Ellspeth's Herbals Etc - Routine
Author: Ellspeth
Date: 04-20-04 18:25
Ellspeth quickly fell into the usual routine of the day. She had transformed a small area near the back of the cottage/shoppe into a greenhouse. It looked about the size of an outhouse, that is until you opened then door and stepped in.
She had always loved it and had packed it along with many of her other summer time favorites in a small box next to the seeds and garden hoses. The hoses at the moment looking like strands of green spaghetti would be spelled to correct size when needed. But for now they were neat and tidy in the box marked garden supplies.
Earlier in the week, she had spelled the greenhouse, which came fully equipped with potting soil, trays, pots, markers, and a large "Pitcher Plant" in one corner which poured fresh water constantly into a never filling bucket.
She had quickly gone through the types of seeds she had. It looked like she needed to contact her favorite "Magical Seeds and Herbs" distributer soon. There were a few things she was short of. But in the mean time, she began filling all the trays with soil, checking pots for crack, since everyone knew no one liked a "cracked pot" around.
It looked like everything was ready for spring planting. Oh how much fun this year was going to be...
A Team Shuffle
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 04-20-04 20:12
Just after supper, Harry and Ron catch up with Viktor near the door to Viktor's living quarters. After inviting them in and getting settled in his favorite chair, Viktor listened to Harry's somewhat incredible, but very believable, tale of being under a spell all last term. Then Harry gets to the heart of the matter, the reason he came to speak to Viktor.
"About the Gryffindor team,"
"You vud like to be on eet," Viktor cuts in. As Harry and Ron nod in unison, Viktor asks, "You vud haf me remove Ginny?"
"Oh, well, no. I hadn't thought of that."
"Ginny vas a chazer zen moved to seeker. Jared took ze chazer pozishun. Both vud haf to agree to more of zis shuffling around. Az captain, you vud too, Ron. Go get zem, pleaze, Ron."
Ron jumps up and practically runs out of the room. He returns fairly quickly, panting hard, with Ginny and Jared close behind, also out of breath. Viktor offers all four students refreshments of butterbeer and sugar biscuits (cookies) from Briar's Bakery as he explains to the two newcomers what the meeting is about.
No sooner as Viktor finished speaking, looking expectantly at Jared then to Ginny, waiting for them to say something then Harry, suddenly agitated, jumps up. "This isn't right. It's selfish of me to want one of you to give up the team. That would be like punishment for something that has nothing to do with either of you. Viktor, I apologize for coming and begging to be back on the team at the expense of someone else. Ginny, Jared, my apologies to both of you as well."
Harry, head hanging, shoulders slumped, walks towards the door but is stopped when Jared blocks his way. "I'm just a second year. This is your last year, Harry. You should be on the team. I'm willing to give up chaser for Ginny to take again so you can have seeker back. I've one condition though."
Everyone's eyes are riveted on Jared. He takes a deep breath then swivels around to look at Viktor. "I get to continue training and practicing with the team and next year I automatically have a position."
Viktor's eyes narrow in thought then he nods. As Ginny, Ron, and Harry all slap Jared on the back, Harry profusely thanking the younger boy, Viktor reaches out and shakes Jared's hand. Grinning down at Jared, Viktor informs him, "You just earned twenty points for Gryffindor."
Blue
Author: Arlington J Montgomery
Date: 04-20-04 22:58
Arley woke early after another sleepless night. Ever since Desi and Bron had returned from vacation his formerly pleasant slumbers, where he would often drift to sleep curled up with Sebastian, were turning into restless nights, plagued with violent nightmares of an untimely death.
Not wanting to wake his roommates, the sixth year opens the curtain of his four-poster, pulls on his favorite pair of grey fleece pants and a black sweatshirt. As he walks to the common room, he pulls his hair back in a loose ponytail. The common room is unusually quiet, but it is only 5 A.M.
