#subject: marcus bulstrode

[janeiscompletelyfine]

Characters

Hey folks, I had an idea. So I'm writing a fic called Once More, With Feeling, and I am about ready to put another chapter out, but at the same time I have also finished the character sheet of every character in my fic who goes to school at the same time as Harry (whew.)

So my idea was that I would release said character sheet and people could do asks pairing a character with a subject they liked (for example, Keiko Tanaka with older lesbian awakening) and I write them a chapter if I could, because 1. motivation and 2. it would be fun!

One note: please don't use any original characters without asking. I know there's still a chance that it will happen and maybe it's not fair to ask, and if so lmk, but if at all possible, if you are reading this, inherent creative copyright is the basis of all fanfiction and if we can't agree on that, so much of what we love wouldn't exist. If you ask I'm 100% amenable to the characters being used, but please ask.

Okay, without further ado, here is the list as of right now, with Harry as a first year. When I get to the next year I'll reblog with the new kids and without the seventh years. The * refers to an original character, and the (a) refers to a character that has already been introduced in the story, which doesn't mean they can't get a chapter written but means they may already have a bit of a personality.

Once More, With Feeling Characters!

First Year:

Gryffindor:

Hermione Granger (a)

Ron Weasley (a)

Harry Potter (a)

Neville Longbottom

Seamus Finnigan (a)

Parvati Patil (a)

Lavender Brown (a)

Dean Thomas (a)

Ravenclaw:

Cho Chang

 Anthony Goldstein

Padma Patil (a)

Michael Corner

Lisa Turpin

Mandy Brocklehurst

Terry Boot

Morag MacDougal

Hufflepuff:

Ernie Macmillan

Hannah Abbott

Justin Finch-Fletchley

Wayne Hopkins

Sally-Anne Perks

Susan Bones

Lily Moon

Slytherin:

Draco Malfoy (a)

Pansy Parkinson (a)

Daphne Greengrass (a)

Tracey Davis (a)

Vincent Crabbe (a)

Gregory Goyle (a)

Theodore Nott (a)

Millicent Bulstrode (a)

Second Year:

Gryffindor:

Cormac McLaggen

Katie Bell

Poppy Lassers*

Juliet Torley*

Abraham Kent*

Callie Zeller*

 Alfie McTuckett*

Ravenclaw:

Marcus Belby

Eddie Carmichael

Marietta Edgecombe

April Whiteflower*

Lila Webster*

Bellamy Schon*

Isabela Martin*

Hufflepuff:

Rob Summerby

Leanne Nott

Kenneth Towler

Tara Moon*

Jasper Davis*

Louie Nabbit*

Oscar Cross*

Slytherin:

Billy Harper

Hakim Urquhart

Emmeline Denkel*

Lola DeLuma* (a)

Ezra Fawley*

Finch Rowle*

Leopold McManus*

Third Year:

Gryffindor:

Fred Weasley

George Weasley

Angelina Johnson (a)

Alicia Spinnet (a)

Lee Jordan

Arthur Marrigan*

Ines Cardoso*

Scott Nunez*

Ravenclaw:

Roger Davies

Patricia Stimpson

Oona Sianche*

Asa Merrythought*

Molly Moon*

Catherine Prewett*

Fabler Murray*

Hufflepuff:

Cedric Diggory

Holly Hopkins*

Henrietta Noot* (a)

Maria Jimenez*

Teddy Torley* (a)

Phineas Borde*

Alabaster Borde*

Slytherin:

Miles Botchley

Graham Montague

Paula Cardoso*

Millie Wanewright*

Warwick Yarrow*

Barry Costman*

Madeline Morrisey*

Fourth Year:

Gryffindor:

Abelia Scott*

Keiko Tanaka* (a)

Fabian Cross* (a)

Elizabeth Benson*

Benjamin Denkel*

Peter Morebb* (a)

Steve Baumgarten*

Ravenclaw:

Sylvia Fawcett

Isobel Barclay*

Callum Marrigan*

Knox Wilson* (a)

Jacob Benowitz*

Mia Solendska*

Hufflepuff:

Juno Summers

Jameson Snock*

Johnny Ahmed* (a)

Amelia Wanewright*

Lauren Zeller*

Lizzy Beckett*

Slytherin:

Lucian Bole

Cassius Warrington

Adrian Pucey

Peregrine Derrick

Maryam DeLuma*

Seraphina O’Wane*

Zuzu Clapton*

Fifth Years:

Gryffindor:

Percy Weasley (a)

Oliver Wood (a)

Hank Murray*

Rachel Flick*

Mary (Matey) Nicks*

Bill Walters*

Zoey Lost*

Ravenclaw:

Penelope Clearwater

Claude Sollens*

Abigail Beck*

Robert Wailing*

Josh Browson*

Arabella Gardens*

Hufflepuff:

Michael McManus

Mabel Macmillan* (a)

Jenny Rosier* (a)

Wallen Exeber* (a)

Maya Ahmed* (a)

Odwulf Hausmann*

Sylvester Blink*

Slytherin:

Marcus Flint

Joey Markington* (a)

Philippa Morn*

Magdalena Fawcett*

Sebastian Swann*

Winter Barking*

Sixth Year:

Gryffindor:

Sophia Ferrate*

Romina Murray* (a)

Betty Sloper* (a)

Joe Spinnet* (a)

Thomas Denkel*

Darren Cross*

Yara Fawcett*

Ravenclaw:

Fergus FInnigan

Philip Baffler* (a)

Caroline Morian*

Diana Bow* (a)

Wesley Marrigan*

Dalia Ahmed*

Lucy Torley* (a)

Petrovna Berezkina* (a)

Hufflepuff:

Cara Smith*

Bennett Hopkins*

Hugh Madley*

Bruxo Castelan*

Finn Shamble*

Stella DuLuma*

Charlotte Pack*

Slytherin:

Cecilia DeTona* (a)

Faye Winger*

Astelan Smitt*

Robin Cospen* (a)

Terence Tackman*

Berto Conti*

Walter Mane*

Lea Shallan*

Seventh Year:

Gryffindor:

Reed Dennaghue*

Dorothea Bow*

Ernest Fluckster*

Wulfric Shee*

Kirk Dunbroch*

Sarah Fawcett*

Calliope Burns*

Patrick Torley*

Ravenclaw:

Gerald Biggs*

Tony Walden*

Zelda O’Heran*

Reginald Battes*

Morgana Abbott* (a)

Aurelian Dane*

Olivia Shee*

Hufflepuff:

Jada Shafiq*

 Aster Rosier*

Norbert Caster*

Posy Kettleburn*

Helen McManus*

Tate Fawley*

Slytherin:

Terence Higgs

Clare Jameson*

Bettina Magorian*

Layla Ahmed*

Torey Denkel*

Timothy Starling*

Wander Fyke*

Sienna DeTona*

And that's it! Thank you!

[upinsmoke-gossip]

Happy Birthday, Marcus Bulstrode

Today is February 13th which means it’s Marcus Bulstrode’s birthday. This man seems to have a lot of good things going and hopefully that good luck continues. Most of what he does is hush hush even though he admits he’s not a workaholic as much. Whether it’s having a wild night out on the town or a quiet night in with the family, we hope this man has a great one.

@marcus-bulstrode​

[par-forthecurse]

Par for the Curse - Issue 1

Where do we even start, lovelies?

First and foremost, the essays listing reasons why Draco Malfoy should be forgiven go straight into the fireplace, so please stop wasting your parchment.  Your owls will thank you.  They’re tired of carrying such giant loads of shite for such long distances.

