Katherine Frances's Blog, page 279
December 1, 2015
ibuzoo:
The Raven Cycle Challenge | 3/5 Main Characters - Blue...
The Raven Cycle Challenge | 3/5 Main Characters - Blue Sargent
fate is a very weighty word to throw around before breakfast
Look, Chuckles, I'm not here for comedy hour.
In one sentence is the spark of a story. Ignite.
Mission: Write a story, a description, a poem, a metaphor, a commentary, or a memory about this sentence. Write something about this sentence.
Be sure to tag writeworld in your block!
Kim Shimmers and the Diviner’s Curse
A Harry Potter Fanfic by me (and sequel to Kim Shimmers and the Screech Owl)
(Art not mine, couldn’t find credits. Let me know if you know them!)
This Harry Potter fanfic will be posted, if all goes well, every weekend.
Chapter 9
Dragons
“You would tell me if there was going to be something really cool here, wouldn’t you Hagrid?” Kim asked him as she heaved a blast ended skrewt cage into position. She’d come to give Hagrid some extra help with the skrewts, not exactly her favorite pastime for a Saturday afternoon, especially since most students were at Hogsmeade, but she didn’t exactly have pure motives either.
“Wha’ yeh mean?” Hagrid asked.
“I mean, this is an exciting year for a lot of people. The Triwizard Tournament being here and all… but most of all there’s been lots of fascinating creatures at Hogwarts. You would tell me if there was something you’d been dealing with that was creature related that you knew I’d be interested in… right?”
Hagrid had grown increasingly uncomfortable, so much so that he had carelessly stood too close to one of the skrewt cages, and a puff of fire escaped, tossing hot bits of smoldering ash into his beard. He busied himself patting it out as he moved to gather up some gardening supplies by the pumpkin patch, mumbling something unintelligible.
“Hagrid!” Kim said in a high voice, sounding offended and indignant at the possibility that he might not tell her. She knew, of course that he wasn’t telling her something, because she had an increasing suspicion of what that something was.
“Well, I s’pose! But… I dunno, sometimes there’s things I’m nah supposed to tell yeh!”
“Not supposed to tell me? Come on, Hagrid. You wouldn’t make me miss out on an opportunity of a lifetime would you? I mean, were something like that to arise, of course. Would you really let me stand here, so close to a magnificent creature of pure power and wonder, and not allow me see it for myself?” she asked, her voice rising in theatrics to a crescendo.
Hagrid stammered some more. “I dunno, Kim… Dumbledore… and besides… have yeh ever seen a dragon before? You’ll pro’ly see ‘em at some point in yer life if that’s yer-” but he stopped himself short because Kim was smiling with a look of sly satisfaction. “Oh no,” he muttered.
“So there are dragons at Hogwarts,” Kim said, true wonder leaking into her voice around the bits of accusation. She found that she was slightly hurt that Hagrid had kept this from her.
“I shouldn’t a’ said tha’,” Hagrid muttered, turning from Kim and going about his chores that he was making a good show of trying to carry out.
“Hagrid, dragons! You have to show me,” Kim said.
“No!” he said with wide eyes. “I mean, I can’t.”
“Sure you can. I’m not a champion. And no one has to know!”
Hagrid seemed to debate this idea internally, looking from side to side as his fingers fiddled before his chest.
“Please Hagrid,” Kim pressed, opening her eyes wide and giving her eyelashes a great bat for effect. “This really is a once in a life time chance for me.”
“Oh, fine!” he grumbled, throwing his hands down and starting to turn. “Follow me. But yeh better stay outa sight!”
Kim followed Hagrid excitedly alongside the forest. It was a long walk before Kim started to hear the ruckus up ahead, but when she did her heart rate started to pick up in speed and intensity. Her palms were even a bit clammy. Dragons were intensely dangerous creatures, and she was having a hard time imagining Harry having to go up against one, even though she had already seen it for herself. They came around a bend of trees and a clearing came into view, the sounds of yelling men at its loudest now.
And then they were in view. Four fully grown dragons were chained down in the clearing, all being managed by 30 or so wizards running about, pointing their wands at the angry dragons and shouting orders at one another. One of the dragons reared up on its hind legs and pushed flames from its mouth. Kim jumped involuntarily as a monstrous roar burst from its chest. Kim slunk to crouch beside a tree, even though they were still quite a distance away. She could feel the heat from the fire billowing up into the afternoon sky. She heard the calls of spells as the dragon was subdued. Kim remained behind the tree, remembering Hagrid’s command to stay out of sight.
