Is it still stmargarets birthday?

[girlyswot]

Charlie proclaimed himself completely stuffed after demolishing most of dogstar101's delicious dinner.

'Time to go, then.' Girlyswot raised a finger to attract the attention of Winewaiter!Albus. 'Have you got the portkeys ready?'

'They have all been slipped into pockets as you directed earlier.'

'Excellent. Can you activate mine and Charlie's first and then everyone else in ten minutes? We just need a few minutes to...' Albus's eyebrows rose suggestively '...get everything ready. Honestly, what is it with everyone assuming that all Charlie and I do is make out?'

'If the uncomfortable Regency corset fits...'

'It doesn't,' she told him firmly, rearranging her bosom just to make Gay!Albus feel uncomfortable in return.

He averted his gaze. 'Very well. We will join you in a few minutes.'

###

Girlyswot landed smoothly, safe in the circle of Charlie's strong, canon arms. She allowed herself a moment just to revel in his comforting presence.



'Here we are, then. Beaufort Castle, home of Clan Fraser. Did you get everything sorted out?'

'Think so. The pipe band are over there, and the Highland dancers are waiting inside to give us a display of sword dancing. There's a range of single malts for TDU to sample and plenty of black pudding ready to fry up for breakfast. I've checked all the charms - all the men will find themselves wearing clan tartan kilts, and the women will have plaids to put over their shoulder. Oh, and everyone will find that any injuries sustained so far will be healed, leaving only the scars.'

Girlyswot looked down. Charlie was indeed wearing a bright red and yellow checked kilt with matching socks that showed off his spectacular calves. She had a matching plaid over her Regency dress. She couldn't wait to start reeling.

Comments

[megan29.livejournal.com]

A/N: I posted on the previous site, at the same time that Ros was posting the new link. So... just so I won't miss the Plot Opportunity:

Megan was about to turn the corner into a long, dark corridor when the whispers brought her up short.

"Napier locked himself with Moonette in a cellar, and neither of them wanted to open the door. You know that Napier will take advantage of the occasion!" Hazel was saying frantically.

"And so will Moonette," Girlyswot hissed. Hissing was clearly her thing at this party, the Girlyswot response to eye-rolling.

"So you see we have to break them up. The only way to do it is to put myself in danger - and that's where you come in."

Interesting! Megan drifted away without making a sound. Where was Will? She ran into a long hallway, where Grandma Kate and Nic had set up cots and were arranging bandages.

"Have you seen Will?"

"We're looking for him, too!" Kate said.

On the front lawn, Rolf and Niall kept going at each other. Goodness, how long had they been at it? Megan approached Gabby, who was eating popcorn and waived her question away. "No idea about Will. But look at these guys!"

Finally, Megan came upon a wooden door at the base of the tower. She cracked it open and gasped. Will was slumped in an armchair and drinking.

"Will, what are you doing? You know that excess drinking is bad for you. You're not TDU, you know."

Will's head came up. "Oh, it's you. Go away. I should never have kissed you. I lost her."

Well, at least he wasn't denying his part in it. Megan found that promising.

"I know what happened with Byron - it was in the scroll. But Will, surely you realize she did that on purpose. Just to make you jealous."

"She did?" Will brightened up.

"Of course. It's not the men you see her with that you should worry about. It's the ones..." Megan cleared her throat and glanced at him beneath her lashes. He really was as hawt as Moonette claimed - what with that unshaven jaw that was now clenching.

"What are you saying? Is she with a man now? Who?"

"Does it matter?" Megan asked quietly.

Will was silent for a long moment, storms gathering in his eyes. Even though Megan wasn't particularly fond of moss-green, she had to admit they were rather fetching.

"No, it doesn't matter whom she's with. I;m through with her." He ran a hand through his already disheveled hair and gave her a forced, crooked grin. "Would you like to take a walk around the grounds? It's a beautiful park."

Now that the choice was put to her, Megan realized she hadn't actually considered what she'd do. If she said yes, she would only be a rebound girl. She sneaked another look at Will's classical brooding hero profile.

"Yes, Will, I'd be delighted!"

*****

To her surprise, as soon as they stepped outside, a strong wind buffeted them. When she turned to Will in wonder, Megan gasped. He was now dressed in a kilt.
Her heart beating wildly, Megan vowed that Moonette would have to fight her tooth and nail (or maybe blackened eyes and jaw?) to get him back.

[gabrielladusult.livejournal.com]

Obviously you wern't paying attention when I told Richard I didn't go in for the ridiculous man-dueling.

I'll eat the popcorn, though, thanks!

[moonette1.livejournal.com]

Hazel stood outside at the river's edge and shivered with the sudden gust of cold wind. She stuck her hands in her pockets for warmth and was surprised to feel something hard and smooth in her pocket. Before she knew it, she was swept away in a woosh of Portkey sensation. She found herself on a riverbank in what had to be Scotland, with an incredible stone castle ahead of her.

Then the riverbank gave way with a crumble and she found herself hurtling down the rocky riverbank, only vaguely registering several sharp pains from head and other body parts striking sharp rock, before she plunged into the frigid, fast moving current.

[megan29.livejournal.com]

Ah. Should I expect an equally nefarious accident? well, I'll stay close to Will so he can protect me. Really really close.

[moonette1.livejournal.com]

Before she could even smooth her skirt back down, Moonette was off and running down the hallway in her stilettos, chasing after Napier who'd gone after Hazel. Good Lord, Hazel was hurt? Wasn't an apicectomy enough? And it must be serious, from the expression on Napier's face. And now Moonette was feeling terribly guilty for kissing Hazel's creation. (Of course Megan had no such guilt about trying to steal Will.)

