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darkobsidianquill · 5 years ago

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Harry Potter and the descent into Darkness.

Chapter 22

More than a week had passed since the dark arts and dueling lessons had begun. It was Wednesday, and Harry had slipped away from Ron after lunch, while Hermione made her way to her Ancient Runes class. Harry slipped on his cloak and pulled out the Map and activated it. He saw the second 'Harry Potter' dot entering the castle and heading towards the bathroom where he had made a habit of making his daily switch in. He slipped out past Ron, who was leaning against the wall talking with one of the Beauxbatons girls. Harry rose a single eyebrow and stifled a chuckle as he quickly hurried down the hall, under his invisibility cloak, and out of the castle.

Fifteen minutes later Harry was in the manor and climbing up the stairs to Voldemort's study. The afternoon began the same as always. Voldemort was sitting there, already into his meditative exercise. Harry could tell that the Dark Lord was getting very close to finishing the transformation, and was growing more and more curious as to what exactly the man would look like when he finally achieved it.

Harry settled down and began reading a dueling techniques book that Voldemort had had him start reading a few days earlier in preparation for their daily lessons. He kept on going, without pause, even when Voldemort stood up and then sat down in his chair to read through his papers.

As had become normal, Voldemort almost instantly began running his fingers through Harry's hair and all Harry could do was sigh and smile in content.

"I'm curious, Harry –" Voldemort began to speak, nearly a half hour later as he suddenly stood from his chair and began to move towards the door. Harry quickly jumped to his feet as he realized that Voldemort appeared to be preparing to leave the study.

"Yes?"

"I know that you used the accellerant potion and underwent the process to improve that rather impressive body of yours, but I'm wondering if you have been taking measures to maintain it?"

Harry gaped at him as he attempted to process the words that had just come out of the Dark Lord's mouth. Harry's oh-so-eloquent response was a simple, "Huh?"

"Have you been working to maintain your improved body?"

"I... wha... you mean, am I working out?" Harry asked, still confused and trying to wrap his mind around the fact that it sounded like Voldemort had just called his body 'rather impressive'.

Voldemort rolled his eyes. "Yes, Harry, have you been 'working out'?"

"Er... no. Not really, anyway. As I already told you, I used to get kind of physical with my dark arts practice down in the chamber. I would sort of roll around and mock dodge things. To practice falling and improve my aiming while moving. But I haven't gone down there for that in a while, so the only real exercise I've been getting is from our dueling lessons."

Voldemort gave Harry a thoughtful look for a moment before turning and heading towards the door. "Follow me," he commanded simply without pausing in his pace. Harry jogged after him until he caught up and matched the Dark Lord's long strides as the two briskly walked down the hall, down the stairs, and through one of the first floor corridors.

Harry was extremely curious as to what was going on, but knew that if Voldemort was going to tell him, he'd do it when he was good and ready to, and no sooner.

They came upon one of the doors that Harry had long ago sensed a space expansion charm behind and Voldemort opened and entered without even pausing. Harry followed but came to an abrupt halt directly upon entering. What he found was a large windowless, room with a floor that was oddly squishy beneath his feet, a couple of elevated horizontal bars attached to one wall, an assortment of strange contraptions that looked something like exercise equipment, a strange device that Harry thought vaguely reminded him of a muggle treadmill, and a weight lifting bench with a bunch of weights.

"You have a gym?" Harry asked as he gawked at the room. This was probably one of the last things he expected to find in the manor house. It just looked so... muggle.

"Wizards are fools to neglect their bodies as they do," Voldemort drawled as he rolled his eyes and sneered in disgust. "They think that just because they can use magic to do things and avoid menial labor, that they have no need to keep their bodies fit."

Harry turned all of his attention away from the bewildering room, and focused it entirely on Voldemort. He could hear the man slipping into his 'instructor voice' and whenever he did that, whatever he had to say was important.

"The biggest reason that the unforgivable curses are unforgivable isn't because of what they do – there are hundreds of curses that can kill you, control you, and cause excruciating pain – they are unforgivable because of the fact that they cannot be blocked or countered. There is no way to shield oneself from the cruciatus or the killing curse or the imperius – although one with a strong enough will can occasionally break free of the latter.

The killing curse can go through almost all substances. The only thing that can block the killing curse is the body of another living thing. If you have a expendable person around that you can use as a human shield, then you can shield yourself. Otherwise, the only way to avoid any of these spells is to dodge them.

Keeping one's body in shape improves reaction time, stamina, and endurance. If two wizards are of generally equal magical skill levels, the one with the best ability to dodge, and the endurance to last the longest, will be the winner. And since so many wizards disregard the importance of training their body, in addition to their magical training, it is an extremely easy and beneficial advantage to gain."

"How often do you work out in here?" Harry asked, turning his attention back to the room.

"Every morning. I get up fairly early and spend an hour in here each day. I have done so since the morning after my resurrection."

"Oh... wow," Harry said, rather lamely, before he refocused on the room again as he imagined what all the different exercise 'machines' were for. They were obviously of Voldemort's own creation, and had been magically constructed. Still, it was obvious that they were intended for various forms of exercise.

"I want you to join me each morning at 7:30am. Can you manage that?" Voldemort asked, pulling Harry sharply out of his mental wanderings.

"Join you?" Harry echoed in surprise.

"Yes. I think it would do your dueling practice an enormous good if you began a physical training program as well."

Harry's jaw floundered as he searched for the words to respond with that could adequately relate just how the idea made him feel. There were so many reasons to be utterly thrilled with it. For one thing, it gave him even more time each day with the man, who was quickly becoming the central focal point of his life. Any reason to spend more time with the man was welcome. Harry just felt so much... better around Voldemort. Everything fit better in his head. His mind worked faster and clearer. His temper was easier to keep control of. The constant itch and drive to curse everyone he saw was easily controlled. Everything felt better here. The second reason Voldemort's suggestion left him speechless and stunned was the fact that Voldemort had to actually want Harry around more too. Why else would he be offering something that would require Harry to intrude on even more of the Dark Lord's precious time.

He finally gave up on trying to voice his emotions and just nodded his head.

"Good. You can use the time-turner when done, of course. So you should be able to avoid any suspicion about additional strange absences. Obviously robes are far too cumbersome for activities such as what we'll be doing in here. Try to dress appropriately. Loose-fitting clothes are more apt to get caught in some of the devices I've created, so try to avoid them. If you have nothing appropriate, we can transfigure something for you when you come tomorrow.

"Also, I am nearly done with my transformation meditations, but not quite, so I still want you continue to come after lunch," Voldemort continued, and Harry quickly confirmed that he would still be coming for his other usual visits.

"We will continue the dueling practice after my meditation is completed. With all of the added hours and time-turner use, it may become necessary for you to fit in an extra meal, and perhaps a nap. If that become the case you can stay for dinner at the manor, and make use of the same room you stayed in last week, before using the time-turner to return to the castle."

Voldemort continued to lay out the plans for Harry's schedule and Harry couldn't help the wide, warmed smile that spread across his face as he realized how much thought Voldemort had put into his plans involving Harry. He truly couldn't believe the amount of time each day that the Dark Lord was willing to spend with and dedicate to Harry, and he felt a small pang of sadness when he thought about how it would likely all change once Voldemort finally succeeded at his transformation, and brought the other Death Eaters back into the fold. Once he was able to take on his 'scary Dark Lord' look again, he would begin tackling his plans, head-on, and Harry doubted that Voldemort would have nearly as much time to throw away on him.

He pushed back the niggling worry and refocused on the man standing before him, and explaining what some of the different 'machines' were and what muscles groups they worked. Harry was stunned how much the Dark Lord knew about the whole physical fitness thing. What 'muscle groups' aided in what sorts of movements, and what kinds of exercises and movements were necessary to work out each of those groups. But then Harry realized that there wasn't anything that Voldemort did 'half-assed', and realized he never should have been surprised in the first place. Whenever Voldemort decided to learn about something, he buried himself in the topic, and didn't put it down until he was a master of it. The Dark Lord consumed knowledge and skills like a starved man in a buffet. A trait that had always left Harry feeling inspired and determined to master as many things as well.

Harry left the manor that day finding himself feeling both anxious and eager for the next morning's exercise session. He'd never done an awful lot of physical exercise outside of quidditch, and riding a broom really wasn't all that physically intensive – outside of needing a strong grip with both his hands and his thighs. Still, the thought of being physically trained by Voldemort was exciting. He just hoped he could keep himself from acting like an idiot.

– –

Harry entered the 'gym' the next morning at 7:25am. Slipping away from his dorm had been extremely easy. None of his roommates were early risers, as were few Gryffindors, so even the common room was empty when he slipped down under cover of his invisibility cloak.

Getting up at 6:30am hadn't been terribly difficult since he'd been going to bed earlier and earlier lately. Since he'd been living longer days than normal, by the time it was 10pm at night, he had usually gone through enough hours in the day that it would have been after 2am for him. His new tendency for going to bed early had been just one more thing for Ron to gripe about, but Harry didn't honestly give a damn what Ron griped about. He knew he still needed to come up with some sort of strategy for diverting the suspicions of Ron and the other Gryffindors. His little rant to Ron and Hermione had given them the illusion that he was still willing to confide in them, and given them some things to think about. Hopefully enough to keep them from suspecting what was really going on. His evenings spent with Hermione and Ginny was helping to ease some of his fellow housemates concerns about his extreme reclusive behavior earlier in the year, and since he wasn't disappearing away to the chamber for hours a day, he at least no longer appeared to be sneaking off. Hopefully all the changes he had made over the last month would be enough, but he needed to make sure that when Dumbledore started asking his 'friends' questions, over the summer, after Harry 'vanished', that none of them would start telling the old goat that they were worried about Harry's strange Dark behavior.

When he got to the manor, he went to the second floor where the loo he usually used was, since he only knew of the large bath with the sunken tub on the first floor, and there were just far too many unidentified rooms down there to go searching for a 'normal' bathroom. Once on the second floor he changed into the clothing he had brought with him. He had a pair of gray draw-string sweatpants that he occasionally slept in during the winters, and a white sleeveless t-shirt that he had shrunk down so that it was fairly tight against his torso to avoid it catching in any of the exercise equipment. He hoped it would be sufficient. He suspected he was going to need to do some clothing shopping soon. There was a Hogsmeade weekend coming up, but he wasn't sure if any of the stores in the tiny wizarding village would carry what he needed.

He left his bag in the study and made his way downstairs to the gym. Voldemort was in the center of the open part of the room, and what Harry saw made him freeze in place in stunned awe. Voldemort was wearing comfortable-looking black cotton pants, and no shirt. He was doing push-ups, and Harry could already see the smallest indication of sweat appearing on the man's back.

The lean, lithe, and only lightly muscled body that he had seen a month earlier had already come a long way. The muscles were more defined now, but not overly so. Definitely not 'body builder' muscles, but this was undeniably the body of a strong, and powerful man who did not slack off.

Harry was stunned out of his dumbfounded staring by Voldemort pushing himself up onto his knees, and then standing to his feet. If Voldemort had realized Harry was staring, he didn't say anything. Instead, he quickly began to go over the schedule for the next hour, and discussing how Harry would work up to certain goals over time. Harry's head was quickly being filled with new concepts and knowledge, and he was being set to the machines he would use.

Voldemort demonstrated the proper way to move his arms while pushing out on one device, and pulling in on another. How to hold his elbows at a certain angle, and what things not to do, to avoid injury. During the demonstrations, Harry occasionally found his mind wandering back to Voldemort's exposed torso, and he found a growing fascination with the way the older wizard's muscles moved and twisted beneath his skin. But Voldemort loudly scolded him whenever he seemed distracted, so Harry quickly learned to pay attention and stay focused.

He returned to the school that morning sweaty, sore, and yet strangely exhilarated. He knew this was going to be hard work, but he was excited for it, too. The rest of the week passed easily enough, and while his strangely lengthened days were really starting to mess with his internal clock, he was slowly growing accustomed to them.

