You have a point about at least mentioning it.
I've edited my master copy to say:
"That seems like a reasonable supposition, but it will be difficult to prove," noted the older man. "What about the possibility that the curse is on the boy rather than the wand?"
"I admit it's possible, but we and Madame Pomfrey have examined him thoroughly and find no evidence supporting the idea. As you might well guess, no one is willing to risk their own wand on the chance that it might be transferable. I have sent a note to Draco's father to provide another wand for him to use while we continue our investigations."
Temple of Ranma's Sailor Senshi Seifuku
Anime, Scifi, Fantasy Fan and Original Fiction
Tabitha's Diary - A Bewitched / HP cross
39 posts
• Page 3 of 3 • 1, 2, 3
Re: Tabitha's Diary - A Bewitched / HP cross
by Spokavriel » Wed Jun 01, 2011 8:49 pm
Thats allot better. It no longer leaves that part to simply be accepted.
-
Spokavriel
Posts: 47773
Re: Tabitha's Diary - A Bewitched / HP cross
by lwf58 » Wed Jun 08, 2011 5:50 pm
Here's my take on the DADA spider incident. Any good?
**********
After lunch ended, Tabitha and Luna went their separate ways to class. Tabitha
walked sedately through the corridors with a crowd of other students. As she
walked, she examined the stonework around her, wondering again at the sheer
sense of age about it. 'It's only when you see places like this for yourself
that you realize how very young the United States is in comparison to other
countries. This building has stood longer than the time of the Spanish
exploration of the Caribbean islands. Admittedly, there are places as old or
older in America, but most of those are ruins of native civilizations that the
Spaniards destroyed. Darn, there are times I wish I were older. I'd love to see
this place when it was founded, but I can't travel back in time on my own to see
anything before the middle of the Cold War.'
That thought brought a slight smile to her face. 'But I suppose that would be
more than enough to awe Wizards. They can't travel back in time more than a few
days. Score another point for our side.'
**********
[Diary continued]
My frustrations about time travel made me wonder if anyone who isn't a Witch
will ever read this diary. If so, then you may be wondering what I was talking
about when I mentioned not being able to travel back farther than the height of
the Cold War on my own. It's simple, really. I could go back as far as I want in
time, but if I go back to a date before I was born, it'd be a one-way trip. One
of the peculiarities of magic is that it does not exist for an individual before
their birth, and that carries over to time travel. Witches who go back before
they were born lose their magic.
So yes, I could go back to the time of the Hogwarts Founders on my own, but I'd
be a "squib" when I got there, and I'd need to be rescued by a Witch who was
around at the time to get back. Sometimes it's done, but the person going back
either notifies an older friend or family member about the trip, or makes darned
sure that they know where such a person will be at the time.
I've been on archeological expeditions to the past that were supervised by older
Witches, and trust me, it's unnerving and unpleasant to be all but helpless that
way.
**********
The students seating themselves at their desks in the Defense Against the Dark
Arts classroom could easily see the new addition to the room. On a table at the
head of the class were three glass boxes, each containing a large tarantula.
After they'd all settled down, the professor, who'd been waiting on the small
landing in front of his office door began carefully hobbling down the short
flight of steps to the classroom floor.
"Good afternoon. Today, as promised, we'll be covering the three Unforgivables.
As we discuss the spells, I will be demonstrating them on these spiders. I have
been given special permission to do so for all classes on this day only.
"Mr. Corner. Name one spell considered unforgivable, and its effects."
Michael Corner, a Ravenclaw like Tabitha, stood up and recited, "The Imperius
Curse is one of the Unforgivable Curses. The spell causes the victim to be
completely under the command of the caster, who can make the victim do anything
the caster wishes. A victim of this spell is said to have been Imperiused."
"Word for word what the textbook says. Congratulations for having good memory,
if nothing else." Addressing the rest of the class, the professor said, "Yes,
Imperious is the first of the three spells regarded as unforgivable, and if
caught, it guarantees the wizard or witch who casts it a lifetime in Azkaban
Prison. The incantation is 'imperio'. Through it, the victim can be made to do
things that he or she would be opposed to doing of their own will. The
Unforgivables were declared to be dark and forbidden in 1717. However, during
the height of the war against You-Know-Who they were approved for use by aurors.
That permission was revoked when the war ended.
"Contrary to popular belief, the spells weren't forbidden because they twist the
soul of the caster or have any other lasting effect. They were forbidden because
they are all too easy to cast if you have the right mindset and strong enough
magic. Ministry declared them 'dark', though what makes them any darker than
bashing someone's head open with a Bludgeoning Curse escapes me."
Drawing his wand, the instructor motioned at one of the spiders, calling out
"Imperio!" in a firm voice. After a short wait, the spider began to dance. The
professor ended the spell. "The Imperious Curse robs its victims of any sense
that they are doing something wrong or unnatural, so its victims can be made to
cast the curse on others, making it self-perpetuating. The victims can even be
made to perform feats of superhuman strength or endurance, since they have no
awareness that what they are doing will harm their bodies.
"Miss Abbott. Name another of the Unforgivables," requested Professor Moody,
speaking to a blonde girl from Hufflepuff.
"Um... The Cruciatus Curse? That's the one that causes unbearable pain, right?"
Hannah's answer was half question, as she looked at the girl she was partnered
with at their table. The second girl, a pert redhead, nodded almost
imperceptibly.
"Yes, Miss Abbott. It's Cruciatus. In future, I'll expect you to know your
answer well enough to not need Miss Bones' say-so. The Cruciatus is all about
pain. You don't need thumbscrews or knives to torture someone if you can perform
the Cruciatus Curse. It was very popular back in the day for dueling and
defense.
"Cruciatus uses the incantation 'crucio', and stimulates the pain receptors of
every nerve in the victim's body. It's maybe the darkest of the three
Unforgivables, because to cast the wizard must not just want to hurt the victim,
he must truly want him to suffer. If he doesn't, the pain will be far less than
could be, and for a shorter time."
He directed his wand at the second spider, and intoned, "crucio". The spider was
struck by the spell and quivered in mute agony, its legs curling under its body.
After a moment, he ended the spell.
"Mr. Macmillan, you're next. What is the last of the Unforgivables?"
Ernie Macmillan, another Hufflepuff, stood and answered, "That would be the
Killing Curse, sir. It instantly kills any living thing it hits, and cannot be
blocked by any spell."
"Well said, Mr. Macmillan. Yes, Avada Kedavra is unblockable except by physical
objects. It's possible to dodge, but not easy. Avada Kedavra needs powerful bit
of magic behind it. You lot could all get your wands out and point them at me
and say the words, and I doubt I'd get so much as a nosebleed."
His wand moved to the last spider, and as he breathed "Avada kedavra", a
near-blinding streak of electric green light flashed from to tip to strike the
unfortunate arachnid. It instantly curled up in death.
"And that's all it takes to end life. One wand motion, and two words. Remember
that, and always be aware of the people around you that might just try it on you
some day. Protecting your life is no one's responsibility but yours, and to do
that, you need to keep your wits about you. CONSTANT VIGILANCE! That's the key,
kiddies. NEVER forget it!"
**********
[Diary continued]
That was a very enlightening class. One thing I've been learning in the classes
I've taken here is that Wizards are endlessly inventive when it comes to harming
each other. They have more jinxes and curses than we ever dreamed of. When we
want someone dead, we make them dead and have done with it. Wizards have dozens
of ways to do the job, be it blunt force, cutting, coagulating blood,
suffocating, you name it. If it can be used to end another person's life,
there's probably a Wizarding spell to make it happen.
I found myself agreeing with Professor Moody. The classification of those three
spells as "unforgivable" doesn't make any sense, when so many other spells that
are perfectly legal to use do much the same thing more messily. My people think
very little of influencing others to act or think as we wish, although we use
that ability sparingly. My own grandmother is noted for it, and it almost never
causes long term harm. Yet that would be grounds for locking her in prison for
the rest of her life in the Wizarding World... assuming that she didn't live so
long the place crumbled to dust around her, or that it could restrain her in the
first place. That last part is very doubtful.
**********
After lunch ended, Tabitha and Luna went their separate ways to class. Tabitha
walked sedately through the corridors with a crowd of other students. As she
walked, she examined the stonework around her, wondering again at the sheer
sense of age about it. 'It's only when you see places like this for yourself
that you realize how very young the United States is in comparison to other
countries. This building has stood longer than the time of the Spanish
exploration of the Caribbean islands. Admittedly, there are places as old or
older in America, but most of those are ruins of native civilizations that the
Spaniards destroyed. Darn, there are times I wish I were older. I'd love to see
this place when it was founded, but I can't travel back in time on my own to see
anything before the middle of the Cold War.'
That thought brought a slight smile to her face. 'But I suppose that would be
more than enough to awe Wizards. They can't travel back in time more than a few
days. Score another point for our side.'
**********
[Diary continued]
My frustrations about time travel made me wonder if anyone who isn't a Witch
will ever read this diary. If so, then you may be wondering what I was talking
about when I mentioned not being able to travel back farther than the height of
the Cold War on my own. It's simple, really. I could go back as far as I want in
time, but if I go back to a date before I was born, it'd be a one-way trip. One
of the peculiarities of magic is that it does not exist for an individual before
their birth, and that carries over to time travel. Witches who go back before
they were born lose their magic.
So yes, I could go back to the time of the Hogwarts Founders on my own, but I'd
be a "squib" when I got there, and I'd need to be rescued by a Witch who was
around at the time to get back. Sometimes it's done, but the person going back
either notifies an older friend or family member about the trip, or makes darned
sure that they know where such a person will be at the time.
