Weekly Drabble Challenge - Magical Mishaps: Stuck!

[thegirllikeme]

Name: thegirllikeme
House: Ravenclaw!
Title: A Familiar Predicament
Warnings: None
Words: 406

Rita wanted to squeal in delight, but if she tried to make that sound in her beetle form, it would only come out as a chirp. She couldn't possibly make a sound and risk alerting the cute couple to her presence. She had long been due on a story centering around the 'Golden Trio' and this was just the perfect drop of news to keep her avid readers jabbering with excitement.

She had gotten to the restaurant where she had heard Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger were to meet, knowing that if she was going to have word of Harry Potter's doings it was in the snippets of their conversation. She had perched on a wall nearby their table just in time to see Weasley spill his food into his lap. Granger jumped up to help him, as he turned beet red. Rita rubbed her legs together in excitement; he was nervous. This was going to be good.

Rita watched, transfixed, as Weasley sprung to his feet so quickly, he whacked Granger in the face. She stumbled back, clutching her nose. Nervous beyond reason, Weasley lowered himself onto one knee. Rita realized instantly what this was, and as she watched Granger's tearful acceptance, her mind was buzzing with ideas. She could see it now.

A SCANDALOUS PROPOSAL
How Will Harry Potter Take The Newest Blow

How she would spell bind the readers with how Harry's sweetheart since his days at Hogwarts had snuck around with his best friend! Now, the two betrayers were to be married. Potter would be devastated. Hate-mail would fly to Granger's front doorstep. Good thing the world didn't know Harry was dating Weasley's sister. Rita could already taste the success.

She glanced back at the couple – only she didn't see them. Started, she searched again. Last time she'd seen them, they'd been searching for the ring that Granger had knocked from Weasley's hands with her exuberant hug. Where had they gotten off to?

The next thing she saw was an empty wineglass, circling around her.

Realizing what was happening, Rita quickly tried to transform, before she was snagged, but she saw a wand wave and knew she was trapped by a quick spell, stuck in her Animagus form.

Hopelessly, Rita looked through the glass at Granger's face as that Mudblood wiggled her fingers mockingly. “Hello, Rita.”

Only one thought crossed Rita's mind.

Crap! Not again!

[hermybabay82]

Name: hermybabay82/Stacy
House: Gryffindor
Title: In-between
Warnings: 3rd - 5th years//some physical torment
Words: 450

That had been much too easy, especially without a wand, thought Sirius Black as he continued out the gates of Azkaban in his Animagus form. He had been imprisoned for nearly thirteen years for a crime he had not committed. Seeing his supposed victim and one-time friend, Peter Pettigrew, in a picture had been enough of an incentive to get the job of transforming done though.

The thought of Peter possibly being in close proximity to Sirius' Godson, Harry Potter, was another thing that urged him on, paddling through the chilly sea to the nearest bit of land. He would hopefully be able to procure a wand and set himself right in short order upon arriving there.

Weary and a bit frost bitten but otherwise feeling better than he had in years, Sirius began his search for a proper wand but was unable to find one. He had heard of other wizards using controlled magic without a wand on a regular basis, not the accidental magic he and numerous adolescents were party too, but true magic. Sirius had once read somewhere that the magic was in the soul of the wizard and the wand that chose him was only an instrument with which to harness that power in a directed way. He prayed that he would be able to direct his magic properly again without the aid of a wand as he prepared to transform back into his human form.

Fear berated Sirius' thoughts as he began the transformation and then pain like he had never felt, even during the change, racked his body. Merlin, the pain was excruciating! Something had gone horribly wrong.

Through a stream of tears he looked down at his body. It was that of neither a human, nor that of the large black dog that was his normal Animagus form. He was stuck some where in between. What had he done wrong? He was hideous!

Sirius knew that he couldn't stay like this forever. He would have to try the transformation again. Gathering up all his courage and strength and firmly setting his human-self in his mind's eye he attempted the change once more.

There was some pain again, but this time it was a familiar pain as bones began to slide back into place, muscles forming once more around them, and then the pain abruptly stopped. Sirius stood there for another minute or so, not daring to open his eyes for fear of what he might find. Slowly he peaked down and was greeted by the site of two human hands held out in front of him, his own hands, palm up. A feeling of relief spread throughout his body at that moment.

[BeautifulDreamer07]

Name: BeautifulDreamer07/Hallie
House: Gryffindor
Title: Never Good Enough
Warnings: None
Words: 498

“Come on, Peter! What are you waiting for? You’ve been putting this off for over a month.”

Peter looked down at his feet and tried not to let on how nervous he was. Every since their third year, when James had suggested the possibility of them becoming Animagi, Peter had been nervous. Even now, when he had read every book in the library about the subject, practiced the concentration and the incantation involved everyday for two years, he was still nervous. Peter shifted his weight, avoiding looking at the others. Sirius tapped his foot impatiently.

“Do you really want to be left out again?” James asked, exasperated. “The full moon is in less than two weeks, Peter. If you don’t try it now then you’re not going to be ready to go with us.” Peter still did not look up and James threw up his hands in frustration.

“Whatever,” he said, turning his back on Peter and coming around to face Sirius. “Let’s get out of here. He’s too chicken to do it.” Peter felt the heat rising in his cheeks as James and Sirius walked away.

“Wait!” Peter yelled at their retreating backs. James and Sirius turned to face him, eyebrows raised. “I’ll do it.” James and Sirius grinned and came back to stand beside him.

“Excellent,” James said, slapping Peter on the back. Peter took a deep breath and raised his wand.

“Don’t forget to concentrate really hard,” Sirius advised.

“And remember the incantation,” James said. “Its-”

Peter glared at him. “I know what it is,” he snapped. “Just shut up and let me get on with it.”

Sirius and James fell silent and watched their friend eagerly. Peter took another deep breath, said the incantation, and closed his eyes tight. He waited a few moments.

“Guys, I don’t think it worked,” he started to say, but all that came out was a high pitched squeak. Peter opened his eyes and looked around, twisting his head around to look at his back. He was surprised to see a long bald tail and gray fur.

It worked! It worked! he thought, happily.

He looked to see where James and Sirius were, wondering what his friends thought of him now, and found that they were both rolling with laughter.

“A mouse?” James said, disbelieving. Sirius tried to speak, but was doubled over, laughing too hard to speak.

Petere squeaked angrily and did the reverse spell. He closed his eyes again, then opened them a few moments later. He opened his mouth to tell James and Sirius off, but another squeak came out. Peter’s head whipped around and he, again, saw the bald tail and the gray fur.

Oh no… he thought, fear flooding him. I’m stuck. He began to squeak uncontrollably.

Laughing, Sirius pulled out his wand and did the reverse spell.

“I always knew you were a rat, Peter,” Sirius said, grinning broadly.

Peter looked down at his feet. I will never be good enough for them…

[mugglemathdork]

Congratulations to the following for writing exceptional drabbles:

First Place:
In-between by hermybabay82

Second Place:
Never Good Enough by BeautifulDreamer07

Third Place:
A Familiar Predicament by thegirllikeme

Points will be posted shortly by MQ
-hugs-
El Gato Loco

[MissyQuill]

Congratulations Stacy, Hallie and thegirllikeme. Your entries were teh
awesomness!=Sammy

And thank you Ritta and Mith!