What Whimsical Wonders Would Witty Witches Work?

“Piertotum locomotor,” an auburn haired little girl casted the spell on a metallic pegasus figurine, animating the object with her desires. Kicking its front legs in the air, it neighed before leaping over the front row of pawns in an L-shaped pattern. A chuckling grin came to her face as she was overjoyed at the little pegasus trying to fly, flapping its wings. Her hazel eyes seemed to smile just as much as the grin that spread from cheek-to-cheek, as her freckles bounced with her jiggly cheeks. To her, it was more than a mere sight to behold.

“Come on, Sonia, hurry up!” Her friend yelled at her from Sonia's upstairs bedroom. “Did you get it yet?”

“Yeah,” she yelled back up, “I got him right here, Minerva!” Corralling the figurine, it leapt from off the chess board's table down into her lap, where she clutched it before bringing it upstairs. “You got the whole team ready?”

“Good guys,” Minerva gestured with one hand towards a rag-tag group of action figures of warriors, a robed wizard, and an assortment of plastic animals such as goats, deer, and bears, “and bad guys,” her other hand displayed the row of toy skeletons, wolves, a necromancer, and a skeletal dragon with plastic for its wings' membranes.

“Do you really think the plastic will work?”

“It helped it glide when I threw it. So, if it can't flap its wings we'll just have to cast wingardium leviosa.”

“Yeah, but, will they be able to control where they fly, or do we have to aim them?”

“I dunno, we'll just have to find out. Ready?”

Nodding her head eagerly, Sonia placed the pegasus down amongst the warriors before joining Minerva behind the cardboard castle pillow fort. Traipsing around at its inert companions, sniffing and nuzzling its snout against them for any signs of life, the little figurine seemed perplexed.

“Ready?” Minerva turned to face Sonia.

“You bet!”

“On three. One, two, three!”

The both flicked their wrists, shouting their casting, “Piertotum Locomotor!”

Almost at once all of the toys on both sides of the aisle had sprung to life, shouting, roaring, in distinct, unique, voices. The pegasus was surprised at this, having reared up upon its hind legs and falling over unto its backside.

“Hehe,” Minerva chuckled, “that one's silly!”

“That one's specifically meant for the champion.”

“What champion?”

“Look!” Sonia pointed as the bravest of the warriors pulled the mane of the pegasus, hoisting himself upon its back before pulling out its rubber sword, pointing in the opposition's direction. “That's who! Only the true of heart, being the boldest of the brave are capable of mounting a pegasus!”

Scowling from underneath its hood, the necromancer action figure pointed its staff as its skeleton horde advanced upon the living. Turning its head towards the dragon, it signaled it to take flight. Whilst the dragon clawed across the wooden floor towards the cardboard fortress, the wolves sped off gunning for the deer and goats.

The living archers mounted the deer whilst the axe wielders and mace bearers hopped upon the bears' backs, meanwhile the wizard was busy incanting a protective field for his companions. Leading his troops forward, the champion led the pegasus into battle as a true knight would. Still, being a piece from a chess board, the pegasus could only bound in pre-determined L-shapes.

“See? I told you it couldn't fly. It may have wings, but it's made out of metal. It's too heavy,” Sonia pointed out.

“Hey, where's the dragon?” Minerva's question was quickly answered as the plastic claws punched through the cardboard castle's walls drawing the girls' attention away from the battlefield and more towards their own safety.

Standing upon the rampart, the wyvern spread its wings in a threatening display, like that of a king cobra's hood, as it roared in their direction. Even though it couldn't breathe fire, its plastic teeth and talons were another issue altogether. Startled by its sudden appearance, Sonia leapt backwards in her pillows falling into a more vulnerable position. Preparing to protect her friend, Minerva grasped a pillow, ready to swing it like a baseball bat at the undead beast.

Hearing a guttural, reprimanding, hiss from the necromancer the dragon turned its attention back towards the battle, leaping from the ramparts.

