Unwelcome News {Open to all!}

[Chase Connors]

((Same rules as what's stated in the plotter, no one tells him the news, he reads it in the paper while those around him try and keep the paper away from him, but he's a bit weirded out by all the looks people are giving and the whispers and stuff. After he's found out, do what you will! I do warn you, ANYONE who tries to tell him before he sees the paper will have their post deleted - I can, and I will. SO! On with the plot!))

Monday 23rd February, 1976!

Chase headed along to the great hall for breakfast, intent on finding his room mates. He'd been the last one up and because of that, was running a little late. Not that it really mattered, It was only a Monday. No one wanted to get up and go to class on a Monday.

Wandering into the hall, Chase spotted the familiar heads of his room mates sitting at the table and headed over, flopping down in the seat next to them and diving in for some toast, stuffing it in his mouth. Chase muttered a 'morning' around the mouth full of butteryness, and glanced up to see if he could spot Emily at the Gryffindor table. She was right the way down the far end and looking in the other direction. Damn...

It was pretty obvious just how late in Chase was, when no more than a minute after he sat down the morning post arrived, and at least 200 owls soared in room, dropping letters and packages all over the place. Chase didn't even bother to give more than a cursory glance up. He'd had a letter from his parents just a few days ago, and he wasn't expecting another seeing as he hadn't even replied to the last one. And while most people receive a copy of the prophet every morning, Chase had never really cared enough about the news to bother even reading the headlines, so there was no point in buying a subscription.

He glanced up to his room mates. "Anything good in the headlines?" He grabbed another slice of toast and stuffed it in his mouth.

[dorcas]

Dorcas sat down at the Ravenclaw table and started filling her plate with breakfasty goodness. Eggs, toast, bacon, more eggs, sausages a pancake and what the heck, some scrambled egg to go with the poached egg and fried egg! Dorcas was a fan of eggs. She'd probably pay for the egg binge later in life but right now they were so good!

The morning owls came in while Dorcas was half way through her breakfast, she'd just been chatting to the people around her when her Daily Prophet landed in front of her. Shock and horror struck the brunette. She dropped her fork and picked up the paper in a flash. "Oh my god." She whispered. Her friends stopped what they were doing to lean over and look at the headline. There it was, bold as could be. For a moment they were all silent before soft talking broke out amongst them again.

Dorcas like a few others she had noticed, turned around to face the Hufflepuff table to see where Chase was. Surely he wouldn't be here would he? He'd be home with his mum and sister, right? No, he wast here, yet Dorcas was still scanning the table and there she found him yes. Dorcas just sat frozen in her spot. From over the crowd she heard a laugh but it didn't register in her mind as anything out of the ordinary. She just kept staring at Chase before she was nudged in the ribs by a class mate. She turned back around, it was rude to stare, Chase wouldn't want that, but did he know? Of course he knew, he wouldn't find out by the morning paper. Dorcas' stomach dropped. He really wouldn't have been here if he'd known about his father. Casually, without trying to appear as though she was trying to look at Chase, she turned her head a little and spotted him again.

[bellatrix]

The laugh that could be heard was of course Bellatrix Black. How brilliantly malicious! How amazingly crude! Of all the ways for one of her fellow students to find out that his father had passed away this was the greatest. The boy was over at his table, Bella had spotted him walking in late and when the owls had arrived? Oh how marvellous! A chill of excitement ran through Bella, tickling her spine causing her to push her chest out and roll her head back. Glee was all that could be seen over the Slytherin's face.

Bella ran her hands up through her twisted hair. She gripped at it and looked up to the ceiling, laughing again, stomping her feet on the ground in excitement. What a beautiful day this was turning out to be. A dead professional Quidditch player and his son, doomed to find out in the most evil way imaginable! How could this day improve? Bella knew how. She moved out of her seat and pushed the plates and cutlery in front of her aside. She got up out of her seat and up on to the table, kneeling where her china and silver wear had once been, all so she could watch the discovering face, the horror would be delectable! Bella wished that she could actually live off of these moments but she would settle for revelling in them.