Secondly?  We need to talk about the slut shaming.  When I ask you to send me gossip, I don’t want or need messages telling me that Pansy Parkinson is playing the former Slytherin boys. Also for fuck’s sake, please remember that we’re not actually IN school anymore, they’re formerly Slytherins, not current Slytherins.  If you’re going to say that Pansy went home with Marcus after the Quidditch exhibition, say Pansy Parkinson went home with the greatest Chaser the Falmouth Falcons have EVER seen, Marcus Flint!  Not a Slytherin.  Also… rubbing up on Goyle like a tease?  Have you met Pansy?  Last time I saw Pansy I think we got to second base with one another.  It’s not teasing, it’s called having fun and celebrating the fact that we can freely go out and not have to worry about being killed anymore.  If girls want to bump and grind a little, let them do it freely.  Also, to imply that she needs to fuck Draco Malfoy to get work at all?  Check yourself.  Seriously. If I had to put money on it, Malfoy probably offered the job to her, along with everything else he can afford now that he’s claimed his trust fund for the mere chance to get her in bed with him again.  

While we’re on that subject, implying Astoria Greengrass is also a player, also because she happens to be seen with the former Slytherin boys a lot?  Not cool.  We will say that we’re a little intrigued by some of the rumors we’re hearing about her love life though.  She’s been spotted on an actual date with Greg Goyle (who, we honestly didn’t know knew how to behave inside a restaurant with a dress code, but we can freely admit when we’re wrong) and was seen leaving the Quidditch exhibition with him, but we’ve heard more than a few rumors that there’s something scandalous going on with her and Draco Malfoy behind the scenes.  Like I said though, I have eyes and ears everywhere and they haven’t shown their faces together in the wizarding world, so I think it’s all bullshite. I will have to say though, Astoria, whoever gave you that Toussaint bracelet… exquisite taste!  Is that a hookup from your aunt?  Can you hook me up too?

Speaking of the Greengrass family, looks like Daphne’s decided to come down from her high horse in Rosier Tower and see how everyone she thinks is beneath her lives.  I wonder if that has to do with the rumors going around about a secret relationship with her and Marcus Flint.

Who… Marcus, we need to talk. I like to think we’re on a first name basis by now, especially considering I’ve named all of our future children.  Why on earth am I getting pictures owled to me of you having lunch with my sister of all people?  I mean… I love Padma more than ANYBODY in the world, but if I’m busy when you try and owl me at the magazine, you shouldn’t track down deepfake Parvati, you should wait for the real thing!  Also what’s this I hear about you starting fights at the pub?  I heard you and Goyle were fighting over Astoria or Pansy or someone… honestly I couldn’t even keep the details straight, but then again, the person who told me that ALSO told me that Padma left the bar with Goyle and we all know THAT didn’t happen. Hahahahhahaha.  As if.

Millicent Bulstrode made it back for pub night though, looking stunning if I do say so myself. Apparently Holyhead’s not treating her as well as she’d hoped, but sources say she’s been spotted spending quality time at a local haunt with the Harpies’ own Ginny Weasley.  The two were seen getting positively plastered after practice last week, and looked to be having a genuine heart to heart.  Wonder how Bulstrode’s going to feel about that once she finds out Weasley’s new workout buddy is her “on again, off again, will they, won’t they, tall, dark, and handsome” Blaise Zabini.  The Puddlemere Chaser was spotted at the gym with Weasley, and though the two didn’t look to be doing anything romantic, who knows what goes on in those steam rooms?  Not me.  

The youngest Weasley isn’t wasting any time though, and more than a few owls have come in with first hand witness reports that she and the Savior of the Wizarding World, Harry Potter himself, AKA the world’s WORST Yule Ball Date EVER (JK Harry love you xoxoxo) get this… had coffee together.  And smiled at each other.  

THIS IS NOT NEWS.

As somebody who has spent a significant amount of time with both Ginny and Harry, I can promise you that coffee and smiles do not automatically mean a rekindled relationship. Again, STOP. WASTING. PARCHMENT. If you see them making out, that’s news, but also that’s their business so at least be discrete about the fact that you’re watching them like a creep and then writing a national magazine to tell them what you saw.  

I digress.

In other Weasley news! Looks like the Weasley men have a fan club and it’s made up of one Demelza Robins!  Call her Demi though.  Someone spotted Charlie Weasley, Dragon Tamer extraordinaire, going into her parents’ CLOSED flower shop together.  This person apparently stood outside and watched the apartment lights come on and either cried about it, or masturbated in the shadows of the night as they imagined what was happening inside.  Either way, that age gap might be a little too much for dear Demi, as we’ve also gotten news that she’s been making moves on George Weasley as well.  

Honestly, we can respect somebody who works their way through siblings.  By that logic, I’ll be getting ready for my date with Marcus ASAP.

George Weasley though. My heart.  I don’t just say that because I want to hug him every time I see him and give him everything good in the world either, I say that because he’s just… he’s wonderful.  And he was on a date.  In muggle London. I don’t know WHO he was with, but it was a date with a girl and he was happy and that’s all I want for him in the entire world.

You know who ELSE went on a date?  Hermione Granger.  Yes indeed, the brightest witch of our age is BACK IN ACTION, taking Liverpool by storm with an incredibly handsome footballer, which is essentially the muggle equivalent to quidditch, but on the ground and less fun, but it doesn’t matter because I looked this man up and he is GORGEOUS!  Best of luck to one of my favorite Lionesses!

Lastly, multiple people have reported that Luna Lovegood and Draco Malfoy were seen hugging in Diagon Alley the other day.  My guess is he put her under the Imperius curse, I heard he was good at that one. Probably how he got the Wasps to sell the team to him too.  Luna’s far too smart to have done that willingly.  Ugh.  I’ll have to send Padma to do a welfare check.

That’s all for this week!

Remember, donations can still be made to the Lavender Brown Memorial Fund! Just twenty galleons a year makes sure young girls at Hogwarts don't go without the latest and greatest hair and beauty potions. Owl your donations to Witch Weekly HQ, earmarked "LAV"

[thosebizzareserpents]

The Wives of House Black also known as the Constellation Wives

Magenta Tripe (1808 - 1922) Wife of Licorus Black

House of Tripe is extinct.

Mother of Misapinoa, Cygnus I and Arcturus I.

Lived to be 122

Raised her grandchildren after her son Cygnus and daughter-in-law deaths.

Ella Max (1829 -1856) Wife of Cygnus Black I

House of Max is extinct

Mother of Sirius I, Phineas Nigellus, Elladora and Iola.

Husband, Cygnus died at the age of 21 who suffered from Algea Affliction and Amorphagia.

First child and eldest son Sirius I passed away at age eight.

Ella passed away at age 28, seven years after her husband.

Ursula Flint (1847 - 1995) - Wife of Phineas Nigellus Black

·House Flint is extant

Mother of Sirius II , Phineas II, Cygnus II, Belvina, and Arcturus Black.

Mother-in-law to Hesper Gamp, Violetta Bulstrode, and Lysandra Yaxley

·Duled each of her daughter-in-laws, the Flint Family is known for their master skills in combat.

· Grievously injured sister-in-law Elladora Black after the latter blasted her son of the family tapestry

·Left her husband Phineas Nigellus after the disownment of son Phineas II. Husband wanted it kept quiet from social circles, as high scandal.

Elladora informed wizarding papers hoping for her sister-in-law's arrest. But as no magic was used but Ursula "brute strength" nothing would be done.

· Returned home to Flint Castle and lived out her days.

· Often visited daughter Belvina whose family moved to Vienna and son Phineas in New Zealand

Introduced to muggle technology by son Phineas and often called him on the rotary phone.

An avid fan of the Montrose Magpies Quidditch Team

Known to Marcus Flint as Great-Aunt Ursie, bought him his first broom.