I've been on archeological expeditions to the past that were supervised by older
Witches, and trust me, it's unnerving and unpleasant to be all but helpless that
way.
**********
The students seating themselves at their desks in the Defense Against the Dark
Arts classroom could easily see the new addition to the room. On a table at the
head of the class were three glass boxes, each containing a large tarantula.
After they'd all settled down, the professor, who'd been waiting on the small
landing in front of his office door began carefully hobbling down the short
flight of steps to the classroom floor.
"Good afternoon. Today, as promised, we'll be covering the three Unforgivables.
As we discuss the spells, I will be demonstrating them on these spiders. I have
been given special permission to do so for all classes on this day only.
"Mr. Corner. Name one spell considered unforgivable, and its effects."
Michael Corner, a Ravenclaw like Tabitha, stood up and recited, "The Imperius
Curse is one of the Unforgivable Curses. The spell causes the victim to be
completely under the command of the caster, who can make the victim do anything
the caster wishes. A victim of this spell is said to have been Imperiused."
"Word for word what the textbook says. Congratulations for having good memory,
if nothing else." Addressing the rest of the class, the professor said, "Yes,
Imperious is the first of the three spells regarded as unforgivable, and if
caught, it guarantees the wizard or witch who casts it a lifetime in Azkaban
Prison. The incantation is 'imperio'. Through it, the victim can be made to do
things that he or she would be opposed to doing of their own will. The
Unforgivables were declared to be dark and forbidden in 1717. However, during
the height of the war against You-Know-Who they were approved for use by aurors.
That permission was revoked when the war ended.
"Contrary to popular belief, the spells weren't forbidden because they twist the
soul of the caster or have any other lasting effect. They were forbidden because
they are all too easy to cast if you have the right mindset and strong enough
magic. Ministry declared them 'dark', though what makes them any darker than
bashing someone's head open with a Bludgeoning Curse escapes me."
Drawing his wand, the instructor motioned at one of the spiders, calling out
"Imperio!" in a firm voice. After a short wait, the spider began to dance. The
professor ended the spell. "The Imperious Curse robs its victims of any sense
that they are doing something wrong or unnatural, so its victims can be made to
cast the curse on others, making it self-perpetuating. The victims can even be
made to perform feats of superhuman strength or endurance, since they have no
awareness that what they are doing will harm their bodies.
"Miss Abbott. Name another of the Unforgivables," requested Professor Moody,
speaking to a blonde girl from Hufflepuff.
"Um... The Cruciatus Curse? That's the one that causes unbearable pain, right?"
Hannah's answer was half question, as she looked at the girl she was partnered
with at their table. The second girl, a pert redhead, nodded almost
imperceptibly.
"Yes, Miss Abbott. It's Cruciatus. In future, I'll expect you to know your
answer well enough to not need Miss Bones' say-so. The Cruciatus is all about
pain. You don't need thumbscrews or knives to torture someone if you can perform
the Cruciatus Curse. It was very popular back in the day for dueling and
defense.
"Cruciatus uses the incantation 'crucio', and stimulates the pain receptors of
every nerve in the victim's body. It's maybe the darkest of the three
Unforgivables, because to cast the wizard must not just want to hurt the victim,
he must truly want him to suffer. If he doesn't, the pain will be far less than
could be, and for a shorter time."
He directed his wand at the second spider, and intoned, "crucio". The spider was
struck by the spell and quivered in mute agony, its legs curling under its body.
After a moment, he ended the spell.
"Mr. Macmillan, you're next. What is the last of the Unforgivables?"
Ernie Macmillan, another Hufflepuff, stood and answered, "That would be the
Killing Curse, sir. It instantly kills any living thing it hits, and cannot be
blocked by any spell."
"Well said, Mr. Macmillan. Yes, Avada Kedavra is unblockable except by physical
objects. It's possible to dodge, but not easy. Avada Kedavra needs powerful bit
of magic behind it. You lot could all get your wands out and point them at me
and say the words, and I doubt I'd get so much as a nosebleed."
His wand moved to the last spider, and as he breathed "Avada kedavra", a
near-blinding streak of electric green light flashed from to tip to strike the
unfortunate arachnid. It instantly curled up in death.
"And that's all it takes to end life. One wand motion, and two words. Remember
that, and always be aware of the people around you that might just try it on you
some day. Protecting your life is no one's responsibility but yours, and to do
that, you need to keep your wits about you. CONSTANT VIGILANCE! That's the key,
kiddies. NEVER forget it!"
**********
[Diary continued]
That was a very enlightening class. One thing I've been learning in the classes
I've taken here is that Wizards are endlessly inventive when it comes to harming
each other. They have more jinxes and curses than we ever dreamed of. When we
want someone dead, we make them dead and have done with it. Wizards have dozens
of ways to do the job, be it blunt force, cutting, coagulating blood,
suffocating, you name it. If it can be used to end another person's life,
there's probably a Wizarding spell to make it happen.
I found myself agreeing with Professor Moody. The classification of those three
spells as "unforgivable" doesn't make any sense, when so many other spells that
are perfectly legal to use do much the same thing more messily. My people think
very little of influencing others to act or think as we wish, although we use
that ability sparingly. My own grandmother is noted for it, and it almost never
causes long term harm. Yet that would be grounds for locking her in prison for
the rest of her life in the Wizarding World... assuming that she didn't live so
long the place crumbled to dust around her, or that it could restrain her in the
first place. That last part is very doubtful.
-
lwf58
Posts: 2201
Re: Tabitha's Diary - A Bewitched / HP cross
by lwf58 » Sun Jun 12, 2011 10:11 pm
Here's the rough version of Chapter 3, submitted for commentary. If anyone sees a problem, don't hesitate to say so!
**********
**********
Tabitha's Diary
The rights to Harry Potter belong to J. K. Rowling and her publishers, and the movies are copyrighted by Warner Brothers.
The rights to the Bewitched! television series are, as best I know, owned by Ashmont Productions and Screen Gems, Inc.
No copyright infringements are intended. This is a non-commercial fan fiction story, and no rights to the characters or settings of either series are claimed by the author.
Chapter 3 - A Rose by Any Other Name
Foreword: There's an in-joke in this chapter. Clell, one of the members of the CaerAzkaban Yahoo Group, began writing a Bewitched/HP crossover before I started mine. In fact, I originally began writing this as an attempt to spark his interest in continuing his own. His version was inspired by a group discussion about crossing the two series. He's only completed a few scenes, and it's on the back burner due to many other stories he needs to complete before he can pay attention to it again.
In his story, Witches are known to the Wizarding World as "the Elder Sect". One of the first story hooks he came up with was that Rowena Ravenclaw was actually Samantha Stephen's aunt Clara, who took the name as an alias while living in Wizard society. After the death of her husband, Godric Gryffindor, Clara left the Wizards behind and returned to her family. As time passed, her children with Godric had children of their own, as is the way of things. Centuries went by, and eventually the last of the Gryffindor / Ravenclaw line was born - Harry James Potter. When his parents were murdered, Clara felt it and came to investigate. She found the toddler and took him to be raised by her niece.
Knowing that much of Clell's story, you shouldn't have any problems getting the joke when it pops up.
**********
**********
September 8th, 1994.
Dear Diary,
Well, I feel stupid. When I read about Harry in the British teen witch magazines while I was back in the States, I thought he was supposed to be the equivalent of a movie or music star, since he was raved about right alongside the latest wizarding music bands. You know the kind of stuff I mean. What kind of witch he's supposed to like, his favorite foods, what he does in his spare time.
Boy, was I wrong. Everything they wrote about him is pure fiction according to Luna, who has been observing him and his friends for the last three years. The thin, starved look that he sports isn't an affectation brought about by long nights partying and dancing and taking whatever passes for recreational pharmaceuticals among the wizards. He's thin because he's literally starved when he's not at school. By his guardians, no less. He comes to school not only for his education, but also because he can eat three square meals a day here.
Listening to the school gossip has also been an eye-opener. Some of things said about him are what I was expecting, but other things are so full of vitriol that you'd expect he was the second coming of Emperor Nero. You know, spoiled, self-centered, self-serving, and generally rotten. The boy that Luna has learned about is the opposite. He's a typical guy in that he hasn't a clue about how to relate to girls, but she says he's sweet, kind, caring and protective of his friends. Sure, he has his faults, but from what she's told me, they are understandable.
Most of the people who really put him down are from Slytherin, and considering that one of his major detractors is Draco Malfoy, otherwise known as He-Whose-Wand-Swings-Low and The Amazing Bouncing Ferret, I know who I believe.
Today this place earned another black mark in my book. I'm not so naive that I don't know that children can be needlessly cruel and tend to pick on people who don't fit their ideas of what's proper. However, there are some things that go beyond the pale, and I discovered one of them when I went looking for my friend.
**********
Tabitha finished her morning routine and collected her book bag before walking from her room toward the Great Hall for breakfast, keeping an eye open for Luna along the way. Not far from the Hall, she spied her target. Luna was hobbling slowly along the corridor with one hand bracing against the wall with each step.
Tabitha examined what she could see of the girl closely as she increased her pace, attempting to figure out what was causing the distress. Closer inspection revealed an oddity. Luna's socks were mismatched, as were her shoes, which also appeared to be a size or two too small. There were other inconsistencies too. Luna's bag didn't seem to have as many books as Tabitha had seen her carrying the day before.
