Too Early
Author: Ariana Maison
Date: 07-25-03 09:40
Ari all but screamed as she fell out of her bed. Mumbling a few curses, she managed to pull herself back onto her bed. It was between night and dawn outside. Yawning, Ari knew she'd never get back to sleep. Looking around, she noticed everyone else was still asleep.
So quietly, she found her way to her trunk and got her robes out. Next Ari, in need of freshing up, headed across the room. Course, still a bit sleeping she wasn't exactly going straight and stumbled over Emma's bed. Cringing, Ari hoped she didn't wake her.
After freshing up, getting dressed, and twisting her hair up into a messy-like bun, Ari went back to her bed, a bit more awake. Sitting on her bed waiting for it to be time for breakfast, dreading the four classes she had today, starting with Ancient Runes at 8, Ari wished she had some of her grandparents muggle drink, coffee.
Monday Morning
Classes
Author: Isolde
Date: 07-25-03 15:27
"How many more Monday mornings are we going to have to endure this school year?" Isolde whispered to Pyrrhus, stifling a yawn during the last few minutes of Charms class. She leaned her head on his shoulder and watched as Professor Flitwick squeaked happily about the upcoming O.W.L. exams and demonstrated a random charm, swishing and flicking quite enthusiastically as he wrapped up the day's lecture.
Pyrrhus settled an arm around Isolde's middle and spoke into her ear. "Too many, but at the same time it seems like the OWLs are just around the corner." He pecked Isolde on the temple and kept his head bent to hers during the remainder of class.
When the bell rang, Isolde, Pyrrhus, Alexis and the other Slytherins drifted out of the door and wandered through the Charms corridor. The crowd made its way outdoors, and everyone adjusted coats, scarves and gloves as the March winds assailed them. Professor Logan-Gryffindor was waiting for them by the greenhouses when they arrived.
During class with the Ravenclaws, Isolde, Pyrrhus and Alexis huddled around a particularly ferocious plant and attempted to trim its stray leaves and branches without losing any fingers. Class passed rather quickly, and when the bell rang the students were thrown out of the warmth of the greenhouse into the wintry weather outside. Isolde and Pyrrhus parted ways with Alexis in the entrance hall, because Alexis didn't have a 10:00 a.m. class. She retreated to the common room while the others went to the north tower for Divination class.
Monday Mass
Confusion
Author: Albus Dumbledore
Date: 07-25-03 17:59
I rush from my quarters to Professor Somerset's "former" office. It is quite obvious that he has gone missing, and will not be returning to Hogwarts. His "rest" was over several weeks ago, and still I have had no word from him. I do hope that Ms ni Ciaran will be able to discover his whereabouts.
I quickly run over the Monday schedule... classes in order... years one through five. If only I had a better idea of where he was going with each of the classes, it would make things much simpler. Ethan left only fragmentary notes... none of the detailed lesson plans I had hoped for when I suddenly found myself "volunteered" for replacement duty. I thought it would be only a week. I could handle that with no trouble at all. However, this is now the fourth week, I think, and I have to be constantly on my guard to avoid the more advanced subjects.
I take a piece of parchment from the desk and hurriedly scratch some notes to myself.
First Yr - Train in effective use of extinguishing spell - how to put out magical fires.
Second Yr - Basic Defenses against Redcaps - Note: bring cross-hilted sword, cross, bible and one Redcap (restrained).
Third Yr - Use of Riddikulus spell on Boggarts.
Fourth Yr - Banishing Spell - effective use of...
Fifth Yr - Types of Mind Control and basic Warding Spells
Well, this will have to do. I hasten to the classroom. A few of the First-Year Gryffindors and Slytherins are already present. I take my place at the podium and wait for the rest of the group to rush in and find their seats. I clear my throat and the babble immediately stops.
"Today, we will begin our study of Extinguishing Spells, which are the only way you can put out a magically generated fire." I crumple a piece of parchment and toss it into the air. I cast 'Incendio' on it, and it bursts into flames, landing on the floor in front of me. "Would someone be so kind as to stomp that out?" I point to one of the Slytherins in the first row. "Mr. Mortimer, if you please!"
