Tragedy
Author: Ethan Somerset
Date: 11-07-02 17:15
Ethan felt bile rise up his throat. Another person lay dead, this one a witch. He noticed Viktor shaking at his side, but whether it was out of fear or anger, Ethan couldn't tell. Both emotions seemed so appropriate at this horrible moment.
Meanwhile, Koyla threw back his head and filled the deathly silent room with maniacal laughter. Ethan had never seen him in such a way before, although he knew deep down that this man, who had always appeared to be so suave and collected, was really dark, deadly and down-right evil.
The next victim was already being dragged into the room when suddenly, witches and wizards burst into the room and disarmed Koyla and his followers. The aurors substantially outnumbered the enemy, resulting in little struggle to seize control of the situation.
Geoffrey Blackwell and Jaidan Peters were among the aurors to come to the rescue. Both focused their attention on Ethan and Viktor, who were battered, bruised and disturbed by what they had witnessed.
The head of this band of aurors shouted out instructions left and right, but Ethan wasn't listening. Over and over again, he saw in his mind the image of a clueless Muggle and an innocent young witch losing their lives at the hands of evil. It made him sick. Sick that there were people who could kill so easily. Sick that he was unable to prevent the deaths.
Ethan doubled-over and threw up.
Hours later, Ethan and Viktor were sitting in an office at the Ministry of Magic. They had just explained everything to the proper officials and were eager to get home so that they could put this tragic event behind them. It certainly wouldn't be an easy task.
In the meantime, the aurors had rounded up Koyla, Grigori, Stefka and the others and sent them to a temporary prison facility. The battle at Azkaban from last Christmas currently rendered that penitentiary unfit to house the criminals. In the near future, each of the dark wizards would go to trial and get slapped with a guilty verdict. The seizure of Koyla proved to be a remarkable feat, but it came at a terrible price.
Two people lost their lives. A few aurors who had participated in the raid had seen to the task of delivering the Muggle man's body to his family. A believable reason for his demise was fabricated as to prevent any suspicion.
Kendra Beck's family was tracked down in Bulgaria. In shock, denial and tears, they escorted her body to the Ministry headquarters. The young witch's body was currently resting in a small office down the hall. Her family had been interviewed by Ministry officials as well, and they, too, were eager to get home (and bring Kendra with them) in order to be with family and friends.
Ethan sighed deeply and rubbed his temples. He could hear the cries from down the hall and it broke his heart. "It shouldn't have happened," he groaned. "Why did it take the aurors so long to get there?"
Viktor frowned. "You hurd vat ze offizial zed. Zey just cooldn't track ze vatch down fazt enuf."
"I know," Ethan sighed. "I just wish..."
"I know." Viktor sighed, too.
Seeing George
Again
Author: Majandra
Date: 11-07-02 18:57
Majandra cranes her neck every time she sees flashes of red in the passing throng, hoping George arrives very soon. Well, Fred too of course. She'd flooed into Diagon Alley a couple of hours earlier. After leisurely window shopping and a huge chunk of time spent at Flourish & Blotts, Majandra had snagged a well situated and nicely shaded table outside of a little sandwich shop just down from Florean Fortescue's. Before going to the bookstore, she'd nearly gone to Gambol & Japes but decided to wait since George and Fred will likely want to go there as well.
Waving to the waitress for a refill of chilled pumpkin juice, Majandra looks down long enough to scan the menu. She raises her head to once more watch the passing crowd only to be so startled she visible jumps. Standing directly in front of her, grinning ear to ear, victoriously holding their apparating licenses are the Weasley twins.
George easily pulls Majandra out of her chair and gives her a huge hug while twirling her around and planting a kiss on her lips. Fred gives her an equally big hug but settles for a very chaste, brotherly kiss on Majandra's cheek.
The three all sit down just as the waitress returns with Majandra's drink. After taking the drink orders from the boys and lunch orders from all three, the waitress hurries off again. Majandra pulls out wrapped packages she had stashed in a bag under the table.
"I hope you don't mind. I was so sure you'd both pass, I went ahead and got you each something."
Hoping they like their gifts, Majandra sits back and watches as George and Fred rip into the boxes. They hold aloft identical mahogany wood frames, one inscribed with George's initials, the other with Fred's.
"I thought you might like to have something to put your licenses in. They're just the right size. Do you like them?" Majandra asks with a tinge of wistfulness in her voice.
