Grimmauld
Place: The Fenririan Manuscript
Author: Severus Snape
Date: 10-17-03 16:01
Everyone knew about the Fenririan Manuscript, particularly those wizards of the dark arts or those actively fighting evil. Dark wizards wanted to use it, good wizards wanted to find it and prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. Its content was powerful, fearful...capable of utter terror and mass destruction. With good reason, it became lost years and years ago after the untimely death of the dark wizard who had created it.
Snape joined his colleagues at the table and spoke of its history, of the powerful magic within. "It is believed that the spells in the manuscript are extremely difficult to learn and perform. If we provide the Dark Lord with a faux copy of the text, with alterations of course, he may not realize the Fenririan Manuscript he possesses is not the real thing and we can ensure that the manuscript's true power is never unleashed."
"Is there anything at all to suggest where we might find this manuscript?" Dierna asked.
"According to legend, it was created in Norway but we know the creator, Magnus the Norse, wreaked havoc all over Scandinavia before his death. It could be anywhere...Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark...or perhaps somewhere else entirely. It's been lost for so many centuries." Snape wrinkled his brow in thought and considered aloud, "Perhaps Binns might have some helpful information."
"Sounds like we'll be looking for a needle in haystack," Dierna mused.
"Yes," Snape agreed, "but I think we need to find it, one way or another. If not for me, then for us all."
Grimmauld
Place: The Fenr-whata?
Author: Nymphadora Tonks
Date: 10-17-03 19:47
Tonks listened quietly to Snape and Dierna converse about the manuscript. The bubblegum haired girl herself knew very little about it.
"Sounds like we'll be looking for a needle in haystack," Dierna mused.
"Yes," Snape agreed, "but I think we need to find it, one way or another. If not for me, then for us all."
"Hmph." Tonks leaned back in her chair putting her hands behind her head. "Funny how even a simple piece o'paper can be so important and evil eh?"
"You have no idea." Snape said flatly.
Tonks shrugged it off. "Ok, so if this Manuscript needs finding, just who is going to go in search for it? And how exactly should we start?" She tipped her chair back on its hind legs as she continued. "I for one think it'd be grand to search for it. It beats sitting 'round here all day. How hard can it be?" Tonks stretched her arms out and in doing so sent her falling to the floor with a loud thud. Despite her naive question everyone, except Snape, was laughing. Poking her head just above the table, rubbing her head she gave an embarrassed half smile. "Heh heh..."
Lullaby for
a Baby
Author: Bellatrix Lestrange
Date: 10-17-03 20:04
Nekros paused a moment in his cleaning, wondering what the noise was. He tiptoed down the hallway and stuck his wiry head around the door to his mistress's bedchamber. He experienced a moment of pure horror once he realized where the sound was coming from. His mistress was singing.
Bellatrix stood before her mirror, dragging a heavy silver brush through her thick, black hair. Static from the brush caused her hair to drift around her head, rather like a parody of some divine halo, the individual strands swaying with each movement. She felt alive for the first time in months – she felt stronger, as if the chill of Azkaban was finally retreating. Some of the gauntness was gone from her face, more of her beauty had returned although she still retained a rather fragile look, the cheekbones still prominent against the whiteness of her skin.
Bellatrix was currently humming to herself, singing the words to a lullaby under her breath as she brushed her hair.
Rock-a-bye Baby,
In the tree top,
When the wind blows,
The cradle will rock,
When the bough breaks,
The cradle will fall,
Down will come baby,
Cradle and all.
With a laugh she put the brush back on the dresser, looking in the mirror one last time and smoothing her dress over her hips. Nekros ducked out of the way as she passed, determined not to be the object of her wrath, yet surprised when she didn't even notice him.
Bellatrix descended the staircase into the front hall, and then opened a door which lay hidden in the panel work below. Another set of stairs led down, deep into the fieldstone below the mansion, passages carved carefully out of the rock leading who knew where. She herself had explored many of the corridors that led from this place, but many remained a mystery. Tonight she was more interested in what lay behind the heavy wooden door immediately in front of the staircase. With a word the door swung inward, revealing nothing but pitch blackness and a frightened whimper from the corner of the cell.
