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(Patricia & Belinda) Pool Party
Author: Sophie McCourt
Date: 08-17-19 02:22
"Welcome ladies! Make yourselves at home!"
Tom Howard was throwing a pool party and both Patricia and Belinda had been invited. Patricia recognized some familiar faces, and she quickly set up her beach towel by the grass and removed her clothes, exhibiting her white and navy blue stripped swimsuit, joining housemate Ingrid Hyland and Gryffindor Barbie Bones.
Belinda walked around the pool area, hoping Tom had invited Blakeney Ellis, which meant that Conrad would probably tag along. She heard some laugher at a corner of the garden and she hoped to find her boyfriend there, entertaining a crowd with his jokes and funny impersonations. Instead she found a group of people playing darts. The target was a wanted poster of Malden. Somehow the photograph Malden was not able to leave the poster and he seemed to do his best to avoid being hit by the sharp darts. Most of the guests had a terrible aim and they missed their mark, but Belinda watched Malden being hit on his right cheek and chest to everyone's amusement.
"Great idea huh? I asked my father to charm the poster so McGonagall will not be able to leave the scene. " Tom explained Belinda. "I have a couple of more stored in my bedroom in case we tear this one apart."
Belinda offered Tom a weak smile. Those engaged in the game kept laughing and insulting Malden. The news that he was a wanted wizard had shocked and worried Belinda. Sophie had been called to the Ministry of Magic to provide some information about Malden. Belinda was afraid she would be summoned as well but they haven't done so. After Team Delta Echo's performance at the St. Emrys Fest, she only received one more message more from Maurice that simply ordered her to lay low and do nothing. Belinda got upset with his demand but then she understood what he meant because a few days later news came out about Asher's imprisonment, the recruitment of minors at Hogwarts to become Death Eaters, and the information that the Ministry was after Malden.
It had been hard to hold herself when Elmer, Eileen and Patricia talked about this, and gave their full support to the Ministry of Magic. Elmer had joked about trying to find Malden himself so he could collect the reward for his capture. Eileen said she was not surprised at all that Malden was a criminal. She still held him some grudge from the time he threw that quaffle straight to her face, breaking her nose, during that Quidditch match, two years ago. She said it was clear that even back then he already displayed a natural taste for violence and she lectured Belinda about having such a person as her Quidditch captain. She proudly compared Malden to Kurt Blackwell, saying that Kurt was the kind of person it was worth to follow, while Malden was trash. Patricia was more benevolent and she just wondered what would happen if he got caught. Was he going to spend the rest of his life in jail? It seemed so sad that someone like Malden would cross the line like that and waste his life. Belinda had to keep her poise and she pretended to be shocked like everyone else and tried not to show any sympathy towards Malden. She knew Maurice was right and she had to lay low. She had some major plans for the next school year, including the recruitment of more members but now she knew she would have to be extra careful. For the past years the teachers and other staff were ignorant about what was going on and it was easier for them to assemble. Now everyone would be under watch. Belinda was aware that she needed to be very patience. Like a predator, she would lay still until the right moment to attack present itself. She was not going to let the Dark Lord down and mess things up.
"Take that, you disgusting Death Eater!" Edmund Woodbouse shouted, when he hit Malden's poster right on his forehead.
The other guests applauded.
Belinda sat on the edge of the pool, her feet inside the water. She kept watching those playing the dart game. Tom Howard was going to pay for this. And so was Edmund, and all the others. She kept adding names to her list, planning to get back at them one day. Malden was a servant of the Dark Lord and he did not deserve to be treated this way. All these ignorants would pay for what they were going now.
However things got even worse for Belinda when a group of silly boys stormed inside the garden dressed up as Death Eaters, in a well organized prank.
"Surrender yourselves to the Dark Lord!" One of them said, teasing.
"Let's kill them all!" Another one exclaimed.
Barbie Bones screamed, thinking it was a real attack. Someone dropped a bottle of butter bear on the floor, with the scare. Charles Fairfax had taken his wand out of his pocket, but he couldn't decide which of the fake Death Eaters he should attack first. He was also unsure if he could attack at all, as he was still a minor and couldn't use magic outside of Hogwarts. The 'Death Eaters' ran towards the area where Barbie, Patricia, Ingrid and some other girls were. They were wearing masks.