Hesper Gamp (1877 -) Wife of Sirius Black II

House of Gamp is extant

Hesper mother is from the Bones family.

Hesper and Sirius were each other's beards. Entered a lavender marriage

Mother of Arcturus III, Lycoris, and Regulus.

Sister-in-law of Violetta and Lysandra

Former Transfiguration Professor at Hogwarts

She and her husband were both animagi.

Hesper was a hummingbird and Sirius a poddle.

Both travelled frequently and secretly visited younger brother Phineas.

Retired to the Isle of Circe. Keeps in contact with sister-in-law Violetta Bulstrode, and aunt-in-law Iola Hitchens (nee Black).

Cared for young relative Susan Bones after the Second Wizarding War.

Violetta Bulstrode (1888 -) Wife of Cygnus Black II

House Bulstrode is exant.

Mother of Pollux, Cassiopeia, Marius, and Dorea.

Violetta outlived her husband, children, grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and a great-great grandchild. Retired to the Bulstrode Villa.

Second longest lived wife of House Black

Her youngest son Marius was born a Squib, sent him to live with her sister Protea Bulstrode so he wouldn't be subjected to forcing magic" from him.

Introduced Marius to fellow squib and famed Rugby player Angus Buchanan.

She and her daughters Dorea were members of the Wizarding Supporters of Scottish Rugby Union(WSSRU) and attended Marius rugby matches.

Returned home to Bulstrode Villa. Affectionately known by sister and Blustrode members as "Vy Vy."

Cared for young relative Millicent Bulstrode after her mother was killed in the first Wizarding War.

Visited with great-granddaughters Andromeda Tonks and Narcissa Malfoy who surprised she was still alive.

Second longest lived wife of House Black

Lysandra Yaxley (1893 - 1952) Wife of Arcturus Black II

House of Yaxley is extant

Mother of Callidora, Cedrella, and Charis

Wanted Cedrella to marry a Slughorn, wasn't overly upset at her daughter's decision to marry Septimus Weasley.

Know to be quite playfully and fond of games.

Paternal great-grandmother of the Weasley siblings, Bartemius Crouch Jr. and Neville Longbottom.

Melania MacMillan (1914 -1994) Wife of Arcturus Black III

House MacMillan is extant

Daughter-in-law of Hesper Gamp

Mother of Lucretia, and Orion.

Thirteen years younger than her husband.

Known to throw lavish parties

Convinced her husband to give the ministry a generous amount of gold.

She later moved to a summer home. Known to Ernie Macmillan as "Nan Lanie."

Not very fond of her daughter-in-law Walburga.

Had the portrait of her daughter Lucretia hide her grandson Sirius after he broke out of Azkaban in 1993.

Died a year before Ursula Flint and two years after her daughter Lucretia.

Irma Crabbe wife of Pollux Black

House of Crabbe is Extinct

Mother of Walburga, Alphard, and Cygnus III

Daugher-in-law of Violetta Bulstrode

Wasn't originally her husband betrothed.

Walburga Black (1925 - 1985) Wife of Orion Black

House Black is extinct in Britain

Daughter of Irma Crabbe

Mother of Sirius III and Regulus II

Sister-in-law of Druella Rosier and cousin of Lucretia Black

Close friends with Udolf Lestrange and Trucculent Nott and during their youth at Hogwarts.

Member of the Knights of Walpurgis

Cursed cousin/sister in-law Lucretia Black.

Taught niece Bellatrix the fundamentals of the Dark arts. Introduced her to the Knights of Walpurgis.

Druella Rosier (1938 - 1994) - Wife of Cygnus Black III

House Rosier is extant

The last wife of House Black

Mother of Bellatrix, Andromeda, and Narcissa

Sister-in-law of Walburga Black

Niece of Gervais Rosier and cousin of Evan Rosier.

Attended second daughter Andromeda wedding in secret.

After the birth of her youngest grandchild Draco Malfoy, left house Black and lived out her days in a Rosier holiday home in Prague.

She did not attend the trial of Bellatrix at the end of the First Wizarding War.

Druella did return to attend Walburga's funeral in 1985 and 1992 to her husband Cygnus III funeral.

Druella passed away in 1994, returned from the dead as a ghost. She occasionally haunted her childhood and daughters homes. Druella attended Weird Sister concerts with granddaughter Nymphadora Tonks unbeknownst to the latter.

[levibulstrode]

@marcus-bulstrode

Levi stared up at the ceiling, trying to figure out what was amiss. He could feel Marcus dozing off to sleep beside him, and that proximity mixed with the comfort of his own bed left him feeling safe and secure. That wasn’t the problem. He’d learned to catalog his surroundings and put himself securely in the present long ago as a coping mechanism. Now, though, Levi tried to figure out what was missing from this picture--from their lives together.

He had strong suspicions, but up til now, he’d kept fairly quiet about it to Marcus.

“Mari?” he whispered, turning on his side. “Marcus? Are you awake? I... I want to ask you something.” 

Levi bit his lip. He did intend to ease into the conversation, to ask gently and get a better idea of where Marcus stood on the subject. They’d talked about it purely in abstract over the years, and he knew Marcus wasn’t opposed exactly, but they’d always said it could wait until they were married, until they were older, until they were settled somewhere other than Spain. Slowly all of those until’s had come true. And instead of working back toward the subject, he simply blurted out his request.

“I want a baby.”

[elliemarchetti]

Slytherin!Hermione AU part 6

We finally enter into the heart of this story, so this chapter is a little longer than the previous ones. Hope you like it.

Words: 5129

Hermione would never have thought it possible to meet a boy more odious than Draco; this before getting to know Marcus Flint. He was the captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team, as well as the one who had the job, that Wednesday, of hanging on the Common Room bulletin board the announcement that the following day flight classes would begin, which would be held together with the Gryffindors.

“I thought Dumbledore wanted to avoid these, and I quote, useless and excessive rivalry.” Hermione commented, distracted, without knowing that she would unintentionally ignite Marcus’s mind, which made them even arrive late in class to explain to them that they did not have to be deceived by the fact that access to their House’s team was denied to first-year students, that they should have done better than the Gryffindors anyway.

All day long, the boys did not talk about anything else, and even the girls, even if they did not want to point out, were not so unhappy with that pleasant distraction. Lessons began to get heavier and detaching for a while did not seem like a bad idea.

Hermione’s terror began to become almost unmanageable around dinnertime, making it even impossible to sleep at night. Pansy asked her if she had not eaten too much.

The next morning the excitement was palpable in the Common Room, but Flint immediately began to dampen it, indicating who he thought would have a future in the team. Obviously, Hermione was not among those people, but not even Pansy, so she was not so disappointed.

“I think he does not want girls, at least as long as he is the Captain.” Millicent commented, although before denying her possible skill with the broom the boy stood silent for a solid ten seconds.

“Quidditch players don’t like girls!” Pansy exclaimed.

“So we can never go out with a Quidditch player?” Lily had asked, and the subject had moved from sport to boys. After lunch, however, even the girls gave up, and they talked of nothing but Quidditch, at least until three o'clock, when Hermione pointed out that they could not go to the field with the skirt. In a general hysteria, all the girls ran to their rooms to change and wear the horrible men’s trousers.

“I look fat!” Pansy had exclaimed, looking at herself in the mirror, but Hermione had assured her that she was very pretty, and the girl had said nothing more.

The Slytherins arrived at the camp half an hour early, perhaps because they not had lessons after lunch. Despite trying not to think about it, as she ran up the stairs to the camp, Hermione continued to hear Marcus’s voice in her head, reminding her that if she flew too high the school brooms would start to vibrate.

“Everyone should be able to bring their own.” Draco had given him a hand, widening his already well-stocked group of idiots.

