Offering Expert
Help
Author: Dobby
Date: 05-22-03 11:54
Dobby helps Winky carry a large stack of catalogues to the office of the new Divinations professor. As they walk, Winky tells Dobby, "Miss professor Sack.. Sack'r...Sack'verl...er, Saffron be needin' to order some new things. Last night Miss Saffron tell Winky no decent deck of tarot cards, most crystal balls cracked or bein' fogged, out of date star charts. Miss Saffron be sayin' that's the worst. Hogwarts be havin' Astronomy so there no be a reason for out of date star charts. Winky goin' ta help Miss Saffron get organized and place orders. After lunch today, Winky also be going shoppin' with Miss Saffron for material. Classroom in bad new of new curtains and slip covers for the seats."
Dobby nods sagely as Winky talks. As they reach Professor Sacheverell's office, Dobby informs Winky, "Dobby be goin' with Winky and Miss Saffron. Dobby knows ALL the best places to shop."
With that the two House Elves deposit the catalogues on the professor's desk then return to their work, both hoping the time flies so they can go shopping!
Classes and
Duty
Author: Ethan Somerset
Date: 05-22-03 14:23
"And that about sums it up," Professor Somerset said, flashing his class a charming smile. "We'll resume this topic of discussion during our next class. Read the introduction to the next unit in the Counter-curses text and be prepared to use your minds to answer a few thought-provoking questions. Class dismissed!"
As the Gryffindor and Slytherin fourth years began to leave the classroom, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw fifth years began to enter. Ethan turned his back away from the class, pretending to busy himself with the blackboard, but instead using it as an excuse to hide his looks of irritation and disgust. He craved to continue his work for Voldemort, much more so than to sit idly in his classroom and teach Defense of the Dark Arts to mostly brainless children.
After class, he thought to himself. Just one more hour and I'll visit the Owlery.
Wiping all unpleasant expressions from his face, Ethan turned back around and greeted his final class of the day with a friendly smile. "Welcome, welcome...I trust your winter holidays were wonderful and that you are all well-rested and ready to begin your studies once more."
He paused to allow his students to stifle various groans and to open their textbooks and poise quills over sheets of parchment. Taking his usual spot on the edge of the desk, Ethan's eyes roamed from face to face as he began his lecture. "As you will remember, we spent much of last semester discussing charms, curses and counter-curses. We also touched on beasts, but we haven't explored any dark creatures in depth. That is what this semester is all about."
He grinned and added, "Regretfully, Hagrid will not be supplying us with the majority of the creatures we will be discussing for the remainder of the school year, however I'm certain that the lessons will be interesting nonetheless. That is not to say that we won't have any hands on experiences with any beasts, though. Don't fret, by the time summer is here, you'll have faced all sorts of unimaginable things.
"Now, if you'll please open Advanced Dark Creatures to the first chapter." Ethan waited for everyone to find the correct page. "We will begin by discussing the Acromantula. I assume that those of you who have read Newt Scamander's great piece of work from cover to cover are already familiar with this beast. Can anyone give me the acromantula's M.O.M. classification?"
A few hands went up into the air, and Ethan called on someone who supplied the correct answer and proceeded to answer several other questions on the subject. By the time class was finished, Ethan had assigned a one page essay in which the students would have to write about using one of the charms or curses learned in the previous semester on the giant spider and to briefly describe the effects of said charm or curse and the resulting state of the spider; an easy assignment to get everyone's mind in gear again after a small vacation from Hogwarts.
With the class filing out of the door, Ethan raced up to his office to retrieve a letter, a short note to Viktor to see how the Bulgarian was doing after returning home, and then Professor Somerset left for the Owlery. He had an ulterior motive––to keep his eyes open and ears alert for any vital information that might prove useful for the Dark Lord. The letter to Viktor was just a simple cover-up, and a believable one at that.
Ethan climbed the winding staircase and stepped onto the skeleton-covered landing, sidestepping a swooping owl which had just flown in from one of the windows. It descended onto one of the wooden perches and closed its eyes to rest. Ethan approached its neighbor, a large, brown barn owl, who held out its leg as the professor tied Viktor's note to it. He looked around, hoping that one of Dumbledore's attending house elves would pop by to send off some letters, but Ethan knew that he'd have to find a different way to track down Dumbledore's correspondences.
It would take some thought. Ethan shrugged his shoulders and turned to watch the owl he chose fly out the window. When it was nothing but a small speck in the air, Ethan turned and began to climb down the tower staircase.