He hikes up his robes and stomps on the burning parchment. Instead of going out, as one might expect, the flames leap higher. He jumps back in alarm! "Thank you! You may be seated." I cast 'Discendio' and the fire winks out. I repeat the spell several times, demonstrating the wand motion and emphasizing the pronunciation.
"Now! Before we practice these spells, I will discuss the various types of magical fires." I launch into a fifteen-minute discourse on 'Incendio', 'Conflagratius', and 'Inferno'. "We will not be learning how to deal with these larger fires until you have broadened your basic knowledge of spells and counterspells. Now, for the last half hour of class, I want you each to practice starting, and STOPPING, magical fires." I pass out quarter-sheets of parchment to each of the students and then stroll around the room, assisting as necessary. Before the class-time is up, I announce, "Please practice these spells until you can do them almost without thinking. If you practice in your common room, use caution. And PLEASE! Do not use anything larger than a full sheet of parchment. We do not want things to get out of hand!"
I dismiss the group, well pleased with their progress, and Londy appears with a glass of chilled pumpkin juice. "Ah, you seem to have read my mind!" I sip the refreshing liquid while I await the Second-Year group.
Planning for
Later
Author: Gabriel Baine
Date: 07-25-03 18:16
Had the Annabella Mayberry from that previous September been given the opportunity to see the Annabella Mayberry of March 24th, there would have been no belief in her. Anna had, uncharacteristically, easily warmed to the idea of being a couple with Gabriel Baine. They had never said the words boyfriend or girlfriend, but their attitude and behavior were aligned to that of a serious twosome. Ultimately, Anna found something which she felt she couldn't deny herself: Gabriel made her feel good and being with him could come at any cost. Gabriel, however, felt as though the relationship's weight had now been passed to him. When he kissed Anna, when she stared at him, when she held him and wouldn't move until she had to, Gabriel recognized an amateur at dating while he had easily entered and easily ended relationships in his past. Anna stood out from any girl he had dated in that she was unlike him, and she considered a relationship something other than ownership or status as the majority of his had been.
Mondays existed for Anna and Gabe; once his early morning Muggle Studies class was finished they spent the day with one another. Without any significant assignments they were free of using the library and were in their favorite place: an unused classroom. Gabriel sat aside one of the large windows with his arms around Anna whose head rested on his chin and their robes, which Gabriel would forever detest, on some chairs. His eyes moved around the scene beyond the glass (today a pleasant view of the lake) while he listened to Annabella's voice. She was reading a letter from her sister Elaine, a fanatic writer, and occasionally she read parts aloud to Gabe. His attention was sporadically caught on Anna, but his mind was contemplating its own thoughts rather than absorbing Elaine's latest guy (his name is Jeremy, black hair with a slight curl and dreaming grey eyes...) or her dislike of her work. Anna would have pressed him to tell her what he was thinking, however she was laughing at one of ElaineÕs quips on Jeremy.
Whatever was distracting him, Gabriel appeared to have reached a resolution when his attention snapped from the window to Anna. He let several seconds pass while he watched her read intently, but he decided to cut off Elaine's musings. Anna stopped reading as she felt Gabriel's lips touch her ear. When he reached down further and kissed her neck she turned her head and reached up with her hand and directed him to her mouth. She was smiling and filled with a spoiled feeling when Gabriel whispered in her ear: "I want you to spend the summer with me."
"What?" she asked.
"Come and spend the summer with me. A while back I sent a letter home and my mum replied. After a long speech about something she said she wanted you to stay very much. My parents opened our old townhouse in London months ago so there will be plenty of room. Or we could go to New Zealand, my parents have friends there who would welcome us in. I don't want to spend the summer on the phone and waiting on letters."
Anna sat up, still smiling, and looked at Gabriel whose hand she grabbed a hold of. Nothing about his proposal caused her to be suspicious, and Morgane Baine had seemed an extremely nice woman in the letters Anna had received from her. The Baines were a family a bit beyond the middle class in wealth and society, and Gabriel had told her about their expansive London townhouse where he had lived until his parents closed it up when he was nine and moved into suburbia next door to the Grangers. No matter what, it would be an experience. Gabriel was determined, she could tell without any pleading.
"I'll write to my parents."