A small smile played at the corner of Bellatrix's mouth, not quite a sneer but one Lucius might be proud of. "Lumos" With this word the tip of her wand illuminated, casting a glow around the room and into the corners. Crouched against the back wall and huddled as far from the door as possible was a very pregnant woman, shivering with terror. Her eyes darted backward and forwards, following Bellatrix's every move.
"Silly likle muggle," whispered Bellatrix in her best baby voice. "Lost her way and now she'll pay..." She wandered around the room; half hoping the woman would make a break for the door. She turned around, facing the woman suddenly, who let out a shriek and sunk further into the corner. Bellatrix leaned over her and ran a hand over the woman's cheek. "You do however have something I need," she said, her voice firm all of a sudden. In one quick movement she pulled a strand of black hair from the woman's head.
Laughing, she extinguished her wand and returned to the corridor, leaving the woman to languish where she was and wonder what would happen to herself next.
The Search
Begins
Author: Albus Dumbledore
Date: 10-18-03 12:52
While Severus and Dierna go off on their search, I have one of my own which I must attend to. I pull my chair up closer to the hearth and fetch the notes I had written earlier. Throwing a pinch of Floo Powder into the fire I say, "Daily Prophet!"
A few moments later, a blond curly head appears in the midst of the flames. "Good afternoon! Daily prophet!" she announces, cheerily. "How may we help you?" There is a brief pause as she recognizes my face. "Oh! Hello, Professor Dumbledore. How are you?"
"I am doing quite well, Auda. And yourself?" I reply, recognizing one of our recent graduates.
"I'm fine, sir. I work the switchboard one day a week, and get to do reall investigative reporting for the other four. It's really a very interesting job. Now! What can we do for you today?" she asks. I smile and say, "Well, now. It seems that I need to place an advertisement in your newspaper."
"One moment, please..." she says. "I'll connect you with the proper department."
Her head vanishes and is replaced a few seconds later by a wizened old witch with more wrinkles than a dried apple. "Advertising... Whipple-Waite here!" she announces. "What can we do for you?" I wish to place an advertisement in your Help Wanted section," I tell her. "The text is to read:
Instructors wanted for coming school year. One in the area of Defense Against Dark Arts, and one in Muggle studies. Applicants must be well-versed in their respective field and be able to interact with young people. Apply in person with resumé and credentials at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Owl to Minerva McGonagall for an appointment.
I quickly read over my notes to make sure I have not forgotten anything, as she finishes taking her notes. She reads the whole thing back to me, and I nod my approval. "Now! I would like that to appear in each Sunday's edition, for the next six weeks or until further notice."
"All right," she says, doing some mental arithmetic. "That will be three galleons, nine sickels per week!"
"Thank you," I smile. "I shall owl you a draught on our Gringotts' account for the entire amount."
"That will be fine, Professor. Will there be anything else?"
"No... I think not. At least, not at this time." I tell her. She smiles and winks out of existance, as far as MY fireplace is concerned. I rise and prepare to go down to Hogsmeade and have that draught prepared.
12 Grimmauld
Place: Delegating
Author: Dierna ní Cíaran
Date: 10-19-03 20:11
"Tell me again how you made it past stealth and tracking?" I ask Tonks, as she picks herself off the floor. I turn back to Severus "Asking Binns is a good idea - Fletcher might have some information on rumors of the Manuscript's location. I wouldn't trust him to keep a secret, though." I think for a moment. "Tonks can you disguise yourself and check out Knocturn Alley? Look everywhere, ask questions, but don't seem too eager."
"Leave it to me, Dierna!"
"And don't trip on anything and give yourself away!"
"Severus - I'll leave it to you to ask Professor Binns."
"And yourself?" Snape asks me.
"I'm going to look around Ireland and check my sources there. I'll also take a look at Twice Told Tales. I live in Hogsmeade, so it's close."
Durmstrang
Institute: Found Out
Author: Michael Turin
Date: 10-19-03 20:41
The meeting after exams had gone normally, but Michael was feeling edgy - like something was about to happen. He finished the last of the report cards when the door opened and in stepped the headmaster.
"All done, Michael?" He asked normally.
Michael looked up. "What did you call me?"
"Michael, as in Michael Turin. You did very well to get past us this long, but game's over."
