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Transfiguration Tournament (Louis)
Author: Furnella Hodfuffer
Date: 01-31-17 19:31
Louis scrubs a hand across his face. He had such a mixture of excitement and nervousness about the Transfiguration Tournament that he didn't rest well. He knows he slept at least some but he's groggy and feeling out of sorts enough to know it wasn't good sleep. He doesn't much like coffee, even loaded with sugar and cream, but when no one stopped him from getting some at breakfast Louis gulped down a cup of strong black coffee hoping it would help wake him up. His mum says she can't function without at least one large mug of it each morning but other than the heavy hit of caffeine making his hands tremble ever so slightly, and that could be from nerves and not the coffee, as yet Louis can't understand what the fuss is all about. He's every bit as groggy and muddle minded as when he got up.
As the welcoming remarks by Durmstrang headmaster Spangler Nacht and those of Transfiguration Tournament moderator Gustav Johansson drone on, followed by an explanation of the tournament rules, Louis slumps farther and farther down in his seat, his head drooping, his eyelids weighing at least twelve stone each. Next to him Larkin Weasley whispers, "Do I need pinch you awake?"
Louis shakes his head as he yawns, scootching more upright again. He fights the drowsiness until the line-up for his group's first round is announced. He's SECOND! He can't go SECOND! Second isn't as horrible as first but nearly so.
And why is there only one judge? Wouldn't three be better?
And why is this guy called a moderator instead of judge or what's that word?
Efficient.
No, that's not it.
Officiant.
No, that's not it either.
Official?
Closer to what he's trying to think of.
Does he call the guy Moderator Johansson? Mr. Johansson? What's mister in Johansson's language?
What is his language? German? Dutch? Swedish? Finnish? Norish? Or would that be Norse? Or something else?
His mind racing now Louis perches on the edge of his seat wanted the round to hurry up and start so he can hurry up and go second then sit back in relief while the remaining eight have their turns. Unless he gets eliminated right then and leaves the stage in defeated embarrassment at not making it past the first round.
Beside him, Larkin shakes her head in amusement at how quickly Louis went from being so sleepy he was on the verge of passing out to being so awake he's practically vibrating.
Bad Cough
Author: Gerry
Date: 02-01-17 18:10
Gerry sat in the area where students awaiting their turn to participate in the Transfiguration Tournament were and willed himself not to start coughing. He'd woken up yesterday morning with a nasty cough. It was the kind that came out loud and hoarse, as if he had a gigantic frog in his throat that simply wouldn't budge.
At first he'd fretted over the fact that he might get pulled out of the competition for being sick. It wasn't that Gerry necessarily wanted to compete against third year Rex Applewhite or the same-age students from the other six schools. He just didn't want to miss out on visiting Durmstrang Institute.
The school was legendary for teaching the dark arts and was shrouded in mystery. Gerry was the sort of boy who played tricks on others, but he wasn't legitimately evil. Nevertheless, the idea of learning not just DADA but actual DA was kind of cool. He also wanted to know more about the school that prided itself on its secrecy.
Fortunately, Madam Pomfrey had managed to brew up a strong potion that made him feel better than he actually was. It had also mitigated his coughing from occurring frequently to just every-so-often. Gerry wasn't quite out of the wind yet, but he was definitely doing better.
He realized in that moment that he'd probably jinxed himself. A tickle formed in his throat and before he knew it, he let out a loud barrage of coughing into his sleeve. Lots of heads swiveled in his direction, and those around him tried to edge away, afraid to catch his germs. His arm had probably protected them, but it hadn't done anything to muffle the sound he made.
He felt a hand drop onto his shoulder and looked up to see Professor Black standing over him. The upper years Transfiguration professor had a cup of water in one hand and several cough drops in the other. He handed them over to Gerry wordlessly, who took both and mouthed 'Thank you'!"
As Gerry first sipped the water to clear his throat, he unintentionally glanced over to where the spectators sat. Among them were the Hogwarts students participating in tomorrow's History Quiz Showdown. Gerry zeroed in on Kaycee Sickleby, because she was looking right at him with a smirk on her face. If he didn't know better, he'd think she had something to do with his bad cough.
Gerry unwrapped one of the cough drops, put it in his mouth, and turned his attention back to the proceedings on the stage.
Not The Expected Result (Grace)
Author: Briar Rose
Date: 02-02-17 19:40
A hand touches Grace's shoulder. Grace smiles at Rand as he takes the empty seat beside her. In a near whisper he asks, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. It's my fault. I let myself get distracted and lose focus."
To the surprise of those in attendance who know Grace she was eliminated relatively early in the Transfiguration Tournament. Third one out.
With her gift Grace could have easily won.
Should have won quite handily.
The level of transfiguration skill expected of her age group is below Grace's current level of ability. It's basic. Below basic really.
Yet she has finished 12th.
Grace will admit she was over confident but that's not what did her in. What did her in was over thinking just how perfect, just how above and beyond she could go with the required transfiguration without giving away that she's not exactly a normal witch with normal twelve year old magical ability.