MOM HQ: Unusually
Quiet
Author: Voleta Barret
Date: 07-27-03 15:52
It had been weeks since the incident in Godric's Hollow. No new clues had come up. Voleta was once again becoming quite bored with her job. Fixing memories after encounters with talking tea pots, shrinking keys, disappearing pages in books, and other magical items was becoming the norm. The most exciting thing that had happened was when someone had splinched themselves in the middle of downtown London, but even then, Voleta just sighed afterwards.
Arthur Weasley had been with her at most of her outings. His cheerful attitude always made the job easier to endure, but today Voleta sat at her desk waiting for something to happen. It was unusually quiet, but she did not really care. Tapping her wand on the desk impatiently, she sat. The minutes on the clock ticked by. Nothing.
Her throat getting dry, and her patience wearing thin, Voleta decided to head to the kitchen in the main office room on Level Two. Opening her door, she had to quickly duck. A swarm of paper airplane memos came flying at her like a round of bullets.
"Ahhhh!!" she screamed. "What the-"
Perkins was passing in the hall. "The elevator jammed. Nobody knows why."
Voleta had to think for a moment. Who would be able to do that? Then a memo poked the back of her head. "Ouch!" It brought her back to the crisis at hand. Letting out a groan, she decided the tea would have to wait, grabbed a memo, read it, and Disapparated.
Crossfire
Author: Captain Electron
Date: 07-27-03 16:09
Over the past two weeks, Electron's house had had so many owls going in and out that it might as well have been a Post Office. Somehow Freddie had discovered where Siobhan was staying, and there had been a steady stream of letters. Electron took the fact that there hadn't been any directed at him as a sign that Freddie hadn't copped on to the fact that anything more was going on between himself and Siobhan than a friendly offering of a room to sleep in. That was good... for now.
The letters had bumped up a level into Howlers that alternated between screaming and pleading, and Siobhan spent the time between tears and fury. Things got particularly nasty when - and Electron had no idea who had started this - they began sending little curses and hexes in the mail to each other. This came to a head on Tuesday morning when Siobhan's latest letter exploded, set the sleeves of her robes on fire, and caused her to lose her voice.
Having extinguished the flames with swift use of his wand and the appropriate spell, Electron took advantage of the quiet to speak to Siobhan. "You're going to have to sort this out with Freddie," he told her firmly. "This is getting out of hand. Am I going to have to break in a whole new backing group?"
She glared defiantly at him, and Electron sighed and took pity. "Come on," he said, "we'll go to Nevvyn's. He has loads of throat stuff, I bet some of it works on hexes."
And when we get home, he added to himself, we'll have to find some way to sort out this whole sorry mess... or I'll have to emigrate. Again!
Charms
Author: Amerah Patterson
Date: 07-27-03 19:01
I watch attentively in class as Professor Flitwick demonstrates the tap dancing charm, which is my best subject.
"Tap the pineapple with your wand," he instructs. "The pineapple should come to life and tap dance quickly. However the tap dancing should look neat and precise."
The charm is easy enough to perform. And most students don't have much difficulty performing it. Professor Flitwick passes by, to see how the students are doing it.
"How's this Professor Flitwick?" I ask, tapping the pineapple with my wand, and the pineapple does a tap dance.
"Very good, Miss Patterson," squeaks Professor Flitwick. "Excellent."
MOM Headquarters:
Muggle News
Author: Dierna ní Cíaran
Date: 07-27-03 21:35
I barely get inside my office when someone knocks, then opens the door with newspaper in his hand.
"I know you are overwhelmed with work already, Dierna," he says, "but I think you should see this." I take the paper and thank the auror. He leaves me to read the article while he continues on his own work.
I look at the article, headed:
UNKNOWN MAN FOUND DEAD IN PARK
I skim the paper. "... a man, unidentified was found dead off of a hiking trail early Monday morning. The cause of death has been undetermined by the coroner's office, but it is suspected to be a massive heart attack..."
There was a picture included, and a number for any further information. "The cause of death has been undetermined." There is no name given for the man, but I recognize the person in the picture: Nettlesby Harpsichord. If I remember, he changed his name to something different when he went into hiding from Voldemort's goons.