Voldemort incorporated lessons from his dueling into his morning exercises, and vice-versa. The break in the middle of the day where he just sat and read while Voldemort meditated was a welcome break from the action and activity of the rest of his time spent in the manor, and he found himself eagerly anticipating the light conversation and discussions they had after the Dark Lord was done with his meditation. Harry was even beginning to understand why Voldemort read the muggle newspapers.

Harry was stunned when Voldemort began to explain some sort of mass genocide that had been going on the previous year in Rwanda. Apparently before all the fighting was done, more than 800,000 had died during the Hutu-controlled Rwandan army attempt to exterminate the Tutsi minority from the country. Harry had trouble fathoming the fact that in the span of 100 days, over 800,000 people had been massacred and he hadn't heard a single word about it. There were loads of muggleborns at the school – didn't a single one take a muggle paper?

He could understand that most parents probably wouldn't write to their child about horrible African genocides, but it still seemed like such a big deal.

"Yes, but even most muggles are utterly ignorant of what has gone on over there, though," Voldemort said, after Harry voiced his shock at having heard absolutely nothing about this.

"What? How can they be?"

"Few people give a damn about some tiny African country that tried to annihilate itself last summer, Harry."

"Then why are you paying attention to it?"

"Genocide. It's described as the largest act of genocide since the Holocaust."

Harry felt himself freeze slightly, and he was almost afraid to ask the next question. It was one thing for him to kill Rita Skeeter and not feel remorse, but killing an entire race of people was something that he didn't exactly think he could live with.

"Are you thinking about wiping out all the muggles or something?" Harry asked, cautiously.

Voldemort barked out a harsh laugh. "No, Harry. I no longer have any ridiculous illusions about trying to rid the world of the muggle filth."

"You don't?" Harry asked, both relieved and surprised, as he twisted around and looked up at Voldemort, sitting in his chair.

"No, honestly I don't think it will be necessary. They will likely rid the world of themselves, saving me the trouble."

Harry scrunched up his face in mild confusion – not sure what the Dark Lord meant by that, but he didn't get the chance to ask, as older Wizard continued to talk.

"The fact remains, that at one point, I did have some rather ignorant aspirations of killing off most, and subjugating the rest, of the muggle population. Many of my followers will likely still hold some of those aspirations. I simply want to be able to provide them with with concrete arguments as to why such efforts would not only be ineffective, but idiotic, and a waste of our energies. We have bigger problems to deal with that will already require more than enough time and energy."

"Ah... well, that's... a relief," Harry said, turning back and leaning against the chair again.

Voldemort chuckled and let his hand fall into Harry's raven hair.

"Don't think you have the stomach for genocide?" Voldemort snickered.

Harry shrugged. "Probably not. Besides, I don't see the logic in it. Or how it would even work. There are just so many more of them, than us. Sure, we're superior to them, and can do things that they can't even imagine doing, but that doesn't mean that they're weak or stupid. They're still humans, and it's when humans are desperate that they accomplish the most unexpected things. Their science is still capable of some insane things. I mean, they can go to the moon. Magic can't even do that.

"If they found out about us – about magic – and felt threatened... I can only see that being very very bad. We can use magic, but there's just so many more of them," Harry finished with a sigh and a shrug.

Voldemort hummed in agreement and their conversation slipped back into other topics from the newspaper.

– –

Another week had passed and Harry was feeling extremely comfortable with his daily arrangement. He was having a little trouble staying focused in his classwork – having started to find it exceedingly boring. Very little of it had any practical daily value, and he had very little enthusiasm for learning things that would never serve him in his life. Especially when he had the incredibly fascination and exhilarating lessons from Voldemort to compare.

But at least his Defense Against the Dark Arts classes with Barty – or rather, with 'Moody', were interesting. Voldemort had had Harry deliver several notes to Barty, and Barty would give Harry letters to give back to the Dark Lord when he returned Harry's written essays to him. One day in class, 'Moody' had asked Harry to hang around after class to 'discuss his homework'. Moody had acquired an object for the Dark Lord and since Harry went there every day anyway, it was decided that Harry should just take it with him. It was a reasonably small box. Moody had hallowed out a book and placed an expansion charm inside it so that when the book was opened, inside was a hole large enough for the box. He gave it to Harry with the guise that it was something he might find helpful for the next task, and sent him on his way.

While leaving defense and making his way through the empty halls towards the Great Hall for dinner, Harry came across a pair of familiar, hushed voices. He slowed and peaked around the corner towards where he heard the voices and saw Snape and Karkaroff in the middle of a whispered argument. Harry wasn't close enough to hear what they were saying, and was about to pull out his wand to use his eavesdropping charm when he was startled by another familiar, and far more annoying drawl.

"Potter, what are you doing?" the annoying drawl of Draco Malfoy came suddenly, causing Harry to jump with surprise at having been come upon without having noticed. Apparently Snape and Karkaroff heard Malfoy's voice because their whispers stopped and they both turned towards the sound.

Harry turned and scowled at Malfoy. Apparently his glare was fierce enough that it gave Draco pause because the blond Slytherin's eyes betrayed a moment of fear and hesitation before they hardened to his normal confident sneer.

Harry was a bit surprised by Malfoy's behavior. The blond Slytherin had been mostly avoiding him ever since their encounter several months prior. Apparently enough time had passed that Malfoy had either forgotten what happened, or decided it wasn't bad enough to continue keeping his distance.

"Malfoy, I really don't have time for you," Harry said with an annoyed sigh.

"So it's Malfoy again? Are you over whatever weird thing possessed you over Christmas?"

Harry snorted out a laugh. "Hardly," he said giving the blond boy a leering smirk that caused Malfoy to straighten a bit and his eyes to widen. Harry snickered at Malfoy's reaction and began to turn away.

"Where are you heading off to?"

"Dinner," Harry said, rolling his eyes.

"Running off to the mudblood and the weasel?" Malfoy sneered.

"Well, you know. Gotta keep up appearances. Wouldn't want anyone suspecting me of going dark," Harry chuckled.

Malfoy's eyes bugged out of his face and he stood there, dumbfounded for a moment while Harry began to walk away.

"Wait!" Malfoy called out as he jogged after Harry and caught up to him. Harry huffed and stopped. He looked around anxiously, making sure that there weren't any witnesses. There weren't as far as he could tell. Snape and Karkaroff had vanished – most likely to somewhere more private to continue their argument – and the rest of the student body was already at dinner.

"What do you want, Draco?" Harry asked with a resigned sigh as he took out his wand and cast a small privacy ward around them.

"What's up with you? You've been acting normal again lately, but I see the looks you give them. The looks you give everyone. The way you walk, the way you hold yourself. And more than anything else, when I get close enough, you reek of dark magic."

Harry had to take pause of that proclamation. If Draco could tell he'd been practicing the Dark arts, what was stopping the professors? Or Dumbledore? Apparently something on Harry's face gave away his moment of panic because Draco was rolling his eyes and quickly began to speak again.

"Don't worry, Potter. It's only those with a dark affinity who can sense it. Neutrals and Lights only sense the magic of other Neutrals or Lights."

"Even someone like Dumbledore?" Harry asked, skeptically.

"Do you feel his Light magic?" Malfoy asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Er..." Harry paused, trying to think if he did. "I think I used to... But now that you mention it, I really haven't been able to feel that same energy that I used to when I was around him."

"Exactly – wait... you used to?"

"Well, my affinity definitely used to be Light. I'm sure of that."

"But now it's Dark?" Malfoy asked, a tremendous curiosity glowing in his eyes.

Harry clammed up and gave Malfoy a hard look.

Malfoy chuckled and smirked. "Smart, Potter. Never admit anything aloud."

Harry rolled his eyes. "I've still got a problem though, even if Dumbledore can't sense my Dark magic. My affinity was set to Light before." Harry mused quietly to himself.

Malfoy snorted. "As if anyone would ever honestly suspect the Gryffindor Golden-boy of going Dark. Besides, Dumbledore would only notice the lack of Light magic traces on you. He can't just tell that your affinity has changed. They need a spell for that I think."

Harry glared at Malfoy. "I told you not to call me that. I'm no one's Golden-boy. Besides, you suspected me of going dark."

"Only after you assaulted me," Malfoy said indignantly with his nose turned up.

Harry chuckled and gave the blond another leering look that clearly made him feel exceedingly uncomfortable. "Besides, you weren't the only person I got angry with," Harry said finally with a bit of a grumble. "I was a pretty angry mess there for a while..."

"That's what was going on!" Malfoy exclaimed suddenly, as if he had just made a great discovery. Harry looked at him with confusion, and an expectant look. "You were dealing with Dark addiction, weren't you! And now you've got a handle on it, which is why you're able to pretend to be normal again!"

Harry blinked at Malfoy. "Uh... maybe," Harry found himself admitting hesitantly. "You seem to have some personal experience here... How much Dark magic have you practiced?"

Malfoy scoffed and turned his nose up again. "I'm a Malfoy, Potter. What do you think?"

Harry rolled his eyes, but grinned and snickered.

Suddenly Harry paused and felt his blood run cold. If anyone who practiced the Dark arts could sense that he had practiced them, that would mean that Snape, and Karkaroff would know. Karkaroff was possibly not a problem, but Snape most certainly was.

Thinking back, the Potions master had been giving him some rather odd looks lately.

"How long have you been able to feel the dark magic on me?" Harry asked suddenly.

Malfoy blinked at the sudden shift in the conversation. "Well I can only feel it like... now. Now that I'm right next to you. You have to be really close."

"Shit," Harry muttered as he scowled at the wall beside him.

"What? It's not like anyone in the school who practices the Dark Arts would ever betray another Dark wizard to Dumbledore. And you don't exactly get that close to any of us Slytherins. You don't have to –"

"Snape," Harry said, resolutely.

Malfoy looked surprised, then confused, and then he looked like he was going to laugh. "Don't be stupid, Potter. Severus isn't really loyal to that stupid old man. He's as Dark as they come."

Harry shook his head. "Even if that's true, he hates the ground I walk on. I can see him just loving the opportunity to destroy my reputation as the beacon of the light, and crush Dumbledore's idea of me being the perfect good guy he sees me as."

This seemed to give Malfoy pause, because he looked thoughtful now.

"Hmmm... well, he certainly does hate you."

After a silent moment, Harry huffed and ran a hand through his messy black hair. It was getting longer and shaggier as the months went on, and he was thinking that he probably would start letting it grow out. Voldemort really seemed to enjoy the length. Harry shook his head, refocusing on the problem at hand and letting his hand fall to his side.

"Well, it's something I'm going to have to deal with soon, but for now, there's nothing I can do."

Malfoy gave Harry a long hard look but then nodded his head. "So... so what the hell, Potter? I mean... how did this happen? How did you go Dark? It just... it just doesn't..." Malfoy gave a frustrated growl and shook his head.

Harry began to laugh at the other boy's frustrated confusion, which really only caused Malfoy to scowl at him.

"What!" Malfoy spat angrily.

Harry's chuckled subsided a bit and he shook his head with an amused grin. "It's a very long story, and I highly doubt you'd believe a word of it. But the fact of the matter is, you already know too much. I need your word that you aren't going to start running around the school telling people that I'm going Dark. And if you can manage it, think you can keep an eye on the Slytherins who practice the Dark Arts, who start to notice me too?"

"Why the hell would I do that for you?" Malfoy sneered.

Harry's eyes narrowed on the blond boy for a moment before he smirked. He glanced around the empty corridor again, just for safety's sake. His privacy ward wouldn't let anyone year them, but he still didn't want anyone seeing him talking with the Slytherin boy.

"Tell me something, Draco," Harry began, moving a step closer and causing the Slytherin to tense up and look wary. "Is daddy still loyal to the Dark Lord?"