Moonette sprinted harder and actually caught up to Napier, even while in heels. She grinned smugly as they raced in unison.

"Napier - where are you going?" Moonette was breathing hard by now. He didn't answer. She grabbed his arm to get his attention at the same time he reached into his pocket and WHOOSH, the both of them were hurtling in Portkey fashion to Merlin knows where.

Then they rolled onto the ground with a loud grunt from Napier and a gasp from Moonette, who found herself sprawled indelicately with her skirt hiked high enough to show her black lace bikini underwear.

Napier's gaze traveled to her hip and stayed there until Moonette pulled her skirt down with a huff.

"Too late. You lost your chance, bad boy. Now where's Hazel?"

Napier's head turned from left to right. "I don't know. I've lost her." Then he grabbed his head again. "Wait. She's..." He turned to Moonette, his eyes wide. "She's in the river! Moonette, Hazel can't swim?"

[moonette1.livejournal.com]

Oh, for crying out loud. That's supposed to end with an EXCLAMATION MARK!

[stmargarets.livejournal.com]

St. Mags wondered where the cold draft was coming from. One minute she was in tdu's snug castle, dispatching Byron back in time to find his True Love, and now she was standing *outside* in the dark with the sound of rushing water nearby.

Luckily there was plenty of moonlight for her to see that the party bingo game was progressing. Moonette and Megan were teaming up and stabbing each other in the back simultaneously - all in the name of melodrama. Poor Hazel seemed to be the one out in the cold, after her dunking in the stream. Hopefully that scruffy man would warm her up soon.

Gabby and Richard were watching from the sidelines, of course - and Ros was pretending to care about shipping when she really just wanted to snog Charlie.

St. Mags shook her head at her scarlet women friends and headed toward the stables. She had to find Elizabeth who was dressed as a stable boy. It was a favorite trope of the Regency novel to have the heroine show her spirited nature by dressing as a boy. The fact that the hero was intrigued with a young boy was always a troubling subtext, but she wasn't too worried in this instance. She was going to send Elizabeth to help in the kitchen. There lemony goodness Elizabeth would find Little Debbie and Drake and a host of other overprocessed children who needed the firm hand of a loving governess.

St. Mags sighed happily. The tale of Duncan Hines was shaping up to be a true fluff fest. With five children, no less. Surely there was a way to work in puppies and rainbows . . . Poor moonette would never be the same . . .

[stmargarets.livejournal.com]

That would be the lemony goddess.

And it's the Tale of Duncan Hines and Elizabeth Crocker. The napkins have been monogramed and now there are children involved. So all of you homewreckers will just have to figure out how to untangle moonette, Megan, and Hazel from their mess.

[peverell.livejournal.com]

Spluttering, Hazel floundered and fought the swirling water but the swiftness and chill, plus the bangs to her head combined with the weight of her sodden velvet dress tugging her under the surface was rapidly stealing consciousness.

Bits of Ray Mears' advice floated dream-like through her head. Flashes of the past--that tsumami with Marcus--came and went. This would never have happened with Marcus. An eddy swirled her round and she cried out when her back connected hard with a rock. Unfortunately, that meant she got a lungful of peaty Scottish river. The river tumbled her on and the dreamlike chill only deepened...

[amamama.livejournal.com]

"Ouch! Damn!" A woman swore as something crashed to the floor inside the castle.

"Reparo," a man's voice sounded.

"So Bill, where is everyone?" It was Amamama who'd finally arrived at the scene, she and Bill were walking through the rooms in the castle where their delayed portkey had landed them. "Oh, look! There's Will!" Amamama pointed out one of the windows. "And he's walking arm in arm with MEGAN?! Bill, what's going on?"

"No idea, I've been just as busy as you have my dear." He waggled his eyebrows as he looked at her. "What say we go find someone to explain to us - or maybe we just sneak back out again and stop by tomorrow? I think I need some rest..." He leaned in and nuzzled her neck.

"Bill! You're insatiable!"

"Takes one to know one."

"OK, OK. I'm coming. I'm knackered anyway. I just feel so bad because I've missed out on everything. I just didn't have time to spend by the computer today, and it's Mary's birthday party and I love our parties and now I haven't been able to contribute a thing and I'm supposed to host the Akershus leg tomorrow night and I feel totally lost!"

"There, there, it's not that bad. You just need rest. I will all seem better tomorrow you know."

There was a four poster bed in a room at the end of the corridor, where the door was ajar. As everything was quiet that hopefully meant the room was unoccupied, and gently Bill steered his hulder in the direction of the big bed. She really needed sleep. In a while.

"All right. You know me so well, Bill." Amamama rested her head against him and just went along. Hopefully she would be able to play with her friends tomorrow morning, and then it wouldn't feel so weird to host the Akershus party in the evening.

[peverell.livejournal.com]

Moonette cast her eyes heavenwards as Napier pelted off downstream. Honestly, he wasn't so much losing his bad boy image as tearing it to shreds as he searched frantically for his author. Much more of this and he'd lose all his appeal in her eyes.

An approaching whooshing noise made her duck--just in time. A broomstick of unidentified manufacture zoomed past. "Damn!" Now she'd missed the chance to fly with him. Hadn't Hazel said he used to be the Gryffindor team Beater back in school? Trouble was, thoughts of Quidditch only took her back to Will...

Hazel was going to need a Healer when Napier found her. That would mean asking Will to--Moonette straightened her shoulders. Not until he came to his senses and admitted he'd got the wrong end of the stick over Byron! She had some training. Napier couldn't be completely useless. she'd tell him what to do. Satisfied with this compromise, Moonette jogged after the dark speck that was Napier airborne.

