Brian Rogers (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
subplotkudzu) wrote2008-06-28 08:51 am
subplotkudzu) wrote2008-06-28 08:51 am
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... and the Root of all Evil. I
We're having the last session of this book today, so it's time to start the public presentation.
Chapter 1: Heatric Alley
In early July the Dee boys are thrilled to see some owls delivering letters to their house: one for Castor, one for Pollux and one for…Mum? The envelope's heavy paper yielded nothing to their prying eyes and the boys were forced to wait until their mother opened the thing and then eavesdrop. (Their own letters, now marginally less interesting, contain their list of books for next year; no changes in the Defense Against the Dark Arts text, and therefore no clue who it might be.)
Eventually their listening pays off and they overhear a discussion between their parents about Mum's new job - a member of the Hogwarts Board of Governors! For some reason Mum found a house without the twins too calm for her liking, and had been searching around for things to do. There's a sign of relief when the boys learn that it doesn’t mean Mum will be around the school all the time, followed by a scampering with the threat that the sigh might have given them away.
Over the next month Mum keeps getting more stuff from the school and Gringotts - financial stuff, by the look of it. With a disturbing amount of red ink. Neither twin is an aritmatist, but based on Mum's furrowed brow and late nights it seems that there are problems afoot in the school’s books.
Speaking of schoolbooks, the twins also get a letter from Jasmyn, wondering about meeting to stock up for the year. The Fontaine girls are back in Britain after joining their parents on their European tour, and Juliet is due to return from her granmere's in France next week. Could the Dee family join them at the Marlow Club before heading to Diagon Alley? Sure!
A quick scramble through the library produces some background on the Marlow, the oldest private actors’ club in Wizarding London. Of course the Fontaines are members, but it's supposed to be pretty posh inside. The club resides on Heatric Alley, one of the other side streets off of Diagon Alley, and it’s home to the best theaters and clubs in the Wizarding world.
The day before they are due to meet the girls they get another letter - this one from Professor Lippershey. Their astronomy prof (and head of the Wizard Chess & Battles Club) is letting the students know that this year he plans to recreate the six major battles of the Goblin King Ragnunk's reign and to be prepared. Oh, and did the students know that the Witches Bowl trivia contest was this year? No connection at all between these two points. Nope. None whatsoever.
Juliet has spent the last two months in a fois gras and wine infested hell that is her grandmother's home in the south of France. With her grandfather's death some time ago her father's mother returned to France and has turned into a right terror - at least in the eyes of a girl who doesn’t like to be poked, prodded, dressed up, told to eat more to fill herself out (Juliet did not put on one inch over the summer, and her petite is rapidly turning into diminutive) or ordered to not be so much like her mother’s side of the family.
The only moments of joy in the summer were when the Fontaines were playing in Paris, giving Juliet and Jasmyn a chance to escape and run Daisy ragged on the streets of Gay Paree. The girls’ correspondence from that point forward centered on Jasmyn's idea that they could build a magical duplicate of Juliet by next year, and Juliet's fear that her grandmother prevails in her quest to send Juliet to Beauxbatons next year.
It is therefore with relief that Juliet tosses in the flue powder into the Chuflunnel between the English & French floo networks - no matter how much she hates the closeness of the floo network, nothing is worse than her Grandmother's. She steps out of the fireplace in the tastefully opulent Marlow Club, where a butler quickly runs a brush over her clothes to remove any offending soot. A small bell heralded her arrival, and Jasmyn ran from the sitting room to greet her friend, and the two fall into an animated conversation. Daisy takes Mr. Moore in hand when he comes through, introducing him to her parents as he acclimates to being in the company of the mildly (or wildly) famous. When the Dees arrive a few moments later Mr. Moore is distinctly more comfortable, in part because the Dees are old friends and in part because Judge Dee's presence sends several club members quietly out of the room.
The kids, meanwhile, have adjourned to one of the small sitting rooms to discuss their summers and plans for the year. There is a loud discussing going on in the next salon, and the students are surprised when one of the arguers slips into their sitting room, obviously hiding. The gentlemen – handsome but with wearied eyes – quietly asks Pollux if “they’ve noticed he’s gone.” At the negative he relaxes somewhat.
Daisy recognizes him: Lewis Night, one of the finest practitioners of the craft in his generation, a notorious Method actor who subsumes himself into roles and gives outstanding performances, even if he does go one or two years between engagements. She asks a butler to bring Mr. Night some Irish Coffee, and the actor’s thanks are clear in his smile.