"Time to go for a dive McCourt!" A masked figure said, trying to pick Patricia up and take her into the pool.
"Don't you dare! The water is too cold" she said, giggling and also screaming.
But he ignored her and soon they were both inside the pool. Barbie Bones had been dragged inside as well, but Ingrid was able to escape their fate.
"Let's see the identity of my captor," Patricia said. She removed the mask and found Gryffindor Anderson Acker under it. He smiled at her in an insolent but quite attractive way. She smiled back.
Another Death Eater had caught Belinda by the waist.
"Let me go!"she demanded, trying to fight against his embrace.
"Are you sure?" she recognized his voice right away.
"Conrad!" She quickly ripped off his mask and started to kiss him. He pulled them together into the pool.
Among the other Death Eaters were Tom Howard. He had been the one who had orchestrated this little theatrical scene. He explained that he had fetch some old black robes he found on his attic and that the masks were from a Muggle African tribe, collected by his mother. He turned on the radio and the pool party continued. While Patricia spent her time with her friends, and accepting the flirtations from Anderson, Belinda did her best to pretend she was having a blast. Her smile was fake, and she even joined the dart game, so people would believe she too was agains Malden. However she was boiling with rage inside. One day they would all pay for this. The only fun part of the party was Conrad and after she decided that she had socialized enough with the other people, she dragged him into the house, into a cozy corner to make out with him.
(Willow) Telling Justin
Author: Rowan Westwick
Date: 08-17-19 12:40
"Where is everyone?"
Willow and Justin had just stepped out the back door at Westwick Grove. It was a lovely evening, with pinks, oranges, purples stretching across the sky like brushstrokes on a painting.
"Working," Willow replied with a shrug. Although a rookie auror, Rowan was very busy, especially given the current circumstances in the wizarding world. If not working, then she was probably out with Connor.
Her father, meanwhile, still cleaned the public conveniences in Diagon Alley, but he had recently taken on a second job as a dishwasher at The Leaky Cauldron. He was in the kitchen most nights.
"I don't expect anyone home anytime soon," Willow added, taking Justin's hand into her own.
They strode across the grounds along a line of hazel trees. Willow was nervous, because she had finally been given the go-ahead to tell Justin everything about Ash and Beatrix. She was afraid that he would take the news badly, since she had basically lied to him for an entire year, but she truly hoped he would understand. She'd kept the truth from him because she'd been instructed to, and because Ash's life had been and still was very much at risk.
"You okay?" Justin asked, sensing her unease.
Willow squeezed his hand and gave him a shy smile. She didn't want him thinking she had invited him over to the house to break up with him or something.
"There's something I've been wanting to tell you for a very long time now. It's important, and I need you to understand that what I'm about to tell you can't be shared with anyone. Maybe someday you can tell your parents and siblings, but that's not for me to decide."
Justin shot her a crooked smile. "You sound like you're about to tell me top secret spy business."
"Kind of," Willow said.
Justin stopped walking and regarded her curiously. "Does this have to do with your curse?"
"No," Willow said, "but it does have to do with the Death Eaters––and no, I'm not one of those acolytes recruited at Hogwarts if that's what you're wondering," she hastily added. At Justin's look she spluttered, "B-but I'm not even a Death Eater at all or anything. Oh!" She put her face in her hands and mumbled, "This is coming out all wrong."
She took a deep breath and said, "It's about my brother. He was recruited by the Ministry of Magic to spy on the Death Eaters, because the Death Eaters were trying to recruit him as they had my parents so many years ago. Anyway, he tried his best to pass along information to the Ministry, but the Death Eaters use anti-secret telling spells or whatever, and there wasn't all that much he could say without hurting himself. But then he took the risk, and he almost died, but really he survived and went into hiding and…"
She realized they were standing where Ash's empty casket was buried. There was a headstone, bearing his name and the dates of his birth and fabricated death. It all looked so very real.
"Justin, I'm really sorry I couldn't tell you until now that Ash is really and truly alive."
