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(Malden) Bochlwyd Horseshoe
Author: Minerva McGonagall
Date: 09-04-15 14:09
Malden scrambled onto a flat-topped boulder and peered ahead of him. His brother and father were further along the trail and appeared to be deep in conversation with each other. Lagging far enough behind, Malden only caught bits and pieces of what they said.
The McGonagall men were hiking in Snowdonia in Wales, where the whole family had vacationed every so often for as long as Malden could remember. The area had been a favorite of his great grandfather, who had taken his own family there many times. Malden's grandfather had often talked about the hike at Bochlwyd Horseshoe, his favorite of all the hikes in the region.
Malden liked it too. The massive rocks were fun to climb, and though parts of the trail were steep, much of it was easy to navigate for a boy like him. He always fell behind when hiking it, because he went out of his way to climb the best and biggest boulders. Malden also preferred to go at it alone because he could think with few distractions.
In particular, his thoughts were occupied by what happened the night he returned home from Hogwarts. He arrived home with his father and brother to find his mother serving tea to two wizards Malden didn't recognize. He soon learned that they were investigators from the Ministry of Magic and that they had a few questions for him about the fire-bellied toad he had gotten for his great aunt for Christmas last year.
They asked him questions like where did he get the toad? Why did he buy his great aunt a toad and not a different animal? Did anybody instruct him to buy the toad and that toad specifically? Did he know anything out of the ordinary about the toad?
Some of the questions Malden answered truthfully, knowing his responses were likely harmless. Others he answered truthfully as far as he knew, since he hadn't been privy to all information. For example, he'd had no knowledge––and still had no knowledge––that the toad was actually an animagus, and a Death Eater at that. The questions he answered with bald-faced lies had to do with his reason for purchasing the toad. His grandfather had told him to do it, and Malden didn't want to get his grandfather into trouble.
Malden scrambled onto another rock and then another, thinking about what a good liar he was and how the investigators had left his home, completely believing his story. At least, he thought they did. Malden couldn't help but wonder about the toad, though, and why it was under investigation.
Up ahead, Madoc turned around and shouted, "Slow poke!"
Malden scowled deeply. The hike wasn't a race, and he would go at his own pace, thank-you-very-much! He turned his gaze out over the cliff-face and imagined pushing his brother off of it. They were so high up that Madoc's fall to the bottom would make a spectacular SPLAT! The very thought put a smile on Malden's face.
Awkward Encounter
Author: Griet
Date: 09-05-15 10:55
Griet apparated just outside the main building belonging to the Blishen's whiskey manufacturing complex. It was a welcoming farmhouse-like structure, built out of wooden planks. A pair of rocking chairs sat on the covered front porch. The other buildings were made from the same material, but were bigger because they housed the distilleries and bottling assembly lines.
Griet was at Blishen's because of her job. The whiskey manufacturer's sales had not done as well as competitor Ogden's this past fiscal year. Coupled with a rise in manufacturing prices, the company had no choice but to lay off staff. Enter Griet, the bearer of bad news.
She made her way inside the office and spoke with the receptionist, a grizzled-looking witch Griet thought just might be on her list. The receptionist looked as if she guzzled whiskey quite regularly. She spoke with a deep, raspy voice and had bloodshot eyes.
The witch led Griet to a conference room, where she waited unattended until a member of management arrived. Dustin Damewood was a middle-aged wizard dressed in business attire, with fingers decked in gold rings. Obviously, he wasn't hurting for money.
"Thanks for coming," he said, shaking Griet's hand with a firm grip. His rings hurt her fingers. "You're doing us a great service by being here."
"No problem," Griet replied, forcing a wince from her face. "Thanks for having me. Is there anything I should know before we get started?"
"We managed to retool the budget some, so we won't have to let go as many staff as initially thought. In fact, we cut our list in half. Here are the five names." Mr. Damewood handed her a sheet of parchment with five names quilled on it in handsome script.
Griet felt her breath hitch as she read the first name.
"I'll have Laverne send in the first victim," he said, not noticing the change in her demeanor or regretting his choice of words.
He stepped out of the room to speak to the receptionist, whose name was not on the list after all. Then, he sat down next to Griet, who had before her a stack of folders with information for the departing employees. For the first time since taking on her job, which could be difficult at times, Griet dreaded what couldn't be avoided.