Once the introductions are done Mr. Night explains his dilemma: he’s preparing for a new role and his agent has convinced him that this time he should also produce. Ordinarily he’d say “No” with no regrets, but this is a special engagement – a single production of a play done in segments “on location” being recorded on pictures, so that the photos, each recording up to 5 minutes of a scene, can be watched in sequence. The Serial Picture format is a way to capture and synthesize one perfect performance and display it to any number of viewers over any number of years. It’s a new visual language for Wizarding theater, but the preparations are spiraling out of control. Normally Mr. Night can spend upwards of a year immersing himself in the craft of the character he will be playing – a cobbler once, a bartender in Wales another time – but in this case there have been so many distractions! Hopefully that will change soon.
When asked what the play is, Night reveals that it is the long awaited adaptation of the Crypt Raider radio serial: the tale of a two wand wielding professor who goes into the field to defend the world against the dark arts. His adventures have thrilled wizard children since before the Grindlewald War. Castor realizes where this is going: “You’re our new Dark Arts Professor!”
“If you’re Hogwarts students then I very likely am. The board of governors has been very gracious is letting me apply for the position. I do hope I’m up to it.”
“Well,” Jasmyn burbles, “Our last professor had her soul sucked out!”
“That’s not entirely accurate,” Pollux observes, “She had someone else’s soul sucked out of her. Big difference.”
Night smiles, doubtless thinking they’re joking. “If that’s all I should be fine.”
“Doesn’t the Crypt Raider always have a sidekick?” Pollux whispered to Castor, and given everything else it’s not unlikely that such a sidekick would be selected from the students at the school. “Cool!”
Before they can ask directly Mr. Night’s reprieve is broken by a high pitched wail “Missssster Niiiight!” bellowed the house elf, much to the actor’s dismay.
“Knarlhump, shush! Have they realized I left a simulacra behind?” he whispered to the wide eyed elf.
Knarlhump shook his head before wailing in a highly ineffective whisper that would make dogs consider suicide “Noooo! But Mr. Momenshanz is talking about more publicity appearances to satisfy ‘the money’.” Night winced at that, mouthing ‘damn Goblins’ at the mention of the production’s other investors, “and you saaaaaaid that if Manny does anything thaaaaaat will distract you I should teeellll you.”
Night nodded, thanked the kids and slipped back into the salon for damage control. “That house elf,” Pollux said, “may be the most annoying being on the planet.”
Shortly thereafter the families start their shopping, passing by Heatric’s theaters, clubs & restaurants on their way to Daigon’s more appropriate venues. Daisy slips away to get tea with Regan Undulata and catch up with her fellow Prefect and Regan’s unerring sense of gossip. It’s a pleasant afternoon: the girls trade stories, buy books, speculate on whether Tommy Kent still suffers from invisible dodo startle syndrome (and if that got Peaseblossom to break up with him) and various other issues of high import. Daisy is able to keep her newfound knowledge about the DADA professor secret even under Regan’s expert needling, learning in return that the Plains are still in residence this year – Professor Plain didn’t want to leave Dumbledore stuck with two empty positions, so she’s waiting until the DADA role is permanently filled before leaving. She also learns that Regan is free today because her family is up fetching Paracelsus from her Scottish summer camp.
In a serious moment Regan asks if Jasmyn is still hanging out with the Dee twins and, when pressed, gives an explanation for last year’s “hot coffee incident” between her mother and Mrs. Dee. Judge Dee, in his role on the Wizengamot, sent Regan’s uncle to Azkhaban for his role in You-Know-Who’s activities. It seems the Slytherin alumni had counted on Dee not having such an unyielding interpretation of the law, and that has led to some bad blood. Daisy figures that this explains the chill in the room when the Dees arrived at Marlow’s – there are a lot of charismatic, driven actors who got their start in Slytherin, after all.
While this is going on, Juliet and Jasmyn raid Gambol & Japes to prepare themselves for this year’s no doubt continuing war with the aforementioned Peri Undulata. Amongst their weapons are squidsheets (which feel icky on your bed), stuttering serum and belching mints (which make anyone who eats them say everything in belches for hours); when they explain this last to the Dees, the boys questioned why the girls considered that a bad thing) Castor buys some Crypt Raider books to bone up on his series knowledge. Juliet gets a pet raven.
At Fortiscues the Dees see Rowan sitting alone, sipping water, looking poor and forlorn. When engaged she mopes about returning to school and the teasing about her hair. “Would it be odd if someone at Hogwarts spent a whole year in a turban?” She’s obviously a shrinking violet who dreams of a chance to blossom. Pollux reassures her that this year won’t be that bad. Castor, meanwhile, forms his master plan: he’ll arrange for Rowan to be the Crypt Raider sidekick! Then she’ll have to be popular!
