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Post by effie on Sept 13, 2007 22:34:44 GMT
OOC: So no one else makes the mistake.. Deitrich isn't Effies aunt. Its just the code their family uses to get letter past censorship =P
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A letter from home had finally arrived at breakfast that morning. Effie had been impatiently waiting for one for over a week. With the ministry's new "Safety Checks" - censorship more like - receiving post took ten times longer as every single letter had to be examined, tested for invisible ink and such like, and eventually given a stamp of approval from Deitrich herself.
The Ravenclaw had left the Great Hall pretty promptly and found a bench in a nearby corridor to read the letter in some sort of peace.
Effie,
Seems we've got some news for you, whether its good or bad you'll have to decide for yourself. Your aunt-
Effie smirked - the fact that her and her parents had taken to using "your aunt" as code for Deitrich, still amused her.
-has been particularly troublesome to your mum recently and things at home with her around, aren't exactly fun, nor best for you to be around in. I know your aunt is no better to you, but we think its best if you stay at Hogwarts for Christmas this year-
Effie stopped reading - that was a blow. She hardly got to see her parents as it was.
-We hate to have to say this, don't think that we don't want to see you. Hope everything is alright with you.
Lots of love, Mum and Dad xxx
Effie screwed up the piece of parchment and threw it into the corridor before her. She didn't blame her parents of course, it was just one more thing to hate Deitrich for. At least she had the satisfaction of belonging to the Guild now, if things went the way they wanted, Effie's "aunt" would be moving out in no time at all.
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Post by Char Hadley on Sept 15, 2007 20:22:26 GMT
Char tilted his head curiously as a crumpled page of parchment landed at his toes. Raising an eyebrow, he bent down to pick it up while remembering that an onslaught of at least a week's worth of post had arrived in the Great Hall that morning. He, of course, hadn't recieved any mail of his own and had been able to leave breakfast early and in peace.
The letter seemed to have come from behind him, and he turned around only to find himself facing an empty corridor. It took him another moment to realise the limbs hanging off a bench and he smiled crookedly. "I think you've lost something."
His voice rang out sharply in the previously silent hallways as he gingerly walked up to the figure. She was still seated, most-likely surprised that anyone would return something that was obviously meant to be thrown away. Char only held out the crumpled ball on a flat palm, as though presenting her with something awe-worthy.
"You shouldn't throw letters away like that, not especially if they're from family." His quirky smile drifted a bit as he waited for her to take the object from his hands, slender fingers curving slightly. "I haven't read it, if you're at all worried about that."
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Post by effie on Sept 15, 2007 21:05:37 GMT
Effie was still grumbling in her mind when a voice thankfully cut in to stir her from her bitter thoughts. She hadn’t realised anyone else was in the corridor and swiftly raised her head to meet eyes with the owner of the voice, a Gryffindor, one that she had seen often around school, but yet to become to know.
'Oh-' She began, clicking what lost item he was referring to as he held out her parents letter, still scrumbled up, in the palm of his hand. 'Not the best of news.' Effie explained, nodding towards the ball of parchment with a weak laugh. 'But you're right-' She took the letter and fiddled with it as she eyed him with a small half smile. 'By tonight I'd be wanting to read it again, so thank you, you've saved me an evening of being annoyed with myself.'
Smiling at the truth of the sentence, Effie looked back down as she passed the paper ball from one hand to the other. ‘You’re Charles right?’ She asked, quite sure she had picked up his name correctly. ‘Effie.’ She introduced herself, returning her gaze upwards once again. 'And I don’t normally make throwing things at strangers a habit .’ She added, a friendly smirk forming on her lips.
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Post by Char Hadley on Sept 16, 2007 3:17:05 GMT
Char watched the paper ball soar from hand to hand with delight, his boyish face taking on a thoughtful expression. Just as it was making the transition from her left to right palm, he reached out and snatched the projectile from the air.
Looking pleased with himself, he let out a small laugh and pulled his drooping bag back onto his shoulder. "Charles? No one's called me that for a decade at least. It's Char - my old nanny found pronouncing two syllables was too much of a hassle with how much she had to yell at me, and it just stuck." He returned her friendly look with one of his own and tossed her the letter back.
He had only recognised Effie vaguely, and was surprised she knew his name. Hesitantly taking the seat next to her, looking a bit awkward standing, he leaned back. "I presume you're not a beater then?" He asked with his own half-smile, turning his head to face her.
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Post by effie on Sept 16, 2007 11:53:29 GMT
The Gryffindor looked understandably surprised with Effie knowing his name, but he wouldn’t be so if he knew a certain couple of the girls in her dormitory. With the amount of chattering over the six years, Effie was convinced they must have talked about every student in the school, and on the rare occasions when she chose to listen (or on the even rarer occasions when she chose to join in) she usually managed to pick up a name or two.
