Sneak Peeks

[dreamshadow]

retraining my brain to write out of order, and this is probably one of my favorite memma exchanges in a future chapter of speak now, so please enjoy my idiots being dumbasses: 

Quote

“Would you fucking get off that, Rhodes? We are friends.” 

“Emma,” I say without thinking. At least fighting with Murphy is something that’s as familiar as covering Taylor Swift songs – it grounds me, giving me something else to focus on without seeing that damn Instagram post in the back of my mind. “My name’s Emma.” 

This time, Murphy rolls his eyes. “And mine’s John, did you have a point?”

 

[quill2parchment]

Sneak Peek of ITD, Chapter 15 

Quote

Nighttime perched its claws on top of the starless sky and flapped its wide-span wings, sending a violent gust of cool wind through the dark alleyway below. 

 

Xander, however, had hardly noticed the drop in temperature. His attention was currently occupied with the strange collage of colorful images that had been spray painted onto the surface of the otherwise gray-stoned wall standing in front of him. One image in particular, he was studying with specially close attention: in the very center of the wall, someone had drawn out a scaly fish, his left eye comically large on his otherwise narrow body, the words ‘The Tipsy Tarpon’ scribbled just above it. 

 

“Xander!” 

 

The familiar voice coming from behind him drew his attention away from the graffiti. Albus Potter landed a heavy hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze before drawing out his wand and tapping the eye of the fish with it. “I wasn’t sure you’d come after all,” he admitted to Xander. “ I know how you feel about going out on school nights.” 

 

[Goatspeed]

Here's a sneak peek at Don't Quit Your Day Job:

Quote

“You’ve been talking about me?”

“Not really,” he said even more quietly, still concentrating intently on the toes of his boots.

Verity leaned over and twisted her neck so she could look up at his face as he kept staring at his feet.  “Wally?  I’m over here, mate.”  She chuckled quietly as she decided she’d have to turn on the charm if she was going to get Wally talking more than two or three syllables at a time.

 

[prideofprewett]

Let's play a game called "Courtney's...dramatic, drunk, or both?" With me, all combinations are possible. 

Quote

Francis delivered the news to Mama, including the knowledge that Gerry had left naval service. And she took it about as well as she might if one of her favourite teacups shattered into a thousand pieces and she was then forced to walk over the sharp edges until they turned to dust.

[Goatspeed]

Here's a sneak peek from Chapter 6 of Don't Quit Your Day Job:

Quote

“I did, Mr. Weasley,” she replied.  “I just took Wally to Ollivander’s, and we got finished much faster than I thought we would.  Wally, you remember my boss, yeah?”

“Course I do.  Hullo. Mr. Weasley,” Wally stuck out his hand.  George laughed but shook hands.

“Wally, how’s the accio coming along?  Oh, and it’s just George – Verity has been riding me with that Mister thing since before the war.”

Wally smiled but didn’t comment.

“I thought we’d stop by and say hello, since you were all grumpy before,” Verity giggled.

“Grumpy, is it?  You had a fucking riot under my window at midnight!”

“It wasn’t midnight.  It was barely eleven.”

“Eleven past two, maybe.  Wally, you watch this one – she’ll lead you astray if you aren’t careful,” George looked down his nose at Verity.

“I never!” she protested.  Wally rubbed the back of his neck as a low rumble seemed to emanate from his chest.

Verity grinned, “Don’t worry, Wally, I don’t think he’s really angry with me.”

George snorted, refusing to break character.

“Yeah, all right,” she said.  “I thought you might want to meet Wally properly, though.”

“You thought right.  Good to meet you, Wally.  Careful of the company you keep, mate.”

Verity blew a raspberry, which finally caused George to laugh.  Wally looked back and forth between the two before releasing his own low chuckle.

 

[Felpata_Lupin]

Looks like my muse is in a good mood today, and I've started working on chapter 27 already...  Harry, instead, is not in a good mood at all...

Spoiler

“He sent my dad to Azkaban, remember?” Harry had managed to almost forget that for a while, but now that the notion had filled his brain again, a strong wave of rage and hatred coursed through him and he lost control of his magic for a moment, making the hem of his bed’s tendrils catch fire.

Ron gasped and jumped back, and in the commotion Dean and Seamus suddenly woke up, too.

“What’s going on?” Seamus asked sleepily.

“I don’t- FIRE!” Dean screamed, pointing at the flames, terrified.

Harry just stayed there, frozen in shock. Ron was the first to regain his wits and aimed an Aguamenti at the tendril, managing to put the fire off. He stared at Harry in disbelief, and Harry thought for a moment to thrust the Cloak around himself, just to escape the embarrassing situation, but he had a feeling it would only make things more awkward.

“I suppose you don’t have to tell your father, if you don’t want to…” Ron said, a bit shaken. And then he disappeared into the bathroom.

Harry blushed as he felt Dean and Seamus’ shocked stares on him.