Malfoy's eyes hardened and his jaw tightened. "My father never –"

"Don't blow smoke in my face, Draco, I'm not stupid. How about this. Where do your loyalties lie? With the Dark? Or not?"

"My loyalties lie with the Dark," Malfoy said, standing tall and raising his nose into the air again.

Harry smirked. "So would you be loyal to the Dark Lord when he returns?" Harry asked in a conspiratorial whisper as he leaned into Malfoy's 'personal space'.

Malfoy looked slightly taken aback, and gave Harry a long scrutinizing look. He was probably debating the dangers of admitting this statement out loud to Harry Potter, of all people – Dark magic, or no. Harry figured he was probably also taking note of the fact that Harry said 'Dark Lord' and not, 'You-Know-Who', or 'Voldemort' – as many people knew Harry had been apt to do in the past. And then there was the fact that Harry had said 'when' he returns; not 'if'.

Finally, Malfoy squared his shoulders and stuck his chin, pompously high. "I would be loyal to the Dark Lord."

Harry's grin widened and he took a step back, giving the blond some of his personal space back.

"Good to hear that Draco."

"That doesn't tell me why I should keep your secret, or why I should watch the other Slytherins for you," Draco spat.

"I suppose it doesn't..." Harry mused, airily. "But it really would be in your best interest if you helped me out. That's what being Slytherin is all about, isn't it? Finding ways to serve your best interests, while making powerful connections and climbing the ladder to greatness?"

Malfoy scoffed and rolled his eyes. "And helping you would benefit me, how?"

Harry paused and looked thoughtful for a moment. "You remember back on the train ride before first year when you stuck your hand out, offering friendship and I was a stupid little soon-to-be-Gryffindor prat, sitting next to the weasel and I turned you down?"

Malfoy's face hardened and his look shifted to a glare. "Yes, I remember."

"I probably should have taken it and left Weasley behind," Harry said with a shrug. "Did you know the sorting hat wanted to put me in Slytherin? I begged it not to, so it stuck me in Gryffindor instead."

Malfoy looked dumbstruck by this proclamation. He also seemed to be rendered speechless by it, because he didn't say anything in return.

"Anyway, you really should tell your daddy to be prepared, because his Lord is back and will be calling on him soon. Can you do that for me?" Harry said, having suddenly shifted to a playful and patronizing tone as he reached up and gave a light, pat on the stunned blond's cheek before taking a step back and grinning evilly.

After a few silent seconds where Malfoy appeared too confused to comprehend what had just been said, his face went pale, and understanding dawned behind his gray eyes. "You're lying," Malfoy said in a disbelieving whisper.

Harry's smirk only grew larger. "Ask daddy if anything interesting happened to his mark on March 20th. Probably hurt a bit, but it also probably glowed and pulsed with power. That was the night it happened. He's already back."

"How do you know?" Draco asked, but his voice was still hardly more than a whisper.

Harry gave the other a toothy, wicked grin and leaned in close.

"I know," Harry began in a quiet whisper, "because I was there."

– –

"That was stupid and reckless," Voldemort sneered as the two walked down the hall towards the gym.

"I made him swear a wizards oath that he wouldn't tell anyone," Harry grumbled.

"You should have made him swear it before you told him anything of value!"

"Yeah, but he never would have agreed to it, then! Besides, he knows that if he blabbed you'd probably have him killed. He's terrified of you."

"Stupid boy. You just wanted to show off," Voldemort spat and Harry pouted. "Anyway, what was it that you wanted to tell me?"

"Oh! Right, so how come you never mentioned to me that people with a dark affinity can detect other people with it?"

Voldemort stopped and turned to give Harry an incredulous look before shaking his head and pinching the bridge of his nose. "I suppose I assumed you knew. Besides, it doesn't exactly work like that. People with a Dark affinity can detect an excess of dark magic use from another person, but they cannot simply tell what people's affinity is. If they could, there would be less value in the affinitatum reveleo spell. Are you telling me that you don't sense dark magic use on others?"

Harry paused and looked thoughtful. "Well, I do, but I haven't encountered anyone who had practiced Dark magic while at school. Just here, and occasionally I can feel it on Barty in class. But I've already told you about my weird magic senses. No one else I know ever seems to sense half the things I do. And I know I didn't feel most of this stuff back when I was blowing through all my magic keeping your soul at bay. So I sort of assumed that most people weren't sensing any of these things."

"That is true," Voldemort said with a sigh. "That was something that often confused me in my youth as well."

"So is there anyway I can keep other wizards with a dark affinity from being able to tell I've been casting a bunch of dark magic lately? I'm really worried about Snape blabbing to Dumbledore."

Voldemort scowled and then took on a contemplative look. He remained quiet for a long moment and Harry found himself suddenly realizing that he still had yet to ask Voldemort about the fact that it was Snape of all people, who had relayed the prophecy.

"Let's continue this conversation this afternoon," Voldemort said suddenly, startling Harry. "This is an important issue and we need to work through it. You're right that it's important, but we don't have the time to dedicate to it now. Gym first."

Harry opened his mouth to protest, but quickly snapped it shut and sighed.

"Fine, but this afternoon can we also talk about the fact that Snape was the spy who witnessed the prophecy too?" he said as the pair resumed their journey and quickly entered the gym.

"Yes, that is part of what we need to discuss."

Harry shrugged, glad that this wasn't something he was going to have to drag out of Voldemort through subtle prodding.

The pair quickly slipped into the routine that they had developed over the last two weeks. Harry was reluctant to leave when their work-out was over, but knew he'd be coming back after lunch and that they'd have plenty of time to discuss things then.

– –

"Severus's loyalties are of a legitimate concern," Voldemort began as he leaned back in his desk chair after having just finished his meditation. Harry quickly put away his book and stuffed it back into his book bag before leaning back against the side of the chair and turning his head to look up at the Dark Lord.

"You are aware that he was the spy that provided me with the first portion of the fake prophecy," Voldemort began again and Harry nodded. "Shortly after you were born, and I determined that you were the most likely subject of the prophecy, Severus came to me and pleaded that I spare your mother."

At this Harry almost choked. He turned around and gaped up at Voldemort in stunned silence. "What! Why?" he finally asked.

"It would seem that he was rather infatuated with her. Apparently they were childhood friends. He said that he knew her even before attending Hogwarts."

Harry's jaw floundered in continued shock. He couldn't even fathom what was being told to him. Snape was in love with his mum!

"Since he was the servant who had brought the prophecy to me in the first place, and I still had yet to reward him for that deed, I agreed to try to give Lily Potter the opportunity to step aside. Of course, I would make no such promises in regards to you or your father, but he made no such requests."

Harry snorted. "Of course not. He hated my dad."

"Yes," Voldemort drawled with a smirk. "Many people did."

Harry rolled his eyes.

"It is my belief," Voldemort continued, "that he did not believe that I would spare Lily. Or at the very least, she would not be willing to stand aside and allow me to kill you."

Harry's mouth formed a small frown as a blurry memory of screamed voices echoed through his mind.

"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!"

"Stand aside, you silly girl…stand aside, now."

"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead -"

"This is my last warning -"

"You did give her the chance..." Harry said quietly. Voldemort gave him a funny look, but continued.

"I believe that Severus went to Dumbledore at that point to warn him that you and your parents had been targeted. He soon there after came to me and told me that he had an opportunity to gain employment at Hogwarts as the new Potions instructor. The obvious insinuation was that he could go there to spy for me against Dumbledore. Obviously I was not so stupid as to simply fall for that."

"So you think that it was Dumbledore's idea? He wanted Snape to spy on you for him?" Harry asked.

"Precisely."

"And you think that the reason he went to Dumbledore in the first place was because he wanted to save my mum?" Harry continued with a hint of incredulity in his voice.

"Correct."

"But it failed. My mum died anyway, and I lived. So would he still be loyal to Dumbledore even though he failed on his end?"

"That is the question. I also imagine that Dumbledore would have required some form of proof of sincerity from Severus. Most likely an unbreakable vow."

Harry's eyes widened. "What do you think he vowed? To stay loyal to Dumbledore?"

"That would be the most troublesome. But it is possible it was something else. I can imagine Severus making an effort to avoid a vow such as that. Vowing his eternal loyalties to any one man is simply not something he would ever be stupid enough to do."

"Not even to you?" Harry asked, incredulously. Voldemort just laughed.

"He is a Slytherin, Harry. No one makes life-long commitments in Slytherin, unless they are sure that they can worm their way out of them, should the desperate need arise."

Harry nodded his head in understanding. "Alright, so what should we do about Snape?"

"You are correct that his remains a risk as long as we are unsure of where his loyalties lie. He can undoubtedly detect the excessive amount of dark magic on you from our dueling sessions, and a daily cleansing ritual would be far too annoying and time consuming. I am going to need to identify where his loyalties lie sooner than later..." his voice trailed off as his face took on the look that Harry had come to associate with his deep planning and scheming. Harry remained quiet to allow the older wizard time to think, and enjoyed the feel of the Dark Lord's fingers as they slipped into his hair.

Harry was almost lulled into a relaxed nap before Voldemort spoke again. "Alright, I have a plan, but I will need the rest of the afternoon to prepare an object for it. We will have to postpone today's dueling lesson."

Harry frowned for a moment as he felt a pang of disappointment, but he quickly pushed it away. This was more important, and he knew it.

"You will assist me," Voldemort continued and Harry's mood instantly perked up as he was consumed by curiosity.

Voldemort stood up and motioned for Harry to follow. The two quickly left the study and began to head downstairs. Harry was, once again, led to one of the doors he had never entered before and once it was opened, he found a stairwell reside behind it. Harry followed Voldemort down into the manor's basement, that, until that moment, he hadn't even known existed. At the bottom of the stairs was a short hall with only two doors. One of the doors was large, heavy, and Harry could feel it was heavily warded.

"What's back there?" Harry asked as he jerked his head towards the door.

"That is where I have begun to set up holding cells," Voldemort said dismissively as he began walking to the other door.

"Holding cells?" Harry echoed in surprise.

"Yes. The spells and protections are still rudimentary and will need far more work before I can consider them secure enough to make frequent use of them. Although, there is already one person enjoying a stay down there."

"There is! Who?"

"Barty's dear old father," Voldemort drawled with a chuckle.

"Mr. Crouch is down there!" Harry said, looking back over his shoulder towards the door. "Why keep him alive at all?"

"Polyjuice ingredients," Voldemort said flippantly.

"Does he need to be alive for that? Can't you just take a bunch of his hair and keep it?"

"Once the person has died, any hair removed from them is no longer viable for the potion. It's also why Barty has had to keep Moody alive."

"Oh. Huh. I didn't actually know that."

Voldemort continued in his journey as he led Harry through the other open door and into a large open room with rows upon rows of shelves along the walls, several large tables in the center, and a collection of various sized cauldrons. Harry blinked at the room as he finally entered and took it all in. It was clearly a rather elaborate potions lab, and Harry was impressed by the massive inventory of ingredients that filled the shelves.

"Wow," Harry said as he looked around. "When did you have time to build up such an inventory?"

"Mixey has been busy," Voldemort said, turning his head back and smirking at Harry.

"My potion brewing skills are really only so-so, so I can't guarantee I'll be a lot of help down here," Harry admitted sheepishly.

"You will be sufficient, Harry. I simply require a second set of hands. Now, lets get started."

#Harry Potter #Tom Riddle #Dark!Harry #Tomarry #Harry Potter and the descent into Darkness..

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toddlazarski · 4 years ago

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Last Suppers Vol. 4

Shepherd Express

“And I try to wash my hands,

and I try to make amends,

and I try to count my friends...”

