
Sage shoots Georgia an apologetic look even though he has nothing to apologize for then scooping Libby up and swinging her around to his back, he gallops in the direction of the swings with her squealing in glee.