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Chapter 1: Victoria
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Disclaimer; Sadly I do not own the Harry Potter series which includes Puddlemere United and Regulus Black, they are J.K Rowling's. However I do own Victoria Drew and the plot. Thank you for reading and please review!
amazing chapter image by Lyzzic @ TDA. thank you!
Staring blankly at the ceiling Victoria Drew shuffled groggily in her bed. It was roughly four am on a Tuesday morning and Victoria had work tomorrow. Yet, she couldn't seem to fall asleep. In fact she hadn't slept in three days, she was contently in a bad mood, she looked horrible and she was pretty sure the bags under her eyes were permanent. Sitting up, she pulled her Puddlemere T-shirt closer to her body in an attempt to keep herself warm. Kicking her blankets off, she walked over to her closet and pulled out her favourite pair of rainbow stripy socks. The very first time she'd worn these socks her long-time crush, Regulus Black, had asked her out, smiling at the memory she crawled back into her bed. Beside her bed was a framed picture of the two, smiling and hugging each other. They seemed so happy then, but everything had changed. Sighing, Victoria laying her head on her pillow and shut her eyes, shutting out any thoughts of Regulus.
An hour later, Victoria's eyes fluttered open to the sound of something crashing. Suddenly aware that something or rather someone was in her apartment, she grabbed her wand and quietly creeped into the hallway. She held a tight grip on her wand as she turned into the living room. Instantly her eyes, which were still getting used to their pitch black surroundings, noticed a tall figure standing by the tall lamp her grandmother had gave her. The figure seemed to be male; it was facing the opposite to direction to Victoria. Slowly she took a step closer; little did she know her right foot was caught on the cord for the lamp. With another step she found herself falling to the floor with a large crash to signify that she had landed, smooth, she thought to herself. The figure instantly turned to face her and whipped out his own wand, "Vic?" The light illuminated the figure face and Victoria took a sharp breath, it was the extremely confused face of Regulus Black. "Always knew how to make an entrance didn't you love?" He said, sticking his hand out to her before pulling her up effortlessly.
"Where the hell have you been? You said you'd be home four days ago Regulus, Four days. I was worried sick" She screamed, fighting back the tears in her eyes. He looked at her, sadness reflecting in his perfect grey eyes and placed a small kiss on the top of her head.
"I'm sorry. The mission took longer than we expected" He muttered into her curly brown hair.
"I don't like these missions you go on. Why is it always you who gets the difficult ones? Why can't he ask someone else for once?" She whispered miserably, pulling away from him. "Narcissa told me Lucius hardly ever goes on missions, they actually spend time together" Regulus took a deep breath, He wanted to spend every waking second with her but it was complicating.
"I know, I know. I'm sorry, I really am, I promise I won't go on any more missions for a while okay?" He asked, slipping his hand into hers before pulling her towards the couch and lying on top of her. "Say you forgive me" He said, placing a soft kiss on her neck. "Go on forgive me" He kissed her on the cheek. "I know you forgive me" Finally, he placed a kiss on her lips and rolled over so she was on top instead. Victoria giggled and intertwined her hands with his.
"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to snap it at you. It's just I haven't slept in days because I've been so worried about you" Regulus frowned up at her, He hated leaving her for missions but it was either go or get killed. Victoria didn't understand this though, she was a pureblood, Slytherin at Hogwarts but her parents didn't believe in blood purity. This made her a bit of outcast, an easy target for the rest of the house. In fifth year he had been dared to ask her out, the entire house knew about it, of course except for her. He'd found her by the lake with the most ridiculous rainbow socks on, the exact pair that she was wearing now. Regulus smirked, and wrapped his arms around her small waist.
"I'm sorry too. I should have come home earlier, I missed you" Victoria nodded and kissed his cheek softly. "So you say you haven't slept in days? Does that mean you don't want to have any fun tonight?" He said, raising his eyebrows suggestively. Victoria giggled again and stood up, walking down the hallway a bit she turned to Regulus and whispered seductively.
"Why don't you follow me and find out?"
Authors Note; There you go, A brand new novella that's actually different to everything else I've written, woo! But seriously this is different to everything else I've ever written, You want proof? a) my main character actually has a boyfriend at the start of the novella b) This is after Hogwarts c) It's not completely based around the Marauder's (although they will be appearing from time to time) d) it's a darker fic. See? Completely different, Aren't you proud of me? Anyway you might of noticed that I made Regulus a bit of a romantic, I personally think he was a sweet guy who was just caught up in the wrong crowd but that's my opinion. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter very much and will continue to read the rest of the series. I'm sorry this chapter is very short but the next chapter is much, much longer and more interesting. Please review guys!
Chapter 2: Mornings
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Disclaimer; I own Victoria Drew and the plot. Regulus Black, The Ministry of Magic and everything else is J.K Rowling's. Thank you for reading
amazing chapter image by veneficus @ TDA. thank you!
When she awoke a couple of hours later, Victoria found herself uncomfortably buried into the crook of Regulus neck- unable to move for the fear of waking him. In the corner of her eye she could see the clock signifying that it was almost seven o'clock. She'd have to wake up Regulus soon, her shift started in less than an hour and she still needed to have a shower and her usual morning coffee. At that moment Regulus decided to move his shoulder so Victoria could finally move- she let out a sigh of relief and just as she was about to get out bed, Regulus arm slid around her waist and pulled her back in. Victoria brushed some of the hair out his eyes and placed a soft kiss on his lips, His eyes flickered open and he kissed her back passionately before flipping her onto her back and pinning her to the bed.
"I could get used to waking up like this" He whispered, kissing her neck. Victoria giggled and placed one of hands on Regulus's bare chest.
"I'm sorry but I've got to get up and get ready for work" She whispered, twirling a piece of her brown hair around one her fingers. Regulus smirked down at her.
"You're such as tease Vic. Besides, what am I supposed to do all day?" He asked with an amused smile on his face.
"Well the apartment is pretty messy, you know. You could clean it for me" Victoria replied, shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly.
"Will you let me borrow your French Maid costume then?" Victoria laughed and hit him softly on the chest before rolling out from underneath him.
"I've always had a thing for men in costumes" She said, tilting her head to the side as if she was searching her brain for an answer before sauntering off towards the bathroom, leaving Regulus to chuckle by himself.
"That would explain the random make-out sessions every Halloween" He muttered to himself.
Victoria smiled to herself as she stepped into the shower, letting the hot water take the pain of her neck away. She squirted some of her shampoo onto her hair and quickly rubbed it into her hair and washed it off. She stood still for a few moments, letting the warmth travel through her whole body before stepping onto the cold tiles. She grabbed a small, fluffy white towel and quickly wrapped it around herself before standing in front of the mirror. She brushed through her hair quickly and dried off her legs before opening the bathroom door and walking back to her bedroom to find Regulus flaked out on the bed, the green sheets covering most of his face.
Victoria smiled and fought back the urge to giggle, afraid that it may wake him. She pulled out her favourite high-waisted skirt and a red blouse and through them on before searching the bottom of her wardrobe to find a cute pair of red high heels. Slipping them on, she took one last look at Regulus's sleeping form and grabbed her bag.
"I love you" She whispered, as she closed the bedroom door. Checking the clock, she grabbed her house keys and locked the door behind her. She and Regulus lived in a remote part in Muggle London, close to Grimmauld Place where Regulus's parents lived and the perfect distance from Victoria's work. She wasn't a fan of apparating and there was no way she would floo to work so having an apartment within walking distance was perfect.
Victoria was an Unspeakable in the Department of Mysteries, her father had worked in the same department before he retired and she had always wanted to follow in her father's footsteps. Victoria pushed open the door to her favourite coffee shop and ordered her usual cappuccino with the lady she had come to know as Julie.
"Have a good day Victoria" Julie sang as she handed Victoria her drink. Victoria smiled at her, taking a sip appreciatively. Now her day could begin.
Authors Note; I'M SO SORRY! I'm a horrible updater, It's been months since I put the first chapter out and now finally this is up. I actually had a lot of trouble writing this chapter,Hence why it's so late and honestly it's a horrible chapter and so short but I really needed to get something out for you guys. I have a few challenge stories I need to get up as well as the next chapter of Tied Together With a Smile, so it'll be a little while before chapter three is out but I promise that chapter is so much better. So thank you for reading and can't wait to hear from you all.
Chapter 3: Kidnapped
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Disclaimer; Guess who owns everything but Victoria, Pandora and the plot? That's right! J.K ROWLING! Thanks for reading!
amazing chapter image by veneficus @ TDA. beautiful isn't it?
The corridor leading to the Department of Mysteries was empty, like it almost always was. Other than the Unspeakables barely anyone who worked at the Ministry actually knew where the Department was, it had designed this way so that people could not find or use the valuable information inside. Victoria turned into the small hallway that led to door and opened it with a flourish, stepping inside before closing the door quietly behind her. Not many people worked in the department and the only reason Victoria was given the job was because of the amount of dedication her father had put in before he had retired.
"Good morning Vic" Victoria's partner and closest friend- Pandora Winton cheerfully exclaimed as Victoria slung her bag onto her desk. Victoria sent her a warm smile which Pandora happily returned. Pandora was twenty-one, four years older than Victoria and had wavy dark brown hair, which was in a ponytail today with a cute front fringe and matching chocolate brown eyes. Many times had she and Victoria been mistaken as twins. The pair had been partners since Victoria's first day at The Ministry and had developed a strong bond- Pandora was the only one who knew the truth about Regulus.
"Morning Dora" Pandora sent her a sarcastic smile; She hated being called Dora with a passion.
"You busy tonight darling?" Pandora ignored Victoria's previous comment as she scribbled something down on a piece of parchment.
"Yeah, Regulus came home" Victoria replied, smiling to herself. Pandora grinned at her friend.
