Stupid Mistake
Author: Emma Crusher
Date: 08-14-04 08:55
She was angry. Angry with Harry, with the snitch, with the quidditch pitch and, quite predominantly, angry with herself.
It had been a foolish mistake, not catching the snitch, but no matter how she ran over it in her mind, she couldn't see anything else that she could have done.
Martin Makepeace had gone down to the kitchens to pick up some late night snacks last night, insisting that they had to celebrate the end of their last game of the season, or at least their improvement from the previous one. After all, he said, they hadn't got the crap beat out of them again. Kody and Drake had, of course, seen no problem with the chance to scarf down some extra morcels, and the other team-mates didn't seem as angry as Emma was over their defeat...
Next year... next year would be different. Emma smiled to herself as she slowly crawled out of bed and got dressed. Despite the fact that it was spring break, she still wanted to get an early start to the day.
Spring Break... YAY!
Author: Sora
Date: 08-14-04 10:12
Sora woke up at exactly eight o' clock this morning. He didn't show any sign of being the least bit tired... well, maybe hungry. "It's Spring Break!!" he cried happily as he picked up his black cat Felix and gave her a loving hug. She purred for a minute then pushed her way back to bed with a little annoyance.
Sora only shrugged as he got out of bed and began to get dressed. After he put on his big yellow shoes, he rushed out to the common room only to find the two Rik(k)u's fighting again. Sora was very used to this by now as he watched as Kairi tried to keep them apart. "Aw, shut up you two and let's go eat!!" Sora snapped, making the both of them snap their mouths shut.
Spring Break
Author: Tranquillina Aemilius
Date: 08-14-04 15:38
It was finally the long awaited Spring Break, and Tranquillina showed no signs of intending to get up anytime soon. She let herself sleep happily.
Around noon, Tranquillina dressed and made her way down to lunch, where she happily inhaled the steam from a hot cup of tea....
First Day of Spring Break
Author: Victoria Mckay
Date: 08-14-04 16:55
Victoria had woken up the first morning of spring break a little disappointed. She was looking forward to finally starting classes at Hogwarts. After she crawled out of bed she walked over to the bathroom and took a 15 minute shower and then got ready. Still wanting to soak in the beauty of the school she took her time walking her way to the Great Hall, and plus she wanted to be able to retrace her steps back to the Great Hall so that she wouldn't get lost.
When she entered the Great Hall she took a seat at the Slytherin table and got herself a couple waffles and some pumpkin juice. Then thought about what she would do today.
Spring Break... Time to Study!
Author: Roane Eternal
Date: 08-15-04 08:05
I sat at a table in the common room, my books spread out before me. Pulling out my schedule book, I started to add up the days left before exams.
"Oh no!", I murmured to myself. "This doesn't leave much time at all!"
Picking up a piece of parchment, I dipped my quill and started to scratch out a study schedule.
"Never hurts to start early. In fact...", I looked around the room trying to spot the rest of my friends. It wouldn't hurt to remind them too how many days were left before exams.
Breakfast
Author: Kairi
Date: 08-15-04 11:24
Kairi was quietly studying some of her work when two students began yelling at each other. Not to her suprise it whas Riku and Rikku. Oh for the love of all newts, why can't these two get along!!! Kairi thought to herself.
"Break it up!!!!!" She screamed and jumped in between the two. But they still went at it. "Stop this nonsense! You two are so annoying! You can't say one civil word to each other!!!!!" None of Kairi's crys were doing any good. Thankfully Sora butted in and the two Rik(k)u's stopped.
"Let's go get some food!" Sora yelled. Kairi gladly stepped out of the middle of them and left with Sora. The others followed, not saying a word. The group had a quiet breakfast before heading back to the common room where Kairi and Sora played a game of chess and Rikku sat as far from Riku as he possibly could.
Ahhhh... Break Time...
Author: Logan Hendrickson
Date: 08-15-04 11:40
Logan wandered down into the commons room just in time to see Riku and Rikku in an enormous yelling match. It seemed that almost everyone was getting involved until Sora finally stepped in.
Logan watched for a moment as they finally went down for breakfast.
He looked around the room to see who was still there. He could see Roane studying something and making several notes at one table and Kairi studying at another one of the tables.
Then noticed Nathanial pass mistily through the door. He could hear the Lady in the Picture shouting something about Nathanial not giving the password. But Nathanial just chuckled to himself and with a twinkle in his eye he rather floated over to Roane and tickled her ear, then once again floated over to Kairi and gently pulled her hair.
Logan watche and just laughed. Nathanial was becoming a regular sight at the Gryffindor House and both the girls just tried to wave him away.
"Well I see you are in good spirits today?" (no pun intended) said Logan with a chuckle. "You are tormenting everyone."
"Why of course my friend, but it is actually called Haunting." said Nathanial with a broad smile. "I am just practicing some of my social skills."