— Neil Young

I never realized how much white existed on a kitchen wall calendar until we flipped to last month. May 2020: like an endless sea of milk, spilt, all over ripening spring and coming summer and everything between now and the distant horizons sprawling in every direction. The Target-bought spiral-bound hope of organization and forward-thinking adulting now somehow resembles a hanging talisman of the old joke about how to make God laugh: “make a plan.” There it sits, sometimes taking on the sense of a mirror, the unsmudged kind, too well-lit, the Windex-ed type necessitating looking away, the seeking of distraction. And there it remains, post-dentist visit luminous, crisp, unfettered, yawning, as we’ve quieted the ceaseless streaking of Sharpie, the scribbling and jotting and plotting, the road signs of an appropriately lived, full life, like all of us were looking up at the professor, scrunching brows, nodding knowingly, doodling something in the margins to play at attention and appropriate labor. Something to look forward to is the key to happiness, an old adage of sorts, is a wise thing a smiling, knitting grandma would say from a rocking chair, indicating you should get moving, with the plan-cementing and the aspirations of nights out and days together. For now though it is but a march of indistinguishable blocks of vivid pale, a tiny number in the upper left corner of each that means approximately nothing.

March 11th was a date, in hindsight, that stands out. A memorial-type night where, within the half hour it took to put a toddler to bed, the country froze and sought in vain for the Ctrl+Alt+Del keys on a foreign keyboard. The NBA season was suspended. Rudy Gobert was positive. Tom Hanks had it. An impossibly incongruous confluence: Forrest Gump and a tall French shot-blocker I target in every fantasy basketball draft existing together as the collective harbinger of societal doom. It felt like being in a movie, or the first episode of Leftovers, but the part that would pass as an emotional montage, and then move on. March 13th—Friday the 13th, but not soundtracked or jump-scaring, quiet, and directed by a Fincher or Polanski or Lars Von Trier—was where an unspoken contract was entered by sentient and capable-of-critical thought Americans, a day where laying low, taking it easy, became a gesture of care, an act of society. June 13th is a wedding we’ll attend this year. An idea, an event to schedule a haircut close to, a thing to cause ponder on the state of my black suit, something to look forward to that will have too many long-unseen friends and reunion fueled by an open bar. It was a wedding we would attend this year. It’s been moved to the fall. July 20th was once a road trip start date, years ago, the commitment steer-branded on my mind, I remember, because people would ask: “what are you doing this summer?” “When are you leaving?” “When will you be in New Orleans?” Everything else of the fruitful season seemed mere preamble, fun-enough filler before an apex, day-after-day of appetizer or salad, a mere whetting of appetite. A big day was coming, anticipation followed me like cartoon character stink lines. July 4th was a date I saw Tom Petty at Summerfest; June 28th was a date I saw Tom Petty at Summerfest; June 30th was a date I saw Tom Petty at Summerfest. These were constellations, a solid reading of the charts, the blipping beacon the control tower sends up when it is stormy and time to turn off autopilot. Now our plain is mostly like the map you see where dragons are fire-breathing around the edges. I remember the dates, like jersey numbers of favorite players, of all the Fridays in whichever is the upcoming month: aims of nocturnal revelry to make all the Tuesdays and Wednesdays and nothing days pay. This year, so far, May 26th meant something, for a while, and April 24th before that. The end, the other end, of Safer at Home. Instead the political panoply that is supposed to represent us sat at home and decided we don’t need that guidance, or a plan. Public safety is less important than dollars. Our Supreme Court sided with all those guys outside all the Capitol buildings with guns.

So maybe it’s time to get back to this, with the togetherness, the glasses clinking, hugs and unprotected mouth-open laughs at sunny beer gardens, the days you circle on the calendar and hope will have no rain, all the times where there is no greater mark of the specialness of a day than the meal. Like when my mom took me to Max & Erma’s for my 8th grade graduation. I don’t recall where the rest of the family was, but I definitely remember the tortilla soup. I’m not sure where my parents took me after high school graduation, but I remember knee-bobbing antsiness, the polite nods at congratulatory mentions of the future, because I was distracted by the prospect of going to go get very, very drunk. I remember my college graduation, where mom, somehow, before Google maps or Yelp or my Milwaukee food yammering, procured profound reservations at long-lost white table cloth gourmet Mexican southside spot El Rey Sol. Of course, I also didn’t care that much, because it was mostly a pitstop on a day well-deserving of getting very, very drunk.

The rest of my Milwaukee occasion-eating can likewise be charted like a sprawling pinned Google map of identity-carving. La Merenda is where I told my parents my novel would be published. Palomino is where we told my mother-in-law we were having a kid, over Bloody’s and Maria’s, piping curds goo-ing with expectation. It is also where I’ve told my wife everything, through the years, our spot of sanctuary, gut-growing comfort, fingers always slick with grease and cocktail condensation. I began my food writing ventures with a dinner at Braise. Vanguard was dad-rock-appropriate and rightly meaty for my first Father’s Day as a father. Von Trier was memorable for impossibly hard news scrubbing. A liquid yuletide dinner at Jamo’s is where I told a new friend that Die Hard 2 was my favorite Christmas movie, thus cementing an annual tradition, quick-contracting an adult life together of corner bars and such ridiculous conversational ping-ponging. I think of the spots and memories as a kind of incomplete Pinterest board, accomplished peak experiences that add up to an old man’s personality, the only truly prized collections of a weathered damaged person as he ambles down creaky basement stairs to be with his thoughts and his whiskey and his sad music.

This is where I ponder them all these days, because, of course, we can’t congregate. Not fully. Not at any more than 25% capacity. Not yet. We must continue to backlog the graduation and retirement celebrations; the birthdays, the date nights, are heretofore banished to arrears. Zarletti has long been a favorite for such big deal days: something so classic in it’s brand of old-school, low-lit, cozy, big-ish city downtown class; a spot from the Billy Joel song, the one about the bottle of white and the bottle of red, that turns drastically halfway through, and always reminds, surprises, wow, Billy Joel is really good. The spot to bring parents, when they are in town, and making a night of it, destination-dining for before a Jerry Seinfeld show. Or James Taylor. Or maybe another Paul Cebar night. Something at Riverside or Pabst or Turner or one of the other venues we sometimes forget about downtown because we only go downtown a few times a year that aren’t Giannis-related, the kind deeming it appropriate to bring parental credit cards and parental-type wine knowledge and the from-out-of-town desire for every appetizer. It was a New Year’s Eve, frigid beyond reason, a reservation and a window seat gazing on Milwaukee Street’s exhibit of amateur night: illegal-looking mini-skirts scooting by, vehement disregard for jackets, everyone flying trashily against the indifferent wind, quick to get to wait in line, outside, at a place called Dick’s. It was a night where I realized all I wanted was to eat, eat more, chase and maintain a wine buzz, and go home to cozy pants and couch hibernation. I realized I’d turned nearly full adult. Zarletti is currently offering curbside, another step in this direction during our time of being grounded, suspended. It’s a bit of make-believe, like when I put a pinky up in the air while pretend-sipping from an impossibly small cup at a tea-party, playing at elegance, it can be a reason to take a shower, put on non-elasticized pants, and be in the world.

Of course, it’s not as easy as it once was. In our DIY celebration experience there was an unexpected iIrritability over what to order across the homefront, unease, uncertainty about such a menu existing on my phone—phone menus generally more of the realm of pizza and tlayudas and short rib melts, the unrefined domain within which I thrive. But, it’s also this: I simply love asking a waiter what to have. The guidance, the expertise, a cultivated person who knows how to pronounce aglio e olio, one who has probably been to Italy more than once, who can do the whole wine presentation rigmarole with appropriate authoritative nonchalance while maintaining white shirt. I was reminded of the crisp, professional Zarletti service and all that our curbside culture leaves me wanting for. All of the plan and the know-how and the guidance that our political system leaves us all wanting for, too. I sought out the phone server’s recommendation, not knowing what to expect—-this is a person answering the phone, this is a person freaked out about job security, this is not your guidance counselor. And, still, there it was, a cheery, helpful rundown of appropriate Chianti’s, clear-voiced reassurance on precise pick-up time, an unabashed endorsement of the bolognese, lending conviction and a jarring reminder of days where you could talk to people who knew more than you, when you could be led, by a leader, united, when somebody in a place of esteem and prominence knew to steer with a gentle hand on back. As if you could talk to a favorite grandma again, count on the chief of your country to pretend to care or know how to think or speak in coherent grown-up sentences.

Even the server seemed to take part, ushering our fare outside before my brakes could even squeal, everything in a crisp stapled bag. Donning a medical mask and gloves, he seemed to have my best interest at heart: “I was starting to worry about you,” he said, coyly indicating my tardiness. You and me both, bub, I thought, but didn’t say, because it’s the kind of banter that doesn’t quite translate that well through a mask. Also, I simply felt slow. My interaction-ability, my small talk, seemed to have grown rust, an attempt at rapport seemed foreign, even dangerous. The languor was likewise synonymous with the entirety of downtown around me, dreamily desolate, like an hour of a city where only criminals are out, it all sucking me down, sponging inertia and energy for big weekend night specialness. In the backseat my daughter didn’t care, she was insistent only on seeing the monstrous inflatable lobster or crab or whatever it is atop the Milwaukee Public Market. I obliged, willingingly, thinking, honestly, it was actually probably the hottest thing going in town at the moment.

By the time we cracked the bottle, lightly re-warmed polpette di carne, veal and beef meatballs in bright pomodoro sauce, started guzzling old unpronounceable grapes, began twirling linguine flecked with pecorino and chile flakes, lacquered with olive oil and garlic, began greedily sponging bolognese stew with torn bread pieces because the all-day-seeming simmer of beef and pork had too much heart for rigatoni-conveyance, everything was right, and, somehow nothing seemed quite right. It was not just the takeout containers, needing to be dumped into real bowls. Or the fact we couldn’t find a candle. Or the dimmer switch in our dining room that buzzes subtly when romantic-levels are sought. Or the presence of a baby monitor between us, where a candle should have been. Or that I had to sweep up my own crumbs, and I don’t even have one of those special server crumb-shovels. Or my Nespresso machine, usually seeming quite nice, adequate for after-dinner digestif-ing, was now somehow not noisy enough, not old enough, not machine enough, more of an espresso app, really, compared to any real Italian joint. Or that I still had white paint crusted on my hands, because I’m at that point in quarantine of wandering around the house, simply wondering what else I might give a coat to. Maybe it was that, mostly, being home after all, I didn’t feel particularly rude looking at my phone mid-meal, and thus ruined the moment like the obvious bad date guy in every Nora Ephron piece. The food could not have been better—and yet it underscored that I’ve never missed a restaurant so much.

Of course I can just as much be a liability in a restaurant. My Clark’s always look too scuffed, I don’t know how or when to tuck in a shirt, when we go through the wine tasting, testing bit—so formal, a pretentious thing all our 18-year-old selves would loathe us for—I feel that I’m suddenly sitting in my father’s borrowed and oversized suit, that I’m about to be called out as a fraud, politely asked to leave the place, be told, “this is for the grown-ups.” But if anybody likes the whole charade more—the welcome of the owner, as Frankie Valli seemingly always hits overhead, who kind of puts out his arms like he’s been waiting, the accepting nod from the host when she finds my name, validates my existence in the tablecloth world, the cocktails at the bar stoking expectation, being handed a menu like a fresh Choose Your Own Adventure but after a two-Negroni buzz, the recitation of clandestine specials from the server like a def jam poetry flow where I feel like snapping fingers, the big night conversation so much more potent, charged, so much less small, the feel of spotting your waiter across the room, seeing his hands full, knowing this is it, your time is now—they have a serious problem.

Places like Zarletti don’t exist solely for special occasions. Under now unimaginable normal circumstances, we could go on a random Wednesday. Or for lunch. But, looking back, what did we ever do to deserve that? Did we get good grades? Memorize enough things in school to progress, avoid the margins of society? Did we have all our vaccines as a tyke and eventually quit smoking and go to the doctor once a year-ish and the dentist twice-a-year, more or less? And so now, yes, we should be good, barring car accident or one of those freak early cancer diagnoses that only really happen to other people anyways? Or are we all, the ones here, now, looking forward to going back to a lifetime of memorable meals so numerous we barely notice them, just incomprehensibly lucky?

