The CBB :: View topic - Joanna Creates a Sensation

#1: Joanna Creates a Sensation - part 1 Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Fri May 13, 2005 12:15 pm

My Robin bunny is sulking at the moment, and I have been working on this on and off since last September (it's been going quite slowly!), so I decided it was time to start posting.

Please don't let this distract you from JustJen's wonderful Chalet Girl at Hogwarts - this is as different as can be, considering they are both crossovers of the same two sets of books!

Chapter 1 - Owl Post

Part i

Joanna wriggled excitedly as she dug her spoon into her porridge. Eleven today! She looked at Jackie, who grinned broadly.

"What do you think Grandmamma will give us?" he whispered.

"Don't be rude if it's books, Jackie," said Joanna.

"I'd rather have a book token though," said Jackie.

"Shh..." pleaded his sister. To her relief, Dad came into the dining room, thereby preventing any further discussion.

"Well, well!" he said, as Jackie and Joanna jumped up and began to dance around him. "Someone's up bright and early today. I wonder why?"

"Dad, dad! What have you got us? What have you got us?" they chanted.

"Got?" said Dad blankly. "I've got a hanky in my pocket. Would you like that?"

"Da-ad!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Dad.

Charlie stumped into the room, closely followed by Grace. Dad put an arm each round Jackie and Joanna and whispered, "After breakfast, look on the second shelf of the gloryhole cupboard." Joanna and Jackie looked at each other with wide eyes and shuddered deliciously. Then they went back to their places.

"You'd better not get up again," said Grace disapprovingly over her spoon. "Mamma's bringing second twins down."

"I wonder if they'll be good this time," said Charlie. Like their brothers and sisters, mother, aunts, uncles and cousins, the second Entwistle twins had been promoted to dining room meals at the age of four. Unlike their relations, this privilege had been revoked after three months that were a real trial to the rest of the family. Since then, their mother had refused to consider having them downstairs until they promised to behave. On their sixth birthday, the promise had finally been forthcoming, and they had been very good for nearly three weeks now. But the family displayed a disappointing lack of faith in their sticking power.

"Come in, Jemmy and Dickon," said Mamma, shepherding them before her. "Dickon, you sit next to Dad, and Jemmy, you may come beside me. Don't start eating yet, Dickon!" warningly. "Have you said your grace?" Dickon hurriedly put his spoon down and looked at the table.

"Let me hear you saying it together," said Dad, in response to a glance from Mamma. Dickon and Jemmy obediently folded their hands under their chins and murmured the brief Latin grace used by the entire Bettany family and their descendants, as well as all the branches of the Chalet School. "Well done," said Dad, and second twins picked up their spoons and began to eat carefully.

"Now then, Joanna and Jackie, what do you want to do today?" asked Mamma.

"Is Grandmamma having a party?" asked Jackie.

"And is Aunty Mary-Lou there?" asked Joanna eagerly.

"Yes, Mary-Lou arrived late last night," said Mamma. "And Aunties Hilda, Nell and Gwyn will all be there."

"And will Aunty Kit bring the cousins?" asked Jackie.

"Yes, and Aunt Ruey will bring all the Embury cousins. Everyone who can come will be there."

"O, goodie!" said Joanna excitedly. "I do like big family parties."

"And you won't have to hand plates round, cos it's your party," said Grace lugubriously. "I wish my birthday was in the holidays." Jackie opened his mouth to answer, but at that moment the window blew open with a bang and a large owl flew round the table twice before dropping an outsize envelope in front of Joanna. Then it shrieked loudly and flew out again. Joanna picked up the envelope. It was heavy, and the address was written in bright green ink:

Miss Joanna Entwistle
The Breakfast Table
Die Rosen
Görnetz Platz
Bernese Oberland
Switzerland.

Last edited by Joey on Fri Aug 26, 2005 9:28 am; edited 69 times in total

#2: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Fri May 13, 2005 12:22 pm

Only Joanna? Not Jackie?

Thanks Joey this looks excellent! Laughing

#3: Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield

Posted: Fri May 13, 2005 12:26 pm

Oooh! New drabble!

I like Hogwarts crossovers very much!

Am looking forward to more of this already.

#4: Author: Kat, Location: Swansea

Posted: Fri May 13, 2005 12:49 pm

Wonder how Jackie is going to take this??

Hope you post more soon Joey!

#5: Author: Emma A, Location: The Soke of Peterborough

Posted: Fri May 13, 2005 1:08 pm

Lovely start! I see Len has followed the family tradition by having lots of children!

Thank-you, Joey.

#6: Author: JackieJ, Location: Kingston upon Hull

Posted: Fri May 13, 2005 1:26 pm

*Freaks out* Shocked

Apologies, but change an a to an e and you've me and my sister. (I'm presuming they're both girls seeing as they seem to be sleeping in the same room Confused

)

*Feels upset on Jackie's behalf that she hasn't got a letter*

Looking forward to this though Joey.

JackieJ

#7: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Fri May 13, 2005 1:47 pm

Yay a Harry Potter Crossover Mexican Wave

Looking forward to more of this! Very Happy

#8: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Fri May 13, 2005 2:07 pm

Ooooh this looks very intriguing!! Thanks Joey, hope theres lots more Very Happy

#9: Author: RuthY, Location: Anyone's guess

Posted: Fri May 13, 2005 3:28 pm

Cazx wrote:

Looking forward to more of this! Very Happy

what already Cazx Exclamation

actually I was thinking the same thing which seems a bit mean since you've already given us one longish post today

but you did say you'd been working on this on and off since last September

surely you've got some more written and ready to post

I am really enjoying this by the way, it is excellent Exclamation

Ruth

#10: Author: Liane, Location: Manchester England

Posted: Fri May 13, 2005 4:37 pm

more please, I love Harry Potter crossovers.

#11: Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Fri May 13, 2005 4:49 pm

Here's the next bit, just because I'm so lovely to you all. Don't expect to have this much every weekday (I rarely have access at the weekend). I have got some written, but I'm not saying how much and I don't intend to catch up with myself!

Sorry, JackieJ, Jackie Entwistle is a boy. They're not sharing a room - they are having breakfast (Joanna's eating porridge in the first line). Joanna is my full name (not that anyone is allowed to call me that), and it does feel a bit weird writing about someone else with the same name.

Enjoy!

Part ii

Joanna looked up from reading the address out loud and found everyone staring at her. At that moment, there came a loud knock on the front door. Within seconds, a tall woman clad in a floor-length black robe and wearing a black pointed hat strode into the room, Roosje hovering anxiously behind her.

"Good morning," said the woman crisply. "My name is Professor Minerva McGonegall."

"Why are you dressed as a witch?" said Jemmy loudly.

"James! Leave the table at once!" said Mamma sharply.

"Because I am a witch, young man," said Professor McGonegall. "And now you had better leave the table. Far be it from me to interfere with family discipline." She smiled thinly at Mamma and Dad and looked round the table. "How many children do you have?" she asked Mamma.

"Er... ten... at the moment," said Mamma.

"I can only count six," said Professor McGonegall.

"The quads are only two," said Charlie. "They don't come to family meals yet."

"Why not?" asked Professor McGonegall with interest. "Are they not part of your family?" Her gaze rested on Joanna. "I see you haven't opened your letter yet, Miss Entwistle. I am here to explain."

Dad gulped, and then regained his power of speech.

"May I help you, Madam?" he asked.

"No, no, you misheard," said Professor McGonegall. "I am here to help you. Dr. Entwistle - and Professor Entwistle - your eldest daughter is a witch and has been awarded a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." There was a deep and utter silence, finally broken by Charlie.

"Where's that, then?" he asked.

"I have no doubt that you will find out before too long," said Professor McGonegall. "I apologise for interrupting your family breakfast. It is rare for our students to live abroad, and I forgot to allow for the time difference."

"I don't think I want to go to - to Hogwarty," said Joanna in a small voice. "I go to the Chalet School, and I'll be in IIIa this autuumn."

"Where's my owl and my lettter in green ink?" asked Jackie loudly.

"Morning, all!" said a fresh and most welcome voice, loudly.

"O, Mary-Lou!" cried Mamma and Dad in relief.

"Mary-Lou Trelawny!" said Professor McGonegall freezingly.

"P-professor McGonegall!" stuttered Mary-Lou, to the astonishment and confusion of the Entwistles. Mary-Lou was never, ever anything but calm, collected and organised. "W-what are you doing here?"

"What do you think I am doing here? Do you know this family well?"

"Yes, but who..." her eyes fell on Joanna, who was still holding her un-opened letter. “Joanna!" exclaimed Mary-Lou. "O, but that makes so much sense! Professor, if you only knew -"

"I do know," said Professor McGonegall freezingly. Mary-Lou dropped her eyes.

"Yes, Professor," she said meekly.

"That is better," said the Professor. "Now you will please leave me to explain." Mary-Lou opened her mouth to speak, but the Professor raised her voice slightly. "I have no doubt that you will say your piece later. All I ask is that you endeavour to behave yourself." Mary-Lou frowned slightly.

"Professor, it was never my fault!" she protested.

"No, but it is now," said Professor. "No more! This is most unfair on the Entwistle family, who do not - and may not - have any idea what we are talking about. Good morning, Dr. Trelawny."

The Entwistles were electrified to behold Mary-Lou bow her head and leave the room meekly. Joanna retained enough self-possession to jump up and call after her,

"Aunty Mary-Lou, don't tell Grandmamma. I have to tell her myself!"

#12: Author: Beth, Location: Back in Durham...nearly finished a whole year!!

Posted: Fri May 13, 2005 4:52 pm

Ooooooooooh. *intrigued*

Thank-you very much!

#13: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Fri May 13, 2005 5:10 pm

Mary Lou knows Professor McGonegall????? Shocked

Mystery thickens.

