*Mumbles* Bad Day!
Author: Sora
Date: 02-18-04 15:57

This just wasn't Sora's day; He woke up late leaving him no choice but to skip breakfast! Not only that, he tripped on his robes, ripping them again. Potions class didn't help his mood either. Today was a day where Sora just hated everything!

Some Slytherins weren't all that helpful either (it's not like they've ever been) since a Slytherin girl cast a spell making a tiny rain cloud appear over Sora's head (with real rain, thunder and lightning) causing him to get drenched without knowing how to get rid of it.

Luckily for Sora he didn't believe in slamming books on the desk, or snapping at people when he was having a bad day, he just mumbled to himself while giving a sour look.

When he was finished with his classes, Sora marched up to the Gryffindor common room to think of a way to get rid of his rain cloud.

---

Miss Deacon's Visit
Author: Albus Dumbledore
Date: 02-18-04 18:30

Miss Daisy Deacon, the new guidance counselor recommended by the Ministry, had arrived several hours late. We rescheduled her interview and introduction for this morning, and now she has spent the past quarter-hour bouncing between apology and sales pitch. I must say, I admire the young lady's energy and enthusiasm. If she can carry that into her counseling sessions, it will be interesting.

As she finishes with a plea, I lean back in my chair. "Well, your entrance was a bit unorthodox," I reply, trying desperately to maintain a straight face. "However, even though your cart did arrive well ahead of your horse, so to speak, I am sure that you will be able to catch up with it." I take a sip of pumpkin juice before continuing. "I think your proposed schedule will fit nicely with the other activities. However, I must correct you in one area... We do not have 'children' at Hogwarts. We have 'students'. I will admit that some few of them act like children at times. However, we try to treat them all as young adults or, as Professor McGonagall once called them, 'People in Progress'!"

Now, as to arrangements... I trust that you found your office and private apartments to your liking? The view, over the gardens and greenhouses, is probably not the best in the Castle, but I thought it would be more convenient for you to have everything reasonably close together. Now, breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in the Great Hall, at normal hours. If you get hungry between times, snacks are available simply by asking any of the House Elves. Here is a list of students, a schedule of classes and an map of Hogwarts Castle and the environs." I slide three sheets of parchment over to her. "You are free to visit the Village of Hogsmeade in your spare time, but please let someone know if you will be away for a bit."

I pause to check over the list of questions and such, that I had made upon receiving Miss Deacon's application. "Just a few more questions, then I'll let you be off about your business. The ministry report shows you have very strong empathic talent. I would assume you were educated at one of the Healers' Collegia. Did you also get a grounding in basic magical skills? You know... spells, charms, potions and the like?"

---

Ministry Decree #27
Author: Dierna ní Cíaran
Date: 02-18-04 19:05

I stare at the pink, fluffy sheet of paper. I read it twice over, to make sure it really does say what I read the first time.

Ministry Decree #27: All projects assigned to ministry personnel must be approved by the Senior undersecretary. Further, senior personnel and those in positions of authority will be assigned by the Minister of Magic and the Senior Undersecretary.

It was signed by Fudge and Umbridge, and dated November 11th. In anger, I crumple up the offending paper and throw it into my fire.

Who does that woman think she is? She doesn't know the first thing about how auror's work, or strategy? Does she think we just pack up and leave for missions? No! A successful mission takes weeks, sometimes months or more of preparation.

Seething I head down to toad-woman's office to tell her what I think of Decree #27, and what exactly she can do with it.

---

Apparently, She's Not a Charity Case
Author: Sebastian Sjoblom
Date: 02-18-04 23:13

Sebastian wolfs down his dinner Tuesday night at the Hufflepuff table. The hall is abuzz with dinnertime chatter, and this, combined with the fact that he is attempting to eat and speak simultaneously (with nominal success), rather muffles his ecstatic announcement that he "mave kaiffer."

"You what?" Desi asks, furrowing her eyebrows.

Sebastian swallows, clears his throat, and dabs at his mouth with the corner of his napkin.

"I said, I made Chaser," he says, loudly and clearly. The other Hufflepuffs congratulate him and slap him on the back. Butterbeer spills over the edge of his glass from the repeated toastings. Desi, herself a Keeper, remarks with a sigh of relief that two Chasers wasn't at all enough to keep playing with.

"Tack,* tack," he says, waving away the well-wishers with a dismissive hand and looking up over the crowd of students. Something catches his eye: at the next table down, the Slytherin table, a girl with a patch over her left eye is standing up.

"Well, I'm done," she says uneasily.

"What, without even eating?" a Slytherin boy asks her critically.