As of this writing June doesn’t look much better than May, and July—who knows? I notice a chiropractor appointment has sprouted like a weed in an innocuous white cube a few rows from now, making me wonder how the quarantine time warp has trapezed us into our late middle ages. But otherwise there is certainly space to contemplate, reckon, know and grow expectant of how the Sharpie will be ready—so unused, so hard-up—as to come out in those satisfying soaks where you have to write fast to keep from bleeding out, and then keep going, on to the next weekend. For now, out of nostalgia, out of caution, also out of reasonable hopefulness, I’m setting sights again on New Year’s. There will be reservations, and Milwaukee Street a-twinkle with clamorous revelry and mini-skirts like glorified handkerchiefs going by, the biggest fears of everyone just catching a cold, all of us ready to burn 2020 to the ground, dance on the ashes, drunkenly, irresponsibly, appreciatively clinking glasses, and here will come the waiter, expectant of all my wishes, eager to help, ready to hold my hand.

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techcrunchappcom · 4 years ago

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New Post has been published on https://techcrunchapp.com/space-forces-second-in-command-tests-positive-national-news-the-black-chronicle/

Space Force’s second in command tests positive – National News – The Black Chronicle

narvikk/iStockBy MORGAN WINSOR, EMILY SHAPIRO and IVAN PEREIRA, ABC News

(NEW YORK) — A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 1.1 million people worldwide.

Over 44 million people across the globe have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new respiratory virus, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The actual numbers are believed to be much higher due to testing shortages, many unreported cases and suspicions that some national governments are hiding or downplaying the scope of their outbreaks. The criteria for diagnosis — through clinical means or a lab test — has also varied from country to country.

The United States is the worst-affected nation, with more than 8.8 million diagnosed cases and at least 227,673 deaths.

Nearly 200 vaccine candidates for COVID-19 are being tracked by the World Health Organization, at least 10 of which are in crucial phase three studies. Of those 10 potential vaccines in late-stage trials, there are currently five that will be available in the United States if approved.

Here’s how the news developed Wednesday. All times Eastern:

Oct 28, 10:38 pm Thirteen Arkansas lawmakers, state surgeon general test positive for COVID-19

Thirteen Arkansas lawmakers have so far tested positive for COVID-19, as an outbreak among state legislators grew by two on Wednesday, officials announced.

The number includes nine House members and four senators.

Also on Wednesday, the state surgeon general, Dr. Gregory Bledsoe, revealed that he had tested positive for the virus. The diagnosis comes two days after he announced on social media that his parents, wife and two of his three children had tested positive for the virus “in spite of our best attempts to distance & wear masks.”

The state recorded 952 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, for a total of 107,679. Oct 28, 10:16 pm COVID-19 cases increasing in 42 states and territories: HHS

New coronavirus cases are increasing in 42 states and territories, according to an internal Health and Human Services memo obtained by ABC News.

Six jurisdictions are at a plateau, and new cases are decreasing in eight, the memo said. The number of new cases reported from Oct. 21 to 27 increased by 21.7% compared to the previous seven-day period, according to the memo.

New deaths increased 8.8% during that same time period.

The national test-positivity rate also increased to 6.2% from 5.8% in week-to-week comparisons.

Across the country, 23% of hospitals have more than 80% of their intensive care unit beds filled, according to HHS. That number was 17% to 18% during the summertime peak.

Hospital strain is a concern in several states, including Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico and Oklahoma. Hospitals in New Mexico are seeing higher numbers of younger patients, while ones in Oklahoma City are reducing elective surgeries and calling for volunteers with medical backgrounds due to a surge in COVID-19 patients, the memo noted.

Oct 28, 8:39 pm Space Force general tests positive

The No. 2 in command of the Space Force has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to federal officials.

Gen. David D. Thompson, vice chief of space operations, took the test after he learned he came in contact with a close family member who contracted the virus, according to the U.S. Air Force.

“In accordance with established COVID policies, General Thompson is self-quarantining and working remotely from home,” the Air Force said in a statement.

ABC News’ Luis Martinez contributed to this report.

Oct 28, 6:30 pm Americans will receive vaccine at no cost: Feds

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services confirmed Wednesday that any COVID-19 vaccine authorized or approved by Food and Drug Administration will be available at no cost to Americans.

The agency will require that Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance to cover the cost of administering the vaccine and said medical providers will be reimbursed for administering vaccines to individuals without insurance.

“The rule covers both vaccines authorized through an emergency authorization and full licensing approval,” CMS Administrator Seema Varma said on a call with reporters.

Varma said that the policy will be in place regardless of the results of the election.

ABC News’ Stephanie Ebbs contributed to this report.

Oct 28, 6:18 pm Cases expected to increase in 49 states, half substantially: Report

The PolicyLab at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia released a coronavirus forecast Wednesday saying “all states except Hawaii will see increased case counts over the next four weeks with at least half expected to have substantial case growth.”

“The researchers warn that the projected rate of growth of this fall wave could overwhelm contact tracing efforts and threaten the effectiveness of school safety plans, eventually necessitating many schools to revert to online learning, particularly for older students, until the surge has passed,” PolicyLab said in a statement.

Researchers forecast a higher growth in the Northeast as temperatures continue to drop.

“Resurgence risk [is] growing more quickly than anticipated in the warmer climate zones of the southern U.S,” PolicyLab said.

ABC News’ Brian Hartman contributed to this report.

Oct 28, 5:00 pm Study finds antibodies last up to 5 months for most A Mount Sinai study published Wednesday in the journal “Science” found that most people who experienced mild-to-moderate COVID-19 symptoms have “a robust antibody response” that kills the virus and is “relatively stable for at least five months.” “While some reports have come out saying antibodies to this virus go away quickly, we have found just the opposite — that more than 90 percent of people who were mildly or moderately ill produce an antibody response strong enough to neutralize the virus, and the response is maintained for many months,” Florian Krammer, a senior author of the paper and a professor of vaccinology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, said in a statement.

“Determining the duration and levels of antibody that protect us from reinfection” is “essential for effective vaccine development,” Krammer added. The study included data from 30,082 people.

Oct 28, 3:55 pm France braces for partial lockdown French President Emmanuel Macron announced a partial lockdown on Wednesday.

Bars and restaurants will be closed and private and public gatherings will be prohibited nationwide.

Permission slips will be required for outings, but schools and various public institutions and factories will remain open.

The restrictions, which will be reviewed every 15 days, go into effect Thursday night and will last through at least Dec. 1.

Macron’s announcement follows an alarming spike in deaths from the virus as in addition to record numbers of new cases across France.

“The virus is circulating in France at a speed that even the most pessimistic forecasts had not predicted,” Macron said. “If we do not put the brakes on hard today our hospitals will be overwhelmed.”

On Tuesday, France lost 527 lives to COVID-19, Macron said. As of Wednesday, the nation’s positivity rate was 18.6%.

France’s public health agency has confirmed over 1,198,000 cases and 35,541 deaths.

ABC News’ Ibtissem Guenfoud and Christine Theodorou contributed to this report.

Oct 28, 3:30 pm MLB slams Dodgers player for returning to field after testing positive Major League Baseball criticized Justin Turner for returning to the field Tuesday night when his team won the World Series after the Dodgers’ third baseman was removed from the game because he tested positive for COVID-19.

Turner was put into isolation, according to a statement from MLB, but he “chose to disregard the agreed-upon joint protocols and the instructions he was given regarding the safety and protection of others.”

“Turner’s decision to leave isolation and enter the field was wrong and put everyone he came in contact with at risk,” MLB said. “When MLB Security raised the matter of being on the field with Turner, he emphatically refused to comply.”

The Commissioner’s Office is investigating.

The Dodgers were tested Tuesday night, and both the Rays and Dodgers were tested again Wednesday, MLB said, adding that the teams’ “travel back to their home cities will be determined after being approved by the appropriate authorities.”

The Dodgers said Wednesday that the team will wait to celebrate with the fans “until it is safe to do so.” Oct 28, 2:32 pm April 2021 Boston Marathon postponed

The Boston Marathon set for April 2021 will be postponed until at least the fall of 2021, the Boston Athletic Association announced Wednesday.

The postponement comes amid a rise of coronavirus cases in Massachusetts. This year’s marathon was canceled.

Monday marked the state’s highest daily case count since the spring, the Boston Herald reported. Last week brought multiple days of daily case counts over 1,000, which the state hadn’t seen since the spring, the Herald said.

Massachusetts now has over 149,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and at least 9,664 fatalities.

ABC News’ Leo Mayorga contributed to this report.

Oct 28, 1:28 pm Italy, Greece report record increases again

Italy and Greece both reached new records for daily COVID-19 cases for the second day in a row.

Italy reported 24,991 new cases on Wednesday, breaking the record of 21,994 cases from Tuesday, according to the Civil Protection Agency.

Italy now has over 589,000 COVID-19 cases and at least 37,905 fatalities.

Greece set a new record with 1,547 new cases on Wednesday, up from Tuesday’s record of 1,259, according to the National Public Health Organization.

Greece now has over 34,000 COVID-19 cases and at least 603 deaths. ABC News’ Christine Theodorou contributed to this report.

Oct 28, 12:32 pm Dodgers delay World Series celebration after Turner’s positive test One day after winning the World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers said Wednesday that the team will wait to celebrate with the fans “until it is safe to do so.”

While the Dodgers were playing the Tampa Bay Rays Tuesday night, third baseman Justin Turner tested positive for COVID-19 and was pulled from the series-winning game, ESPN reported.

Turner tweeted that he had no symptoms and “just experienced every emotion you can possibly imagine.”

Thanks to everyone reaching out! I feel great, no symptoms at all. Just experienced every emotion you can possibly imagine. Can’t believe I couldn’t be out there to celebrate with my guys! So proud of this team & unbelievably happy for the City of LA#WorldSeriesChamps

— Justin Turner (@redturn2) October 28, 2020

Oct 28, 12:18 pm Fauci says we won’t have ‘some semblance of normality’ until at least 2021 Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told Australians on Wednesday, “I think it will be easily by the end of 2021, and perhaps into the next year, before we start having some semblance of normality.”

Fauci defined “normal” as packing theaters and restaurants operating at full capacity, according to The Age.

Fauci applauded Australia’s response to the pandemic.

“Australia is one of the countries that has done quite well. New Zealand has done well,” he said, according to The Age.

“I would like to say the same for the U.S., but the numbers speak for themselves,” Fauci said, describing the U.S. as “getting worse and worse.”

Oct 28, 11:47 am Wisconsin football on pause following 12 COVID-19 cases

The University of Wisconsin football team is pausing all activities for at least one week following an “elevated number” of COVID-19 cases, the team announced. As of Wednesday morning, 12 people — six athletes and six staff members — had tested positive within the last five days, the team said.

Wisconsin was set to plan Nebraska on Saturday but the game has been canceled.

Oct 28, 10:29 am France braces for possible nationwide lockdown

French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to announce further restrictions to curb a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

Macron is slated to make a televised address on Wednesday evening, after holding emergency meetings with government officials to discuss the COVID-19 response. A four-week nationwide lockdown is reportedly among the options being considered, according to French media.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told France Inter radio on Tuesday that citizens “must expect difficult decisions.”

Macron’s announcement would follow an alarming spike in deaths from COVID-19 as well as record numbers of new cases across France. Nighttime curfews have already been imposed in many areas, including Paris.

France’s public health agency has confirmed 1,198,695 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, including 35,541 deaths.

Oct 28, 9:07 am Poland sees record rise in new cases

Poland confirmed another 18,820 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, its highest single-day increase yet.