Thanks Joey. Laughing

#14: Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans/Leicester

Posted: Fri May 13, 2005 5:31 pm

How does Mary-Lou know McGonagall?! We know she can't have been at Hogwarts... *ponders*

Thanks for the shiny new drabble Joey

#15: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Fri May 13, 2005 6:36 pm

Very very intrigued over here.......

#16: Author: Marianne, Location: Lancaster

Posted: Fri May 13, 2005 7:24 pm

This is great, thanks!

#17: Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks

Posted: Fri May 13, 2005 8:05 pm

Excellent start Joey - I'm well and truly hooked

#18: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Fri May 13, 2005 8:53 pm

Maybe Mary-Lou is related to Sybill Trewlawny...

#19: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Fri May 13, 2005 10:27 pm

exxxcellent!

looking forward to more!!

#20: Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England

Posted: Fri May 13, 2005 10:40 pm

OOOh, I like this.

#21: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Fri May 13, 2005 11:22 pm

Wow! What a lot of clifflets already!
Interesting that Mamma’s a professor Very Happy

– and MUCH intrigued by the Mary-Lou/Prof. McG angle.
Definitely looking forward to more!

#22: Author: Pado, Location: Connecticut, USA

Posted: Sat May 14, 2005 1:35 am

Questions, questions, I have questions.....

Waiting (somewhat) patiently for answers.

#23: Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester

Posted: Sat May 14, 2005 10:52 am

I do feel sorry for poor Jackie! And I hope we get to see Jo's face when Joanna tells her! Smile

So many mysteries!

#24: Author: Helen C, Location: Sheffield/Luton

Posted: Sat May 14, 2005 4:59 pm

ooooooo very intresting, looking forward to more thanks Joey. Very Happy

#25: Author: Squirrel, Location: St-Andrews or Dunfermline

Posted: Sat May 14, 2005 7:18 pm

oooh this looks vair interesting... Sits down to wait and see what happens next.

#26: Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under

Posted: Sat May 14, 2005 7:40 pm

Oooh!

Yes, yes, M-L as a relative of Sybil Trelawney who has annoyed McGonagall in the past!!!

Thanks Joey!

#27: Author: Joyful, Location: Manchester

Posted: Sat May 14, 2005 7:56 pm

Joey wrote:

The Entwistles were electrified to behold Mary-Lou bow her head and leave the room meekly.

The thought of Mary-Lou bowing her head and leaving in disgrace!!!
ROFL

#28: Author: nikkie, Location: Cumbria

Posted: Sat May 14, 2005 7:57 pm

oooooooooh more HP and little cliffs!
thank you

#29: Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire

Posted: Sat May 14, 2005 9:00 pm

I'm glad to see you started posting it, Joey. It's fantabulous. Laughing

#30: Author: Kat, Location: Swansea

Posted: Sun May 15, 2005 6:43 pm

Joey, please give us some more soon!!

#31: Author: Nineveh,

Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 12:00 pm

Hurrah! Joey, you’ve started posting (and look, I’ve joined to say so)! Post more! Post more! Unfortunately, I’ve just realised that I have mis-spelled Trelawny all through my own fic…

#32: Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 12:18 pm

Excellent, I’m glad you’ve finally joined, Nineveh! (How many months have you been lurking?)

Nineveh & I have spent a worrying amount of time over the last six months sitting in cafés eating cake and discussing this CS / HP crossover world. I’d never have put pen to paper if it weren't for her encouragement / corruption, so this is all her fault! Smile

I am overwhelmed by the number of comments I’ve received Embarassed

– I didn’t expect so many people to be interested. I only hope you don’t all get bored – this is going to be long.

Next bit! No more clifflets, but no answers yet either.

Joanna sat down and found Professsor McGonegall regarding her with approval. She wasn't sure why, and the Professor gave her little time to wonder.

"Now then, Miss Entwistle," she said briskly, "Will you not appreciate the chance to learn how to use your gifts?"

"I - I'm not sure," said Joanna honestly.

"Are you telling me nothing has ever happened that you couldn't explain?"

"O, no - no, of course not - lots of things have."

"Such as?"

"Only last term Emmie Lucy was Ink Monitress only she was having remedials, and she asked me to fill the inkwells for her, only I forgot till the last minute. And when I went into the classroom they were all full!" Joanna opened her eyes wide."I asked Emmie and she never did it, and nobody else had been in our form room."

"Is that all?"

"No-o. When our form mascot Teddo went missing, he turned up in Minette's basket, and everyone said he'd need a wash and lots of mending, but he was as good new. Or even better than new," Joanna finished in puzzled tones.

"And I'm sure there were many more such incidences."

"Yes, but it wasn't me!" said Joanna. She looked at the professor. "Was it?" she said more doubtfully.

"I'm afraid it was, Miss Entwistle," said the Professor kindly. "This may be hard for you -"

"What about me?" broke in Jackie. "It's my birthday too! Don't I get a green-ink letter?" Professor McGonegall turned her gaze on Jackie.

"And who might you be?" She shook her head briefly. "Ah yes, Mr. John Entwistle. Mr. Entwistle, I hope it may be possible for you to visit your sister from time to time. We do have arrangements for visits from Muggle or Squib siblings."

"Don't call my brother rude names!" cried Joanna indignantly.

"I beg your pardon, Miss Entwistle," said the Professor. "Muggle is the term used by witches and wizards for members of the non-wizarding community, and a Squib is a Muggle born into a wizarding family."

"Are there lots of different words in the wizard world?" asked Charlie curiously.

"Indeed there are," said the Professor.

"You'll like that, Jo," said Charlie. "You're good at languages."

"I suppose," said Joanna. She took a deep breath and looked up at the Professor.

"Please, Professor, would you like to sit down and have a cup of coffee?" she asked. "And tell me where - where Hogwarts is, and do I have to go there? All my friends are at the Chalet School."

#33: Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire

Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 12:39 pm

Poor Jackie, wanting to be included and feeling so left out! Sad

I can just hear the tone of Professor McGonegall's voice in that conversation, Joey. So true to life. Life? It's a story - isn't it? Wink

Absolutely brilliant. Very Happy

#34: Author: Emma A, Location: The Soke of Peterborough

Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 1:22 pm

I'm enjoying this - love the family atmosphere and Professor McGonagall's admonition of Mary-Lou. Poor Jackie. Feel sorry for Joanna, too, though she hasn't been at the CS that long.

Incidentally, how on earth has Len managed to produce ten children and achieve a Chair in X at Y University (or does she teach at Beauxbatons, or somewhere similar?)? *just curious*

Thank-you, Joey.

#35: Author: Kat, Location: Swansea

Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 2:51 pm

*giggling at Emma!*

Thanks for the update Joey!

#36: Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans/Leicester

Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 2:58 pm

I always wanted to know how wizards and witches born into muggle families had the whole Hogwarts thing explained to them Smile

Thanks Joey.

#37: Author: RuthY, Location: Anyone's guess

Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 4:47 pm

This is great joey Exclamation

i'm really enjoying it.
so len is sticking to family traditions by having 10 kids Question

so did ninevah (BTW that's not your real name is it Question

) help to write it
hopr you can post more soon

Ruth

#38: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 4:49 pm

Thanks Joey Very Happy

I do feel sorry or Jackie, but Im wondering whether any of the other children may also be due for Hogwarts in the future?

#39: Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 5:17 pm

Len (or Helen, as she's called now) is Superwoman, of course! Need you ask?

No, Nineveh (you're right, it's not her real name) didn't help write this - the words are all mine own. But Mary-Lou's story was her idea, and she helped with essential details like working out the names of the Entwistle children. And she kept nagging when I mightn't have carried on with this, so as I say, it's all her fault. Very Happy

I wasn't going to post again today, but then I decided it might be fun to tease you a bit.

And, Nineveh, you've got me worried about the spelling of Trelawn(e)y now - I'll have to check when I get home.

"Thank you," said the Professor. She sat down next to Joanna. "A cup of tea, please, Dr. Entwistle, if possible," she said, looking deliberately at Dad. "Miss Entwistle, attendance at Hogwarts is very strongly recommended in cases such as yours. It is very difficult to learn how to control your gifts without appropriate training at an early age. Happily, our means of finding young witches and wizards born into Muggle families have vastly improved over the last twenty years. The consequences can be most -" she paused - "unfortunate if a child is not found."

"Oo ," Joanna covered her mouth with her hand. "Do you mean Aunty Mary-Lou?"

"Observant child," said the Professor approvingly. "Dr. Trelawny will have an opportunity to tell you some of her story later."

#40: Author: Kat, Location: Swansea

Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 5:44 pm

Thanks Joey!!

*Can't wait to hear M-L's story!!*

#41: Author: Emma A, Location: The Soke of Peterborough

Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 6:01 pm

Kat wrote:

*Can't wait to hear M-L's story!!*

Echoes Kat! Joanna seems to be quite on-the-ball - interesting that she's already connected Mary-Lou to Professor McGonagall's comments - she's evidently an observant child.

Thank-you, Joey.

#42: Author: RuthY, Location: Anyone's guess

Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 6:23 pm

Emma A wrote:

Kat wrote:

*Can't wait to hear M-L's story!!*

Echoes Kat!

me too

I'm really enjoying this Joey it's great

Ruth

#43: Author: Laura, Location: London (ish)

Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 8:23 pm

I'm really enjoying it too! Very Happy

*also looking forward to ML's story*

Thanks!

#44: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 8:29 pm

Thank you Joey, really enjoying this! Laughing

#45: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 8:39 pm

Joey this is fab - more please!

#46: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 8:51 pm

Loving this!
More soon please! Very Happy

#47: Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester

Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 9:45 pm

I'm intrigued by Mary-Lou's story as well Smile

*Wonders if any other of Len's children will have magic*

#48: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 11:49 pm

Unfortunate? Mary-Lou? Never! Shocked

More soon, please. Very Happy

#49: Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 9:58 am

Next bit!

