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Wedding Guest
Author: Lysander Stratford
Date: 10-04-14 15:00
In a little clearing near the town of Östersund in Sweden was erected a small trellis entwined with magical morning glory. The purple blossoms, which were normally closed this time of day, were open and aromatic. A few rows of white folding chairs were arranged on either side of an aisle consisting only of a strip of freshly mown, vibrantly green grass. Lysander sat on the bride's side of the arrangement, which included her mother, brother and his plus one, and other members of the Thomason family, such as Chyler's parents.
It had been ages since Lysander had seen or even talked to them, and he was reminded by their presence how much he missed their daughter, but also how terrible a son-in-law he had been to them. They didn't seem to begrudge him his lack of communication, having always known him to be unintentionally distant. Lysander had to admit it was quite nice to introduce them to Charlotte and vice versa, though he wished they were her biological grandparents and Chyler her mother. That, unfortunately, could never change.
The wedding procession began with a bridesmaid walking down the aisle, dressed in a gown the same purple as the morning glory decorating the bridal arch. She was not somebody Lysander knew but she had the look of a Thomason, so he guessed her to be a cousin of Astrid's. The bridesmaid was followed by a young boy carrying a pair of rings tied to a purple pillow. He walked up to the best man, already positioned up front, and gave him the rings. The ring bearer was followed by Charlotte, dressed in a pretty purple dress appropriate for somebody her age. She showered the aisle with purple petals and then stopped near the bridesmaid.
Finally, Astrid emerged on the arm of her father. She was breathtaking in a sheath gown with a sweetheart neckline and a veil that trailed all the way down her back, covering her long, brown hair that had been curled and styled with tiny glistening crystals. Under the arch, her father pulled back her veil, kissed her on the cheek, and placed her hand into that of her groom's. Axel looked beside himself with joy. His bride was more beautiful than he had ever known her to be.
Lysander was also taken by Astrid's appearance. He was instantly transported to his own wedding to Chyler, which had been so very long ago but also a day he could never forget. The similarity in appearance between Chyler and her second cousin were so striking, even now, that Lysander had little difficulty putting himself in Axel's shoes. He imagined himself saying his vows to the stunning witch standing in front of him.
When Axel and Astrid kissed, the guests all clapped and cheered, and Lysander snapped out of his reverie. Astrid Thomason-Ek, as she would now be known, glanced his way and smiled at him. Lysander found a pair of arms around his waist and saw that Charlotte had met him in the meantime. She hugged him tightly and exclaimed, "That was the best wedding ever!"
Lysander offered her a small smile and asked, "Was it?"
Charlotte immediately chattered on about why it was the best wedding ever, but Lysander found himself distractedly staring at the bride.
Unpleasant Lunch Encounter
Author: Dante Knight
Date: 10-04-14 18:52
Isreal McWilliams, back from a third trip to the food bar of the all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet where he and Dante have met, looks across the table at his lunch companion. "You can't tell my wife how much I ate today."
Spearing a piece of sesame chicken Dante assures, "She won't hear it from me."
Loading his fork with fried rice Isreal moans, "I'll have to come run with you every day for the next week, maybe two, to work this off."
"Why did you go back for thirds if you're full and worried about how much you've already eaten?"
"Because it's very good and these days I rarely get to eat Chinese, which is one of my favorites. My wife and kids tolerate it at best. These days I usually take a lunch to work or I'm grabbing something on the go."
"I guess I can't blame you then. It IS good. I'm thinking of having more of the kung pao shrimp."
"You'll have to join me for a run if you eat much more than you normally do," Isreal jokes. "How was St. Petersburg?" He doesn't ask about the Greece trip sponsored by the Hogwarts Muggle Studies Club that Dante had gone on earlier in the summer.
"Good. Really interesting. We'd passed through there a few times when I was growing up, but typical of the family we didn't stay long and we kids didn't venture far from home base. I'm not sure I would have been as appreciative of St. Petersburg even if we had played tourist at either Wizarding or Muggle sites or even just gotten out more in some of the neighborhoods."
Both look up from there food when a woman near the table says, "No! Don't! Just leave it!"
A man jerks his arm free from the woman and hastens towards the table where Isreal and Dante sit. The woman, probably the man's wife, is on his heels, urging him the entire time to stop. That only happens when the man reaches the table, his hard glare fixed on Dante.
"You!" he snarls.