An additional 236 fatalities from COVID-19 were also registered across the Central European country in the past 24 hours, according to the Polish Ministry of Health.

Poland’s cumulative total currently stands at 299,049 cases with 4,851 deaths.

Meanwhile, nearly 14,000 COVID-19 patients remained hospitalized in Poland as of Wednesday morning, including 1,150 who are on ventilators, the health ministry said.

Oct 28, 8:03 am Eli Lilly to supply US with 300,000 vials of experimental antibody drug

Eli Lilly and Company announced Wednesday an initial agreement with the U.S. government to supply 300,000 vials of one of its experimental antibody treatments for $375 million to help fight the coronavirus pandemic.

The federal government will accept the vials of bamlanivimab, a monoclonal antibody drug, if it is granted emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The initial agreement also provides the option for the federal government to purchase up to an additional 650,000 vials through June 2021, according to a press release from Eli Lilly and Company.

The Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical firm submitted a request earlier this month for the FDA to authorize emergency use of bamlanivimab in non-hospitalized, high-risk individuals with mild to moderate cases of COVID-19.

“The U.S. is experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases and associated hospitalizations,” said David Ricks, chairman and CEO of Eli Lilly and Company, “and we believe bamlanivimab could be an important therapeutic option that can bring value to the overall healthcare system, as it has shown a potential benefit in clinical outcomes with a reduction in viral load and rates of symptoms and hospitalizations.”

If the FDA authorizes use of the therapeutic, the federal government will allocate the doses to state and territorial health departments which will then determine which health care facilities receive the drug for use in outpatient care. The government-purchased doses would become available to Americans at no cost, though health care professionals could charge for administering the intravenous infusion, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“This agreement with Eli Lilly is part of Operation Warp Speed’s efforts to position the federal government to distribute potential therapeutics, allowing faster distribution if trials are successful,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar.

The deal comes after the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases announced Monday that it has stopped testing a combination of bamlanivimab with the antiviral medication remedesivir in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, after an independent review of results found a “lack of clinical benefit.” Eli Lilly and Company said that all other studies of bamlanivimab, including its own phase 3 clinical trials, will continue and that it remains “confident” that the drug may help prevent progression of COVID-19 for individuals earlier in the course of their disease.

Oct 28, 6:06 am Russia’s daily death toll reaches record high for second straight day

Russia registered 346 more deaths from COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, setting a new national record, according to the country’s coronavirus response headquarters.

The country’s previous record of 320 deaths in a 24-hour reporting period was set just a day earlier.

An additional 16,202 new cases of COVID-19 were also confirmed in the past day, down from Sunday’s peak of 17,347, according to Russia’s coronavirus response headquarters.

Moscow remains the epicenter of the country’s outbreak and recent surge. More than 22% of the new cases — 3,670 — and over 21% of the new deaths — 61 — were reported in the Russian capital.

The nationwide, cumulative total now stands at 1,563,976 cases with 26,935 deaths, according to Russia’s coronavirus response headquarters.

The Eastern European country of 145 million people has the fourth-highest tally of COVID-19 cases in the world, behind only the United States, India and Brazil, according to a real-time count kept by Johns Hopkins University.

Oct 28, 5:52 am South Africa’s president enters self-quarantine

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is under self-quarantine after a guest at a dinner he attended over the weekend tested positive for COVID-19.

“The President is showing no symptoms at this time and will, in line with COVID-19 health advice, be tested should symptoms manifest,” Ramaphosa’s office said in a statement Wednesday. “The President will perform his duties remotely and will observe the guidelines that apply to self-quarantine.”

Ramaphosa attended a fundraising dinner for the Adopt-a-School Foundation at a hotel in Johannesburg on Saturday evening. Thirty-five guests were in attendance at the event and were the only people hosted by the venue at that time.

“The event adhered stringently to COVID-19 protocols and directives on screening, social distancing and the wearing of masks,” Ramaphosa’s office said. “As was the case with all guests, the President himself removed his mask only when dining and addressing the guests.”

On Tuesday, the Adopt-a-School Foundation advised the dinner guests that an attendee had tested positive for COVID-19 after showing symptoms on Sunday. The South African president had already attended two other events Tuesday morning before being alerted of the infected guest, who is currently “receiving medical attention,” according to Ramaphosa’s office.

“The President is screened regularly by the South African Military Health Service and subjects himself to screening at venues where he participates in engagements,” his office said.

South Africa has confirmed more than 717,000 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, including at least 19,053 deaths. The country accounts for almost half of all diagnosed cases on the African continent, according to data from the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Oct 28, 5:19 am Russia’s foreign minister in self-isolation

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is self-isolating after coming into contact with someone infected with COVID-19.

Lavrov, however, is “feeling well,” according to Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Following a contact with an individual infected with Covid-19, Sergei Lavrov will opt for self-isolation,” the ministry said in a statement Tuesday. “The visits and meetings planned earlier are postponed.”

Oct 28, 4:24 am US reports over 73,000 new cases, nearly 1,000 deaths

There were 73,240 new cases of COVID-19 identified in the United States on Tuesday, according to a real-time count kept by Johns Hopkins University.

The latest daily tally is nearly 6,500 more than the previous day but still less than the country’s all-time high of 83,757 new cases set on Friday.

An additional 985 fatalities from COVID-19 were also registered nationwide Tuesday, more than double the previous day’s count but still down from a peak of 2,666 new deaths in mid-April.

A total of 8,779,653 people in the United States have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the pandemic began, and at least 226,723 of them have died, according to Johns Hopkins. The cases include people from all 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C. and other U.S. territories as well as repatriated citizens.

By May 20, all U.S. states had begun lifting stay-at-home orders and other restrictions put in place to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. The day-to-day increase in the country’s cases then hovered around 20,000 for a couple of weeks before shooting back up and crossing 80,000 for the first time on Oct. 23.

An internal memo from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that was obtained by ABC News on Tuesday night shows the number of new COVID-19 cases recorded across the nation has increased substantially in week-over-week comparisons, as has the number of new deaths from the disease.

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#command #force #national #positive #second #space #tests #National

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bostoncontemporaries · 4 years ago

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Make Change Happen, Then Adapt to It

Being proactive means actively striving to make positive change in your workplace. And a great way to know what’s best for your unique organization is to find out how your specific strengths can contribute to the big picture. It’s best to get outside opinions when trying to suss out your own abilities! Once you’ve figured out your areas of opportunity, you’ll need to put in effort to achieve those changes. This will all let your proactive nature shine, making a great impression on your co-workers and bosses. The methods from the pros that we’ve collected below will help you do just that. We love this fantastic, collaborative tip from John Turner at Thrive Global: “Ask for feedback. Asking for feedback is a simple way to become more proactive. You don’t just have to wait for your boss or manager to give you an appraisal. You can start a conversation by simply saying ‘What can I do to improve?’ You’ll be taking initiative and making an impression. You’re seeking out information and will learn what you need to know to improve at your job. This shows that you care, you’re interested in the job, and it makes you stand out. Not to mention, you’ll actually improve at your work and build skills. Asking for feedback is an effective way to be more proactive at work that takes very little time.” This method shows off your commitment to your workplace performance AND your time management skills! Figuring out how to improve at your job will allow you to complete tasks faster by prioritizing them appropriately relative to your unique skill set. Asking for feedback also shows that you trust the person you’re consulting, building up a further sense of community between you. Once you have that feedback, be sure to use this trick from Duncan Muguku at ThriveYard on something that’s key to proactivity: “Adapting to change. There are constant changes in the world of business. The ability to adapt to change easily affects one’s capacity to be proactive. When confronted with change, take time to analyze and understand the reason for the change, the impact of the change and how you need to adjust seamlessly moving forward. If you are the one initiating the change, it is critical to communicate the change well to others. Ideally involve them in every step of the change and let people understand the reason why the change is being introduced and the potential benefits.” Communication is key to flexibility. Letting those around you know why you’re inclined towards implementing a change at work will allow them the opportunity to provide further feedback on how to make that potential change even more effective--or to let you know that someone has already tried that solution. Think about change critically. If your organization has been utilizing a particular methodology, there’s a reason! As much as you need to be ready to adapt to change, make sure that you’re not trying to fix something if it isn’t broken. Above all, keeping an open mind is key when working to amp up your personal foundation of proactivity. You can always learn from those around you, but to do that means you’ll need to recognize that every person in your professional environment has wisdom to offer. Take steps towards achieving change by seeking out that knowledge. This will result in not only your personal development but a greater sense of appreciation for your employers and colleagues. Visit us again tomorrow for a midweek Mood Boost with our Wednesday Wellness: Proactive edition. Read the full article

#CandidateTips #GoodHabits #growth #positivity

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naturexzone · 5 years ago

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Elemental Wars Book Of Wishes Chapter VI: The Return of Junis|New Student

Wednesday morning at school in the auditorium, all students, freshman, sophomores, juniors, and seniors reported to the auditorium for the five huge announcements. "Good morning everyone, may I have your attention please?" "So when will you let me get your phone number?" "You, me, at my place." "Mr. Turner!" "Huh?" "Go back to your seat or I will give you Saturday detention." "Okay! Okay!"

"I'm here to explain to everyone that is present in this assembly about the huge announcements." "First announcement is the new rule, you are allowed to wear casual clothes every Friday, it has to be appropriate, nothing inappropriate." "Second announcement is there will be a new student coming to Shanghai Academy, behave yourselves and show her a lot of respect."

"Third announcement will be a Boys vs Girls Relay Race this Friday, just sign up if you interested to participate in the special event." "Fourth announcement has to do with everyone here, Mr. Galanos, Mr. Turner, Ms. Sanchez, and the new student will be on the new school bus with the juniors and seniors." "Mr. Yakamura, Ms. Ishikawa, and Ms. Akamine will be on the same bus with Freshmen and Sophomores."

The boys were arguing and really fed up about the rules of being moved to another bus except for Junis and Anstice. "Silence!" The boys kept their mouths shut and behaved themselves. "Moving on to the Fifth announcement, everyone make some noise for the return of the freshmen, Junis Yei-Sung Yakamura!" Junis arrived on the stage really confident as everyone cheered for him going wild.

"Good morning Shanghai Academy, what is going on today?" "I'm back!" "Better than the time I came here which was last week." "I won't let anyone down here, I will give in my all to lead us to victory!" The crowd cheered so loud really hyped up as hell giving him the energy and the courage to do the impossible.

Few moments later at lunch, Junis was eating Spicy Curry, Pork Ramen, and drinking his Blue Iced Tea for lunch. he noticed Sukina was next to him in the same table. She sighed really sad and he looked at her. "What's wrong Akamine San?"

"It's this jerk, he has been harassing me for two days and I told her to stop but he threatened to hit me." "What!?" "Where is that peeping tom!?" "He's in the weight room working out for his first football game." "Why?" "Because you need to tell the principal about this." "But, but, I'm too scared." "You shouldn't be afraid to tell her."

The peeping tom showed up in the cafeteria. His name is Troy Stevenson he's 6'8, 245 Ibs. Running back for the Shanghai Academy Football Team. He's a Senior, he loves to sexually harass freshmen girls like Sukina. He sat next to Sukina and began to harass her and not caring that Junis is next to her.

"G-G-Get off of me!" "Nope, you are just the perfect one to become my girlfriend, what do you say?" "I don't want to be with a peeping Tom like you!" Sukina slapped him really hard and hides behind Junis really scared.

"Come on babe, don't be scared of me." Troy tried to harass her again but more than that, to rape her but Junis prevented him from doing that. "Who the fuck are you loser?" "Her friend, leave her alone!" Junis said as he glared at him. Troy got pissed, moved him out of the way and Sukina ran to Junis seeing him on the floor.

"Yakamura Sama, speak to me!" Junis woke up and looked at Sukina and smiled. "Ugh...I'm fine now." Principal Akamine showed up in the Cafeteria and was really furious at Troy. "I caught you on camera, you sexually harassed my daughter and attacked one of my star pupils." I warned you yesterday that if you disobey me, I will suspend you!" "You are expelled, meaning you won't be in this school anymore!"