Professor McGonegall paused as Dad placed a small tea tray at her elbow. "Thank you, Dr. Entwistle," she said graciously. "Now, Miss Entwistle, suppose you open your letter and see what it has to say?"

"O, but - " Joanna looked doubtful. She glanced at Mamma, who, to her surprise, looked a bit tired.

"Go ahead, Joanna," said Mamma. "We've all finished breakfast, so we'll go and leave you and the Professor in peace." She got up and held out her hand to Dickon. "Let's go and find Jemmy, Dickon," she said. "I think I owe him an apology."

"I'm going to look in the gloryhole cupboard," said Jackie loudly.

"I think you should wait for your sister, Jackie," said Dad.

"No, go on if you want, Jackie," said Joanna. "Only leave something for me." Jackie stumped out of the door, Grace at his heels - Charlie had followed Mamma and Dickon. Dad shut the door behind him. "Well, he feels left out," said Joanna in response to the questioning look on Professor McGonegall's face. "I want to be fair." The Professor nodded once, then poured herself a cup of tea, added a slice of lemon and tasted it. An expression of approval and surprise came to her face, and she turned back to Joanna.

"Well, Miss Entwistle, suppose you open your letter," she said.

"All right," said Joanna. "Only do you have to call me Miss Entwistle? I'm only eleven."

"You will be called Miss Entwistle at school by all the teaching and administrative staff," said the Professor. "I think it is better to begin as we will be expected to proceed."

"Do you have any children, Professor?" asked Joanna unexpectedly.

"You are an observant child, aren't you?" said Professor McGonegall. "My daughter Anemone works for Gringotts, the wizard bank, and my son Alberforce is in the Ministry."

"Is there a ministry for wizards and witches?"

"By all means. It is called the Ministry of Magic."

"There's all sorts of things we don't know about, isn't there?"

"Yes indeed. And you will probably find, when you get to school, that many of your classmates will be eager to learn about Muggle life.”

Joanna wriggled a bit. She still wasn’t entirely convinced that “Muggle” was a polite word.

#50: Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire

Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 12:48 pm

Professor Mc Gonegall is being so patient with Joanna here, and I love the way Joanna slips in that question about the Professor's children!

I'm loving it, Joey. Very Happy

Keep up the good work.

#51: Author: Kat, Location: Swansea

Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 1:18 pm

I just can not imagine Prof. M with kids!! Laughing

Thanks Joey!

#52: Author: Nineveh,

Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 2:37 pm

Quote:

And, Nineveh, you've got me worried about the spelling of Trelawn(e)y now - I'll have to check when I get home.

Please let me be right ::selfish:: Just bought Changes my last one to read, hurrah.

Cackles fiendishly, knowing what's coming. Glad to see that Mary-Lou’s got ‘em hooked…

#53: Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans/Leicester

Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 4:43 pm

Mary-Lou's an undiscovered witch then? that might explain some things *giggles*

Thanks Joey

#54: Author: RuthY, Location: Anyone's guess

Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 4:58 pm

another post!
really enjoying this joey crossover between HP and CS=great (because they're to of my favourite series of books

#55: Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 5:04 pm

Make the most of getting two bits a day while it lasts - I won't keep on being this good to you!

The Professor took another sip of tea.

“You know,” she said, “You have an advantage over most first years at Hogwarts because you have already been at boarding school since you were six years old."

"I s'pose," said Joanna doubtfully. "But it isn't the same really."

"Why not?"

"We were at St. Nicholas at first, and that's small classes and lots of games. And then I went to the main Chalet School, and everyone knows me there."

"Why?"

"Because my Grandmamma was the very first pupil, 'way back in the thirties in Tirol, and Mamma and her trips were her first babies. Lots of the mistresses are honourary aunties, and it's a bit like a big extension of our family. Hogwarts won't be like that."

"Not quite. But you will belong to one of the four school houses, and that will come to seem like a family to you. Hogwarts is much smaller than the Chalet School, if you count all the branches. And you will be with people who understand and can help you understand your unusual gifts, in a way that your natural family never can."

"Yes, but what about Jackie?"

"It is a shame about Jackie," said the Professor. "It is not usual for us to have to separate twins."

"That doesn't matter so much. Jackie went to prep school in England when I went to the big school at eight," said Joanna somewhat loftily. "But we always do the same in the holidays."

"I hope you will still be able to," said the Professor "And he will be able to visit you at least once a term, and see what your school is like."

"O."

"That is, if it is what you both want."

“I don’t know if it’s what Jackie will want,” said Joanna, a little sadly. "Everything's different now."

Last edited by Joey on Tue Jul 19, 2005 7:15 pm; edited 1 time in total

#56: Author: RuthY, Location: Anyone's guess

Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 5:21 pm

You're so kind to us Joey
Another great post
I hope Joanna and Jackie don't fall out because Joanna is going to hogwarts and Jackie isn't

#57: Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England

Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 5:21 pm

I am enjoying this. Wonder how come Jackie isn't magic? Looking forward to hearing about Mary-Lou.

#58: Author: Rachel,

Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 5:40 pm

Hey Joey, just read this all from the start and really enjoying it so far!

And long is GOOD! We like long! Please feel free to update lots of times per day!

#59: Author: Kat, Location: Swansea

Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 5:43 pm

Thanks Joey!!

Feel sorry for Jackie though - is he a squib? Or plain muggle?

#60: Author: Caeli, Location: West Midlands

Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 5:54 pm

I just read all this from the beginning. This is really good Joey, thanks! Feeling sorry for Jackie though...

#61: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 10:06 pm

((Jackie))

I think Joanna is a very perceptive little witch....now which house do we think she'll be in?

#62: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 10:15 pm

Jackie must be just a muggle, to be a squib you have to have wizarding parents.
Really enjoying this!

#63: Author: Rachel,

Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 10:36 pm

francesn wrote:

((Jackie))

I think Joanna is a very perceptive little witch....now which house do we think she'll be in?

Slytherin! Slytherin! Slytherin!

*crosses fingers, toes and eyes*

#64: Author: Mollio, Location: Ireland

Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 1:00 am

Joey, PLEASE, PLEASE, don't wait any length of time before you post again. Once a day should be the least you should aim for!

This is really good! I am thoroughly enjoying it.

Is there any way you can let Hogwarts have made a mistake and allow Jackie to go too?

Thank you for a great story.

#65: Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 9:09 am

Nineveh, you'll be happy to know that I'm the one who can't spell Trelawney. So when I can be bothered I'll go back & change it.

I can only post at work, so I've been posting twice a day to make up for nothing at weekends. Whether I'll decide to be nice and keep on doing that is another question.

Yes, Jackie's a muggle and no, I'm afraid Hogwarts haven't made a mistake. They made a quite bad mistake with one person in this drabble, since which they have been extra vigilant.

Well spotted, Sarah_K, and... I'm not saying any more.

Next bit!

Then Joanna shook her head, as if to clear the thoughts from it. “What sort of things will I learn at Hogwarts?"

"My subject is Transfiguration. That is, turning an object - Transfiguring it - into something else. In your first lesson you will begin to turn a matchstick into a pin."

"Why?"

"In case you ever need a pin when you only have a box of matches, of course," said the Professor briskly. "You will also learn Charms, Potions, History of Magic, Astronomy, Defence agaisnt the Dark Arts and Herbology."

"That does sound exciting," said Joanna. "What do I need to take with me?"

"The second page of your letter is a list of uniform, books and apparatus," said Professor McGonegall briskly. "You will need to visit Diagon Alley in London to purchase them."

"London?" Joanna's eyes were round. "Mamma can't travel at the moment, and Dad won't be able to leave the San. That means Grandmamma will want to come!"

"From what I have heard of your grandmother, Miss Entwistle, I am sure she will cope with Diagon Alley," said the Professor.

"Yes, but will Dia-thing Alley cope with Grandmamma?" said Joanna anxiously.

#66: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 9:55 am

Joey wrote:

"From what I have heard of your grandmother, Miss Entwistle, I am sure she will cope with Diagon Alley," said the Professor.

"Yes, but will Dia-thing Alley cope with Grandmamma?" said Joanna anxiously.

Thank you Joey! Joanna is very on the ball - look forward to seeing her and Grandmamma in Diagon Alley!

#67: Author: Laura, Location: London (ish)

Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 9:59 am

Thank you Joey! *also very much looking forward to seeing the other Joey in Diagon Alley!*

#68: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 10:07 am

Ohhh Joey in diagon alley!
Is Len "busy" by any chance?

#69: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 10:09 am

Hehe thanks Joey, I also cant wait to see Joey in Diagon Alley Laughing

#70: Author: Rachel,

Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 10:23 am

Thanks for the update Joey.

Looking forward to the next installment - has Joanna actually OPENED her letter yet? Wink

#71: Author: Helen C, Location: Sheffield/Luton

Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 10:48 am

Thanks Joey. Also can't wait for Joey in diagon ally

#72: Author: RuthY, Location: Anyone's guess

Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 10:49 am

thanks for the update joey
looking forward to more as soon as you've got time
ROFL

look forward to seeing grandmama in diagon alley

Ruth

#73: Author: Alice, Location: London, England

Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 12:16 pm

I am enjoying this. Thanks Joey. Looking forward to more.

#74: Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans/Leicester

Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 3:57 pm

Joey wrote:

Yes, but will Dia-thing Alley cope with Grandmamma?" said Joanna anxiously.

*giggles*
That could be quite a sight I'd imagine! Thanks Joey.

#75: Author: Kat, Location: Swansea

Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 4:43 pm

Can't wait to see Jo in Diagon Alley!

#76: Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 5:52 pm

Next bit. We're on Chapter 2 already!