I can surmise a few things from the picture: a) the cause of death was painful - not quick. That observation b) Eliminates the Killing Curse as the cause of death and therefore it was c)probably the Cruciatus Curse. Usually prolonged exposure to the Killing Curse causes insanity. I have heard of a few cases where it was used enough to kill. I shudder, thinking of my own all-too recent experience with that curse. I can well understand why it would kill or cause insanity.
I make a copy of the clipping, role it into a tube and add a brief note to Dumbledore:
This was in Yesterday's London Times. They are moving quicker than I suspected.
Still no word on E.S. I am continuing that investigation. I'll find him!
Dierna
Wizarding
Paris: Deux Soeurs
Author: Professor Belladonna Sinistra
Date: 07-28-03 23:35
"So?"
"So what? I'm just not interested. Right now, I couldn't care less if he were Captain Electron or Pierce Brosnan. Izzy, I went mad for a few months and I plan to rest and work on writing those astronomy textbooks. Besides, I'll never have a chap because I keep vampire hours and get all clingy when insecure. I scare away men, so I'm resigned to spinisterhood."
"But Alain's been begging to meet you. He won't leave me along until I fix the two of you up. He likes party girls and you can't have a doubt about him being able to keep up with you. Besides, he's gorgeous! Tall, dark, handsome, and he's got that brooding look."
"Brooding? Sinister is more like it. He'd eat me for dinner right after I died from the poison in it. No thanks!"
"What do you have against ex-Slytherins ? I married one and he makes me extremely happy. I have a lovely home, a very, very lovely title, and two children I hardly see because Nanny takes too good care of them."
Bella sipped her white wine and looked at her twin sister. The two chaises were arranged so that they could face each other. It was comforting to see a face identical to hers looking back. Izzy was privy to all her thoughts and feelings, and it was if they had but one mind.
"I've nothing against ex-Slytherins. I have something against Alain and he scares me besides. Not at all the romantic type who would suit me. Give it up, Countess Wyndham, and reccomend a secretary to help me write those textbooks. Of course, if Pierce Brosnan wants my number, then I might reconsider."
"No problem. He's that chap from the movies, right? Merlin, he's cute! You'll have to fight me for him, but if by some chance I see him, I'll give him your number. Hey, Bells, what about Captain Electron?"
"Eh, might as well. Whatever. Back to Marienne, now. She didn't know it was his sister?"
The two sisters started giggling. Laughter was the best medicine for the soul and besides what better way to waste a day than gossip.
Entertaining
with Fruit
Author: Prof Flitwick
Date: 07-29-03 14:16
"Good Morning, class!" I begin as I scramble to the top of my podium. "Today, we will continue with our studies of "Entertainment" Charms. Last week, we covered the "Tumbling Tomatoes" and the "Singing Celery". Today, we will teach a Pineapple how to Tap Dance. This one is always good for a chuckle at the salad bar." With my wand, I demonstrate the proper motion, repeating the motion several times until I am certain everyone is following along. "The spell we are using is a modification of the basic "Tarantellegra". You finish off with a light tap to the pineapple, or whatever fruit you choose to use." I tap my experimental subject and venture to hum a few bars of "Paddy McCormack's Jig". The pineapple follows along, picking up the pattern and the tune, then continues on it's own.
"To cancel the charm, merely use the "Quietus" spell." I do this on my demonstration model and the pineapple settles gently to the table top. "Now! You may proceed!"
Most of the students catch on fairly quickly. However, I notice that Miss Patterson has her subject doing a number of rather involved steps. I move over to where she is working and congratulate her on her performance. "I believe that bit of choreography is worth five points to Hufflepuff house!"
Accentuate
the Positive
Author: Majandra
Date: 07-29-03 20:55
After her only class of the day, Muggle Studies, Majandra went straight to the library to finish recopying a paper due the next morning for Ancient Runes. There was no predicting what Professor Sorcha would assign next. There might be light homework and reading for three weeks and then suddenly a twenty page research paper with footnotes and bibliography would be assigned just moments after the students completed an exceptionally difficult pop quiz.
