The Hexley Hall Game Day Challenge Chapter 2, a sofia the first fanfic

A quick disclaimer before we begin: I do not own any of the songs in this chapter; they belong to their respective artists.

Everyone watched as the rest of the people in line were sorted. Sofia and her friends decided to stay together until the first game was announced, and they knew where to go. As they watched those in line go to the stool and get sorted, they saw a girl with dark hair and a blue dress. Dorrie, Candice, Sofia, James, and Amber smiled. This was Isabel, Elena's sister, whom they'd met when they went to Avalor.

"Come on, give her something good," James silently willed the sorting hat.

"PEPPERTON HOUSE!" the sorting hat announced, and the Pepperton House group cheered.

"That good enough for you, James?" Candice joked over the applause.

"It sure is!" James joked back.

"Isabel! Over here!" Sofia waved.

Isabel smiled as she went over to Sofia and her friends. Her grandparents and sister were right behind her.

"Elena!" Sofia waved in greeting.

Elena smiled as she came over and hugged her. "It's good to see you again, Sofia. Isa's been looking forward to coming to this Game Day and these workshops for several days."

"It's going to be a lot of fun," Dorrie smiled; she, Candice, and Violet had been to Avalor following Sofia's adventure to help the staff learn what to do.

"Elena, you know Dorrie and Candice, and you met my sister Amber and my brother James, but this is my other sister Lucinda, our former Royal Sorcerer's niece Callista, and our friends Zoe and Sandra from Orillia," Sofia spoke up, introducing everyone. She smiled as Sandra raised her dagger, which she'd also brought with her, in a salute. Her smile widened as she motioned Wendell to come forward. "and this is James, Amber, and my friend Wendell."

"It's nice to meet all of you," Elena smiled. "This is my grandfather Francisco, and my grandmother Luisa."

"It's an honor to meet you," Lucinda said as she came up. "I'm Sofia's other sister Lucinda. I wasn't with the family when they went to Avalor, since I had business to attend to at Enchancia Castle. I met with Annora the Witch Queen, and we discussed a mutual magical security of both Enchancia, and Annora's witch territory. Sofia did, however, tell me all about you, and her adventures, when the family returned. And if you agree to it, I will send Queen Annora a message asking her to extend the security she offered Enchancia to you and Avalor as well."

"That's a very generous offer, Princess Lucinda," Elena smiled. "I look forward to meeting Queen Annora."

"Witches?" Luisa asked.

"Some witches, like Queen Annora and myself, are white, or good witches," Lucinda assured her. "Annora and her forces will be Avalor's allies in times of trouble."

"That's good to hear," Francisco agreed. "And it will be interesting meeting her. We've never met witches until now."

"You'll enjoy meeting Queen Annora," Lucinda smiled. "She's very wise, and her help will be very useful when she and her allies are needed."

When it was time to go, Sandra led Zoe and Callista to the Stryker group, said hello to Shawna, and went to find the Waldgrave group. At the same time, as she watched from the stage, Miss Lovegood let everyone mingle for a few minutes, then called everyone together for the first game.

"Now that we all know each other, let's get the ball rolling! Our first challenge is Musical Word Duel," Miss Lovegood said as she brought out a CD player. "Would two of you come up and demonstrate how to play?"

"Musical Word Duel?" Sofia asked.

"Oh, that's fun," Dorrie grinned. "As the song plays, you have to unscramble the different words to solve the puzzle."

"That sounds easy enough," Amber started.

"You'd think that, but as the puzzles get harder, you find it hard to concentrate on the words and start singing along with the music, like you're taking a break from the puzzle and try again in a moment. The first person who gives up on the puzzle loses," Dorrie explained.

"I love Musical Word Duel! When we play this at Royal Prep in my Music Appreciation class, I always help my team win!" James cheered before he bounded up the steps. He was surprised to see Sandra already waiting for him.

"Took you long enough to get up here. Musical Word Duel is one of my favorite games!" Sandra grinned. "I always beat the knights when they challenge me!"

James grinned as he found a CD and put it in the CD player. "Okay, but we're both squires. And do you think you have what it takes to beat me now?"

"Oh please. This is another song the knights in Orillia train with! We aren't just raised on folk music; we know how to rock!" Sandra smirked as she recognized the song.

"Well then, if you're so confident, you'll face me in a little game!" James smirked back.

"To which I say, bring it on!" Sandra grinned as she started to sing and unscramble the different words.

Sandra: I hear the drums echoing tonight
But he hears only whispers of some quiet conversation
He's coming in, 12:30 flight
The moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation

James grinned back as he started working on the puzzle and singing the song with her.

James: I stopped an old man along the way
Hoping to find some long-forgotten words or ancient melodies
He turned to me as if to say, "Hurry boy, it's waiting there for you"

James and Sandra: It's gonna take a lot to take me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had

James: The wild dogs cry out in the night
As they grow restless, longing for some solitary company

Sandra: I know that I must do what's right
As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti
I seek to cure what's deep inside, frightened of this thing that I've become

James and Sandra: It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had

James and Sandra solved the puzzles, then started on a bonus one Miss Lovegood set up.

