WARNING: Horror genre for the suspense/threat of the Lethifold, a scary creature. Starring Flavius Belby, first known survivour of a Lethifold attack. Many AU elements included as usual :3 No pairing.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments) forum - Potions, #6: Write about someone being strong. Extra prompts: (object) Gavel, (feeling) Terrified
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments) forum - September Event "Back to School": (object) Quill
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments) forum - Chocolate Frog: "Justice has been served." (dialogue)
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments) forum - Gringotts Prompt Bank: Lethifold, "Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results." - Willie Nelson, Glisseo (spell), Horror (Genre), Ossett (Towns/Cities in England)
Title: No Surprise
Rating: T (for horror and implied things)
Genre: Horror
Word count: 1335
Flavius Belby was your average wizard. He graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with average grades and lots of friends he would call acquaintances, as he hardly kept in touch with anyone.
In his late twenties, Flavius had the high honour of being elected President of the local Gobstones Club he frequented. He was a magnanimous person who was easy to approach and was an excellent sportsman. Flavius was also a highly skilled Gobstones player. That's partly why he was elected President.
During his five year term, Flavius raised thousands of galleons because of his family's position (the Belby's were one of several pureblood wizarding families) and because of his likable personality. He was a best friend to everyone, a shoulder to lean on, a fatherly type for the youngsters. Flavius was, all around, a good person.
It was no surprise when Flavius declared his intention of traveling the world once he retired from his presidency.
It was no surprise when no one heard from Flavius for years.
However, almost fifty years later, the world was astonished when an elderly Flavius Belby make a groundbreaking discovery.
Flavius Belby was on vacation in the southern hemisphere on an island that is now called Papua New Guinea. At the time, Flavius enjoyed living with the local island tribes because their customs and foods were all so different and unique. Flavius's amicable nature came in handy as each native tribe accepted him into their ranks because of his generous spirit and clean soul.
One day, as Flavius told the story, he met a British family in town. Happy to meet his own people again after so many years of travel, Flavius was invited to the British side of town. The family he met ended up leaving on holiday themselves. But they encouraged Flavius to stay on and use their house as his home until they returned.
Heartened to see the comforts of home, Flavius agreed and bid goodbye to the British family. Surprised that a Muggle family would allow him to live in their house for a week, Flavius settled in and made himself comfortable.
Lying awake in bed reading, Flavius was munching on a delicious platter of cheese and crackers when he heard a rustle like soft silk. Pausing, he shook his head, deciding he was hearing things in such an old house. Taking a drink of wine, Flavius continued his reading until he saw a shadow move under the door.
On the alert now, Flavius grabbed his wand and started thinking of every fighting spell he knew. He first tried a blast jinx and several hexes. The shadow avoided his curses and the jinx didn't work. Next, Flavius tried the usual burning and stunning spells. Even the Impedimenta jinx didn't work. The black shadowy thing kept its course until it approached the bed. Like a snake, it slithered up onto the covers. Flavius threw more spells at the thing, even crazy spells he knew wouldn't work like Lumos Solem, Glisseo and Wingardium Leviosa.
Flavius caught a head-on glimpse of the creature and shivered in fear. His spine tingled from top to bottom as he felt his muscles tense up and freeze. Frozen in place, Flavius eyed the golden eyes carefully. The creature - whatever it was - slithered atop him and proceeded to smother him. Flavius was terrified. The creature was suffocating him. Clawing at the monstrous thing, he found, to his horror, the creature was not easily seized. Its body was made of almost transparent stuff that was hard to grasp. Fighting to breathe, Flavius felt himself receding from consciousness.
"No!" he mentally screamed, unsure if he was able to speak out loud or not. "I will not die like this!"
A face, reminiscent of his old friend James Thornton, appeared in his mind's eye.
"Flavius," the figure said using James's voice, "Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results."
"Of course!" Flavius mind-talked. "My happiest moment was when I was named President of the local Gobstones club!"
Flavius smiled as his mind slowly drifted into unconsciousness. The dark, cloth-like creature relished in its victory. The man was succumbing to the darkness. Pretty soon, he would be dead and then the creature could feast. Just a few more minutes, it calculated. Pushing down harder, the creature slid up Flavius's body a few more centimeters to have a better grip around the man's body.
The image was clear as day to Flavius. James Thornton was announcing the new Gobstones President.
"Today, we are here to commemorate an important ceremony. Today, we have voted on our new President. Ladies and gentlemen, I now present President Flavius Belby as the sixty-third president of the Ossett Gobstones Club!"
Flavius stood up, gobsmacked that he had been chosen. Cheers rang throughout the small streets as he walked to accept his presidency.
Suddenly, a blinding white light penetrated the dark room. Flavius heard an unearthly yowl as the creature fought against him. Opening his eyes, unaware he had closed them in the first place, Flavius tried to sit up and found it was easier to breath. Looking around, pointing his wand everywhere, Flavius saw his Patronus, a bighorn sheep, charging at the cloak-like creature.
The dark creature, whom Flavius decided to call a Levifold for its cloak-like appearance and levitation ability, was shrieking as if in pain from contact with the Patronus.
Flavius successfully drove off the dark creature and was able to leave the island of Papua New Guinea with no other mishaps. However, his deed became legendary when the Meritt family, whose house he stayed in, spread the tale. Like wildfire, the story spread through Great Britain and the colonies. Flavius Belby became a household name overnight.
When interviewed later, Flavius said that after accepting his fate, he was inspired to find his courage by his friend who had passed the year before.
"So he's like your guardian angel?" the reported asked.
"Yes," Flavius responded, after some thought. "Yes, you could say that. James Thornton was my mentor, my idol and now, I suppose he's my guardian angel. He was the best friend and long-time supporter I could have ever had."
"It seems justice has been served," the reporter remarked kindly. Flavius nodded his head as the reporter continued speaking. "And is the - what do you call it, the creature?"
"The Levifold?"
"Yes, the Lethifold - is it destroyed?" the reporter asked.
"Well, yes, and no," Flavius responded, confusing everyone. "Here, let me explain." Picking up a quill, Flavius held it up. "This is, undeniably, a quill pen." Everyone laughed, thinking he was crazy. Cutting it in half, Flavius held up both halves of the quill. "And now, I have destroyed the quill. Does everyone agree?"
A communal cry of "yea"s answered Flavius's question.
"Very good. But you would also agree that both halves still can be used as quills?"
The reporter was the first to understand the point. "So it's like Transfiguration?" And, of course, like most people, the reporter added two and two together and got seven.
"No, no, no," Flavius shook his head. "It's like this. I fought back the Levifold, but I did not kill it. I merely tired it out so it stopped attacking me. It's sort of like a Dementor. I fought back with my Patronus and was able to shield myself. However, if there is a way to completely kill a Levifold - now that is the million galleon question!"
Later, when reading his interview, Flavius Belby was very disappointed to see that 'Levifold' was spelled as 'Lethifold'. However, upon inquiry, he found it impossible to attempt to change the spelling. It was as though the British public had slammed the gavel down and declared 'Lethifold' as the name that would be used to refer to the most deadly creature discovered to man.