Madam Rolanda Hooch was a short woman with gray hair and yellow eyes like a hawk. She seemed to be able to see everything, and read in the soul of her students, and Hermione felt naked in front of her, despite only exceeding a few inches and some boys were already much taller than her, first of all Blaise. Once the Gryffindor arrived, she started shouting, ordering to take a seat next to a broom. Hermione did it, almost hidden by the statuesque figure of Blaise and with Pansy always by her side.

“Stretch your right hand over your broom.” the woman said, checking that everyone followed her orders. Hermione did not have to repeat it twice. “And say, up!”

“On!” they all cried in chorus.

Blaise and Pansy managed the first attempt, along with Malfoy, Potter and Finnigan. Hermione felt unkempt, and would gladly have escaped, if only there were not fourteen inept like her.

“Try again!” ordered the woman, but Hermione’s broom just did not want to climb.

“It’s normal, the Muggleborn do not have it in their blood.” said Draco, looking at Hermione.

“Apparently, not even all Pureblood are doing well.” Pansy commented, nodding at Longbottom’s broom, lying motionless on the green grass. Hermione was relieved. At least her raised, even if only for a few inches. She succeeded in her third attempt, and thought that perhaps the broomsticks were like horses. She had been riding for some time, and she had discovered that such great and majestic beasts felt the fear of those around them too.

At that point, Madam Hooch showed everyone how to mount the broomstick without sliding to the bottom, and Hermione found it surprisingly easy, unlike Pansy, whose perplexed expression almost made her laugh.

“But can I know how you do it?” asked Lily, turned to Hermione and Blaise.

“Years of experience.” the boy answered, but he was talking only for himself.

“I cannot believe you’re so good without ever getting on a broom.” Millicent commented, snatching a nervous smile from Hermione. The teacher did not even correct her grip, which she had to do with Malfoy.

“Apparently you’re not as good as you thought.” Blaise teased him.

“We will see who will enter the team first, Zabini.” he answered.

“Blaise, is not that you could help me with my grip?” Sally-Anne asked in a low voice, trying not to be caught by the teacher. The woman scared her. Blaise, with a sly smile, took a few steps forward, to show the girl how to do it.

“And now, when I play the whistle, give yourself a boost by pressing your feet firmly on the ground.” Madame Hooch said, interrupting the little theater. The smile disappeared from the fleshy lips of the boy, who returned to his seat.

“Hold the brooms tightly,” she added, going to tighten Sally-Anne’s hands more firmly “and raise about a yard;” she continued, throwing a meaningful glance at Draco and his friends, who seemed to be having too much fun, “then come back down, leaning slightly forward.” she concluded, and immediately started counting. At the two Hermione knew with certainty that she was not ready. One, however, never came. A Gryffindor had to be pushed too early and was floating three feet above the ground.

“But that …” Blaise began, but Hermione finished the sentence in his place: “… is Neville. “

The boy was pale as a rag, while the broom rose up to a height of six yards. Hermione should have predicted that something might have gone wrong, that the wand would serve her, yet she loved it so much and was so terrified by the prospect of breaking it that she had left it in her room. Blaise, on the other hand, had not been so thoughtful, and the handle came out of the wide pocket of his cloak. Hermione knew that no spell was as powerful as the one cast with your own wand, but it was worth trying. She did not have time to explain to his friend what he should do, especially because Neville was slipping from his broomstick.

“Arresto Momentum!” the girl shouted, her wand pointing to Neville. She had never tried that spell, it was a spell they taught in second year and she did not believed that he would serve her so soon, but she had read about it. She was risking everything, her own scholastic career and Neville’s life, probably, just for something she had read about. She prayed that all those phrases about the fact that many things cannot be learned from books were false. Hermione noted with horror that the time did not stop at all, at least not at first, and Neville was falling inevitably toward the ground. Then the fall of the boy, now four yards above the ground, began to slow down, almost to allow him to lay down on the fresh grass without any noise. Neville looked at her in awe, eyes shining with tears, and Hermione remained motionless, feeling the eyes of all on them on her, while still clutching Blaise’s wand spasmodically. The teacher also looked at her in amazement, but said nothing, giving Neville permission to return to the Common Room. He would never have managed to get back on a broom.

As soon as Madam Hooch was out of earshot, Malfoy teased Neville. Hermione tried to ignore his chatter with Goyle, who had positioned himself close to him for that hour, as she tried to ignore Parvati Patil who pathetically tried to take the boy’s defenses.

“Watch!” exclaimed Malfoy, gliding on the ground. He picked up without problems a roundish contraption, which had to be made of glass, with a whitish mist inside. “That stupid thing that grandma sent to Longbottom.”

Some Slytherin laughed but Hermione did not understand why it was so funny.

“Give it to me, Malfoy.” Harry said quietly, approaching the boy of the rival House. Despite his voice, his eyes screamed challenge. All the boys who had managed to lift themselves off the ground, and who were now floating about three yards high, fell silent, ready to enjoy the scene.

“I bet a galleon that Potter will be the first to fall.” Goyle said, looking at his friends who had managed to fly. Only Crabbe was still on the ground, unable to remain at altitude without risking injury. Hermione was sure she would not waste her time stopping his fall. He could have done well if he hit the ground, perhaps with his head. In short, such a situation could only improve.

“I do not know, Goyle, I think Harry shows a certain familiarity with brooms.” Pansy answered. There was no trace of malice in her voice, she was simply noticing what everyone had already noticed.

“Maybe because his father was a Chaser.” Sally-Anne answered. Hermione smiled at her, proud that she had shared something her mother must have told her about her years at Hogwarts and her friendship with Potter’s mother.

“Bulstrode’s mother was the Captain of the team, but that does not mean she has Quidditch in her blood!” Goyle replied, causing a general laugh from his friends. Millicent, just like Crabbe, was struggling to figure out how to stay in the air and at the same time remain balanced on a woodstick so small. So Marcus was wrong, Millicent was not a good candidate for the selections of the following year. Maybe he was wrong about Malfoy too. As much as Hermione wanted it, she doubted it. His way of being on the broom reminded her of the older boys who were riding with her, who all strutted carried their wonderful trotting horses, as if they had come straight out of another era. She had just stopped for that reason. Hermione liked the eighties, maybe because she was just a child, but she liked them and she preferred to read about other times instead of pretending to live in them.

"I think I'll put it in a place where Longbottom will have to go to have it back," Draco replied, turning the ball over in his hands. "What do you say, for example ..." he said, turning to his friends "...about the top of a tree?"

Goyle and Nott laughed, while Hermione could only look at him wronged.

"Or do you think you want it, Granger?" he asked maliciously before throwing it to her. Hermione caught it on the fly without unbalancing her broom. The grin died on Malfoy's lips. Hermione turned to Harry and tossed him the glass ball. Looking at it well, Hermione remembered she once read about something like that, an out-of-fashion contraption that was once used by wizards. The dark-haired boy thanked her, and shortly thereafter they all descended to the floor at the teacher's call.

"You were good, very good." she complimented, glancing at those who had stood in the air for longer. Harry smiled, satisfied, putting Neville's remembrall in one of the pockets of his cloak. He was the only Gryffindor in the group.

"As you know, the flying lessons are followed only by first-year students, who in my opinion will prove to be able to access the Quidditch team's selections in their House can try next year, otherwise you will not see a broom in this field if not during your free time, and certainly not one of mine.”

All the kids nodded and the woman dismissed them.

"We were very good!" exclaimed Pansy, all perky. "The only girls to have received Madam Hooch's compliments!"

"Sure, but none of you have been called by Severus Snape himself to get a seat on the team." Malfoy answered, visibly bored. It was time for dinner, and usually he would find a way to demean everyone who was around him and emphasize himself, so that intervention could not be random.

