The Last Station

Who: James Cadwallader, Cho Chang, Graham Montague, Finbar Quigley, and anyone else who lives at 23 High Street
When: Early morning, Wednesday April 9
Where: 23 High Street
What: LOUD NOISES
Rating: SFW
Status: Ongoing

--

A loud blaring noise cut through the early morning silence, occurring once before picking up an insistent rhythm. And did it get louder with each go? It must've been five in the morning when it started; bloody hell.

Gnomes. Gnomes everywhere. I was told there was a bit of an infestation problem but until I went to the little plot of land behind the Town Hall I didn't realise just how bad it was.

Now I know what I'll be doing this morning.

Who: OPEN (even if you're not one of the characters listed here)
What: Gnome weeding
When: Today
Where: Behind the Town Hall
Rating: Low
Status: Ongoing

"PROGRAM HEAD UNAVAILABLE. PLEASE RETURN TOMORROW. SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE."

That was the sign Julian had put up on the door to his office that morning. He thought, roughly, that it would be how long he might take to weed out the infestation of gnomes in the building's backyard. It wasn't necessarily up to him to do it, mind, but he was a civic servant, and Merlin only knows how long before a solution gets approved if he'd gone through the proper channels. It was easier this way, even though it would eat up all of his day. He'd need a break anyway.

I was already a pretty heavy coffee drinker but I think I took it up a notch the last few weeks. I quite like it black, I think. It's much stronger pure.

Who: Emma and Stewart
What: Lunch!
When: Backdated to Tuesday, April 8
Where: The Three Broomsticks
Rating: Low
Status: Ongoing

Emma's schedule was pretty open and flexible during the day, so she'd agreed to meet Stewart for lunch when he asked. As long as Isla got her play time (which she did, that morning) and lunch (which they would have soon) and naptime afterward (which Emma planned to do, Emma could run errands for herself or for Alicia, visit the town shops, even go on field trips elsewhere if Isla wanted. On top of that, the weather was improving and that meant more outdoor activities for the two of them. Just that morning they'd gone to The Barkery and the Catfe to look at the dogs and take one of them out for a walk, a habit the pair of them had fallen into doing.

Today's pet was an exuberant little beagle, and by lunch, the two of them were famished. So they headed to The Three Broomsticks and picked out a booth, with Emma telling Isla they had to wait to order because she was waiting for a friend.

End of season always gives me mixed feelings. It would be nice if it didn't end yet, but for a new team we got pretty far and I'm proud of being part of the Hydras' first season.

Now summer plans begin.

Warded to Hydras Players and Staff

Good season, everyone. It's been an honour.

Warded to Ilia and Viktor

It's shame we never got to get together before season ended. Come over the house for dinner sometime soon, yeah? Friday?

Warded to Angelina and Katie

You are Quidditch agents, no? Mine just retired, my contract with Hydras is done this season, I didn't think I would want to play again and I don't like his firm. Would you be free to meeting?

Delivered Wednesday mid-morning with no card or note.

Everyone's said it already, but let me add to that. It's been a great end of the season here. We know the Hydras are young and we've got a way to go, but with fans like the ones we have we know it's going to be a great ride. Thanks, guys.

This isn't the end of things. The off-season will be busy and there might be a few things in store for you during the playoffs. Stay tuned for information on events that we'll be holding in the stadium soon, and open tryouts, and all of that good stuff.

Warded to all Hydras players and Lavender

End of season exit interviews will be scheduled over the next week. Please provide Ms. Brown with your availabilities.

Warded to Alexei

Hey, we'd like to sit down with you soon and talk contract extension. Please let me know when you're available; I'd like to get this done before you go on holiday.

Warded to Sebastien

Hey, we'd like to sit down with you soon and talk contract extension. Please let me know when you're available; I'd like to get this done before you go on holiday.

Warded to [other players whose contracts are up this year]

Hey, we'd like to sit down with you soon and talk contract extension. Please let me know when you're available; I'd like to get this done before you go on holiday.

Warded to Stewart

I'm not completely out of the woods yet, but I could really use a few days off to unwind once the season's completely wrapped up.

Who: Dan and Stewart

What: A mini-celebration for the end of the season

When: Wednesday evening

Where: Stewart's flat

Rating: ?

Status: Ongoing

Things were still a little busy in the Hydras office, what with the exit interviews and the prospect of looking forward coming up. Dan had strategy meetings scheduled and scouting reports to discuss with the manager, and players that they'd all agreed they wanted to bring back.

But the season was over and nothing had blown up. In Dan's mind that was worth celebrating, so he swung by one of the wine shops he spotted in Inverness and picked a nice vintage, dropped by Fromage to pick up food to go, then headed over to Stewart's.