"About time, You've been miserable for days" Victoria sent her an annoyed look before the pair walked over to the Time Room, where they would spend the rest of their shift observing any changes. "Don't give me that look you know its true" Victoria sighed.
"I suppose so. So what were you planning tonight? I might be able to talk Regulus into it" Pandora smiled softly, writing down a few notes on her parchment.
"Well we haven't been down to the club for a while" Victoria tilted her head to the side and tucked some of her hair behind her ear.
"I'm sure he'll be interested"
"As long as you're there darling, he's always interested" Victoria rolled her eyes.
"See you tonight then darling" Pandora said, as the two of them left the elevator ready to go their separate ways.
"You betcha" Victoria replied, kissing Pandora on the cheek before walking away, sending a small wave over her back. She pushed her way through the crowds and finally found herself outside, smiling she slid off her shoes and began to walk home. Waving to a bunch of neighbourhood kids on their way home from the park as she turned her key and pushed open the door. "Reg?" She called, turning into the living room and looking around for him. "Where are you?" She called again, turning into the bedroom. The bed was neatly made and on top of Victoria's pillow was a note that read, Sorry. I love you. Victoria rolled her eyes, and placed the note on her bedside table before opening her wardrobe and picking out a dark grey strapless mini dress and matching with some white pumps. She smiled at her reflection and apparated to Pandora's house.
"Darling!" Pandora exclaimed as she caught sight of Victoria, She smiled back at her taking in Pandora's appearance. She had let her hair down and it rested just below her shoulders, She wore sunflower yellow dress and a pair of plain black heels. "You look amazing!" Pandora exclaimed, before pausing. "Where's the boy toy?" Victoria looked down at her shoes- trying to escape her friend's cheerful smile. Pandora's face quickly fell. "I thought he was home?"
"He left" She whispered, Pandora looked outraged and threw her arm over Victoria's shoulder.
"Never mind, we'll have more fun without him, eh?" Victoria grinned. The best thing about Pandora was that she always knew just what to say to make Victoria smile and forget everything. She knew that Pandora wasn't overly found of the way Regulus would leave her, but she knew never to say anything.
"Let's go" Pandora cheered, and the pair apparated to The Uprising , an underground club the pair that come across a months ago and had instantly loved the feel of the place. Once inside the pair headed straight for the dance floor, and were joined by several guys who including a blonde who seemed quite smitten with Pandora, although he was probably drunk off his face.
"I'm going to get some drinks okay?" She yelled over the music, Pandora nodded and kept dancing with the blonde beside her. Victoria rolled her eyes "Typical Pandora" She muttered before walking towards the bar and ordering two vodka's and making her way back over to Pandora, someone grabbed onto her arm and start pulling her towards the door- trying to fight her way out of their grip she dropped the two bottles which landed with a smash, that was covered by the loud music. "Pandora" She yelled becoming desperate, she could see the top of her best friends head bopping up and down with the music but it was evident that her friend wasn't able to hear her. The cold air hit Victoria unexpectedly and she shivered, a jacket was thrown at her. "You can't do this. My boyfriend will know I'm gone and he'll find you" She screamed, digging her nails into her kidnapper's skin.
"But little Regulus isn't around now is he?" A voice whispered into her ear, her eyes widened if they knew Regulus then...Her thoughts were interrupted as she made contact with the floor.
Authors Note; First of all I'd like to mention that I edited Victoria's job in the the previous chapter so she is now an Unspeakable. I got all the information on the Unspeakables from Hp Wiki, Now that's done I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed or read so far so THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! You guys are what inspired me to actually write this chapter so yeah...thank you. From the next chapter on is really where it begins to get interesting and this time I'm going to write a few chapters ahead so it doesn't take as long to update. I'm aiming to have Chapter Four up in about three weeks but it depends on the queue length. Thank you guys for reading and please review!
Chapter 4: Prison
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Disclaimer; Victoria, Pandora and the plot were created by yours truly. Everything else is J.K Rowling's. Thanks for reading.
chapter image by veneficus @ TDA. I'm dying for the amazingness.
Victoria groaned from the pain as a ray of sun beamed into her eyes. She ignored it and rolled to her side, only then noticing that she lay on the floor. No wonder she was so sore. Her entire body felt like someone had dropped a tonne bricks onto her sleeping form. God, She must have drunk a lot last night.
Suddenly the previous night came flooding back to her. That man, He knew who Regulus was. Which meant he had to be wizard, a Death Eater. Victoria's mind flickered to the Death Eater's she knew, Lucius, Barty, Rabastan and Rodolphus. But no, It wasn't any of them. Victoria found that she was almost shaking with fear, whoever this man was obviously had something against Regulus and he was going to use her for what, She had no idea.
For what seemed like hours Victoria stared up at the blank ceiling, trying to decipher where on earth she was. She'd read many muggle crime novels before were women had been kidnapped and offered as ransom but not once had they'd explained how to escape if you found yourself in such situation. "Bugger" She whispered, pushing herself off the floor in order to get a better look at her 'prison'.
The room was average-sized, and from what she could tell it had never been used. The disgusting flower patterned wallpaper was torn in places, obviously the owner disliked it as well. On the furthest side was a window, Victoria slowly approached it, her eyes gazing out to see empty paddocks that continued on for miles. It was the perfect place to take someone, No one would ever find them.
And of course, they had taken her wand. She cursed loudly, a deep voice from behind her interrupting her thoughts. "Got quite a mouth on her this one" Victoria jumped and flipped around to see her kidnappers.
Two men. The one who had spoken had short, incredibly messy dark brown hair that covered some of his forehead, a few rogue pieces falling into his hazel eyes. Victoria almost fainted when she caught sight of the second man, He looked much the same as in his school days. Still the same black hair, although it had been cut slightly shorter and the same taunting grey eyes.
"Sirius?" She whispered, almost not believing her eyes. Sirius, and who Victoria had now identified as James Potter stared directly at Victoria's shocked face.
"Well, Well. If it isn't Regulus's little lover" He replied, tauntingly. It was obvious now, that voice. It belonged to Sirius, not some Death Eater. Now that she thought of it, Sirius was the perfect candidate.
"What do you want?" Victoria growled as James pushed her into a chair, a nervously looking Lily Evans had bought in.
"It's simple. You tell us what your boyfriends up to or we kill you and then him. It's all up to you Drew" Sirius sneered, bending over slightly so he could look into Victoria's eyes. In the corner of her eyes she could see Lily grab onto James' hand, so they were still together just like her and Regulus.
"When hell freezes over Black" She spat, Sirius looked taken back.
"Let me repeat that for you" He said calmly, the shock still evident in his eyes.
"No let me" And before Sirius could respond Victoria shot out of her chair quickly, a small scream of pain escaping Lily's lips. Victoria grabbed onto the chair as Sirius walked towards her clearly trying to hold his laughter in.
"And what are you going to do with a chair?" He teased.
"This" She replied, throwing the chair with full force at Sirius's head. A deep groan of pain signified that it was right on target. James sprung to action, quickly dropping Lily's hand to grab onto Victoria's arms pulling her backwards as Lily attended to Sirius's head.
"Feisty" Sirius taunted, standing up from the floor. "I can see why my brother likes you, At least he has taste in one aspect"
"Leave him alone" Victoria seethed, grinding her teeth together. Victoria had harboured an extreme distaste for Sirius ever since he had left the Black's, not because of him being a Gryffindor or mixing with 'dirty blood' simply because of what he did to Regulus. "It's all your fault, What Regulus is doing. It's all your fault"
Sirius stared at her with utter distaste. "Why, because of my muggle-loving actions?"
Victoria glared back at him. "No, because you left him. Everything he's ever done he did to get your parents attention, He wanted to fill the space but he's never good enough for him" She paused, close to tears now, James released her arms and Lily looked like she was ready to hug her at any moment. Sirius was just plain speechless. "He does what he has to, to try and receive your parents approval. To try and show them that at least one of their sons wasn't an complete and utter screw-up but they never care" Sirius's face became stony. "And for that I blame you"
Authors Note; Well that has to be the quickest update for this novella so far, and hopefully there will be many more this quick to come. I believe, this one is a tad shorter than the previous chapter and I probably could've add a bit more onto the end but instead it's going to be at the start of the next chapter, which is probably going to make more sense. I've got Chapter Five is written and ready to be posted as soon as possible. I'll try as best as I can to get it done within the month. As for other updates, I'm taking part in NaNoWriMo so I'm planning on writing ahead for pretty much everything so I'll have at least a few things to post. Anyway, I think that's everything and thank you guys for reading this chapter, Review please!
Chapter 5: Kiss
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Disclaimer; Oh, How I wish I owned the Black Brothers, I'd even settle for just one but sadly they belong to J.K Rowling. I do however own Victoria and the plot. Thanks for reading!
amazing chapter image by Conspiracy. of TDA.
Victoria stared blankly out the window watching a flock of birds as they flew over the empty paddocks, her mind however was focused on the conversation down the hallway. The arguing pair we're muffled from the wooden door but she could just barely make out the voices of Evans and Black.
"Why the hell did you threaten her?" Came Lily's voice, obviously annoyed. "She's never going to agree after the way you treated her. We're supposed to get her on our side not kill her for pete's sake."
"She bloody well deserved it" Replied Sirius.
"For doing what? She hadn't said anything at the point at which you threatened to her then your brother. I know you hate him, but she is too important to loose right now"
"Don't you think I know that?" He sneered. "But it's not like she was ever going to agree willingly anyway so I just sped up the progress"
"By what? Threatening her life, Oh yeah that's totally going to get her on our side. Don't you remember what Dumbledore said? We need her otherwise this entire mission fails. Do you really want that blamed on you?" The creaking of the floorboards signified that Evans had left and Victoria found herself straining to her Black.
"Bloody hell"
When the door opened a couple of hours later, Victoria fought back the urge to roll her eyes. She should have seen this coming. At least this way there was the possibility of finding out this 'mission'.
