New Year's Day

A Long New Year's Day in Muggle London
Author: Chance Morgan Lovell
Date: 05-13-03 09:32

It was a cold New Year's day. I had slept in since I was up so late the night before. I went down and had some breakfast with Mum and Dad, and then went back to my room. I sat at my desk and decided to write a letter to my cousin Casey Ross.

January 1st, 1997

Dear Casey,

It just wasn't the same with out you this year. First Christmas without you and then New Year's Eve and today New Year's Day. I miss you so much I wish your parents did not have to move to the US. Do you know when you will be back for a visit? I know dad misses your mum. (being brother and sister and all) But I know he misses you and Uncle Dean a lot too. It seems in the last year or so Dad and Uncle Dean became close... (I think it was in their shared hatred for Aunt Aggie) Dad never had a problem with Mum being a Witch and your Dad being a Wizard...but they (my dad and Aunt Lydia) being Muggles were just never around this kind of thing and it took a lil getting used to, I mean to have another person in the family with magical abilities...Then you and I came along...and we both had magical abilities. Oh, I just think we all miss you all so much.

Watching our movies was just not the same this year...you know how we always would stay up late watching movies and eating popcorn smothered in butter, drinking gallons of pumpkin juice and eating sweets we would buy in Hogsmeade before coming home for the holidays. I remember how it was so hard not to eat it all before New Year's Eve...but it had become a tradition since we were third years and we always had so much fun. Well Case, I should go downstairs and hang out with Mum and Dad. I will be back at school soon and I won't get to see them...

Love your Cousin,
Chance

P.S. Aunt Aggie was here for Christmas...Oh and that was such a fun experience as always. I will tell you about it in the next letter. Give all my love to Aunt Lydia and Uncle Dean...Tell them I miss them very much and that they need to bring you back to London this summer so I can see you.

I signed the letter and wrote a short Post Script and sent it off with Mum's owl Ariel. (named after a rat she had as a young girl)

*Dean Ross (Uncle Dean) is Chance's Mum's brother
*Lydia Ross (Aunt Lydia) is Chance's Dad's sister

They met when Chance's Mum met her Dad...

New Year
Author: Kennard Philips
Date: 05-13-03 10:36

Having seen Diether, then Mirai slip off without the others noticing as they helped Mrs. Jameson with the dishes, he went straight to his and Vincent's assigned bedroom at the Jameson's. He sat himself on the windowsill and gazed at the stars, inwardly curious as to where Red and Mai went, and how does Christa feel about being away from home for the holidays the first time.

He recalled how Diether had invited them to their new house in Ireland. He didn't expect it from his friend as they barely knew each other but then, deep down, he was glad. He had felt an instant kinship with the guy even if they were a bit off in their first meeting. It was something as if he would have felt if he had a brother.

Shifting his position on the windowsill, he silently fingered the glass, then started to doodle on it, making weird shapes and lines on the window pane as his finger brushes on the moisture collected on the glass. He had just started writing out Christa's full name when the door to the room opened up.

"You've finally decided to take check on me, huh, Vince?" he said, without looking up to see who came in.

A woman's giggle floated in the room which made him snap his head towards the person. Then he smiled.

"It's you. I thought it was your twin," he said as he gestured to the guest to come to him.

"Who would have thought you have a thing for my brother?!" she said, taking a sit opposite him on the window and laced her foot around his.

"Christa!"

"Just joking," Christina replied soothingly as she gazed at him.

"I'm glad you're enjoying this," he told her, reaching out to touch her calf and then sitting back down.

"It's because you're with me," she replied.

He just grinned back at her and then together, they looked out the window as people from all-over celebrated the new year with fireworks that illuminated the room, and made his girlfriend's face glow.

New Year and all that Jazz
Author: Captain Electron
Date: 05-13-03 11:31

Captain Electron had spent the night welcoming in the new year at one of Dublin's best known nightclubs. There had been loud music and high spirits, not to mention flowing spirits... he remembered shaking his dreads enthusiastically to the music, and he remembered spotting a member of Boyzone hanging around at the bar. Events after that were a little less clear. There was a hazy recollection of a taxi and stumbling inside as Freddie and Siobhan shrieked all the wrong words to "Auld Lang Syne" and the lad in the flat next door yelled at them to shut up. Good night, then. Right now, Electron was waking up on the sofa. He opened one eye, squinting up at the clock. He couldn't quite make it out but there was no way it was time to get up yet, so he closed it again and turned over. Hendrix would just have to wait for breakfast, because not even his hopeful squawks were going to rouse his owner before the morning was well and truly gone.