Merdroit stepped in the door beside the headmaster. "Who'd have thought that my little cousin could be so good at disguise?"
"If I am this Michael Turin, wouldn't you have figured this out long ago, Merdroit?"
"How do you know I didn't?" He asked back.
"Because if you did suspect, you wouldn't have been so open in boasting about your plans."
"Touche," replied the Headmaster. "As for plans, I'm afraid you know a bit too much of those. Can't have you been running back to Britain and telling on us? No- you can't leave here at all, and it would be much too troublesome to keep you prisoner." He pointed his wand and Michael's chest. Merdroit did so too.
"So long, cousin. I always knew you'd meet an untimely death."
Durmstrang
Institute: Escape
Author: Michael Turin
Date: 10-20-03 20:06
There was obviously no use in acting anymore. The Headmaster and Merdroit were determined to kill Michael, no matter what. The only thing that matters is NOT meeting "an untimely death," as Merdriot so eloquently put it.
Michael whipped out his wand and pointed it at a shelf. "Accio potion!" A medium sized flask with a silvery potion whizzed across the room and into Michael's outstretched hand. He held it above his head, as if ready to throw it.
"One step, and I will demonstrate the effectiveness of an effervescent-ignatius potion combined. I assure you it's quite - explosive." Michael stepped toward the closet. He had a broom in there, if he could get to it he could escape out the window.
"Now Michael. Surely you don't think you can bluff us so easily?" asked the Headmaster.
"Certainly I can. I pulled a big one off for a semester, didn't I? And if you are so sure that I'm bluffing, go ahead and try to attack me."
Merdroit and the Headmaster looked at each other uncertainly. Merdroit had always said his cousin was useless at potions - but that was obviously not true. And this was a NEWT student's potion - not Michael's. Michael put his wand back in its sheath, opened the closet and took out the broom.
"I'm leaving now." Michael said, getting on the broom and flying out of the window. "And just to make sure you don't follow me . . ." He lobbed the flask in the air and it crashed on the floor. The potion was every bit as dangerous as said. The whole room shook and the walls collapsed. Unfortunately, the explosion drew the attention of the other professors (who also seemed to know now Michael is a spy) and they all rushed out to catch the escapee.
Michael leaned completely forward, urging his broom forward. It picked up speed, gaining some distance between him and his pursuers. He swiveled south-west - towards Greece. His friend's house was the closest safe spot.
Flight or
Fight?
Author: Michael Turin
Date: 10-21-03 18:49
Michael quickly looks behind him. The four professors on his tail were beginning to catch up. Michael was flying at his broom's fastest. They were close enough that their curses were able to hit him, if he wasn't careful. He swerved left to avoid a curse, then quickly deflected another. By the crash behind him someone just lost their broom.
The sun was shifting. He must have been flying for at least an hour. How long would it take to reach Athens? He wondered, narrowly avoiding another curse flung at him. From nowhere, three more people materialize in front him.
Michael dives downward to avoid colliding with them. He swished his wand, sending a bezerker hex at whoever was closet. He heard cursing and someone bashing into several others.
By now it was getting dark and cold and starting to drizzle. If he didn't get to Athens soon, he's being too frozen to steer his broom. At least most of his pursuers were out of commission for a while. He took the opportunity to disillusion himself, then fly lower to see where he was.
"More than an hour," he commented himself, then flew back into the cloud cover. The cold was slowing done his broom. He wasn't sure if the Durmstrangers had sent for back up or what. He had to act as if they were still right behind him. He also had to hurry up and get to safety before hypothermia took over. Inside a thick cloud, summer didn't exist.
Then several things happened at once: Someone suddenly yelled, "Michael?"
"Aneas?" Michael shouted back, recognizing the Greek accent.
"Look out!"
WHAM! The charm hit Michael square in the back as Aneas Eatos' own hit the offending Dursmtrang professor, knocking her of her broom.
145 Belgravia
Square: Relaxing a la Muggle
Author: Professor Belladonna Sinistra
Date: 10-20-03 02:39
Bella examined her new manicure as she walked into the door, hands full of packages. Damn Prada for having such a wonderful sale! One intends to walk into one store and do some light shopping, but instead spends the whole afternoon going from one store to another followed by a driver. What ever happened to plans to simplify her life? Gone out the window for one lovely purse. She sighed, thinking herself a spoiled brat who really should go to that free Tibet rally to make up for overindulgence.
