April challenge ~ we are proud to present ~

So, the new challenge for The Three Broomsticks is to be ...

The Gauntlet ~ Rosmerta Style

The rules are simple.

Below is a list of Potterverse characters. You need to select one and write a series of drabbles about him or her based on the prompts the barmaids shall leave you.

In a true Gauntlet, the aim is to turn your drabbles into a oneshot, but your barmaids are a free and easy bunch who know some of you like to drop in and drabble. However, if you manage to turn your four drabbles into a oneshot, then we will be impressed!

There will be four prompts over the four weeks (starting Sunday, April 1st).

Threads will be locked every Sunday at 8pm when the new prompt will be posted.

A note about the list of characters. There are no Next Gen characters and no very minor characters because this is a competition about characterisation and canon knowledge. By canon – I mean ‘THE BOOKS’. Movie-truths that aren’t compatible with the books (like Ginny tying a shoelace) will cause frownage! *insert scary face here.*

There are no claims on the characters, but once you’ve picked one, you have to stick with it.

You don’t have to compete every week, but there will be extra points if you run the whole gauntlet without skipping.


List of characters.

Albus Dumbledore
Bellatrix Black/Lestrange
Draco Malfoy
Dudley Dursley
Fred Weasley (snr)
Ginny Weasley
James Potter (snr)
Lily Evans/Potter
Lucius Malfoy
Luna Lovegood
Neville Longbottom
Nymphadora Tonks
Pansy Parkinson
Severus Snape
Sirius Black


Points:

5 points per week for participation and an extra 5 points if you complete all four prompts.
10 points for first place each week.
5 points for second place each week.
Oneshots validated by 15th May will receive an extra 10 points, and if there are enough submissions, we will award first and second place.


So, what now?

Well, now, you may peruse the list, make your choice and wait for Sunday April 1st when the first prompt will be posted.

Have fun!

Any questions?

Use the Ask A Barmaid thread, or PM one of us.

Madam Carmerta and Madam Russia

So welcome, drabblers and barflies, all. Welcome to The Three Broomsticks, home of many a fine elf-wine, Mermish gin, Ogdens Firewhisky and lashings of Butterbeer.


Your prompt for week one is in the spirit of today and is ...

RIDDIKULUS!

This however, is mere inspiration.

The Riddikulus spell is used to fight off a Boggart - the manifestation of your character's deepest fear. They do not have to physically defeat a Boggart, but they must be confronted with their fear. Whether they defeat their fear or not is up to you.

EDIT: To make this clear: A Boggart does not have to appear. Your character does not have to use magic to defeat anything (because, let's face it, poor old Dudders would be helpless).

List of characters and recap of rules can be found here.


Use this form when you enter:

PHP Code:

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[B]Name:[/B]
[B]House:[/B]
[B]Chosen Character:[/B]
[B]Ratings/Warnings:[/B]
[B]Word Count:[/B]
[B]A/N:[/B] 


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All drabbles should be between 300-500 words and need to be compliant with MNFF guidelines. You are encouraged to use a beta.We judge not only on SPaG but characterisation and plot. We also reserve the right to not award points if the drabbles received are not of sufficient quality.
Do not let the fate of this fair lady befall you. Click here.

This thread will be closed at 8pm (BST) on Sunday 8th April when the next prompt will be posted.

Bonne chance, mes amies.



Mesdames Carole and Russia

Name: Gwen Evens
House: Gryffindor
Chosen Character Sirius Black
Ratings/Warnings6-7 years/ Dark/angst
Word Count 463
AN: Hope you like this because this is the first Drabble I have ever written in History. I'm so exited!! Oh, and a million thank you's to Alice theblacksister!!!

Chapter 1 Darkness

Sirius, sat in the Ministry of Magic's vehicle blankly staring into nothingness. He felt like he wanted to scream, to cry, to simply let the tears fall but, they would not come. His hands were shackled, so that he could not move. The Aurors spit at him treating him like an animal. Was he? They were taking him to Azkaban, and that scared him but, did he not deserve this for it was his fault, they were dead.


When they arrived at Azkaban, he was thrown into a High Security Cell. They slammed the door, plunging it into darkness. Yet, the darkness was not what scared him, it was the fact that he had to relive, that day, when his heart became nothing more than shattered glass. It hurt as if there was a crushing weight upon his chest he could not breathe properly or move. He want to scream but, his mouth remained silent as his lips and tongue would not move, frozen beyond any pain he had ever felt before. It wasn't pain like the Cruciatus Curse, it was worse for this pain had no relief. He was alone now of that he was sure.