Before Justin could react to the revelation, his attention was drawn to a noise in the bushes beyond the row of hazel trees. It was a rustling much louder than something the wind might create, and then all was still. Neither saw anything or anyone. Willow hoped it was just a rabbit, but she had a bad feeling her secret conversation with Justin might have been overheard.
(Chloe) The Invitation
Author: Mildred
Date: 08-18-19 01:55
Chloe looked at the calendar above her bed that marked the month of August. It had the image of two horses, a white fur one and a brown one, happily resting on a grassy field. She was crossing the days until she would be able to go back to Hogwarts. Chloe had received a letter from Alectrona inviting her to her party. Alectrona had been smart and sent the letter by Muggle mail, most likely guessing that Chloe's father would not like to have owls flying over his house and the church.
Chloe got really excited with Alectrona's invitation to her party. She would be able to see her friend again, and have a break from the lonely summer days she was spending at home. In the past this existence did not bother her but after going to Hogwarts and hang around with people her age like Alectrona, Ruth and Franklin, it seemed like this wasn't pleasant anymore. Then there would also be the chance to see Argyll, Alectrona's oldest brother, again. She knew her father would accuse her of vanity if he knew she was thinking about wearing the prettiest dress she had on her wardrobe to the party. It was a beige dress, simple and discreet, but it still made Chloe feel beautiful and special when she used it.
She had tried to approach her father to ask him permission to go to the party. She did so one morning when they were both at the church. Chloe was replacing the old burned candles for new ones while her father was distributing bibles into strategic places.
"Er...dad?"
"Yes?"
"I have received a letter a few days ago...it was from my friend, Alectrona."
"I have advised you before to not befriend those people. You will not see them again when your time at Hogwarts ends."
Her father did not consider her time at Hogwarts as a period of education. When Chloe got home she found that he had bought her some Muggle school text books. Every afternoon she would go to his office on the back of the church to study them, under his supervision. There was mathematics, sciences and English literature, among others. He wanted Chloe to learn during the summer everything a Muggle child would learn. He said he could not stop her from going to Hogwarts to learn how to control her magic, but that he was going to give her the necessary tools for her to later enter a decent Muggle college. Her father had told Chloe's mother that the school Chloe was enrolled at was very demanding and they had given her a lot of homework so she would keep working during her holidays.
"Alectrona invited me to a party. It's just one party...and I really wanted to go. Please Dad..."
"And where does this Alectrona live?"
For a minute Chloe thought that her father was actually going to let her go to the party. With a smile she said:
"Oh you don't need to take me there. Alectrona told me about this thing called Floo powder. It can work because we have a fireplace. She sent me some on a bag, alongside the letter."
Alectrona had thought about all the details that would permit Chloe to attend the party without even bother her father to take her there. Her first thought when she read the letter was actually how would she be able to go to the party when Alectrona lived so far away from her.
"What? Where is that Floo powder?"
"In my bedroom."
Her father stormed out of the church, right into the house and to Chloe's bedroom. He started to go over her things, until he found the little purple bag with the Floo powder on it. Chloe had gone after him and she watched as he storages the bag inside his shirt's pocket.
"I told you that no magical artifacts were allowed in this house." When Chloe met her father at the King Cross's station (he did not enter Platform 9 and 3/4 and so she had to meet him in Muggle London) he had shoved all her school luggage inside the trunk of his car, saying she would have her things back in the fall. Chloe had left her broomstick under her bed at the Ravenclaw dormitory. She didn't want her father to know she had played Quidditch and had been offered a broomstick. "Now you are going to write to this Alectrona, thank her for the invitation but decline it. Then you are grounded. No...do not look at me that way, Chloe. You were hiding something from me in your bedroom, like a disobedient daughter. You should have showed me the Floo powder the moment you got it! You might have been tempted to use it behind my back. What would your mother feel if you left without a trace? Do you know it's not that easy to travel using the Floo network? You could end up on a completely different fireplace!"
Chloe wrote to Alectrona in tears. Her father inspected the letter after and he declared he was going to send it. For the next weeks he would keep a close watch on her, rarely allowing her to do anything fun. She would had to help out in all house and church chores. Her mother tried to reason with her father, saying Chloe was on holidays and she could use some fun but he was inflexible with his decision.
Every night before going to bed Chloe marked with a cross the day that was just about to end. Soon she would be back at Hogwarts and she would be able to see her friends again and get freed from her father.
