TMQ103 -- From the Weasley-Wheeze Press

[blaqlives]

Discussion of The Magic Quill #103 -- From the Weasley-Wheeze Press by Robbie Fischer.

[Norman_Greene]

To questioan #1: As always I want to see more of Joe and Spanky's work together, but I'd enjoy the Tip story as well. I think the story with Tip should be just a little anecdote where as the other would make a full magic quill story. So I guess I'd go with D) For a full story and A) for a little anecdote.

As for question two. The young one who did the asking will have practiced his cheering charms ahead of time and use them on the one he/she asked so they feel so cheerful afterwards they will go out with said first person again.

[zanaboo]

(B) Marmaduke Spankison gets in unprecedented amounts of trouble because he keeps forgetting that he can’t become invisible at will anymore.
Sounds like this choice would be funny, especially with regard to his parents finding out what he's really been up to all these years... err, well, for the past few years anyway.

What does a young wizard-witch couple do on a date?

They go to a place where other young witches and wizards will be hanging out, such as Diagon Alley (or their local equivalent). If they don't have loads of money to spend, they almost always find some out-of-the-way place to spend time. Haven't you ever noticed that about 5 doors down from Weasley's Wizarding Wheezies, on the corner of Diagon Alley and Magic Alley there's an old dilapidated, empty shop? Well, behind it, there are some creaky old stairs that go up on the roof, and right by the bottom of the stairs there's a big hole in the shop's fireplace. Expecting the place to be bought and renovated reasonably soon, the MoM never took that fireplace off the floo network, so you can get there by floo powder, go out the hole in the back, and join up with the gang hanging out on the roof. From up there, there's quite a nice view of everybody coming and going in Diagon Alley. I've even seen some kids sharing a pair of omnioculars to get a closer look-see at everything, though I can't imagine what they found interesting about looking in the Leaky Cauldron's back windows since hardly anyone ever takes a room on that side because of all the noise and lights. Since Nocturn Alley is lower down the hill, about all they can see over that way is a bit of smoke curling out of the chimneys, but I've seen kids peering over that way too, even though I can't imagine what they find interesting about smoke.

I think the building was first used as a livery stable, but that was ages ago, before floo powder was invented and cushioning charms made broomsticks actually comfortable. When I first heard about this livery stable business, I thought someone had probably just made it up, but one night when I was really bored, I pushed my way through about 60 feet of the bushes out back, and found what looked like a magically-refilling horse trough (or maybe it's just a natural spring with a trough built around it - it's so dark back in there at night that, even with a Lumos charm, I couldn't see well enough to tell). But whatever the shop used to be, there's not much in there now - just a counter up near the front door and the busted fireplace on the back wall. I can't imagine why someone built the stairs up to the roof - unless maybe it actually was a blacksmith's shop at some point, and the blacksmith used to go up to the roof to get away from the heat for a bit, though that doesn't really make sense since he could have just used a breeze charm instead - unless... maybe he was a squib. Anyway, nobody ever spends much time inside the shop because it smells rather odd - something a bit more pungent than just dusty neglect - and it's a tad bleak, what with no windows or anywhere to sit; these days, everybody just heads straight for the roof.

[jatibbal]

I'm interested in B as well. It would be great to have the story told as a letter sent home from school (I think there's a primary school for wizards, so they can learn to read/write/do math and learn what to expect from the wizarding school which they will be attending)(oh, and it's only for a year or two before starting said wizarding school).

Where would dating witches and wizards go on a date? Flying-carpet joyrides comes to mind. Or a picnic (pulled out of a pocket universe) overlooking a magical lake, with wild hippogrifs swooping low over a red-gold sunset... *romatic sigh*

[Linda_Carrig]

After all those snorts and sighs at the latest MQ-congratulations by the way-I have a soft spot for the kids so I would pick B: what Marmaduke S. is getting up to now that he can't become invisible.

As for a wizard date, let's see..... Maybe going to the wizard's version of a fair and taking a ride on the carousel(merry go round)that has real flying horses instead of the painted muggle ones: don't worry, the flying horses are under a restraining spell so they can't gallop away. However if you want to make this more suspenseful, you could have an accidental break down of the spell and all hell breaks loose as the horses start flying away.

[fizzingwhizzbee]

Can I vote for two please? I think D and A, but if I have to chose, probably D

For the wizard date, maybe a gig or something musical

[lupa]

The Tip story would be hilarious. As for the wizarding couple, there are plenty of options. A really fancy night out might inclue going to the famous dinner-and-show place Morgana's to watch the fairies doing formation flying and listen to UKNMO (United Kingdom National Magical Orchestra)

[TWZRD]

For the story, I think D is essential, but B would be lots of fun for a secondary plot. I had, in fact , been wondering how the kids would deal with visibility.
for dates:
The under 17 crowd is restricted to things that don't require magic, so I agree with several above that attending a concert (we have several bands on record at the Quill and in cannon from which to pick!) or just hanging with friends is near the top of the list.
For the young adults, it's considered very romantic to fly out to the country -maybe on some charmed motor vehicle that seats two, or at least a rented tandem broom for those of limited means. One there, you locate a likely clearing near a woods and snuggle up to wait for the mooncalves to dance. You usually have to wait a long time...
Of course, one they've danced, then you can use a collecting charm and actually reap a profit from your excursion. This helps quite a bit in getting a reluctant witch or wizard to accept your invitation if you can convince them you've prescouted the site and are sure it will deliver.

[_houdini]

Well B would intersting... well i really wonder what the kids were up to when no one could see them... no one could catch them red handed before...

well if this is for all ages then like TWZRD said it cannot have magic included.. sad.. or the twins 30min fantasy would be great... but i suggest broomstick joyrides would be good too..

[Celairiel]

I like the idea of Marmaduke getting in trouble. It would let us sort of break out from the normal crowd, without introducing a buch of new characters.
Hmmm... for a date, let's see. I have a friend who went on a double date, and they split into two teams(couples of course) and had a scavenger hunt. Maybe they could have a list of things they had to collect in a specified time period. Each couple would have a bag of floo powder, and they would race from fireplace to fireplace and collect their items. The main rule is each couple is only allowed to get one item from each location. Things to collect could include the following: a racing broom, a bottle of butterbeer, a pygmy puff, an owl, a spell book, and other magical objects. Of course, they would have to figure out some creative way to carry everything, otherwise they couldn't win because they might lose something. At the end, they have to race to return all of the items to their homes. This would be fun for a double or group date. Just as long as everyone has a partner.

[FishEByrd]

Poor Bo Dwyer...not a single vote!

[Cassidy_Early]

...
what is this post about?

[Pegasus]

Click on the underlined link in the first post and it will take you to the MuggleNet editorial that is being discussed.