"I haven't changed my mind Evans"
"I know, I've come to talk to you though" Lily said, dragging an identical chair in and setting it across from Victoria's. "I remember you from school, you and Regulus" She started, her eyes staring directly into Victoria's. "I know I can't say that I know how you're feeling so I'm not even going to bother. But I want to help you" Before Victoria could cut her off, She continued. "I know what it's like to be in love though and what it's like to have to make a choice" Victoria stared up at her. "Sirius is stupid, everyone knows it" Victoria smirked. "We don't want to kill you, or Regulus but we need your help" Victoria nodded for her to continue and so she did. "We're called The Order of the Phoenix, we're working against You-Know-Who and we know Regulus is working for him" Victoria breath caught in his throat.
"You don't understand, Regulus is not a bad guy" Lily nodded.
"I know that. He just made some wrong choices. We've been keeping an eye on you two ever since you left Hogwarts, we've seen what he's like around you. Well at least we women have, the boys are as clueless as ever but the point is that he loves you so much"
"Which explains why he always leaves" Victoria snapped, rubbing the tears that we're violently spilling from her eyes away with the back of her hand.
"I can help that pain go away. I know how that feels, James leaves all the time to go on missions for the Order and I'm left alone. It kills me, also worrying if he's going to come home alive" Lily paused, placing her hand on Victoria's shoulder. "We really need your help though, we can keep you safe and no one will ever suspect you"
"Suspect me?" Victoria asked, staring directly at Lily's eyes which were diverted to the floor. "What exactly are you going to make me do?"
"I'm sorry" Lily replied, giving Victoria a quick squeeze on the shoulder before leaving Victoria to imagine all the crazy ideas.
Victoria was left alone for what remained of the day and when night fell she simply couldn't wait for her dreams to be filled with a mixture of Regulus and this new 'mission' of hers but it was short lived when the door creaked open once more.
"Do I get to hear what this lovely mission is now?" Victoria asked sarcastically, without bothering to turn around.
"You're different than I remember you" Victoria spun around to see Sirius leaning against the door frame casually.
"Kidnapping can do that to a person" Sirius chuckled.
"Still got that sense of humor, I see"
"Of course I've changed, It's been at least five years since we last talked" Anger was slowly spreading through her body. She couldn't believe the nerve of him.
"I know, I'm sorry" He placed his hand over hers and squeezed it softly.
"Yeah, right" She rolled her eyes. "I may have been stupid enough to believe that when I was nine but I'm eighteen now, and I'm not going to fall for it" She shook his hand over and walked over to the window, He followed her. "Why are you even here?"
"I'm part of the Order" Victoria sent him a glare. "I felt bad for before and I wanted to apologize. Besides, I was thinking about those things you said to me and the summer of fifth year. I'm sorry"
"Nothing happened in that summer, Sirius. Therefore you have nothing to be sorry for" She sent him another glare before staring out the window. He placed his hand on her cheek and tilted her head so she was looking right at him.
"You want to bet?" He whispered, placing a soft kiss on her lips.
Authors Note; Hehe, I'm evil right? I hope at least a few of you enjoyed this chapter even though I suppose it was a bit of a filler but slowly the chapters are becoming longer and more interesting. Next chapter is very important to the plot so make sure you watch out for it, I'm hoping shouldn't take more than a few weeks to get up but I make no promises. Like I mentioned in the previous chapter I am taking part in NaNoWriMo and I have the next chapter mostly written but after that their probably won't be many chapters left before Christmas rolls around. Anyway, thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing!
Chapter 6: Sorry
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Disclaimer; I do not own anything but Victoria and fragments of this plot. Everything else is J.K Rowling's.
how amazing is this chapter image? It's all thanks to Conspiracy. from TDA.
A loud smack echoed the room and Sirius pulled back, rubbing his cheek. "Bloody hell Vic" He groaned, before grabbing her arms and forcing his lips back onto hers. She struggled against his hold and when she realised he wasn't going to let go, she aimed a swift kick at his shins. "Shit" He cursed, staring at an outraged Victoria. "What the hell did you do that for?"
Victoria shot him an annoyed look. "First of all; you kissed me, as in me, your brother's girlfriend since our fifth year; two summers after you broke my heart. Secondly; you called me Vic, no one calls me Vic except for Regulus. And thirdly; well you bloody well kidnapped me didn't you?" She snapped, Sirius held up his hands in defeat and took a few steps backwards. "I'm not another one of your pathetic whores Black. You had your chance with me and you blew it, Regulus is so much more than you ever were"
Sirius fell silent and closed his eyes before opening them a few seconds later. "Look, I'm sorry Victoria but I was just a stupid fifteen year-old back then. I really am different, I'm going to be twenty soon, trust me I've grown up"
"Why?" She asked, Sirius look taken aback. "Why am I here? I'm not a Death Eater, I didn't hurt anyone so why am I here?"
Sirius's face calmed slightly before he took a deep breath and stated. "We need your help"
"With what?" She pushed, her eyes dancing with worry. "I-I can't. I don't know anything about this Voldermort guy"
"I really am sorry Victoria, but we don't need information" He whispered, his voice dropping so low that Victoria could barely hear him. "We need you to get inside"
Victoria could hear her heart beating in her chest, she could feel her entire body shaking and her mind was working a mile a minute. 'They couldn't, they couldn't.' She repeated to herself over and over again. 'They didn't really need her, they were kidding. This was a dream; I'm still in my warm bed next to Regulus. I just need to wake up'
"Victoria?" Sirius's warm hand appeared on Victoria's arm. "I-I wish I could change their minds but you're the only person who even has a chance of getting close"
Victoria fought back the sob threatening to escape her mouth. "I-I-I, Please let me go home. Please just tell me this is a sick joke Sirius, Please" She whispered, Sirius looked solemn and without even a need for words Victoria burst into tears. "He'll kill me. It won't matter that I'm pureblood or Slytherin" She said between sobs. "A-And Regulus will hate me forever, if he so much as knew about that summer he'd never look at me again let alone if I betrayed him and everything he believes in" Sirius's hand slowly calmed hers and he looked genuinely sorry. "Why can't you send one of you in? I don't want to die because I betrayed the only man who's ever loved me" She whispered, the tears now clouding her vision completely.
"I wish we could" Sirius whispered, burying Victoria into a warm embrace. "I really do"
A few hours later Victoria stirred, she'd obviously fallen asleep sometime between her sobs. She glanced around the room, noticing she was no longer in the same room. She had been moved into a much nicer room, it was painted a neutral creamy colour with a large window just like the last room instead this one looked onto a nice little courtyard and then in distance, she could see civilization.
Well…that was a tad dramatic; it was more like a tiny cottage thing at least half an hours walk away and then nothing. Not a single thing, she cursed again. What kind of person built a house in the middle of nowhere? Then again, the Death Eaters would never look somewhere like this.
Down in the courtyard she could three figures, instantly she could make them out; Lily, Potter and Sirius. The latter looked like he was screaming at the other two, dragging his fingers through his hair and kicking one of the peeling white chairs. The other two looked shocked; they were facing Victoria and had obviously noticed her in the window- they made no haste in point this out to Sirius.
He turned quickly, his face twisted in anger that quickly disappeared; he smiled and motioned for her to come down. She stared at him for a moment, before cautiously leaving the door and creaking down the stairs. The rest of the house was decorated similar to the second room, very neutral and bright. Placed upon the walls that ran against the staircase were multiple pictures of wizards and witches, most of which Victoria didn't know but towards the very bottom, in a white frame was a picture of Sirius.
He was smiling brightly, a Gryffindor tie around his head and the castle in the background. Victoria guessed it had been taken in his last year. Slowly, she reached up her fingers to the glass and traced the outline of his face casually.
"Vic?" Quickly, she pulled her hands back and turned to face Lily who was watching her with a knowing smile. "Come on outside" She whispered, squeezing Victoria's arm lightly before directing her into the courtyard.
Sirius, who had been sitting down facing the door, immediately stood up as soon as the door closed. "Hey" He breathed, moving towards her slowly.
"Hi" She replied, letting herself be moved towards the chair he had been occupying.
"Sit" He urged, nodding towards the chair. She quickly sat down, and stared over at Lily and Potter who were watching both of them with knowing smiles.
"How are you feeling Victoria?" James asked, breaking the awkward silence.
"About as good as you can feel after being kidnapped Potter" She replied in a half-joking tone. She'd never particularly liked Potter, she'd always felt that he was the reason that Sirius had changed. Victoria liked people for who they were, and hated it when people changed just because they thought they didn't fit in or that no one would like them unless they did.
Victoria had liked Sirius, as…Sirius. The feisty Black who dared to be different, not the arrogant tool he'd become during his Hogwarts years. She wanted the old Sirius back, the one she could laugh with and act stupid with, but most of all she wanted the Sirius back that she loved.
Authors Note; I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, I have parts of the next one written but after this I'm going to post the next chapter of Sugar Free Sweets before that comes around. Leave a review?
Chapter 7: Decision
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Disclaimer; The characters not including Victoria Drew and fragments of this plot are property of J.K Rowling's wonderful work and I am not trying to say otherwise. Thank you for reading.
Victoria lay back into the swinging chair, her bare legs lying across Sirius's lap. It was about ten o'clock or so, the moon and the stars had come out and were now shining brightly down at them. About an hour ago Lily and Potter had retreated inside, leaving Victoria and Sirius to a comfortable silence.
"It's so beautiful" She whispered, staring up at the stars. She could name every single one of them, she had been able to ever since she was little.
"Just like you" Sirius replied and Victoria stared over at him, she swung her legs off his lap and scooted closer to him, resting her head in the crook of his neck. After a few moments of silence, Sirius sighed. "I'm going to head inside, are you coming?" Victoria shook her head, "Have my jacket so you don't get cold" Sirius pulled off his jacket and handed it to her, she threw it around her shoulders and he smiled at her. "Goodnight" He whispered, disappearing inside.