Hermione stuffed some clothes into her trunk and flattened out the wrinkles with some heavy books. Mr. Granger had offered to drive the kids to the Burrow, where they would be spending the remainder of their summer vacation.
Ron had been written regularly, and was eagerly awaiting Hermione's arrival. She wasn't sure what he thought about Gabriel, but she figured she'd find out soon enough.
After everything was packed, Hermione slammed her trunk shut and called out, "Gabe, are you all packed?"
"Been packed for hours, Hermione." Gabriel appeared in the doorway and grinned. "You're such a girl."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I just have a lot of things, all right? Now help me carry these to the car."
She reached for a duffle bag and indicated that he should take the trunk. Gabriel rolled up his sleeves and approached the bed, upon which said trunk was placed. He gripped the handle and heaved it off the bed, only to suddenly drop it to the ground. The trunk hit the floor with a loud bang and barely missed his foot.
"What the hell did you put in that thing, Hermione?" He didn't have to ask. Gabriel knew that it was loaded with books.
"Do you need some help with that, Gabe?" Hermione laughed. "Too bad we can't use magic, right? It would make this so much easier!"
The pair managed to get the car loaded and after double-checking that they hadn't forgotten anything, they said good-bye to Mrs. Granger and promised they'd write often. They slid into the car and Mr. Granger started the engine. Hermione Granger and Gabriel Baine were headed for the Burrow.
Dinner Conversations
Author: Gabriel Garisson
Date: 11-07-02 22:15
Gabriel hardly moved his fried chicken from the plate, his mind still on the letter of acceptance to Hogwarts. And how his parents were going to take it. He had hidden his Wiccan belongings in various parts of his room, not one thing he used recognizable. Even still he felt that his parents knew. Both his parents had grown up in a strict Catholic upbringing and sometimes read the Bible when nothing else was around.
His mother, Lilly, noticed the untouched chicken and glanced up at Gabriel's face. "Gabriel, what's wrong?"
"Huh?" Gabriel noticed that he was tracing the owl he had seen with his food and quickly scribbled it out, "I got a letter from a school I doubt you had heard of. It's in England, sort of a private school."
Zander, his father looked interested and his older sister, Felicia, looked up from her dinner. She was sixteen and looked more like her parents that Gabriel did. In the light she had often sworn that his hair was more silver than blond. She had gone to a private school in San Francisco and never talked about it much.
"Let's see the letter, honey." Lilly said.
Reluctantly, Gabriel gave up the letter, including the shopping list, to his mother, waiting to burst of his chair at the first sign that she might faint. The only sound came from Rose, the little albino kitten that Gabriel kept as a pet. Mouthing the words as she read, Gabriel noticed that his mother didn't look like she was going to faint, but passed it on to her husband. Neither looked angry or like they were going to faint. It surprised him.
"I guess the tales about Old Lillywen are true." Zander said at last.
"Lillywen?" Gabriel had never heard of Lillywen.
"She was your ancestor, about two hundred years ago. Tales said that she was a witch, but we always thought that they had meant a Wiccan, like you." Lilly said.
Felicia and Gabriel both dropped their silverware onto their plates, Gabriel knew that she was a Wiccan and she him, but they never thought that they knew.
Noticing their faces, Lilly smiled her gentle smile, "We knew for some time about you and your sister's hobby. Both of you have a lot in common with Lillywen, but you Gabriel, you look more like her than anyone in a while."
"Your mother was named after her, but she would rather be called Lilly than Lillywen. I can remember when she used to tell me tales about her great grandmother Lillywen studying ancient lore and herbology. I really didn't believe her."
"I didn't believe the tales myself." Lilly stated.
"Anyway, it looks like you have more in common with her that we thought. Lilly once told me that Lillywen went to a school called Hogwarts."
"So you're not mad." Gabriel was dumbfounded, but for that matter so was Felicia.
They just smiled back at him, "No, honey, just a little surprised to find out that the tales about Lillywen are true. I'm sure you'll love it there." Lilly said, "I'll tell you what, I'll take you back home tomorrow so we can buy your school supplies and so you can pack."
Gabriel jumped up and hugged his mother, while Felicia and Zander smiled at him, "Guess you will become a true wizard, Gabriel." Feilicia smiled at him.
Aftermath
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 11-07-02 22:23
Ethan and Viktor stood in silence for several minutes then just as Ethan found his voice to say he was apparating home, the two men spontaneously embraced in a brotherly hug. With a final, warm handshake, Ethan was gone in a blink as he disapparated out of the building.