Upon arriving by Luna's side, Tabitha slipped an arm around the younger girl's waist. "Luna? Why are you wearing two left shoes?"
Luna stiffened in surprise for a moment, but relaxed again after realizing who had touched her. "Oh, good morning, Tabitha. These were the only ones I could find this week, so I've had to wear them for the last few days or go barefoot. The floors are a little too chilly for that, don't you think?"
"The only ones you could find? And you've been wearing them for the last three days? Where are your normal shoes?"
"They must have gone to wherever the missing socks go, so that they wouldn't be lonely. It's rather lovely of them to be so considerate of their companions, so I don't really mind."
"And where are the rest of your textbooks?"
"I don't know, really. Maybe one of our housemates borrowed them? It's okay, they'll turn up on their own before the year ends. They always do."
Tabitha was becoming very angry. "You mean this has happened before?"
"Um... Yes, it happens pretty much every year. I've always thought that it was a peculiarity of this castle that my things seem to like to wander when they are here."
"Wander... I see. Well, I think it's time we convinced them to stay put in the future, don't you?"
Luna's expression took on a worried tone. "You're not planning to do anything rash, are you? I don't want to cause trouble for anyone. Please don't go out of your way to help me. It's not worth it."
"Never, ever say that again, Luna. You're my dear friend, and for me to stay out of it when you're having a problem is about as likely as my great-aunt Clara secretly being Rowena Ravenclaw!"
Tabitha guided Luna into an unused classroom to look at her feet. After easing her down on a bench, she removed the shoes and socks and hissed in sympathy at the sight. Luna's feet were raw and blistered from the time she'd spent trying to act normal in the ill-fitting footwear.
"This is horrible, Luna. We need to get you to Madame Pomfrey for treatment."
"Oh, no! Please. If we do that, there will be questions and things will only get worse!"
"Drat it. Are you sure?" Luna nodded frantically. "Okay, then we'll do this my way."
Tabitha straightened to her full height, and drawing on her magic, chanted,
"From Tripoli to Timbuktu,
I send my plea in search of you.
Another moment don't delay,
Come to aid me, Doctor Bombay!"
Nothing happened. After waiting for several minutes, Tabitha said, "He must not be in North Africa. How about Southern Europe or the Middle East?
"From Pakistan to Waterloo,
I send my plea in search of you.
Another moment don't delay,
Come to aid me, Doctor Bombay!"
This time, she was immediately rewarded when a middle-aged looking gentleman with slicked-down hair and a prim mustache appeared. Luna thought it rather odd that the man was wearing nothing but a black wetsuit.
Tabitha cheerfully greeted him. "Hello, doctor. It's been awhile since I last spoke with you. How have you been?"
Dr. Bombay answered her with a frown. "Sorry, dear, but I'd rather get right to business. I've no time for pleasantries. You interrupted me while I was in Switzerland, trying to talk my new nurse into letting me go diving."
Tabitha looked both perplexed and apprehensive. "I'm probably going to regret asking, but how can you go diving in Switzerland? The waters in the lakes there are freezing cold."
Dr. Bombay cocked one eyebrow and replied, "Who said anything about water?"
Tabitha slapped her palm against her forehead. "I was right. I do regret asking, you old lech. Okay, doctor, my friend's roommates have been pranking her cruelly. Her feet are hurt, but she's refusing to go to the school nurse. Can you fix her up?"
Dr. Bombay smiled tightly. "Of course. It'll be done in a jiffy." He pulled a vial out of the air and uncorked it, sniffing lightly at the aroma. "Yes, this should do the trick nicely. Here, young lady, drink this." He handed the vial to Luna.
As Luna began to drink the potion, and the doctor chanted,
"Ear of corn, Tooth of comb,
Drive your healing powers home.
And with sugar from the beet,
Cure this witch's aching feet!"
Wrinkles smoothed on Luna's brow as the pain she'd been feeling receded rapidly, and the damage to her feet disappeared. "Oh, that feels just lovely! Thank you ever so much, doctor!"
"No trouble at all, dear. Now, if we're quite done, I'd like to get back to my nurse before she cools off. I trust you can handle the rest, Miss Stephens?"
Tabitha smiled evilly. "Oh, yes. You can count on it."
With a flourish of the hand that ended with a half-bow from the waist, the doctor disappeared with a faint chiming noise.
Luna clapped her hands in delight, "Oh, that's so much nicer than the loud cracking noise people make when they apparate. What spell is it?"
"We just say we're 'popping in' or 'popping out'. We don't have formal names for what we do, Luna. We just do it." Tabitha examined the shoes and socks where they lay on the floor critically. After a pause, she began passing her hand through the air a few inches over the articles of clothing. "I'm used to making alterations to my own clothes, so I should be able to do this." After a few more passes, she picked up the items and handed them to Luna. "There, that should do it. Try them on."
To Luna's delight, the socks were now the same color and length, and the shoes had been resized and converted to fit the proper foot. "Thank you! That should make things much better today."
**********
[Diary continued]
We went on to breakfast after that. I spent much of my meal thinking over various ideas on how to deal with the bullying Luna was experiencing. There were several avenues of approach, but they all began with discovering just who was involved. It was clear that Luna wouldn't tell me, because of her fear of escalating the abuse.
Problem two was the need to get the point I want to make across in a way that would stick with the bullies without causing the staff to step in on their side. I could not try to enlist the aid of the staff for the same reasons that I couldn't just ask for the names involved -- Luna wouldn't allow it, and I do not want to disappoint her. That means that intimidation cannot cross the line, and the same goes for physical chastisement. That leaves me with limited options if I don't want to make Luna upset with me.
Fortunately, I have a few ideas.
**********
After breakfast, Tabitha led Luna back to the Ravenclaw Tower, and to the third year girls' dormitory. "Okay. We should enough time before classes for what I have in mind." Tabitha spun on her heel, taking in the room. It was essentially the same as her dormitory, five beds arrayed in a star pattern around a central heating stove. "The first thing we need to know is where your things are hidden. This is something I haven't tried before, so I don't know if it'll work."
She spent a minute in thought, trying to make up an appropriate rhyme. "All right, let's try this one.
"Eyes that search on gentle winds,
Show me things that are my friend's!"
Luna's clothing began to glow with a pale yellow halo, as did her bag and the books and supplies in it. It became obvious which bed was hers as well, since the trunk at its foot also glowed, along with the toiletries on the side table.
Tabitha growled at herself. "That wasn't very well thought out. They only glow if we can see them already, and that's useless unless I want to take the time to poke through every hidey-hole in the castle looking for things that glow when I find them."
She thought some more. "What I need is a spell that will show me the hiding places of your things, not just identify the things as yours. Maybe if I define what I want better? Let's try,
"Eyes that search on gentle winds,
Seek out things that are my friend's,
Eagle, sparrow, Canada bacon,
Reveal to me that which was taken,
Diggory, daggory, rumpkin scar,
Mark the places where they are!"
This time, two of the trunks glowed, neither of them being Luna's. With a snap of her fingers, Tabitha opened both trunks simultaneously and clothing and books glowing the pale yellow of Luna's possessions floated out and bobbed through the air to land on her bed. "So, will you tell me whose trunks those are?"
Luna shook her head. "I really, truly thank you for what you are trying to do for me, but I still think that this is a mistake. If they find out that I've gotten my things back, they'll just make up for it by doing even worse."
"Please, Luna, trust that I know what I'm doing. I'm going to convince those girls that bullying you will just bring them grief. If you don't stand up to bullies, they never stop."
"You're not going to give up until I tell you who they are, are you? And now that you know which beds are theirs, you could ask just about anyone in my year and they'd know who sleeps there." Luna mulled it over for a minute, then sighed. "I guess I have no choice. Those trunks belong to Latisha Randle and Felicity Eastchurch. They are the ones that usually try to get a rise out of me. The others mostly ignore me."
"Thank you. I'll be keeping an eye on them, but for now I'll leave them alone." Tabitha cast a wordless summoning spell, and a small folded paper packet came flying to her a few minutes later. She tied a handkerchief across her nose and mouth, and gestured to Luna to stand back. Opening the packet carefully, she gingerly dusted the black powdery contents on the outside of Luna's trunk, taking extra care not to allow any of the substance to fall on her skin or clothing. She followed that action with another spell, carefully imagining the results she wanted. The powder seemed to sink into the wood of the trunk.
"There. If anyone other than you or me tries to open this trunk, they'll get a dose of that, but the trunk will stay locked shut. Then the fun begins."
"What is the powder?"
"Dried, ground-up petals of a Black Peruvian Rose."
"What does it do?"
"Just you wait and see. It'll be fun, I promise. Anyway, we'd better get going or we'll be late to class."
**********
[Diary continued]
Most of the morning classes were straightforward, much as I described in my earlier entries. When it came time to perform magic in Transfiguration, my wand worked as flawlessly as it had for Professor Flitwick's classes.
Potions class was another matter. I was right that my studies at Salem helped me, but what I didn't know is that I'd have to fall back on my memories of them almost exclusively. Professor Snape is every bit as horrid a teacher as I'd heard. He writes brief formulas for the potions he wants us to produce in class, and then expects us to follow the written directions while he walks around picking out flaws in technique. We share the class with Hufflepuff, as we do most classes, and he doesn't have a vendetta against us like he does Gryffindor. Still, his comments are condescending and not really meant as assistance or useful critique. If I hadn't already a very good grounding in the subject, I'd be lost. As it is, he seems to regard me as a potions prodigy, a lofty status that means he doesn't pick on me as much as the others. He only sneers at me if I don't produce work he regards as acceptable.
