Letters About Letters
When Jason appeared outside the Institute, he saw Moxie leaning over a pile of packages and letters, "Now we know why Boreas was late."
Jason smiled as he picked up a pile of letters addressed to him. One from Luna Lovegood, a few from his roommates, and a fairly lengthy one from Hermione. He would read them later, when he would be able to write fresh replies. He had received a blue and silver knit scarf from Mrs. Weasley, a blanket from Grandmother Matilda, a small silver wristwatch from Luna (she said it was customary in the British wizarding world), and oddly enough, a very large book of Charms from Professor Flitwick.
"No Prophet though," Moxie concluded, sorting the letters into stacks for Jason and stacks for her. "It looks like I need to meet with the President in person today," Moxie muttered from behind a piece of paper, "Wants to discuss how I'm going to handle this Death Eater take over. So you and Diana will be here by yourselves for a bit--where did that girl get off to?"
There was a loud crack and Diana appeared on the pavement. "Sorry, wanted to stop at home. Mom and Dad wanted to give this to Jason," she explained, handing him a brown paper bag. Jason ripped it open impatiently and what he found confused him. "It's a watch, I think," Diana muttered, "Dad said it's made of Crop Watcher straw and Mom said the glass marble in the middle used to be in one of her old Divination books. She bewitched it to tell time--I suppose she thought it'd be funny... or meaningful?"
Jason was honestly touched. The watch Luna had given him was nice, but Jason thought he'd wear this one more often. It was a watch from home; from people he considered family. "Oh, look at the time," Moxie snapped, looking into the sky, "I'd better be off."
There was a crack and the next instant she was gone. "Your parents have any news?" Jason asked, tapping his wand on the Institute's white wooden doors. A weak click escaped and the door swung open.
"No," Diana admitted, "but Mom didn't look herself when I stopped. Wasn't exactly pleased I passed my Wizarding Exam without her there, I think. Dad was happy though, and he told me he was invited by the President to that meeting Moxie left for--wouldn't tell me what it was about, of course."
"Moxie said that he wanted to know how she was going to deal with the Death Eater take over," Jason said, "Probably wants to convince her I should stay here for the school year."
"She'd never let that happen; you told her what your dad's letter said," Diana nodded to herself. Jason was positive Moxie would rather chew on a raw Bezoar than let the President tell her what to do, anyway.
Jason and Diana had planned to go to the library and do some quick studying, but Jason stopped in front of the Feast Hall's doors. Something was scratching on the door from the inside. He nodded quietly to Diana and pulled his wand out, "Alohomora!"
The door popped open quietly and a small letter floated out. "Thank you," it said simply before floating toward the stairs, "Oh, I suppose I could ask you. Is Vivian Moxie available?"
"No," Jason said, bewildered, "She--she had to go speak with somebody."
"Ah, well, I am a howler from..."
"Peter Halliwell," Diana said darkly, "I recognize your voice. You can give us her message." She looked defiantly at Jason and shrugged.
"Very well," the Howler made noises that Jason figured was it clearing its throat, "I hereby resign my post..."
"Incendio!" Diana hissed. The letter exploded in flames, though the message seemed to echo for a few seconds until the letter was completely reduced to ash. "I think that was putting it lightly compared to what Moxie would've done with it," Diana said simply.
Jason tipped his head curiously at the dining hall's door. There was still a small sound coming from within the room. With his wand held out in front of him, he gingerly prodded the door open.
Thousands of howlers spun in midair to face a very startled Jason and Diana. The floor had a carpet of non-enchanted letters and a steady stream was still flowing in from a paper jammed fireplace. "Colloportus!" Jason shouted, backing out of the room as the howlers floated toward him.
The great white doors slammed behind him. Chattering and the ripping of paper filled the air as the magic letters flew into the doors. "We'd better get a hold of Moxie," Jason said breathlessly.
There was a loud crack from outside and the door flew open, sunlight flooding the dark entrance hall. Moxie walked in quietly and froze in the doorway. Jason looked puzzled, "Well come on in, don't act like a stranger." He turned and saw Diana, wand outstretched toward Moxie, "What are you doing? It's Moxie, Diana!"
"Dad told me exactly what was going on at that meeting," Diana said quietly enough so that only Jason could hear her, "The President was checking leading officials in the wizarding community for Imperious Curses or Polyjuice. He told me I should be extra cautious."
"Roger's right," Moxie said calmly, "Go ahead, Diana. Verify my identity."
"My middle name?" Diana said shortly.
"You told me you didn't have a middle name.." Jason hissed. His best friend pointing her wand at his closest thing to a parent wasn't easy on his nerves.