Taken aback but staying calm Dante asks, "Yes?"
I've seen you around several times since that Skeeter article. Those things are true, aren't they?" he demands.
"Some things, yes. Others, no."
The man bends down, getting near Dante's face. Isreal half rises, putting a restraining hand on the man. "Back off, sir."
"Who are you to tell me what to do?" he asks, violently jerking away.
"Hit Wizard is who."
The man backs off a little upon hearing this but his eyes never leave Dante who, still doing his best to remain calm, asks, "Is that all you wanted to know? Whether that article is true?"
"The part about your parents, that's the true part?"
"Unfortunately, yes."
"My grandfather and an aunt were some of your victims."
"Their victims, my parents, not me. I wasn't even born yet. I know this sounds trite but I am very sorry."
"I'm sure you are." The sarcasm is as thick as some of the sauces on the food Dante had for lunch.
Isreal, fully standing now, puts his hand back on the man's arm. "You've asked what you wanted to know and have stated why. Best you move along now."
"They need to pay for what they did," he snaps at Isreal, hate filled eyes still on Dante.
"I am sorry," Dante states again though he knows this man doesn't care and doesn't believe him.
The man glances at Isreal then back to Dante, huffs angrily then turns and stalks past his wife. She smiles weakly at Isreal, avoids looking at Dante, then hurries after her husband.
Retaking his seat, Isreal says, "Almost put me off my appetite."
"Only almost?" Dante asks, all thought of getting more kung pao shrimp gone.
"When it's this good and I hardly ever get, you can bloody well bet it's only almost."
This statement breaks the tension both were feeling during and after that encounter. They both chuckle then as he finishes his third helping from the buffet, Dante tells Isreal more about his St. Petersburg holiday.
Proof Positive
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 10-05-14 09:27
Even though she knew Diagon Alley would be crowded, what with it being the end of summer and many students, old and new, conducting their last minute school shopping, Hermione decided to run her errands there. A part of her longed for her old school days. She saw unfamiliar young faces carrying Hogwarts robes over their arms, cages with owls or cats in them, and stacks of textbooks. Seeing the familiar back-to-school ritual made Hermione feel very nostalgic for her youth.
Rose, in her pram, looked around at all the sights and sounds of the busy shopping area. While Hermione could never attend Hogwarts again, Rose would one day receive her letter. When the time came, Hermione would likely live vicariously through her daughter and probably read all of Rose's school books before term ever started, just as she had done as a student herself. With any luck, Rose would follow in Hermione's footsteps academically, instead of in Ron's!
As Hermione passed the offices for the Daily Prophet, the newspaper in the dispenser situated in front of the building caught her eye. A story on the front page mentioned the release of a witch long-incarcerated in Azkaban, apparently for a crime she never committed. The headline put to mind the impending release of Gisela Quackenboss, a witch who had gone to prison for kidnapping Ron many years ago. Hermione didn't like the idea of a psychotic, obsessive witch being back on the streets, especially one who had a hang-up about Hermione's own husband. She could only hope that Gisela was fully rehabilitated and no longer a threat to Ron.
As always, Hermione was tempted to visit the bookstores, even though buying books wasn't on her to-do list. She started to head into the second hand bookshoppe, when a witch emerged from the store with a shopping bag containing a few books. She turned not in Hermione's direction but in the opposite and continued along the crowded cobblestoned path.
Hermione instantly recognized her as Baby. It was the first time she had seen the younger witch outside of St. Mungo's Hospital. She immediately set off in pursuit, but then stopped when she remembered she had Rose with her. If Baby really was bad news, though there wasn't any evidence to prove it, then Hermione didn't want to put Rose in a potentially troublesome or even dangerous situation. Instead, she turned the pram in the direction of the bookstore as originally intended, but stopped again when she saw a wizard she didn't recognize call out to Baby.
Hermione gave a start when the name he called was Leigh. The wizard, a young, good-looking guy roughly the same age as Baby, reached out to grab her by the arm when she didn't register his calling her by name. Baby stopped, prepared to break free from his grasp, but then she realized who had her by the arm and relaxed. She didn't look happy to see him, but she didn't exactly look displeased either.
"You startled me, Linus," Hermione overheard Baby say.
"I'm sorry," Linus replied, letting go of her arm. "I called out to you and you didn't react."
"I didn't hear you. What do you want?"
Linus looked put out. "Can't I say hello to my sister?"
