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(Aderyn) Packed and Ready…Mostly?
Author: Cai Pembroke Carter
Date: 10-04-15 06:32
"Where in the bloody..." The words cut off as her head vanished into the depths of her closet, rummaging around for her last set of robes. They'd all be in the one stack on the shelf, but when she'd pulled them out to count them and pack them in her trunk one was missing.
Heaving a sigh and sinking back onto her knees on the floor, pulling the robe out of the closet she took stock of the fabric and let it flit to her lap as it was released by her fingers. There were a pair of tears within the fabric, and she knew that they didn't have time to go back to Diagon Alley and Madame Malkin's for a repair, hopefully her mother could fix it, if not at least owl it to her after she takes them to the seamstress.
She turned, gathering the rest of her things and carefully put them in her trunk in the precise order. Once the trunk was sealed, and her smaller parcels were added to the top of it. She had yet to get Emerica within her cage, but it would naught take long to ensure that she was caged and covered ready for the trip into London and King's Cross that would happen in a few hours so that she could ride the Hogwarts Express tomorrow morning.
"Aderyn, are you ready?"
"Trunk is ready as are the other small bags. I just have to grab Emerica and get her in her cage."
"Quickly, we'll be leaving shortly," her mother's voice echoed up from downstairs. Caribe their house elf, quickly scurried upstairs and made short work of getting the trunk and other parcels gathered and downstairs for the trip.
She made short work of getting Emerica in her cage, and Ambrosia, her sapphire pygmy puff nestled herself quietly within the hood of The Broomstick Boys hoodie she was wearing. Aderyn plucked the torn robes from where she'd left them on the bed, and headed downstairs, Emerica's cage in one hand.
"Ready. Oh, Mum, if it isn't too much trouble, could we run this to Madame Malkin's when we get to London? There are tears in it and I'm not sure how they got there."
"I'll drop it off tomorrow after you are on the train. I'll owl it to you once it's back from the repairs."
"Thank you! Is Cai coming?"
"She'll meet us at dinner and will be coming to the station with us in the morning. She'd gone into London for a few things, and she even hinted that she might drag Evan with her to see you off."
Aderyn grinned and hugged her mother, "Alright, I think I've got everything. If I've missed something, I'll let you know as soon as I am unpacked and have a chance to owl home."
"Good. Now, let's get going."
(Adriana) Death, Destruction, and Distraction
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 10-04-15 06:55
The morning rush at the Ministry of Magic had not quite ended when dark-robed, mostly masked figures emerged one after the other from the fireplaces in the Atrium. Among them was one figure in red. It took not even a minute for panic to ensue and something akin to a caterwauling charm to go off, alerting the entire building that something was wrong.
The same time Death Eaters flooded the Atrium, those already inside the building at their posts within the various departments stepped out of bathrooms and broom closets with their wands out and masks covering their faces. Some might emerge lucky and never be identified by their coworkers, but others would probably not have a job to go back to after the dust settled.
The goal for all Death Eaters was clear. Death, destruction, and distraction. Kill or maim as many wizards as possible, damage property from desk chairs to documents, and keep law enforcement and other nosey departmental employees busy. A select few Death Eaters led by Adriana had a more specific goal in mind and needed support in getting where they needed to go.
That group rushed to the bank of lifts, flanked by others who shielded them and cast a myriad of harmful spells at those brave enough to attack them. The wisest Ministry employees did not engage the dark wizards but rushed for the fireplaces to escape to safety.
The first lift that opened had a handful of wizards inside. They were promptly ejected and executed. Adriana and her handpicked crew stepped inside the lift and let it carry them one level deeper to the Department of Mysteries. Meanwhile, Death Eaters continued to terrorize the Atrium. Others split up, boarding lifts and exiting at different departmental levels.
Adriana's lift arrived at Level 9. The group was met by someone with a glazed over expression on his face. The badge clipped to the front of his businessrobes read H. Hornbloom. Adriana currently didn't have one of her followers within the Department of Mysteries, so she had Jugson imperius one of the unspeakables to grant them easy access to the offices therein.