[peverell.livejournal.com]

And I'm pooped! Nighty-nighty peeps. Play nicely, she said with a mischievous grin. I can't wait to see what you come up with...

[gabrielladusult.livejournal.com]

Gabriella and Richard walked around the grounds together. Gabriella was wrapped in her velvet cloak and was considering changing into her favorite Irish Fisherman's sweater and jeans despite the party theme.

"I think Megan has it in for me," Gabriella said to Richard idly. "And I've even been shopping the organic food marts!"

Richard patted the hand she had tucked in the crook of his arm. "I really don't think she's paying enough attention to anybody but Will right now to have it in for anybody."

"That's not going to sort out well, you know. Moonette actually loves will, despite her rather twisted way of showing it."

"And he was written for her, so he won't be distracted for long."

"No."

"I wonder why none of the other ladies flirt with me?" He pondered wistfully.

"Because we're never away from each other for more than a split second," Gabriella answered. "And besides, you are almost too perfect, like Gary Stu Duncan over there."

"Too perfect!" Richard objected. "I'm full of flaws!"

Gabriella giggled. "Well, you hardly present the tortured anguish and multiple scars that the others seem to so delight in."

"Maybe we should remind them that I went on an alcoholic binge after Emmeline died and am still sometimes tortured by the nature of her death...? (http://stmargarets.livejournal.com/4870.html)"

Gabriella nodded. "Yes, that is definitely part of your real and well rounded character."

"Or how my father's death when I was so young has left me with anguish and misgivings about raising my own son? (http://stmargarets.livejournal.com/24648.html#cutid1)"

"Possibly," Gabriella drawled. "Richard...why don't you go try to steal Megan away from Will while I fetch George to set off fireworks and such?"

Richard looked interested but skeptical. "I think you're right...the ladies here don't really find me very...intriguing."

"But you are in a kilt now...you just need to be the way Mary created you...you can charm the socks off of any woman, I swear. Then you can free Will to make it up with Moonette, and Megan and I can sort you out at the end...Or I can run off with Rolf or George, or both!" Gabriella perked up cheerfully.

"If you're going to be in a threesome I think that I ought to be at least one of the participants."

Gabriella patted his cheek. "You just go flirt a bit and let me have my real life Navy Bean Soup (made by the Admiral!). I'll be back with George later and I expect some havoc to be wreaked!"

Richard looked determined, if a bit nervous, and Gabriella dashed off, black velvet cloak streaming behind her.

[peverell.livejournal.com]

Oh cack--the kilts! I'd forgotten about that--Napier's going to find it rather draughty on that broomstick! lol

"If you're going to be in a threesome I think that I ought to be at least one of the participants." LOL!

And now I really am going to bed.

[megan29.livejournal.com]

As Richard darted frantically about, wondering about how to fulfill his strange mission from Gabby, he was relieved to see Megan and Will emerging from the forest, looking anything but cozy. Maybe his charming ways won't be needed, after all.

"Bossy, HA!" Megan huffed. "Look who's talking. You always have to be in charge! Well, I'm not Moonette, and I don't behave all womanish and submissive just to please you. It's not like she's not plotting how to have her way behind your back, anyway! But if it's the stroking of your male ego you're after, laddie, you just hurry right back to her!"

Megan stomped angrily away, but turned back for a parting shot:

"Look for Napier: you'll find her at his side!"

It served her right to mess about with sigh-worthy heroes. That sigh-worthiness always went straight to their heads. Rolf, at least, had no big-headed ideas about his appearance, and knew how to take orders (here, she was conveniently overlooking Rolf's constant grumbling).

The sound of children's piercing voices brought her up short. A young girl in male garb was flapping her hands ineffectively, trying to calm them down.

"Now, children, children! Please be quiet. Let's all sing. 'Doe - a deer, a female deer/ Ray - a drop of golden sun/ Meee..."

Oh, hell, no! The girl was screeching like a banshee. No wonder the kids were trying to out-screech her!

"Enough!" Megan screeched herself. "Dolly Madison, Jimmy Dean!" she called on the children-with-a-middle-name,assuming they'd be in charge. "Take your brother and sisters to your parents."

"But..." the young girl protested.

"As for you, Miss..."

"Elizabeth."

"Right. Judging from your attire, I assume you're supposed to be in the stables. Why don't you go muck some horse manure? I'm sure you're very competent at that."

Elizabeth looked outraged (since even a horribly improvised regency Heroine like her had to have some spirit), but she was too much of an Unfinished Character Sketch to be able to stand up to Megan. She turned her nose in the air, but hurried meekly to the stables.

"There, that's that! I really should check on StMags and Duncan. I haven't heard from them in a while."

To her delight, as soon as Megan entered the castle, a beautiful sight greeted her. StMags had Jemima settled on her right hip, and little Debbie was peeking from her behind. Dolly Madison was going straight to her left hip. Next to her, Duncan was holding Drake and Jimmy Dean by the shoulders. They seemed to be waiting their turn to go into StMags' arms.

"You were right, StMags," Megan said cheerfully. "There really did need to be more Hineses in the world. I'm glad to see you got what you wanted."

Happy with the day's work, Megan suddenly wondered what Rolf was up to. Had he been fisticuffing all this time? Come to think of it, a fisticuff in kilts would be an interesting sight!

She went looking for Rolf.

[moonette1.livejournal.com]

LOL! You and Will have had your first spat.

*blows Megan a kiss*

I hope to add some more tonight, but I can't guarantee. This has been FUN! Too bad I have to be a mom and a wife, or I would have spent all day playing.