Whistle While You Work
Author: H Potter
Date: 05-13-03 14:31

Sometime around midmorning Harry wakes with a smile. As he slowly stretches Harry savors the memory of midnight at the Burrow.

Although no wedding had taken place, for the most part people had managed to enjoy themselves. Harry had felt almost giddy when he got to dance several times in a row with Ginny. When Ginny got called away to help sort through the stack of wedding gifts to make sure any belonging to guests still present got sent home with their respective givers, Harry had rejoined some of his other friends. They'd ended up in Ron's room for a long while but when Harry and Ron had left to get more freshments for their little group, Harry spied Ginny sitting alone, head tilted back watching some of the fireworks.

Harry told Ron he'd meet them all again later then after loading a tray with a variety of food, fetched two large cups from the kitchen and filled them with punch then snagged a tablecloth off one of the empty tables. Harry, his arms now laden with items, had nervously approached his officially unofficial date for the wedding.

As Harry opened his mouth to speak he'd felt his cheeks burning hotly as Ginny peered questioningly at him. "Er, um, would you like to watch the rest of the fireworks with me, Ginny?"

Ginny had nodded and gotten up, reaching to lighten Harry's load. They'd walked to the very edge of the enchanted part of the yard so that they were as far away from the glow of light and from other people as they could get without moving into the snow and frigid winter's night air.

Away from others, Ginny and Harry had still felt an awkward shyness but it quickly dissipated and they soon found themselves able to carry on a real conversation. As time passed, the couple inched closer and closer together and by the time midnight arrived, they were leaning against each other, holding hands while watching both the fireworks and the stars.

When the magical hour arrived, Harry had turned without actually thinking about it and gave Ginny a slow, searching kiss. Unlike last year's rushed, highly self-conscious kiss at the Snow Ball, Harry found this one to be extremely nice. So nice it led to another.

When they finally parted it was only because it was growing very late and Harry needed to say his goodbyes and floo home. As he rolls out of bed and shuffles to grab clean clothes, Harry realizes that everything after the last kiss with Ginny is sort of vague. He knows he thanked everyone, expressed regret about the wedding being cancelled and had taken the wedding gift meant for Charlie and Helena from Mrs. Weasley's outstretched hands before throwing floo powder onto the fire. It's just that none of that portion of his memory is as crisp as the rest.

Fresh clothes in hand, Harry whistles happily as he heads in to take a shower and is still whistling a short time later in the kitchen as he scrounges up something to eat.

Revelations – Part One
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 05-13-03 17:04

A booming explosion and a flash of color from outside Ron's bedroom window snapped Hermione instantly and quite alarmingly into a state of alertness. Her eyes flew wide open, reflecting the bright, sparkling tints of the fireworks, and focusing onto the pair of eyes belonging to the boy in front of her.

At once, Hermione pulled back and drew both hands to her mouth as she smothered a sharp inhalation. Perplexed, yet bearing a seemingly satisfied expression, Gabriel dropped his gaze to the floor and ran a hand through his hair. "Merlin's beard, Hermione," he said, unable to hide a faint grin, "I've been wanting to do that for a long time."

Eyes round as saucers, Hermione's sight flickered frantically from Gabriel, to the floor, to the wall, to the open door...and then back to Gabriel again. Now, he was watching her intently, studying her face. "Stop it," Hermione finally said quietly, dropping her hands into her lap. They suddenly felt very clammy and she found the incessant need to wring them nervously.

"Stop what?" Gabriel asked.

Hermione lowered her gaze to the busy hands in her lap and replied, "Staring at me like that."

"Is it making you uncomfortable?"

"No," Hermione answered, marveling at how rapidly her hands were becoming more and more interesting. "I just don't think you should be looking at me like that." She found the courage to meet his eyes once more, immediately noticing how his gaze bored into hers unwavering.

