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Any Word?
Author: Briar Rose
Date: 09-27-14 16:59
"I see you, Mummy!"
Betheny Dippet raises a hand to wave at Deborah who is peering down from a platform at the intersection of three tunnels, a part of a much larger maze of tunnels, nets, climbing ropes, ladders, platforms, and other features. The play area is one of the new offerings at the relocated gaming center owned by Blossom Weasley. It's a much larger, grander version of the play course put together by Aegean the House Elf in the upper part of Briar's Bakery. Local children who fit the age range were invited to try this play area out and give feedback. Though the Dippets aren't local, Briar is and an invitation was extended to Douglas and Deborah through her. Duncan is here as well, testing something else new.
Deborah's shrill laugh floats down from above as she dives into a tunnel to escape her cousin Grace who is apparently "it." Betheny pats her belly, steadily expanding from the baby due in mid-September. "I'm glad I'm not expected to play along with them. I'd be so slow I'd still be down in one of the lowest level tunnels."
Briar's half-sister Hendrika mirthfully says, "I'd be right there with you."
Briar, who only just sat back down, grunts from her half-bent position, "At least they give knee pads to those of us adults who caved to requests to come play." Those knee pads now removed, she sets them on the floor by her feet then returns to an upright position.
A glimpse of Hogsmeade resident and Auror Geoffrey Blackwell crawling from end of one tunnel into the mouth of another in playful pursuit of one of his children has Hendrika asking, "Anything yet?"
"Nothing. Ethan's vanished without a clue," Briar replies with a shake of her head.
"Nothing that ties to his past?" Betheny asks.
They all know of Ethan's odd history from long past news and what was rehashed in a few articles when he went missing. There's also the Rita Skeeter article from that series she did attacking Hogwarts staff. That had a decided slant to it in her effort to make an issue out of events that took place years ago.
Briar can do nothing but shrug at her sister-in-law's question. "No idea. That's been speculated and there are other theories. No one's really told me much of anything and if I ask I get the standard , 'We cannot discuss an ongoing investigation.'"
Briar knows one of those other theories being bandied about is that Ethan vanished so that he could join with Adriana Fairchild, once more being part of dark magic and its followers. Briar could see dropping Lilly off with his parents if he were planning something like that. He'd want to ensure his daughter was taken care of and safe. But if he were going to go off and join Fairchild or whomever, why would he make a date with Briar? Why add a layer of unnecessary deception? Briar knows the naysayers would claim it's so people like her would think he's not vanished on his own.
Douglas calling out, "Look at me! Look at me!" draws Briar's attention along with that of Betheny and Hendrika.
Not wanting to dwell on thoughts of Ethan Somerset at the moment Briar asks Betheny, "How is narrowing down the list of baby names going?"
(Beatrix) Huh?
Author: Griet
Date: 09-28-14 13:47
When the letter from Ash arrived requesting they meet for smoothies at a new juice bar in Diagon Alley, Beatrix had felt wholly surprised and greatly elated. She had almost started to think that Rowan had been right all along and that Ash really didn't have any romantic feelings for her. The letter took away all doubt of that, however.
Despite her pleasure at finally nabbing a date with her dream guy, Beatrix felt a little bad about the timing of it. While things seemed to be going her way in the romance department, they were falling apart for Cate. Beatrix couldn't believe Preston had dumped her via owl post. The nerve! Cate was already having a hard time because she had to go on trial for her part in Jordana's untimely death. Getting dumped was just the icing on the cake.
At least Cate seemed happy for Beatrix, and she helped plan what to wear and how to do her make-up and hair. When the day for the big date arrived at last, Beatrix knew she was a knockout and could picture herself taking Ash's breath away the moment he laid eyes on her.
Ash did a double take, never having seen Beatrix so glamorous before, but also because it had been a while since he had seen her. Had it not been for her falling out with Rowan, then he probably would have seen her often over the summer. He invited her to sit at a round bar-height table, where they perused the many fruity and yogurty offerings and made small talk.
"Have you got all your school shopping done?" he asked.
Beatrix shook her head. "We're going on the last day of summer," she replied. "My siblings and me, I mean."