When the door to the conference room opened, Gervaise Taylor entered the room. He was dressed in work robes with the Blishen's logo on the front breast. An ID badge was clipped to his sleeve.
Gervaise saw Mr. Damewood first, but when his eyes fell on Griet, a look of surprise crossed his face. His expression changed from shock to pleasure to worry and it appeared as if he might say something, but then he sat down in the chair opposite the two in the room. He remained silent and waited to learn his fate.
How long had it been since Griet and Gervaise had last seen each other? It had been a while, for certain. Their last encounters had been pleasant, though. The awkwardness surrounding Gervaise's feelings first for Griet and than Cornelia had long passed.
Unfortunately, the current situation brought about a brand new level of uncomfortableness. Griet wanted to be his friend, but she decided to keep things professional. After all, she was there on behalf of work.
She slid over one of the folders put together by her company with documents provided by Blishen's and began her spiel. "Due to financial complications, Blishen's has no choice but to make personnel cuts…"
"Are you kidding me?" Gervaise suddenly shouted. "You're sacking me? You, Griet?"
Griet faltered. "Um…" Then, she hastily went on, "The company has no choice but to––."
"Why me?"
"Seniority," Mr. Damewood supplied. "There are more veteran bottlers on staff than you, Mr. Taylor."
"So, I'm out of a job because I don't have as many years under my belt as some of the other workers. Well, forgive me if I don't think that's a good enough answer. I'm a good worker," Gervaise went on, and he jabbed at the surface of the table with his index finger as he talked. "I go to work everyday. I'm never late, never sick. I'm faster and have less errors than the majority of your so-called veterans. So, forgive me if I think your sacking me is a big joke."
He paused and looked at Griet but continued to direct his conversation toward Damewood, "The fact that she's the one telling me I'm out of a job is an even bigger joke."
"Gervaise," Griet said, finally finding her voice again. "I'm here to help you through this process."
"Help me? Help me? You've got to be kidding me. How is sacking me any help to me at all? Do me a favor, Griet, and get out of my life once and for all."
Gervaise got up, leaving the folder untouched on the table. He threw down a set of keys and his ID badge and then stormed out of the room. Griet heard him exchange angry words with Laverne, and then a loud crack sounded as he disapparated.
"Ex-boyfriend?" Mr. Damewood asked.
Griet frowned. "No. Just somebody I used to know."
(Caleb) Emrys Fest Plans
Author: Celeste Quigley
Date: 09-05-15 13:18
It had become a tradition for Caleb and Sophie to spend part of their summer holidays together. Caleb would stay at his aunt Celeste's house, which was close to the village Sophie's mother lived. He enjoyed the lazy summer days in the countryside alongside with Sophie. Today the two of them were over by a brook, picking up stones and throwing it into the water, trying to stone skipping. Sophie was convinced she could beat Caleb, and so far she was doing a better job than him. However he knew that if they could use magic, he could use his wand and make a stone to perfectly skip, producing a beautiful effect on the water, which would be superior's to her friend. It was nice to spend time with Sophie, he thought. There were days at school where they barely saw each other due to different classes, Quidditch, clubs commitments and different houses. Now they could simply enjoy each other's company without any interruptions.
Sophie was declared the winner of the stone skipping challenge and feeling tired of this little game, they sat by the brook. Sophie took off her sandals and put her bare feet into the cold water. She was very spontaneous, Caleb thought, as he did the same thing, taking off his sneakers and socks and putting them away, because she asked him to do so.
"It's too bad you can't come with us to the Emrys Fest," Sophie said.
"I did everything I could to convince my mother, but she's not going to change her mind."
Caleb's mother did not allow him to go to the music festival held at St. Emrys. She thought he was still too young to go, despite he was already 14. He had tried to ask his father for permission but he didn't want to create any conflicts with his ex-wife, so he took her side. He asked Sophie who was going with her to St. Emrys.
"Estine. Ector Newland, from your house and Ollie Choate, from mine. Emily Murray might come as well. And Mickey Moon. He said he would be coming, alongside some other Gryffindors."
"Mickey, right," Caleb couldn't help to comment. Sophie didn't seem to notice the sarcasm on his voice. The idea of Sophie and everyone else going to the festival while he had to stay at home frustrated Caleb. Everyone would be having fun and he could already imagine Sophie telling him everything about that day, and how she and Mickey had a lot of fun.