Jumping to meet its adversary, the champion brought its blade to meet the dragon's fangs, only to miss spectacularly. Unlike the queen, the dragon was allowed to change its course of direction when it moved, not only traveling in straight lines. Curving around the champion, it barreled towards his companions. As the wolves met the warriors' shields and antlers of the deer, the dragon soared past them, picking up the wizard in its jaws.

A high-pitched cry was let out as the robed toy was carried off only to be dropped into a dirty laundry hamper. There, the smells of sweat, soiled bedsheets, and stinky socks assaulted the wizard's senses. It would be a slow, agonizing, death by infection and noxious fumes.

Seeing this take place, the side of the livings' eyes grew wide as they realized that they were now susceptible towards the dark magic of the necromancer. Though the fear of realization struck their minds, their hearts still fought on. Knocking the wolves away, sending them whimpering with their tails between their legs, the bear mounts charged into the horde of skeletons, right behind the champion.

As the battle raged on the warriors began to tire, but the undead didn't. To make matters worse the dragon was performing a hammer and anvil strategical attack, picking the mounts and warriors off one by one, scattering them to different parts of the room such as the goldfish bowl, behind the radiator, and even onto the bed as they were eventually trapped beneath the sheets.

Seeing that his companions were being picked off one by one, the champion knew what he had to do. Leaping over and occasionally stomping onto the forces of the undead horde, he steadily made his way towards the necromancer. If he could defeat this one enemy, the rest would fall. As he neared the necromancer, the foul being took a defensive stance. Seeing that it's army of the undead were becoming more useless with every knightly bound, the necromancer prepared its staff in a javelin-like fashion, preparing to meet its adversary.

Drawing near his archnemesis, the champion's pegasus galloped hastily away in its patterns as the undead horde gave chase after him. Though there were still other warriors, deer, goats, and bears to battle, the skeletal horde all shared the same common goal of the necromancer, their army's greatest strength had been turned on them as their greatest weakness. With only one member being capable of conscious goal orientation, unlike the throng of the living, they all lacked proper self-preservation let alone critical thinking when it came to battle strategy.

Sword drawn, golden hooves clamping across the polished wooden floor, the champion barreled his way towards the necromancer with all his might. Knowing that he didn't have the battle prowess, let alone muscle memory experience for physical combat, the necromancer had prepared himself to have his staff swing right for the champion's head. Though all the odds were apparently against him now a smirk grew from his thin, chapped, lips. Though he was preparing to strike the knight, that was the necromancer's plan B. Plan A had always been to rely upon his most versatile unit.

“Look out!” Minerva cried as Sonia peered through the fingers of her hands, the suspense wracking her nerves. As the dragon had swooped down preparing to grab the champion within its jaws. Not paying attention to the shrieks of the girls, but hearing the elastic flap of plastic wings, the champion had rolled his body to the side, just as the dragon had done before to dodge his attack, and raising his blade in the air, the champion's sword had cut cleanly through the dragon's wing membrane. Air escaping past its wing, the undead winged terror lost altitude quickly until its body collapsed undignifiedly scraping across the hardwood floor.

The necromancer's smirk that was once there had transformed into a gaping hole of disappointment, shock, and dismay. As the pegasus had bounded once more, the metallic winged equine pinned the necromancer to the floor beneath its heavy hooves. Dismounting from his companion, the champion knelt down bringing his face close to that of the necromancer. A look of determination glowed in both of their eyes, so the deal had to be done. Raising up his sword, the knight kept eye contact with his adversary, he at least deserved that much respect for being such a worthy opponent even if he was willing to resort to using underhanded tactics.

With the sound of plastic-on-plastic, a small gurgle was let out from the room; as all of the skeletal toys, the dragon included, suffered seizures before whatever internal force that propelled them on vanished. Them bones danced no more.

Cheering the winner for the fantastic scenery of a battle, Sonia and Minerva laughed happily, hugging each other in the process.

“Let's do it again! Again!” Minerva jumped up and down on the pillows.

“Only if you clean the axe-wielder from the fish bowl and root through the dirty laundry!” Sonia laughed.

“What?!” Minerva turned her head to face Sonia, “It's your laundry! Your house, your clothes!”

