Think! Concentrate! Do!
Author: Ethan Somerset 
Date:   10-26-04 18:12

Ethan remembered everything about his cliff-side clandestine meeting with Morgain and Maverick. He'd come, not on a whim, but on command, and met the vessels of the Dark Lord, who were links between him and the others... the small circle--how many, Ethan did not know for sure--of witches and wizards, who were not Death Eaters but all the same servants of Voldemort... but why? That was one question Ethan still had no answer for.

Morgain grew increasingly suspicious of Ethan, but whether she reported her feelings to her superior, Ethan didn't know. Kep-Tian never questioned him again, freely or forcefully under the effects of veritaserum, nor did he again use the invasive magic to pry into the inner-workings of Ethan's brain. He rarely entered the darkened chamber these days, and Nero wasn't to be seen either. Only Morgain came with food and water, and potions and spells when the first two were not in order.

Now alone in his prison, Ethan wiggled around in his chair. He had to find a way to free himself, for he knew his days were numbered--sooner or later. He had to get out while he still had the strength--if it hadn't failed him yet--and report what he knew to the Ministry. The fact that he still had an Azkaban sentence to serve did not faze him one bit. Rather rot there than here.

The bonds around his wrists behind his back were magical cords, just as those around his ankles and the legs of the chair. It would not be a matter of unraveling the rope or cutting through the bonds with a knife or a sharp rock--it would take so much more than that. Magic could only be broken with a wand, and Ethan didn't have one. His had been snapped the minute he'd been assigned to life in prison. But maybe if he put his mind to it...

Frustration quickly overcame him. How could he concentrate with everything hanging overhead? He felt tired and weak and frightened... yes frightened. What would happen if Voldemort walked through the door? Would he live the tell the tale? Ethan shuddered.

You must try! Ethan told himself. Think! Concentrate! Do!

And so he put his mind to it with hopes that something good might come to fruition before it would be too late.

---

It's Official
Author: Bill Weasley 
Date:   10-26-04 18:57

Bill called on Fleur at the Inn as the first stars of the night speckled the evening sky. She looked radiant in robes of aquamarine silk and her hair, loose, framed her face beautifully. She smiled a dazzling white smile at Bill and took his arm, and together they went to the Spinning Horn for a romantic dinner, with Bill fervently hoping for no unexpected motherly interruptions.

Their meal was just that... cozy, romantic, and interruption-free... and what came after... the kiss at the end of the night, was just how Bill had dreamed it might be. They were standing outside the Inn, completely oblivious to the sparse, yet ever-present foot traffic on High Street. A soft spring-summer breeze ruffled some of Fleur's hair from her face. Bill raised his hand to her cheek and then ran his fingers through her flaxen hair. He moved a bit closer to her and felt her slender arms slip around his neck. She pulled his head down towards hers and their lips met.

They parted with smiles on their faces.

"Good night, Bill," Fleur whispered. She touched his cheek with her hand and then slipped inside the Inn, leaving Bill rooted to the spot with a goofy grin on his face. After a few long minutes he finally pumped his fist in the air, but refrained from shouting "Woohoo!"

He turned and started to walk home with a bit of a skip in his step.

---

Being Brave
Author: Eve Sparrow 
Date:   10-26-04 19:55

Eve debated to once again within herself if she should go talk to her father. It had been years since she last saw him and who knows if he ever forgave her for leaving the magic world to live with muggles. She had left with anger and had flashed many mean and hurtful pictures to her fathers mind, telling him excatly what she thought of him denying her this job and the man she went to live with. It hadn't been more then two weeks when he left her, but she had been stubborn enough to not go back home to daddy.

Eve knew that it was time to reconcile with the family and to make things better. Her sister Dawn had warned her not to go with this man and Genny, wonderful Genny, told her in only the way she could, that to go with this man would hurt her more in the long run then any of the good times that may come. She should have listened. Eve knew that if anyone would accept her back willingly and openly, it would be Adam.

