April Activities 2009

[XhayleeXblackX]

Award: Best Interpretation of a Werewolf Transformation
Author/Story: BertieBotsBeans741 - Contemplation of the Wolfish Mind
Link: Contemplation of the Wolfish Mind
Reason:

There are many interpretations of how it feels to go through the transformation from man to werewolf throughout the fanfiction universe, but never before have I read such a realistic feeling description as Brittany’s. It’s almost as if she has experienced the transformation for herself, she describes it so well:

The pain that pulsed through his body was staggering, even though years of transforming had made it slightly more bearable. The aching in his muscles started just as abruptly. The burning sensation spread, his body lengthening against its will, a snarl escaping him. His bones taking on a whole new structure that was foreign, unwelcome. Now the muscles were searing, almost to the point of ripping apart completely.

The description, imagery, everything about this story allows the reader to look into the mind of Remus Lupin and get an idea of how painful and confusing it is to become a werewolf. The transformation and the thought process leading up to it are so realistically depicted that the reader almost feels like they are watching the transformation rather than reading it. The author depicts the experience and the pain, and yet still manages to do it in a way that keeps Remus in character. The transformation in this story left me with chills after reading, and I think that's exactly what a werewolf transformation should do.

Award: Best Death Eaters Have Feelings, Too Story
Author/Story: Sly Severus – Unworthy
Link: Unworthy
Reason:

This one-shot depicts Bellatrix and Rodolphus as far more than servants of the Dark Lord. It portrays them as human beings, shows that they have feelings – fear, pain, grief, love – just as every other person would. In the story, Bellatrix has gone on a mission for Lord Voldemort and is injured, which causes her to lose her child and to be unable to have children in the future.

Sly Severus’ descriptions and imagery in this story leave the reader in or near tears at more than one point – you actually feel how guilty, hurt, and worthless Bellatrix feels, something that many fictions do not give the reader where Death Eaters are concerned, especially Bellatrix. It puts the reader in the position to view Bella beyond her sadistic Death Eater nature, and into the view that she really is a person under that façade. One who is as affected by the loss of her child as any other person could be, that she isn't unfeeling and utterly cruel. Not only is it a powerful story, but it is one of those stories that leaves you questioning your previous views and opinions of a character.

Award: Best Next Generation Characterization
Author/Story: electronicquillster – A Pair
Link: A Pair
Reason:

The characterization of Victoire Weasley and Teddy Lupin in this one-shot is simply some of the best characterization I’ve had the pleasure of reading of the Next Generation characters. The two are such a lovely, realistic mixture of their parents’ and family’s personalities that it is almost scary to believe that we actually know nothing of these two, besides the fact that they snog at King’s Cross.

Victoire has both her mother’s strong independence, but also her father’s caring and compassionate nature in this story. Whilst Teddy is very much his father’s son in this story – he is smart and kind, but loyal and strong as well as a little spontaneous, like his mother was. Both characters have a jesting side to them, which suits them both as Teddy’s father was a Marauder and Victoire is a Weasley.

The author allows the characters to grow in the story and does not rush the two characters relationship with one another, giving light to more characterization and believability. With this story, you truly feel as if you are meeting Victoire and Teddy as though they walked out of the Potterverse to stand before you.

Award: Best Opposing Sides of the War Poem
Author/Story: Lalalalatina – What We Fight For
Link: What We Fight For
Reason:

This poem has always been one of my utter favorites. Lalalalatina’s use of repetition in the poem give such emphasis to the words of the ‘good guys’ and the ‘bad guys’. She depicts both the Death Eater’s view and the good side’s view by contrasting their differences of opinion:

It is hopelessness.
It is torture.
It is what we must fight.

Let the frozen haunt their persons,
Let the shadows darken their ways,
Let the hopelessness diminish their goal,
Let the torture dwindle their days.

The contrast between the two throughout the poem by using repetition really captures the feelings of both sides, and shows a fairly accurate portrayal of how they view what they are fighting for, what fuels their will to continue fighting for their purpose. For those on the Order's side, it is to conqure that evil, hopelessness, despare. Where as for the Death Eaters, it is to cause and inflict that hopelessness, despare to ensure victory for their side, for Lord Voldemort. The poem describes the two views in such a way that leaves the reader with a sense of awe and understanding for both, as well as a desire to choose a side. It's a motivational poem in that way, and also a very powerful one.