After hours of starring into the fire reminiscing on the past, the dream he had been having was bringing back a terrible memory, Arlington was the sole witness to his mother's death over a year ago, and he still had trouble emotionally with it.
Before he knew it, it was almost nine o'clock and Sebastian was the first one downstairs. "Hey Seb, lookin' fer me?" he smiled, wiggling his eyebrows playfully at the adorable blond.
The rest of the morning was spent playing random games and telling jokes. Then it was time to head to class. It was a rather cold day and Arley and Seb walked off to class together, sharing a short kiss before the other students arrived and Sebastian returned to the common room.
After class Arley was in a rather decent mood, being through with his only class for the day now he can relax and spend some quality time with Sebastian. Instead of finding Seb, he found Bron and Desi and he overheard them say something about Bianca. Great, just what I need. Bron's gonna ask about her... And she did.
Bronwyn proceeded to drill Arley with questions regarding his former relationship with Bianca.
"Listen Dewhurst. You wanna hear the truth, I'll give you the truth. I dated Bianca for over a year and I once had an intense crush on Desi, which fueled my relationship with her identical twin. Yeah, yeah, I'm a freak. I was also her stalker. Oh, I also saw my mother die! Now lemme alone and stay off my case!" with a final yell he stomped up the stairs.
As he enters the dorm, Seb looks up, noticing Arley's petulant mood. "You look blue. Did something unfortunate happen?"
Arley's anger seems to be growing with every passing second. "It's a long story Seb. You don't wanna know."
Sebastian stands and tries to console the young Texan, who promptly pushes his hand away. "What? Did something unfortunate happen in Care of Magical Creatures? You don't talk to me much about these sorts of--"
"Lemme alone! Ain't any business of yours!" That was it! All the anger of the last two years of Arley's life was building. He can't control it anymore.
Arley's never been a really violent person, but something snapped in his head suddenly. Without thinking he punched Seb as hard as he could in the stomach, which left his boyfriend stunned, and in pain. Furrowing his brows again Arley glared at Sebastian and stormed out of the dormitory, leaving him alone to contemplate what just happened.
As soon as Arley reached the common room he bolted from the castle, curling up in the snow in the courtyard. His mind was racing, trying to process all of his emotions. Arlington rested his head against the cold stone of the castle and stared into the distance. I just destroyed the best thing I ever had...
What a Weird Day!
Author: Sora
Date: 04-21-04 12:55
It was time for Defense Against the Dark Arts and again. Sora was running late! "CrapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrapCRAP!!!!!!" Sora repeated to himself as he ran down the hall to the DADA classroom. He ran inside just seconds before the bell rang. "I MADE IT!!!!!" Sora said rather loudly as everyone stared at him, each with a 'What's the matter with you?' expression as Sora came running to his desk. There just before he made it to his desk, Sora's shoes once again caught on his robes and he went crashing to the floor. Rubbing his nose, Sora got up and sat in his desk. Professor Turin walked over to Sora checking to see if his nose broke again. It was only bleeding a little as he handed Sora a tissue. Sora took it with relief. "There's something wrong with this classroom... I seem to be falling on my face in here only!" he stated. He looked up at Professor Turin with a freaked out expression. "Is this classroom cursed????" He was cut short by a sudden burst of laughter coming from the entire classroom.
History of Magic was pretty interesting... except for the fact that during the middle of class, Sora suddenly fell asleep sitting up. He was shaken awake by the teacher. "Mr. Hearts! You're suppose to be paying attention not drooling all over yourself!" Once again, the class burst out laughing their heads off. Sora could only wipe his mouth off and shrug smiling.
Transfiguration wasn't all too good either when he anciently transfigured his shoe into a cat. "Oops..." Sora said out loud as Professor McGonagall turned his 'cat' back into his shoe. "Mr. Hearts, I'm sure if you did that on purpose you'd have received some points. But since it was accidental, I can't award you any." she stated. And once again the class burst out in laughter. And Sora shrugged again. Tranquillina, Kairi, and Roane were the ones laughing the loudest. "That's Sora for ya, the school's clown!"