The Peace
of the Library
Author: Madam Irma Pince
Date: 05-22-03 16:11
Mentally, Madam Irma Pince shuddered at the thought of students in the library again. Few of them as yet had been in since it was barely the start of term but she knew from experience that the peace and quiet that she enjoyed when the students were not around was over for another few months.
Her eyes swept the rooms as she moved to her own desk, and began to get on with her day's work. Before too long doubtless she would be issuing reminders for overdue books, fining those who were late returners and refusing access to the more restricted volumes to those students who lacked the proper permissions. Several of the more recent acquisitions had to be added to the appropriate lists and she certainly was not going to let just anyone have access to them. After all, as had been demonstrated in the school's past, books could contain more than just the texts they were meant to.
And she would reinforce the spells protecting the restricted section. Yes. That was a definite must. Certain students had some very bad habits and ones that should not be encouraged.
A small smile crossed her lips as she pushed her glasses up her nose and settled in.
Lunch
Author: Amerah Patterson
Date: 05-22-03 21:23
I take my place at the Hufflepuff table preparing for lunch. The Hufflepuff table is filled with talk about the new term ahead and the upcoming Quidditch tournaments. The first day back was long, because after enjoying the holidays, getting back into work mode is difficult.
Thinking
Author: Alexis Black
Date: 05-22-03 21:39
Alexis and the rest of the Slytherin quartet-minus-one slipped into potions Tuesday afternoon with long faces. The absence of Azaelia could not be ignored, and Alexis was wondering what it was like for her to suddenly be in a foreign school. Alexis went through the same thing just last year.
Technically, though, Hogwarts wasn't foreign to Alexis since she was British. She'd just never been to England before. This prompted a sudden question.
"Does Azaelia speak Spanish?" Alexis inquired of Isolde. She couldn't reply, however, since Snape cast the girls a silencing look. As Snape's lecture began, Alexis looked around the dungeon at possible new cauldron-mates. None looked very promising, and she wondered if it might be better just to go solo. She certainly didn't want to work with a snobby Gryffindor.
Though Hogwarts without Azaelia was melancholy, Alexis found grim satisfaction during the rare moments when she caught sight of the haggard form of her little sister. Even if the brat did blab to Madam Pomfrey, and the nurse recognised the symptoms, no one could prove it was actually Alexis who caused Mary's mysterious malady.
There was a nagging in the back of Alexis' mind that she ignored. How could a pesky eleven-year-old get revenge, anyway?
Wednesday
Morning
Author: Draco Malfoy
Date: 05-23-03 09:49
Draco rolled out of bed, landing with both feet on the floor. In neighboring beds, Crabbe and Goyle snored loudly. It was little wonder that the blonde Slytherin could no longer sleep. He reached for a bathrobe, dark gray with the Malfoy family crest emblazoned on the front, and secured it around his waist before exiting the sixth year dormitory. Wandering through the common room, he paused to say hello to Blaise Zabini and Tracey Davis, and then stepped outside to wander the dungeons.
Draco didn't have any classes this morning or afternoon, only Astronomy at midnight, so he had more than enough time to take a leisurely stroll throughout the castle. He had one destination in mind, however, and that was the prefect's bathroom on the fifth floor. With it being already after eight, most of the other students up at this early hour were already in class, which meant that the corridors and stairwells were virtually empty.
He was met by an occasional first or second year giggling at the sight of him in his bathrobe, but a fiery glare in their direction hushed the young students right up and sent them dashing off to wherever they were headed. Once on the fifth floor, Draco followed the path to the prefect's bathroom.
"Macaroni and Cheese," Draco stated plainly and clearly after checking to see that no one was around, and the door swung open.
Thankfully, none of the other prefects were around, which meant that Draco could bathe in peace. He spent a long time in the white marble pool, relaxing within the mountain of soapy bubbles. Afterwards, Draco returned to the Slytherin common room and went to his dorm room where the enormous apes, Crabbe and Goyle, were still snoozing soundly. Their snores echoed throughout the room, bouncing off the stone walls. It was a wonder that they could sleep through their own racket.
After getting dressed, Draco prodded each of his sidekicks in the side and shouted, "Stuff a sock it, will you?"
Crabbe moved and opened his eyes slowly, blinking once and then twice as his eyes adjusted to the lighting in the room. Goyle, on the other hand, slept on.
Draco shook his head and knelt to floor, rummaging underneath Goyle's four-poster. When he stood upright again, he held a dirty, old sock in his fist. He was about to shove it in Goyle's mouth, when the large boy's eyes flew open. He sighed pleasantly as if having had the best night's sleep ever.