H. Hornbloom turned and led them to a black door, which he opened and which led into a circular room with twelve handleless doors. Once the Death Eaters gathered in the entrance chamber he selected a particular door and walked into a rectangular, bleak-looking chamber. There was a sunken pit in the middle with an archway covered by a tattered black curtain. Stone benches surrounded the pit.
"Where is it?" Adriana hissed. She could feel her excitement growing, but she knew time was limited and all could be lost if she didn't get her hands on it soon.
H. Hornbloom wordlessly led them down to the pit. For a moment, the group stood at the foot of the dais and stared at the arch. A breeze from no discernible place caused the curtain to flutter.
Adriana, Adriana!
She gasped and asked, "Did you hear that?"
Nobody else heard a thing. H. Hornbloom continued to stare at the arch with a glazed expression on his face until Adriana prodded him in the back with her wand.
"Show me where it is!"
He turned away from the arch then and knelt in front of the nearest bench. The base looked slightly different from the others, but only if one looked at it closely or knew what to look for. Adriana gasped again as the distinct silouette of a stone sarcophagus came into view.
The other Death Eaters saw it too but didn't know what exactly they were looking at.
"Take it out!" she ordered.
H. Hornbloom got out his wand then and started to work the sarcophagus free from the bench. When it was completely free, Adriana pushed him out of the way and ran her hands over the smooth stone.
Adriana, Adriana!
She felt her heart leap in her chest. Adriana turned to her followers and said, "We need to take this back to the abbey. Do not open it under any circumstances, do you understand?"
They nodded behind their masks.
"Good." Adriana turned to H. Hornbloom next and said, "I thank you for your hospitality. Goodbye!" She shoved him hard, then, so that he tripped up the step behind him and fell back through the arch.
Mr. and Mrs.
Author: Illyria
Date: 10-04-15 09:24
Beaming wide smiles, Illyria and Nathan signed their marriage license. Rather than have a big to-do for their wedding, they had opted to go see a Justice of the Peace at the Ministry of Magic. Doing it on the last day of summer right before the start of a new term at Hogwarts had not been completely ideal, as it would mean they would have to postpone their honeymoon, but it had turned out to be the only day they could schedule their nuptials.
Their only witnesses were their parents. Atticus and Ione Jones were pleased that the drama surrounding their middle and youngest daughters had finally passed and agreed that love seemed to conquer all. Illyria and Nathan were meant to be together. The groom's parents were equally satisfied with their son's choice of second wife.
After turning in the signed marriage license and being told to expect a copy via owl post in several weeks, Illyria, Nathan, and their parents made their way out of the JP's office and navigated the very substantial Department of Magical Law Enforcement for the exit. They had not yet reached the corridor, where the lifts were located, when all hell broke loose.
Aurors, hit wizards, and other law enforcement officers sprang into action. There were shouts and hollers and a great deal of spontaneous instruction. Illyria, Nathan, the Jones parents, and the Goode parents, were briskly shunted off into a conference room, where a few other witches and wizards hunkered down beneath the table. The door was shut and locked.
Illyria exchanged an alarmed look with her new husband. What was happening out there? Were they really in danger, or was it just a drill of some sort?
Loud noises and screams seemed to answer her questions. This was not a drill. This was very real, and the day that had started out so happy seemed to be taking a bad turn.
Nathan rubbed her back and said soothingly, "We're probably in the most protected part of the building. We'll get out of this." He glanced over at his mother and offered her a small, reassuring smile. "This is the start of our new life, not the end."
His mother's lips twitched slightly as she attempted a smile, but she was very scared. She clutched onto her husband and shivered from her cramped position underneath the desk. Illyria's parents were also huddled together. She looked at them and thought about how long they had been married. Then she looked at Nathan. She did not want her marriage to end on the day it began. She had to believe Nathan was right. They were safe. They would survive.
On Patrol
Author: Griffin Price
Date: 10-04-15 11:17
Dressed in street clothes Griff meanders along Diagon Alley, weaving in and around the growing throng of people. All along Diagon and Knockturn Alleys are visible law enforcement and scattered about are others, less visible, like Griffin, who seem to be part of the normal activity along the lanes. After a bit, Griffin will change places with one of those on duty wearing the robes of those who are either Aurors or Hit Wizards and the one he switches with will then roam around as a shopper or perhaps as someone looking to kill some time before meeting others for lunch.
