What'd I Do?
Author: Lawrence Masterson
Date: 02-04-04 05:28

Dinner a couple of days ago with Vera had been rather...tense...and it seems like everytime he brought up classes, she tried to change the subject, especially when he brought up Ancient Runes.

True had been spending a bit of time with Sally, that he had normally reserved for Vera, but he had thought she'd understand considering it was to help him get a passing grade. Since Wednesdays were their basically free day, with Lawrence only had Astronomy at midnight, they usually spent the day together. However, today was a bit different.

He had arranged a study date with Sally fairly early in the day, so he and Vera would have the afternoon and evening together. So, he spent a few hours in the common room waiting for Vera to come down so they could go to breakfast before they each started in on homework. She came down a few minutes later smiling, and they headed toward the Great Hall.

"G'morning Luv." He offered her a cheerful smile and a kiss. "Sleep well?"

She nodded. "Yup, Luv and you?" Returning his kiss with a smile as they entered the Great Hall.

"Fairly well, though not quite used to having roommates yet. Though they seem fairly interesting. Though I see them about as often as I saw Jet..." He said, as they found a seat at the Hufflepuff table.

"What are we gonna to do today Luv? Homework out on the grounds? Or Quidditch practice?" She asked as they set in eating breakfast.

Lawrence faltered slightly before he offered an answer. "A...actually I have a study session with Sally this morning, probably going until about noon. Then I have the rest..."

He didn't even bother with the last sentence considering the look bringing up Sally's name had garnered. "Vera, why are you getting so upset over me spending time with her? You know how I feel about you, and she is only helping me pass Ancient Runes."

Vera shook her head and rose from the table. "You don't get it do you..." He heard her say before she made her way out of the Great Hall.

Lawrence sighed and stared down at his breakfast, he really was no longer hungry, more confused as to why she had gotten so upset. He sighed and finally rose, and headed to the common room to get his books before going to meet Sally in the library.

Though before he left, he wrote a quick note to Vera asking one of the girls in the common room to take it up to her.

Vera,

I'm sorry for what ever I did to make you angry. I will be in the library if you need me. I promise I'll keep this study session short so we can still spend time together today.

Love you,
Lawrence

Seeing the girl go up the stairs with the note, he left the common room and headed to the library.

Boring Day
Author: Sora
Date: 02-04-04 09:26

Classes were over and Sora sat in the boy's dormitories. He was staring out the window when Felix jumped on his lap. "Hello Fee!" greeted Sora as he scratched her on the chin. "How are we today?" Felix purred in response.

After five minutes of loving Felix, Sora then got out a piece of parchment and a quill. Today is so boring, maybe I can draw a picture to kill some time before I go down into the common room... he thought. Sora liked to draw pictures, Disney characters especially. His favorite characters were Donald Duck and Goofy!

After about ten minutes, Sora had finished the work of art. (It showed Donald yelling at Goofy for falling over him). He looked at his watch. "Some way of killing time!" he said in disappointment as he rose out of his chair and out of the dormitories (with Felix at his heels).

"Hey Kiwi!" Sora looked up, Kairi was sitting on one of the couches, along with Riku. "Hey Sora, what's up?" Sora shrugged. "I'm just trying to find something to do." he said as he sat down next to them. "What's up?"

Forgiveness and Lunch
Author: Vera Delgety
Date: 02-04-04 16:25

"What's this?" Vera asked Susan Bones, one of her roommates.

"It's a message. From Lawrence." She replied. Vera looked at the parchment in her friends had for a second and then grabbed and read it and sighed. "I'm just being paranoid aren't I Susan?"

Susan sat next to her on Vera's bed, putting an arm around her friend. "She's just his tutor Vera. Nothing more. They're friends, you should try and be her friend too."

There was a pause before Vera looked over at her friend and roommate. "You are right. I am being foolish. I'll go to the Library and try and make peace." Susan squeezed Vera's shoulders. "That's a good girl. Now get down there and make a new friend you silly git. But in the mean time, I have classes to attend. So I'll see you at lunch!"

A few hours later Vera headed out for the Library. She had just arrived at the Library door when she ran into him. "Hey!" Lawrence kissed her cheek. "Ready for some lunch I hope? That is, if your not still mad at me?"

Vera scowled at him, playfully. Then smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "I can't stay mad at you for long." She said and kissed him again.

"Hmm...You taste awfully good." He licked his lips as Vera laughed. "What is that... raspberry?"