Baby looked chastised and said, "Of course you can. I'm sorry if I'm being short with you, but I'm in a hurry."
"Leigh, whatever you are getting into––" Linus began, but Baby cut him off with a curt, "I'm not getting into anything. I don't know where you got that idea."
Linus looked at her as if he didn't believe her. "I know how much you idolized her," he finally said.
"So?"
"So, don't do anything that will land you in the situation she ultimately found herself in," Linus said. "I couldn't bear it if I lost you, one way or another."
Baby wanted to be angry with him, but she couldn't manage it. "You don't have to worry about me, Linus. Can we talk later? I've really got some place to be."
Linus nodded his head and with some reluctance said, "Let's talk later. Be careful, Leigh."
Baby shot him a confident look. "I always am. Bye, Linus."
With that, she walked away and merged into the crowd. When Linus lingered behind, Hermione couldn't help but approach him. She dropped the shopping bag she was carrying right next to him and hastily bent to collect it, but Linus, seeing she had a young child with her, quickly retrieved it for her.
"Thanks," Hermione said, smiling at him.
"No problem," he said.
Up close, Hermione saw the family resemblance quite clearly, but he lacked the mysteriousness of the female Buchanans. He seemed quite nice, actually.
"It's awfully crowded here today," Hermione remarked, looking at the commotion all around them.
"All the Hogwarts students doing their back-to-school shopping, I suspect," Linus replied.
"I remember those days," said Hermione.
"I didn't attend Hogwarts," Linus said, "so I can't say I ever had this experience."
"No?" Hermione asked, genuinely interested. "Where did you go to school?"
"Nowhere," Linus replied. "I was homeschooled, me and my sister both."
"I'm an only child," Hermione said, making small talk, "and so is she, so far."
"She's cute," Linus said with a smile at Rose. "I'm glad I had a sister, but I always wanted a brother too. I suppose my parents stopped when they had us. We're twins, and the perfect set, I guess."
"That's nice." Hermione decided now was as good a time as ever to introduce herself properly. "I'm Hermione Weasley," she said, holding out her hand.
"Linus," he said, shaking her hand. "Linus Buchanan."
Mother Dearest
Author: Ethan Somerset
Date: 10-05-14 13:48
Ethan awoke suddenly to a blast of water aimed at his back. The pounding stream was surprisingly soothing, almost like a deep-muscle massage. At first very disoriented, Ethan soon determined the blast of water came from a visitor, but he was shocked to discover the person behind the spell wasn't one of the three wizards he regularly encountered in the cave that served as his prison.
"Mum?" he gasped out, at the familiar sound of Maren Somerset's tut-tutting.
The blast of water abruptly stopped. "I believe I told you before that I no longer have a son," Maren countered, eyeing him sharply.
From his craned position on the ground, Ethan saw the witch who had raised him and also noticed that she had changed very little in the many years since they had last seen each other. She was still plump and squat, and time had not aged her very much at all.
He looked past her to see if her husband was with her, but Dorian Somerset was nowhere to be seen. Ethan's eyes returned to his mother's hard face.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
Maren didn't immediately answer the question. Instead she said, "I used to be the one to bathe you when you were a baby and a young boy. You always took to the water as if you were a fish rather than a wizard. I sometimes wondered if I tossed you into the sea, would you thrive there, or would you drown like any other baby would? Yes, even then I didn't like what you were, but it had been my task to raise you, to train you, and I vowed to do everything in my power to see you successful. I gave you everything you wanted. I gave up my life for you… and how did you repay me?" Her voice rose shrilly in the end.
Ethan tried to turn himself so that he wasn't looking at her awkwardly over his shoulder. Maren stared down at him disdainfully and waited for an answer to her rhetorical question.
When he finally was positioned slightly better, Ethan said what he had wanted to say many years ago. "Until that moment, I knew you as my mother, as the witch who raised me and cared for me. I thought you loved me. How do you think I felt, knowing my entire life had been a lie? I had a family, and then I had nothing. Never mind the fact that you groomed me to be a killer. I killed. I did horrible things. I went to prison. All because of you."
Maren pulled a face. "Don't be so dramatic, Ethan. It's unbecoming."
"Don't tell me how to feel or act," Ethan retorted. "As you've reminded me time and time again, you are not my mother."
A grin of sorts spread across Maren's face and she knelt over him, taking in the magical bonds that kept his wrists and ankles uncomfortably bound. "Seems to me that you're in a position to take orders, Ethan. You're not free. You're not your own man. You're a prisoner."
