Re: The Zonic eXtream?!
Author: Riku
Date: 07-30-04 12:12

Riku watched in disbelief as Sora once again fell flat on his face. It never failed, at least once a day Sora would catch the front of his robes with his over sized shoes. This time though, he was not the only one to go down. He took several others with him.

Riku wandered over there and shook his head with disapproval. "Sora, you klutz," he sighed. The lady behind the table found the display funny and was laughing. Sora got to his feet along with the group. He ran up to the table and asked, "Hey, when will the ZX be released?"

Then he blurted out something Riku wasn’t paying attention to. Just as Sora finished whispering something Riku slammed his hands onto Sora’s shoulders making the first year jump a little.

"Sora, don't be such a pest," Riku scolded. He looked up at the lady, "I'm sorry, Sora here sometimes doesn't know when to shut up."

Double Agent
Author: Severus Snape
Date: 07-30-04 12:52

Professor Snape arrived at Voldemort's lair approximately an hour after he left Hogwarts, having paused at a specialty shop along the way to obtain an item of importance for his quest. He patted his pocket, where the newly purchased object as well as a few other things were hidden, and silently wished himself luck. Danger and difficulty lurked ahead; the slightest mishap could mean the end of everything... including his life.

He strode to the chamber wherein the original scroll was safely kept and spoke gruffly to the Death Eater who sat in a chair near the door.

"Goyle, I need a moment with the scroll."

"Orders are that no one gets in except the Dark Lord himself."

"There's an issue with the copy," Snape said, revealing a well-rehearsed excuse for why he needed to see the original, "It seems there's a hidden watermark or some similar subtle marking on the original document that did not make it to the duplicate, which may alter the entire meaning of what I have currently translated. It is vital I see the scroll. You understand, don't you?"

Of course he doesn't understand, the dimwitted fool, Snape thought with disgust, but he feigned a determined and hopeful countenance and kept his coal-colored eyes on Goyle's chubby face.

"W-well, I suppose that would be all right," Goyle said stupidly. "Just for a few minutes, right?"

"A few minutes is all I need," Snape said.

Goyle stood and turned to the door, conducting a series of spells to unbar the enchantments place upon it. Snape wondered how Goyle had ever managed to memorize them all, much less perform them without mistake. Snape watched his movements closely. After a few intense moments, the lock on the door clicked and then the door swung open to reveal a small, darkened chamber. Shelves full of various dark treasures lined the walls, and in the center of the room was a small table. The scroll was upon it.

Goyle lit the room as Snape approached the table, where he delicately unfurled the scroll. He noted the feel of the material under his fingers; it was thick and soft. Vellum of some kind, Snape thought to himself.

He removed his wand from his pocket, muttered "Lumos" and held the wand over the parchment.

"No, this won't do at all." He looked up at Goyle, who stood off to the side and watched him apprehensively. "Could you fetch me a desk lamp?"

Goyle hesitated, but then left the room. Snape knew he only had a minute at best to act, and therefore immediately replaced his wand with a small, compact object from his pocket. It was a camera, a wizarding spy camera of sorts, which Snape speedily used to snap photographs of the look of the scroll. When he finished, he quickly stuffed the camera in his pocket and revealed the vial of blue liquid from his robes. He unstopped the glass tube and tipped a drop onto the corner of the scroll. He watched as the spot changed colors from blue to green to orange to yellow and then faded into nothing. Making a mental note of the color patterns, Snape then exchanged the vial for one filled to the brim with a clear liquid. He used the cotton swab he'd brought to first dab at the mysterious liquid and then to gently touch an extremely small point of ink on the scroll. The composition of the ink transfered from the vellum to the swab. Damaging the scroll was impossible, but Snape had no other foreseeable choice in the matter, and what tampering he'd done had been so slight that it would likely go unnoticed. He just needed to replace the original with the faux soon and all would be well.

Hastily removing all evidence of his ulterior actions, Snape patted his pocket before leaning over the scroll and pretending to study it for the watermark he'd told Goyle it might contain. Goyle arrived a few seconds later with the desk lamp in hand.

"Ah, thank you Goyle. That helps tremendously."

Snape took the extra time to handle the document some more, hoping to memorize the exact look and feel of it. He knew he mustn't linger, however, and so he prepared to take his leave.

"It seems I was mistaken, Goyle. There's no watermark." He started to leave the room. Goyle exited quickly behind him and secured the enchantments on the chamber. Snape paid close attention, though he pretended to be looking for something in his pocket.

"Anything else, Severus?"

Snape looked up and shook his head. "Not today. I'll be seeing you."

He turned and walked away, disapparating as soon as he stepped outside the lair.

Paid to Watch Quidditch
Author: Australia Kingston
Date: 07-30-04 13:09

A small group of four students have gathered at Australia's career day table. She introduces herself as she passes out an informative booklet to each.