Ash nodded, figuring that was who she had meant. "We've done a little already, but we aren't quite finished yet," he said.
Beatrix didn't have to ask to know that the 'we' involved included Willow and Rowan. She was glad to talk to him about anything, but she really wanted to get down to business. She batted her eyelashes, which were thick with mascara and started to stick a little.
Mercifully, Ash didn't seem to notice her predicament. Instead, he spread out his hands and explained, "There's a reason why I invited you here. I think you should know that I find you very charming. You're sweet, funny, usually very good-natured…"
"Yes?" Beatrix said, her heart beating rapidly with every compliment.
"… but I also want to make it clear that while I enjoy your company… yours and Rowan's together especially… you must know that all I feel for you is friendship."
Beatrix's smile slipped from her face. "Huh?"
"Please don't be angry with Rowan because I don't share your feelings. It's not her fault, and she was only blunt with you to be kind. She misses you, Beatrix, and she's sorry if she hurt you by telling you the truth."
Beatrix couldn't believe her ears. This was not going the way she expected. Her mouth opened and closed, but she couldn't work out what to say.
Ash asked, "Will you be all right?"
Beatrix's mouth still worked like a fish.
He studied her for a moment and then looked at the menu card in his hand before glancing back up at her and saying, "I hear the lemon raspberry is good."
(Mockridge Townhouse) No Evil Compares to a Teenaged Niece and Shopping
Author: Kirley Mockridge
Date: 09-28-14 14:25
"Uncle Kirley!" Valeria's voice sing-songed through the hallway.
"Yes?" Kirley asked, instantly on guard. He knew that tone, that was the 'I want something and I'm going to get it' tone his niece had perfected. He was pretty sure Cass, Nephele and Cloris were the only people on the planet capable of withstanding it.
"I need to go to Diagon Alley for my school supplies."
"Why can't Nephele take you?" he asked, already knowing he was not going to like the answer.
"She and Uncle Pippin are busy today. She said something about experimental potions, and I am not going near those." Before he had time to suggest someone else, she continued, "And Aunt Cassandra's at work and Grandmother had a charity tea and a garden party today, so they can't take me. Which leaves you. Unless you want me to Floo to Ravenscroft and walk to Diagon myself..."
"Merlin, no. Nephele would kill me if I let you walk down Knockturn alone, and she would find out. If not from some busy-body, certainly from your Aunt Cassandra. Who would consider it only fair if I were to be so stupid. Never mind that no one would likely mess with you, but still. I prefer to be alive. I suppose I have no choice, let's go," he said, sighing long-sufferingly and getting to his feet.
"Wonderful!" Valeria said, slipping her wand into the holster she wore on her forearm. With a bounce, she wrapped her small hand around his arm and looked up at him. "Can you take me side-along? I don't want to be all sooty," she asked, wrinkling her nose.
He sighed and turned, the two disappearing with a "Pop!" It was going to be a long day.
(Ariella) Baby Shower
Author: Beck
Date: 09-28-14 15:30
A gathering of witches exchanged laughter and conversation at the Crown & Cauldron, where Ariella's baby shower was taking place. Initially, two separate showers had been in the works, until the Beck side of the family conferred with Maggie and found out that she had been planning one too. Luckily, both sides were able to come together in time to celebrate the impending birth of Ariella's first child.
The private garden area of the restaurant was festively decked out in yellow baby things, because Ariella and Lawrence had decided they wanted to be surprised about the baby's gender. They had two names picked out already but were keeping them hush-hush for the time-being.
Among the guests were various female family members like Maggie, Alanna, Katherine, Gillian, Plum, Bronwyn, and Josefine. There were also friends like Chance and a few coworkers from the Ministry of Magic. A few of the female Hogwarts professors, who were basically Ariella's neighbors as well as Lawrence's coworkers, were also in attendance.
Bronwyn, who was also taking notes so that Ariella would know who to send thank-you notes to, handed her a gift bag that was white with rows and rows of yellow duckies on it. Ariella pulled out some yellow tissue paper and retrieved the card, which was from her sister Alanna. After removing even more tissue paper, Ariella found the gifts. They included a yellow hooded towel with a duck stitched into one corner, a set of wash cloths in neutral baby colors like yellow, green and white, and a bottle of baby wash and another of shampoo.