Defense Against the Dark Arts has been a revelation, and not just to me. From what I've heard around the school, Professor Moody is one of the best teachers in the subject in living memory. Most of the students agree that for all his eccentricities, he's taught them more useful things in the first week of school than most have learned in two of the last three years. Only Professor Lupin, the man who turned out to be a werewolf, is regarded more highly, and as time goes by that may change.
The Professor told us last session that today we will be having a very exciting lesson. He's gotten special permission from the school and the Ministry to teach us about three spells called the "unforgivables". I haven't read anything about them yet, so it'll be new material for me too.
**********
As the staff sat for lunch at the head table, Dumbledore addressed two of his subordinates. "Filius, Severus. How goes the analysis of young Mr. Malfoy's wand?"
Flitwick was the first to answer. "So far, nowhere, headmaster. We've borrowed the wand to study when Draco hasn't been in classes. All we've learned is that when not in his possession, the wand reverts to normal and we can detect nothing out of the ordinary about it. We went so far as to pay a visit to Ollivander last weekend, and even he could find no fault. Yet when returned to the boy, it immediately lost rigidity again. I'd venture to say that whatever has affected the wand is beyond my understanding of modern magic. I've made it an extra credit assignment for the seventh year students to research any historical accounts that might explain the phenomenon."
"Severus, have you ruled out that it might have been somehow caused by a potion or some form of alchemy?"
"Entirely, headmaster. I will not indulge in false modesty. I am one of the premier potions masters of my generation, and I say categorically that there is nothing in the modern potions inventory that could create the effects we see at work. Any alchemical formula that might cause the wand to become rubbery in that fashion would leave detectable traces behind. None of them could cause those symptoms and make them turn on or off so quickly, or be keyed to the actions we observe."
Dumbledore stroked his beard thoughtfully. "I agree. This is a most intriguing puzzle, is it not? Have we also ruled out his contention that the Stephens girl could have cursed him?"
Snape graced the comment with his trademark sneer. "Of course. The very idea that a fourteen year old girl could perform a curse that we could not detect, and counter, is so far beyond the pale that it isn't even worth thinking about. My own theories lay more in the direction that the manufacture of the wand was flawed in a way that even Ollivander did not notice when he made it, or when he tested it for us. I suspect that it only became apparent when Draco's magic developed to a level that placed sufficient strain on the wand to trip the flaw. That it happened at the time when he supposed Stephens 'cursed' him is no coincidence. He would have been feeling an emotional stress that may have been the trigger."
"That seems like a reasonable supposition, but it will be difficult to prove," noted the older man. "What about the possibility that the curse is on the boy rather than the wand?"
"I admit it's possible, but we and Madame Pomfrey have examined him thoroughly and find no evidence supporting the idea. As you might well guess, no one is willing to risk their own wand on the chance that it might be transferable. I have sent a note to Draco's father to provide another wand for him to use while we continue our investigations."
"Excellent. I see you have this matter well in hand, and for what it's worth, you have my blessings to proceed. Now, shall we eat? No sense in letting the house elves' efforts go to waste by letting our repast grow cold."
Taking that for the dismissal of the subject that it was, both men tucked in.
**********
After lunch ended, Tabitha and Luna went their separate ways to class. Tabitha walked sedately through the corridors with a crowd of other students. As she walked, she examined the stonework around her, wondering again at the sheer sense of age about it. 'It's only when you see places like this for yourself that you realize how very young the United States is in comparison to other countries. This building has stood longer than the time of the Spanish exploration of the Caribbean islands. Admittedly, there are places as old or older in America, but most of those are ruins of native civilizations that the Spaniards destroyed. Darn, there are times I wish I were older. I'd love to see this place when it was founded, but I can't travel back in time on my own to see anything before the middle of the Cold War.'
That thought brought a slight smile to her face. 'But I suppose that would be more than enough to awe Wizards. They can't travel back in time more than a few days. Score another point for our side.'
Feeling a little smug about her ability to do something the Wizards couldn't, she picked up her pace to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.
**********
[Diary continued]
My musings about time travel made me wonder if anyone who isn't a Witch will ever read this diary. If so, then you may be wondering what I was talking about when I mentioned not being able to travel back farther than the middle of the Cold War on my own. It's simple, really. I can go back as far as I want in time, but if I go back to a date before I was born, it'd be a one-way trip. One of the peculiarities of magic is that it does not exist for an individual before their birth, and that carries over to time travel. Witches who go back before they were born lose their magic. In a nutshell, I can use my magic on any date that it exists, but not any date that I exist, if that makes sense to you.
So yes, I could go back to the time of the Hogwarts Founders on my own, but I'd be a "squib" when I got there, and I'd need to be rescued by a Witch who was around at the time to get back. Sometimes it's done, but the person going back either notifies an older friend or family member about the trip, or makes darned sure that they know where such a person will be at the time.
I've been on archeological expeditions to the past that were supervised by older Witches, and trust me, it's unnerving and unpleasant to be without your magic. I felt nearly helpless while having to rely on my own body to do everything.
One of the big question marks about our ability to move through time concerns the future. No Witch has ever gone into the future and returned. We think it's because of cross-time theory. If we go forward in time, we probably end up in a time stream that branches off the one we exist in because we did. Then when we try to come back, we end up in an alternate past. Or something. It's all conjecture, and no Witch has ever made the round trip to tell us if it's right.
In fact, while it's not at all uncommon for a Witch to travel into the past and return to the present, or to be sent from the past to return to the present, no Witch has ever been successfully brought from the past to the present by another Witch if they hadn't travel there in the first place. In other words, bringing a past self forward seems to be impossible. Ditto for a Witch who died in the past.
Or at least, forward time travel has never been done that I know of. We can and have on many occasions brought mortals forward to our present and then returned them to their own time, but never a Witch. I think it's a side-effect of having magic that makes it not work. Sound confusing? I know it confuses me.
**********
The students seating themselves at their desks in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom could easily see the new addition to the room. On a table at the head of the class were three glass boxes, each containing a large Tarantula. After they'd all settled down, the professor, who'd been waiting on the small landing in front of his office door began carefully hobbling down the short flight of steps to the classroom floor.
"Good afternoon. Today, as promised, we'll be covering the three Unforgivables. As we discuss the spells, I will be demonstrating them on these spiders. I have been given special permission to do so for all classes on this day only.
"Mr. Corner. Name one spell considered unforgivable, and its effects."
Michael Corner, a Ravenclaw like Tabitha, stood up and recited, "The Imperius Curse is one of the Unforgivable Curses. The spell causes the victim to be completely under the command of the caster, who can make the victim do anything the caster wishes. A victim of this spell is said to have been Imperiused."
"Word for word what the textbook says. Congratulations for having good memory, if nothing else." Addressing the rest of the class, the professor said, "Yes, Imperius is the first of the three spells regarded as unforgivable, and if caught, it guarantees the wizard or witch who casts it a lifetime in Azkaban Prison. The incantation is 'imperio'. Through it, the victim can be made to do things that he or she would be opposed to doing of their own will. The Unforgivables were declared to be dark and forbidden in 1717. However, during the height of the war against You-Know-Who they were approved for use by aurors. That permission was revoked when the war ended.
"Contrary to popular belief, the spells weren't forbidden because they twist the soul of the caster or have any other lasting effect. They were forbidden because they are all too easy to cast if you have the right mind set and strong enough magic. Ministry declared them 'dark', though what makes them any darker than bashing someone's head open with a Bludgeoning Curse escapes me."
Drawing his wand, the instructor motioned at one of the spiders, calling out "Imperio!" in a firm voice. After a short wait, the spider began to dance. The professor ended the spell. "The Imperious Curse robs its victims of any sense that they are doing something wrong or unnatural, so its victims can be made to cast the curse on others, making it self-perpetuating. The victims can even be made to perform feats of superhuman strength or endurance, since they have no awareness that what they are doing will harm their bodies.
"Miss Abbott. Name another of the Unforgivables," requested Professor Moody, speaking to a blonde girl from Hufflepuff.
"Um... The Cruciatus Curse? That's the one that causes unbearable pain, right?" Hannah's answer was half question, as she looked at the girl she was partnered with at their table. The second girl, a pert redhead, nodded almost imperceptibly.
"Yes, Miss Abbott. It's Cruciatus. In future, I'll expect you to know your answer well enough to not need Miss Bones' say-so. The Cruciatus is all about pain. You don't need thumbscrews or knives to torture someone if you can perform the Cruciatus Curse. It was very popular back in the day for dueling and defense.
"Cruciatus uses the incantation 'crucio', and stimulates the pain receptors of every nerve in the victim's body. It's maybe the darkest of the three Unforgivables, because to cast the wizard must not just want to hurt the victim, he must truly want him to suffer. If he doesn't, the pain will be far less than could be, and for a shorter time."
He directed his wand at the second spider, and intoned, "crucio". The spider was struck by the spell and quivered in mute agony, its legs curling under its body. After a moment, he ended the spell.
"Mr. Macmillan, you're next. What is the last of the Unforgivables?"
Ernie Macmillan, another Hufflepuff, stood and answered, "That would be the Killing Curse, sir. It instantly kills any living thing it hits, and cannot be blocked by any spell."