In early July the Dee boys are thrilled to see some owls delivering letters to their house: one for Castor, one for Pollux and one for…Mum? The envelope's heavy paper yielded nothing to their prying eyes and the boys were forced to wait until their mother opened the thing and then eavesdrop. (Their own letters, now marginally less interesting, contain their list of books for next year; no changes in the Defense Against the Dark Arts text, and therefore no clue who it might be.)
Eventually their listening pays off and they overhear a discussion between their parents about Mum's new job - a member of the Hogwarts Board of Governors! For some reason Mum found a house without the twins too calm for her liking, and had been searching around for things to do. There's a sign of relief when the boys learn that it doesn’t mean Mum will be around the school all the time, followed by a scampering with the threat that the sigh might have given them away.
Over the next month Mum keeps getting more stuff from the school and Gringotts - financial stuff, by the look of it. With a disturbing amount of red ink. Neither twin is an aritmatist, but based on Mum's furrowed brow and late nights it seems that there are problems afoot in the school’s books.
Speaking of schoolbooks, the twins also get a letter from Jasmyn, wondering about meeting to stock up for the year. The Fontaine girls are back in Britain after joining their parents on their European tour, and Juliet is due to return from her granmere's in France next week. Could the Dee family join them at the Marlow Club before heading to Diagon Alley? Sure!
A quick scramble through the library produces some background on the Marlow, the oldest private actors’ club in Wizarding London. Of course the Fontaines are members, but it's supposed to be pretty posh inside. The club resides on Heatric Alley, one of the other side streets off of Diagon Alley, and it’s home to the best theaters and clubs in the Wizarding world.
The day before they are due to meet the girls they get another letter - this one from Professor Lippershey. Their astronomy prof (and head of the Wizard Chess & Battles Club) is letting the students know that this year he plans to recreate the six major battles of the Goblin King Ragnunk's reign and to be prepared. Oh, and did the students know that the Witches Bowl trivia contest was this year? No connection at all between these two points. Nope. None whatsoever.
Juliet has spent the last two months in a fois gras and wine infested hell that is her grandmother's home in the south of France. With her grandfather's death some time ago her father's mother returned to France and has turned into a right terror - at least in the eyes of a girl who doesn’t like to be poked, prodded, dressed up, told to eat more to fill herself out (Juliet did not put on one inch over the summer, and her petite is rapidly turning into diminutive) or ordered to not be so much like her mother’s side of the family.
The only moments of joy in the summer were when the Fontaines were playing in Paris, giving Juliet and Jasmyn a chance to escape and run Daisy ragged on the streets of Gay Paree. The girls’ correspondence from that point forward centered on Jasmyn's idea that they could build a magical duplicate of Juliet by next year, and Juliet's fear that her grandmother prevails in her quest to send Juliet to Beauxbatons next year.
It is therefore with relief that Juliet tosses in the flue powder into the Chuflunnel between the English & French floo networks - no matter how much she hates the closeness of the floo network, nothing is worse than her Grandmother's. She steps out of the fireplace in the tastefully opulent Marlow Club, where a butler quickly runs a brush over her clothes to remove any offending soot. A small bell heralded her arrival, and Jasmyn ran from the sitting room to greet her friend, and the two fall into an animated conversation. Daisy takes Mr. Moore in hand when he comes through, introducing him to her parents as he acclimates to being in the company of the mildly (or wildly) famous. When the Dees arrive a few moments later Mr. Moore is distinctly more comfortable, in part because the Dees are old friends and in part because Judge Dee's presence sends several club members quietly out of the room.
The kids, meanwhile, have adjourned to one of the small sitting rooms to discuss their summers and plans for the year. There is a loud discussing going on in the next salon, and the students are surprised when one of the arguers slips into their sitting room, obviously hiding. The gentlemen – handsome but with wearied eyes – quietly asks Pollux if “they’ve noticed he’s gone.” At the negative he relaxes somewhat.
Daisy recognizes him: Lewis Night, one of the finest practitioners of the craft in his generation, a notorious Method actor who subsumes himself into roles and gives outstanding performances, even if he does go one or two years between engagements. She asks a butler to bring Mr. Night some Irish Coffee, and the actor’s thanks are clear in his smile.