She had never looked at him this way before. He'd always been regarded as her best friend from childhood, and nothing more. And yet, the more she looked at him, the more moments that passed between them, Hermione couldn't help but see him in a new light.

Another flash of rainbow flares, another sudden jump into reality. Those emotional words from just moments earlier invaded Hermione's mind and echoed throughout her head.

"You're sixteen years old and speak like you've only now discovered your soul mate."

"I love him," Hermione said quietly, breaking the brief silence in the room, and as if to make things right with herself she emphasized, "I do, I really do." She looked away, sighed deeply and continued, "I don't know if he's my soulmate, Gabriel, you're right -- I'm too young to know that..."

"In five years I imagined you in every possible way, and no matter how perfect I tried to make you, none compared with what I came back to."

She forced herself to look him in the eye again and asked, "How can you tell me that I'm the only one for you when you're just as young as I am, when you made the decision that you loved me at an even younger age?"

Was that a mischievous twinkle in his eye or something else? With Gabe, no telling.

"Before you say anything," Hermione quickly added, choosing a lighter path, "those few extra months of life you have over me aren't enough for you to simply know everything there is to know about love, and if I at sixteen haven't the faintest idea of what love is, then you as a ten-year-old child certainly would not have known it either."

Gabriel actually smiled, but the serious expression soon returned to his face. "All I ask of you is to give it some consideration. Do you always want to experience the ordinary without tasting what else is out there, especially at such a young age? You have your whole life ahead of you to settle down and be with the one forever."

Hermione regarded Gabriel carefully, at first unsure of how to reply. "And if Ron is the one?" she finally questioned.

"Hermione, this isn't supposed to be about you and Ron! This is supposed to be about you and me!" Gabriel exclaimed. "You won't know how things will be years down the line, you only know what is happening now. Can't you see what's right in front of you?"

"You're wrong!" Hermione blurted out. "I don't know what's happening now. I don't know what to do or think anymore. You've complicated things." She felt a new surge of tears welling up in her eyes, but she fought desperately to keep them in check. "Things were so simple before," she whispered, when Gabriel said nothing in reply to her outburst.

"You like it when things get complicated," Gabriel answered quietly. "You like using your mind to solve puzzles."

"Well, yes," Hermione admitted, "but this is different. This isn't an assignment for Hogwarts; we're dealing with people here, people with feelings...people who are going to get hurt."

"Are you angry with me?"

Hermione shook her head. "No," she replied, though maybe she ought to have been. His forward statements from just moments previous could have been construed as rude and selfish, not to mention hurtful in regards to the way he spoke about her relationship with Ron -- and on top of it all, he had kissed her, knowing her intense feelings for someone else.

Whatever the reason, Hermione wasn't angry or upset, despite her tear-stained cheeks. For the first time since their kiss, Hermione touched him. She gently reached for his hand and gave it a tender squeeze.

Revelations – Part Two
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 05-13-03 17:08

"Gabriel," Hermione said, attempting a weak smile. "You know I love you. You're like a bro––" but suddenly it seemed very wrong to call him her brother. "You're one of the best friend's I've ever had," she amended, "and I realize it must have been very hard these past seven months for you to be supportive of me and my, erm, relationship with Ron, especially since you've, ah, had these feelings for me..." She paused and searched his face. "Why didn't you ever tell me before?"

Suddenly, the thundering sounds of a pair of feet bounding up the staircase echoed through the house and Hermione instantaneously jerked her hand away from Gabriel's and climbed off of Ron's bed.

"Can we continue this conversation later?" she pleaded softly, and breathed a sigh of relief when he nodded his head in consent.

Hermione crossed the room and stared out the window, where hundreds of colorful flashing lights lit up the night's sky, while Gabriel remainded seated on the bed in quiet contemplation. As she stood there, she wiped away the remainder of the stray tears from her face and tried to compose herself to the best of her ability.

"Hey," Ron exclaimed, entering the room alone.

Hermione turned around and managed a smile. "Hey, Ron. Where's Harry?" Her feet seemed glued to the floor and she felt like the weak smile on her face betrayed her inward emotions.

"Ginny." A word alone worthy of satisfaction. Ron craned his neck to catch sight of a blast of fireworks, and then turned to Gabriel. "Mrs. Granger is looking for you, Gabe."

Gabriel rose to his feet and asked, "Okay, is she still outside?"

