Round One
Author: Kody
Date: 06-24-04 19:53
Having a few minutes to just die a quiet, stuffed fatter than a Christmas goose, overdosed on exceptionally good pie death, Kody manages to rouse himself so he could check in for the next competition. He stands over Drake and pokes the boy in the stomach with the toe of his shoe. Groaning loudly Drake opens an eye, "It's not wise to put pressure there."
"I ate loads more than you so if I can get up so can you."
"I have a smaller stomach. It's why I ate less pies."
"I've seen you eat. I don't believe that for a second. Now, get up or I'll get our water balloon and let it burst on your head."
"Okay, okay. No need to be so snarky about it."
Drake puts a hand in the air and Kody pulls his friend up. They walk, slowly, to where the professors are handing one water balloon to each team. Professor Vector points to the lanes just used for the sack race. "Each two person team will take a lane. Each team member will stand on one of the two Xs in the team's lane, facing each other. When the signal is given, the team member with the balloon will toss, pitch, or throw it to the other. Each team with a successfully caught balloon will move away from each other. We professors will indicate how far the move is before each new round. The rounds continue for as long as there are at least two teams with an intact water ballon. Any questions?"
Everyone either says no or shakes their heads back and forth. Professor Vector waits another moment then says, "All right then, teams take your marks."
Kody and Drake pick lane three, each moving to stand on one of the Xs. Drake has the water balloon and once the signal is given, Drake pretends he's going to do a fast overhand pitch before grinning and softly lobbing the balloon to Kody. The only problem is he lobs it a little too softly. The balloon falls far enough short that Kody cannot run to catch it without being deemed out of the catching area. All he can do is watch it their bright green balloon land with a loud SPLAT! sending water splashing up and out. Drake grimaces at the sight. "Sorry!"
The move off to the sidelines to watch the rest of the competition. Kody pats Drake on the shoulder. "It's okay. We get something just for participating and while it would be great to win, we've had fun today anyway." Drake nods in agreement then turns to watch round two.
Dragging My Feet
Author: Drucilla Eternal
Date: 06-24-04 20:06
"Come on Dru. We're going to miss watching all the races and events. How many dresses are you going to try on before you pick one already?"
I tuned out Sirius' voice that was calling to me from downstairs. Let him wait. It was his fault I got suckered into helping at this stupid carnival. Cold weather, and all the while being surrounded by sappy adolescent teenagers all caught up in the fun and excitement of Valentine's Day. Yes, let me just hurry up so I can get there more quickly to join in on all the fun – not!
Holding up a pale blue dress to my body, I turned this way and that, observing my reflection in the mirror. I supposed it would have to do, even though black would have been more fitting for my mood. Slipping into the dress, I picked up the velvet, twilight blue cape that I had received as a gift from Sirius on Christmas, and automatically felt inside the hidden pocket. Fingering the four small bones, I smiled in amusement.
"They want a fortune teller?" I whispered to myself as I wrapped the cape around my body. "Then they shall have one. But crystal balls and tarot cards will not be my way of seeing into the future. Let me cast my bones and tell them their past, present and future. Who knows? Maybe the famous Harry Potter will stop in and I'll be able to see something interesting to pass onto my Dark Lord."
With one final look into the mirror, I turned gracefully and made my way downstairs to Sirius.
Round Two
Author: Majandra
Date: 06-24-04 20:18
Majandra and George move further apart as indicated by Professor Vector. They are in lane one and next to them in lane two are Blossom, the furthest from Maj, and Fred. When the remaining teams are properly spaced out, Professor McGonagall gives the signal to throw the balloons.
From the way Fred and George had been pointing at each other and foolishly grinning, and from the way they kept ribbing each other, Majandra should have known it was unwise for both Blossom and she to take the first throw putting the balloons in the boys' hands for the second round.
George aims as thought to toss to Majandra but ends up hurling the balloon at his brother. As if synchronized, Fred does a wild pitch towards George. The only good thing about it, amusing really, for Blossom and Maj is that each of the boys ends up with a face full of water, a wet head, and hot pink balloon parts sticking out of their hair.
Round Three
Author: Harry Potter
Date: 06-24-04 20:44
The competition is down to four teams. Harry and Ron move the required extra distance apart for this next round. Harry wipes his palms, which felt like they are starting to sweat despite the cold, on his pants in preparation to catch Ron's toss. While waiting for the signal, Harry becomes aware of voices in the cadence often used when making fun of someone. Looking around he spots Crabbe and Goyle, listening hard to make out what they are saying. Sure enough, they're making fun of Ron.
"Look at Ron the Weasel."
"He throws like a girl."
"No wonder he's not allowed to be chaser in Quiddtich."
"Little ickle Ronniekins wif his wittle bawoon. His famly's too poor for a proper toy."
The signal to throw is given so Harry quickly turns in preparation of Ron's pitch. Only the balloon doesn't come anywhere near Harry. It sails off to the side, hitting Goyla dead on in the face, the water splattering well enough to soak Crabbe as well.
