Monday, April 1st: Studying
Author: Majandra
Date: 08-26-02 20:14

Majandra sits at one end of a library table with George on her right, Ron on her left and Hermione at the other end. Majandra's right hand is in George's left while she studies Charms and he studies Transfiguration. Hermione and Ron, also holding hands, both have their Herbology books open.

Although there are no classes all week for Easter vacation/Spring break, everyone has a stack of assignments to complete for next week. Additionally, many students are setting study time aside to prepare for such tests as the O.W.L.s and the N.E.W.T.s.

Over breakfast this morning, Hermione and Majandra made a deal with Ron and George. The boys would spend the time between breakfast and lunch studying in the library with the girls. For lunch they will spread a blanket or two on the grounds somewhere and have a picnic. The afternoon is to be spent having fun and not thinking about anything class related.

Sitting there, holding George's hand, Majandra is finding it hard to concentrate. She's got a feeling the others are having the same trouble as well and knows she's not the only one eager for lunchtime to arrive!

Yay! Easter Break Time
Author: Eileen
Date: 08-26-02 21:36

The spring time is my favourite time of year. No homework, no classes. Time to play in the spring grass and do what ever I want.

Business Trips
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 08-26-02 20:27

Bill spent the morning of Monday packing a few items together. Despite the fact that the majority of his siblings would be enjoying a week-long break for the Easter holidays, Gringotts Bank was sending him on a series of business trips for work.

He was sorry that he couldn't spend Adriana's free week with her, but promised to make it up to her when he got back into town. If everything went according to schedule, and he really prayed it would, he would be able to spend at least Easter Sunday with his parents at the Burrow. Adriana would certainly come along, and perhaps Briar could join them as well.

Quite often, Bill thought about the secrets both women had revealed to him. Although very different in substance for the most part, they did have one striking similarity. Voldemort played a big role in both of their pasts, and in all honestly, it frightened Bill.

He was afraid that one day he'd lose them both, and the truth of the matter was that it could happen. The future was all too uncertain, especially when Voldemort was in the picture. Despite his fears, Bill tried to remain strong. Both women had confided their secrets with him, and he wanted to be there for them, no matter what.

Adriana and Briar were not the only two people in his life he was concerned about. Charlie was still recovering from his failed relationship with Bella, and recently, Bill learned that Fred was also struggling in the romance department. Fred was still young and would be able to bounce back without question. After all, there were plenty of girls at the school for Fred to choose from, if he so desired.

When Charlie had invited Miss Helena Tufton into the back room of the bakery a few weeks ago, Bill had noticed that although both were constantly fighting like cats and dogs, they would probably make a cute couple. Whether they could ever get along was the question. Maybe she would be good for Charlie, but time would only tell.

With a bag slung over his shoulder and the briefcase Bea had gotten him in hand, Bill disapparated. The first destination on his itinerary was his homebase in Egypt.

Spring Break
Author: Golbez Rushdie
Date: 08-26-02 21:18

The break is always welcome. It's a good chance for me to relax and take a much-needed break from my classes and schedule. By far the best thing about break is. . . no Snape!!! Also a good chance for me to recuperate from the quidditch match. After two hard collisions (both accidental) I'm a bit bruised and a bit sore. Then again, part of quidditch is getting bruised.

Pandora
Author: Belladonna
Date: 08-26-02 21:30

It was getting to be lovely outside. The Scottish countryside was in bloom and for the first time in months, Bella Sinistra felt hope and optimism. The weather was getting warmer, the skies were changing, the days would be longer, and there was a rather interesting man on the horizon.

Lord John was absolutely charming and over the past two days had pursued her like crazy, sending dozens of roses and inviting her on a mini-break with surprise destination and proper chaperonage. After much consultation with her parents, she'd shocked herself by accepting the invitation and was now packing.

Elegant frocks, sophisticated robes, sweaters, jeans, t-shirts, bikinis, sarongs, and accessories had been decided on and she was prepared to go anywhere. It was rather an exciting thought, especially since she knew for a fact that Lord John drove Muggle cars in the Muggle world and totally ignored all speed limits except for the one his car gave.

It would be like riding on a Firebolt and she was quite looking forward to it and a weekend of being charmed. Course, she wasn't about to lose her heart. Matter of fact, it was still broken and bruised after what Izzy called the "Weasley git debacle". No, it would take some time to recover from that, but hope always did take various forms.

She counted the matched leather luggage under her breath with a silent moan: one train case, one makeup bag, one jewel case, several hat boxes, garment bags, six suitcases, one cat carrier, and two bird cages. Lord John better have enchanted his boot or they were in trouble.