"Downstairs in the kitchen, actually," Ron answered. "She's getting some pieces of cake and other leftover goodies to take back home. I think she wants you to load up the car or something..."

Reluctantly, Gabriel understood Ron's desire to have him leave the bedroom. He vanished through the open door, but not without stealing a long glance at Hermione.

Ron shut the door after Gabriel left and approached Hermione, whose feet felt all the more fixed to the ground, as if she wore iron anvils for shoes. Enveloping the Gryffindor girl with his arms, Ron placed a soft kiss on her forehead and murmured, "Happy New Year, Hermione."

Hermione shut her eyes and whispered, "Happy New Year, Ron."

His lips found hers and all at once, she found herself reeling from an incessant supply of nerves and the burden of guilt. She pulled away suddenly, but instead of fully parting from Ron, she simply embraced him tightly and buried her face into his shoulder.

"Your mum's looking for you too, Hermione," Ron finally said, running a hand through her hair. "I think she and your dad are ready to drive home. Will you write me after you wake up in the morning?"

Hermione nodded as she detached herself from Ron. "Yes, I will. Of course. Will you write me if there's any news on Charlie and Helena?"

"Absolutely."

After saying goodbye to all who were still at the Burrow, the Granger family and their guest departed for home. The ride back was peaceful and devoid of any conversation; not even the earlier events from the evening -- Charlie and Helena's non-wedding -- were on the tips of their tongues.

Hours later, Hermione awoke alone in her room. She groaned and kicked her legs over the side of her bed, rubbing her eyes furiously with the balls of her hands. Having temporarily forgotten everything that had transpired last night, Hermione rose to her feet and tiptoed down the stairs, where she found her parents already sitting around the breakfast table.

"Morning, Mum, Dad," Hermione said, yawning, as she made a mental note to write to Ron after breakfast.

It was then when she remembered -- heightened to the nth degree by the fact that a tousled-haired Gabriel stood before the refrigerator in the kitchen -- that Hermione had possibly done a very stupid thing last night. Well, she hadn't started it, but she surely didn't put her foot down and finish it either.

And why hadn't she done that?

"You look deep in thought," Gabriel suddenly said, snapping Hermione back to the present. "Forehead's all wrinkled, eyebrows all furrowed. What's on your mind?" A question he needn't have asked, but did nonetheless.

Hermione shot him a faux smile and lied, "Breakfast. What are you making?"

The Necessity of Friendship
Author: Gabriel Baine
Date: 05-13-03 21:00

"Hey."

Hermione looked up to see Gabriel standing in the doorway of her bedroom. Dread filled her as he crossed the room and sat next to her on her bed, especially after escaping breakfast without any allusion of the incident. When she looked into his face though Hermione saw a calm expression and her anxiety began to fade.

"You asked me why I never told you before. If Ron hadn't entered the room I probably won't have been able to answer you, but now I think I'm ready. I never told you before because I wasn't sure how. Ron was one of the first things I learned about you when I came back, and I grew to believe that Ron was the most important thing to you. When we were in the room last night and you mentioned Ron, it wasn't a discussion I was ready to have, but I felt I might finally have that opportunity to let you know."

Gabriel paused here and studied her for a moment. Her eyes were committed to him, but intuitively he felt Hermione wasn't accepting his words. He found the thoughts pounding in his head difficult to speak comprehensively, but his he was determined to continue.

"I haven't been fair to you when I decide that it should be you and me, and it wasn't a friend speaking to you last night. If I were actually to you what I told myself I was, then I would have thought of the consequences and ultimately said nothing. I'm not mad for what I've said because I'm hoping some good may come from it. But I am scared that I ruined a lot between us last night, and that's what is most important to me: the 'us,' the friendship we share. I've always respected our shared honesty, and I gave you the ashamed truth to how I feel. That's what is inside me, but I can't and won't ask you to feel the same in return. Between you and Ron there's something I want for myself, but between you and me there's something else I wouldn't lose for anything. If you worry about me being around you, if you're afraid at some point in the future I won't be able to wait any longer, if you can't find a way to trust me anymore, then I lost the crucial part of us.

If those occasional times at school when we can be together are going to be awkward and miserable, then I will be devastated. I can't promise to change the way I feel, but I can make it disappear and try to maintain whatever relationship you're willing to allow between us."