Viktor remains a little longer, walking down the hallway to the room where Kendra lies under a shroud. Viktor pulls back the black cloth covering her face, remembering the bright, vivacious young girl Cedric had introduced him to. Wishing fervently that he could erase Kendra's contorted expression of pain and replace it with one of peaceful bliss. Bending over, Viktor places a gentle kiss on Kendra's pale, cold cheek, then whispers in her ear, "I shood haf safed you, Kendra Beck. Pleaze forgif me."
Slowly pulling the shroud back over Kendra's face, Viktor exits the room, pulling the door softly shut behind him. He leans back against it with a shuddering sigh then disapparates from the Ministry to the home of the Bulgarian Quidditch team's coach.
Viktor knocks on the door and is ushered in by the coach who expresses pleasant surprise at seeing Viktor. Then he gets a look at Viktor's face. The two men sit across from each other as Viktor lets the coach know about Grigori. He relates just the bare bones facts feeling the news of Grigori's arrest should come from him and not some bureaucratic, uncaring Ministry official. The coach senses Viktor is leaving out many key details but from the glazed over look in Viktor's eyes, the coach decides now is not the time to press for more information.
As soon as he possibly can, Viktor takes his leave from the coach and apparates home. Once there he stands in a daze in the middle of the living room. After standing there who knows how long, Viktor walks zombie like into the bathroom where he empties the contents of his stomach. After several minutes of racking, dry heaves, Viktor's stomach finally stops churning. He brushes his teeth and rinses the awful taste from his mouth then takes a shower, scrubbing himself raw to get rid of the dirty feeling left by Koyla and his minions.
When Viktor finally emerges, he keeps running a towel over his hair and face but can't stop the drips. That's when he realizes he's crying. Wrapped in a thick robe, Viktor stumbles back into the living room where he collapses on the couch, unable to stop the tears. A deep ache in his chest feels to Viktor as if Koyla holds his heart in a tight fisted grip. The pain intensifies as the guilt Viktor's been feeling comes full force to the surface.
In Viktor's mind he should have tried harder to save Kendra, found more ways to stall Koyla. Better yet, he should have found a way to act to prevent that poor Muggle from being murdered as well. There has to have been something more he could have done. Other suggestions he could have made to Koyla to stall for more time. He should have acted quicker and grabbed Kendra and apparated away with her. The Ministry might have fined him for apparate with someone unlicensed but under the circumstances he doubts it would have been an issue. But if he'd one that, what of Ethan? Would Koyla have then killed Ethan on the spot? That would have been Viktor's fault as well.
For several long hours Viktor sits curled up on his couch, replaying everything over and over in his mind. Another thought suddenly cuts through the others causing Viktor to bolt upright. There is something else he should do before much more time passes. Still in a somewhat dazed state, Viktor quickly dons cleans clothes and disapparates from his apartment.
Breaking the
News
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 11-07-02 22:44
Viktor apparates just outside the gates of Hogwarts. He blinks several times in an effort to clear his blurry vision but finally gives up. He continues to stand at the gate then wonders why his legs aren't moving. With concerted effort, Viktor begins the walk up to the castle.
As he approaches the structure, he hears voices floating to him from somewhere out on the grounds. Viktor changes direction and goes around the side where he sees three women and a House Elf. In that stiff zombie gate he's had for much of the day, Viktor approaches.
"Pleaze be excuzing me, Provezzor McGononagall. I am needing to be talking vit you."
Although he'd showered earlier, Viktor still looks bedraggled with visible bruises, haunted, glazed eyes, and such a sad expression, Professor McGonagall doesn't bother with the formalities of introducing Viktor to the others nor does she bother asking him what's wrong. Instead, she gives a brusque, "Excuse me, ladies, Dobby," takes Viktor by the arm and escorts him away.
Once where they may speak freely in private, the professor waits patiently as Viktor haltingly, with tremor in his voice, tells her Kendra Beck's tragic fate.
Job Hunting
Author: Blossom
Date: 11-08-02 14:28
Blossom stands to one side of the walkway as people stream past. In one hand she holds a local edition of The Daily Prophet and in the other, Blossom has a Muggle magic marker in a bright shade of red. She's been using the marker to circle help wanted ads for jobs she might qualify to do. Blossom has gotten quite a kick out of people's reactions to the magic marker given that it does absolutely no magic whatsoever. They scratch their heads, perplexed looks on their faces, and wander away muttering about the oddities of the Muggle World.