[gabrielladusult.livejournal.com]

Richard laughed heartily and walked over to Will. He clapped him on the shoulder fraternally. "Tough luck, laddie. You really ought to keep to the lass you came with, even if she is a nutter."

"Watch yerself, Richard. You canna talk about my Moonette tha' way."

Richard shrugged. "Relax, you see? You obviously still care for her. What was all this business with Megan about anyway?"

Will shrugged. "I thought it might be nice to be appreciated and listened to for once."

Richard chuckled again. "How'd that work out for you?"

Will just scowled.

"Right. Look, everybody knows you and Moonette belong together. Gabriella was so disturbed by this thing with Megan that she sent me to woo her away from you."

Will finally looked amused. "You! Ha!"

Richard was affronted. "What's so amusing about that?"

"You're...a lawyer!" Will said, "That makes about as much sense as sending Percy Weasley."

"What are you talking about...you're a Healer...not exactly Mr. Adventure, now, are you?"

"I used to be Mr. WOW in my Quidditch days. And I worked in the field during the war."

"I was in the Order of the Phoenix before you even knew it existed," Richard countered. "and I sail in magical regattas during my holiday."

Will snorted. "Sailing isn't Quidditch."

Richard smiled smugly. "You couldn't do it."

Will bristled further. "None of which would make Megan want you over me, anyway."

Richard shrugged and raised his eyebrows. "I don't know. I tend not to take myself too seriously, and I seem to recall somewhere that she said she prefers a sense of humor...and I know how to take direction from a woman -- and even enjoy the process."

Will exploded. "Take direction! All I do is take direction! Will, take care of the recycling, carry this, don't worry about those Spartans, make a portkey, apparate me here, fetch that there. I've turned into nothing better than a buggerin' eye-candy errand boy!"

Richard nodded. "I see -- it's your masculinity that's feeling threatened. Well in that case, you shouldn't have sought solace in someone like Megan. You see how she talks to Rolf."

"Well who would suggest?" Will asked.

Richard tilted her head speculatively. "I really don't know -- I mean, most of the others are thorougly comitted, it's true...But maybe there could be some other way to build you up a bit. We St. Margarets created men have to stick together you know..."

Will nodded, though his furrowed brow courtesy of Moonette remained.

[moonette1.livejournal.com]

Even if she is a nutter. LOL!

[crumplehornedki.livejournal.com]

CHk was thoroughly fed up with waiting for someone to rescue her, and she had gone through three bottles of wine on her own so was not stable on her stiletto heels (thank goodness the wine was charmed not to stain or her white leather top or tight skirt).

She was obviously not a good enough friend or lover or she would have been rescued long before this! Surely Niall had stropped brawling with Rolf long enough to miss her 'charms'. Well forget her feud with megan she had a bone to pick with Mr-I-forgot-all-about-you-Aussie!

Just as CHK picked up another bottle of wine she felt the fimiliar tug behind her navel, "well its about t...: she bellowed as she whirled away from lonely Newfoundland.

[stmargarets.livejournal.com]

We did leave them out there fighting for along time, didn't we? LOL

[gabrielladusult.livejournal.com]

Gabriella darted back, now dressed in sweater and jeans as she had decided to opt for fashionable and comfortable if not period.

She came up to Richard and Will and smiled at her Richard. "So...how's it going? Did I miss anything?"

Richard shook his head. "No. She's not exactly the wooing sort, you know."

Gabby shrugged. "Yes, I thought of that after I left. Megan really needs to come to her own decisions about things." She glanced over at Will. "Judging by you scowl, I suppose she has."

Will grunted. "Aye."

Gabby smiled. "Wonderful! Now you can go get Moonette under control, like you're supposed to!"

Will turned and looked dejectedly off onto the rugged Scottish countryside.

Gabby turned and raised her questioning eyebrows at Richard.

"He's...er...not feeling all that..." Richard shrugged as he searched for an appropriately brief and respectful way to explain to Gabriella. Usually he wasn't at such a loss for words. "...powerful? Lately."

"Really?" Gabriella looked over at Will in surprise. "You know, I went and searched for pictures of Richard in a kilt..."

"I'm not Scottish," Richard reminded her.

She waved her hand at him. "That doesn't mean your female fans wouldn't want to see you in a kilt...anyway, don't interrupt. All I could find was pictures of Will over here. My favorite was a leather kilt -- and he wore a pink shirt with it. (http://www.mcheathers.com/gbDressedKilt.htm) Any man who can wear pink and a skirt and still look manly has all the 'power' he needs."

Will looked at Gabriella speculatively. "Do ya really think so?"

"Here now," Richard interjected before Gabriella could reply. "Just because I said you might consider a different sort of woman doesn't mean I was inviting you to flirt with mine!"

"Don't be silly, Richard," Gabriella said. "Will and I are not suited at all. The man who snogs Moonette and Megan does not want me. And I certainly don't want to mess around with him."

"What are you talking about -- you're the one who first swooned over Dear Frankie -- and you were just complimenting his manliness in the face of pink skirts."

"The 'skirt' was leather," Gabby corrected. "And you sing and dance on stage -- a dream come true for me when you ask what I'm looking for in a straight man...so you've nothing to worry about."

She turned back to Will. "You know that you're looking for Moonette and no other...but if you want her to think you're branching out...you could look after Elizabeth for a bit."

"Eh?"

"You know -- before she meets Duncan, she'll need a protector. You could treat her as your ward -- it would all be as innocent as Moonette's pretext with Byron, but when she sees you with the sweet lemony goddess, her overactive author's imagination will go wild ala Wilde (Oscar, that is). It will be great fun."