Rolling his eyes, Draco threw the sock in Goyle's face.
"How does breakfast sound to you two?" he asked.
Crabbe and Goyle exchanged looks and grinned.
Also Thinking...
Author: Mary
Date: 05-23-03 18:16
Mary sat in charms, contemplating (as usual) someone else's demise. This time it was directed toward her elder sister. The one Mary was sure was behind these sporadic bouts of intense pain. Luckily, they hadn't occurred since term began, which was good because Mary's grades were abysmal enough already. Even so, her thoughts were focused not on Flitwick, but on a decent revenge.
Despite the fact that Alexis was her sister, Mary knew distressingly little about her.
She knew she had (at least a while ago, anyway) a crush on a seventh-year Ravenclaw named Fynn Somethingorother. She knew Alexis' friends were Isolde and Pyrrhus, who other fifth years. She knew she liked to read, and... Mary smiled. ...Alexis loved Quidditch, almost as much as Mary herself did. At last, a suitable revenge formed itself neatly in her mind.
And Mary had thought it would be hard to think of something good!
Is It By
Any "Chance"?
Author: Vincent Triegher
Date: 05-23-03 19:59
Yesterday was quite tiresome. They had to wake up, in his case wait up, for their first class of the day which is Astronomy. It was a good thing he was sitting beside his twin or else he would have fallen asleep. After that, he had slept the entire morning only to be waken up by Kennard and Diether for their Charms class.
As per usual, Flitwick was very entertaining and he liked their lesson for the day. It wasn't that difficult but it wasn't easy either. He just had a good time figuring out how to do the charm right and viola! He's done for the class. He had been walking behind his friends slowly as he reread something he wrote earlier when somebody bumped into him. He turned his head around and saw a classmate of his from Gryffindor who was beginning to turn into a some sort of shade of red, which he thought looks pretty on her, and was trying to say something.
He smiled at her and said, "Chance... Sorry if I was walking way too slow." And then grinned at her apologetically.
"Um, it's alright," she said, as she walked alongside him now. "Um, what did you think of our lesson?"
He tilted his head in though before answering, "It was ok. I had help figuring out how to do it right," and he pointed at Kennard a few steps ahead of them.
She nodded.
"Well, I have to catch up to them," he told her. "I guess I'll see you around," and he squeezed her arm before jogging up to his friends.
Now, the third day of classes has begun and Transfiguration is squeezing his brains out. It was good that he was sitting at the back and could see everyone from his point of view, including a certain blond that had just recently caught his attention yesterday. He had seen her a thousand times before as they had been classmates in a lot of subjects before. But, he hasn't noticed her the way he is noticing her right now.
Taking a peep at the professor to make sure that she wasn't glancing at his direction, he looked at the girl rows ahead of him. She's a bright student. He hasn't heard any subject that she's failed at but studies are not only her focus as he always see her cheering for the Gryffindors when his house plays against them in Quidditch.
Finally, the class ended, and he decided to wait for her and talk to her some more. Get to know her a little more. He whispered quick explanations to his sisters that he'll catch up with them on Herbology.
He was searching for a particular mop of blond hair when his caught it nearing the door.
"Chance," he said, smiling at her and began walking beside her.
A Pea in a
Pod
Author: H Potter
Date: 05-23-03 22:59
After Muggle Studies and meeting its new professor, Trisha Spencer, had ended Harry returned to his room to drop off his book bag. Hermione tried to convince him he needed to study and to join her, Ron, and some others in the library but Harry said no firmly enough that Hermione didn't press the point. Instead, he hung out in the common room hoping that Ginny would show up but got tired of waiting after an hour and still no Ginny.
Harry grabbed his coat, gloves, and warm, woolen scarf and exited the castle intent on visiting Hagrid. All of Hagrid's classes are in the late afternoon so Harry knows that if Hagrid's at his hut, he won't be disturbing Hagrid's work.
As Harry gets close enough to see the hut, a grin breaks out on his face at the sight of smoke curling from the chimney. He quickens his pace only to skid a halt, sending up plumes of snow, to avoid falling over a girl kneeling on the ground.
It's only when she looks up, a bright smile on her face, that Harry realizes there is also an extremely tiny dog beside her. The bright blue strands of hair sticking out from the hood of the bulky parka she's wearing lets Harry know she's someone he's seen around but has never actually met.