When she had left, Adam was getting married. The wedding had been great and they parted on very neuteral terms. Eve missed Adam, and contemplated what to do. Should she go talk to her father tonight, or see what Adam had to say? Not wanting to bother either of them, Eve deliberated in her soul what to do.

Where should I go Sam? Would Adam be best to talk to? Eve said to her dog, and the reply was almost immediate. Adam would be best. You are close to him like you are to me. Go to him.

Eve smiled and then went to her bed room after giving Sam a nice pat on the head. Changing into a pair of blue jeans and a blue t-shirt, Eve pulled her hair back in a clip that let some of the curls cascade around her face. Smiling, Eve took out her wand and decided to try to apparate at Adam's house, though this time, she was going to aim for his living room.

One moment Eve was standing in her bed room and the next she found herself outside of a beautiful house. Shaking her head and smiling at her mistake, Eve put her wand away and walked up to the door, ringing the door bell.

Standing there Eve reached with her mind to find her brother and she sighed in relief when she found him. Good. He was home and he was alone. Eve didn't think that was odd at first but later dismissed the idea of where his wife was, but that didn't concern her.

Eve was lead into the house by a house elf and brought to her brother. Smiling a small and nervous smile, Eve walked over to him and gave him a tenitive hug. She had seen him a few nights before, but that was clouded with only talk of Rufus and Genny, this was about her and she was frightened.

Reaching out in her mind she asked Adam how he was. She was put at ease when he reached for her hand and pulled her down into a huge hug and kissed her on the cheek. Giggling at his sister's look of astonishment and shock, Adam had let her go.

Tears started to well up in her eyes as she knew that she was accepted where Adam was concerned. Wanting to just spill everything out and talk to him, Eve sighed in frustration when she realized she would have to be patient and talk to him through his mind. She wondered what kind of advice he would give to her concerning thier father, and sisters. The one that wieghed most heavy on her heart was if they would take her back into thier homes and lives and eventually thier hearts. She told him everything that had been going on in her life, from leaving with a man she thought she loved, him leaving her for another woman, finding out she had no home and no job and fighting away for herself to be where she was at now; in a job and an apartment doing well. She told him that one of the reasons she hadn't visited much in the past was that she wanted to have made something of herself before seeing her father. What she did not tell Adam was that the reason for doing that was that she had hoped that she would gain some level of love or respect from her father.

Before she knew what was happening, the night started to fade away.

---

My New Master
Author: Erestor 
Date:   10-26-04 21:09

Joshua Killington was a nice master to me. He was not the kind of master that raised his voice or grew impatient. Instead, he would give me time to do what he asked of me and rewarded me with a treat of some sort for doing a job well done. When I had served as his house elf for two years, he gave me a room in his mansion to sleep in. I had a bed with real blankets and pillows so soft. It was like I was human. For clothing, I only had the standard rag garment that befitted my status. Often, he would take it from me when he would have me bathing and would use his magic on it to make it perfect again. He took good care of me as I did him.

"It's getting close to that time of year again," he said to me. "We must be off to Hogmeade and Florish and Blotts to get some candy."

Going with him, I knew it would be my duty to carry his parcels and bags with me. It was a good job because he would treat me to a butterbeer if I was good. Although they made me drunk, one every so often was a great treat.

As we passed an alley, we heard somebody call out his name. Unsure of what was going to happen, master went down to speak to the man. I stayed a little behind when a magical explosion turned my world dark. I was in pain but managed to crawl to my master.

"Master," I cried to see that he was indeed dead. "Don't be dead master. Please don't be dead."

Before I knew what happened, strangers were coming to see what the problem was.

"That house elf saw what happened. He probably tried magic and killed his master," a sly voice whispered.

"NO," I cried out. "Master good to me," I said "he always was good to me. Somebody help him."

Before I could do anything, I felt the sting of something hit me and I started to black out. Not before seeing a face of kind man.