"You are so dead Yakamura, I will come after you!" "Take him away." The security threw him out of school as Principal Akamine went back to her office.

Later after school, Junis Participated at the Shanghai Academy's Basketball tryouts, everyone in the gym say he put on a show but he show no emotion, he was more serious than the varsity players that played last year. He was on another level, before the tryouts, everyone thought he's a horrible talent, a try hard, a joke to the team, he proved everyone wrong.

He let the game do the talking, he was known as the silent rookie. he was a cold blood killer in the gym, he put the coach, fans, even the varsity team on notice. Coach decided to make his decision on Friday. Junis understood Coach's message and part ways as he went in the locker room getting dressed after working so hard.

Few hours later after he got dressed, he started walking to home but decided to walk to Sukina's house to check on her. He heard her screaming coming from the basement and he hurried and rushed in her house, in the basement and sees Sukina in the corner avoiding Troy in fear.

"LEAVE AKAMINE SAN ALONE!" Junis said yelling at Troy really angry. Troy turned around and transformed into a big mutant beast. "I was close to making the bitch mine until you got in my way you little runt!" "I'm tired of running from you Troy, I will take you down, and save Akamine San!" Troy got pissed and comes at Junis and attacked him crushing his bones, Junis coughs a lot of blood and trying to get up, Troy grinned at him and laughed maniacally for a moment.

"Well then, it's time to kill you, you are a worthless, useless, unworthy loser, even he would use his sloppy seconds on that green hair beauty. Junis having memories of the times he spent with Kimichi, the moments that makes him happy. Troy started choking him in the worst way possible you can think of, Junis balds his right fist and punched him really hard in the gut and Troy crashed against the wall.

"How did you manage to surpass my power!?" "You are a weakling, you are nothing but a human!" "You're wrong, I'm Junis Yei-Sung Yakamura, I'm a crimson dragon!" Junis said as he opened his right yellow eye. Junis brutally attacked Troy, crushing his body, and his skull using amber crusher.

Troy crashed through the wall and into the forest dead. Junis breathes heavily and turned back to normal. He takes Sukina back to her room and healed her using phoenix tears. He did everything he can to heal her wounds, Sukina went to sleep peacefully. He went to the basement and restored the walls downstairs using restore spell.

Thursday morning at 1st period class, Mr. Dominguez started passing out everyone's previous classwork from yesterday. "Sukina Akamine." "Present." "You got a A+, congratulations." "Thank you Mr. Dominguez." "Ming Zhun." "Here." "You got a A-, congratulations." "Thank you sir." "The new student named Allison Dominique." "Present." "A+ for you." "Thank you." "Junis Yakamura." "Present." "Outstanding job, I'm proud of you just like Allison,Sukina, and Ming, congratulations, you passed." "Thank you so much sir."

"Lastly we got you, Terrance McPeterson, you failed, you skipped my class for 3 weeks." "You get a F." Terrance loses his cool and yelled at the teacher with unyielding rage. "Oh come on Mr. Dominguez, how did I get a fucking F!?." Mr. Dominguez explained to him how he failed his class.

"Mr. McPeterson, just look at your grades, you have the worst grades than Samuel." "What!?" "Be quiet and listen." "On your first math sheet, you got a 0%, a F in multiplication. " "On your second math sheet, you got a 25%, a F in Division." "On your third math sheet, you got a 5%, a F in addition." "On your fourth math sheet, you got a 40%, a F in Subtraction." On your Last Sheet, you got a 50%." "That's a good grade." "No it's not you idiot!" "A 50% is a F!

"This is a load of bullshit, you stupid sack of shit!" "Get out of my class, you are banned from coming here!" Terrence threw his table at the chalkboard and stormed out the class, Mr. Dominguez called Principal Akamine and Terrance McPeterson got suspended for a year for his rude behavior."

Few moments later after school in the gym, Junis performed on the last day of basketball tryouts, he moved faster than yesterday, worked even harder, made every shot, rebounded better, played really aggressive, moved the ball around unselfishly, protecting the paint, and go on a fast break running too hard ahead of everyone.

At the end of the basketball tryouts, the coach of the basketball team walks up to Junis and speaks to him. "Hey kid, you got spunk, physicality, being unselfish, die hard attitude, winning mentality, and the skills that we need in a point guard, you are just the point guard we need." "My name is Dennis Harris, but call me Coach Harris." Coach Harris said as he shakes his hand. "What's your name kid?" "Junis Yei-Sung Yakamura, you can call me Junis." "Cool name for a talented point guard like yourself, congratulations, you are part of the basketball team, welcome to the Shanghai Dragons."

Few hours later Sukina and Junis came home late with Principal Akamine, Principal Akamine went to bed in her room on the 3rd floor. Sukina wanted to talk to Junis and thank him for saving her life. "Yakamura Sama, I want to thank you for saving my life, if you haven't been there for me, I would have been dead."

"No problem Akamine San, I will always look out for my friends especially you." Sukina smiled and went to her room and fell asleep. Junis went in the basement and felt cold, he warmed himself up by making the basement cold. He lays on the comfortable bed and fell asleep.

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tsglexingtonkentucky · 5 years ago

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Earth Day Turns 50!

EcoSense and Earth Day

Earth Day is celebrating 50 years this Wednesday, April 22nd during this global pandemic. Meeting the urgent COVID-19-related need of educators’ around the world for virtual learning science resources, EcoSense for Living is now available on PBS LearningMedia, through a partnership with KET (Kentucky Educational Television). This amazing opportunity adds to the platform’s online resources for educators and middle and high school students to explore science-based environmental challenges, solutions and conservation topics.

Hosted by Jennie Turner Garlington, an eco-champion and mom, the EcoSense for Living series explores eco-challenges, solutions and conservation topics for a more planet-friendly life.

“We are so proud of how Kentuckians have stepped up and banned together to keep friends and loved ones safe. Although our hearts break everyday for all of the loved ones being lost, we embrace our families and are thankful for our time together. Through all of the loss we have gained bonds with our family. We have so much gratitude for so many hero’s in the medical field, grocery stores and all of the essential business’s that have remained open. I’m so proud of our fellow Kentuckians,” said Garlington

PBS LearningMedia syncs with Google classroom, explores state curriculum standards, manages classroom assignments and much more. The EcoSense for Living team worked with Dr. Melinda Wilder, a former elementary and middle school teacher, experienced educator and education professor at Eastern Kentucky University, to design the teacher’s guide and learning materials to accompany the complete video content, that originally aired on PBS stations. Dr. Wilder created discussion questions, vocabulary guides, hands-on exercises and other materials for teachers to tell environmental stories in a way that’s fresh, entertaining, and puts needed tools at the fingertips of teachers.

“We developed the content to accompany EcoSense for Living on PBS LearningMedia so the guides met the widely accepted three-dimensional standards, chose performance expectations that most closely aligned with the video information, and then developed appropriate questions for middle and high school students,” Dr. Wilder said.

The academic science literacy standards and benchmarks were developed with “buckets” or grade level disciplinary core ideas from Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) or similar state-wide frameworks. Some buckets include science, life science, ecology, biodiversity and ecosystem relationships.

This first set of EcoSense topics available now on PBS LearningMedia includes:

Grizzly Bears and Wolves: understanding the challenges of living in areas where they live, how they’re managed, and the “Endangered Species” Act - what it is and how it’s used.

Future of Food: from little changes we can make in our diets to reduce carbon to eating bugs!

Clean Air Act – how we got it and why it’s still so important.

Talkin’ Trash – how cities find innovative ways to turn trash into compostable treasure.

“With the EcoSense magazine style format, we were able to break the content down into digestible segments that fit well into classroom lessons, leaving room for interactive exercises,” said Garlington. “We’re excited to share these educational, entertaining segments that offer environmental science, history, biology and other lessons for middle and high school students. Moreover, we’re happy to help at this important virtual learning moment so students can hear from national experts, spark discussion, and provoke thoughts about caring for the planet.”

As an environmental media champion, former CNN producer, mother and concerned citizen, Jennie fervently embraces the sustainability views of her father, Ted Turner. She developed a PSA series called EcoSense for Living in 2005 that received high acclaim and she quickly expanded it into a 30-minute episode of the same name. That first show, featuring Clark Howard, offered environmentally friendly ways to save money daily around the house and led to more than two dozen half-hour subsequent episodes over the last 15 years.

These episodes are available for streaming on PBS. Four new episodes will premiere in April for the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and Earth Month:

Wild Crossings looks at how animals can find passage in an increasingly developed world.

Fashioned for the Planet explores one of the most polluting industries of the world and alternatives to fast and cheap fashion.

Wild Healing shows our deep-seated connections to nature and how we all can understand and appreciate our link to domestic and wild animals and plants.

Innovation & Biomimicry explores the amazing versatile applications of mushrooms and how organizations like the Georgia Aquarium and Zoo Atlanta band together to use data to ensure survival for diverse species.

To date, the EcoSense for Living series has aired thousands of times in top markets nationwide including New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis, Austin, Nashville, Seattle and many more. Each episode is produced by Picture Window Productions and made available to PBS stations across the United States via NETA, an internal network/satellite service.

View full episodes live streamed at https://www.pbs.org/show/ecosense-living/episodes/.

View the educational segments on PBS LearningMedia at pbslearningmedia.org/collection/ecosense-for-living.

Visit www.EcoSenseForLiving.com or Facebook (EcosenseForLiving) for more information.

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soccerdrawings · 5 years ago

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Ten Reasons Why People Love Soccer Professional Teams | Soccer Professional Teams

Clemson is authoritative its fourth actualization in the civic championship bold in bristles years. The Tigers, winners of two of the aftermost three titles, haven't absent aback January 2018, giving them a 29-game acceptable streak. They haven't absent a bollix aback October, and quarterback Trevor Lawrence has befuddled 202 passes afterwards an interception, the longest band in affairs history and the longest alive band amid FBS quarterbacks.