As she picks up the dog and stands, Harry sticks his hand out, "Hello, I'm Harry Potter. Sixth year Gryffindor."
The girl shakes his offered hand and replies, "'Allo. Oi'm Coco Nutt o' Ravenclaw 'ouse. It's me first year 'ere. This be Pea Nutt. We be goin' ta visit Fang but Pea needed tuh visit nature first."
Time to Act
Author: Severus Snape
Date: 05-24-03 09:47
Professor Snape shook his mane of greasy black hair and crashed one fist onto the surface of his podium. "If you would like to cause an explosion and possible injuries to yourself and your classmates, Mr. Levine, then by all means continue to add pickled eyes of newt to your cauldron," Snape said firmly, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "However," he began, "I suggest you learn to follow instructions, lest you want to do fail."
He was in a grumpy mood, as usual, but especially so after having spent the past two evenings grading Potions quizzes. Most everyone had done abysmal at best, with a few students scattered on each end of the spectrum. With sixth and seventh years not yet having had Potions since returning to Hogwarts, Snape knew that he would have at least one more long evening of marking less than satisfactory quiz papers. Something to look forward to, thought Snape sarcastically. He pulled his face into a grimace and continued to peer critically at his fourth year Gryffindor and Slytherin students, who busied themselves with a rather simple, yet quite potent potion.
Somewhat absentmindedly, Snape's hand wandered to the mark on his forearm. It hadn't burned with pain, whether dull or severe, in over a week. Sometimes, Snape could feel things––Voldemort's excitement over something––even if it wasn't directed at him. The mark had begun to tingle lightly around New Year's; it happened on occasion and generally didn't alarm Snape, although he knew that whatever was happening surely couldn't be good.
Snape stifled a sigh. He had much work to do, much more serious and dangerous assignments than simply teaching Potions to a classroom full of idiotic students. First and foremost, he needed to generate some information, preferably with the help of Dumbledore and the school's auror, which he could then pass off to Voldemort as legitimate news from the allied front. Having failed to provide the Dark Lord with any information thus far, Snape knew he wasn't in good standing with Voldemort.
At any rate, Snape needed to act.
Talk, Talk,
Talk
Author: Coco Nutt
Date: 05-24-03 11:48
After the initial introductions, Harry and Coco, with Pea bundled under one arm, continue toward Hagrid's hut. The giant must have seen the coming because the door swings open and Fang, wearing a cute sweater decorated with cat images, comes bounding out. He stops just short of the visitors, woofing loudly.
Coco smiles at Fang, "O'course I brought Pea. See? 'e's roight here."
Fang woofs again and turns to face the hut before standing stock still. Coco very carefully places Pea, also wearing a sweater and tiny booties for protection against the snow and ice, onto the bigger dog's back. Fang turns his head as if to make sure Pea is securely positioned before he sets off on a slow trot back to the hut.
Once inside, Fang kneels down and Pea hops off. The two then start to play, the large dog seeming to know to be gentle with the petite one.
Harry meanwhile is staring open-mouthed, alternating glances at Coco and the dogs. "Did you really just talk to Fang? Oh I get it! You spoke out of habit like a lot of people do to animals. Like I do with Hedwig. I like to think she understands everything I tell her and I know she doesn't truly talk to me. It's more of her body language along with the sounds she makes that I interpret. You've done this several times before so it's sort of a routine. Fang didn't really ask you if you'd brought Pea. He's simply following an established pattern."
Coco scrunches her face up while shaking her head no. "Fang came out, didn't see Pea nestled snug under me arm, an' asked iffin Oi'd brought 'im wif me. Told Fang o'course Oi'd brung Pea then Fang told me tah 'e'd give Pea uh roide."
"So you really talked to Fang then. And he really understood you," Harry asks but makes the questions sound like statements.
Coco's face lights up with a grin. "Course Oi kin talk to Fang. Just loike I talk tah Pea. An tha owls 'n cats awl 'round tha school. Talked ta tha giant squid a few times too. C'aint talk tah snakes loike someone tole me you kin. Ta me it just sounds loike ah really bad, jumbled up lisp so I kin niver unnerstand wot's bein' said."
Harry looks over to where Hagrid is pouring reshly made tea into cups for each of them. "Hagrid, did you hear that? Coco can talk to a lot of animals."
The giant slowly nods his head and simply says, "Thought so. Thought so."
Hagrid motions the two students to sit down and offers them each a cup of the steaming hot tea. "Yer goin' ta be takin' me class when yers a third year. Course yer welcome ta come by and listen in any time yer schedule allows. Sum o'them creatures might be glad tah talk tah yer. Let yer know 'ow what could be done ta make'em 'appier while 'ere."