"Sorry can you repeat?" Blaise asked in astonishment.

"It's Potter," Flint interjected.

"As always." Pansy answered, glancing sideways at Draco.

"This time it's different." the boy started. "McGonagall has given him permission to join the team even if he is in his first year."

"Who cares?" asked Crabbe. "As far as I know, last year you tore them." he commented, facing Flint.

"And I would like this to happen again this year!" he exclaimed. "I cannot stand Wood's smile when they win."

"They have not won since Charlie Weasley left." a second-year boy intervened. He had brown hair and big, almost iridescent eyes. "I do not think a first-year kid can change things."

"I hope so, or I'll be the worst Slytherin Captain in history."

"Never as much as Lucinda Talkalot ..." the newcomer answered, and Hermione stopped listening. Not even Draco paid attention to the quibble about Quidditch, and Hermione decided she would keep an eye on him.

It did not take her long to implement her plan. At the end of the dinner, Malfoy crept up to Gryffindor's table, hoping to catch Potter by surprise. Only Crabbe and Goyle had followed him, so Nott must have gone away with Flint and their new friend. Who knows, maybe the group would finally be divided.

"You’ll pay me this, Potter." she heard as she pretended to talk to Neville, who still seemed quite shaken by the experience of that afternoon. He no longer stopped thanking her.

"You are very brave with your feet on the ground and your little friends on the side. It was easier to tease your partner than to take it with me, is not it? “Harry asked coldly. Hermione felt her ears warm slightly. Harry was talking about her.

"With you I'm ready to fight anytime." Malfoy answered, but did not really respond to Potter's question. "If you want even tonight."

Hermione held her breath. They did not have permission to leave the dormitories overnight. They were likely to be discovered, and that idiot Malfoy would lose points to Slytherin, which Gryffindor was slowly managing to reach. If they had found it to get his hands on Harry Potter... Hermione was visibly relieved when the blond boy said it would be a duel between wizards. They could not be that bad, right? There have been rules that claimed that you could not use too powerful spells, maybe...

"What do you mean you're my second?" Harry asked Ron, perhaps a little too loudly, when Malfoy and his gang left.

"Well, the second is who takes your place if you die." the redheaded boy explained, and Hermione was certain she should do something to stop those mad guys. Why did the boys always have to be so violent?

She did not sleep all night, waiting to hear when Malfoy would move along with one of his friends to go to the meeting. She felt him moving around eleven and a half. Unfortunately, their rooms were bordering. Hermione gave them time to get out of the Common Room, and then pushed her room door, which creaked loudly.

"Where do you think you're going?" whispered a not-so-sleepy voice behind her. It was Pansy.

"Nowhere." Hermione lied. She was a terrible liar, especially with the people she loved.

"Yet I seem to have heard another door open too, must you meet someone?" she investigated, getting out of bed, and revealing, in the dim light that came from the adjoining room, that she hadn’t put on her pajama.

"Do not make fun of me, you have to meet someone from the next room." the girl insisted. Hermione was only retching at the idea. Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle and Nott were sleeping next to them.

"I could never go out with one of them."

"We'll see that, so if you do not have to meet with one of them, why are you following them?" Pansy asked, and Hermione was forced to tell her everything.

“I can’t believe it!” Pansy exclaimed in the Common Room and Hermione shut her up putting an hand on her friend’s mouth. Pansy tried to bite her but Hermione was too fast.

"I come with you." Pansy said, and Hermione, before she could protest, realized that this was not a question but an information and Pansy was, above all, a resource.

They were following a pendant. Hermione could not believe she was following the signs of a damned pendant. She had accepted everything, until that moment: magic, strange things, scales that moved and even meaningless prejudices, so a pendant should not have traumatized her so much, but he could not really believe that a pendant was showing them the way as a compass indicates the north.

"To know that you always have such brilliant ideas I would have woken you before." Hermione commented, as they took the umpteenth turn. It also seemed impossible to believe that Pansy Parkinson, her dearest friend, had invented a spell. And one powerful enough, to be honest. Yet she should not have been so amazed; after all, the first day she had just spoken of spells, along with what would soon be her friend. But damn, she was only in her the first year.

"If they catch us, they take away all the points I gained yesterday with my answers on Transfiguration." Hermione muttered.

"We will lose more than those points, once discovered why we were out of the dormitory." Pansy corrected her, and both jumped at the sound of something moving behind them, making noise. Hermione turned abruptly, lighting an empty corridor with her own wand, her back against her friend's. Nobody showed up.

"Homenum Revelio!" she exclaimed, as a precaution.

"Speaking of complex spells ..." Pansy muttered to her friend, with a proud smile.

A dark corner was suddenly illuminated, and the presence of a person wrapped in a dressing gown of dubious taste and with tremendous color-faded slippers showed her presence to them.

"Millicent?" Hermione asked, stunned.

"Is there anything you two cannot do?" asked the girl who had just been discovered to follow them, halfway between annoyed and amused. Hermione and Pansy almost laughed, but they were both thinking the same thing: they would have to get rid of Millicent, and quickly, if they wanted to get there before Draco could do something that would get everyone in trouble.

"So you're telling me that you followed us because the Bloody Baron told you that two girls had escaped from the dorm?" Pansy asked, and Millicent nodded.

"You are aware that this ghost will kill you one day, will you? You first skip Transfiguration, making Slytherin lose point, because of him, now this ... You do not have to trust the ghosts. “Pansy reproved d Millicent.

"But this time he did not lie." Millicent objected.

"But it made you end up in something dangerous!" Pansy exclaimed in reply.

"I swear that if we get caught because of you I will not have any trouble ending up in Azkaban for using an Unforgivable Curse on you." Hermione hissed as she checked if the street was clear past the end of the corridor. They had not had time to get rid of Millicent, but her presence was far too clumsy and certainly too cumbersome to allow them to do a good job.

They were lucky, and met neither Finch nor his damn cat, at least until the pendant led them straight to his office. The door was slightly open, and the light inside illuminated a narrow corridor.

"So you're telling me that you've broken the rules just to tell me that someone else is breaking the rules?" Finch inquired, and the girls pressed against the stonewall, listening to the conversation. The pendant said that Draco was in there.

"I'm not just breaking the rules, stupid Squib, I came here to tell you that I was threatened by Harry Potter himself, do not you want to take him with his hands in the bag?" asked what was undeniably Draco's voice. There was a pause, and Hermione knew that Mr. Filch had to be very tempted by that offer. Since he had seen Harry and his friend try to enter the third-floor hallway, he did not like them very much.

"And be it, where did you say they are?"

Someone went too far to listen, or maybe something bumped into the floor, however, it did not matter. Meowing, Mrs. Norris ran out of the office. Hermione almost froze, and then began to back away slowly, crushing a foot of Pansy, who refrained from cursing with pain.

"They’re in the Trophy Room." Malfoy answered, and Hermione could hear his arrogant voice above the cat's hysterical meows.

They turned their backs to the cat and started running along the corridor full of armors. Obviously, no girl could sow a cat, so they slipped into the first door they found, which led them to a corridor, and finally to another, but none of them had ever been in that wing of the castle, so, inevitably, they could say they were lost.

"Pansy, this seems like the right time to use that spell to get back to the Common Room." Hermione said. Despite the darkness, she immediately realized that the friend was looking too intensely at the floor.

"What happens?" asked Millicent, worried. Pansy, as the only explanation, lifted the pendant, which indicated exactly the way from which they had come.

"I invented a spell that allows a pendant to indicate the person you want, but it cannot indicate two people at the same time." the girl explained, when she realized that the two friends were looking at her without understanding.

"But you cannot ..." Hermione began, but Pansy finished the sentence for her: "Cancel the spell? No."