Then the very next class, the professor would seem surprised when the students began turning in their papers and asking how they'd done on the quiz. As Majandra places the Ancient Runes assignment in a folder to protect it from getting smudged or crinkled and reaches for her Potions textbook, she thinks about how at least with Professor Snape one can always expect massive piles of assignments and frequent, nasty, quizzes in addition to regular, rigorous exams. From what she's heard though, any student who thought fifth year or sixth year Potions is awful will have to rethink the definition of awful. If trying to take a positive view of how stressful seventh year Potions is said to be, then the way to look at it is that Professor Snape ensures his students are more than ready for whatever is thrown at them during N.E.W.T.s.
Majandra laughs aloud at that thought, incuring a hard, warning glare from Madam Pince. Majandra immediately hushes but thinks, "Oooh, good one! I shall have to be sure and tell Neville and Harry I had a positive thought about Snape! They'll both think I'm barmy."
Corrections
Author: H Potter
Date: 07-30-03 08:51
Harry slides into the seat across from Majandra in the library, saying nothing to her but instead waiting silently for her to realize he's there. When she does look up a couple of minutes later, Majandra jumps a little to see someone peering so intently at her.
"Cor, Harry, you startled me. Why didn't you say something?"
Grinning at his friend, Harry whispers, "Wanted to see how long it would take you to look up. Plus, it was pretty amusing to scare you without even trying."
Majandra leans across the table and takes a good natured swat at Harry's arm. As she resumes her seat, Harry pulls out a several sheets of parchment from his bookbag. "This is my rough draft for that essay due tomorrow. Hermione usually reads over things for me but I can't pin her down to ask her. Will you help me with it?"
Maj gives a short laugh. "Help you pin Hermione down or read over your paper?"
In an effort not to laugh too loudly, Harry's attempt at suppressing a chuckle ends up in a snort. That makes both Majandra and he giggle loudly enough to draw one of Madam Pince's sharp looks in their direction. Both pretend to look sheepish so that Madam Pince will go glare at some other poor soul. Once her watchful eye has moved elsewhere, Harry childishly, but good naturedly, sticks his tongue out at Maj.
"You know what I mean."
Maj sticks her own tongue out and crosses her eyes to make a weird face at Harry before replying with a tone filled with humor, "Yes, I know what you meant."
Suddenly all serious, Majandra sits up straighter. "Well, let's see it."
Harry slides the essay to Majandra then tries to be patient as she reads over it while making corrections.
Losing Control
Author: Santhea Fennally
Date: 07-30-03 10:55
'Whoever had invented early morning classes? They ought to be hexed to the moon and back...' Thinking something along these lines, a yawning Santhea Fennally entered the Slytherin Common Room. She was dressed all in black, the only colours she was wearing were the green and silver of the Slytherin crest on her robes. Dark rings under her eyes told the tale of yet another sleepless night, spent crying in silence.
So far only one person had seen the pain that was weighing down her heart. Fate must have had a twisted sense of humour to place said person yet again before her. Draco Malfoy. Yes, the Silver Prince had risen it seemed and was now lying on a sofa, silvery eyes fixed on her.
'Oh, I'm warning you, just one word and...' She stepped towards the stairs to the Girl's Dormitory to be stopped by the drawl she had come to hate. "Off to cry over your late brother's picture again, are you, Fennally?" She stood rooted, unable to turn and unable to go on.
She heard a movement behind her, suddenly feeling the blonde's presence beside her. "I did a little research you know. He was an utter fool if you ask me..."
Her wand was pointing at him before he had quite finished the sentence. Santhea's eyes were flashing dangerously, her voice rough and unstable. "I'm warning you just this once, Malfoy. One more word and you will find yourself back in the Hospital Wing. How dare you? How dare you..." Tears were streaming down her cheeks, sobs hardly held at bay. "But how could you understand anyway? As cold and heartless as you are. Let me ask you something. Did you ever really care about anything in your life that wasn't Draco Malfoy? Does the concept of love ring any bell? I don't think so."
Trying to collect herself she moved to towards the stairs. But before she left, she turned one last time to face Draco, who looked rather stunned. "You know what I just realized. Every girl is oh-so-eager to be your date, girlfriend, whatever. But that's just because of your rich father and your, admittedly, good looks. None could ever care one bit about you. And you know why? Because you don't deserve any feelings, you cold-hearted bastard!" Turning on her heels she stormed away, too angry to care about what she had just said.