Rue Girardon, Place Cachée
Author: Marzipan
Date: 08-18-19 09:56
Marzi and Alaric sat outside K. Rammelle's Enchantée, while the children spent their allowances of sweets. Marzi, Carter, and Vallon had come to France to spend some time with the Framboises, which had started out as a trip to Marseilles and ended in Paris. The Ravenscroft-Blacks were set to return to Scotland tomorrow.
Since journeying to France, Marzi had received a few letters from Minerva about the goings-on at Hogwarts. Each letter began with an apology for disturbing her holiday and expressed the desire to keep her informed as to avoid getting blindsided upon her return to the school. Marzi assumed that all professors currently away from Hogwarts had received similar letters.
Thanks to the letters, Marzi knew that recently graduated student Asher Kent was in Azkaban due to being a self-confessed recruit to the Death Eaters and that Malden McGonagall was on the lam for the same reason and also shockingly for attempted murder. Marzi learned after the fact that these were the reasons why Minerva had left the class reunion so suddenly.
The news had reached international shores, and Marzi knew through Alaric that Madame Maxime was exercising caution and considering the implementation of security measures in time for Beauxbatons' new school year. After all, the Death Eaters had shown interest in other schools of magic before. It was not out of the realm of possibility that they attack another or extend their young recruitment program beyond Hogwarts.
Even the French newspapers discussed the threat, though it was currently at a low level. For his part, Alaric wasn't terribly worried about Beauxbatons being a Death Eater target, though he planned on having a discussion with Napoleon and Daenerys before term began to make them aware that they should speak up if they noticed anything suspicious at school. Alaric was more worried about Marzi.
Marzi knew from Minerva's letters that some staff were being targeted by the press. She somewhat doubted that she would be the object of the same intense scrutiny, since she had no connection to the Death Eaters whatsoever. The only complaint she might face is being a teacher at Hogwarts and either not noticing what was happening within the castle walls or failing to report it.
As long as the badgering didn't happen in front of her children, Marzi believed she could handle herself just fine. Nevertheless, as disturbed as she was by the knowledge that the Death Eaters had successfully recruited students and that there may be more not yet accounted for at Hogwarts, Marzi was still more worried about the fact that Heathcote Hamstead knew about Alaric.
She had not gotten anymore letters from him, and as far as she knew, Illyria hadn't received any either. Still, Marzi worried. The threat that something might happen to Alaric loomed in the air. Heathcote might be behind bars, but he was obsessed and probably had a means to make something happen if he really wanted. Alaric argued that something would have already happened if that were true, but his attempt at reassuring Marzi failed. She simply couldn't help but feel concerned.
"Mummy, look what I bought!" Vallon exclaimed, showing off his very heavy sack of sweets.
"Did you spend all your money here?" Marzi asked.
"No… yes…"
"And what is all that on your face?"
"They had samples!" Vallon said. He started to wipe his mouth with his sleeve, but Marzi stopped him before he could soil his clothes. She produced a handkerchief and wiped what looked like chocolate from his mouth.
She did the same to Carter when he emerged from the shop with an equally laden sack of sweets. The older children had also purchased a lot but had managed to snack without leaving evidence all over their faces.
Alaric asked the children where they wanted to go next. The elder two were doing back-to-school shopping in addition to spending a last day with Marzi and the boys. After consulting their lists, they decided on Maison Capenoir to update their school uniforms, though Dany definitely regretted eating too many samples in the sweetshop.
(Arielle) It's Not You, It's Me
Author: Jolyon
Date: 08-19-19 18:37
Arielle decided she was finally ready to venture out of the house. She took a shower, brushed her hair, put on some clean clothes, and grabbed a small, crossbody purse crocheted by her own mother. She was halfway to the fireplace when Merrie noticed her daughter's well-groomed appearance and obvious intention to leave the house.
"Arielle, wait!" Merrie called out, scooping Barrett up as he tottered around with a sagging diaper.
Arielle turned and said, "I'm going to Diagon Alley." She could tell by her mother's tone and the crease on her forehead that Merrie didn't think going out on her own was a good idea, but guess what? Arielle was a legal adult and didn't have to do what her parents said anymore. Nevermind the fact that she still lived under their roof
She turned to the fireplace once more and reached for the jar of floo powder on the mantle. "Do you want anything?" Arielle offered.