"Surprise!" he said, grinning. "Only so far as you're actually available to hang out, though. But I did bring you dinner in case you hadn't had any yet."

Turns out my daughter's got a wicked sweet tooth. She snuck into the cupcakes I'd brought back for Merrill and had a bite of every single one. Somehow. I still haven't figured out how.

(Sorry, Mer.)

So far today I have:

• worked past midnight in my studio because, hey, I set my own hours


• been rudely awoken at 5AM by the most massively annoying, repetitive, unending, loud racket I've ever heard


• fled to my studio where I napped on the floor (don't judge)


• spent several hours volunteer degnoming the area behind Town Hall


• learned just how hard gnomes can bite

The noise has stopped, thank god, and I've taken a shower, but then I made the mistake of lying down on my bed. If I can just convince myself to get up again, I'm going to drink all the coffee at Qualitea. Not some of the coffee. Not a lot of the coffee. All the coffee.

Separate owls sent to Ernie Macmillan, Maxwell Derrick, and Hermione Granger and copied to Lisa

Professors (and Professors-to-be),

A colleague and I have a project we were hoping your expertise and guidance might help bring to completion. Would you be free for dinner on the 13th?

Sincerely,
Dan

[Warded Private]
He said he loves me. I still can't believe it.

[Warded to Alicia, Emma, Romilda & Ginny]
So, seems I'm going to be moving to the flat downstairs.

[Warded to Dan, Neville, Lavender, Lisa, Justin & Jack]
I'm moving in with Oliver. Not sure when yet, but you'll all be invited to the celebration when it happens.

Thank you so much! The flowers are beautiful, they've really spruced up my office, but I think they'll look even better at home.

Love you,

~A

Who: Caleb and Tracey

What: Winding down and talking

When: Wednesday evening

Where: Tracey's

Rating: Low?

Status: Ongoing

As far as meetings with parents go, Tracey couldn't say that the Davis' meeting with Caleb had gone exceptionally well. But as far as meetings with parents go where the significant other in question had once been sentenced to a few years in Azkaban by one of the other parents, then it had gone quite well.

Tracey gave both of her parents a hug and kissed their cheek before they left for the Floo, arriving in Hogsmeade's station not long after. She hooked an arm around Caleb's elbow while they made their way to her flat.

"What did you think of them?" she asked after a companionable silence.

Who: Merrill, Roger, and Violet

What: Broom flying!

When: This afternoon

Where: Hogsmeade Park

Rating: Low?

Status: Ongoing

The weather was too nice to waste, and Violet too sugar-happy to ignore. When Roger returned from his afternoon shift at work, he'd gone to drop off the cupcakes right around lunch time earlier, he was eager to drag both Merrill and Violet out to enjoy the warmth.

"Yes, we're gonna go flying, Vi," he told his daughter, her toy broom in one hand and Violet's hand in another. "Are you excited?"

The Owl carries a box of Potions and cotton swaps for cleaning and treating Gnome bites, and a jar of lollies usually given to children at the Clinic.

I hope you won't need it, but better safe than sorry.

~Ali

Guess Jasper isn't as brave as he thinks he is. Would think he wasn't about five times bigger than the gnomes, the way he hid. Thought he'd chase them out of the lot, save everyone the work. Little scary, though, 'specially when loads are all in one place. Managed to escape without bites, but could've been because they liked the taste of the dog treats in my pocket.

Interesting day in Hogsmeade. No matter where I looked, I saw people who either looked like they were lacking several hours of sleep, looked to be mainlining coffee, or were generously sprinkled with Gnome bites. I hope you all are all right out there.

While my own day wasn't quite as exciting, I did get flowers Owled to me at work. And honestly? Which witch in her right mind doesn't like that? I know I do. So imagine my surprise, when thanking Julian for those flowers (who else would send me flowers at work?) get the following reply: "Those flowers weren't from me."

So, to whoever sent me flowers today:

Thank you. They looked amazing on my desk, but they look even better on the window sill at home. I would love to thank you personally, but the Owl was accepted by the Medi-Witch at the reception desk and the bird took off before I was done with my patient.

5 pm. It is now 12 hours since #23 had a very rude awakening. Literally. But everything has finally been put back in order. The building has been quiet for hours, except for the usual rustling and bumps from people here and there, but the hole in the wall in one of the flats took quite a bit longer to fix.

[Warded to Montague]
What the bloody hell sort of curse did you fire at that wall? Took me 3 hours before it would stop vanishing whatever material I was trying to patch the hole with.

Anyway, it's fixed now.