Chapter 2 - Ancient History

Helen Entwistle looked out of her study window and sighed deeply. She wished there had been time to discuss the latest development with Reg, but he had had to respond to a frantic 'phone call from Phil Graves, Head of the Sanatorium since Papa's retirement.

The interview with Jemmy and Dickon hadn't been easy, but Helen had never shrunk from explaining things to her children, or apologising if they deserved it. She put her hand in the small of her back and stretched somewhat wearily. This new babe (unless it was twins again – Helen wasn’t sure this time) knew how to make its presence felt! She was glad she had told Reg it was to be the last. Eleven children under twelve! She grinned involuntarily. At least she'd have well and truly beaten Mamma. She may have had eleven children and six adopted children, but she spread them out more. And she didn't have quads! Triplets were a mere commonplace. Connie had triplets, and so did Ailie.

Con and Margot had thought her slightly mad when she got engaged to Reg before leaving school, but she made it quite clear to him that he'd have to wait if he wanted her. She wasn't going to let engagement, let alone marriage, get in the way of her career.

"Anyway, you can't talk," she said pointedly to Con. "Look at you and Roger."

"That's different," said Con. "We're not engaged, and if either of us meets anyone else we're quite at liberty to follow our consciences," she said somewhat loftily.

"And that's why you've kept your "friendship" secret from everyone except Ruey and us," said Margot with a grin.

That first term at Oxford had been a shock to Len and Con. Of course it was easier for them in many ways than for Margot, far away in Edinburgh. Helen and Connie were able to meet quite frequently. They were charmed to discover, at the end of their first week, that they had both chosen prettier, more feminine versions of their names.

To her delight, Helen found that it was possible to study Eastern European languages. Since she was already fluent in French, German, Spanish and Italian - to the envy of her classmates - she promptly opted for Belsornian and Miranian. Her tutor was amazed and delighted.

"Miss Maynard, I don't believe we've ever had a student who specialised in two such unusual languages," he gushed.

"Unusual?" Helen was surprised. She'd never thought they were unusual languages. Auntie Veta and her children spoke both at home, and Mamma spoke Belsornian. Helen, with her passion for languauges and literature, had wished she had had the chance to learn at school, so it was an extra thrill to be able to do so now. She explained this to her tutor, who was charmed by her youthful enthusiam and wondered if it would last. Then he looked at her left hand and doubted it, and sighed a little.

#77: Author: Katie, Location: A Yorkshire lass in London

Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 5:56 pm

Poor Diagon Alley won't know what's hit it!! Laughing

And my, that's a lot of languages!

#78: Author: Rachel,

Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 6:01 pm

Thanks Joey - trying to see if this ancient history is setting up for something else of just setting the scene!

Is it wrong to see potential cliffs in every post no matter which forum or writer??

#79: Author: nikkie, Location: Cumbria

Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 9:12 pm

Rachel wrote:

Thanks Joey - trying to see if this ancient history is setting up for something else of just setting the scene!

Is it wrong to see potential cliffs in every post no matter which forum or writer??

thats just the Lesley effect Wink

Loooking forward to Jo in Diagon Alley Very Happy

#80: Author: Kat, Location: Swansea

Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 10:22 pm

Len/Helen - she's mad!!

Thanks Joey!

#81: Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England

Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 10:35 pm

Like today's installments, look forward to at least two tomorrow and can't wait to see Jo in Diagon Alley!! Twisted Evil

#82: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 10:51 pm

*teehee*

the wizarding world won't know what's hit it! Joey is bound to create a sensation...

*also wondering about the Ancient History....*

hint hint

#83: Author: Marianne, Location: Lancaster

Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 11:59 pm

oh wow!
thanks!

#84: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Thu May 19, 2005 12:02 am

Wonderful Joey!!!

Please get to 'Diagon Alley meets Jo Maynard' soon!!! Wink

#85: Author: Mollio, Location: Ireland

Posted: Thu May 19, 2005 12:25 am

Can't wait to see Jo in Diagon Alley! She'll surely try to use a wand!
This is great, Joey. Thanks. Keep it coming fast (and then faster).

#86: Author: Miss Di, Location: Newcastle, NSW

Posted: Thu May 19, 2005 5:04 am

Floo powder to get to London then? Want to see Jo vanish up a chimney!

#87: Author: ravenseyes, Location: New Zealand

Posted: Thu May 19, 2005 5:55 am

Way cool - Jo vrs Diagon Alley hmmmmm

#88: Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Thu May 19, 2005 11:21 am

Ravenseyes, there is a chapter called Joey Maynard V Diagon Alley. You'll all just have to exercise patience (which is a virtue) till we get to it.

Next bit!

Helen and Reg wrote at least once a week, and when they all went home for the Christmas vac he clung to her as if he would never let her go again. Helen quite liked that, and said so.

"But I do mean to have a career," she said. "You know that, Reg."

"Yes, I know, and yes, of course I'll wait till you're ready," said Reg. "But you don't even know what you want to do yet."

"Well, hardly!" laughed Helen. "I'm only just nineteen, and I've only had one term at Oxford. Give me a chance!"

And it was Reg's turn to sigh a little.

Everyone had expected her to run back to the Platz, teach at the Chalet School and get married the minute she graduated. But it was Connie who did that. Well, not teach - Connie didn't have the right kind of patience - but run back to the Platz and get married. Helen loved her mother's expression when she realised that her second triplet was getting married first! Ruey was jubilant.

"I thought you weren't going to settle down yet," she cried.

"But there's no reason not to now," said Connie. "I don't want to carry on studying, like Helen and Margot. I just want to write - I have lots of ideas!" Her eyes shone blackly. "And it's perfectly possible to write and be married - look at Mamma."

"And Mamma is thrilled that Roger's got a job at the new engineering works, so you'll be settled on the Platz," said Margot. "At least she's getting one of us back." She grinned at Helen and Ruey. Ruey had just finished her course at Bedford, and was going to Glendower House, the Welsh branch of the Chalet School, as assistant Gym mistress. She was also adding to the school's laurels with her captainship of the British Olympic lacrosse team.

"We're properly part of the family now," said Ruey happily.

"Don't be silly," said Helen crushingly. "You've been that for years. And Rod and Steve going off to New Zealand won't make any difference, either."

"But what became of following your consciences ?" Ruey asked Connie, who blushed.

"Well - we did," she said simply. "But somehow we kept coming back to each other. And now Roger's got a job here, and I don't want to go away again either, and so..." Her voice trailed off. Ruey threw her arms round her impulsively, and Margot's eyes grew bright.

#89: Author: Kat, Location: Swansea

Posted: Thu May 19, 2005 1:14 pm

Awwwww!!!!

#90: Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans/Leicester

Posted: Thu May 19, 2005 2:10 pm

*echoes Kat*
Awwwww. It's so nice to see them happy, and settled and whatever Helen's career it seems she's happy too Very Happy

Thanks Joey

#91: Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire

Posted: Thu May 19, 2005 4:41 pm

How nice to have some of the background filled in, Joey. Good for Con - and for Len for telling Reg to hold his horses, so to speak.

We're all enjoying this very much. Thank you.

#92: Author: RuthY, Location: Anyone's guess

Posted: Thu May 19, 2005 5:01 pm

am really enjoying this Joey more great updates
can't wait to see Joey Maynard v. Diagon Alley *g*

Ruth

#93: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Thu May 19, 2005 5:52 pm

nikkie wrote:

Rachel wrote:

Thanks Joey - trying to see if this ancient history is setting up for something else of just setting the scene!

Is it wrong to see potential cliffs in every post no matter which forum or writer??

thats just the Lesley effect Wink

Loooking forward to Jo in Diagon Alley Very Happy

Proud!

Loving this Joey - also loving the background.

#94: Author: Catherine_B, Location: Oxford, UK

Posted: Thu May 19, 2005 9:27 pm

Huzzah! Hurrah! This is super Very Happy

Quote:

Helen quite liked that, and said so.

I love the way you write with such understatement, Joey.

And most intrigued, of course, about Mary-Lou. Is that how she was so uncannily able to tell what everyone was thinking & feeling? Laughing

#95: Author: Sandra, Location: Oxfordshire

Posted: Thu May 19, 2005 10:17 pm

[quote="Joey"]Ravenseyes, there is a chapter called Joey Maynard V Diagon Alley. You'll all just have to exercise patience (which is a virtue) till we get to it.

It may be a virtue but who wants to be virtuous? Great story though[color=darkred]

#96: Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Fri May 20, 2005 9:53 am

I didn't say you wanted to be virtuous, Sandra - just that you'd have to be. <cackle>

Next bit!

When Margot slipped away, Helen went after her.

"What is it, Meg?" she asked.

"There is no substitute," said Margot bleakly. "It's good for me, Len. I need to know what I'm missing."

"It's not too late," said Helen softy.

"No, not yet," agreed Margot. "Emmie's coming over for Connie's wedding, and we're going to go marching over Belsornia and Mirania and Rumania for the Summer - I want to travel a bit. But I'm planning to start living in the Edinburgh community in the Autumn." Helen was surprised.

"I didn't know," she said. "That's sooner than you'd planned, isn't it?"

"Yes." Margot sighed. "You probably think I'm being impatient, but you won't say so. Mother Mistress thinks it, and she does say so. I know I have the rest of my life, Helen. But I've been waiting so long."

"Longer than Connie or me," said Helen. "I suppose, like her, there's no reason for you to delay your marriage any longer."

"You do understand!" cried Margot, her eyes bright again. "I should have known you would. But what about you and Reg?"

"Well, I can't combine my career with my marriage, like you and Con - at least, not yet," said Helen. "I've probably got a good four more years of study ahead of me, before I even get started."

"Reg is very patient."

"So am I," Helen pointed out. "But perhaps," she grinned infectiously, "not quite as patient as Mamma and Papa think." Margot looked shocked for a moment, but then she returned the grin broadly.