The Dementors came and he was suddenly back at the house. It was in shambles, there was a giant hole where Harry’s bedroom used to be and the front door was left wide open. He crossed over the threshold and there on the floor stiff as a board lay Prongs determination still etched in his vacant eyes. He couldn’t believe it, he ran upstairs and there in the rubble lying sprawled across the floor was Lily her eyes were just like her husband determined yet, vacant. NO, this wasn’t happening.He had thought what he was right and that the betrayer was Lupin but, he had been wrong. He felt as if he were falling into oblivion as their faces blank, unmoving, unseen, and dead were flashing before his eyes. He curled up into a ball for nothing was more painful then the fact that he was alive and they were not. He was consumed by grief and anger, he blamed himself he should be here tortured, beaten he didn’t care if he was innocent through his eyes he was guilty and that scared him.


He had heard that he was not to have a trial and at this moment he couldn't care less his greatest fears had become a reality and he had to relive it every moment for the rest of his life. He wasn’t like the other prisons, he was silent and grief stricken, normal. He was a man broken to the core, he believed nothing, could heal the wounds. Fear was easily over come but, for right now he was lost to it.

Name: AidaLuthien
House: Hufflepuff!
Chosen Character: Albus Dumbledore
Ratings/Warnings: 3rd-5th, slash
Word Count: 490
A/N: I started to think about what Dumbledore would fear most... and I think this is the best answer.

Albus Dumbledore is lying in bed asleep. He is the Headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Part of him remembers that hazily.

But right now, he is dreaming of what could have been. He is at home in Godric’s Hollow. Today is his eighteenth birthday, 15 August 1899. He is gripping Gellert’s hand tightly. Gellert’s mouth quirks up at the corners in his quiet smile, the one that made him fall in love, the one he could spend all day staring at.

“We’re going,” he announces. “We’re going to make the Wizarding world a better place, and we can’t do that from here.”

“What will you do with Ariana?” Aberforth demands. “She needs you! You can’t just leave -”

He Stuns Aberforth. “We’re doing this for Ariana,” he informs his brother coldly. “Muggles are too stupid to govern their own affairs. If our people ruled things, then Ariana wouldn’t be in this state. She could have gone to Hogwarts like us. She could have been normal.”

Albus Stuns Aberforth again. “Father wouldn’t have gone to Azkaban for teaching those boys the lesson they deserved!”

His voice cracks, and he isn’t sure if it’s from fury or despair. “Mother wouldn’t have died, trying to keep Ariana’s problem a secret from the rest of the world!”

Ariana appears in the room suddenly. “Go back to your room, Ariana,” he growls.

“No,” she replies, stepping between him and Aberforth. “Stop it, Albus.”

He snarls a curse at his sister, and she goes flying and hits the wall with a sickening thud. “Let’s go,” he says to Gellert, clutching his hand.

“Yes, we’ll get a Portkey to the continent.” Gellert presses a quick kiss to his lips. He shivers. He never knew how good kissing could be, until he started kissing Gellert.

Albus’s one bag of important possessions is already by the door. He picks it up, as they leave.

After that, he’s lost in a haze. He’s working for the Ministry, he becomes Minister. He’s organizing anti-Muggle legislation. He’s living with Gellert. Every moment that isn’t spent working, is spent in bed with Gellert. He should be worried about what people think, but he’s too powerful for anyone to dare say anything. Gellert is always with him. Gellert is annexing large parts of the Continent. They’re learning Chinese to converse with the Emperor’s delegation. They’re traveling all over the world. Their list of allies grows and grows.

They’re making their vow of, “For the Greater Good” come true.

Albus wakes up with a start. His heart is still pounding in his chest. He had killed his ambition with his love. He would never be a politician, and he would never have a lover.

His flirtation with ambition had left his sister dead, and his relationship with his brother in tatters. Nothing scares him more than what might have been, if his ambition had been stronger than his morals.

Name: Lily/Padfoot11333
House: Hufflepuff :)
Chosen Character: James Potter Sr.
Ratings/Warnings: 3-5th, violence, profanity
Word Count: 419
A/N: Once upon a time, there was a lovely girl named Maple who took the time to beta this for me. Thank you <3

“Take Harry and run! I’ll hold him off!” I yell. I wait for Lily to process what I have said.

I know that if I try to hold him off, I’ll die. Hell, I’m sprinting down the hallway not even holding a wand. I’m just hoping to buy Lily a little more time.