He caught the paper bundle mid-air as she attempted to pass it into her right hand, and she smiled at him looking pleasantly surprised. Similarly to her, he had long since abandoned his full name, though unlike her, not for the reason of it being “absolutely foul” as she once told her mother.
‘You presume right.’ She turned her body to face the now seated Char. ‘Chaser-’ She smirked, throwing the returned letter once more in the air before finally putting it in her pocket. ‘-as you may have also already guessed.’ She added. 'Are you a quidditch player?' Effie asked, thinking he would make a good chaser himself if the reflexes he had just shown were anything to go by.
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Post by Char Hadley on Sept 22, 2007 2:45:18 GMT
Char smirked whilst shaking his head. "Quidditch? Not yet, but perhaps this year." He shifted in his position, turning to face her also. "Flying's pretty surreal, isn't it?" A sort of drowsy tone entered his voice - one that sometimes made an appearance without him noticing.
"Of course, I'm sure all the bizarre sensations of having your feet off the ground are history for you, being up in the air constantly and all." Sending her a half-amused look, he dropped his bag onto he floor before delving inside. Finally, the sleeve of his robes emerged back into sight, along with a deck of cards with green patterns across their backs.
Sending Effie a curious glance, he spread a few of them onto the bench. "Want to see a magic trick?" He asked, seemingly out of the blue. "It's what I practice in my spare time between quidditch practice." He added jokingly, his lips tilting upwards in his first relaxed smile that night.
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Post by effie on Sept 28, 2007 22:47:53 GMT
'A magic trick?' Effie watched his expression for a moment or two to check he was being serious. 'I'm guessing this is of the muggle kind?' She gazed down at the pack of green patterned cards, looking amused.
Memories of the day Effie's uncle showed them muggle card tricks flashed to the front of her mind. Her dad thought it was the most hilarious thing he had ever seen, They call this magic?! he had managed to blurt out in between gasps of laughter. Effie could see the funny side of it too, but had still found the illusion pretty impressive and after her dad had gone to another room, she badgered her uncle to show her how to do it. He replied with some rubbish about a "magician never revealing his tricks" - just one of those phrases amongst "I'll tell you when you're older", that Effie was convinced had been made up purely to irritate people.
'Go on then.' She positioned herself more comfortably to view the spread out cards. 'Amaze me.'
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Post by Char Hadley on Sept 29, 2007 2:43:41 GMT
Char grinned a bit mischievously, his eyes glimmering in the low candlelight. "Definitely Muggle. Last time I used a magic deck, the joker wouldn't stop taking jabs at my shuffling skills." Spreading the cards evenly across the bench, as there was only twenty-one in total, he presented them with a slow wave of his hand.
Teetering his finger on the edge of the last one, he looked at Effie with a secretive smile. "Pick a card, any card..." A portrait watching them intently gestured to one on the far right excitedly.
"That one, Miss. Howard!"
Char glanced toward the painting in amusement. "Don't worry, we're not working together."
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Post by effie on Sept 30, 2007 14:58:35 GMT
Effie gave a light laugh as Char mentioned the meddlesome jokers of wizarding card packs, having experienced them herself. She watched as the Gryffindor respread the cards onto the bench, smiling at the fact it was far from a full pack.
A portrait of an elderly man above them on the wall suddenly interrupted rather enthusiastically, and began frantically jabbing a finger towards a particular card on the right side. Effie gave Char a teasingly suspicious look, replying 'Uh huh...' in a mock unconvinced tone.
'I guess I best go for that one then.' She said, aiming a smirk at the portrait as she picked up the card he had been so eager for Effie to chose. The Ravenclaw glanced at the card, the Two of Spades, before moving her hand round so the man in the painting could take a peek. The man gave an excited nod, and Effie moved the card back towards herself and held it close, hidden from sight. 'What now?' Effie smiled at Char, whilst the portrait stared at him expectantly.
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Post by Char Hadley on Oct 6, 2007 19:39:46 GMT
Char smiled crookedly as she revealed the card to their enthusiastic audience. "Haven't you ever seen a Muggle trick performed?" He asked with a raised brow, his pale, slender fingers spreading apart the space she'd picked the card from.
When the small break in the line of cards appeared, he grinned. "Now you place it back." With a childish amusement, he covered his eyes with one hand while whispering the promise of not peeking.
As he waited for her to arrange the card as she wished, he pushed his fringe away from the palm guarding his eyes and tilted his head thoughtfully. "Muggle magic shows are really loads more exhilarating than wizard ones. Probably because "wizarding magic shows" are just a fancy name for transfiguration class" Char grinned to himself before letting his arm fall back to his side, hair looking disheveled.
"Done?"
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