As for traveling clothes, she had gone with something simple and comfortable. She had tugged on a pair of old jeans, a t-shirt that showed bare midriff and pierced navel, and a heather coloured cashmere sweater tied about her shoulders in case it got cold. As outfits went, it was perfect: not too prudish but not too sexy, not too old but not too young, and not too formal but not too casual. It was something comfy and pretty for the road.

She smiled to herself as she went over to her vanity table and looked at two small square boxes as she tied a simple ribbon bow on each one. After her lunch on Saturday, she had gone window shopping to clear her head. Okay, she had intended to go window shopping, but she had come across a lovely display of filmy scarves in lovely colors. She had bought a pretty lavender one and a sea coloured one in a lovely shade of blue green.

She sat down at her desk, picked up two small cards and wrote a note on each one.

Dear Christina,

Felicitations on surviving your first Scottish winter. Spring is around the corner, so permit me to add to your spring wardrobe and give you something you can wear to enjoy a preview of the colors.

Bella Sinistra

Dear Adriana,

Don't think me too forward, but I should like to give you this bit of color to liven things up. Flowers shouldn't be the only thing starting to bloom, nor should they have all the fun.

Bella Sinistra

She quickly tucked one of the notes on each box and had the school owls deliver them before she resumed her packing and humming an ode to Spring in Italian. How silly of her to have forgotten during the winter, that after Pandora unleashed all those troubles on the world, hope remained. Spring was a good reminder, or maybe it was something else that made her happy.

Dinner Thoughts
Author: Samantha Thatcher
Date: 08-27-02 18:39

Sami was down in the Great Hall having some dinner. Samuel had decided to go back to Canada. He didn't like leaving their mum there by herself. Sami was in a way glad that he went back. Sincee he was at Hogwarts her life took a plunge into the depths of despair (okay maybe not quite so deep). But she has accepted it.

Back to her fun self she was spending more time with her friends; Sykra, Cho, Aradia...and others. Wanting to make the best of the last semester of her schooling career.

Sami's thoughts were interrupted when Hermione sat down beside her. "Oh, hullo 'ermione. How's it?"

"It's good." Hermione smiled. The two had become better friends since he whole Ron incident.

"Good ta 'ear." Sami winked.

Hermione smiled. "How's Samuel? Have you heard from him?"

"Well...got an owl from 'im yesterday. Seems to be doin' fine. 'e says 'e's graduating early! No wonder he 'ad time to come ta Hogwarts. Although, I got the impression that 'e was stayin' the rest o' the year. Oh well...!"

Hermione smiled and Sami stood up. "Well, best be off ta study! See ya later Hermione!"

"Bye Sami!"

On her way out she ran into George, Majandra and Fred. She still felt awkward around him.

"Hullo George, Majandra...Fred." She said.

George grinned. " 'ello Sami!"

"Hi Sam..." was all Fred replied.

In Need of Company
Author: Helena Tufton
Date: 08-27-02 20:18

On Tuesday, Helena slipped out of her room in the inn and padded across the hall, stopping before a big, dark brown door with a golden number eight on the front of it. She raised her hand and gave a brisk knock.

From within the room, she heard a muffled, "Just a minute!"

Folding her arms, Helena shifted her weight on one leg and tapped her other foot impatiently. "I don't have a minute!" she shouted in return.

The door swung open and Charlie peered at her, his red hair ruffled and standing in all directions. He was clothed only in a flannel pair of draw-string pants.

"Did you just wake up?" Helena asked, her eyes focused on his disheveled hair and then traveling down the length of his body before meeting his tired gaze once more.

Charlie yawned. "I was tired, so I took a nap."

Helena pushed past him and walked into the room. "I'm bored, Charlie. Take me somewhere."

Charlie poked his head out of the door and peered in all directions. Then, he stepped back into the room and shut the door behind him. He turned to find Helena perched on the little table in the corner of the room, watching him expectantly.

"Where are your shoes?" Charlie's gaze focused briefly on her bare feet as she swung her legs back and forth like a young child. His gaze then flickering to the clock on the wall, he added, "And how about dinner? At the Three Broomsticks?"

Helena shrugged. "It's spring time, Charlie. And yes, dinner at the Three Broomsticks is just fine. What have you been doing all day?"

"I've been sleeping, and frankly, I would still be sleeping, had you not tried to break down my door."

"I tried no such thing!" Helena jumped off of the table and crossed the room to stand before Charlie.

Charlie grinned playfully. "Why don't you get out of here and get some shoes on while I get dressed? I'll meet you in the foyer in five minutes."

"Fine," Helena answered. She returned Charlie's playful grin and left the room, heading over to her own to grab her shoes.

Ever since Helena had run into Charlie in Hogsmeade, they started spending some time together. Not much, because both of them needed plenty of space–especially from one another! Still, it was nice to have at least one friend in town.