"The man I work for, Dane Engalls, is a freelance Quidditch scout and recruiter. I'm one of several assistants. What we do is attend matches at all levels, including backyard neighborhood type games when invited. Engalls Incorporated working with the British and Irish League sends us all over the world for these matches. Using a combination of well thought out criteria and good old fashioned common sense, we assess players' abilities and skills then turn their names over to professional teams. After a player has been invited to a try-out, it's not unusual for Engall's Inc. to step back in during contract negotiations to aid in hammering out specific details. We also aid with negotiations for players whose names are not part of the pro teams scout and recruitment lists who've managed to wrangle their own try-outs."

Aussie pauses, smiles, then asks, "Any questions?"

"Does this mean you get paid to watch Quidditch?" asks a boy whom Aussie seems to recall is named Declan.

"Yes, I do get paid to go to games."

"That's bloody excellent!" exclaims a girl in a Ravenclaw sweater.

After fielding several more questions, Aussies passes out caps with various pro team logos as well as having the Engalls Inc. logo. As those students drift away others approach, including her brother Brett and his friend Orie whom Brett jokes has tagged along with him to carry all the free stuff he's amassing from visiting booths. The three chat for a few minutes then Aussie passes out more of the booklets and launches once more into her short speech.

Architecture Anyone?
Author: Brett Kingston
Date: 07-30-04 13:17

Brett was pleased that Orie decided to go with him to the Great Hall to check out the career day booths. While some of the younger students were there, many had chosen not to bother beyond poking their heads in out of curiosity, probably because like so many kids of eleven, twelve, and even of the thirteen to fifteen range, serious thoughts about a career aren't all that important to them. As he looks around the Great Hall while listening to Aussie, Brett wonders how many of even the sixth years are there just to get the free handouts from the various tables.

Brett's been giving serious thought to a career but can't decide on what he'd like to do. This has meant hitting as many tables as possible. He figures that between the information he gets today and the pamphlets Professor McGonagall keeps stocked in the Gryffindor common room, by this time next year he'll have something specific in mind or, at the very least, a narrowed down list of options.

When he and Orie leave Aussie's table, they walk to the St. Emyrs booth so that Brett can get some information about scholarships. From there they go to the Wren, Inc. table because one of the career options that so far interests Brett the most is architecture. Like his daughter, Mr. Dewhurst is a very friendly person. He cheerfully answers all of Brett's questions and like all the other booth operators has pamphlets and free handouts, in this case a Design & Build Your Own Model House kit for beginners. According to Mr. Dewhurst, by the time the scale model is designed and built, Brett will know if he's interested in architecture as a career, in model building just as a hobby, or not interested at all. Thanking Mr. Dewhurst, Orie and Brett decide to pay Briar Rose's table a visit to see if they can get one of the cookies from the platter she's just placed on her table.

Table Hopping
Author: Rikku
Date: 07-30-04 14:04

I had slept in because no one was nice enough to wake me up. It was already lunchtime by the time I got up. I had finally figured out where the Great Hall was and how to get there so I was ok. I was sure though that the castle moved, but I had never seen it move.

I made my way down to the Great Hall quickly enough and looked around at all the tables with people. I went over to one of them that had food on it. I'm handed a whole box of baked food. A whole box! It's not a very big box, but it's still a box! I eat what's in the box while the nice lady, who says her name is Briar, talks about baking.

I usually do some cooking at home, but I never get to bake so I listen and think that I should do that when I go back home for the summer, if I'm not too busy. I finish the box of food about the same time she finishes talking. I thank her and move to another table.

The table has some really nice guy at it who says he's an ark-a-techt. He draws buildings, but doesn't build them. After asking him if he builds buildings he explains that ark-a-tects don't actually build them. They just draw them and make sure they are built right. I think on it a moment because where I come from everyone who wants something built does it themselves with some friends, but we don’t usually build buildings, just machines.

I think that having someone draw buildings and then making sure they are built right would free up the person's time to draw more buildings meaning more buildings could be built! When he finishes I get handed another box with stuff in it! He says I get to build my own house model with it! I thank him and once again take off for another table.

I found a table with a bunch of people around it. I couldn't even see the person behind the table. I was too short to jump up and see over people's shoulders so I went under. I crawled through and around the legs of several people before popping out in front of the table.

"Come on... I'm not THAT scary, and honestly, I'll feel a lot better if you TALK to me! Otherwise I'm just going to get lonely..." I heard a man say, from the other side of the table.

I stood up so I could see the man. He looked a little weird, but I couldn't find something that said what he did. I looked around and I saw the people looking at the man all like he was some kind of hero or famous person.

"Uhhh… I don't mean to interrupt or anything, but I have a question," I said to the man everyone was looking at, "Who are you and what do you do? Why is everyone looking at you funny?"

HG at the BOO
Author: Bellatrix Lestrange
Date: 07-30-04 18:53

Bellatrix watched as Lucius unpacked their Honored Guest from the back of his broom. During the flight back Lucius had gotten fed up with referring to the man as such and he had instead become the HG for short. Bellatrix laughed dispassionately as the HG fell to the floor none to gently and lay in the grass. The man offered no response to his rough handling so she assumed he must still be under the influence of the drugged tea.