A Fight
Author: Desdemona Diamond
Date: 04-21-04 18:59
I made my way down to the Great Hall to have breakfast before going to Arithmancy. I left Bronwyn alone, since she didn't have classes today. If she wanted breakfast, she could get her own behind out of bed. Breakfast was uneventful for the most part. The only thing of interest was the fact that Arley and Seb were apart from one another, looked like they were avoiding each other.
I asked Sebastian what was going on, but he just avoided the questions and got mad at me. He left the room when class was over too fast for me to catch him and ask him again. So, instead of pursuing the matter, I just went to my Divinations class. I was pretty sure Bronwyn would ask him about it when he got to the common room.
When I got to Divinations I found Arley already there. But every time I got near him he would walk away. He didn't talk to me the entire class time. I had some questions to ask him and I sure as heck was going to get some answers outta him. He really had some explaining to do.
Once again, I headed down to the Great Hall, this time for lunch.
"Did you get to talk to Seb?" I asked her.
"No, he was in a bad mood and headed up to his room," She answered, and then asked, "Did you get to speak to Arley yet?"
"No, he avoided me the entire class. Are you sure he said he had a crush on me and was my stalker?"
"Yes! He yelled it loud enough for everyone to hear. Except for you since you fell asleep."
"Sorry, I was bored. Ok, I'll go talk to him now then." Standing up, I headed over to where Arley was sitting, picking at his food. Coming up behind him, I grabbed him by the armpits and pulled him up. He was surprised by the sudden pull and didn’t have time to fight it.
"Alright, You need to explain a few things mister." I told him.
"Umm… now?" he asked.
"Yes, now. Not here though, I don't want to make a scene. Let's go to the common room."
"But, I haven't…" He stopped when I grabbed his arm and started pulling him towards the door. I pulled him all the way to the common room before I let him go. He rubbed the spot where I had held him.
"Ok, let's start from the beginning. You had a crush on me a couple years ago, right?"
"Yeah," he answered weakly.
"Instead of telling me, you went out with my sister, right?"
"Yeah…"
"And you stalked me at the same time?"
"Well, no. I did that before I went out with your sister…" he trailed off.
"Why would you do something as low as stalking? What were you thinking?"
"Well… I wanted to... I don't know."
"ARLEY! Are you retarded or something!? You scared me so badly that I couldn't go into my room for a week because I was afraid someone was spying on me!"
"I know… That's why I stopped and went out with your sister. I wanted to make you jealous."
"Arlington James!" I found a textbook that was left on a table right next to me and threw it at him. "What would make you think that I would be jealous of my sister?" I picked up one of the pillows on the chair right behind me and threw it at Arley.
"I'm sorry…" he said in a low voice as a second pillow went airborne. Before he could get something else thrown at him he turned and did something of a jog out the door. I stood there glaring at the door for a bit before going up to my room to destroy something while I wait the rest of the day for Astronomy.
Quarrels
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 04-22-04 14:45
Seated on one of the plush armchairs in the common room, Bronwyn raised a compact to her face and studied it intently. The area around one eye still bore an unnatural, darkened hue, and while the swelling had gone down it looked puffy in comparison to the other. She sighed, disappointed that the black eye marred her otherwise flawless facial features, but also smiled. She marveled at her effort to put Bianca in her place, something it seemed no other seemed at all keen on doing--and little wonder, too!
Bronwyn dusted off her nose with some powder and then clipped the compact shut, stowing it into her backpack where she rummaged for her Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook, some parchment, a well of ink and a quill. She'd still not at all found herself in the back-to-school mode, finding it difficult to motivate herself when thoughts of winter break still lingered on her mind. Yet, with Friday's big N.E.W.T. classes just a few days away, Bronwyn knew she had to get with it.