Victoria didn't bother to watch him go inside; she was too content on watching the stars twinkle above her for that. She was grateful for his jacket against the cold English air. She bought her knees up to her chin and tucked them underneath. Something crinkled in Sirius' jacket pocket, and Victoria gently pulled it out.
It was a piece of paper, folded into quarters that had been rippled completely. Hesitantly, she unfolded the paper- it was a photograph. Victoria's eyes focused on the first of three faces in the photo.
In the middle was a curly haired girl almost as dark as her eyes, She wore a vacant expression upon her small features. Beside her on the left, was a slightly older boy. His hair was short and dark brown in colour, a smirk played of his perfectly shaped lips. On her other side was another boy- similar to the first one but different at the same time. The boy's hair was a darker shade of brown and he had much more boyish features, a half smile graced his lips.
It was them- Sirius, Regulus and herself. The photograph had been taken the day before Sirius had run away, back when Regulus was hidden away in his shadow. Sirius was fifteen while Victoria and Regulus were only thirteen- they were young and naïve, and the war hadn't broken them apart.
Victoria caressed the photo beneath her finger, flattening out the large crease that went right through the middle of Regulus' face. She bought the photograph up to her lips and whispered, "I miss you Reg" before folding the photo again and stuffing it back into the jacket pocket.
It was well into the early hours of the morning when Victoria returned to her room, in the distance- past the little cottage and through the hills, she could see the orange sun getting ready to rise. She smiled warmly at this and curled up into a ball in the small little single bed that was placed oddly in the corner. It didn't belong there- just like she didn't and for some reason, Victoria found comfort in this and the odd smell of roses in the sheets.
A couple of hours later, she was awoken by Lily and steaming hot up of coffee. "I figured you were probably having caffeine withdrawls. And, if you want to come with me there's a shower and I've got some clothes you can change into. I'll wash your dress for you too" Victoria took a large sip of her coffee and nodded, following Lily out into the hallway.
"Thank you for this Lily" Lily just smiled and led Victoria into a modest bedroom with an ensuite- This was obviously the room she and James shared as it had a small wooden photo frame with a picture of the couple inside, sitting on the bedside table on the left side of the bed. "Lily, Can we talk after I'm all cleaned up?" The redhead nodded.
"About whatever you want Victoria" She smiled again as Victoria pulled the bathroom door closed. Victoria quickly undressed out of her dress, letting it fall to the floor in a crimpled pile before turning the shower and sliding open the glass door. She stepped in and let the hot water calm her down while she thought of what she wanted to know from Lily.
She knew she had to make a decision about which side in the war she was going to take- she had reasons for both sides. She knew what Lily, Sirius and Potter's side was doing was right- Victoria had always believed that muggle borns were exactly the same as purebloods just with different upbringings but she knew never to voice this to Regulus or anyone on his side. Regulus- the only reason she'd even think for a minute about joining the other side. He meant so much to her- he was the only reason she hadn't disappeared into the muggle world as soon as she finished Hogwarts like her parents did. He was truly her whole life.
Stepping out of the shower, she threw on a towel before grabbing the clothes Lily had left out for her and quickly getting changed- leaving her dress in the washing basket that Lily had left for her and heading into the kitchen.
"Lily?" She called, once at the bottom of the stairs- Lily quickly popped her head out of the living room and motioned for Victoria to join her.
The living room matched the bedroom Victoria was now staying in- the colours were very neutral and the large window that overlooked the fields made the room look much larger. There were two creamy seats and a matching three seater couch across from the window- Lily was sitting in one of the seats and Victoria quickly sat in the other one.
"The boys are out- So we've got the house to ourselves for a while at least" Victoria nodded and took a deep breath. "So, what do you want to know?"
"What is this place?" Victoria replied almost instantly.
"I can't tell you the exact location- as I honestly don't know but it's just referred to as 'Safe House 3', there are apparently up to ten of them spread through Britain"
"Why? Is it just for when you kidnap people?" Lily chuckled.
"I told James that it wasn't a good idea- We didn't want to frighten you but Sirius was sure you'd never come without a fight- He was right. You're a lot stronger than you seem. "
"Regulus wanted to make sure I was always safe- He taught how to duel in sixth year, I suppose he thought something like this would happen eventually. I always thought it was a waste of time when he taught me how to fight muggle style- He'd always roll his eyes at me" Victoria played nervously with her hands. "He loves me- I know he does, it's just been drummed into his head that he's doing the right thing. He doesn't know any different" Lily nodded and reached over to rub her back as an almighty sound roared from outside.
"The boys are home" Lily rolled her eyes.
"What was that?" Victoria asked, staring outside at the paddocks watching for a sign of either man.
"Sirius' motorbike- He charmed it to be able to fly in our seventh year. It's his pride and joy" Both girls chuckled. "Boys are their toys" Before either of them could say anything else, the front door flew open and in walked both men in hysterics.
"I'm home honey" Potter grinned cheekily, placing a sloppy kiss on Lily's cheek, who rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's actions but smiled at him anyway. "Go on Drew- Give ol' Padfoot a kiss" It was now Victoria's turn to roll her eyes.
"Can we move into the dining room? I'd like to talk to you three about something" The three former Gryffindors nodded and lead the former Slytherin into the dining room. I've decided which side I'm going to choose" Lily's eyes widened.
"That quick?" She whispered and Victoria nodded.
"And?" Potter asked, as he clutched onto his girlfriend's hand. Sirius was watching Victoria with curious eyes.
"I'll do it" She stated, Lily reached over the table to grasp her hand and James thanked her over and over again while Sirius stared stony-faced over at her.
Authors Note; and so what did you guys think of that? On the request of naflower05, I tried to make this chapter a bit longer than the others. Sadly there won't be any more updates on anything for the next week and a bit as I'm on art camp- hopefully when I get back I can post something before April comes along as I am attempting Script Frenzy this year.
So, any thoughts?
Chapter 8: Home
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Disclaimer; The characters not including Victoria Drew and fragments of this plot are property of J.K Rowling's wonderful work and I am not trying to say otherwise. Thank you for reading.
The sun shone brightly down on the little cottage as Victoria finished off the last of Lily's 'famous' pancakes- She had to admit they were pretty good although nothing could beat her house elf- Finky-'s pancakes.
"Are you ready to go home Vic?" Lily asked-her emerald eyes twinkling with excitement, Victoria swallowed her last mouthful and smiled.
"I'm going to miss your cooking to be honest- I'm absolutely horrible" She laughed-She and Lily had become remarkably closer since she had agreed to their plan- while she and Sirius had broken even further apart, if that was possible in the first place.
"You're welcome back anytime" Lily winked.
"This time on my own free will?" Victoria mocked seriousness, fighting back a chuckle.
"I think Sirius would enjoy kidnapping you again" Lily pauses. "but I have the feeling he'd keep you all to himself" The red head chuckled while Victoria glared at her. Lily stopped and bit down on her r a bottom lip. "Sorry, Low blow?" Victoria shot her a 'you think?' look and sighed.
"I don't quite understand why he won't talk to me- What have I done wrong Lily?" She asked, banging her head on the kitchen counter- Lily reached her pale hand over and lifted Victoria's head up.
"I wish I could tell you sweetie but James won't even tell me" She dropped her voice to a whisper, "Honestly I do not think he knows either but he'd never admit it" Both girls chuckled softly. "Boys and their secrets- and they say we're bad"
Shoving her newly washed dressed into the red duffel bag that James had given to her only a few moments ago- Victoria diverted her eyes to the paddocks outside. Sighing, she sat down on the bed she'd spent the last couple of nights in and buried her face in her hands.
She was so confused, about everything. Whether what she was doing was right or whether Regulus was the good one. Whether she should go ahead with her agreement to the three people in this house or whether to betray them and stay forever loyal to Regulus. She didn't know who deserved to die…Lily, James and Sirius or her love. Would she ever be able to make the right choice? If she could only save one person, who would she choose?
Silent tears began to flow from her eyes, she could never choose. She didn't believe that Lily deserved to die- She'd looked after Victoria for the past week even though they'd never properly met. She could not kill James- despite how much she had always disliked him; she knew it would break Lily and Sirius' hearts. Sirius or Regulus? It seemed to always be the way for her; she could never just have the one.
Sirius had her heart first; she could not dispute this even though she disliked it immensely. He was the one who caught her eye when she was only young- The one with whom she'd shared her first kiss, her first love but Regulus was the one who made her laugh, who let her shine, the one she'd given in to and the one she'd always wished to give her last kiss to. But was he the right choice?
She dragged her fingers through her dark brown locks and wiped her tears away as a knock came from the other side of the door. "Victoria?" She bit down on her lip as the calm voice of James Potter leaked into the room.
"Come in" Victoria replied, swinging the bag over her shoulders. James pushed the door open and frowned knowingly at her.
"Are you ready to go home?" She nodded and followed James down into the living room where she was to say her goodbyes. She dropped the bag onto the floor and bought Lily into a hug- who looked like she wasn't too far away from tears.
"I'm going to be fine Lil" She whispered into her new friend's hair- Lily laughed and released her grip on Victoria.
"Don't be a stranger sweetheart" She grinned, Victoria turned to Sirius who was determined to look anywhere but her- She shot a nervous look back at Lily who pulled James into the kitchen.
"Sirius?" Victoria whispered, and the boy in question flinched.
"Victoria" He replied without taking his eyes off the floor, she frowned and took a step closer to him. Gently, she reached her head up to his chin and tilted it so he was forced to look at her. His stormy eyes were full of emotions that Victoria could not place.