"I'll take it with me," she snaps back before his mouth is finished drawling the last word, and grabs a few slices of sourdough and a green apple. Sebastian watches her warily. He remembers that voice distinctly. When he was arriving at the hospital wing with Arley, he had heard the end of her confession to Madam Pomfrey. Such a disease on the shoulders of that girl, he thinks. She can't be older than thirteen....

"I'm going back to the common room," he announces, and stands.

"I'll come with you," Arley volunteers hopefully, abandoning his fork.

"Nej, nej," Sebastian says distractedly, and makes his excuse in Swedish, without remembering that his British classmates won't understand. "Hemläxa.**"

"What was that about?" Arley asks in a hurt voice as Sebastian walks quickly to the doors of the hall and falls in alongside the girl. His tablemates shrug.

"Well, it was about hemlecksa, of course," Bronwyn says dryly, and looks back to her meal.

"Excuse me," Sebastian asks as he catches up with the girl in the hall, giving her a timid tap on the shoulder. She's much younger than he, and shorter, but loads more intimidating.

"Hmm?" Nora asks crossly, her lips a thin-set line, looking up at him out of the corner of her one eye. She doesn't turn her head, and speeds up a little. Sebastian smiles affably and walks a little faster in turn. He decides to deal it to her straight.

"You do not eat," he says plainly, his smile fading. "It is called--" he pauses, and speaks slowly to ensure his accent doesn't interfere with her understanding, though to a layperson this might sound like he was talking down to her--"anorexia nervosa, you know."

She freezes up for a moment. Her hand clenches down hard on her bread that she had been planning on giving to her owl, Bali. A few crumbs drop to the floor. Her knuckles are white. She closes her eye, gathers her thoughts, and resumes her brisk pace.

"I know," she says finally, coldly, through gritted teeth. "Now leave me alone and shut up about it, will you, you bloody smug Hufflebugger?"

"I wanted to help..." Sebastian says, trailing off with a frown. He doesn't understand half of the insult, but he instinctively feels a sting of shame, and his chimerical idea of being a source of strength and inspiration collapses like a house of cards in a breeze.

*thanks
**homework

---

Under Surveillance
Author: Severus Snape
Date: 02-19-04 14:45

Ever since Snape's return from Voldemort's lair, he'd kept the tracing peal on his body knowing quite well that the Dark Lord would hold true to his word and stay watchful over the prodigal Potions master. Severus was on his third chance; if he blew this one it would truly be the end. And so, Snape became mindful that his every move, that his every word, thought and action were under strict surveillance.

Since the small, silver marble was bound only to him, Snape had no fear that the safety of his students and colleagues would be jeopardized. The tracing peal had no power over them, though it would only be a matter of time before Voldemort would find a way to improve the magical object so that its strength held sway over everyone in its near vicinity.

Occlumency protected himself from his examiner, who longed for proof of Snape's loyalty or disloyalty. Particularly skilled at the spell, Snape could suppress all feelings and memories contradictory to what he wanted Voldemort to believe. He wasn't worried of what Voldemort might discover by using the tracing peal, but he anxiously anticipated what his first mission as a reinstated Death Eater would be.

Now it was Tuesday in mid November, and Snape, more unpleasant than ever, was instructing his fourth year Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students on poisonous potions.

"It is important you follow my instructions as I have written them on the blackboard," Snape stated loudly, eyeing a few students in particular. "Jimsonweed is the most important ingredient we will be using today. The correct use of this plant is ultimately what will make your solutions a success of a failure."

Snape roved his dark eyes across the dingy Potions classroom and settled them upon Siegfried Dewhurst, who shared a cauldron with Elenor Branstone. "Mr. Dewhurst, provide the class with another name for Jimsonweed."

"Umm," Siegfried mumbled, thinking hard.

"Yes?" Snape prompted.

Elenor flipped a few pages in her textbook and casually pushed it closer to Siegfried. The gesture did not go unnoticed by the professor.

"Downy Thornapple," Siegfried answered.

"Perhaps you need to pay more attention in Herbology class, Mr. Dewhurst," Snape replied dryly, shifting his glance to Elenor.

"Miss Branstone, name the primary poisons Jimsonweed produces..."

---

Durmstrang Institute: Potions
Author: Merdroit Turin
Date: 02-19-04 18:58

Since his cousin's departure, Merdroit has been teaching Potions as well. He likes to think he's doing a considerably better job than his pathetic cousin. However, but the students' knowledge didn't seem to be lacking. Who'd have thought a first-rate idiot like Michael had it in him to teach a subtle subject like Potions?