Both Logan and Nathanial laughed for a moment, while the girls eyed Nathanial warily......
Study
Author: Tranquillina Aemilius
Date: 08-16-04 10:49
Monday, April 6th....I sit here in the Gryffindor Common Rooms, forced by a most torturous force to study for exams that are much too far away to be concerned about -----
"Tranquillina!" Came the cry of the outraged 'force.' "That is most certainly *not* studying for Potions!"
Tranquillina looked up helplessly at Roane. Roane had taken the burden upon herself to alert her friends of how little time was left to study for exams. The easiest prey to capture in the Common Rooms for a study session was the one, the only Tranquillina Aemilius.
"Alright," Tranq said with a sigh. "Test me, see what I know. Nothing too difficult now.... I mean, nothing we haven't learned yet," she said, eyeing Roane, knowing how the girl was ahead in most every subject.
"Fine," Roane said, flipping through her notes. She opened up to a page, smiled and proclaimed it was quite easy. She read off the name of a potion, asked what it was for and what was in it.
Tranquillina looked at her and blink. "L-Lola-what?!" Tranq couldn't even say the name. "We most certainly did not learn that!"
"We did!" Roane showed the other girl her notes. "January 15th."
"He mentioned that for half a second, Roane," Tranq moaned.
"And it could show up on the exams," she responded, pushing the notebook in front of her friend. "Here," she added, handing the girl some parchment. "You might want to copy that down."
Tranquillina glared at her friend before picking up her quill and scrawling the notes on the paper. At least, she thought, At least I'll be well prepared under her.... 'guidance!'
Enjoying the Spring
Author: Ellspeth
Date: 08-16-04 11:22
Ellspeth had set a couple of small tables and several chairs just in front of her shop that morning. Then added a few plants and the several flyers on specialties in the Shoppe.
She smiled as she noticed people just taking a break from their shopping and sitting down for a moment or two. Most of them just seemed to need a break from the days chores. A few had come in to purchase a few items.
As she stood with her door open, she could definitly smell the "spring in the air" and she smiled and waved at several of her new friends as they passed by. Everyone seemed in much better moods lately. The long winter had finally relinquished it's grip on the village and many of the trees had leaves coming out.
She did so enjoy this time of the year. Though only a few of her plants in the greenhouse were more that a few inches tall, she had been able to harvest several versions of mint. This morning she had made several packets of "Spring Sunshine Mint Tea" guaranteed to life your spirits and put the pink back into your cheeks. It was a new recipe she had tried, turning out delicious ~~ with orange, lemon and mints blended to perfection.
She was just happy to be alive this morning....
Good News
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 08-16-04 11:56
Hermione settled herself in a comfy chair in a corner of the common room and opened her day planner. She flipped the pages until she found herself two months into the future and circled nearly two-weeks worth of dates with a red-inked quill. The N.E.W.T. exams would be at Hogwarts soon, which meant it was time to buckle down and focus on nothing else.
She thumbed through the pages until she'd found the current date and jotted down her study goals for today. Then she shut the planner, looked up and scanned the common room. A pair of Gryffindors were talking in low voices to one another. One looked deeply moved by what she was saying, the other seemed a bit reluctant and disbelieving. A few older students were present, scanning through career brochures and selecting course electives for next year. Ron was napping on the sofa with Flying with the Cannons open across his chest.
Hermione rolled her eyes and set the planner aside for her Charms textbook. She intended on creating flash cards for each spell likely to be on the N.E.W.T. exams. She'd just opened her book to the index when an owl rapped on the glass of a nearby window. A few heads swiveled or looked up, and Hermione, being nearest, rose to open the window. The tawny owl swooped in and settled on the small table by Hermione's chair, and dropped a thick, white envelope on her open Charms book.
The envelope bore the crest of St. Emrys, the rather new wizarding university in the UK. She bit her lip and reached for it, flipping it over to break the wax seal. Then she pulled out the letter and read:
Dear Miss Granger:
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to St. Emrys University for Michaelmas term. Enclosed with this letter is information regarding orientation, housing, academics and student life.
Lavinia Newmarch
Admissions Office
St. Emrys University
Quick Glance
Author: Tranquillina Aemilius
Date: 08-16-04 13:42
Quite taken by surprise, Tranquillina looked up and saw Hermione let the owl in, who promptly deposited an envelope on a book. Hermione approached with caution, then opened the seemingly official letter. Upon reading the first page of the thick contents, the girl seemed quite happy, to say the least.
Tranquillina watched curiously as the events unfolded.... that is, until Roane rapped the book before the poor girl, scaring her to death, and calling her attention back to Lol....Lola.....whatever the potion was.
Forfeiting the Break
Author: Rolan Boyd
Date: 08-16-04 16:23
"We did a total of nothing yesterday at your request so you can turn back around and not try to sleep another day away Kevin," commanded Lisa Turpin to the figure of Kevin Entwhistle, who had begun to decend the stairs from the dormitory before spotting the mountain of books and materials amassed over two tables by the seventh year Ravenclaws. He promptly turned on his heels and attempted to sneak away undetected.
