2 fics, Challenge #79 + #80
Challenge #79: Trick
Title: Operation Prankster
Rating/Warnings: G
Characters/Pairing: Lily Luna, Albus Severus
Summary: Lily needs to teach her brother a few things.
Word Count: 515
Author's Notes:
Registered purchases?: Quill Only
Lily Luna Potter was going to have to teach her brother a few things. He thought that casting trip jinxes on random people in the hall was a great trick. That was something their parents (she shuddered at the thought) would have thought was cool way back when they were at Hogwarts. But that’s what her brother got for being in Gryffindor and not Slytherin like her.
Albus Severus Potter was going to have to let his sister teach him a few things. He knew his idea of a trick was lame but it was all he could come up with. And it hadn’t even really been his idea. He’d overheard his parents talking one day the previous summer about their time at Hogwarts and the trip jinx was just something they mentioned. He needed some serious help from a Slytherin.
“Alright Albus, today we start phase one of Operation Prankster,” Lily announced, approaching her brother in the Gryffindor Common Room early one morning.
“How did you get in here? They changed the password this morning.” Albus was confused. “I just found out myself.”
“I never reveal my sources,” Lily said nonchalantly.
Albus eyed her suspiciously for a moment before shrugging. “Alright. Teach me.”
Lily grinned and grabbed Albus’s wrist. She pulled him out of Gryffindor Tower, “First I’m going to share with you the biggest secret to my success.” She continued to drag her brother down flight after flight of steps and through various shortcuts. “You can’t tell anyone about it.” They passed the Great Hall and continued to go down stair after stair. “And you’ll have to share with me.” They finally stopped in front of the bare stretch of wall that was the entrance to the Slytherin dungeons. “Cover your ears.”
Albus did as he was told and watched his little sister speak a word he couldn’t decipher. Slytherins never shared the password to their Common Room; not even with family. Albus uncovered his ears when the wall in front of him slid open to reveal the green and silver room behind it. Lily again took hold of Albus’s wrist and pulled him through the Common Room. She deposited the brunet into a chair near the fireplace, “Wait here, I’ll be right back.”
Lily disappeared down a hallway to the right of the fireplace for a few minutes. Albus watched the flames dancing in front of him while he waited. Lily emerged carrying a folded up piece of old parchment. She smiled and sat on the arm of Albus’s chair, handing him the parchment. She pulled out her wand, “Unfold it.” Albus did what she said and then looked up at his sister expectantly. She tapped the parchment with her wand and said, “I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.”
Albus watched in amazement as a detailed map appeared on the parchment. “What is this?” he asked in awe.
“The Marauder’s Map,” Lily told him. “It shows the entire castle and the whereabouts of everyone in it.”
“Wow. So this is how you never get caught?”
“That’s right. And now I’m going to teach you how to use it too.”
Challenge #80: ...Or Treat?
Title: The Hogwarts News
Rating/Warnings: PG. M/M relationship
Characters/Pairing: Harry/Draco
Summary: A student run newspaper has started up during Harry’s 8th year.
Word Count: 803
Author's Notes:
Registered purchases?: Quill Only
Harry Potter was glad to be back at Hogwarts for one final year. Eighth year as it had been dubbed by his fellow classmates. After everything that happened the year before everyone in their year had been invited back to repeat the year. They were not required to return but could instead sit their NEWTs at the Ministry should they choose. All of the Gryffindors had returned as well as about half of the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. Slytherin was greatly underrepresented as only Draco and Pansy had shown up on the first day of term.
In fact, Slytherin was rather empty this year. Many of the former students in the house had transferred to other schools in an effort to escape the stigma attached to the Slytherin House. And since new students, if had been decided, would no longer be sorted until the start of their third year there would be no new snakes that year in the dungeons.
Another new thing that year was a school newspaper. At the start of the year notices had appeared on all Common Room bulletin boards asking for students to sign up for various positions on staff. Some time thereafter the first issue had been published. The Hogwarts News was released every week and run entirely by students. The most popular article was “Confessions,” in which anonymous letters were published, detailing various secrets of the writer. Anyone could submit a letter and each issue featured the best two that had been received. It became a pass time of all the students to try to figure out who’d made each confession.
The most recent issue had contained only one confession, but it had been a big one. The unknown author had told the story of their part in the War and ended with an appology directed at Harry specifically. This person had been on the loosing side and it was generally accepted that it had to be one of the oldest Slytherins. But aside from this the general population of the school couldn’t figure out who it was.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione of course knew exactly who had written the letter: Draco Malfoy. It couldn’t be anyone else. The fact that it ended in an apology amazed harry and he had spent a long time thinking about the other man. He was now seeing Draco in a whole new light and found himself wanting to get to know him better. Maybe even be his friend.