"Well said, Mr. Macmillan. Yes, Avada Kedavra is unblockable except by physical objects. It's possible to dodge, but not easy. Avada Kedavra needs powerful bit of magic behind it. You lot could all get your wands out and point them at me and say the words, and I doubt I'd get so much as a nosebleed."
His wand moved to the last spider, and as he breathed "Avada kedavra", a near-blinding streak of electric green light flashed from to tip to strike the unfortunate arachnid. It instantly curled up in death.
"And that's all it takes to end life. One wand motion, and two words. Remember that, and always be aware of the people around you that might just try it on you some day. Protecting your life is no one's responsibility but yours, and to do that, you need to keep your wits about you. CONSTANT VIGILANCE! That's the key, kiddies. NEVER forget it!"
**********
[Diary continued]
That was a very enlightening class. One thing I've been learning in the classes I've taken here is that Wizards are endlessly inventive when it comes to harming each other. They have more jinxes and curses than we ever dreamed of. When we want someone dead, we make them dead and have done with it. Wizards have dozens of ways to do the job, be it blunt force, cutting, coagulating blood, suffocating, or what have you. If you can name it, and it can be used to end another person's life or cause excruciating pain, there's probably a Wizarding spell to make it happen.
I found myself agreeing with Professor Moody. The classification of those three spells as "unforgivable" doesn't make any sense, when so many other spells that are perfectly legal to use do much the same thing, but more messily. Even their supposed system for naming spells "light" or "dark" leaves me scratching my head.
My people think very little of influencing others to act or think as we wish, although we use that ability sparingly. My own grandmother Endora is noted for her expertise at altering people's minds. Among Wizards, that would be grounds for locking her in prison for the rest of her life... assuming that she didn't live so long the place crumbled to dust around her, or that any prison could restrain her in the first place. That last part is very doubtful. Yet there is a ministry department that specializes in altering memories of mortals when they witness magic being used, and no one thinks twice about the morality of it.
Can you spell "hypocrisy", children? I knew you could.
**********
As the students settled down to eat dinner that evening, Tabitha asked Luna, "Which two are Latisha Randle and Felicity Eastchurch?"
"That's them sitting three places down from Lisa Turpin."
"Fine. Let's keep an eye on them. If they've been good little girls, then we'll be wasting our time. But if they haven't, you ought to get a kick out of what should be happening any time now."
Sure enough, a boy that the two girls had been chatting with across the table suddenly started, and then leaned forward, staring intently at the girls' faces. He began chuckling, which turned to full out, pounding on the table laughter within seconds. This prompted the other students nearby to look over, and soon they were laughing as well. This caused the two girls to look at each other in confusion, at which they both jumped up from the bench shrieking and pointing at each other. Soon after, the commotion brought Professor Flitwick and Nurse Pomfrey trotting to see what the trouble was as the rest of the students in the Great Hall craned to try and see what was so funny.
"Here, here! What's all this, then?"
"Professor! Something's happened to Felicity and Latisha! Look at their faces!" shouted another of the girls, as the pair wailed about how ugly they were now and how they'd never live it down.
The professor used his wand to set off a firecracker blast. Once he had the attention of the two girls, he motioned them to sit down. "Settle down, and let me see what's going on." As soon as the two had done so, he examined them. Their faces had broken out in dozens of lurid green pimples, the coloration of which was a near neon that would have been very hard to find in nature. What made them even more peculiar was the shape of the acne. Instead of being round, the spots were each an almost perfect square. Flitwick was taken aback by the sight, and Pomfrey clucked to herself as she cast diagnostic charms.
"This is obviously an allergic reaction to something, but I can't say I've ever seen the like. Merlin only knows what could have caused it. All right, you two, it's up to the infirmary with you. I'll have the rest of your dinner sent up as soon as I've checked it to be certain that there's no foreign substances in it."
The girls didn't need a second telling, and rushed from the room with their hands over their faces to hide as much of the spotting as possible.
Pomfrey frowned as she watched them rush away. "First Mr. Malfoy, now them. What will the rest of the year hold if this is how the first month is going?"
**********
Once the furor had died down, Luna whispered to Tabitha, "All right, I'll agree that it was amusing. What did you do to them?"
Tabitha discretely snapped her fingers below the edge of the table, casting a privacy charm.
"As I said before, the powder I used in that security charm I used on your trunk is made from petals of a Black Peruvian Rose. It has no effects on mortals -- the people you call muggles. When a magical person touches the flower or extracts from it, it causes what we call the Square Green Spots Disease."
Luna gave Tabitha a sideways glance, and then began to snicker.
"Don't laugh, Luna. My people have never claimed to be good at naming things. Anyway, aside from causing that embarrassing acne, the disease is essentially harmless."
"That's interesting. While my family is mostly interested in unusual magic animals, we sometimes write about magical plants too. What's the story behind that rose?"
"It was developed by mortals in the Andes mountains, back in the days when the Inca ruled the western part of South America. We found out about the rose the hard way, when Incan priests used it against us. They wanted to drive us out of their empire, and while the flower itself just causes that silly illness, they came up with a potion that used it and who knows what else to create a magic repellant. The exact formula for the potion was a closely guarded secret, and it was lost when the Spanish wiped out the Incan empire. They painted it on wardstones placed in key locations all over Peru. Luckily for us, they didn't have time to place them in any of the other countries covered by their empire before the Spanish struck. I say lucky because it was spectacularly effective. To this very day, there are no Witches or Wizards in Peru. It's impossible for us to even pass through the place when we're popping, because the stones still work flawlessly. We have to detour around it."
"How did they know it would effect magical people?"
"That's a mystery we've never solved, and we've gone back in time trying to learn the answer. The theory is that they stumbled on the formula completely by accident when trying to make something else, and noticed that none of us could get close to anyone who had it. Since we can't get close to the people we think invented the stuff, we can't see what they did."
"...Wait. You've gone back in time to the era of the Incan empire?"
"Not me personally. It's too dangerous."
"How could any of you? Time turners only work for a few days at best."
"We don't use silly devices like your time turners. We--"
"--Just Do It, I know. You're starting to sound like a broken record."
Tabitha blushed. "Okay, okay. I'll try to remember that you've got the idea. Anyway, our magic doesn't have any problem with taking us back in time as far as we want to go. The problem is that if we jump back to a date before we were born, we have to have partners we trust with us. That's because we lose our magic if we do, and don't get it back until we travel to a time after our birth. Since I'm not very old, for me going back to most significant historical dates would be a one-way trip. I either have to do my archeology the hard way, or go on a field trip with an older Witch.
"Anyway, exposure to the powder I used causes a variant of the disease that will run its course in a few months. I know how to make a potion that will cure it right away if needed. For now, I suggest you just enjoy your dinner. I know I will."
**********
**********
Tabitha's Diary
The rights to Harry Potter belong to J. K. Rowling and her publishers, and the movies are copyrighted by Warner Brothers.
The rights to the Bewitched! television series are, as best I know, owned by Ashmont Productions and Screen Gems, Inc.
No copyright infringements are intended. This is a non-commercial fan fiction story, and no rights to the characters or settings of either series are claimed by the author.
Chapter 3 - A Rose by Any Other Name
Foreword: There's an in-joke in this chapter. Clell, one of the members of the CaerAzkaban Yahoo Group, began writing a Bewitched/HP crossover before I started mine. In fact, I originally began writing this as an attempt to spark his interest in continuing his own. His version was inspired by a group discussion about crossing the two series. He's only completed a few scenes, and it's on the back burner due to many other stories he needs to complete before he can pay attention to it again.
In his story, Witches are known to the Wizarding World as "the Elder Sect". One of the first story hooks he came up with was that Rowena Ravenclaw was actually Samantha Stephen's aunt Clara, who took the name as an alias while living in Wizard society. After the death of her husband, Godric Gryffindor, Clara left the Wizards behind and returned to her family. As time passed, her children with Godric had children of their own, as is the way of things. Centuries went by, and eventually the last of the Gryffindor / Ravenclaw line was born - Harry James Potter. When his parents were murdered, Clara felt it and came to investigate. She found the toddler and took him to be raised by her niece.
Knowing that much of Clell's story, you shouldn't have any problems getting the joke when it pops up.
**********
**********
September 8th, 1994.
Dear Diary,
Well, I feel stupid. When I read about Harry in the British teen witch magazines while I was back in the States, I thought he was supposed to be the equivalent of a movie or music star, since he was raved about right alongside the latest wizarding music bands. You know the kind of stuff I mean. What kind of witch he's supposed to like, his favorite foods, what he does in his spare time.
Boy, was I wrong. Everything they wrote about him is pure fiction according to Luna, who has been observing him and his friends for the last three years. The thin, starved look that he sports isn't an affectation brought about by long nights partying and dancing and taking whatever passes for recreational pharmaceuticals among the wizards. He's thin because he's literally starved when he's not at school. By his guardians, no less. He comes to school not only for his education, but also because he can eat three square meals a day here.
Listening to the school gossip has also been an eye-opener. Some of things said about him are what I was expecting, but other things are so full of vitriol that you'd expect he was the second coming of Emperor Nero. You know, spoiled, self-centered, self-serving, and generally rotten. The boy that Luna has learned about is the opposite. He's a typical guy in that he hasn't a clue about how to relate to girls, but she says he's sweet, kind, caring and protective of his friends. Sure, he has his faults, but from what she's told me, they are understandable.
Most of the people who really put him down are from Slytherin, and considering that one of his major detractors is Draco Malfoy, otherwise known as He-Whose-Wand-Swings-Low and The Amazing Bouncing Ferret, I know who I believe.
