Breakfast
in Cairo
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 07-14-03 13:41
Even though the secret and long-awaited meeting with Adriana wasn't supposed to take place until midnight this evening, Bill disapparated from Hogsmeade before dawn and, after several stops along the way, came to rest at an outdoor eatery in the vicinity of Gringotts Bank in Cairo. The first rays of sunlight were starting to stretch across the dusty roads and buildings around him, illuminating what was normally drab and rejuvenating everything for the brand new day.
Bill ordered a tall glass of Hibiscus tea and a large bowl of Kishk*, deciding that the enormous breakfast might calm the fluttering butterflies in his stomach. As he waited for his meal to be prepared, he thought about Adriana and how excited he was to finally see her again. He wondered what she would tell him and why she was in hiding, and he hoped he'd be able to cradle her in his arms and never, ever let her go again.
*Kishk is an Egyptian soup
Surprise!
Author: H Potter
Date: 07-14-03 16:44
As Ron lies asleep buried under a pile of blankets, the curtains around his bed add to the illusion that it's still very dark out. He never stirs as a parade of feet shuffle quietly into the room nor when the bed curtains are carefully drawn back.
As people move into place, Harry puts his fingers to his lips to remind everyone to keep quiet until the signal is given. He runs his gaze around the room, doing a mental head count. When all appear to be present, their eyes on Harry as they wait for the signal, he holds up a hand and begins a count of three.
As Harry's third finger goes up, the room explodes in a chorus of For Ron's A Jolly Good Fellow. Ron yells while sitting straight up, looking wildly around. The singers segue into a rendition of Happy Birthday.
Before Ron can stop them, several of the boys, including Harry, have hauled Ron out of his bed and are carrying him down to the common room, a long trail of Gryffindors behind them. Ron is placed in an armchair, a blanket draped around his neck like a king's robes and a crown made of gold paper is placed on his head. Surrounding the chair are presents from various friends.
As Harry goes to hand Ron two gifts wrapped in paper decorated with Quidditch items, Ginny quips, "Nice hair, Ron." Ron makes a face at her while moving a hand to try and flatten the strands poking up in all directions. With his other hand he accepts the gifts from Harry with a thanks. Finding he isn't doing well trying to unwrap the gifts with one hand, Ron quickly forgets his hair and uses both hands to rip into the presents from Harry.
The first is the most current copy of Quidditch Weekly along with a letter notifying Ron that one Harry Potter has purchased him a two year subscription to the magazine. The second gift is a box for organizing Ron's collection of wizarding cards gotten from packages of chocolate frogs.
As Ron gives Harry a hearty thank you, another person moves towards Ron with a gift.
Questions
Author: Reese Witherspoon
Date: 07-14-03 16:58
She woke up with a start by a constant shaking by someone's arm and her eyes went wide open.
"Err excuse me Reese? I was just wondering and so were the other girls..."
Reese tuned her out and assumed that she was going to ask what type of foundation to wear but instead...
"Are you of muggle parentage or of wizard blood?"
Reese was disappointed at the question and she reluctantly closed her eyes and said, "I'm a pure blood."
"You are? Then, then how do you get these muggle products?" the girl said with a frown in her face.
Reese opened her eyes as she grew annoyed at her constant questions.
"I get them through a friend."
"Tell me!" the girl wailed.
"Oh if I do will you leave me alone? Please? I just can't get my beauty sleep!"
"Yes. I promise."
Reese gave a deep breath and finally said, "You see in France, and like in England, a witch cannot go and ask for such things so you must get it through mud-"
"Please don't use that word..."
"I'm sorry, half bloods. In Paris, there is this underground shoppe collection where I go to my products from the sellers. I got my soap by requesting it from a Muggle who works there at Versace. It's quiet difficult but my family can afford it. It's quiet easy for us."
"Then...then how do you get your wardrobe?"
Reese gave a smile and said, "As I have said, it is by request. I have a half blood friend who's father works at a Versace boutique and he had it made for me. Now please leave me alone! I do hope your satisfied but I have to get my rest! Ugh!"
"Jeez! I just asked you a question! There's a party down in the common room anyways!" scolded the brunette as she whipped her robe at my face.
Fred Seagall
Author: Reese Witherspoon
Date: 07-14-03 20:47
Reese was wide awake at the word "party" and got up and ran to the bathroom, clutching her cosmetic bag at her side. She looked into the mirror, blinked and washed her face and scrubbed it with the French "Lancome Aroma." She grabbed her Versace Lesofant Lotion and rubbed it carefully over her face before putting her foundation.