 

[RogueSlytherin]

 Listen. When you're cold and hungry and tired you kiss a little. It's a small comfort okay? Chapter 11 is coming together nicely  || Everything Might Have Been

Quote

I melt into his kiss the moment our lips meet, the soft flutter in my chest awakening a want I didn’t know was there, the low ember in the back of mind suddenly alight in a flurry of sparks. I panic for a moment, certain this is all a mistake, that my efforts should be on escaping or surviving rather than the electricity of his touch - but when his nose brushes against mine again, the kiss growing deeper despite our dire straits I realize what a selfish moment it is and fall back into the calm of his kiss, waiting to wake up from what must be reckless dreaming.

 

[Goatspeed]

Chapter 8 of Don't Quit Your Day Job is on the way (Chapter 7 got pulled to fix an error that somehow got missed until yesterday).  Here's a little preview:

Quote

She came through the doorway trying to slow down but the bell’s insistent jangling gave her away.

“Good morning, Verity,” George chuckled.

“Good morning, Mr. Weasley,” Verity panted, bending forward with her hands on her knees.

“You’re looking a bit disreputable this morning.  I might think you’ve been having too much fun, if I didn’t know better.”  George’s eyebrows were busy doing their I see something wicked dance.

“What?” she gasped, still short of air.  Then she realized her hair looked like she’d been on the back of a motorcycle and she was still wearing her clothes from the gig the night before, having slept in them, too.  “Oh!” she chuckled ruefully.  “I guess I do, don’t I?”

“Do I need to have a serious conversation with Wally?” he asked.

Verity laughed.  “Wally is always a perfect gentleman.  Besides, Mr. Weasley, if you were to try that kind of talk with Wally you know it might turn out messy,” she grinned.

“That’s true, and it’s a relief,” he grinned.  “What happened, then?”

Verity gave George a short description of the gig the night before, including the prank with the limo as they left.  George laughed until his nose ran.

 

[Felpata_Lupin]

Am I a bad person for being back here again?  Chapter 27 is shaping up, and I can't help but sharing a little bit here...  

Spoiler

“Actually, Sir, there’s something I would like to talk to you about…”

“What is it, Auror Potter?”

“Well… I know this isn’t the best time for it, but… I’ve been pretty under stress recently, and my therapist thinks…”

“What?”

“That I might benefit from some time off, Sir.”

“Okay.”

“Really?”

“You have something like five months of unused vacation time, Potter. It was about time you asked. I’ll ask Dawlish to take your place. Black, make sure to update him on the case.”

“Dawlish?” Sirius asked horrified.

“Yes, Dawlish. Would three weeks be enough, Potter?”

“Three weeks? I was thinking more like, a couple of d-”

“Three weeks, that’s it. Enjoy your holiday. And now, off you go, both of you.”

 

[Goatspeed]

Soonish - once it's validated - chapter 9 of Day Job will be posting.  Here's a peek:

Quote

“That sounds like them now!” Verity said as she jumped up from the table and skipped toward the door, cleverly staying beyond Molly’s reach.  Oddly, the sound of the engine was still increasing as the inhabitants of the Burrow stepped out the back door and looked toward the road.  The pitch of the engine reached a scream when first the front wheel, then the rest of the bike with Wally and Arthur hanging on for dear life came flying over the fence, roughly six feet in the air, with Arthur providing his best banshee impression. . . . Molly’s reaction was indescribable in polite society. . . .

“ARTHUR WEASLEY!”

 

[Goatspeed]

Chapter 10 of Day Job should be ready to post soon.  Here's a peek:

Quote

“Had some progress today, Wally?” Arthur asked as he applied a flame from his wand to his pipe.

“A bit, yeah,” Wally replied without looking up from the engine assembly.  “I didn’t find all the parts for the engine, though.  Might need to find the missing stuff.”

“What’s missing?”

“The plugs an’ wirin’ an’ all; some o’the fuel line, too.”

Arthur nodded.  “Yes, I should have mentioned that.  I helped Sirius charm the engine so this bike runs on magic, not petrol.  It made some of the later modifications possible.”

Wally managed not to look completely flummoxed.  It helped that he knew the bike had been heavily charmed.  “So when we get her all together again, we can start the engine with a spell?”

“More or less.  If I remember correctly, Sirius tapped the bike with his wand to start it, but there’s probably a silent incantation.

 

[prideofprewett]

Because I have been living with this chapter for so long without sharing a single thing about it...please enjoy these two awkward ppls attempts at flirting:

Spoiler

Arthur’s tone was halting whenever he asked, “You would like that? If I told you what colour you ought to consider?”

She lifted a shoulder and remarked, “It’s just something I noticed other men say to other women before.”

“It’s likely all they can say when discussing ladies fashions,” he quipped. 

She considered his words for a moment and then let out a mildly amused sound at this. “I suppose that’s fair.”

“Well if you must know…I cannot imagine there is a colour that does not suit you, Miss Wynstone.”