This is what I have been fearing ever since I married Lily and we had Harry. We knew that it was dangerous to be in the Order of the Phoenix, but we both agreed that we didn’t care. When we had Harry, we thought it through again. What if Voldemort came to our house and tried to kill us and ended up taking him instead?

We stayed, though.We stayed because Dumbledore told us about a prophecy that Harry was a key part of, and the Order was the best chance he had of being protected. The Fidelius Charm was put on our house.

I wonder how on earth Voldemort got to Lily’s and my house if we were protected by a charm where you could only see the house if the Secret-Keeper told you where it was.

Peter. That thought runs through my mind as sharp and as cold as a knife. Peter told.

“That traitor!” I yell tiredly, only I’m not sure if the words come out. Sirius would be blamed, only he wasn’t to blame at all.

And now I have to stop thinking because Voldemort’s entered the room and I don’t even have a wand and what the hell am I going to do.

I want to confront him, really I do. I even take a tiny step forward as if to, I don’t know, physically hurt him. His face is white and his eyes are red, barely even a human at all.

I don’t know how but I’m not even worried about myself right now. All I can think about is Lily and Harry. I don’t know if she’s escaped, I’m sure it’s only been a matter of seconds since we saw Voldemort, but maybe—just maybe maybe maybe—she got out, she escaped.

Where would she go?

I think that Voldemort smiles—he actually smiles, like this is some kind of sport or something, but I guess it is, to him.

It’s funny, isn’t it, because I used to care all about myself, but now I’m going to die and I’m thinking about everybody but myself.

And then Voldemort raises his wand and I don’t even know what the hell happens.

Lily xxx

Name: Soraya/babewithbrains
House: Ravenclaw!
Chosen Character: James Potter
Ratings/Warnings: 1st-2nd; none
Word Count: 386
A/N: This is set a couple of months after Harry is born. Thank you to Gina/Gmariam for betaing and making some excellent suggestions :)

“James. James!”

Lily’s voice is far more high-pitched than usual, and so filled with fear that James feels his entire body grow cold at the sound, even though he is under his bedcovers. He immediately leaps up, swearing profusely when the sheets tangle with his legs. Pulling himself free, he runs down the stairs to where the screaming is coming from, sure that he has never run so fast in his life.

“JAMES!”

I’m coming, he tries to say, but it is as if he has been Silenced, because he cannot say a word in reply. It has to be Harry, James thinks as he wrenches open the living room door. He can’t hear his son crying, and James knows how light a sleeper Harry is.

Lily is kneeling in front of the sofa where Harry is lying on his back. Harry is still — dreadfully so, and James rushes to Lily’s side, going down on his knees beside her. For some reason, she is pressing her fingertips on their son’s chest, and each time she presses down, she emits a small sob.

“What’s happened, Lily?” he asks, finally finding his voice again and breathing as heavily as if he had been running a race. When he speaks, she turns to him, and her beautiful face is streaked with tears.

"He's—" She attempts to speak, but she can't find the words she wants to say as her fingers continue to pound against Harry's small chest. But it has already clicked into place for James.

Harry isn’t breathing.

No. This can’t be happening. James tries to stay calm, gently taking hold of his motionless son’s tiny wrist and feeling for a pulse, slowly becoming more and more frantic when he can’t find it. He moves Lily’s hand from Harry’s chest, replacing it with his own, but his son’s heart is not thumping away like it usually does.

“NO!” James yells. Desperately, he applies pressure against Harry’s soft chest with two fingers in the same way Lily had been doing, trying his utmost to remember what to do, how hard to press, how many compressions he has to make, and then he covers Harry’s mouth with his, trying to breathe life back into his son.

Breathe, Harry, James begs silently as Harry’s tiny chest inflates. Please.

Name: Iwannabeanauror/Caroline
House: Gryffindor
Chosen Character: Bellatrix Black/Lestrange
Ratings/Warnings: DH spoilers, character death
Word Count: 329
A/N: This is inspired by a Hogwarts Radio episode where they said faliure was Bellatrix's biggest fear.


Bellatrix tapped her fingers against the desk, boredom filling her every cell. Fourth-year History of Magic was the worst class she had ever taken. If it weren't for the fact that they were getting their most recent essays back today, she was going to skip.

But still, her stomach churned with nervousness. She had to get an O. Nothing else would be satisfactory. Bellatrix mustn't fail.