Lucius levitated the HG and floated him down the stairs and into the BOO. Bellatrix checked her appearance in the mirror – the potion was starting to wear off. She could already feel the effects of the change beginning. "How long before he wakes up?" she called.

"I would think another hour," replied Lucius, tying the HG to the chair.

"So I've got a while before I take that damn potion again," she mused. "You know you really must teach me some time more of those charms to change one's appearance. I was never good at those in school."

Lucius laughed and came over to join her. "Would it be worth the effort, Bella? I mean, you do seem to have so much fun prancing around as other people." Lucius raised an eyebrow and then smirked, unable to keep the smile off his face.

"Good lord, but you're ugly in that get up," Bellatrix responded. "Did you have to become a fat, bald man?"

"Well you're hardly picture perfect with red hair, dear," he replied.

They were interrupted suddenly by the honored guest, who was stirring in his chair. He grunted, realizing that he was bound and unable to move.

Once Lucius realized the man was awake, he suddenly became business like again, more of his usual self. "I suggest you take a bit more of the potion, Amelia, he said. "The shows on and we wouldn't want to miss our cue, would we?"

Cursing to herself, Bellatrix turned around so the HG couldn't see her, and swallowed another measured dose of the polyjuice potion. By the time she was topped up and ready to go, Lucius was circling the HG like a wolf scenting out his prey. The man sat in his chair, his eyes following Lucius' every move. It was a classic torture technique designed to make the victim jumpy – and it was working perfectly. Of course the man had no idea what might be in store for him if he didn't co-operate.

"Have you explained our dilemma to the gentleman, Vanderbilt?" she asked.

"Not yet. I didn't want to you miss out on the fun," Lucius replied.

Bellatrix giggled. "Well then, for starters, dear Honored Guest, let me explain." She came over and gently touched his face, amused as he pulled away from her. "We feel you may have some information that would be useful to us. Shall we say, special information? The kind that might only be known by those closest to you, or perhaps involved with you, however indirectly."

She paced backward and forward, turning around suddenly and placing a hand on each armrest of the chair, so that she was looking into the man's eyes. She held his gaze for a few seconds and then stood back up.

"Frankly dear boy, we're here to get the information out of you – whether we have to maim you or break every bone in your body. Now – you can start answering our questions, or Vanderbilt here will have to pop out the bone regrowth potion to fix every finger I cut off. Comprende?"

Career Day
Author: Rolan Boyd
Date: 07-31-04 09:41

"Boyd? Yes, of course. I have a packet on you..." said Auda Whyte. Rolan Boyd had expected her to elaborate, yet she proceeded to stare at him over the brim of her half-moon glasses. This uncomfortable situation continued for several moments until Ms. Whyte ended her visual scrutiny and began to search through a bag beside her on the floor. Her thin figure and overpowering presence was not altogether unlike that of Professor McGonagall. Regardless of what she may find on him in the packet, Rolan already knew a bit of her.

Auda Whyte was a forty-one year veteran of The Daily Prophet, the last two decades of which she had spent as an investigative reporter for Britain's leading wizarding newspaper. Her shrewd, but thorough, style began to gain attention shortly after the downfall of He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named when her reports shone light upon the individuals and organizations which had provided aid to His rise. While she remains the paper's second most respected writer, many agree that she has yet to reach the zenith of her career.

"Rolan Boyd...I see you've been in continuous contact with the office throughout the past year. Impressive recommendations, listed among of the top of your year both here and at Beauxbatons..." Ms. Whyte took another glance at him once she read this for she also had attended both institutions. "You're aware that your application has been approved?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Then I thank you for checking in with me. You'll be contacted soon about your job assignment. We'll look forward to your joining us."

- - - - -

Rolan joined Lisa Turpin as she left the table for St. Emyrs. She, like Rolan, was already set in her post-Hogwarts plans, though neither of them advertised that fact. Su Li and Kevin Entwhistle were literally moving from display to display, forcing Rolan and Lisa to find a seat while they waited for their two friends to finish.

While they sat, Rolan took the opportunity to examine the room around him. He became aware of the fact that he was being watched from two directions. Ms. Whyte had continued to follow him with her eyes. He doubted she had been receiving much interest from other students. This sort of assignment was honestly below a person of her statuture anyways.

The other was Lisa. He had explained to her the events of the night prior while they made their way to breakfast this morning, but with the exception of laughing heartily, she had not said much.

"Rolan, I've never gotten up in the middle of the night," she said finally. The realness of the apparent dream still made Rolan uneasy. He'd never experienced one such as that before, and Lisa appeared to be conscious of this uncertainty. "It was only a dream. Unusual, but it was only a dream."

Rolan was about to respond when both Su and Kevin approached them, their arms ladened with pamphlets and souvenirs of their visits.

"How's the beautiful dreamer?" said Su, proceeding to laugh at her own joke.

"What? How'd you know?" Rolan replied with an aporetic tone.

"Kevin told me."

Rolan looked to Kevin, who smiled. "Sorry mate. You talk in your sleep."