Once the introductions are done Mr. Night explains his dilemma: he’s preparing for a new role and his agent has convinced him that this time he should also produce. Ordinarily he’d say “No” with no regrets, but this is a special engagement – a single production of a play done in segments “on location” being recorded on pictures, so that the photos, each recording up to 5 minutes of a scene, can be watched in sequence. The Serial Picture format is a way to capture and synthesize one perfect performance and display it to any number of viewers over any number of years. It’s a new visual language for Wizarding theater, but the preparations are spiraling out of control. Normally Mr. Night can spend upwards of a year immersing himself in the craft of the character he will be playing – a cobbler once, a bartender in Wales another time – but in this case there have been so many distractions! Hopefully that will change soon.
When asked what the play is, Night reveals that it is the long awaited adaptation of the Crypt Raider radio serial: the tale of a two wand wielding professor who goes into the field to defend the world against the dark arts. His adventures have thrilled wizard children since before the Grindlewald War. Castor realizes where this is going: “You’re our new Dark Arts Professor!”
“If you’re Hogwarts students then I very likely am. The board of governors has been very gracious is letting me apply for the position. I do hope I’m up to it.”
“Well,” Jasmyn burbles, “Our last professor had her soul sucked out!”
“That’s not entirely accurate,” Pollux observes, “She had someone else’s soul sucked out of her. Big difference.”
Night smiles, doubtless thinking they’re joking. “If that’s all I should be fine.”
“Doesn’t the Crypt Raider always have a sidekick?” Pollux whispered to Castor, and given everything else it’s not unlikely that such a sidekick would be selected from the students at the school. “Cool!”
Before they can ask directly Mr. Night’s reprieve is broken by a high pitched wail “Missssster Niiiight!” bellowed the house elf, much to the actor’s dismay.
“Knarlhump, shush! Have they realized I left a simulacra behind?” he whispered to the wide eyed elf.
Knarlhump shook his head before wailing in a highly ineffective whisper that would make dogs consider suicide “Noooo! But Mr. Momenshanz is talking about more publicity appearances to satisfy ‘the money’.” Night winced at that, mouthing ‘damn Goblins’ at the mention of the production’s other investors, “and you saaaaaaid that if Manny does anything thaaaaaat will distract you I should teeellll you.”
Night nodded, thanked the kids and slipped back into the salon for damage control. “That house elf,” Pollux said, “may be the most annoying being on the planet.”
Shortly thereafter the families start their shopping, passing by Heatric’s theaters, clubs & restaurants on their way to Daigon’s more appropriate venues. Daisy slips away to get tea with Regan Undulata and catch up with her fellow Prefect and Regan’s unerring sense of gossip. It’s a pleasant afternoon: the girls trade stories, buy books, speculate on whether Tommy Kent still suffers from invisible dodo startle syndrome (and if that got Peaseblossom to break up with him) and various other issues of high import. Daisy is able to keep her newfound knowledge about the DADA professor secret even under Regan’s expert needling, learning in return that the Plains are still in residence this year – Professor Plain didn’t want to leave Dumbledore stuck with two empty positions, so she’s waiting until the DADA role is permanently filled before leaving. She also learns that Regan is free today because her family is up fetching Paracelsus from her Scottish summer camp.
In a serious moment Regan asks if Jasmyn is still hanging out with the Dee twins and, when pressed, gives an explanation for last year’s “hot coffee incident” between her mother and Mrs. Dee. Judge Dee, in his role on the Wizengamot, sent Regan’s uncle to Azkhaban for his role in You-Know-Who’s activities. It seems the Slytherin alumni had counted on Dee not having such an unyielding interpretation of the law, and that has led to some bad blood. Daisy figures that this explains the chill in the room when the Dees arrived at Marlow’s – there are a lot of charismatic, driven actors who got their start in Slytherin, after all.
While this is going on, Juliet and Jasmyn raid Gambol & Japes to prepare themselves for this year’s no doubt continuing war with the aforementioned Peri Undulata. Amongst their weapons are squidsheets (which feel icky on your bed), stuttering serum and belching mints (which make anyone who eats them say everything in belches for hours); when they explain this last to the Dees, the boys questioned why the girls considered that a bad thing) Castor buys some Crypt Raider books to bone up on his series knowledge. Juliet gets a pet raven.
At Fortiscues the Dees see Rowan sitting alone, sipping water, looking poor and forlorn. When engaged she mopes about returning to school and the teasing about her hair. “Would it be odd if someone at Hogwarts spent a whole year in a turban?” She’s obviously a shrinking violet who dreams of a chance to blossom. Pollux reassures her that this year won’t be that bad. Castor, meanwhile, forms his master plan: he’ll arrange for Rowan to be the Crypt Raider sidekick! Then she’ll have to be popular!