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Borrowed Is A Nicer Term
Author: Plum
Date: 08-15-10 19:39
A seething Plum pounds on the Weaver's front door. "Anissa! William!"
After a whole half second Plum starts to pound again but stops when a flustered and perplexed looking William opens the door, a hand going out in a hush gesture at the same time he says, "There's no need to yell, Plum. Come in."
"Where is she? Where's Alex?"
William, looking more confused now, points towards the back of the house. "The den. Why are ? Plum?"
Plum is already half way to the den and doesn't bother acknowledging that William said anything beyond telling her where her brother and grandmother are. William hurries along after her, saying her name a couple more times but Plum ignores him entirely. Upon reaching the den, she does pause at the threshold to take in the scene before her.
Alex is on the floor giggling as a puppy he's got his arms around licks his face. Anissa is sitting on a footstool telling Alex to be gentle holding the puppy.
Not wanting to scare Alex, Plum controls her anger enough not to yell. Instead she loudly hisses, "Anissa!" and jerks her head to indicate the other woman should come into the hallway.
Anissa's head jerks around, her eyes wide, her face suddenly brightly coloring. From the floor, a very happy Alex crows, "I got a puppy, Pwum! Come see!"
Plum's expression momentarily softens as she looks to Alex. "I'll see in just a moment, first I need to talk with Anissa."
With obvious great reluctance, Anissa rises and walks slowly towards Plum and William, who is hovering just past her. As she comes into the hall, William asks, "What's going on?"
"Don't pretend you don't know," Plum angrily says, working hard to keep the volume down since Alex isn't that far away.
"Don't know what?" William asks, looking from Plum to Anissa. Seeing the guilt on his wife's face his brow crinkles into deep furrows. "Anissa, you said you had permission."
"Permission my arse," Plum hotly hisses.
"Perhaps we should go in here," Anissa says so calmly that it just serves to make Plum even angrier. She stalks into the indicated room, which is a small dining alcove, coming to a stop with arms folded, a hard, furious glint in her eyes.
William says to Plum even before he's fully in the room, "I was under the impression that Anissa had consent to bringing Alex here for the afternoon. I'm very sorry that isn't the case."
Plum asks through clenched teeth, eyes on Anissa, "No, that's not the case. Kidnapping. How's that for a case?"
"It's not what it seems," Anissa says.
"It's not? So you did not go to our flat, where you did not proceed to tell the sitter that you were taking Alex for the afternoon and after Alex indicated you are indeed his grandmother and after you paid her for her time, you took him from his home?"
"Well "
"Anissa, the truth," William warns.
"Kidnapping is such a harsh term. It implies I was stealing him and I wasn't."
Plum sarcastically and cuttingly responds, "What? You were just borrowing Alex?"
"Actually, yes, something like that. I was going to bring him back. He's not feeling well, you know. I couldn't leave him with that woman."
"In the first place, you had no business being there."
"He's my grandson! I have every business."
Plum goes on as if Anissa hasn't spoken. "In the second place, yes, I knew he wasn't feeling well. That is why I left Alex with a sitter instead of taking him to child care. In the third place, you did not have any right taking Alex without my express verbal or written consent."
"I wanted to see him and I knew you wouldn't allow it."
"Hmmm. Could that be because of a custody suit you've filed against me?"
"One which I have not acted on in some time I might remind you."
"As if that matters when the suit is still there, just waiting for you to decide to press the issue again."
"What if I drop it entirely?"
"After this stunt?" Plum derisively snorts.
William speaks up again to suggest, "What if we discuss the particulars another time? Anissa's being defensive, I'm angry at having been lied to by my wife, and you are in a fine temper, Plum."
"I don't know if time will make a difference but we'll see," Plum tells him. Directing her attention to Anissa again, who has yet to come across as even a tiny bit sorry, she coldly says, "If you EVER contemplate borrowing Alex without permission again, best keep in mind that Anthony is an Auror and he can bring the entire law enforcement division down on you."