"I thought you wanted me to" She whispered, He closed his eyes for a second before re-opening them. Sirius gave a small nod. "Then why won't you talk to me?" She almost growled, His face fell again and Victoria let her hand fall from Sirius' cheek "Forget it Sirius, I have to go home to Regulus now" She gritted her teeth together and picked her bag off the floor and stormed into the kitchen, leaving Sirius to think over what had just happened. "I'm ready to go home now James" Her voice showed no expression as James grabbed her arm, She sent a small smile over at Lily as she felt herself being tugged at the stomach.
Within seconds she found herself standing in the little alleyway a few streets down from her home, feeling ill from apparition. "I would have got you closer but we are pretty sure that your boyfriend put a magic detecting spell over your street" Victoria nodded, unable to string many words together.
"Thank you Potter- I'm fine from here" James smiled at her and whispered 'good luck' and reminded her about the meeting the next week about her mission before disapparating and leaving Victoria all by herself. She shrunk the bag so it would fit into the pocket of the jacket that Lily had lent her before slipping out of the alleyway and starting down the street. It only took her a few minutes before she was opening the front door for the first time in a week. What was she supposed to tell Pandora? Or her boss? That she'd been kidnapped for a week?
"Yeah, that would surely work" She muttered to herself, turning the doorknob and stepping into the front room. She through her keys into the dish she had for them and slipped out of her shoes, her bare feet making soft noises against the wooden floors. Without even bothering to check the muggle phone her parents had forced her to install for messages, she collapsed backwards onto the couch and shut her eyes.
"Vic?" Her eyes quickly flickered open and she sat up immediately. At the bottom of the stairs stood Regulus in his plain Death Eater robes- watching her with a wide smile. "Hard day at work beautiful?" He asked, walking over to the couch and sitting down- moving her legs so they lay on his lap in the exact same position as they had been only a few nights ago with Sirius. Realising this, she pulled away and turned to face the other direction. She could not deal with this right now. "Vic? Babe, what's wrong?" Regulus put a comforting hand on her shoulder and she shrugged it off almost immediately.
"I'm going to bed" She whispered, standing up from the couch and walking down the corridor leaving a very confused Regulus in her wake.
Authors Note; and there is Chapter Eight finished. I figured Regulus had spent enough time away by now and he deserved to come back as Victoria deserved to go home. I did try and keep the word count up for this chapter but I ran out of ideas towards the end as you can probably tell, I'm hoping my muse will cooperate a bit more for the next chapter which I do hope to have out in about a fortnight so look out for that!
Chapter 9: Chambers
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Disclaimer; Disclaimer; The characters not including Victoria Drew and fragments of this plot are property of J.K Rowling's wonderful work and I am not trying to say otherwise. Thank you for reading.
Staring up at the celling, Victoria fought the tears back with all of her strength. She wasn't usually the kind of girl who cried about anything that went even a little wrong in her life, she'd learnt at a young age that not everything was always going to go her way and the only way to make something better was to forgive and forget. But Regulus was bought up differently, he was a Black through and through- and Black's always got what they wanted, another thing she'd learnt early on.
She figured some time that she'd have to go out and talk to Regulus, whether that meant spilling her soul or lying and saying sorry. She wasn't quite sure which one. Blinking a couple of times, she listened out for the quiet footsteps that were heading towards her.
"Vic?" Regulus' voice whispered, it was laced with worry that she could tell was true. "Are you awake?"
"Yes" Victoria replied, swinging her legs over to the side of the bed and opening the door for Regulus.
"I'm sorry for leaving again" He said, his grey eyes looking crestfallen. Victoria nodded and took his hands in her own. "I would have left a note or something but Dolohov just turned up and I didn't have a chance to"
"How did Dolohov know where you were?" Victoria asked, dropping Regulus hands in order to turn away from him and look out the window instead. The view was nowhere near as lovely as the view from the cottage, and to her surprise she actually found herself missing the cottage.
"I told him I'd be with you" She spun back around to face him.
"You told Dolohov where I live?" Regulus gulped and tried to explain but was cut off by Victoria's outraged voice. "You told a Death Eater where I live? You might have well just killed me while I was asleep!"
"I'm a Death Eater Vic, and I know where you live. What difference does Dolohov make?" He replied, raising his voice slightly.
"But you're my boyfriend Regulus, you wouldn't sell my soul to that bloody Dark Lord of yours without a second thought" At Regulus pained look, she added. "Or maybe you would, just so you didn't join the list of the disowned Black children like your brother!"
"Don't you dare mention that filth" Regulus screamed.
"Well it's too late for that now isn't it Reg?" She replied, throwing her arms up in all directions. "I bet your mother would be happy if you killed me, that way you wouldn't be stuck with me as your filthy, muggle-loving, freak of a wife"
"You're probably right" Regulus replied, his voice dropping slightly. Victoria glared at him fiercely. "But unfortunately for my mother, I don't care if your parents love muggles or how much of a freak you are. I care that you make me smile and laugh and make me feel like absolute shit when I make you sad or angry, like you are now. I love you Victoria" Victoria rolled her eyes.
"Always the romantic Reg" She whispered, stepping closer to him and wrapping her arms around his warm body.
"Only for you Vic" He replied, kissing the top of her forehead. "I missed you so much" Victoria smiled into her boyfriend's chest.
"I missed you too, but you know what you can do so next time?" He replied by shaking his head slightly. "Don't leave at all" Regulus smiled into her hair.
"I won't ever leave you Vic, I'll always come back to you"
The next morning Victoria rolled out of bed early and quickly got ready for work. Before leaving, she planted a soft kiss on Regulus' bare shoulder. Without even a seconds thought she found herself falling back into her daily routine as if nothing had ever happened, although she missed Lily's wonderful cooking in the mornings.
At the coffee shop she ordered her regular cappuccino from Julie who made a comment about missing her for the days she'd been gone and questioned her about it. Victoria paled at her questions and mumbled a reply about having the flu.
"I'm glad you're better now Victoria, Enjoy your day!" Julie called after her; Victoria smiled back and continued down the street.
As she entered the Ministry of Magic a few minutes later, she smiled at the people she passed in the main foyer and headed towards the elevators. Along with five other people dressed in their wizard cloaks, she waited for the elevator that was going to take her up to her Department.
"Good morning Victoria" One of the wizards smiled, Victoria knew him as Arthur Weasley though she never knew what department he worked in but she guessed he didn't have a clue where she worked either.
"Morning Arthur" She replied, stepping into the elevator and waving a small goodbye to Arthur. The other wizard in the elevator selected the floor he wanted, Level Nine- the same as Victoria before the elevator fell into silence. On the next level, both exited and went their separates directions.
As she walked down the familiar plain corridor she found herself smiling. Pushing open the black door, she clearly stated the verbal request which was needed and the correct door opened for her. The office was completely empty and so Victoria set down at her desk looking at the piles upon piles of paperwork she'd obviously missed. Despite her hatred for paperwork she smiled anyway and began to sort through the pile, sorting out the important things from the not so important things.
She figured that she'd take the paperwork home with her and so she pulled out her clipboard and entered the Thought Chamber. Victoria could remember the first time she entered the chamber quite clearly; it had been a bit overwhelming. It was a long, rectangular chamber that was lit by lamps that hung low and in the middle of the room was a long tank filled with green solution that brains, or as Victoria had grown to call them- encephalon, swam through.
She smiled at her memory and began taking notes on the brains, noting down that some were more aggressive than she'd ever seen, before a voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Hello there Victoria, I didn't know you were coming back today" The voice of Michael Croaker came from around the corner. Croaker had been working the Department for over twenty years and had worked with Victoria's father for most of his career. Like most of the Unspeakables, he kept quiet about his private life.
"Hey Michael, Yes I am. Do you know whether Pandora will be in today?" Victoria asked, her eyes looking away from her parchment and the brains.
"I believe so; she's scheduled to be in the Time Chamber all day today" Michael replied, joining Victoria in the Thought Chamber. "Anything interesting happening today?"
"I've noticed some of the encephalon have become more aggressive" Victoria replied and they both fell into silence as they watched the encephalon swim around in the green liquid.
"Hm…That is odd" Michael jotted down a few of his own notes. "Bode's been trying to get into the Love Chamber, tried to talk the Minister into it and everything but you know how long that room's been locked for" Victoria rolled his eyes.
"He'll never get in, my father never did and he was quite close to the Minister" Victoria replied casually. "I can't blame him for trying though, I'd do anything to get into that room and just study what happens" Michael nodded in agreement.
"They say no one's ever gotten in there but I reckon they're lying, someone has to have been in there sometime."
"Who knows?" Victoria replied as the Chamber fell back into silence apart from the sound of the encephalon swimming around.
Authors Note; so pretty much a pointless chapter for you guys there but it sets up quite a bit of information for future chapters. I put the information about the Department of Mysteries in as someone- I can't quite remember who asked to hear more about it, so I searched the internet for anything that would give you a bit more insight. I'd like to mention according to HP wiki, On the ninth floor there is only the Department of Mysteries and therefore the other wizard in the elevator would pretty much be walking nowhere, so yeah pretend there's something other Department up there for me?
I'm sorry about the lack of updates for this month, I'm currently doing Script Frenzy (which I'm about 16 pages behind in) which is taking up quite a bit of my time and my muse. Hopefully though I'll get some more stuff up for you guys super soon!
Chapter 10: Ill
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Disclaimer; Disclaimer; The characters not including Victoria Drew and fragments of this plot are property of J.K Rowling's wonderful work and I am not trying to say otherwise. Thank you for reading.
Another hour passed before anyone else arrived in the Department of Mysteries, Amy Sampson- the office intern and Augustus Rockwood arrived together, followed by Broderick Bode. At the sound of the black door closing once more, Victoria sprung out of her seat and towards the door. Pandora threw her bag over her wooden chair and shuffled through the paperwork on her desk, still oblivious to the fact that Victoria was standing there. She turned around, picking up her notebook before noticing her friend.