Grace allowed herself to lose focus of the actual goal. She got so distracted with all this extraneous tweaking as she worked the spell that she allowed tiny mistake at the more baser level of the spell to slip by.
She did herself in.
Grace would have loved to win the tournament for her group and she's angry with herself that she's not only out but far out of the point placement. Much as she'd love to stomp around, cry and whine, she will sit here showing herself to be a gracious loser, a good sport. If needed, she'll cry on the shoulder of one of her parents or on Caerwyn's, just someone who knows and better understands the struggle Grace deals with daily to hold herself back when she so much wants to be free to use her magic to its full ability without worry of the consequence of having others know just what a kid her age who is still developing her magic is capable of doing.
As another round of transfiguration is completed Grace joins in applauding those of her competitors still in the tournament while fervently wishing she was among them.
Alys at the Transfiguration Tournament
Author: Ellis
Date: 02-03-17 09:45
Alys' second foray into the Scholastic Aptitude Tournament had brought her to Durmstrang Institute for the Transfiguraton Tournament. Already, she had been asked by moderator Gustav Johansson to transfigure a beetle into a button and a cauldron into a sieve. The first task had been basic transfiguration, but Alys had still been nervous about it. She didn't want to be that student who failed at something even first years knew how to do.
Fortunately, she'd transfigured the red potato beetle with black legs and antennae into a shiny, red button with a black rim. It couldn't have been more perfect. The cauldron to sieve had been much more difficult, but Alys had managed it all the same. Now she was being called on to transfigure a copy of one book into another. The book given to her was slim, with black leather and gold edging. The title was in a language Alys didn't recognize. She decided she would transfigure the book into the novel she was currently reading. Only the gold letters rearranged themselves on the cover, though. With that, Alys was out of the competition.
Blakeney, sitting in the viewing area with those Hogwarts students not participating in the Transfiguration Tournament frowned. She'd really hoped that Alys would place. So for, only Louis Kegg had managed to earn points for Hogwarts.
Alys, meanwhile, went back to the seat she'd occupied prior to being called up onto the stage. She was a bit disappointed that she'd once again not finished in the top three, but she wasn't too sorry either. She was mostly glad just to be a part of the competition, and to get to visit a new place and meet new people.
She'd already made a friend. Sienna Brown from Sydney's School of Wizardry didn't have as many younger siblings as Alys, but she was the oldest of six. She couldn't imagine having more than that and hoped that her parents wouldn't get the idea of having more kids into their heads. Alys and Sienna had agreed to become pen pals and might possibly visit each other sometime in the future.
Now Alys was waiting to find out how her classmate Bran would fare in their group. Hopefully he'd place and earn points for Hogwarts!
(Azaelia) Football Match
Author: Isolde
Date: 02-03-17 11:38
In an effort to keep up the appearance of trying to work at saving her marriage, Azaelia attended the football match between the Tweedmouth Rangers and Wooler. She was really only there at the suggestion of Connor MacRoth, the auror investigating Robert and the mysterious man in the red hat.
Connor thought his investigation would run better if Robert wasn't distracted by family drama and also believed that Azaelia could be an asset by clueing them into anything suspicious or out of the ordinary, which she couldn't do if she and Robert were apart. He advised her not to go out of her way to search for clues. She was only to interact with her husband as she normally might and report any odd behavior to him.
So far she had nothing concrete, such as when she followed Robert to the Shrieking Shack and saw him in the meeting with the man in the red hat. Since she was advised against following him around and putting herself into potential danger, all she could report on were his absences and his mood.
Right now he was obviously in a terrible mood. The Tweedmouth Rangers were losing. They had zero points on the scoreboard, while Wooler already had seven. Azaelia could see the fury on Robert's face. The other Tweedmouth players looked disappointed and discouraged, but so far, they weren't giving up. The game wasn't over yet, though they probably wouldn't be able to dig themselves out of their hole. At most, they could improve from having no points to at least a couple.
Azaelia turned away from her husband's growing ire to scan the faces in the stands. Somewhere among the many Muggles was Connor or someone he had assigned to be on the stakeout on his behalf. As part of the investigation into Robert, aurors constantly followed his every move, though usually wearing some sort of disguise. Knowing someone was always tailing Robert had Azaelia wondering just what sort of information they'd already gotten on him. She had a feeling they didn't have enough to arrest him, assuming what he was up to was even illegal.
"Wooler scores again!" shouted the announcer.
Azaelia's attention was drawn back to Robert, whose looks in that moment could positively kill.
Talking With An Old Friend (Justin)
Author: Plum
Date: 02-04-17 10:29
Benedict Kellogg sidles up to Justin. Because the Transfiguration Tournament is going on the Sydney's School of Wizardry student whispers, "Did you hear about Luther Wenk?"
Justin frowns. With a shrug and a shake of his head he whispers back, "What about him?"
"Killed himself last night."
Incredulous Justin blurts more loudly than he should, "Killed himself?"