"Thanks!" Ariella exclaimed, grinning at her sister. "These will definitely come in handy!"
"You'll have the cleanest baby in town," Alanna replied.
Bronwyn fetched another gift, this one from Josefine. It was in a large box, wrapped in paper decorated with blue and pink squares, sort of like a patchwork quilt. Ariella tore open the paper and lifted the lid in the box to find a real quilt, handstitched by Josefine herself. Like the wrapping paper, the quilt itself was blue and pink. Some of the squares were plain, but others had baby animals on them, like a kitten, a puppy, a chick, and a little lamb.
"Thank you!" Ariella exclaimed, rising awkwardly to give her grandmother a great big hug. "This is the best present!"
"Gee," Alanna said, jokingly sarcastic. "Thanks."
Ariella shot her an amused look, gave her grandmother another hug, and then accepted the next gift from Bronwyn.
A Few Days At The Cabin (Caerwyn)
Author: Julian Valentine
Date: 09-28-14 19:27
Only a few steps from the fireplace through which they'd Floo'd, Augustus states, "This place is bloody fantastic!"
"You've hardly seen any of it," Caerwyn says, using his wand to open windows.
"Doesn't matter. You have a house in Wales. Fully furnished. I can't believe you've not stayed here a few days already."
"I thought about it but decided to wait until you had a few days to come with."
Caerwyn shoulders the duffle he carries and gestures for Gus to follow him. "There's a loo there and I thought you could sleep in here," he says, stopping at the door to the first of the bedrooms. "There's another one almost identical a little further along the hall if you prefer."
Stepping through the doorway, Gus shakes his head. "This is great, thanks."
"I'll take the other then." There is a larger bedroom, the one that had been his mum's, but Caerwyn had decided that it will stay empty for the time being. "The sheets and blankets on the bed are clean. There are extra blankets in the armoire but I don't think you'll need them."
Gus deposits his own bag on the floor then follows Caerwyn down to the near twin of that room. "You could live here after Hogwarts, whether you go to St. Emrys or get a job or do something else."
Putting the duffle on the bed on the second bedroom, Caerwyn nods. "I've considered that already. That we could room here I mean."
"I wasn't sure you'd still want to room together after you mentioned having your own place."
"It's bigger than whatever we would have done, be it the residence hall at St. Emrys or a flat. Come on, let me show you what's left."
There isn't much more. The third, larger bedroom with bath. A small room set up like a home office. The dining area and kitchen. A back deck complete with fire pit.
Caerwyn had brought some food supplies in earlier. Grabbing a couple of butterbeers Gus and he settle in lounge chairs on the deck, a spectacular view before them. Gus takes a long swig of his drink before asking, "What's been bothering you?"
"Why do you think something's bothering me?"
"Because as everyone likes to point out, we're the conjoined twins who somehow were born to different parents."
"When I came that first time, with Aunt Iola, I found a letter to me from my mother."
"And?"
"Most of the letter is that if I have been given this place and have found the letter then she's gone and she's sorry for not being around, for missing out on my life."
"The rest of the letter?"
"Is a warning of sorts. Mum wrote that if Aunt Iola ever comes into my life to be aware that Iola is not exactly what she seems."
"Is that all?"
"That sums it up."
"What does it mean?"
"I have no idea but, you know, Dad's always had reservations about Iola. There are times I have them too."
"So you've mentioned but never give details."
"It's hard to put into words. It's like how she says it's fine if I want to keep that pendant should we find it but at the same time seems obsessed with getting it."
"If it's not a big deal other than sentimental value, then why come off as being desperate for it?"
"Yeah, though she's good at hiding the desperation. It comes across from time to time but never for long."
"If you do find it, will you give it to her?"
"I don't know anymore. If I ever find it, I may just let her keep thinking it's lost, maybe even buried with Mum." Caerwyn takes a chug of his butterbeer to empty it then sets the bottle aside. "What say we explore some around the cabin?"