Finally, two days before the next issue of The Hogwarts News was to be published Harry pulled Luna, the senior editor, aside. “Luna, I need a favor.”
“Anything,” she replied, smiling dreamily.
Harry handed her a piece of parchment. “Print this in this week’s ‘Confessions’, please.”
She quickly scanned the page before smiling widely at the brunet, “Not a problem.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two days later the newspaper appeared in all the Common Rooms. Harry picked up an issue that morning and decided to remain in Gryffindor Tower for breakfast while the rest of his house made their way down to the Great Hall. He found himself a chair and sat down, unfolding the newspaper and reading his confession.
“To the writer of last issue’s ‘Biggest Mistake Ever’
“It is time you knew that you are forgiven. The mistakes you talked of no longer matter and it is time for you to leave them behind. I had forgiven you the instant those things were over. Now you must learn to forgive yourself.
“Many years ago I refused the hand of an eleven year old. It is time now to rectify that mistake. If you still want that friendship then I am ready to be there for you.
“Hopefully, Harry Potter.”
Harry looked up when he heard the sound of the portrait clicking back into place. Standing there by the door was Draco, looking slightly nervous. Harry smiled and approached the blond, hoping Draco was there to offer his hand again and not to yell at him. He stood in front of the Slytherin and waited, wanting Draco to make the first move.
Draco held out his hand tentatively, looking even more nervous then a moment ago. Harry extended his hand and grasped the blonde’s Draco’s grip tightened suddenly and he pulled Harry close. Harry gasped and Draco smiled, the nervousness suddenly gone. The blond moved his other hand up to cup the back of Harry’s head and leaned in. Draco pressed his lips against Harry’s in a tender kiss. “Do you know how long I’ve wanted to do this?” Draco asked without moving away from Harry’s mouth.
Harry pressed himself fully against Draco, their still clasped hands now trapped between their bodies. The brunet pushed his lips against Draco’s and kissed him passionately.
515/30 = 17.2
17+5 bonus = 22
803/30 = 26.7
27+5 bonus = 32
22+32 = 54
54 points for Hufflepuff!
Hanson Phreek // Hufflepuff
Title: Operation Prankster
Rating/Warnings: G
Characters/Pairing: Lily Luna, Albus Severus
Summary: Lily needs to teach her brother a few things.
Word Count: 515
Author's Notes:
Registered purchases?: Quill Only
Lily Luna Potter was going to have to teach her brother a few things. He thought that casting trip jinxes on random people in the hall was a great trick. That was something their parents (she shuddered at the thought) would have thought was cool way back when they were at Hogwarts. But that’s what her brother got for being in Gryffindor and not Slytherin like her.
Albus Severus Potter was going to have to let his sister teach him a few things. He knew his idea of a trick was lame but it was all he could come up with. And it hadn’t even really been his idea. He’d overheard his parents talking one day the previous summer about their time at Hogwarts and the trip jinx was just something they mentioned. He needed some serious help from a Slytherin.
“Alright Albus, today we start phase one of Operation Prankster,” Lily announced, approaching her brother in the Gryffindor Common Room early one morning.
“How did you get in here? They changed the password this morning.” Albus was confused. “I just found out myself.”
“I never reveal my sources,” Lily said nonchalantly.
Albus eyed her suspiciously for a moment before shrugging. “Alright. Teach me.”
Lily grinned and grabbed Albus’s wrist. She pulled him out of Gryffindor Tower, “First I’m going to share with you the biggest secret to my success.” She continued to drag her brother down flight after flight of steps and through various shortcuts. “You can’t tell anyone about it.” They passed the Great Hall and continued to go down stair after stair. “And you’ll have to share with me.” They finally stopped in front of the bare stretch of wall that was the entrance to the Slytherin dungeons. “Cover your ears.”
Albus did as he was told and watched his little sister speak a word he couldn’t decipher. Slytherins never shared the password to their Common Room; not even with family. Albus uncovered his ears when the wall in front of him slid open to reveal the green and silver room behind it. Lily again took hold of Albus’s wrist and pulled him through the Common Room. She deposited the brunet into a chair near the fireplace, “Wait here, I’ll be right back.”
Lily disappeared down a hallway to the right of the fireplace for a few minutes. Albus watched the flames dancing in front of him while he waited. Lily emerged carrying a folded up piece of old parchment. She smiled and sat on the arm of Albus’s chair, handing him the parchment. She pulled out her wand, “Unfold it.” Albus did what she said and then looked up at his sister expectantly. She tapped the parchment with her wand and said, “I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.”