"Diana Selene Moone," Moxie answered. Diana's arm fell to her side and she released an exasperated sigh. "Though, honestly, we don't teach much past Reducto in your year. It would have been interesting to see how long you would have made it," Moxie commented, smirking.
"You'd be surprised by how much we learn in passing, then," Diana smiled. She gave her blonde hair a flip and pointed to the dining hall, "You've got quite a bit of mail to go through."
"I had a feeling. How many howlers do you suppose?"
"More than ten," Jason smiled. He looked past Moxie into the daylight and saw an owl quickly approaching, "Incoming." The owl wasn't one Jason had ever seen before, but it clutched a golden envelope in one talon and a rolled up newspaper in the other.
"About time," Jason and Moxie said in unison, holding out their hands to retrieve their respective parcels. The bird, however, dropped both items into Moxie's hand, spun around their heads and flew away. "It must have been confused," Jason explained, reaching for the golden letter.
"No, Vivian Moxie," Moxie said quietly, reading the face of the envelope. She looked at the Prophet and the golden letter dropped to the ground, her hands more concerned with scouring the paper.
"Did I just see...?" Diana spun around to Moxie's side, her eyes immediately running up and down the paper.
"Yes," Moxie said grimly, "Severus Snape named Headmaster of Hogwarts." She dropped the paper on the ground. The picture on the cover was the familiar, smug face of Professor Snape. Jason had an overwhelming feeling of doom; there was no hope for his private requests now.
Moxie bent down and ripped open the golden envelope, "Severus Snape... Governor's unanimous choice... Seventh Year schedules to be mailed soon... Sincerely, Amycus and Alecto Carrow, Deputy Heads. If they've sacked Minerva they will have me to deal with, those cowarding--"
A hooting filled the hall as yet another owl flew over their heads. It was wind battered and had punctured the note it gripped in its talon. This time, however, the note was dropped on Jason's head. He grabbed and unfolded it in the same movement, "It's from Professor McGonagall.. She said she got my requests to the governors before the Ministry switched the members. They had reached and finalized a decision, she's not sure what that decision was though. Also, she wants you to calm down. She'll talk with you later; she's off to discuss the details of... the disappearance of Hermione, Ron, and Harry!"
Jason looked up to find that Moxie and Diana were already rushing up the wooden stairs to Moxie's office, "We'll use the shortcut; don't want to keep Minerva waiting!" Jason shook his head absently and trotted after them.
Jason smiled as he picked up a pile of letters addressed to him. One from Luna Lovegood, a few from his roommates, and a fairly lengthy one from Hermione. He would read them later, when he would be able to write fresh replies. He had received a blue and silver knit scarf from Mrs. Weasley, a blanket from Grandmother Matilda, a small silver wristwatch from Luna (she said it was customary in the British wizarding world), and oddly enough, a very large book of Charms from Professor Flitwick.
"No Prophet though," Moxie concluded, sorting the letters into stacks for Jason and stacks for her. "It looks like I need to meet with the President in person today," Moxie muttered from behind a piece of paper, "Wants to discuss how I'm going to handle this Death Eater take over. So you and Diana will be here by yourselves for a bit--where did that girl get off to?"
There was a loud crack and Diana appeared on the pavement. "Sorry, wanted to stop at home. Mom and Dad wanted to give this to Jason," she explained, handing him a brown paper bag. Jason ripped it open impatiently and what he found confused him. "It's a watch, I think," Diana muttered, "Dad said it's made of Crop Watcher straw and Mom said the glass marble in the middle used to be in one of her old Divination books. She bewitched it to tell time--I suppose she thought it'd be funny... or meaningful?"
Jason was honestly touched. The watch Luna had given him was nice, but Jason thought he'd wear this one more often. It was a watch from home; from people he considered family. "Oh, look at the time," Moxie snapped, looking into the sky, "I'd better be off."
There was a crack and the next instant she was gone. "Your parents have any news?" Jason asked, tapping his wand on the Institute's white wooden doors. A weak click escaped and the door swung open.
"No," Diana admitted, "but Mom didn't look herself when I stopped. Wasn't exactly pleased I passed my Wizarding Exam without her there, I think. Dad was happy though, and he told me he was invited by the President to that meeting Moxie left for--wouldn't tell me what it was about, of course."
"Moxie said that he wanted to know how she was going to deal with the Death Eater take over," Jason said, "Probably wants to convince her I should stay here for the school year."
"She'd never let that happen; you told her what your dad's letter said," Diana nodded to herself. Jason was positive Moxie would rather chew on a raw Bezoar than let the President tell her what to do, anyway.
