Recover What We Took: WEEKLY CHALLENGE! ~RESULTS~

[Russia Snow]

So this barmaid recently discovered that her copy of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire has been so well read that it is pretty much falling apart. She has now ordered a new copy and is so excited about getting it that she cannot resist setting you a challenge based upon it!

This challenge is based around the second task of the Triwizard Tournament. As I hope most of you know, during this second task a prized possession is taken from each champion and their task is to retrieve the item (in the books it's people, but that's not compulsory here).

Your challenge this week is to write a drabble of between 200-500 words about any character, set in any era that describes your chosen characters most prized possession going missing and their search to recover the item. The item can be anything you want, but it must be something more important than anything else for your character.

Points:
15 Points for 1st Place
10 Points for Second place
5 Points for Third Place
2 Points for Participation

This challenge will close at 10pm BST on August 28th.

Form for your drabbles:
[B]Name:[/B]
[B]House:[/B]
[B]Title:[/B]
[B]Word Count:[/B]
[B]Ratings/Warnings:[/B]
[B]Chosen Character:[/B]
[B]A/N:[/B] 

[EatMyPixieDust]

Name: EatMyPixieDust
House: Gryffindor
Title: Death as my Adversary
Word Count: 467
Ratings/Warnings: 1st-2nd, no warnings.
Chosen Character: Gellert Grindelwald
A/N: My first drabble





He would find it, find it if it was the last thing he did. But hopefully, once he had it, that wouldn't be a problem. He would never need to prepare a last will and testament, never need utter any memorable last words. For all his words would be memorable, because he would be Gellert Grindelwald, Master of Death itself--

"Ouch!"

A tall, muscular young man with sandy hair picked himself up off of the ground. He hastily brushed off his trousers and manouvered around the tree he had slammed into, distracted by his broodings.

"Blasted trees. Too dark to see anything in this bloody forest."

After a few more minutes of pointless wandering he slung off his rucksack and plopped down beside it on the hard earth. He expertly lit a small fire, with magic of course, and moved to put his wand away when he stopped to look more closely at it. It was just a wand, nothing significant besides the fact, of course, that it contained certain magical qualities. Twelve inches, made of walnut and with a dragon heartstring core. Nothing special. But soon, soon he would have back in his possesion a truly extrordinary wand. The Elder Wand, to Gellert, was no myth or children's tale. It was a true object of power, something he had yearned for since it had been a children's tale to him.

The Elder Wand, The Deathstick, whatever you may call it, was the thing he had sought after all his life. It was what he had spent months hatching secret plots with Albus over behind the old schoolhouse. It was why he was here now, in a dark, smelly, and unpleasant forest. Gellert Grindelwald was on a quest for power, through the Elder Wand. He had searched, combed through historical records and trekked through the land. He had avoided bandits and Highwaymen, he had done what he needed to do.

He had killed a man.

The wand had been, for the briefest of moments, at his fingertips, it had been his. But too quickly it was taken, gone once more from his grasp. He was only grateful he had survived.

Another morning came, and the time for gratefulness was over. The young wizard stood, sliding on his traveling cloak and picking up his rucksack. Today he was going out once more, and he knew were he was going. He knew were it was, the Elder Wand. His Elder Wand. He relished the sound, saying it aloud. His inspiration had come as he awoke. He had no doubts, none at all, and today he would find it. Regain his power. He would once more be unstoppable. He would be the master of the wand.

A loud crack rang out hundreds of miles away as the sandy haired wizard appeared, once more in Godric's Hollow, once more in search of his precious Elder Wand. It was his most treasured possesion.

And he was going to get it back.

[mzap]

Name: mzap
House: Hufflepuff!
Title: The Crown of Ravenclaw
Word Count: 497
Ratings/Warnings: 1st-2nd years; none
Chosen Character: Rowena Ravenclaw
A/N: There's more I would have liked to have written, but unfortunately, I ran out of room.

“Is there anything else you need, mistress?” The servant asked as Rowena Ravenclaw, the once powerful founder of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, gave him a slow glance. Until that moment, she had been left to her own thoughts, something that was now on bought time.

“No, thank you,” she replied slowly, giving a faint smile and a heavy cough. It was not how the witch had imagined her deathbed. She had always believed she would come to an early demise at the hand of a duel or something far more exciting.

Rowena turned to look at the wall again, closing her eyes and sinking deeper into the sheets.

“Mistress…” the servant said, calling her attention once more. “The Baron is here to see you.”

Rowena sighed and responded, “Let him in.” The servant nodded and left the room.