But this proved tricky for as Bronwyn pushed thoughts of the holidays from her mind, thoughts of Seb, Arley and Desi entered. It seemed all were currently angry, upset or disappointed with someone else, though Bronwyn had none such feelings for any of them or anyone else (aside from Bianca Diamond). Nevertheless, she wanted to apologize to Arley for her inquisitiveness and hoped she'd find opportunity to do so without causing further strife.
She knew he probably wasn't upset by her constant questioning of Bianca, and that his frustration may not have ultimately stemmed from her at all. His segue into his past crush on Desi and the subsequent odd outburst regarding his mother seemed to validate that fact. What had brought these old memories to the surface? Had Arley been suffering silently all this time?
Bronwyn frowned. She wanted to talk to him about it all, friend to friend, but knew it would probably be best to leave him be.
Time heals all wounds. Bronwyn shook her head, knowing the old saying to be only a half truth. She still mourned Kendra's loss and would forever until the day she'd die, but losing a best friend and a mother was not the same. Poor Arley, Bronwyn thought, frowning deeper still.
Azkaban: A Familiar Face
Author: Ethan Somerset
Date: 04-22-04 16:25
"You are not my son."
Ethan woke with a start, heart pounding. His mother's cold, stony voice echoed in his mind again, as it had every time he closed his eyes since the day she uttered those words. Heaving a frustrated sigh, Ethan rose to a sitting position and palmed his eyes with his hands. He rubbed them, straining to remove the image of Maren Somerset from his mind.
"Bad dream, again, Ethan?"
The voice came from the neighboring cell, where Nero stood, leaning forward against the bars that separated the two cells.
"You look pale and sweaty."
"What time is it?" Ethan asked, raising his head from his hands to gaze at Nero. His vision was blurry from the vigorous rubbing he'd done moments earlier.
"Afternoon. Near dinner, I suspsect." Nero furrowed his brow. "Dream about your mum again?"
Ethan didn't answer. Instead, he removed the thin, gray bedsheet from his legs and swung them over the side of the hard, metal cot. He stared at the floor, blue eyes focusing slowly on the plain concrete.
"Parents always abandon their children when they wind up in Azkaban. Well, mine haven't," Nero amended, shrugging apologetically, "but your situation is not uncommon."
Ethan met Nero's gaze. "I don't blame her for being furious with me. It must be complete shock, but––"
The door at the end of the corridor opened and a woman entered, making her way to the back of the cell block. Anyone who had been conversing stopped to watch the figure as she walked, and Ethan strained his ears, fervently hoping his mother had returned to make amends. But those weren't her footsteps. They were light and graceful, not heavy and matronly like Maren's.
The woman came into view and stopped in front of Nero's cell.
"Morgain!" Nero turned away from Ethan and reached his hand through the bars of his gate to clasp the woman's hand. "What are you doing here?"
"Can't a sister visit her brother?" She embraced him as best she could through the bars.
Nero looked delighted. "Of course! I can't tell you how happy I am to see you. You must meet someone. Ethan come meet my sister." Nero gestured for Ethan to get up and move closer.
Ethan slowly got up and walked over to the front of his cell. The woman, Morgain, looked at Ethan with a fleeting look of intrigue. Somehow she seemed familiar to Ethan, but he couldn't quite place her face.
"Morgain works for the Ministry."
Ethan held his hand through the bars and said, "How do you do?"
She didn't hesitate to take his hand, even though he was a convicted killer, and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ethan."
"Nero doesn't get on with others very well, so I'm surprised to see he's found a friend in this place of all places," Morgain said.
"I get on with people perfectly well!" Nero exclaimed. He was smiling.
"You wouldn't be here if that were the case, my brother," Morgain said. She was smiling too.
Ethan found it odd.
"Listen, Nero," Morgain continued seriously, "I can't stay long. Have important business with our special friend. I was just in the area so thought I'd stop by and check on you."
"Just in the area?" Nero joked.
Morgain winked and turned to Ethan. "Nice meeting you again." She waved goodbye to Nero, turned and returned from whence she came.