Will looked over Gabby's head at Richard. Richard smiled back. "I knew we men could be as scheming as the ladies if we tried..."

Meanwhile, Gabriella had come up with another thought..."I wonder how Youngish-Albus would like Rupert Everet...?"

[moonette1.livejournal.com]

*faints*

Oh my God. I was going to put a pic of Gerard in that pink shirt/leather kilt in one of my posts!!!! I swear I was!!! What legs! How did you know, my dear? And how can someone look so utterly masculine in a pink shirt and a skirt?

You're the best. Absolutely.

And now I still have to feed my girls dinner and get them to bed so that I can work on Hazel and the near drowning, and Byron!

Thanks, sweetie.

[megan29.livejournal.com]

As soon as Megan left StMags and Duncan to their multi-Hines bliss, she realized her mistake. StMags may ignore Elizabeth for now, in the throes of sweets indulgence, but she would remember her soon enough. After all, Elizabeth, too, was sweet. And toor eadily available in the stables. That wouldn't do.

Megan changed direction to the stables. She found Elizabeth broodingly grooming a mare.

"I;m sorry if I was a bit abrupt earlier," she startedsoothingly.

"IF?"

"Look, I don't think you were enjoying those brats at all. You're not Maria, you know."

"Don't you mean I'm not Mary?"

"No, I mean Maria. Never mind, the brats aren't the Von Trapps either. But let me ask you something: do you enjoy taking care of the horses?"

"Oh, yes, I love horses. I've been around them all my life."

Megan nodded in relief. She had suspected as much: It was a common Regency plot, and besides, StMags wasn't going to make her heroine take a job that was distasteful to her. Bless her fluffy Regency-canon writer's heart!

"How would you like to have horses of your own, Elizabeth?"

"Oh, I would love that above all. I am too poor to afford one, you see. But," she frowned, "StMags promised that I could have as many as I want once I marry Duncan."

"And is that what you really want, Betty?" Megan asked gently. "May I call you Betty?" (Elizabeth is just too long to type).

"Yes, of course. And to answer your question... isn't that what I'm supposed to want?"

"I'm not asking you what you're supposed to want, but what you truly want. Tell me something, if you had a choice, wouldn't you rather be a Frontier Woman, than a Regency Heroine?"

"A Frontier Woman? What does she do?"

"Well, she makes her own way into the world. She can go to a New World and start her own horse farm, and run it the way she sees fit."

Betty's eyes grew large. "But what about a man?"

"Frontier Woman gets her man, too. ONly it's usually a cowboy with a dark and interesting past. SOmeone who can win a gunfight, and a fistfight, and be home to kiss his woman before dinner."

"That... that sounds so interesting!" Betty's eyes grew large in wonder. It was clear that Cowboy Man held more appeal now than Duncan the oh-so-perfect businessman/Regency Hero.

"But where is this New World, and how would I get there?"

Megan gave that some thought. America was too close to Canada. She had no doubt that StMags could locate a Frontier Woman in a flash. SHe needed somewhere much farther, wilder, less traceable.

"The Australian Outback!" she exclaimed. "And I know just the man to help you get there. But you must convince him that it's what YOU want to do. He is someitmes a stickler for free choice (unless it's Harry's choice, but you're not Harry)."

[megan29.livejournal.com]

They found Youngish!ALbus on the couch, talking intently with TDU. She seemed unhappy about whatever he was saying. What was that all about? Megan wondered, smelling another Plot Bunny. But no matter, one thing at a time.

"Albus, an innocent victim needs your help. She would like to go to the Australian Outback - in the 1800's." 'Trust me, Betty,' Megan added as an aside.

"Is that true, young lady?" Albus peered intently into her eyes. "Yes, I can see that it is. Very well."

He raised his wand.

"On moment, Albus," Megan interrupted. "Could you make her Truly Impossible to Trace? Someone is after her, you see. Someone Relentless and VIcious when she puts her mind to it."

"Oh, and who might that be?" Albus watched Megan intently.

Legilimency! Better go with (her version of) the truth, Megan decided.

"Why, it is StMags, of course! She wants to take away this poor girl's right to choose her destiny. She does it with the best intentions, no doubt, under the mistaken belief that she always knows what's best for her characters. But in this case, the intended groom is not her character, and she is attempting a dangerous cross-over with her friends' fiction."

Albus considered this for a time, stroking his auburn beard. "Yes, it is time the Queen of Fluff learned a useful lesson. Very well, Untraceable Miss Betty shall be!"

With an intricate flourish of his wand, Albus made Betty vanish from this story forever.

"Thanks, you're a dear. Sorry to have interrupted your conversation. I can see it was something serious. But if either of you needs a friendly ear, I'm here!"

She hugged them warmly several times - surely one of them would take the bait and spill the beans! - then went in search of a warm bed.

Good night everyone, a demain!

[stmargarets.livejournal.com]

With an intricate flourish of his wand, Albus made Betty vanish from this story forever.


LOL - in the immortal words of Snape, magic isn't all wand waving. You'll see.

[gabrielladusult.livejournal.com]

A moment later, Gabriella, Richard and Will in tow came up to Young(ish) Albus and TDU.

"Hello," Gabby said in a happy sing-song (she really found she was enjoying herself). "Have any of you caught sight of Elizabeth yet? I know Mary's trying to keep her under wraps, but we rather thought she'd debuted early..."

TDU snorted and drained an already near empty glass of wine. "That'll be a neat trick...then again, I'm here so..."

"What?"