Sonia placed her hands on her hips, “My house my rules. Besides, you're the one who animated the army of the undead. Therefore it's your responsibility for the actions of the dragon. For it only acted upon your will.”

“Alright, alright, you win this time, but next time when we're at my house I'm making you fetch all of the toys from our dirty laundry basket!”

“Deal!” Sonia stuck out her hand, to which Minerva eagerly agreed, shaking upon their deal.

While the girls went to gather up the rest of the pieces, their heads turned towards the door as the sound of footsteps rapidly ascended up the stairs. Frozen stiff in apprehension, not knowing whether they were going to be welcoming a warm greeting or a scolding, they prepared for the worst.

“Quick, what's the spell to undo the magic?” Sonia whispered.

“I don't know!” Minerva silently hissed back.

“We gotta do something!” Sonia's voice cracked a little.

“Here!” Minerva tossed Sonia a pillow, “Place this over the knight! We can't let anybody see them moving!”

Making haste, Sonia slapped down the figurines before smothering them with a pillow and sitting upon it ensuring that they didn't move. Everything hinged on who came through that door.

*Click!* The doorknob turned as Sonia's door swung open.

“Sonia, how many times do I have to tell you to leave the door open, especially when we have guests over?” Her older brother strode in.

“Sorrwee...” She brought out her cutesy voice hoping that would make him less suspicious and let them off the hook faster with ease. “We just wanted to play castles and dragons.”

He scanned the floor of the room, “And with skeletons too? Goodness, please tell me that you didn't go through our Halloween decorations just for this? You know mom and dad will be vexed if they find out that you made a mess of the boxes downstairs.”

“Don't worry, Willie, I brought them from my house. I got them for a diorama I made for class.”

“That may be sweet of you, Minerva, but the name's William, not Willie. Keep it up and the both of you will be getting the willies,” something caught his eye just beneath Sonia's pillow. “Is that dark wizard?”

“Uh huh,” Minerva answered matter-of-factly, “it's a necromancer. One of the darkest of wizards.”

“See, this is what I mean.” He picked up the toy, “What would've happened if I hadn't been here and the both of you would've done something stupid enough like bring this toy to life? Sure, it might not be capable of its own magic, but the character itself is inherently evil.”

Sonia nervously smiled towards Minerva. “Well, we didn't. See? Aren't you glad at how good we're being.”

“Hold up,” William closed his eyes for a second, “I could've sworn I meant to ask you something.” Sonia began to instinctively bite her lower lip. Her brother may not have photographic memory, but he was capable of knowing when things were just ever so slightly out of place. “Sonia, do you know where one of my knights is from my chess set?”

“I thought it was the family's chess set?!”

“I place it in the living room for a nice display and to have casual games with anybody who desires to do so. Now 'fess up. Those pieces were expensive being that they were custom made. I know that the pegasus is your favorite piece out of all of them.”

“That's cause the other knights' aren't unicorns! Unicorns are better in every single way! You have several chess sets, but none of them have unicorns, how come?”

“Oh come on, I got kelpies, hippocampi, nuckelavees, dragons, sea serpents, and even bicorns. Why are you so fixated on the unicorns?”

“Cause we both know that unicorns are really real!”

“Hey, don't you start with me. So are a lot of the other ones. Still, I really need that piece back.” He turned towards her friend, “Minerva have you seen it?”

“I haven't been downstairs since we had snacks.”

“Course you haven't.” Then he heard a small scraping on the wooden floor. “What was that?”

“What was what?” Sonia tried to deflect the question.

“That sound. What was that?”

“It must be the house,” Minerva said. Trying to steer the conversation in another direction.

“No, it sounded like it came right from underneath Sonia.” The scraping sound happened again, “Okay, either you're farting really badly and there's something sharp underneath your pillow causing the scraping sound or I'm delusional.”

“Well we can't all be crazy at the same time. Right, Sonia?”

“Right!” The sound continued, and Sonia stayed firmly planted, wiggling her hiney around abit. “Huh, there must be a plastic toy underneath me or a bracelet or something. I'll check it later once you leave.”