"So we just have to continue and hope that Filch will not find us?" Hermione asked, and Pansy nodded sadly.

“Or we could wait. Sooner or later, Malfoy will have to go back to the Common Room." Millicent suggested, and she wasn’t wrong: not even the senseless hatred that Filch felt for Potter could have allowed Draco to wander the castle all night long. Hermione was about to agree when she heard the sound of a torn tapestry and steps approaching in the running.

"Stay together!" she told her friends, who came up to her, all with their wands drawn out, ready to fight back. But who was approaching, with shortness of breath and terrified expression, did not intend to engage in battle.

"What are you doing here?" Potter asked, out of breath.

"I would like to say that I can ask you the same question." Hermione answered.

"So let me understand well, did you think that Malfoy wanted to kill Harry?" Ron asked, and Hermione rolled her eyes to keep herself from hitting him in the face with a good fist. Why that little boy never understood anything?

"We did not think he really wanted to kill him, just hurt him, apparently he's smarter than I expected." Pansy replied, almost ... Hermione could not define the expression on her face. It only appeared for a second, a flash before Harry intervened, but it seemed to Hermione that she was relieved. Why did it have to be? She detested Draco and his behavior was, however brilliant, reprehensible.

"He's just a coward." Harry hissed.

"Other words come to my mind to describe him." Pansy interjected, flatly.

"In mine too, like ..." Weasley started, but Hermione waved him off. She had heard a noise, like a lock being opened, or the knob of an old handle being turned over after a long time.

"Hi Peeves." said Millicent, with a gentle smile. Hermione thought she and Weasley had a good chance of getting themselves killed by the end of the first year. What made her believe that kindness would make the difference with the untamed one?

He was a Poltergeist, chaos was his nature. Hermione had always found the spirits a decidedly annoying entity, of which the castle could have done without, but the Poltergeist was just another category. Hermione hated him, and even Harry did not seem to be happy to see him, especially when he made a sharp sound that would surely attract someone's attention.

"Shut up, Peeves, please." Millicent implored him. "Or you'll have us expelled."

The Poltergeist chuckled, and that smile would fill Hermione's nightmares for at least a week.

"Around the castle at midnight, eh?" he asked, as if it were not obvious, before erupting into yet another disturbing laugh. Judging by the color of Neville’s face, he seemed about to faint. Why that kid always slipped into situations where it obviously should not have been?

"Fools ..." Peeves began, but Pansy interrupted him before he could continue.

"How dare you ..." he growled, advancing before everyone. "Petrificus Totalus!" she almost growled. Against all odds, the spell failed.

"Insipid little girl, you cannot petrify a Poltergeist!" the spirit exclaimed, and did not seem at all pleased with the unfolding of events. "You will be expelled! You will all be expelled!" he exclaimed before screaming that there were students out of the dorms. But how could he have that ringing voice?

"Students out of the dorms in the Charms corridor!" he screamed again. The boys started running towards the end of the corridor, with all their strength in their legs.

"Did you really need to be that specific?" Hermione asked, to no one, when she realized that Filch had appeared behind them. When she turned, she almost crashed into Ron. The two boys, who led the group, had stopped in front of a large door.

"What are you waiting for?" Hermione asked.

"It's locked!" Harry exclaimed. The girl rolled her eyes and shook off Harry’s presence with a shove. Harry tried to stay attached to the handle but Hermione proved she was stronger than expected.

"Alohomora!" the girl exclaimed, and the lock opened. Ron almost threw her to the ground, earning a glare from Hermione and a murderous look from Pansy, to throw himself in first. When even Millicent, who was still panting, had entered, the door closed behind her, and the children pressed their ears against the wood, hoping to hear if Peeves would actually betray them. He did not, even scoffing at Filch. They heard his steps moving away, and everyone sighed with relief.

"We are safe." Millicent whispered, exhausted.

"I cannot wait to go back to bed." he gave it Ron.

"Stop Neville!" Harry exclaimed, and Hermione turned to see what her friend was doing so annoying the famous Harry Potter. It was at that moment that she realized that the one they had entered was not a room at all but the forbidden corridor on the third floor. And at that moment she also understood why it was forbidden: a three-headed dog was staring at them with swirling, mad eyes and foam at his mouth, ready to devour them. But what kind of school it was? The beast filled the space between the ceiling and the floor and three noses contracted and vibrated in their direction. Was it perhaps deciding the three boys he would devour first, with those big yellow fangs?

Hermione realized that the only reason they were still alive was their unexpected appearance, and decided that the only way to continue being so, given that the beast’s amazement was rapidly diminishing, easily made intuitive because of its continuous growl, was fleeing just as quickly. Harry, too, was thinking about it, looking for the doorknob. He pushed out Millicent, who was still looking at the three-headed mastiff, without much compliment, and Hermione was forced to drag Neville with her, pulling him by the wrist. It seemed that the boy's legs had suddenly become jelly. Pansy was the last to leave, and closed the door behind her, slamming it.

"Colloportus!" she shouted, her voice made even more acute by fear, pointing her wand at the lock, and almost had to fly to reach the five kids who had fled away. Millicent, however, grew tired and a stabbing pain in her spleen forced her to stop. The three Gryffindors stopped, though they did not seem happy to do so. Hermione looked at them with a hint of contempt: "You do not owe us anything, so try to get to the seventh floor without getting killed."

"I hope to see you again tomorrow." said Harry, greeting her.

"I hope too." Hermione answered, without looking at him. She had to be able to lift her friend and drag her to Slytherin's dormitory.

"I hope not." Ron answered, moving away. Neville did not say a word, but Hermione was sure she would not talk for a while.

It was half past midnight when they dropped heavily on the Common Room armchairs. It did not seem true to Hermione that so little time had passed.

"Can I know what they are going to do with a monster like that, locked in a school corridor?" asked Millicent, who had not stopped a second to ask questions during the return journey.

"Milly, did you notice what its paws was on, did you?" asked Pansy. The girl shook her head.

"On a trapdoor." Hermione answered absently, her gaze fixed between the flames of the fireplace that were now extinguishing.

"Horror night?" asked a sleepy voice, which made them jump. It was Sally-Anne, looking at them, her eyes dripping from sleep. "Next time, remember to invite me." she said, partly resentful, partly too sleepy to be angry. Blaise had asked her, that evening, to invite Pansy and Hermione to their excursion on the Great Lake the next morning. She decided at that moment, with a hazy mind, that she would not do it.

Hermione barely noticed that her friend had returned to her room, ready to slip under the covers and reach an adequate number of hours of sleep; she was too busy wondering what the beast was supposed to hide. Or protect.

[upinsmoke-gossip]

Rank the Frenchies?

Clearly, occupying the top slot could be no other than Daisy, Camilla and Henry Fawley’s French bulldog. She displays an impeccable fashion sense, no doubt learned from her gorgeous owners, and has never once growled at me. It would be impossible for me to stan anyone more. 

I don’t believe in ranking the people, except to say that they’re below Daisy, so we’ll be doing a rating instead. Starting with Sylvanie and Victoire Fortescue. Victoire was an absolute legend. She cussed me out in front of a club and to this day I feel blessed to have heard swearing so fluent. Sylvanie, meanwhile, is a legend in the field of literal music. Once you take into consideration Sasha, there’s no possible score other than a 15/10. 

I’m not going to include Gilderoy Lockheart, because Merlin knows his ego is already fourteen sizes too large. It even manages to overshadow those paisley shirts he insists on wearing. His cousins, René and Laure Deschamps, are actual French people though. As much as I hate to speak ill of the dead, I’m going to give René an 8/10 because despite his glimmering fashion he caused so much trouble for actual angel Laure. Laure punched Malcolm Greengrass before it was cool-- did you know that? Seriously, a 10/10 Frenchie. Points only subtracted for being related to Gil. 