"Vic?" She asked, her eyebrows furrowing.
"Yeah, Hey" Victoria replied softly, watching her friends eyes settle into a suspicious glare.
"Where were you last week, eh?" She asked casually, as she heard towards the Time Chamber.
"I'm sorry" Victoria said, following Pandora into the chamber. Pandora shrugged her shoulders in reply and counted the amount of time turners- something that was required every morning to make sure that none were missing.
"Check the amount for me?" Victoria nodded and counted through the time turners before telling Pandora the answer. "All there" She muttered, noting the number down. "So, you didn't tell me where you were?" Victoria sighed.
"I can't, it's just a safety thing okay?" Pandora sighed- Victoria could tell that her friend wasn't sure.
"Just tell me one thing" She asked, "Regulus didn't do something did he?" Victoria shook her head and Pandora smiled, whispering words of relief.
"He's back though" Victoria muttered, taking a seat.
"Again?" Pandora asked, her voice laced with sarcasm and worry. "Will he still be there when you get home?" Victoria shrugged her shoulders and Pandora sighed. "I know you love him Vic, but you deserve someone who will stick around"
"I know, but I can't leave him- I just-"
"I understand Vic; he's good to you when he is around. He loves you more than breathing, but I don't understand why he leaves" Victoria sighed.
"He'll get killed if he doesn't go; they can find him so easily" Pandora rubbed her friend on her shoulders.
"I just hope that they never need to do that, or that they ever need you" Pandora went back to working as Victoria bit down on her lip, how was she going to tell Pandora what she'd signed up for? Suddenly feeling the weight upon her shoulders she excused herself. Without even realising what she was doing, she found herself running as fast as she could through the corridors of the Ministry, trying to find somewhere to breathe. She finally collapsed against the Fountain of Magical Brethren out of breath and sweating. She closed her eyes and rested her head between her knees, trying desperately to catch her breath.
"Are you alright?" A soft voice asked from above her, Victoria glanced up to see Amy Sampson- the intern of The Department of Mysteries. Victoria nodded, but Amy sat down beside her and rubbed her back soothingly. "Would you like me to get you some food and water?"
"That would be lovely" Victoria whispered and Amy smiled, pulling an apple and a bottle of water out of her bag. "Thank you"
"I'm sorry that it's not overly interesting food, but it's all I have" Victoria shook her head and smiled over at the girl.
"It's fine, in fact it's amazing to be honest- I really needed some water so thank you" Amy smiled and moved her hand from Victoria's back, she stood up before offering her hand to Victoria.
"I think you should head home early. Don't worry- I'll cover for you. You can apparate home and I'll bring your stuff around tonight, okay?" Victoria nodded reluctantly, to be honest she didn't want to go back and face Regulus nor did she want to stay there and keep lying straight to Pandora's face. "Okay, you have floo in your house right?" Victoria nodded, "Perfect I'll floo over later and see how you are and drop your stuff" She paused, "You do have someone to look after you right?"
"Yeah, my boyfriend's home" Victoria assured her, taking the girls hand in order to stand up. "Thank you Amy, you'll be an amazing co-worker once you graduate from Hogwarts" Amy smiled brightly at her.
"I'm not sure whether I want to leave Hogwarts yet" Victoria grinned.
"It always seems like that when you're coming up to your seventh year, but once you're out you'll be so grateful of the pure beauty of that castle and everything you learnt there" Amy nodded and thanked Victoria before heading back in the direction of the Department of Mysteries. Victoria sighed and pushed her way out of the Atrium, she wasn't going to floo home, not with all the things racing through her head- she needed time to think and walking in the fresh summers breeze was perfect for that.
Before stepping out of the telephone booth, Victoria checked both ways of the street for any signs of muggles before she headed in the direction of her home, millions of thoughts running through her head.
What was she supposed to tell Pandora? And what about Regulus, did she have to lie to him too? What if this Lord Voldermort found out? She'd be killed within seconds for betraying them, for telling secrets to the Order of Phoenix, to bring him down and let every type of person and that Earth to live freely. She knew it was the right thing, there was absolutely no doubt in that but was it worth giving everything she'd worked so hard for?
Taking a deep breath and ignoring the pain in her chest, she pushed her key into the door and swung it open. She slipped off her high heels at the front door and threw her keys into the bowl by the door, leaning against the wall and listening to the footsteps coming down the stairs.
"Vic?" Regulus' voice asked, Victoria replied softly before she felt herself being drawn into a hug. "What's wrong?" Regulus asked, staring at her with a worried look.
"I just felt a little ill so they sent me home" Regulus nodded and bought her into another embrace.
"Go hop in the shower, my mother's requested that we go around there for dinner tonight but if you're not feeling well-"Victoria sighed.
"I'll be fine, besides if we skip your mother will just hate me even more" Regulus shook his head but placed a kiss on Victoria's cheek, leading her down the hallway and into the bathroom.
"We'll go for a little walk when you're out?" He asked and Victoria nodded, turning on the shower and slipping out of her clothes, she found herself relaxing as the warm water hit her back and shoulders. After a few minutes she stepped out and wrapped a towel around herself before picking out a summer dress and slipping that on.
"I'm ready, Reggie" She called, slipping on a pair of black flats and walking out to find Regulus by the front door. He smiled at her and laced his fingers with hers before pulling the door shut behind them.
"Where do you want to go?" He asked, Victoria smiled over at him- squeezing his hand slightly before taking a deep breath.
"I want to become a Death Eater Reg" Regulus' eyebrows shot up immediately and he found himself lost for words- Victoria had never once even mentioned hating muggles let alone wanting to kill them.
"You realise you'd have to kill innocent people Vic?" He whispered, staring at her with confusion.
"Yes, don't you think I can do it?" She snapped back.
"Well, no. You're Vic, you're not a murdered" She rolled her eyes angrily.
"Well neither were you Regulus and you seem to be doing it fine"
Authors Note; I'm sorry! I've been trying super hard to get this chapter finished for weeks now but I just could not get passed the first paragraph so ultimately it's a lot short than what I had in mind but I really wanted to finish the chapter with that ending- so yes it's very filler-ish but there are some really action filled chapters coming up very soon.
And wow- I can't believe this is the tenth chapter already, I'd like to thank you all for sticking by Victoria and I and I hope you will continue to read. Thanks guys!


text:
DAVIE, Fla. (AP) - Loosening up for their first training camp practice, the Miami Dolphins high-stepped sideways up and down the field while House of Pain's song "Jump Around" blared on the loudspeakers.
Pro Bowl cornerback Brent Grimes took in the scene and allowed himself a long yawn.
With the first game more than six weeks away, the Dolphins tempered their excitement Friday regarding the 2014 season. Even so, every team is undefeated and optimistic in July, and the Dolphins were no different as they opened camp.
"We want to play deep into January and February," quarterback Ryan Tannehill said. "Our goal is to win the division and play in the playoffs. Anything less than that is not up to our standards."
Actually, that's way above the Dolphins' recent standards. They haven't made the playoffs since 2008, which is also their most recent winning season. They needed to win only one of their final two games last season but lost both by a combined score of 39-7 to finish 8-8.
Tannehill and coach Joe Philbin are back for their third season with the team, but a woeful offensive line has been overhauled, there's more depth at receiver and running back, and the defense has the potential to be excellent.
"We want to win. That's what we're all here for," new general manager Dennis Hickey said. "We're really excited about this team and what they're going to be able to accomplish."
Some prognosticators rank the Dolphins among the NFL's worst teams, but owner Stephen Ross anticipates postseason play.
"I don't think I start any season without wanting to make the playoffs," Ross said. "If you don't have those expectations, you shouldn't be in the game. You own a team because you want to create a winner."
On a 90-degree day, Philbin was already on the hot seat, and Ross was asked if the coach must make the playoffs to keep his job.
"I'm not going to say here he has to, because I can understand what the headlines would be," Ross said. "I like Joe Philbin very much. I'm expecting Joe Philbin to be here a long time. But every year you want to see improvement."
The Dolphins desperately need a better locker-room culture after a troubled relationship between offensive linemen Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin led to a bullying scandal that sent the franchise reeling. Incognito and Martin are gone, and the Dolphins brought in outside consultants for training sessions with players to foster better leadership.
Center Mike Pouncey, implicated in the scandal, said the culture will be much healthier this season.
"Coach Philbin and Mr. Ross have done a bunch of things to change that," Pouncey said. "Right now we're heading in the right direction. Everyone has bought into the way we want it done around here."
The start of camp came as Pouncey and his brother Maurkice were named in a lawsuit filed by three people who said the twins attacked them at a Miami Beach nightclub July 12. The Pounceys' attorney has said the brothers were not involved in any altercation.
As anticipated, Pouncey (hip) and running back Knowshon Moreno (knee) began camp on the physically unable to perform list. Both worked on the side Friday, and while Pouncey is expected to miss at least a couple of games, he said he's ahead of schedule in his recovery.
Moreno, who signed a $3.275 million, one-year contract after a breakout season with Denver last year, is expected to join practice sometime during camp.
Every other player passed his conditioning test. Defensive end Dion Jordan practiced and will be allowed to play in exhibition games, even though he has been suspended for the first four games of the season after testing positive for a stimulant prohibited by the NFL.
Receiver Brian Hartline and Brandon Gibson were back on the field after recovering from knee injuries last season. Koa Misi remained at middle linebacker after moving there from the outside as an offseason experiment deemed successful.
The first practice was predictably sloppy. With Pouncey out, quarterback Ryan Tannehill dropped at least three snaps. He misfired deep to Mike Wallace - a frequent occurrence last year - the first time he threw long, but they later connected on a 40-yard throw that brought a cheer from spectators.
While the stands were only half full, season-ticket sales are up, and the first three home games are projected to be sellouts.