She was finally done in thirty minutes and was already dressed in a hot pink Hogwarts robe with the Gryffindor emblem surrounded with flowers. Her skirt was hot pink as well, and so was her vest...actually she was all pink. she grabbed her Burberry parfum and sprayed it on her earlobes, neck, and on her wrists. Finally, her finishing touch of light red lipstick.
I look gorgeous! I just have to get a guy today!
She grabbed her Prada bag and held it with one hand while the other put on her Channel pink sunglass with rhinestone alongside the rim. She walked slowly to the mirror and gave her dazzling white smile and went out the door into the common room.
As soon as she was out, most people stopped what they were doing or talking about and looked at the doorway and saw this pink girl in their way.
This time, Reese was not going to be just a thing to be looked at without conversation and without guys checking her and so she finally said, "Bonjour! What, you have never seen a Versailles chica with a Prada bag and a Fred Seagall outfit?"
There's a
New Girl in Town
Author: H Potter
Date: 07-14-03 21:25
Harry swivels his head to see the person making such a, er, pink entrance. She isn't anyone Harry remembers seeing before but apparently Hermione has. Makes sense given that Hermione as a prefect would be one of the first to meet a new person. She steps forward and greets the girl then turns to face the staring throng.
"Everyone, this is Reese Witherspoon, a fifth year. She transferred just a week ago. Most of you probably haven't had a chance to meet her yet."
Greetings are called out and as Hermione escorts Reese over, Hermione points to people and gives Reese their names. They come to a stop by the chair in which Ron sits and where Harry is now standing.
"Reese, this is Harry Potter."
"Nice to meet you, Reese. This bloke in the chair is Ron Weasley." Harry points to Ginny, "Being a fifth year you already know Ginny I'm guessing. She's Ron's sister."
As Harry takes over from Hermione introducing Reese to those in the common room, various people start telling Ron to have a great day as they take their leave to go down to breakfast.
A Gift from
the Heart
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 07-15-03 07:15
As the population in the Gryffindor common room dwindled until there were only five students remaining, Hermione took the few steps across the room to close the gap between her and Ron. She climbed into his lap, brown eyes shining and a smile playing on her lips.
"Erm, why don't you join us for breakfast, Reese?" Hermione could hear Ginny saying. Hermione never heard the French girl's reply, nor did she listen to the sounds of three sets of footsteps exiting through the Fat Lady's portrait hole.
Ron's ears were a bit pink, but he was grinning. "So," he said slowly, "it's just the two of us, then."
Hermione quirked an eyebrow and gently threw her arms around Ron's neck. "Good," she said. "I wanted to tell you something."
"Oh?" Ron wrapped his arms around her waist, a smile still plastered across his freckled face.
"Yes," Hermione said, and she kissed him once. When she opened her eyes she said, "Happy Birthday, Ron."
Ron's eyes opened slowly and he replied softly, "Thank you..."
"I wanted to give you a present, Ron," Hermione continued, looking away as her own cheeks flushing a bit. "Something only I can give you, something special..."
It was Ron's turn to raise an eyebrow, and now his ears were as red as his flaming hair. "Y-yes?" he croaked.
Hermione met his gaze and smiled. "Give me a minute?"
"Okay," Ron said, and Hermione sprung from his lap and ran up to the girl's dormitory. When she returned, she found Ron pacing the common room, an expression of eagerness mixed with apprehension fixed on his handsome face.
He stopped when Hermione stepped onto the landing with her hands behind her back. She approached him swiftly and raised herself on her tiptoes to kiss him lightly on the lips. Her own excitement overcame her and she quickly revealed the gift she held behind her back and held out for him to take.
"I hope you like it," Hermione said breathlessly, and she smiled again.
Ron stared at the brown, leathery box in his hands in surprise, but it didn't take him very long to recover from the shock. His ears were still quite crimson, and despite Hermione's impatient-from-excitement state as she bounced on her feet waiting for him to reveal his gift, Ron took his time.
He ran his fingers across the leathery top, the tips coming to rest on the words engraved in gold on the very bottom, right corner.
Ron Weasley &
Hermione Granger
Ron lifted his gaze the slightest of moments to take in Hermione expression. Her eyes were twinkling and she was grinning; her cheeks were quite pink, too. "Go on," Hermione pushed, "open it!"
He grinned and returned his attention to the box. His fingers found the golden clasp on the side and unhinged it, revealing a book made of a similar leathery material inside. A golden inscription decorated the bottom right corner of it as well.
To Ron, my heart.
Yours forever, Hermione.
Ron stooped to give Hermione a kiss, and then he said, "It's beautiful, Hermione, it really is."
"Open it!" Hermione repeated, indicating for him to open the front cover of the book.