The founder knew exactly what brought the Baron to her estate: the missing Helena Ravenclaw. Rowena’s daughter had been missing for some weeks now, gone with the prized diadem that granted wisdom to its wearer. There was not another soul on Earth that knew of the diadem’s disappearance other than the female Ravenclaws and Rowena planned to keep it as such. She knew of her daughter’s jealousy, and it pained her that there had always been this conflict between mother and daughter.

If only Helena had realized that Rowena did care about her and that intelligence had nothing to do with it… perhaps then Helena wouldn’t have left on such a ridiculous adventure in order to prove her worth.

“Children will always try to best their parents, particularly if their parents are already great,” Salazar Slytherin had said before Helena was born. He never did see Rowena’s daughter, disappearing after quarrels with the other founders.

Godric Gryffindor and Helga Hufflepuff both sympathized with Rowena at finding out about Helena’s disappearance, trying to assure her that her daughter would return soon.

Helena assumed that it was the diadem Rowena would miss if it disappeared, but the loss of her only daughter was far more painful than anything imaginable.

A knock came at the door and Rowena, pulled from her trance, welcomed the Baron, who promptly greeted her.

“First and foremost, I wanted to give my condolences at the disappearance of Miss Ravenclaw. I know it must be very difficult for you,” he said immediately.

“Thank you, Baron,” Rowena replied, giving another cough.

He nodded. “Second of all, I wanted to offer my assistance concerning anything you may need….”

There was a greedy look in his eyes that Rowena detected very quickly, knowing well that the Baron was interested in obtaining some of the Ravenclaw fortune. At the same time, his offer was very intriguing. In her condition, there wasn’t much she could do about her daughter but perhaps….

“Tell me, Baron, I know for some time you’ve pursued my daughter. If you would find her and bring her back to me, there might be a reward in order….”

[jk_salmeier]

Name: jk_salmeier
House: Gryffindor
Title: Freddie's First Prank
Word Count: 498
Ratings/Warnings: 1st - 2nd years/No Warnings
Chosen Character: George Weasley
A/N:

George Weasley searched frantically in and around the small cottage he and his wife, Angelina shared.

“Freddie, where are you? Right now would be good time to start talking.”

George tried listening carefully for to the sounds of giggles or the gentle puttering of little feet, but no such sounds came.

“Homenum revelio” George uttered.

The tip of his wand glowed and pulsated, which meant Freddie was still in the house. Rushing to the family clock in the kitchen, a gift from his mother the day Freddie was born, George blew out a relieved breath when he saw Freddie’s clock hand pointed at ‘Home’.

He searched every room, in wardrobes, under the beds, behind doors and under tables. Freddie was nowhere to be found.

Angelina would kill him as it had been such a rough week for her. Staying at home, chasing after a mischievous toddler would make anyone tired, even if they weren’t six months pregnant. It had been George’s idea to send Angelina with Katie and Alicia to get some much needed adult time.

George looked at his watch. Angelina was due home in four hours, leaving George just enough time to gather reinforcements toward the search. He grabbed some Floo powder from the mantle and threw it in the fireplace.

“Dad! Dad, are you there? It’s George.”

“Hello, son. How’s your day been with Freddie?”

“Fine...er…can you come to my place…right now?”

“Why, has Freddie gone missing?” Arthur chuckled.

“What? Why would you say something like that?” George replied nervously. “Please, Dad, I need you to come now, and don’t tell Mum.”

“Okay, I’ll be right over. Give me five minutes.”

His dad only made him wait two minutes before coming through the fireplace. A knowing smile graced his aged face.

“So how long has Freddie been missing?”

“I’m not sure,” George answered, running a hand through his hair. “I put him down in his cot to sleep because he kept dozing off during lunch. Then I fell asleep on the couch and woke up an hour ago. I’ve checked everywhere.”

“Did you try all the cupboards?”

George nodded.

“Let’s look again, shall we?”

Both father and son searched the house again, this time repeatedly saying, “Where’s Freddie?” in exaggerated tones in the hopes that a response of laughter would give away the toddler’s hiding place.

Finally, the sound of giggles met George’s ear just outside the linen cupboard. Boldly opening the door, he looked inside and found, in the midst of a pile of blankets, Freddie smiling from ear to ear.

“Dad, I found him!”

Relieved that his son was found and safe, George reached inside and pulled his son out from inside the linen cupboard, clutching Freddie in a tight embrace.

“What do you have to say for yourself, young man?”

Freddie blew him a raspberry in response and wrapped his tiny hands around his father’s neck.

“Congratulations, you just survived your son’s first prank,” Arthur teased, giving George a one armed hug.

