Harry decided that nature had a sick sense of irony, bringing out its finery for summer when the world as everyone knew it changed for the worse.  There were birds everywhere, green grass, blue sky, unbearably hot sun...the perfect recipe for what should have been a peaceful day for students grateful for the end of term. 

Instead, he was making this trek on a deserted road to what had to be an empty town to meet a friend of Hermione's who had promised to help.  He kicked at a rock and watched it skip over the dirt path to rest in the grass.  Something had it out for everyone he ever cared for and if he ever found it, he was going to beat it's head in.  They didn't deserve to dragged into his stupid mess especially now that there was a Prophecy over his head.

"...neither can live while the other survives....."

He shook his head, hoping to drown out Trelawney's eerie voice.  Hermione would say to concentrate on thing at a time and chip away at the bigger picture piece by piece.

So piece one would be getting this bloke from Hogsmeade.

[small sigh, voice is a bit gravelly from fatigue and long hours in the library]

End of term is almost here, finally.  OWLs are okay so far, but I really think I could have done better on some of the theory.  I listed everything they wanted....didn't I?  Wait.  [groan]  I knew I should have listed the third alternate spellcasting method for that spell in Transfiguration.  What if that makes them count off points?  [sound of quill scratching paper furiously, low muttering; snippet of, "Notes for next year," can be heard]

Oh, how could I?  I was up all night for that test, just like the other ones, except for the Charms OWLs, and I highly suspect that you had something to do with that, Apollo.  Really, you can't go around using your powers--

[Shouting in the background, and the next time Hermione talks, her voice is far from the microphone]

"What's going on?"

[Male Voice]  "Umbridge is going out to Hagrid's hut!"

"For what?"

"She's going to sack him like Trelawney!"

"WHAT?!  Harry, we have to go out there!"

[sound of chair scraping the floor, rush of feet, and voices blending together.  Microphone cuts off after ten minutes of silence.]

((Backdated to around 12:30.  Let's get this show on the road!))

OWLs start in the morning and I'm still awake reading Potions notes, someone please make me go to sleep.

Not Sirius.  Harry just found him again.

And the DA and Umbridge.  And this...Prophecy.  Why wouldn't he tell us?  This is something important!

[sounds of sniffling]

He doesn't deserve this! 

[sob, microphone cuts out after a bit of static]

((This is backdated to yesterday afternoon since she got some time on her hands and finished OotP.   Canon's going to be moving kind of fast now since it's near the end of the school year.  ORZ, I need penance for ignoring the hell out of canon.))

Hermione adjusted the bag on her shoulder as she trotted to the greenhouses.  Her side could only take so much damage in a short period of time.

Jack, his new kitten, and a friend of his were coming to stay for a while.  How long "a while" was had yet to be determined, however, they were always welcome.  Besides, Hermione hadn't the heart to say to no after her and Frost's argument.  A friend in need was a friend indeed after all.  She just hoped that no one would find them...or ask too many questions.

I'm sorry I haven't been around lately.  So many things have been happening in the past couple of weeks.  I forgot to mention that Harry gave an interview to The Quibbler last month.  It wasn't exactly the most respectable place for warning people about V-Voldemort, but it's out there.  Having Rita Skeeter in the byline probably helped the issues sell out.  That woman.  She's just as bad as Umbridge, but sometimes you need to deal with necessary evils.

Fred and George quit school as well.  Flew out the door, set off fireworks, an entire show.  Those two.  I'm surprised they didn't blow up some obscure part of the castle to put the finishing touch on their departure.  There is a swamp on one of the floors now.  Really quite extraordinary magic they managed to pull off, no one has been able to get rid of it yet.  If only they'd put all that knowledge to better use.  Honestly, all that potential gone.  Ron desperately wants to join them in whatever they're going to do, but thank goodness that his mum won't stand for it. 

Oh, and I had my career consultation with Professor McGonagall!  She told me that anyone would take me in their occupation, but really, I need to narrow my choices down!  There's a teaching job at Hogwarts, an Auror, working for the Ministry, going abroad for more study....it's really quite open!  Maybe I'll talk to one of Mum's friends about the medical field.  I've always fancied being a Healer. 