"When you have completely finished grinding the dragon's scale, add three drops of swordfish blood and wait until it stops smoking. do not stand directly above the motar when you do this. I assure you the results will be un --

Just then a student's scream interrupts Merdroit's lecture.

"P-professor," the student whimpers, clutching a hand to one eye. Yellowish liquid and blood can be seen oozing out between the fingers. Merdroit looks at him dispassionately.

"What is it?"

"My eye." He says, hoarsely as the pain increases.

"What about it?" sneers Merdroit with an air of amusement.

"It's unwell."

"You were the fool who not only didn't listen to instructions, but started before knowing what you were doing. You can suffer the consequences as a lesson. Sit down."

Several students started voicing concern.

"Sit down!" Merdroit's voice cuts over the cacophony with whip-like snap. "People who act stupidly must learn the consequences. Jackson may go to the hospital wing when this class is over and not a moment before."

---

Some People Have No Idea
Author: Nora
Date: 02-19-04 19:24

Monday morning a letter had appeared in Nora's room, advising her to see Madam Pomfrey immediately. The young Slytherin spent over an hour with the nurse and finally confessed. Nora was anorexic, but it was rather difficult to admit...she didn't want to explain what brought the disorder on in the first place.

Finally getting away from the hospital wing, Nora went directly to bed, ignoring her friends in the common room. The thoughts of the lecture floated around in Nora's head before she drifted from consciousness. Pomfrey had sent a letter concerning her little problem to Professor Dumbledore. What was going to happen to her now?

Dinner on Tuesday had been quite tense, ever since Halloween Mary had been watching her closely, almost too closely. The girl had no chance to escape Mary's watchful eye and she only hoped Draco wasn't informed of her disorder.

Excusing herself from dinner early Nora headed towards the common room but that new Hufflepuff was right on her heels. Then the older student brought up the fact she never ate and said the two words Nora wouldn't except Anorexia Nervosa. Nora froze and admitted she had a problem. "Yeah, I know...why don't you leave me alone, you don't care what happened to me, no one does!" With that Nora broke into a run and curled up on one of the common room sofas. Things were not going well and she was slowly getting weaker and more irritable.

---

Dinner with My Little Rain Cloud
Author: Sora
Date: 02-19-04 21:32

Sora sat down with his little rain cloud still hovering above his head. Everyone laughed at the sight of him, but Sora didn't find this amusing, instead he sad down folding his arms with a smug expression.

Kairi, on the other hand, stopped laughing at once when she saw that Sora wasn't in his usual good mood. "Kiwi, you’re starting to scare me..." she said. Everyone nodded in agreement. Logan sided Sora plate. "Here, why don't you eat something?" he said as he passed the mashed potatoes.

Sora just made a grimmer look. "I'm not hungry." he mumbled, as a bolt of lightning emerged from his cloud and it started to rain on him again. Tranquillina and Logan, who were sitting next to Sora, slid away from him to avoid getting wet.

Roane however took out her wand. "Here, let me try to get rid of that retched cloud!" she said as she raised her wand. Sora just snorted, "It won't help, I've tried everything in the book!" Roane put her wand back inside her robes and continued to eat.

Sora stood up. "Sorry to bother you all, I don't mean to be so grouchy... It doesn't happen much... I'm going to bed." And with that note, Sora headed out of the Great Hall without a bite to eat. Everyone watched him as he left.

A little ways out of the Great Hall, Sora stopped in the halls (with another bolt of lightning). What's wrong with me? I'm never like this... he thought as he started to walk again. I don't usually act this way.

His thoughts were interrupted when someone bumped into him. Sora looked up. "Oh, I'm sorry!" he said, but the comer didn't stop. Sora saw that it was a second year Slytherin girl. Seeing that she didn't stop to apologize, Sora gazed after her. I wonder what's wrong? he thought.

And then suddenly, the rain cloud disappeared.

---

Sirius Thoughts...
Author: Drucilla Eternal
Date: 02-20-04 06:56

I sat at my desk (well, technically Arthur’s desk since we couldn’t seem to fit another desk into the tiny office for myself), and reflected over the last few weeks. The Ministry’s Halloween ball had been a great success, and it had amused me immensely to watch the gaping looks on everyone’s face when I walked in with Sirius Black! Some of them were practically red in the face, wanting to protest but not having the guts to do so. Not that it would have helped much – Sirius was already well under my Veela charms.

Stretching back in Arthur’s chair, I set a framed picture of Sirius on the desk (a nice touch to emphasize this farce relationship), and thought over my next move. Sirius seemed to be on the brink of telling me something lately, but something was holding him back. He hadn’t completely cracked yet, and until he did he would never open up entirely and tell me all that he knew. I just needed more time. More time together – more time with him.