[quinn]

Scarlet wished that she hadn’t be forced to sit at the Slytherin table...but she found that when she tried to sit with the badgers, she got weird looks and ultimately just decided to move. This morning was no different. She had taken a seat adjacent to Bellatrix Black and was minding her own business, when the girl began cackling. Scar had become accustomed to tuning the malicious laughter out...she had heard it one too many times in the common room. The owls were flying ahead and as if on clockwork, something dropped from the sky and landed in her bowl. She shook her head and then placed a piece of toast in her mouth, choosing to remain unaware of the newspaper that had landed neatly in her oatmeal: it could wait until she was finished eating.

It wasn’t until she felt her plates shift that she looked up to see what all the commotion was. Bellatrix was climbing up on the table and...kneeling there? Scar raised one eyebrow and turned around, trying to figure out what she was attempting to catch a glimpse of. Surely nothing had happened since she had sat down for breakfast. And yet, as she looked around, she realized that everyone had their heads buried in the Daily Prophet.

It took her a moment to realize that she had her own copy sitting right in front of her. She pulled it out of the grimy porridge and tried to get a glimpse of who was on the front page, ”Rio-”

[/b] She breathed when she recognized the famous Quidditch Player, ”Murdered...?”[/b] She gulped quietly as she scanned the headline that was before her. He had been the man that she had been crushing on for ages. Well, she supposed that he used to be the man that she was crushing on. Her heart felt like it had sunk to the very pit of her stomach and was being dissolved by the same nasty acids that were trying to eat away at her digesting toast.

Her beloved Rio Conners was...dead. She had followed his career since he started...watching him grow as an athlete and move up in rank as he went along. He had always been her favorite...somewhat of an inspiration for her. Someone that she had wanted to meet...As if not quite accepting it, she reread the headline that was before her. It said details were unknown about the attack but that he was most certainly dead. Scar bit down on her lip, afraid that she would start crying if she thought about it anymore.

She glanced up, obvious panic written on her face when it dawned on her who Trix was staring at. She spun around all the way in her seat and stared at the Hufflepuff table where Chase Conners, her darling Rio’s son, was blissfully unaware of the headlines that were sweeping the Hall. He was stuffing his face full of toast, practically ignorant of the turned heads and whispers that were seemingly filling the room quicker than the Quidditch Pitch filled on a match day. She was sure her mouth was hanging open in a rather obvious show of how stunned she was, but she couldn’t find it in her to close it. [/justify][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Emily Prescott]

Emily had been the first up and out of her dorm this morning and had found a comfortable place at the Gryffindor table. One glance at the Hufflepuff table and she could easily see Chase had yet to arrive and had to hold back the grin that threatened to appear. Lately all she seemed to be doing was smiling and she knew it all had to do with him. Biting down on her lip she pulled out her Potion's class notes and began reviewing them as she poured herself a glass of juice and picked a handful of grapes onto her plate.

It wasn't long before mail began arriving, and Emily found herself looking up just in time to catch the post dropped in front of her, the Daily Prophet and a letter from home. A broad grin spread over her face as she looked across the table at Ferret. "Looks like they're finally getting back to me, only been two weeks." she commented, putting the Daily Prophet aside as she began to open her letter. Scanning the contents of her letter she found herself again laughing softly, she really did miss her parents, and loved hearing about the ongoing's at home via letters. Though all they seemed to do was make her look forward to the summer holidays that much more.

Soon enough though, her musings on the letter were interrupted and she looked up with a frown. A lot of other students at the table were sat huddled together looking through the Daily Prophet. Their eyes wide in shock and when she looked around the hall there were quite a number of people doing the same, "What's going on...?" she asked no one in particular, looking sharply at the Slytherin table. That cackle. She'd know it anywhere. It still haunted her dreams and sure enough her eyes landed on Bellatrix Lestrange now perched on top of the table, looking positively giddy about something across the hall.

Shaking her head Emily turned back around and swallowed away the nauseous feeling she always seemed to get looking at Bella and reached for the paper. Something was going on and it had something to do with whatever was printed in the Daily Prophet, after all that's what people were looking at. There were hushed, shocked whispers as Emily unfolded the paper, taking a sip of her drink. Then she was hit full force with what was printed on the front page.

She made a strangled sound as she tried to swallow her drink, and put her hand over her mouth. Her eyes were wide with horror and disbelief. Rio Connor's picture stared up at her, but all she could concentrate on was the large, glaring caption below the handsome picture. Murdered she shook her head, struggling to blink back the tears, "No this can't...this can't be right..." she whispered in shock, so much so she hadn't even looked at Chase yet. Rio couldn't be dead. She'd been with them all at Christmas. No it had to be some kind of mistake...Then it hit her, Chase was here....in school....at breakfast...he didn't know!