"Well, why not?" she said. "This is 1961, and you are going to get married."

#97: Author: Nineveh,

Posted: Fri May 20, 2005 10:54 am

Quote:

I didn't say you wanted to be virtuous, Sandra - just that you'd have to be. <cackle>

Unlike Helen, who isn’t being virtuous at all. Love reading other people’s comments on this. Rather love this chapter, too.

I know what’s coming, I know what’s coming…

The thought does occur, did no-one at Edinburgh ever suggest to Margot that she might work with an NGO rather than becoming a nun?

#98: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Fri May 20, 2005 12:03 pm

Joey wrote:

"Reg is very patient."

"So am I," Helen pointed out. "But perhaps," she grinned infectiously, "not quite as patient as Mamma and Papa think." Margot looked shocked for a moment, but then she returned the grin broadly.

"Well, why not?" she said. "This is 1961, and you are going to get married."

NORTY Reg and Len!!! What WOULD Joey say??? Wink

#99: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Fri May 20, 2005 1:09 pm

Oh I love this!
Great to see the trips all grown up!

#100: Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire

Posted: Fri May 20, 2005 1:37 pm

Well done, Joey, that was a magnificent twist at the end about Len!

Naughty, naughty, we didn't DO things like that in 1960 Wink

. We were all far too innocent! Rolling Eyes

Thanks, Joey

#101: Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Fri May 20, 2005 4:37 pm

I’m shocked. You all have terrible minds. Did I indicate the nature of Helen and Reg’s non-patience? Well, did I?

Nineveh, you’ve posted five times on this board and gloated four times… glad to see you’re entering into the spirit of the CBB!

Thanks for all the comments, everyone – they’re really encouraging.

Next bit, to keep you going over the weekend.

And in the Autumn Reg escorted Helen to Belsornia, to the newly re-opened University. Helen was thrilled by the narrow streets of the old city, and amazed by the old books and manuscipts that had somehow been preserved through the bad years. And when she went to Mirania for a term she was surprised by how much was left even there, although the Miranians had flooded their land to keep the enemy from profiting. She plunged herself joyfully and so thoroughly into her studies for the next four years that Mamma asked plaintively, more than once, whether she was ever getting married? Reg didn't ask, though. And if he did sometimes express his frustration, it was only to Helen, and only when they were alone.

After two years it was Margot's turn. Connie was so heavily pregnant that no-one would allow her to travel to Edinburgh for Margot's simple vows, so Reg went with Helen and her parents, and all the siblings except Adrienne, who had an important exam and was bitterly disappointed not to be there. The Edinburgh Blue Nuns had never had such a large family contingent to entertain before. And after the ceremony they were nearly as thrilled as the family to find a telegram announcing the arrival of Josephine Margaret Richardson. Helen thought Mamma would go potty with excitement.

#102: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Fri May 20, 2005 4:42 pm

Thanks Joey, Im loving your background descriptions Very Happy

#103: Author: RuthY, Location: Anyone's guess

Posted: Fri May 20, 2005 6:37 pm

Thanks joey loving it
two updates today Exclamation

Ruth

#104: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Fri May 20, 2005 7:45 pm

Lovely posts - thank you Joey - so nice the see the Trips grow up normally! Laughing

#105: Author: Alex, Location: Hunts, UK

Posted: Fri May 20, 2005 10:19 pm

Joey wrote:

Did I indicate the nature of Helen and Reg’s non-patience? Well, did I?

Somehow I don't think that the impatience resulted in them getting married secretly. Confused

This is great, Joey.

#106: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Sat May 21, 2005 9:32 pm

yes yes yes all this triplety stuff is lovely but Joey....Diagon Alley....soon!!!!

*please*

#107: Author: Pado, Location: Connecticut, USA

Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 1:39 am

Just found this and it's lovely. Can't wait for Diagon Alley!

#108: Author: Mollio, Location: Ireland

Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 1:50 am

Yes, Joey! Diagon Alley quickly, please. Maybe she'll meet the Malfoys!

#109: Author: RuthY, Location: Anyone's guess

Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 6:04 pm

francesn wrote:

yes yes yes all this triplety stuff is lovely but Joey....Diagon Alley....soon!!!!

*please*

Mollio wrote:

Yes, Joey! Diagon Alley quickly, please. Maybe she'll meet the Malfoys!

Pado wrote:

Can't wait for Diagon Alley!

I agree with them can't wait for diagon alley it has to be hilarious Exclamation

Ruth

#110: Author: Kat, Location: Swansea

Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 7:33 pm

*Smirkles at Helen and Reg*

Thanks Joey!!

#111: Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 11:55 am

Patience, my dears. Joey hasn't even heard of Hogwarts or Diagon Alley yet.

Next bit.

After her three years in Belsornia Helen spent a further year in Mirania, and then she returned to Oxford. She was nearly as surprised as Mamma, and not a little tickled, to find that at the age of twenty-six she was considered the world authority on Belanian literature. She taught at Oxford for two years, saving most of her salary; then she firmly refused the professorships offered by Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, the Sorbonne and Belsornia, accepted one at Geneva, and came back to the Görnetz Platz to get married.

Even then, she didn't give birth nine months after her wedding day, to Mamma's continued confusion. Connie by then had five children (all under four years old), and Ruey, who had married Rupert Embury, had three. But Helen had a book on water imagery in Miranian and Belsornian lyrics to finish, and she had to go to Geneva to teach every fortnight. And Reg was so happy to finally have her to himself, he didn't want to start sharing her with babies straight away. Helen enjoyed playing with her nieces, Daisy and Evelyn Richardson and Mary and Win Embury, and her nephews George, Theo and Robin Richardson and Roger Embury, and at first she enjoyed giving them back. George, Evelyn and Theo were the first mixed trips in the family, which was a minor triumph for Con.

When they felt it was time to think about starting a family, Helen spoke to her head of department about reducing her teaching duties. She didn't have an inflated opinion of her worth, and fully expected this would lead to reduction in salary. Instead she was released from all undergraduate teaching and asked to consider occasional lectures abroad, only at her convenience, of course. She would continue her research, would she not? And necessary documents would, of course, be obtained from the libraries and brought to the Görnetz Platz for her convenience. And would such-and-such be an acceptable salary increase? How Reg had howled when she described the look on the man's face when she gently told him she was pregnant. Apparently the University of Geneva had forgotten that the professor it was proudest of was a young married woman. She assured him that she would continue her research, it was much too interesting to stop. But it might proceeed a little more slowly now. And yes, she might consider occasional foreign lecture tours, if they were brief.

#112: Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire

Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 12:26 pm

Hysterical, Joey. Laughing

I chuckled all the way through this.

Helen certainly was spoiled on becoming pregnant - lucky girl!

And love Con having 5 children all under 4 - shades of mamma. Rolling Eyes

Thanks, Joey.

#113: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 12:56 pm

I loved the line that Joey was surprised that her first child/children were not born nine months after the wedding day! Laughing

Thanks Joey - oh BTW why Helen, not Helena? Confused

#114: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 12:59 pm

Thanks, Joey. What a life!

#115: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 1:08 pm

Poor Con!
Looking forward to more!

#116: Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England

Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 1:15 pm

Len must have some degree of magic if she can get people to offer her a salary increase when she gets pregnant!

#117: Author: Kat, Location: Swansea

Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 6:13 pm

Go Len!!

#118: Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Tue May 24, 2005 8:32 am

Next bit!

Mamma was so thrilled when Joanna and Jackie were born, and even more so when Reg told her their names - Joanna Mary and John Joseph. Joanna was a bit of a departure, but they had long ago run out of acceptable diminutives for Josephine - one of the reasons why Connie's eldest was called Daisy. And she was even more thrilled - Helen though wryly - when Charlie was born eleven months later. Charles, Helen's favourite brother, had recently entered an enclosed order of Brown Brothers, and Mamma missed him more than she expected, considering Phil, Geoff and Claire were still at school, and there was an apparently never-ending stream of grandchildren and great-nieces and nephews coming along. She had an especially soft spot for Charles Richard Entwistle because of Charles Richard Maynard.

Grace Margaret came eighteen months later, and she was named after Margot and her godmother. Helen had always felt a little sorry for Auntie Grace. After all, Helen and Connie were named after their godmothers. Grace was a nice name, and Margot wasn't going to use it! She had been deeply touched when Helen told her the new baby's name, and reluctantly declined the invitation to be godmother, saying she didn't think nuns made very good godmothers. Auntie Grace never knew she was second choice, and if anything was even more thrilled than when Joey asked her to godma the youngest triplet.

#119: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Tue May 24, 2005 9:13 am

How kind of Helen to think of Grace Nalder.

#120: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Tue May 24, 2005 11:03 am

Oh this is just lovely! Very Happy

#121: Author: Alice, Location: London, England

Posted: Tue May 24, 2005 12:46 pm

This is wonderful reading Joey.

#122: Author: RuthY, Location: Anyone's guess

Posted: Tue May 24, 2005 6:50 pm

I'm really enjoying this drabble Joey it's great
THANKS Exclamation

Ruth

#123: Author: Kat, Location: Swansea

Posted: Tue May 24, 2005 7:39 pm

*Giggling* Couldn't help but think 'Blues brothers' rather than Brown Brothers for Charles!!

Thank you Joey!

#124: Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Wed May 25, 2005 8:37 am

Lesley, just realised I didn't answer your question about Helen's name. I think when she chose it, in her first term at Oxford, Helena still made her feel like a naughty little girl.

I was going to post another bit yesterday afternoon, but the board was going sloowly. So here it is!

Helen had another book to finish when Grace was little, and then she was asked to make a short lecture tour of Britain and America. So it was two and half years before the Second Twins were born, and named James and Richard after their great-uncles.