"She's in Austrailia!" TDU yelled. "Miss Megan had the poof over here send her to the 1820's outback to meet some frontier man and ride of into the sunset." She laughed. "And she's untraceable! Write us out of that, rookie!"

Gabriella gaped for a moment, then stamped her comfortably chic brown suede leather boot. "Are you kidding me!?"

Will, who was already taking his role as Elizabeth's protector quite seriously, asked, "Wait, what does this mean?"

Gabriella turned to him. "After messing you and Moonette up, Megan decided to get Elizabeth out of the picture too and sent her back in time to meet The Man From Snowy River (http://www.abc.net.au/victoria/stories/Tom_Burlin_m1064837.jpg) or something."

"Is that what Elizabeth wants?" Will asked with paternal concern.

Gabriella shrugged. "I'm sure she's amenable. I mean, what heroine doesn't go in for the adventure of it all. But St. Margarets was writing her for Duncan...I mean, she hasn't even met him yet, how can she choose without being presented with all her choices..." Gabby reeled on Albus. "Just for that, I'm not setting you up with Rupert Everett (http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b317/Wyrahelm/Autres/RupertEverett.jpg)!"

Turning to Richard she sighed. "I give up! Let the masters sort this out! Let's go find a room."

Just as she was about to drag a very agreeable Richard upstairs she heard two very plaintive voices cry, "Wait!"

"What?" She turned impatiently.

Both Will and Albus looked at her like wheedling little boys.

"Come on, lass, you can't give up now," Will said. "If Elizabeth won't be truly happy there we...we must rescue her."

"Rescues are good," Gabby agreed. "They've worked well at other parties...but...she's untraceable..."

"Ah, well," Albus said, "I'm sure I can find ways around my own considerable magic...if you would tell me more about this Rupert fellow...?"

Gabby sighed and looked at Richard. He grinned back.

"You said you wanted to be a part of the action..."

Gabby looked at TDU. "Should we get the others or should we just make a break for it?"

"Why not get CHK and Niall?" TDU suggested. "Niall's from OZ and CHK needs to get the lay of the land there soon enough."

Gabby nodded, then frowned. "Where is CHK, anyway?"

The five of them looked at each other and shrugged.

"Maybe we'll need more than one rescue," Gabby whispered. "Let's get Niall first and then see what's up."

***
Just past midnight here...I'm afraid someone else has to ferret this stuff out, or leave the five of us in limbo for the next nine or more hours.

Good Night.

[moonette1.livejournal.com]

It's 9:30 here, and I still have to color my hair, but I need to borrow Will before he leaves to Australia, if I can stay awake long enough to write my next section.

[kinderjedi.livejournal.com]

Good grief, this weekend has gotten away from me. *catches up*

"You're...a lawyer!" Will said, "That makes about as much sense as sending Percy Weasley."

Hmph. Kinderjedi narrowed her eyes when she recalled the conversation she’d overheard between Will and Richard, but had to concede the point. Percy would be no match for Megan. But he might be able to help locate Betty. Was that such a good idea, though? And had Napier rescued Hazel? She’d let Percy whisk her into a shadowy corner of the drawing room as soon as they’d arrived here at Beaufort Castle, so she wasn’t entirely sure where things stood.

“What are you thinking about?” Percy asked, playing idly with a curl that had worked its way loose from her elaborate hairstyle. He looked thoroughly disheveled, in his shirtsleeves with his cravat undone and glasses askew.

“Mmm, I’m trying to decide whether to rejoin the party now or wait until morning. So much has happened, I’m not sure where to jump in.”

“I believe it was mentioned there was a decided lack of snogging at this party so far. Let’s just stay here in the drawing room for now and try to rectify that, shall we?”

KJ considered their other options, but she was entirely too comfortable to join in the flangst just now. She looped her arms around Percy and planted a kiss on his lips for her answer.

[stmargarets.livejournal.com]

LOL - the Weasleys are nothing but practical. Of course Percy would opt in with you. :)

[crumplehornedki.livejournal.com]

CHK whirled around drunkenly trying to get her bearings - nothing looked familiar at all, but there was a castle shaped shadow over there and that was where she was going (just not in a straight line).

She made her way slowly to a door that was left ajar and spilling light into the darkness, she slipped inside and stopped her fury swelled up to banshee level as she shrieked, "where were you!" at a completely baffled Niall, "I was stranded for hours!, that's it, we're done." And CHK stumbled away towards the sound of Tdu's voice and the clink of glasses.

[moonette1.livejournal.com]

“There she is!” Napier called, and scrambled down the embankment to a little cove protected by an outcropping of large rocks where Hazel had washed up. Moonette scrambled down after him, ignoring the scratches and bruises on her bare legs as branches and rocks banged and sliced away at her. And her stilettos kept digging into the dirt and bringing her to a stop. For the first time in as long as she could remember, she cursed her dress and her shoes. Finally, she reached Napier who was already carrying Hazel out of the water.

He laid her gently onto dry ground and started slapping her cheek. “Hazel, come on. Hazel! Wake up!” But she appeared pale and motionless, her lips almost blue. And she had a nasty bump and bruise on her forehead and a gash on the side of her head.

Moonette pushed Napier out of the way. “Move over. I need to examine her.”

“What are you doing? Don’t hurt her!”

“I’m a physician, damn it!” Moonette bent her head over Hazel’s chest. She wasn’t breathing. Crap. Then she felt for a carotid pulse. Couldn’t find one. Dear Lord, this was bad.

She raised her head. “I need you, Napier. Now!”

He just stared at her.