[marlene]

Marlene was not in a very good mood. The other 6th year girls had decided that it would be a good idea to wake her up before 11am, thus leading to a rather uncomfortable screaming match to start off the morning. She didn’t do mornings, that much was obvious. She yawned slightly as she made her way through the throngs of people that seemed to be all trying to get into the Great Hall for breakfast.

When she finally managed to break free of the crowd, she became aware of a loud and rather obnoxious cackling heard around the high-ceilinged room. Only one person could make such a shrill cackle, ”Can it, Black!”

[/b] She said more loudly than she had anticipated and shot a look at the Slytherin Table. Bellatrix was on her knees, staring across the room like she was a child on Christmas. Marly rolled her eyes, refusing to give Bellatrix the satisfaction of knowing that she was the oddest person that she had ever met. Instead, she headed over toward her House table where she could already see some of her friends had made it down for the obscenely early meal.

”What can’t be right?”[/b] Marlene asked as she plopped down next to Emily and across from Ferret at the Gryffindor Table. She scanned the paper that was in Emily’s hand, trying to get a sense for what she was seemingly freaking out about. MURDER was the first word that her brain actually registered. Then a few others, including the Conner’s last name and Rio. She grabbed her copy of the Prophet and unfolded it, trying to read a little bit more closely. It appeared as if the long-time Quidditch star had been attacked and murdered last night. What a shame, she thought as she scanned the moving picture at the top of the paper, He was pretty cute. She bit down on her lip and took a biscuit from the center of the table, ”His ol’ man’s kicked the bucket? Bloody hell....does he know yet?”[/b] She asked as she bit down on the biscuit.

She had never really been close with Chase. But she was close with Emily. And she could see that it was really affecting her. The girl looked like she was fighting back tears...and she looked like she was fighting pretty hard. Marlene was at once at a loss for what to do - she was never very good with emotional situations and she knew that this one was going to be tough for everyone involved. Especially Chase Conners. She frowned even more deeply as she looked over her shoulder, scanning the Hufflepuff table for the face of the shaggy-haired brunette boy. Based on the look on his face, he had no idea the atomic bomb that was about to be dropped onto his plate for breakfast.[/justify][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[elenahaworth]

Elena settled herself down at the Slytherin table for breakfast, wearing the uniform she hated so much. To say she was in a bad mood would have been an understatement, and those around her could sense it, so they all avoided looking at the blonde Slytherin. Her eyes found Georgina and she positively vibrated with rage, what she wouldn't give to hex that evil witch into oblivion. Biting her tongue she looked away, down at her plate and tried to maintain an impassive expression, the last thing she wanted was for Georgina to know she was still affecting her.

The mail had arrived when she sat so after grabbing herself a drink of juice, she snatched up the Daily Prophet from a second year. Not even feeling the need to ask if she could take it, he was after all too busy with his letters, so shouldn't miss it. Unrolling the paper her eyes immediately widened, then remembering where she was she forced an impassive look back onto her face. Rio Connors had been murdered! Bella was on the table cackling, her eyes fixed on something across the room and Elena felt her stomach twist.

Turning around she sighed sadly. There was Chase, sat apparently completely oblivious to all going on around him and she knew in that instant he knew nothing of his Father's passing. If he did he wouldn't be here now, at breakfast. Surely this wasn't how he was going to find out...how horrible. She was a first class b*tch but her heart suddenly went out to the Hufflepuff boy she had reluctantly found herself friends with. Shaking her head she turned away again, determined not to be one of the many who were staring at him waiting for a reaction, it was too cruel.

[Millie Croft]

Millie headed into the Great Hall, her bag swinging at on her shoulder, packed full with all the books needed for todays lessons. There was a slight hope in her step and a smile she couldn't shake. All of it had to do with a certain someone, someone she was currently scanning the Great Hall. Not being able to see Gwen she sighed softly, and brushing her hair back over her shoulder as she headed to the Ravenclaw table to take her place for breakfast.