Plum exits the room, taking deep, calming breaths as she walks, so that when she reaches Alex in the den and is kneeling on the floor with him, she doesn't look or sound as furious as she feels on the inside. Alex nestles the now sleeping puppy against his chest. "He needs a name, Pwum."
"Is he yours to keep or does he stay here?"
Alex shrugs, eyes going big. "He's mine."
"I know that, sweetie, but maybe William and Anissa mean for puppy to live here."
Alex looks past Plum to ask them, "Does he have to wive here?"
"I think he should live wherever you want him to Alex, if Plum and Anthony are fine with it that is."
Seeing how happy Alex is with the puppy snuggled against him, Plum strokes the soft, silky fur on the dog's head and tells her brother, "He can come with us but if Anthony doesn't think we should have a dog, puppy will have to live somewhere else and you visit him there, okay?"
"Okay."
"Now, tell them thank you for the puppy and goodbye. It's time to go home now."
Alex relinquishes hold of the puppy long enough to give first Anissa and then William hugs, telling them each, "Thank you."
So as not to appear openly angry or rude in front of Alex, Plum very stiffly thanks them as well and bids them goodbye as she takes Alex by the hand to escort him from the house. Once outside, she picks up Alex with the puppy secured between their bodies and disapparates, a soft spot for the puppy already forming.
Dreaded Discussion
Author: Ella
Date: 08-16-10 17:56
Ella came back through the arched gateway between Diagon Alley and The Leaky Cauldron, carrying several shopping bags in both of her hands. Although they should have been heavy, as several of them were filled with the textbooks she would need for her sixth year at Hogwarts, they weren't. Ella easily put them all in one hand when she got upstairs and found the door to her room.
She had just stuck the key into the lock and turned it when she heard someone call her name. Ella recognized it and sort of wanted to pretend like she'd heard nothing and go on inside, but when she heard it a second time, this time from closer, she reluctantly turned her head and saw Francis approaching from down the hallway.
Ella hadn't seen or talked to Francis since Emrys Fest, when he'd caught her making out with Zane. They'd not discussed it, and while Ella hoped that it would never come up, she knew the subject couldn't be avoided forever. Perhaps it was better to have the discussion now then tomorrow or later when they were in the company of their classmates.
"Hi Francis," Ella said, pushing the door open. She gestured with her head for him to follow her inside. Ella went straight to her bed and set down all of her shopping bags. Her Hogwarts trunk sat on a luggage rack against the wall.
Francis went so far as the doorway and leaned against the jamb. "I didn't think you would be staying here too. I thought you might be at home with your mum, or––" He let the rest of his thought hang in the air unsaid.
Ella had started emptying out her shopping bags. She carefully folded a new set of robes she'd gotten and carried it to her trunk.
"Mum is working a double shift at the hospital," Ella said. "She had wanted to take off so that she could see me off on the Hogwarts Express, but she couldn't find anyone to cover for her. She's a bit disappointed about it, but then she likes to throw herself into her work nowadays, so I guess it's not all bad. My dad, meanwhlie, is in Antigua or someplace with that woman."
Ella shook her head and looked over her shoulder at Francis. "What about you? Why are you staying here?"
"My parents went to China. I guess I could have flooed in the morning, but I procrastinated doing my back-to-school shopping and figured I should just stay here to get it done and make sure I make it to Kings Cross in the morning."
Ella nodded. "Same here. It just seemed more convenient."
She returned to her bed to sort through her books. She didn't want to ask Francis about Ashleigh, knowing how he just couldn't seem to shut up about her most of the time, but somehow it seemed the polite thing to do.
"How's Ashleigh?"
"Touring the west coast of America with her parents. I saw her off just yesterday."
Francis studied Ella's profile. A silence stretched between them that made Ella's heart start to hammer in her chest. She just knew what would come next.