It was about that time that Ruey and Rupert horrified the older generation on the Platz by divorcing - amicably! Such a thing was unheard of. Even more shockingly, Ruey made friends with Rupert's second wife! As she said to Helen and Connie, Yvonne was Mary, Roger and Win's stepmother. It made sense to be friends, and she and Rupert were much better suited than he and Ruey had ever been.

"We were young and foolish, and we made a mistake." she said cheerfully. "Worse things happen at sea. And it was a good mistake - we wouldn't have the kiddies otherwise, and we'll always be best friends." Margot was the only one of Ruey's contemporaries to express any doubt, and that was to be expected.

Helen's work kept her busy again for a couple of years after Second Twins were born. Papa retired and Reg refused the headship of the San, saying he thought it should go to someone with more experience. Then Miss Wilmot, the Headmistress of the Chalet School, asked if Helen would consider giving occasional lectures to the sixth form. Reg thought, and said (thankfully only to Helen), that this was cheek, and how did Nancy think she could afford Helen anyway? But Helen thought it might be interesting. She did quite miss the teaching aspect of her work, but there really wasn't time to keep going to Geneva any more. She found the new generation of Chalet prefects much more worldly but quite as academic as Len's own generation, and she enjoyed her twice-monthly sessions on Belanian literature.

#125: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Wed May 25, 2005 8:46 am

Ah, thanks Joey.

Love the history - all very plausible. Thank you.

#126: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Wed May 25, 2005 2:37 pm

Thanks Joey - the history of the Maynard family makes interesting reading!

#127: Author: nikkie, Location: Cumbria

Posted: Wed May 25, 2005 8:43 pm

Very interesting
Thanks Joey

#128: Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under

Posted: Wed May 25, 2005 10:21 pm

Joey wrote:

Charles, Helen's favourite brother, had recently entered an enclosed order of Brown Brothers

ROFL! Brown Brothers is a winery in Australia!

#129: Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Thu May 26, 2005 9:58 am

Little bit now. You might get the beginning of the next chapter today, but I'm very busy - it's 10 already & I haven't read any drabbles yet! It won't hurt (much) to wait till tomorrow anyway.

Everyone was astonished when the quads came. Mamma had wanted quads ever since Felicity and Felix were born, but no-one had thought they'd ever actually happen. For it to be Helen who triumphed somehow made up for her strange behaviour in her twenties. Mamma had immediately made all sorts of appalling suggestions for naming them. Pauline, Peter, Paul and Petrova was the least bad of the lot. Mamma looked confused when Helen said that two pairs of ballet shoes in the family were enough, and Felicity and Geoff were doing very well, thank you. Helen and Reg's quads were named Phoebe Jane, after Reg's old childhood friend; Robert John, after both grandfathers; and Raphael Carol and Olaina Elisaveta because those were Helen's favourite Belanian names. Phoebe, Robbie, Rafe and Laina.

Ten was enough, said Reg. But Helen had a competitive streak that she barely acknowledged even to herself - Connie, Margot and Reg, her other selves, knew all about it, of course - and, most unpraiseworthily, she wanted to have one last shot at beating Mamma.

But, she thought, Joanna had managed that for her, and in a most unexpected way. Mamma hadn't produced any witches or wizards.

#130: Author: Alex, Location: Hunts, UK

Posted: Thu May 26, 2005 11:51 am

at Len's success in breeding a witch!

I'm suprised at Jo not having read Ballet Shoes!

#131: Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire

Posted: Thu May 26, 2005 1:07 pm

Joey wrote:

[color=olive]

But, she thought, Joanna had managed that for her, and in a most unexpected way. Mamma hadn't produced any witches or wizards.

Oh, I don't know! Helen seems to be a bit of a witch herself, determined as she is to beat her mother! Twisted Evil

And boy, does she succeed with Joanna.

Love the names! Rolling Eyes

#132: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Thu May 26, 2005 1:19 pm

mad!

completely mad!

but very very amusing

#133: Author: RuthY, Location: Anyone's guess

Posted: Thu May 26, 2005 4:50 pm

another great update
Waits eagarly for the promised update tomorrow.
Helen has certainly beaten her mother in a most unexpected way Exclamation

Ruth

#134: Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 9:13 am

Next bit. If you thought the last chapter was mad...

Chapter 3 – Joanna’s Family

After lunch, it took the combined efforts of Mamma, Charlie and Grace, Roosje and Marya to get the quads into the two double pushchairs. This was quite usual. Joanna and Jackie were exempted from helping because it was Their Day, and Dad was still at the San, though he hoped to be able to come to Freudesheim later. Helen noticed that there was a reservation between her First Twins that had never been there before, and she was sorry to see it. Of course it would have come some time - it was part of growing up - but, she thought, there were clearly ways in which she would never understand her eldest daughter, and the same things now set Jackie apart from his twin.

Now she understood better Mamma and Papa's reaction to first Felicity and then Geoff's insistence on going to the Royal Ballet School at the age of eleven. Eleven was so young to begin to leave your family behind! And at least ballet was something they could explain to people, and Felicity's acceptance into the Corps de Ballet was a kind of rehearsal - Helen smiled at the involuntary pun - for Geoff's first Principal engagement.

"Will Uncle Geoffy and Aunty Flixy be there?" asked Joanna, having apparently read her mother’s mind. Or maybe not - Geoff had always been her favourite uncle.

"Don't hold your breath, Jojo," said Mamma. "Everyone always tries to come to family parties, but you know Uncle Geoffy's on tour at the moment."

"Young Geoffrey Maynard is one of the most critically acclaimed dancers of the rising generation, despite his unlikely background," recited Charlie. He loved memorising reviews of anything accomplished by the legion members of the Bettany-Russell-Maynard clan. "The fifth son (and eleventh child) of Dr. John Maynard of the Achensee Sanatorium in the Bernese Oberland, and Josephine M. Bettany the once-popular writer for children..."

"Charlie," said Joanna sharply. "Don't you dare recite that one in front of Grandmamma!"

Helen shook her head. Were all mothers confused by their children? Joanna was such a good Chalet school girl, a perfect granddaughter for Joey Maynard, and yet she was a witch and she was going to leave them.

#135: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 10:28 am

Love the review! Laughing

Thanks for this Frances.

#136: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 11:22 am

Loved Joey being "once popular" Very Happy

#137: Author: Kat, Location: Swansea

Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 11:26 am

Poor Jo!

#138: Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 12:29 pm

Next bit!

In a way, that was one of the prices paid for having a large family. Smaller families seemed to produce fewer surprises. Take the Russells, for instance. There were only six of them, and they'd behaved reasonably predictably. David, the eldest, followed in his father's footsteps and became a doctor, and so far as his parents knew he was so absorbed in his work he had neither time nor inclination to look for a wife and settle down. Well, that was not unusual - Helen knew quite a number of people who weren't able to introduce their partners to their families for various reasons. David and Peter were more happily "married" than many of their contemporaries.

Sybil and Josette had both married young, Josette at the ridiculous age of nineteen. Helen habitually shook herself when she remembered how nearly that had happened to her. Of course Josette was happy, and Helen had married her childhood sweetheart. But Helen had a career as well, and Josette had lost that. Helen didn't think this was any less tragic for being a common occurrence.

Sybil had almost broken her mother's heart - or so Mamma, Joey, insisted - by going through the first divorce in the family. Helen though Aunty Madge was much more resilient than that, but it was better just to be quiet when Mamma got on her high horse. But Sybil's children, like Josette's sons, were growing into good, well-rounded young Australian citizens. Properly brought up enough to be sure to vote for the aspiring prime minister's party, not just because she was an old schoolmate of their mothers', but because "Hope for the Nation" really did seem to be the way forwards.

#139: Author: Ruth B, Location: Oxford, UK

Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 12:35 pm

Emerence for PM Shocked

Thanks for this Joey, I'm really enjoying it

#140: Author: Emma A, Location: The Soke of Peterborough

Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 12:37 pm

Fascinating, Joey - who's Sybil's schoolfriend running for office? (just noticed Ruth B's post - *really* Emerence? Shocked

)

Thank-you.

#141: Author: Kat, Location: Swansea

Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 1:44 pm

Emmy as PM?! Brilliant! ROFL

#142: Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England

Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 2:18 pm

love the family portrait you ahve drawn here.

#143: Author: Robin, Location: London

Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 2:51 pm

just caught up with lots of this - it's great, thanks!

#144: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 3:55 pm

Love the family histories and Emmy as PM sounds fab!!!

Thanks Joey Very Happy

#145: Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 4:19 pm

Lesley wrote:

Thanks for this Frances.

Just spotted this! When did my name change, Lesley? Smile

Thanks to Nineveh for telling me Emmy Hope's post-school career, and election slogan, quite a while ago now - seven or eight years. <gulp>

Three bits today - see, I'm spoiling you! Have a great bank holiday weekend, everyone.

Ailie, having been told throughout her childhood that she was a little scallywag and not too bright, decided to prove everyone wrong and won a scholarship to Cambridge to read mathematics. She met another maths student there and they soon got married and lived in amiable, companionable absent-mindedness. The family were always surprised that their triplets looked as neatly clad and well polished as they did. Helen suspected that they had early realised they would have to do it themselves, as their parents weren't remotely reliable. And of course, there being three of them, they were able to support and hold each other up in a way ordinary siblings couldn't.

As for the Russell twins, Kester and Kevin, they were still enjoying the bachelor life and had no intention of changing their status. Kester was a dentist and Kevin was a plumber, and they both appeared to lead riotous social lives.

So the Russells had all taken different paths, but there was nothing really surprising there. The Bettanys were a little more adventurous. Peggy had, like a good Chalet School girl, fallen in love with her schoolmates' brother, Giles Winterton, married at twenty-three and had five children, including twins. The girls went to the Chalet School, of course. Her twin, Rix, after completing his medical training, very considerately decided to marry Giles' sister Polly, much changed from her early incarnation as the Lady Acetylene Lampe.