"I really don't think you should go by yourself," Merrie said, trying to restrain Barrett, who had started kicking in a bid to escape her grasp. "You've been cooped up ever since––and I'm not sure you're ready."
"Mum, I came to the realization this morning that I am very much ready to leave my room. In fact, getting some fresh air and mingling with other people sounds positively divine."
"Great!" Jolyon said, stepping out of another room. "I was just about to go to Diagon Alley myself to pick up some last supplies for term. Let's go together."
Arielle felt she couldn't argue with that, even though she knew the real reason he was going was to keep an eye on her. She flooed to The Leaky Cauldron and was soon joined by him. They tapped on the bricks and walked through the archway onto the very busy, cobblestoned street.
"Is there anything particular you want to buy while we're here?" her father asked.
"Not really. I was just going to window shop and maybe buy something on a whim. What do you need for school?"
Jolyon produced a list. Arielle started to second guess her belief that he had only decided to visit Diagon Ally on her account, but then he'd probably had the list written up since the end of last term. They walked all the way to the end of the alley and then popped into various shoppes together, buying animal feed, dragon-hide gloves, and other things for Care of Magical Creatures class. Along the way, they spotted many wanted posters of Malden. Arielle did her best not to look at them, though.
Eventually, they came upon the ice cream parlour. Knowing Titus worked there was the real reason why Arielle had wanted to come to Diagon Alley. She hadn't responded to any of his letters or thanked him for the ice cream samples he'd sent. A small part of her wondered if he, like his roommates, had also gotten sucked into joining the Death Eaters. Another part of her doubted it, since she knew that Titus and Malden were bitter rivals. Asher and Titus weren't good friends either, so why would they all join up together?
Then again… there was the band, of which they were all members. The band that Malden had never wanted Arielle to be a part of. Was the band a front to something bigger?
It sounded ridiculous. Why would they go to so much trouble to learn how to play instruments and actually participate in something as huge as Emrys Fest if it wasn't real?
Arielle just didn't know what to think about it all. Mainly, she wanted to see Titus after their long separation. She wanted to see how she felt after all this time.
Jolyon followed her gaze. "Tell you what," he began. "I'll give you half an hour to catch up with him. I'll be at Eeylops."
Arielle nodded and crossed over to the door. She stepped inside and saw Titus bent over the ice box, scooping purple ice cream into a cup for a tween-aged witch. When he stood up to hand the bowl over to the girl, Arielle gasped aloud.
Without another customer to help at that moment, Titus turned toward the doorway and saw Arielle gaping at him. He was so stunned to see her, he forgot for a moment that he only had one eye. He stepped out from behind the counter to approach her, albeit cautiously, since she had ignored all his letters and he wasn't sure what that meant.
"Are you feeling better?" he asked. "All cured?"
"What?" Arielle asked, unable to get past the eyepatch he wore.
"From the dragon pox."
"Dragon pox? Oh. Right… I'm better," she finally said, referring more to her mental health than anything else. "What's wrong with your eye?"
Titus looked around and then took Arielle's hand to lead her to a table away from where his guests were sitting. He told her the same story he'd told his brother and the investigators at the Ministry of Magic.
"That's awful, Titus!" Arielle exclaimed after he finished.
Titus nodded and said, "Listen, I'm really sorry about your brother."
"Thanks." Arielle sighed. She suddenly felt a tightness in her chest. "I'm still having a hard time adjusting. This is the first day I've left the house and I can't escape what happened. It's everywhere, you know? In the newspaper headlines, on those wanted posters, everywhere. I kind of think that I need to take things one day at a time. Getting out was a good first step, but I need to focus on not going crazy right now. I think… I think we should take a break." The last bit was not what she'd come to say, but it felt right now that she was with him.
"A break?" Titus frowned. "A longer break, you mean."
He had a point. They'd basically been separated for a whole month already.
Arielle chewed her lip and replied, "I'm sorry. It's not you, it's me. I just need time."
They both got up. A family had just entered the parlour and was perusing the menu board.