As the tenth anniversary of a massive attack on Diagon Alley drew nearer the word going around was that Fairchild and her followers would stage an attack in honor of one of Voldemort's so called successes. The Ministry decided that with the day also marking the end of holiday for many students, Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley would be busier than usual. After much discussion and planning the bulk of the law enforcement personnel have been assigned shifts throughout the day.
Griff is thankful he's pulled one of the earlier shifts. Tristan, who's been attending Hogsmeade Primary Day, is one of those students whose summer is near an end. The earlier in the day Griff works, the sooner he's off and getting to spend a little more time with his son.
There's also Carys's birthday party tonight. Ideally, Griff would have liked to have taken the whole day but as he can't, it's good he'll have plenty of time later today.
Griff is passing in front of Amber's, which brings not mind not only Carys and her birthday but Tristan. The soon to be nine year old and Griff had been window shopping one day not long ago, Tristan pointing out a few things he'd like to have for his own birthday on September 5th. As they started past the jewelry shoppe Tristan had stopped, eyes going wide as he remembered his isn't the only approaching birthday. "I need to get Mummy a present!"
Amber's seemed a fine place to start looking so they'd gone in, Tristan going from display to display, finally stopping to give a good look at the contents of one case with a sign that read: Mother's Jewelry. "Dad, why is this only mums?"
"You see the different colored gemstones? Each stands for a child's birthstone."
"I like that watch," Tristan had said, pointing to a pretty bangle style watch with stone placements at the 12, 3, 6, and 9 positions. "Would each one of those be my color?"
A sales clerk answered the question, "Each could but usually just one would be you and the others would be colors of any brothers and sisters or they would be gold or silver."
Tristan had sighed loudly, "I want brothers and sisters but Mum and Dad never listen."
The clerk hid a smile as had Griff who had also for some reason self-consciously shrugged while Tristan thought over how much he liked the watch idea. He finally gave a decisive nod and pulled out a handful of coins. "Is this enough?"
Behind him, Griff made his how nodding motions at the clerk, to let her know he'd cover the somewhat sizeable difference. Tristan then had to decide if the watch should be silver, gold, or both, and which stone or stones he wanted to show as representing his September birthday.
After he'd made his decision the clerk was sure to tell him, "Now, when your parents do decided to give you a brother or a sister, you can bring the watch back in and we can add a new birthstone to one of the other three spots."
Tristan's money was taken and when Griff went to pay as well he explained it away, "I'm going to pay for engraving inside the watchband so Mummy will always remember which of her birthdays you gave this to her on."
Griff picked the watch up two days later and hid it away in his work cubicle, knowing that Carys has already started snooping around the house for any hint of gifts. He thought the safest way to keep her from discovering Tristan's gift to her and the one from him was at the Ministry. Little does he know as he ambles on by the jewelry shoppe that the Ministry as a whole is one of the least safe spots to be right at this moment.
(Weston) Run, Hide, Fight
Author: Marzipan
Date: 10-04-15 13:07
Because he was deeply entrenched in his work, with a newscast emanating from the WWN unit on his desk as his only distraction, Weston didn't immediately hear the ruckus taking place in the corridor outside the Department of Magical Education. It took a shrill siren to jar him from the task at hand and had him bolting up from his chair and reaching for his wand.
The other departmental employees in the office bore a mixture of emotions on their faces. Some looked concerned, others confused. Some remained in their seats, while the rest also got to their feet and produced their wands.
Weston was the first to reach the door to the office. He glanced behind him at the panicked receptionist and then slowly opened the door a crack to peer out at the melee. What he saw shocked him to the core.
A body lay face down just a short distance down the hall. Another was suspended in the air, while a dark-robed figure cackled and sent an occasion burst of magic at it. The victim screeched each time she was hit by a curse. Weston shut the door as soon as he saw two more dark-robed figures emerge from down the corridor. He turned to his colleagues and said in a low, urgent manner, "We need to barricade the door."
The receptionist couldn't help. She was shaking too badly to do anything more than slide out of her chair and cower underneath her desk.
Roland Gray and Alexandra Lampwick immediately rushed over to assist Weston with moving a filing cabinet in front of the door. A few other departmental employees helped, so that eventually the door was blocked by cabinets, desks, chairs, and a large potted plant.