-Haylee

[Afifa]

Title: Untitled
Word Count: 761
Rating: 3rd- 5th years
Warning: Sexual Situations
A/N: James/Lily, from Sirius POV. This was fun. Hehe.

She had said the same thing last year, but I had been sure that she hadn’t been really serious, just furious. But I had been wrong. She had, indeed, been very serious.

***

I was flying on my broom when I looked down and spotted my best mate and his girlfriend sitting near the Black lake, their legs dangling in the water. Their lips were moving but were not on each other’s so I figured that they were having a normal conversation, which, for once, did not involve any touching. Or maybe they were rubbing each others’ legs and I couldn’t see because of the water. Who knew?

I slowly flew downwards. I had been flying for an hour. If I’d had James’, Remus’ or Peter’s company, it would’ve been fun. Flying alone could be peaceful for some time, but would later become depressing.

I dropped lightly on the grass, and headed towards to the castle when I stopped once to turn and see James and Lily. They were snogging, of course. That boy never failed to disappoint me. I sighed but then smirked. I dropped the broomstick on the ground and walked towards the lake. No one would steal my property, and anyway, I wasn’t going to James to chit chat. I’d just go, say ‘hi’ and interrupt their kissing session.

And I did just that. James glared at me. Lily returned my greeting, but made it painfully obvious that she hadn’t appreciated me coming to them. Surprising. She usually took it good humouredly. She knew I did that just for fun.
Muttering a bye, I left them, strolling towards the castle, but looking after every few steps. They hadn’t started snogging again. Weird. In fact, James was standing up and his hands were in his pockets. I stopped then and faced the duo from a distance.

Lily was now standing too and saying, ‘You’re searching in your pockets for your wand?’

That had me laughing. She continued, now in a menacing tone, ‘You can’t just go yourself and get my scarf?’

Scarf? What scarf? I took a quick look around them, No, no scarf. But then I saw something green floating somewhere at a distance in the lake. I guessed what must have happened. The scarf must have slipped lose when they’d been otherwise busy, and neither had noticed. When I had left, Lily must have remembered the existence of her scarf and asked James to get it for her. He would’ve been looking for his wand to Accio the scarf. And this had set Lily off. Why?

James didn’t reply but took out his wand and raised it. He had started saying, ‘Ac...’ when he stopped in mid word as Lily snatched the wand from his wand and threw it away from them.

Confusion etched on his face, James stared at Lily. It seemed that the girl was definitely off her rocker.

‘If you can’t swim and bring it back, don’t bother with your wand,’ she said in a fierce voice, which meant that James was in trouble.

‘Lily...’ James started, but now Lily whipped out her own wand and fully Body-Bound him.

‘Don’t talk to me,’ she commanded, looking at him lying on the ground. The others were starting to look now.
Lily raised her wand, no doubt to retrieve her scarf when the lake started rippling and then there it was. The Giant Squid! The scarf wrapped around one if its tentacles.

It swam towards Lily and put forward the entangled tentacle.

Lily smiled widely and took the scarf, patting the Squid. The creature seemed to be enjoying that.

Then Lily turned to James and cried, ‘We’re over! I’m with the Squid now.’

Saying that, she petted the Squid for the last time and stalked away in the direction of the castle.

I stood there, truly shocked. And when it wore off, the hilarity of the situation dawned on me and I burst out into laughter until I remembered James lying helplessly on the ground and went to him to lift off the spell.

He stood up quickly, and said, ‘Did I hear the right? Lily left me for the... Giant Squid?’

I grinned. ‘Yes, I heard the same.’

‘Wh- what? There is nothing funny about it,’ he stormed. ‘I must go and talk to her.’

I held him back. ‘Prongs, mate, it’s just a very bad case of PMS,’ I explained. It had struck me later. That could be the only reason why Lily was acting... strange.

And at that, both of us starting laughing.

- Afifa