Vera chuckled. "You silly boy...Let's go get some lunch." She unwrapped herself from Lawrence and they went back to the Hufflepuff common room. Vera waited for him outside as he ran his books and stuff to his room. When he came back out Susan Bones accompanied him. "Lookie what I found, luv."

"Hey Susan. I half expected to see you down in the Great Hall." Vera said. "Well it is twelve thirty mate, I've actually been waiting for you!"

"Oh...well let's get going then!" Vera laughed.

Happily Writing
Author: Tranquillina Aemilius
Date: 02-05-04 19:58

Having officially stuffed herself to the brim, Tranquillina had meandered up to the Gryffindor Common Rooms after lunch. Her next class wasn't until 2:00, and she had some time to waste.

She entered her room and rummaged through her night table's top draw. As with all her other draws, it was a mess ---- at least, to the untrained eye! But Tranquillina? No, Tranquillina knew exactly where everything was despite the outwardly disorderly appearance.

Finally coming across some parchment, Tranq proceeded to skip back into the common rooms and collapsed into one of the large, plush chairs by the fire. She smiled happily, and stared into the flames for a moment.

Sci-Fi. It was her all-time favorite genre. She loved everything remotely related to it: Star Trek, The X-Files....She always was writing some short story, although she proclaimed that she was terrible. Nevertheless, she enjoyed it immensely.

"Claire looked mournfully at the grave..." She wrote, thinking quietly aloud. "What had gone...wrong...what had caused...this...Saturn!"

Her cat had attacked her quill, tearing the peice of parchment in half. She picked him up (a truly dangerous thing to do) and was proceeded to put him back in her room.

"Saturn, I swea--Saturn! No! NO! Bad boy! Saturn, I mean it!" She scolded the cat who attacked her legs as she escaped her bedroom.

"Vicious beast," she mumbled under her breath. Taking out her new parchment, she cast a wary eye in the direction of Saturn, who had escaped the bedroom and was making his way to the fireplace.

"Be good." She warned, beginning her story again.

Not Again!
Author: Dierna ní Cíaran
Date: 02-04-04 19:59

I wait with some semblance of patience while Nevyyn finishes his tirade. I'm begging to think getting Dumbledore and Nevyyn togther was not such a good idea after all. Makes thoroughly outnumbered. All I need is Cailte to finish the triad. Then I'd really be in trouble. As it is, my muinteor* has had his say: A single line of Ogham on a parchment.

"My father could never scold me." I say, smiling. "I'm too much like him. He'd tell me to hit her again. It was my mother who tried to instill some wisdom into me. I don't think she succeeded. That never stopped her from trying, though." Nevynn grunts what sounds like an agreement. "That last spell I used was the Druid's Lightning." Nevyyn looks impressed in spite of himself. "Bellatrix made a mistake. She assumed since I couldn't get up I was defeated. I'm only defeated when I'm dead - and she will not be the cause of that. No Death Eater will." I say the last sentence with finality and certainty. Nevyyn smiles.

"Your spirit is undamaged. That is good to see. But you are avoiding the subject of the cave."

I sigh. "I did some research on places like that. It only increased my apprehension. You talk about the power of the landscape. I am well attuned of such magic. There is lots of that in the Norse cave. But it's a very dark magic. "The thought of that Place chills me. I shiver involuntarily. "Nevertheless, I will not be removed from my oath. I said I'd go, and I Will. You and the Olamh are the only two for whom I'd do it. No one else, expect perhaps Cailte, could convince me."

---

* mentor, teacher

Detective Dewhurst
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 02-05-04 21:46

As Bronwyn left the Hufflepuff common room, Desdemona entered and quickly dodged her roommate to avoid another investigative Q&A session. Ever since Hogsmeade weekend, when Arlington arrived and revealed a slimmer of the relationship he had and vaguely described its effect on Desi, Bronwyn had been trying to get her friend to tell all. She loved gossip and secrets, and she hated to be left in the dark.

Desi was far from forthcoming, however, and refused to say anything about anything regarding Arley and his mysterious girlfriend. And when Bronwyn pressed Arley for information, he'd always smile, shrug his shoulders apologetically and say nothing. She soon figured out that Desi had asked him to keep their history a secret, but Bronwyn's detective skills weren't refined enough to learn just what the big secret was.

On her way out the door Bronwyn called out over her shoulder, "I'll catch you at lunch, Desi! Be prepared to tell me your deepest, darkest secret!"