Arielle pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. "Goodbye, Titus."
She left in a hurry, not wanting to turn back and look at him or she would surely start to cry. Instead, she went straight over to the owl shoppe, where she was glad to see that her father was already at the checkout counter, just about ready to go.
Leaving The Ministry
Author: S Snape
Date: 08-19-19 21:22
Disgorged into the Atrium from a lift so crowded that Severus cannot help but think of the experience as akin to being spit out by a living entity. When he'd first boarded the lift there was only one other person and two parchment plane memos. Given the number of lifts and the always present "take the stairs" option, he has no idea why person after person shoved into the lift at each floor. End of the work day for most is hardly a reason for what he considers obnoxious and unnecessary behavior.
He would have exited before reaching the Atrium if not for being pressed to the back of the car and unable to push forward quickly enough, even loudly exclaiming, "Excuse me! Coming Through!" each time he attempted the move. Short of using his wand to administer well placed zaps to more than a few derrières that would have had witches and wizards jumping aside, thus clearing a path for him to reach the lift doors, Severus had to suffer the elevator ride to level 8 where, inexplicably, he found himself in the middle of the pack, carried out of the lift with the tide so to speak. Such was the force of movement that he would not have been able to remain inside the lift had he'd wanted to continue on to level 9.
Because of the time of day each of the exit Floos has a line. Severus walks down the length of the fireplaces to the last one because Ministry employees rushing to leave have gotten into a line before the one all the way at the end despite that line being visibly shorter. That there is a line means there are exceptions to those not wanting to walk so far down, including the younger wizard who hurries after Severus, taking the spot in line behind him.
"Here about Hogwarts professors being implicated in recruiting students to the Death Eaters?"
Severus turns with an arched eyebrowed, baleful glare that tends to cow students on the receiving end. The younger wizard takes a step back but offers him a somewhat weak smile, visibly gulping before finding his voice again. "Are you still employed at Hogwarts or will students be introduced to a new Potions teacher on September 1st?"
Severus resolves to ignore the chap, turning to face the fireplace and, as the line has moved forward, taking two steps. He revises that decision when the wizard introduces himself, "Ralph Rosenblatt. Everyone calls me Ripper. Maybe you know my cousin Cal who's been done the Hogwarts career day."
"A colleague warned me about you, Mr. Rosenblatt, though he did not mention your relation to Cal Rosenblatt."
"A colleague? Has to be Dante Knight. Yeah, he doesn't know Cal's my dad's first cousin."
"Perhaps because your association with Mr. Knight was made under false pretenses."
"There is that but, well, when after a story one's gotta do what one's gotta to get that story. I couldn't very well out and out introduce myself as a Tidings journalist and gotten much to write about. Not that I got much to write about when Tamara dumped me. A pity. There's a secret there to be uncovered. That and Tamara's hot."
"How is it you did not attend Hogwarts?"
"Parents split before any of us were school age. Mum moved us to Australia, Tasmania to be exact. We only came on visits to Dad and his side of the family. So, about my first question. Were you here because of Hogwarts professors being implicated in recruiting students as Death Eaters?"
"No Hogwarts professor has been implicated and claiming otherwise would be irresponsible; but, I suppose, when one works for a gossip rag one's so called journalistic endeavors cannot be considered responsible." Now at the front of the line, Severus throws powder into the fireplace.
Ralph "Ripper" Rosenblatt's response is lost as Severus steps into the green flames, calling out his destination of The Hog's Head where he hastens to duck into a back rom. He'd agreed to meet Veronica and though he's not looking forward to her whining yet again about the Knights Walpurgis investigation at least Rosenblatt won't easily find him should the reporter follow him to The Hog's Head.
[Dave] Bronzefield Prison
Author: S Snape
Date: 08-21-19 21:39
Dave stares at the entry point for visitors of Bronzefield Prison. He takes a deep breath and then another. He considers turning around and catching the next bus no matter which bus it is. Another deep breath then he forces himself to join the queue inside. At several points along the way to sitting and waiting on Janie Haversham Dave comes close to chickening out but his time get this over with is quickly running out. If he puts it off again, he'll have to wait until Christmas holiday.