It was then she heard a cackle that could only belong to Bellatrix and sure enough, when she looked across the hall to the Slytherin table the older student was laughing and perched on top of the breakfast table. Odd was the only right word for it, but then again, Bellatrix Black was an odd student anyway. It was only upon looking away from her, that Millie finally managed to take in things around her and the way the other students were acting.

There was something going on if their appearences and hushed whispers were anything to go by. Frowning, Millie slipped into her place at the table and looked to the girls closest to her. "What's going on?" she asked in a quiet voice as she leaned in close to them. The two girls shared a look before turning the paper enough for her to see the front page. Millie gasped in shock. Of course she knew who Rio Connors was, she may not be a Quidditch player but he was famous. There was a poster of him hanging in the dorms, "Oh my goodness..." she whispered horrified. Glancing over she looked to the Hufflepuff table and saw Chase, Rio's son, and she shook her head in disbelief. It was front page news and he didn't seem to know. "What...no ones told him..." she said, recieving a shrug from the two girls. Millie shook her head, what a heartbreaking way to find out. Shaking her head again she decided she suddenly didn't feel too hungry.

[Sirius Black]

Sirius walked into the Great Hall and paused in his steps, his face darkening as his deranged cousin climbed on top of the Slytherin table, cackling. He knew just what she was so gleeful about, he held a rolled up copy of the Daily Prophet in his hand after snatching it from a group of gossiping third years just in the Entrance Hall. From the looks of things news of Rio Connors murder was moving through the school at a rapid pace, and seeing Chase sat at the table he groaned and shook his head, his eyes darting back to Bella.

It was bad enough Chase apparently didn't know and was going to have to see it in the paper, but the last thing the guy needed was Bella putting in a sly dig. He took the long way to the Gryffindor table, bypassing the Slytherin table, "Can it Bella." he growled, sitting at the Gryffindor table, his eyes flickering around the hall. This wasn't right, he hated his parents but he sure as hell wouldn't want to find out via the morning paper that they'd died. His eyes flickered to Emily who was staring in horror at the paper and he shook his head.

He had his hand on his wand, in his robe as he reached for a rashen of bacon and shoved it into his mouth. Quietly he sat, making sure his gaze didn't linger on Chase Connors, instead he concentrated on everyone else, and the girl he sadly had to call his cousin, the last thing this situation needed was someone like her making things one thousand times worse.

[charity]

Gwenog sat a seat down from Dorcas at the Ravenclaw table and looked up sharply at her whispered exclamation. "What? What is it?"

She watched as Dorcas turned the paper around and she felt her jaw drop, staring mindlessly at the picture and the glaring headline for a few minutes before she managed to form words again. "Oh god... Their poor family..." Gwen had been friends with Chase for years, and as such new exactly who his father was and what his father did. "That must have been awful for Chase... He's probably home by now."

Heads were turning to look at the Hufflepuff table and something stirred uneasily in Gwen's stomach. She didn't want to turn around. She didn't want to see what she was sure everyone else was looking at. "Dorcas... please tell me he's home by now..."

[Abigail 'Tay' Frazier]

Tay was planning on her usual morning ritual of sitting at the Hufflepuff table with Lachie, and the first thing she did upon entering the hall was look around. Something was wrong - that much was instantly obvious...

Her eyes wandered towards the Hufflepuff table and she saw a look pass between Lachie and Trent, and it seemed that everyone was looking in their direction... Looking to her own table, Tay sighed her best friend Millie and hurried over. "What is it? What's happening?"

She spotted the headline and froze. Wasn't that Chase's dad? Her eyes shot back to the Hufflepuff table and... yup, there was Chase. But Tay knew better than to stare and looked back to Lachie. From the looks on both his and Trent's faces, Chase didn't have a clue. Oh god... fancy being the last person in a room full of students to find out... Tay hovered, uncertain what to do next. She wanted Lachie to look up but he seemed to be busy... maybe it would be best if she ate at her own table today, rather than that of her boyfriend...

[James Potter]

James had been one of the first down to breakfast that morning, and as such, had finished eating a long time ago. He felt like he hadn't managed very much sleep that night, so he was now working on his fourth cup of coffee just to fill in the time until post arrived.

His eyes went to the ceiling as hundreds upon hundreds of owls swooped into the great hall, searching for his own. She swooped down in a matter of seconds and landed on his shoulder, two letters and the prophet attached to her legs. Trading toast for post, James turned his attention firstly to the prophet and the morning news.