"Patricia is also upset because she can't come. I told her maybe she could spend the day with you. There's this Muggle ice-cream parlor at the village she would like to go, but she won't admit she's afraid of handling with the Muggle money by herself. Maybe you could go there with her and teach her. Belinda would like to go as well."
Caleb said he would think about it. Although it was nice of Sophie to find him something to do while she was gone, and at the same time solve her sister's problem, Caleb wasn't very fond of the idea of babysitting her sisters while she was with other people of their age, doing more exciting things than eating ice-cream.
Old Habits
Author: Finley
Date: 09-05-15 17:18
Finley and Leroy sat side-by-side in the shade in the courtyard at Winchcombe Children's Home and watched as the other children played a game of football. Neither wanted to join in the gameplay. Finley didn't really get along with anybody but Leroy, especially now that she was hardly there anymore. As for Leroy, he had grown even fatter since Finley had seen him last. Just watching other children run put him out of breath.
"Will your friend Perseus invite us for ice cream again?" Leroy asked.
"Phoebus," Finley corrected. She grinned at Leroy and commented, "I thought you didn't like him."
"Well, I don't much. He gets to spend time with you all year. I only get you on holidays."
Finley couldn't help but laugh. "Not that I'd know from experience, but you make it sound like I'm the child of divorced parents."
Leroy shot her an amused look. "At least I can say I'm the father and not the mother. Doesn't the father usually only get his child on holidays?"
Finley shrugged. "I dunno. I guess sometimes." She put her arm around Leroy and squeezed his pudgy shoulder. "I'm always happy to be back home. You mean a lot to me, you know."
Leroy's already pink face turned pinker.
"Aw, look," drawled Charla. She had shot up in the last half year and had a womanly figure for someone barely thirteen years old. "Finley and Leroy are the world's most disgusting couple!"
Leroy's face turned a deep shade of red. Finley withdrew her arm and stood up, but Charla was quite a bit taller than she was now. It was strange considering they had literally seen eye to eye as recently as Christmas break.
Finley stared at Charla with her shoulders back and chin up and exclaimed, "You take that back!"
"Which part?" Charla asked saccharinely. "That you're both disgusting or that you're boyfriend and girlfriend?"
Finley yelled "Both!" before she could stop herself. She didn't want to hurt Leroy's feelings, but she only cared for him as a friend. She would never, ever find him attractive.
Leroy made some sort of strangled noise in the back of his throat and scrambled to his feet. He trotted away, wheezing.
"Oh, now you've done it!" Charla chortled.
"You're horrible, you know that?" Finley asked, starting to go after Leroy, but she stopped when Charla revealed something small in her hand. It was a tiny broomstick and one Finley recognized very well.
Before leaving Hogwarts, she had asked Professor Flitwick to shrink her broomstick. She hadn't trusted herself with the task, fearing she would somehow damage it or make the charm impossible to reverse. The tiny broomstick had been placed in an empty sweets tin and put in her trunk. Finley herself had put a locking charm on the trunk, but apparently she hadn't done a very good job at it.
"I've never heard of Drooble's Best Blowing Gum," Charla said, "so I thought I'd have myself a little taste, but then I found this toy broomstick in the tin instead of the chewing gum I was hoping to eat. Now why would you keep a trinket like this? I really don't get it, but then I don't get you because you're nothing but a big freak."
Finley held out her hand. "Give it back. You had no right to go through my things!"
"You want it back?" Charla grinned evilly at her. "Here you go."
She dropped the broomstick to the ground and stepped on it before Finley could get to it. The broomstick crunched underneath Charla's shoe and caused the orphan to grin with satisfaction.
Finley, now on her knees, saw that the tiny broomstick was in pieces. Besides the anger she felt at seeing one of her few and highly prized possessions destroyed, Finley had hope that it could be repaired, just like the golden cloak Charla had torn to shreds last summer. But what if it couldn't? A broomstick was quite a different thing than a cloak.