Today this place earned another black mark in my book. I'm not so naive that I don't know that children can be needlessly cruel and tend to pick on people who don't fit their ideas of what's proper. However, there are some things that go beyond the pale, and I discovered one of them when I went looking for my friend.
**********
Tabitha finished her morning routine and collected her book bag before walking from her room toward the Great Hall for breakfast, keeping an eye open for Luna along the way. Not far from the Hall, she spied her target. Luna was hobbling slowly along the corridor with one hand bracing against the wall with each step.
Tabitha examined what she could see of the girl closely as she increased her pace, attempting to figure out what was causing the distress. Closer inspection revealed an oddity. Luna's socks were mismatched, as were her shoes, which also appeared to be a size or two too small. There were other inconsistencies too. Luna's bag didn't seem to have as many books as Tabitha had seen her carrying the day before.
Upon arriving by Luna's side, Tabitha slipped an arm around the younger girl's waist. "Luna? Why are you wearing two left shoes?"
Luna stiffened in surprise for a moment, but relaxed again after realizing who had touched her. "Oh, good morning, Tabitha. These were the only ones I could find this week, so I've had to wear them for the last few days or go barefoot. The floors are a little too chilly for that, don't you think?"
"The only ones you could find? And you've been wearing them for the last three days? Where are your normal shoes?"
"They must have gone to wherever the missing socks go, so that they wouldn't be lonely. It's rather lovely of them to be so considerate of their companions, so I don't really mind."
"And where are the rest of your textbooks?"
"I don't know, really. Maybe one of our housemates borrowed them? It's okay, they'll turn up on their own before the year ends. They always do."
Tabitha was becoming very angry. "You mean this has happened before?"
"Um... Yes, it happens pretty much every year. I've always thought that it was a peculiarity of this castle that my things seem to like to wander when they are here."
"Wander... I see. Well, I think it's time we convinced them to stay put in the future, don't you?"
Luna's expression took on a worried tone. "You're not planning to do anything rash, are you? I don't want to cause trouble for anyone. Please don't go out of your way to help me. It's not worth it."
"Never, ever say that again, Luna. You're my dear friend, and for me to stay out of it when you're having a problem is about as likely as my great-aunt Clara secretly being Rowena Ravenclaw!"
Tabitha guided Luna into an unused classroom to look at her feet. After easing her down on a bench, she removed the shoes and socks and hissed in sympathy at the sight. Luna's feet were raw and blistered from the time she'd spent trying to act normal in the ill-fitting footwear.
"This is horrible, Luna. We need to get you to Madame Pomfrey for treatment."
"Oh, no! Please. If we do that, there will be questions and things will only get worse!"
"Drat it. Are you sure?" Luna nodded frantically. "Okay, then we'll do this my way."
Tabitha straightened to her full height, and drawing on her magic, chanted,
"From Tripoli to Timbuktu,
I send my plea in search of you.
Another moment don't delay,
Come to aid me, Doctor Bombay!"
Nothing happened. After waiting for several minutes, Tabitha said, "He must not be in North Africa. How about Southern Europe or the Middle East?
"From Pakistan to Waterloo,
I send my plea in search of you.
Another moment don't delay,
Come to aid me, Doctor Bombay!"
This time, she was immediately rewarded when a middle-aged looking gentleman with slicked-down hair and a prim mustache appeared. Luna thought it rather odd that the man was wearing nothing but a black wetsuit.
Tabitha cheerfully greeted him. "Hello, doctor. It's been awhile since I last spoke with you. How have you been?"
Dr. Bombay answered her with a frown. "Sorry, dear, but I'd rather get right to business. I've no time for pleasantries. You interrupted me while I was in Switzerland, trying to talk my new nurse into letting me go diving."
Tabitha looked both perplexed and apprehensive. "I'm probably going to regret asking, but how can you go diving in Switzerland? The waters in the lakes there are freezing cold."
Dr. Bombay cocked one eyebrow and replied, "Who said anything about water?"
Tabitha slapped her palm against her forehead. "I was right. I do regret asking, you old lech. Okay, doctor, my friend's roommates have been pranking her cruelly. Her feet are hurt, but she's refusing to go to the school nurse. Can you fix her up?"
Dr. Bombay smiled tightly. "Of course. It'll be done in a jiffy." He pulled a vial out of the air and uncorked it, sniffing lightly at the aroma. "Yes, this should do the trick nicely. Here, young lady, drink this." He handed the vial to Luna.
As Luna began to drink the potion, and the doctor chanted,
"Ear of corn, Tooth of comb,
Drive your healing powers home.
And with sugar from the beet,
Cure this witch's aching feet!"
Wrinkles smoothed on Luna's brow as the pain she'd been feeling receded rapidly, and the damage to her feet disappeared. "Oh, that feels just lovely! Thank you ever so much, doctor!"
"No trouble at all, dear. Now, if we're quite done, I'd like to get back to my nurse before she cools off. I trust you can handle the rest, Miss Stephens?"
Tabitha smiled evilly. "Oh, yes. You can count on it."
With a flourish of the hand that ended with a half-bow from the waist, the doctor disappeared with a faint chiming noise.
Luna clapped her hands in delight, "Oh, that's so much nicer than the loud cracking noise people make when they apparate. What spell is it?"
"We just say we're 'popping in' or 'popping out'. We don't have formal names for what we do, Luna. We just do it." Tabitha examined the shoes and socks where they lay on the floor critically. After a pause, she began passing her hand through the air a few inches over the articles of clothing. "I'm used to making alterations to my own clothes, so I should be able to do this." After a few more passes, she picked up the items and handed them to Luna. "There, that should do it. Try them on."
To Luna's delight, the socks were now the same color and length, and the shoes had been resized and converted to fit the proper foot. "Thank you! That should make things much better today."
**********
[Diary continued]
We went on to breakfast after that. I spent much of my meal thinking over various ideas on how to deal with the bullying Luna was experiencing. There were several avenues of approach, but they all began with discovering just who was involved. It was clear that Luna wouldn't tell me, because of her fear of escalating the abuse.
Problem two was the need to get the point I want to make across in a way that would stick with the bullies without causing the staff to step in on their side. I could not try to enlist the aid of the staff for the same reasons that I couldn't just ask for the names involved -- Luna wouldn't allow it, and I do not want to disappoint her. That means that intimidation cannot cross the line, and the same goes for physical chastisement. That leaves me with limited options if I don't want to make Luna upset with me.
Fortunately, I have a few ideas.
**********
After breakfast, Tabitha led Luna back to the Ravenclaw Tower, and to the third year girls' dormitory. "Okay. We should enough time before classes for what I have in mind." Tabitha spun on her heel, taking in the room. It was essentially the same as her dormitory, five beds arrayed in a star pattern around a central heating stove. "The first thing we need to know is where your things are hidden. This is something I haven't tried before, so I don't know if it'll work."
She spent a minute in thought, trying to make up an appropriate rhyme. "All right, let's try this one.
"Eyes that search on gentle winds,
Show me things that are my friend's!"
Luna's clothing began to glow with a pale yellow halo, as did her bag and the books and supplies in it. It became obvious which bed was hers as well, since the trunk at its foot also glowed, along with the toiletries on the side table.
Tabitha growled at herself. "That wasn't very well thought out. They only glow if we can see them already, and that's useless unless I want to take the time to poke through every hidey-hole in the castle looking for things that glow when I find them."
She thought some more. "What I need is a spell that will show me the hiding places of your things, not just identify the things as yours. Maybe if I define what I want better? Let's try,
"Eyes that search on gentle winds,
Seek out things that are my friend's,
Eagle, sparrow, Canada bacon,
Reveal to me that which was taken,
Diggory, daggory, rumpkin scar,
Mark the places where they are!"
This time, two of the trunks glowed, neither of them being Luna's. With a snap of her fingers, Tabitha opened both trunks simultaneously and clothing and books glowing the pale yellow of Luna's possessions floated out and bobbed through the air to land on her bed. "So, will you tell me whose trunks those are?"
Luna shook her head. "I really, truly thank you for what you are trying to do for me, but I still think that this is a mistake. If they find out that I've gotten my things back, they'll just make up for it by doing even worse."
"Please, Luna, trust that I know what I'm doing. I'm going to convince those girls that bullying you will just bring them grief. If you don't stand up to bullies, they never stop."
"You're not going to give up until I tell you who they are, are you? And now that you know which beds are theirs, you could ask just about anyone in my year and they'd know who sleeps there." Luna mulled it over for a minute, then sighed. "I guess I have no choice. Those trunks belong to Latisha Randle and Felicity Eastchurch. They are the ones that usually try to get a rise out of me. The others mostly ignore me."
"Thank you. I'll be keeping an eye on them, but for now I'll leave them alone." Tabitha cast a wordless summoning spell, and a small folded paper packet came flying to her a few minutes later. She tied a handkerchief across her nose and mouth, and gestured to Luna to stand back. Opening the packet carefully, she gingerly dusted the black powdery contents on the outside of Luna's trunk, taking extra care not to allow any of the substance to fall on her skin or clothing. She followed that action with another spell, carefully imagining the results she wanted. The powder seemed to sink into the wood of the trunk.
"There. If anyone other than you or me tries to open this trunk, they'll get a dose of that, but the trunk will stay locked shut. Then the fun begins."
"What is the powder?"
"Dried, ground-up petals of a Black Peruvian Rose."
"What does it do?"
"Just you wait and see. It'll be fun, I promise. Anyway, we'd better get going or we'll be late to class."