"Don't help me," I said slowly. "Help my master. Please help my master."

---

Frostbite and Smores Don't Mix
Author: Genesis Sparrow 
Date:   10-26-04 21:23

Genny sighed, leaving Rufus to his industrious channel surfing. She leaned over the side of the bed to drag her bag up on it. She pulled a couple shirts and a book out of the way to get to the magazine she'd grabbed on the way to St. Mungos. Gen dropped the realestate magazine of "Hogsmeade and the Surrounding Area" onto Rufus' lap. On the cover was a picture of a small blue house with a happy family waving up at the viewers.

"Well?" she asked. "What do you think?"

Rufus was still staring at the television, watching Jerry Springer. "Mmm hmm, looks lovely, Genny." His eyes didn't move from the screen. "Can you believe the tattoos on that woman?"

Genny snatched the magazine from his lap and slapped him over the head with it. "Rufus!"

He jumped, looking over at her with wide eyes. "What? They're atrocious tattoos! They really are!"

"Fine," she growled under her breath, climbing from the bed and taking the catalogue with her. "I'll look for our house by myself. You can keep watching your atrocious tattoo woman; I don't need your help."

Rufus scrambled from the bed, reaching for Genny. "No, no, no! I'm sorry, luv. Here," he said, taking the magazine from her. "We'll look together."

Genesis grabbed it back, dancing from his reach. "Don't you give me that 'luv' business. You missed your chance; go back to your T.V. The opportunity to view homes, Rufus Salisbury, is over." Genny clutched the magazine to her chest, folding her arms around it and raising her chin. Her eyes widened for one instant as a mischevious grin spread over Rufus' face. A heartbeat later tackled her and threw her onto the bed, tickling her sides and wrestling the magazine from her. "I'll be taking that now," he grinned, before making a mad dash for the door, stolen booklet in hand.

"Hey! Rufus! That's mine, damn it! Bring it back, you thief!" Genny was on her feet, and running out the door and into the hall, only to find that Rufus was no where in sight and the only thing to be heard was the hum of the vending machines.

"Rufus?" Gen walked cautiously toward the corner and the elevators, expecting him to apparate out of nothingness. "Rufus, come out, would you?!" She was nearly to the corner now. "Rufus! Stop playing games!"

Genny only caught a flash of color before Rufus jumped from beside the ice machine, a bucket of its frozen contents in his hand, the realestate magazine rolled up and stuffed into his back pocket. Gen squealed as he grabbed her around the waist, trying to stuff ice down her shirt.

"Nooo! Ooo, it's cold! Rufuuuuus!!" She laughed and squirmed and wriggled her way to freedom, running back into his room. She spun around, trying to close the door on him, but he was too fast. Gen abandoned the door and jumped on the bed, holding a pillow at the ready. "Don't you dare!" She watched the boyish glint in his eye as he paced the perimeter of the bed for a moment, panting and grinning. "Don't! Rufus....Rufus........!"

With lightening speed her fiance struck out, grabbing her ankle and pulling her feet out from under her. Genny squealed, struggling to get free, expecting to feel the frozen burn of ice on her neck, but Rufus had other plans. Genesis stopped struggling as his mouth closed on hers.

"You're cheating," she murmured.

"Me? Cheat? And how is that, Miss Sparrow?"

"I don't know, but you are. And you stole my book of houses."

"Ahh, but that's our book of houses. A husband cannot steal a book from his wife...he is merely borrowing it."

"Cruel boy, trying to freeze me to death."

Rufus grinned. "Come on, Genny, it's just a bit of fun."

Genny gave a mock pout. "Was not, it was colllld--" She broke off her sentence with a squeal, trying to kick free of Rufus' hold as he was making quick work of stuffing icecubes into her pants.

They both froze as the phone rang.

"Should I get it?"

He climbed off the bed, nodding. "If it's your father, I'm not in."

Genny rolled over to the phone. "Hello?"