“Nice try, half-pint. Get'chour rear over here.” He reached down grabbing her around the upper arm yanking her and the pillow from up off the floor.

Whinnying loudly, rearing up like it had before, the pegasus figurine being finally freed bounced around the floor. “Aha! So you were using magic!”

“Please don't tell mom and dad,” Sonia begged.

“Sis, I have to, this might be a small instance, but instances like this get reported to the ministry of magic all the time. Just be thankful that we're all wizards and witches here, including the neighbors.” He pointed a finger towards the undraped window. “I'm fine with letting you use certain kinds of magic, but not unsupervised. What would've happened if I was at work or had made a trip to the farmer's market?”

Sonia pouted, a small tear coming to her face, “We only did one spell, that's all. And it's not considered to be dark magic.”

“Yeah, but even harmless spells can be harmful if done improperly. Okay? I just want to make sure that you stay safe. I care about you.”

“Okay...”

“And that goes double for you two,” he said to Minerva. She turned her head to face the floor. “I'm fine if something bad happens to me, but to my family is one thing, but to a family-friend is another. Especially since your parents put a lot of faith and trust within me to protect the both of you. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to either of you while under my watch.”

“I'm sorry,” Minerva placed her hands behind her back, her cheeks blushing red with embarrassment for having been caught in the act, but more so for making William worried. Minerva might not have an older brother, but William served was practically the one she never had. “We won't do it again, I promise.”

William knelt down to meet her, “Pinky promise?”

Her eyes looked up and a bright smile lit upon her face, “PINKY PROMISE!”

“Atta girl!” He tussled her hair. “Now, Finite Incantatem,” he spoke in a calm voice. Just like that, whatever magic that was placed within the room upon any objects ceased to exist no more. All inanimates returned to their state of inertia, only to be acted upon once again, and the only living beings in the room was the girls, William, and the fish.

“Are we still in trouble,” Sonia asked.

“Well, we're still going have to explain what happened to mom and dad, and to your parents,” he looked at Minerva, “but for now, tidy up and meet me downstairs. If you'd like I'll let you use the chess pieces for another epic battle, like the one you had here.”

“Yayyy!” The girls shouted with glee.

“If you act really good, I might even teach the both of you a new spell.” He winked, “Clean up and meet me downstairs. And leave the door OPEN!” He smiled as he exited.

“You heard that, right Sonia?”

“Yeah!”

“What do you think he'll teach us?”

“I dunno, but I hope it's something cool!”

“What if it involves something with rainbows, butterflies, or even.”

They both shouted, “BUNNIES!” They giggled with glee thinking of the prospects of her brother's gift of knowledge.

“What do you think it'll be, Sonia?”

“What if it's something that teaches us how to make our own toys?”

“That way we can make whatever we want whenever we want!”

“That's so-.”

*Beethoven's Sonata No. 14 "Moonlight" in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27 - I. Adagio sostenuto begins to play in the background, growing progressively louder.*

“Sonia? Sonia? What's happening?!” Minerva became worried, something wasn't right. The good times were surely here to stay, but this work, it wasn't of their own doing. Where, was the origin of this sound, this noise, this music? “Sonia? Sonia?!”

Walking towards her friend, holding her hands, as if all of the music had faded into the background to merely an echo, Sonia gently replied, “I think it's time to wake up.”

Opening her eyes, Minerva blinked as she met Sonia's face. Yawning a bit, she grumbled, “Awwwe, I hate it when you do that. We were just getting to the good part of that memory too.”

Smiling with a chuckle, Sonia replied, “Good morning sleepy head.”

“Hey, your hair's more of a mess than mine is. I swear it's like it's the inspiration for Anna's from Frozen. Still, such a rude awakening from such a good memory.”

“I know right? Next time we should head to bed a little earlier. It still amazes me how you're easily able to do that. I can't maintain my legilimens charm for more than a few minutes, but you seem to do it effortlessly.”

“Well, I did practice it a lot as a kid, but also my mom did it a lot too when she was pregnant with me. So, I never really whined as a baby.”