There are a variety of positions needing filled in the Diagon Alley shops and Blossom has put in an application for most of them. The one she hopes most to get is actually the one that seems like it will be the hardest work but it's also more than double the pay of the others. If she gets it, Blossom would be working for Gringotts keeping empty vaults kept clean of dust, cobwebs, and so on. Whatever job she gets, IF she gets a job, Blossom hopes it will be very soon. She was lucky enough to find some very decent rooms to let with a rent that she could manage on her tight budget; but, Blossom knows her money will run out much faster than she cares to think about. A job is crucial for her plans to remain indefinitely in England.
Blossom sticks the marker in her robe pocket after putting an X through another of the circled ads. Just two more to go and she'll have made applications for all the jobs at Diagon Alley whose ads she'd made big red circles around. Before filling out those last two applications, Blossom decides it's time to listen to her growling stomach and grab a bite to eat.
Remembering there is a little sandwich place just a shop or two down from where she now stands, Blossom turns around and makes her way back to the quaint restaurant. Spying the only empty table in the shop's outdoor seating area, Blossom hurries to claim it. In the process, she bumps against a table occupied by a pretty, dark headed girl and two young men with vivid red hair who appear to be about her own age.
Flashing a brilliant smile, Blossom hastily apologizes to the trio then makes her way to the vacant table. A short moment later, Blossom is leaning back in her chair, taking her first refreshing sip of perfectly chilled butterbeer.
Dobby's eyes widen in surprise at the sight of Viktor Krum's unexpected appearance. Dobby thinks to himself, "Viktory Krum sir don't be lookin' so good. He uns gotta be some worried about Dobby's friend Mister Harry Potter sir. Dobby be knowin' how that feels."
Shaking his head sadly, a tear forming in the corner of one eye, and sighing in empathy, Dobby watches as Professor Mcgonagall quickly escorts the young man away. Giving a shrug and well-that's-how-it-goes look at Miss Gryffindor and Madam Pince, Dobby figures now is not the time to interrupt the Deputy Headmistress to find out what news there may be of Harry. Bowing in his most gallant fashion to the ladies, Dobby hightails it back into the castle intent on going to clean Harry's dorm room for the fifth time that day.
Draco pulled a candle from the withered hand's grasp and checked the time for the thousandth time that day. He was eagerly expecting Clara's visit and found the minutes dragging on at a dreadfully slow pace. The candle was chucked into a waste basket and the Hand of Glory was carefully placed on a shelf in his room. He brushed a speck of dust off of the cushion and gave a start when he heard the doorbell chime.
She was here!
The blonde Slytherin rushed out of his bedroom and down the long corridor, side-stepping a house-elf as he went. Draco took the stairs two at a time, and when he stepped onto the marble floor in the foyer he found Clara standing around with a bag over her shoulder. She was looking around the grand room, admiring the high ceiling and the ornate chandelier.
When her eyes settled on Draco, she smiled wide and dropped her bag to the floor. "Nice place you got here," she said.
Draco grinned. "I'm glad you could make it." He approached her and gave her a big hug. "C'mon, I'll give you the grand tour."
He snapped his fingers and a house-elf scurried over to get Clara's bag. "Take the bag to Clara's room," Draco demanded.
The elf nodded and dashed off to see to the task, while Draco took Clara's hand and began to show her around Malfoy Manor.
Traumatic
News
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 11-08-02 19:29
Bronwyn was sitting at her desk, penning a letter to her best friend, Kendra Beck, when Aemilia Dewhurst tapped lightly on the bedroom door and let herself into the room. The Hufflepuff's mother sat on the edge of the bed and watched her daughter for a few moments.
"Mum? What are you doing?" Bronwyn finally asked, putting the quill down. She craned her head to get a good look at her mother. It was then that she noticed that Mrs. Dewhurst's eyes were brimmed with tears.
"Mum? What happened? What's wrong?" Bronwyn sprang from her chair and slid next to her mother on the bed.
Aemilia took her daughter's hands into her own and sighed. "Bronwyn, I have terrible news."
Bronwyn remained silent, but she desperately wanted to cry out, Well, what is it?
The words she heard next would forever haunt her.
"Bronwyn...Little One..." Aemilia could tell that her daughter was already starting to tremble. "It's about Kendra. While she was in Bulgaria, she was captured by dark wizards. She..." Bronwyn was visibly shaking now. "Aurors came to the rescue, but they were too late, Bronwyn. They were too late. I'm so sorry, Sweetheart. Kendra is dead."