Smiling, Ron flipped open the book to see a moving picture of him and Hermione from the Valentine's Day dance on the first page. On the opposite page, on the back of the front cover, Hermione had written an inscription. He read it, the rosy tinge to his ears threatening to never leave, and when he was finished he shut the book with a snap and embraced his Hermione tightly.
Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and asked quietly, "So you like it? There's more...things I've written about you, old letters I've saved, some more pictures...I even put some Quidditch articles I cut from the Daily Prophet in there!"
"I love it, Hermione," Ron said, parting from her to look in her face. He gently set the book back in its box and set it on one of the end tables in the room. He took her hands and said earnestly, "Thank you."
"You're welcome, Ron," Hermione answered, and she leaned in for another kiss.
Talk of Cake
and Ice Cream
Author: Ginny Weasley
Date: 07-15-03 15:34
Ginny is happy that Ron seems to like the five pound box of candy and the personalized, autographed, Muggle style t-shirt of Captain Electron. She's also dying to know what Hermione is giving Ron. Her brother's girlfriend has been very closed mouthed about it and Hermione's present to Ron wasn't in the stack he opened a short while ago. As she walks with Reese and Harry down to breakfast, Ginny asks, "Harry, did Hermione say anything to you about what she got Ron?"
"Nope, not a word. Not even when I threatened her with a tickling spell."
Ginny laughs at this then says to Reese, "Be sure to join us at lunch. Briar Rose, the owner of the bakery in Hogsmeade, is sending up a huge birthday cake as a surprise for Ron. Her cakes are positively scrumptious. Oh, and didn't Dobby say he'd provide ice cream to go with the cake, Harry?"
Harry nods. "He certainly did. I think I'll be skipping lunch so I'll have more room for the dessert!" For Reese's benefit Harry adds, "Dobby is a house elf here and a good friend."
By now the trio have reached the Great Hall and shortly after entering, Harry and Ginny find themselves introducing Reese to even more people.
Gryffindor,
Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin
Author: Reese Witherspoon
Date: 07-15-03 17:03
Reese was quite happy that she had met more people but she was longing for some British boys but she let that slide for now.
Walking along with Ginny and Harry, she noticed a few good looking boys but at the same time, she was disgusted at the student's lack of jewelry and fashion sense but she didn't make a word about.
"Harry, who is that over there?" pointing to a short man who resembled a Gringotts goblin.
"Oh that's Professor Flitwick. He's our Charm's professor."
Reese was stunned at his height but ignored it and turned to Ginny to ask her about his height but instead, she looked at a group of boys, with her eyes quite interested in them.
Ginny noticed her expression and saw the group of boys and she gave a sigh and said, "That's Brett Kingston, a fifth Gryffindor-"
"That was the boy I saw at Hogsmeade!"
Ginny ignored what she said and continued, "That boy is Jet Obsidian, and that's Sean Belgar but he likes Majandra. Over there is Kody and the guy next to him is Brady MacNair, a Slytherin, and the one you've been looking at for awhile is Draco Malfoy."
Harry widened his eyes and said, "You're checking out Draco? Draco Malfoy?"
Reese nodded but turned her head away and said while fliping her, "Actually I'm checking out all the decent guys here!"
Old Acquaintances
Author: Emma Crusher
Date: 07-15-03 17:16
Emma had been sitting quietly in the great hall, listening idly to Drake go on about his overdue essay for Prof. Flitwick when she noticed a familiar face enter the room. If it had been anyone else, she probably wouldn't have noticed but the girl's silky blond hair and perfect complexion were hard to forget.
She watched as the young woman traversed the room, with Ginny pointing out people and apparently giving their names.
"...and the one you've been looking at for awhile is Draco Malfoy." Ginny was in the middle of saying as they got closer to Emma. Drake had stopped complaining and had turned to watch the trio as they approached.
"Who is that?" he asked. "She must be new..."
Emma ignored him and stood.
"Actually I'm checking out all the decent guys here!" She was saying. Her back was to Emma, but she must have felt the younger girl approach as she turned.
"Reese?" she asked. "Reese Witherspoon? From Beauxbatons?"
The girl's eyes widened in a smile. "You, too, attended Beauxbatons?"
Emma nodded. "Yes. My name is Emma, by the way."
Oh My God,
Oh My God, Oh My God
Author: Reese Witherspoon
Date: 07-15-03 19:04
Reese was racing in her mind, trying to remember the name Emma and then it struck her.
"Emma, do you remember the time when we jinxed that tree to shoot apples at the unfashionable ones at our school? Do you remember?" I said with excitment while Harry and Ginny just stood and listened to their conversation.
Emma didn't seem to know or remember what she was talking about but her eyes grew wide with glee and said, "Oh my god, yes yes!! Reese it is so good to see you!"