“Yeah, cause you slept like one too.”

Picking her pillow from underneath her head, Minerva clobbered Sonia with it.

“You two still holding hands?” Another roommate asked, stretching from her blankets.

“You bet, Pabani,” Sonia answered.

“I would've sworn had it of not been for your last names I would've thought you two came from the same family.”

“Well, we lived close together and always shared the same classes as kids. Our parents were friends even before they had us. So, we just kind of really got lucky things turned out the way that they did.”

“Care to join us for a night of dream chasing again, Pabani,” Minerva asked.

“Nah, I'm good for now. Besides, last thing I want is for something embarrassing to happen to me in a dream and for you guys to experience it with me.”

“Like casting incendio only to have your robes catch on fire?”

“Nah, more like leaving the water closet with a trail of toilet paper.”

“You up yet, Catheryn?”

“Yeah, yeah, I'm up,” she removed the sleep mask from her eyes, “just please turn off the music already. I used to like that song until it became an alarm.”

“Such a shame, Beethoven's music great to study to, and stimulates the mind rather well.”

“Enough,” Sonia laughed, “or else you'll start sounding snooty, just like Eibhlin.” They both chuckled at that. “Hey, is she awake yet?”

“I don't know. She's all the way in the basement, and my range doesn't reach that far. The one time I tried doing that it made me go cross eye and gave me a splitting headache.”

“Oh well, we'll see her out in the yard.”

“I'm gonna go get changed already,” Catheryn started, as she hopped from her bed, gathering a pile of her school clothes sitting out upon her desk.

“Headed towards the private bathroom, Cate?”

“Yeah, as per usual. Can't have you guys or anybody else trying to swipe my shampoos. That stuff's expensive.”

“Not as expensive as Lockhart's failure of a shampoo!”

“Don't get me started on that,” Catheryn yawned. “I'll stick to royal jelly in my hair thank you instead of silver eggshell yolks. Just because it's costly doesn't mean its worthy.”

Once she left the room the other three started climbing out of their own beds, brushing their hair and changing out of their pajamas.

“Hey, how come Catheryn never joins you two for your dreams. Minerva, I know that you sometimes link up with my by accident, just because we're all so close together.”

“Well, proximity's one thing and so is friendship, which Catheryn has both in spades. Yet, I can never read anything from her mind, nor can anybody else, not even the professors.”

“How come?”

“Remember, Catheryn told us that when she was really little her family got into a really bad car accident. She's got a metal plate in her head.”

“Ohhh, so just like how metal surrounding a building messes with certain signals, Catheryn's metal plate acts in the same way?”

“More or less, I don't know the whole science behind it, but it sure does make her life a lot more peaceful dare to say.”

“So, if I ever want to stop you from reading my mind I should wear some fancy gold or silver earrings?”

“You wished,” Sonia quipped. “Trust me, I do too.”

Having showered the night before, the three of them gathered their books after changing and strode forth from their room. Meeting Catheryn at the bottom of the staircase, Pabani stated, “Well, you got ready quickly.”

“Fastest gal in the north.”

“Shall we get this coven on the move,” Sonia asked.

“Yeah!” The others responded.

“Ravenclaw, fly out!” As they walked through the corridors they met up with a petite, short, blonde haired girl in one of the main hallways, “Morning Eibhlin, sleep well?”

“Not really, there was a cold draft in the Slytherin's quarters all evening. Plus, if it weren't for that, some first year hitting the glass wall trying to get the kraken's attention, nonstop.”

“Sounds like a rough night.”

“Oh, you would not believe it.”

“Thankfully for you at least nobody placed a pea underneath your bed,” Minerva japed.

“Oh, hardy har har, lady born from her father's head. At least I have the common decency not to go sticking my mind where it doesn't belong. Would you mind not creeping into mine so early in the morning?”

“Sorry about that, it's just-.”

“Completely natural for you as breathing air is for everybody else. Yeah, yeah, I get it.”