Picking up a piece of Ministry stamped parchment, I pulled out my quill. Pausing only for a moment to think, I started to write a flowery note to Sirius, inviting him out again. I had to be patient. And having waited this long to find a lead for my Dark Lord, I knew a few more days, even weeks, would be a short wait in comparison to the months I had already spent stuck in this pathetic office at the Ministry.

---

Good News
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 02-20-04 15:02

The first letters started coming in on Wednesday morning. Hermione was sitting at the Gryffindor table with Ron, who spoke incessantly of Quidditch (and in particular, the upcoming game on Saturday). She wasn't quite listening to him because she was mentally wording a letter to St. Mungo's. Suddenly, an owl swooped into the Great Hall and dropped two envelopes onto Hermione's plate of toast. The animal landed nearby with hopes of a reward for its delivery.

Hermione thumbed through each envelope and smiled; one was from Melinda Mumps, one of the Healers at St. Mungo's who was treating Mr. Granger, and the other came from the Cairo Wizarding Clinic.

"News about your dad?" Ron asked, looking over with interest.

"Possibly," Hermione said. She put the envelopes down and broke off a piece of toast for the owl. It nibbled her fingers in thanks and soared away with its reward in its beak. As it flew out the window, Hermione reached for the envelopes and tucked them into her bookbag. She broke off another piece of toast for herself and rose to her feet.

"Aren't you going to open them?" Ron asked, holding a fork of scrambled eggs in front of his mouth. He looked at her curiously.

"Later, I need to stop by the Hospital Wing to talk to Madam Pomfrey about something and then I've got class. I'll see you at lunch?"

Hermione stooped to plant a kiss on Ron's cheek, leaving him wordless and confused, and then she scooped up her bookbag and slung it over her shoulder before leaving the Great Hall.

Much, much later, Hermione was sitting in Professor Vector's class taking copious notes. The Arithmancy professor had just revealed that there would be an essay test next week and a practical quiz the following week. Hermione considered foregoing the Quidditch match on Saturday to prepare for the essay test but she knew Ron expected her to be at the game. It was the first one of the season, the big one between Gryffindor and Slytherin, and it was Ron's first as Quidditch Captain.

As soon as the bell rang, Hermione went up to Professor Vector to make an appointment to meet on Tuesday to discuss the essay, and then she went off to the common room to put away her Arithmancy material and to get ready for lunch. She climbed up to her dormitory and put her backpack onto her four-poster, unzipping it to remove the Arithmancy textbook. As she did so, one of the letters fell out onto the floor. Hermione knelt to pick it up and turned around to sit on the bed. She broke the seal on the envelope and pulled out the letter from Melinda, reading it with growing interest.

She felt over-joyed by the news, but the PS made her feel very happy. Her father's finger, which had been brutally mutilated in September, couldn't be regrown or anything else magical medicine might allow that Muggle medicine wouldn't. But, from the treatment he had received since his arrival at St. Mungo's, the stub where his finger had been was fully healed and free from the bacteria that had plagued it previously. Melinda said Mr. Granger looked better overall, and this news pleased Hermione greatly.

She set that letter aside and reached into her bookbag for the other. It read like the previous one, only without the encouraging personal note at the bottom. Satisfied, Hermione put both letters in the drawer next to her bed and went down to lunch to meet Ron.

---

Re: Miss Deacon's Visit
Author: Daisy Deacon
Date: 02-21-04 05:42

Daisy went red. She doubted that Dumbledore's version of 'grounding' was the same as her aunts.

'Well, Professor, I haven't had any formal education of any kind. I guess I know the basics, but very little beyond that.'

Dumbledore said nothing, merely raised his eyebrows a little. Daisy took this as a sign of encouragement.

'I guess the Ministery feel that my education is sufficient for the job, after all no amount of magical skills is going to help me counsel these erm, people in progress.'

'Anyway, if there is nothing else, I really think I should be going. I have got a stack of files to go through.'

---

Quidditch Talk...
Author: Annie Paul
Date: 02-21-04 17:22

Classes came and went and making my way back to Gryffindor Tower all the buzz was behind the new Gryffindor team and Ron's being the Captain. "Easy Annie," my insides told me. There are others there. Don't worry, Brett will help.

I got some pats on the back as I walked the halls from Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs as well as Gryffindors. "Get those Slytherins" most of them were saying. "Knock some of them off their brooms" were other comments. My nerves got the best of me even when I was fitted for my team robes. I was given the robes Katie Bell wore when she was a Chaser so that seemed an honor.