**********
[Diary continued]
Most of the morning classes were straightforward, much as I described in my earlier entries. When it came time to perform magic in Transfiguration, my wand worked as flawlessly as it had for Professor Flitwick's classes.
Potions class was another matter. I was right that my studies at Salem helped me, but what I didn't know is that I'd have to fall back on my memories of them almost exclusively. Professor Snape is every bit as horrid a teacher as I'd heard. He writes brief formulas for the potions he wants us to produce in class, and then expects us to follow the written directions while he walks around picking out flaws in technique. We share the class with Hufflepuff, as we do most classes, and he doesn't have a vendetta against us like he does Gryffindor. Still, his comments are condescending and not really meant as assistance or useful critique. If I hadn't already a very good grounding in the subject, I'd be lost. As it is, he seems to regard me as a potions prodigy, a lofty status that means he doesn't pick on me as much as the others. He only sneers at me if I don't produce work he regards as acceptable.
Defense Against the Dark Arts has been a revelation, and not just to me. From what I've heard around the school, Professor Moody is one of the best teachers in the subject in living memory. Most of the students agree that for all his eccentricities, he's taught them more useful things in the first week of school than most have learned in two of the last three years. Only Professor Lupin, the man who turned out to be a werewolf, is regarded more highly, and as time goes by that may change.
The Professor told us last session that today we will be having a very exciting lesson. He's gotten special permission from the school and the Ministry to teach us about three spells called the "unforgivables". I haven't read anything about them yet, so it'll be new material for me too.
**********
As the staff sat for lunch at the head table, Dumbledore addressed two of his subordinates. "Filius, Severus. How goes the analysis of young Mr. Malfoy's wand?"
Flitwick was the first to answer. "So far, nowhere, headmaster. We've borrowed the wand to study when Draco hasn't been in classes. All we've learned is that when not in his possession, the wand reverts to normal and we can detect nothing out of the ordinary about it. We went so far as to pay a visit to Ollivander last weekend, and even he could find no fault. Yet when returned to the boy, it immediately lost rigidity again. I'd venture to say that whatever has affected the wand is beyond my understanding of modern magic. I've made it an extra credit assignment for the seventh year students to research any historical accounts that might explain the phenomenon."
"Severus, have you ruled out that it might have been somehow caused by a potion or some form of alchemy?"
"Entirely, headmaster. I will not indulge in false modesty. I am one of the premier potions masters of my generation, and I say categorically that there is nothing in the modern potions inventory that could create the effects we see at work. Any alchemical formula that might cause the wand to become rubbery in that fashion would leave detectable traces behind. None of them could cause those symptoms and make them turn on or off so quickly, or be keyed to the actions we observe."
Dumbledore stroked his beard thoughtfully. "I agree. This is a most intriguing puzzle, is it not? Have we also ruled out his contention that the Stephens girl could have cursed him?"
Snape graced the comment with his trademark sneer. "Of course. The very idea that a fourteen year old girl could perform a curse that we could not detect, and counter, is so far beyond the pale that it isn't even worth thinking about. My own theories lay more in the direction that the manufacture of the wand was flawed in a way that even Ollivander did not notice when he made it, or when he tested it for us. I suspect that it only became apparent when Draco's magic developed to a level that placed sufficient strain on the wand to trip the flaw. That it happened at the time when he supposed Stephens 'cursed' him is no coincidence. He would have been feeling an emotional stress that may have been the trigger."
"That seems like a reasonable supposition, but it will be difficult to prove," noted the older man. "What about the possibility that the curse is on the boy rather than the wand?"
"I admit it's possible, but we and Madame Pomfrey have examined him thoroughly and find no evidence supporting the idea. As you might well guess, no one is willing to risk their own wand on the chance that it might be transferable. I have sent a note to Draco's father to provide another wand for him to use while we continue our investigations."
"Excellent. I see you have this matter well in hand, and for what it's worth, you have my blessings to proceed. Now, shall we eat? No sense in letting the house elves' efforts go to waste by letting our repast grow cold."
Taking that for the dismissal of the subject that it was, both men tucked in.
**********
After lunch ended, Tabitha and Luna went their separate ways to class. Tabitha walked sedately through the corridors with a crowd of other students. As she walked, she examined the stonework around her, wondering again at the sheer sense of age about it. 'It's only when you see places like this for yourself that you realize how very young the United States is in comparison to other countries. This building has stood longer than the time of the Spanish exploration of the Caribbean islands. Admittedly, there are places as old or older in America, but most of those are ruins of native civilizations that the Spaniards destroyed. Darn, there are times I wish I were older. I'd love to see this place when it was founded, but I can't travel back in time on my own to see anything before the middle of the Cold War.'
That thought brought a slight smile to her face. 'But I suppose that would be more than enough to awe Wizards. They can't travel back in time more than a few days. Score another point for our side.'
Feeling a little smug about her ability to do something the Wizards couldn't, she picked up her pace to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.
**********
[Diary continued]
My musings about time travel made me wonder if anyone who isn't a Witch will ever read this diary. If so, then you may be wondering what I was talking about when I mentioned not being able to travel back farther than the middle of the Cold War on my own. It's simple, really. I can go back as far as I want in time, but if I go back to a date before I was born, it'd be a one-way trip. One of the peculiarities of magic is that it does not exist for an individual before their birth, and that carries over to time travel. Witches who go back before they were born lose their magic. In a nutshell, I can use my magic on any date that it exists, but not any date that I exist, if that makes sense to you.
So yes, I could go back to the time of the Hogwarts Founders on my own, but I'd be a "squib" when I got there, and I'd need to be rescued by a Witch who was around at the time to get back. Sometimes it's done, but the person going back either notifies an older friend or family member about the trip, or makes darned sure that they know where such a person will be at the time.
I've been on archeological expeditions to the past that were supervised by older Witches, and trust me, it's unnerving and unpleasant to be without your magic. I felt nearly helpless while having to rely on my own body to do everything.
One of the big question marks about our ability to move through time concerns the future. No Witch has ever gone into the future and returned. We think it's because of cross-time theory. If we go forward in time, we probably end up in a time stream that branches off the one we exist in because we did. Then when we try to come back, we end up in an alternate past. Or something. It's all conjecture, and no Witch has ever made the round trip to tell us if it's right.
In fact, while it's not at all uncommon for a Witch to travel into the past and return to the present, or to be sent from the past to return to the present, no Witch has ever been successfully brought from the past to the present by another Witch if they hadn't travel there in the first place. In other words, bringing a past self forward seems to be impossible. Ditto for a Witch who died in the past.
Or at least, forward time travel has never been done that I know of. We can and have on many occasions brought mortals forward to our present and then returned them to their own time, but never a Witch. I think it's a side-effect of having magic that makes it not work. Sound confusing? I know it confuses me.
**********
The students seating themselves at their desks in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom could easily see the new addition to the room. On a table at the head of the class were three glass boxes, each containing a large Tarantula. After they'd all settled down, the professor, who'd been waiting on the small landing in front of his office door began carefully hobbling down the short flight of steps to the classroom floor.
"Good afternoon. Today, as promised, we'll be covering the three Unforgivables. As we discuss the spells, I will be demonstrating them on these spiders. I have been given special permission to do so for all classes on this day only.
"Mr. Corner. Name one spell considered unforgivable, and its effects."
Michael Corner, a Ravenclaw like Tabitha, stood up and recited, "The Imperius Curse is one of the Unforgivable Curses. The spell causes the victim to be completely under the command of the caster, who can make the victim do anything the caster wishes. A victim of this spell is said to have been Imperiused."
"Word for word what the textbook says. Congratulations for having good memory, if nothing else." Addressing the rest of the class, the professor said, "Yes, Imperius is the first of the three spells regarded as unforgivable, and if caught, it guarantees the wizard or witch who casts it a lifetime in Azkaban Prison. The incantation is 'imperio'. Through it, the victim can be made to do things that he or she would be opposed to doing of their own will. The Unforgivables were declared to be dark and forbidden in 1717. However, during the height of the war against You-Know-Who they were approved for use by aurors. That permission was revoked when the war ended.
"Contrary to popular belief, the spells weren't forbidden because they twist the soul of the caster or have any other lasting effect. They were forbidden because they are all too easy to cast if you have the right mind set and strong enough magic. Ministry declared them 'dark', though what makes them any darker than bashing someone's head open with a Bludgeoning Curse escapes me."
Drawing his wand, the instructor motioned at one of the spiders, calling out "Imperio!" in a firm voice. After a short wait, the spider began to dance. The professor ended the spell. "The Imperious Curse robs its victims of any sense that they are doing something wrong or unnatural, so its victims can be made to cast the curse on others, making it self-perpetuating. The victims can even be made to perform feats of superhuman strength or endurance, since they have no awareness that what they are doing will harm their bodies.
"Miss Abbott. Name another of the Unforgivables," requested Professor Moody, speaking to a blonde girl from Hufflepuff.
"Um... The Cruciatus Curse? That's the one that causes unbearable pain, right?" Hannah's answer was half question, as she looked at the girl she was partnered with at their table. The second girl, a pert redhead, nodded almost imperceptibly.
"Yes, Miss Abbott. It's Cruciatus. In future, I'll expect you to know your answer well enough to not need Miss Bones' say-so. The Cruciatus is all about pain. You don't need thumbscrews or knives to torture someone if you can perform the Cruciatus Curse. It was very popular back in the day for dueling and defense.