"Ella, who was that guy at Emrys Fest? Zane, was his name? I didn't get the impression that you two had only just met."
Ella chewed on Francis' question for so long that he started asking for more questions before she could come up with an answer for his first one.
"Is that the guy you've been interested in all this time? The one that I teased you about however long ago that was? Ella, how old is he?"
Ella finally forced herself to look at him. All she had ever done when it came to Zane was lie. Now she finally had the chance to be honest about him with someone she really didn't want to lie to.
"Zane," she began, "is my on again, off again boyfriend. We're currently on again."
"I noticed," Francis muttered.
Ella ignored him. "We started dating almost two years ago." Ella shook her head. not realizing it had already been that long. "We broke up last Christmas and only got back together this summer. As for your other question," she went on hesitantly, "he is older than me."
"How much older?"
Ella hesitated. "Older."
Francis shook his head. "Geez, Ella. Does he even know you go to Hogwarts?"
"Um, he knows I went to Hogwarts."
Francis' eyes went wide. "You lied to him?"
Ella crossed the room and yanked Francis inside so that she could close the door. She didn't want people in the hall to hear their conversation, especially since many of the people in the inn were probably Hogwarts students.
"It just happened, okay?" Ella said. "I met him in Hogsmeade when we were fourth years, and he knew I was a Hogwarts student but he thought I was a seventh year."
"He guessed wrong and you didn't correct him or you made him believe you were?" Francis pressed.
"I guess I lied to him outright." Before Francis could make another exclamation, Ella pressed on. "It just happened, and it's been really hard to keep up the lie. After fourth year, I told him I failed my classes or my NEWTs or whatever and wanted to try again."
"What's your excuse this time around?" Francis asked, bewildered.
Ella clamped her mouth shut. After a long pause she said, "I don't know. I don't have one. I didn't tell him I'm going back. I didn't tell him anything," she said. "I guess if he writes to me, I'll just tell him I'm away on business or something."
"On business?"
"Well, I suppose if I really had graduated, I might have a job by now."
"Or be attending St. Emrys in the fall."
"I don't know if I want to go to St. Emrys. I just want to... grow up already."
Francis looked at her with pity. "You're sixteen. You don't need to grow up too fast."
Ella shot him a look of sarcasm. "Gee, thanks. I'm glad I have your support."
"I can't support you in this. That guy is too old for you. If he only knew that you were just a kid and not the adult he thinks, or maybe he knows about the lies you've spun and is just a big pervert."
"Francis!"
"No, Ella. I'm completely serious here. I don't like this one bit."
"I'm not asking for your approval, though it would be nice if you would just be my friend and accept that this is what I want right now."
Francis shook his head. "I think I'm being your friend in that I don't want to see you get hurt or taken advantage of. Has he... have you two... ugh, I don't even want to think about it."
"Then don't!" Ella shouted. "Just, just deal with it and leave it be. Look, if you don't have anything nice to say to me right now then maybe you should just go. I'll see you on the train tomorrow."
Francis didn't look like he was finished lecturing Ella left, but then he turned on his heel, yanked open the door, and slammed it shut behind him. Ella, meanwhile, threw herself onto her bed and screamed out of frustration into her pillow.
Etta Interruptus
Author: Jared
Date: 08-16-10 18:36
Jared and Alanna are on a blanket spread out in the Wynbournes' backyard soaking up the sun. Etta comes outside in search of her brother and spotting the couple walks up and without preamble says, "I shall go blind if I have to watch much more of you two grappling around, swallowing each other's tongues." She pauses, then tilts her head to the side, eyes narrowing as she scrutizes the now sitting apart couple. "On second thought, keep it up. Pretend I'm not here. There are gaps in my education, though having that sort of visual of my brother isn't ideal."
Jared, having untangled himself from Alanna, makes a face at his sister. "You're bloody hilarious, Etta."
Alanna, who seemed torn between embarassment and amusement, pokes Jared in the ribs then politely asks Etta, "Did you need something?"