Ron shrugs and in all innocence says, "Oops. Sorry. It slipped."
Round Four
Author: Isolde
Date: 06-24-04 20:50
Isolde and Pyrrhus grinned victoriously as Potter and the Weasel were eliminated from the game. Now all who remained were Looney and the female Weasel, Ravenutt and Schnackenwhatever and the Slytherin couple.
They moved apart as directed by Professor Vector and awaited McGonagall's signal to make the next throw. Isolde had thrown in the first round ("Ladies first!" according to Pyrrhus), Pyrrhus second, Isolde third, so now it was Py's turn to throw again.
McGonagall gave the signal and with a masterful heave, Pyrrhus let the water balloon loose into the air. It flew with perfect shape and direction right into Isolde's open arms without breaking at impact.
"Yes!" Isolde cried out happily.
She turned to the neighboring lane, where Ginny had overestimated her toss and sent it flying over Luna's head and outstretched arms.
Isolde smirked. So far, so good!
Round Five
Author: Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen
Date: 06-24-04 21:07
As Round Four ends, Fritz and Coco move to the indicated positions in their lane to prepare for Round Five. Coco, still on a high from her sack race win, seems unaffected by the Slytherins' glares and smirks, but Fritz can't help but feel a little nervous. They're older, bigger and meaner than he is and he doesn't want to find himself stuffed down a toilet one day just because he beat them at a little balloon toss.
Still, Fritz wants to win so while weighing his options he decides he better not be a coward (since when was he one anyway?). He's going to fight for the win. With a determined look on his face, Fritz waits for McGonagall's signal. She gives it and Fritz makes a perfect toss. It lands right into Coco's hands... and pops on contact.
"Verdammt nochmal!*" Fritz shouts angrily, more upset that the balloon Isolde and Pyrrhus had thrown still maintained its ballooned shape.
McGonagall looks at him sternly, but since she doesn't speak German she's not quite sure what he said. Meanwhile, the Slytherins wear triumphant, matching grins on their faces...
* Damn it!
Prize Presentation
Author: Harry Potter
Date: 06-24-04 21:17
With the parchment containing the prize details in hand, Professor McGonagall gains everyone's attention. "Here are the official results of the water balloon contest. Prizes have been donated, rather generously, by Honeydukes in Hogsmeade. Everyone who participated will receive an engraved trophy in the amusing shape of a water balloon. In seventh place are Drake Bennett and Kody Reese-Emerson. Tying for fifth are Fred Weasley, Blossom Wedgewood, George Weasley, and Majandra Fine. Ron Weasley and Harry Potter take fourth. All of you receive gifts certificates valued at two galleons. Quite a bit of sweets those will buy I daresay."
"Luna Lovegood and Ginny Weasley, the third place finishers, each will get certificates worth five galleons."
"Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen and Coco Nutt, our second place team, receive certificates of ten galleons. I have copies of their owl post order catalogue you may borrow since neither of you are able to go into town on Hogsmeade Saturdays or you may wait and go over the summer holiday."
"To our first place team, Isolde Farnon and Pyrrhus Fine, the very generous prize of gift certificates valued at twenty galleons each. My, Professor Miller must have used charming charms to get all the shops to donate such wonderful prizes today!"
Aaron steps up just then. "Thank you all for making the pie eating contest earlier, this competition and the two races such a success! Give yourselves a round of applause! Don't forget the maze and tunnel of love ride are open. Ice skating is still going on at the lake. Game booths open in the Great Hall at four and the Dating Game is at six. See you there!"
Then the Morning Comes
Author: Andrew Tennyson
Date: 06-24-04 21:38
Several hours have passed since morning's first golden rays heralded the morn. "Midnight, of course, is the best time for Door-hunting" Victor had said, sounding more like he was addressing a class of students than his boyhood chum, "but on a strange and unknown island, I think it best that we wait for dawn before we go mucking about." Loathe as I had been to leave the warmth of the campfire, I had simply nodded my assent and pulled my cloak tightly about myself.
Once the sun had shed some light on our situation, we began to search the island for what Victor would surely recognize as a Door to the Otherworld. On a certain level, I've always envied Victor's attunement to that other realm. My visits so far have proven ... unsettling at best. Victor, however, seems so at ease there, as though it were more truly his home than anywhere else.
Just as the first pangs of hunger begin to gnaw at us, we find our quarry, in the form of a faery ring ... an impossibly perfect circle formed by toadstools. Ignoring our hunger for the time being, we approach the newly-found Door. Somehow, Victor's very presence seems to activate the door, visible from the toadstools suddenly shimmering through a rainbow of colors.
Whether it's anticipation or hunger, my stomach begins to rebel against the thought of our journey. Victor, on the other hand, seems revitalized. With his trademark grin plastered on his face, he says "Now ... down the rabbit hole!"
I really hate it when he says that ...
