[mjk]

Quick amendment to what I said before about Leaky doesn't have anywhere to post fan fiction.

As long as it's contest related and posted in the correct contest thread, you're more than welcome to post any longer entries you created, but did not submit. This also goes for those who maybe created an entry, but didn't submit it in time or those who didn't win and wanted to post their entry for others to still see. Please make sure you post your entries AFTER the contest winners have been posted and that the entries follow Lounge and contest rules (especially for images).

So, in summary, Niceman, you are more than welcome to post our 1,000 word entry here after the winners have been picked.

Hope that helps

[Niceman]

Ok cool I don't do fanfiction either, but I appreciate the opportunity to post the unabridged entry after the contest ends There are a few assumptions I made and to be honest some nice general imagery that I'd hate to see go to waste

[Niceman]

Ok My entry is in Good luck to everyone entering and looking forward to seeing what people are inspired to come up with

[mjk]

The winners for the contest have been picked!

Please help us in congratulating the following:

First Place: Kneazlekoneko
Second Place: Niceman
Third Place: Ravenseeker
Honorable Mention: Taylor Thomas

You can click on the author's name to be directed to their entry or simply scroll down.

As usual, if you submitted a story and wish for everyone to read it (or an extended version of your story), please feel free to post it here.

Thanks to everyone who entered and congratulations to the winners!

This post has been edited by mjk: 06 February 2010 - 11:35 PM

[mjk]

First Place: Kneazlekoneko

“Welcome, Mrs. Lovegood. Please, sit down.”

“Thank you.”

Lorelei Lovegood sat down facing the head of the Department of Experimental Potions, Michael Carmichael.

“So, Mrs. Lovegood,” said Mr. Carmichael, “you say you have a new potion for us to develop?”

“Yes, I do.” said Lorelei and then added: “Well... it's not really a new potion but I've been experimenting with the use of Wrackspurts' eggs in the making of a Befuddlement Draught and I've found the results to be surprisingly effective.”

Mr. Carmichael stared at her confused and it was a few seconds before he realized she had stopped talking.

“...ahem, 'scuse me...but... did you say Wrackspurts' eggs?”

“Oh, yes.” She smiled at him, finding him somewhat amusing.

“Yes...well, Mrs. Lovegood, what exactly are Wrackspurts?”, asked Mr. Carmichael confused.

“They are these invisible things that float in through people's ears and make their brain go all fuzzy.”

“And... and how do you collect them if they're invisible?”

“Oh, you don't use the Wrackspurts’ themselves for anything; just their eggs. You see, Wrackspurts' eggs are in fact clearly visible. People just don't generally notice them because they're so small.”

“Are they now?”

“Yes. Haven't you ever noticed these teeny tiny little things that float around in the sunrays when they shine through closed windows? Those are Wrackspurts' eggs.”

“And you use them in your Befuddlement Draught?” asked Mr. Carmichael, skepticism leaking off every word.

“Yes.” said Lorelei eagerly.

Mr. Carmichael then decided that it was best to just play along.
“OK then,” he said in a mock excited voice, “how do you make this potion, then?”

“Well,” said Lorelei, as she conjured up the ingredients she needed, along with a small cauldron and a portable fire, “it's quite simple, really. It's only your basic Befuddlement Draught, you know, half a cup of scurvy-grass, two teaspoons of Sneezewort and four Jobberknoll feathers but before you add the pinch of dried Forget-me-nots like you'd usually do, you let the first three ingredients shimmer for ten minutes, then you add a handful of Wrackspurts' eggs, stir counter clockwise five times and then you add the usual amount of Forget-me-nots.”

A few minutes passed in silence, and then...

“Ready!” said Lorelei. She poured the contents of the cauldron into a tall glass which she pushed over the desk to him.

“Go on, taste it.” she said, but catching the doubtful look on his face, she said: “Don't worry, it's perfectly safe. I've tried it on my husband a number of times, and he's still around.”
Mr. Carmichael summoned up his courage and downed the entire potion. He then stared blankly at the glass for a few minutes; then as if he had just realized where he was he looked up at Lorelei's eager face.