Everyone listened and watched as she walked by and no one spoke again until the door shut behind her.
"Nero," Ethan started, pondering Morgain's familiar face, "what's your last name?"
"Noir."
Studying before Dinner
Author: Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen
Date: 04-22-04 21:12
Fritz sits in the Ravenclaw common room, his Charms textbook open across his lap. As he reads, he underlines pertinent sentences, stars full passages of interest and jots down notes in the margins. He'd always had the habit of marking his books. It helps him remember important concepts, particularly later on for when studying for an exam.
Pausing to check his watch, Fritz notes it's about dinner time and starts to pack away his schoolwork. Just at that moment, Coco comes through the entryway with little Pea cradled in the crook of her arm.
Fritz inquires, "Are you hungry, Coco?"
Coco nods her head, blue and silver pigtails bobbing enthusiastically, and Pea barks once as if to say, "Yes!"
Fritz laughs and stuffs his quill into his backpack. "Let me put this away, und dann können wir essen*."
He gets up from where he had been seated and takes his backpack to his dorm room. Then he meets Coco and Pea at the portal to the common room, and from there they head off to the Great Hall.
*and then we can eat
Carnival
Author: Aaron Miller
Date: 04-22-04 22:37
After my only Wednesday class ended, I'd gone to straight to my office to work on a new project, only taking time out to go to supper. There are prizes to order, booths to be constructed, shop owners to contact, professors to speak to, schedules to coordinate... the list of what needs to be done is fairly long. There's a great deal to organize and just slightly over a month to have everything set and ready to go. Come February 14th, the students and faculty of Hogwarts and specially invited guests are going to have a grand time at a good, old-fashioned school carnival. At least that's the hope.
I Feel Good
Author: Adam Sparrow
Date: 04-23-04 16:47
Adam felt much better. Sidi was very suspicious. He had just spent a week at St. Claires. Sidi wondered if she was being bitchy to notice anytime Adam deteriorated Darius seemingly showed up right as it hit rock bottom. He also seemed to have just the right potions and therapies.
"You just don't like him because he's not like your parents." Adam blew her feelings off.
"No I don't like him because he's selfish and a sociopath!" Sidi corrected. "Adam, he mated with a mermaid. For god's sake that has to be illegal." She looked at him with disgust and started wiping the counter for the fourth time.
"I don't hear HER complaining!" Adam snapped back, always one to defend his father to the death.
She walked over to the display he was building and touched his arm. "You know he went to Hogwarts."
Sidi knew she was treading dangerous ground.
Adam stood. His icy stare caused goosebumps up and down her arms.
He stomped up the stairs to their apartment. "I don't want to hear it!!"
Sidi stepped back. She bunched her blouse up in her hand at her waist. For a minute he had looked so much like his dad.
Helping Hand
Author: Majandra
Date: 04-23-04 17:31
Ancient Runes let out a little early so rather going straight to the Great Hall for lunch as she normally did after class on Thursdays, Majandra returns to Gryffindor House. She sets her bookbag down beside one of the few unoccupied seats and settles into the chair. Opposite her at the table is a new face, someone who apparently transferred in this very week with the start of the new term. The girl is hunched over a half-filled piece of parchment, Potions book open to the side, and she's muttering to herself. To Maj, the muttering sounds very frustrated and stressed.
Not wanting to startle the girl, Maj taps a finger near the parchment then speaks. "Hi, I'm Majandra. Seventh year. Need some help with Potions?"
The girl's head jerks up, a frown on her lips which quickly turns to a smile. "Fifth year. Yes, please. This is very confusing."
Almost as an afterthought she adds, "My name's Natalie."
Majandra scoots her chair around so she can peer at Natalie's work. "Ah yes, the draft of peace. It's definately a tricky one but it's a favorite on the O.W.L.s so one you definately need to know even if Professor Snape weren't going to test you on it in class."
Heads together, Majandra begins going over the steps of the potion with Natalie.