"As a matter of fact, yes. I found this on the kitchen floor." Etta holds up an earring. "It's not mine or Mum's and it wasn't there this morning so I know it's not one of my friends. Is it yours?"
Alanna reflexively touches one ear then the other, at the same time peering more closely at the earring Etta holds. "No, it's not mine and it doesn't look familiar."
"Must be Aubrey's then."
Jared holds out his hand. "I'll owl it to her."
"Aubrey Abercrombie?" Alanna asks, coming up with the only Aubrey she can think of.
"Yeah, she came by this morning to ask if I thought with Georgia on her way back to school tomorrow, putting her out of the way again, if she stands a better chance of getting Sage back."
Etta gives a cross between a snort and a snicker. "Georgia might be a bit... unique. Yeah, let's go with unique. Anyway, Georgia might be unique but she's nice enough and thinks the world of Sage. Aubrey is," Etta shrugs. "I don't really know Aubrey but she comes across as a little self-centered."
"She can be, but she's more so now, I think. Aubrey always oculd be a little self-centered but when she was still at Hogwarts, she also was nice enough and a friend," Alanna tells Etta before asking Jared, "What did you tell her?"
"I told her the truth, which she already knows: Sage is not interested in getting back with her even if he and Georgia were to break up."
"After being told several times Sage isn't interested, Aubrey's delusional if you ask me, though a totally different form of delusional than Georgia Copperpot." Etta waves her hand dismissively at Alanna and Jared. "Back as you were. I am off to meet up with my own sex god of a boyfriend, Deacon Bennett. Perhaps we shall try the kissing techniques I have recently received visual instruction on."
Alanna colors slightly but also laughs at the teasing. Jared colors as well but in a big brother is miffed kind of way. He says to Etta, "You and Deak are to keep an arms length apart at all times."
"Yes, just as you and Alanna do. I will practice what you preach. Ta."
Jared starts to get up to go after his baby sister but Alanna grabs his arm. "You can go play body guard over your sister on her date or you can stay here with me with the thought that Etta will be gone and your parents won't be home for a few hours yet."
Jared looks at Etta, now entering the house to use the Floo, then turns to Alanna. "Decisions, decisions," he sighs, sounding very put upon.
Alanna's response is to poke him in the ribs again, which prompts Jared to put his arms around her and ask, "Where were we before Etta interrupted?"
The Watchmen
Author: Abdul Hazrat AlGunud
Date: 08-16-10 20:25
“There he goes, to the bank, Gringott’s, I think yes?”
“This is dangerous. He may be watched and, if so, the watchers may be looking for others who are watching as well.”
“Paah! He is but a boy. They could not possibly know...”
“Fool! They need nothing beyond suspicion and the assassins of Irem have a long reach. Doubt not but that their hand can extend even to this place. Moreover, his mother died despite her ignorance. They would need little prompting to turn their daggers on the boy.”
This last remark brought an angry response from the first speaker. His mug shattered in his grasp. The spray of broken ceramic and liquid brought the conversation to a halt. It also brought the attention of the attendant and of the three other people using the dining room.
The second speaker motioned the attendant away with a peremptory wave of his hand and then glared at the three diners until they turned back to their discussion. This was not a place where one wished to invite scrutiny. Indeed most of the clientele came to avoid scrutiny. The attendant and the owner were well paid to neither ask nor answer questions. The attendant was polishing the already gleaming wood counter. The other diners, two witches and a warlock, seemed to be haggling over the contents of an only partially opened case that was located next to their table. No one appeared interested in the two figures seated at the table, with their backs to the wall and their faces mostly obscured by the shadows.
The second speaker offered the first an embroidered handkerchief with a shrug that seemed to imply an apology. “I am sorry old friend, but I think it best if we do not linger here overlong. Do not think to go to the train station tomorrow. You would be noticed immediately. Come, let us go.”