Desi rolled her eyes and exclaimed, "Good luck!"

Bronwyn stopped in the hall and backtracked a few paces to add in a very serious tone, "I can always write to your parents, if you tempt me."

"You wouldn't dare!" Desi cried out, looking a bit worried.

Bronwyn grinned and gave a little wave. "See you at lunch!"

She walked out of the common room once and for all and ambled down the corridor to the staircase, thinking of a way to get Desi to spill the beans without Bronwyn having to truly resort to writing to Mr. and Mrs. Diamond.

Thursday
Author: Kairi
Date: 02-05-04 23:26

Thursday
9-10:30 AM Potions
2-3:30 PM Herbology
3:30-5 PM Charms

Kairi and the gang had just finished Charms with Professor Flitwick and now had the rest of the day for themselves. Which was mostly homework and food. Kairi ran up to her room and grabbed her work consisting of Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts and History of Magic.

She found a spot at one of the tables and littered it with all her papers, quills and books. Kairi started first with her History of Magic, sense she had that class the following day. True, it wasn't until 2 pm, but Kairi liked to have her work done much a head of time.

Riku was sitting at the same table as Kairi studying as well. Logan and Sora were chatting on the couch, Tranquillina and Roane at a table next to Kairi and Riku. An hour had passed and her eyes were going cross-eyed. She needed a break. "Hey you guys wanna go get some grub now?"

"Finally! Someone has spoken!" Sora said and everyone laughed. "What? I'm starving! But everyone of you looked so hard at work I didn't want to bother you guys..." He gave the girls one of those cute little grins of his.

Food, yes!
Author: Roane Eternal
Date: 02-06-04 08:17

I sat beside Tranquillina, inwardly cursing Herbology. Potions and Charms were simple enough to get, but Herbology was giving me a headake. I just could not keep straight the different type of plants (and to be honest, they all kinda looked the same to me). It also didn't help that I was slightly allergic to most of the plants too.

Kairi's mention of food gave me the excuse I was looking for.

"Food, yes! Let's go. If I have to read anything more about plants I'm going to scream."

Grinning at everyone, I closed my books and quickly got up to go.

Food!
Author: Sora
Date: 02-06-04 09:23

Classes seemed extremely long Thursday (especially potions) and Sora was ready to get out! After charms, Sora did his homework (he was quick at this) and then met the gang in the common room where he sat next to Logan and chatted a little with him.

After what seemed like an hour, Kairi mentioned food. Sora just burst out, "Finally! Someone spoke!" and everyone laughed, then they all went to the great hall.

There Kairi, Logan, Riku, Roane, Sora, and Tranquillina all sat together at the Gryffindor table all ready to eat! As they waited, they all talked merrily amongst themselves about a variety of things. (Quidditch, classes, bla bla bla...)

Sora leaned over to Tranquillina. "I saw you writing in the common room, are you writing a story?" Tranquillina stared and turned a little red. "Yeah..." Sora smiled. "That's great! Can I read it sometime?"

"Oh! I wanted to show you guys something, I'll be right back!" Sora said suddenly, as he rose up to the Gryffindor Common room, but his foot caught in his robes again and he fell to the floor. Everyone looked down at him. "Boy, that hasn't happened for a while now," said Sora and everyone gave a laugh.

Sora gave a goofy grin. "Maybe I'll just wait till we're done eating."

It Seems My Life Revolves Around Meals!
Author: Tranquillina Aemilius
Date: 02-06-04 16:48

Tranquillina put down her parchment. She had continued her story, although she hoped Sora would forget to enquire after it. She was an absolutely terrible writer!

Smiling as she walked into the Great Hall for dinner, Tranquillina walked over to the table and sat down next to Roane.

"Hallo, guys," she smiled at everyone. She began to heap a wide assortment of food on her plate. Happily glancing over her plate, ensuring it was properly stuffed to the brim, she looked up and turned to Sora.

"Say, Sora? What were you going to show us earlier?"

Return & Planning for the Future
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 02-06-04 18:11

Hermione and Ron returned to Hogwarts on Thursday after a somewhat lengthy stay at St. Mungo's. They were safely escorted by Arthur and Molly Weasley, who insisted on seeing them well inside the castle and probably would have walked them all the way to Gryffindor Tower had Ron not interceded. Instead their goodbyes were made somewhere on the first floor, where Molly embraced both students warmly and tearfully, asking them to watch out for each other and for Harry, "...who must have been quite upset to nearly lose his two best friends."