Speaking of Malcolm, we’ve got Diana Greengrass. 0/10. She insulted my last party and that is unforgivable. I’m not blind enough to think that she couldn’t have done better, but still. Rude. 

Fenrir Greyback is for once the happier subject. I’m not sure what to make of him, honestly. On one hand, he scares the living daylight out of me. On the other hand, he scares the living daylights out of me. One time I saw him holding Daisy (the dog one) though, so I’m going to give him a 12/10 and hope he doesn’t try to argue about it. 

Han Lee is much less scary, unless you’re Narcissa Malfoy. Their feud is one of the best things I’ve seen this year-- and I’ve seen a lot of Han, so the bar is pretty high. Everyone’s seen a lot of Han, that’s one of the best things about him. 16/10.

Last but not least, Marcus Bulstrode. Owner (parent? probably a parent) of a small child. Was not ever pregnant with that child, so I was never inundated with fan questions about it. That’s the best gift I’ve ever received in my life, so he’s going to score a solid 20/10. That makes him the runner up, I suppose, second to only Daisy the French Bulldog who scored an impressive 100/10. 

@chamo-milla @fawley-en-face @little-sylvanie @v-for-victoire @staygoldengilderoy @mlle-laurette @themalcolmgreengrass @dianagreengrass @the-bigbadwerewolf @hanestlythebestlee @narcissa-istic @marcus-bulstrode

[upinsmoke-gossip]

All the children and staff back to Hogwarts. What do you think the parents and spouses left behind will do with their newfound free time?

Well, depending on the parents in question, they may try to make another kid. Most of the parents I know only have kids that are too little to send away to Hogwarts, but I imagine they’d appreciate the chance to have some quiet and time to themselves, too.

As for the other halves of the professors, I imagine people like Marcus Bulstrode and Alaric Avery are still busy setting up house since both of them moved to Hogsmeade to be closer. 

Fabian Prewett is another professor that’s attached to someone, but I haven’t heard anything about his little wife being around, I wonder if that means there’s domestic trouble brewing?

Then there’s Walden MacNair, who I hear is building his wife a house while she’s away, so maybe his efforts will prove to be of use by the end of term. Do you think the house will live up to staying in a castle for a year? She’s American, so who knows what she may like.

@marcus-bulstrode @pureavery @fabian-the-prewett @toomcnairtocare

[upinsmoke-gossip]

Ride or die couples?

Considering that she’s used this term herself, it feels only right to put Riya Patil and her husband Pankaj on this list, although I wonder if the reason they qualify is because they’re such a nontraditional couple.

I don’t know if the term couple applies here, but both Sirius Black and Juniper Dunbar have ride or die personalities that seem to click together. What do they call each other? Bunk buddies? Emotional support snugglers? Their part-time other?

 Ah, but of course we can’t have a list about couples without putting Arthur and Molly Weasley on it, now can we? They have nearly as many kids as they do years of marriage, you don’t end up with a relationship like that unless you’re in it for the long-haul… or part rabbit.

I think my favorite couple on this list might be Levi Bulstrode and Marcus Bulstrode, but how Levi managed to land a catch like Marcus is beyond me. I can certainly see Marcus riding with him and Levi dying for him, though, and isn’t that the teamwork that makes a marriage?

Ah, so many happy couples… Maybe next year there will be less. Or more, since there are ride or die singles out there. 

You know, Zephyr Bell seems like the kind of guy that would buy an engagement ring three days after a first date, but he’d need to find someone willing to date him for three days before that could happen.

And one more person for this list of could-have-beens is… Edgar Bones. Come on, when you stop flirting with women all because of a girl you’ve known you can’t have from the very start, that says something, doesn’t it?

@patilriya @siriuslyxpadfoot @juniperthelionheart @kingarthur-weasley @themollyprewettweasley @levibulstrode @marcus-bulstrode @zephyrbcll @edgbns

[upinsmoke-gossip]

who has the best fashion game?

Marcus Bulstrode and Diana MacMillan. I’m not sorry, and everyone else can go home to burn their closets.

@marcus-bulstrode @dianacmacmillan

[upinsmoke-gossip]

Who do you think the next couple with a baby announcement will be?

Fingers crossed for Delilah Carrow. I feel her personal life is a powder keg waiting for a spark and I can’t wait to see where the pieces land after that explosion. But frantic wishing aside, you know it’s going to happen. Pureblooded girls like her always have their lives planned on for them. They’re born, they’re promised to someone, and then they’re married off almost as soon as possible and not expected to achieve much of anything beyond popping out the newest generation of purebloods as soon as possible. She’s just a link in a chain.

Rumor has it that Pandora Kane is after a baby with her blonde curls and since she has a ring on her finger, chances are she’ll get her way sooner rather than later. I bet she’s one of those women that glows while she’s pregnant, but do you think that fiance of hers is going to panic at the idea of having to be responsible for someone? Regardless, it might be a good idea. I’ve heard she calls her cat her child, it might be best to give her a real baby to look after before she gets even more confused.

Aren’t the Bulstrodes adopting? Just because one of them isn’t going to be miserable for nine months doesn’t mean they’re not allowed to make an announcement, it would give Marcus Bulstrode a chance to throw a great party and Levi Bulstrode a chance to be proud. I’ll throw them on the list, they can make an announcement once they’ve secured a kid.

@delilahxcarrow @pandorakane @marcus-bulstrode @levibulstrode

[upinsmoke-gossip]

Happy birthday, Marcus Bulstrode

Today is February 13th and I have a question. What do you get for the man that has everything? Look at him, he has style and a husband and I hear there’s a baby on the way as well, it sounds like he has everything in place. Maybe get him the name of a babysitter? I don’t know, but he’s turning 27 and it sounds like he’s figured out how to live a domestic dream in a war zone, I don’t understand it.

@marcus-bulstrode

[upinsmoke-gossip]

Who do you think are the most talented people around?

Hestia Jones. Out of all the out of work quidditch players I’ve seen, I think she’s one of the best around and she’s undeniably dedicated.

Marcus Bulstrode. I usually don’t have much to say about men and I still don’t, but he has something going for him. Maybe charm is his talent.

Ari Avery. I hear they’re a legilimens, possibly the strongest out of all the Unspeakables, but you know how difficult it is to know anything for certain with those people.

Delilah Carrow. She’s one of the best organizers around and not just events, but social situations. I bet she could set up a party like a line of dominoes and control it perfectly.

@hestiasjxnes @marcus-bulstrode @ariavery @delilahxcarrow

[thosebizzareserpents]

Waris Higgs had made the final preparations of wards around her home. Gloxinia's portrait followed checking each entrance and exit.

"I will check the rooms downstairs my dear Waris"

"Thank you Glo."

Waris and Nathaniel Higgs sent their sons to her parents in the Ivory Coast a year earlier after the return of the Dark Lord and Second Wizarding War announced. Her eldest son Albert was the Keeper for the Appleby Arrows, she insisted that he come home after the League suspended matches indefinitely and shut down the pitches.

Her youngest son Terence was three years out of Hogwarts and started out as an writer for Seeker Weekly but soon branched out and created his own magazine called Quidditch Queen. 

 Family friend Cellach McLaggen kept them abreast of the situation at the Ministry.

Minister for Magic Rufus Scrimgeour had been killed by Voldemort and the Ministry was now under his control. 

Cellach had to also wrangle his younger brother Tiberius from doing anything rash as well. His son Cormac had been required to go back to Hogwarts as it was now mandated that pure-bloods and half-bloods were to return. The McLaggens, Waris and Nathaniel were to meet a certain location and then-

“Waris someone has dismantled the wards!”  “Leave quickly!”