"Touché," smiled Rolan Boyd, sitting across from Lisa and busy proofing the week's study schedules he had made.
"Thank you," Lisa replied.
Kevin cast a glare at Lisa as he plopped down in between Rolan and Anthony Goldstein. He had little time to sulk, however, as Rolan had completed the schedules and proceeded to pass them around. "Kevin. Tony. Lisa. Stephen. Morag," said Rolan as he named them off.
"Blimey! Why not have us study on the Hogsmeade trips as well mate?" exclaimed Kevin as he read over the piece of parchment which was telling him it was in for a long and strenuous week. Stephen Cornfoot and Morag MacDougal nodded their heads silently in agreement.
"I don't imagine revising every minute at Hogsmeade could hurt your History of Magic marks," countered Rolan.
"Touché yourself," grinned Lisa.
"Thank you."
Recalling Binns' uncomplimentary comments scrawled across his last essay, Kevin decided not to contest Rolan. However, he did feel it was far too early to begin studying.
"I must say Rolan, you're having such fun at night that you're a bit of a downer during the day."
Images of himself and Su Li against one of the trees on the lawns flashed through his mind. He had awoken nearly shouting before recognizing the faint outsides of his familiar four poster bed and dormitory. Stephen and Anthony began to snicker quietly (apparently Kevin wasn't the only one who listened in on Rolan's dream conservations), and an intrigued look passed onto Morag's face.
"What does he do at night?" she asked Kevin excitedly.
"Whose interested in some breakfast?" asked Rolan hopefully, ingoring the smirk on Kevin's face.
- - - - -
The six Raveclaws returned to the Common room after a mostly uneventful breakfast; Kevin had knocked over Rolan's glass and sprayed pumpkin juice all over the Daily Prophet which Rolan had been reading ("Sorry, thought the glass was mine mate!").
Rolan was no more eager than the others to forfeit their break in favor of their books, but this would give them an excellent leg up once they returned to classes again and the reviews for the N.E.W.T.s began. Besides, he had thought to himself, they would soon be finished here and moving onward in life; an idea only encouraged by Lisa's receiving a letter of acceptance from St. Emrys University during breakfast.
Another Visitor for Ethan
Author: Ethan Somerset
Date: 08-16-04 20:52
With his hands bound and a guard tugging one upper-arm, Ethan followed Mr. Cornwell, the warden of Azkaban, to the visitation room. As he walked through the endless and ever-changing corridors, Ethan pondered who had come to visit him now... Perhaps it was Viktor bearing news about Taz-Marah. But when Ethan's magical bonds were cut at the entrance to the visitation room, he saw an unfamiliar face seated across the table. Mr. Cornwell departed and posted the guard in the doorway, and Ethan sat down at the table.
"Hello Ethan, my name is James Yao. I come on behalf of Amelia Bones and the Ministry of Magic to represent you in an upcoming trial for the reduction of your sentence."
Ethan quirked an eyebrow and studied the speaker in silence for a brief moment. His apparent attorney was an Asian man of average height and thin build, whose face was clean-shaven and whose hair was trimmed neatly. He wore a set of cleanly pressed navy blue robes and spoke without an accent.
"There's going to be another trial? Dierna managed to have my case appealed?"
"Yes and no," James answered. "Madam Bones has been reviewing your case in relation to another from last year. Startling similarities, you see. She's requested a retrial." As an afterthought, James added, "Ms. ní Cíaran hasn't been seen in months, I'm afraid."
Ethan looked concerned. "Is that so?"
"Yes, indeed," James affirmed. "Now, I'll have to go over some facts with you regarding your case. Can you tell me everything you remember about your double life, if I can call it that?"
Ethan frowned, still a bit surprised to learn of Dierna's disappearance. She'd tried to have his sentence reduced from life in prison to something considerably less, but to no avail, even after her own introduction of that other case, the same one Ethan assumed James had spoken of. What could be different now?
For one thing, when Ethan had first gone to trial he had wanted nothing more than to get his just rewards. He'd killed mercilessly, and so he should have spent his entire life in prison. But his viewpoint of it all had started to change, little by little, as each piece of the puzzle started to come together. He could do so much more a free man to fill in the holes of his past than he ever could behind bars. He needed his freedom!
Ethan looked James squarely in the eye and related his tale as best as his memory would allow. When his hour was up, and with the recitation not yet finished, both men bid each other adieu for continuation on another day.
As James Yao entered the lobby of Azkaban, his eyes swept over a pretty woman just arriving. Their eyes met for the briefest of moments and a silent understanding passed between them.
"Morgain Noir here for Nero Noir," the woman said to the guard running the front desk.
James Yao stepped outside and smiled. Operation E-limination was now underway.