As Poppy Pomfrey, one of the students Professor Binns often had pass out papers, came around to the back row, Bellatrix squeezed her eyes closed, trying to steady her heartbeat and stop the room from spinning. The essay hit the desk with a soft plop. Biting the inside of her cheek, Bellatrix opened one eye slowly.

The large red, spidery handwriting at the top seemed to be screaming at her. An E. As in only Exceeds Expectations, not the Outstanding she felt she deserved; no, felt she needed. More than even the oxygen she was hyperventilating on right now.

Bellatrix felt warm tears stabbing the back of her eyes. She ran out of the room, telling Professor Binns that she wasn't feeling very well. It wasn't exactly a lie. For the rest of the day, she hid in the corner of the Slytherin Common Room, furious at everyone, especially herself.

This was the incident that she remembered that night in May of 1998, in those few seconds before Molly Weasley's spell took full effect. That night, she failed Voldemort. She failed them all. Bellatrix's last thoughts were of how everyone must have hated her; and that included herself. She felt a tiny twinge of something she had never experienced before. But she recognized it all the same. Guilt. But what was it caused by? Not being a better person? From being so terrified of not meeting her own expectations?

In her last few seconds, she knew it was a combination of both. 'Thank you, Molly,' she thought. 'For introducing me to myself.'

Name: iMusic17/Ellie
House: Slytherin
Chosen Character: Neville Longbottom
Ratings/Warnings:3rd-5th years/mild profanity and a hint of violence
Word Count: 417
A/N: I happen two have three: first I need to thank my lovely/amazing/magical beta, Lily (Padfoot11333) for putting up with my many grammar mistakes. Secondly, the italics are quotes taken from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, in the chapter 'The Flaw in The Plan'. Lastly, I know that when Neville faced his boggart it was Snape, but I think he was really afraid of failure/himself. Enjoy! :)

“Harry Potter is dead!”

No. It can’t be. I just saw him; he asked me to … But then who was that in Hagrid’s arms?

No. It couldn’t be. Harry wasn’t dead. He couldn’t be.

“He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him. . .”

That’s a lie. Harry never let anyone die for him. The people who died tonight were fighting for something else. Something much bigger than a person. Besides, Harry wouldn’t be able to bear watching someone he knows die for him. I know that, just like I know Harry planned this.

He asked me to kill Nagini. Harry knew that he wasn’t going to live. He wouldn’t have asked me if he thought there was any chance he could do it. He never asked for help if he could avoid it.

But why would he tell me? Why not leave the task with one of the Weasleys, or someone from the Order? I’m just a lowly D.A. member. I haven’t faced Voldemort, as a fifth year I couldn't even disarm someone, for Merlin’s sake! All I’ve done is try to steal a sword and disrespect professors. If the Carrows could even be counted as such.

Yes, I had fought this year. But there wasn’t one person who stood behind Harry who hadn’t. I didn’t understand why they were acting like I was the leader, because I wasn’t. I started the flame, but I couldn’t control it. I couldn’t lead.That was Harry’s job.

But now Harry was gone. And someone would have to finish this.

I wanted to step up, I really did, but I couldn’t. I wasn’t a leader. I would fail miserably. Just like Transfiguration, just like Quidditch, and just like magic.

“He was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle grounds . . .”

That’s a lie. Harry gave everything to beat Voldemort. And now it was someone else’s turn.

It was my turn. I couldn’t worry about failing anymore. This was my last chance. If Harry said to kill the snake, I’ll kill it. And so I sent a punch at a Death Eater. Magic didn’t save us before, when our friends were being slain around us, so why use it now?

Only one thought ran through my head, stoking the flames, as I was dragged up to the front.

This isn’t over. It’s not over until he’s dead.

“It is Neville Longbottom, my dear lord!”

Damn right it’s me.

Ellie

Name: Ariana/lucca4
House: Gryffindor
Chosen Character: Bellatrix Black
Ratings/Warnings: 6th-7th years; violence, minor sexual situations, mild profanity, character death, and disturbing scenes
Word Count: 500
A/N: This was originally an 832 word drabble so I apologize if it seems choppy. It is also very dark. Read if you dare.




The night is pounding fast.

Her heart is quiet and cold.

As she walks toward the house she hears an owl breathe a quiet warning hoot. She wonders if it can smell the scent of the blood not yet spilt.



In the hallway, the ladies twitter and flit about like little birds.

“You and Corvus Rosier, such a handsome pair,” they say in between sips of colourless tea.




Inside the house she hears the soft drip drip of water from the sink, the scurry of a mouse on the floor, the screams and moans of a wh*re upstairs.