“Hey, why's everybody gathered around the yard today?” Catheryn poked a finger, displaying the groups. “Seems like something big is happening.”

Picking up the pace, they went to an acquaintance of theirs. Taller than Sonia, but with her hair more of a darker brunette and her eyes being browner than a 100% cacao, Sonia asked, “Hey Audrey, what's all the fuss about?”

Rolling her eyes are her friend, the Gryffindor lass replied, “For Ravenclaw students you guys sure seem to be slow on the uptick. It was discovered more than a week ago that we'd be receiving a transfer student from Ilvermorny.”

“Sounds like news to me,” Minerva said. “How come the student body wasn't told about it.”

“Because we weren't. Valeria found out by sneaking into the headmaster's room looking for anything juicy to write about for her paper.”

“Sounds rather sneaky for a Gryffindor student. I figured that something like that would be done by somebody from Slytherin.” She looked to Eibhlin, “No offense.”

“None taken, comes with the territory.”

“Noted.” Turning back to Audrey, she asked, “So, what happened to Valeria?”

“She was punished by being made to scrub the toilets outside the Gryffindors' common room every morning. That and her publications were charmed with illegibilus spell.”

“That's why it's been a bunch of gobbly-gook recently.”

“Duhhh...” Audrey rolled her eyes, “You think a talented writer like herself would allow any misspellings to occur, let alone poor penmanship. Remember, she did get a 100% on her N.E.W.T.S. and O.W.L.S. last quarter. Plus, her reports have always been top notch. In all honesty, I'm surprised she wasn't sorted into Ravenclaw at first.”

“Well, it takes courage to not just search for, but to also spread the truth.”

“True,” walking over towards bench, they group all sat down continuing their chatter.

“So, who do you think it'll be,” Sonia asked.

“I hope it's another girl for Slytherin,” Audrey said, “I'd love nothing more but than to beat your house again during quidditch.”

Eibhlin recognized the insult, but paid it no mind, “Whatever muscle brain. At least I know my grades are still better than yours.” While Audrey shot daggers at Eibhlin with her eyes, Eibhlin just yawned, hoping for some peace and quiet.

“I hope it's a cute boy,” Catheryn said.

“Puh-leaze,” Minerva quipped back, “you already get tons of boys' attention, what with your blonde hair and all. Plus, if you bring up that tragic backstory it's bound to make one of them desperate to want to try to heal you just so you can ‘connect on a deeper level.’”

“Yeah,” Audrey started, “since I can't read your mind, could you let me read your body?” They all laughed at that as Audrey started to make kissy faces in the air while her hands seemed to fondle an invisible being, causing Catheryn to blush.

“Who do you think it'll be, Sonia,” Pabani asked.

“I don't know, but whoever it is, I just hope that they're nice.”

“Well, I don't think we'll have to wait any longer to find out,” Audrey stated. “Our guest has arrived.” Pointing a finger out, they saw a young man sauntering his way through the crowd. Not wearing a uniform as of yet, he stuck out like a sore thumb. Wearing a grey hoodie with black Dickies cargo pants and a backpack slug over his shoulder. With a devious smile on her face, one look at his caramel toned skin was all Audrey needed to say, “There he is. That's our American.”

***

Thavien's Token:

This is not the first time I've written fanfiction regarding the Wizarding World. I've had the idea for a Harry Potter Fan Fiction series brewing in my head for a few months now. Raymond G. Taylor's "Write-a-witch awards" was the competition to give me the kick that I desperately needed to put pen to paper instead of just talking about it with friends.

Raymond G. Taylor, I must apologize for the length of this. I know You had suggested 1200 words in our comments to one another, and I had failed at that task rather spectacularly. Most sincere of apologies.

Please, leave a comment below and tell me what You liked, what You disliked, what You loved, what You hated, and what You, Yourself, would change. I do not craft perfection. Therefore, there is always room for improvement.

If You'd like to read another odd piece of fanfiction that I've crafted taking place within the magical Wizarding World then please feel free to read “Father's (Sins)Gift” at Your leisure. Be warned, that short story is a rather dark one in it of itself.