“Ah, yes, Mrs. Lovegood! What can I do for you?”

“You were offering me a job here.” said Lorelei grinning broadly.

“Yes, of course! Well, Mrs. Lovegood, welcome aboard!”

[mjk]

Second Place: Niceman

"The Conundra Charm"

"Good Morning, Epiphany." said Leviticus, catching himself with a bemused smile. "I'm sorry. That was last week wasn't it?"

"Luna?" Mrs. Lovegood smiled.

"Mummy's name this week is Hypatia." said Luna.

"Very good." said Mrs. Lovegood, "And the significance?"

"Hypatia was a very intelligent witch who was a librarian at the Library of Alexandria around 400 BC. Her magic helped muggles with many important advancements in muggle science."

"Excellent." smiled ‘Hypatia’. "You may go play now." To Mr. Hogg's astonishment Mrs. Lovegood handed Luna her wand.

"Are you sure that's wise?" stammered Leviticus. "To give one so young access to a wand?"

"Learning is ageless." dismissed Luna's mother as Luna skipped happily towards the nearby stream. "She only knows a few spells in any case.

"I created a spell to understand the flamespeak of Salamanders." she explained. "It was unsuccessful, but curiously it causes frogs to belch fireworks. It's Luna's favorite playtime spell." Nervously, Leviticus changed the subject.

"I've brought your order." said Leviticus with a flick of his wand and the parcel trailing him sailed around to land at Mrs. Lovegood's feet.

"Excellent, Mr. Hogg." smiled Mrs. Lovegood as she knelt to open it. At once a golden bird fluttered out of the box and hovered, singing sweetly. "Lovely craftsmanship. A simple hovering charm and a singing glamour. Perfect for my experiment."

"Experiment?" asked Mr. Hogg warily.

"Indeed." the witch replied. "Since Luna is using mine as reward for learning something new, might I borrow your wand for a moment, Leviticus?"

"Uh... yes, yes of course." the aging wizard replied, reluctantly handing over his wand. Mrs Lovegood shifted it to her left hand.

"I've discovered that using one's off-hand for this particular spell made all the difference." she explained, pointing it at the magically clockwork bird. "Conundra!" The bird fluttered to the ground and floundered like a living bird with a broken wing while it's singing became muffled and slightly off-key. Luna's mother seemed quite pleased with herself, but Mr. Hogg was at a loss for her ruining an item she just bought.

"I was contemplating the Confundus Charm the other day." said Mrs. Lovegood. "It addles the brain of a living being, making them confused and unable to think straight. I began to wonder about a similar spell for objects, so I developed one. The Conundra Charm scrambles the object. A gear askew, an ingredient out of proportion, a bit of magic tweaked just the wrong way."

"Forgive me, but I don't see the point?" shrugged Mr. Hogg. "Why create a spell to wreck a perfectly good bit of magic?"

"It's quite simple." she replied matter-of-factly. "We learn far more from our mistakes than our successes. Causing an item to not perform properly gives us the opportunity to test and examine. To learn and understand why it isn't working will gain greater understanding of the object and why things work the way they do. Luna will have so much fun figuring this bird out for her next lesson."

[mjk]

Third Place: Ravenseeker

"In Pursuit of Proof"

Lyral Lovegood brushed her long hair out of her eyes and leaned forward, concentrating. She ignored the drop of perspiration slowly running down her nose. Lyral’s study on the top floor was just a bit too hot to be comfortable today, but the light was perfect. She had tried this experiment enough times to know that the right light mattered, and the circular upstairs windows seemed to channel sunlight towards the center of the room. On the second floor Xeno’s inventions and miscellaneous possessions cast too many shadows to get a proper photograph, and the kitchen/nursery was far too crowded for scientific research.