Bride married a barrister, and then decided to train to be solicitor herself. The family seemed surprised, but her husband was very supportive. The Carringtons were a formidable team, much feared in the courts. They had no children, but chose instead to devote their lives to supporting other people.

John Bettany was tragically killed in a ski-ing accident at the age of twenty-three, a shock from which Auntie Mollie had never really recovered.

#146: Author: RuthY, Location: Anyone's guess

Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 5:00 pm

oohh goody!!

Three updates today

Really enjoying all of this Joey!!

Ruth

#147: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 5:27 pm

How shiny that there are so many updates! Very Happy

#148: Author: Caeli, Location: West Midlands

Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 7:14 pm

This is really good and love all the information about what happened to everybody. Thanks!

#149: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 8:22 pm

Thanks Joey - and sorry about the wrong name thing earlier! Embarassed

Love the casual way you introduce David's partner, and as for the politician! Laughing

#150: Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under

Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 9:21 pm

Thanks for so many updates - and what's happened to the family.

Soon as I read "Hope for the Nation" I started wibbling - Emerence isn't a Pauline Hanson type politician is she?

#151: Author: Pado, Location: Connecticut, USA

Posted: Sat May 28, 2005 3:46 am

Too many good things to list.... Very Happy

#152: Author: Alice, Location: London, England

Posted: Sun May 29, 2005 3:22 pm

Poor John. - though I never saw why he couldn't switch from Jackie to Jack rather than John!

#153: Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks

Posted: Sun May 29, 2005 8:53 pm

Having just had a major catch up session and this is just so good Joey - looking forward to much much more of it

#154: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Sun May 29, 2005 11:30 pm

wow Joey - loads of great posts to read!

so what happened to Maeve, Maurice and Daphne then?

*intrigued*

#155: Author: Miriam, Location: Jerusalem, Israel

Posted: Mon May 30, 2005 11:40 am

Alice wrote:

Poor John. - though I never saw why he couldn't switch from Jackie to Jack rather than John!

Maybe because of his Uncle Jack? They do seem to prefer a variety of 'shorts' rather than have two people called by the same name. Equally, maybe he just wanted to get as far away as possible from his childhood nickname.

#156: Author: nikkie, Location: Cumbria

Posted: Mon May 30, 2005 8:32 pm

Love the history,thanks Joey

#157: Author: Miss Di, Location: Newcastle, NSW

Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 6:27 am

Sophoife wrote:

Soon as I read "Hope for the Nation" I started wibbling - Emerence isn't a Pauline Hanson type politician is she?

Exactly what I started worrying about. Please explain?

Great family history BTW!

#158: Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 8:56 am

Hope everyone in the UK had a great Bank Holiday. We were very lucky with the weather. And now a short work week - hurrah!

Sophoife and Miss Di, I just Googled Pauline Hanson. Scary pictures, and she seems to be an Independant candidate, but I'm not much wiser about her policies. But I shouldn't think Emmy's like her. She always struck me as having more of a sense of humour.

That's ok, Lesley. Easily done!

Frances - your question answered!

Maeve took an unexpected turn when she decided to re-train as a doctor at twenty-five. Maurice, never more than a step behind her, took the unprecedented step of training to be a nurse. They both now worked at the San, and Maeve was married to the Chalet School's dance teacher, M. Florent. That was a twist that Helen really enjoyed! Maurice wasn't married, but made his home with Maeve and Louis, and shared in caring for their four small children. All singletons, but Maeve had made up for that by producing them at intervals of exactly eleven months. Since Pearl, the youngest, was now eighteen months old, everyone hoped she'd stopped, not least Louis.

And Daphne, the youngest Bettany ("Not an afterthought! I am my own person!") had overcome her early aversion to the School and was one of the most popular teachers Inter V had ever had.

#159: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 2:22 pm

Great to see more of this! Very Happy

#160: Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 6:04 pm

To make up for the last bit being so short...

Here Helen paused in her musings to count her children again. Jackie was helping Grace with one of the double pushchairs, and Joanna and Charlie were pushing the other. Helen was relieved to see that Rafe & Laina were together, as were Robbie & Phoebe. This was the best of the three pairing options for the Quads. Phoebe & Laina and Rafe & Robbie was also acceptable, but Rafe & Phoebe and Robbie & Laina meant trouble for everyone. In the excitement of getting them into the pushchairs, it wasn't always possible to forestall this calamity. Marya stalked behind them, grasping Dickon and Jemmy firmly by the hands. She was as formidable to the Entwistle children as ever Anna had been to the Maynards, and Helen gave daily thanks that she chose to share her life with them. She sighed involuntarily again and pressed her fist into the small of her back. Marya turned round.

"Meine Frau, we are in sight of Freudesheim," she said. "I beg you take your time and wait outside awhile. It will be better if you can slip quietly in and not as part of a crowd. I will come in search of you in twenty minutes."

"O, thank you, Marya," said Helen gratefully.

"Do be careful, Mamma," said Joanna. "You will, won't you?"

"Of course I will, Silly," said Helen. "It's not just myself I need to take care of."

"No, but it's yourself too," insisted Joanna.

"I'll be careful," promised Helen. "Off you go." Joanna looked at her intently, then she nodded and ran off.

Perhaps it would be a good thing for Joanna to make a clean break after all, thought Helen. She didn't want her eldest daughter burdened with the over-proportioned sense of duty she had suffered as a teenager.

#161: Author: RuthY, Location: Anyone's guess

Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 8:04 pm

2 great updates, thanks Joey!!!

Ruth

#162: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 8:09 pm

Thank you Joey - love reading about the family history - and yeh!!!! for Maeve and Maurice - especially Maeve - well doctors married CS teachers don't they? Laughing

#163: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 10:29 pm

*g*

fantastic!!!!!

glad Helen wants to prevent Joanna being overburdened with responsibilities - I always felt EBD put far too much pressure on Len

#164: Author: Mollio, Location: Ireland

Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 1:01 am

I love this!

#165: Author: Miss Di, Location: Newcastle, NSW

Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 4:38 am

Joey wrote:

Sophoife and Miss Di, I just Googled Pauline Hanson. Scary pictures, and she seems to be an Independant candidate, but I'm not much wiser about her policies. But I shouldn't think Emmy's like her. She always struck me as having more of a sense of humour.

It was the party title - "Hope for the Nation" reminded us of "One Nation" which was Pauline Hanson's political party. Their policies were pretty awful but appealed to a certain proportion of the electorate who were anti immigration and reconciliation.

Hanson was (in)famous for blurting out "Please expain?" when asked if she was xenophobic

Hanson was eventually gaoled for electoral fraud.

Now having got the history lesson out of the way, let's make way from another brilliant installment from Joey!

#166: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 10:02 am

Fantastic. Thank you Joey!

#167: Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 1:55 pm

Thanks, Miss Di. No, Emerence isn't like that. I don't know what her political party is - I think Nineveh might! But she certainly isn't anti-immigration or reconciliation. Her time at the Chalet School taught her that! "Hope for the Nation" is her personal slogan, and firmly tongue in cheek.

Next bit!

Helen absent-mindedly began to walk around the lawn - thankful that it was still damp after the unseasonable downpour which had caused Joey to decide against a garden party - as she thought of her own siblings and the truly diverse paths they had followed. Joey Maynard had made wonderful plans for all her babies, but even she couldn't have imagined what they would achieve. Connie Richardson was an internationally successful author, far more critically acclaimed than her mother. Her insight was considered truly astonishing - and Helen agreed that it was extraordinary: Connie had left her sheltered upbringing on the Platz to go to Oxford, and she returned to the Platz and married her childhood sweetheart at twenty-one. How could she possibly know how to write suffering and joy the way she did? The Nobel nomination was a surprise to no-one except herself. Sister Julian Maynard, Margot "as was", had already received her Nobel Prize for Medicine for services to research into the causes of tuberculosis in tropical climates.

Last edited by Joey on Fri Jun 03, 2005 11:25 am; edited 1 time in total

#168: Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield

Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 2:04 pm

Two Nobel Prizes?

Aren't they doing well?

Thanks Joey. Loving all these historical updates.

#169: Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire

Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 2:20 pm

Was there ever a family so well-endowed? Rolling Eyes

A background to take one's breath away - Joanna clearly has a lot to live up to. Mind you, being a witch should make that easy for her. Laughing

Thanks, Joey.

#170: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 6:42 pm

Joey must be sooo proud - wonder what she thinks of Con's books being more critically acclaimed though? Laughing

Thanks for update.

#171: Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 9:03 am

Next bit!

Which, of course, made Joey talk endlessly about triplet Nobel prizes for her triplets. Even the press had picked up on that. Helen wished they wouldn't. She'd been embarrassed enough to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for – she shook her head; she still didn't really think she was responsible - bringing about the peaceful secession of Belsornia and Mirania from the Soviet Union, and averting the civil war which had, for a short time, seemed unavoidable. She really wasn't convinced that telling the world about Belanian literature, and acting as a "disinterested third party" in the talks with Russia, had had that much effect. And all she had done afterwards was remind the re-instated Royal Families that they were cousins, and their countries were cousins, and their literatures were more than kin. What had at one point looked like terrible and inevitable bloodshed was averted by such small things. Anyone could have done them. ("Maybe so, Helen, but anyone didn't. You did," said Reg's voice in the back of her mind.)

#172: Author: Rachel,

Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 9:42 am

Fabulous!

But can we see Joey in Diagon Allley soon please???

#173: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 9:57 am

A wonderful catch-up on the Maynard family history, but when do we see Jo in Diagon Alley? Not that I'm being greedy for more....... but,.....