"Miami wants to support a winner," Ross said. "We start winning, we'll have a lot more support, and there will be a lot more enthusiasm."
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Carl Nicks has abandoned his bid to get back on the field with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The team and injured two-time Pro Bowl guard mutually agreed Friday to "part ways" after two disappointing seasons in which the 29-year-old offensive linemen appeared in just nine games after signing a five-year, $47.5 million contract in free agency.
General manager Jason Licht declined to discuss details of the split, calling Nicks a "very prideful athlete" who did everything he could to try to put his injuries behind him and rejoin the team.
"He wanted what we best for the Buccaneers. He didn't want to lead us down the wrong path," Licht said during the first of two weather-related stoppages that ended practice early on the opening evening of training camp.
"The whole time we were hopeful he could play," the GM added. "Carl was honest with us. We were honest with Carl."
Nicks didn't miss a game in four seasons with the New Orleans Saints, however a left toe injury two years ago and the recurrence of a MRSA infection in his left foot kept him off the field for most of his stay with the Bucs.
"I'd like to thank the Buccaneers organization for working with me as I have attempted to get myself back on the football field," Nicks said in a statement released by the team.
"However, after careful consideration, I have made the decision to step away from the game," the seventh-year pro added. "This was by no means an easy decision, but I believe that it is what is best for me and my family as well as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers."
Nicks started 70 of 73 games he appeared in during a six-year career. He was a fifth-round draft pick by the Saints in 2008, became a starter in the third week of his rookie year and helped New Orleans win its only Super Bowl title five years ago.
His departure leaves new coach Lovie Smith with an additional spot to fill on an offensive line that's been overhauled since the end of last season with the release of guard Davin Joseph and tackle Donald Penn and a trade that sent center Jeremy Zuttah to the Baltimore Ravens.
The Bucs signed tackle Anthony Collins and center Evan Dietrich-Smith in free agency. Smith said sixth-year pro Jamon Meredith moves up the depth chart into the position Nicks was trying to regain.
"It's a shame we didn't get a chance to work with him on the football field," Smith said. "Carl worked hard this summer to get back, and sometimes your body just won't allow you to do that. ... I understand the decision he had to make."
Lightning forced the team off the field a mere nine minutes into practice. Players returned after a delay of nearly two hours, then was forced back inside for the day after another 40 minutes.
"Tough day. That's how it goes sometimes," Smith said.
"As much as anything you want to get that first practice underway, which we did," the coach added. "We got a little bit of individual work in. It's not an ideal first day for us ... but tomorrow's another day."

subset: commoncrawl


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Chinatown: Insiders' Guide
Neighborhood experts take you beyond General Tso's, nunchakus, stuffed pandas and zodiac place mats to uncover the real Chinatown-no Mandarin lessons necessary.
CommentsAdd +
Big stomach in little Chinatown
Four restaurants, 13 dishes, two days, one distended belly.
Party till the break of dusk
After the hot-pot spots close for the evening, does Chinatown nightlife cool to a low boil?
The not-so-far East
Da Mare's deputy chief of staff knows just what to see in Chinatown, from a Catholic church with Chinese flavor to Norwegian-designed pagodas.
Of great import
Andy Siharath, Chinatown Chamber of Commerce's stylish program coordinator, takes us beyond the area's kitschy gift shops.
To a tea
Chinatown's tucked-away tearooms emulate Hong Kong's spartan hangouts in almost every way.
Supermarket sweep
Shop like a local by picking up these top treats from a Chinatown grocery store.
Herb appeal
Deciphering Chinatown's bewildering herbal shops requires a guide and a prescription; drinking medicinal tea requires an iron stomach.
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Humble Bundle is awesome, but it isn't all we've got. Luxuria Superbia awaits you inside – and if you've never heard of it, this is one game to experience.
Humble Bundle PC and Android 9 already featured six fantastic games for less than $4, but now the Humble crew has just added three more games to the mix, all without increasing the required minimum price.
This week we have four awesome games, one of which is entirely free.
Most of us probably aren't going to cure cancer anytime soon, but we can still help fight it.


text:
Daniel Markham's Pretty Bitchin'
By Kelly Dearmore
Americans Under 30 the Most Cynical Bunch Ever
By Jim Schutze
13 of the Best Female-Fronted Bands in DFW
By Rachel Watts
Your Baseball Season Guide to Pre- and Post-Game Eats...
By Lauren Drewes Daniels
The Bizarre Life and Troubling Death of DarkSide
By Anna Merlan
The Ten Most Badass Band Names in DFW
By Lee Escobedo
By Alice Laussade
Remember the first time you heard the Pixies' classic "Where Is My Mind?" It condensed the euphoria of cutting anchor and sailing into the abyss into a four-minute pop song. Now Jay Reatard (that Memphis garage punker from the Lost Sounds, the Retards, Angry Angles and probably a dozen other bands that played every 20-watt-bulb-and-a-couple-power-strips basement party on the circuit) has set out on a solo excursion to compact that asylum jubilance even further. On Blood Visions, Reatard leaves plenty of carnage in his wake—lyrics about dead pals, faces turning blue, inner voices with killer instincts, buried romance—yet he's so flip and quick with the riffs that you can't help but chant along with a Cheshire grin. Blood Visions has all the social conscience of a giggling psychopath, and that irreverent manner sharpens the hooks in every track (including a cover of the Adverts' "We Who Wait"). This record is easily one of my picks for garage punk sprint of the year; Reatard is brief, brash and anything but boring as he flirts with pop, British accents and a bit of post-punk abrasion. Murder can be fun, indeed.


text: A nice record of modern soul that got a bit overlooked at the time because of the poor fate of the Chi-Sound label. The record's filled with Chicago soul talent like Tom Tom 84, Sonny Sanders, and Carl Davis, and it's a good updating of Gene's Chicago soul sound towards a style that's more modern soul-oriented. We've got a huge soft spot for the track "Does She Have A Friend?", which is a nice two-step groover, and the LP includes a number of other nice ones like "All About The Paper", "Let Me Make Love to You", and a remake of his classic, called "Rainbow '80". (Vinyl plays with a short click on side 2, track 1.) © 1996-2014, Dusty Groove, Inc.


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The chemicals manufacturing industry is a vibrant, global business that encompasses many important sectors: from commodity chemicals, to specialty chemicals, to custom manufacturing. Key topics include global trade, finance and acquisitions, biochemicals, nanochemicals, polymers, petrochemicals, fertilizers, plastics, coatings, ceramics, solvents, additives, dyes and many other products basic to home and business needs. In addition, the pharmaceuticals industry is included when discussing chemicals. Plunkett's Chemicals, Plastics & Coatings Industry Almanac provides a market research tool for competitive intelligence, strategic planning, business analysis and employment searches. Our coverage includes business trends analysis and industry statistics. The almanac also contains a chemicals, plastics and coatings business glossary and a listing of industry contacts, such as industry associations and government agencies. Next, we profile hundreds of leading companies. Our 400 company profiles include complete business descriptions and up to 27 executives by name and title. This companies database includes petrochemicals firms, major drug makers and specialty chemicals firms, public and private, on a global basis. Purchasers will find a form in the book enabling them to register for 1-year, 1-seat online access to tools at Plunkett Research Online, including the ability to view the market research/industry trends section and industry statistics. You have access, at no additional charge, to the very latest data posted to Plunkett Research Online. Online tools enable you to search and view selected companies, and then export selected company contact data, including executive names. You'll find a complete overview, industry analysis and market research report in one superb, value-priced package.
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Duck House Rental Photos and Description
House, 5 Bedrooms + Den, 3 Baths, (Sleeps 12)
Great location--a short walk or bike ride (approximately 300 yards) gets you to the beach where there is plenty of room to play and relax! (We are on the 'oceanside' of Duck Road - there are no streets to cross to get to the beach.) Back at the house, a fabulous hot tub, screened in porch, and comfortable interior with unique beach murals complete your summer vacation.
In 2011 and before, this house was rented through Southern Shores under the name 'Spoiled Rotten.' We have added a flat screen TV and an ipod docking stereo, and opened up a bonus room for kids' play, work or quiet reading to enhance the features of this already family-friendly cottage. In 2012 we added a new high quality king size mattress for the master bedroom.
WiFi available throughout the property. No charge, unlimited # of users. Cell phone booster antennae installed in 2012 provides strong cell phone reception throughout the house.
We rent on a Friday to Friday schedule. Our experience is that traffic is lighter on Fridays than on Saturdays getting onto and around the Outer Banks. Saturday is typically the heaviest traffic day each week during the summer down there, so we opted for the Friday to Friday schedule.
L1: 2 BR (MBR w/K, bath w/tub & shower; 1 w/Q), hall bath (w/shower). Living/dining/kitchen area, 2 ceiling fans & skylights, 2 color CATV (living area and MBR).
L2: 3 BR (2 w/Ts & CF, 1 w/2 bunk sets),1 bath (w/shower).
Keywords: beach house, cottage, hot tub, oceanside
- Suitability:
- non smoking only
- pets considered
Why The Owner chose Duck
We love relaxing at the outer banks and have always thought Southern Shores was the best of all locations: uncrowded beaches and close to the bridge so that there is no long wait in weekend traffic up Duck Road. We also wanted to be on the ocean side of the road so that the kids and visitors could stroll down the beach any time of the day or evening without having to cross any major roads. This house fits the bill perfectly.
What makes this house unique
Easy days on the beach, relaxing in the hot tub surrounded by the trees, morning coffee on the deck, family dinners and games, biking to Duck. The boys kill lots of time skim boarding and riding waves.


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Getting ready for Gitex
Triska Hamid | October 19, 2013
The 33rd Gitex Technology Week begins Sunday 20 October. More than 130,000 delegates are set to descend on Dubai to check out the latest technologies and services on offer in the region. Representatives from 150 countries will be pitching up their banners and wares in a bid to create new partnerships and lure in potential customers to their pavilions.