Hermione's silence provided Gabriel the time he necessary to complete the conversation there.

Another New Years
Author: Prof. Sorcha
Date: 05-13-03 21:26

A scratching noise. the scratching of glass. The sound of fluttering wings and light finally forced Sorcha to open her eyes. It was morning...the dawn of a new year. It was only the...tenth in a row she slept through. Geeze, has it been that many already?

Sorcha took close to a minute to stand up, her weak body nearly failing. With a shuffle she moved over to the window to let Ailsa out. As she was opening the latch she said, "Ailsa, you need to learn how to do this yourself."

Sorcha watched Ailsa walk out the open window and fly away. Then she turned, shuffled back to her bed and fell back to sleep.

New Years
Author: Annie Paul
Date: 05-14-03 02:20

It was fun while it lasted. I stayed up till midnight and danced almost every dance with Tim. He asked me why I wasn't at Miss Conner's anymore and I told him I was accepted to another school for gifted students, as I so gently put it so as not to divulge my witch side to the whole Muggle world.

"Well you were always tops in your classes, Annie," he told me as we did a waltz, and he gave a sigh. "Annie can we go outside?" he asked and I gave a nod. We went out to the garden in the back and sat on a bench. "Annie, you and I have known each other for a year now, right?" I gave a nod. "Well our parents think it's sweet and all that we're, you know, friends." I had to agree but I wondered what he was getting at. "I know Christmas has come and gone and I wanted to give you this before we both go back to school."

He gave me a small box and I opened it. Inside was a necklace with a lion charm. "It's not much. I hope you like it." I smiled and put the necklace on. "I think it's wonderful, Tim, I really do thank you for it." I gave him a hug and then quickly let go. "Um sorry, I didn't mean to..." Tim smiled at me and looked at his watch. "I wonder what time it is?" he muttered as I blushed, then he counted down the last few seconds of the old year.

"5-4-3-2-1. HAPPY NEW YEAR!" We both shouted and before I knew it Tim kissed me.

That was last night and now I was getting ready to go back to school. My things were packed and Morgana had not come back yet. I laid on my bed thinking of last night and I smiled. I then felt my neck and the smile got bigger. Was Tim in love with me? I thought so and I didn't care who knew. I then got up and got ready for the morning. Just one more day, then I can get back at Mary and concentrate on the W.C.C Tournament.

Out with the Old and In with the New
Author: Veronica Dumbledore
Date: 05-14-03 07:56

Veronica sat alone in her bedroom as she often did, reclusive more than usual today. She was reminiscing over the past year which could sometimes be unpleasant.

In her hands she held this years Diary. She skimmed over the pages with great intent, a vast array of emotions visible on her face from page to page. This year had been something amazing.

She had been summoned to Hogwarts to teach after so many years of seclusion in Paris. She had connected with people long since gone out of her life. She had realized a long forgotten love for Severus Snape which was blatantly disregarded by him. Had she not been so used to rejection, she might have been bitter. But she had never walked a mile in his shoes nor did she know much about his ways so she could hardly begin to pass judgment on a man she knew so little about. For all she knew it was his way of showing emotion.

Be it that or not, she had bigger and greater things to aspire to such as living up to the expectations of her Uncle Albus. He had all faith in her. She wanted more than anything to get this year off on a good foot and to get back in touch with her students. She was already planning a hands on field trip to Hogsmeade. Yes, this year would be different... or so she hoped.

New Year, New Man
Author: Ethan Somerset
Date: 05-14-03 08:53

Last night, Ethan had experienced the final stage in his transformation from a honest, hard-working man to an evil minion of the Dark Lord. Up until last night, the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor had often questioned himself, wondering why he of all people suddenly fell into contact with Voldemort -- or perhaps better said, why Voldemort had invaded his mind, plagued his thoughts and forced him into submission -- for that is surely what had happened, right? This wasn't Ethan's free will, was it?

What was so special about Ethan anyway? Why choose him above someone else? Ethan hadn't understood, and while a part of him didn't care, the auror in him wanted to discover the truth. He had wanted the answers behind his big leap into the darkness on Halloween and the ever deeper descent away from the light as more days and more days passed by. But, it all came to an end last night.