“Keep back there Hagrid,” a voice called out, and Kim scanned the field to try and spot the owner. “I’ll be right there!”
“Oh,” Hagrid said, and though he was smiling and nodding at the familiar looking young man with bright orange hair, his voice sounded a bit nervous. Kim was curious about all this but her attention was too absorbed by the dragons. Especially the scaly black one that seemed to sheen slick in the evening sunlight with angry slit eyes. It was the largest of the four and seemingly the most troublesome for the wizards to manage. It was also the dragon Kim had seen in her vision.
“I thought you weren’t going to be coming out until this evening,” said the same tan and freckled young man from before as he approached to stand just before Hagrid. Kim looked at him from where she was half hidden, though not very effortfullly, behind a tree. She now realized where she recognized him from. He was one of the Weasley brothers that she hadn’t formally met yet, but had seen on the train platform.
“Hi yeh Charlie,” Hagrid said, looking past him a bit misty eyed at the dragons. Some of the handlers were shifting around grey eggs, bringing them to the side of the dragon nearest to them. Charlie looked over his shoulder and then looked back to Hagrid with a hint of knowing and exasperation.
“I’ve got them counted,” he said flatly. Kim screwed her face up. Does he think Hagrid’s going to steal one? Would Hagrid steal one…
It was during this thought that Charlie’s eyes wondered to the near by tree that Kim was half hidden behind and caught her form before she could shift behind it more thoroughly. He frowned at her and looked a bit surprised.
“Do I know you?” he asked, and then looked at Hagrid before Kim had a chance to answer. “I thought you were bringing a date?” He sounded rather disgusted, and Kim felt about the same.
“What?” she demanded, coming out from behind the tree now that she’d been caught.
“Oh, er, I still am,” Hagrid explained, putting is hands up in defense. “Just la’er.”
Charlie gave a resigned look at Hagrid before he shifted his gaze to Kim. “I know you,” he said thoughtfully. “Did I meet you by the train station?”
Kim nodded. “I’m friends with Fred and George.” She was already looking past Charlie and at the now relaxed black dragon. It was curled up beside its eggs, seemingly asleep, though when Kim looked closely she could see its eyes rolled behind closed lids, like it was always ready to snap them open.
“They really are amazing,” Kim breathed, taking a step around Charlie to get a better view. Both he and Hagrid followed her as she moved a few paces closer, coming to lean against an outstretched low branch and watch with an awed expression. “What breeds are they?”
Charlie pointed to each as he named them. “Common Welsh Green, Swedish Short-Snout, the Chinese Fireball, and this one here is the Hungarian Horntail.”
“This is a Horntail?” Kim asked with a bit of awe and fear in her tone. She tore her eyes from the black dragon and looked to Charlie, who was eyeing her like one would when appraising something of possible value.
“I’ve read about them,” Kim said, explaining her question. “They’re supposed to be highly territorial and aggressive. Especially the mothers. Which, judging by the eggs, this one must be.”
“That’s right,” Charlie said, sounding amused, and perhaps slightly impressed. “Not to mention, their bodies are designed to be killing machines.”
Kim’s eyes traveled down the sleek line of it, arrow dynamic and sure to be lightning fast, but still so large and muscled. Her eyes landed on the barbed end of its tail, sporting copper colored spikes that could easily impale a grown person.
“No, I don’t envy the one who gets the Horntail,” Charlie said. “Which reminds me, you really shouldn’t be out here. Being a student at all. The competitors aren’t allowed to know the challenges.”
November 30, 2015
jakubsan:
‘shepherd’
new painting from my 1920+ universe, yes...
‘shepherd’
new painting from my 1920+ universe, yes it is a shepherd on the mechanical stilts :) cheers!
November 28, 2015
I hope Fancy Boots over there has good aim, because we're only going to get one shot at this guy.
In one sentence is the spark of a story. Ignite.
Mission: Write a story, a description, a poem, a metaphor, a commentary, or a memory about this sentence. Write something about this sentence.
Be sure to tag writeworld in your block!