Lyral adjusted the position of the camera slightly, and tried to focus her mind again. Below her Xenophilius let out a muttered curse and kicked his printing press. Lyral could feel the wrackspurts circling Xeno. Lyral’s research theorized that wrackspurts, besides just causing confusion, were also attracted by it. The trick was to keep her own mind clear so that they would focus on Xeno- he was certainly distracted and annoyed enough to keep them interested. Lyral’s thoughts strayed briefly to Luna; sleeping peacefully in the kitchen sink on the first floor, but she refocused herself.

In front of Lyral stood a large funnel which was balanced carefully in a hole in the floor and covered by a black disk. It was actually muggle record, vinyl repelled wrackspurts just enough that they wouldn’t swarm into the room, while muggle music, being naturally confusing, seemed to attract them so that they congregated inside the funnel. The entire apparatus was topped by an inverted glass bowl, and a camera mounted on a tripod stood nearby, the lens covered by half of a pair of spectrespecs spellotaped in place.

Lyral slipped the record off of the funnel and waited for the wrackspurts to fill the glass bowl. Careful not to think about photographs, science, or next month’s edition of Contemporary Charmed Creatures, she quickly clicked the camera shutter.

Only after the camera flashed, and after her eyes had readjusted did Lyral allow herself to smile.

“Xeno, I think I did it this time.”

A man’s head appeared at the top of the stairs.

“Oh Ly, that’s wonderful! Did I attract enough of them? I really hurt my foot when I kicked the press that time, I was afraid I’d wake the baby. Did they notice the camera?”

Lyral smiled down at him.

“You were perfect Xeno. I don’t think they noticed until the flash went off. I just know my wrackspurt research will be published now that I have proof. We’ll have the money to fix your printing press, and I can fund my study of the effects of calming spells on chimaeras. Oh Xeno, everything is going to work out just like we planned!”

Downstairs Luna rolled over inside her blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the kitchen faucet, and she slept on.

[mjk]

Honorable Mention: Taylor Thomas

'Moto cultum'

"I always enjoyed watching her do spells that she had created," said Luna to Harry. "One time she invented a spell that made trees grow instantly. It was quite fascinating, really. Although, dad was a little worried when one of the Christmas trees she grew burst into flames. Luckily mom knew the aguamenti charm before the whole house burnt down."

...Luna began to stare blankly at fireplace, with only the slightest lip movements as she remembered her mother...

After what seemed like an eternity to Harry she spoke up again. "Mum always dabbled with spells and charms. I swear she could have written the 'Standard Book of Spells' herself. There was another time when I was in my room reading, and I heard her yell "moto cultum,"' whispered Luna in an excited tone. "I walked out of my room to see that she had changed the color of everything in our living room."

"Everything had changed colour?" remarked Harry. "That's brilliant! Can you show me how to use the spell?"

...She looked up at the fireplace mantel in front of them and pointed her wand at the tapestry hanging above and shouted "moto cultum" and instantly the Gryffindor colors had changed to that of Ravenclaw colors...

"How did you do that," exclaimed Harry. "How did it know which color you wanted it to change into?"

"It's actually quite difficult. You have to focus really hard and try to see the colors you want in your head, and imagine the object turning those colors," replied Luna.

"That is fantastic!" bellowed Harry.

...Luna gave Harry a sheepish grin and they both became lost in their words over the fireplace...

This post has been edited by mjk: 06 February 2010 - 11:36 PM

[Niceman]

Congratulations, Kneazlekoneko, on winning first place!! Congrats as well to Ravenseeker and Taylor Thomas for their places in the winner's circle As for me thank you very much for including me among the winners and I'm honored to achieve the 2nd place spot

*Bows*

[Kneazlekoneko]

Wow, I didn't actually think I'd win this, considering this was written in about two hours, but I'm thrilled

Congratulations, Niceman, Ravenseeker and Taylor Thomas, I really enjoyed reading all your stories.

Is there any chance of reading the other stories that were sent in?