She played her answering machine and waited for anything that needed to really be taken care of. Just the usual club hopping invites, which meant it was free Tibet that night. How did she get herself caught up in these Muggle things? Oh well, as long as she was helping to make the world a better place. Besides, anything dishy Richard Gere was that involved in had to be worthwhile. Wonder if she could wear those new beaded jeans just in case there was time to pop in a few clubs...
Bella smiled, clicking her tongue at herself before sitting down and watching the telly for a while before dinner. Darling Mrs. McM was making a wonderful bit of some sort of wonderful smelling chicken and no doubt wanted Bella far away from the kitchen and not offering to help. Really, the squib housekeeper and her husband were a godsend, writing down phone messages and printing out emails to be owled. Plus, they never minded her showing up out of the blue. Without them, it would be impossible to have any sort of life in the Muggle world, which meant a mental note to be extra generous this year when it came to Boxing Day checks.
Daydreaming
Author: Annabella Mayberry
Date: 10-20-03 10:40
Perfectly relaxed, Annabella sat next to Gabe in one of the compartments of the Hogwarts Express. She was listening as he told her more of what it was like in New Zealand and Anna never got tired of listening to him recount his travels. The hard part was getting him to talk about them. But soon both of them drifted into silence, a silence that was made comfortable through their close relationship. A smile of content formed on Anna's lips as she thought of her future plans for her summer. She would spend two weeks in Edinburgh with her family who she was looking forward to meeting. It seemed that her sister, Elaine, has found herself a serious boyfriend in Jeremy of whom she has been writing her sister for the last month. The part about her summer that she looked forward to the most would be her summer with Gabe. She had a feeling it would be unforgettable, anything with Gabe always was.
Holiday Plans
Author: Santhea Fennally
Date: 10-17-03 05:02
Santhea sat on her own, gazing at the world that flew by outside. Why on earth had she insisted on taking the train. She could have easily gone home from Hogwarts. Well, the official reason was that she needed to get something from Diagon Alley, something she hadn't been able to lay hands on in Hogsmeade. And it was true as well. She needed new summer robes, fit for a Scottish summer rather than the warmth of the south of France.
This year she couldn't find any excuses to avoid visiting her family home. And she had tried hard. However, only recently a ray of hope had pushed the clouds of dread apart. Once again she took out the small piece of parchment to gaze at it. Why had Malfoy given it to her? And what in Merlin's name had happened that night. Whatever it was, it had caused her to take the stupid Hogwarts Express instead of flooing or apparating to Diagon Alley.
Malfoy Manor. For some reason the name seemed to hold something calming, sounded more inviting than Fennally Castle. The night she first held the address in her hands they had been shaking, just like now. Malfoy, she refused to think of him as Draco, had covered them with his left, his right caressing her cheek. He was just leaning in to, no, she refused to think of that, when the door burst open and the sad excuse for a Slytherin also known as Pansy Parkinson stepped into the Common Room. Draco, no, Malfoy broke away almost immediately, squeezing her hand briefly. Before he left for his dormitory he sent an apologetic smile...
Sighing deeply, she stared at the grey houses of the northern suburbs of London. Taking out her wand, she quickly shrank her trunk and straightened her Muggle dress.
The train was slowing down and finally stopped at King's Cross. Searching for some notes and coins for a taxi and not watching her steps, she bumped into someone. None other than Malfoy. The young wizard smiled for a second before he could stop himself. He nodded at her, "Fennally, guess I'll be seeing you." In a low voice he added, "You will write me, won't you..."
Loud enough for the passing Ms Parkinson to hear she answered, "Well, it can't be helped, can it?" In a whisper she continued, "I still don't know why you want me to, but I guess I shall..."
"Don't forget, you'll always be welcome at the Manor." A lump in her throat made it impossible for her to answer. So she just inclined her head and quickly leaned in to plant a kiss on his cheek. When she drew back, she dropped a small note into his hand. "This is a small house near Loch Lomond where I used to hid as a child when father... In case you're in Scotland during the holidays." With that she turned, not once glancing back. But all the while she had the feeling he was watching her until she disappeared into the Muggle world.