"Ready when you are," Gus says, draining his own bottle.
Minutes later the two friends are setting off from the deck, across the yard to a visible trail, their conversation switching from whether Iola Carew is trustworthy to other, more pleasant topics.
Shopping
Author: Sophie McCourt
Date: 09-29-14 02:12
It was that time of the year again, where they had to buy all the needed supplies for Hogwarts. And the best place to do so was Diagon Alley.
Their first stop had been at Madam Malkin's. Sophie was in the need for new robes and so was Patricia who was also going to the school this year. The two sisters stood side by side, as measures were being taken. Sophie was surprised to find out that the difference in length of hers and Patricia's robes was not that different and that someday her sister was going to grow taller than her.
Once they were done at the robes' shop, her grandfather took them to Ollivander's so that Patricia could buy her new wand. Belinda had come along as well, while Eileen and Elmer had stayed at home. Mr. Ollivander was an old wizard whose memory was quite impressive. He had recognized Sophie's grandfather immediately and the two of them shook hands like they were old friends. He then turned to Sophie and declared it was good to see her again. Then his attention shifted to the other two McCourt girls. He smiled and asked which one of them was going to buy their first wand. Patricia gave a step forward, and proudly announced that it would be her.
"Very well, Miss McCourt. Then let me see what I have inside for you."
Patricia smiled with delight while the wandmaker disappeared inside his shop. Sophie took Belinda to a display case where some few old wands rested on a velvet pillow and asked her which wand she thought it was the prettiest, giving space for Patricia to try out the wands Ollivander brought for her.
Their grandfather insisted on Patricia to try a wand made of pear wood and unicorn hair. Their deceased grandmother used to have a wand of that same wood and core and Frank McCourt wondered if one of his grandchildren would inherit the same type of wand. Sophie had tried such wand as well two years ago. Unfortunately to their grandfather, Patricia was not going to be a carrier of such wand. There had been no connection between her and the wand. In fact, the wand seemed to have slipped out of her hand, as if it didn't want anything to do with Patricia.
She tried several wands not obtaining any positive results and Mr. Ollivander muttered that she was a tough client, although he reassured her with a smile that he was going to find the ideal wand to her or wasn't he named Garrick Ollivander. He returned to the back of the shop and it took him five long minutes to comeback with a box.
"I knew I had this somewhere, I just wasn't sure where exactly. The little devil was hidden on the bottom shelf, at the corner." He opened the box and presented the wand to Patricia. "Cedar wood, with a core of unicorn hair, and it measures exactly ten inches."
Sophie observed her sister nervously picking up the wand. Her sister's expression changed from worried to surprised as the wand in her hand became warm and some silver sparkles left the wand, resembling stars. Belinda's mouth opened in awe, while Frank and Ollivander smiled: Patricia had found her wand.
Once they were done at the wand shop, they went to Potage's Cauldron Shop, so Patricia could buy her cauldron for her Potions' classes. She wanted to buy a silver cauldron, but her grandmother told her she should get the pewter one, the type of cauldron that appeared in the supply list she had received from Hogwarts.
After a long afternoon shopping, Frank took the girls Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. They talked about Hogwarts and which house they thought Patricia was going to belong to. She begged her grandfather to tell her how she was going to be sorted but he refused to tell her a word about it, looking at Sophie with a smile, as if it was their own little secret. This left both Belinda and Patricia frustrated.
"Well, as long as they let me choose Ravenclaw, I don't care," Patricia concluded.
"Why do you want to be in Ravenclaw so badly?" Sophie asked.
"It seems the best house for me, that's all," her sister replied, her attention returning to her ice-cream as her cheeks turned pink.
(Adriana) Plans in Place
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 09-29-14 12:03
Adriana paced the cloister, where her many roses were in bloom, and talked to herself. It was not the sort of talk to suggest she had lost her marbles, but rather the talk of someone trying to unravel a mystery. Others might suggest she talked to Ivanova, her confidant even in the death.
"If I were a notorious dark wizard who is deceased, where would my body be?" Adriana asked herself. "An unmarked grave? A hidden vault? Would my body even exist anymore?"