“Red.”

“As I said…I cannot imagine it.”

[RonsGirlFriday]

Working on a little Burrough House Romione flashback:

Quote

“I can’t dance,” she repeated, wondering why she felt so embarrassed to say so.

His smile was back. “There isn’t a person alive who can’t dance a country dance. See Zacharias Smith there, the fair-haired one — he’s a nitwit, and even he seems to be managing.”

It was an obvious joke, and he was looking to her for her reaction, and she cleared her throat to keep from laughing.

“Well, I don’t know how,” she returned, “and if I try to do it now I’ll just look silly. What, what’s so funny?"

“Nothing.”

“I can tell you want to say something, so say it.”

He looked at her dubiously before apparently deciding to take her at her word.

“Well, it’s just…hardly any sillier than sitting apart from everyone at a party, is it?”

 

 

[prideofprewett]

Back to writing these two idiots (from Ch 25 of HH):

Quote

There was a bit of reserved joy ringing through his words whenever he asked, “How would you feel about planning a wedding?”

Cedrella snorted, “Ridiculous. Given that I’ve just escaped one.”

Face scrunching in momentary bemusement, he bowed his head to hide his laughter. She felt his thumb brush across the back of her hand in long, thoughtful strokes. She wondered what he meant to achieve by doing so, but she wasn't about to ask, at the risk that he might stop.

After a moment, he said very quietly, “You can still escape this one, you know?"

Testing the weight of his words, his eyes lifted an inch to discover the incredulous look she gave him.

Septimus' lips twisted as he teased, "I’ll even step away from the door.”

[blackballet]

also back to writing? 

"the red anger of unfairness that she feels about everyone deciding it's proper to discuss her womb."

 

[Oregonian]

A sneak peek from Chapter 24 of The Crofter and The Snake.

Howard hoped Tracey would be there because he had brought something to show her.  On an impulse he had taken his two framed photographs off his desk and put them in his bag.  But if she didn't come early this day, that was all right.  He took out his Herbology textbook and began to review the day's lesson.

A few minutes later he heard the door open, and, looking up, he saw Tracey coming in.  He felt himself smile a little  She had come this day, not at his specific request, but just because she wanted to.  He pushed his open textbook away from him.

"I didn't know if you'd come or not.  I brought something special."

"What is it?" she said, pulling out a chair and settling into it.

"Photos," he answered, reaching down into his bag and lifting out the framed photographs.  "This one is my father at our croft on Skye, holding a lamb, and this one is our older sheepdog."  He set them on the table.

Tracey picked them up, one at a time, and gazed at them.  There was a solemnity about the pictures -- like Muggle photos, black and white, no one smiling and waving.  Nothing about them was fleeting; one could stare at them for long minutes, as if it took that long to fully absorb their essence.

Finally she set them down again.

"Is that what Skye looks like?"

"Treeless and overcast? Pretty much, yes."

"Do you have pictures of the rest of your family too?"

"My mother and my brother and sister and our young dog?  Yes, but I didn't bring them with me."

"Why not?"

"I didn't know what Hogwarts would be like, whether they might get lost or destroyed.  So I just brought these two.  I had to bring something."

Tracey picked up the sheepdog photo again.

"What's your dog's name?"

"Mackie."

Edited August 16 by Oregonian

[Goatspeed]

A sneak peek from Day Job Chapter 11 (Coming soonish)

Angie looked at her inquiringly.  “Are you still moping?”

Verity shrugged.

“What happened now?”

“Nothing, really.  We went to the pub for open mic last night, as usual.  This arsehat from our gig at Club 500 showed up with a gang of thugs.  They escalated the usual rowdiness into rushing the stage.  It was a bit of a mess.”

“Are you and the boys all right?”

“Oh, of course.  Wally stopped them.”

“By himself?”

Verity shrugged.  “Mostly.  They all jumped him about ten feet from the drum kit but he just tossed them all out of the place.  They broke his lovely nose, though,” she sighed.

“Didn’t you fix it?”

“I couldn’t.  I’m pants at episkey.”

“Bloody hell, Verity.  Why didn’t you ask me for help?”

“It was almost three in the morning!”

Angie chuckled.  “Yes, I suppose that might have set off grumpy George.”

[Goatspeed]

Chapter 12 of Day Job should be along soonish.  Here's a peek:

Wally sat for a moment, and then a few more, pondering his next move (better late than never).  He looked around carefully, examining the gate, the wall, the road, and the ground as best he could in the shadows of approaching nightfall.  He snorted, whether because he was amused or frustrated he couldn’t be sure, and turned the bike back to the road.  He rumbled slowly back in the direction he'd come, turning about a quarter mile from the gate.  He took a last look to make sure of his decision, then revved the engine to the redline and released the clutch.  As the bike reached full speed Wally steered slightly off the road, taking advantage of the almost providentially handy slope of the sunken lane to jump the wall.