[iMusic17]

Name: iLuna17\iMusic17\Ellie
House: Slytherin
Title: Lily's Book
Word Count: 500 even
Ratings/Warnings: 1-2nd years
Chosen Character: James Potter (I)
A/N: None that I can think of

Lily's Book:


There is a book, a book that means more to me than my own body. This book has everything in it, everything about you; therefore it is just as prized as you. Every time you have insulted, hexed, or yelled at me is all written in this book. But that is not all this book contains. There are also sketches, plans, hopes, and dreams written in this book. I write in the book every night about you. Tonight, it’s about how you discovered it, and also how you discovered me.


Dear Lily,

Today you found your book.

We were doing rounds, and you were surprisingly quiet. I, naturally, inquired. You responded with one of your famous retorts. I don’t understand why you do that to me; it actually hurts physically when you won’t even let me have a conversation with you. How will we marry and have three children when you won’t let me speak to you? Anyways, that started the normal argument. About me being a prick and you being stubborn. It ended when you attempted to hex me, which I blocked with my school bag. It split in half and everything came pouring out of it, even your book.

Suddenly, you were extremely apologetic and helped me pack up my things. I didn’t notice that you had taken your book, and it only took me an hour to find out that your book was missing. After that I had dragged the Marauders around the entire castle looking for your book. If your book had fallen into the wrong hands, my life as a Marauder would have ended immediately. While we retraced all of my steps, I had assumed you were ranting about our most recent argument, not reading your book. The nerve of me to speak to you like I had! (You always insult my ‘nerve’)

By the time the hour had passed the Marauders and I had decided to give up our search for your book, at least for the day. We retired to the common room, me being especially downbeat, worrying about who’s hands your book could have fallen into so carelessly. Then, it hit me. When you were acting nice, you were really after your book. How could you have known?

I sought you out. You were in the library, hunched over your book, reading the last entry. I snuck up behind you and grabbed it before you could read further, before facing you. I was so furious that you had STOLE my- I mean, your book, then you READ IT? I had expected more respect from you, Lily. After I confronted you, you just stared at me. As I let all of my anger pour out in the middle of the library, you just sat there. Not saying a word. Then, it was your turn. It was the happiest moment of my life.

“I didn’t you felt this way. Reading this, I guess I do too.”

Then, you kissed me.

Always yours,

James Potter

[Padfoot11333]

Name: Padfoot11333/Lily
House: Hufflepuffy
Title: She Was Gone
Word Count: 390
Ratings/Warnings: 1st-2nd years, no warnings
Chosen Character: Xenophilius Lovegood
A/N:

She was gone.

She hadn’t come home on the Christmas train, and I didn’t know where she was. I didn’t know if she had run away, or if something had attacked her, or if she’d been taken. It took one month for me to receive the letter, one month for me to know my daughter’s devastasting fate. The worst part is that it was all my fault.

Mr. Lovegood,

We have your daughter.

Read your newspapers, and then tell us that we should give her back. Remember that Harry Potter is our enemy. And we will not return your daughter Luna until you both accept that.

It had not been signed, but I knew who it was from.

So I stopped writing that we should support Harry Potter in my newspaper, and I stopped supporting him in every aspect of my daily life. Yet Luna did not return.

That was why, when Harry Potter showed up at my doorstep, begging for my help, I swore to stall him until the Death Eaters returned. All I wanted was my daughter. And wouldn’t turning Harry Potter in prove my loyalty?

I told him the legend of the Deathly Hallows, because he was one of the few that did not know it. I said that Luna was down at the creek fishing—something she hated, but how would Harry Potter know that? I sent an owl to the Death Eaters, something I would not have dared to do until this moment.

I have him, is all I wrote. It was all that I needed to write.

All I wanted was my daughter. It wasn’t much to ask, was it?

Now I know that I have not been smart enough, clever enough, for my Luna. That is what I discover when Hermione Granger whips off the sheet on my printing press and discovers what I have been hiding. When Harry drifts upstairs and sees that Luna’s room is dusty.

I freeze. But all I want is my Luna.

Hermione Granger cries, “Obliviate!” in my face, and everything goes foggy and black for a second. When I recover, I see my house in ruins. How did this happen?

I suppose that it was all in search of my Luna. After all, she is gone, and I would do anything to recover her.

[psijupiter]

Name: Psi
House: Ravenclaw
Title: Leaving
Word Count: 500
Ratings/Warnings: 1st-2nd years/no warnings
Chosen Character: Severus Snape
A/N: I knew what I was going to write as soon as I saw this prompt. Getting it into the word limit was tricky! I cut a lot out in the end, so I hope it still makes sense.

