Weekly Drabble Challenge - A Thousand Words: Days of Summer - Results

[Hermoine Jean Granger]

Name: Hermoine Jean Granger
House: Ravenclaw
Title: Solitude
Warnings: Dark/Angsty
Word Count: 499
Author's notes: I would love to thank Azhure, my beta, for all her wonderful help with the drabble. I would also like to thank her for helping me with the title.

I looked at the surroundings with a forlorn and deeply terrified look. To any other person, the beauty of this place would have been mesmerising. It had been for me, too, until a fortnight ago when my entire life had been horribly disfigured by a vicious and revengeful werewolf, Fenrir Greyback. Now, I was one of his kind -a werewolf, a beast who would show his true colours once every full moon. These were the woods that my parents had chosen to be the spot for my transformation. It was secluded, lonely, and at close proximity to my house. So, there I was, walking alone along the deserted path, trying to be brave enough to face my first transformation.

I knew my parents had made their best efforts to secure the place against Muggles and wizards alike. There were strong Muggle-repelling charms all around the forest and the tree logs which had been placed on the path I was walking on would erect to form a cage around me during my transformations. I was feeling very lonely and abandoned. It felt as though the world had caved in on me. Even kith and kin were afraid to talk to me because they felt that I had become ‘contaminated’ now.

As I was walking up the path, I remembered the times I used to come to these woods just to be lost in the enchanting beauty of the surroundings. Now I was to come here for the most dark and terrifying times of my life. I thought of the parody that my life had now become; I couldn’t enjoy anything in my life anymore. The inconsiderateness of life and its difficulties angered me greatly.

The calm brook enticed me with its cool and gentle flow. But all I could think of now was about my transformation. I gazed up at the sky and noticed that the sun was slowly setting, paving the way for the moon to rise. I went up the path and tried to distract myself by listening to the chirping of the birds and the chatter of the animals. I was unsuccessful in doing so as my thoughts were still focused on my transformation and I was quite anxious for it to get over and done with. I missed my mother’s comforting words at this point, and I felt even more depressed. I watched the radiant sky light up in various hues of red and yellow through the small gaps in the thick foliage of trees in the forest. The moon had to rise any moment now and I walked into the clearing which was just beside the path.

The tiny sliver of moonlight passed through the thick foliage and illuminated the tiny clearing. I felt my body go rigid. Suddenly, waves of unbearable pain passed through my body; I felt I couldn’t live to see tomorrow. Then I lost my train of thought and all I could think of was human flesh, my dinner for tonight.

[theworldonlyknows]

Name: Theworldonlyknows
House: Slytherin
Title: Innocence.
Warnings: None
Word Count: 496

“Where is he?” Ginny screamed frantically at Harry. “Albus!” She shouted. Lily’s hand was locked tightly within hers, she was holding it so tight that Lily was pleading for her mother to let go.

Ginny’s head was moving hysterically from left to right whilst her feet allowed her to travel in circles. Her face was bright red with fear. The adrenaline rushed through her body as the realisation came to her that she couldn’t find her little boy.

“Ginny, Ginny slow down. I will go to the woods you to the pond.” Harry stated trying to appear calm, but failing miserably.

“The pond! What if he has drowned, or been pulled in? What if there is a giant squid waiting to feed on him?” She listed the possibilities in quick succession and louder and louder as she progressed. Her eyes began streaming, she no longer could hold the brave face for Lily and James; she just wanted to hold her son in her arms.

“No Ginny!” Harry said. He attempted not to listen to the list his wife made, as fully understood that any of those could undoubtedly be true. “Just go, you keep hold of Lily, I will take James, we will find him Ginny, we will.” The reassurance in his voice was as much for James and Lily as it was for himself and Ginny. They parted.

Harry ran towards James and took hold of the top part of his arm. James began to struggle slightly insisting that he was a big boy and he didn’t need looking after. Harry just ignored this and carried on hastily to the woods.

He arrived at the edge and headed straight towards the sculpture of the lion which Albus enjoyed playing on so much; nothing. He dragged James to near the swings; nothing. Harry and James followed the trail to see if they could reach the top of the hill, they could see the whole park from the summit.