By the time Harry, Pea, and Coco return to the castle for lunch and for Coco to go to her afternoon classes, Hagrid has dubbed Coco "the roight 'onerable junior assistant ta tha care o' magical creatures perfessor."
A Moment Talking
Author: Chance Morgan Lovell
Date: 05-24-03 14:12
"Chance!" I heard a voice call out and I looked around me to see who it could be when Vincent Triegher approached me. I looked at him and smiled and then quickly looked away again. I wonder what he wants? I thought to myself. I have known him for many years...well not really known him but I knew who he is and we have had many classes together in the past. For the longest time I have had a crush on him but I've been too afraid to tell him how I feel, but now he was seeking me out to talk to me...I sighed, as we walked along not realizing that I let the sound of the sigh escape my lips.
Vincent looked at me and smiled at me asking, "So how are you today?"
I just looked at him for a minute trying to conceal the blush creeping into my checks. "I...uh...I am good. How are you?" Oh now that was good, sound like a complete idiot in front of him. I felt my checks begin to burn again as I noticed that he was watching me.
"To answer your question I am good. What class do you have next?"
"I don't have a class till this afternoon and that is Care of Magical Creatures. So I am gonna head up to Gryffindor tower for a bit, I think I will have a small nap before lunch then after lunch I am going to go study in the library. Maybe I will see you around?"
"I am sure you will see me." He grinned at me like he knew something I did not. "I have Herbology next so I need to get going but I will talk to you again soon." and he set off making his way down the marble staircases, and I made my way back to Gryffindor tower to take a nap.
Getting Used
to Things
Author: Emma Crusher
Date: 05-24-03 15:15
Emma was becoming more acquainted with Hogwarts with every day that passed. It helped that her cousin, Neville Longbottom, was never all that far away and always willing to help.
However, she still missed her old school, but Beauxbaton was all the way in France, and really, when she thought about it, her life there had been no different. She didn't make friends all that easily, finding it difficult to do so. Here, at least there were people that recognized her. Alexis Black was nice enough, and would say hello to her if they pased in the halls. It was the same with Jet, but he always seemed a little off-center, there was something odd about his personality that seemed to vanish the moment he spotted somebody that he knew.
Her classes were going well, and she was pleased to see that she wasn't going to be rushing to catch up to the rest of the class as a result of missing the first term. If anything, it was them who needed to do some catching up on their reading, all she needed to do was put a little more work into figuring out the spells. She didn't like spells that required an action as well, as she didn't catch on as quickly to them.
She liked potions, despite the rather sharp, slightly harsh, teacher. It was her favorite class, aside from ancient runes. It was so exact in what was needed, and it wasn't all that difficult to figure out how to fix a messed up brew or alter it in just the right way that it would do the opposite of what it should, or to reverse the effects. It was all just basic chemistry.
Emma didn't mind Astronomy either, as it was, really, a simple matter of observation and calculation. She sighed as she messed up her charm again and glanced around, wondering how long it would be before class ended. She had a free period next, and she already knew where she would spend it. The Hogwarts library was much bigger than that of Beauxbatons, and she still hadn't seen all there was to see there...
No Meat on
the Bones
Author: Albus Dumbledore
Date: 05-24-03 18:12
From the tone of Fletcher's message, I had hoped we was onto something. Sadly, he had little more to offer than the bare bones of his message. I came away from our meeting with a rather empty feeling. Rather unsatisfactory, it was! All he could tell me about my "spy" was that it was not one of the students. He did suggest that I try to find the "Marauders' Map", and put it to use. I am wondering now, just how many people know about that map?
At any rate, we have taken steps to strengthen our internal security. Filch and the house ghosts have been put on alert to report any suspicious activity directly to me. It seems there have been students seen wandering about the corridors and stairways at odd hours. Filch has also been given a highly-sensitive "Sneak-o-Scope" to help track down any unauthorized magical experiments.
Madam Pince has reinforced the various spells on the library, and added a few charms of her own. The rope barring access to the restricted section will now wrap itself firmly about any trespasser who does not have the password. It has also been reinforced with a phoenix feather so that it will regenerate immediately if it is damaged. The professors have been asked to make a special note of any student absences. In addition, I have enlisted the entire staff of House Elves to help keep an eye on things and all of the Castle Portraits have been put on full alert. If anything strange is going on, I should hear of it immediately.