Molly told Hermione that she and Arthur would visit Mr. Granger at St. Mungo's often, which pleased the Head Girl enormously. She hated to part from her father but she knew that he would be well-taken care of and that she would see him again soon. The important thing was that she had him back in her life. Things could only get better from here.

The first thing both Hermione and Ron did when they were relieved of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley was to find Harry, but he wasn't in the common room or the Great Hall. Someone mentioned that he had been seen in the library but that he looked so immersed in his work that it seemed as if he didn't want to be bothered. Hermione reasoned that Harry would make an exception if he knew that his two best friends had been released from the hospital but Ginny, who had sprung up from one of the over-stuffed chairs in the common room to hug both Hermione and Ron, explained bitterly how this likely wasn't the case.

When she didn't elaborate further Hermione frowned and said, "Well, okay...I have some things to do myself so perhaps I'll see him at dinner."

She smiled at her friends and ran up to her dormitory where she rummaged through the trunk at the foot of her bed and pulled out a big white envelope. She sat down on her four-poster and contemplated quietly, deciding she might as well pursue what was on her mind--it would do no harm and she could always change her mind later if she wanted.

With that decided, Hermione emptied the envelope of its contents and set to work.

Inventor at Work
Author: Prof Flitwick
Date: 02-06-04 18:14

Hunkered over my work table, I make a small adjustment to one of the gold support rods. Fixed firmly atop the two vertical rods is a quartz crystal, some three inches long and almost a half-inch in diameter. I bring the tip of my wand closer and closer to the silver band about the center of the small shaft. At first, the crystal begins to glow with a pale blue light. As I hold the wand in direct contact with the ring, the crystal begins to sing... a pure, sweet tone that carries clearly to the farthest parts of the room. C above middle C, or as close to it as my old ears can tell. I release the contact, then lightly tap the crystal. It emits a brief chime note, which rapidly fades away.

"Oooh! Pretty!" comes a feminine voice from over my shoulder. "But what is it?"

I glance around to confirm my thoughts regarding the identity of my visitor. "Hello, Mildred," I smile. "I am not sure exactly what it is, but YES, it is pretty!" I set aside my toys for the moment and turn to visit with my guest. "And how is my favorite phantom this evening? You sound a bit out of breath. Have you been playing tag around the turrets again?"

"Not tag, no!" she chuckles. "But we have been having some fun with Professor Binns. We draw a silly picture, sort of a cartoon, on his chalkboard. Then we knock on the board until he comes to see who is there. As he passes through the board, the chalk dust sticks to him and he looks just like what we have just drawn. Then we all pretend that we are his students and we ask him questions. All the while he is giving the answer, we are trying not to laugh. Whoever laughs first is the loser of that round." Mildred starts to giggle, just from thinking about it.

"And just what does the good Professor Binns think of all this?" I ask.

"Oh, mercy me!" Mildred replies with wide-eyed innocence. "He hardly knows what day it is. I'm sure he doesn't know that we're playing a joke on him."

I suppose she's right about his sensibilities. While it somehow doesn't seem proper, I suppose... since they're all of a group... there's no real harm done.

"Well," says Mildred. "I must be off. We're having fish for dinner! Reginald found some dead ones, down on the edge of the lake, last week. He says they should be just about ripe... I mean right, by now. Toodles!" she says as she floats through the wall.

Carefully, I pick up my C-note and place it on the shelf, along with a number of similar-looking devices. Speaking of dinner (in spite of the malodorous menu of the ghosts) has made me aware that it is well past suppertime. I close up my work-room and go downstairs for something to eat.

Location Unknown: Troubleshooting
Author: Voldemort
Date: 02-06-04 18:34

I was pleased with the damage Bellatrix had done to the students, and to that damned Auror. IT was a shame that Ni Ciaran had someone pulled off some kind of ancient magic. Ho'd have thought she'd be able to survive the Debellius curse? Almost everyone dies from it. And Bellatrix should have known better than to let her guard down. She should have killed the Auror immediately.

Still, I have another more important issue to face now.

I have sensed Ethan Somerset fighting the enchantment on him. Such a thing is unheard of. It has never happened before; I don't understand why it's happening now.

But I won't let it jeopardize my careful laid plans, of my other "children" in the field.

Just as once I removed the memories from Christina Sorcha, so I undo the enchantment on Somerset. He'll remember what's he's done, and why . . . but not where he's been or the people he's recruited or seen while in my service. It is done.