Bronwyn paled instantly. No, this couldn't be happening. This couldn't be true. "Mum...no..."
She began to sob and soon found herself wrapped in her mother's embrace.
Big News
Author: Julian Valentine
Date: 11-08-02 20:44
The pub isn't very busy so Madam Rosmerta has Helena's refill to the table before Julian is able to continue. Helena mumbles something that sounds like a thank you but still doesn't look up.
Julian starts over. "Helena, there's something I want to tell you."
Helena cuts in with a curt though muffled, "Don't repeat yourself. If you've come to tell me you're seeing Briar Rose, I already know, thank you very much."
Not wanting her to know he's surprised at her revelation, Julian smoothly replies, "Hogsmeade is very small plus you see Briar fairly regularly from what I understand. I fully expected you to know about Briar and me. What I want to tell you, Helena, isn't that Briar and I are dating. I just asked her to marry me and she said yes."
Helena's head pops up so quickly Julian briefly wonders if she's given herself whiplash. "You what?"
"I asked her to marry me. We just got engaged."
With a sharp intake of breath and a glare that could turn a basilisk to stone, Helena downs the scotch in one slug then in one fluid move pushes sharply away from the table and stands up. Julian reaches out and grabs her by the arm. "Helena..."
"Let go of me, you pig," she hisses while jerking free of his grasp.
"You need to listen to me."
Shooting him a Muggle gesture that is considered by those people to be highly offensive and rude, particularly when displayed in public, Helena spins around and marches quickly out, head held high, back unnaturally straight and stiff.
Muttering an oath under his breath, Julian pulls out coins to pay for Helena's drinks then sprints after her in pursuit. He easily catches up with her just outside The Three Broomsticks.
"Helena... stop. There's more to tell you."
Helena keeps walking, eyes staring straight in front of her, as if he'd never spoken.
"Damn it all, Helena! Put that high and mighty Tufton pride aside for once in your life and listen."
By this time Julian is walking side by side with Helena but she still refuses to acknowledge he's even there. Julian, however, persists.
"Briar knows about us, Helena. I came clean with her a long while back so if that brilliant mind of yours is churning out thoughts of telling her all about big bad Julian, forget it."
That got Helena's attention. She comes to a sudden halt and stands impatiently tapping her foot, arms folded, one eyebrow frostily arched, and if anything, her eyes have an even angrier look than before. Having a good idea of what is now going through Helena's busy little brain, Julian continues.
"Briar knows you got left at the alter. It won't do you any good to go fill her head with horror stories. It's different this time. In fact, the second Briar said yes to marrying me, I asked her to elope with me right then and there. I know I'm responsible for some of the hurt you suffered, Helena, but don't screw this up for Briar out of spite for me."
Rolling her eyes at his mention of hurting her, Helena gives a derisive snort. Her voice drips with sarcasm. "You do have a talent for understatement, don't you, Jules. Responsible for some of the hurt? Am I missing something? There was someone else who caused all the other? God, but you are so damn unbelievable."
Helena pauses long enough to take a calming breath before continuing. "I won't purposely mess up anything for Briar but I will make sure she knows about us. Don't take it personally, but I don't trust your word, Julian Valentine."
Helena looks as if she's about to add something else but instead says something under her breath then stalks away.
Julian, that very smug smile of his firmly fixed on his face, watches her for a few seconds then heads to the bookstore, whistling happily the entire way.
A Concern
for Dobby
Author: Angelina
Date: 11-09-02 03:16
In all my life I've seen House Elves sad but Dobby, Dobby worried me so. Harry was more than a friend to him. If Dobby had to live his life as a slave again I felt he would have loved to have Harry for a master and Harry freed him again. I think Dobby would not have left Harry's side, not for all the Galleons in the wizarding world.
Looking at our librarian and a small fluffy item next to her, I had to shrug. "I know house elves are loyal to only one household and master, but with Dobby I feel it's a lot more," I said and the librarian had to agree. "I never saw so much compassion from an elf like that," she admitted. We then heard a chiming from somewhere and I knew it was my watch. Opening it, I became shocked. "Oh no! If you'll excuse me, Madam Pince, I have something I must tend to." I politely excused myself and as I was about to leave she asked if I could help her in a little mystery in the library.
I agreed and told her I should be back by dinnertime. I ran back into the castle and to my room. I noticed a fire had been burning and I grabbed some Floo powder. Tossing a bit into the grate, I stepped in and shouted, "Leaky Cauldron," then vanished.