"Jumped off a cliff."
"Wow."
Benedict's voice falls to an almost hard to hear hush. "Wonder if it had to do with him being expelled and that business that led to it."
Justin nods once, also wondering. "They're sure it was suicide? Not an accident?"
"Pretty sure based on the news from home but I guess it could be being investigated."
They both go quite for a moment, watching the successful transfiguration performed on stage by an Okapi École de Sorcellerie student. After a few minutes Benedict asks, "You miss us at Sydney's?"
Justin gives a grin. "Some of you. I like Hogwarts a lot though so I'm glad I've stayed on."
Benedict waggles his eyebrows, tilting his head in the direction of Jade Green. "With such lovely scenery can't say I blame you."
"She's got a boyfriend."
Benedict's head bobs. "So she told me last night at the meet and greet. What about her?"
Justin looks where Benedict's indicated. "Marion DeMarco. I'm not sure."
"And her friend?"
"Callie. Pretty sure that's her name. Not sure about her either."
"How about those two?"
Benedict's now looking to where spectators are sitting. "Do you mean the two in the second row or the ones in front of them?"
"Either?" Benedict makes a small laugh, being careful not to draw attention to himself and be accused of trying to disrupt the performance of a student from another school even if that student is at a different level in the competition than he is.
"Second row are Eden and Heather. Our ages. In front of them are, ummmm, Katheryn? Yeah, Katheryn, and Amorica."
"Amorica. Interesting name. And?"
"And I don't know for sure."
"As socially inept as always."
"I can't help that I don't keep a running log of who's dating whom."
Benedict shakes his head, emitting a sad sigh. "As hopeless as ever. Only aware when you've got an interest. Means you aren't currently interested in those here."
"That would be correct."
The second place and first place winners of the current competing group have just been determined. That means the group Benedict and Justin are part of are up next.
Later, when they are both once more seated in the audience Justin thinks how easy it would be to blame the news about Luther on his only having placed 8th.
Easy but untrue.
Justin was to have transfigured a volunteer's brown, nicely shaped eyebrows to bushy and bright pink. He got the bushy down perfectly but had trouble getting the bright pink the moderator expected, the color coming out more of a pale rose. When he tried to bump up the color he somehow managed adding in blue so that the end result was a light purple.
Nothing to do with the news at all so much as never having been that good transfigurating things when any shade of pink is required.
Benedict fared slightly worse than Justin with an 11th place finish. He freely admits as they watch the rest of their group competing that he flubbed because he was trying to hard to show out for one of the Watling's Wizarding Academy girls seated near the front.
Tired (Jade)
Author: Emerald Green
Date: 02-04-17 20:12
The Transfiguration Tournament has ended. Hogwarts did not fair overly well. A first year, Louis Kegg, is the only one who placed well enough to earn points in the overall Scholastic Aptitude Tournament rankings. He placed second, giving Hogwarts three points.
Jade placed tenth in her division. Only tenth. She's better than that.
Her only excuse is that she's tired. Exhausted. All the time.
Being tired is no excuse. The only seventh years at Hogwarts who aren't tired are those with the minimum allowed courses who haven't yet begun studying for the NEWTs and even they may drag at times.
Jade looks around at the students from her group who are from other schools. Do they take the NEWTs? Something else? Only final exams? Her eyes fall on Ian and Thomas, the two she competed against from Watling's Wizarding Academy. If still living in America would she have gone to Watling's or one of the other schools such as Ilvermorny or the one in Salem, Massachusetts?
She can't believe she's not thought much about these things. She who can get lost in books for hours reading about the most trivial of facts. She who forever has questions about every little thing.
Moving closer to Débora Zavala, the La Escuela de Hechiceria student who placed second in their grouping, Jade wonders if saying the before La is redundant. Shaking her head at herself she congratulates Débora, staying a moment to chat with her before looking for Philippa Montreuil to congratulate her on taking first.
A minute later Jade finds herself standing near Justin Hodges. She makes a small gesture towards Sydney's Benedict Kellogg who is flirting with three girls. "Is he always like that?"
"As long as I've known him. I have a memory of being at a party when we were four or five. When we all got to have cake and ice cream, Benedict was the only boy at a table with three or four girls and seemed to be loving it."
Jade laughs at the image then asks, "Is it odd competing against former classmates and friends?"
"No, not really. It's not much different from you and me being up against each other and probably not any different from when you're playing Quidditch against classmates and friends."
"That all crossed my mind as soon as the question was out of my mouth," Jade laughs.
Justin grins in return then, looking about, says, "When is dinner? I'm starving?"
"Shouldn't be long though I wouldn't mind there being enough time to take a nap."
"A nap would be good but I'm too hungry to want a nap just now. After I eat though I think I want to sleep for a week."
"After term, when NEWTs are finished, I plan to sleep for a month."
"So you need to eat, bulk up if you're going into hibernation at some point."
They spend the short time until time for dinner discussing what foods they would eat if truly going to bulk up for a hibernation.