They stared at each other for a long moment before Ethan asked, "So you're with them, are you? Is Da––is your husband, too?"
Maren rose to her full, not very tall height again and shrugged. "So what if we are?"
"I suppose it makes sense. Hattie and Nero were both involved in Project 25 to some degree, and because Hattie is somehow associated with Meadow, it seems likely you would have made her acquaintance by now. The bigger question is… what are you five up to, besides torturing me, that is?"
"That's your downfall, Ethan," Maren stated. "You think too much. You think and think and think and then you somehow unravel plans that have been laid out for decades. If only you would have left it all alone. If only that brain of yours would have stayed quiet."
"Then I would probably be dead," Ethan murmured. "Dead with Voldemort underneath Hogsmeade."
"Perhaps," Maren said with a shrug. "If you'd have survived, his death would have freed you. You wouldn't have made yourself the scapegoat."
"Would that have made any difference to you in the end?" Ethan questioned. "No," he answered for her. "You'd have still loathed me, as you apparently always have."
A look of anger flashed across Maren's face and she balled her hands together at her sides. "For your information, there were moments when I forgot you weren't truly mine. There were times when you were my son. Sometimes, in fact, I wished you were. You were such a good boy, and bright, very bright. You would have been great…" She trailed off, lost in her own thoughts.
"Forgive me if I don't appreciate the fact that you sometimes forgot to hate me," Ethan retorted wryly.
Maren's faraway look vanished and she again looked cross. "You weren't difficult until after the change. Sometimes I wonder if we did something wrong, but then I remind myself that we did everything right. You were the anomaly. There was something wrong with you."
"Still is, I wager," Ethan commented. "Tell me, are you all going to talk my ear off everytime you visit with tales of the long ago past or will you ever get to the point of my kidnapping?"
Maren lifted her wand again and pointed it squarely at Ethan's chest. "I understand not everyone who visits you likes to talk."
Ethan fell silent.
"Do you know how long you've been here, Ethan? No, I suspect not. Well, you will be interested to know that it is nearly September 1. What do you think your colleagues at Hogwarts will think when you don't show up for work? Should you perhaps already be there, preparing for the new term? I would think so."
Ethan still said nothing. His mother was right. He had no idea how much time had passed and was shocked to learn that the start of a new term at Hogwarts war nearly upon him, and that he would probably miss it.
"I'll tell you what people are already thinking, in case the others haven't deigned to mention it yet."
"What?" Ethan finally asked.
"They think you've gone evil again. They think you've run off to Adriana. Think on that for a while, will you?"
Maren flashed him a smile that was definitely not motherly in nature and left the cave.
Devon And Dad
Author: Christopher Chant
Date: 10-05-14 19:47
Ed Abbott stirs cream into his tea. "Dev, tell me again what electives you're taking."
"Ancient Runes and Muggle Studies. There's also Fitness & Athletics."
"Yes, right. I don't know why I keep forgetting. I told you I took Muggle Studies?"
From over the top of her chocolate malt Devon nods twice. "But only for one year and then you took Divination."
"I thought we might actually learn something useful about Muggle life. Sort of ironic, now that I think on it, that I knew so little about Muggle life yet was classified a Non."
Devon shudders. "Let's not talk about that."
"Sorry," Edward says somewhat ruefully. "I wasn't meaning to dredge up bad memories."
Devon offers him a big smile to show all is fine. She takes a large swallow of her malt before saying, "I wonder what's taking Mum so long."
"Ran into someone and is talking herself hoarse no doubt. Tell you what. If Mum isn't back by the time you're done with that malt, we'll get something else."
Devon grins, taking his words as something of a challenge to finish the think chocolately malt before Loraine Abbott returns from the so called quick errand she said she had. Devon is rewarded for her efforts with brain freeze. As he father sits chuckling at the face she's making, she wonders if taking a sip of his warm tea would help.
Still experiencing a twinge of brain freeze pain, she ventures another sip as Edward comments, "You know, I wish we'd had something like Fitness & Athletics when I was in school. It would have been a nice change from the other classes."
Edward asks more in-depth questions than he ever has before about Fitness & Athletics. By the time Loraine finally returns he and Devon are sharing a banana split and Edward has decided that by the end of this school supply run, Devon will have her own broom.