"Cruciatus uses the incantation 'crucio', and stimulates the pain receptors of every nerve in the victim's body. It's maybe the darkest of the three Unforgivables, because to cast the wizard must not just want to hurt the victim, he must truly want him to suffer. If he doesn't, the pain will be far less than could be, and for a shorter time."
He directed his wand at the second spider, and intoned, "crucio". The spider was struck by the spell and quivered in mute agony, its legs curling under its body. After a moment, he ended the spell.
"Mr. Macmillan, you're next. What is the last of the Unforgivables?"
Ernie Macmillan, another Hufflepuff, stood and answered, "That would be the Killing Curse, sir. It instantly kills any living thing it hits, and cannot be blocked by any spell."
"Well said, Mr. Macmillan. Yes, Avada Kedavra is unblockable except by physical objects. It's possible to dodge, but not easy. Avada Kedavra needs powerful bit of magic behind it. You lot could all get your wands out and point them at me and say the words, and I doubt I'd get so much as a nosebleed."
His wand moved to the last spider, and as he breathed "Avada kedavra", a near-blinding streak of electric green light flashed from to tip to strike the unfortunate arachnid. It instantly curled up in death.
"And that's all it takes to end life. One wand motion, and two words. Remember that, and always be aware of the people around you that might just try it on you some day. Protecting your life is no one's responsibility but yours, and to do that, you need to keep your wits about you. CONSTANT VIGILANCE! That's the key, kiddies. NEVER forget it!"
**********
[Diary continued]
That was a very enlightening class. One thing I've been learning in the classes I've taken here is that Wizards are endlessly inventive when it comes to harming each other. They have more jinxes and curses than we ever dreamed of. When we want someone dead, we make them dead and have done with it. Wizards have dozens of ways to do the job, be it blunt force, cutting, coagulating blood, suffocating, or what have you. If you can name it, and it can be used to end another person's life or cause excruciating pain, there's probably a Wizarding spell to make it happen.
I found myself agreeing with Professor Moody. The classification of those three spells as "unforgivable" doesn't make any sense, when so many other spells that are perfectly legal to use do much the same thing, but more messily. Even their supposed system for naming spells "light" or "dark" leaves me scratching my head.
My people think very little of influencing others to act or think as we wish, although we use that ability sparingly. My own grandmother Endora is noted for her expertise at altering people's minds. Among Wizards, that would be grounds for locking her in prison for the rest of her life... assuming that she didn't live so long the place crumbled to dust around her, or that any prison could restrain her in the first place. That last part is very doubtful. Yet there is a ministry department that specializes in altering memories of mortals when they witness magic being used, and no one thinks twice about the morality of it.
Can you spell "hypocrisy", children? I knew you could.
**********
As the students settled down to eat dinner that evening, Tabitha asked Luna, "Which two are Latisha Randle and Felicity Eastchurch?"
"That's them sitting three places down from Lisa Turpin."
"Fine. Let's keep an eye on them. If they've been good little girls, then we'll be wasting our time. But if they haven't, you ought to get a kick out of what should be happening any time now."
Sure enough, a boy that the two girls had been chatting with across the table suddenly started, and then leaned forward, staring intently at the girls' faces. He began chuckling, which turned to full out, pounding on the table laughter within seconds. This prompted the other students nearby to look over, and soon they were laughing as well. This caused the two girls to look at each other in confusion, at which they both jumped up from the bench shrieking and pointing at each other. Soon after, the commotion brought Professor Flitwick and Nurse Pomfrey trotting to see what the trouble was as the rest of the students in the Great Hall craned to try and see what was so funny.
"Here, here! What's all this, then?"
"Professor! Something's happened to Felicity and Latisha! Look at their faces!" shouted another of the girls, as the pair wailed about how ugly they were now and how they'd never live it down.
The professor used his wand to set off a firecracker blast. Once he had the attention of the two girls, he motioned them to sit down. "Settle down, and let me see what's going on." As soon as the two had done so, he examined them. Their faces had broken out in dozens of lurid green pimples, the coloration of which was a near neon that would have been very hard to find in nature. What made them even more peculiar was the shape of the acne. Instead of being round, the spots were each an almost perfect square. Flitwick was taken aback by the sight, and Pomfrey clucked to herself as she cast diagnostic charms.
"This is obviously an allergic reaction to something, but I can't say I've ever seen the like. Merlin only knows what could have caused it. All right, you two, it's up to the infirmary with you. I'll have the rest of your dinner sent up as soon as I've checked it to be certain that there's no foreign substances in it."
The girls didn't need a second telling, and rushed from the room with their hands over their faces to hide as much of the spotting as possible.
Pomfrey frowned as she watched them rush away. "First Mr. Malfoy, now them. What will the rest of the year hold if this is how the first month is going?"
**********
Once the furor had died down, Luna whispered to Tabitha, "All right, I'll agree that it was amusing. What did you do to them?"
Tabitha discretely snapped her fingers below the edge of the table, casting a privacy charm.
"As I said before, the powder I used in that security charm I used on your trunk is made from petals of a Black Peruvian Rose. It has no effects on mortals -- the people you call muggles. When a magical person touches the flower or extracts from it, it causes what we call the Square Green Spots Disease."
Luna gave Tabitha a sideways glance, and then began to snicker.
"Don't laugh, Luna. My people have never claimed to be good at naming things. Anyway, aside from causing that embarrassing acne, the disease is essentially harmless."
"That's interesting. While my family is mostly interested in unusual magic animals, we sometimes write about magical plants too. What's the story behind that rose?"
"It was developed by mortals in the Andes mountains, back in the days when the Inca ruled the western part of South America. We found out about the rose the hard way, when Incan priests used it against us. They wanted to drive us out of their empire, and while the flower itself just causes that silly illness, they came up with a potion that used it and who knows what else to create a magic repellant. The exact formula for the potion was a closely guarded secret, and it was lost when the Spanish wiped out the Incan empire. They painted it on wardstones placed in key locations all over Peru. Luckily for us, they didn't have time to place them in any of the other countries covered by their empire before the Spanish struck. I say lucky because it was spectacularly effective. To this very day, there are no Witches or Wizards in Peru. It's impossible for us to even pass through the place when we're popping, because the stones still work flawlessly. We have to detour around it."
"How did they know it would effect magical people?"
"That's a mystery we've never solved, and we've gone back in time trying to learn the answer. The theory is that they stumbled on the formula completely by accident when trying to make something else, and noticed that none of us could get close to anyone who had it. Since we can't get close to the people we think invented the stuff, we can't see what they did."
"...Wait. You've gone back in time to the era of the Incan empire?"
"Not me personally. It's too dangerous."
"How could any of you? Time turners only work for a few days at best."
"We don't use silly devices like your time turners. We--"
"--Just Do It, I know. You're starting to sound like a broken record."
Tabitha blushed. "Okay, okay. I'll try to remember that you've got the idea. Anyway, our magic doesn't have any problem with taking us back in time as far as we want to go. The problem is that if we jump back to a date before we were born, we have to have partners we trust with us. That's because we lose our magic if we do, and don't get it back until we travel to a time after our birth. Since I'm not very old, for me going back to most significant historical dates would be a one-way trip. I either have to do my archeology the hard way, or go on a field trip with an older Witch.
"Anyway, exposure to the powder I used causes a variant of the disease that will run its course in a few months. I know how to make a potion that will cure it right away if needed. For now, I suggest you just enjoy your dinner. I know I will."
-
lwf58
Posts: 2201
Re: Tabitha's Diary - A Bewitched / HP cross
by Spokavriel » Mon Jun 13, 2011 4:29 pm
lwf58 wrote:Here's my take on the DADA spider incident. Any good?
Oops. I'm sorry I kinda missed the earlier post on the 8th where you asked this. I'll post again even if it means a double post after reading all I missed.
-
Spokavriel
Posts: 47773
Re: Tabitha's Diary - A Bewitched / HP cross
by lwf58 » Mon Jun 13, 2011 4:47 pm
I'm still editing this. Because I don't have a prereader to help out, I have to take a break and then go back to look over the story for bad writing. I just finished changing some of the things in the last part of the chapter.
-
lwf58
Posts: 2201
Re: Tabitha's Diary - A Bewitched / HP cross
by Spokavriel » Fri Jul 01, 2011 1:51 pm
Sorry about how long it took me to get back to this. I got caught up in another HP Cross and didn't want its tone to influence my review.
That's the only lost word I spotted. Speaking of spotted I love how that trap turned out. Really wish I had responded sooner because then I'd probably not have to wait as long to see more.
I think you lost a have in there between should and enough.After breakfast, Tabitha led Luna back to the Ravenclaw Tower, and to the third year girls' dormitory. "Okay. We should enough time before classes for what I have in mind."
That's the only lost word I spotted. Speaking of spotted I love how that trap turned out. Really wish I had responded sooner because then I'd probably not have to wait as long to see more.
-
Spokavriel
Posts: 47773
Re: Tabitha's Diary - A Bewitched / HP cross
by lwf58 » Fri Jul 01, 2011 5:50 pm
I added more to the chapter and posted on FF.net, so you may want to read that too.
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6957432/3/Tabithas_Diary
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6957432/3/Tabithas_Diary
-
lwf58
Posts: 2201
Re: Tabitha's Diary - A Bewitched / HP cross
by Spokavriel » Fri Jul 01, 2011 7:05 pm
Thank you. I think I will re-read the entire fic. Its not that long yet.
-
Spokavriel
Posts: 47773
39 posts
• Page 3 of 3 • 1, 2, 3
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users