For several seconds the headlines didn't register in his mind at all, and then it did. A murder... an ruthless attack by death eaters - just more proof that they were cold, heartless and cruel. How could anyone do something like that? It sucked for the family, that was for sure. The article mentioned kids... wait... Connors? As in... Chase Connors?

Holy crap... well, if the attack didn't feel real and hit close before it sure as heck did now. A cold cackle filled the hall and James didn't even need to look up to know who the owner was. His blood boiled with anger and his hands clenched into fists. Did she honestly get off on this? She was sick!

James looked up with a sigh and rubbed a hand over his jaw. He wondered how everyone was taking it... His friends, etc. Looking to the Hufflepuff table James felt something inside him grow cold. What was Chase still doing in school?

[Liander Hughes]

Liander had wandered down to breakfast talking to Trent. While they didn't tall all the time, they talked when they could. Consequently, Liander ended up sitting near him and his friends when they got into the Great Hall.

One of Trent's other friends arrived just before the owl post arrived and immediately began stuffing toast into his mouth. Liander shook his head, wondering how anyone could devour toast that fast.

An owl landed in front of him on the table and Liander slipped a knut from his pocket into the small pouch tied around the owls leg, and then untied his copy of the paper like quite a few other students around him appeared to be doing. Something in the atmosphere seemed to change as people started to unroll their papers.

Liander frowned as he glanced around before wearily opening his up. He could he whispers from all around him but nothing was clear enough to make out, and the whispers were followed by a harsh cackle from the Slytherin table. He looked up in time to see Bellatrix Black kneeling on the table, looking in his general direction. Talk about feeling self conscious much?

Looking down at the paper, Liander immediately saw the reason why Bellatrix was looking in the direction that she was. Rio Connors... Whatever air was in his lungs at that moment left in a rush and he glanced up at the three boys sitting around him. Two of them looked equally as shocked as the other, the third seemed completely unaware. And all things considered... that left a really uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach. Didn't he know? This couldn't end well.

Liander quickly folded the paper in half again before the toast muncher stopped munching long enough to see it, and he slid it towards closer to the end of the table, resting one arm over it. This wasn't his business to get involved with...

"Anything good in the headlines?"

Oh god... he really didn't have a clue, did he?

[talls]

Ferret rarely came to the Great Hall for breakfast these days. The noise and crowd was strange to her ever since she returned from the hospital. But at Em's insistence, she came. Jasper sat in her lap on his lead, knawing on a piece of bacon as she idlely levitated the sugar bowl. She wasn't really hungry, her stomach uneasy. It was probably just a cold.

Ferret smiled at Em but didn't stop her levitation. She was not so good at charms and it took extra effort to keep the bowl from dropping. But at Em's shocked voice, she looked at the paper and the sugar bowl dropped from the air, shattering.

"Oh my god..." Ferret whispered. She looked over at Chase, who was acting perfectly normal. "Oh my god...he doesn't know yet..."

[Chase Connors]

Something was going on in the news it seemed. As soon as the papers landed and everyone started opening them, all around him jaw were dropping in shocked expressions. Chase, not having a paper, asked those closest to him what was going on.

There was a cackling laugh from the Slytherin table and Chase turned for just a brief second to look over his shoulder. He didn't need to. He recognized the sound of Bellatrix Black even without looking.

Let's guess then... this news was something to do with Death Eaters. Which probably meant that whatever was happening, all the shocked looks were justified. "I don't think I want to know." He muttered as he grabbed a fifth slice of toast.

He'd find out, he was sure, but really? Another Death Eater attack was the last thing he wanted to read about at breakfast. It was probably that guy in the ministry who they said was playing spy for both sides and was awaiting a trial. Chances were the Death Eaters had found a way to get him off their plates before he could spill out all of their secrets.

But... why were people staring?

Chase suddenly became aware of the way loads of people seemed to be turning to look around. Were they looking at him? Impossible - someone near him, it had to be... How about that Liander kid? He face was sheet white already, but then, he seemed to be looking just as shocked and uncomfortable as the rest... "What is it?" Chase looked from him, to where his two friends sat. "Someone fill me in already." There was a copy of the prophet in front of his room mates and he reached to grab it.

What the hell was happening that was just big news?