Huh?
Author: Sora
Date: 02-06-04 18:36

Sora stared. "Oh! I was gonna show you all my doodle pad!" he said with his chest sticking out. (He was proud of his work.) Everyone looked over to him with their mouths full of food. "Doodle pad?" came the muffled voice of Riku.

Sora nodded. "Yeah... but... maybe I shouldn't..." There was a whole mess of "aww, c'mon Sora!"'s in the background. Sora blushed. "Oh, okay." He then took a big bite out of his baked potato. "Iff yow inst!" he said with his mouth full.

Once Sora was done eating, he decided to turn in early. After ten minutes of talking, he finally got a chance to leave the Great Hall and to Gryffindor Tower.

Ready When You Are
Author: Nevvyn
Date: 02-06-04 18:57

"Well then," I tell Dierna. "I have my cold-weather gear packed and ready to go on a moment's notice. As soon as you're up and about, and have a little time to rest, I think we should be finding out what's in that cave besides a few old runic charms."

"They should release me, tomorrow," Dierna says. "It shouldn't take me long to get ready. We won't be gone long, will we?"

"I don't plan to stay there any longer than necessary!" I tell her with a shudder. "Cold weather is not the best for these old bones. Howsoever, your pictures and descriptions have aroused my curiosity. I'm not so much afraid of what we'll find in there. I am concerned that someone might find it before us." I pause to let that sink in, then continue. "For now, though, I want you hale and whole and back on your feet. Stop by the shop when you get a few spare minutes. We'll hammer out the details, then." I give her hand a little squeeze, and slip out the door.

Snow and Graveyard Wood
Author: Bellatrix Lestrange
Date: 02-06-04 19:14

Bellatrix pulled her fox lined hood further around her head, muffling the sounds around her. She surveyed the snowy landscape, amazed that people actually lived around here. The snow was deep, up to her knees almost, at least out here in the fields. It was so cold the snow had a thin layer of ice upon it and the ground crunched under her feet.

She began walking slowly across the fields towards the ancient looking town in the distance. It lay huddled below the mountains, hidden from muggle eyes. The mountains soared majestically skywards, crowed with thousands of bright stars and the aurora borealis rippling ghostly and silent above them.

She was still injured from the fight and had to apparate here in stages, which had cost her time and also weakened her considerably. Ni Ciaran had a lot to answer for when the time came.

Reaching the outskirts of the wizard village she looked around before sliding into the nearest dark alley to get her bearings. Even here so far north it wouldn't be too safe from prying eyes. At least she stood a much better chance of not being immediately recognized so far from England.

She took her bearings and headed towards the darker end of town, until she came upon the shopping district. Finding a street sign with Naechtliche written on it, she smiled and headed further into the warren of tiny lanes, the houses almost meeting above her head. She stopped outside a grimy little shop with ancient gold lettering on the front announcing, "Wolfram Schnieder und Soehne".

She opened the door and listened to the tinkle of the little bell. A wizened and old man wearing an apron stuck his head out from behind a row of shelves, dislodging some dust in the process.

"Ya?" he barked gutturally in some form of German.

Bellatrix internally rolled her eyes but stepped further into the shop. "Sprechen sie Englisch?" she asked.

"Ya, I do." His manner became different somewhat, as if the spoken language changed the attitude. "What can I help the lady with?" he asked.

"I'm here for a new wand. I seemed to have...misplaced my old one."

The man nodded and headed towards the back of the shop. He returned with a box covered in very old tissue paper and took off the lid. "I'm never wrong," he said. "This is your new wand."

Excited, Bellatrix leaned over the counter, admiring the wand which lay nestled inside.

"It's Yew, with a dragon's scale as the core. Very powerful...however I feel one such as yourself will be able to handle it," he said hesitantly. "Yew grows in the graveyard, and pulls its strength from the dead things."

She reached forwards and grasped the wand, feeling a jolt of electricity running through her body, like a fast moving stream. She couldn't help but laugh at the shear joy of it all. Her mind made up, Bellatrix reached into her pocket and threw a number of gold coins onto the counter.

"Thank you for your help, old man," she said.

After the door had slammed behind her, the old man took a deep breath. He'd seen a lot of things in his time, but he never wanted to think about what he'd just seen. When the woman had touched the wand her face had changed to one of a grinning skull, superimposed over her own, with long black hair flowing around her shoulders in waves.

For some reason he felt glad to still be alive.