James and Sandra: Hurry boy/now, she's/he's waiting there for you

James: It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do

Sandra: I bless the rains down in Africa

James: I bless the rains down in Africa
(I bless the rain)

Sandra: I bless the rains down in Africa
(I bless the rain)

James: I bless the rains down in Africa

James and Sandra: I bless the rains down in Africa
(Ah, gonna take the time)

Gonna take some time to do the things we never had

Over the whoops and cheering for the song, everyone saw that the puzzle had been solved.

"Great job, James. Sandra was good too," Sofia said as James came back to her.

"We solved it after the second chorus. But we did a victory lap with the rest of the song," James grinned.

Miss Lovegood also grinned as she came up. "Well, after that performance, what can I say but, twenty points each to Pepperton and Waldgrave!"

Suddenly, they heard a slow round of applause. "Oh yes, well played. You both sang well, and young man, you do your mother proud; I always loved hearing Melinda's voice as she sang in the halls on the way to classes." Everyone looked up, and saw the former Headmaster of Hexley Hall, Grimtrix Truesdale. "Now, it's my turn to have some fun at Game Day." He aimed his wand at the groups and fired off several beams of light. Several people shrieked and yelled as they tried to take cover, but some were hit and went stiff or fell to the ground.

"Protego!" Dorrie, Candice, and Lucinda used Shield charms to protect a few of the people around them. There were a lot of people, but they did the best they could.

When he saw that Zoe was about to be hit by a beam of light, Wendell pushed her out of harm's way. "Miss Zoe! Look out!" he shouted.

"Thank you! I'll take her somewhere safe!" Shawna called as she caught Zoe's arm.

"Thanks, Shawna! Isabel! Heads up!" Sandra yelled, pushing Isabel away just as she and Wendell were hit by a beam of light.

When the light cleared, Miss Lovegood had Hexley Hall security start searching the grounds for Grimtrix.

Meanwhile, Sofia, Dorrie, Candice, and Lucinda were making the rounds, checking to see if everyone was all right.

Lucinda saw that Zoe and Isabel were standing a few feet away from Wendell and Sandra, who were lying close together on the ground. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"We're both fine," Isabel nodded.

"I'm okay, but Sandra was hit by something," Zoe pointed at her sister, who was starting to stir.

"Sandy! Are you okay?" Lucinda asked.

Sandra looked around. "Lucy?" she asked. She and Wendell both stood up, and their hands were still touching. They tried to pull apart, but it didn't do any good.

"Ah, the old 'stick together' hex…this takes me back," Wendell smiled fondly, "But I think this joke is funnier when I'm doing the casting!"

"You don't say!" Sandra grumbled, but she changed her tune and smirked. "But the joke's on Truesdale; I can still use my right hand!"

"I'm ambidextrous myself," Wendell agreed, "But how can we undo this spell?"

"We'll find a way, don't worry," Sofia assured him.

Meanwhile, Amber was kneeling next to James, who had also been hit with one of the beams of light as he tried to protect her. "James, are you okay?"

James looked up, and as he looked around, Amber was stunned to see tears streaming down his face. "What was I thinking? Why did I do that when I promised not to anymore?" He buried his face in his arms and started crying. Lucinda, Sofia and Amber were shocked, but their sisterly nature took over and they started to try and comfort him.

"James, what happened?" Sofia asked.

"Mom…I was singing…I didn't mean to! I'm sorry!" James kept chanting.

"James, it's okay! You've been singing in public for months now! Mother said she never held you to what you said!" Amber said as she patted his back.

"What's the matter? Why can't James sing in public?" Wendell asked as he and Sandra came up.

"I know why, since Sofia and Amber told me, but I thought he and I sounded good when we played that game," Sandra agreed.

"We'll let James tell you about this, Wendell; right now, we have to help him," Sofia said as she rubbed James' shoulders.

Suddenly, they heard a new voice. "Maybe I can help," Everyone looked up, and saw Vivian, who was also attending the workshops and Game Day, and had been made a member of Waldgrave House along with Sandra. She came over to James and hugged him as well. She then took a wand out of her pocket and waved it over him, just like Dorrie, Candice, and Lucinda did when they scanned someone for traces of magic.

"Wait a minute. Vivian, since when do you do magic and use a wand?" Sandra asked; she'd been sick on Hexley Hall's Prank Day when Kurt, Elliott, and Amy had pranked Royal Prep, but Sofia had told her everything, including how Vivian had helped save everyone.

"Since my mother and I are members of the House of Revargia," Vivian smiled. Dorrie and Candice nodded; they were familiar with the well-known house belonging to a powerful magical family of sorcerers and sorceresses. After a few moments, Vivian looked up. "Just as I thought. Truesdale cast a memory charm on James, making him relive the worst time of his life. Luckily, I know how to reverse it."

