Daily Prophet Island Challenge Info: As a team, create a story of no more than 1000 words that shows the use of three spells to escape the island.
Spells chosen:
3: incendio,
7: specialis revelio,
19: bubble-head charm
Names:
Captain: Story Please: Oni
Seeker: Sehanine: Jessica
Keeper: Elliot Green: Anastasia
Chaser 1: FragileReality: Morna
Chaser 2: Roselina4389: Rosie
Chaser 3: Claude Amelia Song: Amelia/Amy
Beater 1: choccobun: Marina
Beater 2: Aethra
Word Count excluding author's note: 942
A Shocking Escape
It was a beautiful day. This was no small miracle to the entire team of Pride considering that they were practicing for the Quidditch League semifinals in Scotland. For once, the skies above Portree were a deep, cloudless blue, and the sun shone merrily over their practice pitch.
Oni was in the middle of calling a new defensive play when a deep thundering boom filled the sky, nearly knocking Aethra and Morna off their brooms.
"Incoming!" Jessica cried, dodging just in time.
Everyone scattered as a massive thunderbird landed. Quick as lightning, the creature grabbed the Keeper.
"Oi! Let go of me you big lummox!" shouted Anastasia.
Amy recovered first, pointing her wand at the bird's foot. "Incendio!" she shouted. With a roar like a thunderclap, the beast shrieked and took off towards a strange thunderhead in the distance.
"C'mon team!" Oni cried, "We have to get our Keeper back!"
Jessica zoomed ahead to track the beast. With a crack that lit up the sky, the thunderbird pierced the cloud cover and dove through, leaving a hole behind. Everyone flew through as it began to shrink. Rosie pulled Aethra through when the cloud closed on her foot, sending them both spinning out of control towards the forest below.
"Jessica and Morna!" Oni cried out, "I'm going to help Aethra and Rosie! Marina and Amy, let's go!"
Marina caught Rosie while Oni caught Aethra, and in a trick dive, Amy caught both of their brooms while holding onto hers using only her legs.
"That was close," Rosie said, once they landed.
"Something isn't right," Marina said, looking around suspiciously. "I feel like I'm being watched."
"Yeah," Aethra said with a frown.
A tall man with deeply tanned skin emerged from the bushes, a crown made of shells and stone atop his head.
"Why do you trespass upon our sacred lands?" he asked.
Oni stepped in front of the others. "A thunderbird carried our friend away. We were trying to rescue her, but got separated."
"Are you their chief?" the man asked.
"No," Oni replied, "I am merely the captain of our Quidditch team. We hope to make it all the way to the finals, but we can't do that without our Keeper!"
The man nodded thoughtfully. "I am the chief of the Selkies. My name is Rònan. The thunderbird has plagued us for months. We will help you leave the island if you can banish it."
"Um, I'm just a Quidditch player," Marina said dubiously.
"I, for one, want to try!" Amy said.
"Agreed," Rosie added, "however, we can't just charge up there without preparation."
Jessica touched down next to Amy. "The bird seems to have some sort of nest up at the top of the mountain to the west. It—oh—who are they?"
"This, gentleman, is the chief of the selkies. They're offering us a way home if we defeat the thunderbird," Oni explained.
They discussed their options as a group. Finally, Oni turned back. "We'll do it."
"You need food and supplies," Rònan said. "This way, dear guests."
"Well, only if it doesn't take long," Morna said.
"You shall be on your way shortly," Rònan assured them.
The selkies gave them fish jerky wrapped in seaweed and a large hollow gourd filled with water. With a final farewell, they mounted their brooms.
The trip to the mountain was uneventful. As they got to the top, they saw the bird lying in its nest, its eyes closed. Anastasia was nowhere to be seen. Oni pointed silently, sending everyone to a different side to investigate.
Moments later, Jessica returned. "I can sense a barrier of some sort around the nest."
"Hmm," Oni replied, drawing her wand. "Specialis revelio!"
A shimmering bubble grew visible.
"How do we get through that?" Amy asked.
"Amy, your fire spell worked on the thunderbird earlier. Try it on the barrier," Jessica suggested.
"Incendio!" Amy cried.
A hole formed in the side.
"Wicked!" Morna whispered loudly.
The team flew through and began to search for Anastasia.
"I'm over here!" came a hushed whisper.
Anastasia was literally being CUDDLED by the thunderbird. From the look on her face and her frizzy static-filled hair, she was not amused at all.
"We should cover our whole bodies in the Bubble Head Charm to shield ourselves from electrocution," Aethra suggested.
After covering themselves, the team pointed their wands at Anastasia, covering her with the Bubble Head Charm as well, since she was pinned down and couldn't get to her wand. She had just slipped free when the bird opened its eyes and screeched.
"RUN!" Oni screamed, and everyone hopped onto their brooms as the bird gave chase. It began to call down lightning, and it was only thanks to the Bubble Head Charm that nobody was fried to death.
"Wait, I think I know what it wants!" Anastasia said, pulling off her shiny golden scarf and holding it aloft. "Here, you great ugly thing! Catch!"
She flew up to the cloud barrier and tossed the scarf into the air. The bird dove past her, punching a hole through the clouds.
"Now!" Rosie cried, and everyone shot through just in time to escape before the clouds reformed. The thunderbird played with the golden scarf, no longer concerned with the Quidditch team below.
"Well, that was one interesting Quidditch practice!" Jessica exclaimed.
"My hair begs to differ!" Anastasia complained.
"Well, the most important thing is that we're together," Amy said, smiling sweetly.
"That's right," Oni said, "especially since we have our final practice first thing in the morning!"
Everyone groaned, but they also smiled as they looked forward to the challenges ahead.