Albus watched in amazement as a detailed map appeared on the parchment. “What is this?” he asked in awe.
“The Marauder’s Map,” Lily told him. “It shows the entire castle and the whereabouts of everyone in it.”
“Wow. So this is how you never get caught?”
“That’s right. And now I’m going to teach you how to use it too.”
Challenge #80: ...Or Treat?
Title: The Hogwarts News
Rating/Warnings: PG. M/M relationship
Characters/Pairing: Harry/Draco
Summary: A student run newspaper has started up during Harry’s 8th year.
Word Count: 803
Author's Notes:
Registered purchases?: Quill Only
Harry Potter was glad to be back at Hogwarts for one final year. Eighth year as it had been dubbed by his fellow classmates. After everything that happened the year before everyone in their year had been invited back to repeat the year. They were not required to return but could instead sit their NEWTs at the Ministry should they choose. All of the Gryffindors had returned as well as about half of the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. Slytherin was greatly underrepresented as only Draco and Pansy had shown up on the first day of term.
In fact, Slytherin was rather empty this year. Many of the former students in the house had transferred to other schools in an effort to escape the stigma attached to the Slytherin House. And since new students, if had been decided, would no longer be sorted until the start of their third year there would be no new snakes that year in the dungeons.
Another new thing that year was a school newspaper. At the start of the year notices had appeared on all Common Room bulletin boards asking for students to sign up for various positions on staff. Some time thereafter the first issue had been published. The Hogwarts News was released every week and run entirely by students. The most popular article was “Confessions,” in which anonymous letters were published, detailing various secrets of the writer. Anyone could submit a letter and each issue featured the best two that had been received. It became a pass time of all the students to try to figure out who’d made each confession.
The most recent issue had contained only one confession, but it had been a big one. The unknown author had told the story of their part in the War and ended with an appology directed at Harry specifically. This person had been on the loosing side and it was generally accepted that it had to be one of the oldest Slytherins. But aside from this the general population of the school couldn’t figure out who it was.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione of course knew exactly who had written the letter: Draco Malfoy. It couldn’t be anyone else. The fact that it ended in an apology amazed harry and he had spent a long time thinking about the other man. He was now seeing Draco in a whole new light and found himself wanting to get to know him better. Maybe even be his friend.
Finally, two days before the next issue of The Hogwarts News was to be published Harry pulled Luna, the senior editor, aside. “Luna, I need a favor.”
“Anything,” she replied, smiling dreamily.
Harry handed her a piece of parchment. “Print this in this week’s ‘Confessions’, please.”
She quickly scanned the page before smiling widely at the brunet, “Not a problem.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two days later the newspaper appeared in all the Common Rooms. Harry picked up an issue that morning and decided to remain in Gryffindor Tower for breakfast while the rest of his house made their way down to the Great Hall. He found himself a chair and sat down, unfolding the newspaper and reading his confession.
“To the writer of last issue’s ‘Biggest Mistake Ever’
“It is time you knew that you are forgiven. The mistakes you talked of no longer matter and it is time for you to leave them behind. I had forgiven you the instant those things were over. Now you must learn to forgive yourself.
“Many years ago I refused the hand of an eleven year old. It is time now to rectify that mistake. If you still want that friendship then I am ready to be there for you.
“Hopefully, Harry Potter.”
Harry looked up when he heard the sound of the portrait clicking back into place. Standing there by the door was Draco, looking slightly nervous. Harry smiled and approached the blond, hoping Draco was there to offer his hand again and not to yell at him. He stood in front of the Slytherin and waited, wanting Draco to make the first move.
Draco held out his hand tentatively, looking even more nervous then a moment ago. Harry extended his hand and grasped the blonde’s Draco’s grip tightened suddenly and he pulled Harry close. Harry gasped and Draco smiled, the nervousness suddenly gone. The blond moved his other hand up to cup the back of Harry’s head and leaned in. Draco pressed his lips against Harry’s in a tender kiss. “Do you know how long I’ve wanted to do this?” Draco asked without moving away from Harry’s mouth.
Harry pressed himself fully against Draco, their still clasped hands now trapped between their bodies. The brunet pushed his lips against Draco’s and kissed him passionately.
515/30 = 17.2
17+5 bonus = 22
803/30 = 26.7
27+5 bonus = 32
22+32 = 54
54 points for Hufflepuff!
Hanson Phreek // Hufflepuff