Just what did the Ministry of Magic do with dead bodies in their care? Were they buried? Cremated? She knew just the person to ask. Pius Thicknesse was no Death Eater, but he was the sort of wizard easily manipulated and had scrupulous morals, besides. In his role of Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement for a whole year now, he had become a steady and formidable presence at the Ministry of Magic. It was time to put him to use in other manners besides the premature release of prisoners.
Adriana made a mental note to have either Kastor or Yannick hold a discussion with Thicknesse and hoped the department head could shed light on the matter. Locating and possessing Voldemort's body would be of little use if she didn't have the Resurrection Stone to bring him back to life. She had absolutely no inkling where to look, and all of Lysander's notes pointed no where in particular.
She felt a twinge on the inside and thought not for the first time that it would do well to have a healer on board. She could arrange to have one kidnapped, but it would be all the more desired if the healer were a loyal member of the fold. She knew not to get her hopes up on that score, but maybe there was one out there who shared her ideals after all. The Death Eaters had been lucky in terms of injuries so far, but that probably wouldn't always be the case.
Adriana turned her mind back to Voldemort's corpse, when an idea suddenly struck her. She went inside and hurried to her study, where a set of black hands and a set of green hands were mounted on her wall. She ignored both of the grotesque displays and turned to the file Christina had gotten for her from the Ministry of Magic. She paged to some of the last sheets of parchment and ran her fingers over the text written there, pausing occasionally to scribble down a name onto a clean piece of parchment.
If Thicknesse couldn't tell her what she wanted to know, then the names on her list just might be able to… and if they wouldn't talk, then she would just have to steal their memories…
…starting with Forest Woods.
Bad Man
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 09-29-14 12:04
Even though she was far too young to know what she wanted to be when she grew up, Victoire Weasley knew without a doubt that she did not want to become a banker like her father. While she had already learned the merits of money, namely if you possessed money, you could buy yourself nice things, like pink dresses and pretty dolls, Victoire found the banking business quite boring. Of course, she had no idea what it entailed. She just knew that her father sat in an office a lot of the time.
Bill had taken the day off work to look after his family, all of whom were sick with summer colds except for Victoire herself, who like Bill, had so far managed to avoid the illness. Unfortunately, work always managed to catch up to Bill, even when he didn't want it to. A letter detailing a minor crisis arrived on his doorstep and had him and Victoire making what would hopefully amount to a brief visit to Gringotts.
While Bill dealt with the crisis, Victoire entertained herself with one of her many dolls. This one was named Victoire after herself and wore a beaded pink frock. Victoire the girl used a small pink hairbrush to brush out the hair of Victoire the doll. She hummed quietly to herself while her father worked.
After what felt like ages to the little girl, the crisis was finally averted. Rather than go immediately home, Bill offered to let Victoire play in the park for a little while. Being cooped up at home with sick siblings and a sick mother couldn't be all that grand, though it still beat sitting in Bill's boring office at the bank.
Victoire went down the slide several times, sometimes sending her doll down the chute ahead of her. Bill watched from a bench. After the sixth or seventh time, Victoire paused at the top of the slide and seemed to look at something behind Bill. It wasn't until her whole expression changed and her skin paled, that Bill's hackles raised. He started to turn his head to see what had frightened Victoire, when she pointed and let out an ear-piercing scream.
Bill jumped up off the bench and drew his wand, simultaneously turning and moving backwards to reach the slide and his daughter. Only, there was nobody behind the bench. Not a single person was in view of the area.
Bill pocketed his wand again and reached up to collect his daughter from the top of the slide. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and buried her face into his shoulder.
"What is it, Victoire? What did you see?" Bill asked.
Between her hiccuping cries, Bill understood the words, "Bad man."
He didn't know who she could have possibly seen and hadn't heard anybody disapparate, so if there had been somebody behind him, that person had been very swift-footed. Bill decided it was time to go home and carried his daughter out of the park. He was too busy looking around for a 'bad man' and Victoire was too distraught for either of them to realize that Victoire the doll was still lying at the base of the slide.