Lasting four days, it is simultaneously a great and horrific week. Here are my tips to get through it.
1) Wear comfortable shoes This is vital. You will either be running around or standing on your feet all day long. Comfort over style where footwear is concerned is crucial.
2) It could all go wrong Things don't usually run on time and meetings will be rescheduled, postponed or cancelled. You may end up being double-booked. Meetings will start late and overrun. These are possibilities you should factor in when arranging them.
3) The World Trade Centre is huge Do not underestimate the amount of walking you will need to do. It is easy to get lost and you will find yourself dashing from one end of the centre to the next to make it to meetings. Best to jot down exact locations and give yourself 15mins leeway.
4) Don't be greedy Ask for a USB instead of press kits/information kits. The last thing you want is to hurl "goodie bags" around all day (they only contain brochures and stress balls).
5) Focus Gitex is huge, it is pretty pointless to wander around aimlessly in the hope of finding something. Use the exhibition guide, highlight the companies and events that interest you most and stick to it. Use the last day for browsing.
- 'It is an amazing experience': first batch of Emirati nuclear energy specialists to graduate
- UAE signs important nuclear liability treaty
- Abu Dhabi teams up with BP on water and energy management
- Credit in UAE public sector grows while private sector dips
- Etihad revenue jumps 28% as partners pour passengers into network
- UAE brokers reject regulator's claim they are to blame for market meltdown


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33 Summer Wedding Ideas
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32 Low Cost Clothings Crafts
Learn to make your own clothing and accessories and you will save money AND inspire fashion envy wherever you go. Make a new bracelet from recycled materials or learn to update an old t-shirt.
32 Recycle Crafts for Kids
With long summer afternoons inviting the kids to mischief, recycle crafts for kids can be a valuable tool of entertainment and distraction. These recycle crafts for kids are low to no cost, using materials from around the house.
33 Summer Wedding Ideas + 6 New Great Ideas
Save money and have fun crafting with these 39 summer wedding ideas. Summer is definitely wedding season, so try these DIY wedding decorations, unique wedding ideas, and do it yourself wedding crafts on for size.
35 Floral Jewelry Ideas: Earrings, Bracelets, Necklaces, Brooches, and More
Floral jewelry is popular in the summer, though many of these floral jewelry ideas can be worn all year long. Whether the floral jewelry is strung with flower beads or the flowers are crocheted from scratch, you can make beautiful floral jewelry!
38 Holiday Crafts: Holiday Decorating Ideas for Every Season
38 Holiday Crafts Holiday Decorating Ideas for Every Season comes complete with crafts for every holiday imaginable. No matter the time of year, no matter the holiday you want to celebrate, this eBook will have the perfect project for you. Download this eBook so that you can always refer back to it, holiday after holiday. Now you can also work ahead on your decorations since you'll have Thanksgiving crafts in April and Valentine's Day crafts in the fall. You will never be caught without the perfect holiday craft again.
385 Easy Crafts for Kids
Whether it's summer vacation, winter break, or a snowy or rainy weekend afternoon, these 385 Easy Crafts for Kids are great for keeping your little ones occupied and entertained.
39 Free Baby Knitting Patterns
Use these free baby knitting patterns to create an instant family heirloom. Knit a baby afghan, toy or clothing for the baby for an impressive shower gift or to welcome the newest member of your family. Free online knitting patterns such as these are a great way to learn and refine knitting techniques, and they help you save money with gifts.
3D Garden Card
Use paper marbling techniques and 3D self-adhesive foam squares to make the pansy on the card come to life. Great for birthdays and holidays, this beautiful handmade card design can be personalized with any message you'd like.
4th of July Cookout Invites
Invite friends and family to a 4th of July cookout with these fun homemade cards. Summer sandals become patriotic symbols in these clever 4th of july crafts.
4th of July Crafts for Kids
The 4th of July is a great time to do some fun summer crafts with your kids. There are so many great projects that you can incorporate the American flag design into, and you can use the holiday to teach your kids at the same time!
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Composition Be (Syracuse, NY) will be teaming up with The Gully Hubbards (Jersey City, NJ) to bring live music to The Mission Restaurant in Columbus Circle on Saturday, July 26th @ 9pm. The bands consist of former members of The Screaming Meemies, Into Red Giant, The Bedouins and Salta Montes. It will be a wonderful night of melody making. Get there early and stay late!
- This event has passed.


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Select () or exclude () categories to narrow your recipe search.
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Find exactly what you're looking for with the web's most powerful recipe filtering tool.
1/2 Photos of Caramelized Onion Pizza
Prep Time:
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Quick and easy little pizzas for lunch or a light dinner. I love caramelized onions, so this is one of my favorite pizzas to make at home.
Serves: 2-4
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Serving Size: 1 (181 g)
Servings Per Recipe: 2
Make this season merry, bright and manageable with our easy ideas.


text:
Former SAC Capital manager sentenced to 3½ years in prison
16 May 2014
A federal judge sentenced former SAC Capital Advisors portfolio manager Michael Steinberg to three and a half years in prison Friday, saying he hoped Wall Street would learn from this case.
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text:
Music for Pogonologists
Live at Circus Maximus, Koblenz 2013
Live at Black Night, Jena 2013
Live at Kildemose Festival 2008-2010
Damo Suzuki møder Oresund Space Collective
Damo Suzuki møder ØSC
Organic Earthly Floatation
It's all about Delay
West, Space and Love
Give your Brain a rest from the Matrix
Sleeping with the Sunworm
ØSC-Papir Split 7"
Good Planets are hard to Find
Phaze your Fears
Entering into the Space Country
Entering into the Space Country/Phaze your Fears 2CD
Dead Man in Space
Inside your Head
The Black Tomato
Øresund Space Collective
Picks from Space Vol 1
Picks from Space Vol 2
Picks from Space Vol 3
Picks from Space Vol 4
Picks from Space Vol 5
Picks from Space Vol 6
Picks from Space Vol 7
Picks from Space Vol. 8
Picks from Space Vol 9
Picks from Space Vol 10
Picks from Space Vol 12
Studenterhuset 11/09/06
Malmöfestivalen 2006
Live in Trondheim 12/1/07
Kildemose Festival 6/29/08
Slottsskogen goes Progressive Festival 8/16/08
Space Rock Odyssey Festival 8/30/08
Live at Kildemose Festival 2009
Kildemose Festival 2011
Live in Zagreb Croatia 10/13/12
Sofia, Bulgaria Oct 15th, 2012
Live in Salzburg Oct 18th, 2012
Cafe Cairo, Würzburg 10/20/12
Live at Loppen, Christiania 10/26/12
Indra, Hamburg May 25th, 2013
Hamburg Concerts
Øresund Space Collective Copenhagen, Denmark
We are a music collective from Denmark and Sweden that play totally improvised space rock music. We have released 18 records since 2006. Music for your mind to escape the Matrix...
Contact Øresund Space Collective


text: Nowadays whenever I visit to Guwahati I always stay at Hotel Grand Starline... One of the main attraction of staying this hotel is the size of the room. It's big & comfortable. Good room service. accommodating behavior. Only thing to improve is maintenance part. It's a wonderful hotel need little more renovation & innovation. Still I love to stay here.... More


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Peter D'Antonio
Adjunct Professor, Audio Recording
Peter D'Antonio was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1941. He received his B.S. degree from St. John's University in 1963 and his Ph.D. from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, in 1967. In 1974, he developed a widely used design for modern recording studios at Underground Sound, Largo, Maryland, utilizing a temporal reflection free zone and reflection phase grating diffusors. Dr. D'Antonio is founder and Chairman/CEO of RPG Diffusor Systems, Inc., established in 1983. Dr. D'Antonio pioneered the sound diffusion industry and has significantly expanded the acoustical palette by creating and implementing a wide range of novel number-theoretic, fractal and optimized diffusing and absorbing surfaces, for which he holds many trademarks and patents. He has lectured extensively, published numerous scientific articles in peer review technical journals and acoustical and architectural magazines and is the co-author of the reference book Acoustic Absorbers and Diffusers: Theory, Design and Application, Spon Press 2004 and 2nd Edition published by Taylor & Francis 2009. He has also contributed several chapters to the Master Handbook of Acoustics, 5th Edition published by McGraw Hill 2009. He served as Chairman of the AES Subcommittee on Acoustics Working Group SC-04-02, which published AES-4id-2001 for diffusion coefficient standardization; is a member of the ISO/TC 43/SC 2/WG25 Working Group, which published ISO standard 17497-1:2004 for scattering coefficient standardization and ISO 17497-2 for diffusion coefficient standardization; and has served as adjunct professor of acoustics at the Cleveland Institute of Music, since 1991. He is a Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America and the Audio Engineering Society, a Corporate Affiliate of the American Institute of Architects and 2012 Inductee to the TECnology Hall of Fame.
Revised 7-26-2014
Back to Faculty Listings.
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Upcoming Events
Chamber Music Concert
December 2, 2014, 7:30 pm
Plymouth Church of Shaker Heights
Juilliard String Quartet
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December 2, 2014, 8:00 pm
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December 3, 2014, 6:00 pm
Cleveland Museum of Art
Chamber Music Concert


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Paired Associative Stimulation in the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Patients With Schizophrenia: a Combined Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Electroencephalography Study Across the Life Span
This study is currently recruiting participants. (see Contacts and Locations)
Verified November 2014 by Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
Tarek Rajji, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
First received: January 17, 2012
Last updated: November 7, 2014
Last verified: November 2014
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
No Study Results Posted on ClinicalTrials.gov for this Study
|Study Status:
|This study is currently recruiting participants.
|Estimated Study Completion Date:
|June 2015
|Estimated Primary Completion Date:
|June 2015 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)