"Severus?" Evan Rosier stood at the door. "What are you doing? You're going to miss the feast - "

"I'll be there soon," Severus said, standing from where he had been digging through his trunk and moving towards the door and past his friend.

Evan frowned at his retreating back. "Save you a seat, yeah?"

Severus ignored him. He ignored all the other greetings thrown his way in the common room and then the insults and curses as he fought his way against the tide of students heading to The Great Hall.

In the potions room Severus moved rapidly towards the desk he had claimed in First Year and worked from ever since. He looked underneath it and the desks nearby, before standing and resting his hands on the worn wooden surface. The classroom was dark and deserted, cauldrons stacked neatly upside down and the cabinets emptied of ingredients. He would almost feel nostalgic, but for the rising sense of panic.

"Ah, Severus, my boy!" Severus jumped and turned. Professor Slughorn was smiling broadly at him. "Whatever are you doing here?"

"I was just - "

"So, what will you be doing with yourself now you have finished school, Severus?"

Slughorn moved closer and Severus stood up straighter. "I have been apprenticed to a Potions Master - Abraxas Malfoy. I am to go to his workshop first thing in the morning."

"How fortunate for you. I know Abraxas of course, he always was good with potions - much like his son. Lucius is doing very well for himself these days. I hear - "

"I should get going Professor," Severus interrupted.

"Yes, yes, you'll keep in touch, won't you now?"

Severus did not resist the urge to sneer for once. He was no longer dependant upon this man's good will for either education or favours. He would be able to brew whatever he chose under Abraxas's tutelage, without couching his requests for ingredients in insincere flattery. "I will be extremely busy," he told the Professor.

"Oh, yes," Slughorn stuttered. "I won't keep you then, Severus."

Severus paused, then turned and swooped out.

Slughorn watched him go regretfully. A smart boy indeed but with neither charm nor beauty he was unlikely to go far, even with the Malfoys' favours. He double checked the locks on the storeroom door - Severus knew all his locking spells, but he should make sure no less skilled students had access to the restricted ingredients. On his way out something caught his eye beneath one of the store cupboards. Tugging it out, he found an old, battered copy of the Advanced Potions Making - several editions out of date.

"Poor sod," Slughorn thought, wondering which unfortunate soul was working from an out of date book. He flipped to the front page and laughed.

"The Half-Blood Prince! Oh my, children these days - " Chuckling to himself, he threw it casually into the cupboard at the back of the room and turned to go to the feast.

[LittleJM]

Name: Joy
House: Ravenclaw!
B]Title:[/B] Lost in the Darkness
Word Count: 453
Ratings/[Warnings: 1st-2nd Years/no warnings
Chosen Character: Narcissa Malfoy
A/N: Very first drabble, and although Draco is not physically missing until the end, this is where my mind kind of took off.
** - dialogue taken from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, pg 726 (American ed.)




“Is Draco alive? Is he in the castle?” **

The words escaped my lips before I had time to consider the consequences. A boy, the same age as my son, lay facedown below me. For the second time in his life, he had taken a Killing Curse. This time, though, it had been willingly.

“Yes.” **

Harry Potter’s reply was almost silent. Draco. He was alive. I knew what I had to do.

“He is dead!”**

The screams erupted around me, but I didn’t partake in that celebration. My walk to the castle was celebrating something else entirely.

--

Draco had escaped my grasp long before the Battle of Hogwarts. He came home that fateful summer with a starving look in his eyes and an equally terrifying Mark to match.

‘The Dark Lord wants to use me. I am important to him,’ he would say, as if that was to ease any of my concerns. After all my family had done for him, the Dark Lord still wanted my child. He caused Draco to spiral into fear, and a melancholy haze always surrounded him following the completion of his mission. He wasn’t the same – and it didn’t escape his mother’s worrying heart.

Where was my son in that pale, shrunken mess? He began to push me away, proving to me that the confident teenage boy who used to reside in him was lost.

I blamed the Dark Lord. I blamed my husband. Most of all, I blamed myself. I felt myself slowing down, retreating to the shadows of my former self. I was losing that, too.

Nobody seemed concerned at his downfall. Maybe, I tried to reason, it was because they were lost in it, too.

Bella only saw what was good for a Master that could, and easily would, replace her. She thought I should let Draco go, told me to be a Black and make our family proud. Sometimes, I thought that I was never going to do that.

I was frantic when Draco fled to the castle to find the Chosen One himself. This time, he was physically gone.

It took the biting words of Voldemort’s order in the clearing to push me over the edge. I was gripped with fear, even after all of these months in his presence. I abhorred it. Something had to change.

The gravel crunched softly under my feet as I cautiously approached Harry Potter’s still body. It was hard to make out all of his features in the misty light. A chill ran down my spine as I got closer.