Harry kept looking to his sides in hope that he would see a little boy in a red top playing with his figurine of the Quidditch player Oliver Wood; nothing. Harry suddenly felt a tug on his arm. He turned to James and asked in a raised tone, “What James?”

“Look daddy it’s Albus.”

Harry looked straight ahead and saw a little boy, playing with a little figurine sitting on a flight of stairs which was in the middle of two trees. He immediately ran forward. He ran straight to Albus and picked him up and swung him in his arms. Albus being only four didn’t quite know what was going on, but was glad of the attention.

“Don’t you ever run away again little man, okay?” Harry said repeatedly into Albus’s ear. After he held his son for what seemed like days he put him down, with a huge smile of relief on his face.

“I think we had best go and tell mummy, don’t you think?”

[mudbloodproud]

Name: mudbloodproud
House: Hufflepuff
Title: The Memorial Garden
Warnings: mention of character deaths (canon)
Word Count: 500

The stairs seemed to stretch forever to a boy of five. He didn’t know where they led, but he knew he wanted to find out. Looking back over his shoulder to make sure he wasn’t being followed, he started to climb.

As he climbed, he noticed the way the sun filtered through the trees and onto the ground. He hopped between little patches of light as he made his way up the steps. He counted each piece of wood at the edge of each stair as he went up.

“One, two, three,” he counted. “Four, five, six.” He stopped counting and stood and looked up at the seemingly endless stairs. Only being able to count to ten, he was forced to start counting over once he reached that stair.

As he neared the top, he thought he heard someone calling his name from the bottom. He looked back but because the stairs curved, he couldn’t see anyone. Shrugging his shoulders, he finished climbing.

At the top, he looked around. It was a beautiful garden. Why was it here? Who had put it here? He walked slowly through the flowers trying to name each as he passed them. His grandmother loved flowers and she had taught him all about them.

He turned from his study of a strange coloured flower when he heard his name called. There was no mistaking it this time, someone was looking for him. He debated for a few seconds about hiding and not letting whoever it was know he was here, but he couldn’t do that.

“I’m over here,” he called to the unseen person. He knew from the voice it was his favourite uncle.

“There you are. Everyone has been looking for you. What are you doing way up here?”

Smiling, he ran over to him and launched into what he found.

“Look, look at these flowers! Why is this here?” he asked innocently.

The man looked around. He hadn’t been here in years. Taking a deep breath, he tried to explain why this garden was here.

“Years ago, way before you were born, there was a fight between some really bad wizards and the good wizards. This garden was made for them.” The man looked down at the boy. He hoped his simple explanation would be enough. The boy’s next words made him realise children tended to know more than they were given credit for.

“That is when Uncle Fred died, isn’t it?” he asked.

“Yes, but not only him.” The man looked around. “This Memorial Garden was made to honour all of them.”

Smiling the smile of a sweet innocent child, James reached up and took his Uncle George’s hand in his. “Uncle George, I think Uncle Fred is here. Look at this flower, it shouldn’t be this colour. Uncle Fred did that.”

George smiled down at his nephew. He looked at the flower and had to admit, a bright yellow and bright red flower was not normal. Maybe Fred had been here.

[mugglemathdork]

Awarding points for picture prompts is always hard! You guys write magnificent drabbles and I find it rather hard to always narrow it just down to three. However, the following stood out for various reasons:

First Place:
Innocence by theworldonlyknows

Second Place:
Hopscotch by Mistletoe

Third Place:
Solitude by Hermoine Jean Granger

theworldonlyknows made good use of the picture prompt; The drabble that was written had a unique perspective, not to mention, situation that can, not only be canon, but believable. Good use of imagery and words.

Mistletoe also had a unique view for the prompt. While drabbles of the Black sisters are submitted often, she went back to the sisters in a time where they were still very much the definition of sisters. Lovely work.

While several drabbles had Remus as the subject, the one written by Hermoine Jean Granger stood out for various reasons. First, she focused on Remus as a child instead of an adult, and secondly dealt with his first turning in a very eloquent manner.

You guys all did an awesome job!
~Ebil One