Cheesecake And Conversation
Author: Zabrynna
Date: 10-06-14 20:07
Looking over the menu while waiting for Philippa, Zabrynna is having a hard time deciding which of the many cheesecake offerings she's going to order. She's got her choices narrowed down to four when a waiter approaches. "Are you Zabrynna?"
"Yes." She manages to make it both a statement of fact and a question.
"Your friend has sent word she's taken ill and is unable to join you."
"Thank you." Zabrynna offers him a smile though she's disappointed. This had been Pippa's idea, both the meeting up just the two of them and this place that Zabrynna had never heard of before.
After giving consideration to leaving she decides to stay and order as long as she's there. After narrowing down those four choices to one, she pulls out a book for company. In the short time it takes for someone to come take her order she's changed her mind on which cheesecake, and is giving serious thought to getting a slice of the one she nearly ordered to take home for later.
Zabrynna is maybe a quarter of the way through the lucious, summery key lime cheesecake when she hears, "Excuse me for interrupting but aren't you Margretta's daughter?"
She puts down her fork. Nods. "Yes, though don't let her hear you call me that."
"May I sit? I'm Flynn Towler."
"Zabrynna Ravensdale and, yes, please sit. I'm sorry for interrupting your lunch that day. I was only wanting to say hello but I should have known Mum wouldn't react well."
"I should be thanking you. I had no idea Margretta had such an ugly side. You saved me from making a very big mistake."
"I still feel awful for being the reason you broke things off."
The waiter approaches to see if the newcomer would like to order. Towler looks to Zabrynna who nods it's all right to order while sharing her table. Flynn Towler asks for a cheesecake slice that's based on the drink White Russian and a cup of cofee. Zabrynna goes on and orders take away slices of a chocolate toffee and one of mango kiwi swirl for her father.
Alone again Mr. Towler says, "I know it's not my business but I've wondered since that day what the story is."
Zabrynna sees no reason to fib or prevaricate. She simply doesn't elaborate on the details. "I should explain who the person with me that day was. That is Mariposa, my half-sister from our father's first marriage. The story with my mother is that as a teenager I made a huge error in judgement that had serious repercussions. Mother was extremely displeased and as time went by, our relationship became worse. When my father thought I'd been punished enough, they had a serious diagreement that led to a falling out. That in turn led to divorce. Meanwhile, she decided that as far as she's concerned I don't exist."
"May I know what it was you did or am I overstepping?"
"It was a secret for a very long time but Rita Skeeter covered it in an article."
"I don't read anything by her."
"You're one of the few it seems. Mainly what I meant though was it's not a secret any longer. While a Hogwarts student I used a love potion on one of my professors."
"And?"
"There is no and. That's it. I used a love potion on a professor. There are no salacious details that go with it."
"You said you were a teen?"
"I'm sorry but I don't understand why that would lead to Margretta acting as she did that day in Snifferfield."
"I brought shame and disgrace to the family. I am a disappointment."
"You said it was a secret for a long time."
"Yes. Very few knew and some of us were spelled to keep the secret."
"Then I don't follow why Margretta would react so violently, so viciously."
"You'd have to ask her why as I don't understand myself how extreme she's been."
Towler and Zabrynna talk for a few more minutes. Seeing she's finished her key lime cheesecake and the two boxes of the slices she's taking home are on the table, he offers, "Let me pay."
"Not for three pieces of cheesecake and a drink, but thank you for offering."
"No, I insist. When I said you saved me that day I wasn't exaggerating. I was going to ask Margretta to marry me but I can't have a wife who is so intolerant she cannot even forgive her own daughter a silly teenage mistake that was probably hormonally motivated; someone who lied to me Merlin knows how many times and then gave twisted excuses as to why."
Zabrynna takes a deep breath before saying, "A compromise. I pay for these two and let you pick up the bill for the rest."
"Agreed."
Zabrynna leaves enough money for those two slices and a tip with Towler before bidding him goodbye. Neatly stacking the coins he gives her a small smile. "Thank you for talking to me, Zabrynna. I'm sorry we didn't initially meet under pleasant circumstances."
"Me too. Have a good day, Mr. Towler."
Zabrynna leaves the restaurant, wondering if she should go check on Philippa and thinking that if her mother was angry with her before, there isn't a word for how livid Margretta must be with her now, all these months later. She has no doubt that her mother places all blame at her feet for Margretta's inability to patch things up with Flynn Towler.