[Locked/Hackalbe]
....Once Jack gets back,  we need to talk.  And I'm close to the end of the book on my year.  Perhaps another week or two.  All my studying is keeping me from finishing.
[/Locked]

((OOC: lol, watch the mun catch up on ridiculous amounts of canon.))

Jack's all right.

Thank, Merlin.  I thought--he could have been--

I think I'll go to bed.

Pokemon.  Really.

Of all things that happen on this community, Pokemon.  I can see body shares and pregnancies and.....

Nevermind.  This makes total sense.

Hermione inspected her laptop carefully, looking all over its surface for any chips or scratches.  It had been working fine for the past fifteen minutes, and all of a sudden it had frozen, refusing to do simple tasks such as closing out of her journal or shutting down.

"Maybe the magic at Hogwarts finally jammed it.  It's still remarkable how long it's lasted, electronics aren't supposed to work at all."  She continued to mumble about possible outcomes and magic's effect on Muggle objects as she resorted to pushing random buttons in the hope it would work.  Technology was not her forte. 

After pressing something (she'd never remember what order it was), the computer came back to life.  Success!  She allowed herself a grin of satisfaction.  Scientific process and luck could get you through anything.

But then there was a blue screen outlining some incomprehensible error and smoke.  Lots of smoke.  Plus some weird feeling in the air.

"Stop, stop!"  Maybe another button would do it....

A small explosion and the world went dark.

Luna...I-I just wanted to say....

I'm sorry.

((OOC: Backdated a few days, about the 7th or so.))

Something is very, very wrong.

First, Harry keeps having these odd dreams about a blue corridor and flames, promptly scaring Ron and I.  What that means, Merlin knows, but it can't be good.

I can't find Luna.  She didn't come to the DA meeting and every time I think of going to speak to her, she disappears like smoke.

And to top it off, my trip to Alphonse's wasn't long at all.  There was an emergency he didn't want to talk about and I left so he could deal with it.


I don't enjoy being out of the loop.  Is everything terrible happening at once?

Tarot isn't a reliable source for personality judgment, but at least it got that I like learning.

 

Forgot to say that I'm feeling a lot better!  The cold/flu has been gone for about four days and Madam Pomfrey gave me an earful about ignoring my health.  Really, she doesn't need to worry, that only happens once or twice a year.....

Ron and Harry went barmy without me.  They're so behind, it's going to take a week for them to salvage anything above a A.  *sigh*

[Lock from the HP muns]
And I've made it to the fourth book as well!  Being laid up in the hospital wing gave me tons of free time.  Ugh, the Second Task.  Even after they explained it to us, it felt horrible unable to do anything at the bottom of the Lake.
[/lock]

Back to work, I suppose.  Hogsmeade weekend can't come fast enough.

[Lock from Luna]
I hope I didn't hurt her feelings too much.  Maybe I should go find her....
[/lock]

This made me cry.  Maybe it came from lying here in a hospital wing bed all day with just my thoughts.  I don't even like music that much....

How long has it been since I last wrote?  The days blend together after a while.  There's studying and tests and prefect rounds and...it's making my head spin just thinking about it.

[Locked from Snape]
The DA's been rather busy too.  We just got done covering defensive spells which was tiring in itself, not to mention that I've been helping Harry by researching for the next few lessons.  It's worth it though.  As long as Harry's safe we all learn these things properly.  Thank Merlin Umbridge isn't on this community to ruin it for everyone, foul woman that she is.
[Lock]

[Lock from HP-muns]
Chamber of Secrets was rather interesting.  Harry and Ron were brave to go down there alone.  Professor Lockhart wasn't any kind of help to them, was he? Of course they told me that, but it's quite another thing to see it firsthand.  Should I say read it firsthand?  This is getting confusing. 

The Petrification part...it makes me shudder thinking about it.  Ms. Rowling never said how I could hear everything when I was in that state.  Being trapped in your own mind is something I would never wish on my worst enemy.  It's a horrible feeling, knowing that you can't help when you're needed the most.  I'm just glad I still had that piece of parchment in my hand.  Who knows what would have happened if I hadn't?
[Lock]

My bed in the dormitory is calling my name.   I won't even read the Prophet right now, I'd like to go to bed peacefully for once.

((OOC: Strikes illegible to normal folks; gods, awesome hackers, have at it.))