He had been nestled with his mother on a bench on the back porch, while Mr. Somerset had sat in a neighboring deck chair. The family had watched the fireworks rocket in the air from the heart of Canterbury where thousands of townspeople had been enthusiastically ringing in the new year. Suddenly, the clock in the living room had begun to chime and as the voices from the city center shouted Happy New Year, a splitting headache had ripped through Ethan's head, causing him to buckle forward.

He had been so engrossed in the pain, that he never noticed his parents simply watching him -- watching and waiting. It felt as if certain thoughts had been torn from his brain and forever lost. After the initiation of the headache, the pain had lingered ever onward and although the most intense portion had since ended, Ethan had felt weak and very tired. He had excused himself and gone straight to bed...

...and he awoke a new man free of question, free of curiosity. He only possessed the desire to do, to act, to accomplish.

Without a second thought, he bid his parents farewell and disapparated before breakfast. He had a duty to fulfill.

A New Start
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 05-14-03 17:08

Viktor finishes packing his things then after sending off a note to Sirius and Harry and leaving ones for Ethan and Professor Dumbledore, he walks down to the school gates where he's met by two Bulgarian officials. In the weeks since coming to stay at Hogwarts, with the help of his Quidditch coach, Viktor has been in negotiations with the Bulgarian Ministry.

An agreement that Viktor could live with was finally reached. Viktor will move into a new, highly secured flat in an undisclosed location and will have full-time body guards. Viktor will still be able to come to Hogwarts on Hogsmeade weekends for his Quidditch and flying workshops and he will be able to attend Quidditch practice and play in games. He will simply need to adjust to living more cautiously and with the understanding that the Bulgarian Ministry cannot guarantee his safety one hundred percent.

Viktor nods to the two officials then reaches out and grabs hold of the portkey, happy to finally be able to go home.

Waiting
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 05-14-03 21:18

"She hasn't returned yet?" Molly Weasley asked, slipping into the kitchen after taking a morning shower. Neither she nor Bill had slept much last night; Molly had been worried sick after Bill relayed the news of Charlie's departure for Romania. Her eldest son nearly had to restrain his mother from disapparating on the spot to go and comfort Charlie in the forests of eastern Europe. Bill, on the other hand, had stayed up throughout the night hoping Adriana would return.

She hadn't.

"No, do you think she found Helena and is still with her?" Bill asked. He rose from his seat at the long, rickety table and decided to make another pot of tea.

"Perhaps," Molly answered, and she added quietly, "She was such a lovely girl, or at least that's always the impression I've had of her," and rather bitingly she finished, "until last night!" She clucked her tongue disapprovingly and asked, "You're going to see Charlie today?"

Bill shrugged. "Probably. If not today, then tomorrow for sure." He reached for a new cup and saucer and placed them on the table before his mother. "I think I'm going to go to the house in a few minutes and see if Adriana is there. If she's not, I'll go up to the castle and see if she made it back to her rooms."

"Bill, I'm sure she's fine," Molly said reassuringly. "She'll turn up soon, don't you fret one minute about it."

"I hope you're right," Bill said quietly. "It's easy to worry about her," and if you knew the half of it, you'd understand why I need to know she's all right, he thought to himself.

He shook those thoughts from his mind when the kettle started to screech. "Promise me you won't go see Charlie yourself, Mum," Bill finally said, turning away from the stove with the fresh pot of tea. "He loves you dearly, you know that, and he appreciates your support." When she opened her mouth to protest, Bill rapidly continued, "He just needs some time alone. He'll kick me out as soon as I arrive, I guarantee it. He just wants some of his things."

"I know, dear," Molly said softly, wrapping her hands around her cup of tea. "It's just that I'm his mother, I'm supposed to be the one to comfort him."

"I know," Bill acknowledged, "and when he's ready, he'll come running into your arms. Is everyone else still sleeping?"

Molly nodded. "Yes, and it's nearly noon now. I suppose I should start waking them all so that they don't sleep away the entire day!"

"They'll love you for that, Mum," Bill teased, and after he drained his cup of tea, he said, "I'm going to Hogsmeade. I'll come back here sometime today, all right?"

"All right. Be careful, dear."

And with that, Bill vanished into thin air with a POP.