She looked up at Charla, who towered over her even more. With a low growl, Finley lept up from the ground and jumped on the other orphan. She pulled at her hair and clawed at her face, but Charla gave as good as she got. They were quickly wrenched apart by Mrs. Gill and another employee at the orphanage, but not before each lost clumps of hair and bore shallow scratches to their faces and arms. They were hauled into the office and forced into chairs side-by-side.
"What is the meaning of this behavior?" Mrs. Gill demanded to know. Then she turned her focus on Finley and said, "This always seems to happen when you return home from school, Finley. Is this sort of behavior tolerated there?"
"No," Finley mumbled. "Of course not."
"I wouldn't think so. And you!" Mrs. Gill exclaimed, turning on Charla next. "You know better than to go through another person's things. We've talked about this more often than necessary. Perhaps a visit from the local constable is in order."
Charla laughed. "I'm too young to get arrested."
"Is that so?" Mrs. Gill asked, one eyebrow up in a high arch.
Charla's smug look faltered a little.
"I need you both to act like the young ladies you are. Finley, you do not get into physical altercations with others. Charla, you do not invade another person's privacy. Is that understood?"
"Yes, ma'am," the two girls answered simultaneously.
"You are walking a very thin line, I hope you know."
"Yes, ma'am."
Mrs. Gill studied them with a hard stare for a long moment and then told Finley to go to the nurse. Finley got up without needing to be told twice and walked to the nurse's office, which was only two doors down. As she drew nearer, she heard weeping coming from inside and the murmurings of the nurse, Mrs. Parker. She was soothing Leroy, who mumbled about how fat and ugly he was and how nobody could ever love him.
Finley sighed and leaned against the wall. She wished she could use her magic to shrink Leroy's stomach so he wouldn't eat so much. Even if it were allowed, she wouldn't dare try. She couldn't even do a proper locking spell on her trunk, apparently!
After giving Leroy several more minutes to cry, Finley finally walked up to the door and gave it a light knock. A moment later, the door opened, revealing the nurse and Leroy, whose face was red and streaked with tears.
His eyes widened at the sight of Finley, and he exclaimed, "What happened to you?"
Finley hesitated and then said, "I fought Charla."
"And how does she look?" He almost sounded impressed.
Finley smiled and admitted, "About the same."
"All right, that's enough," Mrs. Parker said. "Finley, have a seat and let's have a look at you. Leroy?"
"I'll be going now. Thanks, Mrs. Parker."
Leroy waddled out of the room and closed the door behind him. Finley knew that it would take much more to make Leroy feel better about himself, but she hoped that he wasn't upset anymore about what she'd said. After all, she hadn't meant to hurt his feelings.
Holly & Dolly
Author: Majandra
Date: 09-05-15 19:56
Taking advantage of the children both having playdates at friends' houses to get some shopping done at Diagon Alley, Majandra exits from Flourish & Blotts, tucking a book purchase into another bag. If either Miranda or Georgie had been with her, they'd be in the bookshoppe for at least another half hour if not longer. It's good her children like to read and love bookshoppes and the library but getting them out of either is, as they saying goes, like pulling teeth. At times she thinks it's easier to get them out of the candy shoppe.
After a quick stop at Spindlewarps for some yarn Maj decides to take a break and get a spot of tea or some other refreshment. Opting for a cold beverage and mozzarella sticks she's just sat down at one of the outside tables and dipped a mozzarella stick into the tangy marinara sauce when a woman plops down in the opposite seat.
Holly says in a rush, "I'm sorry for vanishing that day in the library. I thought you might accuse me of stalking Miranda. This is all so awkward."
"Slightly, yes," Maj dryly states. "There were times George and I wondered if you were a stalker of sorts but at other times we thought no more of seeing you or running into you than we do others we occasionally see out and about."
"I don't know for certain that Miranda is my sister's daughter but there is the resemblance."
"One with you as well."
"Maybe a little."
"A lot. It's why I asked if you're her birth mother."
Holly acknowledges this with a small shrug. "I checked you out, you know."
"And?"
"Abandoned baby. You and your husband adopted her. You are a Potions mistress and a professor. Your husband is an inventor and part owner of a few stores. From what I've observed both of your children are well cared for and loved."
"They are. Tell me about your sister."