Dates
Author: Santhea Fennally
Date: 06-25-04 00:53
"Oh dear, as much as I'd love to, I've to take care of my other date you know..." A wicked gleam appeared in Santhea's eyes, and she had to fight to keep back the giggle that wanted to break free as she watched Draco's face turn into a haughty mask.
"Two questions: who is it and when can he meet me for a duel?" The stony expression on his face was ruined by the twitching of the right corner of his mouth.
Santhea replied in mock-shock, "Oh no, he's too good for you, Malfoy. He'd take you apart, piece by tiny piece..." The raised eyebrow was the last straw, and Santhea collapsed against the blond prefect, chuckling so hard her stomach began to ache.
"Fennally, will you pull yourself together. Think of our House's reputation..." Unfortunately, her chuckles were infectious. And so he was also sniggering before long. Luckily, the ice was deserted by now and no one, except for a few crows, saw the couple.
Calming down a bit, Draco murmured against Santhea's hair, "You still haven't answered my question you know..."I guess there are worse things that 'Catch the Snitch'. So yes, I'm game..."
Gazing into amused silvery eyes, the red-head shrugged.
Decoding a Document & that Dreadful Dunk Tank
Author: Severus Snape
Date: 06-25-04 08:38
Professor Snape, dreading the hour of his inevitable debut as the first victim in the dunk tank, stood over his desk in his office, lit wand held over an open scroll. The parchment, a duplicate of the scroll Severus and Bellatrix had stolen from Gringotts on New Year's Eve, contained text written in cuneiform. Snape had been charged to decipher the text and to bring his findings to Voldemort, in whose possession the original scroll remained.
One and a half months now Snape had toiled over the contents of the scroll. It was a language similar to Sumerian yet unlike it in some ways as if a so-far unheard of archaic language had intermixed with one already known. Perhaps this scroll was the work of giants from days past, or Trolls, if they could even read and write.
Snape checked the clock and expelled an exasperated sigh. It was time to humiliate himself in front of the entire school. He reached to move a paperweight from the top left corner of the scroll, but when the light of his wandtip suddenly shone upon the edge of the parchment, some of the markings miraculously became clear to him.
"What's this?" Snape mused aloud, shining the light down the left column of the scroll. It was a code! The words from left to right seemed to mean nothing more than a list of supplies, but the letters from top to bottom in the left most column spelled out the words Volumen Immortalitas.
He quickly read down the next column and the next column, comparing the cuneiform symbols to a list he'd obtained from a book on the Sumerians. More Latin code! Snape felt as if he'd finally broken some ground on the scroll, and he wanted more than anything to decipher the entire document right then and there, but alas... "Duty calls."
Snape hastily rolled up the scroll, locked it away in his desk and left for the Great Hall, where he reluctantly climbed into the dunking booth and fixed a stern glare onto his face.
Knut Pitch
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 06-25-04 09:14
Bill caught Aaron during the short amount of time between the water balloon toss and the opening of the booths to congratulate him on the success of the carnival.
"It's not over yet, Bill!" Aaron said, laughing, "but thanks. I'm having a good time. Glad you could make it.
"Glad you asked. I'm always happy to help out a friend."
They talked a bit more, then parted ways when Aaron went off to oversee the opening of the other booths and Bill went over to the Knut Pitch to prepare for his two-hour shift. He'd donated the coins from Gringotts Bank, Hogsmeade and put them them in a little glass bowl on the edge of the gridded table for any participant willing to give the game a try.
At precisely four o'clock, Bill cleared his throat and called out, "Step right up, step right up! Try your hand at the Knut Pitch!"
Balloons
Author: Desdemona Diamond
Date: 06-25-04 10:07
Bronwyn ambushed me early in the morning and proceeded to drag me everywhere by my wrist. She had stolen my wand, “For my own good” she had said. She then proceeded to drag me around the carnival expecting me to do things, which I didn’t want to do.
We had done everything she had wanted, watched the pie eating contests, watch the races, skated on the lake, and we wondered through the maze for over an hour because I kept making wrong turns. Thankfully she never did take me through the Tunnel of Love like she had suggested.
She ambushed me once again when close to 4 she dragged me to the Great Hall and told me to sit down at one of the booths. She had ‘volunteered’ me to work one of the booths. It was for making balloon animals and other assorted balloon items.
"What? Why? I don't wanna do this!" I complained.
"Too late to complain now, you're doing it," She said.
"Fine. I'll do it. Just let me go, I can't feel my hand anymore," I told her. She let go of my hand and apologized. I took a seat at the booth and found the balloons and got to work.
Giddy
Author: Tranquillina Aemilius
Date: 06-25-04 13:40
Feeling absolutely giddy about winning the three-legged race, recieving a certificate for 25 galleons, and beating two Slytherin girls, Tranquillina was pulled aside by Roane and asked if everything was in place.
"Kairi's getting the boys now, and luring them over there," Tranquillina responded. The girls' evil-plot had been succesfully put into effect and was thus far going according to plan.
Quite content, the two girls sat down awaiting the arrival of Kairi and the gang.