“What’s the matter? Don’t think doctors snog in the broom closet or wear stilettos? I’ve got news for you. Now get over here and help! I need you to perform mouth to mouth.” Moonette cleared Hazels airway with a swipe of her fingers and bent her head back. “Here. Pinch her nose like this and breath in over her mouth. Make sure you make a good seal.”

Napier hesitated.

“Do it, man! Do you want her to die?”

Napier complied, and Moonette saw Hazels chest rise with the breaths and started her compressions. After a half a minute or so of working on her, Hazel suddenly gasped and began to cough up water. Moonette and Napier both let out a deep breath of their own. Moonette checked her pulse again. It was strong and regular. “Now we need to get something warm to put on her. She’s hypothermic.”

“She’s what?”

“Cold. She’s too cold.” Then a shadow blocked out the sun and someone placed a cream colored cable knit sweater over Hazel, who had begun to shiver violently. Moonette looked up to see Will. He knelt beside Hazel and whipped out his wand, then muttered a warming spell. A soft glow hovered over the sweater for a moment, then steam began to rise off Hazel and her shivering gradually calmed. But her color stayed pale, and her eyes started to roll back.

“Napier, prop up her feet – she’s going into shock!” Moonette tried to wake Hazel up, but her eyes remained closed.

Then Napier moved in and took Hazel’s hand. “Hazel, open your eyes. Please. It’s me, Mike.”

Hazel’s eyelids fluttered, then opened and she stared straight at Napier, a fearful expression on her face. “Who…who are you?” She looked at Moonette and Will in turn, that blank expression turning to fear. She tried to sit up and wriggle away from Napier.

Moonette moved in. “Easy, there. You’ve got to lie back. Please, be still.”

“No! I don’t know what’s happening.”

“You took a nasty spill. You’re going to be all right, though. We’re here.” Hazel started to lie back down. “There. That’s better. Now tell me something. What is your name?”

Hazel’s eyes widened, but she didn’t answer.

Will chimed in. “Your name, lass. What’s your name?”

She shook her head, that look of fear returning. “I…I don’t remember.”

Moonette and Napier exchanged concerned glances, then Moonette spoke. “We’d better get her inside.”

[megan29.livejournal.com]

Wow, that was like reading an episode of ER! Good job, Dr.! (erm, do doctors really sneak off to broom closets to snog? just asking)

[moonette1.livejournal.com]

Will bent down to pick Hazel up, but Napier edged his way in front of Will. "I'll carry her."

Just before he could do so, Hazel paled again and passed out.

"She's going into shock again," Moonette said. "Damn it, I don't have anything to help her - no I.V., no oxygen-"

Will interrupted her, placing a hand on her arm and catching her gaze. "You have me." And he turned to Hazel and began more ministrations while holding his wand above her. She seemed to stabilize again, opening her eyes and color returning to her cheeks, and Will nodded to Napier to carry her into the castle.

[peverell.livejournal.com]

*heads desk* Oh cack! I knew I should have refreshed the page before posting... lol

[peverell.livejournal.com]

Napier went to pick Temporarily Amnesiac!Hazel (hereinafter referred to as TA!Hazel for typing convenience) but she shrank away from him. "Stay away from me!" she whimpered.

Will conjured a stretcher and deftly transferred TA!Hazel onto it. "Aye, well, her head may be cracked but her wits are sound," he said. Was that a smidge of triumphalism Moonette detetcted in his manly Scots burr?

"Meaning?!" Napier sprang to his feet. "What the f-? A skirt?"

"No, laddie. Skirts are for girls. That is a kilt." On that verbal smackdown, Will directed the stretcher and his patient towards the castle and strode manfully beside it, the pleats of his kilt swinging such was his vigour.

Moonette looked wistfully after him. How did he always turn up at just the right moment? And more importantly, how did he look so good in a kilt? Really, he was edible. Without a second thought for Napier, she set off after Will.

Fairly used to being abandoned, Napier shrugged, dried himself off and lit up. What was he supposed to do now? Wasn't he up sh*t creek if Hazel had no idea who she was, never mind who he was? Gods, it was bloody awful being Principle Character; always in the thick of it, no snogging, well not enough, always at the whim of your author... Napier drew hard on his cigarette and smiled. Oh yes... If anyone could jog Hazel's memory, he could. And take over the Principle Character, leaving him right where he preferred to be--in the shadows, stirring it up.

The Castle was in some disarray, Will discovered, arriving with his patient. TDU and CHK were asleep,and several empty glasses artfully abandoned nearby suggested a thorough whisky tasting session had occurred. Youngish!Albus was poring over spell diagrams and consulting an aged and curling parchment map nearby while Niall, always so attentive to CHK, was not in sight.

Will set the stretcher down to make use of the firelight and heat coming from the Floo-sized fireplace. "Now, lassie," he began gently. "I'm Healer Wood--Will. D'ye mind if I look ye over?"

Moonette tottered in at that point and almost swooned--why did that thick brogue make her knees so weak? Damn the man. Clearly Hazel had consented since the Healer's Standard Privacy charm whisked round like a curtain. Concerned for her friend (or co-conspirator?lol), Moonette moved closer but could hear nothing. Will was good--not a syllable of the consultation leaked out. Well, she was a Healer too and she'd been first on the scene. Boldly, she walked right at the Privacy charm... and passed inside.

Will didn't turn. "An' what's the last thing ye recall?" he asked gently. One of Hazel's hands lay between his own. As Moonette watched, he smoothed back a wayward strand of her hair and a rampant boiling surged up in her chest.