Women's soccer in Canada - Wikipedia - soccer professional teams | soccer professional teams Yet somehow the Tigers are 5.5-point underdogs to LSU, a aggregation afterwards a appellation aback 2007 and one that is authoritative its playoff debut.CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW: See a complete adviser to Monday's civic championship bold at the end of this story"Being actuality two years now and arena in a few games, you aloof see how abundant it doesn't absolutely amount who's the favorite, and I anticipate we as a aggregation absolutely accept that," Lawrence told Sports Illustrated. "Not necessarily that we booty breach to it, it's aloof like it absolutely doesn't amount who the admired is. You've got to go comedy the game."It ability arise that all that acquaintance doesn't administer to the Tigers' defense: Three brilliant players on aftermost season's arresting line, Clelin Ferrell, Christian Wilkins and Dexter Lawrence, were taken in the aboriginal annular of the 2019 NFL draft, with cornerback Trayvon Mullen and arresting end Austin Bryant alleged in the additional and fourth round. Yet not alone is this season's assemblage one of the best in the nation, it's Clemson's best achievement of acceptable addition championship.Heading into Monday's civic championship bold in New Orleans, Clemson's aegis ranks No. 1 in the country for credibility accustomed per bold (11.5), No. 1 for casual aegis per bold (151.5 yards), No. 2 for absolute aegis per bold (264.1 yards allowed) and No. 2 for yards accustomed per comedy (4.2). It additionally affected one out of every bristles opponents' drives to end with aught or abrogating yards, the fourth-highest mark in the nation.Much has been fabricated of Clemson's agenda this season, which is anemic by antecedent playoff standards. But it's annual acquainted that Ohio State had the nation's No. 1 scoring breach afore aftermost month's Fiesta Bowl semifinal, area Clemson captivated the Buckeyes to a season-low 23 credibility and kept them scoreless in three trips central the red zone. Afterwards demography all their opponents into annual and Clemson's achievement adjoin each, the Tigers avowal the No. 1 opponent-adjusted arresting ability in the country, per the Fremeau Ability Index. Fremeau additionally lists this year's Clemson aegis as the fourth-best aback 2007, abaft alone 2011 Alabama, 2011 LSU and 2016 Alabama.In this Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019 book photo, Clemson arch drillmaster Dabo Swinney, center, and arresting drillmaster Brent Venables, left, watch the activity during the additional bisected of an NCAA academy football bold adjoin Texas A&M in Clemson, S.C. (AP Photo/Richard Shiro, File)Clemson arresting coordinator Brent Venables faces a cogent claiming in aggravating to apathetic bottomward the LSU offense, starting with quarterback Joe Burrow, the Heisman Bays champ and -to-be No. 1 aces in this year's NFL draft.Burrow led the nation in adapted achievement amount (83%), big-time throws (32 throws advised by Pro Football Focus to be difficult and of aerial value) and passer appraisement from a apple-pie abridged (156.7). His PFF brand for throws into a bound window - those in which the receiver has little break from a apostle - was about seven credibility academy than the next-best passer this year (87.3 out of a accessible 100).Clemson has pressured opposing quarterbacks on added than 43% of their bead backs but Burrow has stood alpine in the abridged aback pressured, commutual 74% of his passes for 1,556 yards and 19 touchdowns, both best in the nation, with aloof two interceptions, per abstracts from Sports Info Solutions.Clemson will charge to await on banishment mistakes while attached its own. Clemson led the nation in about-face amount (19%) and has committed aloof one about-face aback Oct. 19 - an interception befuddled by advancement quarterback Chase Brice in a 52-3 dismantling of Wake Forest. Clemson has produced a plus-14 about-face allowance over its aftermost seven amateur and hasn't had a abrogating about-face allowance in a bold aback it played North Carolina in September. Banishment LSU into turnovers would accord Clemson added backing on breach while demography abroad scoring opportunities from the most-dynamic breach in the academy ranks (48.9 credibility per game).

Best Soccer Games with Professional Soccer Teams .. | soccer professional teams The key for Clemson will be its arresting leader, Isaiah Simmons. This year's Butkus Award champ as the nation's best academy linebacker was acclimated in a arrangement of situations. He's been the team's able alfresco linebacker ("SAM"), a spy prowling the band of flat and has additionally been alone aback in advantage as a safety. Simmons adored Clemson's acceptance by bearing 97 absolute tackles (14 for losses), 14 quarterback pressures, six sacks, six passes dedicated and three interceptions. Pro Football Focus alleged him academy football's best able player."They use him the appropriate way, I beggarly congenital accessible for all genitalia of the field, he's long, he's able-bodied and he has acceleration and he's disruptive," LSU Drillmaster Ed Orgeron told reporters Wednesday. "You don't apperceive area he's at, it's not like they're arena him as a abject linebacker or up field. They comedy him in the average of the field, they blitz him and I anticipate they use his abilities actual well. We charge to apperceive area he's at all times on the field."Everything you charge to apperceive about Monday's bold amid LSU and Clemson:No. 3 Clemson (14-0)Clemson, the Atlantic Coast Conference champion, is aggravating to echo as civic best and become the aboriginal aggregation to do that aback Alabama in 2011-12. The Tigers would additionally access alike added absolute academy football aggregation with a third civic appellation in four years. In the AP poll era (starting in 1936), alone Alabama (2009, 2011-12), Nebraska (1994-95, 97) and Notre Dame (1946-47, '49) able that feat. It would brand the Tigers as a accurate dynasty.Clemson assurance Nolan Turner (24) celebrates afterwards his interception adjoin Ohio State during the final minute of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA academy football playoff semifinal Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)No. 1 LSU (14-0)LSU, the Southeastern Conference champ, is attractive for its aboriginal civic championship aback 2007 and fourth all-embracing (2003 BCS, 1958 AP).LSU quarterback Joe Burrow (9) celebrates a touchdown adjoin Oklahoma during the aboriginal bisected of the Peach Bowl NCAA semifinal academy football playoff game, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis)The Academy Football Playoff civic championship bold will be played Monday at 8:15 ET (7:15 CT) at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. The bold will be televised on ESPN.LSU by 5.5

Professional soccer team Logos - soccer professional teams | soccer professional teams Linebacker vs. quarterback ability achieve you anticipate Burrow is activity to be active the triple-option, but Simmons is a altered affectionate of linebacker. The Butkus Award champ curve up all over the aegis run by coordinator Brent Venables. Simmons could be the best way for Clemson to agitation Burrow. Nothing has formed so far this division as the Heisman Bays champ has befuddled for an SEC almanac 55 touchdowns and 5,208 yards.Clemson: RB Travis Etienne. On an breach with an arrangement of aristocratic playmakers, Etienne is the best and best able weapon. He ran for 1,538 yards and 8.0 per carry. Ohio State slowed him bottomward on the arena in the semifinal, alone to see him bolt three passes for 98 yards and two touchdowns.Clemson's Travis Etienne (9) runs the brawl adjoin North Carolina State during the aboriginal bisected of an NCAA academy football bold in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)LSU: DE K'Lavon Chaisson. The Tigers had 35 sacks and Chaisson is far and abroad their best alone canyon rusher. Injuries slowed the green aboriginal this season, but he led the aggregation with 6.5 sacks, including 4.5 the aftermost three games.LSU linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson walks on the acreage during the additional bisected of an NCAA academy football bold adjoin Texas, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Clemson drillmaster Dabo Swinney could become the 12th drillmaster to win at atomic three civic championships in the AP poll era.LSU drillmaster Ed Orgeron is 11-3 adjoin teams ranked in the top 10 at the time of the game. Clemson is on a 29-game acceptable streak, including 25-0 with green QB Trevor Lawrence starting. The Tigers can become the 13th aggregation in the history of above academy football to win 30 beeline games, and aloof the seventh aggregation to achieve the accomplishment aback 1950.Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) is congratulated afterwards Clemson defeated Ohio State 29-23 in the Fiesta Bowl NCAA academy football playoff semifinal Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)LSU's Joe Burrow has completed 77.6% of his passes. The NCAA almanac is 76.7% by Texas' Colt McCoy in 2008.LSU won its aftermost two civic championships at the Superdome in New Orleans (2003 vs. Oklahoma and 2007 vs. Ohio State), and absent its aftermost appellation bold actualization there to Alabama afterwards the 2011 season.

Not Hemingway's Spain: A Sports Nation: It's Always Soccer .. | soccer professional teams In this Jan. 7, 2008, book photo, LSU quarterback Matt Flynn (15) and arresting end Ricky Jean-Francois (90) bless afterwards LSU won the civic championship by assault Ohio State 38-24 in the BCS championship football bold in New Orleans.LSU leads the best alternation 2-1, but Clemson won the aftermost affair ... a 25-24 win in the 2012 Chick-fil-A Bowl.Clemson's Chandler Catanzaro (39) bliss the acceptable 37-yard acreage ambition adjoin LSU as time expires in the Chick-fil-A Bowl NCAA academy football game, Monday, Dec. 31, 2012, in Atlanta. Clemson won 25-24. (AP Photo/David Goldman)LSU linebacker Patrick Queen (8) and LSU arresting end Glen Logan (97) hits Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) during the additional bisected of the Peach Bowl NCAA semifinal academy football playoff game, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Danny Karnik)LSU advanced receiver Justin Jefferson (2) prepares for a touchdown bolt adjoin Oklahoma assurance Justin Broiles (25) during the aboriginal bisected of the Peach Bowl NCAA semifinal academy football playoff game, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Danny Karnik)LSU advanced receiver Justin Jefferson (2) celebrates his touchdown adjoin Oklahoma during the aboriginal bisected of the Peach Bowl NCAA semifinal academy football playoff game, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, in Atlanta. LSU won 63-28. (AP Photo/Danny Karnik)LSU advanced receiver Justin Jefferson (2) runs adjoin Oklahoma cornerback Woodi Washington (5) during the additional bisected of the Peach Bowl NCAA semifinal academy football playoff game, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, in Atlanta. LSU won 63-28. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)LSU drillmaster Ed Orgeron and aggregation bless acceptable the Peach Bowl NCAA semifinal academy football playoff bold adjoin Oklahoma, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, in Atlanta. LSU won 63-28. (AP Photo/John Amis)Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence runs in for a touchdown adjoin Ohio State during the aboriginal bisected of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA academy football playoff semifinal Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)Clemson assurance Nolan Turner (24) intercepts an Ohio State canyon during the final minute of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA academy football playoff semifinal Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz.(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)Ohio State advanced receiver Garrett Wilson catches a canyon over Clemson cornerback Derion Kendrick during the aboriginal bisected of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA academy football playoff semifinal Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

HFX Wanderers unveiled as Canada's newest professional .. | soccer professional teams Clemson active aback Travis Etienne runs for a touchdown adjoin Ohio State during the additional bisected of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA academy football playoff semifinal Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence holds the bays afterwards Clemson defeated Ohio State 29-23 in the Fiesta Bowl NCAA academy football playoff semifinal Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) Ten Reasons Why People Love Soccer Professional Teams | Soccer Professional Teams - soccer professional teams | Delightful in order to my own blog site, in this particular time We'll show you concerning keyword. And now, this can be a primary picture:

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How Many Seats Do Republicans Have In The Senate

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How Many Seats Do Republicans Have In The Senate

Republicans Senate Wins Will Help President Trump His Judicial And Cabinet Nominees And Gop Chances In 2020

WASHINGTON – Republicans held on strongly Tuesday to their second-most important bastion of power: the United States Senate.

That means President Donald Trump, who holds the most important power center, can continue getting conservative federal judges confirmed – something he has done in record numbers already. And he is in a strong position should another vacancy materialize on the Supreme Court.

It means Trump’s anticipated shakeup of his administration should go relatively smoothly: Senate Republicans will be able to rubber-stamp new Cabinet nominees for posts ranging from attorney general to, possibly, defense secretary.

It means that no matter what the new Democratic House of Representatives does in terms of investigating Trump, the Senate is poised to beat back impeachment, as it did for President Bill Clinton in 1998.

And by gaining rather than losing Senate seats, it means Republicans have a vastly improved chance of keeping control through 2020, when they will be defending 22 of 34 seats up for grabs. That represents a table-turning from this year’s election, when Democrats had to defend 26 of 35 seats.

Even Sen. Mitch McConnell, the normally stone-faced GOP leader of the Senate, showed a glimpse of glee Wednesday.

“I had one of the cable networks on this morning, and they said, “This is probably a rare opportunity to see McConnell smile,’” the Kentucky Republican told reporters.

Republicans Are Expected To Gain Seats In Redrawn 2022 Congressional Maps But Democrats Could Be Worse Off

U.S. Census data released Monday will shift political power in Congress, reapportioning two House seats to Texas and one each to Florida, North Carolina, Oregon, Colorado, and Montana — and stripping a seat from California , New York , Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and West Virginia. Florida, Texas, and Arizona — each controlled entirely by Republicans — had been expecting to pick up an additional seat.

“On balance, I think this reapportionment offers a small boost for Republicans, but the bigger boost is likely to come from how Republicans draw these seats in Florida, Texas, North Carolina, and Georgia,” the Cook Political Report‘s Dave Wasserman tells Axios. “Reapportionment itself means little compared to the redistricting fights to come.” It won’t exactly be a level playing field.

“Republicans control the redistricting process in far more states than do Democrats, because of GOP dominance in down-ballot elections,”The New York Times reports. “Democrats, meanwhile, have shifted redistricting decisions in states where they have controlled the government — such as California, Colorado, and Virginia — to independent commissions intended to create fair maps.”

House seats broken down by final redistricting authority :

– Republican: 187

— Dave Wasserman April 26, 2021