"Yes, this is Jane at the front desk, we have a package for a Mrs. Genesis Salisbury......You know, I wasn't aware Doctor Salisbury had a wife...are you the missus?"

Genesis scowled at the phone, hissing and batting away Rufus' icy fingers as he slid them around her waist. "What? Just...just bring the package up, would you?"

"Yes, ma'am, of course."

Gen let the reciever fall back into the cradle with a clatter before spinning out of her fiance's grasp and rubbing her hands over her goose-bump covered stomach. "Ooo, that's cooold! You're going to give me frostbite! How would you like icecubes down your pants, hmm, Mr.Tough Guy??"

Genesis grabbed a handful of ice from the bucket as Rufus ran around the room in mock terror. She'd given up on catching him and was in the process of throwing the icecubes when there was a knock on the frame of their open door. She tossed the extra cubes across the room to where Rufus was cleverly blocking them with a well-placed pillow-sheild.

Rufus joined her at the door, his chin resting on her shoulder as he watched the suspicious money-mongering messenger, his arms wrapped protectively around his soon-to-be-wife's waist. Genny waited until the messenger had left before holding up the box to him.

"Look..." she said with a smile. "It's addressed to Genesis Salisbury."

The smile that spread across Rufus' face warmed her heart. He pulled her close and kissed her, his hands cradling her head and mess of tangled black hair. "I like the sound of that. Mrs. Genesis Salisbury. Well...what's in it then? Who's it from, Mrs. Salisbury?"

"Let's find out, shall we?" Genny took his hand and led him over to the bed, tugging at the flaps on the corners of the box. She opened it to find six smores, layered in wax paper and still warm from the bakery.

"Oh my God. Rufus...he sent me smores! He isn't angry anymore!"

"Who? Who sent you smores, and what in God's name are they?"

"They're a desert...sort of..."

"Who's sending you deserts in the mail??"

A small smile curled around Genny's lips as she let out a soft sigh. "Oh, I don't know, my secret admirer perhaps. You know what secret admirers do, don't you? They go and find happily engaged couples and steal the bride away."

Rufus only scowled.

"Oh, come on Rufus, it was only a joke. You're the only admirer I'm interested in," she said with a smile and a kiss, squeazing his hand. "They're from my father. When I was little, we used to make these when we went camping at the ranch. It means I'm in his good graces again. Isn't that wonderful??"

---

It's an Elf... and a Cat!
Author: Adam Sparrow 
Date:   10-26-04 22:23

"Your master... Your master has been, taken care of."

Sidi helped Adam lift the elf into his lap. No one seemed to care about the wounded little elf. Adam wondered what it was doing laying in the alley with no one around. It wasn't normal for House-elves to wander far from their masters. They took it back to the shop and set up a wooden crage with pillows in it as a bed. Adam hovered over the tiny bed and its inhabitant.

"Let him sleep Adam. It's obvious something happened. We can ask him when he wakes up."

Adam followed his wife out of the safe/storage room. "Did you hear what it said?"

"Don't help me," Adam said slowly. "Help my master. Please help my master. That's creepy! I wonder what happened!"

He rolled behind the counter and started to clean the inside of the cases.

"I wouldn't mind having a house elf!"

"Adam! It's slavery!" Sidi, who was very sensitive to enslavement issue due to her own Gypsy heritage, scowled. "There will be NO slaves in our home!

She brought him a bucket of hot soapy water. He started to scrub the insides of the glass cases.

"For your information Mrs. I kno everything, they're not slaves! They like to hang out wearing rags and work their asses off. They don't want to be free so if you make them free against their will you are enslaving them to your idea of freedom, not theirs!"

She looked at him not really sure if he was wrong or not.

"All right then" she stood in front of him. "If when he wakes up, he wants out of here then he's free to go! We're not searching for his alleged master! He's a free elf."

Adam tisked and shook his head. He looked at the cat that had suddenly started hanging around the shop and recently decided to live in it with them.

"You know cat, she's never going to get it."