"Marcus," Hazel replied faintly. "He was skipping stones, and there was something about a dragon?" Furrows appeared in her forehead Moonette noted, unlike her own youthful face. (A/N: am I overdoing Shallow!Moonette? I think I am. ;) Normal service will be resumed ASAP)

"You finished his story," Moonette chimed in; Will's shoulders and back stiffened. "He's married, you said. That's why Napier's here. He's your Principle now."

"She disnae recall," Will growled over his shoulder. "Let her charge her memory!"

"Napier?" Hazel shrank into the stretcher.

"The man at the river. He rescued you--saved your life--"

"That's enough!" Will growled. Moonette shivered. How she loved it when he took control! She ought to let him do it more often.

When he stood up, his back clicking and popping, Hazel was asleep and Moonette shivered again when Will turned his boring, mossy stare on her. "I'll have a word wi' ye, madam. There'a few things we need to straighten out. Like who wears the kilt."

In one stride he towered over her, so close she could feel his angry breath on her face. Without another word, he bent, the world went funny and Moonette found herself hoisted over his shoulder! About to protest--noisily--sudden stinging--was that a smack??

"Aye, A great deal to straighten oot." Will's heavy footfalls rang back as he made off through the shadowy flickering castle, Moonette half-swooning over his shoulder.

[crumplehornedki.livejournal.com]

lol - he smacked Moonette's bottom! roflmao

[peverell.livejournal.com]

Youngish!Albus was explaining something to Mr Darcy when Will strode into the Great Hall. The conversation seemed several counties away from whatever the man was used to, if his rabbit-in-the-headlights expression was anything to go by.

Ah well, the Muggle could always be Obliviated (why do I hear Daleks screeching Exterminate! when I type that? lol) He stretched his back and shoulders out until they cracked. His 'straightening out' session with Moonette had gone very well-- he'd left her drowsy, rumpled and begging for more but she'd have to wait his pleasure. He needed to gather allies to rescue Elizabeth, his ward, the one he didn't know he had. Now, CHK, TDU and Niall were esseatial since they were going to the Colonies. Richard had expressed an interest but the biggest difficulty was how to travel back in time. There were no TimeTurners. Not since Potter and his lot went ape in the Department of Mysteries.

A strange man sidled up to him. "Hey! You the laird, or whatever the guy in charge round here is called?" He held out a hand. "Mulder. FBI. This place is crazy and I seem to have lost my partner. Scully, I mean, Anya, No, Dogstar."

[tdu000.livejournal.com]

Don't do it! Don't take us back to 19th century Australia. It was far too hard. The US was a picnic compared to Australia. I refuse to go. I want my single malt and the comparative luxory of a Scottish castle.

[peverell.livejournal.com]

Give me an alternative. lol

[peverell.livejournal.com]

CHK and TDU were forcing down Will's hastily made guaranteed-to-sober-you-up-in-one glassful potion --it tasted as vile as it looked and alternately shooting glares at him and their respective party partners.

Younish!Albus was discussing something with a fascinated Mulder and touching his hand at every opportunity to direct his attention. Niall simply looked bored. He'd spent half the party fighting Rolf and was mentally echoing Napier's complaint about the lack of 'action' (read snogging et al). What was the point of trading punches and getting cut and bruised if your woman didn't kiss it better afterwards?

The Plan to rescue Elizabeth was off to a slow start. And then Duncan found them. "I'm coming too," he announced firmly.

[crumplehornedki.livejournal.com]

"No!" CHK stamped her foot, "I'm not going anywhere within three feet of that, that Australian man who abandons their girlfriends to wrestle half naked with strange men!" she stamped her foot again (while secretly eying the powerful legs on display under Niall's kilt.

"And I'm certainly not going back to 19th century Australia, its bad enough coping with water shortages when you have all your modern appliances, I'm not going anywhere where you have to haul water by bucket!"

Niall was looking very confused as to why CHK was in such a bad mood, and why she wasn't up to an adventure when she would normally jump at the chance.

"And I have a headache - I'm going to bed!" CHK stormed off to find herself a comfortable four poster on a quieter floor of the castle.

[peverell.livejournal.com]

A wheezing, groaning noise filled the air. OUt of the shadows, a mysterious box appeared, topped with a flashing light.

"Well I'll be..." Mulder said.

Youngish!Albus's eyes twinkled madly. "Me too!"

The door opened and a bespectacled young face popped out jack-in-the-box fashion. He grinned. "Oh hello! You lot again. S'up?" He dashed across, picked up Youngish!Albus's map and threw on trendy glasses to peer at it. "Oh," he groaned. "No, no, no. You don't want to go there. Horrible. Just wind. And sheep. And everything is poisonous. The odd cowboy--and I domean odd!" He elbowed Younish!Albus conspiratorially before regarding Will over the tops of his glasses. "And did I mention the sheep?"

"We have no choice. I have to rescue my ward, Elizabeth."

"Ahhhhh!" The Doctor sighed. "A rescue! Hmm, tricky things, those. Suppose the lady doesn't want to be rescued? Let's check the TARDIS scanner, shall we? After you." He gestured in a sweeping bow to the tall blue box.

The door was ajar, Will noted. "Ye have a Time Turner?"

The Doctor grinned boyishly. "You could call it that. Science and magic, magic and science. That's the trouble you see. Advanced science does tend to look like magic to more primitive societies. Hazel," he called to the ceiling, hands deep in his pockets, "Knock it off. Time Lord, remember, not Stargate-hopping archaeologist."

A distant giggle and faint 'Sorry' made the Doctor positively beam. "It'll only take a second."

Mulder was the first one inside.

[tdu000.livejournal.com]

Which Doctor do we have? I liked Christopher Eccleston but Tom Baker was the Doctor. The current on's OK!