Helena avoided Julian and Avery like the plague. She didn't want to see them again, and she knew that the longer she stayed in town, the more chance there was of running into them both. She wasn't quite ready to leave Hogsmeade yet, but she would before summer started.

With shoes on, Helena went downstairs and found Charlie already waiting for her. "You were fast."

"I'm hungry." Charlie smiled. "Come on. Let's go."

High Spirits and Awkwardness
Author: Fred Weasley
Date: 08-27-02 20:34

Fred confidently strode down the wide corridors of Hogwarts castle with George and Majandra at his side. Ever since Saturday, his spirits had lifted up...way up. Gryffindor had beat Ravenclaw at the Quidditch match, which meant that Cho Chang now had the duty of doing all of Fred and George's homework for the month of April. With it currently being Easter break, Cho had plenty of time to complete their assignments as well as hers.

Neither Fred nor George seemed to care that their classwork was a level above Cho's, since they were both seventh years and she was merely a sixth year. Cho was a smart witch, they figured. She could handle it.

The trio were heading in the direction of the Great Hall to get some dinner. On the way, they first ran into Cho Chang, who was carrying a massive amount of books in her arms.

"Hey Cho!" Fred exclaimed, grinning wildly.

George mimicked his brother's grin and added, "How's the homework coming along?"

Cho shot back a grin of her own to both boys and said, "Oh, just fine. Really. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to do some research in the library!"

She winked and brushed past them to get to the library. Chuckling, Fred, George, and Majandra started ambling down the hallway once more, taking the stairs to the ground floor. The aroma of food was welcoming them into the Great Hall.

As he opened the great doors, he nearly collided into a short-haired, blonde girl.

"Hullo George, Majandra...Fred," she said.

Fred meekly replied, "Hi Sam..." He really hadn't talked to her much since the game, and even then he hardly said a few words to her. "Uh, great game on Saturday," he stammered.

"Yeah."

Boy, was this ever awkward. George and Majandra were watching the pair curiously.

"Are you looking forward to the championship game?" asked Fred.

Samantha nodded and cracked a half-smile. "We're gonna kick Hufflepuff's arse!"

"That's the spirit!" exclaimed Fred with a grin. His smile quickly faded, though, as he fumbled for words. "Erm...I...ah...I'm hungry. So...I'm gonna eat. I'll see you later." And with that, he stepped into the Great Hall and didn't look back.

Dublin, Ireland: A Day
Author: Alexis Black
Date: 08-27-02 20:44

"I am not going!" I screamed up the stairs.

"You are! It's a family outing and you're coming." My mother shouted back. There was a trace of exhaustion in her voice. My brother Troy had locked himself in the room we shared and left me to fend for myself.

"What would my friends say? I'd be the laughingstock of all the Slytherins!"

"Don't get me started on Slytherin, young lady. I still have no idea how you got into that despicable house!"

"I like it!" I was getting very angry. There was no way in hell anyone could drag me to a Muggle theatre. There was also no way anyone at school could ever find out I was a half-blood. My late father, (oh shame) was a Muggle of the most boring kind. My mother insisted on doing Muggle things, as if to remember him by. "I already got enough of that play rubbish at school. A whole lot of Muggle bull..."

I heard footsteps on the stairs. She was coming down to drag me to that play. Some French thing about miserable people. I was beginning to regretting coming home for Easter holidays, and it was only the third day. Troy opened the door to our basement room and I leapt inside, shutting and locking it quickly behind me. Crisis averted, for now.

There would have to be reconciling later, but that would wait for a while. I decided to suggest later something less embarrassing to do, like maybe a trip to Knockturn Alley...

Choice of Two Evils
Author: Peter Pettigrew
Date: 08-27-02 20:59

Peter stayed in hiding for a LONG time after the scares with the wizards and then running-quite literally-into Lupin. In fact, he was scared half to death twice! He remembers Dierna asking him that once, he didn't know the answer then. HE does know - he is left with a quarter of a life. Is that even alive?

As it is, he trembles as he sneaks out of his hiding place, and looks around. It seems safe, but Remus is sneaky. How to get him off the trail? He is too afraid, and doesn't want to loose the quarter of a life he has left. The others won't help either. They seem to think Peter is pathetic, and would just as soon leave him to die.

So he sneaks out, around the corner. He looks at the mansion where he was nearly used as the owners favourite entertainment - torture victim. Voldemort would say to go back and try again, but Wormtail is too afraid. But he is also too afraid to return to Voldemort without the desired result.

So Wormtail stands there cowering, frozen in fear, undecided and unable to make up his mind. Hopefully, Remus left to go somewhere else.

If at First You Don't Succeed...
Author: Remus Lupin
Date: 08-28-02 21:28

I continue searching for Wormtail. Leeds is a fairly small suburb so there aren't many places he can hide. Making myself fairly discreet, I search for Wormtail. He is probably cowering somewhere.