"How?" Lucinda asked.

Vivian smiled. "My mother told me about this once," she tapped James on the shoulder to get his attention, and when he looked up, she kissed him. Almost instantly, James' tears stopped flowing, he stopped chanting "I'm sorry…it's all my fault" and his mind cleared. As everyone looked at Vivian in amazement, she smiled and said, "What? In fairy tales, curses and spells are often broken with a kiss!" She turned serious. "But for the spell to truly be broken, he has to face the memory. In this case, sing the song."

"Can other people sing it with him?" Amber asked, recalling how she and James were supposed to originally sing that song together.

"Of course," Vivian replied as she watched Candice bring over the CD player, and Dorrie found a box of CDs.

"That's good, Vivian, but James, are you all right?" Sofia asked.

James smiled as he took Vivian in his arms. "Let's put it this way, Sof," he replied. He found the song he was looking for, put it in the CD player, and began to sing.

I don't take my whiskey to extremes
Don't believe in chasin' crazy dreams
My feet are planted firmly on the ground
But darlin' when you come around

Amber smiled as she joined him on the chorus.

I get carried away by the look by the light in your eyes
Before I even realize the ride I'm on
Baby I'm long gone
I get carried away nothin' matters but bein' with you
Like a feather flyin' high up in the sky on a windy day
I get carried away

As James kissed Vivian's forehead and danced with her, Amber took the next verse.

It might seem like an ordinary night
Same ol' stars, the same ol' moon up high
But when I see you standin' at your door
Nothin's ordinary anymore

James smiled as he sang with her again. He also smiled at Dorrie and Candice, who were smiling with tears in their eyes. He knew Violet had told them everything about how he used to feel about singing in public, and how he performed this song as The Secret Singer.

As he smiled at the teary smile Vivian was giving him, James finished the song.

I get carried away nothin' matters but bein' with you
Like a feather flyin' high up in the sky on a windy day
I get carried away

Carried away

Like he did the last time he sang this, he embraced Vivian, and as he broke away, he kissed her hand.

"You're such a showman," Amber smiled.

"I always forget that this song makes me cry!" Vivian said as she sobbed gently into her handkerchief.

"That's okay, Vivian, but James, Queen Melinda would be so proud," Dorrie agreed, putting an arm around her.

"She said she was," James smiled softly, recalling how she had come to him.

"Yes, well, that was well done, James, and I hate to break up this very touching moment, but we still have a problem," Wendell spoke up.

"I'll say!" Sandra added, she and Wendell holding up their conjoined hands.

"Sandra, I'll help you," Zoe spoke up.

"Zoe, I don't think it's a good idea to get closer. You might get stuck too," Sandra shook her head. "And do you remember the story Mom used to tell you about the golden goose?"

"The one where the people kept getting stuck to each other if they came near the bird?" Sofia asked, recalling a story Miranda used to tell her.

Sandra nodded. "That's the one. We don't need to start a conga line; we need to find a way to break this spell."

Now that he had recovered from the spell and was feeling better, James grinned as he took Amber's shoulders. "Come on, Sandra; everyone likes a conga line!" He started dancing behind her and pressing down on her shoulders, only to have Amber shrug him off, and he fell to the ground.

"Are you okay?" Dorrie asked as she helped him up.

"Now that he has his sense of humor back and the spell's been lifted, he'll be fine," Amber assured her.

"That's good, but unfortunately, there's another problem," Candice spoke up. She pointed to some of the groups, and everyone saw that they were trapped in large crystals.

"Why didn't we notice this before?" Lucinda demanded.

"We were all worried about James, and helping him," Sofia assured her.

They made their way around the people in the crystals. Sofia looked sad when she saw that Callista was among those trapped.

Sandra felt the same way when she saw Shawna trapped with her. "Truesdale's going to pay for this," she said as she whipped her wand out. "Nobody messes with my friends!"

"You mean you and I are actually…friends?" Wendell asked, hoping to lighten the mood.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Sandra frowned at their connected hands, but she managed a half smile at Wendell.

"But how will we free everyone?" Amber asked.

"There's only one way to do that," Dorrie replied, "Hexley Hall's library. Let's go."

Author's Notes

Thanks to Niagara14301 for helping with some of the details in this chapter.

The song James and Sandra sang in Musical Word Duel was Africa by Toto, which is not mine.

Elena, Isabel, Francisco, and Luisa are from Elena and the Secret of Avalor and Elena of Avalor.

Kurt, Elliott, and Amy, and Hexley Hall's Prank Day, was seen in the episode Substitute Cedric.

Vivian being a member of the House of Revargia is noted in Niagara14301's The Storm.

George Strait's Carried Away is not mine, and can be found in chapter 9 of my story The Day the Music Died, and chapter 6 of my story The Secret Love Song.

The story James and Sandra were talking about was The Golden Goose by the Brothers Grimm.