Reese gave a small smile and hugged her tightly and said, "It's so good to see a fellow Beauxbatons pupil at a new school but honey, let me allow you borrow some of my cosmetics later! You look absolutely beautiful but a little makeup might give a little extra touch and spice!"
Scribe
Author: Majandra
Date: 07-15-03 19:05
Majandra had still been in pajamas and robe when it was time to serenade Ron awake. After watching Ron open presents, including the complete set of Quidditch balls from both George and Majandra, she'd gone to shower and dress for the day. Back in her room after putting away her pajamas and robe, Majandra had toyed with going for breakfast but changed her mind.
Majandra chose to curl up on her bed and bring her journal up to date. She writes about everything from her Friday classes and how Snape had actually written positive comments on the Potions essays he'd returned to the class to how Professor Somerset was still on sabbatical. This was a widely discussed topic because usually the school managed to hang on to a DADA professor for a full year yet this time around it lost one with several months left in the term.
Majandra also included how Sean Belgar had been running hot and cold around her all week. One time she would see him and he would be extremely friendly and polite but the very next time she'd run into him, Sean would be distant and acting as if he was still annoyed with her about something. Majandra concludes the paragraph about Sean with the supposition that his moody behavior is due to the rampant hormones of a fourteen year old boy.
After completing her journal entry, Majandra puts the journal away then pulls out a piece of pale blue parchment. On it she begins to write a letter to George to tell him of Ron's reaction to the birthday present.
Another Saturday
Author: Remadi Ye
Date: 07-15-03 19:50
Remadi had been outside when they had bombarded Ron with singing and presents, so she hadn't been able to give her gift to him then. She had gotten him the book, Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Being A Keeper (& More!). It was actually a nice book, having facts and biographies on some of the better keepers. Stuck on the inside were a couple of moving pictures of the Gryffindor team from the last game. She hoped that he would like it. She figured she could give it to him when everyone was enjoying the cake and ice cream she had heard about.
After finishing her Tae Kwon Do practise, Remadi decided to stay out a bit longer to finish her homework and to finish writing a letter to her father. She knew he would be thrilled to hear that her team had won their quidditch game last week. Finishing the letter, Remadi nudges Neko from his comfortable position lying across her lap (which had made it a bit hard for writing.) He stretches and then jumps onto her shoulder.
Going inside, she climbs up and finds a school owl to take her letter before she walks to her room to take a shower and change. After changing she figures it's about time for lunch and some cake. She grabs Ron's present and, with Neko on her shoulder once more, walks down to the Great Hall.
When Lilac
Was In, Pink Was Out
Author: Draco Malfoy
Date: 07-15-03 20:24
"Come on Crabbe, Goyle," Draco commanded, "Let's go back to the common room." He swung his legs over the wooden bench at the Slytherin table and climbed to his feet, but his oafish cronies made no move to follow.
Draco shot them a fiery glance, both outraged and incredulous at their inability to follow orders. His cold, gray eyes narrowed as he asked, "Well, are you two coming?"
Crabbe and Goyle exchanged expressions and then Goyle made a gesture to speak, grunting something about breakfast.
"You've already eaten," Draco spat, glaring at Goyle. "How can you possibly still be hungry?" He didn't need their reasons, their excuses. They were growing boys; each year taller, broader and thicker around the middle -- perfectly intimidating to the younger, smaller students. "It's unnatural that you pigs eat so much," Draco said after a brief pause, where he had observed Crabbe stack eight waffles on a large plate and smother them with gooey Maple syrup. "Bottomless pits, the both of you."
With a final look of disgust, Draco spun on his heel and made his way to the massive double doors of the Great Hall, noticing along the way that an annoying group of Gryffindors stood near the foot of the Slytherin table of all places, comprised of Potter, his ickle girlfriend and someone very pink. Another girl stood nearby, a random Ravenclaw girl Draco didn't know. She was speaking amicably with the new girl in pink, whose complexion and sense of style contrasted wildly with the dull blacks and grays of the castle. "Oh look," Draco drawled as he came upon the four students. He met Potter's defiant gaze for the briefest of moments before settling his cold, gray eyes on the new girl. "Lockhart's upchucked a daughter." He smirked.
It didn't matter to him that she may not have known what he meant by the statement, but judging by the fleeting looks on Potter and Weasley's faces, they didn't appear to have missed the joke. They sobered quickly, perhaps simply because it had been Malfoy who said it and not a friend.
Draco didn't stay to mingle with them for longer than he had to and continued on his way out the doors, through the foyer and down the stairs en route to the Slytherin common room. He laughed to himself as he pondered, Is pink the new lilac?