When Janie arrives she exclaims, "Dave! You came! I thought you'd come as soon as you were out for summer. Kevin and my mother refused did they? My solicitor will hear about their obstruction. And where is Mum? Or did your dad bring you? I'll give whichever it is an earful. Say, what's keeping your sister?" She scans the far wall where Carol usually stands waiting when accompanying Harley and Dave.
"Harley didn't come. I doubt she'll ever visit you again. Gran and Dad aren't here either. I came alone."
"You came all by yourself to see me? That's so sweet."
Dave takes the bundle of letters he'd been grasping in one hand, the stack of letters he'd had clasped in his hands the entire trip here so that now the outermost ones are clammy from nervous sweat; the bundle of letters that caused him to be held up while one of the guards checked the bundle and gave approval for him to bring the letters into visitation. Slapping the bundle down onto the table between them he says, "Stop writing me, Janie. If you send another I'm going to tell Dad and Gran you're harassing me and they will tell the judge or the magistrate or whoever is in charge of your case now."
"You shouldn't take that tone with your mum, Davidson," Janie scolds.
"That's another thing. You're Janie. Not Mum. You gave up being a mum that day seven years ago when you tried to kill your children. Don't know why it's taken me so long to understand that."
Janie hisses, "They have been filling your head with hate. Something else my solicitor is going to hear about. You have to stop listening to them, Davey. They hate me. Always have. Look how quick they shacked up together after getting rid of me."
"You're delusional if you think any of what you just said is true." Dave stands, snatching up the letters to take to have as proof of long-term harassment if she keeps writing. "Don't write me again, Janie. Don't have your solicitor write me. I won't be coming again unless forced."
As Janie protests, continuing her claims that have her as the victim and paint everyone else as responsible for her being in prison Dave walks away without looking back. He hopes he won't ever have to see Janie Marie Haversham again, not even when she's died and in her coffin awaiting burial.
Last Day of Summer
Author: Gerry
Date: 08-23-19 17:00
Gerry looked at the clock over the circulation desk at the Hogsmeade Branch Library, where he had spent many of his summer days––quite unwillingly––and wished that the hour hand would finally strike five. It was the very last day of summer, and how had he spent it? Working at the library for free.
At first, he'd thought that his mother would only force him to work at the library at the start of the summer, but the chore never ended. He'd asked, of course, but he was always told that he hadn't yet shown that he had matured or that he could be responsible. Gerry didn't see what the big deal was. He wasn't a legal adult yet, so why did he have to act maturely or have any responsibility?
It was that sort of talk that prevented him from having an enjoyable summer free to do whatever he wanted. There was already discussion that he should probably spend the Christmas holidays working in the library, too. Although they hadn't threatened it yet, Gerry's parents planned on sitting him down tonight after supper to discuss their expectations for him this school year, and if he didn't meet them, then they would have him removed from the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Maybe that would set him straight.
At last, the clock struck five and the library closed for business. Gerry stood around while his mother and her staff completed their closing procedures, and then they all left out the front door together. His mother locked up, and then the pair set off for home.
"Do you plan on taking the train tomorrow or will you spend the day at home?" his mother asked. "Gareth said he preferred the latter."
"I'd rather stay home and enjoy at least some freedom before we have to return to Hogwarts for the Start of Term Feast," Gerry replied.
"I suggest you pack your trunk tonight, then, so that you aren't doing it last minute tomorrow."
"Yes, all right," Gerry said, trying not to sound annoyed.
His eyes fell on the entryway to Twice Told Tales. Grace was standing there, talking to Charlotte. They glanced over and waved to Gerry and his mother. His mother waved back, and Gerry gave a small nod of his head to acknowledge their greeting.
They were a few more businesses down the road when his mother remarked, "You know, it's really too bad you and Grace aren't close anymore. You played together so much as children."
"She has her own circle of friends, and I have mine," Gerry mumbled.
He could hear Gareth in his head teasing about him and Grace. Gerry knew it was all a big joke to his brother, but the fact was, Gerry really did like Grace. He just didn't think she would ever consider him boyfriend material, considering all his troublemaking. Besides, she probably liked Rand or Oliver.
"Well, what do you want as your last meal at home?" his mother asked, distracting him from his thoughts.
Gerry gave it little thought. "Pizza."