#174: Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 12:22 pm

Many of you have plot bunies of your own, so I'm sure you will appreciate that I have to write and post in the order Ganymede makes me.

Besides, I think it's interesting to find out what's happened to everyone in the intervening time. I enjoyed writing this chapter.

And just to speed things up a little, here is the next bit. (Argh! I'm bowing to pressure now!)

Helen shook her head to clear it. Family.

Roger Richardson, the eldest ward, had pleased everyone by marrying Connie and helping to found the Görnetz Engineering Works, thus safeguarding the future of the Platz and thereby, the School and the San. He and Connie had fallen in love that very first summer in the Tirol, and were still so much so that their fifteen-year-old triplets were embarassed by them. Helen smiled to herself. "Dreamy", they'd called Con at school. Well, yes, perhaps - but not quite in the way they'd meant it!

After the breakdown of her marriage, Ruey - who had never stopped coaching lacrosse - returned joyfully to her position as Head of Physical Education at the Gornetz Chalet School, and P.E. Co-ordinator across all seven branches. The school knew how fortunate they were to have a international-standard lacrosse player on their staff. The photos of Ruey's Olympic triumph were as proudly displayed as Connie's first Whitbread prize and evidence of Helen and Sister Julian's academic achievements.

Steve Maynard and Rod Richardson had gone into sheep farming in New Zealand, and they now headed an extremely succesful business. Rod married Jan Mackenzie, the eldest daughter of Connie's godmother ("Let's keep it in the family, whatever we do," as Connie said in a moment of cynicism). Steve married a Kiwi woman, and of course, the eldest Maynard and Richardson girls were amongst the founding pupils of the Antipodean branch of the Chalet School.

#175: Author: Alice, Location: London, England

Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 12:33 pm

I do like hearing what everyone's up to. Thank you Joey.

#176: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 12:50 pm

Yay, this is real family background, thanks, Joey.

#177: Author: Ann, Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, England

Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 1:12 pm

Joey wrote:

"Let's keep it in the family, whatever we do," as Connie said in a moment of cynicism.

Thanks Joey - this potted history of the Maynard family has been fascinating!

#178: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 2:34 pm

Seven branches of the CS-wow!

#179: Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 5:11 pm

You're getting three bits today (aren't you lucky!), because I'm likely to be busy tomorrow and then I'm away till Thursday next week.

Adrienne had followed her scholarship at the Chalet School with a very succesful scholarship to the Sorbonne, where she read languages. Then she came back to the school to teach. When the New Zealand project was mooted, she was one of the first staff members to put her name down. Like Mesdemoiselles Lepattre and de Lachenais, she taught a combination that would be most unusual anywhere except the Chalet School - French and embroidery. Most of her salary was invested, and she had already founded two scholarships, one in Switzerland and one in New Zealand. These were like Joey and Madge's scholarships, awarded for the school life of the pupil, but her next ambition was to establish a series of annual scholarships for existing students - a new departure for the school.

It surprised no-one when Charles became a contemplative. They all missed him, and they were so proud of him. Marie-Cecile and Julian were his predecessors in religion, but they both belonged to working orders. Charles, or Damien as he was called in religion, felt that nothing but a life of prayer was enough for him. The amount of correspondence he received seemed extraordinary to his brothers, and he always took care to answer each letter personally, whether it was a request for an extra prayer from a distant connection approaching an exam, or a scrawled missive from Mike demanding - not requesting - advice on courting his admiral's youngest daughter.

That was an affair that came to nothing, like most of Mike's. Helen smiled, and then caught her breath involuntarily. No, not yet! Too soon, too soon!

#180: Author: RuthY, Location: Anyone's guess

Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 6:10 pm

GREAT UPDATES!!!!!!!!

Family history is v. interesting!!

7 branches Exclamation

More as soon as you can (is that to greedy)

Ruth

#181: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 6:42 pm

Such lovely updates, thanks Joey, its all so fascinating!! Very Happy

#182: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 7:27 pm

Was that a mini cliff we were just left on? Shocked

#183: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 9:20 pm

wow loads of updates - your version of the family history is fascinating!!!!

although - Erica????

#184: Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under

Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 10:58 pm

Loving the family history. Typical Joey - first she is wholesale by having triplets, then the triplets are wholesale with Nobel Prizes!

#185: Author: Miss Di, Location: Newcastle, NSW

Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 3:54 am

But aren't you glad you aren't a relative?

What a lot to live up to!

Feeling like an underachiever.

#186: Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 8:27 am

Don't worry, Frances - Helen was temporarily distracted by the clifflet Cazx noticed. Here's Erica.

There will be one more bit today, to finish this chapter, and then that's it till next Thursday.

There might be a small prize for anyone who can identify Doone Penny, from one of my all-time favourite books.

She forced herself to relax as the sensation passed. Mike was in the navy, of course, as he always said he would be. He was reasonably successful, and almost completely anonymous, which was what he preferred.

Erica should come before Mike, really, in terms of age. She was in some ways the least spectacular of the whole family. Or maybe not. Helen was never quite sure. In possession of a vast fortune of her own, inherited from both parents, she had insisted on going to LSE to learn how to manage it. Not being of a particularly academic bent, she really struggled there, but she emerged triumphant with a respectable degree. Then she approached Miss Wilmot and the Chalet School Ltd and convinced them that economics would be a good and useful subject to offer in the sixth form. Erica was now Economics Co-ordinator and spent part of each year in each of the three senior schools, refusing a salary on the grounds that she really didn't need it, and enjoying life hugely.

Felicity was the only family member thus far who really hadn't enjoyed life at the Chalet School. She spent her five years there - from St. Nicholas to IIIb - desperate to escape to the Royal Ballet School. She entered the Junior School at eleven, the earliest possible age, and was very succcesful. She went straight into the corps at age eighteen. Felix, her twin, was a violinist with the Royal Philharmonic. He was engaged to a viola player, but Felicity was still single. She said only dancers really understood other dancers, and men were vastly outnumbered.

Cecil was a musician too. She had determinedly, and quite deliberately, set out to follow in Nina Rutherford's footsteps. However, her gifts turned out to lie in a slightly different direction, and she was already beginning to be in demand for that most exacting and unsung of arts, that of accompanist.

Geoff had amazed everyone by following in Felicity's footsteps, and then surprised everyone except for herself by proving to be far more gifted. Felicity went straight into the corps from school; Geoff danced in public whilst still at school, and won his first prinicpal role at the ridiculously early age of nineteen. His mentor was Doone Penny, who could hardly have come from a more different background - "But we started the same," said Geoff. "I was allowed to carry my big sister's shoes, too."

#187: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 9:26 am

I love all this family history, thanks Joey!

#188: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 9:42 am

Looking forward to hearing about Phil and Marie-Claire, what have they got up to?

#189: Author: Laura, Location: London (ish)

Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 9:48 am

And hopefully more about Mike, too! I love the family history (and the triplet nobel prizes!)

Thanks Joey. Very Happy

#190: Author: Josie, Location: London

Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 10:47 am

Just read this from beginning to end - it's hilarious, Joey. Your dry sense of humour is wicked - I've been chuckling aloud and all my colleagues are looking at me as if I've gone mad.

Also loving the family history - keep following Ganymeade's direction, I say! Laughing

#191: Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire

Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 12:31 pm

Wonderful potted history, Jo. What a variety of gifts and talents. Shocked

As Josie says, the dry humour is irresistible.

Good work, Jo. Wink

#192: Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 2:08 pm

Last bit till next Thursday. I'm going to enjoy my days off. I don't intend to think about my staff at all.

I will think about the CBB though - all the drabbles I'll have to catch up on! And I need to write some more of this.

Have fun without me...

Geoff's twin, Pip, had the distinction of delicacy to set her apart. Polio sequalia had kept her from ever regaining the full use of her hands, and Joey flatly refused to let her go abroad to study, even if she had wanted to. Pip had never liked crowds of people, and she was happy at home helping Anna, Rösli and Joey with the day-to-day running of Freudesheim. She was also a popular aunty and brevet-aunty to the small fry, because she told such wonderful stories. And she had a gift for writing verse that was not wholly doggerel: she was currently (but very quietly - only Helen and Connie knew about it) trying to write "real poetry".

And as for Petite Claire, the family baby, her gifts were decidedly artistic. She was about to begin a course at the School of Embroidery at Kensington, and was thoroughly looking forward to it, and to living both abroad and away from her family for the first time.

At this point, Helen was forced to acknowledge something she had been trying to hide from herself for the last few hours. She gave a funny little gasp and stumbled backwards, just as Marya, who had been looking for her, exclaimed and ran to break her fall.

#193: Author: RuthY, Location: Anyone's guess

Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 2:45 pm

GREAT UPDATES!!!!!!!!!

But do we have to wait until thursday for more?????

Ruth

#194: Author: Laura, Location: London (ish)

Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 3:08 pm

A cliff! And a cliff 'til Thursday??!

Thank you Jo!

#195: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 7:55 pm

Wonderful updates and wonderful cliff!

Thanks Joey. Laughing

#196: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2005 12:17 am

Thanks, Joey. What a family! Are you sure none of the rest of them are witches/wizards?

Joey wrote:

then that's it till next Thursday.

There might be a small prize for anyone who can identify Doone Penny, from one of my all-time favourite books.

Did you juxtapose these on purpose? Doone is from Thursday's Children, by Rumer Godden, not to be confused with Thursday's Child, by Noel Streatfeild.

#197: Author: Mollio, Location: Ireland

Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2005 12:36 am

I'm dying to know why Helen nearly fell over backwards!
Thursday is VERY far away...(hint, hint!)

#198: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2005 10:36 pm

*joins the hinting*

thanks for the family history but WHAT IS WRONG WITH HELEN?

#199: Author: Mollio, Location: Ireland

Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2005 2:17 am

Is it Thursday yet?

#200: Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under

Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2005 4:10 am