When Bellatrix drinks, it is always just enough to feel dizzy without losing control. She is always in control.

When Corvus drinks, it is always too much. He cannot control himself.

In time, Bellatrix realises that he has become more of an obstacle than an ally. It disappoints her but then, men rarely satisfy her.

In time, Corvus realises that Bellatrix is the only woman who isn’t afraid of him. The thought itches under his skin and tears him open from the inside.

She tells him when he is sober that she wants to break up the engagement. And in the light of day, he takes it well.

When night comes, however, it is a different story.




Soon, a woman wearing half a nightgown and heavy make up staggers out of the bedroom with a vacant sort of smile on her lips. She sees Bellatrix and her red mouth opens wide. Her scream and her terror vanish in a flash of green light.



It is late when he comes stumbling into her room.

Besides the wretched house-elf Bellatix is alone and she knows by the quirk of his smile that he realises this.

He pins her to the bed and she cries out in pain as his hands clamp tightly around her arms.

“You think you can make a fool out of me, b*tch?” His voice is a roar in her ear.

Corvus smashes her face with his palm and bites her bottom lip until she cries out.

Her heart pounds and hot tears spill down her cheeks.

Never in her life has she felt so utterly powerless.



When she enters the room she finds Corvus drunk on the bed, as she expected. She takes a knife from the pocket of her robes. His eyes meet hers in confusion.

“It’s just me, love,” she says with a smile. “It’s Bella.”

He reaches towards her but she is faster. With a thud, the knife hits his stomach and a pool of dark red blotches his clothing. She draws the knife away from his body and stabs again – this time, she hits his heart. When she is done she runs her tongue along the dripping blade and the blood stains her lips.

As the light leaves his eyes he looks up at her and his face is pale with fear.

And Bellatrix laughs and thinks she has never tasted anything so delicious.

Name: LollyLovesick
House: Hufflepuff!
Chosen Character: Pansy Parkinson
Ratings/Warnings: 3rd-5th years, profanity and mentions of suicide.
Word Count: 463
A/N: Many thanks to babewithbrains aka Soraya, for beta'ing this so quickly! Also, in my personal canon Pansy has very real feelings for Draco and I believe her fear would be to be confronted with that and more importantly, to risk losing her face because of it.



”Of course, everyone knows you’re an item, but is it serious? I mean, do you love him?”

Daphne’s voice is ever so casual, but Pansy understands - by how she continues to comb her hair, not taking her eyes off the mirror - that she is very, very curious, but that she doesn’t want Pansy to know this. Daphne will definitely spread the answer, whatever it is, all over school. Pansy can imagine shrill voices whispering excitedly: “Really, who does she think she is? Does she think the sole Malfoy heir would ever seriously consider her? Honestly…”

In flashes, she remembers her childhood and her parents. Things could have been grand; really, they could have, except that her father had had that fondness for gambling. He had lost the fortune and killed himself when Pansy was only seven… She remembers her mother screaming and crying for days, and then everything becoming quiet.

Pansy’s mother had sat down with her a few days later, and while chain-smoking, she had explained to her about the curse of men.

“We need them. We need them to feed us and clothe us, because, honestly, what value would we be considered to have on our own? Never marry a man who can’t manage his affairs. You marry for respect and money and nothing else. You’ll need a man to be free, Pansy. To be able to do what you want to do. Falling in love would, unfortunately, contradict that. Never ever fall in love. Use the man. Be smarter than him; don’t love him.”

And Pansy nodded enthusiastically, because she really, really wanted her mother to think that she was a clever child.

Mrs. Parkinson never remarried. Pansy knew it was because of her; her mother had taught her that men didn’t want women with children.

And now she’s standing in the girl’s dormitories, watching Daphne’s blonde hair pour down her back. Daphne’s got a sh*tload of everything: of money and looks, and soon, everyone will want her no matter who she is or what she does.

All Pansy has is a name, a reputation and a knack of dominating at Hogwarts.

At school.

It won’t last.

But as long as he’s at school, Draco will be with the queen of Slytherin. Even if the other girls are laughing at her behind her back, they do respect her, and Pansy needs to make the most of that until she’ll be on her own in the adult world.

She can’t afford to lose her face, which means they can’t know.

She can’t afford to lose him, which means he can’t know.

“Pansy?” Daphne says. She has lowered her brush, and she catches Pansy’s eye in the mirror.

Pansy snorts and says; “Of course I’m not in love with him.”