No sooner was that done that they heard someone try the door handle. Then the door was assailed by spells, each attack sounding like a mini explosion to their ears.
Weston turned back to the others and said, "Hide! All of you!"
Most hurried away to seek out hiding spots within the office, but they were few and far between and none really seemed like they would suffice if the dark wizards managed to break down the barricade. Weston moved behind the front desk and gently pulled the jittery receptionist to her feet. "Go to my cubicle. Hide under my desk. Pull the chair in front of you," he told her.
Roland moved behind the desk to stand next to Weston. "I'm not hiding," he said. "Better to fight and risk my own death to give the others a chance of survival. You should hide, though. You're no good to your family if you're dead."
A loud explosion rocked the furniture blocking the door. Both Roland and Weston ducked. Weston should have taken Roland's advice and slipped away before the dust settled, but he didn't. He heard people climbing over the debris. He and Roland exchanged silent looks and then popped up from behind the desk with their wands raised.
"Expelliarmus!" Weston shouted, the same time Roland yelled, "Stupefy!"
Someone's wand went flying, and somebody else went down, but there were more of these dark wizards than there were the two of them. Another departmental employee off to the side exercised bravery and got off a spell of some sort, but it wasn't enough.
Roland and Weston ducked behind the desk again but found themselves surrounded. The last thing either of them saw was a flash of green light.
Last Day of Summer
Author: Rylee
Date: 10-04-15 13:58
"I've no idea what I'm wearing tomorrow though chances are it will probably be the new outfit I'd got yesterday from Narcissa's with my favorite pair of boots," I said as I dropped down next to Raz at the table we'd gotten at Delia's Deli for lunch. Etana and Caroline were currently placing their lunch orders and would join us momentarily.
"I'm probably just going to wear a pair of jeans and a polo and trainers. Nothing special, then again I'm not as detail oriented about my appearance as you are Ry..." Raz teased lightly before popping a salt and vinegar crisp into his mouth.
I smirked and sniped a crisp from his plate, before pushing up from my seat and grabbing my basket when the clerk called my number. I sat back down and pulled one of the colorfully tipped toothpicks from half of my buffalo chicken salad sandwich, and took a bite.
Etana and Caroline soon joined and the four of us fell into conversation about the upcoming year wondering how many of the new first years would end up in our respective houses. Raz and I even going so far as to place a small wager, on whose house got the most of the new first years and transfer students. Loser would be buying lunch on the first Hogsmeade trip of the year.
We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around and making any last minute purchases before heading back to the hotel where we were staying until tomorrow morning when we left for Hogwarts.
Carmel Filled Cookies
Author: Alaia Rothstein
Date: 10-04-15 14:02
Alaia sang along with the Wizarding radio as she magically filled cookies with Carmel filling. The whole bakery smelled divine and Alaia was happy.
The other source of her happiness, besides the bakery, was upstairs in their apartment. He was doing a few things for their wedding planning for her. They had decided to get married in the fall, November to be exact and she was so excited. She could hardly believe that they had not seen each other in years and then they ran into each other and fell in love; and now they were getting married. She sighed happily and smiled at her cookies as they magically filled themselves.
Lee came down the stairs and Alaia heard him talking to Divina. Her smile broadened and she let the cookies fill while she walked to the front of the store. "Hey!" She said.
Smiling Lee walked over to her and kissed her forehead. "How is your day going?"
"Good. Just getting some Carmel filled cookies made."
"Oh, my favorite can you make a few extra to bring upstairs?"
"Of course I can." She smiled.
"I got the Hotel suite booked for our honeymoon." He said a grin on his face.
"Great."
The bell above the door chimed and a whole heard of kids walked in and Divina walked over to help them.
The two, Alaia and Lee, talked quietly back in the kitchen and Alaia finished with the cookies and put them into the oven. "When do you want to go out to dinner tonight?"
"Well I have a lot of baking to do tonight. Why don't we go out for a late lunch early dinner?" Lee nodded his head. Alaia grinned. "Great. We can go when these cookies are done."
Lee kissed Alaia again and asked if he could be of any help to her today and she quickly put him to work.