That could easily be Draco. I would not let it be Draco.

Carefully, as if it was Draco, I found his pulse. My own heart skipped a beat. I still had time to find my son. I still had a chance to find myself again.

[Iruthb]

Name: Immo
House: Ravenclaw
Title: The Second Tournament, by James Potter
Word count: 335
Ratings and warnings: 1st-2nd years, AU
Chosen character: James Potter
A/N: I slightly misinterpreted the goal, and thought we had to make a character take part in the Triwizard Tournament. My mistake. Anyway, I hope you enjoy (First drabble, bewarned)


“The water was bloody freezing! I was waiting for ages for the signal, ready to do the magic needed. It was simple, really; I knew that I could easily beat the idiot boy from Beauxbaton and the trembling girl from Durmstrang. The challenge itself was going to be easy, I was just curious to see what the Merpeople had taken. My cloak, the map and all my other stuff was in my room, and I’d just spoken to Peter, you and Remus. There was nothing else I cared for that much.
“That was the signal, and I uttered the incantation for the bubble head charm. Originally, I had intended to transfigure myself into a fish or something, but Moony pointed out I wouldn’t be able to hold my wand. Obviously, I was the fastest into the water, and I began swimming down into the depths. As it got darker, I said “lumos,” lighting the tip of my wand. Suddenly, I was surrounded by Grindylows, tiny little horned buggers that they are. One gripped my arm, but I was strong enough to yank myself out of its grip, sending a hex at it. They were fast, but I was faster. You know, one looked just like Snivellus, only more handsome! Anyway, I got away from those demons finally,
“Finally, I found the village. Attached to a statue was a little girl, a young man, and her. All of them seemed asleep. Damn Dumbledore, I thought furiously as I managed to free her. But he must have known how she’d react. As I swam to the surface with her, fighting off more Grindylows, I knew I’d be the first back, as expected. I got full marks, as you know, but then she kissed me and told me she loved me and asked me to –”

“That’s absolute rubbish, Lily Evans didn’t speak to you at all and stormed off as soon as she could!” laughed Sirius. Even Peter chuckled at the slightly disgruntled look on James’ face.

[Potassium]

Name: Potassium
House: Ravenclaw
Title: Tranquillizer
Word Count: 457
Ratings/Warnings: 1st-2nd year, no warning
Chosen Character: Severus Snape
A/N: Many thanks to Maple for taking up the troublesome job of beta-ing. My first drabble ever. And I apologise if I skewed the term "lost item" a little -- I just cannot think of anything else to write!

With a bang, the door of Number Twelve of Grimmauld Place was opened as a dark figure rushed into the mansion and climbed the stairs.

The man was troubled by the eventful night. He had killed a man, rescued a boy and, hopefully, saved a family. His steps were uneven with occasional slips. Forcing the silver bearded man out of his head, he sat on the stairs and panted.

He had come for something — an image that he had lost through the years. The physical one, the photo, was long lost, but he could not sketch the gentle smile in his head anymore, so he had lost his only tranquillizer.

After one last deep breath, the man continued to climb up the stairs and reached a room. He forced his way through the door and faced the drowning darkness.

“Lumos.”

He opened the drawers with haste and shuffled through the papers frantically. He grabbed the likely candidates but quickly discarded them onto the floor upon recognition. It continued with the next drawer… and the next drawer…

He paused when he picked up an envelope. He recognised the writing — the gentle curl of “G” and stylish dash of “t”. He ripped open the envelope and found two pieces of parchment and a photo falling gently on the floor. He kneeled down, placed the wand on the floor and picked up the photo with trembling hand.

The pair of eyes twinkled with laughter and the lips formed a pleasant curve. His tranquillizer… or so he thought. He had found it to realise in the next moment that it no longer functioned.

Fighting the burning sensation in his eyes, he picked up the letter with another shaking hand and skimmed through it until he reached the last line, and his gaze lingered at the name belonging to the master of the green eyes.

And above it, the very thing he never had.

He failed his fight with his eyes and a droplet escaped through the guards. He traced the writings on the letter without realising the contents — he could picture the white, slender hand that had scribbled these words — the hand that had once given the most comforting sensation. More tears broke the defense.

Subconsciously, he tugged the second piece of parchment into his own pocket and discarded the other into the open drawer. He gave a last look to the photo, to the just-found tranquillizer, and tore away the part he cherished, regardless that it could no longer stop the tears. The remaining was thrown to the floor and covered by a rain of parchments. The man pocketed his half of the photo, and left the room with the newly found treasure.

And with a crack, he disappeared into the thin air.