Jason and Diana had planned to go to the library and do some quick studying, but Jason stopped in front of the Feast Hall's doors. Something was scratching on the door from the inside. He nodded quietly to Diana and pulled his wand out, "Alohomora!"
The door popped open quietly and a small letter floated out. "Thank you," it said simply before floating toward the stairs, "Oh, I suppose I could ask you. Is Vivian Moxie available?"
"No," Jason said, bewildered, "She--she had to go speak with somebody."
"Ah, well, I am a howler from..."
"Peter Halliwell," Diana said darkly, "I recognize your voice. You can give us her message." She looked defiantly at Jason and shrugged.
"Very well," the Howler made noises that Jason figured was it clearing its throat, "I hereby resign my post..."
"Incendio!" Diana hissed. The letter exploded in flames, though the message seemed to echo for a few seconds until the letter was completely reduced to ash. "I think that was putting it lightly compared to what Moxie would've done with it," Diana said simply.
Jason tipped his head curiously at the dining hall's door. There was still a small sound coming from within the room. With his wand held out in front of him, he gingerly prodded the door open.
Thousands of howlers spun in midair to face a very startled Jason and Diana. The floor had a carpet of non-enchanted letters and a steady stream was still flowing in from a paper jammed fireplace. "Colloportus!" Jason shouted, backing out of the room as the howlers floated toward him.
The great white doors slammed behind him. Chattering and the ripping of paper filled the air as the magic letters flew into the doors. "We'd better get a hold of Moxie," Jason said breathlessly.
There was a loud crack from outside and the door flew open, sunlight flooding the dark entrance hall. Moxie walked in quietly and froze in the doorway. Jason looked puzzled, "Well come on in, don't act like a stranger." He turned and saw Diana, wand outstretched toward Moxie, "What are you doing? It's Moxie, Diana!"
"Dad told me exactly what was going on at that meeting," Diana said quietly enough so that only Jason could hear her, "The President was checking leading officials in the wizarding community for Imperious Curses or Polyjuice. He told me I should be extra cautious."
"Roger's right," Moxie said calmly, "Go ahead, Diana. Verify my identity."
"My middle name?" Diana said shortly.
"You told me you didn't have a middle name.." Jason hissed. His best friend pointing her wand at his closest thing to a parent wasn't easy on his nerves.
"Diana Selene Moone," Moxie answered. Diana's arm fell to her side and she released an exasperated sigh. "Though, honestly, we don't teach much past Reducto in your year. It would have been interesting to see how long you would have made it," Moxie commented, smirking.
"You'd be surprised by how much we learn in passing, then," Diana smiled. She gave her blonde hair a flip and pointed to the dining hall, "You've got quite a bit of mail to go through."
"I had a feeling. How many howlers do you suppose?"
"More than ten," Jason smiled. He looked past Moxie into the daylight and saw an owl quickly approaching, "Incoming." The owl wasn't one Jason had ever seen before, but it clutched a golden envelope in one talon and a rolled up newspaper in the other.
"About time," Jason and Moxie said in unison, holding out their hands to retrieve their respective parcels. The bird, however, dropped both items into Moxie's hand, spun around their heads and flew away. "It must have been confused," Jason explained, reaching for the golden letter.
"No, Vivian Moxie," Moxie said quietly, reading the face of the envelope. She looked at the Prophet and the golden letter dropped to the ground, her hands more concerned with scouring the paper.
"Did I just see...?" Diana spun around to Moxie's side, her eyes immediately running up and down the paper.
"Yes," Moxie said grimly, "Severus Snape named Headmaster of Hogwarts." She dropped the paper on the ground. The picture on the cover was the familiar, smug face of Professor Snape. Jason had an overwhelming feeling of doom; there was no hope for his private requests now.
Moxie bent down and ripped open the golden envelope, "Severus Snape... Governor's unanimous choice... Seventh Year schedules to be mailed soon... Sincerely, Amycus and Alecto Carrow, Deputy Heads. If they've sacked Minerva they will have me to deal with, those cowarding--"
A hooting filled the hall as yet another owl flew over their heads. It was wind battered and had punctured the note it gripped in its talon. This time, however, the note was dropped on Jason's head. He grabbed and unfolded it in the same movement, "It's from Professor McGonagall.. She said she got my requests to the governors before the Ministry switched the members. They had reached and finalized a decision, she's not sure what that decision was though. Also, she wants you to calm down. She'll talk with you later; she's off to discuss the details of... the disappearance of Hermione, Ron, and Harry!"
Jason looked up to find that Moxie and Diana were already rushing up the wooden stairs to Moxie's office, "We'll use the shortcut; don't want to keep Minerva waiting!" Jason shook his head absently and trotted after them.