The portrait of her mother-in-law brought her out of her train of thoughts.

Waris steadied herself, and peered over the balcony ready to strike. The figure came into view, their voice all to familiar.  

“Terence!” 

"Mother what are you doing in the dark!? Did you setup those protection charms! " He rubbed his hand. He looked just as startled as she was.

"Why are you here in England Terence!?"

Gloxinia’s portrait sighed in relief but quickly scolded the young wizard.

Waris ran down the stairs and hugged him, but then gave him a swift pop on the forehead.  “Answer me Yasir, is your brother with you?"

Terence winced,��“Bert- Abshir is still with gran and the family. I slipped away, took a portkey, I received a letter from Adrian.”

"The Puceys are in Argentina "

“Well Ade’s not with them.”

"Basically the whole team is here save for Graham and who the hell knows where Warrington is?"

I can't believe I'm saying this aloud. They’ve joined the fight against the Dark Lord. Marcus has his reasons. Adrian is Marcus best friend he knows how Marc is. Miles met up with Lucian who joined to help his uncle Kingsley who is an Auror, and a member. It’s an organization called the -

Waris closed her eyes. “ The Order of the Phoenix, I know about the Order.” She sat down on the steps and shook her head.

Adrian sent me the letter a month ago but I didn’t respond back. I’m here now. 

No I forbid it! You all will be killed! shrieked the portrait. Terence whipped around stared at the wailing portrait.

"They aren’t blood-traitors Lady Glo. Adrian, Marcus, Lucian, Peregrine and I aren't betraying anything." Terence sighed and looked at his mother and Lady Glo's portrait.

“Neither was Aunty Liss and Uncle Franky.”

You - 

“I remember Aunty Liss. She used to call me Terry, Terry Cherry.”  I knew something bad had happened to Liss and Frank during the First Wizarding War I just didn’t know what, I couldn't put the pieces together.

“And I remember you Lady Glo, you aren’t just a relative.” 

Terence used to insist when he and Bertie were little that they had meet Lady Glo when she was alive but the subject was brushed off. She was a kind woman and always comforted and encouraged him and his brother when they were younger.

 The portrait of Lady Glo stared at Terence. “You always had a knack for picking up on things. I am Gloxinia Higgs, you and Albert’s grandmother" 

“And Old Mr. Parth?”

Gloxinia chuckled. "Parth's full name is Parthenos Higgs you two’s grandfather.” 

 Parthenos Higgs was an renowned British magi-architect. He designed the Quidditch museum and was also his mother's mentor. He helped rebuild their house after the First Wizarding War.

“Parthenos and I are also Neville’s maternal grandparents.”

“Neville Longbottom?” 

Neville Longbottom was a few years below him in Gryffindor house with Harry Potter the Seeker for Gryffindor quidditch team.

“Your Aunt Liss is Alice, my daughter.  Nathaniel's younger sister. Alice married a fellow Auror named Frank Longbottom. Neville's parents. Together they were members of the original Order of Phoenix. Your father was also an Auror, he was an ally of the Order."

"Frank, Alice, and their allies among the aurors and the Ministry earned the wrath of Lord Voldemort by virtue of the fact that they were very efficient, and was responsible for a lot of captures, arrests and imprisonments of his Death Eaters throughout the First Wizarding War and ultimately defied him three times."

"Why hide this?"

“I can fill you in on that part” sighed Waris. Your father was in a coma from a battle previously fought known as the Battle of Exmoor. Over a hundred Aurors and Hit-Wix were killed including Frank's cousins the Bulstrodes’."

"After such heavy loss of power that devastated the DMLE there was an attempt to control the ministry by Udolf Lestrange and Augustus Rookwood which almost succeeded."

"The Auror and Hit Huntings" started. All auror and hit wix that participated in the battle and had survived were to to be terminated. Their families detained." Nathaniel, Alice and Frank's partners families as well."

"Death Eaters stormed St.Mungo's Hospital killing the injured. Cellach's wife who was at the ministry at the time had sent a warning out."

"You mentioned Peregrine was with them as well?"

"Yes. He came back from Egypt a couple of months ago, and switched to a desk job at Gringrotts. His parents don't know."

"Of course they don't," Waris rolled her eyes.

"Mrs. Derrick, Chelidon was also an Auror and Frank's partner. Then she was known as Chelidon Koh." She had also been wounded in the Battle of Exmoor."

"Where were they if not St. Mungo's?"

"There was an Order member named Caradoc Dearborn, his daughter-in-law Allene, was a Healer and so was member Gideon Prewett. They managed to transport the wounded to a makeshift hospital. They hid it using the Fidelus Charm and a Welsh Green dragon."

"Alice got your father there in time. Your grandmother used Sir Winogrand's home as the hospital."

" Wait dragons? Sir Winogrand, as in the herbologist?"

"Gideon's older brother Fabian was a dragonologist and the MacFusty compound wasn't to far away."

"Oh there so many things that happened during the First Wizarding War. It was chaos Terence."

"And yes. They are you family too. Sir Winogrand is Gloxinia's great-great grandfather."

"Parthenos sent us to Winogrand's greenhouse by the Western Rift Valley lakes. I took you, Bertie, Tiberius, and Cormac. That's where we stayed."

"You used a memory charm on Bertie and Tibbs."

Once a nog-tail hunting trip Terence asked Bertie and his friend Tiberius McLaggen about the events of First Wizarding War. Oddly enough neither one of could remember. They were thirteen by the time the First Wizarding War came to an end. Terence always thought it was strange that his brother and best friend knew so little.

"I did. You and Cormac were so young, I thought you two wouldn't remember." But you picked up on little things over time."

“Where was Alice and Frank?”

Albus Dumbledore sent them into hiding along with Harry Potter's parents.

"After Voldemort's downfall everyone thought it was safe but then there were Death Eaters who had managed to evade capture. They kidnapped and tortured Alice and Frank into insanity. The four were Bellatrix, Rudolphus, Rabastan Lestrange and Bartemius Crouch Jr.

"Gloxinia and Parthenos were torn. Their son still hadn't woken up and now their daughter would never recover from what was done to her."

"Frank was Augusta and Renfred's only child and Neville their only grandchild. Parthenos said it was best that they have guardianship of Neville."

"Why did Lady Glo and Mr. Parth hide who they were?"

Gloxinia and Waris looked at each other.

"Parthenos does visit Neville too, he knows him as Mr. Parth same as you and Bertie."

"Still doesn't answer my question." 

"In 1985 Udolf Lestrange died, six years later in 1991 Cygnus Black III died. Udolf was one of Voldemort's earliest followers. Cygnus Black supported his cause."

"We killed them, Parth and I. Cygnus Black was the father of Bellatrix Lestrange. Udolf was the father of Rabastan and Rudolphus."

Terence eyes widened. 

"I personally fought Udolf in Lestrange House. Parthenos took me away and I eventually succumbed to my wounds."

"We murdered the fathers of the wix who tortured our daughter and son-in-law into insanity."

"The only people, who know are Augusta, her husband Renfred who passed away. Judge Amelia Bones who has also died. Waris, Nathaniel and now you."

"When the mass breakout happened two years ago we didn't want you, Bertie and Neville becoming targets."

"So when father goes to St. Mungo's he's visiting Aunt Liss, his little sister."

"Yes and when he's not he visiting your aunt he's with your grandfather."

"Speaking of which that's where we need to go now."

"We're going to Parth's home. His residence is called the Agrimonia Hotel."

Terence stood up. "I'm going to send a patronus to the Adrian and the others let them know I'm alright."

He turned and loooked at Gloxinia. "Lady- grandmother thank you.

"Oh, stay safe little one."

*Quidditch Queen belongs to @mxrcusflint