"Dolly." Holly gives a small smile. "Horrible isn't it? Dolly and Holly and we aren't even twins. She's three years older than I am. When she turned thirteen she started going through a wild phase. Drinking. Smoking. Recreational drugs. All the wrong boys. When she was fourteen she and some of the crowd she ran with were suspended from school for a few weeks for vandalizing the library. That was the first of several increasingly worse incidents. Mom and Dad were debating sending Dolly to a different school. Dolly wasn't going to have any of that. She cleared out the bank account parents had set up for her when she was born and had been adding to every year, she took the rainy day fund money Mom and Dad had hidden at the house, and she left. We've not seen her since though Dolly writes me from time to time. She never gives clues as to where she is. I never knew if she was always traveling around the U.S. or if she left the country. Now I know, or think I do."
"And in none of those letters did she ever mention being pregnant or having a baby?"
"Not a single sentence."
"Did she ever mention having a dog?"
"A dog? No, not that I recall. Why?"
"A tiny dog was left with Miranda as was a note giving her date of birth and the age of the puppy. We checked with St. Mungo's in London for records of any births on the given date but they didn't show any that fit."
"Nothing in the years since?"
"No, not that I'm aware at any rate. If you're thinking to lay claim to Miranda for you and your parents, you will have a fight."
Holly shakes her head. "No, I wouldn't do that though I can't speak for my parents. I've not mentioned anything to them. I wouldn't mind being able to get to know Miranda as her aunt, if she is my niece that is, and only if your husband and you give approval to some sort of visitation. I would hope my parents would only ask the same if they ask anything at all."
Holly and Maj talk a little while longer before agreeing to meet again in a few days when George is available to discuss how to next proceed. Deciding she's done enough shopping for the day, Maj returns home where she ends up sitting awhile on the couch with Killer, the tiny dog who came into their hearts and lives when Miranda did, thinking about whether she wants to allow Holly official aunt status should Miranda turn out to be related.
(Ash) New Job
Author: Rowan Westwick
Date: 09-06-15 09:21
The Wizarding Audit Office was a sub-office within Budget Management under the Ministry of Magic's Administration department. It ensured efficient and effective spending of departmental funds and reported on public spending for the sake of the taxpayers. Ash was the office's newest clerk.
He reported directly to the Comptroller and Auditor General, Sheldon Schwendy, a thin man with short dark hair and round glasses. Mr. Schwendy always walked around with a leather-bound notebook in hand and took notes anytime anybody spoke with him about anything at all.
Mr. Schwendy's job was to certify the accounts of all the Ministry's departments and to audit said departments and report his findings directly to the Minister of Magic. Besides Ash, his staff consisted of a statistician, economist, several accountants, an expert on corporate finances, and someone knowledgable in the ways of government.
"Mr. Westwick!" called Mr. Schwendy. His office was very neat, with objects on his desk arranged in perfect lines and more leather-bound books arranged orderly on his shelves.
"Please deliver these worksheets to all the department heads. Don't leave them with their secretaries. Put them directly into the hands of the directors, do you understand?"
"Yes, Sir," Ash replied, taking the stack of parchment. Even the layout of the forms appeared very neat.
No sooner were Mr. Schwendy's hands free of the worksheets, did he pick up his quill and notebook and begin scribbling something down. Ash got the feeling that his boss had to record everything to the letter, no matter how insignificant the point.
He stepped out of his boss's office and made his way out of the Wizarding Audit Office to deliver a worksheet into the hands of every single department director in the building. It was a task easier said than done, since many of the directors were in meetings or not even in the office. Although loathe to disobey a direct order from Mr. Schwendy, in some cases Ash had no choice. He left the remaining worksheets with the missing director's assistants and hoped the directors would complete them in a timely manner.
Trekking around the entire Ministry of Magic made him feel a bit peckish. Ash went over to the food cart in the Atrium and mulled over his choices while he stood in line. He ended up purchasing a bag of barbecue-flavored crisps and a fizzy water and sat down at a small out-of-the-way table to enjoy his break.
It was strange, not to be a student at Hogwarts anymore, and stranger still to be an employed adult at the Ministry of Magic. Rowan had one more year at Hogwarts. She had recently received a prefect's badge via owl post, which had both shocked and delighted her. Beatrix, meanwhile, had been elevated to Head Girl. Ash was happy for them both.
All too soon, his break ended. Ash threw away his trash, stopped at the loo to relieve himself and wash his hands, and then took the lift back to his office.